tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54080271192375834232024-03-14T07:13:16.353+00:00Birds Nest3Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.comBlogger212125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-57705418209067331412018-05-27T20:16:00.001+00:002018-05-27T20:16:33.456+00:00The One is Worth It<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">A couple of weeks ago, Rich and I lead a training for the first time in French with our friends and colleagues leading the parts we did not have down yet. As you likely saw on our family ministry page at some point, the training is called, “Tell His Story, tell it often, tell it well...so that it becomes a way of life.” The training is three days long. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">On the first day, we present the orality approach to communicating and the Great Commission as what we are all to be doing. Then we teach them the story of the demoniac from Mark 5. All stories are followed by five questions to help them think through what the Word is saying. Then the group is sent out by twos to share with those in the community and then report back. They then are given home work to retell both the Great Commission story and the story of the demoniac with others that evening. Day two begins with reporting on how their storytelling went the evening before and with teaching Creation and Fall and then Abraham. After learning these stories, participants are taught how to properly give their testimony of salvation, which often results in some realizing that they are not actually saved. The day ends with a retelling of both Creation and Fall with Abraham as one story and the challenge to retell those stories with their testimony that evening. Day three begins with reporting on their storytelling and then goes into teaching about the Prophets and Jesus. The day ends with a retelling of the five parts (Creation and Fall, Abraham, Prophets, Jesus, and the Great Commission) in one story that takes about ten minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">At this last training, on the first day, Rich taught the Great Commission Story, and then I taught the story of the Demoniac. The questions sparked lots of good answers. The questions included “what did you like about this story?” and “what did you not like about this story?” One of the things that was pointed out that was not liked was that Jesus did not let the man who had been healed follow him but rather told him to return to his family and village and tell all that the Lord had done for him. Jesus left him alone to be a light there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I was in tears at this point. I did share with the group why. My heart still hurts that we had to leave our home in Senegal as quickly as we did. My heart hurts that we were not able to continue to disciple the believers there. My heart aches for those few left alone to carry out the work. But God spoke to my heart in that moment, in front of that group of believers in Congo. Even if there was only one that came from Jesus crossing the sea that day, he was worth it. Even if he was left alone physically, he was not left alone in spirit. Even if the number of believers in the village in Senegal were not as high as we would have wanted them to be in order to have strong support, they were not left alone, but they were left with the Holy Spirit. Even if there was only one that came because of our time there, that one would be worth it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">God heals in His own time, whether it be the demoniac or me or my children. God has brought us to Congo. A lot of healing is needed in a lot of lives. He is the only one that can heal. Trust Him to heal you too when you come humbly before Him! </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-62856854016515710622018-04-24T18:15:00.000+00:002018-04-24T18:15:12.461+00:00Fighting a Battle I was not Meant to Fight<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So earlier today I posted about some things I learned last week. This morning as I was thinking about sharing that post, a new lesson came to mind. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I am a sinner. (Not a new lesson.) I needed a Savior to make me right with God because I could not do it on my own. (Also not new.) I cannot do this life on my own, so I need the Spirit to enable me. (Not new but reminded.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Last night in a Study with friends, we were reading 2 Chronicles 20. The people sought the Lord in prayer and fasting because their enemies were coming against them. All the people—- men, women, children, little ones—- were in the temple praying. The Lord revealed that the army was to go out praising the Lord for what He would do and then stand by to see His deliverance. Then the people returned to Jerusalem once again praising Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I have been trying to fight a battle against the enemy—-myself, my sin— that I was not meant to fight. I need to seek the Lord in prayer, recall His faithfulness in the past, praise Him as I go into battle —-live my daily life—- and stand to see His deliverance. When I see that deliverance, I will continue the praising. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” V. 15</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Thankful to have a better battle plan than the one I have been using lately. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">“Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.” V. 21</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As a result of the other lesson and this one, yesterday and today have gone much smoother than the last two weeks have. Grateful to God for His deliverance and giving Him praise. His love indeed endures forever! </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-46689844709138925212018-04-24T06:31:00.001+00:002018-04-24T06:31:33.596+00:00Looking at Things All Wrong<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">In the past, when asking why God gave my children to me rather than someone else, I have comforted myself, and likewise others, that He had some purpose in giving them to me and not someone else. So I should not try to be like someone else. When asking myself why He has brought me to serve Him where we do, I knew it was His calling but somehow thought also because He desired to use gifts that He had placed within me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Last week though, under the strain of the weight of my sin, I began to wonder again. (No one knows the weight of our sin like we ourselves.) Why did God call me here to minister, when I remain weighted down by my own sin? Why would God give me this husband and children when I find myself cursing them more than blessing them with my words? How can He ever use me in the work here? Why does my family have to put up with me? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Then as I read in 1 Samuel and read in Pslams, it occurred to me again that He did not choose me to serve Him in this place or care for my family for the sake of others. He has put me in a place where I realize my complete lost ness without Him so that I can be completely dependent on Him. Everything in our lives is to make us more like Jesus, to make us holy as He is holy, to sanctify us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">God did not bring me here to serve because there is something in me but to do a work in me. Being in this place at this time is to be sanctifying, to make me holy, even if it means exposing my sin to me so that I can be cleansed of it. God did not give me my children because I deserve them (because I don’t) but to teach me to depend on Him for wisdom and grace and joy when I am foolish. God gave me my husband (bless his heart) to teach me to submit myself and honor another, rather than thinking of myself. Twenty-one years of marriage, and I am still learning to respect him as God has instructed me to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I am a work in progress. I am not what I once was, and I am not yet what I should be. He who began this good work in me is faithful to complete it on that day Christ returns. I apologize to those around me who have to suffer with my sinfulness until that day. If you see me letting my flesh overpower the Spirit within me, help me see it. Please do not let me continue that way. Show me, too, some grace, and I promise to show you some too. </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-61035290016740838172018-04-01T19:31:00.001+00:002018-04-01T19:41:01.779+00:00Soldiers Fall on the Field of Battle<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Missionaries who die as a result of militants attacking where they are serving are fallen soldiers in a spiritual battle, right? I mean, that is a no brainer. But what about those who are just going about their daily lives and find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, like eating at a restaurant? What about those who die of illness, because I would not have said my cancer was necessarily a spiritual battle? Or what about a car accident? Those things happen in the comforts of their home country too, right? So, are they still fallen soldiers in the spiritual battle? Tragic events, yes, but fallen soldiers in battle? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I confess that I did not always think so. I thought of it as the same as if they died in their home country, since it was in a means that could easily happen there. Maybe that was because I was wanting to comfort my parents that car accidents could happen anywhere. On March 12, a car accident occurred near my parents house and there too was loss of life. So what makes it different, what changed for me to realize I was wrong? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Randy and Kathy Arnett came to Congo to lead a training on Neopentecostalization, to equip pastors with the Word to “battle” the prosperity heresy that is so prevalent. This training would equip these soldiers to do battle in the enemy territory. On March 14, Randy and Kathy headed to the interior of Congo with Jeff and Barbara Singerman. When I first heard about the accident and about Kathy’s death, I was stunned and yet knew immediately that this was warfare. The enemy was not going to let go of his stronghold easily. I was with my language helper who offered comfort that soldiers fall on the battle field. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Later, as we heard about Randy, I was even more sure of the battle that was being waged. Randy’s work to educate and equip pastors for this battle had spread all over Africa and was taking back places that the enemy had blinded. Now, who would take up that mantle? Who would lead the soldiers into battle? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next day as a sweet Congolese friend and her husband visited Barbara Singerman in the hospital, they repeated the phrase my language helper had shared about soldiers falling in battle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">I was wrong. I had been wrong for a long time. Yes, car accidents do happen in my home country and can be fatal, but the fact remains, it was the work of the Lord that had Randy and Kathy Arnett in Congo at that time, on that road. They died on the field of battle. As a couple, they looked forward to years ahead in service to the Lord and yet were also aware of His sovereignty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">That Congolese couple as they visited with Barbara stressed the importance that the rest of us as soldiers would continue to press forward into enemy territory and raise the Lord’s banner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So that is what we will do. We will do battle. We will take back territory from the enemy. We will raise the Lord’s banner. We will not let the lives of our fellow soldiers be lost in vain. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-63538403133865376642018-03-25T08:10:00.002+00:002018-03-25T08:10:41.556+00:00Palm Sunday In a New Light<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Whenever I have contemplated Palm Sunday, I have been struck by how fickle humanity can be. One day they are singing, “Hosanna,” to Jesus as he entered Jerusalem, and just a few days later the people are yelling, “Crucify Him!” How quickly and easily people can change. Though I knew this, I continued to be stupefied by this drastic contrast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Recently, I have come to have a new look at this day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">In the culture in which we now live, the whole process from death to burial is the funeral arrangements. The place where the body lays and the family grieves has its own name. The grieving place is a place where friends and family can visit and grieve together. Many will spend the night before the burial together, sleeping in the same place as the departed loved one. Many of the tribes here will pass the night singing together. In order to help people to know where the grieving place is, a palm branch will be placed in the ground down the road from and be pointed toward the grieving place. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The palm branch points toward the grieving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">What never made sense to me before, the joy of waving palm branches and singing preceding the cross, now makes sense. The palm branches point to the grief ahead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">But O the joy that lays on the other side for those that know the rest of the story! Death does not have the last word! Jesus’ resurrection conquers death and brings life everlasting to those that follow Him! Jesus alone changes our mourning into rejoicing. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-33078277644381870282018-02-20T20:13:00.003+00:002018-02-20T20:13:36.813+00:00Trust the Process! <div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.7px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">I keep repeating these three words on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">Learning language is difficult no matter how you do it. No method is perfect. It can be frustrating to not be able to say all you want to say when you want to say it. No matter how many words you have, there is always at least one you really wish you knew or could pronounce correctly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">The program we have gone to using in the last couple of years is called the Growing Participator Approach. In a lot of ways it is patterned after how we learn our first language as children. We first only hear it, then we speak though simply, and then we begin to speak well and begin to read. Rather than a teacher or professor, we have nurturers who nurture us into the new culture, in similar way that our parents nurtured us into their community. While the approach has a beginning, there is no real end because we are always learning something new about this new culture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">Last year as we began this approach to learning French, our language coach kept repeating those three little words. Now as I coach our new teammates, I find myself repeating the same words. After a month, they already have almost 900 words in their word log. One may start to point to an object and then pulls the hand back as they second guess themselves. “Trust the process!” Then they begin to point without overthinking it. Same thing happens when they start to speak. They begin to say the word they want to say but stop themselves in the middle of the word. “Trust the process!” Then they begin to let the words flow, may not be conjugated exactly, but they are only a month in to it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">Last week, as I thought about it and was having my quiet time, I heard God whispering those same three words. “Trust the process!” Trust what He is doing in William’s life and stop trying to fix everything. “Trust the process!” Trust what He is doing in my life and stop fighting against it. Surrender to His work in me. Stop trying to think I can do better or trying to do it in my own strength. Let Him shape me and mold me into the person He created me to be. “Trust the process!” Whether we ever see our stuff from Senegal or not, we are here now where God has moved us, and He is providing for us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 19.73pt;">So to whatever you might be going through, “Trust the process!” </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-1747661950050493612018-01-28T14:50:00.002+00:002018-01-28T15:16:36.061+00:00Living Like We Are Leaving<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We recently returned from a vacation, where we had lots of fun, but we were glad to return “home.” We returned to the place we call home which is where most of our stuff is, and hopefully the rest will be soon, and where our residency visa says we live. Others say our home is the country that issued our passports. “Home” is a term that is not always clear to us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">In my quiet time this morning, these verses stuck out to me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Genesis 47:9. And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Sojourning, going to another country, wandering as a stranger. Sojourner, a person who resides temporarily in a place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Then Facebook reminded me of this quote that I shared a few years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">“A person who feels at home “fits” with his environment....But we don’t fit here. It’s not our environment. There is no harmony, no rightness with our surroundings. Feeling like an exile is simply feeling a fact.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I did not record the source of the quote, so I cannot give full credit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Despite where we reside, none of the options on earth really seem to feel like home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Upon returning from vacation, we had to unpack and do laundry. Then we repacked our go bags. What are go bags? They are bags we can grab in the event that the unexpected happens. From broken feet to cancer diagnosis, we have had to use our bags and been grateful they were already packed. What kind of go bags? We have one bag each that is a backpack. In the backpack, we carry enough clothes and hygienic items for one night. In our carry-ons, we keep enough clothes and hygienic products to last a week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Then at Bible study this week, the ladies asked, “what is in our spiritual go bag?” We need to have what is necessary to live. Our salvation! What about the Fruit of the Spirit? What about scriptures that have been memorized? What basics do we need to survive a day, a week, or longer? Am I packed and ready to live? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So we live life in a balance. We live in a place where we are strangers, but we make our earthly home here as much as possible. We live like we are staying, but we keep our bags packed in case we have to leave. One day, we will leave this place, whether for our passport county or for our eternal home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Staying or going, we are living like we are leaving. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-31670622537352664552018-01-20T16:45:00.003+00:002018-01-20T16:45:54.244+00:00Be Audacious! <div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As I sit on the airplane heading back to the DRC after vacation, my thoughts turn to our real lives. We have called Kinshasa home for six months now. We have been in French language study for about nine months of the last year. We have survived one trimester of our son at boarding school, which ended well despite the rough start. We left Kinshasa with him and are returning without him. Girls have thrived in their school and are looking forward to returning to their friends, even if it is school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Though we are still very much in language study, we are also beginning to take on new responsibilities. Part of my language learning time will involve coaching our new teammates as they begin language acquisition. Part of Rich’s language time will be in preparation for training opportunities. As we return it all seems overwhelming. An overwhelming schedule. An overwhelming task for which I feel so inadequate. However it is a task that does not deserve to be done from a feeling of inadequacy. He has called me to this task, and He equips us for that which He calls us to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The church sermon on Sunday was from Galatians 5. The pastor talked about our need to walk by the Spirit, not in the flesh. If I give myself a list of to dos to make my life seem more spiritual, I.e. depending on having Christian music on all the time to keep me calm, I am still trying to live this life in the flesh. As I have tried to do this in the recent past, I know it only puts a temporary fix. Then when the bandaid comes off, that old flesh is exposed also. We must live the life dependent on the Spirit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Then yesterday and today I was able to read a book that my mom sent me for Christmas. It is Audacious by Beth Moore. Yes, I read it in one day. I could not stop reading. Why? Because it hit me right at this spot. God has an audacious love for me, for each of us, that lead Him to plan to send His Son before anyone ever knew my name, or yours. When God sacrificed a lamb to clothe Adam and Eve from their sin, God was already planning that Jesus would defeat the enemy by being the final sacrifice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The Bible has lots of commands and instructions for how to live. But what is the greatest one? To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The second is to love my neighbor as myself. When we love God audaciously, we will love others. When we serve out of duty, we will burn out. When we serve God out of that audacious love, He will do more than we can imagine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So will I return to Kinshasa from meetings that talk about faithfulness, a sermon about living in the Spirit, and reading a book about loving Jesus audaciously, and live the same run down life? Or will I live it in abandon to Him and be willing to love Him audaciously? Will I let myself be lead by the Spirit rather than my to do list? Do those things need to get done? Yes, but who will get the glory for how I serve? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">My word for 2018: Audacious! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Be Audacious! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Love audaciously! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Live audaciously! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As a side note, in thinking about this word “audacious,” I could not help but think of the movie, “Hope Floats.” Is there a time in your life when you were Audacious? Has life worn you down and made you doubt the audacious love that God has for you? Have you gotten comfortable in your abilities and stopped needing Him? “Get out there and get the stink off you!” Let the Lord blow a fresh breath of audacious love over you! Be Audacious! </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-72138165383681399322018-01-05T14:34:00.001+00:002018-01-05T14:34:09.073+00:00Pulled Out of the Pit<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Sorry for not writing for a while. I fell into a “pit” from which I had to be lifted. I know I could have written and many of you would have been praying for me, but I did not even know how to express where I was spiritually. Maybe now I can put into words the spiritual journey on which I have been. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">It was such an encouragement in October to see how God was working and get a glimpse of why He brought us to Congo. That encouragement would be a rope to which I clung in the pit. Now, on this side of things, I can say that just as important as that encouragement was in the pit, so important also is the pit to my moving forward. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As I fell into the pit, I was frustrated and depressed over areas of my life in which I still struggle. After so many years as a Christian, I would think I would be better than I am. People would talk about conversion being radical because we are new creations. So why do I still struggle in these same areas? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">A few years ago, as I expressed similar frustration in a team meeting, a wise team mate said, “well, if it were not that, it would be something else.” My reaction at the time was less than appreciative of this “little ray of sunshine.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Even Paul struggled, saying, “the things I want to do, I don’t do, and the things I don’t want to do, I do.” Scripture also says that “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it on the day when Christ returns.” What would be the point of continuing to work on us if we were already as we should be? I am a work in progress. I am not what I once was but I am not yet what I ought to be. As Mandisa says, “I am just unfinished.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So the other day as I listened to the sermon of someone whose name you all know, share about a time recently of feeling completely inadequate for the job ahead of him, it became clear to me too why I had to fall into the pit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So why did I need to fall into that pit? After seeing how God had worked to bring us to this place, it would be easy to rely on my own strength, thinking that I was in any way capable of carrying out His work. So I needed the pit, to see that truly it is His working all the way around. If I am equipped, it is because He orchestrated it. If there is any ability in me, it is because He put it there. It is His work and for His glory. Any time I am tempted to think I am able to do what He has laid before me, quickly I will find myself accepting glory for what is His. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Not sure where you are right now. Not sure if you are in a pit yourself. If so, cling tightly to the Truth of His Word and hold onto it. He will answer when you call upon Him. Listen for His still, small voice. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-72527670952519779272017-10-29T21:02:00.001+00:002018-01-05T12:26:56.085+00:00Glueing Fruit on my Tree<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">About that conference I attended last week for the leaders over the Protestant schools, they had some interesting illustrations that have stuck with me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The first was, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">This I had heard but someone added, “But there are not enough freezers to keep the elephant preserved until we can eat it, so we need to get busy eating.” This was to emphasize the urgency with which we need to work to improve these schools for the sake of the children and the glory of the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The second illustration struck me personally. It was a picture of two trees, one with no fruit and one with lots of fruit. The question was made, “How do you get fruit on both trees? Do you cut fruit from the one and glue it to the one with none?” Obviously that sounds ridiculous! The fruit would die. Instead we need to change something about the environment of the tree without to encourage it to grow like the fruitful tree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">It is ridiculous to think about cutting off fruit and glueing it on to the other. However, I have been guilty of doing that very thing in my own Christian walk. I have seen others with a meek countenance and read of its virtue and tried to make myself be meek in my response to others. It never seems to work very well. I was trying to glue fruit onto my tree. Instead, what I should have been doing was seeking how to make the changes and praying for the work of the Spirit to bring about real change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">If you are like me and are trying to glue fruit onto your tree, just stop. Instead let us commit together to seek the Spirit for how we can grow and be fruitful. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-26199491450177212702017-10-29T20:59:00.001+00:002017-10-29T21:00:57.190+00:00Nothing is Wasted! <div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I knew I was overdue for a post, but I did not realize how overdue. It has been a busy couple of months. We have been working hard at learning language, and I would venture to say pretty successful at doing so. The girls have adjusted to being in a school setting, though middle school for girls is just rough no matter where you are. They are all coming into their own personalities and strengths, and sometimes they clash, a lot. Life is not the same without William here on a daily basis, but we are only four weeks away from having all of our family under one roof again, provided the visas in our passports come back on time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Rich and I have also begun to see the purpose for which God brought us here. One of Rich’s roles will be to work with volunteer teams, which we so enjoyed helping with in Senegal. He will be serving as the urban strategist for the team, since our work keeps us in the city while all of our teammates are busy traveling, so our time in Dakar will come in handy. Another role of ours will be to work with local churches to disciple their members and thus reach their neighborhoods. We have been attending a French speaking service most of our Sundays, but we have also been able to attend Congolese churches with services in Lingala at least once a month. Rich’s propensity to learn languages, at least to greet, makes it easy for him to pick up on Lingala, even while we are still learning French. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">As for me, I knew coming into the work here would somehow relate to children. With over half of the millions of people in this city being children under the age of 18, there would be many to reach. In addition, we knew there would be street children, which we also were prepared for by Senegal. Months before our arrival, our supervisor began casting vision to the churches to improve their Sunday School programs, to really teach the children His Word. This week I had an opportunity to attend a conference to train leaders over the Protestant schools in how to transform and improve, such that God would be glorified in the schools. This is an area that our supervisor has a vision for us to be involved. Did I mention that my Masters is in Christian Education? Though it has laid dormant for a while, it seems that God has chosen this moment to utilize that degree. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Nothing is wasted with the Lord! When you do not see why you go through something or feel like you wasted your time on a degree or living in a particular place, God can use it if we will offer it to Him. Nothing is wasted! </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-58180876788770868892017-09-12T09:15:00.002+00:002017-09-12T09:24:21.448+00:00Created with a Purpose<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Our children are created the way they are for a purpose. I want to take the chance to encourage you mothers out there, especially those with a child that is strong willed and outspoken. Take heart! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Over ten years ago, at a large gathering of coworkers, a speaker said, "God looks out over all the Southern Baptist churches and looks for the most stubborn people and sends them to West Africa." It did not sound like a compliment, but it was true. People who continue to serve and live in West Africa have to be pretty stubborn. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So when we went back to the states and would speak to groups about our work, I would encourage those mothers of preschoolers that it may be that two year old who was testing her patience daily was meant to go to West Africa. God had a purpose for that child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Unfortunately, I tended to forget that when it came to my own child. Often in the trenches of motherhood, it can be easy to forget the truths. Often times I found myself striving against Mariama's strong will and even endeavoring to squelch it. Then I had to be reminded of my own words. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So in recent years, I have tried to encourage her at times to "tone down the fabulousness so that others can catch up." I have tried to let her have places where she could express her vitality of life while learning to tone it down in other places. I have tried to give structure to her "joie de vivre." I have tried to remember that it is for a purpose, while still giving boundaries. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Last week, I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of how she is meant to use that gift. While it was not the first time, it was certainly a defining moment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">At her new school, the students in grades 6-9 get to prepare one week to teach students grades 1-5 the next week. The younger students get to choose which group they join. The older students can teach alone or in a group. (I might mention that Mariama is the only new student in grades 6-9.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">On the first day that the older students met together with the headmistress to learn how the program would work, Mariama and two of her new friends decided that they would work together. They would do some learning games. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">On the second day that they met, the two other girls started to separate to join other groups. Mariama encouraged them to stay together but that maybe sometimes they could do the learning games and sometimes they could collaborate with the other groups. The two girls agreed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Unfortunately, that was not the end of things. The group then discussed who of the younger students would be in their group and planned how to invite them to join the group. The other girls said that they would invite everyone except one little girl, "who talks too much," and a little boy, with autism, in Lydia-Ann's class. Mariama was going to have none of that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Mariama told them they needed to include everyone. Her colleagues disagreed. Not one to take things lying down, she proceeded to plead her case to the headmistress of the school. The headmistress was in full agreement with Mariama and encouraged her to insist that all be invited to join the group. So of course, Mariama did and won the group members over, whether they liked it or not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Then to take things a step further, that night, she sat down to handwrite a note to send home with every child that was interested in their group, asking them to bring a tomato for their gardening project this week. For the little boy with autism, because at first he said yes and then said no, she wrote a special note. She explained that the boy had said he was interested and then said he was not. If he was, she asked the parents to send a tomato also. However, she also listed all the other groups, so that maybe his parents could talk to him about what he wanted to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I could only feel pride as she recounted this story to me and saw her writing each note with such care. I wish she would take such care with all of her writing, but if I have to choose between nice handwriting and sticking up for the rejected, defending the weak wins every time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">To those mothers still very much in the trenches, remember your children are made the way they are for a purpose. I might need to reread this myself periodically to be reminded as well. They are "born for this." </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-86224341652745029792017-08-12T19:14:00.001+00:002017-08-12T19:14:31.896+00:00Boarding School, Really? <div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">You might be thinking, "Why would you send your child to boarding school? Why would you make that change?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">When we learned our first language overseas, we only had a toddler. I was able to leave him with a sitter to go to class, and then I took him along with me on visits and outings. So no schooling was involved for him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">When we learned our second language, we had a first grader and preschooler. While first grade was a crucial year, it did not take up all that much time to homeschool, still allowing for lots of study and practice times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Now we have a ninth, seventh, and second grader. These are all very crucial grades. They each require time to be done well. It does not leave much time for French lessons, much less study and practice time. With also looking at learning another language in a year or so, it would be best to make the shift from homeschool to other options now rather than delaying the inevitable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"Aren't there good public schools to which you can send your children?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Actually, there are a few public schools funded by the government. The government does not invest a lot of money in the system here. All schools are therefore basically private in that you pay for them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"Aren't there good schools in your city?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Yes, there are actually some really good schools. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">There are French and Belgium schools, but making the switch to all school subjects in another language can be very difficult in the upper grades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">There are other small schools that have lots of benefits, but they may or may not have all the future grades. If he cannot continue at the school throughout high school, the credits he takes there may or may not be accepted when he transfers. Why make it easier now just to make it harder later? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">There is an American School here, which offers all grades and is all in English, however it is cost prohibitive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"What? Cost prohibitive? Isn't boarding school expensive?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Actually it is cheaper to send William to this boarding school and pay for flights back and forth each trimester than for him to attend the American school in our city. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">For that matter, the boarding school actually costs less than the small, English school, which only goes up to ninth grade right now, that we are looking at for the girls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"How can you let your child go away? Don't you love him? Won't you miss him?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Absolutely! I will miss him and I love him dearly! This is the reason for so many years in our village, I insisted that I would home school our children all the way through. Even when I saw a lack of Christian friends for him there, I believed we could be enough to encourage his growth. At that time, I could not imagine sending him a twelve hour, and later only a ten hour, drive away in the same country. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Now we are sending him across the continent to a different country!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"So what changed?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">About five years ago, as I thought about friends sending their children away to college, I thought how hard it would be to send them back across the ocean. I thought about how few years we still would have him. I thought about our friends sending their children to boarding school. I could never do that. I have so much to teach him. I could never teach him all that I wanted to before he went to boarding school. Then I looked in The Word. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Moses' mother had him for three months before she had to place him in the river, but then she got to have him until he was weaned, maybe two or three years. Then Samuel, for whom his mother pleaded for years, was also dedicated to the service of the Lord and left at the temple when he was weaned. Jesus was "lost" by his parents at the age of twelve but was found sitting with the teachers in the temple and he himself was teaching. Now I am not calling my son the deliverer, a prophet, and definitely not the Savior, but there was comfort in finding that other mothers had to trust that their children were ready and instilled with enough knowledge, virtue, etc., to let them go early. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Then three years ago, I began my battle with cancer. The day before William's eleventh birthday, I had my first chemo treatment. Amidst the battle, there were times I wondered what would happen if I did not survive and had to leave my family. Had I taught them everything they needed to know? When it came to the things most important, I could say, "yes." While there are a lot of gaps in my children's upbringing, loving God and loving others are not on the list of gaps. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">"So why boarding school? Why now?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Our kids love watching "Once Upon a Time." A recurring phrase regarding the children is to "give them their best chance." At this point in time, this is what we need to do to give William his best chance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Pray for us all as we transition, including his sisters who love him so much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">(P.S. Mariama will miss William, but is looking forward to taking over his room and having her own room for the first time in her life!)</span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-10530670503317087212017-08-04T08:00:00.002+00:002017-08-04T08:00:34.965+00:00Keep Your Dirt Swept<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Sunday before last at church, I heard about a common practice here in this country that I had heard about in other parts of the continent as well, but it was explained in a different way. The Truth of it came alive for me later that week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Across this country, there are lots of places that are not paved, even here in the capital. None the less, the people will sweep the dirt to keep it looking nice, but the reasons go much deeper. In other places, I had heard it explained that they swept to make it smooth, so that a snake's trail could be easily seen when it goes into a house. However, here, they say it is to keep grass from growing close to the house, so that there is nowhere for the snake to hide to get near the house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">I don't know about you, but I certainly like the idea of it not getting in the house in first place rather than just knowing if it has gotten there. Maybe that is why the Bible admonishes us to not even give the enemy an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, "In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Over the next few days, I saw how it played out in real life. From all the moving, I had let little things build up in my heart against my family members. With Rich being gone for over a week, I had allowed the bickering between my daughters to become bickering within me. Instead of keeping my dirt swept on a daily, even moment by moment basis, I had allowed seeds of discontent to grow. I was miserable and causing everyone else to be so as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">A couple of days into it, I had to ask for prayer for my health. In the midst of praying, the prayers for my well being went so much deeper than stomach issues. In seeking out the cause for my stomach issues, I discovered the root cause of my discontent. I was not going to have anymore of it. I told the enemy to get out, not unlike the scene in "War Room." I decided to focus on The Lord and the Word. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">The way we do battle is with praising the Father, not giving too much attention to the enemy. We know his schemes to recognize them, but we are to set our hearts and minds on things above. Because she was too focused on the enemy, Mariama recently had let things that she needed to know to be more security conscious turn to anxiety, but I admonished her to change her focus. Philippians 4:8 tells us, "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">This week my personal Bible study has been on forgiveness. It has shined a light on places in my life that I had let unforgiveness, towards myself as well as others, take root, in spite of saying that I had forgiven. I have pulled up weeds of discontent. I encourage you to examine your life for the areas that seeds of unforgiveness or discontent or other seeds have begun to take root. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Keep your dirt swept, not just to see when the enemy enters, but do not even give him a chance to get near the house. </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-11231748183843564792017-07-09T06:06:00.001+00:002017-07-09T06:06:34.221+00:00Being Grateful in Midst of Sanctification<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Certain times of life or circumstances expose our human nature more than others. Our need for continued sanctification is exposed by these events as well. Sometimes it is big things liked a loved one dying or battling cancer one's self. Sometimes it is the every day things like being married, parenting, or moving. When trying to do those last three all at once, the need for lots of sanctification is exposed. This last week has been both exciting and stressful, and there have been some sanctifying moments. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">My husband and I have different ways of doing things. Shocker! He is more of "let's go ahead and buy everything we need now," where as I am "let's see what we have already from others and what we can get by with until our stuff arrives." One means you spend money needlessly, like on cheese slicers you already have, and the other means you do not have things you need, like a spatula to be able to flip fried eggs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Amidst all of the shopping to stock the house with cleaning supplies and food to eat, parenting is a challenge. On one hand, it is better if both mother and father can go shopping, as explained in the above paragraph, and on the other it means toting all the children along as well. My children, who are normally obedient and respectful, have too much energy to stand ten minutes while we decide which cans of tomatoes is the best deal and take two hours to get through one grocery store or to even sit still in a beautiful apartment while we talk and wait on their father to return from purchasing a refrigerator. It might not bother me so much when they disobey, except that I know they are capable of so much better. They say they have so much energy because they are excited about our new place, new things to see, and new people to get to know, but I know some of it is the stress of it all as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">After many months of not being in our own space, I am so ready to be settled. However, I do not just want to throw everything somewhere. I want to be able to place things well. While that is a great idea, it is not really practical when you have four other people asking where everything is. It is further complicated when the house is new and things like the water heater is not hooked up right and the electrical outlet the fridge is plugged into goes berserk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">As a result, I have not been gracious in all of my responses to my husband and children. I have been short with them and in tears over things not being the way they "should be" or more stuff being purchased when I just start to get things settled. This mother bird is finding it hard to nest with the chicks in the nest already, in a place still very unfamiliar to her. "Where there are no animals, the stable is clean." I will be thankful that my nest is full, even if it is not in order. One day we will feel settled and have a routine, but today is not that day. So in the midst of the crazy, I will search for things for which to give thanks. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-86393964752019345922017-07-04T17:59:00.001+00:002017-07-04T17:59:06.971+00:00We're Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto! <div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">I keep saying this phrase. Everything is so different. It is definitely still Africa, but it is also not Senegal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Senegal had mountains, but it was not densely populated in that area. Dakar is densely populated, but comparatively speaking was flat as it is a peninsula. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">On the other hand, Congo has lots of mountains, and the capital of Kinshasa has lots of people on what I would consider mountain, though some would call hills. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">I thought I would be able to handle driving on one lane roads, but one lane roads up and down hills are a different animal. I am not as prepared for driving as I thought I would be. On the flip side, the landscape is really beautiful, lots of green when we go up and down the hills. The green has the added bonus of keeping everything from being dusty like it was in Senegal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Senegal, being a mostly Muslim country, had taxis everywhere with markings on them honoring their religious leaders and mosques on every block. Congo, being a culturally Christian country, has mini-buses that say "Glory to God," barber shops called "Tout est Grace," (All is grace) and fashion shops called "Jehovah Jireh." In fact, the city seems almost devoid of taxis altogether, but in actuality they are there though not yellow like the taxis in Senegal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">In Senegal, even in Dakar, every block it seemed had a fruit or vegetable stand, or both, and local boutiques where most necessities could be bought. Thus far in Kinshasa, in the neighborhoods, the fruit and vegetable stands are few and far between as are the boutiques. It may be that they are more common in other neighborhoods, but not so much as we have seen. There are other streets where there seems to be nothing but boutiques, though very little in the way of homes, more like a market with one boutique after another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">In Dakar, while there are lanes marked, more often than not people would make extra lanes by driving down the line between the lanes. Yesterday, driving in town, we were struck by the fact that all cars were staying in their lanes. It did not mean that they were not changing lanes quickly or that they were not moving across all four lanes to stop rather than being near the side as they approached their stop. In many places there were lanes for the minibuses to pull over. Occasionally I did see what looked like people using the shoulder of the road as a turn lane, but that's normal, right? Make no mistake however, there are crazy places of traffic, one turn in particular, that is jammed up most all of the time. In Dakar, while they make more lanes and drive crazy, you can find most people doing things to not block traffic and having some semblance of realizing that if they block traffic, no body goes anywhere, even including the person doing the blocking. Here, it is every person for themselves and this causes tie-ups that leads to everyone sitting for periods of time with no one looking out for anyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Clothing is also different. I knew that going into it, but it seems very weird still. While we were in Kenya and then when we arrived in Congo, I wore jeans but mostly with a long top. Saturday, I wore jeans again, since not all of our bags had arrived. Just before we were going to go out, we found some of my clothes. I began to go change into a long skirt. Our team mate said that I would be ok in jeans. I asked if she was sure and then went out and about in jeans. We were going to see our house and meet our landlady, who was also wearing jeans. Pants and shorter hemlines on skirts for women make one more difference to get used to. The men too dress differently. In Senegal, being a Muslim country, even in the capital city lots of men wore long robes made from local colorful fabric. Here, they still have colorful fabric, but men only wear button-up shirts made from them. We have seen only one young man wearing a long robe, which of course stuck out like a sore thumb here. Because we knew this ahead of time, Rich had gotten rid of all his West African clothes and is dressing in more Western fashions of jeans, t-shirts, Polos and button-up shirts; however, it is still strange to see. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">In Senegal, every shop, boutique, store, market table and fruit vendor took only the West African Franc. It made paying for everything very easy, but it made it difficult when we went back to the States as we had to either keep a stash of US dollars with us or hit the first ATM we came across in the first airport we landed every time we returned to the States. Here in the DRC, they use TWO forms of money. The DR-Congo Franc (CDF), and yes, US dollars! But, all the prices are in Congolese Francs in every store you go into, so you still have to do the math of conversion as you shop. But even the little lady selling bread at the few tables we have found, will take a five dollar bill for thirteen cents worth of bread (200CDF) and give you change back in Francs. Even the ATMs will spit out crisp US bills, which is convenient because if it has even the smallest nick in the edge, people will not take it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Even now, I am typing this while waiting on our teammates to arrive. Their schedule is not going like they expected. In Senegal, we would say, "WAWA-- West Africa Wins Again!" Things may be different here and we may instead say, "TIA--This is Africa," but it is sure to become home as much as Senegal was. The One who called us there has called us here and will one day call us to our true home. </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-47667548521630648532017-05-27T15:23:00.000+00:002017-05-27T15:23:57.800+00:00How to Get a Visa in 10 Days<div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Two months ago, we had a friend who tried to get a visa to the Democratic Republic of Congo, our future home. She is still waiting. So when we went earlier this month to apply for our visas, I confess that we were not very optimistic. We were hanging onto a thread of hope, confident that God was calling us there. We had asked many to pray that we would be looked on with favor and that a way would be made for the visas to come through quickly. Here is what happened. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">On the last Friday of April, we had off from class, but we still did not have all of our invitations from the church in Congo. So Tuesday, May 2nd, we went straight to the embassy after French class. While I walked over to the display board showing what hours the offices were open, the guard came out to greet my husband. The guard mentioned to Rich a few of the things we would need. Rich let him know that we had everything. Meanwhile, in reading the hours posted, I saw that Tuesday and Thursdays were for picking up visas and that Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were for dropping off paperwork. Even if it was Tuesday to drop off paperwork, we were there after the hours posted to get seen. Despite us being late for office hours and it being a Tuesday, the guard invited us inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">We waited for our turn to see the office manager, a Senegalese who handles the incoming paperwork and the passports to receive the visas. We greeted the lady as we walked into the office. Though we do not speak her people group language, we were able to speak with her in Wolof. When she heard our Senegalese names, she knew that we were really Pulaar. Her people group in the far past had the Pulaar as slaves. She jokingly called us her slaves. I agreed, because if nothing else, we were dependent on her getting those visas for us. She looked at all of our paperwork. She noticed a few things that maybe were not exact, but she said would work. She noticed a few blanks that I had skipped, because I did not want to write the wrong things in the wrong blanks. She told us how much all the visas would be. Rich left to get money at the ATM across the street, while I stayed and finished the forms with her help. After handing everything to her, I waited. She said that it should take ten days. Finally she said, it was good and we could go. I made sure to let her know that I was waiting for her dismissal, because I am her slave after all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">The next week, I began to wonder if she meant ten days or ten working days. So on May 12, Rich called to touch base with her. She asked how the weather is in our Pulaar town. He told her it was hot but that we were not there. She asked if we were staying in town waiting on our visas. For the ease of explanation, he replied in the affirmative. She said to call back the next week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">So the next Tuesday, the tenth working day, I called her again. When I called, I made sure to call her my king and let her know it was her slave calling. She said that she was not at work but to try back the next day at 11:00. So I called again on Wednesday, at 11:00, as she said. As it happened, it was a holiday in Congo, so no one was working that day. She said to call back again the next day, at 11:00 again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">I called back at precisely the time she gave me. She said that her boss had not been in long so she had not yet asked. She said to call back at 13:00. I called back at precisely 13:00. She said that her boss had been out and told me to call back at 15:30. At this point, I am starting to wonder if we are getting the run around. However, as long as she kept giving me specific times to call, I was going to keep calling. If nothing else, I was going to be like the widow who kept petitioning the unjust judge and got what she sought because of her persistence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">That afternoon, on our way to Mariama's volleyball game, I called again, introducing myself as her slave as I had every other time. This time she told me to bring all the passports at 10:30 the next morning, and we would get the visas done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">Since we were on the way to the game, we had a mother of one of Mariama's teammates in the truck with us. They are seasoned veterans, having been here in country before we moved here in 2004, however everyone does things differently. I was a little worried what this seasoned lady would think. She totally agreed with how we were handling the situation. She even suggested getting a small gift to give to the lady after it was done, not before so as not to look like a bribe, but after to celebrate and thank her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">So Friday morning, Rich and I showed up with all five of our passports. We waited for several others to go in, and then they called Rich's Senegalese name. We greeted and once again referred to ourselves as her slaves. She made notes and placed them on the passports. Then she told us to call at 15:00, and then she would tell us to come pick them up at 16:00. It made me nervous to leave them, but I had to trust her. At 15:15, Rich called to see if the passports were ready. She told us to come quickly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">We arrived and walked straight into her office. She presented to us the passports, each with their own visa printed inside. I presented her with the gift I had brought. She was so happy. She told us that she had plead our case on our behalf, so that the visas would be done quickly. We thanked her so much. We thanked God as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: '.SFUIText'; font-size: 17pt;">This week, as I recounted this story to another seasoned coworker, she said she generally takes pastries when going to those types of offices as well. Maybe I should take some before we leave in two weeks, or maybe just remember that for next time. </span></div>
