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"The concern for world evangelization is not something tacked on to a man's personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses. It is rooted in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus. Thus, it can never be the province of a few enthusiasts, a sideline or a specialty of those who happen to have a bent that way. It is the distinctive mark of being a Christian." -- James S. Stewart
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.--Jesus Christ
"Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love" -- Roland Allen "
'Not called!' did you say?'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. -- William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! --Jesus Christ
Forgive me for not updating! i've been writing in a "paper" journal. Because I've had extra devotions and preparation for China. I'm going through the book of Mark for preparation. And i've needed to write down all my thoughts and prayers in sometihng that I can take with me. I take two hours every evening to do that. I've really enjoyed it! I get so lax! I do my devotions but certainly not for two hours. And it's been such a blessing to spend that much time in prayer and bible reading and I just adore it! I look forward to it every evening. Oh yes I have to do it in the evening because i don't have two hours in the morning1 In fact I don't have two hours at all... so most nights I end up staying up really late doing it... oh but it's just wonderful! I feel like nothing can get me down!
Also I have something planned for every day this month! and preparations are coming along but I still have so much more left to do! Like I have all my "furniture" lesson pictures all laminated and finished. and all the words! Which is amazing! And I have some of my pictures for my "Traveling around" lesson done... but only some... I still have some states coming in the mail and so that means more pictures... unless of course most send posters or post cards and then I won't have to do so many... we shall see. And I have my photo albumn finished... and I have my clothes picked out. and I have donation stuff in the mail. And I've gotten a couple gifts... and I have everything sorted out and I have my ticket. BUT I still have to copy off dialogues, skits, question pages, and a couple other things. I have to wrap the gifts, I have to make bookmarks, I have to finish the pictures, and finish the songs, and finish coloring this poster I have. And then I have to pack it all into a bag! I just don't know how I shall get it all in there! lol
I went to the kindergarten graduation! It was wonderful! Just Grand! and I went on the field trip with the 1st and 2nd grade! We went to a acquarium! It was so much fun! And I just adore my class! But I had my last day of work on tuesday... and oh goodness... I didn't want it to be my last day!
I got my braces off! and my teeth look great... but the retainer KILLS!!!!!!it's so painful! far worse then the braces!
I went for my Drivers Test and failed... but I will be going again in a few days1 PRAY FOR ME! The only thing I messed up on was parallel parking. And the girl i had was horridly mean! Oh my goodness! I was so freaked out by her... and that's really whyI failed because I was so nervous I really couldn't concentrate. I spent two hours every day practicing the week before and i was doing everything perfect!
So we did the play with the homeschool group and it went great! Hoty (H o (long O) D EE) (not hotty) was so amazing! He did great acting and so did Derekk! We had a blast! It really was fun! and I was stage crew!
This Sunday we have our church's 10th anniversary! And we are having a big thing... we tell all the memories we have of HBF! I have something written up! There will be lots of tears as people speak but it will mean so much!
I'm going on a camping trip for a weekend before I leave. and I'm going to be going to the Briggs house for a "game day". So much fun! And then Ihave to finish up China stuff. And I go to bangor to get more supplies. And let's see what else... another phone conference with the Camp Director for China trip.Oh and I have to go to carosel performance! Herb and Nikki (missionaries) might be coiming to visit me. And I want to visit the T-family before I leave. and then I have little things planned here and there. the last week of June is free... But I have plans that I wish to do that weekend! Fun things! Relax before I leave!
