My Motivation List

Just After the First Week

I had learned in the aftermath of our difficult missionary experience in Honduras how necessary it is, when our heart is in the tank, to have clear, uncompromising motivations close at hand.

We are not going to persist in anything (except sliding downhill) unless we have strong motivations to keep us going forward. The motivations are there just look around honestly and you will find some good ones. But know this: It won't do you any good unless you know what they are! And keep them in front of you. This is a list I put on my bed so I could go over it first thing every morning and realize afresh why I was getting up.

1. You promised the Lord that if He would absolutely reassure you about June's untrammeled joy in heaven, then you would willingly go through anything you had to go through to see this fully redeemed so that there would be no negatives down here either.

2. People are looking to you. Alisha and Stefan, and untold others are counting on me to find God's path through this and with His help be faithful to walk it. I am part of something much bigger than just myself. If I fall, it will give the enemy an opportunity to weaken others and I don't want to do that.

3. Revenge is sweet in the Lord. You want to get through this so you can come out on the other side where the avenging of the Lord on the enemy and the advance of His kingdom become your daily bread.

4. This is launching you somehow into your destiny. God forged some strange destiny into me when I was in hell and that was prior to meeting June. Later He used June to draw me out of hell and into Jesus, but the fires of hell came first. There is something out there that I have been created to do and God will use this to release me into it if I don't lay down on the job.

5. June is cheering you on and hoping that you will run the race faithfully and come home to her in heaven so we can explore the place together with the Lord. Both she and I were robbed by the enemy's sudden attack upon her and she wants me to work with the Lord to see her untimely death avenged and the divine reversal go forth.

6. Remember to pray: Lord help me want to want what you want. Help me love what you love and hate what you hate. Help me face the grief today and not run from it. Increase my faith to trust you with the pain and keep pressing forward in spite of it.

7. Keep moving. God will meet you if you just pray and then get yourself in motion. The grace and glory pole with come your way.

8. There is an end to grief. Nothing lasts forever down here except the love and truth of the Lord. If sorrow comes for the night, joy is promised to come in the morning. God shall/will/fully intends to comfort those who mourn.