So, just after I posted the post right before this one... I read this:
Paul wrote, “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.“ - 2 Timothy 4:5
Paul calls Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.” We say it so often: the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Cultivating a constant burden for the lost and striving toward consistent witness keeps the heart in touch with the heart and mission of Jesus, who came to “seek and to save those who are lost.” It is easy to get so absorbed in keeping the aquarium that we lose our passion to fish for men.
Yup...
And... I've also been thinking a lot about the whole "fishing" analogy. I won't exhaustively type out all of the thoughts about it now - but I challenge you to think about the "fishing for men" analogy. ;) PLEASE post comments with your thoughts if you have the time to share. :)
Okay... now I'm going fishing... ;)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Livin' Out Love... we better be sharin'!
**Warning - this isn't a "nice and tidy" worded e-mail... this is a product of my word bursting important thoughts. Unfortunately, I can't be bothered to scour through it and re-word it much better at this time... but I'm sick of withholding the blessing of sharing these thoughts with you. So I pray this is encouraging to someone!! :) **
Recently, I have been blown away by the opportunities I've been given to explain my faith to new friends who don't yet know what it means to have a personal relationship with God...
And as I've been sharing with them, and then shared the stories of the joy of sharing with them with others - it has reminded me of our need to practice speaking the amazing truth of the Gospel. Not only should we share with those who don't know and don't believe it yet, we should also share with those who "already know" because... guess what, the mercies and truths have this beautiful way of being fresh and vibrant each new time you hear them (because it's ALIVE!!). AND, as you're sharing, wow - you just keep seeing things in an exciting new light yourself.
What a beautiful gift - and what beautiful pictures and analogies the Holy Spirit brings to mind as I've attempted to share and explain the reason for the hope, joy, love, and peace that spills out of me. I am praying all of you will ask God to help you take advantage of the privilege to share your faith in words - and may you be filled with the confidence and boldness and clarity you need when you need it... and even if you seem to think you lack the understanding, and the right words to explain, may you resist the devil lying to you in that moment trying to distract you, making you feel like you can't be used to communicate truth to someone. Oh, because, please, everyone, (and i'm saying this to myself even more than anyone else) REMEMBER that we are the TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit - the presence of God to be shared with others - to point to Christ, to make that glorious truth known...
Oh God, PLEASE, HELP US!! :) It's all about you and for you... and it's SO neat that you've invited us to participate in the joy and even the struggle of the process of pouring out your love to humans - filthy, unholy, defiled sinners... until you came along to replace that with your righteousness - amazing grace.. amazing love... amazing. Amazing God, we love you, oh, but help us love you and know you ever more and more!! ;) Thanks for your faithfulness to us even when we are not faithful to you. In your precious name we have the privilege to pray and talk with you, and I say, thank you, right on, uh huh... AMEN!! :)
Recently, I have been blown away by the opportunities I've been given to explain my faith to new friends who don't yet know what it means to have a personal relationship with God...
And as I've been sharing with them, and then shared the stories of the joy of sharing with them with others - it has reminded me of our need to practice speaking the amazing truth of the Gospel. Not only should we share with those who don't know and don't believe it yet, we should also share with those who "already know" because... guess what, the mercies and truths have this beautiful way of being fresh and vibrant each new time you hear them (because it's ALIVE!!). AND, as you're sharing, wow - you just keep seeing things in an exciting new light yourself.
What a beautiful gift - and what beautiful pictures and analogies the Holy Spirit brings to mind as I've attempted to share and explain the reason for the hope, joy, love, and peace that spills out of me. I am praying all of you will ask God to help you take advantage of the privilege to share your faith in words - and may you be filled with the confidence and boldness and clarity you need when you need it... and even if you seem to think you lack the understanding, and the right words to explain, may you resist the devil lying to you in that moment trying to distract you, making you feel like you can't be used to communicate truth to someone. Oh, because, please, everyone, (and i'm saying this to myself even more than anyone else) REMEMBER that we are the TEMPLE of the Holy Spirit - the presence of God to be shared with others - to point to Christ, to make that glorious truth known...
Oh God, PLEASE, HELP US!! :) It's all about you and for you... and it's SO neat that you've invited us to participate in the joy and even the struggle of the process of pouring out your love to humans - filthy, unholy, defiled sinners... until you came along to replace that with your righteousness - amazing grace.. amazing love... amazing. Amazing God, we love you, oh, but help us love you and know you ever more and more!! ;) Thanks for your faithfulness to us even when we are not faithful to you. In your precious name we have the privilege to pray and talk with you, and I say, thank you, right on, uh huh... AMEN!! :)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Slip and Slide, TAKE TWO!
**Quick disclaimer... I ran out of time to read over this for edits, and the pictures were giving me fits, so hopefully I'll update it to a more readable and well-laid out version ASAP.
Unfortunately... my slip and slide adventures haven't ended since my last post.
Oh on, in fact, they have intensified, haha.
You can find all my bruise pictures on facebook if you hunt through to the end of one of my albums... but so start this lovely post, I'll just include the big kahuna for you here:
On that note... let me tell you about a few more slip and slides!
Naw, wait, how about a success story first! I climbed a couple of mountains while out at the campsite property this August... and the first one, while I acquired plenty of scrapes because of the thorny bushes on our "path," I actually didn't have any major falls or slips! And here was my rewarding view at the top! :)
And after climbing this... and sweating profusely... a few people crazily on a whim decided to run our "treacherous" rocky path (that took us an hour to get there on!) back to camp, and the others of us hopped in the boat.
BUT.. then me and a friend couldn't ignore the calling of the cool water beneath us... soooo, we jumped out about here... and swam back for some... 15-20 minutes! :) I'm working on my triathlon skills. Where's my bike! Ha, how 'bout mountain biking down this next mountain?!?!... yeah right!
On this one, I wasn't quite so lucky with the slipping and sliding... It was SUPER steep, and although the path was more clearly defined, it was quite a challenge to avoid rock sliding! The hike up went quite well, I must say. We pushed ourselves too, and made it in less than 40 minutes! I'll admit there was plenty of huffing and puffing (and a bit of crawling) involved by the end... but I assure you, this was the easy part!
It took us just as long, if not slightly longer, to make our way down! I so wished there was snow on it... haha. A couple of the boys with us RAN on ahead, and oh my goodness, I had visions of them rolling all the way down into a pool of blood at the bottom. They were NUTS I thought! But nonethless, the rock slide surfing was going pretty good for me, and I was keeping a pretty good pace. Everyone "fell" (that is, slipped enough to pretty much just lean back and go from 90 degrees to 80 degrees with rocks on your back, ha) atleast a few times... and I'm proud to say I just fell once... but oh goodness.. that once gave me another big honker of a bruise, and another aching twist in my low back... shoot. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or throw up in that moment... but I just kept pressing on and finally made it down to level ground. Then we rode the boat over to the pick up point... and rather insanely, hopped out of the boat to let guests be taken over, and proceded to run the hiking path over to the property. It was one of those exhausting but incredibly good feeling runs... and at the end, jumping right into the sea was definitely a reward well worth it all! :)
The other slip and slide stories are less glamorous... but just as painful (or more!) unfortunately.
While deep cleaning the guys bathroom trailer... I slipped on the steps right outside the door. The steps and the bottom of my flip flops were slick and wet, and I had my hands full of cleaning supplies so I couldn't catch or steady myself. I looked just like a goofy cartoon whose feet sweeps out from underneath him and they land on their butts usually breaking through the stairs, a bucket of water on their head, and little birdies flying around... I didn't break the stairs, but they definitely left their colorful imprint on me (like I said, those bruise pictures can be found buried in my facebook albums if you're curious enough!)! I didn't have a bucket of water on my head, but I did have the little toilet cleaner brush basins fall over onto me. Thank the LORD we had just FINISHED cleaning them and filling them up with CLEAN BLEACH instead of ... well, yeah, you know, lol. AND, as far as I know, there were no stars or birdies around my head... now bees and flies - highly likely, LOL. Oh... and I still finished cleaning the bathrooms... and ate a chocolate bar as a reward for myself! :)
And... just like last time, with the slip and sliding down the streets or up the stairs stories... now I have to ashamedly add bus steps to that. Good grief, I didn't realize I was so clumsy. But sure enough, bout lost my flip flop underneath the bus the other day while I was trying to climb up onto it with my hands full of grocery bags and my big envelope of cat scan x-rays. Oh, wait a site I must have been. This time it was the old ladies looking at me with the look of concern trying to help me get up onto the bus!!
Which reminds me... old ladies slipping and falling... yeah, just the other day on my way to work, one fell down in front of me. I actually missed it because she was behind a car, but after hearing it and walking around it... and seeing her laying on her back on the ground, eyes clothes, hand up over her head... I was scared she had dropped dead! Thank goodness she saw and heard me when I stuck out my hand, asked if she was okay, and could help her up. It was fun to understand her Greek words of gratitude and thanks. :)
Okay, that's enough rambling on this slip and slide saga for today. I'm off to fly on a plane to Ireland, woohoo!! Hopefully I don't slip and slide there, ah!
Unfortunately... my slip and slide adventures haven't ended since my last post.
Oh on, in fact, they have intensified, haha.
You can find all my bruise pictures on facebook if you hunt through to the end of one of my albums... but so start this lovely post, I'll just include the big kahuna for you here:
On that note... let me tell you about a few more slip and slides!
Naw, wait, how about a success story first! I climbed a couple of mountains while out at the campsite property this August... and the first one, while I acquired plenty of scrapes because of the thorny bushes on our "path," I actually didn't have any major falls or slips! And here was my rewarding view at the top! :)
And after climbing this... and sweating profusely... a few people crazily on a whim decided to run our "treacherous" rocky path (that took us an hour to get there on!) back to camp, and the others of us hopped in the boat.
BUT.. then me and a friend couldn't ignore the calling of the cool water beneath us... soooo, we jumped out about here... and swam back for some... 15-20 minutes! :) I'm working on my triathlon skills. Where's my bike! Ha, how 'bout mountain biking down this next mountain?!?!... yeah right!
On this one, I wasn't quite so lucky with the slipping and sliding... It was SUPER steep, and although the path was more clearly defined, it was quite a challenge to avoid rock sliding! The hike up went quite well, I must say. We pushed ourselves too, and made it in less than 40 minutes! I'll admit there was plenty of huffing and puffing (and a bit of crawling) involved by the end... but I assure you, this was the easy part!
