June is gone...I must have blinked.

Wow. Already July…where did June go????

Over the past week we finally finished screening the windows, as well as pretty much cleaning out the house. One of the construction workers here did finishing work on the bathroom and kitchen counters, so those look really nice now. Nick also got back from the states today so we will be starting on tiling in the next day or so. He is hoping to move into the house by the end of July. Yesterday (Sunday July 1^st) some of the other volunteers and I went on a walk with a few of the kids, and that was pretty fun as well.

As I was reading my Bible last night, I came to 1^st Peter Chapter 2. I am going to list of a few verses that spoke to me, and what I hear God saying through them

Verse 9, 11-12: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us

- When I read this, I was really convicted on whether or not I lived up to this, or even really tried too. When people watch me and my actions, word choices, media choices, and the way I act, can they see God through it? Or do they just see another person who calls himself a Christian, yet is the same as everyone else in the world. Sometimes I think there is a difference, but other times I know there isn’t. And there needs to be, we cannot be strong and true witness to the kingdom of God if when people look at us, they see no difference.

I think one the reasons God brought me on this trip was to see this, the nannies that work here in the baby house are SO on fire for God. Most mornings and evenings, they sing and pray. While they are doing this they are so incredibly passionate for God, and so much fun to watch and join in with, even if I can’t understand what they are singing, I know we are all praising God. One night a couple weeks ago, one of the nannies gave her testimony about her life and what God has done for her. I don’t remember details or specific things, but I do remember that she has a had a very difficult life, a life that we cannot understand with our never ending wealth and such, and yet her trust and faith in God and in seeing how God pulled her through and was with her was amazing. When I listened to her story and saw her passion, I saw a difference.

“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity