I had this incredible experience on Sunday night.
I would call it an encounter.
I haven't had an encounter like this in more years than I can remember...
It was crazy. Like a collision of two opposing worlds.
The worlds collided in the hearts of the people I was standing among.
One world was of discouragement and oppression. The other: freedom and hope.
It was a battle. And as I watched, I felt the heaviness.
The burden of the enemy's captivity and an attack of apathy.
I talked with other intercessors who were experiencing similar visions and feelings. Then I felt the burden lift and hope restored as we prayed for each other. I was so excited. I felt more alive than I have in years! Nothing excites me more than seeing the Spirit of God work among His people. Absolutely nothing compares to this!
I knew the post-attack would come. I anticipated it. But I did not anticipate the form in which it came. I should have. Should have known that he would use my weakness. But it has been so long since I fought in this battle that I forgot his strategies. He knew that my spirit was strong but my flesh weak. So he attacked my body. The past few days I have been exhausted and weak beyond even what I consider normal. As I tried to press through the exhaustion, it turned into a migraine and I have been in bed since last night. Along with this physical weakness and pain is a mental fogginess and an inability to think clearly.
It wasn't until this evening that I recognized the attack for what it was. And I realized the need for community. I so desire to get the intercessors together to pray and to encourage each other, but every attempt is failure. Busyness is only an excuse. There is an apathy but also an enemy that keeps us out of communication with God and with each other. When will we stand up and fight for each other?
We have a Victor. One who will stand for us. One who is greater than the enemy who wars for our hearts. But He gives us a choice. He allows us to join in the battle. And He gives us each other to lift up each others' arms.
I am blogging about an encounter I had with the spiritual realm. But I am also calling out to my fellow intercessors for a new encounter. This is a call to arms. Let us join together to stand against the apathy and attacks of the enemy. Let us stand up and intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters in our own body.
We do not have to fight alone. Are you with me?
24 March 2010
13 March 2010
A step in the journey - an update
This is a short update (that became once again too long) to let you all know what is going on with us. Please forgive the lack of communication recently and the jumbledness (ooh... I just made up a new word!) of this note as it is too early to write and my brain is still foggy from recent migraines.
Okay. Number one. We have a home! Yay! So, Matthew and I both posted ads on Craigslist describing what we were looking for in a new place. We received all kinds of replies, but one of them was an amazing family offering us an apartment out of the generosity of their hearts and a desire to grow as a family. So, in exchange for helping around the house (which has been a daunting task for this family of six!) we have our own one bedroom apartment which is like an in-law unit attached to the family's carport. What an amazing blessing! This is very good timing because this situation enables me to work and feel useful but to work on my own schedule. With the recurring migraines, I am just not able to work a normal 8-5 anymore. This is just a few hours a week so I can work hard on my good days and stay in bed without guilt or fear of losing my job on the bad ones. This is good timing because I have had a lot more bad days than good lately.
And on that note, an update on my health. We have finally scheduled the histeroscopy for April 12th. After being in near constant pain the past three months, this is a huge relief. Please be in prayer regarding this surgery that the doctor will have a steady hand so as to not cause more damage than necessary to my delicate parts and that this surgery will actually correct the problem with the miscarriages and cure the pain. My fear is that the pain I am experiencing is unrelated to the fibroid. If that is true, then there will be a lot more doctor visits post-op to figure out what is going on. Pray for quick recovery so I can return to helping my new family!
The migraines have been very persistent this past month. I am hoping that it is due to the stress and lack of sleep that is associated with moving and nothing permanent. I have seen an unhelpful neurologist in town who gave me some preventative medication that was more harm than help as well as some actual migraine relief which seems to be working but at the cost of feeling dizzy and groggy for a day after taking one.
Skippy is adjusting well to his new surroundings. We are still trying to find him a more permanent home, but we will enjoy his company for a while. The family (especially all the little kids) are happy with him being here and have been understanding of his needs.
Indonesia. My heart breaks at the thought. We have postponed our trip for a few months due to the homeless situation as well as not having all of our finances in order. We still need to raise about $3600 in order to go on this trip. But we will wait for the Lord's timing and His provision. While we are in our new home, we should be able to save a little money even though I am not working, but we also want to start paying down our school debt. We are still hoping to sell my Dodge Caliber in order to help pay one of the loans off. My grandma has given us her old Dodge Intrepid since she isn't driving anymore so that we still have a back up vehicle when we sell mine.
And with that, I am off to go help mom move to grandma's house. I am so glad that we will be close by (we are only about a mile from grandma's house) and yet not under the same roof! Since Jacob will be going to Enterprise High next week, he is close enough to walk to my house or grandma's house after school. Which will be good considering mom will most likely start working next month.
I think that is about it for now. I just wanted to get you all updated on what was going on with us. Sorry for not updating sooner, things have obviously been crazy. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Without you this journey would be more difficult and lonely.
