Stepping Out of Narnia

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“…5-4-3-2-1, ready or not, here we come!” Growing up, one of my favorite things to play was hide and seek with my cousins at my grandparent’s house. The spare bedrooms and finished basement offered almost endless options for hiding. But despite the hours spent playing, even our favorite hiding places never ushered us into a magical world. Since growing up though, I’ve boarded airplanes and set foot into different worlds. Ones that look so different from where I grew up.Coming back from a mission trip can feel a little bit like re-entering the real world after you’ve just spent a few weeks in Narnia. It isn’t because everything that happened on your trip was pleasant or magical, but it was so different from anything you’ve ever seen or experienced at home. As a result of those experiences, your life will never be the same. Pushing back those fur coats and stepping back into the spare room isn’t easy. I know because I’ve done it quite a few times. And even though I still feel like I’m bad at it, I’ve learned a few lessons about re-entering everyday life.

1. Give yourself grace (and some sleep)

If you’re just home from a mission trip, chances are the past 48 hours have been a total blur. In that time you’ve said goodbye to kids that stole your heart, a country you fell in love with, translators that brought new meaning to being a part of a global church, and bunch of teammates- probably some of whom by this point feel more like family than friends. And, oh yeah, you’ve been on a handful of flights, crossed multiple time zones, and you’re probably running pretty short on sleep. My advice: don’t try to be super human. I’ve tried. And it usually ends up in tears and frustration. Give yourself a day or two to recover before jumping back into normal life. Take time to process your emotions. Take time to sleep. I’ve learned that there are few things that prayer, my own bed, and a few tears can’t cure.

2. Give people around you grace

This can be a hard one. We are all so Americanized. We all complain about things like food, and being hot, and the temperature of our water. But when you hear someone complaining about the food that’s on the plate in front of them, just a few days after you’ve seen kids digging in the garbage for their lunch, part of you feels like it’s going to explode. You want to scream “don’t you realize how blessed you are?” “Don’t you know there are thousands of kids who would love the things you take for granted?” But here’s the thing, they didn’t see what you just saw. So give them grace.

3. Don’t forget what you saw

Just because the people at home didn’t see what you saw doesn’t mean that you have to forget it. In the Old Testament, the Israelites set up memorial stones as a reminder of God’s faithfulness. Do the same for your experiences. Write down what you learned, what you saw, what you felt. Maybe God answered prayer in a mighty way. Maybe you saw a part of His heart that you had never seen before. Maybe one hundred kids responded to the gospel. Maybe you saw suffering on a magnitude that you had never imagined. Remember those things and let them compel you to live your life differently.

4. Remember God’s promises stand firm wherever you find yourself

Wherever you were, God took you there to experience more of Himself. The same God who parted the Red Sea, who helped David kill Goliath, who worked in the hearts of noisy kids listening to a children’s program, is the very same God who is with you, working for your best, and making good on His promises wherever you find yourself now. Don’t ever forget that.

5. Live Forward

Missing what you had on your mission trip is natural, but don’t live life in the past. Charles Spurgeon said “a cake made of memories will do for a bite now and then, but it makes poor daily bread.” Take what you learned and let it propel you forward. Channel that missing into something. Pray for the kids that you worked with. Call a teammate and encourage them. Message a translator and ask how they are doing. Take a language class. Look for opportunities to serve in your community.Faced with leaving Narnia, Lucy and Edmund were afraid that they would never see Aslan again. “’It isn’t Narnia, you know,’ sobbed Lucy. ‘It’s you. We shan’t meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?’ ‘But you shall meet me, dear one,’ said Aslan. ‘Are-are you there too, Sir?’ said Edmund. ‘I am,’ said Aslan. ‘But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.’”That is exactly the same reason God brought you to where you were this summer – to know Him more. God is working across the globe. But He’s working in your little corner of it too. It’s up to you to see Him here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/4"][vc_single_image image="22956" img_size="full" style="vc_box_circle_2"][/vc_column][vc_column width="3/4"][vc_column_text]Meagan Wanschura is the communications and curriculum development director for Global Encounters, and has travelled with them to Ecuador four times in the past three years. She loves good stories, the sound of the ocean, and dark chocolate.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]