Prayer Requests for this Season

Please pray, as I mentioned in my last post, that I will be shaped into Christ's likeness and that I will live a life worthy of imitation.  That those I disciple will also look like Christ more and more!

Please also pray that I would grow in wisdom and knowledge as I am seeking to work in this new role with excellence.  May I balance my time with the North American team, with my Mexican friends, family, church, and other opportunities for ministry.  Please pray for me, too, as I am seeking to continually challenge myself to learn and grow.  Some areas that I want to grow in are counseling (I want to get further training and certification in this), missional theology, spiritual disciplines, leadership, and Mexican history and culture in general ... to name just a few things!

Please also pray for me as I will be going with a team of people to the state of Oaxaca at the end of October to participate in a missions fair.  I am so excited for this chance to visit a state I have never been to, but even more excited to help promote the Great Commission and to strengthen one of the churches there for greater ministry around the world!

Please pray for our team as they are settling into their ministry roles.  May it not be too overwhelming of a time for them as they are adjusting to so many new things.  Also, as the fall schedule is high on training, may they not be discouraged, if they feel that they are not spending enough time involved in ministry initially.

Thanksgiving:

I just want to say, too, that I am so thankful for all of you!  Even as I was praying through your prayer requests, my heart was so warmed as I thought of each one of you!  I am so blessed by the ways that God is working in your lives, even the times where you are feeling so discouraged and oppressed.  I prayed frequently that God would give many of you joy and a deep sense of His presence in the midst of your deepest heartaches (or physical aches, which can also be so draining and discouraging!!).  I am blessed beyond measure that the Lord has brought you into my life, and I will continue to lift up these needs as they are on my heart and mind.

I am also just so thankful for God's constant presence and comfort!  It is amazing to me how He always draws me close to Him even when I wasn't seeking Him.  This is what I believe about salvation -- that God loved us and called us when we were still sinners -- but I also thank Him so much that He still operates this way!  Even now that we are a part of His family, He still comes and calls to us even when we are distracted and following our own paths.  He is SO good!

Another opportunity that I am so excited about and thankful for is that today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday) I will be attending my first Ligonier Conference ... but in Mexico City!  :-D  It is so funny to me that this ministry started just about an hour away from my home in Pittsburgh, but I needed to come to Mexico to attend a conference with them for the first time.   This should be a great time of learning and being encouraged alongside many other Mexican believers, some of whom I already know and love, and many of whom I have never met before!  I am so pumped!

Imitate Me As I Imitate Christ

"Be imitators of me as I imitate Christ"  1 Cor. 11:1

"Therefore, I urge you to imitate me."  1 Cor. 4:16

"Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who live according to the pattern that we set for you."  Phil. 3:17

"Whatever you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, put these things into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."  Phil. 4:9

Though these verses all refer to the Apostle Paul, I think that they are a good indicator for us that much of the Christian life -- and especially discipleship! -- implies setting an earthly example for others to follow.

I am very mindful of this as I set into this first Avance "YearOut" cycle as the program coordinator.  One of the main components of my role is to set an example for the young adults who are coming to learn about missions.  I have a full schedule of training, visiting host families, giving talks, and even one-on-one coaching times.  However, one of my biggest impacts will be how well I live my life as a Christ-follower in Mexico.  I want to be able to turn to my team and say, along with the Apostle Paul, "Here is an example that you can follow.  Live like I do." 

Wow.  That is scary to even type!  I know my own short-comings, and it would be so much easier to say, "Do as I say, not as I do." However, that is not the model that we have in Scripture.  I want to live my life in such a way that other, younger believers can be encouraged by my testimony and challenged to follow the Lord even deeper.  If you are reading this blog post, I would ask you to take a moment right now to pray for me that I would be able to live in this way.  


Note:  I have been so grateful for my church and team down here, who are tremendous helps in my spiritual growth!  I have also been more disciplined in spending time with the Lord in prayer and Scripture-reading daily.  I know that my life will only bear good fruit as I am connected to the True Vine (John 15).  

Take Me Back

Guest post by my dear friend, Brenda Burney

Written: 11/29/07

I spitefully turn and slap your face

Abuse your mercy, misuse your grace

Use my freedom as an excuse to sin

Then turn and run to your arms again.

Why do you take me back?

Why don’t you throw me out?

Please tell me…

What sin is one too many?

When will I outsin your grace?

Please tell me…

I tell you I’ll never leave

Make promises I will not keep

The first temptation has me running out the door

Like I’ve done so many times before

Why do you take me back?

Why don’t you throw me out?

Please tell me…

When will it be once too many?

When will I outsin your grace?

I feel you drawing me back again

I don’t understand, I can’t comprehend

Why one so Holy would desire such a one as I

Yet there you stand with love in your eyes

I cry…

Why do you take me back?

Why don’t you throw me out?

Oh Father…

It will never be once too many?

And I’ll never outsin your grace?

I deserve your wrath, yet you give me love

I deserve death, yet you give me life

I was a captive and you set me free

Even when I choose my captivity,

You still wait for me to come home again

And when I do, you’ll always

Take me back.

Bittersweet Goodbyes (Or "An Open Letter to My Faraway Friends")

For many years, I have been forming deep friendships, only to turn around months or years later and have to say goodbye.  They were graduating or I was graduating.  They were moving or I was moving.  Friends got married and left.  Many (including myself) have moved overseas to serve the Lord in missions.  Even over the course of the next couple of weeks, our team in Mexico will largely disband as missionaries leave after having spent a couple of months to a couple of years working here.  Goodbyes, in many ways, don't seem to ever get any easier.  Yet, as I sit here and reflect, I realize that there is definitely a very sweet element to these bittersweet goodbyes.

Because of the way that God has led our paths, I rejoice to see the newsletters of friends who are doing mission work around the world in India, China, Honduras, Germany, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Egypt, Costa Rica, South Africa, Brazil, Zambia, Spain, Romania, Bosnia, and the "Middle East" (I'm sure that I am missing countries, but those are the ones that come to mind).  I also have friends who have graduated seminary and are serving in many of those countries mentioned above, as well as in the United States and Canada.  This list doesn't even begin to come close to the other hundreds of faithful men and women who are serving the Lord in their careers, families, relationships, and respective congregations.  Facebook, phone calls, emails, and the occasional wonderful visit show a picture of sacrifice and faithfulness in the "mundane" day in, day out of life.  

Though God's calling has led to goodbyes and to lives in vastly different parts of the world, still I am thankful to have a glimpse of the fruit that is being borne by that calling!  It fills my heart to know that the pain and tears of heart-wrenching goodbyes is giving way to tears of joy and thankfulness as I see the wonderful work that God is weaving through the story of our lives.  I am so glad to know you, my dear friends, and I am so glad that you are following the Lord where He has led you.  

OverDrive

Hey there, readers!  I should probably be writing something about Mexico, or missions, or leaving home, or Mother's Day, or (most importantly!!) the greatness of God!  However, I am too overwhelmed by all of those thoughts at the moment, and will have to wait until further reflection to delve back into those waters.  In the meantime, I wanted to share with you all a resource that I have found to be absolutely wonderful, and I hope that you may be able to enjoy it as well!  :-)

In January, I was considering subscribing to Audible, since I really wanted to challenge myself to read more books.  I was a bit disillusioned by the thought of paying for it (especially since I had already done a trial run, and didn't end up using it enough to justify the expense).  Accordingly, I set myself to researching alternatives.  It was through that process that I discovered the app called OverDrive (Here is a link to the website, if you'd like to explore it some more! https://www.overdrive.com)  This lovely little resource is a free app that you can get on your smartphone, or access online, if you prefer.  To use it, you must simply have a free library card that is connected to a library with OverDrive resources.  From there, you just need to follow a few quick steps to set it up.  It's all free, and I have been so pleased with the number of good books I have been able to find on there!  I can say that, at least in my experience, I have found a ton of resources through the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.  I would imagine that many other libraries have similar programs.

Ok, well, that's all for now!  I will let you all look into that, if you're interested, or contact me if you have any further questions or need further glowing reviews!  ;-)

P.S.  I am somewhere around 6 books down so far this year ... and counting!  (I might be forgetting one or two, but that's all that are coming to mind right now!  I also didn't include unfinished books on here.)
-- "Les Miserables," by Victor Hugo
-- "Great Expectations," by Charles Dickens
-- "Watership Down," by Richard Adams
-- "Don't Give Up, Don't Give In," by Louis Zamperini
-- "Out of the Silent Planet," by C. S. Lewis
-- "The Screwtape Letters," by C. S. Lewis

Mini-Vacation and Royal Treatment

Last Monday, I had surgery, but in some ways, it was rather like a spa --

-- They give you as many heated blankets as you want; you just have to ask

-- They put these awesome leg massagers on you before surgery.  Like, seriously, they are the best things ever!  Wondering what it would take to get some...?

