Here is a neat clip about the CCP. ENJOY!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Shouts of Joy
Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to give you all a quick update about life, nursing school, and the CCP!
I spent this past weekend at CO's annual Summer Leader's Retreat in Matthews, NC! It is probably one of my favorite retreats each year (this is only my 2nd one) Ha! BUT still... It was awesome getting to be with the SBP, CSP, GSP, and CCP in one place, together for the Gospel.
I sat in on 3 extremely challenging talks by Andrew Holbrook, Zach Fulginiti, and Bill Moore. I am still chewing on the Word that was brought from those talks...maybe I will blog about those once I have had a chance to process through them. All I know is that there is a Gospel gap and I want/need to embrace the power of the gospel for change RIGHT NOW rather than thinking of the past or the future<-- so, I will be meditating on that for... well...probably the rest of my life.
This weekend the CCP team was reunited again, at last! This team feels so much like family it is crazy! Unfortunately Phil & Wil had to leave Friday night and Casey wasn't able to be there most of Saturday so that left Doug chillin' with the ladies all day Saturday :) Friday night we found out some more details about our trip.
Here are some Updates:
1) Since our last meeting, Noa (Doug & Kait's 1 yo daughter) has learned to walk!
2) We are on campus at University of Johannesburg-Bunting
3) There is going to be awesome training packages this summer- led by the COJ staff and Doug.
4) We are staying in a super RAD guest house called... THE BUTTERFLY! (Our little Architect Becca has great talent, she drew us a blueprint of our little home) For our safety, there is a wall and gate in front of the house and a fake ADT security signs outside of the hosue..rest assured.
5) Wil Sessions is in charge of driving our Manual 12 passenger vehicle (Ummm....not sure how I feel about that one yet!)
6) We aren't sure where we are flying out of yet- either ATL, NY, or DC. The plan is to leave on May 16th and arrive in Johannesburg on the 17th.
7) We have learned to Click :)
8) The girls will have to purchase hairdryers and straighteners in Africa
9) God is so So SO FAITHFUL and GOOD- For some reason God has poured out His favor upon our team and has supplied us with over $30,000 of support (with $30,000+ to go)!
10) Our team is BODLY praying that our goal would be complete by April 29th, 2011! Less than 4 weeks away! Come join our team prayerfully & financially!
This whole process of support raising has been challenging with the demands of nursing school, ministry, and life in general but that's what has made this process so amazing! At the end of the day, I can't say that I did anything..because I didn't! God DID, He is so good.
The sanctification process doesn't start when I step off that plane, but it actually began way back in January when I was wrestling over the reasons why God would call me to go to Africa for 2 months. In March I cried my heart out, because Doug and I both weren't satisfied with the progress that I was making with support. And when I thought about it afterwards I realized that I had been trying to do all of the work by myself without FAITH that the Lord would be true to His character as PROVIDER. My heart wasn't believing in the POWER and PROVISION of GOD to supply all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)
Psalm 126:5 says "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!" I truly believe even now as I am standing here in "crunch time" of support raising that I am reaping already with shouts of joy, because I am seeing just how Faithful the Lord is to His children and how He loves to carry out His plans just the way HE wants it to be done.
Prayer Requests:
-I truly believe the Lord is calling me to serve His kingdom as a nurse so be praying as I try to rely on His power to finish this difficult semester out strong!
- Please be praying for Hannah and Brittany, two girls that are in a Bible study with me on Thursday nights. Hannah is serving on a mission trip with her church this summer and Brittany is going to the Summer Beach Project. So, be praying for there summers and the support that they will have to raise as well.
-Next weekend my Dad is throwing a Benefit Dinner for me to raise support for South Africa, so be praying for the heart of more supporters and for my family as they rally around what God is going to do in Africa this summer.
-Most of all, please be praying for my personal time with the Lord.
THANK YOU!
-L
Just wanted to give you all a quick update about life, nursing school, and the CCP!
I spent this past weekend at CO's annual Summer Leader's Retreat in Matthews, NC! It is probably one of my favorite retreats each year (this is only my 2nd one) Ha! BUT still... It was awesome getting to be with the SBP, CSP, GSP, and CCP in one place, together for the Gospel.
