I’ve got a friend who’s feeling a little “unsettled” today. When I inquired as to why or what she was feeling “unsettled” about, she confided it surrounded something in her past…a decision made, she voiced, to be extremely out of character….a choice she regrets and one that makes her physically feel sick…
I was reading in Matthew 8:18-27…
"When Jesus saw that a curious crowd was growing by the minute, he told his disciples to get him out of there to the other side of the lake. As they left, a religion scholar asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said. Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.” Another follower said, “Master, excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have my father’s funeral to take care of.” Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life.”
Then he got in the boat, his disciples with him. The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat—and he was sound asleep! They roused him, pleading, “Master, save us! We’re going down!” Jesus reprimanded them. “Why are you such cowards, such faint-hearts?” Then he stood up and told the wind to be silent, the sea to quiet down: “Silence!” The sea became smooth as glass. The men rubbed their eyes, astonished. “What’s going on here? Wind and sea come to heel at this command!”
I look around with complete acknowledgement that God, with awesome power, creativity and wisdom, created all of nature and humanity, but often give little thought to the fact that I fall into that category. I give little thought to the fact that He carefully and uniquely created me. Without conscious effort in thought, I easily dismiss this. However, the God of the universe created me, breathing my life into existence.
As our maker/ our creator, God knew every decision we would ever make, yet He still chose to create us. While we can certainly bring Him much grief, pain and sorrow, He takes great delight in us and we bring Him much pleasure.
There are several things that catch my attention in this scripture but there are 2 things which initially grabbed my attention. The first is Christ’ words. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. Follow me. Pursue life.” …and the second is the fact that for the disciples, an unexpected storm blew in while they were in this boat on the Sea of Galilee.
The regrets in our past which we have sought forgiveness for are “dead”. Christ has “cast them as far as the east is from the west”…He “remembers them no more”! Jesus says, “our business is life, not death”…with these being the words of our Lord, we can believe them to be truth!
In our flesh, it can be extremely difficult to let go of the regrets we carry…but we’re not meant to carry these regrets. Much like we prune the dead or dying limbs of a plant or tree in order for fresh growth to spring forth, we must allow the same to be done in our lives. If the dead limbs aren’t pruned, growth is stunted. So it is true in our own lives! If we don’t release and allow the regrets, mistakes---“death”, to be pruned from our lives, how can we spring forth with new growth for Christ.
“Follow me. Pursue life”…if we’re clinging to the “dead” how can we follow Him and pursue life? We can’t! What are the signs of life? Having recently returned from Uganda, when I close my eyes and think about this question, my senses are awakened with sounds of an African drum, children singing, voices laughing...a sweet angelic voice of an orphan announcing she’s from “America”...in great hopes of one day truly being from America.
My sense of smell is awakened with the smell of dry, dusty, dirt roads as well as the smell of wood and coal burning fires, producing the smells of local African foods being cooked on an open fire. Of all my senses, “touch” is the one most important to me. The power of touch is unlike any other, as it has the power to communicate what words can never convey.
The signs of life can often be messy but it’s active and engaging…quite opposite of “death” which is dormant and stale and often produces a stench capable of making one feel sick…much like what my friend was feeling this morning as she thought of her regrets…
In the midst of “following Christ and engaging in life” storms can blow up in our lives. We can be blindsided with the most unexpected things at times. However, it’s important for us to remember there is another force which exists. This “force” works day and night to knock us off balance…to divert our attention…to pull us off our charted course of pursuing “life”…and our act of “following Christ and pursing life”…this force likes to attack us in our areas of weakness and can come in the form of guilt, regret, shame, doubt, feelings of unworthiness, etc…
While the disciples were seen as being “faint hearted” and cowards…they knew the source to run to…”Jesus”. While Jesus was a little disappointed with their “unbelief” and doubt regarding their safety, Jesus quickly took control of the storm which had blown in, leaving the disciples perplexed at the power in the very voice of Christ’ commands to the winds and waves.
What are your “winds and waves” today? Are you in complete peace regardless of their force and size or do you need to “arouse” Him and plead for His intervention?
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Monday, October 18, 2010
"Perfection" or "Faith"?
Ok…Call me “Einstein”, but I came across some scripture this morning that was a great reminder for me…something I had forgotten to apply to myself.
