a woman's mother passed away tragically this morning of cancer. in speaking with someone who knows the friend, we bounced back the "whys" and the "i don't understands." the point was made that if God is in control anyway, why should we even have faith at all? why hope for a positive outcome, when God's sovereign will is going to prevail anyway? i've been thinking about this all day since our conversation.
first off, let me say that i am not, in any shape, form, or fashion one of those people that says "you shouldn't ask God 'why?'" in fact, that statement infuriates me! if we are to abide by His Word, to live for His purpose and glory, then we are to have a relationship with Him. and if we are to have relationship with Him, then we converse with Him and nothing is hidden from Him anyway..so even if you're thinking 'why?' in your heart, He already knows. so why not ask why? we may not get the answer we want, heck, we may not ever get an answer this side of the Kingdom...but i think it's okay to ask your Creator, your Savior, 'why?' when bad things happen. i even ask 'why?' when good things happen! okay, so now that that's out of the way....
so i've been thinking all day...what's the purpose? what's the reason in hope, in faith that people will be healed, that broken hearts become mended, that something will go our way..when all along, God is going to decide what is best either way, whether we like it or not?? i think it's important to understand that God's outcomes are not always what we think is perfect. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways." Isaiah 55:8. we don't see the big picture. we don't know the beginning from the end as our Father in Heaven does. if we were to choose how everything went in our life, it would be a huge mess, simply because we can't understand how our situations today would effect our future. Only a Soverign God could know that.
so i have come up with this; having faith and hope and trust isn't and shouldn't be about having a belief in how we want things to turn out. yes, we want God to heal our loved ones, yes, we want and believe God to make things right when storms come in our lives...but wanting God to do something isn't about faith, it's about a sense of control. true faith is, "okay God, i want this, or i need this. but if what i want, and if what i need do not line up with Your plan and Your will for me, then i'm okay. and i accept it. and i pray that as Your will is carried out in my life, that You would give me the strength to handle whatever Your will entails. and i'm going to hope and trust and have faith for the best, but i believe in You, and what You're going to do with me and through me during my trials. so even if things don't go how i want them to, how i pray they would, then it's okay. have Your way with me."
easier said than done? yes. but at the risk of sounding extremely cliche, our Father never promised us an easy road, but He HAS PROMISED that He will never ever ever ever leave or forsake. and that "ALL things work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
let's not every forget Job...who told his wife that he should curse God because of his trials. and instead he tells her that we shouldn't just accept the good from God in life, we must accept the bad too. my conversation bud this morning wasn't mad at God, so please don't think i'm telling you she had a bad attitude. but, she is broken hearted at seeing her friend go through this. her friend, who is a believer, and comes from a spiritual home. i know so many who are broken hearted for others and don't understand why they have to go through what they go through, but i believe in His promises. and i pray that you do too.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
"this is how we should pray for others, as if it was happening to us"
i am apart of a secret group created by my brother on facebook called "the hiding place." it is strictly for myself and my siblings to post prayer requests, silly memories, or something that is weighing heavily on our hearts. this morning, my sister posted a prayer request for a friend of her's who is dealing with an ailing mother. my brother derek, with wisdom and compassion far greater than most, made the comment, "this is how we should pray for others, as if it were happening to us."
i'm not sure why, but i sat and stared at that sentence for a long time. i was reminded of Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." have you ever done that? i'm sure you have; shared joy with another, or cried when you saw someone crying. maybe because you truly felt their pain, or maybe because seeing them hurt broke your heart. joy and tears can be contagious...but can we really say that when we pray for them, when we pray about anything, that we pray as if that very thing in their lives, or in the world, is happening to us? frankly, i'm not sure i can.
when we pray for hungry mouths to be fed, are we fervent enough in our prayers to seek the face of the Father and cry out for justice and mercy? or do we say a simple prayer like, "oh God, help them." yes, He hears those prayers also..but it's the heart behind the prayers that matters the most. how about when we ask that someone be healed from something? do we dare take it upon ourselves to put our bodies in their shoes and pray earnestly for a touch from the healing hand of a Savior?
what about when a friend is infertile, someone has lost their home in a fire, best friends get a divorce, a family member has a broken relationship with their child, a close relative has cancer, a nation devastated by disaster, famine, genocide? do we stay on our knees, with hands lifted high, pleading on others' accounts for the Creator of all to hear our prayers? do we care that much about one another that we are willing to enter the throne room of Heaven in order for the longings of others hearts to be fulfilled? we should. it's Biblical. when we say we "i'll pray for you" ....never underestimate the power of those words. take it seriously, because if someone is asking for prayer, you might be the only one listening. it could be your very prayer that is lifted up that causes a change in a situation. it could be your heart, your earnesty, your ferverncy, that could change a life.
