Leah Anderson - Life Beyond The World Race 2007

I stand. Free.

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

For the victims of human exploitation; there is a voice, there is hope...

I stand. Enslaved.
My voice is not heard
My cries go unanswered
Evil men hold me down
Nightmares are my reality

I stand. Rejected.
My people have abandoned me
My worth determined by profit
No voice calls for my freedom
Their eyes look away in shame

I stand. Alive.
My hope is not shattered
My spirit not yet crushed
I am a survivor of hell
There is Truth greater than this life

I stand. Human.
My worth can not be numbered
My value beyond this world
I am no less than those people
There are many more just like me

I stand. Free.
My voice is heard
My story is part of the answer
A soul can not be shackled
Truth can not be contained

by leah 11/1/09

"They"

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Who are the faces we choose to ignore?

They are small children in distant lands; digging through trash, begging for money, serving perverted masters and living day to day not knowing when the next meal will come.

They are people dying of AIDS, famine and wars they never asked to be a part of. They are refugees without a home and prostitutes searching for their heart.

They are men and women trapped in ritualistic religions, bound by superstitions and enslaved to evil.

They are your neighbors, coworkers and family members suffering with guilt, shame and addictions; living self-serving lives driven by money, success and notoriety.

They are the homeless on the sidewalk, the punk kids in the parking lot and the single mother working two jobs.

They are the ones that are harder to love, out of your realm of comfort and messy to get involved with. They may ruin your life, take advantage of you, demand your money, your time and your thoughts.

They are the abandoned and forgotten ones, suffering in their sins - or maybe some of ours. We avert our eyes and disengage our hearts. For what? To live "our" life? To live up to certain expectations? To keep things simple and neat?

They may steal your dreams, invade your home and change what you consider "normal". They may alter your plans, re-engage your heart and teach you more about life and love than you ever could have imagined.

They are the ones that reflect the heart of God and "they" are meant to be an intimate part of "we".

Community of the Heart

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I had a quote on my tea bag the other day that says "Live from your heart, you will be most effective." That's some pretty big truth to swallow in a cup of tea.

The heart is often pegged as an emotional weather system; ever changing and hard to forecast. But, there is something important about our hearts that is easily bypassed in our daily lives. In Waking the Dead, John Eldridge says "the glory of God is man fully alive" and more specifically, that man's heart is fully alive.

If our hearts can be fully alive, then the possibility exists that the heart can be partially alive or worse case scenario, dead. It is tempting to live our lives apart from our heart. Hearts can be messy. Often, they have all these issues that have accumulated over the years and were never dealt with. The issues come from experiences we've had that have led to lies we've believed. On the surface it seems easier to ignore the heart issues and go on living life as if everything is fine.

But, everything is not fine if your heart isn't alive. The heart is too important to ignore! The heart is the wellspring of life, the dwelling place of the Spirit, the pulse of your soul, the excitement of your passions and the expression of your love. Your deepest desires, hopes and dreams exist in your heart. Too often, these things remain in dark corners, hidden behind all the issues that fight for attention like a spoiled child. The loud demands overtake the patient dreams waiting to be ignited.

It is in your heart that God stores his deepest treasures. And it is in the unification of hearts that community is formed and lives are changed. Seek the community that God can use to help bring your heart fully alive. The Body we are called to be a part of is not perfect and will likely bring pain at some point, but the power available to advance His Kingdom and experience Life to the fullest is worth any fleeting risk.

God is calling together little communities of the heart, to fight for one another and for the
hearts of those who have not yet been set free. That camaraderie, that intimacy, that
incredible impact by a few stouthearted souls - that is available. It is the Christian life as
Jesus gave it to us. It is completely normal. John Eldridge

A Time to Give

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

OK, I know it is not even Thanksgiving yet, and honestly, I slightly cringe at the early Christmas songs and decorations already taking over the stores... but, this is something I really want to pass along.

When looking for that perfect gift this year, why not give a gift that gives a gift back? Corridor of Hope, The Sound of Hope and Timbali Crafts all benefit orphans, widows and women overcoming the lucrative sex industry. Click on any of the links above to go to their website or click on the link below to go to Ericka's blog to read more (also links from that page to each of the organizations named above).

http://erickabennett.myadventures.org/?filename=purchase-with-a-purpose

God Bless!

All Creation Sings

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I love to love; people, life, the world, nature, children, strangers, sunny days and fresh smells, fields of flowers and lingering sunsets. I feel God when I am enjoying His creation.

Yesterday I went for a walk/run at some nearby trails. I've been there many times in earlier seasons, but this was the first time I've been in many weeks. Immediately my senses were overwhelmed. I walked in silence for a while, trying to soak in as much as possible, yet distracted by details the entire time.

The Sandhill cranes are back in full force. The pairs were scattered throughout the field, some lingering in the tall grass right off the side of the trail. The red on top of their slender heads highlighted their graceful movements. The grass and weeds were bright green, blanketing the fields with the soothing image of life in full force. Magnificent stalks of bunched purple flowers formed piles along the trail and into the fields, begging to be examined more closely. I joined the bees in closer inspection of these captivating flowers.

As I moved along the trail my nose caught the scent of life at every step. Fresh grass and flowers, as well some weed that left a distinct mark in its presence, filled my nostrils. Every once in a while I thought I caught a whiff of an animal that had once been nearby. A short grass with bunches of hair-like wisps, tinged with red in the late summer, scattered the path in clusters. I couldn't resist leaning down to run my hands across the silky tops that were shuttering in the breeze. I was tempted to pick one to carry along for my enjoyment, but decided rather to be an observer of life that day.

Several times I was stopped in my tracks by the sheer wonder of creation. An entire field, blanketed in small yellow flowers, contrasted with a brilliant blue sky and full-figured clouds, demanded this hesitation and awe. A forest path lined with birch trees shaking their emerald leaves, sent waves of peaceful admiration through my body and mind.

I think He did this on purpose. Made a world of such wonder that when you take the time to become a part of it for a moment, it takes your breath away. I think He is glorified in our wonder.

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you. Sing for joy, O heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all you trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel." Isaiah 44:22-23

Insensible Love

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

As a believer, and proclaimed follower of Christ, I also claim to have many questions and very few answers. Things seem so clear when you think you have them all figured out. But, when you begin to look closer, dig deeper and question your own motives behind many of your beliefs and actions it seems that only more questions arise - at least that is my experience.

For example, what do you do about homeless people (the question could just as easily apply to the poor, orphaned, addict, your neighbor)? Well, the seemingly logical "right" answer would be to help them out. Is it that easy though? What about the obnoxious drunk homeless people that refuse to put any effort into cleaning up their life and contribute to society? What about the homeless people that find it easier to beg for money than look for a job and sometimes make more money by sitting on the sidewalk? And, if those aren't stumping enough questions - how do you choose who to help? Are you supposed to help every homeless person you pass? Should you turn your car around and go back to where they are if you pass on the other side of the street?