My expectations are typically high for everything…but the expectations I have on myself are the absolute highest. A personality flaw some might say…I allow no margin of error for myself. I can be rather quick to forgive those around me who make mistakes. However, when it comes to my own mistakes, there is never any need for anyone to punish me, as I take care of that myself.
This weekend I was challenged. I made a mistake, reverting to some old ways of thinking and old behaviors. A friend lovingly reminded me that things would be “ok”, and that from time to time we all “glance back” for a moment. I was ashamed and embarrassed at my response to temporarily “glance back”. I couldn’t believe I had made so much progress and then in the blink of an eye…I did it.
For 24 hours I could not “shake” it. I had failed! How many times before had I done this…and how many more times would I return there. Why couldn’t I just “get it right” and “be done” with this area of my life.
In my disappointment, I lost sight of who I was; I lost sight of the amazing grace of God. I lost sight of who I am in Christ...sacred, treasured, loved enough to die for. In loosing sight, I began to focus on the lies I had believed for so long about myself. One bad decision sent me into a cascade of negative thoughts.
The law perfected nothing, but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19
This verse reminded me that God is not after our “perfection”. He is after our “faith” !
Christ came as the royal priest. He came to perfectly meet our needs…Not recognizing this truth would mean not recognizing what took place on the cross.
This is great comfort for those of us who struggle with feelings of needing to be “perfect”; who feel we can live with no “margin of error”.
My sights are now adjusting, as my aim is no longer “perfection” but rather “faith”.
Through faith, I was able to walk away from the poor choice I was making. Through faith, I was reminded of who I am in Christ. Without faith, we simply walk in our own strength…I don’t know about you, but I desire to tap into strength much stronger than what I possess!
What are you "tapping into"?
Blessings,
My expectations are typically high for everything…but the expectations I have on myself are the absolute highest. A personality flaw some might say…I allow no margin of error for myself. I can be rather quick to forgive those around me who make mistakes. However, when it comes to my own mistakes, there is never any need for anyone to punish me, as I take care of that myself.
This weekend I was challenged. I made a mistake, reverting to some old ways of thinking and old behaviors. A friend lovingly reminded me that things would be “ok”, and that from time to time we all “glance back” for a moment. I was ashamed and embarrassed at my response to temporarily “glance back”. I couldn’t believe I had made so much progress and then in the blink of an eye…I did it.
For 24 hours I could not “shake” it. I had failed! How many times before had I done this…and how many more times would I return there. Why couldn’t I just “get it right” and “be done” with this area of my life.
In my disappointment, I lost sight of who I was; I lost sight of the amazing grace of God. I lost sight of who I am in Christ...sacred, treasured, loved enough to die for. In loosing sight, I began to focus on the lies I had believed for so long about myself. One bad decision sent me into a cascade of negative thoughts.
The law perfected nothing, but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19
This verse reminded me that God is not after our “perfection”. He is after our “faith” !
Christ came as the royal priest. He came to perfectly meet our needs…Not recognizing this truth would mean not recognizing what took place on the cross.
This is great comfort for those of us who struggle with feelings of needing to be “perfect”; who feel we can live with no “margin of error”.
My sights are now adjusting, as my aim is no longer “perfection” but rather “faith”.
Through faith, I was able to walk away from the poor choice I was making. Through faith, I was reminded of who I am in Christ. Without faith, we simply walk in our own strength…I don’t know about you, but I desire to tap into strength much stronger than what I possess!
What are you "tapping into"?
Blessings,
Saturated! Pause Button Required
10-3-2010:This week I’ve experienced an endless wave of God’s faithfulness…blessing after blessing…so much that I finally had to beg the Lord to withhold any more for the remainder of the week. I found myself at a point of complete saturation.
I haven’t been diligent in sharing details of the land development in Bweya Village, Uganda, probably due to a lack of faith in God’s previsions. Ekissa has been in the process of purchasing 3 acres of land in order to build a “hub of care” for the children. This “hub” is to include a church, orphanage, medical clinic and school.
The land in Uganda is unbelievably expensive due to the percentage of land available for general consumption among “commoners”. The majority of land is owned by the government. I was told 2 weeks ago that another ministry paid $40,000 per acre! The Ugandan man, “Mr. Robert”, which ekissa is purchasing land from, has agreed to permit us to purchase 3 acres for $28,000 per acre…roughly $90,000 for the 3 acre tract.
