Good morning class. Welcome again to Re-evaluate Your Spiritual Life course 101.
Today we’re going to do a little evaluation test.
First, raise your hand if you believe your trying to follow God with your whole heart?
Marlee, yes, I see your hand.
Raise your hand if you thought that coming on a six month mission trip would change everything about your life? Spiritually, mentally, and physically?
Ok… thank you Marlee, you may put your hand down.
Now raise your hand if, right before you reach the four month marker of that six month feat, you discover that your in a spiritual rut. You’re completely amazed at yourself because all of the sudden you start looking like one of those imprudent Israelites who never, ever, get it. Of all places or stages in your life, the period of time that you have set aside, devoted solely to serving the Lord on the "mission field" should be the once place and time that you get everything that was mediocre in your life straightened out and become a much better Christian.
Wow, Marlee I really appreciate your enthusiastic participation today…
BLAH!
Two things:
1. I am not perfect.
2. There is hope!!! I serve a God who is perfect. And He will one day completely transform me and conform me to the image of His son. (check Hagg. 2:23, II Corinthians 3:18)
Have you ever had a really good light bulb moment? When things that you have been taught over and over for a split second make really good sense? When God opens your eyes so that you can finally FINALLY see?
All I can do is be thankful that God enables His servants to speak truth and allows me to hear it! The majority of the time, my accountability comes from Teej or Mac; several times since living in Africa it has been our friend Isaac. And I am extremely grateful for them because they remind me, help me, to stick with the race, to get back on the right track when I am struggling. But this time it was my youth pastor, Paige Findley, via podcast.
All day I had been devouring scripture trying to find something that would just jump out at me and grab my attention. I wanted to find the one story which would totally parallel with my “predicament”. But despite my oh-so-grievous search, I felt like I hadn’t really found what I was looking for. That night I couldn't go to bed. I wasn't especially tired and plus I was frustrated with trying to figure out how to keep our ministry fresh. While I waited on my body to wind down, I decided to listen to some YBS pod casts we happened to have. The two that we have are titled “ A Seriously Happy ‘How To’ ©” and “Life, Death, and Happiness”. (Super anointed messages, and if they’re still on the website I suggest that you download them.) That’s when it all began to sink in....
Both the best thing and the most challenging thing about a long term mission trip is that eventually you get settled. Eventually you get into a groove. You form a schedule. You develop habits. As sick as this may sound, for about a month I’ve been pulling my hair trying to figure out how to make the best use of my time. My time… funny right? Meanwhile, I’m cooped up in the house busy with my thoughts and idly going about my petty chores or whatnot. 'How do I really pin down this missionary thing?' 'What do good missionaries spend their time doing?' 'What new program could we start?' 'If only I was creative enough to start something that would entice everyone to come and realize that Jesus is awesome and then they would be healed and this village would be changed forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
*Uh-oh…red flags all over the place. Can anyone say Satan’s best strategy???
Taking the load off of God and hopelessly trying to carry it all myself.
Driver swap, much?
Yikes! NO, THANK YOU!
Wow, it’s so easy for me to complicate sharing the gospel.
That is what I was doing.
Here is what the Lord spoke to me through pastor P.:
I was sent to Uganda to testify through my actions and through my words that I value the living God. That I believe the King of Kings is worth all of my adoration. Thus, I glorify the only One worthy of glory. I love my Creator.
In reality, the world doesn’t need a new program. It needs to hear the ageless word of truth spoken over it. It needs people to genuinely display their love for God by living a life that clearly communicates (through their actions and through their words) that they are deeply and truly joyful, dancing in the overflow of God’s love.
That’s it! And the crux of that message really freed me. He has given me the gift of His spirit. Those who seek after Him will be greatly satisfied with this gift. And they will start to seek after Him when they see us enjoying Him to the fullest. For some reason those girls are happy, and it’s not because they are white and rich. If people see that I believe with my whole heart that God really is more precious than silver, more costly than gold, then will they start desiring Him for themselves.
Another thing-
Two weeks ago a young brother in the church named Billy preached a slick little sermon from Revelation ch. 2. vs. 2-5. He was pleading with the church to return to their first love. This is how it reads:
“2. I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you can not bear them who are evil; and you have tried them who say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars:
3. And have endured, and have patience, and for my name’s sake have labored, and have not fainted.
4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against you. Because you have left your first love.
5. Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove your lamp stand out of this place, except you repent.”
What’s the point?
So many times I go through life trying to behave correctly. As I should. But if the focus has shifted from the original reason I changed and started leading a more “well behaved” lifestyle in the first place, then I am laboring in vain. Don’t go astray from your first love. This idea goes hand in hand with seeking the Spirit itself, rather than the fruits of the spirit. If you want your ministry to be fruitful, live in the Spirit. Love and feast from the Spirit.
How do we do this?
God suggests we repent. Attack and confess the sin. As much of it as you can think of.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8)
Psalm 51
“If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)
So for now that’s all I’ve got.
Pray for us as we expressively enjoy our King throughout Kisoga. : ) After all, the more we delight in the Hero, the harder our enemy has to work. I invite you to be apart of this movement. Suit up soldiers. Psalm 18. Ephs. 6:11-18. HOO HAH!
We love you all so so much. Know that we miss you a lot and continue to lift you up in our prayers.
Love,
Marlee
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
genda rat
AH!!! So many important things to talk about. Wow. Ok.
1) I know in the last blog Mckenzie told you about how many of kids at the school couldn’t pay their school fees. Really unfortunate for the school and the parents feel a lot of pressure to try to get the money together. So we prayed about it and from our calculations we will have some money left over and we wanted God’s wisdom in how to use it. One of the things we felt like God wanted us to do was offer to cover the 37 students that couldn’t pay. We talked with Pastor Emma and decided it’s what we needed to do. We wanted you who supported to know that according to Pastor Emma, this is the first school term since the school opened (7 years ago) that all of the students have been paid for. Praise the Lord. Thank you from them to all of you! Here is a list of all of the students:
Baby Class (Pre-K)-
1. Jackob Kigundu
2. J. Kisekka
3. Halima Takola
4. Gladys Nakibuule
5. David Naliima
6. Teo Nantongo
7. Joan Namwanje
8. Violet Nakafu
9. God Sowagudde
10. Shamim Namule
Top Class (Kindergarten)-
1. Christine Ndagire
2. Sandra Namuli
3. Martin Kato
4. Vaniva Naxidde
5. Denis Kazibwe
Primary 1-
1. Grace Namugwanya
2. Shadiah Nakato
3. Joan Nalukoago
Primary 2-
1. Joseph Kasaga
2. Felix Damuliv
3. Maureen Nalugo
4. Jamiru Kisebe
5. Michael Kakande
6. Flavia Nakawunde
7. Anold Kyimba
Primary 3-
1. Rebecca Namusisi
2. Rose Babinye
3. Ben Kawuka
4. Monday Mugisila
5. Joseph Katumba
Primary 4-
1. Moses Luutu
2. Douglas Mubiru
3. Samuel Kawooya
4. Henry Kande
5. Maureen Nalweyinza
Primary 5-
1. Doreen Nantongo
2. John Kaziinza
*We are only paying for the first term. There are three terms in the years, at roughly $10 a term per student. So $30 a year covers the school fees for one child, including breakfast, school books, pencils, and lunch.
2) We recently went to Rwanda (yes, like Hotel Rwanda) to renew our visas. Our attempt to upload a blog to inform everyone of our upcoming journey failed but we really wanted to let everyone know. We left on Thursday the 5th and returned on Monday the 9th. Isaac, from Teen Missions, went with us. While we were there we visited someone whom he fondly refers to as, “Jjajja”. Jjajja (means grandmother in luganda) supported Isaac during his youth and school years. This woman is incredible. If you think that God can’t send people of all ages across the world to do His will, you are sadly mistaken. Jjajja, Monique, is 80 years old, beautiful, spunky, and so so full of life. Was born in France into a missionary family, and has been working for the Kingdom all her life. She has been living in Africa since 1993. She runs an organization that works with orphans and widows in Rwanda and Uganda and at the moment she lives in Rwanda. For those of you who got the memo that we were leaving earlier thanks so much for your prayers. We had an awesome visit and felt the Lord’s hand on us the entire time. What else is new? He is always faithful, thus we are ever thankful.
