Fellow bloggers Nick and Jaklin also kept a record of our trip to Uganda. Click here to read about our trip through their eyes.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Thank You
Dear Friends,
I have been back from Uganda for about 3 weeks, and I want to thank you for joining me on this trip through your prayers and encouragement. It was a great honour for me to go and see in person what God is doing in Uganda. Thank you for participating in His work there through your prayers! The people of Uganda thank you!
I hope you all get a chance to view my pictures (if you need the links to the online photo albums, let me know). I feel that they really tell the story of what I saw and did better than I can tell you in words. However, I do plan to update my blog with a few stories from the trip.
Here's a few pictures for you:
I have been back from Uganda for about 3 weeks, and I want to thank you for joining me on this trip through your prayers and encouragement. It was a great honour for me to go and see in person what God is doing in Uganda. Thank you for participating in His work there through your prayers! The people of Uganda thank you!
I hope you all get a chance to view my pictures (if you need the links to the online photo albums, let me know). I feel that they really tell the story of what I saw and did better than I can tell you in words. However, I do plan to update my blog with a few stories from the trip.
Here's a few pictures for you:
My sisters in Kampala, at Church on the Rock
Acholi children attending class in a mud school in Bul Kur
Me with Desire, who is both a teacher and the local health officer in Bul Kur
Our team in front of the new Galileo School
Desire and I in clinic, bandaging this man's foot wound
Elephants drinking from the Nile River
With love,
Katie Joy
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Gulu
Hi everyone! I am writing this from the Gulu in northern Uganda. My team and I made it up here on Monday afternoon- it was quite the road trip. We crossed the Nile river, saw baboons on the side of the road, and had what felt like several near death experiences as we passed big trucks within inches! Our driver is excellent though, and he has done a great job.
We stayed at the historic Acholi Inn in Gulu for two nights. For two days, we traveled out to Bul Kur and saw the brand new Galileo School! It is a beautiful white building with a blue roof. We were greeted there by all the children (about 150 of them), who lined up along the yard of the school and clapped and sang as we drove in. The community also prepared a welcome ceremony for us, including speeches, testimonies, singing, and dancing. Some of the women sang original songs about the Galileo School and Pastor Jackson (the country director). We were told that when the Acholi people put you into a song, it means you are in their hearts.
During our time in Bul Kur, we had a field day with the children filled with fun games. We also did Bible lessons and health lessons with the children there. I taught a health class to about 100 parents, and we did a short health clinic one afternoon.
On Thursday morning, we departed from Gulu for Apac. We explored the community there as a potential site for the second Galileo School. The hotel we stayed in consisted of about 7 round huts. Each room contained a bed with a mosquito net and a bathroom where the shower water covered the entire room! Our liason there was Pastor Steven, a very nice man who showed us a primary school and a half-built school where we planted trees in honour of our visit. We met with the church of Apac and shared testimonies with them. The next day we did games, Bible lessons, and health lessons with the children in the primary school. Afterwards, Steven took us out to visit a school of about 400 children, and then to a remote village (we drove our van down a bicycle path to get there) where we visited with the local church and ran a short medical clinic. I tested about 9 people for malaria and gave out malaria treatments to 4 of them!
This morning we came back to Gulu and checked into the Pamelo Crown Hotel- we couldn't use the Acholi Inn tonight because President Museveni is visiting Gulu and booked the whole place! This afternoon we went back out to the school in Bul Kur and did more medical clinic.
Tomorrow we'll get to go out to Bul Kur to worship with the church there and then do more medical clinic.
So that's the scoop! Thanks for your prayers- we sure appreciate them!
Love,
Katie Joy
We stayed at the historic Acholi Inn in Gulu for two nights. For two days, we traveled out to Bul Kur and saw the brand new Galileo School! It is a beautiful white building with a blue roof. We were greeted there by all the children (about 150 of them), who lined up along the yard of the school and clapped and sang as we drove in. The community also prepared a welcome ceremony for us, including speeches, testimonies, singing, and dancing. Some of the women sang original songs about the Galileo School and Pastor Jackson (the country director). We were told that when the Acholi people put you into a song, it means you are in their hearts.
During our time in Bul Kur, we had a field day with the children filled with fun games. We also did Bible lessons and health lessons with the children there. I taught a health class to about 100 parents, and we did a short health clinic one afternoon.
On Thursday morning, we departed from Gulu for Apac. We explored the community there as a potential site for the second Galileo School. The hotel we stayed in consisted of about 7 round huts. Each room contained a bed with a mosquito net and a bathroom where the shower water covered the entire room! Our liason there was Pastor Steven, a very nice man who showed us a primary school and a half-built school where we planted trees in honour of our visit. We met with the church of Apac and shared testimonies with them. The next day we did games, Bible lessons, and health lessons with the children in the primary school. Afterwards, Steven took us out to visit a school of about 400 children, and then to a remote village (we drove our van down a bicycle path to get there) where we visited with the local church and ran a short medical clinic. I tested about 9 people for malaria and gave out malaria treatments to 4 of them!
This morning we came back to Gulu and checked into the Pamelo Crown Hotel- we couldn't use the Acholi Inn tonight because President Museveni is visiting Gulu and booked the whole place! This afternoon we went back out to the school in Bul Kur and did more medical clinic.
Tomorrow we'll get to go out to Bul Kur to worship with the church there and then do more medical clinic.
So that's the scoop! Thanks for your prayers- we sure appreciate them!
Love,
Katie Joy
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Kampala
Greetings from Kampala, Uganda! Thank you for all your "safe travel" prayers- they worked! We arrived safe and sound and have already enjoyed a full day here.
We had a slight flight schedule glitch which, in my opinion, turned out to be a blessing. Our flight out of Brussels to Entebbe had been cancelled and we were rescheduled to fly the next day. This allowed us a full 24 hours in Brussels, which was amazing! As soon as we checked into the hotel, we headed for downtown Brussels to see the sights. We ate chocolate, drank coffee, admired the architecture, and most importantly, had the chance to get to know each other a lot better. I got to hear about how each team member got connected to this trip and about their heart for missions. Terrific!
