Just Within Reach ...

I know it's been a few weeks since I've blogged, but I've had so much going on in my life that there's no possible way to focus it into a blog post. Right now, I'm sitting here thinking about what to tell you. I'm laying on a bed in Nashville that is not my own, because my apartment isn't ready yet. So my incredible friends, Nic & Meredith, have taken me into their home for a few weeks. I'm sitting in "my" room looking around and realizing everything my life consists of right now is within 5 feet of me. Don't believe me? Let me illustrate this for you... on my bed is a CentriKid Camps OMC shirt, a wallet, a cell phone, and letters that I'm in the process of writing to my amazing CK1 Dream Team. Right beside me on the floor is my suitcase and my "big girl" bag I take to work everyday. Finally, on the night stand is my Bible, devotional, and a few books I've either finished reading or am just about to start. This is my life. A life where everything I need is within reach. A life that isn't cluttered. A life that is simple... at least for now.

While times like these should encourage us and give us moments of rest, do we cherish them? Probably not. It is in these times when we relax and think... and good gracious, we analyze. We muddle. We mull. We think of what-if's and why-not's. I've been doing a lot of this lately. Have I been the best person? Am I using the gifts the Lord has given me? Am I being encouraging? Most importantly, do people see Christ when interact with them?

I was talking to one of my staffers the other day and they were talking about how they were trying to get through this school year so they could get to camp again. At that moment I challenged them not to let camp become their only place of ministry, because there are 10 other months in the year where camp isn't there. Ten other months when kids aren't right side you 18 hours of the day. Ten months where your quiet times aren't the 20 minutes before the 8:15 am staff meeting. Ten months where kids aren't tugging at your shorts to buy a Sno Cone or play Ninja. Ten months where people yearning to hear the Gospel aren't "Just Within Reach..."

Not only was this a challenge for that staffer, but for me as well. I don't want to be a person who only ministers when it's 5 feet away from me or when it first comfortably into my schedule. I want my ministry to be at my job, my church, my grocery store. I'm called to be an example of Christ where ever I go and whatever I do.

So, I ask you, are you seeing things that are just within reach or are you looking AND moving past those things to see more?