During the month of November, many friends on facebook start listing one thing per day that they are thankful for. It is fun to read them all! With the holiday season in full swing, it is the time of year for reflecting, slowing down, and truly being thankful for what we have.
Over the last several weeks, I read a popular book called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (for more info, check out the website: onethousandgifts.com). In the book the author finds joy in giving thanks for ALL things after she is encouraged by a friend to literally write down 1,000 gifts. So, I started doing the same thing. Instead of narrowing the list down to only 28, I thought I would share the ones I have so far here.
(And after a slightly stressful day, it is SO good to be reminded of just how much I have to be thankful for...and this is only the beginning!) :D
Even though a lot of the things I've listed are trivial, I have been so blessed by writing them down to say Thank You, Lord. So many times I PRAY for trivial things but forget to say thanks just as much--and every BREATH is a gift (see Bonhoeffer quote below)! So enjoy...maybe this will help us all to consider how many gifts we really have been given...
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..." ~James 1:17
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" ~Psalm 30:11-12
"We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet not so small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?" ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"When I realize that it is not God who is in my debt but I who am in His great debt, then dowsn't all become gift?" ~One Thousand Gifts
1. Good, hard sleep
2. Warm coffee early in the morning
3. Quiet time before work
4. Good books
5. The heart at the bottom of my "Mrs." coffee mug
6. "Thoughts on Prayer" desk calendar that I get to flip each morning when I get to work
7. Music that feeds the soul
8. Ice cold water from a straw
9. Rezan, the Compassion child we get to support
10. Saying "I love you" and hearing it back
11. Smiling
12. Ripe bananas-sweet
13. Beautiful fall weather
14. Wearing sweaters
15. Lotion on parched hands-soothing
16. Lunch breaks
17. My job
18. Having work to do
19. Kisses after a day at work
20. Peeling away spaghetti squash from the shell
21. Hot showers
22. Running my fingers through husband's hair
23. Long sleeve t-shirts
24. The flickering flame of a candle
25. The warmth of clothes fresh out of the dryer
26. Friendships formed at work
27. Faded jeans
28. "Good morning"s
29. Breaking open a new pack of post-it notes
30. Candy corn
31. White-out, erasing my mistakes--Your blood, washing my sins white as snow!
32. The feel of a good stretch
33. Riding with the windows down
34. Leftovers for dinner
35. Bubble baths
36. Forgiveness-the grace to give and receive
37. Learning how to love-truly love
38. Safe travels to and from work
39. The sound of the ocean-even if our sound machine is as close as it gets
40. Laughter
41. The tough work of breaking down walls and bringing understanding
42. The click of a pen
43. The poetry of words
44. The sound of clothes tumbling in the dryer
45. Colorful scarves
46. The swirl of creamer in my coffee
47. Jar of pennies
48. Waking up refreshed
49. Comfy pajama pants...feeling relaxed before getting dressed for the day
50. Time together with Phil
51. Painted sunrise-all pink and golden and blue
52. The sun-a big ball of fire shining golden rays of warmth
53. Dreams, goals
54. Sunglasses
55. Crossing off days on my calendar--a reminder that each day is a gift!
56. Feeling more organized at work
57. Getting off early
58. Mom and Dad, and being able to call them "Mom" and "Dad"
59. Dad's job-allowing them to move up here
60. Having a guest room and bed where he can stay
61. Sweet fellowship with believers
62. Cheesy group hugs
63. Cotton sheets
64. Hearing Your Word read aloud
65. Compliments on my yellow flowery scarf that Phil gave to me
66. Twirling my hair on the shower wall--reminding me that You know the number of hairs on my head even when some fall out! Ha!
67. Being able to slow down and truly enjoy small group tonight-learning to be in the moment
68. When Phil shakes his head at me when I am being goofy
69. Sleepy smiles across pillows
70. Sappy videos
71. Happy tears
72. My purple robe, all silky-reminding me of the precious friends who gave it to me and that I am "robed" in the righteousness of Christ!
73. How Phil looks so handsome dressed for work
74. How he lets me sleep those few extra minutes
75. Ibuprofen for aches
76. The warmth of papers fresh off the copier
77. Counsel from Godly women
78. A good marriage (not from anything in us--it is truly a gift from Your hand!)
79. Friends sharing good news with us
80. Twins!
81. Fridays
82. Buying a new book with Phil's "go for it" response--two gifts in one!
83. Parking spaces
84. Birthday cake
85. When Phil sings and makes me laugh
86. American flag waving in breeze
87. Blinding sun
88. A dog racing to get a ball
89. Using up all the ink in a pen
90. The warning that my tires need changing-protection-it's all grace!
91. The means to be able to buy new tires
92. The kindness of strangers
93. The country accents of the men in the car shop
94. Sitting outside to eat dinner on a gorgeous evening
95. Trees and greenery--North Carolina is so beautiful!
96. Birds chirping outside my window this morning
97. Not waking up to an alarm
98. Phil laughing in his sleep
99. Puffs of steam coming from hot coffee
100. Sitting before an open window in the morning
101. Watching movies on Friday night
102. Reese's ice cream
103. Little girls with long blonde curls
104. Sweet texts that make me smile
105. Yellow flowers by the road
106. Praying with fellow believers
107. Old men on porches
108. Little girls painting nails
109. Turning the last page in a book
110. Little boy in cowboy hat
111. Brilliant red of a fallen leaf
112. Saturday naps
113. Bed
114. Having family close
115. Summit Church
116. Little girls with glasses
117. Cute pregnant bellies
118. Brownies
119. Gardens
120. Pink roses
121. A moment between college sweethearts
122. A beautiful voice singing
123. Answered prayers
124. Worship
125. White picket fences
126. Open windows
127. Like mindedness
128. Goodbye hugs
129. Working printers
130. Phil playing football with neighborhood kids
131. Flipping a new page on the calendar
132. Phil, all dressed and ready for work, laying down beside me to wake me up
133. Laughing til tears come
134. A fresh start
134. Pumpkin muffins
135. Phil and Jered planning stuff for the weekend
136. Taking about Scripture with Phil
137. Good hair days
138. Airplanes in the night sky
139. Eating out on a whim
140. Coupons to save money
141. Flowers picked up on the way home
142. Hands raised in worship
143. Playing frisbee in the park
144. Surprises
145. Coming in last at mini golf-ha!
146. Silly faces Layla makes
147. Safe travels
148. Dad being here
149. Access to healthcare
150. Being healthy
151. Talking to my sister(s)
152. State fair
153. Ferris wheel ride
154. Deep fried oreos
155. Kettle corn
156. Campfires
157. Paperclips
158. Dad saving me a piece of fish to try
159. Fireplace
160. Heater
161. Fall flowers
162. The crunch of fallen leaves
163. Good morning hugs
164. An extra hour of sleep for fall back weekend
165. Finding a new friend
166. Skyping with Brittany
167. Sewing kit and "lessons" from Mom
168. Walks with Mom
169. Fletcher
170. Local honey
171. Dinner with family
172. Borrowing books
173. Orange fall purse
174. Pumpkin scented candle
175. Christmas in the air
176. Planning June trip with cousins
177. Ripped jeans
178. Bridges
179. Lakes, with colorful trees all around
180. Driving into the sunset
181. Talking on the phone with a friend
182. Old t-shirts
183. Rest
184. Good news at work
185. Hamburgers cooked with love
186. Puzzles
187. The Olde English Tea Room
188. Talking with Mema and Pepa
189. Yarn
190. Sunday shopping
191. Finding a Christmas town at the dollar store
192. Packing a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child
193. Sending early Christmas gifts
194. Flowers and cards
195. Making Christmas wreath
196. Candles all through the house
197. Borrowed nativities
198. Kayla Bugg asking how we are doing up here
199. Fried egg sandwich
200. Lovely curtains adding color to a room
201. Mismatched furniture somehow looking just right-our home
202. Having such a good weekend together I didn't want him to go to work
203. Hearts and xoxo's written in chalk
204. Clutter-remnants of making memories
205. Freedom in this country
206. The veterans (including my Daddy!) who bought that freedom
207. Finding out I CAN be crafty
208. Buttons
209. Snuggles, even at 5am!
210. Shoes on sale
211. Bulletin board
212. Food in the fridge and pantry
213. Yummy chili
214. Warm vest
215. Good memories of my parents
216. Pea coat
217. Abreva to put on my cold sore
218. International Justice Mission and the work they do in Jesus' name to set captives free!
219. Your Word being present even in the darkest places, like North Korea
220. Knit blanket
221. Silly jokes
222. A car that gets me where I need to go
223. Ice cream from Lumpy's
224. Looking forward to a visit home
225. My home church
25% of the way to 1,000!
