Follow You.

“God isn’t looking for people of great faith, but for individuals ready to follow Him.”

— Hudson Taylor

This song came to mind (seemingly out of nowhere) last week as I was sitting at my desk.

Lately it seems I’m living out the struggle to remember Ethiopia.  It’s something I need to fight to hold onto, to actively pursue.  My flesh wants comfort.  My flesh would rather forget.  Why?  Because it’s easier.  But it’s not the better way.  The easy way is rarely the better way.  Jesus told us that.

The chorus of this song brings me back to Mother Teresa’s in Addis Ababa.  It brings me back to a place so overwhelming, so heart-wrenching, so consuming… There’s a lump in my throat just thinking about it.  The chorus brings me back to that place and back to those challenging moments.  Every selfish part of me wanted to bolt as quickly as I could.   Rooms and walkways were full of sick and dying people.  And children.

If I’m being honest, emotionally speaking, I did bolt.  I checked out.   I was afraid.  As I wrote in an earlier blog post (“Journal Excerpts“), I knew that those were the people Jesus surrounded Himself with, and yet I felt like I could barely look at them.  Yes, physically I stayed, but emotionally?  I couldn’t have run faster.

I’m certain that I will encounter moments like that again and be given the opportunity to stay and engage.  First of all, because God is gracious, and I’m so thankful for that.  Second of all, because this is life.  It will inevitably get difficult and be painful at times.

Will I follow Jesus into those hard places?  Will I give myself to Him fully, knowing that it will not always be neat and easy?  Will I roll up my sleeves, trust in His all-sufficient grace, and step into the mess that is life?

I’m more aware than ever that apart from His grace, I’m absolutely incapable.  I just can’t do it.  But He can.  I want to follow Him there.  And by His grace, I will.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

Matthew 16:24-25

Prayer request.

As many of you know, I spent two weeks in Ethiopia a little less than two months ago.  I’ve blogged about it here, and I promised I’d post prayer points for you.  I have yet to do that, and I apologize.  I’m going to start here with one request, though I do ask that you pray for all those I’ve mentioned before.

Please be praying for the street boys in Ambo.  I don’t want to say too much here, but our time with them was very difficult both for our team and for the boys.  Please pray.  More than anything, please pray that those boys would come to know Jesus as their loving and merciful Savior.  Pray that they would believe, that their hearts would be transformed, and that they would share their hope with all of the street children they encounter.

My heart is heavy today.  Not just for these boys, but for all children who don’t know what it feels like to be loved and cherished.  May we seek to show them the unchanging, selfless, perfect love of Jesus, both in our words and in our actions.

We have a God with whom nothing is impossible.  We have a God who hears us when we cry out to Him.  Let’s intercede on behalf of the street boys and believe God for healing, redemption, hope and restoration.  He is able.

The righteous cry, and the LORD hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the  brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:17-18

PS – The prayer I posted HERE from John Piper’s Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ expresses so much of my heart in this situation.

Your Turn:

What’s heavy on your heart today?  How can I be praying for you?  What are you believing God for right now?

Depraved Indifference.

No words necessary.  Please, just watch:

 

Returning to Ethiopia.

Dear Family and Friends,

If you had told me just a few weeks ago that I would be traveling back to the beautiful country of Ethiopia at the end of this year I would’ve told you you were crazy.  But I’m learning every day that God’s ways are not my own, and that His timing is not mine, either.  The doors continue to swing open and I am stepping out in faith.

When I returned from my trip with Mocha Club last summer, I already knew that I would go back to Ethiopia again someday.  I didn’t know when, but I knew that wasn’t the last time I’d stand upon Ethiopian soil.  God had instilled in me such a love for the people there.  There are days during which I am overwhelmed by how much I miss them and how very much I want to return.  I am thankful beyond words for the opportunity the Lord has given me this winter.

I have been accepted as a member of a team departing for Ethiopia on or around December 29th and returning on or around January 11th.  I will, once again, be spending time in Addis Ababa (the capital), Nazaret and Ambo.  While ministry plans are not yet set in stone, we will spend the majority of our time serving Women At Risk in both Addis and Nazaret.  Women At Risk provides spiritual, emotional and psychological counseling to former prostitutes while also providing job training.  While in Ambo, we will visit the Compassion school and work with the school children and street boys.  I will have the opportunity to see familiar faces and build upon relationships that began back in the summer of 2009.  That, to me, is an incredible blessing.  Our ministry plans will come together as my team and I have conference calls in the coming weeks.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned from last time, it’s that not all will go according to plan, and flexibility is key.  I am so excited to see where God will lead us and how He will minister both to us and through us during our two weeks on the ground in Ethiopia.

Please join me in prayer as the trip approaches.  Pray for Jesus to be reflected by myself and my team.  Pray that the Ethiopian people would have open hearts to receive His love.  Pray that the Holy Spirit would give us the right words in each situation.  Pray that as a team we would be of one heart and mind, that we would maintain an attitude of humility and service, that we would have hearts that are willing and teachable.  God WILL change us.  He will challenge us, stretch us, mold us.  And He will uphold us and strengthen us through it all.  Pray that we would rest in those truths and that we would not try to do any of His work in our own strength.

Between now and my trip, I will need to raise a total of $3,050.  I know that’s nothing to God, and I trust that if His plan is for me to be a part of this trip, that the funds will surely follow.  If you feel led to support me financially, please visit https://www.mochaclub.org/africa-trips/, scroll to the bottom of the page and select “Make A Donation” under Winter Ethiopia Trip: December 27th, 2010 – January 9th, 2011.  Enter my name in the first field (“Trip Member’s Name”) and fill out the rest.  If you’d prefer to write a check, please let me know and I will provide you with the information necessary to do so.  Please note that all donations are tax deductible.  To those of you who may have supported my first trip to Ethiopia with Mocha Club, I sincerely appreciate you and your generosity and understand if you are unable to support me financially this time around.  If you have any questions about finances, or the trip in general, please feel free to email or call me!

Thank you all in advance, from the bottom of my heart, for prayerfully and financially supporting me as I prepare for and go on this trip.  I thank God for each and every one of you.

During my first trip to Ethiopia I wrote in my journal, “I want to go in the direction He calls me and not be afraid of it.”  He is a God who answers prayers.  May He receive all of the glory.

Blessings,
Brittany

He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8

ministry plans.

Another conference call last night to discuss some ministry plans and catch up with the team. We have a lot of great stuff planned, and I may need your help with a few things, friends! I’ll update soon with a list of supplies we’re going to need, and if there’s anything you’re willing and able to contribute, we would be so appreciative!

I’m going to be assisting in planning some music activities and also Bible study/devotions in the morning at a home for former prostitutes. Please, if you have any insight or ideas to offer for these, feel free to post a comment or email me. I want to give these women and children our very best, and God’s very best. If there’s any verses of scripture you think would speak to the women especially, please share them with me. Ashlee mentioned on the call last night verses that show them how much God loves them, and I’m feeling the burden to share verses about the new life they have in Christ, and how He makes ALL THINGS new. If you have anything that relates to this, or something else God puts on your heart, please share!

God bless, friends!