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-15649915040192190712017-05-05T16:31:00.000+00:002017-05-05T16:43:25.138+00:00Why Does It Matter How I wrap my Skirt? <div style="color: #454545; font-family: '.SF UI Text'; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Today was one of those days that I am so glad we are in the language class we are. Rich and I are the only students who have been in this country more than a year, and we are certainly the only ones with village experience. Our teachers are from the capital cities of Ivory Coast and DRCongo. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Every day we have a thirty minute break in the middle of our class. Sometimes we stay in French but relax a bit. Sometimes we talk in English. Sometimes we talk about culture. Sometimes we talk about nothing important. Today we talked about important. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">An American lady also learning French but further along than we are was wearing a lovely top that sparked a lively discussion about local clothing that is revealing by our standards but not by theirs, compared to things we think nothing of but are revealing in this culture. Rich shared that even how the wrap skirt is tied can be a sign of a prostitute. One of the ladies insisted that it did not matter because she is not one and can wear it however she chooses. I likened it to a conversation we had recently in our small group regarding nose piercings and anklets in our future home. (Yep, gotta get rid of that nose ring before we move, so people do not think I am a "working girl".)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">After some time passed during which the insistent lady left the room, she returned and sat beside me. When the conversation died down and I thought we were going to resume class, she asked, "why does it matter how you wear your skirt?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I began with the practical answer. The people here already have an idea about what Christians are like, because they think all television from America reflects Christian values and all Americans are Christians. As a result, men often will speak to me in a way that they ought not to speak. Since they think we are promiscuous anyway, I will break that idea if I can. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Secondly but more importantly, I referred to the Bible. Paul said that he would become all things to all people that some might be saved. If how I wrap my skirt is going to distract someone from hearing the Gospel, I am going to avoid it. In this culture it is believed that a woman in that time of the month is unclean and that God cannot hear her prayers. Some things need to be addressed, and some things just do not matter. I eat pork, but not in front of my Muslim friends. If things like nail polish and how I wrap my skirts is going to get in the way, then let go of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">She was grateful for the explanation, and I was so glad she asked. After class I remembered another story about a topic that did not need to be let go. I went back to her and told her of the time one of Rich's friends took us to his village. While there, he took us to visit his fiancée, who was sick. I asked to pray for her to feel better. As I began to pray, the friend laughed. I am to this day not completely sure why he laughed. Maybe it was the idea of a white person praying. Maybe it was the idea of a woman praying. Maybe because I dared to call God my Father. Whatever the reason, I paused my prayer to inform him that he was not going to disrespect my prayer time, because I would not disrespect his, and I returned to my prayer time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">When it is worth making a deal about, stand up for what is right, absolutely. However, when it is of little or no consequence, let it go for the sake of the Gospel. </span></div>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-57434226176297171742017-04-09T08:40:00.000+00:002017-04-09T08:44:00.652+00:00I Did It My Way? Regrets, I've had a few.<br />
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There are so many things that I wish I had done since we moved away from our village a year ago. Some examples are:<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Gotten Mariama braces. That poor baby's teeth just do not fit in her mouth.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Let William take surfing lessons.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Taken the kids to do pottery on a regular basis, even if it was all the way across town.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Had Mariama get guitar lessons.<br />
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It was so hard to think about starting those things, when we never knew how long we were going to be here in the capital before going to our next location. When we did find out, it was like a fast moving train and holding on for dear life to stay on board.<br />
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There are so many reasons to be glad that we have been here for this transition time.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Getting used to city traffic. While here may not have the traffic of our next location, just by shear numbers of people, it is considerably closer I suspect than what traffic was like in our village. (We might need a defensive driving class when we go back to the states and not need to drive our first week or so, after driving offensively overseas.)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>We have finally been able to make a shift from buying groceries for months at a time to weeks.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I had one type of attire in the village. I have been able to transition to a variety of clothing options while here in the city dependent on where I am going, what I will be doing, and with whom I will be doing it. This will be important in my next location as well.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>0.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Kids have been able to attend school for a semester. While there are those activities that I wish I had done, this has offered them a lot of extra activities as well. Not the same activities, but still good. Girls have been able to do pottery, and William has been able to learn more about computers. William has done archery and Mariama is learning to play volleyball.<br />
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Jesus told us to not worry about tomorrow, for today has enough trouble of its own. Looking back is good to learn lessons, but dwelling on it will not change anything. While there are things I often wish I had done differently, the only day I can really do anything about is today. While there are lots of things I wish I had done, most days I can look back and say, "I listened to His voice and cared for my family, doing the best I could do." Today is a gift, which is why it is called the present.<br />
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But (I hope) I did it His way.<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-25601821091526218772017-03-27T20:39:00.001+00:002017-03-27T20:39:44.833+00:00More than 11 down, less than 3 to go. <br />
Eleven months ago, we left our home down south. While the event that prompted the timing of our move was sudden. The Lord had been working in our hearts before that day.<br />
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We returned to the field in September 2015. When we did so, we did it with an impending feeling of urgency. We did not know if it was because of my cancer possibly returning or some other medical issue. We did not know what was going to happen in the months to come, but both Rich and I sensed the need to be busier than ever before about the work, making the most of every day. I spent a lot of time trying to pour into "Jennifer" as well as some of the other ladies, while Rich was empowering the men believers and encouraging the pastor. As the months passed by, the feeling got stronger. When a lot of changes happened in our company, we assumed the move would be related to some restructuring in connection with the changes. However, without any real reason to think the move was imminent other than our gut feelings, we still made some changes to our home to prepare for the coming hot season.<br />
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Then April came. In the first week, we went from helping one young man to him giving us a clear sign that it was time to leave, now. So we came to the capital and for the next few days talked and prayed through what we were to do next. The clear answer we got was to not return to our home. Where were we going to go? We did not know that, but we knew where we were not going.<br />
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In the last two months, I have been rereading through Acts. I realized again that God does indeed prevent going to certain places, even when we do not understand why. God also made it clear to Paul when it was time to leave a place, but before he left, Paul would encourage the brethren. God had lead us to encourage the brethren before we left and was leading us to leave.<br />
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Over the next few months, some possibilities presented themselves. Some were great options to use the languages we already have but did not meet my new medical needs. Other options that would meet our medical needs were not the best fit for our languages. Still other options would meet our medical options but the obtaining of visas was sure to be challenging. Finally, we were presented with the position to where we are now going.<br />
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Rich has always enjoyed playing devil's advocate, finding out why people believe the way they do. In fact when we were dating, road trips were filled with conversations in which " because the Bible says so" was not quite enough. I had to be able to tell him where it said it and how it related to other verses that seemingly contradicted whatever I said I believed. Since a young teen, I have been burdened by those who say they believe but walk contradictory to what they say, though not always perfect myself, or claimed to turn to Jesus with some other motivation. When we were presented with the opportunity to work with churches who are in desperate need of discipleship, the calling was clear. Living in a city where over half of the population is under 18 would also give opportunity for me to use that Masters in Religious Education focusing on Children that has been "on the shelf" for the last thirteen years.<br />
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Between living in a town of less than 100,000 and moving to a city of 12 million, we have been living in a city of 3 million. While not the same size, it has been a good transition time for us. We have had to get used to this type of traffic again. We have gotten used to being able to blend in more than we did in our "small" town. The pace of life is much faster. The kids have been able to attend school this semester, preparing them for whatever the next thing is for them. We are starting to figure out how to buy groceries for a few weeks at a time rather than a few months.<br />
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With less than three months left to our move, we are beginning the process of imploding. (That is what has to happen after you explode living in one place for over 11 months.) Pray that we will learn French well and finish our time here strong.<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-78809639134079950282017-01-15T08:27:00.003+00:002017-01-15T08:27:58.480+00:00Their Best ChanceWhy Did We Move from Home Schooling to a School Setting?<br />
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When we came to the field with school age children in 2009, I realized we would need to home school. William was the only student at the time. We jumped into first grade while I learned language. It was not too bad to juggle. First grade did not have too much to do and we could just do the basics. The next year was a little more challenging with a second grader and kindergartner and infant in my lap, but it still worked toward the end of my language learning.<br />
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Last year, as we began to look to a new direction in ministry, we began by praying about places where we could still use the languages we already have, with little to no additional language study. However, the Lord had other plans.<br />
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As we began hearing about this other position, it was obvious more language study would be needed. I had taken French classes growing up, but I am quite rusty, in spite of living in a French speaking country. Rich has never had French classes. The country to which we are going is a French speaking country, with neither one of our current people group languages being prevalent there. French would be our first language to learn in going there, and some time down the road, we will learn another people group language. Despite our hopes that we would be able to avoid a lot of language study, the Lord had other plans.<br />
