Two Weeks...

     Here marks the two week descent till my journey home...at moments it feels like I have just gotten here, and then at others, it feels as though I have been here for ages (in a wonderful, comfortable, relational way...with a little missing home here and there). I have been wrestling with the two week mark and praying through some challenges I believe the Lord has set before me. With my days in Tsumeb dwindling down, I feel a constant reminder from my Savior to, "Make it count" "Seize the moment". I am continually blown away by the abundant opportunities He has set before me and am confident that, if I am open and willing to be completely led by the Spirit, He will provide many more in my last two weeks. 

     Lord, open my eyes and heart to hold fast to every opportunity that you alone give to boldly share your gospel.

     Yesterday, in preparation to teach the girls the gospel through Acts 8:21-40, God revealed something new, something I had never taken away from this passage before. A challenge for my own life, a challenge that doesn't end when I get on a plane in two weeks but one that should radically transform my everyday life. Maybe it's just me, but when I read and study Acts 8 I focus on verse 35, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus." I tend to only focus on how exciting and powerful the Word of God is. How comforting it is to know that God will empower His followers to preach the good news. While all that is true and awe inspiring, I too often skip right over verse 40 and the implications and motivation it should have on the lives of the church. "But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea." He seized every opportunity to share. Philip could have easily thought, "I did my work for the day or even the week, I not only got to lead someone to saving faith in Christ, but I got to baptize him as well." *Pats himself of the back* and moves on with his life. But instead, he "made it count", "he preached the gospel to ALL the town until he came to Caesarea." He didn't let it stop once he checked his sharing box, like so many of us work to do for the sake of a simple check mark on our Christian walk. He was obedient to the task the Lord has set before all who have put their faith in Christ. His overriding life focus was God's mission. 

     I want to have a fire like Philip to never stop sharing. Just because I leave Africa doesn't mean I'm off duty. As believers, we are never off duty. Jesus Christ is both Savior in African and Alabama. When I return home, I desire to continue to follow the Lord's leading and make every opportunity count. 

Lord, guard my heart from complacency. Keep me from falling back into my normal, everyday, routine and thinking that I've done my part for the summer, how sinful that would be. Create in me a new normal. A normal of boldly proclaiming your Word in every conversation. Give me a drive like Philip. One that never gives up, one that lays down it's pride for the sake of the gospel in Africa, Alabama, and everywhere in between.

P.S. The saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" has never been more literal in my life. We squeezed two huge buckets of lemons yesterday. Scott says they should start doing it in prisons as punishment. It might do the trick.

Just Jesus

     **Disclaimer: My heart is broken for a people that are missing the true gospel, bare with my ranting and raving**

     On Wednesday night I went on my first outing alone with the girls...to a church they wanted to visit, there is no better place to go, right? I write this with a heavy heart because I went to a so called gathering of believers and witnessed more darkness and lostness than I possibly ever have before. 


     For me...it's just Jesus. Not Jesus and casting out demons, or yelling out against evil spirits, or "healing" the lame with the touch of a sinful human's hand...just Jesus. My heart is so broken for not only a room of 200 people that are deceived into thinking that rituals and traditions are what it takes to get to Jesus and experience the joys of life in Him, but for 11 girls that I have come to know and love. I understand that their are cultural differences but this wasn't cultural, what was different was that they were missing the gospel. As the man they called a prophet began to lay his hand upon "demon possessed" people, and in the name of Jesus command these spirits to come out..I came to a startling realization. These people are participating in the same acts as witchcraft, just claiming Christ's name on the side of it. In America, it materialism and then let's just add a little of Jesus in here and there...here, it's witchcraft, with a little Jesus. How desperately these people need the gospel, simple as that. They are so convinced that all this hoopla is what it takes to be right before God. If they allow the "fire" or so the preacher said, to come upon them, they would be promoted in heaven. Oh, how contrary the Word of God really is.

 "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9

"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." -Romans 3:21-24

     As the "healing" went on for a number of hours, I was brought to my knees of behalf of my precious girls that think that this is what it looks like to truly seek God. Many of the girls asked me if I was doing okay and thankfully the Holy Spirit put more than just a simple "Mmhmm" in my mouth! I was able to explain that I believe the Word of God teaches that once we truly put our faith in Christ, Satan no longer has a threshold on our lives, we are free from the devil's snare and cannot be possessed by demons. That yes, there is a spiritual battle going on all around us, but how do we flee from sin and temptation? The Word of God!..That is why He gave it to us in the first place, to know Him and make Him known. 

"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." -Romans 8:2

     The girls and I discussed the night over devotion the next day and I wanted to make sure they understood that the same power that that man claimed to have, I have, living inside of me. I do not need a human to get to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is alive and active in the lives of those who believe. 

     God has totally revamped my view of what I am doing here..The biggest tragedy in this country is that their are churches and people that claim to know Christ on every corner. Christians around the world would look at Namibia and many other African countries and think that Christianity is thriving and believers are being trained in truth, but if churches and believers are classified as what I witnessed the other night, boy do we have a long way to go. The Johnson's are here because pastors, those in charge of leading a congregation and training them in the Word, don't even know the truth of the gospel themselves. Pray that this harvest field is not overlook because statistics show that a large number of people are dubbed Christian. Pray that those that do know the truth will not hide it under a bushel. And ultimately, have confidence in the work of the Holy Spirit that is truly active here.

Look at these faces, they will grow up confused on what is truth and what is not if we, the church, don't get out there and share the Word!

     

Front Porch Girl Talks

     I got to spend Sunday afternoon just sitting and having girl talk with four or five of the girls from the hostel. We talked, did hair, soaked up the sun, and dove deep into some questions and opinions they had about the gospel and what it looks like to live it out. Piper says, "Let Him who gives the strength, get the glory"...I don't know how the conversation started, but I know that Jesus intended on His gospel being boldly proclaimed, may He solely get the glory in that. 


