But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
Philippians 3:20-21
If there were one thing I could change on my passport it actually wouldn't be the photo, even though I wish I would have been allowed to smile. :)
I wish it would say somewhere -- and preferably in large, bold letters -- that Katie Dinwiddie is a citizen of Heaven. Anywhere else I am a stranger.
Malawi has been a good reminder that I am indeed a stranger.
One step into a village or market and it's just as if the circus has come to town.
The other week ago my housemate and I were driving our gardener to his hut. When we arrived to his village, a ton of children surrounded our car all saying, "Azungu, azungu, azungu!" (Translation: White people, white people, white people!) They followed us all the way to the hut, repeating this again and again. At some point I decided to have a little fun, and when another "Azungu" came out of their mouths I jerked around, laughed, pointed at myself, and said "Mzungu" (singular form). They laughed and laughed. I'm not sure if it's because they weren't expecting it, or if it's because I sounded funny when I said something in Chichewa. . . or, maybe they were laughing at me for the same reason my "Malawian mother" was -- and I never found out why.
Some of the kids asked one of my friends here if they could see her belly, thinking that since "Azungu" are so pale, they would be able to see our intestines through our skin. :)
And then there was the day I pulled into the petrol station and handed the worker kwacha (Malawi currency) to fill the car and he looks at me like I'm crazy -- "We're out of petrol. I can't fill your car." I guess petrol shortages sometimes happen here? I didn't know. . . and I still don't understand why there are so many different reasons people give when I ask why there is no petrol! Did the president really use it all to fuel his private jet like the newspapers said, or is there a more believable explanation?
And then there was the time while I was teaching math that I discovered that California's thunder is indeed fake. As real thunder cracked the African sky I was a stranger to that, too. My students laughed and laughed at the look on my face while I tried to process what I was hearing: "Miss Dinwiddie, we're not getting attacked. You must be one of those teachers from San Diego. This is just thunder." It was. . . and it was a great opportunity to talk about how even if we were under attack we still would have hope in Jesus, our Righteousness!
Oh, I have more -- you'd better believe it. . . but I think you get the picture.
I'm a stranger. And, since school is out for holidays and I have had a lot of time to spend thinking about it, I've felt a wave of homesickness.
But this is a good wake-up call! These are feelings that should be familiar to me living on earth as a citizen of heaven. People not understanding me and laughing at me -- not necessarily because of culture, but rather because God hasn't chosen yet to shine in their hearts to give the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6) -- so yes, I do seem foolish to them. My lack of understanding -- not necessarily in cultural matters, but spiritual things: now I see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Cor 13:12). Homesickness -- longing to be with my Heavenly Father in the new Jerusalem. . . .
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:2-4)
Lord, because of Jesus I'm a citizen of heaven, so help me to seek the things that are above, where he is. Help me to set my mind on things that are above, and not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Stevie
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Psalm 98:4
We were jumping rope with the kids at Chitipi Orphanage, and my little friend Stevie turned the jump rope into a mic. He's gonna make a sweet Christian rapper someday! Check it out:
Please pray for the children at Chitipi, that Jesus Christ would be their everything and utterly satisfy them with his beauty and love!
We were jumping rope with the kids at Chitipi Orphanage, and my little friend Stevie turned the jump rope into a mic. He's gonna make a sweet Christian rapper someday! Check it out:
Please pray for the children at Chitipi, that Jesus Christ would be their everything and utterly satisfy them with his beauty and love!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Glimpses of a Weekend in Nkhoma
"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
The LORD, the One who made heaven and earth - who placed the stars in the heavens, who put the clouds in the sky, who created the land we step on, who breathed into man the breath of life - is the mighty, powerful, faithful, and compassionate One who attends to the needs of His own.
This mighty LORD, the God who made heaven and earth, the Holy one, provided a way for sinners to have sweet communion with Him through the gift of His, precious, perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
I lift my eyes to the hills, and am reminded of the Maker of those hills. All the help I need is given to me by Him through the person of His Son Jesus Christ, Savior and Friend of Sinners. . .
This weekend some of the ABCCA teachers went camping with the high school students in Nkhoma, a little less than an hour's drive from the academy. We enjoyed spending the weekend in the middle of the hills, surrounded by His creation.
We hiked up His mountains. . .
Met friends. . . .
Were reminded that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. . .
Enjoyed being satisfied in Him and all that He is for us in Christ Jesus. . .
"Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgements are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD. "
"How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light." Psalm 36:5-9
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Thank You, Lord, for Your Word.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130
Thankful
for the Word of God.
I was so humbled to learn that the village we have been teaching in has only four Bibles.
My heart broke. . . Four Bibles for the entire village. At this point I don't know how many people live in the village, but I do know that we have had around seventy children participating in Saturday Bible lessons. Four Bibles for more than seventy people!
The solution seemed so easy. The village just needed some more Bibles! Then the people could feed their hungry souls and fill themselves with every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. It seemed like a good plan to me. . . until I realized that the majority of the village is illiterate.
This has been so hard to swallow as I think about all the times that I'm constantly being convicted and exhorted and strengthened and encouraged and comforted by the Word of God. We are told that it is pure, it convicts, it sustains, it remains, and hearing comes through it. . .
"The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6)
"The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3)
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
Pray
that we would love God's Word more and more and never take it for granted.
for those who don't have Bibles and/or who don't know how to read.
for arrangements being made for those in the village to attend reading lessons.
that God would be exalted above the heavens, and that His glory would be over all the earth!
-----
A puritan prayer from the Valley of Vision:
O God of Truth,
I thank thee for the holy Scriptures,
their precepts, promises, directions, light.
In them may I learn more of Christ,
be enabled to retain his truth
and have grace to follow it.
Help me to lift up the gates of my soul that he may come in
and show me himself when I search the Scriptures,
for I have no lines to fathom its depths,
no wings to soar to its heights.
By his aid may I be enabled to explore all its truths,
love them with all my heart,
embrace them with all my power,
engraft them into my life.
Bless to my soul all grains of truth garnered from thy Word;
may they take deep root,
be refreshed by heavenly dew,
be ripened by heavenly rays,
be harvested to my joy and thy praise.
Help me to gain profit by what I read,
as treasure beyond all treasure,
a fountain which can replenish my dry heart,
its waters flowing through me as a perennial river
on-drawn by the Holy Spirit.
Enable me to distil from its pages faithful prayer
that grasps the arm of thy omnipotence,
achieves wonders, obtains blessings,
and draws down streams of mercy.
From it show me how my words have often been unfaithful to thee,
injurious to my fellow-men,
empty of grace, full of folly,
dishonouring to my calling.
Then write thy own words upon my heart and inscribe them on my lips;
So shall all glory be to thee in my reading of thy Word!
-----
Mom, forgive me for all the fights I had with you when you wanted me to read more in grade school. Thanks for not letting me win. Now I've seen firsthand why you always said reading was a privilege. I'll tell my kids the same thing, too, someday.
it imparts understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:130
Thankful
for the Word of God.
I was so humbled to learn that the village we have been teaching in has only four Bibles.
My heart broke. . . Four Bibles for the entire village. At this point I don't know how many people live in the village, but I do know that we have had around seventy children participating in Saturday Bible lessons. Four Bibles for more than seventy people!
The solution seemed so easy. The village just needed some more Bibles! Then the people could feed their hungry souls and fill themselves with every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. It seemed like a good plan to me. . . until I realized that the majority of the village is illiterate.
This has been so hard to swallow as I think about all the times that I'm constantly being convicted and exhorted and strengthened and encouraged and comforted by the Word of God. We are told that it is pure, it convicts, it sustains, it remains, and hearing comes through it. . .
"The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times." (Psalm 12:6)
"The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
"And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3)
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8)
"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)
Pray
that we would love God's Word more and more and never take it for granted.
for those who don't have Bibles and/or who don't know how to read.
for arrangements being made for those in the village to attend reading lessons.
that God would be exalted above the heavens, and that His glory would be over all the earth!
-----
A puritan prayer from the Valley of Vision:
O God of Truth,
I thank thee for the holy Scriptures,
their precepts, promises, directions, light.
In them may I learn more of Christ,
be enabled to retain his truth
and have grace to follow it.
Help me to lift up the gates of my soul that he may come in
and show me himself when I search the Scriptures,
for I have no lines to fathom its depths,
no wings to soar to its heights.
By his aid may I be enabled to explore all its truths,
love them with all my heart,
embrace them with all my power,
engraft them into my life.
Bless to my soul all grains of truth garnered from thy Word;
may they take deep root,
be refreshed by heavenly dew,
be ripened by heavenly rays,
be harvested to my joy and thy praise.
Help me to gain profit by what I read,
as treasure beyond all treasure,
a fountain which can replenish my dry heart,
its waters flowing through me as a perennial river
on-drawn by the Holy Spirit.
Enable me to distil from its pages faithful prayer
that grasps the arm of thy omnipotence,
achieves wonders, obtains blessings,
and draws down streams of mercy.
From it show me how my words have often been unfaithful to thee,
injurious to my fellow-men,
empty of grace, full of folly,
dishonouring to my calling.
Then write thy own words upon my heart and inscribe them on my lips;
So shall all glory be to thee in my reading of thy Word!
-----
Mom, forgive me for all the fights I had with you when you wanted me to read more in grade school. Thanks for not letting me win. Now I've seen firsthand why you always said reading was a privilege. I'll tell my kids the same thing, too, someday.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
"And I Will Give You a New Heart"
Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Hallelujah for the power of God that saves sinners - the power found in the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!
Yesterday God gave me the opportunity to meet some of the people living in one of the villages just a half hour by car from the academy. The chief of this particular village accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior very recently!
When passing through villages in Malawi it is very common to see gule wamkulu. These are people who perform ritualistic dances that are associated with the religion from the traditional Chewa tribe. They wander about in scary masks and animal skins and/or lots of rags. I haven't tried to take any pictures of them because I hear they may get quite angry. If you google "gule wamkulu" I'm sure you could find some pictures online though.
The chief of the village who just recently came to Christ told the gule wamkulu that this practice would no longer be accepted in the village! And now there is a church in the same place where the gule wamkulu used to perform the ritualistic dances! I love to see the way that God changes peoples' hearts! I love to see how He can transform a whole people group and give them new hearts - hearts of flesh that beat for His glory!!
The people are very new believers and have very many questions. Polygamy is very common in the villages, and this was last week's big Sunday morning topic. If they are Christians, would they need to give up polygamy? And if they did, how would the women be able to take care of the children?
They also want their children to know about Jesus and said they would love for people to come teach their children about the truths of the Bible! Two of the academy teachers, I, and two of the Chichewa-speaking college students from ABC will now, Lord willing, go to their village each Saturday to teach the children more and more about the salvation we have in Christ Jesus!
We met with these precious children yesterday! There were over fifty who greeted us when we arrived. Many of them have never seen an American, so some of them were very scared of us! Others just stared at us with wide eyes. And one little boy plopped himself right into my lap. :) We sang, listened to a Bible story, went through the wonderful message of the gospel. . . Many of the mothers stayed to sing and listen, too!
I am so thankful to God for this opportunity! I thank Him for letting me witness His amazing work and unstoppable power from the gospel of Jesus Christ being displayed in this village! Please pray that God's name would be glorified in this village, in our lessons with the children, in us!
I cannot stop thinking about all the small villages. . . not just in Malawi, but in all of Africa, and all over the world! ALL the villages that need Jesus -some of which have never even heard the name which is above every name! Pray that God would display His power and glory throughout the whole earth!
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Hallelujah for the power of God that saves sinners - the power found in the gospel of Jesus Christ!!!
Yesterday God gave me the opportunity to meet some of the people living in one of the villages just a half hour by car from the academy. The chief of this particular village accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior very recently!
When passing through villages in Malawi it is very common to see gule wamkulu. These are people who perform ritualistic dances that are associated with the religion from the traditional Chewa tribe. They wander about in scary masks and animal skins and/or lots of rags. I haven't tried to take any pictures of them because I hear they may get quite angry. If you google "gule wamkulu" I'm sure you could find some pictures online though.
The chief of the village who just recently came to Christ told the gule wamkulu that this practice would no longer be accepted in the village! And now there is a church in the same place where the gule wamkulu used to perform the ritualistic dances! I love to see the way that God changes peoples' hearts! I love to see how He can transform a whole people group and give them new hearts - hearts of flesh that beat for His glory!!
The people are very new believers and have very many questions. Polygamy is very common in the villages, and this was last week's big Sunday morning topic. If they are Christians, would they need to give up polygamy? And if they did, how would the women be able to take care of the children?
They also want their children to know about Jesus and said they would love for people to come teach their children about the truths of the Bible! Two of the academy teachers, I, and two of the Chichewa-speaking college students from ABC will now, Lord willing, go to their village each Saturday to teach the children more and more about the salvation we have in Christ Jesus!
We met with these precious children yesterday! There were over fifty who greeted us when we arrived. Many of them have never seen an American, so some of them were very scared of us! Others just stared at us with wide eyes. And one little boy plopped himself right into my lap. :) We sang, listened to a Bible story, went through the wonderful message of the gospel. . . Many of the mothers stayed to sing and listen, too!
I am so thankful to God for this opportunity! I thank Him for letting me witness His amazing work and unstoppable power from the gospel of Jesus Christ being displayed in this village! Please pray that God's name would be glorified in this village, in our lessons with the children, in us!
I cannot stop thinking about all the small villages. . . not just in Malawi, but in all of Africa, and all over the world! ALL the villages that need Jesus -some of which have never even heard the name which is above every name! Pray that God would display His power and glory throughout the whole earth!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
His Saving Work
I was reading from Don't Waste Your Life this morning, and this caught my attention:
We Will Not Know Him Fully Outside His Mission
For its own soul the church needs to be involved in missions. We will not know God in his full majesty until we know him moving triumphantly among the nations. We will not admire and praise him as we ought until we see him gathering a company of worshipers for himself from every people group on earth - including all the Muslim and Hindu and Buddhist peoples. Nothing enlarges our vision of God's triumphant grace like the scope of his saving work in history. What a story it is! "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds" (Psalm 77:11-12). "Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!" (Psalm 150:2). "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him" (Romans 15:11, quoting Psalm 117:1)
Please pray with me that we would know God moving triumphantly among the nations and see Him gathering a company of worshipers for Himself from every people group on earth. May His name be glorified!
But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:14-15)
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Luke 10:2)
We Will Not Know Him Fully Outside His Mission
For its own soul the church needs to be involved in missions. We will not know God in his full majesty until we know him moving triumphantly among the nations. We will not admire and praise him as we ought until we see him gathering a company of worshipers for himself from every people group on earth - including all the Muslim and Hindu and Buddhist peoples. Nothing enlarges our vision of God's triumphant grace like the scope of his saving work in history. What a story it is! "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds" (Psalm 77:11-12). "Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!" (Psalm 150:2). "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him" (Romans 15:11, quoting Psalm 117:1)
Please pray with me that we would know God moving triumphantly among the nations and see Him gathering a company of worshipers for Himself from every people group on earth. May His name be glorified!
But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" (Romans 10:14-15)
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Luke 10:2)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Cookies for Christ
Romans 10:1
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
I love the freedom that we have in Christ to serve Him! Not having to be enslaved to what's "normal". . . not having to be in bondage to what other people think. . . pure freedom to do His will! Freedom to do crazy things for Christ!
It is my prayer that God would place upon the hearts of my students a burden to do anything for Christ! May He place in their hearts compassion for souls - for those who are spiritually destitute. Outside the compound walls are people who need food, who need clothes, who need so much. . . but the one overriding need is a Savior. They need a Savior who will save them from their sins, who will declare them as righteous before a holy God. They need the joy, peace, love, forgiveness, mercy, and hope that can only be found in and through Him. . . They need to know Him and rest in all He has promised His children through Christ. They need the true joy that only comes from doing what man was created to do - to glorify Him and enjoy Him. When it all comes down to it, they need one thing - they need Jesus.
I had invited my 7th-grade girls to come over this morning and make cookies at my house.
We had a blessed time. . . I let each girl have a couple cookies.
In Malawi it is very common for men and boys especially to sell things on street corners. . . usually mice-on-a-stick, bananas, chickens, sometimes guinea pigs. . . But we didn't want to sell anything! We wanted to give passerbyers the best news that they would ever hear.
I'm sure we looked funny, which worked to our benefit because every biker or vehicle that passed by actually stopped. OK, so maybe we were the strangest things they'd seen that day, but we had with us the best thing they would hear in their entire lifetimes!
"We have a cookie for you!" Most of the people would kindly tell us that they didn't have any money. "No, no, no. . . we're not selling anything! It's a gift for you! And we also have something SO much better than this cookie - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's greater than anything else in the world!"
They would gladly take the cookie and the tract, thank us, and then vroom off. When all the cookies were gone we walked back to my house. . . Each girl prayed for specific people we had encountered - that God would work in their hearts and even use these tracts to do mighty things for His glory.
"Ms. Dinwiddie, we really thought you were crazy when you told us we were going to do this, but you know. . . this cookie for Christ thing is so much fun! Do you think we can come over every Saturday and pass out cookies for Christ?"
This made my day!
Please continue to pray for my students as God works in them and through them! Pray that they would have an increased desire to serve Him. Pray that they would remember the lost souls all around them. Pray for all of the people who gladly accepted our cookies and Gospel tracts - that God would do amazing things through them. And pray that His glory would be made known in all places at all times!
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
I love the freedom that we have in Christ to serve Him! Not having to be enslaved to what's "normal". . . not having to be in bondage to what other people think. . . pure freedom to do His will! Freedom to do crazy things for Christ!
It is my prayer that God would place upon the hearts of my students a burden to do anything for Christ! May He place in their hearts compassion for souls - for those who are spiritually destitute. Outside the compound walls are people who need food, who need clothes, who need so much. . . but the one overriding need is a Savior. They need a Savior who will save them from their sins, who will declare them as righteous before a holy God. They need the joy, peace, love, forgiveness, mercy, and hope that can only be found in and through Him. . . They need to know Him and rest in all He has promised His children through Christ. They need the true joy that only comes from doing what man was created to do - to glorify Him and enjoy Him. When it all comes down to it, they need one thing - they need Jesus.
I had invited my 7th-grade girls to come over this morning and make cookies at my house.
We had a blessed time. . . I let each girl have a couple cookies.
In Malawi it is very common for men and boys especially to sell things on street corners. . . usually mice-on-a-stick, bananas, chickens, sometimes guinea pigs. . . But we didn't want to sell anything! We wanted to give passerbyers the best news that they would ever hear.
I'm sure we looked funny, which worked to our benefit because every biker or vehicle that passed by actually stopped. OK, so maybe we were the strangest things they'd seen that day, but we had with us the best thing they would hear in their entire lifetimes!
"We have a cookie for you!" Most of the people would kindly tell us that they didn't have any money. "No, no, no. . . we're not selling anything! It's a gift for you! And we also have something SO much better than this cookie - the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's greater than anything else in the world!"
They would gladly take the cookie and the tract, thank us, and then vroom off. When all the cookies were gone we walked back to my house. . . Each girl prayed for specific people we had encountered - that God would work in their hearts and even use these tracts to do mighty things for His glory.
"Ms. Dinwiddie, we really thought you were crazy when you told us we were going to do this, but you know. . . this cookie for Christ thing is so much fun! Do you think we can come over every Saturday and pass out cookies for Christ?"
This made my day!
Please continue to pray for my students as God works in them and through them! Pray that they would have an increased desire to serve Him. Pray that they would remember the lost souls all around them. Pray for all of the people who gladly accepted our cookies and Gospel tracts - that God would do amazing things through them. And pray that His glory would be made known in all places at all times!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Do All to the Glory of God!
I Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Please pray that God would use me to encourage all of my students to do math for His glory! Pray that His name would be exalted at the school, in my classroom, in the efforts of the students, in math. . . May He be known, may we be found in Him. . .
I have been so proud of my seventh graders! Many of them have struggled with math, but last week they worked very hard. . . and their tests were a pleasure to grade! We celebrated by having a cookie party after class. They liked that. :)
God has really blessed me just in this last week alone with more and more opportunities to spend time with these students and to get to know them better. Tomorrow several of the girls will be coming over to my house to hang out. They love spending time with and getting attention from people who are older than they are. Please pray that God would help me as I serve. Pray that He would give me a heart for these kids. Pray that He would give me the grace to honor Him by loving and serving these students and sharing with them the treasure of Jesus Christ! Pray that I would know Him more and love Him more - that I would be a good example to these children, and that He would be glorified and magnified and exalted!
My prayer for these children is that they would be found in him, that they would know him, that they would become like him, and that God would break their hearts with the things that break His.
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Please pray that God would use me to encourage all of my students to do math for His glory! Pray that His name would be exalted at the school, in my classroom, in the efforts of the students, in math. . . May He be known, may we be found in Him. . .
I have been so proud of my seventh graders! Many of them have struggled with math, but last week they worked very hard. . . and their tests were a pleasure to grade! We celebrated by having a cookie party after class. They liked that. :)
God has really blessed me just in this last week alone with more and more opportunities to spend time with these students and to get to know them better. Tomorrow several of the girls will be coming over to my house to hang out. They love spending time with and getting attention from people who are older than they are. Please pray that God would help me as I serve. Pray that He would give me a heart for these kids. Pray that He would give me the grace to honor Him by loving and serving these students and sharing with them the treasure of Jesus Christ! Pray that I would know Him more and love Him more - that I would be a good example to these children, and that He would be glorified and magnified and exalted!
My prayer for these children is that they would be found in him, that they would know him, that they would become like him, and that God would break their hearts with the things that break His.
Philippians 3:7-11
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Friday, October 2, 2009
God is in Control!
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9
Sometimes I just love the ways we are reminded of things!
Yesterday I was driving home from the market during the most difficult time to be caught on the roads. Around 5 p.m. traffic starts picking up and you not only find yourself in a long line of cars, but most of the people who have been selling produce bike or walk home on the side of the road right next to your car leaving just a few inches between them and you. In addition there are those who are still out selling mice-on-a-stick and bananas. . .and if you get too distracted watching all that's happening on the sidelines you forget to pay attention to the potholes!
I'll be honest! I'm still not completely comfortable with this stick shift stuff, and I still stall out quite frequently. . .especially on uphill stops. So, I'm in the line of cars yesterday on an incline in the traffic I've described. And I stall. And I start feeling just a little stressed.
But when I look out the window I can't help but to laugh from a joyful reminder! On the car in front of me is this bumper sticker that says RELAX in big letters. Then, underneath, God is in control.
Sometimes I just love the ways we are reminded of things!
Yesterday I was driving home from the market during the most difficult time to be caught on the roads. Around 5 p.m. traffic starts picking up and you not only find yourself in a long line of cars, but most of the people who have been selling produce bike or walk home on the side of the road right next to your car leaving just a few inches between them and you. In addition there are those who are still out selling mice-on-a-stick and bananas. . .and if you get too distracted watching all that's happening on the sidelines you forget to pay attention to the potholes!
I'll be honest! I'm still not completely comfortable with this stick shift stuff, and I still stall out quite frequently. . .especially on uphill stops. So, I'm in the line of cars yesterday on an incline in the traffic I've described. And I stall. And I start feeling just a little stressed.
But when I look out the window I can't help but to laugh from a joyful reminder! On the car in front of me is this bumper sticker that says RELAX in big letters. Then, underneath, God is in control.
The realization that He is in control of all things is always the best and most comforting when it meets face-to-face with the realization that we are not in control no matter how hard we may try to be! Guess we've just got to be broken to be healed!
Aren't ya grateful that He is in control of all things, including our salvation. . . that because of Jesus we have that privilege of resting, or, "relaxing" in knowing that God is in control?
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Blessed
Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
Psalm 145:15b
If our God is the LORD, then we are automatically blessed and will be blessed no matter what! It's so powerfully encouraging. I have been comforted this week as I have been constantly reminded of this again and again.
This week has been one of those crazy kind of weeks! As in, it has felt like a year! Not because it was bad at all - God always proves Himself faithful! Just because so much has happened in the last few days - the amount of things that would seem to happen over the course of a year. . . :)
Here's a quick rundown:
Wednesday - Major rat infestation in the house! We have detected them in almost every room, and noticed they've made a mess of our kitchen cabinets!
Thursday - Exterminator falls through my ceiling! He's OK, though he asked to be taken to the hospital because he was experiencing some pain near his ribs. The hole is now repatched.
Friday morning - Fire at school. Everybody is safe, nothing damaged
Friday afternoon- My housemate and I are hit by a flatbed semi at the gas station. We're OK!
Friday evening- I am followed home by a young woman who ends up in our house. The guards are on the watch, and nothing has happened!
So Saturday I decide to let my mind rest a little, and go love on the babes.
They remind me that no matter what happens, in Christ we are blessed! I will trust in His hesed and I will rejoice in the salvation He has provided! So I pray that I'll be more dependent on Him, and we praise Him:
There's a new baby at the nursery:
What a cutie.
So, now it's time for a new week. And I'm blessed! And I will be blessed with all He is, has been, and will continue to be for me.
Why? Because my God is the LORD!
Psalm 145:15b
If our God is the LORD, then we are automatically blessed and will be blessed no matter what! It's so powerfully encouraging. I have been comforted this week as I have been constantly reminded of this again and again.
This week has been one of those crazy kind of weeks! As in, it has felt like a year! Not because it was bad at all - God always proves Himself faithful! Just because so much has happened in the last few days - the amount of things that would seem to happen over the course of a year. . . :)
Here's a quick rundown:
Wednesday - Major rat infestation in the house! We have detected them in almost every room, and noticed they've made a mess of our kitchen cabinets!
Thursday - Exterminator falls through my ceiling! He's OK, though he asked to be taken to the hospital because he was experiencing some pain near his ribs. The hole is now repatched.
Friday morning - Fire at school. Everybody is safe, nothing damaged
Friday afternoon- My housemate and I are hit by a flatbed semi at the gas station. We're OK!
Friday evening- I am followed home by a young woman who ends up in our house. The guards are on the watch, and nothing has happened!
So Saturday I decide to let my mind rest a little, and go love on the babes.
They remind me that no matter what happens, in Christ we are blessed! I will trust in His hesed and I will rejoice in the salvation He has provided! So I pray that I'll be more dependent on Him, and we praise Him:
There's a new baby at the nursery:
What a cutie.
So, now it's time for a new week. And I'm blessed! And I will be blessed with all He is, has been, and will continue to be for me.
Why? Because my God is the LORD!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Amazing Love
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. . .
Friday afternoon.School gets out at 1:10.
At 1:30 some of the teachers take the middle school girls to Chitipi orphanage where we have prayer, a Bible lesson, a craft, and a game for the children.
This year we are focusing on the fruit of the Spirit.
Today we talked about love.
We love because he first loved us. (I John 4:19)
And He loved us in the greatest way possible:
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
. . . which is what Jesus did. . .but while we were enemies of God!
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6-10)
Then God has demonstrated, by sending Jesus to die, wonderful, amazing, unfathomable love, which we are called to emulate: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)
One of the many reasons I enjoy spending time at Chitipi: I'm always encouraged to see the love the orphans have for one another! It's such a great reminder of what a testimony to Christ our love for one another can be! Last week we were playing a game after craft. . . We were all standing in a circle. I was right next to little Zionee and her friend, one of the girls who suffers from AIDS. We were all having so much fun. They were giggling like little girls do. Then during the game, I noticed they had left the circle. I scanned around for them, and realized they were standing off to the side. Zionee was vigorously scratching her friend's hand. I couldn't make out what they were saying, because they were speaking in Chichewa. As I came closer, I realized little Zionee was worried because there was a splinter in the older girl's hand. She spent the next several minutes determined to get it out, and even sacrificed the game she was playing (and enjoying!) to help her friend. . . It was really sweet! I witness little acts of love like this all the time at Chitipi. . . and it melts my heart! May we as God's people love each other because He loved us first.
And may others know that we are followers of Christ by our love!
Rejoice in Him, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation! (Romans 5:11)
And praise and thank Him that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from His love in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
Monday, September 14, 2009
Happy in Jesus
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness. . .
Isaiah 52:7
Happiness. . .
