I had the privilege of going to the beach each summer growing up. Riding the waves was one of my favorite activities on those hot Texas days. I remember how fun it was to body surf the waves or even dive into them as they hit you. I never felt scared of the waves until I would try to fight them. Suddenly a fun experience could become a frustrating, sometimes scary, experience where water gets up your nose. Nobody likes that nasty feeling. My life right now reminds me of those fun days at the beach.
Taking language, American university classes, and continuing ministry can feel like a lot especially as the Christmas season starts to pick up with parties. I was listening to the song “In Over my Head” from Bethel Music and it mentions being “beautifully in over my head.” This describes both the work that I’m doing and my relationship with God right now, and I love it. There are those frustrating moments where water goes up my nose and I’m uncomfortable with being in over my head, but the pleasure of learning to swim and ride the waves far outweighs the discomfort!
The pleasure of seeing my Asian friends grow closer to God or getting to hug someone who just decided to believe in God far outweighs the discomfort of life. Just two days ago I got to see about five of our friends sitting in groups, boldly sharing about God with their friends and strangers at a Christmas party. God is moving here and I’m so glad I get to dive into the waves that he is making!
I hope you’re having a great holiday season!