From Cooking to Singing

That was going to be a great day!  I woke up early, excited for what the day was going to bring.  I had my normal cup of very sweet coffee and started out walking with Efraim.  He was bringing me to the church so I could practice singing for the wedding later that day.  We talked about what it means to be a klutz while we were walking.  I explained that I often fell down, so people called me a "klutz" in the states.  He said there was no such thing as a klutz in Haiti.  

We arrived just after 7am and I joined Almando who was teaching English in one of the classrooms.  The Lord's prayer was written on the board as well as definitions of difficult words.  It was a great time of remembering The Lord's Prayer for what it says--really looking at it.  After the lesson was finished and the homework was given, he pulled out his guitar and we practiced.  We sang "How Great is Our God" and tacked on a chorus of "How Great Thou Art" (A La Ou Gran).  We only were able to run it once before heading back home.  He had to go work and I had to learn to cook.  

I peeled vegetables with a knife and cut my thumb often at first-- don't worry there was no blood...I still have a lot to learn.  I washed the beef with oranges and put the terrific spices on with my bare hands.  The bones in the meat were sharp and I had to be careful not to cut myself.  The smell of garlic and onions filled the air and I knew this was going to be a great meal--like all of them are!

After what seemed like forever, the meal was finished.  Jose and Samia explained to me that this meal takes a lot of work--after we had worked all morning to prepare it.  We ate and enjoyed before getting ready for the wedding.  I put on the dressiest dress I had and walked out to the car for the short ride to the church.  If I had known I would be walking back later, I would have grabbed my flip-flops.  

The wedding was beautiful.  Everyone looked beautiful--dressed to the 9's--and the songs the choir and the other soloist sang were perfect.  When the attendants walked down the aisle they stood in front of chairs as did the bride and groom so they wouldn't have to stand the entire time--a very good idea.  It sounded like they wrote their own vows and people were always surrounding them to take pictures through the whole ceremony.  Hardly anyone was sitting down--except the bridal party and the little kids who fell asleep.  There were reactions of laughter and "awwwww" when Lamour kissed his beautiful bride.  It was a happy day!

After the wedding, there was a time for greeting and taking pictures with the couple.  They looked so lovely together.  I walked in my heels on uneven and rocky uphill roads away from the church--my feet still have not forgiven me.  I breathed in the hot air and sighed.  It is good to be among friends who love the Lord dearly in the place He has called me to.  To God be the glory!  Forever and ever!  Amen!

Preparing, Packing, and Praising!

Today, I am praising God for many reasons!  First, because He is so amazing and is sovereign.  I have seen His sovereignty proved over  and over again in the last weeks.  I will admit, I have had bouts of forgetfulness--you know, when you forget that God is in control--and times of anxiety--those happen when you try to control things yourself--but God doesn't have times of forgetfulness or anxiety and He is in control!  He has shown me that when I think things are falling apart, His plans are just falling together!  His ways are higher!  He is so good!

Next, because He continues to allow me to go and continues calling me to Haiti!  I am heading back early next week and will have a lot of responsibilities that need to be fulfilled--not that I can do any of them on my own.  I am so grateful that God really is in control of every situation--even when we do not see Him.  I am going back to prepare for a much longer time there serving at Haiti Christian Orphanage.  The details of this preparation time were just worked out by God and I believe He will surprise me with amazing things as I seek and serve Him.

Finally, I believe I will have these days to rest.  There's not much  more I can do for things on this end, and I know that God will continue to work all of this out for His glory!  So, I am resting in Him as I am packing--an exciting time and calming time (unless I find things that I don't have yet)--and preparing (whatever I can prepare) and praising the Lord for His goodness!  :)

Logistics, Details, and Trust

During those last weeks and now days of preparation to head back to Haiti, there always seem to be many logistics that need to fall into place, details that must come together, and I always seem to re-learn that lesson of trusting God with everything.  All this is for His glory and His will will be done!  I just seem to forget that from time to time.  With only days left before returning to Haiti--for a short 6 weeks--my head has been hurting with the things left to figure out.  

