Like the morning fog.

What is your life?
For it is like the morning fog.
It is here for a little while,
then it is gone.
~James 4:14

With the passing of Steven's friend this week, we've been thinking about this concept a lot.

Our lives are like the morning fog.

As Steven and I sat in the revival service for Jordan on Tuesday, I think this idea hit us hard. To see this young man's life come and go so quickly, it was a hard yet necessary reminder that our time here is short. And only what is done for eternity will last. Naturally, this question kept running through my head...What are we doing with our limited, finite, like-the-morning-fog lives?

And why are we doing what we're doing?

We go to work, we're involved in church, we have good community, we love our kids. All good things, but if we are honest with ourselves, they're all pretty comfortable things too. Yet we itch to do more for God, we pray about it in Bible Study, we say we're going to be more influential in our every day lives. But when it comes down to it, we end up doing nothing. (Steven and I have been living and feeling this way for the past two years now...)

So why do we end up doing nothing? Is it because we're lazy? Insincere? Scared? Maybe. I'm sure I've been all of the above at some point in my life. But sitting at the funeral, I was hit with what I think is at the core of all of this: We live complacent, boring and comfortable lives because we value our lives here on earth way too much.

You see, we actually love our lives. We love the comforts. We love the security. We love having family close. We love being able to plan our lives and see it come to be. And because of that, we miss out on so much that God has called us to.

So many people wait for a calling from God. They think He needs to write something out in the clouds, send a vision or "speak" to our hearts. And if this "calling" doesn't come, well then we just keep on living our lives the way we, deep down, really want to.

People tell us all the time that they love that we're going to Thailand, but that they just haven't been "called" to "missions". Most of the time I politely nod and agree, but I am always left confused. Steven and I feel like we haven't been "called" either. We got no note from God in the clouds. We had no vision. We didn't hear the Lord speak to us in a loud booming voice.

But, we know that there is 1 Christian worker for every 200 people in the United States. And in Thailand there is 1 missionary for every 50,000. We know that we are overloaded with the Gospel, with Christian books, with sermons, with varying churches to fit our own styles. And we know that there are people in the world who have never heard the name "JESUS". We are convinced that God's heart is for the whole world to know of His love, grace and redemption plan. And we are saddened that there are people, cities, countries who have no idea.

That's our calling.

On the car ride home from the funeral, Steven and I were talking about our fleeting lives. How we've been reminded that our time here is like the morning fog. Quick to appear, quick to fade. The concept is so simple, yet entirely complex. It's far too easily ignored, yet if taken seriously could be life-altering.

With tears running down my face, I just turned to him and said, "Why wouldn't we go to Thailand?"

He just smiled at me and said, "My thoughts exactly."

This whole idea reminded me of a poem I once heard. It's written by one of the greatest missionaries of all time, C.T. Studd. A man who considered his life like the morning fog, yet completely worthy of the calling.

“Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say,”Thy will be done”;
And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;
Only one life,’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”

Through the pain...

...will my faith remain?

Through the pain, when I don't understand His ways, and when giving up and giving in seems so much easier, will I turn to my God and seek His face? Or will I crumble with the world around me and blame Him for it all...

For quite some time now, I have had this feeling that God is preparing me for something BIG. And by BIG, I don't mean something new and exciting. By BIG, I mean something life-altering, heart-wrenching, and tragically-unexpected. (Not to be a complete "Debbie Downer" or anything...) But sometimes I feel like I am in the process of being built up so that I can be prepared to fall...and fall well. After all, it's bound to happen at some point. And when it does, I want to be found faithful. I want to be able to suffer well.

Below are two examples of families whose faith remains. They are ordinary families who are living extraordinary lives. Not only because of their incredible strength, but because they are seeking to GLORIFY GOD through their suffering. Imagine that. They have somehow been able to forgo wallowing in self pity and have instead turned their pain and trials into an opportunity to make Christ known. It's not about them--their problems, their hurt, their fears--even though there are days that I am sure it feels that way. Rather, it's all about God--clinging to His hesed, His promises, and desiring His ways above theirs. To me, they are the true heroes of the faith.



To hear the entire song that they wrote for their daughter, you can watch the video below. The lyrics are so amazing, so beautiful.


The other family are dear friends. Jordan, a good friend of Steven's from high school, his wife Katelyn, and their two beautiful young girls. Just last year, Jordan was diagnosed with a rare cancer in his pelvis and lungs. This is their blog. Their story. Their fight. Their faith in a miraculous God as they walk through this scary and uncertain time. It has been nothing short of amazing following them on their journey of highs and lows. They are real life examples of people living out 1 Peter 1:6-7.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

Just think. Because these families have remained strong and faithful through their pain and suffering, they will receive much praise, glory and honor from their Heavenly Father on that glorious day. Let me say it again. The Creator of heaven and earth. The Alpha and Omega. The holy and righteous God. The everlasting King. will. give. them. honor. and. praise.

That's the wonderful joy ahead. That's rejoicing in the midst suffering. That's the hope they have and so fervently cling to. All I can say is, praise God for families like these. For they show us how to suffer well. It is my prayer that I may be found, that we all may be found, as faithful as them.