On the eve of my 21st birthday, I find myself unable to do homework. Not surprising because this is an exciting time, but it's for a different reason than the normal excitement that birthdays bring. I find myself thinking of Bulembu and each of the children that reside there. I wonder how many of them have had their birthdays this week and if any of them share a birthday with me. For birthdays in Bulembu, the children are given a doughnut as their present. It would be very hard to find an 8 year old child in the US that would be happy with one doughnut as their present. But these children - these amazing children - are overjoyed at the fact that someone is celebrating them. Some of these children come in without knowing their birthdays. Some of them have to be estimated because there is no record. Either way, birthdays are not the focus of their lives...the family is. Birthdays are more than presents and cakes and party hats. Birthdays are the celebration of someone's life. In Bulembu it's the celebration of someone's life along with the celebration of life in general. These children have hopes and futures and that is definitely something to celebrate more than once a year.
So as I look on to the next stage of my life, I am thankful for my life and where God has led me and where He will lead me in the future. I am overjoyed at the fact that I had the opportunity to fly 8,000 miles to encounter some of the most amazing people I will ever meet in my life. And as I turn the infamous 21 tomorrow, I say a happy birthday to my family and friends who reside in Bulembu. I celebrate your lives daily because my life was impacted by yours and I am forever grateful. <3
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
random thoughts...
I had an entire blog post ready to put up, but I realized it could all be communicated in a few short sentences:
-I've realized that Swaziland was the single most growing experience in my life and that a lot of the growing up was done when I got back.
-I'm still completely in love with it and long to go back. It helps that I have about 120 pictures up on my wall so I wake up and go to sleep to those memories every night.
-I'm so thankful for Gordon and the things I've learned here. This is a special place and God brought me here for many reasons - some of which I'm starting to see.
-I'm a senior. I'll be in the real world sooner than I think and I'm ready. Gordon and God have prepared me for the next step in my life.
-I have the most amazing friends. They are why I've become who I am. They've each shaped me in different ways and have shown me some of the different ways that Christ can work through people.
-God is incredible. He is constantly surprising me and showing me new sides of Him. He is pursuing me and I'm loving every second of it!
These are my random thoughts of the night. There will be more to come this weekend.
Jeremiah 29:11
-I've realized that Swaziland was the single most growing experience in my life and that a lot of the growing up was done when I got back.
-I'm still completely in love with it and long to go back. It helps that I have about 120 pictures up on my wall so I wake up and go to sleep to those memories every night.
-I'm so thankful for Gordon and the things I've learned here. This is a special place and God brought me here for many reasons - some of which I'm starting to see.
-I'm a senior. I'll be in the real world sooner than I think and I'm ready. Gordon and God have prepared me for the next step in my life.
-I have the most amazing friends. They are why I've become who I am. They've each shaped me in different ways and have shown me some of the different ways that Christ can work through people.
-God is incredible. He is constantly surprising me and showing me new sides of Him. He is pursuing me and I'm loving every second of it!
These are my random thoughts of the night. There will be more to come this weekend.