what about one of the most important prayers of all? praying for the lost? i know that we can't pray as *if* we were lost, but we can pray as if we're going to hell right along side our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers. to put our loved ones, nations, people-groups in the face of God on a daily basis, pleading for the work of His Spirit to penetrate their hearts, is an act of pure love. if no man comes to the Father except by belief in Jesus and that He and He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) , then why do we have such complacency when it comes to praying for others' salvation? there are so many unbelievers that pass our way every single day..and what are we doing about it? religions as a whole, going to hell because of their lack of faith, people dying daily thinking they were "good enough" in this life so Heaven is an obvious place for them. WAKE UP PEOPLE! WHY ARE WE NOT IN FERVENT, NEVER-CEASING PRAYER?????????
my plea today, to myself and to you, is that we start praying with more passion. more love, more mercy, more hunger to see God work in ways that only He can. i ask that we pray for other's spiritual, physical, and emotional lives as if they were our very own. "this is how we should pray for others, as if it was happening to us"
i'm not sure why, but i sat and stared at that sentence for a long time. i was reminded of Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." have you ever done that? i'm sure you have; shared joy with another, or cried when you saw someone crying. maybe because you truly felt their pain, or maybe because seeing them hurt broke your heart. joy and tears can be contagious...but can we really say that when we pray for them, when we pray about anything, that we pray as if that very thing in their lives, or in the world, is happening to us? frankly, i'm not sure i can.
when we pray for hungry mouths to be fed, are we fervent enough in our prayers to seek the face of the Father and cry out for justice and mercy? or do we say a simple prayer like, "oh God, help them." yes, He hears those prayers also..but it's the heart behind the prayers that matters the most. how about when we ask that someone be healed from something? do we dare take it upon ourselves to put our bodies in their shoes and pray earnestly for a touch from the healing hand of a Savior?
what about when a friend is infertile, someone has lost their home in a fire, best friends get a divorce, a family member has a broken relationship with their child, a close relative has cancer, a nation devastated by disaster, famine, genocide? do we stay on our knees, with hands lifted high, pleading on others' accounts for the Creator of all to hear our prayers? do we care that much about one another that we are willing to enter the throne room of Heaven in order for the longings of others hearts to be fulfilled? we should. it's Biblical. when we say we "i'll pray for you" ....never underestimate the power of those words. take it seriously, because if someone is asking for prayer, you might be the only one listening. it could be your very prayer that is lifted up that causes a change in a situation. it could be your heart, your earnesty, your ferverncy, that could change a life.
what about one of the most important prayers of all? praying for the lost? i know that we can't pray as *if* we were lost, but we can pray as if we're going to hell right along side our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers. to put our loved ones, nations, people-groups in the face of God on a daily basis, pleading for the work of His Spirit to penetrate their hearts, is an act of pure love. if no man comes to the Father except by belief in Jesus and that He and He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) , then why do we have such complacency when it comes to praying for others' salvation? there are so many unbelievers that pass our way every single day..and what are we doing about it? religions as a whole, going to hell because of their lack of faith, people dying daily thinking they were "good enough" in this life so Heaven is an obvious place for them. WAKE UP PEOPLE! WHY ARE WE NOT IN FERVENT, NEVER-CEASING PRAYER?????????
my plea today, to myself and to you, is that we start praying with more passion. more love, more mercy, more hunger to see God work in ways that only He can. i ask that we pray for other's spiritual, physical, and emotional lives as if they were our very own. "this is how we should pray for others, as if it was happening to us"
Sunday, July 10, 2011
a rant for me, a challenge for you
i don't really care about how one actress wore a gown compared to another. it doesn't matter to me that you have just eaten a brand new cereal and think it tastes great. and i'm still confused why people consistently say, do and write things passivley-aggressivley towards others instead of just telling them how they feel. i get frustrated by people's complaining...God, if people even realized how blessed they are...i get overwhelmed by the world's negativity and the ones who cheer it on, and it upsets me that people can get so upset about where they sit in a restaurant or the fact that their order might be a little messed up. it blows my mind that others can be so jealous, and petty, and selfish, and self-centered on a regular basis...that everything in this world they think is all about them......oh how very deceived they are!!!!!
and more than anything, it breaks my heart that people can see a need and refuse, time and time and time and time again, to do anything about it. for example, last year i started a blanket drive for the homeless in our community...from august to january, i had a sign up next to our time clock at work about it. not ONE person from a building of probably atleast 200 people donated or asked anything about this. (except my sweet friends from my office. thankfully there were many donations from other friends, family, and my church). or take for instance when the tornadoes tore apart our surrounding counties and states. we had a drop off location RIGHT HERE IN BLUE RIDGE for supplies that people were taking to alabama for the victims and their families. it was announced on the radio, in churches, and put on facebook by some peoople, including myself and not one person even responded to it. not one. maybe one person "liked" it...but that means nothing. ACTION MEANS EVERYTHING!!!! it doesn't take a lot of money..even buying a bottle of shampoo would've helped these people!!!
