getting rid of junk

Twice a year there is an occasion when all the residents of Kandern put their junk out on the sidewalk in front of their houses. Everything from potting pots, to mattresses, to mirrors, to couches, to random statues show up on the streets this day. It is the most messy you will ever see the streets in Kandern. But it is for a purpose.
This twice yearly day is a way for the residents to purge the things from their houses. I think it is brilliant! All day, anyone who decides that one person's junk is another person's treasure may take that junk to their house. The following day, the trucks come and take the remaining items to the dump. I put out an old coffee table and someone took it. I could not think of who might need it so now someone who needs it has it... I hope. :-)

The thing that it makes me think of...is how we often hold onto the junk in our lives. The junk we can see with our physical eyes and the junk we can't see with our physical eyes. We all hold onto junk in our lives. Stuff that clutters up our minds and hearts and our homes.

Have you ever cleaned out a room in your house and felt the lightness and freedom and freshness that it brings? Have you ever cleaned out the thoughts in your head or the lies in your heart and felt the lightness and freedom and freshness that it brings?

How often do we intentionally go through the things in our houses to get rid of junk? ...other than the times we need to move.

How often do we go before the Lord to ask Him to go through the junk that piles up in our lives which clutters our relationship with Him?

Something to ponder.. and for me... something to take more action on.

Streams of living water can't flow through my life if it is cluttered with junk.

Thanks for praying!

I have slept well two nights in a row now. Ah.. sleep is a beautiful thing. Designed by God to give our bodies energy, to remind that each day brings new challenges and excitement.. sleep is a good thing!

Jet Lag

Jetlag- a temporary disruption of the body's normal biological rhythms after high-speed air travel through several time zones.

I hope this disruption of my body's normal biological rhythms is temporary. I have not been able to sleep normally since my return to Germany.

trusting God to provide

As a missionary, I am on a constant adventure of finding out who God is preparing to partner with me financially and prayerfully. I love that God does not call me to go out alone into the mission field to which He has called me. He provides ministry partners along the way.

People who pray for me and for the requests that I send out. People who give financially. I am humbled and amazed by the people who give sacrificially so that I can do what God has called me to do.

Especially when I think of the financial crisis that is hitting everyone in the world. It would be easy for us all to stop giving in fear of not having enough. Isn't that what the man who stored up grain in Luke chapter 12 was doing?

I think of that as I tithe and support other ministries and missionaries. It is a temptation for me to stop giving so that I will be sure and have enough. but that is not what God calls me to do. He calls me to give faithfully and trust Him to provide for me.

It is an interesting way of living.. being a missionary. I love it! I love that God opens my eyes to see the world in need as He sees it. I love sharing with my ministry partners what God is doing in Western Europe. I love that I am continually faced with trusting God to provide for me. I love that God puts me on the hearts of others as they pray for me and give to the ministry.

Isn't God good?! I was watching a sparrow today and it reminded me of Matthew 6:26- "look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them."

I can trust the provision of my heavenly Father who even cares for the tiny birds. He will provide people to partner with me. He will provide people who pray fervently for me and the places that God is using me. And He will provide for those who partner with me.
God is good!

it is about God.

so I am in Colorado right now at the Campus Crusade for Christ US staff conference. This occurs every two years and it is a gathering of all those in the US who are called by God go reach students and faculty on campuses, to reach Athletes, to reach families, etc...

I go because it helps me to understand this organization that I am a part of now.

This year, I heard the Vice President of the Americas speak about how we all need to be more about God than about the organization. This was music to my ears. I have been struck in the recent months with how often we as Christians focus on the the thing that God has given us to do rather than on the Lord Himself. We are called to worship the creator not the created! We are called to give our lives to Christ, not to give our lives to our work!

I go because it is here that I am blessed to see people from all over the organization that are dear to my heart.

Do you ever wish that you could have all those dear to you in one place? I wish that a lot. And here in Ft. Collins, CO, i have the privilege of having many who are dear to me in one place. It is so fun to run into people that I joined staff with, or went through international training with, or met when they were part of a conference that I organized in Europe, or met some other random way. I love hearing stories and sharing the heart that God has given to me too. There is something so sweet about hearing and sharing what God is doing in the world.

So... it is about God. God IS. there has never been anyone like Him there will never be anyone like Him. Amen?! Amen!