The BIG P and regular fries.

I just found this in my drafts from about 5  months ago......

 
"There are always two versions of a story, regular or twister fries. Regular, please!"

So I saw this on a friends face book page and found myself having a giggle and a big nod in agreement!


Anyone else ever surprised about the ugliness of their own nature at times? I am.

I've been thinking about how the big P can creep up almost unnoticed until..BAM! There it is! The big P I'm talking about is PRIDE. Even the sound of the word has a horrible ring to it.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone has spoke falsely against you? Maybe they are just really mistaken or maybe they are just out right telling lies! Whichever it is, I am learning the important thing is how we respond. Easier said than done at times!

One of the most hurtful things we can encounter is for some one who you think is a friend to speak wrongly against you.  My first reaction after hurt was that of defense. To show them they were totally wrong and point out facts. Thankfully I am married to a lovely and wise man who thinks before he speaks. He reminded me (even if at that moment it was not what I wanted to hear) not to rush an answer. In fact not to respond at all.
My old nature did not like it one bit!

But once the emotion melted away I knew he was right. Then I started to think about that persons situation. I still did not like the untruthfulness of the words they spoke, but I somehow just about managed to separate my feeling from the way I would respond. I started to think about what might have made them do this.

So then God starts showing me  my heart!! (sqirm sqirm sqirm) Was it my pride that made me think I had to respond by justifying myself and writing down the facts to every lie told? Was it pride bubbling up energising me to just have to "respond with this one thing".
I believe God showed me it was. I was reminded of Jesus. The bible says
"He opened not his mouth."

Gulp! Who more than Jesus had the right to justify himself and correct all the lies people told of Him? Yet He was so humble that he let all sorts of lies be spoken against Him. I was thinking too about how secure He was in His identity. Fully God. Fully man. He knew the end from the beginning. He knew the hearts and minds of every person who falsely accused Him. He knew it all.

Thank God that we can be secure in our identity in Christ. Thank God that if we are His then we need not fear what people would say. It doesn't really matter. I am so so thankful that through the grace of God that I don't have to worry about false words. I am so thankful that my identity is not based on what a person may think of me. It's not based on my past, present or future. It's not based on my work or achievements.
My identity is based on Jesus. I love Him because He first loved me. He loves me. He knows me. I am His. I am His. I am His.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life". Proverbs 4:23

Josiahs first visit to Tondo.

This week we took Josiah with us for the first time to Tondo. My heart was pounding most of the time, but he was having so much fun!

Seeing him there with the other babies made me so thankful to have a happy, healthy son.My heart broke all over again as I watched children as young as 2 years old playing alone in the garbage- playing in waste. My heart ached as I thought "what if that was Josiah?"
That is someones baby playing in that mud, bare foot, half clothed and hungry. What if it was my baby? What if my life was switched with one of the mothers there? They literally fight every day to keep their children alive. Some make it. Some don't.
As the mothers shared some of their "news" yesterday my inner voice was screaming;
"This is not normal. This is not right."
Below are some of the things they shared which happened that day;

-One mother came into the group late. Her baby was playing with the others but was a little more clingy to her than usual. She lifted up his faded blue t shirt to reveal bright red marks covering his torso and arms.He was covered in burns from an injury that morning. It was now afternoon and he still had no treatment..

-A withdrawn toddler was covered in open wounds on his arms and face. Small cuts and bites had become infected with the filth from the surroundings and the wound on his arm was now a hole. An actual hole.

-An older mother joined in who does not usually attend the play group. It's normally her teenage daughter who has a 2 year old and a 6 month old. I asked the mother how she was and inquired about her youngest daughter who is 4 years old and has cerebral palsy. She told me matter of factly but with an undertone of worry that her teenager daughter just fled to the province without warning leaving the 2 infants behind. This mother now had to care for her own 3 young children plus her daughter's 2. How could she take care of them? How could she feed them? Why did her daughter leave so suddenly. She did not know.

-Children with high fevers and mothers who could not afford to buy medicine.

- A new born baby boy who's skin was starting to break out in rashes with the heat and germs.

Can you imagine giving birth to your precious baby and instead of bringing her home to your house, neatly decorated with  balloons and greeting cards, you brought her to a rat infested dump site? Instead of dressing her in new clothes, you wrapped rags on her. You love her more than words can say, but you have no choice. Her perfectly smooth skin becomes itchy and swollen as a result from the environment.

I'm in awe once again at my warrior mum friends in that community. They love their children. They want the best but are under strains that are difficult for you or I to understand.
These mothers are so strong. I know I would not cope if I lived where they live. These amazing women don't just cope- they love- they laugh- they pick themselves up and carry on. I admire them. I am thankful to have met them and proud to know them.

