Musings on the Quarter life Crisis

You've probably heard of the midlife crisis. This often hits people as they see their kids off to college and experience the empty nest, causing them to reevaluate their careers and goals for the latter part of their lives.

A rather new term is the quarter life crisis, which hits young adults as reach their 20s and enter into the real world. I am about a month away from my golden birthday- 25 on the 25th of April- and suddenly I have been feeling old. A friend had mentioned the term quarter life crisis last year, so I decided to do some research this week. Here a few of the characteristics I found:
- Confronting one's own mortality
- Insecurity concerning ability to love oneself, let alone another person
- Insecurity regarding present accomplishments
- Disappointment with one's job
- Nostalgia for college or high school
- Loss of closeness to high school and college friends
- Financially-rooted stress

Many college students and high schoolers are not prepared for all of the responsibilities that hit them as they enter the adult world. It makes sense that this would cause some anxiety and questioning. We haven't done much to prepare young people, protecting them and allowing them to enjoy freedoms without the responsibility. While I felt fairly prepared for life as an adult, even I have paused to look at the last 25 years of life rather critically. I think it's good to evaluate in order to avoid growing stagnate, but we shouldn't dwell on our "failures" as compared to other people.

My professor reminded us today of Jeremiah's picture of clay in the hands of our Potter. He is molding and shaping us, if we allow ourselves to be pliable and soft, willing to go where He wants us. Sometimes God has to smash down the pot only to rebuild it again to be more in line with what He wants. I was struck with how this fits in with our "crises" moments. These are times when God can smash down the pot and help us seek new direction, new passion, new excitement for what He wants to do. He can show us what needs to improve in our character. No matter what stage in life we are in, we must be continually open to what God wants to teach us!

Roots

Often when I go home to Nebraska I am reminded about the legacy that has been left for me, and also the huge part of who I am that has been shaped by growing up in the rural Midwest. I love Texas and enjoy seeing new places and often feel settled when I am in a new place for any decent amount of time. But there is nothing quite like going home. During this last visit, my grandpa showed us some old pictures of his family growing up and his siblings and their wedding pictures. He came from a family of 11 kids so there were plenty of pictures! After the visit, my dad drove my siblings and I around to see the farmland that belonged to my great-grandpa Hilkemann. He was pretty well-off for his day and a good manager. During the Great Depression he was able to buy up quite a bit of land surrounding their home place, and as each son grew up they were given a piece of land to call their own. The brothers did a lot of their farm work together. Most of the land is no longer in the family, but there is still evidence of the hard work that has gone into those acres. All of the land is just a few miles from where my family currently lives. It might not seem important to most people, but for me the fact that my family's history is deep in the soil of Pierce County, Nebraska is amazing. This is part of me, part of where I come from and who I am. Even if my immediate family were to move off the farm or even out of Nebraska, our legacy is still there. I think that having roots like this is important for being able to go on and do new things, explore new areas. There have definitely been challenges, but I wouldn't trade my heritage for anything.

Not Forgotten by God

Isaiah 49:14-16 (NIV)
But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me."

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me".

In our daily office prayer time, we focus on a particular unreached people group. Most often these groups of people have no missionary working among them, and because they do not have local believers there, they do not have a way to hear the gospel in a culturally relevant way. It might seem like they have been forgotten by the rest of the world.

Yet, God still cares about each of these people groups and longs for them to know Him personally. Just as he does not abandon us, He has not forgotten these people around the world. Through His miraculous means, God reveals Himself to these peoples who do not have a witness. He also stirs on the hearts of His children to go and reach out to these groups of people who need to know that Jesus saves. Our job is to respond, and to pray for more workers to listen to God's voice calling to go to those the Church has forgotten.

Rainstorm in Cambodia

Check out this video of the rainstorm that Gayle and I got caught in one evening while we were in Cambodia. Dusty dirt roads quickly turned into muddy streams! You can also view the video on You Tube by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM-qsrxXkls.

A Heart for China

Lottie Moon was a pretty amazing lady. You may have heard of the Lottie Moon Christmas offering that Baptists collect annually to support their missions efforts. Honestly, before I had to do a presentation for my Biographies class, this was all I knew about Lottie Moon. That, and she worked in China and was single her whole life.

There is so much more to her than a Christmas offering. She was born in 1840 to Christian parents in Virginia, but it wasn't until she was in college that she really began to think about the condition of her soul. She went to an evangelistic meeting to scoff at those who were there, but she came back to her room later a changed women and she began to be very involved in church and prayer meetings on her college campus. Lottie was feisty, spirited and determined, and she did not lose these qualities when she accepted Christ.

Her younger sister went to China as a missionary in 1871, in a time when single women missionaries were frowned upon and often not allowed to go unless they went to work with another already-established missionary family. Lottie began to be convicted about her own call to China, and she sailed in 1873. Her sister didn't last much longer, and had to return home because of poor health and overwork. In those days missionaries were often not allowed to come home on a furlough except in extreme cases, and there was frequently no funding to send them back. In China, Lottie worked in the schools teaching girls. She also traveled out into rural areas, teaching and bringing the gospel to the women and children there. She was creative and determined, not letting anyone stand in her way when she had a plan. There were many issues with the other missionaries in her area who had antiquated and often negative ideas about how best to reach the local people. Lottie stood her ground, putting into practice methods for especially rural ministry that are still in practice today. She did suggest in 1887 that a collection be taken before Christmas and that same time be set aside for prayer for missionaries, and in 1888 the first Christmas offering was taken.

Lottie died of starvation in 1912, because she gave away her own food during the famine in China rather than taking care of herself. She has left a wonderful legacy for all of us who have come behind her. Although she remained single, she was engaged to a man prior to her leaving for China and then almost came home later on to marry him. He could not commit to coming to China, and she could not give up the people that God had called her love. Later on in her life, she was asked if she had ever been in love with someone, and she answered, "Yes, but God had first claim on my life, and since the two conflicted, there could be no question about the result". I so enjoyed getting to learn more about Lottie Moon and her life and legacy!

Make Me An Instrument

My professor used the Prayer of St. Francis (below) in one of devotions before the lecture in my online class. I had seen parts of this before, but was really struck reading the whole thing. It was a great reminder that we as Christians are to be a light to the world, which is often in stark contrast to the darkness and hopelessness of the world. I really loved the devotional words that my professor added after the prayer. I hope that you will read and be encouraged by this prayer and devotional.

~Sarah

The Prayer of Saint Francis

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and
Where there is sorrow, joy.
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved
as to love; for it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."

Francis of Assisi, the presumed author of the above prayer, challenged his generation to a life of complete submission to Christ. Following the lead of the humble, mendicant from Assisi, Franciscan friars fanned out across Europe proclaiming a simple Gospel and calling Christians to a deeper walk with Christ. Francis espoused a lifestyle of trust, submission, humility, love, and peace in a violent era. His life stood in stark contrast to the force of the Crusades and coercion of the emerging Inquisition.

Francis' prayer calls to my mind Paul's admonition in Colossians 3:12-17.

¹²Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

―Colossians 3: 12-17 (English Standard Version)

Like Francis, we live in a fractured, contentious world where compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and peace are in short supply. As disciples of Christ, we are called to be witnesses to His grace, His love, and His peace in word and deed.

May the words of the Apostle Paul and the prayer of a wandering beggar for Christ challenge you and me to demonstrate Christ-likeness in all we do, in word or deed.

My Kiddos

I got to travel to Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 12-18 for our organizational worldwide meeting. I went as staff, but I also got the opportunity to help out with the childcare team that came from my church in Plano to take care of the kids while their parents attended the meetings. I helped Judy with the 3 to 5 year olds, and had a wonderful week getting to know the kids and just playing with them and reading to them. We were also joined by John, who came with a volunteer team from Oklahoma. Here are a few pictures of the kids from the week!

Tea Time in Thailand

The week of the conference we had one free day on Wednesday, and instead of doing something fun or going sightseeing I got to spend most of the day working on homework and studying for a test in my online class. It wasn't so bad actually, and I got a yummy caramel latte and chatted with people as they walked by the table where I was studying. One of the ladies from the home office stopped and invited me to go to tea with her and several others in the afternoon. I wasn't sure I had time, but I decided it would be a good study break so I worked extra hard and then met her and the other ladies at a nearby hotel along the river for tea.



It was really a neat experience! We sat outside at a table right along the water, and each ordered a different flavor of tea. They served us each our own teapot, along with a tier of different sandwiches, pastries and scones.



I loved hearing the stories that flowed around the table as we sipped our tea and tried the different goodies. Karen is currently in the Dallas area working part-time in our office, and she her husband have served overseas working with Muslims in London and also the United Arab Emerites. Barbara is finishing up her time in South Africa, transitioning to Plano to work in the office as well. Cathy and her family serve in Thailand, and she had many stories of funny and not-so-funny experiences from the many years they have been there. Vickie also has served in Thailand but got married a couple of years ago and is currently in the US, but still serves as a member care provider, giving coaching, counseling and encouragement to missionaries on the field. I soaked up the wisdom of these women, and was very refreshed by my delicious peppermint tea and the calm of the atmosphere. It was a wonderful study break!

Cambodia Stories

Below are several blog posts with pictures and stories from my time in Cambodia February 20-24, 2011. I traveled with Gayle, one of our missionaries who is based in Bangkok with her husband, and travels once a month to the Kilometer 13 village across the border from Thailand. I hope you enjoy hearing a bit about my trip!

A Glimpse of My Cambodia

Entering Cambodia!

In Poipet, the border town

Gayle praying for one of the quilting ladies after church- Sopone's husband struggles with alcoholism, which is a major problem in the village

A typical village home- raised sleeping area, with kitchen beside it

Even though it is the dry season, it rained almost every day we were there! Gayle and I got caught in a downpour one afternoon, and sought shelter under someone's awning. The dirt roads became quite a mess!

Market area in the village

Many people have shrines outside their homes or businesses. The area is primarily Buddhist.

One of the main crops in the area is tapioca. They chop up the root to make what we know as tapioca, and then bundle and sell the stalks to start new tapioca plants.

Village home with the mountains in the background.

The river that separates Thailand and Cambodia

The little guy in front is Ezra, Pastor Sophan and Sopheap's 2 year-old son. The other two are Sophone's son and daughter (she is the woman Gayle was praying for above, one of the sewing ladies and also sister to Pastor Sophan). I entertained the kids for a solid 30 minutes by taking pictures as they posed and then ran to look at themselves, giggling and pointing and saying who knows what in Khmer. It's amazing the relationships that can be built even with a language barrier.

At lunch Sopheap would cook for Gayle and I, and in the evenings she and I would eat at this little restaurant. I enjoyed the fried rice and the noodles. Thankfully I did not have to use chopsticks every day during the week, as the Thai and Cambodian people only use chopsticks to eat noodles.