thanks for your prayers! It means so much to me1 And I promise that I'll tell youall about the trip when i get back... especially you Holly Berry! and I'll try to write again before I leave! God Bless
| A Mission Trip Will Change Your Family |
| Linda Joyce Heaner, Contributing Writer |
| When my children were six, eight, and eleven, I took them on a mission trip to Mexico. God used that trip to gradually change our thinking, our attitudes, our priorities, our individual lives, and our family. Here's why I encourage you to take your family on a mission trip. Our God is a missionary God. He loves every person and every family in the world as much as He loves you and your family. He wants His name glorified among all the peoples of the earth. God wants to give your family His heart for the world. A mission trip gives your family a unique opportunity to hear God's voice. Many organizations lead short-term mission trips. Which one fits your family best? Perhaps, like me, you'll see a notice for a mission trip that grabs your attention. Then you'll check out the details. Here's the key question: "Does God want our family to go on this mission trip at this time?" Discuss and pray about it as a family. Help your children learn to hear God's voice. If God wants you to go, He will make it clear to you. A mission trip gives your family a common focus. Today, family members often run in different directions. A mission trip gives you singular vision. You prepare together, learn about the culture, write and send support letters, attend team meetings, learn words and phrases in another language, pray together-and that's all before the actual trip! A mission trip gives your whole family firsthand experience in trusting God as your provider. A mission trip costs money. A mission trip for the whole family costs lots of money. Pray and ask God to provide for your needs. Tell others of your plans and ask for prayer support and financial help. Then leave it in God's hands. As the saying goes, "Where God guides, He provides." Your children (and you) will be amazed by the variety of ways God provides. (Even if you are able to pay for the entire trip yourself, don't do it. Don't prevent others from supporting you. Don't miss the joy in God that overflows as He meets your needs). When God provided over $300 beyond our costs for our Mexico trip, my children concluded, "God must really want us to go! Now we can give this money to the people in Mexico." Together we decided which projects we wanted to give that 'extra' money toward. A mission trip helps you experience life from a different perspective. People in other cultures have traditions, customs, and beliefs that are just as important to them as ours are to us. They think and act differently than we do. You eat their foods, do things their way, and learn from the people you serve. At a school in a Nairobi slum, three-year-olds through eighth graders all received a tin plate with a large scoop of beans, corn, and ugali. The children laughed and talked as they ate their lunch. Not a single bean was left on any plate. Later, I learned that most of those children wouldn't eat again until they were at school the next day. A mission trip shows you the depth of people's needs and God's heart of compassion. Every mission trip exposes team members to poverty, sickness, and suffering. It wakes us up to the harsh realities of life throughout the world. It helps us discover the difference between wants and basic needs. When my daughter returned from a mission trip to the Ukraine she said, "I gave my clothes to girls who only had one shirt or skirt." At home, she carefully sorted through everything she owned and gave most of it away. "I don't need these things," she explained, "but I can give them to others who do." A mission trip helps your faith grow stronger. You're in a different culture. You're outside of your comfort zone. You don't speak the language well. These are opportunities to depend on God. On a mission trip, you are not in charge. You cannot 'fix' situations. At times you feel helpless. You, like your children, have to adjust to changes and disappointments. Your children see that you need to trust God too. A family mission trip gives you opportunities to release your children to God. On our Mexico trip, I thought I would be like a mother hen looking after her chicks. Not so. My eleven-year-old son stayed in the men's building down the hill from the rest of our family. My children asked to be on three different Bible distribution teams. I sensed God saying, "Let them go." That was hard for me. Each one came back telling stories of how God had touched people's hearts through their team. A mission trip teaches things you can't learn in the same way at home. Imagine you are thirteen, attending a Christian school in a Nairobi slum. You and your family live in one room, the size of your bathroom. There is no running water. Your parents are unemployed. You eat two meals a day, both at school. You live next to an enormous garbage dump. How would you answer the question: "What are you thankful for?" I asked the seventh graders at that school. They answered: I'm thankful that my family takes good care of me; that God made me; that I can come to school and get a good education; for our visitors (our mission team); that Jesus died on the cross for me; that I have a good life. We learned much about thankfulness from those children that day. A mission trip gives your family a common experience with lifelong memories you will all treasure. It's been twelve years since our family mission trip to Mexico. During the past five years, my young adults have gone on mission trips to Ukraine, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Kenya, and China. I just returned from my first overseas mission trip. My favorite mission trip is still our family one. Why? Because together we experienced God's presence, power, and love in another culture. God used that mission trip to shape our family. Go ahead. Take the plunge. Start praying and planning now. Your family will be changed forever! Linda Joyce Heaner is a freelance author and speaker. Read about her family's first mission trip and subsequent trips in her new book, God, I Need Help. You can contact her at linda@abidinghope.com. |
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way !
O sinners let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
O sinners let's go down,
Down in the river to pray.
As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good old way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way !
O sinners let's go down,
Let's go down, come on down,
Come on sinners let's go down,
Down in the river to pray.