The next morning we got on our plane and had a rather rough all-day flight to Entebbe (including a brief touch down in Kigali, Rwanda). We arrived in Kampala that night.
This morning we got up and set off for a day of worship with Church on the Rock Kampala. It always delights me to get to spend time with the Church in different countries. I get to meet my brothers and sisters in Christ, and there is so much joy in those meetings! We had enthusiastic singing and dancing, followed by preaching. Six of our team members preached, including me! Actually it was more like sharing from my heart what God's been teaching me than a sermon. We wound up with prayer and lots of hugs and picture taking with our new friends. What a great day.
Tonight we'll rest up and then tomorrow morning we will head out for Gulu. We'll be staying in Gulu for a couple days. Each day we'll drive out to Bul Kur, where the Galileo School is located. We'll have a grand opening ceremony, a field day for the children, medical teaching and clinic, and meetings with the community. We appreciate your prayers!
With love,
Katie Joy
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Prayer Requests
Hello to all you wonderful people who have made me feel so thoroughly supported and sent on this mission trip! I am leaving today! Thank you for all the prayers you have prayed already. Here are my prayer requests as my team departs:
- Safe travels; peace and calm while traveling
- That God would both speak through us and speak to us as we meet with His church in Kampala, Uganda
- For a fun celebration of the opening of the first Galileo School
- That God would give me wisdom as I hold medical clinics and do health teaching
- That God would use us to share the Gospel with those who are not Christians, as well as to strengthen and encourage the Christians there
- For wisdom for the Galileo School board as they meet with village communities and scope out the location for the next school
The names of the team members are: Scott and Georgianna Noel, Chris and Abbey Carter, Jaklin Kaden and Nick Upathum, and Anne Cates.
Here’s a tentative itinerary for what we’ll be doing over the next 17 days:
- May 21-22: Meet with Church on the Rock in Kampala
- May 23-25: We’ll be staying in Gulu and spending our days in Bul Kur at the school. There will be a field day for the children, medical clinics, and meetings with the community
- May 26-27: We’ll be staying in Apac, holding medical clinics and meeting with the community. This may be the site of the next school.
- May 28-29: We’ll travel to several villages scoping out sites for future schools (Lira, Barlonyo, and Kitgum)
- May 30-June 2: Vacation at Murchison Falls
- June 3-4: Return travel to US
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. I will take your greetings to your brothers and sisters in Christ in Uganda; and I will come back with a full report!
With love,
Katie Joy
Sunday, May 15, 2011
The Galileo School
I’d like to share with you a little more about the organization I’m going to Uganda with: The Galileo School. It’s been really neat for me to hear over the last few months about how God has been working in people’s lives to bring the Galileo School into being. What I will share here comes from conversations with the founders (Scott and Georgianna Noel) and from what I read on their website (http://www.thegalileoschool.org/Default.aspx).
Scott Noel is a businessman from Dallas. Georgianna is a “missionary kid” who grew up in Kenya. After they met and married, God brought a refugee family from the Sudan into their lives. As they became involved in this family’s life, Scott learned that they had a great desire to return to their home in the Sudan. Out of curiosity, he tried to find their village on the internet. Because of the terrible conflicts that have gone on in that country, all he could find were pictures of destroyed, burned, and bloody villages. As Scott said when he saw all this destruction, he realized that he “couldn’t let this sort of thing happen on his watch.” God was working in the Noel’s hearts to somehow help war-torn communities in Africa.
Scott and Georgianna decided that one way they could help with the huge needs in Africa was to provide education to children in war-torn communities. They believe that by providing top-notch education, they will be giving the community an opportunity to rebuild itself from devastation. One of the things I love most about their vision is that it is holistic and involves the participation of the community. Not only are they building schools and providing education for children, but they are partnering with villages and helping the community to get back on its feet with farming, clean water, and health care.
The most visible and exciting part of their ministry right now is that the first school has just been completed in Bul Kur, Uganda. The Noels picked Uganda because of its history of having the longest running civil war in Africa. The war is over now, but northern Uganda was devastated by it and most of the schools were destroyed. Most children must walk 3-5 miles to go to school. Some of the older children are able to walk that far, but it is a struggle for the younger children who need a good start in their education. So the first school has been built in the remote village of Bul Kur, and now 200 children will have good education close to where they live!
Isn’t God’s grace wonderful? I can’t help but delight in stories like this where He graciously works in the lives of regular people, just like me, and uses them to do His work!
I would highly recommend going to this link and watching the short videos where you can see some of the progress on the school in Bul Kur: http://www.thegalileoschool.org/video.aspx. And here you can see pictures: http://www.thegalileoschool.org/photos.aspx.
And when I come back, I’ll bring you more pictures of the completed work!
A Brief History of Uganda
I was intending to make a post about the history of Uganda, but this article on Wikipedia summarizes it pretty well (and why reinvent the wheel, right?). Here's the link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Uganda. If you are interested in how Uganda developed into its current day situation, check it out.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Video Links
A couple posts back, I told you that when I decided to go on this trip to Uganda, I realized that I didn’t know a lot about the history of Africa. Reluctantly, I must admit that I am only slightly more familiar with the current events of the past few years.
What better place to get your education than YouTube, right? As I was preparing, I watched several videos on YouTube that helped me understand the situation in Uganda and what the people there have been experiencing.
I have posted the links below, with a short description of each. I want to let you know that watching these particular videos will not be easy. They will break your heart and make you want to cry (and maybe want to vomit- they are graphic). Why would I post this harsh material for you to view? I want to recommend that you watch these videos because I think it’s important for us to know what is going on around the world outside of North America. I also think it’s helpful to know what our brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing every day. How can we pray for them and actively help change their living conditions if we don’t know about them?