Whenever I hear that word now, I always think of my friend Happy at Chitipi, a home for orphans. He is happy because he has heard good news of happiness! He has been crowned with steadfast love and mercy by his heavenly Father. His soul constantly remembers the benefits of the LORD. The joy of the LORD is his strength.
God's children have so much to be happy for because of Jesus!
Happy has really been a blessing to me, as have all the children! I remember blogging a little bit about Happy a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share this picture of him. Be encouraged and know that you are loved as you remember all of the benefits of the LORD! And as you think of all these, be happy in Jesus!
This Friday a couple of the teachers from ABCCA and I will be taking some of the students to Chitipi again for outreach. I'll be leading a lesson on God's love. Pray that all of us would understand more and more what is the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge! Pray for Happy and the rest of the children at Chitipi, that God would continue working in and through them.
Be happy in Jesus . . . there is none like him!
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU. . . There is none like Jesus
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU
SADZAPEZEKANSO
NDA YENDA YENDA. . . . . . . I've traveled all over
Konse konse
NDAZUNGULIRA . . . . . . . I've gone round and round
Konse konse
NDAFUNA FUNA. . . . . . . I've searched and searched
Konse konse
SADZAPEZEKANSO. . . . . . . Forget about it!
Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes from Your hands
Suffering children are safe in Your arms
There is none like You
Isaiah 52:7
Happiness. . .
Whenever I hear that word now, I always think of my friend Happy at Chitipi, a home for orphans. He is happy because he has heard good news of happiness! He has been crowned with steadfast love and mercy by his heavenly Father. His soul constantly remembers the benefits of the LORD. The joy of the LORD is his strength.
God's children have so much to be happy for because of Jesus!
Happy has really been a blessing to me, as have all the children! I remember blogging a little bit about Happy a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share this picture of him. Be encouraged and know that you are loved as you remember all of the benefits of the LORD! And as you think of all these, be happy in Jesus!
This Friday a couple of the teachers from ABCCA and I will be taking some of the students to Chitipi again for outreach. I'll be leading a lesson on God's love. Pray that all of us would understand more and more what is the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge! Pray for Happy and the rest of the children at Chitipi, that God would continue working in and through them.
Be happy in Jesus . . . there is none like him!
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU. . . There is none like Jesus
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU
PALIBE WOFANA NDI YESU
SADZAPEZEKANSO
NDA YENDA YENDA. . . . . . . I've traveled all over
Konse konse
NDAZUNGULIRA . . . . . . . I've gone round and round
Konse konse
NDAFUNA FUNA. . . . . . . I've searched and searched
Konse konse
SADZAPEZEKANSO. . . . . . . Forget about it!
Your mercy flows like a river wide
And healing comes from Your hands
Suffering children are safe in Your arms
There is none like You
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
In His Care
Psalm 50:10-11
For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
This morning I took attendance. . . Afterwards we always have a short devotional, and then I let the kids share anything on their hearts so we can carry our burdens to Jesus in prayer. I took several requests, and was just about ready to pray when I heard one of the quieter girls. "Ms. Dinwiddie?"
"Yes, Catarina?"
"Ms. Dinwiddie. . ." Her voice was so serious. "The gardener found baby hedgehogs. Could you just pray that God would take care of them while they are so little? You know, just that he would protect them while they are babies?"
This threw me off guard for just a second. I'd taken requests for the students absent because of malaria, friends who had been asked to leave the country, and now. . . baby hedgehogs?
But I had to smile.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. And the ravens; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them!
Surely baby hedgehogs aren't forgotten by Him either.
So we closed our eyes and bowed our heads and we prayed for those baby hedgehogs.
We thanked God that He cares about His creation. We thanked Him for showing us that He cares about sparrows and ravens and hedgehogs because it reveals how much more He cares about His own children who are created in His image! We thanked God for the way He takes care of us - how He provides us with everything we need, because of Jesus.
Later this afternoon I was sitting at my desk, grading stacks of math problems.
"Ms. Dinwiddie?" I look up and see Catarina and her friends walking toward me. "Have you ever held a baby hedgehog?" I could honestly say I hadn't.
Within a few minutes they had carried one up to my classroom and put it in my hands.
Yes, the little hedgehog that God created and cares for.
What a great reminder that, "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours."
For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine.
This morning I took attendance. . . Afterwards we always have a short devotional, and then I let the kids share anything on their hearts so we can carry our burdens to Jesus in prayer. I took several requests, and was just about ready to pray when I heard one of the quieter girls. "Ms. Dinwiddie?"
"Yes, Catarina?"
"Ms. Dinwiddie. . ." Her voice was so serious. "The gardener found baby hedgehogs. Could you just pray that God would take care of them while they are so little? You know, just that he would protect them while they are babies?"
This threw me off guard for just a second. I'd taken requests for the students absent because of malaria, friends who had been asked to leave the country, and now. . . baby hedgehogs?
But I had to smile.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. And the ravens; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them!
Surely baby hedgehogs aren't forgotten by Him either.
So we closed our eyes and bowed our heads and we prayed for those baby hedgehogs.
We thanked God that He cares about His creation. We thanked Him for showing us that He cares about sparrows and ravens and hedgehogs because it reveals how much more He cares about His own children who are created in His image! We thanked God for the way He takes care of us - how He provides us with everything we need, because of Jesus.
Later this afternoon I was sitting at my desk, grading stacks of math problems.
"Ms. Dinwiddie?" I look up and see Catarina and her friends walking toward me. "Have you ever held a baby hedgehog?" I could honestly say I hadn't.
Within a few minutes they had carried one up to my classroom and put it in my hands.
Yes, the little hedgehog that God created and cares for.
What a great reminder that, "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours."
Saturday, September 5, 2009
"To Such Belongs the Kingdom of Heaven"; Pictures from the Crisis Nursery
"Weak and wounded sinner
Lost and left to die
O, raise your head, for love is passing by
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus
Come to Jesus and live!
Now your burden's lifted
And carried far away
And precious blood has washed away the stain, so
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus
Sing to Jesus and live!
And like a newborn baby Don't be afraid to crawl
And remember when you walk
Sometimes we fall...so
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus
Fall on Jesus and live!
Sometimes the way is lonely
And steep and filled with pain
So if your sky is dark and pours the rain, then
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus
Cry to Jesus and live!
O, and when the love spills over
And music fills the night
And when you can't contain your joy inside, then
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus
Dance for Jesus and live!
And with your final heartbeat
Kiss the world goodbye
Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side, and
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus
Fly to Jesus and live!" (Come to Jesus, by Chris Rice)
...but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Pursuing a Passion for Christ!
2 Timothy 2:22
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Note: My kids wanted to greet you from Malawi! If you click on the picture to the right, you may be able to read the notes that some of my 7th and 8th grade girls wrote to you all after school! :)
Passion is the theme in chapel this year for my 7th, 8th, and 9th graders at ABC Christian Academy.
Pastor Sean Kampondeni came and spoke to the children on Thursday. . .
"Kids, what are you passionate about? What do you just love?"
All the middle school girls shouted out that they loved chocolate, and the boys started arguing about their favorite sports teams.
Sean encouraged them to remember 2T22 (2 Timothy 2:22) and to flee from any passions that would distract them from or lessen their passion for Christ.