Upon meeting Mr. Robert and seeing his land, there was no doubt this particular land was the partial of land God desired for ekissa to inhabit. However, I must confess I’ve been a little overwhelmed with the contract of purchase. Mr. Robert has allowed us to pay for one acre at a time, giving us 2 months in between each payment, to raise the following $28,000. This meant ekissa was responsible for roughly $90,000 over a period of 6 months.
God provided the $28,000 for the first acre of land in a matter of 4 weeks through Facebook post and word of mouth. This second acre has been a little more challenging. I was a little fearful of what “Mr. Robert’s” reaction might be if we hadn’t raised the full payment of $28G’s by Sept 22. Weeks before the payment deadline for acre #2 , the Lord led me to a piece of scripture.
“Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
From the time Christ led me to this scripture, I stood confident that payment #2 would arrive…however, it would NOT arrive at the contractually agreed upon time…Despite the “delay” in payment, I had a tremendous peace concerning Mr. Robert’s acceptance of its delay. However, in an effort to “prepare” him, I attempted to contact Mr. Robert for more than 1 ½ weeks to keep him informed of the status of our funds towards the second payment. Despite my ongoing efforts, I was never able to get through to Uganda. The airways get so congested that it is often extremely difficult to get through.
Well, as I was prepared in advance through scripture, payment day came and went and ekissa was $8,000 short. Upon the encouragement of a board member, I phoned Mr. Robert to inform him of the status of our fundraising efforts. I asked the Lord to honor our efforts and to clear the technology highways such that I could reach Mr. Robert by phone with my first effort…and He did! (Unless you’ve dealt with the frustrations of successfully making a phone call to Uganda, you probably can’t appreciate this to its fullest!)
Not only was Mr. Robert acceptance of our “short fall”, he instructed for me to simply send the funds we had raised…and the blessing doesn’t stop there…
Mr. Robert stated for me to hold on to the final payment in November and that we would renegotiate that payment when we arrive in December!….and, yet again, the blessings continue…
Just a few hours later there was a knock at my door. In stepped an individual who stated 3 weeks prior to this day, they felt called to pay the remaining balance of acre # 2!
There has been much that has flooded my heart this week…but this week I felt God focus in and test not only my willingness to trust Him but also for Mr. Robert to trust in the faithfulness of Christ. Often, we feel if there is a delay, it’s about us. In the end perhaps it’s not…perhaps the delay has absolutely nothing to do with us, and everything to do with another individual. Something I recognize is that Mr. Robert and I both are living a surrendered life…and even in the midst of our business contract of purchasing land, we can not compartmentalize our life.
Imagine how things could have turned out if we both weren’t surrendered to God. Now, I’m not questioning the sovereignty of God, as He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants. However, the ease in which this situation was handled was amazing...and then the blessing of the $8,000…that gift will be a blessing to Mr. Robert and it certainly eased some of the bondage I have felt in entering into this land purchase.
Funny thing is, I’ve felt all along this land in Uganda belongs to the Lord…so in His calling for ekissa to purchase it for His Kingdom’s work, why wouldn’t He provide the resources to purchase it?!
Often we want to worship God on Sunday’s and leave Him out of the other 6 days of the week. If we only look for Him one day a week, we’re missing out on daily experiences with the Lord and lots of opportunities to worship Him! Regular, consistent fellowship leads to worship everyday of the week!
“Sing! Sing! Sing unto the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised…”
There are blessings all around us...do you ever find yourself "saturated" with His goodness?
…striving to stay in tuned with what God is doing in, and all around me! I'm challenging you to do the same!
Blessings,
I haven’t been diligent in sharing details of the land development in Bweya Village, Uganda, probably due to a lack of faith in God’s previsions. Ekissa has been in the process of purchasing 3 acres of land in order to build a “hub of care” for the children. This “hub” is to include a church, orphanage, medical clinic and school.
The land in Uganda is unbelievably expensive due to the percentage of land available for general consumption among “commoners”. The majority of land is owned by the government. I was told 2 weeks ago that another ministry paid $40,000 per acre! The Ugandan man, “Mr. Robert”, which ekissa is purchasing land from, has agreed to permit us to purchase 3 acres for $28,000 per acre…roughly $90,000 for the 3 acre tract.
