One, Two, Skip a Few...Hello September!
Hey all! Well these past few months have sure flown by! Actually, they seemed to be moving very slowly, but once I was on the other side looking back, it seemed like the blink of an eye- if that makes sense. Weather-wise, I was told that August would be the hottest driest month of the year. August and July ended up being the coldest months with a few wet spells. I'm not complaining though! It has since returned to VERY hot this week!
Anyway, I will try to keep this short since I'm sure you do not want to read every detail and it would take me too long to think back and try to remember everything! For the most part, I've been busy helping the teams from the States since they started coming in July. This year was the first year that teams bigger than 19 people came down (meaning they had to split in to two groups to take the little plane to Guayaramerin). The first team was around 30 people! They all stayed in Casa 3 where I live, and I enjoyed every minute of the company! I didn't hold many classes while the teams were here. I busied myself helping them with Bible schools, translation, and such. With the last team, I got to try my hand at "official translator" for the doctors. We did clinics and saw patients in the morning and afternoon for a week. It was mentally tiring, and sometimes English and Spanish mixed as I tried to switch back and forth. I learned a lot and realized that I still have SO much to learn! Each team was unique and I was equally sad as each one left. After being on multiple teams, I now know what it's like to be here once they've left. It's much like when you have company over to your house for a few days and they bring excitement and energy with them and when they leave it seems that they take that excitement, energy, and more with them and you have to return to normal life again. However many of the team members were from Pennsylvania so I hope to see them when I am home in December. Each time the teams left, all the kids would come up and ask me if I was going with them. It will be hard to leave them when it comes my turn to watch the home shrink into the distance.
Since the teams have left, I've been getting back into the routine of my English classes. I don't feel quite as organized as before the teams started coming and have been kind of "winging it" as far as classes go. Since we had so much time off, I've mainly been reviewing what we've learned over the months.
Another thing that happened before the teams came, in June, was my birthday! Long story short, I had a serenata, cake, and was doused in water by the kids. It was also the same weekend as the Pastor's birthday and the anniversary of the opening of Andrea's Home. Lots of celebrating that was followed up by a day in bed throwing up and not eating a thing. Not sure if the day after was a result of something I ate or just a bug I caught. Either way, I worried the ladies in the kitchen when I didn't show up for breakfast and when they came to my room and found out I was sick, they took good care of me by making me special tea and soup. They are such a blessing!
Anyway, I guess that brings us up to present. I am currently trying to make a lot of decisions for my future. Again. In the meantime, I am getting excited as the time for my visit back to the States and my brother's wedding, which is quickly approaching! Another exciting announcement is that I will be bringing my friend, Raven, back to Bolivia with me for the last two months! It will be great to have another person helping, bringing more creative ideas, energy, and enthusiasm!
Prayer Requests:
1) Like I said, I have a lot of decisions to make- college and whatnot. I need wisdom and the Lord's guidance!
2) Please pray for Raven and I as we work together the last 2 1/2 months to teach these kids. She has never been here and you can pray that she adjusts easily.
3) Continued prayers for my visa to come through. I will be leaving for the States in a little less than a month and my visa...well, it would probably be good to have it...
Devotional thoughts:
Random thought: Say God were here, in flesh, on earth and he wanted to meet with you. Would you dress you finest and carefully do your makeup and hair to look your best? But think. Think carefully. How silly is that really? Why are you going to cover up and paint what God had already called good? Do you think God will even see all of that? If he were to be concerned with the physical, don't you think He would want to see how you took care of the body he created? I don't think he would want to see how you've painted it, dressed it up, and altered it to your own liking. Our bodies are not OUR bodies. They belong to God. They were lend to us to take care of. We are stewards of our bodies, much like we are stewards of the animals and the earth. That means we shouldn't do as we please with our bodies- but what pleases God. Here's an analogy: A painter gives you a masterpiece and later wants to come and see how it looks in your home. However, when he arrives, he finds that you've drawn all over it because you thought it looked better that way. Or maybe its the lack of maintenance that is disappointing- you carelessly left it out in the rain and it is now wrinkly and covered in smudges and watermarks. Would you not be ashamed to show it to the artist after he had carefully and meticulously poured hours of his time into his masterpiece? Now it's nothing like it was meant to be. God created us, as we are, and considers us masterpieces. Nothing we add or change will make us more beautiful than we already are!