Okay. Number one. We have a home! Yay! So, Matthew and I both posted ads on Craigslist describing what we were looking for in a new place. We received all kinds of replies, but one of them was an amazing family offering us an apartment out of the generosity of their hearts and a desire to grow as a family. So, in exchange for helping around the house (which has been a daunting task for this family of six!) we have our own one bedroom apartment which is like an in-law unit attached to the family's carport. What an amazing blessing! This is very good timing because this situation enables me to work and feel useful but to work on my own schedule. With the recurring migraines, I am just not able to work a normal 8-5 anymore. This is just a few hours a week so I can work hard on my good days and stay in bed without guilt or fear of losing my job on the bad ones. This is good timing because I have had a lot more bad days than good lately.
And on that note, an update on my health. We have finally scheduled the histeroscopy for April 12th. After being in near constant pain the past three months, this is a huge relief. Please be in prayer regarding this surgery that the doctor will have a steady hand so as to not cause more damage than necessary to my delicate parts and that this surgery will actually correct the problem with the miscarriages and cure the pain. My fear is that the pain I am experiencing is unrelated to the fibroid. If that is true, then there will be a lot more doctor visits post-op to figure out what is going on. Pray for quick recovery so I can return to helping my new family!
The migraines have been very persistent this past month. I am hoping that it is due to the stress and lack of sleep that is associated with moving and nothing permanent. I have seen an unhelpful neurologist in town who gave me some preventative medication that was more harm than help as well as some actual migraine relief which seems to be working but at the cost of feeling dizzy and groggy for a day after taking one.
Skippy is adjusting well to his new surroundings. We are still trying to find him a more permanent home, but we will enjoy his company for a while. The family (especially all the little kids) are happy with him being here and have been understanding of his needs.
Indonesia. My heart breaks at the thought. We have postponed our trip for a few months due to the homeless situation as well as not having all of our finances in order. We still need to raise about $3600 in order to go on this trip. But we will wait for the Lord's timing and His provision. While we are in our new home, we should be able to save a little money even though I am not working, but we also want to start paying down our school debt. We are still hoping to sell my Dodge Caliber in order to help pay one of the loans off. My grandma has given us her old Dodge Intrepid since she isn't driving anymore so that we still have a back up vehicle when we sell mine.
And with that, I am off to go help mom move to grandma's house. I am so glad that we will be close by (we are only about a mile from grandma's house) and yet not under the same roof! Since Jacob will be going to Enterprise High next week, he is close enough to walk to my house or grandma's house after school. Which will be good considering mom will most likely start working next month.
I think that is about it for now. I just wanted to get you all updated on what was going on with us. Sorry for not updating sooner, things have obviously been crazy. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Without you this journey would be more difficult and lonely.
22 February 2010
Living on the Edge
This week Pastor Nate talked about one of my favorite stories in scripture... Joshua's encounter with the Angel of the Lord before the battle of Jericho. (Joshua 5:13)
This is the beginning of a new series (well... old in the sense that we have talked about this subject over and over again, but new as in we are talking about it again and coming out of our series on the Voice of God) called Living God's Dreams.
This is the part where you should stop and go listen to the podcast... Click on the title of this post to go to the Stirring's podcast page if you weren't there on Sunday, then come back and finish reading. :)
Nate is a good friend and he knows what we are going through. He was telling our story as he talked about Joshua. If you listened to the sermon, you will understand what I mean when I say that I feel like we are right on the edge of living out God's dreams...but there is this huge wall. I know that this is the dream God has given us and He will accomplish it, but I am so tired of the silence and so ready for the trumpets! God please make these walls come down or else give us a new vision, but don't make us march around the walls one more day!
After selling almost all of our belongings (and deciding that as spoiled Americans, we still have way too much stuff!) we moved in with my mom. That was stressful and crazy for everyone but good for our finances. Then our friends needed some house-sitting for a few months, so we were able to do that until they came home a few weeks ago. It was great to have our own space and have some rest. When we left there mom said she was moving in with grandma and we had to find another place for our dog and our stuff, so we moved in with another friend. This friend is fostering puppies and I have found that I am allergic to the smell and have been getting migraines almost daily in addition to the constant pain from the fibroid tumor. So, we are homeless once again and in search of a place to call home at least temporarily. It just seems that we are in limbo once again... Needing a place to call our own, yet wanting to save every penny so we can go on our vision trip. I have been looking for work, but in so much pain every day I'm not sure I even can work. Our stuff is all in storage and we are thinking about just getting a PO Box and pitching a tent in someone's back yard...
