My sister was describing what God was teaching her a couple weeks ago with this phrase: "to take pride in my low positions, and to be humble in my high positions."
Telling people that we are living in an RV park is certainly a change. Telling people that we are looking for jobs and living in an RV park is even better. Telling people that we are following the will of God and moved from ALASKA to here Kentucky and need jobs while living in an RV park is incredibly interesting. They all say, "Bless your heart."
It's not a hard life, though. And it's not bad either. We have all decided that we like this better than renting until we get jobs and a home. We sometimes don't even wear makeup out and about. There is no need to. Imagine that.
And we get to make friends and reach our neighbors here where we couldn't if we lived in a house. My dad is mentoring the park boys, and my family has gotten to bless our neighbors with food.
My dad killed something in his truck helping a buddy he just met at the nursery across the street move an ancient rv to the park so he could have an affordable place to live. It will cost us a bit of money but my dad did it gladly.
I just got a call from Walmart for an interview tomorrow. Truly, I never thought I would be working at Walmart. Granted, Walmart here is not like ones on the west coast, it is the nicer grocery and retail store around, one of the only ones. I never realized how much we had it good up there in Alaska. A great home, great neighbors, nice neighborhood, location, friends, church, jobs...
Now we have the friends, but nothing else yet. At least I have a car.
And the funny thing is that we chose this. God works mysteriously.
During this whole trip I've had to learn how to do things I've never done before. Like how to have quiet alone time with God in the midst of people. How to find a place to worship him when my family is around. Getting used to very limited privacy. Very limited personal space.
We are learning how to share our shower stalls and toilet stalls with all manner of creatures. I've showered while watching a giant spider devour a giant moth. Four inches from my face. We are learning how to seek God at the beginning of every day, because if we don't, things don't go too well for us. We are learning patience...people here just don't move fast.
We have yet to find a church. We've gone once since we left Alaska.
There's so much more. And God has been so faithful in taking care of us. We can only trust Him to continue.
Please think about your blessings today, like clean running water.
--MovingGirl
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
To Speak with God
My uncle was talking to me the other day about prophesying to the spirit. Totally freed me by reminding me that prophesying doesn't have to take place in a corporate setting, but that some of the most powerful, most sweet moments with God and with prophesying come when you are separate from the world. Not of the world, but in it. He talked about times when he first came to the Lord when he would go out on a hill and prophesy to the church, or to the spirit. Alone and out loud, with God and the spiritual realm as witness. It was so liberating. So freeing to be reminded about something that I knew in my heart but that my head had gotten in the way about. He addressed my fears of being wrong and how that was keeping me from using my gifts. Told me that sometimes, even if you make a mistake, it is okay. That using the gifts correctly, like any other thing, takes PRACTICE. And mistakes do come. I wish there was more teaching on this in the church.
We talked about how prophets in the old testament weren't taken out and stoned for being mistaken in there words, or for getting one wrong. They were taken out and stoned for being false prophets by giving words that intentionally led people to serve other gods. He gave as an example, the prophet who spoke incorrectly to David out of his good feeling for him regarding the building of the Temple. There is no scripture that speaks of punishment for this incorrect word but rather that God corrected it.
Why do I learn this from my uncle? Where are the churches and teachers and pastors to teach this? Must we all venture to the streets and the homes to find the scripture teachings about these things? Is the Holy Spirit to be our only source for confirmation and clarification? Not that He is inefficient, but what about the fellowship around these truths?
I can't wait for the day when these things will be taught from the pulpit without animosity, without guile, without personal opinion, and without scorn.
Us young people are hungry and we know there is more, and the stretch is coming between honoring your father and mother in the faith and rebelling against religion. It is not easy for us to find the Godly balance. It is not easy at all.
--MovingGirl
We talked about how prophets in the old testament weren't taken out and stoned for being mistaken in there words, or for getting one wrong. They were taken out and stoned for being false prophets by giving words that intentionally led people to serve other gods. He gave as an example, the prophet who spoke incorrectly to David out of his good feeling for him regarding the building of the Temple. There is no scripture that speaks of punishment for this incorrect word but rather that God corrected it.
Why do I learn this from my uncle? Where are the churches and teachers and pastors to teach this? Must we all venture to the streets and the homes to find the scripture teachings about these things? Is the Holy Spirit to be our only source for confirmation and clarification? Not that He is inefficient, but what about the fellowship around these truths?
I can't wait for the day when these things will be taught from the pulpit without animosity, without guile, without personal opinion, and without scorn.
Us young people are hungry and we know there is more, and the stretch is coming between honoring your father and mother in the faith and rebelling against religion. It is not easy for us to find the Godly balance. It is not easy at all.
--MovingGirl
Does Not Come Free
Let us remember
That freedom
Does not come
Free.
Peace is established
Through conflict
Anyone who says
Otherwise
Has forgotten
They say
We Fight
For freedom
Not for war.
It all comes
To the definition
Of freedom
So what do we
Peace for?
Is complacency
Is compromise
Is peace worth
Being enslaved
To Apathy?
If we fight
For freedom
And long
For peace
Wouldn't one
Have to be
Connected
To the other?
Peace,
Is calm in conflict.
Can we really have one without the other?
2000 years
Have passed
Since one walked
Who brought
Both war
And peace
Freedom
And grace.
