Cappuccino or a Pumpkin Spice Latte

It seems as I blog in seasons.  I suppose that is true as there are times I have more time to process life and stuff. So, I am going to try and blog about once a week.  What am I writing you ask?
Well, it will be like we are having a conversation over a cup of coffee about things that we are processing about life.

If you want to relax and sip a cappuccino with me I would be delighted. If you need to grab a pumpkin spice latte to go and just want to see the table, I am ok with that. Really its just going to be a place that I muse about the journey the Lord continues to take us on.


Hope to see you for some caffeine shortly!
Till then enjoy time, rest, and stillness in the Lord. One thing I know He desires more than anything is to just be with you. So, take some time and be in the presence of our Saviour!

Oh Come all Ye Faithful

I was listening to the Christian Broadcasting Network App today and I was struck for the first time with the words of O Come All Ye Faithful. Well not all the lyrics but by the first verse.

O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.
Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels!


What jumps out to you?  Its a song we have sung many times before but for some reason I overlooked the first verse. That in and of itself is amazing to me. How I can sing a song and not even compute what I am singing. How is that??

I digress, I am off on a tangent. 

Getting back to the point.

O come, (pause) ALL YOU FAITHFUL

JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT.

OK, come all you who are faithful. Faithful to Christ, faithful to following after Christ, faithful in hearing his words and doing them. 

(note) In what way have I been faithful? In what way now am I faithful to the call of Christ in my life and heart? Each day He calls me to something but am I faithful? AM I FAITHFUL? 

OK, the next part Joyful and Triumphant. 

(note) Those that are faithful will be joyful. Those that are faithful will be triumphant (not defeated). This is where it hit my heart. If I am faithful I WILL be joyful and I won't be defeated. Its easier said than done. Its an action, a daily surrender of our wills to his. Its choosing moment by moment to focus on what is right, true, noble, praiseworthy, excellent and of good report. In Philippians 4: 8-9 it says to think on these things and God promises peace. Yes Peace. I don't know about you but when I am peaceful I have Joy. 

When I am walking in tune with the Spirit I am joyful and I am not defeated. Its a call to come and behold the King. Come all who are faithful. Come see this King all you who are faithful (even in your brokenness from being faithful) come.  Its a call to come see, come behold, come experience the King. 
So, why don't we? Who came in the Bible to see Him? Who was invited? 
Would you go see the King? Would you be a faithful traveler? 


Are you a faithful joyful follower of Christ? What brings you joy this season, is it gifts? Is it a person? 

I want to behold the King this Christmas and be called by Him faithful, joyful and triumphant. What a thing to be characterized by; Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant. 

Philippians 4:8-9

As I have journeyed this life in the variety of places one thing I have come to see is our need as believers to set our minds on things of Christ rather than things of this world. The verse the Lord is constantly putting before my heart is Philippians 4:8-9. Its putting that into practice daily and intentionally wherever I am. 

Its so easy to stay bitter and stay in a place where there is no growth and your relationship with the Lord gets blocked. Life is hard, people are hard I completely understand that but I have also learned I have a choice. I can stay in a perpetual state of criticism and bitterness or I can chose to believe the best in others.  

God has done a huge work in my heart because when I came to Korea I had some bitterness spilling out me. I missed out from complete fellowship with the Lord  by remaining in bitterness and hurt . It took me a year to process and release all that junk and unclog the arteries of my soul and restore a peace in my heart.  Restoration requires pain to be restored from and that requires a Savior to be the redeemer and restorer. 

I am all to familiar with feelings as I am a deep, deep feeler.  My 5 strength finder results are: Empathy, Restorative, Connectedness, Belief and Developer.So what? What does this mean? 

Simply put, I feel deep for others and long for them to be restored to the Lord and with others. I see all things connected and I feel their pain.  In ministry this is so helpful but personally its really hard to not feel. For years my feelings ping around like an uncontrollable ball bouncing. That's always a fun person to be around.  What I learn thanks to great leaders and mentors who poured into my life is deep feelings for others is a wonderful gift but you need to be under the control of the Holy Spirit and the Kingship of the Lord. Without feelings under control you will burn out and fry. So, painfully I began to practice intentionally bringing all my thoughts and feelings captive unto the Lord.  

Just like with anything you move two steps forward and one step back.  The key is to never give up. In my weak times I got hurt and had a hard time climbing out from that hurt and forgiving. Yet again a fellow follower of Christ leaned in and pushed me back into the fold and road to Christ. I am so grateful for the willingness of the Body of Christ to be bold in LOVE to encourage me and challenge me into a right unclogged relationship with the Lord.  This requires humility. It is Humility that you learn to see what others see (good and bad) and grow from that. Unfortunately I see so many that ignore wise counsel and walk in pride thinking they are always right and they have no faults. That is so hard to see others bash leaders in their lives because that leader was courageous and exposed a blind spot. I say this mainly because my life has been so radically changed by allowing God fearing leaders access into my life and heart. While it hurts to hear the blind spots and hurts to hear you are broken in areas the growth that comes from those crucial conversations if your heart is walking in humility is SO GREAT! 

I again for the past few weeks began to struggle a little with feeling so deeply with others and that quickly began to bring up past pain. Again, I had to daily take thoughts captive and focus on Philippians 4:8-9. Also, I cried out for help from a fellow God fearer and God used her in a mighty way to bring me back into unclogged arteries.   

I have been working through a series through Philippians and the podcast I listened too wouldn't you know what 4:5-6.  But what struck me was a part that I had glossed over time and time again. I love that about Gods word, its living and breathing. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What the Lord pointed out in my heart is: if there is anything worthy of praise, if there is any excellence think on these things. Did you catch it? With other followers of Christ what are you thinking on with them? When you get wounded, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking on their demise or that you have been a victim and you need people to take sides? 

What does this say? IF THERE IS ANY EXCELLENCE. That means, with those that wound you, in order to have peace and fight for peace, find the nuggets of excellence, and find the nuggets of things that are good. Yes its hard to fight thru the pain and fight through the feelings of " you hurt me, I can't believe you did this" .  An amazing thing happens when you constantly bring your thoughts captive to Christ.  Slowing through a constant putting your thoughts captives and not letting your mind wander into hurt and lies,  your feelings begin to catch up to your obedience to the Lord.  You begin to bear fruit of the Lord, instead of fruit of Satan. When you allow your mind to wander into lies, there is no good fruit that comes from that. Think about this right now in your life. All your past self conversations that dwelled on hurt and anger, what fruit came from that? Did you feel peace after it? Now think about turning the rutter in your head to focus on Godly things and focusing on excellence. What  happens then? I realize you will start about fighting through this and fighting those bad thoughts coming back. God says if you think on Godly things, YOU WILL HAVE PEACE! 

I needed the reminder to focus on the excellence of the people that hurt me, and as fellow brothers and sisters I have no room for thinking on anything other than Gods design and God's qualities for them.  Does this mean I bring them back into my fold and allow them full access into my heart? I don't believe so, but I do strongly believe I need to push my thoughts about them into Gods thoughts about them. Anything less is sin. That's so hard to hear and so hard to come to terms with.  

Bitterness is like a plumbing pipe that has a clogged. It blocks your complete fellowship with the Lord.  Believe me, I had been stopped up for a while, and it took and takes hard work ti unclog and fight for peace. This world does not want us to be at peace. This world wants us to think on revenge, think on anything other than the best on others. 

I think about how many years I spent with a blocked pipe. I do know God brings us on a journey, and Philippians says 

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Be encouraged as you begin this journey and fight through this journey. God promises peace when we think on things of Him! 

 

Musings!

When I say the word Christmas what thought or feeling immediately come to mind. How do we recapture the essence, wonder and  stillness of Christmas.

It might just be my season of life now as I prepare for the next season, but this Christmas I am experiencing something different. Does it have to be just a season I am in and  dismiss it as that? Or can we keep it throughout the seasons of life; the wonder of it all.  I think about what its like as a child to experience Christmas and see that babies face, the simpler time. Are those kids not prideful and scarred like us as adults? simple beauty.  What happens between that time and now, or even as a teenager. What changes? The hurt, the pride the greed. How do we guard against it?

I think as next year we will have our child, and what that will be like. Will she see the beauty and wonder of Christmas? Will she see her Saviour or will she see mom and dad stressed out by all the activities and things to do.

I think in the midst of the holiday, we lose the wonder, we lose something in the midst of serving. The wonder requires us to BE STILL. Being still requires us to wonder. I think they go hand in hand.

Psalm 46:10, BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

Being still, what does that look like in Christmas? Can we even achieve it? Where can we recapture the time?

In the stillness, we rediscover EMMAUNUEL. GOD WITH US! 

Best things in life are not things!

http://haasadoption.blogspot.kr/2014/09/the-best-things-in-life-are-not-things.html

The whole30 a whole new you

For those of you that know, and for those of you who don't. Dan and I completed a program called a Whole30. 30 days with no sugar, wheat, and dairy.

Below is a note I put in the Facebook group on our journey.

Well, I just finished my first whole30. I dare say, I can never go back to where I was before. Literally. I am a type 1 diabetic with an insulin pump. I was up to 120 units of insulin a day, and my numbers were so crazy. I am proud to say, that I am now at 60 units total. I don't give myself any insulin for meals, and rarely have high sugars. 

Also, my thyroid levels are good, meaning my medicine is working and I am feeling great. This 30 day program really have given me my life back. I didn't even realise I was trapped in a sickly body... addicted to sugar, and made so many excuses. I have lost 15 pounds, and many more inches.

My energy is up, and I am much more productive. I have done so much research now on food, and such that I can never go back to where I was.

I ended the program with a intestinal parasite that took me into a tale spin of pain. 6 days of pain. when healed, I was afraid to eat fearing that pain would return so I got TERRIBLE TERRIBLE hunger pains. I mean so much so that it made me vomit to get relief! Crazy. Now that I have meds, and resuming slowly the food, (paleo program) I am struck with a few thoughts. Why is it that I never knew hunger before? It makes me think of all those around the world that face that on a moment to moment basis. I am so sad about that, that as an Americian society are so inundated with so much food that most of us don't know hunger. This could just me my take.

Anyhow, I am so grateful for the Whole 30. Its has changed my dependance on food, and my relationship with food. I now feel like myself again only improved!

to facebook or not?

Recently the Lord has begun an overhaul in my heart. I am not sure what He is doing, I just know, I am asked to follow Him. All His ways are good, all His ways are His design for me. So as I have not gone on Facebook as much (have gone on a few times to take some photos off) I am amazed at how many times I want to post something, or say something on a status. I ask the Lord, ok I want to put this on there but... is that what you want? More often than not He says, Be Still.You talk to much. I will  and I AM. Your job now is to be obedient to the things I call you to. 

I stop and think about life before Facebook, about life before the internet. Yes, I am that old...

Seems as though we were not as busy, not a stressed, and didn't have information overload. Could it be that we share so much, (good and bad) that when we do get together there is nothing to talk about? Is that why I see so many people out and about with friends and all they do is look online for conversation, when a person is sitting there in front of them. This realisation came to me from many things actually. First, going on a date night with my amazing hunny and found I wanted to post so much online, that I neglected the moment I was in. Years down the line, when either I die or He dies first, and crave more time with them but knowing now, I didn't take advantage of the time I had with him and desired to go on Facebook more. Second, noticing everyone around me engrossed in their smart phones, that they don't recognise others around them. Could it be that we have missed countless divine moments the Lord has given because we are engrossed in our own life, and Facebook?

See how the Lord is overhauling me right now... so much meditation on His word.... 

Lord, Please mold me for your purposes and in your way. I desire to live a Radical life for you. I don't think you created us for anything less than a radical sold out life for you. Let me LOVE radically. Let me SHARE radically, let me FOLLOW radically.

This is my desire, to honour and follow you! 

Francis Chan or God?

We recently attended a conference where Francis Chan and David Platt were speakers. I was so excited when I saw Francis Chan walk in. It was like I was seeing a celebrety.  Upon that thought, the Lord reminded me of this...

Would you have the same excitement if I was coming into the room as you do for Francis? 

Ouch.... got it Lord! From then on, I was excited to hear from the Lord thru Francis and David. 

I am co-leading a PWOC study called Not a Fan, by Kyle Idelman. Interestingly enough, its all on the same wave length. What does it mean to " Take up your cross and deny yourself and follow Christ, and what has your relationship with the Lord cost you?" 

I am asking the Lord, where are you leading? How am I following you? Is there something that is keeping me from following hard after you? 

I have enjoyed the followers journal, one of my favourite devos actually. Not that its amazing, but the practical things it has you do, God is using it powerfully. For example: Think of something that you put before God... Now, worship it, and pray to it. What does that feel like, or what does that involk. It was awkward as many times I would put Facebook before spending time with the Lord. So how silly is it for me to pray to facebook. I made a decision to not go on Facebook for a long while till my priorities are back in line. 

God is doing a total overhaul in my heart as I am feasting on the Word for hours. What a difference that makes in my heart, in my soul, in my marriage. What do you feast on?

Radical Love

What would you do to show radical love to your enemies?
What would you do to show radical Love to someone that blasts your name?
How do you show the radical Love of Jesus?
How do you live differently than nonbelievers? 
Are you persecuted for your faith? If not, why not? 

Dan and I and some friends went to a conference called Absolute disciple.  It was at a Mega church in Seoul, and the guest speakers were Francis Chan, and David Platt. What does a absolute disciple look like? How are we different from the world? Are we making disciples? After all isn't that a command of Jesus; to go into all the world and make disciples, baptising them. Hm. 

During this conference we were struck in so many ways by the Lord. The first session was amazing on Wednesday as we gathered with over 1700 people and worshiped in many different languages. So neat to experience God's presence in another country. Wow! Their customs touched out hearts deeply, but what was even better is knowing we serve the same God. They have such a passion to pray, a passion to boldly pray for their leaders in a way I have never seen before. 

The first session was on adoption. hm... really God? How we were adopted into the family of God and how adoption is a outpouring of God's work in us. How well do we care for the widows and orphans?
God hit both our hearts with a "Go" in restarting/continuing the adoption process.  We had been patiently waiting as the Lord told us to wait and be still in this area. So we did, but we so clearly heard him say, now is the time...

During the second day both Dan and I got attacked for sharing the Gospel. Wouldn't you know, the message that day was on being persecuted and joining in the fellowship of a suffering Saviour. How many of us consider it a joy to suffer? Think about how much you grow deeper in love with the Lord during suffering.... It is getting increasingly more unpopular to share Jesus in a world who shuns him. If the world hated him, how much more will they dislike us. What does this say for programs or leaders whom everyone loves?  Or evangelists who have a huge following? I still am working that one out...

The night session was on love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Hm... how do you love someone who hates you? how do you show the love of God to someone who wants nothing to do with you? What does radical love look like in this way? God told us to show someone radical love. While it was hard, and cost us greatly we obeyed. That obeying brought on so so so many questions from others cause it was out of the norm of what someone would do. 
What are you willing to sacrifice to show someone the love of God, and show your love to them? 

The last day was all about...therefore now go. Therefore is an important word here. Go is also important as many times we love to go to programs at church, and do things for the church and call that a radical faith. When was the last time we shared the Gospel? If we are commanded to go and make disciples  how many do I have? how many do you have? and if there are none, what is wrong?

If you are a follower of Christ, we have all authority in Heaven and on earth. Why do we get scared to use that authority? 

I can't even begin to explain the timeliness of this conference for us. Its been 6 months since we have been here in Korea, and so far its been harder than I could have imagined. Also so far its been more amazing than I could have imagined. We were discouraged a little from the hardness of life here, and it really awakened us back to the reality of why we are here. Wow! Thanks be to God for meeting us there, and reaffirming the call on our lives. We will go ANYWHERE you send Lord! We will suffer for YOUR name sake. We will not back down and water down the Gospel in anyway. The Word of God for the People of God is enough. We don't need new things or flashy programs, or anything other than the Word of God for the people of God. 

Lost in translation

I visited my doctor last Thursday for some issues, and while chatting something that was lost in translation was no drinks. I was greatly disturbed for a moment, and asked to clarify what he meant. It made my translator a little upset cause the doc didn't know what was going on, when i asked the clarifying question. So, no coffee for breakfast?  it took a moment for her to figure out what I was saying, she actually called the doc again to clarify. He said no coffee with sugar. Ah...

I however, had already decided it was time to give up caffeine for the many side effects I had been seeing. I wasn't abusing it, more I really enjoy the taste of it, and love the experience with friends.
This made me think: What else in my life gets lost in translation?

In relationships, do we lose what people are trying to communicate with us, and assume they said what we think we heard?   While we were support raising we learned a phrase that has helped us in so many ways over the years.
"This is what you said, this is what I heard, now, what did you mean?

Do we get wounded from words that were never intended, or wounded from thoughts that never should have been?

In our walk with the Lord, do we twist what the Lord has said to make it sound better. Do we water down the truth, so we don't get offended, or uncomfortable? is the Gospel comfort? or does the Lord require us to sacrifice our comfort in order that His name would be glorified?

What in your life is lost in translation?

Surreal

GO HUMPHREY'S!!!! 

This is what we were chanting as we cheered on our students for the first ever Camp Humphrey's High school football team.  The students have only been practicing for 3 weeks, and the team (OSAN) they were playing was the school up until this year they had attended. For everyone it was a big game, and a big moment knowing we were a small part of history. 

See photos below:

We went with some of our staff who had to sign us on. (humbling)

As I sat and cheered I couldn't help but be overwhelmed and struck with the workings of the Lord over the past year. You see, it was May 2012 (a little over a year ago) on our Asia taste and see trip we had been on this very base (OSAN) and the five of us prayed around this school and this field. I had not been back to the field since that day.

Here we were now. living here and in a community we couldn't even get into, and now here I was watching a football team that has its first year. I was struck with the provision of the Lord over the year. 

Remembering the emotions of leaving, and being still and going. I was recalling the uncertainty that we felt many times, and the transition we muddled through to get to this point. I was recalling faces of students we left, and families and friends. Sitting here at the game I had emotions of the greatness of God, sadness of leaving a home we knew for 5 years, and gratefulness of where the Lord brought us. 

Maybe this was some of the grief leaving and being replaced with more excitement of what God is going to do. Regardless of what you call it, it was a moment with my Saviour that I savoured and cherished. It all culminated into an expression of "Here I am Lord, your servant, ready to do your will"

First Prunning's of the Lord

Dan recently went through a study on bitterness and the effects it has on your relationship with the Lord. I watched him go through the process of releasing those things in his life, and in our conversations about bitterness, I realized I have some bitter roots that have yielded some growth in my heart. 

So today I started reading the study. I put the book down when I read the following statement. 

" A clue is bitterness remembers all the details." 

Hm. That statement hit me straight in the heart and I put down the book, and had to chew on it. As I was chewing I could start recalling situations. The author also talked about bitterness begins when someone sins against you. When you sin, its guilt that you feel and bitterness is usually caused by someone close to you. 

We don't get bitter from things that are way out of our circle, yes, things make you angry but not bitter. Bitter is a root that doesn't need to be cultivated, it grows on its own. The problem with bitterness it produces bitter fruit. 

I think there was a reason I did not want to read this book, cause I knew I was going to recall so many things. I never thought I had bitterness toward anyone or anything, but the Lord hit me like a hammer today. I began writing down things that I remembered all the details from and the pain that it caused. 

There is pain in bitterness even if the other person was not even aware of hurting you, or sinning against you. Its not your job to convince them, its your job to pluck the bitter root out of your heart with the God's strength and forgive. Easier said than done. I am going to take a solo day tomorrow and journal and spend time in prayer and walk with the Lord through some bitter roots. 

Here's to the journey! 

What do I filter truth through?

God keeps bringing in front of my eyes and heart the idea of truth. Through people and the Word, women's conference online... all of these things are bringing me back to truth. What do I filter truth through? Do I filter it through pain tinted glasses? Do I filter them through lies that I believe?
What lies are you believing?

Why is it so easy to believe lies? Why can't we embrace truth? Why can't we live in that truth of who we are, and what God has made us to be. Why do we as women compare ourselves to other women?
I know I am more aware of what I wear when I go to a women's conference, and women's time.  How often do we go into a room of women and look and size them up? Ok maybe its just me.

This past summer the Lord brought me through a total identity change. I feel like I was birthed into the person He has wanted me to be but I had been to scared to embrace it. Why are we fearful?
I tell you, if the Lord had not done that then, I would be a mess out here in South Korea. God's timing is perfect, and never late. So my question to you, what are you needed to be birthed through? What is it that you are holding on to, and believing lies in?  What will it take to embrace the Truth, God's truth?
What will it take to live that truth out?

Be Still and Know

It seems that we are in another lesson about learning to Be Still. This is a lesson that the Lord has brought us to and thru that past year, but we are learning it again. 

So it brought me to look at the idea of stillness. 

Noun	1.	stillness - (poetic) tranquil silence; "the still of the night" hush, still silence, quiet - the absence of sound; "he needed silence in order to sleep"; "the street was quiet" poesy, poetry, verse - literature in metrical form
	2.	stillness - calmness without winds windlessness calmness - an absence of strong winds or rain
	3.	stillness - a state of no motion or movement; "the utter motionlessness of a marble statue" lifelessness, motionlessness state - the way something is with respect to its main attributes; "the current state of knowledge"; "his state of health"; "in a weak financial state" fixedness, immobility, stationariness - remaining in place

This definition is from the free online dictionary. Do any of the above stand out to you? Hush, still, silence are all ones that stand out to me. 

The question I raise is how often do I crave the stillness, the silence or being hushed. Is being hushed a good thing? I often think of someone hushing me as a bad thing. To me it smacks at my pride of them not wanting to hear what I have to say. 

Is being still possible in this day and age? A time where everything is go go go, and we move from one thing to the next. A time where distractions abound to take our focus off the very thing that Lord is calling us to; stillness. 

Or, is stillness not thinking, not working tirelessly to figure out what in the world is the Lord doing? 

I think to, does being still make me uncomfortable? and if it does, why?

Often times in the stillness, we get uncomfortable because we are suddenly faced with who God is and who we are, and who we are not. We see that God is in COMPLETE control, and we are not. 

Does that make you uncomfortable? Does being still mean we sit on the couch and zone out? 

Does it mean the Lord is just saying, Calm child, I got this. 

NO WORRIES. 

That is another post about worrying and the lessons I am learning. 

Awaken by God to pray

With all the blessings that the Lord has given, there is also a tremendous spiritual battle going on here in Korea. Many nights, I get awaken by the Lord to pray. Pray for the Vill (the place where all the bars are, and ladies of the night) and pray for the Chaplains, and pray for the Youth. I have never experienced so much battling going on until I came here. In a land that is sending more missionaries than any other country there is definitely a spiritual strong hold here. 

Its battling for souls on the front line. So many people are lifted in prayer, and pleading with the Lord on their behalf. Many students who hate us have no idea how many times we have brought them before the Lord and begged. So its goes with many youth pastors I suppose. 

Please join us in praying for youth, youth everywhere, and youth here in Korea. Pray for their families, and the geo bachelors here that they grow in the Lord. God is doing something here, we are excited to see it. 

Blessed beyond measure.

So today is Monday, the start of the work week and for us that's no different. Our work however in this season looks a bit different.  Today, being summer, Dan and I are taking some High school students to Pyeongtaek for some coffee and racing. I am going with a student first who I can't wait to hear her story and find out more about her. What better way than at a cat cafe that serves coffee. Dan will be meeting us with other students and some staff later to go racing. Simulated racing that is.

As we have been here for 3 months, I am amazed at what the Lord has done. Wow, who knew but the Lord when we started this journey many months ago that we would be where we are now. As I reflect this morning about the Hallways we went thru and the living on faith literally it gives me great hope in what God has in store. I don't know what that is, but as I see things here in Korea now it seems as if God is moving his pieces in place and there is about to explode a community here that is so on fire for the Lord.  Chapel has been amazing each week, the building up of community and getting the family feel.  Yesterday chaps shared its not just a service that we provide, we are the church body. We need each other for our walk with the Lord, and being here in Korea.

Something about being so far removed from everything known causes you to create great community. I can't wait to see what God is doing. We are involved in a small group here, that just started. We are excited to deepen friendships, and make new ones along the way.

