"For our God needs no less of a cathedral."
I am excited to inform you that I am going to... Alaska! Forty miles outside of Juneau is a wonderful place called Echo Ranch Bible Camp. I have been given the opportunity to go and be a camp counselor here for the duration of the summer. (I am so excited! I can't stop saying how excited I am!) During the week, I will be working with the kids, a new cabin each week. Ages range from 7 to 18. There are hiking trails, horseback riding, mountains, a bay, sports, games, and chapel. Most importantly, Echo Ranch exists to bring children closer to Christ.
I leave May 26 and return August 16. The only thing left to do is raise the support. (Click here to see a copy of my support letter for more information!) Since the camp is a non-profit, the staff has to raise support. The combined cost for room and board, and transportation is $1000, needed by the end of May at the latest. Please pray that God provides everything I need, and everything that Echo Ranch needs, and that the wonderful kids we go to minister to would come to know their Savior! God is always faithful!
If you would like to donate, send checks (with my name in the memo line) made out to
Avant Ministries
10,000 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, Missouri 64155
(Or if it's easier, you could just give me the check and I'll send it for you. All donations are tax-deductible.)
Even if you cannot financially support me, please be in prayer! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Splendor.
And around and around, and around and around,
and around we'll go. –"Into the Sky," Jason Upton
I haven't written in a while, so I have decided to post something new!
There aren't any specific things that I'm focusing on right now. My head is a jumbled mess of doubts and hopes and regrets and dreams. I am thinking a million miles an hour and I'm going nowhere fast.
But God is faithful. God is faithful. I repeat that to myself over and over, a reminder of the everlasting truth. He is a mighty warrior. He is a gentle lover. He is everything we need, and He's all I want. He is all our longings fulfilled, all our dreams come true. More than a story, better than a fairy tale. Not a happy ending: a happy living for there will be no ending to our romance. He is Love, not a feeling or an emotion, but alive. A Living Love. My Savior and Healer. My Truth. My All in All. My Love.
In the light of His reality, everything else fades away in a shadow. For a time it still exists, but becomes dim in comparison to His splendor.
Oh Lover of My Soul, shine your Light in me. Show me your face, it's Your heart I want to know, to have. Reveal to me the deepest parts of Your heart, and make them mine. Lift up my head, place flowers in my hair. And we will dance and sing, for the King has won and His Bride is alive.
and around we'll go. –"Into the Sky," Jason Upton
I haven't written in a while, so I have decided to post something new!
There aren't any specific things that I'm focusing on right now. My head is a jumbled mess of doubts and hopes and regrets and dreams. I am thinking a million miles an hour and I'm going nowhere fast.
But God is faithful. God is faithful. I repeat that to myself over and over, a reminder of the everlasting truth. He is a mighty warrior. He is a gentle lover. He is everything we need, and He's all I want. He is all our longings fulfilled, all our dreams come true. More than a story, better than a fairy tale. Not a happy ending: a happy living for there will be no ending to our romance. He is Love, not a feeling or an emotion, but alive. A Living Love. My Savior and Healer. My Truth. My All in All. My Love.
In the light of His reality, everything else fades away in a shadow. For a time it still exists, but becomes dim in comparison to His splendor.
Oh Lover of My Soul, shine your Light in me. Show me your face, it's Your heart I want to know, to have. Reveal to me the deepest parts of Your heart, and make them mine. Lift up my head, place flowers in my hair. And we will dance and sing, for the King has won and His Bride is alive.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Debts.
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free,
and discover that the prisoner was you."
Forgiveness has been on my mind and heart a lot lately. Mostly, I think, because God has shown me what a problem I have in that area.
It's so easy to not forgive someone without even realizing it. You might forget about it, push it to the back of your mind, avoid the offender, or justify your bitterness. Maybe do you realize that you haven't forgiven, but just can't bring yourself to. I'm guilty of both.
The thing is, neither approach is right. It's still unforgiveness, and it's still going to eat you up inside. You can never be whole until you have forgiven others their debts to you. Not until you reach the point where you are done with bitterness and ready to completely and honestly forgive. Then you will allow God to work in your heart, rebuild what was destroyed, and make you new again.
