Well well well.... I'm back in Panama and as we were driving back to the apartment from the airport last night I was was shocked at how normal it felt to be back. The last night I was in Los Angeles I realized that as much as I love what I'm doing and where I am, it gets hard to say good-bye time and time again. So I was thinking about something that really challenged me when I was getting prepared both practically and even emotionally to come on Stint. Jesus says the following and its repeated in 3 out of the 4 gospels.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matt 16:24

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mark 8:34

"Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

Jesus knew that the path of carrying our crosses is not always the easiest way to live life and yet daily its the life of surrender that He calls us too. And so as I adjust to being back in my apartment and surrounded by the team I love and the country I love I remember that although its not always easy, its always good.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

And to wrap it up... a major prayer request. This (below) is my "little" brother Lance and I. He's currently in the Canadian military and I just found out last night that he's on stand-by to leave for Afghanistan. He could be there in 5 days. Its a scary thing... and yet I know that God is in control, even when things are out of my hands, they're held completely safe in His. Please pray for his safety.