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An excellent word for a new season |
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Many possible doors to pick soon |
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quality time with family in Oklahoma |
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Merry Christmas and Happy 2015! |
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My three fuzzy amigo's |
Hello
friends and family,
I
hope each of you and your families had a very Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Years. I apologize that I have not written any blog post
since August. I do post regularly to Facebook, but hope to be better
about communicating on my blog to reach those who do not have
Facebook.
Another
year has quickly come and gone. I am amazed that it is already 2015.
God has been busy working in my life -I just haven't been as diligent at communicating what HE is doing and saying.
I
am humbly in awe of all that God has done and is yet to do. I praise
God that I am not where I was even a year ago, but especially not
where I was 8 or more years ago. God has delivered me from so much it
is incredible. I praise God that although I am far from the goal of becoming all that God wants me to be, I praise God I am NOT where I
used to be! I am unfinished, but a work in progress. The Lord has
been faithfully directing my paths and guiding my steps. I have made
mistakes, gotten off track and even a few times refused to go
anywhere. But God is a loving and patient Father, who knows what is
best for His children. I am forever thankful that my God is one who
is compassionate, gracious and slow to anger, abounding in love and
faithfulness who maintains love to thousands and forgiving of
wickedness, rebellion and sin. (Exodus 34:6)
I
am writing this entry just past the Christmas and New Years holidays.
I was blessed to have the chance to travel back to Oklahoma for the
Christmas break. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my wonderful
family and friends. And of course I liked being with my pets again
too. ;) I was blessed to get to see many people but did not get to
see everyone. But do not worry I will be back soon...
I
can hardly believe I have already been in Japan for a little over two
years. I have been stretched and grown in many ways. This past season
has been equally challenging and wonderful. In the beginning, my
assignment in Japan was very difficult. I was living for the first
time on my own, a first year teacher and living in another country
all at the same time. But, God provided some incredible leaders and
an amazing church family here in Japan. God has pushed me more, in
this time than perhaps ever before. And yet, it has been so
incredible. I have jumped into new levels and overcome lots of junk.
Of course I am still climbing this mountain of faith in this
adventure we call life. Some of you know how much I have struggled
with each step as you listened to my complaining, questions and
worry. I want to thank each of you for your prayers, because with out
them I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am or who I am. I humbly
ask for your continued prayers, especially for direction.
This
season has been challenging but wonderful. But just as the law of gravity pulls things down, the laws of life dictate change. In order
for any living thing to stay alive it must grow and change. People
all pass through seasons in life. We as humans can't create the
weather, or manipulate the seasons. The four seasons in the natural
are very different and very different in various parts of the Earth.
I believe that God enjoys helping His children change and grow,
especially when people get out of the "comfort zone." I
believe God created us to be challenged to the point where we
literally can't do it alone and MUST depend on Him. When we start to
throw up our hands and ask Him to take control I believe we are right
where He wants us.
God
asks us to trust Him for the next step. Often He literally ONLY gives
the next step and we must look to Him to know what comes next for
every step. My season is changing too. God is sending me on new
adventures. I will be leaving Japan at the end of the Japanese school
year, which is in March. I have really enjoyed my time in Japan and
experienced excellent leadership and training and made some wonderful
friends, and connections. A guest speaker, at my Japanese Church was
talking about how, in life there are good ideas, and there are God
ideas. Some times we need to say "no" to the good idea so
we can accept the best one, the God idea.
Many
are asking me "What comes next?"
Honestly
I can say I am asking the same question(s). I have many good choices
and options. But I want God's best. I know I will leave Japan in less
than 12 weeks. (At the end of March) But after that I am still
asking. God keeps the planets in orbit and yet I wonder if He knows
what to do with my life and wonder if God knows what comes next or is
surprised by what comes my way. Really?! That is a bit crazy! God
brought me to Japan in 3 days time and worked out every single detail
along the way. I must trust Him to direct my next steps. How foolish
was I to have thought I had it all figured out. And how incredibly
grateful I am, to God, that I don't have to have it all figured out,
because HE knows the path and what is best for me.As I face the
uncertainty of my next steps I am reminded to trust God with the very
next step, and take it one step at a time.
But
as I am challenged with Trusting God for what comes next, I have been
more challenged by some of my other missionary friends living in
dangerous countries. I can get so caught up in the small stuff and
far too comfortable and forget what others face on a daily bases. It
can be easy to forget our many many blessings. I know a family who
has a child serving in the military of the country they are serving
in. I know a family who hear bomb sirens on a regular bases and
compare it to a tornado siren. I have a friend who shared that they
were at a conference for those who minister to people in the middle
east. My friend shared that at the very conference she was attending
one lady did not get to attend because she was killed on the field of
service. The darkest feels darker but the light is always brighter.
We are in a battle for peoples lives both in the natural, and
supernatural as well as the present and the eternal. I ask for a call
to pray and give heart-felt worship and thanksgiving constantly.
A
few Poems to end this newsletter
Do you trust
me?
The Father said
“Do you trust
me?
Will you stay
with me?
Will you come
away with me?
Come meet me in
the secret place
I will be found
when you seek my face.
Lord Here I am,
take all of me.
Lord set me Free
Free to stay or
free to go
Lord, your will,
I pray it so.
Remove my selfish
filth, black as coal
Me me white like
snow, make me whole
Lord take me as a
broken mess.
I hear you
whisper “Come. I'll do the rest.”
God's
direction
No
more confusion
No
more delusions.
God
I look to you
Lord
I know you'll pull me through.
To
turn to the left or to the right?
I
won't give in I'll keep up the fight.
As
surely as the air I breath
Help
me to trust your lead.
When
I don't know where to go
To
trust as certain as the Wind blows
To
trust the path Oh God you know.
Stop
or Go? North, East South or West?
Give
me grace to trust you know best.
Stripe
away all of my selfish, stubborn ways.
Lord
I commit to you all my days,
Have
my heart, my mind, my life my all.
I
give my all and like sand in my hands I let all that is me fall.
Moving
into a new season
Jesus
be my only reason.
No
longer asking why
Only
trusting in God's supply.
To
you oh Lord my life I commit.
Everything
of myself I submit.
I thought I
knew
God
forgive me
I
thought I knew
I
thought I knew more than you.
I
had my own plans all laid out.
I
thought I had life figured out.
Ideas,
desires, and dreams
how
foolish to think I knew everything.
I
thought I could do this on my own.
How
foolish to think I could do it alone.
My
works like a house of cards will fall.
Yet
ironically even my greatest dream is still too small.
Lord
I bow
Humbled
by The Cross and by Your crown.
I
say have your way.
My
life my dreams before you I lay
God
forgive me I thought I knew.
I
let go, because you re the only on who will ever know each and every
thing for me to do.
Missions
As
you travel far and wide
you
find cultures change as much as the oceans tide.
God
asked the missionary to go near and far,
He
said “Go into all the world, Go wherever my people are.”
God
doesn't give you all the information,
He
may give some ideas
but
sometimes it's “GO” or maybe a destination.
Although
each are called to share as Missionaries
The
distance doesn't matter.
God
asks all but chooses only the voluntary.
The
Lord first says to you “Come to me”
As
he breaks your chains
He
asks you to reach out.
He
asks you to show others what freedom is about.
He
grants us great grace
He
says to live by faith
and
for all to seek His face.
For
your needs God always provides
Often
in ways unexpected
But
He promises to stay by your side.