It doesn't really make sense to care for these people when it seems like they should be able to do something about their situation - I mean, after all, there are jobs out there and shelters and programs to care for these situations. And, it is very possible that you will be taken advantage of, and your generosity be used for something that only serves to exacerbate their condition. So, would you really be helping by helping?

I guess that depends on the kind of help you are intending to give. You can provide for their short term comfort with food, clothing or even money. It probably would help some, but I think the biggest impact would be the action of helping at all. It is the act of service, the humbling of self to serve those around you - regardless of the result - that impacts lives. People aren't touched by the object they receive, but by the motive that spurred the action, and when that motive is pure and simple love, it changes lives - especially when it is a love that doesn't make sense.

Jesus loved the ones it didn't make sense to love (and still does). He lived in a way that didn't make sense to pretty much everyone who knew him. Even his disciples were always questioning his actions, stories and thoughts. The rest of society mostly mocked his absurd ways of love and acceptance. He stepped out of bounds, broke through the box of religion and showed people what true religion was (James 1:27). He told a parable that pretty much eliminates our right to judge anyone else's condition based on the fact that when we have been pardoned of a debt we are incapable of paying it is absolutely absurd for us to go demanding others to live up to the very thing we are unable to attain ourselves (Matthew 18:23-35).

So, I guess I'm still working out in my own life how to live in action what I believe to be true in word. I drove pass a homeless guy with a sign tonight. I hesitated at the stop sign - even looked through my bags to see what I could give him, but found nothing I thought he would want/need. I gave a weak smile and continued down the road with even more questions tumbling around my mind.

Who do you say I am?

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

How do I describe You; to try to contain You to words on this page? There is nothing I can say that hasn't been said about You, there are no words to write that are new to Your ear. They all come from You; they are You. You exist outside of time; You are everlasting and in everything - every moment. Your expanse stretches farther than the heavens, yet you inhabit every molecule here on earth.

A question straight from the mouth of Jesus, directed at Peter, brought tears to my eyes the other night when I read it. It moved me. Jesus reduced the enormity of His Being to a simple direct question that made His presence purposeful and PERSONAL to Peter.

Our "assignment" in the small group I've spent some time with recently was to write an answer to that question that came from our heart. I decided to post my response on here - maybe take some time to answer the question for yourself.

"Who do you say I am?" (Matt 16:15)

I would say... to me You are;

You are the homeless person I walked by on the street the other day. You are the orphan reaching their arms up to be held. You are the person sitting alone after losing someone they love. You are the sunrise and sunset; you are the breeze whispering through the trees when I go for a run. You are the expanse of a mountain that takes my breath away. You are best friends and loyal dogs, long summer days and laughing till you cry. You are all things that make me smile. You are Life. You are before time, before life, before thought. You exist regardless of the wavering beliefs of Your people. Your glory does not require recognition to make it more amazing, though it is difficult to deny.

You are the One who challenges me to be more. More love, more grace, more patience, more understanding, more self control... more of You. You are the One who gives me confidence and builds my convictions. You are the race in my heart and movement in my soul when I am immersed in Your will. I don't always see You, feel You or hear You, but I believe You are there - You have shown me, I sometimes just have to remember to sit in the stillness of Your presence.

You are enormous, complicated, and indescribable. You are the word on the tip of my tongue and the thought I can not quite comprehend - yet, You come simply and humbly to serve. You are my Savior. You are the One who has saved me from myself more times than I can count and ultimately saved me from being eternally separated from Your presence. You are the answer. You are perfection. You are fully God - fully man.

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt 16:16)

Recognize the Redemption

Thu, 6 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My heart can not rest - it can not sit silent. I am excited and my Spirit rejoices in harmony with the encounter of its movement around me. The recognition of this supernatural connection expresses itself in a stirring peace.

The other morning in the shower I was wondering why we (believers) shy away from interacting with those labeled as "sinners"; the outcast and the one whose sin is glaringly obvious in their life (many of us have become too good at hiding our sin). Sometimes I think it is because we see ourselves in their sin and it scares us. We think that in associating ourselves with "those" people, we will be revealed as the sinners we really are; our weaknesses laid bare and our hearts made vulnerable. But look at Jesus' life; those were the very people he went out of his way to associate with.

My thoughts took me to the girls I met in Thailand last year. Many of them were trapped in lies that had convinced them that selling their bodies was the best way to provide for themselves and their families. And while I can't say that I identified with the occupation, I could still see myself in each of those girls. The lies convincing them that they needed this money only scratch the surface of the tangled web Satan has woven in their hearts.

There are much deeper longings that pierce the heart of women, regardless of race, age, status, occupation or location. There are the desires to be loved and cared for that all women identify with, as well as the endless pursuit for affirmation of our beauty and worth. I saw those longings in the eyes of the women at the bars; I recognized it from the eyes of the reflection that looks back at me everyday. The truth that Satan tries to hide is that those longings are beautiful, natural and can only be filled by our Creator! All other pursuits to fill those desires only leave us feeling empty, worthless and hungry for more.

While the recognition of our sin in unexpected places may scare us, it is a crucial part of our testimony. The realization that we are only who and where we are because of the grace of God, and not because we are perfect or have it all figured out, is what frees people to accept forgiveness and be restored. I met a handful of beautifully restored girls who had amazing testimonies of redemption and grace amidst the darkness that covered the costal town and I believe they are only the beginning of a movement God is bringing to restore purity around the world.

God created us to invade the impossible and bring Kingdom on earth through the recognition and release of His power in the Spirit in our everyday lives. Be an invader.

check out what some invaders are up too - http://stephaniefisk.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=team-up-gear-upbiking-against-trafficking

Don't Be A Statistic

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

World statistics are good in some ways. They allow you to be amazed at the numbers, the odds, the percentages of people with AIDS, starving, dying, misplaced, afflicted, and homeless - the list is endless. But, the downfall of statistics is that they fail to give pain a face. They fall short of identifying the problems of the world with real people. Real people living, breathing, feeling, suffering, crying, praying and asking why?!

Are they so different from us? Are you more than the statistic you fall under? What is it now 52% of families are now broken homes? Wow! That makes us amazed, maybe even makes us wonder; "what can be done?!". But, what about when the family is someone we know? When it is our family? Now it is more than a statistic - it becomes the reality of everyday life. There is no escaping when you are the statistic.

I am a statistics user. Sometimes I like to discover new facts to make minds spin (along with my own) and I don't think there is anything intrinsically wrong with using statistics, but somewhere along the way people have to start acting on the stirrings and feelings in their heart. Be amazed and then do something! Every statistic has a face, a name and a story. Learn them, know them, love them, and change some statistics.

