be strong and courageous

Since my thoughts have been of home this month, I will share a short story in devotional form about something that happened in the States. This event took place a few years ago but still remains to be one of my most embarrassing moments.

Read Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Key Passage: Be strong and courageous, because you have to go with these people into the land that the Lord promised their ancestors… Deuteronomy 31: 7

We have been back for our second stateside assignment only a few weeks now. Having lived overseas for about 7 years, I am somewhat stressed about living in America again. I always wonder if I am going to "fit in" anywhere anymore. Missionaries seem to never fully belong in foreign countries. Also once we have lived in other countries for extended periods of time, we seem to lose a small portion of our native ways. I have been trying to encourage myself to be strong and of good courage. It hasn't been too bad lately, until an interesting thing happened last night.

We joined a fairly large church in our hometown, And this week we had a conference going on with some well known evangelists and preachers from the southeast. My children need to go to the bathroom in intervals during the sermon. Why they can't wait for a short hour service in America to be over with is beyond my understanding. In Russia they seem to be able to wait through the 2 1/2- 3 hour services when bathrooms are scarce. When we reentered the church service, we quietly slipped in the back, stood in the corner, and tried not to disturb the ending of the service. But I inadvertently leaned against the wall while looking for a seat near the back of a crowded sanctuary and suddenly felt something press on my back. As I silently moaned and rolled my eyes in disbelief, I noticed that the lights started to dim in the church. Then the entire sanctuary went dark during a crucial moment in the service. So much for not knowing about the new inconspicuous light switches that have appeared in America, and so much for trying not to disturb the service. Needless to say, I'll adapt, just as I did in Russia. We are missionaries, right?

In Deuteronomy 31:6, the passage reads, "Be strong and courageous… don’t be afraid of them, because the Lord your God is going with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you." In the following verses Moses speaks the same words to Joshua as he passes his leadership over to him. He promises Joshua that the Lord has already gone ahead of him into the land promised, yet unknown to the children of Israel. He mentions that he should not be afraid and always remember that the Lord is continually with him.

Application: We can apply this to our lives as well. No matter what type of situation we are in at the moment, we are not alone. The great thing is God has already been there. He has scoped out the area. We are coming in to a territory that is familiar to Him, and we have nothing to fear. No matter what we experience, we can be strong and have courage.

A couple of questions to ponder:

1. What are you afraid of?
2. If you really believed that God is with you, no matter what, what would you try to accomplish for Him?

A Winter's Path, path 53, L.Burch

Visiting in the US

I have had a wonderful visit at home in the US with family and friends. My main intent for visiting was to spend quality time with my parents and Buck’s family one-on-one. That is just what I did! We sat around all hours of the day just talking, sharing and encouraging one another. I have been married now for 17 years and my oldest child is nearly 14 years old. My husband said that I deserved this time alone with my parents. Thanks go to Buck for making it happen, to Ashlyn for taking on many of my responsibilities around the house, to Amielle for performing many duties (i.e., wiping the dinner table) and to Luke, my youngest, for being the little man of the house. In the beginning I was hesitant to leave all of them in Russia. However, before I left Amielle gave me the blessing to go by saying, “Mama, just go home and spend time with your parents as if you were the only child again.” What a great family I have!

Are there any foreigners in your town to whom you could be a blessing today?

While home in the US, I spoke in a couple of churches. During one service, I became aware of a new associational missions program. It reminded me of a devotional that I wrote years ago that I will share below. Missionaries are not the only ones that miss home; foreigners that live in our American neighborhoods do, too. The question is: Are we sharing the Gospel with those around us? Our family travels overseas to a foreign land to minister. How many of us are ministering in the States right next door? Since I have been home, I have had the opportunity to witness to people from other cultures. The numbers of internationals are increasing even in small towns like mine (population 3000). Praise the Lord churches are working in the community to sponsor mission-oriented programs within the geographical boundaries of the city!

a city prepared for us

Path Light: Read Hebrews 11:9-15

Key Passage: By faith he traveled in the promised land, like foreign soil, living in tents… Because he looked for a city with foundations built and made by God… and confessed that they were foreigners on earth. For by saying this, they are plainly declaring that they’re looking for another land. -Hebrews 11:9-10, 13b

Some of my missionary friends and I struggle with the fact that we do not have homes of our own. Many of us have the desire to build a house, decorate it, and work in our yards planting flowers. “Normal” people do.

There have been times when I have tried to pinpoint my momentary restlessness and wondered if having a permanent place would satisfy my desires. Then I am forced to look at realty and focus on my heavenly home which is all that matters.

We know that God is preparing a place for us. Why do we sometimes long for a place to call home? Because within us is the desire to not feel as aliens and strangers. Within us is the desire to reside in the city that has been prepared for us-our heavenly home.

Path Application:
This week focus on the heavenly city. Let us not think of the country that we have left. Let us look for the better one.

Walk Farther:
1. How do you think the Israelites felt when they lived in tents for so long?
2. How do you handle feelings of homesickness or longing to be somewhere else?
3. Are there any foreigners in your town to whom you could be a blessing today?
A Winter‘s Path, path 23, L. Burch