Its hard to believe that my time here is almost over. Tomorrow I will have been in Belgium officially for 4 weeks. I have learned so much, seen so much, and gotten very tired:) My brain is on overload, compounded with the learning contract and paper that I am writing plus the presentation I'm working on! We'll be busy to the bitter end! Processing time is much needed however, and these things are the tools for that. It would be a shame to spend four weeks here only to get home and realize I hadn't processed any of it or taken the necessary steps to make sure that I take what I have learned home with me. I'll probably be posting other things from my time along the way... but for now I just have this.
Community Shifting. What is that going to look like? As I was writing my learning contract today, this was one of my topics. What does it look like to "leave and cleave" if you will from my current culture to my new culture. I will be leaving a place where there is an occasional snowfall to a place where 80 degrees feels like the dead of winter! I will be leaving English to go to a place where I'm not allowed to puff air out of my mouth when I say p,t, and k. But more than that, I am leaving people that I love dearly to go to a new country full of people that I don't know. Scratch that, two new countries full of people I don't know. It starts in Costa Rica. How do I not waste my time there? I don't want to depend on my home community, I want to be lonely enough to get out of my house and find people in my new culture. Oh the blessing and curse of skype/facebook/email... oh how I love and hate you. :) Seriously though, it's a challenge with communication options galore at our fingertips to leave our community behind in a healthy way to invest where we are. I've seen that in myself this month... the tendency to check email all the time to see if I've heard from home, to try to respond to emails immediately so people will know that I love them, etc. It's hard. I'm working on thinking through what that balance will need to be.
Let me just end by saying... what a blessing to even have to worry about this. I have been given the gift of a loving family, friends, church, and extended community. I have people to miss and that is a blessing. :) I'm thankful for you all!!!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Korean Church
I finally have some pictures from the Korean church... they aren't great, but when you're attempting to be discreet there is only so much you can do! And by attempting I mean, I couldn't figure out to get my camera to stop making its super loud shutter noise so I would self-consciously wince every time I took a picture... bah. 
This is Hyeonae who has been instrumental to hosting us this month. She runs the North Korean prayer meeting every Sunday and the Thai prayer group that I wrote about before.
This is the North Korea prayer group that meats before church every Sunday to pray. The group fluctuates, but this is who was here today.
These are two Thai ladies that I have been privledged to meet. Orrathai is on the left and Parika on the right. Parika has only known the Lord for about 6 weeks... please be praying for her. She is a joy to talk to... I wish I had more time to get to know her. Orrathai is passionate about spreading the Gospel to other Thai ladies in neighborhood and building. Right now we are praying for her upstairs neighbor to come to know the Lord
We have been giving testimonies every week as well about how the Lord brought us into His family and how He called us to the mission field... this week was Jenni's turn.
To go along with the rest of the pictures, I want to tell you about a girl that I met this morning at church. We have been talking about how God is moving in the world and how it just our job to get on board with what He is doing. He is calling people to Himself and working in their hearts. I want to believe that, but so often I feel the burden that it is up to me to seek people out and convince them of the truth of the Gospel. This morning the Lord turned that upside down for me... yet again.
I was visiting with a new Korean friend who is here in Brussels working with YWAM. She introduced me to a friend of hers from Antwerp and then she had to go leaving me to chat. Honestly, my first inclination was to make small talk and then get away to where I was more comfortable.
But, as my conversation started to unfold, the Lord opened this girl's heart to share with me. She started to share that she doesn't come to church often and all of her friends tell her she should stop coming to church and just drink 
instead. She doesn't like to drink but she doesn't know if she believes in God. Sometimes she thinks that she could and sometimes she just doesn't know if she can believe the Bible. It just seems crazy to talk about how Jesus did miracles and healed people and raised them from the dead... how can that be true? She told me that she is desperate for someone to answer her questions. She doesn't read the Bible because she gets so frustrated.