So often, I feel as though I am doing this alone, but I know that is not true.  I am not alone because God is with me.  I know that I am not fighting alone because you, my dear brothers and sisters, are fighting with me in prayer!  Thank you for praying.  Thank you for fighting the battle with me!  God remains faithful and full of mercy, grace, and love as always!  

It is so good to remember the goodness and steadfastness of God and cling to His Word!  How good He is!  There are a lot of details that need to fall into place still, but I am trusting that God will continue to work as He has in the past.  With Him, things just seem to work out, even if it doesn't work out the way we think it should.  I think back to a post I wrote about 8 months ago called "Orchestra Hall" and remember then that I was standing in awe of how God works.  God hasn't changed and I must remain in that attitude of being in awe of my King who has all the details worked out; Who knows how things will look from point A to point B, and Who deserves all the honor, glory and praise for Who He is...and what He does for His children!

I trust that He will continue to work every detail out for His glory.  Please, continue to pray!

Why does it feel like....

With only a week and three days until I return to Haiti, why does it feel like I have so much to do and so little time to do it, but when I actually sit down to crank some work out--it doesn't feel like as much?  Am I missing something here?  I toss and turn all night long and when I wake up after another bad dream, I sing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and quote Psalm 116:7 which says, "Return, oh my soul, to your rest for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you."  Why does if feel like from every angle things are getting out of control and I wake up feeling confused and heavy-hearted, but when I actually think through the things that I need to do and the people I need to be in contact with, it doesn't seem so bad?  Why does it feel this way?  Why am I feeling like I am up against a wall?  

I have a theory.  I ask you to pray.  My list includes things like connecting with pastors I have visited this summer, packing, working on a variety of projects from for Haiti Christian Orphanage, sharing with a few more churches, and dealing with financials among other things.  This IS quite a bit when you try to fit things into a short amount of time, but I know that God is in control.  Reminding myself of that when I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious is a struggle.  I believe that Satan is piling a few things and reminders of his own on me and trying to discourage me.  Friends, my dear brothers and sisters, PRAY!  

Pray that God would protect me--and I know He will.  Pray the my eyes be completely focused on Him.  Pray that I would lay down my life and follow Him daily--as we are all to be doing just that.  Pray that God would guide my steps and my thoughts.  Pray that I would be in the Word often so I can use my sword!

Friends, why does it feel like I am being attacked?  It's because I am.  Please be praying for me as I prepare to go and as I stand on the promises that are in God's Word.  He has dealt bountifully with me.  His goodness and  faithfulness and mercy and love is truly undeniably amazing.  May He be praised above all things.  May He be glorified in this time of preparation.  

Feet in the Water, Eyes on Jesus

This morning as I sat at the side of a Minnesota lake with my feet dangling in the water, I was reminded of the importance of keeping my eyes focused on Jesus.  In Psalm 105 and 106, the Psalmist recounts some of the history of Israel going through the wilderness and time after time, they forgot God.  And then in verse 8 of Psalm 106 it says, "Yet He saved them for His name's sake, that He might make known His mighty power."  Now, here it was in reference to the exodus from Egypt but time after time God spared the Israelites even when they forgot Him.  

I am very human.  I fall short of God's glory daily in my calling, in my life.  I was thanking God for grace today as I was seeking His mercy and guidance.  He is so good and His mercy really is new every morning.  How great is our God! 

I have come to the realization that Satan is not fond of me.  When struggles and trials and hard things happen, I sometimes wonder if Satan is trying to derail me and take my focus away from my Jesus.  Sometimes, he succeeds and my eyes wander from the One who deserves all the glory, honor, and praise.  I forget what I am doing and who I am doing it for, but God is patient with me and reminds me through a variety of means that He is God and He is in control of all things!  

This is why it is SO important to DAILY take up my cross and follow HIM!  Please be praying that my heart remains steadfast, my mind remains steadily on my Jesus, and I would remain faithful to my calling as God continues to amaze with me constantly in confirming my call.  

"Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!"--Psalm 105:4