A Morning Stroll thru a Cambodian Village

It was our last day in a tiny Cambodian village.  We had spent the week sleeping on cement floors under mosquito nets, using squatty potties with the token tarantula, showering with rain water, eating (amazing!) village food, and teaching classes like "leadership", "women's study", "leading worship", and other things we felt highly unqualified to teach.  Our translator and several new friends from our church insisted on taking us on a stroll thru the village to pray for a few people and to meet their relatives. 



I had thoroughly enjoyed our time in the village, but this morning I just wasn't feeling it.  Even though I had loved my time there, I found myself even more eager than expected to hop on that van to the city.  One last walk and ministry time.  Ok...fine.

The 2nd house we visited was a friend's grandmother.  She showed us her loom and how she weaves fabric.  As we were about to leave, we asked to pray for her.  She told us she has a hard time walking and getting around her house.  We prayed for her, then she walked us back to the main road.  Our friends from the village were dumbstruck.  They hadn't seen her walk (at least more than a few steps) in a long time, and were just in awe.  Amazing.  Once again, the lame walked!

At the next house, another miracle occured.  We prayed for one man's grandfather, who had a lot of years under his belt and who's health was slowly declining.  We prayed for his health, and he totally felt the presence of God.  He had been resisting God for about 10 years since his grandson had become a Christian.  Once he felt the presence of God he was adament about becoming a Christian and knowing Jesus.  We couldn't believe it!  10 years of resistance and we show up on the scene for 5 minutes and God blesses us w/ the opportunity to lead him to knowing Jesus.  Miracle #2.

Our pizza and mall date that night felt like a miracle too, but it wasn't anything close to feeling God's miracle-working presence like we did earlier that morning.  It's all about his presence, his love, and bringing him glory.  So much changes when we lift our eyes from surviving this life and living under rules of the Christian life to just knowing him and wanting others to know the glorious Jesus we know.

I want people to know these miracles.  I want people to know the power of the presence of God, because I believe it will change the way we relate to God, the way we view our daily lives, the way we interpret the Bible and it's meaning for us, the way we rely on God to meet our needs, etc, etc.

Elvis - The Day the Lame Walked

Miracles fascinate me.  Signs and wonders blow my mind.  Daily.  Yup, I said it.  Daily.

I think part of the reason so many of us don't believe in miracles is because we hear a voice saying, "Well I've never seen one.  No one talks about them.  All the magical miracle powder must have gotten lost and fizzled sometime around ohhh 217 AD."  Here's what I tell that sneaky little voice...SHOVE IT! 

I'm about to change that stale, boring mindset of yours.  In fact I hope I ruffle some neatly laid feathers.  That's what someone did for me.  They took my stuffy theological arguments and practices and smashed them. 

Meet Elvis.  He's about 35 and Nicaraguan. 

I met Elvis on the street corner by the ATM machine.  He was propped up against the bank and his crutches.  A large black medical boot covered one of his legs.  Fortunately, Celeste insisted on stopping and asked for my translation services.  He readily agreed to some prayer on his leg.  He also asked us to pray for his family and that he could go back to work soon to take care of them.  Then Celeste asked him to walk without crutches.  He wasn't very eager to agree.  But he did.  (Celeste can be very convincing.)  He took about 2 steps and was shocked he could do even that. Cool!  Neat!  We thought, and then we went on our way.

2 Days later Elvis walks into our hotel, with his crutches, of course.  He's asking to see us in a manner full of commotion.  I'm slightly nervous, to be honest.  He tells us that after we prayed for him, 2 other girls we knew passed him a prayed for him.  Each time he felt better and better.  He wanted us to pray one more time.  He was convinced he'd be healed.  So we prayed.  The next thing I know, he's walking out of the hotel.  No crutches.  Really.  No crutches.  I think I really was speechless.  Like literally. 

We never did see him again.  That means he wasn't begging by the bank.  It means he was able to go back to work to support his family.  It means he was completely and miraculously HEALED. 

