Stewardship

Being a good steward is something that I have struggled with my whole life. Seriously. What happens when I have money? I spend it quickly instead of saving it or tithing or using it for a better purpose. What do I invest my time in on a school night? Relaxing in front of a computer instead of doing homework. My point is, when I am given something, whether it is a role, a material thing, or a responsibility, I usually butcher it. :\

Today, I saw Dr. M @ NWC and wow, it was wonderful to see him. As I was downloading my pics that I stored on the team's laptop, I read the email he forwarded us from an ICS team member from a few years back. Not to simplify the email, but it pretty much challenged me in this way: I need to really choose to commit to what I learned/experienced and/or to commit to the changes that I made (or wanted to make). Something like that. And it made me reflect on all that I did learn and see overseas about everything inside me and around me...

Throughout the rest of the day, I began to think about some of the changes or things that I want to commit to....

-Evangelism. Not being ashamed of the Gospel, but really pursuing others in love and gentleness, and suffering what I need to suffer as I carry my cross and spread the Good News in all I do... The main thing I need to do in this area is to ask better questions... I'm usually not the person asking people about Jesus. For some reason, in the past, I usually only talk about God to friends/family/acquaintances when they ask. But after being in the islands of SE Asia, I have truly seen that I need to do what Allah calls me to do in Matt 28:19. People that I need to do this better with are my parents and non-Christian friends.... I need to express to them how grateful I am for J.C.... He has done so much for me and I want to tell the people that I care about how important He is to me, and how much they would love Him too.

-The friends I made overseas. Like my students and adopted family members and C friends. I need to continue to develop my friendships with them somehow. So I will have to get REALLY creative.... like maybe sending them pictures/postcards, small things from my own culture, pretty much sharing my life with them and hoping that they reciprocate and get to know me...

There's so much more.... but these are mainly some of it...