Good afternoon (EST),
I've been home for two and a half days. I arrived Monday evening, and I slept until Tuesday afternoon. Reacquainting myself with life here has been fairly easy, though I can honestly say that two moments of anxiety caught me off-guard. I attribute them to a lack of rest (which is different from sleep) and lack of schedule. Once you remove structure from a person's life, you remove the likelihood of any meaningful forward progress (because you're no longer on track to some desired destination). Thankfully, I did have some minor plans to implement upon returning, and so I've been at work on those (unpacking, looking into some work opportunities, writing some reflections on my time in the Balkans, considering how my capacity for ministry has changed and where I now fit as a servant in the local church, etc.). Catching up with friends and family is also wonderfully comforting. Most of my stories are probably not the typically expected missionary story, because I didn't travel as a typical missionary. Some of my most exciting stories are how God opened up people to accept me into their lives so that I might offer them advice. One time in particular, a man's destiny was revealed in a meeting - though I'm unsure if he'll move forward in that direction immediately (I hope he will). The other day I unwound by reading my uncle's novel. It's a great story about a Lutheran minister who volunteers as a local police chaplain - and the thrilling investigation which overtakes his community and life. The story is riveting.
I'll probably be presenting about my travels at a church service in the weeks ahead. We have several missionaries back on furlough this summer, and my pastor's series on "Encounters with the Holy Spirit" will soon start. Thus, I will probably have something short and sweet to offer near the end of the month during a break in the service. If you're interested in watching it, the streaming video will be available here.
So...I'm trying to identify the most promising path for moving forward, and I recognize that my commitment to that "groove" will only deepen during the next phase of my days here. If you have some thoughts of your own that could help me move forward and use what I've learned to help others and also fit some model for financial compensation (a.k.a. job, work, start-up business, etc.), then please share them with me. I'm sure you have a lot of wisdom and know a lot of people. ;)
Some of my other readings alongside the Bible (Dr. Professor Horner's Bible Reading Plan - check it out!) at this moment are:
Please pray for me in putting together a solid, representative PowerPoint presentation for my church family and having a clear vision for what I will share in the time I'm given. Please also pray for the continued fruitfulness of the mission fulfilled in the Balkans. And, pray for this transition in my life as I look for work that aligns with my passionate mission to follow Jesus, to call others to do the same, and to use our influence and abilities in the marketplace and gifts in the church to increase the presence and power of godliness in our cultures.
I've been home for two and a half days. I arrived Monday evening, and I slept until Tuesday afternoon. Reacquainting myself with life here has been fairly easy, though I can honestly say that two moments of anxiety caught me off-guard. I attribute them to a lack of rest (which is different from sleep) and lack of schedule. Once you remove structure from a person's life, you remove the likelihood of any meaningful forward progress (because you're no longer on track to some desired destination). Thankfully, I did have some minor plans to implement upon returning, and so I've been at work on those (unpacking, looking into some work opportunities, writing some reflections on my time in the Balkans, considering how my capacity for ministry has changed and where I now fit as a servant in the local church, etc.). Catching up with friends and family is also wonderfully comforting. Most of my stories are probably not the typically expected missionary story, because I didn't travel as a typical missionary. Some of my most exciting stories are how God opened up people to accept me into their lives so that I might offer them advice. One time in particular, a man's destiny was revealed in a meeting - though I'm unsure if he'll move forward in that direction immediately (I hope he will). The other day I unwound by reading my uncle's novel. It's a great story about a Lutheran minister who volunteers as a local police chaplain - and the thrilling investigation which overtakes his community and life. The story is riveting.
I'll probably be presenting about my travels at a church service in the weeks ahead. We have several missionaries back on furlough this summer, and my pastor's series on "Encounters with the Holy Spirit" will soon start. Thus, I will probably have something short and sweet to offer near the end of the month during a break in the service. If you're interested in watching it, the streaming video will be available here.
So...I'm trying to identify the most promising path for moving forward, and I recognize that my commitment to that "groove" will only deepen during the next phase of my days here. If you have some thoughts of your own that could help me move forward and use what I've learned to help others and also fit some model for financial compensation (a.k.a. job, work, start-up business, etc.), then please share them with me. I'm sure you have a lot of wisdom and know a lot of people. ;)
Some of my other readings alongside the Bible (Dr. Professor Horner's Bible Reading Plan - check it out!) at this moment are:
- "The Ultimate Proof of Creation: Resolving the Origin's Debate"
- "Global Negotiations: The New Rules"
- Essays on Christology
- Essays on Global Politics
- An essay on Islam
- A couple books about professional sales
Please pray for me in putting together a solid, representative PowerPoint presentation for my church family and having a clear vision for what I will share in the time I'm given. Please also pray for the continued fruitfulness of the mission fulfilled in the Balkans. And, pray for this transition in my life as I look for work that aligns with my passionate mission to follow Jesus, to call others to do the same, and to use our influence and abilities in the marketplace and gifts in the church to increase the presence and power of godliness in our cultures.
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