His Plan Previals

Since I've been here in this short month and a half I can think of several times when I felt the Lord saying to me, "daughter, this is MY plan, not yours." And let me tell you from the get go, His plan is good. Yesterday my teammate and I had another reminder of this. We woke up in the morning to an email from an organization we were going to partner with, letting us know that they didn't have anything for us to do after all. It was disappointing to hear, because we had been very excited to work with them, but at the same time just the night before we had been praying that God would open the doors He wanted us to pursue during our time here, and close those He didn't. Being thankful for His immediate answer to that prayer, but still a little disappointed, we headed out to a village about an hour away. We were going to the village to buy saris from the local women there who weave the fabric and make them by hand. Our plan was to go early, buy what we needed, and head back home quickly to finish our list of things we wanted to do that day, most of which were selfish. We got to our friends house, went to pick out our sari's, and were about to head back home when we walked by this little bitty school. It "just so happened" that the two teachers were standing outside and were very ecstatic to see a couple of white faces in their village. They invited us in, and we accepted, thinking that we would just say hi and be on our way in a few minutes. Wrong! We ended up staying in the village all afternoon, singing songs with the kids, having the opportunity to share with them about Jesus and His love for them, and just loving on them the best we could. We taught them to sing "Jesus Love Me", "Waves of Mercy", and even a worship song in their own language that we had just learned the week before. We sat down on the floor, and as the kids crowded around us we got to share stories with them from the Bible. These ladies stopped the school day for us to come meet the kids, just because we were white people from America. The Lord however, intended it for His glory. He intended for these sweet kids who had never heard the name of Jesus to hear of His undying love for them. Oh, how sovereign our Lord is! We had selfishly planed that day, but He had a plan for His name to be proclaimed in a little village, to poor children in a one room school. The teachers have asked us to come back as often as possible and help teach the children English through songs and stories, and what better songs and stories can we teach than those about our Savior? Just as He so faithfully closed a door that morning, He so faithfully opened one. Praise the Lord that His plan always prevails!

 

Oh, His Faithfulness

This blog isn't really about South Asia, but it's something that has been on my heart. Lately I have been reminded of all that has happened throughout my life, and how the Lord has so mercifully and faithfully brought me to the place I am now, and how He continues to move me forward and lovingly sanctify me. I'm also reminded of how much I think my parents have had to do with that. If any of you know my parents, you know how blessed I am. They raised this stubborn, rebellious, deceitful, know-it-all daughter, with as much patience, love, and grace as any human could possibly have. I know they are not perfect, but I just could not have asked for a better example as loving, God fearing parents, and I think my siblings would whole heartedly agree with me on this. Many of you may know, and many of you may not know, how incredibly rebellious and far away from the Lord I was just a few years ago. Either way, let me be the first to tell you that I put my parents through WAY more than I would ever like to admit. I spent pretty much all of my high school years living a double life. I went to church because I was supposed to, and because I thought of my church as family, but it was a social event, if anything. I had "church camp moments" and times of conviction, but the life I lived on a daily basis, away from the eyes of my parents or other respected adults who knew me was lived very differently than the girl on the church pew would make it seem. I was the prodigal child, and not a bit less, although I was pretty good at pretending to be the sweet, innocent Christian girl when I wanted to. My heart was stone cold, and I was filled with deceit, hatred, and pride. I'm pretty sure there were times where my parents truly didn't know if I was ever going to come back to the Lord. But I'm also positive that there wasn't a time they ceased to pray for me to do just that. For God to open my eyes and melt my icy heart, as I continually broke theirs. Then I came to a point where I slowly started listening to the voice of the Lord. He brought me to my knees and drew me to himself. He answered my parents prayers. I'm not saying that He has fulfilled every desire and prayer they have for my life, He is definitely not done with me, but He so faithfully replaced my heart of stone with a beating heart of flesh. He replaced all the lies from the Devil that I was believing, and reminded me of His truth and His word. He changed my life. As much as I've always been taught about the Lord and what He's done for me, it took Him moving that knowledge in my head to my heart. And He redeemed this sinful child. I can remember when I was little having such pure desires for the Lord. I can vividly remember a time when Trisha came back from her journeyman term in China, and was sharing with us at Bible school about her experiences and thinking, "I want to be an 'm'." And how as long as I can remember I've had a desire to work with hurting children, except that one time I wanted to be an interior designer.... I blame my mother and HGTV for that one. But then, I remember when I was in that desert land, and I had desires that were anything but pure. I can't imagine how my parents felt knowing that my innocents and purity of heart were slipping away from me. Yet they prayed, and they prayed, and they prayed even more. They don't even have to tell me how much they prayed for me, for me to know that they did. It was just so evident. They loved me when I was very hard to love, and when I accused them of doing just the opposite. And I mean, VERY hard to love. So thank you, Mom and Dad, for loving me enough to pray for me when it looked like I was a lost cause. Thank you for being a marriage that I can look to and know that your love for each other and for your children stems from your love of the Lord. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for praying. And thank the Lord for being so faithful and good. Thank you Jesus for drawing your rebellious daughter back to yourself.

