Its been more than a month since I wrote anything about what was happening with me here in Germany but in that month a lot of things have happened. I have learned a lot about myself and who I am, I have rediscovered that hope that God alone gives us when we pray, which I had lost for some time. I have been shown things concerning my time here, which in case you were not aware its the music discipleship training school.
Last year on outreach I was praying and asking God if this was something he wanted me to do. I felt God clearly confirmed to me that I should return and staff the music school and through his unique was has given me ideas, outreach locations, contacts and projects we can work towards. All of which I am very excited about.
One thing he showed me these last few weeks was a newer revelation on John 15:13,14 which says "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay his life down for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." That verse struck me when for the first time the questions and ideas I have had about what it means to be a follower of Christ, live in community and love those who are lost the same way as Jesus, came together in a practically way. Jesus physically gave his life not only to 12 doubters, deniers, and betrayers but to all of us who have come after them. What I found more convicting was that God has called us to the same thing. However, it may not be a physical death but a death of our wills.
I was in India a few weeks ago and if you have ever been there then you know that there are problems beyond comprehension. While I was there I was working with a team who had spent the previous week working with a lady from the Herrnhut base, the base I work with, who is a long term missionary in India. They were working with prostitutes which is this ladies main ministry. The lady from our base, Pia, has spent the last few years of her life trying to get these women off the streets, out of prostitution and into the loving arms of God. When I read that verse and heard with my ears what this women was doing I was like, how does she have the continuing motivation to help this people? I realized that this women has made these women her friends she has looked past what they do to who God made them to be and loved them so much that she was willing to put her dreams and hopes aside that they might have a life to the fullest with Christ. Its been a hard realization for me to wrap my mind around. She helped give this verse life.
Please Pray:
+ Pray that God would continue to give me and those working with the Music DTS ideas and design for this new school.
+ Pray that stores might be willing to donate music equipment becasue God gave me the idea of conducting music lessons for kids and I would like to leave the instruments with them when we leave.
+ Pray for more staff for the Music DTS.
+ Pray that I would continue to walk in the guidance of the Lord.
+ For monthly financial supporters.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Books
So, I have returned to Germany. My return trip has been fortunate enough to bring me by the homes of many of my friends who live, work and go to school here. It has given me sometime to prepare myself for the ultimate return to Herrnhut and working with YWAM.
The descision to return for me was marked with a lot of questions and advice seeking from people who know me but dont really have an 'agenda' for my life. Thats not to say that I did not ask my family and friends (people who wish for me to be near them and often ask me 'Why cant you do what you do there here?') what they thought or listened to what they had to say about my planned return, but I wanted advice from third parties. I love my family very much and look to them for sound advice because I believe there is wisdom in a counsel of many, but sometimes they just love me too much.
The ultimate reason I returned was because I feel that this was the one thing God had spoken about doing and confirmed. So, I couldn't just ignore that.
Anyway, Herrnhut is where I am and where I will be until I finish what God has for me here.
I have found it really interesting how God has been able to speak to me through the different books that I keep reading. As a child I could really devour a book, but after entering into middle school and high school I lost that desire for reading that I once had. It wasn't until I out of school all together that I rediscovered my love of reading. When I first made a conscious decision to get my self discipled this was kind of the point that reading became enjoyable again. Its not just reading the book because its entertaining, but because I can feel the Spirit quietly pointing things out. Saying this is how things should be this is the life I am desiring for you and everyone. In the past two years I have read maybe 10-12 books, not a lot but for me its a significant number. Mainly because throughout high school and 2 years in college I never read that man books combined. These books are mostly a of a religious background, but it the people in these books who chose to do something that inspires me. After having read a book whose title I cannot remember and another one, 'No Greater Love' by Mother Theresa, things inside of me started to change and became different. Patterns of thought were challenged and brought into question. I have trouble describing the things that happened in me but looking back the way I thought before about Christianity and what it meant to live a life as a Christian all started to change. Reading about Mother Theresa, or Momma T, and the way she loved people. How she cared for the sick and needy, the lonely and starving, the poor and dying and gave them dignity as she did it impressed something upon me. This woman was humble, gentle, and seemingly full of compassion, but still a human just like me. She was able to love those who were loved by no one. But something she did was different then what I was doing. The way she was living her Christianity was different then the way I was living mine. That got me asking myself questions, about the Bible, about Jesus and how I was living my life according to that book and the things that man teaches. It challenged me to start to read the Bible cover to cover and find out what it really says and what Jesus said. Choosing that has made all the difference because I have such a bigger perspective a deeper love for reading the Bible instead of having seemingly random pieces feed to me. The more I read the more I know and understand about Gods heart for us and how he desires our hearts to be like his. I believe that Momma T's heart has very close imitation of His.
