Different Christmas, Same God

To put it very simply, this Christmas has been different. 

But as I thought about the word “different,” and the many ways we use this word in our lives, I found that different is often associated with a negative connotation.  Phrases such as these are common:

           

            “Sorry babe, but things are different now.”

            “It’s so different without him here.”

            “Why does it have to be different?”

           

And as I thought through some of these situations, I felt this overwhelming sadness.  Yes, many things this Christmas have been different: living away from home, not being with family, and having no snow or cold temperatures or Christmas lights to have an atmosphere that feels like Christmas are just a few.  When things are different, they often involve weariness, uncertainty, and many negative emotions often associated with change.  But that doesn’t mean that different is always negative. 

For example, look at the events of my past few days.  School ended on Friday, so Friday night we had a staff Christmas party, complete with worship songs in a few different languages and a Bollywood dancing performance from India at the end of the evening.  I then spent the week before Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand, exploring one of the highest-rated tourist cities in the world with some close friends from America. Before I left, I was invited to many different Christmas celebrations, from nationals and expats, and I had to turn down quite a few invitations. Then this evening, for Christmas Eve, I sang in a Christmas Eve candle lighting service outside, in a pavilion, with a manger scene, and it was a powerful moment.  Different, yes.  Negative, absolutely not.    

Different can often involve painful memories.  But sometimes, things being different can be God’s blessings coming to us in a slightly different way than they were before.  Different can also be a positive, new perspective that brings a greater picture of life than what we had before. 

Regardless, whether this Christmas season is filled with different situations or familiar ones, Christmas always involves God’s blessings.  So whether you are in America with family, or around the world with adopted family, don’t miss out on God’s blessings among the seemingly never-ending differences.  His blessings are always there; sometimes, we just need to look in a different light. 

God bless you all in this Christmas season.  I am so thankful for each and every one of you who is supporting me, praying for me, and connecting with me through this adventure.  I pray you feel His never-ending, magnificent, beautiful, and perfect love through the little baby Jesus this season.  I love and miss you all.  Merry Christmas from the South Pacific!  

Luke Forshey

December 24, 2015

A Year of Thanksgivings

Tonight I was sitting on my porch, watching a massive rainstorm come in, and it was just beautiful.  Seeing the way that a sunny, hot, humid day fades to a rain shower and then becomes a peaceful, humid-less evening is one of my favorite parts about being here.  Especially tonight, I had so much to write about. 

Today is American Thanksgiving, a completely Western holiday, which isn’t celebrated here at all.  We still had school as usual, and nothing closed down for the day.  In my US History class, though, we had a Thanksgiving party, full of food, American music videos, and great fellowship.  As we went around the table of desks pushed into the center of the classroom, we each had to share one general thing we are thankful for and one thing that happened between last Thanksgiving and this Thanksgiving that we are thankful for.  It was such a blessing to hear the ways God has been at work in these students’ lives. 

After the party, I continued teaching, and the day went on as usual.  But watching the rainstorm tonight, and catching my breath after a busy day, made me realize how much has changed in my life from last year to this year.  After all of the hard times, lonely nights away from friends and family, culture shock, and transition anxiety, I am still so thankful that God has called me to this place. 

This time last year, I was struggling to finish up my last semester of college.  I had good grades, but the work was completely overwhelming.  I finished that semester, completed student teaching, and then graduated, moving on to academia as a teacher, not a student. 

This summer, I had one of the best summers of my life.  I got to visit so many new places, form new friendships over sports and wings, play music and share testimonies at countless churches, and spend some quality time with my family.  The eight weeks between graduation and leaving went so quickly, but were filled with too many blessings to name. 

In the middle of July, I went off to training for my organization in the Midwest.  Not only did I learn so much, I also met some of the most wonderful, supportive, God-honoring people I have ever met.  Their encouraging messages, Facebook posts, and testimonies continue to inspire me, even though we are worlds away from each other. 

Quickly, training was over, and I was on a plane to the South Pacific!  I knew so little of what I was getting into; I knew I would be teaching, helping with chapel services, and coaching soccer, but that was all.  I knew I would meet friendly people, but I never thought people would be this friendly.  I imagined learning the language would be tough, but I didn’t think locals would be so gracious and willing to help me struggle through learning.  I knew that I would enjoy teaching, but I never thought I would enjoy these students, these classes, and this school so much.  I felt confident about my call to come here, yet I never imagined my life would look so beautiful since I arrived.  I am truly so thankful. 

Today is a day dedicated to giving thanks.  Please make sure you thank those who are important to you – “thank yous” from my students today meant a lot.  But today isn’t the only day we have things to be thankful for; let’s make this Thanksgiving Day just the first day in a never-ending lifestyle of thankfulness for all He has given us.  