idols of silver and gold

I have experienced a lot of new things since being here. I'm not in the "bible belt" anymore, I'm in the devil's backyard. We went to a temple not that long ago and wow was I reminded of this. I've read in scripture about people bowing down to idols more times than I could count. It's common knowledge that lots of people around the world bow down to man made items. But until I was here and actually saw this, I just didn't understand the gravity of it. We went into this temple with the purpose of praying over the people doing puja (worship) there as we walked through. We didn't realize how dark this place was, or how much our heart would break, and out spirit would cry out for truth in the lives of these people. Chanting to rama and Krishna, the two gods this temple was devoted to, was being played over speakers throughout this very large temple. People come from all over South Asia to come to this place and seek favor from these statues. We walked through line after line, leading up to bells to ring so that they could wake up the gods before the prayed to them. They were selling food, flowers, and incense to offer them. The more you bought to offer the gods, the more you rang the bell, the more likely that the god would hear your prayer. There was statue after statue, all with people on their faces worshiping them. They had a sign at one point saying "only lord rama can save you". I was sick to my stomach reading it. What a lie from the devil! My heart has become so broken for these people seeking salvation, seeking comfort and healing, meaning for life, who are so wrapped up in this lie. "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat." (Psalm 115:4-7) These gods can do nothing for these people except deceive them. I'm so thankful to know the one true God who does hear my prayers, who is alive and who is a God of action. A God of love. The only one who provides salvation through His precious son Jesus. I grew up hearing the truth of the one true God. The people here grow up hearing of more gods than I can name, with different stories and attributes, being told to worship whichever one or ones that they want to, because they are all basically the same, and lead you to the same place. I truly believe if more Christ followers in evangelized areas of the world saw the vast lostness of this place and places like it, first hand, more believers would be standing up to go and tell. These people hunger for truth. Please pray that they would seek the truth, and that they would find Him. Please pray that these people would be so dissatisfied with these idols, realizing that they have absolutely no power. Ask that the Lord would lift the veil off of their eyes so that they could see the Truth. Please pray for more believers to go and tell people who haven't heard of His saving power, His love and mercy, and His desire to know them as His child. Please ask the Him to draw these people to Himself. "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37,38)

Pictures

Here are some pictures from the last week:

 

 

A view of the city from the metro
 

some more views from around the city
 

 

 

 

Baby Esther and her sweet mother *Asha

 

 

 



Wall art is everywhere

 

 Flowers are most commonly used for puja (idol worship) as prayer offerings
 

 

These are some friends we met in town that we were able to share with. We plan on meeting up again, so please pray that we will have more opportunities to share with them, and that they will be receptive to the Good News
 

 

Coconut milk from the street wala is always good!



This is our favorite dosa guy, (a dosa is basically the Indian burrito) also known as the dosa Nazi. Our goal is to make him smile before December.... it's not working yet.



Begging is unfortunately a part of everyday life here. A lot of beggars will have a small child or multiple children with them

My teammate Lauren and I got stuck in a monsoon, but thankfully our dupata (scarf) turns into a hijab very easily! 



 

This is an auto rickshaw, our most common form of travel. Getting in one of these is an experience every single time

 

 

 

 

Going Into The Darkness

"Does it not stir up our hearts, to go forth and help them... to leave our luxury, our exceeding abundant light, and go to them that sit in darkness?" - Amy Carmichael

 

 

Sometimes it's hard to understand the vast lostness of this world. Especially for me, having grown up in the middle of the "bible belt" in a Christian family, with a loving church family, always surrounded by a solid network of believers. I've heard of UPG's and UUPG's. I've always known that billions of people in this world don't know Jesus. But sometimes, that fact stays in my head, but has a hard time reaching my heart. I hear the statistics, the facts, but do I truly understand what that means? I have been convicted lately that I have been so complacent about sharing the Good News. I know how many people on this earth so desperately need to hear the Truth that I know so well, yet I neglect to share it daily. I've spent so many days in America, in my comfortable bubble, content with just talking to my Christian friends about Jesus and about how much I love Him, going to my awesome church, continually being filled up, and only occasionally pouring into someone else, mostly when it's convenient. But He has called me to so much more than that. The Lord has been opening my eyes daily to the true need, the urgent need for the Gospel to be heard among the nations. How can I sit another day, in my luxury and abundant light, knowing that so many are sitting in utter darkness? I can't. If I want to be obedient to my Father, I just can't. Nearly 4 billion people haven't been reached with the gospel. As I walk out of my door, in this bright and vibrant culture, with beautiful people surrounding me, I know that 98% or more of the people I encounter are included in that 4 billion. The hard truth is that they are headed toward eternal separation from Jesus Christ, without the slightest knowledge of who He is. The Lord is breaking my heart for these people, for the lost in general. He is giving me more of an understanding of His desire to be known and praised by the nations, and growing in me a desire to see just that. He doesn't need my help to reach the nations. His word is clear that that in the end, there will be people representing every nation, tribe, people, and tongue, praising our Father, no matter what I do. He also makes it clear, though, that to be obedient to Him we are to go and make disciples. I wasn't born into the family I was, in the country I was, in all my comfort and knowledge of Him, to keep the Gospel to myself. He did not die just to save me, or just for my friends and family. He did not die just for Americans. He died for this beautiful, broken world. So my challenge, to myself, and to whoever may read this, is to be intentional daily about sharing the Good News with those who have never heard it. It doesn't matter if that is in America, or in South Asia. People all over this world sit in darkness. They need to know Jesus, and we can share Him with them. Lets leave our luxury, our exceeding abundant light, and go to them that sit in darkness.

