Pray for the Nations

Lots is happening in Burma right now...the government is basically wiping out any form of Democracy across the country. Crimes against humanity are many and terrible...lots of refugees.
I will be tutoring a young Burmese woman who has come to the U.S. very recently. I am so excited about it. Pray for Burma with me! Pray, also, for the tutoring...that God would help Mariah and I form an encouraging friendship with this woman. We are SO excited about it!!! :)

Human Rights watch estimates 70,000 child soldiers in Burma. Incredible.

Lord, may they NOT be just numbers to us. Affect us so we might be most effective for you here.

Also, many of you know of my increasing burden for Cambodia. I don't know why, where, or how this started. I have been heavily burdened by the extent of human-traffiking worldwide. There are many in Cambodia that are affected. For some reason or another, God has been bringing Cambodia up A LOT. It's sort of weird. But cool. I was mentioning this to a friend the other day and then read a chapter in a book last night about the AIDS pandemic. The "case study" story was about a young girl in Cambodia...I told this to another friend this morning up in the coffee shop, only to look behind her a few minutes later to see something on the news headlines about the Cambodian prime minister. God is trying to get my attention and I'm not sure what it really means. All I know for now is that He wants me to pray...and encourage others to pray. I challenge us to research, educate ourselves, pray with knowledge and directed passion.

Lovers Less Wild...do not satisfy

I find myself in a season of life unlike any other. Never, before now, have I been so constantly overwhelmed by the reality that this world is not my home. I was not created for this. The soul cravings I feel surging deep inside are real and they speak truth: my heart longs for its Creator. I am restless, incomplete, until I find myself wholly with Him. In the meantime, I live with a definite haunting and hunger. Sometimes the ache is so real and so deep that I feel I might break under the weight of it. The unsettled feelings I have are a response to the fact that I am wandering—searching for home. Where will I finally find my soul’s complete satisfaction? A few months ago I labeled these feelings satisfied longing. Recognizing the joy of being “found” in Christ, I am satisfied. Yet, there is still a longing. It is a deep desire to know more of Him, see more of Him, and experience more of Him. My heart was made for Him and so I am not content but when I am discovering Him. The more I discover of Him, the less I am satisfied with the “lovers” of this world; and so I strive to uncover His deep mysteries! This is my satisfied longing.

I miss him

I've been ok

and then tonight happened and my heart just hurts.

Snow

It is snowing. BIG FLUFFY flakes. Absolutely beautiful. I love it.

It is nice, however, to be in my warm room and look at the snowflakes falling OUTSIDE my window :) Quite cold out there, I'm warning you.

My cold is a little better, despite the cold weather! Mostly a very runny nose but no sore throat thank God!

I am going to Hillsdale this weekend to catch up with the crew! I can't WAIT! Ack. It is official and final...unless something dreadful occurs. I don't think so :)

yay!

Man. you really white, girl....I'm black.

It's true, a guy told me this today when I was walking to walgreens. And yes, its true I AM really white. Haha. It made me laugh quite a lot. It happened while we were walking passed each other so all i had time to do was smile and laugh. haha. oh man. It was quite the interaction. loved it.

Love the Lake

I went for a walk down by the lake yesterday. It was wonderful. I forgot how much I love it down there. It always helps put things in perspective—reminds me God is so much bigger than me.
I feel exhausted. I don’t know what’s up. When I was alone down by the lake yesterday it felt really good to be alone and quiet. Maybe I’m really tired because I have had little time to myself over the past few months—lots of time with friends and family (which was GOOD) but no concentrated time alone. Such things wear on us introverts ☺
Last night I was so stinkin tired! I crawled into bed around 9, which is really only 8 to my body. I couldn’t sleep. Don’t you hate that “so tired you can barely think” feeling and yet, your mind and heart won’t turn off so you can sleep!! Grr. I was fitful for a long time and last I looked at the clock was 1...Bleh. I still feel really tired. I’ll probably take a good long nap so I am fairly rested before I jump into a new semester tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to CPO to get my mail/meal-cards, etc. only to find that my box now belongs to someone new. Weird! I still have the key. Haha. But it definitely belongs to a boy that is not me. It was a little sad. I liked my box…but I guess I’ll just be getting a new one. Bummer for all the people who have my old address. Surprise for mystery boy who will now be receiving mail for “Andrea Childs.”

This morning I listened to a Piper sermon entitled “Prayer Changes People’s Wills.” It was fantastic. So good. If you get a chance, I highly suggest it ☺

I’m looking forward to getting back into a bit of a routine. I am also looking forward to starting new things—getting on with some new adventures and braving a bit of this “unknown” that’s so up in front of me.

When I was in South Africa, God gave me Psalm 143:8, 10 as a new verse for the new season of my life I was about to find myself in. I read it again a month ago and then again yesterday. New season. Hmm. Sometimes new seasons are hard….especially if your heart is bound up in an “older” season. But you know what’s cool? God walks us through each new season….and all of them TOGETHER form this crazy cool adventure we call life. Life is a good gift. So, even though my heart is full of broken-longing and some weird but good feelings, I am eager for what is ahead. I want to embrace the new season because I know it is full of good things from the Lord. Attitudes matter. I pray the Spirit to blow on my will and change me to be more like Him.

Psalm 143:8, 10

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you…Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.”

