Today we drove pas the Nigerian Counsel which is on the corner of our block. We literally pass it everyday and I never pay attention to it. But with those girls missing Nigeria has been all over the news. So today when we pass there were people with signs say:
"Where are they?"
"Bring our girls home"
I looked at Nate and said turn this min van around we need to go pray with those people and for those girls. So we turned the car around and prayed with them.
Right there on the street corner. The woman was cray and Jesus was EXPLODING. We just kept praying for courage and strength and for those girls to feel and know Jesus where ever they may be right now.
As we were praying I kept thinking these are our teens. WE are responsible, I am responsible for them. Who's to say Jesus isn't going to call Life Teen or heck, even me to Nigeria.
Love doesn't just wait for something to happen.
Love doesn't just honk their horn and wave.
No.
LOVE turns the car around.
LOVE forgets about the fun place they were headed to.
LOVE does something.
Want to know more what's happening to OUR teens...read this:
http://news.yahoo.com/nigerian-girl-describes-kidnap-276-still-missing-105715569.html
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Hesitate
This song is rocking my world right now!
Below you will find the lyrics and a link to listen to the recording of this song.
Jesus has really shown me these past few weeks that he's been preparing me for Haiti for YEARS. He just wants to spend these last few days falling deeper in love with me. Jesus is gently reminding me to come, rest in him, don't be afraid and in 9 days I'll send you to go to serve me in Haiti. Till then, stay close to me. He's also reminded me that he's all I need in the chaos of what's to come. He will satisfy any and all longings and desires.
Hesitate by Judah & The Lion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vis_upY-qPIEdit
Below you will find the lyrics and a link to listen to the recording of this song.
Jesus has really shown me these past few weeks that he's been preparing me for Haiti for YEARS. He just wants to spend these last few days falling deeper in love with me. Jesus is gently reminding me to come, rest in him, don't be afraid and in 9 days I'll send you to go to serve me in Haiti. Till then, stay close to me. He's also reminded me that he's all I need in the chaos of what's to come. He will satisfy any and all longings and desires.
Hesitate by Judah & The Lion
Come as you are, bring me your heart, my child.
I've waited so long for you to become all mine.
I won't give up til I have all your love.
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Come as you are, bring me your heart and find,
I'm all you need. I'm all that satisfies.
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Come away with Me.
Come away and you'll see
Love.
Come away with Me.
Come away and you'll see
Who you are.
I've waited so long for you to become all mine.
I won't give up til I have all your love.
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Come as you are, bring me your heart and find,
I'm all you need. I'm all that satisfies.
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Don't hesitate when I say,
"Come away."
Come away with Me.
Come away and you'll see
Love.
Come away with Me.
Come away and you'll see
Who you are.
9 Days till Haiti
Hey Guys,
This is crazy, incredible, blessed, hard to wrap my head around BUT in 9 days Lazer, Amy and I will be MOVING to Haiti! God has been so faithful to me in my preparations both spiritually and physically. He has provided so many opportunities for "see ya laters", and experiences in prayer that have helped me become ready for this adventure. On these final few days I'd like to invite you to pray a Novena with me. It's to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and I pray it every time I go down to Haiti. She is the patron of Haiti and our Blessed Mother has been a huge spiritual figure to push me to say YES. The novena begins today May 6th- May 14th. We fly out May 15th at 7:30am! It's really happening.
Here's the novena:
Oh Mother of Perpetual Help, grant that I may ever invoke your powerful name, the protection of the living and the salvation of the dying. Purest Mary, let your name henceforth be ever on my lips. Delay not, Blessed Lady, to rescue me whenever I call on you. In my temptations, in my needs, I will never cease to call on you, ever repeating your sacred name, Mary, Mary. What a consolation, what sweetness, what confidence fills my soul when I utter your sacred name or even only think of you! I thank the Lord for having given you so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name. But I will not be content with merely uttering your name. Let my love for you prompt me ever to hail you Mother of Perpetual Help. Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for me and grant me the favor I confidently ask of you.
(Then say three Hail Marys).
(Then say three Hail Marys).
Thank you so much for your prayers, financial donations, long phone conversations and encouraging text messages.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Trash or Treasure
After mass at Holy Family we went down to their "Trash or Treasure" Sale. It's basically a HUGE garage sale. Anyway, after perusing through the coffee mugs, I saw "it". "It" was just laying there screaming my name. "It" was this beautiful little girls dress. I went over to it and got a closer look. At that moment I wished I could be 5 again, and jump into the dress and twirl around.
Instead, I put it down and walked away remembering I didn't have any cash on me. But then I went back to it, humbled my self and asked Nate to borrow a few dollars. Of course he said yes. I went back to the table, then I saw the perfect little shoes! They matched perfectly with the dress. So I picked those up and found a cute hat sunhat as well.
