Josh and I camping in NY in 1988.
To fully understand the significance of this, let me explain a little about my oldest older brother. He’s the oldest of 6 kids. This is crazy enough, but he’s also the oldest of triplets. 🙂 He was a preemie and had to fight to make it out of the hospital. He fought his way through school and graduated with a BS in computer science, an EMT license, a paramedic license, and an RN. I’ve seen him become a great health care professional and conquer the traveling world of health care. He’s journeyed all over the globe and developed a love for other cultures and people groups.
He’s also the brother that I butted heads with the most. We are about as opposite, brain wise, as you can get! We quite possibly need an interpreter to communicate. 🙂 Even with all the frustrations at times, he’s been a partner in crime for the last eight years. As adults, we’ve lived together and traveled together. We’ve done church, experienced life, and shared an understanding of serving in the medical field. Now he’s venturing to another country and time zone for the next three years.
When I think about his journey of the last couple of years, Psalm 37:3-7a comes to mind.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;”
Josh has taught me a lot over the last three years of his journey. I’m thankful for how he has brought Psalm 37:3-7a to life for me!
Trust – He’s trusted the Lord that He has a purpose for him. He trusted that when the Lord planted the seed for serving overseas, He would fulfill it somehow, someway, someday.
Do Good – I’ve seen him serve his family, his friends, the local church, and the church around the world.
Dwell – For as much as he has moved around the last three years, he has been very present in each place. He has dwelt and invested in each place to the fullest.
Delight – I’ve seen his delight grow in the Lord as he has been molded more and more into His image.
Commit – He has committed his life to following the Lord, wherever He might lead.
Be Still – He has sat before the Lord and held his future loosely in his hands. He has had to have many moments of stillness in this three year journey.
Wait Patiently – Josh has waited patiently over these last few years to see the fulfillment of this dream.
I’m proud of Josh and the man that I see him becoming! I’m excited to see how he’s going to grow over the next three years and for the many things the Lord will teach him. I know that he would appreciate any prayers as he leaves this week. You can follow his adventure at https://pngfaith.wordpress.com.
Adventures of a Single Pretzel 