Topic: Redeeming Cultures // Faith & Finances
I'm really sorry, but I don't have time to talk about the last week of lectures! But to say the least, we finished strong! It was a great week and I learned a lot, just like with all the other weeks.
I can't believe in just 12 hours I'm leaving for Vietnam, to start the 9 week outreach adventure!! It's crazy how fast time passes by!
Just a little information about our time on outreach:
*While in Vietnam, we will be working with University students, teaching English, ministering to the elderly in nursing homes, helping to harvest rice.. it's gonna be an adventure and I'm SO excited for it!
*While in the Philippines, we will be staying in Cebu, working with orphanages, youth kids (doing a mini DTS with them), preaching in churches, and doing evangelism on the streets.
I can't wait to share the love of God with the Vietnamese & Philippine people! I'm stoked to see God work through my team and touch these people's hearts.
I do want to say that I'm so blessed by all your support, through prayers, finances, and everything else you all have done for me! It's incredible! Blessings to all of you - you mean the world to me!
Talk to you & see you all in June!!!!
Love,
Aslyn
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Week 10
CALLING INTO MISSIONS.
Each day, God has been giving me more and more of a desire to GO into the nations, and this week just added SO MUCH to that desire! What really pulled at my heart is that 98% of Christians minister to either other believers or people that claim to be Christians, while 30% of the people in this world are unreached - meaning they have NEVER heard the Gospel before. How sad and messed up is that?! I personally can not be content living a comfortable life, fellowshipping with other believers, when so many people out there in the world have no idea that they have a Father that loves them and wants to bring them out of all their pain and suffering. Imagine someone coming to YOU telling you about a man who died for your sins, someone who loves you unconditionally?! People are WAITING to hear the Gospel!
We learned that a lot of times people ask the questions, "God, what is your calling for my life? What do you want me to do?" But He already answered those questions. His general will for all mankind is:
*Bring him glory - 1 Corinthians 10:31- "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
*Make disciples of all nations - Great Commission: Matthew 28:19-20
*Love Him and make Him known - Mark 12:28-31
*Seek and save the lost - Luke 19:10
*Not live for ourselves - 2 Corinthians 5:15
*Tell of God's goodness - 1 Peter 2:9
*Make God smile - 2 Corinthians 5:9
If we understand the general will for our lives as believers, then it's up to us how we go about it. God has given us the CHOICE to decide what we want to do with our life! So really, God is asking US the question, "Son/daughter, what do YOU want to do with your life?" After answering this question and talking to God about it, we gotta OBEY JESUS! We gotta go! We gotta do it!
When we obey Jesus, we need to understand a couple things:
*God has an inheritance for each one of us, and He wants us to claim it, but in our efforts to claim it, we may not see it (or the fruits) and it won't come easy! (we may work our whole life to plant a church in an area in Nepal, but the results may not come in our lifetime, but they WILL come eventually!)
*He might ask us to do some pretty crazy things! We are working for God's reputation, not our own! Will you let the fear of man stop you from obeying God??
*God will always provide, but not always how we expect it.
*We learn obedience, WHEN it's difficult, THROUGH suffereing, SO THAT God can bless us.
*Crises are a part of obeying God... He said it was going to be tough!
*Obedience radically affects our immediate future, as well as the distant future - Obedience can NOT be taken lightly! God will often speak to us to the level and degree we were/are obedient to Him. Thankfully, when we disobey, God gives us second chances, but there will be consequences...
*Do not base whether you are making a difference off of the results you see, because God is working whether you see it or not!
*Obeying God is a lifetime commitment. Making a difference in this world is a lifetime committment. Change will never come overnight.
So, after analyzing your strengths & talents, after thinking about where you want to see a difference in this world (human trafficking, child abuse, prostitution, unity in churches...), after seeing what your interests are, seeing what you are passionate about, after talking to God about it...
JUST PICK SOMETHING TO DO! GO! HAVE FAITH, like Peter did when he stepped out of the boat & walked on water...STEP OUT, GO AGAINST THE NORMS OF SOCIETY! And remember this,
"...and be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (last part of Great Commission).