I sat in on 3 extremely challenging talks by Andrew Holbrook, Zach Fulginiti, and Bill Moore. I am still chewing on the Word that was brought from those talks...maybe I will blog about those once I have had a chance to process through them. All I know is that there is a Gospel gap and I want/need to embrace the power of the gospel for change RIGHT NOW rather than thinking of the past or the future<-- so, I will be meditating on that for... well...probably the rest of my life.
This weekend the CCP team was reunited again, at last! This team feels so much like family it is crazy! Unfortunately Phil & Wil had to leave Friday night and Casey wasn't able to be there most of Saturday so that left Doug chillin' with the ladies all day Saturday :) Friday night we found out some more details about our trip.
Here are some Updates:
1) Since our last meeting, Noa (Doug & Kait's 1 yo daughter) has learned to walk!
2) We are on campus at University of Johannesburg-Bunting
3) There is going to be awesome training packages this summer- led by the COJ staff and Doug.
4) We are staying in a super RAD guest house called... THE BUTTERFLY! (Our little Architect Becca has great talent, she drew us a blueprint of our little home) For our safety, there is a wall and gate in front of the house and a fake ADT security signs outside of the hosue..rest assured.
5) Wil Sessions is in charge of driving our Manual 12 passenger vehicle (Ummm....not sure how I feel about that one yet!)
6) We aren't sure where we are flying out of yet- either ATL, NY, or DC. The plan is to leave on May 16th and arrive in Johannesburg on the 17th.
7) We have learned to Click :)
8) The girls will have to purchase hairdryers and straighteners in Africa
9) God is so So SO FAITHFUL and GOOD- For some reason God has poured out His favor upon our team and has supplied us with over $30,000 of support (with $30,000+ to go)!
10) Our team is BODLY praying that our goal would be complete by April 29th, 2011! Less than 4 weeks away! Come join our team prayerfully & financially!
This whole process of support raising has been challenging with the demands of nursing school, ministry, and life in general but that's what has made this process so amazing! At the end of the day, I can't say that I did anything..because I didn't! God DID, He is so good.
The sanctification process doesn't start when I step off that plane, but it actually began way back in January when I was wrestling over the reasons why God would call me to go to Africa for 2 months. In March I cried my heart out, because Doug and I both weren't satisfied with the progress that I was making with support. And when I thought about it afterwards I realized that I had been trying to do all of the work by myself without FAITH that the Lord would be true to His character as PROVIDER. My heart wasn't believing in the POWER and PROVISION of GOD to supply all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)
Psalm 126:5 says "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!" I truly believe even now as I am standing here in "crunch time" of support raising that I am reaping already with shouts of joy, because I am seeing just how Faithful the Lord is to His children and how He loves to carry out His plans just the way HE wants it to be done.
Prayer Requests:
-I truly believe the Lord is calling me to serve His kingdom as a nurse so be praying as I try to rely on His power to finish this difficult semester out strong!
- Please be praying for Hannah and Brittany, two girls that are in a Bible study with me on Thursday nights. Hannah is serving on a mission trip with her church this summer and Brittany is going to the Summer Beach Project. So, be praying for there summers and the support that they will have to raise as well.
-Next weekend my Dad is throwing a Benefit Dinner for me to raise support for South Africa, so be praying for the heart of more supporters and for my family as they rally around what God is going to do in Africa this summer.
-Most of all, please be praying for my personal time with the Lord.
THANK YOU!
-L
Friday, March 4, 2011
Fixed and Satisfied
I just wanted to share a little bit about some things that I have learned from a quiet time that I had just the other day.
Sin is terrible, we all know that. But for real. Sin leads to death, eternal separation from God. Sin goes against the very thing that we were created for, to bring glory to God. Sin says that we are the lord of our life and that God's plan isn't perfect. We believe the lies that our original father, Satan, has scrounged up for us to believe. Sin brings a cloud on our mind- we don't see, think, hear, or act clearly. The voice of God becomes faint. It is hard to see the light, because where there is darkness light doesn't enter. Only making that snowball effect of sin leading to death proceed faster and faster.
Our eyes must be FIXED on Christ as we run this race of the Christian life.
Fixed: firmly in position, determined, established, obsessive, persistently occurring in the mind, supplied, etc.
As I have been going through this season it is especially easy to become so fixed on things other than Christ like my grades, comparing myself to other girls, ministry, future plans, etc. I want to be a woman who is so FIXED on Christ. Not that school, ministry, or the desires that I have are necessarily bad, but in essence when I desire those things more than Christ, those things become a god or an idol to me.
I have recently been concerned with my thoughts. Your thought life controls the way you act, what you say, what you do, etc. I want to have the mind and thought life of Christ. During our CCP retreat last weekend we talked about this and it is so true, your thoughts can consume you and therefore you must seek to have the thought life of Christ.
I have noticed that a lot this week particularly because I had three tests. Anytime there is a test in nursing school, everyone freaks out about it and we all become consumed in it.My mind starts blowing up with thoughts like " Do I really know this information? Did I study enough? How much did she study? What grade did she get? Oh dang, I studied a lot longer than she did and I got this crappy grade, really? What grades did everyone else get? What does my teacher think about me in clinical? Am I stepping up and proving myself enough to get my teacher's approval?" The reality is that our grades are not eternal. Yes, I am so so so privileged for the opportunity to be able to go to school and yes, the Lord has called me to be a student therefore I must honor Him by being a good steward of my studies. However, when I become so consumed with making straight A's or if I do bad on a test or if I eat, breathe, sleep, poop nursing school it is not healthy and it is sin in my life. I am therefore making school an idol. I am saying I must have God + Good Grades = happy/satisfied.
This scares me.
I recently read through the passage in Job 1:6-22 that talks about Job's experience. Job was a man who was clearly blessed, yet who feared God, turned away from evil at all costs, and was very reputable among the land. To make this short and sweet. Satan wanted to try and prove to God that if everything Job had (material possessions, land, family, etc.) was taken away from him that Job would not still worship God. God gave permission to Satan that he could stretch out his hand and touch everything that he had, but that he couldn't lay his hand again Job himself (v11-12). (Which I love that picture, because it clearly shows God's protection over His children and no one can be plucked from His hand- John10:29) Satan takes all of Job's property and children through a variety of awful situations, yet at the end of the passage, Scripture says that " Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and WORSHIPED. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." (v20-22)
WOW! In all of that Job did not sin or charge, blame, accuse, yell at, become frustrated with God because of his circumstance. I am just amazed. If I were to fail every test and fail out of nursing school, would I still be a woman who stands before God and my first reaction would be to worship Him?
Through prayer, fellowship, evangelism, studying Scripture, and meditating on God's Word I can be fixed on Christ. My mind can be consumed with thoughts of Christ and it is so vital to arm myself with Christ's thinking. After all, He has overcome the world! My grades are not over Him, time is not over Him, even the power of Satan is not over Him!
My prayer is that I would be a woman who is so FIXED and so SATISFIED with Christ alone.
So, that if everything material was taken away from me, I would stand before God and not blame Him, but fall down and worship Him. The truth is, if this was to happen HE IS STILL WORTHY! After all, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME! I never did anything to earn or deserve His grace and mercy. I was not worthy enough to begin with to be adopted as His child. I deserved God's wrath and eternal punishment, but because his grace and mercy He sent his Son Jesus to pay the penalty for MY sin so that I may have a right relationship with God and that my sins would be pardoned forever more.
PRAISE BE TO GOD!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
-Hebrews 12:1-2
Sin is terrible, we all know that. But for real. Sin leads to death, eternal separation from God. Sin goes against the very thing that we were created for, to bring glory to God. Sin says that we are the lord of our life and that God's plan isn't perfect. We believe the lies that our original father, Satan, has scrounged up for us to believe. Sin brings a cloud on our mind- we don't see, think, hear, or act clearly. The voice of God becomes faint. It is hard to see the light, because where there is darkness light doesn't enter. Only making that snowball effect of sin leading to death proceed faster and faster.
Our eyes must be FIXED on Christ as we run this race of the Christian life.
Fixed: firmly in position, determined, established, obsessive, persistently occurring in the mind, supplied, etc.
As I have been going through this season it is especially easy to become so fixed on things other than Christ like my grades, comparing myself to other girls, ministry, future plans, etc. I want to be a woman who is so FIXED on Christ. Not that school, ministry, or the desires that I have are necessarily bad, but in essence when I desire those things more than Christ, those things become a god or an idol to me.
