Taking Time #7: Joy

Light-seeds are planted in the souls of God's people; joy-seeds are planted in good heart-soil.

-Psalm 97:11

In the picture above, you will see joy--complete joy! These are my precious friends at Korah. Korah is one of the poorest places in Ethiopia. But the people there that have encountered Jesus are some of the most joyous and alive people I've ever met. On this particular day, the children had just finished their meals. Two precious ones had me write down my name and all my family members names, so that they could know them and study them. As we continued our conversation, we started to talk about Jesus and His unfailing love. I then asked them if they knew any songs that spoke of Jesus. They immediately began singing "I am not Forgotten." I was in awe and amazed at how firmly and confidently these beautiful children were singing these words in full belief. They sang knowing of whose they were--knowing that Jesus never forgets them. As they were singing and I started to sing with them, their eyes brightened. They were excited that I knew a song that they knew as well. I then remembered that I had my speakers and ipod with me. I also had that particular song. So, I hooked up my speakers and we sang "I am not Forgotten" until we couldn't sing anymore. I then started to dance and had them dance with me. JOY immediately entered the space we were in. Jesus was already there, but His beautiful presence continued to grow stronger and stronger as we proclaimed His truth of not being forgotten. He was present in our laughter, singing, and dancing. My heart was moved and I am still in awe and wonder at how precious the love of Jesus is. No matter who you are or where you come from, He comes to those who call upon him. He truly does. Light-seeds and joy-seeds were planted that day because the soil was good in the hearts of those at Korah.

So, today--I remember to take the time for joy to enter into my life. I choose to remember that I am never forgotten and neither are the precious thousands at Korah.

I pray that you take the challenge to take the time to see JOY!

P.S. Click on the song for a beautiful taste of "I Am Not Forgotten".

Taking Time #6: Mothers and Fathers

Learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless...

-Isaiah 1:17

This verse truly says it all. While I was in Ethiopia and Uganda, the Lord began speaking to my heart even more in depth about those that are motherless and fatherless. In Ethiopia and Uganda, it's more common to run across someone who is literally motherless and/or fatherless. Maybe that is why when they hear about Jesus, it's so easy for them to receive. He comes and fills those places in the children and they immediately give him their all. When we are hungry and thirsty, the Lord truly does fill us.

I had the privilege of meeting numerous young girls. They immediately were able to relate to me, but it was nothing in and of myself. These smiles would come forth while we were singing or dancing, but especially when the name of Jesus was mentioned. There truly is power in his name. As those precious smiles would smile at me, I was grounded even deeper in this truth: God, precious Jesus, is the Father to the fatherless. When we catch his gaze, he pours that part of his heart into us. So, with every smile and every hug, the Lord was telling me how he was pouring his mother and father heart into these little ones. But even more amazingly, they were pouring that love into me.

Take the time to receive the mother and father heart of God. And give it to those who are truly motherless and fatherless.

Taking Time #5: Hannah

You have let me experience the joys of life and the exquisite pleasures of your own eternal presence.

-Psalm 16:11 (Living Bible)

Meet Hannah. Her name literally means "grace of God." This precious little girl was one of the first children that I and my team laid our eyes on when we arrived into Korah in Ethiopia. Her big brown eyes peered around the corner. She was hesitant at first, but as soon as she noticed our smiles, she beamed. And she was forever our friend. She wanted to sit next to everyone and play with all the women's hair. My heart was overwhelmed at the tenderness and grace that this little one carried. I was uncertain of her full story, but I do know that her mother was a prostitute who was pulled out of the darkness by the grace of Jesus. The mother now works for Mission Ethiopia where she makes necklaces and bracelets. She is an artist and is able to make more than triple the wages she was making before. 

What amazed me about Hannah was that she carried the essence of what Jesus had done in her mother's life and ultimately hers. Isn't that just like Jesus? He always gets the final say. I love it. His grace is so strong and he is mighty to save. Being in Hannah's presence, I encountered the love and grace of God firsthand. Now, every time I see her picture, I am reminded of the grace that the Lord poured upon her life. What a beautiful life!

