Sewing Class Testimony

Upon coming to Germany, I was really excited about adult classes being offered at the local highschool in subjects varying from travel, craftwork, dance, to...sewing. Since being a senior in highschool, I've wanted to learn how to sew. I learned alittle bit from my host mom in TX that year, but dived at this chance to learn more.

I signed up...and got declined because the class was already full. I was really sad because I see this as such an opportune time in life to learn--the class is offered, I have a sewing machine here, and I actually have the time to learn and practice. So I figured that if God knows this deep desire of mine and it didn't work out, that there must be a reason...perhaps something regular will come up on Monday nights that He will need me to be involved in.

Last week I got an email saying another class was being offered and I signed up! Last night was the first class and afterwards I realized why God closed the doors for the original class: the class I'm in has only 6 participant (more teacher attention!!) and most are beginners, meaning they won't already have a bunch of projects and advanced problems like the ladies from the original course would have had. Phew> save myself that embarrassment of learning!

LESSON: God IS in control. He DOES know how He's leading you. HE knows what's best for me, He loves me the most, and is able to bring all things to pass according to His perfect plan.

Praise, honor, glory to the Lord Almighty.

"God sightings"

So, I've been helping out with the Egypt-themed Vacation Bible School at Wellspring Anglican Church this week and we're building a pyramid from brick-colored paper on which the kids write out their "God sightings."

These are ways in which we see God work and remind us of His love through any means around us.

My sightings in the last 2 days have been:

>Seeing the majesty of Pike's Peak (a high mountain in Colorado Springs)

>The laughter of children

>A little girl asking me if I will dance with her

>Bunnies and squirrels chasing each other around

>The fresh air

>Reading and just being in the presence of a good friend

>The sound of the wind in the trees

Countdown: 25 days remaining the United States of America. Mixed feelings.

The unexpected

I guess I should keep anticipating the unexpected, since it always happens, especially during a season of transition!

This morning I got a phone call that put quite a different spin on my day. It reminded me that the situation is brought back right where it belongs and started--in the hand of God. He truly is all I have. I am at peace, by the grace of God.

"Continuing to be faithful with the ordinary things He assigns us is how He makes His kingdom come through us. "

Finally an Update

Wow. I should have posted more regularly! A lot has been going on and yet a lot of the same stuff.

Things here at the House are great--God has really blessed me with putting me into this believing community where it's a great environment to build deep friendships. This last week, my new roommate moved in! She's also very new to Colorado and going through a lot of the same thought processes and emotions that I have been/am going through. Praise God, however, because I feel further along than a few weeks ago and hope to be seeing the light more and more clearly.

Job search is going well too. I've had interviews with 2 staffing agency in which, after getting to know me a little, they match me with a company that is hiring. I hope to hear something soon. In the mean time, I've had the chance to organize the library of an older couple in this area. That has been quite time-consuming and never-ending at times, but I am so thankful to be doing something "productive" and making some money on the side too.

Future. I have about 16 days in which to find a job or else leave the country. Yup, I'm back to the count-down. I can't be unemployed for more than 60 days and if nothing opens up in the next few days, we'll see where I end up...The past few weeks have gone very slowly and tediously (often hopelessly!), but knowing there will be an end to it in a few weeks helps, despite not knowing what will happen at that time.

Secret of life: contentment. If I could wish for one thing for my whole life, it would be contentment. This would mean I would enjoy whatever I DO have rather than looking and thinking of things that I don't have or that aren't. Really though...we wish for riches, nice car, good job, pretty family, etc> yet those who seemingly have all those things can't enjoy them! That is vanity indeed. Like Paul, I want to say that "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "

So let it be, Abba.

God, Larry Crabb, high school friend, and the sun

What do all those things have to do with each other? Those different elements came together today to make it a good day for me.

6 AM: Set up for a weekly event at the House

8 AM: Hang out w/ God

11AM: I went to Colorado Christian University with a friend from the House to hear Larry Crabb speak in chapel. He explained the need for change in this world via the power of God, not just programs and efforts for "social justice," "going green," or whatever. Those things will naturally spring out of a right relationship with God. The rightness of the Trinity, our relationship to the Trinity, and relationships branching out of that relationship is what brings real change.

The cool thing was, as I was walking into the chapel, I saw a girl that looked vaguely familiar. I kept looking at her trying not to be creepy, but finally we both had our moments of recognition and embraced each other. She was a freshman at The Woodlands Christian Academy, TX, when I was a senior there! Her group of friends and I used to eat lunch on the picnic tables outside...4 years later, we re-connect in Colorado and eat lunch together. Tell me that's not cool.

2 PM: I went to the University of Denver close-by to meet with a lady who does volunteer discipleship with YoungLife. I have come to really like and respect that organization and wanted to hear ways I could get involved in campus ministry, especially international students. Hopefully this initial connection will develop more next semester.

4:30 PM: Take a sun-break from searching for jobs by going outside and smiling heaven-ward.

I am starting to see a miracle in progress. It's the miracle of God changing my attitude and perspective. I can see a little more hopefully, joyfully, and contently even though my circumstances have not changed one single bit. This is God's work and I praise Him for it.

Wilderness

I guess it takes half of the sting out of pain and a difficult time when I can just acknowledge it as is: I am in a wilderness. Yeah. Not in the sense that I feel really distant and dry from God, but that I'm really in a season of "wandering", searching, and waiting. YET, the cool thing I realized the other day, was that even as the Israelites were "wandering" in the wilderness for 40 years, they actually DID get closer to the Promised Land! I thought that was so cool. They were treading on ground that would get the next generation closer to the Land and that they wouldn't have to cover again. Even this wilderness time is not a waste and even in the wilderness, God is faithful--He is providing food and drink and is not "letting my sandals wear out."

____________

Something else I've been contemplating is this: Are the promises of Jesus to be fully realized in the present? Yes, I know they won't have their full fulfillment until Heaven, but to what extent should the Christian's life characterize the reality of promises such as "Fear not," "Give your burdens to me," "Have life to the fullest," "Where I am, there is freedom" ...

Who is actually living in the reality of this? Wouldn't life be grand if we actually lived in these proposed promises? Yet, isn't it available to us?

God in the stripping business??

"Hang in there!" "Let go, Lydia" >I've been living in that dichotomy for a few weeks now...

This last weekend I went to Texas to pick up my beautiful car. It looks great and I'm so glad God helped bring down the deductible!!

With different things and "inconveniences" happening in the last few days, I am convinced that God is in the stripping business. Stripping of self, in summary. Just yesterday I was reminding a friend that all our possessions belong to God, we just use it and are its stewards. I had submitted my car like this to the LORD when I first got it. He took it away for a month and now it's available for use again--for mine or however else God uses it.

Well, yesterday my cell phone was stolen from the property... As Mam reminded me--if Jesus needs it, you should be honored that He took yours! So wise!

So I am being stripped of my former comfort, security, possessions, anything I might be holding on to except HIM. Such a heart-wrenching process! But at least God is in control and He holds me by the hand...

God is faithful. So let it be.