What is means to be a missionary

    Last month in the London airport Moriah and I got into a discussion about our trip to Kenya with a fellow passenger. Amidst all the things that were said, the one thing that jumped out at me was when he asked us, “what does it feel like to be able to tell people you’re a missionary? “

      “What does it feel like to be able to tell people you’re a missionary?”

       As I stood there in that security line, in the midst of all the chaos that accompanies an airport, I felt a soft tug at my heart, in that one question God suddenly brought me to a new understanding of what being a missionary really means…according to His standards. As the man we were talking to so eloquently put it “there is a lot of weight with that title,” and there is indeed.

      According to the world’s standards, being a missionary means you are a messenger of God with a specific mission and everybody knows that so they begin to watch and evaluate your life till everything you do is measured according to the standards of that title. But being a missionary is so much more than that. It means that you represent God more than the average Joe because of the work you are doing, you almost become a “symbol”of all that His is and all that He cares about. People say “missionary” and they immediately associate that with God...and rightly they should.

     You might think this sounds cocky or proud but really I have just described the average Christian. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “missionary” as someone undertaking a mission. So you see, as Christians we are all missionaries since we have all been called to undertake the mission of reaching the world. Some of us might be called far away and others to our own city, but none of us are more important nor have more authority than the other. With this goal in mind each of us needs to embrace this calling, living worthy of the title, so as to give the world the kind of symbol they need: Christians that point to God with every word and action. For that is really what missionaries are: average people following in God’s footsteps, changing this world through His love one person at a time. This is why the commission is a command not a choice, command that we can choose to obey or disobey. The choice is ours to obey or disobey, but let me just say. God does not view as a choice. To Him this is a command of eternal consequences..for us as well as others. We can choose to make it a choice, but to Him that is blatant disobedience.We have been given such a short time on this earth to reach as many people for the kingdom ad possible, let us make the most of it.

       Our eternities are not the only ones in question for our choice effects others. Don't mess with God's plan and certainly don't mess with the eternities of others. Reach out to them before it's too late! Make the most of our time here before we go home!

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves……You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles….But… do not worry about what to say…. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”  

Matthew 10: 16, 18-20

“For the glory of God!”

A thankful heart

       Tonight as I sit here pondering all that God has done in, through and for me this year and all the past years, I am filled with gratitude and praise. I look at how far He’s brought me and how much He’s carried me through over the years. All the heartache, pain and trials He’s helped me overcome, along with all the joy and blessings He’s heaped upon me and I am in awe. I’m amazed and humbled that God would care enough about me to be so attentive to my life and caring of my needs.

       Through Him I am so abundantly blessed that it is impossible for me to write down all the reasons I am thankful! I am flooded with a heart of thankfulness as my mind runs over all these things. There are literally thousands of gifts along the pathway of my life that are a cause for thankfulness. This year I have a few more reasons to be thankful. I am thankful for the beginning of the journey to fulfill my call, new friends, first time mission trips and the beautiful continent of Africa that has completely stolen my heart! But most of all I am thankful for God and all that He is to me!  I thank the Lord for WHO He is and what He has done!! This last reason alone is enough to make my heart to sing His praise! He truly is the greatest gift we have and the most important reason to give thanks!

“Your mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!”  

 Lamentations 3:23

"For the glory of God!"

Older sister = role model and friend

     “Do you ever notice how she studies you?” Mama asked me, referring to my 6 year old sister Lolly. “I often see her watching you but not just watching, she studies you. Intently studying your features and watching you while you talk.”  

       Such a simple statement emerging from a simple question yet it stopped me cold. I suddenly realized she was right. Lolly, this sweet little sister who has been “my” little girl since her birth, is always watching and listening to me. Constantly asking my opinion of things and looking to me for advice. It never occurred to me that my answers and the way I conduct myself around my little sisters carries weighty consequences.

      I carry an impact on how my sisters will turn out when they grow up. They look up to me for older sister guidance, copying my example and trying to model me in every way they can. As their big sister I have a chance to make an impact in their lives, to be a good role model to them, to influence them for the better. My actions may very well deter them from or encourage them towards the path of righteousness. This is both a blessing and a duty. It’s a privilege that carries great responsibility. How I choose to handle this responsibility may very well change my sister’s lives.

    I feel God has charged me as a big sister to ensure that I am giving them a good role model and someone they can look up to for both spiritual and" “worldly” advice, someone who’s example shows them what a young woman of God should look like. In the past I have not done my “job” well. I have failed to give them someone they can look up to in the light of Christ, seeing Him mirrored through me. I have failed in my duty to Christ in this area of my life. From today on I am striving to be the sister they need me to be. The sister who lets Christ outshine her and fills her sisters with His light and love. I will strive to be a friend to them and and a role model they can copy, a model who enables them through her actions and words to live for Christ and come into their own walks with God! Each day that I am home this is my mission field, pouring Godly influence into their little lives!

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good….” Titus 2:7

"For the glory of God!"

My sweet bedbugs!<3 My BFF! <3

The orphan crisis

        Today there an estimated 147 million orphans are around the world. I recently read a quote where someone said "In the past, people used to care for the orphans and loved them, but these days they are so many...and therefore orphanhood is a common phenomenon, not strange." This is sadly all too true. The fact that every 2.2 seconds another child is orphaned and only 12% of these children receive support for their basic needs…not counting their medical or spiritual needs. In 2010 it was predicted that in less then 5 years there would be 50 million orphans in just 16 of Africa’s 53 countries, today there are 34 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone. A recent study by UNICEF reported that “AIDS has already orphaned more than 13 million African children, half of whom are between the ages of 10 and 14.”  These same studies show that every day 38,493 orphans age out of the system by age 16, of which 10-15% of them commit suicide before they’re 18.

        60% of orphaned females either sell themselves or are forced into prostitution to survive after being orphaned or ageing out of the system and 70% of the boys become criminals having been reduced to stealing to survive. 1.2 million orphans are forced into human trafficking every day. 1.2 million! There is something wrong with that picture!!! These children are being forced into situations that we could never imagine all because they don’t get the care they need!!!! These children have been through worse trauma then we could ever imagine and it’s just going to get worse for them. Because they are uneducated they will never amount to anything nor be able to survive if they don’t get help.  Fr. John Lynch said “Unless we reach out and act now, a whole generation of children could die before our eyes."

       There is something wrong with Christianity today if we are not taking a stand for the cause of the orphans and considering these numbers it’s obvious that we’re not! There are not enough people in this world who are willing to help these children. As Christians we are commanded to care for the orphans. Christ has been very clear about that. Our faith is not pure in His eyes if we are not caring for these children. Thousands of orphans starve to death every day. We have a chance to stop that, to make a difference in their lives, to save their lives!

        Is your heart breaking yet? Mine is. Has your heart been touched enough that you are impacted to do something for these children? Mine has. I will not stand idley by as these children are suffering, I am going to spend m life working for these children and helping them. Today is Orphan Sunday, a day in which the body of Christ unites in support for the orphans of the world. This is the day in which we remember the orphan and so something to help them. For most people these shocking statistics are just numbers but for me they are so much more then that. Until you have seen and held these children it is hard to fully understand. I have been there. I have held countless crying children, I have heard the heartbreaking question “why are my parents dead and yours are alive?” I have laughed with them, cried with them and broken my heart for them.

        Today is Orphan Sunday, a day in which the church unites for the cause of the orphan. A day in which YOU change a child’s life. By sponsoring a child you not only provide meals, housing and school tuition but also medical support, spiritual  help and love. When you sponsor a child you extend Christ’s love to them and form a lifelong relationship with them. Many people hear these statistics and pity the children but do nothing to help. Please don’t be that person. Be the person who hears and pities,  but allows their pity to be the motivation behind a sponsorship. Let today be the day you take that step and start a sponsorship.

               “For the glory of God!”

orphansunday.org 

http://everyorphan.org/

http://www.worldorphans.org/ 
 http://www.missionariesofafrica.org/articles/sr/SpRptFall06.html

Harvest or Halloween?

     Halloween. The darkest day of the year. I know this is a controversial subject and I also know my mom usually writes a post about this, but this is something I feel strongly about and now that I have my own blog and have been diligently praying about what it is God wants me to write, I want to share what He has put on my heart and what I think of this holiday.  Each year millions of people around the world participate in this dark holiday, decorating their houses, making costumes, going to parties and allowing their children to trick or treat. For most people it is viewed simply as a fun holiday or “harvest day” where you have an excuse to dress up, go to parties and have fun. But few people actually know what really goes on during Halloween and for some they know but just don’t care. 

    The origin of Halloween goes back to the Middle Ages when the Catholic pope first initiated it into the church as a a pre All Saint’s Day observation day. All Saint’s Day (also known as All Hallows) was a day in which people gathered to pray for the saints and martyrs of the church. Thus the day before became known as Halloween which comes from All Hallows eve. Our founding father originally refused to make Halloween a holiday because they knew it was a pagan holiday so Halloween was not celebrated in the U.S until 1900. It was in 1840 when a famine sent many Catholic Irish to the U.S that Halloween was first brought to America. 

     Among the seemingly “innocent” events that occur on Halloween is trick or treating. Trick or treating was originally started with the Druids who believed going door to door and praying for the “tortured souls” of the deceased they would “free” the deceased from their torment. In exchange for their prayers many people gave the Druids treats. In addition to the prayers they would also go door to door to collect food for their evil spirits. Thus we get trick or treating an act of Satanism. In addition to these treats the Druids also carved demonic faces in pumpkins  and put a light candle inside to chase away “evil spirits”…aka modern day jack o’ lanterns. 

