Memphis is getting closer by the day. We leave on Sunday and I can't wait! Last year was such an incredible experience, I am excited to see what will happen this year. I shared a week or so ago about the devotional journal that we put together for our kids. Some common themes came up over and over. One of them was putting ourselves aside. This is so crucial for service. You can't serve Christ or His children if you are focused on your self.
It is and has been my prayer that our students would take this opportunity seriously. I really want them to be so focused on Christ and His plan for them, that they honestly forget about themselves. This is my prayer not only for them, but for myself, and the other 3 adult leaders. We ask a lot of our kids and expect a lot of them. Sometimes, however, I forget that they are teenagers and their lives revolve around themselves. I forget that there is an element of maturity that they sometimes lack. That level of maturity that comes as they begin to see the world around them and see themselves as the tiny part of it that they are. I don't know when that moment comes when they realize they are not the center of the universe. I know that I had to come to that point myself, everyone does.
Over the weekend one of our students on the mission team asked Bryan if he was going to allow them to go on a tour as a reward for serving. We were both extremely disappointed by this question. Do they not get it at all? What reward did Christ get for serving? Death on a cross? Who ever promised us a reward? The Bible clearly tells us that we will suffer here on earth when we truly give ourselves to Christ. Fortunately (or unfortunately), here in this country we have no idea what that truly means. We may be questioned about our choices and we may be made fun of, but we don't understand what it means to suffer for our Lord.
My dear friend Amanda spent a year in Africa with a tent and a backpack. She moved from village to village ministering and serving. Once every few weeks she was able to come into town where she stayed in a house for a couple of days to wash her clothes and restock her food. Our friend Taylor went into an Asian country where it is illegal to be a missionary to reach out to people and prepare the way for future missionaries. Everyday Christians in some countries run the risk of being jailed or even killed for their faith and our teens want a reward for serving.
Serving in the reward. The fact that we are able to freely serve is a huge blessing. The fact that we have transportation to get there, we have all of our meals provided for us, we have a cool clean and safe place to stay, and we have the opportunity to reach children and have our own lives changed is our reward. Not to mention the fact that the cost of the trip was around $300 per person and our students only paid $50. People in our church graciously donated the money for these students to go. So, there is your reward! As if you really needed one.
Lord, please change our hearts. Help us to see that our reward is the freedom we have to come to you daily. Our reward is the fact that we are free from sin and eternal life in hell. What more reward do we need?!?!
By the way, I really do love our students and our ministry. I just get so frustrated sometimes!
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