On Monday, I got up extra early to spend some alone time with Him before waking up all of our little sleeping beauties. HE keeps reminding me through 1 John the importance of standing firm on His sound doctrine, obeying Him at all costs, and loving like HE commands. So needless to say it was more of a time where HE pointed out all of my wickedness and disobedience in this area, I repented and then praised Him for His mercy and grace that He has for me! Christy gets up and we begin to prepare the breakfast for the girls. Because I am slightly weird (no comments), I decided to speak in a British accent all morning as I woke the girls up, served them their breakfast, and got them ready for the day. They were not too excited about going back to MK school but they went. After our AM devotional, we spent time as ladies once again. Britt lead us in discussions about different aspects of ministry when the men are away, spiritual warfare, etc. It was neat to watch Him open up eyes to Who He is and just how Big He is when we often forget that in the midst of our daily routines. One thing that stuck out with me, that doesn't apply to me now, was that when CS leaves he prys over BS and passes the authority of the house to her. When he returns, they do the same thing in returning the authority of the house back to him. I thought that was a cool idea. That evening, we prepared a community meal together and awaited the return of the men. We had a time of sharing as a group as the men shared what they had seen and done and listened to the women/children tell them about their weekend. It was neat to listen to their experiences and just serve the families.
On Tuesday, another amazing day in His Words as I reflected on putting on the armor of Dad. My grandma Betty challenged me 3 years ago to memorize this passage and put it on each and everyday. It has been neat to watch Him use this simple repeating His Words before leaving my bed each day and how HE has used this to prepare and focus me for the incredible things He had planned for that day. During our devotion, there were some really neat comments made and I really felt that HE was leading our discussion on a topic that too often we overlook. One man said that sometimes we run out of the house so fast, forgetting to put on our armor, and then wonder why our pants have fallen down and we can't walk. Without the belt of truth, we end up looking like those youth with their pants sagging and no one can go to war like that! One person said that he was asked by The Father today if he could even find his shield. The Word says that if we have the faith as big as a mustard seed, we can move mountains -- so can you even see your faith? Can you hold your shield? Or is it too small? I really liked hearing that as I too have been convicted of the same thing and for that reason ask every day for Him to give me more faith to put in Him. Oh and then another man mentioned a guitar analogy that I had heard before but was such a perfect reminder for me today. In this analogy, the guitar is the world, the strings our flesh, and the player is satan. If satan can play one string and excite our flesh, then he is done. Our flesh will take us father than he ever could. This is the reason why HE has been humbling me and emptying me out and convicting me of the lack of His holiness in my life. We must strive to be holy as HE is and we must flee our fleshly lusts and passions because they will destroy us.
After our devotion, we had more debriefing time from the men's trip and then talked about how to have a daily quiet time. It was neat to hear some things that I have been convicted about but have been told that I was crazy and too radical in my thinking about my time alone with Him. I still hold fast to that your time with Him in the AM is the platform for the rest of your day and if that means you have to get up extra early, then get up extra early to be alone with Him at His feet. We were given more time to work on our master plans for our ministries and at lunch time SB flew in. After lunch, he lead our camp time on first aid but he really is just a great source of knowledge. He has lots of experience and lots of amazing ideas of things that most people do not even think about. I am excited to see what we learn from him this week. That evening instead of going out to share with the women, we went to the radio station and Sonia told the story over the radio. It was neat to see the radio station that HE built and how He is using it to get His Word into the homes of these people. I pry that HE will use His Word to change their hearts.
Wednesday, He reminded me through His Words about His Word being my bread and what sustains me. He challenged me to rethink the way I have been doing ministry and make sure that His Word is the first thing off my tongue and if not, to be quiet until it is the first thing. We spent the morning listening to Scott talk about risk management, contingency planning, and hearing of the times when HE has rescued His people from situations. We talked about different ideas on how to be a family in a remote location and make it a joy to serve and not a burden. We had some time to talk about different issues as a community and once again, He lead me to mention that we should fast again as a community before the men leave on Friday. I hope He covered me in His Spirit when I speak these things and they come from humility and a desire to seek His face. I feel like many of the people here think I am crazy or accuse me of being super spiritual. I honestly just want to see Him glorified and hear His voice and obey, whatever He tells me to do. I ask each day that He humble me and sanctify me (which I know this month has been a time of sanctification; especially with my knee being the constant bother that it is!) That afternoon, we had the privilege of soaking up more of Scott's survival knowledge and ideas. It was a good day of hearing His voice and watching Him work in people's lives.
Thursday, I was told to fast from sunup to sundown and He had me reading in all different locations in His Word but reminding me that He is my Jehovah Nissi. I have loved this time of getting to know My Dad in another way and on a deeper level. I could totally stay here in the interior with His nature all around me, His voice speaking clearly, and His work being done in spite of my inabilities. Today we had some member care sessions, talked about morbid things like being prepared for illness, death, etc, and were given some more time to work on our master plans. We spent lunch together in pryr just seeking His face as a community. I love times of corporate fasting and having His Spirit fall on us. It is so sweet that you really don't want to say Amen and leave. After lunch, we had an amazing camp time as we learned how to tie different knots. At this point, He has given me permission to be myself around CS and BS. Bs got onto CS and I for being disruptive in this class...so great to have a sweet reminder of Him in my life. That evening, we went to the island for the last time to share with the women. It was a bitter sweet time for me as I pryd over this island as we walked. In such a short period of time, He has given me His love for these people and I long for them to have the veils removed and really see! There is something magical to me as I have left and leave the island in the boat, just as the sun is setting, and praising Him for allowing me to serve Him in such a cool place and in such a cool way. I came back and spent some more time alone with Him just seeking His face and drawing near to Him. When He released me from my fast, I went to the Shirey's to just be. Their home has been such a place of peace and rest for me. I can let down my guards, speak freely, laugh and be my goofy self, and knowing that HE is there and is getting the glory. I praise Him for time with this family and the conversations that we have had. I was feeling like I was suffocating again and when she invited me over to the house, I almost started crying because HE loves me so, sees me, and was giving me the freedom to go without others. Please praise Him along with me for this amazing family and their ministry!
Friday, we had a great time of worship together and then 3 of the units presented their master plans. I was speechless. HE had unsettled all of our hearts, showed us His desires, and changed our way of thinking about His ministries. Even though their had been some opposition to teaching on pryr, fasting, personal holiness, and things that cause us to fall on our face before our Holy Dad...He had accomplished His agenda just like He always does!! Each one of the units mentioned that they were adding pryr and fasting as part of their goals in their ministries!! YES!! AMEN!! Of course they have to be a part of our plan because it is HIM doing the work and it is really His plan! We definitely have to get on our faces and seek His Will and where He is moving!! Oh it was such a sweet time for me and I praised Him for allowing me to see this miracle of changed and humbled hearts in all of us. After their presentations, we said goodbye to the men and began to clean up the island and prepare to leave. It was a good day of just being together as women. That afternoon, we had all the boys over to have their time with their aunts. We played games, made caramel popcorn, talked, and then swam. It was a sweet time with them but an exhausting time. There were such a difference in age between them that it was hard for us to keep them all entertained and not fighting...but you live and you learn. That evening, we ate dinner with CM and just hung out with her for awhile. We then migrated over to the neighbors house where we just got silly. All month long, I had given BB a hard time for being the best dressed at camp because she always looked so cute...in the jungle. So we started laughing at how funny it would be to give out end of camp awards and then we just laughed all night as we searched for awards for each person at "camp." It was definitely a much needed time of laughter and silliness!!
Saturday, I woke up in lots of pain and just felt attacked. My leg hurt, I was exhausted, I had been pushed to my limit with people, and frustrated. I did not see certain people with His eyes nor did I love them with His love. I just wanted to cry because I was done. He tells me to go for a walk and so I leave my house and go for a walk where I just cry out to Him everything I am feeling and thinking. I am sure that the Aknrs thought I was crazy but I had to get away. As I was coming back, BS asked me to get the lunch ready for everyone and so I did and spent more time just asking Him for help. The men came back and it was good to see their dirty selves, not so much smell their dirty selves but whatever. It was neat to hear what they had done and listened to their experiences in the heart of the jungle. I cleaned up after lunch, went back to the house, and needed more time away. But we had to present our master plans again. It was a long time for me to sit and listen but He gave me His patience to make it through. I presented mine fast and we were dismissed. I was still not okay and just wanting to cry because I was not being left alone by certain people. He told me to go to the Shirey's and just be with Him. This is exactly what I did, I told BS I just needed to be and she let me be. She gave me a cold diet coke, told me to watch the dinner, and left me alone with My Savior! And as He emptied me more and more, He filled me again with His love and took away my frustrations. He was my refuge and resting place. He met me where I was and gave me the strength to continue and finish strong. Of course after He replenished me, He gave me time to sit and converse with two of the most amazing family members while they ate dinner. He is so good!
