I know this is what everyone says, but I can’t believe it’s been so long since I last wrote! I hope all of you are receiving my newsletter updates as well because that will keep you up to date with ministry happenings. From the personal side, I am sorry to keep you waiting so long for a new blog post!
The past three months have been a bit chaotic for me. On 8 February I traveled to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa to be there for the start of LXP’s (The Leadership Experience) 2010 program. I spent six weeks helping out and enjoying time getting to know this year’s 11 LXP students. After returning to Butha-Buthe on 19 March we were busy preparing for our kids camp 2-5 April. My friend Nick flew in from the States to serve with us for five weeks, so we took a quick trip to Johannesburg to pick him up on 27 March. The kids’ camp was so amazing and we praise God for the help of some friends from Cape Town, Jeffrey’s Bay and here in Butha-Buthe who came to help out. The weekend after the camp Nick and I jumped back on a bus to Jeffrey’s Bay for some more time helping out and being part of LXP’s program. Nick flew back to America yesterday, and I am back in Butha-Buthe as of Thursday for a short time before heading to Jeffrey’s Bay AGAIN! I intended to stay in Jeffrey’s Bay six weeks this time also but was unable to sort out a visa for that amount of time. I was thus required to cross the border into Lesotho so I could renew my visa for another trip. In all this traveling and changing schedules and being part of different programs, I struggled to find time to sit down and write about all God has been doing in my life! But believe you me it’s been an incredible season of learning and growth in many areas. Allow me to highlight a few!
I’ve been growing a lot personally in my leadership. It was a new experience for me, the six weeks I spent in Jeffrey’s Bay at the beginning of the year. I served on staff with LXP last year, but it was under the guidance of a long-term team. This year all but a few of those staff members have left LXP to enter new seasons of life, so I stepped into a new realm of responsibility with this year’s LXP program and students. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and have been learning so much about managing conflict, setting a godly example, really being there for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and laying down my life for the sake of God’s glory and other people’s growth. I also learned a lot through the whole experience with the April kids’ camp. Godfrey, Thandi and I were responsible for planning the whole camp, from securing a venue, to planning the menus, to making the nametags, to making the decorations. We also had the blessing of many local and out of town volunteers, so I learned a lot about hosting teams and communication to make sure everyone is on the same page and sharing the vision. God brought the perfect people to meet every need we had, and I was so thankful for all the things I learned through that experience running a camp!
Through some of the teaching sessions I had the privilege to be part of during my time in Jeffrey’s Bay I also learned the importance as a leader of finding my significance in Christ alone. If I base my confidence and sense of significance or success on anything other than Christ, I will not be the type of leader God has called each of us to be. Jesus was the perfect example of godly leadership, and his approach to leadership was influencing people by serving them. He stooped low to lift others up. This servant leadership is what Jesus commanded each of us to model in Mark 10:43-45 “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” As followers of Jesus we are to take on his character, and the description of his humble servant hood in Philippians 2:1-11 is a challenging commission for each of us to do the same. However, if I source my significance from what others think of me, how much money I make, or being intelligent and having all the right answers I will never be able to adopt this attitude of a humble servant I am commanded to take by Jesus Christ.
As I studied more about this I was convicted to look at my life and repent of the sources upon which I have based my significance besides the Lord Jesus Christ. I realized that my confidence has depended largely upon the approval of other people, which came mostly from my visible achievements, how well liked I was, and how “right” I was perceived to be in a given situation. Once I recognized this and repented, committing to value what God says about me more than seeking the approval of people, I experienced a deep freedom. When God’s love and acceptance (Romans 8:37-39) is my comfort, I can be ok with not having the right answer. When I remember that God knows the truth about every situation and he values the desire of my heart to do right more than the weakness of my flesh that leads me to make mistakes (1 Samuel 16:7), I can accept the criticism or dislike of others. Additionally, when I recognize that I’m called to be the servant of all, just like my Jesus, I don’t depend on the gratitude or recognition of others to make me feel fulfilled and joyful about my work. I don’t have to worry about defending myself from being “walked over” or “under-appreciated” when I chose to make myself a humble servant to everyone I meet for the sake of showing them God’s love and lifting them up. Many of us don’t associate “effective leadership” with “humble servant hood”, but I have been completely convinced by looking at the life of Jesus Christ that the two are one and the same. Please pray for me as I live this servant leadership by the grace of God in Lesotho and everywhere else the Lord takes me! I would also love to challenge each one of you to look deeper at what God’s word says about true success and significance, and his command that each one of us lead by example as humble servants wherever he has placed us. The following scriptures radically renewed my mind regarding these topics:
- Success: Psalms 1:1-3, Joshua 1:7-9, 1 Samuel 18:14, Matthew 16:25-27, Luke 12:13-15, 1 Timothy 6:6-10
- Significance: 1 Peter 3:3-4, Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 12:13, Luke 12:22-24, Matthew 10:28-31, Mark 12:33
- Servant leadership: Luke 17:7-10, Philippians 2:1-11, Luke 22:24-27, Mark 10:35-37, Job 29:7-17
I pray these things I’ve been learning are as much of a blessing to you as they have been to me. Thank you so much for your love and interest in my journey. I promise it won’t be so long until the next time I write! God bless you.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Have you ever seen a sheep sneeze?
