Well it’s been nearly TWO weeks since I’ve posted a blog! Crazy!
These weeks have been good ones, but honestly I haven’t posted because I’ve been having trouble deciding what to share.
The biggest happening in these past couple of weeks was our 2 day retreat at the Catholic retreat center in the nearby village of Lataha. It was a great little getaway – singing in English, hiking a nearby hill, taking a walk through the village, doing a seminar, and planning the orientation for two journeyers arriving in August. I’m glad we didn’t go down to Bouaké this time, it was nice to be just 30 minutes away from home.
So last night was probably the biggest lightning storm I’ve ever seen.
These weeks have been good ones, but honestly I haven’t posted because I’ve been having trouble deciding what to share.
The biggest happening in these past couple of weeks was our 2 day retreat at the Catholic retreat center in the nearby village of Lataha. It was a great little getaway – singing in English, hiking a nearby hill, taking a walk through the village, doing a seminar, and planning the orientation for two journeyers arriving in August. I’m glad we didn’t go down to Bouaké this time, it was nice to be just 30 minutes away from home.
So last night was probably the biggest lightning storm I’ve ever seen.
I don’t think I’ve ever actually been in fear of getting struck until last night…but it didn’t stop me from putting on my coat and going outside to take in the awesomeness of the storm! Some bolts were so close (like you could see where they struck close) and so loud that my heart couldn’t help but skip a few beats! I got out my guitar (under the canopy outside my room) and starting writing a song that went with the mood of the storm, it’s got sort of a panicky, run for your life kind of feel to it. I also got out this handy-dandy cassette tape recorder my brother Dan got me and recorded the sound of the lightning haha.
The storm has got me thinking about God’s wrath. A line in my song goes like this: “Torrential downpour, the storm is here at last. The mighty voice of God thunders in the sky.” I can’t help but think about the book in the Bible I’m going through right now: Ezekiel. The assault by the Babylonians on Jerusalem is a downpour of God’s judgement on the Israelites, every bit as relentless (and moreso) as the rain last night. As I stood in the rain and took in the awe-inspiring clash of colossal magnetic forces, I couldn’t help but imagine that this storm was an image of how God looks at my sin. The severity of the storm and the fear it invoked inside of me, they pale in comparison to what the wrath of God will look like on the day of judgement. I rest secure in knowing that I am his child, and that Jesus is my intermediary, but the storm was definitely a great reminder that God is not just a loving, good, gracious God. He is also a very just God, and his wrath is terrible and frightening! Definitely a great reminder to be examining my life for areas in which I’m not obeying Him, and to seek transformation through the Holy Spirit in those areas!
Another thing from Eziekel that is amazing: God makes him completely mute for the first 5 years of his ministry, and he can talk ony when delivering the word of the Lord. Could you imagine?! It was to symbolize to the Jews their stubborn refusal to take God’s word seriously. I’m sure it did quite a work in Ezekiel’s heart as well. How would you view God, what level of respect for His word would you have if God made you completely unable to talk, except for when he is speaking through you? I think it would revolutionize the way we think about God to say the least. I have a feeling Ezekiel was a pretty humble man.
One other thing the storm is reminding me of. But first some backstory:
So we journeyers have all been debating if we are going to go home after this year or stay in RCI for a second year, or even just a few months until our extra support runs out or whatever. Through a process of prayer and evaluating the things happening in my life, I’m pretty sure I’m heading home October 28th. Though, if God opens up a ministry that can justify me staying longer I’m totally open for that as well! I really love JourneyCorps, and will always want to promote the program. It really is an amazing program, and I believe God has huge things in store for it. But for me personally, I feel pretty confident in saying at this time that there is not sufficient reason for me to stay longer than my original decided date of departure. I see my next step, and it involves being home.
All that to say, because I’m planning to return home, I’m naturally preparing myself for that. I’m sending emails to places to find work, trying to figure out a few logistics that need to be taken care of ahead of time. But the last week or so my mind has been too focused on home, and has gotten in the way of really being here in Korhogo. The storm last night was a wake-up call for me. The thunder was like God shouting at me, “Jason! Get your head in the game!” Not only was I feeling convicted of sin, but of just my thought life in general as of late. It’s not that thinking about home is bad…but in this case it was getting in the way. Jesus talks about severing things in our lives that cause us to sin. The bible later says that “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial”, and I can’t help but see a correlation here. To quote Oswald Chambers, “Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but, says Jesus, if it hinders you in following his precepts, cut it off.” So now I’ve realized, thinking about home in itself is fine, but if it is hindering the work God wants to do in me and through me today, I need to cut it off. In this case I just need to tone it down, because I would be irresponsible to completely ignore important things that need to get taken care of before returning.
