Friday, July 13, 2007
Time flies
Still putting one foot in front of the other and trying to get pictures organized from the trip. Hopefully one day soon I'll finally write something again. Been doing a lot of thinking, processing and reflecting, I have no idea where the last two months have gone. It definitely has been an adjustment this summer not picking up and traveling seeing everyone, having a 9 - 5 is totally different from the teaching world, but am learning a lot from this opportunity.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Hiking in the dirt
Life has been a bit of a roller coaster ride here lately. We're not promised the next day or our next breath and that's become all to real to me over the past few weeks. Remaining faithful in walking with God has provided strength beyond measure not only to myself but to those around me. I"m grateful for His provision.
At the end of this week I'll be hopping a plane to travel to Turkey and Israel and I can't wait to be on the road or actually in the air again. I have been given the opportunity to hike and trek in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul and the disciples. We'll be hiking in the terrain of these countries where Paul and the disciples once traveled in his missionary journeys. We'll be visiting the Sea of Galilee, Ephesus, Izmir, and Cappadocia to name a few of the destinations on this journey I'm honored to be a part of. I'll be in touch again at the end of this month sharing more about what I will have learned on this amazing trip.
At the end of this week I'll be hopping a plane to travel to Turkey and Israel and I can't wait to be on the road or actually in the air again. I have been given the opportunity to hike and trek in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul and the disciples. We'll be hiking in the terrain of these countries where Paul and the disciples once traveled in his missionary journeys. We'll be visiting the Sea of Galilee, Ephesus, Izmir, and Cappadocia to name a few of the destinations on this journey I'm honored to be a part of. I'll be in touch again at the end of this month sharing more about what I will have learned on this amazing trip.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Free Falling
The pastor at church this past weekend used the phrase "free falling." Following God sometimes feels like you've jumped out of a plane and you have no parachute but you know who to trust in and who will catch you to ensure a safe landing. Bottom line, once you jump out of the plane you have no control and you only have your trust in Christ to rely on. This should be enough right?
I've got to admit, this is something I'm struggling with. Here lately I've allowed my job and profession to have a tendency of leaning on being in control, as well as striving to seek the approval of others to influence me greatly, silly I know. It's been great to finally be teaching these past couple of weeks, but with the population I'm educating there's an underlying pressure that I need to know what I'm doing and have everything put together. This has been a challenge since what I'm teaching is still not all put together. Without boring details of it all, I've basically found myself battling becoming "of" the world, instead of just being "in" it. I've allowed the "world" to influence my mind and thoughts, while at the same time I've neglected the one who truly matters and who I should be leaning on at all costs, Jesus.
With my mind swirling this afternoon, not wanting to truly stop and be still, a song that I never heard before began playing. The title of it is "Undo," here are parts of the lyrics:
I've got to admit, this is something I'm struggling with. Here lately I've allowed my job and profession to have a tendency of leaning on being in control, as well as striving to seek the approval of others to influence me greatly, silly I know. It's been great to finally be teaching these past couple of weeks, but with the population I'm educating there's an underlying pressure that I need to know what I'm doing and have everything put together. This has been a challenge since what I'm teaching is still not all put together. Without boring details of it all, I've basically found myself battling becoming "of" the world, instead of just being "in" it. I've allowed the "world" to influence my mind and thoughts, while at the same time I've neglected the one who truly matters and who I should be leaning on at all costs, Jesus.
With my mind swirling this afternoon, not wanting to truly stop and be still, a song that I never heard before began playing. The title of it is "Undo," here are parts of the lyrics:
I've been here before, now here I am again
Standing at the door, praying You'll let me back in
To label me a prodigal would be
Only Scratching the surface of who I've been known to be
Turn me around pick me up
Undo what I've become
Bring me back to the place
Of forgiveness and grace
I need You, need Your help
I can't do this myself
YOU'RE the only one who can undo
What I've become
Trying to do things on my own strength and will, not only effects me but those around me as well and I seek His forgiveness. Thankfully, He can undo the places I tend to find myself in. He reminded me that I don't have to have it all together, duh!!!! I know this, it's amazing how the enemy can attack from all sides, in the most subtle ways.
I'm so thankful that we're able to continually come back to our Abba, regardless of how many times I try to do things on my own. I'm going to do the best I can with this "free falling" allowing Him to place me wherever He wants me to land. I'm thankful for His forgiveness and grace that still amazes me. I just need to trust in His plan and not my own. Thank you Father for using music and words to speak.
I'm learning how vital it is to "pick up your cross" daily!
Friday, March 09, 2007
Thinking
Thoughts here lately:
There's a cost with the CROSS
There's a cost with loving others
Suffer with those who suffer
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Conquerors!