I got to share with her why I believe in the Gospel and how it has changed me life. I got to tell her that my life is still a mess. I got to talk to her about grace and forgiveness and how God's character, His love and mercy and compassion, but also His power that is above our understanding, all came to life in Jesus. I told her some books of the Bible to read and that I trusted that she would find the Jesus that I believe in when she read them. She asked for my email address to ask me questions. Who says God isn't working in the world? I didn't do anything to initiate this...
I'm so thankful for the Korean church and that they will follow up with this girl and so many others to teach them the truth of the Gospel!
This is Hyeonae who has been instrumental to hosting us this month. She runs the North Korean prayer meeting every Sunday and the Thai prayer group that I wrote about before.
This is the North Korea prayer group that meats before church every Sunday to pray. The group fluctuates, but this is who was here today.
These are two Thai ladies that I have been privledged to meet. Orrathai is on the left and Parika on the right. Parika has only known the Lord for about 6 weeks... please be praying for her. She is a joy to talk to... I wish I had more time to get to know her. Orrathai is passionate about spreading the Gospel to other Thai ladies in neighborhood and building. Right now we are praying for her upstairs neighbor to come to know the Lord
We have been giving testimonies every week as well about how the Lord brought us into His family and how He called us to the mission field... this week was Jenni's turn.
To go along with the rest of the pictures, I want to tell you about a girl that I met this morning at church. We have been talking about how God is moving in the world and how it just our job to get on board with what He is doing. He is calling people to Himself and working in their hearts. I want to believe that, but so often I feel the burden that it is up to me to seek people out and convince them of the truth of the Gospel. This morning the Lord turned that upside down for me... yet again.
I was visiting with a new Korean friend who is here in Brussels working with YWAM. She introduced me to a friend of hers from Antwerp and then she had to go leaving me to chat. Honestly, my first inclination was to make small talk and then get away to where I was more comfortable.
But, as my conversation started to unfold, the Lord opened this girl's heart to share with me. She started to share that she doesn't come to church often and all of her friends tell her she should stop coming to church and just drink 
instead. She doesn't like to drink but she doesn't know if she believes in God. Sometimes she thinks that she could and sometimes she just doesn't know if she can believe the Bible. It just seems crazy to talk about how Jesus did miracles and healed people and raised them from the dead... how can that be true? She told me that she is desperate for someone to answer her questions. She doesn't read the Bible because she gets so frustrated.
I got to share with her why I believe in the Gospel and how it has changed me life. I got to tell her that my life is still a mess. I got to talk to her about grace and forgiveness and how God's character, His love and mercy and compassion, but also His power that is above our understanding, all came to life in Jesus. I told her some books of the Bible to read and that I trusted that she would find the Jesus that I believe in when she read them. She asked for my email address to ask me questions. Who says God isn't working in the world? I didn't do anything to initiate this...
I'm so thankful for the Korean church and that they will follow up with this girl and so many others to teach them the truth of the Gospel!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Chocostory
I've been writing a lot, so I thought I'd share some fun pictures with you!Last Saturday we spent the day in Brugge, which is called the Venice of the north because of all the canals. I was devestated that the gondolas weren't running...
This is Annie...
Sadly it rained while we were being tourists, but we didn't mind too terribly much!
This is in Choco-story, the chocolate museum... very educational by the way! There are pots used specifically to make hot chocolate... you can tell because they have a frother going into the lid
church planting 101
“How great is the love that Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are... Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:1-2
I haven’t ever paid much attention to verse 2 before… “what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him…” It fits so perfectly with Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this that he who began a good work will be faithful to bring it about until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Honestly, I read that to say this. I have no idea what the future holds. I have no idea what tomorrow looks like, or 5 years from now. But I do what is inevitable in my future, what is certain. God WILL complete the good work that He began in me, when he appears I WILL be like him, for I will see him as he is. He WILL do the things that he has promised to do… these are certainties in my future. He will work for my good and he will equip me for everything that he calls me to do. I could go on and on.
This morning in our church planting seminar, Bill Yarborough talked about certainties as they pertain to the church, and to our personal lives. But I’ll limit this to just talking about the church.