WARNING :)

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I am going on 4 months post World Race... has it been that long - and that short? I decided to keep writing in my blog, mainly for an outlet for myself - and for whoever wants to join my myriad of thoughts.
Consider this your WARNING :) If you don't wish to be alerted when I write something on my blog, just remove your name from the subscribers list, but I hope you will stay, for my journey in this world is only beginning! :)

I will also be posting pictures from my current location (Fairbanks, AK) and stories, poems, pictures ect. from this past year on the Race.

and the adventure continues....

to HIM be all the GLORY!

Questions and Expectations

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Where are the people who know me; who already know my heart, my moods, and my passions and why do I hold back from allowing new people to learn? Why does the excitement and restless stirring in my soul dance behind my eyes, but become a jumbled confusion of mismatched words on my lips? If some people can wear their heart on their sleeve, maybe I can write my heart on mine and make it a little easier to read.

I went to church on Sunday. Doesn't seem like a big deal to announce, but in moving to a new place it is a pretty big deal. Just "randomly" picking a church from a handful that are within walking distance, then showing up (alone) not knowing what to expect - it can be intimidatingsadly.

Other Racers may be able to identify with this next comment, but going to church is more challenging post World Race. Are my expectations or standards too high? Do I expect too much from a church to actually be the Church; to live by the Spirit, to pray in expectancy, to live among the people and to be Christ on earth? Or is it that I go now expecting the church not to be the Church? Which is worse? I miss the community of this past year and the fellowship of believers who were figuring out how to be the Body using our differences as our strengths.

I started thinking about expectations and how on the Race we were told to go into the year expecting things to be different than what we expected. It is a smoother mental/emotional transition when you are not set on a specific way things should play out; when you give up the control of your mind to the reality of your experience.

What about life now? How do expectations fit when thinking about church, work, friends, love and life? There must be a balance of healthy expectations and open flexibility. I can expect the church to be how God intended, but will I give grace when it is not? I could expect a job to fuel my passions, but how will I respond if it becomes an indicator of where these passions are not? Or maybe I should expect my passions to fuel my job hmm. I expect friends to still be there, but I realize that time changes relationships and creates new ones. I expect love to drive my actions, or maybe this is a hope, and I expect to be loved, but will my world crumble if the feeling is ever returned void? I expect life to be an astounding reminder of my Creator; lived in obedient adoration - and this I believe is a choice, so why do I settle for less?

So, once again, I went to church on Sunday and I'm not sure what I expected, but honestly I was pleasantly surprised. I saw a pastor who believed in a Spirit led service and opened a time for anyone receiving a word from God to share. I saw missions all over the walls of the church and in the words of the people. I saw wisdom of the delicate balance of going somewhere because you want to tell people about Jesus versus going in obedience to where God is calling. I saw opportunities for outreach to the local homeless and feeding of the hungry. And I even had a couple people come up and talk to me since I looked like a new face in the crowd. Why am I surprised and why do I fear that these first impressions are only a tease to my soul? Is it based on a fear that I will feel foolish if my hopes are proved vain? It is a delicate balance between an enlightened hope of what is to come and non-passive acceptance of what actually is.

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be - it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." - Saul Alinsky, Rules for Radicals

Rewind to China

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It is our last day in an undisclosed town in China and I didn't get to say goodbye to my new friend, a girl from the University we had been spending everyday at for two weeks. I hope to have time to meet up with her when we come back in two weeks. It is hard to be leaving so soon again. It is hard to see the point, but I guess what matters is realizing that it is not for my gain, but for others - for hers. I don't know what these two weeks could mean to her life, maybe little maybe everything. I must believe that He will take care of her, bring others to talk to her. It is hard to leave, to never know and to not be a part of her life any more - to not continue to be a part of many new lives I've encountered and love this year.

I know I will continue to give my heart - all of it. I apparently don't know how to hold it back from each new person that I meet. It is not because of what I gain, though the joy is tangible, but because I can't help it! God has poured into me so much and I have become addicted to His love and the excitement He gives in the midst of it all. He says there is more; more joy, more love how can I not desire more?

If I know and believe that nothing else will satisfy what does that make my life look like? How will I pursue my future and more importantly the day before me at any given moment? I can't lie; being in remote places excites me. This is where my heart is drawn; this is where I come alive. I see only life, only love and hope but, how can I think that when much of the world screams in pain, suffering and rejection?

But, I know He loves, He redeems, He lives and desires life for His children. He wants them to want it, to want Him. Is that too much?

God, you are more than my desires. I admit my desires are too weak and too easily satisfied. You gave up your rights as Most High to be low, so low I can't even comprehend. Your suffering was a surrender of every thing You deserved. You sacrificed Your right to be free of a bodily form - amazing (John 1:14). Do I think that I suffer? Not nearly enough this is way too fun!

I gave up family and friends for 11 months - I met missionaries who have lived overseas for 17 years. I gave up being in shape - I could be starving. I gave up personal space/needs/wants for constant community - I could be all alone in my faith. My life is so blessed and the rights I think I deserve are nothing. They are not mine, they're just distractions. They are blessings that I normally take for granted, but I am not entitled to.

The joy is set before me, how can my feet falter? His glory is within reach, why would I grab for lesser things? His voice sings sweetly, wooing me as a lover, how could I desire more from any man? He offers it all, why would I settle for less? He is the prize, the goal, the joy. My hopes, life, love, joy, pleasure is all wrapped up in the life He offers me (and you) freely.

May I cling to that truth and bask in that promise all the days of my life.

Rewind to China; Part Two

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I did get to see my friend, to say goodbye, two weeks later. It was a fun surprise to call her up on the cell phone when she thought I was gone for good. I love how God arranges things like that.

I realized in my last blog that I didn't talk much about what we did in China (though this blog will do little to clarify since the world wide web is um, world wide). Actually, China was a difficult, yet wonderful final country for our last leg of the World Race. We were told in our briefings that whatever you have heard about China is probably true somewhere in China. China is HUGE! There are 1.3 billion people bustling around in this highly monitored country compared to roughly 300 million in the United States. Other staggering statistics, especially for the Christian community, is that there are still 2.5-3 billion unreached people left in the world. These are people who have never seen a Bible; never heard of a man named Jesus or that there is hope and life beyond being successful in this one. And the staggering truth is that only 1 out of 10 missionaries are being sent to these unreached places and less than 1% of Church income goes to these areas in the world (Romans 10:14).

We entered into China with this new knowledge rolling around in our heads and the firm counsel to not associate ourselves as a "Christian" group or even as a group that had been traveling together for a year. This would have been much easier at the beginning of the year and we quickly realized how much our faith is engrained in our vocabulary, actions and relationships with each other. So we practiced and loosely perfected using our "code" language of abbreviations for potentially incriminating words, but still found ourselves quickly slapping a hand over our mouth (or our neighbors) and then promptly trying to act like nothing happened. It was entertaining in the nervous laugh kind of way and probably upped our prayer lives a little.