Isn't the Lord good?! Oh He is so good! I'm so blessed to be able to look at my relationship with the Lord and fully be able to say that it's a friendship, a personal relationship. It's not religion or anything like that. But a true personal relationship where I can go to Him and talk to Him and listen to Him. And The Lord will take care of me and teach me and draw me closer to Him. Oh how blessed I am. And I'm so not worthy of it... but oh what a priviledge!
Sometimes life throws things at me. But what can get me down when I'm talking with my Lord? It's just when I slip out of that, I get down. I get really down. I slip into meloncholyness. But when I spend time in God's word and in prayer... what can bring me down? Nothing can make me meloncholy!
I'm in such a singy mood. All I want to do is sing and sing and sing!
| I love poetry with brilliant rhymes,
Isn't He inspiring? Isn't he Amazing and wonderful? I'm in awe of my Lord! I find it amusing... I find it amusing that most gals and guys my age are in love with each other. I've got sucked into that, twice. But not anymore, I'm too in love with my Lord. Someday, the Lord will give me someone to love, but I will not, can not waste my time with that right now. And it's so amusing that I think like that. Cause I've never thought this way ever. *sigh* I can not wait... can't not wait at all to be in Heaven! To be with my Lord! To sit at the feet of my Lord and worship Him. To talk, to see His face. To spend eternity with Him. OH PRAISE GOD!!! That sounds so perfect, so wonderful, yet so far away. Ok so i found these really cool quotes about missions. And they are like so true. And I can't understand why we are so put inside of our Bubble. Not willing to move out of our comfort zone. As Christians our entire focas should be Missions. And I know that not everyone is called to go across seas. BUT... I do know that every Christian is called to a ministry whether it be where you live or across the world. At times I get so frustrated with America. Patience with America, especially teens, is hard for me to get and keep. Depending on the situation... I just have no pity or sympathy. Sometimes as teens we just do such stupid things. And the thing is... we Know better. Yet, we do it anyway! I mean, if we know we are doing sometihng we shouldn't but continue to do it. Even after getting advice... and we continue it. How immature of us.
Or Religion. America is so caught up in religion. What does religion hold? Nothing... it's so empty! Christianity should not be caught up in religion it should be caught up in Christ. We should have our focas on God. We should be so blinded by the Love of God that all we wish to do is serve Him. And some people say "Oh I'm not called into missions" Yes... you are! If you are a christian... The Lord says "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" Meaning in your work place... at home... in school... why don't we see that need? We're so caught up in ourselves, that we forget the Great cause of Jesus Christ. We forget our role. We are servants, called to do His ministry and notihng else. lol... ok... well, here are some of the quotes.... "I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" -- John Keith Falconer "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply" -- Hudson Taylor "God isn't looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him" -- Hudson Taylor "The Great Commission" is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed" -- Hudson Taylor "If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China" -- Hudson Taylor "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him." -- Hudson Taylor, missionary to China "Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God" -- William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions "The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become." -- Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia "He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose" -- Jim Elliot, missionary martyr who lost his life in the late 1950's trying to reach the Auca Indians of Ecuador "We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it" -- P.F. Bresee, founder of the Church of the Nazarene "In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been" -- Robert Moffat, who inspired David Livingstone "If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?" -- David Livingstone "Sympathy is no substitute for action." -- David Livingstone, missionary to Africa "Can't you do just a little bit more?" -- J.G. Morrison pleading with Nazarenes in the 1930's Great Depression to support their missionaries "Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us." -- Keith Wright "The Bible is not the basis of missions; missions is the basis of the Bible" -- Ralph Winter, U.S. Center for World Mission "Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell." -- C.T. Studd "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him." -- C.T. Studd"No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." -- Oswald J. Smith "Any church that is not seriously involved in helping fulfill the Great Commission has forfeited its biblical right to exist." -- Oswald J. Smith "The mission of the church is missions" -- Oswald J. Smith "We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first." -- Oswald J. Smith "This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!" -- Keith Green "There is nothing in the world or the Church -- except the church's disobedience -- to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility." -- Robert Speer "If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king" -- Jordan Groom (variations of this also credited to G. K. Chesterson, Thomas Carlyle and Charles Haddon Spurgeon)"If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn't it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death." -- Dave Davidson "World missions was on God's mind from the beginning." -- Dave Davidson "In our lifetime, wouldn't it be sad if we spent more time washing dishes