Believing in an Everlasting God

Hello again readers. I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. I will start doing better :)

I have been thinking a lot about change lately and how things can change with the blink of an eye. We live in a changing world; fashion trends, lovers, gas prices, hair styles, economy, weather, etc. With life comes change. With change, a lot of the time, comes fear, insecurity, sorrow and stress. A lot has been going on in my life lately. A lot of changes. Change is very hard for me. When things change in my life I become super uncomfortable and stressed out.

I started asking God what I could do to stop feeling this way. I really did not like the way I was feeling inside - fear, heaviness and sadness. I wanted to trust God and believe that He knew all that was going on. I had no control over the changes going on around me, but God began to show me that He does have control.

I turned to God's word. I know God's word is full of truth and it is the best place to go for answers. And God really gave me answers! Let me share with you what God was revealing to me...

He was showing me that even in the midst of change, He never changes and His love will always remain the same. And that is something I will never find elsewhere.  That is a promise I can always hold on to. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8
God also was showing me how His strength is unending. His strength never diminishes. Our human strength will fail and it has failed us so many times already. Our energy flows in and out more than a river. We are not as alert in the evening as we are in the morning. We cannot run as fast when we are 80 as when we are 20. Even the strongest amongst us must eventually rest. Lance Armstrong can maintain a bike speed of 32 mph for a solid hour! Armstrong lives up to the last half of his last name. He is strong. But at some point he must rest. His head seeks the pillow, and his body seeks sleep.

Our Lord Jesus is always strong. His strength is never-ceasing. Think about it...God never pauses to eat or asks angels to cover for Him while He naps. He never signals a time-out or puts the prayer request from Russia on hold while He handles South Africa. He “never tires and never sleeps” Psalm 121:4. Need a strong hand to hold? You will always find one to hold in Him. His strength never changes.

Need unchanging truth to trust? Try God’s. His truth never wavers. Our opinions as humans change like fashion trends. It’s good to know God’s does not. “The word of our God shall stand forever” Isaiah 40:8. And since His truth will never waver, God’s ways will never alter. He will always hate sin and love sinners, despise the proud and exalt the humble. He will always convict the evil-doer and comfort the heavy-hearted. He never changes direction mid-stream, changes the course mid-way. God will always be the same. No one else will. Lovers call you today and leave you tomorrow. You can depend on a friend one day, and not the next day. Not God. God is “always the same” Psalm 102:27 and "He never changes or casts a shifting shadow" James 1:17.

Catch God in a bad mood? Won’t happen. Fear exhausting His grace? It’s never ending. Think He’s giving up on you? Wrong. Did He not make a promise to you? “God is not a human being, and He will not lie. He is not a human, and He does not change His mind. What He says, He will do, He does. What He promises, He makes come true” Numbers 23:19. He’s never sullen or sour, sulking or stressed. His strength, truth, ways, and love never change. And because He is the Lord, He “will be the stability of our times” Isaiah 33:6.

God’s plans will never change, because He makes His plans in complete knowledge. Nothing takes Him by surprise. “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever” Psalm 33:11. God never changes. Everyone else does. Everyone else will. With life comes change. But His house will stand forever. His love will last for eternity. We can find peace and rest in His unchanging grace. And that, my friends, is something that we should be thanking Him for every single day.

So that is what God has been revealing to me through His word...so awesome! Remember His truths that He has spoken over you. He will never leave you or forsake you. He loves you. Even when everything seems like it is changing, He lasts forever.

Jesus Is Real

I was thinking about what I wanted to write in this blog post and as I was pondering some ideas, I was just struck with the goodness and faithfulness of Jesus. I cannot even begin to put into words what Jesus has been doing in my life and in Southeast Asia. He has been showing me how real He is...more than ever before.

When I was back in Los Angeles a few months ago, I was praying for my trip and asking God what specifically He wanted me to do while I was here. I knew He wanted me to work with the women but I didn't know the extent of what that meant. As I was praying I felt like He told me 2 specific words; prostitutes and nail painting. I was a little confused. I didn't know any organizations or people who worked with prostitutes and I was not sure what I was supposed to do with the nail painting either. But God just told me to trust Him and not to worry about it and just be obedient and faithful and keep moving forward.

