Jan 31, 2012
It was the day before my bestest friend was coming back from Canada and I was super excited. Like most nights that week, I was headed over to hang with some friends of mine and I invited one of my roommates along as well. We were to bring drinks over, so a quick stop at TomThumb was necessary. As we perused the isles for some liquid to quench our thirst I had no idea that my car would be attacked. Attacked?? Well, here’s what happened. A family from Gospel For Asia had some ingredients for all night prayer that we had that Friday night and didn’t use. They weren’t sure what to do with the mushy corn, so they were going to take it home I believe. Little did they know my car would be conveniently unattended at TomThumb, so they disposed of the corn there.
From my perspective however, my roommate and I came out to find two packets of frozen corn from Target wedged between the antenna and the front door of my car. What?! Target brand corn, at TomThumb… on my car? Where in the world did this come from? And my windsheild wipers were up too… so strange! Who could have done this? and EW! The corn isn’t frozen! it’s all mushy and gross!! Anyway, I continued on my way and told the my friends what had happened. I ended up throwing the corn out, but was confused for a few days after that. Later however, the Gospel For Asia family confessed on my Facebook that it was them who placed the corn. Which was a great relief to my cornfused mind. 🙂
So, that was my mushy happenstance! Hope you enjoyed it!
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Oct 31, 2011
What do a skunk, a bad internet connection, and a missing power cord have in common? I’ll get back to that. In the mean time I’ll let you know about a few things that I’ve been doing lately.
About a month ago God made it clear to me that I was supposed to join staff at Gospel for Asia. Yes! Now I’m support raising at home so that I can get back to Texas and keep serving at the home office.
I knew it was going to be a battle to raise support and stay connected to the ministry but I was sure I’d conquer it all! It turns out some things can be a little harder to get done in the country than in the city. For instance, where I live in Michigan it’s all forest and well, cold. I have a few oddities I’m dealing with. One is that my family doesn’t have high speed internet – it’s not that bad, there are just a few things I can’t do at home. I was very excited to live stream a Gospel For Asia prayer meeting once I got back. (Gospel For Asia streams a prayer meeting every first Friday. Join us!) The first time I went to a prayer meeting I had to drive 6 miles through the wilderness to get to a connection I could watch the meeting on. Everything was wonderful! I really enjoyed praying with the Gospel For Asia family and felt like I was back at home (the TX one).
When I got home I was worn out – ready to hop in bed and sleep. I came through the driveway but discovered that there was a skunk by the front door! There was NO way I was getting out now. I thought about getting grumpy but decided it was the first adventure of support raising in the country. I called a friend and we talked for a while. Then I talked to another friend till I was sure the skunk was gone. 🙂
Well, I was trying to watch another prayer meeting one day. I’d been a little discouraged that day but was really looking forward to hearing the message and uniting in prayer with everyone. My connection didn’t work. I’d get a few words – maybe a sentence – then the video would freeze. I finally gave up.
Another prayer meeting arrived… I was sick but determined that though I was tired I was not going to stay home. I wanted to have dedication and not just decide to sit on the couch at home. I drove myself back out to the internet and set up my computer. Suddenly I realized that I did’n’t have my power cord with me. I had 43 minutes of battery life left. True to its word my computer turned off from a low battery 43 minutes through the prayer meeting. Well at least I got to go to bed a little early…
So, the question at the beginning of this was, “What do a skunk, a bad internet connection, and a missing power cord have in common?” The answer is prayer meetings of course!
There’s always going to be something that will draw your attention away from what is best. I’ve noticed that wacky things happen when I try to get to a prayer meeting. For you it’s most likely something else that the enemy doesn’t want you to be doing. Maybe it’s reading the Bible. There are 101 things that will come up and seem like they need your attention. When those things happen just purpose in your heart that God will come first. I laugh when I think that God used a skunk and a power cord to teach me a lesson. Maybe it just takes more to get my attention than other people…
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May 19, 2011
One of my favorite book series as a child was “The Boxcar Children”. For those of you who haven’t read these great books – Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny are orphans. (They have a grandfather but they don’t think he’d like them.) So they’re out on their own. One night they find a boxcar to shelter them from the rain and then they decide “Let’s live here. It’s a good place.”
I always admired Jessie and Violet. Jessie was so full of life and Violet was so sweet and positive. I wanted to be like them. I realized while reading the books again, that every other sentence Jessie says she “says laughing”. No wonder I thought she was friendly and fun. Do I have that joy? Every sentence Violet says is positive. She never complains. When Henry brings home a tablecloth that needs to be hemmed “Violet pleaded ‘Oh, may I hem the tablecloth?'” Am I there? Definitely not.
While growing up I wanted to be just like the boxcar children. They lived out in the woods, bathing in a creek, finding dishes in the dump, and solving mysteries. “So I’m pretty sure I’d still like to live in a boxcar” I thought the other day. It seems so adventerous to me. Out in the woods living simply and using what I have to survive. Then I was thinking, “Would I really want to live in a boxcar if someone let me right now?” The answer was probably not. I’d end up being pretty miserable wondering why I ever wanted to live without electricity and comfort. I’d end up complaining and be an all around unhappy person.
The boxcar children are so much fun because they have a positive attitude about everything. I realized, your boxcar is what you make it. I put that on an index card at my desk so I can remember that I can be positive or miserable anywhere in life. Maybe someday God will lead me to live in a boxcar – but I don’t think He will. Right now I’m looking at my desk as my boxcar. It’s right where I’m supposed to be so I’m trying to find ways to love it as much as I can and to look at every day as an adventure.
So… how’s your boxcar today?
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May 7, 2011
The more I’m involved in ministry and other people’s lives, the more I am desperate for time with the Lord. I was told “KISS” is an acronym used in the military: “Keep it simple, stupid.”
When I was younger, I had to live vicariously by playing “pretend” because I wasn’t old enough to do the cool stuff. But now that I’m older I’m not limited to my own backyard. This world is full of new things and the majority of it is marketed at our age group. That isn’t bad on its own, but I’ve found that if I don’t guard my time it’s wasted on something trivial, and I easily become overloaded and unable to function.
I have always been enamored with God’s simple, majestic beauty in nature. It’s one avenue for me to escape the city, pressure, and constancy of the world. I find it refreshing and freeing to re-center on God’s heart and calling on my life.
Clear your schedule. Leave your iPod and cell phone behind. Grab your Bible and a notepad, or just take a walk and talk to God. Let’s blaze a trail into the awesome depths of His love and promise for our lives.
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Apr 8, 2011
A few weekends ago, I had the privilege to go camping with some other Gospel For Asia staff members. It was an awesome weekend and I learned a lot, and in some ways that I never expected to learn them. Here’s what I learned.
Some of us went fishing. The patience required is much like when you’re waiting on the Lord. You cast your line, in faith, and you wait. You don’t know what’s next, or what’s going on below the water. You just have to be prepared for what could happen next. God’s given us a whole book of instruction, and we even have the instructor living inside of us! We need to be ready and prepared to act when God says to go. Back to fishing… If you get a catch that’s like an answer to prayer, you need to then reel it in so it doesn’t get off the hook, Likewise, even if you don’t get a catch, that’s yet another answer to prayer, you then have to reel in your line and re-cast. God knows what you need, when you need it. So don’t be disappointed when you don’t get the “catch” you want, and when you want it…
I also learned a lot about trust. During the weekend, we went rock climbing and ended up stranded on top of a 35 foot rock formation in the dark. So I learned to trust people that I don’t know very well and it was scary at first, but after a while I learned that I am safe with the rope and harness and someone who knows what they’re doing up top. God’s provided us with all that we need for the tasks He gives to us. He doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle in His strength. That’s like our rope and harness, and God’s up top knowing exactly what He’s doing, all He needs us to do is sit back, and trust Him to get us to our destination safely.
God is good isn’t He? 🙂
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