“The fulfillment of God’s promises, through the work of the Holy Spirit, is our inevitable future as the people of God.” And as it pertains to the church and the kingdom of God… “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end” “on that rock, I will build my church.” He has promised that HIS kingdom will increase and HIS church will be established. We are a part of a movement of what God is already doing in the world and we are part of a vision that ultimately will come to fruition.
Here are three other totally random tidbits from the morning…
1) “There is no power in vision alone, there is no power in principles, strategies, or good theology – the Gospel is the power of God.”
2) Church planting weds the Gospel of grace and the doing of justice. This is a challenge to adopt your community to really be your neighbors. There is a difference in our mindset when we say…
1. There are drugs being sold in the neighborhood… they have a problem… we will move
2. There are dugs being sold in OUR neighborhood… WE have a problem… let’s ask the Lord to redeem this place and take active steps toward that end
3) Tim Keller “the Gospel is the way that anything is renewed and transformed by Christ – whether a heart, a relationship, a church, or a community. Therefore, all our problems come from a lack of orientation to the Gospel. All pathologies in the church and all its ineffectiveness comes from a failure 1) to think out the deep implications of the Gospel, b) to grasp and believe it through and through, and c) to use the Gospel in a radical way. Put positively, the Gospel transforms our hearts and thinking and approaches to absolutely everything.”
I haven’t ever paid much attention to verse 2 before… “what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him…” It fits so perfectly with Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this that he who began a good work will be faithful to bring it about until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Honestly, I read that to say this. I have no idea what the future holds. I have no idea what tomorrow looks like, or 5 years from now. But I do what is inevitable in my future, what is certain. God WILL complete the good work that He began in me, when he appears I WILL be like him, for I will see him as he is. He WILL do the things that he has promised to do… these are certainties in my future. He will work for my good and he will equip me for everything that he calls me to do. I could go on and on.
This morning in our church planting seminar, Bill Yarborough talked about certainties as they pertain to the church, and to our personal lives. But I’ll limit this to just talking about the church.
“The fulfillment of God’s promises, through the work of the Holy Spirit, is our inevitable future as the people of God.” And as it pertains to the church and the kingdom of God… “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end” “on that rock, I will build my church.” He has promised that HIS kingdom will increase and HIS church will be established. We are a part of a movement of what God is already doing in the world and we are part of a vision that ultimately will come to fruition.
Here are three other totally random tidbits from the morning…
1) “There is no power in vision alone, there is no power in principles, strategies, or good theology – the Gospel is the power of God.”
2) Church planting weds the Gospel of grace and the doing of justice. This is a challenge to adopt your community to really be your neighbors. There is a difference in our mindset when we say…
1. There are drugs being sold in the neighborhood… they have a problem… we will move
2. There are dugs being sold in OUR neighborhood… WE have a problem… let’s ask the Lord to redeem this place and take active steps toward that end
3) Tim Keller “the Gospel is the way that anything is renewed and transformed by Christ – whether a heart, a relationship, a church, or a community. Therefore, all our problems come from a lack of orientation to the Gospel. All pathologies in the church and all its ineffectiveness comes from a failure 1) to think out the deep implications of the Gospel, b) to grasp and believe it through and through, and c) to use the Gospel in a radical way. Put positively, the Gospel transforms our hearts and thinking and approaches to absolutely everything.”
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
devotional thoughts
This morning I shared a devotion with the group on the theme, "God pursues his people". I wanted to share some verses and a quote with you...
Deuteronomy 7:7-9
“The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”
“As the story develops throughout the Old Testament, this covenant love is referred to in various terms, but the main one is hesed… Hesed is God’s loving kindness—the consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, one-way love of God. It is often translated as covenant love, loving kindness, mercy, steadfast love, loyal love, devotion, commitment, or reliability.” – Mark Driscoll
Psalm 116:1-2, 5-7
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because HE turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Deuteronomy 7:7-9
“The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.”
“As the story develops throughout the Old Testament, this covenant love is referred to in various terms, but the main one is hesed… Hesed is God’s loving kindness—the consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, one-way love of God. It is often translated as covenant love, loving kindness, mercy, steadfast love, loyal love, devotion, commitment, or reliability.” – Mark Driscoll
Psalm 116:1-2, 5-7
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Because HE turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
Saturday, January 23, 2010
There is no escaping matchmakers...
