There have been times in my life where I have had misconceptions of God. One of these misconceptions was: if a certain thing made me happy then God would take it away. These are lies from the devil, and we know that, but sometimes these misconceptions still get the better of us.
It's been almost 2 weeks since I arrived in Thailand. With the talk of cobras, mosquitos, different food, and really hot, humid weather, I wasn't sure how long it would take me to adjust.
While I was sitting on the first flight to Thailand, I kept thinking, "I can't do this. I just want this plane to turn around and take me back home." I landed in Qatar, met Hannah and Abi, and boarded the final flight. I sat in my chair and a wave of peace swept over me. Somehow my mindset had totally changed. Despite my fears, I knew right then that this was exactly where God wanted me.
These past 2 weeks have been so incredible! The kids already have my heart, and the Norton's have treated me like family. There are, of course, things that aren't wonderful such as the cold showers, constant mosquito attacks, and the language barrier, but these things feel so insignificant compared to all the joy that I have experienced. Sometimes I catch myself being surprised that I am so happy because isn't mission work supposed to be hard and difficult?
I think the reason I'm surprised is because of the misconceptions I have had of God. Maybe one of the reasons God led me here was to undo some of the lies I have believed of Him. The reality is that God wishes to give us joy and happiness. Most times we miss out on that because we search in the wrong places.
God knows us, and He knows what will bring us the greatest joy. Our part is to trust and follow His lead. I cannot emphasize this enough: truly, the happiest place on earth is being in the center of God's will, and right now, for me, that is in Ban Ta Yim.