weekend wrap-up

wow.

that's my weekend in a nutshell. 

but a blog isn't a nutshell, is it?

this weekend, i had to privilege of working with my university's office of mobilization (aka mob office) as they spent a weekend training and preparing 400 students, faculty, staff, and alumni to serve overseas in some capacity this summer. 

now, i've participated in this weekend in different capacities before, but it was different this time. i had the absolute honor of working alongside the mob office and others who have dedicated their lives for the advancement of the gospel worldwide. it was humbling to see these folks serve with eagerness in various capacities. as with all of those organizing and helping with this weekend, i wore many hats, including water carrier extraordinaire.

i was reminded of a lot this weekend. i had the chance to listen to about forty people share their "two minute story." basically, students and leaders are to learn their testimony in two minutes with the gospel as the highlight. my favorite part (of the entire weekend, actually) was to see the utter joy that came across people's faces as they shared the gospel! what a blessing and encouragement! 

i was also encouraged to spend time worshiping our Great God with those focused on the task. i learned a new song this weekend. the chorus went like this:

Jesus worthy is the Lamb 

that was slain for us

Son of God and Man

You are high and lifted up

and all the world will praise 

Your great Name

He is high and lifted up! and all the world will praise His great Name!

i was reminded about the lost in the world. the number shown above is the number of muslims worldwide. most of them are considered unreached, or living without an indigenous evangelical church. i pray that my heart and the hearts of those in my faith community would continue to break for the lost constantly around us. i pray that we would join the task to share Christ with the world.

between the emotional highs and lows in the varying simulations and debriefs, i'm tired. but it's a unique tired. my body is exhausted and i want to sleep this day away, but it's unique because my heart is overwhelmed with joy! not only was able to serve in a small way this weekend, but i was able to watch people get it. to begin to understand that God is worthy. to see that He is worthy of everything. this brings energy to my spirit, and for that, i am so grateful.

continue to pray with me for the mob office staff as training continues through april. pray that these teams would continue to grow and be challenged with the gospel. pray that they would be unified, ready to serve as one for the sake of Christ.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: 

just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 

By this all people will know that you are my disciples,

if you have love for one another."

John 13:34

be encouraged, believer!

i read the following this morning from "morning and evening" by charles spurgeon. i added any emphasis. i hope it encourages and strengthens you today as much as it did me!

"You are Christ's."—1 Corinthians 3:23

"You are Christ's." You are His by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; His by His bloody purchase, for He counted down the price for your redemption; His by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to Him; His by relation, for you are named by his name, and made one of His brethren and joint-heirs. Labor practically to show the world that you are the servant, the friend, the bride of Jesus. When tempted to sin, reply, "I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ's." Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin. When wealth is before you to be won by sin, say that you are Christ's, and touch it not. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ's. Are you placed where others are sitting down idly, doing nothing? Rise to the work with all your powers; and when the sweat stands upon your brow, and you are tempted to loiter, cry, "No, I cannot stop, for I am Christ's. If I were not purchased by blood, I might be like Issachar, crouching between two burdens; but I am Christ's, and cannot loiter." When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, "Your music cannot charm me; I am Christ's." When the cause of God invites you, give your goods and yourself away, for you are Christ's. Never contradict your profession. Be ever one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Jesus, whose conduct and conversation are so redolent of heaven, that all who see you may know that you are the Savior's, recognizing in you His features of love and His countenance of holiness. "I am a Roman!" was of old a reason for integrity; far more, then, let it be your argument for holiness, "I am Christ's!"


 

a paleo new year

no, i'm not going to do be doing the paleo diet, but you're supposed to eat raw food. and this post is kinda raw. i really want to write a cute, fancy blog post about the year in review and the coming year. when that will happen, i know not.

what i do know is that i have a lot of raw thoughts that i need to get out. so here we go.

when i think of the last year, i think too much of the waste the happened. consumed by lack of weight loss and heart break, a new job and a new living situation, i missed out on so much. not necessarily experiences with people; i had a lot of good times. but i missed out on a lot of sweet time with Jesus. i regret that. i regret letting circumstances cloud my view of the Perfect, most all-satisfying One.

i wish i could say that this year will be different. i pray that it is. i pray that the resolve i feel now will bleed into the coming year, the days and hours that are to come. but i just don't know. this type A personality i possess longs for things to go the way i plan, but i know they won't because the Lord doesn't work like that.

so instead of making lofty goals and big strides for things i want to accomplish this coming year, i'm just gonna strive for one thing: to see and experience Him. i want sitting at the feet of Jesus to be my priority again. i want to be consumed with joy and love for Him. i want these things selfishly, because it feels good. it feels right. but also because i know i am useless for His kingdom if unity with Him does not exist. 

i enter this year with more burdens then i can remember from previous years, but i also enter it with an expectant hope, knowing that He who called us is faithful.

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
   dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
   and your justice as the noonday.

 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
   fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
   over the man who carries out evil devices! 

psalm 37:2-7

happy new year?

wait, it's almost a new year?!

i'm in the middle of my two busiest weeks of the year thus far.

busy times means lack of sleep.

and lack of sleep means blogging is on the back burner.

without the heat on.

many apologies to my (maybe) five blog readers.

sorry to the 200+ unread blog posts.

maybe i'll have better luck in 2012.

christmas encouragement

my friend suggested i read a book during the advent season. it's called, come, thou long expected Jesus. it's been good to be reminded daily about what makes christmas so important. the following was from earlier this month and written by martyn lloyd-jones (emphasis added):

"What God did when he sent his Son into the world is an absolute guarantee that he will do everything he has ever promised to do. Look at it in a personal sense: 'All things work together for good to them that love God'-that is a promise-'to them who are called according to his purpose' (Rom. 8:28, KJV). 'But how can I know that is true for me?' asks someone. The answer is the incarnation. God has given the final proof that all his promises are sure, that he is faithful to everything he has ever said. So that promise is sure for you. Whatever your state or condition may be, whatever may happen to you, he has said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' (Heb. 13:5, KJV)-and he will not. He has said so, and we have absolute proof that he fulfills his promises. He does not always do it immediately in the way that we think. No, no! But he does it! And he will never fail to do it."

re-focus

the things i've found hard about living back at home have not been what i've expected. at all. ever. materialism, complacency, apathy, and lack of focus. i am grateful that the Lord has me reading 1 John right now and the following passage specifically.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

1 John 2:15-17

during this season when materialism is on display instead of Christ, i want to fight to do His will, to fight to abide in Christ. may His glory be known through such a fight.

world AIDS day

today is world AIDS day.

for 16 years we have remembered this day.

and still, i cannot find a prayer guide to share with you.

this is tragic.

so please forgive the rough outline of things to pray for below,

but please, pray with me today.

don't do it simply for emotions sake,

but pray because God is calling people to Himself through this

and because Christ is able to restore both the body and the soul.

pray for those who battle for their lives:

whether they take a strict regimen of medications and have countless doctors appointments, thus altering the normalcy that their life once held.

or whether they have no access to medication, faced with the reality that the diagnosis of AIDS is a physical death sentence and, in many cases, a social death sentence as well.

or whether they live undiagnosed, unaware of the virus reeking havoc within themselves.

or whether life seems normal, with seemingly no battle at all.

for more information about AIDS and its worldwide impact,

kay warren is a good resource. also, check out this site for facts and other info.