I never got to finish the last post, too much was going on and happening for me to conclude my thoughts from my previous post.
Do you ever have times where every scripture you read all you can think is Lord that’s nuts, who does that? I know I have read some of these stories countless times, but lately when I heard them I tell God ‘In the world’s eyes (and even the Church) this stuff is not rational, flat out dumb, foolish and crazy.’ We have all been hearing about the Christmas story and I can’t imagine what was thought about or said to Mary and Joseph following Gods plan. Then going backwards to Hosa, what would the Church think/say and act towards you if you told them “I am going to marry a prostitute?” I mean if a modern day believer told me that I would have some serious questions for them. Going further back- to the book of Judges 7:1-7 God tells Gideon straight up “You have too large an army with you. I can’t turn Midian over to them like this- they’ll take all the credit, saying ‘I did it all myself,’ and forget about me.” WHAT? WHAT? These examples are first and foremost request of trust and faith. It’s not even handing God a situation and saying “ok I trust you and I won’t worry about it.” Its “do this crazy outrageous thing and I am going to use it”. I struggle and believe many others do with requests from God like these. I know I am jumping around a lot, but these scriptures keep circling in my head that God uses the foolish things to shame the wise. How often do I REALLY believe God is going to use the foolish things/ people to do his will? I think about all the crazy things God has asked me to do, little and big. Sometimes I listen, sometimes I think I missed out to see God do something only He could do and I could not take credit for.
With that all said here is the news I know so many of you have been praying, encouraging us and taking steps of your own faith to see happen. We were cleared to go by Wycliffe! Yes we have the go ahead. It feels awesome, it feels crazy, it feels nuts, it feels weird, and it feels sad and joyful. We have not set a date officially however; we are waiting to the end of December report to come in before we buy official plane tickets and turn in our visa application.
Some of you might be confused right about now on how we got here. Considering my earlier post I wrote last week (added today) and we spoke to some of you about feeling discouraged over the last 2 weeks. This is our first longer term trip we have taken, and it has been a huge learning process for us. We had a misunderstanding of the qualifications needed to be released onto the field, we understood 90% to be the ultimate goal of our funding and have communicated that repeatedly with you. However, Thursday Mark received a phone call from Joy our WA main contact. She explained that with over $8,000 that has already been raised ($10,000 by the time we leave) and 3 consecutive months of exceeding (104%) our monthly support goal has WA ready to release us onto the field. So we are asking that you pray for guidance and wisdom as we move forward. Lord willing we will be flying out by the end of January. We still need $360 in monthly pledges/donations for our income in Cameroon and $110 monthly pledges/ donations for exiting money (plane tickets home). We have several people that have verbal committed to pledging monthly along with money we will be supplying from surplus from leaving (vacation time, ect) that have also not been factored into these amounts.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Roller Coaster Week (older post)
Hello again! Merry CHRISTMAS.
The last few weeks have had amazing highs and lows. We were able to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and a vacation for Mark. He hasn’t had one this year with the exception our anniversary trip. So to have 5 days off together was nice. We were able to go to Walloon Community Church while we visited. The summer I lived in Boyne I attended there, my mother does now. Going this weekend was a definite reminder of why I went there. That Sunday we were feeling focused, joy and motivated for some real changed. Have any of you had times like these? We have shared with you how the Lord has been stretching us by creating more margin in our life. His sermon was on HOW to practice listening to God in all things. We came back from our trip- you know when it says "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8. Let me tell you friends, satan does not want you to create space, start listing and having intimacy with God. The last week and a half, feels so long and so much has gone on during that time. The last week we have hurt each other’s feelings, been hurt by others, have been discouraged, upset, angry, sad and disappointed. Let me tell you from experience all that starts to make it hard to listen to God over your hurt heart. We have been forgiving to each other, to other, we have been extremely encouraged, joyful, happy, and surprised too this week. Devotionals and praying together with Mark has really given us peace. So I guess it just a mixed bag. Some of this as you may wonder is due to fundraising; I think technology has been playing tricks on me. Anyways starting last week I found errors on our support program- listing people as monthly donors rather than just one time. So I was so thrilled to tell everyone the progress and all the wonderful donations we received this last month. But instead somehow we are basically at the same place as before. So where does this leave us- 560 a month to raise. I know, haven’t we been here, haven’t we gotten new donations? Yes and Yes. We have, sadly we add in a monthly donation that ended up falling through. We have received lots in one time donations this last month that we are so thankful for. Along with several monthly that will start this month. All in all we still have a chance to make it in January depending on how this month goes. It has been madding circles of some reason being stuck around 500.