or how about NOW? now, when myself and other colleagues on facebook and through emails and even the newspaper, announce we are collecting backpacks and monetary donations for www.snackinabackpack.org??? ...an amazing organization which stuffs backpacks WEEKLY full of food for HUNGRY CHILDREN IN FANNIN COUNTY!!!! HUNGRY KIDS!!! doesn't that scream something to you????!!!!!!!! but unfortunatley, someone's new haircut gets more reviews, posts, and likes on facebook than something that really and truly matters. so little have even acknowledged this great cause, founded by someone in blue ridge, looking out for the community. yes, people!!! wake up!!! there are still hungry children in america that have homes and go to school!! THERE IS A GREAT NEED TO FILL THE BELLIES AND HEARTS OF THESE KIDS THROUGH FOOD AND THE FACT OF KNOWING SOMEONE ACTUALLY CARES!!!!!!
thank you to the ones who have donated...to the ones who have found this local cause worthy! am i sitting here, writing this, with passion, anger, and tears because i'm tooting my own horn? because i'm better than you? because i'm bragging about my involvement? NO! i am challenging you to look beyond yourself, your pain, your hurt, your own misery, your own little world, your own fleshly and worldly desires, and DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE FOR A CHANGE!!!! give of yourself, your time, your money, your heart, your mercy, compassion, and grace, until there's nothing left!!!!! and i promise you...when you think you've emptied your tank, my Savior, my Father, is always ready to fill you back up again!!!!
www.snackinabackpack.org !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if nothing else, pledge to pray that this organization flourishes and meets the needs of every single hungry child in fannin county! my only desire is to stir you, to challenge you, to realize there's a big sad world beyond your door, and it's begging for someone to make a difference!
and more than anything, it breaks my heart that people can see a need and refuse, time and time and time and time again, to do anything about it. for example, last year i started a blanket drive for the homeless in our community...from august to january, i had a sign up next to our time clock at work about it. not ONE person from a building of probably atleast 200 people donated or asked anything about this. (except my sweet friends from my office. thankfully there were many donations from other friends, family, and my church). or take for instance when the tornadoes tore apart our surrounding counties and states. we had a drop off location RIGHT HERE IN BLUE RIDGE for supplies that people were taking to alabama for the victims and their families. it was announced on the radio, in churches, and put on facebook by some peoople, including myself and not one person even responded to it. not one. maybe one person "liked" it...but that means nothing. ACTION MEANS EVERYTHING!!!! it doesn't take a lot of money..even buying a bottle of shampoo would've helped these people!!!
or how about NOW? now, when myself and other colleagues on facebook and through emails and even the newspaper, announce we are collecting backpacks and monetary donations for www.snackinabackpack.org??? ...an amazing organization which stuffs backpacks WEEKLY full of food for HUNGRY CHILDREN IN FANNIN COUNTY!!!! HUNGRY KIDS!!! doesn't that scream something to you????!!!!!!!! but unfortunatley, someone's new haircut gets more reviews, posts, and likes on facebook than something that really and truly matters. so little have even acknowledged this great cause, founded by someone in blue ridge, looking out for the community. yes, people!!! wake up!!! there are still hungry children in america that have homes and go to school!! THERE IS A GREAT NEED TO FILL THE BELLIES AND HEARTS OF THESE KIDS THROUGH FOOD AND THE FACT OF KNOWING SOMEONE ACTUALLY CARES!!!!!!
thank you to the ones who have donated...to the ones who have found this local cause worthy! am i sitting here, writing this, with passion, anger, and tears because i'm tooting my own horn? because i'm better than you? because i'm bragging about my involvement? NO! i am challenging you to look beyond yourself, your pain, your hurt, your own misery, your own little world, your own fleshly and worldly desires, and DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE FOR A CHANGE!!!! give of yourself, your time, your money, your heart, your mercy, compassion, and grace, until there's nothing left!!!!! and i promise you...when you think you've emptied your tank, my Savior, my Father, is always ready to fill you back up again!!!!
www.snackinabackpack.org !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if nothing else, pledge to pray that this organization flourishes and meets the needs of every single hungry child in fannin county! my only desire is to stir you, to challenge you, to realize there's a big sad world beyond your door, and it's begging for someone to make a difference!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
from november 2010--a love letter to haiti
okay okay , so i've been cheating. first, i copied and pasted someone else's blog on mine, and now i'm copying and pasting my own writing..but from last fall. i went to haiti, to mission of hope. my brother has a desire to also go, and so i thought, for him, and for you, but mainly for me, i will re-visit this time in my life. here it is.. enjoy. :) and i promise..i'll post a new blog SOON. :)
The landing was fast, rough, and exhilarating. There I was, in Port au Prince, Haiti. Exiting the airport I began wondering if we had arrived at the right place. I saw mountains, green lush mountains, and then there was the live music. A live band? In an airport? Had this really been the country that was blind-sided by an earthquake just 10 short months ago? Driving through the city proved that devastation had hit hard. Piles of trash and dirt and concrete gathered at each corner. A mass grave site where bodies were dumped and later bulldozed was just one piece of evidence that sadness had come to live in Haiti. I had prepared myself for tears of sorrow and a canyon full of pity in my heart knowing that I would see these images …but what I saw was so much more. I saw beauty in pain, phoenixes rising out of ashes, people moving on with their lives despite loss. I witnessed laughter, singing, busy market places. I heard a song of humanity that shouted “Tenacity! We will not give up!” And instead of feeling pity for Haiti, I felt pity for me.
