Time

One of those things that God blesses each of us with is our time. Time is the one thing that we receive that once it is gone, it is gone forever.

I began to take the command of the Great Commission seriously several years back. The one word that has always stuck with me in Christ’s command is the word “GO”. Recently, I returned from using some of the time that I have blessed with from a short term mission trip to Haiti. The time that I spent in Haiti was my offering of the blessing that He has extended to me and using His blessing to extend to others for His Kingdom.

In my life, I have seen poverty in other countries as well as in this country. However, it is hard for me to put into words the level of poverty that I witnessed first hand while in Haiti. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. The Haitian people live a hand to mouth existence in that they simply scratch out a life each day. Whatever food they get for the day is consumed that day. Personal financial resources are scarce and financial wealth is virtually non existent. With that fact, you would think that the extreme poverty I witnessed would breed extreme despair but that is what I did not see. I did not see a poverty of the soul in the Haitian people. It has been said that the eyes are the windows to ones soul. The eyes of the Haitian people that I came in contact with were filled with a hope and joy that was infectious. The Haitian people are incredibly gracious and hospitable.

The true joy of the Haitian people was evident to me the Sunday morning I was able to worship in the Grand Guave Church. The service was done in Creole (Creole is the native language of Haiti. It is very similar to French.). I was able to understand the message that was being stated. The service lasted 3 ½ hours. The air temperature was at least 95 degrees and the humidity easily pushed the heat index to 110. As I sat there watching this celebration, I wondered to myself how many in the states would be willing to sit through a service of this length let alone sit through it with the heat and humidity?

To me, how this nation become so impoverished is irrelevant. What is relevant to me is the fact that the nation of Haiti in close proximity to our nation which is the most blessed nation in the world.

I think we can agree that God has blessed those of us who reside in the country greatly. I don’t say that to shame you but rather ask how are you using those blessings you have received to bless other?

Fingerprints

As I find myself moving upon the path of life, I find God speaking to me in new ways. I find joy in the receipt of His revelation for my life so that I may truly live my life according to His good and perfect will. I find myself wanting to move deeper into trying to leave His fingerprint of redemption through my actions to display my true faith in His being.

I have often wanted to just act impulsively for His name. On July 30th, I was asked to go to Haiti leaving on August 19th. I did not have the finances to cover this trip yet I just impulsively stated I would go. I found this as an opportunity to leave His fingerprint. I also have a strong passion for Missions work as that is the one command that Christ left his followers with prior to ascending to Heaven. "Go therefore and make disciples.."

I also have a strong passion to work with early teenaged boys' and girls'. I believe this passion comes from my early teen years where I made some very bad life choices and I feel an urge to help this age group to not make some of the same mistakes that I made during a very crucial time in my life.

As I prepare for this journey, I pray that God will continue to bring His revelation to my life in such a way that He will show me how to meld these 2 passions in such a way to effectively allow me to use my strengths for His glory. I am also praying that by His will, He will reveal in me a way that I am able to take these 2 passions and be able to provide an income to continue fully in this effort.