travels that steal your heart...and change the world

Occasionally someone gets the opportunity to travel to a different city within their state, perhaps to another state, or maybe even over seas. Whatever the draw for travel inevidibly new experiences are had...opportunities are made to meet different people...and memories are made.
Though i have not done extensive travel, i too have taken journeys. i have traveled to multiply states within the U.S. both big cities and small towns - into the ghetto, on the streets with the homeless, in the million dollar homes of the ritz, to the home farm in the country...i have traveled down into the heart of Mexico and even to Africa. Each time my eyes have been opened to new experiences, cultures, and lifestyles. i am always amazed to the simplicity of the gospel message...the same God that i know in America is the same God of the church in China, in Chile, in Uganda...

i have a lot of college friends that go to a foreign country and come back with a huge "heart" and "passion" for a certain people group. All they can talk about is this place they went to that was "sooo awesome!" They rant and rave for quite a few weeks/months afterwards about their experience and adventures. They dream about going back...and love it when they bump into someone else that has been to that same place and continue to chat for quite some time to that one individual. Something has captured their attention and, sometimes, their very life.

But what makes people fall in love with a ministry in another country? How many people do you hear about that go: "i went on a trip to an area of MY HOMETOWN and i was so broke for their situation, their helplessness, and their need for a Savior that i moved to that area of my city and i gave my life to spreading the gospel there" ...i have had the priviledge and the honor of meeting a few individuals that have done this very thing - they were so broken for the heart of their VERY OWN CITY that they moved into the neighborhood in that area and ministered to many needy souls. These men of fearless compassion are spiritual heroes for our generation.
How many of us have invited our neighbors over to our house? how many of us even know our neighbors? let alone talk to them! ...But so many living in YOUR VERY CITY have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is coming from a girl (i.e.me) that wanted her WHOLE life to move somewhere, anywhere else than her hometown to take the gospel...however, i was challenged by a man of faith: "if i am not willing to take the gospel across the street, i have no business taking the gospel around the world." God uses us where we're at RIGHT NOW...God's truth of salvation is true wherever you are - there is power in His word's of freedom. Don't ever minimize the potential you have to bless, encourage, and exhort PEOPLE that are very near you.
i have walked the streets of my city...praying over trailer parks, playing basketball in our "ghetto" with drug dealers, eating Chinese food at the house of an international students, hearing the childhood stories of Walmart workers, serving single moms in the community, walking through corn fields with the homeless, praying over broken marriages, over Aggieville, over my campus, playing with retarded children, praying on porches...the list goes on and on...all in my town.
BLESS, PRAY, SMILE, SERVE, BLESS, PRAY, SMILE, SERVE, BLESS, PRAY...over and over again until i'm physically exhausted only to get up in the morning to do it over. and over. ...and over. ...and over.

...why? b/c i've taken the lessons from my journeys with me. In God's kindness, i've walked with the homeless on the streets of Oklahoma City, i've been to the "healing water" of lepers in the Rwenzori Mountains, i've played "futbol" with streetboys, i've worshiped the Lord with the poorest people in Galena, door to door shared the gospel in the slums of Kampala, i've listened to story after broken story of children in the hid-away of Shell Knob, MO. Each moment and memory changes my heart. God gives me more compassion than my cold-stone-of-a-heart ever imagined i could have, and i get this CRAZY JOY from serving my Lord. He purchased my life, and i am His slave - not by force, but by CHOICE. I gave my life to Him. He peirced my ear with an awl. And I shall serve Him forever (Exodus 21).

So many lessons to learn and take to heart when we journey this wonderful world. Unfortunately, what do we do? We come home...We boast about our travels. We wear the "t-shirt." Maybe we develop our photos...not many actually make it to the scrapbook. Maybe we dream to return...another memory that slowly fades...another dream that turns fuzy.

But what if we took to heart the lessons we learn along the way - that God would change our heart and challenge us to live day to day for Him, serving Him in the small ways...ministering, serving, blessing and speaking truth into the lives of every single person we come into contact with...
Oh if i could speak for the voice of the people that i have met! -the pain, the struggle, the hurt, the physically, emotional, and spiritually DYING WORLD! They're crying for something more than this world has to offer.
Life changes when our mind changes. We HAVE to stop living in our one-sided world view of a box. Our culture isn't the "best" - in fact - the society i grew up in SUCKS. We are selfish, arogant, and ruthless people that have maintained to delight in sin and relish any opportunity to make cheap money. We greedily grab at "free" and complain about taxes. I say "we" b/c though i'm not proud of it, i am part of this nation as well. But we have the opportunity to STOP. i have the opportunity to make a change. One voice...that is consistent, persistant, and unchanging...crying, pleading, encouraging the people of this nation to change their ways. And believers - we MUST stand up! We MUST continue with perseverance! We will NOT give up! This is what Christ has called us to and has equipped us for! WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD! One life at a time...the opportunity is before you...What will you choose?