I LOVE where I live! (video)



My Year in Beds

Sept 1, 2009 to Sept 1, 2010:

Grand Teton Nat'l Park, WY
Moab, UT
Limon, CO
Columbia, MO
Saxonburg, PA
Miami, FL
Antigua, Guatemala
Puerto Barrios, Guatemala
Punta Gordo, Belize
Guatemala City, Guatemala
San Salvador, El Salvador
Managua, Nicaragua
Jinotepe, Nicaragua
Plane from Nica to Miami to LAX to Taiwain to Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
Bus from Bangkok to/from Phuket, Thailand (4x...ugh)
Phuket, Thailand
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
2 tiny Cambodian villages of who's names I have no clue
Plane from Thailand to Ghana
Gbawe, Ghana
Accra, Ghana
Koforidua, Ghana
Lome, Togo
Kpalime, Togo
Lagos, Nigeria
Osogbo, Nigeria
Plane from Nigeria to Spain to Romania
Bucharest, Romania
Train from Bucharest to Arad, Romania
Arad, Romania
Brasov, Romania
Train from Romania to Serbia
Backa Topola, Serbia

Train from Serbia to Hungary to Romania to Moldova

Ungheni, Moldova

Naslavcea, Moldova

Ocnita, Moldova

Chisinau, Moldova

Bus from Moldova to Ukraine

Bus across Ukraine

Kirovskoe, Ukraine

Kiev, Ukraine

Dublin, Ireland

45 cities

17 countries
6 US states
7 days - the avg time I spent in any one location

Those stats sound exhausting in themselves, however, I love my life.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  This year?  I prob won't hit 17 countries.  I hope to hit at least 6 states.  (I have 3 already.)  And maybe this time we'll have a dog.  That would be neat.

Ever think you really knew something and it turns out you didn't?

I just got kicked in the stomach.  By God.  It was in love, no worries, as backwards as that sounds.  You know the feeling when a simple revelation stops you dead in your tracks and your breath stops, just for a moment?  It's so simple and it's been there all along.  Yet you never got it before - even though you thought you understood.  That's what happened to me this week.

The plea:  I'm in a new place, job, and community, and God has clearly opened doors for me to be here.  "Ok, I'm here God, now what?  You want me here, what am I supposed to do?  How am I supposed to be you?  I don't even know where to begin," I tell him.

The answer:  He points me to the Sermon on the Mount.  "Oh yea yea, I know that.  Salt and light, of course.  Be meek, hunger for God, seek the Kingdom.  Ok, I'll read it, but it's so familiar, God.  I want a deeper answer."  (Really meaning I want a "better" answer.)

Then the revelation comes.  The TRUE meaning of the Sermon on the Mount.  The one I never got before.  And it stops me in my tracks.

Suddenly the Beattitudes are no longer a cross-stitch pattern in my head but very real, alive, and representing the TRUE ESSENCE what it means to be Jesus.

And here's what God reveals...

Blessed = Favored by God, whoa, revelation in itself

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
poor in spirit = those who are beggarly, who know they have need, and come to God in dependency because they know they're not spiritually self-sufficient

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
those who mourn = those who grieve over what brings God grief, who feel God's broken heart over the things that flat out wrong in this world

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
They're more concerned about God's work happening in others than themselves, so they turn the other cheek, they don't lash out in anger, they don't seek retribution, but they love and honor when it's unnatural

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied
They hunger to be in right relationship with God.  They thirst for his intimacy and the fulfilling life that comes with it.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
They're full of mercy, compassion, and grace.   They're compelled to act upon the things that break God's (and their) hearts.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
They're clean, they're pure inwardly and in their actions.  Their intentions are pure and right.  Their heart is with pure desire.  And they'll see God.  Whoa.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
They carry peace in the midst of conflict.  They don't necessarily make the conflict stop, but they identify hostility and bring peace into the midst of it.

Giving, Praying, Fasting.  They're non-negotiables for Jesus.  He says WHEN you give...WHEN you pray...WHEN you fast...  It's our opportunity to be drawn into intimacy with him, our opportunity to intercede for his desires, our opportunity to be a part of his Kingdom coming.

