Shields

"Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle!" --Jeremiah 46:3

After what might have been one of my worst days at A&M yet, I skipped water polo and snuggled up under a blanket with my Bible, devotion book, and journal and was ready to have an amazing quiet time that would refocus me on what was really important-living for our awesome God!

I really wasn't expecting to get anything Honduras related out of my quiet time today, but once again what I was expecting wasn't what happened--God went WAY above that! Not only did I calm down and refocus on God, but he revealed to me this awesome little verse that would begin my intense preparation for Honduras!

In 55 days I will be in Honduras. CRAZY! If I were to have to get on that plane right now, I would be feeling so inadequate to be Christ's hands and feet. I'm nowhere near as ready biblically and spiritually to be missioning for our God as I want to be in January. But this verse showed me exactly how I need to be preparing. Preparing my shields, both large and small.

Some things seem obvious when it comes to mission trips. These "large shields" - such as patience, biblical foundation, a flourishing relationship with Our Lord. Those are the things that I have been caught up with trying to prepare myself for. But in reality, those are only part of the things that are needed in order for a mission trip to be successful. We also have to have "small shields" - love, joy, compassion, humility, a servant's heart, and a commitment.

It are these "small shields" that will ultimately build into the "large shields" that I have been focusing on. Starting now, I will be focusing on encompassing these smaller necessities that don't seem as crucial as the bigger "shields". But in reality, without these small shields, our larger shields are just big flimsy shields. Yes, they have the size to protect you, but they aren't made with the correct materials. They aren't going to do much unless we have the small shields building them up! Combined together, it is these shields that will be essential for our work to glorify our Father when we are in Honduras! The large shields aren't enough by themselves, and neither are the small shields. We need them both!