Waiting When I Want to Move

Something I stole from Spurgeon that hit pretty hard when I read it the other day.

In this ever busy, up-n-at-'em, get-it-done life I rarely see people slow down- I've even heard people say they hate not having anything to do. I've been there. Feeling like my worth was in what I accomplished and not in who I was in Christ. I felt like if I slowed down I would become useless. Ha! What a lie.

So, if you have ever felt that way- even in the tiniest little inkling- you should read what Spurgeon wrote.

Even if you've never felt that way, you should still read it because it's Spurgeon :)

Ps 27:14 "Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage! Wait for the LORD!"

It may seem an easy thing to wait, but it is one of the postures which a Christian soldier learns not without years of teaching. Marching and quick-marching are much easier to God's warriors than standing still. There are hours of perplexity when the most willing spirit, anxiously desirous to serve the Lord, knows not what part to take.

Then what shall it do? Vex itself by despair? Fly back in cowardice, turn to the right hand in fear, or rush forward in presumption? No, but simply wait. Wait in prayer, however. Call upon God, and spread the case before him; tell Him your difficulty, and plead his promise of aid. In dilemmas between one duty and another, it is sweet to be humble as a child, and wait with simplicity of soul upon the Lord. It is sure to be well with us when we feel and know our own folly, and are heartily willing to be guided by the will of God. But wait in faith. Express your unstaggering confidence in Him; for unfaithful, untrusting waiting is but an insult to the Lord.

Believe that if He keep you tarrying even till midnight, yet He will come at the right time; the vision shall come and shall not tarry. Wait in quiet patience, not rebelling because you are under the affliction, but blessing your God for it. Never murmur against the second cause, as the children of Israel did against Moses; never wish you could go back to the world again, but accept the case as it is, and put it as it stands, simply and with your whole heart, without any self-will, into the hand of your covenant God, saying, "Now, Lord, not my will, but thine be done. I know not what to do; I am brought to extremities, but I will wait until thou shalt cleave the floods, or drive back my foes. I will wait, if thou keep me many a day, for my heart is fixed upon thee alone, O God, and my spirit waiteth for thee in the full conviction that thou wilt yet be my joy and my salvation, my refuge and my strong tower."

~Spurgeon

The Thing That I Hate Most...

Speaking in front of people.

Truly.

Ok, maybe not hate, but greatly dislike.

I would love to have someone else go to churches, Sunday schools, and/or youth groups and speak for me, letting people know what's up. I would love for God to just drop the financial support in my lap. I would love to have it my way... but what does it say in James? I'm sure we can all quote it from Awana:

"Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

God wouldn't have me speak if it weren't to make me more like Him, if it weren't to show me my weakness and magnify His strength, if it weren't His perfect plan. So I speak and I watch Him work- knowing that the testing of my faith produces steadfastness (which is something that I will always be needing!). Every time God humbles me. I critique myself, thinking, "I should have said it that way!" or "I forgot to mention that!" and God gently reminds me that I'm a work in progress and that I need to "do my best, pray that it's blest, and He'll take care of the rest".

Thanks Keith Green for that reminder :D

Updated Packing List

Many of you have help check things off this list and it is much appreciated!!! Thank God for the friends and family He has given me :D
If you remember the previous list, it was a decent length, but with some help much of it has been checked off! These items remain un-obtained. Pretty much the medicines and a few random things.

Medicines:
I would love to have a stash of all of these- at least until I get to know the meds here!

• Muscle Rub, IcyHot, whatever
• Anti-itch medication
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• multi-vitamins
• water purification tablets
• Insect repellent

Holidays (Especially Christmas):
This is going to be one of the hardest times for me.

• A mixed CD of your favorite Christmas songs… I’ll think of you as I listen to it J

Miscellaneous Items:
To me, this is all the really fun stuff! Or at least the Multi-tool is...

• Multi tool
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Mosquito Net
• Cement screws for hanging things on the cement walls
• Small basic tool kit – screwdriver, slip-joint pliers (to change gas bottle)

Small Blessings

I was in San Diego yesterday doing a Symposium for some people at Shadow Mountain Community Church. Since I've spent 2 1/2 years there for college and worked for SMCC, I had many people to catch up with and give hugs to.

Dinner was supplied by SMCC and they bought my favorite Ali Baba's! I was able to inform people as to what's going on with me and Cameroon, what I will be doing there, when I hope to be there, and how they can help. The night raised over $300! Praise the Lord!

But of all the gifts I received from people, my favorite one was from a previous Awana girl. Angela's about 7 and when she walked into the room that night, right after giving me a ginormous bear-hug, she handed me a plastic gold coin.

"What's this for, dear?" I asked.

"It's John 3:16! I figured you could take it with you, Miss Kreersee (how she says my name) and when other people asked you what it is you can tell them about Jesus!"

I sure hope I get to do just that :)

A few of us after dinner

There is Strength in Weakness

My church- my precious, tiny, church family- is so dear to me! They threw me an 'Outfitting Shower' yesterday- the goal to bring up finances for the flight, visa, or any other things of that such. There was a table set up with 3x5 cards, markers, and a box for people to write notes, draw pictures, or whatever they want to do. All these cards where then placed in the box and I will read them on my flight to Cameroon. Another table had information about the school I'm going to, previous newsletters, and yet another table filled with goodies. Twas a good time of fellowship :)

And from about 25 people there was $750 raised!!!

From such a small group look at what God can do!

The Packing List

As I will be staying in Cameroon for two years, I will need multiples of many things. Some things they have in Cameroon- such as peanut butter and linens- and other things they do not have there- like brown sugar and Pantene ProV.

A fun way to do this is to get a group of people together and tackle a section of this list. Ladies- love looking through the kitchen isles in Target? Get a group together and hit a few things in the Kitchen Supplies section. Men- seriously, I need a multi tool, cement screws, and a tool kit. Check the Miscellaneous section at the end of the list.

Some places you that may think of looking for these items are Wal-Mart, Target, Amazon, Costco, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Radio Shack.

Kitchen Supplies:
The place I will be living in does have a kitchen, but there are not many supplies there and I cook all the time. So here’s a basic list of basic supplies so I can basically not go out of my mind.

• Set of sharp knives, including a bread knife
• A good can opener, potato peeler, pizza cutter and whisk.
• Set of durable dishes
• A couple a sets of Silverware
• Tupperware or other well-sealing containers
• Set of pots & pans
• Ziploc bags – some of all sizes. Be sure to get the freezer bags because they are thicker and you will wash and reuse your bags many times.
• 9” X 13” Pyrex dish
• Cookie sheet / muffin pan
• Oven thermometer (important!!!)

Cooking Supplies:
I will be cooking everything from scratch there. There are no helpful packets, canned soup or frozen dinners available and no fast food restaurants in town… how different from California!!! I thought of a few things that might help me ease into my transition:

• Taco Seasoning- lots of it!!!
• Chili Powder
• Nutmeg
• All purpose seasoning
• Brown sugar
• Kool-aid packets

Office Supplies:
All of these mini-sized please so they don’t take up too much space

• Scissors
• small stapler
• scotch tape
• pens
• pencils
• calculator

Medicines:
This part of Cameroon kind of scares me- not knowing what kind of medicines they have and what medicines does what. I would love to have a stash of all of these- at least until I get to know the meds here!

• Ibuprofen
• Tylenol
• Imodium
• Sun-screen lotion
• Aloe vera
• Tums
• Muscle Rub, IcyHot, whatever
• Anti-itch medication
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• band-aids
• multi-vitamins
• water purification tablets
• Insect repellent

Holidays (Especially Christmas):

This is going to be one of the hardest times for me. I’ll be away from family and friends and they don’t celebrate Christmas in Cameroon, so no trees, no lights, no caroling, no Christmas music, no figgy pudding, etc. And add this on top of it- it’s the hottest time of the year in December!!!

• A mixed CD of your favorite Christmas songs… I’ll think of you as I listen to it J
• Some strands of Christmas lights

Miscellaneous Items:
To me, this is all the really fun stuff! Or at least the Multi-tool is...

• Multi tool
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Flip flops
• Mosquito Net
• Cement screws for hanging things on the cement walls
• Small basic tool kit – screwdriver, slip-joint pliers (to change gas bottle)
• Calendar
• Clothes pin bag and clothes pins
• Converter / adapter kit for any electronic items you bring along. Check Radio Shack as they may be able to give you information on these

Texas Training Highlights

This post will be a collection of each days events, fun times, things learned, and thoughts pondered. Day one isn't even done yet, but I just HAD to post this!!!!

Day 1#-

Shoes broke in the airport! Walked form my terminal to baggage claim barefoot... but nothing that duct-tape can't fix!!!

Scorpions in the bathroom... luckily they were already dead or I would have tortured them!

And the highlight of the day was practicing worship songs with Carrie and Jenn. These two ladies are so gifted and I am honored, blessed, and humbled to lead other people into worship with them :)