Peculiar Living

It didn't seem a big deal. I was invited to dinner with some missionaries our church supports...they've been in town for a few weeks, partly on furlough and partly to celebrate their organization's election of a new president and they chose our church to host it.

I haven't really had time to visit with them. I was gone for a week of that. They have family and friends to see and so it simply didn't seem to be a priority for either of us. But yesterday I had a chance to sit down with them over dinner. Steaks were on the menu, which made the decision even easier.

They told funny stories of life in Haiti. We got caught up on families and such. Nothing spectacular, but highly enjoyable and very good company.

And then I thought back to both of these guys and their processes of deciding to drop careers and head to the mission field. And I could see how much they've grown in their relationship with the Lord over the years they've been gone. It made me excited to see where they are now in their lives and reaffirmed my belief that we're supporting the right people in the right places.

During the time I got updates on three of my former students who are out and about trying to discern if they might want to do missions as a career. One discovered the harsh realities of life in Mexico City. Another is preparing to return from six months in Holland. Another actually got kissed on the cheek by a former cannibal who came to Christ.

And this is "normal" in my world.

The God of the universe working in people's lives and I get a patent reminder of it sitting by a grill eating corn on the cob and a big slab of beef. And then I got to teach God's word to my students.

Are you kidding me? This is "normal" in my world. Could I live a better existence? Not a chance.