After arriving in Southeast Asia, Jesus immediately brought girls into my path. I wasn't even really trying that hard to seek out girls, but they were coming to me like crazy. I was blown away already by the way Jesus wanted to use me. I started making super awesome friendships and hanging out with the girls everyday. It started to become exhausting but in an amazing way. I was able to get Bibles for all the girls and we started talking about Jesus and who He is. Some of them had never even heard of Him before! It was crazy because I have known who God is my entire life and meeting these precious lives that God created, and them not knowing who He was, just broke me. It is such a new concept to a lot of them and they are wanting to know more.

And then God continued to blow my mind even more on the day I met Jen. Jen is from the states and works for an organization that rescues women out of prostitution and provides them with work, housing and support. As I was talking with Jen, I told her about the work I do back in Los Angeles and she immediately became super interested. She asked if I would be willing to come with her into the prostitute shops and hang out with the women and paint their nails! I just started laughing because I remembered what God spoke to me back in Los Angeles and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. God put everything together so perfectly and all He wanted me to do was trust. I started going into the shops and meeting the women and just loving on them and painting their nails. The women told me that they have never felt treated so nice and that they felt really valuable when we were in the shops visiting them. Now that is the heart of God!

A few weeks later, I met a precious woman named MiMi and I fell in love with her. She was the kindest and sweetest girl. We connected a lot and became friends very fast. She received a Bible and I told her about how much Jesus loves her and wants her and she was moved to tears. It was a very new concept to her so she still has a lot of questions but is wanting to know more. Pray for MiMi.

Then God brought us a beautiful young woman named Ann. Ann is super cute and full of life. She also received a Bible one day and we explained everything as best as we could to her through the language barrier. She understood enough to know that this is what she wanted! She wanted Jesus. So we sat in a coffee shop while she asked Jesus to be Lord of her life. She is being discipled now and is growing more in her understanding of who Jesus is.

I have been in Southeast Asia for 13 weeks now and I have constantly been blown away by the way Jesus is working. He absolutely does not need me here to do this. God is big enough to do this by Himself, yet He chooses to use me! I am undeserving and unworthy to be a part of this journey with the Lord but He loves me so much He wants me to be a part of His work with Him! I still have a little longer here and I am beyond excited to see what else Jesus has for me. Jesus is so real and He is moving in every part of the world!

Fearless Faith Can Change Everything

Hello again readers! Sorry it has taken me a while to update my blog. Things here have been crazy but in a great way! I have been in Southeast Asia for a little over 5 weeks now and The Lord is just blowing me away every single day.

Recently God has given me the opportunity to go into shops, where women sell their bodies into prostitution, and build relationships with the women and be a light. It might sound scary to some of you, and at first I was a little scared too. But the day before I went to the shops for the first time, God reminded me of a short yet completely powerful story in the book of Daniel. It is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

If you are not familiar with this passage, I have put the story below. If you do know the story, you can skip to the next part and finish reading this post or you can read it again to have your memory refreshed. Personally, I could read it a million times and never get tired of it...

[ In Daniel chapter 3 King Nebuchadnezzar (how would you like that for a name) built a huge idol. It was 90 feet high and 9 feet wide and made of gold. He summoned for all the people of the land to come to the dedication of the idol and he commanded that whenever the people heard the sound of music playing that they immediately fall down and worship the idol and anyone who does not will be thrown into a fiery hot furnace. When the people heard the sound of the music "every nation and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up (v. 7)."

A little later in the story some people came and told on a few guys saying "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego pay no attention to you, O King. They neither serve your Gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up." (v. 12)

This made King Nebuchadnezzar furious and he summoned the 3 men before him and commanded that next time, when they hear the sound of the music playing, that they immediately fall down and worship the idol or he will throw them into the furnace.

And what these brave, courageous, faith-filled, obedient, servant men reply to King Nebuchadnezzar is radical. This is what they say: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (v. 16-18)

Of course you can image how outraged Nebuchadnezzar is now. He was so angry that he commanded that the furnace be heated 7 times hotter than usual and he asked his strongest soldiers in his army to tie the men up and throw them into the furnace. The furnace was so hot that the soldiers actually were killed by the flames as they threw Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace.

Suddenly King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in astonishment and said "weren't there 3 men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" (v. 24) "Look! I see 4 men walking around in fire, unbound and unharmed and the fourth looks like the a son of the gods." (v. 25)

King Nebuchadnezzar proceeded to approach the furnace and command the men to come out of the furnace. Whenever they walked out of the furnace "everyone saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them." (v. 27)

I love this next part...

