hope in the storm

I have this thing where I feel the need to be informed about things going on in the world. 

Call me crazy. 



So, I fill my brain with countless news stories, imprinted images,imprinting words in the back my mind that I can't seem to escape. I see all this hurt, all this death and devastation. It makes me incredibly emotional. Yet, I feel if I don't educate myself then I'm ignorant and blissfully happy. But there comes a point where I have to stop and shut myself down, which a lot of time I shut down the items and problems in my own life. 

That's how I feel about Africa, the continent as a whole and Zimbabwe. The more I involve myself in the relations I will have no where else to go but there. But more presently, the East Coast.  When missionary friends of mine had traveled to other countries for long periods of time on end, a common response would me. "My life has changed but I know realize what a passion I have for the United States and being a light there." I kind of always took it as a not for me kind of phrase until recently. 

Hurricane Sandy. I skim through photos and see lives that have been turned over. I think of the ones who have lost there homes or the others that don't have homes except for the flooded streets. Then the ones who have lost loved ones. et cetera.  And the only thought in the back of my head is going, if not to only pick up the trash that covers the streets just to make things new.  It's the call to action. 

I told you I was going crazy. 

My mindset has been shifting a lot lately. For youth, we have been focusing on prayer and what that looks like. Although, I haven't been as diligent as I should be by doing the studies and all that goes along with it, I still find myself thinking about prayer and God a lot more than before. And the 1 Thessalonians verse, pray without ceasing, is becoming more vibrant in my life. 

So as I sit in my office at work, I will be impulsively finding ways to go to the East Coast and rationally  talking myself out of them over and over.