We just got out of a session given by Sam Dick... titled 'Relinquishing Your Rights'! I felt that he had everything put together so well and that he was well prepared. He really has a way of speaking to the hearts of young youth no matter how cold and how hard you try not to get touched, he works his way into your heart.
His opening passage was John 12:24-25 "Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal."
Then we opened up and started to study the story of Defining "Neighbor" in Luke 10:25-37. We listed each character in the the story and listed things that we seen in them or just thought may have been said in between the lines.
We started with the priest. He was probably dressed very nicely and when he saw the beat-up, half dead man on the side of the road... the first thoughts that ran through this head were that he didn't want to get dirty. And that he was probably on a tight schedule and didn't think he had time to stop and help this man in need and risk the chance of being late for whatever it was he was going to. How often are we like that? Such in a hurry that we forget there are others in this world that need our help and us just to be there for them.
Next we moved onto the Levite. How his major job in the temple is to serve. To sweep floors, do things people would love to do just to get that access, and just to kind of be behind the scenes. But was he the serving type in this story? He also was probably in a hurry and didn't think he had time to stop, even though serving and doing good is in his job description. Do we do that? Say we are willing to do mission work but when someone needs help in our hometown, do we pass them by and not consider that mission work?
And last we listed the Samaritan. Everyone knows that Samaritans aren't supposed to talk to a Jew let alone HELP a Jew. But he didn't care. He was willing to set that aside and help this fellow brother in need. He probably had things to do but he chose to stop, to help and to put his faith in practice.
After we got done with that topic we moved on to our own lives and things we need to give up. Some of the things that was mentioned touched me in a special place. He strongly touched on how what we have, everything we have, is not ours. It's all God's. Every bit of it. He has just in trusted it to us while we walk on this earth. So why are we so stingy about giving things to the poor and being stubborn about things we love and seem to hold onto the most? None of it is ours to hold anyway.
One thing he said that hit home pretty hard was that the time right now, the time here in Abbortsford BC is not my time. It is all God's and that he gives and takes away anything and everything. So why do I worry about whats going to happen, what's going on at home in Indiana, and what I'm going to do when I get home. Why worry? He already knows and I don't need to worry and waste my life wondering. This TREK program is not only for this 6 months of my life, this IS my life and this will effect so much more in my life ahead. This is part of God's big plan for my life.
Friends are gifts from the Lord himself to help us along the path of the unknown and to stand by our sides no matter what. So treat your friends like they are GOLD!! One day you will need someone when everyone leaves you, those are the people you treat like gold. Life is to short to live in a conflict. Straighten everything out and lay your friendships all down to our Father. Because the gift of friendship is supposed to be cherished:)
We got the chance to lay things up and say to God, I give up my right to...! You finished the sentence. Some gave up money, some relationships, and even some gave up the right to life and death. I gave up the right to time. Every minute here in TREK is a moment I will never get a chance to have again. I need to stop saying 'I cant wait till this', or 'I cant wait to do this' and just live every moment like it is my last. Life is to short to waste away with things that dont really matter like time, conflicts, and or pointless little mishaps. And until I get home home ( Heaven )... I'm going to be a no-mad for Jesus!!
So don't waste your life away. Live THIS moment:) Live THIS moment for God and him alone.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Are we radical enough to make a difference?
Today we went to Missions Fest in Vancouver and I really enjoyed it. I listened to 3 speakers total and I enjoy 2 of them. The first one was called: Two Sides of the Same Coin - Loving People, Learning Languages. It focused on how when getting ready to go to a different country you should learn some of their language. If you take the time to learn just a little bit of their language and actually use it, it makes the people feel loved and valued. He gave us some tips to learning a language... it all helped. The last tip was to NEVER GIVE UP:) No matter how hard it may seem... you cant give up or else you wont learn. He also gave some tips about, when we get to our country, how to keep up with the language. It all was interesting and it helped to know before I leave for Peru.
The second speaker was not quite as interesting. Me and Brianna ended up walking out because of the lack of interest.
