Play Time

Last night after reading the first half of Dangerous Wonder, by Michael Yaconelli I knew I was going to be scheduling a date with God.

When I got up this morning I hurried to get ready, bound and determined not to get sidetracked from my day with God. I made it out the door by 8:30 and headed down hwy 9 to Santa Cruz. As I drove I asked God where we should head, the only place coming to mind was The Abbey So that is where I ended up. I ordered my coffee and spent hours praying. It was good. I bumped into (never an accident on days like this)two friends, and got to talk with each of them about Rome and also about what God is doing in their lives. After I finished my second cup of coffee and the table next to me became distracting, I took off.

By that time it was past noon and I was feeling a bit hungry, so I headed to Pacific Garden Mall to have some lunch. My favorite lunch downtown is at Acapulco I ordered my favorite, Carnitas! Go try them, you won't regret it! (unless you are a vegetarian, then it might make you ill.) As I ate I finished the Dangerous Wonder a book all about recapturing a child like faith. A no holding back faith, a faith that allows for questions and for play. It is a great book and I finished it in less than a day. (that is something for me, not a fast reader)There are more posts to be written in regards to the book, but not today. Today I am going to tell you about my time with God at the beach.

I felt God inviting me to play, and since I love the beach and it is free, I decided that would be a good place. I got to 3rd Ave. Beach one of my favorites, parked the car and then stood up above the beach looking down enjoying the view. At the same time realizing that standing there was not really playful. So I removed the heels, the sweater, the scarf (not in that order) and made my way down to the beach. I loved the sand between my toes, the warmth of it on a cool day brought joy to my feet. I wandered till I found a piece of drift wood, and I safely plopped my self down on it and looked out at the crashing waves.
Beautiful, but not really playing. So I slid down into the sand resting my back against the log and let myself day dream, take in and just begin to relax. As I leaned back into the drift wood I began to think about that piece of wood. It occurred to me that in some ways the log and I are very much alike. It used to be somewhere else and at one point was planted, rooted to the only ground it had ever known. If it were to have human attributes it may have felt it knew its purpose in life, it may have been pretty satisfied with the status quo. But some how that tree became dislodged, and had been carried likely by a river into the massive ocean to one day be washed up along the shore. At first glance now you would call it drift wood. You may not even really give it a second thought, it just blends in there like it has always been a part of this land. That is how I long to be soon. Virtually blending in with my new surroundings in Rome. Carried by a force (God) so much bigger than I can wrap my mind around to a new place, but a place where I belong at this point in my journey. I could tell looking at the driftwood and using my imagination that it's journey had not been easy, and maybe it was not even over, but it was serving a great purpose where it was at the moment, as my backrest and more importantly as my doorway into a conversation with God.

Did I mention the sun began to shine just on me? I loved that little gift.

Then I felt God nudging me to to play in the sand. I said I did not feel much like playing in the sand, maybe I could just sit. I moved my feet around a bit to satisfy Him.
No, the invite came again, play. I looked around, there were others around, what would they think of a 29 year old playing in a pile of sand on a Monday afternoon, without any kids? Oh who cares I gave in I, I am moving soon anyway.

I dug into the sand getting to the cold wet sand moving it about. Not sure what to do with it. I felt a sand castle was asking a bit much given I had not brought along a bucket or shovel. So I just continued to push the sand. The thought came, to make a heart, but I resisted, feeling it too girlish and predictable. Then I began to shape Italy. I formed a boot clearing away the sand. I heard God whisper again about a heart, but I just focused on Italy, trying to recall which way the boot was supposed to face, then I remembered that it looks as though the toe will kick Sicily. So I adjusted accordingly. There I had lost myself in playing, and was pretty satisfied with the out come of my sand art. I snapped a picture on my phone so I could remember playing with God. Then I stood up ready to go. As I got up and moved out of the way I finally saw it. I saw that while I was forming Italy God had formed a heart.

God and I played in the sand today, and it was a day at the beach I will not quickly forget. It was such a great reminder that God not only cares about me, he cares about the things I care about, our hearts at this time very much inline with each other. God knows my heart, and created it for His purpose, and what fun to rediscover that today in the midst of play.

Go play with God! I dare you!!! I double dog dare you!!! Be a kid, let Him be your Dad and see what fun you will have as you just play together.

Hurry Up and Wait

There is a lot more to being a missionary than I originally thought, and one of those things most missionaries fail to mention in their speeches at churches is the idea of, "Hurry up and Wait." I too have struggled with how best share with you my supporters what the Road to Rome is like. Do I paint you a pretty picture, do I bore you with details, or do I give you the raw truth. I am opting more and more for the raw version.

Why? Because I feel there are a lot of misunderstandings about missions, and missionaries and I want to have a more open dialogue about the reality of missions. So today we tackle just one aspect of missionary life, that of, Hurry Up and Wait.

This applies more often than not I am finding. When I applied to be a missionary with ReachGlobal it was a 6 month application process, filled with many, many tests and forms in the beginning, then months of waiting, then interviews, then more waiting. Then a plane ride to Minnesota for a week long interview and information session, then an day of waiting for the final decision.

Seeing that this is how things started you would think I would have caught a clue that this was just the beginning.

Then there is Support Raising, which any honest missionary would tell you is a whole lot of hurrying, for appointments, and contacts and phone calls, and an abundance of waiting for returns on those investments. If you have ever worked on a church committee then you can imagine just how much waiting it takes to get a decision from a church on whether or not they can and will support you.

Right now, I am waiting for the remaining 49% of my support to come in. I would be lying if I told you this waiting was easy. That is not to say I cannot see God at work even in the waiting. I have indeed seen him at work in the waiting, and I know He is using this time to prepare me for more, Hurry Up and Wait. As that is culture in Italy, and many parts of the the world.

I am also waiting for word on when I will be heading to Haiti, right now this is the hardest wait, because I can see reminders everywhere of the vast need, and I long to be there working, serving and growing in my relationship with God. But again I hurried to get ready to go and now I wait.

As I touched on waiting is not horrible, it is part of the process, part of being a missionary, perhaps part of being used by God. As I wait I am not only waiting on people but I am waiting on God. That is a good but not always easy place to be.

How can you help me in all of this waiting? So glad you asked.

1. Pray for me. That I will continue to wait on God and His will and timing rather than own.
2. Join me in fasting tomorrow for the people of Haiti. Perhaps as we wait together at the feet of Jesus on behalf of the people of Haiti we will in fact be just where He wants us to be.
3. If you have a church that I can come and share at please invite me to do so. If you work at a church I would strongly encourage you to take some time, to look at your missions policy and missionaries and see if there are ways you could help speed along some of the waiting. There is room for improvement on both sides.


Thanks for joining me on this journey for encouraging me along the way, and for your many prayers, it really does help especially in the times of waiting.



Lessons learned during the wait:

God is Faithful
I cannot do this alone
My timing and God's timing are not the same and His is best.
Waiting gives you time to wait on the Lord, use that time wisely.
If I was in Rome already we would have missed out on being in Haiti.
My waiting is nothing in comparison to those waiting for Food, Justice, and Shelter, Hope and Peace.
There is time now to rest, there might not be soon.
What can I be doing for God and with God here and now?
I need to be ready when the time comes

Just to name a few.

Willingness

Hello there friends, I wanted to let you know that Brian and Sarah my team leaders in Rome are currently heading to Haiti in response to a call put out by ReachGlobal/TouchGlobal for help...

This is the Email Brian and Sarah sent out:

Dear praying friends,

On Sunday morning, as Sarah and I were getting ready to go to our Italian church service, we received an e-mail from the ReachGlobal area director in Latin America. They were looking for French-speakers to go to Haiti to help with relief work. We sat down to breakfast and began considering the possibility. By the time we left the church service we had our answer. Pastor Ivano preached on Mark 14:1-9 about the woman who annointed Jesus with the expensive perfume. He pointed out that if she spoke any words, that is not what is recorded in the story. Her actions were what mattered in this case. He called the congregation to seize the opportunities that are before us. It is also interesting to note that he advises us in the same passage that we will always have the opportunity to reach out to those in need. We went home and bought plane tickets.

We ask for you to pray for our time in Haiti and for the tremendous needs there. We know almost nothing about the details of what we will be doing and where. We fly through Philadelphia to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, January 27th. From there we may help the Vision of Hope Ministries bring a vehicle from the DR to Haiti. Here is their website: http://www.vohmhaiti.com/ . You can find out more about helping by clicking on that link. We also recommend you check out Touch Global's site:here We may be organizing other teams coming to help. Pray for direction of every kind for us, from touchdown in Santo Domingo. We want to be poured out like precious nard.

We expect to be in Haiti for the whole month of February. We have a flight schedule back to Rome on February 28th. Pray and give.

I too have been feeling God asking me to be willing to go to Haiti, since I am here waiting to go to Rome. I do not speak French and have less Cross Cultural Experience than Brian and Sarah, so I was not sure I could be an asset to the work there. After talking to God about it, I felt the need to let ReachGlobal know that I am willing should they choose to use me.

I got the go ahead from Mike Davis to let the guys in charge of our effort there know I have his approval to come, I am now waiting to hear back about whether or not they would like me to come.

Here are some thoughts that I would like to share with you in regards to all of this:

1. God's timing and provision is just what we need when we need it...meaning had I arrived in Rome when I wanted last month Brian and Sarah may not have felt the freedom to go and help in Haiti for a month.

2. When I went through my hiring process with ReachGlobal there was a point during the week long interview that I came to the realization that I needed to be willing to go wherever God needed me. Rome, yes. Places less in my comfort zone, yes...I want that willingness to be used by God and follow His prompting to always remain more important than my time schedule or idea of my future.

3. If they decide they need me in Haiti, I will have a great opportunity to serve along side my Team Leaders, to get to know them better, and perhaps be prepared for some future ministry that God has for us back in Rome.

4. When I was a Youth Pastor I was always telling my students about living the life God has for you, putting His will first. If I do not live out that truth I have no business asking them too.

So, I invite you to join me in prayer for Brian and Sarah, for the people already serving in Haiti and of course for the people of Haiti. I also ask that you continue to lift me up to God, that I might have wisdom and a continued willingness to Go wherever He desires, whenever He desires.

Meet A Real Live Missionary Night

Last night I was invited along with two couples to share at the Felton Bible Church AWANA for their "Meet a Real Live Missionary Night" I got to share with the TNT Girls this year, last year I shared with the Sparkies. I was asked just share about what a missionary is and where I am going and what I will be doing. It was a privilege to share and there were a couple cute moments...

The first was when a little girl came up and gave me a few bucks and then read from her book "I know it is not much, but I hope it helps!" IT DID!

The next was when someone was searching for Italy in Asia.

And finally my favorite moment was when one of the girls volunteered to pray for me, and the line that I loved was, "and help her not to get so bored on the long plane ride!" That is why I need people of all ages praying for me, we get all the bases covered!

Wouldn't you just LOVE and iPod Touch?!

In the hope of creating more way's for my friends and supporters to Show Me The Love and get personally involved in getting me to Rome to plant churches I have come up with friendly competition!

SHOW ME THE LOVE

Here is how it works...
You have from now until the end of February to Show Me The LOVE by drumming up as many new monthly supporters as you can for My Road to Rome.

For each new monthly supporter you secure, giving a minimum of $5 a month, you will get a raffle ticket entered in the Show Me The LOVE Raffle increasing your chance to win an iPod Touch loaded with Italian Love Songs and Pictures. (which you can later replace with the things you LOVE)

1. Contact your friends and neighbors, share with them about Reach Global and the work I will be doing in Rome. If you need more info just ask or look over the Blog.

