More Lessons!

the roomie & I went to a real football (soccer) CIU Rams game

Our boys did a GREAT job

We won 5-0 :)

So my previous post was on 4 lessons I learned in Peru and I have 4 more I would like to share with you. But before I do allow me to tell you what the Lord has been up this past week in my life and in the lives of many others at CIU (Columbia International University).

This past week was Christian Life Week, which basically means in our chapels and all week long the focus is on the basic truths of the Christian Life. Well this week we had a wonderful speaker, Dr. Charles Price a pastor from Canada, he spoke on the truths and the Lord spoke through him right to the students at CIU.

 All week the Lord was speaking to me about how I cannot just sit back and do nothing yet I cannot do it all. So very sinfully I got fed up and threw my hands in the air and said "Ok, I'm done, I don't know how to balance it all. You show me." Oh and did He ever! Hahaha! That day I got a phone call from a friend, who I worked with this summer. They so kindly reminded me of the 5 things we agreed to do at the beginning of the summer or as Inca Link calls it "our contract." These 5 things shapes who we are and help us in the way we look at life.
And they are:
1. Give a 110% - give all you've got then a little more and what you can't give God will

2. Be here now - pay attention to what you are doing in the now and don't be thinking about the future because it will come and you might miss what God is doing.

3. Challenge by choice - there will be things that you will not want to do, it might be rude not too or it might be something simple but what would happen if you did it or didn't do it? (For example: I do not like heights but this summer I had the opportunity to do a high ropes course and one of my friends wanted to go. So I chose my challenge and went with her. I really enjoyed it because she was such a good encouragement to me but what would have happened if I never went on the course? Would I regret it?)

4. Choose Joy - (I love this one!) No matter what the circumstance whether hard & difficult or easy & enjoyable, CHOOSE JOY. It can be so hard at times but it is in those times I need to choose joy the most and it is the most rewarding.

5. Love covers all - Be like Jesus who loves without limit. "Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12)."

So once reminded that this contract is a daily process and as a follower of Jesus who is trying to imitate Him, its an honor do these things. I went to chapel only to heard Dr. Price talking about how there is a balance in the Christian Life, its not just God doing it all nor it is just me. And I can always trust that He will be doing His part, now the question becomes will I do mine? ... Yes.


(The rest of the lessons from Peru to come next time... :)

Lessons!

Baaaa! When I heard that word as a kid I usually ran. Haha. I never liked going to school because I always wanted to be outside playing. In school we are taught lessons upon lessons but when God is your teacher ... well then it is best you pay close attention, after all He is the best teacher and can use things you enjoy to teach you! This summer, as you might imagine, God taught me quite a few lessons. Today I would like to review a few of those lessons with you.


1. He will provide and take care of me. I learned this through raising support for the summer and also during the whole summer. There were times while raising support, I thought "There's no way He is going to do this", then He would show off and surprise me with a wonderful gift. Also during the summer I was so tired, spiritually, mentally and emotionally but then He would graciously give me strength, give me rest or send some one to help me. In those moments I could not be more thankful, like a weight lifted from my shoulders and cold drink put in my hand.

Me and Maddy (a intern & best friend)

2. Give freely. During the summer I met a woman who gave freely as the Lord has given to her. The woman's husband told us a story of when they were first married. She gives away her things as she sees the Lord leading her. Well her husband asked her about this and tried to tell her that she cannot keep giving away all of her things because he is going to have to replace them. The woman kindly informed her husband that God will always replaced the things He lead her to give away. And sure enough over time the items she gave away God gave back to her.
The Lord reminded me that all of my things are not mine but His and He desires to use them for His glory.

Meylin, Brittany & Me

3. Leadership comes with sacrifice. Oh there were so many times when I had an agenda and was going to get it done. But then I began to realize that it is not about me or my silly agenda. I needed to lay it down and look out for the group's interest, not my own. I had ample opportunities to do this, whether I was looking out for a short term team or for the interns. And interestingly enough I learned it from the other interns who would bring it up during morning devotionals and where doing just that, they would sacrifice in order to serve one another.

Top left: John, Matt, Gideon, Lisa. Bottom Left: Catie, Marion, Brittany, me & Natalie (All the Interns minus Maddy & plus Lisa Merritt

4. Servant Leadership really just means SERVANT. For so long I've tried to be a leader, to take charge, state my opinion and often led in pride. However being a leader looks nothing like I thought. I have decided to stop calling it "leadership" or being a "leader" but start calling it being a "servant". As I read John 13:1-17 (Jesus washing the disciples feet) & 16:17 (Jesus telling the disciples about what is to come) - 17:26 (Jesus praying before He dies) I saw my Lord acting out how we should live and doing so in such humility. If we are wanting to know how to be leaders, we should consult the One who was the best leader, rather Servant. As simple as that may sound, it was rather profound to me because I have never thought of it this way before.

The Asian Canadians

One more (and then some)

(I found this old post that never got published so here it is. Its from the second week in July)

Hey y'all

Well it was my turn to lead a team (with Gideon) last week. They were a team of 5 so it was nice because we got to share testimonies each night during debrief and devotionals were extra personal. Maybe photos will come soon. But they were really cool and a blessing to lead. There were 2 married couples and a sweet single young lady. They got so much work done, somehow the Lord always blesses the smaller teams with double the amount of work. So to say the least the orphanage is coming a long nicely and hopefully will be ready very soon.

But in order to keep it from doing so the enemy is attacking it  hard core. We have all experienced it in some way or form. Its hard but in God's grace our team of interns is staying strong and praying often, very often. They make fun of me for always suggesting prayer for everything. Hahaha. But its true, we've got to talk to God before we do anything.

Ok so just a little clarification, Joca leads the outdoor ministry, not Ignacio and Meylin. I believe I have said that earlier and just wanted to make that clear, since Joca has now become a good friend of mine and teases me about making that little mistake. Ignacio is the president of Inca Link Peru and does an amazing job. Meylin is his beautiful cute little wife who has a powerful relationship with the Lord.

Here are some pics I took with Joca's go pro camera this week of us sandbording and skimboarding, he edited them and all the glory goes to God:

Now back in September, I thought I would show y'all some more photos of me sandboarding that Joca took: