We are on Missions!

   So I have been pondering over what my next blog would be and I thought well duh!  It will be about  missions.  My current mission Upward! 


     So, as a believer in Jesus Christ I am called to be on missions.  Last year it was a mission to Uganda this year God has led me to Upward.  Let me tell you what the Bible says about missions.  In Matthew 28:18-20 this charge is given, Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  The Bible also tells us in Acts 1:8" But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you: and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  You see as a believer in Christ I believe the Bible word for word. I believe that God breathed every word.

   I believe the charge was written with me and you in mind!  Last year while preparing to go to Uganda my Uncle who goes to church, not convinced he knows the word of God and here is why.... He states "Girl, you have a brain in your head use it.  You could be killed."  Now, knowing my Uncle this was said out of his love and concern for me.  However, I believe that when you are in Gods will there is no safer place.  Don't confuse that with no harm will come to you.  That is not what that statement means.  It means that if I died on mission for my Lord and savior, that witness is powerful and God will use it to Glorify Him.  Do you know I was not scared at all about going to Uganda.  I had a peace just as I do with Upward.  I can feel God all around me. 

   Most people say to you when you are going on a mission trip particularly one over seas," You are such a blessing."  That is a nice sentiment but the real truth is, when you are called to go on missions you are blessed.  You see, God is allowing, yes allowing you to do His Kingdom work. You have just been given the dream job that maybe you never even knew you wanted.  You go on mission with the intention of blessing people with Gods word.  In return you learn God was blessing you by using you in His work.  He does not need you.  God can do all things with out you.  You can do nothing apart from God. 

    Everyday I get to wake up and go to my dream job.  Not as a nurse but as a missionary for God.  He just continually finds a work for me and I pray he never stops.  The point is missions are not just over seas.  They are here every minute of every day.  Here in Charlottesville, Virginia/USA and all over the world.  Because, I surrender myself to Gods will I take the great commission to the grocery store to work, to Upward, to Uganda all over the world.  When I tell you about Jesus that is bound to travel even where I may not . 

In Christ love,
Mandy

   

God sent me Upward!!

   So, let me give you a little history lesson about me.  I have not always been a Christian,  In fact my birth date to this world is 10/26/76.  My rebirth through the Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is 11/27/11 (this is my new birthday)!!  That is the day of my Baptism (public confession of surrendering my life to Christ).  The private confession to Christ was only a short time earlier the end of September 2011.  This is a long story but a good one at least for me and I hope for you!!

    So here we go........  I have always been seeking peace and joy for my life but never attaining those two things.  In my trying by seeking things of this world I ended up with a lot of hurt and heartache.  I tried in vein for 34 long years.  When I look back now I can see all the ways God was pursuing me and I bet if you take a good heart felt look you will see God pursuing you.  My niece and nephew were playing Upward basketball one winter I will say this must have been Jan 2011.  I went to a game for each one and my father was there too along with other family.  The games were going well we were cheering and  making our usual snarky comments about being aggressive, be the best yadayadayada.  It comes to half time and that means devotion.  Ugh... can't we get through a basketball game without the Jesus freaks.  My father and I got up and went so we would not have to listen to this crazy talk.   I mean it is a church league after all.   I hear the Gasp now in my own heart, but back then I did not. We poked fun and then returned to our seats.

    Turns out my nephew at the Upwards awards celebration raised his hand to know more about Christ and so a post card was sent to his home.   My nephew wanted to go to church.  My sister in all her non- enthusiasm took my nephew to Sunday School and found a Sunday School class for herself.  No church service yet.    They both pursued this for months.  My sister seemed quiet happy in her Sunday School class and tried to encourage her daughter and fiance at the time now her hubby to no avail.  My sister met a very dear lady who did a lot of work with widows in Uganda and Jenny told me about her and said she is having a yard sale, "want to help??"  I said sure, I like to help people (by training I am a nurse)  so helping is what I do.  I met this incredible couple and inside me I said ("Why is she so peaceful and joyful???")  Jenny then invites me to her Sunday School class.  I figure it can't hurt, right???  So, we go and my kids go to their perspective classes.  Guess what the lesson is in Sunday School.....Luke 10:25-37 the Parable of the good Samaritan and guess who was there???  The joyful lady from the yard sale.  Being a nurse I knew the word  Samaritan and the law but not what it truly meant.  Wow, God ok you are getting my attention now.  My kids enjoyed their classes too.  So we went back (at this time my husband was in Iraq)  This week I said why don't we go into service?? So myself my kids my sister her two kids and you got it her husband all went to service, guess what the topic was....  1Timothy 1:1-17.  Do you know this passage?  It is about Paul who used to be Saul, he was a bad dude he persecuted Christians killing them.  The Pastor goes onto explain how bad Saul was in his life ( sin).  Ok, God you have my attention.  I am a sinner just like Paul was.  You forgave him???? After all he has done???  He not only forgave Paul he used him to further the Kingdom of God!!! Wow, I got to know more.  That was just what I was about to find out!!  Remember I told you my dad and I made fun of the very people trying to share Gods word just like Paul we persecuted these people. 

    Let me share with you just how good God is, I not only decided to learn more I decided to give my life over to Christ.  I learned that the forgiveness God gives cannot be earned by good deeds.  The forgiveness is a free gift to us.  Christ died on a cross to pay the penalty for sin, which is death.  He was the pure sacrifice that had to be offered to save us in our filth and unrighteousness.  He has forgiven me for all I have done and will ever do.  Nothing I can do will take me from His hands.  HE can forgive you too.  HE is waiting on you, pursuing you too.

     All this from a basketball league.  Yes, because it is a ministry blessed by God!  I am so thankful for Upward and God using my young nephew to bring us to Christ.  I can never repay this debt but I can give my life so others can know the love of Christ and that there is Victory in Christ alone! 

    So the very  "church league"  I scoffed at and persecuted was instrumental  in saving my life.  The very church they were playing basketball at, Calvary, was the very church I would leave from to go on my first over seas mission trip to Uganda!  The very league I made fun of  has my total dedication as a volunteer cheerleading coach and cafe volunteer and prayer partner.  So, I am here alive in Christ to tell you that the Grace of God is for all.  No matter what you have done God loved you enough to already send His son to save you.  Will you be like I was and continue to turn away from God?  I pray not, I pray you will fall on your knees and call out to Him I promise He will meet you right where you are. 

    I can give my personal testimony about how God has turned my life Upward and I can tell you that due to the Upward ministry 8 others in my family have comitted their lives to Christ.  I cannot do anything other than show you with my life and testimony just how good life is in Christ.  Would you please pray for the Upward ministry and all that are involved.  Everyday God is using ordinary people for His extraordinary purpose. 
 
In the love of Christ,
Mandy
 

Lord I need you

    Lately I have felt very discouraged.  It seems no matter how hard I try I can't get out of this rut of discouragement.  Ever felt like that???  Every time I turn around WHAM!  I am reminded of past sin and current things that I struggle with.  You ask, well don't you pray about this current situation?    The answer is yes, I do!

     The key here is in the second sentence.  Go ahead read it again......... "I try"  that is right, that is where I go wrong, where we all go wrong.  Yes, I pray and that is a sound thing to do and yes if there are things God is asking you to change then, do it.  However,  what God tells us is to rely on Him and His  strength not our own. 

    You see as much as I hate to mention the name, Satan is who is reminding me of my past and all the ways I am imperfect.  I strive so hard to be Christ like.  Christ is perfect and I am not and never will be.( See the problem again "I strive" and thus my discouragement) I get caught up in this and forget that Christ is not asking me to be perfect, he is asking that I be a willing vessel to let His love flow, not my love.  I cannot love the way He does.  I need to remember that I am covered by the blood of Christ and God sees His perfection.  I am forgiven and blanketed by the blood of Christ. 

    The point is I will never be perfect and being a Christian is not about being perfect or even trying.  You and I, will fail every time.  Being a Christian means surrendering all to Christ and turning it all over to Him.  He will take care of the rest.  Do you know that I already know this and still get discouraged.  I rely on this human flesh sometimes and that is where I falter and Satan attempts to creep in.  Well, I prayed about being discouraged for quite a while and God met me at the Throne of Grace on Sunday.  He reminded me of all of this by way of our transitional Pastor.  He did not take the discouragement away immediately.  You know why?  Because, suffering is good.  It does not feel good but here is what it does for you.  "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us  to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" Romans 5: 3-5.   I tell you I was praying but more importantly the Holy Spirit was groaning and interceding on my behalf asking for what I could not. 

 

     So, on Sunday as the Pastor was giving the sermon and it was hitting home I just thanked God and Praised Him, for His love endures forever!  Know what else the Pastor said and I love this. "When Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future." That is just what I did!!! Then the Pastor said and remember your future!! Heaven, in glory with our Father forever!!!!! I knew I had to share this and as I was thinking today about how to share I heard one of my favorite songs "Lord I need you" by Matt Maher.  This song says it all!  Lord, I come, I confess bowing here I find my rest, without you I fall apart, your the one that guides my heart.  Lord I need you oh I need you, every hour I need you, my one defense my righteousness, oh God How I need you.  Where sin runs deep your grace is more........  Go to YouTube and listen to the song it is such a perfect description of relying on our Savior!  It talks about God meeting you just where you are.

In Christ love and I hope this post finds you relying on Jesus and not yourselves.
Mandy
   

What? A blog????

   So my sister calls me with this crazy idea today.  She wants me to contribute to a blog. What??? What would I have to say that anyone would want to read??  So here goes!  I had to pray about this blog thing.  Then I realized that was it!  Maybe you could be inspired by some nugget some prayer that God has placed on my heart! Not inspired by me but by what God has done in my life, how HE has blessed me.

        I love God so much and pray to be HIS obedient servant.  I pray not for things like wisdom or patience, but for God to fill me daily with HIS Holy Spirit, that HIS light would shine from every area of my life that I would be HIS hands and feet; an Ambassador of Christ.  I know that all I need to be is filled with the spirit of God and all things that one might pray for will be fulfilled.   I know as a saved believer that the Holy Spirit indwells me,(I have no doubt) however I am human and I often quench the spirit.  Put that fire out so to speak.  SIN!!!

      Take for instance this blog instead of embracing the idea I hemmed and hawed! Ugh, one more thing to try and fit in and then I was convicted by that very Spirit. I get a realization Mandy, you are a bond servant of Christ and you have been given the privilege to work for HIS Kingdom and spread HIS love!  I have been given the opportunity to to do work for GOD! 

     So as we go on this journey together you will learn about the struggles and triumphs of my life in Christ.  Which in the end are all victories because God will use even the struggles to glorify HIM and that is what this life is about folks.  Not living for me, but dying to myself so that Christ lives in me.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6

   So yes, I will be thankful for this blog and the opportunity to share Jesus with you. 

In Christ love,
Mandy