Summer plans

Lots of things going on this summer! Here's a quick update:

1. I'm going to start teaching an English class at the refugee apartments. I think this will be a lot of fun and a great way to meet people, but also kind of a big commitment. We have a group of about 15 volunteers who all want to teach which is awesome. We are still trying to work out the details, curriculum, etc. and it's a little overwhelming. The classes are set to begin the week of June 4. I think it will definitely be trial by fire but should prove to be pretty entertaining.

2. Going to India! I'm going to India July 21-29 with the Stone and I can't wait!! I finally got my support letters sent out and so far I've raised $700. woohoo! Only $1,900 more to go. We will be staying in Delhi and working at the Good Samaritan School. Here's a short video that tells the awesome story of how the school got started: http://www.hopechest.org/india/. If you would like to support our team, you can do so here! https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=9cd900.

3. Selling my condo. I've been renting out my condo for the past five months and it's worked out really well. The lease is up at the end of June though and I've been trying to decide what to do next. I think the market in Austin is doing pretty well these days, so I think I've decided that I'm going to sell it in July. I don't really have plans to move back to it and I'm worried that my next tenant might not be so great. I am convinced that realtors are a giant scam and completely unnecessary, so I'm going to attempt to sell it myself. I mean I didn't use a realtor to buy it, so why do I need one to sell it? But obviously this will require some extra time and research.

4. Where will I live? Speaking of leases, the owner of the house I'm currently living in has agreed to let us stay till the end of August, which is super sweet. (They also want to sell the house.) So Brittney and I have been trying to decide where to move next. How awesome is it that we still want to live together?! Our 3rd roommate Court is dreaming of moving overseas and teaching English, so we may be in the market for a 3rd roommate. Please pray that God will give us clear direction in this!

5. Going to Washington. My work has agreed to let me go to D.C. for a few days to do a public speaking training. I love D.C.! I think I'm gonna go in a couple weeks. So that should be fun.

6. Direction for my missional community. I feel like we have some changes coming up for my community group which is exciting but can also be scary. I'm definitely praying that God will give me wisdom in that.

Those are the big things coming up. Should be fun but can also be overwhelming. Just praying and trusting the God will give me clear direction. Thank you for your prayers!

The Lord is my stronghold

I am grateful that for all the strongholds that have attempted to keep me down over the years, the LORD has been my ultimate stronghold and refuge! He is stronger than every other power and in HIM nothing can defeat you.

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life," Psalm 27:1

Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ You have said, “Seek  my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
⁹ Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
¹² Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!

Listening to God

Had an awesome time praying with Brittney this morning. We've been doing a lot of praying together this week over some upcoming decisions. Can I just say it is AMAZING to have a roommate that you can pray with? I mean REALLY pray with- not polite before-Sunday-brunch prayers, but face-on-the-floor-please-help-me-with-this-struggle-and-show-me-what-to-do-prayers. If you don't have a prayer partner like this, I highly recommend it.

We read some Scripture and then did some listening prayer. Listening prayer is sort of new to me but I'm a big fan. Basically you read some Scripture, ask God a question and then you just quiet your mind and listen for at least 20 minutes or so. Keep a journal and write down whatever comes into your mind. Sometimes He answers, sometimes He doesn't. Sometimes He changes your question.

This morning my heart wanted to know about my husband. I say my husband because I do in faith believe that God knows who my husband is. He's already ordained it. It's just His timing as to when this person will actually become my husband. I know He has it all planned out.

The problem is I'm pretty impatient and not a huge fan of waiting. The other problem is that my biological clock has been in overdrive since I turned 29. It is a difficult thing to literally feel like your body is in a war with your spirit and screaming at you "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR."

So, this leads to a lot of questions. Why is it so difficult? Why is it taking so long?

So that's what I asked, albeit phrased a bit more politely. And this is what He gave me.

"Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him, and He will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices."
Psalm 37:3-7

I realize this passage wasn't written about husbands or dating, but it IS about trust and patience, and really, that's what I need more than anything.

I wanted to know about my circumstances, but I think God wanted to remind me that He's more concerned about my heart. He wanted to remind me that I can trust Him, in whatever circumstance. And that was highly comforting.

So I'll continue waiting, realizing that the goal is not to change my circumstances but to trust in the Lord, delight in the Lord, and commit my way to the Lord, regardless of any circumstance. Because that kind of faith cannot be shaken.

Waking up empty

I woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed. It's a familiar feeling. I had another crazy week with work, friends, missional community, tennis, etc.

Don't get me wrong, it was an awesome week. The highlight was definitely on Thursday when Widad, one of the Iraqi women from the refugee apartments, came to my missional community group! Our group is going through the book of Acts. It was awesome to hear her story and what she knows about Jesus. We really had an awesome time together.

I spent time with friends, I made some new friends, and I even spent some time serving God this week. The problem is that I really didn't spend much time with God. The result is always the same- burnout. I woke up empty.

A friend invited me to his church this morning and I almost went but decided to stay home instead. Do I really need to go to two church services today? (I'm going to my church tonight.) I needed to spend some time with God.

I spent some time in the Bible and prayed and went for a walk and was starting in on my long list of chores when I got a text from one of the sweet girls in my missional community saying she was praying for me and to let her know if there was anything she could pray for.

I wrote her back and said that I was feeling very overwhelmed and to please pray that I would rely on God's strength and not my own.

She wrote me back and said "I hope you will feel loved by Him knowing that I felt burdened to pray for encouragement/strength/perseverance for you this morning. You have such a big heart for the lost. I'm praying that you'll be able to rest in Him and His strength."

So then I started bawling. (Burnout symptom #2)

But really it was because her message DID make me feel loved by Him, and that was what I needed more than anything.

A couple weeks ago, our pastor preached on the Sabbath and how God commands us to take a day off and rest in HIM. Our demonstration of Sabbath actually gives us the opportunity to show with our life how we view God. You're either demonstrating that you have to work to secure your future or you're showing that you trust God to secure your future.

I think you're also showing what you value. Whether it's work, friends, relationships or even serving, nothing can fill you up and replenish your soul like God can. You have to spend time with Him, or you will end up empty.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." I Peter 5:6-7