Best Job I Ever Had

            It’s hard to believe I’ll be 34 years old soon.  Each day I live, I am continually growing in awe of God. I believe in order to keep your zeal for the Lord we must be amazed at him.  We say all the time, “He’s a big God.”  And I couldn’t agree more. But I don’t picture Jesus as a normal looking white man with a beard and long hair, because that’s clearly not in the Bible anywhere.  I picture him like he is described in the book of Revelation, with eyes of fire and a sword coming out of his mouth, riding on a white horse. 

            I have the great privilege of living in the beautiful big island of Hawaii.  Living there has awakened new levels of adventure in me.  When I stand at the summit of Mauna Kea and watch the sun set above the clouds or stand beneath a 200-foot waterfall, I just think, ‘none can fathom’.  I say, “Who are you, God?”  We can’t fathom how he made this earth and all the vastness of the galaxies or how he is uncreated or how he could humble himself to become like us and die for us.  But that’s why he is God.  If we could figure him out, if we could put an equation on him, he wouldn’t really be worth serving.  

            Last June, when I returned to Kona from leading a two-month outreach to Brazil, I was exhausted.  I wanted to do something new in missions besides staffing a DTS (discipleship training school).  I didn’t really know what that was, but before I could express that to my leaders, they were already asking me to staff the next school starting in the fall.  I immediately gave a firm no!  Then the Lord told me to rest and stay in Kona for the summer.  My plans to travel to Los Angeles for 3 weeks were shut down by the Lord and so I stayed in Kona and explored the Big Island as much as possible. 

            After 6 weeks in Kona with nothing to do, I gained a couple of best friends and was able to continue to find the Creator in his creation.  In the midst of that, I was trying to figure out a way to go back to Brazil, possibly long term.  The idea was proposed to me go back to Brazil in the winter with another team and see if that’s what the Lord wanted to do with my life.  Made sense to me.  So I joined in the Fall Fire and Fragrance DTS.  Shortly after, the doors to Brazil closed and the doors to Amsterdam soon opened up. 

            

             In late September 70 students showed up in Kona for this DTS.  My third school to staff.  Second one this year.  Another revelation I received in God being a big God is how he can redeem anything and everything.  As the school was starting, I had this renewed passion for discipleship, (I had pretty much lost all previous passion for it).  I was reminded that what I’m doing in making disciples is a Biblical mandate by Jesus himself.  I could do this the rest of my life and be fulfilling God’s will in my life. 

            Not only has this school been unlike any other, it has also easily been my favorite school.  A lot of that has to do with the people, but more importantly it’s because of my mindset.  I watched these students who came from all different walks of life and different walks with God come together as a family quicker than any group of people I’ve ever been around.  I saw them fight for one another each and every day.  I saw them celebrate one another.  I watched them constantly be so selfless.  And most importantly I watched them fall in love with Jesus. 

            Three quarters of the way through our school, tragedy struck our tribe.  One of our students drowned in an accident in the river at Waipio Valley.  Waipio is a very famous and sometimes dangerous hike that leads to a 200-foot waterfall.  Most people in our school had never experienced loss, much less someone so young.  Any and every emotion barged in everyone’s hearts.  I honestly don’t know how people go through the loss of a loved one without Jesus in their life. 

            Although it was extremely painful to watch, I witnessed a group of young people come together like never before.  They came together in the midst of confusion and pain to say, “God we don’t understand, but we choose to say you are good; and we still say YES to you.”

            Wow! There really aren’t words or adjectives to describe that.  So I won’t try.  But I hope that as you read this, it gives you hope among the sin and evil that exists on this earth.  Hope, that there are people saying yes to Jesus.  There are people giving up on the American dream to follow him.  There are 18 year olds dropping out of college to go the most unreached people groups on the planet that have never heard of the name of Jesus.  There is a group of young, revivalists going to Amsterdam to love those who are looking for a false love.  Friends, there is no greater word we can say to Jesus, other than YES!  Following him will cost you everything, but the reward is priceless.  As I write this, I am currently in route to Amsterdam to help lead a third outreach team.  The same city where the Lord took me on outreach just a couple of years ago.  I am reminded of the prayer I prayed as I walked through the Tokyo airport in 2011 on my way to India.  I told the Lord, I wanted to do this for the rest of my life and challenged him to make it happen.  I’m thankful he accepted the challenge. 

Best job I ever had!