We love Lira: Logan & Gracie: March 2013

Since the past week when Gracie and I took a few day respite to explore around beautiful places in Uganda, I have been thinking a lot about adventure. As we piled in the matatus with our huge packs and drove from place to place squeezed to capacity with dozens of other Ugandans i was filled with this overwhelming joy at the life im living. So i had to ask the question why is it any different from the life im living in America? And the only explanation is that when im here i am completely available and open to being a servant and vessel for God to use.

So last week while we were moving around doing lots of cool and adventurous things like rafting the Nile river or hiking around beautiful waterfalls, or taking motorcycle rides around town, or going through the market in Kampala I realized something. After spending days full of doing so many fun and adventurous activities, the contentment and happiness that i experienced from those things in no way compare to the joy and satisfaction of being in a living relationship with God and getting to be a part of His mission on the earth. Even though we had a great time last week, seeing a person believe the gospel for the first time or seeing a person experiencing God's love for the first time is better. Its amazing how the words of Jesus in Matthew 10:39 describe this. "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." I read Jesus' words and i look at this season of life and the deep happiness and peace that i have and i know that this is what He meant. So often in America i live life and forfeit the life that Jesus is offering here because i think i can go and find a fulfilling life by pursuing my own ways and it just doesnt deliver. It only leaves me frustrated and needing more.

It sometimes happens that people can tend to put people living overseas as missionaries on this weird pedestal as if they are sacrificing so much really denying themselves of many pleasures. Not to say there aren't tons of people risking their lives and leaving behind many comforts of life in America but i would be willing to bet that those people are living with the deep joy and life in such a way that it hardly feels like a sacrifice anymore because the end result is more fulfilling than what you gave up. And its kind of interesting but since i have spent time living overseas and have come back to America and seen people really living mission-ally right at home in America, I have come to have huge respect for those people. I know for me it is easy to live as a missionary here in Uganda because i wake up every day and ask God to lead me and then i go about the day. It's at the forefront of why I am here and its something that i am focused on, God always moves and leads. On the contrary, when i am in America i would probably pray most days that God would work through me but im also driven by other schedules and plans that sometimes take precedence over the role that i have as a follower of Christ. And I don't know why we do this because we are denying ourselves of the most satisfying and rewarding life ever that Christ has offered to us. So just do it...lose your life and really find it. I know Im hooked and want more so lets not waste any more time. God truly isnt a killjoy even though we believe it sometimes. He actually is after our joy so when we obey him we are most happy.

Thank you everyone for praying for Gracie and I. We really have felt so loved and supported from people back home. I cant tell you how many times Gracie and i have looked at each other and have been blown away at how we see God protecting us and holding our lives. We have experienced the words of Psalm 91 in whole new ways and our trust in God is growing as we see him holding us. We have had no sickness at all and we keep having those "right place at the right time" moments so we know God is with us. We are sorry for not being better about blogging but we would like to post more in the future. Love you guys!

Highlights from this week