Something to think about:
*What am I going to do about the 30% of unreached people in this world?
*Am I going to pick the easy road, or the hard one.. a life full of possible struggles, but FULL of adventures with God? For it is in the tough times where God often shows up the most because you HAVE to rely on Him!
Thanks everyone for all your prayers! Outreach is only 8 days away!! Please, continue praying for unity & openness amongst our team, finances, and for everyone to have STRONG FAITH!!
Blessings to all :)
-Aslyn
Each day, God has been giving me more and more of a desire to GO into the nations, and this week just added SO MUCH to that desire! What really pulled at my heart is that 98% of Christians minister to either other believers or people that claim to be Christians, while 30% of the people in this world are unreached - meaning they have NEVER heard the Gospel before. How sad and messed up is that?! I personally can not be content living a comfortable life, fellowshipping with other believers, when so many people out there in the world have no idea that they have a Father that loves them and wants to bring them out of all their pain and suffering. Imagine someone coming to YOU telling you about a man who died for your sins, someone who loves you unconditionally?! People are WAITING to hear the Gospel!
We learned that a lot of times people ask the questions, "God, what is your calling for my life? What do you want me to do?" But He already answered those questions. His general will for all mankind is:
*Bring him glory - 1 Corinthians 10:31- "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
*Make disciples of all nations - Great Commission: Matthew 28:19-20
*Love Him and make Him known - Mark 12:28-31
*Seek and save the lost - Luke 19:10
*Not live for ourselves - 2 Corinthians 5:15
*Tell of God's goodness - 1 Peter 2:9
*Make God smile - 2 Corinthians 5:9
If we understand the general will for our lives as believers, then it's up to us how we go about it. God has given us the CHOICE to decide what we want to do with our life! So really, God is asking US the question, "Son/daughter, what do YOU want to do with your life?" After answering this question and talking to God about it, we gotta OBEY JESUS! We gotta go! We gotta do it!
When we obey Jesus, we need to understand a couple things:
*God has an inheritance for each one of us, and He wants us to claim it, but in our efforts to claim it, we may not see it (or the fruits) and it won't come easy! (we may work our whole life to plant a church in an area in Nepal, but the results may not come in our lifetime, but they WILL come eventually!)
*He might ask us to do some pretty crazy things! We are working for God's reputation, not our own! Will you let the fear of man stop you from obeying God??
*God will always provide, but not always how we expect it.
*We learn obedience, WHEN it's difficult, THROUGH suffereing, SO THAT God can bless us.
*Crises are a part of obeying God... He said it was going to be tough!
*Obedience radically affects our immediate future, as well as the distant future - Obedience can NOT be taken lightly! God will often speak to us to the level and degree we were/are obedient to Him. Thankfully, when we disobey, God gives us second chances, but there will be consequences...
*Do not base whether you are making a difference off of the results you see, because God is working whether you see it or not!
*Obeying God is a lifetime commitment. Making a difference in this world is a lifetime committment. Change will never come overnight.
So, after analyzing your strengths & talents, after thinking about where you want to see a difference in this world (human trafficking, child abuse, prostitution, unity in churches...), after seeing what your interests are, seeing what you are passionate about, after talking to God about it...
JUST PICK SOMETHING TO DO! GO! HAVE FAITH, like Peter did when he stepped out of the boat & walked on water...STEP OUT, GO AGAINST THE NORMS OF SOCIETY! And remember this,
"...and be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20 (last part of Great Commission).
Something to think about:
*What am I going to do about the 30% of unreached people in this world?
*Am I going to pick the easy road, or the hard one.. a life full of possible struggles, but FULL of adventures with God? For it is in the tough times where God often shows up the most because you HAVE to rely on Him!
Thanks everyone for all your prayers! Outreach is only 8 days away!! Please, continue praying for unity & openness amongst our team, finances, and for everyone to have STRONG FAITH!!
