Learning to Trust

Okay, so I begin this fully acknowledging that I have been mulling this passage (Hebrews 6: 13-20) over for five months now and still don’t understand the depth of its message. It is one of those things where you know that there is more to it…but you don’t know quite what that is. I guess that is part of the beauty of scripture, it has a depth that lures us in and keeps us coming back for more. If we seek the voice of God with humility and a hunger for truth, he will reveal himself to us, but not always in full and not always at a pace we understand. I think He delights in revealing His world-rocking truths to us, sometimes slowly, allowing us to relish the sweet and satisfying flavor. In all honesty I have been struggling to hear from God lately, especially where Africa is concerned. However, I was reminded of this passage a few days ago and decided it was time to take a closer look. I had first begun to meditate on this passage during my last trip to Uganda this January; it was somewhat of a life-line during such a tumultuous time.

So basically this passage talks about how there is no one more trustworthy than God and nothing more sure than his word. Then it goes on to talk about how Abraham obtained the promise from God because he believed God and waited PATIENTLY for the fruition of that promise. Waiting on someone we can’t see and can’t always hear is difficult, that is why scriptures like these keep me grounded. From there the passage goes on to speak of the unchangeableness of God’s purpose and character and how it is impossible for Him to lie. A simple truth, but a comfort to be reminded of—I look at that scripture and I think, yeah, there is someone I can trust.

Now…are you ready for the kicker? After imploring us to take hold of the hope set before us, the scripture says, “this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.” I love that. We can have hope in the unchangeableness of God’s purpose and character—and it is that hope that enters within the veil by the sacrificial love of Christ. If we hope in God and trust him with our everything, believing he is who he says he is and waiting patiently on him, by Christ’s love we can enter within the veil, into the Holy of holies and experience true intimacy with God. Pure beauty, that’s what that is.

Although God’s heart breaks for the broken-hearted, He is never overwhelmed by the injustice of our human woundedness. He offers light to those who dwell in darkness, he offers life to those who are dying on the inside, and he offers love in unthinkable abundance.

We must Trust. We must Wait. We must choose Hope.

The Lies and the Sword

How long must I push through
And fight this constant strain?
I want to know what is true,
But I can’t see through this pain.
Why do I absorb and believe
The deceit whispered in my ear?
The Father of Lies never seeks to relieve
He taunts. he torments. he tries to seep in fear.
God, oh God, with Your Word, my heart penetrate.
Show me the scriptures, teach me to love and heal.
Free me from these lies that hold me down and suffocate.
I am your child? You chose me? Can it be, is it real?
The Truth before me, I will stand and fight these lies with The Sword
I cling to your Word, only then will my spirit be free to truly call you Lord।

A Heavy Heart Made Light

Life might be full of tragedy and heartache, but…

we must never forget to laugh.

If we trust God with our whole hearts,
he will always walk us through our sorrow and shower us with love, peace, and joy।

Think deeply, feel deeply, and laugh often.

Oh, and by the way, this is Dan he is four and lives at Living Hope.
I love this kid (he is the one who stuck the sticker on my forehead and I totally forgot it was there when I took the picture).

The Lifter of Our Hearts

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure -1 John 3:3

This scripture is one of three that have brought me much comfort and perspective since I have been back home and trying to process through my experience in Uganda। I am not exactly sure why I have clung to this scripture like a lifeline the past couple of weeks, but there is certainly a great Truth to behold tucked within these words। Jesus Christ is my sure and steadfast hope, he never disappoints and his character is never changing. I think that after seeing an epidemic of hopelessness and corruption, this verse reminds me that we can be more than conquers, we just need to place our hope in him. He is the remedy. Within this scripture is the answer, the remedy to both corruption and hopelessness: hope in him, for he is the definition of purity. When everything else in life is dark and ugly, when chaos surrounds and filth clings…there is hope. By placing our hope completely in him, we too are made pure, we too can find freedom from the miry pit of hopelessness, we too can be made whole and clean.
The enemy would like nothing more than to see backs bent under the weight of oppression and heads hung low in defeat, but we have a choice…we must choose hope.
Can you feel Christ’s gentle hand lifting your face toward heaven?

