I think this is the first serious post I’ve written in a long time.  This is some good stuff, though.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the movie, Luther, but it is a great one.  One scene in particular jumps out at me every time I watch it, and I always tear up.  In this scene, Luther is hating himself and is talking to his superior about the issue.  His superior asks, “Martin, what is it you seek?”  The response of Luther stirs my heart:

A merciful God;
A God whom I can love
A God who loves me

Whether I think about it or not, this is a deep desire of mine.  I want someone to love, and I want someone to love me.  As I’m approaching the age of 28 and living the single life in a foreign country, I’m in a prime place for God to fulfill this role.  I’ve had ups and downs while I’ve been here, but God continues to amaze me.  The most recent display of His love for me is just too great for me to hold back.

Work has been really busy and kinda stressful, so my life has been pretty consumed with that.  Ramadan is starting next week, and there will be a holiday, Eid al-Fitr, at the end where many people take a short vacation.  I wanted to go somewhere, but I Just didn’t know where or with whom.  I was really thinking that the Eid would just come and go, and “maybe next year.” Then I made some new friends.

There are a few grad students from the US that are here for a semester that I met last week.  I hung out with them this weekend, and we all really hit it off.  They told me about this trip they’re taking over Eid, and they invited me to go.  To Jordan and Israel!  What an opportunity; one that I’ve been wanting to take for a long time.

So that’s pretty cool, right?  Well, it gets better!  I got the itinerary for the trip, and I decided to see what we have planned for my birthday, which is during this trip.  Get this.  My birthday will include watching a sunrise from Mount Nebo, visiting the baptism site of Jesus, and having dinner while watching a beautiful sunset over the Dead Sea.

I thought about how I like to feel special on my birthday, then I got an overwhelming sensation of God’s presence.  This is God making me feel special on my birthday.  The creator of the universe put together all of these events for me to have this amazing experience on my birthday.  I get chills when I think about it.

Of course, the rest of the trip will be a great time, too.  It’ll be a wonderful experience to see all of that history, and I’ll be enjoying it all with my new friends.

I have so much that God’s doing in my heart right now, but it mainly comes down to Him reminding me in many different ways that He loves me.  What better place is there to be?