If you are reading this, you are one part of my story, my calling, and my influence here.  I cannot say thank you enough to all of the support I’ve received since I’ve arrived.  I hope you know how much you all are appreciated.  I am truly so thankful! 

Happy Thanksgiving, from “rumah saya” (my house) in the South Pacific to yours. 

Love and miss you all!  

Luke Forshey

November 26, 2015

Cookies, Creatures, and Catastrophes

Cookies, Creatures, and Catastrophes

Every team retreat, we each bring a snack.  Cookies seem to be a fairly popular retreat snack food, so I often make chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies for my contribution.  Tonight I found myself making cookies for our retreat this weekend.

This time, the cookie making didn’t go as well as before.  I didn’t have the time to go to the nice grocery store, so I didn’t get the highest quality of ingredients, plus the proportions of peanut butter to chocolate were off.  So I tried again, this time just making peanut butter no-bakes, and they got hard too quickly.  Two completed batches of cookies, two hardly edible batches of cookies.  But the cookie catastrophe is not the important part of this story. 

As I was cleaning up my mess of ingredients on the floor and countertop, I came across two ants.  Here, it is almost impossible to go three steps without running into a group of ants, so I swept them up with the cookie crumbs and planned to throw them in the garbage.  When I opened up my cloth though, the ants were still alive, so I proceeded to let them live and put them back on the floor.  Thinking nothing of these two ants, as there are probably hundreds in my kitchen alone, I went back to cleaning.  As I was just about finished, though, something about one of the ants caught my eye, so I bent down to look at this creature.  I could see his mouth, and he was eating a piece of cookie crumb that I left on the floor.  Not knowing how ants actually consume food, I watched him for a little bit.  After eating, he went to cleaning his face, and then stood up to reach to cookie crumb again.  This process continued for a few minutes, and then he ran off into other areas of my apartment. 

As I looked back on this situation, I saw how similar I was to that ant.  I like cookies, so does he.  I shower, so does he.  More significantly, I am a beautiful creation of God and so is he.  But, there were also a few striking differences between us.  I am thousands of times bigger and more powerful than him.  I controlled his fate, and I chose to let him live.  He was completely at the mercy of my decisions; he had no say.  Only after I allowed him a place in my life did I see the incredible beauty of his one, small, seemingly insignificant life. 

And then I looked at what is going on in our world right now.  There are so many people who need help: the refugees, the injured, the fatherless, the oppressed, the victims, the captives, and the captors.    So many people are in the situation of the ant, unable to help themselves, relying on help from others to ensure their survival.  These people come from terrible situations, and yet the only find hope from limited groups of people.  Other groups push them away, saying “You look too much like them,” or “How can we trust you when you’re from THAT country?”  The saddest part of this reality is that these people are people too: created in the image of God, given inherent worth by Jesus’ blood, and able to impact the world in a positive way, if they only had that chance.  There is no reason they should be discriminated against because of their skin color or ethnicity; Paul commands us in Galatians that “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).”  It breaks my heart to see people, just like you and me, who are being denied basic human rights because of situations out of their control.  This problem needs fixed. 

I am not here to start a political conversation.  I understand that each situation in today’s world involves risks, and sometimes leaders believe the risks are not worth the rewards.  I am just here to bring Jesus into the conversation.  Jesus shed his blood to save every person on the earth: all religions, all cultures, all people groups, and all areas of the world.  He gave his life, his ultimate sacrifice, to show love to all people.  If Jesus gave all he had, without discrimination, shouldn’t we do the same thing? 

Living in a Muslim country this year has given me a greater impression of their religion and culture.  These people are some of the friendliest people I have ever met.  They enjoy talking, hanging out, playing soccer and guitar, and just being in community together.  Not all people of this faith are involved in the negative situations in the news; in fact, that percentage is a very miniscule fraction of the total population.   It breaks my heart to see friends posting ideas that stereotype all followers of this religion into one category; this simply isn’t true. 

As an American living in a foreign country, I urge you to be Jesus to the people you interact with each day.  The world doesn’t need more people to judge; the world needs people to love.  Most importantly, the world needs Jesus, and who is better to be that example than you?

The answer to the world’s problems is not more violence.  The answer is Jesus.    

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Mohandas Gandhi

Luke Forshey

November 20, 2015

Reflections of a Solo Traveler- Part 1

Every time I travel to a different part of the South Pacific, I re-remember why I love this area of the world so much.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to visit the capital city of an adjacent country.  I had an initial plan – I would go see a big tennis tournament, sleep at this hotel, meet up with these friends, and fly out at this time.  But as all experienced travelers know, the plan very rarely goes as scheduled.  So this is a little of my story of the weekend.

