I may be a day late for this blog post, but I am on time and ready for school to start this Wednesday and for my Jahreskontrolle on Thursday. That’s unfortunate timing for next week’s loaded post and this week’s dull content. It’s not that I didn’t do anything this week, it’s just that it was loads of school prep that doesn’t easily translate to a flashy blog post. Not that I have a history of riveting posts on a weekly basis, but today is just to pump you up for some good content next week. I’ll have blood pressure tests and a report on my perfect kidneys (actually, lower your hopes a tad, because I might not have the ultrasounds, but I will meet with the doctor who once told me I have “textbook kidneys”).
As I enter year ten on the mission field and year nine in a BFA classroom, I’m also gearing up my prayer team. I want to represent Christ well, and I had the privilege of sharing face to face with a lot of supporters in America about the specifics of my mission field, and I’m calling up all the prayers I can get from additional strangers and supporters on the internet. I left my home almost a decade ago because I felt God “called” me to teach at BFA – that’s weird Christianese that’s hard to explain. I still feel deep in my core that this is the place where I’m supposed to be as I love God and love others. I also recognise there’s a lot of what Christians call “spiritual warfare” when you live as a missionary. In regular words, the world is filled with fear and hate and hurt, and I have a responsibility as a Jesus follower to face all conflict in the name of love. The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear – in a phrase ruined controversial book, “love wins.” One of the prayer lessons I’ve learned in the past two years is to daily wear the armour of God described in Ephesians. I’ll end with another poem in my upcoming Between People and Trees collection, and as you pray with me through this year, let’s all remember who the real enemy we fight is.
On Me, In Me, Around Me
Why am I afraid of the attack?
I feel so naked and exposed
Why am I scared to step out?
I feel so poor and ill equipped
Why am I worried about defeat?
I feel so small and alone
A helmet, a shield, full armour
You’ve already covered me
Salvation, faith, persistence
You’ve already equipped me
Mentors, friends, community,
You’ve already defended me