Thank You, Lord, for all these and more...
What are YOU thankful for, friends? :)
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
I'm done... by the grace of God!
At around 3:45 this afternoon, I submitted my final assignment as an undergraduate student at Mercer University. I'm finished! And what a journey it has been...
Who would have thought, on the day I moved my stuff into a little dorm room in Porter Hall (pictured below) that I would change my major from nursing to psychology, meet great friends who inspired me greatly, develop a heart for people in other nations, meet the love of my life who God would use to further shape that same desire for missions, and lose two other loved ones?
I couldn't have even imagined.
But God did.
A familiar passage that played a huge part in my testimony has come to mind over the last few days. (My father-in-law also quoted this on the eve of our wedding, revealing that it is a passage that has meant a lot to Phil over the years as well.)
"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." -Jeremiah 29:11-14a
As I wrap up a chapter in my life, it is bittersweet.
It is sweet. I am beyond thankful for the lessons I've learned at Mercer, the experiences I've had, the friends I've known, loved, and learned from.
It is a little bitter, too. I get a little teary thinking about my parents at a time like this. I wish they were here, to see me at this point in life. I wish I could look them in the eyes and tell them THANK YOU for the part they played in it. For now, I will simply whisper a word of thanks to God for having wonderful parents like them.
You see, I am more convinced now than ever that God is so loving, so faithful, and so GOOD. All along, He knew what would happen, and all along, He was weaving together a plan for my good and His glory. There was a time about a year ago, right after my mom passed away, that I seriously did not know how I was going to go on. But God has ALWAYS been faithful to me. Through Him and the prayers and support of so many, I've made it to this day.
I am typing this in the home I share with my wonderful husband and I am reminded of how much God has blessed my life just through him. (And that's only ONE example of God's graciousness in my life!) We are excited and hopeful as we look into the future God has for us.
We have only been married less than two months, and we feel blessed beyond measure. We had so much love poured on us in the months leading up to the wedding, during the celebration, and afterwards. God continues to provide and will continue still. We have everything we need.
With that said, I want to share something that has been heavy on my heart lately. I have everything I need, but there are millions around the world who don't. I am free, but there are millions around the world who are not. (For more information, go to www.enditmovement.com). I don't know what it is like to be in literal captivity, but I do know what is like to be in a seemingly hopeless place. I believe God has a heart for the hopeless and oppressed (Psalm 103:6). I believe He is a just God who works out His plan in every situation.
I want to join Him in this work of justice for those who are oppressed. I want to celebrate my graduation from college by doing this. Instead of gifts and money for graduation, I would love to see God use me and others to bring justice and hope for those who have none. The International Justice Mission is an organization that works daily to make this happen. In their core commitments, they make this statement:
In the tradition of heroic Christian leaders like abolitionist William Wilberforce and transformational leaders like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr., IJM's staff stand against violent oppression in response to the Bible's call to justice (Isaiah 1:17): Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (www.ijm.org)
Would you consider joining me in helping this organization bring justice for the oppressed? I want to celebrate my college graduation with this BECAUSE it is only by the grace of God that I made it through! He is so good and faithful, and I want others to be free and know this God as well!
The link below will take you directly to my campaign page, where you can make a donation for freedom! Be sure to take a look at what IJM does. (Just for one example, they actual raid brothels and rescue girls from slavery! WOW!)
http://www.ijmfreedommaker.org/campaign/1563
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for joining me in funding and praying for the IJM and organizations like it that seek justice!
All for His glory.
Becca
Who would have thought, on the day I moved my stuff into a little dorm room in Porter Hall (pictured below) that I would change my major from nursing to psychology, meet great friends who inspired me greatly, develop a heart for people in other nations, meet the love of my life who God would use to further shape that same desire for missions, and lose two other loved ones?
I couldn't have even imagined.
But God did.
A familiar passage that played a huge part in my testimony has come to mind over the last few days. (My father-in-law also quoted this on the eve of our wedding, revealing that it is a passage that has meant a lot to Phil over the years as well.)
"11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." -Jeremiah 29:11-14a
As I wrap up a chapter in my life, it is bittersweet.
It is sweet. I am beyond thankful for the lessons I've learned at Mercer, the experiences I've had, the friends I've known, loved, and learned from.
It is a little bitter, too. I get a little teary thinking about my parents at a time like this. I wish they were here, to see me at this point in life. I wish I could look them in the eyes and tell them THANK YOU for the part they played in it. For now, I will simply whisper a word of thanks to God for having wonderful parents like them.
You see, I am more convinced now than ever that God is so loving, so faithful, and so GOOD. All along, He knew what would happen, and all along, He was weaving together a plan for my good and His glory. There was a time about a year ago, right after my mom passed away, that I seriously did not know how I was going to go on. But God has ALWAYS been faithful to me. Through Him and the prayers and support of so many, I've made it to this day.
I am typing this in the home I share with my wonderful husband and I am reminded of how much God has blessed my life just through him. (And that's only ONE example of God's graciousness in my life!) We are excited and hopeful as we look into the future God has for us.
We have only been married less than two months, and we feel blessed beyond measure. We had so much love poured on us in the months leading up to the wedding, during the celebration, and afterwards. God continues to provide and will continue still. We have everything we need.
With that said, I want to share something that has been heavy on my heart lately. I have everything I need, but there are millions around the world who don't. I am free, but there are millions around the world who are not. (For more information, go to www.enditmovement.com). I don't know what it is like to be in literal captivity, but I do know what is like to be in a seemingly hopeless place. I believe God has a heart for the hopeless and oppressed (Psalm 103:6). I believe He is a just God who works out His plan in every situation.
I want to join Him in this work of justice for those who are oppressed. I want to celebrate my graduation from college by doing this. Instead of gifts and money for graduation, I would love to see God use me and others to bring justice and hope for those who have none. The International Justice Mission is an organization that works daily to make this happen. In their core commitments, they make this statement:
In the tradition of heroic Christian leaders like abolitionist William Wilberforce and transformational leaders like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King, Jr., IJM's staff stand against violent oppression in response to the Bible's call to justice (Isaiah 1:17): Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. (www.ijm.org)
Would you consider joining me in helping this organization bring justice for the oppressed? I want to celebrate my college graduation with this BECAUSE it is only by the grace of God that I made it through! He is so good and faithful, and I want others to be free and know this God as well!
The link below will take you directly to my campaign page, where you can make a donation for freedom! Be sure to take a look at what IJM does. (Just for one example, they actual raid brothels and rescue girls from slavery! WOW!)
http://www.ijmfreedommaker.org/campaign/1563
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for joining me in funding and praying for the IJM and organizations like it that seek justice!
All for His glory.
Becca
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Hope this Christmas
Most years, I don't really get into the Christmas spirit until the last minute. You won't find me listening to Christmas music much until a couple of weeks before December 25. You certainly won't find me shopping for gifts until I have realized time is running out! Not so this year. I have been listening to instrumental Christmas music on Pandora since before Thanksgiving! I have bought and wrapped all but a few of the gifts on my list this year. I'm in full swing with watching cheesy Christmas movies on ABC family and Hallmark and looking up Christmas recipes on Pinterest. I'm loving it.
Now, all that is fun and good. But I believe this "Christmas spirit" is a gift, this year in particular. Because this Christmas is not like all the Christmases before it.
It's a tough time for me and my family. Over Thanksgiving break, my family celebrated my mom's birthday, and it was the first one without her here. We let her grandkids send balloons "to Heaven" and spread her ashes over the ocean. It was bittersweet. My mom loved the holidays, and it's especially hard to think about going through them without her.
I'm not only missing my mom this Christmas. On this Tuesday a year ago, I was driving with my stepmom, both of us with no sleep, to Emory hospital in Atlanta where my dad had been transported by ambulance. It was on this night a year ago we were told odds were he would not make it. Daddy died two nights later, on Thursday the 8th of December.
fast forward one year...
Tonight I went to "The Plug" which is Ingleside's monthly worship gathering for young adults. Our pastor, David Peterson, spoke about the virgin birth of Jesus and why that is important. I personally felt like God had a special word for me in there (don't you love it when that happens??). I wanted to pass it on. It is simple, really.
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”(which means “God with us”). --Matthew 1:23
Did you see that? Jesus is Immanuel--God with us.
