anonymous discussion #2

the topic is: harry potter and Christianity.

is it okay to read/let your children read Harry Potter? is it too influenced by witchcraft and therefore "dangerous" or "demonic"? or are Christians too uptight on this one?

what do YOU think?

anonymous discussion #1

there have been some things on my mind lately that i would like an anonymous discussion on. please feel free to comment and tell me what you think!

there's a woman here, an LAM missionary, who is fighting against the legalization of abortion here in mexico city. abortion is an issue that i've never had an opinion on (one of the few hehe) because i can see both sides (listed below) and i would like to know what you think!

pro choice:
i understand that a woman has a right to her body and should be able to choose if she wants children or not. sometimes rape or harm to the mother can be taken into consideration. is abortion something that we as christians should take as our own personal battle? is that not just putting our "moral agenda" and forcing it upon everyone else? what about the people that can't afford to feed the children they already have, do they have a choice?

pro life:
as christians and even just as concerned citizens we should protect life and humans rights, speaking for those who have no voice. all life is sacred and God has a perfect plan for each baby. abortion is inhumane and is murder, and we should not legalize any form of murder. there are plenty of couples that want to adopt so instead of aborting, they should give it up for adoption.

what do YOU think??

after a long week i am back "home" ... steph and i pretty much walked in the house, threw our suitcases down, and fell into bed. now i am sleepy, it's stormy and rainy, and listening to the "once" soundtrack ... it's (almost) perfect.

the orientation went well - it was interesting to meet so many ppl who used to be me less than a year ago. nervous, anxious, with lots of questions and not fully understanding anything ... this morning we sent all of the newcomers home and hopefully they can get through their first weekend by themselves - i'm definitely nervous for them. i really like training and preparing them for their ministries and family life but i miss my kids so much. i don't really know what my role this summer will look like but i want to still love on kids and don't know if i will have a chance to see my compassion kids after all or not... i would also like some people to come with me and visit my kids ... maybe soon?

while i was gone, i celebrated my 4 yr anniversary of being a christian, which is weird and exciting. June 5 was a hard day but now i see it was the best of my life (in a weird way). it was a day of breaking, of everything i thought was most important being taken away, a day after a night without sleep, the first day of the rest of my life ... the day where God caught up with me and showed me my need for Him... these past 4 yrs have been full of tears, struggle, fears, anxieties, new steps, joy, the most amazing friends and mentors, worship, teaching and learning ... they have been the most beautiful of my life and i hope that God continues to challenge and grow me and i never grow stagnant.

i never would have imagined that night that i put myself in His hands that He would have blessed me a million times over with a family of hundreds of brothers and sisters in Denton, that i would be living here in Mexico on His behalf, or the fact that i would hopeful about giving my heart again ...

thank You Jesus.
(i don't ever want to tire of these words)

exactly two months

for those that don't know

i met this guy when i came to mexico my first few months. he wants to be a missionary in the poor parts of mexico, is smart, funny, kind, a gentleman, he challenges me and encourages me, and loves Jesus very much. we started talking and hanging out and realized that we connected well and my directors told us that we can't communicate until august 1st (that will be 7 MONTHS without communication) and i can see him in exactly two months from yesterday.

it's odd - although we can't talk or see each other, God is uniting our hearts for whenever one of us needs prayer. somehow we know and can intercede although we have no way of knowing. i feel proud to know him, proud to know He's growing in the Lord, proud of the work he does for others and for the way he serves and ministers. i am so blessed and cannot wait to hug one of my very best friends again

61 days.

i still like xanga better

but it seems that no one reads it anymore so i will duplicate my posts there and here.

stripped

God has been literally stripping me of everything lately and while it does NOT feel good, this is the best it's ever been (if that makes sense?). i'm so glad for the Bible and for all the verses that are written on my heart, because Scripture is the only thing making any sense right now, the only thing that i can put my confidence in, the only truth that i can trust. it reminds me that

God is wise: He knows what is best for His children
God is generous: He gives what is best for His children
God is loving: He does what is best for His children
God is good: He is what is best for His children.

be at rest once more, oh my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. [psalm116:7]

what your time and attention and devotion and thoughts are mostly on reveals where your treasure is - and mine is on so many earthly things. bless the Lord, o my soul, oh Lord my God You are very great... [psalm104:1]... if i really remembered this, all of these things wouldn't matter anymore. when i remember that Christ DIED so i could be with Him ... this truth that used to cut to the heart [acts2:37] ... i realize how far i've strayed from those moments when He was enough.

so even when it feels like everything i love is being taken away and life is continually changing and moving into new chapters -

This is what the LORD says:
"Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who depends on flesh for his strength
and whose heart turns away from the LORD...
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
[jeremiah 17:5-9]

welcome to miami (bienvenido a mi, a mi!)

so i'm in miami for a training for Mexico City and i like the adventure so much. Florida is different, there's a breeze, palm trees, many cultures and languages spoken all the time and people assume that I know Spanish (which is awesome!)

new things i've done so far: walked to all of my meals, ate alone, had peruvian food (which was green chicken soup!), saw a shoe shiner, ordered from a menu w/o taking the price into consideration, slept alone in a hotel, stood next to men in their fatigues at the airport and suddenly felt pride and sadness at seeing the American flag...


here are some deeper thoughts from my journal:

"During the flight i heard You asking me 'if you never got married, would I be enough for you?' My honest answer is i don't know - but i'm not sure i'm ready for an intense converstaion yet. My stomach is full of chicken fried steak, eggs, and hash browns, and this soft bed and sunshine are lulling me to sleep. Maybe after dinner...

I can't ignore this any more. Would You be enough? Would i give up my expectation to be married? do i love and trust you enought let go? is my treasure on earth or heaven? Do I want to be devoted to you in body and spirit, without divided interest? Do i believe You are better?
I'm sorry for wishing for a different plan.

Sorry for begrudging selfish thoughts. My life should not be me living for myself but for Your Will - which is that You receive glory and that i am nearer to You. I believe these will come with Mexico...will i trade in my expectation of marriage for this?

In view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act or worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

If I let go is it because I want to obey or I know I should?

If I let go because I believe this is merely a test of faith, am I really letting go or saying what I should to pass this test?

Change my heart so I can believe You are better and so I can follow Your good, pleasing, and perfect will."


more to come on the saga that is life...