I’m aware that I haven’t blogged in a while. It has been difficult to come up with ideas. But, my friend Joe told me to just write what’s on my heart. So, I thought for a bit and realized that my heart has been clogged up with a queue of stories. I decided to start from the beginning of the queue. Here are a few excerpts from my journal. Maybe After all this, I can be free to write what’s going on in the now. Thanks for reading and coming on this crazy journey with me!
August 31, 2012
You Know You’re on the World Race When…
We landed in Delhi a few hours ago. Even though our layover was only an hour, we all made the most of it. Kaitlyn and I went to Haagen Daaz to get ice cream. We shared a triple scoop with strawberry cheesecake, dolce de leche, and midnight chocolate cookie. It was so good. We then found chairs that leaned back and labeled them luxury. Kaitlyn went off to the bathroom and came back excited. “It’s so nice! There are western style toilets and the water comes on automatically to wash your hands!” All of a sudden, I really had to go to the bathroom. Hallelujah! There were western style toilets AND toilet paper! I used lots of toilet paper just because I could, but then struggled to decide where to put the used paper: in the toilet or in the trash can? Sitting behind the toilet was a hose with a nozzle, and my first thought was, “Do you think I could take a shower with this in here if I absolutely had to?” My conclusion was a resounding yes, definitely. On top of all this, the water WAS automatic! What kind of technology is this bathroom? I may have jumped when the water came on. I think I may struggle getting readjusted back into American culture…
September 2, 2012
Abba, I Belong to You
I give all of me to You. I lay myself down at Your feet. I surrender all to You. I need You to change me. To break me. To destroy all of who my flesh wants me to be. I need You to reconcile my sprit to Yours, Abba Father. Daddy, I want true intimacy with You, my King. I need to lay down the “Sam” of the past and cling to You and the “Sam” that You’re calling me to be. I want to embrace this new life You have for me. My past is not a part of what defines me. I am free from the chains of sin. I am free in Your grace and in Your love. I am empowered by Your spirit and have been given freedom because of Your truth. Thank you Jesus! I am Your daughter. I am a princess. I am a daughter of the King! I am royalty. Not because of anything I did to deserve it, but because I am chosen. I have been sanctified by the blood of the Lamb. The blood of my Shepherd. You lead me in the path and though there is darkness all around me, You light my way. Even though my flesh may want to rebel and I may do what I do not want to do, You call me Your beloved! I am Yours, Jesus, and You are mine. I am Your lover and You are mine. You have called me up into greatness. You have called me into Your love. I am free from the chains of my past! Free! I have died to sin and have been given new life through Jesus Christ. I have the creator of the world living in me! I am directed: my words, thoughts, and actions, by the Holy Spirit. He guides me and leads me on the path that brings me into even more relationship with Him. I am whole. I am loved. I am cherished. I am beautiful. I am a conqueror. And my God has the victory! I have been given a new life! You saved me. I never have to be afraid. Nothing is impossible. I believe.
September 4, 2012
My Version of Matthew 8:23-27
Then Jesus sent his Spirit into the world and his faithful people followed Him. Without warning, everything the people once knew blew up and the world threw curve balls. The followers were knocked over time and again. When they looked for the Spirit, He seemed absent. They looked, prayed, and seeked. They yelled out, “Save us! Help us! Lift us up, Holy Spirit!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then He filled them up and comforted them. They were lifted up and given full rest. They continued to go out into the world. The world questioned them when it saw the faith of the followers. Lives were changed and glory revealed because of faith. The Spirit was moving, and the followers were not abandoned. Ever. They were strengthened and able to stand, even under the pressure of the world. They dodged the curve balls and learned to swim through the storm.
September 8, 2012
The Way God Loves Me
The way God loves me is like a mom throwing her baby into the air in the public market. The baby falls into his mother’s arms laughing, and the people watching the encounter smile at this outward display of love.
September 12, 2012
Do I Have That Faith?
In Acts 3, we are told of Peter and John going to the temple to pray. On the way, they are interrupted. A man crippled from birth was begging. Then Peter heals him. A divine interruption to show God’s magnificent glory. Wow. After reading this, I imagined myself in the walkway in Bangkok, where I saw a man begging. Do I have the kind of faith to heal a crippled beggar? My immediate reaction was, “No. I am scared. What if it doesn’t work? What if he doesn’t understand? What if I look like a fool?”
“Do you trust me?” asks God.
“Yes,” I say.
“Then why don’t you have faith?”
“I just don’t.”
“If you don’t believe, then you have no part in me.”
“Well, I believe that Peter and John can do it.”
“Then why not you?”
I do have the same Spirit living in me. But I tell myself that it’s different. But really, it’s not. I’ve seen miracles and healings. I believe. I have eradicated doubt. Why does it keep coming back? Why am I like the Israelites and keep forgetting that God is good? I hate that voice of worldly reason and humanly doubt. I want to always have a voice, nay, a Spirit, of faith. I pray that God gives me a divine interruption so I am able to bring glory to God through faith.
Thanks for reading! Please make sure to check out my teammates' blogs! Three of them really need funding! Our deadline is coming up in 6 days, and they all still need to meet that deadline. You can check out their blogs here:
Josi's blog
Mike's blog
Garrett's blog
My other teammates' blogs who don't need additional funding at this point are here:
Jess's blog
Ashley's blog
Kaitlyn's blog
They are all phenomenal witers and have amazing stories to tell. Thanks again for reading and following my blog! More to come very soon!
