Questions

 

Since I have made the choice to move overseas and to do God’s work in the lovely Country of Uganda, I have been getting all kinds of questions… Some are important questions, some are ok questions, and some are just right down in a different culture, shaking my head, trying not to laugh questions! So here are some that made my list:

1.       Uganda, you do know that is in Africa? - Yes I do know that Uganda is in Africa! Uganda is a country in the continent of Africa!

2.       Do they speak English? – Yes, Ugandans speak English; they were a British settlement before becoming a country. Ugandans also speak different languages that are special for each tribe; one of those languages is Swahili.

3.       So will you be living in a grass hut? – No, in Uganda they have what is called houses! Nice five bedroom… three bath… wrap around porches! Surprising I know… I will be sleep in a house!

4.       What are you going to do about using the bathroom? I will use a toilet of course! Shockingly Ugandans have developed this cool idea called plumbing! I think it has caught on in the states, but on the real side of things they do have regular toilets and they flush! What a blessings!

5.       What do they eat? – I like this one… they eat very healthy! Better than American’s do! (Sorry) There are no McDonalds or Burger Kings there… Most of the Ugandans grow their own food or buy it at a local market… it is kind of like the farmer’s market here… but you can buy goats, fabric, fresh produce, and chickens there. They really don’t fried anything, and what is put in front of them is a blessings too!

6.       What are you going to do for healthcare? – This country is pay as you go! If you have the money to get it fix then you get it fix. There are not healthcare programs here! I have set money aside to help with this! God always equips us for things that are needed in the future. Most of the doctors in Uganda are missionaries or retired doctors for different countries that have the best healthcare!

7.       Will you need shoes? – l will let you in on a little secret…. I hate wearing shoes! I love buying them… but barefoot is the way to go!! So, no I will have three pairs of shoes… my flip flops for church, my toms, and tennis shoes. Other than that… yes I will be barefoot!

8.       Will you be sleeping on the dirt floor? – NO, they have beds over in Uganda. I am blessed to have one… but if I had to sleep on the floor it would be worth it… I did a lot of camping when I was young!

9.        What are you doing over there? – I will be bringing the love of Jesus Christ to the village along as teaching the art of sewing and cooking. I want to learn about the culture of the Ugandans and to see what their needs are. I do not want to be one of those people who go over and try to fix things! That is not helpful for the Ugandans and not helpful for me. I don’t know it all and I am not going to show them my way… but show them the love of Jesus and do live with them!

10.    Are you ready? – No I am not ready! I will never be ready! But God will prepare me for what lies ahead! God calls the willing and equips them with what they need. If you look in the bible there was not one single person who had it all together for God to use them. They were all weak, full of sin, and some were not even believers!! Shocking!

When did Coffee become Divined Appointment?

 

The other day I was delighted to go out to coffee with a friend! I had met this wonderful woman through a friend at church who just happened to know I would be leaving for Africa. We had gotten together once before, to talk about the possibility of her going into the mission field full time. It was a great time for fellowship and to enjoy each other in our passion for Africa. When we met this time, I could tell that God was telling me to listen to her, and let her see the path that God was directing her down. It was an eye opener to see her realized the dots that God had laid down for her to follow His will! I could feel God sitting beside us and hearing Him say “You see I am all around… and working even when you can’t see me”

That is right… God is working all around us and Satan keeps us so busy that we don’t take the time to see it. We wait until we are in a huge storm before we call out to God for help, but the whole time He has been there waiting for your eyes to be open and see His work! So I came up with a list of things that could help us slow down and thank the Lord that allows us to breathe:

1.      Stop rushing! Take your time… yes I know you have appointment, but slow down and joy the moment. God does not do anything in a rush! Yes it took him six days to make the world, but He is not limited to time as we are… six days for Him could be six million years for us. Think about a baby being made… nine months… for just a human being to be crafted into the wonderful person he or she will be! Why do you think patient is one of the fruits of spirits?

