weareoverlooked.com

A friend of mine and I were recently talking about the upcoming holidays and got on the subject of gifts at Christmas. We both were discussing how we honestly have nothing we need. I was telling her of one of the best gifts I ever received. Last year some good friends made a donation in my honor to Samaritan's Purse. They had no idea the impact this gift would have had on my life and the realities I would face because of it. We began to see how our preferances would be to use the money spent on us for those who could use it, who need it many times to survive. This may not look normal to most. But, after all, aren't we called to live revolutionary lives?

The following day I re-discovered a site a good friend showed me while I was at ETBU. So, if you can't think of anything you really want or need at Christmas, why not donate that money to someone whose life could be forever changed? Need suggestions of where to donate? I have a few. But, check this site out as well. I love the difference they are making.

weareoverlooked.com

Make Him Famous...Regardless

This past summer I had the privilege of interning with iGoGlobal Ministries. I must say I had no idea what impact they would make on my life. I was taught and challenged by the staff in ways I never dreamed. Yet, this is what I desired. Looking back now on everything that took place, I am once again in awe of my God.

I recently have been looking back over notes from some of our base camps and am still trying to wrap my head around the idea of "Make Him Famous" and the fact that I had a part in doing just that. What a humbling thought. This reminds me of this scripture:

" If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine." -- Psalm 50: 12

God doesn't NEED me. Yet, He ALLOWS me to have the privilege of serving Him, to be an instrument for His glory. If, then, we have this privilege, why so often do we not take advantage of it? Fear? Pride? Selfishness? I think so. For me at least. If what defines me is not my abilities but my choices, why then do I fear what lies ahead? It's not even my life to begin with. It's not about me or my salvation. It's not even about others' salvation. It's about MAKING HIM FAMOUS. I am ready to accept the challenges and opportunities that God has for me. I am ready to once again be stretched and be put into situations where I must rely on God, and God alone.

One of my favorite books here lately has been Crazy Love by Francis Chan. This book has hit me to the core. In his book, Chan states:

" The place of trust isn't a comfortable place to be; in fact, it flies in the face of everything we've been taught about proper planning. We like finding refuge in what we already have rather than in what we hope God will provide. But when Christ says to count the cost of following Him, it means we must surrender everything. It means being willing to go without an extra tunic or a place to sleep at night, and sometimes without knowing where we are going....Yet, God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come through."

I think Chan hits the nail head on. We aren't called to be comfortable. We are called to make Him famous and bring glory to Him regardless of the safety or comfortableness. This is what I desire.

My Everything

As many of you know, I have the privilege this summer of serving with iGo Global, a missions agency out of Rockwall. As I sit her dwelling over all that has taken place the past month or so, I can't help but realize what a privilege it is for me to be in this position. Realizing the heart of iGo and the role it plays in making His name famous has me in such a servant's position. I would want it no other way. I have seen over the past few weeks what being missional instead of mission-minded truly looks like. I am reminded time and time again that I am joining God in what He is already doing. I am living for something bigger than myself. And if I am honest, living for myself shouldn't ever take place, since I am dead. My life is hidden with Christ. He is my life. Why then do I live as if it is MY life? My prayer is that I will realize daily that this is His life and be obedient. It is then that I will realize that while, yes, I am dead but I am also fully ALIVE!! I desire to continue to be stretched. I desire to continue to be challenged. I desire to become the child He wants me to be. This summer will allow just that. I pray I embrace that.


My prayer tonight is this: ("Everything" by Tim Hughes)

God in my living. There in my breathing.
God in my waking. God in my sleeping.
God in my resting. There in my working.
God in my thinking. God in my speaking.

Be my everything. Be my everything.
Be my everything. Be my everything.

God in my hoping. There in my dreaming.
God in my watching. God in my waiting.
God in my laughing. There in my weeping.
God in my hurting. God in my healing.

Christ in me. Christ in me.
Christ in me, the hope of glory.
You are everything.
Christ in me. Christ in me.
Christ in me, the hope of glory.
Be my everything.

Just One

One of the few shows on television that I follow is The Biggest Loser. This past week the challenge between the two teams was making and loading food crates to be shipped to local food pantries. This challenge was allowing them to not only receive a year's supply of free groceries and letters from home but was allowing them to give back to those helping them out. After the contest, they were interviewing players from both teams to see how they felt afterwards. A player on the losing team stated, "We can't help everyone everywhere, but we can help someone somewhere." This statement sent a challenge through me. While so many times, especially in missions, we feel we need to go overseas to make a difference. We feel we must donate large sums of money to make a difference. We feel since we can't help everyone, there is no use even trying. I state we can. Here lately my eyes have been opened to those around me. Why am I so eager to go overseas and help those when I don't even help those around me? This should not be. I pray that God changes my view. I pray that I will see those needs around me and realize I can make a difference...even if it's just to one. I pray that while I am here I will be light to those around me. I pray for a continous new view.

