I was at the post office one day last week, and stood in line with an African American lady. She immediately began chatting with me and I found out that she is an artist. She was mailing some finished work to a client. She gave me her card and then asked me to find her on Facebook as well. She asked what I did, and I was able to tell her briefly about Cornerstone. She hugged me and said, "Your face looks totally different when you talk about this place. I can see the joy lighting you up!" She then asked if I would please add her to my email newsletter. We continued to talk (hey we were waiting in line at the USPS in DECEMBER, people) and she brought up Ferguson and the demonstrations. We talked back and forth about what we thought. I spoke of racial reconciliation and the need for those who are not in the position of injustice to simply listen. Again, she hugged me, but this time with tears in her eyes. She said, "You know, I can see Jesus in you. You are a Christian, aren't you?"
I have no idea what the purpose of meeting this sweet lady was, but it strengthened and encouraged me that someone saw my worth in Him, not just in myself or the things I'm working toward. It's a great joy to explain that no, I'm not earning a salary when I move. I'm choosing to volunteer my knowledge and abilities for the good of God's glory in bringing hope to a broken country. It's a great joy to explain that no, I'm not going to save boxes of things to have in storage, because "you never know". I'm selling/getting rid of anything I'm not taking, with the exception of 3 pieces of furniture that are family heirlooms. All the stuff I thought I cared about, I really don't. I haven't had a difficult time simplifying and getting rid of stuff yet, but I did cry while I was putting out my Christmas stuff. I think it's because I wasn't purely enjoying the moment, but I was also weeding through and trying to figure out how I could get a few things over to Kenya, and wondering if it was selfish of me to even attempt that. What an overwhelming thought!
To be completely honest, I don't know that two years is all I will give. Two years away, and then back to "normal" sounds horrible. Two years is just the beginning, and only time will tell how God will direct my path.
I can see how all of that may sound surprising, but to me it makes perfect sense. I'll tell you what: you don't tell me what to save or keep, and I won't tell you how you have way too much stuff and you could probably live with less than half of it, ok? :)
This passage from James has encouraged me for years and years, through many different sets of circumstances. Yet it's always the truth, no matter the circumstance- loneliness, disease, weariness, home buying, going to grad school, moving, and on and on I could go... hope it encourages you too.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:13-15
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