A Note From the Heart

Well, I just wanted to open up my heart a little bit and share what God has taught me the past couple of days.  I had the privilege of taking a short break from Ljubljana with my team and visiting the Slovenian city of Kobarid, located in the valley of the Alps very near both Italian and Austrian borders, on the northwest part of the country.  One of our leaders, Brane, took us to visit his hometown and family there in a village just outside the city.  It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  Everywhere you look is either perfect green vegetation, glorious mountains that cover as far as the eye can see, incredible water that almost seems fake it’s such a gorgeous shade of blue, or beautiful European buildings scattered all along the valley, revealing the creativity of it’s designer.  On top of God revealing some of His wonderful craftsmanship, He blessed my team with the opportunity to meet an amazing family that just touched my heart.  Brane, who actually lives with Daniel, is the oldest boy of three.  He, along with his youngest brother, Andre, and his mother are God-fearing Christians who love God with everything they have and it shows in every little thing they do.  The entire family welcomed us into their home with open arms, cooking delicious food and providing us a beautiful place to stay.  After an incredible tour of the nature of this area, including the River Soce, where Prince Caspian was filmed, we drove back through the mountains towards Ljubljana.  As we were doing so, God just spoke to my heart as I replayed the events of the past 24 hours in my head.  Here I am halfway around the world, wondering why God even brought me here; questioning whether or not I am capable of even making a difference in this country that is so lost it seems beyond hope.  But God, who is extremely patient and loving, showed me that I have been so conformed by the “box” I call home, as many of us are.  We are so caught up in our everyday lives that we forget what we are living for, that we are alive and well only by the grace of God and for the purpose of furthering His Kingdom.  There have been so many times in the past year that I was so worried about stresses of life, and as I was soaking in the amazing scenery, God just reminded me that every little thing that either brought me to tears or just slightly concerned me, He took care of.  He provided for my every need, no matter how big or small and He will continue to do so.  He promises to take care of all of the “worries” of life, and this is to free us to shine His light to others; that we may spend our every thought on furthering HIS Kingdom, and not our own will.  This battle that we are fighting on earth is so much bigger than we are, and this family in Slovenia, the people I’ve met, and all that I’ve seen here has reminded me of that.  Even while we are at battle in our jobs and in our schools and homes, there are brothers and sisters in Christ in the small country of Slovenia fighting the same war: the children of God against the powers of darkness.  There are incredible servants of God here fighting a good fight, and I invite you all to do the same, as Christ has just re-invited me.  Whenever you are faced with a problem or a stress in life, no matter what it is, remember that God will handle all the trivial things, like finances and schedules, and put your strength into loving others the way Christ did, making the best of every opportunity He gives us.  God is sovereign, and whether we are a missionary in a foreign country or with our families in the states, He calls us to live for Him and share His love with whoever may grace our presence.  Love God today, and in doing so, love someone else, whether stranger, family, or friend.  Don’t pass by any opportunity to be Christ to someone else, you never know what it will mean to them; it could even change a life, no matter how small of an act.