So far, SOOO good!

It is 2:10PM here in Battambang (3:10AM EST) and all I can think of is “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” It’s true, even though I was never in Kansas, I’m not in my world any more. At first, this thought scared the hell out of me. But, I’m finding a lot of comfort in being so uncomfortable. Weird, I know.

Let me tell you a little about my travels here to Battambang. Most of you know I’m long-winded, so I’ll try to keep it somewhat short. There’s so many things I’d love to share, but I know a lot of you wouldn’t care to hear about how awesome it was that I drank Starbucks in two different Asian nations. I think it’s cool, some of you think it’s lame. So, I’ll spare those details, even though I just told you it happened haha.

1 – I had a surprise layover in Hong Kong. I landed in San Francisco and had to go get my boarding pass from Singapore Air for my two international flights. When I got to the desk they told me I’d booked a ticket to Hong Kong. As calmly as I could, I freaked out as I wasn’t expecting to fly there. The lady could tell I was freaked, so she explained that it was just a pit stop en route to Singapore and that my boarding pass was good for the whole way there. I stopped freaking out.

2 – I had the misfortune of having a middle seat for my 19 hour flight. I’m not normally upset about this, I don’t mind the middle seat really. But this flight made me hate it. I took some medicine to help me sleep on the flight, but, the plan to knock out backfired. I blame it all on the middle seat. The worst thing about the middle seat is there’s no-unawkward position to sleep in, especially when the two grown men on either side of me fell asleep with their heads almost leaning on my shoulders. So, regardless of which way I turned my head, I’d be staring awkwardly into the eyes of another man. So, I tried to sleep as comfortably as possible, but I found it hard to do. Whether it was the thought of awkwardly making eye contact with another man, or thinking about Cambodia and what the next two months held for me, I found it difficult to sleep.

3 – I had Burger King in Singapore’s airport. I know I said I’d spare those details about pointless stuff, but this experience wasn’t pointless. It’s amazing what God’ll show you over a Whopper Jr. and some fries. I was eating and began to think to myself “I can’t believe my life.” A few months ago, I was fighting the darkest, deepest depression I’d ever been through, questioning the purpose of living, and yesterday I found myself en route to share the Gospel in Cambodia. I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Afterall, its funny how God does his working sometimes. After laughing, I couldn’t help but cry tears of joy and comfort as I felt the Lord’s presence. I’ll admit, I’d become stagnant in the weeks leading up to my trip. I made excuses for not finding time with the Lord, mostly really dumb ones like busyness. Yesterday in the Changi International Airport I finally took the time the Lord had been calling me to. As I began to think, pray, and process what my life has looked like I heard the Lord say to me, “Josh, its me and you now. Let’s get back to work.” Hearing, feeling, and knowing this was God speaking to me brought me to tears. For the first time in a long time, I felt at one and in a personal relationship with Christ. No more busyness, distractions, noise to keep me from it. I felt the Lord wooing, romancing, and loving me and letting me know that He’s never going to leave my side now, these two months in Cambodia, or any time after. It sucks that it took me being all alone in Singapore to finally come back to the arms of a faithful Savior, but I’m ever so thankful that those arms were still open. I found myself laughing, crying, and laughing again as I sat there with my Jesus as he spoke truth into my life. I’m now in Battambang for two months, away from my comfort zone, family, friends, people that would normally bring me through the tough times. Now, its me, the tough times, and the Lord. I’m excited as I think these two months will bring me independence from those that I make a crutch in life, and dependence on the Lord.

4 – My foot survived an attack of severe throw up. En route from HK to Singapore, there was a little Indian boy who kept running back and forth from the front of the section to the back of the section, visiting his mother and father. I guess from all of the excitement and running, he got sick on his stomach and upchucked every bit of the yummy airplane food we’d been living off of. It hit the floor and spattered under the seats in front of me and onto my feet. Thank God I wasn’t on the aisle, because one of the guys wasn’t as lucky as I was. He got full vomit-to-foot.

5 – I made it to Battambang in one piece. I know, you’re asking yourselves why this matters, but to me its huge. I officially traveled across the world by myself. That’s a scary thought, yet true. Already I’m learning that independence from others and dependence on God thing, and its been awesome. God blessed me with a few divine moments and it’s already taught me to be faithful and on the look out for Him at all times.

6 – My welcome present into the house I’m living in was a scorpion. Not really from the family. As I walked in and took two steps a scorpion ran across in front of my feet. Thank God it wasn’t a spider haha. A little FF (fun fact) for you is that the scorpions with large claws and small tails aren’t that bad, whereas scorpions with small claws and big tails are the worse. This one was in the middle, which was comforting to know death wasn’t imminent.

7 – I’ve met and fallen in love with my Cambodian family already. The missionaries I’m living with for the next two months are in their mid-30’s with two kids, a 3 year old and 1 year old. They’re welcoming, open, loving, talkative, and great people to be around. I can sense the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives and through their lives here in Cambodia. I can’t wait to join their work out in the villages, orphanage, and house churches of Cambodia!!

I could go on and on already about what’s gone on in the less than 24 hours I’ve been in Cambodia. But what I want to stress most is this. Always be on the lookout for where you may encounter God. It could be Burger King in Singapore or the Food Lion in Locust. Never let busyness be a distraction from your relationship with the Lord. Who knows when you’ll be able to get out of that trap!? Hopefully, it won’t take you a month or two and a Whopper Jr. in Singapore to figure out you’ve been selfish in your relationship with Christ.

I love and miss you all and am ever so thankful for your prayers, support and love as I’m here in Cambodia!

Talk to you soon!

Josh