Anyways, that turned out way longer that I planned!
Please contintue to pray for me out here, and let me know how I can be involved in praying for you as well! Here are a few requests I’d like to make:
I miss you all, have a great week!
The storm has got me thinking about God’s wrath. A line in my song goes like this: “Torrential downpour, the storm is here at last. The mighty voice of God thunders in the sky.” I can’t help but think about the book in the Bible I’m going through right now: Ezekiel. The assault by the Babylonians on Jerusalem is a downpour of God’s judgement on the Israelites, every bit as relentless (and moreso) as the rain last night. As I stood in the rain and took in the awe-inspiring clash of colossal magnetic forces, I couldn’t help but imagine that this storm was an image of how God looks at my sin. The severity of the storm and the fear it invoked inside of me, they pale in comparison to what the wrath of God will look like on the day of judgement. I rest secure in knowing that I am his child, and that Jesus is my intermediary, but the storm was definitely a great reminder that God is not just a loving, good, gracious God. He is also a very just God, and his wrath is terrible and frightening! Definitely a great reminder to be examining my life for areas in which I’m not obeying Him, and to seek transformation through the Holy Spirit in those areas!
Another thing from Eziekel that is amazing: God makes him completely mute for the first 5 years of his ministry, and he can talk ony when delivering the word of the Lord. Could you imagine?! It was to symbolize to the Jews their stubborn refusal to take God’s word seriously. I’m sure it did quite a work in Ezekiel’s heart as well. How would you view God, what level of respect for His word would you have if God made you completely unable to talk, except for when he is speaking through you? I think it would revolutionize the way we think about God to say the least. I have a feeling Ezekiel was a pretty humble man.
One other thing the storm is reminding me of. But first some backstory:
So we journeyers have all been debating if we are going to go home after this year or stay in RCI for a second year, or even just a few months until our extra support runs out or whatever. Through a process of prayer and evaluating the things happening in my life, I’m pretty sure I’m heading home October 28th. Though, if God opens up a ministry that can justify me staying longer I’m totally open for that as well! I really love JourneyCorps, and will always want to promote the program. It really is an amazing program, and I believe God has huge things in store for it. But for me personally, I feel pretty confident in saying at this time that there is not sufficient reason for me to stay longer than my original decided date of departure. I see my next step, and it involves being home.
All that to say, because I’m planning to return home, I’m naturally preparing myself for that. I’m sending emails to places to find work, trying to figure out a few logistics that need to be taken care of ahead of time. But the last week or so my mind has been too focused on home, and has gotten in the way of really being here in Korhogo. The storm last night was a wake-up call for me. The thunder was like God shouting at me, “Jason! Get your head in the game!” Not only was I feeling convicted of sin, but of just my thought life in general as of late. It’s not that thinking about home is bad…but in this case it was getting in the way. Jesus talks about severing things in our lives that cause us to sin. The bible later says that “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial”, and I can’t help but see a correlation here. To quote Oswald Chambers, “Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but, says Jesus, if it hinders you in following his precepts, cut it off.” So now I’ve realized, thinking about home in itself is fine, but if it is hindering the work God wants to do in me and through me today, I need to cut it off. In this case I just need to tone it down, because I would be irresponsible to completely ignore important things that need to get taken care of before returning.
Anyways, that turned out way longer that I planned!
Please contintue to pray for me out here, and let me know how I can be involved in praying for you as well! Here are a few requests I’d like to make:
- Pray for my niece, Bonnie, who is having brain surgery on Wednesday. Pray for the doctors, the surgery, and for recovery. Also for Michael and Laura, her parents.
- Pray for us journeyers to keep our head in the game, and really immerse ourselves into our relationships here. We all want this time to be as fruitful as possible.
- Pray for open eyes to recognize opportunities God places before me before I miss them.
- Pray also for the energy to get through each day. I’ve been exhausted lately.
- Pray also for our relationships, that God would continue to draw us nearer to him through them.
I miss you all, have a great week!
(above) Saying goodbye to some friends who are moving for a few months. They made us awesome little gifts for us, check out the hat!
(above) CJ looking pretty Ivorian! This is a church we want to use our project money to buy materials for the concrete it needs to finish.
Hey man Thanks for sharing your lessons. It's a great reminder to me. I think we Christians often loose our appreciation for the gospel because we forget how scary God's wrath is and how amazing his forgiveness is in light of that. Thanks
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