Friday, August 31, 2007
Recently I started reading through "Patriarchs and Prophets" again, and what a blessing it has been. My inspiration yesterday was the chapter on Enoch's walk with God. Let me share a few inspiring excerpts:
"Enoch's walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in ALL the DUTIES OF HIS DAILY LIFE...In the family, and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father and citizen, he was the steadfast unwavering servant of the Lord. His heart was in harmony with God's will. And this holy walk was continued for three hundred years. There are few Christians who would not be far more earnest and devoted if they knew that they had but a short time to live, or that the coming of Christ was about to take place. But Enoch's faith waxed stronger, his love became more ardent, with the lapse of the centuries.
The closer the connection with God, the deeper was the sense of his own weakness and imperfection. Distressed by the increasing wickedness of the ungodly, and fearing that their infidelity might lessen his reverence for God (doesn't that happen all the time to us in this day and age?), Enoch avoided constant association with them, and spent much time in solitude, giving himself to meditation and prayer. Thus he waited before the Lord, seeking a clearer knowledge of His will, that he might perform it. To him prayer was as the breath of the soul; he lived in the very atmosphere of heaven!
In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. (With us it seems like that the greater and more pressing our labors, the less we take time to connect with God, when actually it should be the opposite! What a wake-up call to our "busy occupied generation" of laborers! Now catch these last couple sobering paragraphs that are written about his life.)
The godly character of this prophet represents the STATE OF HOLINESS which MUST BE ATTAINED by those who shall be redeemed from the earth (Rev 14:3) at the time of Christ's second advent. Then, as in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. Following the promptings of their corrupt hearts and the teachigns of a deceptive philosophy, men will rebel against the authority of Heaven. BUT LIKE ENOCH, GOD's PEOPLE WILL SEEK FOR PURITY OF HEART AND CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL, UNTIL THEY SHALL REFLECT THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST. (Wow - talk about a challenge to embrace!!!)
Like Enoch, they will warn the world of the Lord's second coming and of the judgements to be visited upon transgression, and by their holy conversation and example they will condemn the sins of the ungodly. As Enoch was translated to heaven before the destruction of the world by water, so the living righteous will be translated from the earth before its destruction by fire."
(I don't know about you, but Enoch's walk with God has always been an inspiration to me....and I was encouraged and re-inspired as I read over it again. I pray that God would help me to not be just a "reader of the word, or just a hearer, but a walker as well." James 1:22 - My personal paraphrase!)
"Enoch's walk with God was not in a trance or a vision, but in ALL the DUTIES OF HIS DAILY LIFE...In the family, and in his intercourse with men, as a husband and father and citizen, he was the steadfast unwavering servant of the Lord. His heart was in harmony with God's will. And this holy walk was continued for three hundred years. There are few Christians who would not be far more earnest and devoted if they knew that they had but a short time to live, or that the coming of Christ was about to take place. But Enoch's faith waxed stronger, his love became more ardent, with the lapse of the centuries.
The closer the connection with God, the deeper was the sense of his own weakness and imperfection. Distressed by the increasing wickedness of the ungodly, and fearing that their infidelity might lessen his reverence for God (doesn't that happen all the time to us in this day and age?), Enoch avoided constant association with them, and spent much time in solitude, giving himself to meditation and prayer. Thus he waited before the Lord, seeking a clearer knowledge of His will, that he might perform it. To him prayer was as the breath of the soul; he lived in the very atmosphere of heaven!
In the midst of a life of active labor, Enoch steadfastly maintained his communion with God. The greater and more pressing his labors, the more constant and earnest were his prayers. (With us it seems like that the greater and more pressing our labors, the less we take time to connect with God, when actually it should be the opposite! What a wake-up call to our "busy occupied generation" of laborers! Now catch these last couple sobering paragraphs that are written about his life.)