-- They gave me some kind of thing in my IV drip that the nurse said was equivalent to a glass of Merlot.  Sweet!  Nice and relaxing.

-- I would probably have remembered more, but whatever they gave me in my IV during the surgery was stronger than a glass of Merlot... let's just put it that way.

Once I got home, though, the real mini-vacation started!

-- My room is full of flowers, interspersed with cards of those who love me.

-- My email inbox was also filled with love and prayers by so many who have impacted my life in incredible ways.

-- I get breakfast, lunch, and dinner in bed everyday.

-- I have ample time to pray, read my Bible, and some other great books that I have been meaning to get to.

-- I have also had plenty of time to crush through some free audiobooks on my phone.

-- Some of my dearest friends (many of whom live at a considerable distance) have come in to visit me.

-- Oh, also, WAY better than pre-heated blankets at the spa, I actually have an electric blanket!!!  GAHHH!!! The best!

-- I have tons of beautiful music to listen to, and can just sit an enjoy it, when I don't have the strength to do anything else.  :-)  (Guys, the new Cinderella soundtrack.  Just wow.)

-- Unlimited Ginger Ale for when I'm feeling queasy.  :-)

There's probably lots more that I could say, but I don't want to make you all jealous... ;-)

All Is Well

He lowers us to raise us
So we can sing His praises
Whatever is His way all is well

He makes us rich and poor
That we might trust Him more
Whatever is His way all is well

Pre-chorus:
All my changes come from Him He who never changes
I'm held firm in the grasp of the Rock of all the ages

Chorus:
All is well with my soul
He is God in control
I know not all His plans
But I know I'm in His hands

He clothes us now then strips us
Yet with His Word equips us
Whatever is His way all is well

And though our seasons change
We still exalt His name
Whatever is His way all is well


Here's a recording of it, too, if you want to listen to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EPQjXIMxv0


Song by Robin Mark

Cultivate Gratitude

One saddening fact that I heard during my training in North Carolina was that American missionaries (or Americans, in general) tend to be some of the most ungrateful people that nationals know.  This is unfathomable and disheartening to those from other countries, as they can easily see how MUCH Americans have for which to be grateful, especially as compared with people from almost anywhere else in the world.  We were challenged, therefore, to focus on cultivating hearts of gratitude, over the course of our time in missions training.  It was a true challenge, at times, but one that I want to continue to take up!  So, here are a few things that I'm grateful for today!

-- Amazing access to medical help, and the ability to afford it.  I am so thankful for the way that God has provided for me to have all of the medical attention that I have needed, and that, as I look over my past, I can see how He has ultimately been the one to heal my body.

-- I am so thankful for my loving family, who all live very close to me in Pittsburgh (at least, at this moment).  ;-)  It is a blessing to be able to see each of them multiple times a week, even though three of my siblings are now moved out of the house.

-- I am so so grateful for First Evangelical Free Church, and the dear relationships that I have had there, since I was two years old.  I am thankful that it is a place where the Gospel is clearly preached from the pulpit, as well as life-on-life.  My heart is full as I think of the dear saints who have weathered many storms there and chosen a path of humility, sacrifice, grace, forgiveness, patience, and love.  I am thankful for the precious friends who are no longer there, but have gone on to faithfully serve the Lord and His church elsewhere.

-- I could probably go on all day, talking about Mexico, Cedarville, the seminary, CIT (training), and all of the dear people that I have met at those places and the wonderful, godly men and women who have poured into my life so much more than I could ever in my wildest, most selfish dreams have hoped to deserve.  I am thankful for God's grace, and lavishing me with so many good gifts that I could never deserve.  I am thankful for Christ, because even if I had never been given any of these sweet gifts, so prized by the world ... because I have Christ, I have all.




Note:  I hope to do another gratitude post again before too long, but I needed to cut this one short for now, because I could literally be writing for days.  The cool thing is, that, although complaining and self-pity lead to more complaining and self-pity... the same is true for gratitude!  Once I begin to focus on all the good things that God has given me, it's hard to stop!  (And, unlike complaining, there's no reason TO stop!  Haha!)

