It’s 5:30 a.m. I’m having a hard time sleeping for some reason, even though I shouldn’t have one at all. Maybe it’s because today is my buddy Rob’s 45th birthday. Wow…he is oldJ! The sun goes down around 9 p.m. and begins to come up around 4 a.m. So right now, we are smack dab in the middle of the high time for the sun here. I must say, I have never seen such plush green close up.
Sure, I have seen the Discovery Channel, but live, with my own eyeballs, I’ve never seen such plush green. This green color reminds me of the fact that Croatia is ripe for the gospel. Oh, how I hope people in Croatia respond to the gospel!!
I’m not sure what today holds for us but I’m hoping that we are going to be able to glorify God and satisfy our souls.
However, I’m feeling a bit of tension with one of my teammates. There has been nothing outward to completely show that tension, but perhaps I’m being over-sensitive to this. I usually am over-sensitive about stuff like this, but with my already-overtaxed emotions, this feeling rises to the top. So I mow as much as I can, fluttering heart and all.
How long oh Lord? How long will I wait for You to answer me? Please do.
It’s 2 p.m. We are passing out tracts in Petrinja. Hollie, Dave and I take a section and begin passing out the tracts we’ve been given. I’m having fun with them. Hollie is 29, and a high school teacher. Dave is 20 and is going to a Louisville, Kentucky based college in the fall pending acceptance. Both of them have a deep love for Jesus. And…..both of them have a deepening love for one another. They are courting. And……..they are cute. Now don’t let the age difference fool you. Hollie is neither desperate nor stupid. Dave is neither immature nor foolish. They both are incredibly smart, winsome, and …made for one another. I’m thrilled as we walk and talk and see how God may use us during our trek in Petrinja.
It’s 6:30 p.m. We are about to start day 2 of our training. More people show up! That’s a good thing for me to see. However, lurking in the back of my mind is that tension that gnaws at me like a mosquito on a Houstonian during summer. Nevertheless, by God’s grace, I am able to keep that tension at bay during our training times.
It’s 8:30 p.m. A car pulls into the driveway of the church, and out pops Pero!! I’m glad to see him, and his smile is becoming quite comforting. Pero tells me that he is sharing in the mid-week service tomorrow night, but is glad to let me preach instead. I defer, partially out of respect due this man, and partially because I’m woefully under-prepared. However, he insists that he translates for me and for me to preach tomorrow night.
So………I’m preaching Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
My head is spinning…..for vastly different reasons…..
It’s 11 p.m. We are having our team meeting tonight. I’m asking us to remember (actually, I’m preaching to myself but am letting others listen in) why we are here, and how important unity is.
I read Ephesians 4:1-5.
1I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith,one baptism,
We, I….must bear with one another. We must do it in love, joyfully even. We are the same team. While we have different gifts, we have one Lord. We must keep our unity around the cross of our one Savior.
It’s 11:35. I’m sleepy. My head is spinning again…this time because I’m tired.
