God is hip!

I wanted to notify you of the recent news on my life so you can be praying. First, I am part of the mission conference at church that is making the vision to go as a missionary to Lebanon more real!!! I was asking God how to make time to be able to prepare because work is so overwhelming! Well, it just so happens that today I found out I have a hip fracture and I will have surgery on Monday. So please pray that all goes well. After that, I will be in crutches for 6 weeks and probably get some physical therapy. So, that's a big change in my life, but I am excited about the opportunities it will bring! God is so good to bring such encouraging people around me and I know He wants to use me as a light to those who are in the hospital...I already ran into a friend from grade school on the medical office and she was "searching" and trying out church last time I saw her about a year ago. He is good. I love Him and now I am just beginning to look at life in a completely different way! God is stripping me away of everything! And I need that. So, let the journey begin! Pray that God keeps me strong and close to Him! He already told me that I would be 100% raised in money before going to Lebanon and that He will give me10-fold of what He is taking away. I don't even care anymore, I am beginning to think like the Book of Ecclesiastes! It's all meaningless if God is not the center of my life....
Blessings!

Conference

This week God is showing me quite a bit as I prepared for the past couple of weeks for the Black Rock Church annual mission conference. I always loved attending each year; and I am honored to be a part of it this time! I used to go to the missionaries' tables and I prayed for the day God would send me as my heart for missions continued.
A word God has been reminding me of this week is "protection". I need to be in prayer to protect myself from the "evil of this world", as Jesus says in the Bible. In order to stand firm, and not to be swayed back and forth, I need to be grounded in His protection. Jesus promises this protection when He declares Himself as the Shepherd in John 10:10 in those famous passages "the sheep know my voice...no one can snatch them out of my hand". It is so important for me right now to be guarded with all the armor (Eph 6:10). I, like all the saints, have the authority of Christ at my fingertips!
In my life right now, counseling families going through drug abuse and recovery; I sense it getting more difficult in my spirit. This is not something that I can do alone. I need the power of God. This is why He tells me about "protection" now so that I will be keen and savvy against the schemes of the enemy when I am in Lebanon.
Please pray with me in this! I appreciate it!

Check out this youtube video about ABTS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnLvUdqHUTA&feature=youtu.be

Christmas Season

As the Christmas season comes upon us, I am having a new revelation and look at Christ's birth, something that seems so obvious to Christian followers. As I listen to Christmas songs, I think: "Was it really cold that night in Bethlehem, like the songs sing about?" Jesus' life is the pathway to me having life. The shepherds in the field, may not have "felt" like going a long distance to visit Jesus, but something (the Holy Spirit) touched them and they went. No matter the cost, the sacrifice, as Jesus did for us later on in His life on the cross. He became life for us. Now we have purpose. I am reminded of God's unmerited favor and I think two things: that I don't deserve it and I am afraid God will take it away. Then, God answers those two things with: "It's not about deserving, it's about acknowledging that you need me". And: I need to trust in Him. He is my only hope. I hope to find Him in His death and resurrection this coming year.

Our God is greater!!!

I have amazing news that I wanted to share!!! At church this morning the Pastor singled me out in front of the whole congregation to point out that I am collecting funds to serve in Lebanon, so if anyone wanted to support me, the church had a fund to which they could donate to!!! Immediately after, 2 women rushed to me who were connected to Lebanon somehow, and one of them has a ministry right here in Bristol serving an Arab population!!! God is totally preparing me! He is with me and is providing all that I need for when I go! Also, BRCC is partnering with me to fund and pray! I am so excited to see God moving!

Jehovah Jireh

I am so glad that God is teaching me to rely on Him! He truly is the God who gives and takes away...and I find that He truly gives what is good. This week, I lost power and became so thankful that God provided everything I needed: a warm shower, heat, food, gas...just by presenting different alternatives and solutions in the amazing way that He does! So, after realizing how much I depend on my health and material things, and how thankful I am for them, when I got them back I could focus on God as my sole Source and Provider! My true Jehovah Jireh! Related verses: Exodus 33:14, Psalm 116:6 & 7, Ephesians 1:7-10. This notion comforts me and helps me to abide in Him...to just be. Ahhh...I can be who I am and trust that He has the rest. Psalm 23- He leads me to green pastures!

While in Asia...

God certainly answered every prayer we asked for in the natural. Yet, in Hebrews He talks a lot about what is unseen. I am confident that Jesus healed. There was a release of past strongholds that the enemy wanted to steal away, and a new freedom in Christ! We got through customs perfectly, blessed the daycare with new toys, and rejoiced as we saw regain our strength again each day. I learned to rely on Him in each moment, because I battled many different kinds of sicknesses! It could have been opposition, or God humbling me to say "I am in control". It is certainly not about me! A prayer to continue for this part of the world is protection of Christian communities, that the enemy uses in government officials to seek out, destory...it is tough- and the young churches are needing more guidance and encouragement. There are many encouraging things I saw too: a new pastor to reach the local people! He is very passionate and strong in the Lord and his faith. Praise God!

The impossible!

God is so good! He really moved on my trip to Central Asia! As for my personal growth in Him, I got really sick during the trip and sensed God telling me to just rest in Him. This is a very important priniciple to abide in at home, as life can easily get crazy. As I battled an intense fever on the airplane, God used that time to show me how I can rejoice in how He has made me free in Him! Isaiah 26 are the exact words to describe my situation! God has shown me He has made me FREE in Him! There's truly no need to worry about what my present situation may seem like. He is ultimately in control and I can trust that it is for my own good! Amen!