Dawn of the New Year - 1/7/07

So here it is, five months after my last blog entry - on this blog. So much has happened; God has changed my life so dramatically and worked so incredibly on aspects of my character that I didn't even know needed to be addressed. Our time in Belize has been incomparable to anything I've ever experienced. In a nutshell, these are the biggest things I've learned or that have changed while living in Central America:

• All I really need is God. Not friends. Not my family (though I desperately want them in my life). Not an internet connection. Not affordable food. Not any of the comforts of living in the U.S., just God. Only God. God, God, God. We all know it; many of us say it, but to be shown that it is true causes deep, personal growth.
  
• I had an unhealthy attachment to the area I lived in because of the history I have there. The land was directly tied to the memory of my mother, as were several of the posessions I had that she had given me. Selling those and leaving that place to move to C.A. changed me forever and freed me from being bound to certain aspects of my grief.
• Melissa and I have grown so much closer. We moved so far away from friends and family that we couldn't help but grow together - all we have to lean on is God and each other. He has truly strengthened our marriage and given us a solid foundation to build the rest of our lives together.
  
• I don't have to be alone to have an encounter with God. I used to think that the only way I could have meaningful God time was to isolate myself from everything. While this is still true to an extent, God has shown me how I can still find Him anywhere; everywhere if I look carefully. Five months of living in a fish bowl and never being alone taught me how to see God in all things.

And perhaps one of the biggest things I learned while teaching in a private school in Central America is that Christian Americans are terrified to talk about their faith around non-believers. The culture I am surrounded by is based on Christian faith, and sometimes I'm taken aback at how frankly people talk about God's undeniable truths. I will hear something that even I, as a Christian, may take offense at. But, that generally only happens when it is a Christian value that is not sensitive to other spiritual points of view. It's not what you would call "politically correct." There is an incredibly vocal group of non-believers that has everyone walking on eggshells. Christians hesitate to say the very name of Jesus in public to avoid offending a follower of any other faith or "disrespecting the rights" of an atheist.

When I look at how I lived back home (and how so many other Christians do as well), I am ashamed. We are commanded to freely spread the gospel to everybody. Who am I to decide it shouldn't be heard by an outspoken atheist? Why should I be afraid to boldly declare God's truth to everybody, regardless of how they may see me? After all, they boldy speak their mind! So what if people in the historical church gave Christianity a bad reputation? That's what people do; we're flawed. "Mistakes were made." But God's character is flawless and He's the one I follow.

I am reminded of John 15:19, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." The message of the cross offends non-believers. Plain and simple. Being a Christian means that you will not get along with everybody, but you should still try to. Frankly, if we are not offending people with our faith, chances are we are not being bold enough with it. Chances are, we are allowing ourselves to water down what we say we believe in the presence of non-believers to avoid causing any offense. Most likely, we are not letting God use us as a torch to set the hearts of our loved ones on fire because we're afraid of getting into an argument on theology.

That's not necessary! We have only to present the truth as we know it and let the Holy Spirit do His job in the heart of the listener. And if they don't receive the message, tragic as that is, we've done our part. On that Glorious day, God can point back to that moment as an example of His trying to win another heart over; He will be glorified through our work. Keep in mind, too, that many Christians represent some of the previously most hard-hearted atheists ever. But, God can soften any heart. In fact, He probably wants to use me to do just that, if I let Him...

There are a million other things God has shown me through this incredible experience. Whether or not we stay in Belize, this year has been life-changing. I am blessed not only by what He has done in my life, but also where and how He did it. Praise His holy name! Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of all, and I thank you Lord for the miracles you've worked in my life. I'll tell you later about how He healed my tooth!