Far from Boring...

Have you ever experienced adventure? Have you wanted to? I think most people do… each person’s great “adventure” looks a little different but at the core of each person, I think there is a desire to belong to something and to be involved in something that MATTERS and is edgy.
This week I was told that you had to choose either adventure OR Jesus. When I heard the guy say, “Do you want adventure? … or do you want Jesus??” I almost stood up and opposed him to his face. As I went home that night I realized that this is what most people think, ‘If I live my life for Jesus it will be boring. I will have to sit with my Bible in my lap, praying and singing Kumbaya.’

Tell me something; does this sound boring to you?
Receiving 39 lashes 5 times… being beaten with rods 3 times… stoned… shipwrecked a handful of times… in danger from everything under the sun (and everyone for that matter!)… going without sleep… hungry… thirsty… cold and naked… and constantly worried. This was the adventure that walking with Jesus got Paul.

I do not claim to have the most adventurous or dangerous life. Believe me, there are people around the world who will suffer more today than I will in my entire life. But can I tell you a little about what God has allowed me to be apart of in my short 26 years of life? I have been all over the world and met all different kinds of people. I have seen forgiveness given to a father who did not deserve it by a daughter who had held on to her anger for far too long. I have been able to walk with a teenage girl as she’s struggled with the daily pressures of teenage life. I have seen an apathetic kid take a huge step into missions and watch God rearrange his life. I was able to hold my friend’s hand as she took her first step into an Evangelical church. I’ve cried over a glue-sniffing Guatemalan girl as I mourned her lostness. I’ve seen the face of a crippled child as he held out his hands to a sun he only sees once every week. I’ve been yelled at and accused of not loving when I was giving tough love. I’ve had people not speak to me for months because of sensitive information that I had to tell their parents. All of these experiences, both good and bad are part of the adventure that the Lord has for me. And in each one, I can only say as Paul did, “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weaknesses.” When you live a life sold out for Jesus, you won’t live a boring life, but it also won’t be pretty. You will live a life full of PAIN and full of JOY. Try it out, I promise you won’t regret it. Paul didn’t and neither do I.

Give to Anyone who has Need?

When you see people hurting what do you do? I am always tempted to turn the other way... to walk in the other direction... to ignore the problem. Well, today I came face to face with this exact thing. I need to preface this with something I heard on a podcast the other day. I was listening to Matt Chandler's series on Luke. He was talking about turning the other cheek, giving people your cloak and giving to anyone as he has need. It's something that stuck with me because he said it wasn't our job to judge if someone was scamming or not; if you felt God telling you to give, give without looking for anything in return.
Well, today I came face to face with this exact situation. A woman walked into our shop with a sob story about her son being in the hospital, being from another city and not being able to buy his medicine. So, we went to the local pharmacy and bought her the medicine she needed. I talked to her a while about her children and her situation. I prayed for her and went back to work.
About an hour later, she came back to tell me that she needed the receipt for the medicine because she needed to return it. As I inquired as to why, she burst into tears telling me that her 8 year old son had just died. My heart broke for her. The other wise women in my shop were a little more weary that I, so one of them took her back to the pharmacy and it turned out that she tried to take the medicine back before to get the money, but couldn't without the receipt.
Gloria came back to explain all this to me and told me that I had been played by this woman. This woman had used my concern for her to try and get money.
At first, I was mad. I can't believe this woman used my concern for her benefit! And then I thought about that verse in Luke and how many people "used" Jesus to get what they wanted (and he KNEW they were using him!). But he gave as they had need. If the only thing that this woman got today was $15 and seeing that someone had concern for her, I truly believe it was what I was called to do without casting judgment.

Missing something?

