It’s been great being around Coppell, Texas and catching up with friends and family. Over the weekend Joy and Caleb came down from Oklahoma as well as a few other friends from up that way. It was really good to see them all, share stories, laugh, joke around, and talk about the exciting seasons of life that lay ahead of all of us. I’ve also had the opportunity to share about what God has been doing in my life and in England with new friends old and young. I’m looking forward to being one the “missionaries” to speak at vacation bible school at Valley Ranch Baptist Church next week as well.
It’s funny; I’ve not ever really referred to myself as a missionary until arriving back in the States. In England, to be culturally and contextually appropriate, we refer to ourselves as volunteer workers who work in the schools, youth clubs, and churches of Saflord. I don’t think I ever said to a young person “I’m a missionary.” They honestly probably wouldn’t know what that meant and if they did they’d either laugh at me or tell me to get lost because of their experiences in the past with those claiming to represent Christ.
Growing up missionaries always seemed to be these adventures and somewhat crazy people who were called by God to go to the jungles of the Amazon or distant islands. I guess I have been blessed to have some amazing adventures over the past year, I am a bit crazy (I prefer to call it artsy), and I do live on an island, however, I don’t feel that makes me any more special than any of you.
You see, I believe the bible is very clear in the Great Commission that in our going we are to take the Gospel, the Good News of Christ to whomever we cross paths with. So, whether you find yourself in any town U.S.A. or in Salford England, the classroom or the work place, we are ALL called to be missionaries or messengers of Christ; to carry the love and message of Christ in our comings and goings of life.
In the week that I have been back in Texas, I think it has rained more than it did all of last summer. It seems everyone I run into makes a joke about bringing the rain over with me from England. However, in my 9 months in England I witness one thunderstorm and that was the last week I was there! Over the past week I’ve also embarked on a learning journey to better hear the voice of the Lord, reading a book written by the founder of Adventures in Missions (Seth Barnes) called “The Art of Listening Prayer.” While sitting through a thunderstorm and reading through one of my favourite Psalms, Psalms 29, I came across this passage:
7 The voice of the Lord strikes with lightning bolts. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the desert quake; the Lord shakes the desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare. In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!” 10 The Lord rules over the floodwaters. The Lord reigns as king forever. 11 The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.
I just thought that this was a brilliant passage, revealing many ways the Lord speaks, that I commonly might just ignore. So, in your goings look for opportunities to share the message of Christ and listen for Christ in the thunder and the rain.
May you be blessed on your road to beautiful.
Chaddington