We basically spent our time learning Chinese culture, making new friends, busing and backpacking into the mountains where minority groups of Chinese live. The weather was warm, cold, and sometime really cold. Our living conditions were nice (think; rundown hotel), remote (empty room w/ a bed) and rustic (chickens on the other side of single board walls, piles of grain on the floor, no heat and sharing the small straw bed with Amy). We saw beautiful places and met beautiful people, learning the culture through stories some would tell, but mostly by watching the lives of many.

Traveling to Beijing and walking along the Great Wall was a special end of the month trip before heading back to Hong Kong for our final debrief and goodbyes with the people who were part of our lives for the entire year.

Only the Beginning; 322 days + ...

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Monday evening I will fly back to the States... 17 hours later I arrive in the States on Monday evening... strange. I will finish these 322 days a different person. I guess I'm mostly the same, but different and probably more changed by these 322 days than any other combined 322 days that have passed in my life.

I expected to change. I am not surprised, but I am still amazed. Amazed at what I have seen and experienced this past year. The world has shown me life, love, pain, suffering and immense hope and joy in it all. I have seen love and felt love on so many faces and my heart has gone out to more than I thought possible. The faces and places in my pictures and in my memories all have pieces of me scattered throughout; my heart, my tears, my hopes, my laughs and my dreams. These are a few of those pictures...

My year has been characterized by arriving somewhere new, falling in love with the Father in a new way-through new people and leaving. But, I'm learning that in leaving I haven't really left. I am a part of every place I have been. We all are. Our lives and our spirits touch and become a part of every place we go and everyone we meet.

We were reminded the other day by Gary that we are now responsible for a lot more than when we started a year ago. We are responsible for what we saw, what we've learned and what God has put in our hearts and in our dreams. What will we do about it? This has only been a small part of our journey, a fragment of our lives that has been impacting, but I think most of us are realizing that this is only the beginning.

Thank you for following part of my journey this year, for being a part of my life even though I have traveled far and wide, and for listening to my stories and my heart. Thank you for your prayers, your comments and financial support that have made this year possible. I am excited to be home again and for where the journey will go from there (and hopefully cover myself in a little more oil!).

Restoration

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We leave for our final destination(s) in Asia in a few short days. So close to our end, but still only the beginning of a new country, a new culture and new adventures waiting to consume us, teach and release us into the world with new insight and wonder. During this time we will be out of communication. No emails. No blogs.

Prayers please! I will also need the final balance of support, $985, to be fully raised by November 15. Thank you all for following my travels and experiences this year and seeing a little of God in the world through my eyes. As I travel for the month I just want to leave you with these thoughts inspired by my reading of Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.

God loves to redeem things. I think it may be one His most favorite past times. To take something that seems so hopeless, so beyond repair and restore it. The word restore here is interesting because to restore implies that the restored is being brought back to something it once was. In our case it would be to restore us to who we were originally designed to be - who we were before sin.

Lets go back to God redeeming things. It is definitely one of my favorite characteristics of God. He takes something that seems hopeless and fills it with potential. Not perfection, but potential. The Bible is full of stories of God redeeming people. Moses, David, Paul, beggars, prostitutes... the list goes on. His promise is to continue this pattern in the lives of people and things still today. And, He is saving the best for last in promising to redeem the entire world by restoring it to its' original design. Everything will regain its' full potential.

Restored. Redeemed.

What I love is the hope those promises deliver. Nothing - no one - is too far gone for God to redeem. I've heard testimonies that I could hardly believe, except that were coming from a persons' mouth who used to be one way, but now they are not.

Amazing.

A life full of death, destruction, loss, despair, abuse... redeemed. The new one looks nothing like the old because now there is love, peace, life, hope... potential.

Jesus is the first part of our story and the last, but in the end the last battle will be fought and the earth and His people will be restored once and for all. Hallelujah.

Until then, where do we see the need for restoration in our lives? In the world around us? Will we allow God to work in us to redeem the ransacked places of our souls? Of our lands? Will we believe in the hope He gives us to cling to and live in light of the potential He has filled us with?

God makes light from dark, form from void and people from dust, all with a word.

One word.

That is all it takes for God to take what was and turn it into what is. It is for us to believe in what will be.

A B-Day on Corregidor

Sun, 7 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In Celebration of my 25th Birthday Team O'Phun (our hybrid team of Nessa, Zeo and L.O.) traveled to explore a little bit of Philippine history, which is actually closely intwined with ours in the United States.

We took a ferry to the Island of Corregidor off the Bataan Peninsula.

The island was occupied by a military force even before 1900. By 1912 there were already concrete emplacements and bomb-proof shelters constructed and trails and roads were laid out on the island. These constructions were merely laying down the groundwork to make Corregidor a great military bastion. The small fishing village was transformed into a fortress and site of one of the most heroic battles in the history of war.

The big guns of Corregidor in 1941 were used in support of Filipino and American defenders of Bataan until the island itself was invaded by Japanese Forces. The restless pounding by Japanese guns including intermittent bombings reduced its defenses and compelled its surrender. On January 22, 1945, Corregidor was once again caught in the fury of war as the Americans retook the island after a bloody battle. *

The day was perfect for touring the sites and exploring a little bit of the island. It actually made us want to spend more than the 5 hours allotted for the bus tour, there was definitely more to see. It was obvious that the battles during WWII on the island were brutal for all involved. The destruction still scarred the land and equipment (notice the shrapnel on the cannon).

The monuments throughout the island were beautiful reminders of all who fought for their countries and why some wars are fought to begin with.

Spending the day looking back in time helped give a little perspective on today and new light towards the future. I want to say thank you to all the people who have fought in wars for our country (and for others) and an additional prayer for those who are fighting now. It is not in vain and it is not forgotten.

My time on the World Race is nearing to an end with only a little more than one month left. This year has been such a blessing and definitely life changing. China is the next and last country we will be living in before heading back home to the States right before Thanksgiving. In the famous words of General MacArthur

"I SHALL RETURN" :)

GOD BLESS

* www.corregidorisland.com/history.html

God Can Use Anything

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A rivalry bigger than Kentucky v. Louisville or Georgia v. Georgia Tech, and one game to determine who goes onto the playoffs on Sunday. A sea of blue and green covers the 20,000 seat stadium with a distinct line dividing the two. We are blue. The son of one of our contacts, Jeff Long (Kids International Ministries), is a freshman player for Ateneo's basketball team. In the Philippines basketball is huge and that is probably an understatement. Kirk, wearing the number 12 jersey, is fairly easy to spot considering he is the only American on the team. He could have gone back to the States on a basketball scholarship, but chose to stay in the Philippines where he grew up and now where God is calling his heart.

The drum lines have been going full force since we stepped into the stadium, each one trying to out-do the other in rhythm and style. The teams take center court and the entire crowd is on their feet cheering. The game is intense, never more than 6 points apart, but usually closer to 2 or 3 points. The only acceptable time to sit is when the ball isn't in play, so we stood and cheered the entire game with everyone else. Of course we cheered louder when Long was playing with his good defense and quick moves. The last 3 minutes Ateneo came from a 6 point deficit to tie the game. After a couple more shots their opponents gained the lead by one point and 28 seconds left on the clock. A quick pass and Ateneo answers back with a 2 pointer and 7.3 seconds left for their opponents to give it their best shot. Their best shot bounces off the rim as the timer buzzes and the blue crowd goes wild!