The godly character of this prophet represents the STATE OF HOLINESS which MUST BE ATTAINED by those who shall be redeemed from the earth (Rev 14:3) at the time of Christ's second advent. Then, as in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. Following the promptings of their corrupt hearts and the teachigns of a deceptive philosophy, men will rebel against the authority of Heaven. BUT LIKE ENOCH, GOD's PEOPLE WILL SEEK FOR PURITY OF HEART AND CONFORMITY TO HIS WILL, UNTIL THEY SHALL REFLECT THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST. (Wow - talk about a challenge to embrace!!!)
Like Enoch, they will warn the world of the Lord's second coming and of the judgements to be visited upon transgression, and by their holy conversation and example they will condemn the sins of the ungodly. As Enoch was translated to heaven before the destruction of the world by water, so the living righteous will be translated from the earth before its destruction by fire."
(I don't know about you, but Enoch's walk with God has always been an inspiration to me....and I was encouraged and re-inspired as I read over it again. I pray that God would help me to not be just a "reader of the word, or just a hearer, but a walker as well." James 1:22 - My personal paraphrase!)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Power of Faith, Prayer, and the WORD of God!!!
A little while back (on my August 9th blog entry, to be exact), I shared about the powerful witness and testimony of a humble missionary man from Africa that we heard at ASI. However, his testimony and story is so inspiring, that I wanted to share more of the details. My fellow blogging friend, Staci Osterman, had him visit at a retreat she had this late summer at Camp AuSable and she got some more of the details. Below is excerpts from her blog entry about the testimony:
"Last January Paul Ratsara, division president for South Africa-Indian Ocean, met with us and shared the faith principles being used in his division. He told us about one remarkable young man of faith and prayer -- Reginald Sibanda, a 29-year-old pastor in Zimbabwe. This retreat at Camp AuSable, Reginald came to speak to us.
I’m still looking for words to describe the impact his messages and stories had on me.
At the age of 17 Reggie committed his life to Christ. He made the Bible his study and began a habit he has maintained since – waking at 2 am to pray until 6 am. He began preaching evangelistic meetings every night of the week for three years while running a brick business during the day. God blessed him tremendously and he in turn used much of the US $20,000 dollars a month he made to support evangelism, church building projects, and sponsor others to camp meeting and youth events. He left this business, however, to become a humble janitor in the conference office because he was reminded of Psalm 84:10, "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."
Sometime later when age 26, he was asked to pastor the hardest district in Zimbabwe -- one no pastor wanted. The last pastor had been run out of the district. It covers a territory 500 km wide with only 9 churches and a total membership of 273. There had not been a baptism in this district in 23 years! Implementing principles of faith and prayer he had already developed in his life, he began to work. The membership was unwilling at first, but with much prayer a change took place and they began doing small groups, house to house visitation, and giving of Bible studies. Within a year they had baptized 3000 new members. These members were also trained to do missionary work and today two years later there are 172 churches in his district with a membership of 21,408!! They expect to double that membership this fall with area wide evangelsitic meetings.
What is the secret of his success? He said it is nothing we cannot do. He attributes it to three things:
- MUCH PRAYER -- He prays four hours a day, sometimes more. As a result he has seen his prayer list with 850 requests be reduced to 0 because they were all answered!
- MUCH FAITH -- He says that when we read the promise of God and believe it, exercising faith, we please God. God answers, "I will give you with pleasure." He not only gives you all you asked for but even more to show you how pleased He is that you exercised faith.
- BIBLE & CHRISTIAN SERVICE by EGW-- These are the only books he has used in his ministry. He doesn't have all the resources we have (not even a complete Conflict of the Ages series) but he has lived by the principles contained in these two books.
I thought of all the programs, training materials, powerpoints, DVDs, and other resources we have but our inability to accomplish that which is the result of only simple means, prayer, and faith. What a rebuke to us! I thought I knew about faith and prayer but I’m afraid I know so little. God had to send a missionary from Africa to teach me what it means to live by faith."
Back to Melody's comments:
Wow - look at the power of these three simple things.....Prayer, Faith, and the Word of God! Are we waiting on God...or is He waiting on us?
