Sunrise over the lake.
Pastor Elaine has been doing a sermon series called 'Lead Me On'. She is an awesome preacher at normal times but for this series God has been really speaking through her in powerful ways - at least to me. I missed her sermon two Sundays ago because I was in childrens church but we have the recording ordered because Tim said it was so awesome. This past Sunday night she preached on sacrificing and doing. I know that some of you out there who come from a similar background as me are skeptical of female pastors because of the legalism that is in some churches relating to females in leadership roles in the church. You need to read your bible in context and take that up with God, I'm not going to discuss this topic here.
So Pastor Elaine was preaching away in her passionate manner and God was speaking to me. I had been worried about this week since Tuesday (yesterday) was my last day of work and I was afraid that I was going to fall into the depression that I often feel when I am between jobs. Basically a feeling hopelessness and like I have a wasted degree that I'm never going to use. It's really easy for me to fall into that and get down and end up moping around and not doing anything. It's really hard on Tim too. I was also sad to be leaving my job because I have loved this job and it has been really rewarding.
At the end of her sermon she asked everyone to seek God and find out what he was telling us about sacrifice. Can you sacrifice your time to help someone out? Your money, your possessions, your pride, your income, your tv shows...anything really. After that to seek what we're going to do about it. Will we tutor lower income family's kids for free? Will we volunteer in the community? Will we donate to charity? Will we be a welcoming group where others who are a little different from us feel comfortable hanging out with us? Will we visit the lonely? Will we stick up for Jesus at work? Will we follow God's leading to a lesser paying job so that we can share about Jesus in that place? There's really no limit to what we could do, the only limit is our creativity.
So as I was praying about this I really felt challenged in the doing area. I felt that God said to me it is a sacrifice for me to be living here, away from family and friends in a unfriendly climate, but that he brought me here to DO. It's so easy for me to stay at home and play Batman Lego (on PS2 ... not with lego blocks...) with Tim rather than visit our friends who we know are lonely. It's easy for me to sleep in the morning rather then get up and seek God's will for my day. It's so easy to say 'thanks' when someone complements something I have, rather then saying 'why don't you take it'. It's so easy to hang out with the church young adults that are part of the 'popular crowd' rather than hang out with those who don't really fit the mould. It's so easy to bake muffins and bread for myself rather than give it away.
When Tim came down from the drums we went to our favourite coffee shop...the only coffee shop - Tim Hortons - and had a chat about what God was speaking to us on this topic. We both really felt that God was challenging us more in the DO area than in the SACRIFICE area - but for one thing. (I have been challenged on this more than once in my life) That this is sleep. I love my sleep, I really do. I can go to bed at 11 and wake up at 9 and not feel like I slept too much. I can have a nap in the afternoon and not feel guilty. When I was working at 9 am I would get up at 8 (or later if I felt I didn't need a shower!), Tim was long gone to work by this time, he leaves at 7. When he kisses me goodbye I am normally semi conscious for 10 seconds and then back asleep.
So, we felt that God was calling us to something more. He was challenging us to wake up, seek him and pray and read the word, before Tim went to work. This, my friends, is a huge sacrifice for me. Getting out of my warm bed at 5:30 in the morning when I didn't have to work until 9...or not at all? Man oh man... we both thought it was impossible for me.
But we were willing to give it our best effort. We went to bed around 10:30 Sunday night, set our alarms for 5:15 and prayed that God would supernaturally wake me up enough to concentrate and function and reflect on Him. Monday morning came and it was successful! I woke up - I was actually awake! It was wonderful to be up with Tim before work and eat breakfast together. We decided to follow one of the Bible reading plans in his bible and to focus our prayers on certain topics (and of course what ever God laid on our hearts). I had the energy to update my blog and do my workout before work! I felt great. We were out Monday night late and didn't get to bed until midnight...Tuesday morning I was semi awake and crashed as soon as Tim got up from the sofa to get brakfast. I slept until I had to get up for work. Tuesday night we went to bed at a reasonable hour and prayed for help again. That brings us to this morning. We were up by 6 and down on the sofa with the Bible in hand. Praise the Lord! We ate together and Tim went to work. I've been on the computer since and soon I think I will do my workout! So far so good (for the most part).
It's definitely hard for me but it's so nice to have a time together that's not going to be interrupted by anyone or anything. Time that we can just focus on God and grow in our relationships with Him. Tim has even gotten to share with one of his co-workers about it already. Pray for us, especially me, in this because it's so imporant. The times I've been closest to God is when I have taken regular quiet times (while being a missionary for the most part) and it so makes a difference in my everyday life. I want to be a missionary here but I need to take that time with God so I can know his heart for this place.
I honestly can't believe it's only 8:30 right now! Awesome! And if you want to listen to some interesting CBC radio then turn it on at 5:30...
