Looking at God's Will: "Obedience to the Heavenly Vision"

Obedience to the Heavenly Vision is a short book written by Sam Doherty, the former CEF co-director of Ireland and regional director of Europe along with his wife Sadie. I read it as a part of my support-raising training through CEF, but even if it hadn't been assigned, hopefully I would have picked it up at some point and read it through. I can't tell you how encouraging it was to me!

As I read Obedience, the personal nature of God’s vision stood out to me. Sometimes I’ve been frustrated with God’s call: why are there things He asks me but doesn’t ask my friends? Why does He send them through one route and me through another? I’m like the pot that asks its creator, why have you made me like this? I also frequently wonder if I’ve botched things up enough so that God will give up on me and take His vision elsewhere. But when I doubt my place in His plan, He continues to bring things into my life to remind me how He brought me into ministry, and that my place is here until He takes me out – things like this book.

For someone who tends to pressure herself and compare herself to others, it is liberating to read that His purpose in sending His vision isn’t merely for me to complete a task, nor is it to make me more like someone else. Rather, His revelation is to help me understand who He is; His purpose is to draw me closer to Him. Whatever God has for me will look different in some ways from what He gives to others, in the same way He made me different in looks and personality. Through this plan, He shows me that He values me, that He understands me better than I understand myself, and that His purpose for me is specific.

What about predestination?

One of my new friends sent me a short question today, asking for my thoughts on predestination. You know, just a little conversation starter. :)

I've thought about it often and at length, but it's still so hard to formulate an adequate discussion on God's role in our lives and eternal destinies.

Five days at headquarters

Driving through Iowa is more fun than most people realize. There's a great deal of sky that you don't see when you live in a river valley, and if you drive over half the state in one day, you get to see the sky a variety of colors. I passed an Amish event (the farmyard looked like a sale lot for carriages), I got stuck behind the slowest Missouri driver I've ever seen, and I saw a set of crosses with an empty, open tomb below; a statue of Jesus standing in front of it with his hands raised to heaven. This was in southern Iowa, arguably the top of the Bible belt.

I feel blessed to drive through Iowa on my way to and from Missouri this week, and not just for the beautiful sunlight and scenery. I got to visit my grandmother on the way down, and she seems to be doing well, despite the health difficulties and chemotherapy treatments. My grandfather I didn't get to see. He's back in the hospital and I don't know if he'll be out for Thanksgiving. It's starting to hit home for me that their days on earth are not long, and what they have left is going to be difficult for them and all the family around them. I cried much of the way to headquarters after that visit, which means that (yay for pale skin!) my eyelids are STILL puffy and darkly circular three days later.

Admittedly, it wasn't the best way to start my week at missionary candidate school, but the first official day was still excellent. I met a couple of my fellow candidates at breakfast, and we got to chat during prayer card photos. I've seen our former state director at meals (she now works at headquarters), and a couple of friends who are working here now have stopped to talk with me in the halls.

Thoughts on "The Indomitable Mr. O", by Norman Rohrer

    Life is hard when a person denies love; when they can't accept grace and insist on being enough by themselves. This seems to be a theme in the story of J. Irvin Overholtzer; he refused his parents' help and love (even when he desperately needed it), he doubted his salvation was “perfect” enough since it relied on his deeds, and he doubted whether he should even seek converts since “the best I had to offer them was to... start working for their salvation as I was doing” (The Indomitable Mr. O, pg. 57). I think that to begin (and continue) a relationship with Christ means admitting brokenness and a personal inability to face life's challenges. But even more painful is knowing that love is just around the corner, and still choosing to stay right where you are. Mr. O learned that the hard way.

Things continue

My two comrades-in-arms, Faith and Kyla.
We got to work together at training, and since
then we've been running three different directions!

Now that summer is nearly over, I'm struggling to keep my eyes ahead.

