So, I think that's the Spanish word for "miracle".
A miracle foremost on my mind lately: God has given me a heart for Kitsap county. And not a pity vote kind of heart. Full-on passion and desire to live here, work here, grow here, serve here. (Here being Kitsap, of course.)
Tonight I'm actually at my old house in Pullman, meeting with friends. Even more confirmation that God has asked me to live and love in Kitsap county.
This past year really sucked and I would not want to live it over again. Still, I am grateful to have lived it (especially to have survived it!) I can rejoice in the love of our faithful Father. His plans are always greater than our own.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Processing
I’ve been “home” in the states for 3 days now.
So far, I’ve been blessed with hours to enjoy relationships with friends and family. Wednesday night I was able to reconnect with my church family at the weekly gathering of our junior/senior high youth group. It’s been a constant flood of coffee dates, movies, drinks at the bar, and chance meetings every since. I praise God for the wealth of relationships here and in the Dominican Republic.
It’s hard not to judge American culture. Today, while waiting for staff to show up at the COTN Seattle office, I spent some time (and $$) at Westlake Center. The contrast of wealth and poverty is excruciating. Homeless beggars sit outside the high-end boutiques, alternately grinning and swearing, all asking for food, smokes, and spare change. The situation is eerily similar to the “3rd world” or “extreme” poverty of Barahona. And yet, none of the shoppers or tourists today seemed to notice.
In a few days, I’ll head back to the classroom to prepare for the new school year. My experience this summer reaffirmed the call that God’s placed on my heart to teach junior high in Silverdale. But, it’s also revealed a deep need to rest, first. Right now, I’m tempted to feel guilty about these few days “for myself.” Today, for instance, I’ve spent driving around Seattle drinking coffee and running into old friends. It’s part of the bigger picture. Before I can prepare my classroom, I have to let God prepare my heart.
So far, I’ve been blessed with hours to enjoy relationships with friends and family. Wednesday night I was able to reconnect with my church family at the weekly gathering of our junior/senior high youth group. It’s been a constant flood of coffee dates, movies, drinks at the bar, and chance meetings every since. I praise God for the wealth of relationships here and in the Dominican Republic.
It’s hard not to judge American culture. Today, while waiting for staff to show up at the COTN Seattle office, I spent some time (and $$) at Westlake Center. The contrast of wealth and poverty is excruciating. Homeless beggars sit outside the high-end boutiques, alternately grinning and swearing, all asking for food, smokes, and spare change. The situation is eerily similar to the “3rd world” or “extreme” poverty of Barahona. And yet, none of the shoppers or tourists today seemed to notice.
In a few days, I’ll head back to the classroom to prepare for the new school year. My experience this summer reaffirmed the call that God’s placed on my heart to teach junior high in Silverdale. But, it’s also revealed a deep need to rest, first. Right now, I’m tempted to feel guilty about these few days “for myself.” Today, for instance, I’ve spent driving around Seattle drinking coffee and running into old friends. It’s part of the bigger picture. Before I can prepare my classroom, I have to let God prepare my heart.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
lessons
I have learned a lot of things this summer:
- To force flush a toilet.
- To communicate with wild hand gestures and facial expressions.
- To pray without ceasing.
- To intentionally carve out times of solitude.
- To wait and see what happens when it appears that no one knows what's going on.
- To never speak poorly of others.
- To make fried cheese, fried plantains, fried yucca, etc.
- To trust that God's plan is better than mine.
- To ride side saddle on a motorcycle.
- To have high hopes and low expectations.
- To value relationship over accomplishments.
- To rest and enjoy.
I'm excited to come home and apply these lessons to my American life. Part of my heart will stay here in Barahona, though. It's been a great summer.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
simple truth
"And without faith it is impossible to please the Lord." Hebrews 11:6
I read the whole book of Hebrews on Saturday during an extended time of "quiet" at the mission house. (We had roughly 20 hours between different teams of 30 some people living here.) Anyways, this verse made me stop completely. I memorized it back in my AWANA days, but forgot the direct connection to Eph 5:10.
Later that night, I climbed onto the roof of our house to watch the sunset. WOW! The sunrises and sunsets here are phenomenal. Julie lent me her iPod to listen to sermons from her home church in Orlando. Sure enough, the sermon focused on Hebrews 11:6... (Summit Church, Orlando, FL, 7/26/09)
Some ideas floating around in my brain:
I read the whole book of Hebrews on Saturday during an extended time of "quiet" at the mission house. (We had roughly 20 hours between different teams of 30 some people living here.) Anyways, this verse made me stop completely. I memorized it back in my AWANA days, but forgot the direct connection to Eph 5:10.
Later that night, I climbed onto the roof of our house to watch the sunset. WOW! The sunrises and sunsets here are phenomenal. Julie lent me her iPod to listen to sermons from her home church in Orlando. Sure enough, the sermon focused on Hebrews 11:6... (Summit Church, Orlando, FL, 7/26/09)
Some ideas floating around in my brain:
- Faith is trusting that God wins
- Faith is trusting that God´s ways are beyond my understanding
- Faith is not beneficial, rather necessary
- Faith is confidence in God´s will
Yesterday at church, I was asked to teach Sunday school to 20 some highschool boys. Having faith, I said "si". We talked about Hebrews 11, of course. The insights of the students were encouraging and challenging. In my limited Spanish, I asked "¿Que es la fe?" or "What is faith?" The students answered in various ways that faith is knowing God is the best.
This week, I know I will need a lot of faith. As we wrap up our time in Barahona, I am tempted to measure "success" of our projects. But faith trusts that God´s work is always in progress and will be completed in its own time. Faith trusts that each intern, staff member, and child in this city is securely in God´s hand.
This is my take on the simple truth of Hebrews 11:6.
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Ephesians 5
Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:
“Awake, O sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you!”
Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.