This weekend I have had more than one conversation about this topics... purpose, meaning and the point of life.
Yesterday I called one of my friends to hang out and she told me that she was really upset and couldn't place why. Over lunch we talked about it more and she shared with me that she felt like she was missing something in her life. What if you could know WHY you were here on this earth? What if you could know that you had purpose and that life meant something? Wouldn't that be great? I shared with her how empty my life would be if I didn't have Jesus. She just nodding and smiled, but I could tell that the wheels were turning.
In our Saturday Bible study we are reading through the book of Colossians and we were talking about why Paul made such a big deal in chapter one about who Jesus was if the people he was talking to were believers. And we discussed how often we as "Christians" MISS the focal point. We miss JESUS. As we talked about who Jesus was and his death and the life we find in him, I got so excited. Jesus isn't just the answer for those who don't believe, he is the answer. JESUS answers these questions. He IS how we can have purpose and hope and meaning and true life.
Then a guy at Faith night expressed his desire to truly KNOW that all this "stuff" was true. And as I shared with him about the saving grace of Jesus, I got really excited again. Later that night, I shared with my roommates that I think so often I FORGET about the grace that I have because of Jesus's death and resurrection.
Are you missing something? Are you lacking something in your life? Maybe you need Jesus. Or maybe you have Jesus, but you've forgot that he is the POINT.

A Donkey...

I heard a man’s story today at church that truly moved me. But let me back up for a second and tell you about my church. It’s probably one of the biggest churches in Loja… has a ton of teenage and college student, big building, really awesome band, lively worship music, and a good number of “programs” and meetings during the week. Here is the one thing about my church that breaks my heart, they rarely talk about Jesus. Last week, for example, the only time they said the name of Jesus was in worship songs or at the end of a prayer. This is something that continues to perplex me… what is a church without Jesus?

So on to today’s story… a man stood up and gave testimony of how the Lord had rearranged his life. It was the kind that people love to hear… “I was drinking, smoking, doing drugs, being sexually promiscuous, and the like and then I found Jesus.” I really was expecting him to say, ‘I found Jesus and I never wanted to do any of that stuff EVER again.’ But he didn’t… instead he said, “I was sitting outside on a Saturday night smoking a joint and wondering to myself if I would go to church the next day.” Isn’t that real life? And then he said, “And the Lord spoke to me and said, you can’t live like this anymore.”

I was listening to an English sermon on line on the way to church and the guy said that we were all in different places in our spiritual life… all had struggles, and if we SAID we didn’t we were liars. And then he said, “You’re messed up and that’s ok… BUT its not ok to stay that way.” How profound is that… people fall on both sides of the fense here… you’re a Christian now, so you shouldn’t struggle with sin (which is a load of crap) OR it’s ok for me to stay in my sin and not grow and because Jesus saved me (which is also a load of crap). We are all in progress, but the point is that we are GROWING to know Jesus more every day.

At the end of this man’s testimony he did something that I’ve been waiting to hear at my church for a long time. He spoke the name of Jesus. He spoke his name in relation to Jesus’s death and resurrection being our salvation… he preached the gospel. I almost jumped out of my skin I was so excited. YES! That’s where you find true freedom and purpose!

But he didn’t stop there, he went on to say that God has called us to be used by him… and talked about all the things that God has used of the decades for his glory. Five rocks, a staff, the sea, frogs, jars of water… the list goes on. But my favorite was this example: “If God used a donkey to speak to a prophet, he can use me to speak to the nations.”

I was brought to tears because I realize that I really don’t think God can use my “junk,” he can only use what I would consider strengths. So in that moment I confessed that I’ve been too cocky about my strengths and too timid about my weaknesses. If God needs me to be a donkey, then a donkey I will be.

Bare...

All is laid bare… nothing is hidden from his sight. I can almost see it now, standing naked before the judge with the accuser screaming insults, displaying all of my faults before judge and jury. The accuser points his finger as I shrink back knowing that all he says is so horribly true. His case is so solid, “She SAYS she follows you, but look at her! Look at that pride, the ugliness in her heart, her lust, her idols! Do you really want that?!” As the judge is about to pronounce sentence upon me, my High Priest steps in, and before I realize what is happening, he swoops me up into his arms. I cry out, “No! I’m too dirty, I don’t deserve…” My muffled cries are silenced as he whispers in my ear, “I have taken your place. Your sins are forgiven” The shrieks of the accuser are silenced as my Priest declares, “She is mine. My blood paid for that pride, ugliness, lust, sin. I have given myself for her.” He looks on my filthy body with love. Through my tears, he sees me. Through my filth, he sees his grace. “Nothing can separate you from my love.” My lover has come for me.

