Another video from school and more random pics from India...

A recent birthday celebration at the Home

Taken after one of the boys (named Happy) fed Mackenzie cake! =D

Our friend's "guard dog"; Say hello to "Snoopy" :)

She is so sweet! 

A man slicing papaya on the street

Banana stand! =D I had never seen RED bananas before!

Traffic in the city of "Vizag", India

We ate here for lunch while visiting in town-
YAY for Pizza Hut!!!
Oh, how I'd missed "American-style" cuisine, hehe

Mackenzie's tattoo that I tried to post on a previous blog:
In Greek it literally reads, "Impaled with Christ";
Loosely translated, "Crucified with Christ";

"Hi" from INDIA! =)

A Video and some pictures from School:

The Kindergarten class I observe

Me with June, the Kindergarten class teacher

Me with precious Neetu-one of the little girls from the Kindergarten class
(she brings me flowers when she sees me at school :)

Some pictures of the Children at the Home and other pics with me and my travel companions:

Left to Right:
Abigail (USA), Debbie (Germany), Sonja (Germany),
Mackenize (USA), Sharmee-standing above me- (Singapore)
and Me =D

Me and Mackenzie in our Sunday clothes :)

In the Home Chapel Sanctuary during a Sunday Night Children's Service

Abigail and Sonja

Shoes on the Girl's side outside the Chapel...
we spend most of our time with bare feet =D 

Shoes on the Boy's side of Chapel

Children of some friends who visited us last week from the USA

The Girl's Side of Chapel 

The Boy's side of Chapel

Pictures I Tried to Post Previously: Take 2 :)

Off the Bay of Bengal, Vizag, India

Walking down to the beach

There are always cows walking around...everywhere, lol 

Anyone want to go for a ride? :)

Common beach scene

And Indian Tiger :)

Indian Tiger pic I tried to post last time

Indian Tiger pic I tried to post last time

Here are the tiger pictures I tried to post with my previous "Pride" blog...

Lonely? Bored? Miserable? Part 3

1. Miserable? Take up Faith! 

1. “In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God...praying at all times in the Spirit”...(Ephesians 6:16-17 and part of verse 18)

Faith, paired with the helmet of salvation (Psalm 51:12-13 and Psalm 118:14) and the sword that is the Word of God, (“sharper than any two-edged sword”~Hebrews 4:12) all work together through prayer to “guard our hearts and minds” (Philippians 4:7) against the enemy (“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”~Ephesians 6:12).

So, here are some promises from God’s Word that are functioning as a shield, helmet and sword to encourage, guard and fight for me:

~ “For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you”...[my shield of faith reminding me of God’s promises to me] (Isaiah 55:12)

~ “So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” [my helmet reminding me of my salvation by Christ Jesus] (Isaiah 51:11)

~ “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption [a reminder to me of my eternal salvation, which acts as a helmet to guard my mind against the lies of the enemy; this reminder also increases my faith and acts as a shield against the enemy’s attacks against me]. You make known to me the paths of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore [emphasis added].” (Psalm 16:8-11; read also Acts 2:28)

       B. “Being Miserable”, as it relates to the truth I’ve experienced here in India: 

I would be deceiving you all if I made you assume by my words that it has been “a bed of roses” for me in India; it hasn’t. My companions and I have had our fair share of “discomforts” since we’ve been here-but that is just what they are. They are not “things leading to death”...or are they? Well, in the physical sense, no-at least, I don’t think so...[Momma, please do not be worried!] lol. But, if we are talking about my “death to self”, then yes; these discomforts of mine are leading to death. Praise JESUS! 

A tattoo on Mackenzie's foot (one of my travel companions)
In Greek, the literal translation is: "Impaled with Christ";
Loosely translated: "Crucified with Christ"

In fact, these “light and momentary afflictions” are “working for [me] a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”...(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  

This world is not my home and this body of mine, though I appreciate it, is not the part of me that is eternal-it is not the best thing. C.S. Lewis said it well, “You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body [emphasis added].” 

Paul speaks of his “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians chapter 12. In verse 10, he concludes, “Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” In verse 9 Paul relays to his audience how he had asked the LORD three times to take away his “thorn”. The LORD’s response? “My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” And what is Paul’s exaltation? “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”! So, even as in my body I am being made weak, my soul and spirit are being made STRONGER day by day! Thank You, Lord Jesus!!! He IS Enough! 

So yes, here in India, I have so far experienced pains, sickness, “discomforts” and challenges of various kinds-[I definitely do appreciate all of your prayers! :)]. But none of which can compare to the growth and healing that my soul and spirit are experiencing. I do believe that as I learn to walk after my Shepherd, though with lame feet I follow, He truly does make me lie down in green pastures, beside still waters and restores my soul daily (Psalm 23). I am NOT miserable, as I sometimes feared/fear I would/will be; I am simply being reminded of the truth of my frailties as one who is imperfect, but who is also being transformed by the Perfect Lamb of God! =D (Romans 12:2)

Lonely? Bored? Miserable? Part 2

1. Bored? Begin to Evangelize! 

       A. “...And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace”...(Ephesians 6:15) 

           At all times: “Be ready in season and out of season” to give a reason for the hope that you have (2 Timothy 4:2-5).

         “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of              the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of   the age. ” (Matthew 28:19-20)

       B. Boredom, related to the truth I’ve experienced in India:

INDIA IS ANYTHING BUT BORING! Just taking a drive down the “highway” here causes me to thank the LORD for my life every time I make it to the intended destination...don’t worry, Momma, the LORD is with us always and the drivers here are pros at squeezing through traffic jams! haha :) 

But driving around here is really a good thing for me~every time I have an opportunity to go out onto the streets, my eyes and heart are opened wider and wider to the depths of the enemy’s hold on India’s people. So many idols are worshipped here; not like the “invisible” kind that we have in the U.S.A, but idols that have names, faces, altars and holidays dedicated to their worship. 