When myself and the other missionaries went to check out the woman found out I was going to bring the items I was purchasing to Haiti. She said okey well I'm not charging you for anything.
WHAT?!
Just from a simple act of humility to ask Nate to borrow a few dollars, led to another woman's hear to give generously to the mission.
I'm pretty confident this is how Jesus works. I humble myself, ask him for one thing and he fulfills the ask in abundance.
Check out John 6:9-13
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people [a]sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men [b]sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
Jesus sees that these people are hungry so he provides exactly what they need. And not just crumbs but AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED!
I dare you today to be bold in your prayer. Ask the LORD for exactly what you need. He will fulfill your desires in abundance.
Praise the Lord for the person who donated that little dress. A small Haitian child will treasure that for years to come.
Instead, I put it down and walked away remembering I didn't have any cash on me. But then I went back to it, humbled my self and asked Nate to borrow a few dollars. Of course he said yes. I went back to the table, then I saw the perfect little shoes! They matched perfectly with the dress. So I picked those up and found a cute hat sunhat as well.
When myself and the other missionaries went to check out the woman found out I was going to bring the items I was purchasing to Haiti. She said okey well I'm not charging you for anything.
WHAT?!
Just from a simple act of humility to ask Nate to borrow a few dollars, led to another woman's hear to give generously to the mission.
I'm pretty confident this is how Jesus works. I humble myself, ask him for one thing and he fulfills the ask in abundance.
Check out John 6:9-13
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people [a]sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men [b]sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.”13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
Jesus sees that these people are hungry so he provides exactly what they need. And not just crumbs but AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED!
I dare you today to be bold in your prayer. Ask the LORD for exactly what you need. He will fulfill your desires in abundance.
Praise the Lord for the person who donated that little dress. A small Haitian child will treasure that for years to come.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
That's not my name...
I'm having a MAJOR identity crisis.
I think my name should be Peter.
I'm talking about Saint Peter!
I'm identifying with Saint Peter in HUGE ways right now. Most times in ways that are difficult to admit.
As a missionary it's often that I deny Jesus. Just because I have the title "missionary" doesn't mean I'm perfect. Some days, I put Jesus last.
"Oh, I got through today on the 4 cups of coffee I drank. Failing to recall the grace that was bestowed upon me during a Holy Hour (some days 2), morning prayer and mass. I put my trust in those worldly, and material things to push me through the day.
Peter couldn't be found at the crucifixion, mostly for fear of his own life. His one instruction given to him by Jesus in the garden was STAY AWAKE.....yup, he failed.
BUT, Peter gives me hope!
Peter, often known as the most tragic denier and coward, through a God who loves and forgives, grew into the most successful failure of ALL time.
Jesus saw something in Peter other people didn't. He saw a passion for souls. He saw courage for the kingdom. He saw a humble man. After Peter denies Jesus three times, he professes his love for him three times. Then gives over his life completely to Jesus. To serve him and to spread the Gospel.
I want to trust Jesus the way Peter did when he called him out on the waters. My body of water isn't a physical raging sea, but rather a country. A country named Haiti. A country where God has gently whispered into the depths of my heart that "now is the time, and I am the one".
A simple nickname that was given to me in Spring of 2009 when I entered Alpha Sigma Tau has completely transformed my heart and given me a knew way of praying and living life.
I think my name should be Peter.
I'm talking about Saint Peter!
I'm identifying with Saint Peter in HUGE ways right now. Most times in ways that are difficult to admit.
As a missionary it's often that I deny Jesus. Just because I have the title "missionary" doesn't mean I'm perfect. Some days, I put Jesus last.
"Oh, I got through today on the 4 cups of coffee I drank. Failing to recall the grace that was bestowed upon me during a Holy Hour (some days 2), morning prayer and mass. I put my trust in those worldly, and material things to push me through the day.
Peter couldn't be found at the crucifixion, mostly for fear of his own life. His one instruction given to him by Jesus in the garden was STAY AWAKE.....yup, he failed.
BUT, Peter gives me hope!
Peter, often known as the most tragic denier and coward, through a God who loves and forgives, grew into the most successful failure of ALL time.
Jesus saw something in Peter other people didn't. He saw a passion for souls. He saw courage for the kingdom. He saw a humble man. After Peter denies Jesus three times, he professes his love for him three times. Then gives over his life completely to Jesus. To serve him and to spread the Gospel.
I want to trust Jesus the way Peter did when he called him out on the waters. My body of water isn't a physical raging sea, but rather a country. A country named Haiti. A country where God has gently whispered into the depths of my heart that "now is the time, and I am the one".
A simple nickname that was given to me in Spring of 2009 when I entered Alpha Sigma Tau has completely transformed my heart and given me a knew way of praying and living life.
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