Mission of Hope (MOH) did not disappoint. It is nestled in countryside of Titanyen among mountains, flowers, green, and a fantastic view of the Caribbean. It is truly a calm in the midst of a storm. On property I discovered Village of Hope (where the Hope House Orphanage kids will be moving to next week. For every 6 orphans, there will be a “mommy” in their own house to care for them), Clinic of Hope, School of Hope, and the Church of Hope. Our accommodations were humble, meek, and more exquisite than I could’ve asked for. Bunk beds of plywood and thin mattresses proved to be more like summer camp than “roughing it” on the mission field. I was fed well by amazing Haitian cooks that never let us go hungry. We were truly treated with great care. What none of us expected though was a lack of culture shock, a knowledge that while we were on foreign soil, it felt rather like home.
Bear with me as I try to put 8 days of experiences into a matter of sentences (some fragments), as I’m finding it very difficult to write this. How does one use mere words to describe what is so deep inside a heart?
SATURDAY: arrival at MOH (described above)
SUNDAY: Church Day! Free worship, really free worship. We were asked to stand as a lady spoke to us, “This is your home now. You are welcome home anytime.” I cried. Held the baby of a lady whose name was Lydia. Children’s church, then off in the afternoon to MOH’s new property. A land that was given to them by the government of Haiti to build on. Ocean front property with mountains in the distance. Kids coming out of the banana fields from the village. We played games with them, gave them stickers.
MONDAY: Full work day. Painted a concrete fence. Wow, that’s much harder than it seems. Was able to greet many natives as they strolled in and out of the mission walls, either in search of medical care by the Clinic of Hope, or simply getting out for a bit to visit a loved one. Interacted with many students from School of Hope, a girl told me she loved me. I told her I loved her too. I stood in the rain that night. The healing rain of Haiti.
TUESDAY: Village/orphanage day. “River Walk” in a village that morning. There was a bridge, the river, the banana leaves so soft to the touch. Goats and pigs, women doing laundry. A little boy followed us. We arrived in a field of dirt where some boys played soccer. Sang with the village children. A girl named Nadi sat in my lap, she told me “Jezi remen ou” (Jesus loves you). We gave out toy cars for the boys (and some of the older men who enjoyed them just as much) and bracelets for the girls…though most girls wanted the toy cars too. I stood and held a child named Santalynn in my arms. She was dirty and clothed only with an inside out Hanes t-shirt. Walking back to our bus she clung to my hand. “Dear Father, please love her.” “I am, through you.” was the reply I received from Heaven. Oh how I cried at that response….Tuesday afternoon proved to be even more emotional as I walked towards a local orphanage. Good Samaritan orphanage is nothing like its name. It’s a sad place where the kids are barely given enough to get by, despite many donations from MOH and other organizations. I sat under a large tent with a little boy who came running at me, arms open wide. It wasn’t 30 seconds before one of the orphanage’s “mommy” handed off a baby into my already occupied lap. I wept at the limp child that was in my arms. Filthy and obviously blind was a baby girl who was extremely underdeveloped due to severe malnutrition and dehydration. A nearly full set of teeth told me she was at least 1 year old, while her tiny body was the size of an infant. Scarring around her eyes revealed what was probably a herpes eye infection at birth, and probably the source of her vision loss. Had this baby girl just been discarded by Haitian society? It seemed so. I got several different answers when I asked her name, but never got the same answer twice. So I decided the only appropriate name for such a child was “Baby Hope.” I spent 3 hours with Baby Hope that day, praying over her, speaking Scripture and life into her, cleaning her face and picking debris out of her hair. I made her my daughter for those 3 hours, and as she fell asleep in my arms I sang to her “Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong…Yes, Jesus loves you…” that night I attended a 2 hour praise and worship service at the Church of Hope. What peace I had when I looked around and saw hundreds of people praying, worshiping, loving their Savior without distraction, embarrassment, or regret.
WEDNESDSAY: Clinic Day! I shadowed the RN on our team as she performed wound care in the Clinic of Hope. Interacted with many wonderful people, children, and translators. This day was when I realized I must finish nursing school. I’ve got to get on a medical mission team; my heart is seeing the sick be healed. The waiting room for the ER was not one of complaining or whining, but one filled with singing and joy. Our other part of the team went into a village to paint a house for a family who lost their home in the earthquake while others broke ground on several new homes for tent city dwellers.