*Thanks Staci for taking such great notes and sharing them with all of us on your blog. http://resurrectiongirl.blogspot.com/
Saturday, August 25, 2007
It's Sabbath once again...what a blessing, and even more so after joining the working world again full force! I just completed my 2nd week of my new travel nurse position (incidently, I'm working at the same hospital I worked this Spring, so it's not too stressful getting adjusted). But this position is really an answer to prayer as I was wanting to finish paying off a few more bills before I dive more full time into volunteer ministry. God is good!
The other morning for my devotions, I was studying out some of the different characteristics that God's people will have at the end of time...and I of course was looking over the verses in Matthew chapter 5. And one in particular stuck out to me that I wanted to share.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
Hmmmm.....what does poor in Spirit REALLY signify?? I mean, I have a general idea....humble, meek, contrite heart etc. Yet, Jesus also includes "meek" in the list of characteristics of his people, so obviously they have differences. Upon further investigation, I looked up the Greek word for "poor" and found it to be from the word "ptochos" which has a number of meanings including that of "begger, helpless, powerless, destitute of anything..." and one particular group of meanings that really hit home, "destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour."
In essence, I think you could sum it all up by saying "Poor in spirit means being destitute of Self!" Wow!!! These are the type of people that God promises will inherit the kingdom of Heaven? Is that the type of people we are? Do I fit the qualitifications of "poor in spirit"? I'd like to think so....but hardly!
How much of our lives do we spend seeking to accumulate wealth, influence, position and honour? Yes, we may justify it behind good ambitions and intentions (I know I have often lived in this group, and still struggle to be free of this....to be free of worrying what others think, to be free of trying to maintain a special status, to be free of being controlled by my bills) yet...that is what we are all about...as long as SELF is on the throne! We should be pleading with God to deliver us from our own selfish heart...like Job cried out.
"Wherefore I abhor my SELF (emphasis added), and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6.
For if we are not delivered...we will self-destruct for "self" only brings death...as the whole Great Controversary of our lives, so clearly shows!
So what is the alternative?? How are we to provide for our families, how are we to pay our bills? How are we to have money or influence to work for God? If we are not to be focusing on seeking these things in our lives, what are we to focus on? Well, I am still learning that for myself....but I think a lot of the answer to this questions comes in the following chapter - Matthew 6! Read it and ponder it. I'm still working on it myself.
But back to Matthew 5.....I also looked up "meek" since I wanted to be clear on the differences, and Jesus also included it as a very important characteristic to have. This was fascinating and encouraging, and I don't think I had quite looked at "meek" like this before.
It comes from Greek word "prayus" and this is the definition they give:
1) mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
They go on to expound further:
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time (Isa 41:17, Luk 18:1-8). Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will (Gal 5:23).
WOW! Talk about having a new attitude in afflictions and trials! Obviously "poor in spirit" and "meekness" have two very different qualities....yet they go hand in hand it seems as well. Being freed of "self" so that we can more fully trust God in all circumstances and all events!
I don't know about you, but that just really humbled and yet inspired me at the same time. And it also gave me a clearer vision of what God has in mind for each of our hearts! What an incredible God we serve...soooo opposite from the gods of the world!
The other morning for my devotions, I was studying out some of the different characteristics that God's people will have at the end of time...and I of course was looking over the verses in Matthew chapter 5. And one in particular stuck out to me that I wanted to share.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."
Hmmmm.....what does poor in Spirit REALLY signify?? I mean, I have a general idea....humble, meek, contrite heart etc. Yet, Jesus also includes "meek" in the list of characteristics of his people, so obviously they have differences. Upon further investigation, I looked up the Greek word for "poor" and found it to be from the word "ptochos" which has a number of meanings including that of "begger, helpless, powerless, destitute of anything..." and one particular group of meanings that really hit home, "destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour."
In essence, I think you could sum it all up by saying "Poor in spirit means being destitute of Self!" Wow!!! These are the type of people that God promises will inherit the kingdom of Heaven? Is that the type of people we are? Do I fit the qualitifications of "poor in spirit"? I'd like to think so....but hardly!