I only experience boredom here when I’m not doing what I have been told to do (Matt. 28:19-20). It is an immense privilege to be “the hands and feet of Jesus” to these people, but it does not happen if my hands and feet are “stuck on themselves”. However, our call is the same wherever we are; “Go and make disciples”...So in any place, we are only bored if we are not doing what we were called to do! Therefore, “put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace” and let us proclaim the Prince of Peace and the salvation that comes from Christ Jesus to all those around us! Thank You, Jesus!!! 

Lonely? Bored? Miserable? Part 1

Pictures of “Incredible India”...off the Bay of Bengal in Visakhapatnam~AKA, “Vizag”

“Lonely? Bored? Miserable?”

Experiencing loneliness, boredom and being miserable...these were some of my greatest fears as I thought about going to India; oddly enough, I find that I still have to wage war against these fears everyday here in my mind. Therefore, what is one to do?! Well, the Bible admonishes us to put on the “full armor of God”...(Ephesians 6:13)

Why is it that I am still convinced, at times, that if I fully give myself to the LORD and His intentions for my life, that He will allow me to be 1) Lonely 2) Bored and 3) Miserable? 

Discerning the TRUTH from the LIES; fighting with what Our God provides:

Isaiah 59:17

1. Fasten on the Belt of Truth and the Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14)

God’s Word (the Bible) is our ‘Belt of Truth’ which defines what righteousness really is. While reading His Word and committing ourselves to prayer, the peace of God will guard our hearts [as a Breastplate of Righteousness] and our minds in Christ Jesus against the lies of the enemy (Philippians 4:7; also read Proverbs 4:23). 

1. Concerning Loneliness, God says in His Word: 

~ Do not be afraid... “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5)

~ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”...(John 14:18)

~ ...“We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses”...(Hebrews 12:1)

        B. Loneliness, related to the truth I’ve experienced in India: 

I AM ANYTHING BUT LONELY HERE! First of all, there is such sweet fellowship with Jesus-collectively and individually~worship and prayer times on the hall, in chapel, etc, and time given to seek the LORD alone. 

Secondly, I am currently staying on a “dorm-like” hall on the 4th floor of a building filled with people-Indians (of course, lol), three Germans, a woman from Singapore, and two other Americans (my travel companions).

Me with four of "my girls" who I help tutor in the evenings:
They call me either "Cecilia Sister"
or "Angel"-the nickname they gave me :)
From Left to Right: Deepika, Joyanna, Komali, me and Sumasri

I also spend most of my mornings in the school, and my late afternoons and evenings with the children in the Home-playing, singing, and helping them study. I am only lonely here if I choose to be! =D

Me with June
(the teacher of the class I observe)

A view of the Kindergarden class I observe :)

When Pride Exposes Its Ugly Face

When Pride Exposes Its Ugly Face

Psalm 19:12-14

Who am I that I could know my heart? “The heart is deceitfully wicked above all things, who can know it?”   Jeremiah 17:9) One of the enemy’s greatest victories in our lives is when he convinces us that he is either non-existent, or that he does not bother to influence us towards wickedness and sin. What happens when I think the best of myself? I exalt myself. I lift myself up to a point where I have a hard time believing that I could be wrong about something. Hmmm. What a trick. What an effective means of destroying myself and everyone around me. No wonder the LORD admonishes us in His Word (the Bible) to “be transformed by the renewing of [our] minds” (Romans 12:2) and be cleansed by the Word (John 15:3). 

What is the root of Pride? What does it look like? How do we recognize it in our lives? And how can we keep ourselves from succumbing to its deadly temptations? These are questions that have been circulating through my mind for the past couple of weeks. Well, the root of pride: a heart of rebellion-one which says to anything higher than it, “You are wrong; I am right. I know better, in fact, I am better.” The result? Me exalting myself against my God and the authority figures He has placed as shepherds over me; me justifying my sin; and me adding to the development of strife and dissension in my company of friends, the kind of dissension that works like a silent, invisible plague, producing death wherever it goes. 

In the book, Hind’s feet on High Places, ‘Much-Afraid’ (the book’s protagonist) has a startling encounter with her terrible cousin, ‘Pride’...one which results in her crying out just before being overcome by him. She is rescued by the Valiant Shepherd, who is her True and Faithful Hero in the midst of ‘Much-Afraid’’s foes. The Shepherd enters the scene and Pride falls, literally; he is cast off a cliff. That story depicts a beautiful analogy of the past couple weeks’ happenings with me and my friends here. We are growing so much together-it is an astounding thing to watch and be a part of. All because of the intervention and victory of Our Shepherd, King Jesus!!! We walk in “the power of [His] daily sufficient grace”... quote is from a song by Laura Story.

So, how do we keep ourselves from succumbing to Pride’s deadly deceptions? Well, I’m learning that it doesn’t take much time at all in the presence of My Shepherd for me to realize my broken imperfections in the light of His glorious perfection! The advice I give based on my recent experiences: remain in the presence of God and be continually humbled by His Perfection. Increased time with Him keeps me acutely aware of the reality that apart from Him, I can do nothing (John chapter 15); yet, with Christ, anything is possible (Philippians 4:13)! As we humble ourselves in His Presence, He truly does lift us up (James 4:10)! 

So, what have I been learning the past couple of weeks here? Remain in the presence of Almighty God and you will not be overcome or destroyed by Pride. =D    

P.S.-Yes, I did take the picture of the tiger above here in India...don’t worry, Momma, he is in a zoo :)