Friday night I got to the airport and stayed in the airport hotel.  All smooth so far.  As I settled into my room, I got a text from the airline I was flying, saying my flight had been delayed from 5:30am to 9:00am.  That’s 3.5 hours later!  I had planned exactly how much time I needed to get from the airport, through customs, to a taxi, and into the stadium, and that was all thrown off.  I did arrive 20 minutes late to the start of the first match, but I got to see another 6 hours, so that 20 minutes wasn’t too important. 

Saturday morning, the flight went as planned.  I got into the country and waited through the lines, then got to the airport train leading into the city.  When I needed a taxi to take me the rest of the way, I told him the location and I got him really lost.  I guess my language and his language didn’t translate, so I was at a much different place than I wanted to be.  But eventually, we got sorted out, and he pointed me directly to the tennis stadium.  He didn’t get mad; instead, he was so helpful even when I got him lost.  That taxi driver is someone I will remember.

At the stadium, I asked 2 different people for directions.  One was the souvenir shop guy, and he gave me detailed directions of how to get to the closest mall.  Then, on the way out, I asked a security guard how to find the taxi.  He not only pointed me to the taxi rental outside the stadium, he introduced himself by name, asked if I had other questions, and then told me that he can get me in for free tomorrow if I find him before I got my ticket.  I wasn’t exactly sure if I could count on the free ticket, but sure enough, the next day he was waiting for me at the front gate and walked me right in.  Both of these people made time for me, out of their crazy schedule with 1000’s of other people at the event, and I felt very welcomed and appreciated.

At the taxi rental, I tried to get a taxi to take me around town to visit my friends’ house.  When I told them the location, one driver responded saying ‘This is too far, and I don’t want to take that much money from you.”  Then he gave me the exact route of how to get there by the metro, which ended up saving me so much money.  That taxi driver’s kindness meant a lot.  I never did get to meet up with my friends, as the metro is very slow and it was getting late when I left the stadium, but their kindness was much appreciated. 

I did get about ¾ of the way to my friends’ house though, which put me across town from the stadium.  So I chose to book a hotel closer to my current location, instead of one right beside the stadium as I planned.  So I called another taxi (after checking public transit routes, I’m learning!), and this guy was so helpful.  Most taxis here charge a flat fee, so I gave him the fee and we were off.  On the way, he asked me questions and I asked him questions, and it was very pleasant and friend.  When we got the hotel, the car couldn’t get to the front because of an outdoor marker going on, so I had to walk around the sketchy back alley leading to the door.  He could tell I was nervous, so he parked the taxi, paid to park, and walked in with me.  He stayed the whole way until I got checked in at the hotel and had my room key in hand.  He even gave me his card and told me if I need anything else, taxi service or just questions of how to get around, to give him a call.  We said goodbye, and I felt like I was saying goodbye to a friend.

At the hotel, the receptionist figured out my stay, and then she told me she upgraded my reservation from a cheap room to a deluxe room for free, just because she could.  Another super friendly person.

The next day, I went to Chinatown for lunch.  There were no free tables in the market, so I sat down with another 20-something-year-old guy who was sitting by himself.  We quickly got talking, and he offered to give me a tour of the city and even stay in his apartment when I come back.  I got his number, he got mine, and now I even have a few friends my age in this new place.  Again, I was so impressed by how friendly everyone along this trip was. 

So as I sat there, on the plane coming home from my trip, I notice that the events that I did are not what stuck out.  Yes, the tennis was awesome, I love flying and experiencing a new city, and navigating the metro is always an adventure the first time, but I’m writing and remembering more people than events.  The people here just know how to care about people.  Now, the disclaimer that I’m a solo American traveler that people must feel bad for and want to impress has to be included in this blog.  But I have a feeling that people wouldn’t stop caring about each other even if they were nationals.  Caring and loving people is just a way of life here, which is why I feel so at peace.  As I strive to love people, I finally feel I’m in a place that truly understands what it means to care for others.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “People will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  This rings true throughout this trip.  I’m traveling by myself, in a completely new country, but I’ve never felt lonely or unsupported through the whole 36 hours I spent outside my country.  The people in this area of the world are special, and it is a joy to live around them this year.

So make sure to treat each person as special.  You never know who is listening or writing in their journal about how great you made them feel.  We have a perfect role model of love through the life of Christ Jesus – don’t be afraid to live up to that challenge. 

Thank you Jesus: for safe travels, for wonderful friends and family to share with when I returned, and for seeing and learning so much more than who won the tennis tournament.