I don't know about you, but this makes me want to worship. As I was singing tonight, all of these thoughts I just shared with you, about the timing of everything and what was going on a year ago tonight, were running through my mind. It was tempting to be overwhelmed with it all. But God whispered this truth to me... "I am Immanuel. I am with you." God did not choose to heal my Daddy on this side of heaven even though we prayed so hard for that very thing. I don't know why he got sick and died. I still wrestle with why my mom was ripped from my life so suddenly, so senselessly, and so soon after my Daddy died. I don't have all the answers, and this thought that God is with me does not solve everything. But it does give me HOPE.
Why do we celebrate Christmas? Because God came down to earth--Immanuel--to bring hope to a broken world.
To bind up the brokenhearted
to proclaim freedom for the captives
to release from darkness for the prisoners
to comfort all who mourn
to proclaim freedom for the captives
to release from darkness for the prisoners
to comfort all who mourn
(from Isaiah 61:1-2)
Christmas is about the good news of Jesus Christ, our savior, who came to earth, born of a virgin, to live a perfect life and die in our place, to offer hope and salvation to those who seek for it. I know this message is simple, but thinking of it in the context of my "different" sort of Christmas this year made me so grateful for this new found "Christmas spirit." :)
I don't know where you are in life, but if you are like me and needing hope this Christmas, I hope you find it in the true meaning of Christmas this year. Jesus is our hope.
Merry Christmas!
Love you all.
Becca
Friday, October 26, 2012
Update on Life
So it's been over a year since I've blogged--can I just go ahead and say that there is NO WAY I could possibly capture everything that has happened since the last time I posted?
My reasoning for posting today is to (hopefully-no promises) start a habit of just letting people who want to keep up with me, keep up. I have been so blessed with the outpouring of love and support from so many in the past year with all the heartache that I have experienced. I can't individually contact each person who has helped me in MANY ways, but I can let people know what's going on.
So, a VERY brief recap:
On December 8, 2011 my dad passed away very unexpectedly from an aortic dissection and stroke that was caused by complications of it. It rocked our family, and it was the first close death I had ever experienced.
On March 26, 2012 (today marks 9 months) my mom died even more unexpectedly one morning. My world and my faith was shaken but with some distance in between then and now I can honestly say: 1) God is faithful and 2) I know so many prayers have carried me!
I miss my parents every day but I choose to honor them with the life I am living!
On a happier note, a change that I am VERY excited about is that on September 1st of this year Phil proposed! I had no idea it was coming. We had a picnic on Coleman Hill in the gazebo on a beautiful Saturday. He washed my feet and told me that he wanted to serve me for the rest of our lives. It was a precious time. This man has truly been a gift from God in more ways than I can express. He has stood by me through the unthinkable and has loved me at my worst. He has truly been a reflection of God's love and faithfulness to me!
We are getting married on March 9, 2013 in my hometown. I cannot wait to marry my best friend! Here is our wedding website:
http://bartuskaandcallaway.ourwedding.com/view/7166821514129262/30928253
*Want to hear something cool? My parents were married on March 10, 1989. And no, I did NOT know that when we chose our date--how cool is that? I am still praying about the right way to honor them on that day, but I know they will be with me.
Random exciting thing about today: I won a sweet cupcake stand in a giveaway! First of all, it's exciting to win something anyway, but I think we may be able to use it in our wedding decorations! Pretty cool. You can see it here (it's decorated with halloween stuff in the picture):
http://www.cookesfrontier.blogspot.com/2012/10/rustic-cupcake-stand-review-and-giveaway.html
That's about all for today. Phil and I are going to Tallulah Gorge State Park to visit my grandparents this afternoon. It should be beautiful with all the colors changing. Can't wait!
Much love,
Becca
The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
(2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV)
My reasoning for posting today is to (hopefully-no promises) start a habit of just letting people who want to keep up with me, keep up. I have been so blessed with the outpouring of love and support from so many in the past year with all the heartache that I have experienced. I can't individually contact each person who has helped me in MANY ways, but I can let people know what's going on.
So, a VERY brief recap:
On December 8, 2011 my dad passed away very unexpectedly from an aortic dissection and stroke that was caused by complications of it. It rocked our family, and it was the first close death I had ever experienced.
On March 26, 2012 (today marks 9 months) my mom died even more unexpectedly one morning. My world and my faith was shaken but with some distance in between then and now I can honestly say: 1) God is faithful and 2) I know so many prayers have carried me!
I miss my parents every day but I choose to honor them with the life I am living!
On a happier note, a change that I am VERY excited about is that on September 1st of this year Phil proposed! I had no idea it was coming. We had a picnic on Coleman Hill in the gazebo on a beautiful Saturday. He washed my feet and told me that he wanted to serve me for the rest of our lives. It was a precious time. This man has truly been a gift from God in more ways than I can express. He has stood by me through the unthinkable and has loved me at my worst. He has truly been a reflection of God's love and faithfulness to me!
http://bartuskaandcallaway.ourwedding.com/view/7166821514129262/30928253
*Want to hear something cool? My parents were married on March 10, 1989. And no, I did NOT know that when we chose our date--how cool is that? I am still praying about the right way to honor them on that day, but I know they will be with me.
Random exciting thing about today: I won a sweet cupcake stand in a giveaway! First of all, it's exciting to win something anyway, but I think we may be able to use it in our wedding decorations! Pretty cool. You can see it here (it's decorated with halloween stuff in the picture):
http://www.cookesfrontier.blogspot.com/2012/10/rustic-cupcake-stand-review-and-giveaway.html
That's about all for today. Phil and I are going to Tallulah Gorge State Park to visit my grandparents this afternoon. It should be beautiful with all the colors changing. Can't wait!
Much love,
Becca
The saying is trustworthy, for:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
(2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV)
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
AWESOME GOD
Thank You LORD for the opportunity to see You working in lives... Thank You for allowing those who seek You to play a part in it through praying, through going, through giving, through living... There is no greater thing than being in Your presence.
Here are some updates for what God is doing in Ocean City:
1. 2 weeks ago today, a 14-year-old named Carlos accepted Christ!! He has continued to contact us asking for Scripture, prayer and encouragement. I actually got the chance to talk to him for a while today--he is diligently reading more and more of Scripture, praise God! He really needs prayer in relationships with his family. They will need to see a change in him to understand what God has done in his life, but he gets easily discouraged. Pray that he continually goes to the Lord for his strength and learns to lean on Him and His Word alone.
2. An international student from Kazakhstan accepted Christ last week! We've been praying for him all summer. He played in the praise band on Sunday nights and some of my team and some church members had built friendships with him. His favorite song to sing was "Oh Happy Day" but we were anticipating the moment when he would sing those words and know what they meant. This past Sunday we saw that--what a beautiful moment. He told the pastor of his decision on Friday night and "coincidentally" (thank You, Lord, for Your always perfect timing!) they were having a baptism service at the beach the next day. So he was baptized on Saturday :) Thank You God! Please continue to pray for him over the next few weeks as he tells his family of his decision.
3. I am so thankful to have had the chance to spend more time with Carmen over the past couple of weeks. We even got to spend time at the beach together yesterday! :) She came to church on Sunday night, so for two weeks in a row she heard the gospel message in the sermon. I was able to talk to her about the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus after Sunday night's message. She has always only known the Orthodox faith, so having a relationship with Jesus is a completely new concept to her. Please continue to pray for Carmen and her roommate, Lia, who is already a Christian. God has placed such a love and a burden for Carmen's soul in my heart, and I truly believe He is calling her to Him. Pray for Lia, too, that doors would be opened for further conversations.
4. One of the lifeguards that has been coming to Bible study this summer made the decision to be baptized this past Sunday during church. He has been a Christian for years but never made the public committment of believer's baptism. Praise the Lord!
5. The past several weeks in SEARCH Bible study have been incredible. The first couple of weeks we bounced around random questions, but as they've gotten more comfortable with us they come ready with lists of questions. I've written down some from the last couple weeks:
--What does the Jesus fish mean?
--Were people saved before Jesus if he came to save the world?
--Where does the Old Testament come from if the New Testament comes from Jesus' earliest followers?
--Jesus was Jewish, right?
--How did the religious leaders not recognize Jesus?
--Do animals go to heaven?
--Should you go to church every Sunday to be a good Christian?
--Does it matter what church you go to?
--Was Bin Laden's death something to be celebrated?
--Does God have to be involved in every good act? You make the choice to do something good. (We loved this discussion--a wonderful opportunity to explain to them why we have been serving here-that it's not of our "goodness" at all but because of the Spirit of God that lives in us. Thank You Lord!)
--What are the differing views on purgatory?
--What was Jesus like in His teenage years?
