Living Effectively in the Here and Now (AKA I’m Not in South Asia Anymore So….)

June is the month of transition for overseas workers and their families. It's the month where many make the decision to stay - or to leave.

Decisions to leave are not made lightly - I know this. They are made with butterfly filled stomachs, hurting hearts, and a lot of soul-searching tears. The decision to leave a place where you have invested your heart also comes with many fears and questions.

What will it be like for us on the other side?
I've learned how to live well here - and it's taken time. How will those invisible skills be used in my passport country?
How will we live effectively?

We haven't heard from Robynn in a while - but today she's at A Life Overseas talking about what it was like to move to the United States after living so many years in India.

In a talk she and her husband gave at their church, she speaks to these questions. For all of us who have asked, or are asking, these questions, this post offers wisdom and grace for living well in the here and now.

I recently was asked to talk to our church about how I live out my faith. It got me thinking. In 2007 we were "redeployed". It's a long story but we knew God was moving us from South Asia to Manhattan, Kansas. As I processed that move it struck me that Jesus must have Kingdom of Heaven Purposes in mind and yet I had no idea how to minister to people here. I remember asking someone how to talk about Jesus here, how to do good works in His name here in Manhattan. Her response was, "I don't know! You're the overseas worker!" She seemed like such an intentional person. I was so shocked by her response. I asked a few others. No one had anything very tangible or helpful to tell me. So....I consciously decided to pretend that everyone here was from South Asia! I would do what I knew to do! I would do what I'd been sent out by my church to do....but I'd do it here!

Here's a little bit of what I mean:

I recognize I'm here for the Kingdom's sake! My life has significance. I firmly believe Jesus asks us to live somewhere for a reason. We were brought here on purpose!

Intentional Involvement:Lowell and I intentionally think how we can get involved. I joined the PTO. I volunteered in the lunch room at Bluemont Elementary and then TR. Lowell joined the Friends of Sunset Zoo board. He's now a court appointed special advocate for kids in the legal system. Those were all strategic decisions. How can we hang out more with people that needed hope? That seemed to be a good place to start.