First Things

Margaret took this from the front seat of her van loaded with 12 people (3 seated upfront not in the picture)

Do you like to do new things? My husband Steve loves to do new things and try new things. I, on the other hand, do not. I order the exact same thing at my favorite restaurant and get upset if they change the menu. The unknown makes me feel uncomfortable. And apparently after living overseas, I am clearly seeing my idol of comfort. I like things to be comfortable. A good comfy chair and a cup of coffee is not wrong. But I cannot find anywhere in God’s Word where He tells us that being comfortable is our goal. He calls us to be steadfast, count it all joy in trials, to be aware WHEN we are tempted, not IF we are tempted. Jesus tells us troubles will come but HE has overcome the world. In Romans, we are told to renew our minds, not be conformed to the patterns of this world, be living sacrifices, God continually calls Israel in the Old Testament to serve only Him, not the gods of the people around them. He calls Abraham to leave Ur where there is running water to an unknown land, God sends Joseph to a foreign land as a slave to bring about good for his family, Moses is sent to the desert from the palace of the Pharaoh to be a shepherd, David runs from Saul in the desert, and when the entire nation is sent into exile, Daniel serves in Babylon. Not anywhere does God seem to move His people into a place more comfortable. Moving to Addis Ababa requires me to daily do new things which have been so hard but so sweet because it has forced me to trust the Lord.

So this week was full of FIRST things. It was my oldest’s 15th birthday, and his FIRST birthday in Ethiopia. I was desperately wanting that to be special for him without all our usual celebration and family here with us. On Sunday it was also my FIRST time to drive my van full to church. We fit 12 people in my minivan. Then on Tuesday, I attended my FIRST Women’s bible study at our church. As I was on my way by myself in my van, I was stopped for the FIRST time by a policeman. I pulled up to a stoplight and the policeman nodded while standing with his ticket book in his hand. I smiled my best southern sweet smile and gave him my southern friendly wave. He then approaches my car. I begin to get nervous, my heart is pounding. As he gets closer, I slowly roll down my window while smiling and thinking that I know I didn’t do anything wrong. I was stopped at the light. He then asks me in Amharic if I speak Amharic. I struggle to say in Amharic, very little. Learning a new language at my age or any age is so hard but Amharic uses sounds and symbols I have never seen or uttered. He then asks me in Amharic if I am German or American and where I live. I slowly attempt to say where I live with my limited vocabulary of about 20 words. He then waves me on as the light changes; I finally can breathe. I made it to church. It seems like a huge accomplishment. Then I arrive for my morning with the loveliest group of women. I enjoyed it so much. Steve had asked me to plan something for the women’s ministry which I told him that you know I don’t like to plan things. I like to be a part and serve, not be in charge. I came up with all the excuses. Crying out to God telling God how this is not my gifting. I am old enough to know what I am good at; that is one of the benefits of getting older right? I am not good at organizing things. I am not COMFORTABLE with this. And then I realized that this is not MY thing. It is GOD’S; HIS church and He has a plan; He will either equip me (Hebrews 13:20) or send someone to help. He told Moses He would send Aaron to help him. I need to stop making excuses and whining and complaining and step out in faith and He will provide. AND He did. It was not up to me and my giftings. Yes God has given me a unique set of gifts but sometimes He wants to stretch me and teach me to trust Him not in myself.

So now it is only about 11:00 in the morning and I have done about 3 FIRST big things. Then we have some friends visiting from our sending church, and Steve tells me that I am driving to a new part of town. Yikes, another FIRST thing. So I drive in traffic with a van full of friends. Whew. I made it without any police officers walking up to our car.

This same week continues, I am driving for the FIRST time to school in the morning. As I am driving up one of the busiest streets I look down at my dashboard. I do not know anything about cars, but I do know that any gauge on my car isn’t supposed to be in the red zone. I send Steve a picture of the dashboard with the gauge in the red and on H. I keep driving and I drop the kids off, I notice my car is smoking. Steve tells me to not leave the school and that they have a mechanic that can look at it. Sooo I sit and pray and wait. I am thankful that I am not on the side of the road. I cannot find my mask, so I cannot get out of the car as the rules on campus is you must-have on a mask. My plans for the morning were to go to the Kalkidan center with the Harvest Women for the first time. I was so excited for this FIRST and to see this ministry that serves women and girls who have been on the streets. As I realize that the car is not cooling off after a gallon of water is poured in, I keep digging and finally find a mask. The other half of the Harvest team arrives at Bingham for the morning, so I attend chapel with them. What a blessing that was. To see what a gift Bingham Academy is for us. To see Samuel hearing Julius share his testimony and being encouraged by the staff there to see God’s grace just warmed my heart to remind me God is working in my boys’ hearts and He is here. So I did not get to go serve, but God served me.

This week has been full of FIRST things, and I would not trade any of them. Yes, it is hard and exhausting to do new things. I long at times for familiarity and comfort, but God is steadfast, never changing, He is my rock. He reminds me to stand firm and be silent like He did Israel at the Red Sea. He told them to stand firm when Egypt was coming at them and the raging Sea on the other side. He will fight for me, I just need to be silent and stand firm (Exodus 14:13-14). All I need to do is keep stepping forward, and He is in front and behind me just like the pillar that was in front and behind them. I keep moving forward in all the FIRST things that God has placed in my path as I do I experience the awe and amazing hand of God going with me.