THURSDAY: Work/Orphanage Day! Painted more in the AM, found out we would be going BACK to Good Samaritan orphanage in the afternoon! Yes! Was so excited to get Baby Hope back in my arms again! Another afternoon of loving on her, kissing her face. Father reminded me that Baby Hope is “the least of these.” Could it be possible that by loving a baby that wasn’t physically lovable, that I was loving my Savior?? I wondered about seeing Baby Hope in Heaven…there she would have sight; she would be healthy and whole. I wondered if she would know me in Heaven. I wondered how soon it would be until she would actually be in Heaven….Thursday night was filled with singing as Reuben, the worship leader at the Church of Hope serenaded us and God with his keyboard and beautiful voice. We sang only 3 songs. One of them was “Shout to the LORD.” I started to cry. I remembered being 17 years old, driving up a cliff on the side of a mountain in a large bus, going to a village in Kenya, Africa… singing these exact same words. “My Comfort, my Shelter, Tower of Refuge and Strength...” God confirmed that this was my own personal mission song. Heard Reuben’s story of the earthquake. He was attending Bible college with 67 students…58 of them died. He told of a young girl who sang “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as she was pinned under concrete, until she finally went Home to be with her Creator.
FRIDAY: Beach Day! The purpose of MOH taking teams to the Caribbean was to show them the beauty of Haiti, what Haiti could be. But to me, I had already seen so much beauty in Haiti that this day was no different. A day of reflection on the shore. What more can I say about a day with sand, water, and God’s ever constant presence? That night I stared at the Haitian sky one more time, taking in all of the twinkling stars. If I could’ve taken one of those stars home with me in my suitcase, I would’ve.
SATURDAY: Goodbye to MOH. I was amazingly strong leaving the place, and it wasn’t until Pastor Lee pointed out John 3:16 painted on a bus that I started to feel the pain of departing. “For God so loved the WORLD, that He have His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” God loves Haiti. He created the beauty there. His presence was there. When our plane took off, I felt completeness. Wholeness. Whatever I was originally called there to do, I did it. Whatever it was, mission accomplished. Was it Baby Hope? Was it hugging the elderly in the Clinic of Hope? Was it painting a concrete fence? I don’t know. But yes, the peace inside of me tells me: mission accomplished.
Please don’t ever forget that we have mission fields right here among us. In our families, in our workplaces, in our own backyards. In local homeless shelters, crisis centers, orphanages, nursing homes, our own churches…these are places that we can all be missionaries. But we also must remember, as my dear friend, Hollye reminded me, God pays no attention to borders. He LOVED THE WHOLE WORLD AND GAVE HIS SON FOR US ALL, not just Americans. His Salvation and Healing knows NO borders. And His love knows no bounds. Blessings, peace, and thanks to all who prayed for me and supported me.
The landing was fast, rough, and exhilarating. There I was, in Port au Prince, Haiti. Exiting the airport I began wondering if we had arrived at the right place. I saw mountains, green lush mountains, and then there was the live music. A live band? In an airport? Had this really been the country that was blind-sided by an earthquake just 10 short months ago? Driving through the city proved that devastation had hit hard. Piles of trash and dirt and concrete gathered at each corner. A mass grave site where bodies were dumped and later bulldozed was just one piece of evidence that sadness had come to live in Haiti. I had prepared myself for tears of sorrow and a canyon full of pity in my heart knowing that I would see these images …but what I saw was so much more. I saw beauty in pain, phoenixes rising out of ashes, people moving on with their lives despite loss. I witnessed laughter, singing, busy market places. I heard a song of humanity that shouted “Tenacity! We will not give up!” And instead of feeling pity for Haiti, I felt pity for me.
Mission of Hope (MOH) did not disappoint. It is nestled in countryside of Titanyen among mountains, flowers, green, and a fantastic view of the Caribbean. It is truly a calm in the midst of a storm. On property I discovered Village of Hope (where the Hope House Orphanage kids will be moving to next week. For every 6 orphans, there will be a “mommy” in their own house to care for them), Clinic of Hope, School of Hope, and the Church of Hope. Our accommodations were humble, meek, and more exquisite than I could’ve asked for. Bunk beds of plywood and thin mattresses proved to be more like summer camp than “roughing it” on the mission field. I was fed well by amazing Haitian cooks that never let us go hungry. We were truly treated with great care. What none of us expected though was a lack of culture shock, a knowledge that while we were on foreign soil, it felt rather like home.
Bear with me as I try to put 8 days of experiences into a matter of sentences (some fragments), as I’m finding it very difficult to write this. How does one use mere words to describe what is so deep inside a heart?
