Driven by desires

Sacrificial living. Does that include giving up on our desires?

I've just been hit with the reality that ultimately we only have one life, it's happening right now. I pictured my life serving God to look a bit different at 24 years of age... Do i hold off and wait for the things i desire to happen? Or do i run into God's arms, laying everything at His feet and let Him lead me, trusting His ways as perfect?
You'd think it'd be a no brainer.. But that stepping out and letting go has been incredibly hard for me. Up until now i've taken little steps of faith and now God is asking me to leap out- to show my faith and trust.. Am i ready? Well it doesnt really matter if i think i am or not, because as i leap with the littlest thread of faith i have, i already know God's got me.

"...and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17

I'm currently at a crossroads. All ways look bumpy, exciting and challenging. No way looks particularly appealing in the eyes of this world. But which ever way i go, i know it has to be done in Jesus' name.. And that means laying down the desires i've held on to for so long. Literally giving them up. God's got me though, and while i may be grieving these desires now, there is a bright light ahead. I'm going in Jesus name, there is no better place for me to be right now.

So my challenge to you is this: look at the things that are driving your life.. Are you driven by desires or by God? It might be subtle so ask God to reveal the things that you are holding on to. And then...lay them at the foot of the cross and get ready!! He loves you and has a plan for your life. He delights in using us, so lets go, with rejoicing and cheer!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and He will make your paths straight"- Proverbs 3:5-6

Peace out!
Xx

May Mission's Month- A purposeful prayer

As many of you know, the wonderful Beeck family recently experienced a miracle (read here!) and read their blog here for a bit more background! It's very exciting that they get to stay another month in the country with the people they've been called to, but they're not out of the woods yet.

The problem is that every two years the teams registration in Mozambique has to be renewed.. While they have applied for renewal at the earliest they possibly could (last week), this process has been known to take up to a year to complete! Now, the Beecks visa can't be granted until the registration is renewed. Their visa is set to expire on the 29th May so the team has sent out this prayer request:

So that the Beecks (and the rest of the team) can be secure in Mozambique for another 2 years, please be praying for the whole month of May that our registration process that normally takes one year...will take one month...and be complete before the 29th of May...thanks


We've seen God work miracles before and we know he can and will hear our prayers so let's join together as senders and the sent in praying for this!

Trust and Obey

Well i'm in the last few days of my quick trip to malawi. It's been a blast being back with the team from mozambique. It's that feeling when you return to family and while things are different, it's still the same. The past three months in perth could easily have been a holiday and now i'm back 'home'. Only i'm not home.. I haven't even nearly come close to the place where i spent the majority of my time last year.

Maybe i still need to work out this idea of home?

Maybe, just maybe, it's a reminder that i'll only truly be home when i'm in the presence of God eternally... 

So why did i come for such a short time? What was the point? Practically- it was to assist with looking after the children while a conference for the team was being held in Malawi. But there is more than that. It's about being obedient... And that's something i'm only just learning now. Obedience means following Christ even when we don't know where he'll lead us. We need to listen and obey. Trust in God and step out in faith. 

He knows what he's doing and is sovereign in all situations. I have to remember this. Even when i'm in this stalling stage, not knowing where i'll be going next. 

It's definitely a new season now...

Lists...

I am so good at writing lists.

This is what i have learnt after 4 weeks of bible college.

Every night i get home and write down everything i have to do. The problem is, while i'm awesome at writing these long lists, i absolutely have no skill in crossing things off.

A week ago after a lecture i decided to start my essay. I got books out from the library, found a quiet area and wrote a list of what i needed to do to accomplish this goal.
I did get to cross off the "borrow books from the library"... but then it got tricky. The next thing on the list was to read the books...
i love reading and all but i tell you what, in the hour and a half that i tried to get through one lousy chapter, the worlds most distracting things happened all around me at once... continuously... for real. And as soon as i put the book down the world was quiet again. Bizarre.
Third thing that was on the list. Write the essay.... well that ain't gona happen if i haven't read the chapters.. so i skipped to the fourth thing on the list which was.... take a break! Sweet.

Well i guess in this scenario i did ok because i was able to cross 50% of my list off!

But still, i'm sure you understand me. Or maybe you don't. Maybe i'm the only one who struggles crossing things off their lists!

Perhaps if i didn't have the internet on my computer with distractions like this blog, or Facebook, or email, i'd actually get work done.
I'd put that suggestion on my list, but we all know what would (or wouldn't) happen then!

Oh dear, and now it's too late to work on my current list... will have to write a longer one for tomorrow instead..

G'night all!
:)

Belonging...

Right now i am in Melbourne, sipping on an iced chocolate frappe in my hotel room after spending an amazing day with an awesome bunch of like minded people exploring the idea of contextualisation of the gospel in different cultural settings. I still have three more days to go of this course, and yet already the past two sessions have flipped some of my views and challenged my thoughts greatly. You'd think i'd have done enough of this already lately- but turns out i still have SO MUCH to learn... about missions, about Yawo (and other) cultures, about God... It is certainly making me think more, and the more i do, the more passionate i become about wanting to go and work cross culturally. And that freaks me out a tiny bit. On one hand i am loving what i'm learning and want to use this in a practical sense, and on the other hand i don't know what that will look like; as a single young woman... as a student...with no specific skills as such... and i'm sure there are heaps of other factors that weigh in! i know it's ok to not know the future and we can find peace in that, but what happens if we're passionate or have a desire for something and it doesn't seem feasible for where we are at, at this present time and possibly in the future as well?

I'm afraid i'm doing a bit of deep-thinking at the moment. It's probably got a lot to do with my recent experience of the term "belonging". When i left the team in Mozambique i knew i no longer would 'belong' there. I am no longer experiencing life with them. I love the team, i love a lot of the people who live there and i loved learning about and being in the culture. Now though, my life is in Perth. But then trying to fit back in and belong in Perth is a struggle too. Of course i'm surrounded by gorgeous friends and family and am so grateful for that... But how do i adjust and belong here as i did just last year?
Maybe that is not possible? Maybe you can't just slot back into your old position once you've changed and everything around you has changed as well.

I feel homesick. But where is my home? Mozambique? Malawi? Australia?

But even in this very slight struggle i'm dealing with now as i learn to readjust to this new season i am in, i recognise i am very blessed and really have nothing to complain about. And i've only been out of the country for 9 months- what is that time in the scheme of things? Nothing really. "Suck it up" I can almost hear people say to me! I read friends posts who are living in such different cultures to their own and hear what they have to deal and cope with and i am so encouraged by their perseverance. We can learn so much from these people and it's a joy to see the strength and courage God gives them as they daily surrender to Him. It makes me sing with joy knowing God is bigger than us all. That Jesus has gone before us and has given us hope. That we can share His love, His grace, His mercy, healing and power with those around us. That we can speak to Him and that the Holy Spirit will intercede for us and make our prayers known. That he hears our cries. Hallelujah!

1 Peter 2:9 
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light

Hmm maybe i need to rethink my whole idea of what belonging means.. see i told you i have so much to learn!!!!!


Thanks for reading...

Adjusting!

On Sunday my plane landed in Perth (a whole hour early!!). It was great to be greeted by some close friends and family and be on good ol' aussie soil again.

I have to admit it's taken a bit of adjusting though as i move from one culture to another...

I went to the shops and parked my car, rolling down the window to ask the next egg man i saw to pass me a tray of eggs.. Only there was no one around...Not even fifty people on bicycles riding past! I walked inside to get some bananas and started chatting to one of the ladies in the fruit section. She didn't appreciate the greeting or the proclamations of friendship at all, and walked away when i told her which bundle i wanted... 

When i went to check out the next part of the store i saw a white person and yelled out "Uzungu" assuming it must have been someone i knew. 

It wasn't...

They turned around, as did everyone around me and stared.. it was awkward so i put my capalana over my face and kept on walking hoping to blend in with the crowd. 

I went up to the checkout counter and began my bargaining banter. The man was a tough one to crack that's for sure. I didn't think it was fair that i was doing his business such a favour by buying all these items and he wasnt budging on the price! Everyone knows they are Uzungu prices! He wasn't even throwing in an extra wooden spoon, keyring or anything! But i bought it all anyway because i've never been very good at the whole bartering thing and to be honest it doesn't bother me anyway. Though next time i may try the Coles and see if i can get a better deal. 

I shoved my change back into my africa pocket and put the shopping in my basket and onto my head, and off i went. 

Well one thing that hasn't changed is that people still stare a lot. I don't know if i'll ever work out why. Maybe it's my bad portuguese? 

I think i'm adjusting quite well for the most part. Although maybe i shouldn't tell you about the drive home!

Joking aside, I am missing the team greatly and it has been a bit strange trying to fit 8 or so months of catch up into three days so far. I have major jet lag that i didn't expect and am still trying to fight off some sickness i've been carrying around for a week. I have a pile of mail to sort through and many things to prepare for. Life suddenly became fast and i'm not sure i'm ready for it! Thankfully God's got me and He is ready and will give me the strength to handle it!

Thanks for reading! I'll be keeping this blog for the time being. Stay tuned to hear what i'll be doing this year!

Here are a few things i'm missing... In no order and certainly not an extensive list. That will require another blog post... 

My friends who don't mind me joining in their games as i walk past them each wednesday... 

The famous gap in the trees....letting us know Lichinga is near :) 

Casa de Wagin, with Banjo posing out the front. My home in Lichinga.