--If Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine, did he drink and is drinking a sin?
--Is it a contradiction when Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light" but then says, "Take up your cross and follow Me?"
--If we found other intelligent life forms, would God's breath be in them?
It's been awesome. Please continue to pray for Adam and Zach, and others that are asking lots of questions--He is the answer.
6. I got really attached to a 10 year old girl from Canada last week. We exchanged contact information and have been able to email back and forth a couple of times... I believe God will continue to love on her long after she's back at home and in normal life. Her name's Alyssa. On the last day of Surf and Sand clubs last week when she was headed home, I wrote her a note telling her about God's love for her and put John 3:16 at the bottom. That same day, our craft had the same verse on it. Pretty cool. :)
7. Last week we had an amazing mission group in. They were a youth group from a church in Maryland. They were so prepared for all of the ministries that it allowed us as summer missionaries to step back and see the work being done rather than being so involved in it ourselves. One of our weekly ministries is family night, where we go to the campgrounds and have activities for families. This group had a whole show planned, filled with funny skits and dances, trivia, and finally the "Total Eclipse of the Heart" skit that portrays the powerful message of Jesus. They ended with signing the Chris Tomlin song, "How Great is Our God." Both nights I saw it the ending was incredibly powerful. I couldn't help but be overwhelmed to the point of tears hearing the words, "How GREAT is our God" in the midst of seeing all of awesome stuff God is doing. At the time it had only been a week since Carlos accepted Christ and my heart was about to burst with thankfulness to God for being in that moment when Carlos made the decision. Add to that the love He's placed in my heart for Carmen and I could just burst with all the praise and love in my heart. Anyway, this group was SUCH a blessing and they are very missed, but while they were here they were more encouraging than I could express. Please pray for those kids--God has big plans for that group!
The summer is quickly winding down... On Sunday and into the next week there will only be 4 missionaries left. Please pray for those going home as they transition back into "normal life". Please also pray for the ministries here, that God would give us the strength to give one more week 100%, even with less hands than normal. We do have a mission team in helping us, thank God! Please pray especially for those we've built relationships with over the summer, particularly the ones I've mentioned here... God is far from finished! Pray as we leave that He would continue working in their lives, even after they are back home. He is faithful!
I have 10 days left in Ocean City and I'm praying to make the most of every opportunity!! Thank you for joining in God's work here through prayer! I miss you and love you all very much! I'll be home soon!
Love,
Becca
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ..." -Colossians 4:2-3a
Here are some updates for what God is doing in Ocean City:
1. 2 weeks ago today, a 14-year-old named Carlos accepted Christ!! He has continued to contact us asking for Scripture, prayer and encouragement. I actually got the chance to talk to him for a while today--he is diligently reading more and more of Scripture, praise God! He really needs prayer in relationships with his family. They will need to see a change in him to understand what God has done in his life, but he gets easily discouraged. Pray that he continually goes to the Lord for his strength and learns to lean on Him and His Word alone.
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| Carlos' letter to the team... "Send me Scripture!!" |
3. I am so thankful to have had the chance to spend more time with Carmen over the past couple of weeks. We even got to spend time at the beach together yesterday! :) She came to church on Sunday night, so for two weeks in a row she heard the gospel message in the sermon. I was able to talk to her about the gospel and what it means to follow Jesus after Sunday night's message. She has always only known the Orthodox faith, so having a relationship with Jesus is a completely new concept to her. Please continue to pray for Carmen and her roommate, Lia, who is already a Christian. God has placed such a love and a burden for Carmen's soul in my heart, and I truly believe He is calling her to Him. Pray for Lia, too, that doors would be opened for further conversations.
4. One of the lifeguards that has been coming to Bible study this summer made the decision to be baptized this past Sunday during church. He has been a Christian for years but never made the public committment of believer's baptism. Praise the Lord!
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| Giving water to a rather parched lifeguard--haha! |
--What does the Jesus fish mean?
--Were people saved before Jesus if he came to save the world?
--Where does the Old Testament come from if the New Testament comes from Jesus' earliest followers?
--Jesus was Jewish, right?
--How did the religious leaders not recognize Jesus?
--Do animals go to heaven?
--Should you go to church every Sunday to be a good Christian?
--Does it matter what church you go to?
--Was Bin Laden's death something to be celebrated?
--Does God have to be involved in every good act? You make the choice to do something good. (We loved this discussion--a wonderful opportunity to explain to them why we have been serving here-that it's not of our "goodness" at all but because of the Spirit of God that lives in us. Thank You Lord!)
--What are the differing views on purgatory?
--What was Jesus like in His teenage years?
--If Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine, did he drink and is drinking a sin?
--Is it a contradiction when Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light" but then says, "Take up your cross and follow Me?"
--If we found other intelligent life forms, would God's breath be in them?
It's been awesome. Please continue to pray for Adam and Zach, and others that are asking lots of questions--He is the answer.
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| Our lifeguard friends! |
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| Alyssa's craft :) |
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| The Castaways group--Caroline, Wally, Becca, Kelly, Tim, Diane, and Michelle! |
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| Our final staff lunch... bittersweet. |
I have 10 days left in Ocean City and I'm praying to make the most of every opportunity!! Thank you for joining in God's work here through prayer! I miss you and love you all very much! I'll be home soon!
Love,
Becca
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ..." -Colossians 4:2-3a
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Seek and you will find
And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." -Luke 11:5-10
Sunday, June 26, 2011
"All nations shall call Him blessed"
"His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen." Psalm 72:17-19
THANK YOU for your continued prayers! They make all the difference! "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22
*Please pray also for missions in Africa (Brittany) and the Philippines (Phil)!
THANK YOU for your continued prayers! They make all the difference! "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22
*Please pray also for missions in Africa (Brittany) and the Philippines (Phil)!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Ocean City, Week 2
My mom gave me a book of verses and quotes before I left home that has been wonderful to flip through and keep focused each day. Love this one:
"The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." -Frederick Buechner
I am loving being in Ocean City. Only 2 weeks in and I have already learned so much and had a lot of cool experiences. As I said last week, my team is amazing and we have quickly become like a family.
Since last week we've done a lot! It's been a great week.
We hold "Surf and Sand" clubs every weekday morning in the various campgrounds. Michelle and I averaged about 6 kids last week, and they were all precious. One day we were telling them the story of how Jesus healed Jarius' daughter and the bleeding woman. A little 4 year old girl, Julia, played Jesus (she wanted a turn because her older brother had played Jesus all week) and a little 5 year old girl, Sada, played the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe.
Mark 5:30 "And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, 'Who touched My clothes?'"
So we told Julia, "Say, 'Who touched me?'" and she turned around and said, "Sada did!" Priceless. Love them.
Every day we get a chance to share the gospel with these children through songs and Bible stories. One of their favorite songs is "The River of Life" (I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with it) which goes like this:
"The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." -Frederick Buechner
I am loving being in Ocean City. Only 2 weeks in and I have already learned so much and had a lot of cool experiences. As I said last week, my team is amazing and we have quickly become like a family.
Since last week we've done a lot! It's been a great week.
We hold "Surf and Sand" clubs every weekday morning in the various campgrounds. Michelle and I averaged about 6 kids last week, and they were all precious. One day we were telling them the story of how Jesus healed Jarius' daughter and the bleeding woman. A little 4 year old girl, Julia, played Jesus (she wanted a turn because her older brother had played Jesus all week) and a little 5 year old girl, Sada, played the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe.
Mark 5:30 "And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, 'Who touched My clothes?'"
So we told Julia, "Say, 'Who touched me?'" and she turned around and said, "Sada did!" Priceless. Love them.
Every day we get a chance to share the gospel with these children through songs and Bible stories. One of their favorite songs is "The River of Life" (I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with it) which goes like this:
I've got a river of life flowin' out of me
It makes the lame to walk and the blind to see
Open up the doors; set the captives free
I've got a river of life flowin' out of me
Spring up a well (gush gush gush gush) in my soul!
Spring up a well (splish, splash) and make me whole
Spring up well and give to me that life abundantly
Even still, it has been challenging to me to know how to share these stories with the children in a way they can understand. My awesome teammate Michelle shared these verses with me:
"Give ear, O My people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose Spirit was not faithful to God." Psalm 78:1-8
These verses reminded me that we have a responsibility and a privelege to tell these children about the awesome God we serve! Jesus Himself said, "Let the little children come unto Me!"
Sada and her sister Chamille were so sharp and it was very evident that they knew a lot about Jesus. Their mom even told us on the first day that they would love the Bible stories, and they did! Two others, Evan and Julia, loved to answer the questions about the Bible, too. Their mom gave us a donation for the ministry at the end of the week and told us how much she appreciated what the ministry was doing. Things like that are very encouraging!
When I think about the ministry we have with these precious kids I am reminded about my own life. Even as a small child (and before), God was already calling me by name. Through the teachings and examples of family members, teachers, Sunday School teachers, and others, He was leading me to where I am now, showing me who He was little by little so that I could understand. Being in Ocean City, we have the awesome opportunity to help lay a foundation of truth in these kids' lives: God loves them and wants them as His own! Please continue to pray for the Surf and Sand clubs. Pray for the children and their families, that through this ministry seeds could be planted and more would come to know Jesus as a result.
Wednesday night we had a dinner at the church and got to meet a lot of the members. It was a lot of fun--we played minute to win it challenges. They are great people, and we will be working alongside them some this summer. This chuch is a great location (right on the beach) to reach MANY people that come here during the summer.
Friday night was my favorite time here so far, and I think a lot of the team feels the same way. We held the international coffee house from 9pm-12am. Many international students come into the city for the summer to work, so we get the chance to get to know lots of awesome people! It's cool that even in the US we get to share the gospel with "the nations". It was slow enough that we got to hang out and talk with the students. I met Christina, Christina (2 of them), and Zamira from Russia and Simona from the Ukraine (I think). We played a game of Jenga and I got to know about their homes and their schools and how they like Ocean City so far. They plan to come back next week, and I'm already very excited about that! They were so sweet. I look forward to getting to know them better and I am praying for opportunities to talk to them about Jesus! Please join me in praying for all of the international students that come to the church for the Monday night dinners and Friday night coffee house. Pray that God would open doors for the gospel to be shared--many of them get taken advantage of while they are here (sadly) but that means the church has a great opportunity to be a safe haven for them in many ways.
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| Playing Jenga at coffee house :) |
Sunday we had campground worship in the different campgrounds. Last week at Castaways we had 9; this week we had 18! A couple, Ray and Judy, are here at the end of their vacation serving with us for a few days. Ray did the message Sunday on the parable of the lost coin and the lost sheep. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them here! They remind me a lot of my Mema and Pepa at home :)
My teammates doing worship at another campground came back with an awesome story. They met this guy, Mike, who is biking across the country with the goal of increasing his faith and the faith of others. You can follow his blog and even read his account of Sunday morning here:
Last night we had international dinner and parents' night out. Tonight is the lifeguard dinner followed by the SEARCH Bible study where they can ask any questions they want to. Please pray for open hearts and for the wisdom to respond with truth and grace!
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." -Hebrews 4:12
Tomorrow we have family night, which is when we put on a program for parents and children to participate in together. At the end of the program Taylor will give a testimony as to why she is serving here, which is a great time for her to present the gospel to these families that we are already serving through the surf and sand clubs! We also have a family night on Sundays at Castaways campground that I am in charge of, but it was rained out on Sunday. I will get another chance next week :)
Thank you for your continued prayers for the various ministries going on here in Ocean City!
Love ya'll,
Becca
"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21
Monday, June 6, 2011
Ocean City, MD, Week 1
Just a few updates on what has been going on in Ocean City since the team arrived on Wednesday.
After a long day of travelling on Wednesday, we had orientation from Wednesday night through Friday morning. A lot of it was going over rules and expectations for the summer, but we also had times of prayer and asking God to prepare us for the work we will be doing. We met our team that is working with Ocean City Baptist Church and the travelling team that will be going around the area doing VBS in various churches throughout the summer. Our team consists of 6 girls and 2 guys, mostly from TN, NC, GA, MS, and one from the UK.
Wednesday afternoon we had some time to go out to the beach for a while and see the Ocean City boardwalk (only a block from the church)--incredible! There is so much beach here, much different from Tybee where there isn't much beach room at high tide. There are also a TON of seagulls. Seriously. The boardwalk is a three mile strip of shops, arcades, and food shops with ice cream, popcorn, french fries, you name it.
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| Ocean City Baptist Church. -- ocbaptist.org |
Thursday morning we split into groups and walked along the boardwalk praying over the city, over the people we saw, over the teams, over our ministries, and just over our time here, that the Lord would prepare us to do His work and that He would open hearts to receive Him here in this city.
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| Beautiful sunset behind some buildings seen from the boardwalk. |
Thursday afternoon we passed out fliers to the international student workers advertising free meals at local churches. The international students come from all over--Ireland, Russia, Scotland, Lithuania, Moldova, etc. to work for the summer. There is an incredible opportunity to reach out to them through the ministry of the church with events like free meals and coffee hour, which will happen on Friday evenings.
Friday afternoon we went around to the 4 campgrounds in the area and Friday night we were assigned to which campground we will be working in for the duration of the summer. Saturday we cleaned up at the church and prepared for campground worship the next morning. We had time to visit the beach and enjoy the boardwalk again, so that was nice.
Sunday morning we split up at our various campgrounds and helped with worship. We do a brief 45 minute service for the campers with a couple of songs, a time of prayer, and a time of reading through the Word and discussing it. My partner, Chrissy, and I were grateful to have a local pastor lead the music and the preaching, so we were just there as support and help and to remind the campers of the kids' programs we would be leading during the week. After the service was done Chrissy and I went to OCBC to help with the nursery and then attended the 10:00 service in the morning. Great time of worship there, and a very welcoming group of people at the church. Sunday night the team attended the 7:00 service--again, a great time of worship and fellowship.
Also on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings we went to meet the greyhound bus at the station bringing in international students for the work program. We greet them and give them a welcome gift from the city and invite them to the international dinners at OCBC on Monday nights.
This morning (Monday) we were at our various campgrounds again. Michelle and I had 6 kids at Castaways campground. (http://www.castawaysrvoc.com/) We did a program much like VBS, only the curriculum is more flexible and less planned out in advance with videos like VBS is. We did crafts, music, snacks, games, and a Bible story with the kids and I think they had a good time. We are expecting the numbers to increase as word gets around. As more kids come, we can invite the parents to the other ministries that will begin next week, including parents' night out (Monday nights--the parents can leave the children at the church for a minimum fee from 6-10pm and have a free night) and family night (Sunday nights for Castaways campground--fun for the whole family!).
We had time to relax today before the international dinner began at 6. In 2 hours 165 students came through for a free meal. I was very touched by this event tonight. The numbers last year started around 80 on the first night and by the end of the summer they were serving 400-500 students on average. We invite the students to come back on Friday evenings for coffee hour, when we can have more time to talk with them and build relationships that way. I had the privilege of meeting 2 students from Kazakhstan and one student from Russia who is a Christian. We had good conversations. The rest of the time I was serving drinks, but I was very burdened by all of the students coming through. Lately I've been reading an autobiography of George Muller (thanks, Debbi) and his words encourage me greatly regarding prayer... Already the Lord is drawing me closer to Him, and teaching me to lean on Him in every moment, believing that He is good and all powerful to answer prayers in a mighty way as we seek His will. Standing in line I began to pray for each student that grabbed a drink, asking God to use the ministry in some way to show His love to them. I asked Him to open their hearts to Him and to understand the joy of knowing who He is. It is amazing what can happen when we pray and let God do the work instead of going into a situation with our own agenda already planned out... Thank You Lord for being patient with me when I am so slow to learn these things!
Yesterday was a hard day for me... homesick and wondering how we are ever going to keep this pace all summer. I thank God for creating unity in this team and encouraging us through each other as we seek Him for our strength. I have been blessed with a wonderful group to work alongside this summer. I am also extremely thankful for those at home that send me encouraging words and let me know they are praying. I mean it when I say I can feel those prayers--reading the Muller biography makes me more aware of the power of prayer and 1)makes me appreciate those prayers all the more and 2) encourages me to pray more often and will more faith than before. Praise the Lord, and thank you all for every prayer on behalf of the team here and the work being done in Ocean City. The Lord is great!
It's going to be a busy and tough summer at times, but it's also going to be great. I'm excited about what God is going to teach me and about what He will accomplish through this team of amazing people who just want to love and follow Him. We are so grateful for the opportunity to be here.
Thanks for praying. Love ya'll.
Becca
p.s. Due to past experiences and safety of children and international students, we are not allowed to post any pictures of anyone other than our team. So that is why I've posted these pictures here. Enjoy!
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| On the beach Saturday afternoon. |
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| Ashley and I acting touristy on the boardwalk. |
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| Cooking together builds team unity--and good memories! :) |
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Whatever it Takes?
I want your opinions. I want your insight. I'm asking for it. Please help me out? I really don't know what to think on this one...