Blessings to all :)
-Aslyn
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Week 9
Topic: Relationships. Speaker: Lindsey Lautsbaugh (USA)
God LOVES relationships! As it says in Genesis 1:2- "the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep..." so basically, there was NOTHING! So, even before anything else was created, relationships were in existence, because God existed and He is three persons. Then, in Genesis 2:18 God says "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” which shows us that we need people! God created Eve because He Himself was not enough for Adam. God actually isn't enough for you and me, can you believe that?! We need people, and will literally die if we don't have any human contact!
*Our obedience to God can only be lived out in our relationships with other people. How we treat others is reflecting how we view God... for God made each one of us in His image, and we are his creation, His prized possession. And with that, God's value system is not our value system. In society now-a-days, if you do "this, this, & this" THEN you are valuable. But, with God, you are valuabe simply because He made you. Our value is in our creator!
So, after getting God's value system and seeing people with His eyes, what is true love according to Jesus? #1. Denies Self- We deny ourselves in order to serve others, not to please God or gain His love. When someone else succeeds, celebrate with them! (Matt 16:21-28, 1 Cor 13, Luke 6:27-31)
#2. Requires a difficult action/choice. Love is not an accident, it is deliberate. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13-This list implies that in order to be patient, you need to be around annoying people that frustrate you so that you can practice your patience! Keep in mind that Christ died for people who did not like him! He CHOSE to love his enemies..
We also talked about striving to be an interdependent person, which means:
-friendships are a choice made by both people, nothing is forced.
-you are affected (emotionally, aka feelings being hurt) by others in realistic ways.
-value & worth come from God!!!!
-you do NOT do for others what they could, should, or ought to be doing for themselves.
It was very interesting seeing where I stand on the line of dependence vs. independence, and where I need to work to become more interdependent!
Outreach is only 12 days away so please keep my team in your prayers- unity within the team, outreach fees to come in, courage & strength as we step out into the unknown... thank you all so much! Your prayers mean a lot :)
Blessings,
Aslyn
God LOVES relationships! As it says in Genesis 1:2- "the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep..." so basically, there was NOTHING! So, even before anything else was created, relationships were in existence, because God existed and He is three persons. Then, in Genesis 2:18 God says "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” which shows us that we need people! God created Eve because He Himself was not enough for Adam. God actually isn't enough for you and me, can you believe that?! We need people, and will literally die if we don't have any human contact!
*Our obedience to God can only be lived out in our relationships with other people. How we treat others is reflecting how we view God... for God made each one of us in His image, and we are his creation, His prized possession. And with that, God's value system is not our value system. In society now-a-days, if you do "this, this, & this" THEN you are valuable. But, with God, you are valuabe simply because He made you. Our value is in our creator!
So, after getting God's value system and seeing people with His eyes, what is true love according to Jesus? #1. Denies Self- We deny ourselves in order to serve others, not to please God or gain His love. When someone else succeeds, celebrate with them! (Matt 16:21-28, 1 Cor 13, Luke 6:27-31)
#2. Requires a difficult action/choice. Love is not an accident, it is deliberate. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13-This list implies that in order to be patient, you need to be around annoying people that frustrate you so that you can practice your patience! Keep in mind that Christ died for people who did not like him! He CHOSE to love his enemies..
We also talked about striving to be an interdependent person, which means:
-friendships are a choice made by both people, nothing is forced.
-you are affected (emotionally, aka feelings being hurt) by others in realistic ways.
-value & worth come from God!!!!
-you do NOT do for others what they could, should, or ought to be doing for themselves.
It was very interesting seeing where I stand on the line of dependence vs. independence, and where I need to work to become more interdependent!
Outreach is only 12 days away so please keep my team in your prayers- unity within the team, outreach fees to come in, courage & strength as we step out into the unknown... thank you all so much! Your prayers mean a lot :)
Blessings,
Aslyn
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Week 8 (Feb 28- Mar 3)
FATHER HEART OF GOD. Speaker: Holger Schein (Germany)
God is our Father, but for some of us it is very difficult to accept this truth because of our experiences with our earthly fathers. These experiences create a wrong filter that we see God through. For someone, an emotionally absent father may lead him to think that he is not important to God and God really doesn't care about him. For another person, an abusive father may lead him to think that God is not full of love, gentleness or compassion, but rather he thinks God is going to hurt him if he disobeys. For a girl, how she sees her dad treating her mom may make her think that is how God treats her. But these are all WRONG FILTERS! God wants us to know Him as HE IS, not through our experiences with our mom & dad. The Bible is the only way to get us out of viewing God through the wrong filter, because the Bible is TRUTH! It is the only "correct filter"! So what glasses are you wearing that's changing your view of Him?
Some truths about God, our Father:
*God is NOT an absent Father.
*His role is to speak identity & value into our lives.
*God is NOT unloving or uncaring. And with that, God knows how you receive love the best, so don't limit His ways of showing his love to you! (5 love languages)
*God wants your burdens! (Not always physical burdens, but burderns of.. pressures of religion, always being perfect, never disappointing anyone, etc.) "Come to me, all of you who are weary & carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28
*God always keeps his promises! He doesn't get your hopes of for something and then forgets to do it. If something doesn't turn out right, it's not that He let you down, but probably that you didn't hear Him right.. NEVER BLAME GOD! "God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" -Numbers 23:19.
*God is not stingy, He is generous! God wants to bless you because He loves you THAT much!
*He is not indifferent! He listens & cares.
*God is not slack or weak.
*God disciplines through gentle, humble training - Hebrews 12. Discipline is correction out of love, not punishment or rejection.
*He is not overbearing. He does not munipulate or push anything on you that you don't want.
"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father'. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children." -Romans 8:15-16
All I have left to say is that this is a week I will NEVER forget!!
Blessings to all of you!
-Aslyn
God is our Father, but for some of us it is very difficult to accept this truth because of our experiences with our earthly fathers. These experiences create a wrong filter that we see God through. For someone, an emotionally absent father may lead him to think that he is not important to God and God really doesn't care about him. For another person, an abusive father may lead him to think that God is not full of love, gentleness or compassion, but rather he thinks God is going to hurt him if he disobeys. For a girl, how she sees her dad treating her mom may make her think that is how God treats her. But these are all WRONG FILTERS! God wants us to know Him as HE IS, not through our experiences with our mom & dad. The Bible is the only way to get us out of viewing God through the wrong filter, because the Bible is TRUTH! It is the only "correct filter"! So what glasses are you wearing that's changing your view of Him?
Some truths about God, our Father:
*God is NOT an absent Father.
*His role is to speak identity & value into our lives.
*God is NOT unloving or uncaring. And with that, God knows how you receive love the best, so don't limit His ways of showing his love to you! (5 love languages)
*God wants your burdens! (Not always physical burdens, but burderns of.. pressures of religion, always being perfect, never disappointing anyone, etc.) "Come to me, all of you who are weary & carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28
*God always keeps his promises! He doesn't get your hopes of for something and then forgets to do it. If something doesn't turn out right, it's not that He let you down, but probably that you didn't hear Him right.. NEVER BLAME GOD! "God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" -Numbers 23:19.
*God is not stingy, He is generous! God wants to bless you because He loves you THAT much!
*He is not indifferent! He listens & cares.
*God is not slack or weak.
*God disciplines through gentle, humble training - Hebrews 12. Discipline is correction out of love, not punishment or rejection.
*He is not overbearing. He does not munipulate or push anything on you that you don't want.
"So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, 'Abba, Father'. For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children." -Romans 8:15-16
All I have left to say is that this is a week I will NEVER forget!!
Blessings to all of you!
-Aslyn
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Week 7 (Feb 20-25)
Part One: DREAMS & DESTINY. Speaker: Edwin Fillies (S.A.)
God created each one of us to be a voice, not an echo!! This is so important to understand, and it was good for me to hear this truth again. Dreams are powerful because they give you direction for your life, a sense of purpose, increase your potential, prioritize, add value, and predict your future. We talked about our childhood dreams and how they are often from God. You must not limit your dreams because of what society, your friends, or your parents think because God's heart and vision for your life is so much bigger than you could ever grasp and imagine. And, if God is working with you, why not dream BIG?! One comforting thing that Edwin pointed out is that God isn't trying to hide our calling from us; He will actually make it so hard to miss our calling! We also wrote down our dreams & desires, anything from getting married, traveling to Greece, going skydiving, to having kids, and handed them over to God, in hope that someday He will give some of them back!
-If Jesus is not Lord OF ALL, He is not Lord AT ALL!
-What you BELIEVE about life will determine how you PERCEIVE life, which determines what you RECEIVE from life!
Part Two: STRENGTH FINDER. Speaker: Wilson Goede (S.A.)
One morning, Wilson lead us in a session about our strengths and talents, and how to see the value in them! Before this week, we each took an online test that told us what our top 5 strengths are. It's so cool to think about our talents/strengths as "a signature of God in us"! I really enjoyed this session because I learned to not look at what I lack, but to look at what I have = WHO I AM! And once we realize our strengths, we need to accept them and not feel guilty about them! It's all about building on what we are good at, aka our strengths, instead of looking at our weaknesses. Also, the greatest nourishment of talents is celebration! What do people encourage you for? What would people pay you for? What do you enjoy doing? These things are your talents, your giftings, and it's important to focus on these things because this is where you will truly strive in life and where you will find the passion to keep going!
Other Highlights:
*The September DTS came back from outreach and they shared their testimonies with us!
*One morning we rested in God's presence... literally. We could sleep or read or do whatever, but we HAD TO RELAX! God values resting too!
Please continue to pray! I have no idea what God wants for me after DTS.. so please pray that I will find my calling and that I will hear His voice so clearly I won't second guess myself at all!!
Thank you all for your prayers!
Blessings,
Aslyn
God created each one of us to be a voice, not an echo!! This is so important to understand, and it was good for me to hear this truth again. Dreams are powerful because they give you direction for your life, a sense of purpose, increase your potential, prioritize, add value, and predict your future. We talked about our childhood dreams and how they are often from God. You must not limit your dreams because of what society, your friends, or your parents think because God's heart and vision for your life is so much bigger than you could ever grasp and imagine. And, if God is working with you, why not dream BIG?! One comforting thing that Edwin pointed out is that God isn't trying to hide our calling from us; He will actually make it so hard to miss our calling! We also wrote down our dreams & desires, anything from getting married, traveling to Greece, going skydiving, to having kids, and handed them over to God, in hope that someday He will give some of them back!
-If Jesus is not Lord OF ALL, He is not Lord AT ALL!
-What you BELIEVE about life will determine how you PERCEIVE life, which determines what you RECEIVE from life!
Part Two: STRENGTH FINDER. Speaker: Wilson Goede (S.A.)
One morning, Wilson lead us in a session about our strengths and talents, and how to see the value in them! Before this week, we each took an online test that told us what our top 5 strengths are. It's so cool to think about our talents/strengths as "a signature of God in us"! I really enjoyed this session because I learned to not look at what I lack, but to look at what I have = WHO I AM! And once we realize our strengths, we need to accept them and not feel guilty about them! It's all about building on what we are good at, aka our strengths, instead of looking at our weaknesses. Also, the greatest nourishment of talents is celebration! What do people encourage you for? What would people pay you for? What do you enjoy doing? These things are your talents, your giftings, and it's important to focus on these things because this is where you will truly strive in life and where you will find the passion to keep going!
Other Highlights:
*The September DTS came back from outreach and they shared their testimonies with us!
*One morning we rested in God's presence... literally. We could sleep or read or do whatever, but we HAD TO RELAX! God values resting too!
Please continue to pray! I have no idea what God wants for me after DTS.. so please pray that I will find my calling and that I will hear His voice so clearly I won't second guess myself at all!!
Thank you all for your prayers!