My Desire

On my way back to campus yesterday afternoon, the song "This is My Desire" by Hillsong came on the radio. I began to think about all that has been going on in my life, especially this semester. With graduation only a couple of months away, the idea of what I will do when I graduate has been heavily on my mind. Do I go to seminary or grad school and continue my education? Do I go overseas and work in missions? Do I work locally in a church? Do I go through a well-known missions's organization or a smaller organization? What do I do? I know one of my biggest weaknesses is allowing others to influence me in such a way that I do what they want me to do (or what they think I should be doing). Why do I allow people to have this control over me? I don't know. What I do know is what I desire. I desire to be in the will of the Father. I desire, as the song says, to "live for him alone". I hope that as time goes on I will truly learn this is all that matters. Paul gets to this in many of his books over and over. I hope that I one day I will be able to grasp all that it means for Christ to be my life. I pray that one day my desire to "live for him alone" will be fulfilled.

Living or Just Alive?

These past few months have been challenging, yet satisfying. I have been reminded through all of this that we choose the life we live. While, yes, I have many things in my past I regret, I have been reminded that I don't have time to think about these things. A good friend of mine reminded me that no matter what I have done or will do, God loves me no less. I have no problem grasping my mind around this. It's my heart that I have the problem with. Yet, slowly God is showing me how this is so true. I have chosen to no longer dwell in the past, but look to what lies ahead. I am choosing to live. I am not saying that I will not mess up, because we all know that is not the case. I am saying that I am choosing to live, not just be alive and try to make it through the day. This to me is not living. Living is learning to trust God in all things. Living IS God. I choose to live.

Cross-Cultural Missions

This semester one of the classes I am taking is Cross-Cultural missions. Yesterday in class we were beginning to talk about what this really is and should be. While we were discussing what that meant to us, an illustration a friend once shared with me about cross-cultural missions being like that of film directing came to mind. Film directors tell vivid stories about love, hate, hope, miracles, etc. and through their stories they capture the hearts of millions all across the globe. In a sense, this is cross-cultural missions. Only....we have a different story to tell.

One Life to Love

Well, I thought I would give this blog thing a shot. I know from many classes that writing your thoughts down can be very "healthy" for you. So, here this goes.

As I am sitting here contemplating all that has happened this past week and looking forward to what lies ahead I can't help but remember a recent conversation I had with a good friend. As many of you know, this is my last semester at ETBU. While I am so excited to be almost done, the reality of the real world and my future has been on mind recently, probably more than necessary. We were discussing some different options I had upon graduation. While, yes, I know I have been called to missions and desire nothing more than to do this, I have little idea at this point where and what I am being called to. In the middle of this conversation, we began to talk about how we have no control over the future. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not saying that we should not be prepared for that time. I am saying that we shouldn't spend all are time worrying about what it is going to bring, especially since we really don't know. We aren't guarranteed another day. Yet, we worry about it anyways. In Sunday School these past couple of months we have been going through a couple of Paul's letters. Paul over and over again emphasizes how Christ should be your life, not just a part of it. I feel if this were the case, if Christ were our life, then we would not be worriers. We would live each day for that day only. We would not be concerned with what lies ahead on earth. We would be concerned with our relationship with God, and that only. Upon thinking of this, the new song by 33 miles "One life to love" summarizes this up (lyrics below). It emphasizes how we should make the most of every opportunity given today, being intentional in our relationships, and remembering we only have one life to love. As John Piper put it, "Don't waste your life." My prayer is that I will one day get to the point as Paul did to be able to say that all I live for is Christ, that He is my life. I pray that I won't waste my "life."


One Life to Love:

He never thought he cared so much about the minute hand
Until he started praying for a second chance
If he could only do it all again
And trade the long nights that he spent behind his desk
For all he missed
He tells his wife I wish that this moment in this room
Was not me dying but just spending a little time with you
.
Chorus: You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love
..
She never thought she cared so much about those little hands
That held on tight the day she left till she was scared to death
Sitting all alone on a hotel bed, the end of the road
The sun has set on her big plans to feel young again
She picks up the phone, dials a number, hears that little voice
That’s haunted every single mile since she made that choice
..
You only get just one time around, you only get one shot at this
One chance to find out the one thing that you don’t wanna miss
One day when it’s all said and done I hope you see that it was enough
This one ride, one try, one life to love