Day 22: Christian Students

I have already talked about my desire to reach out to my students who don't know Christ. I also cherish opportunities to encourage and nurture Christian students. I have been blessed to work with a lot of terrific Christian teenagers over the years, and I inevitably end up feeling like they have blessed me far more than I have blessed them. I pray for them often, though, because I know that it is seldom easy for them to be strong in their convictions.

Day 21: Students

Even on days when we don't have school, I often find myself thinking about specific students. So many of them are dealing with big issues or complicated situations, so when I think about them I take time to pray about their situations. So many of them do not have a supportive family, some don't live with family for various reasons, at least one is pregnant, one just returned from a juvenile detention center, one admits to having serious anger problems, a few are grieving the loss of a parent (one asked me not to acknowledge her birthday because her dad died on her birthday so she doesn't celebrate anymore), a couple are dealing with serious health problems, a couple have parents who are encouraging them to drop out of school, some are essentially raising their younger siblings, . . . . and the list just goes on and on. These are just a few of the struggles of which I am aware; I'm sure there are several more. I long for them to know the love and peace that only Christ can bring.

Day 20: Set the World on Fire

It never ceases to amaze me how many songs I hear strongly relate to things I am experiencing, thinking, or feeling at the time I hear them. One of the many examples of this is the song "Set the World On Fire" by Britt Nicole.

I wanna set the world on fire
Until it's burning bright for You
It's everything that I desire
Can I be the one You use?

[CHORUS]
I, I am small but
You, You are big enough
I, I am weak but
You, You are strong enough to
Take my dreams
Come and give them wings
Lord with You
There nothing I cannot do
Nothing I cannot do

I wanna feed the hungry children
And reach across the farthest land
And tell the broken there is healing
And mercy in the Father's hands

Day 19: Family

Today I am thanking God for each and every member of my family. I pray for safety as we all travel to Michele's house and that we will not take a moment of our time together for granted. When I think about my missionary friends who are celebrating Thanksgiving thousands of miles from their families, it gives me another reason to cherish this time with my family. It also prompts me to pray for these friends on a day when they are probably feeling the effects of that separation more than they do on a typical day.

Day 18: Mission Trip Opportunity

I am currently praying about an opportunity to be involved in another women's mission trip in late February. There are many factors to consider: the response I receive from the IMB, my school schedule, etc. The most important thing, though, is that I respond to God's leading and not step out in front of Him and make a decision based on my thoughts or feelings.

Day 17: Colleagues

Although the majority of my time is spent in my classroom with students, I do interact with colleagues between classes, at meetings, and in shared responsibilities. My prayer is that I will represent Christ well in every interaction with my colleagues. There have been times when my words and/or actions have been thoughtless or from wrong motives. I want to avoid this, and the only way I can do that is through abiding in Him.

Day 16: Puerto Vallarta

Over the last year and a half I have been so blessed by opportunities to work alongside missionaries Preston and Courtney in Puerto Vallarta. I quickly grew to love the members of the new church, La Esperanza de Vallarta. While I was in Puerto Vallarta, God broke my heart for the lost in a deeper way than I have ever experienced before. As I pray for the people of Puerto Vallarta, my mind is filled with the faces of the hotel workers in my English classes last summer. They are so precious to me, and as far as I know only one of them is a Christian. I pray that God will work in their hearts and that He will continue to bless the ministry that He has started through my dear friends Preston and Courtney.

Day 15: Manzanillo

I had the opportunity to spend some time in Manzanillo in the summers of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. I met a lot of people as we distributed information in neighborhoods and hosted activities for children in the parks and schools. It has been so exciting to see the new church, La Esperanza de Manzanillo, take shape and grow. Now, as missionaries Bill and Vicki prepare to leave this church in the hands of a native pastor, I am praying for the church, for their unsaved neighbors, and for Bill and Vicki.