Jeremiah 29:11
Saturday, August 13, 2011
One for the moms
I'm officially moved into my new apartment on campus at Gordon! It was a really fun and thought-provoking move. I moved onto campus for the last time. I'm a Senior. What does the rest of my life hold for me? One thing that I could not stop thinking about was how thankful I am for such a wonderful mother. Sure, we have our disagreements, but we are so similar that we usually seem to know what each other is thinking before she says it. I'm thankful for my mom especially since I got back from Bulembu and this is why:
I remember our first Sunday in Bulembu as clearly as if it were yesterday. Walking in to the large one-room structure with a half-built brick wall. They were creating a more sturdy and lasting structure and that was their church. I remember looking at the stage and singing songs, all while being aware of the 300+ orphans sitting behind our team. We hadn't met our families yet, so we sat separate from the kids and Aunties. I'm listening to the children sing songs in siSwati with gusto like I've never heard before. I close my eyes and soak in every sound my ears will hear. I open my eyes and fixate them on the cross behind the worship band. I thank God silently for this amazing opportunity and for these kids. Chelsea and I had volunteered to help with the kid's Sunday School that first week, so we left before the offering to lead the kids over to another building. As we walk out of the building, kids are running by. Some glance our way, but most know they need to get to children's church. All of the sudden, I feel this little hand inside mine. I look down and there is this little girl walking beside me with her hand in mine. She gazes up at me and smiles all while singing the song, Somlandela (I'll post the words to it below). It gave me chills to hear this precious child singing a song about following God wherever He may lead. Another thought struck me as we were walking. The thought that these kids are orphans. I think that word scared me. What does it mean to truly be an orphan? Some may have families outside of Bulembu, some may not. Some may have miraculous stories of being rescued, and some may be in Bulembu for the chance at a better life. Either way, these kids were here without their parents. Some had siblings in Bulembu which was such a blessing! As I contemplated what it meant to truly be an orphan, I was struck by another thought. These kids may be orphans in the technical sense, but they aren't orphans in God's eyes. They have the most amazing Father looking down on them and showering them with the greatest love. They are loved by the Aunties and a family is truly created in the houses. The night we stayed for dinner, some of the older kids and I got to talking about families and after I talked about my family, they shared some of their own personal lives and stories of their families. Timmy came and sat on my lap and I turned to him and asked him if he had any family. He looks at me with a look of genuine confusion and says, "Uh yeah, you know all of them." He meant the family that was in the room with us. Those kids became his family. The Aunties and Timmy's friends became his family. That completely changed the way I thought about family. There are blood relatives which are so great! There are close friends who know you almost as well as relatives. The list goes on and on. Either way, there's more than one way to define a family. When I left Bulembu, I left with 2 more families: my team and my Swazi family.
You may be wondering what this has to do with my own mother. Well, as you know, in the houses there are Aunties. I couldn't help but think that my mom would love being an Auntie in one of the houses.They pour themselves so selflessly into those kids and do so willingingly. Sure, there are some conflicts, but they handle them with grace and look to Christ for guidance. My mother has done that my entire life, but most notably the last few weeks. I worked a little bit this summer to make some money, but for most of it I was catching up on dentist and doctor appointments. They were much needed and this was the first time in years I'd taken the time to do them. When I found out I had to have my wisdom teeth out, I knew it had to be at least 2 weeks before the insanity of Orientation began so I scheduled an appointment and got all 4 of them out! (They were all impacted and had extra roots!) It was really painful after my surgery and I was out of it for a few days because of it. Through all of it, my mom was so patient and caring and selfless and it meant so much to me. As a college student, I sometimes think that I can do everything myself and that I can take care of myself always. That's just not true. By nature, we have a need for other people. Whether that is a parent, friend, or significant other. Isolation leads to madness. So thank you mom, for refreshing the fact that I need people and that I need you. <3
Auntie Freda-i miss you terribly, but i know that you're being the most amazing mother to those kids who so desperately need you. <3
I remember our first Sunday in Bulembu as clearly as if it were yesterday. Walking in to the large one-room structure with a half-built brick wall. They were creating a more sturdy and lasting structure and that was their church. I remember looking at the stage and singing songs, all while being aware of the 300+ orphans sitting behind our team. We hadn't met our families yet, so we sat separate from the kids and Aunties. I'm listening to the children sing songs in siSwati with gusto like I've never heard before. I close my eyes and soak in every sound my ears will hear. I open my eyes and fixate them on the cross behind the worship band. I thank God silently for this amazing opportunity and for these kids. Chelsea and I had volunteered to help with the kid's Sunday School that first week, so we left before the offering to lead the kids over to another building. As we walk out of the building, kids are running by. Some glance our way, but most know they need to get to children's church. All of the sudden, I feel this little hand inside mine. I look down and there is this little girl walking beside me with her hand in mine. She gazes up at me and smiles all while singing the song, Somlandela (I'll post the words to it below). It gave me chills to hear this precious child singing a song about following God wherever He may lead. Another thought struck me as we were walking. The thought that these kids are orphans. I think that word scared me. What does it mean to truly be an orphan? Some may have families outside of Bulembu, some may not. Some may have miraculous stories of being rescued, and some may be in Bulembu for the chance at a better life. Either way, these kids were here without their parents. Some had siblings in Bulembu which was such a blessing! As I contemplated what it meant to truly be an orphan, I was struck by another thought. These kids may be orphans in the technical sense, but they aren't orphans in God's eyes. They have the most amazing Father looking down on them and showering them with the greatest love. They are loved by the Aunties and a family is truly created in the houses. The night we stayed for dinner, some of the older kids and I got to talking about families and after I talked about my family, they shared some of their own personal lives and stories of their families. Timmy came and sat on my lap and I turned to him and asked him if he had any family. He looks at me with a look of genuine confusion and says, "Uh yeah, you know all of them." He meant the family that was in the room with us. Those kids became his family. The Aunties and Timmy's friends became his family. That completely changed the way I thought about family. There are blood relatives which are so great! There are close friends who know you almost as well as relatives. The list goes on and on. Either way, there's more than one way to define a family. When I left Bulembu, I left with 2 more families: my team and my Swazi family.