Jesus taught on unforgiveness. He used the parable of the unmerciful servant. The king was settling all his accounts, and a servant was brought before him who owed him a huge debt of 10,000 talents (millions of dollars). The servant begged to be shown mercy, and the king forgave him his debt and released him. Later, the servant went and demanded another man repay him a hundred denarii (only a few dollars in today's money). The man did not have the money, so the servant had him thrown in jail.
When the king learned what the servant had done, he was very angry. The king had forgiven the servant millions of dollars, but the servant condemned a man with a very minor debt to him. So the king had the servant thown in jail and tortured until he could repay his million-dollar debt (Matthew 18:22-34 [NIV]).
At the end of that passage, Jesus says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:35 [NIV]). Oh dear heart, you and I have been forgiven over and over for the things that we have done. For everything we have done. How is it that we think that we can refuse to forgive the debts of those who have done a few things against us?
Maybe the debts are major things; maybe they're not. But any debt pales in comparison to the great ones we owe our King, who so graciously forgave us all.
Sometimes we don't even realize that there is unforgiveness or bitterness in our hearts. The offense may have occurred a long time ago; the offender may not still be near us. David prayed, "Forgive me my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12b [NIV]). Just as David did, ask Him to reveal any hidden unforgiveness.
You and I have to be the ones to commit the act of instant forgiveness. It's not a process. Paul wrote, "Forgive, as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 [NIV]). Our Lord forgave us instantaneously, without any reluctance or delay. Can you imagine Jesus sitting in heaven saying, "You know, you just really hurt me when you sinned. I'm not really ready to forgive you yet. I need some time, try again in a few years."
Of course He wouldn't do that! So why do we?
Take a few moments to go before your gracious King. Let Him make you whole again.
Beth Moore said this: "God did not insist on my forgiving for the sake of my perpetrator, but for the sake of peace in my life." Dear heart, let His peace reign in your life!
and discover that the prisoner was you."
Forgiveness has been on my mind and heart a lot lately. Mostly, I think, because God has shown me what a problem I have in that area.
It's so easy to not forgive someone without even realizing it. You might forget about it, push it to the back of your mind, avoid the offender, or justify your bitterness. Maybe do you realize that you haven't forgiven, but just can't bring yourself to. I'm guilty of both.
The thing is, neither approach is right. It's still unforgiveness, and it's still going to eat you up inside. You can never be whole until you have forgiven others their debts to you. Not until you reach the point where you are done with bitterness and ready to completely and honestly forgive. Then you will allow God to work in your heart, rebuild what was destroyed, and make you new again.
Jesus taught on unforgiveness. He used the parable of the unmerciful servant. The king was settling all his accounts, and a servant was brought before him who owed him a huge debt of 10,000 talents (millions of dollars). The servant begged to be shown mercy, and the king forgave him his debt and released him. Later, the servant went and demanded another man repay him a hundred denarii (only a few dollars in today's money). The man did not have the money, so the servant had him thrown in jail.
When the king learned what the servant had done, he was very angry. The king had forgiven the servant millions of dollars, but the servant condemned a man with a very minor debt to him. So the king had the servant thown in jail and tortured until he could repay his million-dollar debt (Matthew 18:22-34 [NIV]).
At the end of that passage, Jesus says, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart" (Matthew 18:35 [NIV]). Oh dear heart, you and I have been forgiven over and over for the things that we have done. For everything we have done. How is it that we think that we can refuse to forgive the debts of those who have done a few things against us?
Maybe the debts are major things; maybe they're not. But any debt pales in comparison to the great ones we owe our King, who so graciously forgave us all.
Sometimes we don't even realize that there is unforgiveness or bitterness in our hearts. The offense may have occurred a long time ago; the offender may not still be near us. David prayed, "Forgive me my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12b [NIV]). Just as David did, ask Him to reveal any hidden unforgiveness.
You and I have to be the ones to commit the act of instant forgiveness. It's not a process. Paul wrote, "Forgive, as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13 [NIV]). Our Lord forgave us instantaneously, without any reluctance or delay. Can you imagine Jesus sitting in heaven saying, "You know, you just really hurt me when you sinned. I'm not really ready to forgive you yet. I need some time, try again in a few years."
Of course He wouldn't do that! So why do we?
Take a few moments to go before your gracious King. Let Him make you whole again.
Beth Moore said this: "God did not insist on my forgiving for the sake of my perpetrator, but for the sake of peace in my life." Dear heart, let His peace reign in your life!
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