Recently I got an e-mail from a friend saying this:
"Hey Jess, So two questions:
1) When you were not a Christian, why weren't you? haha, i know, weird question. But even if you had heard about church and God, why wasn't it attractive to you personally? Obviously, God revealed himself, i know that, but from your point of view, what do you think?
2) What made it "click?" When you accepted Christ, why did you? And why did you want to continue pursuing him?"
You know, its funny because I've been thinking about this lately and haven't gotten to a solid conclusion, lol, but now that I'm asked...
1) Haha, well, I've found some old stuff that I had saved from when I was younger, like journals from high school, or religion books from catholic elementary school. I had questions about God and christian living (haha, some of the questions I read recently and I'm like, DANG, That's a good question!!!) alot of those questions never got answered.
I dabbled in youth group, but never felt like I got anything out of it and couldn't connect easily with anyone there, I didn't feel like I belonged or was getting anywhere--like growing spiritually. My family doesn't bring up in conversation really what they believe and most of my extended family either doesn't really go to church or only attends catholic mass on sundays. I don't know what it was, if it was because of being an only child, but I kept to myself a lot in high school. My family, especially my cousins were my friends since they all lived close by. I mean I did make some good friends that I still keep in touch with and I had some christian acqauintances, but I can't think of even one person who befriended me on a deep level or really even on a personal level who was following Christ.
Or maybe it was because for some reason it was hard for me to let people inside my heart and I guess I really never let Christ into my heart either--I didn't know that God wanted to be a part of my life and I definitely didn't think God could be my most intimate and best friend. I think in general my unrealistic optimism (lol, surprise surprise), slight arrogance, overall ignorance especially about spiritual and Godly stuff, all combined with a lot of impatience in my youth kept me from a lot of things, one of them being God! Phew, how's all that for an answer? (I feel like I just psychoanalyzed myself, lol).
2) I think it all "clicked" because a lot of things came crashing down and weighing on my heart heavy at the time. It wasn't just one thing. I mean I had just ended a relationship (although not serious, it wasn't the best ending), the so called friends that I had made didn't really care about me, they just wanted someone to be rebellious with and have fun with, I had gone against so much of what my parents had taught me over that past year, I was about to launch myself into hard core studying for the next 7 years or so for a career I basically just wanted for the prestige and money, and somehow in the back of my mind I think I knew deep down that God really did exist and that he really did care.
And then all in a matter of a few weeks that all changed! You know about finding the rock...(I found a rock on the beach when I was a little girl that has James 1:2-4 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201:2-4&version=47 )
painted on it with a lighthouse, and "This is just for you who finds this." Then I refound it around the same time that all of that stuff I just mentioned was going on...crazy. I know.) Anyways, I think it scared and excited me at the same time, cause I sensed God was wanting something, and the thing is, I didn't know God really (Pretty scary when you think he's trying to tell you something!!!). So, I showed up at cru bible study to find out some more about God stuff, and ended up making friends who didn't just love me and leave me. I came to trust my friend, who took me out to coffee and shared what God had been doing in her life. She was so real about it and through all the crap in her past and family, she had real joy. I was blown away. Then when she shared the gospel, I trusted her and I knew that she believed it to her core...and so did the others. Then for the first time, I had real hope and began understanding what God had done for me and what he promised to do and I saw how in the bible and in my friend's lives that what God promises, He makes happen. And I trusted Him. It turns out my sense of God wanting something was right. He wanted my heart, because it belonged to Him. And even to this day, everyday, He likes reminding me of that. I just wish I would listen more : )
"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Cor. 4:6
"I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart." Jeremiah 24:7
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
"Go forth and multiply on all the earth"
Good Morning!! I know that its been a while--like a month, whoops! I really do love this blogging thing, but I just wasn't motivated to keep it updated whenever I actually had time to. I've been thinking this morning, I have all of this knowledge and what feels like a TON of resources, what should I do with it?
A lot of my prayers have been looking like this: "Lord, will you bless this, will you bless that, will you give me this, will you give my friend that, will you show me what I should do....etc." Ouch. If I was really listening to God respond to those prayers, He might say something like, "JESS!!! I love you, and there are bigger things you could ask for! I know what you need before you even ask for it! Look at Revelation 7:9, that is what I'm doing in the world!!! Pray and ask me to send more laborers for the harvest, its so PLENTIFUL!!! (Matt. 9:37-38) I've chosen to call you my beloved daughter. Your responsibility is to make me known so that my salvation will reach the ends of the earth (Is. 49:6). As the waters cover the sea, so will the knowledge of my Glory be on all the earth!!! (Hab. 2:14)."
Whoa, I needed to hear that from Him. He believes in me, he believes and purposes to use me to make a difference in the world. Its not so much that I love Him, but HE LOVES me. Its for His glory. So, I was thinking, how can I make Him known and make the biggest impact?
I'll let Paul tell you, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace (humility and graciousness) that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:1-2
So all along when Jesus says, "...therefore, go and make disciples of all nations..." I was thinking addition, lets add to our numbers. But that's not what he meant. He meant multiplication to God's kingdom.
I kind of like to visualize it as tossing a stone in water...as the ripples get further away from the place the stone entered the water, the bigger the ripple gets. I want my life to be that stone. For the glory of God. That is what its all about.
A lot of my prayers have been looking like this: "Lord, will you bless this, will you bless that, will you give me this, will you give my friend that, will you show me what I should do....etc." Ouch. If I was really listening to God respond to those prayers, He might say something like, "JESS!!! I love you, and there are bigger things you could ask for! I know what you need before you even ask for it! Look at Revelation 7:9, that is what I'm doing in the world!!! Pray and ask me to send more laborers for the harvest, its so PLENTIFUL!!! (Matt. 9:37-38) I've chosen to call you my beloved daughter. Your responsibility is to make me known so that my salvation will reach the ends of the earth (Is. 49:6). As the waters cover the sea, so will the knowledge of my Glory be on all the earth!!! (Hab. 2:14)."
Whoa, I needed to hear that from Him. He believes in me, he believes and purposes to use me to make a difference in the world. Its not so much that I love Him, but HE LOVES me. Its for His glory. So, I was thinking, how can I make Him known and make the biggest impact?
I'll let Paul tell you, "You then, my son, be strong in the grace (humility and graciousness) that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will be qualified to teach others." 2 Timothy 2:1-2
So all along when Jesus says, "...therefore, go and make disciples of all nations..." I was thinking addition, lets add to our numbers. But that's not what he meant. He meant multiplication to God's kingdom.
I kind of like to visualize it as tossing a stone in water...as the ripples get further away from the place the stone entered the water, the bigger the ripple gets. I want my life to be that stone. For the glory of God. That is what its all about.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Ee-Taow!!!
So, its been a couple of weeks, I know! Its just that so much has happened and I could write a novel about it all if I had the time and energy. So, maybe a little rundown of the last couple of weeks, but I'm sorry for lack of details. I would absolutely LOVE to talk about it more in detail later though!
So, the weekend of the 28th a guy named Justin spent the weekend with us (He's a Messianic Jew--and he leads summer pilgrimages in Israel for college students-it sounds awesome, I know!). He took us to a local Messianic Synagogue and shared the entire layout of the bible with us, and how ALL OF IT points to Christ. There is so much in scriptures that I never saw before--how many times the word "nations" is mentioned, and the parables, and Jesus' life. I learned so much about Jesus' culture and His humanness but also the incredible part of him. His ministry was only for 3 years, but in those three years the world was changed forever, it was turned upside down. This man is Jesus, Emmanuel, Messiah, Healer, Redeemer, Lover (not that kind of lover! He's a lover of people in its truest sense). I learned the incredible parallels in the feeding of the 5000 in John 6:1-15 and psalm 23 and also the comparison of the details in the feeding of the 5000 and the feeding of the lesser talked about 4000 in Mark 8:1-13. It opened my eyes a whole lot to God's heart and who Jesus is!
