I'm Back... :)

 Yep, this picture describes it well... Sorry for the long silence folks. I was in Africa... I know I should post about my trip, but none of my pictures are on this computer and I am going to post some of my journal entries, so for now, I will tell you it was amazing. life changing. heart wrenching. tear jerking. awe filling. giggle giving. mind boggling. physically and mentally shocking. and so many other feelings and emotions that I just can't put into words. I feel like my heart is so weighed heavy with them that it is broken. And I never really knew what a broken heart feels like until now. it's heavy. and I can feel the split. And I don't want to forget a single thing about that place. Now that I'm home, I don't want to go into the never ending cycle of worldly entertainment and stuff that my mind is can get clouded with and making my treasure  here instead of a clear mind that is set of the eternal comfort and joy and peace found with Jesus. I realized something while I was there. (Actually I realized a lot of things, but here's one) While I was sitting on a narrow, splintered wooden bench, with all these little African hands holding me and touching me, there heads resting on me, wanting to be held and loved, and known, listening to the song of African praises being lifted up the the God of the Nations, feeling the cool, dry breeze of Africa kiss my face, It was like heaven on earth. Our great God is so real it's unbelievable. He is here, now, moving in so many ways. He isn't a Sunday morning God who is only there on certain days. He is in every split second of our lives. He does not leave us or forsake us. Even in the midst of suffering, hunger, thirst, pain, and sorrow, He is there. He does not willingly afflict his children. He has not left us as orphans. He has not left the many fatherless children I met as orphans. He is the Father to the fatherless, and does not forget them. He will come for us. And one thing that really struck me was how they love Him. In spite of the momentary affliction they are going through, they have set there minds on Jesus and the eternal comfort he brings. They have a unexplainable joy. And it isn't temporary. It's a heavenly joy, not coming from having the world's goods, but the Holy Spirit in you. And I want it. I don't want my joy to come from the things I have. I want that heavenly joy, and I want it to shine! I also want to apply this to my home life. Right now, God has me as a student, at home, with my family. Does that give me any excuse not to serve him as hard as I can, wholeheartedly, just because it's my siblings and friends I would be mostly serving? Absolutely not! Whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, I want to do it to his glory! Which is hard. Because when I was in Africa, I went with an attitude of servanthood. I was ready to get dirty, be touched, be hot, sweaty, sticky..ect. I couldn't prepare myself for all the things I saw there, but I asked God to give me a heart like his. At home, I don't ask him for that. Why? I have no idea. Should I feel like serving my siblings and friends and family and acquaintances is any less important than serving kids in Africa? No. So my prayer right now is for God to show me the things I can do to better serve him in my day to day life, and how to glorify him in the words I speak, and actions I make, and the mindset I have while doing them. Whooooo. sigh. thanks for letting me vent. If you want to see another good post, (or two check out...)
Sunshine, my travel partner's blog and Her brother's blog.
~Bugg~