mission, not impossible

it hit me while i was praying with my boys.

we were praying for Daddy, that his trip to Nicaragua would be "successful", that God would use him and the other men with him mightily, for God's Name's sake. we pray this knowing He can and will do it. we know there is nothing that is impossible for God, and we wait expectantly, of good reports from the trip.

 there is a certain allure to praying for those that are outside of this country.. we call it missions. and, while it is important to pray for them, and the work they are doing is good..

why don't we pray for the same things for those here...and for ourselves?

i find myself wondering.. what if each day found us praying that God would use us mightily
in our own homes?
in our work places?
in our neighborhoods?

what if we had the attitude of missionaries every single day?

please do not misunderstand me, i know firsthand that experiencing another culture and seeing what God is doing there is wonderful, even important. my world view and knowledge of Who God is forever changed. i even found myself a little envious of my husband this time around..him going, without me. i sincerely miss the people we know there.

but i desire the same unyielding love for my own neighbors.. the one who refuses to speak to us, the one who continually places beer bottles in our yard..
if i can attempt to communicate and exemplify Christ in a different language, why is it so difficult to confront a sister in Christ...sharing, in love, a concern weighing on my heart?
is it possible that when we visit another place, we lose some inhibition, relenting to the fact that we do not have control in the first place? and if that's true, perhaps the problem is that we've only fooled ourselves into thinking we're in control here, in our own comfortable surroundings..

so, while i continue to pray for my husband and the trip he is on,
i will now echo the same prayers for myself.

i desire to be used mightily..right here, right now.
today is the mission God has me on. and nothing is impossible for Him.