Then King Nebuchadnezzar said "praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued His servants!" (v. 28) "Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." (v. 29)]

I love this story. These men were fearless and they knew that God was real and good and sovereign and saves. They trusted Him with their very lives and held nothing back. They loved God so much that they did not care what the cost was of displaying that love for all to see. Even to the point of death! They had so much faith in God that He rewarded their faith by saving their lives and displaying His glory for all to see. Even wicked Nebuchadnezzar believed the God that they worshiped was worthy.

Whenever I remembered this story, and the faith these men had in God and the love that God displayed towards them, it changed something inside of me. Whenever I really meditated on this passage I wanted what these men had. To be a fearless woman of God. To do whatever He asks of me and know that He takes care of me wherever I go.

So now when I am going into these shops to visit the prostitutes, there is no fear inside of me because I serve a God who does incredible miracles. God can set these women free and change their lives. And if God is using me to be a light in these dark places, to show the women that they are worthy and valuable and made in the image of Him, then I am more than delighted to be a part of this.

I have actually been filled with joy in these places when I should be filled with despair. But joy overcomes despair and the joy that the Lord has given to me can be displayed in even the darkest of places. These woman never feel joy because of their circumstances. But if I can come and be a carrier of joy, it can eventually change everything. These women could start to see something different that is present in my life that they want too. And if I choose to live in fear, it could hinder me from being in these places and displaying the glory of God and telling of the miracles that He can do. I cannot live in fear. There is too much at stake. The power of Christ is huge! And I choose to believe that just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did.

I love being a part of the Lord's journey for my life. Thanks for reading and for being a part of this with me! I am so grateful for all the support and love in my life. All glory to God! Bless you all!

*Shane and Shane "Burn Us Up" is a wonderful song that depicts Daniel 3 and the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

We Can Still Do The Impossible

Hey everyone! I have been in Southeast Asia for about 2 weeks now but it feels like much longer. It is so crazy how much God can do in just 2 weeks. His faithfulness and goodness just keeps pouring out on us. But of course it does. Why wouldn't it?

As I lay in my bed tonight writing this post and marveling at another beautiful day, I am reminded of how God likes to awe us with His mighty works. I have read so many stories in the Bible that just seem impossible and don't make much sense but I realize that this is the very nature of God.

I bet when God asked Joshua to march around the city of Jericho once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day while 7 priests blew their horns, it didn't make much sense to him, but he had faith. I bet when Jesus told His disciples to pass out five loaves of bread and two fish to over five thousand people, they looked at Him like He was crazy, but they had faith. Noah spent 120 years building an ark and people told him everyday that he was crazy. Everyday for 120 years! He should have given up, but he had faith.

As I think about these stories I look at them as awesome examples of God's amazing power, faithfulness and love but still sometimes I don't really believe in my heart that this could still be possible. I think that maybe Joshua, the disciples, or Noah had something that I don't. But this isn't true. God is the same yesterday, today and always. And we are ALL created in His image and called to do things before our existence (Jeremiah 1:5). This means that all these impossible things could just as easily happen to us too! Radical stuff, extraordinary stuff, it still exists!

I want big things from God. We want big things from God but then we think it is strange when He asks us to march around a city until it falls down, to feed five thousand people or to build an ark. But we CAN ask God for big things. He wants us to ask and He wants to give it to us. He wants us to have unimaginable faith in His mighty works.

I know that I live a crazy life, and I know that some mornings when I wake up and think that an impossible task is before me, that God will come and meet me there. He will meet me with impossible strength and love. I serve the same God today that used Moses, a murderer, to part the Red Sea. A God who let Peter, who would deny Him, walk on water. A God who looks at me, in all my fallen weakness and says, "you can do the impossible."

It is mind blowing when I sit there and marvel at this truth. The God of the entire universe has chosen me to be a part of His great and mighty works. He actually doesn't need me at all. He can do it all by Himself but He wants me to do this journey with Him. He has given me destiny and purpose and calls me to reign in His truth that He will be with me wherever I go.

Fear The Things That Can Destroy Your Soul

I made it! I am finally at my destination...well almost. I still have a long bus ride ahead of me, but for the most part, I have made it. God is beyond good.

This morning I was reading through the book of Matthew and was meditating on Matthew 10:28 which says "not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul."

I am in a country right now where nothing is familiar. Uncertainty is everywhere. I look into the eyes of the people and see brokenness and hopelessness. People often ask me if I think my life is dangerous or if I get afraid because everything around me is so different and uncertain. But I am much much more afraid of remaining comfortable. I am much more afraid of destroying my soul as it states in Matthew 10. As I stated in my last blog post, becoming comfortable was all too normal for me and now I am choosing to live in the midst of uncertainty and risk because I am running from the things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any uncertainty or risk.

Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. I believe we were each created to change the world for someone, to serve someone, to love someone the way Christ first loved us, to spread His light, whether that be in a foreign land or in our own back yard. Some days it is painfully difficult, but the blessings far outweigh the hardships.

The Bible is full of general direction as to how our lives should look:

"You are to find me in the least of these." Matthew 25:33-40

"You are to leave your earthly possessions and come follow me." Luke 18:22

"You are to love and serve The Lord God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself." Mark 12:30-31

"You are to go and make disciples of all nations." Matthew 28:19-20

This is life to the fullest. This is where true satisfaction and fulfillment comes from. When we choose to lay down our own desires and pick up God's desires for our lives it will be the most rewarding. We will all one day stand before the God of the universe and give an account for how we used our time, gifts, resources and the Gospel He has entrusted to us. When that day comes, we will not be standing there wishing we would have made more money, watched more television and acquired more stuff. Instead, we will wish we would have given more of our time to loving people, serving people and making disciples of all nations.

I want my life to reflect God. I want all that I do to be for the glory of my eternal King. Yes, most of the time it is so difficult and I am still learning every single days what true surrender and abandonment looks like. But I do know that this is what I want. I want to follow God with radical obedience and I know He will help me with every step, even when I stumble and fall.

God Will Reward Those Who Sincerely Seek Him

Hello to everyone who is reading this. Thank you for following my blog. I am pretty new to this but I wanted to start a blog so people could follow me easily on this next chapter of my life. I am pretty excited about it, actually I am beyond excited about it. I feel like this new year coming up is going to be a brand new fresh season for me. God is doing something huge in my heart and in my life.

Lately, God has been speaking to me a lot about having wholehearted devotion and obedience to Him and what that looks like for me in my own life. You see, I love being comfortable, way too much. So much so that it is completely drawing me away from my dependence on my loving Heavenly Father. When I am so comfortable in my everyday life and when I have each of my days planned out perfectly, it leaves no room for me to trust Jesus because I don't really need to. I already know everything that is going to happen. I know that I will have food to eat, enough money in my bank account, a warm bed, a hot shower, people who love me and care for me and good health. Everything is perfect.

Now while there is nothing wrong with all these lovely things, there is something wrong when I become so dependent on them that it draws me away from depending on my Savior. God  is taking me into a place where He is seriously asking me how much I crave those things over His full love and devotion. And to be honest, most of the time I would rather have all of those comforts and know exactly what is going to happen throughout each day. But Jesus is asking me, "What if I took all those things away from you? Would I be enough to sustain you? Would my love be enough for you?" Those are questions that I am seriously asking myself and where God is seriously challenging me in.

I want my life to reflect God in all faucets. I want my life to glorify Him. Every piece of it. I want to know Him fuller. I want to experience Him more. I want to delight in Jesus at all times whether that be good or bad, poor or rich. I want to abandon my whole life to Him like so many of my brothers and sisters around the world who risk their lives every single day to worship Him and all they have IS Him. I want to be a part of people who are risking it all for Him. I am so tired of living day to day and not seeking God with my whole heart because I know that I am safe and secure.

For the sake of more than a billion people today who have YET to even hear the Gospel, I want to risk it all. For the sake of my life, my family, and the people who surround me, I want to risk it all. I want Jesus' love alone to be enough in my life. I want His love to sustain me through everything, even if that means I am no longer comfortable. I need to depend on Him for everything and if I don't, I will get lost in all the 'stuff.' I will lose sight of my purpose.

In about a week, I am leaving for a country where the majority of the people have no idea that there is a Savior who loves them, who died for them and who has rescued them from the chains of this world. I can no longer be selfish in my own comforts. There are people out there that need to hear the truth and if I am too lazy to risk my whole life because I fear leaving behind things I am familiar with, then there is something wrong in my heart. This is truly what Jesus meant when He said “if any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

I don't want to waste my life on anything that isn't pleasing to my Father. I want to live in uncompromising, unconditional abandonment to a gracious, loving Savior who invites me to take radical risks and He promises me radical reward in the end. God never promised that it would be easy, but He did promise a life full of satisfaction and fulfillment to anyone who follows Him with their whole heart and devotion.

"And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him." Hebrews 11:6