The next week we finished up the Perspectives course which was also overall incredible and eye-opening, I finished up with a 93%, oh yeah! Then we went through Perspectives coordinator training, so I'm all trained up to start up or help out with a new class basically anywhere I live, even overseas, which is quite exciting. We watched an amazing video called Ee-Taow!! about this couple and a huge team of people(there with them, and at home) working with this tribe in Papua New Ginea for years learning the language and presenting the gospel in a series of stories starting with Genesis and pointing out God's promise for a redeemer and someone to die in our place. Once the tribe saw that this promised one was Jesus, the entire tribe accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior and now they have shared this gospel in all the surrounding villages and are preparing to take it to other tribes and learn a whole new language and culture. That is the gospel power! The gospel is so encompassing and life changing and HUGE. God is really moving in the world, and until every people group has had a chance to hear the gospel, the end won't come (and Jesus won't come for a second time)(Matt. 24:14).
4th of July was great fun. I got to spend it playing volleyball and barbequeing and going around philly with a Japanese girl, then fireworks and a free live John Legend concert. We left at 7:45 the next morning and headed out to Massechusetts to the very sites where men like Stott, Moody, Mills, Wishard, and the Wilders who said stuff about missions like, "we can do this if we will" and "I am willing to go anywhere, at anytime, to do anything for Jesus". We stood and prayed at the very same places students just like us stood and prayed over 100 years ago. These were the beginners of the Haystack Prayer Movement and Student Volunteer Movement http://www.thetravelingteam.org/?q=node/98 , http://www.thetravelingteam.org/?q=node/99 (a bit of what we learned while there).
Then we spent last week hearing from some experts on knowledge of the major world religions. As a project we then went as learners to visit some local temples including Buddhist, Hare Krishna and a Muslim Mosque. I don't really have the words to explain my experience with this. I might have to elaborate more later....
This past weekend was absolutely great. We got to relax on grounds surrounded by mountains and we had lots of freetime. We stayed at a New Tribes Mission Center and heard (and experienced) what it would be like to go into a tribe that has an unlearned language and culture to the rest of the world, and go in there and start building relationships with them, spending about 5 years minimum learning the language and making an alphabet, teaching the tribe how to read and write it, translate the bible into it, and to start teaching them what the bible says. I was blown away. One of the guys had worked for 14 years with a tribe in Venezuela and saw pretty much the whole tribe come to know Christ and be transformed--until the government kicked out foreigners. It was incredible spending time with the NTM staff!
Today we spent in Chinatown talking to people. I got to talk to a couple of Vietnamese women and we ate some tasty authentic Chinese for lunch. Tomorrow we're getting up early to go serve breakfast in an innercity homeless shelter and just to talk to people and love on them, I'm kind of excited for this!
So, the weekend of the 28th a guy named Justin spent the weekend with us (He's a Messianic Jew--and he leads summer pilgrimages in Israel for college students-it sounds awesome, I know!). He took us to a local Messianic Synagogue and shared the entire layout of the bible with us, and how ALL OF IT points to Christ. There is so much in scriptures that I never saw before--how many times the word "nations" is mentioned, and the parables, and Jesus' life. I learned so much about Jesus' culture and His humanness but also the incredible part of him. His ministry was only for 3 years, but in those three years the world was changed forever, it was turned upside down. This man is Jesus, Emmanuel, Messiah, Healer, Redeemer, Lover (not that kind of lover! He's a lover of people in its truest sense). I learned the incredible parallels in the feeding of the 5000 in John 6:1-15 and psalm 23 and also the comparison of the details in the feeding of the 5000 and the feeding of the lesser talked about 4000 in Mark 8:1-13. It opened my eyes a whole lot to God's heart and who Jesus is!
The next week we finished up the Perspectives course which was also overall incredible and eye-opening, I finished up with a 93%, oh yeah! Then we went through Perspectives coordinator training, so I'm all trained up to start up or help out with a new class basically anywhere I live, even overseas, which is quite exciting. We watched an amazing video called Ee-Taow!! about this couple and a huge team of people(there with them, and at home) working with this tribe in Papua New Ginea for years learning the language and presenting the gospel in a series of stories starting with Genesis and pointing out God's promise for a redeemer and someone to die in our place. Once the tribe saw that this promised one was Jesus, the entire tribe accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior and now they have shared this gospel in all the surrounding villages and are preparing to take it to other tribes and learn a whole new language and culture. That is the gospel power! The gospel is so encompassing and life changing and HUGE. God is really moving in the world, and until every people group has had a chance to hear the gospel, the end won't come (and Jesus won't come for a second time)(Matt. 24:14).
4th of July was great fun. I got to spend it playing volleyball and barbequeing and going around philly with a Japanese girl, then fireworks and a free live John Legend concert. We left at 7:45 the next morning and headed out to Massechusetts to the very sites where men like Stott, Moody, Mills, Wishard, and the Wilders who said stuff about missions like, "we can do this if we will" and "I am willing to go anywhere, at anytime, to do anything for Jesus". We stood and prayed at the very same places students just like us stood and prayed over 100 years ago. These were the beginners of the Haystack Prayer Movement and Student Volunteer Movement http://www.thetravelingteam.org/?q=node/98 , http://www.thetravelingteam.org/?q=node/99 (a bit of what we learned while there).
Then we spent last week hearing from some experts on knowledge of the major world religions. As a project we then went as learners to visit some local temples including Buddhist, Hare Krishna and a Muslim Mosque. I don't really have the words to explain my experience with this. I might have to elaborate more later....
This past weekend was absolutely great. We got to relax on grounds surrounded by mountains and we had lots of freetime. We stayed at a New Tribes Mission Center and heard (and experienced) what it would be like to go into a tribe that has an unlearned language and culture to the rest of the world, and go in there and start building relationships with them, spending about 5 years minimum learning the language and making an alphabet, teaching the tribe how to read and write it, translate the bible into it, and to start teaching them what the bible says. I was blown away. One of the guys had worked for 14 years with a tribe in Venezuela and saw pretty much the whole tribe come to know Christ and be transformed--until the government kicked out foreigners. It was incredible spending time with the NTM staff!
Today we spent in Chinatown talking to people. I got to talk to a couple of Vietnamese women and we ate some tasty authentic Chinese for lunch. Tomorrow we're getting up early to go serve breakfast in an innercity homeless shelter and just to talk to people and love on them, I'm kind of excited for this!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
A little blurb of my Sunday night thoughts...
Something that's been impacting me is just looking at how Jesus did his ministry. Half the time he was healing people and the other half he was talking to them. I am personally quite excited about the talking aspect of missions and I've honestly been wondering why God has lead me to a Global Justice minor; and then I think he gave me a little clue in lesson 12 of Perspectives. We learned that social action is intertwined with evangelism and that evangelism isn't with mere words. It's like our words explain why we have compassion, why we would love our enemies, and all the other things that boggle the minds of unbelievers. I think witnessing is less about how many converts we 'get' and more about how God is transforming lives and us carrying the message he wants to convey to every people group on earth. Jesus was God's ultimate message, he was the Word and he was made flesh. I think God is teaching me to be not just a person of words ( eve though I really really love words!), but a person of action. "The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). God's Word is living and active--in me--and I am also his word made flesh when I live a life in reflection of God's heart and view love as a powerful verb and practice it!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Who is Jesus?
Before you do anything else, watch this video. I dont' think you'll regret it. http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=152b5103d741aca61093
Here's a paraphrase of what this guy qoutes. Paul, the former persecuter of Jesus' followers writes this about Jesus:
15-18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 Message)
Paul speaks with authority. He traveled the world putting His life in risk, living through being stoned and imprisoned and shipwrecked and starvation and ridicule. He left his home country, his people, his familiar friends, his great job to follow this Jesus. He knew Jesus on a personal level and everything he accomplished he poured back into praise to God. Wow. Paul was an incredible person and in my opinion it is because he followed so close to an incredible God.
Here's a paraphrase of what this guy qoutes. Paul, the former persecuter of Jesus' followers writes this about Jesus:
15-18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 Message)
Paul speaks with authority. He traveled the world putting His life in risk, living through being stoned and imprisoned and shipwrecked and starvation and ridicule. He left his home country, his people, his familiar friends, his great job to follow this Jesus. He knew Jesus on a personal level and everything he accomplished he poured back into praise to God. Wow. Paul was an incredible person and in my opinion it is because he followed so close to an incredible God.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
NEW YORK, NY!!!
The Big Apple. (Yum! Haha, just kidding, late night humor, lol) One of the top 3 largest cities in the world...it's where you'll find all sorts of unexpected surprises. I mean, people from every country of the world flock there to see the sites. The streets are bustling with people speaking all sorts of languages, wearing all sorts of fashions, and honking cars on every street intersection. It's great fun! I think it was love at first step off the train for me.