As I read Hebrews 4 this morning, this was the scene that was laid out before me. All is laid bare before Him. How much more bare do you get than naked… and thanks to the first sin, in that state is where you will feel the most shame. God sees what you try to hide. He is not fooled by your mask or your good deeds. His Word is able to divide bone and marrow, don’t you think he can see who YOU really are?? He cannot look upon your sin and do nothing, otherwise he would not be just. So, he chose to do something. He chose to send you a High Priest who has been there. He DWELT among us. He didn’t belong on this earth, but he chose to be here… to be one of us, to be with us. To sit in the dirt and to know what is was to be human. And in that dwelling, he suffered and he died. So when the accuser begins his tirade, our High Priest can step in and say, “I have made the ultimate sacrifice once for all. The righteous for the unrighteous.”

I don’t know where you are right now, but I know that the Creator of the Universe wants to pick up the broken pieces of you and make you useful. He has shown me today all that he has given up for me. And through my muffled cries, I hear the words that save me, “You are mine.”

Planes, trains and asians in automobils

So I have about the coolest sister in the whole world. She challenges me with the Word and encourages me with truth. She has been here in Ecuador with me for the past 2 1/2 week and it has been such a blessing. Let me give you some of the funny points and then some of the serious points.
Janna´s adventure started before she even arrived due to the fact that my mom told her she needed to go through customs in Panama. Naturally she followed the crowd through the customs line, got her passport stamped and as they were about to shoo her out the door into Panama City she realized that that was NOT where she wanted to be. In her broken spanish to desperately tried to explain that she DID NOT want to leave the airport as she watched her passport pass from person to person and eventually out of her sight. Thankfully she got it back and pointed in the right direction where she later arrived in Quito.
While we were in Quito, we decided it would be fun to take the public trolley despite suggestions not to, instead of taking taxis. (It was cheaper!) On one such trolley ride, we happened to get on during the lunch rush. Picture this with me: Janna is at least a head taller than all the Ecuadorians so they are trying to push their way around her as she is trying to do acrobatics around them. It was a picture perfect moment, EXCEPT that I was too crowded in to even pull out my camera.
Then there were the asians in automobils. Janna and I were walking through Quito when we have honking and we turn around to see a car full of asians waving. We look around assuming they are waving at someone else, but we are the only ones there... Asian Power! We stick together no matter what country we´re in.
As far as some of the serious things, my sister is so encouraging. She was the pick me up that I needed at this exact time. While she was here, she got to see my first attempt at a new bible study. Yep, that´s right... the Bible study with my friend Leydi that I´ve been praying for for months has finally happened! Praise God! And this first time we talked about the first chapter of John... but we actually ended up talking about everything from Genesis to the Gospel of Mary. The Lord is moving and I´m just excited that he´s allowed me to be along for the ride... so whether trains, planes or asians in automobils, I´m just along for the RIDE!

Can you see me?

What do people really want in life? Do they want money, status, good looks... I think the reason that most people want any of this is to be seen. REALLY seen...
In Ecuador, I don´t really look guys in the eye. I know it sounds strange, but if I do, I usually get a comment... ¨Hola Guapa¨or something along those lines. But since Janna has been here, she has challenged me to truly see people once more.
Today I got the opportunity to see someone and I believe she blessed me more than I blessed her. When Janna and I were at the supermaket today, we saw a woman begging and decided that we would buy a loaf of bread and bring it out to her. As we bent down to grace this woman with our small gift, her eyes welled up with tears as she began to speak to me through a toothless grin. The most I could gather was that she lived far away and had a relative in the hospital. As I struggled to understand what she said, I begged with the Lord to give me understanding, but all of the sudden I realized that this woman didn´t necessarily need to be understood, she just needed to be seen. I reached out my hand to touch and bless her, but I feel like I was the one who truly received the blessing.

