Global Impact (WFI) Updates

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! This past month feels like I had very little to do with WFI. Most people we’d normally send overseas are caught up in the Christmas music extravaganza you’d find in most churches — including my own! Because of the slower pace at WFI, I had the freedom and energy to invest into serving at my home church during one of the more music-intensive seasons of the year. He’s got it all worked out.

There have been a few follow up emails to start exploring the possibility of another team to SE Asia in the summer of 2012, but I’ve mostly spent time learning and reading as I pray and plan for teaching mission in a worship arts department for Williamson Christian College in Tennessee. No, I’m not moving there [and I reflect on that fact with great praise ] since much of the class will be taught online. A former board member for WFI is the dean of that department and has made a way for me to be an adjunct professor there. I’m both excited and intimidated by this opportunity. I’ve been wanting to see the level of preparation for short-term missionaries raised in order to better execute their ministry assignments, so incorporating this mission into a class in an accredited institution definitely allows me to require a higher degree of commitment from team members. However, this is an accredited institution, which means a higher level from me, as well! Please pray I will rise to the challenge and the legitimate level of expectation. Pray I will move forward with eyes, ears, and heart tuned into the movement of the Holy Spirit. Most of all, pray for His grace and favor to carry me in this direction. I’m pretty sure I can’t do this without Him being all over it.

The slower pace also gave me time to process through my trip to Japan, as well as the entire year. Although I’ve been there before, it’s been over 5 years since my last visit, and that country always rocks my world just a little bit. Along with the usual re-entry, I was probably also dealing with a little bit of that let down after a really intense, fast-paced, experience. Except this really intense, fast-paced experience started in January and didn’t end until about Thanksgiving. It’s been an amazing, breakthrough year for me on a personal spiritual level, and I’m so thankful for it, but that doesn’t exempt me from hitting the lows that follow the highs. That’s never easy, but again, I’m glad the Lord’s timing is perfect, making space for me to be too tired to do anything but sleep longer some mornings! I’m just starting to snap out of that weirdness, so please pray I will be able to pick up the pace again, to move ahead without being hindered by fear when I sense the Lord is leading me in any given direction…even when it feels like a stretch beyond my comfort zone.

Honestly, I’m not sure what to think yet when I look forward. I’m still recovering from the whirlwind of last year and trying to let my mind settle down. As crazy-wonderful as it all was, this year seems to hold the hope of even more! With more opportunity also comes more responsibility, though. As old as I am, I still would rather have the fun without the responsibility. Thankfully, He continues reminding me I’ll find greater enjoyment if I’ve been responsible.

Mostly, I’m hoping this month will be a chance to catch my breath a little. December may have slowed down for WFI, but it picked up a lot on all other fronts, and I’m definitely feeling the aftermath. There’s something to be said for taking “walk breaks” (a technique for your average recreational runner in a marathon) and their contribution to finishing well. My pride resists that idea, but denial doesn’t make it any less true! Pros run straight through, but as John Piper titles one of his books, “brothers [and sisters], we are not professionals”. At least I know I am not. Please pray this month will be a good foundation for the rest of the year in terms of setting goals, planning out their implementation, and creating schedules, complete with times to run hard and times to slow down to a recovery pace.

Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.
Psalm 90.12