Friday Night Thoughts

     Sometimes I get overwhelmed. We see pictures of starving children in Africa, dying babies in India, and orphans in China. We think, "Oh, I wish I could just rush into that picture and scoop up that precious child of God and never let go." That's what we think. That's wishful thinking. We, as Americans, tend to wish too much. We have our wishes. When we wish, we tend to wish for things that probably won't happen: marrying Ryan Gosling, living in the White House, or being famous. And then we have our want lists: the latest iPhone, that college, that nice purse you want. Honestly, as Americans, we can get that iPhone, go to that college, or buy that purse. Can we marry Ryan Gosling, live in the White House, or be famous? Not everyone can. So when we say, "Oh I wish I could go on that mission trip to orphanages in Haiti..." we assume it won't happen. Wishes don't always come true. But wants? A lot of my wants, from that cute shirt at Target to even a little sister, have been given to me. We need to change our thinking from "wishing to feed the starving children" to "wanting to feed the starving children, raising the money to feed the starving the children, feeding the starving children." We don't work towards our wishes, we just hope they come true. We work towards our wants, saving money for *that thing* When God called me to Paraguay, the call of blessing people with the word of the Lord wasn't what I heard. I heard adventure with Jesus, wherever He would call me. At church, we often sing a song that goes, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than me feet would ever wander, and my faith will be made stronger, in the presence of my Savior." People sing that thinking "Yes! Call me God!" But when a mission trip or service opportunity is presented, they don't go. "Oh, God isn't calling me to Africa. I want to go to Asia when I'm older." What about now? God is calling you everywhere. Jesus didn't tell us to find one nation that we like and tell those people about Jesus, He told us to go to all nations. I'm not saying you have to go on every mission trip, but if you keep on saying "next year" it's never going to come. Live in the now, viewing each day as your last. What if the upcoming mission trip was your last opportunity to serve? It only takes one trip before you get addicted. You have to start somewhere. Wherever you go, it will be because God wants you to be there and He will work there.

-Emily