Friday, February 14, 2014

Stay At The Table.



Picture something with me for a moment. Picture a table set for two- candles are lit, flowers in a vase, plates are out, forks, knives, and napkins all folded and placed perfectly in their spots. Being Valentines Day, it’s not hard to picture this scene- its romantic, welcoming and frankly exactly where most people want to be on a day like today. A man can make this all happen- set everything up but it is still the choice of the woman if she wants to show up and partake in what was done for her.



When Jesus walked the earth, He spent a lot of time around tables- making them and sitting at them with his disciples and lots of others. He knew what it meant to make covenants and to do life with others. A couple of months ago I said yes to not only sitting down at the table with God which I have done for quite a few years now- but I made covenant not to leave the table. Something that seems so simple isn’t something that I’ve taken lightly- covenant means forever. Staying at the table means that no matter what, I choose to walk through the plans He has for me- to not look back but to tabernacle with God (or commit to His presence) through it all. That means listening to the voice of God in every step of everything I do. That means intimacy with Jesus everyday, and that means one crazy adventure with my heavenly Father.

Lately God has been beginning to bring out the food to the table, and it hasn’t been scraps or crumbs. It’s been real food. It’s been big promises He’s spoken over me, new gifts, and greater depths of His love and the Holy Spirit and to be honest it has scared me a little. It scares be because its foreign territory to me- I’ve never been romanced like this before or had someone so willing to just sit and be with me, the real me- flaws and all, and at the same time feed me the best of what He has for me. The beauty in all this is that He has been so patient with my heart and just sits with me and talks through it with me. My heart is beginning to love this constant feeling of butterflies in my stomach, head spinning, and heart pumping in my chest as I listen to His voice and grow deeper in love with the one who created me.


What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:11-13

**Stay tuned here for some exciting news coming soon about more of what God is doing next. 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

I Want To Be A Millionaire

I want to be a millionaire. 

This statement looks pretty lofty for a missionary and honestly I never thought it would be something that was going to come out of my mouth. My hearts desire is to be a millionaire but not in the form you are probably thinking. As my teacher here told us a story of a man who wanted to reach a million people for Christ in his lifetime, I found my heart aching to reach out to a million being trafficked.

The numbers in human trafficking are astounding if you sit down and read them- 27 million people are in the bondage of slavery and that number is only growing daily.

Looking at the multitude of the problem I find myself saying, I do want to be a millionaire- saving a million children from the yoke of sex slavery in my lifetime.

Crazy you say? It is a pretty bold statement that honestly looks unattainable. I’ve learned in my time here that if I want to make a dent in this worldwide problem I’m going to have to fight for things that look unreachable. I’m going to have to look past the numbers, past those saying not to bother fighting a “losing battle” and see the hope that I bring to the table for these children. Jeremiah experienced something similar to this when God first called and spoke to him.

“And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” Jeremiah 1:11-12





An almond branch is something very unique- it blooms beautiful flowers in the middle of winter. In the middle of a time where there should be no fruition at all, no blooming of anything, it stands as a sign for the hope and new life that is to come. Jeremiah looked past what his physical eyes could see and the problem in front of him to see what was coming- and that was hope and life through him. The Lord knew Jeremiah’s heart and in that trusted what He said so much that God spoke that He would make it come to pass. What a crazy amount of trust for a young man, with little confidence being called to something that was going to affect nations.



The same rings true in my own life. I know that God trusts me, and that He trusts my heart with this large of a calling. So I choose to speak out hope and life. I see and almond branch for Cambodia and for India. I see hope for a million children that are trapped in sex slavery right now, and I know that hope starts with me. 

Where do you see an almond branch?





Followers