Jonah and the Vine

So a new challenge for this week. Are you marching right on by or are you stopping to enjoy the party? We talked about the last part of Jonah in church on Sunday and it was really challenging. Since moving to Williston the local people don't really like what is going on here. They think it is unfair that they didn't have a vote in all of it. I totally undersatnd that too because back home I hated the summer time because of all the tourists and traffic was horrible.  Here you can't go to walmart and be in and out. Matter of fact you can't go anywhere and be in and out. You are always waiting in line and you are always getting cut off or they are out of stuff....customer service isn't thebest here either. And so much more! But anyways i was really challenged this weekend. Mostly about my attitude and how I treat those around me. At the end of Jonah when God gives Jonah the plant he gets mad when God sends the worm to get rid of the plant. We were asked 3 questions
 - Where have you missed God's work because it wasn't what you expected, or maybe what you wanted?
 - Where have you built a shelter to justify staying out of God's party?
 - What "plant" have become more important than people?
Jonah chose to leave the party and sit in the desert instead of staying and enjoying God's party. It's really sad actually. The things we let get to us and that cause us to keep marching. Time for me seems like the biggest one. We are always in a hurry these days. We never take the time to stop and listen to what God is saying or to the stories that are all around us. We have such a HUGE mission field here in Wiliston. All it takes is stopping in line and chatting with someone or letting someone over while we are driving. Change is all over the place and whether we want it to or not it is going to come at some point in our lives. I head this quote from Max Lucado
        "Change is not only a part of life, change is a necessary part of God's strategy. To use us to change the world, he alters our assignments."
Man, isn't that true. Never would I have ever thought that I would be livng in North Dakota, but God is at work here and we get to be a part of it. God has a way of doing the unexpected!!! And you never know who God is going to put in your path. You just have to be open and let God work! Nothing is Impossible with God! Be Intentional!