Have a great summer!
Monday, May 26, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Slow down - You might see something
Summer is here. (well, this is Ohio, it's here for now) I just returned from a walk at Sharon Woods. It's a beautifully perfect day and everyone is out enjoying the sun and the blue sky. I saw daddys chasing little girls, families practicing t-ball, flying kites and relaxing with each other; singles walking with their ipods, or in my case a camera; young couples walking dogs; one family circled around the picnic table holding hands, praying.
The one sight that particularly touched my heart and spoke to me was a little girl walking with, I'm assuming, her grandpa. Hand in hand by the lake they strolled at a pace her legs and his years could handle. It reminded me of the walks I used to take with my grandpa. We'd start off slowly with no goal or destination, no time limit or heart rate to meet, just walking, getting some fresh air and exercise. Inevitably I would speed up and get ahead of him. "Slow down! You might see something!", he'd yell, not in anger but as someone who wanted to teach me something and spend time with me. Today I am sure he is strolling with Jesus and the saints, and I'm sure he is seeing something.
As I pulled out of the park and back into the reality of people rushing to get to the Memorial weekend sales, the next BBQ on their list, the little league double-header or whatever they're all rushing toward; I realized God is telling us the same thing. "Slow down! You might see something!"
So today my prayer is this: Father, slow us down. Don't let us move so quickly on this walk that we miss what You want us to see. Keep us walking at Your pace, by Your side so we can spend our time with You. Father, lead on the paths You want us to take. Don't let us ever move ahead of You and miss the ones You want us to invite to walk with us. Don't let us miss the ones who have stumbled on the path and need a hand to get back up and keep walking. Don't let us miss the benches where You want us to just sit at Your feet and be still. Father, we know that Jesus came to give us abundant life, not busy lives. Remind us to turn off the TV, push away from the computer, leave work on time, let the dust go for another day, stop texting and slow down! So we might see something. In Jesus' Name.
The one sight that particularly touched my heart and spoke to me was a little girl walking with, I'm assuming, her grandpa. Hand in hand by the lake they strolled at a pace her legs and his years could handle. It reminded me of the walks I used to take with my grandpa. We'd start off slowly with no goal or destination, no time limit or heart rate to meet, just walking, getting some fresh air and exercise. Inevitably I would speed up and get ahead of him. "Slow down! You might see something!", he'd yell, not in anger but as someone who wanted to teach me something and spend time with me. Today I am sure he is strolling with Jesus and the saints, and I'm sure he is seeing something.
As I pulled out of the park and back into the reality of people rushing to get to the Memorial weekend sales, the next BBQ on their list, the little league double-header or whatever they're all rushing toward; I realized God is telling us the same thing. "Slow down! You might see something!"
So today my prayer is this: Father, slow us down. Don't let us move so quickly on this walk that we miss what You want us to see. Keep us walking at Your pace, by Your side so we can spend our time with You. Father, lead on the paths You want us to take. Don't let us ever move ahead of You and miss the ones You want us to invite to walk with us. Don't let us miss the ones who have stumbled on the path and need a hand to get back up and keep walking. Don't let us miss the benches where You want us to just sit at Your feet and be still. Father, we know that Jesus came to give us abundant life, not busy lives. Remind us to turn off the TV, push away from the computer, leave work on time, let the dust go for another day, stop texting and slow down! So we might see something. In Jesus' Name.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Ready for God's Mission
In 12 days I'll be leaving for a 2 week mission trip along the Xingu River in Brazil's Amazon Basin. I want to use this blog, for now, to share what God had done and is doing to prepare me for this journey and to share the trip with others when I return. I'm expecting to see miracles and wonders throughout the mission as God uses our team to reach the Brazilian people and to support the long term missionaries who live in Brazil. For information on the permanent Xingu Mission go to xingu.org.
Along the way we will be delivering water filters to the families along the river in cooperation with Thirst Relief International (thirstrelief.org). Their concrete biosand water filters cost only $65.00 to build, distribute and install and benefit 10-20 people in need of clean drinking water. The filters are built at the point of need; managed and distributed by the Xingu mission who is able to install 60 filters a month.
