Priceless gifts

Last Saturday evening I was handed off to the people in Uvalde, Tx. First off, and no offense meant to East Texas, I felt for the first time like I was stepping into the "Texas" that one would see in the movies...the "Texas" that most people think of when they think of this great big state. It was fascinating! I was told many many stories of the important "cowboys" that lived in Ulvade and I found out, that the Vice President (whose name I cannot remember at this late hour) serving with Theodore Roosevelt came from Uvalde!
But something even more amazing was the chance I got to spend some time with a true warrior of prayer. Her name is Ruth Hess. The story of her life is one of ultimate obedience to the Lord (although she would argue with me that she wasn't always obedient) and her dedication to the fellowship of believers there. For years, she has lived in Uvalde because God had called her to be the prayer warrior for this city and for this church. She would be considered a modern day Anna in my opinion. Called to the temple of the Most High to pray night and day for the coming of the Messiah. Ruth goes to the throne room of God to pray for the coming of Jesus in power to this city and this church. This is her calling...to prayer. It isn't a glamorous work...in fact I believe it's one of the hardest callings anyone can receive from the Lord. It takes intense labor to intercede for people, extra measures of faith and perseverance, because often the answers take years to show themselves. I learned what it means to be steadfast and firm in the Lord by watching this woman this week.

Sunday night was a pretty fabulous night. I got the chance to speak to an amazing and gracious group of people from Ethiopia. I felt honored to be a part of their time of worship in their native language, and to then share my heart for the Lord and for His calling on my life. There was a great ease in communication that night, and I loved how God brought things to mind right as I was speaking that I hadn't planned on sharing. I was thrilled to get a chance to talk with a few of the women afterwards, and one in particular I'm asking God to remind me to pray for as she tries to communicate with her roommate the truth of Jesus Christ. I can't say enough what a truly beautiful group of people they are. Praise God for his creativity and diversity.
Here are a few pictures from the gathering that night. We were invited to stay to celebrate the birthday of this cute little girl.

These last two days have been refreshing as well. I feel like I've been renewed with strength...I was definitely sensing a lack of it at the beginning of the week and even feeling a heaviness that didn't break until today. I knew I would face opposition, and I have; and some in ways I didn't expect. But praise God, I feel that whatever burden was there has been lifted! In the midst of all this, God is continuing to refine me and reveal to me areas that need to be shaved off-fashioning this "key" into the exact likeness of the "Master Key."
This photo is a picture of a gift that was given to me by a couple from the church in Pleasonton. I had shared with them about the "Keys of the Kingdom" theme that God had been speaking to in my life, and a woman, Kathy made this necklace for me and gave it to me the next day ! What a priceless gift the Lord prompted this woman to give.

Being enculturated

I finally got a chance last Saturday to tour the city of San Antonio! I found that I really really like this city. There is an energy to it, lots of excitement and people...and the River Walk is such a unique part of the city. I think Longview needs to invest in one...hmmm well first Longview would need a River...well they dig lakes, why not rivers, eh? :) 

It was a short tour, but I got to see the highlights: The Alamo, the River Walk, a yummy plate of Quesadillas, a chance to feed tortillas to a duck and cheese to a pigeon, and a quick tour through the San Jose Mission. And to make this blog complete, I thought I'd add the pictures to prove that I was there! 

On Tuesday I got to go driving in the Hill Country, just north of Uvalde. I had no idea there were these massive rolling hills. Apparently Texas does have it all! My excellent hosts for my time in Uvalde, Pastor Butch Derosier and Ruth Hess gave me a great tour of the area...including a "drive through" Del Frio!

The Jeffrey family-my awesome hosts!

The Alamo

Apparently this is a chandelier...looks like a gigantic tear drop to me. All glass.

Rob and Joy Jeffrey-my hosts

The River Walk-sitting at a cafe along the River

San Jose Mission

Interesting how when God gives you a theme "Keys to the Kingdom", He tends to give small little gifts of encouragement, such as this: the last etchings that remain on the structure are in the shape of a key.

Gathering Hall in the San Jose Mission

San Jose Mission

My dear friends, Ruth and Butch

The road that goes "through" Del Frio

The beautiful Del Frio-the water is crystal clear and yes, this is the original color...no photoshop done here.

Summer in the Del Frio

There are hills in Texas!