I have recently been concerned with my thoughts. Your thought life controls the way you act, what you say, what you do, etc. I want to have the mind and thought life of Christ. During our CCP retreat last weekend we talked about this and it is so true, your thoughts can consume you and therefore you must seek to have the thought life of Christ.
I have noticed that a lot this week particularly because I had three tests. Anytime there is a test in nursing school, everyone freaks out about it and we all become consumed in it.My mind starts blowing up with thoughts like " Do I really know this information? Did I study enough? How much did she study? What grade did she get? Oh dang, I studied a lot longer than she did and I got this crappy grade, really? What grades did everyone else get? What does my teacher think about me in clinical? Am I stepping up and proving myself enough to get my teacher's approval?" The reality is that our grades are not eternal. Yes, I am so so so privileged for the opportunity to be able to go to school and yes, the Lord has called me to be a student therefore I must honor Him by being a good steward of my studies. However, when I become so consumed with making straight A's or if I do bad on a test or if I eat, breathe, sleep, poop nursing school it is not healthy and it is sin in my life. I am therefore making school an idol. I am saying I must have God + Good Grades = happy/satisfied.
This scares me.
I recently read through the passage in Job 1:6-22 that talks about Job's experience. Job was a man who was clearly blessed, yet who feared God, turned away from evil at all costs, and was very reputable among the land. To make this short and sweet. Satan wanted to try and prove to God that if everything Job had (material possessions, land, family, etc.) was taken away from him that Job would not still worship God. God gave permission to Satan that he could stretch out his hand and touch everything that he had, but that he couldn't lay his hand again Job himself (v11-12). (Which I love that picture, because it clearly shows God's protection over His children and no one can be plucked from His hand- John10:29) Satan takes all of Job's property and children through a variety of awful situations, yet at the end of the passage, Scripture says that " Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and WORSHIPED. And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong." (v20-22)
WOW! In all of that Job did not sin or charge, blame, accuse, yell at, become frustrated with God because of his circumstance. I am just amazed. If I were to fail every test and fail out of nursing school, would I still be a woman who stands before God and my first reaction would be to worship Him?
Through prayer, fellowship, evangelism, studying Scripture, and meditating on God's Word I can be fixed on Christ. My mind can be consumed with thoughts of Christ and it is so vital to arm myself with Christ's thinking. After all, He has overcome the world! My grades are not over Him, time is not over Him, even the power of Satan is not over Him!
My prayer is that I would be a woman who is so FIXED and so SATISFIED with Christ alone.
So, that if everything material was taken away from me, I would stand before God and not blame Him, but fall down and worship Him. The truth is, if this was to happen HE IS STILL WORTHY! After all, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME! I never did anything to earn or deserve His grace and mercy. I was not worthy enough to begin with to be adopted as His child. I deserved God's wrath and eternal punishment, but because his grace and mercy He sent his Son Jesus to pay the penalty for MY sin so that I may have a right relationship with God and that my sins would be pardoned forever more.
PRAISE BE TO GOD!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A Weekend in Blacksburg, VA
This weekend the CCP team met in Blacksburg, VA for some more team bonding and support updating!
We arrived around 7pm on Friday night and had dinner at the Stutzman's. Kait Rose made the whole team a delicious Baked Ziti supper with salad and garlic bread. We spent the evening hanging out with the Stutzman's and meeting individually with Doug to go over how we were doing in the support raising process. We were supposed to watch a documentary about South Africa, but the Rose's were unable to locate the DVD before our meeting. I'm pretty sure that was the Lord's provision, because we had an amazing time hanging out with Jen & Jake Stutzman! This couple is absolutely precious and their story of adoption is humbling! They have 5 chilren (2 biological & 3 adopted siblings from Ethiopia). It was such a gift getting to hang out with them all evening and spend time with the CCP family.
After dinner, we slept over at the respective VTech guy/girl staff houses and met at 9 am for a delicious pancake and egg breakfast at the Rose's the next morning. After breakfast we had a meeting and PB&J lunch at a ministry house near Virginia Tech's campus. At this meeting we spent time in the Word and discussed 1 Peter 4:1-2. " Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin." - 1 Peter 4:18
Some Scriptures that were helpful and will be used as a constant reminder of the way Christ thinks about suffering and the world include:
John 4
John 6:63
John 12:24-25
John 18:36
Matthew 5:11-12
John 15:18-20
Matthew 16:24
Matthew 26:39
Romans 8:15-17
John 17- the way Christ even prayed represented what He was thinking.