     We talked about God's grace and they asked questions like, "Why do people live with the mindset of, "I can do whatever I want now because I know Christ will always forgive me later"?" They told me that many of their friends say they will believe in Jesus later and have fun now. 


     Sin transcends all cultures, but thank you Jesus, your grace does too! 


     We talked about sin and how the Holy Spirit, if we are saved, is there to convict us of sin and encourage us to do good. We spent a lot of time on the subject of claiming Christ with your mouth and believing Him in your heart. How too often the world around us does the first but never truly experiences the saving grace of the latter. 


     My heart is truly broken over the fact that so many foreign cultures look to American media to find their role models and are so heavily influenced my American culture as a whole. They asked me if all the Christians in America are like the ones on tv, and if they are, they don't look or act different than anyone else. My insides lurked... American media is convincing precious teenage girls around the world that it is okay to indulge in sex, drugs, alcohol, lust, greed, and other selfish desires as long as you stand before a crowd and thank God for the award just given to you. 

     Christ's name is being defamed and I refuse to stand for it. 


     I got the opportunity to explain the difference the Holy Spirit makes in your life and how obedience to God's Word flows from a desire and love in your heart, a desire and love that doesn't just put theologically correct sayings in your mouth but radically transforms your very being. My prayer for these girls is that they seek and find their role model in the person of Christ and not in this or that actress or musician. 


     I look forward to many a Sunday afternoon porch talks with the girls...


     We celebrated Rachael's Sweet Sixteen on Tuesday night and here are a few pictures from our night:

(I promise the cake tasted better than it looked..promise)

(The birthday girl! Rachael couldn't keep her eyes open in a single picture.)

(I joke with the girls because every time a camera comes around they all start posing like models. Cracks me up.)

Happy Birthday To Ya

     Happy Birthday to the wonderful, beautiful, talented, Whitney Pritchett. Your life has challenged me to grow closer with Christ and for that I am forever grateful. Thank you for striving to honor God and bring Him glory. You make friendship easy. Really easy. You genuinely love and care for everyone, despite their circumstances, and that is a wonderful quality to have. I see Christ in you. Simple as that. 

     Since I couldn't be there to celebrate your life (life is a pretty good thing to celebrate so let's do it more than just one day a year, deal?), my friends from D.A.T (Discipling African Teens) and I wanted to wish you a very happy birthday!!

Whit's B'day Video from Morgan Werk on Vimeo.

Give Me Jesus

In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus

Afternoons On The Compound

     One of the many avenues By Provision uses to share the gospel and create a safe environment for children is having a community pool. Everyday, despite the fact that the pool water is freezing this time of year, dozens of kids line the gate waiting to swim. On Friday, (I know I am behind on blogging but time with these kiddos is just too good to pass up) I got to play lifeguard and spend the entire afternoon just loving on kids that desperately need Jesus. Nothing brings me more joy! The majority of the children are from an orphanage three blocks away so this wonderful treat is just what they need. I have been blown away with all the opportunities God has given me to just pour His Word into them..just sitting by the pool and chatting. 

He is Enough

    Three flights down… an overnight layover in “JoBurg” (Poppa, thanks for the correction, wouldn’t want to miss out on the happenin’ lingo), one more flight, and a six hour long truck ride to go.  So far so good though, I couldn’t be more thrilled that this day has come (or really yesterday because we skipped right over a whole night).  My luggage barely, and I mean barely made the weight limit. I am lugging some beauty products and random art supplies in my purse but all is well, just might need a chiropractor, or spinal surgery, no biggie.. Call me a baby, call me  what you will but I am slightly nervous about the separation from my family and friends. I would like to say I am completely independent and can do it all on my own but reality is, I can’t. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am not a loner, of course I need “my time” every once in a while but I really don’t like being alone. Especially considering I just came from National Convention, a week of continual communion with like-minded believers and great friends. It reminds me of the longing Paul had to be with the church in a lot of his New Testament letters. He knew that the Spirit would lead him to far away places for the sake of the gospel and he desired to be obedient but that didn’t mean his heart didn’t long for the fellowship and encouragement that came from being with those he shared life with (I pray for the Johnson family as this becomes a reality, long term, in their lives… and thank Jesus for their obedience). With that said, Tori reminded me of something extremely simple but eternally wise on the subject and I am comforted with this, “He is enough!” Though this world is passing away, the Word of the Lord remains forever! That is worth sharing alright! 

Let's Take A Walk

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  -Ephesians 4:1-3


     My heart aches because of a generation that claims Christ, and wants to experience the benefits of the Holy Spirit, but fails in walking in such a manner worthy of the calling to which they have been called. They have been called, even COMMANDED, to honor God and obey his precepts but daily rebel and shame the name of God.

But, at some point, didn't we all?

I catch myself thinking, "How can I measure up?"

"How can I walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which I have been called?"

"I continually fall short!"

     I think that's the beauty of it, I can't! That's when God's Word in 2 Corinthians 12:9 sweeps in and gives me hope!

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."

     His grace is sufficient, for me, for a generation of students who are constantly searching for satisfaction in all (which in reality, is so little) this world has to offer, and for every man and woman, here, there, and to...the ends of the earth!

     Could you imagine the impact that this generation could have for the sake of the gospel if we started walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called? If we not only claimed Christ, but desired humility, gentleness, patience, bearing with one another in love, and striving to maintain the unity of the Spirit?

Oh, how I long for that day!

Faith compels action.

And I will be active.

Photo Credits: Whitney Pritchett (www.whimsicalharmony.blogspot.com)