SATURDAY: arrival at MOH (described above)
SUNDAY: Church Day! Free worship, really free worship. We were asked to stand as a lady spoke to us, “This is your home now. You are welcome home anytime.” I cried. Held the baby of a lady whose name was Lydia. Children’s church, then off in the afternoon to MOH’s new property. A land that was given to them by the government of Haiti to build on. Ocean front property with mountains in the distance. Kids coming out of the banana fields from the village. We played games with them, gave them stickers.
MONDAY: Full work day. Painted a concrete fence. Wow, that’s much harder than it seems. Was able to greet many natives as they strolled in and out of the mission walls, either in search of medical care by the Clinic of Hope, or simply getting out for a bit to visit a loved one. Interacted with many students from School of Hope, a girl told me she loved me. I told her I loved her too. I stood in the rain that night. The healing rain of Haiti.
TUESDAY: Village/orphanage day. “River Walk” in a village that morning. There was a bridge, the river, the banana leaves so soft to the touch. Goats and pigs, women doing laundry. A little boy followed us. We arrived in a field of dirt where some boys played soccer. Sang with the village children. A girl named Nadi sat in my lap, she told me “Jezi remen ou” (Jesus loves you). We gave out toy cars for the boys (and some of the older men who enjoyed them just as much) and bracelets for the girls…though most girls wanted the toy cars too. I stood and held a child named Santalynn in my arms. She was dirty and clothed only with an inside out Hanes t-shirt. Walking back to our bus she clung to my hand. “Dear Father, please love her.” “I am, through you.” was the reply I received from Heaven. Oh how I cried at that response….Tuesday afternoon proved to be even more emotional as I walked towards a local orphanage. Good Samaritan orphanage is nothing like its name. It’s a sad place where the kids are barely given enough to get by, despite many donations from MOH and other organizations. I sat under a large tent with a little boy who came running at me, arms open wide. It wasn’t 30 seconds before one of the orphanage’s “mommy” handed off a baby into my already occupied lap. I wept at the limp child that was in my arms. Filthy and obviously blind was a baby girl who was extremely underdeveloped due to severe malnutrition and dehydration. A nearly full set of teeth told me she was at least 1 year old, while her tiny body was the size of an infant. Scarring around her eyes revealed what was probably a herpes eye infection at birth, and probably the source of her vision loss. Had this baby girl just been discarded by Haitian society? It seemed so. I got several different answers when I asked her name, but never got the same answer twice. So I decided the only appropriate name for such a child was “Baby Hope.” I spent 3 hours with Baby Hope that day, praying over her, speaking Scripture and life into her, cleaning her face and picking debris out of her hair. I made her my daughter for those 3 hours, and as she fell asleep in my arms I sang to her “Little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong…Yes, Jesus loves you…” that night I attended a 2 hour praise and worship service at the Church of Hope. What peace I had when I looked around and saw hundreds of people praying, worshiping, loving their Savior without distraction, embarrassment, or regret.
WEDNESDSAY: Clinic Day! I shadowed the RN on our team as she performed wound care in the Clinic of Hope. Interacted with many wonderful people, children, and translators. This day was when I realized I must finish nursing school. I’ve got to get on a medical mission team; my heart is seeing the sick be healed. The waiting room for the ER was not one of complaining or whining, but one filled with singing and joy. Our other part of the team went into a village to paint a house for a family who lost their home in the earthquake while others broke ground on several new homes for tent city dwellers.
THURSDAY: Work/Orphanage Day! Painted more in the AM, found out we would be going BACK to Good Samaritan orphanage in the afternoon! Yes! Was so excited to get Baby Hope back in my arms again! Another afternoon of loving on her, kissing her face. Father reminded me that Baby Hope is “the least of these.” Could it be possible that by loving a baby that wasn’t physically lovable, that I was loving my Savior?? I wondered about seeing Baby Hope in Heaven…there she would have sight; she would be healthy and whole. I wondered if she would know me in Heaven. I wondered how soon it would be until she would actually be in Heaven….Thursday night was filled with singing as Reuben, the worship leader at the Church of Hope serenaded us and God with his keyboard and beautiful voice. We sang only 3 songs. One of them was “Shout to the LORD.” I started to cry. I remembered being 17 years old, driving up a cliff on the side of a mountain in a large bus, going to a village in Kenya, Africa… singing these exact same words. “My Comfort, my Shelter, Tower of Refuge and Strength...” God confirmed that this was my own personal mission song. Heard Reuben’s story of the earthquake. He was attending Bible college with 67 students…58 of them died. He told of a young girl who sang “Great is Thy Faithfulness” as she was pinned under concrete, until she finally went Home to be with her Creator.
FRIDAY: Beach Day! The purpose of MOH taking teams to the Caribbean was to show them the beauty of Haiti, what Haiti could be. But to me, I had already seen so much beauty in Haiti that this day was no different. A day of reflection on the shore. What more can I say about a day with sand, water, and God’s ever constant presence? That night I stared at the Haitian sky one more time, taking in all of the twinkling stars. If I could’ve taken one of those stars home with me in my suitcase, I would’ve.
