The Journey Continues

It has almost been a year since I left Uganda. The sounds and smells of the city I lived in are fading away. But a part of me holds on to it all. I dream about the corner market where I would see my friend Tom and talk with him about the premier league soccer. I dream about Richard my friend who made rolex's(its food) for me. I then dream about my good friend Khan down at the Arua soccer shop, where he would buy me an ice cold coke. These memories are dear to my heart and I know my time in Uganda has impacted my life deeper than I ever realized. I also never realized what kind of impact I would have on the area. I met some men who were a mix of Muslim and Christian there connection to one another was their profession. They were motorbike taxi drivers and they were my main mode of transportation while there. These men ask me to teach them about Christ and I began meeting with them. Since I have left another man has begun to meet with them and the word I have received is that it is going really well. I had no idea that my small attempt to share Christ would keep going long after I left. The Lord blesses us with being able to partner with others to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Just a few weeks ago two of the people I served with Jeff and Brigette got married and I was blessed to be able to partake in the service.

Since this time I have returned home to work with my family and do life in Flint, MI. I am still in college and working toward finishing in the Lords timing.

"Rise, Peter, Kill and Eat"

The vision of Peter in Acts 10 shows Peter that what is unclean is now clean. During my lecture today we began discussing this passage and many other ones as well. My mind began to wander a bit while we discussed this. A homeless man walked into Starbucks and sat very near me. The smell of dirt,and body odor filled the room and suffocated me. I felt anger or dislike toward this man coming to this clean good smelling establishment. I was quickly convicted by Gods word in Peters vision. This thought of Peter wouldnt go be with the Gentiles (the unclean people, due to what they eat) because it would make him unclean. This smelly homeless man was the gentiles and I am the Jew. I felt I would become unclean being around him. A woman was kind to this man and gave him a breakfast sandwich and a coffee. She saw a man in need and filled it. All the while I sat judging this man, and the Lords conviction is humbling. So I ask what in your life is "unclean?"

Foxes have holes and birds have nests

In Matthew 8:20 Jesus tells a man who wants to follow Him " Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

In my life I sometimes have to embrace these words that my savior said. Many years ago I told Christ "I wanna serve you and proclaim your name to the nations." Following Him is hard and there is a cost to a life that surrenders all to Jesus. Not saying I am great or better than the rest I fail all the time. In the past several years I struggle to have a place to call home. I have moved so many times and seem to never have a stable place to call home. Knowing this place will be where I live for a long period of time. Following Jesus has a cost, and having no where to lay my head seems very real to me. I know the cost has so many more things than just no where to live, but at the present time I have no where to live. I have some places to stay for just a short while, but no place of refuge, a place of comfort, a home, a place of love. I long for the day where I can one afford to have a home that is my sanctuary, my refuge and two to have someone to say I love you every day. I am loved, but there are days I struggle to feel loved. I "walk by faith, not by sight." I am Trusting in the Lord and know he has a purpose for his Glory. May we all way the cost of following the Savior of the world. Praise be to Jesus.