Luke Forshey
October 4, 2015

Proud to be a Part

Community is so hard to find.  Everyone desires a sense of belonging, a way to feel connected, but there are so few ways to find that community.  Certain social groups, such as the Rotary Club, 4H, Boy Scouts, or recreational sports teams provide a place of connection, but these relationships often fade when the participants stop participating.  Church groups can form deeper connections, but often political, religious, or organizational issues divide even the strongest of church groups.  Even though we all desire to feel loved, belonged, and important, there are so few places where we can feel this love.  This is what makes my team here so special. 

Tonight was the first night of our 2015-2016 Field Council.  This is a yearly business meeting where every worker from my organization in my country meets together to share updates, review finances, and create goals for the upcoming year.  We elected new members the leadership team, reviewed finances, and shared a delicious dinner together before continuing to the business meeting.  To end the meeting, our Field Leader, a person who has been here for 20 or more years, went around the room and shared a positive word with every person on the team.  So many positive words were shared, and many of us had tears in our eyes by the end of the evening.  It was special time for us as a team.

As I sat there listening to our leader share about each person on our team, I realized the incredible group of people I get to spend this year with.  Each person has such a beautiful servant heart, with so many gifts and talents, and when God is being glorified through those talents, such amazing work gets accomplished.  Our team, 12 members strong, is teaching and supporting four different schools, a counseling ministry, a physical therapy practice, mothers support group, art clinics, English language classes, an agricultural ministry in a rural area, and many Bible studies and small groups throughout the community, just to name a few.  There is no way that 12 people should be able to accomplish all that we do, but God is such a part of each ministry.  This is such a special place. 

At the end of the session, our leader said a few words that I will always remember.  He said, “I am proud to be a part of this team.”  Instantly, there were words to what I have been feeling for the last six weeks.  There have been so many emotions filling my head since I’ve arrived, but this simple statement clarifies all of them.  This place is special, these people are special, and it is such a blessing to be a part of the incredible work that God is doing through this team. 

I have found a community.  It might be around the world, far away from many loved ones, but we are connected by one important thing: the love of Christ, working in and through us in such incredible ways.  This kind of bond will never go away, never fade, or never grow old; I feel confident that the year I spend with this group of people will help me form relationships that will last me the rest of my life.  I am so thankful to have found such an incredible support group of people who love God with their whole lives.  They challenge me every day, and I only hope that I can encourage and challenge them as well. 

I am so proud to be a part of God’s incredible work through this team and in this country.  Thank you Jesus. 

Luke Forshey

September 11, 2015

I Couldn't Be More Thankful

Tonight was another night of God’s incredible faithfulness.  Every day, I am blown away by His love.

I was invited to a college student and young adult Bible study at a friend’s house this evening.  I had a really long day, after a weekend that didn’t involve lots of rest, so I really debated going.  But eventually, I did go, and I was so thankful that I did. 

For the study, we talked about the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.  They had been looking at this passage for the last 6 weeks or so, and I caught them on the last night of talking about this passage.  Our leader went through each of the different characters of the story and talked about the characteristics of each one.  The Father- patient, forgiving, loving.  The younger son- rebellious, adventurous, lost.  The older son- jealous, empty, lonely.  I have heard this story for many years, so these emotions were nothing new. 

To end the study, though, we went around and shared which character stuck out the most to us in the story.  And as I sat there and listened to everyone’s stories, some in English, some in a different language, some through translation, I was so thankful.  There were 10 people in the room, including myself, and each person had such a powerful story of the way God has worked in his or her life.  One person shared about how she felt like the jealous and angry older son after the passing of a close family member.  Another shared about a time when she was the younger son, looking for meaning in the wrong places.  I shared about the Father, as I have felt such a new depth of His love in the time I have been here.  And when everyone had finished sharing, I felt such an incredible sense of peace in the room, a peace that only comes from God.  Everyone’s story led to the conclusion that the Father’s love is so much greater than we can ever imagine.  He brings meaning through the pain, He brings love to the lost, and He brings peace to the angry and jealous.  After the study, we all shared a meal together and shared how God was working in the ministries He has called us to.  And in that room, the whole way around the world, with ten people of three different nationalities, two languages, and one God, I got a new glimpse of just how big our God is. 

I’m thousands of miles away from home, but tonight I formed relationships with people that have quickly felt like family.   An older lady invited me back to her house to learn to make traditional food, a local fabric manufacturer offered to take me shopping to help me decorate my apartment, another single guy gave me his number and told me to message him anytime I needed anything or wanted a brother to talk to, and a newly wed couple felt sad that they were leaving our town and were not able to get to know me better.  God’s love has a way of bringing people together in a way that is beyond words, and I experienced that tonight. 

It would be very easy for me to feel stressed, overwhelmed, lonely, and out-of-place here.  There is so much work to do, so many lessons to plan, and so many new cultural things to experience and learn.  But through moments like tonight, I can see so clearly that God’s love is going before me.  I know He has me here for a reason, and I know His love is stronger than I can ever imagine.   There are days that are tough, but I know that I can do anything through His strength. 