3) And that Leads me to my next thing. Pastor Joseph has a niece, Grace, who is in Primary 3 at our school. She’s really sweet and bright and we all like her a lot. Her father died last year so now her mother and her stay with Pastor Joseph. He lives quite a distance from Lusoga and so it’s been really hard for her to make it to school consistently but she really likes school. Today he told us he was going to try to find a way for her to stay in Lusoga with someone….anyone see where this is going? Yeah. Well he tells us this and then walks outside to talk to Pastor Emma. I immediately was struck with the scriptures about helping the widows and the orphans and helping the least of these. We all start discussing the possibility of her staying with us. God reminded me that the night before when we had been praying together I told Him we were willing, just show us what we could do to help. After a quick discussion we decided to offer our home. So as of now we’re not sure where she will sleep. I think me and Marlee will share a bed and Grace will take mine until we can get her a mosquito net and a mattress. She will be eating with us too which is good cause we usually have leftovers. But yeah, we’re going to be mothers from Sunday night to Thursday night, possibly until we leave. That starts the Tuesday after we get back…so things might be a little crazy. So you can pray once again, strength for us. Also patience and grace and willing hearts to change anything about our life right now to welcome in Grace. There is the part where she doesn’t really speak English and we don’t really speak Luganda…so that we would be able to communicate what we need to and that she wouldn’t feel isolated.
4) We are getting there….um, so last night me and McKenzie where talking and really felt like God put on our hearts to do a healing/ministry revival. We don’t really know how to plan one of those in a village in Uganda, but we’re trusting in God and trying to get that going. The plan as it stands right now is it will go down the first Saturday in April. We are looking for people to speak and music stuff and a location. We also want to “shop hop” the weeks leading up to it and get the word out and kind of pre-minister to some people. Plant seeds. Put up flyers. Make announcements over the loudspeaker thing. Get the church involved. We’re so excited to see where God takes it. Please please be praying for the doors to open up to take care of some of those things, for us to be lead by the Spirit, and for His name to be glorified in everything that is done.
5) Another way we want to start reaching out is through “Jump Rope for Jesus.” It was Marlee’s idea and we tried it out the other day. We took a rope outside and started jump roping. Before long there where like 20 kids hanging around, some jumping with us, some just laughing and watching. Plus there where about 10 adults watching from a little ways away. After it started to get dark we sang some Luganda Christian songs we’ve learned and some of the kids sang with us! We want to do it daily and maybe even get them to memorize scripture while they jump. Plus we want to get out our guitars, maybe get a djembe and have some kid sing-a-longs. Really exciting.
7) Lastly, we have some trials around the house…..For instance, behind our house used to be pretty quiet, save the neighbors. But there where only like two families back there. Well the other day, we hear some construction going on back there and low and behold, they built a road behind our house. In one day, we have a dirt road going behind our house. As if it wasn’t bad enough to have to walk outside for the world to know you’re using the latrines, now a road goes behind our latrines and sometimes kids throw rocks on the latrines while you’re in there shouting “Muzungu! Muzungu!” It’s really awesome. Second, adding to the major cockroach problem we had before, we now have a rat…and he’s smart. We tried to poison him and everyone told us it would work. Never touched the stuff. I’ve seen him and we hear him crawling around sometimes and he eats our food…..uggh. Not our friend. He also steals our stuff and wedges it under our stove thing on the counter. We daily find rags, candles, apple cores, napkins, boxes of matches….and who knows what else up under there. Pretty gross and annoying.
Plus I have to play man of the family whenever anything gross shows up. Story. Last night we went to bed really late between getting really excited about the revival and then life being so incredibly funny. So I’m lying there and I’m exhausted and I’ve just fallen asleep when Marlee wakes me up with, “TJ. TJ! I hear him. He’s over there. In my stuff.”
Me: ok. It’s ok. Just go to bed.
Marlee: Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I just saw him!!!
So I climb out of bed and go over. At this point I’m awake enough to get a little nervous cause I don’t really want him jump on me. So I have to reach right over where she saw him to turn on the light. Marlee’s curled up in her bed. And I go looking for him. Real scary cause I was waiting to move something and have this monster rat come jumping out at me. We can’t find him. Marlee thinks it may have gone into Mckenzie’s room. I’m getting real annoyed because I just want to go to bed but go check anyways. Well what I discover is a huge toad sitting on McKenzie’s backpack. Terrifying, huh. At that point I’m about to go to bed but then McKenzie wants me to get rid of it. So I chase it out, block the base of the door with some towels and head back to bed. The rat needs to go. It’s interfering with my sleep in a major ways….."genda (go in luganda) rat. genda."
Well that’s about it. Sorry this is so long! Lots of things to share!