Pastor Elaine has been doing a sermon series called 'Lead Me On'. She is an awesome preacher at normal times but for this series God has been really speaking through her in powerful ways - at least to me. I missed her sermon two Sundays ago because I was in childrens church but we have the recording ordered because Tim said it was so awesome. This past Sunday night she preached on sacrificing and doing. I know that some of you out there who come from a similar background as me are skeptical of female pastors because of the legalism that is in some churches relating to females in leadership roles in the church. You need to read your bible in context and take that up with God, I'm not going to discuss this topic here.So Pastor Elaine was preaching away in her passionate manner and God was speaking to me. I had been worried about this week since Tuesday (yesterday) was my last day of work and I was afraid that I was going to fall into the depression that I often feel when I am between jobs. Basically a feeling hopelessness and like I have a wasted degree that I'm never going to use. It's really easy for me to fall into that and get down and end up moping around and not doing anything. It's really hard on Tim too. I was also sad to be leaving my job because I have loved this job and it has been really rewarding.
At the end of her sermon she asked everyone to seek God and find out what he was telling us about sacrifice. Can you sacrifice your time to help someone out? Your money, your possessions, your pride, your income, your tv shows...anything really. After that to seek what we're going to do about it. Will we tutor lower income family's kids for free? Will we volunteer in the community? Will we donate to charity? Will we be a welcoming group where others who are a little different from us feel comfortable hanging out with us? Will we visit the lonely? Will we stick up for Jesus at work? Will we follow God's leading to a lesser paying job so that we can share about Jesus in that place? There's really no limit to what we could do, the only limit is our creativity.
So as I was praying about this I really felt challenged in the doing area. I felt that God said to me it is a sacrifice for me to be living here, away from family and friends in a unfriendly climate, but that he brought me here to DO. It's so easy for me to stay at home and play Batman Lego (on PS2 ... not with lego blocks...) with Tim rather than visit our friends who we know are lonely. It's easy for me to sleep in the morning rather then get up and seek God's will for my day. It's so easy to say 'thanks' when someone complements something I have, rather then saying 'why don't you take it'. It's so easy to hang out with the church young adults that are part of the 'popular crowd' rather than hang out with those who don't really fit the mould. It's so easy to bake muffins and bread for myself rather than give it away.
When Tim came down from the drums we went to our favourite coffee shop...the only coffee shop - Tim Hortons - and had a chat about what God was speaking to us on this topic. We both really felt that God was challenging us more in the DO area than in the SACRIFICE area - but for one thing. (I have been challenged on this more than once in my life) That this is sleep. I love my sleep, I really do. I can go to bed at 11 and wake up at 9 and not feel like I slept too much. I can have a nap in the afternoon and not feel guilty. When I was working at 9 am I would get up at 8 (or later if I felt I didn't need a shower!), Tim was long gone to work by this time, he leaves at 7. When he kisses me goodbye I am normally semi conscious for 10 seconds and then back asleep.
So, we felt that God was calling us to something more. He was challenging us to wake up, seek him and pray and read the word, before Tim went to work. This, my friends, is a huge sacrifice for me. Getting out of my warm bed at 5:30 in the morning when I didn't have to work until 9...or not at all? Man oh man... we both thought it was impossible for me.
But we were willing to give it our best effort. We went to bed around 10:30 Sunday night, set our alarms for 5:15 and prayed that God would supernaturally wake me up enough to concentrate and function and reflect on Him. Monday morning came and it was successful! I woke up - I was actually awake! It was wonderful to be up with Tim before work and eat breakfast together. We decided to follow one of the Bible reading plans in his bible and to focus our prayers on certain topics (and of course what ever God laid on our hearts). I had the energy to update my blog and do my workout before work! I felt great. We were out Monday night late and didn't get to bed until midnight...Tuesday morning I was semi awake and crashed as soon as Tim got up from the sofa to get brakfast. I slept until I had to get up for work. Tuesday night we went to bed at a reasonable hour and prayed for help again. That brings us to this morning. We were up by 6 and down on the sofa with the Bible in hand. Praise the Lord! We ate together and Tim went to work. I've been on the computer since and soon I think I will do my workout! So far so good (for the most part).
It's definitely hard for me but it's so nice to have a time together that's not going to be interrupted by anyone or anything. Time that we can just focus on God and grow in our relationships with Him. Tim has even gotten to share with one of his co-workers about it already. Pray for us, especially me, in this because it's so imporant. The times I've been closest to God is when I have taken regular quiet times (while being a missionary for the most part) and it so makes a difference in my everyday life. I want to be a missionary here but I need to take that time with God so I can know his heart for this place.
I honestly can't believe it's only 8:30 right now! Awesome! And if you want to listen to some interesting CBC radio then turn it on at 5:30...