I went to New York with my IT project small group and we attacked New York in a day and a half. That city didn't know what hit it! The first thing the four of us girls did Friday night was hop on a subway and ride to dinner in the heart of a quaint part of town. The place was called Cafe Mingala (which means Cafe Hello--haha, very friendly) and the waitor's name was Sidd. We shared a rice pasta and duck dish and a vegetable and rice dish along with some tasty naan bread. When the first course was done Sidd brought us a plate of fresh orange slices. Then we strolled around and saw central park and the metropolitan art museum from the outside and Times Square at night, which was a gorgeous display of lights and digital moving billboards and flashing colors.
The next morning we arrived by subway again at the South side of town. We saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from a distance and walked through a pretty flower garden to a little bakery where we bought lunch and sat under a tree to enjoy it. Then we walked and took the subway over to Ground Zero. It wasn't as much of a mess as I thought, it was basically a huge construction job with a big construction fence around it. But nontheless, seeing it for real was kind of breathtaking. I can't believe its been almost 7 years since the day I sat in my class as a high school freshman staring in shock at the TV screen as the twin towers collapsed and sent dust and rubble flying for blocks. There were construction tunnels you could walk through to see over and around the fence and there was a plaque with an immense list of names of the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks and some billboards on the rubble site to commemmorate the events.
It was hot and sticky in New York by that time and we headed into a huge Financial something or other building to escape the heat and while trying to find restrooms we found a huge indoor amphitheater with marble steps, huge victorian windows that took up the whole back wall, palm trees--and a huge crowd cheering and yelling at the latin ballroom dance competition going on. It was crazy, I never would have expected to find all that inside that building, lol. Then in the same building we found an Italian Gelato shop and satisfied our sweet tooths. MMM, my chocolate and dulce de leche gelato was amazing! Walking out of the building 3 young ladies from Israel stopped and asked for help with directions and we talked with them for a while. Haha, I asked if I could say "Shalom!" when they said they were Jewish and they were excited, so that was fun. Next we headed towards ChinaTown! Holla! Haha, it was a blast, but it was CRAZY!! There were so many people on the sidewalks and in the shops, I could barely move, or breath. If you so much as glanced at a bracelet or scarf, a chinese shopkeeper would come invade your personal space and say, "which color you like? you like bracret? 15 dolla." I learned that if you liked something you looked at, you ask the nearest shopkeeper how much and when they say "20 dolla", you immediately put the item back and say, thank you, and start walking away. Haha, and then a moment later, they shout, "for you, 15 dolla!" Then you go back and say, "I'll pay 10 dolla" and then they say, "okay, okay, 10 dolla fo you". And that's how that's done! Haha, it was fun, I got some good stuff.
So, we walked around China town with all its craziness and cheap clothes and strange smells and then meandered around little Italy which smelled AMAZING of course and the majority comprised of quaint little outdoor cafes and restaurants. We stopped at the nearest pizza joint complete with graffitied one person bathroom and all. The pizza was great. New York style HUGE slices with pretty much anything you wanted for toppings.
We stopped in a little Tibetan store and bought some sweet sandals and started talking to the store owner and he told us an incredible story. He's from a higher class Tibetan family who were imprisoned for no reason really other than communism in a Chinese prison when he was 10. He was there for 10 years until he escaped and walked over the mountains into India where he stayed for a while before coming to the city. Then we talked about all kinds of stuff like happiness and forgiveness, I wish we had had more time to talk with him. He said we were'nt like other people because we were actually interested in him and what he was saying. He said people just don't listen to each other anymore. I enjoyed listening to him, we all did.
Later we hit up the big stores and did some classic New York style shopping. New York is the home of the largest Macy's on earth, which is 6 stories. It was ridiculous. And every other big chain store is at least 2 or 3 stories, like H & M and Forever 21. By that time it was 9pm and we had to be back at the train station to meet the other small groups and ride back to the vans and drive the 2 and a half hours back to Philly. I was so exhausted I slept on the ride home. And this morning got to sleep in. It was glorious. This afternoon just our small group did some exploring around Philly looking at Independance hall and other fun historical stuff and waiting in a very long line at one of the best Philly Cheesesteak hookups in town and plopping down on some sidewalk sitting against a building since there was no seating at the place, which is called Pat's by the way. It was probably one of my favorite memories with my small group so far.
The rest of today was spent studying for our perspectives midterm and taking it online and then finishing up the readings and workbook and quiz for tomorrow. So now I am spent and going to go to bed since I have to go to class in the morning--which by the way is getting better and better. I thought the first lesson blew me away, but Friday's lesson REALLY blew me away. I'm looking forward to the rest of the lessons.
I went to New York with my IT project small group and we attacked New York in a day and a half. That city didn't know what hit it! The first thing the four of us girls did Friday night was hop on a subway and ride to dinner in the heart of a quaint part of town. The place was called Cafe Mingala (which means Cafe Hello--haha, very friendly) and the waitor's name was Sidd. We shared a rice pasta and duck dish and a vegetable and rice dish along with some tasty naan bread. When the first course was done Sidd brought us a plate of fresh orange slices. Then we strolled around and saw central park and the metropolitan art museum from the outside and Times Square at night, which was a gorgeous display of lights and digital moving billboards and flashing colors.
The next morning we arrived by subway again at the South side of town. We saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from a distance and walked through a pretty flower garden to a little bakery where we bought lunch and sat under a tree to enjoy it. Then we walked and took the subway over to Ground Zero. It wasn't as much of a mess as I thought, it was basically a huge construction job with a big construction fence around it. But nontheless, seeing it for real was kind of breathtaking. I can't believe its been almost 7 years since the day I sat in my class as a high school freshman staring in shock at the TV screen as the twin towers collapsed and sent dust and rubble flying for blocks. There were construction tunnels you could walk through to see over and around the fence and there was a plaque with an immense list of names of the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks and some billboards on the rubble site to commemmorate the events.
It was hot and sticky in New York by that time and we headed into a huge Financial something or other building to escape the heat and while trying to find restrooms we found a huge indoor amphitheater with marble steps, huge victorian windows that took up the whole back wall, palm trees--and a huge crowd cheering and yelling at the latin ballroom dance competition going on. It was crazy, I never would have expected to find all that inside that building, lol. Then in the same building we found an Italian Gelato shop and satisfied our sweet tooths. MMM, my chocolate and dulce de leche gelato was amazing! Walking out of the building 3 young ladies from Israel stopped and asked for help with directions and we talked with them for a while. Haha, I asked if I could say "Shalom!" when they said they were Jewish and they were excited, so that was fun. Next we headed towards ChinaTown! Holla! Haha, it was a blast, but it was CRAZY!! There were so many people on the sidewalks and in the shops, I could barely move, or breath. If you so much as glanced at a bracelet or scarf, a chinese shopkeeper would come invade your personal space and say, "which color you like? you like bracret? 15 dolla." I learned that if you liked something you looked at, you ask the nearest shopkeeper how much and when they say "20 dolla", you immediately put the item back and say, thank you, and start walking away. Haha, and then a moment later, they shout, "for you, 15 dolla!" Then you go back and say, "I'll pay 10 dolla" and then they say, "okay, okay, 10 dolla fo you". And that's how that's done! Haha, it was fun, I got some good stuff.
So, we walked around China town with all its craziness and cheap clothes and strange smells and then meandered around little Italy which smelled AMAZING of course and the majority comprised of quaint little outdoor cafes and restaurants. We stopped at the nearest pizza joint complete with graffitied one person bathroom and all. The pizza was great. New York style HUGE slices with pretty much anything you wanted for toppings.
We stopped in a little Tibetan store and bought some sweet sandals and started talking to the store owner and he told us an incredible story. He's from a higher class Tibetan family who were imprisoned for no reason really other than communism in a Chinese prison when he was 10. He was there for 10 years until he escaped and walked over the mountains into India where he stayed for a while before coming to the city. Then we talked about all kinds of stuff like happiness and forgiveness, I wish we had had more time to talk with him. He said we were'nt like other people because we were actually interested in him and what he was saying. He said people just don't listen to each other anymore. I enjoyed listening to him, we all did.