This time was great and refreshing, the Lord really used it to show me that so far in this process I have been thinking about me and have left Him out of doing the work, proving my lack of faith and trust in the Lord's promises to provide.
In Judges 7:1-2 Gideon's army is shrunken down to less than 1% of what he started with and he goes to battle against this huge army (the Mideonites) and in the Lord's time Gideon and his army are delivered out what seemed impossible! The Lord brings us to a place where we are fully aware of our weaknesses so that in the end He gets ALL of the glory! God is able to take little and make it much!
Currently, I am going through a very tough season of having to trust the Lord to make much out of little regarding the amount of time I have. This requires a faith that can stand the test! May I be a woman who puts my complete faith in Christ and is faithful to the specific tasks that He has called me to.
After, our brief meeting and PB & J lunch our group went on a 7 miles hike in Roanoke, VA.
We finally made it all the way to McAfee knob after about 2 hours of hiking and then hiked another 1 hour or so back down the mountain. This hike was extremely exhausting but the view was worth it, not that I would do it again or anything! Haha! We finished our trip off with a fantastic dinner at a local hotspot called "The Homeplace". Our team/family departed after dinner and I arrived late last night around 11pm.
I still have a long way to go in my support raising journey, but am trusting God to provide every penny and more for our team! The time that our CCP family spent together this weekend was so rewarding and I am so thankful for the way God is knitting our team together. Please keep our team in your prayers and be praying for Doug as he is in South Africa this week working on figuring out a lot of logistical stuff.
Things you can be praying for this week include:
-housing
-cars/transportation
-partnership details with COJ staff team
-partnership details with campus leaders
-schedule for summer
-mercy ministry opportunity
In His Glorious Name,
-L
We arrived around 7pm on Friday night and had dinner at the Stutzman's. Kait Rose made the whole team a delicious Baked Ziti supper with salad and garlic bread. We spent the evening hanging out with the Stutzman's and meeting individually with Doug to go over how we were doing in the support raising process. We were supposed to watch a documentary about South Africa, but the Rose's were unable to locate the DVD before our meeting. I'm pretty sure that was the Lord's provision, because we had an amazing time hanging out with Jen & Jake Stutzman! This couple is absolutely precious and their story of adoption is humbling! They have 5 chilren (2 biological & 3 adopted siblings from Ethiopia). It was such a gift getting to hang out with them all evening and spend time with the CCP family.
After dinner, we slept over at the respective VTech guy/girl staff houses and met at 9 am for a delicious pancake and egg breakfast at the Rose's the next morning. After breakfast we had a meeting and PB&J lunch at a ministry house near Virginia Tech's campus. At this meeting we spent time in the Word and discussed 1 Peter 4:1-2. " Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin." - 1 Peter 4:18
Some Scriptures that were helpful and will be used as a constant reminder of the way Christ thinks about suffering and the world include:
John 4
John 6:63
John 12:24-25
John 18:36
Matthew 5:11-12
John 15:18-20
Matthew 16:24
Matthew 26:39
Romans 8:15-17
John 17- the way Christ even prayed represented what He was thinking.
This time was great and refreshing, the Lord really used it to show me that so far in this process I have been thinking about me and have left Him out of doing the work, proving my lack of faith and trust in the Lord's promises to provide.
In Judges 7:1-2 Gideon's army is shrunken down to less than 1% of what he started with and he goes to battle against this huge army (the Mideonites) and in the Lord's time Gideon and his army are delivered out what seemed impossible! The Lord brings us to a place where we are fully aware of our weaknesses so that in the end He gets ALL of the glory! God is able to take little and make it much!
Currently, I am going through a very tough season of having to trust the Lord to make much out of little regarding the amount of time I have. This requires a faith that can stand the test! May I be a woman who puts my complete faith in Christ and is faithful to the specific tasks that He has called me to.
After, our brief meeting and PB & J lunch our group went on a 7 miles hike in Roanoke, VA.
