The Mixed Blessing of Snow
Good morning from Westminster, Maryland! This is my last week in the States before heading back to Nicaragua.
This morning I woke up to something we do not see in Nicaragua, snow. At this point in my life, I have very mixed feelings about snow. I certainly still enjoy the beauty of it, but I do not enjoy how it disrupts my life. As I started to think about that, it made me think of my move to Nicaragua almost one year ago. If I am honest, I was not looking a major change in my life. In fact, life was going pretty well and seemed to be headed in the right direction. Much like snow, moving to another part of the world for a new adventure sounds great when you are a kid and still appears something to be enjoyed, at least from afar, as you move into adulthood. When the event actually arrives, however, you are not sure you actually wanted to experience it firsthand. One year ago, I had this very experience. God had called me to move to Nicaragua, but when the day came to leave everything I had ever known, I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted this new adventure to be a part of my story.
One year later, I have found that this “disruption” to my life as I knew it has been an incredible opportunity and blessing in my life. I have learned more about myself, life and God than I could have ever imagined before moving to Nicaragua. I have had the opportunity to meet and become friends with many great people who have impacted my life in ways they will never know and grow old friendships that have been a blessing to my life. Additionally, I have had the chance to work with an amazing group of people and to see God work in ways I couldn’t ask or imagine. My trip away from home has also made my relationships in the United States more rich as I have realized how much my family, friends and church mean to me. I have even had the chance to continue to work with and stay connected to the businesses I have been a part of over the years in the United States. While there are still many challenges and hard moments that come with living in Nicaragua and apart from my life in the U.S., saying yes to God’s plan for my life has been worth every one of them.
Luke, one of the writers of the Gospel records the following words of Jesus- “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” (Luke 9:24, NIV 1984) I had the opportunity to go to Crossroads Community Church’s young adult meeting last night and the speaker, Kristin Powell, discussed how true this verse has been in her life. Over the past year, I have found the same to be true in my life. It hasn’t been easy, but following God’s plan has definitely brought me life. I guess I should take the same perspective with today’s snow. Maybe there is an opportunity to find joy in this small disruption to life.
– James Belt
In2theRiver 