Wow, so i just have to share something about just going out on a limb and the Lord totally blessing it! Yesterday i was meeting up with some friends to go to Gniezno to prep Rich and Brooke's yard more for hte ALIVE retreat. And that morning, i was like, "God i want to to share you with at least ONE person today, so please direct my study of your Word this morning so that i can have somehting to share with someone." And the Lord totally blessed my study and then i got to the train station and the whole way i could feel like this kind of nervousness and just like, hesitation. I looked around and was like, "Okay Lord please direct me to the right person you would want me to share this stuff with." And i walked past the little bookstore and a girl my age was in there all alone working. I felt like this was the one the Lord had in mind. So i walked in and began to look around and said, "wow, it must be lonely in here huh?" And she kind of laughed and said, "Yeah, it is pretty boring." We joked about how it made money though, so that was what is important. I asked her if she was a student and she told me she was....she was studying religion. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, i was just floored and before i knew what i was saying it just came out of me, "Really? I have a question for you then! What do you think about the death of Osama Bin Laden? I mean, according to what your religious beliefs are?" And then she shared her feelings that she thought it was ridiculous the way people were so public and forthright in their celebration of his death and that it was not a good response--yes, that it was a good thing, but that it should not be made such a public display of celebration. I agreed with her and once again before i knew it, i was sharing with her all the verses and all the things the Lord had showed me about His heart in the situation that morning. I had been in Matthew 5:38-43 when He is giving his command to love our enemies even as we love those who aer good to us. And ending with "you therefore be perfect even as your Father in heaven in perfect." I asked her what she thought about that....about the command to be perfect even as God is perfect and what that meant to her. And then she shared that she thought it was impossible to which i responded, "well, at first it does seem impossible! So that is why i knew i needed to study it further and answer this question. Because why would God ask us to do something impossible?" So then i shared with her all the things the Lord had spoken to me in answer of that question. And by the end, she was saying she thought she was not a good person and for her to be perfect would be impossible but it could be possible for others. And then i gave her some verses from Ephesians 2:8-10 about salvvation being a gift of God and not about us and what we do. and i shared with her what it was Jesus had done and what He wanted to offer her--regardless of her beign a "good person" or "bad person". What the Lord will do with this in her heart, i only hope is give her a thirst for Him or quench the thirst that maybe had already been there. But i plan to try to see her again. And i am definitely praying for her.
So yeah! It was just awesome to share so directly something the Lord taught me and letting God overcome fears inside of me. And i hope that it is just one more seed that will bear great fruit in the future.
Gnieno was awesome! We even went out to the NEW LIFE CENTER which i have been wanting to see sinc i came here. We went to pick up some wood but we got a tour of the place and got to meet some of the men that are currently in the program. I even got a job offer! LOL, my first PAYING job offer, ha-ha! The story is, the men there chop wood into firewood, it is like one of the sources of income for the center and also provides the men with a way to be productive and learn work ethic while they are in the program. So....I decided that chopping wood looked to be fun and i went out with them and gave them a break. LOL. I was out there chopping wood with a bunch of guys who were of course trying to speak English with me and Polish! And even some DUTCH, because one of the guys was from the Netherlands!!! They were all so impressed with my wood chopping skills. I somehow always get teh nickname of "Strong woman" wherever i go on Mission Trips. LOL. Which i think is funny and i think is really cool. And i think it is cool God created me with this love for physical work, becuase i think it brings people to a place of like, partnership and a place of commonality. I dont know, i think there is something really cool in just working together with people physically to get stuff done. I dont know how to explain it. But i think it was also just a blessing for these guys, because they were "teaching" me to chop wood. And it probably made them feel super feeling that they were teachign me and seeing that i wanted to include myself in their work with them. even though they were so dirty and sweaty and .....like working men, LOL. So i got to talk with them a little because the guy from Netherlands spoke a little English. And if i come back to Poland, i would love to teach English at the Center.
I think the ministry--just the little time i spent there-- hearing Rich and Brooke talk about it and the lives that have been changed there, is just such a great ministry and Jesus would totally want to be there!! And i totally want to be where He would want to be. I can just see that place as a place where Jesus thinks about it, or sees it and just smiles becuase of how beautiful it is to Him.
So Rich and Brooke fed us a wonderful authentic Polish meal--courtesy of the local restaurant ;) -- and then Juice, Kristian, Jason and I started the work on the "farm". I have decided that my kids are not having a swing set.....ever. LOL. They can have a tree swing if we have a tree, otherwise, nope, just not happening. UNLESS, my husband wants to put it in....by himself. Hahaha.
Rich and Brooke made us some excellent BBQ for dinner! I ate more meat yesterday then i have eaten in a while!!! LOL, it was GREEEEEEEET! Too bad we had to catch a train at 9:45. :( It would have been nice to chill together for a while after the afternoon of work. But it was great to gather around the table. we were laughing and just haivng a great time the whole day together. it was such a refresher to be with them and working together and outside doign the work. It was a great day.
And i just feel like it was such a great day because of how it began....just me wanting to do something for the Lord, to share with someone what He had given me that morning in His word. And i relaly believe form that point on, i was just so filled...like doing that gave me so much joy and just increased my faith and made me realize how much i can trust Him and how simple it is just to rely on Him.
Going back in time another day to Sunday.....Mother's Day!....i got to talk with my Mommy on her way to Phoenix which was real nice and i am glad she was she glad. :) And i told her about the bike ride i had gone on that afernoon after church and told her how i totally want to take her to these areas when she comes. The bike ride was GORGEOUS! It was just a few miles outside of Poznan, but it felt MILES and miles away. It was such beautiful countryside....i almost felt like i was in Montana!!! That is what it reminded me of. I was invited to go wtih Klaudia and her family along with Coralanne and Melanie. :) It was so much fun...and so crazy to do some kind of"driving" lol. But the great thign about a bike, is you never forget!!! I cant wait to drive when i get home.....NOOOOOOOOOT! I have thoroughly enjoyed my ability to cast off all burdens of transportation other than public transit and walking. I am going to probably go crazy in Phoenix....i am pretty sure. So i have decided that i will try to buy a new bike with some of my "Education money" that i can just use that to get around more comfortably....since my student teaching will be in Scottsdale.
Okay, well i have to get going, unfortunately. :( I feel like i can never write enough abbout stuff, but then i dont know where to begin either! So i hope the highlights you get are interesting. Have a great day!!!!
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