5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: 7 "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" "Selah" 10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. "Selah"
Psalm 77:4-15
Instead of dwelling on the hardships you are going through now, remember and thank God for what He has done and take encouragement from those memories!
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
We should give everything to God. Not just the bad, but the good. That way, you are not able to take the credit due to God. That way, people will see God in everything you do and give Him glory.
"Your wickedness will punish you; and your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me.' declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty." Jeremiah 2:19
How many of us can talk about the Lord nonchalantly with no reverence and no awe of Him? How often do we pass by His wonders without a second thought? Or even one thought directed to His greatness? We've grown so accustomed to hearing people talk about the Lord's greatness and power that it has ceased to affect us. We can even give a convincing speech on our God's greatness without really feeling or believing in our hearts. I know I'm guilty of it.
" 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, 'We are safe'- safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord." Jeremiah 7:9-10
We are the dullest of fools if we think that God cannot/does not see through our masks. He sees every action and every thought. Do we really think we can trick God into believing we love Him when what we are really doing is using His grace as an excuse to appease the desires of the flesh?
"This is what the Lord says:
'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
God's reply when Jeremiah questions His justice, complaining that the wicked are allowed to live freely and easily while the Lord continues to test the righteous:
"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" Jeremiah 12:5
Another random thought to end with: Surrendering to God is not simply asking God to do something big with your life and then continue to live a normal life. It is allowing yourself to be emptied until you're just a body- just a shell, and then letting God fill you with Himself. let Him fill you so that every fiber of you body, every thought, every word, and every actions is not just OF God but IS God- God working through you. This is not to become God- for there will still be a daily battle against the flesh. We are to take up our cross daily. We don't just do it once and have smooth sailing from there. It is a daily battle. however, God is for us and if we offer Him a willing Spirit, He will fight our battles and use us to bring Him glory!
God Bless!
Kirsten
Anyway, I will try to keep this short since I'm sure you do not want to read every detail and it would take me too long to think back and try to remember everything! For the most part, I've been busy helping the teams from the States since they started coming in July. This year was the first year that teams bigger than 19 people came down (meaning they had to split in to two groups to take the little plane to Guayaramerin). The first team was around 30 people! They all stayed in Casa 3 where I live, and I enjoyed every minute of the company! I didn't hold many classes while the teams were here. I busied myself helping them with Bible schools, translation, and such. With the last team, I got to try my hand at "official translator" for the doctors. We did clinics and saw patients in the morning and afternoon for a week. It was mentally tiring, and sometimes English and Spanish mixed as I tried to switch back and forth. I learned a lot and realized that I still have SO much to learn! Each team was unique and I was equally sad as each one left. After being on multiple teams, I now know what it's like to be here once they've left. It's much like when you have company over to your house for a few days and they bring excitement and energy with them and when they leave it seems that they take that excitement, energy, and more with them and you have to return to normal life again. However many of the team members were from Pennsylvania so I hope to see them when I am home in December. Each time the teams left, all the kids would come up and ask me if I was going with them. It will be hard to leave them when it comes my turn to watch the home shrink into the distance.
Since the teams have left, I've been getting back into the routine of my English classes. I don't feel quite as organized as before the teams started coming and have been kind of "winging it" as far as classes go. Since we had so much time off, I've mainly been reviewing what we've learned over the months.
Another thing that happened before the teams came, in June, was my birthday! Long story short, I had a serenata, cake, and was doused in water by the kids. It was also the same weekend as the Pastor's birthday and the anniversary of the opening of Andrea's Home. Lots of celebrating that was followed up by a day in bed throwing up and not eating a thing. Not sure if the day after was a result of something I ate or just a bug I caught. Either way, I worried the ladies in the kitchen when I didn't show up for breakfast and when they came to my room and found out I was sick, they took good care of me by making me special tea and soup. They are such a blessing!