   I know, you’re probably thinking to yourself “my family doesn’t worship Satan or any kind of spirits. We’re just trying to have a little fun.” Or better yet, you might even be thinking “I just don’t want my kids to feel left out. I want them to be able to enjoy the fun things other kids get to and not miss out on this part of childhood.”  Well not to be harsh or anything but let them miss out!! We are Christians. We are not called to try to ensure that we don’t miss out on anything but to be an example to the world. How can we honestly be set apart and holy when we are still acting like the world even in this small area of our lives?! The fact that this is entirely innocent and simple fun is one of Satan’s biggest lies! That lie is how he tricks many Christians into worshiping him through seemingly innocent fun.

      Now let us take it a step further. Even if you are not serious about this “holiday” and only participate for the fun, DO NOT forget that Satan DOES NOT take this lightly. This is for him one of the greatest day of the year, the day in which he tricks thousands into worshiping him and committing abominations before the Lord. Yes I did say ABOMINATION for that is exactly what this holiday is. A day filled with witch craft, demonism, satanic worship and demonic sacrifices. This is a day in which countless people…even CHILDREN…lose their lives to this wicked tradition of human sacrifice to the “gods”…aka the Satan and the demons.

      Further more, you think it’s an accident that poison, drugs and small blades have been snuck into the candy children receive each year? NO! That is no accident that’s done on purpose by sick, demented, demon worshiping people!!!!! That is all a part of Halloween. The things that happen on this day are not fun, not innocent and should certainly not be taken lightly! Next time you refer to Halloween as “Harvest day” and celebrate it under that name or any other, remember this: it is STILL SATAN’S HOLIDAY and he is still being worshiped through anything we do to celebrate Halloween or “Harvest day.”

                                “For the glory of God!’

http://www.remnantofgod.org/halloween.htm,   

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/halloween/a/History-Of-Halloween.htm

A tool in His hand

      One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn is that God is always at work, working for the cause of His orphans. We are simply tools in His hands, pawns for Him to move where He sees fit in order to bring about his purpose. When I see a hurting child on the streets addicted to glue and selling scrap metal to survive or a child who’s lost both parents and is living with an abusive relative, my heart aches to help them. The pain within me is so great that I sometimes  think I can’t bear it anymore and just want to give up and go home. Then a still small voice reminds me that He is in control. If my heart is breaking this much how much more so does the Father’s heart break for that child, HIS child. The child that He made and has loved since before his or her birth!

       When I walk the streets to help find boys to bring in it is hard for me to see a group of children and be filled with joy at how many we’re helping then watch the group diminish till there is but 1 child left before us. How my heart shatters as I watch them all run back to the streets and have to face the harsh reality that it was simply not in God’s plans for us to help those ones. This is a painful lesson to learn.  But a lesson it is none the less.

        Through each of these hard times I have again been reminded that He loves those children more then I ever could and in His good timing if He sees fit He will bring those children to us so that HE can help them through us. With each of these moments I am learning more and more about the Father’s heart and His plan. I am learning more and more that God is at work and that He is the Mastermind behind all this and we are just His tools. Each child that is helped is a part of His plan and He is at work in their lives. Someday we will see and understand why those ones were not meant to be helped and the others were. But until then we can rest assured that God is at work!

(Being silly for the camera)

(Discovering my camera for the first time)

(hitching a ride on the tire)                                                                                                                                                

             “For the glory of God!”

Faith enough

    “Do you have a Bible?” he asks her. With a soft smile the woman turns and digs through the piles of clothes that cover the weather beaten mattress  and emerges with an old Bible whose wrinkled pages are yellowed from age.

       It was just the 4 of us sitting in this humble mud hut in the hills of Kisumu, surrounded by chickens and flies as we prayed with this sweet widow. Mother to 5 children this woman had recently lost both her husband and her daughter. Now, with full responsibilities for her family, she is trying to start up a small business to provide for her children and pay tuition fees for the 2 oldest. Yet in spite of her circumstances her faith is astoundingly strong.

      Driving back to town I was meditating on what I had just witnessed. “How is it that this woman who has seen so much tragedy can still be so strong in her faith? How could she have such a large measure of faith, so much trust and confidence in the Lord while going through such hardship yet I immediately start worrying and questioning God’s plan when a small wave comes my way? Why can’t my faith be as strong and unshakable as hers?”

        Then it hit me. My faith cannot be like hers because it is not her faith, but mine. My faith can never be as strong as other peoples.. Each of us are given  a measure of faith for the measure of hardships we will face. God gives us the faith He knows we need in order to stand strong under trials, no more and no less. He has not called us to compare our faith but wield our faith as a weapon against this world. We are to use and strengthen the faith He has given us, not compare or doubt it. God alone knows what we will face in this life and He will strengthen our faith accordingly.

          This woman could not have my faith or she would not be able to stand strong in these circumstances and I could not have her faith since I have not gone through what she is going through. Often times it in the face of opposition and trials that we grow the most and quite often God allows these things to happen so that we might grow stronger for the storm that is around the corner. My faith is my own. No one else's. It is enough for what I am going through now and as I grow, I grow strong enough for what lies ahead. Faith is something that will never be strong enough, yet by God’s grace it is always enough for the present situation.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials

 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3

‘For the glory of God!’