What Ties Me to Home…

 

Believe it or not, this passion began while I was on a mission trip. During my year as an intern at my church I had the opportunity to travel to Jamaica with seven other interns and it was an amazing trip!

We were there for ten days. we painted rooms in the church, served in an orphanage and just helped out where needed. Through all this, God spoke to us all.

While I was staying in Jamaica I got a new picture of community. This picture included open doors and open homes all day, every day, without condition. Then, as I was coming home, I received a revelation from God that that I never expected to receive. Something in me changed. the community I saw in Jamaica, that’s what I wanted to see at home.

My trip to Jamaica also made it very clear that right here in Langley, this is my mission field. The mission just looks a little different. Yes, you read right, I just called North America a mission field. Sometimes I wish we had more “mission trips from “third world countries” to North America and other “first world continents” cause there is something there that they have that they could teach us.

That is what I desire to see here in Canada. As I set up a new home for myself, it is something I think about near daily. Now, I live alone so keeping a clean house may seem a little more possible, but let me ask you something. Who notices the mess in your own home more than you? Should that be stopping us from being inviting and open? I know, as I write this, that this is way easier said then done but it shouldn’t be what keeps us from living the way that I have read over and over again here in Acts 2:42-47

The Believers Form a Community

⁴² All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper^[i]), and to prayer.

⁴³ A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. ⁴⁴ And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. ⁴⁵ They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. ⁴⁶ They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity^[j]— ⁴⁷ all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

  Did you catch that at the end? how many were added to the church each day? and why was that? In the book of Acts I read of the community I saw when on my missions trip, the community I long to see here. People saw needs and they did what they could to help. People shared what they had and no one went with out. The church worshipped together and ate together. They devoted themselves to God’s word and to fellowship with each other and each day people were added to the church!

This is how Jesus lived when he was on earth. Others needs always went before his. Should that not be example enough for us?

We have more than enough to sustain us and yet why is it so hard to live this way?

This is my mission…what about you?

Staying Home

 

Home…

This is a blog for anyone out there who either has no idea what to do with their life, or, wishing for a different life, or for anyone who is having a hard time dealing with the fact that they are left at home reading the facebook updates and blog posts of their friends half way across the world.

I graduated five years ago. I live in Langley, BC, Canada. Since then I have seen many friends come and go. I have witnessed so many stories and have heard many awesome and exciting experiences. God is using people I grew up with all over the world. That is an awesome thought! It is so exciting to see what God is doing in these places, through my friends.  This blog is not to diminish any of these experiences. God does call people away from home and I celebrate with my friends who hear and obey that call. It isn’t always the easiest decision.

When a person leaves their home because they have heard God’s call somewhere, it is always so emphasized. There are so many travel blogs out there. Blogs about various mission trips outlining one’s experiences and how one can pray for the people in that region. As I said, this blog is not to diminish that at all. It is great and we need to pray for our world and the people God has called in to the world. But…we also need to be praying and thinking about the world right around us. Our Neighbours, co-workers, the cashier that rang through your groceries last week, the people we go to school with, family members and the people we call our friends.

The truth is while God calls some away from home to fulfill his call, Most of us are actually called to stay home to fulfill his call. We don’t usually read about those kind of “adventures” A lot of the time we don’t really see the things that happen around us every day as adventures. What’s so exciting about staying home after all? We would rather read the blogs and facebook updates of our friends and family half way across the world and wish we were there with them. To us that is a way more exciting way to fulfill God’s call for our life even if it isn’t right for us.

I am beginning this blog so I may tell my story and, through that, hopefully emphasize another calling. An option that most of us will indeed take because that is the option God has chosen for us. I am writing my story from my home city but this applies to anyone who feels stuck wherever they live. God has given me a heart to reach my country, Canada, my province, British Columbia, and my city, Langley.

If this is you, it is my deepest desire that you stop pining away for something that just may not be for you. The reason God has not called you half way across the world is because you have a job to do right where he has you. You may not have exciting blog posts to write or amazing pictures to post on your facebook account…..but if you are doing what God has called you to do, that is a testimony to those around you. That is a story to share.

This is my story all the way from my home…to yours…