Contentment...

Contentment is always something I have struggled with. Not necessarily with the material possessions I have as much as with where God has placed me or what He is asking me to walk through. I often struggle with the why of life's circumstances.

The church we are attending recently had a mission team in Haiti. They were able to share their experiences in the service yesterday and it was a wonderful reminder. A reminder of how much your life can change when you visit another country.

Many of the team members had never been on a mission trip before. They all spoke in some way about how their lives had been changed through what they experienced. Haiti is a very poor country and was devastated by the earthquake. Yet the people there are happy and are trusting in the Lord, they have nothing, yet they are content in Christ. It is so very easy to come home with an altered life perspective and yet quickly get swept back into the culture of American materialism.

I know because I have been there, though I never went to Haiti I did spend just over 2 years doing short term missions with my home church. To say it changed my life would be an understatement. I will never be able to put into words how it changed me.

The first trip I went on was to Brasil (or Brazil if you are a crazy American). It is forever burned in my heart. It changed me to my very core.



This is Jamaica, but just pretend haha, as I have no access to my Brasil pictures.

We were in the middle of nowhere at a school doing a program. It was definitely a poverty stricken area. After we were done some of the children got up to speak. There was one little girl, about 9 years old, with gloves on her hands despite the warm weather. Though I don't even know her name her one statement is forever etched on my heart...

"Thank you for coming from so far away America to a place where we are forgotten."

I will NEVER forget.

Yet I do sometimes forget how my heart was changed in that moment. How I realized that I am unbelievably blessed. I lack for nothing. NOTHING. I don't worry about the roof over my head or the food on my table. That is not to say that money isn't tight or I don't worry about things. Needs though, they are all met. God has graciously taken care of me through the good and bad, when life was easy and when it was hard.

I have no reason not to be content. I have found that in life's toughest moments it is easiest to trust Him. I know in my heart that God is faithful ALL the time, so I should trust him ALL the time. I should without doubt recognize his presence in every aspect of my life.

Yesterday the worship leader gave a short message and one statement hit home.

We don't have to wait until calamity comes to move forward in our faith.

So I will try to remember how my heart changed. I know that by the grace of God I can hold onto that heart change for He is the one who initiated the change in the first place. I will try to remember to trust him all the time and move forward in my faith every day calamity or not...with contentment.