Upon meeting Mr. Robert and seeing his land, there was no doubt this particular land was the partial of land God desired for ekissa to inhabit. However, I must confess I’ve been a little overwhelmed with the contract of purchase. Mr. Robert has allowed us to pay for one acre at a time, giving us 2 months in between each payment, to raise the following $28,000. This meant ekissa was responsible for roughly $90,000 over a period of 6 months.
God provided the $28,000 for the first acre of land in a matter of 4 weeks through Facebook post and word of mouth. This second acre has been a little more challenging. I was a little fearful of what “Mr. Robert’s” reaction might be if we hadn’t raised the full payment of $28G’s by Sept 22. Weeks before the payment deadline for acre #2 , the Lord led me to a piece of scripture.
“Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
From the time Christ led me to this scripture, I stood confident that payment #2 would arrive…however, it would NOT arrive at the contractually agreed upon time…Despite the “delay” in payment, I had a tremendous peace concerning Mr. Robert’s acceptance of its delay. However, in an effort to “prepare” him, I attempted to contact Mr. Robert for more than 1 ½ weeks to keep him informed of the status of our funds towards the second payment. Despite my ongoing efforts, I was never able to get through to Uganda. The airways get so congested that it is often extremely difficult to get through.
Well, as I was prepared in advance through scripture, payment day came and went and ekissa was $8,000 short. Upon the encouragement of a board member, I phoned Mr. Robert to inform him of the status of our fundraising efforts. I asked the Lord to honor our efforts and to clear the technology highways such that I could reach Mr. Robert by phone with my first effort…and He did! (Unless you’ve dealt with the frustrations of successfully making a phone call to Uganda, you probably can’t appreciate this to its fullest!)
Not only was Mr. Robert acceptance of our “short fall”, he instructed for me to simply send the funds we had raised…and the blessing doesn’t stop there…
Mr. Robert stated for me to hold on to the final payment in November and that we would renegotiate that payment when we arrive in December!….and, yet again, the blessings continue…
Just a few hours later there was a knock at my door. In stepped an individual who stated 3 weeks prior to this day, they felt called to pay the remaining balance of acre # 2!
There has been much that has flooded my heart this week…but this week I felt God focus in and test not only my willingness to trust Him but also for Mr. Robert to trust in the faithfulness of Christ. Often, we feel if there is a delay, it’s about us. In the end perhaps it’s not…perhaps the delay has absolutely nothing to do with us, and everything to do with another individual. Something I recognize is that Mr. Robert and I both are living a surrendered life…and even in the midst of our business contract of purchasing land, we can not compartmentalize our life.
Imagine how things could have turned out if we both weren’t surrendered to God. Now, I’m not questioning the sovereignty of God, as He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants. However, the ease in which this situation was handled was amazing...and then the blessing of the $8,000…that gift will be a blessing to Mr. Robert and it certainly eased some of the bondage I have felt in entering into this land purchase.
Funny thing is, I’ve felt all along this land in Uganda belongs to the Lord…so in His calling for ekissa to purchase it for His Kingdom’s work, why wouldn’t He provide the resources to purchase it?!
Often we want to worship God on Sunday’s and leave Him out of the other 6 days of the week. If we only look for Him one day a week, we’re missing out on daily experiences with the Lord and lots of opportunities to worship Him! Regular, consistent fellowship leads to worship everyday of the week!
“Sing! Sing! Sing unto the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised…”
There are blessings all around us...do you ever find yourself "saturated" with His goodness?
…striving to stay in tuned with what God is doing in, and all around me! I'm challenging you to do the same!
Blessings,
Monday, July 12, 2010
"The blood is not our own"....
I sit tonight with many thoughts streaming through my head…Sometimes I feel like my brain is I-40 at rush hour…tonight I sit in utter awe of the greatness of our God. I sit amazed at the depth of His love for me despite the things I do, the attitudes I sport, my misplaced priorities, etc...
It seems that lately I’ve been focusing on my inadequacies,feelings of “less than”, feelings of inferiority…focusing on “self”. The first line of one of Rick Warren’s books addresses the fact that life is not about “me”!
It amazes me the lengths the enemy will go to weasel his way into the little nooks and crannies of our lives such that we don’t realize it’s happening until, ”BOOM!”…and then there’s no denying the aftermath he’s left behind. I’m so thankful for a God who is able to clean up the messes we create/ or allow to be created. I’m so thankful for the “ekissa” (Lugandan for "mercy") of Christ.
