Five Weeks Personal Update

I'm about to start the final month of my trip, today marking 5 weeks on the countdown.
It hasn't been easy! One week ago, I started keeping track of everything that happened day-by-day, as a means to stay focused.

So far so good!

I'm currently in Kathmandu, Nepal, unwinding before the upcoming travel days to India. As soon as I arrived in Kathmandu, I received news that my Godmother had passed away in Brazil. She was my great-aunt and a beautiful, kindhearted woman. She loved God and she always made me feel loved. I kept the news to myself and to a few close friends at first, but I just wanted to bring it up here in this forum so you could be praying for my family and I as we press onward. I'll see her in heaven, til then, I hold on to the last hug.

Please pray for me, my squad, safety in travels, my transition, my heart, my waiting for acceptance to seminary, and for clarity in God's opportunities for me from January-August. There may be an opportunity for me to serve in Guatemala, so I'm prayerfully considering it.

The Holy Spirit is speaking, leading, teaching, and counseling me. I am so loved by the Father! I'm chosen and confident, laughing at the days to come :)

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Hey you!
Thank you for keeping my personal blog alive by being a reader. Believe it or not, even though I don't post much, there are lots of hits on this blog!

You'd think there would be feedback, but there isn't. I reason that when most people read a blog, they're getting something out of it with no intention of giving anything back to the writer. That's totally okay. I often do this when I read. I've never written any of my favorite authors a letter thanking them for the time they put into writing, editing, and publishing. I simply purchase their book, read it, enjoy it, and then it ends there.

Thankfully for me, since I write whatever for free and for fun, I have my buddy Google to give me the analytical data about YOU! Yes you! It's 2012, and I can track you! Surprise! Check out my viewers' map for the last month:

Thanks to Google, I know you care! I am encouraged enough that 508 of you took the time to read my blog last month :) thank you! Whether you ever mention to me that you read my blogs or comment, I still know I have my readers.

I'm preaching tomorrow about prayer, and as I was reading the Word of God, I thought "If I like comments, Jesus must really love comments." Inerrant, applicable, truthful, living words, but how often do I just flip through as if I'm looking up a word in the dictionary... it sounds cheesy, but I wanted to thank God for His word and that I am privileged to have it available to me all the time. He loves me the same, regardless of my number of views.
In the same way that it delights me to look at this pretty green map, it delights Him to see that His children are seeking Him out and wanting to learn more about Him.

Unlike me, the Author is listening in as you read His word. He wants to explain it in a way you will understand. He wants to interact with you as you read. Don't just read as if they're words on a page, because you'll miss out on the most amazing live commentary with the Most High King.

I've been going through the Bible chronologically, and I'm currently in the 4 gospels. It's great to read them all together, but I do have a confession: I am dreading what's about to happen. Do you ever find yourself picking out a movie and think "oooh Passion of the Christ! Yes!"?? Yeah... me either. I know what happened on the cross is awesome news for me, but those are my sins He's suffering for. My heart grieves to know that my Savior suffered for my sake, for our sake. I love Him so much for what He did for me, for paying my debt, for rescuing me from death, for guaranteeing my eternity and my righteousness. But I can't help my tears, and the feeling of helplessness as I prepare to experience the powerful telling of my Savior's brutal sacrifice.

As I inch closer and closer to reading about the crucifixion, I have to rely on Him, the Living Christ, to remind me over and over that it's okay. That He endured it because He loves me. That I'm not resented or blamed, but accepted and free. That the beatings and the mocking and the rejection and the punishment were all worth it. Worth it for us. Worth it for me.

I have no words for that kind of love, no comment.
Though I can't understand it, I humbly receive it.

HOP ON THE CAMEL

Today was a monumental day in my life.

I enjoy the word monumental because I think of a monument being built in honor of this day, which would be fitting. If these were Old Testament days, I'd assemble a pile of rocks and name it something like "THE LORD ROCKS" or "ON THE ROCK I STAND" or I could go on and on, but you get the point.

Why? Well, let's just say September 12th was a horrible day for me for the last 3 years.
That's the understatement of the century. It still makes me want to vom just thinking about it. But the Almighty God redeemed September 12th.

I haven't felt this much excitement and joy in a long time. Of all days, the Lord chose September 12th, because He is intentional and sarcastic and hilarious.

What did I do today?

I applied to seminary!

Essays are written, reference forms are on their way, and my official transcript has been ordered. I've cried over just about every part of it, because I was so happy.
My Father is so stoked for me. He is borderline giddy up in the skies, because I have finally begun to grasp what it means to delight in Him.

I used to get excited about finding a size 2-short pair of AE jeans on sale, or frozen yogurt, or a cutesy text message, or the right song coming on the radio... which are all awesome things, yeah? Well for me they are :)  Believe it or not, I am more excited about what God is doing than all those little fun things that fire me up.  

Sometimes, just to be silly, I ask my friends what the 'front page news' in their lives would be. Today, my front page news is redemption. 

You might be wondering why the title of my site and of my blog is "HOP ON THE CAMEL" and I'm ready to explain it. In Genesis 24, Abraham made his chief servant swear to him an oath (there was thigh-touching involved, which was normal back then, but only when you meant business): to go to Abraham's home town and get a wife for Isaac. Epic matchmaking in the works. So the servant gets 10 camels (ohhh) and loads them up with all sorts of swag. He gets there and starts praying for the Lord to send the right girl, and that she'd let him have some water and offer water for his camels. (Hollywood, why hasn't there been a movie about this? Water for Camels! Duh!) Before he's even done praying, obviously praying with his eyes opened, out comes Rebekah, with her big jar. Sure enough, she lets him have water, and offers some for the camels. This girl is willing and athletic, lifting heavy jars and running to and from the well. The servant figured out that she was indeed part of the family (opposite reaction back then, it meant green lights) and gave her jewelry. Rebekah takes the servant into the house and he retells the entirety of the story. They all agree this is from the Lord, but the family tried to prolong Rebekah's leaving (gee I wonder why). So the servant said "oh no no no, don't detain me!" and the family put Rebekah on the spot. They asked her "will you go with this man?"
Rebekah said "I will go." Her family prayed over her, then she hopped on a camel and left with the servant. God chose Rebekah to be the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. Jacob would be renamed Israel, and his 12 sons were the 12 tribes. Epic!

She left everything she knew. 
She trusted God. 
She made a bold move, a brave step. 
Little did she know the impact of her obedience.
That's what "hop on the camel" means to me. 
When the Lord calls, that I am willing to bravely and boldly obey.


I hopped on a camel today, and I know God will be faithful. 

Please be in prayer for me as I'm still doing full-time ministry in Tanzania. Pray for health and safety! And also pray that I am able to trust and not fret while I wait on the Lord.