Two Years Ago: Yesterday

Exactly two years from yesterday I embarked on a 12 day mission trip that would change my life. I can't believe it has been 2 years since I went to the Ukraine. I still remember the night I told my dad I was going. Yes that is right I didn't ask.... really bad call, but thankfully I have loving parents that were excited at the opportunity for me to go. My poor brother though he had to beg and plead to be aloud to go and I just walk up and state that I am going.... oops. But thankfully I also have a God that loves me and it all worked out!
On this trip we helped at multiple VBS type camps and visited two orphanages. It was in a way very surprising to me, God was everywhere, just not the God that I know. The majority of the people in Ukraine are Russian Orthodox. They go daily to their churches and pray, however when they pray they are praying to the saints. They light candles to help their prayers go up. But I took a beautiful picture of a relationship with God from this, and a great life lesson. The people have so much devotion and dedication to their religious practices. Daily they go to pray, married women are to have their heads covered. When they are praying they are doing so with such honesty, love, and earnestness. And when I look at myself and my relationship with God I don't often see the same characteristics. I don't need to go daily to church to do my praying, that isn't even part of our culture, but do I spend hours in prayer a day? Do I make sacrifices in my life for my Father? Do I worship with such eagerness to be in His presence? Most of the time I can answer no to these questions which is heart breaking. I should be spending hours a day in prayer, and I don't mean all at one time, but I have been trying to make an effort to pray throughout the day for the many prayer requests instead of just praying right before bed or whatever. I feel like I can focus better and that I actually pray more! And it is not often that I have to sacrifice anything for God either. And until recently I wasn't worshiping with such an eagerness that I could barely contain myself.
God taught me so much on this trip but what I saw most was a great example of a relationship with God.