Distracted~My Birthday Reflection

HAPPY SUMMER, dear friends! I had written this post almost in its entirety a few months ago and am finally giving time to conclude my thoughts to share with you. I decided since my birthday is TODAY, July 30, I would publish it as a gift for all those who read this blog! These reflections come from my pre-marital days but have been ongoing in my heart and life the past few months; I pray they speak to each of you in a special way.

I remember being a young girl so caught up in the passion to travel. I longed to see something exotic and unfamiliar. Every place I visited including Bolivia, Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, Morocco, Argentina and Ecuador seemed appealing. The people were warm and friendly and the daily life was a stark contrast to my own smaller town surroundings in the United States.

One life lesson I learned took place when I landed in Sucre, Bolivia. There I unexpectedly became involved in a humanitarian project to build mobile bathrooms for a small, poor village in the outskirts of town. The job itself was hard and rough: digging a hole in dry, rocky, mountainous terrain. In easier soil it could be done in 20-30 minutes, but this project took a week with the entire community and a bunch of us volunteers pitching in. It required a pick axe to even make a dent in the land, but nobody gave up. The strength and grit of the indigenous women in that village astounded me! Their husbands were never seen due to working out in the city for extensively long hours. Nevertheless, these devoted stay-at-home moms poured their heart and soul into the strenuous physical labor. They didn’t sit back and watch: they themselves helped with this huge undertaking, never complaining or giving up (though I definitely wanted to at times)! Finally, the hole was sufficiently dug so we could begin constructing the toilets that would be placed on top (no sewer system, just nice toilets over a hole in the ground).

Apart from helping out with the manual labor, the part I loved most about this project was playing with the village children. These precious ones were such content, innocent, and loving souls. The kids were enthralled with us as visitors and perhaps in part because we physically appeared very unique to them: lighter skin, lighter hair color and blue eyes. Yet, I know their deep trust and love for us came primarily because we were there to assist. Serving included the bathroom project but also entailed teaching songs to the kids, painting nails, brushing hair, playing games, and buying bandaids, medicine and even treats at the village store (what every child wants)!

My first week there I remember thinking how I could truly help this village would be to transport all the people to my country where they would be “comfortable” and “happy.” I literally contemplated this and wondered if I could ever aid them in escaping their poverty! The life lesson I mentioned learning above was this: Contentment isn’t based on circumstances. It doesn’t come from a paycheck, a beautiful home or anything this world can offer. These people were already content, and their lifestyle was not lavish by any means. The dirt homes and lack of running water or sanitation systems weren’t deterrents to them enjoying life and praising God! Yes, I found out many of these families were actually strong believers in Christ and this once again reminded me of where my hope, joy, and passion for life should rest: in HIM alone. As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12-13 while in prison himself: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through HIM [Christ] who gives me strength.”

I was distracted. I get distracted: financial concerns, the daily caretaking of kids, meal preparations, remodeling/home repairs, holidays, and busy family schedules. Recently I have been clearly reminded by God to lay my own aspirations down and join Him in the call He made to His disciples in Matthew 28 before He left earth to return to heaven: “Go, make disciples of all nations.” This is actually the most important work I can be doing on earth, starting with my family and extending out from there.

Do I purposefully pray and plan my life around God’s mission which should be MY mission too? Is it head knowledge but not heartfelt, not actively PURSUED? One of the pastors at our church recently asked our congregation: “Does your calendar show how intentional you are with being on mission and carving out time to build relationships with those who don’t yet know God as you do?” I once heard a missionary say that if we don’t daily ponder the reality of the lost around us and cry out to God for them, we will lack Our Heavenly Father’s vision for others. We can become DISTRACTED and complacent. We can become too comfortable with being comfortable. Ouch! Retirement, a relaxing day, and having it “easy” shouldn’t be the goal! Truth hurts sometimes, but that is better than living for a lie. The mission in and of itself CANNOT be accomplished if our hearts are not closely knit to God’s. Spending time with Him is vital to adopting His concern and love for those around us! Without Him I am lacking.

Now, a year since the pandemic hit, I can say that if Covid-19 taught me anything it was to not put off the gathering of family, friends, and reaching out to others in big and small ways. I know God’s desire is not for us believers to stay “Covid comfortable,” but rather to reach others like never before. We are very quick to forget the lessons we learn; may we daily ask God to keep us from being DISTRACTED. Vacations, entertainment, sports, time on social media and other hobbies are nice, but in and of themselves they can be self-serving. If everything we do comes back to building loving relationships so that GOD can minister in and through us, then HIS mission has become OURS. That is exactly how it was meant to be, dear ones!

I needed accountability so this summer I started a six-week study based on the book LIFE ON MISSION by Dustin Willis and Aaron Coe with 5 other moms. These women have come over once a week with their kids for a playdate while us moms discuss the book. We have written down the names of people to reach, as well as prayed, shared and encouraged each other to form loving relationships with those who don’t know Christ as we do (relational evangelism)! The book has a completely self-guided study in it in case anyone is interested in digging deeper and forming a group yourself! We have been challenged to live ON MISSION in our daily lives as busy moms! People are distracted, just like we are, and yet when they see God in our lives it can be a refreshing wake-up call to what they are missing out on. What can YOU do to be less distracted from God’s mission? How will you join God in His work this year, this summer?

Dear ones, let us not be distracted by materialism, comfortability, or an entertaining summer schedule. May our lives be focused on loving and reaching those around us with God’s message of hope in Jesus. Start small but start somewhere, with SOMEONE. You don’t have to have all the answers to every question in the Bible to be a loving example that JESUS LIVES because HIS LOVE radiates through your life. Many will never pick up a Bible nor enter a church, but WILL rub shoulders with a Christian. LOVE with your time, energy, and life. May Jesus’s mission become OUR OWN! I’d love for you to leave a comment to let me know how God is speaking to you. I left a song below that has touched my heart in regards to God’s call to reach the world! Goodbye distractions, for it is a PRIVILEGE to be HIS HANDS and FEET! God bless YOU and FILL YOU today, dear ones!