Dance, I tell you! Dance :)

All creation moves in a cosmic danse
Before the Lord her King;
and the rythms, the reason, the rhyme
of the danse pulses within everything.
And the universe wheels and whirls like
a dervish in perfect seven-step time
The Lord made the Danse,
He taught her the steps, and He causes the songs to shine.

We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
We must yield all our steps unto the King.
We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
Let His praises ring throughout the earth

Adam and Eve dansed in Eden's environs
Early in earth's morning air
They named all the animals musical names
Glorious potentiality shared.
But Lucifer sang out a serpentine song
And offered death's danse as a token.
And pausing to listen Adam missed his step;
Earth's harmony in the danse broken.

We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
We must yield all our steps unto the King.
We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
Let his praises ring throughout the earth.

Jesus dansed into the world
Singing His heavenly song.
He taught the Danse to those who would
listen and learn as He moved along.
But the steps of His Danse led to a cross
where He died while the haters mocked on.
But He Dansed through death's arms
and over Hell's gate and in three days
dansed forth from His tomb

We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
We must yield all our steps unto the King.
We must danse, danse, danse
danse in God's honor.
Let His praises ring throughout the earth (x2)

(Caedmon's Call)
I just love this song. It's so beautiful. Sometimes I really feel like the world is dancing...
I like how Romans says nature is groaning...and then I look out and see it moving, clapping, swaying...dancing :) We were made for something more. Can't you just feel it inside of you? Such a craving for eternity. Sometimes its more than I think I can handle :) and all I want to do is dance!

DONE

I am officially finished with my independent study Old Testament class. Yes, it was stressful. True, it wasn't the ideal time to tackle it...HOWEVER, I now have a semester's worth of class out of the way! Yessss. AND, i learned a lot. I enjoyed it, even though it was stressing me out. Reading the Prophets was fascinating. loved it.

And I start class in...hmm...4 DAYS! whoa. that's weird. Can't believe I'll be back at Moody on Saturday, settling in and seeing everyone. I am very excited :)

Hills Like White Elephants...Not.

Weirdest thing happened. I was sitting at our dining room table this morning eating breakfast...Kix, to be exact. And I looked out of our back sliding door and there, wallowing up the hill out back, was a big, white elephant. It was huge and really white and moving slow. Someone was in front of it walking--so it looked like it was being led. My heart jumped. Really, it did. It took about two seconds for me to realize that it was, in fact, a big white cement mixer on the back of a truck, moving to lay the foundation of some new house they're building. Bummer. For a split second I really thought it was an elephant. Wish it was.

This morning Luke left. He woke me up early to give me a goodbye hug. Sad. I miss him already.

P.S. I had a really weird and frightening dream last night that has put me in a funk today. bleh.

Lesson Learned

If the word "Grande" is in the title, don't order it...it's HUGE!

We went to On the Border tonight as a fam...to celebrate togetherness as well dad's 55th bday. It was fun. However, I ordered the "grande taco salad" thinking nothing of it (I don't know why...). It was ridiculous. Easily could have fed 4 people.

This wasn't the first time I've noticed how big portions are. Granted, I DID order something with "grande" in the title (though there was no other option for this particular salad). Still...have you noticed how portion sizes are getting bigger? They really are too huge. There is so much food waste. Either people eat it all (which probably isn't healthy anyway) or (and this is probably more likely) they don't eat it all and don't take it home...so it gets trashed. a huge waste. It makes me feel weird.

Think about college cafeterias. SO MUCH food waste. eh. I don't like it. I want to think creatively about ways to avoid and/or cut down on it. For starters, it makes a whole lot of sense to me to SPLIT meals when eating out. I remember Jay and Kristen saying that they almost always split when they went out--and were filled. It saves on cost AND on food waste.

So...a challenge to us all, I guess! :) Let's try not to waste so much food. Maybe we can split more often...? At least take leftovers home and eat them again! Also...if you are going to On the Border, the grande taco salad is SO good, you just might want to split it with someone. Or several someones :)

Muombe Mungu...pray to God (swahili)

"Thirsty for blood, asking for more; nations consumed, just cant get enough. Hatred increasing at sightings of blood; children continue to see things too crazy

Sorrow has made all these young ones a victim; evil became just another new dream. Mommy is crying because daddy is dying. What kind of pain is too painful to feel?

Sleep child, dream child; morning begins at the end of the dark.

I can hear the cries, the cries of the African child. I can feel the pain, the pain of the African mother. All her hopes are centered on sights from her visions and dreams. All of her songs are sung in the tunes of her pain. She has hopes for a new life, hope for some peace; long-lasting new life, long-lasting peace. African child, lay down to sleep. Mommy will come just to keep you so warm. Don’t be dismayed by the sorrow and pain, strength with be yours at the end of this battle.

Someday, someway, someone will take you so far away. Someday, someway someone will take you so far away…beyond the sky. You will soar…you will soar….you will soar…someday, someway, someone will take you so far away." (Jeremiah Gyang, Nigeria)

Email from Nini!

"Ngiyakutsandza nami sisi wami!!!
Am looking forwad to the second coming of the Childs in Africa. Whooo how wonderfull it will be."

How cute is she?!?! I got a wonderful email from her...and I laughed about this line so I wanted to share it.

Ngiyakutsandza nami sisi wami is "i love you, too, my sister!"