The last few weeks have had amazing highs and lows. We were able to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family and a vacation for Mark. He hasn’t had one this year with the exception our anniversary trip. So to have 5 days off together was nice. We were able to go to Walloon Community Church while we visited. The summer I lived in Boyne I attended there, my mother does now. Going this weekend was a definite reminder of why I went there. That Sunday we were feeling focused, joy and motivated for some real changed. Have any of you had times like these? We have shared with you how the Lord has been stretching us by creating more margin in our life. His sermon was on HOW to practice listening to God in all things. We came back from our trip- you know when it says "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8. Let me tell you friends, satan does not want you to create space, start listing and having intimacy with God. The last week and a half, feels so long and so much has gone on during that time. The last week we have hurt each other’s feelings, been hurt by others, have been discouraged, upset, angry, sad and disappointed. Let me tell you from experience all that starts to make it hard to listen to God over your hurt heart. We have been forgiving to each other, to other, we have been extremely encouraged, joyful, happy, and surprised too this week. Devotionals and praying together with Mark has really given us peace. So I guess it just a mixed bag. Some of this as you may wonder is due to fundraising; I think technology has been playing tricks on me. Anyways starting last week I found errors on our support program- listing people as monthly donors rather than just one time. So I was so thrilled to tell everyone the progress and all the wonderful donations we received this last month. But instead somehow we are basically at the same place as before. So where does this leave us- 560 a month to raise. I know, haven’t we been here, haven’t we gotten new donations? Yes and Yes. We have, sadly we add in a monthly donation that ended up falling through. We have received lots in one time donations this last month that we are so thankful for. Along with several monthly that will start this month. All in all we still have a chance to make it in January depending on how this month goes. It has been madding circles of some reason being stuck around 500.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Advent Devotional
wednesday, december 1
On the Way
“...Behold I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:26-38
God appears at the most unexpected times, in the most surprising ways. The young, humble Mary encountered God in an astonishing way as she was "on her way" in life. Many of Jesus' miracles occurred while He was "on the way" somewhere. He called the first disciples while He was "on the way." And many of us first discovered Jesus as we were "on the way" in our lives. We weren't expecting Him, and before we met Him I doubt many of us had ever imagined that there could be such a God, and that He would intervene in our lives by becoming human, of all things.
The incarnation really is a strange and curious thing. What is even stranger to me is that Jesus told us we must be born again to see salvation. Nicodemus didn't understand this, and at times I struggle with this concept as well. What I do understand, though, is that not only is this born-again-ness critical to your and my personal salvation, but it is precisely in this process that God continues sending His salvation message into the world. He does so through us.
I wonder how many people I encounter each day as I am "on the way," who have never met Jesus? How many people I pass by in haste who desperately need me to reach out to them in His name, and invite them to come, adore, and worship Him? Jesus was born to be a light to the nations. It is a sobering thought that so many people remain in spiritual darkness in part because of my failure to completely surrender my life to Him.
There is a new life at work in me, the life of Christ. And He is clamoring to invite others to see God born into the world to save them. When I meditate on the miracle of the incarnation, I am always astonished that God has chosen to continue living on earth through us. What a privilege and a responsibility. This Advent season, let’s celebrate the incarnation by echoing Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel: “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; Let it be with me according to your word.” As we allow Jesus to be continually reborn in our hearts, I wonder what miracles will await us as we go “on our way.”
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by Kristi Vrooman. Kristi is a PSC Mid-Term Missionary and classical musician who is currently serving in Germany. {email Kristi}
On the Way
“...Behold I am a servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:26-38
God appears at the most unexpected times, in the most surprising ways. The young, humble Mary encountered God in an astonishing way as she was "on her way" in life. Many of Jesus' miracles occurred while He was "on the way" somewhere. He called the first disciples while He was "on the way." And many of us first discovered Jesus as we were "on the way" in our lives. We weren't expecting Him, and before we met Him I doubt many of us had ever imagined that there could be such a God, and that He would intervene in our lives by becoming human, of all things.
The incarnation really is a strange and curious thing. What is even stranger to me is that Jesus told us we must be born again to see salvation. Nicodemus didn't understand this, and at times I struggle with this concept as well. What I do understand, though, is that not only is this born-again-ness critical to your and my personal salvation, but it is precisely in this process that God continues sending His salvation message into the world. He does so through us.
I wonder how many people I encounter each day as I am "on the way," who have never met Jesus? How many people I pass by in haste who desperately need me to reach out to them in His name, and invite them to come, adore, and worship Him? Jesus was born to be a light to the nations. It is a sobering thought that so many people remain in spiritual darkness in part because of my failure to completely surrender my life to Him.
There is a new life at work in me, the life of Christ. And He is clamoring to invite others to see God born into the world to save them. When I meditate on the miracle of the incarnation, I am always astonished that God has chosen to continue living on earth through us. What a privilege and a responsibility. This Advent season, let’s celebrate the incarnation by echoing Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel: “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; Let it be with me according to your word.” As we allow Jesus to be continually reborn in our hearts, I wonder what miracles will await us as we go “on our way.”
-----
by Kristi Vrooman. Kristi is a PSC Mid-Term Missionary and classical musician who is currently serving in Germany. {email Kristi}
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