34-Hours from home to baggage claim?

photo by ~MVI~

Asia's Hope News Home Page

I just got off the phone with Joyce who is on her journey to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Joyce is another short-term missions partner going into the world to reach the world with the love of God. She is a fully devoted follower of Christ who has developed a passion to help children in Southeast Asia. Her husband, Dave, is the director of Asia's Hope.

Please pray for her and think of her as she starts a 22-hour flight time excursion from Ohio to Thailand. That's right, twenty-two hours flight time. She will log 34-hours from home to baggage claim. Yet she has a passion for helping out--she is yet another one of my heroes.

Alone no more

photo by satial

My Year Listening to God--

When you feel alone, is God truly with you?

In my journey as a Christ-follower, I find there are times when God feels so far away. Not all the time, but on different occasions, i sense God is not so close. Yes, I understand the theological truth that God resides within His believers (John 14:16-17) at the time you decide to follow God. But there are times when I feel alone.

My readings today come to the place where God reassures Isaac that God is with him. Genesis 26:24 says, "I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you..." Just like Isaac I need the reassurance that God is with me. I do fear. But I believe God's truth that He is always with me but sometimes I feel like He is not near.

logo link

I am so glad that God shares the reassurance--do not fear. I can feel fearful, but God addresses my shortcomings on an emotional level. He will build me up with the fact that He is my God and He will be with me therefore I do not have to allow fear to paralyze me or to make me flee. I can embrace my fear and choose to move towards God or choose to remain stedfast in God. No matter where my emotions emerge, I can choose to embrace God and His reassurance.

I hope that makes sense. From my perspective, I am so glad that God takes care of me, even when I fear or feel that I am alone. I have the God of the Universe in my life but when I feel alone, He can reassure me with the words--do not fear, I am with you. I challenge you to stop what you are doing and inhale deeply and listen for those reassuring words, "Do not fear, I am with you." God can be with you like He is with me. I wonder if you heard those reassuring words in your mind or heart. Let me know what you think.

Message to Coldplay--there is something more

On Coldplay's latest album--Viva la vida, the song "42" has the lyrics, "Time is so short and I’m sure There must be something more."

There is something more I've found. It's a relationship with Jesus. He is such a close and dear friend to me. In fact, I can enjoy my relationship with Him right now and each moment of my life.

I just turned 43 so the spectre of death may seem closer, but there are no guarantees that anyone lives another day. But the hope that I live in, is that I can enjoy life to its fullest dimensions in Christ. I can experience as Jesus said in John 10:10, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of."

I am experiencing so much more each day. I am so amazed at what i discover in my journey with Christ. I am so glad that I am a Christ-follower.