I'm sitting at our debrief location on a little Island off the gulf. It is incredible. We are staying right on the beach and it is BEAUTIFUL. I am listening to the waves crash and looking at a perfectly empty beach. How can someone not believe in God and look at the ocean? Such power and beauty. It's breath taking and was made with such precision and care. Mmmmm I want to stay forever!
Sadly, in almost 24hrs exactly we will be boarding a plane and bound for the US. Wow. How did that happen? 2 months down and a life time to go. In 2 short months God has flipped everything I've know upside down. My prayer is that when I return I don't just push away what God has shown me, but instead I propel into a life of change. A life of living for others, of not being consumed by the world and possession; a life of obedience. This life is temporary, but Heaven is eternal. At the last ministry we were at Brynn and I lead a study by John Ortberg called "It all goes Back in the Box". This was his main point and he used the example of going to a hotel. You don't go stay at a hotel and decorate it, hanging all your art work and family photos on the walls. (Motel 6 has their own lovely art work picked out to coordinate with your bedspread). You wouldn't spend your own time and money decorating it. Why? Because you know it is temporary. Just like this life. Everything is temporary. Everything, except people. So why spend your time on things that are temporary, when you can spend it loving people and making disciples as God asks? We need to turn off the TV, the internet, our phones, etc. for a bit and spend sometime with people. These last few months I haven't checked my phone once...ok so its half way across the world...I've used the internet maybe once or twice a week, and I've watched almost no TV (minus the Thai dramas playing in every restaurant and watching Harry Potter with the girls at Abba house lol :) ). I've found I have formed some of the closest relationship in such a short time. Why? Because my distractions are limited...and we all know how distracted I can get. :) I know coming home I will be thrown back into life in the US, but I hope I remember how beautiful these last two months spent loving people constantly have been. I've grown, changed, and experienced so much joy. So please pray as I adjust back into life back home. Pray I adjust well but don't forget what God has changed and revealed to me.
I've found a family in our team, a home in another culture, and a God greater than I ever realized. It has been an incredible adventure. I want to say thank you to all my supporters whether it was financially or through prayer. You all are the reason I am here. You all are the reason someone felt God's love for the first time or someone was encouraged and loved and served. And you all are the reason God has opened my heart and eyes to so much of the world I didn't know existed. God provided for His children, thank you for being part of that provision for me. I hope one day I can serve and bless you as well.
I plan to keep blogging about my THailand adventures when I get back since so much has been left out. So keep your eyes open for some fun stories of trips to a Thai ER, night bus madness, a potential musical performance, and much more! :)
Oh and a quick shout out to my Dad the Hero...once again...We've used all the Aloe and Sunscreen you bought me “just incase” in the last day and 1/2! Life savers... My next blog was going to be titled “Anut Karen is Right” b/c I didn't even have a tan line after 2 months...but I think I might have gone a little darker than off white after the last 2 days!! I might prove her wrong yet...I might actually be able to get tan...) it might just be in weird splotches all over my body from the salt water washing of weird bits of sunscreen, but I'm not picky its color! :)
Love from Thailand one last time,
Good night and Swadee Kha!
KL
