Do you ever feel like you live in a world of impossible?
I do... and just when I want to complain about this, I must remind myself of our great I AM and how He manifests His awesome power through such impossibilities.
In the summer of 2011, the Lord planted Mark 9:23 in my heart, "All things are possible for one who believes." He knew I'd be stepping into a life of the seemingly impossible. And the closer I draw to God's heart and the further I travel with Him, the more difficult life appears to be.
Then I think of Moses.
We know for a fact that Moses saw his God-given mission of delivering the Israelites from Pharoah's rule with discouragement. Upon hearing God's plan for him, Moses pretty much replied, "But... but... but... That's impossible. You don't really mean me."
I frequently step into Moses' shoes when I cry out, "Lord, I can't possibly do what You're asking of me!"
However, I've come to believe that God purposely calls those who know they can't do it alone so He can move through them.
This summer, I was offered to teach three other girls' empowerment classes in two villages besides Zion. These classes of girls have already graduated the first and second levels of the program and need someone to step in as their leader.
"Who, me?"
I'm still asking God that one, even though I know He's saying, "Yes, you."
Confirmation? Two sisters in Zion, Mariel and Mariela, are enrolled in the program in one of the villages. I've grown particularly close to Mariel as she frequently comes to visit me. She and two others offered to assist me in going door-to-door in Zion to record the name, age, and house number of every girl interested in the program. She even walked me down the hill to lower Zion to ask those girls!
She is hungry to learn about God and wants everyone to experience the class that is drawing her closer to Him. I have already enlisted her help with the first level in Zion.
That is God moving.
"But, Lord, my Spanish is still weak. How am I going to translate and communicate everything You want them to know?"
Just as God gave Moses his brother, Aaron, I've learned that my newest neighbor, Rebecca, speaks fluent English and Spanish. In fact, her husband will be working as a translator for the ministry that began the three empower girls classes. Oh, and did I mention she expressed interest in helping with this girls' program?
Do you see that? Look how God gloriously and miraculously provides because He knows I can't do it alone!
All things are possible for one who believes.
I'm stepping out in faith obediently and expecting God to do great things. This doesn't mean that there won't be any resistance from my own personal "pharaohs"... but I certainly pray against any plagues of frogs, gnats, flies, and locusts... Lord knows we already have enough cockroaches and spiders in my house.
This new life will cost me greatly, but I'm ready to see God work miracles in His Son's Name. I'm ready for revival and restoration. I'm ready to see whole villages transformed in a country rich in evangelism but weak in discipleship.
Many here have heard the gospel their whole lives but have never been discipled or shown what it means to truly live it out. This is what I feel God has called our Cups of Cold Water team here to do. To demonstrate by our lives what God has asks of us... To live a blameless life devoted to Him. Though we are unable to do so alone, through Jesus, we can.
I covet your prayers for the Lord to open my mouth to speak Spanish more fluently and for relationships to grow and flourish between the girls and myself. I know if God has called me here and began this work, He is faithful to complete it.
Nothing is impossible!
I do... and just when I want to complain about this, I must remind myself of our great I AM and how He manifests His awesome power through such impossibilities.
In the summer of 2011, the Lord planted Mark 9:23 in my heart, "All things are possible for one who believes." He knew I'd be stepping into a life of the seemingly impossible. And the closer I draw to God's heart and the further I travel with Him, the more difficult life appears to be.
Then I think of Moses.
We know for a fact that Moses saw his God-given mission of delivering the Israelites from Pharoah's rule with discouragement. Upon hearing God's plan for him, Moses pretty much replied, "But... but... but... That's impossible. You don't really mean me."
I frequently step into Moses' shoes when I cry out, "Lord, I can't possibly do what You're asking of me!"
However, I've come to believe that God purposely calls those who know they can't do it alone so He can move through them.
This summer, I was offered to teach three other girls' empowerment classes in two villages besides Zion. These classes of girls have already graduated the first and second levels of the program and need someone to step in as their leader.
"Who, me?"
I'm still asking God that one, even though I know He's saying, "Yes, you."
Confirmation? Two sisters in Zion, Mariel and Mariela, are enrolled in the program in one of the villages. I've grown particularly close to Mariel as she frequently comes to visit me. She and two others offered to assist me in going door-to-door in Zion to record the name, age, and house number of every girl interested in the program. She even walked me down the hill to lower Zion to ask those girls!
She is hungry to learn about God and wants everyone to experience the class that is drawing her closer to Him. I have already enlisted her help with the first level in Zion.
That is God moving.
"But, Lord, my Spanish is still weak. How am I going to translate and communicate everything You want them to know?"
Just as God gave Moses his brother, Aaron, I've learned that my newest neighbor, Rebecca, speaks fluent English and Spanish. In fact, her husband will be working as a translator for the ministry that began the three empower girls classes. Oh, and did I mention she expressed interest in helping with this girls' program?
Do you see that? Look how God gloriously and miraculously provides because He knows I can't do it alone!
All things are possible for one who believes.
I'm stepping out in faith obediently and expecting God to do great things. This doesn't mean that there won't be any resistance from my own personal "pharaohs"... but I certainly pray against any plagues of frogs, gnats, flies, and locusts... Lord knows we already have enough cockroaches and spiders in my house.
This new life will cost me greatly, but I'm ready to see God work miracles in His Son's Name. I'm ready for revival and restoration. I'm ready to see whole villages transformed in a country rich in evangelism but weak in discipleship.
Many here have heard the gospel their whole lives but have never been discipled or shown what it means to truly live it out. This is what I feel God has called our Cups of Cold Water team here to do. To demonstrate by our lives what God has asks of us... To live a blameless life devoted to Him. Though we are unable to do so alone, through Jesus, we can.
I covet your prayers for the Lord to open my mouth to speak Spanish more fluently and for relationships to grow and flourish between the girls and myself. I know if God has called me here and began this work, He is faithful to complete it.
Nothing is impossible!
From left to right around the board: Yaeimi, Mariel, Mariela, Eimi, Mayelin
This is beautiful! You're right... We all battle seasons similar to the Israelites in Moses' days. We each have our own "Egypt" where we were enslaved to sin. We each spend seasons in the wilderness, where God slowly teaches and and grows us amidst our bitterness and complaining (and wayward heart that often wants to turn back to the "comfort" of our once enslaving Egypt. We each have a purpose that God calls us to, and in a similar way to Moses, we are called to reach out to an enslaved nation and call them back to freedom in Christ. And last, but certainly not least, Jesus is the BETTER Moses. He is our redeemer out of our Egypt into the Promised Land of hope and peace because of His grace. He walked us through the waters and on safe land, then sanctifies us through years and years of wilderness, sprinkled with days in beautiful respite. I LOVE the Exodus story!!
ReplyDeleteElena
elle-alice.blogspot.com
Thank you for your words, Elena. Believe me when I say I personally know what it's like to wander in the wilderness with God... with that said, I also intimately know God as my Deliverer! God used Moses to point to His coming Son, our ultimate Savior and Deliverer! Praising God for His mercies that are new every morning.
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