Life in Transition

Sorry for being slack in not posting this week, but it's been a busy time trying to transition back to what I used to call "normal life." The reason I say "used to" is because I'm coming to realize that there is no such thing as normal life...and I'm really glad about that. The transition back to the States has been easy in some ways and tremendously difficult in others. As far as settling back into the comforts of home...not a problem. It was not tough to turn my air conditioner on and tuck myself into my nice, soft bed. It was not tough to brush my teeth and stick my toothbrush under the water for the first time in 5 weeks. It was not tough to clean up my dishes and put them in the dishwasher. What has been tough is to drive around and be reminded of the tremendous wealth in our country...and think about the friends I left in Nigeria who don't have running water or electricity...and it becomes a lot to process. It's been hard knowing that God has changed my heart in many ways and I'm very curious of how those changes fit into the life I left. It's been tough to walk back into life changed and know that many people don't understand why you aren't the same. They aren't critical of the change, in fact, many are very supportive, but that doesn't mean they understand. It is also tough to try to explain the experience I had in Nigeria to others and really try to help them understand all that God showed me and spoke into my life. I always tell our students that they need to have one or two short stories ready that give a glimpse of what they experienced on a mission trip. I tell them people will ask, but because those people have not had the experience they might not understand your excitement and they aren't going to want to listen to a 2 hour dissertation on Mexico or poverty or how a small orphan child can rock your boat and change your world. This week, more than ever before, I understand why I tell students this. It's not that people don't want to hear...but more than that, I cannot condense all that I experienced over the past 5 weeks into a short conversation. I honestly haven't even made it through processing it all in my own brain, let alone try to explain to someone else what I think or feel or have experienced.
But one thing I am learning is that life is not "normal". I had to go half way around to world to realize that normal is not something to strive for. God is much bigger than normal. And if our lives begin to be what we would consider normal, we are probably settling for much less than what God has designed for us. Normal means we aren't out of our comfort zones. Normal means we are just going along with the culture and aren't rocking the boat. God never intended for us to be normal. He intends for us to be set apart and radical. He intends to shake up our lives and surprise us with His grace, His mercy, and His plan. So, I like that my life is no longer normal. I like that I am expectant of what God will do next and excited to be, as C.S. Lewis says, surprised by joy. I'm glad that God is gracious enough to shake it up. I hope your life is never normal.