We've been here since yesterday morning. We have played with the kids, eaten interesting food (jellied bananas!) and already cleaned out our digestive tracks. I guess there is no honeymoon period when you're only in a place for a week.
This orphanage, Dorie's Promise, is a true blessing to these children. It is a small orphanage, with only 40 kids at max. They are loved, well cared for, played with, educated and taught about Jesus. Dorie, the woman who opened this home, promised to keep these kids safe. This orphanage is in a very wealthy part of town. There is a gated entrance to the district itself, the orphanage is gated and police patrol this area non stop. When she was asked why pay so much rent in this area...why not go somewhere cheaper...she answered, these are my children and I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. What would you do for your children? So here we are. And what will we do?
This organization is very involved in community outreach. Tomorrow we will head out to the national orphanage and do a craft with teen mothers. The national orphanage houses over 800 children. It is huge and in need of help. Dorie's Promise has taken kids off their hands when needed. By the way, international adoption was banned in 2007. There are more Guatemalan families adopting, but it is a subject that is not talked about or well accepted. But it is getting better.
This week will be also heading to the dump and ghetto. I'll tell you about that later.
Our new friend and leader, Joel, did a devotion with us today. And one thing really stuck out to me. There are millions of Christians in the world...but only you two are here this week. God has called you, out of all those people, it must be something incredible that is going to happen.
Please, please keep praying!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Why
At church this morning, my friend Mark stopped me in the hall to ask a question. One that, as I told him, I was having a conversation with myself about in the shower earlier. I also know that I did not answer it well, and know that I probably never will.
Marlee and I will be going to Guatemala this fall. We are so very excited about this trip. We will work at Dorie's Promise orphanage, go to the city dump and visit the children that live there and also go to a very, very poor ghetto to deliver food baskets to families and share a meal with one family.
But why do we have to go? Why does God allow this suffering to happen? Why must children live in at the dump?
Mark stated what C.S. Lewis said, this is "...atheism's most potent weapon against the Christian faith."
First, what I want to say is that suffering is a result of the fall into sin that happened with Adam and Eve. Everyone has to deal with it. Everyone suffers. We live in a fallen world. It is tainted by sin. Not only are we sinful, but creation groans under the sinfulness that has touched this world. God did not cause sin...but He did allow free will for Adam and Eve and they chose themselves over their Creator.
Secondly, I don't know. I cannot answer why one house is destroyed by a tornado and the next is not. I simply don't know. What I do know is that, "...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
I know that God's purpose is to bring everyone into a relationship with Him. I don't know why He uses suffering...but He does.
The last time I was in Mexico I was blessed to be in this tiny little village. In this village there were 35 children, a pastor and his wife and a few old women. All the parents were gone every day from 6 AM to 11 PM working in onion fields. They had nothing. The pastor's wife cooked the children meals every day, they cared for them, the hugged them and loved on them. The children had lice and played soccer with a rock. When we came in June they had not had meat since January. They suffered. They were poor.
I would give up my life in America in a heartbeat, if Riley would say yes, and I would move to that village. They had something there that we only dream of in America. They had peace. Hope. And above all, they trusted God in the midst of their suffering that He would take care of their everyday need. They had a faith in Jesus that is so far beyond mine...I don't know if I'll be able to catch up before I get to heaven.
We, here in America, may not see the blessing in the suffering.
We don't have God's eyes.
I do know this: I am not God and I will not try to be. I will go where He leads and be His hands and feet. And I will trust that it is not always for me to understand...but to believe in Him who has called me to share His grace and hope that one day there will be no more tears and no more pain.
It's not the best answer, but it's what I've got and cling to.
Please, share your thoughts with me.
Please, also know that I am not advocate for suffering. I wish that no one would ever have to suffer. But I also know that growth comes through suffering. I want to be in that place...growing. I believe that God is good all the time. But like I said, I do not have His eyes.
Marlee and I will be going to Guatemala this fall. We are so very excited about this trip. We will work at Dorie's Promise orphanage, go to the city dump and visit the children that live there and also go to a very, very poor ghetto to deliver food baskets to families and share a meal with one family.
But why do we have to go? Why does God allow this suffering to happen? Why must children live in at the dump?
Mark stated what C.S. Lewis said, this is "...atheism's most potent weapon against the Christian faith."
First, what I want to say is that suffering is a result of the fall into sin that happened with Adam and Eve. Everyone has to deal with it. Everyone suffers. We live in a fallen world. It is tainted by sin. Not only are we sinful, but creation groans under the sinfulness that has touched this world. God did not cause sin...but He did allow free will for Adam and Eve and they chose themselves over their Creator.
Secondly, I don't know. I cannot answer why one house is destroyed by a tornado and the next is not. I simply don't know. What I do know is that, "...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28.
I know that God's purpose is to bring everyone into a relationship with Him. I don't know why He uses suffering...but He does.
The last time I was in Mexico I was blessed to be in this tiny little village. In this village there were 35 children, a pastor and his wife and a few old women. All the parents were gone every day from 6 AM to 11 PM working in onion fields. They had nothing. The pastor's wife cooked the children meals every day, they cared for them, the hugged them and loved on them. The children had lice and played soccer with a rock. When we came in June they had not had meat since January. They suffered. They were poor.
I would give up my life in America in a heartbeat, if Riley would say yes, and I would move to that village. They had something there that we only dream of in America. They had peace. Hope. And above all, they trusted God in the midst of their suffering that He would take care of their everyday need. They had a faith in Jesus that is so far beyond mine...I don't know if I'll be able to catch up before I get to heaven.
We, here in America, may not see the blessing in the suffering.
We don't have God's eyes.
I do know this: I am not God and I will not try to be. I will go where He leads and be His hands and feet. And I will trust that it is not always for me to understand...but to believe in Him who has called me to share His grace and hope that one day there will be no more tears and no more pain.
It's not the best answer, but it's what I've got and cling to.
Please, share your thoughts with me.
Please, also know that I am not advocate for suffering. I wish that no one would ever have to suffer. But I also know that growth comes through suffering. I want to be in that place...growing. I believe that God is good all the time. But like I said, I do not have His eyes.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
What I Don't Pray For
My way of prayer changed a few years ago.
God bless me. God bless my family. God bless the food. God bless the hands that prepared the food. God bless America.
That is what I stopped praying.
I realized that my prayers had become self-centered. If I were to really look around at my life, I would notice that I am blessed beyond measure. That I have food in my cupboards (for weeks to come, although it is often something that I don't want to make). I have a healthy, beautiful family. I live in America, where I can turn the tap on everyday and have clean water.
I changed my prayer from God bless to God make me a blessing.
"I seek you with all of my heart..." Psalm 119:10
"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." Psalm 116:7
"Let us come to complete unity to let the world know that Jesus loves them..." John 27:23 (my paraphrase)
You see, I changed the way I prayed because I wanted to pray in God's will. And honestly, too often, I don't know what God's will is. So what I started doing was praying Scripture. What I learned was, the prayers of the people of the Bible aren't "bless me" (although, you do come across it), but they are more, "teach me...show me...search me...hold me..."
I have been praying for God to give me His eyes and heart so that I am moved to compassion. That I can have opportunities to share His love. That I will be a blessing to someone.
I am not saying that there are people who don't need to be blessed. No. What I am saying is that I am blessed. Let me use that blessing to bless someone else. My goodness! My cup overflows!
And when the desert times come (and it will) I pray that I will rest in the blessings that have brought me this far.
May you never forget from where you came and trust in where God is leading. There is blessing, even in the pain.
God bless me. God bless my family. God bless the food. God bless the hands that prepared the food. God bless America.
That is what I stopped praying.
I realized that my prayers had become self-centered. If I were to really look around at my life, I would notice that I am blessed beyond measure. That I have food in my cupboards (for weeks to come, although it is often something that I don't want to make). I have a healthy, beautiful family. I live in America, where I can turn the tap on everyday and have clean water.
I changed my prayer from God bless to God make me a blessing.
"I seek you with all of my heart..." Psalm 119:10
"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." Psalm 116:7
"Let us come to complete unity to let the world know that Jesus loves them..." John 27:23 (my paraphrase)
You see, I changed the way I prayed because I wanted to pray in God's will. And honestly, too often, I don't know what God's will is. So what I started doing was praying Scripture. What I learned was, the prayers of the people of the Bible aren't "bless me" (although, you do come across it), but they are more, "teach me...show me...search me...hold me..."
I have been praying for God to give me His eyes and heart so that I am moved to compassion. That I can have opportunities to share His love. That I will be a blessing to someone.
I am not saying that there are people who don't need to be blessed. No. What I am saying is that I am blessed. Let me use that blessing to bless someone else. My goodness! My cup overflows!
And when the desert times come (and it will) I pray that I will rest in the blessings that have brought me this far.
May you never forget from where you came and trust in where God is leading. There is blessing, even in the pain.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Little Miss Ella
On Easter, my Ella did an amazing thing. She could not hold in the the excitement of the Resurrection and she had to tell someone.
At first, when she told us that she wanted to go door to door to read the Bible to people Riley and I were hesitant. We don't really want her going door to door. But we also knew that we she not discourage her.
So after an hour (at least) of begging, Riley went over to our neighbor's house and asked Roger if Ella could read to him from the Bible. Of course, Roger at the moment, was in the shower and so his grandson said that we would be over in a little while.
Little Miss Ella was so very, very excited that she went in and got ready. She brought out a blanket for them to sit on, a plate of marshmellows and two pieces of buttered bread. Two glasses of orange kool-aid and then a decorative goose and metal pitcher that we leave outside. She wanted to make Roger comfortable.
She had her Bible and she was ready. When Roger came across the street she just looked at me and smiled. He sat down on the blanket, took a bite of bread, drank his juice and she read the Easter story from Matthew. She read about when the women went to the tomb all the way to when Jesus spoke to the disciples.
Of course, the whole time Maya was running around the yard yelling at the top of her lungs, "He is not here! He is risen!"
As I sat there I wondered why I was so hesitant. This little girl has such a missionary heart. Ever since she saw Isaac Meyer (1o year old missionary) and listened to his stories about the mission field, this is all she has wanted to do.
It makes me think of Jeremiah 20:9, "But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."
My Ella could not hold it in. She is loving the Word of God. And no longer will I hesitate when she wants to share it. I cannot shut the fire up that is in her bones.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Best That I Can
It is Holy Week. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. There were so many events that happened during this week for Jesus and really so much to choose from. But tonight, I will focus on Peter.
During the Passover Meal, Jesus tells Peter that he (Peter) will deny Him (Jesus)that very night. Peter fights back, "No Lord! I will never do that! I will lay down my life for you!" (This is my paraphrase) Really, he is claiming that he loves Jesus more than Jesus will ever know. And then, that very night, just as Jesus predicted Peter denied knowing Him three times.
Peter is devastated. Mournful. The end.
I know that feeling. Praying for opportunities to share God's love I quietly step away with the thought that, "...the time is not right..." Denial. Guilt. The end.
Fortunately, we do not live pre-Easter. We are Easter people. It is not the end for us. For me.
Looking ahead in Scripture, after Christ has risen (that's right, He didn't stay dead) we see Jesus come to the disciples in the account written by John. Jesus stands on the shore looking out to the men whom He had called to follow Him. They went back to what they knew...they were fishing again. And Peter sees Jesus and jumps out of the boat and swims to Him. The others row to shore and all meet Jesus there at the water's edge. He has a fire going and He makes them breakfast. It is quiet around the fire. They are all looking Him and Scripture says that they don't dare ask, "Who are you?" Because they know it the Lord. They are in awe...that is my guess.
And then Jesus says, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" See, Jesus turns to Peter, calls him by his given name and calls him out on the denial. Really, do you love me more than these...as you claimed not too long ago? And not only that, Jesus is using the agape love here. This unconditional love that is bound my nothing but love itself...the kind of love that Peter did not prove that night.
I am picturing Peter, still devastated and I think he must be hanging his head. The shame and pain and the yes, I know I disappointed you Lord feeling. And he answers, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you." But it isn't the agape love that Peter answers with, it is the philo love, the brotherly love, the love that has some limits. Yes, it is deep...but for Peter and Jesus...it is not what he claimed. And this is what I think, I don't know what some Pastors would say, but I think that what Peter is saying is, "Lord, I am loving you the best that I can."
"Feed my lambs."
And then Jesus asks it again. "Simon, do you truly love me?" It isn't weighed against everyone else around the fire. Just Peter. Do you truly love me? Agape love? Unconditional?
And again Peter answers, "Yes, Lord. You know that I love you." I can hear the raw throat of holding back the tears. I am loving you the best that I can.
"Take care of my sheep."
And Jesus asks a third time. A third time to match the third denial. "Simon do you love me?" But this time it is different. Jesus isn't asking for an agape love...He is asking for a philo love. And this question brings tears to my eyes. Jesus is asking, "Are you loving me the best that you can?"
And Peter breaks down and says, "You know all things; you know that I love you." You know that I am loving you the best that I can.
"Feed my sheep."
And with that Jesus reinstates him...lets him know that his ministry is not over.