Things are certainly relative. As God has begun to bring into my understanding of how I’ve been trusting in the ability of another individual over His ability to provide for the ministry of ekissa, I’ve had friends who have been in the middle of a more blatant attack of the enemy.
Two American friends who originally went to Uganda in March of this year for a visit, decided to stay and invest themselves in the beginnings of an orphanage.
The very orphanage which called ekissa into creation, was used to keep two 22 year old guys in Uganda in order to demonstrate mercy to 16 orphans between ages 3-11.
While in Uganda, these boys went out yesterday evening to watch the World Cup football (soccer) game on a big screen at a local hangout. As the half time whistle blew their lives were forever changed.
It appears a war of another kind was waged by a sub group of Al Qaeda. This group made the decision to ignite bombs in 2 public places and many people were killed. In the words of one of these friends…
“…..a sound we didn’t expect…
The sound that every person fears, shook the earth. Louder than a thunder crack, an eruption burst our ears. BOOM!
The window my shoulder is on imploded into the room… Billowing smoke... tables and chairs turned over… I can’t focus… why can’t I see? Where is my group? Where are the girls?… Get cover. My adrenaline kicks in as we stumble over debris. Jay and I grab Carrie and push us against the sturdiest wall furthest from the explosion. Where is my chaco? I’m walking barefoot on glass. There is blood everywhere. I can’t hear anything except the loud ringing in my ear. Where is this blood coming from? Is it mine? Not mine. Jay’s ok. My group seems fine. The green glass of the Mountain Dew bottles we had are now shattered across the floor. Two white people are on the ground right in front of us covered in blood. I can’t focus. All I can see what white mangled flesh and blood everywhere. We were slipping in it. People began pushing to the back. Bodies still lay in chairs and all over the ground. Some of the ten people that sat in the back of the room just feet from us now are not moving….Bloody people were being carried out as we began to hear sirens from a distance. Fifteen people confirmed dead. People that were literally sitting feet from us enjoying the game now are gone. A grown man wept knowing he lost his brother.
…The blood that stained our clothes we realized was not our own…
In an instant, life can become a “bloody mess”. In the blink of an eye, lives are changed as well as end…alive one minute and gone the next. I’m quite sure all the people gathered in Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kampala Uganda, watching the World Cup, had not woken up that morning asking themselves, “How should I spend my last day of life on this earth?”.
I found myself wondering about the life of those who died in these explosions. I wondered who they were, what roles they played in the lives of others, did they know Christ, had anyone taken the time to introduce Christ?
I also found myself assessing my own life. Am I living a life holy unto Him?…am I living a life that would be found pleasing to my Lord? If my energies our focused on anything other than the purpose in which my creator created me for, it is not a life that would be found “pleasing” to Him.
Lord, keep our eyes on you; keep our eyes on the eternal and not the temporal.
Help us to clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Help us to “bear with each other”.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:12-17
As I post this, Steven Curtis Chapman's song came on "Yours"...
I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
They're waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours
Blessings!
It seems that lately I’ve been focusing on my inadequacies,feelings of “less than”, feelings of inferiority…focusing on “self”. The first line of one of Rick Warren’s books addresses the fact that life is not about “me”!
It amazes me the lengths the enemy will go to weasel his way into the little nooks and crannies of our lives such that we don’t realize it’s happening until, ”BOOM!”…and then there’s no denying the aftermath he’s left behind. I’m so thankful for a God who is able to clean up the messes we create/ or allow to be created. I’m so thankful for the “ekissa” (Lugandan for "mercy") of Christ.
Things are certainly relative. As God has begun to bring into my understanding of how I’ve been trusting in the ability of another individual over His ability to provide for the ministry of ekissa, I’ve had friends who have been in the middle of a more blatant attack of the enemy.
Two American friends who originally went to Uganda in March of this year for a visit, decided to stay and invest themselves in the beginnings of an orphanage.
The very orphanage which called ekissa into creation, was used to keep two 22 year old guys in Uganda in order to demonstrate mercy to 16 orphans between ages 3-11. While in Uganda, these boys went out yesterday evening to watch the World Cup football (soccer) game on a big screen at a local hangout. As the half time whistle blew their lives were forever changed.
It appears a war of another kind was waged by a sub group of Al Qaeda. This group made the decision to ignite bombs in 2 public places and many people were killed. In the words of one of these friends…
“…..a sound we didn’t expect…
The sound that every person fears, shook the earth. Louder than a thunder crack, an eruption burst our ears. BOOM!
