Seeing Jesus

Editor’s Note: Sage Bischoff recently traveled with FMC to Trinidad on a medical mission trip. Her blog is reused here with her permission.

It is always such a pleasant surprise how The Lord can continuously rock my world at every unexpected moment.

He is exactly that: my rock.

He is my Beholder, my Maker, my Beloved Father.

He is my biggest fan, my crying shoulder, my defender in battle.

He is my great escape.

He is my shelter from the storm.

He is my truest, deepest friend.

He is my greatest romance.

He is the answer to every prayer, the response to every question, the light house in my darkest nights.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

He is the Lamb of God.

He is the blood that drips for my sins from the cross.

He is the holder of my heart – the king of my heart.

He is the pathway to salvation, the footsteps that I follow, the mountain against the hues of a sunset.

He is the soothing of waves, the color of light, the wings of a butterfly.

He is all things.

He is the Eucharist, saying with open arms, “ALL THAT I AM IS YOURS, IF YOU’LL HAVE ME.”

Make no mistake: He is love. True love. HE IS THE TRUEST, DEEPEST, MOST PROFOUND LOVE YOU WILL EVER ENCOUNTER.

He can be found in the wrinkles of Mona’s face.

He can be found in Maria’s tears.

He can be found in Ethan’s laughter.

He can be found in Elizabeth’s welcoming arms.

He can be found in Viola’s squeezing hand.

He can be found in Leanna and Dianna’s smile.

He can be found in Raj’s everlasting faith.

He can be found in Mary and her husband’s prayer.

He can be found in a girl who dreams to be a doctor.

He can be found in a man who desires to believe.

He can be found in a woman battling depression.

He can be found in the praising voices of Trinidadians.

He can be found in the unloved.

He can be found in the unwanted.

He can be found in the hungry.

He can be found in your neighbor.

He can be found in your best friend.

He can be found in a stranger sitting next to you.

He can be found in your mother, your father, your sister, your brother.

Look closely, and you will see Him in every person you come across.

Open up your heart, your real, imperfectly beautiful heart… and you will see Him.

You will see Him in a Godly man’s smile.

You will see Him in a blooming flower.

You will see Him in your grandmother’s warm embrace.

You will see Him in every creation He made.

You will see Him and you will hear Him speak to your heart.

The Lord paved the way for me to go to Trinidad. Despite my being so undeserving, still He sent me. The Lord does not always choose the most qualified. The Lord does not always choose the most saint-like. Sometimes, for whatever reason, He chooses imperfect shards of glass… like me.

As I held Jesus’s hand, as I saw Him in the eyes of Herbert and Raj, as I gave Him water, as I prayed over Him, as I dried His tears… there, in the midst of being with Him and His beautiful children, was the feeling of unworthiness.

To “serve” the people of Trinidad was a complete and absolute privilege. It was a blessing. It was a gift to be with the loving Trinidadians. It was a gift to feed them, love them, hold them in their time of suffering and in their time of joy. Because amidst all of that… there was Jesus.

It was a blessing to watch Dr. Inglehart and Dr. Crook work for Christ.

It was a blessing to watch Mackenzie love God amongst the pots and pans.

It was a blessing to watch Ben and Chloe pray over so many through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It was a blessing to watch Thomas, Kelli, Candace, and Mary Clare lead.

It was a blessing to watch Avery, Daniel and Gabby care for us.

It was a blessing to watch my team, who are all missionaries, love God through the people.

It was a blessing… truly I am most unworthy.

It is by God’s grace that I was blessed to hold His children during their brokenness, their pain, their fear, their sorrow, their sickness.

It is by God’s grace that I was blessed to laugh with those who laughed and weep with those who wept.

Trinidad was an absolute gift from above.

Thank You, Lord. There are no words to say what is in my heart.

Thank you to all of our dear brothers and sisters in Trinidad.

Thank you to People of Praise for loving us and taking us in as your own. We are all so blessed with the experience and love that was shown to us by all of you. You teach us to love more.

Thank you to Family Missions Company for a beautiful experience wrapped in prayer.

Thank you to all those who prayed for me and made this trip possible for me.

As the Blessed Mother did in the beginning, say yes to God. Put your trust in Him. Give Him the reins, give Him your life and watch Him set your world on fire. He truly knows your heart. He will always lead you where you need to be. His will for you will always be what is best for you.

This is His desire for you: to love Him with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (Matthew 22:37), and for you to love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:38).

My brothers and sisters, the greatest thing we can do in life…. is love.

Let us pray to know Him, to see Him, to love Him through every person we meet, through every hand we hold, and through every face we touch. God bless you all!

From my heart to yours,

Sage