I still have a long way to go in my support raising journey, but am trusting God to provide every penny and more for our team! The time that our CCP family spent together this weekend was so rewarding and I am so thankful for the way God is knitting our team together. Please keep our team in your prayers and be praying for Doug as he is in South Africa this week working on figuring out a lot of logistical stuff.
Things you can be praying for this week include:
-housing
-cars/transportation
-partnership details with COJ staff team
-partnership details with campus leaders
-schedule for summer
-mercy ministry opportunity
In His Glorious Name,
-L
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Moving Into the Neighborhood
So, as many of you know...
I have lived with a very precious and dear friend of mine, Holli Almond for the past 2 years! We have grown and matured a lot together in our faith the past couple of years and because of that so has our friendship. We have laughed together, cried together, sang together, taken road trips together, went to SBP together, argued together, taken random cook-out trips together, stayed up in the wee hours of the morning chatting together, etc. We've spent a lot of time together!
I have lived with a very precious and dear friend of mine, Holli Almond for the past 2 years! We have grown and matured a lot together in our faith the past couple of years and because of that so has our friendship. We have laughed together, cried together, sang together, taken road trips together, went to SBP together, argued together, taken random cook-out trips together, stayed up in the wee hours of the morning chatting together, etc. We've spent a lot of time together!
This year Holli decided to follow God's will for her life and become an RA. She decided to use her position, of being an RA, as a platform to share the Gospel with freshman girls. Although Holli didn't get the position in a specific dorm that we had been praying for, the Lord knew the lives that He intended to use Holli to reach in Witherspoon Hall. Holli has freely given her life to minister to the girls on our hall and from her laboring for the sake of the Gospel this year we have seen 2 girls come to know Christ and several others who really notice something different about Holli and keep coming around to spend time with her.
I admire Holli so much for her willingness to lay down her comforts and give her life away for these girls. She is a prime example of what it means to "move into the neighborhood" as Jesus did in John 1:14 "And the Word became flesh and DWELT among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Jesus also makes a very powerful statement in Matthew 9: 36-39 " When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
I just wanted to share with you a little bit about Holli and how her desire to live missionally by committing to live with freshmen as a junior and now rising senior has really challenged me.
I am so very sad that my time of rooming with Holli during college is coming to an end after this summer after the CCP, but I am so excited for what God has planned for her next year as an RA in Moore Hall (the very building she lived in her freshman year and we were praying for her to be an RA in!) It's amazing how God answers prayers!
So who will I be rooming with next year?!
I will be living with Morgan McDow in Holshouser Hall and hoping to continue our personal ministries in the nursing program and start a ministry on the 8th floor! Morgan and I met in high school as President and Vice President of HOSA, but really weren't friends until we met through a Bible study that was held in her dorm room our freshman year. Morgan is a nursing student as well, so we have lots in common. I am excited to live with Morgan and share the very vision and heartbeat of Christ with her!
Morgan, Amy, and Me at CO's end of year cook out in May 2010
What's Going On?!?!!?
Well, I just wanted to update everyone about what the heck has been going on in my life since Christmas (long time, I know!)
Shortly after Christmas, I attended CO's New Year's Conference in Washington, DC. This year the conference was called AL!VE and the Lord really showed up in a mighty way there! It was so awesome to be part of something so Big and Ultimate, yet having met so intimately with the Lord too!
Needless to say, I am surviving! I am about halfway through with this dreaded semester! (It's actually not SO bad!) I have learned so much in these past few weeks and this time really will have a great influence on my nursing career in the years to come. I have a super crazy nursing instructor for my Illness & Disease Management clinical, but she's wonderful! I have learned so much from her and I really enjoy IPU. I have some crazy stories, which is super exciting! (I promise I will save you from the sickening details!) I have a super precious instructor for my Pediatric clinical, she is so wonderful and encouraging! I am very sad that next week will be my last clinical rotation with her, but I get to finish it in the NICU, which is the unit I have always said I wanted to work in! I have a big heart for little children and often have pondered (since the time I was 7 yo actually) if this may be an area that the Lord may be calling me to go into. After Spring Break, I will switch from Peds to Maternity! This semester has been emotionally draining and extremely exhausting physically and mentally. I feel sleep deprived most of the time, but somehow seem to truck on through each and everyday. The frustrating part, even though I know it is only for a while, is that I have to go to bed so early and get up before the crack of dawn everyday. I hardly feel like I am a college student anymore. Part of growing up, I guess... I know that there is pain only for a little while and that the Lord is going to use this to grow me, sanctify me, and allow me to use my talents for His ultimate glory! So it's worth it!!!!
