I cant even remember the last email or blog Ive written! I know it hasnt been THAT long, but it really does feel like it. Somehow things have been getting even more busy around here. Now that outreach preperation is in full swing we are getting less and less free time and more 'homework'. I really like it though. We have to take this seriously, its not just an experience here that we will be done with in four months. I am getting life skills here that I will be using the rest of my life.. and I think it is especially good that I still need to make the concious effort to spend time with God and grow with Him individually.. Its not all just done for me. It would be easy to get caught up with the doing here annd the relationships even, but I have to constantly remind myself that I need that personal self control and discipline especially if I want this to maintain after leaving this environment.
So a little update on my life here.. Work duties have switched so now instead of groceries I am cleaning/organizing the office with Carolyn - which is really nice to get to know her before India as we are eachothers one-on-one there. So twice a week we go and clean the kitchen or take the rubbish out or whatever needs to be done. Because we have access to internet there and photocopiers we are also given some tasks for India to help Lidia out.. I like to be included in all the prep and behind the scenes stuff as well.. I feel like Im really getting an idea of all it takes to plan a trip like this. So that happens mondays and thursdays. On Tuesday I still cook - now with steph (we made an awesome pasta dish last this week, mom you will be glad to know that I am getting aLOT more confident in the kitchen!) Wed we now have outreach prep for two hours in the afternoon, and then after dinner I have local outreach at the youth club with Cortney. Thurs morn I have Breakfast Club with Isaac - serving breakfast at a primary school. And friday I have cleanup after lunch and after the community meal with all YWAM staff and friends.
This week I was put in charge with Brian to lead a time (an hour and a half) of intercession on India, so we had to research for that... it went well I felt. And in a couple weeks time I am leading a time of worship and devotional with Isaac for the India team. This next week we are all going down to Dublin! for a week of outreach (that word is everywhere!) and I am in charge of transportation with Jack. Team Jack and Jen! We plan on coming up with some ridiculous games for people to play on the trains or something. So Megan and Nosipho are really the only two that I am not really doing anything with right now! that is just an idea of how busy we are.. Then there are the journals and books to read and anything additional.. LIKE this week we had the task to write a psalm everynight, then read it out to the class the next day. It was really neat. When you write something so honest and personal to God and have the chance to share that with people who are walking along side you.. its a cool experience.
This week of lectures was on worship. It was a really strange week for me really. It was a full torent of emotions. Over all I experienced this week though, the highs and the lows.. the one thing that really rang true for me all week was that worship does not depend on me and my circumstance, but it is about praising the God who does not change, and the comfort that comes from that. AND the amazing truth that God carries me when Im at my lowest and often it is in the form of friends and family around me. I really felt the love of the community in a fresh way this week as I was going through a hard time, and in return, when I was filled afresh with the living joy, I was able to return that love and hold up my friends too. The support is so necessary. I am realizing that more and more. When I was too weak to hold my head up, my friends carried me through. it was beautiful. I absolutely love living in this community, and want to build up/experience that same sense of community wherever I am. As a group we went through a bit of a weird week too.. but all the challenges just seem to make us stronger and more united. As we prayed for India on Thursday we got the picture that there was a door blocking the country to us and the key was in our unity - but that we have to guard that because it is the weapon that will be most strongly attacked.
I have been getting many ideas over the past few weeks of things that I want to DO once I get home and I am really excited to take these steps. I believe that I really am getting equiped here. Most of you have probably been apart of my ideas of what I want to do and see. In calgary and throughout this world. My dreams are big, and I want to inspire others to dream as well.
Im going to end on that note. Things are crazy here and there always seems like there is a conversation that needs to happen or something that needs to be written. Every once and awhile I love doing absolutely nothing that I am obligated to do. That is going to be my day tomorrow. (and was my weekend away last weekend in Newcastle.) Please continue to pray, especially for strength against any spiritual attacks. And for the continued unity of our house. I love you all. You are so precious to me, more and more in fact! Blessings.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
In addition and Moreso
So to add to the last post.. Its been another week and therefor another meeting about India. In addition to the list of jobs I already have Ive also been assigned the MINISTER OF FUN - which is a role Ive seemed to pick up since being here..I really dont mind it! `Basically it means that any days out we want to plan I will be planning. Like going to the Taj Mahal. And riding an elephant. Those kinds of things. ALSO I am in charge (with Lidia, our leader) to plan out and arrange all the invites we are expecting to receive. Our ministry in mainly connecting with peoplé soo we are expecting to get invited to manyy meals and tea times.. and I will have to organize when and where. I really think that all my responsibilities have been given to me for a specific purpose. I think that thses are the things that I need to do and to practice, because these will be things I will need for this next stage of my life. It suits my personality perfectly... organizing and planning and having fun and playing.. not to mention doing relationship instead of preaching.. it is so much more ME... but still areas that I need to grow and learn and practice. It will be building on mz strengths. We are still getting word back about culture and where we will be staying actually. We are focusing right now on building up our team and finding our roles.. unity. And on ´getting our visas for India. I would appreciate prayer too that there arent any more vaccinations that I will be needing that arent covered here... Because money for that will be coming out of my own pocket. We are in the process of registering for a UK Health Card annd if accepted for that, there are a certain amount of vaccinations that are covered under that card. Im just waiting to hear back from that.
