Reflections on Grace

I don't usually post personal reflections on this blog so much (that's usually reserved for my www.xanga.com/punksealkiller site), but for some reason, I decided to post these reflections here today. I don't know why, and I don't even know if anybody reads this blog, but...

"Was God smiling
when He spoke the words
that made the world?
Did He cry about the flood?
What does God's voice sound like
when He sings,
when He's angry?
These are just a few things,
that the angels have on me...
Well, I can't fly
(at least not yet),
I've got no halo on my head.
And I can't even start to picture
heaven's beauty!
But I've been shown the Father's love,
the grace of God has raised me up
to show me things the angels long to look into.
I know things the angels only wish they knew..."
(Angels Wish by Steven Curtis Chapman, "All Things New" album)

It's amazing. The servants of God who do not sin and were created strictly for His pleasure, as His servants, His creatures of obedience, the angels do not have the option of having the kind of relationship with God that we humans have. The angels have not sinned. They are perfectly created and are perfect (else they'd be kicked out of heaven). Yet we, who were created perfect but have rejected righteousness to pursue our own ways and deeds, have the chance to know and love the Heavenly Father in a sweet relationship that angels long to look into...(I Peter 1:10-12).

It amazes me. Amazes me beyond words. I find myself sinning so many times--I am anything but perfect, and today, when I knew I was sinning, it struck me very hard how beautiful and amazing this grace is. Grace. Forgiveness. Mercy. Love. All the things we do not deserve, yet He freely bestows them upon us who will accept His gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Gracious Father, may I be broken free from strongholds and weights that I might serve you more perfectly...not so that I am perfect (that won't be the case until I'm in heaven with you!), but so that I can bring you pleasure, and show the world in which I live how awesome and mighty and gracious you are!

"How can I live,
to show my world
the treasure of Jesus?"
(Steven Curtis Chapman, Treasure of Jesus from "All Things New")

The answer? Simple. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27). The practice, not so simple, but at least I know what I have to do...

Vision Trip 2008

Well, I certainly have failed at being consistent with this blog, but as I have another one I share personal thoughts/reflections/lessons from Scripture on, and have post regular personal/ministry updates on my own webpage, I guess it's not that surprising...

But for those of you who do happen to look here, I thought I'd update. :)

VISION TRIP 2008

I expect to be headed to the Philippines for a short time in the beginning of May to give some evangelistic concerts, then I will be headed to Australia for the summer!

I will be working with Villawood Baptist Church in the SW suburbs of Sydney for 6-8 weeks. I will be doing music/drama ministry in the church, as well as using those tools for outeach between services. I will also be doing street evangelism in Sydney and area, as well as working with some young adults/teens/children. I'll be helping with some ministries there, and am very excited about all of this! :)

After my time with the church in Sydney, I expect to be touring the country as well. I plan to visit various cities around the country to gain insight into the tastes and felt-needs of the people around Australia. I plan to go to: Brisbane, Byron Bay, Townsville, Canberra, Hobart (Tasmania), Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth & Darwin.

For more thorough information on my vision trip, please check out: http://www.unmaskedproductions.com/visiontripletter.html or you can view my archived updates speaking of my trip at: http://www.unmaskedproductions.com/march2008.html or http://www.unmaskedproductions.com/february2008.html

Thanks for looking in! :)

God bless each of you!

A Vision Trip

So, wow, it's been a long time since I posted on here. I need to keep this up better. We'll see... ;)

Right now I'm working hard on planning my Vision Trip to Australia this summer (their winter). I expect to be there just about 3 months. I plan to fly into Sydney somewhere around the 29th of May, and stay there until the end of July, then I plan to fly to Hobart, Tasmania, then back to Sydney, then set out on a journey with two different teams.



I anticipate visiting (with the first team): Byron Bay, Brisbane, & Townsville (along with going to the Australia Zoo & Lamington National Park), then heading off (with the second team) to Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth & Darwin (along with either Kakadu National Park or Litchfield National Park & Otway National Park [and of course the Great Ocean Road with a glimpse of the 12 Apostles]).

I expect to come back to the States somewhere around the 1st of September.

We'll see! :)

No Longer Looking

(Well, it has been quite a while since I last posted. Shame on me! Sorry, friends!)

A lot has happened since I last posted, of course. I joined a new church (the one I was attending last year this time), Northwoods Baptist Church of Tallahassee, Florida; I headed north in December to be a bridesmaid in my close friends' wedding (Ben & Sarah from Moody Bible Institute); I visited my brother, Raul, and his family in Wyoming, MI; I visited friends in Grand Rapids, MI & Chicago; I was in a local production, "Calamity Jane"; I directed the Easter musical (drama portion) at my church; I applied with FIM (Fellowship International Mission); I started working at Chick-Fil-A again; I visited friends in Chicago again; I backpacked across Europe (Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Russia!) this May; I had my interview with FIM in Allentown, PA; I visited my "adopted dad" Chet and his family in Bloomfield, New Jersey; I visited friends in St Louis area; I visited my 93-year-old Grandma in Lake Placid, Florida...yeah, those are the main highlights, I think...