Later we hit up the big stores and did some classic New York style shopping. New York is the home of the largest Macy's on earth, which is 6 stories. It was ridiculous. And every other big chain store is at least 2 or 3 stories, like H & M and Forever 21. By that time it was 9pm and we had to be back at the train station to meet the other small groups and ride back to the vans and drive the 2 and a half hours back to Philly. I was so exhausted I slept on the ride home. And this morning got to sleep in. It was glorious. This afternoon just our small group did some exploring around Philly looking at Independance hall and other fun historical stuff and waiting in a very long line at one of the best Philly Cheesesteak hookups in town and plopping down on some sidewalk sitting against a building since there was no seating at the place, which is called Pat's by the way. It was probably one of my favorite memories with my small group so far.
The rest of today was spent studying for our perspectives midterm and taking it online and then finishing up the readings and workbook and quiz for tomorrow. So now I am spent and going to go to bed since I have to go to class in the morning--which by the way is getting better and better. I thought the first lesson blew me away, but Friday's lesson REALLY blew me away. I'm looking forward to the rest of the lessons.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Just do it
What made an impact on me most from hearing the history of what God did in the world to fulfill His purposes in the world was hearing about the women victims of the Viking conquests! The Vikings at the time were the most ruthless pagan peoples of the world and they seemed unstoppable in their conquests. Everywhere they went they slaughtered men and children, but raped and eslaved the women. What amazes me is the witness of those women. They had seen the Vikings shed the blood of their families and afterwards had been violated and degraded. But instead of vengfully fighting back, they chose the way of Christ. Instead of fighting back, they whispered the gospel into the ears of the Viking men as they were raped. I don't know about you, but that is amazing to me.
These women chose love, even though it required all kinds of difficult personal sacrifice and trust in God as they gave their lives to serve the Vikings in the midst of their grief and loss. What started happening is the Vikings were effected by the power of the gospel in the lives of these women! These women trusted God in their cicumstances, doing everything for God's glory and because of this the gospel spread in the entire Viking world!
This has made such an impact on me because I dream of going and bringing the good news of the gospel blessing of God to unreached people, but if God wanted me to stay, or put me into circumstances like those women, I don't know if I could withstand it. It inspires me so much and so does Paul as I read of the numerous accounts of suffering for God's glory in his life. I think of his words in Colossians 1, "to this end I labor with his energy which so powerfully works within me". Paul had hard circumstance after hard circumstance in his life, but he knew what he was about. He knew that no matter where he was, what he did, or who he was with, he was supposed to glorify God. He didn't always see what God was doing, but he trusted God. His purpose was to glorify God. He didn't let circumstances get him down, he just did it. Looking at these stories I aspire to just do it too!
These women chose love, even though it required all kinds of difficult personal sacrifice and trust in God as they gave their lives to serve the Vikings in the midst of their grief and loss. What started happening is the Vikings were effected by the power of the gospel in the lives of these women! These women trusted God in their cicumstances, doing everything for God's glory and because of this the gospel spread in the entire Viking world!
This has made such an impact on me because I dream of going and bringing the good news of the gospel blessing of God to unreached people, but if God wanted me to stay, or put me into circumstances like those women, I don't know if I could withstand it. It inspires me so much and so does Paul as I read of the numerous accounts of suffering for God's glory in his life. I think of his words in Colossians 1, "to this end I labor with his energy which so powerfully works within me". Paul had hard circumstance after hard circumstance in his life, but he knew what he was about. He knew that no matter where he was, what he did, or who he was with, he was supposed to glorify God. He didn't always see what God was doing, but he trusted God. His purpose was to glorify God. He didn't let circumstances get him down, he just did it. Looking at these stories I aspire to just do it too!
A Force to Be Reckoned With! Amen!
How incredible is God?!? Seriously! Viewing the bible as a whole and seeing--what I feel like is for the first time--the story of Jesus' life and God's plan and purpose from Genesis to Revelation!
Jesus was an extraordinary man! Even those who don't believe in God think so! Everything He said seems to carry some profoundly deep and vital and compelling meaning to it. I've been thinking of those beckoning 3 words he says to ordinary people like you and me, "Come follow me"! I am understanding more and more the deeper implications of those words. In the gospels, Jesus is unpredictable! His disciples didn't know what was going on half the time, but they were so devoted to Him, placing their trust in Him and the promises of God. He was unpredictable, but real with people. He is serious about justice, but serious about love--even to death-on a cross! Everything about Him is rooted in deep passion for seeing God glorified through worship.
I'm learning that missions isn't so much about a task, as it is worship! It's about people from every tribe and language and nation worshiping God! And missions is proclaiming the good news of the coming of God's everlasting reign on earth and salvation to those who trust and follow Christ's lead. It's the pouring out of their lives like He did into the lives of others who will do the same! It's working as a whole world-wide body of believers, fulfilling by the power of God what Christ began as His Spirit so powerfully works within and through us--until there are people from among all people groups worshiping God!
It is invariably more vital and glorifying to God to allow Him to pursue me in a love relationship that is real and personal than anything else in the world! Because my passions will be parallel to His and because I love Him, I will obey His commands and everything else will come. Like Paul I'd choose passion and base every decision on God's glory instead of mine. If I even had an ounce of Paul's passion! Whew! He was a force to be reckoned with!
One thing that so astounds me is that God even allows us the privelage to work alongside Him. Jesus saw where God was working and came as a suffering servant in love to do the Father's will. I also have the privelage of prayer! I'm becoming more and more convicted of the power of prayer to rebell against the evil that blinds eyes to the light of the gospel. I'm learning that prayer is key; to evangelism, to worship, to relationship, to seeing God move. Laboring in prayer can even be a privelage of sharing in Christ's sufferings for God's glory...
Sacrifice is never easy. This summer I gave 2 months of my life to God. It's amazing how He works in your life when you humbly give Him what you have! But He seems to be asking me, or rather beckoning, "Would you give a lifetime? Would you trust me with your whole life?" Even though I know this is just the beginning and let's be real, there will be hard times ahead no matter what, everything in my heart wants to say, "Yes, Lord!" because of the surpassing joy of knowing Christ! I'm so eager to see what else the Lord has in mind this summer because so far He has positively blown me away!
Jesus was an extraordinary man! Even those who don't believe in God think so! Everything He said seems to carry some profoundly deep and vital and compelling meaning to it. I've been thinking of those beckoning 3 words he says to ordinary people like you and me, "Come follow me"! I am understanding more and more the deeper implications of those words. In the gospels, Jesus is unpredictable! His disciples didn't know what was going on half the time, but they were so devoted to Him, placing their trust in Him and the promises of God. He was unpredictable, but real with people. He is serious about justice, but serious about love--even to death-on a cross! Everything about Him is rooted in deep passion for seeing God glorified through worship.
I'm learning that missions isn't so much about a task, as it is worship! It's about people from every tribe and language and nation worshiping God! And missions is proclaiming the good news of the coming of God's everlasting reign on earth and salvation to those who trust and follow Christ's lead. It's the pouring out of their lives like He did into the lives of others who will do the same! It's working as a whole world-wide body of believers, fulfilling by the power of God what Christ began as His Spirit so powerfully works within and through us--until there are people from among all people groups worshiping God!
It is invariably more vital and glorifying to God to allow Him to pursue me in a love relationship that is real and personal than anything else in the world! Because my passions will be parallel to His and because I love Him, I will obey His commands and everything else will come. Like Paul I'd choose passion and base every decision on God's glory instead of mine. If I even had an ounce of Paul's passion! Whew! He was a force to be reckoned with!
One thing that so astounds me is that God even allows us the privelage to work alongside Him. Jesus saw where God was working and came as a suffering servant in love to do the Father's will. I also have the privelage of prayer! I'm becoming more and more convicted of the power of prayer to rebell against the evil that blinds eyes to the light of the gospel. I'm learning that prayer is key; to evangelism, to worship, to relationship, to seeing God move. Laboring in prayer can even be a privelage of sharing in Christ's sufferings for God's glory...
Sacrifice is never easy. This summer I gave 2 months of my life to God. It's amazing how He works in your life when you humbly give Him what you have! But He seems to be asking me, or rather beckoning, "Would you give a lifetime? Would you trust me with your whole life?" Even though I know this is just the beginning and let's be real, there will be hard times ahead no matter what, everything in my heart wants to say, "Yes, Lord!" because of the surpassing joy of knowing Christ! I'm so eager to see what else the Lord has in mind this summer because so far He has positively blown me away!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Mormon Ward Visit
We just got back from visiting a Mormon Ward or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Even though we already debriefed in our small groups when we got back, I need to vent a little more. My goal is not to convince people that the Mormon faith is wrong, but to share what I learned and tell why I am so frustrated.