In other news, this past weekend we had our first real practice since ´being here. We helped organize and run a conference for ýouth... There are a couple Christian communites that gather évery year or something and this year we were asked to participate with the youth. My team was in charge of the 12 to 18 year olds.. we had about 20 kids and there were 6 of us. I was (again) the Minister of Fun and created the games and got the kids to participate and such. We alll helped with the teaching then too annd Split up and led different small group sessions. I MISS LEADING A SMALL GROUP!! The girls I had were about the age of my girls at home that I was helping to lead, annd it really reminded me of them. I never even realized that I had been learning and growing in that area really until being thrown into a different group. I really enjoy that setting of discipleship and teaching, way more than standing up in front and talking. I love the communication. It was probably the third time since being here that I felt like I was back at home.. The first when i was down in Newcastle with a family, and went to a yuothgroup there (all youth groups have the same feel) annd the second when I babysat for a family here!! It was just like I was back at home doing what I love to do. And what is amazing is taht all these skills that I now have were all picked up on just doing what I love to do in my church. Serving in promiseland (sunday school) and youth. I guess all along God was preparing me... and I am so thankful!
This past week in lectures we learned about sin and the cross..but the emphasis was definately moreso about giving life. Meeting people in their 'hell' and bringing light. Being Jesus to people and by that to reintroduce people to themselves... as they were intended to be. Pretty much it was what I already know and our lecturer just was able to put mz thoughts into beautiful words. I want to live a life of adding color to people's lives. I want to pour out love, and that is it. I am definately abandining all notions of trying to become all theological and trying to understand and to have all the answers. I just want to share in this love. (dont get me wrong though, I still very much so think that we do need to love God with our minds... Im just sick of people getting caught up on the dos and the donts and the trivial matters instead of the heart matters.) None of this was new for me... Its what I was saying before leaving even... it was just worded so beautifullý over the week.
Something I definately HAVE learned - not just in my head but in my heart as well - is the importance of community. People around me to edify and encourage me and to support me and maybe to point out my irrationalities and mý impatience. To grow with. AND to have a place that receives people with welcome arms. And sends people out. I cant do this on my own. How exciting too to have a place to infect people you love with your passion! That reminds me... all the words that describe what Im going through, experiencing, and learning right now begin with P. It is kind of funny. PASSION, perserverence, purpose, practice, prayer, patience, Pursue, promise, planning... all very exciting. Ive discovered that I have such a passion for getting people to dream big and to pursue their passions. to enpower people to do. I love that idea.
I hope to get some pictures up on facebook soon. So check it out... Thanks for listening! OH something else just quick... it has been overwhelming the amount of love and joy that ALL of us in óur family has been expereincing. We have bonded so closely and feel such a strong sense of love to one another. I think.. this is me putting words into Gods mouth... that the way we are living and learning is making God happy. It sounds childish, but I really think He is blessíng us. We are learning what true community feeels like and I dont know how I could ever go back! good things. good things.
ps. Im using a GERMAN computer to write this and the keyboard is slightly different so sorry about all the spelling errors.
In other news, this past weekend we had our first real practice since ´being here. We helped organize and run a conference for ýouth... There are a couple Christian communites that gather évery year or something and this year we were asked to participate with the youth. My team was in charge of the 12 to 18 year olds.. we had about 20 kids and there were 6 of us. I was (again) the Minister of Fun and created the games and got the kids to participate and such. We alll helped with the teaching then too annd Split up and led different small group sessions. I MISS LEADING A SMALL GROUP!! The girls I had were about the age of my girls at home that I was helping to lead, annd it really reminded me of them. I never even realized that I had been learning and growing in that area really until being thrown into a different group. I really enjoy that setting of discipleship and teaching, way more than standing up in front and talking. I love the communication. It was probably the third time since being here that I felt like I was back at home.. The first when i was down in Newcastle with a family, and went to a yuothgroup there (all youth groups have the same feel) annd the second when I babysat for a family here!! It was just like I was back at home doing what I love to do. And what is amazing is taht all these skills that I now have were all picked up on just doing what I love to do in my church. Serving in promiseland (sunday school) and youth. I guess all along God was preparing me... and I am so thankful!