Remembering

Texas Trek: Day Three
I have really enjoyed my time here with the believers here in Pleasanton. The church is small, as it is a redevelopment church, but they have had a lot happen to them and are in the midst of healing...but it is a strong group of people who want to see God do great things with them. there is an excitement stirring within them and I feel priviledged and blessed to share this time with them.
This afternoon I was also able to visit with some folks who live in a local assisted living home and met some pretty neat people. The Lord provided a guitar for me (which was something I was praying about!!!) and I did a mix of music with my talk on Germany. Sometimes it's just the little things you do that make the biggest difference. I could see the appreciation in their eyes. Here are the amazing people who have lived full lives and who have incredible stories-they've traveled all over the world and want to share their experiences...I'm just a small pup in comparison to them, these are the jewels...the saints who have gone before and who are still living and fighting to win this race that they've set out to run for Christ. It's beautiful. Truly.

This evening I was able to sit down and partake in a wonderful German meal that the church had prepared and then had my second opportunity to share in a service...and there was definitely emotion that came up out of nowhere...I think what is happening is that the more I remember the time when God called me into missions and my life was drastically changed and renewed, the more those emotions become real again. It's been awhile since I've been able to devote so much time to looking at what is ahead...and remembering where I came from. But more importantly, what I truly want is for each person I meet to want to go deeper into God, get a glimpse of his heart for the nations.

Texas Trek: Days One & Two

Day one: 
Okay, so let's just say, I don't think that Satan likes what I'm doing and is sending his little cohorts to find ways to disrupt my tour. Tuesday, for starters, the copier went bizerk (sp?) on the day that I needed to get all my stuff printed out-it wouldn't print anything. Then just as I was about to close up shop at the office the electricity went blew out-when it blows out at the office I know that it also blows out at my house...which means I couldn't get any packing done or do last minute preps for leaving (thanks Becky for taking pity on me and letting me hang at your house. :) ) I Had a whirlwind of a day the next day, but was in very high spirits even though I didn't get anything done the night before.
Then last night the "Road Ahead" on my Texas Trek was a tad on the slippery side. Everything was just fine all the way up until I got into the Dallas city limits, then BAM! sheets of ice covering the roads. And everyone around me was doing the "driving in ice no-no": applying the breaks!!!!! It was the other cars that were making me nervous, and the huge semi's zooming by at 60 mph. I did see what the ice did to one vehicle on the side of the road-front end crushed...I thanked Jesus over and over and over for sending angels to sit on my car...I'm totally serious...I prayed that God would send angels to SIT on my car. :) I have never driven in ice like this before, I was a bit nervous-yes even as a northerner who is used to driving in these conditions.
Ahhh, but I arrived safe and sound and in one piece.

Reatha and I decided that we should check me into my flight and print off my boarding pass (easy right?...)...well, her printer decided not to work either and I think she literally went through 25 pages just trying to print off my boarding pass until finally it worked (half an hour later)
I'm starting to see a pattern by this time, but wait, there is more....

Day Two: 
The day starts out great...I awaken to Baron my favorite dog in the whole world ready to say hello with slobbery kisses(so cute!), had a good nights rest, great breakfast, and the excitement was building for my first night on tour.
I get to the airport in plenty of time, no problems checking my luggage or going through security-all is continuing to go well. Then it starts....buzz buzz buzz, my text alert goes off. "The gate for Flight 620 to San ANtonio has changed and is now departing from gate C6. I get to gate C6 and I wait for about a half an hour...then the woman holding the mic says there will be a 15 minute delay due to mechanical issues with the plane...15 minutes later more delays....15 min later more delays...15 minutes later "Flight 620 to San Antonio will now be departing from gate C35at 3:15 (an hour later than was scheduled)...so I hop on the little tram and get to gate C35...at 3:15 when we are supposed to be departing they delay us another 45 minutes because the new plane has to arrive from the hanger and they have to clean it.
All around me people are on their phones, frustrated by this delay, especially the guy next to me who was explaining rather loudly about his delays and that he was on day two of not changing his "underclothes."
TMI my friend...TMI!!!!!!
So, the final time they give is 4:00, which means a 5:30-5:45 arrival time, which means I would be late and wouldn't make it for the first night's session. By this time I had already been in communication with Pastor Rob about my delays, and he told me that when they were on their way to come get me a woman from their church called and said her car broke down on the road (the weather is 20 degrees in San Antonio), so they needed to go back and help her before they could come get me, so it actually worked out quite well in that case that my flight was delayed.
And after all of this, Pastor Rob decided to cancel the evening because of my delays and because the weather was supposed to be snowy and sleeting here in San ANtonio.