Now I'm kicked in the stomach, convicted by the Holy Spirit, and slightly overwhelmed.  Then he says...

"Seek first my Kingdom, and all of these will follow..."

Ah peace.  There's no pressure in the Kingdom, only grace.  I can seek the Kingdom.  I can accept what's given to me - grace - and have grace for myself.  And then Jesus says practice these things.  Practice.  Make it a habit.  Make it intentional.  Make the sacrifice (the time and opportunity) to practice these things.

And I realize...

The KINGDOM is built upon these people.  THESE are the people who know the TRUE character and essence of Jesus.  They know his HEART, because his heart is all ove these things.  I want to be one of these people - thru and thru.  I want a heart that aches for kids in sex trafficking.  I want to bring peace in the midst of conflict, instead of only worrying about how to end the conflict.  I want to give more of my time to prayer and fasting to know my Lord more intimately and to be used by him.

I think it's time we stop saying, "the church needs to..." or "if the church would only..." etc.  As a Christian I'm TIRED of being known for what I don't do (drink, have sex, swear, blah blah blah) instead of what I actually do.  I want people to identify me with peace, with joy in all circumstances, with meekness, with a drive to change the awful things of this world, with miracles, and with LIFE.

I laughed when mom gave me handwarmers for Xmas...

• "Wow!  It's pretty warm out there.  It's like 25 degrees F," my boss tells me after returning from his walk outside.
  
• Another co-worker has expressed anticipation (multiple times) about Friday's high of 26 F.  No joke.
  
• The moisture from my neighbor's dryer caused his front door to completely freeze shut.  Is this for real?
  
• My car refuses to start in the morning w/o a healthy dose of pedal to the metal.
  
• As I walk thru the inside of the hotel lobby to our office I notice our snow trail that we've created over the past few DAYS.  At least our office is a balmy 55-60 degrees.
  
• I wore gloves at work yesterday.  Thanks to Megan for the glove/mitten combo things.  I bet they do have some cute trendy name that I'm not aware of...
  
• When guests call me to book rooms they gasp in horror at our current weather conditions.  (WAY below freezing and 3ft of snow?!  "THAT'S why I'm booking in July," they tell me.)
  
• Despite all this there are somehow there are animals scurrying around my front door at night.
  
• Yet...I'm looking forward to the day that I can XC ski or snowshoe to work.  Would anyone like to hasten that day in coming?  I'm 5'4" and not picky.

Welcome to Moran, Wyoming.  Home of Grand Teton National Park and, my new home, Jackson Lake Lodge.  I knew it was cold.  I didn't realize how cold.  (Like below 0 all week?!)  Ok, so I don't mind it so much, but it humors me, to say the least.

Jan 3rd, my 1st day,  on a -16F morning

PS - I take reservations for our summer lodging, incase you're convinced now.  =)

Changed My Life

The World Race changed my life, that's no big secret.  However, there are lots of other small things along the way that were part of changing my life.  I want to pass them on to you.  I guarantee even 1 of the things below will change your life, your view of God, and your view of yourself.

Music - (not your typical Christian radio music)
Jonathan David Helser - you can listen to them in the right column
Misty Edwards
Rick Pino
Jesus Culture
Kim Walker
Jake Hamilton

Books
The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind - Bill Johnson
The Supernatural Ways of Royalty - Kris Vallotton
The Heavenly Man - Brother Yun
The Shack - Wm. Paul Young (ok, I was skeptical, but man does he nail this!)
The Name of Jesus - Kenneth E. Hagin
The Final Quest - Rick Joyner
The Bondage Breaker - Neil T. Anderson

Podcasts
Bethel Church - Redding, CA (Bill Johnson)
Best of Kris Vallotton - Redding, CA
Graham Cooke
Anthony Chapman - Especially the 4 Part "A New Covenant" Series
Jennifer Toledo

Study
The God Story (36 Part Series) - studies the entire story of the Bible and the continuous themes