Surrendering... Again.

This past week we had a group from Georgia come to be with us. To create team unity and ¨start our day off ´right´¨ we had morning devotionals. Yesterday´s was about Jonah and how despite his running away from the call God had given him, God sought him out and used him. Although in a different way than Jonah, I have been ¨running away¨from a problem that I have had for the past few years now. That problem was that I couldn´t get past my past.

When I was in high school I got really involved in a Southern Baptist church. That was around the same time that I felt my call to full-time foreign missions and took a step in that direction by going to Swaziland, Africa for one month. So, I was seeking the LORD and learning about new aspects of His character but as I was doing that and sharing it with other people I got shut down (to say the least). Things that I was finding to be true by revelation from the Word and by my own experience were either completely ignored or I was told that they were untrue. Because of that and other things, I was completely devastated and I hardened my heart towards that denomination. And up until now I never surrendered that over to God (which can be a problem if you go to a Southern Baptist university...).

Flash forward to this week: A bus load of Southern Baptists came to Bolivia that we were told to serve and be blessed by. We worked with them and helped them with their VBS-type activities and translated for them, and that entire time God was working in me to relinquish my past (and, to be really honest, I took it out on them). It actually took me until the last day with them before I surrendered my past hurt and anger to God--looking back on the week and the past few years, I wish I would have done that sooner.

Through the week I learned another valuable lesson: It would be really easy for me to say something like, ¨Well, those people that hurt me weren´t Christians.¨ But, I think they were. And it was good to be taught and challenged to see/understand that the Church is filled with people who fall short, but by the grace of God we have been made blameless (notice that that doesn´t mean ¨sinless¨). So, sometimes I´m gonig to be put down by people in the Church, but when that happens I need to immediately surrender that to God (and not wait a few years...).

Grace and peace,
Margaret

*Thanks for baring with me as I tell you about the things God is doing in me this summer. It is really good for me to be able to share this with you and to be encouraged by you.

*Keep in mind that this isn´t all that has been happening! We´ve seen healings and decisions made for Christ! We´ve been encouragers to Christians and non-Christians alike, and I´ve been amazed by the depth of Christ´s love for all people.

I love you guys.

God is Love.

In Luke 19 the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke his disciples for praising God loudly for the miracles he had done and Jesus responded, Ïf they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.¨ God will be praised regardless of whether I do it or not, but I really am glad to be praising Him right now. The ¨theme¨ of this trip is ¨The easiest thing to do is nothing.¨ And, that´s what I´ve been learning this week.
This week a woman asked that 4 members of out team would go with her to the women´s prison here in Cochabamba. After praying about it I was given a word to speak to them, but I kind of ignored it... Until two others from my team came to me and told me that God had told them that I was to give the same message. So, I went... Here is part my journal entry from that day:

¨We went to the prison. Everyone that spoke spoke with authority and we embodied our ¨Team verse¨ Joshua 1:9: ¨Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with youwherever you go.¨ And when we did that, women from every background gathered to hear the Word. The Holy Spirit came and spoke through our mouths about His love and desire to reconcile us to Himself. Women were brought to tears.

At the end of out time there, a Bolivian woman named Anna came to me and spoke blessing into my life and prayed over me. In a time where I wasn´t necessarily sure if I had made the right decision to come to Bolivia, her sweet, Spanish words were exactly what I needed to hear.¨

God is doing absolutely incredible things in Bolivia--in and through me. I can honestly say now that by the grace of God today I am confident that He has brought me here for a purpose.

Grace and peace,
Margaret

*I got a haircut... In our kitchen. It was completely and totally necessary.
*I haven´t eaten guinea pig... YET.
*Thank you for your prayers. My spirit was really lifted this week and in large part because of your intercession on my behalf. I love you all and miss you.

Surrender

When I left behind my family and friends and comforts and food (:)), I didn't really understand what that meant until I got to Atlanta and I realized that I wasn't going to be able to call my mom or Skype my friends or hug one of the kids at the park. And when I came to that realization I wish I could say that I immediately relinquished my control of those things. I wish I could say that I said "Lord, I choose youabove my comforts and my family." However, I just really did not do that. So, I've struggled the past few days with leaving those things behind until yesterday morning God spoke to me and told me two pretty significant things: 1) I can't find my identity and comfort in other people--only in Him and 2) if I surrender thoise things over to Him He will do exceedingly abundant things in my life, in my relationships with my teammates, and in the lives of the people of Bolivia. So today I am leaving from Atlanta for Bolivia believing that God is going to provide for us and the nation of Bolivia in part because of that surrender.
Please pray for me as I stuggle through that--that I would be more willing to surrender.

*Sidenote: I'm going to be updating once/week and so is my team!!! There is a team blog that you can read at bolivia.adventures.com. And, pictures are to come. :-)

I love you guys!
Grace and peace,
Margaret

I am in Need

Yesterday I was flipping through my Bible trying to find a passage to read (I'm in between book/chapter readings, so I've been doing that for the past few days), and I came across Psalm 147. I got as far as verse 3 before I got really emotional and had to stop and really think about what I was reading:

"The LORD builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

... I found that really encouraging. God doesn't necessarily call the rich or perfect or secure to Him, but He calls the poor and broken and destitute...

He calls me.

I'm going to Bolivia in three days. My life is chaotic and messy. I'm broken and in need. Yet, for some (I'm sure) incredibly awesome reason, He wants to use me to do great things for His kingdom. He wants to use me, someone absolutely ridiculous, to bring Him glory--and I think that that is beautiful. In three days I'm leaving for Bolivia to be a part of the lives of some really beautiful people this summer. And I'm going with the belief that God is going to use me there and refine me in the process.

This is the city I'll be in. It is home to the largest statue of Jesus in the world (33 ft high--1 ft for each year of His life).

Thank you for reading this, and for partnering with me in prayer.

Grace and peace,

Margaret