We have everything in Christ! Yet we continually seek joy in things apart from the all-satisfying, unceasing Fountain of living water that is available to us all the time. Why do we so often just sip when we could drown ourselves in all He is and has to offer! Pray that God would fill us with desires to come to the Fountain and to be flooded with all of the good things He offers to us in Christ!
On Friday afternoons we take some of the students from ABC out to one of the COTN (Children of the Nations) orphanages in Chitipi: http://www.cotni.org
We encourage them to make new friends and share Jesus with them. There are about thirty-five children living at this orphanage, all around the ages of three to eighteen. Yesterday we talked about the fruit of the Spirit with the kids, helped them make posters with verses, and then we played a game.
I spent a lot of time with a little boy named Happy who is happy and never stops smiling. His happiness serves as a good reminder to me that I should be rejoicing always because Jesus has saved my soul and I have everything in Christ!
Please pray for the kids at Chitipi as well as the ones who have a heart to serve there. And pray that God would cultivate in the hearts of all the children a passion for Christ!
Pray that in His timing the children, when asked what their greatest passion is, will unashamedly shout out, "I love Jesus Christ! I'm passionate for God and for His glory!"
Isaiah 55:1-2
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Note: My kids wanted to greet you from Malawi! If you click on the picture to the right, you may be able to read the notes that some of my 7th and 8th grade girls wrote to you all after school! :)
Passion is the theme in chapel this year for my 7th, 8th, and 9th graders at ABC Christian Academy.
Pastor Sean Kampondeni came and spoke to the children on Thursday. . .
"Kids, what are you passionate about? What do you just love?"
All the middle school girls shouted out that they loved chocolate, and the boys started arguing about their favorite sports teams.
Sean encouraged them to remember 2T22 (2 Timothy 2:22) and to flee from any passions that would distract them from or lessen their passion for Christ.
We have everything in Christ! Yet we continually seek joy in things apart from the all-satisfying, unceasing Fountain of living water that is available to us all the time. Why do we so often just sip when we could drown ourselves in all He is and has to offer! Pray that God would fill us with desires to come to the Fountain and to be flooded with all of the good things He offers to us in Christ!
On Friday afternoons we take some of the students from ABC out to one of the COTN (Children of the Nations) orphanages in Chitipi: http://www.cotni.org
We encourage them to make new friends and share Jesus with them. There are about thirty-five children living at this orphanage, all around the ages of three to eighteen. Yesterday we talked about the fruit of the Spirit with the kids, helped them make posters with verses, and then we played a game.
I spent a lot of time with a little boy named Happy who is happy and never stops smiling. His happiness serves as a good reminder to me that I should be rejoicing always because Jesus has saved my soul and I have everything in Christ!
Please pray for the kids at Chitipi as well as the ones who have a heart to serve there. And pray that God would cultivate in the hearts of all the children a passion for Christ!
Pray that in His timing the children, when asked what their greatest passion is, will unashamedly shout out, "I love Jesus Christ! I'm passionate for God and for His glory!"
Isaiah 55:1-2
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Dependent on Him!
On Saturday I drove (Yes!) to the Crisis Nursery, a work of Ministry of Hope: http://www.ministryofhope.org/
The Crisis Nursery takes in babies who are at the point of death. Each baby has a unique story - some are HIV positive, some are orphaned, and all of them are starving for attention. Some will stay until they are adopted; others will stay until their parents can afford to take care of them.
Volunteers are welcome anytime to love the babies, play with them, feed them, pray over them. . .
My heart is still weeping. When I arrived to the nursery, there were eighteen babies waiting to be held, all in the same room! One of the fulltime workers handed me Teresa, a 3-week old. She is very new to the nursery. Her mom just passed away, and she will be at the nursery until her daddy can afford to take care of her. She was so helpless! Her eyes were so full of fear. There was no sound from her crying, but big tear drops trickled out of her little eyes, and rolled all the way down her tiny face. I gave her a bottle, which she drank up very fast. Then I hugged her tightly, and she fell asleep on me!
These little babies are so helpless and dependent.
And that's just how we are.
Dependent on our heavenly Father for everything.
Grace? Most definitely.
Love? Positively.
His promises? Yes and amen!
His forgiveness, His mercy, His faithfulness, His compassion. . . His Son, our Savior.
Salvation.
Pray for these babes! Pray for the plight they are in. And while doing so, remember the plight you were in! Remember God's mercy and His love in which 'he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ. . .' (Ephesians 1:4-6)
We're not to be babes in our thinking (I Corinthians 14:20), but we are to depend on Him as a baby would! Flee to Him, cry to Him, pour out your heart to Him, seek Him for your needs. . .depend on Him. He cares for and loves His own!
Mom, what would you say if I stepped off the airplane with, oh, a few little Malawians?
The Crisis Nursery takes in babies who are at the point of death. Each baby has a unique story - some are HIV positive, some are orphaned, and all of them are starving for attention. Some will stay until they are adopted; others will stay until their parents can afford to take care of them.
Volunteers are welcome anytime to love the babies, play with them, feed them, pray over them. . .
My heart is still weeping. When I arrived to the nursery, there were eighteen babies waiting to be held, all in the same room! One of the fulltime workers handed me Teresa, a 3-week old. She is very new to the nursery. Her mom just passed away, and she will be at the nursery until her daddy can afford to take care of her. She was so helpless! Her eyes were so full of fear. There was no sound from her crying, but big tear drops trickled out of her little eyes, and rolled all the way down her tiny face. I gave her a bottle, which she drank up very fast. Then I hugged her tightly, and she fell asleep on me!
These little babies are so helpless and dependent.
And that's just how we are.
Dependent on our heavenly Father for everything.
Grace? Most definitely.
Love? Positively.
His promises? Yes and amen!
His forgiveness, His mercy, His faithfulness, His compassion. . . His Son, our Savior.
Salvation.
Pray for these babes! Pray for the plight they are in. And while doing so, remember the plight you were in! Remember God's mercy and His love in which 'he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ. . .' (Ephesians 1:4-6)
We're not to be babes in our thinking (I Corinthians 14:20), but we are to depend on Him as a baby would! Flee to Him, cry to Him, pour out your heart to Him, seek Him for your needs. . .depend on Him. He cares for and loves His own!
Mom, what would you say if I stepped off the airplane with, oh, a few little Malawians?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
To Him Be Glory Forever!
Psalm 104:31
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works. . .
We were made by Him and for Him!
For His purposes, for His glory! It really doesn't get any better than that because He is our joy! We are His workmanship - may He rejoice in what He has created!
And He will, because we are new creations in Christ. The King will desire our beauty because He sees the righteousness of Jesus! He will rejoice in us, too.
This is such a glorious thing to remember all the time.
Some things get boring if you think about them too long. . . But, not this! May this be a life-long, heart-felt prayer: that the glory of the LORD will endure forever and that He would rejoice in His works!
So, that's what I've been thinking about a lot. . . Glorifying Him in all I do! (And rejoicing in the fact that He is rejoicing in me!) Everyone at ABC wears lots of hats - there are a lot of different things to glorify Him in! I've been kept pretty busy here - and I love it! On week day mornings there are staff devotions at 6:45 a.m., which the staff takes turns leading. Then I lead the 8th graders in their devotions, teach math and manage study halls for most of the morning, recess duty on Mondays, and after-school math tutoring in the afternoons. There are also afternoon activities beginning next week. I am one of the beginning swimming instructors for the little children. Bible studies and get-togethers at my house with the middle school girls will start up soon. . . and I just found out I might be needed as a pianist for the college's choir!