Jesus' love is not based on our love. Jesus loves unconditionally but does not expect us to love him like that back. He knows that we can't while in this sinful state. What Jesus wants...is for us to love Him the best that we can.
Look what He did with Peter. Peter stepped up and changed the world. What could you do if you trusted Jesus with your love?
Feed His sheep.
During the Passover Meal, Jesus tells Peter that he (Peter) will deny Him (Jesus)that very night. Peter fights back, "No Lord! I will never do that! I will lay down my life for you!" (This is my paraphrase) Really, he is claiming that he loves Jesus more than Jesus will ever know. And then, that very night, just as Jesus predicted Peter denied knowing Him three times.
Peter is devastated. Mournful. The end.
I know that feeling. Praying for opportunities to share God's love I quietly step away with the thought that, "...the time is not right..." Denial. Guilt. The end.
Fortunately, we do not live pre-Easter. We are Easter people. It is not the end for us. For me.
Looking ahead in Scripture, after Christ has risen (that's right, He didn't stay dead) we see Jesus come to the disciples in the account written by John. Jesus stands on the shore looking out to the men whom He had called to follow Him. They went back to what they knew...they were fishing again. And Peter sees Jesus and jumps out of the boat and swims to Him. The others row to shore and all meet Jesus there at the water's edge. He has a fire going and He makes them breakfast. It is quiet around the fire. They are all looking Him and Scripture says that they don't dare ask, "Who are you?" Because they know it the Lord. They are in awe...that is my guess.
And then Jesus says, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" See, Jesus turns to Peter, calls him by his given name and calls him out on the denial. Really, do you love me more than these...as you claimed not too long ago? And not only that, Jesus is using the agape love here. This unconditional love that is bound my nothing but love itself...the kind of love that Peter did not prove that night.
I am picturing Peter, still devastated and I think he must be hanging his head. The shame and pain and the yes, I know I disappointed you Lord feeling. And he answers, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you." But it isn't the agape love that Peter answers with, it is the philo love, the brotherly love, the love that has some limits. Yes, it is deep...but for Peter and Jesus...it is not what he claimed. And this is what I think, I don't know what some Pastors would say, but I think that what Peter is saying is, "Lord, I am loving you the best that I can."
"Feed my lambs."
And then Jesus asks it again. "Simon, do you truly love me?" It isn't weighed against everyone else around the fire. Just Peter. Do you truly love me? Agape love? Unconditional?
And again Peter answers, "Yes, Lord. You know that I love you." I can hear the raw throat of holding back the tears. I am loving you the best that I can.
"Take care of my sheep."
And Jesus asks a third time. A third time to match the third denial. "Simon do you love me?" But this time it is different. Jesus isn't asking for an agape love...He is asking for a philo love. And this question brings tears to my eyes. Jesus is asking, "Are you loving me the best that you can?"
And Peter breaks down and says, "You know all things; you know that I love you." You know that I am loving you the best that I can.
"Feed my sheep."
And with that Jesus reinstates him...lets him know that his ministry is not over.
Jesus' love is not based on our love. Jesus loves unconditionally but does not expect us to love him like that back. He knows that we can't while in this sinful state. What Jesus wants...is for us to love Him the best that we can.
Look what He did with Peter. Peter stepped up and changed the world. What could you do if you trusted Jesus with your love?
Feed His sheep.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Sinful Woman
In Luke 7, Jesus is at a house to eat. Jesus is reclining at the table. Jesus is going to teach us a lesson. This woman. This sinful woman had evidently heard Jesus speak before. This woman. This sinful woman had obviously heard His message, seen the way He treated people like her. This woman. This sinful woman may have even seen how some of her friends had changed after being with Jesus. This woman. This sinful woman, she wanted what Jesus had.
Jesus was invited to a dinner at a house of Pharisee…and she followed Him there. He had passed by enough times that she now knew that she had to have what He what He was giving. Life.
And Jesus sat at the table-His feet stretched out behind Him or to the side and He was in conversation with the men around Him and He was eating. And this woman. This sinful woman, she knelt down and began to wash His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. She took out a bottle of perfumed oil and poured it on His feet. She gave Him all she had. No water, just tears; no towel, just her hair and she spent all that she had on the most expensive bottle of perfume and anointed Him with it. She cleaned the dirtiest part of His body with what she had.
She came to this great Man, humbly. She stepped in front of all these other people because she needed Jesus. And she was mocked and torn apart. She could have slinked away, into the shadows of despair...but Jesus wouldn’t put up with the humiliation. He lifted her up, He stood up for her.