It took us just as long, if not slightly longer, to make our way down! I so wished there was snow on it... haha. A couple of the boys with us RAN on ahead, and oh my goodness, I had visions of them rolling all the way down into a pool of blood at the bottom. They were NUTS I thought! But nonethless, the rock slide surfing was going pretty good for me, and I was keeping a pretty good pace. Everyone "fell" (that is, slipped enough to pretty much just lean back and go from 90 degrees to 80 degrees with rocks on your back, ha) atleast a few times... and I'm proud to say I just fell once... but oh goodness.. that once gave me another big honker of a bruise, and another aching twist in my low back... shoot. I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or throw up in that moment... but I just kept pressing on and finally made it down to level ground. Then we rode the boat over to the pick up point... and rather insanely, hopped out of the boat to let guests be taken over, and proceded to run the hiking path over to the property. It was one of those exhausting but incredibly good feeling runs... and at the end, jumping right into the sea was definitely a reward well worth it all! :)
The other slip and slide stories are less glamorous... but just as painful (or more!) unfortunately.
While deep cleaning the guys bathroom trailer... I slipped on the steps right outside the door. The steps and the bottom of my flip flops were slick and wet, and I had my hands full of cleaning supplies so I couldn't catch or steady myself. I looked just like a goofy cartoon whose feet sweeps out from underneath him and they land on their butts usually breaking through the stairs, a bucket of water on their head, and little birdies flying around... I didn't break the stairs, but they definitely left their colorful imprint on me (like I said, those bruise pictures can be found buried in my facebook albums if you're curious enough!)! I didn't have a bucket of water on my head, but I did have the little toilet cleaner brush basins fall over onto me. Thank the LORD we had just FINISHED cleaning them and filling them up with CLEAN BLEACH instead of ... well, yeah, you know, lol. AND, as far as I know, there were no stars or birdies around my head... now bees and flies - highly likely, LOL. Oh... and I still finished cleaning the bathrooms... and ate a chocolate bar as a reward for myself! :)
And... just like last time, with the slip and sliding down the streets or up the stairs stories... now I have to ashamedly add bus steps to that. Good grief, I didn't realize I was so clumsy. But sure enough, bout lost my flip flop underneath the bus the other day while I was trying to climb up onto it with my hands full of grocery bags and my big envelope of cat scan x-rays. Oh, wait a site I must have been. This time it was the old ladies looking at me with the look of concern trying to help me get up onto the bus!!
Which reminds me... old ladies slipping and falling... yeah, just the other day on my way to work, one fell down in front of me. I actually missed it because she was behind a car, but after hearing it and walking around it... and seeing her laying on her back on the ground, eyes clothes, hand up over her head... I was scared she had dropped dead! Thank goodness she saw and heard me when I stuck out my hand, asked if she was okay, and could help her up. It was fun to understand her Greek words of gratitude and thanks. :)
Okay, that's enough rambling on this slip and slide saga for today. I'm off to fly on a plane to Ireland, woohoo!! Hopefully I don't slip and slide there, ah!
An "inconvenient" adventure, TAKE TWO!
So... how about a quick update on my doctor situation? :)
Basically, if you'll skip down to my last post and analyze that diagram of random letters and numbers... you can pretty much just add 5 "C-11's" to the end, haha. + calls and texts to 09.
I did have to go back and have another CATscan... but thankfully I didn't have to pay for it. For fun, just to add even more extra adventure, on my way there I hopped on a different random bus going in the same direction to see if I could still find my way there... it went way past the road my other bus goes on, but I walked a few blocks in the RIGHT directions from the other bus stop, and still found the place. Boo-yah! I was so proud of myself!! :)
This time it went much quicker as well... haha, but almost too quick - I didn't feel like I had to pass out this time - maybe because they let me lay down the whole time instead of moving from room to room and sitting in different chairs after they inject me with medicine, hehe - BUT, they did squirt my blood all over the place and popped my blood vessel where they stuck the IV in... oops!
Anyhoo... the next day I went back again to pick up the results. I couldn't read them, of course... but it was a longer report than the last time, so I assumed they at least saw something this time! The secretaries in the office that night weren't the same ones that I'd started to become friends with, and they were a little less willing to help out a poor, dumb, English-speaking girl, haha. So I decided it really didn't bother me to wait another day to know what was wrong with me!
On the way home, however, I drove through an area where I'd been to another doctor a couple times before, so I got off the bus and walked to doc R5's to see if he could see anything in the results, or at least read them for me! Turns out the office was completely torn apart, ha - must be remodeling, and no one was around... *sigh. Abandoned... I just laughed, and bought some chocolate from the kiosk before walking back to the bus stop to go... not home, but to a friend's place for some fun, lol.
But then... my wonderful oral surgeon calls me that night. Now, back up just a second - I have to tell you about this last guy (O9 on the diagram, lol). He has been incredibly patient and helpful and concerned for me the entire time. He called up the CATscan place to make sure they'd let me go through another one for free, and to reiterate exactly the area and type of scan he had asked them to do in the first place. He has also been the best at explaining what could possibly be going on to me. And now... he listened to me as I stumbled through reading the Greek on the report to him over the phone. I sounded like a first-grader just learning to read, lol. He made me read it twice, ha.
It basically said that they can't see anything major wrong in my skull, but they do see the swelled area, and recommend getting an MRI next. My doc just said to wait until we both get back from our vacation times, and he'll have a look at everything and recommend what to do next. So, for now, I just keep living with this swollen bump in my lower right jaw... It hasn't been horribly painful as of late, just quite tender, so that's nice... but about every other week it puffs out my cheek bigger than normal, joy... cute, haha. :P There are worst things; I shall not complain. :)
Ah, in the meantime... I should be sending in all my x-ray/CATscan bills into my insurance company... whoops! Better get on that.
Until the next update... :) Keep praying the cause will be found so it can just all go away. Also pray that I'll think of some creative, good ways to stay in contact with all the doctors and nurses and secretaries... and to encourage them and thank them for helping me! :) Lord - let your light that's alive in me, shine on them. Help them ALL to know you!! :)
Basically, if you'll skip down to my last post and analyze that diagram of random letters and numbers... you can pretty much just add 5 "C-11's" to the end, haha. + calls and texts to 09.
I did have to go back and have another CATscan... but thankfully I didn't have to pay for it. For fun, just to add even more extra adventure, on my way there I hopped on a different random bus going in the same direction to see if I could still find my way there... it went way past the road my other bus goes on, but I walked a few blocks in the RIGHT directions from the other bus stop, and still found the place. Boo-yah! I was so proud of myself!! :)
This time it went much quicker as well... haha, but almost too quick - I didn't feel like I had to pass out this time - maybe because they let me lay down the whole time instead of moving from room to room and sitting in different chairs after they inject me with medicine, hehe - BUT, they did squirt my blood all over the place and popped my blood vessel where they stuck the IV in... oops!
Anyhoo... the next day I went back again to pick up the results. I couldn't read them, of course... but it was a longer report than the last time, so I assumed they at least saw something this time! The secretaries in the office that night weren't the same ones that I'd started to become friends with, and they were a little less willing to help out a poor, dumb, English-speaking girl, haha. So I decided it really didn't bother me to wait another day to know what was wrong with me!
On the way home, however, I drove through an area where I'd been to another doctor a couple times before, so I got off the bus and walked to doc R5's to see if he could see anything in the results, or at least read them for me! Turns out the office was completely torn apart, ha - must be remodeling, and no one was around... *sigh. Abandoned... I just laughed, and bought some chocolate from the kiosk before walking back to the bus stop to go... not home, but to a friend's place for some fun, lol.
But then... my wonderful oral surgeon calls me that night. Now, back up just a second - I have to tell you about this last guy (O9 on the diagram, lol). He has been incredibly patient and helpful and concerned for me the entire time. He called up the CATscan place to make sure they'd let me go through another one for free, and to reiterate exactly the area and type of scan he had asked them to do in the first place. He has also been the best at explaining what could possibly be going on to me. And now... he listened to me as I stumbled through reading the Greek on the report to him over the phone. I sounded like a first-grader just learning to read, lol. He made me read it twice, ha.
It basically said that they can't see anything major wrong in my skull, but they do see the swelled area, and recommend getting an MRI next. My doc just said to wait until we both get back from our vacation times, and he'll have a look at everything and recommend what to do next. So, for now, I just keep living with this swollen bump in my lower right jaw... It hasn't been horribly painful as of late, just quite tender, so that's nice... but about every other week it puffs out my cheek bigger than normal, joy... cute, haha. :P There are worst things; I shall not complain. :)
Ah, in the meantime... I should be sending in all my x-ray/CATscan bills into my insurance company... whoops! Better get on that.
Until the next update... :) Keep praying the cause will be found so it can just all go away. Also pray that I'll think of some creative, good ways to stay in contact with all the doctors and nurses and secretaries... and to encourage them and thank them for helping me! :) Lord - let your light that's alive in me, shine on them. Help them ALL to know you!! :)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
An "inconvenient" adventure...
Listen to my journey with a crazy physical health issue I've been dealing with the last couple of months...
Beginning of May...
Off and on for one week, whenever I'm plodding down the big hill on my way to work, there is an odd, annoying sensitivity in my jaw/gums/teeth area of the back right side of my mouth.
A couple of weeks later...
One day there appears a very noticeable swelling in the "crevice" between my right cheek and jaw/gums. Hmm... wonder what that is?
I ignore it for about a week...
It didn't hurt too badly, but it bothered me a bit because it was obviously abnormal.
Then, let the pain begin...
I went to hug a friend one day that first week of June, and my face bumped their shoulder just in the "right" spot. OUCH!! I could no longer ignore the subtle dull pain that was now growing into a constant pain that continues to be swollen and irritable. For a couple days it became challenging to open my jaw as far as normal... eh, not good... hehe
So... the doctor marathon begins...
I first go to a dentist recommended by friends in the mission. Very nice guy who we'll call D1. He sends me to get an x-ray at a different place a ways up the main road... then I go back to him, and he can't help me so he sends me on to the first specialist...
Let's just make a diagram: (the initial represents the name of the place, a new line equals a new day, and the new numbers are a running total of the number of places I've been or doctors I've tried to contact...)
D1 => X2 => D1
E3 => R4 => F5
R4
P6 => O7?
O8?
P6
O9 => E10
C11
C11 => O9
C11
C11??
