People

"Oh, you're still here?  I didn't think you would be here this year!"

Several students greeted me this way when I first saw them at the beginning of the school year.   Actually, I'm greeted this way a lot - by people from church, friends and acquantainces that I only see every couple months, and so on.  People thought I was leaving Fayetteville, and the Lord's plans for me in the upcoming season would be played out in a different locale.  And, honestly, I did too.

My answers are usually something along the lines of, "Yeah I thought I was leaving too, but I guess God has different plans for me here!"  And while I've believed that since finding out I was going to be here in Fayetteville year, I haven't known exactly what those plans were, or what they'd look like -- but I have believed there's been a reason and that, in the Lord's timing, the reasons would become clear.

I feel like in the last week or so the Lord has started giving me glimpses into the reasons why I am here.  It really boils down to a very simple reason: I am here for people.  I am in Fayetteville to know, love, serve, and invest in people -- students, coworkers, the family I am living with, friends, people at church, and people I have yet to meet.  I feel like in this season, the Lord is going before me and will arrange a lot of divine appointments with people.  I just need to be open and available, walking with and listening to Jesus.  He will point me in the right direction.  He introduce me to all of the people I need to know.  He will be my words, and my voice, and my strength.  He will give me wisdom.

After all, right behind God, isn't it all about people anyway?

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied, " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)