Significance

I've heard a lot about how you need to do everything for the Lord, to bring Him honor and glory, but somewhere in my thinking, I still believed that there were some tasks/jobs that were more honorable and glorified.  In the Supernatural Ways of Royalty, the author tells a story of teaching a class where he is talking about finding the greatness in people.  A challenge was issued that it is God who is great which should be our focus instead of looking for greatness in people.  The example he used in response really changed the way I think.  He said there was a painting hanging on the wall that he told the one questioning him to imagine he had painted.  The author then proceeded to yell about how bad the painting was.  When he had finished his outburst against the painting, he turned back to the man and asked him if what had just been spoken about the painting would have honored and glorified him as the painter.  When the guy said no, the response given was that God is like the painter in our lives and demeaning/degrading ourselves or others does not honor or glorify Him.  Humility is not about putting ourselves down, but seeing ourselves as God sees us.  Recognizing that there is greatness in us because God Himself has made us great!  This made me realize that there are not activities that are more significant than others.  No matter if I am picking up trash, completing paperwork, or teaching in another country, the significance comes from the fact that I do it as one created by God in order to love and serve Him.  If my heart is right, everything I do is significant as it honors and glorifies the Lord.  Even if no one sees it!  Even if others consider it to be unimportant.  Galatians 5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love!!!

The Waiting Room

"He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it...You will complete it...I’m here in the waiting room, here in the waiting room, I’m here in the waiting room of unanswered prayer! Prayer, prayer, prayer’s all I’ve got here! Time, time, time seems to haunt me! Time, time, somehow it mocks me!...It’s just a matter of time! You and I both know that You are God and You could get me out of here! But I’m still stuck here in the waiting room of unanswered prayer!...You and I both know You hold the answer. You and I both know You could get me out of here with just one word...You don’t seem to be in the same hurry that I’m in, oh God.  Days are turning into weeks, the weeks are turning into months and the months are turning into years!  Oh my God, it’s been a decade and I’m still here, here in the waiting room, I’m still in the waiting room of unanswered prayer!!!...Patience has never been a virtue of mine. I’ve never really liked waiting and waiting is my profession here in the waiting room!  I’m still in the waiting room of unanswered prayer!!! But You make all things beautiful! You make all things beautiful! You make all things beautiful just in time! It’s just a matter of time, time, time!" - Misty Edwards 2/27/10

Listening to prayer room archives, I just stopped as Misty sang the above.  I feel like I've been in the "waiting room" for such a long time!  This was a great reminder that God's timing is perfect and I need to be patient in the waiting!!!  God's purpose in the waiting is to draw me closer to Him, for me to know Him more and become more like Him.  But if I focus on getting out of the waiting room instead of what God is doing here, I miss the point and become discontent!  I want to wait patiently and rest in His perfect timing instead of trying to figure it out on my own!  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will keep your paths straight!!!  Proverbs 3:5-6

Snow in Texas!!!

Having the most snow we've had in our area in several years, my cousin and I grabbed our cameras and headed out for a fun afternoon of picture taking as we enjoyed the beauty of a rare winter day in Texas! 

      

Thanks Christina for walking around in the cold and snow with me today!  I had a blast!!!

Waiting

I looked back at 2009 on New Year's Eve and had to say it was a good year.  I looked ahead to 2010 with excitement as I prepared to leave for 3 1/2 months in India.  It's been about 6 weeks since I was scheduled to leave but faced the disappointment of staying.  Only 5 days after I would have left, Haiti, a country I have been to several times, was devestated by a massive earthquake.  My heart's automatic response was I wanted to be there to do something, anything, to help those that were suffering.  But I found myself left behind as others I know went to help those we love in this country.  Today, I again had to stay home while others I know headed back for a couple more weeks.  It has been a such a struggle to feel so called to the mission field and yet not be able to get there.  I trust that God has a plan and am trying to stay patient in the waiting.  I am hoping He allows me to go soon, or shows me what else He has in store.  But I will continue to press on to know Him more as I wait for Him to bring clarity!  II Peter 3:8-9 ...do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise but is patient toward you... 