WHAT?!

I’ve always had this problem… trying to say ONE thing in Spanish and in reality saying something completely different. My friend Kate says I have to share this story… it’s her favorite mishap.
My friend Leydi and I were sitting in El Sendero talking about our day. I was explaining to her how I went to see my other friend who had had surgery the day before. All you had to do was look at Leydi’s face to realize that I had said something wrong. “What??” So, of course I repeated it in the form of a question… “I went to visit my friend who had surgery??”
I need to point out that the word for surgery is “cirugia,” but that is NOT what I said… instead I had just told Leydi that I went to visit a friend who had “orugia” which translated means orgy.
Man, I hate it when I say stupid things like that.  Chalk it up for another good mishap.

Bastante!

The joke around here is that the first Spanish word you learn when you go to El Sendero is “bastante” which translated means “too/quite enough of”. For example: if you put too many potatoes on a plate, Gloria will give you that look and say, “hay bastante papas!”

Think of all the “too” statements you’ve made. “I can’t do that, I’m too young… too old… too shy… too loud…too tongue-tied…too inadequate…” Fill in the blank. I’m the master of the “too” statements. Some of mine have been: I’m too young, too inadequate in my language ability, too much of a girl, too single (I guess there are only two options there but still…) and the list goes on and on. When I came here the “too” statements abounded and the Lord decided to put me into every one of those situations. So when I said, I’m too inadequate in my language, he said, “Great, you’re going to start a Bible study.” Maria, the girl I co-lead the Bible study with also had a “too” statement. When we started talking about having this Bible study, she said, “I can’t do that, I’m too much of a baby-believer. I can’t lead a Bible study!” This past 7 weeks has proved otherwise.

Maria comes from a very devote Catholic home and only came to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ about three years ago. About 6 months ago, she got baptized and almost got disowned by her mother. Right now she has just started an 8 month mission to England with SIM.

Two months ago Maria told me that she could not lead a Bible study and last week my heart was elated as I watched her ask questions of the girls and give truths from God’s Word. Both of the other girls in our group have a very strong Catholic background and I was amazed to watch Maria share from her heart what the Lord had revealed to her only a couple years ago. She did what only she could do... relate to exactly where they are because she’s been there. The Lord has taken that girl who was “too much of a baby believer” and shown her the woman of God that she is and the way He can use her.

I am so thrilled to see my friend Maria take this huge leap of faith and I can’t wait to see what else God does with her life.

As she left for England last week I encouraged her that she can do anything that the Lord has called her to do. She looked at me and said, “I can… and any time I think I can’t I’m going to think of you and how you started a Bible study with little Spanish and how God used it.” Not only did the Lord use my “I’m too” statement in MY life, he used it in the life of another to show her that with Him EVERYTHING is possible.

So next time you think… bastante… look at all the examples in the Bible and how the Lord took those who were “too” young, old, inadequate, tongue-tied, and just downright stupid and used them for His glory.

Isn’t that what it’s about anyway… HIM?

Time for some Guinea Pig...

Hair and teeth... skin that has the consistency of fried chicken… sorta and we can't forget the claws. But, it was the teeth I couldn’t get past. My friends thought it would be funny to kiss it, but I just couldn’t get past the teeth! And then I started thinking of my sister’s pet snowball.

I want to tell you that it tastes like chicken, but if I were honest I would say it tastes like a really greasy duck with barely ANY meat on it. Yep, I got to enjoy the fine dining of “cuy” yesterday. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, the translation would be “Guinea Pig.” A picture is worth a thousand words… hope you enjoy as much as I did. (top picture is before... bottom is after)