 

2.      6 o’clock… I learned this from a friend…if a problem raises think about it and wonder will it make the 6 o’clock news. If yes then you can stress over it. Losing your keys because you have appointment in 5 minutes will not make the news, losing your child will make it. See the difference! So anytime stress starts coming your way think of it as 6 o’clock! Sometimes missing that appointment or being late for it could be a way of God protecting you. Remember God is everywhere!

 

3.      Pray… WE DON’T DO ENOUGH OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, we pray when a storm is upon us! But have you stop and thank God for allowing you to breathe? To allow you one more day to further His Kingdom? It’s easy, you don’t have to even close your eyes… say thank you God for allowing me to be here!

 

4.      Last one is spending time with Him! Remember He created you! He allows you to breathe daily!! So is it too much to ask for you to spend time with Him?  If the bible is scary for you, I suggested get a one year bible. It breaks down the Old Testament and the New Testament and gives you either a Proverbs or Psalms to read daily! Yes, spending time with God is reading His word. He is not going to talk to everyone the same… only one person got the burning bush…

 

As you can see, by learning to slow down and enjoy the maker of the heavens and earth, a coffee with a friend can become a divined appointment!

Do You Trust God to Break You?

 

"’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.’” Isaiah 55:8

Last Friday, I dropped off a friend who was heading to Romania for a short term mission. On the way to the airport… my mind started to travel back to two years ago when I was heading to the same airport to take the same mission trip to Romania! I was under a lot of pressure! I knew that two things would happen: one I was going to fall in love with missions and become a full time missionary or two I was going to hate it and never step foot on the field again. You can guess what happen!!! That is right, in 33 more days I will be heading out to the mission field full time.

Two years ago I had a wonderful man in my life and two beautiful kids along with my first dog! To me I had everything I needed… but now looking back and seeing I was missing something… my life was full, but my soul was very empty! I was playing Christian. I was going to church, praying, reading my bible, and teaching bible study with my soon to be husband. Until one night, I asked God to alter my plans, so that His plans for my life could take place! I did not know what would come, but the pain I endured was worth it!!! I lost the man of my dreams, my son, myself, my friends, and was placed in a deep dark pit!

God had to remove everything that was causing me not to see His plan. I followed God, but did not trust him! I had faith like a blade of grass which a gentle breezes would knock it down. At the time I could not understand what God was doing… I was emotional wreck, and could barely get out of the bed! I still don’t see how I could have kept my job! My soul was stripped bare! God slowly took the broken hard clay and began to smooth the cracks of my life. His ways were higher than my own.

I had to learn what faith's meaning, and to do that God broke me of everything… I had to trust God with my very life… to have Him help me get up in the morning, to drive to work, to be able to eat, and sleep. Now I thank God every day for breaking me! I might not have the man of my dreams, or my son, or my friends, but I know who I am! I found my worth in God and God alone! My faith is unshakable! I am able to stand in the face of the world and tell people that my story did not end with me in the pit!! My story started when I began to trust My God and started to put my faith in HIM. That is when I put one foot in front of the other and walked out of the pit! I can stand on the rock!! And proclaim to the entire world that I am a woman of God and He can use the broke to change the world and to bring life to a dying soul!

So my question to you is this: Do you trust God to break you? Do you trust Him with your life if it means a pit? Will you let Him mold you into the person He needs you to be? Are you willing to go deeper for Him? The one that gave you life and a reason to breath.

Ocean (Where Feet May Fail)

Is it a calling or a desire?

 

 ^“Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Yesterday, I was hanging out with group of friends from my church when a question was brought up to me. Are you called by God into missions or do you have a desire to go into missions? A very tough question that has been debated about for years…. I was surprise that this was the first time I had this question directed to me. I slowly took a sip of my drink and said a little prayer as they waited for me to answer.

“I believe that God called all of us to go and make disciples of people, here and far. But I also believe that God put the desire in my heart to be a full time missionary. Jesus made it clear to everyone in the bible to go out and claim the gospel to all nations… to me that means your coworkers, your neighbors, the children in Africa and everywhere else.”  I thank God! That he had placed those words into my mouth!  