On Tuesday, another amazing day in His Words as I reflected on putting on the armor of Dad. My grandma Betty challenged me 3 years ago to memorize this passage and put it on each and everyday. It has been neat to watch Him use this simple repeating His Words before leaving my bed each day and how HE has used this to prepare and focus me for the incredible things He had planned for that day. During our devotion, there were some really neat comments made and I really felt that HE was leading our discussion on a topic that too often we overlook. One man said that sometimes we run out of the house so fast, forgetting to put on our armor, and then wonder why our pants have fallen down and we can't walk. Without the belt of truth, we end up looking like those youth with their pants sagging and no one can go to war like that! One person said that he was asked by The Father today if he could even find his shield. The Word says that if we have the faith as big as a mustard seed, we can move mountains -- so can you even see your faith? Can you hold your shield? Or is it too small? I really liked hearing that as I too have been convicted of the same thing and for that reason ask every day for Him to give me more faith to put in Him. Oh and then another man mentioned a guitar analogy that I had heard before but was such a perfect reminder for me today. In this analogy, the guitar is the world, the strings our flesh, and the player is satan. If satan can play one string and excite our flesh, then he is done. Our flesh will take us father than he ever could. This is the reason why HE has been humbling me and emptying me out and convicting me of the lack of His holiness in my life. We must strive to be holy as HE is and we must flee our fleshly lusts and passions because they will destroy us.
After our devotion, we had more debriefing time from the men's trip and then talked about how to have a daily quiet time. It was neat to hear some things that I have been convicted about but have been told that I was crazy and too radical in my thinking about my time alone with Him. I still hold fast to that your time with Him in the AM is the platform for the rest of your day and if that means you have to get up extra early, then get up extra early to be alone with Him at His feet. We were given more time to work on our master plans for our ministries and at lunch time SB flew in. After lunch, he lead our camp time on first aid but he really is just a great source of knowledge. He has lots of experience and lots of amazing ideas of things that most people do not even think about. I am excited to see what we learn from him this week. That evening instead of going out to share with the women, we went to the radio station and Sonia told the story over the radio. It was neat to see the radio station that HE built and how He is using it to get His Word into the homes of these people. I pry that HE will use His Word to change their hearts.
Wednesday, He reminded me through His Words about His Word being my bread and what sustains me. He challenged me to rethink the way I have been doing ministry and make sure that His Word is the first thing off my tongue and if not, to be quiet until it is the first thing. We spent the morning listening to Scott talk about risk management, contingency planning, and hearing of the times when HE has rescued His people from situations. We talked about different ideas on how to be a family in a remote location and make it a joy to serve and not a burden. We had some time to talk about different issues as a community and once again, He lead me to mention that we should fast again as a community before the men leave on Friday. I hope He covered me in His Spirit when I speak these things and they come from humility and a desire to seek His face. I feel like many of the people here think I am crazy or accuse me of being super spiritual. I honestly just want to see Him glorified and hear His voice and obey, whatever He tells me to do. I ask each day that He humble me and sanctify me (which I know this month has been a time of sanctification; especially with my knee being the constant bother that it is!) That afternoon, we had the privilege of soaking up more of Scott's survival knowledge and ideas. It was a good day of hearing His voice and watching Him work in people's lives.