The third speaker was by far my favorite. We had a schedule with all the speakers and what times. Me and Brianna were checking out some of the booths and we stopped at a booth and was talking to him. A lady came up to him and said that he had to speak in a little and it was in room 18. I looked at Bri and said that it sounded great and that I wanted to go listen to him. We made our way to the room and sat down. Only about 10 youth were in the room just because the talk wasn't on our schedule. His name was Darryl Wright and he was talking on: Youth Winning Their World for God!
He shared stories about young kids in Lima Peru that were radical for Christ. That was his main point... are we radical enough to make a difference. Here are a couple stories:
The most important date in Cuba is a young ladies 15th birthday. The date they go from being a child to a young lady. The family and friends of the young girl would put on a huge party and have lots of food and gifts. Well this one young girl was about to have her 15th birthday and her parents set her down and told her that if she didn't stop talking about God and sharing the message they wouldn't give her her party. She was broken. The pastor of her church found out what her parents told her and he rounded up the young kids and collected money and gave her a party. She said after that that nit was the best birthday of her life.
He pointed out that she was radical enough for God that she was willing to give up the most important day of her life. Are we that radical?
Another story was about a young 14 year boy named Christian from Lima Peru. He was given the job of helping people on the street to get food for his family. On a certain nit every week was a gathering at his church and he skipped work that night every week to attend this gathering. This parents didn't know that he wasn't working. From the gatherings he would be given Bible verses and he hid them away and kept reading them to himself. Soon his mother found out about him skipping work and founded his verses and started ripping them up. He broke down and started crying. He finally spoke through his tears and said "Mom... I was saving those so maybe one day I could've had my own Bible!" Later he went back to the gathering and he said that he didn't think he was supposed to be a missionary. The leaders looked at him and gave him a strange look. They asked why and he said that he couldn't be one without a pair of shoes. They told him to pray to God and ask him to give him shoes. The next week he walked in the gathering with a brand new pair of Nike running shoes and a smile on his face. They were given to him by two brothers who brought 2 boxes of new shoes to kids like him.
That really spoke to me. How those kids can be so on fire for the Lord and have so little. Why can't we be like that.
So... are we radical enough to make a difference in our towns? Where are all the radicals in Canada? In America? We need to step out and become more like him and radical for Christ!!
The second speaker was not quite as interesting. Me and Brianna ended up walking out because of the lack of interest.
The third speaker was by far my favorite. We had a schedule with all the speakers and what times. Me and Brianna were checking out some of the booths and we stopped at a booth and was talking to him. A lady came up to him and said that he had to speak in a little and it was in room 18. I looked at Bri and said that it sounded great and that I wanted to go listen to him. We made our way to the room and sat down. Only about 10 youth were in the room just because the talk wasn't on our schedule. His name was Darryl Wright and he was talking on: Youth Winning Their World for God!
He shared stories about young kids in Lima Peru that were radical for Christ. That was his main point... are we radical enough to make a difference. Here are a couple stories:
The most important date in Cuba is a young ladies 15th birthday. The date they go from being a child to a young lady. The family and friends of the young girl would put on a huge party and have lots of food and gifts. Well this one young girl was about to have her 15th birthday and her parents set her down and told her that if she didn't stop talking about God and sharing the message they wouldn't give her her party. She was broken. The pastor of her church found out what her parents told her and he rounded up the young kids and collected money and gave her a party. She said after that that nit was the best birthday of her life.
He pointed out that she was radical enough for God that she was willing to give up the most important day of her life. Are we that radical?
Another story was about a young 14 year boy named Christian from Lima Peru. He was given the job of helping people on the street to get food for his family. On a certain nit every week was a gathering at his church and he skipped work that night every week to attend this gathering. This parents didn't know that he wasn't working. From the gatherings he would be given Bible verses and he hid them away and kept reading them to himself. Soon his mother found out about him skipping work and founded his verses and started ripping them up. He broke down and started crying. He finally spoke through his tears and said "Mom... I was saving those so maybe one day I could've had my own Bible!" Later he went back to the gathering and he said that he didn't think he was supposed to be a missionary. The leaders looked at him and gave him a strange look. They asked why and he said that he couldn't be one without a pair of shoes. They told him to pray to God and ask him to give him shoes. The next week he walked in the gathering with a brand new pair of Nike running shoes and a smile on his face. They were given to him by two brothers who brought 2 boxes of new shoes to kids like him.