In short, my question is this: should we really have a "whatever it takes" approach to sharing the gospel? Do we really believe that it's worth risking everything, even our lives, for? Before you say a quick "yes," consider this: What about when our decisions seem wreckless and even stupid? Should we proceed anyway for the sake of an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus?
Foreign missionaries are praised for going into dangerous territories and risking their very lives for the name of Jesus. Here in America, it is not illegal or necessarily dangerous to profess to be a Christian or to tell people about Him. I can't say I've encountered many situations where I had to decide between safety and sharing Jesus. Even when I went to Brazil and we were in rough parts of town, I don't think I was in any immediate danger.
But what about situations that are potentially very dangerous even here in America? These days it's hard to trust anyone: anything can happen. Should we stay away from rough neighborhoods because of the possible danger? Should we refuse to give the homeless man a ride because we have no clue about his sincerity? Is it our job to ask ourselves that or do we leave it up to God to do what He wants with the situation. I've been taught all my life that doing such a thing is completely unsafe, wreckless, and stupid. Don't do it. But how do we match that with whatever it takes?
I am sincerely asking here. I don't mean to sound arrogant with my questions. I realize that there are "smart" ways to go about those situations, like taking people with you. But what if that's not an option, or what if numbers don't really matter all that much as far as safety goes? Do we turn away or run head first into it, trusting along the way that God is sovereign?
Is it not His will for us to put ourselves in dangerous situations? I am convinced He wants above all else for His fame to be spread, that more people would know the saving name of Jesus. If that means risking our lives for that, then so be it. What's the balance? I really would like to hear different perspectives on this... especially regarding Scripture references that could point me in the right direction...
Thanks in advance. Love you guys!
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/mission/features/22028-how-much-should-we-risk
--Here is one perspective I've looked at...
In short, my question is this: should we really have a "whatever it takes" approach to sharing the gospel? Do we really believe that it's worth risking everything, even our lives, for? Before you say a quick "yes," consider this: What about when our decisions seem wreckless and even stupid? Should we proceed anyway for the sake of an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus?
Foreign missionaries are praised for going into dangerous territories and risking their very lives for the name of Jesus. Here in America, it is not illegal or necessarily dangerous to profess to be a Christian or to tell people about Him. I can't say I've encountered many situations where I had to decide between safety and sharing Jesus. Even when I went to Brazil and we were in rough parts of town, I don't think I was in any immediate danger.
But what about situations that are potentially very dangerous even here in America? These days it's hard to trust anyone: anything can happen. Should we stay away from rough neighborhoods because of the possible danger? Should we refuse to give the homeless man a ride because we have no clue about his sincerity? Is it our job to ask ourselves that or do we leave it up to God to do what He wants with the situation. I've been taught all my life that doing such a thing is completely unsafe, wreckless, and stupid. Don't do it. But how do we match that with whatever it takes?
I am sincerely asking here. I don't mean to sound arrogant with my questions. I realize that there are "smart" ways to go about those situations, like taking people with you. But what if that's not an option, or what if numbers don't really matter all that much as far as safety goes? Do we turn away or run head first into it, trusting along the way that God is sovereign?
Is it not His will for us to put ourselves in dangerous situations? I am convinced He wants above all else for His fame to be spread, that more people would know the saving name of Jesus. If that means risking our lives for that, then so be it. What's the balance? I really would like to hear different perspectives on this... especially regarding Scripture references that could point me in the right direction...
Thanks in advance. Love you guys!
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/mission/features/22028-how-much-should-we-risk
--Here is one perspective I've looked at...
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Brazil 2011... "Wonders Among Us" Joshua 3:5
I'd like to take some time to tell you all not about what we did on Spring Break 2011, but what God did through my life and how it has changed me. I want to share many things, but I'll share my favorite story first.
Someone said something during our brief stay in Brazil that really stuck with me: "There's not a whole lot that's done on a mission trip that can't be done back at home." With this being my first "mission" trip, there's so much I could talk about regarding what I saw, experienced, and learned. But the concept of "missions" truly being wherever you are and whatever you're doing is my biggest take away from this trip. I've heard before that missions are here at home, too, but I still had the concept in my mind that it meant painting a house or going door-to-door. Those things are still great; I just mean to say that it's the image I had in my head when I thought about missions. I could not have been more mistaken.
My favorite and most cherished part of the trip was the night ministry, which Eric (the missionary we worked with) does once or twice a week. We joined him in prayer walking through the areas where prostitutes and transvestites work at night. We talked with them, looked them in the eyes, asked their names, prayed with them, gave them gospels of John, and hugged them. Even as I write this I know there is no way to express what that experience was like.
On Friday night Brooke and I were able to go back out with Eric again. On Wednesday (the first time) there weren't many people out, but on Friday, there were women at almost every bus stop. One woman in particular continues to be on my heart. Her name is Vanessa, and she was wearing only jeans and a bra when we stopped to speak with her. It was easy to see she was shocked that we obviously weren't there as customers. When Brooke gave her the John gospel she said in Portuguese, "This is the Word of God." (Sidenote: isn't God AWESOME?? We didn't even speak the same language, but that doesn't stop Him from working...) She knew what she held in her hands. She began to walk away but Eric asked if we could pray with her, so she turned around. I placed my hand on her shoulder and Brooke placed her hand on mine. Vanessa stood stiffly as I prayed (in English) but before I knew it she had lifted her hands to form a circle with me and Brooke. I started to cry as I was praying because I so desperately wanted her to be safe both physically and spiritually from the bondage Satan has her so entangled in. I did not see a prostitute in front of me; I saw my Brazilian friends from camp, my friends from back home, and even myself. We've ALL been entangled insin before we open ourselves to the grace offered to us.
Upon coming home, I realize that it is not only prostitutes or those caught in sexual sin that need to be shown the love of Jesus. Every person I meet is NOT defined as a liar, a thief, or any other sin. They are God's precious creations, so desperately in need of grace, as we all are. I may not be able to talk to prostitutes in Macon, GA (but then again, who knows) but I can look people in the eye, ask them their name, and tell them God loves them. I can allow God to show Himself rather than me. It is not by my power that I can see people as He sees them, it is His grace that allows me to be a vessel of His love to others. He allows me to see each person as someone in need of love and grace. I can carry this truth with me every moment of every day. Joshua 3:5 says, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." I read this at the very beginning of the trip and I was very excited at what God was about to do through the team. Now that I am back at home, though, I realize that every tomorrow turns into today. Every day is an opportunity to sanctify ourselves from our flesh and allow God to do wonders among us. Amen!
Someone said something during our brief stay in Brazil that really stuck with me: "There's not a whole lot that's done on a mission trip that can't be done back at home." With this being my first "mission" trip, there's so much I could talk about regarding what I saw, experienced, and learned. But the concept of "missions" truly being wherever you are and whatever you're doing is my biggest take away from this trip. I've heard before that missions are here at home, too, but I still had the concept in my mind that it meant painting a house or going door-to-door. Those things are still great; I just mean to say that it's the image I had in my head when I thought about missions. I could not have been more mistaken.
My favorite and most cherished part of the trip was the night ministry, which Eric (the missionary we worked with) does once or twice a week. We joined him in prayer walking through the areas where prostitutes and transvestites work at night. We talked with them, looked them in the eyes, asked their names, prayed with them, gave them gospels of John, and hugged them. Even as I write this I know there is no way to express what that experience was like.
On Friday night Brooke and I were able to go back out with Eric again. On Wednesday (the first time) there weren't many people out, but on Friday, there were women at almost every bus stop. One woman in particular continues to be on my heart. Her name is Vanessa, and she was wearing only jeans and a bra when we stopped to speak with her. It was easy to see she was shocked that we obviously weren't there as customers. When Brooke gave her the John gospel she said in Portuguese, "This is the Word of God." (Sidenote: isn't God AWESOME?? We didn't even speak the same language, but that doesn't stop Him from working...) She knew what she held in her hands. She began to walk away but Eric asked if we could pray with her, so she turned around. I placed my hand on her shoulder and Brooke placed her hand on mine. Vanessa stood stiffly as I prayed (in English) but before I knew it she had lifted her hands to form a circle with me and Brooke. I started to cry as I was praying because I so desperately wanted her to be safe both physically and spiritually from the bondage Satan has her so entangled in. I did not see a prostitute in front of me; I saw my Brazilian friends from camp, my friends from back home, and even myself. We've ALL been entangled insin before we open ourselves to the grace offered to us.
