I have a restless mind filled with constant, random thoughts. So, tonight, I thought I might jot some down to fill y'all in. I know SB has been blogging about the amazing things God is doing in our time here, so I shall share some as well.
Read this quote in a book recently:
"For what we need to know, of course, is not just that God exists, not just that beyond the steely brightness of the stars there is a cosmic intelligence of some kind that keeps the whole show going, but that there is a God right here in the thick of our day-by-day lives who may not be writing messages about himself in the stars but in one way or another is trying to get messages through our blindness as we move around down here knee-deep in the fragrant muck and misery and marvel of the world. It is not objective proof of God's existence that we want but the experience of God's presence. That is the miracle we are really after, and that is also, I think, the miracle that we really get."
-Frederick Buechner, The Magnificent Defeat
I love that. God is in our day-to-day life. I never fully grasp that or take advantage of the fact that God is always with us. It truly amazes me. Being here, I feel like I have been seeing God in the most random instances. Fields of sunflowers, good conversations with foreigners, beautiful architecture, languages, etc. The other night in Italy when we were dancing to that live band at that restaurant, I could not help but look around at the other people. There were all sorts of characters joining us on the dance floor. All different ethnicities, languages, lives, stories, beliefs, thoughts. All brought together to share a dance with some American music classics. To me, that is God in our day-to-day life. The beauty of that moment that night just shows how God brings us all together and we are all His. Unreal. So simple, yet hard to grasp at times. Although all so different, we belong to Him. He wants us all. Despite the ugliness of our hearts, He still loves us. That thought never ceases to put me in awe of His beauty and grace. So, I just encourage y'all to seek God in your everyday activities. It really can make an okay day much greater.
Also, tonight SB and I just finished dinner with our familia (Ada and Ana). We learned that Ana was adopted from Russia when she was 10 years old. I asked Ada why she wanted to adopt. She answered that she wanted to do something for other people and take the focus off herself. She said it was necessary to serve others. It was really cool to go a little bit deeper with them despite the huge language barrier. SB and I both came back to our room filled with happiness knowing that God can do anything. He can overcome language barriers. We can really see our relationships with them growing already. A few days ago, I read this verse and really soaked it up...
"We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well because you had become dear to us."
1 Thessalonians 2:8
It has just hit me lately that to share Christ with others is to share life with them as well. We can show God through our own lives by building relationships with others. God can do amazing things with us if we let Him. He wants us to be in community with others while He is at the center of it all. God is so good. I just feel so blessed to be here.
I know it's not much, but this is what has just been on my heart recently.
Much love from Sevilla :)
peas and blessings
Catherine
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