O7???
O8???
...........?????????
Alright, that may not make much sense to you, but it definitely does to me! Each of these symbols represents a relationship with a new doctor, dentist, endodonist, x-ray man, radiologist, cat-scan person, nurse, doctor's assistant, receptionist, pharmacist, periodontist, oral surgeon, or??... even a bus driver!! That nearly sums it up... :)
All this, and I still unfortunately have no answer about what is wrong with me.
I had been waiting to even post this story because I was hoping to finally have some sort of answer before I did... but it turns out the CATscan results I brought to the oral surgeon tonight are not complete enough to see the swelled area... soooo, yeah, there's a chance I'll have to get another CATscan... blah. :(
Some possible theories for this problem...
It could be related to the surgery I had to remove my wisdom teeth 1.5 years ago... (which I was fully awake for, what an adventure!... including not having enough numbing stuff (or laughing gas for that matter, sheepers!!) and totally feeling them start the cutting process, and nearly choking on a piece of tooth at one point... aaaand, then having the entire De Jong family pictures that night, haha! aaaanyhoo...)
The issue with this theory being the right one is that I have had MANY "teeth" people negate it by assuring that the tooth is vital. (a.k.a. - the possible damaged root isn't bad enough to cause this type of odd swelling infection(?))
If it is truly an infection of some kind, what else could be infected in that area? And why would it not have completely drained and gone away when one part did split open a bit and bleed and ooze some one night... or go away after I was taking antibiotics for one week...
Will I get another CATscan? eh? I have no idea... sure hope I don't have to pay for it again if I do!! I'll remember to eat a little more before I go this time so I don't have to almost pass out again!
This has been quite the process... but through it all I've
- developed even more confidence to handle stuff like this on my own,
- met a lot of nice doctors and other people,
- learned a bit more about how my insurance works,
- understood some new medical terms in Greek,
- conceded not to beat myself up for taking the time to deal with this "inconvenient" issue...
- and yeah, just a bunch of other good things have come out of this experience. And now I'll be able to recommend good doctors to people, and I can relate to others that have to have a CATscan or their teeth vitality checked or... the list goes on! :)
I like this prayer from an encouragement/daily scripture & prayer e-mail I get each day... May you come to know your Divine Healer intimately! :)
O Divine Healer, we thank you for the ways in which you transform our lives. Thank you for healing our bodies, minds, and souls. With lives transformed by you, we go out today to tell others of the wonderful ways in which you have blessed us. Amen.
Thanks to all who have been encouraging me and praying for me through this unique adventure... :)
Beginning of May...
Off and on for one week, whenever I'm plodding down the big hill on my way to work, there is an odd, annoying sensitivity in my jaw/gums/teeth area of the back right side of my mouth.
A couple of weeks later...
One day there appears a very noticeable swelling in the "crevice" between my right cheek and jaw/gums. Hmm... wonder what that is?
I ignore it for about a week...
It didn't hurt too badly, but it bothered me a bit because it was obviously abnormal.
Then, let the pain begin...
I went to hug a friend one day that first week of June, and my face bumped their shoulder just in the "right" spot. OUCH!! I could no longer ignore the subtle dull pain that was now growing into a constant pain that continues to be swollen and irritable. For a couple days it became challenging to open my jaw as far as normal... eh, not good... hehe
So... the doctor marathon begins...
I first go to a dentist recommended by friends in the mission. Very nice guy who we'll call D1. He sends me to get an x-ray at a different place a ways up the main road... then I go back to him, and he can't help me so he sends me on to the first specialist...
Let's just make a diagram: (the initial represents the name of the place, a new line equals a new day, and the new numbers are a running total of the number of places I've been or doctors I've tried to contact...)
D1 => X2 => D1
E3 => R4 => F5
R4
P6 => O7?
O8?
P6
O9 => E10
C11
C11 => O9
C11
C11??
O7???
O8???
...........?????????
Alright, that may not make much sense to you, but it definitely does to me! Each of these symbols represents a relationship with a new doctor, dentist, endodonist, x-ray man, radiologist, cat-scan person, nurse, doctor's assistant, receptionist, pharmacist, periodontist, oral surgeon, or??... even a bus driver!! That nearly sums it up... :)
All this, and I still unfortunately have no answer about what is wrong with me.
I had been waiting to even post this story because I was hoping to finally have some sort of answer before I did... but it turns out the CATscan results I brought to the oral surgeon tonight are not complete enough to see the swelled area... soooo, yeah, there's a chance I'll have to get another CATscan... blah. :(
Some possible theories for this problem...
It could be related to the surgery I had to remove my wisdom teeth 1.5 years ago... (which I was fully awake for, what an adventure!... including not having enough numbing stuff (or laughing gas for that matter, sheepers!!) and totally feeling them start the cutting process, and nearly choking on a piece of tooth at one point... aaaand, then having the entire De Jong family pictures that night, haha! aaaanyhoo...)
The issue with this theory being the right one is that I have had MANY "teeth" people negate it by assuring that the tooth is vital. (a.k.a. - the possible damaged root isn't bad enough to cause this type of odd swelling infection(?))
If it is truly an infection of some kind, what else could be infected in that area? And why would it not have completely drained and gone away when one part did split open a bit and bleed and ooze some one night... or go away after I was taking antibiotics for one week...
Will I get another CATscan? eh? I have no idea... sure hope I don't have to pay for it again if I do!! I'll remember to eat a little more before I go this time so I don't have to almost pass out again!
This has been quite the process... but through it all I've
- developed even more confidence to handle stuff like this on my own,
- met a lot of nice doctors and other people,
- learned a bit more about how my insurance works,
- understood some new medical terms in Greek,
- conceded not to beat myself up for taking the time to deal with this "inconvenient" issue...
- and yeah, just a bunch of other good things have come out of this experience. And now I'll be able to recommend good doctors to people, and I can relate to others that have to have a CATscan or their teeth vitality checked or... the list goes on! :)
I like this prayer from an encouragement/daily scripture & prayer e-mail I get each day... May you come to know your Divine Healer intimately! :)
O Divine Healer, we thank you for the ways in which you transform our lives. Thank you for healing our bodies, minds, and souls. With lives transformed by you, we go out today to tell others of the wonderful ways in which you have blessed us. Amen.
Thanks to all who have been encouraging me and praying for me through this unique adventure... :)
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Slip and slide! :)
What a better way to bring my LOL blog back to life
but to tell a LAUGH OUT LOUD story:
This afternoon I was walking from my bedroom to the kitchen to get a drink when I noticed the tile floor under one of my wicker chairs in the living room was shinier than usual. I was pondering the reason for this as I continued on towards the kitchen, when all of the sudden I nearly slipped and fell onto my backside (for like the 5th time this week! ...those stories to come in just a moment).
I had just finished a load of laundry... and I had forgotten to put the water hose into the sink drain. OOPS!!! I have never been more thankful to NOT have carpet because there was water all across my bathroom, hallway, kitchen, dining room, entryway and living room, hahahaha... so yeah, basically everywhere but the bedrooms. Nothing was damaged because my floors were clear; they were just telling me that it was time to mop, lol. A few days ago when I was cleaning I had decided to ONLY sweep this week. From now on, I know what I have to do to quickly and efficiently mop the floors, LOL!
I promised more "slip and slide" stories... so here they are:
Last week at our ministry campsite, I woke up early with my sister and friend to climb up the mountain to watch the sunrise. We made it to the top of the fenced-in property line, but I was determined to go beyond it to the look-out point I had been to last summer. The girls waited by the fence while I ventured ahead to look for the path clearing. I didn't make it more than 10 steps before the "big sturdy rock" I was climbing over gave way beneath my feet. All of the sudden I was toppling down the mountain-side... OUCH! My awful fall ended with me sprawled on my back, feet-end up the mountainside, head-end down, and that darn rock planted on my right ankle - as if pinning me there upside down so all the blood could rush to my head.
Praise the Lord I was able to move the rock, get up... and actually walk, haha! I was sporting some nasty scrapes and a couple of rainbow-colored bruises on my thigh and back after that, but I was mostly just grateful for no broken bones or swollen ankles!! I took a picture of the thigh bruise - perhaps I'll post it eventually... it's not loaded on to this particular computer yet.
I said in my first story that it was like the 5th time that I had survived an unexpected slip and slide... here's why:
Almost every day while I walk up and down the hills in my neighborhood, I nearly fall down at some point or another - because the sidewalks here are so stinkin' slick... and my poor flip flops have absolutely no traction... SCHNIKEES!
After all of these slips, and twists, and turns... I'm really missing my chiropractor! But if finding myself a chiropractor in Greece turns out to be anything like finding a doctor to treat my swollen jawbone, I'm not sure I have the energy for it this month. Maybe I'll post my "endodontist adventures" tomorrow...
but to tell a LAUGH OUT LOUD story:
This afternoon I was walking from my bedroom to the kitchen to get a drink when I noticed the tile floor under one of my wicker chairs in the living room was shinier than usual. I was pondering the reason for this as I continued on towards the kitchen, when all of the sudden I nearly slipped and fell onto my backside (for like the 5th time this week! ...those stories to come in just a moment).
I had just finished a load of laundry... and I had forgotten to put the water hose into the sink drain. OOPS!!! I have never been more thankful to NOT have carpet because there was water all across my bathroom, hallway, kitchen, dining room, entryway and living room, hahahaha... so yeah, basically everywhere but the bedrooms. Nothing was damaged because my floors were clear; they were just telling me that it was time to mop, lol. A few days ago when I was cleaning I had decided to ONLY sweep this week. From now on, I know what I have to do to quickly and efficiently mop the floors, LOL!
I promised more "slip and slide" stories... so here they are:
Last week at our ministry campsite, I woke up early with my sister and friend to climb up the mountain to watch the sunrise. We made it to the top of the fenced-in property line, but I was determined to go beyond it to the look-out point I had been to last summer. The girls waited by the fence while I ventured ahead to look for the path clearing. I didn't make it more than 10 steps before the "big sturdy rock" I was climbing over gave way beneath my feet. All of the sudden I was toppling down the mountain-side... OUCH! My awful fall ended with me sprawled on my back, feet-end up the mountainside, head-end down, and that darn rock planted on my right ankle - as if pinning me there upside down so all the blood could rush to my head.