This feels like sacrifice and like we are working towards the dreams God has given us, but is it really? Or is it just indecision and lack of finances? Is there a balance between "this world is not our home" and meeting basic needs like shelter and safety? Should we be looking at renting an apartment or sharing a home and living in community? Should we really pitch a tent or stay in a bed and breakfast? What does it really mean to live God's dreams? I have a dream for a Nation to know Jesus and to not be under the influence of the enemy. For a people to know the power and love and freedom of Christ. For a church to rise up and be strong in the face of the enemy. This is not my own dream. It is so much bigger than me. It was given to me ... it is a God dream. But is this the time that He will accomplish this dream? Will he really use me to do it? Or does God have another purpose for me to live in this generation?
These are the questions that are my existence. This is my world of living in limbo. of waiting. As we wait, we pray. We seek God. We ask for Him to speak through the silence and to give us direction, vision, wisdom. This week as we fast and pray, will you pray with us?
I write this as I battle another migraine, so forgive me as I end poorly. I am going to try to find a quiet place to rest for a few hours before Matthew gets off work.
Thanks to my friends who have been there encouraging us and who have offered their homes for our temporary sanity. Thanks for being there and for praying. You are the blessing that keeps us going!
This is the beginning of a new series (well... old in the sense that we have talked about this subject over and over again, but new as in we are talking about it again and coming out of our series on the Voice of God) called Living God's Dreams.
This is the part where you should stop and go listen to the podcast... Click on the title of this post to go to the Stirring's podcast page if you weren't there on Sunday, then come back and finish reading. :)
Nate is a good friend and he knows what we are going through. He was telling our story as he talked about Joshua. If you listened to the sermon, you will understand what I mean when I say that I feel like we are right on the edge of living out God's dreams...but there is this huge wall. I know that this is the dream God has given us and He will accomplish it, but I am so tired of the silence and so ready for the trumpets! God please make these walls come down or else give us a new vision, but don't make us march around the walls one more day!
After selling almost all of our belongings (and deciding that as spoiled Americans, we still have way too much stuff!) we moved in with my mom. That was stressful and crazy for everyone but good for our finances. Then our friends needed some house-sitting for a few months, so we were able to do that until they came home a few weeks ago. It was great to have our own space and have some rest. When we left there mom said she was moving in with grandma and we had to find another place for our dog and our stuff, so we moved in with another friend. This friend is fostering puppies and I have found that I am allergic to the smell and have been getting migraines almost daily in addition to the constant pain from the fibroid tumor. So, we are homeless once again and in search of a place to call home at least temporarily. It just seems that we are in limbo once again... Needing a place to call our own, yet wanting to save every penny so we can go on our vision trip. I have been looking for work, but in so much pain every day I'm not sure I even can work. Our stuff is all in storage and we are thinking about just getting a PO Box and pitching a tent in someone's back yard...
This feels like sacrifice and like we are working towards the dreams God has given us, but is it really? Or is it just indecision and lack of finances? Is there a balance between "this world is not our home" and meeting basic needs like shelter and safety? Should we be looking at renting an apartment or sharing a home and living in community? Should we really pitch a tent or stay in a bed and breakfast? What does it really mean to live God's dreams? I have a dream for a Nation to know Jesus and to not be under the influence of the enemy. For a people to know the power and love and freedom of Christ. For a church to rise up and be strong in the face of the enemy. This is not my own dream. It is so much bigger than me. It was given to me ... it is a God dream. But is this the time that He will accomplish this dream? Will he really use me to do it? Or does God have another purpose for me to live in this generation?
These are the questions that are my existence. This is my world of living in limbo. of waiting. As we wait, we pray. We seek God. We ask for Him to speak through the silence and to give us direction, vision, wisdom. This week as we fast and pray, will you pray with us?
I write this as I battle another migraine, so forgive me as I end poorly. I am going to try to find a quiet place to rest for a few hours before Matthew gets off work.
Thanks to my friends who have been there encouraging us and who have offered their homes for our temporary sanity. Thanks for being there and for praying. You are the blessing that keeps us going!
17 February 2010
Heartfelt Valentine's Day
For years I have listened to my pastor speak about God's purpose for this generation and heard his heart for the lost, lonely, and disconnected youth of our city. I must admit that as much as I have supported and been a part of this church since it's inception, I have felt a bit disconnected from this passion for people in our city because I have been so focused on Indonesia. I know that God's heart is for Redding and Indonesia and that in some way I was limiting him by not reaching out in my own community. Tonight as I was hurrying home I saw people walking on the side walk as I drove past. I surprised myself by realizing that my normal response is actually pretty judgemental. I think about all the resources that are available to people and the choices that people make to stay in poverty. Then something strange and wonderful happened. I felt for one instant the reality of the brokenness of the lost of our city. It was only a moment but it was powerful. It is those moments when the head knowledge moves to your heart and you can begin to see and feel a change in your spirit. These are the moments that I live for.