1. War Dance
War Dance is a feature-length documentary about a group of school children from the Patongo displacement camp in Northern Uganda. The film documents their journey to compete in a national music festival- I absolutely loved the music in this film! You can watch it in 10 parts on YouTube. This film contains interviews with children who share graphic stories.
2. Uganda Rising
Uganda Rising is a documentary about the sufferings of the Acholi people during the guerilla war with the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda. You can watch it in 9 parts on YouTube. This documentary is the most graphic one I watched- it contains interviews with graphic descriptions of events as well as graphic images.
3. Invisible Children
This is a home-grown documentary made by the men who founded Invisible Children. You can watch it in 6 parts on YouTube. This was probably the least graphic video I watched, but still contains very hard material. This is probably the most fun to watch, because it’s about regular people like you and me who didn’t know what they were doing, but went to Africa, saw a problem, and did something about it.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
God is Working
Eek! In only 20 days from today, I will be spending my first day in Uganda! The spring has sped by, and now there are only two and a half weeks left before my departure date. I am now in the midst of shopping for travel necessities, packing, and praying for peace in Uganda.
I want to share with you how God has been working and providing for The Galileo School and for this trip over the past few months.
A couple months ago, Scott Noel (the director of The Galileo School) asked me to check out a medical supply company called MedShare. I researched the company and found out about the really cool mission they have! MedShare collects surplus medical supplies that would otherwise become trash. They collect and process supply donations from hospital systems and medical manufacturers. MedShare then ships 40 foot medical containers to clinics and hospitals in countries where supplies are desperately needed. They also provide smaller donations for short term medical mission trips…that’s us! So I went through the application process The Galileo School was approved for a donation! We received a 100 pound donation (about 2 suitcases worth) of dressing supplies, bandaids, thermometers, gloves, and other items. We will use these items in medical clinics in several towns in Northern Uganda. Thank you MedShare!
On top of the medical supplies, Scott and Georgianna also received a donation of medicines such as ibuprofen, Tylenol, allergy medicine, and vitamins. Another couple who will be going on the trip, Nick and Jaklin, ran a school supply drive at SMU and collected crayons, notebooks, and other supplies to take to the children attending the Galileo School in Bul Kur. God is providing!
We have another fundraising opportunity this week. If you know my family, you know how I was brought up to love playing board games. Well, those games are going to be put to good use this Friday night! I am hosting a game night with my church group. It’s a social event with purpose: instead of going out and spending money on dinner and a movie or concert, come have fun with friends and donate whatever you would have spent to The Galileo School! I would appreciate your prayers for this event.
God has also provided time and wisdom in planning for the medical component of our trip. Last week I took a day off and got to spend it forming a medical lesson plan. We’re going to have the opportunity to do some health teaching with the people in Bul Kur and Apac. I have a very helpful book called Where There Is No Doctor, written specifically for health workers in remote villages. We will be teaching on topics such as germs (what are they, how do they affect us), personal hygiene, clean water, latrines, and HIV. Thank you for praying for me as I worked on this lesson plan. Please continue to pray that we would be able to communicate in a way that the people of Uganda would understand. Pray that the information we share would be useful and health would improve because of what we taught.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
"The Africans"
When I decided I was going to Uganda, I realized that I know very little about Africa. I don’t remember studying much about Africa in school. I started to wonder about its history and culture, and how it has come to the place it is today. I love to read, so I figured the best place to start was Half Price Books! Sure enough, I found a wonderful book for $1 in the clearance section! I read The Africans by David Lamb.
I would definitely recommend this book if you want to learn more about Africa. Although not the most up to date (it was published in 1984), it is written from the first-hand experiences of a reporter who traveled all over Africa for 8 years, experienced life on the continent, met many of Africa’s leaders, and gained insight into the African culture. The book is like a collection of essays on different topics such as Africa’s history, culture, economy, wars, journalism, and health care (my favourite).
The concept that stuck out most to me from this book is the African’s outlook on life. They have a phrase, “Shauri ya Mungu” which means “It’s God’s will.” The author calls this attitude fatalism- whatever will be will be. And in one sense, this is an appropriate name because sometimes this attitude keeps the African people from accepting positive change (i.e. vaccinations, clean water). However, I think fatalism is a harsh name for an outlook that helps people go on in a very uncertain life. Africans have so much instability and suffering in their lives- so much that I have a hard time imagining myself in their position. My suffering is a drop in the bucket compared to theirs- and yet I find myself questioning God as if I have a right to escape all disappointment and pain. The agony of emotions that goes along with such questioning can seem crippling. The Africans suffer beyond what I can imagine, and yet they are able to accept their suffering and go on without blame and with gratefulness for life. That is quite amazing. I look forward to seeing what this is like in real life.
The chapter on healthcare in Africa stirred both excitement and sadness in me. Sadness because there’s so much need and so much suffering. Excitement because I get to go and help, if God wills. We’ll be holding clinics in two or three locations in northern Uganda. We’ll also be holding health education classes. I believe that health education is the most impactful way that I can attempt to help the people we will see. I hope that I can communicate the basics of health and disease in a way that the people will both understand and accept. I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and guidance as I do research and formulate a health curriculum. Thanks for your prayers!
I would definitely recommend this book if you want to learn more about Africa. Although not the most up to date (it was published in 1984), it is written from the first-hand experiences of a reporter who traveled all over Africa for 8 years, experienced life on the continent, met many of Africa’s leaders, and gained insight into the African culture. The book is like a collection of essays on different topics such as Africa’s history, culture, economy, wars, journalism, and health care (my favourite).