As I sit and take account of all of this, all I can say is "wow, what a start." There has been a lot thrown at me to keep me from starting this tour...or to discourage me in the process...but neither one of those has been the outcome. I made it to San Antonio, had a great night of just one on one time with the Pastor and his wife and I'm incredibly encouraged by my interaction so far...ready to go and share my story with those who are in an assisted Living home.  "THANK YOU" to all of you who are lifting me up in prayer-God is already answering-I know Satan would love for all of this to discourage me, but none of it has-in fact I anticipate even more what ministry God will open up for me here.I think your prayers have definitely kept the enemy at arms length-so please keep on pressing into the Lord on my behalf. I also am praying blessings and favor upon all of you who are traveling through this with me.

What will Day three bring? We shall soon see....until tomorrow.

Summer, signing off.

Day 2: I am not an accident.

  

Well, hmmm....so far I'm not measuring up to my commitment to write every day...I'm doing horribly actually! (My weakness has been exposed...)
And yet, I have not given up. I have come back.


To Be known:
Several years ago, I was in a relationship with a man who believed that I was the woman he wanted to marry. When I would ask him how he knew, he would start mentioning his "list" of characteristics he wanted ina  wife and said that I "fit" all of them. Now, on the surface that sounds nice and great and all of that, but on a deeper level I realized  something. I didn't want to be a "list" of ideals to someone, I wanted to be known, truly known  as "me" and not to just fulfill a "quota" of characteristics. Over time I came to truly understand, by God's grace, that he didn't truly love me, or know me...he just had an idea of me. (Going in to how I know is a completely different story for another time perhaps.)

But that is NOT how it is with God. He doesn't just have an idea about who I am...What helped me walk through the ending of this relationship was the truth that even if this man didn't know me, I was already fully and completely known. In fact, before the creation of the world I was known. Before I was even born I was full known....what?! Really?! How is that possible? I need to let that strange truth soak in for a minute.

Now I'm not saying that I'm not created to be known by other human beings or that it isn't right, good and possible for this knowledge to occur between friends, family, husbands/wives, etc. but it will never match the depth of God's knowledge of me. There is no one else in this world who will ever know me as deeply and completely as my Creator God.

So, the wonderful truth is that my deepest desire to be fully known and fully loved has already been realized. So, if God doesn't plan for me to be married, I do not have to be deceived in thinking that because I'm not married I will never be known deeply. Chapter 2 in the Purpose Driven Life has really opened up this truth for me to reconsider, and as I reflected on this chapter about being created by God for a purpose, His knowledge of me really stuck out. So, I decided to take tour through Scripture to find out just what God has to say about this...
Here is what I've found:

The Lord spoke to Moses, "I will also do this thing for which you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight and I have known you by name." ~Exodus 33:17

"For the Lord your God has blessed you in all that you have done; He has known your wanderings through this great wilderness, these 40 years the Lord your God has been with you; you have not lacked a thing." ~Deuteronomy 2:7

"...hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive and act and render to each according to all his ways, whose hearts You know, for  you alone know the hearts of all the sons (and daughters) of men; that they may fear you all the days that they have lived in the land..."~ 1 Kings 8:39-40

This is what the Lord God of Israel says..."But I know you well-where you stay and when you come and go. I know the way you have raged against me..." ~2 Kings 19:27

"What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like..." ~1 Chronicles 17:18

"But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me I shall come forth as gold." ~ Job 23:10

"I will rejoice and be glad in your loving kindness, because you have seen my affliction, you have known the troubles of my soul" ~ Psalm 31:7

"If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread our hands in prayer to foreign gods, God would surely have known it, for he knows the secrets of every heart." ~Psalm 44:20-21

"O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord" ~Psalm 139:1-4

"You made all the delicate, innter parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb...you watched me as I was being made in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me  before I was born...every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." ~Psalm 139:13-16

"Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts..." ~Psalm 139: 24

"But now O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel the one who formed you says...do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you, I have called you by name, you are mine!" ~ Isaiah 43:1-2

"Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made." ~Isaiah 43:7

"Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. 

yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime-until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you." ~Isaiah 46:3-4

"Even before He made the world God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into hi own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ...Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to His plan." ~Ephesians 1:4-5;11

"He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true word. And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession." ~James 1:18

Purpose Driven Life Blog Entry #1: Going beyond the "Yes Yes I know"

Well folks, I started writing this first blog on January 12th, but here it is, 12:11am. So much for the first entry of the "Journey of Purpose" coming in on the 12th. Looks like there will be 2 Jan 13th entries.

