Healing Places

Healing takes place in many ways and in many different settings. It sometimes happens during times of great stress or when we step out of our comfortable lives. When we step away from our world of cell phones, iPods, computers, school, work, church and familiar places to enter their world of poverty, hopelessness, confusion and fear; we place ourselves at risk of being moved with compassion and our lives being shaken. One of the greatest motivators for doing what I do is when I see this healing first hand, sometimes within a short ten days in another country with a team of people I’ve never met.

God begins this process far before the actual trip as we are stretched and grown to trust Him for finances, environmental changes and of course the unkown. For those who dare to take these steps and follow through with these commitments there is an incredible perspective or lifestyle change waiting on the other side.

Once on the field there are breaking points that bring about another part of this healing process. Seeing a homeless person on a street can sometimes awaken us to the world around us. Watching as hundreds of students desperately read a message of truth handed to them. Sometimes it is the story of one of the children that opens our hearts to expose the wounds and thus allow God to heal the hurt, mistrust, confusion or fears that plague our lives.

God never expects perfection, but he desires wholeness, a continuing process we will never finish in this life. He desires that we be open to His voice changing and shaping us, He is making us into people He can depend on and be proud of.

When we step out and rely on the God who created us with the exact characteristics that we have we find that our stories bring this same healing and encouragement to others’ lives as well. The most amazing part about this life is that God can take us as we are, beat-up, bruised, broken and failing, to change, restore and gently piece us back together. Then He has the faith in us to let us take His hope and truth to the hurting world around us.

He believes in us enough to actually be His arms, hands and feet to carry His Love to the people we used to be. When these events take place, God can truly shine through us as He changes our story from one of defeat to one of destiny. God help us view our world always keeping Your destiny in mind.

Regardless of whether we meet again on a missions field somewhere or not, I trust that God will lead and direct each of you in your lives.

Travis the Money Changer, Phil (We need God in America), P.Van, Francisco Mi Héroe, Rhoda Letter, Messy Jessie, Meghann (if you start feeling sick… too late), Victoria (Walk of Lifer), Sarina Beana, Abby (the flirt), Autumn (look at that!), Melissa (Horchata mmmm), Ashley (stop licking toes), Sonia (close your eyes) and Felicia (always cool stories)…

As I watched your plane taxi and then take off into the blue rain-clouded Guatemala City skies I thought about this; God called each of you away from the ordinary, normal, everyday life to live for ten days in the extraordinary world beyond your borders. As you sit at your computers reading this at home or work or school, His question still remains:

“How much more can you give”?

Vaya con Dios