6 Days and Counting...

Carwashes...check. Bake sales…check. Food and supplies…check. Packing…ahhhhh!?!?!

My, how time has flown these past several months?! In just 6 days, I will be leaving the comfort of my church, home, family, friends, and workplace as I embark upon a life changing journey. For 14 days, I will be immersed in a culture unlike one that I’ve ever known. I’ll be bunking in a room with 3 complete strangers from varying backgrounds, learning how to successfully use “squatties” (not to be confused with “potties”), showering community style (I may just stay dirty), hoping that my stomach adjusts well to the mystery foods that I’ll be ingesting, and ciphering through language and cultural barriers. While a great challenge lies ahead, the rewards far outweigh each of them, making this worth it all. C-A-N-N-O-T wait!

Throughout this time of preparation, the Lord has been teaching me about His provision, His love, and His grace. I can only imagine how much more will be revealed to me once I am there. He is going to use what He has taught me to influence and pour into the lives of those I’ll be doing life with. Furthermore, I eagerly await a life change myself. I am fully confident that the Lord is going to use the amazing people of China and the opportunities and experiences that are to come to stretch and grow me. Am I a bit fearful of what this looks like? I’d be lying if I said no. However, there is good news! There always is!

Follow me for a second… You’re familiar with the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water, right? Feel free to reference Matthew 14 to brush up on the details. ;) Peter experienced great fear as he stepped out of the boat and toward the water during that horrible storm; however, he didn’t allow that to overwhelm and handicap him. Much like Peter’s choice to obey and step out in faith, the choice to follow Jesus is a choice to grow. It’s also a choice for the constant re-emergence of fear. Author John Ortberg stated this beautifully when he said, “The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that as a follower of Jesus you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life. ” I’m sure we would all agree that had Peter not stepped out of the boat, he would have probably had other opportunities to experience the Lord. However, if he wouldn’t have taken this monumental risk, he also wouldn’t have experienced the glory of walking on water. “Only Peter knew the glory of being lifted up by Jesus in a moment of desperate need. He alone knew what it was to attempt to do what he was not capable of doing on his own, then feeling the euphoria of being empowered by God to actually do it. (Ortberg)” Wow! Don’t we all long for that? I do, but I’m also convicted by my seemingly lackadaisical approach at times. As long as I continue to grow, fear will never go away as I constantly face new challenges and enter new territory. In the midst of this “fear of the unknown,” there is great joy and great peace in knowing that it isn’t about me. It isn’t about me at all. My God, the Lord Most High, my heavenly Dad, “works for the good of Natalie who loves Him” and “he who began a good work in Natalie will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” The real fear, then, is to become complacent.

From this point forward, I’m stepping out. I may be fearful because I cling too tightly to my desire for control. However, I’m more fearful of becoming stagnant, not seizing the opportunities He provides, and not stepping out in faith and obedience. After all, the water is where Jesus is.