God has been speaking to me through really simple, random things these days. I was walking home from the village this evening, going through a long list in my mind of things that have made me frustrated, uncomfortable or homesick in the past few days. Then I saw something I’ve never seen before; I saw a sheep sneeze! Six or seven sheep were lying and standing behind a fence in the darkening evening, and the one closest to me sneezed right as I passed it. Unremarkable? Maybe so, but that sneezing sheep made me realize in an instant that I had been going through the wrong list in my head.
I’ll admit, seeing a sheep sneeze was not the most exciting thing I’d ever experienced, but it snapped me out of my pity party and opened my eyes to the amazingly blessed position I’m in. Until this newest season God has brought me into, I’d never been around herd animals enough to see one sneeze before. It made me wonder, what other “firsts” have I experienced since I moved to Lesotho. I started listing all the special, exciting, life-changing, and interesting new experiences I’ve had.
Living where the crickets and frogs are louder than the cars;
Praying with our kids for their peers who were at that moment performing the final rite to complete their cultural initiation;
Learning another language;
Learning how to get around without a private car;
Leading a group of kids as they attended their very first camp;
Doing my laundry by hand;
Riding a donkey;
Walking 40 minutes to and from work every day, rain, snow, or blazing sun;
Typing all email and facebook correspondence on my cell phone;
Eating dinner at 10 pm;
Eating chicken heads, feet, and intestines for dinner;
Not seeing another white person for weeks at a time;
Harvesting maize;
Teaching our kids the God story so they can share Jesus with kids in other villages;
Greeting a taxi driver on the road who was too sick to get out of bed let alone find a job when our team met him and prayed for his healing 6 months ago;
And best of all experiencing that God’s grace is truly sufficient for me, in all things at all times.
My list was far from exhaustive, but it did the job. God turned my frustration to joy with that sneezing sheep. How is he changing your heart today? I’d love to hear your story ☺
P.S. For those of you who read my previous blog, you are probably thinking “This girl didn’t learn the lesson on contentment God was trying to teach her last time!” You’re right ☺ Thankfully, he is merciful and gives us as many tries as we need to learn the things he wants to teach us!!! Will you pray with me that this time I’ll really learn the lesson?
I’ll admit, seeing a sheep sneeze was not the most exciting thing I’d ever experienced, but it snapped me out of my pity party and opened my eyes to the amazingly blessed position I’m in. Until this newest season God has brought me into, I’d never been around herd animals enough to see one sneeze before. It made me wonder, what other “firsts” have I experienced since I moved to Lesotho. I started listing all the special, exciting, life-changing, and interesting new experiences I’ve had.
Living where the crickets and frogs are louder than the cars;
Praying with our kids for their peers who were at that moment performing the final rite to complete their cultural initiation;
Learning another language;
Learning how to get around without a private car;
Leading a group of kids as they attended their very first camp;
Doing my laundry by hand;
Riding a donkey;
Walking 40 minutes to and from work every day, rain, snow, or blazing sun;
Typing all email and facebook correspondence on my cell phone;
Eating dinner at 10 pm;
Eating chicken heads, feet, and intestines for dinner;
Not seeing another white person for weeks at a time;
Harvesting maize;
Teaching our kids the God story so they can share Jesus with kids in other villages;
Greeting a taxi driver on the road who was too sick to get out of bed let alone find a job when our team met him and prayed for his healing 6 months ago;
And best of all experiencing that God’s grace is truly sufficient for me, in all things at all times.
My list was far from exhaustive, but it did the job. God turned my frustration to joy with that sneezing sheep. How is he changing your heart today? I’d love to hear your story ☺
P.S. For those of you who read my previous blog, you are probably thinking “This girl didn’t learn the lesson on contentment God was trying to teach her last time!” You’re right ☺ Thankfully, he is merciful and gives us as many tries as we need to learn the things he wants to teach us!!! Will you pray with me that this time I’ll really learn the lesson?
Saturday, January 9, 2010
God told me a secret today
The other day I was bemoaning with my sister the fact that we had such a great time and drew very close right before I moved to Lesotho. The familiar phrase came to mind “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” and on some level I accepted that it’s just the way things are. However, the past few days I’ve been feeling homesick and overwhelmed by my life here, and today I seriously questioned if that familiar phrase really has to be true. What if I want to know what I have while I have it? What if I want to thank God for the blessings in my life? What if I want to be truly content every day? None of that can happen if I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. As I was questioning this, God told me one of his best secrets. This is how it happened.
