Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Go to God for Guidance (Streams in Desert Devotion)

When you are unsure which course to take, totally submit your own judgment to that of the Spirit of God, asking Him to shut every door except the right one. But meanwhile keep moving ahead and consider the absence of a direct indication from God to be the evidence of His will that you are on His path. And as you continue down the long road, you will find that He has gone before you, locking doors you oherwise would have been inclined to enter. Yet you can be sure that somewhere beyond the locked doors is one He has left unlocked. And when you open it and walk through, you will find yourself face to face with a turn in the river of opportunity – one that is broader and deeper than anything you ever dared to imagine, even in your wildest dreams. So set sail on it, because it flows to the open sea.

God often guides us through our circumstances. One moment, our way may seem totally blocked, but then suddently some seemingly trivial incident occurs, appearing as nothing to others, but speaking volumes to the keen eye of faith…These events are not haphazard results of chance, but are God opening up the way we should walk, but directing our circumstances. And they begin to multiply as we advance towards our goal, just as the lights of a city seem to increase as we speed toward it while traveling at night.

If you go to God for guidance, He will guide you. But do not expect Him to console you by showing you His list of purposes concerning you, when you have displayed distrust of even half-trust in Him. What He will do, if you trust Him and go cheerfully ahead when He shows you the way, is to guide you still farther.

“As moves my fragile boat across the storm-swept sea,
Great waves beat o’er her side, as north wind blows;
Deep in the darkness hid lie threat’ning rocks and reefs;
But all of these, and more, my Pilot knows.

Sometimes when darkness falls, and every light’s gone out,
I wonder to what port my frail ship goes;
Although the night be long, and restless all my hours,
My distant goal, I’m sure, my Pilot knows.”
(Thomas Curtis Clark)

Monday, July 30, 2007

"...for I will not pass this way again..." (Quotes)

“What shall I do? I expect to pass through this world but once. Therefore any good work, kindness or service I can render to any person or animal, let me do it now. Let me not neglect or delay to do it, for I will not pass this way again.” (Quaker saying)

“Give what you have, for you never know – to someone else it may be better than you can even dare to think.’ (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Streams in the Desert- July 28

"His way is in the whirlwind and the storm.” (Nahum 1:3)

I remember when I was a young person attending school in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant. One day I sat on the side of the mountain and watched a storm as it moved through the valley. The skies were filled with darkness and thunder began to shake the earth. It seemed as though the lush landscape were completely changed, and its beauty gone forever. But the storm passed quickly and soon moved out of the valley.

If I had sat in the same place the following day and said, “Where is that intense storm and all its terrible darkness?” the grass would have said, ‘part of it is in me.” The beautiful daisy would have said, “Part of it is in me.” And all the other flowers, fruits and everything that grows in the ground would have said, “Part of the storm has produced the radiance in me.”
Have you ever asked the Lord to make you like Him? Have you ever desired the fruit of the Spirit and prayed for sweetness, gentleness and love? If so, then never fear the fierce storms that eve now may be blowing through your life. Storms bring blessings, and rich fruit will be harvested later. (Henry Ward Beecher)

Friday, July 27, 2007

"All the rivers of your grace I claim..." (Journal Entry)

So, I'm working on my trip to Central Asia...and am unsure whether I should go to a certain city where there has recently been some kidnappings. If you want me to go, Lord - you show me.

Today’s Streams in the Desert made me wonder if I’m not asking for all the grace and mercy you have promised…

July 27-
“Test me in this…and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” ~ Malachi 3:10
- Here is what God is saying in this verse: ‘My dear child, I still have floodgates in heaven, and they are still in service. The locks open as easily as before, and the hinges have not grown rusty. In fact, I would rather throw them open to pour out the blessings than hold them back….I will open them for you – if you will only let Me.’
- The need is not on MY side, but on YOURS. I am waiting for you to ‘test me in this’ – but you must fist meet the condition I have set to ‘bring the whole tithe into the storehouse’ (Mal.3:10) and thereby give Me the opportunity to act.”
- God’s ability to perform is far beyond our prayers – even our greatest prayers! I have recently been thinking of some of the requests I have made of Him innumerable times in my prayers. And what have I requested? I have asked for a cupful, while He owns the entire ocean! I have asked for one simple ray of light, while He holds the sun! My best asking falls immeasurable short of my Father’s ability to give, which is far beyond what we could ever ask.
- “All the rivers of your grace I claim, over every promise write my name (See Eph. 1:8-19)

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Lyrics by Twila Paris

Fill my heart, Fill this house
Fill this day, O Lord.

