Lebanon in July

Here are my pre-trip thoughts for the blog:

The time is almost here. We are about to set off to Lebanon. After years of seeing other teams embark, our time is near. We’ll leave Thursday morning to the airport and depart in the afternoon. Our team has been meeting and planning for months. We have been studying the history and culture of Lebanon. We’ve learned basic Arabic words. We’ve seen photos of previous trips, collected shoes, received an itinerary, and as of Saturday, we are packed. We’ve asked previous groups what to expect and have relayed our hopes as well as our fears. We’ve filled out all the necessary paperwork, received our passports, filed for trip insurance, and have made sure things at home will be taken care of while we are gone.

Are you ready? That’s a question that is usually asked on a daily basis. Elijah, are you ready to go to daycare? Lindsey, are you ready to eat? It’s something we think about internally during both large and trivial life decisions. Am I ready to go to bed or am I ready to have another child (both answers are usually ‘no’ by the way)?

After listing all the things we’ve done to prepare, you would think that our team is ready, right? Well, I can speak for the others, but I don’t feel ready. But I don’t know if I’ve felt ‘ready’ about any major life events besides finishing high school. That’s why I love Jesus’ call on our lives. He doesn’t expect us to be ready. He desires that we follow Him with total commitment. He expects us to just do it - to not make up excuses or ask for a raincheck. Look at how the disciples acted when Jesus called them to follow Him. They didn’t ask Jesus if they could follow Him when they were a bit older, or when they knew more about the Bible. They didn’t worry about the political state of things or if it was going to be safe. Jesus told them, “Come, follow me” and they did. I don’t feel ready, but I know that I need to step out in faith and follow Him. Jesus said that even a little faith can move a mountain. Well, if that’s the case, my faith should be more than enough. Jesus, I put my faith in you, and I commit to following you where you lead. 

Nathan Spears