This is a good-news, bad-news, good-news type of blog post.

 

Good news is I just came back from a 10-day mission trip to Honduras.  A team from our church shared God’s love with young and old in four different cities.  We visited several churches and schools, an orphanage, a health clinic; we put on a play, invited people to church, prayed for people, cried with people, laughed with people, hugged strangers, danced, sang, and ate all sorts of delicious meals.  It was quite an amazing time!

 

However, the weeks that preceded the trip weren’t so hot.  I spent several months preparing for a certification exam (for work).  I dedicated plenty of time to this and little time to my relationship with God.  A few days before taking the exam, my beloved aunt passed away after a long battle with melanoma.

 

I didn’t do as well as I had hoped during the test.  Physically and mentally exhausted and emotionally drained, I forced myself to switch gears and prepare for the missions trip, which would take place exactly one week later.

 

During our visit, the team had a great opportunity to touch people’s lives and to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Honduras, as well as getting to know one another.  I was reminded that Jesus’ love is truly enough and that His message has the power to heal and restore one’s heart.

 

But I came back home feeling completely spent and all dried up.

 

Sunday, at church, I could barely focus on the message or sing during worship.  I slept all afternoon that day and all of Monday morning.  At noon, I finally woke up, feeling sad and confused. 

 

How can someone crash so hard after such a high?

 

The words of an old friend came to mind.  “Your soul is like a sponge, Ana”, she had once told me.  “If you don’t water it with prayer and God’s Word, it dries up.”

 

I thought about this.  For weeks, I had neglected not only my soul, but also my body.  I had stopped going to the gym.  I wasn’t eating right.  My house was a mess (a great source of stress for me).  I had stopped doing the things I enjoy, like reading for pleasure or spending time with my friends or my family.

 

During the trip, I gave and gave and gave, but I seldom allowed myself time to relax and enjoy this incredible experience.  I took time to prepare my teachings, but hardly spend time feeding my spirit with God’s Word.  I prayed for others, but barely took the time to talk to God or to thank Him for all the beauty that surrounded me.

 

It is so easy to get caught in the moment or in the race, we forget about the beauty of the journey…

 

“But remember,” my friend had also said, “no matter how dry, a sponge will always come back to life if you soak it with water.”

 

So that’s exactly what I’ve been doing since.  I’ve given myself permission to bask in God’s grace.  I’ve talked to friends and enjoyed time with my husband and my children.  I went back to the gym.  I’ve taken long naps and read just for fun. 

 

And on my way to work, I’m listening to music that reminds me of God’s love for me.  How sweet it is!  Amazing grace that’s touched a wretched like me, once lost, but found – over and over again – once blind, but now I see.

Categories: Women's Ministry

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