These moments have happened so often since I have been here, and it is so incredible to see God’s love at work in such powerful ways.  I look back on the last month and I am so thankful- there’s no other emotion to describe such a smooth transition into such a new place.  God is clearly going before me, preparing my heart and the hearts of the people around me, and I know He is in the process of doing some amazing things at the school and in the lives of those I interact with in the community.  It is such a humbling feeling to know He chose me to be the one to bring His love to these people.  I couldn’t be more thankful.  

Luke Forshey

August 24, 2015

Are You the Christian You Want Them to See?

Tonight was an awesome night, definitely the most spiritually powerful one I've had in this country yet.

Last Sunday, I went to a local church with a family from school.  I really enjoyed the worship, and I met some of the band members after the service.  One of the guys in the band was a college student, just a few years younger than me, so we connected over Facebook, and he asked me to come to their next praise band rehearsal on Saturday.  I said I would be excited to join them.

Tonight, he picked me up, and we went to the rehearsal.  The first thing I noticed was they used zero music.  Everything was memorized, except for the lyrics, and the vocalists were the only ones who used the lyrics.  The vocalist said “Let’s play this in a higher key,” so they switched keys.  If the vocalist wanted a different feel, they changed that too.  The lead vocalist signaled where to go by either 1 finger behind her back (for verse) or 2 fingers behind her back (for chorus).  They led their whole service like this.  The only thing decided before rehearsal was the lyrics that will be sung.  It was incredible.  Not only were these musicians so talented on their individual instruments, but they had such a feel and chemistry through the team.  I got to play my trumpet in the band, and I was very thankful to join a team of such talented musicians!

After the rehearsal, there was a church prayer service.  Now, when I think of a prayer service in the States, I think of a few people, maybe 6-8, who sit in a circle and share prayer requests and then “popcorn prayer” around the circle, with one person starting and another ending.  It isn’t an important part of the church community; only the elders or experienced members of the church bother to attend.  Well the prayer service at this church was the polar opposite. 

Now, I am still struggling with the language in my current county.  The members of the worship team spoke very clear English, so I was able to communicate with them quite well, but the service was all in a different language.  There were a few worship songs, a sermon, and then a time of prayer.  Through this whole service, which lasted about an hour, I recognized about 4 phrases: “Thank you Jesus,” “Come fill this country,” “Bless this city,” and a reference to the verse “When 2 or more are gathered in your name, there you will be also.”  All of these phrases combined happened maybe 10-12 times through the hour.  I was so lost through the majority.  But I was blown away by the faith of these people. 

First off, about everyone in the church congregation came to the prayer service.  It was so important for them to be together and lift up the needs of their community and their country.  During the service, there was yelling, screaming, dancing around, and group prayer.  I didn’t understand any of it, but I could see it.  I could see that their praise was real.  I could feel the Spirit in that place.  They truly meant what they believed.  They weren’t hesitant to proclaim that Jesus is Lord of their lives.  They weren’t afraid to worship in an extremely oppressed area, where it isn’t extremely safe to profess to be a Christian.  They were worshipping God with all they had.  And even though I didn’t understand many of the words of the service, I could see their heart.  I saw such an incredible picture of how God wants us to worship Him; completely unhindered, a million percent devoted, and zero percent ashamed.  What a powerful picture, a picture that transcends words. 

I was really challenged tonight.  Even when I didn’t understand many words of their service, I could see their faith.  I could see their devotion to God.  I could see their love, and I wanted some of that.  I wanted to be a part of the incredible transformation that God has done in their lives, and I am so thankful for the chance to worship with these beautiful people through the next year. 

So I challenge you, are you living your life so devoted to God that everyone around you can see the passion and the fire you have?  Words are so secondary to the work God is doing in your life.  I think back to St. Francis of Assisi’s quote “Preach the Gospel at all times.  Use words if necessary.”  These people were preaching the Gospel through their lives, and I have a new picture of how God wants us to live our lives.   

People are watching you, me, and all of us who profess to be Christians.  Our lives are the most powerful influence we have. 

Are you the Christian you want them to see?

Luke Forshey

August 8, 2015

Ready, Set, Go

This has taken a couple of days to post and edit through, but it was written on the plane coming over here last Wednesday and Thursday!  More blogs are coming about my adventures here so far!

Have you ever had a day when you are just so overwhelmed with emotion that there is no other choice than to cry?  I’m sure we all have felt like this; crying and emotions are part of being human.  Some of these moments come from pain and sorrow, while others come from an overflowing of joy.  This overflowing of joy cannot be contained or stopped, and it manifests itself however and whenever it wishes.  I had many tears in my eyes as my host dropped me off at the airport this morning, but they weren’t tears of sadness.  They were tears of incredible joy shining through one more time on American soil.  I could be sad or nervous, scared or worried, and there are small traces of each of these emotions in my heart now, but the peace and joy I’m feeling now completely overwhelms any trace amounts of fear, and I am so grateful for that. 