He did not conquer
With his armies
He did not protest
With his signs
Instead he died
And started a rebellion
A merciful crusade
Against normalcy
Against complacency
Against compromise
And apathy.
He started a revolution
Inside the hearts
Of the people
A revolution
That continues to hold strong
To this very day.
Love.
It says no to impatience
It says no to unkindness
It says no to depression,
Fear
Apathy.
How?
Because he died
To start this conflict.
That brings freedom
To the human soul.
A sacrifice, to save others
Just as our wars do today.
Is there peace without war?
Is there war without peace?
A bloody death
Civilian casualty
Torture
And mutilation
Mockery
Politics
Subterfuge
Washing
Of hands
Secrets
And thirty-three years
To bring about
The most
Extravagant
Elaborate
Complex
Plan
In progress
Since the beginning
Of creation
Jesus died.
Let us remember
That freedom
Does not come
Free.
Written in Utah on the best night of the entire trip. It hasn't been edited yet. Too many capitals and other things...but it is harder to edit on the iPad than on the laptop. Will do so later.
--MovingGirl
That freedom
Does not come
Free.
Peace is established
Through conflict
Anyone who says
Otherwise
Has forgotten
They say
We Fight
For freedom
Not for war.
It all comes
To the definition
Of freedom
So what do we
Peace for?
Is complacency
Is compromise
Is peace worth
Being enslaved
To Apathy?
If we fight
For freedom
And long
For peace
Wouldn't one
Have to be
Connected
To the other?
Peace,
Is calm in conflict.
Can we really have one without the other?
2000 years
Have passed
Since one walked
Who brought
Both war
And peace
Freedom
And grace.
He did not conquer
With his armies
He did not protest
With his signs
Instead he died
And started a rebellion
A merciful crusade
Against normalcy
Against complacency
Against compromise
And apathy.
He started a revolution
Inside the hearts
Of the people
A revolution
That continues to hold strong
To this very day.
Love.
It says no to impatience
It says no to unkindness
It says no to depression,
Fear
Apathy.
How?
Because he died
To start this conflict.
That brings freedom
To the human soul.
A sacrifice, to save others
Just as our wars do today.
Is there peace without war?
Is there war without peace?
A bloody death
Civilian casualty
Torture
And mutilation
Mockery
Politics
Subterfuge
Washing
Of hands
Secrets
And thirty-three years
To bring about
The most
Extravagant
Elaborate
Complex
Plan
In progress
Since the beginning
Of creation
Jesus died.
Let us remember
That freedom
Does not come
Free.
Written in Utah on the best night of the entire trip. It hasn't been edited yet. Too many capitals and other things...but it is harder to edit on the iPad than on the laptop. Will do so later.
--MovingGirl
Poor, long-neglected, blog
I kind of feel sorry for my blog. Lack of will, not lack of time has kept me away. There has just been so much going on with this moving process that it seemed like it would be a huge project to get it up to speed. But then I realized I don't have to do that. I've never really done that before.
So here goes not catching up on everything.
I am in Murray, Kentucky as of a couple weeks ago. This is a college town, home to the very first college I actually considered going to when in Alaska and doing research. They are diverse and that is what sells me. Coming from Alaska where we had two white neighbor families and the rest were all of different nationalities, it's hard down here where everything is so...divided still. It's hard for me to think that it has only been a generation since the freedom riders and other who began the fight for equality. It saddens my heart. So that is one of the major draws to Murray State. The diversity.
We are in the process of searching for jobs. I spent the last two days perfecting my dad's resume for him. He gave me the information and I gave him a resume. I know that God helped me along the way. I have writing and editing skills, but they are God-given.
I just got started on my own last night.
There have been many difficulties with where we are at, but the coolest thing has been to see all the family. It is why we moved to this side of the U.S. and it has been phenomenal. For myself and my siblings, who have never been around family, it has been very meaningful to see the blood relations and to know where our roots come from. We met my grandma Mary, a physical grandparent and spiritual. I believe it was her prayers that brought my mom, aunt, and uncle to the Lord. It was an honor to meet her.
I have to go, I'm driving up to Paducah today to get my title for my car. The new car is great and such a God-blessing. I named her Devir. It's Hebrew.
--MovingGirl
So here goes not catching up on everything.
I am in Murray, Kentucky as of a couple weeks ago. This is a college town, home to the very first college I actually considered going to when in Alaska and doing research. They are diverse and that is what sells me. Coming from Alaska where we had two white neighbor families and the rest were all of different nationalities, it's hard down here where everything is so...divided still. It's hard for me to think that it has only been a generation since the freedom riders and other who began the fight for equality. It saddens my heart. So that is one of the major draws to Murray State. The diversity.
We are in the process of searching for jobs. I spent the last two days perfecting my dad's resume for him. He gave me the information and I gave him a resume. I know that God helped me along the way. I have writing and editing skills, but they are God-given.
I just got started on my own last night.
There have been many difficulties with where we are at, but the coolest thing has been to see all the family. It is why we moved to this side of the U.S. and it has been phenomenal. For myself and my siblings, who have never been around family, it has been very meaningful to see the blood relations and to know where our roots come from. We met my grandma Mary, a physical grandparent and spiritual. I believe it was her prayers that brought my mom, aunt, and uncle to the Lord. It was an honor to meet her.
I have to go, I'm driving up to Paducah today to get my title for my car. The new car is great and such a God-blessing. I named her Devir. It's Hebrew.
--MovingGirl
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