10,000 Reasons

In an Oxford church this morning, I was overcome with humble gratitude for the gift that this journey has been. Not only have we kept our health, our safety and our wits (mostly) intact, our family has been crazy blessed by this experience we’ve had together. Our conversations have now turned to reflection, reminiscing about our favorite places, funny moments and times that were hard but now we can laugh about. I think it will take some time to process all we have learned and how it has changed or grown us. But I definitely know we are better for it and our lives will never be the same.

We visited churches in 8 different countries and this morning I was struck by the beauty of worshipping the same God with different people all over the world. I’ve been stunned and so proud of Luke as he walks into a strange Sunday School class again and again, confident that these kids are learning about the same Jesus he knows. He’s had such fun experiences, even getting to join in the kids nativity play before Christmas in Thailand. But my church friends at home would enjoy knowing that he told me plainly one Sunday that he hadn’t visited a Sunday School as fun as his church in Athens. We do have one of the best!

God has shown himself to us in countless ways, overwhelming us with his presence, love and steadfastness. I was laughing through my tears this morning when the praise band started playing my favorite song, 10,000 Reasons, because it was also played at the very first church we visited nine months ago in New Zealand. Moments like that have been showered on us and I can only acknowledge that everything we are, everything we’ve been given and everything that will come because of this journey, is a gift from Him.

The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes.
-10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman