Reminder

If you've kept up with us a long time you know time to time I'll share a bit of what's going on with me and I haven't in awhile....

Since being back, one of the things I'm so thankful for that I've seen happen that kinda started before I left was the missionary community coming closer together. There is this precious family here that we've gotten to know and hang out with more since being back. And then reuniting with friends that have been around as long as we have and even before. The first year and a half that I spent living in Kenya, was in a remote village, being the only white person for miles and miles. SO recalling those days makes me even more grateful for the community God has blessed us with here. We all do different things, have a bit different way of running a "ministry", have different projects, but what we share in common is a love for Jesus and love for people here. There's a barbecue held from time to time where a ton of people are invited. Then there's times through the week where people are inviting others into their homes for dinner (no night life here apart from that, but I love the simplicity). Thursdays we have ladies bible study where all the missionary ladies are invited that either live here or are passing through on a mission trip. We've had our days here and there when we go to the pool with the Cooksey's and Bella. Or my lunch times with a dear friend Meredith. Then worship nights every now and then with a small group. It's all been such a blessing!

Yesterday we had our ladies bible study and I just fell more in love with Jesus hearing the testimony of one of the women here. During the season she is in, she isn't so busy as far as "ministry" and what a GREAT reminder that sometimes less "doing" and more "being" in Jesus is more effective in the Kingdom. Because being here and having needs all around, ministry opportunities around every corner, we can get caught up in the "doing" and worn out from not just "being". Making sense? It's like Mary and Martha all over again... And I hear it ringing in my head again... Jesus gently saying to me "Martha Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE thing is needed". (Luke 10:41) In case you don't know, the one thing is Jesus, and HE is all that is needed.

At this moment in my life, it's a bit chaotic. It's a beautiful mess actually. I'm guessing one day I'll look back and not know how I made it through other than God's loving grace. We're still in the early phase of establishing a children's home, only three years into marriage (which is always a work in progress and I'm SO blessed and thankful for), a very active two year old boy, a baby girl, and a busy summer of teams and visitors.

Mind you, it's taking FOREVER to write this blog and get all my thoughts put together that I want to share because I'm either getting chocolate milk, pouring cereal, watching tom and jerry, or pulling out play-doh and building a mr. potato head. ANYWAYS.

But in the midst of the busyness I'm reminded I can go crawl up in Dad's lap, our heavenly Father, and rest and totally get whacked by more of His love all over again. There's always more of His love. There's always enough, we don't have to strive for His approval, He loves me like I am, we are no longer orphans but have a Father who provides for His children's every need, not based on what we do but because who He is. And He is always with us. And when I'm reminded of these things, I'm reminded of who I am in Him and then from that place of relationship is where streams of living water flow. It's from that place that I can soar over all circumstances and busyness. I can run my heart out and NOT be tired! Oh that's one of my favorite reminders that God gives me... running and not growing weary and tired. I love to run, but I love it most when I'm in shape. When I can put in the headphones and run and run and run. Of course eventually I get tired but I love that feeling of escaping the cares of life and my body overcoming tiredness and just running. So the thought that in Jesus we can run through life and not grow weary and tired just blows me away. Burnt out in "ministry" is common and last year when I went to the states I experienced some of that. Ok, I'm getting off on a trail here and not sure where I was headed...

Oh yeah, I eventually was going to get to why I put the verse at the top of our blog as the main verse. I really don't have one specific favorite bible verse or one verse that can sum up my life and mission. BUT I do have a handful I could narrow it down to. But even that's hard. There's just so many good ones! So the verse is John 17:26 as you can see and I'll just repeat it for sake of saving the time of scrolling up... "I have declared to them your name and will declare it that the love with which you loved me will be in them"

Jesus is talking in this passage. And as I go back and read chapter 16 and 17, I just want to cry, for His love for us is so great. I can't even put into words how incredible his love for us is. Sometimes you just have to receive it and experience it. And so I would strongly encourage reading chapter 16 and 17. First, at the end of chapter 16, He is giving promises and encouragement to his disciples that he was given to by God to walk with on this earth while he was here. And there's a lot of incredible things he says to them. Like he doesn't have to talk mysteriously to them anymore once he goes to be with the father, but they will simply understand him. It wont be a parable or something hidden, because he is our Father, loves us, and we don't have to unlock secret codes. (so does that mean even people without a theological degree can experience and know him in deeper levels?! oops, getting off track again) So in chapter 17, Jesus is talking to God. It's at the end of His time here on earth. Just imagine, he gave it ALL, he sat by God and had everything. But gave it all to save us because he is love. And so all he gave up, he came on a mission, had completed it and was about to really finish it all up by going to the cross. He is stating what he did and why he did it. At the end of it is when he says the verse I have mentioned. When it comes time for my life to be done here on earth, I long to have that feeling of completion in me. To be able to say to God "I've done what you've sent me here to do, I have declared your name, lived it all for you, glorified you, so that they would know you and your love". OH MY! What an incredible feeling of joy and satisfaction. And I love it that he says, the reason why he wants to make God's name known is so that the love that Father loved Him with would be in them... would be in us... would be in ME?! What unfathomable love that is.

I'm really not good with words (oh come on, I know thats what you're thinking too), but when something gets stirring in me that Jesus is teaching and loving on me with, I just have to share it!!

I will post more in the next few days on the team coming. They arrive in Kitale tomorrow afternoon and are here until Thursday. Please pray for God to prepare their hearts and the hearts of the staff and children at Mattaw. Pray for everything to be accomplished that God has for them and they would go away from this place not motivated but changed... for HIS names sake!