Sunday, November 29, 2009

Gracias por arroz?

Ok, so this has been a crazy week! Thursday was Thanksgiving, and then last night there was a bridal shower for Michelle, the director's daughter. Tonight is the graduation ceremony. Plus, everyone is preparing to leave.
I must say, I have been reminded more than once that I need to trust in God and not worry,but the air of anxiety has made this a temptation for me.
On Thanksgiving, all the Peruvians got the impression that Thanksgiving is all about food. And, in their minds, not even good food. But the Americans were soooo excited for this delicious taste of home. There were a few of my mom's best dishes that I missed, but overall, the meal was well prepared and muy rico. :) The Peruvians even tolerated it, after piling rice high on top of their mashed potatoes and gravy (why?).
I asked one Peruvian why he had to ruin the perfectly good meal with his rice, and he said: For me, food without rice is not food. And although I respectfully disagree, he made me think.
For me, life without Christ is not life. Or, at least that is the correct perspective of life. When I try to live the life God has called me to without the power of His Spirit, it's a wasted effort. And the resulting life is not life at all. This was a valuable lesson that I needed to be reminded of this Thanksgiving, and so I am even thankful for the rice.

I kept up with 30 Days of Thanksgiving (ending on Thanksgiving) and I wanted to let you all know that I am especially thankful for all those who supported me in coming here, whether it was through finances, gifts, kind words, or, most importantly, PRAYER! I am eternally grateful. You have been a blessing in my life. And I know I have lacked in the area of expressing my gratitude. So, thank you.

30 Days of Thanksgiving:
  1. School
  2. My Bible
  3. My parents
  4. Food
  5. Quiet Moments
  6. Nature
  7. Airplanes
  8. Tomas the Lamb
  9. Unexpected blessings
  10. Candy and Bailey
  11. Transportation (in various forms)
  12. CoCo
  13. Candy's Passport ;)
  14. Shirley and Karina
  15. US Military
  16. Internet
  17. Amy, Masa, and Stephanie R.
  18. Becca, Leah and Stephani M.
  19. Malinda H. and Mrs. Swinney
  20. Girls I miss: Lauren, Coral, Nichol
  21. Serene and Skyler
  22. My Pastors
  23. God's Consistency
  24. 2 years of Community College
  25. God choosing and using me
  26. Calvary Chapel Lima
  27. A good night's sleep
  28. Martyrs
  29. Christmas with Family
  30. Jesus' sacrifice/my salvation

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Instruments of Wickedness or Instruments of Righteousness?

Happy Sunday!
Today, I forgot myself, and almost forgot to post. That would be dreadful since I only have two more Sundays in Peru.
This week, I have been pretty busy with my 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus class (AKA Pastoral Epistles), and I have learned a lot. I have been to the beach a couple times also, and I have found time to enjoy the weather, now that it is FINALLY a little warmer. :)
On a deeper level, I have been distracted this week. Thoughts of so many things are flooding my head. Thankfully, I have so many encouragements to keep me praying. God has been teaching me a lot about myself, and I am exciting to see what is to come.
I never could have anticipated what this time in Peru would mean to me, and I am glad to be returning next semester.
I have found a new verse that I plan to memorize for the times when I am tempted to live for myself and fleshly desires:
"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."
As a daughter of God, I have two options constantly before me with my thoughts, actions, and even emotions. I can offer them to God, as instruments of righteousness, or offer them to sin as instruments of wickedness. And when we don't offer them to God, this is sin. That may be hard to swallow, but it is a truth I am learning the hard way. I need to put God in the center of all I do if I desire to please Him in it.
So, please pray for me as I struggle to put aside my distractions and offer the parts of my body to God. My challenge is for you to spend some time allowing God to point out which parts of yourself you are offering to sin.
Have a great week friends!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