God knows

Wow, what an emotional roller coaster the last couple of weeks have been. After several years of wanting to spend extended time on the mission field, I was really excited about the opportunity to spend 3 1/2 months in India this year. But a couple weeks ago, that opportunity seemed in jeopardy as the state I would be staying in was having political unrest that led to riots and violence which has shut down transportation, schools and businesses throughout Andhra Pradesh. So the trip has been on again/off again for the last week and a half. I was told the airline tickets were being cancelled Tuesday afternoon (which would mean I have a year to use it with a change fee) and began dealing with the disappointment as I prayed for the people I was looking forward to working with. Then later that night, I was told the tickets would not be cancelled until noon today (6 hours before scheduled to take off) which means there was a chance we could still go. It was a small chance as the state police had said not to come, but we were praying for a miracle. It would have been awesome to be able to go so I was thankful for the glimmer of hope, but it is always so hard to be left in the unknown.  I spent the evening last night packing my suitcases well aware I may simply be unpacking again today, but I had to be ready for the miracle I'd been praying for! I said good-bye to family and friends that I've seen the last couple of days "just in case" and waited to hear the final word which came at 7:30am this morning.  The trip has officially been cancelled and we will look at a rescheduled trip this fall.  Through it all - the disappointment, sadness, rekindled hope and uncertainty - I have had no doubt that God is at work and has a plan for me regardless of my location! I am choosing to trust His timing in my return to India and will continue to follow Him as closely as I can regardless of circumstances or where He may lead! I just want to be found faithful! I want to love Him well as I strive to walk in obedience whatever that may look like!!!

2009 in review

It's hard to believe another year has already gone by!!!  It has not been a particularly easy year as God has been faithfully working out some things in my heart, but it has been a really GOOD year!  At the start of the year, God made it clear that I was supposed to go to India so I started preparing for a short trip.  At the end of January, I went to the International House of Prayer (IHOP-KC) for the first time with friends from my local prayer room for a great weekend away. 

Our family grew a little bit when my brother married his beautiful wife on Sunday, March 1 in a beautiful outdoor wedding.  Before heading to India, I moved out of the house I'd been renting with my sister for the previous 2 years.  I spent 3 1/2 weeks in India on my first trip there at the end of March/beginning of April.  I quickly fell in love with the people and began making plans to return to this country for an extended stay. 

June is a big birthday month in my family and I spent the rest of the summer traveling.  I was able to go to Colorado for the first time for a youth conference with my brother's youth group.  I left again 4 days later to go to IHOP-KC for a week with my mom which was a great time for both of us!  A few days after returning from Kansas City, I flew to Charlotte, NC where I joined my friend and 7 of her children (plus 2 of their friends) on a road trip to Weston, FL where we had a great week of fun!  I extended my stay to have a little more time in Charlotte and arrived home at the beginning of August. 

My first week home, I felt that the Lord was calling me to IHOP-KC to complete at least part of a training program offered there.  So I hitched a ride with some friends heading that way at the beginning of September arriving Labor Day weekend.  I made some great new friends, had such wonderful time in the prayer room and believe God really settled a lot in my heart that we had been working on for quite a while!!!  After a month in Kansas City, I returned home to begin preparing to head to India for a 3-6 month stay. 

At the end of October, my sister-in-law called to tell me she and my brother are expecting their first baby at the end of June this next year!!!  I'm SO excited about becoming an aunt!!!  Our family expanded again the next month when my cousin and her husband received their third child for adoption.  He's an adorable 3 month old with a huge smile!  He arrived in their home (at 2 months old) the week of Thanksgiving and has adjusted well to his new family!  Christmas this year was such a blast!!!  My family was invited over to my cousin's house to be a part of the kids' morning.  It was so much like I remember Christmas being like at my grandparent's when I was growing up!  But the opening of presents took so long, the turkey did not get in the oven on time so we hit the only open store (thanks Randall's) for lasagna and snacky food and spent the entire day just hanging out, playing games and having fun!  It was awesome!!!  And to extend the celebration, we had our traditional Christmas turkey dinner for lunch the day after!  We are having a RockHOP time of celebration tonight which I am really excited about and I look forward to what God has in store throughout the coming year!!!  As this day winds down the year, I sit on my cousin's couch watching her sleeping baby and waiting for the two older kids to get up from nap and realize that I have so much to be thankful for!!!  I am blessed in so many ways! 

Stop hiding

Matthew 5:6 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

It seems like the emphasis has always been on doing good works, but a couple months ago I saw this verse a little differently. It says "let your light shine" which I think means your personal relationship with the Lord. The natural byproduct of loving Jesus will be outward actions that direct everyone's attention to God! Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world" and it is Him in me that will draw people's hearts to Him, not what I do! It's the vulnerability of allowing your relationship with Him to be seen in the things you do that will bring Him glory!!! It's not a matter of doing specific things that are "Christian", but about being transparent as you relate to God. Works without faith are dead, so if you are doing things for the appearance of faith, it will not accomplish much at all. But the result of true, good works should be pointing everyone to the One you do them for, not to yourself!  It's not about you being noticed, but about being a representation of God that people cannot deny!  John 3:21 "...whoever lives by the truth comes to the Light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."