Runnin’ the Race {God-Sighting Saturday}

To celebrate my birthday I signed up for a 5K in Niagara Falls.   25 years ago I took my first breath and as I did, doctors were busy telling my parents that I wouldn’t take very many more.  I was too small and my lungs were too fragile.  Today many of my favorite things to do (run, sing, etc.) all take incredible lung power.  Every time I stop and think about it, it amazes me.

I’ve learned a lot of things about life and faith while running. Today was no exception.   The first God Sighting of the day was that my bib number “just happened” to be number 25.  How fitting.  But there were three other neat ways in which I saw God today:

1.  Not even a half mile into the race I saw a dad running with his son that couldn’t have been more that 5-6 years old.  The son was already starting to lag behind.  You could tell from what the dad was saying they had prepared for this and that the father knew the son could keep up with the pace the dad was setting.  After about a minute of encouraging and prompting, the dad simply said, “Here, grab my hand” and they continued on together, hand in hand.

Isn’t that like our Heavenly Daddy?  He knows what we can do even when we’re a little scared and overwhelmed and wondering if we can do it.  He encourages. He prompts.  And when we need it the most, He reminds us that we can always just grab onto His hand.  He’s not going to leave us behind. He’s not going to get mad, He’s going to do whatever it takes to get us to the finish line.

2. The past couple of weeks I have been overwhelmed by reminders of how blessed I am, especially with relationships and “family” here in New York.  All I can say is there can’t be anything much more encouraging than your 2 adorable preschool neighbors standing on the side of the road with their awesome parents cheering “Go Bekah, Go! You can do it!” and greeting you at the finish lines with big hugs!

3. The third story is somewhat similar to the first.  About a half mile into the race I set pace behind an older gentleman.  From what I could tell, it seemed that he was running just about the pace I wanted to be running in order to get a decent time.  Early on I made it my goal to stick with him and finish with him at least in sight.  (Which I did!)  So for a good 2 miles of the race I remained just a few steps behind.  Around the 1 mile mark I began to realize how awesome this man was.  First of all, he thanked ever police officer or volunteer we passed that was standing on the side of the road directing traffic and keeping us safe.  But, then, I was surprised and thankful when he began pointing out all the potholes or rough spots in the road.  It was often, but I could be sure that as long as I was following behind this gentleman, nothing was going to come as a surprise along the path.

Once again, I see God in this.  He’s running a pace that may push me at times, but is never too much.   As I keep my eyes and focus on Him, he runs along with me pointing out all the places where I could easily trip and get hurt.   Sometimes the road gets steep and it’s a LONG UPHILL CLIMB and other times I’m just relaxing into a long stride for the downhills, but no matter what the road brings, our God is faithful to lead and guide and protect.

 

#RescueIsHERE!

This picture gives me goosebumps:

These 100+ girls and young women (including approximately 30 minors) were rescued today from a brothel in India.  This raid was funded by The Exodus Road, an organization I blog for in support of their efforts to do just this: rescue those caught in human trafficking around the world.  This specific raid was headed up by their partner, India Rescue Mission.

A tagline we often use in blog and twitter posts is “Rescue is Coming.”  Well, for these girls and young women, RESCUE IS HERE!!! I just can’t get these girls of my heart and mind today.  In this picture the police are beginning the process of identifying the victims in order to charge the brothel owners who were arrested.

For many rescued, these first hours are very scary.   Pray for them that they would sense the peace of God and know that they are now safe.  Pray also for whatever happens next with them, that they won’t end up right back in a similar situation.  Pray that the information they share leads to even more raids and rescues.  Pray for the investigators who have been preparing for this raid for weeks.

And let’s take a few minutes to PRAISE GOD for His physical rescue of these girls, and the spiritual rescue He offers all.

#RescueisComing

#RescueisHere

#LetsCelebrate!

This is why I blog for rescue!

 

God’s Word is Strong!

One of the most common reasons some people struggle to believe Christianity and/or Jesus is true comes down to a simple game of “telephone”.

You’ve all played the game before: One person starts with a phrase and whispers it to the next person. That person whispers it to another and so on, until it gets to the last person. What makes this “telephone” game fun is the fact that by the time the last person receives the message, “The cow jumped over the moon” somehow mysteriously turns into “My cat escaped from the zoo.” We see this in real life too, right? We called it gossip or the rumor mill. The truth gets twisted in 16 different ways as it moves from person to person.

