Christmas eve contemplations from Bolivia:
I watched this the other day, and something occured to me about God’s dreams.
That before the world began God had these dreams that determined Him to go through with what might be considered the riskiest venture of all time.
Literally.
Because in the end, it cost Him His life.
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Sometimes you know you’re supposed to and just don’t.
I’ve heard this a lot in people’s testimonies. They share about how God was telling them to stop, or give up, or change their lifestyle and how they ignored Him.
And then when they finally listen and do what He was asking, how drastic things changed for them. Even if it was just having inner peace they were lacking before.
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When i was at training camp (for this trip) one of the speakers spoke with us about how God talks to everyone. He said, “None of us would be here today unless we had heard God talking to us. So God talks to people even though they aren’t in relationship with Him. That’s how people become in a relationship with God!”
When he said it, i realized that i knew that, but i’d never really thought about it before.
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I’ve heard a lot of testimonies since starting the WorldRace. That was one of the main things i wanted during this year, so i’ve been pretty intentional about sitting with people and asking to hear their story.
I’ve wanted to write them all down in blog posts – but it gets hard to know how to share when people you’ve grown close to share personal things, like struggling with suicide, cutting, addictions, or even losing a child they had out of wedlock…its not always sensative to the person sharing to post their personal story and picture for anyone anywhere. But one of these days im going to ask someone if i can. And then i hope you can experience the same thing i have been experiencing.
It is a wonderful thing to be shared with, to be invited into someones personal space and know the deep pains and joys of someones story, of someones heart, of someones life as they know it.
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And this is where i want to tie together the music video posted above and what i’ve been talking about.
God is inviting us into His story.
He had a dream, that He set into motion, and He is intimately and fully involved.
He has given humans the ability to be part of this dream that He had, because in fact it was a dream of interactive intimacy. Where the Beloved had, and still has, a choice to respond and love the Lover.
There’s SO much more to Gods experience with humans than is recorded in the thin pages of any bible. But God made a point to share some of the story with us in hard copy format. And He invites us all into His real and everyday experience of life with us now.
God has a dream. And whenever we enter into intimacy with Him, sit with Him, hear Him out, and try out some ideas with Him we are able together with God experience His heart and all that He feels, and we are able to create not only a finished song with Him, but a friendship, joy, and special memories – just as is shown between the two artists in the above video.
This is God’s dream.
To write “music” together with you, who He made in His image, with the ability to partner with Him in your own unique way. And when at last the last notes are sung, and the sound has faded, – He wants to grin across the instruments at you, and say, “Thanks! That’s exactly what i wanted!”
And the joy that will be yours will not be compared with anyone elses, for your song with God will be yours and His. It will be one of a kind that can only be made by you two.
That was His plan. That’s His dream.
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Totally unrelated:
Thank you to everyone who has Partnered with me this year and is supporting me financially! I cannot express in words the depth of my gratitude! I am currently within $1,652 of being fully funded!
A very generous couple has pledged to match any donations up to $1,200! My last financial deadline is the end of this next month 🙂
I have been so overwhelmed by peoples generosity in partnering with me in ministry this year! My last, not least, and latest surprise was that my best friends parents -whose house just burned down in the california fires which resulted in them losing everything – just partnered with me!!!
Please consider donating during this tax deductible, donation matching time! I would be so grateful!
Merry Christmas from Bolivia! Love, carolyn