How much of our lives do we spend seeking to accumulate wealth, influence, position and honour? Yes, we may justify it behind good ambitions and intentions (I know I have often lived in this group, and still struggle to be free of this....to be free of worrying what others think, to be free of trying to maintain a special status, to be free of being controlled by my bills) yet...that is what we are all about...as long as SELF is on the throne! We should be pleading with God to deliver us from our own selfish heart...like Job cried out.
"Wherefore I abhor my SELF (emphasis added), and repent in dust and ashes." Job 42:6.
For if we are not delivered...we will self-destruct for "self" only brings death...as the whole Great Controversary of our lives, so clearly shows!
So what is the alternative?? How are we to provide for our families, how are we to pay our bills? How are we to have money or influence to work for God? If we are not to be focusing on seeking these things in our lives, what are we to focus on? Well, I am still learning that for myself....but I think a lot of the answer to this questions comes in the following chapter - Matthew 6! Read it and ponder it. I'm still working on it myself.
But back to Matthew 5.....I also looked up "meek" since I wanted to be clear on the differences, and Jesus also included it as a very important characteristic to have. This was fascinating and encouraging, and I don't think I had quite looked at "meek" like this before.
It comes from Greek word "prayus" and this is the definition they give:
1) mildness of disposition, gentleness of spirit, meekness
They go on to expound further:
Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. In the OT, the meek are those wholly relying on God rather than their own strength to defend against injustice. Thus, meekness toward evil people means knowing God is permitting the injuries they inflict, that He is using them to purify His elect, and that He will deliver His elect in His time (Isa 41:17, Luk 18:1-8). Gentleness or meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in God's goodness and control over the situation. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will (Gal 5:23).
WOW! Talk about having a new attitude in afflictions and trials! Obviously "poor in spirit" and "meekness" have two very different qualities....yet they go hand in hand it seems as well. Being freed of "self" so that we can more fully trust God in all circumstances and all events!
I don't know about you, but that just really humbled and yet inspired me at the same time. And it also gave me a clearer vision of what God has in mind for each of our hearts! What an incredible God we serve...soooo opposite from the gods of the world!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A dream come true?
Well...my childhood best friend, Heather, and I always dreamed of having kids together! :-) And yesterday...it made me think of what it might have been like if that dream had come true! Thanks to Heather's sister-in-law, Jennifer, I got to enjoy babysitting her baby Daniel, for a little bit, while Heather nursed her newborn Luke. The others were in the pool playing!
It's been almost 2 years since Heather and I saw each other last...and as our adult lives have taken us separate places and directions, it seems harder and harder to get together. Yet, when we do...it's always as if nothing has ever changed. Heather and her husband Matt, a pastor, happened to fly out to California for a Pastor's conference, and were staying less than an hour away. So I drove out to see them yesterday and enjoyed seeing Heather's newest little one, as well as catching up on life...and yes, holding baby Daniel!
Life doesn't always go as we expect...but I know that God is leading each of us on the path that is best, and while I enjoying dreaming sometimes "of what might have been," I'm content to go on with the life and blessings God has given me! I'm also thankful that God gave me such a wonderful collection of friends...some that even last a lifetime!
Heather and Caleb and baby Luke
I last saw Heather when Caleb was just a baby! My how time flies....especially when your friends have kids!
Pastor Mike and Frances with their two girls
I stayed with the Cook Family for a little while when I was a child, as well as visiting them for many exciting childhood adventures as Heather and I were best friends. So it was almost like old times to get together with Heather and her parents again. Since her dad is also a pastor, he was out to California for the conference as well! So it was almost a miny reunion!
Us girls enjoy the babies!
I'm holding Heather's boy Luke, and Frances is holding Heather and Matt's nephew, Daniel!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Curtis and Janine's BIG DAY!!!
Last Sunday Curtis and Janine, along with a couple other couples I know (including Joelle and Norman, also part of our Loma Linda crew), tied that special "knot of love" that will last, Lord willing, through eternity! The day was beautiful and sweet...and reminded me of the great joy God loves to heap on us, glimpses of a greater joy that will come someday in Heaven!
With Curtis and Janine!
