I.wanted.to.write.a.post.for.the.longest.time.then.this.happened.
Do.you.know.how.hard.it.is.to.type.without.a.space.bar?
I kept thinking to myself..."girl you need to write, you need to share, don't think that your life can't inspire someone, can't point them towards Jesus". I even feel stupid writing this statement. Maybe stupid isn't the word...boastful or arrogant maybe? I am just going to go with it, hopefully without too much rambling since I have so much to get out!
So since my last post, June 4, 2013, I was in Spanish language school for 7 weeks, 5 days a week, 5 hours a day, traveled to see family in MA for 3 weeks, returned to the DR and I became a kindergarten teacher at my kid's school, got rabies and had to evacuate our whole family to the US for emergency treatment for 2 weeks, Grace got lice (if you have seen her hair that was a LONG laborious undertaking), and we lost our house back in the states after over a 3 year long awful experience. So busy, busy, busy I have been!! Busy physically AND emotionally. But in all of that I see God's blessings. I see that it is all stuff. And in the midst of all of that crazy I did finally finish reading the whole Bible (it was a 6 month plan that took a year). But I struggled daily with intimate time with the Lord. I see how when my Jesus tank is empty I am on the side of the road broken down and the satan bus stops to pick me back up. He is a tricky one!
I think one of satan's biggest strategies is keeping people busy, busy, busy. And man I feel like he has given me a double dose!!
I took the broken space bar, which is still broken, first as an annoyance and a set back, then it just inspired me! Satan doesn't want you to write anything and for that reason alone you must find another way!! So I am hunting and pecking on my tiny iPhone in my blogger app saving it constantly!!
Then I began to think well maybe you talk too much and you need to use less words. Less is more right? So then I thought, what one thing I want to say, in one small sentence...one small powerful sentence?
God loves you, what He wants most from You is intimate time with you, and He is sorry that the world is so messed up and people are more "in the world" and not "of the world" and they don't even know what they don't know.
Aren't you glad I put in the spaces? And it probably isn't grammatically correct. But it saddens me that people don't know the Truth. For many years I didn't know the truth. I became a catholic , (which was many months of preparation), I went to church, I went on a mission trip, I listened to sermons and podcasts, listened to Christian music, attended Bible studies, even left life as I knew it to become a missionary family in another country, but I didn't read God's word for myself. There I said it, I didn't read my Bible! Gasp!
We have now been in the DR for 2 years and 7 months and that is about how long I have been reading my Bible. Not only reading it but soaking in God's Truth. Not just reading it but believing it. Not just believing the good and easy parts, but believing ALL of it. I am thankful for kids in school full time (when we first got here) and lots of time for me to recharge my soul. I know some of us don't have a lot of time, but at least start somewhere.
I read an article this morning and I want to print it out (see end for link) and read it every day and make sure I align with it's truths, because I feel like satan is winning and people are turned off by Christians and more are unbelievers than are believers.
Too many people are going to church and not going to Jesus. I don't want to be just a Christian, I want to follow Jesus, I want to know Him intimately, I want to see like He sees, I want to love like He loves, and I want others to know the same.
How do I get the message out? I feel like one of those Jesus freaks that people look at and think, wow look at her, what a kook. But instead of handing out stuff, walking the streets with a megaphone and a billboard pointing to people telling them they are going to hell, I want to whisper, "Psst, come here, I want you to know what I know.,.it is going to blow your mind, it is so cool!!" But how do I do that? I don't even know what to say. I guess I just share my story of how I was once lost myself and I don't know everything, by any means, but I do know this, people can't hear without a preacher and sometimes we need to be creative. We need to meet people where they are and lovingly show them the Way, the Truth, the Life.
I don't know where you are in your spiritual journey, but when the Truth came alive for me was when I searched for it and found it myself, in God's Word, the Holy Bible. My sanctification process started about 10 years ago. It hasn't always been pretty, I haven't always done it right (in my eyes), but I know that without a daily relationship with God it is much more difficult, and probably why it has taken me so long. And I feel like I still have SO far to go! But God uses his followers to get more followers. Sometimes that is within weeks of conversion or sometimes it takes years. We never know how our testimony can be used by God to further His kingdom. We shouldn't do it for us but for Him and His glory. I don't want to look at it like a scorecard, but as something I am called to do. Share Him and His love with the world.
Where do you start? Where do you go? I think first right to God's Word and Truth. You can always contact me personally because I think everyone's case is different. Message me and I would love to talk!
Reading the Gospels of Matthew, Mark. Luke or John in the Bible are a great place to start.
Don't have a Bible. Don't worry Youversion.com has tons of translations and you can read it on your computer, smart phone, or tablet.
This is The Message version of John's Gospel and I really enjoyed this version, the NIV version is what I read as well. The Message reads more like a story.
Don't try to over analyze it or over think at first just read. Make sure you set enough time to just read the whole thing in one sitting. Don't take notes just read. You can go back again and re-read and take notes. I made the mistake of starting to read the Bible starting one page 1. I didn't even know the Bible was God's love story to the world. I thought it was just a book of rules that was going to point out to me how bad I was. Once I could comprehend God's love for me (still don't feel worthy some days) I was open to receive that love and go to God for everything, with all my heart, mind, soul and strength!
I don't know your history, what you believe, how you view Christians, or if you had a bad church experience, but....
THIS is what I want to stand for:
I will truly have His heart and His eyes to see sons and daughters when i look at His people.
I will be a doer of the word and not a hearer only.
I will refuse to judge and condemn and do my best to love people back to wholeness.
I will be a fountain of mercy and grace and one who will breathe life back into dry bones.
I will know that it is the love of God that breaks every yoke.
I will be a living epistle of love and humility and will demonstrate the scriptures with kindness and gentleness and compassion.
I will give credit where credit is due.
I will point others to Him. I will give Him all the glory. All of the honor. All of the credit.
I will understand fully- the truth that is this. If it were not for the grace of God- there go I.
I will reach to the back row and encourage and minister to the hearts of the women who can't get past the grief and sorrow of their own life.
I will look past circumstances and situations and appearances that look different than my own to see daughters of the living God who have yet to discover their worth.
I will be looking for opportunities to be a blessing- instead of looking for my own opportunities.
I know that the only way up is down. I know that "humility isn't thinking less of yourself but it is thinking of yourself less."
Graciousness is my hallmark.
Gratitude is my beauty treatment.
I am a woman of my word.
I am a worshipper. In spirit and in truth.
I am a prayer warrior and I hold trust from others as sacred.
I am supportive of others and am not an opportunist.
I understand that to become the Proverbs 31 woman- you can't skip chapters 1-30.
I am fully aware of my own shortcomings and I seek Him daily for His love and guidance.
I recognize hopelessness and worthlessness in others and speak life.
I am an excellent listener. I listen with my head and my heart. I hear what is not being said.
I am a lifter. An encourager. A hope giver.
I forgive - fully.
I know that the same grace that was made available to me - is also available to everyone else.
I do not gossip. I do not constantly brag or boast. I speak blessing.
I see the best. Believe the best. Hope the best.
I place a high value on God's people.
I invest in the greatest investment in the world.
His people.
I am known for what I stand for.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, good fruit, impartial and sincere. ~ James 3:17
In His Grip,
Jodi