You may be wondering what this has to do with my own mother. Well, as you know, in the houses there are Aunties. I couldn't help but think that my mom would love being an Auntie in one of the houses.They pour themselves so selflessly into those kids and do so willingingly. Sure, there are some conflicts, but they handle them with grace and look to Christ for guidance. My mother has done that my entire life, but most notably the last few weeks. I worked a little bit this summer to make some money, but for most of it I was catching up on dentist and doctor appointments. They were much needed and this was the first time in years I'd taken the time to do them. When I found out I had to have my wisdom teeth out, I knew it had to be at least 2 weeks before the insanity of Orientation began so I scheduled an appointment and got all 4 of them out! (They were all impacted and had extra roots!) It was really painful after my surgery and I was out of it for a few days because of it. Through all of it, my mom was so patient and caring and selfless and it meant so much to me. As a college student, I sometimes think that I can do everything myself and that I can take care of myself always. That's just not true. By nature, we have a need for other people. Whether that is a parent, friend, or significant other. Isolation leads to madness. So thank you mom, for refreshing the fact that I need people and that I need you. <3
Auntie Freda-i miss you terribly, but i know that you're being the most amazing mother to those kids who so desperately need you. <3
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Good morning world!
So after I headed out there, I opened the shade and watched the most beautiful sunrise. God then led me to read Psalm 63:1, "O God, You are my God. Early I will seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."
I then wrote this:
"God, You are amazing. Words cannot express everything You've done in my life. This morning has been refreshing. I've loved waking up early and watching an absolutely beautiful sunrise. Thank you for waking me up this morning to spend time with You and watch it. God, I long for you. I long to seek You always. You are what my heart desires. Lord, let me keep my eyes solely on You always. You have my life in Your hands - do with it what you please. God, I wish others could see and experience this place. Your presence is so tangible and Your people are so in love with You. Help me to be on fire for You like the people here when I go back home. Help me to exude Your love to others. At this point, my mind can't wrap around the fact that I'm leaving in 2 weeks. This went far too quickly..."
I did not get a chance to finish this post in the craziness of everything, but I think you get the gist of where my mind was at this morning. Now, you might be asking yourself, what prompted me to say anything remotely like this and what does this have to do with anything? Well, be patient! I'm getting there! ;)The first 3 days after I returned from Swaziland, I could not sleep past 6am. Actually, the first day I was back, I was wide-eyed and bushy-tailed at 4:30am. I had gone for a run, uploaded pictures, written in my journal, eaten a nice breakfast, and taken a shower all before 6:35am. It was crazy, but I know that God got me up that early to ease back into life here. Well, since then I've been getting up anytime between 6:45am and 11:15am. Quite the range, I know. Lately it's been on the later side. This morning, God had different plans. I had my wisdom teeth out yesterday and I had to wake myself up about every 3-4 hours last night to take my meds for swelling and pain. I had a 4 hour chunk of time that I was really excited to be able to sleep from 2am-6am. But, like I said, God had other plans. I woke up wide awake at 5:30am. I didn't know why until I realized that He just wanted to spend some time with me. I went on a short walk and sat down to get my thoughts out. But before I did any of that I walked to the window and looked out at the barely risen sun as it shined through the trees behind my house. I kept thinking over in my mind, "This is normally when I would have said "Good morning Africa!"" It made me sad for a minute, but then I realized that Africa had their sunrise over 6 hours ago and that I don't need to say good morning to Africa only. So, instead of letting it get me down, I said, "Good morning world!" I figured I covered all of my bases with that one. God doesn't just work in Africa. He doesn't only love Africa. He is everywhere in the world and no matter where I am, that place deserves a good morning greeting. Needless to say, I have a new perspective on sunrises and waking up early since being back from my beloved Africa. When I wake up early now, I know there's usually a reason and that I need to listen to what God is telling me. Somehow, I'm more attentive to Him in the mornings when I see the beauty He's created in the magnificent colors of a sunrise.