These are just a couple of my favorite photo's...below is a whole slide show! ENJOY!!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Wow! Here I am once again...back to Sunny Southern California! And of course it was only fitting that the first face I should see (that I knew) would be that of my dear sister Sunny who came to pick me up at the airport! :-) She was also coming to pick up a couple people flying in for Curtis and Janine's wedding weekend....so by the time we all got together and loaded up, half the day was already gone and we were hungry. So we went out to a Thai restaurant to eat before being dropped off at our respective locations.
Since Sabbath was fast approaching, and I am starting another Travel Nurse position on Monday, I had lots to accomplish. Alisha had also been in touch with me and begging to come spend this first weekend back in California with me....so I was scrambling to get everything done and together before I drove up to Apple Valley to pick her up. While she's been continuing to struggle and go through lots of ups and downs....she was escatic to see me and bubbling over with things to tell me! (Some things very disturbing....yet I am thankful she feels that she can trust me and still wants to come be with me, although it is obvious she is still fighting against the voice of the Holy spirit in her life! I keep praying that the Lord will break her heart and help her be willing to "yield" to Him!)
When we got home, we cleaned up for Sabbath and Alisha fell into my soft queen bed exhausted and laughing. (I had blown up an air mattress for myself to use and was putting on the sheets.) I just looked at Alisha with questioning..."What is sooo funny?" She just giggled all the more. "You can't imagine how wonderful it feels to be in a real bed after sleeping in cars for the last week! I feel like a queen!" I had to smile to myself. I can't imagine sleeping in a car for a night...well, I guess I have before....on a trip I took with my Grandfather to Mexico...and if I remember correctly, it wasn't comfortable! Yes, how forgranted my daily blessings so easily become!
[Insert 8/17/07 - As I was having my devotions this morning, I thought about the incredible goodness and love with which God treats us. We may be dirty from sin, smelly from digging in the trash pits of the world for fulfillment, and emotionally spent from lack of rest...yet when we turn our faces to Him, He bathes us and cleanses our hearts with His sweet spirit, and wraps us in new robes (as the Prodigal) and says, "Here....come into my house and rest! My bed it is yours! All the food on the table, it is yours! Eat and enjoy!" How He longs to have us with Him always and to fill our hearts and minds with His love and grace.
I don't claim to be like God to Alisha...No...I'm only a instrument in His hands, seeking to do His bidding! Yet, when people like Alisha come into my life, it helps give me a greater glimpse of the love God has and what He wants to do in an even more full way in my own heart. It also helps me realize to what extent God is willing to go for one poor forlorn soul...that yet so often seems ungrateful and content with the smelly trash of the world. And that soul is me...]
But back to my thoughts and the events of last Friday night!
While usually I have to tug and pull and coax Alisha to go to bed at night...this night was no problem. In fact, she was out before I even crawled under my own blankets. You could tell she was sleep deprived! (While she's not living with me anymore...it felt good to be able to provide her with at least a few hours of sweet peace and sleep!)
I was exhausted myself, but before I went to bed that night, I checked my e-mail, and there was a note from my old friend Martha (who I worked with as a fellow student missionary in Guyana with David Gates back in 2001). This wouldn't be such an exciting thing, except that she wrote to tell me that she was in the States (She's from Bolivia) visiting her sister in Loma Linda and she wondered where I was and what I was up to these days! I was like, "In Loma Linda!!!!!! WOW!!!" I was sooo excited as we haven't seen each other since we worked together in Guyana, and so I sent her an e-mail inviting her to Advent Hope. Then the next morning I called and woke her and her sister up! (I felt bad about that...but of course, they couldn't sleep in too much on such an exciting day!)
Sure enough they came to church on Sabbath and we were once again reunited! After 6 years that actually only seems like a few days! She's hoping to move out here to Southern California more permanently, so I look forward to many more good times in the future.
So....like I said, I never know what exciting adventure or surprise God has for me around the next corner! And this was truly a special Sabbath!!