SATURDAY: Goodbye to MOH. I was amazingly strong leaving the place, and it wasn’t until Pastor Lee pointed out John 3:16 painted on a bus that I started to feel the pain of departing. “For God so loved the WORLD, that He have His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” God loves Haiti. He created the beauty there. His presence was there. When our plane took off, I felt completeness. Wholeness. Whatever I was originally called there to do, I did it. Whatever it was, mission accomplished. Was it Baby Hope? Was it hugging the elderly in the Clinic of Hope? Was it painting a concrete fence? I don’t know. But yes, the peace inside of me tells me: mission accomplished.
Please don’t ever forget that we have mission fields right here among us. In our families, in our workplaces, in our own backyards. In local homeless shelters, crisis centers, orphanages, nursing homes, our own churches…these are places that we can all be missionaries. But we also must remember, as my dear friend, Hollye reminded me, God pays no attention to borders. He LOVED THE WHOLE WORLD AND GAVE HIS SON FOR US ALL, not just Americans. His Salvation and Healing knows NO borders. And His love knows no bounds. Blessings, peace, and thanks to all who prayed for me and supported me.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
a stolen blog--from "Christ for all nations"
-please note this was copied and pasted from my email...something to think about..always pray for the nations, to know the Truth and to be free-
What Are You Waiting For?
Matthew 24:14 (NKJV), Matthew 28:19 (NKJV), Hebrews 10:12-13 (NKJV)
I heard a minister recently talking about the rapture and trying to make the point that every prophecy necessary to the return of Christ has already been fulfilled. One of his points was that the Gospel has already been preached in all the world according to the promise of Jesus in Matt 24:14 (And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.) “Now,” he said, “We’re just waiting for Jesus to come back.”
If you are one of those standing in line waiting for the rapture like a ride at Disney World, consider these statistics on world evangelism that I have collected from a variety of sources. As you read these, keep in mind, that in the United States there is 1 ordained minister for every 200 people. Yet…
- For every million unreached Muslims there are less than 3 missionaries.
- In Afghanistan there are 17 million people, 48,000 mosques…but not a single church.
- In Turkey there are 44 million people, but less then 200 Christians.
- In India alone 500 million people have yet to hear the Gospel.
- 30% of the world’s population (more than 2 billion people) have had virtually no exposure to the Gospel.
- The New Testament has been translated into the mother tongue of over 80% of the world’s population. However the remaining approximately 20%, will require over 5,500 new translations.
- There are an estimated 6,700 unreached or nearly unreached people groups.
- The countries with the most unreached people groups in descending order; India, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh.
- 98% of all unreached people groups are located in the “10/40 Window."
Here’s some food for thought; Jesus died more then 2,000 years ago. If it was God’s ultimate goal to rapture us all out of this “old god-forsaken world,” then why are we still here? What are we still waiting for? One person told me, “Jesus is building my mansion in Heaven.” Really? It took Him 6 days to create the entire cosmos, yet He’s been hung up with your “mansion” for 2,000 years? Not likely.
Heb. 10:12, 13 says, “but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.” Since we are His hands and feet, then He must be waiting for…us. If He is waiting for us, and we are waiting for Him, it would seem we are at an impasse. This is why Jesus told His disciples, “GO” into all the world and preach the Gospel. No more waiting and debating…just Go and PREACH.
“In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been” — Robert Moffat.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
this week in reas news...relocation
our family has relocated this week, into a real life log cabin. as beautiful as it is, as peaceful as the views are, as lovely as the song of birds through the windows sound, it's still not "home." i know it's only been 6 days, but i still feel so displaced. like a fish out of water, flopping around on the floor of a boat, gasping for air and pleading with its catcher to throw it back into the sea...that's how i feel. i'm homesick, not necessarily for my old house, but for the feeling of comfort and home. and then i realize how terribly selfish and ungrateful that sounds.
sure, my "feelings" are validated simply because they are mine. but i have to take responsibility for any feeling that goes against the truth. what is truth? the great pontious pilate that ultimatley sentenced the Savior of the world to death asked this same question..."what is truth?" as a side note..this is why i have a tattoo with the word "truth," to remind myself of pilate's question and what that answer was... let's see, the truth, as my house is concerned, is this:
-this place is a direct blessing from my Creator and GOD, He purposefully chose this place for us and blessed us with it
-who am i to grumble about feeling displaced when right now, thousands, maybe millions world-wide have literally been displaced as a result of genocide, tornadoes, hurricanes, war, hunger, poverty, tsunamis....earthquakes, like in haiti?
