Let Go and Let God

This is a guest post from my sister, Elizabeth! You can read more by her at Startling the Day: http://www.elizabethhillgrove.com/?m=1

In this culture of worshiping busyness, we forget how predictable our lives can be. Those of us who are of the traditional workforce (teachers, engineers, accountants, receptionists, etc) know which building in which we will stand/sit/run around in most given days. Let's not take that for granted.

My husband (an engineer) and I (a teacher of English language learners in elementary schools in Virginia) just returned from a visit to our lovely mish sister, Katie. I left our two day trip with a better understanding of how my baby sister (muhahaha!) spends her mishily mish mish days with FOCUS on Harvard's campus. In a word: everywhere.

Missionaries live in the world, but work especially hard not to live of the world. We met students who draw from the soul-enriching energy that the FOCUS missionaries bring to Harvard.  They know who they can rely on and I'm proud my sister is one of those.

So many of the sacrifices they make are obvious: they have to fundraise their own salaries, they give God the decision about where they will live, they have to reach out to complete strangers on a college campus, and they spend their days making themselves vulnerable to Satan's most precise hits.

That being said, the first thing I realized when I got home: I know where I will be tomorrow. Thank you, God! 

I have never been more grateful to know exactly what to expect from tomorrow. We take for granted the lack of uncertainty in our day. 

"Where are we going?" "Can you be here in 10 minutes?" "I'm not sure if I'll be there then, can I call you when I'm ready?" "What do you want to do?" "What else?" 

Those questions have answers in "the real world." Missionaries have to let go of control and prevent that frustration that rushes over (me, at least) like a wave when teetering between decisions. God drives this bus, after all. Let's accept that and praise Him that He lets us think we have a hand on the steering wheel.

Thank you, Katie and the other Harvard FOCUS missionaries, for giving me another glimpse of God's wisdom!