I’m sure this is something every new missionary faces and everyone in a new stage of life or in transition or some even on a daily basis. The routines that are normal for you are up in the air, there are new opportunities, new people, new priorities. How do you choose? Everything is up for grabs- time is no longer structured and planned out, and man, do I love structure.
Priorities for me are daily times with the Lord in prayer and the Word, Bible Study fellowship with others, an exercise routine, keeping a clean house, cooking, and spending time with people who are important to me. But now add in meeting new people and getting to know them, classes to learn language and culture, walking to the grocery, keeping in touch back home with calls and letters, killing ants, computer issues and a whole new collection of social events, and sadly some of my priorities fall away. I just don’t know how to fit it all in!
And I haven’t even officially started work yet!
Since I’ve been here there have been game night, pizza night, and singles night invitations, a skate night, a 5k, an ice cream social, trips to town, village walks, and multiple lovely invites to homes for dinner. And I’ve been thrilled to have people over for dinner myself. All of it leaves me a little flabbergasted at how to do it all, experience it all, fit it all in. How to get to know people and build relationships and at the same time keep in touch with those I love back home. And through it all, I am still an introvert and really am refreshed and gain energy from being alone.
There is only One who knows how I would best spend my life and you yours. So, I need to be reminded daily to seek Him in how I spend my time, not just personally but then how I spend it when it comes to how I fulfill my role here. There are so many options! And expectations.
Please pray with me in this, I am definitely not bored. I need God’s wisdom in what is BEST.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.” Psalm 127:2