-and while some people have tents to live in, some have nothing to live in. no type of covering over their head in the rain, the cold, the heat. some are homeless and would give their right arm to be where i am
so that's the truth. no matter what my feelings say to me, the above is truth and no feeling or thought of mine is going to stand up against any of the truths i've listed. so for now, when i start to feel "home"-sick, i'll remember my real home is with my Savior. He is my shelter from the storm, my refuge to run to, my permanent home where i will never feel displaced. He is my home, and that home resides within me, no matter what roof is or isn't over my head.
sure, my "feelings" are validated simply because they are mine. but i have to take responsibility for any feeling that goes against the truth. what is truth? the great pontious pilate that ultimatley sentenced the Savior of the world to death asked this same question..."what is truth?" as a side note..this is why i have a tattoo with the word "truth," to remind myself of pilate's question and what that answer was... let's see, the truth, as my house is concerned, is this:
-this place is a direct blessing from my Creator and GOD, He purposefully chose this place for us and blessed us with it
-who am i to grumble about feeling displaced when right now, thousands, maybe millions world-wide have literally been displaced as a result of genocide, tornadoes, hurricanes, war, hunger, poverty, tsunamis....earthquakes, like in haiti?
-and while some people have tents to live in, some have nothing to live in. no type of covering over their head in the rain, the cold, the heat. some are homeless and would give their right arm to be where i am
so that's the truth. no matter what my feelings say to me, the above is truth and no feeling or thought of mine is going to stand up against any of the truths i've listed. so for now, when i start to feel "home"-sick, i'll remember my real home is with my Savior. He is my shelter from the storm, my refuge to run to, my permanent home where i will never feel displaced. He is my home, and that home resides within me, no matter what roof is or isn't over my head.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
look in the mirror and say this......
hey! YOU! yeah, you..the one who is reading this because you followed my link from facebook, or you may be one of the ones worldwide that reads this (yup, i know..i check my stats...i see you,"Germany") and YOU, friend of mine who keeps up with my writings. yes, i'm speaking to you, to me, to your neighbor, to your boss, to my neighbor, to my boss....
did you know, you have value? you have worth simply because you are....merely because you breathe. that places value on you. it doesn't matter what you LOOK like, the clothes you have, the job/car/spouse/house you have. it doesn't matter if you do a million good things or just one....it doesn't matter if you're in prison for the filthiest crime imaginable...you have value and worth. not value that the world gives, but value from a Creator who adored His creation so much that He gave His only Son in death, and in life, for YOU. for ME. OUR CREATOR GOD SEES VALUE IN WHO WE AAAARRRRREEEEE. not what we do, what we don't do....our efforts to Him to be "good" are as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
for me personally, it's doesn't and shouldn't matter if i don't receive the love and approval of the ones i need it most from...because i've already been approved of. i already have worth. there's a Father in heaven that is so much more important than anyone's opinion on me. i have value simply because i am a creation of GOD Almighty!!!!! i was born, not able to do great things as a baby....and yet, my parents found worth in me just because i was. the same with my girls...before they could even tell me they loved me, or even knew who i was...they mattered and had immense priceless value to me!!! AND THE SAME WITH OUR SAVIOR!!! before we even knew He loved us, before we even knew Him....He thought us to be worthy of His love and of His Son. oh how stinking unworthy are we that He should love us so....but in His mind, we are worthy....we are valuable...we do matter!!!!
so to you, reader of mine....look in the mirror. say to yourself "i matter. i'm important. i'm valuable. i'm full of worth. simply because i'm me." and then, go out into in the world and make a difference, just by being your valuable self.
"For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
did you know, you have value? you have worth simply because you are....merely because you breathe. that places value on you. it doesn't matter what you LOOK like, the clothes you have, the job/car/spouse/house you have. it doesn't matter if you do a million good things or just one....it doesn't matter if you're in prison for the filthiest crime imaginable...you have value and worth. not value that the world gives, but value from a Creator who adored His creation so much that He gave His only Son in death, and in life, for YOU. for ME. OUR CREATOR GOD SEES VALUE IN WHO WE AAAARRRRREEEEE. not what we do, what we don't do....our efforts to Him to be "good" are as "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
for me personally, it's doesn't and shouldn't matter if i don't receive the love and approval of the ones i need it most from...because i've already been approved of. i already have worth. there's a Father in heaven that is so much more important than anyone's opinion on me. i have value simply because i am a creation of GOD Almighty!!!!! i was born, not able to do great things as a baby....and yet, my parents found worth in me just because i was. the same with my girls...before they could even tell me they loved me, or even knew who i was...they mattered and had immense priceless value to me!!! AND THE SAME WITH OUR SAVIOR!!! before we even knew He loved us, before we even knew Him....He thought us to be worthy of His love and of His Son. oh how stinking unworthy are we that He should love us so....but in His mind, we are worthy....we are valuable...we do matter!!!!
so to you, reader of mine....look in the mirror. say to yourself "i matter. i'm important. i'm valuable. i'm full of worth. simply because i'm me." and then, go out into in the world and make a difference, just by being your valuable self.
"For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
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