The Truth of Who You Are

A family member of mine sent me this e-mail a while back and I was so encouraged by it. May you read it and start your 2011 and new decade with purpose and standing for truth.
<3 Gina
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What would it take to get you to do what you think you cannot do? What dream, what purpose, what goal will inspire you to engage with life more fully than you ever have?

What is so important to you that it will have you ignoring all the enticing distractions? What is so desirable and compelling that it will have you running out to embrace each new challenge?

Your life can be whatever you most sincerely and passionately want it to be. You are the living, growing, ever-evolving expression of the unique and wonderful you.

You are here on this day, in this place, to live the richness. You are here right now to choose a particular flavor of richness that will energize your whole world through you.

Remember how good it can feel to be you, and let that feeling lead you to your most sincere purpose. As you focus awareness on that purpose, it spreads outward and illuminates life in its own beautiful way. What will it take to make you unstoppable? Nothing more, nothing less than the undeniable truth of who you are and who the Lord wants you to be. Listen to the Lord and his wisdom and you will have more fulfillment than you have ever experienced!

Flame of fire

You know the feeling you get when you look deep into someone's eyes? It makes you feel like you can see their soul, their heart and know everything about them. There's a feeling of peace because no matter what you are comfortable with being so close and in tune with that person. This is exactly how the Lord is teaching me to look at Him.

"But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love..." Psalm 33:18

Imagine staring at the creator of the universe in the eyes. Opening yourself up and looking deep in His fiery eyes...it makes everything else fade away. All that matters is the flame you see. The world makes sense in that moment. At that moment your relationship with Him becomes more than a to do list, but it becomes intimate. It goes from serving a master to loving a father and a husband. In that moment you want nothing more than for His will to be done. You finally realize life is more about others than yourself.

You know you want to stay in that moment forever. You become lovesick thinking about that moment ending, but the thing is, it doesn't have to end. Like two lovers staring into each others eyes, never wanting to let go of the embrace, God is holding on to you. Promising to never let you go.

God is challenging me to take Him out of the box, to see Him differently than ever before. What do you see when you look at God? Let's take time to discover who our lover is. Once we become focused on the only thing that matters, everything else will fall in place. His timing. His will. Let's forget about religion. Let's focus on love. When love conquers all, it will make it through the storms, it will delight in the good times and never let go.

He is faithful to His Word. Remember that when you are in the desert place.

Internship

I have not written a blog in a while, but here I am, about to update you on my life over the past month and a half. I graduated from GET in August. The 9 week course I took while in Kuala Lumpur totally changed my world view and I'm excited to use my knowledge and give my life to a cause greater than my own.

My internship placement is in Kota Kinabalu (KK), Malaysia. I am working with a local church that sponsors a private school for refugee children. These children are not able to get an education by the Malaysian government, so this school is their only chance for an education.

I am teaching English twice a day, 5 days a week. The children range from ages 4-16. They are absolutely beautiful!!! My expectations upon arriving to KK were that I would have a full schedule serving in the church and the school, but the Lord had a different plan for me. Since arriving the Lord has taught me that my time here is not about a "to do" list or get a ton of projects done, but it is a time to rest in Him, build relationships and just love on people.

For someone as hyperactive as I, this is a very difficult thing to do. My schedule book is normally full and I'm running to and fro, but in this season the Lord is teaching me patience and preparation for my future. I appreciate your prayers and continual support. A verse the Lord has laid on my heart since my time here in Malaysia is Psalm 82:3-4,

"Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

It has already been a month since I've been here in KK and I'm finally starting to find my niche. I have begin making friends and started a cell group with the women in the local church. Slowly and surely God is using me; it doesn't always feel that way, but I know I am part of a big plan, and this season in my life is just a puzzle in the grand scheme of things. Again, thanks for all the prayers.

With love,

Gina, G-Boo, Gene, Gina Lou, McBizzle

PEACE <3

In a land far far away...

As one of the GET class assignments we studied orality. Over 60% of the world's population is illiterate. How then, are we able to communicate? Through songs...parables...dances...and dramas.

Enjoy this cluster of song parables from yours truly: In a land far far away...

Xin chao!

Traveling to the land of rice fields, motorbikes, noodles, heat and coffee was an incredible experience. While in Hanoi, Vietnam I was able to see several different aspects of the culture. I visited the jail where Americans (including John McCain) were held captive during the war, a traditional Vietnamese water puppet show, a language class, a music school and orphanage.