We came to a singles ward (meaning there is another one for married couples). Normally for their friday night service there is one song and a short prayer before going to mingle and have 'fellowship'. Since we were visiters and not converts (haha, yet), they gave us a brief presentation of what they believe, using a diagram and one recent convert shared his testimony. Then we had "munch and mingle time" lol, I love the cheesy term! Anyways there were round tables set up and we got to talk to people one on one, asking them questions. At my table there were three of us from the project, 2 mormon missionaries and another guy. I loved talking with them, I loved sitting down and getting personal.
What saddened me is a lot of their answers to our questions seemed rehersed. They seem to base a lot of God's answer to prayer on feelings alone. Their testimonies speak hardly anything of God's brilliant GLORY and it saddens me to see worship empty if almost nonexistant. I didn't see any love for God or delight in the creator God who humbled himself, becoming a servant and who died and rose and conquered sin and death for them redeeming them through faith and his grace alone and not by works!!
I can see how this religion is so appealing because of the community focus and second chances after death to accept the gospel. In Mormonism there is no judgement! But they use the bible! But they take it so out of context and let their feelings and duty lead them. They believe God had sex with Mary and that the trinity consists only of three separate persons, they are not one. When Jesus prays for his followers to be one as he and the father are one in John 17, they think he means unity, united in purpose. They believe in preaching the gospel(its pretty similar to the one other churches preach) in preparation for Christ's second coming. They say Christ died to give us the opportunity for repentence and that because God loves the world he sent prophets periodically so that the truth would be among people and he can help them stay on the right track, but Jesus was more than a prophet, they believe he is literally God's son and we are literally God's sons and daughters also, born a spirit then born on earth then depending on if we were on the right track or not, will go to a certain kingdom in the afterlife. Even if you were a murderer or worse, you get to party with all your friends and family, but you have to suffer 1000 years in Hell first. (its all called eternal progression-basically you can progress to other kingdoms and minister to people in other ones--yeah, I don't really understand it completely...). If you marry in the temple you get to live in the best of the best kingdoms, but not only that, but the more kids you have on earth, the larger domain you get to establish for yourself in the afterlife.
Some more fun facts:
*Mormonism is based on Christianity and the teachings of Joseph Smith.
*Membership is over 10 million worldwide and 2 million in Asia alone.
*It is the world's fastest growing "Christian" cult.
*They teach that the garden of Eden was in Missouri and that Jesus was married, had kids, and after being crucified in the middle east, appeared in America too.
*A lot of times women are taught to be totally dependant on men.
What saddens me is these people really believe that this is truth. But there is no freedom, there is no joy in it! They have zeal for getting more converts, but there is no vitality, no PASSION! When they go on missions its to check off something on their list, they have to pay for it with their own money and they go where the missions president tells them they should go. What else saddens me is, in all of this, they don't know the Lord at all!!! They don't understand who he is, or that they can know Him! I don't see how they can know him for His JUSTICE and LOVE and believe all of this! Our worth, our glory, our blessings came only from God, and they are ultimately for God to be glorified! What's so incredibly beautiful is that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him! I am so convicted of this, it breaks my heart that the friends I've just made don't know this! It makes me think of 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 "The god of this age [satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Christ's sake[and glory]. For God, who said, "let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ".
What I've observed tonight makes me sad. And I know there is nothing I can ever do to persuade or make them see the truth. But there is hope! There is so much hope! Because God is the almighty God and he desires people from all the nations to worship him! He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine and he is in control of everything! Only he can reveal his glory to them in all its truth and we can only call on God to do this and just love on them!
If I am so passionate about this, it is only because God is humbling me more and more towards His greatness and because I want to see Him lifted up high! May He give you the same profound delight!
We came to a singles ward (meaning there is another one for married couples). Normally for their friday night service there is one song and a short prayer before going to mingle and have 'fellowship'. Since we were visiters and not converts (haha, yet), they gave us a brief presentation of what they believe, using a diagram and one recent convert shared his testimony. Then we had "munch and mingle time" lol, I love the cheesy term! Anyways there were round tables set up and we got to talk to people one on one, asking them questions. At my table there were three of us from the project, 2 mormon missionaries and another guy. I loved talking with them, I loved sitting down and getting personal.
What saddened me is a lot of their answers to our questions seemed rehersed. They seem to base a lot of God's answer to prayer on feelings alone. Their testimonies speak hardly anything of God's brilliant GLORY and it saddens me to see worship empty if almost nonexistant. I didn't see any love for God or delight in the creator God who humbled himself, becoming a servant and who died and rose and conquered sin and death for them redeeming them through faith and his grace alone and not by works!!
I can see how this religion is so appealing because of the community focus and second chances after death to accept the gospel. In Mormonism there is no judgement! But they use the bible! But they take it so out of context and let their feelings and duty lead them. They believe God had sex with Mary and that the trinity consists only of three separate persons, they are not one. When Jesus prays for his followers to be one as he and the father are one in John 17, they think he means unity, united in purpose. They believe in preaching the gospel(its pretty similar to the one other churches preach) in preparation for Christ's second coming. They say Christ died to give us the opportunity for repentence and that because God loves the world he sent prophets periodically so that the truth would be among people and he can help them stay on the right track, but Jesus was more than a prophet, they believe he is literally God's son and we are literally God's sons and daughters also, born a spirit then born on earth then depending on if we were on the right track or not, will go to a certain kingdom in the afterlife. Even if you were a murderer or worse, you get to party with all your friends and family, but you have to suffer 1000 years in Hell first. (its all called eternal progression-basically you can progress to other kingdoms and minister to people in other ones--yeah, I don't really understand it completely...). If you marry in the temple you get to live in the best of the best kingdoms, but not only that, but the more kids you have on earth, the larger domain you get to establish for yourself in the afterlife.
Some more fun facts:
*Mormonism is based on Christianity and the teachings of Joseph Smith.
*Membership is over 10 million worldwide and 2 million in Asia alone.
*It is the world's fastest growing "Christian" cult.
*They teach that the garden of Eden was in Missouri and that Jesus was married, had kids, and after being crucified in the middle east, appeared in America too.
*A lot of times women are taught to be totally dependant on men.
What saddens me is these people really believe that this is truth. But there is no freedom, there is no joy in it! They have zeal for getting more converts, but there is no vitality, no PASSION! When they go on missions its to check off something on their list, they have to pay for it with their own money and they go where the missions president tells them they should go. What else saddens me is, in all of this, they don't know the Lord at all!!! They don't understand who he is, or that they can know Him! I don't see how they can know him for His JUSTICE and LOVE and believe all of this! Our worth, our glory, our blessings came only from God, and they are ultimately for God to be glorified! What's so incredibly beautiful is that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him! I am so convicted of this, it breaks my heart that the friends I've just made don't know this! It makes me think of 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 "The god of this age [satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves, but but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Christ's sake[and glory]. For God, who said, "let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ".
What I've observed tonight makes me sad. And I know there is nothing I can ever do to persuade or make them see the truth. But there is hope! There is so much hope! Because God is the almighty God and he desires people from all the nations to worship him! He can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine and he is in control of everything! Only he can reveal his glory to them in all its truth and we can only call on God to do this and just love on them!
If I am so passionate about this, it is only because God is humbling me more and more towards His greatness and because I want to see Him lifted up high! May He give you the same profound delight!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Prayer: Rebellion!!
Wow. Wow. That's all I can say right now about what I'm learning in the Perspectives course. I'm learning about God's purposes from the beginning of time- His plan of redemtion and His plan for us to enjoy him forever. Quite amazing to think about, isn't it?
It's incredible, I'm only into the third day of the course. There are still a dozen more lessons. Just to give you an idea of what my days taking the perspectives course will look like, I spend 3 hours in the morning hearing a talk. (For the next 4 weeks, each morning we'll hear from a different missionary!--you probably have no idea how pumped I am about this!) Tuesday's talk biblically blew my mind away by showing that God is a missionary God from the start, emphasizing the book of Genesis and the gospel given to Abraham... yesturday was about worship and how its all for God's glory; that He is most glorified when I am most satisfied in Him... and today was about God's kingdom and the good news of the kingdom as well as a bit about bringing down evil strongholds with prayer!
