Remembering God's Promises On the Journey
Back to Africa

Wednesday, September 03, 2008







































































I've been hanging out with friends and family the last few days before I leave for Africa. I will be going on a 4 month mission trip to Swaziland and I know God is going to do amazing things! I leave tomorrow and fly to the other side of the world. It has been a interesting journey so far as I have recently left my job as a chemical dependency counselor to do this missions work and pray about the future. May God's love be shared with those in Swaziland. This is a bittersweet time of saying "goodbye" to loved ones yet I know there will be people I am to meet there. I will keep all of you in my prayers. I look forward to sharing with you the awesome things that happened while I was in Africa!
(You can all check updates at http://www.clcdayton.com/309020.ihtml)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

"I love You, I love You, I love You, I love You, I love You, I love You and my heart will follow wholly after You..." My heart sings the words of this song this morning as I sit with the Lord during devotional time today. I have entered into a time of trial and of testing I believe where the Lord is preparing me for what is ahead. I have been extremely tired but I know the joy of the Lord is my strength. I'm blessed to have friends who support me and recently two of whom have encouraged me with phone conversations, words of wisdom, and one even dropping off Christian CDs at my house today! The Lord is faithful.

I'm at a unique God-making-decisions-for-me day-by-day time in my life. Summer Semester at Regent University started Monday and I've been praying for a miracle regarding provision for tuition. I was advised to submit a letter of petition to the school requesting assistance especially as I am planning to be involved with missions work in Africa. (I'll be discovering the outcome of this in the near future and I know the Lord speaks to us both by open and closed doors...) My heart continues to break for the people of Swaziland- including those affected by AIDS, poverty, sexual violence, and the little ones who are orphaned when their parents die from AIDS. The 1st construction team from our church went for 2 weeks and returned in the beginning of May as one of our sisters in Christ from the congregation is staying in Swazi for 3 months. You can check out the blog documenting the experiences there
http://www.clcdayton.com/309020.ihtml. The 2nd team leaves next week and I'm excited to see what God accomplishes through them!
I'm on the 24th day through a 40 day devotional book
A Call To Die by David Nasser and this has proven to be a unique experience of drawing closer to God. It's brought some truths to light and continues to encourage personal growth in my life. I'm thinking I may even go through this again sometime. I'm also reading The AIDS Crisis What We Can Do by Dortzbach and Long and I'm learning more than just info on AIDS around the world... I'm seeing how people can partner together to make a difference for those suffering from the pandemic. "Over forty million people today are living with HIV/AIDS. In 2005, three million people died of AIDS, and half a million of them were children. The reality is dark. But in darkness, even one small flame of light makes a difference. And the church of Jesus Christ is bringing light into the darkness of the AIDS crisis all over the world."

As I think about the purpose of life, my very ability to take my next breath I know God has a plan. He has a plan for each person and He clearly tells us that His greatest commandment is that we would love Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength (Matthew 22:35-40). Above all, am I doing this? Before my personal desires (fill in the blanks) do I place loving God? Does David's words in Psalm 63 describe my heart?

"O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you."

Psalm 63:1,3

Lord, may You adjust my priorities as You desire so that I might put You first in all I am and in all I do. This is your only rightful place. Every time I sit may You be at the head of the table and every time I stand may my focus be upon You. Create in me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Help me to remember that I can only love You because You loved me first. As I look upon Your sacrifice may I truly consider all things a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing You Lord. Whatever that means I must let go of or whichever of my own plans that means I must not follow I am willing to do. Have Your way. You are the Way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

So much has been going on. Let's see I went on the Emmaus Walk, a spiritual retreat where I experienced God's love in powerful ways, and it was absolutely amazing. God is very faithful. From that experience the Lord spoke into my heart; Christ gave His all for me- I must give my all to Him. Before the Emmaus Walk I traveled to VA Beach, VA and visited my school, Regent University. I knew this time was supposed to be a time of seeking the Lord and His will. I had planned (key words here- me planning) to sit in on a few counseling classes to check out this route. I'm currently working towards a Masters degree in English Bible and since I started at Regent I have thought I would obtain a joint Masters degree in Community Counseling as well. Well, God had other plans. He has been speaking to me about missions, loving Him with all I am, and loving others as myself. So, even though I had appointments to meet with a professor from the School of Divinity about missions and a professor from the School of Psychology and Counseling about counseling I only ended up speaking with the prof about missions. God is always at work and I believe He is telling me to focus on what He is calling me to do now. I put it all in His hands.

