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When I was 18 I traveled half way across the world with my Uncle and his family to their home and mission field, Papua New Guinea. I was excited to experience such simple, beautiful, tribal life. I had arrangements to help teach a missionary family homeschool co-op, to help my cousins with their school work, to teach piano lessons, and to bring a handful of worship music to teach to the church.

One of the nights that we gathered portions of the church together to learn the new songs is burned vividly into my memory. I was SO green and young (and probably sunburned), standing up front with my keyboard and small, shaky voice. My God was with me, and with a deep breath of courage I taught them:

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God

 It was so, so incredible to look out into their black, black open faces. The children sat in front, and their eyes were wide and receptive. As soon as they could pick up the tune, they sang out with their whole hearts. After our worship time was over, I climbed into the back of the truck to ride back to my Uncle's house, my heart overflowing! We bumped and jostled along the rough road, the beautiful night air rushing through my hair. I leaned my head far out the side of the truck bed and drank in a different hemisphere's stars. It struck me- the God I worship is the same here! These people who I have come to love so deeply, know the SAME God I do! In that moment God became so much bigger to me- He was no longer just the God of my little life, of the things and people I have known. He became to me, God of it ALL- the world over!

And then it struck me:
 I am here to worship.
 I am here to bow down.
 I am here to say that You're my God!

I enjoyed teaching, the people I met, the food and places I experienced, but that moment was the most vivid and life-changing. We sang that song at church today. Every time we sing it, all these memories come rushing back to me. God is so, so big.


P.s. I did not take this photo. I wish I'd had a digital camera back then!

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