Praise the Lord I was able to move the rock, get up... and actually walk, haha! I was sporting some nasty scrapes and a couple of rainbow-colored bruises on my thigh and back after that, but I was mostly just grateful for no broken bones or swollen ankles!! I took a picture of the thigh bruise - perhaps I'll post it eventually... it's not loaded on to this particular computer yet.
I said in my first story that it was like the 5th time that I had survived an unexpected slip and slide... here's why:
Almost every day while I walk up and down the hills in my neighborhood, I nearly fall down at some point or another - because the sidewalks here are so stinkin' slick... and my poor flip flops have absolutely no traction... SCHNIKEES!
After all of these slips, and twists, and turns... I'm really missing my chiropractor! But if finding myself a chiropractor in Greece turns out to be anything like finding a doctor to treat my swollen jawbone, I'm not sure I have the energy for it this month. Maybe I'll post my "endodontist adventures" tomorrow...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Cell phone
So...
I lost my cell phone on a bus last week...
A little frustrating when I first realized what had happened, not gonna lie.
I went through this whole "lost and found" Christian analogy lesson in my head, ya know, trying to smooth away all the angry feelings and let even this be an occasion for joy. LOL... right. Went through all the excuses in my head - oh, it's okay, it was a fairly cheap phone anyway... ah, but I liked my cheap, simple phone... ah man, I lost all my messages and contact info... ah shucks, do I really need to pay for a new one... hey, I can't get ahold of anyone tonight, I literally know no one's number but my own... hey... it's actually kind of nice for once to be out of such close contact with everyone who may "need to get ahold of me."
Soooo... the next day, God sent an encouragement my way - a HUGE, unexpected, overflowing care package from some dear friends of mine. Wow... what a blessing. And with the card, there was a check for exactly the cost of the phone I had lost... whoa. Okay God, tears... yup, the tears of joy, let them overflow.
And then... the search for a new phone. I was quite excited when I realized that at least I would be able to keep my same number so I don't have to tell everyone else a new number! And then I relentlessly tugged away at my "tight, Dutch" nature, and decided to splurge a bit on a "pretty" nice phone since I haven't bought anything for myself in awhile, and a few friends told me with their gifts that I should do exactly that at some point while I was here. Sooooo... I got a new phone - and it's a "jewel." Literally... the Motorola Jewel. pretty cool. :) And the best part was - I got to make another new friend - the girl who worked at the COSMOTE shop. She helped me for a long time that night, explaining things about how the phone system works that I hadn't understood so clearly before. And after that, I told her to enter her name into my phone as my first new contact... :) Her name was Natassa - the same name as one of my other really, really great friends here in Greece! It made me smile, really big. Thanks for another fun relationship that I could start with another beautiful Greek girl.
Okay God, thanks for greatly redeemed a mildly frustrating situation. :)
And then today when I heard of how a friend of the ministry's house got broken into last night - and so many things stolen - like a new laptop, camera, money, etc... I thought to myself, whoa... and I just had to deal with the very minor stress of losing a cell phone. What can I say to encourage this family? I could think of nothing except how surely I know that God somehow redeems every single minor or major frustrating, awful, evil, upsetting situation in this world for good and for his glory. I pray that this family will somehow be comforted by that powerful truth.
I lost my cell phone on a bus last week...
A little frustrating when I first realized what had happened, not gonna lie.
I went through this whole "lost and found" Christian analogy lesson in my head, ya know, trying to smooth away all the angry feelings and let even this be an occasion for joy. LOL... right. Went through all the excuses in my head - oh, it's okay, it was a fairly cheap phone anyway... ah, but I liked my cheap, simple phone... ah man, I lost all my messages and contact info... ah shucks, do I really need to pay for a new one... hey, I can't get ahold of anyone tonight, I literally know no one's number but my own... hey... it's actually kind of nice for once to be out of such close contact with everyone who may "need to get ahold of me."
Soooo... the next day, God sent an encouragement my way - a HUGE, unexpected, overflowing care package from some dear friends of mine. Wow... what a blessing. And with the card, there was a check for exactly the cost of the phone I had lost... whoa. Okay God, tears... yup, the tears of joy, let them overflow.
And then... the search for a new phone. I was quite excited when I realized that at least I would be able to keep my same number so I don't have to tell everyone else a new number! And then I relentlessly tugged away at my "tight, Dutch" nature, and decided to splurge a bit on a "pretty" nice phone since I haven't bought anything for myself in awhile, and a few friends told me with their gifts that I should do exactly that at some point while I was here. Sooooo... I got a new phone - and it's a "jewel." Literally... the Motorola Jewel. pretty cool. :) And the best part was - I got to make another new friend - the girl who worked at the COSMOTE shop. She helped me for a long time that night, explaining things about how the phone system works that I hadn't understood so clearly before. And after that, I told her to enter her name into my phone as my first new contact... :) Her name was Natassa - the same name as one of my other really, really great friends here in Greece! It made me smile, really big. Thanks for another fun relationship that I could start with another beautiful Greek girl.
Okay God, thanks for greatly redeemed a mildly frustrating situation. :)
And then today when I heard of how a friend of the ministry's house got broken into last night - and so many things stolen - like a new laptop, camera, money, etc... I thought to myself, whoa... and I just had to deal with the very minor stress of losing a cell phone. What can I say to encourage this family? I could think of nothing except how surely I know that God somehow redeems every single minor or major frustrating, awful, evil, upsetting situation in this world for good and for his glory. I pray that this family will somehow be comforted by that powerful truth.
People...
I love people...
I love talking to people...
I love understanding people...
I love Greek people...
I LOVE my Greek neighbors -
Anna and her elderly mom - across the street on the opposite 4th floor balcony...
George and Ritsa - my neighbors next door in my apartment...
I love laughing with them as we stutter through broken phrases, a few words here and there in both English and Greek... trying to understand one another... aaaaahahaha...
I love it... but oh... it can be frustrating because, like I said...
I love people...
I love talking to people...
I love understanding people...
I want to understand Greek... NOW...
So I can TALK to these people...
and understand all people speaking GREEK to me...
AH!!...
patience Meg, patience...
For now...
At least...
I really love smiling at people... :)
(And I think smiles are worth a thousand words...)
I love talking to people...
I love understanding people...
I love Greek people...
I LOVE my Greek neighbors -
Anna and her elderly mom - across the street on the opposite 4th floor balcony...
George and Ritsa - my neighbors next door in my apartment...
I love laughing with them as we stutter through broken phrases, a few words here and there in both English and Greek... trying to understand one another... aaaaahahaha...
I love it... but oh... it can be frustrating because, like I said...
I love people...
I love talking to people...
I love understanding people...
I want to understand Greek... NOW...
So I can TALK to these people...
and understand all people speaking GREEK to me...
AH!!...
patience Meg, patience...
For now...
At least...
I really love smiling at people... :)
(And I think smiles are worth a thousand words...)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Turkey, Wedding, Germany...
What do these three things have in common?...
Hehe, well nothing much except that I will have gone to all three of them in less than three weeks! :)
Here's the e-mail I just sent to my supporters. I just painfully realized my e-mail lists aren't even completely up to date anymore, so I haven't been sending to all of the contacts I want to, oops... Oh well, it will be okay. I don't need to let this sharing of the blessings God has poured out in my life become a burden or a stress. And as soon as it gets to that point, I need to immediately stop what I'm doing and re-focus my main goal - to bring glory to God in absolutely everything! :)
So anyhoo, like I was saying... here's that e-mail I sent. Enjoy! :)
Hi friends,
I just wanted to say a quick thanks for praying for me as I made a trip to Turkey last week. It was a wonderfully blessed time of encouraging the missionaries we stayed with while we were there. I wish I had time to share more details with you, but I'm actually preparing to go on another trip to Germany in the next couple of hours... I will be going to the Mission-Net conference to promote our Operation Joshua vision and Hellenic Ministries in general. It should be a blast! Visit http://www.mission-net.org to find out more about it.
Right after I get back from that I will be going straight to the Hellenic Ministries campsite property, Porto Astro, where we will have a family conference, sharing our stories of God's faithfulness in our lives through the year, and just truly enjoying the fellowship of our amazing staff. I'm super excited for it. We each wrote up a year in review report. A lot of mine is information that I have already shared with you, but I thought I'd attach it and copy the report for you anyway. :) Enjoy!
The picture I've attached was taken after I went to a wedding this past weekend (right after I got back from Turkey!). It was a truly blessed celebration of perfect love - 1 John 3:16... there is no greater love than this - that you lay down your life for your brothers. The Gospel was shared and beautiful music was sung. I was so blessed to be there... my first "big fat" Greek wedding, hehe. After the wedding, my Greek friends went and hung out at a great cafe and had yummy drinks and desserts.
The next day we went to church together, had lunch, and then... they asked me to go bowling with them. I still hadn't been home yet to change out of the dress I wore to the wedding. But I absolutely cannot say no to bowling.. sooo... yes, I went. And I was the bowling queen, hehe. I totally beat everyone...even though it was my first time bowling in a dress, lol! (You must share this with Grandma & Grandpa DJ, Mom & Dad... it's all because of the great practice we've had all these years every thanksgiving!!)
Anyway, I really must go for now. May you be blessed to be a blessing this week. And make sure you share this e-mail with anyone and everyone who may be interested... and share their e-mail with me so I can add them to my list!! :)
Until I have the opportunity to share more of God's blessings with you...
Meggan
**And here's my report, copy/pasted...
“Where are you leading me, Lord? I want to follow. Help me to be obedient!”
I have been blessed to be a blessing…
…just like God blessed Abraham to be a blessing to the nations. Through countless opportunities and experiences, I have been able to learn and grow and let the blessings overflow to everyone I meet! I have also been loved so deeply by God and wonderful family and friends that I feel especially empowered to share that amazing love with others. And I have been invited into an amazing adventure of living life to the fullest through the grace and hope I have in Christ, and I want to spend my life spreading that invitation to the ends of the earth!
Last year at this time…
…I was preparing to graduate from college with a double major in Music Ministry and Christian Education Ministry, and I was constantly coming up with new ideas for what God and I might do together next! Random options ranged from being a princess at Disney World, to traveling the world writing travel guide books, to staying right in Iowa working at a Christian college or as a youth leader, missions coordinator, and/or worship leader at a church. I told everyone that it did not matter where I went or what I did, because I would have a “missionary” focus wherever I lived. It was just a matter of discerning where my passions intersected with the needs God kept on my heart.
