A Cuban Cigar and an African Sky

As I sat outside smoking a Cuban cigar
staring at an African sky full of stars, I began to talk to Jesus. I
told Him about my concerns and I asked Him a few questions. Soon I
found myself thinking about the countless things that I have to be
thankful for and the fact that without His grace I wouldn’t have
any of it! I can’t even begin to realize all that I have to be
thankful about, but in this moment I decided to write down some of
the things that were running through my mind. I know that I’m only
gonna hit the tip of the iceberg, but here it goes (in no particular
order): I am thankful for cigars and the conversations that they
bring (whether a little bit of bathroom humor with friends or an
intimate talk with Jesus), the sky and the countless stars that it
holds (how it testifies to the majesty of its Creator), friends and
family who love me and who I have the privilege to love, people who
believe in me and in what the Lord has called me to do (so much so
that they are willing to pray for me and support the ministry that
God has appointed to me), a mom who would do anything for me and is
one of my closest friends, a dad who loved me enough to work his butt
of year after year to support his family, brothers who love Jesus and
are two of the greatest men I have ever known, a God who loves me in
such a way that He will not allow me to get stuck in a place of
complacency, the fact that I have been entrusted with the
responsibility of carrying the message of reconciliation to the
nations, African kids who shout Mazungu (white person) and ask me
“how are you” everywhere I go, toilets that you can sit on and
actually flush, God’s perfect will which places us where we are
supposed to be at exactly the right time, the possibility that there
is an amazing woman out there that may one day be my wife, that fact
that I can be content even if that never happens, the numerous
brothers and sisters I have that (most of which I’ve never met, but
one day will have the honor to meet), washers and dryers, a Great
High Priest who can identify with all my struggles, African fruit
(I’m not sure I will be able to call that stuff they have in the US
fruit anymore), my calling (I can’t imagine giving my life to
anything else but the kingdom), peanut M&Ms and sunflower seeds
(they keep me awake on road trips), the hope that I have that extends
infinitely beyond this life, the fact that I’m not alone and never
will be, the Spirit of God who lives inside me and enables me to be
His witness, ice cubes, the rush of wind which brings me a much
needed embrace from my Daddy, the immeasurable power of grace which
is extended to me every second of every day by a sacrifice that I may
never be able to fully comprehend, a good book that you can get lost
in, people that are different than me (whether by looks or culture or
personality), laughter, the fact that God has taken care of
everything and left no room for boasting, and the most excellent way
on love (Love is the Way, because God IS LOVE!). Like I said this is just the tip of the iceberg, I could go on and on. Please pray for us
as we go to a bush church to share Jesus with the people there. I
love you all! Grace and Peace to you and your family!