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This is Only a Test

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The other day I was with with my sister at the Port Authority Bus Terminal when we heard this beep and an announcement over the loudspeaker that went something like:

“Pardon the interruption. This is a test of our emergency system. This is only a test.”

The announcement replayed several times while we waited there, and it got me thinking, “Wouldn’t it be nice if when we were going through our trials, we could hear a similar announcement warning us that what we’re experiencing is only a test!”

What if the next time your car breaks down, you get walloped by a bill in the mail, or you hear a loved one is in trouble, etc… what if before you could panic you heard, “Beep. This is only a test. Everything is going to be ok.”

Wouldn’t that help you to not freak out as much?

Over the years, I’ve tried to make it a point to view trials more as the tests that they really are! It helps me to keep things in perspective.

You may be facing a battle that seems so colossal, so devastating, or so disappointing that you’re tempted to lose hope. You may feel as though God has forgotten you. You may think He is ignoring you. You may even be doubting if He’s good.

Could I encourage you that God is right there with you, and He will walk with you, strengthen you, and comfort you all the way through! The trial will help to build your faith and will help you to get to know Jesus in a way like never before.

Jesus is the Master at breathing life into barren places. He is the light that shines in the darkness. He brings hope, love, healing, restoration, peace, and more into chaos.

Remember that as a believer, you are safe in the palm of God’s hand! He’s got you covered better than any doctor, lawyer, stockbroker, or insurance policy ever could! He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother! (Proverbs 18:24)

What are you facing today? Be encouraged that:

This Trial Will Not Last Forever. “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

There is a Purpose for the Tests. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

As we Pass these Tests, God is Glorified. “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  (1 Peter 6-7)

We have the Victory in Christ!  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

So when the tests come, let’s try to spot them early and let’s learn from Job who said:

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” 

(Job 23:10)

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

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Sailing into a Storm

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Another beautiful sunset from my recent vacation.

Lessons from the Storm at Sea

On my recent vacation that I mentioned here, we came across some rough weather. It was our second day at sea, and my Mom, my sister, and I were enjoying lunch when my sister saw a flash of lightening. I kinda brushed it off. I didn’t see the lightening because I was sitting in the opposite direction of her.

After a few minutes, my sister saw more lightening.  And eventually I saw the flashes off in the distance. I also saw the storm clouds. Uh oh.

What comforted me were the thoughts that God was ultimately in control, and the crew must have been used to maneuvering around this kind of weather. I’m sure the captain didn’t panic. I’m guessing he didn’t get tempted to turn around and retreat or cancel the trip. I’m sure he had experienced this hundreds of times and was prepared to stay the course. The ship may have taken some extra steps to get out of harms way, but the mild storm didn’t seem to rattle the captain or crew enough to stop them in their tracks.

What an odd feeling to be on the ship calmly headed in the general direction of a storm. After I finished eating, I just went about my relaxing day.

What would happen if we approached the storms in our lives with that same quiet confidence? As believers, God is the “Captain” of our lives. He knows how to navigate us through any storm or trial.

Oh, that we would TRUST God to be the Sovereign Lord of our lives! Every area of it!

It did rain that day, but we were all safe in the ship, thank God.

The rain followed us a bit, which was fine. When we arrived at the first island the following day, there was a brief sun shower that didn’t stop any of our fun. The next day at the second island, we must have just missed the morning showers because there was a STUNNING rainbow there to greet us!

So what are some of the lessons I was reminded of?

When Storms Come, They Don’t Have to Paralyze us or Deter us. With God’s Grace, we can continue on the path that He has for us. We don’t have to cower in fear or give up even when things look rather dark or scary. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Trust that the Lord, our ultimate Captain, Knows how to Get us Through the Storms Safely! God isn’t asleep at the wheel. Your storms haven’t caught Him by surprise. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You can Still Enjoy Your Life Even While it’s Pouring. Thankfully, storms don’t last forever. But don’t wait until they’re over to praise God. Ask God to give you the strength to worship Him and thank Him despite the clouds, wind, and rain. “I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)

Rejoicing and Rainbows Come After the Storms! God will bring you through, and will restore you, renew you, and refresh you. He’ll also put a new song in your heart! “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,  that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.” (Psalm 30:11-12)

No matter how hard the wind is blowing right now, be encouraged that God is with you! He knows the exact route to take to get you to where you’re going!

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

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Receive It!

Lessons from the Sunrise

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During my recent vacation to the Caribbean, I was excited about catching a glimpse of a sunrise over the ocean. I’m so not a morning person, but I didn’t want to miss out on the spectacular sight.