I do believe that God does place desires in your heart, and that He also give us the desires of our heart! But you have to be careful with this… if you are in the will of God, and walking with Him daily THEN His desires are your desires! Which in return became desires that God will give you!  I have had this desire for Africa, children, and the gospel… and I am very thankful that those desires are God’s desires!! God gave me those desires so that I could go forth and do the will of God

So what are your desires? Do they line up with the will of God? Or are your desires worldly things? And are you following what God is calling you to do? Or are you comfortable in your seat?

Faith to Follow

Some people have the faith to follow the road head of them; some just sit by and wait for their big break; some just sit in the church letting other people go! Which are you?

Who are the people that had the faith to follow the invitation that God laid out for them? Ruth, Ester, Mary, Noah, Moses, and Jesus... Each one of these women and men took the challenge and the path that God laid out for them. Think about it... if Noah said no to the boat, Moses said no to leading the Israelite out of slavery, Ruth said no to following Naomi, Ester said no to talking to the king, Mary said no to carrying Jesus and Jesus saying no to the cross!  None of them would have carried out the promises that God had. They would have chosen to stay put and enjoy their lives of comfort. But each one step out of their comfort zone and made the decision to follow God's plan! Which was a better plan then any of them could have done!!!

What about the people who needed to wait for the big break? Aaron, Paul, Peter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Aaron was called to lead the Israelite to worship after the wonderful things that God did through his brother Moses, Paul had a light struck him down and recover his sight before answering the call of God; Peter had to be called by Jesus not just once but twice before established the church, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John had to be called to follow Jesus, and then called to write the events down of Jesus' life! Some times God does give us a big push to follow His path, after many attempts to do it with faith then with a big pointed sign saying "Here is your big Break"

What about the people who sit in church and let other people go? They are to comfortable to move from the comforts of the church. It is sad to see someone that is gifted say.... I am not called to leave and spread the gospel... I give money to others to do it! This is a shame! God has called everyone to leave the comforts of the church and to spread the word... no matter if you are traveling overseas or across the street! And yes there were people in the bible like this.... Jonah after ignoring the call of God...God forces him to follow His path. What about Barak who God had handed his enemies over to him, but he would not go and do God's will unless Deborah went with him. He lost his victory because he did not have the faith to follow God's plan!

Now you have to sit back and answer the question for yourself! Do you have the faith to follow what God is calling you to do? Or are you sitting around waiting for your big break? Or are you comfortable where you are sitting?

Are You Ready?

Wow only 41more days before I board a plan, and head off to the unknown of Africa! A lot of people have asked me “Are you ready?”  To them that, it is a very simple question, but to me it is a long thought out emotional answer.  Part of me says “Yes! Let’s get this show on the road” The other part of me wants to cry and crawl in a black hole and hide!

How do get ready for a life changing missions trip?

1.       You Pray! And not just once, but everyday…. Sometime twenty times a day! I have come to pray first before I even get out of bed, before I eat, before I use the bathroom, and even before I get ready to step out of the door! Talking to God has become my normal everyday thing! I enjoy the two sided conversation. Yes, two sided conversation… if you are quiet long enough you will hear His voice! I really talk to him before I even talk to people. I have learned that when my life goes out the window I run to the throne and not the phone!!!

2.       Start getting used to living out of suitcase. God allowed me to slowly move from a three bedroom house to a two bedroom apartment to just a room, to now a suitcase!! When Jesus called His disciples, they left everything to follow him. For us, who goes into mission field, we have time to put things in order and move forward. It was hard for me to come to this!!! I had to learn to let go and realize what was important to take and what would be easily to let go!!  

3.       Satan has your name on his list! Guess what, when you step out in faith and follow God your name appears on Satan’s list! You have to be prepared for all the things that he will throw at you!!! I have been attack through my church, through my friendships, through my family, and through my health. I will never forget the words I spoke one day “I want to wake up in the morning and have Satan say ‘Oh No she is up!!!’” To be that person you have to put on the full armor of God! And side note knee pads because you will be praying daily!

