I have just discovered something quite profound. The verse "I must decrease so He must increase" has made an impact on me. I know the similar prayer: "God, increase so I can decrease". I meant this to be, "God take over this situation, because I am about to mess it up". Now, I understand God is telling me to take what I have and give it to him. The little that I have (like the boy with the lunch of loaves and fish) so He may "increase" it. I admit, I don't have much: experience, wisdom, materials...but God can make something beautiful out of what He has created in me from dust (Psalm 103:14). I am convinced I need to get to this point to accept that God is my everything.

On top

God is doing amazing things! Just this month He is showing me how the fruit of the little things He has led me to do (such as pray with a friend) has led to big results! I think He wants to show me this so that I am not discouraged when I am in Lebanon and it feels like what I am doing is of limited worth. It is not with Him, because He gives us this grace that brings us confidence in Him, which allows us to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine!

(This is found in Ephesians 3:10-22.)

I am truly learning how to give up what is comfortable in order to let Christ be everything to me. After having "accomplished" all I could this year: getting to know a new area, becoming a "seasoned" Marriage and Family Therapist...I am now facing having to start over: learning a new language, training in new skills such as teaching...I don't fully understand God's way in this. It is why "His ways are not my ways..." (Is. 55:8).

Boasting!

I wanted to simply boast in the Lord that I am renewed thanks to Him! He truly puts the "lonely in families" and is "close to the brokenhearted", as He ministered to me when I was in a state of fear: a couple of weeks ago while my family was spending Easter in Argentina, I felt afraid of the pain occuring in my other hip, so I got in a last minute appointment with the doctor that afternoon, I left work early...and I got there to find a lady I know through another church who is in her 60's (I was on a Greece-Turkey trip with her in 2010 and we roomed together and got close), who turned out to be my biggest encouragement! God is right and truthful when He says he places the lonely in families, because she became my mother as I cried all afraid about my hip. She prayed and hugged me in the waiting room and the people around us had tears in their eyes when we noticed who was around. They agreed: "Wow, God made it for you to be here together to be comforted!" It was a amazing. After an MRI, all was okay, and I was able to spend time with a good friend who works at the orthopedic office as a nurse (we went to elementary school together).

Being

As I went on a walk with my crutches the other day, in this Spring-like weather, God gave me a new revelation about His love for me. I came to notice that my "condition" of being helpless and weak by having to rely on crutches to walk, and praying through every breath I take so as not to induce any pain on my hip. When I do simple tasks, such as getting dressed or preparing food, I have taken for granted how easily these behaviors were. I sped through them in order to get to the "next thing I had to do". Certainly, the simple and mundane is not "significant" enough to spend much time on. However, my thoughts on the simple tasks have changed, now that I must depend on others to help me carry things, and I go much slower than I used to; having to make changes in the way I adapt the task at hand to my limited mobility. This is when God reveals to me how precious I am to Him. I feel like a child, who cannot do anything for herself; and that is how God wants me to be with Him. I am to be like His child, solely dependent on His loving- kindness for stability and strength. Thank you so much Jesus that I need is you.  In you, I live a move and have my being...

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.