This past week in lectures we learned about sin and the cross..but the emphasis was definately moreso about giving life. Meeting people in their 'hell' and bringing light. Being Jesus to people and by that to reintroduce people to themselves... as they were intended to be. Pretty much it was what I already know and our lecturer just was able to put mz thoughts into beautiful words. I want to live a life of adding color to people's lives. I want to pour out love, and that is it. I am definately abandining all notions of trying to become all theological and trying to understand and to have all the answers. I just want to share in this love. (dont get me wrong though, I still very much so think that we do need to love God with our minds... Im just sick of people getting caught up on the dos and the donts and the trivial matters instead of the heart matters.) None of this was new for me... Its what I was saying before leaving even... it was just worded so beautifullý over the week.
Something I definately HAVE learned - not just in my head but in my heart as well - is the importance of community. People around me to edify and encourage me and to support me and maybe to point out my irrationalities and mý impatience. To grow with. AND to have a place that receives people with welcome arms. And sends people out. I cant do this on my own. How exciting too to have a place to infect people you love with your passion! That reminds me... all the words that describe what Im going through, experiencing, and learning right now begin with P. It is kind of funny. PASSION, perserverence, purpose, practice, prayer, patience, Pursue, promise, planning... all very exciting. Ive discovered that I have such a passion for getting people to dream big and to pursue their passions. to enpower people to do. I love that idea.
I hope to get some pictures up on facebook soon. So check it out... Thanks for listening! OH something else just quick... it has been overwhelming the amount of love and joy that ALL of us in óur family has been expereincing. We have bonded so closely and feel such a strong sense of love to one another. I think.. this is me putting words into Gods mouth... that the way we are living and learning is making God happy. It sounds childish, but I really think He is blessíng us. We are learning what true community feeels like and I dont know how I could ever go back! good things. good things.
ps. Im using a GERMAN computer to write this and the keyboard is slightly different so sorry about all the spelling errors.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
India Update!
So my break was great. I had a good mix of rest and of adventure, went to a few different places on the island and was also streched a great deal by God. He revealed yet another area in my life that needs repentence and change and it is a journey that has only just begun (and will be difficult definately) but I know that all in all I am becoming the woman that God intended me to be.
Now we are halfway into the week learning about the Holy Spirit. How exciting! I dont have the time to explore that here now, but hopefully soon I will get to come back to elaborate...
Today we just had our first outreach meeting.. talking about INDIA! I am soo looking forward to this. So our team consists of Lydia as the leader and Brian, Isaac, Carolyn, and Cortney as the other team members with me. We will be spending the majority of our time in Dehli and a little in Nuni (?). As a team we each have different roles that we will be filling for the practical side of doing outreach.. things like the budget, childrens programs, worship, and team meetings.... MY role that Ive been given is a blend of alot! Basically I will be taking care of all the loose ends that come up. Ill be creating the rotas for chores and cooking, and making the menu, doing the shopping, arranging the transportation (taxis and buses mainly) and anything else that needs to be done. I guess like the orangizer of the team? As well as making some sort of Adult Program, or planning that. So I will be delegating who would be preaching or who would be sharing their testimony and what the structure would look like for any Adult service we would have. We dont know yet what kinds of things we will be doing or who we will be working with, so that is to come. Alot of it is last minute though so we will prepare as much as possible beforehand. Ive been asking God to strech me and challenge me, and I really feel like that is what He has got in mind.
-the computer cut me off short that time... I will just post this as it is (I wrote it about a week and a half ago..)
Now we are halfway into the week learning about the Holy Spirit. How exciting! I dont have the time to explore that here now, but hopefully soon I will get to come back to elaborate...
Today we just had our first outreach meeting.. talking about INDIA! I am soo looking forward to this. So our team consists of Lydia as the leader and Brian, Isaac, Carolyn, and Cortney as the other team members with me. We will be spending the majority of our time in Dehli and a little in Nuni (?). As a team we each have different roles that we will be filling for the practical side of doing outreach.. things like the budget, childrens programs, worship, and team meetings.... MY role that Ive been given is a blend of alot! Basically I will be taking care of all the loose ends that come up. Ill be creating the rotas for chores and cooking, and making the menu, doing the shopping, arranging the transportation (taxis and buses mainly) and anything else that needs to be done. I guess like the orangizer of the team? As well as making some sort of Adult Program, or planning that. So I will be delegating who would be preaching or who would be sharing their testimony and what the structure would look like for any Adult service we would have. We dont know yet what kinds of things we will be doing or who we will be working with, so that is to come. Alot of it is last minute though so we will prepare as much as possible beforehand. Ive been asking God to strech me and challenge me, and I really feel like that is what He has got in mind.
-the computer cut me off short that time... I will just post this as it is (I wrote it about a week and a half ago..)
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