2. If they are interested in joining my monthly support team get me their name and number and I will contact them. If they sign up I will let you know, and put a raffle ticket into the raffle for you to win and iPod Touch!

3.On February 28th at 7pm I will draw out one ticket from the raffle and that person will win the iPod Touch loaded with Italian Love Songs and Pictures!

***At least 5 names must be entered into the Raffle by the drawing on the 28th or all entries will be invalid.


What I LOVE about this contest:
It gives you a chance to be more intimately involved in my journey to Rome!

It broadens my Support base!

It is more creative and fun than just calling people!

I might get to go to Rome sooner with your help!

The family of God is working together to build the Kingdom of God!

People who are not able to give monthly themselves may have friends who can and this way they can still feel like they are helping in a big way!

Alright, the contest starts now and I will give you updates along the way! Tell your friends or just invite them to join my monthly team so you have a better chance at wining the iPod Touch! (whichever you prefer)

A Room With a View

This is the view from my room that I do not have to share with anyone here at the Mission Training Institute in Palmer Lake, Colorado. It is not the view I expected when I left California. I came here thinking that my two weeks here would be covered in snow, not so. I not being a huge fan of the white powdery substance am thankful for the lack there of. I am also thankful for the absence of a roomie. Thank you to those of you who were praying for that along with me. God was good and provided once again!

Many of you have asked what it is that I am supposed to gain from this time at MTI. Until last night I was not really able to give you a good idea. Now that I have been through orientation I can tell you that we will be spending a lot of time listening and speaking, though not in ways that I am accustom to. Mostly in phonics or in languages that are unfamiliar to those of us in attendance so that we will retrain our ears to hear more than the 44 sounds in the English language and our mouths to make these new tones and shapes needed to produce the sounds found in other languages around the world.

It is almost like we are learning a language in order to learn other languages.


It is all very interesting and if nothing else so far I have learned how to laugh at myself and others while learning to make new noises. A skill that I am sure will come in handy in my first few years in Italy.

You can continue to pray with me in these things:

1. Heath - I am getting a cold, which makes language learning a bit more challenging. As well as adjusting to the higher elevation of CO. Don't worry I have drank more water in the past two days than I had in the past two weeks.

2. Boldness - both in my language learning as well as in meeting all of the new people. I know most of you think of me as an extrovert, and while it is true that I love people, I have a hard time making new acquaintances in large groups. So I am forcing myself to go bowling tonight with some of my classmates.

3. Understanding - I long to be good at communicating in Italian with Italians, so you can pray that I will truly grasp the skills and tools being presented here these two weeks so that I can be as effective as possible as soon as possible in Italy.

Brokenness of Roma

In the online course I am taking we are discussing the poor, what it means to be poor in light of scripture and who are the poor in the cities we are going to. My heart is once again beginning to break as I look afresh and anew at the poverty both spiritually and physically in Roma.

In my research I came across this blog Here is a small section that I think really highlights why I am desiring to go and be used by God...

The eternal city of Rome is a city full of life, a city rich in culture and history. Tourists flood the city every day huddling around the great triumphs of history: the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Vatican city to name a few. Behind the glamor of fashion and the awe of ages past lies a city in poverty and spiritual emptiness. Latest estimates say that 25% of Italians are in poverty, and the government has few social programs and no long term answers. Spiritually the reality is worse. Much less than .01% are evangelical Christian. On the other hand immigrants see Italy as the land of opportunity, a place to start over, a place to raise a family and find work. When they arrive after risking everything they are met with the reality of a nation without jobs and severe discrimination. Because of this reality many turn to crime and prostitution to survive.


Though they are prejudiced against the immigrant population that streams into Italy from Eastern Europe and Bangladesh, they share the common struggle of poverty and hopelessness. We believe that the hope and love of Jesus is a cool drink of water that these people need. But at the same time they don't need just words, they need physical help.click here to see more images taken by a fantasic photographer that capture the other side of Roma

Friends it is so clear that the need is great in this city. Please continue to join me in prayer for the hearts of those living on the streets and in the hard parts of Roma.