Dec 23, 2013
“Lay Me Down” by Chris Tomlin has been like the theme song of the 2013 January class of School of Discipleship. At the beginning of the year we all went to different churches together and almost every Sunday we heard this song playing. Either we would sing it in the service, hear it playing after the service, or someone had it in their head and was singing it.
At first, we just thought it was a great song. I had never even heard it before coming to the School of Discipleship. Then, as we continued to hear it we figured maybe God was speaking to us through it. After hearing/ singing it over and over and over again, I thought, “Hey – this could be our theme song!”
The whole song talks about giving up all we are for the Lord to use however He chooses. The motto for School of Discipleship is “Can you die to yourself for one year?” I think this song is the answer to that question. Not only does this song talk about laying our lives down for Christ, but it says “It will be my joy to say, Your will, Your way, ALWAYS!” Those are some pretty powerful words and they have challenged me a lot. Am I willing to joyfully lay down my entire life and say “Lord, whatever You want me to do and wherever You want me to go, my answer will always be, yes Lord, send me?”
This is what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for me and you. What choice do we have, but to give it back and die for Him. He has promised the greatest reward if we do. Praise the Lord for salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood on that cruel cross.
May our prayer be, “I lay me down, I’m not my own, I belong to you alone, lay me down, lay me down. Take this life and let it shine, lay me down, lay me down, Jesus.” – Chris Tomlin
Singing around the campfire while camping!
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Jun 21, 2013
The Lord has definitely been trying to teach me different things since I have been in Stoney Creek serving as a student for Gospel for Asia. The staff people had said that I (as a student), would have to learn to die to myself but I didn’t really think a whole lot about it until I was actually into the program. It was then that I noticed that God wanted me to give up everything! My plans, my ways of doing things, and my will is what I needed to learn to totally submit to God. Praise the Lord that He is working in my life in that area, not that I have achieved everything but I am getting there!
God has been teaching me that I need to pray more. I need to be a person that is totally devoted to praying for others and not just me. I need to be praying for the nations around me and for those in other countries. I want to have more of a passion and a burden for the lost souls around me. I never realized until I came to Gospel For Asia that there was so many people that have never heard the Gospel of Jesus being preached. They have never even heard of His Name! That’s something that was very shocking to me! I really appreciate at Gospel For Asia that they have so many prayer times together. They take the time to pray and stand in the gap for these nations. They are definitely a praying people! “Lord, help me to be more of a prayer warrior.”
Another thing that God wants to teach me is to be more encouraging to people. I have been a fairly negative person in the past but I am seeking to change that. By God’s grace I will seek to encourage others in their walk with the Lord instead of putting them down. I want others to lift me up especially when I am struggling and so I need to do that for others as well.
I believe that the Lord has so much more that He wants to teach me this year while I’m at the School of Discipleship here at Gospel for Asia. Please pray for me that I will be open to the Spirit’s leading and that He will work marvelously in my life. Pray that I will go home a changed person (for the better) and that I will become the man of God that He wants me to be.
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Jun 21, 2013
There are SO many different types, or facets, of fear…there’s the fear that comes to me when I see a spider crawling towards me, the fear that grips me when I know I’ve done something wrong and must suffer the consequencs, the fear when I know I need to do something but I’m scared of what will happen after…the fear of losing someone I love, or of leaving someone or something that I love, the fear of change and fear of the unknown.
This year I’ve been faced with my fears in those areas and more – and let me tell you, my knee-jerk reaction is to curl up in a corner and plug my ears and shut my eyes and wait till things are “better” again…even if means avoiding and prolonging the inevitable. But the Lord has shown me that not only is that EXTREMELY unhealthy for my sanity and sense of reality, it’s dangerous to my spiritual growth and my relationship with Him.
You see, when I choose to allow the strong emotion of fear to creep up my backbone, it means I’m not trusting God. I’m not trusting the Creator who made me with brown eyes and brown hair and size 7.5 feet. Who knows every hair on my head. Who has kept track of every tear I’ve ever cried. Who has written the story of my life and knows how it (and I) will end.
Okay, yeah yeah, we’ve all heard this…do not fear, trust in God. But it isn’t easy, is it? When you’re in the moment, it’s insanely easy to accept that fear without thinking twice about it. It’s naturaly to us. Because we are naturally fearful and untrusting creatures. And that’s where Christ comes in!! Because of His death on the cross for our sins, He delivered us from sin and that includes the sin giving into fleshly fears and not trusting God. As believers with the Spirit of God living within us, we HAVE the power to not fear. We have the power to choose to trust God.