May you remember to take the time to notice those around you. Inquire about their stories (because we all have one). And watch the power of God move. Ask Him to touch you with a revelation of his heart for them. I promise you that he will do it. He did it that day in March for me through Hannah.

Taking Time #4: Trust

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

-Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG)

So, as I asked the Lord to take me back to Ethiopia and Uganda, he did. He reminded me of a season that I am still walking through at the moment. During my time in Uganda, I was given the opportunity to speak and share the love of the Father's heart through teaching. I am amazed that each time the Lord calls me forward, my heart still longs for only Jesus to say what He wants to say through me to those specific people in that moment. Even though I don't get nervous anymore, the Lord still places a holy fear in me to remind me to trust in Him alone--not leaning on my own understanding. During one of my talks to the women of the Karmojong tribe, I was amazed at how the Lord immediately took me to a deep place in his heart for those women--women who have been abandoned and forgotten by the world. The Lord placed a word of hope and compassion in me--reminding them that the Father never gives up on us. He has not left us as orphans, but has called each of us to be strong in Him alone. 

From this talk, to teaching children Bible lessons and the love of Jesus, the common theme was one of dependence and trust. The Lord is reminding me even now that we are unable to do anything on our own, but need our full confidence and trust in him, so that HE can receive all the glory due his name. I would say that something amazing happens in us when we take the time to trust: our faith rises. We begin to see how great our God is and how when we are obedient to allowing him move in and through us (especially in our doubts and fears), nothing is truly impossible!

So just as the Lord asked me to trust him to give me the words that he wanted to bless the people of Uganda with, I challenge you to trust him with what you're going through right now. Open up your hands before him and ask him to give you the courage, strength, and surrendered spirit to trust in him alone.

Take the time to trust and watch your faith rise.

Taking Time #3: Sarah & Vivian

Then cradling the little ones in his arms, Jesus said, "Whoever embraces one of these little children as I do embraces me, and far more than me--God who sent me." 

-Mark 9:37 (MSG)

Hello. Let me introduce you to Sarah and Vivian. I met these 2 girls in Uganda. They literally found me. For the week that I was in Uganda, Sarah and Vivian were forever at my side. As soon as I stepped out of my dorm room, there they were. They were my 2 little rays of sunshine and the Lord taught me about how fierce and determined love is. Once again, I saw firsthand how love isn't something that we naturally choose, but it chooses us. This is truly who the Father is. He waits patiently outside our doors and embraces us with every chance he gets. His love isn't dependent on whether we'll love him back. He just loves.

This is what my 2 girls Sarah and Vivian did. They just loved. We spent time together talking about Jesus, singing of his love, playing on the playground, laughing, and embracing one another in his love. My heart was moved by these precious girls. Papa God stole my heart through them and my life hasn't been the same. 

May we each strive to love with that determination, rawness, and vulnerability. I know that I've never been disappointed. 

Take the time to hear and see God through another.

Taking Time #2: Almaz

The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness couldn't put it out.

-John 1:5 (MSG)

One thing that I've learned on the many travels that I've experienced is that the Lord will always take me to a place to grow me, yes, but to also pinpoint a specific person or situation as to why He sent me there at that specific time. One instance that keeps reoccurring in my heart is of the day our team broke up into smaller groups while we were in Ethiopia. During this time, we were visiting homes and ministering to the families there.

I had the opportunity to visit a woman named Almaz. She had recently lost her husband and lived in a one room mud hut with her 2 daughters and brother. She had been in that home for 30+ years. It was in the center of Korah--which is one of the most impoverished places in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She not only welcomed my group of 4, but opened up her heart as well. She shared how she was thankful for the ministry of Project61 and how they were supplying the educational and physical needs of her children. She spoke of how she still went to the dump daily in hopes of finding food for her family because she lacked the resources to care for their daily needs. She also spoke of how she had been suffering from fistula for over 8 years. What was deeper than her physical scars was the emotional shame that she was carrying.

