I've got a budget worked out for my three-month trip to Australia, so my anxieties over the money issues have gone down significantly (it will still be tight, though). I have been in contact with Heather and Natalie regarding the trip, hammering out some preliminary details. One of the details includes the flight: it should cost about $1300 round-trip, and Natalie (who is already in Australia) recommends bringing about... oh... $600 spending money; so my goal of $2000 fits in pretty well.
However, a snag has been hit.
Our date of departure is mid-May, somewhere between May 10 and May 16. My little sister's graduation is June 9; so now I have a choice: either go with everyone else to Australia and spend three months there working with the poor folk of Brisbane, or staying behind a month to go to my sister's graduation (she really wants me there). At work for the last few days, I've really been thinking about this, and I am deadset on leaving mid-May. I really feel called to this place; the idea of sitting around doing absolutely nothing for a month when I could be in Australia and working with the poor absolutely nauseates me. I want to go to Ams' graduation, but the date is so far back that it just isn't reasonable. The simple truth is, the mission's trip departs mid-May. I am a part of this mission's trip, so I am going to go with them. Amanda will not be happy, but she will get over it (that sounds so harsh!). This trip really means a lot to me, and if she were in my shoes, well, I'd let her go.
Breaking it to Ams is going to be the hard part. I know she's going to cry. She won't understand, at least not at first. She won't understand that a fire consumes me at the very thought of working with the poor in Australia. She won't understand that this is a chance of a lifetime: $2000 for a three-month trip on the other side of the world! She won't understand any of this, because she wants me at her graduation party so much. But this is the way life goes *sigh*. If the difference were only a week or two, this would not even be an issue.
However, a snag has been hit.
Our date of departure is mid-May, somewhere between May 10 and May 16. My little sister's graduation is June 9; so now I have a choice: either go with everyone else to Australia and spend three months there working with the poor folk of Brisbane, or staying behind a month to go to my sister's graduation (she really wants me there). At work for the last few days, I've really been thinking about this, and I am deadset on leaving mid-May. I really feel called to this place; the idea of sitting around doing absolutely nothing for a month when I could be in Australia and working with the poor absolutely nauseates me. I want to go to Ams' graduation, but the date is so far back that it just isn't reasonable. The simple truth is, the mission's trip departs mid-May. I am a part of this mission's trip, so I am going to go with them. Amanda will not be happy, but she will get over it (that sounds so harsh!). This trip really means a lot to me, and if she were in my shoes, well, I'd let her go.
Breaking it to Ams is going to be the hard part. I know she's going to cry. She won't understand, at least not at first. She won't understand that a fire consumes me at the very thought of working with the poor in Australia. She won't understand that this is a chance of a lifetime: $2000 for a three-month trip on the other side of the world! She won't understand any of this, because she wants me at her graduation party so much. But this is the way life goes *sigh*. If the difference were only a week or two, this would not even be an issue.
7 comments:
I think Amanda will understand. She won't like it that her big brother can't see her graduate, but I think if she really loves you: she'll let you go. I would let my brother go too. I would only want him to be happy, eventhough I would love to have him at my graduation.
I agree with inaya .... and if she doesn't completely "get it" now, she will when she's a bit older .... she'll miss you, but ... if she loves you she'll let you go without a guilt trip ...
Allow me to be the "devil's" advocate here. Although I would never suppose to know what God has put in your heart, I do know that over the years I have seen many relationships damaged due to "ministry."
What I mean by that is, followers of Christ who truly seek His will in their lives can easily add more and more and more work while at the same time neglecting those with whom they are in closest relationships. How many times have I seen missionaries and ministers and Christian college professors neglect their own families because they, unknowingly and with good intentions, "exceeded" what Jesus' true calling was for them.
The unintended results of this can be devastating. Family members who carry deep-seated resentment to a walk with Christ because someone they loved forgot to be a follower of Christ at home.
This is not to discourage you, Anthony, but to encourage you to use true discernment when following Him and make sure that your fervor for service is truly rooted in what the Father wants of you and not what you desire.
I was about to add that I would be happy to share with you some examples, but the truth is that none of the examples I can think of would make me happy to share.
They are all sad stories.
Anywho, I am always available.
Jeff T
Nicely put Jeff. Anthony, honestly if I were you I would sit her down and lay it all out. She wont be enthused, but sitting her down may let her know how serious you are about the trip. Like Jeff said, in the future dont exceed what God has set out for you. You need to keep cultivating relationships "back home" as well as ministering to all the world. Dude I know how you feel, just keep God first but dont forget about the people who helped to put you where you are today.
I agree with Jeff. But I also agree that ministry is more important than your family. But there is a balance that is needed with everything. Jesus said, "if you love your mother or father or sister or brother more than Me you are not worth of Me"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.
Matthew 19:29-30
And to join the agree party, I agree with Tyler and Dylan and Jesus, of course.
My warning was not to use these words of Jesus as an excuse for hurting those to whom you are close.
I wish I could say I hadn't seen this done before . . .
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