~Below you will see a picture of Martha and I back when we were in Guyana....she was just recovering from Malaria in this first photo and I practically had to carry her outside for a photo shoot before we parted at the end of the summer. Then, I have the photo of us together at Advent Hope this Sabbath! We even matched....white and green and country style!! ;-) It was sooo cool to see her again!
Since Sabbath was fast approaching, and I am starting another Travel Nurse position on Monday, I had lots to accomplish. Alisha had also been in touch with me and begging to come spend this first weekend back in California with me....so I was scrambling to get everything done and together before I drove up to Apple Valley to pick her up. While she's been continuing to struggle and go through lots of ups and downs....she was escatic to see me and bubbling over with things to tell me! (Some things very disturbing....yet I am thankful she feels that she can trust me and still wants to come be with me, although it is obvious she is still fighting against the voice of the Holy spirit in her life! I keep praying that the Lord will break her heart and help her be willing to "yield" to Him!)
When we got home, we cleaned up for Sabbath and Alisha fell into my soft queen bed exhausted and laughing. (I had blown up an air mattress for myself to use and was putting on the sheets.) I just looked at Alisha with questioning..."What is sooo funny?" She just giggled all the more. "You can't imagine how wonderful it feels to be in a real bed after sleeping in cars for the last week! I feel like a queen!" I had to smile to myself. I can't imagine sleeping in a car for a night...well, I guess I have before....on a trip I took with my Grandfather to Mexico...and if I remember correctly, it wasn't comfortable! Yes, how forgranted my daily blessings so easily become!
[Insert 8/17/07 - As I was having my devotions this morning, I thought about the incredible goodness and love with which God treats us. We may be dirty from sin, smelly from digging in the trash pits of the world for fulfillment, and emotionally spent from lack of rest...yet when we turn our faces to Him, He bathes us and cleanses our hearts with His sweet spirit, and wraps us in new robes (as the Prodigal) and says, "Here....come into my house and rest! My bed it is yours! All the food on the table, it is yours! Eat and enjoy!" How He longs to have us with Him always and to fill our hearts and minds with His love and grace.
I don't claim to be like God to Alisha...No...I'm only a instrument in His hands, seeking to do His bidding! Yet, when people like Alisha come into my life, it helps give me a greater glimpse of the love God has and what He wants to do in an even more full way in my own heart. It also helps me realize to what extent God is willing to go for one poor forlorn soul...that yet so often seems ungrateful and content with the smelly trash of the world. And that soul is me...]
But back to my thoughts and the events of last Friday night!
While usually I have to tug and pull and coax Alisha to go to bed at night...this night was no problem. In fact, she was out before I even crawled under my own blankets. You could tell she was sleep deprived! (While she's not living with me anymore...it felt good to be able to provide her with at least a few hours of sweet peace and sleep!)
I was exhausted myself, but before I went to bed that night, I checked my e-mail, and there was a note from my old friend Martha (who I worked with as a fellow student missionary in Guyana with David Gates back in 2001). This wouldn't be such an exciting thing, except that she wrote to tell me that she was in the States (She's from Bolivia) visiting her sister in Loma Linda and she wondered where I was and what I was up to these days! I was like, "In Loma Linda!!!!!! WOW!!!" I was sooo excited as we haven't seen each other since we worked together in Guyana, and so I sent her an e-mail inviting her to Advent Hope. Then the next morning I called and woke her and her sister up! (I felt bad about that...but of course, they couldn't sleep in too much on such an exciting day!)
Sure enough they came to church on Sabbath and we were once again reunited! After 6 years that actually only seems like a few days! She's hoping to move out here to Southern California more permanently, so I look forward to many more good times in the future.
So....like I said, I never know what exciting adventure or surprise God has for me around the next corner! And this was truly a special Sabbath!!
~Below you will see a picture of Martha and I back when we were in Guyana....she was just recovering from Malaria in this first photo and I practically had to carry her outside for a photo shoot before we parted at the end of the summer. Then, I have the photo of us together at Advent Hope this Sabbath! We even matched....white and green and country style!! ;-) It was sooo cool to see her again!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Well my last few days at home went all too quickly! My sister Rita (who has been gone to Romania all summer) and my sister Sandra (who was working with the Santuary tour group that travels all summer) were getting back home the week after ASI, so I wanted to be sure to see them before I came back to California! So we had a great time together....as a few of the pictures will show. I got to cook Hollands some meals (like old times) and pretend we were having a party....and Sandra and I even got to go out for an Imax movie and Ice-Cream! (Something I probably haven't done since last time I saw her!)