The window my shoulder is on imploded into the room… Billowing smoke... tables and chairs turned over… I can’t focus… why can’t I see? Where is my group? Where are the girls?… Get cover. My adrenaline kicks in as we stumble over debris. Jay and I grab Carrie and push us against the sturdiest wall furthest from the explosion. Where is my chaco? I’m walking barefoot on glass. There is blood everywhere. I can’t hear anything except the loud ringing in my ear. Where is this blood coming from? Is it mine? Not mine. Jay’s ok. My group seems fine. The green glass of the Mountain Dew bottles we had are now shattered across the floor. Two white people are on the ground right in front of us covered in blood. I can’t focus. All I can see what white mangled flesh and blood everywhere. We were slipping in it. People began pushing to the back. Bodies still lay in chairs and all over the ground. Some of the ten people that sat in the back of the room just feet from us now are not moving….Bloody people were being carried out as we began to hear sirens from a distance. Fifteen people confirmed dead. People that were literally sitting feet from us enjoying the game now are gone. A grown man wept knowing he lost his brother.
…The blood that stained our clothes we realized was not our own…
In an instant, life can become a “bloody mess”. In the blink of an eye, lives are changed as well as end…alive one minute and gone the next. I’m quite sure all the people gathered in Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kampala Uganda, watching the World Cup, had not woken up that morning asking themselves, “How should I spend my last day of life on this earth?”.
I found myself wondering about the life of those who died in these explosions. I wondered who they were, what roles they played in the lives of others, did they know Christ, had anyone taken the time to introduce Christ?
I also found myself assessing my own life. Am I living a life holy unto Him?…am I living a life that would be found pleasing to my Lord? If my energies our focused on anything other than the purpose in which my creator created me for, it is not a life that would be found “pleasing” to Him.
Lord, keep our eyes on you; keep our eyes on the eternal and not the temporal.
Help us to clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Help us to “bear with each other”. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:12-17
As I post this, Steven Curtis Chapman's song came on "Yours"...
I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
They're waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded
That every child in Africa is Yours
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky
To the depths of the ocean floor
And its all Yours, God, Yours, God
Everything is Yours
You're the Maker and Keeper, Father and Ruler of everything
It's all Yours
Blessings!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
"Captivated" part II
As if seeing God move in regards to the church plant in Bweya Village wasn’t enough, God decided to jack up the “shock factor”!---(which shouldn’t shock us at all) In addition to His movement as it concerns the church for Bweya Village, simultaneously He is working to provide a “safe haven” for some of the children to be rescued from the local orphanage.
One of our indigenous partners contacted me proposing he and his wife move forward to establish a children’s home in Bweya! This couple shared with me a year ago that their passion and desire to serve the Lord is through establishing and running a children’s home. Following our initial involvement in Bweya, this family has committed every weekend to go and provide direct care for these mistreated children at the local orphanage. It appears the government has gotten involved in the local orphanage and it’s going to be closing in a few months. God’s timing is always just right on time! I often feel it’s late or He’s “coming in on 2 wheels” (at the last minute)… but His timing is always perfect.
So, it looks like God’s been doing a little OT (overtime) in Bweya and the ministry of ekissa… my cup spills forth!
I was trying to explain my emotions to a friend today. I have all the faith in the world that God can do anything… anything He wants and chooses to do! I see Him moving about and doing the most amazing things in and through the life of so many. However, while I expect Him to work and move in the lives of others, I’m regularly caught off guard when He wants to move and include me in what He’s doing.
I told my friend the only word I can think of to describe my feelings is “captivated”. I am “captivated” by what He’s doing, all He’s doing and captivated at His love for me. I don’t know why He’s chosen to give me this “birds-eye view” but I’m so humbled He has. It’s not anything I deserve and certainly nothing I’ve earned, but I accept it with a humongous sense of gratitude. IF God showed partiality among His children and had a “favorite”… well, I’m feeling like I’m it right now! ---again, not that I deserve it…I suppose it’s that concept of in being a “child of the King”, I’m feeling “chosen”.
I’m cuddled up in His blanket of love. This world can be a rather cold place but when wrapped in His blanket, it’s as if nothing can penetrate the threads of love and acceptance. This is where I am right now… how great it would be to stay like that…never moving from this place! ---soooo… healthy or not… I’m considering myself “His favorite!”