Day 14: Nicaragua

Even though it has been several years since my 2 trips to Nicaragua, the people I meet on mission trips stay in my heart forever. I think about them. I wonder what God has done in their lives since I last saw them. I pray for God to bless them in so many ways. Today I am praying for all of the people I met in two villages near Managua, Nicaragua. I also pray for my friend Rebecca who serves through Project Hope in Nicaragua. She's home visiting now but will return to Nicaragua in January. She has been a tremendous blessing especially to the women, teens, and children there.

Day 13: Scripture Memorization Update

Praise! God is definitely answering our prayers. I started focusing on scripture memorization a few days ago, and He certainly helped me quickly memorize the first verse I selected. But He didn't stop there.W hile I was sitting in an optometrist's waiting room for about an hour on Wednesday, He brought the verse to mind. I realized that, because I had memorized the scripture, this waiting time gave me a perfect opportunity to meditate on the verse (something I couldn't do without a Bible in hand if I hadn't memorized it). So, as I waited, I pondered and prayed through each word in the verse. It was a small incident, but it was a tremendous blessing to me. The verse was:

Guard your heart above all else
For it is the source of life.
- Proverbs 4:23

Pressing Health Clearance Issue

I received an email this morning from the IMB stating that they had not yet received my medical clearance from the organization that processes the health information. I called that organization, and they will not clear me until they receive a letter from my doctor regarding my blood pressure. My next phone call was to my doctor's office to request that such a letter be faxed. I am praying that the doctor will be willing to do this, will do it in a timely manner, and that this will not stand in the way of my clearance.

Additionally, they have not received the optometrist's report that I mailed 1 1/2 weeks ago. It was hard to tell whether or not the receipt of this report will affect clearance. I don't know why it has taken so long to reach them but am praying it will arrive today.

THA's deadline to submit clearance to the IMB is December 2.

Day 12: IMB Missionaries

The IMB recently commissioned 105 new missionaries. I am excited for the promise of what I know God will do through each of these people and am praying now specifically for them as they arrive on the mission field, adapt to the culture, and begin their work. I also pray for all of the other missionaries currently on the field.

Day 11: Mental/Emotional Preparation

I know that international missions can be very tough on a person mentally/emotionally. Being separated from family and friends and immersed in a completely different culture can take its toll on a person. I experienced a little of that last summer in my apartment in Puerto Vallarta, so I know that it is crucial for me to rely solely on Him to meet these needs and to prepare me in advance for potentially challenging situations.

Day 10: Physical Preparation

Yesterday's focus was on spiritual preparation. Today it is on physical preparation. I pray that no physical limitations will hinder me from serving where God wants me to serve, and I pray that He will continue to help me make healthy choices.

Day 9: Spiritual Preparation

I am praying that God will prepare me spiritually for the plans He has for me; whatever they may be. Whether following Him leads me to a mission field in another country or to stay where I am, I want to be spiritually prepared to serve.

Day 8: Scripture Memorization

I need to confess that it has been a long time since I have actively invested time and energy into memorizing scripture. That is something that I am trying to work on now because I recognize the importance of having it in my mind to recall and use at a moment's notice. I am praying that God will help me to be disciplined in my approach to this and that He will enable my mind to efficiently commit His words to memory.

"I have hid Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You." - Psalm 119:11

Day 7: Give Me Your Eyes

Christian artist Brandon Heath has a song that is pretty popular right now called "Give Me Your Eyes." The first time I heard it over the summer, it captured my attention because the message it holds was like an echo of my heart. It says, in part:

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eye so I can see

Can you imagine what that would be like? To truly see the people around us the way God sees them, even for just one second, would forever change our perspective. I think there have been a few times when He has allowed me just a tiny glimpse of this (with some of my students and with some people I encountered on mission trips). Those glimpses were life-changing; I can't imagine what it would be like to see through His eyes every day. When I reflect on His love and compassion for each individual person, I realize how much that should impact the way I treat each person. So, today I am praying through this song.

