This has been my favorite song recently and I just wanted to share the powerful words.
You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
World Feast
"World Feast" that sounds kind of fun, doesn't it? I thought it might be a night of different cuisines and culture. Or just a different way of fellowship and feasting. Well, it wasn't at all.
God is doing some serious breakage in me, and my heart will never be the same. Yesterday we talked about poverty and cultural conduct. We got to have a time of solitude. We had a birthday party. Just a variety of activities. Some were celebratory or enlightening, some were disturbing.
Last night at dinner time we were ushered into the cafeteria and told where to sit. There were four options. The first one was a nice table with pretty candles, nice silverware and dishes. It was done in a restaurant style with three fancy courses being served. Table number two was a normal table, probably your average American family meal with plenty of food that was healthy and nourishing. Place number three was a shape on the floor marked by tape to sit at. There were some chairs and they were served rice, beans, and water, but no eating utensils. The last eating space was another odd shape taped on the floor crammed with at least 15 people that were served two bread rolls and a can of water that had cranberries in it. We ate. I was in section four where I ate a quarter size portion of bread and some drinks of water.
Some people eat like that every meal. Every day. People die just because they don't have any food, and I have every option of nourishment possible at my finger tips. I complain when Sodexo tastes weird or when sonic doesn't get my order right. I cannot make sense of this.
So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart oh God
Completely to you.
The past couple of months I have thought. "I'm going on a mission trip." Today they informed us that we ARE missionaries. People going to serve in furthering the kingdom of God. Today, this is what I felt like. We were sent off on missions to find our way to a church of our choosing. We went to an Orthodox church, and it was a great experience. It was a lot of standing and talking about or hearing things I did not have a clue about, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun figuring our the bus routes with my team and getting to work with them. But most of all the people we met were so refreshing. They were so welcoming and kind. The do things very different in terms of religion, than I have ever seen. I am going to need to get used to everything different here real soon. I learn in about five hours and I am so excited. I'll try to update as much as I can.
God is doing some serious breakage in me, and my heart will never be the same. Yesterday we talked about poverty and cultural conduct. We got to have a time of solitude. We had a birthday party. Just a variety of activities. Some were celebratory or enlightening, some were disturbing.
Last night at dinner time we were ushered into the cafeteria and told where to sit. There were four options. The first one was a nice table with pretty candles, nice silverware and dishes. It was done in a restaurant style with three fancy courses being served. Table number two was a normal table, probably your average American family meal with plenty of food that was healthy and nourishing. Place number three was a shape on the floor marked by tape to sit at. There were some chairs and they were served rice, beans, and water, but no eating utensils. The last eating space was another odd shape taped on the floor crammed with at least 15 people that were served two bread rolls and a can of water that had cranberries in it. We ate. I was in section four where I ate a quarter size portion of bread and some drinks of water.
Some people eat like that every meal. Every day. People die just because they don't have any food, and I have every option of nourishment possible at my finger tips. I complain when Sodexo tastes weird or when sonic doesn't get my order right. I cannot make sense of this.
So what can I say?
What can I do?
But offer this heart oh God
Completely to you.
The past couple of months I have thought. "I'm going on a mission trip." Today they informed us that we ARE missionaries. People going to serve in furthering the kingdom of God. Today, this is what I felt like. We were sent off on missions to find our way to a church of our choosing. We went to an Orthodox church, and it was a great experience. It was a lot of standing and talking about or hearing things I did not have a clue about, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun figuring our the bus routes with my team and getting to work with them. But most of all the people we met were so refreshing. They were so welcoming and kind. The do things very different in terms of religion, than I have ever seen. I am going to need to get used to everything different here real soon. I learn in about five hours and I am so excited. I'll try to update as much as I can.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Finally.
Packing was difficult. You know me, I like to be prepared. Well today at training I have learned some very important things. This summer I'm not always going to have exactly what I want. It's rarely going to be the ideal situation.
In talking to some of the leaders and my teammates, this is going to be difficult. We are going to have to be creative, innovative, accountable... the list goes on. So while taking in this overload of information today (which was just a half a day of training, half a day of travel) I couldn't help but be overwhelmed. I got up at 430am and it is 1230 central time.. Needless to say I should go to sleep, but I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts.
God is going to provide. He will be there and here for me always. I think that I need to be a certain type of person but He has made me just how I am supposed to be for this mission and in life. He has fashioned my team together to be effective in the way that He wants. How can I doubt?! We studied our strengths (top 5 strengths from Strengths Quest) and I realized that I am good at those five things because that is who God made me to be. I try to be this well-rounded person, but in the end that is ineffective. In trying to be well-rounded I would never reach my full potential. I must have missed this in life 101...