We file out in a slow crawl with the masses, excited about the win of a team we've never heard of till that night and wondering how it could be so complicated to exit a stadium. Taco Bell is the dinner of choice (my first since leaving the States) and it actually tasted like real Taco Bell. Amazing. We passed the downstairs Taco Bell and decided to head to the food court to avoid some of the post game crowd. I'm not so sure we accomplished that, but God had other plans for the rest of our night. We ran into Bill and Debbie Shaw, who we originally met by "chance" while down in Puerto Galera and have crossed paths a couple time in the community we're staying in now.

We talk and find out that they were on their way to the weekly feeding outreach they help with for the street kids and families. They asked if we wanted to join them for the evening, guaranteeing we wouldn't regret it. I've learned by now that God orchestrates these "chance" meetings and I believed He had us run into them for a reason. So we scarfed down our tacos and briskly walked down the street to the feeding location. (We also discovered that 3 of their regular helpers couldn't make it at the last minute - isn't God cool like that :) ).

As soon as we turned down the road we were bombarded by kids and people wanting to shake our hands and ask our names. Scott and Joshua became immediate jungle gyms, with kids flying in the air and climbing all over them. They opened the doors and 100+ people filled the room for juice and coffee while laughing, playing games and waiting for the meal. I sat with Sally, Happy and Leah (cool name ;) ) and we chatted and laughed. Sally asked me where I was from, in response she added she was from the cardboard box down on the street. She said this with a smile and a laugh that rarely left her face. Sally has been on the street for 10 years, has 4 kids all under nine and the people filling the room, she tells me, are who she considers her family. This is a community unlike any other, but here they have a chance to make a better life. Through the weekly feeding and Bible study they are able to get connected with people who want to assist them in; learning skills that can make them money, education for their kids and connecting them with different ministries throughout the city whose goal is to give the homeless, abandoned and poor a fighting chance.

God has truly blessed our time here in the Philippines and multiplied our contacts beyond our means to even meet with all of them. But, apparently He is taking care of that scheduling as well, as we learned when we ran into the Shaw's the other night.

Today's lesson: God can use basketball games and Taco Bell to get you where He wants you to go. :)

Tears & Rain

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I cried the other night because of these kittens that I couldn't save. I felt so helpless. I had to just walk away. I wondered why I hadn't cried before when there were people in similar conditions that I had to walk away from, but I think I was more prepared for that and I guess I believed that there would always be someone to come along behind me. But, the more I think about it, I believe my Mom was right; my tears were for all the injustices of the weak, abandoned and the forgotten of the world that I've walked away from this year. The ones thrown to the side to fend for themselves, and no one would say it out loud, but hopefully to die. When they're dead you can finally forget because then, at least, they are no longer suffering and no longer tormenting your conscience.

I had to carry the kitten back to the ditch, turn and walk away back to the comforts and provision of my everyday life. I knew I was returning it to inevitable death, but really would its' life have been much better? People of the third world don't really have the luxury to care for their animals as well as they should. Do you feed the dog who is skin and bones or your kid who hasn't eaten a fulfilling meal in days? The animals here roam freely and reproduce rapidly. Two more kittens are two more too many for anyone to look after when another baby always seems to be on the way.

I usually have ideas of how to make situations better with the third world animals, I have no idea. Mostly, I have come to accept or at least try to ignore the nagging of my heart at the sight of another skinny/mangy dog or weakly little cat. I can't go around spaying and neutering every cat and dog or feeding every hungry mouth that looks my way - nor can I adopt every orphan, shelter all the homeless or save every neglected child.

The cry of the kitten lasting long into the night outside my window was the cry of the forgotten of this world. They are forgotten because when they cry no one hears, but that night I heard. I cried out to God; Stop the crying, ease their suffering!' I don't want to hear it because I don't know how to fix it. No one really want to hear it or see it if they are honest with themselves. Everyone else who saw the kitten I was holding walked away; made a sad face or comment and walked away. I was left standing alone in the rain torn between what I wished I could do and what my current options were. Leave the burden of another (highly needy) pet on an already overworked family or put it back, where it was purposely abandoned, to continue on the course originally intended for it neither being options I liked. My decision cried into my ears long into the night. I shoved my iPod music in and turned up the volume so I wouldn't hear the kitten's weakening cries, but the blasting music was only a reminder of what I was trying to forget.

It is hard once you see the pain and injustice going on in the world. You become, sometimes unwillingly, responsible for what you see and experience. OK, now I know, what am I going to do about it - what can I do about it?! I could tell others, but they haven't yet seen it, only heard and it is so easy to forget and ignore. At this point they still have a chance to dodge the responsibility of action, so they keep hearing and forgetting - it is easier. I can try to get people motivated enough to see, but that is much harder because once you tell them and they see your burden, most will choose the easy way. Can I blame them? It is easier. But, an easy life is not what we're called to and deep down I believe everyone desires more ( 1Peter 4:12-16). Somehow we know that it is not the life that will bring the most fulfillment, the most joy - it is not the life Jesus lived or wants His followers to emulate.

A reoccurring theme in my life, in my heart, is to be a voice for the voiceless, a proclaimer of injustice and a thinker of the forgotten. My heart aches over the smallest things that have no power over their circumstance. My soul breaks and my insides rage at the money driven destruction of the Earth, the irresponsible treatment/killing of animals and the constant neglect of the starving, homeless and orphaned of this world, but too often I leave it there, on the inside. I do what others do and try to forget. I feel powerless, insignificant and weak. What can I do to change any of this? What can I do that will really matter or make a difference? Those lies (from the enemy) run through my mind and take over my actions, reducing them to the minimal. The questions I should be asking; what can God do about this? What does He want me to do? What difference can God make in this circumstance? The possibilities are endless. The obedient are few.

The course my life is taking me and that I so desire to follow, is to be one of the obedient. Not only obedient to God's call on all believers as a whole, but more specifically to be obedient to His specific and purposed call on my life. While God calls all believers to follow Him, He is calling us individually to follow the plan He laid out for each of our lives so that as one Body we will be advancing His Kingdom with the most effectiveness and greatest power possible. Just think how unstoppable the Body would be if all believers were following God's specific plan for their life and living fully alive?! Too many of us settle for a life that gets us by and one day soon, gets us to heaven. But, what about here, what about now? Eternity starts today! ( John 17:2-4)

You are not a Christian so you can go to heaven. You follow Christ because you believe there is something bigger than yourself out there that is worth fighting for, living for and dying for, because that is what He did for you. There is open opposition against us everyday - every second, fighting just as hard to keep us from becoming who God intended us to be. We are saved, we're going to heaven, so the enemy's intent is to keep us down and keep us distracted. If we never know what we're missing by not becoming fully alive in Christ the enemy is gaining ground here on Earth and winning battles against people who don't even know they are fighting ( Revelations 12:10-12).