Leaving was hard and usually I cry my eyes out every time I say goodbye...but for some reason this time, I didn't! Yes, I was sad to go...but I guess more and more I am able to accept the changes that are taking place in our lives, and I find myself looking forward to the adventures that God keeps bringing across my path! So....back to California I came...without tears, but instead with a smile! :-)
My first exciting surpise was only a day away...but I'll blog about that in the following entry!
Leaving was hard and usually I cry my eyes out every time I say goodbye...but for some reason this time, I didn't! Yes, I was sad to go...but I guess more and more I am able to accept the changes that are taking place in our lives, and I find myself looking forward to the adventures that God keeps bringing across my path! So....back to California I came...without tears, but instead with a smile! :-)
My first exciting surpise was only a day away...but I'll blog about that in the following entry!
A special cooked meal for my Holland family!
This is one of my favorite things to do when I am at home! Cook something special and make it fancy....like we're having a party or something! ;-) And I guess they don't seem to mind...
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Wow - I can't believe it myself!! Only three entries in my blog since I've been back home here in the Midwest. That is a record low. :-) I guess it probably doesn't help that I haven't had real fast internet access anywhere I've gone...either that, or I haven't had time. Anyway, maybe the pictures will help make up for my lack of words.
As the pictures will show, the ASI conference trip (Which stands for "Adventist Layman's Services and Industries ~ "Sharing Christ in the Marketplace") was a real adventure, from starting out with a flat tire in the dark and only a couple hours down the road, to meeting lots of old friends and networking with lots of new ones. And the messages of course, were also very inspiring! My favorite was of a sweet little humble black missionary man from Africa that is planting hundreds of new churches. Since he's been working and praying, his members have gone from like 200 to 21,000!! It's incredible. But he said that the power comes from his relationship with God and prayer...he gets up every morning and prays from 2am to 6am - 4 hours!!!!! I was astounded. (For more details of this amazing story, I encourage you to read the post from August 16th, 2007 of my fellow friend and blogger Staci at: http://resurrectiongirl.blogspot.com/ She shares a lot more details here that I did not remember!)
Here we've got another modern day Martin Luther or David Livingston right in front of us. Maybe there is more truth to that one verse than we think... "If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray..." I for one was challenged and encouraged to put even greater priority and focus on my prayer life.
There were lots of other great things about ASI as well...but time and words fail me. So until next time...enjoy the photos. And take some extra time for God and prayer...who knows what things He is just waiting to do in our own lives and ministry!!
As the pictures will show, the ASI conference trip (Which stands for "Adventist Layman's Services and Industries ~ "Sharing Christ in the Marketplace") was a real adventure, from starting out with a flat tire in the dark and only a couple hours down the road, to meeting lots of old friends and networking with lots of new ones. And the messages of course, were also very inspiring! My favorite was of a sweet little humble black missionary man from Africa that is planting hundreds of new churches. Since he's been working and praying, his members have gone from like 200 to 21,000!! It's incredible. But he said that the power comes from his relationship with God and prayer...he gets up every morning and prays from 2am to 6am - 4 hours!!!!! I was astounded. (For more details of this amazing story, I encourage you to read the post from August 16th, 2007 of my fellow friend and blogger Staci at: http://resurrectiongirl.blogspot.com/ She shares a lot more details here that I did not remember!)
Here we've got another modern day Martin Luther or David Livingston right in front of us. Maybe there is more truth to that one verse than we think... "If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray..." I for one was challenged and encouraged to put even greater priority and focus on my prayer life.
There were lots of other great things about ASI as well...but time and words fail me. So until next time...enjoy the photos. And take some extra time for God and prayer...who knows what things He is just waiting to do in our own lives and ministry!!
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