spring

so refreshing. (pun intended). thank you, charity:water.

room at the table

Hello, quiet blog! My thoughts have not ceased, but I do not always feel it right in my heart or have enough time to produce things to be shared on the "World Wide Web." Anyways, I am excited to share a very simple/ known concept but one that has really been helping me stretch my thoughts lately.

Whenever I catch myself wondering things like: How do I share the same beliefs as someone so different from me? How do they fit in in the Kingdom of God? What in the world do we have in common? Or how did they treat another person like that? I simply remember: there is room at the table.

Meaning there is always room at God's table. For He is our Father, and we are His children. All people. Everywhere. For all of time.

[Side Note:] Envision an enormous table that stretches across the world with everyone sitting at it. I think we all understand the importance of sharing a meal and can think of many significant life moments that have happened around the table. It is fun to visualize how different cultures share meals in different ways but always with the same idea of eating and sharing time together.

Here are a few ways this concept has challenged my thinking (hopefully in a good way).

If there is room at the table, that means:

-Everyone is welcome. We shouldn't be exclusive with a mindset that believes there is not an open seat for a certain person or people group. We must stretch ourselves to fully accept that everyone is welcome.

- Diversity displays God's creativity. We should appreciate diversity and drink in the beautiful reality that we are all God's children.

-There will always be plenty. Just as a parent gives equally to each child, so the Father will provide bountifully for us.

- Our gifts and talents are unique. There is a great need for you to bring your unique gifts to the table. While they will differ, we should always recognize and celebrate each person's talent. Let's not be looking to compete or be someone else.

- Serving is simple. Being at the table allows us to serve one another (and be comfortable doing so). Scripture shares with us many instances of Jesus dining/ reclining with a variety of people in His day. A way of showing love and grace, simply by being in their midst and giving our time and attention.

- Remembrance is our reality. We read many beautiful stories about the table, the meal He has set before us, and the way we remember Him. We are reminded how the most Worthy sat comfortably with all peoples. At the table, prestige and power are of no importance, for we are all family, and He has called us all unto Him.

Thank you Jesus for allowing us to sit and feast at your table of goodness. Help us to remember the great privilege it is to be a part of your family and extend the invitation to others.

---
Luke 22:26-30 (NIV)
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Nehemiah 8:12  (NLT)
So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God's words and understood them.

Isaiah 25:6-8 (NIV)
On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
8     he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.

Matthew 8: 11(NIV)
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

silence

On a beautiful walk this morning, the Lord showed me how important it is for us to be un-done in the natural before we can experience the super-natural. To be comfortable with who you are in the in the natural, in the silence, to really see and hear the things God has to reveal to you.

Seems to me like today's world really challenges most of us to find silence. To create the space and be fully present to hear His voice.

I wanted to share this article around the same concept. No need to re-think thoughts so beautifully written here: Keeping Silence - Propel Women.

"Silence brings to the surface what the noise managed to bury."- Hannah Brencher

Help us Lord to be still.

sí, se puede!

You have to take that first step. 

You have to speak your dreams into existence.

- Jeremy Cowart

I totally relate to this testimony as someone who never felt to really exceed at anything. I tried all sports, and nothing really stuck. I did fine in school, but wavered in finding a career path. 

Like Jeremy, my creative and analytic sides took flight in advertising (thanks to process of elimination of college majors), and I really enjoyed the work, but felt drawn to a bigger-picture project than just sales.

When the opportunity to support the work in Baja came about, I am so thankful that I looked at all the reasons why I CAN and not why I couldn't...

I borrowed a Spanish for Dummies book from my grandmother(!) and said I CAN speak Spanish

I understood God's heart for his hurting children and said I CAN be hope

I allowed God to move the financial mountain in front me and said HE IS faithful to provide

We can do ALL things because HE IS faithful to clear the paths before us and make a way within us. 

It took me a long time to speak my dream into existence. It took me a long time to un-earth the dream. And when I had the chance to go, it still took me a long time to know how to share it with others. 

Sometimes we don't understand even a fraction up front but we can say: 

I CAN ______ because HE IS _______.

I CAN go because HE IS already there.

I CAN forgive because HE HAS forgiven me.

I CAN love because HE first loved me. 

I CAN trust because HE IS faithful

Jesus is so good!!!!    IMPOSSIBLE= I'M POSSIBLE 

Thanks Jeremy for sharing. 

goodness

In being able to #expectthebest, sometimes I think we have to look back on the good things God has blessed us with in order to expect the best coming for the future.

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I ever forget the good things he does for me." 

Psalm 103:2

As mentioned, our year has been off to a quite busy start.  We have been so blessed with multiple missions groups already. With thanksgiving, we will look forward to many more good things to come, primeramente Dios.

THANK YOU to all our visitors so far this year:
Lipscomb University Greek Life Trip 
Vaughn Park Church in Maneadero
City of Children Leader's Weekend 
Mechanics Trip 
Men's Encouragement Weekend 

While each of these trips differed, they all played a role in our joint mission of loving and serving people in Jesus' name here in Baja. The variation of these groups is a great reminder and perfect picture of how we all play a different role serving in God's kingdom. Our unique gifts allow us to share the love of Jesus in a special way.

Some play with kids, some build houses, some work on cars, some give shepherding encouragement, some are visionary leaders, some are behind the scenes workers, some cook, some translate,  some provide medical relief, some pray, some teach, but together we make up the hands and feet of Jesus.

Thanks so much to these groups that have come to support the churches here so far this year and have also been a great encouragement to us while here. Thank you for showing us the goodness of our God. We love you!

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

#expectingthebest

Oh hello world!!

Can I just say I love reading other people's blogs and hearing new perspectives.  For a while now, I have put in my heart to get this blog going again. I have in fact already started blogging, but in my journal. So anyways, here goes a start to this oh-so-dormant Baja blog that needs life and revival once again. I've got lots of inspiration and lots of life events to share, but life is passing really fast and 2016 is off to a booming start. So, I must begin in no other place than sharing my HASHTAG FOR LIFE THIS YEAR.

That's right. Not sure who reads this blog- young, old or in-between.  If you're unsure of the real meaning of a hashtag, for practical's sake we will call it a life mantra. Something in this day in age that people rally around, find in common and use to define a moment or perhaps year in my case.

#EXPECTING THE BEST

This is my mantra for 2016.

Rather simple it may sound, but the Lord just spoke to me about how so often we don't experience the best because of low expectations. We don't feel worthy that our God wants to give us the BEST of what he has. I've challenged myself to EXPECT the best but how do you get there?

He told me, the only way to get there is to take a step into His presence.

To turn the big and small moments over to Him each day because..

In Your Presence

Mountains sink into the ocean

And we stand amazed

In Your glory

Chains and prison doors are broken

Where your freedom reigns

In Your Presence

"In Your Presence" - Jesus Culture, 2016

As I write this, this song from Jesus Culture defines the beauty of His presence through my computer speakers so much better than I could. 

By #ExpectingTheBest, God tells me this is a chance to YIELD MY WILL. By making room for His presence, and having Heavenly expectations there is a shift. There is a shift in limited human perspective to boundless blessings from heaven!

So here's to 2016:
A year of the Lord's best
with HEAVENLY EXPECTATIONS
with HEAVENLY DREAMS AND VISIONS
with HEAVENLY HEALING
with HEAVENLY HOPE AND LOVE

Let's hold each other accountable as we #ExpectTheBest

Yes!!