The Easy Way Out

I had to take the car I’ve been borrowing since my poor Taurus has bit the dust to the glass place for a new windshield and back window from the hail damage. I decided that since it was nice enough out that Ethan and I would just walk home. As we walked, we passed a few houses for sale. Cute houses, probably the same as the church house we lived in last year while Josh was still on staff, but at the same time old-fashioned, simple houses. As I looked at the architecture and admired it and daydreamed about living there I found myself thinking, “why don’t we just buy a house like this and just live here – it’d be much easier than dealing with what we’re dealing with.”

How often do we do this. Not just think this or say it but actually do it – you know, take the “easy way” out? Sure, living in the U.S., working the jobs we have (or a teaching position for me Lord willing) would definitely be much easier than having to figure out finances, make plans for paying off student loans, moving to the middle of the America’s away from family and friends. But would the easy way out really be worth it? Maybe in the short term, maybe in the here and now, during our life on earth, but when the day comes and the Lord calls us home, the “easy way out” would never come close to the things God is truly waiting for us to experience by following Him and His plan.

This thought made me think of a movie Josh and I watched recently called “What If…” It is a Christian movie, made by the same people who made the “Left Behind” Series, so yes, it was a bit cheesy. Anyways, the storyline is a man leaves for a big city job hoping to make money for his future family – at the time he’s dating someone from back home. He gets lost in the fast paced city life and leaves behind his beliefs and hometown girlfriend. 15 years later, God intervenes – or as Priscilla Shirer calls them, Divine Interventions – sends him back home on a “what if” trip where he’s married to that hometown girlfriend and has two daughters and is a preacher. He relearns and remembers what our life as Christians should truly be about – glorifying God and serving Him. My point with this movie was that when he left 15 years prior for the big city and left behind all he had believed in he ended up taking the “easy road” and gaining “power, fame, and fortune” within this world – BUT if he had just listened to God and to his hometown girlfriend he would’ve had all of that stored up in heaven waiting for him AND not losing 15 years with her.

What I’m trying to say is that the “easy way out” really, in the end, isn’t the easy way. Not when it comes to answering to God for our lives and being held accountable for our actions. Sure, the Christian life isn’t easy, but it’s not meant to be. How could we ever lean and trust in God if it was?

I’ve tried the “easy way” in my past and every time I always ended up right back at the feet of Jesus asking for forgiveness. I’m not willing to give in to the “easy way” – no matter how appealing it may seem, when I know that the rewards from God – whether they are seen in this life or the next – will be a million times sweeter than anything I could ever imagine while living the “easy way”.

I pray that if you’ve been walking down the “easy road” that maybe this post will get you thinking about things. I pray that if you are there, that you will turn to God’s open arms and rest in His blessings for once instead of the world’s.

Please continue to pray for us and strength through this process. It is a lot harder than I think we truly let on.

In Christ,

Colleen

Moses & Pharaoh in God's Timing

Exodus 3-11, 12:31-50, 13:17-14:31

Moses was told to go to Pharaoh and ask for the freedom of the Israelites. He was told to throw down his staff as it became a snake. This was not good enough. Then, God sent 10 different plagues upon the Egyptians because of Pharaoh's harden heart. Finally, what God had promised had come to fruition - Pharaoh told Moses to leave and take the Israelite slaves, only to change his mind once more and follow after them. God rescued them and provided the Israelites safe passage across the Red Sea. It took Moses close to a month (from what I, Colleen, can calculate) to "convince" Pharaoh, through God, to let His people go. Not even taking into consideration the time spent in the desert before arriving at the Promised Land, it puts things into perspective how God's timing is not always our own.

As I explained to a dear friend, I call her my soul sister and I thank God for her everyday because of the encouragement and sensible advice she gives me when I need it the most, the most recent development in our missionary status (or really, lack there of) she reminded me that these obstacles that keep popping up in our path to following God can very well be lessons from God. She reminded me that, and I quote, "you need to be ready for battle in God's way. You won't have support out there, comfort, or always a solid plan. I look at what He could be potentially teaching you by staying at our church, by needing a miracle to get regular financing, by being forced to be patient... (why, oh why did I ask God for more patience?! :P) By one struggle after another. God doesn't waste these moments... He has given you the dream ... but the timing is His as well." How often do we overlook these moments of frustration, these moments of "new" news - good or bad - for what they are worth. Lessons from God.

Think back to Moses. Every time Moses was to perform per God's will he responded with angst and anger. (Ex 3::11, 13, 4:1, 10, 13, 5:22, 6:12) then when he finally accepted God's will and went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh continuously changed his mind. How frustrating that must have been for Moses. Here he was blatantly told by God in the form of a burning - but not consuming fire - bush, "I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites - a land flowing with milk and honey." (Ex 3:16b-17) There was no time frame for when He was going to do it, just the simple fact that He would take care of it. Now, I know how I would react when receiving a message like that from God - "Sweet, God's saving us today!" That's not how it happened though. God took His time, worked some miracles - in which I'm sure a few people turned to Him from their other gods, and taught Moses some patience I'm sure as well. The point is, God's timing is not always our timing. We may think, "this is happening today" when in all reality God will let it happen tomorrow because He still has a few things left to teach us and show us today.

So what do we do with this? We live knowing that 1) God will take care of us, no matter what the circumstance, time frame, situation is. And we live knowing that 2) each and every day is a chance to live for God and show others what God is doing in our lives at that very moment.

God is teaching me patience and to trust in Him with the desires that He has given me.
God is teaching me how to handle bad news with a Godly attitude.
God is teaching me maybe, just maybe, there's still some kind of work He desires out of us here in Collinsville before we're able to leave for Costa Rica.

Please continue to be in prayer about our financial status as we still have some unanswered questions in regards to financial stability - with or without our missionary status ... student loans are not our friend :)
Also, prayer for a possible teaching job next year, since as of right now we feel we will be home-bound for quite a while longer.
Praise that Josh's current job is providing great assistance to our financial needs and he is excelling there also.

We love you all and thank you so much for your continued prayers and support as we work through the initial sending off!

In Christ,
Colleen :)