Today I took a nap after being at the community center all day, working on prep for VBS and the next semester of classes coming up. I woke up to feel a warm body and head next to mine. Parents, don´t freak out haha.
It was Maci. My sweet (not so small) puppy had climbed into my small twin sized bed with me. She fell asleep with her head next to mine on the pillow. What a joy it must be for a husband or wife to wake up to their beloved. What I felt was just a tiny taste of that and even more as I felt Jesus comforting my loneliness. I am so thankful for His love and the surprising ways that He shows it to me.
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| sweetest lil mess |
This weekend I had the joy of visiting my family for a few days and being in my brother´s wedding. I loved being back in Birmingham and seeing everyone but it all went by too fast.  |
Most excited I have ever seen them! Mr. & Mrs. Barber! |
Other than the beautiful wedding and time with my family, one of my favorite moments was seeing a dear friend who loves and listens to me. God used her to remind me that I have to come back to my identity in Him. It is not about my failures or how I can do things better. It is all about who Jesus is and who I am in relationship to Him- his daughter. I tend to complicate things with my emotions and feelings of shame when I disappoint Him. All He is asking us in those moments is that we return to Him and see ourselves as He sees us- forgiven and so valuable. He has never left us. He is always waiting on us to pick up our cross, turn to Him and see His love for us. It is not about performance or how hard we can try to make Him proud of us. He is already proud of us because of what Jesus did. Simple truths that I need to be reminded of.
Thank you dear friend, for how you spoke truth into me.
On another note, many of you may have friends or family that are serving the Lord overseas as missionaries. I want to ask you to pray for grace for them. It is hard coming back to our home country after spending time overseas. Even though it was our home, it isn´t anymore and we´ve changed a lot due to living and adapting to a new culture. We still have the same love and appreciation for our friends and family, but it can be difficult knowing how to respond to questions like "Aren´t you so happy to be home?!" and "When have you decided to come home?" I pray for grace in understanding this about missionaries. For me personally, I am in a stage where I don´t really know where my earthly home is. I praise God that I have an eternal home with Him, but when it comes to this life....I have a home in Mexico and in Birmingham and in Auburn. Sometimes I feel like I belong more in Mexico and other times like my home is in Alabama. It can be emotionally confusing, but I cling to Christ.
I pray that this blesses you and leads you closer to Jesus. Thank you everyone who I got to see at Paul´s wedding. Your friendship is so important to me and I really value you taking the time to talk to and welcome me. I am so blessed!
With love and grace,
Allie
Allie, thank you for sharing. Martha and I will continue to pray for you and your work in Mexico. It IS rather strange to come home and then to realize that it kinda isn't your home!!! It's a good time to remember to set your affections on things above and that "this world is not my home" as the old song says. The physical structure may not be as much home as it once was, but your family and friends still love you just as much. My Mom and Dad moved several years after I left home. I found that I could enjoy their new home just as much as the old one because THEY were there! Gozo y paz, amiga :) - Jim Darden
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