In three days

I needed that! 

Technically, we all needed that ❤️.  

Three days… 

to hear about miraculous healings in Thailand, 

to pray through the long list of OMS missionaries around the globe, 

to learn about the top 10 places the organization is praying intently for workers, 

to dig deeper with Stan Key on salvation as a journey, 

to spend an unexpected evening sharing watermelon with Uncle Dave and Aunt Marilyn, 

to catch up over tacos with the president’s wife and the other two women on the board, 

to hear about the bike shop in Italy that is evangelizing on the street corners to Italians and immigrants from countless countries, 

to have transparent and powerful lunch conversation with brothers and sisters I can’t show you, serving in places I can’t tell you, 

to gather in transformative conversations about loss and grief and anger and Jesus, tears pouring down our faces, 

to catch up with our Haitian brother who serves in the office that Matt long did, 

to discuss strategy and funding and needs and goals and visions, 

to pray over those carrying heavy global burdens,

 

to sing out Great is Thy Faithfulness in a busting room of brothers and sisters from around the globe, singing in more languages than I’ve ever heard at one time,

 

to burn the candle bright at both ends, 

to have a priceless hour for lunch on the way to the airport with the man and woman who are very most like mom and dad in my life, 

to remember there’s a big world outside my own, 

to recall that some of the passions and callings He has put deep inside me are still there, 

to recoil that my family are His first,

to reset my Kingdom focus. 

I am so thankful for people who share their struggles with me freely, that I might hold their ropes and learn their lessons with them.  I am so thankful for people who persevere no. matter. what. and who inspire my socks off.  I am so thankful for the spiritual giants gone before us who prayed and trusted and preached and WENT, packing in their coffins, for they would not retreat.

 I am so thankful for the people who let me push on painful places and who push on mine, producing oil of healing.  I am so thankful for the number of people I rubbed shoulders with this weekend who prayed for Matt and I all those years and struggles and victories in Haiti. 

I’m so thankful for all the laughter that came from good work this week. For all the tears no one hid or shamed. For all the brokenness shared and all the miracles and fruit alongside. I’m so thankful for all the reminders of His faithfulness, and all the sightings of it still.  

I’m thankful for men and woman who look and sound nothing like me who I can’t even communicate with past a smile and a nod who are my brothers and sisters. I’m so thankful for translation apps, and that soon they won’t be needed! 

I’m so thankful for the precious family I have to go home too….if my flight ever stops getting delayed!  And I’m thankful this world is His. 

Weirdo Matt is always planning his funeral, always telling me at random things to remember….what songs he wants, who he wants to preach, what verses he wants read, where he wants buried.  My dream is to die on the mission field. 

Until then, I’m glad to live in it.