Day 6: Bigger Than Myself

In the 11:00 service at church, Pastor Ben is currently sharing a series of sermons called "Bigger Than Myself." It is a great reminder of our call to join God in what He is doing, to be a part of His bigger story rather than focusing on our own small story. In the midst of daily details, it is so easy for me to temporarily lose sight of the grand mission and instead focus on "mini missions." My prayer today is that I will continuously, intentionally, let go of my plans and dreams and instead cling to and invest in His infinitely greater plans. There is something that I've heard Ben say more than once that I just love:

"What God puts in us, He longs to bring out of us or draw out of us." - Ben Pilgreen

That gives me such a picture of God. It makes me think about how often He is pleased with the way I use what He has given me and how often He is saddened by it. May I become increasingly aware of how much I am allowing Him to draw out of me so that I can remove any restrictions I am placing on the ways He desires to work through me.

Day 5: My Students

I work with around 100 students on a regular basis, and I strongly believe that God brought me here for a reason. I am both honored by the privilege and overwhelmed by the responsibility of my role in their life. I have an opportunity to make an impact on their lives, but I am also accountable for what I make of that opportunity. How often do they see Jesus through me? How often do I allow thoughtless words to pass from my lips? How often am I reactive instead of proactive? I pray that God will continue to mold me and to work through me to touch the lives of my students. I also pray for each of these students individually. Some are strong believers. Some have been raised in church but are heavily influenced by the world. Some come from very troubled homes. Some have made many bad choices and are now facing the consequences of those choices. Some are very open; some very closed and guarded. All are precious to Him and therefore precious to me. I pray that God will draw them each closer to Him through whatever means He chooses to use.

Day 4: Time Management

Wednesdays are always busy days for me, which reminds me of how important it is for me to use my time wisely. (Ironically, I think I am better at this on busy days like Wednesday than on more flexible days like Saturdays.) I know that God provides sufficient time to do what He has appointed for me to do, but I often find myself either A) wasting time through laziness or B) using the time for "good" things rather than the "right" things. I pray that God will grant me discernment about how to invest my time and the discipline to follow through. I am becoming more and more aware of how much more I could be learning from and about Him if I would give Him more of "my" time.

Day 3: IMB Personnel

Today I am praying for the IMB Personnel who are reviewing my application. My prayer is that God will give them wisdom and guidance as they review applications and determine which people should continue in the process. I have confidence that God's plans for me will be evident in His timing.

Day 2: Abiding Continued

Through my recent study and reflection on abiding, one thing that has become apparent to me is how easily we allow ourselves to fall or fail in certain areas of our lives. While we may be strongly committed and growing in some aspects of our walk with Christ, there are other areas that we allow to fade into the dark where a "small" sin can quietly grow. What may have started innocently and harmlessly transforms into something ugly and impure. These things don't happen overnight. If we are vigilant and open and honest enough to allow God to regularly search our hearts and reveal these things to us, His light can prevent the decay of darkness from creating a sinful situation or attitude. This is where I am right now. Please pray that I will have the relationship with Him that allows Him to bring potential problems to light immediately. When He reveals things that have grown in the dark, I pray that He will give me the strength to acknowledge and change them. I don't want to allow things in my life that will hurt my relationship with Christ or compromise the work He wants to do through me.

A song I have listened to often lately deals with this very subject. The chorus says:

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

(Slow Fade by Casting Crowns)

30 Days of Prayer

As I continue to wait for news on my IMB application, I feel strongly led to focus my prayers and to call on loved ones to pray with me for 30 days. At the end of those 30 days, I should know whether or not I will be continuing this process with the IMB. So, I am inviting you now to join me. Each day I hope to post another specific prayer topic. Some will be directly related to the IMB process, some related to my preparation for service and spiritual growth, and some related to my current "mission field" and the lives of those with whom I currently have the honor of sharing mine. Feel free on any day to post comments or prayers anytime the topic hits home or you feel led to do so.

Day 1: Abiding. Please pray for me as I strive to abide with Christ. I have learned a lot about what it means to truly abide in Christ through a discipleship class I have been taking at church, and my need for a deeper level of abiding has never been so apparent to me as it is now.