Oh, and just to let you know we have joined the worship team at church. That involves a few songs with the guitar and the rest in Luganda, doing the whole dance and sing and sway thing in the front. It’s pretty embarrassing sometimes but I think it blesses the people for us to show that we’re getting involved in the community. Like Mckenzie said last time, we don’t have 7 years, so we’ll skip straight to dancing with the worship team if it will open the doors to the people’s hearts!
Love to all! Wish you could see this place, it’s amazing! Thanks again for your prayers.JEAN
1) I know in the last blog Mckenzie told you about how many of kids at the school couldn’t pay their school fees. Really unfortunate for the school and the parents feel a lot of pressure to try to get the money together. So we prayed about it and from our calculations we will have some money left over and we wanted God’s wisdom in how to use it. One of the things we felt like God wanted us to do was offer to cover the 37 students that couldn’t pay. We talked with Pastor Emma and decided it’s what we needed to do. We wanted you who supported to know that according to Pastor Emma, this is the first school term since the school opened (7 years ago) that all of the students have been paid for. Praise the Lord. Thank you from them to all of you! Here is a list of all of the students:
Baby Class (Pre-K)-
1. Jackob Kigundu
2. J. Kisekka
3. Halima Takola
4. Gladys Nakibuule
5. David Naliima
6. Teo Nantongo
7. Joan Namwanje
8. Violet Nakafu
9. God Sowagudde
10. Shamim Namule
Top Class (Kindergarten)-
1. Christine Ndagire
2. Sandra Namuli
3. Martin Kato
4. Vaniva Naxidde
5. Denis Kazibwe
Primary 1-
1. Grace Namugwanya
2. Shadiah Nakato
3. Joan Nalukoago
Primary 2-
1. Joseph Kasaga
2. Felix Damuliv
3. Maureen Nalugo
4. Jamiru Kisebe
5. Michael Kakande
6. Flavia Nakawunde
7. Anold Kyimba
Primary 3-
1. Rebecca Namusisi
2. Rose Babinye
3. Ben Kawuka
4. Monday Mugisila
5. Joseph Katumba
Primary 4-
1. Moses Luutu
2. Douglas Mubiru
3. Samuel Kawooya
4. Henry Kande
5. Maureen Nalweyinza
Primary 5-
1. Doreen Nantongo
2. John Kaziinza
*We are only paying for the first term. There are three terms in the years, at roughly $10 a term per student. So $30 a year covers the school fees for one child, including breakfast, school books, pencils, and lunch.
2) We recently went to Rwanda (yes, like Hotel Rwanda) to renew our visas. Our attempt to upload a blog to inform everyone of our upcoming journey failed but we really wanted to let everyone know. We left on Thursday the 5th and returned on Monday the 9th. Isaac, from Teen Missions, went with us. While we were there we visited someone whom he fondly refers to as, “Jjajja”. Jjajja (means grandmother in luganda) supported Isaac during his youth and school years. This woman is incredible. If you think that God can’t send people of all ages across the world to do His will, you are sadly mistaken. Jjajja, Monique, is 80 years old, beautiful, spunky, and so so full of life. Was born in France into a missionary family, and has been working for the Kingdom all her life. She has been living in Africa since 1993. She runs an organization that works with orphans and widows in Rwanda and Uganda and at the moment she lives in Rwanda. For those of you who got the memo that we were leaving earlier thanks so much for your prayers. We had an awesome visit and felt the Lord’s hand on us the entire time. What else is new? He is always faithful, thus we are ever thankful.
3) And that Leads me to my next thing. Pastor Joseph has a niece, Grace, who is in Primary 3 at our school. She’s really sweet and bright and we all like her a lot. Her father died last year so now her mother and her stay with Pastor Joseph. He lives quite a distance from Lusoga and so it’s been really hard for her to make it to school consistently but she really likes school. Today he told us he was going to try to find a way for her to stay in Lusoga with someone….anyone see where this is going? Yeah. Well he tells us this and then walks outside to talk to Pastor Emma. I immediately was struck with the scriptures about helping the widows and the orphans and helping the least of these. We all start discussing the possibility of her staying with us. God reminded me that the night before when we had been praying together I told Him we were willing, just show us what we could do to help. After a quick discussion we decided to offer our home. So as of now we’re not sure where she will sleep. I think me and Marlee will share a bed and Grace will take mine until we can get her a mosquito net and a mattress. She will be eating with us too which is good cause we usually have leftovers. But yeah, we’re going to be mothers from Sunday night to Thursday night, possibly until we leave. That starts the Tuesday after we get back…so things might be a little crazy. So you can pray once again, strength for us. Also patience and grace and willing hearts to change anything about our life right now to welcome in Grace. There is the part where she doesn’t really speak English and we don’t really speak Luganda…so that we would be able to communicate what we need to and that she wouldn’t feel isolated.
