Tidbits

Well, my forty-fifth birthday dawned with the stomach virus throwing an all out party for me and one of my girls.  Not the kind of party I was imagining...but SO thankful it was less intense than my husband's experience!  And so glad that it is over.  

Do you ever get frustrated with the news?  They will sensationalize a story for a few weeks and then it is difficult to find any updates?  I feel like this is exactly what is happening with Afghanistan and Myanmar (Burma) as well as what happened years ago with Aleppo, Syria...I am left wondering what happens to the people there - what life is like for them - are they suffering...how is God moving in their midst?  Joel Rosenberg, Nazarene Fund, and Paul Washer give (semi) regular updates for Afghanistan and  Golden Shores Initiative and Paul Washer give prayer points and updates about Myanmar (Burma).  I think we are going to get a world map to put pins in it so that it is in front of us all of the time and we don't forget - it is so tempting to just let the next story sweep you along and forget the fact that these are actual real people who need us to go the distance with them in prayer and ministry support for those that are on the ground serving them.

We were supposed to be on vacation this past week., lying on a beach soaking in the waves and sun...instead 3/5 of us were sick/not feeling good - at home and in bed.  We spent time sleeping and watching a LOT of hallmark movies and mysteries - we LOVE hallmark's movies and mysteries (especially the older ones - like Garage Sale Mysteries, Aurora Teagarden, Flower Shop Mysteries...).  

I also stumbled upon an AMAZING book.

Have you ever heard of Watchman Nee?  He was a Chinese Christian and church leader who worked in China during the 20th century.  I recently got his book The Normal Christian Life on kindle and OH MY GOODNESS - this is SUCH a treasure.  This book is SO rich in truth and flips what I thought it meant to follow God on its head.  It explains the truths in the book of Romans (and the rest of the New Testament) in such an amazing way - for example this morning I read this :

"It is a great thing when I discover that I am no longer my own but His.  If the ten shillings in my pocket belong to me, then I have full authority over them.  But if they belong to another who has committed them to me in trust, then I cannot buy what I please with them, and I dare not lose them.  Real Christian life begins with knowing this." this passage is located in Chapter 6 of The Normal Christian Life.

This whole time I have spent such effort trying to become a better Christian - better follower of Jesus.  But in this book, God is slowly opening my eyes to the truth that my flesh was crucified with Christ - I have heard that verse SO many times, I can spout it off in my sleep probably...but I didn't truly grasp the truth of this:  I have been crucified with Christ - so I no longer live.  The life I now live in the flesh - I live by faith.  I am those ten shillings - they no longer belong to me.  They are His to spend how He sees fit - He has given me this life to steward according to His purposes.  

Anyway - this book is going to be one of those books that totally turns everything I thought I knew upside down.  Like when I read Insanity for God.  

I am also reading :

Hammer of God by Bo Giertz

Satisfied! by Rhona Epstein 

City Spies by James Ponti (reading aloud)

Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola (slowly reading aloud)