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Routine


What is your routine? Do you get used to doing what you do? Do you look forward to doing it or is it what you might call a rut? Whatever the case, your life has certain activities that you do regularly that you don't even think about. It is your routine.

Have you ever thought about writing about your routine life? Do you think that anyone would want to read about what you do? I can see it now, "I got up at 5:00 this morning and got ready for work. I had to jump the car but finally got it going. Got to work just in time to jump into my coveralls.

"I painted trucks from 6:00 until 8:00 and took a break. Started painting again at 8:28 and went until 10:00. Lunched from 10:00 until 10:30. Started painting again."

Sounds boring doesn't it? Sometimes it was. I know because that was MY life for twenty-two years!

However, that wasn't all of what I did. I had other activities too. I had a life after work. I got home everyday at around 3:00 pm and had a family to help raise. We had church activities. We had outings. We had birthday parties, vacations and fun.

My routine was a hard one to not like. It was one of the reasons that I tried NOT to obey God's direction. My life was what I wanted it to be. I was earning a good living and I was giving so that others might go to the field and tell people about Jesus. My routine was comfortable. It was how I lived. It was, "God's blessing and provision" and I liked it that way. I allowed my routine to become an excuse. My routine was my life and nothing could or would change it.

Even when I heard a message from a missionary friend that challenged me to my core. I doubted that God was calling me to do something other that my routine. However, God in His mercy and grace allowed me to continue my routine for years. He allowed me to learn along the way. He allowed many people to influence and teach me. And all the way He was preparing me for another routine.

I have been in that new routine now for fifteen years and nine months! I have discovered that on the mission field routine is very different. At times it is difficult at times it seems that there are no results. At times it is boring. At times it is super exciting. However, it is routine.

How could living in Brazil be routine!? It can't. The word routine brings to mind mindless tedium, boring chores and endless monotony. Mission work is anything but these.

So, how is your job going? Boring, endless, tedious? Maybe God wants you to do something else! If so give me a call or send me a text! It will be anything but a routine communication!  

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