Taking life for granted...

Last night was our Perspectives in Missions class in Iowa City. We learned about different missionaries in history and the struggles they faced and how they persevered. It was so eye-opening. One guy had one of his kids die, then his wife went insane, then his wife died...and all along he was still faithful and worked for God and kept on persevering. He and his family rode on a boat for 5 months. They went hungry sometimes, their lives in danger, their motives questioned. But they still searched out God. I'm also re-reading the book "In the Presence of My Enemies" by Gracia Burnham. They suffered so much and were grateful for everything they had. In my BSF lecture last week the question was posed: Do I take for granted the access I have to God's word and to God? I am convicted as to how these things all tie in together for me today. There are people out there who haven't even had the chance to hear about God and have a chance to have eternal life and I'm oversleeping, scheduling things that are futile and taking for granted the access I have. My life hasn't ever been as much of a struggle as the missionaries I heard about last night. Am I being faithful and persevering in the small struggles I have?

Gracia Burnham had a quote from her husband Martin in her book (Martin was killed during rescue efforts after a year in captivity), "I wasn't called to be a missionary. I wasn't called to the Philippines. I was just called to follow Christ and that's what I'm doing."