Situational Missionary: Situation TWO: My Workplace

The sound of laughter, the echo of happiness, and the pursuit of innocence are the things that greet me upon entering my workplace. I have the blessing to work with 60+ brilliant, beautiful, and amazingly unique children. They ease my very own stress levels and often they bring smiles to my own face. They have eyes sparkling with laughter, hearts full of love, and minds just begging for information. On this job, I don't count it as a job. I count it as my real-life evangelical experience. While I can't go and tell them about the Bible directly, I can show the Bible and the Lord and Savior through my love and my passion and my committment to these kids. I can show the Jesus I know by loving them like the Father has chose to love me and that is deeply, intrinsically, awesomely, and purely...

He devoted His life to loving the innocent and the guilty alike. He ended up taking His cross and being crucified by it. His life was not His own to lead because He had committed it fully to live for His father. He had the innocent faith, the vulnerable faith, and the reckless faith that we all hopelessly and tirelessly strive to achieve even the very beginnings of.

I don't see myself as the Father by any means, but I do believe that for these children that I have the most direct connection to Him and that I am being called to use it. I love being able to spread His word through them by not even mentioning His name, but by showing the children His grace, His love, and His mercy...

In a way, it's like trying to speak in another language in entirety. I have finally unlocked the key to knowing how the language works. Speak with love and fervor and act with conviction and justice and the respond in multitudes. On the flip side if you speak anger and lacklusterness and act with laziness and desolution you will fog the message over...

I strive not be the fog, I stive to be the one to be the lighthouse leading the vessel Home.

Situational Missionary: Situation ONE: Family Pancake House

So this morning, I stepped out of my house, really desiring some Eggs Benedict. Which, by the way, if you really know me, is my favorite breakfast in the entire world. Since it was such short notice I hit up the Family Pancake House alone. Which I was semi-afraid of doing. I didn't care. I wanted my breakfast. So I got a booth and ordered and proceeded to get my Bible and a few other books I've been dabbling in out of my pack I brought in. I got some interesting looks from the people around me. Some were deeply acknowledging the same faith, some completely stumped as to why I picked there to read my Bible, some were just troubled that I had the book in my hands to begin with. I gave each person my eyes who was looking at me. Gave them powerful glances. Then I proceeded to lock in to the text I was reading. I happened to pick up a book I've been wanting to read for a while now instead of the Bible. I prayed over my reading and my breakfast arrived just as I finished the first page of the book. I continued reading over breakfast...

I knew I was effective. Even if it's just in a little diner where I'm not speaking. I had people thinking. That's what matters. I didn't force anything on anyone, yet their eyes questioned me deeply. I wish some had the courage to come ask me questions, I wish I had gone to the ones struggling in their moments and prayed over them. I prayed for the old man who was sitting across from me. His age clearly marked on his face in dark lines and eyes full to the brim with stories of triumph and struggle. He read the paper between bites of his breakfast. He himself looking for answers in this broken world.

I found the answer. It's living in the light of the Savior King. Dancing in the rain He provides. Seeking the truths He puts out there for us to find. Being a child of His with faith innocent and barbaric...

Innocent and barbaric? Seems like those two words clash, right? Well, in the realm of faith, they are seamlessly intertwined. We can't be protected if we're not innocently following our Lord. We can't spread his word in a domesticated faith. We must step out of the box of religion and soley follow the Savior King. He is the reason. Church is not the reason. People are caught in the light when they least expect it. The smart ones stay in that light.

Let's live barbarically. Stripping all conventional wisdom and chasing after His heart alone.

I will be the Situational Missionary. I will never cease to bear my Bible. I will never cease to shout the name of the Savior King. I will not be afraid to cry to Jesus on my knees. He is what my soul thirsts for. Is that what your soul thirsts for?

I got my water that morning, and I got my spiritual fill-up that I've been needing for quite a while now as well. God is beautiful, gracious, full of wisdom, merciful, powerful, intelligent, perfect, protecting, loving, and most of all He is mine.

The book I'm reading out of is... "The Barbarian Way: Unleash the Untamed Faith Within" by Erwin Raphael McManus. I strongly suggest this read for a refreshed view on why Jesus should be center.