Because much of the Bible was passed on orally for many years before it was written down, people just assume that somehow the message must have changed along the way. If “The cow jumped over the moon” can’t pass through 6 people accurately sitting in the same room, how can we trust that whole Biblical accounts could be passed on from generation to generation to generation and still be 100% without fault?

Well, the answer is quite simple:
GOD’S WORD IS STRONG!

I got to see this in action this past Sunday when I had a chance to play an extreme game of “telephone” while leading the children’s message in worship. I started out sharing a message with a few of the kids and then asked them to go share it 3-4 other people out in the congregation. Then, each of the people who heard the message were to pass it along until everyone in the sanctuary had heard the message. Here’s where the risk came in: I then asked the whole congregation, on the count of 3, to say what they heard.

The possibility for disaster was great and I was dreading trying to make the connection with the theme that needed to be made if the message came back all mixed up. But it was time to see the results and when “3″ came around, the message echoed clearly through the sanctuary:

“Jesus is alive and He loves you!”

At first I was amazed that it actually worked! (Especially since some of my first messengers where only a few years old!). Then it was relief that I could finish my message as planned. But as I walked back from up front, I remembered:

God’s Word is strong!

It has power unlike anything else! It’s indestructible. In Matthew 24:35 we read:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away”

And we see these verses in Isaiah:

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (40:8)

“[My Word] will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (55:11)

I’m so thankful for things like “risky” children’s messages that God can use to remind me of simple, but POWERFUL truths about who He is and the beautiful gift He’s given us in His Word!

So whatever joy or struggle you’re in the midst of, remember this: God’s Word is strong and powerful and God longs for that strength and power to be unleashed in our lives each and every day!

(Oh and P.S. Jesus is alive and He LOVES you! … Now go tell a friend!)

The 3 – April Edition

It’s been too long. Sorry, blog friends. But I’m hoping that this post will kick start me and get me back on track with blogging at least a couple times a week. It’s time for April’s Edition of “The 3″!

So here it is… Three things I’ve been learning and relearning this month:

1. Family is amazing!
Near the beginning of this month I got to spend 5 days in Kansas with my family celebrating birthdays, homecomings, and just life. I’ve also started skyping often with my awesome cousin Allie in California who I reconnected with while in CA in January for a conference. Between these opportunities (and the normal phone calls, texts, and emails) I’m reminded of the amazing gift of family and truly love the joy they bring to my life. (Not to mention my amazing NY “family”)

2. Ministry LIFE is hard. God’s grace is sufficient.
This month had plenty of ups and downs for me when it came to ministry. Nothing bad really happened ever and there weren’t any particularly rough situations… Just plenty of chances to relearn humility and my great need for grace… to remember I CAN’T do this (or anything in life really) in my own strength. It’s all about trusting Jesus and HIS strength which is more than enough for each day.

3. ‘Trusting God’ leads to a much more beautiful life than ‘Pleasing God.’
This definitely ties in with the lesson above, but became vividly clear while reading a book my friend suggested to me called, “The Cure:What if God Isn’t who You Think He Is and Neither are You”. I can’t say enough about how amazing this book is! The grace and freedom found in Christ is described in a way so much more tangible and amazing than I’ve ever heard before and it comes down to the simple difference between living a life trying to please God and living a life of trusting God. The same trials and suffering are present in both mindsets, but to trust God brings a whole lot more peace and joy in the midst of the struggles!

The 3: March Edition – GRACE ME!

So, I know it’s already April 9, but I wanted to go ahead and share my “three” for March… three things I’ve been learning or re-learning in life.

1. I am called. Many days I don’t understand it.  Some days I don’t feel good enough for it.  Other days I feel slightly more confident.  Everyday, I am grateful.  But no matter what I feel or understand or don’t understand.  This is true: God has called me as his daughter and he LOVES me.  The same is true for you.  He also has called me to trust Him and share Him.  This is a beautiful GRACE-filled, joyful calling, not one of duty or obligation.

2. Grace ignites passionate work. This flows out of learning number one, but as Ephesians 2:8-10 show us… it is not by works we are saved or do anything.  The grace of God alone prompts us, sustains us, leads us, and fulfills the purpose He has for us.  We are created as God’s workmanship to do the work he has set before us each day, and we are able to do that through grace alone.