I'm still not quite sure how you lift a cement water filter about the size of a large dorm refrigerator out of a leaking canoe but I'm sure I'll figure it out. This will be a really exciting and rewarding part of the mission. I'm looking forward to photographing this process focusing on the people these filters will benefit. Hopefully, some of the photographs will help the wonderful group at Thirst Relief update their website and stir hearts for support.
Obviously our main focus in Brazil will be to love the Brazilian people with the heart of God and share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. We're looking forward to sharing Jesus with the children and teens in the Porto de Moz area by inviting them to a vacation Bible school type "Kids' Camp" and a youth rally. I've been told the youth in Brazil praise God with amazing enthusiasm, I can't wait to be part of it.
The past few months have been humbling and trying but we've all be blessed by the amount of support we have received from our families, friends, co-workers and, of course, our church family. Without their financial support we would not be going. Even more important than the financial support has been the prayer support. Without prayer warriors and intercessors our trip can not be successful.
I have known for about a year now that I would be going on this mission. It started during a meeting for last year's team. While praying with Pastor Steve and Wade, the youth pastor, Wade had a vision of me in Brazil taking pictures. That was my first confirmation that the desire to go on this mission was coming from God. The second confirmation I received was in a dream. I was at church, bags packed ready to go waiting for the rest of the team to get their things together so we could go. I had this dream several months ago, it provided the confirmation I needed to know I was ready to do this. Over the past months I've seen God's provision and miracles that have further confirmed He wants me on this team. The money poured in, my fears were relieved, attacks from the enemy were rebuked and I have absolutely no doubt I am doing His will by going to Brazil.
I'll end my first post with the verse God gave me for the trip. He also gave the same verse to Tina, we found out a few weeks ago. I hope you feel the same hope and excitement I feel when I read it. I've used the Amplified version, it can be hard to read but I love the expanded understanding it sometimes offers, especially for this verse!
Ephesians 3:20-21
19That you may really come to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]
Apmlified (underline-mine)
Along the way we will be delivering water filters to the families along the river in cooperation with Thirst Relief International (thirstrelief.org). Their concrete biosand water filters cost only $65.00 to build, distribute and install and benefit 10-20 people in need of clean drinking water. The filters are built at the point of need; managed and distributed by the Xingu mission who is able to install 60 filters a month.
I'm still not quite sure how you lift a cement water filter about the size of a large dorm refrigerator out of a leaking canoe but I'm sure I'll figure it out. This will be a really exciting and rewarding part of the mission. I'm looking forward to photographing this process focusing on the people these filters will benefit. Hopefully, some of the photographs will help the wonderful group at Thirst Relief update their website and stir hearts for support.
Obviously our main focus in Brazil will be to love the Brazilian people with the heart of God and share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. We're looking forward to sharing Jesus with the children and teens in the Porto de Moz area by inviting them to a vacation Bible school type "Kids' Camp" and a youth rally. I've been told the youth in Brazil praise God with amazing enthusiasm, I can't wait to be part of it.
The past few months have been humbling and trying but we've all be blessed by the amount of support we have received from our families, friends, co-workers and, of course, our church family. Without their financial support we would not be going. Even more important than the financial support has been the prayer support. Without prayer warriors and intercessors our trip can not be successful.
I have known for about a year now that I would be going on this mission. It started during a meeting for last year's team. While praying with Pastor Steve and Wade, the youth pastor, Wade had a vision of me in Brazil taking pictures. That was my first confirmation that the desire to go on this mission was coming from God. The second confirmation I received was in a dream. I was at church, bags packed ready to go waiting for the rest of the team to get their things together so we could go. I had this dream several months ago, it provided the confirmation I needed to know I was ready to do this. Over the past months I've seen God's provision and miracles that have further confirmed He wants me on this team. The money poured in, my fears were relieved, attacks from the enemy were rebuked and I have absolutely no doubt I am doing His will by going to Brazil.
I'll end my first post with the verse God gave me for the trip. He also gave the same verse to Tina, we found out a few weeks ago. I hope you feel the same hope and excitement I feel when I read it. I've used the Amplified version, it can be hard to read but I love the expanded understanding it sometimes offers, especially for this verse!
Ephesians 3:20-21
19That you may really come to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]
Apmlified (underline-mine)
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