Anyway, I guess that brings us up to present. I am currently trying to make a lot of decisions for my future. Again. In the meantime, I am getting excited as the time for my visit back to the States and my brother's wedding, which is quickly approaching! Another exciting announcement is that I will be bringing my friend, Raven, back to Bolivia with me for the last two months! It will be great to have another person helping, bringing more creative ideas, energy, and enthusiasm!
Prayer Requests:
1) Like I said, I have a lot of decisions to make- college and whatnot. I need wisdom and the Lord's guidance!
2) Please pray for Raven and I as we work together the last 2 1/2 months to teach these kids. She has never been here and you can pray that she adjusts easily.
3) Continued prayers for my visa to come through. I will be leaving for the States in a little less than a month and my visa...well, it would probably be good to have it...
Devotional thoughts:
Random thought: Say God were here, in flesh, on earth and he wanted to meet with you. Would you dress you finest and carefully do your makeup and hair to look your best? But think. Think carefully. How silly is that really? Why are you going to cover up and paint what God had already called good? Do you think God will even see all of that? If he were to be concerned with the physical, don't you think He would want to see how you took care of the body he created? I don't think he would want to see how you've painted it, dressed it up, and altered it to your own liking. Our bodies are not OUR bodies. They belong to God. They were lend to us to take care of. We are stewards of our bodies, much like we are stewards of the animals and the earth. That means we shouldn't do as we please with our bodies- but what pleases God. Here's an analogy: A painter gives you a masterpiece and later wants to come and see how it looks in your home. However, when he arrives, he finds that you've drawn all over it because you thought it looked better that way. Or maybe its the lack of maintenance that is disappointing- you carelessly left it out in the rain and it is now wrinkly and covered in smudges and watermarks. Would you not be ashamed to show it to the artist after he had carefully and meticulously poured hours of his time into his masterpiece? Now it's nothing like it was meant to be. God created us, as we are, and considers us masterpieces. Nothing we add or change will make us more beautiful than we already are!
5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart mused and my spirit inquired: 7 "Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" "Selah" 10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal: the years of the right hand of the Most High." 11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. 13 Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. "Selah"
Psalm 77:4-15
Instead of dwelling on the hardships you are going through now, remember and thank God for what He has done and take encouragement from those memories!
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10
"Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." Psalm 115:1
We should give everything to God. Not just the bad, but the good. That way, you are not able to take the credit due to God. That way, people will see God in everything you do and give Him glory.
"Your wickedness will punish you; and your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me.' declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty." Jeremiah 2:19
How many of us can talk about the Lord nonchalantly with no reverence and no awe of Him? How often do we pass by His wonders without a second thought? Or even one thought directed to His greatness? We've grown so accustomed to hearing people talk about the Lord's greatness and power that it has ceased to affect us. We can even give a convincing speech on our God's greatness without really feeling or believing in our hearts. I know I'm guilty of it.
" 'Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, 'We are safe'- safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord." Jeremiah 7:9-10
We are the dullest of fools if we think that God cannot/does not see through our masks. He sees every action and every thought. Do we really think we can trick God into believing we love Him when what we are really doing is using His grace as an excuse to appease the desires of the flesh?
"This is what the Lord says:
'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
God's reply when Jeremiah questions His justice, complaining that the wicked are allowed to live freely and easily while the Lord continues to test the righteous:
"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" Jeremiah 12:5
Another random thought to end with: Surrendering to God is not simply asking God to do something big with your life and then continue to live a normal life. It is allowing yourself to be emptied until you're just a body- just a shell, and then letting God fill you with Himself. let Him fill you so that every fiber of you body, every thought, every word, and every actions is not just OF God but IS God- God working through you. This is not to become God- for there will still be a daily battle against the flesh. We are to take up our cross daily. We don't just do it once and have smooth sailing from there. It is a daily battle. however, God is for us and if we offer Him a willing Spirit, He will fight our battles and use us to bring Him glory!
God Bless!
Kirsten
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