All I really want to do is look back on the last few months and say, "Whew! I'm done!" But I need to plan and prepare for what's ahead, or else what's ahead will jump out at me like so many things this summer. I don't want that.

For God's Global Mission

   Over Christmas break last year (2013 already -- I know right?), I was privileged to go to St. Louis for Intervarsity Christian Fellowship's mission conference, URBANA '12.   It was similar to being a drop of paint, fallen into a bucket of swirled colors: a little overwhelming and incredibly bright, but invigorating, inspiring... and humbling.

   One of the first things Calisto Odede, the keynote speaker, spoke on, was Jesus' mission statement in Luke 4. Jesus had come to zoom in on the real problems of individuals, and to change their lives completely. It made people upset, however, that he addressed problems other than the ones they brought to him. They didn't recognize him for who he was, but instead of changing their view, they blamed him for not being what they expected. 

   This wonderful sermon gave me a goal for the conference: to not expect God to be what I wanted him to be, but expect him to do his work his way for his glory. I didn't meet the goal with any sort of ease, however; nor did I meet it with a large measure of success...but that you shall see later on. 

   The first morning we spent in St. Louis, I wrote in my notebook: God has things for me here that aren't what I came for. I had told myself I was willing to follow him whatever he asked, but I assumed (in big things and small, hardly significant decisions) that I knew already what he wanted from me. Urbana has God's word has shaken me up quite a bit. 

The stadium, filling with IV students and future missionaries

Myself and my bff Hannah, fresh off a 6+ hour car ride

Some Good Reasons

  After you've done something once, the odds of you doing it again usually increase... even when you have a bad experience!

  My first year of Christian Youth in Action® (CYIA™) was not the best -- when people asked me, I said I doubted I'd be back for a second year. However, God had other plans. :)

  Some of our summer missionaries this year have questioned their own motives, and struggled to find God's voice in the tumult of everyday life. But from what I've heard them say, they all have excellent reasons for coming back this summer...

Faithfully

All educators must learn this. So must politicians, surgeons, parents, lovers, musicians, law enforcement officials, and students.

The thing we share, and all must master, is faithfulness.

To be faithful is to maintain your commitment to something or someone, whatever the circumstances or feelings you experience.

An educator has to be faithful to the people they teach, not filling their minds with useless knowledge, but guiding them into hard work and achievement.

A politician has to be faithful to their constituency's needs and desires and accurately meet them.

Surgeons and parents have similar jobs, as they remove the bad and strengthen the good. To make their work count, they have to follow through once they begin.

Lovers must learn to be faithful to each other to see their relationship grow, and musicians must practice their instrument in order to increase their ability with it.

Policemen and women have to uphold the law the same every time, no matter how painful.

Students (such as myself) have to consistently work at their studies to pass classes and graduate.

Despite the overwhelming need for faithfulness in our world, I have to admit that I am not very good at it. I am   inconsistent; I avoid challenges; I don't do things when "I don't feel like it."

But the last few weeks God has challenged me to remain faithful to Him and to the ministry to which He has called me. I have made a commitment. Now all that remains to be seen is, will I be faithful to it?

Conversations with CYIA-ers

            This week I had a wonderful conversation with one of my Christian Youth in Action friends, who is looking forward to her second year of training. This young lady can’t wait to learn how to teach a Bible lesson, although she has taught a couple in a Good News Club already—and quite well, I might add! She’ll also be joining the teens and adults for Good News Across America in the future, to “blitz” cities with 5-day clubs. She said she’s never done anything like that before, going away from her family for such a long missions trip! 

         Another of the CYIA teens I talked to recently is thinking of attending TCE (Teaching Children Effectively) class this year. 

Isaiah's Commission | My Commission | Your Commission

In Isaiah 6, God shares his terrible judgement and hard news for His people with the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah saw God's holiness and was overwhelmed by his sins and those of his people. He also saw that only God could make him fit for service, as a seraph touches Isaiah's lips with a coal and says "your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" (v. 6-7).