First Week In

And thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, "those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand"

Romans 15:20,21

 

Around this time last year I was sitting in Zimbabwe doing my QT when I read this verse, and felt the Lord speaking to my heart. From that day He began to grow in me a desire to spread His truth in an area of the world where most people didn't even know His name. So here I am, in a country where around 2% of the 1.237 billion people living here know Him. It's so sweet to see how He has worked in my heart this past year to get me here. I've been reminded of this verse and how it was put on my heart so many times since arriving in this wonderful country. People don't know about Jesus. A LOT of people don't know about Jesus, but hearts are seeking for truth, and that's exactly what my sweet Jesus is. I'm overwhelmed daily with the thought of even being here. Can I really make a difference when there are so many people who need to hear the Good News? Thankfully if I learned anything at orientation it was the reminder that we are charged with the job of scattering and watering seeds, but with full knowledge that only the Lord can make them grow. I'm very excited for these next six months. I know it will be incredibly challenging, that I will be stretched and grown, and at times be incredibly heart broken and home sick. But I also know that God is at work in this place. There are people ready to hear the Truth and accept it, and I'm excited to see how He chooses to work.

 

 

 

 

Here are some pictures from this week:

 

 

women at a local mosque waiting to break fast for Ramadan

women often put makeup on their baby boys to make them look like girls so that they will not be kidnapped. the red on her face, and the red bracelet both show that she has been to the temple and prayed that day.

 

Hindu's come to this temple and tie these ribbons, as a sign of prayer

 

Henna designs used to tell bible stories

 

my teammate Lauren using her henna design to tell a bible story to some friends we met in town

A Hindu "holy city" where people come to bathe in this river, hoping to wash their sins away

 

a statue of shiva, a Hindu god, watching over the holy city

we're getting used to seeing cows on the streets

a view from the flat we stayed at in the capitol

Just a common street view

a few of my teammates, Taylor, Lauren, and Madison



 

It's All About Jesus

In just over two weeks I will be headed to South Asia to minister to girls and women of a slum in one of the larger cities. As I'm preparing to go on this six month "adventure" I'm reminded of why I'm going, what led me to do this, and the reason for it all. It would be really easy to let my motivation for going on this trip to be for social justice. The young girls and women who I will be opening up my heart to are stuck in a very oppressive caste system. They are outcasts, told that they are nothing and should not seek to become anything. They live in conditions unimaginable to us here in America. It's easy to feel bad for these women because of their lack of material wealth, and opportunities to make a better life for themselves. I could so easily stand up to defend these oppressed women, to advocate for their social justice and a better life for them. After all, the word says, "Learn to do what is good. Seek justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow's cause." Isaiah 1:17. I have to remember though, that's not why I'm going, and if I let that be my motivation for this, no matter how honorable it might seem, I will be going in vain. I'm not saying that I'm not supposed to seek justice for those who are oppressed, I think that the word plainly says that I am, and my heart deeply longs to do so. I have to be reminded though, that it's not about justice. It's not about "rights" and "should haves". It's not about the girls and women I will spend these next six months with. It's not about me or the teammates going with me. It's about Jesus. All of this is about Jesus. It's about a Savior who desires to be praised by every tribe, language, people, and nation on this earth. A Savior who died for the sins of the world, so that we might have life in Him. He is worthy of my praise, my devotion, my life. And He is worthy of the praise, devotion, and lives of those who have never heard His name. But, "how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? and how are they to preach unless they are sent?" Romans 1:14,15 So I hope to share with these women the greatest story of the one true God, so that they might come to know Him. I pray that throughout my time in South Asia I don't get so heart broken over physical conditions that I'm not heart broken over souls, desperately needing the redemptive love and salvation freely offered to them. I pray that my one desire will be for these people to deeply know Christ, and surrender their lives to Him. May my eyes not for a second come off of what is important. It's all about Jesus.