It is THAT day of the week again.. and time for Five Minute Friday! Lisa Jo picked the word "afraid" as the writing prompt... and there are probably 1001 ways I could head with that word...
...so, here goes!
Afraid
The harmattan haze is here...
It is uncomfortably gusty this year.
Usually, this is my favorite time of the year in Niger, even with the nonstop dusting and removal-of-desert-from-dwelling-place... but this year?
Our relatively calm, overgrown and sprawling village-turned-capital-city has changed dramatically due to political and military events in the land next door. Police checks, bombers and attack helicopters roaring by overhead, car searches where they make sure it really is veggies and not explosives, military escort required to leave the city limits and armed soldiers at the gates of the kids' schools... every single day. The convoy of tanks headed into the thick of things literally passed by within a stone's throw...
Is my family is actual danger?
Possibly, although we probably won't know until we know for sure.
Isn't safety more of an illusion, regardless of where you are?
Agreed.
Am I afraid?
Most certainly.
I keep rehearsing this story:
Strong winds began to blow and the waves began to grow... bigger and bigger, more and more violent. Those Jesus-followers continued to row - they saw Jesus walking on the sea, drawing near to them. Terror captivated their hearts. They were terribly afraid. Jesus calls to them, crying out "It is me. Do not be afraid..." They pull the Lord onto the boat and immediately they find themselves at the shore. (paraphrase of John 6.19-20)
Those disciples? They were slugging their way through the storm but no one mentions fear... until they see Jesus.
He reminds them that when they see Him doing things that only He can do, they must remember Who He is, trust Him and then He commands them to NOT fear.
So I'm praying for courage and wisdom and eyes to see and recognize Jesus in all that these harmattan winds might bring this year.
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Wow Tim and Richelle. That is a powerful post and provides a vivid picture and definately stirs me to want to read more of your blog and support you in prayer. Thank you for sharing your life.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria. Appreciate your kind words and the support in prayer.
DeletePraying for safety for you! Thank you for the reminder to keep rehearsing. Much needed. ;) (visiting from Five Minute Friday)
ReplyDeleteHi Monica. Thanks for popping over today. I'm sure I needed the rehearsing reminder more than anyone else.
DeleteYou are an incredible family, devoted to your missionary work in a world that sounds so dangerous; your faith in the Lord must be tremendous. God bless you and yours as you carry on in your journey!
ReplyDeletethank you for your kind words and thanks for stopping by and saying howdy today. :-)
Deleteyes it really is funny how we as humans...or better yet as Christians decide what to be afraid of and what not to be afraid of.. as if there is more of God some places and less of Him in others...not really our call to make, huh.
ReplyDeleteGreat thought provoking read.
T
loved your comment... "as if there is more of God some places and less of Him others." you are so right - that just ain't our call, even though we do it ALL the time.
Deletethanks for stopping in and saying hi!
What a great reminder of what fear look like all over the world, and no matter where we are, the same truth applies. God's peace is all we need. Powerful post! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteand thank you for stopping by today. :-)
DeleteI've often thought that when people say how can you take kids overseas, isn't it dangerous. Yes. But if you know that is where you are supposed to be, then maybe God calms those fears. Maybe you still have them but He provides wisdom? The whole process of trusting in a world that is unsafe really only leads to one place, the one place we can always find our safety. Does that happen every year? The winds. I'll have to go back up and read. I've never heard of that before. Thanks for sharing, Richelle.
ReplyDeletewell, i don't know that God calms the fears, but He does give the resources to live with them and at least keep them contained. :-)
Deleteharmattan winds do happen every year - usually beginning sometime in november and lasting until well into march. they carry a very fine sand/dust that permeates everything; it actually looks like a thick, early morning fog on the thickest days.
thanks for stopping back by.