The Best Way to Fight It

I want to thank everyone who has written us and who have been praying for us since our last blog. The strength and encouragement that we’ve felt over the last few days, since we wrote it, has been amazing. Thank you for your love and support. We’re still taking things one day at a time and we know that The Lord is working on our behalf. So, we’re just going to continue doing what we’re doing and leaving the outcome to Him. It’s His story not ours.

I’ll never forget an illustration that Rick Warren gave over a decade ago. He said. “that life, rather than being a series of hills (highs) and valleys (lows), is more like a set of rails on a rail road track. Good and bad running side by side.” He said, “that we almost always have something good and something bad happening in our lives at the same time.”  No matter how good our life seems there’s always something bad that needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things seem there’s always something good that we can give thanks for.” And, over the years, that’s exactly what I’ve seen in my life. Good and bad running side by side.

And that being the case there’s always 2 tendencies. 

Tendancy #1

When the good times seem to be outweighing the bad I tend to get cocky and comfortable. This isn’t wise because, no matter what, something bad is always on the horizon. That’s not a negative confession or being a prophet of doom- it’s just the way it is. Because even though we’re followers of Christ we still live in a broken and fractured world and bad things will happen. So, the best thing for me to do when things are going good is to not get too hyped and to remain humble so that when something bad does happen I’m better equipped (emotionally and mentally) to handle it.

Tendancy #2

The other tendency is to get discouraged and depressed when the bad seems to be outweighing the good. When that happens the first thing that I feel like doing is shutting down and becoming a recluse. I don’t want to do anything except think about how bad my life is and all of my problems. I know you never do that though, right?

But the best way that I’ve found to break out of whatever funk I’m in and rise above whatever bad is happening- is to reach out and help someone else. By taking the focus off of me and putting it on someone else is always the best way I’ve found to fight whatever negative is happening in my life. 

So, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re not just sitting around, licking our wounds and thinking about how bad things seem to be, no. We’re trying to focus more on all the opportunities that surround us and ‘reaching out beyond ourselves to someone else.’

Us yesterday with some of the kids at Lar Herminia

Yesterday we packed-up the family (along with some of our i3C Family) after church and headed over to Lar Herminia and hung out with the kids there for the afternoon. We cooked out hot dogs, played dodgeball and flag-tag and had an amazing day. 

Matthew and Juacir cooking on the grill for the kids

And guess what? Not one time did any of our problems or issues enter our minds. Hmmm. I guess it does work (taking the focus off ourselves and putting it on someone else). And today we still feel energised by it and we know that it’s gonna be OK. We’re not living in denial. We realise that we have legitimate issues that need resolving. We realise that there are some bad things happening. But rather than placing our focus on those we’re focusing on all the good that’s happening here.

American Dodgeball is always a hit- with the kids. Get it? A hit? bwahahaha: )

One of the biggest blessings at the orphanages is to be able to minister and
be a part of the kids lives year after year. Here's me with one of my buddies, Alex: )

Thank you to everyone who's praying for us. Please don’t stop- we need it. And thank you to all of our supporters who allow us to be here in Brazil doing what we’re doing. We literally couldn't do it without you.

Love Ya!

Jim and MJ