I wanted to share something exciting that the Lord is calling me to this summer! A lot of you have heard about my past two absolutely amazing summers at Summer Beach Project! My first year at SBP I was discipled by a young woman named Erica and then last summer I had the wonderful privilege of discipling 3 young women Rebecca, Julie, and Katy who are now laboring on each of their campuses for the lost world! Well, this summer the Lord is calling me to be part of something so much bigger than myself! This opportunity is one that I can hardly fathom that I am even getting to stand in the midst of right now. Myself and 11 other people are going to step onto a college campus in Johannesburg, South Africa staring May 16th- July 7th to share the Gospel!!!
SBP was such an important part of preparing me to not only be a follower of Jesus Christ but develop and give me fundamental training to go to another country to share with others the One who gives Life! I am going to try to keep this blog updated throughout the whole process of my journey from the start of my support training (now) to returning home from SA!!! I would love for you to be praying for this and I will post prayer requests soon! Our team has met once before in Lynchburg, VA and we had an amazing time. This weekend we are going to Blacksburg, VA for another meeting to discuss support and to develop/unite more as a team!
I am thoroughly excited and humbled about being apart of this unique opportunity! I can't wait to see how the Lord is going to change lives and how my life is going to be so impacted from this whole process (as it already is). SA is such an influential area, it is considered the hub of all of Africa. It would be compared to the impact that a city like NYC, NY has on the whole United States! SO EXCITING!
That's all for now!
-L
Shortly after Christmas, I attended CO's New Year's Conference in Washington, DC. This year the conference was called AL!VE and the Lord really showed up in a mighty way there! It was so awesome to be part of something so Big and Ultimate, yet having met so intimately with the Lord too!
On our free day, everyone who was at conference met up around lunch time on the steps of the Capitol Building to pray for our nation!
It was such a unique & powerful moment!
This is a picture of the Washington Monument as the sun was beginning to set, so gorgeous!
After a dry (spiritual) season in the fall, I was yearning and thirsting solely for more of Christ. Not ministry, not Bible Study, not church. Nothing else. I just needed to be brought back to the Element of my Faith, Jesus Christ! At conference, God really showed me more of Himself and His commitment to my life! A fresh start had been washed over me, which is what I needed (and God in His Sovereignty knew that too!)
I headed back to UNCC feeling pumped and so thankful for the way that God showed up at conference, but I knew what would lie ahead of me would be another tough season- J2! Haha! The dreaded J2 semester of nursing school. J2 is also known as "the devil". This is the semester where the professors kick things up a notch with assignments, completely packed schedule, you are in 3 different clinicals, sleep deprived, and are expected to excel in your studies because there is chance that oh, wow, you may still be "weeded" out of the program after your already seamlessly ending efforts to try and get into nursing school! Yeah, J2...
I wanted to share something exciting that the Lord is calling me to this summer! A lot of you have heard about my past two absolutely amazing summers at Summer Beach Project! My first year at SBP I was discipled by a young woman named Erica and then last summer I had the wonderful privilege of discipling 3 young women Rebecca, Julie, and Katy who are now laboring on each of their campuses for the lost world! Well, this summer the Lord is calling me to be part of something so much bigger than myself! This opportunity is one that I can hardly fathom that I am even getting to stand in the midst of right now. Myself and 11 other people are going to step onto a college campus in Johannesburg, South Africa staring May 16th- July 7th to share the Gospel!!!
SBP was such an important part of preparing me to not only be a follower of Jesus Christ but develop and give me fundamental training to go to another country to share with others the One who gives Life! I am going to try to keep this blog updated throughout the whole process of my journey from the start of my support training (now) to returning home from SA!!! I would love for you to be praying for this and I will post prayer requests soon! Our team has met once before in Lynchburg, VA and we had an amazing time. This weekend we are going to Blacksburg, VA for another meeting to discuss support and to develop/unite more as a team!
