Beginning the Long Awaited Adventure!

Today I am leaving for an ADVENTURE that will significantly influence my awareness of not only myself, but of the world. I have been given the blessing of traveling abroad to INDIA for the month of May with a few of my peers form George Fox University; and then extending my adventure to NEPAL for the month of June working at the orphanage, Mendies Haven. I have made it a priority to live out of one bag for the two months that I am traveling. I look forward to the opportunity of SIMPLE LIVING and the absence of technology! 

Prayer Requests:

Health: avoid the flu, typhoid, etc.
Safety: especially in my transition between India & Nepal. I will be traveling alone to Nepal 
Discernment : stay tuned to God's wisdom and guidance. Seek God's eyes, ears, and mind with every move and decision made.
Peace: amidst life's distractions and many burdens spilled out at home and along the adventure = do not loose sight of the bigger picture and purpose for our lives!
Spiritual Armor : strength against the spiritual warfare, rely on God's STRENGTH, ENDURANCE & JOY
Soft Heart: that I will be like clay, molded into a stronger daughter of our Abba. 

  

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Psalm 67
May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make His face shine upon us,          

 Selah
that you ways may be known on earth,
     your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for
     joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
    and guide the nations of the earth.

     Selah

May the peoples praise you, O God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
Then the land will yield its harvest.
    and God, our God will bless us.
God will bless us,
    and all the eds of the earth will fear
        Him. 

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Interested in More Info?

Follow GFU Jrs. Abroad Blog: 

http://indiaabroad2012.blogspot.com/

Mendies Haven Website:

http://www.mendieshaven.org/haven/Welcome.html 

 Keep following for more updates! 

Many Blessings.

Re-Creating

The two posts below titled, "Christpower" & "Solidarity", are from an old blog. Christpower was written in June 2011. Solidarity was written in December 2011. These two pieces are significant to my personal growth in the last year. I could not part from their sentimental value. While creating a new blog, I thought a deeper context of my history would be beneficial to the much needed evidence of well-deserved growth. It is rewarding to see how far we have all come after living out life's ups and downs. 

Solidarity

Sol·i·dar·i·ty: noun, plural -ties.  1. union or fellowship arising from common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc.

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"Real solidarity begins when it is no longer a matter of we and they." We see the poor as what we often call needy; that we must go out and rescue them because they are helpless. There may even be some idea of getting them to cooperate with us. There may be some idea of teaching them to help themselves. There is a tendency to treat the poor as poor helpless creatures. 

Real solidarity comes when we realized that "the poor know better than we do what to do and how to do it;" that they are perfectly capable of solving structural problems or political problems. In fact, they are more capable of doing it than you and I are.

Real solidarity comes when we recognize that both the rich and the poor have faults. 

Real solidarity happens when it is recognized that we need each other. We rich need to be saved from our materialism and greed as much as they need to be saved from their poverty and oppression. 

Real solidarity takes considerable humility in order to listen and learn. 

Real solidarity happens when there is no longer we and they, only us.

                                              

                                              - Fr. Albert Nolan

 

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I am challenging myself this holiday season to actively pursuit solidarity within my George Fox and Santa Barbara communities; and anywhere else that is considered home. 

Like Nolan said, "Real solidarity takes considerable humility in order to listen and learn."

  

Listening...

 "Listening is the oldest and perhaps the most powerful tool of healing. It is often through the quality of our listening and not the wisdom of our words that we are able to affect the most profound changes in the people around us. When we listen we offer sanctuary for the homeless parts within the other person. That which has been denied, unloved, devalued by themselves and others. That which is hidden. When you listen generously to people, they can hear the truth in themselves often for the first time."

                                        - Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen

A HOUSE is a material object. The HOUSE becomes a HOME when it is filled with loving memories = solidarity. 

John 14:2 

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you."

We are all made in the image of God. Just as Christ builds rooms in His heart for His people, we have the gift of building a home in our hearts with many rooms that hold cherished memories, relationships, flavors, smells, sounds, and images. 

The poor may be HOUSEless, but the rich may be HOMEless. 

(could be visa versa) 

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Who might be suffering HOMELESS parts within themselves in your community? 

Are there HOMELESS parts within yourself that are not being met? 

What can "us" (not we or they) do to fill in those empty rooms in all of our hearts? 

"Jesus came not only to comfort the afflicted but to afflict the comfortable."

                                              - Dorothy Day

          MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS!!!  

Christpower

Within these last couple of months I am grateful to have learned that my value is not based off of my success or failure; rather, my value is defined by the amazing act of Christ. Because of His never ending love, and abounding grace, my brokenness will never put me to shame, only to be accepted. One day I will leave my broken body and return home dancing and singing through JUBILATION within my healed spirit. 

For now, I desire to live my life here on this broken earth with as much love, acceptance and forgiveness as I can possibly give. Life is to be celebrated. Despite the reality of pain, I hope that I can only grow from the scars. I want to learn how to love myself and those who surround me for the glory and celebration of Christ's sacrifice.

Lord! Thank you for giving me the freedom to stand before you broken, and through your love, directing me in a life that will heal me and mold me into your more whole and perfect creation.

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Look at him!
Look not at his divinity,
      But look, rather at his freedom.
Look not at the exaggerated tales of his power,
       But look, rather, at his infinite capacity to give himself away. Look not at the first-century mythology that surrounds him,
       But look, rather, at his courage to be,
          His ability to love, and
       the contagious quality of his love.
Stop your frantic search!
Be still and know that this is God:
        This love,
           This freedom,
              This life,
                 This being;
       And
When you are accepted, and accept yourself;
      When you are forgiven, forgive yourself;
             When you are loved, love yourself.
                   Grasp that Christpower
                        And dare to be
                             Yourself!