Life Unexpected

You would think that after traveling to Honduras as many times as I have that coming home would be easy.  I wish I could say it was, but for some reason, this week in particular, I have struggled.  Maybe it's because it's 20 degrees out and there is snow on the ground and last week I was in shorts and a t-shirt.  Maybe it's because I can't just walk across the street to get myself a cold coke in a glass bottle (which by the way is the absolute best), or jump into an impromptu game of soccer with kids in the middle of the street, or yell "Buenos Dias" to every person that I pass (I guess I could start doing that, but my neighbors might think I am crazy).   Honestly, I think I am struggling, because once again, God allowed me to see a smidgen of what he sees on a daily basis and I am not always sure what to do about that. Nevin was a kid that I would have taken home in heartbeat or at the least would have loved to have in my youth group.  We met him playing ...

Over the next few days I hope to share some of the images that I can't seem to erase, and don't want to erase, from my recent trip to Honduras.  I hope to paint a small picture of the places my heart breaks for, the unexpected ways God showed up, the things I am wrestling with, and the people whose faces remain etched in my mind.  My hope is that you will be inspired, challenged, and encouraged in a way that will enlarge your perspective of the Jesus and his love for the world. Tonight I walked into the gym and was talking with a friend about our Mission Trip to Honduras that we just arrived home from 3 days ago.  As soon as I mentioned the words "when I was in Honduras," a man sitting next to my friend said, "Why in the world would you ever go to Honduras?"  I've been thinking about that question and have continued to rephrase it in my head over and over again.  "Why wouldn't you go to Honduras?" Honduras captured my heart several y...

This afternoon, as I was studying in the living room, Nate, Biruk, and his friend, Metch, came barreling into the house singing at the top of their lungs, "Bro-time...yeah it's awesome.  We're having Bro-time, yeah it's awesome."  Biruk's look was priceless.  He had on a winter hat of Nate's that was about 4 times the size of his head with a pom pom on top that was about 4 times the size of the hat (yes...I did buy this for Nate at one point...don't ask).  He had this huge wet sloppy smile on his face (due to the drool that seems to have invited itself into our lives forever).  He looked like he didn't have a care in the world.  Life was good. Contrast that with my afternoon yesterday, where I found myself struggling to find the right words to share with a teenage girl, who had been hospitalized due to a depression that had led to the desire to take her own life.  The burdens of the world were literally crushing her soul and life looked anythi...