So I applied for a job at my college…
…that everyone told me I would be perfect for. While I was trying to make my plans work together, God decided to throw in a spectacular twist. All of the sudden, the dream I thought I had always wanted was being offered to me on a silver platter, but I did not feel any peace about it. This created perfect timing for God to give me a glimpse of the plans he wanted to lead me towards for my future.
The day before I flew to Greece to start a summer of ministry with HM…
…I heard the news that they offered the college job I had applied for to someone else.
The next day I arrived at the Athens airport…
…and heard the news about the trip to China. I am not sure what Johnathan thought when I raised my hand to say, “Yeah, sure, my plans have changed recently; I’ll go to China with you…” But a few weeks later when I reminded him of my call to go, he immediately put me on the phone with Sarah Wheway who helped me settle all of the practical details for joining the team! I am still in awe of the Lord’s guiding hand through it all. What a privilege it was to serve and worship with the OG3 team, following an already amazing summer at the sports camps and Operation Joshua.
As I cried out to God…
…that he would give me the eyes and ears to sense his leading, and the strength and courage to follow, I can testify excitedly that he answered my prayer! As I continued to cry out to the Lord about the next step to take after our summer adventure together, I had no question about the direction he was giving me the peace and assurance to follow. I was praying for less attachment to my possessions and comforts and more reliance on God alone for my every need. I was praying for God to help me follow him with abandon – to trust him more with each and every life decision, big or small. I was praying for a place to use my gifts and passions. I was praying for clarity in the BEST ways to encourage my friends and family with what God was doing in my life... and basically I had no other option but to follow the Lord calling me to share my story, raise support, and move to Greece.
And after four months of tremendous blessing and provision through my friends and family in Iowa, I returned to Greece on January 16, 2009, to live and love with joy.
So I continue to pray…
…because prayer isn’t just for the greatest work… it IS the greatest work, drawing me into an ever more intimate relationship with my Creator, Lord, and King. My Father, Savior, Friend… :)
I pray for…
…FOCUS on THE goal - running after Jesus Christ with all of my heart, soul, might, and strength... for I am NOTHING without you, God. Lord, I need you near me, and I thank you for your presence that I feel amongst my brothers and sisters at our family staff meetings, and I thank you that we are united together through our individually seeking you first.
I pray…
…that I will be in TUNE to the Holy Spirit's leading. It is so annoying when an instrument in the band is out of tune with the others... so Lord, keep me united with your Spirit, empowering me with the courage to add my part to the glorious harmonies of the beautiful redemption symphony you are composing in this world. :) Thanks for those moments your Spirit has led me to share a special song in these last few months, and thanks for clarity for which Greek church family to invest my time with.
I pray for…
…connections and relationships. I have already had the chance to catch up with many friends that I made last summer, and I have also made SO MANY new friends through the Bible school, HM ministry events, visiting various church congregations, and taking advantage of opportunities like Mission Konnect. I am very excited to get to know more of the HM “BASIC” extended family. :) And I want more and more and more of this, God... Thanks for making me such a relational person! :)
I pray…
…that God will continue to keep me filled up to overflowing with his joy, peace, and love, empowering me to pierce the darkness of this world with the light of Christ.
I expect…
…to be a blessing and encouragement. After arriving once again at the Athens airport this January, my buddy, Janet, picked me up, and on the car ride down to my new home, she asked me what my expectations were for my time in Greece. I said, “To be an encouragement – that is my only expectation.“ As our OG3 team “archerers” (inside joke) theme verse says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as In fact you are doing.” (1 Thess 5:11).
And I am filled…
…with a huge sense of passion for the Operation Joshua vision that I get to spend the majority of my time working with according to my role in our HM family. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
There is so much more I wish I could say…
…but I feel helpless to share the massive list of things I have been praising God for since my arrival – because once you start seeing Jesus all around you, it is quite hard to stop. So for me who likes to record every special moment, I grieve the thought of forgetting something. But then I remember, God knows - he is writing my redemption story and using my voice in his redemption song. I am so excited to see the next chapter and sing the next chorus as I continue to surrender all of my plans, hopes, and dreams into the hands of the One who blows my petty, tiny, puny visions out of the water… and I hope that it includes me staying here and working with you all as long as possible!
Hehe, well nothing much except that I will have gone to all three of them in less than three weeks! :)
Here's the e-mail I just sent to my supporters. I just painfully realized my e-mail lists aren't even completely up to date anymore, so I haven't been sending to all of the contacts I want to, oops... Oh well, it will be okay. I don't need to let this sharing of the blessings God has poured out in my life become a burden or a stress. And as soon as it gets to that point, I need to immediately stop what I'm doing and re-focus my main goal - to bring glory to God in absolutely everything! :)
So anyhoo, like I was saying... here's that e-mail I sent. Enjoy! :)
Hi friends,
I just wanted to say a quick thanks for praying for me as I made a trip to Turkey last week. It was a wonderfully blessed time of encouraging the missionaries we stayed with while we were there. I wish I had time to share more details with you, but I'm actually preparing to go on another trip to Germany in the next couple of hours... I will be going to the Mission-Net conference to promote our Operation Joshua vision and Hellenic Ministries in general. It should be a blast! Visit http://www.mission-net.org to find out more about it.
Right after I get back from that I will be going straight to the Hellenic Ministries campsite property, Porto Astro, where we will have a family conference, sharing our stories of God's faithfulness in our lives through the year, and just truly enjoying the fellowship of our amazing staff. I'm super excited for it. We each wrote up a year in review report. A lot of mine is information that I have already shared with you, but I thought I'd attach it and copy the report for you anyway. :) Enjoy!
The picture I've attached was taken after I went to a wedding this past weekend (right after I got back from Turkey!). It was a truly blessed celebration of perfect love - 1 John 3:16... there is no greater love than this - that you lay down your life for your brothers. The Gospel was shared and beautiful music was sung. I was so blessed to be there... my first "big fat" Greek wedding, hehe. After the wedding, my Greek friends went and hung out at a great cafe and had yummy drinks and desserts. 
The next day we went to church together, had lunch, and then... they asked me to go bowling with them. I still hadn't been home yet to change out of the dress I wore to the wedding. But I absolutely cannot say no to bowling.. sooo... yes, I went. And I was the bowling queen, hehe. I totally beat everyone...even though it was my first time bowling in a dress, lol! (You must share this with Grandma & Grandpa DJ, Mom & Dad... it's all because of the great practice we've had all these years every thanksgiving!!)Anyway, I really must go for now. May you be blessed to be a blessing this week. And make sure you share this e-mail with anyone and everyone who may be interested... and share their e-mail with me so I can add them to my list!! :)
Until I have the opportunity to share more of God's blessings with you...
Meggan
**And here's my report, copy/pasted...
“Where are you leading me, Lord? I want to follow. Help me to be obedient!”
I have been blessed to be a blessing…
…just like God blessed Abraham to be a blessing to the nations. Through countless opportunities and experiences, I have been able to learn and grow and let the blessings overflow to everyone I meet! I have also been loved so deeply by God and wonderful family and friends that I feel especially empowered to share that amazing love with others. And I have been invited into an amazing adventure of living life to the fullest through the grace and hope I have in Christ, and I want to spend my life spreading that invitation to the ends of the earth!
Last year at this time…
…I was preparing to graduate from college with a double major in Music Ministry and Christian Education Ministry, and I was constantly coming up with new ideas for what God and I might do together next! Random options ranged from being a princess at Disney World, to traveling the world writing travel guide books, to staying right in Iowa working at a Christian college or as a youth leader, missions coordinator, and/or worship leader at a church. I told everyone that it did not matter where I went or what I did, because I would have a “missionary” focus wherever I lived. It was just a matter of discerning where my passions intersected with the needs God kept on my heart.
So I applied for a job at my college…
…that everyone told me I would be perfect for. While I was trying to make my plans work together, God decided to throw in a spectacular twist. All of the sudden, the dream I thought I had always wanted was being offered to me on a silver platter, but I did not feel any peace about it. This created perfect timing for God to give me a glimpse of the plans he wanted to lead me towards for my future.
The day before I flew to Greece to start a summer of ministry with HM…
…I heard the news that they offered the college job I had applied for to someone else.
The next day I arrived at the Athens airport…
…and heard the news about the trip to China. I am not sure what Johnathan thought when I raised my hand to say, “Yeah, sure, my plans have changed recently; I’ll go to China with you…” But a few weeks later when I reminded him of my call to go, he immediately put me on the phone with Sarah Wheway who helped me settle all of the practical details for joining the team! I am still in awe of the Lord’s guiding hand through it all. What a privilege it was to serve and worship with the OG3 team, following an already amazing summer at the sports camps and Operation Joshua.
As I cried out to God…
…that he would give me the eyes and ears to sense his leading, and the strength and courage to follow, I can testify excitedly that he answered my prayer! As I continued to cry out to the Lord about the next step to take after our summer adventure together, I had no question about the direction he was giving me the peace and assurance to follow. I was praying for less attachment to my possessions and comforts and more reliance on God alone for my every need. I was praying for God to help me follow him with abandon – to trust him more with each and every life decision, big or small. I was praying for a place to use my gifts and passions. I was praying for clarity in the BEST ways to encourage my friends and family with what God was doing in my life... and basically I had no other option but to follow the Lord calling me to share my story, raise support, and move to Greece.
And after four months of tremendous blessing and provision through my friends and family in Iowa, I returned to Greece on January 16, 2009, to live and love with joy.
So I continue to pray…
…because prayer isn’t just for the greatest work… it IS the greatest work, drawing me into an ever more intimate relationship with my Creator, Lord, and King. My Father, Savior, Friend… :)
I pray for…
…FOCUS on THE goal - running after Jesus Christ with all of my heart, soul, might, and strength... for I am NOTHING without you, God. Lord, I need you near me, and I thank you for your presence that I feel amongst my brothers and sisters at our family staff meetings, and I thank you that we are united together through our individually seeking you first.
I pray…
…that I will be in TUNE to the Holy Spirit's leading. It is so annoying when an instrument in the band is out of tune with the others... so Lord, keep me united with your Spirit, empowering me with the courage to add my part to the glorious harmonies of the beautiful redemption symphony you are composing in this world. :) Thanks for those moments your Spirit has led me to share a special song in these last few months, and thanks for clarity for which Greek church family to invest my time with.
