Today I returned from my 3 day trip to Morocco. It was fantastic to be quite honest. I really did feel so blessed to be a part of the work that is going on there.
On Monday we flew to Tanger (we being Richard, Caleb and Hilary, Kelly and me) and met with Clyde, a missionary working and living in Morocco. We were cooked an amazing lunch, all sharing from the same big plate in the middle in true moroccan style and then we went exploring around the markets where I haggled a fez down from 20 euros to 1. Bargain. We met Joy, an amazing Moroccan lady who works within many organizations, hospitals, churches, orphanages and underground safe houses. She was an inspiration. She actually cooked us dinner and let us stay in her house.
Yesterday, Tuesday...I woke up early (thanks to the time change) and sat out in the beautiful african dawn and enjoyed the sound of the birds, the scooters and the bustling city (it reminded me so much of India). We drank some delicious mint tea (SO much sugar) and then we went with Joy to the Créche which is one of the orphanages which Mountainview supports with clothing, money and of course prayer. I fell in love with one little boy called Moetaz. We heard a lot about the work going on there and how we can best help them.
Then we went for a camel ride! It was fantastic. We had some delicious Cous Cous for lunch. In the evening we led the service at a small church plant in Tanger where we brought the music and preach. It was a real blessing to be part of the service.
Those were the highlights really. I got back today and I already miss the bustle and sounds of the city. I loved hearing the muslim call to prayer, seeing the city spread out across the valley and almost falling into the sea. And the colour and business of the markets.
There's a lot more to tell, but not here and not now.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Happy Birthday Zac
I got a new flat! Moving in on 1st of April. Super happy about that. It's raining cats and dogs out here...funny, I was misinformed that the rain in spain stays mainly on the plane. Mentiras.
No worries though, I'm off to Morocco on Monday.
Happy Birthday Zac :)
No worries though, I'm off to Morocco on Monday.
Happy Birthday Zac :)
Saturday, 5 March 2011
It ain't mine...
On the drive back from the leader's retreat today I was worrying about the situation at home (again). But then I heard this fantastic song:
Moneytree – It Ain't Mine
And it reminded me that the battle is not mine, it belongs to God.
2 Chronicles 20:15
Moneytree – It Ain't Mine
And it reminded me that the battle is not mine, it belongs to God.
2 Chronicles 20:15
15 He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Friday, 4 March 2011
I've had the worst week since I arrive in Spain. Really, I've felt so desperate and lonely this week. And as you probably know, that's totally not me. I'm just trying to ride out this bad patch. But I'm being reminded more and more that this isn't something I can do alone. I need my God.
Kristian Stanfill – Holding My World - you should listen to this song.
So I will not worry or fret
My God is the God who will never forget
All of His goodness and all of His promises
He's holding my world in His hands
...
And I am Your child, Beloved
And all of my days my future is laid in Your promise
Jesus, to the end of the age, I am not alone or forgotten.
Kristian Stanfill – Holding My World - you should listen to this song.
So I will not worry or fret
My God is the God who will never forget
All of His goodness and all of His promises
He's holding my world in His hands
...
And I am Your child, Beloved
And all of my days my future is laid in Your promise
Jesus, to the end of the age, I am not alone or forgotten.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
I will come forth as gold.
I've had a lame few days. Like actual crap. Basically I have to look for a new flat, which is a pain. But it has also been emotionally draining due to arguments with flatmates etc. I hate arguing. Anyway, I've been wondering where is God...why is he letting this happen, I finally felt settled in my little flat near Príncipe Pío and now I have to go elsewhere. Why would God do that when just a week ago I was excited about the good work that God was doing in my flat?
Today something occurred to me though. I realised that before this whole thing happened, I was getting a bit bored. I was going off reading my bible and becoming apathetic with my faith. Just a bit, but probably enough for God to notice and want to put a stop to it.
Job 23:10-11
Today something occurred to me though. I realised that before this whole thing happened, I was getting a bit bored. I was going off reading my bible and becoming apathetic with my faith. Just a bit, but probably enough for God to notice and want to put a stop to it.
Job 23:10-11
10 But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
11 My feet have closely followed his steps;
I have kept to his way without turning aside.