Training will be intense, but great. We have a full schedule for the next few days of team-building, culture and ministry learning and much more. I thank everyone for your prayers. They are getting me through. :) Anyway it has been a long day. A wonderful day of learning and contemplating and worrying, but it is the end and I cannot complain. I can't even say I am worried anymore. Lovely how God works that out. And how a shower can fix everything!
In talking to some of the leaders and my teammates, this is going to be difficult. We are going to have to be creative, innovative, accountable... the list goes on. So while taking in this overload of information today (which was just a half a day of training, half a day of travel) I couldn't help but be overwhelmed. I got up at 430am and it is 1230 central time.. Needless to say I should go to sleep, but I just wanted to share a few of my thoughts.
God is going to provide. He will be there and here for me always. I think that I need to be a certain type of person but He has made me just how I am supposed to be for this mission and in life. He has fashioned my team together to be effective in the way that He wants. How can I doubt?! We studied our strengths (top 5 strengths from Strengths Quest) and I realized that I am good at those five things because that is who God made me to be. I try to be this well-rounded person, but in the end that is ineffective. In trying to be well-rounded I would never reach my full potential. I must have missed this in life 101...
Training will be intense, but great. We have a full schedule for the next few days of team-building, culture and ministry learning and much more. I thank everyone for your prayers. They are getting me through. :) Anyway it has been a long day. A wonderful day of learning and contemplating and worrying, but it is the end and I cannot complain. I can't even say I am worried anymore. Lovely how God works that out. And how a shower can fix everything!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Here Goes
Okay, so I'm getting nervous just writing this. I'm going to Africa in one week and I haven't been nervous until this week (forgive me if my writing seems random and unorganized, it's because that is how I think, therefore: write). The distraction of school is gone and now this is all I have to think about. Oh Michelle Bowie how I love thee.
Back in October I couldn't decide what I was going to do for the summer. I thought about Youth In Mission, but I was also thinking about working at a camp. I just needed a sign. They were both good options I just needed someone to help cure me of my indecisive nature and tell me what to do (this is the solution I turn to in the midst of a decision pickle, which I'm frequently in, ask my peers). Michelle Bowie (my former academic adviser and professor) asked me what I was doing for the summer and I explained my dilemma. She said "Oh of course you should do Youth In Mission, that's a great opportunity." So I said "alright, I'm signing up tomorrow." She was a little concerned that my mother might have a different opinion and that I hadn't thought about it very much, but I didn't need to. I felt the peace of God overflow my heart when I made the final decision. Thanks for my sign Michelle!
So here I am. It's a week away and the mixture of emotions I feel makes my soul seem as if it might burst. I have been completely calm about this mission trip for nearly five months, and now I decide to become a little apprehensive? Fear is my own. Anxiety is my own. I must see through them and look to God. Aren't these little emotions so silly? I know that God is going to take care of me in these next two months (and all of life). So why worry? In the book Crazy Love, Francis Chan says that worry "implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives." Who am I to worry that the God of the universe is not in control? This has been my focus this semester. To remember that God not only cares about me, but will help me in any situation, worry is nothing. It makes my heart jump with excitement to talk about My Father this way. "Oh how he love us."
I have learned a lot this semester about stress and turning to God. He has given me many situations in which I have practiced turning to Him in all times: trouble and praise. I'm soooooo excited for this summer. Here goes. Packing and praying time.
Back in October I couldn't decide what I was going to do for the summer. I thought about Youth In Mission, but I was also thinking about working at a camp. I just needed a sign. They were both good options I just needed someone to help cure me of my indecisive nature and tell me what to do (this is the solution I turn to in the midst of a decision pickle, which I'm frequently in, ask my peers). Michelle Bowie (my former academic adviser and professor) asked me what I was doing for the summer and I explained my dilemma. She said "Oh of course you should do Youth In Mission, that's a great opportunity." So I said "alright, I'm signing up tomorrow." She was a little concerned that my mother might have a different opinion and that I hadn't thought about it very much, but I didn't need to. I felt the peace of God overflow my heart when I made the final decision. Thanks for my sign Michelle!
So here I am. It's a week away and the mixture of emotions I feel makes my soul seem as if it might burst. I have been completely calm about this mission trip for nearly five months, and now I decide to become a little apprehensive? Fear is my own. Anxiety is my own. I must see through them and look to God. Aren't these little emotions so silly? I know that God is going to take care of me in these next two months (and all of life). So why worry? In the book Crazy Love, Francis Chan says that worry "implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives." Who am I to worry that the God of the universe is not in control? This has been my focus this semester. To remember that God not only cares about me, but will help me in any situation, worry is nothing. It makes my heart jump with excitement to talk about My Father this way. "Oh how he love us."
I have learned a lot this semester about stress and turning to God. He has given me many situations in which I have practiced turning to Him in all times: trouble and praise. I'm soooooo excited for this summer. Here goes. Packing and praying time.
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