That really spoke to me. How those kids can be so on fire for the Lord and have so little. Why can't we be like that.
So... are we radical enough to make a difference in our towns? Where are all the radicals in Canada? In America? We need to step out and become more like him and radical for Christ!!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Things we MAY be doing
We have been updated and given a small and flexible list of things we may be doing and participating in while we are in Lima. They told us not to bank on everything happening as said because they have a chance of changing at the last minute. Which is not something I'm looking forward to just because I love schedules and knowing what every minute of each day look like and holds.
We will be working with a lot of kids and youth ministries. Possibly working with a youth retreat as well with youth activities every Saturday and Sunday afternoons. We will also be working with HIV effected mothers and children, as well as teaching ESL ( English as a Second Language ) classes three times a week, and working with Sunday morning services, which just to say.. are 3 hours long, and visiting churches. As of now... our weeks look pretty full of fun, ministry, and just hanging out and site seeing but... that has place to change at a drop of a hat.
We will be working with a lot of kids and youth ministries. Possibly working with a youth retreat as well with youth activities every Saturday and Sunday afternoons. We will also be working with HIV effected mothers and children, as well as teaching ESL ( English as a Second Language ) classes three times a week, and working with Sunday morning services, which just to say.. are 3 hours long, and visiting churches. As of now... our weeks look pretty full of fun, ministry, and just hanging out and site seeing but... that has place to change at a drop of a hat.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The final say
Waking up this morning was so different from every other morning here. There was no desire to eat, to read, or even communicating with each other. All that was on the minds of every TREKer was the thoughts of where our mission location was going to be. Either Japan or Peru. Those where the destinations.
Peru was mentioned more among us TREKers then Japan was. Everyone seemed to want to get away from the cold climate and enter into a warmer more enjoyable setting.
We all rushed downstairs at around 8 to see if we could manage something down for breakfast and then somehow hold on another hour to wait to hear our destinations.
The time came and tentions were high. Jon had them already written out on a board and just had it hidden. Everyone held their breath when he slowly flipped the paper over. It was dead silance and eyes were all focused on the board. Not a sound. Minds scrambled to find their name, the team leaders, and the locations. But minds do funny things when something this important is pushed on you in a short time spand of about 5 seconds.
For a long moment no one moved... just stared at the board. Slowly emotions surfaced and some tears made way to the eyes. Some cried for joy that they were going to the place they wanted, others cried just from the over whelming sence of emotions. I cried tears of joy and excitment. My name was within the Peru team. I felt like the breath was takin from me and I felt peace and contentment. I felt like this was the start of a new beginning. The beginning of something remarkable that the Lord is about to do.
Peru was mentioned more among us TREKers then Japan was. Everyone seemed to want to get away from the cold climate and enter into a warmer more enjoyable setting.
We all rushed downstairs at around 8 to see if we could manage something down for breakfast and then somehow hold on another hour to wait to hear our destinations.
The time came and tentions were high. Jon had them already written out on a board and just had it hidden. Everyone held their breath when he slowly flipped the paper over. It was dead silance and eyes were all focused on the board. Not a sound. Minds scrambled to find their name, the team leaders, and the locations. But minds do funny things when something this important is pushed on you in a short time spand of about 5 seconds.
For a long moment no one moved... just stared at the board. Slowly emotions surfaced and some tears made way to the eyes. Some cried for joy that they were going to the place they wanted, others cried just from the over whelming sence of emotions. I cried tears of joy and excitment. My name was within the Peru team. I felt like the breath was takin from me and I felt peace and contentment. I felt like this was the start of a new beginning. The beginning of something remarkable that the Lord is about to do.
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