The concept that stuck out most to me from this book is the African’s outlook on life. They have a phrase, “Shauri ya Mungu” which means “It’s God’s will.” The author calls this attitude fatalism- whatever will be will be. And in one sense, this is an appropriate name because sometimes this attitude keeps the African people from accepting positive change (i.e. vaccinations, clean water). However, I think fatalism is a harsh name for an outlook that helps people go on in a very uncertain life. Africans have so much instability and suffering in their lives- so much that I have a hard time imagining myself in their position. My suffering is a drop in the bucket compared to theirs- and yet I find myself questioning God as if I have a right to escape all disappointment and pain. The agony of emotions that goes along with such questioning can seem crippling. The Africans suffer beyond what I can imagine, and yet they are able to accept their suffering and go on without blame and with gratefulness for life. That is quite amazing. I look forward to seeing what this is like in real life.
The chapter on healthcare in Africa stirred both excitement and sadness in me. Sadness because there’s so much need and so much suffering. Excitement because I get to go and help, if God wills. We’ll be holding clinics in two or three locations in northern Uganda. We’ll also be holding health education classes. I believe that health education is the most impactful way that I can attempt to help the people we will see. I hope that I can communicate the basics of health and disease in a way that the people will both understand and accept. I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and guidance as I do research and formulate a health curriculum. Thanks for your prayers!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Maps of Uganda
Whenever I am getting ready to travel, I love looking at maps and getting a perspective of where I'm going in the world in relation to the continent, other countries, and how far I will be traveling while I'm there. So if you're maps-oriented, you'll enjoy this post.
Here's a map of Uganda in relation to the world and Africa:
Here's a map I made in Google maps of my flight path:
We'll be flying from Dallas to Chicago, to Brussells in Belgium, and then to Entebbe in Uganda. If you want to play with the map in Google, click here for the link.
Here's another map I made of where we will be traveling within Uganda:
The airplane symbol in Entebbe is where we will land. We will then visit a church in Kampala, the capital. The two medical symbols are at Gulu and Apac, where we will be holding medical clinics and doing health education, among other activities. The Galileo School, which is in the process of construction, is located outside of Gulu in Bul Kur (but I couldn't locate Bul Kur on the map). The camera icon is Murchison Falls, where we will be doing some sight-seeing. Again, if you want to see the map in Google, click here.
I hope to add more details to these maps during my travels, so stay posted!
Here's a map of Uganda in relation to the world and Africa:
Here's another map I made of where we will be traveling within Uganda:
I hope to add more details to these maps during my travels, so stay posted!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Uganda
Considering God’s work around the world brings such joy to my heart! I am amazed by the scope of His love- from personal to universal. Over the past year, God has been going deeper with me into how personal His love is for me. But God’s personal love is not only for me…it is for people of all cultures in all countries! I am continually delighted by updates on how His love is being shared by friends in America, Canada, China, the Ukraine, Mexico, India, Germany, and now Uganda. This year, God has given me a new opportunity to share His love in Uganda.
Just to give you an idea of how this started….I have been on several mission trips in the past, and had the opportunity to do medical missions twice in college. When I went to India in 2009, we did one day of medical missions and I was reminded of how much I love to minister to people through nursing. So last summer, I started to have a desire to do another medical mission trip. After casually mentioning to my Dad that I needed to make Africa my next travel destination, Scott and Georgianna Noel came to my church to talk about their upcoming mission trip to Uganda.
Scott and Georgianna Noel started an organization called The Galileo School in 2008. They are currently building a school in the village of Bul Kur in Northern Uganda. Uganda is suffering from the after-effects of a 20 year civil war in which almost the whole population of Northern Uganda was displaced from their homes. Refugees in their own country, these people were forced to live in displaced people camps for years. Conditions in and out of the camps were terrible. Inside the camps the people suffered disease, starvation, and poverty. Many people were murdered and many children were kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers. The civil war is now over and the people have been forced to return “home”, but their homes have been destroyed and their country ravaged. The vision of The Galileo School is to help provide a future for the people of Uganda by providing an education for their children.
I will be joining the Noels and several others on a trip to Uganda in May. The school that is currently being built in Bul Kur will be finished in May, so we will be there for the dedication. We will be visiting with and encouraging believers in Kampala, Gulu, Apac, and Bul Kur. The part of the trip that I’m most excited about is the medical part! We will be serving the community by providing health education and medical clinics in several locations. We will also get to do some sight-seeing, including a trip to the source of the Nile and Murchison Falls.
I would love it if you would join me in this through your prayers! Here’s what you can pray for:
• Pray for the people of Uganda, for physical and spiritual peace in their lives
• Pray for the building of The Galileo School in Bul Kur
• Pray that God would provide for the needs of the many orphans attending the school in Bul Kur
• Pray that God would direct our trip and work out all the details
• Pray that God would give me wisdom in developing a health curriculum and preparing for the medical clinics
• Pray that my heart would be open to learning about who God is and what He wants to do in my life through this trip
I will continue to update this blog with more details about the trip (a taste of what’s to come: prayer request updates, maps, video links, Uganda history, more about The Galileo School). I hope you enjoy the updates!
Just to give you an idea of how this started….I have been on several mission trips in the past, and had the opportunity to do medical missions twice in college. When I went to India in 2009, we did one day of medical missions and I was reminded of how much I love to minister to people through nursing. So last summer, I started to have a desire to do another medical mission trip. After casually mentioning to my Dad that I needed to make Africa my next travel destination, Scott and Georgianna Noel came to my church to talk about their upcoming mission trip to Uganda.
Scott and Georgianna Noel started an organization called The Galileo School in 2008. They are currently building a school in the village of Bul Kur in Northern Uganda. Uganda is suffering from the after-effects of a 20 year civil war in which almost the whole population of Northern Uganda was displaced from their homes. Refugees in their own country, these people were forced to live in displaced people camps for years. Conditions in and out of the camps were terrible. Inside the camps the people suffered disease, starvation, and poverty. Many people were murdered and many children were kidnapped and forced to become child soldiers. The civil war is now over and the people have been forced to return “home”, but their homes have been destroyed and their country ravaged. The vision of The Galileo School is to help provide a future for the people of Uganda by providing an education for their children.
