Joy, Togo, and 2011

Last night I couldn't sleep. Have you ever had one of those nights where no matter how hard you try or how tired you are your mind just wants to keep going. Last night every time I closed my eyes my mind would fill with the people of Togo that I met this summer and the various experiences that I had throughout the summer. I realize that I've been suppressing this for some time. At the end of this semester I was asked by someone if I was going on another 'trip' this summer- this made me pretty angry. Last summer wasn't just a 'trip', it wasn't just about me either: God revealed so much to me about Himself and His creation and I was able to meet and see some of the hard injustices of this world yet see how good God is in it all. Last night as my mind was replaying the stories and memories of this summer what struck me was the joy that never seemed to leave the faces of the Togolese believers. No matter the situation I remember them laughing and smiling in their carefree way and I know it was because their assurance was in Christ. No matter how little they had or how hard things were, it really didn't matter because they had Christ and that's the greatest possession anyone could ever have.

Togo has a population of 6,752,000 with 56 different people groups. There are 54 languages and only 13 complete bible translations into these languages. Many people groups profess to be Christians but still practice witchcraft and live in daily fear, which means that they must not fully understand the hope in Christ. It struck me last night how much I have been failing at sharing all that I saw and what God is doing in the country of Togo. He is moving. The believers there need prayer, their lives are vastly different from our comfortable cushy lives here in the U.S. but they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. I don't know if I'll ever return to see my friends in Togo and join them again in sharing the gospel of Christ's hope throughout their country, but I still am on a mission with them. I can continue to pray for them, to support and encourage them in their continual battle. My missions trip this summer may have physically ended, but in my heart it will continue throughout the rest of my life. Who knows if God will ever call me to leave the United States again for His mission, but my life will be lived as His mission because my life is not mine to live it's His to use and glorify Himself through.

There is so much hope in the gospel, and so many people in this world who have yet to hear it. Christ is the greatest message we could ever share- so why don't we share it in abundance? I'm completely guilty of doing this, keeping what I believe to myself and rarely talking about the joy only Christ can give outside of my believing friends, but this year I hope to dig deep into God's word and proclaim His glory through all I do and say, not matter who I'm with. Recklessly abandoning my fears, my reputation, and turning away from my selfish heart.

The United States of America has a population of 313,630,000 people. There are 364 people groups and 71 unreached people groups. That hurts my heart so much when I read that, in churches we always talk about international missions, but what are we doing every day, what about the people in our classes and the people we pass everyday? As wonderful as overseas missions is, God is still moving here and we are called to be living for Him and sharing Him where ever we are. Whether He calls us to live in a far away unknown land, or in a development in the suburbs of Philadelphia we are His servants and we are entrusted with the message of His gospel and our mission shouldn't change.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2
"So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

Am I proving faithful to the hope I have been entrusted to share? And am I putting aside my earthly desires and selfishness to live for Christ? Am I living recklessly abandoned to God's will? I guess that's my resolution for 2011