God with us

Ad-vent: n. The coming or arrival, esp of something momentous or someone awaited. Anticipation.

This is the start of the advent season. Radio stations play Christmas music non-stop and everyone puts up decorations. I was just saying to myself that I didn't want that to be my attitude about advent though. I want an attitude of anticipation for my Lord! In my heart I want to be saying "I await you my King!"
Then Jesus whispered to me "but I await you my child." This season is a reminder of the promise that God dwells with His people! Emmanuel, God with us! I'm going to approach the season in a fresh way. He is waiting for us!

Thanksgiving...

I was thinking about giving thanks to God this year... someone at work told me "it's hard to give thanks this year. My boyfriend lost his job and now I'm sick!" Bills, job loss, illness or death, difficult economy, so many things that prevent a feeling of thankfulness. But I was reminded that the first thanksgiving was celebrated in a year when 7 time more graves were dug than shelters were built. Yet they gave thanks.


As we go around the table today we list the things we are thankful for. But here is what I'm thinking....

• I'm thankful for a house and a warm place to sleep (even if it is a 100 year old piece of work), but if my house was gone I would still thank my God.
• I'm thankful for all this good food, but I know that many who are hungry today are still thankful.
• I'm thankful for wonderful family and friends, but even if I were lonely I would be thankful that my Lord is a close friend.

I have an overflow of joy today not because of circumstances, as they may be hard sometimes, but I am giving thanks for God's presence in my circumstances regardless of what they are.

Fundraising

Some days I'm so excited about how things are coming together and then other days I get bogged down in how much we have to do. Beckie and I just ran the numbers....

• 30% of my monthly expenses are raised
• 10% of my start up expenses are raised.
• We want to leave in 87 days.
• WE CAN DO THIS!!!

Just sitting....

Twice this week I have been reminded of the sisters, Mary and Martha. Do you remember this story?
Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Both Mary and Martha loved Jesus and were serving him. But Martha was overly focused on the tasks to do. This has been me too much. I'm loving and serving my Lord. But I think he has been saying to me- "Stop. Just come sit with me. Sit here. I know there is lots to do. But this is more important. Don't be distracted by the task list. Just sit at my feet."
So, now I'm working at just sitting at his feet.

New digs

Some days this thing doesn't even feel real. And other days it feels like it might actually happen. Here are some pictures of the house we are very likely to live in. We will have a guest room ...

HIV in Uganda

I don't like numbers. I especially don't like these numbers.

• Life expectancy in Uganda is 43 years old (in the United States it is 78 years old)


• 2.4 million in Ugandans are HIV positive. The majority of those affected are between 15 and 40 years old. (This is the workforce! Teachers, farmers, government officials....) Disproportionately more of those infected are women. (Mothers!)


• Roughly $18 are spent per person on health care. (It is currently $6,714 per person in the US)


• Nearly 14% of children don't live to see their 5th birthday in Uganda. (0.8% in the US)

I stopped looking at the numbers because it is hard to. Though it is easier than looking at the faces.

(All statistics can be verified on the world health org website)

Sitting on His lap

I've been thinking about intimacy with God so much this last week. I have been trying to spend more time with Him at the start of the day, getting into the bible more. But the only change I was noticing was more guilt!
Then I spent the weekend hiking. Solitude, quite, few distractions- God had my attention. I felt God encouraging me to come to Him as a child. 1 John 3:1&2 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. Go to the God of the universe as a child?! I crawled up onto my Father's lap. He held me and reminded me that He paid the sacrifice that I don't have to live with the guilt! He reminded me to enjoy life like a child. Stop worrying. Know His joy. Trust that He has only the best in store for me. And most of all stop trying to figure it all out, to understand all of this and to earn anything! What a great reminder. I want to encourage you to climb up into your Heavenly Father's lap and hear Him say to you how much He loves you too!

Nordhouse

We were hiking in the dunes again this weekend. It is such a great place to listen to God speak. Surrounded by His creation, quiet, few distrations....

There is nothing like waking up a 5 in the morning and being so cold you have to get up and huddle by the fire. Its a great time to ponder life (and the lack of circulation in your toes.) I love it when God speaks and reassures me. And when I'm warmed more by Him than the fire.

12 weeks!!!

Whoa!! So I'm face deep in fundraising, fundraising, fundraising...Seems like I'm not very good at this, I'd rather go work a 12 hour shift with 70 H1N1 patients than spend all day with phone calls, e-mails, letter writing and appointments. Here is the crazy thing, I love seeing the way God is going ahead of me, preparing the way. He has me meet and talk to people by divine appointment. And I remind myself every day that I'm not asking for money. I'm inviting others to join me in the work that God is doing. I like that perspective better. So, back to work. I may be calling you soon to join me....