The Comforting Walls of Our Hearts.

[This is a guest post from Carmen (all the way from Kurdistan). I believe its the first international post on this blog so I'm pretty excited. Please show her some love in the comments section]

So I am currently in Kurdistan teaching English at an institute, and so far, though it's been very challenging and frustrating at times, it's been rewarding.

Some of my students have not been very cooperative, mainly because they think I'm a child, which may be true :).

It's been really humbling though, and I am learning more patience and more humility every day. And that's saying something, because these two qualities are not my strong points.

Anyway, today, as I'm on my way to the institute and waiting at a red light, I look out my window and see a group of badass teenage Kurds crossing the street. At least they looked badass...

And then, this little kid scurries after them; he looks like the brother of one of them.

The two brothers talk while crossing the street but when they reach the sidewalk...

The older one strikes the kid between his shoulder blades and walks off with his friends.

The little boy walked behind at a distance, kicking up dust in frustration, tears running down his cheeks.

I so wanted to get out of the car and yell at the older brother, but the light turned green, and it was probably wiser not to make a scene.

But it got me thinking:

All the people I know have things they cling to and place their hopes on; they want to be loved and accepted so much that they would face humiliation and pain to gain a little of it.

Even believing Christians I know have trouble with this.

We all have trouble letting go.

We all derive a sense of satisfaction from something, be it our possessions, our families, our jobs, how awesome we are at school.

It could even be our ministry work (when we lose focus that it's God working through us and that none of it would have been possible were it just us trying to accomplish).

The last one is definitely something I struggle with...

That and the sense of self-worth and satisfaction I get from my relationships (family, friends, boyfriend....)

One day, though, Jesus will claim our hearts fully and completely, and we'll only be immersed in Him. Whether here on Earth or in Heaven. Now I know what the phrase, "On Earth as it is in Heaven," means.

Here's to when we go back home.

-Blessings.

What's one thing you struggle letting go of?