Cross-Cultural Missions

This semester one of the classes I am taking is Cross-Cultural missions. Yesterday in class we were beginning to talk about what this really is and should be. While we were discussing what that meant to us, an illustration a friend once shared with me about cross-cultural missions being like that of film directing came to mind. Film directors tell vivid stories about love, hate, hope, miracles, etc. and through their stories they capture the hearts of millions all across the globe. In a sense, this is cross-cultural missions. Only....we have a different story to tell.

One Life to Love

Well, I thought I would give this blog thing a shot. I know from many classes that writing your thoughts down can be very "healthy" for you. So, here this goes.

As I am sitting here contemplating all that has happened this past week and looking forward to what lies ahead I can't help but remember a recent conversation I had with a good friend. As many of you know, this is my last semester at ETBU. While I am so excited to be almost done, the reality of the real world and my future has been on mind recently, probably more than necessary. We were discussing some different options I had upon graduation. While, yes, I know I have been called to missions and desire nothing more than to do this, I have little idea at this point where and what I am being called to. In the middle of this conversation, we began to talk about how we have no control over the future. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that we should not be prepared for that time. I am saying that we shouldn't spend all are time worrying about what it is going to bring, especially since we really don't know. We aren't guarranteed another day. Yet, we worry about it anyways. In Sunday School these past couple of months we have been going through a couple of Paul's letters. Paul over and over again emphasizes how Christ should be your life, not just a part of it. I feel if this were the case, if Christ were our life, then we would not be worriers. We would live each day for that day only. We would not be concerned with what lies ahead on earth. We would be concerned with our relationship with God, and that only. Upon thinking of this, the new song by 33 miles "One life to love" summarizes this up (lyrics below). It emphasizes how we should make the most of every opportunity given today, being intentional in our relationships, and remembering we only have one life to love. As John Piper put it, "Don't waste your life." My prayer is that I will one day get to the point as Paul did to be able to say that all I live for is Christ, that He is my life. I pray that I won't waste my "life."


One Life to Love:

He never thought he cared so much about the minute hand
Until he started praying for a second chance
If he could only do it all again
And trade the long nights that he spent behind his desk
For all he missed
He tells his wife I wish that this moment in this room
Was not me dying but just spending a little time with you
.
Chorus: You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love
..
She never thought she cared so much about those little hands
That held on tight the day she left till she was scared to death
Sitting all alone on a hotel bed, the end of the road
The sun has set on her big plans to feel young again
She picks up the phone, dials a number, hears that little voice
That’s haunted every single mile since she made that choice
..
You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love