The path reading has taken me has been one that has challenged what I believe, tried my faith, and brought me unspeakable moments of joy. As I continue to read, I continue to learn how to better walk out my faith, I find it a journey that is somehow painfully enjoyable. If that makes sense.
I don't know why I wrote all that, but if you haven't picked up a book in a while, now is a good time to start.
The descision to return for me was marked with a lot of questions and advice seeking from people who know me but dont really have an 'agenda' for my life. Thats not to say that I did not ask my family and friends (people who wish for me to be near them and often ask me 'Why cant you do what you do there here?') what they thought or listened to what they had to say about my planned return, but I wanted advice from third parties. I love my family very much and look to them for sound advice because I believe there is wisdom in a counsel of many, but sometimes they just love me too much.
The ultimate reason I returned was because I feel that this was the one thing God had spoken about doing and confirmed. So, I couldn't just ignore that.
Anyway, Herrnhut is where I am and where I will be until I finish what God has for me here.
I have found it really interesting how God has been able to speak to me through the different books that I keep reading. As a child I could really devour a book, but after entering into middle school and high school I lost that desire for reading that I once had. It wasn't until I out of school all together that I rediscovered my love of reading. When I first made a conscious decision to get my self discipled this was kind of the point that reading became enjoyable again. Its not just reading the book because its entertaining, but because I can feel the Spirit quietly pointing things out. Saying this is how things should be this is the life I am desiring for you and everyone. In the past two years I have read maybe 10-12 books, not a lot but for me its a significant number. Mainly because throughout high school and 2 years in college I never read that man books combined. These books are mostly a of a religious background, but it the people in these books who chose to do something that inspires me. After having read a book whose title I cannot remember and another one, 'No Greater Love' by Mother Theresa, things inside of me started to change and became different. Patterns of thought were challenged and brought into question. I have trouble describing the things that happened in me but looking back the way I thought before about Christianity and what it meant to live a life as a Christian all started to change. Reading about Mother Theresa, or Momma T, and the way she loved people. How she cared for the sick and needy, the lonely and starving, the poor and dying and gave them dignity as she did it impressed something upon me. This woman was humble, gentle, and seemingly full of compassion, but still a human just like me. She was able to love those who were loved by no one. But something she did was different then what I was doing. The way she was living her Christianity was different then the way I was living mine. That got me asking myself questions, about the Bible, about Jesus and how I was living my life according to that book and the things that man teaches. It challenged me to start to read the Bible cover to cover and find out what it really says and what Jesus said. Choosing that has made all the difference because I have such a bigger perspective a deeper love for reading the Bible instead of having seemingly random pieces feed to me. The more I read the more I know and understand about Gods heart for us and how he desires our hearts to be like his. I believe that Momma T's heart has very close imitation of His.
The path reading has taken me has been one that has challenged what I believe, tried my faith, and brought me unspeakable moments of joy. As I continue to read, I continue to learn how to better walk out my faith, I find it a journey that is somehow painfully enjoyable. If that makes sense.
I don't know why I wrote all that, but if you haven't picked up a book in a while, now is a good time to start.
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