or swatting flies or mowing the yard or watching television than praying for world missions?" -- Dave Davidson "Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" -- Bob Pierce, World Vision founder "No reserves. No retreats. No regrets" -- William Borden "The reason some folks don't believe in missions is that the brand of religion they have isn't worth propagating." -- unknown When James Calvert went out as a missionary to the cannibals of the Fiji Islands, the ship captain tried to turn him back, saying, "You will lose your life and the lives of those with you if you go among such savages." To that, Calvert replied, "We died before we came here." "Someone asked Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved? It is more a question with me whether we -- who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not -- can be saved." -- Charles Spurgeon "The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time" -- Carl F. H. Henry "Our God of Grace often gives us a second chance, but there is no second chance to harvest a ripe crop." -- Kurt von Schleicher "Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God's delight in being God." --John Piper "God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose." -- John Piper "You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving." -- Amy Carmichael, missionary to India "Only as the church fulfills her missionary obligation does she justify her existence." -- Unknown "As long as there are millions destitute of the Word of God and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will be impossible for me to devote time and energy to those who have both." -- J. L. Ewen "The command has been to 'go,' but we have stayed -- in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth ... but 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland." -- Robert Savage, Latin American Mission "People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives ... and when the bubble has burst, they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted." -- Nate Saint, missionary martyr "We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God." -- John Stott "Believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story." -- K.P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia Bible Society "Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ." -- Francis Xavier, missionary to India, the Philippines, and Japan "The mark of a great church is not its seating capacity, but its sending capacity." -- Mike Stachura "The true greatness of any church in not how many it seats but how many it sends!" -- Unknown "It is not in our choice to spread the gospel or not. It is our death if we do not." -- Peter Taylor Forsyth "If God's love is for anybody anywhere, it's for everybody everywhere." -- Edward Lawlor, Nazarene General Superintendent "Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is -- where life and death, sin and grace, Heaven and Hell converge." -- Robert C. Shannon "People who don't believe in missions have not read the New Testament. Right from the beginning Jesus said the field is the world. The early church took Him at His word and went East, West, North and South." -- J. Howard Edington "It is possible for the most obscure person in a church, with a heart right toward God, to exercise as much power for the evangelization of the world, as it is for those who stand in the most prominent positions." -- John R. Mott "In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God's work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer." -- Dick Eastman, president of Every Home for Christ (formerly World Literature Crusade) "What's your dream and to what corner of the missions world will it take you?" -- Eleanor Roat, missions mobilizer "We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer." -- Wesley Duewel, head of OMS International "Love is the root of missions; sacrifice is the fruit of missions" -- Roderick Davis "Missionary zeal does not grow out of intellectual beliefs, nor out of theological arguments, but out of love" -- Roland Allen "I have but one passion: It is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ." -- Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf "If you take missions out of the Bible, you won't have anything left but the covers" -- Nina Gunter "If the Church is 'in Christ,' she is involved in mission. Her whole existence then has a missionary character. Her conduct as well as her words will convince the unbelievers and put their ignorance and stupidity to silence." -- David Bosch "Missions is not the 'ministry of choice' for a few hyperactive Christians in the church. Missions is the purpose of the church." -- Unknown "The concern for world evangelization is not something tacked on to a man's personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses. It is rooted in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus. Thus, it can never be the province of a few enthusiasts, a sideline or a specialty of those who happen to have a bent that way. It is the distinctive mark of being a Christian." -- James S. Stewart "The average pastor views his church as a local church with a missions program; while he ought to realize that if he is in fact pastoring a church, it is to be a global church with a missions purpose." -- Unknown "The Christian is not obedient unless he is doing all in his power to send the Gospel to the heathen world." -- A. B. Simpson Makes me shiver.... I'm called... I'm called... there is just so much to it. It's so big... but it's what is expected of me. I'm not scared as some think I Must be. I have a peace about it. What makes me shiver is that I realize that there are so many! So many hearts that need to be told. So many. And I can only reach what few come into my life. I just can't tell everyone like I want to. I wish I could tell every person. But I am only one person... but PRAISE GOD, because he has called all of us to missions. Now let's see how many follow Him. Let's see how many listen and serve.
