Well, there's not much time left until I'm on a plane headed closer to the equator. There is a lot left to do: last-minute shopping, packing, picking up my passport, and final good-byes. No, I don't have my passport yet but will have it in my hands by Monday evening, praise God!
Everything has been on hold for the past week because I had a full work week at the bank and spent half my evenings doing things for my cousin's wedding which was all day yesterday. It was extra fun because I was the Maid of Honor. I loved holding the bride's boquet and straightening her train. :)
The plan now is to finish up the last details and spend some time with my family before heading out. Financially, I am a bit behind my goal at 60% and would still like to be at 85% by Wednesday. If you would like to contribute financially, please see the information under the 'How to Give' section in the sidebar at the right.
Thank you all for your continued prayers! When I write next, it will be from Costa Rica!
Be blessed!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
How God said "Go"
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have
received it, and it will be yours."
-Jesus, Mark 11:24
I was reading Mark 11 today, and it reminded me of how important faith is. The context of the above quote is from a time when Jesus cursed a fig tree because it wasn't bearing any figs. Later the disciples and Jesus walked by the same tree and the disciples noticed that the tree had withered. Jesus used it as an illustration to teach them the power of faith. A passage in James expounds on this idea when talking about asking God for wisdom. He says:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord." -James 1:5-7
I thank you for your prayers prayed in faith. Be encouraged by this testimony:
Fundraising went extremely well the first week in June. I was amazed at how quickly everything was coming in. I thought for sure I would be at 100% by the end of June. Then the second week of fundraising came; I was at 42% and on track to meet my goal of 50% by the end of the week. My plan was to buy my plane ticket when I reached 50%, but that week things slowed down a lot. I couldn't make calls because I was already over my minutes on my cell phone, so I received only a few responses from different people. I was becoming worried that I would have to postpone my departure until August, and on Thursday I gave in to disappointment and worry and let myself be dragged down further and further. You see, on Friday I was leaving for a vacation with my family--out of range of phone service and away from my laptop--and I wasn't returning til late on Monday. If I couldn't buy my ticket by Friday morning I would have to wait til August to leave. But on Thursday evening, I sat down, in despair, determined to meet with God as I did not know what to do, and I was hopeless.
Lesson #1: Keep my eyes fixed on Him all of the time. For some reason, I have to continually re-learn this. When will I learn?
I spent time in prayer and wanted to spend some time in His Word as well but did not know what to read. I asked God to show me what to read, and He told me Psalm 34. I wasn't sure if I had made up the number I saw in my mind but knew that I would regret not reading that Psalm. So I turned there, not expecting much, but everything in that Psalm spoke to me very clearly and precisely. I love those times when God leads me to a part of the Bible, and it's like a lightbulb goes off in my head. Things become clear, and I am reminded that God knows everything, loves me, and sees the big picture even when I can't see past my present circumstances. Psalm 34 was no exception, and I was encouraged as my confidence (faith) in God was restored. I came away with confidence that what was or was not happening with my finances was no mystery to God. I just needed to remember that He was meeting all my needs and would take care of everything.
Well, on Friday morning, I still needed 2.5%, and I was not going to buy my ticket until I reached 50%. I was determined on that. As I checked my e-mail for any more responses I wasn't worried anymore, just waiting. One e-mail from a friend brought me up to 49.5%. As I realized this, I was amazed because I had not really expected to receive any responses that morning. Then I checked my inbox again, and there was another e-mail, my first from my sending agency with a summary of the support that had come in so far. An unexpected donation brought me to exactly 50%! Praise the Lord! I could have tried to explain this rationally and totally missed recognizing a blessing from God, but I have been learning that when God says something, to take Him at His word. There is NO other way this could have happened, exactly when I needed it and exactly as much as I needed, so I thanked the Lord for His provision and the miracle that He had done for me; then I bought my plane ticket.
I thank God for allowing me to leave in just two weeks from today. I am beginning to realize that I am really leaving, and soon, too! But I can't wait to see what God will do in July that He wanted me to be in Costa Rica for.
Date of Departure: July 1, 2009
Assignment: Mission from the King, to be revealed
Thursday, April 16, 2009
God is so faithful!
Here I am, updating much sooner than I thought I would, but I have news to tell and want it to be made known.
My byword lately is faithful, specifically when used in reference to God being faithful. Yes, He is. Do you know how I know that? Because I have seen it. I have seen His faithfulness in my friend's lives and also in my own. He really does answer prayer, people. And when you are desiring and praying for the things that consume the heart of our Father, you will see Him fulfill those prayers and desires. When He promises something, He always accomplishes what He promised.
Take for instance, this trip. I have known where and for how long I was going since September/October 2007. For a young college student, that's a long time out to have concrete plans that will stick. Just think about the average number of times a college student changes their major. I know for a fact and am completely assured that it was God who told me His plans for me to move to Costa Rica after I graduate because: 1) going back to CR wasn’t even on my radar at that point 2) I was listening for God to tell me what His plans were 3) I’ve heard Him speak to me before and understand when He is telling me something, especially when He speaks this clearly 4) everything has worked out so far despite many glitches in the planning process.
Right now I am in the process of raising financial support, and though there are only 2 ½ months until my planned date of departure, I can be confident that God will provide exactly as much as I need whether it is above or below what my budget says I should have. He holds ALL things in His hands. My finances for fifteen months are nothing to Him. I praise Him today because I have needed to contact both my sending agency (NHIM) and the intern coordinator (Candace) at the Abraham Project. I had not been able to get in touch with them for two entire weeks, but I was able to talk to both of them over the phone just this afternoon. Now I can finalize my budget and continue on to the next step.