Funerals in Lesotho are a BIG deal, especially when the deceased used to be the chief of the village. Godfrey’s grandfather, Ntate Mostete, passed away in December and I had the privilege of helping to prepare for and participate in the events surrounding his memorial service and burial. It turned out to be two of the most overwhelming days of my life. I spent half of yesterday peeling, chopping and dicing more vegetables than I’ve ever seen in one place in my life. In the afternoon I witnessed the slaughtering of the cow that would help feed the attendees of today’s service. It was a much longer and more intense experience than I anticipated, so Godfrey’s 12-year-old niece, Mamphutlane, and I stuck close by each other’s side as the strong animal was killed, skinned, and portioned. At some point during this long process another group of men went to dig the grave, and the body of the deceased was brought to the family home for the night; the only thing more overwhelming than witnessing my first animal slaughter was seeing my new family and friends grieving their beloved family member. Last night I realized that I really had no idea what to expect from the day when I began peeling that first potato in the morning and not understanding the language or culture does nothing for one’s ability to follow what’s happening and predict what’s next!
That night I slept over in the village and woke up to a house full of people I didn’t know speaking this language I don’t understand. After the overwhelming events of the previous day, I was a bit apprehensive about what would be coming next. Thankfully, today was a gentler experience for me. The memorial service was very well attended and full of a long series of speeches and songs honoring the life of Ntate Mostete. I was unable to attend the burial because a sudden rainstorm came just as we were about to leave. We ate with all the other people who stayed behind and then I walked home with Thandi. It was at this point I began my questioning of whether it has to be true that I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. In my heart I was complaining that I live in a place where I’m totally out of my comfort zone, without many friends or family, where I don’t understand the language, and I can’t even appreciate a wonderful funeral service because I’m so overwhelmed by all that’s happening. This led to thoughts of the amazing people and memories I left in the States and for a moment I wondered what it would be like to pack up and go ‘home’. Then a sobering thought hit me; I won’t be fulfilled and at peace if I go home, no matter how amazing the people and memories are, because I am called here! “Will I ever be content?” I wondered. “Will I ever appreciate the things I have here while I have them, instead of only appreciating them from afar once I enter a new season?” That’s when God whispered his secret in my heart:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Praise God his word is true, and not that familiar old phrase! I know that one day I’ll enter a season in Lesotho where I really feel I’m in plenty; I’ll learn the language, I’ll make friends, and I’ll discover a lot more of the beautiful culture. However, until then, whether or not I feel in want, I have the promise of my Father that I can be content. He will give me the strength to do everything and with his help, I will recognize and appreciate all the blessings I have right now.
Funerals in Lesotho are a BIG deal, especially when the deceased used to be the chief of the village. Godfrey’s grandfather, Ntate Mostete, passed away in December and I had the privilege of helping to prepare for and participate in the events surrounding his memorial service and burial. It turned out to be two of the most overwhelming days of my life. I spent half of yesterday peeling, chopping and dicing more vegetables than I’ve ever seen in one place in my life. In the afternoon I witnessed the slaughtering of the cow that would help feed the attendees of today’s service. It was a much longer and more intense experience than I anticipated, so Godfrey’s 12-year-old niece, Mamphutlane, and I stuck close by each other’s side as the strong animal was killed, skinned, and portioned. At some point during this long process another group of men went to dig the grave, and the body of the deceased was brought to the family home for the night; the only thing more overwhelming than witnessing my first animal slaughter was seeing my new family and friends grieving their beloved family member. Last night I realized that I really had no idea what to expect from the day when I began peeling that first potato in the morning and not understanding the language or culture does nothing for one’s ability to follow what’s happening and predict what’s next!
That night I slept over in the village and woke up to a house full of people I didn’t know speaking this language I don’t understand. After the overwhelming events of the previous day, I was a bit apprehensive about what would be coming next. Thankfully, today was a gentler experience for me. The memorial service was very well attended and full of a long series of speeches and songs honoring the life of Ntate Mostete. I was unable to attend the burial because a sudden rainstorm came just as we were about to leave. We ate with all the other people who stayed behind and then I walked home with Thandi. It was at this point I began my questioning of whether it has to be true that I don’t know what I have until it’s gone. In my heart I was complaining that I live in a place where I’m totally out of my comfort zone, without many friends or family, where I don’t understand the language, and I can’t even appreciate a wonderful funeral service because I’m so overwhelmed by all that’s happening. This led to thoughts of the amazing people and memories I left in the States and for a moment I wondered what it would be like to pack up and go ‘home’. Then a sobering thought hit me; I won’t be fulfilled and at peace if I go home, no matter how amazing the people and memories are, because I am called here! “Will I ever be content?” I wondered. “Will I ever appreciate the things I have here while I have them, instead of only appreciating them from afar once I enter a new season?” That’s when God whispered his secret in my heart:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
Praise God his word is true, and not that familiar old phrase! I know that one day I’ll enter a season in Lesotho where I really feel I’m in plenty; I’ll learn the language, I’ll make friends, and I’ll discover a lot more of the beautiful culture. However, until then, whether or not I feel in want, I have the promise of my Father that I can be content. He will give me the strength to do everything and with his help, I will recognize and appreciate all the blessings I have right now.
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