THIS has become our mission field

What is a mission field? To me it is anywhere that we can show God's love even if that is our own homes. Our mission field just happens to be hospitals, doctor's offices, waiting rooms, etc...etc....

But then again, I was at Giant Eagle today and the cashier was talking to the lady in front of me about the trip the lady had just gotten back from...California and Hawaii. I was next in line and the cashier looked at me and said " I don't know if that lady knows exactly how lucky she is". At this point, I thought she was going to cry. I said " You must be having a rough time" to that she replied, well not recently, but I see some folks take for granted the life that they have. I lost my husband 14 years ago and then I lost my fiance' 3 years ago. I watched each of them suffer with horrible diseases. One had Crohn's and the other Diabetes and kidney failure. People just don't realize how lucky they are."

At this moment, I closed my eyes for a brief moment and said. " I understand you more than you realize." She asked "How? You're so young?" I said " We just found out this week that my husband, who is a Type I diabetic with a kidney transplant is going to have to have his leg amputated below the knee. But it's ok. Because, we don't have to go to Hawaii or California or anywhere else for that matter to enjoy life. God has richly blessed us and God and faith are all we need to get through each day."

She handed me back my change and gripped my hand in both of hers and thanked me for helping her see that she still has blessings in this life.

THIS is my mission field.

Oh YES! This past week I have had moments. Moments digesting what is going to happen. How is life going to be different for us? What will our new "normal" look like? But then, on the way home from the surgeons office in Pittsburgh, Rob and I had a revelation. Well, I guess it's not a new revelation per se, but it is a reminder. A reminder that we are on a new journey in life. A journey that we haven't really chosen, nevertheless, we've boarded the ride. We are going to come into contact with many, many people on this journey. People who will lift us up when we're down and whose faith we will lean upon. People who we will never meet, but will watch us and wonder how we are strong (even if we are, in reality, weak). People who we will meet only once, but we will lift them up and show them how wonderful our God is! God's strength will shine forth from us as we continue on. And some day, when we are in Heaven, some ONE will walk up to us and hug our necks and say "It is because of that day we talked in the waiting room at UPMC hospital that I got to know Jesus!" And our Jesus will say to us "Well done, thy good and faithful servant"

THIS is our mission field!

Through our great weakness/brokeness/despair that our GREAT GOD's STRENGTH SHINE's through!!

Thank you for the privilege of being the vessel to carry Your word to the mission field of our lives!