Exhausted

Spring break is finally here.  It marks the half-way point of the semester.  This semester has kept me so busy that I barely realized that spring break was here until I was actually on my way home on Friday.  It wasn't until I came home and started to "slow down" that I realized how utterly exhausted I am.  Since I got home I've been sleeping for about 10-12 hours a night and even took a nap today.  Ridiculous, I know.  Worse yet, I have so many things to get done over "break" that it can barely be called a break!

Before I left Cedarville I compiled an exhaustive list of what I needed to accomplish over break.  This includes lots of homework, shopping, planning a bridal shower, researching several things.  I could probably fill everyday of break with things to do.

In spite of all of that...I am committed to having a restful break.  Emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally, I need refreshment.  Even something as ordinary as reading a book "for fun" sounds simply delightful.  Just being able to pick out a book and R-E-A-D...take my time, not worrying about having an exam over the material.

In this life, I think that we have to be so intentional about making time for resting.  Carving out time in our busy schedules for "Sabbaths".  My challenge for you is to take ten or fifteen minutes today to just rest.  What would you do?  Sit near a window and soak in the beauty of the earth?  Take a bubble-bath?  Bask in a silent moment to just collect your thoughts?  Read a good book?  Go puddle jumping?  Dance to some funky music?

Take time...MAKE time.

Be refreshed!

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I just love Jesus!  Really, I do!  More than anyone!!  If you know me at all, then you know that this phrase comes out of my mouth pretty often.  Sometimes I feel like a little kid, all excited about Christmas that they can barely contain themselves from bubbling over with happiness.

You might remember that a few weeks ago I was very convicted about not praying for the pimps and human traffickers around the world.  Since that time, I have been praying on and off for those people and then at church this morning, God continued this work He is doing in my life.  He is just so incredibly good.

This morning we sang "Mighty To Save" (click to see lyrics) and God brought to mind these human traffickers that I had committed to pray for.  Honestly, I've never really loved that song, but this morning it took on new meaning as I sang it thanking God for what He had done in my life and as a prayer for what I know He is able to do in the lives of these people.

The sermons have been on Jonah for the past five weeks.  They have been so, so good (here is a link to the audio archive online although this week's won't be on there for a few days).  Anyway, today we were finishing the book and consequently in chapter 4 of Jonah.  I don't have the time to go into everything that we talked about this morning (I wish that I did because it was wonderful, but you can just listen to it yourself).  :)  Jonah was so angry at God because He was being consistent in His character and showing mercy to the city of Nineveh.  Jonah has no problem with God expending love, he just doesn't like the direction of His love (Nineveh).  Pastor Rob asked, "Is there any people group who you just think about and you get angry?"  My mind was like, "Uhh...nope!"  But Pastor Rob continued, "Al Quaeda?  Pedophiles?"  He said a few other groups after pedophiles, but I didn't hear them.  I was busy making excuses to God of why I was angry at them.  But immediately, I was reminded of these human traffickers...the ones I am praying for.  So God taught me a lot this morning from Jonah.

Finally, as the service closed, they ended with the song "Amazing Grace."  If you know anything about Apex, you probably know that hymns are not their typical music choice and so as soon as it came up on the screen, I smiled.  "Amazing Grace" was written by a former human trafficker, of course.  Incredible!!  That they would choose to do a hymn that morning, and do "Amazing Grace" after all that God was teaching me on this subject.

I wish that I could expound more on all of this...but tomorrow is Monday, which means I need to get to work and start studying.  Remember this today:  God  is so good.

FREE Audiobook on Human Trafficking!

Click here for a link to the audiobook, "Not For Sale" by David Batstone.  It is FREE for the entire month of February...the code is NFS09 which you use once you get to checkout. You will need to make an account with the website, but it's worth it.  There are three different options for downloads depending on if you have iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc.

Prostitutes and Pimps

A quick look into my brain:

I was on Beth Moore's blog.  That reminded me of one time when I heard her speak about the possibility to expanding her ministry into other countries.  That made me think of other countries.  That made me think of Cambodia.  That made me think of human-trafficking.  That made me think, "Wouldn't that be great if some prostitutes got saved and Beth could go over and lead one of her bible studies!?"  That made me think of child prostitutes getting rescued and being introduced to Jesus.  That made me think to pray for them.  That made me think about of the pimps.  That made me wish that they would stop their operations.  That made me think to pray that they would be saved.  That made me think about what an incredible testimony they would have.  That made me think of John Newton.

And all of the in less than five seconds!  Whew!  It's exhausting to actually write out my train of thought!!  : )

Anyway, tonight amidst the muddle of thoughts I was reminded of the testimony of John Newton.  We've all heard the story a thousand times.  He was the captain of a slave ship...yeah, yeah.  *yawn*  Then he became a Christian and wrote the famous hymn.  Big deal....