I will be joining the Noels and several others on a trip to Uganda in May. The school that is currently being built in Bul Kur will be finished in May, so we will be there for the dedication. We will be visiting with and encouraging believers in Kampala, Gulu, Apac, and Bul Kur. The part of the trip that I’m most excited about is the medical part! We will be serving the community by providing health education and medical clinics in several locations. We will also get to do some sight-seeing, including a trip to the source of the Nile and Murchison Falls.
I would love it if you would join me in this through your prayers! Here’s what you can pray for:
• Pray for the people of Uganda, for physical and spiritual peace in their lives
• Pray for the building of The Galileo School in Bul Kur
• Pray that God would provide for the needs of the many orphans attending the school in Bul Kur
• Pray that God would direct our trip and work out all the details
• Pray that God would give me wisdom in developing a health curriculum and preparing for the medical clinics
• Pray that my heart would be open to learning about who God is and what He wants to do in my life through this trip
I will continue to update this blog with more details about the trip (a taste of what’s to come: prayer request updates, maps, video links, Uganda history, more about The Galileo School). I hope you enjoy the updates!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Day 17
I have a little devotional book I love called “31 Days of Praise” by Ruth Myers. This book is simple and easy to use each day. It is also powerful in the truths it contains, and it invites the reader into personal fellowship with God and a delving deeper into who He is.
Today I read Day 17 and thought it worth sharing. These are truths for every day that can take our “just normal” lives and fill them with joy.
Thank You that You have me in the place You want me just now…that even if I got here through wrong choices or indifference or even rebellion, yet You knew my mistakes and sins before I ever existed, and You worked them into Your plan to draw me to Yourself, to mold and bless me, and to bless others through me. Thank You that, even if I’m here through the ill will or poor judgment of other people, all is well; for in Your sovereign wisdom You are at work to bring about good results from all those past decisions, those past events beyond my control- good results both for me and for others. Thank You again that You meant for good the terrible things that happened to Joseph, who was sold into slavery, exiled to a distant country, and later sent to prison on false accusations…and that through all this You had him in the right place at the right time, for highly important reasons. I’m glad, Lord, that You are the same today- well able to work things out for us, to turn evil into good. I stand amazed at the complexity and mystery of Your wisdom. How safe it is for me to trust Your reasons for acting (or not acting) and Your methods of working!
Thank You that I can safely commit my location and situation to You. I can “be willing for You to shift me anywhere on life’s checkerboard, or bury me anywhere in life’s garden, gladly yielding myself for You to please Yourself with, anywhere and anyway You choose.” Thank You that I can trust You with my future places- ready to go, ready to stay.
So I rest in the fact that You have me in this place for this day, and I praise You that You will faithfully guide me throughout life to just where You want me to be, as I seek to do Your will.
And most important of all is my place in You. How delighted I am to have You as my dwelling place where I can settle down, feel secure and be content anywhere on earth….You are my blessed home, “where I can enter and be at rest even when all around and above is a sea of trouble” (Andrew Murray). How my soul delights to hide in the secret of Your presence…to take refuge in the shadow of Your wings, to eat at Your table, to drink my fill of the river of Your delights. How blessed I am, my King and my God, for You have chosen me, and brought me near, to live in Your presence, to behold You delightfulness, to seek Your counsel….And to think that I will dwell in Your house forever!
Today I read Day 17 and thought it worth sharing. These are truths for every day that can take our “just normal” lives and fill them with joy.
Thank You that You have me in the place You want me just now…that even if I got here through wrong choices or indifference or even rebellion, yet You knew my mistakes and sins before I ever existed, and You worked them into Your plan to draw me to Yourself, to mold and bless me, and to bless others through me. Thank You that, even if I’m here through the ill will or poor judgment of other people, all is well; for in Your sovereign wisdom You are at work to bring about good results from all those past decisions, those past events beyond my control- good results both for me and for others. Thank You again that You meant for good the terrible things that happened to Joseph, who was sold into slavery, exiled to a distant country, and later sent to prison on false accusations…and that through all this You had him in the right place at the right time, for highly important reasons. I’m glad, Lord, that You are the same today- well able to work things out for us, to turn evil into good. I stand amazed at the complexity and mystery of Your wisdom. How safe it is for me to trust Your reasons for acting (or not acting) and Your methods of working!
Thank You that I can safely commit my location and situation to You. I can “be willing for You to shift me anywhere on life’s checkerboard, or bury me anywhere in life’s garden, gladly yielding myself for You to please Yourself with, anywhere and anyway You choose.” Thank You that I can trust You with my future places- ready to go, ready to stay.
So I rest in the fact that You have me in this place for this day, and I praise You that You will faithfully guide me throughout life to just where You want me to be, as I seek to do Your will.
And most important of all is my place in You. How delighted I am to have You as my dwelling place where I can settle down, feel secure and be content anywhere on earth….You are my blessed home, “where I can enter and be at rest even when all around and above is a sea of trouble” (Andrew Murray). How my soul delights to hide in the secret of Your presence…to take refuge in the shadow of Your wings, to eat at Your table, to drink my fill of the river of Your delights. How blessed I am, my King and my God, for You have chosen me, and brought me near, to live in Your presence, to behold You delightfulness, to seek Your counsel….And to think that I will dwell in Your house forever!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Same Lake, Different Boat
Ah, summertime! Every summer, as I was growing up, my parents had my siblings and I set summer goals. There were several categories of goals, and one of them was reading. I now associate summer with reading projects, among other things. This summer my reading project is to get ahead for my fall classes by reading four books about suffering and disability. This fall, I will be taking a class called “A Biblical Theology of Suffering, Disability, and the Church.” I’ve been wanting to take this class for a couple semesters now, so I am excited both about taking it this fall and doing the reading this summer.