4) We are getting there….um, so last night me and McKenzie where talking and really felt like God put on our hearts to do a healing/ministry revival. We don’t really know how to plan one of those in a village in Uganda, but we’re trusting in God and trying to get that going. The plan as it stands right now is it will go down the first Saturday in April. We are looking for people to speak and music stuff and a location. We also want to “shop hop” the weeks leading up to it and get the word out and kind of pre-minister to some people. Plant seeds. Put up flyers. Make announcements over the loudspeaker thing. Get the church involved. We’re so excited to see where God takes it. Please please be praying for the doors to open up to take care of some of those things, for us to be lead by the Spirit, and for His name to be glorified in everything that is done.
5) Another way we want to start reaching out is through “Jump Rope for Jesus.” It was Marlee’s idea and we tried it out the other day. We took a rope outside and started jump roping. Before long there where like 20 kids hanging around, some jumping with us, some just laughing and watching. Plus there where about 10 adults watching from a little ways away. After it started to get dark we sang some Luganda Christian songs we’ve learned and some of the kids sang with us! We want to do it daily and maybe even get them to memorize scripture while they jump. Plus we want to get out our guitars, maybe get a djembe and have some kid sing-a-longs. Really exciting.
7) Lastly, we have some trials around the house…..For instance, behind our house used to be pretty quiet, save the neighbors. But there where only like two families back there. Well the other day, we hear some construction going on back there and low and behold, they built a road behind our house. In one day, we have a dirt road going behind our house. As if it wasn’t bad enough to have to walk outside for the world to know you’re using the latrines, now a road goes behind our latrines and sometimes kids throw rocks on the latrines while you’re in there shouting “Muzungu! Muzungu!” It’s really awesome. Second, adding to the major cockroach problem we had before, we now have a rat…and he’s smart. We tried to poison him and everyone told us it would work. Never touched the stuff. I’ve seen him and we hear him crawling around sometimes and he eats our food…..uggh. Not our friend. He also steals our stuff and wedges it under our stove thing on the counter. We daily find rags, candles, apple cores, napkins, boxes of matches….and who knows what else up under there. Pretty gross and annoying.
Plus I have to play man of the family whenever anything gross shows up. Story. Last night we went to bed really late between getting really excited about the revival and then life being so incredibly funny. So I’m lying there and I’m exhausted and I’ve just fallen asleep when Marlee wakes me up with, “TJ. TJ! I hear him. He’s over there. In my stuff.”
Me: ok. It’s ok. Just go to bed.
Marlee: Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I just saw him!!!
So I climb out of bed and go over. At this point I’m awake enough to get a little nervous cause I don’t really want him jump on me. So I have to reach right over where she saw him to turn on the light. Marlee’s curled up in her bed. And I go looking for him. Real scary cause I was waiting to move something and have this monster rat come jumping out at me. We can’t find him. Marlee thinks it may have gone into Mckenzie’s room. I’m getting real annoyed because I just want to go to bed but go check anyways. Well what I discover is a huge toad sitting on McKenzie’s backpack. Terrifying, huh. At that point I’m about to go to bed but then McKenzie wants me to get rid of it. So I chase it out, block the base of the door with some towels and head back to bed. The rat needs to go. It’s interfering with my sleep in a major ways….."genda (go in luganda) rat. genda."
Well that’s about it. Sorry this is so long! Lots of things to share!
Oh, and just to let you know we have joined the worship team at church. That involves a few songs with the guitar and the rest in Luganda, doing the whole dance and sing and sway thing in the front. It’s pretty embarrassing sometimes but I think it blesses the people for us to show that we’re getting involved in the community. Like Mckenzie said last time, we don’t have 7 years, so we’ll skip straight to dancing with the worship team if it will open the doors to the people’s hearts!
Love to all! Wish you could see this place, it’s amazing! Thanks again for your prayers.JEAN
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