As she was speaking and opening up her heart, the Lord quickly showed me his overwhelming love for her. It was beautiful. After she was finished, the Lord immediately had me ask her if we could lay hands on her and pray for her. Before I could get the words out, her desperate and heartfelt response of "YES" followed. We opened up by inviting the Lord, Jesus Christ, to come in and do what only HE could do. He entered and ministered directly to her heart--cutting off all shame, dispair, hopelessness, and grief. Jesus revealed who Almaz was to him and his love for her. At that moment, her heart broke and began to heal. She's a believer, but there was a level of freedom that she began to experience that day.

There is something amazing that happens when we listen and obey to what the Lord is saying to us. In an instance, Jesus did in her heart what could have taken a lifetime. Darkness fled and the marvelous light of Jesus entered. My heart was also changed. I was reminded once again that nothing is too great for the Lord to handle. He is truly enough. Almaz reminded me of that.

After prayer, we began speaking and I found out that Almaz means "diamond." She also spoke of us to pray for her oldest daughter whose name is Hellen. My heart stopped because that's my name. Only God can do that--bringing a girl named Hellen to minister to a mother whose daughter is named Hellen. I then let her know that her daughter's name means "light" and that they are both called to shine brightly in the place of darkness--letting everyone know of the freedom found in Jesus.

No one left with dry eyes. Our hearts were touched and we were able to see once again that Jesus is enough. This was learned by "taking the time".

How precious our Jesus is!

Taking the time: Prayer

"Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 19:14

Beloved, as I have been pondering my experiences in Ethiopia and Uganda, my thoughts are so full that I was uncertain of where I should begin. Last night, I attended a night of prayer with fellow brothers and sisters of mine in Nashville. It was during that time of prayer that the Lord brought clarity to my heart of where to begin: prayer. 

Honestly, the picture above depicts more than I could ever say. Upon going to these 2 African nations, my heart was stirred and challenged regarding my prayer life. As some of these little children began to pray, I heard a deep belief within their beings. They didn't waver in believing in the One they prayed to. They were bold. They were direct. They were specific. They knew Whom they were praying to. They also didn't hold back with how they felt, but I witnessed them resting in Jesus alone--not on their circumstances. Beloved, this is the way that the Father longs for us to pray to Him--with complete unwavering belief.

Each ministry that I visited, there was always a child leading prayer. The children were also preaching and teaching the Word of God. They didn't have a degree in theology. Some of them had barely been educated at all, but they had one thing that was greater than either of these things: an intimate relationship with Jesus.

One ministry that I visited had a young boy preaching, but before he began, he prayed. He knew that his strength was firm only in Christ. Many of us want to speak or to do great things for God, but we must realize that the kingdom of God starts in the small and God does mighty things in the small. 

So, I have decided to take the time. I have decided to take the time for prayer because it matters and I know that is where intimacy with Jesus begins. 

I challenge you to take the time. Take the time for prayer like these precious children. You won't be disappointed.

Taking the Time

As I've just returned from my first trip with Visiting Orphans and am adjusting to life back in Nashville, I am reminded of something: Remember to take time. Take time to remember. Take the time to process all that I saw, encountered, and experienced in Ethiopia and Uganda. Take the time to look at the faces again. Take the time for Jesus to guide me in processing all that is occurring in my head and heart.

Taking time...

It's something that each of us has difficulty doing. We quickly move from one event in our lives to another. We rarely take the time to soak in the moment and to remember the things that we've experienced first hand. So, I'm going to take these next couple of days taking the time.

Each day, I will let the Lord bring to remembrance a story, a person and I will share it with you. I encourage each of you to do this in your own lives. Take the time to hear what Jesus has to say to you. Take time to listen more closely to the hearts around you. Take the time.

Life is a gift. Don't waste it.