More of You, Less of Me

2 Samuel 5:10
"And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him."
Acts 27:25
"So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me."
As I lay in bed at night, I remember my walks on the beach, my phone calls with my family, and the Words that God has placed on my heart. I wake up praising Him, still in a state of disbelief that I have been living in a foreign country. I leave in 3 weeks, with the plan to return in February (this time for 1o months). I feel so.... blessed. But some nights I still fail to rest easy.
This week was my Missions class. It was a tough class. Most of it was about Spiritual Warfare, and that was intense. I realized that I need to pray more. The last day we talked about building a support team. I realize that this is something I need to do. I know there are many people who have provided me support, through prayer, exhortation, money, and other ways. And I appreciate it more than I can tell. However, since I plan to be in Peru for the next year and a half as a missionary/intern/student, I have realized that this is an area that I have not spent much time on. So, please pray for me as God and I work on this in my life.
I know that only through God can I become more powerful, like David. And I know, like Paul, that my God is faithful. He will keep His promises to me, and He will provide for me to do the work in the area He has guided me into. But sometimes my faith is so weak, so I pray that I will continue in the path He has set before me, and I thank God that He is faithful no matter what, and that His work is not dependant on my faithfulness, but on His.
If I sound weak, I am glad because I am certain that God is using me right now, and if you see my weakness, you will not be able to give credit to me. But let me tell you, I am so full of joy right now. And even amidst my anxiety of the looming money issues, I have a peace inside that I am learning to grab hold of and cling to in times of uncertainty.
I pray so often for many of you. I am so grateful to you for your encouragement, especially to Danielle and Linda who are always finding just the words I need to hear.
I am so happy to be returning for a couple months, and am excited to see how God will use the rest of my time in Peru to prepare me for the next step and to reach the people here.
I didn't share much about my trip last week because it is still processing, but please ask if you want to know more.
This week, I challenge you to surround yourself with godly people who can support you in the call of God on your life.
Please pray for me as I try to do the same.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Home?


So, this week was amazing. I went with five other students to Cuzco and we were expecting to stay in a hostal, and instead got to stay in a huge house with two rock walls and a pet sheep (who I adore). We were blessed to overflowing with extra funds which we passed on to our host, Coco, and his ministry. We were able to share the Nueva Buena with children and families all around the Cuzco area in several mountain villages.


Sunday morning, we headed to the airport with groggy faces and backpacks full of dirty clothes, and spirits full of fond memories. But our adventure was not over. Due to unforseen weather conditions and several events beyond our control, we got home (AKA Lima) more than 28 hours later than expected. I truely believed God had us there longer so we could be a witness during times of unexpected misfortune as well as blessing. It is so easy to be on fire for God when you have a comfy bed and clean clothes and extra food and a pet sheep. But take that away and give you an airport floor as a matress and it's not quite as easy.


I have been in Lima for about 3 months now, and I leave in a month. I have learned a lot here, but I have learned what words cannot express on my trip this past week.


My challenge to you is to look at all the ways God has been blessing you, and remember them, even when you are frustrated.
I meant to post more pictures soon.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Almost too Good to be True

Last night, I went to the Cliffs, which is a favorite hang out spot for the students here. It is a quiet grassy cliff area where you can see the beach and a point on the peir. It's beautiful, if a little smoggy, there, and it's one of the few ways you can escape from the noise of campus and the busy city of Lima.
There are millions of people here in Lima, and the trafic is never ending. There are about 70 people living on our tiny campus and more than 200 on campus most days between 8 am and 10 pm. The noise just doesn't stop. And I am easily disturbed by this.
I never thought of myself as an introvert. In fact, at home, I often sought a way out of the quiet so that I could enjoy the company of my friends and family. But here, I crave quiet. I crave a time where I will be uninterupted in a single prayer time, Bible study, phone call, or thought. I hate that from about 6:30 am until 11 pm I cannot find quiet. It practically kills me emotionally.
But last night, the last two months of noise floated away in about 15 minutes as I found an open spot a few yards away from my friends and spent some time with my beloved Jesus. We talked in a way that I have missed, and I was refreshed and filled with joy. It was almost too good to be true. And it was exactly what I needed. I pray and have a "quiet time" everyday, but I find it so hard to focus and just relax in the presence of my God with so many distractions around me. But last night, there were none. It was me, the grass, the ocean, the breeze and my Savior in glorious fellowship.
Tuesday, I am leaving for a mission trip to Cuzco. And I am not exactly physically finished preparing. and I am sure that I could use some more time with God. But last night was the best preparation I could have hoped for. And I am going to try and get more of it from now on.
I am challenging you, to find a place of quiet, and enjoy time without distractions. Without any noise. Without other people. Just you and God. This can be so difficult, but it is so rewarding!!!
I love you all and I have nothing else to share this week. Please pray for my team as we reach out to the people of Cuzco. God bless.