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Last month before the holidays, we were given approval for our new position, however it was difficult to get the lessons up and going. We had talked with all the language coaches, who were encouraging of us to learn French as a family, offering our children the opportunity to learn how to communicate and thus make friends in our new location. With the beginning of the new year, we were all searching for a language helper who could work with us as a family. Living in a French speaking country should make it easy to find someone who can teach us French. The challenge comes in finding someone who can teach French but does not speak either of the people group languages that we speak, because that would create temptation to speak in a language other than French.<br />
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Last week, Tuesday I believe, an email was sent out that a local French language learning program has openings for three students. Our language coach got a call Wednesday morning from the prospective teacher for us turning down the position. Our coach here quickly reserved two spots in the other program in case. Wednesday afternoon, we skyped with our language coach in our new place. We talked through the many options. We could continue to look for someone to teach our family as a whole and be able to arrive there in April, go ahead and move there in February and then do language there, or attend this other language learning program and move there some time in July. All of these options had their pros and cons. So we said we would pray about the options for the next two days.<br />
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One of my best friends has a special ringtone for her husband on her cell phone. She always knows when it is him calling her. The ringtone is the song, "It takes two to make a thing go right." That is so true. It takes both Rich and I to make things go right. He has said in the past that he sees which way to go and moves but that I take more time and hesitate. I used to take offense to that, because I thought it somehow meant a lack of faith on my part. Over the last few months, I have come to realize it is true, but both are good and necessary. He can see which way to steer us, but I read the map on how to get there.<br />
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Thursday morning, we met with our supervisors here to have our end of the year review. We talked a lot about the past year as well as the year to come. We came to the agreement that we should go to this new language learning program, but we had an idea of how to go about getting schooling for our children taken care of as well. That afternoon, we heard from the supervisors in our new location that they really wanted us to stay here for this other language learning program.<br />
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That being decided, I contacted our TCK consultant to run the idea we had for the kids schooling by her. She instead was very encouraging to send the children to the school here, particularly since we would be here the rest of the the school year and the new semester would begin in just days. She emphasized that I would better be able to focus on language study if they were in school. In light of the fact that we have lots more language study ahead of us, it seemed prudent to go this way.<br />
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So Friday morning, our supervisors here checked with the school on what we needed to do to get the kids enrolled. Rich subsequently spent the rest of the day filling out applications for each child. Saturday I spent catching up on grading and recording grades so that the school would have an idea where our kids are at educationally. We all rested on Sunday. Monday morning, we were at the school to interview, which was less of an interview and more of an orientation of sorts.<br />
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Amidst all of this, I was reading a book called The Dreambuilders: The Story of the Forts of Africa. In addition to recounting the medical ministry of the Forts, it also recounts their family life. This couple sent their eldest children ages 11 and 9 to boarding school 250 miles away. Knowing the caliber of these children as adults, I found comfort in knowing my own children would be okay in this new setting. God loves them even more than I do. This is a great opportunity for them to learn and for me to get the language I will need.<br />
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Overseas, education can look very different, from child to child and year to year. As one of our favorite shows says, we want to give them their best chance, whatever that means.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-77120793107112051752016-12-21T22:10:00.002+00:002016-12-21T22:13:51.259+00:00Lessons Learned when Packing Up to Move<br />
(Not necessarily in order of importance or in order of realization.)<br />
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<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When multiple animals (green and red monkeys, green and blue birds, snake, and fox) that you often see show up in places that you normally don't, it can feel like the country is bidding you farewell.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Keep your drill handy to take stuff off the walls and dismantle.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>While the US has not yet embraced the metric system, we do have Philips head screws which are better than flatheads.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>4.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No matter how old you get, you are still your mother's baby. When I went to visit my friend recently widowed, her mother in law (at least eighty years old) threw her arms around my neck and wept for her son (at least sixty years old). She cried out, "My baby, my baby died." That was heart wrenching.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>5.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A house that has been open but not lived in for eight months has a lot of dust, especially in the dry season with harmattan winds.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>6.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>If you feel a cold coming on in the days before you go pack and then spend time in said dust, you will feel like you are going to cough up a lung.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>7.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>All those papers that you think would be great to keep that your kids do in home school are really not all that great. Weed them out! Plus the people selling bread and street side table sandwiches can use them to wrap the bread when purchased.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>8.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you are visiting your friend that was recently widowed, you try to share with her words of comfort and not confrontation, so you choose something from the Psalms of David. Instead it still incites confrontation, because they believe you cannot express frustration or hurt to God. I am so thankful that my God is big enough to handle my emotions!<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>9.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Spiders and tiny roaches think they can take over the garage and kitchen when you are gone from the house for an extended period of time.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>10.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You know you have true friendship with a West African man when tears are streaming down his face when you are telling him goodbye.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>11.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When a flammable can accidentally gets put in the trash to be burned, sparks will fly!<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>12.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>After the eighty year old mother cries on your shoulder, she will tell you to smile and endure because it is the will of God, thus just accept it.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>13.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No matter how much you weed through, there is still more stuff. Even what you throw out will be treasured by someone. Minimize!<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>14.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>All those papers you thought you needed for work just become dust collectors. Make copies and toss them out and move on.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>15.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Either get a notebook for the small appliance manuals or throw away before the mice use them to make a nest.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>16.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>That China cabinet that took way too long for the carpenter to finish and did not come out with the right measurements will still be a piece you want to keep with you.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>17.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When packing to move and you have limited time to do so, it is better to say goodbyes sooner, rip the bandaid off, and get back to work.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>18.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Those bunk beds that you got built before the mattresses arrived so the mattresses were too big for it will not be a piece you will worry about keeping.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>19.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Keep all linens (tablecloths, sheets, etc.) in sealed trunk to prevent mice pooping in them.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>20.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Slush Magic cups are really not a great idea here. Mickey Mouse popsicle holders on the other hand are.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>21.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Even the house helper's younger sister cries when you are leaving because you have been so good for her sister.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>22.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When staying at a newly opened hotel, do make sure they have the wifi installed and plenty of parking, so you can still park inside their walls even when they have a big meeting.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>23.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do go ahead and stay at said new hotel so that you can have a break from the packing and be clean and let them cook dinner for you.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>24.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Fancy security door stoppers do not work on outward opening doors.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>25.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Command Hooks are awesome, super easy to remove. Just make sure you have more adhesive for when you get to your new place.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>26.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do make sure to take down solar lights and their panels. Do let someone else clean the outside of the BBQ grill for you.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>27.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>When you remove the garden wall decor from the wall after rainy season, you will find places where the mold did not grow.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>28.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Do find the books that someone let you borrow so that you can return them and grab a few of those toys your children have outgrown to give the family for the boys they are adopting.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>29.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>A gas stove left unused will clog up and need to be opened before lunch can be made.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>30.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Don't bother taking the time to take self-adhesive wall art down. It takes too much time and tears easily so it cannot be reused anyway. Before putting up said art in the first place, think if you will be able to remove it if you are pressed for time to move.