Other than Jesus, his words are so powerful and pivotal to my walk with Christ. He cuts to the heart of a matter quickly.
Paul knew the scriptures from childhood.
But he didn't know the One that the scriptures described.
Then the Author of those divine scriptures blinded him on a road until he could clearly see.
He quickly turned from a man who persecuted the church into the man that pioneered the church.
Paul went on to be the ultimate missionary. He was beaten, ridiculed, chained, imprisoned, falsely accused, and left for dead. Many of us would end our cause for just one of these discomforts.
Not Paul.
He was a man driven by passion. He never stopped his mission. Even when he physically couldn't go anymore...he would send his words via letter form. I am so thankful to be a student of those words today.
I grew up hearing about missionaries. I even read their stories and listened to personal testimonies.
Most of the time I would think, "Better them than me. Please don't ask me to go to a distant country God."
I helped out with several home mission projects during my teenage years. It was a growing experience but it was always more about the social fun than building up the kingdom of God.
Three years ago I stepped out (thankful to have friends along) boarded a plane and spent 8 days away from my normalcy to tell others about Jesus.
I leave again tomorrow night for my 3rd trip.
Am I scared? Yep
Am I sad to leave my husband and children? Yep
Am I nervous about traveling? Yep
Will I cry and miss my loved ones? Yep
These things have remained the same each time I go.
However...God sees the sacrifice and I believe He is pleased.
The cool part for me is returning for a third summer to people that I know and love...who happen to live oceans away.
In Paul's letters (such a Colossians) he would send messages to people he knew in distant churches. I think that is just so neat.
The body of Christ isn't fractured by oceans, territories, or distance. It is fortified. Little ol' me gets the honor of ministering to others on a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean. (Yes it is gorgeous but we see very little of the beach life while we are there)
As I sit here in Georgia preparing to leave I am already weepy and sad to leave my man and my precious children.
But oddly enough, in just 10 days, I will be sad to be leaving those precious people too.
It is like the grand oxymoron.
Sad to go. Sad to come home.
Paul ends most of his letters with these words, "grace and peace be with you." It was his way of showing love and respect to the people he was writing. If he couldn't be with them in person...the least he could do was ask God for grace and peace to be upon them....tonight I do the same.
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