Beef stir fry, Mango Pickle and God's Grace

Sitting in the outdoor patio at work today in the warm weather, enjoying some beef stir fry, mango pickle and rice from our ministry cafe, I felt like I was transported back to India as I cherished the company of two dear brothers from our ministry in Asia. It brought back memories from the time I spent there in 2004. How amazing the joy of the believers was! I still remember Gretch, the woman in the poverty-stricken slum area who ran up to us with this bubbling joy she could hardly contain, proclaiming "Jai Ma Siki" ("Praise to Christ" in her language).

This whole past weekend at our ministry's Renewing Your Passion missions conference has been surreal in some ways ... yet, at the same time, I know more real than anything I could experience on this earth. For I was reminded of the worth of knowing and following Jesus ... of how 100 years from now, the only things I will have to show for my life here on this earth are those things that will last for eternity. I was deeply challenged to cry out to Jesus in my heart, more than once, "Rid me of me! Fill me with You." I want to be poured out for His sake ... I was thinking, if He is my Savior and gave His very life for me, what is too much for me to do for Him? Not in any way to earn my salvation, because that was already purchased for me through His redemptive blood at Calvary ... I rather want to serve Him, out of gratitude and love for Him. I know I have so far to go in having a fully surrendered life, holding nothing back, but o how I long for such utter abandonment to Jesus. I love Him so much.

The time at the conference was also an amazing time of fellowship ... whether laughing with my roommates and new friends I made, or praying with and being able to encourage our supporters who are such a blessing and have given so much to help spread the Good News of Jesus in Asia. All in all, this whole past weekend was incredible and reminded me of what a privilege I have to get to serve Jesus to reach some of the most unreached and see lives transformed in wonderful ways by His grace ... a privilege that I am unworthy of and don't want to ever again take for granted.

Right after the conference, I got to go to lunch with a dear friend who had come down for the weekend. It was great catching up some more with her and sharing some more of what the Lord had taught us at the conference ... over yummy turkey pizza at Schlotsky's. :-)

May I never forget the things I learned and was reminded of this weekend ... Oh, Jesus, may my life never be the same again.