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>31.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Baking soda has a really long shelf life. Keep it when you are tossing all the other stuff so you have healthy cleaner when you get to new place.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>32.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Overall this is a great time to weed out, clean out what you do not truly need.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>33.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It was worth it to bring stuff over in contico trunks each time you came back from the states and taking up the space to store them because you were able to pack almost everything in them.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>34.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>It was good to not bring the children, because they would have gotten bored quickly. Plus their friends next door are no longer there, so they would not have had them to play with. (Plus the kids can stop thinking if we were here, they could share more with them.)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>35.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Plan to take all curtains down so that they can be washed before they are packed.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>36.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Choose carefully who you will leave your children with while you go pack your house. Here is no shortage of people who have had to leave quickly for one reason or another. Our children were able to be at a house with boys and girls for ours to relate to, yet a different family as well to learn how they do things. They also got to experience attending a deaf church and hopefully learn some sign language.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>37.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No, the girls do not need a million little purses to take with us, so weed those out too.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>38.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>This house, for all the things we wished we could change about it, holds a lot of memories for our family. Our children have grown up here. Lots of lessons, some good and some hard, have been learned here. It is hard to say good bye to all those memories.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>39.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Thankful for Facebook On This Day to remind me of some of those memories.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>40.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>No, the work here is not finished. There are still many more left to hear. However, He has clearly called us to a new work. So as hard as it is to leave things unfinished, our work here is done. May those who come behind us find us faithful, and may the believers here take the Gospel farther than we ever could armed with the Word and the Holy Spirit.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>41.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>You can tell which way is north, i.e. the desert, because the harmattan wind pushes the bushes toward the south, much like at the beach.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>42.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>The toll road is fantastic!<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-68523700069003924552016-11-03T15:31:00.001+00:002016-11-03T15:34:34.635+00:00How Much to Share? <br />
The other day, as most days, I tried to squeeze too much in to too little time. I had a quiet time and exercised. I got ready and had breakfast. On the way out the door, I said good byes to the kids and could not resist teaching a little as well. However, then I was late to gather with the other ladies to go out prayer walking.<br />
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I showed up to our gathering place. I was not the first to arrive, but I was also not last. We sang a couple of praise songs in the dominant local language and then prayed together before heading out. Though the three ladies that gathered with me were almost half my age, it was a blessing to call them sisters.<br />
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One of the ladies, who has lived in the capital a year and speaks the dominant local language, had come across a household that really wanted to communicate in another local language, of which I speak a dialect. The young lady took the group of us to meet the house hold. The other ladies in our group consisted of a semester volunteer and a former semester volunteer who recently came back to work in the capital.<br />
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After a stroll, we arrived at the desired household. We all greeted and were introduced. One of the matrons of the house shared that her knees were aching, due to what I guess is arthritis. I asked if we could pray and share a story. The semester volunteer shared the story of the four friends that brought the paralytic to Jesus, while I translated. After the story and more conversation, I felt prompted to tell the story of Creation to Christ with the two ladies who were still there with us. I felt bad that I could not story and translate for the rest of my group at the same time, but it worked out. My group gathered where we were in the story. Once I was done, I went back to translating.<br />
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I asked what the ladies liked or had problems with in the story. They understood my language, which concerned me the most. The matron shared that the Way I shared was different from what they believed. I affirmed that it was good to know we are sinners and need to be saved, because there are so many in the states that do not even know that. However, only one road can be the Way, and we can only walk one path though we have two feet.<br />
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The matrons were less than embracing of what I shared, but they were still open to visiting. The sun was taking over more of the court yard, so we all moved into a shaded area of the courtyard. Our original contact asked to be able to make tea for all of us, which was encouraging that she wanted to continue the visit. She also had fun joking around with the young lady who recently returned to the capital.<br />
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After three rounds of tea, it was time to go. The original contact wanted to know where the young ladies live, so that she could visit them some time.<br />
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I hated the idea of leaving and not sharing enough, but I was also well aware that the relationship might get shut down once the Truth was shared. Thankfully, we can rest knowing that the Truth was introduced in that household, and the doors of relationship were still open. Praying that the seed of faith will be watered and one day produce much fruit.<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-7566325885440186922016-09-20T17:11:00.000+00:002016-09-20T17:11:13.136+00:00Amy's StoryAmy grew up in a home with parents of two different people groups but both Cousins. She was forced into an arranged marriage at a young age. Life for her was difficult. In 2005, she got a job helping the wife of a missionary couple learn the language. One of their religious duties is to pray five times a day. Amy was confused when the young missionary wanted to pray all the time. The young lady wanted to pray before beginning language class and when they ended and any time the Spirit lead her in between. It was the young missionary's love for Jesus and praying that lead Amy to want to follow Jesus too. Amy's husband divorced her and kept the children when Amy's choice was known.<br />
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Amy then taught herself English so that she could go out to translate for volunteer teams. She has been out with teams and gone to follow up even when teams were not around. She has supported her family and tried to help mentor young believers to grow in the Word and provide for themselves. Eventually all of her daughters came to live with her as well as her mother, who is still a Cousin.<br />
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In April, while out at a village where Amy had shared many times before, she was attacked, beaten, and left for dead. Thankfully others saw her and brought her into town where she could get treated at a hospital. The first hospital was unaware of her diabetes and so complications with her treatment arose. She was transferred to another hospital which worked in conjunction with a larger facility to give her the treatment she needed over the next two months. During this time, the local pastor and others from the Family went often to pray with and over Amy.<br />
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Amidst Amy's recovery, a man proposed to her. In July, they were married. Jennifer and the local pastor's wife attended the wedding, helped with food preparation, and prayed for the couple.<br />
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As August came to a close, Jennifer called Amy to see about gathering together to study. If that were not praise enough in an area where brothers and sisters have not always gathered without help from an outsider, Amy was back out in the village. Not only was she out, but she was in the village where she had been beaten. What a testimony and challenge to see her perseverance!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5408027119237583423.post-85433612955952998782016-09-10T23:18:00.000+00:002016-09-10T23:18:27.799+00:00Jennifer Sows the SeedAs you may remember, "Jennifer" completed her time of mourning for her husband shortly after we left our home five months ago. She was so looking forward to her freedom to go study and gather with the Body. Without us there, the Body was left without an outside force to encourage and teach. So we prayed that they would indeed be the Body.<br />
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As August began, I shared with some that Jennifer had requested prayer that the Brothers and Sisters would continue to grow in their faith. A week later, as we made a quick trip to our house to retrieve home school materials, I was able to give her an SD card with stories from the Word, the Way of Righteousness, as well as sing and pray with her.<br />
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When she called last week, I asked her if she was listening to the stories and if anyone was listening with her. She told me that she is listening and that a friend was coming the next day to listen. She proceeded to remind me that she had tried to get me to have time to visit this friend, but our schedules had not worked out. Now the friend was going to bring another friend to listen to the Word with Jennifer.<br />
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Jennifer also told me that she had called "Amy", a sister for over ten years, to get together to study the Word for mutual encouragement. Amy had agreed to do so once she got back from the village. Just having sisters taking initiative to meet together was worth getting excited about, since rarely has the Body gotten together without the initiation of the outsiders.<br />
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This week I called to ask Jennifer how things had gone the week before. She was excited to say that the friends had come over and enjoyed hearing the Word. Her friend actually wanted her younger sibling to also hear, so Jennifer was going to their house yesterday to share, after going to visit with Amy. Then Jennifer asked for something. She knew I had some copies of the Word at our house and asked if she could get some to take to give to her friends. I gladly gave permission. Much better for her to give them away than have them sit collecting dust.<br />
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A local proverb here says, "Pray to God, but work your fields." Jennifer asked for prayer that the Body would continue to grow and is working toward that end. Ask that the Father will continue to bless the times that the Body gathers and the times that the Body is out sowing the Seed.<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09544427117759877756noreply@blogger.com0