He has put so many amazing people in our paths already, that I am blown away by His faithfulness. I added this to our adoption blog today. This is a sample of the amazing folks around here.

hey everyone. Its been a while since I have written.  We still are hoping for Hope. WE don't know what that looks like. We don't know what the Lord is doing, but we know He is doing something. 

Saturday night we have a lovely Korean couple over to our house, and they asked us about babies.  They asked if they could pray over us, and if they could be our super prayer warriors in that department. They mentioned they had done this with a few other couples while they were in Korea, and the Lord heard them, and gave the couples a child while in Korea. 

I don't know what this all means, but I love that they want to pray. We have hope that the Lord will be faithful to what we said to us. We just don't know what that is going to look like. 

Would you pray with us as well. 

Waiting in Hope in Korea.

Bedtime

Just a note, living close to a military post offers so much, but one thing I have grown to find soothing is the sound of taps at 10pm. This is soothing for a few reasons:

1. It reminds me to go to bed.

2. It reminds me there are people fighting through the night to keep us safe.

3. It calls me to pray for the military and their family's each night.

4. A reminder of the call on our lives.

below is a sample of what taps is for those of you who don't know it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ftWerL1Wcs

Wanderings of a scattered but centered mind

I am out for some solo time walking around the ville ( American village- really not since there is night but bars and food) I have my headphones in and listening to klove and 

get the word out cd's

The first song as I walked out the door was  the Love of God that wanted to pierce through the lies. Right at that moment I happened to look down and find a rock in the shape of a heart. Not a surprise, but a surprise at the same time. You would think that after all the reminders the Lord has given I would know without a doubt how much the Lord does love. There is a story of seeing hearts of where I go, someone prayed for me on 2010. 

Living in the freedom and confidence today of whose I am.

I am also struck with the darkness of this place. I knew we would be in a fierce battle but  didn't realize how much. I am walking thru the streets listening the Gods word and praying it over where I walk. There is such a battle for the folks here. Marriages- people-students either thrive or dive here. 

Lord help us to be used for YOUR glory, and come alongside those folks who are struggling. We are yours, thank you for what you are doing even now, and the people that you have for us here. 

I was walking back and the found myself worshiping the Lord with everything I had, even singing in the streets. The Koreans looked at me funny, but I didn't care!! I wanted to shout the name of the Lord all over, and claim this area for the Lord.  

God use me, in every way you can, for your glory, and your purposes. 

I am here, ready!

What are we hiding?

Check out this photo below?

What do you notice? I am struck with a few things.
We have passed by this house numerous times each day walking to the train station. I am always struck with the sheer amount of things that are hidden (or not so hidden) behind the house. The front of the house is a wonderful clean outside. I am struck with the thought of what do we hide from others? from God?
The phrase sweeping things under the rug, well how about putting them outside out back? What are some things we shove away, refuse to deal with, hold to ourselves? I know there are lots of times I don't want to resolve conflict and sweep it under the rug. I know there are things that I want to coddle and keep as my sin pet. Sounds weird to think of it that way, but I think its true. There are sin's that we don't really think are that bad, that we keep coddling. Gossip? Gluttony? Lust?
What are the things that you continue to do that are really hard to let go of?

If you have ever watched the show hoarders, than you can see something similar to this photo. When I watch that show I want to go in and clean everything, and dump everything. But, as I think about it, do I want to do that in my spiritual life? How often do we want to go in and remove the things in the back closets that have cobwebs from years of dust, and moths. Do we believe the Lord is our Redeemer?

But also, looking at this photo, I think of memories too. I am sure each thing they own has a memory; has a story. How do I process this thought?

Do I hold on to people and memories that the Lord is telling me to let go of?   How do I think of that? Who comes to mind when I think of that? No one person comes to mind, as I dearly love so so so many.
As I am writing I also am thinking of the rats, mice, and bugs that are under all that stuff. What in my life as I hold on to things-people is secretly being overtaken with bugs and such. All of this stuff could be good, or was good at one time, but now it looks like it has overtaken the place.
Also, it could have a whole other story that I can't even think of. Before we took this photo we saw the old man shuffle in the door.

All of these thoughts are really ramblings and processing ideas. I would love to hear your continued thoughts as you think about it...