This has not been a very exciting Valentine's Day, but it was memorable. This year it was not about hearts and chocolate and flowers and kisses, but about true love. About knowing God's love for me and for this world... and every person in it.
This has not been a very exciting Valentine's Day, but it was memorable. This year it was not about hearts and chocolate and flowers and kisses, but about true love. About knowing God's love for me and for this world... and every person in it.
26 January 2010
The Story and the Vision of our Journey to Indonesia
Dear Friends,
For those of you who haven't heard the whole story and are curious, here is our story about the journey to Indonesia. It explains why we have a desire to go and why we feel the urgency to go at this time. Thank you for your encouragement and support as we embark on the next phase of this journey. For those of you who already know our story, I encourage you to read on because of some new developments in our situation and at the end of this letter I will let you know more specific ways that you can pray.
The Story
In the fall of 2002, I (Erica) was attending Simpson College and had just changed my major from youth ministries to general ministries. That semester I had four missions classes. One of which was taught by the missionary in residence, Ann, who had served in Indonesia for almost 30 years. The class was all about Indonesia. One day Ann was speaking about the youth of Indonesia and the great need for ministry to Jr. high students there. As she spoke I felt my heart flip upside down inside my chest and I knew that I had to follow Ann back to Indonesia that summer. To make a very long story ridiculously short, I ended up going to Indonesia with Ann with a short term team from Simpson the following summer. It was an amazing trip and I felt a deeper call to return and minister to the Dayak people along the Mahakam river of East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Returning home was very difficult for me that summer because I felt very strongly that Indonesia was my home more than America and I longed to return to my new family. I started working towards becoming a full time career missionary with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I completed my BA degree in General Ministry and prayed unceasingly about when and how I could return to Indonesia. A friend and fellow student of missions advised me to make another short term trip to Indonesia before making a commitment to serving there. I followed her advice and took a team from my home church (the Stirring) in summer of 2005. It was another amazing trip filled with faith-stretching experiences. We witnessed many miracles and experienced the presence of God wherever we went. I felt the same strong desire to remain and minister with the people of Kalimantan, but knew also that I had unfinished work at home with my family, the church, and a great amount of debt that I had incurred from getting my BA degree at Simpson.
From there I decided to continue my path with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and began working on my Master's degree. During this time Matthew and I started dating and began talking about the future. Shortly afterward my step-dad and grandfather passed away within a few weeks of each other around Thanksgiving of 2006. Their deaths led me to a difficult spiritual season where I reevaluated life and sought to appreciate the present things rather than focus on the future. Matthew proposed during a New Year's Eve church service and we were married in March of 2007.
Since then, we have not stopped praying and talking about our hopes and dreams for the future and what God is calling us to as a married couple. In May of 2008, during a wonderful night of worship at the Stirring, the Lord gave me a vision. I had been praying and interceding for the islands of Indonesia. I had felt for some time that the Lord was telling me that he was giving me the island of Borneo for His Glory. That night I asked Him for all of the islands of Indonesia, not just one... that the whole nation would come to know Him. As I prayed this I thought that this was too great a task for me to do alone... even for me and Matthew to do on our own... That is when he gave me the vision...
The Vision
I saw Matthew and I with our son. He was maybe two or three years old. He was walking between us holding our hands and we were walking on the islands of Indonesia. The Lord said "I will give you every place you set your feet. And this will be the legacy you pass down to your children and they will complete this work that I have given you... to take back this nation for Me." A son! A beautiful, blond, curly haired, blue-eyed, son! And a legacy! And Indonesia for Jesus! This was a dream that was bigger than me. Bigger than Matthew. But not too big for God.
A week later, we had our first miscarriage. We did not know we were pregnant until we had lost the child. It was early in the pregnancy, but we knew that the enemy was trying to steal what the Lord had promised us. But we also knew that God was faithful and would keep His promises. This last year we lost two more children to early miscarriage. But we do not give up hope. We take one step at a time as we seek God's heart for our future and our family...
This year we have decided that the time has come to step out into the plans of God and to take hold of that which He has promised us. We have sold most of our belongings and limited our expenses by living with family or house-sitting for friends to prepare for a vision trip to Indonesia this year. ...
The Trip
And so, the time has come to take a trip to visit the islands of Indonesia. We are looking forward to visiting with some old and new friends as we take a short vision trip. The purpose of this trip is first of all to determine whether or not God is calling us as a family to minister in Indonesia. Secondly, if we are being called to Indonesia, we need to determine the specific details... where, when, who, and how! In short, which island or people group, which missions agency, and when we would begin our ministry.
