What's wrong with this picture?
Take a close look and see if something strange stands out to you?
OK maybe it's doesn't seem strange to you since you don't have a before picture but I think you can guess why this picture looks odd.
IT'S EMPTY!!
Just a few short days ago the floor had two futons on it leaving only a very small strip of carpet visible. My closet was full of clothes, and the hallway was always covered with freshly washed clothes hung out to air dry.
But the summer friends have now gone home. Jason and Brian no longer share my room. They are sleeping in beds, not on the floor and they are now asleep when I am awake. It's amazing how much your world can change in a few short days.
Please Keep Jason, Whitney, Bryan, and Mallory in your prayers these next few weeks as they transition back to life in the States. Specificly pray that they would find 2 or 3 people who they can share their whole summer with not just a 30 second to 10 minute summary of their summer.
In many ways the length of my stay is really hitting me for the first time. Aug 1st marked 6 months that I have been in Japan. And now having the summer friends leave makes it all the more clear that I am here not 2 months but 2 years. I am not a short term summer worker, I am mid-term staff.
In many ways I rejoice at the opportunity to be here for so long. I feel like such a slow learner, in language, in relationship, in just understanding myself. But I must admit there is a large part of me that is exhausted.
But as I am sure I have shared before there is a great side to being exhausted.
First, I have very little energy to do things out of my own strength. I have very little strength to resist God. It amazes me each day how much I fight to protect myself and refuse to really trust the Creator of the Universe. The one who loves me so much, wanted to protect me so much His own Son died for me. Yet I still choose to try and protect myself. How insane is that? How warped our minds have become by the lies of sin.
Another great thing about exhaustion. It can be lifted in a moment. Time and time again in my life when I have been exhausted, when I have taken the time to really get alone with the Lord, He speaks to the depths of my heart and soul and I rise up again like an eagle that soars on great mighty wings (Isaiah 40:30-31) . In the busyness of language study and the activities of the summer I have recently realized that my personal pen and paper journal has been long neglected. Never a good sign. I hope to remedy that during this month of August.
I would love your prayers for my ears to hear the Words of God speaking to me and my eyes to see God guiding clearly.
posted by Keith @ 12:57 AM
1 Comments:
Keith, you WILL be in our prayers, especially as you transition back to the usual activity sans summer teams. I too, know the lonely feeling that comes after you've said goodbye to your "team" and find yourself still standing on the same foreign soil that isn't the "home" you first knew. Cling to the One who loves us most, and stay on guard against all the stuff the enemy may try to throw your way. We've got your back, in prayer, as it were. And we're rooting for you!
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