One of the things that has made this whole journey so special is the realization of where I was last year at this time.  I was just getting out of a relationship that didn’t honor God, hanging with some less than positive friends to combat the loneliness I was feeling, and experiencing alcohol and the bar scene more than was healthy.  Less than a year later, I am on a plane, flying across the Pacific Ocean, following God to one of the toughest fields in the world.  He gave me the strength to turn life around, the people I needed to do so, and the situations that led me to where I am right now.

I don’t deserve this opportunity at all.  I should still be lost in my sin, knowing that God’s standard of holiness is miles, even continents away from where I was at that time.  Yet He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.  He saw “redeemed” when I saw “stained”; he saw “loved” when I saw “unlovable”; and he saw “son” when I saw “prisoner.”  Praise God that his view of us is vastly different, so perfectly different, than our view of ourselves. 

As I was on my first flight this morning, I ran into a very sweet older lady.  She checked in right behind me, and she ended up sitting right beside me on my flight to Washington D.C.  We started talking, and one of her first questions to me was, “Are you a missi**ary?”  Of course I answered yes, which prompted a great conversation about my year and her work as a small group leader in her local church in small-town Illinois.  It was a joy to talk with her, but this conversation was more important than just a friendly conversation.  This conversation was the first time that the term “mis**nary” became real to me.  I am going as a teacher and a worship leader, and I was focusing on these jobs because I feel good about them.  I’ve trained, I’ve practiced, and I feel confident in those responsibilities.  But the idea of being a miss***ary is not something I ever imagined I would or could be; I always thought God would pick someone stronger, who had more experience or more gifts to bring to the table.  I don’t know why that term really stuck out to me today more than the previous few weeks of training.  Maybe being on the plane made it more real.  Maybe I’ve said all of my goodbyes and I am prepared for what is really coming.  Maybe the Holy Spirit spoke to me.  I don’t know why this conversation happened, but I do know that it made me realize what a wonderful opportunity I have to reach people for Jesus through this year.

I look at my life at this time last year, and I see a world of pain and brokenness.  Dreams shattered, realities faced.  Life wasn’t a fairly tale, let alone a cheerful story.  And I look at the people in the country I am going to, and I see very similar people.  I see people who are lost and broken, looking for hope in the wrong places, and I can kind of relate to them.  Not in culture, not in religious practices, not in way of life, but in the human need to find a purpose greater than ourselves.  They turn to religious rituals for this hope and meaning, but they don’t know how their lives would change if they would turn to Jesus instead. 

As I look back on last year, I am incredibly thankful for that period of my life.  Every part of it has shaped who I am today, and I wouldn’t feel as prepared to tackle the adventure ahead of me if I hadn’t tackled these hard times in my life previously.  And even through my uncertainty about the future, my inexperience with sharing the gospel, and my insecurity about teaching many different subjects, I feel a sense of overwhelming peace and joy.  I know that God has used all of my life situations to prepare me for this time, which gives me incredible peace that God will use this year to prepare me for what is to come.  I know that I would not feel the way I do today if I was relying on my own strength, because I have none.  No, everything I am, and everything I will be, is a product of God’s incredible work in the life of a broken person.  And maybe this broken person, a 22-year old, first-year music teacher, could influence the broken people around the world.  We don’t have much in common, except the common desire to find a higher meaning for life.  But I know one thing for certain: God loves them, and God loves me, and God is in the business of bringing the broken to life.  I’ve seen it in my life, and I am confident I will see it in the lives of the people I meet throughout this year as well. 

Well, I’m on the plane now, there’s no turning back.  I have completed my training and readings.  I have a whole year ahead of me to touch as many lives as possible.  And most importantly, I have a God who never has and never will leave me on my own. 

When my plane touches down in a couple hours, the grand adventure begins.  There’s no holding back, no second chances.  Today starts the greatest adventure and year of my life.  The time is now, the day is here.    

I picture God standing up in Heaven as a starter for an Olympic running race.  He starts the race, and we all know what that means:

Ready, set, go.  There’s no day but today. 

Luke Forshey
July 29-30, 2015

Inside Out (Spoiler Alert!)

Some days, life is wonderful.  Other days, life can be really hard.  And some days, you have such an incredible mix of both that it is truly beautiful in God’s time.  Today, and especially these last couple of days, have been such a mix of both.

Last Saturday, I returned from a family vacation.  We went camping to the PA Grand Canyon, and minus a little bit of rain (more like 3 inches of water flooding our campsite and causing us to leave early), it was a wonderful time.  We took a 17-mile bike ride through the canyon, with various stops for hiking and sightseeing, played many games of volleyball, and spent lots of time together.  This was really special, as it will be the last time that my family had an extended time together. 

The next day, we went to church together and lunch afterwards, but after lunch we all went separate ways.  My sisters went to church for drama practice, while Mom was busy running errands around the house and Dad was busy fixing the water heater that broke while we were away.  I was left to do my own thing, which was great because I had a lot to get done for my trip as well.  But this time Sunday afternoon was the first time that I really felt saddened by the drifting apart of family.  We just had such a great trip together, but then reality hit that our lives all take different paths.  We’re all doing so many great things, and I am excited and proud of each and every person in my family for the ways they show God through their life, but it still doesn’t make it any easier.  We are called to different things, and especially going into this next year, these different things cause us to be apart from each other.

On Sunday evening, I drove to visit some friends from Messiah who live out in Pittsburgh.  It was wonderful to see them again.  They showed me around their small town, and then we went into the city and visited a jazz club in the evening.  But reality set in that evening, as it came time to say goodbye for one of these friends, and blasting “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa and hugging and crying together didn’t take away the pain that being separated will cause through the next year. 

On Tuesday morning, it came time to drive to Nashville to help one of these friends move into her new place.  We got up early and finished packing, and shortly thereafter we began the ten-hour trek to the heart of Nashville.  It was a great trip!  We talked about the last couple of months since graduation, laughed and prayed together, shared some new music, had delicious lunch at Dairy Queen, and we even stopped at Abe Lincoln’s birthplace for a little travel break.  When we got to Nashville, we met up with another friend who lives a couple of hours south, and it was great to have my friends from Messiah and from home meet each other.  That night, we went to the tourist district of Nashville and then met some new friends to stay in their apartment.  But the morning came, and another goodbye came, as I had to say bye to one of my closest friends from Messiah for at least the next year.    

But the trip continued!  That day, I was heading down to Lookout Mountain, Georgia to spend a week with a close friend before I left.  We had so many fun things planned; a Phillies baseball game at the Atlanta Braves stadium, a hiking trip to a state park in Alabama, a 4^th of July celebration at her friend’s house, and a couple of little side trips.  It was so great to see her again, and all of our adventures were fun.  But reality set in again, as this week is my last week before training and also the last time I will see her before being separated from one of my closest friends for the next year.  Add in a bunch of drama between her friends and herself, my visa application being rejected (while my passport is back in PA and I am not), and a lot of mixed emotions about leaving, and it has been a trying week.  A good week that had many moments of fun and joy, but definitely not smooth or uneventful.

Before this whole trip started, I had the opportunity to go see Inside Out with a couple of friends from home.  I really enjoyed it; I thought the idea was cute, the storyline flowed logically, and the message at the end was extremely relevant to what I have been feeling.  At the end, there is no one emotion that wins out; instead they realize that all emotions are needed to create a more beautiful story of someone’s life.  As I prepare myself to leave for training within the week and the South Pacific by the end of the month, I realize how much truth this simple movie has in it.  When someone asks how I’m feeling about the trip, it’s very easy to say that I’m excited and extremely looking forward to it, because I really am!  It’s going to be such a great experience, and I am so thankful for the opportunity.  But at the same time, the sadness and pain is starting to set in as well.  I have so many wonderful people here that I am going to miss so much, and a year away from home is a really long time.  I know this is God’s plan for my life at this point, but that fact still doesn’t make it any easier.

So many emotions are filling my mind right now.  There are so many people I’m going to miss, yet so many wonderful experiences await me.  The combination of joy and sadness, fear and excitement, is what makes life so exciting.  Just as the characters in Inside Out realized, all of these emotions form together to create such a beautiful picture of life, and life would not be as colorful if all of these different emotions didn’t exist.  Although these emotions come with their share of nervousness and fear, I am so excited to see how this beautiful picture unfolds through the next year. 

Thank you for following this journey and reading my thoughts!  Your support means so much to me.  As I get ready to leave for training next Sunday, please pray for:

            -The documents I need for my visa application to come in a timely manner.

            -Continued fundraising support.

            -Emotions of leaving friends and family.

            -Safe travels throughout the country over the next week. 

God bless you all!

Luke Forshey

July 6, 2015

Lasts, Firsts, and Nevers:

Today, June 12, marks exactly one month from my last day in Central Pennsylvania.  As many of you already know, I will be leaving on July 12 to attend a training session with One Mission Society, and then three short weeks later I will be on a plane to my new home.  What an incredible past year this has been, and I am so excited to see all of the pieces fall together for me to be teaching in a different country within the next two months. 

