Monday, January 16, 2012

What will be different when I go back home?

When volunteer teams come down to serve in New Orleans, we take time on the last day to debrief the teams on their experience.  There are three questions we ask:

1) What expectations did you have? Were they met? 
2) What has God been teaching you this week?
3) What will be different when you go back home?


I usually didn't have to think much on question #3 in the past because I wasn't leaving New Orleans.  However, this last visit I knew I'd be leaving after two weeks so I began thinking about what would be different when I go back home to North Carolina.  By different, not just the weather, but what in my daily life, perspective, outlook, activities, will be different.

This is my list:
Pray more in the moment: So many times I tell people I'll pray for them but don't stop right then and do it, or I have a decision I need to make and after agonizing about it first, I then pray.  I want my life to be full of prayer and utter dependence on my Heavenly Father.


Open my eyes to opportunities to proclaim the Gospel: I don't want to forget the purpose of my life.  I want to make sure that Christ stays the center and the message of my life.


I am re-energized to get back asap to recruit for and invest in the next generation.  Spending two weeks with the summer 2011 interns and hearing how God has worked in their lives has strengthened my calling and my excitement to return and invest in the summer 2012 interns and all who follow.  


Thanks for taking the time to read this!  I was blessed today to meet up with a volunteer who I'd met in New Orleans and to hear how New Orleans was the start of her pursuing missions full time was just a huge testimony of God continuing to use a storm 6 years ago to transform lives! 
 Justin, Brandon, Me, Jane, Ronnie

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..." 1 Peter 1:3

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