Swimming in the "Lost Pool"
Average Rating: Not rated
[2 Comments]God dumped me. Not that I didn't deserve it; I did. I hadn't kept my end of the deal: I made excuses, let others tackle the problem, and avoided the situation altogether. So God had no choice. He dumped me into the deep end of the "Lost Pool" and my life hasn't been the same since.
A good Christian Southern girl from birth, I lived in the Bible belt and in the church building. If there were lost souls to be saved, I was more than happy to share Jesus with them—as soon as they crossed the threshold of the church doors. Leaving the safety and shelter of the church walls to share the love of Jesus with others was beyond my comfort zone. I liked where I was, and I wasn't budging.
So God moved me. To China. Literally.
When my husband's company moved us to Nanjing, China, I wasn't sure what to expect. But like Dorothy leaving Kansas, I quickly realized I wasn't home anymore. Although the Chinese culture and traditions shocked me, the other foreigners and Westerners, who I lived in close community with, threw me for an even bigger loop. Having sequestered myself from "these types of people," that is, individuals who didn't regularly attend church or have much regard for God, I was appalled by their behavior.
Every get-together was cause for raucous celebration. Whether it was a ladies luncheon or a barbeque dinner, beer and wine flowed heavily, conversations were laced with vulgarity, and gossip was shared across every table. I realize that I'm not perfect; nor is anyone else I know. But as a believer I tried not to engage in those types of behaviors, and I couldn't understand how people could act and live in a way that was contrary to what I believed.
Yet these were the people God had chosen for me to live in community with in the Land of the Dragon. Isolating myself from them wasn't a possibility, regardless of how much I longed to do so. The only way I was going to survive this shock-and-awe environment was to do what I knew God wanted me to do. I had to learn to swim in the deep end of the "Lost Pool."
Let Down the Net
I'd always thought of myself as a strong swimmer, or strong Christian, but that was when I swam in the shallow end of the pool where I felt safe. For me, the deep end of the pool was uncharted waters. The only thing I could do was ask God for help. And this is how he encouraged me: "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4). Peter, James, and John were unsure of what they would catch when they went out into the deep waters, yet they trusted Jesus' instructions to them. In these unfamiliar waters, could I do likewise?
It's not that I didn't like the people God had placed in my path. I did. But we were people with different beliefs, different activities, and different hearts. There seemed to be no common ground among us. Yet I knew God had planted me here with them for a reason, so I needed to find ways to associate with them. Like any novice swimmer, I carefully began treading water.
More from Liana George:
Kyria.com | Books
Join the Kyria.com Community!
Become a member to have access to the following:
- Full access to the bimonthly Kyria digizine, each issue focusing on a spiritual discipline or theme
- 50 percent discount on all of the downloadable resources in the Kyria Store
- Hundreds of members-only articles for thoughtful, influential women
downloadable guides
Sabbath Rest in a World of Stress
Practical insights for how to live a life that honors the spirit of Sabbath-rest.
The Mentoring Series: Nancy Ortberg
Discover leadership principles from a well-known author and respected leader.Browse More Guides
back to top
Average User Rating: Not rated
Beci Cinavi
Thank you so much for all the articles shared by members I thoroughly enjoy them and have helped me in every way of knowing the lord Jesus Christ. The article shared by Liana is another piece of inspiration of sharing with other friends.
Gudrun Goseberg
Dear Liana, with great interest I read your a.m. article in KYRIA, thank you very much. I was surprised to read that you live in Oberursel, Germany! I am German and live in the northern part of Germany near Osnabrueck. For many years I am teaching in Bible Study Groups (ladies) having no relationship to our Lord Jesus Christ. I made wonderful experiences with the Lord. Just last week when we invited a speaker and had a meeting with 65 ladies. Five of them want to meet regularly to learn more about the Bible, God and his plans with us.- I have been 8 times in the USA and love your county very much. My next trip to Christian friends in the USA will start August 31. I am 65 years old, married, two adult children, one grandchild. It would be nice to get in contact. Email: Egbert.Goseberg@t-online.de Love and blessings, Gudrun
Rate & Comment on this article *