Bangladesh

The possibility that I will be in Bangladesh next Summer is so great now that I am forced to begin thinking very seriously about it. I've applied for two internships there and both look promising for acceptance. Regardless of whether or not that is where I end up, the reality that I will soon (as in 2 years) graduate college and be on a mission field with a degree, has planted itself on my heart. Two years is a very short time that will go by very quickly. And I need to ask myself a hard question: Am I ready?

Now, the answer is no. But I suppose with two years left to prepare, learn and grow in the academic, college setting, I would expect to say no. If I was ready now, I would be there now. Maybe a better question is, what do I need to do to be ready?

The reality that I could die is setting in. And it isn't a bad thing. That thought doesn't discourage me or make me afraid. It makes me think and it makes me desire to be better. I know that until you are in the situation you can never guess what you would do, but I am inclined to speculate: Could I die for Christ?

This is what I need to do to be ready:

1. I need to read my Bible more often. I take God's word for granted. I'm simply not reading it enough.

2. I need to expand my prayers. This is not about me and my family and my church and my friends...this is about the world and the Body of Christ and people that I have never met before. This isn't just about asking for stuff, it's about thanking for stuff, praising for stuff...Prayer is one of the most tremendous tools I have against the evil in this world and I don't need to go anywhere special to use it.

3. I need to serve more. I just need to do more stuff for people. I have been blessed in so many ways and I am most certainly not using enough of those blessings to further the kingdom and "help a brother out."

4. I need to argue less. It's not always about being right. There is a very fine line between "iron sharpening iron" and "iron smashing feet." Truth in love and nothing else.

5. I need to eat more healthily and exercise more often. I can't focus on the spiritual and ignore the physical. God made this body, too, and it's not mine. This body belongs to him, for him to use in his kingdom. I don't want to miss an opportunity to minister to someone because I couldn't climb the mountain, couldn't walk the village, couldn't move the boxes, couldn't kick the soccer ball...

And those five things should be more than enough to focus on for the time being. Keep me accountable, friends! Ask me how I've been doing with these things. Don't be afraid to say, "Hey dork! Look at what you're doing right now!"

And ask yourself: What do I need to do to be ready? Because we are all called to be missionaries.