Rollin through September

Dearest friends and family!

Bringing September to a close, I write to you with such a different attitude than 4 weeks prior. I am thinking constantly of Colorado in the mountain fall that descends with drops of sunlit leaves and whisks the world into winter.  As we’ve been studying maps and regions in geography I’ve taken every opportunity to point out my wonderful home state and in doing such have found myself longing for those majestic mountains in the background of my days here, a constant reminder of El Elyon, the Lord Most High.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline(sound mind).

This verse has lept to the forefront of my spiritual reality in these past weeks and  been a revitalizing thrust forward in the work of the Lord here.  There is no doubt about it, the Lord has been giving me favor and I am walking in the path He has marked out for me. He has been fanning those gifts in me to flame up as I serve and talk with students, and pray with staff, and pour myself into teaching, and live every moment in that Spirit of LOVE, POWER, and SELF-DISCIPLINE…what a trio those 3.

About a week after writing you in desperation of the struggle and spiritual darkness I was experiencing upon my return to Honduras, God brought someone to intercede for me and it was the strength over the enemy I needed that pulled me out of the ‘losing’ battle and set my feet back on the Rock Eternal. I thank each of you for praying for me, I have never experienced something so frustratingly debilitating and confusing and I needed each of you in that time to be lifting me up to the Lord.

The enemy is still in full fledged attack around me, but He has armed me with strength and perspective and victory, so that is what I am claiming and walking in now.

After passing through the worst of the battle, the Lord began giving me favor with my students from last year and this present year. I have had amazing opportunities to be part of these kids lives and they are opening themselves up to me in ways I could never have imagined. Almost every recess there are girls in my ‘office’ that come to share their hearts and pray with me. I attended a pizza outing, birthday pool party and bowling activity with my students this past weekend and have been enjoying them at school and outside of it. My kids this year are VERY loving and so I get hundreds of hugs every day and just enjoy each moment with them. All of this is by God’s grace and I cannot praise Him enough for the responsibility and task He has set before me in being part of these kids’ lives and challenging them and loving them.

Continuing on in my journey of thankfulness --  I have been collecting details of things I am thankful for and writing them down at the end of each day. As the Lord brings different things to mind throughout the day it has been so fun to sit back and giggle with the Lord over all those small moments that bring joy, as well as those moments I want to reject as ‘bad.’  God continues to offer those things to me, saying ‘take it, it is good, break it and give thanks.’ Receiving things from God, whether I deem them ‘good’ or ‘bad’ as manna from heaven, the sustaining grace of my God in the wilderness or the garden is an extreme challenge, but I venture forward in anticipation of the relationship of abundant life that is the strong current beneath the surface, if only I would reach deep to find the blessing and enter in to his presence with thanksgiving. 

THANK YOU to those of you who responded to my last update with your two or three things of thankfulness…what beautiful glimpses into your hearts and lives. It was SO good to receive back from you a response such as this and to rejoice with you over the big and the small graces.

My Care group bible study has been experiencing the book “One Thousand Gifts” by Ann Voskamp, which is where these ideas stem from. It is just the beginning, but we are venturing forward and awaiting what the Lord has in store as we open ourselves up.

Lets throw some prayer requests in now so I can begin to wrap this up.

You know that my heart is always overflowing and abundant in words. J

1.)  I have had a bad tooth ache all week and will be getting work done on Friday, but this is a little scary with the international aspect as well as trusting the same dentist with my crazy teeth for over 20 years…please pray for healing in this area as well as strength to carry through the pain until Friday afternoon.

2.)  The beginning bible study on the book of Joshua with 15 to 20 6^th grade girls. We will be meeting every other Tuesday for two hours and their hearts to learn God’s word is simply outstanding…what an opportunity God has given me.

3.)  I ask for ‘A willing spirit to sustain me’ in the work of my hands as sometimes I become weary and lack the motivation to press on day in and day out. 

4.)  Protection against the enemy, wisdom in communication, and grace in relationships through this season as we eagerly await what God has in store.

5.)  I have been burdened after visiting the orphanage and realizing just how much struggle the kids deal with day in and day out

Thank you thank you thank you for your constant love, support, and communication.

When I am weak, then I am strong.

Blessings and much love,

~Julie~

READ ON FOR MORE SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS

“Everything God created is GOOD and nothing is to be rejected if it is received WITH THANKS if it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:4-5)

I’ve been utilizing this mentality with THINGS I’ve received from the Lord and giving thanks in every circumstance until God took it to a new level. The same reality goes for PEOPLE in relationships. Every relationship in my life is from God and it is good, if I thank Him for those people He placed in my pathway and sanctify those relationships through the washing of the Word and prayer.

I must admit, it was easier to leave it in the mentality of receiving the THINGS from God more than the people because especially living in community it is hard to accept in my day all the interruptions, petitions, requirements, expectations, personalities, and challenges in communicating. Finally understanding that those relationships HAVE to be sanctified through the word of God and prayer and received with THANKS instead of complaining or rejection has really changed my perspective.  As I step forward in a time where I am constantly pouring myself out to others, I rejoice in the redeeming work GOD is doing and that I can be a part of it through thanks, prayer, and the sanctifying Word. 

I challenge you to check your heart of thanks in each relationship God has placed in your life. Are you receiving those people from the Lord in any form, at any moment, as from God and speaking truth and praying together and striving together to seek the blessing in giving thanks for one another? Oh what transformation and delight this brings to those relational struggles and the people you would rather just ‘give up on’ instead of ‘dealing with’ them any more. Don’t fall short of the redemption the Lord offers in that Spirit of love and power.

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “today’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:12-13)

I’ve been becoming more and more aware of the deceitfulness of sin and the attack of the enemy.  I’ve seen my sinful nature now more than ever and truly see that I am NOTHING without Christ. It is such a good thing, to be reminded of my humanness and to trust in a saving God to accomplish all things for me….but to see the enemies schemes and to watch fellow brothers and sisters being led away and enticed is terrifyingly real and the Lord has illumined a prayer battle that I will begin to enter as seen in the following passage from Nehemiah 4 and 6

(In Ch. 1 Nehemiah intercedes for the remnant of Israel to bring them back from they places they were scattered)

(4:6) So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. Now when Sanballat….and the ammonites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry (7). All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause disturbance in it(8). BUT, we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night(9). Thus it was said in Judah, “the strength of the burden bearers is failing, YET there is much rubbish; and WE OURSELVES are unable to rebuild the wall.(10)” The Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “they will come up against us from every place where you may turn(12).” Then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families and with their swords, spears, and bows(13). When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses(14).” When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each to his work(15). From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah(16). I said to the nobles and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.(19-20)”

(6:9) For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “The will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Sanballat had hired him. He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. (12-13)

So the wall was completed on the 25^th of the month of Elul, in fifty two days. When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God(15-16).

What a picture of an intense spiritual battle. It is so clear to me that this is what our community here has entered into to. We have built the wall to half it’s height, but it still has exposed places and the strength of the burden bearers is failing, not to mention the constant attack by Sanballat and his brigades coming against them at every turn in order that they might become frightened and act accordingly and sin…. Yet Nehemiah encourages them to “remember the Lord, who is great and awesome and to FIGHT” and then when the work is hard and they are separated along the wall he calls for rallying points and declares again, “Our God will fight for us!”

In the end it is completed and the result is God’s glory – for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Please join me in prayer and intercession in this way. I need it and plead for you to see the weak places in your walls, the points where you need to rally against the enemy, and the moments when you need to take courage and pray and let God fight for you.