4.       Be prepared to cry at drop of a hat’s notice… God’s glory is all over the place… and be prepare to have it shine on you. I have seen God move mountains that would not budge in the world’s eyes.  When you move forward with God’s plans He will supply the means for the job! I have pray about plan tickets and if it is time to purchase… three minutes later the correct amount for the plane tickets have been donated to the website! Amounts of God’s glory will bring you to tears….If God has called you to do His will then it will be done!!! I always carry tissue now… any moment can turn into overwhelming joy!!

5.       When you are preparing to leave, you have to learn to say goodbye and not just to people, but to places and things! I went into Target to get a prescription filled and guess what… I cried. In that moment, I realized that I was not going to walk into that Target again. See you doctor one more time before heading overseas, going to my favorite restaurant… all these things and places become part of you past…. Slowly releasing them and embracing the future.   

So to tell you the true… No I am not ready to go… because I have not been through all the steps… I sit here and wonder why I am not on that plane yet… and then God answer “I am not done yet” He is still working on me and preparing me for this journey! So when I am on the plane heading over I will know that I am ready, but a small voice will always tell me that He is not done with me yet!

Going for God

It has almost been a year! Where I was facedown and heard the call of God! Now I am looking around this house that is not mine and staring at two suitcases. One that is a carry on for all my clothes and the second one that is for my supplies to Africa!!!  A Question keeps running through my mind.....How did I get here....? How does a single mother of two kids find herself following God across the world?

 

1.  I had to learn that all the stuff I had... and yes they held memories but... did not belong to me! That all of if belong to God and he allowed me to have! YES!! Seven tubs of fabric is God's fabric not mine... But I could still use it though!!!

 

2. I did not have to have all the answers!! And learned to answer the questions with this saying: I don't know, but God does!!! So where are you going to live? I don't know... but God does! What are you going to do about support? I don't know... But God does!! It came in handy!!

 

3. I had to learn to laugh at myself!! Yes God has a great sense of humor!! I hate washing dishes... guess who washing dishes at night NOW!!! I hate snakes! Guess who keeps seeing snakes in the USA!!! Guess who forgot to bring sunscreen one day to the beach!!! Yes I think I laugh at myself more every day!

 

4. Although I did not have the best background!!! God still could use me to do His work!!!! Even when you are changing a flat tire, and letting the Police officer watch you do this, you still can tell him about you trip to Africa!!

 

5. The best thing I learned was to get my self-worth from God and God alone!!! I can be label by the world anything they want, but God is the only one that can give me my self-worth!!!

Label

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.” John19:25

I have sat for hours looking at this computer screen, trying to get my emotions under control enough to even write about this topic. This is the one thing that I struggle with the most in my walk with Christ: being labeled as a “Bad Mother” because I choose to follow Christ.  You have to surrender everything that you desire to walk faithfully for the Savoir. Christ is very clear about us dying to ourselves and picking up the cross daily in His name. What upsets me the most is the criticism that comes with it.

I have been called a selfish, cold-hearted, unfit mother, and just plain stupid for choosing to obey God’s calling for my life and to leave for the mission field without my children.  It is painful to see the people that supported me in the begin (Strong Christians and deep in their faith) to turn their backs on me because God has another path for me that does not fit with their expectations. Believe me if I could bring my kids overseas and show them what the gospel is first hand… I would buy three tickets!!! And the last thing that I dread is being labeled an unfit mother.

Once I heard the calling clearly in my life and knew that God was calling me overseas without my children I turned to the Bible for my comforted. I found many people who left their families to follow God. Abraham is prime example, all twelve Apostles left everything to surrender to Chris, and even Mary (Jesus’ Mother) gave up her only son. Yes these people where called names and most of them where label crazy, unfit mothers, unfit dads, and most of them heard… I don’t think God is calling you for that.

I want to take a moment and look at Mary, Jesus’ mother. At an early age she was called by an angle to become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and to have a son name Jesus. Ok call me crazy, but if my daughter came to me and said “I was visited by an angel and I am going to have a baby.” I would label her crazy and ask who she been sharing a bed with?  Later in Mary’s life she traveled with her husband and family to place of worship. On her way home she forgot her son, not for a couple of hours but for three days! Ok someone call DSS, because who does that???  Then she is told that her son is acting crazy and that she must come at once to get him … I think about this time I would be shaking my head at this woman, stating get it together! Then finally we see her weeping at the cross as she watches her innocent son died a criminal death! Wow what an unfit mother!! Someone stamp UNFIT over this Mary girl!!!

