they lyrics to that song ring through my head at all times now. when i was in myanmar (during january and february of 2011) with an amazing group of people, that was the song we sang every morning to begin our day of service, and the song we sang everyday to end the day of service. the last day, it was all i could do to get through this song. tears pillowed under my eyes, and my voice could not seem to escape my mouth to lift these words up. there's an indescribable bond that forms amongst people who serve on missions together, and a tie your spirit forms to that land. i left myanmar more blessed than i am sure i blessed others there. the Lord seems to do that, out of His great love for us, in our service to others, He magnifies this joy within us, and love springs out of our heart as an uncontainable geyser.
i spent two weeks last summer in africa (ethiopia and uganda), and my heart was stolen. ever since, my feet have desired to tread upon african soil again, and my heart has called out to the precious orphans and people of that land. i've known in my heart that is where i am meant to be, to serve, to love, to be His hands and feet, but did not know when this was to be realized. that time has come. the Lord has brought a blessed opportunity to me to return to africa to love on those in ethiopia and rwanda, and then even more blessed am i to be able to stay in uganda when the team i am serving with returns after the two weeks there. my heart leaps with an joy i cannot describe at this, and i am swept up in a whirlwind of emotions of love, joy, and eagerness of spirit to serve and love. with this love of Christ in my heart, this love that fills me, that has captured me, that has called my soul His own, how can that not spill out onto others? how can that not spill out into what my life is? it must. His love fills me up so, it fills me and spills out, and i desire nothing more than to be His hands and feet that hug, hold, love and encourage some of the 43 million orphans of africa.
i am trusting the Lord to provide for all my needs in this. He is my rock, my provider, my healer, my comforter, He is the one that sends me. i will be updating this as time leads to my departure for africa, and then maintaining it while i am there. please join me in prayer. prayer for health, provision, and just a blessing that many would feel a love of Christ that we know.
i am sending out my support letters for this journey, and hope that you not only feel called to offer what financial support is possible, but also, even more importantly, support of prayer. i feel the prayers of all those when i am serving in missions, and love the assurance this gives me. His spirit dwells amongst us, and what more can i ask for? :)
it's easy to develop the mindset of "you can't change the world". but we can change somebody's world. and that's good enough. through sickness, disease, lacking, desperation, death, oppression, war, and trails and turmoil, love marches on. love fights, love supports, love is there to hold a hand, support a head, kiss a cheek, and rock to sleep. love is there to say, we are in the Maker's hand, and His love has bought us an eternal life that cannot be taken. His love has rescued us, and His love conquers all fear, death, war and disease. that's what my heart knows: war and pain and hunger and sickness may come, but it will go, and love marches on.
i will update as regularly as i can, and hope you find encouragement in this as well, and maybe even are moved to live out james 1:27 with me:
"pure and undefiled religion in the sigh of our God is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress"
thank you. :)
i spent two weeks last summer in africa (ethiopia and uganda), and my heart was stolen. ever since, my feet have desired to tread upon african soil again, and my heart has called out to the precious orphans and people of that land. i've known in my heart that is where i am meant to be, to serve, to love, to be His hands and feet, but did not know when this was to be realized. that time has come. the Lord has brought a blessed opportunity to me to return to africa to love on those in ethiopia and rwanda, and then even more blessed am i to be able to stay in uganda when the team i am serving with returns after the two weeks there. my heart leaps with an joy i cannot describe at this, and i am swept up in a whirlwind of emotions of love, joy, and eagerness of spirit to serve and love. with this love of Christ in my heart, this love that fills me, that has captured me, that has called my soul His own, how can that not spill out onto others? how can that not spill out into what my life is? it must. His love fills me up so, it fills me and spills out, and i desire nothing more than to be His hands and feet that hug, hold, love and encourage some of the 43 million orphans of africa.
i am trusting the Lord to provide for all my needs in this. He is my rock, my provider, my healer, my comforter, He is the one that sends me. i will be updating this as time leads to my departure for africa, and then maintaining it while i am there. please join me in prayer. prayer for health, provision, and just a blessing that many would feel a love of Christ that we know.
i am sending out my support letters for this journey, and hope that you not only feel called to offer what financial support is possible, but also, even more importantly, support of prayer. i feel the prayers of all those when i am serving in missions, and love the assurance this gives me. His spirit dwells amongst us, and what more can i ask for? :)
it's easy to develop the mindset of "you can't change the world". but we can change somebody's world. and that's good enough. through sickness, disease, lacking, desperation, death, oppression, war, and trails and turmoil, love marches on. love fights, love supports, love is there to hold a hand, support a head, kiss a cheek, and rock to sleep. love is there to say, we are in the Maker's hand, and His love has bought us an eternal life that cannot be taken. His love has rescued us, and His love conquers all fear, death, war and disease. that's what my heart knows: war and pain and hunger and sickness may come, but it will go, and love marches on.
i will update as regularly as i can, and hope you find encouragement in this as well, and maybe even are moved to live out james 1:27 with me:
"pure and undefiled religion in the sigh of our God is this, to visit widows and orphans in their distress"
thank you. :)
1 comment:
YEAH CARMEN!!!! I am sooo excited for you!!!
God will be with you all along the way!!!
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