The funniest part to me is all the speaking I've been doing! My public speaking professor from college would not stop laughing if she knew all this was going on because I used to get so nervous before my speeches! Between all the lectures, devotions, testimonies, etc., I've probably said more words in this last week than I have my entire life. =) And it's not even scary anymore! So be prepared if I don't stop talking when I return. . . I'm getting really good at filling in extra time!
I'm so grateful for this opportunity that God has given me to glorify Him.
Remember, we were made by Him and for Him!
May His glory endure forever -- may He be glorified through you, through me, through all His works, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works. . .
We were made by Him and for Him!
For His purposes, for His glory! It really doesn't get any better than that because He is our joy! We are His workmanship - may He rejoice in what He has created!
And He will, because we are new creations in Christ. The King will desire our beauty because He sees the righteousness of Jesus! He will rejoice in us, too.
This is such a glorious thing to remember all the time.
Some things get boring if you think about them too long. . . But, not this! May this be a life-long, heart-felt prayer: that the glory of the LORD will endure forever and that He would rejoice in His works!
So, that's what I've been thinking about a lot. . . Glorifying Him in all I do! (And rejoicing in the fact that He is rejoicing in me!) Everyone at ABC wears lots of hats - there are a lot of different things to glorify Him in! I've been kept pretty busy here - and I love it! On week day mornings there are staff devotions at 6:45 a.m., which the staff takes turns leading. Then I lead the 8th graders in their devotions, teach math and manage study halls for most of the morning, recess duty on Mondays, and after-school math tutoring in the afternoons. There are also afternoon activities beginning next week. I am one of the beginning swimming instructors for the little children. Bible studies and get-togethers at my house with the middle school girls will start up soon. . . and I just found out I might be needed as a pianist for the college's choir!
The funniest part to me is all the speaking I've been doing! My public speaking professor from college would not stop laughing if she knew all this was going on because I used to get so nervous before my speeches! Between all the lectures, devotions, testimonies, etc., I've probably said more words in this last week than I have my entire life. =) And it's not even scary anymore! So be prepared if I don't stop talking when I return. . . I'm getting really good at filling in extra time!
I'm so grateful for this opportunity that God has given me to glorify Him.
Remember, we were made by Him and for Him!
May His glory endure forever -- may He be glorified through you, through me, through all His works, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36
Monday, August 24, 2009
Morning By Morning New Mercies I See. . .
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
Exactly one week ago from today I arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi after a safe 40-hour-long journey! And now, exactly today began my new teaching experience as the middle school math teacher at ABC Christian Academy for the 2009-2010 school year.
Something that I've been pondering a lot today is just how merciful God really is. Because of His mercy I have eternity to spend with Jesus, spared from the fires of hell! And in Christ, I have countless spiritual blessings and an amazing inheritance (Ephesians 1). Therefore, any other mercy that comes to me in this life is a mercy on top of the greatest mercy ever bestowed! So even if God didn't shower me with mercies as I travel, mercies as I teach, mercies of providing for me a God-honoring family, food, clothing, and shelter, etc., He would still be more merciful than I could ever fathom. It really is unbelievable, unfathomable mercy. . . like mercy to the power of infinity! ;)
But sometimes I find myself so ungrateful, or unaware, even, of all of the extra little blessings and mercies around me.
Ultimate evidence: Today my alarm clock goes off at 5 a.m. I jump out of bed, and race to the light switch so I can see. I flick the switch and nothing happens. Flick it again, and still nothing. "Oh great", I think. . . "Of all days -- the first day of school -- for power to go out." And what's convicting? I can't believe I'm more concerned with the electricity than thanking Him for the greatest mercy already given to me: namely, the gift of His Son. . . And while relishing in that, I could have thanked Him for those extra mercies like electricity, the bed that I jumped out of, the working legs that jumped out of the bed, the law of gravity which ensured me landing on the floor. . . the floor itself, my brain which allowed me to think of what to do. . . I could keep going but you'd never finish this blog posting. Seriously.
Another day full of those extra kind of mercies in addition to all that we already have in Christ. . . 7 - 8am: Greet new students and parents -- gracious, friendly people! They love checking out the new middle school building, so I meet several meandering through my classroom!
8-8:15: My classroom is declared homeroom for the seventeen 8th graders. I get to pray with them and help them start their school day! I love the 8th graders. Well-behaved? Yes. Hyper? Definitely. Fun? Absolutely.
8:15-9: 7th, 8th, and 9th graders come into my classroom in separate 10 to 15 minute rotations. First, introductions! I really want to get to know the students. A good place to start would be learning names. I have them write their names on the whiteboard and stand underneath so I can get pictures of faces with names! The thirteen 7th graders are shy as this is their first year in middle school. 9th graders are all tall boys! But, they're OK with that and remain respectful.
9-10: Final school assembly in the gym. . . and then dismissal.
First day of school is already over.
Short day and teeming with extra mercies.
I love the kids already.
May we thank God first and foremost for the Cross and for all the spiritual blessings that we have through Jesus!
And while doing so, may we remember to thank Him for all those extra mercies, too; like, electricity and well-behaved children.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
More from Piper's Let the Nations Be Glad. . .
"The beauty and power of praise that will come to the Lord from the diversity of the nations are greater than the beauty and power that would come to Him if the chorus of the redeemed were culturally uniform. The reason for this can be seen in the analogy of a choir. More depth of beauty is felt from a choir that sings in parts than from a choir that only sings in unison. Unity in diversity is more beautiful and more powerful than the unity of uniformity. This carries over to the untold differences that exist between the peoples of the world. When their diversity unites in worship to God, the beauty of their praise will echo the depth and greatness of God's beauty far more exceedingly than if the redeemed were from only one or just a few different people groups."
Worshiping in another language always reminds me of this. . . and makes me excited!
This morning I visited one of the churches off the compound that has both a service in English, and then an hour later one in Chichewa.
The English service was very small - maybe fifteen Malawians and a few missionaries from the U.S., U.K., and New Zealand. We sang familiar songs: "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High", "Shout to the Lord", "Isn't He?", and then there was a short message on Exodus 14:14- "The LORD will fight for you, and you only have to be silent."
I'll be honest with you - I probably understood about half of it, because I'm still picking up the ear for the English here. . .but it is coming, just like driving stick on the other side of the road! :)
After the service I enjoyed meeting new people and watching the children who had set up mats outside and gathered around their Sunday school teachers. They were clapping and singing praise songs in Chichewa - it was precious! Little hearts that love the Lord melt my heart.
When it was time for the Chichewa service I started walking into the building and heard beautiful singing in Chichewa echoing through the church - so many gorgeous harmonies! And I thought about Piper's quote. English worship and Chichewa worship are only 2 of the choir parts.
May all His people, His full choir, blend together beautifully to echo the depths of His beauty this day. . . . and forevermore!