I am weak, And I need, your grace
You are the only light, You are the way of life
Fill my heart, Fill this house, Fill this day, O Lord.

I am yours, I will give, You praise,
You are the only truth, And I will follow you.
Fill my heart, Fill this house, Fill this day, O Lord.

Fill my spirit with your spirit
Until I cannot contain it
Fill my heart with love that cannot be explained
….til grace is overflowing, and this barran earth is covered by your rain

Speak your word, and I will obey
So open eyes can see, all you are in me.
Fill my heart, Fill this house, Fill this day, O Lord.

~Twila Paris

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Verses

“My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” ~ Acts 20:24 NLT

“All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” ~John 9:4 NLT

“Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 LB

“…For you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and take care of you.” Jeremiah 1:7-8

“Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.” Proverbs 3:27 TEV

“Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” ~ Romans 12:16 NLT

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” ~ Romans 12:2 (Message)

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Am I home? (Journal Entry)

July 3 07, Transit Flat- Capitol city -(just after visiting home for 2 weeks)

I feel like I just drove here, or something.

Okay, maybe flew, but that somehow this place, these people, isn’t so unfamiliar that it feels like a whole other world.

Everything feels actually more familiar to me than home did.

Not that I wasn’t comfortable at home. I was. I really was!

But somehow, I feel like I just got back from a trip, and I am home.

Yeah. Weird.

I actually am not sure that I really like that feeling. How is it, I feel more comfortable here. More comfortable in the heat, the people staring, the welcoming faces of others, the different language, different clothes, different modes of transportation.

I can’t explain it.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Surprise!! (Email Update)

Short Version:
I surprised my family and came home for our family reunion!!
2 months left in the project…
Then a month of traveling…

Longer Version:

Surprise!
Each year my mom’s family (now over 100 people!) all come together for a family reunion. Last year, there were only a few who weren’t able to make it, and I was one of them. It was one of the hardest times to be away from family. This year, I decided to surprise my family and come home! It was a wonderful time of reuniting with some of my cousins, aunts and uncles, many of whom live in other states and I only get to see once a year at the reunion. I also thoroughly enjoyed being with my family the week after the reunion, and getting to visit my brother who is working at camp in New Jersey.


2 months left in Kahan…
In the next two months Robin and I hope to make final recordings onto CD and cassette. Pray for Heather and Precious as they work hard to remember the stories to record them! Later this month, two girls (from our company) are visiting us who are interested in working in Kahan in the future. In August, we hope to have one last workshop with the leaders of the groups who have attended the previous workshops. We will present them with the cd’s and cassettes and also train them more in how to use the stories in chch planting work. Over the two months we’ll also be saying a lot of goodbyes to our ‘family’ and friends of the past two years.

Then What?
Robin and I have train tickets to leave “Kahan” the last week in August. During the month of September, I hope to travel to two other countries and see if He opens any doors for future work in those places. I’ll be in touch as those plans become more certain. And after September, I’ll be coming home

P & P
* Praise Him for being able to ‘be all there’ and fully enjoy the time home with my family.
* Praise Him for safe travels back to “Kahan.”
* Pray for Robin and me in the last two months in the project- most of all, for our relationships with the people and with each other.
* Pray for preparations for the last workshop in August.
* Pray for all the goodbyes we’ll be saying in the next two months.
* Pray for travel plan in September, that He will guide me where He wants me.

Till All Have Heard,

~ Elizabeth
Pictures:
- Natalie and me fighting for the frisbee.
- My Grandparents and me (my dad's parents)
- Eating out with my brother Mark at the camp where he is working this summer.
- My Grandfather and me, my mom's father.
- My Indian friends at home.