I've been spending about 8 hours a day doing the workbook, reading the material, and doing the daily essay quiz online. The funny thing is, its A LOT of material, but I feel like I could keep reading and reading and reading! I just want to soak it all in, every bit that I learn about God's greatness and goodness!!
I've been in Philly for a week now and already I am learning how to love better, how to worship truer, how to understand the bible and God deeper, and how to pray more effectively/in accordance with God's will among many other things!
Here are a couple of things that got me really really excited! (I didn't include them all because I would have written a novel by the time I was done, lol)
* One of thes articles in the reading material was titled 'Prayer: Rebelling'! Who doesn't love a little rebellion now and then??
* We already have victory! Because God already vanquished the power of death, Satan, and sin by Christ's resurrection and now He allows us to be a part of his work through prayer and proclaimation of His glory!
* The Lord's prayer is a missionary prayer.
* "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man." and "Where passion for God is weak, zeal for missions will be weak." John Piper---"Let the peoples praise thee, O God...Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!" psalm 67:3-4
* There are still people who have not heard the gospel=good news of what God did/is doing/promises to do. Matt. 24:14: "and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." ---"Here is the challenging fact. If God's people in the English-speaking world alone took this text seriously and responded to its challenge, we could finish the task of worldwide [spreading of this life transforming good news] in our own generation and witness the Lord's return"!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
I'm finally here!
Well, here I am, in Philly!!! It's been a long day since I got maybe 3 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours...
I was so so blessed to be able to have a little roomie reunion with my 2007 VA Beach summer project roomates in South Bend, IN! Words can't even describe what it was like to be with these AH-MAZING women of God that had contributed so much to my spiritual growth all this year!! It was incredible to hear what God is doing in their lives and to pray together before we went our separate ways again. I will miss them tremendously.
Then, as planned, I met up with a girl from South Bend to carpool along with another girl from Flint, MI and we left for Philly at 8pm, driving through the night. It took about 12 hours and it went by so fast...probably because I told them 2 hour long stories, LOL! One of the girls has an amazing musical talent and she rapped some of her original stuff and it was tight!
I have been looking so forward to this summer project ALL YEAR. I know God wants to teach me amazing things and I've only gotten an eensy little foretaste! But God says, "TASTE and SEE that the LORD is GOOD!" And I believe I truly will while here in Philly. We got our binders for the project today and I'm not kidding you, it is literally 2.5 inches thick of print outs for all the topics we'll be covering. The tabs are labeled "Orientation, Small Group, Tribals, Hindus, Muslims, Unreligious, Buddists, Cults, Jews, Perspectives, Evangelism, and lastly and most massively stacked is Mobilization". That is what I am going to be learning about for the next 7 weeks in a very simplistic neat little list I guess! I took a look at the June Calendar with one of my 2 roomates (who also make up my small group along with a student leader as our 4th small group member and mentor) and my roomate was like, "Wow, they really weren't kidding when they said 'intense' were they?!" Let's just say, I will be living, breathing, and dreaming anything having to do with world missions and Christ's purpose in the world for the next 2 months--and hopefully for the rest of my life.
Today we just took it easy since everyone was traveling from so far. We went out to lunch, those of us who had already arrived and then in the afternoon as a whole group had a tour of Palmer Theological Seminary's campus which is so qaint and pretty, I love it already! I feel at home here. The study halls have big beautiful windows that let in the sunlight from a yard with big oak trees and benches and flowers spilling into the room full of tables and big fluffy chairs that are calling for me to curl up into with a big book on some aspect of Christian Theology. I can't wait to answer that call one of these days... So, there is a small library and a cafe, and in my room we have hard wood floors with dark furniture and a little fireplace built into the cream colored walls. We've already made ourselves at home. There is a community kitchen down the hall and a dining hall where we'll be able to get lunch and dinner during the week. After the tour we were served The Original Infamous Philly Cheesesteak Subs that is an absolute must for anyone's first visit to the city, and were also served a very warm Philly welcome by the staff team from around our nation. There are 5 male students on the project and 21 females. Some very favorable odds for the boys, lol. Then we all played a huge game of Mafia and made short introductions and just got to know each other. Most of us went back to our rooms to finish unpacking and hanging out with roomates before finally allowing our heads to rest on a pillow, oh man does that ever sound like the best thing in the world right now! I have been looking forward all day to that blessed moment when my head hits my fluffy pillow...
Tomorrow is Orientation and I'll find out more in depth what we're doing this summer and about the Perspectives course. Now off to bed for me! There will be more later!
I was so so blessed to be able to have a little roomie reunion with my 2007 VA Beach summer project roomates in South Bend, IN! Words can't even describe what it was like to be with these AH-MAZING women of God that had contributed so much to my spiritual growth all this year!! It was incredible to hear what God is doing in their lives and to pray together before we went our separate ways again. I will miss them tremendously.
Then, as planned, I met up with a girl from South Bend to carpool along with another girl from Flint, MI and we left for Philly at 8pm, driving through the night. It took about 12 hours and it went by so fast...probably because I told them 2 hour long stories, LOL! One of the girls has an amazing musical talent and she rapped some of her original stuff and it was tight!
I have been looking so forward to this summer project ALL YEAR. I know God wants to teach me amazing things and I've only gotten an eensy little foretaste! But God says, "TASTE and SEE that the LORD is GOOD!" And I believe I truly will while here in Philly. We got our binders for the project today and I'm not kidding you, it is literally 2.5 inches thick of print outs for all the topics we'll be covering. The tabs are labeled "Orientation, Small Group, Tribals, Hindus, Muslims, Unreligious, Buddists, Cults, Jews, Perspectives, Evangelism, and lastly and most massively stacked is Mobilization". That is what I am going to be learning about for the next 7 weeks in a very simplistic neat little list I guess! I took a look at the June Calendar with one of my 2 roomates (who also make up my small group along with a student leader as our 4th small group member and mentor) and my roomate was like, "Wow, they really weren't kidding when they said 'intense' were they?!" Let's just say, I will be living, breathing, and dreaming anything having to do with world missions and Christ's purpose in the world for the next 2 months--and hopefully for the rest of my life.
Today we just took it easy since everyone was traveling from so far. We went out to lunch, those of us who had already arrived and then in the afternoon as a whole group had a tour of Palmer Theological Seminary's campus which is so qaint and pretty, I love it already! I feel at home here. The study halls have big beautiful windows that let in the sunlight from a yard with big oak trees and benches and flowers spilling into the room full of tables and big fluffy chairs that are calling for me to curl up into with a big book on some aspect of Christian Theology. I can't wait to answer that call one of these days... So, there is a small library and a cafe, and in my room we have hard wood floors with dark furniture and a little fireplace built into the cream colored walls. We've already made ourselves at home. There is a community kitchen down the hall and a dining hall where we'll be able to get lunch and dinner during the week. After the tour we were served The Original Infamous Philly Cheesesteak Subs that is an absolute must for anyone's first visit to the city, and were also served a very warm Philly welcome by the staff team from around our nation. There are 5 male students on the project and 21 females. Some very favorable odds for the boys, lol. Then we all played a huge game of Mafia and made short introductions and just got to know each other. Most of us went back to our rooms to finish unpacking and hanging out with roomates before finally allowing our heads to rest on a pillow, oh man does that ever sound like the best thing in the world right now! I have been looking forward all day to that blessed moment when my head hits my fluffy pillow...
Tomorrow is Orientation and I'll find out more in depth what we're doing this summer and about the Perspectives course. Now off to bed for me! There will be more later!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
yesturday and today and forever
So, I've been packing tonight for my long anticipated 7 week trip to Philadelphia, and its just one of those rare times when you can just sort of mindlessly do what you're doing and totally contemplate something else at the same time. It's great!
What I was contemplating about was change. I see big change in my life in the upcoming year if not in the upcoming weeks. Not just big change in my circumstances, but I think the way that I view the world and my role in it is about to be shifted in a way its never been before. Honestly I have no clear idea what's in store for me, but so far my life has been an adventure!
I also contemplated the character of God. In Hebrews 13:8, it says God "is the same yesturday and today and forever". As for me, my only consistancy is my inconsistancy. What I mean is, things are always changing, whether I like the change or not, whether I feel ready for it or not.