Open your eyes Church, rise up men of God, get on your knees women and pray! Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. ( Matthew 3:2, 4:17)

Can You See This?!

Fri, 7 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The plane lands, once again, and we arrive into the Philippines with the welcoming announcement of 87 degree weather at 6 o'clock at night. Another promising month of hot, humid weather awaits our new team as we travel the Philippines meeting contacts for AIM and setting up ministry opportunities for the June and September World Race teams.

Our first contacts welcomed us at the Airport with a big sign and even bigger smiles. Immediately the 8 of us were split into three teams to spend our first night in different areas of the slums here in the capital city of Manila. Mission Ministry Philippines (MMP) has a three fold vision of reaching out to the poorest of the poor in the slums, through holistic church planting, pre-school programs and community organizing.

Today we were given statistics by MMP saying 60-70% of Filipinos are poor, with 30% of those being in metro Manila, totaling about 400 slum communities here in the city. Jesus did say that there would always be the poor among us, but I don't think that was to give us an excuse to ignore the problem. If you are in the slums of Manila it is pretty hard to ignore.

Last night ended up being a restless night sleeping on tables in the pre-school/church in a part of the slums along the Bay of Manila. After being greeted by our host, we had other, not so welcome, greetings from a couple cockroaches, a small mouse and a not so small foraging rat. This morning we rose early to walk the surrounding area with the local Pastor and see with our own eyes what the community here along the bay was truly like.

I couldn't believe my eyes. The poverty that surrounds us is some of the worst I've seen the entire World Race. While the trash, small homes built practically on top of each other and putrid smells stood glaring in my face, I saw even more clearly the beautiful people of the Philippines. Smiles were quick to share and kids chased us laughing and hiding behind the nearest obstacle, too bashful to remain in the open. Through their circumstances there remains a joy in the spirit of these people that is unmistakable. I cried out in silent prayer, "God! Do you see this?! Do you see these people!? What are you going to do about it?", but maybe He's asking us the same thing.

Please keep our team in your continued prayers, as well as the ministries we will be visiting during our month here in the Philippines. To check out other racers blogs that are on my "new" team look for; Scott & Linnea Molgard, Josh Daniels, Rusty Jackson (.myadventures.org) and my long time team mates; Lynette Lee, Amy Morris and Alissa Gibson.

* I have not reached my full support yet, please keep that in your thoughts prayers, as well as the other racers in the same situation. Click the "Support Me!" link on the left hand side if you would like to contribute. Thank you all for all the prayers and support to date. GOD BLESS

Pictures in Thailand

Sun, 2 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. Ps 116: 1-2

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1

Sustain me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope. Ps 119: 116

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. Ps 121:1-2

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, knoiwing that your toil is not in vain in the LORD. 1Corinthians 15:58

I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. Ps 130:5

Even before there is a word on my toungue, behold, O LORD, you know it all. Ps 139:4

Bow Your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains, that they may smoke. Ps 144:5

Arise, shine; for you light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising... Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. Isaiah 60: 1-3, 5

Through the Desert

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Strip me open, run me dry
I'm scared and prideful, but I have to die.
Break my heart, kill my pride
consume my being till I can not hide.
Tame my tounge and take control;
of my mind, my heart, my soul.
Drive in deep Your Holy presence,
and fill me in with your essence
Break wide the cracks that have begun to form,
lay bare my weakness so I will transform;
Into your beauty, your likeness, your glory
Take the life I call my own and make it Your story.
I'm giving my life, I'm giving my pride
I'm confessing the fears I try to hide.
None of its worth it, nothings enough;
to fill me completely, to give me my worth.
Only your Son, only your Being
can explain this stirring and belief without seeing.
I'm wrecked for your Kingdom my life's in Your hands
Take me through this desert, to your Promised Land.

Nights of Thailand

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The heavy heat brought in with each morning sun lingers on into nights here in Thailand. A light breeze blows the night air, faintly cooling the skin, but only enough to remind me of the moisture perpetually accompanying my body. I lay in bed, as still as possible, loving every second the oscillating fans turn my way and then anticipating their return a few seconds later.

The sound of motorbikes, cars and scooters reverberate through the open window from the street below, a reminder of the ever present night life in this costal city. Beauty is one thing not lacking in Thailand, from its' people, to its' beaches, mountains and islands; this place is a traveler's dream. I have seen pictures in magazines and heard stories from my brother, but Thailand is a place that you must experience first hand to truly see the beauty this country contains.

Unfortunately, not every person comes to Thailand only to experience the natural beauty of the country. An industry built around lust has flourished here, as in many other places around the world. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, as in America, but the enforcement of this law is rare, especially in the touristy southern cities where business thrives as strongly as the country's Buddhist heritage.

This month our team, now of 5 women, has blended with part of the media team to partner in Phuket, Thailand with a recently formed ministry called Self Help and Empowerment (SHE). Created by an English couple, Mark and Sharon Biddle, the vision of SHE is to reach out to the girls at the bars and provide them an option of alternative income. They can choose to leave their old life and become employees of SHE, hand making beautiful jewelry that is later to be sold all around the world. The friendships Mark and Sharon make by going out to the bars a couple times a week are real but, the choice is still entirely up to the girls. There is a great deal of pressure here to make money and send it home to the family who often live many hours away. Leaving the bars also means leaving the fast money that usually comes in excess.

But, God is so much bigger than lust and money and He draws people to Himself through His Holy Spirit, despite the seemingly impossible odds and radical life changes needed. It is a chance to have a fresh start, a new beginning and a new choice that may not have been there for the girls before. Currently four girls have made the choice to start over, they have been working here with SHE for about a month and have quickly become friends and family to the Biddles (after only four days they are rapidly becoming a part of us as well). Just a couple weeks ago the last girl made the decision to follow Christ (yay!) and now all four are being discipled and joining the night time bar ministry as walking testimony's of the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Thailand is a country ready for a revival from ancient religion and the sex industry. It will take a powerful God and obedient followers to change the patterns of sin that many have grown comfortable with over the years, here and all over the world. I know without a doubt God is powerful, it is my prayer that we are all obedient followers.

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. - Psalm 86:5

Do I Grieve?

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Early one morning I curled up in a big leather chair with a cup of tea and my Bible. I wanted to see what Jesus was up to in the book of Mark that morning and started reading in chapter 2. This is where Jesus forgives and heals the paralytic man that had been lowered into the temple. Later on in chapter 3, Jesus enters the synagogue on the Sabbath and heals the man with the withered hand despite the Pharisees judgment.