How about you? Are you feeling “chosen”? Are you feeling that “blanket of love” on a chilly evening? Are you feeling like His favorite?
Not that one ever needs a blanket in Uganda, but, it’s those threads of love and acceptance I pray every child in Bweya Village will eventually feel. This will only come through knowing and experiencing the life changing love of a Father… Jesus.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
One of our indigenous partners contacted me proposing he and his wife move forward to establish a children’s home in Bweya! This couple shared with me a year ago that their passion and desire to serve the Lord is through establishing and running a children’s home. Following our initial involvement in Bweya, this family has committed every weekend to go and provide direct care for these mistreated children at the local orphanage. It appears the government has gotten involved in the local orphanage and it’s going to be closing in a few months. God’s timing is always just right on time! I often feel it’s late or He’s “coming in on 2 wheels” (at the last minute)… but His timing is always perfect.
So, it looks like God’s been doing a little OT (overtime) in Bweya and the ministry of ekissa… my cup spills forth!
I was trying to explain my emotions to a friend today. I have all the faith in the world that God can do anything… anything He wants and chooses to do! I see Him moving about and doing the most amazing things in and through the life of so many. However, while I expect Him to work and move in the lives of others, I’m regularly caught off guard when He wants to move and include me in what He’s doing.
I told my friend the only word I can think of to describe my feelings is “captivated”. I am “captivated” by what He’s doing, all He’s doing and captivated at His love for me. I don’t know why He’s chosen to give me this “birds-eye view” but I’m so humbled He has. It’s not anything I deserve and certainly nothing I’ve earned, but I accept it with a humongous sense of gratitude. IF God showed partiality among His children and had a “favorite”… well, I’m feeling like I’m it right now! ---again, not that I deserve it…I suppose it’s that concept of in being a “child of the King”, I’m feeling “chosen”.
I’m cuddled up in His blanket of love. This world can be a rather cold place but when wrapped in His blanket, it’s as if nothing can penetrate the threads of love and acceptance. This is where I am right now… how great it would be to stay like that…never moving from this place! ---soooo… healthy or not… I’m considering myself “His favorite!”
How about you? Are you feeling “chosen”? Are you feeling that “blanket of love” on a chilly evening? Are you feeling like His favorite?
Not that one ever needs a blanket in Uganda, but, it’s those threads of love and acceptance I pray every child in Bweya Village will eventually feel. This will only come through knowing and experiencing the life changing love of a Father… Jesus.
“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19
Monday, April 26, 2010
"Captivated" part I
You know…we are one strange creation created by Christ Jesus! I often have to sit back and laugh at myself.
ekissa (our nonprofit- www.ekissa.com )has been looking for land as we’ve partnered with Gaba Community Church in Kampala Uganda, to plant a church in Bweya Village; a village just outside of Uganda. Bweya is void of any church and lacks many basic necessities for a “community” to function productively. (Keeping in mind that “productivity” is subjective.) It needs clean water sources, a medical clinic and an orphanage/ children’s home where children can thrive, frolic like children should, and grow in Christ.
I was reminded this afternoon of my first introduction to Bweya village. It was May 26, 2009… less than one year ago. Upon arriving in that village and entering an existing orphanage, my life has been forever changed…changed in such a way I dare not to return. The affects of my seeing and experiencing have had a deep branding in my soul. The lack of care and concern for humanity in a local orphanage was about more than my heart could take.
My first trip to Uganda was called a “Vision” trip… and indeed it did just that… it gave me “vision”…a vision to see the unthinkable really does exist and some children live it every day. Children live through the aches of going days without anything to eat. Children living with the chills from fevers, the sting of skinned knees and the absence of a mother’s warm embrace when the boogie man comes out at night. Young girls endure exploitation and the unthinkable when the sun goes down. At night when they should be having “sweet dreams”, nightmares are all they know. Dancing sugarplums are not in sight; they simply hang on in fright.
I wondered why God had taken a “stay-at-home” mom all the way to East Africa, exposed her to such atrocities, simply to return home with passion as her only resource.
I began to pray… pray for God to move… move in a way like I had never experienced; move in such a way that no one could deny it was God.
I wanted to see him do the impossible, in what seemed to be an impossible situation. My desire was to somehow see the local orphanage closed, the children placed in a loving environment… to see Christ raise up a church in order that the people of this village could know of a hope in their desperate situations.
