God is so gracious. God is so good. God is so awesome. God is so amazing. God is so marvelous. God is the greatest being of all time. God is so mysterious. God is so wonderful. God is so sacred. God is so holy. God is so perfect. God is so right. God is so beautiful. God is so terrifying. God is so HUGE. God is so astounding. God is so breathtaking. God is so remarkable. God is so spectacular.
And I could go on and on until I used up all the good adjectives in the English language, and then I could go on in other languages, and there wouldn't be enough time left in my life to continue speaking these words until I ran out of adjectives.
This last week has been particularly marvelous. God presented me with a new (yet old) job with Kidstop. A before and after-school program I have worked with in the past (for four years)! Long story short, I was offered two positions rather than the one I was interviewing for and they decided to pay me the same hourly wage I was making when I left Kidstop three years ago. Which funnily enough is almost double my hourly wage at Curry Up! Praise the Lord for this provision!
The second huge answer to prayer last week happened just yesterday/this morning. I met with the missions committee at my old church and shared my plans (God's plans) to go back to India in June and they decided to help by funding half of all my expenses! Praise God again! That is a large weight off of my shoulders and another confirmation in my mind that I am still needed in India for God's glory. I used to think that if I didn't have a heart or calling to do "God's work" here in Minnesota, in my hometown, I was going about this missionary thing all wrong. This thought is loosely based on Acts 1:8 where Jesus tells his disciples to go to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. We've all heard that to be interpreted as our hometown, county, state, and then the world. But Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM, spoke at a conference I was recently at over New Year's Eve, and he interpreted it differently. Were any of the disciples actually from Jerusalem? Jesus was not even from Jerusalem, and if you remember, when he did go to his hometown eventually they just ran him out of town. Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, his ministry started far from "home." Actually, maybe only 5% of people who start their own ministry are started in their hometown. So now, the thought of me going all the way to India to do something I could very well do here, does not seem so out of whack.
I am soon setting up an account with YWAM in Tyler, TX where you can send your checks or cash that you wish to donate for my time in India. As a staff member now instead of a student, all your donations are tax-deductible and you can even have them automatically withdraw from your checking account, or pay by credit card! I still have to fill out all these forms and have my base leader sign something, but this should all be put in place by the end of March at the latest!
Of course, with all this blessing in my life there comes some hurdles. My car would not start today at all. It almost started, but then it just stopped and made some strange sound. I haven't heard from my dad yet what exactly is wrong with it, but we all think the starter is kaput. Pray that gets worked out soon because I start my new job on Monday and this weekend I need to drive back and forth to Elk River to help lead worship at The Crossing.
All this goodness happened right after I realized the need to wholly surrender my life and my desires into God's hands. He wants to take care of me, and he will take care of me, only if I let him and want him to.
Please Pray:
- the rest of my financial needs are met (maybe God is nudging you to give!)
- Car troubles.
- I'm trying for a different type of visa, there are some hurdles with this as well. I need to find an organization in India to write a letter saying I'm volunteering with them there.
- no worries or anxiety both of which I am usually the Queen.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
His Truth is Marching On
Last year, 2009, I titled it the "Year of Hope" and looking back on it I was spot on. I received hope that I can dig deeper into God's character every single day and still learn more and more. The hope that I alone found in his words and movements were grand, and if you throw in the hope I was constantly surrounded by in my classmates and wonderful friends while in India you might say it was raining hope all day every day. When I got home I had the hope of going back to India, the hope that my pursuit of God would continue even after arriving home and being removed from that structure and intensity SBS provided. I soon realized I need that structure and intensity to get anything done. As much as I always told myself I hate structure, schedules, and any sort of studying, I actually needed that stuff in order to flourish. I also discovered that maybe I would love leading others to His truth. I want to be apart of spreading the good news across the globe. So now my hope is for that. I hope to show others my love for Christ in all that I do or say (or don't say) and I hope to see every single person I come across through God's eyes of love, even when I look in the mirror. I also hope that this year's new theme proves true in the end when I again get to look back and reflect on 2010. The hope I realized in 2009 has pushed me to this year, and I decided to call this year the "Year of Love."