At this point in the planning, we are looking to stay in Indonesia 2-3 weeks. This is not very much time, but it allows for some debriefing time when we get home before Matthew will need to return to work. We are hoping to visit the islands of Java and Kalimantan and will be visiting with friends from the Christian and Missionary Alliance and Pioneers. We hope that we may also get a chance to visit with some pilots from Missionary Aviation Fellowship, but we are unsure of the timing of our visit working with their schedules. As Matthew has been learning to fly, this would be a valuable contact in the future, even if we decide not to work for them.
We encourage you to go online and look at Google Earth to find out more about where Java and Kalimantan are located and to look up information about the Dayak people of East Kalimantan so that you can better pray for us and join with us in this new season of our lives. ...
The Support
The reason we have written to you is because you are our friends and family and we want you to be a part of this new season. We want you to partner with us on this journey in any ways that you can. I am going to list a few creative ways that you can join with us, but please be more creative than us! If there are other ways that you are feeling led to partner with us, please contact us and we would love to pray it through with you!
We have some very specific and urgent needs that I will address first. These needs, because they are so immediate, are not so creative, but significantly important. More information will be coming soon as to funds that will be set up and opportunities for tax-write-offs, and so forth... we just want to give you the general information so that you can pray with us and for us for the following needs...
* We need financial support for this upcoming vision trip. Please pray about giving towards this trip. Right now we are estimating our cost to be about $4000. This covers the cost of air fare to and from Indonesia as well as travel between islands and the cost of food and lodging.
* We need prayer for healing and financial miracles! We discovered last week that I have a small fibroid tumor in my uterus that is probably the cause of the miscarriages. The tumor itself has changed the lining of the uterus but there is also the possibility of Endometriosis. This has caused severe and nearly constant pain but can be corrected with a fairly simple surgical procedure. Although we do have insurance, it does not fully cover the cost of the procedure. Because of the timing of our trip, we will be waiting to do surgery when we return. Please pray for miraculous healing and that this would not be a distraction from what we want to accomplish in Indonesia.
* As we have been wandering from home to home, our dog has been under the care of my mother the past few months. She has graciously offered to foster him for a short time until we can find him a more permanent home. She is not able to foster him much longer and we are earnestly seeking a new home for him. Please pray that we can find a suitable home before we leave for this trip.
The Thank you's
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all in advance for your partnership in this endeavor. We also want to thank all of you who have prepared the way for this day to come. For our pastors, friends, and family who encouraged us every step of the way. Thank you. And to our Lord, Jesus, thank you for the gift of each other, of dreams, and of your promises and faithfulness. Without You this would all be for nothing.
For those of you who haven't heard the whole story and are curious, here is our story about the journey to Indonesia. It explains why we have a desire to go and why we feel the urgency to go at this time. Thank you for your encouragement and support as we embark on the next phase of this journey. For those of you who already know our story, I encourage you to read on because of some new developments in our situation and at the end of this letter I will let you know more specific ways that you can pray.
The Story
In the fall of 2002, I (Erica) was attending Simpson College and had just changed my major from youth ministries to general ministries. That semester I had four missions classes. One of which was taught by the missionary in residence, Ann, who had served in Indonesia for almost 30 years. The class was all about Indonesia. One day Ann was speaking about the youth of Indonesia and the great need for ministry to Jr. high students there. As she spoke I felt my heart flip upside down inside my chest and I knew that I had to follow Ann back to Indonesia that summer. To make a very long story ridiculously short, I ended up going to Indonesia with Ann with a short term team from Simpson the following summer. It was an amazing trip and I felt a deeper call to return and minister to the Dayak people along the Mahakam river of East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Returning home was very difficult for me that summer because I felt very strongly that Indonesia was my home more than America and I longed to return to my new family. I started working towards becoming a full time career missionary with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. I completed my BA degree in General Ministry and prayed unceasingly about when and how I could return to Indonesia. A friend and fellow student of missions advised me to make another short term trip to Indonesia before making a commitment to serving there. I followed her advice and took a team from my home church (the Stirring) in summer of 2005. It was another amazing trip filled with faith-stretching experiences. We witnessed many miracles and experienced the presence of God wherever we went. I felt the same strong desire to remain and minister with the people of Kalimantan, but knew also that I had unfinished work at home with my family, the church, and a great amount of debt that I had incurred from getting my BA degree at Simpson.
From there I decided to continue my path with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and began working on my Master's degree. During this time Matthew and I started dating and began talking about the future. Shortly afterward my step-dad and grandfather passed away within a few weeks of each other around Thanksgiving of 2006. Their deaths led me to a difficult spiritual season where I reevaluated life and sought to appreciate the present things rather than focus on the future. Matthew proposed during a New Year's Eve church service and we were married in March of 2007.
Since then, we have not stopped praying and talking about our hopes and dreams for the future and what God is calling us to as a married couple. In May of 2008, during a wonderful night of worship at the Stirring, the Lord gave me a vision. I had been praying and interceding for the islands of Indonesia. I had felt for some time that the Lord was telling me that he was giving me the island of Borneo for His Glory. That night I asked Him for all of the islands of Indonesia, not just one... that the whole nation would come to know Him. As I prayed this I thought that this was too great a task for me to do alone... even for me and Matthew to do on our own... That is when he gave me the vision...