Even in Brussels working with Korean church, yesterday one of the ladies asked Abby and I if we would like to meet nice young men who love Jesus at church. I mean sure... but don't you think Belgium to Honduras is an awfully long distance relationship?
The Lord has encouraged me so much with the people from the Korean church. The lady who is "in charge" of us during our time here is amazing. Her name is Hyeonae and she seems to be very involved. She has a really neat story... she has raised 5 boys and lived literally all over the world, more than 13 countries! And she loves the Lord passionately. I could just tell while talking to her that she cherishes Christ more than anything and wants to give her life in serving Him. She and her husband are praying for the Lord to lead them where He would have them to go. It's so encouraging to hear her talk about how the Lord is working in parts of the world that she has seen.
If I had to describe my impressions of the Korean church thusfar in one word, it would be PRAYER! These people know how to pray. They value it and they do it often. One of the neat ministries of the church is a prayer meeting every Sunday morning for North Korean. They pray for an hour before church through updates they have gotten, names of people who are in prison for the Gospel, and for the Lord to make His Gospel known in that very dark place. Also, they have prayer groups that meet every Tuesday, plus international house churches that pray together, plus more that I don't even know about. Each house church supports a missionary in their region through prayer and finances... really awesome!
Yesterday, Abby and I got to be a part of a prayer meeting with some Thai ladies. Four Korean ladies meet with these two Thai ladies for prayer once a month. Last month one of the ladies, a budhist, gave her life to the Lord! This week another new lady, also a budhist, came as a visitor. Pray for her to know the Lord! She let us pray for her, which was great, and said she may come back next time. It was a joy to be with these ladies and to pray with them. They were so gracious to have us there and to try to use a language we understood :) To be honest, the language barrier is huge! There was Thai, Korean, French, Flemish, and English all flying around the room. Everyone was trying to communicate in a language that was not their first language which makes misunderstandings abound!! But I think we got the main points eventually... and the Lord is clearly using it. It was such a blessing to be with these other sweet women of faith and pray together, although in different languages, to a God who understands all of us and knows each of our needs. I'm thankful.
The Lord has encouraged me so much with the people from the Korean church. The lady who is "in charge" of us during our time here is amazing. Her name is Hyeonae and she seems to be very involved. She has a really neat story... she has raised 5 boys and lived literally all over the world, more than 13 countries! And she loves the Lord passionately. I could just tell while talking to her that she cherishes Christ more than anything and wants to give her life in serving Him. She and her husband are praying for the Lord to lead them where He would have them to go. It's so encouraging to hear her talk about how the Lord is working in parts of the world that she has seen.
If I had to describe my impressions of the Korean church thusfar in one word, it would be PRAYER! These people know how to pray. They value it and they do it often. One of the neat ministries of the church is a prayer meeting every Sunday morning for North Korean. They pray for an hour before church through updates they have gotten, names of people who are in prison for the Gospel, and for the Lord to make His Gospel known in that very dark place. Also, they have prayer groups that meet every Tuesday, plus international house churches that pray together, plus more that I don't even know about. Each house church supports a missionary in their region through prayer and finances... really awesome!
Yesterday, Abby and I got to be a part of a prayer meeting with some Thai ladies. Four Korean ladies meet with these two Thai ladies for prayer once a month. Last month one of the ladies, a budhist, gave her life to the Lord! This week another new lady, also a budhist, came as a visitor. Pray for her to know the Lord! She let us pray for her, which was great, and said she may come back next time. It was a joy to be with these ladies and to pray with them. They were so gracious to have us there and to try to use a language we understood :) To be honest, the language barrier is huge! There was Thai, Korean, French, Flemish, and English all flying around the room. Everyone was trying to communicate in a language that was not their first language which makes misunderstandings abound!! But I think we got the main points eventually... and the Lord is clearly using it. It was such a blessing to be with these other sweet women of faith and pray together, although in different languages, to a God who understands all of us and knows each of our needs. I'm thankful.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Open-Handed?