Ok.. I'm done babbling. I'm just so happy!!! God is so good! Don't you agree?! God Bless! |
I decided... oooooooohhhhhh... I should write... I really miss writing in my journal. And besides that I found out I don't have to do ten lessons. Only two. Yay! Which cuts back considerably... but still alot of work because it's not just intermediate level, but beginner and advanced. Because we will be passing the lessons around from teacher to teacher. So yay... fun fun!
Last night was such a blessing!!!! God is so good! Pastor went down to see Matt's (a guy from our church) Mum. Our church has been praying for her to get saved for ten years! And Matt and Kat have been praying 15 years. Well, she asked the Lord into her heart on Sunday! What a blessing! God is so amazing!!!!
A verse that I have had written out and on my desk is this:
Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
It's so hard, sometimes. It's hard to be "perfect" as I am expected to be. I struggle. I have no words. I can't put ino words what I'm feeling at this moment. I'm not depressed... though very close to it. And I'm never depressed. Never ever ever... I guess it's more like meloncholy. I'm sick of school I could throw my computer out the window. I've had to make up so much school work because I started a month late, because of waiting for the new program. And since I was working three days a week I had so much o make up. I'm finally finished Bible and History... But English... my favorite subject is driving me insane. Cause I feel as though I'm doing nothing but school. But I do enjoy school. But not unless I can take a break. Ok... maybe I'm over reacting... yeah I'm over reacting... It's just one of those days... where I'm frustrated. Very frustrated. So I vent... to no one... only my journal...
lol... I'm really crazy... it's just one of those times... where... I'm more frustrateed with myself then anything else really. I NEED to MATURE! I mean I have... but I still have so far to go... so much to learn... And what really gets me is when people tell me I need to mature... ok I already know that and I'm working hard to change...
I know what i need.... I need a good laugh... I need to... get away... and laugh... sounds fun... girl day! 
May 12th will be nice... I think the girls are coming with me to Bangor and we shall go shopping (ok.. so not my favorite thing) but at least the girls will be there. But maybe we can go to the movie Theater.
I can't wait until I get my license... it's killing me to wait... I did send in for it. Since I want to get it to make sure I pass before I leave for China. I dunno the date yet though. I'm really nervous about it though... cause I haven't had to much practice parallel (sp) parking. Everything else I know i can do fine... but oh my goodness... I only parallel parked once with an instructor... and like none since then... Dad's going to help me practice... but I hate practicing with Dad... I get yelled at. But know that I can back up pretty good I shouldn't have to much trouble. LOL LOL... when I first started driving I was horrid at backing up. I just could not do it. And dad would yell at me so badly! lol But I can back up pretty much anywhere now.
Oh... on tuesday... one of my students and his family sent me flowers and a balloon that says "Thanks a Bunch" because it is teacher appreciation week! It was so sweet. Makes me feel special. I love the class! i really enjoy teaching and working with them. I have a blast! Lol... and I've never felt more appreciated in all my life! The kids adore me.. and I get so many hugs...and parents come up to me and say "our kids love you to peices!" It's like... aawwwww I love them to! lol
"As long as there are millions destitute of the Word of God and knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will be impossible for me to devote time and energy to those who have both." -- J. L. Ewen
How selfish I can be at times!What do I have to make me meloncholy? I must snap out of it. Yes... I have to mature and yes things go wrong. But someone else is going through something far worse then I am. And I am truly blessed! And besides that... God is changing me working on me molding me... and bringing closer and closer to maturity. I can't let the thoughts of others get me down. because the only one that counts is my Lord.
Oh goodness... how selfish am I...
"You're attitude is the key to you're success as a christian."
I have the choice to be meloncholy or joyful. It's still the morning and I plan to have a good day. No more meloncholyness!
Have I not been called by God to do His work. Where is there room for being meloncholy or having a pity party?
Do I need to be again reminded of the verses... Romans 1:16, Romans 10:14-15, Matthew 16:15, Colossians 3:17, Romans 12:5-10, James 1:5, James 4:7, Philippians 3:7-12, and Acts
Where is my heart when I act like this? Certainly not tuned towards God.
"Lord forgive me for having a heart that isn't tuned to your will"
I must get back to work... but think of this...
"'Not called!' did you say?
'Not heard the call,' I think you should say.
Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear Him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters and servants and masters not to come there. Then look Christ in the face -- whose mercy you have professed to obey -- and tell Him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish His mercy to the world. -- William Booth
Where to start where to start?!
Well, yesterday was my birthday. I turned 17. But what more can I say about that? Oh one year closer to being with my Lord! Or Another year gone by that I was able to serve Him in. Another new year before me in which I can serve Him all the more harder!
But my birthday is not what is on my mind.
All the people I shall be working with are trading testimonies! What a blessing it is!!! But I'm at loss for words... All I wish to focas on is Bible verses...So I'm going to put the verses I can think of that mean alot to me on here...
Philippians 1:18-29
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Job 1:8
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Ruth 1:16-18
And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.
When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.
Psalms 37:3-7
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Psalms 27:1-11
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Romans 10:1
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for "China"is, that they might be saved.
2 Corinthians 4
1Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
AMEN AND AMEN!
I haven't written in my journal is so long it seems! And I know I've said this before but I'll say it again... I'm so busy! But I love it!!!
My Birthday is on Sunday... I'm going to Kim's house (that teacher I work with on Tuesdays) we are going to have a girl day... Eui is coming... so it'll be fun. But I'm so tired at this moment. I'm at a friends house... and I believe I did something everyday this week!!! It's been crazy, but so much fun. The Lord is just using me so much! It's so wonderful to be used of Him.
I will write soon... again... but for now.... short short short....
Mark 16:15
Jeremiah 29:11
James 5:1
Romans 1:16
Psalms 37:3-5
Romans 10:14-15
Ruth 1:20-24
HOW AWESOME IS MY GOD?!?!?!?!
Indescribable glory
Complete control
Amazing Love
Wonderful Mercy
Unconceveable Forgiveness
MY GOD IS PERFECT!!!
"Make Me A Pebble"
What do you see in me that I could be used to serve you, Lord? I feel honored that you called me. Whatever you ask of me, I will do. You are my Lord. I will not fear your call, for you know me completely and recognize what i can do for you. I praise you and say "yes" to your call. I know you are with me to help and guide. I'm not a rock like Peter, but I can be a pebble that serves you. I am your child and you are my God. Thank you for accepting my strengths and weaknesses. How exciting it will be in this venture and I obey your call and see great things happen in your name! Take me, Lord. Use me. Let me glorify your name. Whatever you ask of me, I will do.
"Hear the Call"
I hear Jesus call to Me,
"There's Work for you to do"
I see many hurting souls.
"Come, show them life anew"
"You must reap the harvest
of those who search for Me"
I still hear Him calling;
"From Sin I'll set them free"
God, why must I be the one?
Why are you calling me?
"Because I need your help,
My Child"
Then here am I send me, Dear Dear Lord!
I received both of the things above, in a letter from a dear friend that goes to my church. Both encouraging and ironic. Have I not said the same words before with out even seeing this. I'm not the only person to be burdened for the hearts of God's creation.
But then as I continued to read the letter....
"Dearest Jess, I am so proud of you! You are a Beautiful young lady inside and out. Your testimony is so precious and you have been such a good example to the other young ladies in our fellowship."
I realized that, the partthat is the hardest is not the finally giving in to the Lord and letting Him take me across the world. But the hadest part is staying and being the example I need and should be. Sometimes it's easier to work with complete stangers, because you expect rejection and accept it as part of witnessing. But when you have to stand for what you believe in, in front of your family and friends, and they reject it. That's the hard part. The hard part is staying and being misunderstood. Being taken as a snob or someone that thinks they are high and mighty. The hard part is staying and dealing with people expecting so much, yet not accepting what they are given because it's too much. Maybe I don't make sense. Yes, there will be hard times in the road ahead, but all I can do is lean on the Lord because the road is just beginning. I've decided to let the Lord take control... but he's just beginning with me. He has far more for me to go through. What does this pathway hold for me? Many difficult times. The path isn't smooth. As I stand in my spot right now and look down the road I can see bumps that will need to be passed. But there are many I can't see because I can't see the entire road. And all I can do is trust that the Lord will help me over the bumps in the road and I will make it to the end of my journey. He will make his little pebble into a beautiful smooth stone that he can throw into the midst of a problem. And it may make ripples at first, but they will subside. I just pray the Lord will use me and perfect me.
