Everything Is Still The Same, But One Thing is Different!

Well, just when I think I have it all together and things are going pretty smoothly, the bottom falls out. I don't know why, but I seem to keep doing the same things over and over again expecting different results. I know that the moment I let my guard down, satan is going to squirm his way back into my plans, thoughts, actions, etc. He did just that.
I knew that returning to the field would be a big adjustment after being stateside for 9 months. I also knew that I have have been through alot of training and my perspective is different than when I left the field back in October. However, I keep forgetting that the field is still the same. Everything looks the same, certain rules and regulations are still the same and people act the same. I knew this before returning and even talked about it with friends, coworkers, leaders in the faith and others, but somehow it has hit me in the face as though I didn't think about it. I am really glad that I talked with others about it before returning. It seems that when we learn something we just expect that others have learned the same thing, at least that is what I do.
My idea of returning to the field was that even though it would be an adjustment, it would be something that I could accomplish without much heartache or stress. God has shown me different. The heartache of life is still here, the same stresses are still here and life on the mission field is just plain hard. But the one thing that is different is I am drawn to the Lord for my strength now. I know that my time on this earth, whether on the foreign mission field or on the mission field in the USA, is time that must be focused on our Father God. Honoring God with my life, this is my purpose on this earth. If I honor God, He will honor me. I pray that my brothers and sisters in Christ can find strength in honoring God in our lives each and every moment. I pray that you all will focus on our Father God and know that He chose all of us to bear His Image!
May you be blessed and may you bless someone along the way!