The DNA of my Spiritual Fiber

The team meeting house under construction

Abigail helping Mommy do laundry

Our toilet with a beautiful mountainside view

Selvin and our Dinka friend John working 

Our kitchen

The schoolhouse almost complete!

Laurel & Abby helping tie straw bundles 

Abby and her friend Steven inside our shower

Written February 1, 2013

Thank You Lord for a better day today!  Yesterday I felt pretty weak and so our supervisor started me on fruit and vegetable supplements. (I had already been taking my prenatal vitamins.) It’s amazing how much better I feel already.  Today was a day of rest for us because we’re still waiting on the supplies to begin building the meeting house and schoolhouse.  After Abby and I did laundry we read through the 4 Max Lucado books we brought up here- Hermie, the Common Caterpillar”, “Just in Case You Ever Wonder”, “You are Special”, and “The Tallest of Smalls”.  Such sweet books and some of her favorites right now.  We read a few chapters in Psalm and then Abby wanted me to tell her stories from our family and friends memories in America.  So in lei of having no access to home videos out in the bush, (Abby’s absolute favorite thing to watch even over toddler videos or movies) we recalled those precious times through me telling her stories about them!  It was a lot of fun although it did make me miss everyone so much.  

Lord, make me creative in spending time with Abby.  This is a big stretch going from working full-time outside of the home to learning how to be a full-time stay-at-home mom.  But I praise You so much for it!  I’m so thankful to be able to do it.  Keep me humble and ever ready to learn from the community of missionary mothers you have placed around me.  I praise You for their love, support, and accountability.

I think I’m beginning to get used to life up here-at least I’m in the very beginning stages of learning to be content.  Before today everything within me screamed for our training to be over and done with.  Lord, please keep 1 Timothy 6 on the forefront of my mind and implant it into the depths of my heart!  I truly desire for godliness with contentment to be great gain in my life as You promise in Your Word.  We brought nothing into this world and we cannot bring anything out.  But, if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  How different these words ring with a new truth as we’re living out in the bush-with just a pair of shoes and a few sets of clothes each. How powerful Your Word is Lord and always able to teach us a new lesson or remind us of Your promises.   

I pray that just as You tell us in vs. 11, that I would indeed pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness.  That I would continue to fight the good fight of faith.  Help me to take hold of the eternal life to which You called me and about which I have made a good confession of in the presence of many witnesses. 

God has really put the song “10,000 Reasons” (Matt Redman) on my heart the past couple of weeks.  All of us at bush training have really enjoyed learning it together and singing it as we worship.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul,
Worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I’ll worship Your holy name.
The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning;
It’s time to sing Your song again.
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,
Let me be singing when the evening comes.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul,
Worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I’ll worship Your holy name

You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger.
Your name is great and Your heart is kind.
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing,
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul,
Worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I’ll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing,
The end draws near and my time has come;
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending,
Ten thousand years and then forevermore.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul,
Worship His holy name.
Sing like never before, O my soul.
I’ll worship Your holy name

Written February 6, 2013

How quickly it seems my emotions can flip back and forth.  The past couple of days I’ve felt like time is going by really slowly with the same old, same old.  It seems to be taking forever for the Karamajong workers to get the schoolhouse and meeting place done.  Ugh!  We are only able to help a little bit because this is all new to us (although it is a great experience).  I’m ready for them to be done so we can get started with classes and have a change of pace with everything.  This morning we had a really good team devotion with our supervisor.  It was encouraging because we talked about rejoicing in our suffering and trials.  This is hard to do when reality hits such as this-when it feels like the day is dragging on-hours upon hours stuck on top of a mountain with little control of what we do.  Yet if I want to grow in my faith I must be willing to do this and do it joyfully so I don’t waste this growth experience.  If I am just waiting for it to end or counting the days then this is all for nothing.  I DON’T want that!  I don’t want to leave this training unchanged or even the same as when I started it.  I was reminded of Philippians 4:6-7:  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Thank You dear Jesus for reminding me how important it is to have an attitude of thanksgiving-how this is directly linked to possessing Your inward peace.  

Vs. 8-9:  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

How often we forget the above verses or somewhat take them out of context.  When you read it all together and really meditate over them you see how very connected they are to having the peace of God.  How when I fill my mind with spiritual things I will indeed find peace- God Himself will be with me because all of these qualities describe His character!  So dear Lord, I ask for this now.  For You to help me fill my mind with these things, especially when I get discouraged.  

Please help me to make vs. 11-13 true of my faith in You:

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  

This is it, Lord!  Make this the DNA of my spiritual fiber!  Please continue to bring these words to my mind so they become part of my heart’s design.  You are in control and even when I don’t understand why something is happening, I pray I would trust in Your ways that are so much higher than mine.  Make this my pure and holy passion!  May You find me faithful!

And so Bush Training Begins

*****I'll be posting several blogs over the next couple of weeks written during our time at bush training when we had no access to Internet.  Stay tuned!  

1st Day of Bush Training:  January 26, 2013

Date of Journal Entry:  Monday January 28, 2013

It’s so hard to believe still-that we’re in Uganda-in AFRICA-on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere-living in a hut!  I think back on my life a year ago and at what I’d be doing-sitting in a public school classroom filled with 8th graders teaching Social Studies.  At times I think-what a comfy life that was and oh how I loved it.  And even more than teaching-how I LOVED and CHERISHED working with the youth and college students at Crossbridge.  I miss them so much sometimes it hurts.  Selvin and I had such a wonderful life in America-really the American dream in a way.  Why did we leave that to come live in a hut in a dry, almost barren, hot land?  The answer although simple is really the most costly for us.  So many of the people here-even just the Karamajong people here in Lotem, have never even heard the name of Jesus before.  That should break my heart on a a daily basis and help me do away with my selfish nature.  

Oh Jesus, you know what a long way I have to come.  But You who have called me will equip me and I hear Your promise over and over again-my grace is sufficient for you.  Help me to just take one day at a time.  Give me Your strength to be thankful for the food we have-to eat for nourishment and not entertainment.  Give us wisdom with Abigail.  Give her a good appetite when meals come and help us to be patient with her.  Since we arrived in Kaabong she’s started having temper tantrums/meltdowns.  I know it’s part of how she’s dealing with the transitions (and a normal 2 1/2 behavior) but Selvin and I haven’t known what to do exactly.  Give us the discernment we need to show her grace and tough love when we need to.  

Give me a servant’s heart towards our other team members.   Give me Your eyes to see when extra help or a word of encouragement is needed-make my hands quick to help and a keep a blessing word ever on my tongue.

I thank You dear Jesus for Your beautiful reminder of sustaining faithfulness in Psalms 3.  Just as You kept David safe as Your righteous son so many years ago so shall You sustain us now.  You are my shield, my glory, the lifter of my head.  I pray tonight that when I lie down to sleep I will remember that You alone are a shield about us.  Help me not to be afraid of rats or snakes or bugs or raids.  Keep us safe in Your arms, my God!

I think my favorite time here is at night once the scorching sun has gone down, the moon is rising, and the winds are picking up as it gets cooler.  After dinner when we are just talking and enjoying each other’s fellowship-like last night when we enjoyed some hot chai.  Help me to bless You and have a grateful heart for things I might not have noticed or even appreciated before.  This experience is already proving to be the most difficult thing we’ve ever done-help me to cling to You so that You can do an amazing work in my life.

Below:  Here are some pictures of our living conditions out at bush training.  These are the cots we will be sleeping on, Abby's tent, our green metal box (the only thing we were allowed to pack with our belongings) and a picture of our hut.