Obviously, I am feeling a wide range of emotions.  I’m sitting in the local public library writing this post, and even here, I have many great memories from the past 22 years.  From book sales where my sisters and I would shove as many books as possible into a box for 5 dollars, to kids summer reading activities, to finding new music through the massive CD collection, this library holds a special place in my heart.  Down the street is the local movie theater, where I have seen multiple movies and spent time with many wonderful friends.  Just a few miles down this road lies the tourist district of Hershey: the restaurants, Hershey Park, the Giant Center hockey arena, which I visited often to see the local hockey team, and Hershey’s Chocolate World, my place of employment for the last three summers.  There are many places in Hershey that I will miss, and over the next month, I will need to say goodbye to many places I hold dear to my heart. 

Over the next month, I will try to see as many people as I possibly can, to say goodbye one final time.  I have been blessed with a wonderful group of friends, a supportive and encouraging church, and a job working with people I value.  These meetings will not be easy.  As we each go our separate ways, friends moving away to find new jobs, getting married, leaving Chocolate World, or even elderly friends from church possibly passing on, I don’t know what each of these people will be doing when I return.  Will Scott and John still be in my department at Chocolate World?  Will Sam be married by then?  Will Mr. and Mrs. Eckles, the older couple at church, still be able to give me a big hug every Sunday morning one year from now?  All of these uncertainties make leaving my hometown, my country, and my world as I have known it, so much harder. 

These situations each describe a “last.”  All of these “lasts,” the last time I get to sit at the library and write, the last time I get to play tennis with Josh, the last time I go to church and get attacked by hugs from the older folks, the last time I will talk with Janelle, or Matt, or Cameron, or so many other close friends face-to-face, for at least a year, are coming soon.  It’s a humbling feeling, knowing that all I’ve known for so long will instantly become such a small part of my life for the near future. 

But just as doors will close, other doors will open, and it would inaccurately describe my feelings if I just focused on the “lasts” without the excitement of the “firsts.”  In the South Pacific, I will be teaching in my own classroom, for the first time in my life.  All of the years of practicing, listening, and studying music, along with four years of college in music education, have finally lead to this point.  I am also excited to earn my first paycheck in something other than a part-time, summer job, as proof that I’m truly an adult now.  I will be living in another country, traveling the world by myself, teaching history and Bible in addition to music, assisting with coaching soccer, and teaching the most ethnically diverse group of students I have ever and possibly will ever see.  These are all “firsts” that I am so excited about, and even though the idea of change is terrifying, I have a joy and a peace about the unfamiliar that shows that God is truly in control. 

But this article would be incomplete without talking about the “nevers” as well.  “Nevers” are much harder to see, because these things are not surface level.  It’s easy to see that I am leaving Hershey soon and easy to see that I will be teaching on my own for the first time, but it is harder to see the “nevers.”  I view “nevers” as the things that will never change even though my whole life is prepared to do a complete 180.  Things like love and support from my friends and family will never change, regardless of what country I am living in.  I know that they will always be there, and even though physically I will be further away, we’re only a skype call or email away from each other.  Support from my friend Katie, who has been such a huge part of me continuing on this journey, will never change.  Words of affirmation from my teachers and professors at Messiah College will never leave my heart.  Even though it looks like everything is changing, there is so much that is the same. 

But regardless of the support I have at home, and I am so thankful for this wonderful group of people encouraging me in this new adventure, the most important love that will never leave is God’s.  I know without a doubt that God is calling me to this journey, and only through trusting Him will I succeed in all that is being asked of me.  Even though this adventure will require my life to change drastically, I feel a peace that only comes from God.  This peace only comes from the “nevers” being stronger than the “lasts” and “firsts” combined.  I know that through every transition God is there, and he is stronger than any challenge I face, so I feel a joy and a peace I never thought I would feel at this time.  This realization, one of just many that show me God is with me, gives me hope.  I know that many things will change in the coming months.  I know that I will miss home, and I know that it will take a long time for my small classroom to feel like it’s mine.  But above all else, I know that God is good, and even though my world is about to change drastically, His love never will.  This is the greatest example of peace and love that I have ever experienced, and I am so excited to begin this journey.

I am so thankful to everyone who makes leaving the country so hard.  I am so blessed to have something that makes it so hard to say goodbye. 

I am so thankful for the wonderful experiences I will have, and I pray that I can bless the people I meet over the next year. 

But most importantly, I am thankful for having a God who promises to never leave us or forsake us, even when all things may seem lost and dark and uncertain.  This God, and the love He has shown me, is the reason why I live move and have my being.  May he be praised through the next month, and more importantly the next year. 

Luke Forshey

June 12, 2015

Joshua 1:9- “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”