Day by Day

This blog does not have much to with the work going on here as much as it is about how I'm doing. It it a prayer request/thinking outloud.

Things had been going great with no complaints until the past few days. The lack of Spanish comprehension, much less speaking, is taking a pretty good toll on me. Because of not being able to understand anyone, I feel kinda useless at times and not needed and wonder why I'm even here. Yesterday afternoon, I had to get off by myself for a while and be left to English thoughts only for awhile. I know that it takes time to learn a language, but it's also incredibly tough when you're just thrown into it. I do have to give God some praise though because I have picked up the little I have learned a lot faster than I thought I would've.

Jason, the other guy with me here, was very encouraging last night. Most of you that know me very well know that I'm usually not the first one to bring up things I'm struggling with, and if no one asks, then I may not say anything. Well, I'm glad Jason asked and encouraged me. He said that he had begun to try to change the way he thinks and try to find the good things that happen each day instead of focusing on how much further along he wishes he was, in Spanish or his spiritual life.

I've been reading a book called George Muller of Bristol by A.T. Pierson. I would encouraged everyone to read it. It is the story of a man who sought to be a testimony that it is possible to live by trusting God alone for every little thing in life (the picture above is his tombstone). By the end of his life, he had started a Scriptural Knowledge Institute (a sort of Bible training school) and opened five orphan houses that cared for about ten thousand orphans during his lifetime. Not one time during his ministry did he ask anyone for money or supplies or helpers. He went first and only to His Father to supply all needs for His servant, His children, and His ministry. This account of this man of faith has been a great encouragement to me during my time here, and I believe it is a foreshadowing of the pattern for the rest of my life (referring to seeking God alone to provide personal and ministry needs). The only way that this man could live was day by day placing himself at His father's feet. Jason helped me remember this important lesson last night.

Sometimes in life, things are easy, but sometimes, they are very hard. No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can only live day by day. Whether good or bad, the only thing we can make a difference about is today and pray that God will take care of the troubles of that day (Matthew 6:33-34). God has placed us in the day we are in for a reason. The only way we can know what the reason may be is to daily seek after God, sit a while, and listen.

So that's what I'm going to do. Live my life, whether in Peru or somewhere else, day by day at my Father's feet. May the grace of God be with us!