The gift of GRACE

I've been pondering in my heart so many things lately, feeling a little lost at times, trying to find my way.  This transitioning- to - something - new - thing is somewhat tricky, and for all of its smoothness and surrounding of helpful and Godly people, I still feel a little turned upside down.  There's been no shortage of excitement: internet connectivity issues, baby tarantula epidemics, lice outbreaks, three incoming teams that blessed our socks off that we have personal connections with, time connecting with our new Makarios team mates on the ground here, a small oven explosion and most recently a bacterial sickness for Jon and me.

I've struggled with answering the reoccuring question when introduced to new people, "So, what do you do for Makarios?" since I don't officially have a position on the ground here other than "Mom."  I rather like my life position right now, but I still feel a little small when I don't have an official ministry related title.  I've tried out options in my head, "I'm support staff for the Director."  True story.  "I am ready to do whatever is asked of me to support the legit staff." Also true.  "I teach my son whom I am homeschooling to bake so that when staff come over we can feed them sweet stuff." Again, true.  This feeling of smallness I think does not come from the attitude of the people posing the question, but from my subconcious thought that my position dictates my significance.  As if "just a mom" glorifying God while she sweats hanging  the laundry on the line, is not adequate.  Not true. I know this lesson. I've learned it before.  My significance is in Christ alone. True.

I have wrestled with things I can't reconcile, and have had to lay them at the feet of Jesus. Again.  

In the midst of these wrestlings, we have had some well timed groups that have drenched us in love - among them our home church, Grace Bible Church, Dallas, TX.  A highlight for me was watching this group of teenagers love on the kids from Pancho Mateo, one of the villages Makarios International serves.  It is a cool thing to witness small children choose a member of a group to be their horse for the afternoon - horse back rides on the backs of visitors are expected, by the way.  So, if you come this way, prepare to be a child's chosen horse for the afternoon. Witnessing this interaction reminds me of some things . . .

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for us in advance to do." Ephesians 2:10

"God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his son, Christ Jesus our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:9

"And He said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 18:3

"But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are MINE!" Isaiah 43:1

"I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart." Psalm 119:32

"How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of your wings!" Psalm 36:7

The gift of grace has been two fold, the gift of Grace, our church, visiting us here and serving alongside us, and God's sufficient grace in the midst of life's wrestlings.  I am grateful for both.