Show Me What It Means...

As I go about my daily routine there are people God selects to put in my pathway at the time that seem obscure. As you begin to develop a friendship with them, you begin to see in their life something that is missing in yours. A deeper more committed lifestyle than your own. God begins to show you where you truly are in your relationship with him. You then have the choice at that point to continue to live for yourself or turn your life, your will, over and put Jesus first place in your life. In the late Fall of 2004 this is what happened to me when I met a man named Troy, living in Galati, Romania. This guy just oozed with Jesus all the time...it was like, it just happened. I was a Christian (aka repenter) but I was still living my life for me. Here was this IMB missionary with his family of five living in Romania, barely getting by (financially), struggling with the language barrier, not getting any support from a small cell church, and the list goes on and on and on. But it was like it didn't matter to him...he was where God wanted him to be and he was joyful. He had a kind of faith rarely seen in many Christians that I knew back in the States. This made an indelible impact on my life. There is a verse in a favorite song of mine "Show Me What It Means" by Jeremy Camp, that does a pretty god job of describing Troy...the second verse says this: "I want this world to always see, You're perfect majesty, reflecting from my life, this brilliant poetry. Written all over this place the signs of all creation that you breathed. Words can't even say how much you mean to me." Even though I didn't recognize it at the time, God was beginning to mold me into the man He wanted me to start becoming by meeting this American thousands of miles from home.

Since then, I have returned to Galati, Romania on two short-term mission trips and this past year for a month. This servant of Jesus continues to allow God to guide his steps as he spreads the Word in Romania. I check his blog several times a week to see what is happening in Galati as God continues to work in his and his family's life, and with the nationals he shares Jesus with. I razz him quite a bit...no alot, but his stand for Jesus Christ is just amazing. I am truly blessed to call him a friend and a mentor in my life. At this special time of the year when we observe Thanksgiving, I wonder how many are truly thankful for the over abundance we have as Americans. After visiting Romania, God has begun to develop in my character an appreciation how He has blessed me and my family.

May God bless you this holiday season.