Expanding Intelligence

Since reading expands the mind and increases intelligence here's my attempt at reading for 2013.  I know it's not so great but this does not include textbooks, newspapers, magazines and such.   This is purely for the fun of it reading.   :-) 

1. A Year of Biblical Womanhood:  How a liberated woman found herself sitting on her roff, covering her head and calling her husband master - By Rachel Held Evens
2. Be Committed:  Doing God's will whatever the cost.  (An old Testament Study of Ruth and Esther) By Warren W. Wiersbe
3. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide  - By Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
4. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not Evangelism - By Carl Medearis
5. Joey's Story - By Ruth Ann Stelfox
6. Adopted -  By Becky McGurrin
7. The God's at War - By Kyle Idleman
8. Orphan Justice - By Johnny Carr
9. The Exodus Road: One woman's Journey into Sex Trafficking and Rescue - By Laura Parker
10. Human Trafficking:  A real life point of view of Sex Slavery in Thailand from the Front Lines - By Abraham Falls
11. Secret Shadow - By Lareen Plett
12. God in a Brothel:  An Undercover Journey into Sex Trafficking and Rescue - By Daniel Walker
13. Amy Carmichael - By Janet and Geoff Benge
14. George Mueller - By Janet & Geoff Benge

Then there is also the Audio books - You see, it's not exactly safe to drive and read but I can listen.  

1. Roots (Audio Book) By Alex Haley
2. Radical (Audio Book) - By David Platt
3. Pilgrims Progress (Audio Book) By John Bunyon
4. Radical Idea (Audio Book) By David Platt

I find myself drawn to reading about human trafficking, orphans, and radical living.  I read the books, I become informed, now how can I speak of Jesus to the hurting?   How can I be Jesus to the hurting? What is my part in bringing justice and freedom to the slaves?   How can I spare help the children to avoid a lifetime of scars and pain?

Moving Forward (while reflecting back) + Seeing who's the GREATEST!

The Year 2014 is upon us!

Looking back at 2013 it can tend to feel as if I haven't made much progress.   I still long for the warm weather of SE Asia.  I miss my friends there and long for a heart to heart talk with some of them. I miss using the Lao language. I miss the feelings of belonging and fulfillment that came from a productive day of teaching, interacting with students and staff or simply making some headway on new curriculum.  I MISS THAT!  Aren't those feelings of loss suppose to lessen and life in America become normal? 

2013 started a new beginning for me.   A time of adjusting to the cold weather, finding a new job, finding new friends, and trying to find a place to belong and fulfillment in a new life.

Looking back at 2013 and what do I see -  
God is amazing!  So many details he's worked out for me.    Little teeny, tiny details that can often seem almost to small to even take to him - he cares! 

Here's a few of the many:

• Searching for a job - discouraged/tears/ feeling that in Laos there is no lack of work so what in the world am I doing here, applying several places to no avail. Praying for a job where I actually feel needed - and behold on just the right day at just the right time I find just the right job!  
• Looking for a place to live - Classes start June 10 and needing a place by then/finding the perfect place and making up my mind just a day or two too late, not once but twice/ and then finding yet another place.  This place must really be the PERFECT place for it has worked out nicely! 
• Searching for job #2 near my new home and school - applying many places/searching out places/making phone calls/ feeling discouraged one Friday morning as I finally break down and decide to drop off my application at a fast food restaurant.   And then on my way 'just happening' to see and stop at one last motel along the way.   I never did make it to that restaurant.  I had a job the very next day.   
• But - for the aforementioned job I needed a plain black skirt - Dreading the search/these things can be a pain to find when you actually need them/knowing I might be all over town before the day is out in search of the skirt but /saying a prayer before entering the first store.  Amazingly walking out of the very same store with the black skirt!   Does God care about little things?   I THINK SO!!!
• Waking up sad/longing for the good old friend to have a good talk/tears/missing/dreading my evening out with a new friend whom I don't know well.  God used that new friend to really bless me above and beyond my expectations!  
• Someone to bless me by paying 3 months of rent! 
• Helping me pass (with good grades) 7 classes!  I am humbled!  God gave me a brain and abilities, God have me this opportunity to learn He expects me to use it!  

 Have I made progress?  It is a little hard to say.  I'm still cold a lot.  I still miss my friends.  I still often feel like I haven't really found my place to fit in and be fulfilled in America.

But who's to say what is true progress.   What I really want is to know Jesus better.  I've really been thinking about what my relationship with him means and what walking/living/being in the Spirit really means. 