This is not the life these babies should have. I can't stand the thought of seeing them grow into children scavenging through rotten food and other people's throw aways. It doesn't matter how much we do- it never feels enough. I know the goodness of God. I know His heart aches for this community. I know He loves it more than words could express. I know He wants to give these babies and the others there an abundant life- on earth and into eternity.
We cry for justice. We work for justice. We are here for justice.

Is it a crazy, far out dream to think things could be changed?

-YES- If I think we or any other organisation, church or person can change things by their own abilities.

NO- If I believe God can move. He can change lives. He can change communities. He can transform a nation. He uses people to carry out his purposes. He uses ordinary, imperfect people.
We must work to do what we can. But we must trust that God can and will move.

 Maybe some reading this are thinking- why should I trust a God who lets people live like this?
I would suggest you think about being thankful that you are not living like that. When my husband and I took our precious son to the car, washed him and brought him home, I had a heavy heart that the babies had no choice but to stay behind. But I was so greatful that we could bring our son home.I am thankful that my son was not born there and that I as are many of you are in a position to do something about poverty.It's so encouraging and so humbling to think that God can use you and me to help bring  change and touch lives. He uses people to work along side those in need. He uses people to pray for these works.He uses people to give.
 
I believe;

"He WILL bring justice to the poor of the people. He WILL save the children of the needy and WILL break in pieces the oppressor" Psalm 72: 4

Her name is Princess Juliana. She is almost 3.

A quote worth quoting...

I'm always amazed and thankful at the way God provides for the ministry through the kindness of people. Never early and never late. We had a faith journey become reality again this month as our annual youth camp took place.It's a time when the teenagers can have a break from the daily struggles and have 4 days of respite at a beach resort. Our prayer is always that they get refreshed physically, emotionally and spiritually. This year was extra significant since we had to postpone the camp from May until the last week of October. We ll knew that God must have a reason for this.It turns out there were a few great reasons and I don't want to ramble on, but it just confirmed that Gods hand was on this camp every step of the way. Oh how He loves these teenagers!

Before we left for camp I scribbled in my journal;
"Lord, be pleased to move among us. Holy Spirit move in a special way. Heal hearts, touch lives and draw the teenagers to You. We don't want an event God- we want to see lasting fruit come from this week. Be with us Lord Jesus..."

There is so much I could write about camp. It was just a great week and so much fun. (Exhausting but fun!) I couldn't possibly write about all the ways God blessed us. God moved.
But if I had to sum it up I would say this;
"There is no substitute for the Holy Spirit."

This is a quote from my sisters Pastor in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Before the camp I was thinking about it and then my brother in law posted it on his face book page. It became a reality the first night of camp...

The first day is always a tiring one! Many of the youth don't sleep with excitement the night before. I was shocked when they told us they woke up as early as 2am to get ready to leave. We don't depart Tondo until 6am!!! Then 125 bodies pack into jeeps and travel 5 hours up north to the resort we host the camp at. Straight into activities and so on. By evening we are all pretty tired. But we always have that first evening dedicate to a celebration of worship and prayer just to thank God for his goodness that another camp has been made possible.
This year Ron and I lead that first night, leaving the other youth bands to lead the rest of the week. As we started to worship it was apparent the young people were sleepy, but there was something else. There was a definite atmosphere and it wasn't really one of freedom. Have you ever been in a church gathering where the worship seems to hit the roof instead of penetrate the heavens? Well. it was like that. Ron and I both sensed the lack of freedom in the hall and began praying as we lead. In our spirits we both felt a determination that the night would not go on without a breakthrough. We so needed God to come in and dwell with us. 
As we continued to sing I got a picture in my mind....

I saw the young people carrying cases.They couldn't lift their hands because of thes big blck cases. Inside the cases were labels;
Sadness, fear, hurt, struggle.... but the one that really stood out in bold black letters was GUILT.

That was it! We are not free to really worship if we are carrying all this stuff, especially guilt. We really needed the Spirit of God to come and break through and give them a fresh and real revelation of Gods love. Only then would the spiritual atmosphere change. As the youth got into groups to pray our staff and us began asking the Lord to move.Words of life were spoken over the teens. It was our hearts cry for God to release them. We began singing " Oh how He loves us" and crying out for the Holy Spirit to come.
He did and everything changed.
In fact it was the catalyst needed to direct the purpose of the whole camp. God is so good.

Again, I know if I start getting into testimonies of how God touched lives I will be writing here all night. But I am just so so thankful to the Lord for answering prayer and moving in the lives of many young people.He saved. He healed. He restored.He filled.
He is more than amazing. Amazing grace.

There truly is no substitute for the Holy Spirit and I want this to be engraved in my heart. You can have the best planned activities, amazing preachers, well provided for church, the best reheared music team and dynamic outreaches. BUT they just don't even come close to a move of the Spirit of God. There is  no faking it when the presence of God really takes over. No pretense. No religion. No comparison.

He is lovely.

(Have no idea why the first paragraph has a white background and my baby brain will not permit me to problem solve any longer today- Goodnight all! :)