Her faith so fragile, reaching for His hand.
Jesus had passed by her so many times, with His words of love and forgiveness for her and today, this night He was doing it again, "...your sins are forgiven..." And this night, she was ready to be washed with those words, "...yours sins are forgiven..."
And today on her knees with her tears, hair and perfume Jesus took her outstretched hands and pulled her close to the Father’s heart. He took her hands, “Your sins, all your wrongs, your past, is gone. You are my child. You cannot escape my love.”
Those same words were spoken to those Jesus passed by on His way to His execution. His blood dripped, His heart broke, His body failing, but His love bursting. Jesus passed by the people who spit on Him, who pulled His beard, who yelled hatred at Him, who beat Him, who were afraid of Him, who loved Him, who denied Him. They followed Him up the hill to watch Him give all that He had so that He could cleanse what which was filthy. And in His lasts breaths he prayed,
Forgive them.
I don't know where you are at, what season your are in...but know this, "...your sins are forgiven...come home."
Jesus was invited to a dinner at a house of Pharisee…and she followed Him there. He had passed by enough times that she now knew that she had to have what He what He was giving. Life.
And Jesus sat at the table-His feet stretched out behind Him or to the side and He was in conversation with the men around Him and He was eating. And this woman. This sinful woman, she knelt down and began to wash His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. She took out a bottle of perfumed oil and poured it on His feet. She gave Him all she had. No water, just tears; no towel, just her hair and she spent all that she had on the most expensive bottle of perfume and anointed Him with it. She cleaned the dirtiest part of His body with what she had.
She came to this great Man, humbly. She stepped in front of all these other people because she needed Jesus. And she was mocked and torn apart. She could have slinked away, into the shadows of despair...but Jesus wouldn’t put up with the humiliation. He lifted her up, He stood up for her.
Her faith so fragile, reaching for His hand.
Jesus had passed by her so many times, with His words of love and forgiveness for her and today, this night He was doing it again, "...your sins are forgiven..." And this night, she was ready to be washed with those words, "...yours sins are forgiven..."
And today on her knees with her tears, hair and perfume Jesus took her outstretched hands and pulled her close to the Father’s heart. He took her hands, “Your sins, all your wrongs, your past, is gone. You are my child. You cannot escape my love.”
Those same words were spoken to those Jesus passed by on His way to His execution. His blood dripped, His heart broke, His body failing, but His love bursting. Jesus passed by the people who spit on Him, who pulled His beard, who yelled hatred at Him, who beat Him, who were afraid of Him, who loved Him, who denied Him. They followed Him up the hill to watch Him give all that He had so that He could cleanse what which was filthy. And in His lasts breaths he prayed,
Forgive them.
I don't know where you are at, what season your are in...but know this, "...your sins are forgiven...come home."
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Yahweh Chelqi
The Lord is my Portion. Yahweh Chelqi. God is all that I need and all that I need is met in Him.
"O my strength; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." Psalm 59:17 God is secure and safe. He is our Steadfast Love
"You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." Psalm 18:28 We are not meant to walk in darkness. He is our Light.
"For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5 The hope we have in Christ will NEVER fail. He is our Hope.
"I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings." Psalm 61:4 We are hidden in Christ. Though storms rage, they can not destroy us. He is our Refuge.
"Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one that I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 He heals even the deepest wounds. He is our Healer.
"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7 We have been protected and rescued. He is our Deliverer.
"By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:8 We are nothing without Him. He is our Life.
The Lord is my Portion. Yahweh Chelqi. Simply put, His hand is on us all the time. Whether we believe it or not. All that we need is ours in Him.
The question is: Do you know what you need?
"O my strength; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God." Psalm 59:17 God is secure and safe. He is our Steadfast Love
"You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." Psalm 18:28 We are not meant to walk in darkness. He is our Light.
"For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5 The hope we have in Christ will NEVER fail. He is our Hope.
"I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings." Psalm 61:4 We are hidden in Christ. Though storms rage, they can not destroy us. He is our Refuge.
"Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one that I praise." Jeremiah 17:14 He heals even the deepest wounds. He is our Healer.
"You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." Psalm 32:7 We have been protected and rescued. He is our Deliverer.
"By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life." Psalm 42:8 We are nothing without Him. He is our Life.
The Lord is my Portion. Yahweh Chelqi. Simply put, His hand is on us all the time. Whether we believe it or not. All that we need is ours in Him.
The question is: Do you know what you need?
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