2 things: 1) if God let this happen to give me a wake up call, that's amazing that he should care that much and 2) i'm now intent on keeping my feet firmly grounded in his word and not turning aside or going my own way, despite all this crap. God knows so much better than me, and that's just one of those things that I need to admit.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Suffering, glory and value
"You don't tend to value things unless you have had to stuggle for them"
Romans 8 v 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs— heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory"
Romans 8 v 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs— heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory"
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Decorpulation
I've just finished reading this fantastic book. I would describe it as 'laugh-out-loud theological discussion'. Although I disagree on a number of the points made by the two american writers, I thought it was packed with interesting ideas and a great message to love the bride of Christ, the church, in all it's "organic and organizational mess and beauty".
Some interesting thoughts/overviews:
The bible describes the church not only as the bride of Christ, but as his body of which Christ is the head, and his temple of which Christ is the cornerstone. Kevin Deyoung and Ted Kluck make the point that loving Jesus, but not the church, would be like having a best friend who's wife you hate, making friends with a floating head or moving into the foundations of a house.
Clearly these situations are all crazy. We are called to love the church.
In the same way that "decapitation" from the latin caput talks of removing a head from a body, decorpulation from the word corpus, should then be used to describe the removal of a body from a head. This, the authors argue, is how we should describe the recent trend of church leavers who love Jesus but not his church.
Something I've thought a lot about today as well was their image of the church as a sausage. It is better for you to just eat and enjoy your sausage than to find out all the messy ingredients that have been squished together to make it. The church is made up of humans, of sinners, of people, like you and me, who get it wrong. However, throwing in the towel and leaving the church is not how God intended for us to grow and be challenged in our faith.
Those are just some of the points that really challenged me and got me thinking. I seriously recommend this book. Though, as I say, I don't agree with it all and I can see why they have made lots of people angry, so don't read it if you get angry easily.
:)
Friday, 11 February 2011
Ballet
Watch this, it's insane:
http://www.nzwide.com/swanlake.htm
When I watch things like that I'm just so amazed at how strong the dancers are despite the fact that they are in such a vulnerable position. The girl could fall at any moment and break all her bones which would, obviously ruin her career and her life. But in that place of vulnerability, she looks so powerful and has the opportunity to bless so many people with her talent.
2 Corinthians 12:10
http://www.nzwide.com/swanlake.htm
When I watch things like that I'm just so amazed at how strong the dancers are despite the fact that they are in such a vulnerable position. The girl could fall at any moment and break all her bones which would, obviously ruin her career and her life. But in that place of vulnerability, she looks so powerful and has the opportunity to bless so many people with her talent.
2 Corinthians 12:10
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Monday, 7 February 2011
Mountainview Youth Weekend Away
Hola amigos,
I'm sitting here drinking my chocolate milk (thank you, awesome flatmates who I love dearly) and thinking back over this past weekend which has been super busy, but absolutely amazing. Our youth weekend away was fantastic.
On friday evening a load of us drove up the mountains (and down the other side) to beautiful Rascafría which is in a beautiful sunny valley, surrounded by snowy mountains. It was so awesome to see God working in the lives of the young people we took.
Although the majority of the students are from churched (or even missionary) backgrounds, many of them had never taken that step of commitment for God or they had at a young age but had never experienced first hand the power of the holy spirit in their lives. In the prayer ministry time we could see the holy spirit filling the room and changing the hearts of each and every student and leader there. It was beautiful and powerful and I felt so priveledged to be part of it.
Afterwards we went for a walk through the valley. It was so lovely and hot and sunny, I was still wearing my pyjamas. Hahah. All of us were still buzzing from the morning session and I had so many great conversations. One girl kept telling me "I was crying, but it was AWESOME" hahaa. And another girl was saying that she's been a christian since she was 9 and that she's always believed the holy spirit is in her but now she just really wants to do something about it! How amazing to be part of that. And while this was happening I just kept being reminded that God was blessing us SO much with the amazing location and weather.
1 Corinthians 2:9
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him."
All I have to say is "¡Gracias Señor!"
I'm sitting here drinking my chocolate milk (thank you, awesome flatmates who I love dearly) and thinking back over this past weekend which has been super busy, but absolutely amazing. Our youth weekend away was fantastic.
On friday evening a load of us drove up the mountains (and down the other side) to beautiful Rascafría which is in a beautiful sunny valley, surrounded by snowy mountains. It was so awesome to see God working in the lives of the young people we took.
Although the majority of the students are from churched (or even missionary) backgrounds, many of them had never taken that step of commitment for God or they had at a young age but had never experienced first hand the power of the holy spirit in their lives. In the prayer ministry time we could see the holy spirit filling the room and changing the hearts of each and every student and leader there. It was beautiful and powerful and I felt so priveledged to be part of it.
Afterwards we went for a walk through the valley. It was so lovely and hot and sunny, I was still wearing my pyjamas. Hahah. All of us were still buzzing from the morning session and I had so many great conversations. One girl kept telling me "I was crying, but it was AWESOME" hahaa. And another girl was saying that she's been a christian since she was 9 and that she's always believed the holy spirit is in her but now she just really wants to do something about it! How amazing to be part of that. And while this was happening I just kept being reminded that God was blessing us SO much with the amazing location and weather.
1 Corinthians 2:9
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him."
All I have to say is "¡Gracias Señor!"
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Our challenge
In 1 Kings 13 there's this mental story about a man of God (moG) who prophecies about an altar in Bethel (King Jeroboam has been offering sacrifices to other gods). Jeroboam orders the man to be arrested but his hand shrivels up. He is then healed by the moG so he realizes that the moG is onto something powerful and invites him to dinner.
However the moG declines saying that God told him not to eat or drink anything in Bethel. Then another old prophet from Bethel follows him and tells him "an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: 'bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' (but he was lying to him)". So the moG returns to eat and drink with the old prophet.
At this point, I thought it was pretty clear that the moG had been tricked and up until that moment, he had displayed a relatively righteous, Godly life so he wouldn't get hit too harshly by the consequencces, at least compared to the other two. However, the story ends up with our moG being killed by a lion while Jeroboam (the idolator) and the other prophet (the liar who makes God seem inconsistent) remain unharmed and unpunished for their seemingly worse sins.
I thought this was pretty unjust. However, David Guzik puts it like this:
"This is an example of an important principle of the way God works. We think that strict judgment should begin among the most ungodly, but often God begins strict judgment among His own people. Usually this is because God knows that the world will not be reached when His people are compromising and disobedient."
1 Peter 4v17 says this: 17 For it is time for judgement to begin with the family of God: and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
David Guzik continues by commenting that Jeroboam, though unpunished, ends up missing out on the blessing that it could be to live to God's full potential for him as king.
The same principle works in servants of God today. We are not called because of obedience, or used out of merit; but our disobedience hinders our potential for full use. Paul put it this way in 2 Timothy 2:21: Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter [works of dishonor], he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. God uses vessels of honor, separation, usefulness, and preparation to their fullest potential.
Interesting no? I was really challenged by this to push myself to live in God's righteousness and his potential for me, even if I may feel like he's giving me harsher discipline sometimes, it makes a lot of sense seeing as we are his body and our sin is like an illness that can seriously harm that body.
So go, live to your full potential! Put God at the centre of every decision and watch your life take off!
Monday, 17 January 2011
God already knows
I've always been a bit confused as to why we pray, especially for other people who are in need, because surely God doesn't need reminding to show them love etc. He knows their situation, so why should we petition him to help as if it's something he would do reluctantly. Anyway, I read this today:
"Crudely put, I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them. Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness. When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person." - Philip Yancey, Prayer
Good way of putting it.
"Crudely put, I once envisioned intercession as bringing requests to God that God may not have thought of, then talking God into granting them. Now I see intercession as an increase in my awareness. When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that God already directs toward that person." - Philip Yancey, Prayer
Good way of putting it.
Psalm 57
This verse seems to have been resonating within me for a while now (Probably thanks to Mumford & Sons). My first 2 months or so here I was constantly happy and alive and passionate to be here and serve. However once this initial honeymoon period was over, I would cry out to God to "Awake my soul", to remind me of that first love we shared and bring me back to life.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.
9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.
Friday, 14 January 2011
Something New
Today I was on the metro on the way to distributing food with the Salvation Army and I prayed that God would show me something new.