So for 2014 - My desire is to continue learning to know Jesus - continue being led in very real ways by the Holy Spirit.

I'm excited about how He will work in 2014! 

Prayer

What better place to study for a midterm than on a blog? 

From the book - The Essence of the New Testament:  A Survey By Elmer L. Towns & Ben Gutierrez

Luke is the most prayerful Gospel:  He (Luke) shows Jesus in prayer more than any of the other Gospels.

• Jesus prayed at His baptism
• all night before selecting the 12 apostles
• over the fish and loves before feeding 5000
• before announcing His coming death to the disciples
• at His transfigureation
• when the 70 returned from their mission
• just before the disciples asked him to teach them how to pray
• in Gethsemane before his arrest
• and twice on the cross he prayed

How much do I want to be like Jesus?

 Not only did Jesus give us his example in prayer He also exhorts His followers to pray:

• for their enemies
• for workers to be sent into God's harvest field
• for needed things
• always
• to avoid tempation

Excitement

 

It's always good when you can feel the excitement in the air and have joy in your heart!

We all need things to look forward too!   

I've heard people rejoicing because of the Fall weather.   I'm thinking, "But it's so cold".  But then also hear people complaining because a few stores have a few items out for Christmas already.  Now, I'm rejoicing!  Call me strange but I plan to have 3 months of Christmas.  Yes, that's me you see at LifeWay Christian Store admiring the Christmas display!   I'm pretty sure that since it is now October I can begin enjoying Christmas in earnest.   Oh yes, I have not had a real true American Christmas Season in 6 years so I'm going to enjoy the whole process.  

• The decorations
• The songs
• The anticipation 
• The Santa at the Mall (I promise I won't sit on his lap)
• The candles/smells of cinnamon and other Christmasy things
• The greenery
• Window shopping
• Fun toys (in stores only/I can't afford to bring them home) 
• Christmas Programs
• Christmas Dramas 

Oh yes, I am going to bask in the joy of Christmas for 3 whole months!   

And amid my selfish enjoyment of All Things Christmas I hope to learn more about the true meaning of Christmas.     



Merry Christmas EVERYONE!!!

The Covenant

Traditional Jewish Engagement/Wedding - (as it was described to me)

A man decides he wants to get married.   He then goes to the girl's father and they discuss the bride price.  After the price has been set they take a cup of wine, when it touches the lips the deal is sealed.   The groom agrees to the bride price and he drinks.   Then he turns to the girl and says "this is the cup of my covenant, will you agree to the deal."   

The cup touches her lips and the deal is sealed.  

She is promised to him.  

He is promised to her.

Then they part ways.  He goes to his fathers house to prepare a place for his bride.   The whole extended family would be living in the same courtyard.  Each son who marries adds a room to his father's house for his wife.   

Meanwhile the bride is in her own home preparing herself for her grooms arrival.   She stops all other plans and begins in earnest to prepare to be a wife.   She learns from her mother, her aunts, and the other married ladies the things that she needs to know for her future marriage.  She is busy preparing herself for that great day when the groom will come and get her. All the while she will be totally faithful to him.  

Into this culture - enter JESUS.   

Luke 22:20 - Jesus took the cup, saying "This cup is the new covenant" 
(remember, what this means in the Jewish culture?)

Luke 22:42 - Jesus prayed; "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will , but yours be done" (he had made a commitment, he would keep it)

John 14:1-3 - Jesus says; "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?   And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  

(according to the Jewish customs this sounds a whole lot like a marriage proposal followed by the preparations that need to take place)  

And now...
While the groom has gone to his Father's house to make preparations for his bride, What is the bride doing? 

Stop Doing List

Here's a "Stop doing list" from Phil Cook

1. Stop avoiding responsibility     "Own It"
2. Stop multitasking                      "Focus"
3. Stop talking                              
4. Stop complaining                      (How much time do we spend complaining to people who can't fix the problem?)
5. Stop working randomly             (Find your most productive time and use it.)
6. Stop ignoring your story
• your past
• your family
• what makes you different? 
• what makes you stand out? 
• what makes you, you? 

If you can tap into who you are it will transform what you do!   

The WORD

 
On the book of John...

Why the use of the word "Word" to refer to Jesus Christ?

Here is a key Old Testament passage to understanding God's "Word".  

Isaiah 55:10-11
As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, So is my word that goes out from my mouth:  it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.   
  
What does this tell us about The Word? 

1. It is sent from God
2. It will accomplish what it was sent for
3. It always returns with a message of accomplisment

In the Old Testament God sent his word to guide his people. 
In the New Testament Jesus came to us as God's word.