As my time comes to an end (I head back home in just about a month to do some planning and preparing for my future over here) I can't help, but be filled with mixed emotions. I'm excited to be home and spending time with friends and family. However, I feel that I've just begun to scratch the surface with the young ladies I am blessed to spend time with. I want to help them, reveal Christ and His love to them, and invest in them, their lives, and their futures.
However, what I am constantly reminding myself is the simple, yet profound truth that although I and others come and go, God was here before any of us came, has been here while we have, and will be here once we've left. So many times we can get into this thought process of, "What'll happen while I'm gone?" This is such a dangerous mindset to get into because the ministry doesn't begin and end with any of us. We are simply who God chooses to work through, but He doesn't even need us, but rather He wants us.
No one is indispensable.
Now some people might hear that and be appalled. If that's you and you're still reading I'm not sorry. This is not to be harsh to anyone, but more a self-check that I need to call myself out on every now and again because if I'm thinking it all begins and ends with me then I'm saying it's all about me and God's not in it, but my true heart's desire is that I step out of the way and let God do His thing, whether that includes me or not because I'm not indispensable.
These are things you think about when you're leaving a ministry for a time. One thing I know is true is although I am replaceable, there is One man who is not, and it's the only man known to be fully man and fully God. This ministry would not be possible without the sacrifice, love, ministry, truth, and power of Jesus Christ, He is the only, and always will be the only, indispensable One, ever.
When you truly grasp that fact, that you are replaceable, IT'S FREEING! Christ gave us freedom, even in ministry He has freed us so that if we simply choose to let Him work through us, we don't have to depend on ourselves, but His power working through us to reach those for Him. Such a comfort because I know I am weak, but I have really been hit with the reality that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. And that could not be more true than in this ministry to young women I have the blessing of being a part of because I am the most unlikely candidate for that ministry, yet God has put it on my heart, and I love that because I constantly have to lean on Him, and that is a great comfort.
Be encouraged by the fact that you are replaceable. It doesn't begin and end with you. Christ sent the Holy Spirit to us as a help, not a hindrance. Christ doesn't need us, but He wants us and wants to use us. Christ frees us from trying to do it on our own strength (which will fail), but with Him on our team, we can't fail. It's not our efforts, strength, or willpower, but Christ in us. Now that's a relief, because I know me and my imperfections, insecurities, insufficiencies...Thank God He sent Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Friendship/Relationship: Conditional vs Unconditional
Last Tuesday while at Homework Haven, one of the young men and I began talking about friendships and relationships. He was upset because one of the young ladies was not making a wise decision even after him, and others, let her know of their concerns for her and her safety. From this came a discussion of our views on friendships and relationships.
What came to light for me is that he sees all friendships and relationships as conditional. The idea of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine". This was an eye opening and heart opening conversation for both of us. With me coming at the discussion from the thought of Christ and how He loves us unconditionally, I try in my best effort to love those around me in much the same way (and I will be honest, I fail daily, but I try). He, on the other hand comes at it from a worldly perspective of what is in his best interest. It was incredible being at a homework club, and somehow such a deep conversation arises. This is just one of several encouragements to me that God really can and does use all things, circumstances, and people to make His name famous.
What was interesting is that through the course of the conversation, I was better able to understand where he was coming from, yet he also began to see the significance in unconditional love within friendships and relationships and that he, in fact, showed unconditional love at times, which, if we're all honest, is how we all are. Only God truly loves unconditionally because we are selfish people with a sinful nature, but God is perfect and in that, His love is perfect. There are many times when I get discouraged in the ministry, thinking that the time we spend with the young people goes unappreciated, unnoticed, and the conversations in one ear and out the other. But I wanted to share this encouragement with you that that is not the case, God is moving, and the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of the young people over here.
Praise God for His unconditional love and I pray that as we draw closer to Him, others draw closer to us, that an invisible Kingdom may become visible...Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, one earth as it is in heaven.
What came to light for me is that he sees all friendships and relationships as conditional. The idea of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine". This was an eye opening and heart opening conversation for both of us. With me coming at the discussion from the thought of Christ and how He loves us unconditionally, I try in my best effort to love those around me in much the same way (and I will be honest, I fail daily, but I try). He, on the other hand comes at it from a worldly perspective of what is in his best interest. It was incredible being at a homework club, and somehow such a deep conversation arises. This is just one of several encouragements to me that God really can and does use all things, circumstances, and people to make His name famous.
