The point is that at the end of the “courting” there’s commitment. After the excitement of inspiring, motivating, mobilizing and preparing…there’s commitment, a commitment to hardship. Jesus said it. The task is tough. “If you don’t go all the way with me through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” (Matt. 10:38-39, MSG Bible).
Home
World Partners Update September 2010 Getting Past the Courting
World Partners Update September 2010 Getting Past the Courting
Getting Past the Courting
Getting Past the Courting
-
font size
decrease font size
increase font size
Wayne Hannah
GBIM Asia Regional Director
On that gorgeous Spring day in 1974, Gina said “yes.” Wow…really? You’ll marry me? You’ll marry ME? What a moment!
In that moment, our relationship moved from courting to commitment. I was pretty good at the “courting” part…going out on fun dates, discovering the feelings of newness and attraction, in love with the idea of being in love. But when the “commitment” part kicked in…well, that was the really tough part. After 36 years, guess what. It’s still the tough part…hard work that involves sacrifice, lots of hanging-in-there, pushing through, sticking it out, daily giving up more than you’re getting.
I love calling and encouraging people to go to the nations around the globe. I love having those fun conversations, helping people discover the allure of serving in strange lands and among different peoples, and exploring the many creative and fulfilling ways of serving the Lord overseas. It is even more exciting when someone says, “Yes.” But then
the tough part kicks in…hard work that involves huge sacrifice, years of “hanging-in-there,” pushing through, sticking it out, and daily giving up more than you’re getting. Turbulence, resistance, rejection, frustrations in language, incomprehensible cultures, unkind climates, pesky and disease-bearing critters…a list that always seems to just get longer. I don’t love working in this part as much.