Two points really stood out to me in my reading. First, that the paralytic man was forgiven because of the faith Jesus saw in him - not because Jesus was trying to put on a show. When the crowd questioned His authority to forgive sins Jesus then healed the man's paralytic condition to show that He indeed was who He claimed to be. Christ deals with us according to our faith. I want a great faith, don't you?! I want to see miracles, answered prayers and for demons shudder when I wake! I want the awesome power of God to burn in my heart and in my bones so that I can not keep silent (Jeremiah 20:9 ) because of my faith.

In chapter 3 the Pharisees are testing to see if Jesus will break the commandment by healing someone on the Sabbath. I can just picture Jesus with his heart full of compassion for this deformed man and looking at the Pharisees like "are you kidding me?!" They were more concerned with keeping the law than with extending a helping hand to someone in need. It says in verse 5 that Jesus "after looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart". My eyes stopped on that phrase and I reread it to let it really sink in. Jesus grieved at their hardness of heart.

He grieved at what they could not see, what they could not understand - he knew they were blinded by the law and completely missing the point. I wondered to myself; what do I do that grieves Jesus? And do I grieve over the hardened heart of the people around me? Do I intercede for those who are blinded to the freedom of Christ? Do I even allow the reality of a persons' hardened heart to affect me enough to get angry, do I get angry enough to grieve and does that grieving force me to take action?

A tear came to my eye. Forgive me, Lord.

Jesus grieved at their hardened hearts.

Check out some of my team's blogs for more about our experiences in Thailand:

SARAH, ALISSA, & AMY

The Choice

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I choose.
I don't always feel You, but I choose You.
I can't always see You, but I choose You.
I don't fully understand You, but I choose You.
I can't comprehend You, but I choose You.
Sometimes all I feel, see, understand and comprehend is what is in front of me,
But I choose You.

When I see pain and suffering, I choose You.
When injustice mocks Your name, I choose You.
When lies are easier to believe, I choose You.
As orphans cry out for love, I choose You
And nations continue to turn blindly away from truth,
I choose You.

When Your promises are all I can cling to, I choose You.
When Your Kingdom is with in reach, I choose You.
As angels sing and glory reigns, I choose You.
When the lost are redeemed and blind can see, I choose You.
When chains are broken and men are set free, I choose You.
When peace and justice bring the Truth to Earth, I choose You.
You chose me, I choose You.

Seconds

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It's the little things that really matter in life. Our lives are made up of years, months, days, hours, minutes - all the way down to seemingly unimportant seconds. But, ask any swimmer or runner and they'll tell you that it's the seconds that matter; even one hundredth of a second can win (or lose) a race. Even in everyday life if a second was missing the minute would never be complete.

So often we are looking for the next big thing in our lives that will stand out and give us purpose, but it is the little moments in-between that connect who we are and make our lives complete. I already find myself wondering what is next for me when I return to the States in November, but I don't know what the future holds (James 4:13-15, Proverbs 27:1).

As I sit here thinking about life I realize that my life is made up of millions and millions of seconds. It doesn't really matter right now what I'm going to do in four months or even tomorrow, but what am I going to do in this second and this one? Will I smile at the stranger I just passed on the street? Will I wash the dishes left in the sink even if no one notices? Will I take the moment to talk to someone even if I would rather be somewhere else? In this next second will I choose to glorify God with my life or will I choose myself? This seems like a lot of pressure to live under, but hopefully it starts to come more naturally as our relationship with God grows. God desires that intimate relationship with us and for the seconds of our lives to be lived out of love and reverence of Him.

These past two and a half weeks Sarah, James and I (half of team Zeo) have been traveling and struggling through what it looks like to "be" ministry, but more simply, to live in the moment God put before us each day. Our travels have taken us from Gordon's Bay, South Africa to Windhoek, Namibia to Livingstone/Victoria Falls, Zambia and finally back to Johannesburg, South Africa. Along the way we met people from all over the world (tourist and locals) who we were able to share our lives with, saw the incredible Victoria Falls, rafted the Zambezi River, and also spent a couple days at an orphanage called the Lubasi Children's Home in Livingstone.

Some days were exciting and busy, others were stressful, while some were down right dull, but I believe God was in it all. People always say that God is in the details and if we allow Him to infiltrate every aspect of our lives He will even be in the miniscule seconds. I am still learning to live my moments in a way that glorifies God, but I know that He is working all the seconds of my life together to fulfill His great plan and purpose.

We leave on the first of August to finish out the last 3 months of the World Race in Thailand, the Philippines and China. Please pray for a refreshed spirit that is eager and open to all God still has in store these last few months.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given methe task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Acts 20:24

Face to Face

Sat, 7 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The heart of a writer is a vulnerable thing. It becomes tied to a page then passed around for people to do with it as they please. Some fill the heart with praises, tears of joy and understanding, wonder and appreciation, while others are free to criticize and reject the heart of someone they may never have to face. When you are face to face with someone everything becomes more real - more personal. It becomes much harder to ignore or reject someone when they are standing right in front of you but it is still possible.

The same is true for the poverty and disease stricken, genocide victims, homeless, orphaned, the lost and the forgotten of this world. They are too often words on a page without a face. We talk about them with sympathy or even judge them because of how they let their lives end up, but they always remain a "them" or a "they" we talk about or hear about on the evening news. It is too easy to forget that every homeless person has a story they would love for someone to care enough to stop and listen to, and every orphan had parents that have somehow disappeared from their life. Every story and statistic we hear has a face and a heart that is suffering quietly in the background, hidden behind the horror of their circumstance that makes us feel, but somehow never moves us to act.

I've seen the face of poverty, looked into the eyes of an orphan, held the hand of a homeless man and sat with someone dying of a disease. My heart has been crushed and made more raw and real but, I've also walked past the beggar on the street pretending not to see them and I've told the orphan that I'm busy and will play later, but later never comes. I've looked at poverty and wondered how they could choose to live that way and I've seen people starving in their villages and the same night gone back to dinner and complained about eating the same thing for three meals in a row.

I am often sickened by the selfishness that still remains in me, but I guess what I'm realizing is that it is all a choice. Whether we are out traveling the world on a mission trip or at home walking down the street, we all have a choice. We can feel bad for someone's circumstances and choose to do nothing no matter where we are or who's face we're standing before. But, what if it were Jesus we were walking past on the street? What if it was Jesus looking back at us when we make an excuse not to help?

Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to visit Me." Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison and come to You?" The King will answer them and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me". Matthew 25:34-40

Jesus wants us to be Him; His love and His light walking around the Earth. He painted it so clearly for the disciples, He's saying, it is Me you are feeding and clothing out there! Why do we feel that those words no longer apply to us? The distance that has made us so comfortable in our complacency seems too easy to keep. When Jesus walked around He gave pain a face. While the Pharisees were busy making their lives appear perfect on the outside, Jesus was out in the midst of the poor, forgotten and imperfect; loving on them, looking them in the face and giving them worth and hope.

Lord, I don't want to be another person who stands at a distance with words of criticism or even compassion. I want to find the faces to the stories and feel the pain of their reality. I want to pass along the worth and hope that has been given to me through Christ. Lord, may I see the face of Jesus in everyone I meet today.

