Earlier this month my husband and I joined a small group that traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. We had a week there, exploring the city, interacting with locals, and learning about the culture while also encouraging and living life with a team there. I can’t say that Istanbul had necessarily been at the top of my list of places to visit, but that changed pretty much the moment we landed. The city had flashes of Rome and bits of Ammon, so it felt far more comfortable than I would have expected.
At the same time it was unique…a true bridge between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
For a city of 20 million, it was incredibly easy to get around, thanks to public transit and those who were guiding us around the city. As I walked around I kept thinking about how much God loves the many groups represented in the cities. There are many neighborhoods (what I would call cities–approximately 2 million in a neighborhood) that were filled with those who had to leave regions in China or other countries. It’s such a diverse city.
On the flight back, I held my passport and considered how very good God has been to allow me to travel and experience so many cities. Places like Istanbul that I didn’t even know to put on my bucket list. In each place I end up leaving a bit of my heart, because I leave sensing His heart for the people who live there. This time I’ve started asking God to reveal His heart for the people in my community to me. I’m not sure why it’s so much easier for me to sense His heartbeat in other countries — maybe it’s the change in distractions. I’m out of my routines, and I’m more aware to ask for His purpose in the trip. But I want to bring some of that awareness back home. To sense His love for those around me on a more consistent basis.
Where’s the last place you felt God’s heartbeat? How has He revealed His love for those around you?
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Loved this.
Thanks, Marti!
Cara, I think you’re right about seeing God so much more when we are out of our own neighborhoods and away from the familiar. I saw it on the last trip my family took. We traveled in Ireland, Scotland, Ukraine and Poland. I saw God’s heart most in Ukraine and Edinburgh. In Ukraine, the culture is so evident because it is so different. The landscape is similar to Indiana with many of the same crops grown, but the background of the people is so different. I loved interacting and learning from them and could see very well the love God has for them.
In Edinburgh we attended a church service that truly showed the heart of God those attending had for all of Scotland and the world. It was a prayer service that called for the spreading of the gospel both within the UK and throughout the world. It was fantastic to worship the same God with people of very different histories. And you’re right, we need to bring that same awareness back to our own normal and use the experience to better SEE the people around us.
Thanks for sharing, Cara. Great post.
I love every bit of your comment, Rebecca. And Edinburgh is one of my FAVORITE cities.
I’m a teacher in a middle school that might be considered inner-city. God constantly reveals himself through my students and their needs. I’m so blessed.