This morning I was struck with a new thought about life. While we were talking this morning about thoughts and feelings toward going on the mission field, I realized one of my fears. What if I love it? What if I get invested there and I don’t want to come home. I’ve been thinking about my time in Honduras in a very concrete way. This is generally what I think it will look like, this is how long I’ll be there, this is when I’ll come home. What if that doesn’t happen? What if God, in His perfect plan, allows me to really fall in love with a people and want to stay there in ministry with them, or come home and go back. Right now, to be honest, I’m not okay with that. That doesn’t fit my life plan. So… I’m praying starting tonight for the Lord to make me open handed with my future. I have thought that I’ve been praying that I’ll along… but I guess I hadn’t even realized that this was something that I needed to let go.
The Lord has never, up to this point, gone along with my life plan. I’m not really sure why I thought that He would start now. In my life plan, I would be married now, probably with two children. I would be living somewhere somewhat challenging, but certainly not overseas, staying near my family and friends. I would be doing ministry, but at my leisure since my husband would be the one with a full-time job. Oh how different my life is from what I expected. But up to this point I have never been unsatisfied with where the Lord has brought me. I really can look at my life and say, without a doubt, that this is the Lord’s GOOD for me! He has made me to be the person that I am and to be where I am. It’s fun to be here learning more about who I am and also just being reaffirmed in the things that I have been learning about myself on my own. The Lord has made me unique and given me gifts and talents that He desires to use for His kingdom to go forward in the world.
There is a Caedmon’s Call song with the lyrics, “He doesn’t need us, but He lets us put our hands in”. This is how I feel most days in ministry, or at least when I’m thinking rightly about my place in ministry. The Lord allows me to be a part of this… what a blessing.
I still want to get married. And I would rather it be sooner than later. But as I meet these families here who are following the Lord all around the world with kids, or leaving their grown children behind, I am so challenged. I don’t know that I will live overseas for the rest of my life. But I want to be open-handed with the Lord. Single or married, kids or no kids, whatever my life stage… I want to be constantly asking the Lord where He wants me to be and what He wants for my life and how I can fit into the work that He is already doing in the world. I don't think I have a choice in that any more. He has compelled me to seek Him in a really big way because He has assured that wherever He takes me is for my ultimate GOOD. Why would I want to be anywhere else?
I think I need to save this and read it every couple years :)
The Lord has never, up to this point, gone along with my life plan. I’m not really sure why I thought that He would start now. In my life plan, I would be married now, probably with two children. I would be living somewhere somewhat challenging, but certainly not overseas, staying near my family and friends. I would be doing ministry, but at my leisure since my husband would be the one with a full-time job. Oh how different my life is from what I expected. But up to this point I have never been unsatisfied with where the Lord has brought me. I really can look at my life and say, without a doubt, that this is the Lord’s GOOD for me! He has made me to be the person that I am and to be where I am. It’s fun to be here learning more about who I am and also just being reaffirmed in the things that I have been learning about myself on my own. The Lord has made me unique and given me gifts and talents that He desires to use for His kingdom to go forward in the world.
There is a Caedmon’s Call song with the lyrics, “He doesn’t need us, but He lets us put our hands in”. This is how I feel most days in ministry, or at least when I’m thinking rightly about my place in ministry. The Lord allows me to be a part of this… what a blessing.
I still want to get married. And I would rather it be sooner than later. But as I meet these families here who are following the Lord all around the world with kids, or leaving their grown children behind, I am so challenged. I don’t know that I will live overseas for the rest of my life. But I want to be open-handed with the Lord. Single or married, kids or no kids, whatever my life stage… I want to be constantly asking the Lord where He wants me to be and what He wants for my life and how I can fit into the work that He is already doing in the world. I don't think I have a choice in that any more. He has compelled me to seek Him in a really big way because He has assured that wherever He takes me is for my ultimate GOOD. Why would I want to be anywhere else?
I think I need to save this and read it every couple years :)
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