Nostalgia. I can’t think of a better word to explain this week. This week has brought me back in touch with friends who are in Canada, Africa, Thailand, India, and Spain! Not to mention Virginia, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Hawaii, Texas, Illinois, and Maryland. I’ve chatted with people all over the world without having to pick up a phone or get on a germ infested plane. It has been amazing! Add to that going through pictures of the past 6 years to try and catch others and myself up with this new, brief Craig History! Finally there was Sunday night at church where we heard a report from our missionaries in Asia and what their struggles are (not understanding signs, food, transportation, and regular conversations) and their joys (taste of the land, open opportunities to share their faith, making friends, and hearing from home). The pictures of bikes, markets, dirty food, and restaurants brought a flood of emotions and love for Asia and missions. What a great time!
My desire is not to live in the past, but to be thankful for the opportunities I had and use what I have learned to encourage others and grow in Christ myself! That brings me to what Barrett and I discussed last night after a late dinner of Q’Doba…speaking of market food…We are trying to go through Colossians together and last night we were on verses 3 and 4 of chapter 1. “We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints.” Paul had never met the people at this church yet he prayed for them. He thanked God for them! Why? For their faith in Christ and for their love for all the saints. They were loving God and loving others! Man, Paul prayed this for people he never met and I don’t even pray this for people in my own church, let alone for believers around the world that I have never met. What conviction.
So, we prayed for all of you, that your faith would grow and that your faith would be evidenced by how you love others. So simple, yet so neglected. Then we prayed for others whom we’ve never met. It’s a little weird, I must admit. But what a joy to think that our Creator heard those prayers and answered them!
Well…T minus 24 hours before the fam starts to arrive for the big day! We’re excited! See many of you soon!