The Desert Song

This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in the hunger in me
My God is a God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon forged against me shall remain

I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
And triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've recieved I will sow

-- Hillsong

she's AMERICAN!!!

I have come to realize over the past few months that seemingly easy and quick trips in Brasil are rarely quick and easy. Today was no exception.

My friend Denice was going to a few rock shop/souvenir shops after school today, and she asked if Christine & I wanted to go with her. I am finished with my Christmas shopping, but went along to see something new. This trip should have taken an hour and a half. Tops. It didn't.

Our trouble started with the GPS didn't recognize the address of the 1st shop. We had the phone number, but none of us are so great with portugues yet. Josiah, a high schooler who lives with Denice's family, called for us to get directions. The lady overheard us talking in the background, and gave us direction in English! Nice...

We found the first shop without a problem. Denice found the gifts she was looking for, and I found a few extra things to send home as well. We followed the GPS to get to the 2nd store, which was actually in the owner's house. We found the street, but couldn't find the right house. We drove up and down the street a few times, and even asked a guard for help... he was less than helpful! So finally we found the address listed in our PACA directory... and the house was for sale! The irony in this is that I had been to that house before with some friends, so I knew it wasn't the right place. So we ended up on the phone again... this time with Dave Santos. He called the store owner and asked her to meet us outside... The house was right across the street from where we were, but how were we supposed to know? I am sure that she thought we were dum-dum Americans, and we could only tell her in stumbling portugues that it wasn't our fault.

We finished our shopping, and decided we wanted some American comfort... McDonalds. We knew we couldn't handle the drive-thru... so we headed inside. They have workers that stand in front of the registers, and he directed me to a cashier. I got as far as "Eu quero...", and the girl stopped me, waved money, and then rattled off something in portugues. So I turn back to the first worker, and he just looks at me. Before I know it there are several workers and a manager standing there, looking at me, and yelling "She's American! She's American!" in portugues. Apparently the girl at the register was in training and was waiting for the manager so she could take my order. When they realized I didn't understand them, they felt that it was necessary to shout that I was American, drawing the attention of everyone in McDonalds. Better yet, my friends & I weren't sure how to ask for our food to go...

So our quick trip & fast food run lasted 3 hours. Moral of the story- when things happen the way you picture them in your mind, count your blessings! And when they don't, at least there's usually a good story!

pictures... church & paca

Sara & Kimi... I love these girls!!!

Children's Day Festival at Church

The kids LOVED playing the games & winning prizes...

So cute!

My students :)

Hard at work (and posing for the picture) :)

Thoughts on Hillsong UNITED...

Last Saturday I had the privilege of worshipping with Hillsong UNITED and 1,000s of Brasilians. Hillsong UNITED was on my list of concerts to go to, and I was super excited that I got to see them here.

It was an incredible 2 1/2 hours of worship... but it was more than just that for me. It was an opportunity for me to see firsthand the passion that encompasses Brasil. Brasilians love intensely and express it extragantly! Soccer unites the country, and you will never meet a more enthusiastic, passionate soccer fan than a Brasilian. The sincere, intense, pure passion of those worhsipping around me at the Hillsong UNITED concert astounded me. And left me questioning the depth and desire of my worship. It also caused me to praise God for His goodness to me. For bringing me to this place. For allowing me to encounter this passionate lifestyle. And it leaves me crying out to God - asking Him to change me, to make me less like the person I entered the concert as, and more like the people that surrounded me.

meet george jetson!!!

Growing up in the 80s, I watched my fair share of the Jetsons...

As a kid, I thought the video phones the Jetsons used were pretty cool... then the other day when I was talking to my nephew on skype I realized that we are living in a jetson-like world. We don't have space cars yet, but the really cool video phone that George used to talk to his boss, Mr. Spacely, closely resembles video chat on skype.

I am so thankful for modern communication! It allows me to stay connected to my family & friends even though we are 1,000s of miles apart.

The other day my nephew Jesse (who is in kindergarten) counted to 100 for me and my niece Vanessa showed me her report card. I was also able to show my mom my haircut... and give my family a tour of my apartment. I love that I can still be involved in every day life with the people I love.

"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." -- Galatians 2:20

These words mean the breaking of my independence with my own hand and surrendering to the supremacy of the Lord Jesus. No one can do this for me, I must do it myself. God may bring me up to the point three hundred and sixty-five times a year, but He cannot put me through it. It means breaking the husk of my individual independence of God, and the emancipating of my personality into oneness with Himself, not for my own ideas, but for absolute loyalty to Jesus... The one point to decide is - Will I give up, will I surrender to Jesus Christ, and make no conditions whatever as to how the break comes?

-- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

"Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens- they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them- they have their retirement plan in place. They don't genuinely seek out what life God would have them live- they have life figured and mapped out. They don't depend on God on a daily basis- their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God."
Francis Chan, Crazy Love

I see too much of myself in those words. I moved 6,000 miles from home. I live in a culture which is not my own. I can't grocery shop, ask where the bathroom is, or order my own dinner at a restaurant. I cannot live independently. I want to be self-sufficient. I find myself resisting in my heart my need for help. My dependency on God (and others) has definitely changed, but not enough.

I cannot get over the fact that the people I live amongst, the people who have so much less than me, live more contentedly than I do. The sweet body of believers at Castro Alves have a dependency on God that I long for. I want to be sustained by the Lord, but I live discontented. I want to depend completely on my Savior.

Every student in my 5th grade class can define sovereignty. God is in control, and He is good. We studied this in Bible class all week. I am so thankful that I could learn this lesson along with them: I must choose daily to believe my God is sovereign and live accordingly.