Trust Without Borders

It's been a couple of wee ks since I got back from my second trip to Kenya, and I still can't quite wrap my head around everything that happened during the trip - or since I've been back . The Lord uses Kenya to absolutely w reck my world. ..there is no doubt about that. As I attempt to reflec t on my time in Af rica, I can't help but be overwhel med by the sheer fact that I got to experience something like Kenya not once - but twice. Our God is SO good.  So, in my effort to process, I'm just going to go through som e things that I think Jesus taught me and reminded me of while I was in Africa , tryin g to remember that this is a continual process of learning and growth. The only way I can really ex plain what it feels like when you come back from a trip like this one is that you feel like you've been through spiritual heart surgery. I literally feel like my heart was ripped out, cut open, sculpted, repaired , rebuilt, and shoved back in , and I have...

 #10. Prayer Well, it's obviously been a while since I posted, and I clearly didn't hold true to my once a week blogs...but I'm back! It's summertime, and a recent Discipleship Resources retreat for writers at NewSpring Church and one of my Fuse students this week reminded me of why I loved to write so much and how much I have missed it. It truly is my favorite and most productive way to process, and when I don't have it as part of my daily quiet time or even weekly routine, I never feel quite right. Six months later I still haven't completely finished processing all that was Passion 2012, and I really do want to finish. So, that's going to be my first writing project of the summer. I'm starting back with prayer and how it has become such an important part of my life since Passion. Maybe it's a good thing I waited to write about this topic, because what I've learned and put into my daily practice over the last sixth months involving praye...

I haven't made time to sit down and write for this blog in months, and I am feeling the weight of that. Writing is the way I process, and it's important in my relationship with the Lord. School is about to start back, and I always become more structured during the school year. If there is anything I've learned this summer, however, it's that you can't let things slide just because you have some free time and sunshine. I've been going through the book of Genesis, and so far the most striking reminder for me came out of Chapter 25. In verses 29-34, Esau gives up his birthright for some stew that Jacob was cooking. Esau was famished, and in a moment of foolishness and impatience, he gave up his rightful future for temporary pleasure. As I read this, I couldn't help but think of all the times I have done this. In moments of weakness, want, or insecurity, I have given up my birthright, the joyful life that the Lord has for me, for temporary pleasure. No thing t...

God, be the solution. #9. Make Disciples My Saturday morning Starbucks blogs have been on a bit of a hiatus over the past couple of weeks as I very remissly allowed less important things steal my time. As part of a plan to become a more disciplined person, I'm jumping back on the bandwagon and making sure I have time to reflect at least once a week. Squeezing in right under the deadline, I want to continue reflecting on my Passion experience. One thing that was continuously pressed in on in Atlanta (and over and over again since I've been home) is the concept of making disciples who make disciples. Our goal as Christians should be to always spread the news of Jesus. We are called to glorify God and make His name known. I think we all realize that calling. But do we actually understand and act upon the weight of that responsibility? Every person we meet has a soul, and every person we meet will spend eternity somewhere. What are we doing to make sure that somewhere is Heaven? Ho...

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105 #8. Get in the Word As my church is in the middle of a series called "All In" in which we are reading through the book of Acts together, I've never been more in love with the Word of God, and I love so much that the importance of being in the Word is something that was very clearly highlighted at Passion 2012 . From the first session to the last, the focus on reading the Bible and asking the Lord to speak through it was evident. I've never been part of something quite as special as standing with 45,000 people as Ephesians was read over us in complete belief that the Lord was moving and speaking. It was beautiful. But what is even more beautiful is that you don't need 45,000 people or Lecrae and Beth Moore to be in the room with you to hear from God through His Word. The Bible is God's gift to you, and He wants you to use it independently as well as corporately. In our community ...

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 #7. Healing So, it's Saturday morning, and I'm sitting in Starbucks. Just had some awesome quiet time, and I'm ready to write. I'm still not finished with my Passion 2012 reflections, and today I want to write about healing. As I gear up to put my fingers to the keys, however, I can't help but be distracted by each new person who walks in the door of this coffee shop. Just knowing the personal turmoil I've been in before, and how good I was at hiding it from everyone around me, I wonder about the healing that each of these people may so desperately need. I wonder if they know how bad they need it. And I wonder if they know who the only person that could truly provide that healing power is. Healing is an interesting process, but I've learned that it doesn't have to be a difficult one...

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly , as I should." Ephesians 6:19-20 #6. Fearless and Unashamed Two words that absolutely haunted me at Passion 2012 were fearless and unashamed . I think they resonated so personally with me because they are something I had already been fighting with before I went to Passion. But isn't that silly? How can someone who clearly knows and undoubtedly believes what Jesus Christ has done for us be ashamed or scared to share that news? What is it about our culture that makes us afraid to care enough about people to introduce them to the one person who can save them? For me, I realized that when I am ashamed and scared, I'm making everything about me. What will people think about me ? What if I say something wrong or stupid? What if they don't want to be my f...

#5. Just a thought.... I was sitting in my seat on the very first night of Passion waiting for the main session to start when a guy came and sat down next to me. We struck up a conversation, and his accent immediately told me he wasn't from anywhere near Atlanta, GA. I asked where he was from, and he told me he was from South Africa originally but is currently studying in Kansas. After I had him explain how in the world (and why!) he ended up in Kansas from South Africa, I started asking him some questions about his transition to the United States. The way he answered one question I asked hasn't left the back of my mind since that night... I asked him what was the biggest shock coming to America or the thing that he didn't expect the most. His response was, "I'm not just saying this because we are at Passion, but I am genuinely surprised at how many people in America say they are Christians but really aren't. You can't do that in Africa. I just don't un...

#4. Redemption Have you ever truly thought about redemption? What does that word really mean? The dictionary defines redemption as deliverance, rescue, and atonement for guilt. Think about this in relation to Christianity, and it means deliverance from sin (aka our salvation). At Passion 2012 , I was absolutely taken captive by this concept. Of course I've thought of it and understood its implications before, but it seems when you are so completely and acutely focused on Jesus and your relationship with Him 24/7 for days on end, you can't help but be overwhelmed and consumed by the beauty of redemption and salvation no matter how much you already believe it. The truth of it is - we have been redeemed. Our debt has been paid, and by the blood of the cross we have been delivered from our guilt. If that doesn't bring you to your knees in gracious thanksgiving, I don't know what will. Our Savior chose to rescue us from ourselves. Not because we did, have done, or will do an...