Everything was pretty normal. I got busy giving out hot chocolate as usual. Then some of the other volunteers invited me to join them in a small group to minister to the girls. I agreed readily, of course. However, I was confused as to why the girls received their food elsewhere. Turns out we were going to Madrid's red light district. Definately saw something new.
One woman in our volunteer group had this amazing maternal spirit towards every single girl we came across. And that's really what they all were, they are just girls. Most of them 25 or younger. It broke my heart. Any of those girls could have been my school friends, could have been me.
Why wasn't it me though? Why did God choose for me to have this amazing life where I get to have this relationship with him, and these girls don't? Do they know that God loves them? Do they know that anyone loves them? Where do they call home? Who gives them hugs and asks how their day has been?
I just don't know. I guess it wasn't me so I could be one of the people who helps them. I guess they'll only know that they are loved if we show them. And I'm priveledged to think that I could be the one to ask how their day has been.
Everything was pretty normal. I got busy giving out hot chocolate as usual. Then some of the other volunteers invited me to join them in a small group to minister to the girls. I agreed readily, of course. However, I was confused as to why the girls received their food elsewhere. Turns out we were going to Madrid's red light district. Definately saw something new.
One woman in our volunteer group had this amazing maternal spirit towards every single girl we came across. And that's really what they all were, they are just girls. Most of them 25 or younger. It broke my heart. Any of those girls could have been my school friends, could have been me.
Why wasn't it me though? Why did God choose for me to have this amazing life where I get to have this relationship with him, and these girls don't? Do they know that God loves them? Do they know that anyone loves them? Where do they call home? Who gives them hugs and asks how their day has been?
I just don't know. I guess it wasn't me so I could be one of the people who helps them. I guess they'll only know that they are loved if we show them. And I'm priveledged to think that I could be the one to ask how their day has been.
Psalm 63
I've been reading some Psalms recently. There really is a psalm for every situation; for every single human emotion, there is a Psalm that displays, decribes or speaks of it.
I really like David. He is such a mint guy. In his psalms he just seems so genuine with God, he literally has nothing to hide. Whether he is crying out for a seemingly inactive God to help him or if he is running through the fields shouting praises to his heavenly father, he doesn't pretend to be anything other than what he is.
Here's today's Psalm:
I really like David. He is such a mint guy. In his psalms he just seems so genuine with God, he literally has nothing to hide. Whether he is crying out for a seemingly inactive God to help him or if he is running through the fields shouting praises to his heavenly father, he doesn't pretend to be anything other than what he is.
Here's today's Psalm:
1 You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise in him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Thursday, 13 January 2011
After The Storm
After the storm, I run and run as the rains come and I look up. I look up, on my knees and out of luck, I look up.
Coincidence?
At Fusión on Tuesday we were praying for more people to come so our group would grow. On Wednesday morning I received a message from a girl who I met on the plane on the way here (4 months ago), we haven't really spoken since then despite being friends on facebook.
Anyway, she had messaged me to say that she wanted to get more connected, and did I know of any church groups in the city. Haha, of course I do.
Anyway, she had messaged me to say that she wanted to get more connected, and did I know of any church groups in the city. Haha, of course I do.
Monday, 10 January 2011
Closer than my skin.
Through The Valley - Lex Buckley
Your heart is for the broken
Your ears are turned to those in pain
You comfort all in mourning
You rescue those in need
So though I walk through the valley
I won't be afraid
For Jesus You are with me holding me close
And You can give a peace that passes understanding
Lord You will protect and comfort this heart
Lord I know You are faithful
Lord I know You are good and true
I trust in You my Saviour
You are my all in all
All of my hope is in You
All of my hope is in You
All of my hope is in You
It's in You
Recently God has felt scarily distant and invisible to me. Singing this song the other day, I remembered that he IS always with me, holding me close. And there ain't nothing I can do about it.
:)
Your heart is for the broken
Your ears are turned to those in pain
You comfort all in mourning
You rescue those in need
So though I walk through the valley
I won't be afraid
For Jesus You are with me holding me close
And You can give a peace that passes understanding
Lord You will protect and comfort this heart
Lord I know You are faithful
Lord I know You are good and true
I trust in You my Saviour
You are my all in all
All of my hope is in You
All of my hope is in You
All of my hope is in You
It's in You
Recently God has felt scarily distant and invisible to me. Singing this song the other day, I remembered that he IS always with me, holding me close. And there ain't nothing I can do about it.
