"Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord all the earth..." Psalm 96:1 (NIV)
I awoke with the sun this morning - thanks to the very chirpy birds that make up the symphony in our garden... and while contemplating whether or not to fall back to sleep I thought of the joy of living in a world where every living creature is a testimony to the creativity of a wonderful Saviour. The beautiful patterns of life, light and love are reflected through every moving thing... and its amazing.
"The Word was first, the Word present to God and God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through Him; nothing - not one thing!- came into being without Him. What came into existence was Life, and the Life was the Light to live by. The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; and the darkness couldn't put it out." John 1:1-5 (The Message)
So today, in this little life of mine, I will busy myself with all the details of Wedding Planning again... creating decorations and planning all the beautiful, small touches that will fill the space that we celebrate in, but as I do so I pray that God is preparing the inside space too. I hope that my heart is becoming a hospitable place, where God can dwell in the richness of His glory without feeling cramped or second-rate. Because at the end of the day, my space is God's space! When asking Him to be the One that brings His Life, strength and energy into my life I need to remind myself that it requires for me to be open to internal house-keeping and to have a teachable spirit. I guess God is just reminding me of His sovereignty in all these things.
God's sovereignty is something that has taken me years to get my head around... and I still don't fully understand it. So far, all I basicly understand is that God is fully just and good, that He loves me beyond measure and invites me to walk humbly with Him day by day in a life that is dedicated to loving others and showing them that love. What an incredible miracle that He brought my wonderful fiance into my life, that I might have a honest, caring, truth-loving and God-seeking man to walk with in my pursuit of God and all His plans for me.
It's quite an art seeking God's plans... we have been praying about scriptures, songs and all sorts for our wedding... we've even been praying for every person who will be able to be in attendance and I hope that even those who can't be there will be able to spend time with us in the New Year. I am so very aware that a Wedding is a day, and a Marriage is a lifetime - so in reality we have thousands of days for people to celebrate the joy of togetherness with us! At the moment however, it's the next 15 days that require some detailed attention!
"Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the word of Christ have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives -- words, actions, whatever -- be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." Colossians 3:15-17 (The Message)
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Graduation!
"If Jesus Christ is God and died for me
I've been reflecting today on the work of C.T. Studd, the great English cricketer, and man of God whose love of people led him to China, India and Africa in search of God's plan for all people. Due to the start of that mission, and the many that followed, a little bible college was built in Gordonton to prepare individuals for a life sold out to Jesus.
http://www.eastwest.ac.nz/links.htm
I started a "Diploma of Intercultural Studies" in 2011 and am graduating today! It's been a long and winding road to this point! After years of pursuing God into mission, where I've been on adventures with Him through short-term mission, learned more about myself and my culture, made plenty of mistakes and some victories, while seeking to find new ways to seek Him in the lives of others. I think that one of the most powerful things we can do, is to choose to love others, simply because they are made in God's image, and made to pursue Him in a life that is filled with light and love.
“Missions then is less about the transportation of God from one place to another and more about the identification of a God who is already there [...] You see God where others don't. And then you point him out. So the issue isn't so much taking Jesus to people who don't have him, but going to a place and pointing out to the people the creative, life-giving God who is already present in their midst. ”
― Rob Bell
I am so excited to be finishing up at Eastwest College, and beginning the next chapter... I am marrying my true love in 3 weeks, and together we will be seeking to serve Jesus and the people He loves through MAF. Before we do that, we have set apart 2013 as a year of preparation, prayer and petition as we seek to partner with others who will be our 'ground crew' back in New Zealand as we get ready to serve the remotest communites on earth.
http://www.mafnz.org.nz/
I can't wait to begin 2013's huge journey, and yet I am aware that every day is one step in that lifetime of service. We are all free in Christ, free to love, life and laugh together as we find a future that is bright and full of hope.
I've been reflecting today on the work of C.T. Studd, the great English cricketer, and man of God whose love of people led him to China, India and Africa in search of God's plan for all people. Due to the start of that mission, and the many that followed, a little bible college was built in Gordonton to prepare individuals for a life sold out to Jesus.
http://www.eastwest.ac.nz/links.htm
I started a "Diploma of Intercultural Studies" in 2011 and am graduating today! It's been a long and winding road to this point! After years of pursuing God into mission, where I've been on adventures with Him through short-term mission, learned more about myself and my culture, made plenty of mistakes and some victories, while seeking to find new ways to seek Him in the lives of others. I think that one of the most powerful things we can do, is to choose to love others, simply because they are made in God's image, and made to pursue Him in a life that is filled with light and love.
“Missions then is less about the transportation of God from one place to another and more about the identification of a God who is already there [...] You see God where others don't. And then you point him out. So the issue isn't so much taking Jesus to people who don't have him, but going to a place and pointing out to the people the creative, life-giving God who is already present in their midst. ”
― Rob Bell
I am so excited to be finishing up at Eastwest College, and beginning the next chapter... I am marrying my true love in 3 weeks, and together we will be seeking to serve Jesus and the people He loves through MAF. Before we do that, we have set apart 2013 as a year of preparation, prayer and petition as we seek to partner with others who will be our 'ground crew' back in New Zealand as we get ready to serve the remotest communites on earth.
http://www.mafnz.org.nz/
I can't wait to begin 2013's huge journey, and yet I am aware that every day is one step in that lifetime of service. We are all free in Christ, free to love, life and laugh together as we find a future that is bright and full of hope.
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