It IS a big deal!  Captain of a slave ship.  Think in modern terms.  John Newton was involved in human trafficking.  He went from being a part of human trafficking to fighting it.  He had a strong influence on William Wilberforce, who fought hard as an abolitionist.  Can you imagine meeting him in church right after he got saved??  The pastor tells everyone to stand and greet the people around them.  You introduce yourself and explain your occupation and Newton grabs your hand, looks you straight in the eye and announced that he just left the slave trade.  Ye-ah.  That would give the church busybodies something to talk about. ;)

More on this later....

Journal Entry: Monday, January 19th, 2009

Monday, January 19th, 2009

7:00 pm

Lord, 

Missions conference, the IJM org forming on campus, Charity's CD, various verses, the sermon last week...You say that pure and undefiled religion is caring for the widows and orphans.  Lord, I am convicted to the very depths of my soul about my self-centeredness, my materialism, my lack of care and concern for the hurting people of the world.  I want to go minister and be ministered to by these people who have such faith in You, even in the face of persecution.  They are persecuted by their families, their friends, their villages and their government.  Sometimes mere children, these people sing out Your praises with their entire beings.  They never stop to consider whether or not this is "their style" of music, because they recognize that the praise is not directed towards them.

Oh Lord, these people pray for us Americans!  We think that we can somehow send missionaries to "help" them, but in many cases, Jesus, *we* could learn from them.

I never felt "called" to "missions"- what does that even mean?  Jesus has called all of us (if we are Christians) to love the body of Christ whether they be Indian, Khmer (Cambodian), Chinese, Ethiopian or American.

Charity's CD puts faces and stories to overwhelming words like AIDS.  Lord, I want to be ever sensitive to Your will for my life.  Unlike Jonah, I want to run toward Your will.  Guide me, Lord.  I don't want to stay here at Cedarville, but if this is where You want me next year then, Lord, I will do it.  But I don't want this passion to ever fade.  I am no longer comfortable being comfortable.  Issues like child sacrifice, prostitution, slavery, starvation, AIDS, the Untouchables and orphans break my heart, as I believe they break Yours.  Just last week we were singing and said (the prayer of my life) "break my heart for what breaks Yours."  Is this the result of that prayer?  I have seen in the past few years how my heart has been changed toward these issues.  I believe that that was You!  Since I was a little girl, I have been passionate about international adoption and about working in an orphanage.  Then as I got older and I became aware of child prostitution, I wanted to raise awareness and go to Cambodia.  Although I (rather selfishly) never thought that I would want to work with AIDS victims, in the past month I am willing and truly eager to go wherever You would send me.

Grant me contentment wherever I am, Lord.  Give me opportunities to share this information about these serious issues with others and hopefully pass the burden on to them.  Jesus, I love You with all that I am and I am eternally amazed at how You rescued me to give me new life in You!!

The DVD of Faithfulness

As I "chatted" with a friend last night (Thank you Facebook!), we discussed the faithfulness of the Lord and were remembering a sermon from Revival Week (while we both served with Life Action Ministries).  The message was by Crawford Loritz, a pastor in Fairburn, Georgia.  This post is a combination of that message, the conversation last night and my own thoughts, so I don't take credit for most of it!

I have a bad memory.  I easily forget the things that God has done in my life.  King David wrote "I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your work; I muse on the work of Your hands."   He also wrote "Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."  David understood how dangerous it is for us when we forget what God has done.  Think about the nation of Israel and what happened when generations of them forgot what God had done in prior generations.

We constantly need to be replaying the faithfulness of our Lord.  Like a favorite DVD, replay the times when God has proven Himself to you.  When I am discouraged by life, I am reminded that over and over again He has been faithful.  Start compiling your own "DVD of Faithfulness."  Make a list either on paper or in your mind.

Also, maybe this song will be a blessing and a reminder to you. The pictures can be cheesy (although the rainbow IS the sign of God's promise- Gen 9:16), but the words are TRUE.

Be encouraged!  

God is faithful!!

The Faithfulness of Daniel

Daniel 6:4-5 

"So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any fault or error found in him.  Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

This afternoon I was reading in Daniel directly before I began my prayer time as I looked for an example of a prayer warrior in Scripture.  As I read these verses (and the subsequent verses) I was struck with the notable character of Daniel.  The governors and satraps were looking over his shoulder on everything in life, trying to find his mistakes, but they could find no charge or fault!  Imagine what that would look like in our world!  No speeding tickets, no pirated music, nothing!  They could find no error or fault in him!  The word 'faithful' used to describe Daniel in this passage also means 'trustworthy.'  The *only* way that these evil men could find fault with Daniel was if they made a rule that directly conflicted with his religion.  This made me reflect on my own life and think about how obedience I am to authorities (government, church, university, parents, etc).

If you follow the passage, of course, you seen that Daniel continues to be faithful in prayer three times a day "as was his custom since early days (emphasis mine)."  Just a reminder that faithfulness in prayer doesn't just occur...I need to be demonstrating an active prayer life now in life.  It takes work.

Okay, my sleeping medicine is kicking in and I have some girls in my room to talk to.  this could be much more eloquent, but oh well. :)  good night for now!