The commission God gave to him was not an easy one for Isaiah to carry out, but he was willing to be used of God, no matter the task. God's will, it seems, has little or nothing to do with the desires or disposition of his vessel. His sovereignty and holiness make it incredible that he would put broken vessels to use in his perfect plan.

This reading had particular meaning to me as I thought about the teacher training I helped lead on Saturday. The teachers who came were so earnest in their desire to lead people to Christ that I was ashamed. They were eagerly responding to the call, "whom shall I send?" I hope they left our sessions feeling encouraged - I myself left feeling challenged by their questions and interest.

Am I willing to be used as a broken vessel in God's service; no thoughts for myself, but only thoughts for the person and message of Christ?

"Christian Youth in Action" in a parent's words

I can talk for hours or days on end about the things CEF and Christian Youth in Action do to evangelize to children and to disciple teenagers. But I love hearing from other people - and sharing their stories as well. Here with a parent's take on things is... full disclosure... my mother. According to her, Christian Youth in Action has a lasting impact.

I have 3 daughters who have participated in CYIA and [I] have gotten to know several other CYIA teens over the years. Here are a few of the reasons I highly recommend CYIA.

The training at CYIA is exceptional. The teens are extremely well equipped to teach children the truth of the Gospel. Beyond that, the teens gain confidence in communicating with all age groups. They also come to understand that it is God who works to draw people to Himself. They become excited about God's work and humbled as they see Him accomplish His purpose through them.

This excitement goes well beyond 5-day clubs, as [the teens] have an increased awareness of God's work in everyone around them. All the teens I've spoken with have appreciated the friendships they have built with like-minded young people. I believe this experience encourages the teens to continue to seek such friendships outside of CYIA. 

Spoiler alert: THE WAY = Jesus

So there Jesus was, about to die. He and his friends were finishing up some last-minute gospel teaching, but Jesus' message wasn't quite getting through to his friends.

"I will be with you only a little longer," Jesus said.

Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"

Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."

Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

Peter wasn't the only one with questions: after Jesus told his disciples that he would take them where he was going one day, and that they knew the way to that place, Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

Jesus didn't expect that his disciples had some sort of magical GPS that told them how to get to unknown destinations, but he did expect that they knew him, at least a little bit.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How small is your strength! (Proverbs 24:10)

Sometimes I realize how completely lost and hopeless I am. It's not like I want to be a fool, but sometimes I really am a fool.

Western Wisconsin, here I come! -- Oh wait. I'm already here!

I've just come on staff with Child Evangelism Fellowship.

This is crazy exciting!!

Exciting Stuff!

265 children were reached during the La Crosse Interstate Fair with 85 professing faith in Jesus Christ. Exciting?? Yes!

One more exciting thing: they were reached by teenagers from Western Wisconsin!

When you put those two things together, you may see what I see...

Well. A new opportunity and call has presented itself this spring.

Over the past three summers, I've been training and teaching with Child Evangelism Fellowship to spread the gospel to kids in western Wisconsin. This year I won’t be training to teach kids… I’ll be helping train their teachers!

Where Bethel Actually Quotes an Evita Song

I just discovered an entry in my diary from January:

"One semester of college down!
And no more to go? For now?
I don't know. I wish God would lead me through
everything, but it seems like he's left me to my own devices for now."

Just when you think there are no alternatives left...

That journal entry was written just two weeks before I got accepted at the last minute into my hometown college, where I'm currently taking six credits worth of classes.

It seems that God wants me there, participating in solid Christian fellowship this semester.

I guess now I'm wondering will I be fruitful here? I haven't trusted God - I haven't been abandoning myself to him for so long, I can hardly remember what it feels like. I don't remember the firm pressure of his guidance, like a heavy hand on my shoulder, steering me.

"Where do we go from here?
What do we do for our dream to survive...
How do we keep all our passions alive
As we used to do?"
- Evita