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." -2 Cor. 2:14
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Playlist of my life. :)
Music is powerful. You can hear a song and be taken back in time. I was making a playlist the other day and realized how many experiences I've had have been shaped by music. I'd like to share just some of the songs that take me back, make me happy, or just "fit". :)
"Jesus Loves Me" I accepted Christ early in life. In my elementary understanding, I knew He loved me and I wanted to love Him back!
"Livin' in a Moment" by Ty Herndon. All my mom ever listened to and still listens to is country. I remember being a little kid and being able to recite every word of this song.
"Love Liberty Disco" by the Newsboys. My cousins and I made up a dance to this song. We had some good times back then. :)
"Watch the Lamb" by Ray Boltz. The video made me cry when I was younger. Time hasn't changed it!
"Survivor" by Destiny's Child. For some reason I distinctly remember this being played when we had a DJ at my elementary school for beach day. It was my 5th grade year so it was the last time I enjoyed "beach day" for the last day of school.
"Lady Marmalade" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. I watched this at a sleepover for Alexa's birthday party one year. Now THAT was super fun. I think we went to see Hitch the next day...that could have been a different year, but the timing is right. We had some fun times together!
"Your Man" by Josh Turner. First slow dance song. Self explanatory.
"Love Song for a Savior" by Jars of Clay. "I want to fall in love with You..." I remember feeling like I was falling in love with Jesus for the first time when I was about 14. Because I was. My understanding up to that point was so minimal! I was a "good girl" but I never realized that God loved me enough to have a plan for my life that fit into His purpose. Incredible.
"Getting into You" by Relient K. "I'm getting into you, because you got to me, in a way words can't describe...I'm gonna love you with my life."
"Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real. In high school, I remember feeling like I was about to burst for wanting to do something more than what I was doing. I felt like there was chaos inside me because I didn't know what to do with all that He was showing me at the time. Little did I know He was only beginning! :)
"Forever and for Always" by Shania Twain. Well, that didn't happen. Had some good times but in the end I learned a lot about myself. I was so dumb. Lol.
"Stand in the Rain" by Superchick. This was my anthem in a time when I made a tough decision in high school. I would blast it on the way to school some mornings!
"Laughed Until We Cried" by Jason Aldean. South Effingham High School class of '09 graduation song. :)
"Undo it" by Carrie Underwood. This one played a lot in my dorm room last semester! Haha.
"How He Loves" by David Crowder Band. Who doesn't relate to this song? Specifically, though, it was the theme song for Georgia Mountain Vida Nueva #31, where I had the opportunity to love on some beautiful girls to show them how much they are loved. :) It was an awesome experience, as was my own VN in March of 2010. God is so good!
"God of this City" by Bluetree. I want to GO places to carry the name of Jesus. How blessed I am that He's shown me just a piece of how big His plans are for me! Brazil and Maryland all in one year!
"Beautiful Somehow" by Joy Williams. This one could have been anywhere from high school till now. It's my happy, feel good song. :) "Well I've never been a fashion queen, I wear dresses, I wear jeans. I've even been known to wear my heart on my sleeve..."
The whole Passion 2011 CD, not even out yet! Talk about an awakening... I could go on and on about this. 2011 has been the best year so far in my life, and it started with Passion. God has drawn me near to Him and has opened my eyes to the joy of knowing Him more and more everyday. He's given me passions that are unique to His plan for me, and is giving me the freedom to enjoy them! He is SO GOOD!
"The First Cut is the Deepest" by Sheryl Crow. The lyrics are self explanatory. It's been a process of letting go of the past and looking forward, but Jesus continues to surround me with His perfect love. He is my satisfaction, my everything. I believe and I know that He frees me from past mistakes and gives me the freedom to look forward to whatever He has for me. He is my everything!
"Sing My Love" by Jesus Culture. This is another happy song for me. I love to sing it at the top of my lungs, just to shout how much I love Him! With all that He has done in my life thus far this year, I cannot help but praise. He is like breathing to me...He is life, He is everything!
Again, this is in no way all inclusive of every song that means something to me. But it was fun! What are some songs that have shaped your life? :)
"Jesus Loves Me" I accepted Christ early in life. In my elementary understanding, I knew He loved me and I wanted to love Him back!
"Livin' in a Moment" by Ty Herndon. All my mom ever listened to and still listens to is country. I remember being a little kid and being able to recite every word of this song.
"Love Liberty Disco" by the Newsboys. My cousins and I made up a dance to this song. We had some good times back then. :)
"Watch the Lamb" by Ray Boltz. The video made me cry when I was younger. Time hasn't changed it!
"Survivor" by Destiny's Child. For some reason I distinctly remember this being played when we had a DJ at my elementary school for beach day. It was my 5th grade year so it was the last time I enjoyed "beach day" for the last day of school.
"Lady Marmalade" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. I watched this at a sleepover for Alexa's birthday party one year. Now THAT was super fun. I think we went to see Hitch the next day...that could have been a different year, but the timing is right. We had some fun times together!
"Your Man" by Josh Turner. First slow dance song. Self explanatory.
"Love Song for a Savior" by Jars of Clay. "I want to fall in love with You..." I remember feeling like I was falling in love with Jesus for the first time when I was about 14. Because I was. My understanding up to that point was so minimal! I was a "good girl" but I never realized that God loved me enough to have a plan for my life that fit into His purpose. Incredible.
"Getting into You" by Relient K. "I'm getting into you, because you got to me, in a way words can't describe...I'm gonna love you with my life."
"Whatever You're Doing" by Sanctus Real. In high school, I remember feeling like I was about to burst for wanting to do something more than what I was doing. I felt like there was chaos inside me because I didn't know what to do with all that He was showing me at the time. Little did I know He was only beginning! :)
"Forever and for Always" by Shania Twain. Well, that didn't happen. Had some good times but in the end I learned a lot about myself. I was so dumb. Lol.
"Stand in the Rain" by Superchick. This was my anthem in a time when I made a tough decision in high school. I would blast it on the way to school some mornings!
"Laughed Until We Cried" by Jason Aldean. South Effingham High School class of '09 graduation song. :)
"Undo it" by Carrie Underwood. This one played a lot in my dorm room last semester! Haha.
"How He Loves" by David Crowder Band. Who doesn't relate to this song? Specifically, though, it was the theme song for Georgia Mountain Vida Nueva #31, where I had the opportunity to love on some beautiful girls to show them how much they are loved. :) It was an awesome experience, as was my own VN in March of 2010. God is so good!
"God of this City" by Bluetree. I want to GO places to carry the name of Jesus. How blessed I am that He's shown me just a piece of how big His plans are for me! Brazil and Maryland all in one year!
"Beautiful Somehow" by Joy Williams. This one could have been anywhere from high school till now. It's my happy, feel good song. :) "Well I've never been a fashion queen, I wear dresses, I wear jeans. I've even been known to wear my heart on my sleeve..."
The whole Passion 2011 CD, not even out yet! Talk about an awakening... I could go on and on about this. 2011 has been the best year so far in my life, and it started with Passion. God has drawn me near to Him and has opened my eyes to the joy of knowing Him more and more everyday. He's given me passions that are unique to His plan for me, and is giving me the freedom to enjoy them! He is SO GOOD!
"The First Cut is the Deepest" by Sheryl Crow. The lyrics are self explanatory. It's been a process of letting go of the past and looking forward, but Jesus continues to surround me with His perfect love. He is my satisfaction, my everything. I believe and I know that He frees me from past mistakes and gives me the freedom to look forward to whatever He has for me. He is my everything!
"Sing My Love" by Jesus Culture. This is another happy song for me. I love to sing it at the top of my lungs, just to shout how much I love Him! With all that He has done in my life thus far this year, I cannot help but praise. He is like breathing to me...He is life, He is everything!
Again, this is in no way all inclusive of every song that means something to me. But it was fun! What are some songs that have shaped your life? :)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Passing on some words of wisdom...
I don't have anything in particular to say today, but I wanted to share some wisdom from a book that has taught me a lot. It's called A Woman And Her God. The insight of the authors has given me wisdom in several areas of my life, so I thought maybe someone else could benefit from it as well.