The Vision
I saw Matthew and I with our son. He was maybe two or three years old. He was walking between us holding our hands and we were walking on the islands of Indonesia. The Lord said "I will give you every place you set your feet. And this will be the legacy you pass down to your children and they will complete this work that I have given you... to take back this nation for Me." A son! A beautiful, blond, curly haired, blue-eyed, son! And a legacy! And Indonesia for Jesus! This was a dream that was bigger than me. Bigger than Matthew. But not too big for God.
A week later, we had our first miscarriage. We did not know we were pregnant until we had lost the child. It was early in the pregnancy, but we knew that the enemy was trying to steal what the Lord had promised us. But we also knew that God was faithful and would keep His promises. This last year we lost two more children to early miscarriage. But we do not give up hope. We take one step at a time as we seek God's heart for our future and our family...
This year we have decided that the time has come to step out into the plans of God and to take hold of that which He has promised us. We have sold most of our belongings and limited our expenses by living with family or house-sitting for friends to prepare for a vision trip to Indonesia this year. ...
The Trip
And so, the time has come to take a trip to visit the islands of Indonesia. We are looking forward to visiting with some old and new friends as we take a short vision trip. The purpose of this trip is first of all to determine whether or not God is calling us as a family to minister in Indonesia. Secondly, if we are being called to Indonesia, we need to determine the specific details... where, when, who, and how! In short, which island or people group, which missions agency, and when we would begin our ministry.
At this point in the planning, we are looking to stay in Indonesia 2-3 weeks. This is not very much time, but it allows for some debriefing time when we get home before Matthew will need to return to work. We are hoping to visit the islands of Java and Kalimantan and will be visiting with friends from the Christian and Missionary Alliance and Pioneers. We hope that we may also get a chance to visit with some pilots from Missionary Aviation Fellowship, but we are unsure of the timing of our visit working with their schedules. As Matthew has been learning to fly, this would be a valuable contact in the future, even if we decide not to work for them.
We encourage you to go online and look at Google Earth to find out more about where Java and Kalimantan are located and to look up information about the Dayak people of East Kalimantan so that you can better pray for us and join with us in this new season of our lives. ...
The Support
The reason we have written to you is because you are our friends and family and we want you to be a part of this new season. We want you to partner with us on this journey in any ways that you can. I am going to list a few creative ways that you can join with us, but please be more creative than us! If there are other ways that you are feeling led to partner with us, please contact us and we would love to pray it through with you!
We have some very specific and urgent needs that I will address first. These needs, because they are so immediate, are not so creative, but significantly important. More information will be coming soon as to funds that will be set up and opportunities for tax-write-offs, and so forth... we just want to give you the general information so that you can pray with us and for us for the following needs...
* We need financial support for this upcoming vision trip. Please pray about giving towards this trip. Right now we are estimating our cost to be about $4000. This covers the cost of air fare to and from Indonesia as well as travel between islands and the cost of food and lodging.
* We need prayer for healing and financial miracles! We discovered last week that I have a small fibroid tumor in my uterus that is probably the cause of the miscarriages. The tumor itself has changed the lining of the uterus but there is also the possibility of Endometriosis. This has caused severe and nearly constant pain but can be corrected with a fairly simple surgical procedure. Although we do have insurance, it does not fully cover the cost of the procedure. Because of the timing of our trip, we will be waiting to do surgery when we return. Please pray for miraculous healing and that this would not be a distraction from what we want to accomplish in Indonesia.
* As we have been wandering from home to home, our dog has been under the care of my mother the past few months. She has graciously offered to foster him for a short time until we can find him a more permanent home. She is not able to foster him much longer and we are earnestly seeking a new home for him. Please pray that we can find a suitable home before we leave for this trip.
The Thank you's
We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all in advance for your partnership in this endeavor. We also want to thank all of you who have prepared the way for this day to come. For our pastors, friends, and family who encouraged us every step of the way. Thank you. And to our Lord, Jesus, thank you for the gift of each other, of dreams, and of your promises and faithfulness. Without You this would all be for nothing.
20 January 2010
Indonesia Vision Trip 2010
Hey there friends!
For those of you who have been following our journey for a while, this is a quick post to let you know that we are now preparing for our vision trip to Indonesia.
We would love for you to get involved in any ways you can. Please be praying about how you want to participate in this season of our journey with us. Here are a few needs that we have right now. I will update as the time of our trip comes closer and upon our return when we have more details of what we will be doing in the next few years...