Thursday, I was told to fast from sunup to sundown and He had me reading in all different locations in His Word but reminding me that He is my Jehovah Nissi. I have loved this time of getting to know My Dad in another way and on a deeper level. I could totally stay here in the interior with His nature all around me, His voice speaking clearly, and His work being done in spite of my inabilities. Today we had some member care sessions, talked about morbid things like being prepared for illness, death, etc, and were given some more time to work on our master plans. We spent lunch together in pryr just seeking His face as a community. I love times of corporate fasting and having His Spirit fall on us. It is so sweet that you really don't want to say Amen and leave. After lunch, we had an amazing camp time as we learned how to tie different knots. At this point, He has given me permission to be myself around CS and BS. Bs got onto CS and I for being disruptive in this class...so great to have a sweet reminder of Him in my life. That evening, we went to the island for the last time to share with the women. It was a bitter sweet time for me as I pryd over this island as we walked. In such a short period of time, He has given me His love for these people and I long for them to have the veils removed and really see! There is something magical to me as I have left and leave the island in the boat, just as the sun is setting, and praising Him for allowing me to serve Him in such a cool place and in such a cool way. I came back and spent some more time alone with Him just seeking His face and drawing near to Him. When He released me from my fast, I went to the Shirey's to just be. Their home has been such a place of peace and rest for me. I can let down my guards, speak freely, laugh and be my goofy self, and knowing that HE is there and is getting the glory. I praise Him for time with this family and the conversations that we have had. I was feeling like I was suffocating again and when she invited me over to the house, I almost started crying because HE loves me so, sees me, and was giving me the freedom to go without others. Please praise Him along with me for this amazing family and their ministry!
Friday, we had a great time of worship together and then 3 of the units presented their master plans. I was speechless. HE had unsettled all of our hearts, showed us His desires, and changed our way of thinking about His ministries. Even though their had been some opposition to teaching on pryr, fasting, personal holiness, and things that cause us to fall on our face before our Holy Dad...He had accomplished His agenda just like He always does!! Each one of the units mentioned that they were adding pryr and fasting as part of their goals in their ministries!! YES!! AMEN!! Of course they have to be a part of our plan because it is HIM doing the work and it is really His plan! We definitely have to get on our faces and seek His Will and where He is moving!! Oh it was such a sweet time for me and I praised Him for allowing me to see this miracle of changed and humbled hearts in all of us. After their presentations, we said goodbye to the men and began to clean up the island and prepare to leave. It was a good day of just being together as women. That afternoon, we had all the boys over to have their time with their aunts. We played games, made caramel popcorn, talked, and then swam. It was a sweet time with them but an exhausting time. There were such a difference in age between them that it was hard for us to keep them all entertained and not fighting...but you live and you learn. That evening, we ate dinner with CM and just hung out with her for awhile. We then migrated over to the neighbors house where we just got silly. All month long, I had given BB a hard time for being the best dressed at camp because she always looked so cute...in the jungle. So we started laughing at how funny it would be to give out end of camp awards and then we just laughed all night as we searched for awards for each person at "camp." It was definitely a much needed time of laughter and silliness!!
Saturday, I woke up in lots of pain and just felt attacked. My leg hurt, I was exhausted, I had been pushed to my limit with people, and frustrated. I did not see certain people with His eyes nor did I love them with His love. I just wanted to cry because I was done. He tells me to go for a walk and so I leave my house and go for a walk where I just cry out to Him everything I am feeling and thinking. I am sure that the Aknrs thought I was crazy but I had to get away. As I was coming back, BS asked me to get the lunch ready for everyone and so I did and spent more time just asking Him for help. The men came back and it was good to see their dirty selves, not so much smell their dirty selves but whatever. It was neat to hear what they had done and listened to their experiences in the heart of the jungle. I cleaned up after lunch, went back to the house, and needed more time away. But we had to present our master plans again. It was a long time for me to sit and listen but He gave me His patience to make it through. I presented mine fast and we were dismissed. I was still not okay and just wanting to cry because I was not being left alone by certain people. He told me to go to the Shirey's and just be with Him. This is exactly what I did, I told BS I just needed to be and she let me be. She gave me a cold diet coke, told me to watch the dinner, and left me alone with My Savior! And as He emptied me more and more, He filled me again with His love and took away my frustrations. He was my refuge and resting place. He met me where I was and gave me the strength to continue and finish strong. Of course after He replenished me, He gave me time to sit and converse with two of the most amazing family members while they ate dinner. He is so good!
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