Reminders

Often times, I get so focused on the here and now that I neglect to acknowledge the blessings of the past and the promises of the future. I don’t want to sound pessimistic about the present, most of the times being in the present is where I need to be. It’s in the present that I’m able to seize the day [carpe diem] make the most out of every opportunity that God presents to me; however, when it’s not balanced with the right perspective it becomes overbearing…overbearing and what may feel like at times a “dryness.”

When I feel, hear, or think about “dryness” I’m reminded of a leadership meeting back home in Chicago. Our youth pastor’s wife just got back from maternity leave, and she gave a word of encouragement/challenge to us, “like Elijah spoke life into the dry bones…so should you speak life over the dry areas of your life. If you don’t, who will?” For some – like me – this first went over my head, but as it soaked in and as time and circumstances came up over and over God began to demonstrate to me what that meant.

For me, it meant that God’s purpose for Elijah in that moment wasn’t to raise an army to fight, neither was it for God to show off his mad miracle skills…it was personal expression of love towards Elijah. Elijah, even as a prophet, was in a dry period in his life – which should tell you that it can happen to anyone, doesn’t matter your position or spiritualness. God knew that he – like most of us, including myself – needed a visual representation to remind him of who He was, is, and will be in his life. When Elijah spoke to the physical dry bones, he was also speaking to the dryness in his life. And as life was restored to the bones so was his spiritual life restored, refreshed, and renewed.

I want to be like Elijah in having the faith, confidence, or whatever he did have to speak life to the dry areas in myself by remembering who God is in my life. I want to have the right perspective – God’s perspective - in the here and now in order to be all that I can be for Him. I don’t want to get bogged down with circumstances or uncertainties in life that I neglect to acknowledge the awesomeness of God in my life, the blessings He’s provided for me in the past and the promises He’s given me for the future.

It’s time to start speaking life, to remind myself of the blessing and the promises yet to come. God hasn’t let me down yet. Out of all the obstacles that came my way in being a missionary, God removed ALL in His timing and in His way. If He was able to do that, I should have no doubt that not only He has the best in store for me but He’ll continue to make a way where there seems to be no way.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Your thoughts aren't my thoughts, neither are your ways my ways

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

As the summer begins to pick up speed, I didn’t want to miss a chance to share progress on the projects I’ve been working with and where I am going this summer.

For a while now, I’ve been talking about a Displaced Community project. I have been a part of developing a new Book of Hope for Children and Youth who’ve gone through traumatic change because of a natural disaster or war. I’m so excited to tell you that the books are almost completed! The first week of June, I sat in creative design meetings to put the finishing touches on the books. They are in their final stages before the templates go to the Design department here at OneHope. It’s an amazing feeling when a project long in the making will be completed soon – hopefully this summer ☺

Since being at OneHope, I’ve also had the pleasure of developing surveys to assess the effectiveness of the Soccer Clinics that are being conducted in South Africa. The Soccer Clinics will not only share with students the love of Jesus, but also the 9 Fruits of the Spirit illustrated through Bible Stories, games, and discussion. The surveys allow OneHope to gauge how well the students retained what they learned as well as how likely they are to apply what they learned to their lives.

One of the last projects that I’ve been a part of during my training here in FL is with the Cultivate initiative in a local community. OneHope is partnering with local churches to help transform this community that has a high crime rate, with the love of God. Currently Cultivate is running 3 programs in the community: an After School Matters program, ESL for adults, and Adopt-a-Block. I’ve done observations for the After School Matters program and ESL for adults as well as developed a survey for their After School Matters to see if the program is meeting the goals of OneHope to address the Emotional, Spiritual, and Physical needs of the child.

This summer, I am scheduled to travel to 3 different countries on short-term assignments leading teams to work on my training with OneHope.

England: Late June – Mid July
Nicaragua: 1 week in July
Dominican Republic: 1st week in August

Please be praying for each person going on these trips as well as the missionaries in each country.

Also, please continue to pray that God opens up the right door for me this fall, whether that means going to South Africa or somewhere else in the world. Pray that God places me where I can best be used because His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are higher than mine. I want to follow Him wholeheartedly.