Anyhow...since this is primarly my ministry blog, I will briefly share about my missions trip to Europe, and talk a little about FIM.

My best friend, Elizabeth, from Moody Bible Institute, and I backpacked across Europe, its true, but the main focus was on Russia because she wants to be a missionary to Russia. All along the way, however, we shared the Gospel with whomever we could! We had the great privilege of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with close to two dozen folks on trains, planes, buses, etc. all along the way! And in Russia, Elizabeth was able to learn much about the ministries in Russia and where she can hopefully best use her gifts and talents to share the word of God with the nationals.

As for FIM...after much prayer and consideration, I applied with them back in April. They have been such an encouragement to me from my initial contact with them, and I look forward to (hopefully) working with them in the future! I had a very enjoyable visit with the home office in Allentown, PA on June 4th (a few days after getting back to the States). I really enjoyed meeting everyone there (I'll confess, especially Rachel)!

Lord willing, I will attend Candidate training at the end of July and then begin raising support and recruiting for my Core Group for the ministry. I am SO excited to begin deputation (or support discovery, I think is what FIM calls it...?) and look forward to sharing the ministry with churches and people, as well as the opportunity for them to become involved in their own ways (prayer, finances, commitment to the team)!!!

It's hard to believe that I'm FINALLY starting to move towards Australia...it's quite intimidating, BUT the Lord is with me, and I know that He will never fail me!!! HOW AWESOME IT IS TO TRUST HIM WITH EVERYTHING!!!

May each of you be blessed and growing in your relationships with Christ! There is NOTHING like loving Him, serving Him, seeking Him and living for Him with all that you have and are!!! God bless you!

Searching for Missionsboards Still...

The IMB (International Mission Board--Southern Baptists) was one of the missionsboards I was investigating. Sadly, however, Australia is not an open field for them, and probably won't be very soon, and they most likely wouldn't open the field with a strictly evangelistic ministry, but would more likely open the field with church planting. So, I guess they're out.

I am still definitely looking at FIM. I'm also continuing the research into others, to make sure that I'm going to go with the BEST one for me...

Just yesterday I ran across the AICM (Alliance of Independent Christian Musicians). I have never heard of them before, but the doctrinal statement looks fairly sound. I sent an inquiry to see if they'd have any interest in Australia and a traveling music theater company...we'll see, I guess.

It's really quite interesting looking into missionsboards. There's such a diversity out there. Most of them don't have a broad enough avenue to allow for either my ministry or my field, so that's been somewhat frustrating. Oh, well. God will lead me to the right one. I know that FIM is broad enough, so that's one positive. :)

Ah, Labels and Letters...

I immensely enjoy designing things like stationary and address labels. Good thing, since I have to do it a lot for my prayer and support letters! I'm so glad I have such fun "Australia" graphics!

Today I have spent several hours getting things ready to mail. I have the stamps, the envelopes, the labels printed out (finally!), and now all I need is the letters. Oh, well...I'm working on them.

I also took my Mom's suggestion and printed out labels for all my prayer partners and supporters and stuck these labels in an address book. Sure saved a lot writing!

Now, to just finish those letters...

Happiness is a Didjeridu

At Northwoods Baptist Church, I have been teaching/directing kids' choir for a few weeks now, each Wednesday night. I started out with just the first through third graders, but now, it seems, I also have the pre-K kids, too. Quite the challenge, but a total blast!

Yesterday, I FINALLY bought a didjeridu (aboriginal Australian musical instrument)...AND some recorded music! Very exciting. So, I brought them to kids' choir. Blasting the didjeridu CD, I enjoyed a few minutes alone, reading the Bible, then kids started arriving, and teens and other children stopped in my classroom to look at the didjeridu. Oh, yeah. That was fun! :) I let each of the kids try her out, and they LOVED it!

Enjoy some photos of kids' choir, and the didjeridu. Oh, and the African Rainstick. :)

It's Official Now...

Today, I met with the assistant pastor at my old church and officially left it. BUT it was a good chat with him. :) And he's excited that I'm considering going to Australia with FIM. He used to serve on their board...how cool is that?

Soon (whenever they have the next membership class), I will join my new church, Northwoods Baptist Church of Tallahassee. http://www.sharethejoy.com. I'm excited! :)

The More We Talk...

The more I've talked to various folks in missions in Australia, and "regular" residents of Australia, the more I'm thinking I may need to go back to school real quick and get my teaching certificate...who would have ever thought it? Certainly not I...but, oh, well...if that's what God would have me do...

For those of you who pray for me, PLEASE pray that I would only do that if it's clearly God leading that way, not out of the desire to simply GO to Australia sooner than later...I want to go there SO badly, and I'm tempted to just stuff it and go, like in January...yeah...I'd appreciate your prayers on that! Thanks! :)