It’s been a while since I’ve made a blog post, but I’m hoping to be more faithful this year. The Lord has been teaching me so much in His word every day, and I hope I can share some of that encouragement with you all.
I spent Christmas with my family in Wyoming, and I returned to my home in Mexico shortly after New Years. And all I can say is that I am so blessed. God fills each day with countless blessings, and I hope to grow in gratefulness and recognize His goodness towards me.
That being said, one thing I thank God for nearly every morning is His beautiful sunrise. If you’ve never seen a sunrise from the top of Camp Berea, you haven’t seen a sunrise yet. And it’s my daily awakening. Although each sunrise is a little different, they are constant. Every morning without fail, the sun rises.
Although I haven’t seen tomorrow, there’s no doubt in my mind that it will begin with the rising of the sun. It’s been that way throughout all of history and will continue to be that way. Some things never change.
And God doesn’t change either. Every time I look at the trees silhouetted against the pink and orange clouds sometimes with a stray star or two dimly peeking through, I’m reminded of God’s faithfulness. The God who keeps the world in orbit is the same God who has control of my life. And He’s good.
Sunrises have particularly been impactful to me this year not only because of the beautiful area I live in, but because of the memories attached with it. January 22 of this year marked the one-year anniversary of the accident of the “Fab 5” who were on their way home after a visit to Jackson Hole Bible College when an intoxicated driver hit their truck.
It was about 3 a.m. when I found out, and after that I couldn’t go to sleep. So, I walked up to the top of the camp to read my Bible and pray. I was filled with such a deep peace and joy despite the pain. It’s almost too hard to describe. God’s Word had never seemed so rich, and Christ’s presence had never felt so near.
When I finished, I headed outside with my blanket to watch the sunrise. And it was one of the prettiest sunrises I had ever seen. I felt a surge of gratitude that must have come from the Lord because I’m not normally a grateful person. And I began to think of all my blessings.
Rather than feeling angry that the five were gone, I was grateful the Lord gave me the chance to know them. Two years prior, I didn’t even know any of them existed. But God crossed their paths with mine and gave me the privilege of forming lifelong friendships with two of them: Maggie and Salomon.
I remember that sunrise like it was yesterday. I can still feel its warmth and tranquility. Actually, it’s the picture I use as the background of this blog. And every time I see another sunrise, it’s a reminder of how much God has blessed me.
God is good, and everything He does is an act of mercy. He isn’t good despite the fact that He took the five home. He’s good because He took the five home. Although we can’t understand it or see the full picture now, it was an act of His overflowing mercy and love towards us. He did it out of complete love.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants. Psalm 116:15 (NIV)
For believers, death is a precious gift because death means immediate presence with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Death brings life. When someone you love dies, it’s always easier to long for the coming of Christ and desire His soon return. It’s a helpful reminder of what really matters.
However, just as death is a gift, so is life. We who are still alive are alive because God still has a task for us to complete on earth. We have yet to fulfill our ministry. And God has something specific for us, if we simply listen to His voice and obey.
The famous passage in Psalm 139 reminds us that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made by God. And that’s true. But He didn’t create us to be wonderfully made simply because. No, He has a purpose in mind—a purpose to bring Himself glory.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)
So lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about, “What’s my purpose?” Why did God create me the way He did? I know He gave me my unique personality, talents and gifts for a reason. And He did the same for you.
And this is where the question of obedience comes in. Am I going to use my gifts to fulfill God’s calling on my life? Or am I going to waste it on my own pleasures and desires. Am I willing to take what God has given me and give it back to Him? Or am I going to use it selfishly? Am I willing to trust God completely with my life?
I was talking with a dear friend of mine, Isaac Roa, about this the other night as we discussed where God is leading us after we get married, and the following morning, I wrote a prayer out in my journal. Here are some exerpts.
Dear Lord,
I have so much to be grateful for. Thank you for the really encouraging night with Isaac talking about where You want us to go. Lord, You’ve given us talents, gifts and personalities for a reason, and I want to use that to glorify You. I want to give You my all, my everything. I don’t want to waste what You gave me by doing nothing that glorifies You with it. Maybe I’m just in the training stage right now, so please help me to be faithful with where I’m at. Lord, I pray that I’d learn to be content in the training stage no matter how long it takes. And please make Your will clear to us. Choose where You want us to go—Lord, send us to the place You have already prepared for us. And let us be obedient. If it’s in the jungles of South America, the deserts of Africa, the extreme cold of Russia, or a normal city in Mexico, Lord, I’m willing. I am Yours completely, here to do Your will. As Mary said to the angel, “Here is the servant of the Lord, do with me as You will, conform me to Your Word.” Lord, that’s my desire—I want to live by the Esther 4:14 principle. Let Romans 12:1-2 be the theme of my life! I want to be a living sacrifice. I want to be completely Yours. So please, Lord, help us to follow You to the ends of the earth, and end our race completely exhausted knowing we completed our task like Paul did, and fixing our eyes on You. I want You to come soon, but like Paul said, he knew it was better to remain alive at the time for the sake of the Philippian believers. Death is precious for a believer, but we who are alive have work to do until that day comes.
Death has been a re-occurring theme in the last year, and for the believer, it almost gives a pang of jealousy. While it is better by far to depart and be with Christ, we remain alive for a reason. God's not finished with us yet. To live is Christ and to die is gain! What are you going to do with your life?
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