I just finished reading my second book for this class, titled Same Lake, Different Boat by Stephanie O. Hubach. The one-line description for the book is “coming alongside people touched by disability.” This was an excellent read. I personally found this book to be interesting because I face disability every day in nursing. Many of the patients I know suffer with disability. This book is very helpful in highlighting the needs, challenges, and value of those touched by disability. It was also greatly informative of how the church can develop a mindset that both includes people with disabilities in the body of Christ while ministering to their needs.
What I found most interesting and most personal in Same Lake, Different Boat were Hubach’s insights on grace, brokenness, suffering, and relationships. I was fascinated by her ability to take her experience with disability (her son Timmy has Down syndrome) and shed light on much of theology. She begins by reminding her readers that because of the fall we live in an abnormal world- not as God intended it to be. Because of that, brokenness is a normal part of life that we all experience. Disability is simply a more noticeable form of brokenness- a more obvious reminder of our desperate need for grace.
We are the ones with desperate needs, and God, who is rich in grace, has met us in our need. He alone is the one operating from a position of strength. He is the one who is active in our lives- preaching, proclaiming, recovering, and releasing. The beauty of the gospel, if we truly understand it, is that each of us faces a complete barrier to participation in the kingdom of God due to the profoundly disabled condition of our hearts. The good news is that Christ’s perfect sacrifice applied to us makes our full participation in the life of God a reality.
I found chapter 7, “On Negotiating a Path to Acceptance,” to be personally challenging and helpful. Hubach is speaking specifically about how to come to a place of acceptance when realizing that disability will be a permanent part of your life. I think these truths can easily be applied to anyone facing a difficulty in their life, whether it is a disability or not. In this sense, acceptance could be defined as developing peace about the presence of a difficulty in your life. Here is the process Hubach suggests for gaining peace: release expectations, redirect by building a new life that incorporates the difficulty, incorporate new responsibilities, relinquish control to God, and realize the benefits of the place where God has taken you.
There are many more jewels I could share, but maybe you would enjoy reading them for yourself!
I just finished reading my second book for this class, titled Same Lake, Different Boat by Stephanie O. Hubach. The one-line description for the book is “coming alongside people touched by disability.” This was an excellent read. I personally found this book to be interesting because I face disability every day in nursing. Many of the patients I know suffer with disability. This book is very helpful in highlighting the needs, challenges, and value of those touched by disability. It was also greatly informative of how the church can develop a mindset that both includes people with disabilities in the body of Christ while ministering to their needs.
What I found most interesting and most personal in Same Lake, Different Boat were Hubach’s insights on grace, brokenness, suffering, and relationships. I was fascinated by her ability to take her experience with disability (her son Timmy has Down syndrome) and shed light on much of theology. She begins by reminding her readers that because of the fall we live in an abnormal world- not as God intended it to be. Because of that, brokenness is a normal part of life that we all experience. Disability is simply a more noticeable form of brokenness- a more obvious reminder of our desperate need for grace.
We are the ones with desperate needs, and God, who is rich in grace, has met us in our need. He alone is the one operating from a position of strength. He is the one who is active in our lives- preaching, proclaiming, recovering, and releasing. The beauty of the gospel, if we truly understand it, is that each of us faces a complete barrier to participation in the kingdom of God due to the profoundly disabled condition of our hearts. The good news is that Christ’s perfect sacrifice applied to us makes our full participation in the life of God a reality.
I found chapter 7, “On Negotiating a Path to Acceptance,” to be personally challenging and helpful. Hubach is speaking specifically about how to come to a place of acceptance when realizing that disability will be a permanent part of your life. I think these truths can easily be applied to anyone facing a difficulty in their life, whether it is a disability or not. In this sense, acceptance could be defined as developing peace about the presence of a difficulty in your life. Here is the process Hubach suggests for gaining peace: release expectations, redirect by building a new life that incorporates the difficulty, incorporate new responsibilities, relinquish control to God, and realize the benefits of the place where God has taken you.
There are many more jewels I could share, but maybe you would enjoy reading them for yourself!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Mansfield Park
I just finished reading Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. The following is one of the interesting quotes I came across. The thoughts are of a father reflecting on how he brought up his daughters, who, although they received an excellent education, came to moral ruin.
"Here had been grievous mismanagement; but, bad as it was, he gradually grew to feel that it had not been the most direful mistake in his plan of education. Something must have been wanting within, or time would have worn away much of its ill effect. He feared that principle, active principle, had been wanting; that they had never been properly taught to govern their inclinations and tempers by that sense of duty which can alone suffice. They had been instructed theoretically in their religion, but never required to bring it into daily practice. To be distinguished for elegance and accomplishments- the authorised object of their youth- could have had no useful influence that way, no moral effect on the mind. He had meant them to be good, but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manner, not the disposition; and of the necessity of self-denial and humility he feared they had never heard from any lips that could profit them."
"Here had been grievous mismanagement; but, bad as it was, he gradually grew to feel that it had not been the most direful mistake in his plan of education. Something must have been wanting within, or time would have worn away much of its ill effect. He feared that principle, active principle, had been wanting; that they had never been properly taught to govern their inclinations and tempers by that sense of duty which can alone suffice. They had been instructed theoretically in their religion, but never required to bring it into daily practice. To be distinguished for elegance and accomplishments- the authorised object of their youth- could have had no useful influence that way, no moral effect on the mind. He had meant them to be good, but his cares had been directed to the understanding and manner, not the disposition; and of the necessity of self-denial and humility he feared they had never heard from any lips that could profit them."
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Romans 15:9-13
9.and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy ; as it is written, "THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME."
10.Again he says, "REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE."
11.And again, "PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM."
12.Again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE."
13.Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I praise You for your mercy in providing salvation for the Gentiles. Every time I read about the Gentiles in Scripture, I think, “I am one of them.” I am a Gentile. I am not of God’s chosen nation, Israel. I am not born of the line of Abraham. I am not one of the Jews who were the first to receive Jesus’ message of salvation. But God, by His great mercy and grace, has made His gift of salvation available also to the Gentiles. He sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles. Although we are not His chosen people like the nation of Israel, He has chosen us to glorify Him by receiving His salvation.
