Any and Every Circumstance

So I haven't really talked a whole lot about raising support this summer. I've been kind of private about it, keeping to myself as I process through what God is doing, and how and why and when. It has been a journey for certain, and far different than I pictured it being from the get-go.

But when people do ask me about my summer, I often respond with something along the lines of, "raising support is weird." I don't have set hours. I don't get in my car, go to work from 9-5, and come home to relax. I don't know what a day or a week or a month will look like until it gets here.

I'm a pattern person. I like predictability and rhythm in my schedule. So this was tricky. I hated looking at an empty calendar with no appointments. I could barely stand the thought of another unstructured day. But God used it. I learned to manage my time. To take initiative. To have time to worship, work and play. I learned that I LOVED talking to people, casting vision for what God can and will do, sharing my passions and burdens. I learned that hearing about peoples' lives was far more than just work, it was loving them and seeing them where they are at, their hurts and joys alike. I learned that God works through and despite my blunders and shortcomings.

This summer has proven a teacher of many things. The question rings over and over- "Can you trust Me in times of plenty and in times of want? Can you trust Me when funds are coming in and you are optimistic and people are responding well? Can you trust Me when you haven't received a check in weeks, when you are feeling down-trodden and people are disinterested?"

Paul writes in Philippians 4:

I am three days away from my goal to be 75% funded. August 15th. I am currently 61%. GOD is my strength. Whether I'm in the ups of raising support or the downs. Whether I am fully funded, or not. I have found the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, God is my strength!

Learning to Dance

I think one of the most beautiful things is when a man sings about dancing with Jesus.

Lockstep by Will Reagan and United Pursuit

Safe from all the raging storms

Find me in your loving arms

Free from all my doubt and fears

I have found a haven here

Hallelujah

He is with me

I am not alone

Your love is sweeter than honey

Your love is stronger than death

Your love lifts me of my burdens

Teaches me to dance

Lockstep with my God and King

Move in perfect harmony

Feel the rhythms of his heart

Know the joy that he imparts

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy weekend! Just a few things that I have enjoyed lately... hope you enjoy as well! 

+ So apparently these may be limited time and only at participating McDonalds.... so get in your car and drive over to your MickeyD's immediately to find out if they have them... dipped cones! Hard shell of chocolate around the normal soft-serve cones= AMAZING!

+ Check out the Facebook page for the new Davies center! It's opening for a bit on Monday and I hope to be there! Maybe I can provide you all with some sneak peaks! :)

+ I'm currently digging this song...

+ I'm thinking of getting into running more... I would love to run a 5k someday. Here's a "couch to 5k" chart I found that looks like it could be promising. Maybe someday isn't too far away? :)

Kinda Addicted

Don’t be embarrassed but you can join me in raising your hand if much of a week or other extended period of time can be remembered by what song you listened to on repeat (riding in the car, dancing in the living room, starting it over & over to stop messing up the lyrics)…

For me it has been the song Farther Along by Josh Garrels.

Every time I listen to it I am thinking or processing through something different and I just can’t get enough. I hope you enjoy and share what you think!

Thoughts on Theology

So this summer I've been doing a lot of writing over at The Things That Make Us Tick. And it's been pretty great. But sometimes I just need a place to share more personal stuff, stuff that doesn't necessarily have to do with EDGE Corps or the Navigators or support raising, or any of that.

Lately God has been working on my theology. Which is a tricky thing to do with a girl who has a past aversion to theology, doctrine, and the like, mainly due to the fact that these things are so often linked with debate and arguments... and ultimately competition (another one of those things that this girl has an aversion to).

But theology doesn't have to be linked with those things, because really, all it is is the study of the nature of God.

And I guess as far as recording here for you all how God has been changing my theology, I don't really have the words. I just know that it's been good and difficult all at the same time. And that as He's doing it I'm getting closer to knowing who He truly is, getting closer to the truth.

So I'm going to leave you all with this to listen to if you'd like... some teachings about decision-making and the will of God that I have really been digging. Careful, they might mess with your theology. ;)

Freedom Friday: IJM Just Us Run

IJM Just Us Run (Eau Claire, WI) from Peace Church on Vimeo.

In Eau Claire this summer and looking for a way to get involved in the fight against injustice, specifically slavery? This Wednesday at 6pm at Owen Park there will be the 4th Annual Just Us Run/Walk with proceeds going to International Justice Mission. Check out their website here for more info! Maybe I'll see ya there! :)

She took some and ate it.

I just started reading "Made to Crave" by Lysa Terkeurst and chapter one had an INCREDIBLE insight that really helped me understand temptation and how satan works. So most of the post that follows is taken directly from her book, but I just had to share it with you!

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 

1 John 2:15-16 

Three ways satan tries to lure us away from loving God:

1. The cravings of the sinful man
2. The lust of his eyes
3. The boasting of what he has or does

Cravings: trying to get our physical desires met outside the will of God

Lust of eyes: trying to get our material desires met outside the will of God

Boasting: trying to get our need for significance met outside the will of God

This is found in Genesis 3:6 when satan tempts Eve:

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,who was with her, and he ate it.

It is also found when satan tries to tempt Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

In both these circumstances, satan appealed to the cravings, the lust of the eye, and pride or significance. For Eve, it was that the fruit was good for food, looked pleasing, and would give her wisdom. For Jesus it was that the bread would have quenched his hunger, the kingdoms of the world looked pleasing, and His significance would be proved if God sent angels to save Him.

The big difference between these two situations is that Eve gave in and Jesus did not. Eve "took some and ate it." Jesus answered satan's every temptation with the Word. Eve was consumed with the object of her desire, while Jesus was consumed with the Word of God.

The way we fight temptation is with the Word. Follow Jesus' example. Hide the Word in your heart, so that when satan comes knocking, enticing you with your cravings, lust of your eyes, or boasting of what you could be or do, you can fight back with the Word that is sharper than any two-edged-sword.