Home again yet still a stranger.
July 12, 2006 at 3:22 pm aiakeeper18 2 comments
I am home safe and sound yet different from when I left. The World Cup is over. While traveling home on the plane from Germany and thinking of all the different memories and experiences this past month, one prominent thought came through from Psalm 119:19. “I am a stranger on earth…”
In some instances, while talking with people from around the world about Jesus and his teachings, people looked at me like I was crazy. I felt like Peter when he wrote in 1 Peter 4:4,
“They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation…”
After touching down on the first leg of my plane trip back to Virginia Beach, I saw a lady in the airport wearing a T-shirt that read; “Is this what I got out of bed for?” For a moment, I wondered, what message or hope will restore this world again?
I was reminded on the next plane. In God’s divine seating chart, I was placed alongside a German family traveling to my same city hometown where they have been assigned to live for a 3-year mission. I was able to build a relationship with them and share what I had been doing in their country this past month. My spirits soared as I was able to give them a copy of the JESUS film for kids and a soccer testimony DVD to their 10 year old son who was more then happy to receive it.
While on this trip I gained a desire to pray more often for the residents that do call earth their home. As a willing stranger I want to continue to love others and like Peter again in 1 Peter 4:6,
“For this reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.” I know there is no spirit like the spirit of God. All good things come from Him. I cannot wait till I get home. For if I am servant of the Lord, my home cannot be anywhere else then with Him.
Thank you to the many different people that stayed up to date on our bus team and who prayed for the Athletes in Action World Cup. Those prayers were so valuable to our trip. I pray you were encouraged by this blog of what God did. I’m glad we could all share in it together.
Zach
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ADT | July 18, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Praise report! “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!” I prayed for ‘divine appointments’ during the World Cup Outreach, and I’ve heard of two, including the one you experienced! May the seeds that were planted bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God, to His glory – in Jesus’ name!
Anthony Ticknor
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ADT | July 18, 2006 at 7:16 pm
(Of course, anyone who is willing to seriously consider the Good News of Jesus Christ is being drawn to Him by God’s Holy Spirit. I don’t want to minimize the significance of the work all of you did in reaching many individuals, who, through your faithful effort, have been given the opportunity to respond to the Gospel! Thanks for making yourself available to be used in many ‘divine appointments’ as a vessel of the grace and love of the Lord Jesus!)