Welp, yes welp :o)…had to make sure you had an update!!! Praise God! We are at $15,000 in 3.6 months!!! Crazy UNBELIEVABLE and crazy close ;o)! Love it! THANK YOU!!!! $1000 left!!! I know not everything has processed yet…(because I have been told that :o) (checks n’such)) so I’ll continue to keep you updated (and continue to press the refresh button ;o)), but I just can’t THANK YOU enough! This is a God-led, God-blessed, God-heart mission and trip and it is ALL of us going on it. Guess who’s excited…:oD :oD!!! Be sure to subscribe for Update Alerts at the bottom of this post!
Your mission and trip is taking place right smack dab where God has you right now. Whether it’s in a season of peace, calm, and simple joy, a season of pain, one where you can’t see the light at the moment, or a season of transition, or something else entirely, He is with you, He is with us. He really is. Right now, if any lie is telling you that He is far away, get rid of that thought! In your joy, remember He is joy. In your pain, remember, He’s experienced it to the fullest. In your transition, remember, He came from heaven to earth…and back again…and we’ll be there, too, if we’ve accepted Him as Lord and Savior. He is near. He is here. And He is abundant!
While we’re here…here is a passage God showed me for our trip (to clarify, that is you, as well!). For the countries He’s clearly leading to. For all of us. Because He has BIG plans/BIG delight for us and doesn’t want us to miss out on a smidgen of any of it with false fillings and forgotten adventure :o)! So, first…let’s get ready to make room! We’ll see lots of blatant idolatry. Whether it’s a golden statue of a monkey god or something we could think life is not worth living if we don’t have, it’s just as dangerous and is keeping us from Jesus being more than enough…which means we will continue to strive, and if it’s a strong one that needs to GO, to experience extreme highs when we are getting what we “need”, and extreme lows when we aren’t…sometimes in the matter of minutes if what we don’t yet see as an “idol” is gone. And it slips in so subtly, so NORMAL-ly. Yuck :oT! You think you’re the only one who’s ever caught yourself in this cycle? I’m here to say you’re not and we’re all susceptible…or I wouldn’t be writing this ;o). Here we go…The passage is from Isaiah 30 (feel free to read the whole chapter on your own and ponder it in your own life)…
18Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
19O people in Zion, inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you. 20Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. 21Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. 22And you will defile your graven images overlaid with silver, and your molten images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, and say to them, “Be gone!”
23Then He will give you rain for the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be rich and plenteous; on that day your livestock will graze in a roomy pasture. 24Also the oxen and the donkeys which work the ground will eat salted fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. 25On every lofty mountain and on every high hill there will be streams running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. 26The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted.
The bestest, most freeing life, and times in our life, are when we realize, seek after, and accept that the Lord LONGS to be gracious and waits to be compassionate and that said, we WILL get all we need in Him (thinking “in”, not “from”…that turns into a wish list at times :o)) and when we don’t take a relationship with the One who gets us the most for granted. And…when we LONG for Him! “Seek Me and you WILL find Me WHEN you seek Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11 See above, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it.” Simple. You hear that and actually heed that and you’ve got the secret everyone on earth is looking for in life…IT :o). “I am the Way and the Truth, and the LIFE”…yep, pretty much sums it up right there. If you’ve lost that, (and we all feel like we have at times…or at least most of us :o)), He’s right there with you…a quote from my pastor growing up (Hello Pastor Schaeffer if you’re reading this :o)), “Spend time with God until you know you’ve met with Him…and you’ll know.” If we REALLY are in need of it, we’ll think it won’t make that much of a difference to stop and spend some time…that would be a lie…get rid of that one asap, because during one of these times, it seems we REALLY struggle to “want” to get into the Word, chat with Jesus, etc…don’t wait for the feeling…do it and He will bless your socks off and make life ever so much more fun and calm and awesome (no matter the circumstances) and you’ll wonder how it was hard to get started because you won’t want that time with Jesus to stop once you get going :o).
Ask the Lord to show any idols we have set in our own lives! And let’s not get used to them, let’s get rid of those suckers! For real, they suck life and joy because they will never be enough…He will be gracious when you cry for help! People-pleasing? Power? Money? Wanting to be liked? Is it an idol of wanting to be noticed? Needing to be appreciated? Needing to have things? Needing to be in control? Even needing to be understood? Needing to have every minute of your life filled? Other?
Good gracious, I’m human enough :oP! We might all have different triggers, but I can guarantee all of us have to learn and train and continually stay aware to not let any cracks in our lives. Sometimes we do…and we get up again. Just saw another quote, “Barn burnt down. Now I can see the moon :o).” Just play with the meaning(s) of that in your head for a sec. Awesome thing is…it’s never a fair fight. Jesus loves you! No matter how it appears…You are a victor…claim it. I heard a quote, “Whatever you worship, you become.” Another, “Whatever you stare at grows.” How’s the view? What are you looking at? What are you worshipping? What are you becoming? You’ll know by your reactions and your thoughts between thoughts. Take inventory…root ’em out!
Oh, there’s so much to that passage above! It’s hit me in ways. It’ll hit you in ways. That’s the cool thing about His Word…it’s personal. Every time.
God bless you, dear one. For every idol you root out, His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control will come rushing in. Along with humor, perspective, etc., and yes, some “duh” moments, too :o)…it’s a good thing :o).
I challenge us to pick one idol and attack while resting under the command of GOD (c’mon now, look at that commander in chief and just have fun with this! No condemnation just fun!). What’s your job? Simple. Say to it, “Be gone!” Then spend time with your GOD…Father…Friend…the “IT” of your life…Miss Him, miss everything. Have Him, have everything. Don’t let something steal your joy! If something unhealthy and unbiblical is…that is your target…no seeking after it or dwelling on it…just be gone :o).
Love you. Praying for and with you. Please pray against any attacks for me! Thanks! I can literally feel your prayers. It’s been awesome. Pray for what God lays on your heart according to His Truth. He’s with you all the time. And as always, thank you for your prayers for squad and team unity, God working mightily in and through all of us better together than apart…no cracks, just hearing His voice and walking in it! Lots of encouragement, Godly power to change lives and tear down idols, love, grace, and joy! Y’all are part of this team…praying the same for you :o). Full funding and prayer support all around for each going would also be great!
Blessings and hugs,
Julia
…off to get final things accomplished!!! If you’d like to add a little prayer for efficiency and no wasted time…that all gear would fit beautifully into the pack (think Mary Poppins…), that’d be stellar…here we go!
In honor of missing my first week of school IN MY ENTIRE LIFE :o)…funny how being a teacher keeps you in school forever ;o)…Here is a precious scene that I can’t wait to get back to!!! This is from my first trip to India :o)! Milant is in my lap (He didn’t smile or speak before going to the Christian orphanage…he now loves both :o)!), Harsh is in white (He is hilarious and even at a young age has such an incredible joy and sense of humor!), and little Rekha is in plaid (She is a spitfire and full of life and energy! I was grateful I still had all my fingers after a 4 year old with clippers was done cutting my nails…she’s a pro :o)!) Up close and personal…I can’t seem to make this pic any smaller!
Here’s what my packing looked like for World Race Training Camp…it’s looking the same now, too! Pray it fits!!!!
AND HERE IS WHAT THIS AMAZING TEAM OF PEOPLE…SENDERS and GO-ERS LOOKS LIKE!!! THIS IS THE KINGDOM, FOLKS! BRING IT! WE ARE…TOGETHER!!!! LET’S DO THIS THING!!!
