After driving 2 hours to Atlanta, flying 16 hours to Johannesburg, flying 2 hours to Cape Town, and driving 45 minutes to The Team House (our home for the week), we FINALLY made it to South Africa. So we basically left Birmingham at noon on Thursday and arrived at The Team House at 11:30 (ish?) on Friday evening (South African time...8 hours ahead, 7 hours ahead after Daylight Savings change). The traveling was probably one of the most brutal situations I've ever been in but it was SO worth it. On the super long 16 hour flight, I spent some time reading The Awakening (novel I had to read over spring break for school...so fun...), watching some movies, and reading scripture/devotional material. I read a whole 20 pages of the novel on the flight to Jo-burg (wow, way to go) and watched "Life As We Know It" (cute, but probably won't watch again). Oh and I also got about 5 hours of sleep total on the flight. WAHOO. The most rewarding part of the flight to me though was reading some devotions I get e-mailed to me daily by Joni Eareckson Tada and reading some in my Bible. The devotion from that day, which fit perfectly, was about how God purposely put you exactly where you are (where you live, what group of friends you have, what decade you were born in) because of His plan for you. The verse reference that went with it was "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live." -Acts 17:26. I took this deeper and thought about how if I wasn't going to Shades Mountain Baptist and surrounded by such a strong group of Christian friends and family members, I would not be as strong in my faith as I am. That's just that. I strongly believe God has purposely placed me where I am so that I would be surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses", as God intended according to Hebrews 12:1, and so that I would have the opportunity to go on trips such as a spring break trip to South Africa or a choir trip to New York, all to make His glory known to the world and to strengthen my faith in Him in the process. While I was reading, I listened to some praise and worship music on my iPod to help my mind focus more on Him. I especially enjoyed listening to Leeland, which is one of my favorite contemporary Christian groups. Listening to these words from "Follow You" especially got me pumped for the trip...
"You live among the least of these
The weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
All my needs you have supplied
When I was dead, you gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
And I'll....
I'll follow you into the homes of the broken
I'll follow you into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow you into the world
Here's my hands, here's my feet
To make your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth until your work is done
Cause faith without works is dead
And on the cross your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?
.......
And I give all myself
I give all myself
I give all myself to You
Yes, I give all myself, I give it all to You"
---"Follow You", Leeland feat. Brandon Heath
Even as I sit here typing these lyrics, I am able to look back on the trip and see how these words came to life in my experience in South Africa. Praise Him for the great things He has, is, and will do in South Africa and the South African people.
I hope these glimpses of my experiences can touch your life like it touched mine.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." - Hebrews 12:1-3
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" - Matt. 28:18-20
Grace and Peace.
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