I’m reminded of Ruth. I just love her story! She chose to enter a life full of unknowns and potential uh-oh’s, and she did it boldly. Yeah, maybe she was nervous, but I don’t think she was fearful, at least not from what the Bible says. She put her trust in the Lord, and He pulled through for her. Because He’s God…He isn’t like a mischievous sibling who says he’s going to catch you when you jump off the steps and then backs up and lets you fall at the last second. Yet we act like He’s that way all the time.
So, next time you’re in a situation where fear is threatening to cloud your mind and overcome you with stress and doubts and what-if’s, hold onto the promises of the Lord – hold on to TRUTH when the enemy wants you to believe lies. Truths like He will never leave you or forsake you (Deut. 31:8) (Heb 13:5), and Psalm 139, where David talks about how intimately the Lord knows us and protects us. Psalm 23 – our good Shepherd is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. It takes a conscious effort on our part, for sure! But it is possible to live a life free from fear. Except, of course, when it comes to spiders…in my case at least. 😛
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Jun 21, 2013
When I was growing up in Michigan, I loved the changing seasons. I loved summer’s vibrant blues and greens, fall’s leaf-strewn paths, winter’s snow shimmering in the moonlight and the freshness of spring.
Now I’m living on the other side of the world and have gained another season – the monsoon. This is the bring-your-umbrella-everywhere time of year. It can be inconvenient at times, but I do like the fact that I can break out into “I’m Singing in the Rain” as I slosh through the puddles.
Life is full of seasons. Some are fun and some are challenging; some are encouraging and some are hard to understand. But one thing never changes. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.” His mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great. In the midst of shifting seasons, He is constant.
Let’s look to Him no matter what season we’re in. And even if it’s a dreary day full of puddles – just twirl that umbrella and sing!
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Jun 18, 2013
The stories of Jane Austen are enough to drive any single woman into a romantic stupor. This girl is no different. After a night of Pride and Prejudice, I sat on my couch trying to stay sane or rather hold onto the reality that should always be firm around me. Yet thinking of Mr. Darcy’s ardent love and admiration for Elizabeth causes me to sigh and dream. (I know masses of other young ladies have had the exact same reaction, whether it is Pride and Prejudice or some other tale of love.)
Don’t get me wrong I like being single. There is so much about my life right now that is exciting and I can truly say without a doubt that God is always doing something. So I say this, not to air my desperation to find a husband; because quite frankly this girl is NOT going to do any sort of finding. He (whoever he is) is going to have to be completely reliant on God and then boldly pursue me.
No, I say this with a two-fold purpose.
One-I-like many – have in the back of my mind this thought “Today is a good day to fall in love” or “I wonder when God is going to bring, him into my life.” Many of us are attracted to Mr. Darcy or Mr. Knightley, etc… because they are men who know what they want and are willing to pursue it. I am personally drawn to the story of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy for the fact that he watched Elizabeth and admired her without her really even knowing. Then after some struggles and changes in both of their hearts he, without any expectations, loved her in thought and deed, even when he assumed the feelings were once sided.
I know it is in the heart of most every woman to be adored and loved by a man. Often times especially in “super spiritual” circles this fact causes embarrassment, so a lot of young ladies like to pretend their singleness makes them closer to God. However I seriously doubt God wants us to be embarrassed for something he created us with. Ha! I’m definitely not!
I AM A SUPER DUPER ROMANTIC!
Two-With point number one still in mind I will add this: While a desire to be married to a most dashing and Godly man ; ) is not a bad thing, thinking your life doesn’t start until him, or being discontent until Mr. Wonderful arrives is not right or healthy. I have seen many a lady so desperate to get married that they settle for something other than God’s Will and regret it. I don’t mean in any way to belittle those times when it is really hard to wait, trust me I have been there, rather I encourage you to simply trust God!
Just think we were bought with the blood of Christ. Once we accept that gift, our ‘Happily Ever After’ is here and now. No, our lives won’t be picture perfect, but Jesus’ love for us is perfect and complete, and whether single or married our purpose is to honor and glorify Him. Just remember ladies that we were pursued by our Creator!
How do you think God feels when we spend our time imagining what could be, when He has prepared for us something so beautiful and so amazing we miss it? The fact is we cannot expect the love and admiration of dashing, but imperfect man (we are imperfect too) to “complete” us (sorry but that is so cheesy). Instead we must live every day on that narrow road with our hearts and minds completely focused on Christ. That is living a life in love!
So my dear sisters, remember it is not wrong to desire a relationship with Mr. (Fill in the blank) but in the meantime remember – we are the Bride of Christ! Our lives aren’t waiting to start, they already have! So live them and live them for HIS glory!
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