The only problem was that on the particular morning that I peeled myself out of bed in time, it was really rainy and overcast. What a major bummer! I had gotten up extra early for seemingly nothing.

The day did clear up, and I eventually forgot about the disappointment of not seeing the sunrise. That evening I enjoyed watching a gorgeous sunset like the one pictured above instead. Truly amazing!

The following morning included a mad dash to get to breakfast before visiting our first island. Trying to catch the sunrise was NOT on my schedule, but I was happily surprised.

While we were eating at a table near a window, the beautiful, bright sun came rising up in all its splendor to greet us. It was so breathtaking! And because I wasn’t “striving” to see it, it felt even more like a gift from my Heavenly Father.

So what was the difference?

The first morning it was all about my agenda and having the sunrise fit into my “to-do list”. The following day, it was an unexpected blessing. It was a very welcome interruption to my plans.

Here are just a few thoughts I’d like to share from this experience:

Things are Better When we Sit Back, Relax, and Let God be GOD! – I admit I’m more of a doer. I like to set goals and achieve them. I like to co-labor with God to get things done. Those are good characteristics, but God has been showing me that sometimes it’s better to Be Still and let Him work. Is it easy? NO! Is it possible with God’s help? Absolutely!

Leave Room for God to Surprise You! – There’s no use trying to figure out everything or trying to keep God in a box. He’s too Glorious for that! What He has for you is better than you can even imagine! Just typing that made me smile! What about you? Will you try to stop controlling every detail and let God Almighty have His way in your life? Will you receive the gifts He has especially for you?

Slowing Down can Actually be a Good Thing. – Is God working out the fruit of patience in you as well, my Friend? If so, no worries. God knows what He’s doing and He’s never late. Sometimes when we get caught up in a flurry of activities and feverishly try to check off items from our never-ending list of tasks, we miss out on some of the best parts of our days.

It’s great to have goals and plans. Yes, act when God tells you to act. But hold steady when God says so. While you wait, don’t forget to enjoy something as Miraculous and Lovely as a sunrise or sunset!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  (James 1:17)

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here. To find MiraculousLovely on YouTube, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

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Transition Times

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A few weeks ago I was walking by this park near my house when I came across these lovely trees. I couldn’t help but notice that while all the other trees that lined this block were still green, these two were already changing colors. They looked beautiful, but a bit out of place. I guess that’s what’s to be expected since it was early in the fall season.

Still, the word that came to my mind was: Transition.

Transitions can be messy. They don’t usually happen overnight. It’s a process. In this case, the line of naturally green trees was interrupted by this burst of color.

Isn’t that how our lives can seem sometimes? In some areas, it’s business as usual. In other areas, there is new life springing up! Transformation or growth doesn’t always take place all at once.

Judging by this picture, that’s OK! Just as God designed these trees to change colors at different times, He also designed us to bloom and blossom at different times.

We’re constantly being molded and shaped into the image of Christ and that is no easy feat. It comes in stages, over time, day by day. Little by little.

Wherever you are in your process, could I encourage you to take a breath and smile!  Yes, to stop striving so much and to enjoy where you’re at on the way to where you’re headed. Sure you may feel awkward or discombobulated right now, but no worries. God knows what He’s doing!

Let’s let God continue working!

“… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Keep Dreaming!


I’m happy to announce that MiraculousLovely is now on YouTube! I hope you enjoy this short video that I recorded a few weeks ago right in Times Square.

To view more short inspiring videos (some were shot during my recent vacation) visit: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh4u8WkGWSMZlIfDddTFfsw?feature=watch

Blessings!

If this encouraged you, please leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here.

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A Triple Portion

Lake George
View from our recent family trip to Lake George.

The other day I was chatting with my sister and her kids via Face Time. We were winding down the call so we decided to pray before we hung up. After I had finished praying for all of them, my 8-year-old nephew made this sweet request.

“Bless me again!”

How precious! He just started third grade so I thought perhaps he had something special going on so I joyfully asked God to shower him with even more blessings! It was my pleasure.

It wasn’t until after I said, “Amen,” that my nephew thanked me and then explained that he had sneezed during my first prayer so he had just wanted a simple, “God bless you” in response to his sneeze. Too funny! I just laughed and said he had received a double portion of blessings. He laughed and said he had gotten a triple portion!

Why am I sharing this? Because when I think back to how happy I was when my nephew requested a blessing, I get a glimpse of how God must feel when we ask Him to bless us. It must be music to His ears.

As believers, we are His children. God delights in giving His children the desires of their heart (as long as they line up with His will for our lives).

