I read something today that really spoke to me. I know God meant for me to read these words at exactly this moment in the story of my life and the life of my family as we serve in Nsoko. The past few weeks have been difficult. We have been stretched and challenged in many ways. We have cried. We have prayed. We have even talked about going home. Seriously. It has been rough. There have been small obstacles, like power outages and not having water at home...There have been minor inconveniences, like our truck needing to be brought to South Africa for an expensive repair (the extent of yet remains to be seen since it is still there!) and then a few days later one of our ministry partners crashing one of the few precious remaining vehicles we have left to do the work here! There have been major let downs, like bringing a gogo with cancer to the hospital and having her turned away; bringing a small boy who had a seizure to another hospital and having him turned away...There have been long days and short nights when the amount of work to be done far outweighs our energy, our resources, and our abilities.

However, we remain...

We remain because HE remains! We still believe that God has plans to redeem Swaziland. We still trust that He is good, and His ways are perfect. In the chaos and troubles of this life, He is sovereign. He is steadfast.  He doesn't change. His mercies are new every morning. His grace is enough!

He has ministered to us through ways, great and small. His love has touched us through people he has brought into our path. A visiting team of high school students from Colorado served to remind Eric that he is an effective and vital leader; a fact that is easily forgotten in cross cultural ministry where tried and true methods of leadership fail to translate. This same team invited Claire and Jacob into their fellowship...a breath of fresh air for two teen/ pre-teen kids who crave the community of other young people who 'get' them. A couple of sleep overs in the team house, lots of crazy games and laughter, burning stuff (Jacob and the boys), and heart-to-heart's (Claire and the girls)... a huge deal for our kids who have given up so much to be here. Meeting a couple of dear women at the store by 'chance' which turned into a couple hours over cups of coffee, waffles and much needed conversation served to remind me that I am not without friendships here. I may just have to carve out more intentional time to seek it out. An evening with new friends, sharing in their Friday night family tradition of having a braai (South African BBQ/cookout) and watching rugby. Yeah...God is taking care of us. We know that.

Anyway, back to the book I was reading this morning. It is a small book that was handed to me just last evening. (All That You Can't Leave Behind  by Ryan Murphy) It is journal entries of a guy from California who serves as a missionary in Kenya, along with his wife and son. The following excerpt was written as they approached their third month of service in Africa. The newness and novelty had worn off and reality started to sink in. They started missing family, friends, familiarity...home! Hmmmmm...sounds familiar! His words ring true, on many levels.

"It's only when you miss something and when it hurts that it really becomes a sacrifice. Otherwise, it's a change or an adjustment or a self-serving choice. It's not a sacrifice until you feel it.

Sacrifice is a sign of love. You give up something for someone else. You put that person ahead of yourself. God could not have sacrificed more than He did by becoming human and going to the cross. I'm only following His lead.

I'm telling God that I love Him more than I love anything in the world when my heart hurts. I won't turn around or give up His call because it hurts a lot. I'll just give it to Him as a humble gift, as an offering. King David said, 'I will not sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.'

Over and over, God tells us that He really starts to work when we hurt for Him, when we want what He wants more than anything. And that's where I am and that's why I know He's about to get to work."

It strikes me that these words don't just apply to missionaries serving on foreign soil. We are all missionaries...we are all on foreign soil...this world is not our home! We were put on this earth to serve Him and to join Him in the redeeming work of making all things new! That means work. That means sacrifice. It is going take messy, grueling, heart-wrenching efforts. Wherever you find yourself.  It has to cost something. It may even cost everything.