I am thoroughly excited and humbled about being apart of this unique opportunity! I can't wait to see how the Lord is going to change lives and how my life is going to be so impacted from this whole process (as it already is). SA is such an influential area, it is considered the hub of all of Africa. It would be compared to the impact that a city like NYC, NY has on the whole United States! SO EXCITING!
That's all for now!
-L
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Ultimate Purpose
As I think about the beginning of this Christmas season, I remember my prayer being that I wanted my eyes FIXED on Christ (as I should pray that each day), but especially during this season. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of crowds, gift buying, baking goodies, school being out, time with family, etc. But is that all the reason for the season, as cliche as it sounds?
I was recently reminded of how significant the Savior's birth is...
In Isaiah 9:6-7, you see that Jesus was brought to the earth so that we might be reconciled to God the Father. We are reconciled through his mercy, because he humbled himself as a substitute. He didn't have to give me what I deserved, which was death/eternal separation from God/God's wrath. Once we are reconciled he brings us great stability- the government of Jesus is not in a downward spiral, like the government of the US. The government of the universe rests on his shoulders! Can he not then be Lord and handle every area of my life? His stability provides clarity, because he is the Wonderful Counselor. He gives advice from a heavenly perspective, He sees my days ahead and has them numbered. He is the Mighty God, therefore, if we start listening clearly then we start responding to His authority. Under His authority, we have great security- he is the Everlasting Father. He has a tender way of dealing with His children, He will walk with me through the valley. He never worries or is anxious. He always provides and is safe for His children. He chose me, purchased me, adopted me, and loved me. I never have to worry about him leaving or giving up on me despite my failures. He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Chief Prince of Peace.
Many people also question the birth of Jesus.
Virgin Mary? Really? Fully man? Fully God? What?!
The virgin birth is a miracle!
We must affirm it, due to the veracity of Scripture. Salvation can't ever come from human effort, neither did the virgin birth. The virgin birth made the unity of full humanity and full deity possible. If Jesus was born "normally" then there wouldn't be anything different about him. He was human, yet without sin. This all goes back to the concept of "original sin" from our bloodline of Adam. Jesus didn't have a human father, so he didn't inherit a sin nature.
In Luke 1:35 scripture says that he will be called holy- well the only way he could be called holy is if he was perfect and didn't have a sin nature.
Christ was fully human.
He ate, drank, bled, had feelings, etc.
Before the fall, humans we were created without a sin nature. Christ is what we were intended to be like before sin entered the world.
He had to be fully man , so that he could be credible to us. He came through incarnation of a human, because he had to go through the same growth as us. He had to be fully man to be our mediator, to return worship to God. He was fully man to be our example. That which he didn't take on he couldn't save- mind, heart, flesh,etc.
He was fully God.
John 1:1 - "In the beginning..." confirms eternal existence.
"the Word was WITH God"- no created being can be face to face with God.
Whatever God is, so to, is the Word.
John 1:14- " ...dwelt among us..."
dwelt: pitched his tent
He came and lived among us in our junk!
Too many people, throw around the famous verse John 3:16.
There is one word in that verse that stands out and confirms the deity of Christ.
The word "begotten"- you can only begot that of which you are.
Kind of a weird statement, but stay with me.
Christ is the only begotten Son of God.
Essence is what makes something, well, SOMETHING.
Christ is the essence of God- meaning that they were the same thing.
Why is His deity necessary?
Good question. Well, He has to be fully God to bear the penalty of our sins. No created being could save creation.
You see, there is so much to the meaning of Christmas. Much more than just a babe lying in a manger. Much more than honking horns in traffic trying to get the closest parking spot at the mall, much more than gift wrap, pretty bows, ornaments on a tree, time with family, Christmas songs, etc. Although some of those things are good, I wanted my focus this Christmas not to be on those things. But rather the Creator and to fall down and Worship The One who reached down and picked me to be His. The Son of God who humbled himself and gave His perfect life for my filthy, gross, disgusting sinful one. There was nothing good in me, that made Him choose me. There is nothing I did or can do to earn His love or favor. He gave me the free gift of salvation. Through repentance (turn in the opposite direction from my sin) and Belief ( through faith) in Jesus Christ, I became of Daughter of the King. Secure forever. Only wishing to boast in Him. My one desire is to be more like Him. To live with a purpose such as His- to die to myself so that others may LIVE.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)