He doesn’t roll His eyes when we come to Him in prayer. He wants us to turn to Him for everything. He loves it when we spend time with Him.

Of course we have to ask with right motives and we should spend time thanking Him and praising Him first, but I think our Heavenly Father smiles when we ask Him for the blessings that He already has in store for us.

But don’t just take my word for it. The Bible says:

  • For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11).
  • “Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” (Isaiah 61:7).
  • “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11).

Don’t get me wrong. God is obviously not a candy store clerk who will cater to our every whim and let us overdose on sugar. However, He’s also not an ogre who wants us to be miserable.

God is our loving Father who wants what’s best for us and that includes blessing us.

No matter what you’re facing today, don’t be afraid to go to God with it. He cares and understands.

See if He won’t open the windows of heaven. It might not come in your timing or even how you expected it, but He will bless you.

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5)

Did this encourage you?  Feel free to leave a comment or hit “Like” below. To get my free e-booklet MiraculousLovely Abroad: Lessons and Snapshots From the Mission Fields and to get these posts e-mailed straight to your inbox, click here.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Viking Hunters

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An ordinary afternoon in Union Square Park.

In 2010, God allowed my friends Christine, Vernon, Juan, and I to take an evangelism class at our church based on the popular series “The Way of the Master”.

“Us Four” as I affectionately call us, already had evangelism experience under our belt so we were actually students who were going to be quickly turning around and training others.

As part of the class, we took our first “fishing trip” to Union Square Park on a Friday evening to practice the skills we had been learning throughout the weeks.

Initially, we all split up to talk to people one-on-one but I didn’t fare so well as I started talking to a guy and half way through our conversation his girlfriend came up to us. I was so concerned that she might have the wrong idea about what I was doing, that I lost my train of thought and only gave him the law and pointed out his sins but forgot to mention the “Good News” that we have a savior in Jesus.

I saw that Christine was free, so I went to partner with her.  We found another fellow to talk to when all of the sudden we spotted him.

Out of nowhere, a guy dressed as a viking –  with a mask, horns on his helmet and spikes— started crossing the street and was heading right in our direction.  Christine had been in the middle of sharing the Gospel with the dude we were standing with. Later on, she shared that all she could think was that the devil himself was headed our way! All she could do was keep preaching the Word! I just tried to remain calm. After all, we were in Union Square on a Friday night. There are always tons of characters there. Thankfully, he walked by us without any incident.

After we were done, we went to check on the guys. Juan soon joined us, but Vern was in the middle of sharing the Gospel with a group of people who seemed to be hanging on his every word. Christine went over to talk to some of the teens standing by Vern, leaving Juan and me to our own devices.

Juan and I were the “loose cannons” from the group, so we weren’t going to stand still for too long.

We were there for just a few moments when I spotted him again.  There was the viking. Except this time he was sitting by himself, smoking a cigarette.

As I saw him sitting there, I thought, “Well, if he really is the devil incarnate then we should go preach to him too!” So without any further thought, I said to Juan, “Let’s go over to him.”  To which Juan immediately replied, “Ok!” As we were walking over to him, I suddenly realized that I had no idea what to say so when we were just steps away from the viking, Juan and I quickly decided that he should be the one to talk.  Perfect! He was the Green Beret and Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army!  I, on the other hand, was not.

I was just “in the zone” which I can only describe as being filled with Holy Ghost boldness as well as a little touch of crazy (how else can I explain going out and evangelizing in New York City and abroad!)

Thankfully, Juan eased his way into a conversation with the viking and suddenly, to our surprise, he relaxed enough to literally lift up his mask so we could see him face-to-face. Instantly, the intimidating viking became just another young guy who needed to be reminded that God loves him.

He shared how he had just finished one job and was on his way to another job where I suppose he is required to wear the costume. He mentioned that he did grow up going to church. We chatted for a bit, and I was thrilled that I got to pray for him at the end of our conversation.

Now I can’t say that I’d go up to every viking I see, but I am so thankful that God reminded me that night to look past a person’s exterior to see the lost sheep inside.

There are lost and hurting sheep all around us. Do you see them? They are in your home, work, school, neighborhood, etc… Why not ask God to show you who He would like you to reach out to with a kind word, smile, prayer or with an invite to your church?

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment and to hit “Like” below.

 

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The Confession

asterix611 / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

 

Doing outreaches in New York City can be just as adventurous as going abroad on short-term missions trips! You never know quite who you’ll meet. Here’s a story of one unforgettable encounter I had while ministering in Manhattan.

