"Culture Clash"

I am supposed to be packing for a short weekend marriage retreat for our Sunday School class right now, but my heart is flowing with a need to share this article with you before we leave for the weekend.

This morning, with a cup of tea in my right hand, I was perusing the latest issue of Travel + Leisure magazine. While “appraising” through the many articles on fantastic hotels that I could only dream of being a guest, food that sounds unusually unique and delicious, and desiring to visit cities I never knew existed, I came a cross a seemingly innocuous article in the Architecture section. Something caught my eye, and some words from a very wise friend entered my mind. “If you listen carefully to what someone is saying amongst all the apparent meaningless chatter, you can pick up bits and pieces of the insecurities and strengths that lie in their heart.”

So, while I was not necessarily in the middle of a conversation, I was sifting through meaningless chatter when this article focused on architecture gave me pause (an article, I nearly skipped over merely because it did not highlight a delicious five course meal or sumptuous boutique hotel…yes, I had a “heart and priorities check” this morning). One of “the bits” I picked up while reading the article…spirituality, architecture, and tradition are important to Europeans. What does this mean? I don’t entirely know, but I invite you to pray with me, so that the Lord will reveal how knowing this can help when ministering to Europeans.

While I must point out, my initial response after reading the article was one of exasperation, the Lord calmly turned my focus back to Him, and my heart and mind were no longer overwhelmed with useless worries. I see this article as a device that the Lord has used to show me how to better pray for the people of Europe.

To read the article, follow the link below:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/culture-clash