Gracia Burnham

Sometimes you gotta look at yourself, it's a rule...I don't know from where...but I mean it... you need to trust me.

This week my own personal reflection is to consider...my path in life. If I travel and yet don’t look up, I may find myself in places I should not be or want to be and I may overlook those people along the way that need me.

My personal examination includes:

• Am I grumbling about the places I need to be?
• Am I honoring myself and my path?
• Is my path God’s idea or mine?
• And very important (to me), am I using my gifts exactly where I am positioned?


These questions are significant to me.

Last Sunday, I felt privileged to hear guest speaker Gracia Burnham. She and her husband Martin (missionaries) were in the news in May, 2001 when they were kidnapped along with 18 others in the Philippines and in the news again in 2002 when they were rescued but Martin was killed.

They were held hostage by the Abu Sayyaf a militant group for 300 plus days and on the run in the jungle away from family and friends.

It was a terrible life, Gracia Burnham shared with the congregation and community Sunday morning at High Street Baptist Church. Even though she and her husband kept thinking that help was “just around the next corner”, she struggled with her own faith. She shared many considerations Sunday, but this is what was relevant to me.

1) Even though Gracia was a missionary she had many “downtimes” during her captivity that tested her faith and of course she would.

JW reflection: From time to time, we might question our purpose…our faith. But all we need is a measure of faith, not a huge chunk just a mustard seed worth.

2) Gracia said, “God is always good, he does not have to run his plans by Gracia.”

JW reflection: How often do I compartmentalize God…tell him what needs to be done? After all He is good, but more importantly He is God. Am I really that silly that I would attempt to put restraints on someone so great?

3) Gracia said, “When everything is gone, you see who you really are.” They only had a few items in a backpack as their possessions and the clothes on their backs and each other. When Gracia accidentally left it behind, it was devastating to her, but not to Martin.

JW reflection: Who am I without my stuff or when no one is looking?

4) Gracia said, “God sees our dust.”

JW reflection: God is not impressed by what we know, who we know or what we have gathered. He just loves us in our purest form. What is my purest form?

5) Gracia said, “Have a vision beyond yourself.”

JW reflection: Whoa. That’s a hard one. What about my suffering, my needs? I need to keep in mind that the path God has me traveling has more to it than myself. I need to look to my left and to my right and see who I might help. I have always known in part the gifts of my journey are encouragement and listening. Am I using them?

On your path too, you will see people who need you. They may not be pretty or successful or even nice, but I promise you that your placement in their path is no mistake.

What do you think about your journey and purpose?

Source: Cnn: Rescue raid ends in hostage deaths http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/06/07/phil.hostages/

Comments

Anonymous said…
I love reading your comments. Today really hit me. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, I needed that today.

Vickie
You are very welcome. I am glad you found what you needed. Come back anytime!!

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