remain

The last week in February, we had the privilege of hosting a team of 23 people from Scottsdale Christian Academy (AZ).  It was our first year hosting a team primarily in Quito and so there were many new things to consider and work through during their week with us.  I am always my own worst critic and so it's easy for me to finish a week like that and only see the areas we need to improve upon, or things that we could have done differently.  Perhaps it's the teacher in me, always ready to do an evaluation and revise for next time. 

One thing that I did for the first time with this team was lead a specific devotional time each day.  We've been doing something called a thread journal with our leadership in Ecuador (and across the LAC division) to help encourage each other to go deeper with Christ, and so I took the same method and taught it to the team.  It ended up being one of my favorite parts of the week.  On our last morning together, we spread out on our property and took time on our own to listen/reflect/respond.  It would have been easy for me to jump to other tasks in that designated time, but I chose to respect that time as well.  I ended up in John 15:9-17

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you....You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.  This is my command:  Love each other."

It was the last day, and this beautiful group of people were soon going "home".  Being around English and North American culture for a week gives me an inner longing to go back.  It feels comfortable, easy, and natural to be around them and there is a part of me that aches for that feeling.  As I read through John 15:9-17, the word "remain" jumped out at me.  Sometimes to remain, is the hardest part. 

Remain:  continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist.  Stay in the place that one has been occupying.  Endure.  Last.  Abide.  Go on.  Carry on.  Stand.  Hold out.  Prevail.  

As I read through the list of synonyms/definitions, it sounded tiring.  To remain sounds tiring and not very enticing.  I was thinking about how this group was about to go, and I was going to remain.  I would stay in Ecuador.  I would carry on in this beautiful but sometimes difficult place.  Just as I was about to tip into that very dangerous place of self-pity, I was drawn to verse 16:

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last."  

A long time ago, I chose to follow God.  I chose to say "yes" to Him.  But an even longer time ago, God chose me.  He chose to love me.  He chose to pursue me.  He chose to invite me into a life-long journey with Him.  And when I agreed to live my life in obedience to Him, He took me on a journey I could not foresee.  He has appointed me to do things I could not have imagined.  And yes, He has called me to remain.  It's not easy but if I remain in His love, it's possible.  It is through His love that I have strength to endure.  If I remain rooted in Him, He will bring forth fruit, fruit that lasts.  If I continue to stand where He has planted me, then He promises that my joy will be complete.  He doesn't ask me to do it on my own strength, but through His.  And so, as I waved good bye to the team at 5 AM, there was no longer a longing to jump in the bus and go with them, because I know, I am already home. 

Guys :)

Journal time

Girls :)

Hanging out while the team visits a waterfall

Some R&R post-team