God is so good! Don’t ever doubt it or forget. Earlier this semester I read Deuteronomy 4, and I was reminded how important it is not to forget God and the things He has done. You see, Israel was a nation that God had chosen to be ‘His people’. He wanted to bless them by using them as a witness and testimony to all other people of His love and desire for them. But the Israelites constantly turned away from serving and honoring God even in the face of obvious miracles and blessings, such as freeing them from slavery to Egypt and miraculously providing manna (a type of bread), quail (when they complained of not having meat), and water on their journey through the desert from Egypt to the fertile land that God had promised them. And even in the face of denial, betrayal, and wanton disobedience, God fulfilled His side of the covenant with the people of Israel by not only punishing them when they were unfaithful and disobeyed but also by not staying angry. He really wanted them to understand how much he loved them, and still does, by showing them mercy over and over again.
In Deuteronomy 4, the Lord warns the people not to turn from Him and worship false idols. Moses, the author, reminds them of God’s awesomeness and distinction from human beings because He is the ultimate being: perfect, the originator of ALL power, and the creator of all things. Even though this passage talks specifically about the covenant that Israel had with God thousands of years ago, His character in light of that covenant is consistent and unchanging to this day. Therefore, I understand that the following verses apply even in the present time, and that anyone who has a part in the ‘new’ covenant—having accepted forgiveness from our imperfections and rejection of God by acknowledging His existence, love, and truth which was displayed by the Son of God, Jesus, who, though being God, humbled himself by taking the form of one of us and died an unjust and painful death though he did nothing wrong in His life and displayed His power by raising himself from death just to prove that He is who he said He is, and He does what He says He will do, and He loves you very much—should understand these truths.
“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” vs 7
“Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Vs 23-24
(Following a discourse on what would happen if they DID turn to idol worship…)
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you (consequences of breaking the covenant), then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.” Vs. 29-31
*All scripture taken from the New International Version (NIV). Emphasis and parenthetical notes are mine.
My hope is in Christ, in whom I live life to the fullest. Blessings!
My byword lately is faithful, specifically when used in reference to God being faithful. Yes, He is. Do you know how I know that? Because I have seen it. I have seen His faithfulness in my friend's lives and also in my own. He really does answer prayer, people. And when you are desiring and praying for the things that consume the heart of our Father, you will see Him fulfill those prayers and desires. When He promises something, He always accomplishes what He promised.
Take for instance, this trip. I have known where and for how long I was going since September/October 2007. For a young college student, that's a long time out to have concrete plans that will stick. Just think about the average number of times a college student changes their major. I know for a fact and am completely assured that it was God who told me His plans for me to move to Costa Rica after I graduate because: 1) going back to CR wasn’t even on my radar at that point 2) I was listening for God to tell me what His plans were 3) I’ve heard Him speak to me before and understand when He is telling me something, especially when He speaks this clearly 4) everything has worked out so far despite many glitches in the planning process.
Right now I am in the process of raising financial support, and though there are only 2 ½ months until my planned date of departure, I can be confident that God will provide exactly as much as I need whether it is above or below what my budget says I should have. He holds ALL things in His hands. My finances for fifteen months are nothing to Him. I praise Him today because I have needed to contact both my sending agency (NHIM) and the intern coordinator (Candace) at the Abraham Project. I had not been able to get in touch with them for two entire weeks, but I was able to talk to both of them over the phone just this afternoon. Now I can finalize my budget and continue on to the next step.
God is so good! Don’t ever doubt it or forget. Earlier this semester I read Deuteronomy 4, and I was reminded how important it is not to forget God and the things He has done. You see, Israel was a nation that God had chosen to be ‘His people’. He wanted to bless them by using them as a witness and testimony to all other people of His love and desire for them. But the Israelites constantly turned away from serving and honoring God even in the face of obvious miracles and blessings, such as freeing them from slavery to Egypt and miraculously providing manna (a type of bread), quail (when they complained of not having meat), and water on their journey through the desert from Egypt to the fertile land that God had promised them. And even in the face of denial, betrayal, and wanton disobedience, God fulfilled His side of the covenant with the people of Israel by not only punishing them when they were unfaithful and disobeyed but also by not staying angry. He really wanted them to understand how much he loved them, and still does, by showing them mercy over and over again.
In Deuteronomy 4, the Lord warns the people not to turn from Him and worship false idols. Moses, the author, reminds them of God’s awesomeness and distinction from human beings because He is the ultimate being: perfect, the originator of ALL power, and the creator of all things. Even though this passage talks specifically about the covenant that Israel had with God thousands of years ago, His character in light of that covenant is consistent and unchanging to this day. Therefore, I understand that the following verses apply even in the present time, and that anyone who has a part in the ‘new’ covenant—having accepted forgiveness from our imperfections and rejection of God by acknowledging His existence, love, and truth which was displayed by the Son of God, Jesus, who, though being God, humbled himself by taking the form of one of us and died an unjust and painful death though he did nothing wrong in His life and displayed His power by raising himself from death just to prove that He is who he said He is, and He does what He says He will do, and He loves you very much—should understand these truths.
“What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” vs 7
“Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” Vs 23-24
(Following a discourse on what would happen if they DID turn to idol worship…)
“But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you (consequences of breaking the covenant), then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath.” Vs. 29-31
*All scripture taken from the New International Version (NIV). Emphasis and parenthetical notes are mine.
My hope is in Christ, in whom I live life to the fullest. Blessings!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Welcome!
This is my first post on my new blog! Thanks for stopping by. I won't begin posting regularly until later. But make sure to come read my updates when I do start blogging.
PS. I love getting comments from people. Feel free to ask me questions and let me know what you're thinking.
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