I pray for…
…connections and relationships. I have already had the chance to catch up with many friends that I made last summer, and I have also made SO MANY new friends through the Bible school, HM ministry events, visiting various church congregations, and taking advantage of opportunities like Mission Konnect. I am very excited to get to know more of the HM “BASIC” extended family. :) And I want more and more and more of this, God... Thanks for making me such a relational person! :)
I pray…
…that God will continue to keep me filled up to overflowing with his joy, peace, and love, empowering me to pierce the darkness of this world with the light of Christ.
I expect…
…to be a blessing and encouragement. After arriving once again at the Athens airport this January, my buddy, Janet, picked me up, and on the car ride down to my new home, she asked me what my expectations were for my time in Greece. I said, “To be an encouragement – that is my only expectation.“ As our OG3 team “archerers” (inside joke) theme verse says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as In fact you are doing.” (1 Thess 5:11).
And I am filled…
…with a huge sense of passion for the Operation Joshua vision that I get to spend the majority of my time working with according to my role in our HM family. Isaiah 55:10-11 says, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
There is so much more I wish I could say…
…but I feel helpless to share the massive list of things I have been praising God for since my arrival – because once you start seeing Jesus all around you, it is quite hard to stop. So for me who likes to record every special moment, I grieve the thought of forgetting something. But then I remember, God knows - he is writing my redemption story and using my voice in his redemption song. I am so excited to see the next chapter and sing the next chorus as I continue to surrender all of my plans, hopes, and dreams into the hands of the One who blows my petty, tiny, puny visions out of the water… and I hope that it includes me staying here and working with you all as long as possible!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
My "brief" biography
So... for the North American Hellenic Ministries board (NACOM) meeting a few weeks ago, each of the missionaries here was supposed to write up a quick little biography description with our prayer requests so that the board members would know us better (especially since there have been so many of us that are new!), and how best they could be praying for us. Like I just posted, I can definitely feel those prayers being answered! But anyway, I thought I would expose my dorky self by showing you the process I went through to cut my "brief" bio down as small as possible so that it wouldn't be drastically longer than everyone else's. Oh, the crazyness of being such a passionate creative writer... haha. So, are you ready for a good laugh? Let me copy and paste the various drafts for you... (I'll mostly just post the "background" section.. because that is what I modified the most times... the rest was pretty much the straight forward format that everyone followed): (And if you're bored and truly don't care... please feel free to just skip below to the final product!):
Background: I am the oldest of three in a close-knit Christian family. I have lived in two small town, Dutch communities, and I am thankful for the long-term relationships these places naturally cultivate to make me feel known, loved, and encouraged. God gave me a clear calling to ministry in high school, and the opportunities to lead worship and plan church/mission events haven't stopped since. In 2008, the summer after I graduated from college, I connected with HM as a member of the Pioneers Edge team. I helped with the sports camps, OJ, and even a "last minute call" to OG3, China. In January 2009, I moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Background (choppier...): Oldest of three in a close-knit Christian family. Thankful to feel known, loved, and encouraged through long-term relationships cultivated in the two small town, Dutch communities I have lived in. Since receiving a clear calling to ministry in high school, opportunities for me to lead worship and plan church/mission events keep arising. Summer 2008 - Pioneers Edge team member. In addition to helping with the sports camps and OJ, I followed the call to OG3, China. January 2009 - moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Meggan De Jong
From: Sully, Iowa, USA
Training: BA in Music Ministry & Christian Ed. Ministry from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family. Thankful to feel known, loved, and encouraged as part of the two small town, Dutch communities I have lived in. After call to ministry in high school, have had continuous opportunities to lead worship and plan church/mission events. Summer 2008 - Pioneers Edger. Helped with sports camps, OJ, and followed the call to OG3, China. January 2009 - moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Current Prayers: Connections & relationships, Focus on THE goal, In tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading, Filled to overflowing with the love, joy & peace of Christ
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family with small town community roots. Lots of opportunities to lead worship & plan church/mission events. Connected with HM the summer of 2008 to help with camps and Operation Joshua, and then went to China for OG3. In January 2009, came back to Greece to serve long term with HM.
And the winner is... duhn, duhn, duh...
Meggan De Jong
From: Sully, Iowa, USA
Training: Music Ministry & Christian Ed. Ministry - NW College, Orange City, Iowa
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family with small town community roots. Lots of opportunities to lead worship & plan church/mission events. Connected with HM to help with camps and Joshua, Summer ’08. Went to China for OG3. Back to Greece to serve long term with HM, January ‘09.
Current Prayers: Focus on THE goal; Connections & relationships; In tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading; Filled to overflowing with the love, joy & peace of Christ
Okay, yes, that was the final one, I promise. Commence laughing NOW! ;)
Background: I am the oldest of three in a close-knit Christian family. I have lived in two small town, Dutch communities, and I am thankful for the long-term relationships these places naturally cultivate to make me feel known, loved, and encouraged. God gave me a clear calling to ministry in high school, and the opportunities to lead worship and plan church/mission events haven't stopped since. In 2008, the summer after I graduated from college, I connected with HM as a member of the Pioneers Edge team. I helped with the sports camps, OJ, and even a "last minute call" to OG3, China. In January 2009, I moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Background (choppier...): Oldest of three in a close-knit Christian family. Thankful to feel known, loved, and encouraged through long-term relationships cultivated in the two small town, Dutch communities I have lived in. Since receiving a clear calling to ministry in high school, opportunities for me to lead worship and plan church/mission events keep arising. Summer 2008 - Pioneers Edge team member. In addition to helping with the sports camps and OJ, I followed the call to OG3, China. January 2009 - moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Meggan De Jong
From: Sully, Iowa, USA
Training: BA in Music Ministry & Christian Ed. Ministry from Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family. Thankful to feel known, loved, and encouraged as part of the two small town, Dutch communities I have lived in. After call to ministry in high school, have had continuous opportunities to lead worship and plan church/mission events. Summer 2008 - Pioneers Edger. Helped with sports camps, OJ, and followed the call to OG3, China. January 2009 - moved to Greece to serve with HM for as long as God allows.
Current Prayers: Connections & relationships, Focus on THE goal, In tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading, Filled to overflowing with the love, joy & peace of Christ
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family with small town community roots. Lots of opportunities to lead worship & plan church/mission events. Connected with HM the summer of 2008 to help with camps and Operation Joshua, and then went to China for OG3. In January 2009, came back to Greece to serve long term with HM.
And the winner is... duhn, duhn, duh...
Meggan De Jong
From: Sully, Iowa, USA
Training: Music Ministry & Christian Ed. Ministry - NW College, Orange City, Iowa
Background: Oldest of three in a Christian family with small town community roots. Lots of opportunities to lead worship & plan church/mission events. Connected with HM to help with camps and Joshua, Summer ’08. Went to China for OG3. Back to Greece to serve long term with HM, January ‘09.
Current Prayers: Focus on THE goal; Connections & relationships; In tune to the Holy Spirit’s leading; Filled to overflowing with the love, joy & peace of Christ
Okay, yes, that was the final one, I promise. Commence laughing NOW! ;)
Overflowing with joy, peace,... and snot!
The last 10 days or so have been absolutely wonderful...
I have been filled to overflowing with joy and peace, just as I have been praying for since I arrived in Greece.
Unfortunately, I have also had a cold, and while the worst of it had ended after just a couple of days... I still am overflowing with that lovely stuff that comes with colds, yeah... blah, lol. Seriously, is there no end? :)
Oh well, all of the good stuff has definitely overshadowed that annoyance!
I am in the middle of writing a report to share with my new fellow Hellenic Ministries missionaries at our family conference coming up in mid-April. I'll likely post it eventually... but for now, it's enough to say that each of my primary prayer focus points for this season of my life are being answered in very special ways...
They are for:
Connections and Relationships
Focus on THE goal
Staying in tune to the Holy Spirit's leading
Being filled to overflowing with the love, joy, and peace of Christ
**I have so many new connections and relationships I am building in Athens already that I am actually starting to get concerned that I have too many friends, haha. Is that a bad problem? I am praying the Lord will help me be faithful to encourage and spend quality time with those he leads me to invest most in... I just... wow, yeah, can't even begin to start listing all of the very special people that I have met so far, mostly because I don't want to leave any of them out! They range from being random people I have met on a bus, to students from Canada and America here for a few weeks or a few months, to Greek students in Bible studies, to fellow classmates from all over the world learning modern Greek with me, to adult men and women of all ages at church or Bible studies who have offered much encouragement and wisdom, to fellow missionaries from a number of different organizations all over Athens, and... yeah, okay, I could go on, but I should stop... Again, Lord, thanks for making it such a passion of mine to meet new people and start new friendships!! :)
**My prayer last summer was for the eyes and ears to see and hear clearly where the Lord is calling me, and then to have the courage and strength to respond. That is still my prayer, but I've modified the "focus" of that a bit.
The eyes - for "FOCUS on my one and only goal, Jesus Christ!" As I am seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all else will be added... and oh, it sure has been, let me tell you! :)
The ears - to stay IN TUNE to the Holy Spirit's leading. I want to keep developing an ever more clear sense of when the Holy Spirit nudges me to respond to his promptings for steps big or small. I want to know and recognize the voice of the Lord so intimately that I don't have to doubt or question it.
**And oh my goodness, I have been overflowing SO MUCH with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord. In fact all through last week I kept making the comment to some of my friends that if God wasn't careful, he was going to drown me in this overflowing flood of his goodness and presence in my life. I LOVE IT! Keep filling me up, Lord! :) I have been able to have a few sweet intimate dates with God... along a beautiful beach, and in my sun-filled room, and during a Greek church service, etc... and I want more. :) Because it is WAY too fun to let the joy, peace, and love that I am filled with, overflow and encourage those around me. It's absolutely wonderful the feeling of not needing any of it in return when I give it out, because, yes, remember: God is keeping me FULL to OVERFLOWING! Then of course in the process of giving it out, it always returns in even greater abundance even though you don't have the sense of needing it... but anyway, of course that is one of the special, beautiful ways that God continually keeps me overflowing! At times I feel almost too giddy to handle it, yeah... really, I'm serious. Haha, I know there was a few times people just kinda chuckled at me like I was crazy when I had this big, goofy grin filling my entire face when they asked me how my week was going... but what can I do? I just can't help it!! :) And I guess for now I'm not yet having a self-conscious complex about being the big "goofy, giddy" girl, haha! ;)
ANYWAY...