Right now our urgent need is for the finances to go on this trip. At this point, we are looking for about 100 people to donate $40 each to this trip... This will cover the expense to get to and from Indonesia and between any islands as well as our food and lodging. We also need transportation from Redding to Los Angeles and back again as our out of country flight is from LAX.
Please also pray about supporting us when we return. We already know of the following needs and we ask that you pray about your involvement and how you can help...
* Our dog, Skippy needs a new home.
*We will need a place to stay temporarily when we return from our trip until we can get things situated
*we will eventually need monthly financial support if we are going to be doing full time service. (This includes student loan payments)
*we need prayer and encouragement for not only us but for our families as well
If you would like to donate to this specific trip, you can write a check out to The Stirring and put our names in the memo... Our church is setting up a fund for this trip. If you think you would be able to help with another need in the future, please email us and let us know.
Thank you for your prayers and continued encouragement and support. Please feel free to comment below or email if you have any questions. Thanks!
For those of you who have been following our journey for a while, this is a quick post to let you know that we are now preparing for our vision trip to Indonesia.
We would love for you to get involved in any ways you can. Please be praying about how you want to participate in this season of our journey with us. Here are a few needs that we have right now. I will update as the time of our trip comes closer and upon our return when we have more details of what we will be doing in the next few years...
Right now our urgent need is for the finances to go on this trip. At this point, we are looking for about 100 people to donate $40 each to this trip... This will cover the expense to get to and from Indonesia and between any islands as well as our food and lodging. We also need transportation from Redding to Los Angeles and back again as our out of country flight is from LAX.
Please also pray about supporting us when we return. We already know of the following needs and we ask that you pray about your involvement and how you can help...
* Our dog, Skippy needs a new home.
*We will need a place to stay temporarily when we return from our trip until we can get things situated
*we will eventually need monthly financial support if we are going to be doing full time service. (This includes student loan payments)
*we need prayer and encouragement for not only us but for our families as well
If you would like to donate to this specific trip, you can write a check out to The Stirring and put our names in the memo... Our church is setting up a fund for this trip. If you think you would be able to help with another need in the future, please email us and let us know.
Thank you for your prayers and continued encouragement and support. Please feel free to comment below or email if you have any questions. Thanks!
06 December 2009
The Tree
Okay, so Beth Moore is amazing... God is even more amazing. I am loving how He is using this study this week to really speak to me. I can't tell you how wonderful it has been to rest in His word the past few days... okay, so new revelation building up from yesterday's devotional time...
Ephesians 3:14-21 (New Living Translation) Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: "Draw a tree planted in soil to represent how rooted you would estimate your life to be in the soil, or assurance, of God's love. Beside the diagram, write an explanation for the depth (or lack of depth) of your roots."
Okay, so I wish I could draw you a picture of my tree, but you will just have to imagine it yourself. It is a tall tree with many roots and branches. Each branch is a different size and has smaller branches coming out of it. There are no leaves on the tree. In the center of the tree is a carving of a heart. The roots appear to be a reflection of the branches: each a different length and depth and smaller roots coming out of larger ones. The roots are named after who God is to me and their depth is comparable to the depth of that characteristic of God evidenced in my life... God as Father, Savior, Comforter, friend, healer, provider, faithful, and unfailing love.
This assignment made me realize how amazing (and accurate!) the image of a tree is as an analogy for the spiritual life. Although some branches and even some smaller roots may break and die in a storm, fire, flood, or drought, there are still many strong roots that are deep and firmly planted that do not allow the tree to be moved or destroyed. Through time and the trials of life, even shallow roots grow deeper and weak roots become stronger and new roots form and grow. God uses the storms and fires of life to trim us so that he can grow us in the way that he sees is best for his plan. Matthew and I have been two tall trees rooted firmly in our own paths and plans for life. We have been through some difficult and dry seasons and many branches have broken, but as new life and branches form, the trees grow closer together and become one tree. This is not an instant process, but a long and sometimes painful one. But it is not the only purpose for the trimming. God cuts back the unhealthy branches so that the tree can grow and live and eventually produce fruit. God is the Master Gardener. As a tree, can I tell him that I do not want to be pruned today? He only works so that I may have an abundant life in Him and that I would produce fruit for His kingdom. If I work against Him and do not allow Him to prune me, I will only suffer more. There is freedom in resting in the Master's hands.
God as the Master Gardener does not only prune, but He waters His creation with His Spirit. Beth Moore said "Through the filling of the Holy Spirit, He desires to permeate every inch of your life and fill up every hollow place with the fullness of His love." (Breaking Free, week 8, day 3).Indeed, this is how I feel today - although there is still sadness at the loss of another child, God has filled the empty place with His love. As I surrender to Him, His love casts out my fears and fills me with His Spirit, peace and love.