Anyway, here are the inklings that have come from my first day of my 40 day journey in seeking God's "ultimate" purpose in my life as I read "The Purpose Driven Life."

Here is what I found:
It's not about me. ah!Shocking.

I can't find my purpose by looking at myself. Think of a painting hanging in an art gallery. One thing that I depend on when I go to view art is that little white sheet of paper pinned up on the wall next to it giving the painters name, the medium it was painted in and the description of the "story" behind the piece of art. The painting itself could be beautiful, have amazing detail and just the right amount of shading and contrast and I could possibly get somewhat of an understanding (more like a guess) of it's meaning and purpose just by looking at it.
But if I wanted to complete purpose of the painting, I'd ask the painter. Let me give you an example of this analogy:
Last friday night I went to small church in Kilgore where they were displaying some artwork and having live acoustic music. The first thing I did as I entered was go and study the artwork. The paintings themselves were beautiful and I could tell they had purpose to it, but it wasn't until I read the description from the painter that I knew what the purpose was and the story behind it. The last painting I came to was a very well done, but very intriguing and mysterious piece. No matter how much I looked at it and tried to figure out it's meaning, I couldn't make sense of it, even with the title and the short description it gave. So, I decided to go ask the painter himself. He gladly shared the story that inspired the painting and immediately the meaning and purpose became clear.

I am like that painting. My life can display somewhat of my purpose-but it isn't the whole story. There is a story behind why I've been "painted." There is a reason why the painter used the light/dark contrast here, specific and fine detailing there. But to know why I was painted that I am, I have to go to the one who painted me.

Here is one more thing-according the Psalm 139 God saw me before I was born and had all my days numbered-every moment was laid out before a single day was passed. If all of my life was laid out before I was even born, that means that I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. It wasn't me who thought up the purpose for my life or who governs it.

Here is where it hits home...during my days I find myself saying (and striving for)"I have to be successful at this, this, this and this...if I show myself to be successful in these things that I've filled my life with, and all my t's are crossed and i's dotted then I'm fulfilling my purpose." ah ha. Wrong.
Being successful does not equal fulfilling my purpose. I could be successful in all those things that I filled my life with, but be so far away from the original purpose God "painted" me for.

It's time to start pursuing God and getting His side of the story.

Ticket to 2011

On New Year's night, the final day of celebration for what 2010 was and anticipation of what 2011 will bring I sat with sister Amber, brother-in-law Matt, best friend Mel and her husband Jose playing Ticket to Ride, my new favorite game (Which just so happens to be a German made game-I think the Germans and I will get along well).

After all the smash talking of who would win and trying to out do each other and then finally congratulating the winner (which I just can't seem to remember who won-I had the longest train, but apparently that doesn't mean I won. :( ), we decided to spend some time talking about what we hoped for in 2011. We went around the table, and everyone seemed to have these intense and deep hopes and prayers for what God would do in them and who they wanted to be...and I sat there with nothing to say. It isn't that I don't have hopes or that I don't want God to do a great work in me, but I just hadn't sat still long enough or with purpose to really think about it. What do I hope for in this new year?
After realizing how ridiculous it is that I hadn't given the time to think about this, and that I've taken on the "passive" action in living life, I've decided that isn't good enough for me.


So, I am stepping out and making a decision, and that decision is that I am going to read the Purpose Driven Life...a book that I have not ever read. (I'm a person who rebels against what is the "rave" of the times...which is why I didn't read this book when it was "all the rave" in Christian circles).
I want to take this month and devote it to prayer about what God has for me this year and blog every day about what God reveals. Now considering my track record of blog entries and their consistency, I have to say that this will be difficult for me, but a good first step.

And, due to the fact that our God has a GREAT sense of humor, I imagine that many of my entries will involve awkward and ridiculous things that hopefully will make you laugh...it also might involve some hard things that will be hard to be honest about, but hopefully will inspire all of you to take a deep look at your lives as well. Who knows what is ahead, all I know is that this promises to be a great ride.

My first entry then will be tomorrow, January 12th.
See you all then!