Well, 11 months later He is doing all of these things. When I think over the last year, I am in awe and humbled at all Christ has done. He has heard the cries of these young children.
Land is in the process of being purchased for a church plant, “Bweya Community Church”. The asking price of this land is $25,000, and within a matter of 3 days, almost $11,000 has been raised. God is calling the North American church to step up and provide the financial resources for a physical church in Bweya! What a beautiful picture. Just as I began to feel weak in my belief (not doubting God’s sovereignty but doubting the response of His people), God “busted a move” to remind me that HE is GOD… and I am not! His people have responded! God is faithful….but stayed tuned… He’s not finished yet!
“The one who calls you is faithful…1 Thessalonians 5:24
ekissa (our nonprofit- www.ekissa.com )has been looking for land as we’ve partnered with Gaba Community Church in Kampala Uganda, to plant a church in Bweya Village; a village just outside of Uganda. Bweya is void of any church and lacks many basic necessities for a “community” to function productively. (Keeping in mind that “productivity” is subjective.) It needs clean water sources, a medical clinic and an orphanage/ children’s home where children can thrive, frolic like children should, and grow in Christ.
I was reminded this afternoon of my first introduction to Bweya village. It was May 26, 2009… less than one year ago. Upon arriving in that village and entering an existing orphanage, my life has been forever changed…changed in such a way I dare not to return. The affects of my seeing and experiencing have had a deep branding in my soul. The lack of care and concern for humanity in a local orphanage was about more than my heart could take.
My first trip to Uganda was called a “Vision” trip… and indeed it did just that… it gave me “vision”…a vision to see the unthinkable really does exist and some children live it every day. Children live through the aches of going days without anything to eat. Children living with the chills from fevers, the sting of skinned knees and the absence of a mother’s warm embrace when the boogie man comes out at night. Young girls endure exploitation and the unthinkable when the sun goes down. At night when they should be having “sweet dreams”, nightmares are all they know. Dancing sugarplums are not in sight; they simply hang on in fright.
I wondered why God had taken a “stay-at-home” mom all the way to East Africa, exposed her to such atrocities, simply to return home with passion as her only resource.
I began to pray… pray for God to move… move in a way like I had never experienced; move in such a way that no one could deny it was God.
I wanted to see him do the impossible, in what seemed to be an impossible situation. My desire was to somehow see the local orphanage closed, the children placed in a loving environment… to see Christ raise up a church in order that the people of this village could know of a hope in their desperate situations.
Well, 11 months later He is doing all of these things. When I think over the last year, I am in awe and humbled at all Christ has done. He has heard the cries of these young children.
Land is in the process of being purchased for a church plant, “Bweya Community Church”. The asking price of this land is $25,000, and within a matter of 3 days, almost $11,000 has been raised. God is calling the North American church to step up and provide the financial resources for a physical church in Bweya! What a beautiful picture. Just as I began to feel weak in my belief (not doubting God’s sovereignty but doubting the response of His people), God “busted a move” to remind me that HE is GOD… and I am not! His people have responded! God is faithful….but stayed tuned… He’s not finished yet!
“The one who calls you is faithful…1 Thessalonians 5:24
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
"Free-flowing?
I read something the other day which I’ve been marinating in…so much that it woke me up in the middle of the night. It’s the idea that we as Christians “imprison” Christ within us…the notion that the Lord is so confined with in us that nothing flows out of us.
It’s been interesting to experience the worship of my Christian brothers and sisters in Uganda. They are so free with their worship as well as their everyday Christian walk/ life. When I return home to North America, it’s such a “let down” to be with the average Christian.
Christ lives on through His followers…and while I know Christ is certainly alive here in the states, we DO imprison Him a great deal! When I was confronted with this concept, my head immediately fell in shame! How often we squelch the Spirit of the living God. How can we say we are His agents if we don't allow Him to freely flow through us?
"The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." John 6:63
Oh God…may we all submit to you as a broken alabaster jar, such that your spirit flows like a river through us. May others smell the pure fragrance of your love. May we know you experimentally and may our brokenness be a picture of beauty.
Are you living the full life He has called you to? Or…is He your rainy day fund? How are you imprisoning Christ? Is He "free flowing" in your life?
....Release Him…release the Spirit!
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