We can praise God because He has not passed us by. He has stopped, taken notice of us, and chosen us for salvation. We can sing to His name and rejoice with great joy because of the goodness of God. He was not obligated to take us under His wing, but by His grace He made Himself our king. He is our hope- we do not have to perish but we can be saved.
I love the three words describing the Christian life in verse 13: hope, joy, and peace. What a beautiful life God has designed for those who believe in Him! It comforts me to think that hope, joy, and peace are what God desires for me when I abide in Him. I want that for my life, and I believe it is the kind of life that will attract non-believers to You. God, may my life reflect the hope, joy, and peace that You designed. I praise You for Your lovingkindness to me.
10.Again he says, "REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE."
11.And again, "PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM."
12.Again Isaiah says, "THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE."
13.Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, I praise You for your mercy in providing salvation for the Gentiles. Every time I read about the Gentiles in Scripture, I think, “I am one of them.” I am a Gentile. I am not of God’s chosen nation, Israel. I am not born of the line of Abraham. I am not one of the Jews who were the first to receive Jesus’ message of salvation. But God, by His great mercy and grace, has made His gift of salvation available also to the Gentiles. He sent Paul to preach to the Gentiles. Although we are not His chosen people like the nation of Israel, He has chosen us to glorify Him by receiving His salvation.
We can praise God because He has not passed us by. He has stopped, taken notice of us, and chosen us for salvation. We can sing to His name and rejoice with great joy because of the goodness of God. He was not obligated to take us under His wing, but by His grace He made Himself our king. He is our hope- we do not have to perish but we can be saved.
I love the three words describing the Christian life in verse 13: hope, joy, and peace. What a beautiful life God has designed for those who believe in Him! It comforts me to think that hope, joy, and peace are what God desires for me when I abide in Him. I want that for my life, and I believe it is the kind of life that will attract non-believers to You. God, may my life reflect the hope, joy, and peace that You designed. I praise You for Your lovingkindness to me.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Romans 9:19-21
19.You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault ? For who resists His will ?"
20.On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God ? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
21.Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use ?
I feel I must be very careful with chapter 9 of Romans. There are some really difficult concepts about God in this passage. Does God really harden people’s hearts? Did He really hate Esau before he had even been born and had a chance to do anything? Does He create people for destruction? This chapter brings up a lot of questions for me. One of the questions that seems most pertinent to my life right now come from verses 19-21. When I read this and picture the potter and the clay, I have to wonder if Paul is being sarcastic. Of course a clay pot is not going to ask its molder why he made it like he did. But I would guess that just about every human being is going to ask God, “Why did You make me like this?” Why did You make me with this particular flaw? Why did you make me with this desire when it seems that You don’t want to fulfill it? Why didn’t You give me such-and-such quality? I certainly ask these questions. Would Paul be astonished at me?
I know that some of the source of these questions is the habit of comparison and the lack of contentment. I believe that part of the lesson Paul is teaching through this chapter is that we need to learn to trust God. His ways are not always my ways, and He may not always make sense to me. I may not always understand why He made me like He did. But God is always good, and His ways are always good. The way He made me is good. I need to learn to trust in Him. I am not a perfect vessel, but nevertheless, He knows best.
20.On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God ? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
21.Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use ?
I feel I must be very careful with chapter 9 of Romans. There are some really difficult concepts about God in this passage. Does God really harden people’s hearts? Did He really hate Esau before he had even been born and had a chance to do anything? Does He create people for destruction? This chapter brings up a lot of questions for me. One of the questions that seems most pertinent to my life right now come from verses 19-21. When I read this and picture the potter and the clay, I have to wonder if Paul is being sarcastic. Of course a clay pot is not going to ask its molder why he made it like he did. But I would guess that just about every human being is going to ask God, “Why did You make me like this?” Why did You make me with this particular flaw? Why did you make me with this desire when it seems that You don’t want to fulfill it? Why didn’t You give me such-and-such quality? I certainly ask these questions. Would Paul be astonished at me?
I know that some of the source of these questions is the habit of comparison and the lack of contentment. I believe that part of the lesson Paul is teaching through this chapter is that we need to learn to trust God. His ways are not always my ways, and He may not always make sense to me. I may not always understand why He made me like He did. But God is always good, and His ways are always good. The way He made me is good. I need to learn to trust in Him. I am not a perfect vessel, but nevertheless, He knows best.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Romans 5:8-11
8.But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9.Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10.For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11.And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
This passage amazes me. Romans 5:8 has got to be the most incredible statement I have ever read. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were yet sinners- enemies of God, going our own disgusting way, with no thought of love for God. But while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We had not done anything minutely worthy of His compassion, but God loved us so much that God in Christ died for us. “God demonstrates” communicates such a depth of meaning to me. God did not just feel or say, He acted out His love in the most passionate manner possible. He died for us.
This passage builds on the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. By shedding His blood, He justified us. He took on our sin, and clothed us in His righteousness. Now then, because He justified us, we no longer have to fear the wrath of God. I think of an estranged father and child. The father has been angry with the child, but they become reconciled and their loving relationship is restored. Christ reconciled us to God. If God was passionate enough to reconcile us to Himself by His death while we were still sinners, we can have confidence that He will save us by His life. If God died for us while seeing our filthiness, we can be even more confident that He will save us now that He sees us as righteous!
And above all, now that we have been reconciled to God, we can have the joy of celebrating and adoring God through our Lord Jesus Christ because of this amazing work He has done for us.
9.Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.
10.For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
11.And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
This passage amazes me. Romans 5:8 has got to be the most incredible statement I have ever read. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” While we were yet sinners- enemies of God, going our own disgusting way, with no thought of love for God. But while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We had not done anything minutely worthy of His compassion, but God loved us so much that God in Christ died for us. “God demonstrates” communicates such a depth of meaning to me. God did not just feel or say, He acted out His love in the most passionate manner possible. He died for us.