:)
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Dance Mat
The other day we were playing dance mat. Claudi is terrible at it so one round when she got up to have her go, Sam (her husband) got onto the laptop and used the alternative keys so that she would get more points. Claudi had no idea and continued prancing around, stamping on the wrong buttons completely out of time.
When she finished, she passed the level with a B. She then jumped joyfully onto the sofa next to Sam who showered her with praise and they celebrated her victory together.
This reminded me that in life we often try to do work for God, we may be awful at it, we may sometimes hit the right buttons and do it well. However, whether we perform well or not will never effect the fact that God is still working and waiting to share the joy of his victory with us.
When she finished, she passed the level with a B. She then jumped joyfully onto the sofa next to Sam who showered her with praise and they celebrated her victory together.
This reminded me that in life we often try to do work for God, we may be awful at it, we may sometimes hit the right buttons and do it well. However, whether we perform well or not will never effect the fact that God is still working and waiting to share the joy of his victory with us.
Church
Whilst reading my church planting manual, I found this case study which I thought was really interesting...
Juan trusted Christ at a Billy Graham crusade meeting in New York City at the age of 18. Counseled for ten minutes about his new-found faith, he was encouraged to find a Bible-believing church. He visited several and settled into an independant Baptist congregation in the Bronx. Juan observed a number of things that were important to this group of Christians:
- Churches own buildings, even though just store fronts; people sit on benches in rows; they come nicely dressed; they are greeted by ushers who hand them bulletins to read.
- Churches have hymnals available for everyone; there books have both words and music, whether the people can read music or not; there's an organ (seldom played), a piano and a small choir
- Churches have two gatherings called "Services" on Sunday, the morning one being preceded by a Sunday school. There's a prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. The Sunday services begin with singing led by a song leader and then include announcements, pastoral prayer and a sermon by the pastor.
- The pastor is a seminary graduate who did not belong to this congregation before going to school. He was called by the congregation mainly to preach to them. He also visits the sick and calls on church members.
- Members are asked to attend all the meetings faithfully. After they have done this for some time, they are given Sunday school classes to teach if they have been baptized.
Juan grew spiritually, developed friends and became involved in the whole program of the church. Since he had speaking abilities, Juan was often used as a supply preacher. Five years later he felt called to start a church himself. Though he was a teacher in the public school system, Juan left his job and did some graduate work in a seminary. After a few more years as a co-pastor in his home church, Juan started his own church.
While I read that I just kept asking myself "I wonder if this is how Jesus imagined his church..."
What do you think?
Juan trusted Christ at a Billy Graham crusade meeting in New York City at the age of 18. Counseled for ten minutes about his new-found faith, he was encouraged to find a Bible-believing church. He visited several and settled into an independant Baptist congregation in the Bronx. Juan observed a number of things that were important to this group of Christians:
- Churches own buildings, even though just store fronts; people sit on benches in rows; they come nicely dressed; they are greeted by ushers who hand them bulletins to read.
- Churches have hymnals available for everyone; there books have both words and music, whether the people can read music or not; there's an organ (seldom played), a piano and a small choir
- Churches have two gatherings called "Services" on Sunday, the morning one being preceded by a Sunday school. There's a prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. The Sunday services begin with singing led by a song leader and then include announcements, pastoral prayer and a sermon by the pastor.
- The pastor is a seminary graduate who did not belong to this congregation before going to school. He was called by the congregation mainly to preach to them. He also visits the sick and calls on church members.
- Members are asked to attend all the meetings faithfully. After they have done this for some time, they are given Sunday school classes to teach if they have been baptized.
Juan grew spiritually, developed friends and became involved in the whole program of the church. Since he had speaking abilities, Juan was often used as a supply preacher. Five years later he felt called to start a church himself. Though he was a teacher in the public school system, Juan left his job and did some graduate work in a seminary. After a few more years as a co-pastor in his home church, Juan started his own church.
While I read that I just kept asking myself "I wonder if this is how Jesus imagined his church..."
What do you think?
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