When it all comes down to it, our life on this planet is really about love. Loving God, loving ourselves, and loving everyone else. If that alone is done, it is enough. How do I love properly? Is there even a proper way to do it? The only example I choose to live by is Christ, and looking at his life I am far from that sort of love. So, with the hope from last year backing me up, I press on towards the goal of love. I don't mean romantic love. I don't need or want to fall in love with a man right now. Especially in the coming season of teaching in India for two years. I want to love my family, I want to love my co-workers, I want to love the customers that come into work, I want to love the other drivers on the road. I do not want to be known as the family member or friend who is the "world traveler" I want to be known as the family member or friend who loves. I want people to be fascinated by Christ's love through me so that they start asking questions and seeking God because of it. I cannot do this on my own. It is so hard for me to love certain people. So, with Jesus as my example and the Holy Spirit as my guide and God always with me, I'm going to try to catch a glimpse of what love really is.
In other news, a friend of mine and I are trying to put together a benefit concert in May for her non-profit and also for a missionary traveling to India (a.k.a. me) and so keep your Sundays open in mid-to late May, and if you have experience or any ideas on how to put together a benefit event or want to help us plan it, you are more than welcome to share your ideas and thoughts. We are both new to this kind of thing and have no idea what we're doing.
I am still looking for a different job or a few jobs on the side, so keep your eyes and ears open for any money-making opportunities and pass them on to me if you can. Also, please pray that I find a higher income or a new job. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a temp-agency type place to hopefully find me a job! Pray that goes well. The direction my current job is going in with new management makes me want to pull my hair out and either break down and cry or strangle someone, so it's not a very healthy environment for me to be working in. Yikes.
Another prayer request I have of you is for the visa situation I am currently in. The tourist visa recently changed its guidelines and if I go in on a tourist visa I have to leave every 6 months (which was always the case) however now I am not able to re-enter India for at least two months whereas previously I could cross the border of Nepal and come back into India the same day. So, for staffing a nine month school I would have to miss two months of it. I am going to apply for a different type of Visa called an Entry Visa, and I need a letter from my base in India saying I'm volunteering there, and then I need to prove that I will have enough finances to last me the two years. Then I believe I'll be able to stay in India for two years without ever having to leave!! I pray that new visa works out and all the information needed comes together easily and the visa center doesn't get suspicious of Kingdom work if you know what I mean.
When it all comes down to it, our life on this planet is really about love. Loving God, loving ourselves, and loving everyone else. If that alone is done, it is enough. How do I love properly? Is there even a proper way to do it? The only example I choose to live by is Christ, and looking at his life I am far from that sort of love. So, with the hope from last year backing me up, I press on towards the goal of love. I don't mean romantic love. I don't need or want to fall in love with a man right now. Especially in the coming season of teaching in India for two years. I want to love my family, I want to love my co-workers, I want to love the customers that come into work, I want to love the other drivers on the road. I do not want to be known as the family member or friend who is the "world traveler" I want to be known as the family member or friend who loves. I want people to be fascinated by Christ's love through me so that they start asking questions and seeking God because of it. I cannot do this on my own. It is so hard for me to love certain people. So, with Jesus as my example and the Holy Spirit as my guide and God always with me, I'm going to try to catch a glimpse of what love really is.
In other news, a friend of mine and I are trying to put together a benefit concert in May for her non-profit and also for a missionary traveling to India (a.k.a. me) and so keep your Sundays open in mid-to late May, and if you have experience or any ideas on how to put together a benefit event or want to help us plan it, you are more than welcome to share your ideas and thoughts. We are both new to this kind of thing and have no idea what we're doing.
I am still looking for a different job or a few jobs on the side, so keep your eyes and ears open for any money-making opportunities and pass them on to me if you can. Also, please pray that I find a higher income or a new job. Tomorrow I have an appointment with a temp-agency type place to hopefully find me a job! Pray that goes well. The direction my current job is going in with new management makes me want to pull my hair out and either break down and cry or strangle someone, so it's not a very healthy environment for me to be working in. Yikes.
Another prayer request I have of you is for the visa situation I am currently in. The tourist visa recently changed its guidelines and if I go in on a tourist visa I have to leave every 6 months (which was always the case) however now I am not able to re-enter India for at least two months whereas previously I could cross the border of Nepal and come back into India the same day. So, for staffing a nine month school I would have to miss two months of it. I am going to apply for a different type of Visa called an Entry Visa, and I need a letter from my base in India saying I'm volunteering there, and then I need to prove that I will have enough finances to last me the two years. Then I believe I'll be able to stay in India for two years without ever having to leave!! I pray that new visa works out and all the information needed comes together easily and the visa center doesn't get suspicious of Kingdom work if you know what I mean.
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