Singing and Dancing

My friend, Julie, in Swaziland just had a camp with the women in the rural area who she gets to disciple. This video made me smile and yet made me a little bit sad since I've been away from Swaziland for six months, that's the longest I've ever been away since I first stepped foot on Swazi soil. If you've been there, you'll really love this, if you haven't I think it will make you want to go. Maybe we can just start singing a cappella tomorrow at church and start dancing around the chairs...

For more of the story click on the link below http://julieanderson.myadventures.org

What the Lord has done, Part 1

The Lord has done a lot in the last month in my life and I want to share it. As with anything with me, there's always lot of details. I'm breaking it up into 5 parts so it's easier to read and hopefully understand.

Here's Part 1 of the Recap of my 28 days with the Lord:

“Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today. When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster. Build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. Do not use any iron tool upon them. Build the altar of the Lord your God with fieldstones and offer burnt offerings on it to the Lord your God. Sacrifice fellowship offerings there, eating them and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord your God. And you shall write very clearly all the words of this law on these stones you have set up.” Deuteronomy 27:1-8

On the first day of the 28 days I finally, after months of resisting the Lord’s prompting, went to BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). They had been studying the life of Moses since September and when I arrived Moses was just about to die. It was in the choosing of "Joshua" the one who proceded me and the results of that where the deepest hurt from Swaziland lie. While still in Swaziland I was steeped in the study of Moses, specifically what he did before he died and how he prepared Joshua. I practically applied what I learned from him and yet the "Joshua" the Lord appointed was quickly removed from leadership after I left. I was devastated and my conclusion was 1) Why did the Lord have me choose and prepare her if He knew it was going to end this way? 2) I must have done something wrong to have caused this. So basically I 1) questioned his character and 2) didn’t feel like what I had done was good enough - I had failed.

The practical application from the teaching of Deuteronomy 27 that night was “How are you going to remember all that the Lord has done?” I knew specifically for me it was “How was I going to remember what the Lord had done in Swaziland”? I went home that night and sat down with the Lord and wrote down 35 things off the top of my head that the Lord did IN and FOR me. Those I could stand on because I knew those for sure, it was what the Lord had done THROUGH me that I was unsure of. In the next two weeks the Lord had me “remembering” all of the things He had done by looking through pictures and reading old emails and blogs. I had forgotten so many things He had done. Practically, He had me begin to make a Shutterfly book of pictures that each represented one of the 35 things. These first two weeks were a beautiful time where the Lord was speaking and leading so clearly…

28 days

Today is day 1 of 28 days. The Lord has given me the gift of 28 days to spend with Him and rest. Friends of mine went to Africa for 28 days so I get to house sit. I'm still working but No tv, internet, even limit phone time to necessary calls. God is just calling me to Himself and I don't want to resist.
PLEASE PRAY. I’m not sure why Lord brought me here. I’m already trying to make a plan for the next 28 days. I’m trying to fill my time with doing things – read my bible, read this book, journal, sing, play guitar, dance etc…it’s gonna take me a few days to just “be”.

I know the main reason He called me here is to rest. Even when I was home last year and was at home most of the time and wasn’t working, I was not resting, I was striving - striving to hear from Him, figure out why I was here, adjust back to the States etc.

I realized tonight I can’t even rest without Him because my natural tendency is to work and do and strive. Pray that I just enjoy Him without expecting anything from Him in return . Pray I keep this “no agenda”. I also do ask for healing to take place as there are still some fresh wounds I'm pretty sure we are going to visit.

I love my Savior so much! I just let myself get in the way so many times of what He’s trying to do especially when He is trying to give me something (like grace or rest). I just want to learn to receive from Him and learn to just want Him and for that to be enough. Thanks in advance for your prayers. The 28 days are over May 17.

Resting in Him,
Becca

I will bring praise

Choosing to praise. Life's been challenging these days and I don't feel like praising. Last night I went to the Hillsong United concert and they sang "Desert song" and it ministered to me.

My favorite lyrics in the song are I choose to bring praise because no weapon formed against me shall remain. I declare God is my victory and He is here. I'm battling and triumph is still on it's way. But for now I declare I'm a conqueror and co-heir with Christ, so I'll stand. In every season of my life God remains the same, He's still God so Ialways have a reason to sing and worship Him.

I'd taken my eyes off Him this week by not ascribing praise to Him. I found this on you tube that one of the singers of this song had just lost her newborn when she was recording this song. She understands what it means to choose to praise. Be blessed by the video and song!

Let It Be So!

Last week I realized I don't dream anymore. All my passions, desires, goals...everything was pointed toward Africa and specifically Swaziland. But almost 1 year ago (in May) the Lord pulled me out and flung me across the ocean. Through this last year I felt like my hopes, dreams, passions - everything the Lord had given me had died. Last week, the Lord started showing me those dreams for Swaziland are still there, I'm just in America for now. Then my little sister tells me she has to do an assignment for school to make a video with pictures, music and a poem. She made it with my pictures from Africa, a SiSwati song, and Isaiah 61:1-4. This particular Scripture was what the Lord gave me for the young girls of Swaziland and promised He would bring about. Here's the video. Let this be so, Lord! Raise up a generation of women in Swaziland who will rebuild the ancient ruins!

Thank you...

Last night, I laid awake in bed just just thanking Him for anything my eyes fell on - my home, my roof, my bed, even my cute Africa decorations...why? I finally felt good. I have been sick with the cold from down under (not Australia) since Tuesday. I've been lying on the couch with no energy, bad headaches, soar throat etc. only soup, grilled cheese and chocolate was sounding good to eat. And on one particular night I got to revisit all I had eaten that day...

Anyway, it feels so good to feel good again and I'm just thankful. I don't want to take my health for granted. Oh if i could bottle up how I'm feeling right now and save it for sick days to come or even gray-haired days to come when things don't work like they should any more. It's inspired me to get health insurance also.

More often than not, I grabbed my guitar this week and I can't explain it but I felt better while I was singing and playing the guitar. The song I'm learning right now is "My romance". Revelation 5:11 tells us that there are 100 million angels worshiping the Lord around His throne...100 million all saying the same thing "worthy is the lamb that was slain"...makes my headache seem quite insignificant. One more thank you - to my church in Swaziland, Salvation and Praise Ministries (pictured above)- they are the ones who taught me to worship and sing to the Lord when I don't feel good.

I don't want chocolate chip...

One of my friends' 4 year old grandson called her the other day and said he was coming to visit her. She told him she would have a cookie for him when he got there. When her grandson showed up she handed him a chocolate chip cookie. He refused it, he wanted a pink-heart shaped one. The little boy was hurt because he was sure his grandma had promised him a pink heart-shaped cookie. "I did promise you a cookie but I didn't say a pink heart-shaped cookie", she told him. When she asked him why he wanted a pink-heart shaped cookie he said "because that one means love". She had to explain to him that the chocolate chip cookie meant she loved him also.

I'm doing the same thing with my Abba. He promised to love me, protect me, speak to me, draw me etc. and now all of the sudden his methods are different and I'm rejecting them. To me, feeling His presence makes me feel loved. Lately, He has felt so far away but a song will come on the radio and express what I cannot say and I burst into tears. That's still telling me He's there, He's listening...but I don't want that way. I read my Bible and nothing pops out like it used to and I'm frustrated that He's not speaking to me. Instead, friends in Christ are speaking truth into my life that is penetrating my heart. I'm such a routine and method person and the Lord so wants it to be about the relationship but I'm struggling with these chocolate chip cookies.