the internet

i had a very bad morning, fell, crushed my cell phone, cut up my hand, missed the bus, the works! felt worthless and like a failture.
let me count the ways i love the internet today:

1) E-mail How can you argue with this. I was able to e-mail my Tuesday prayer warriors about my bad day and I know that they prayed because my afternoon was much better. I felt lifted up instead of in the dumps, and got a number of encouraging thoughts in my inbox. Also, i got a picture from the bike ride my family took this weekend.

2)Instant Messanger This morning, I IM'd Kristen about the horrible, no good, very bad start to my day. And she prayed for me, typed it out over IM. And i dont know if rebuking works over the internet, but obviously praying does.

3)Skype I talked to my mom in Mars and Ron and Ruth Berger in Washington State this evening. Both very encouraging calls both over Skype. Both Free!

4) Flickr I posted my pictures form Prague to Flickr and have already gotten compliments on them. My mom was able to see them while we talked tonight and I told her some about my trip. She can also make prints to show her friends at work from there!! You can too, as ong as you promise not to claim them for your own!

5)My Blog I can tell you all that prayer works (pray for your missionaries) and God works through the internet

All in all, anyone who say's I'm their hero for doing this whole moving to a different country missionary thing, well, they are crazy. What I'm doing is like breaking the homerun record on Steriods. Iif the homerun record is the missionary life. and Steriods are all the things I have to help me! I mean sure I am doing it, but it feels a little bit unfair. (Sorry if the steroids related to missions analogy bugs you.)

The real heroes are people like William Carrey. He went even though his pastor told him that if God wanted the lost saved, He would just save them! I grew up with missionaries in my church, in my house, and in our family prayer time. My pastor preaches the Great Comission and wants to see young people follow God wherever He calls them.

The real heroes are the hundreds of men and women who packed in their coffins and never heard from their families again. I talk to my mom at least once a week, and we e-mail pictures back and forth. I know i'm going home after a year. If something happens to me or my family, I can get on a plane and be home in less than 24 hours.

The real heroes are the Missionaries who live in the African bush and tents in Kyrgestan. I live in a house. There are no large bugs here, I have internet access, heat, indoor plumbing and running water.

The real heores are the tentmakers in China. The real heroes are the missionaries who cant even use the word "Missionary" or "prayer" in their letters home because they could end up in jail or worse. I can go to church on Sundays and youth group on Wednesdays, and bible study on Mondays and tell people I love Jesus and the worst thing they can do to me is laugh. And the government doesn't even have an official position sanctioning the laughing!

Just my thoughts on this whole thing. Putting it in perspective. Yes, I realize that i'm doing something relatively big. Honeslty, a lot if the time it scares me. But all I did was listen to what God told me to do a long time ago at Edinboro Youth Camp. And if doing what God tells you to do makes you a hero, then please think of someone else you know who is following God in a way that is maybe not so visible as moving to another country. And when you've got that person in mind, pray for them. Or go way out on a limb and tell them that you appreciate what they're doing. Need a few suggestions? Think about the people who teach preschoolers Sunday School. Think about the men and women who volunteer to go on Jr High youth trips. Think about the Christian teachers in public schools who build relationships and love on kids. Think about the 7th grade girl who carries a bible to school. What about the 10th grade boy who studys for his test instead of cheating?
Who are your heroes?