Another speaking engagement swallowed my day yesterday, but more than that... it gave me nights of restless sleeping. I was asked a few weeks ago to speak at a youth prayer retreat - for the Sport's Outreach Ministry. I was excited to share once again, especially since I knew a few of the youth from the youth camp held earlier in December. The theme of "It's Time to Possess Your Dream" was given, and the Biblical reference, surprisingly was Genesis 37:5-11. Who picks these passages I wonder? What do Joseph's two dreams of sheaves, sun, moon, and stars bowing down to him, and his brothers extreme hatred and jealousy, have to do with possessing our dream?
I tried to do a lot of research for this time of sharing, but knew that I had to share the whole life of Joseph, who happens to be a favourite Bible character of mine. Yes, Joseph had those dreams when he was 17, but they were not fulfilled until the age of 39. So does that mean we shouldn't dream? No... it just means that we need to keep being a person of integrity, honesty, patience.... and above all - trusting God first. If it is a dream from God, He will bring it to completion. And I also realized that the dream wasn't for Joseph to say "Ha, I told you so... but so that his brothers could recognize the Lord's goodness in the whole plan.... especially after Joseph was unbelievably broken and forgiving when they were reunited. Add those to the list of ways you need to live - humble, compassionate and forgiving.
Now you may be wondering why I would let such a passage bother me... but here are some other factors going on in my life and thoughts. Some of you may not know this, but I didn't think much about foreign missions as a child, because I truly struggled with home-sickness... to the point of getting physically sick, but when I was a freshman in college I met some people from East Africa and my whole sheltered world changed. I started to pray that God would send me to Africa to serve and love His people there. I didn't know what I really wanted to do... so I studied a broad Bachelors degree - in Youth, Evangelism, and Education, with a minor in Sociology. Goodness, that ought to cover a few things. But mostly, in my head, I kept thinking... I want to love God and His people... and I want to do that mostly in Africa.
Well, now I'm here. I still love God and I sure do love His people. And people back home are very supportive that I finally made it to my beloved Africa. I was 33 when I reached this hot continent and in many ways I feel like I have reached my life goal. But with the dawn of a New Year, people love to ask - what are you dreaming of for this year? Do you have any goals? My answers were also - to love God and participate in any work that He is clearly calling me to do... whatever comes I will do. But my Ugandan friends don't necessarily like that answer. What do you mean? Don't you have dreams of running an orphanage, or opening a school, or building some sort of institution? What are you really doing here? Well, those words are hard for me. Am I doing enough? Should I be doing more? Should I be praying about a BIG project, or is it okay to continue encouraging and training in the churches - in regards to youth/children/evangelism - and visiting the sick and befriending the lonely and living a Christian life that is proclaimed 7 days a week.
Do you see my struggle here? I don't want to start a program just because that's what many foreigners come to Africa to do. I don't want to take away a job or a potential ministry for the local church to be providing - since they are the ones who are seeing the needs. But I feel like I'm not doing enough. It's great being a People Person... but I also have a Hard Work ethic that is somehow hiding right now. Pray for me to have a DREAM this year... even if that means God is calling me to a new people group or in a different direction than serving Him in Soroti town. I'm going with God.
I tried to do a lot of research for this time of sharing, but knew that I had to share the whole life of Joseph, who happens to be a favourite Bible character of mine. Yes, Joseph had those dreams when he was 17, but they were not fulfilled until the age of 39. So does that mean we shouldn't dream? No... it just means that we need to keep being a person of integrity, honesty, patience.... and above all - trusting God first. If it is a dream from God, He will bring it to completion. And I also realized that the dream wasn't for Joseph to say "Ha, I told you so... but so that his brothers could recognize the Lord's goodness in the whole plan.... especially after Joseph was unbelievably broken and forgiving when they were reunited. Add those to the list of ways you need to live - humble, compassionate and forgiving.
Now you may be wondering why I would let such a passage bother me... but here are some other factors going on in my life and thoughts. Some of you may not know this, but I didn't think much about foreign missions as a child, because I truly struggled with home-sickness... to the point of getting physically sick, but when I was a freshman in college I met some people from East Africa and my whole sheltered world changed. I started to pray that God would send me to Africa to serve and love His people there. I didn't know what I really wanted to do... so I studied a broad Bachelors degree - in Youth, Evangelism, and Education, with a minor in Sociology. Goodness, that ought to cover a few things. But mostly, in my head, I kept thinking... I want to love God and His people... and I want to do that mostly in Africa.
Well, now I'm here. I still love God and I sure do love His people. And people back home are very supportive that I finally made it to my beloved Africa. I was 33 when I reached this hot continent and in many ways I feel like I have reached my life goal. But with the dawn of a New Year, people love to ask - what are you dreaming of for this year? Do you have any goals? My answers were also - to love God and participate in any work that He is clearly calling me to do... whatever comes I will do. But my Ugandan friends don't necessarily like that answer. What do you mean? Don't you have dreams of running an orphanage, or opening a school, or building some sort of institution? What are you really doing here? Well, those words are hard for me. Am I doing enough? Should I be doing more? Should I be praying about a BIG project, or is it okay to continue encouraging and training in the churches - in regards to youth/children/evangelism - and visiting the sick and befriending the lonely and living a Christian life that is proclaimed 7 days a week.
Do you see my struggle here? I don't want to start a program just because that's what many foreigners come to Africa to do. I don't want to take away a job or a potential ministry for the local church to be providing - since they are the ones who are seeing the needs. But I feel like I'm not doing enough. It's great being a People Person... but I also have a Hard Work ethic that is somehow hiding right now. Pray for me to have a DREAM this year... even if that means God is calling me to a new people group or in a different direction than serving Him in Soroti town. I'm going with God.
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