There and Back Again: India and Beyond

Photo by  quentin  on  Unsplash Sometimes I really wonder just how “put together” my life really is. It seems like just when I think I have everything figure out, something else comes up and smacks me in the face. For example, I mentioned in my last post that I was seriously considering seminary – but, here I am taking what appears to be an indefinite break from the academic world (minus, of course, my personal studies which are born out of my passion for learning). In addition, while I still have a passion for working with children and youth, particularly those who have been rescued out of slavery, I am finding myself pondering what else the Lord may have in store for my life. Will India play a part in my future, or does God have something different in mind? I know that the Lord has put a passion for missions, and serving Him in general, on my heart – but where will that lead me? At this point in my life, I am beginning to feel like I did during the time that...

Photo by  Katerina Radvanska  on  Unsplash Today I had a conversation with a friend in which I was asked what I want to do career-wise. That conversation is what has prompted me to write this post. So, what am I looking forward to doing in the future? What is my heart’s passion and desire? How will my Ministry, Bible and Intercultural Studies background fit into all this? Will I need to further my education beyond my already-acquired bachelor’s degree? Where does India fit into the future, or will it? To a certain extent, the future seems unclear and quite uncertain. However, it isn’t completely that way. Over the past couple of years, I have debated back and forth over what exactly I would like to do. But, there are some things that are certain in my mind.  I know that God has put a desire on my heart to work with children and youth (particularly girls) who have been rescued out of slavery. I know that my passion is for discipleship and helping people t...

Photo by  Aaron Burden  on  Unsplash Gracious! It has been far too long since I posted anything and yet so much has happened in the last few months! It seems so strange to me that just a year ago, I was nearing the end of my stay in India and was busy trying to keep up with my students and all the other children. Now, I have graduated from college, acquired a job, and will be moving away from home within a couple of weeks. How time does fly and how things change in such a short period. We grow older and enter new stages of life. Friends go their separate ways. Family members pass away. And the list goes on. Like the writer of Ecclesiastes says, " For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven " (Eccl. 3:1, ESV). And yet, in the midst of these changing seasons, we can find hope in the One who never changes. As Lamentations states, " But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; hi...

Photo by  Jeremy Bishop  on  Unsplash Over the past few years, I have gained a better, deeper, and broader understanding of who God is through the reading of His Word, prayer, listening to sermons, hearing lectures, and researching passages for the numerous papers I must write as Bible major. At the same time, I have endeavored to figure out what it all means and why the things I have been learning matter. In the last couple of years, as I have delved into the study of systematic theology and apologetics, I have come to realize even more just how important the core doctrines of Christianity are - not only in solidifying my own faith, but also in providing guidelines for interpreting Scripture, which, I believe, help to prevent me from misinterpreting God's Word and essentially maligning the name of God. What I mean by doctrines providing guidelines is that they provide a framework by which I approach Scripture. Every believer has some sort of framework or "lens...

Photo by  Sandra Frey  on  Unsplash One thing that has begun to frustrate me is the seeming lack of confidence in the Gospel that is often shown by Christians, which to me seems really strange since as believers, the Gospel is the central message of our faith. Now, some of you might be thinking that I am just making this idea up and that I am frustrated over something quite irrelevant, but perhaps as you continue reading, my vexation will become more understandable. It seems to me that we believers have a habit of pointing out the sins of unbelievers without consideration for the fact that they are just that – unbelievers. We cannot expect people who have not placed themselves under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to behave as if they are under God’s direction. To think otherwise is crazy! And yet, that is exactly what I see when I look at many Christians. To make matter worse, not only do we expect everyone everywhere, regardless of religious belief ...

Photo by  daniel plan  on  Unsplash It is hard for me to believe that we are already in a new year – 2014! The past couple of weeks have been a bit eventful as I have been spending time with my family and editing my resume. It has also been a time of contemplation as I consider what the future might hold. Thinking about the future can be frightening, especially for someone like me who tends to look ahead and see endless possibilities without any surety. It is my observation that such contemplation often leads to much uncertainty, and in some cases, sheer panic. What am I to do next? Where will I go? What do I even want to do? The questions are without end, and the more questions rise, the more I find myself wandering around in confusion. I have never liked making decisions without being quite certain that I am doing the right thing, and this point in my life is no exception. Here I am, about to embark on the last semester of my undergraduate career, having no...