Even talking to the Calvanist Pastor is a way of useing me. It may not have benefitted the Pastor, but maybe it benefitted the people that listened to us or the people that found out about it. And I know it benefitted me. But I want to continue doing these things for Christ. I'm living for Christ and I can't let myself sink into the same thing most Americans do... selfish idleness. I'm not living for people or myself. How many times must I remind myself of this? So what if people think me as a crazy Jesus fanatic. Or if they find me pushy or intimidating. The thing is, it's not what people say or think. I must say what God is telling me to say. And learn to keep my mouth shut. I just thank the Lord he is beginning to teach me when to keep my mouth shut. Because it's not the talking I have a hard time with, but the staying quiet.
So beyond it all, is the matter of being an example not only in China... and across the world, but in this little place called Downeast Maine. To family, Friends, and strangers. To learn to get over myself and my fear of not being accepted and just do the things God is telling me to do!
It was absolutly amazingly encouraging to recieve the Letter... may I encourage you all to send letters like that to people... even if it's just a "I'm praying for you". We all love recieveing them... so let's all send them too!
Well, this busy busy gal has decided to grace her journal! hehehe... Let's think... what went on while I was not writing.
Well, I've been working on getting the final stages of fund raising, and getting my visa, and plane tickets. And it's a been a blast, but alot of running. I don't mind running, but my parents do.
On Tuesday I went with Eustacia to her church for a Bible study. And it was such a great time. We were able to sit around a table and just talk. And we learned so much from each other. Don was talking about witnessing and different types of witnessing and such. Something I shared about was one time I was at home doing nothing, but the Lord put it on my heart to witness to someone. So I prayed to the Lord that I would be able to witness to someone that day. Even though I knew I wasn't going to be leaving the house all day. A little bit later the fuel man drove into our drive way. And I was able to go and speak with him and give him th gospel and asked him to read a track. We talked about prayer and opportunities. It was such a blessing to talk to them.
Also, yesterday at TT I was able to talk to a Calvanist Pastor. Quite interesting! Very Interesting! The Lord showed me verses and reasoning that I had never seen before. Not for Calvanistic views, but against. Our Loving God, would not predestin certain people. He loves us all, and would not condemn certain people to hell just because he feels like it. He does not open only certain people's eyes and not others. He opens everyone's eyes and then we have a will to choose whether we accept or deny Christ. That is why he gave us a will. That's why he died for us. That is why God said, "For God so loved the WORLD (not just a select few), that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. He did not send his Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." Jesus does not condemn certain people to hell. What about aborted babies, or infants and young children that are incapable of being able to understand right from wrong. That do not understand the concept of God and having to accept or deny Him. Does he automatically send them to hell? Ahhh... but he said... some go and some do not. But answer me this, if they can not profess how can they go to heaven, even if they are predesdinted?! Our God is holy, and fair God. He is just! He gives us all a fair chance to accept him! And if we refuse to make that desision then we condemn ourselves to hell. because we refuse the gift of eternal life. Calvanistic views infuriate me! What is he to say that he is more special then someone else? That he was choosen by God, but the man down the street wasn't?!?!?! And how does he know that he WAS choosen?! What if he wasn't? What if his Children were not?! How does he know? He certainly can't know what God is thinking. How can he say these things when it's so clear?!?!?! Any love verse of the Bible proves it wrong. And certainly the Roman's Road and John 3:16-17, prove all his theories incorrect! You can not take one verse, and forget the others.
So... long discussion... that was ended by His wife saying... "You can't turn her into a Calvanist in five minutes" That is true... but, you shall never make me a Calvanists. Because I believe in a God that loves and cherishes every human being to every walk this earth, past, present and future. He made us for that very reason! To save us and take us to live in eternity with Him. What a great God! So anyway, he said... "Well I must Go, this conversation is to be continued" hmmm.... will I sit there and let Him talk about my God that way? Certainly not. But I will not engage in another debate on whether I am predestined or not. As you can see it gets me very riled up, when someone so bluntly twists the scripture to make it say sometihng it does not. God's word is not something that should be toyed with!
hummmm.... I believe that I am going to sit down and write a letter... with every Bible verse I can possibly come up with to thwart his views and an explanation of each. And give him that instead of a heated debate. Yes yes...
God Bless!
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