Thursday, March 10, 2011

It's been far too long since I've written on this.


I have spent over 36 hours waiting in airports, sleeping on the floor
flown on too many planes to count 
learned how to Samba
drank more soda than I would ever put in my body by choice
walked up miles of hills
lived on the west side and east side of Brazil
attempted to learn Portuguese
made dozens of bracelets
eaten more mangoes than I can count
got a tan on beautiful beaches
seen more neon colored shirts than I knew existed
Slept in a little brick house in the jungle 




But when I really think about the last three months of my life...
Those are not the memories that stick out in my mind


I remember my team and how we became a family


I remember the homeless man I sat next to on a city bus in Rio de Janeiro


I remember the sunrise God woke me up to see coming over the mountain in a slum


I remember the thirteen little boys and girls who gave their lives to Christ


I remember the tiny baby I held and prayed for because her mom is far too young to take care of her


I remember the many tears and hugs I shared with my team members


I remember the nights I was too hot to fall asleep, yet I couldn't deny God's faithfulness from the previous day


I remember the lonely woman in the jungle with sores in her mouth
I remember that I didn't want to stop hugging her


I remember Carlos, Lucas, Max, Martin, Fernanda and Aline


I remember the pride and joy I felt for my "brothers" as they got baptized in the ocean


I remember the selfless hospitality a widow in the mountains showed our team


I remember the joy and excitement I felt when I was back in Montana and welcomed home my friends from Haiti, Guatemala, Turkey and Thailand


I remember the lifelong bonds I made


I remember the pure beauty of life that I discovered




Most of all, I remember that no matter what I felt in over the past two months - 


God never let me down
There was not ever a burden too big
A problem too complicated
He took care of everything. 


His grace is sufficient...not sometimes...ALWAYS


Be thankful, have joy, praise the one who sits with - 
"Heaven as His throne and earth as His footstool"(Acts 7:49a)


He was never forced to look on us with care and love - He CHOSE to desire relationship with us, to long for a relationship where we share our every care and concern with our father in Heaven. 


I do not know what the future holds.


I do not know what tomorrow holds - but I know that right now and for always, I am a loved daughter of God. He never stops protecting me or caring for my every need. 


I know that life is beautiful and I would be careless to not look at the intricate way I am blessed by people and creation, every. single. day.



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