First, it would appear – although uncertain as of now – that I may have the opportunity to spend 2 or so months in Haiti, between early-mid April to sometime in June for an outreach period after this training phase. This is a bit different than my initial reports of being in CR the whole time, however, the Lord changes plans and calls us to change with Him … and for me, that means potentially opening my plans to going to minister in Haiti, by loving and aiding a groaning nation, a groaning people! Everyone here and I all sense the Lord calling us to Haiti. Our prayer times asking the Lord where & what He wants us to do have been nothing short of amazing and intimate times with the Lord, where we have individually and together heard the Lord’s direction clearly on the matter.
Yet, for the time being, nothing is “for sure.” Plans have to be made, and in light of the chaos that Haiti is currently, that could be challenging. But praise the Lord; YWAM already has a strong presence in the nation, teams involved in rescue and relief work. Furthermore, things get even more complicated for me … yes, because of my lung transplant! So, PLEASE BE PRAYING! I have addressed this issue some with my folks, not with my docs yet … and so, I ask you to please PRAY for wisdom on the part of all involved – me, my parents, my doctors, my team here, the team(s) in Haiti we may meet up with, everyone! Pray for clear direction! Pray for obviously open doors! Pray for divine opportunities and appointments as preparations are made. I am totally stoked about this opportunity. Even though uncertain, my prayer is that the Lord finds it pleasing for me to be there!
Secondly … even more exciting … is a revelation from the Lord! The implications of this revelation have the potential to literally change my life, for the rest of my life. Much joy, overflowing into tears of joy, has been experienced because of this. I have no doubt in my mind, heart, soul or anything else that this is a major answer to prayer … about my cold heart as of recently.
It began of all the ways possible by generally neglecting my spiritual life as I succumbed to the lie of a cold heart. In the meantime, I the book, The Shack, which not to indorse anything, but I highly recommend it! It is surprising how the Lord uses such unexpected means to turn things upside down! In the book, the main character, Mack, has an encounter with the Trinity in a very distinct and personal way. The author does a great job of depicting God – all three persons – as extremely personal, loving, and intimate … but keeps Him dignified as the Almighty God (as a disclaimer, Yes I know its fiction, and very much fiction at that, and that the author takes liberties … so don’t think I am treating this as Truth).
This had its affect on me … the best I can do to fill you in is quote from my journal, I began,
“I feel like the author has some keen insights into the heart of God. I think mainly that He is oozing, overflowing, and swelled with love, and that love is not staunch, cold love; but a warm fatherly, motherly, brotherly, and friendly love. Aren’t all the people in my life made like Him? So don’t they portray a small facet of His love to me? YES!
“There seems to be some disparity b/w the truth & how I perceive God … it’s shaking & stirring things up on the inside. He has got to be so much warmer, loving, approachable, and hospitable that I treat Him. I mean, He remains King over all and of all, but He is not so high and mighty that I cannot approach Him, to climb up in His lap as a child with a parent! This has to do with how personal He is, its not only that He knows me, but that He enjoys me & has invited me to enjoy Him!
“I think I have been so focused on “bringing glory to God” that I have robbed Him & myself of true relationship … I mean, He has made me His own, but I have just regarded His as so cold, as a stand-offish King with unreachable, unattainable standards and expectations. But as pointed out in The Shack JESUS FULFILLS ALL THESE EXPECTATIONS! All God wants is for me to LOVE HIM! To love Him and nothing more, and this is no duty, but a joy! How great is it to love & be loved – even b/w humans & now, to think the God of all, my intimate Father God, Abba, and Daddy is calling me to love, to simply love!
“I am loved perfectly! No height, no depth, no joy, no pain, no depression, no loneliness, no good, no sin, no anger, no wrong perceptions, no lack of wisdom, no nothing can separate me from the love of God! Who will separate me from the love of Christ? Will tribulation or distresses, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, for your sake we are being put to death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all things we overwhelming conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, no angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depths, nor any created thing will be able to separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Rom 8:35-39).
“Oh freedom! To love is freedom, to be loved is freedom! Your love oh Lord is freedom … to live, to love, to risk, to be freed from all self-imposed expectations and burdens … to be freed from the law, Perfect love casts out all fear! (1 John 4:18). … The band NeedToBreathe has a song called Let Us Love … oh this is it!
“God, I praise you! Help me to cast off these burdens that are not of you! Help me to love you in the great joy of your freeing love!”
Thirdly, as I mentioned in the bullet, I had the opportunity to learn how to slaughter a goat on Tuesday. This proved to be one of the most intense experiences of my life. Deliberately killing an animal – in a very personal way, I mean with a knife, as opposed to a high-powered rifle like in hunting – is no easy task. It was definitely a learning experience! And its all part of life on a farm. This goat has provided for one meal, will for dinner tonight, and once more later on. This is the full outworking of our call to have dominion over the world the Lord has given to us.
That’s all. Thanks for reading it all if you did. Now you know what is really happening in my life and heart. God is so good, to be made known to man in the Man, Jesus … how wonderful He is. I pray my personal experience with the Lord described above is encouraging to you.
Peace and Grace … and Pura Vida!
We are slated to pray for you on the 19th. Glad to know some specifics!
ReplyDeleteyay for haiti! will lift it up
ReplyDelete