Whatever my lot . . .

As I very slowly begin to process the events of my time in Ghana, West Africa, I feel led to share some of those revelations with you.  First of all, this experience has been such a humbling learning experience for me.  The people on my team were so incredibly anointed and used by God.  I learned so very much from each of them and am looking forward to another opportunity to use what I've learned and learn even more. 

Here are a few things I've taken note of since being back:

During our decent into Norfolk I suddenly thought of the idea of being able to brush my teeth using water from a faucet.  It may seem silly, but this brought tears to my eyes!  I still can't explain it entirely, but the idea that I can have confidence that the water I get from my house is clean and pure enough for me to swallow is a blessing.

The first night I was home, I had a difficult time falling asleep because it was too quiet.  There was no music outside my window, no goats, no chickens.  I just laid there thinking how blessed I was to have a bed, a roof, air conditioning, a blanket, and so many other things that we might consider minor.  I thought of the people I met over the two weeks who slept on concrete sidewalks next to their vending booths or in mud huts surrounded by mosquitoes.

When I got in my car to drive somewhere on Friday I was amazed at how smooth and quiet it was!  I didn't hit a single pot hole, didn't have to slow down halfway through acceleration to shift gears, and it was quiet.

During church services on Sunday, God spoke to me on several issues, two in particular.  First was the idea that though my body may grow weary, the Lord is my Strength and His Strength never runs out.  I got less sleep over the two weeks I was away than I would normally allow myself to get by with.  And although I was doing so much more physically than I was used, I never felt too tired to help someone or go the extra distance to offer assistance.

Finally, we sang a song during worship that I had heard many times before, but never understood in the way I do now.  One of the lines says, "Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul . . . '"  In Ghana there is a Twi phrase "Gye Nyame" which means "But God."  Essentially, this phrase is saying no matter what situation I'm in, no matter what is going on, God is there.  He is my Sustainer, my Provider.  All this may be happening, but God!  After seeing the living situations of many of the people we met, I have a new understanding of the phrase "whatever my lot."  And despite what these people endure on a daily basis, they say, "It is well, it is well with my soul."  May we learn how to say this in our lives in the face of whatever the enemy attempts to use to bring us down.