3. Laugh! This is a repeat from October’s Three, but I’ve definitely been re-learning it: LAUGH!  A Lot. Whenever you get the chance. Just because. Why not? It makes life so much better.

 

What have you been learning or relearning in life lately?

Hope {Anna’s Story – Part 3 – Rescue is Coming}

Anna’s story continues today with the beginning stages of her rescue. This part of her story (and the part we’ll read next week) is based off of two other documented rescues from organizations who work to save those trapped in human trafficking (Sarah’s story and Minati’s Story). Because I’m writing from Anna’s perspective AND because organizations have to keep a lot of their investigation techniques secret for safety reasons, it is difficult to convey how these rescues actually happen. To find out more about the actual way raids and rescues happen, please check out The Exodus Road or Indian Rescue Mission, a partner of The Exodus Road who is making huge strides in rescuing girls in India.

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March 13, 2013

It’s only been a few weeks since I left home, but it feels like years. I try to make myself look happy and healthy for the clients to please the Madam, but it’s getting harder and harder. I can’t really eat. Even if I’m given time to sleep in between clients, I never really do. The workload just gets more and more the longer I’m here and the longer I’m here the less I feel like a person. Some of these girls have been here YEARS. Many of them now think that this life is just fine, they’ve given in to the fact that there’s no way out. Maybe that’s just the best way. I want to maintain hope, and God, I’m convinced that only you could save me, but I’m beginning to wonder if you ever will.

March 17, 2013

God, it’s so lonely here. While I want to give up hope that You are the good, faithful God I grew up learning you to be, I hold out hope if for no other reason than you can hear and understand me. The only other girl that spoke Russian has been transferred somewhere else and I have no one else to talk to. Thank you for being my friend. If you’re real, then be with me tonight and be with Mama and the kids. I know how much they were hurting financially and for Mama, physically when I left and that was when I was there to help them. Provide for them.

March 20, 2013

Something really strange happened today. After a few particularly rough clients, I figured the new ones coming in would take one look at me and pass me over, but one man, who seemed different from the others, picked me anyway. If that wasn’t weird enough, when we got back up to my room, he didn’t force himself on me right away. He didn’t even want ANYTHING from me in return for his money. I don’t understand it. He got on his phone and the next thing I knew I was talking to a woman in Russian… someone who knew my language! I didn’t really say anything to her as I was scared of what might happen to me. I said what I knew the owners would want me to say and even tried to say it with a smile to convince the man, but it was all I could do not just cry out for rescue. I don’t even know who to trust, but the woman tried to assure me over and over again that the man was there to help me and not to hurt me and that I could trust him. Give me wisdom God. I don’t want to get my hopes up, but maybe this is it? Maybe this is where rescue can happen. I didn’t tell him, but I’m tell YOU now, God. PLEASE RESCUE ME! If nothing else, please send that man back, he was so kind to me and after the phone call he just let me lie on the bed and rest while he sat on the chair for the rest of the hour.

Maundy Thursday Reflections

Based off of part of my grace story that I had the opportunity to share last year on Maundy Thursday.

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“The specific details of each of our stories differ, yet they carry a similar theme: one with brokenness, pain, hurt and confusion intermingling with the joy and celebration in our lives. It’s all part of an even greater story… one in which our Creator God looked at his children and couldn’t bear to see them live in brokenness forever. So just over 2,000 years ago He became man and after 33 years of living through many of the same trials, temptations, pain, and hurt that we live through, he sat at the same table that we come to tonight.

He gathered with his closest friends and said, “Soon, my blood will be shed and my body broken. Take, eat this bread; it is my body. Drink this wine, it is my blood.” And a few hours later, it happened. His body was broken and his blood was shed

For us.
For forgiveness.
For strength.
For hope.

… Our massive, huge, Creator God makes himself small enough to enter in us through bread and wine offering forgiveness, strength, community, and hope.

…So as we gather at this table tonight…we gather comforted and reminded that one day we will gather at a similar feast that will never end. And when we come to THAT heavenly table, it will be all about celebration because there will be no more pain, no hurt, no brokenness… just forever joy in the Presence of our Heavenly Daddy! And until that day, he’ll continue to give us the strength, the community, and the hope we need each moment of every day!”