New Info on Support and some pictures

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hello again :) God is really speaking rest into our spirits and just asking us to listen to His voice right now, for me and most of my team. The South African coast is a beautiful place to find that rest. However, soon we will be moving on! Please keep our plans in your prayers as we make our final decisions with in the next few days.

I received an update on how support is getting processed/received and wanted to pass that information along to all you. There is a new address to send in money directly to AIM; I've posted it below, along with AIM's response to the change.

Adventures In Missions, Inc.
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470

This change will decrease the amount of time it takes to process donations and increase the speed at which donated funds are available for ministry. Please make note of the new address and begin using it for all donations you send to Adventures in Missions. Donations made via credit card or automatic monthly withdrawal from your bank account will not be affected by this change.

THANK YOU ALL so much for all your prayers, encouragement and financial support these past months. God has blessed me so much this year and continues to amaze me every day! I am only $1600 shy of having my support fully raised and believe God has a plan that will exceed my expectations.

THANKS AGAIN ( and keep posting comments... it makes me smile :) )

Team ZEO hanging out with new friends in Jeffery's Bay

Taking pictures with "style" along the South African coast (or something like that;) )

Along the drive from Jeffery's Bay to Cape Town we came across the highest commercial bungee jump in the World... we couldn't pass up that opportunity!

OK, ready or not...

I'm flying!!!!

I'm falling...

and falling!

I'm a happy girl! Bungee jumping (my first) was a blast!

God Has Other Plans

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We left on the 15th for Jeffery's Bay, South Africa on a drive that should have taken less than a day. God had other plans for our small team. Four days later we were only 8 or so hours into the drive due to various car problems and having to wait the weekend to get them fixed.

For the next 6 weeks, till August 1st, our team is taking a journey deeper into God and following His heart for us. That is our prayer. We're stepping out of set up ministries and in this hoping to find how to live a life of ministry everyday; to seek God and where He is working in every situation and location we are put in.

We spent four days at Alabanza, one of the contact bases AIM has in South Africa, and it was exactly what we all needed. We were able to rest as a small team in much needed quiet after spending 2 weeks living in a house with 50-80 people (talk about community living!). At Alabanza we were able to spend time with a community of believers who truly were a blessing to each one of us. They took care of us and poured into us every day. We finally made it down to Jeffery's Bay, and rose early on the 21st to make the drive from there to just outside Cape Town. We rented cars (they have steering wheels on the right side of the car) and made the 7 hour drive on the opposite side of the road (which ended up taking 14hours due to some sightseeing side trips) along the beautiful South African coast.

Day 7 into our journey we are already learning that God has plans for us that we know nothing about and are truly better than we can put together ourselves. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways" declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 It is our prayer that we are turly seeking God in this time; His direction, guidance, presence and still voice. Also, that we grow closer as a team, becoming even more real with each other and ourselves. It is a time to test the limits of who God created us to be, to shine in the giftings He has given each one of us and to discover the ones He still desires to give. It is a time to step back from our own agenda to see the one God has place in our path every day and to stop looking for the next "big thing" or great story to tell - the great story is that God would choose to redeem us! We are seeking to be content in just being and not always striving to be doing. Please keep us in your prayers these next weeks. I will try to keep you updated as much as possible on where God is taking us over that time.

SQUAD B at Indian Ocean

One Child Healed

Wed, 6 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A baby lies in my arms, its breath shallow and rasping. Small lungs fighting for air barley seem to sustain the fragile life I hold. Standing in the middle of hundreds of people who just lost their homes to natural disaster is humbling and I am left speechless. I am still new to Africa, to Mozambique, and my heart is still tender to the pain and suffering of so many around me. I pray that it will always keep this tenderness.

Father! I need you! I can not heal this baby, only You. I am weak and imperfect; a sinner saved by Your grace, filled with Your presence and the Holy Spirit. Use me to heal your children - this child in my arms.

The mother stands close by watching solemnly as the life she once carried inside her fights for a single breath. She wanted us to pray for her baby, her son Elario, she wanted someone to hold him and say he would be alright.

Lord, Holy Spirit, You have to show up, You have to be here for this child to live. Breathe Your breath of life into his lungs that he may cry out to You!

There are charms around the neck and waist of the baby. She just wanted her baby to be healthy and her husband said to go to the witch doctor; he doesn't know Jesus, he doesn't know a witch doctor curses the son with spells. The mother breaks the charms with her teeth and throws them down in the dirt.

The father prays to accept Christ and they both pray over their son as we all join in agreement praying for healing. I look to the sky and see a falling star. I am a star. Tears come to my eyes and my arms feel weak. This is You.

This is You, Father. This is Your heart, these are Your people. Lord, heal them for Your glory, for Your name.

The baby is breathing a little easier, but it is still very weak. I hand the child back to its' mother trying to communicate with my eyes what is in my heart, my Father's heart. With a translator we tell the family to come up for more prayer before we leave the food outreach at the end of the night.

He is in Your hands Father, his life, his breath - it is all Yours.

I never see them again. There is a testimony back at camp later that night; others in our group prayed for a small baby with its' mother and father. A little boy named Elario is healed! Praise God!

Twinkle, twinkle, little star...

Thu, 31 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We ride, packed together like a can of sardines; our only comfort is that we are all in this together. We joust for territory; an inch here, a place for your elbow there. The only area you can really claim is the space your body occupies at any given moment and nothing more. The night air chills us as it rushes past our skin in a dancing frenzy. My hair is hopelessly tangled and my rear is perpetually numb from the previous 6 hours and anticipation of the many more to come.

The stars are incredible and they make riding in the back of a flatbed truck with 24 other people (plus gear) a luxury that few afford. Flecks of light illuminating their own small darkness in the sky, claiming their territory with dignified, yet humble glory. If only I could be more like a star

The longer you look the more stars you see, each one slightly different and randomly placed in the sky as if tossed out by the hand of the Creator. With so much light in the sky, I wonder how there is room for darkness, but the sky seems blacker than ever. It is the contrast that makes stars so spectacular. It is their light against the surrounding darkness that makes us stand in awe.

I realize that I am a star. In this world Jesus Christ in me is a magnificent light against the surrounding darkness. He designed it that way so that others would see His glory in us and be drawn closer to it - closer to Him.

Just taking a look at the night sky from the wilderness of Alaska, the hills of Kentucky, the mountains of Georgia, the deserts of Arizona or the plains of Africa and you know that city skies just cannot compare. In cities stars do not seem so spectacular because their light is washed out by the light pollution of the world. The same thing happens to many Christians. We allow the pollution of the world to overpower and wash out the light Christ has placed in us. People may see Christ, but they see a faded version with a lot of the world in there too. Our aim as Christians is to become the pure light that God placed in us through Christ with less and less pollution from the world; to radiate His glory with dignity and humility.

" Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3