What was interesting is that through the course of the conversation, I was better able to understand where he was coming from, yet he also began to see the significance in unconditional love within friendships and relationships and that he, in fact, showed unconditional love at times, which, if we're all honest, is how we all are. Only God truly loves unconditionally because we are selfish people with a sinful nature, but God is perfect and in that, His love is perfect. There are many times when I get discouraged in the ministry, thinking that the time we spend with the young people goes unappreciated, unnoticed, and the conversations in one ear and out the other. But I wanted to share this encouragement with you that that is not the case, God is moving, and the Holy Spirit is working in the lives of the young people over here.
Praise God for His unconditional love and I pray that as we draw closer to Him, others draw closer to us, that an invisible Kingdom may become visible...Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, one earth as it is in heaven.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Where the Unexpected & Unanticipated Collide
Tonight I went to spend time at some friends' house where I anticipated watching a movie. It turned into four hours of truly experiencing what it means to be in living, loving community with the body of Christ. As people were coming in and out of the house from the garage, into the kitchen (where I was kind of hunkered down and quite comfy), and into other rooms of the house I couldn't help, but smile at the depiction of Christ in our midsts.
One of the older men was having an impromptu Bible study with some of the young men while some of the young women and I sipped on our tea and shared our hearts, laughs, and struggles and were later joined by others to simply enjoy each other's company. To the others tonight might have only been a "bit of banter" and "good craic", but to me it was nothing like what I expected and nothing I could've anticipated.
But you know, looking back, I never would have expected that this would be my life at 24 years of age. And I couldn't have anticipated not only what God would carry me through, but also what He's brought me to. He truly does know our hearts better than we know ourselves. He continually reminds me of this through the ministry with the young women I'm blessed to serve. Today was the first day of our healthy living program. With five young ladies joining a few volunteers, my heart was full of joy and I honestly think it's because, although I have taken some detours and not always stayed God's exact path for myself (the Holy Spirit being somewhat like a GPS when I take a wrong turn with that genius phrase: "recalculating" lol), but I'm doing what God wants me to do with whom He wants me to do it exactly where He sees fit.
Only God can be the explanation for a tomboy from a small town on a big 'ole city being led to minister to young women in a seaside town in Northern Ireland. When people ask me how I know this is where God wants me I come back to what a wise friend once said about me, "For a girl in her twenties who lives in sweats and t-shirts, hair pulled back in a mess, and a face free of make-up (because she doesn't own any) with a job offer for something she loves doing...for that girl to move over 3,000 miles away to do a ministry that is quite foreign, in a foreign land, and do her best to learn how to dress like a lady, wear make-up, and do her hair just so that she can better reach the young women of that area for Christ...only God has enough of an imagination and as good a sense of humor and enough strength to conjure up something like that in the heart of a young woman."
Christ in me, the hope and glory. The only explanation for this story I'm loving to live and living to love.
One of the older men was having an impromptu Bible study with some of the young men while some of the young women and I sipped on our tea and shared our hearts, laughs, and struggles and were later joined by others to simply enjoy each other's company. To the others tonight might have only been a "bit of banter" and "good craic", but to me it was nothing like what I expected and nothing I could've anticipated.
But you know, looking back, I never would have expected that this would be my life at 24 years of age. And I couldn't have anticipated not only what God would carry me through, but also what He's brought me to. He truly does know our hearts better than we know ourselves. He continually reminds me of this through the ministry with the young women I'm blessed to serve. Today was the first day of our healthy living program. With five young ladies joining a few volunteers, my heart was full of joy and I honestly think it's because, although I have taken some detours and not always stayed God's exact path for myself (the Holy Spirit being somewhat like a GPS when I take a wrong turn with that genius phrase: "recalculating" lol), but I'm doing what God wants me to do with whom He wants me to do it exactly where He sees fit.
Only God can be the explanation for a tomboy from a small town on a big 'ole city being led to minister to young women in a seaside town in Northern Ireland. When people ask me how I know this is where God wants me I come back to what a wise friend once said about me, "For a girl in her twenties who lives in sweats and t-shirts, hair pulled back in a mess, and a face free of make-up (because she doesn't own any) with a job offer for something she loves doing...for that girl to move over 3,000 miles away to do a ministry that is quite foreign, in a foreign land, and do her best to learn how to dress like a lady, wear make-up, and do her hair just so that she can better reach the young women of that area for Christ...only God has enough of an imagination and as good a sense of humor and enough strength to conjure up something like that in the heart of a young woman."
Christ in me, the hope and glory. The only explanation for this story I'm loving to live and living to love.
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