"If we don't find satisfaction with God, we will look for it somewhere else...Consider the word subsistence. One definition of the helpless is that they are poor and needy, 'subsisting on the alms of others.' The picture painted here is a beggar. If we subsist on the alms of others, our heart is just a vaccuum; we're needy people because we were created that way. We need to be loved. We need to be affirmed. Those are not weaknesses. We were created with those needs, and we are like beggars when our soul is not satisfied by God. It's like we walk around all day with an empty cup, asking people to fill it up. We may [ask people], "Can you fill my cup?" The problem is that we go to them seeking what only Christ was meant to provide. We can affirm one another, even fulfill one another, but it was God's design right from the beginning that He alone would satisfy our soul's desire. We were meant to thrive on the riches of His love. We were never meant for subsistence living." -Beth Moore, p.9-10
"Long before my family wakes up in my house and before I expect them to meet a need I might have, God has taught me to go to Him...One thing that is so incredible about allowing our Father to meet our needs first thing in the day is that if [anyone] showers us with love later on, our cup overflows. But it's not their job to initially meet the needs of our soul. Therefore, they enjoy the delight (and so do we) of causing this wonderful overflow. And what a difference that makes!" -Beth Moore, p.12,15
I've made the mistake many days of looking for others to fill my cup. It leaves me miserable and feeling unloved, neither of which is productive or necessary! I love the picture here of a cup full to the brim with Jesus, and later on, anything else causes overflow. :)
After Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, his disciples told him to eat something. "How frustrated He must have been with the disciples! For that matter, how frustrated He must be with us when we can't take our focus off lunch. Our vision is so limited. The problem is, if we become comfortable in our faith, we tend to become self-satisfied and then we don't even care if the world's gone to hell in a handbasket. We have no vision and certainly no passion... If you have a vision for the lost, you tend to lose your appetite, because your vision leads to passion. Suddenly your stomach becomes tied in knots. Let me ask you something: When was the last time your stomach ached over a lost soul? Take a good look at the people around you. Just as it was in biblical times, the fields are ripe. It's harvest time!" -Jill Briscoe, p.34-35
The fullness of His love that He gives is meant to be spread, not kept within us! He draws us in to Him by His love in order that we might delight in Him... and that delight cannot be hidden! The lost world around us NEEDS to know. May we never have more of an appetite for the things of the world than we do for seeing God's kingdom here on earth.
"Experiencing the reality that God loves you personally will have a profound healing effect on every area of your personality. [It will] involve a secure sense of being unworthy but not worthless, with a consistent focus on God's adequacy rather than our own inadequacy. Notice the balance. Yes, we are unworthy of this eternal love relationship, but we are not worthless. The worth of something is determined by the price someone is willing to pay for it. Look at the price that was paid to allow us to enter into this eternally secure love relationship with God. How awesome!" -Sandra D. Wilson, p.60
"Once we become convinced of His love, we must be willing to receive it. Our mind may acknowledge, Yes, God loves me, but we don't receive it; we don't truly allow God to love us. Romans 5:5 says, 'God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.' Our response should be, 'I receive Your love, Lord.'" -Kathleen Hart, p.69
"Second Corinthians 5:9 says, 'We make it our goal to please the Lord.' Our goal should be to please the Lord. Clear your grandstand of all other people. The only one who should be there is Jesus. He's the one who loves you unconditionally. He's the one you should love with all your heart. He's the one giving you direction in your life." -Kathleen Hart, p.86
"Take responsibility for who you are, for your behavior, and for your actions and attitudes. We have to do that at every stage of our life. Otherwise, we'll continue to react to life, to circumstances, and to people, and our life will become miserable." -Kathleen Hart, p.88
I think this goes right back to where we get our satisfaction... Any other source but Jesus will not fulfill and we will be miserable.
"As we consider how Jesus cared for women, we know that one ofthe primary ways was by listening, talking to, and interacting with them. His actions and words always revealed this statement: 'You matter to Me; you're important to Me.'" -David Hager, M.D., p.106-107
"Listening requires a great deal of humility, because by saying less when you could have said more allows God to do everything." -David Hager
This jumped out at me. It's a perspective I've never considered on something I really need to work on!
"Jesus' example sets the course for all men with respect to caring for women. This is how men are to treat women... No human relationship can satisfy the deep soul-need you have. A relationship with a man cannot match it, no matter how hard you try. No husband can meet that kind of need for his wife; only Jesus can do that. And that's the way He wants it." -David Hager, p.114-115
Thank You Jesus!
http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Her-God-Extraordinary-Women/dp/1591450551#_
"If we don't find satisfaction with God, we will look for it somewhere else...Consider the word subsistence. One definition of the helpless is that they are poor and needy, 'subsisting on the alms of others.' The picture painted here is a beggar. If we subsist on the alms of others, our heart is just a vaccuum; we're needy people because we were created that way. We need to be loved. We need to be affirmed. Those are not weaknesses. We were created with those needs, and we are like beggars when our soul is not satisfied by God. It's like we walk around all day with an empty cup, asking people to fill it up. We may [ask people], "Can you fill my cup?" The problem is that we go to them seeking what only Christ was meant to provide. We can affirm one another, even fulfill one another, but it was God's design right from the beginning that He alone would satisfy our soul's desire. We were meant to thrive on the riches of His love. We were never meant for subsistence living." -Beth Moore, p.9-10
"Long before my family wakes up in my house and before I expect them to meet a need I might have, God has taught me to go to Him...One thing that is so incredible about allowing our Father to meet our needs first thing in the day is that if [anyone] showers us with love later on, our cup overflows. But it's not their job to initially meet the needs of our soul. Therefore, they enjoy the delight (and so do we) of causing this wonderful overflow. And what a difference that makes!" -Beth Moore, p.12,15
I've made the mistake many days of looking for others to fill my cup. It leaves me miserable and feeling unloved, neither of which is productive or necessary! I love the picture here of a cup full to the brim with Jesus, and later on, anything else causes overflow. :)
After Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4, his disciples told him to eat something. "How frustrated He must have been with the disciples! For that matter, how frustrated He must be with us when we can't take our focus off lunch. Our vision is so limited. The problem is, if we become comfortable in our faith, we tend to become self-satisfied and then we don't even care if the world's gone to hell in a handbasket. We have no vision and certainly no passion... If you have a vision for the lost, you tend to lose your appetite, because your vision leads to passion. Suddenly your stomach becomes tied in knots. Let me ask you something: When was the last time your stomach ached over a lost soul? Take a good look at the people around you. Just as it was in biblical times, the fields are ripe. It's harvest time!" -Jill Briscoe, p.34-35
The fullness of His love that He gives is meant to be spread, not kept within us! He draws us in to Him by His love in order that we might delight in Him... and that delight cannot be hidden! The lost world around us NEEDS to know. May we never have more of an appetite for the things of the world than we do for seeing God's kingdom here on earth.
"Experiencing the reality that God loves you personally will have a profound healing effect on every area of your personality. [It will] involve a secure sense of being unworthy but not worthless, with a consistent focus on God's adequacy rather than our own inadequacy. Notice the balance. Yes, we are unworthy of this eternal love relationship, but we are not worthless. The worth of something is determined by the price someone is willing to pay for it. Look at the price that was paid to allow us to enter into this eternally secure love relationship with God. How awesome!" -Sandra D. Wilson, p.60
"Once we become convinced of His love, we must be willing to receive it. Our mind may acknowledge, Yes, God loves me, but we don't receive it; we don't truly allow God to love us. Romans 5:5 says, 'God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.' Our response should be, 'I receive Your love, Lord.'" -Kathleen Hart, p.69
"Second Corinthians 5:9 says, 'We make it our goal to please the Lord.' Our goal should be to please the Lord. Clear your grandstand of all other people. The only one who should be there is Jesus. He's the one who loves you unconditionally. He's the one you should love with all your heart. He's the one giving you direction in your life." -Kathleen Hart, p.86
"Take responsibility for who you are, for your behavior, and for your actions and attitudes. We have to do that at every stage of our life. Otherwise, we'll continue to react to life, to circumstances, and to people, and our life will become miserable." -Kathleen Hart, p.88
I think this goes right back to where we get our satisfaction... Any other source but Jesus will not fulfill and we will be miserable.
"As we consider how Jesus cared for women, we know that one ofthe primary ways was by listening, talking to, and interacting with them. His actions and words always revealed this statement: 'You matter to Me; you're important to Me.'" -David Hager, M.D., p.106-107
"Listening requires a great deal of humility, because by saying less when you could have said more allows God to do everything." -David Hager
This jumped out at me. It's a perspective I've never considered on something I really need to work on!
"Jesus' example sets the course for all men with respect to caring for women. This is how men are to treat women... No human relationship can satisfy the deep soul-need you have. A relationship with a man cannot match it, no matter how hard you try. No husband can meet that kind of need for his wife; only Jesus can do that. And that's the way He wants it." -David Hager, p.114-115
Thank You Jesus!
http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Her-God-Extraordinary-Women/dp/1591450551#_
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