Despite my striving to be a good person, I am so inevitably imperfect. But I believe that in my imperfections, God's perfectness is made evident. Also, in His greatness, I am incredibly miniscule. I think that this relationship describes both God's immense delight in us, his creation as well as the fullness and immensity of Him and through Him! Isaiah 40 says this:
"Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the right path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket...
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom then will you compare God?...
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the
beginning?
Have you not understood it since the earth
was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers...
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
I love the part about soaring on wings like eagles, I always wanted to be able to fly. Wouldn't that be amazing? I had a dream that I was flying once; and in the dream, flying around, I felt like nothing could stop me, like nothing could weigh me down, because I was free!
In terms of my life, again not perfect, I think sometimes I carry around burdens I'm not meant to carry and sometimes the weight gets a bit heavier than I can handle, and it weighs me down and it wears me down. Its my stubborn pride that prevents me from admitting I can't do everything and that I can't control everything. I think of the words of Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
This week God has been testing my faith, especially with raising support for my project, and I started trying to do everything by my own effort, and I got tired! and frustrated. and things didn't go how I wanted them to go! I read something though about surrendering in cooperation with God's way. (Which Romans 12 says is good and perfect and pleasing...) One thing I'll say, after I surrendered to God, whose understanding is much greater and nobler than mine and who is in control always, I saw just how much he delights to be our hope and that he understands our need for his strength! As Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".
So, what does all this have to do with change? I believe God's Justice is MIGHTY. But his Love is also MIGHTY! (check out Rom. 8:37-39 and Eph. 3:16-20) He is infinitely 100% Just and 100% Love at the same time. (whew, that took me a while to wrap my mind around, believe me!) The bible speaks of God as a rock and a refuge. I think about that and I think about the world around me and all whirling turmoil, all the storms thrown at my plans for sunny day picnics if you know what I mean, and I know in my heart I can't go through it alone. I need something, or someone solid to cling to. My hope is in the LORD and he promises to renew my strength--and he has! He has immensely.
Allright that's all for now. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him!" (Rom.15:13)
What I was contemplating about was change. I see big change in my life in the upcoming year if not in the upcoming weeks. Not just big change in my circumstances, but I think the way that I view the world and my role in it is about to be shifted in a way its never been before. Honestly I have no clear idea what's in store for me, but so far my life has been an adventure!
I also contemplated the character of God. In Hebrews 13:8, it says God "is the same yesturday and today and forever". As for me, my only consistancy is my inconsistancy. What I mean is, things are always changing, whether I like the change or not, whether I feel ready for it or not.
Despite my striving to be a good person, I am so inevitably imperfect. But I believe that in my imperfections, God's perfectness is made evident. Also, in His greatness, I am incredibly miniscule. I think that this relationship describes both God's immense delight in us, his creation as well as the fullness and immensity of Him and through Him! Isaiah 40 says this:
"Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the right path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket...
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom then will you compare God?...
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told to you from the
beginning?
Have you not understood it since the earth
was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers...
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired and weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."
I love the part about soaring on wings like eagles, I always wanted to be able to fly. Wouldn't that be amazing? I had a dream that I was flying once; and in the dream, flying around, I felt like nothing could stop me, like nothing could weigh me down, because I was free!
In terms of my life, again not perfect, I think sometimes I carry around burdens I'm not meant to carry and sometimes the weight gets a bit heavier than I can handle, and it weighs me down and it wears me down. Its my stubborn pride that prevents me from admitting I can't do everything and that I can't control everything. I think of the words of Jesus, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).
This week God has been testing my faith, especially with raising support for my project, and I started trying to do everything by my own effort, and I got tired! and frustrated. and things didn't go how I wanted them to go! I read something though about surrendering in cooperation with God's way. (Which Romans 12 says is good and perfect and pleasing...) One thing I'll say, after I surrendered to God, whose understanding is much greater and nobler than mine and who is in control always, I saw just how much he delights to be our hope and that he understands our need for his strength! As Isaiah 40:31 says, "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".
So, what does all this have to do with change? I believe God's Justice is MIGHTY. But his Love is also MIGHTY! (check out Rom. 8:37-39 and Eph. 3:16-20) He is infinitely 100% Just and 100% Love at the same time. (whew, that took me a while to wrap my mind around, believe me!) The bible speaks of God as a rock and a refuge. I think about that and I think about the world around me and all whirling turmoil, all the storms thrown at my plans for sunny day picnics if you know what I mean, and I know in my heart I can't go through it alone. I need something, or someone solid to cling to. My hope is in the LORD and he promises to renew my strength--and he has! He has immensely.
Allright that's all for now. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him!" (Rom.15:13)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Stretchy like old lady elastic waistband pants! (read to find out)
.
Okay! I'm taking a breath after just arriving home after a very busy day! (While my mom and Brazilian exchange student watch Grease and giggle, haha--they're more entertaining than the movie!)
Anyways, due to popular demand, an update is in order about my support raising adventures for my IT project! Currently I am at about 40% of having my financial support raised and Thursday being my deadline for sending in all my checks....a seeminly discouraging situation, if you ask me. But you know what? I spent my entire day meeting with people, calling people and talking to people, mostly about what God has been doing in my life and what I'm planning on doing this summer in Philly. Even though I didn't physically get a lot of support for my project, God OVERWHELMED me with all kinds of encouragement! I called people I sent letters to (again) and called about 10 local churches to see if they knew anyone who might be interested. I got one check in the mail. One family said they'd think about giving and get back to me. I asked my parents if they'd like to give, lol, and they said maybe. I met with a very good friend who contributed, then my step-cousin who encouraged me and gave a check and then I picked up a check from an old high school friend and was further encouraged by her and her family!
For about half of the churches I called I left a message. One church flat out said no. Another lady I talked to said, "have you tried St. Joseph's? They'd be more equipped than we are to contribute! Good luck!" Haha, that was my parents' church, which I wasn't going to ask. I think God was trying to tell me something! As it turns out, I'll be talking to the priest personally about it tomorrow...I'm very curious to see how that goes, especially since I have no idea what I'm going to say if he asks if I'm still practicing Catholicism! One guy I talked to said they had no more funds, but prayed for me over the phone, that was nice. Another church added me to their prayer list. But here's the most encouraging part! The best part is, I actually got a hold of a Pastor at the methodist church and explained my situation and she was like, "Wow! You know what? Are you free about 7:00 tonight, because I'd like you to personally present this to our missions committee tonight, would you be able to do that?" That was totally God. So, I met with this pastor and she encouraged me so much, then I presented my story to the committee, they asked me questions, and then said they'll make a decision and they wanted updates and asked if in the spring I can come to their church and give a talk about world missions!!! How cool is that?! The Pastor was genuinely excited and she told me how incredibly encouraged she was to be able to meet me and hear what God's been doing and that she wants to pray for me and she gave me more contacts to ask for support!
So, all in all I only raised $150 more towards my project today, and I hardly ate anything all day and got up early and I explained myself over and over again, and poured my heart out to God in between it all. I should be exhausted! I should be mentally, physically and spiritually drained! But instead, I feel refreshed! I feel uplifted and I know it is all because of God (like Paul writes in Colossians 1, "stuggling with all his energy which so powerfully works within me!"); he's given me everything I need--and more!
Something I've been learning about lately is faith. The bible says, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). [that passage accurately convicted me that maybe I was asking God to move in this situation, but I wasn't really seeking him and BELIEVING in what the ALMIGHTY GOD of the universe can DO!!] I read somewhere recently something I want to share:
"The reason [faith] is so important and so vital is because it is the means through which we recieve from God all the good things He wants to provide for us. That is why the Lord trains His people in faith. He wants them to get their eyes on Him and learn to believe in Him so He can do for and through them what He wants done in the earth." -Joyce Meyer
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."(Heb. 11:1). So, quite possibly, through this whole ordeal, the Lord is increasing my faith; I've heard of people refer to faith as a muscle...and honestly, my faith could use a little protein shake or something! I think this is it. Its just the working out part I might be slacking on...
So, back to James 1:2-4 and trials stretching our faith. I got to thinking about the yoga class I took this semester and a pose I am always reluctant to do because it stretches my back, rather painfully! But after releasing the stretch, my back feels INCREDIBLE and the more I practice, the stronger my back gets. So, about God stretching our faith--is the process fun? Haha, not exactly! But, he does it to make us stronger, and to give us good things and do good things through us! This whole process produces in us a perseverance, a powerful endurance to overcome! Romans 8 says we are more than conquerers through him who loved us!