"I see Your face in every sunrise. The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes. The world awakens in the light of the day. I look up to the sky and say - You're beautiful."
-Phil Wickham - You're Beautiful
Thank you, magnificent Creator for giving me a wonderful gift this morning and every morning. You are truly beautiful and Your creation reflects that beauty. <3
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The moon!
Today I went to the planetarium with my mom. I've been wanting to go for some time, but I just haven't had the opportunity or means to do so. Since I was little, I've been fascinated by the stars and the idea of a universe with no end. If I wasn't going to be a teacher (and if I was actually good at science), I totally would've been an astronaut. I've wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. Anyway, we went to the planetarium and learned about the new exoplanets (planets that orbit stars outside our solar system) and how they're looking for ones that could possibly support life. It was an amazing show, but my mind couldn't help but keep thinking about the 2 second piece of video of the moon from the beginning. Now when I say that the stars and moon were breathtaking in Swazi, I totally and completely mean it. They were magnificent to say the least. They were bright and sparkly and big and beautiful! I've never seen anything more magnificent in my lifetime. Members of my team would lay out on the front lawn some nights and just look up at the stars, talk about life, and count tons of shooting stars. It put your life in perspective when you stop and look up at how vast our universe is. God knows what each star is yet He takes the time to count each hair on my head (and that's not easy because mine don't like to stay in my head sometimes). He knows me intimately as well as knowing everyone else intimately. It was a wonderful reminder.
On top of the beautiful stars, the moon was just as, if not more, magnificent. When we got there, there was no moon and we used our flashlights to get to dinner every night. We got used to that routine of grabbing flashlights before we left the house for the first two weeks or so. Matt, my co-leader, kept telling me that soon we wouldn't need the flashlights, but that seemed simply absurd. Well, he was right! Soon after we saw the moon slowly rise and fill to an incredibly huge full moon and sure enough, we didn't need our flashlights. The moon perfectly lit our pathway to and from the lodge where we ate. It was like God was giving us a streetlight in a town that only has one. It was absolutely amazing and it gave me a new appreciation for the mysterious night sky. The one song that keeps replaying in my head the last few days is "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin. Ask yourself that question...How great is God in your life? It's already outlined pretty clearly in the Bible and in people's lives that He's pretty stinkin' great! But how great is He in your own personal life? Are you allowing Him to light your path through life or are you trying to use your own flashlight to guide your way? Think about it! God completely changed the way I thought about life, faith, relationships, and Him even, through my incredible trip to Africa, but it doesn't take something that radical to have your perspective changed. If you want Him to change it, He'll be more than happy to, you just have to ask and be open and willing. God is great in my life. Actually, He's the greatest thing in my life and I'm working to make sure that I remember that.
P.S. I miss my Swazi family today. And every day. But I miss sitting with them in church with Timmy or Siboniso on my lap and/or holding my hands constantly. I miss the outpouring of love that flowed so easily there. Dear house #6, I hope that you are sleeping in sweet, sweet peace tonight knowing that I love you and, more importantly, God loves you.
On top of the beautiful stars, the moon was just as, if not more, magnificent. When we got there, there was no moon and we used our flashlights to get to dinner every night. We got used to that routine of grabbing flashlights before we left the house for the first two weeks or so. Matt, my co-leader, kept telling me that soon we wouldn't need the flashlights, but that seemed simply absurd. Well, he was right! Soon after we saw the moon slowly rise and fill to an incredibly huge full moon and sure enough, we didn't need our flashlights. The moon perfectly lit our pathway to and from the lodge where we ate. It was like God was giving us a streetlight in a town that only has one. It was absolutely amazing and it gave me a new appreciation for the mysterious night sky. The one song that keeps replaying in my head the last few days is "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin. Ask yourself that question...How great is God in your life? It's already outlined pretty clearly in the Bible and in people's lives that He's pretty stinkin' great! But how great is He in your own personal life? Are you allowing Him to light your path through life or are you trying to use your own flashlight to guide your way? Think about it! God completely changed the way I thought about life, faith, relationships, and Him even, through my incredible trip to Africa, but it doesn't take something that radical to have your perspective changed. If you want Him to change it, He'll be more than happy to, you just have to ask and be open and willing. God is great in my life. Actually, He's the greatest thing in my life and I'm working to make sure that I remember that.
