Unscripted

un·script·ed (ənˈskriptid) - not adhering to or in accordance with a script written beforehand

When we left the United States for Costa Rica 6 months ago (August 24th) I pretty much had the script of our life written out for the next year. It went a little something like this. Arrive in our new country and settle in. Adjust and adapt our family to starting life in a new culture. Get the boys enrolled in school. Start language learning ourselves. Grow tremendously in our language ability over our 12 months in Costa Rica. Transition to our base of operations in Nicaragua right around the year mark, August 2016. That's what I expected; that's what I had scripted.

However, my expectation has not been met by my reality. My script has been tossed aside for the unscripted. While language learning and assimilation to a new culture and a new way of life have gone tremendously for us, I did not script hearing a doctor say "we're going to need to admit you" to my bride. I did not script having to say goodbye to my love as I left her hospital room in order to go pick our boys up from school. I didn't script our youngest crying uncontrollably when I shared that his mom wasn't coming home that night because she was in the hospital. I didn't script the feeling of loss and loneliness that comes with sleeping alone (well, I take that back - I've had two young'ens keeping me safe through the night), or should I say without my partner in life and "crime" right there by my side throughout the night. I did not script that after two full days in the hospital that they would still be at a loss as to how to bring healing and wholeness to her body; that in fact her 3-4 days could turn in to 6-7 or who really knows how long at this point.

But let me share one more thing I didn't script. I didn't script how God, through His Word and Presence, could bring comfort in the time of trouble; joy in the time of despair; peace in the time of unrest. He is our Rock; He is our Hope; He is our Stay. I could not have scripted God caring for my bride so much that He would choose to place her in a top-notch Christian hospital (perhaps one of the best in all of the Country) where even the doctors come around to pray for the patients. 

I can't stop there though. There's one more thing I didn't script. I didn't script the beautiful and awesome body of believers; the family we call ILE (our language school) coming around us in this time of need. There's just something amazing about this community within which the Lord has chosen to place us. For 11 years of pastoral ministry at Radford Wesleyan we truly understood the value and the authenticity of true community. After we resigned from the church (to pursue this calling to missions) we spent a year of our life in transition visiting a different church almost every Sunday (over 35 in 52 weeks) and we lost this most crucial, vital and life-giving resource. It was something we continually grasped at and longed for yet could never fully attain. Until...until the Lord brought us to Costa Rica, specifically to ILE. 

And it's in this moment that I am reminded again of the beauty of the unscripted; of the rawness that comes from seeing a different script and a different plan play out than the one you were expecting. And it's the bigger truth here that brings me comfort on a night like tonight - just because it was unscripted to me, doesn't at all mean that it was unscripted to God. And in that we can find our rest; in that we can find our peace; in that we can find our hope! 

Does Your Homework Speak?

Does Your Homework Speak?  I am being for real...does it?

My homework speaks!  

This trimester of language learning is different than the first trimester, especially in our language class. In there, we spend the whole time focusing on talking. NO, not talking in English; rather, talking in Spanish. There are six of us in class and we each have approximately 15 minutes of talk time (well, that includes our corrections, which at times can take up half or more of the time...it just depends ;) each class period.

Our sweet and very talented teacher, Lissette (pictured above), guides those conversations by giving us different themes or topics to prepare for each day.  Lately, some of our topics have been:

• Una persona biblico- mujer de A.T. (a female from the Old Testament)
• Una persona bilbico- mujer de N.T. (a female from the New Testament)
• Una biografia de una persona imporante or famoso (a biography of an important or famous person)

So, in my preparations, I decided to choose:  Hannah; The Sinful Woman; and Sojourner Truth. However, I had no clue what God wanted to remind me through studying and preparing to speak about these beautiful women.

I am once again brought to my knees by how The Father sees value, identity, treasure, love and purpose in those who are broken and often written off by man.  

Una persona biblico- mujer de A.T. ~ Hannah

Hannah, a barren woman, begging God for a son; so much so that her uncontrollable weeping at the altar caused the priest to think that she was drunk. She was the "other wife". Although treasured by Elkanah, she was tormented by his second wife. Her heart desired a son so bad that she was willing to surrender him to the Lord and in doing this would separate herself from his development and trust the priest to raise him.  

I don't know about you, but I have not allowed myself to be that raw at the altar in a long time. And yet, Hannah provides this example of vulnerability, raw emotions, organic in her conversation and the Lord sees her as beautiful, blessed and as Samuel's momma.  Not only does He reward her faithfulness through Samuel's life, He also allows her to have other children.

Una persona bilbico- mujer de N.T ~ The Sinful Woman

I have always been intrigued and moved by the story of the sinful woman. However, something about calling her "La Mujer Pecadora" caught my attention in a new way.  

Part of our assignment was to think about the person and describe them. So often I find myself wanting to say, "Well the Bible is not clear on that..." and leave it at that. But my heart sunk into the face of this girl. Her sunken eyes, full of pain and hurt from a life of prostitution and sin (possibly with no escape, possibly not by her choice or maybe by her choice but because she did not see anyway out). Her slender, weak body which so often would catch the eyes of the men who would help provide her dinner that evening.  Her long wavy hair, which so easily covered her face filled with shame, hurt and torment from her life choices and/or situations.  

All of this and God chose to use her to anoint the feet of Jesus. He didn't choose Jesus' mother Mary or the other Mary, or Martha, or Jesus' disciplines or me or you...He chose La Mujer Pecadora. He chose to use the tears from her brokenness, guilt, and shame to wash the feet of Jesus.  He saw her in her sin and called her to a huge ministry of preparing Jesus' body for what was to come and which ultimately led to her sins being forgiven.  

Una biografia de una persona imporante or famoso ~ Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth (as we know her today) was really Isabella Baumfree. Her date of birth is unknown because she was born a slave and slave birth dates were not important. She was "written off" by man immediately, yet God saw a fighter, a leader and someone He treasured. She faced many trials in her life as a slave. However, once she found freedom, she began fighting for others' freedom, including her own children. She didn't hide because she was afraid she would be caught and put back into slavery; no, she fought. She fought for freedom from slavery and for women's rights.  

If you haven't read her biography I would challenge you to take time to read it and allow her to inspire you to be who God has called you to be. I would also challenge you to find out more about the fight going on today to end slavery.  There are more slaves today than in all of history combined.  

IJM

END IT MOVEMENT

A21

LOVE 146

And then I am reminded of me, Christy. The one who struggles to learn a new language, who has been wrestling with some physical issues for two months, who struggles at time to be in the Word, who wrestles with comparisons, who fails at being a good friend, who is not patient with her kids, who doesn't serve her husband with pure love...and the list can go on and on. However, Jesus met me in a tender and sweet way. He spoke to my heart through my homework, that just like these ladies, He sees something special in me. He has a plan for me and has created me for a purpose. He desires to use my struggles and my heart for His Kingdom sake.

And he desires to do the same with YOU! Dig in to Jesus and allow him to speak to you...maybe prepare a 15 minute presentation on my assignments (you can do it in English or whatever your heart language may be...or try it in Spanish) and see if God wants to speak to your heart, like he did mine.