What I learned in El Salvador

I have been "decompressing" the last few days upon my return from El Salvador.  I intended to get busy right away with writing and painting, but somehow God had a different approach for me.  I veged for two days.  I got sick.  I felt lonely.  I didn't talk much.  My decompression was turning into a depression.

But God stuck with me.  My daily devotions helped.  My daughter called.  I did some substitute teaching.  And emails and texts from friends and team members helped as well.  Until at 3:30 am on the fourth day I got it.  I figured out what God taught me on this trip.

I learned that I have to trust Him with my whole heart, and that He will give it away for me, and I don't have to worry about it.  I learned I should not "hoard" it or "guard" it as some would prefer to say.  I learned my heart as a Christ follower is not mine to protect anyway; it's Christ's.  Protecting or shielding it only keeps it away from its rightful owner. 

In El Salvador, I saw people and situations that broke my heart.  But until now, I failed to realize it was Jesus' heart that was broken.  And when Jesus' heart breaks, He always responds with love, because He is God.  Jesus wants me to respond with love as well whenever my heart breaks.  This has been difficult for me to do in the past, but He is teaching me more and more by His example. 

I came to love the people of El Salvador.  Some were easier to love than others, but I know I need to love them all equally.  This applies to everyone I know.  No matter how difficult it is to love someone, Christ wants to love them through me.  This is what I learned in El Salvador.  El Salvador means "The Savior" in Spanish.