P.S. I miss my Swazi family today. And every day. But I miss sitting with them in church with Timmy or Siboniso on my lap and/or holding my hands constantly. I miss the outpouring of love that flowed so easily there. Dear house #6, I hope that you are sleeping in sweet, sweet peace tonight knowing that I love you and, more importantly, God loves you.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Beach
So today I went to the beach with a dear friend of mine from Gordon and while I was laying there listening to the sound of the waves crashing and children laughing I realized that my Swazi family and friends have probably never seen a beach unless they've been to South Africa. The beach is something that calms me to the core and takes all worries away. I began to wonder what their "beach" is in Bulembu. There is a beauty there that far surpasses anything I've seen anywhere. It's no just nature that makes it beautiful though; it's the feel of the wind against your skin and it's unique smell. As I took pictures at the beach to send to my family in Bulembu, I was hit by the fact that beauty is all around us...we're just too thick-headed to notice it most of the time. When I look around, I see people searching for beauty and trying to capture it in photographs and on video. True beauty can never be caught on film because it is meant to be enjoyed in person and in the moment. That's one thing Bulembu did for me: it taught me to take time to look around and see the amazing world that God created for me to live in. It's unique and beautiful and breathtaking when you just stop for a minute. Here's just a few photographed examples of how beautiful my beloved other home is:
I miss you beautiful Bulembu and I cannot wait until we reunite someday.
I miss you beautiful Bulembu and I cannot wait until we reunite someday.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Our beloved Temba
Today has been such a good day! One of my best friends is in town and it was beautifully hot out. Overall, life is good! I just feel as though something is missing. A part of me is not at rest and is halfway around the world. I've been listening to a lot of music since being back to bring me back to Bulembu. Songs like "The More I Seek You" by Kari Jobe and "Forever Reign" by Hillsong. Listening to them today it brought me back one of my most treasured memory from Bulembu. We painted with a man named Temba. He was the sweetest man and we all fell in love with him. He was our Swazi overseer. He made sure we were doing the right things and the things right. Needless to say, over the 3 1/2 weeks we were painting, we came to adore this wonderful man and his sweet attempt to speak broken English. We were lucky to get a full sentence out of him and that was fine with us. Lots of hand gestures and pointing to brushes and paint colors. He would get so excited when we would greet hi
m in SiSwati. He was excited that we wanted to learn his language. For about 7 or 8 of the days we painted, we brought my little ipod speakers and an ipod and listened to music loud so we could hear it all over the house. One of the most hilarious moments was the first day I brought it. I kept it pretty quiet because I wasn't sure if Temba and Sandile (a wonderful Christian worker that worked with us a few times) would approve of us listening to music while we worked. I put it on the window and got to work. A few minutes later I looked down and they are both standing a few feet away staring at it in utter confusion and fascination. If I could have taken a picture then, it probably would have been one of my favorites of the entire trip. I almost lost it right then. Instead, I kept myself together and came down the ladder and started talking to them. I showed them what it was and how it worked and told them they could touch it or change the song whenever they wanted. (I should probably mention that I only had Christian music on my ipod for the trip. I really felt God was calling me to give Him my full attention and that was one way to accomplish it.) Sandile played with the volume a few times, but otherwise they just walked by and would cast a glance to make sure it wasn't dancing or something. Sandile realized really quickly that the music coming out of it was all about God. His face lit up with a huge smile. He asked if I was a Christian which I answered excitedly! I asked him if he was and his grin got even bigger as he said yes and that he liked my music because it was about God. We were told before that not all of the workers in the town were Christian and to not expect it. It was excited to know that the first person we worked with was a Christian and that we shared Christ in common. Temba was more timid and through a conversation with our advisor said that he wasn't a Christian and wasn't sure about it all. He said he liked our music though and that we should bring it back. With both Sandile and Temba's approval, we brought back the music as often as the batteries would allow.