In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us —Romans 8:37
Paul was speaking here of the things that might seem likely to separate a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that nothing can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with God and separate our natural life from Him. But none of them is able to come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on the spiritual level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the undeserved, limitless miracle of the love of God that was exhibited on the Cross of Calvary; a love that is not earned and can never be. Paul said this is the reason that "in all these things we are more than conquerors." We are super-victors with a joy that comes from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to overwhelm us.
Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. Let’s apply that to our own circumstances. The things we try to avoid and fight against— tribulation, suffering, and persecution— are the very things that produce abundant joy in us. "We are more than conquerors through Him" "in all these things"; not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. A saint doesn’t know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it. Paul said, "I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4 ).
The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8:39 ).
In the words of Oswald Chamber's, just thought I'd post the words that resonated with me as I read them. I'm continually being reminded to look up and not focus on the distractions, challenges, and experiences that test my faith, yet at the same time spurs on growth. That I belong to God and I am His and nothing can separate His love for me!
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Crazy and Free
Approximately six months ago, I was driving down to South Florida after my return to the States to visit some family and friends after not seeing many for almost a year, as well as taking this time to seek the Lord as I was in the midst of making decisions on where in the world do I go from here? As I was driving it was a very freeing experience, I know, you're thinking Lori have you lost it, well maybe. It was freeing because I was able to hit the open road like I'd done some many times before leaving this country to go live in a foreign land where for almost a year my means of travel were by foot, train, tram, or air. So what am I getting at? The point is that this specific drive down to West Palm that I've done a million times over was the beginning of a new chapter or better yet new level that God was going to bring me to in my walk with Him. Little did I know how He would and continues to bring freedom into my life that's drawing me closer to Him. However, during this ride down to South Florida a song by Mercy Me began playing and the words to the song "Crazy" struck me like they never had before. Again, the Lord answered my prayer as I was seeking His direction. It was the beginning of learning how to really hear God speak as I was crying out to Him. Here are the lyrics:
How can I find hope in dying, with promises unseen..
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
And if I boast let me boast
And as I live this daily life
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
Call me crazy
Crazy
Why I would I spend my life longing for the day that it would end..
Why would I spend my time pointing to another man..
Isn’t that crazy
How can I find hope in dying, with promises unseen..
How can I learn your way is better In everything I’m taught to be..
Isn’t that crazy
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
But to a God who's calling out to me..
And even though the world may think I'm losing touch with reality
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity
And if I boast let me boast
Of filthy rags made clean
And if I glory let me glory
In my Savior's suffering
Isn’t that crazy
And as I live this daily life
I trust you for everything
And I will only take a step
When I feel You leading me
Isn’t that crazy
I have not been called to the wisdom of this world..
But to a God who is calling out to me..
And even though the world my think
I'm losing touch with reality
It would be crazy
To choose this world over eternity
Call me crazy
You can call me crazy
Call me crazy
As a believer of Jesus Christ, things are not going to make sense when we follow Him. I haven't been called to the wisdom of this world but to God, who has called me to live out His plan and purpose for my life. So over the course of the years, as I've decided to live in foreign lands and return to my own country and then move to the opposite side of it, I'm learning how to listen and trust my Heavenly Father with each step. Although the road has had changes throughout this journey, sometimes it's been smooth and easy to drive, other times there's been bumps, roadblocks, or mountains to maneuver through, with each twist and turn, it's a stepping stone to get closer to the One who created me for His purpose, design, and glory not my own.
Since I've been here in Washington, I've been able to meet people who are crazy in love with Jesus. Which in turn, has taught me and continues to teach me how to freely, love and worship the Lord like I never have before. This journey of serving God is an amazing one, it truly is crazy at times, but it's so worth it. It has been neat to be able to visit different churches who have completely different styles and methods of worship but it's all been worship just in different ways.
Some of the things the Lord has shown me here lately are elementary, He's showing me how to get back to the basics which is to find peace and rest in Him and Him alone. To stop looking at other things or people, but to truly rest in who He is.
Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts by troubled and do not be afraid.
~John 14:27
To be a living sacrifice, to truly walk in His spirit. That's why He gave us the Holy Spirit so that He can live in and through us!
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God ------this is your spiritual act of worship. ~Romans 12:1
So what does crazy and freedom bring? I'm going to recall a saying a good friend mine reminds me often of which is, "It's all about the journey!" The journey of following Jesus is truly a crazy one, He wasn't accepted by this world and it's fine by me if I'm not accepted either. I've already been accepted by the One who truly matters.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Merry CHRISTmas
I hope everyone had a wonderful and Merry Christmas celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
I pray peace and joy during this season for you all!
I pray peace and joy during this season for you all!