The Mind of a (Cross-Cultural) Servant

I spent the whole month of February in North Carolina at a pre-field missions training, whose goal was to "equip the heart and mind of a servant".  Although the trainings lasted 6-8 hours per day (not counting homework), I will try to briefly highlight some of the most important ideas I am taking away.  We were encouraged to keep "snapshot" cards to encapsulate nuggets that we took away from different elements of the training.  Here are some of mine:

-- "Transition deficit" is when we feel that we are losing more (from the country/situation that we are leaving) than we have yet gained (in the new country/situation to which we have moved).  Transition shock is different than simply culture shock.

-- I thank the LORD that He is using the difficulty and uncertainty of transitions to develop His character in me ... and that my lessons/growth can also lead to blessing and encouragement for others. 

-- A greater self-awareness and awareness of others should lead to more humility, grace, patience, unity, and love.

--"The cross is the lightening rod of grace that short-circuits God's wrath to Christ so that only the light of His love remains for believers." -- A. W. Tozer

-- We may impress people with our strengths, but we connect with people through our weaknesses.

-- "The best thing that you can do for your first year overseas is survive.  Eventually, if you stay there long enough, by God's grace, you'll thrive." -- Andy LaBreche, one of the facilitators for the training

-- If you don't go humbly, don't go!

--  Spiritual warfare is an opportunity for God's power to be displayed.

-- In regard to spiritual warfare: We do not need to be afraid; we need to be alert. 

-- We often used the phrase of different cultural elements that they were "not right or wrong, just different."  One of my friends and fellow trainees added yet another consideration:  To say "It's not right or wrong, it's just different" implies that we are still the standard by which the customs of the rest of the world must be judged.  Instead, we should seek to see our OWN culture as neither right nor wrong, just different.

This is just a tiny sampling of the many things that we discussed at the training, but I hope to continue to share more as I review that time.  Stay tuned!

Yet Constantly I Am with You

Over the past month and a half, I have learned and grown a lot through intensive pre-field trainings and retreats.  God has been sharpening my ministry skills, as well as purifying my heart.  Through it all, I have seen how much I need the presence of the Lord in my life in order to produce any fruit spiritually.  He has also been my deep source of comfort throughout a staggering number of meetings and goodbyes; much travel; and just feeling overwhelmed by the pace of it all.  He is the One who never changes, and my heart rests securely in Him.  

This psalm (73C) has been in my heart and on my lips a lot over the past many days.  I hope that it is an encouragement to you as well!

Yet constantly I am with You; 
You've taken hold of my right hand.
Your counsel shows me what to do,
And guides me in the things I plan; 
And afterward, so shall it be,
You will with honor welcome me.

Are You not all I have in heav'n? 
None else on earth do I desire.
Though human strength come to an end --
My flesh may fail, my heart expire --
My heart's strength God Himself will be,
My portion through eternity.

Those far from You will surely die, 
Who dealt with You unfaithfully.
But as for me, I will draw nigh.
How good that God is near to me!
I refuge take in God the LORD,
That all your works I may record.

Suffering

I am realizing how little I know about what it is to really suffer in a Christian way.

Since the beginning of the year, I have walked through grief and loss with many dear friends and really been convicted of how little I know about how to deal with those things, even though they are common to all people.  Believers in different periods of history (as well as contemporary believers in other parts of the world) had well-rounded theologies of suffering and death, and what it means to live as a follower of Christ in the midst of that.  As I am being challenged to grow in both my spiritual life, and confessional knowledge, I also want to wrestle more with this question of how I, as one who hopes in Christ, should respond to the suffering that the Lord allows into my life.

I hope to write more about this topic, soon, but, for now, I just wanted to share that it is a subject that has been much on my heart and mind.

Since this is a short post, I also wanted to share some quick resources with you:

1)  If you have never heard this song before (or even if you have!) I encourage you to listen to it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQan9L3yXjc

2)  I highly recommend the author Nancy Guthrie, when it comes to processing through suffering.  I heard her speak at a women's conference last year, and she has so much wisdom and sensitivity to suffering.  A couple of her books that I'm looking forward to reading are "Oh Love That Will Not Let Me Go" (About a Christian theology of death) and "Be Still, My Soul" (About how Christians can face suffering in light of the hope of the Gospel).  Both are collections of the writings of some fantastic authors throughout history.

To get a taste of her writing, you can read this blog post on how to care for people who are suffering:  http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-not-to-ask-someone-suffering