From sunshine to snowfalls

Feb 7th 2010

As I look out the window, the delicate snowflake after snowflake floating down like icing sugar to coat the world in white, I can barely believe how much change my life has undergone in the last week and a half. From a new country and entirely different climate, a new living arrangement, new people, to new priorities and a new way of studying the book I have always cherished dearly. Some (like my wonderful mother) thrive on this kind of change and relish every moment. Some would rather be nailed to a dining room chair then envision such an upheaval (here is where I mention my wonderful father, though I believe the Lord is growing him in this area so I won’t be too hasty to name-drop). I’m trying to think of a good analogy that sums up how I have felt, and it is perhaps like a child jumping into the deep end of a pool. The excitement and daringness of the jump is exhilarating, but scary at the same time. The deep water is so much fun to wade in, there’s room to do somersaults and swim around and anything you can imagine really. But at times you wish could just feel the bottom. At the same time you know the shallow end where you can feel the bottom is boring and too easy, so you would rather be here. After kicking for a while you see the sides to hang onto, for brief moments of regaining strength, but still the best place to be is playing in the cool blue deep water.

If you can follow my line of thinking here you will begin to imagine what it is like for me. I love it. It’s exhilarating, new, scary, fun, with limitless possibility.
There are times I wish my feet would find the bottom; we as people love to be reassured and secure, that’s why so many resort an attitude along the lines of ‘the only person I can trust and depend on is myself’. The problem is we only have limited strength within ourselves. The one I trust in is limitless; in his strength, in his wisdom, in his love. Also, wanting to have our feet touching seems to be a reason that a lot of Christians stay in church pews instead of venturing out. But then we lose the opportunity to experience the limitless one and never really grow in our faith. So I am content to wade, this is the faith venture God has called me to. I am to wade and trust that He is there, looking after me. If I start relying on my own strength and finding security in other things I’ll drown. The Lord however has been good in providing the sides for me to grab so I can regain strength from time to time; these I see as my fellow Christians here who are becoming my family- a moment of sharing, an encouraging word, a prayer, a time of worship, an amazing class where I say to myself ‘why would I want to be anywhere else?’.

Yes, perhaps the most exciting part is the opportunity to hear great bible teaching every day. Then being made to delve in deeper through the assignments- it is like how much water can a sponge actually soak in? And can I squeeze out the lessons into my brain bucket before next week begins? And then how much can I pour from my brain bucket into my heart tank in order to water my soul and produce fruit for the kingdom?

The next most exciting thing is seeing what the Lord will do with that fruit. To go back to my swimming pool, there is endless possibility for diving and somersaulting and swimming. Firstly, within the walls of this castle, in serving one another and using our different gifts and talents. And secondly in reaching out beyond.

Friday I had the opportunity to be a part of a team visiting a young missionary couple in a city called Dunaujvaros. I felt incredibly blessed to meet them; they were filled with love and passion for the Lord and the city they were living in, it showed in their smiles and the things they shared about life there. The best thing was we were able to come alongside them and bless them. We went for a walk along a frozen section of the Danube river and simply prayed in pairs for the city, which is a hard and dark place thanks to a past of communist rule and then an infiltration of the JW’s and Mormon groups once that rule collapsed. The church there is viewed with suspicion and caution. But there are a few faithful, who joined us that night as we went into an upper class coffee shop where they had reserved a spot for us to sit, enjoy coffee and dessert and the best part; play worship music . So it was a really great visit. We may not ever see the effects of our prayer or of our light shining in that cafe. But these things are eternal matters, and we trust in a mighty God!

That just about wraps up the last few days! May God bless you and speak to you in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. Love, Jemma.