I had a dejá vu moment last night. Everyone had had a really stressful week, and classes don't start until 10:00 tomorrow, so many of the ETAs decided to go out and party. I thought they were going to norebang (Korean karaoke), which I wanted to try, so I decided to go along. But little did I know, the ACTUAL plan for the evening was to go drink - a whole lot - before hitting the norebang. Beer, whiskey, soju, the whole shebang....it was all there.
I kept thinking of my time in Spain, when I experienced much the same thing - a typical group of young Americans, in which the majority of them are mainly interested in drinking and partying. I really struggled adjusting to that scene at first - how do I relate to them if I can't enjoy their forms of amusement? How can I witness to them if they think I'm just a boring stick in the mud who doesn't know how to have fun?
My father, however, told me something very profound while I was struggling in Spain. "I understand your struggles," he said. "Been there for a very long time. Where do you get more contentment? Living in your convictions and relationship, or living in compromise and making a few new drinking buddies? Its not a debate, and you don't get to determine the winner. Your job is to be a witness, not a winner. So, you just share what you have experienced. There are only two stories you can tell- yours (because you are living it, and no one can debate that with you), and the Lord's (because He lives in you, and has given it to you). You are a witness. Not the judge, the jury, the prosecutor, or the defendant. It's someone else's job to determine the outcome, to judge, or to defend."
I ended up leaving the party within half an hour of arriving with another girl who was equally as un-interested in that scene as I was. And do you know what? We had a great time. We walked around for a while, and talked about God, and travel, and boys, and family, and all sorts of other random topics. It was really great to get to know someone else on a little deeper level here - something I've been missing since I got here.
Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Don't feel like you have to change who you are to "fit in." Standing out is not necessarily a bad thing. That's what brings others to Christ - they see something in us that is different from the rest. Let them see it! Don't be ashamed of showing your light to the world :).
I kept thinking of my time in Spain, when I experienced much the same thing - a typical group of young Americans, in which the majority of them are mainly interested in drinking and partying. I really struggled adjusting to that scene at first - how do I relate to them if I can't enjoy their forms of amusement? How can I witness to them if they think I'm just a boring stick in the mud who doesn't know how to have fun?
My father, however, told me something very profound while I was struggling in Spain. "I understand your struggles," he said. "Been there for a very long time. Where do you get more contentment? Living in your convictions and relationship, or living in compromise and making a few new drinking buddies? Its not a debate, and you don't get to determine the winner. Your job is to be a witness, not a winner. So, you just share what you have experienced. There are only two stories you can tell- yours (because you are living it, and no one can debate that with you), and the Lord's (because He lives in you, and has given it to you). You are a witness. Not the judge, the jury, the prosecutor, or the defendant. It's someone else's job to determine the outcome, to judge, or to defend."
I ended up leaving the party within half an hour of arriving with another girl who was equally as un-interested in that scene as I was. And do you know what? We had a great time. We walked around for a while, and talked about God, and travel, and boys, and family, and all sorts of other random topics. It was really great to get to know someone else on a little deeper level here - something I've been missing since I got here.
Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Don't feel like you have to change who you are to "fit in." Standing out is not necessarily a bad thing. That's what brings others to Christ - they see something in us that is different from the rest. Let them see it! Don't be ashamed of showing your light to the world :).
John 17:13-19
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 
you GOOOOOOO, girl!!!
ReplyDeletestinkin' proud of you right now :-) :-)!
<3,
mom