Where is your treasure?

I can still smell the air of the mountains, smoke from huts, and trees that we would fly through on our way home to our tribe in the helicopter.

My helicopter ride to the tribe was 30 minutes of anticipation soaking in God's creation in the islands of Papua New Guinea and mostly longing to be in my mom and dads arms again. As soon as we would get over the last mountain, my brother would look back at me from the front passenger seat and say, "Kelli, we are here!" We would look down and I could not help but start waving my arms frantically out the small window. I knew that it was pretty promising my parents couldn't see my arms yet, but I would wave them all the way until we landed. There was no other way to get out all the excitement I had in my body! Tears would fill my eyes as I would see my mom smiling from ear to ear ready to embrace her kids! I didn't wait for the propeller to slow down, I undid my seat belt as fast I could and would run across the helicopter pad straight to my parents.

I think about how my mom must have felt when we would land, knowing our family was all together again. Or maybe how our pilot felt. It must have really meant something to him to see parents and kids reunite and feel complete again for a short time. What a rewarding job to land a helicopter safely and watch children run into their parents arms!

That makes me think about how God must feel when we feel complete in Him. His love is far better than we can comprehend, so just imagine what it must be like for a God who created you to see you give your life to him completely without turning back. When I see someone surrender to God, I can't help but cry knowing it is the best decision they will ever make. What a difference it would make if we get over everything else and GET INTO GOD!

I sat with my grandma as she was dying of cancer and she could barely talk because the cancer had spread to her brain. I would sit with a hymnal next to her bed and sing for her. Sometimes she would hum along and try to say the words to songs as best as she could. One day I began singing, " I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back." When I started singing this song, I wasn't two words into it and she opened her eyes, and with all she had in her, she sang those words as loud and clear as she could. I watched her suffer from cancer and yet be so grateful to God for her circumstances. She embraced herself in Him daily. I wish I could have witnessed her walking into the presence of God and hearing Him tell her "well done, June, my good and faithful servant."

I know from experience that when I am fully embraced in the Lord, that is when I am most happy. That is when I am most burdened for my lost friends. That is when I am most loving. That is when I get my priorities in order. That is when I have peace in the midst of my storms.

I guess what my thoughts sum up to be is that we need to soak up every moment here on earth and give it our best for Christ! We need to be a little more concerned about who might not know Jesus rather than wasting our time being the ones who have Him and don't share Him.

One more story. My grandma, like I said, was dying from cancer. Their youth group from church came and brought her cookies and cards one afternoon. They spent some time with her in the room giggling and having a great time together. After they had left, I went in the room and she was crying. I said, "Grandma, are you sad because you don't get to spend time with them at church as much anymore?" She said, "No. I am sad because some of them don't know Jesus." I just looked at her and my eyes welled up with tears.

I have to ask myself "Am I broken over the lost world?" I asked someone the other day if they had spent time with God at all that day. They said, "no, don't have time. My day is pretty much taken up." Is that you? Have you made time for God today? Or have you let everything else come as priority over Him?

I pray I find meaning to my life in HIM and not things of this world!

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21