Stirring Hope: October 2013

Luke 12:33-34

Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Just three short months ago my hometown of Calgary, Alberta was contending with the aftermath of floodwaters that captivated our attention, not to mention also caused much destruction. However, in the midst of the chaos, the losses, and the significant amount of damage that the receding waters revealed, the most notable thing about the flood was the pervasive community spirit that rose above all else going on in the city (just wanted to add that I'm SO proud to be Calgarian!). Through this I learned a valuable lesson, a lesson that I'll always remember wherever I go: THINGS are just things and PEOPLE are what matter most. I know that's a pretty simple statement and it's not an earth-shattering revelation or anything but nowadays it's so easy to get side-tracked. Even though we have the best of intentions, all too often our lives reflect the opposite.

So what does any of this have to do with Taiwan? Taiwan has been another life lesson about making my life about people...

When I set out as a foreign missionary this summer, it felt like I was leaving behind so many THINGS. Leaving my job, leaving financial security, leaving my condo, leaving my car, leaving a free and peaceful country, leaving the beautiful Rocky Mountains and leaving my lifestyle that had become all too safe and comfortable for me. It wasn't easy since these are all things that I enjoy but it also wasn't very hard because I knew that none of these things alone define the value of a purposeful life. Instead, I'm constantly reminded that life is about loving and cherishing people - my family, my friends, and everybody who has influenced my life as well as all of the people that I have the privilege of influencing. Looking at it from this perspective I realize that I haven't left anything at all but rather I have only gained so much more than I ever expected. I look at all of the wonderful people I have met in just a few short months, people who have opened their homes, their hearts, and their lives to me. As I think of the incredible stories that have been shared over a meal at a kitchen table, a cup of tea at a teahouse, a bus ride to a museum, a bustling office, or a walk on the beach my heart is so touched and filled with joy to have been blessed with every minute and every experience.

Here's to new friends and new experiences, may there be many more!