>
>
>
P.S. You might be wondering, why did she title it 'stretchy like old lady elastic waistband pants'?? The answer is: I don't know! I was thinking along the lines of stretchy and that popped into my head, I have no idea how it ties in, really, maybe it has to do with maturity....? You tell me!
Okay, peace out!!
Okay! I'm taking a breath after just arriving home after a very busy day! (While my mom and Brazilian exchange student watch Grease and giggle, haha--they're more entertaining than the movie!)
Anyways, due to popular demand, an update is in order about my support raising adventures for my IT project! Currently I am at about 40% of having my financial support raised and Thursday being my deadline for sending in all my checks....a seeminly discouraging situation, if you ask me. But you know what? I spent my entire day meeting with people, calling people and talking to people, mostly about what God has been doing in my life and what I'm planning on doing this summer in Philly. Even though I didn't physically get a lot of support for my project, God OVERWHELMED me with all kinds of encouragement! I called people I sent letters to (again) and called about 10 local churches to see if they knew anyone who might be interested. I got one check in the mail. One family said they'd think about giving and get back to me. I asked my parents if they'd like to give, lol, and they said maybe. I met with a very good friend who contributed, then my step-cousin who encouraged me and gave a check and then I picked up a check from an old high school friend and was further encouraged by her and her family!
For about half of the churches I called I left a message. One church flat out said no. Another lady I talked to said, "have you tried St. Joseph's? They'd be more equipped than we are to contribute! Good luck!" Haha, that was my parents' church, which I wasn't going to ask. I think God was trying to tell me something! As it turns out, I'll be talking to the priest personally about it tomorrow...I'm very curious to see how that goes, especially since I have no idea what I'm going to say if he asks if I'm still practicing Catholicism! One guy I talked to said they had no more funds, but prayed for me over the phone, that was nice. Another church added me to their prayer list. But here's the most encouraging part! The best part is, I actually got a hold of a Pastor at the methodist church and explained my situation and she was like, "Wow! You know what? Are you free about 7:00 tonight, because I'd like you to personally present this to our missions committee tonight, would you be able to do that?" That was totally God. So, I met with this pastor and she encouraged me so much, then I presented my story to the committee, they asked me questions, and then said they'll make a decision and they wanted updates and asked if in the spring I can come to their church and give a talk about world missions!!! How cool is that?! The Pastor was genuinely excited and she told me how incredibly encouraged she was to be able to meet me and hear what God's been doing and that she wants to pray for me and she gave me more contacts to ask for support!
So, all in all I only raised $150 more towards my project today, and I hardly ate anything all day and got up early and I explained myself over and over again, and poured my heart out to God in between it all. I should be exhausted! I should be mentally, physically and spiritually drained! But instead, I feel refreshed! I feel uplifted and I know it is all because of God (like Paul writes in Colossians 1, "stuggling with all his energy which so powerfully works within me!"); he's given me everything I need--and more!
Something I've been learning about lately is faith. The bible says, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). [that passage accurately convicted me that maybe I was asking God to move in this situation, but I wasn't really seeking him and BELIEVING in what the ALMIGHTY GOD of the universe can DO!!] I read somewhere recently something I want to share:
"The reason [faith] is so important and so vital is because it is the means through which we recieve from God all the good things He wants to provide for us. That is why the Lord trains His people in faith. He wants them to get their eyes on Him and learn to believe in Him so He can do for and through them what He wants done in the earth." -Joyce Meyer
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."(Heb. 11:1). So, quite possibly, through this whole ordeal, the Lord is increasing my faith; I've heard of people refer to faith as a muscle...and honestly, my faith could use a little protein shake or something! I think this is it. Its just the working out part I might be slacking on...
So, back to James 1:2-4 and trials stretching our faith. I got to thinking about the yoga class I took this semester and a pose I am always reluctant to do because it stretches my back, rather painfully! But after releasing the stretch, my back feels INCREDIBLE and the more I practice, the stronger my back gets. So, about God stretching our faith--is the process fun? Haha, not exactly! But, he does it to make us stronger, and to give us good things and do good things through us! This whole process produces in us a perseverance, a powerful endurance to overcome! Romans 8 says we are more than conquerers through him who loved us!
>
>
>
P.S. You might be wondering, why did she title it 'stretchy like old lady elastic waistband pants'?? The answer is: I don't know! I was thinking along the lines of stretchy and that popped into my head, I have no idea how it ties in, really, maybe it has to do with maturity....? You tell me!
Okay, peace out!!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
First Post!
Okay, so I'm new to this whole blogging thing, so, I'm bound to make some mistakes, but that's allright, I'm only human! Also, I'm a verbal processor, so some posts might get a little lengthy...but usually by the end of the verbal process, I get things figured out, so you've got that to look forward to! Another thing you should know, God is my alltime favorite subject, so expect to hear a lot about Him and what I think about him. I'll give you a preview: I think He is ridiculously immensely amazing and I'm astounded that He gave everything to me when I deserve none of it!
This summer I will be learning more about God, his work and his heart. I've been learning lately some of the heights and depths and widths and lengths of Christ's love in all things, whether in easy times or hard times. I've learned more of what it means to be an ambassador of Christ, sharing the good news of reconciliation through Christ and that this message will be proclaimed to all the nations! God has been giving me a heart for sharing my faith and an intense desire to take this message to the world! God desires all people to worship him, like in Revelation 5:9. In light of all this, I plan to attend a world Christian training called the Intensive Training Project (IT Project) in Philadelphia, PA, sponsored by The Traveling Team (http://www.thetravelingteam.org/), a non-profit, non-denominational ministry. They travel across the US, sharing the biblical basis for missions and God's heart for the world with college students. IT is designed to help me grow in my knowledge of God's Word, World, and Work. I will be taking the Perspectives course for a certificate held at the campus of Palmer Theological Seminary, which is a 4-week course on the biblical basis for missions, the history of missions, and missions strategies. We'll be hearing a different missionary speak every morning and in the evenings have project activities like small group, worship, and socials. I'll also be spending three weeks visiting local temples and mosques, learning about the other cultures and their world views while being equipped to share my faith effectively with followers of the major religions of the world!
A few things I'm anticipating: to discover whether or not God is calling me to be a foreign missionary, to understand how to live out my role in God's Great Comission, and more specifically, where in the world--and what! in the world I'd most like to do with my Religions major and Global Justice minor!
Please feel free to ask questions or rebuttal arguments or especially leave encouragments upon any blog I write (or each one if you like)! Thanks in advance for your skepticism, feedback, and prayers! (you know who you are!)
This summer I will be learning more about God, his work and his heart. I've been learning lately some of the heights and depths and widths and lengths of Christ's love in all things, whether in easy times or hard times. I've learned more of what it means to be an ambassador of Christ, sharing the good news of reconciliation through Christ and that this message will be proclaimed to all the nations! God has been giving me a heart for sharing my faith and an intense desire to take this message to the world! God desires all people to worship him, like in Revelation 5:9. In light of all this, I plan to attend a world Christian training called the Intensive Training Project (IT Project) in Philadelphia, PA, sponsored by The Traveling Team (http://www.thetravelingteam.org/), a non-profit, non-denominational ministry. They travel across the US, sharing the biblical basis for missions and God's heart for the world with college students. IT is designed to help me grow in my knowledge of God's Word, World, and Work. I will be taking the Perspectives course for a certificate held at the campus of Palmer Theological Seminary, which is a 4-week course on the biblical basis for missions, the history of missions, and missions strategies. We'll be hearing a different missionary speak every morning and in the evenings have project activities like small group, worship, and socials. I'll also be spending three weeks visiting local temples and mosques, learning about the other cultures and their world views while being equipped to share my faith effectively with followers of the major religions of the world!
A few things I'm anticipating: to discover whether or not God is calling me to be a foreign missionary, to understand how to live out my role in God's Great Comission, and more specifically, where in the world--and what! in the world I'd most like to do with my Religions major and Global Justice minor!
Please feel free to ask questions or rebuttal arguments or especially leave encouragments upon any blog I write (or each one if you like)! Thanks in advance for your skepticism, feedback, and prayers! (you know who you are!)
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