To the outside world this is what they would have seen; sad really they never got to see God work in her life? But is that not what we do with each other? Don’t we just label people and cast them aside because of their actions don’t line up with our expectations? We just label them, not carrying that we hurt them in this and walk away not carrying to see what God really does with them. Let’s take another look at Mary but with God’s eyes on the situation!

Mary was visited by an angel who proclaimed that she was going to have a baby name Jesus, and he was going to be the savior of the world. What a privilege to be entrusted to carry the Messiah! She endured the nasty attacks of people because she had a higher calling than anybody else. Day in and Day out she had to hear comments and the labels that were given to her as she carried the Messiah! Heartache was knocking at her door and she had to surrender everything she knew to faithfully obey God. Awhile longer she looked high and low for her son before finding Jesus in the temple questioning the priest. Yet she was upset that she as a mother could lose her son, God gave her grace in this because her son was about His father’s business.  Mary got to see firsthand, Jesus fully as man and fully as God. When she was called to the house because her son was acting crazy, she knew He was doing God’s work and that she was no longer His keeper, but her savior. Lastly she watched as her son was beaten, spit on, and nailed to cross to die for everyone’s sin.  She got to live a life fully and devoted to God. She was labeled with many things, but unfit mother was not one of them! To the world’s eyes she should have never carried for a child!!! But to God’s eyes she was a faithful servant!!!!

Which brings me to my ending… are we as Christians going to keep labeling people? Are we going to cast people aside because they have sin or have not lived up to our expectations? The only expectations that we are to live up to are God’s expectations and God alone. God talks to everyone differently and give different plans to everyone… So my question is who is not living up to your expectation? Who have you cast aside because of this?  Maybe the person you have thrown aside could be the very person who God wants to change the world with!!!!!

By Nikki McGann

Open and Close Doors

OPEN AND CLOSED DOORS

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

The Bible has much to say about open doors but many times – even as Christians – we seem to face obstacles on our path and in our ministry. Blocked doors can be VERY frustrating. Yet God often uses closed doors to advance His cause.

Bible teachers like Max Lucado remind us that God closed the womb of a young Sarah so he could display His power to the elderly one. He shut the palace door on Moses the prince so he could open shackles through Moses the liberator. He marched Daniel out of Jerusalem so he could use Daniel in Babylon.

And even Jesus knew the challenge of a blocked door. When he requested a path that bypassed the cross, God said no. He said no to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane so He could say yes to us at the gates of heaven.

It’s not that our plans are bad but that God’s plans are better.

A prayer is circulating on the Internet that expresses it this way:

He asked for strength that he might achieve,

he was made weak that he might endure;

He asked for health to do larger things,

he was given infirmity that he might do better things;

He asked for power that he might impress men,

he was given weakness that he might seek God;

He asked for wealth that he might be free from care,

he was given poverty that he might be wiser than carefree.

He asked for all things that he might enjoy life,

he was given life that he might enjoy all things;

He received nothing he asked for.

He received more than he ever hoped for.

His prayer was answered!

Blessed man!

The shortest distance between a closed and open door is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything.

RESPONSE: Today I will accept that my blocked door doesn’t mean God doesn’t love me. Quite the opposite. I’ll see it as proof that He does.
PRAYER: Thank You Lord that You know best and have even better plans for me and my service for You. Help me wait patiently for You to open the right door at the right time!

Shipping Challenge

Making Blankets for the Shipping Challenge: Nigeria

Jen and Kristen

Katya

Elena and Grace

Lauren and I

Grace

Kristen

Lauren

The group

All the blankets are done

All done!!!!!

Shipping Challenge

Packing the boxes for the Shipping Challenge: Uganda

 Some of the things donated!!!

 More things donated (thanks Brian Cherry)

 

 Kelie Helping with the Packing

 

Just couple more to go!!!!

 

First Box Down!!!

 

Almost Done!!!