Thank you so much Father for everything! :) And thanks for drawing me ever closer to yourself, so that as I am looking to you, others will see a light beam shining brightly, piercing the darkness of this world, and directly pointing the way to you: THE way, THE truth, and the LIFE... Thank you for redeeming me and cleansing me and covering me in your righteousness so that I have this privilege of helping bring glory, honor, and praise to your precious name! I love you, Lord!! :D
I have been filled to overflowing with joy and peace, just as I have been praying for since I arrived in Greece.
Unfortunately, I have also had a cold, and while the worst of it had ended after just a couple of days... I still am overflowing with that lovely stuff that comes with colds, yeah... blah, lol. Seriously, is there no end? :)
Oh well, all of the good stuff has definitely overshadowed that annoyance!
I am in the middle of writing a report to share with my new fellow Hellenic Ministries missionaries at our family conference coming up in mid-April. I'll likely post it eventually... but for now, it's enough to say that each of my primary prayer focus points for this season of my life are being answered in very special ways...
They are for:
Connections and Relationships
Focus on THE goal
Staying in tune to the Holy Spirit's leading
Being filled to overflowing with the love, joy, and peace of Christ
**I have so many new connections and relationships I am building in Athens already that I am actually starting to get concerned that I have too many friends, haha. Is that a bad problem? I am praying the Lord will help me be faithful to encourage and spend quality time with those he leads me to invest most in... I just... wow, yeah, can't even begin to start listing all of the very special people that I have met so far, mostly because I don't want to leave any of them out! They range from being random people I have met on a bus, to students from Canada and America here for a few weeks or a few months, to Greek students in Bible studies, to fellow classmates from all over the world learning modern Greek with me, to adult men and women of all ages at church or Bible studies who have offered much encouragement and wisdom, to fellow missionaries from a number of different organizations all over Athens, and... yeah, okay, I could go on, but I should stop... Again, Lord, thanks for making it such a passion of mine to meet new people and start new friendships!! :)
**My prayer last summer was for the eyes and ears to see and hear clearly where the Lord is calling me, and then to have the courage and strength to respond. That is still my prayer, but I've modified the "focus" of that a bit.
The eyes - for "FOCUS on my one and only goal, Jesus Christ!" As I am seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all else will be added... and oh, it sure has been, let me tell you! :)
The ears - to stay IN TUNE to the Holy Spirit's leading. I want to keep developing an ever more clear sense of when the Holy Spirit nudges me to respond to his promptings for steps big or small. I want to know and recognize the voice of the Lord so intimately that I don't have to doubt or question it.
**And oh my goodness, I have been overflowing SO MUCH with the love, joy, and peace of the Lord. In fact all through last week I kept making the comment to some of my friends that if God wasn't careful, he was going to drown me in this overflowing flood of his goodness and presence in my life. I LOVE IT! Keep filling me up, Lord! :) I have been able to have a few sweet intimate dates with God... along a beautiful beach, and in my sun-filled room, and during a Greek church service, etc... and I want more. :) Because it is WAY too fun to let the joy, peace, and love that I am filled with, overflow and encourage those around me. It's absolutely wonderful the feeling of not needing any of it in return when I give it out, because, yes, remember: God is keeping me FULL to OVERFLOWING! Then of course in the process of giving it out, it always returns in even greater abundance even though you don't have the sense of needing it... but anyway, of course that is one of the special, beautiful ways that God continually keeps me overflowing! At times I feel almost too giddy to handle it, yeah... really, I'm serious. Haha, I know there was a few times people just kinda chuckled at me like I was crazy when I had this big, goofy grin filling my entire face when they asked me how my week was going... but what can I do? I just can't help it!! :) And I guess for now I'm not yet having a self-conscious complex about being the big "goofy, giddy" girl, haha! ;)
ANYWAY...
Thank you so much Father for everything! :) And thanks for drawing me ever closer to yourself, so that as I am looking to you, others will see a light beam shining brightly, piercing the darkness of this world, and directly pointing the way to you: THE way, THE truth, and the LIFE... Thank you for redeeming me and cleansing me and covering me in your righteousness so that I have this privilege of helping bring glory, honor, and praise to your precious name! I love you, Lord!! :D
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Communication
In the last month...
I have started and completed a 60-hour (that's just CLASS time) Greek language course.
I have met some friendly Greeks on the bus and used the Greek I knew for short, funny, helpful conversations.
I have had so many wonderful, encouraging conversations with...
fellow HM staff; my fellow Athens Center Greek language school classmates; my roommate; new friends at the Bible school, church, and Bible studies; new random friends from various locations in Athens, hehe... etc, etc, etc.
I have sent an update e-mail (or two?) to my personal supporters e-mail list (but unfortunately I recently realized that I forgot to combine the mailing lists for the message(s) to send to my entire prayer network/friends list as well)
I have updated my facebook "Pray for Greece!" page with more prayer requests
I have taken more pictures of Athens and the various settings I am in to communicate with people across an ocean through image... buuut, I haven't exactly posted them all yet, haha, oops.
I have done quite well at responding to individual personal e-mails, facebook wall posts and messages, etc...
I have sent out a mass e-mail to all of the HM constituency.
I have helped organize, offer suggestions, and edit and update content for the HM and Operation Joshua websites.
I have had several great meetings about being an important part of HM's "new" communication team.
I have helped set new communication goals for keeping our HM family up to date news, events, and prayer needs.
I have composed letters to communicate with major donors about financial needs, but most importantly to ANYONE and EVERYONE about helping us communicate the Operation Joshua vision and join our prayer team.
I have experienced mutual encouragement with the Mission-Net staff as I have been communicating with them about the details for having HM present at their conference in April.
I have shared my life story (the "15 minute version," hehe) with fellow missionaries - the Campus Crusade group who I didn't even have to wait for Mission-Konnect to connect with and learn ALL of their names. :)
I have felt the Lord's presence and voice speak to me SO clearly that I wept.
I have been able to communicate (in TWO more new contexts) God's word through the memorized Scripture, with God's help, I have permanently engraved into my heart and mind.
I have creatively communicated God's love and praise through MUSIC, YEAH!!! :)
...at a Brazilian church (SO FUN!)
...at the Hall
...at the Bible school
...at basically any random piano I come across!
I have had some WONDERFUL, precious phone conversations with friends and family back home.
I have been writing in my personal journal nearly every night, conversing with God about my day, and praying for my friends through creative writing.
I have probably forgotten some of the opportunities that I have been able to communicate with people...
So....
I HAVE been communicating A LOT... (and I am SO thankful for the passion God has given me for communicating and the special ways he is leading me to use this gift!!!!!)
but...
I have NOT posted to my blog...
AH, whoopsies... For you faithful readers out there, forgive me! I really will try to do better this month!! :) But if worse comes to worse... try to find me through another various form of communication I am doing better at. Chances are I am still communicating what God is doing in my life SOMEWHERE in this web world. But if not, well, I AM doing so in live conversation, so I guess you'll just have to set up a date to come visit me in person!!!! :)
I have started and completed a 60-hour (that's just CLASS time) Greek language course.
I have met some friendly Greeks on the bus and used the Greek I knew for short, funny, helpful conversations.
I have had so many wonderful, encouraging conversations with...
fellow HM staff; my fellow Athens Center Greek language school classmates; my roommate; new friends at the Bible school, church, and Bible studies; new random friends from various locations in Athens, hehe... etc, etc, etc.
I have sent an update e-mail (or two?) to my personal supporters e-mail list (but unfortunately I recently realized that I forgot to combine the mailing lists for the message(s) to send to my entire prayer network/friends list as well)
I have updated my facebook "Pray for Greece!" page with more prayer requests
I have taken more pictures of Athens and the various settings I am in to communicate with people across an ocean through image... buuut, I haven't exactly posted them all yet, haha, oops.
I have done quite well at responding to individual personal e-mails, facebook wall posts and messages, etc...
I have sent out a mass e-mail to all of the HM constituency.
I have helped organize, offer suggestions, and edit and update content for the HM and Operation Joshua websites.
I have had several great meetings about being an important part of HM's "new" communication team.
I have helped set new communication goals for keeping our HM family up to date news, events, and prayer needs.
I have composed letters to communicate with major donors about financial needs, but most importantly to ANYONE and EVERYONE about helping us communicate the Operation Joshua vision and join our prayer team.
I have experienced mutual encouragement with the Mission-Net staff as I have been communicating with them about the details for having HM present at their conference in April.
I have shared my life story (the "15 minute version," hehe) with fellow missionaries - the Campus Crusade group who I didn't even have to wait for Mission-Konnect to connect with and learn ALL of their names. :)
I have felt the Lord's presence and voice speak to me SO clearly that I wept.
I have been able to communicate (in TWO more new contexts) God's word through the memorized Scripture, with God's help, I have permanently engraved into my heart and mind.
I have creatively communicated God's love and praise through MUSIC, YEAH!!! :)
...at a Brazilian church (SO FUN!)
...at the Hall
...at the Bible school
...at basically any random piano I come across!
I have had some WONDERFUL, precious phone conversations with friends and family back home.
I have been writing in my personal journal nearly every night, conversing with God about my day, and praying for my friends through creative writing.
I have probably forgotten some of the opportunities that I have been able to communicate with people...
So....
I HAVE been communicating A LOT... (and I am SO thankful for the passion God has given me for communicating and the special ways he is leading me to use this gift!!!!!)
but...
I have NOT posted to my blog...
AH, whoopsies... For you faithful readers out there, forgive me! I really will try to do better this month!! :) But if worse comes to worse... try to find me through another various form of communication I am doing better at. Chances are I am still communicating what God is doing in my life SOMEWHERE in this web world. But if not, well, I AM doing so in live conversation, so I guess you'll just have to set up a date to come visit me in person!!!! :)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
I Want to Serve
Love Meal - February 2, 2009
After House of Worship on Sunday night, I met David. He had found my “Pray for Greece!” facebook group and was interested in serving at the love meals. I told him we would be happy to have his help, especially since this week we had predicted that we might be short-handed. He asked where and when; I told him to come back to this same place anytime tomorrow afternoon; and he showed up right when he said he would. We had actually finished setting up already, but it gave everyone a chance to chat and get to know him better through fellowship and prayer. As the night went on, he served with his “natural bouncer abilities” – standing at the door to welcome those eager to come in, and he participated in the dirty bathroom clean-up work afterwards – rubber gloves, mop, and all. We had to test his authentic willingness to serve with us, no matter what the job, right? :) He maintained his ready and willing attitude, and we expect he will return to serve with us again at future meals. I am always very blessed by the way God connects his family together through prayer and service.
