More Stories: Motorcycle

i've always had a fear of riding motorcycles.

i have only rode as a passenger on a motorcycle once.

it was a harley and my uncle was the driver.
and it lasted all of 2 seconds.

when i was getting ready to go overseas,

my friend decided to tell me that i'd have to ride on a motorcycle.

needless to say, i freaked out a bit.

after some prayer and serious pep-talks,

i accepted the fact that i'd have to ride on a motorcycle.

you see, motorcycles are a way of life overseas.

they just make the most sense in terms of travel.

i mean, everyone uses them

but sometimes there are parking issues

(yes, she's praying)

well, anyway, i had to make my first motorbike appearance.

my new friend, Tika, was the brave soul who volunteered 

(yes, volunteered) to take me on my debut.

yea, we're gansters.

actually, i was totally using humor to mask my utter terror.

i survived.

yep, yep i did.

and i even learned to love it.

anticlimactic, huh?

i was excited for my next chance to ride on our 

progressive-like dinner later that week.

 yea, we look horrible, but we had an amazing time nonetheless.

motorcycle fear: conquered

one less obstacle in overseas living.

hope you enjoyed this week's edition of

real life: part 1B

yes, i'm still struggling with stuff. mere things that are guaranteed to burn when this life is over.

but i find comfort in this song as of late.

be encouraged by its cry

(as always, forgive the cheesy video)

real life: part one

prelude:

sometimes i use my blog for serious things and other times just to be ridiculous. but i'm starting a simple "real life" series because real life has been catching up with me. the more i seek the Lord and sit at His feet, the more He brings to light dark areas of my life. although this blog is fairly public (even with its mere five readers) i need to process all that's going on as the Lord does these things. i won't put too much raw process up here, knowing that i need to process and seek the Lord first. but i also want to share what He teaches me, knowing that i'm not the only person who "struggles" with these things.

*  *  *

i'm a big fan of david platt because he preaches and lives out truth. i don't think he is perfect nor do i mean to ever put him on a pedestal. i've been listening to his sermon series on 1 Timothy and the last one i listened to was called "the Gospel and materialism, part 1."  i thought, "hey, it will be a good reminder." i listened. i heard.

i would encourage all believers to listen to this two-part sermon on the gospel and materialism. i'm not accusing others of living in that realm, but materialism so cripples the Gospel, that i must share this with you, brother or sister.

First Timothy: The Household of God

i am guilty of living in materialism. i make more of things than i do of God. this is a sin. i have repented and i ask your forgiveness if this materialistic attitude has caused you to stumble. i know i will be tempted to fall back into this realm daily, so i ask your help. ask me where my heart and desires have been of late and don't let me get away with anything but the truth. pray for me and others, that mere things would not veil the glories of Christ, and that we would feast on the goodness of Christ and be content in all He is. thank you in advance.

"Godliness with contentment is gain." -david platt

More Stories: prayer night

every week, my friend hosts a prayer night at her home.

she's invited some of her students and friends

encouraging them to intercede for the lost in their city.

prayer requests were shared,

tribes reviewed,

translating happened (for my sake).

then we got to business.

we each prayed as the Spirit led,

each in our heart language.

the Holy Spirit moved.

i love praying/worshiping with people in different languages.

it reminds me that God created and understands each language,

and that He desires to and will be worshiped by all tongues.

this is exciting!

the Lord is calling all people to Himself

and every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented 

in the throne room of the Most Holy.

i felt like a got a very, very small glimpse of what that will be like.

and that, my friends, is something to be thankful for.

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude

that no one could number, from every nation, 

from all tribes and peoples and languages, 

standing before the throne and before the Lamb, 

clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 

and crying out with a loud voice,

'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, 

and to the Lamb!'" 

Revelation 7:9-10

More Stories: Kampung

the two mondays i was in S.E.A.,

i accompanied my friend and her national
partner to the kampung (COM-poon).

those living in such communities are generally quite poor.

it took us about an hour to get to this specific kampung by ankot.

when we arrived, 

i was surprised to find the village directly on the water.

for reals, westerners would pay big bucks for that kind of property.

the main income for this community is fishing.

fishing boats littered the beach.

there were boardwalks to travel from house to house

for those families living where the tide comes in and out.

it almost made me think of mississippi a bit.

post-katrina, that is.

my friends go to this community because 

they provide a traveling library.

kids in these communities get little to no education

because it isn't deemed important.

i mean, why does someone need to go to school if they are just going to run the family store or be a fisherman?

the kids loved getting the books.

they loved hearing a bule speak their language.

they loved making fun of the bule who couldn't.

these kids face more problems than poverty.

they witness and experience physical, verbal, and sexual abuse.

the violence they display towards one another clearly exhibits

what is being modeled for them.

PRAY:

*for the national worker and my friend to continue to gain favor with the adults in the community

*that the relationships formed will lead to Christ-centered conversations

*for soft and receptive hearts among the adults and children, that the gospel will land on good soil

*as Christ transforms hearts, the community as a whole would be transformed, bringing light to the darkness

You are faithful

i know i've blogged this song before.

but i don't care.

this song reminds me of the promise of God

to never leave or forsake His children,

to never leave me.

even though circumstances change,

friendships change,

expectations change,

my God remains faithful.

be reminded and encouraged in His faithfulness today!

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

More Stories Monday

 i still have so much to process and share about my two weeks overseas, that i'm starting "more stories monday."

essentially, i'll be writing about things that need 

elaboration from my previous blogs 

as well as various prayer requests and pictures.

i hope you will laugh and cry with me,

that you will be encouraged and challenged,

and, ultimately, that Christ will be exalted.

i love new cultures.

there is always something to learn,

something new to experience,

something that seems to catch you off guard.

i tried to capture that attitude in the photos to follow.

  

 hope you enjoed this addition of