Check out some pictures of my life and my ministry from the first 6 months of 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Open Spaces
What to say... I've been hearing, learning, listening to a lot of good stuff lately. Truth like the importance of accountability, the vastness of God's ability, the power in God's grace, the beauty of God, the joy that is waiting on our faith, and so much more. Good stuff, need to apply it to my life. I'm hoping to take a little trip away next month to dive deep into what God has been whispering to me. I've got to get away, not sure why but feeling a bit run down...dare I say suffocated in Swaziland the past couple months.
I've been here for three years, its weird to think. I think I've accumulated pain from seeing people come and go, come and go that inside I'm just feeling a bit done right now. It's also made me question our programs a bit. Not that what we're doing is bad but is it creating dependence, is it sustainable, if it is not all sustainable...is that bad. In this changing world, is support from the United States the way forward? What about the Asian church and the European Church? I have many questions and it feels like its all too much to just answer. So, I will head for the mountain, I will head for the open spaces where simplicity and God reign. Oh, God reigns everywhere but in the open spaces I know in such greater clarity the sovereignty of God. I understand my place, God's place and the place of our problems/opportunities. I challenge you that reads this...find your place where you see and hear God clearly. Schedule your time there, get into the deep things in your heart and let God heal, guide, encourage and inspire you...that's what I'm doing!
I've been here for three years, its weird to think. I think I've accumulated pain from seeing people come and go, come and go that inside I'm just feeling a bit done right now. It's also made me question our programs a bit. Not that what we're doing is bad but is it creating dependence, is it sustainable, if it is not all sustainable...is that bad. In this changing world, is support from the United States the way forward? What about the Asian church and the European Church? I have many questions and it feels like its all too much to just answer. So, I will head for the mountain, I will head for the open spaces where simplicity and God reign. Oh, God reigns everywhere but in the open spaces I know in such greater clarity the sovereignty of God. I understand my place, God's place and the place of our problems/opportunities. I challenge you that reads this...find your place where you see and hear God clearly. Schedule your time there, get into the deep things in your heart and let God heal, guide, encourage and inspire you...that's what I'm doing!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
God's Movement
A Sacred Moment; Beautiful and Painful were the two words that came to mind as I reflected on my time with the Courageous in Christ youth this past weekend. One of our girls lost her mother. The funeral was Friday night. The youth leaders led the following Saturday's youth program.
The youth leaders had the girl, Phumzile, sit in the middle as the rest of us circled around her. They sang over Phumzile and then prayed for her. We started a second song with tears welling up in almost everyone's eyes. Ten of the girls lost it, grabbed one another and started crying. Nosmilo entered the circle and just put her arm around Phumzile. It was terribly painful and yet God was there healing hearts. So many of our youth have lost one or both parents. They shared Phumzile's pain, they sang hope over her, they felt the deep pain she was feeling and they wrapped their arms around her. It was a beautiful and it was terrible. God was there, he brought peace, he showed me that hope, love and healing will win. The youth have suffered much but now they are able to minister such deep love to one another. This is the body of Christ, this reflects God's purpose for the body...
The youth leaders had the girl, Phumzile, sit in the middle as the rest of us circled around her. They sang over Phumzile and then prayed for her. We started a second song with tears welling up in almost everyone's eyes. Ten of the girls lost it, grabbed one another and started crying. Nosmilo entered the circle and just put her arm around Phumzile. It was terribly painful and yet God was there healing hearts. So many of our youth have lost one or both parents. They shared Phumzile's pain, they sang hope over her, they felt the deep pain she was feeling and they wrapped their arms around her. It was a beautiful and it was terrible. God was there, he brought peace, he showed me that hope, love and healing will win. The youth have suffered much but now they are able to minister such deep love to one another. This is the body of Christ, this reflects God's purpose for the body...
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Been Thinking...
Lately I have had some time to think and take life in. It has been good. Slowing down has reminded me of the faithfulness of God. I've been a bit sick the past 6 weeks as has a bunch of the Children's Cup staff. Two weeks ago I got on a Mountain Bike and I headed out to Mlilwane Nature Reserve. I found an amazing spot to ride on the crest between three mountain peaks. It is far removed from the rest of the park where people, cars and even animals congregate. God spoke to me, he spoke to the deep parts of me. God reminded me that indeed He, God...Creator...Maker, loves me deeply. I've been praying for the past 10 months that God would wake up my heart. That I'd live fully alive. Something broke that day on the mountain. Yeah I've been on and off sick the last two weeks but a heaviness is gone. Life seems to contain such possibility again. I am awake to the Glory of God that truly does fill the earth.
I don't want to play Christianity, I don't want to play church...I don't want to just survive, I don't want to live fearfully (oh and without knowing it we are all living in some kind of fear that holds us back)...I want ZOE!! Yeah that's not some hot and awesome girl that I've found. ZOE in Greek stands for Life, Life as God has life...full life, joyful, on mission, you know that thing Thoreau talked about, the marrow...yeah that's what I am after.
to be continued...
I don't want to play Christianity, I don't want to play church...I don't want to just survive, I don't want to live fearfully (oh and without knowing it we are all living in some kind of fear that holds us back)...I want ZOE!! Yeah that's not some hot and awesome girl that I've found. ZOE in Greek stands for Life, Life as God has life...full life, joyful, on mission, you know that thing Thoreau talked about, the marrow...yeah that's what I am after.
to be continued...
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