In 2008, I felt God drawing me to serve with the New York School of Urban Ministry (NYSUM).  NYSUM provides training and housing for short-term missions teams ministering in New York City.

As an associate staff member, I would take teams who were visiting from out of town on outreaches to place like The Father’s Heart Ministries soup kitchen, to local shelters, and also on homeless outreaches.

The place I used to take teams to on homeless outreaches was in midtown. The team would hand out sandwiches, toiletries, and blankets and then we’d get to speak and pray with the men waiting on line to enter a facility where I’m told they sleep on metal chairs instead of beds.

I’ve met all kinds of homeless people. I must say most are friendly and welcome a listening ear. Some are well versed in the Bible. A few have thanked me profusely for spending time with them and have said they would like to one day do the same thing that I was doing! So sweet.

I have fond memories of many of them. Many of the guys at this particular site had just come from out of town and had no place to stay.

Then there was this one guy who shocked me.

One evening, I was talking to a man who seemed deeply burdened. I had prayed with other guys numerous times before, but it seemed like something was really weighing this man down.  When I asked him what I could pray for, I thought he would say something rather standard such as for a job, an apartment or for good health. But he surprised me by saying, “Forgiveness.”

So I began to pray for him. Normally, I would then invite the person to pray silently, but for some reason I felt like he needed to get whatever it was off his chest so I suggested he say whatever he needed to say to God out loud and that it would remain between him and God.  I wasn’t prepared for what he was about to say next.

With tears streaming down his face, he asked God to forgive him for shooting someone. Huh? I was stunned.  But at the same time, I was honored that he felt that comfortable that he could say that in front of me.  I continued to pray for him and soon it was time to leave.

Only as I was heading back to the van with the team did all these thoughts start racing through my mind including, what if he still had the gun with him?

Looking back, I’m sure I could have handled the situation much better, but on that particular night I felt like my job was not to judge the man or make sure that he was arrested.  God would take care of that. On that night, I felt that I was called to just listen and pray for a man who was in deep distress.

It reminds me that there is no pit too deep that Jesus can’t redeem us and rescue us from it!  Sure we may not have shot anyone, but we still have sins that we need to confess to God and sometimes even to each other.

Yes we are saved in an instant but sanctification, or being set apart for God and being molded into the image of Christ, is a process. It happens over a lifetime.

Could I encourage you to take a moment right now and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to shine a light on any unconfessed sin that you may have? If something comes to mind, don’t ignore it. Just ask Jesus to forgive you. Ask Him to give you the strength to stop doing/saying/thinking that or to start doing/saying/thinking what you know you should.

The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1John 1:8-9)

What a wonderful Savior we have! Receive your forgiveness from Jesus and ask Him to cleanse you and help you make a brand new start. To read more about how Jesus cleanses us, click here.

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment or to press “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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Honduras Highlights

Honduras cover

It’s a tradition. After each of my short-term missions trips, I put together some pictures and thoughts and create slides to help me share my experiences with others.

My Honduras slides are ready! I’m going to let them do all the talking this week. Please click Honduras PDF to view them. I hope you are blessed!

If you missed my other posts about Honduras, feel free to check out: Hola Honduras, Viva Honduras, Foreign Friends Part 2 or Why Go?

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One Step at a Time

earth2marsh / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

 

“One step at a time, Sister. That’s the only way you’re going to make it. Take it easy.”

Those were the wise words I overheard as I was climbing up the stairs to go to a prayer meeting the other day. I couldn’t help but turn around to see who was speaking. A man was encouraging an older lady who perhaps had a foot injury. She was slowly making her way up the staircase, step by step.

Even though the comment wasn’t directed at me, it stuck with me.

Yes, that’s how I’ll get to where God is taking me. Not all at once, but little by little. One step of faith after another.

If you are anything like me, you may be tempted to run up the stairs. Or better yet, to tackle two or three steps at a time. But friends, have you noticed that God is not in a hurry?

We may not understand His divine timetable, but there’s no use fighting Him on it. His timing is perfect.

In order to make it to the top step, we must keep climbing. Keep persevering. And like the woman behind me who must have eventually made it to the final step, we just have to keep moving forward.

Take a short rest if you must. Take it slowly if you need to. But don’t get overwhelmed by the journey. Keep walking, knowing that the Lord is with you. His grace truly is enough, and His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses.

You will make it!

If the journey has you winded in anyway right now, remember to keep leaning on Jesus. Do you hear Him? He’s saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

If this encouraged you, please feel free to leave a comment and to hit “Like” below.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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