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
Psalm 67:3
"The beauty and power of praise that will come to the Lord from the diversity of the nations are greater than the beauty and power that would come to Him if the chorus of the redeemed were culturally uniform. The reason for this can be seen in the analogy of a choir. More depth of beauty is felt from a choir that sings in parts than from a choir that only sings in unison. Unity in diversity is more beautiful and more powerful than the unity of uniformity. This carries over to the untold differences that exist between the peoples of the world. When their diversity unites in worship to God, the beauty of their praise will echo the depth and greatness of God's beauty far more exceedingly than if the redeemed were from only one or just a few different people groups."
Worshiping in another language always reminds me of this. . . and makes me excited!
This morning I visited one of the churches off the compound that has both a service in English, and then an hour later one in Chichewa.
The English service was very small - maybe fifteen Malawians and a few missionaries from the U.S., U.K., and New Zealand. We sang familiar songs: "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High", "Shout to the Lord", "Isn't He?", and then there was a short message on Exodus 14:14- "The LORD will fight for you, and you only have to be silent."
I'll be honest with you - I probably understood about half of it, because I'm still picking up the ear for the English here. . .but it is coming, just like driving stick on the other side of the road! :)
After the service I enjoyed meeting new people and watching the children who had set up mats outside and gathered around their Sunday school teachers. They were clapping and singing praise songs in Chichewa - it was precious! Little hearts that love the Lord melt my heart.
When it was time for the Chichewa service I started walking into the building and heard beautiful singing in Chichewa echoing through the church - so many gorgeous harmonies! And I thought about Piper's quote. English worship and Chichewa worship are only 2 of the choir parts.
May all His people, His full choir, blend together beautifully to echo the depths of His beauty this day. . . . and forevermore!
Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
Psalm 67:3
Saturday, August 22, 2009
"You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
During the last couple of days we teachers from ABC Christian Academy have been spending a lot of time in our classrooms, eagerly preparing for the first day of school this coming Monday! Today, bulletin boards were hung in my classroom. I so enjoyed decorating the room for the kids!
I hung math formulas, symbols, and definitions. . .
But, Deuternomy 6:6-9 kept coming to mind:
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
This encouraged me to write out and hang lots of Bible verses on the walls of my classroom as well, lest the children forget the LORD while we learn about math! And the more I thought about it, I figured it wasn't a bad strategy for good behavior since 'the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.' (Hebrews 4:12)
I was thinking. . . I would love to find Bible wallpaper such that a whole book of the Bible could fit, spread out, onto one wall! Imagine that! I'll take the book of Psalms for my bedroom!
Until I get that figured out, construction paper and markers suffice for the classroom . . . :)
By God's grace, everything is ready to roll. . .and I can't wait to see what God will do for His glory this school year!
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence...
Proverbs 14:26
I hung math formulas, symbols, and definitions. . .
But, Deuternomy 6:6-9 kept coming to mind:
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
This encouraged me to write out and hang lots of Bible verses on the walls of my classroom as well, lest the children forget the LORD while we learn about math! And the more I thought about it, I figured it wasn't a bad strategy for good behavior since 'the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.' (Hebrews 4:12)
I was thinking. . . I would love to find Bible wallpaper such that a whole book of the Bible could fit, spread out, onto one wall! Imagine that! I'll take the book of Psalms for my bedroom!
Until I get that figured out, construction paper and markers suffice for the classroom . . . :)
By God's grace, everything is ready to roll. . .and I can't wait to see what God will do for His glory this school year!
In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence...
Proverbs 14:26
Thursday, August 20, 2009
"...and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation..."
"God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations." -John Piper, from Let the Nations Be Glad
My classroom is on the second level of the new middle school building!
Right now the room is full of empty desks, but on Monday, Lord willing, they will be occupied by my math students from 12 different nations: Malawi, Philippines, Cameroon, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, United States, Korea, Nigeria, Netherlands, New Zealand, and Canada!
Right now I only have names to pray for - I can't wait to meet and build relationships with the children that God will bring to my classroom this school year!
Revelation 5:9 - And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation...."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Praise the LORD!!!!
From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!
Psalm 113:3
Since the sun rises and sets at different times all around the world, there will be someone who is awake to praise Him all the time!
African sunsets are gorgeous. . . I love to go right outside my house at 5:15 p.m. to be a spectator of the heavens declaring His glory!
Note: Photos can't capture the beauty of it all. Neither can we grasp how glorious He is!! Some things are just beyond cameras. . .and us. :)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
My First Full Day in Malawi
Tuesday, August 18th
Just before sunrise:
I am awakened by the droning of a call to morning prayer drifting from the speakers outside the nearest mosque. God's heart is breaking. There is so much spiritual and physical poverty. I don't think there is a better reminder for me than right now to pray for the lost.
Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.
8:30 a.m. Pick up the keys to my classroom from the Administration Office. Meet with the curriculum coordinator to go over a few things. My roles (starting the 24th): 7th, 8th, 9th grade math teacher, manage study hall periods, after-school tutor, mentor for the middle school girls (leading lots of Bible studies, coffee dates, frequent get-togethers at my place -- this is actually a part of my job description, and I love it!!)
9:00 a.m. Group devotions on 1 Corinthians 10:31: So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Amen!
9:30 a.m. Orientation for new faculty! We learn about the history of ABC, our internet connection, and important health issues. Time to make a trip to the clinic to pick up my malaria meds.
1:00 p.m. Lunch break -- raided Whitney's leftovers since I haven't gotten to the grocery store yet! First I have to learn how to drive stick.
2:30 p.m. New faculty has been asked to participate in a scavenger hunt at the market. We learn about Malawi currency (kwacha) and how to barter. It's culturally inappropriate to take pictures of the Malawi people without asking first. Sadly, a lot of people don't want their pictures taken.
the local meat market
women selling food at the market
basket vendors
Just before sunrise:
I am awakened by the droning of a call to morning prayer drifting from the speakers outside the nearest mosque. God's heart is breaking. There is so much spiritual and physical poverty. I don't think there is a better reminder for me than right now to pray for the lost.
Pity the nations, O our God!
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.
8:30 a.m. Pick up the keys to my classroom from the Administration Office. Meet with the curriculum coordinator to go over a few things. My roles (starting the 24th): 7th, 8th, 9th grade math teacher, manage study hall periods, after-school tutor, mentor for the middle school girls (leading lots of Bible studies, coffee dates, frequent get-togethers at my place -- this is actually a part of my job description, and I love it!!)
9:00 a.m. Group devotions on 1 Corinthians 10:31: So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Amen!
9:30 a.m. Orientation for new faculty! We learn about the history of ABC, our internet connection, and important health issues. Time to make a trip to the clinic to pick up my malaria meds.
1:00 p.m. Lunch break -- raided Whitney's leftovers since I haven't gotten to the grocery store yet! First I have to learn how to drive stick.
2:30 p.m. New faculty has been asked to participate in a scavenger hunt at the market. We learn about Malawi currency (kwacha) and how to barter. It's culturally inappropriate to take pictures of the Malawi people without asking first. Sadly, a lot of people don't want their pictures taken.
the local meat market
women selling food at the market
basket vendors
5:00 p.m. Dinner at the Chinchens!
12:30 a.m. Time for bed! Psalm 127:2 It is vain that you rise up early, and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
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