My days have revolved around questions for the past several weeks.
That is not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all! In fact, I love questions! Maybe because in my pre-missionary life I was a teacher - and for several of those years, I was an inquiry-based science teacher. The word "inquiry" in that statement shows how much I lived a life of questions. Questions, for me, are an avenue to answers. I need questions. If I don't ever ask the the question, I won't ever find the answer. I use questions to find direction. I use questions to guide me. I use questions to dig deeper. Jesus was a question-man. He used questions to guide, to give direction, and to make people dig deeper within themselves to find the answer. He made them think. Many times, when someone asked a question of Jesus, he simply turned it around and asked them for the answer. To the man who asked, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?", he answered with the question, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" (Luke 10:25-26) The man answered correctly (showing that he had the answer in his mind all along). Just after that, the same man asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied by telling a story (the Parable of the Good Samaritan). At the end of the story, Jesus asked the question, "Which of these three proved to be a neighbor?" Again, he answered the question with a question and made the man think deeper. There are many more instances in Scripture that illustrate this same point - Jesus valued the use of questions. So many questions roll around in my head each day: What can you see from the other person's perspective? Put yourself in their shoes... how does it look and feel from their side? What can I do to turn this into a positive experience? Since I can't change other people, what can I do and change about me that would make things better? What is the most important step I could take right now to move me forward? How is God speaking to me? Is God trying to get my attention? What is God trying to do with my character? What questions are rolling around in your head? What are you asking yourself? Use those questions and listen to the answers that you hear. Let them guide you and give you direction and help you go deeper. |
Laurie DrumWho am I? In my USA life, I was a teacher in Texas for 15 years. I was also a professional photographer, a Southern Living / Martha Stewart wannabe, a soccer mom, and a short term mission team coordinator / intern director for missions in Mexico... you name it, I probably tried it! In 2006, my husband Billy and I became cross-cultural workers (CCWs) with TMS Global. For five years, we served in three rural Quechua Wanca villages in the Andes of Peru. And when I say rural, I mean RURAL - like no potty! We have three incredible children... two adult boys who live in Texas, and the Sarah (14) lives with us in whatever country we are serving. I'm still teaching, still taking photos, still leading teams and mentoring, I just do it all in full-time service now! And I'm working hard at giving Southern Living and Martha Stewart a run for their money! I spent my days in Peru learning to live a Quechua lifestyle in a rustic adobe house - cooking Peruvian foods, sewing with Quechua women, raising my chickens and goats and pigs, and planting my gardens. Now I live my life in small town Spain, serving other cross-cultural workers and immigrant peoples, writing, and trying to figure out what life looks like for a Texas girl serving Christ in Southern Europe. Life in His service is AWESOME! I'm happy to share it with you here... Enjoy!
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