Colossians 1:22-24 – “Obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”
After House of Worship on Sunday night, I met David. He had found my “Pray for Greece!” facebook group and was interested in serving at the love meals. I told him we would be happy to have his help, especially since this week we had predicted that we might be short-handed. He asked where and when; I told him to come back to this same place anytime tomorrow afternoon; and he showed up right when he said he would. We had actually finished setting up already, but it gave everyone a chance to chat and get to know him better through fellowship and prayer. As the night went on, he served with his “natural bouncer abilities” – standing at the door to welcome those eager to come in, and he participated in the dirty bathroom clean-up work afterwards – rubber gloves, mop, and all. We had to test his authentic willingness to serve with us, no matter what the job, right? :) He maintained his ready and willing attitude, and we expect he will return to serve with us again at future meals. I am always very blessed by the way God connects his family together through prayer and service.
Colossians 1:22-24 – “Obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward.”
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Operation Joshua: Search for a Campsite
On Saturday, January 24, 2009, three HM friends and I woke up well before sunrise to drive down to the next area of the Peloponnese to be blanketed with Greek New Testaments. First stop: Kalamata, Messenia. While searching for the ideal campsite proved challenging, you might say it was less difficult than navigating the numerous one way streets of Kalamata! We already started praying for extra patience and wisdom on the day our distribution teams will join forces to put the Word of God’s life-giving truth into the hands of this city’s residents.
As the day progressed, we visited several campsites along the sea that were either too small or too filled with trees to accommodate our event needs. With nothing promising near Kalamata, it was time to drive to the opposite side of our targeted bay area in search of the few other campsite options we had pinpointed on the map. After a couple more unfortunate dead ends, God led us to a hopeful possibility.
Located on top of a hill, this site has a beautiful view of the nearby sea and mountains; it offers great options for our cooking and program needs; and most importantly, we developed a friendly relationship with the owner (almost as good as the one we shared with his incredible dog, Rex!).
Not only did God bless our day with a great campsite location, but our trip was also filled with fun fellowship and lots of laughter - especially during a couple of the most unique events, including two of us getting soaked in a downpour at the most inconvenient time, and our final stop resulting in a backseat full of freshly picked oranges. Praise God for safety on the roads and divine appointments with campsite owners. Please pray that God fills us with wisdom as we continue to work through the details to accomplish this Bible distribution vision. To God, and God alone, be the glory!
As the day progressed, we visited several campsites along the sea that were either too small or too filled with trees to accommodate our event needs. With nothing promising near Kalamata, it was time to drive to the opposite side of our targeted bay area in search of the few other campsite options we had pinpointed on the map. After a couple more unfortunate dead ends, God led us to a hopeful possibility.
Located on top of a hill, this site has a beautiful view of the nearby sea and mountains; it offers great options for our cooking and program needs; and most importantly, we developed a friendly relationship with the owner (almost as good as the one we shared with his incredible dog, Rex!). Not only did God bless our day with a great campsite location, but our trip was also filled with fun fellowship and lots of laughter - especially during a couple of the most unique events, including two of us getting soaked in a downpour at the most inconvenient time, and our final stop resulting in a backseat full of freshly picked oranges. Praise God for safety on the roads and divine appointments with campsite owners. Please pray that God fills us with wisdom as we continue to work through the details to accomplish this Bible distribution vision. To God, and God alone, be the glory!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Ready to go!
Wow...
It's finally here. I leave for Greece in about 12 hours, ah! :) I have to admit today was a bit stressful. Getting everything packed that I think I might need this year was... intense, haha. I was hoping to travel as light as possible... and let's just say I'm not going as light as I'd hoped, but as my mom keeps reminding me, I am going to be away for a YEAR, so I shouldn't view taking a few extra things as such a bad thing. I guess it just bothers me because I KNOW there are SO MANY people who live with SO MUCH LESS, and I had just wanted to challenge myself to live really simply too, weining myself off of an attachment to "stuff." I suppose if I had thought through more clearly how determined I wanted to be to slim down my packing list, today wouldn't have been so hard for me. I'm one of those people who over-analyzes everything to try to come up with the best possible result... in like, everything, lol..., which makes me a pretty slow-mover (or atleast it will often seem that way to the more "get 'er done" people!). So when my dearly loving, helpful, Mom tries to help me pack, we clash!! She's a much better "just do it" person. So, I suppose in the end, we balanced each other out, and all in all, it was a successful day, with compromises made both ways. Dad came along later this afternoon to help finish it off and get everything weighed just right. I'm so thankful for such loving, supporting, helpful parents!! I'm also incredibly thankful for the phone calls from two of my amazing friends who really listened, encouraged, and even prayed for me right over the phone today... and so many more who have been doing that for me all week, and through facebook messages, and cards, and... yeah, everything, it's great! :)
I feel SOOOO loved and encouraged, it's ridiculous! ;) And I'm super eager to let what I've been filled up with overflow to all I meet! :D
While I didn't perfectly accomplish every goal that I set for myself while I was at home these last four months... I have still had a blast and "accomplished" much more in other areas I wouldn't have dreamed of. I love how God just expands my plans like that so often! ;) I'm looking forward to journaling and reminiscing and thanking God lots for the blessings of this season at home while I'm traveling the next few days. And then, I'll be preparing my heart for this new adventure ahead!! Give me your eyes and ears, to see and hear YOU, and the courage to follow where you lead me, Lord! Moment by moment... day by day... week by week, every month, every year... :)
And right now... I am absolutely freezing. I'm pretty sure we're reaching record lows here in Iowa as the temperature keeps dropping well below freezing. While the weather in Greece can be pretty cold this time of year as well, I bet I'll feel quite warm when I get there, haha.
So, I'm going to go snuggle up and sleep!!! Oh, and I also sent a message to all the members of my "Pray for Greece!" facebook group this evening... I think I'll post that message on my other blog quick before I sleep. Definitely go read that one too if you've got time. I included lyrics to the song that pretty much sums up my life right at the moment. :) So I must go now, go and follow love. ;)
It's finally here. I leave for Greece in about 12 hours, ah! :) I have to admit today was a bit stressful. Getting everything packed that I think I might need this year was... intense, haha. I was hoping to travel as light as possible... and let's just say I'm not going as light as I'd hoped, but as my mom keeps reminding me, I am going to be away for a YEAR, so I shouldn't view taking a few extra things as such a bad thing. I guess it just bothers me because I KNOW there are SO MANY people who live with SO MUCH LESS, and I had just wanted to challenge myself to live really simply too, weining myself off of an attachment to "stuff." I suppose if I had thought through more clearly how determined I wanted to be to slim down my packing list, today wouldn't have been so hard for me. I'm one of those people who over-analyzes everything to try to come up with the best possible result... in like, everything, lol..., which makes me a pretty slow-mover (or atleast it will often seem that way to the more "get 'er done" people!). So when my dearly loving, helpful, Mom tries to help me pack, we clash!! She's a much better "just do it" person. So, I suppose in the end, we balanced each other out, and all in all, it was a successful day, with compromises made both ways. Dad came along later this afternoon to help finish it off and get everything weighed just right. I'm so thankful for such loving, supporting, helpful parents!! I'm also incredibly thankful for the phone calls from two of my amazing friends who really listened, encouraged, and even prayed for me right over the phone today... and so many more who have been doing that for me all week, and through facebook messages, and cards, and... yeah, everything, it's great! :)
I feel SOOOO loved and encouraged, it's ridiculous! ;) And I'm super eager to let what I've been filled up with overflow to all I meet! :D
While I didn't perfectly accomplish every goal that I set for myself while I was at home these last four months... I have still had a blast and "accomplished" much more in other areas I wouldn't have dreamed of. I love how God just expands my plans like that so often! ;) I'm looking forward to journaling and reminiscing and thanking God lots for the blessings of this season at home while I'm traveling the next few days. And then, I'll be preparing my heart for this new adventure ahead!! Give me your eyes and ears, to see and hear YOU, and the courage to follow where you lead me, Lord! Moment by moment... day by day... week by week, every month, every year... :)
And right now... I am absolutely freezing. I'm pretty sure we're reaching record lows here in Iowa as the temperature keeps dropping well below freezing. While the weather in Greece can be pretty cold this time of year as well, I bet I'll feel quite warm when I get there, haha.
So, I'm going to go snuggle up and sleep!!! Oh, and I also sent a message to all the members of my "Pray for Greece!" facebook group this evening... I think I'll post that message on my other blog quick before I sleep. Definitely go read that one too if you've got time. I included lyrics to the song that pretty much sums up my life right at the moment. :) So I must go now, go and follow love. ;)
Thursday, January 8, 2009
One Week
One week ago...
I was having a date night with my whole family. We went to see Marley & Me, Mo & I got a few things at Maurice's with our Christmas gift cards, and we went out for pizza at George's.
A lot more has happened in just one week... I've read a lot of Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz, etc); hung out with great friends: Annette, Alyssa, the Chapmans, the Lewis,' Dave, Holly; I've had a couple Greek lessons, and I've been preparing for my Commissioning service this Sunday. :)
A lot more will happen in this week to come... I will have a shopping/pedicure/movie day with Mom & Mo; I'll go skiing with Dad, Chris & Mo; I'll have my Commissioning service; I'll hang out with more great friends; and I'll pack for Greece!
And exactly one week from now...
I'll be flying to Greece... WOW! :)
I was having a date night with my whole family. We went to see Marley & Me, Mo & I got a few things at Maurice's with our Christmas gift cards, and we went out for pizza at George's.
A lot more has happened in just one week... I've read a lot of Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz, etc); hung out with great friends: Annette, Alyssa, the Chapmans, the Lewis,' Dave, Holly; I've had a couple Greek lessons, and I've been preparing for my Commissioning service this Sunday. :)
A lot more will happen in this week to come... I will have a shopping/pedicure/movie day with Mom & Mo; I'll go skiing with Dad, Chris & Mo; I'll have my Commissioning service; I'll hang out with more great friends; and I'll pack for Greece!
And exactly one week from now...
I'll be flying to Greece... WOW! :)
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