This passage builds on the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. By shedding His blood, He justified us. He took on our sin, and clothed us in His righteousness. Now then, because He justified us, we no longer have to fear the wrath of God. I think of an estranged father and child. The father has been angry with the child, but they become reconciled and their loving relationship is restored. Christ reconciled us to God. If God was passionate enough to reconcile us to Himself by His death while we were still sinners, we can have confidence that He will save us by His life. If God died for us while seeing our filthiness, we can be even more confident that He will save us now that He sees us as righteous!
And above all, now that we have been reconciled to God, we can have the joy of celebrating and adoring God through our Lord Jesus Christ because of this amazing work He has done for us.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Romans 4:16-21
16.For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17.(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
18.In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."
19.Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb ;
20.yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21.and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
I like it when I find phrases in the Bible that seems to refer to me specifically. I think the phrase in 4:16 that says “those who are of the faith of Abraham” refers to me. That is, me and all those like me who have received the grace of God to believe Him for salvation. This verse is saying that I am included in God’s plan of salvation. I am a spiritual child of Abraham! Although I am not of Israel, God’s special chosen nation, He has made me a descendant of Abraham. God gave Abraham the great promise of life in Him through faith, and by grace He gives life to those who believe Him like Abraham did. God “calls into being that which did not exist”- our faith, and thereby our relationship to Abraham and to God.
Abraham’s example of faith is amazing. I am not sure I could have believed like He did. With no prior knowledge of God (such as we have in the Scriptures and in our daily lives), Abraham believed God enough to leave everything he knew for an unknown land. He believed that God would give him a son and make him the father of many nations even though he was an old man. God did give Abraham a son, which is all to His glory since Abraham and Sarah were too old to bear children. God also made Abraham the father of many nations, both physical and spiritually descended.
As a spiritual descendant of Abraham, I hope that my faith will grow to be like his. I want to hope against hope even when circumstances seem impossible. I want to grow strong in faith and give glory to God because He does fulfill His promises.
17.(as it is written, "A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU") in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
18.In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."
19.Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb ;
20.yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21.and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
I like it when I find phrases in the Bible that seems to refer to me specifically. I think the phrase in 4:16 that says “those who are of the faith of Abraham” refers to me. That is, me and all those like me who have received the grace of God to believe Him for salvation. This verse is saying that I am included in God’s plan of salvation. I am a spiritual child of Abraham! Although I am not of Israel, God’s special chosen nation, He has made me a descendant of Abraham. God gave Abraham the great promise of life in Him through faith, and by grace He gives life to those who believe Him like Abraham did. God “calls into being that which did not exist”- our faith, and thereby our relationship to Abraham and to God.
Abraham’s example of faith is amazing. I am not sure I could have believed like He did. With no prior knowledge of God (such as we have in the Scriptures and in our daily lives), Abraham believed God enough to leave everything he knew for an unknown land. He believed that God would give him a son and make him the father of many nations even though he was an old man. God did give Abraham a son, which is all to His glory since Abraham and Sarah were too old to bear children. God also made Abraham the father of many nations, both physical and spiritually descended.
As a spiritual descendant of Abraham, I hope that my faith will grow to be like his. I want to hope against hope even when circumstances seem impossible. I want to grow strong in faith and give glory to God because He does fulfill His promises.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Philippians 2:1-5
1.Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,
2.make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3.Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;
4.do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5.Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
I must confess that as I read Philippians this morning, I was feeling a little cynical and selfish. When I read 1:29-30, I was thinking something like, “Right. It’s been granted to us to suffer- like suffering is a gift or something!” And as I read on, my attitude wasn’t much better. Do nothing from selfishness? Consider others better than myself? Don’t look out for my own personal interests? Sheesh, what good did that ever do me?
And then in the following verses, I read about our great example, Jesus Christ. He suffered complete humiliation and gave up every ounce of self interest…for me. Amazing. After this check to my attitude, I looked back over verses 1-5 again.
I was completely wrong to think that putting others first never did me any good. In fact, it’s quite puzzling that we Christians can experience Christ’s love for us and yet forget that He will take care of us. I know I have experienced God’s care for me when I am focusing on taking care of others. There is true joy in considering others as more important than yourself.
And although it is natural to cringe away from suffering, it has value for Christians. My mom recently told me that as she has grown older, she realized she would not trade her suffering for anything because of how close it brought her to Christ. I think the Bible also teaches us that when we suffer, we share in the experience of Christ. Christ was perfect in His experience of suffering and we will be imperfect, but to be able to draw close to Him and identify with Him, even in suffering, is sweet indeed.
2.make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
3.Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves ;
4.do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
5.Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
I must confess that as I read Philippians this morning, I was feeling a little cynical and selfish. When I read 1:29-30, I was thinking something like, “Right. It’s been granted to us to suffer- like suffering is a gift or something!” And as I read on, my attitude wasn’t much better. Do nothing from selfishness? Consider others better than myself? Don’t look out for my own personal interests? Sheesh, what good did that ever do me?
And then in the following verses, I read about our great example, Jesus Christ. He suffered complete humiliation and gave up every ounce of self interest…for me. Amazing. After this check to my attitude, I looked back over verses 1-5 again.
I was completely wrong to think that putting others first never did me any good. In fact, it’s quite puzzling that we Christians can experience Christ’s love for us and yet forget that He will take care of us. I know I have experienced God’s care for me when I am focusing on taking care of others. There is true joy in considering others as more important than yourself.
And although it is natural to cringe away from suffering, it has value for Christians. My mom recently told me that as she has grown older, she realized she would not trade her suffering for anything because of how close it brought her to Christ. I think the Bible also teaches us that when we suffer, we share in the experience of Christ. Christ was perfect in His experience of suffering and we will be imperfect, but to be able to draw close to Him and identify with Him, even in suffering, is sweet indeed.
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