Hello everyone! Just wanted to write one last post before I leave for my East Asia mission trip tomorrow!
In the last week, I had the opportunity to go on a road trip in the Northeast with my family. It was mainly a way we could spend time together before I left for six weeks. And I had the time of my life!! But that's not the point I'm tryna make--
While we were driving from Ohio to New Jersey, I noticed a recurring sight that left me quite confused and surprised, but in a good way. You know how when you're on a long road trip, you have to take these highways that aren't quite like normal highways? They're the type of highways that wind through mountains/big hills? No? That's ok, it's not that important to the story. Anyways, beside these highways are huuuugeee billboards that either say something like "Advertise here!" or are displaying giant, deceivingly delicious images of food from a certain restaurant. Well on the billboards that we passed, rather than advertising products, many of them actually had Bible verses or encouragements grounded in spiritual truth. When I saw the first one, I didn't think anything of it, probably because I had seen that type of thing before.
But after the second, the third, the fourth, I began to think that this was unusual. Sure I knew that evangelizing through billboards was a thing, but I had never seen that many in one car ride alone! What surprised me even more, was the fact that this was while we were in the Northeast, a region of the United States that is not particularly known for holding strong conservative, much less, Christian views.
For me, seeing all these billboards was so encouraging because it reminded me that despite the brokenness of this world, God is still here. I repeat, GOD IS STILL HERE. And He's not going away anytime soon! Even when we think His light has been shrouded by the darkness of sin, OUR sin, He makes His name known, and it could be through things like billboards!
This is also a testament to His love that goes beyond human comprehension. Even when we constantly do things that go against His will, that probably make Him really really unhappy, He still pursues us RELENTLESSLY, shouting at us to NOTICE HIM so that we can enter a relationship where we experience true love.
These reminders are especially encouraging for me as I prepare to embark on this mission trip! I am reminded that God is present in East Asia, even when it doesn't seem like it, He is there. I can take comfort in knowing that God has already prepared the path. Since He's already present in East Asia, all I have to do is redirect those who have wandered back onto the path. And when it seems that I'm not accomplishing much in bringing people to Christ, I can take comfort in knowing God will also be there, relentlessly pursuing them.
So my friends, I encourage you to keep your eyes open for God's presence, and I assure you, He will make it known to you! See you in a couple months!!
~jo