29 Jul Motorbike Reflections in Thailand

Angel and I spent three weeks in Thailand this summer, and I couldn’t have asked for a better trip.

We first visited the town that we lived in for over two years. As we were riding through town one day Angel said over my shoulder, “I can’t wait to live in Thailand again.”  We reminisced and talked about what aspects of Thailand life we missed most. For me, that contemplation didn’t stop there though. Almost everytime we jumped on the motorbike and drove across town or zipped through alleyways my mind was processing and reflecting on where we are in life verses where we thought we might be.

When we first arrived in Montana, our expectation was that it would be for the nine month School of Biblical Studies (SBS), and then we would return to Thailand. God quickly changed our plans though and made it clear that we were going to spend awhile staffing the SBS in Montana. When God throws you a curveball or disrupts your plans, it can sound very spiritual or glamourous but it doesn’t always feel that way in the moment. Driving through the streets in Thailand was a good heart-check to see how I really felt about God changing our plans.

I used to tell people, “We would really like to be living in Thailand right now, but we’re trying to be obedient to the Lord.” While we were in Thailand this time, God really convicted me of this attitude that saw my way as better than God’s. Begrudging obedience isn’t what God desires.

These thoughts came up the first week we were in Thailand and I can confidently say that by the end of our three-week trip, I was expectantly looking forward to returning to Montana and all that God has in store for this coming year! It is almost as if God shone a light on a blind spot in my heart and then spent the next few weeks helping me deal with it. I have a renewed passion and excitement for this coming school where we are expecting over 50 students! I am really excited about my new role in leadership and the opportunities opening before me to help further missions around the world!

But what about our friends and old ministry in Thailand? They are flourishing! It was so encouraging to see that God’s work in people’s lives is not dependent upon me. I previously felt such guilt for not being in the ministry in Thailand, but through this trip God showed me that He is still at work in the Mok people’s lives, using our old YWAM team in mighty ways, and continuing His mission.

God has us in nowhere Montana right now, equipping others with the Word of God so that they can be sent into ministry throughout the U.S. and around the world. God is also using our experience living overseas as a catalyst to help propel and send others into missions! I am so grateful for God’s plans and how they truly are bigger and better than I can come up with on my own.

What is God wanting to do in your life right now that you are resistant to, or maybe even think you know better? Don’t be like I was for so long. Follow His leading, embrace obedience joyfully, and Jesus will do more through and in you than you ever could have thought.

[vc_row][vc_column width=’1/4′]

Dinner with our YWAM friends our last night

[/vc_column][vc_column width=’1/4′]

Visiting our Mok friends who I used to teach each week

[/vc_column][vc_column width=’1/4′]

Lunch with our good friends Sai & Gong. Pray they would be open to Jesus!

[/vc_column][vc_column width=’1/4′]

Ministry continues in the village with our YWAM friends

[/vc_column][/vc_row]