Passion from a Broken Heart

Before I left for this last trip I knew it would be challenging। Several known factors ensured me that this was going to be an undoubtedly intense trip, but I had no idea it was going to be as difficult as it was. I fell in love with Uganda on my first trip. That trip was a glorious, amazing experience; it was difficult to be sure, but overall very positive. On this last trip…my heart was broken…and I will never be the same. I saw things and felt things that I will not soon forget. In fact, I can’t stop thinking about it. The events of this last trip play through my mind continuously. Faces with vacant eyes flood my mind as I stare into my oatmeal at breakfast, stories of what should have never been ring in my ears as I sit in class. I am haunted by the memory of a deafening silence in a place where laughter once echoed. Even in sleep I cannot escape my own thoughts—they are in my dreams, they are in my heart.

But…as only God can do…I am compelled with a greater intensity than ever before to go back—to continue loving, to continue serving, to continue to have my heart broken by the things that break the heart of God. As I have said so many times before, Hope is born in the midst of the storm. In the deepest, darkest shadows where it seems evil has won, God Is. Sometimes he stirs in hearts like a gentle breeze sweeping through the tree tops, and sometimes God reveals himself in a roaring thunder as a protective Father often does. I am not sure how God is working in the little corner of the world that broke my heart, but one thing I know for sure, God is never overwhelmed by the evil in the world. Oh, His heart breaks over every painful experience and loss of hope much more than mine or yours ever could, but I am comforted to know that God is not struggling to defeat the enemy. I may be struggling in my service to God and question whether I have done any good or not, I may have moments of feeling defeated and wonder if there really is reason to hope; but God is never overwhelmed, he has already defeated the enemy. Hope has come in the flesh and blood. The war is over. I am simply called to liberate the camps. Satan is holding precious souls captive and he is not going to hand them over easily. Yes, the war is over, we won. But there are still battles to be fought. Many tears and much blood will be shed. I can’t dismiss what I have seen—the stakes are too high.

Is there a greater tragedy than prisoners of war never being liberated, the enslaved never seeing the light, captives never feeling the warmth of hope?
There is Hope—I have seen it and I must fight this battle by loving others just as Christ has loved me. I am “gloriously ruined.”

Anchor for the Soul

Thank you all so much for being in prayer for me, the team, and the ministry. We arrived safely back home yesterday. This trip was a challenging battle from beginning to end. It was amazing to see God work in miraculous ways. I am always blown away at how God can bring hope out of storms and darkness. He really is the God of impossibilities and I am convinced more than ever of his faithfulness, his goodness, and his unchanging character. He alone provides a sure and steadfast anchor for the soul. I will be writing more in the coming days, but for now, I must go get caught up on some much needed sleep.
Thanks again, your prayers are of exceeding eternal value.

Love, Light, and Hope

My dear family and friends, the team and I have arrived safely in Uganda। We were blessed with an unexpected stay in a hotel during our long layover in Dubai (which means another stamp in my passport!)। So now we are well rested and hopefully will be able to have the energy for the New Year’s Eve overnight celebration at the Children’s Home tonight। Several of the local churches are gathering together to praise the Father for how he has been at work this past year and to greet the New Year worshiping his Holy name and dedicating the coming year to Him। I can hardly wait to see the kids. It is about all I can do to wait patiently for our time to go to the Home tonight. I am aching to see all those precious faces again. In the mean time we have had a great time of devotions with the hotel staff (one of my favourite things about coming to Jinja, Uganda) and we will spend the rest of the morning preparing the lessons and activities that God would have us do with the kids at the home. For those of you who have partnered with this mission in prayer; our team would appreciate prayer as we prepare our lessons to do with the kids. God has laid it upon my heart to speak Truth to the children, for they live in such darkness and the Truth of God’s word brings light and hope. Pray that we are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Sprit that we may know the scriptures and lessons and stories that would touch their hearts the most and advance God’s Kingdom. Also be in prayer that each of the team members would encounter God in a real and dynamic way so that we each have a renewed passion to share the love of Christ and make an impact on other’s lives for eternity as we seek to worship our King and Saviour.