Vanuatu What Who?

Vanuatu is East of Australia, written in red

Vanuatu is an island nation located in the middle of the South Pacific; it is an archipelago consisting of close to 82 small sized islands, 65 of which are inhabited. It lies 600 miles to the west of Fiji and 250 miles to the northeast of New Caledonia and is about three quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia. (Islands.com) It's way out there, folks!
Actually, you might be more familiar with Vanuatu because "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: Survivor, South Pacific" Season 2004 was shot there. (...but you probably don't watch that...)
We are traveling to Vanuatu for our next mission assignment where we will live for 2 months and teach at a college on the island.

This assignment began with a conversation on a bench last June in Indianapolis when Linda sat down to post some photos on Facebook.

When Small Talk becomes a Big Thing

    Before we continue,  recall a time or a place when you had a "small-world" experience.  Recollect that time when you were minding your own business and a complete stranger in line kicked off the wait time with small talk.  It was an innate reflex that you never have.  You sigh, wish for your Beats, but in the grand conclusion, you realize divine intervention had momentarily prevailed.  Your t-shirt screamed your university, which is where they attended and you both had the same major and same professors, and they know your little sister and you walk away with a business card that results in the career change for which you had prayed and prayed.
    You still tell that story to this day, recalling that you had wished for your Beats and that you had never had the propensity for small talk.  Now, you are better at it because small talk had become a big thing---in your life.

Small talk does not happen with only strangers or acquaintances but with friends and family members as well.   Consider it a warmup activity,  ..."an important social lubricant, helping to build empathy and a sense of community." (Wallace, J.B. (2016).  The benefits of a little small talk. Wall Street Journal)
Not sure if small talk is your gift? Read "Six Reasons Small Talk Is Very Important---And How To Get Better At It."

Face-to-face small talk with an "actual and existing" person is fairly easy.  We talk, they listen; hopefully, this pattern reverses.  But can small talk occur with the invisible and unseeable?
If we have ever lost a loved one, we might find ourselves verbally uttering thoughts and cares to them.   Why then do so many avoid small talk, the warmup conversation with the One who created us?  Is it because there is no visible ear to hear or mouth to respond?  Small talk here begins with  Faith.  "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)  
Faith and hope are not wishful thinking; rather, they are the assurance that "The Lord hears when I call to Him."  (Psalm 4:3)   Heads up:  we all started with the small talk to God.  Perhaps we found ourselves waiting in the long, silent line of life or flat on our backs looking up or in the deepest pit of torment.  God is not interested in lofty language.  He does not our mind stuttering and pauses. He came to earth to build that sense of community with us. However, it is imperative that we have the small talk with God first and here it is, the prayer of salvation:
"I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness.  I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead.  I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior.  Guide my life and help me to do your will."

This is the small talk that becomes a big thing.  This is the story that you will share forever: the day you had the small talk with God, and He transformed your path for which you had prayed and prayed.

Never underestimate the power of small talk with God.  He is listening.  Interpret that to mean - He will hear you and lead you.

Happy 2017!  May God begin or continue to pour out His blessings on you.

Keep Looking Up...and thank you for reading our blog!

J:m and L:nda