Psalm 90:14 "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
As Beth Moore says, "If we're not experiencing satisfaction, a hindrance exists and we want to identify it and ask God to remove it. Ordinarily, the primary hindrance to satisfaction in our lives is refusing Him access to our empty places."
I realized today that I have been refusing to let God fill my empty places because my desire for a child overwhelmed me. Even more, I thought my desires (and timing) was in line with His plans and promises for my life, so I denied Him access to those empty places. Now that I have surrendered to Him, He has satisfied me beyond my wildest imaginings!
Not that I do not continue to feel sadness at the loss of life so desired and so precious to us, but that I do not have an insatiable obsession for having a child. That empty place has been filled with the only One who could ever have filled it in the first place - God. There is such freedom in allowing Him to fill this place. Freedom to serve, freedom to live, freedom to be who I am without fear of failure or inadequacy. Freedom to live without shame or fear. Satisfaction in Christ is not like satisfaction of this world. It does not fade away in light of the next thing. It is complete. I feel a wholeness I have never known before. Thank you Jesus for this gift.
A new passion for God's word has been birthed from the last few days' treasures. I am so looking forward to what tomorrow will bring! It truly is an amazing adventure with God... each new day full of truth and life from His word. This is a new season in the journey. One I was not expecting, but one I am so grateful for.
Ephesians 3:14-21 (New Living Translation) Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: "Draw a tree planted in soil to represent how rooted you would estimate your life to be in the soil, or assurance, of God's love. Beside the diagram, write an explanation for the depth (or lack of depth) of your roots."
Okay, so I wish I could draw you a picture of my tree, but you will just have to imagine it yourself. It is a tall tree with many roots and branches. Each branch is a different size and has smaller branches coming out of it. There are no leaves on the tree. In the center of the tree is a carving of a heart. The roots appear to be a reflection of the branches: each a different length and depth and smaller roots coming out of larger ones. The roots are named after who God is to me and their depth is comparable to the depth of that characteristic of God evidenced in my life... God as Father, Savior, Comforter, friend, healer, provider, faithful, and unfailing love.
This assignment made me realize how amazing (and accurate!) the image of a tree is as an analogy for the spiritual life. Although some branches and even some smaller roots may break and die in a storm, fire, flood, or drought, there are still many strong roots that are deep and firmly planted that do not allow the tree to be moved or destroyed. Through time and the trials of life, even shallow roots grow deeper and weak roots become stronger and new roots form and grow. God uses the storms and fires of life to trim us so that he can grow us in the way that he sees is best for his plan. Matthew and I have been two tall trees rooted firmly in our own paths and plans for life. We have been through some difficult and dry seasons and many branches have broken, but as new life and branches form, the trees grow closer together and become one tree. This is not an instant process, but a long and sometimes painful one. But it is not the only purpose for the trimming. God cuts back the unhealthy branches so that the tree can grow and live and eventually produce fruit. God is the Master Gardener. As a tree, can I tell him that I do not want to be pruned today? He only works so that I may have an abundant life in Him and that I would produce fruit for His kingdom. If I work against Him and do not allow Him to prune me, I will only suffer more. There is freedom in resting in the Master's hands.
God as the Master Gardener does not only prune, but He waters His creation with His Spirit. Beth Moore said "Through the filling of the Holy Spirit, He desires to permeate every inch of your life and fill up every hollow place with the fullness of His love." (Breaking Free, week 8, day 3).Indeed, this is how I feel today - although there is still sadness at the loss of another child, God has filled the empty place with His love. As I surrender to Him, His love casts out my fears and fills me with His Spirit, peace and love.
Psalm 90:14 "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."
As Beth Moore says, "If we're not experiencing satisfaction, a hindrance exists and we want to identify it and ask God to remove it. Ordinarily, the primary hindrance to satisfaction in our lives is refusing Him access to our empty places."
I realized today that I have been refusing to let God fill my empty places because my desire for a child overwhelmed me. Even more, I thought my desires (and timing) was in line with His plans and promises for my life, so I denied Him access to those empty places. Now that I have surrendered to Him, He has satisfied me beyond my wildest imaginings!
Not that I do not continue to feel sadness at the loss of life so desired and so precious to us, but that I do not have an insatiable obsession for having a child. That empty place has been filled with the only One who could ever have filled it in the first place - God. There is such freedom in allowing Him to fill this place. Freedom to serve, freedom to live, freedom to be who I am without fear of failure or inadequacy. Freedom to live without shame or fear. Satisfaction in Christ is not like satisfaction of this world. It does not fade away in light of the next thing. It is complete. I feel a wholeness I have never known before. Thank you Jesus for this gift.
A new passion for God's word has been birthed from the last few days' treasures. I am so looking forward to what tomorrow will bring! It truly is an amazing adventure with God... each new day full of truth and life from His word. This is a new season in the journey. One I was not expecting, but one I am so grateful for.
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