This 5-day trip totally changed my perspective on life. As a westerner, I have had the privilege of growing up in a safe, big and nurturing home. I have every technological advance at my fingertips. Growing up in a society that focuses on material-ism we often forget how to build relationship. When is the last time you sat down without TV, radio, internet and news and had a deep, meaningful talk with family or a friend?

I truly desire to become a relationship builder. I want to get past the surface level with people. I want to know their desires, goals and thoughts on life. Isn't that the life that Jesus had? While in Vietnam I noticed this is the life people live. They are comfortable sitting at dinner for hours in deep conversation. What is it inside of us that is scared to reveal our true selves and get past the surface level?

I enjoyed watching the traditional water puppet show. The musicians were talented and made me feel a part of the history of Vietnam. The water puppets would dance on top of the water and tell a story in Vietnamese history.

The children at the music school performed for us. Afterwards we performed songs for them. The children were filled with so much happiness and love. I can honestly say Vietnamese children are some of the most beautiful children in the world.

One morning the team got to go to a language class learning Vietnamese. This 2 1/2 hour class was very challenging but I learned a lot. I have adopted a new Vietnamese name, Song, which means River. I take this as a symbolic gesture that I am a representation of the life of Jesus.

The children at the orphanage were ages 6-15. In the past I have dealt with younger kids at orphanages so planning lessons and activities for older children was difficult. The first day the children were very hesitant and didn't really connect with the team. The second day we felt a real connection with the children. We had a time of storytelling then we let the children act out the sto

ry as a drama and then had a craft that related to the activity.

My whole experience in Vietnam was pleasant. Although the heat was unbearable I never seemed to think how uncomfortable I felt but how much I loved the people.

I made a video from my time in Vietnam, please check it out: Hanoi, Vietnam

The difference of ONE

A reoccurring thought in my mind throughout this course was the difference one person made. Studying the lives of past missionaries such as Amy Carmichael, John Sung, David Livingston, Hudson Taylor, John G. Paton, and many more have encouraged me more than ever that God has a call on each and every life and wants to see it fulfilled.

Doubts, fears and confusion can enter our minds to stop us from having vision. Habakkuk 2:2 states “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” What happens when we lose vision for our lives? The thief will come to steal, kill, and destroy. It’s what he does best. I am positive each of the missionaries I mentioned earlier had worries and uncertainties, but they maintained vision.

How can we acquire vision? It is our desires or God’s desires that we must fulfill? When we come into communion with God his vision becomes our vision, his desires become our desires, and his heart becomes our heart. Under this communion we are able to ask the Lord what our plan is in His will. His last command in Luke 16: 15-16 must become our first priority. “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

I am one, but in Christ I am a conqueror. Alone I can do nothing, but in Christ I can do everything. Did each of these missionaries know the impact they would have on the world? No, but they had a vision, ran with it, and saw nations come to Christ. No matter what the enemy throws at us, we can stand up and say “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken” Psalm 62:1-2.

Amy Carmichael saw 1,000 children come out of slavery and prostitution in India, John Sung lead the Asian awakening, David Livingston made important geographical studies in Africa, Hudson Taylor helped with the sick in China, John G. Paton lead a whole island to know Christ, and now it is our turn to make a difference in the world. Do not say, “I am only one, I can do nothing” but rather say, “I am the one who is willing to lay down my life and make a difference.”

Throw down fears of language barriers, unfamiliar circumstances, food and understanding of culture. May our minds expand and see people the way God sees people. May our hearts’ break for what His breaks’ for. A quote by Hudson Taylor says, “Why should anyone hear the gospel twice if people haven’t heard it once?” Allow God’s vision manifest in us that we may share the heart of God for all people, all nations and all tongues.

For I know my life is not my own.

A South African Missionary's Translation of 1 Cor. 13

If I have the language perfectly and
speak like a native
and have not His love,
I am nothing.

If I have diplomas and degrees and know
all the up-to-date methods,
and have not His touch of understanding love,
I am nothing.

If I am able to argue successfully against
the religions of the people and make fools
of them and have not His wooing note of love,
I am nothing.

If I have all faiths and great ideals
and magnificent plans
and not His love that sweats
and bleeds and weeps and
prays and pleads,
I am nothing.

If I give my clothes and money
to them and have not love for them,
I am nothing.

If I surrender all prospects. Leave home
and friends and make the sacrifices
of a missionary career and then turn
sour and selfish amid the daily
annoyances and slights of the missionary life,
then I am nothing.

If I can heal all manner of sickness
and disease but wound hearts and hurt feelings
for want of His love that is kind,
I am nothing.

If I can write articles and publish books
that win applause but faith to transcribe
the word of the cross into the
language of His love,
I am nothing.