About 2 weeks in, we were starting to get repeats of some songs. We would obviously sing along if a familiar song came on and Temba would kind of watch us as he hummed his own tune. But by the latter end of the trip, he was humming along to our songs and even singing some of the words. It was amazing to hear him singing along to praise songs. When it happened, at least one of the girls painting would make it their high or God moment of the day.
Temba kept asking James, the head of construction/upkeep in town, if the "God people" were coming back and if he could work with us. Needless to say, we quickly had a reputation with the workers. It was amazing to see that someone who didn't share our beliefs wanted to be with us based on our beliefs. (He also said we worked really hard and that it was slightly unusual for people to do such a good job in such a short time.)
I don't know how Temba is feeling about God at this present moment, but I know what God is feeling for Temba. He longs for him and is pursuing him with a love that can't quenched and a fire that cannot be contained. We saw a progressive change in Temba over our weeks there and he is one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me and not simply because we saw him every day, but because I saw God actively pursuing him. There was a reason he was assigned to us and that we were given that particular job to do. God had a plan and we were at His disposal to used as He pleased. In my own mind and my own heart, He used us alright!
These two amazing men are in my prayers every day. But now I have a new prayer. That God would use me and my team in our respective lives at home to shine His light to the world around us. That people would see Christ in us even when we don't speak...sometimes all we need to do is sing. <3
m in SiSwati. He was excited that we wanted to learn his language. For about 7 or 8 of the days we painted, we brought my little ipod speakers and an ipod and listened to music loud so we could hear it all over the house. One of the most hilarious moments was the first day I brought it. I kept it pretty quiet because I wasn't sure if Temba and Sandile (a wonderful Christian worker that worked with us a few times) would approve of us listening to music while we worked. I put it on the window and got to work. A few minutes later I looked down and they are both standing a few feet away staring at it in utter confusion and fascination. If I could have taken a picture then, it probably would have been one of my favorites of the entire trip. I almost lost it right then. Instead, I kept myself together and came down the ladder and started talking to them. I showed them what it was and how it worked and told them they could touch it or change the song whenever they wanted. (I should probably mention that I only had Christian music on my ipod for the trip. I really felt God was calling me to give Him my full attention and that was one way to accomplish it.) Sandile played with the volume a few times, but otherwise they just walked by and would cast a glance to make sure it wasn't dancing or something. Sandile realized really quickly that the music coming out of it was all about God. His face lit up with a huge smile. He asked if I was a Christian which I answered excitedly! I asked him if he was and his grin got even bigger as he said yes and that he liked my music because it was about God. We were told before that not all of the workers in the town were Christian and to not expect it. It was excited to know that the first person we worked with was a Christian and that we shared Christ in common. Temba was more timid and through a conversation with our advisor said that he wasn't a Christian and wasn't sure about it all. He said he liked our music though and that we should bring it back. With both Sandile and Temba's approval, we brought back the music as often as the batteries would allow.About 2 weeks in, we were starting to get repeats of some songs. We would obviously sing along if a familiar song came on and Temba would kind of watch us as he hummed his own tune. But by the latter end of the trip, he was humming along to our songs and even singing some of the words. It was amazing to hear him singing along to praise songs. When it happened, at least one of the girls painting would make it their high or God moment of the day.
Temba kept asking James, the head of construction/upkeep in town, if the "God people" were coming back and if he could work with us. Needless to say, we quickly had a reputation with the workers. It was amazing to see that someone who didn't share our beliefs wanted to be with us based on our beliefs. (He also said we worked really hard and that it was slightly unusual for people to do such a good job in such a short time.)
I don't know how Temba is feeling about God at this present moment, but I know what God is feeling for Temba. He longs for him and is pursuing him with a love that can't quenched and a fire that cannot be contained. We saw a progressive change in Temba over our weeks there and he is one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me and not simply because we saw him every day, but because I saw God actively pursuing him. There was a reason he was assigned to us and that we were given that particular job to do. God had a plan and we were at His disposal to used as He pleased. In my own mind and my own heart, He used us alright!
These two amazing men are in my prayers every day. But now I have a new prayer. That God would use me and my team in our respective lives at home to shine His light to the world around us. That people would see Christ in us even when we don't speak...sometimes all we need to do is sing. <3
"Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory. The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, With trumpets and the sound of a horn; Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King. Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it; Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, For He is coming to judge the earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with equity."
Psalm 98
Psalm 98
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