I have been facilitating a women's Bible study at church- Breaking Free by Beth Moore (available at http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/). The whole study is based on Isaiah 61:1-4. It lays out five benefits of our covenant relationship with God: to know God and believe Him, glorify God, find satisfaction in Him, experience God's peace, and enjoy His presence. If we as believers in Christ are not experiencing these to the fullest some corresponding obstacles (unbelief, pride, idolatry, prayerlessness, and legalism) may be standing in our way. May God continue to work out His perfect will in each life as He breaths freedom into hearts.

I just finished reading a great book, Spiritual Discipleship by J. Oswald Sanders. It discusses the absolute sacrifice that Christ asks of a true disciple. I am personally taking many things away from this short book including: depend on the Holy Spirit, trust God, the answer is Philippians 4:13, Jesus emphasizes that no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God, living under Christ's lordship means doing what He says (Luke 6:46), and Christ is eternally worth any sacrifice I could ever make for His sake. "The key question that determines whether or not He has been given that place of authority in the life is 'Who makes the decisions?' " Also, the author quotes Robert Murray McCheyne "A glance at Christ will save, but it is the gazing at Christ that sanctifies." (p.76)

Lord, You are my Lord and Savior, my friend and Master. May You remain in Your rightful place in my life- on the throne eternally. Take control of every area of my life. I give you all of me. I withhold nothing from Your hand. You give and You take away. I submit to Your will and I ask You to indeed be my decision maker. Sanctify me, conforming me into the image of Jesus. May I be Your hands and feet to this world, sharing Your love with all who I come into contact with. In the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

God is with us. Even in the places of deep suffering and sorrow. He is there when we receive the heartbreaking news, when the tragedy hits, when we feel alone. He is there. He is here - even when you do not see, even when You do not know if the circumstance you are in will ever end or how to get through. He is the great "I AM". At church we are being led through the whole Bible and currently we are in Exodus. This is a response I wrote to the weekend's service...


Do You Hear?

They are crying
weeping, mourning
Tears overflowing
Hearts breaking
Day after day
Night
Oh the night
Darkness, emptiness, despair
Hopeless
They are alone
Lost, abandoned
Orphaned
Afraid, desperate
Do You hear them?
Everything in them screams "help!"
They are hungry
Without clothes
Without You
But You are there
You see
You know
You are
Promises of life
Hope for eternity
Strength for today
Love healing brokenness
Mercy meets sin
Power meets weakness
Faith overcomes fear
Where You are
Is here in their midst
You came to proclaim the Truth
Bring freedom
Oh rain down Your praise
Restore, renew
Release all in darkness
Display Your glory among the nations
Through Your servants

Saturday, January 05, 2008

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18
I was reminded recently that as believers in Christ we are being changed into the image of Christ. God is always at work - even through our trials, our circumstances, our feelings, and even when we cannot see. He is at work, shaping us and conforming us. His faithfulness reaches to the skies (Ps. 36:5). Who is doing this awesome work in us and Who is it that is transforming us? The Holy Spirit! We know from God's Word that the fruit of the Spirit or what the Holy Spirit brings forth is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). How perfectly Jesus Christ displays this fruit! May we follow His perfect example into this new year 2008. I am not always the perfect example for others and yes I do make mistakes. Thankfully others do not need to ultimately follow my example, but that of the Lord Jesus.
May we always point to Christ with our lives and out actions so that we may direct others to the truth of the Gospel. St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Go out and preach the Gospel, and if you have to, use words.” The awesome thing is that in light of 2 Corinthians 3:18 we are "being transformed into his likeness", the likeness of Christ, so this very truth means we are reflecting the Lord's glory more and more. As the Lord makes Himself more evident in our lives, our lives will make Him more evident. Praise God!

Wednesday, January 02, 2008