(Walk by the beach...obviously...)
So we are half way through our first week of our (temporary) new lives. Here are a few observations:
- We both feel like we are in a different country
- Martin's Supermarket is better than Publix
- Our apartment is very small
- We only have three tv channels in English
- We really don't know anyone
- We don't yet have jobs
On the other hand:
- The area is so easy to navigate as it is set up for tourists
- There is a lot of good food we can't wait to try
- There are a ton of cute little lizards running around
- We get internet at our place on Monday
- the NFL season starts tonight and one of our English channels will have the game
- Brit and I are both in Fantasy Football leagues
- Ocean air is nice
- Lots of palm trees
- There are tons of places at which we can apply (and have applied) for jobs
- I have been wearing shorts more
(Brit's Fantasy Football Roster)
Anyway, our goal while we are here is to support Oasis Miami. It is going to be a lot of work but is going to be worth it. We both miss home quite a bit but know that this is only temporary. We are so grateful for all of the friends and family we have that have supported us in this. We know it is just as hard for you for us to be away as it is for us and we thank you for allowing us to be apart from you for just a short amount of time.
Please pray for us as we continue on. We need strength and courage to be effective in the crazy city.
---
Now, friends, I want to leave you with some thoughts that I have had recently.
Just the other week, I went to my little brother's first football camp. He is in 4th grade and is really excited to learn all there is to know about football. He wants to be a running back or wide receiver.
(Jeremy learning proper blocking techniques)
Well, during one of the drills he was learning how to run proper wide receiver routes. He messed one up and started feeling really bad when the coach corrected him. Now, in my eyes, the coach wasn't mean or even angry with Jeremy. He simply corrected him and encouraged him. Jeremy, however was nearly in tears, so I pulled him to the side and told him, "Your coach isn't mad at you. He isn't trying to punish you. He is just showing you the proper way to do things because he knows that you have talent and wants you to be the best that you can be. He is on your team and wants you to succeed."
Of course it took Jeremy a few minutes to calm down a bit but he listened to me. He got back to the front of the line to run the route again. He ran it perfectly and even caught the ball (pretty good for a 4th grader).
What do I want to say in all of this? We I think there are so obvious observations about God in their. I think there are two ways to look at God. One way is through the Law (10 commandments), which brings about judgement. God would say, "The Lord your God says...!" and prophets would say, "Thus sayeth the Lord!"
But then there is Jesus, who brought about the New Way of Grace. The Bible says that we have received the same spirit of sonship that Jesus has. So, as a Father to us God does not say, "The Lord your God says!" anymore. He treats us as the kids that we are. His kids. Like a good coach, He is drawing the best out of us (which is actually just His ability working through us). He does discipline us but it is through His Spirit by which he encourages us. There is no more punishment because the punishment that brought us peace was placed on Christ. Now we have God as "the Father of our spirits." Thus our discipline is not birthed from our physical circumstance, it is birthed in our hearts.
God does not cause bad things to happen to discipline us. Rather He shows us how to live by the power of Grace to overcome the bad that this world has to offer.
Stay encouraged, friends. God speaks gently to His kids. Do not be afraid to love those who are not loved or don't deserve to be loved. Don't be afraid to welcome those who others will not welcome. Because it is the sick who need a doctor not the "healthy".
-Justin
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