After 18 hours of traveling in and out of airports, transports, and vans we have finally arrived to Timisoara, Romania! Don’t hold your breath, because we still have another 3 hours in the band van to go to Bradatel – east of Timisoara at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. So what is that? 21 hours of travels… phew… glad to be almost done.
What’s beautiful about all this? – is the overwhelming support of so many wonderful people that believe in what we do as a band and ministry – loving God, loving people, and doing everything withLove through music and community service! We are missional, we have reach, and we have influence to impact communities all over the globe for Christ with our powerful and yet simple message of God’s love, hope, and salvation. We are here on the wings of people’s hearts in what we do and that is all the more worth glorifying God for. The deep work that God has done and is doing in our souls and those we encounter is worth glorfiying God for.
I love missions trips because people get to see how we conduct our lives and how we do ministry with what we have in the moment – an opportunity to glorify God under the magnifying glass. The story of our lives being written by God and witnessed by all those around us – all to bring God the glory. God is a provider and He is faithful provide enough to show that it is by His strength and authority that we GET to do what we do and NOT by our strengths and gifts. Depending on Him at this level is unchartered territory of faith that I am in awe of and don’t have the words to express exactly how faithful and awesome God’s planning is.
To fast forward from last years’ shortened adventure to Scotland to now, I am starting to connect the dots and plot line of Gods’ glorious plan for withLove. We could have been so discouraged and disappointed from that Scotland trip that we could have quit doing missions trips for a while. But life has its disappointments, and if ever the greatness of who Jesus is is tested in our lives, it’s when we are in the face of disappointment. Disappointment – defined as that feeling of having missed something that we think should have happened …. a circumstance that seemingly looks like we’re off course from our God-given appointment …. a failed appointment … a missed appointment ….
But God doesn’t disappoint us – our own limited perceptions and expectations disappoint us. No, He is not the one who disappoints us, but instead He appoints us to our glorious future. I’ve realized that He is writing a great story for withLove and our individual lives as we live out each day. And what is a great story without its mountain high conflicts and soaring triumphs? I have realized that disappointments and triumphs will come and go, but our story – our God-story – His story …. is our story to tell those who need to hear about God’s great love, hope, and salvation. Because at the end of the day, God’s story for all our lives is just that – stories of raw love, fear-shattering hope, and vulnerable faith. THAT is the good news, THAT is the expression of His love in us and through us to reconcile people to Christ. His word is kept in our hearts!
I’m going to end on that note, because we haven’t even met any Romanians yet and I’m just overwhelmed by what God is already doing inside my own soul just being here! Here is under grape vines wrapped around a beautiful 4-story vintage house with cool dry winds blowing lightly with the moon shining brightly down on this beautiful city of Timisoara. God’s glory is chasing after the beauty of who He is, even in moments like this. Goodnight.
withLove,
David Warren
