Restored!

I am trusting God thought I needed a week away from the world and in my bed, because that's just where He put me last week. From Sunday evening until Friday I was down under with a nasty virus that completely knocked me out. Praise the Lord for His healing mercies. All those hours in bed last week gave me lots of time to think. For one, the LORD gave me a new compassion for those who are sick or in pain. I also began to think how easily I start thinking that I am in control of my own health by eating right, exercising, taking my vitamins, when really, all that time, God's the one who holds the strings.

And then I had to chuckle at how ironic is all was. My brother Matthew is on a mission trip in Ukraine pushing his immune system to the extreme with lots of activity and late nights of work, constantly exposed to sick people, and yet God miraculously has sustained him with robust health thus far. And here I was, in America, eating "safe" food and in "safe" conditions, laid flat on my back with pain from a nasty virus.

I've talked with so many people who mention one of their major hesitations for taking a mission trip is health concerns. They are afraid of sickness, poor sanitation, having a weak stomach for that particular culture's food, etc... So how should a Christian think Biblically about missions and health? How does one find the balance? I've asked the LORD a lot about this. I've also asked other missionaries about this. I'm still asking.

In one of my next few posts I'll put up a few ponderings that have crossed my mind or that I've gleaned from others on this topic, and I'd love to hear any feedback you might have as well.