There and Back Again: India and Beyond

The beautiful scenery of Kalahandi district, Odisha, India (After another length of silence, I am back! But, I am interrupting the 'War' series to share about a wonderful opportunity which has opened up! I am hoping to get back into the study on Romans soon). Four years ago, I was in my junior year of college, contemplating what I might like to do for the summer I internship credit I wanted to obtain. I had decided that I might as well take advantage of the chance to go overseas - a desire that had been growing in my heart for a long time. Little did I know that my decision to search internships in India before looking at Thailand would lead to a wonderful experience that changed my life and imprinted the beautiful country and people of India on my heart forever. Now, here I am, preparing to spend another summer in India! Yes, friends, even I can hardly believe it, but it is true!  1) Why am I going back to India? Many of you know that my first trip to Indi...

Photo by  Angelo Pantazis  on  Unsplash Do you remember the parable of the Prodigal Son? You know, the story Jesus told of a son who demanded his share of the inheritance, left home, and squandered all of it? As I sit here pondering the text of Romans 1:26-32, I am reminded of the fact that just as the father in the parable allowed his son to go away and live his life the way he wanted to, so God allows us to make our own choices about how we live our lives. Even if that means we reject Him, dishonor Him, and utterly ruin our lives. In the verses leading up to this point, Paul says that humankind rejected the truth of God for a lie – the lie that says that the creature, rather than the Creator, is worthy of worship. Here, Paul explains that in response to this rejection, God allowed them to do what they desired. “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and t...

Photo by  Kristina Flour  on  Unsplash War. That word brings to mind all sorts of images, from the impressive appearance of military units lined up in perfect precision to the disturbing images of soldiers lying wounded or even dead on the battleground. War and death are the unfortunate realities of a world where sinful hearts lusting for power wreak devastation on anyone who gets in their way. For some of us, war seems like just a distant thing, only seen on our television screens during the news hour or heard about on the radio as we zip from one place to another. For others of us, war has become real, affecting us more directly either through our own experiences or those of friends and family members. But more subtle and sinister than the all too real images of physical war is the darker and more powerful reality of the war between our will (which is influenced by the devil) and God’s will. This war, my friends, affects every single one of us. And, it is a...