Blessings,
Aslyn
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Week 6
THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP
Speaker: Dan Baumann (USA)
To some up this week in one word: MOTIVATING! Dan is full of stories: he was imprisoned in Iran for 9 weeks for being a missionary & a spy, has lived in war zones in Afghanistan, but most importantly, he has lived his life in full obedience to God, relying on Him for anything and everything. His journey with God is truly inspiring, but what's even more amazing is Dan's genuine love for God. Stories upon stories, God's love for Dan was so evident, and admist all the difficulties Dan faced, including being brutally beaten each day while he was in prison, Dan's love for God grew so much more each day. He is on fire for God, and I want Dan's passion!!
His simple message each day was this: The Christian life is about discovering who God is and how much he loves you. That's it!! Dan spoke through his personal experiences, and with that, he has lots of GREAT one liners. Here are just a few that I absolutely love (it was hard for me to narrow this down!):
*Everything you do FOR God will come from your intimacy WITH God.
*God is more committed to fulfill His will for our lives than we are committed to find it.
*I would rather live my life doing what i think God is telling me to do, than to give into my fear.
*There is no heart too hard for Jesus!
*Readiness does NOT define your obedience! God will give you the special grace and power to do exactly what he tells you to do at that exact moment.
*The "cost" of discipleship dwindles away the more you discover how incredibly deep God's love is for you.
*Priorities are soooooooo wrong. There is no such thing as a list!! 1-God, 2-Family, 3-Friends, 4-Sports, etc. It's God FIRST and God ONLY! GOD IS A PART OF EVERYTHING! Therefore, going for a run with Jesus is just as "spiritual" as going to youth group Wednesday night!
*More passion comes by having a deep intimate relationship with the most passionate being in the whole universe, GOD!
*Don't focus on sin or anything relating to sin, even how to get out of sin, but rather, focus on Jesus and the beauty of Him!!
*Our fears are pushed away the more we love & obey God.
*Circumstances & feelings will not run my life, but the character of God will run my life!
*Greatest gift: the constant awareness of my need for God!
*RELAX. Spend more time loving God than worrying about our decisions. It's not irresponsible, but SO responsible!
*When making decisions, if you don't know what to do, just do SOMETHING! Don't make a "god" out of waiting to hear the specific will for your life... God's "general" will for our lives is to love Him and love others (greatest commandment). Focus on that.
*Set yourself on fire for Jesus and go outside and let people watch you burn!
God wants to give each one of us our own stories.. the questions is, how willing are we to obey Him, even if other people are telling us we're crazy? Ah, all I can say is I'm SO excited for my future & I can't wait to see where God takes me!!
Blessings to all!
Aslyn <3
Speaker: Dan Baumann (USA)
To some up this week in one word: MOTIVATING! Dan is full of stories: he was imprisoned in Iran for 9 weeks for being a missionary & a spy, has lived in war zones in Afghanistan, but most importantly, he has lived his life in full obedience to God, relying on Him for anything and everything. His journey with God is truly inspiring, but what's even more amazing is Dan's genuine love for God. Stories upon stories, God's love for Dan was so evident, and admist all the difficulties Dan faced, including being brutally beaten each day while he was in prison, Dan's love for God grew so much more each day. He is on fire for God, and I want Dan's passion!!
His simple message each day was this: The Christian life is about discovering who God is and how much he loves you. That's it!! Dan spoke through his personal experiences, and with that, he has lots of GREAT one liners. Here are just a few that I absolutely love (it was hard for me to narrow this down!):
*Everything you do FOR God will come from your intimacy WITH God.
*God is more committed to fulfill His will for our lives than we are committed to find it.
*I would rather live my life doing what i think God is telling me to do, than to give into my fear.
*There is no heart too hard for Jesus!
*Readiness does NOT define your obedience! God will give you the special grace and power to do exactly what he tells you to do at that exact moment.
*The "cost" of discipleship dwindles away the more you discover how incredibly deep God's love is for you.
*Priorities are soooooooo wrong. There is no such thing as a list!! 1-God, 2-Family, 3-Friends, 4-Sports, etc. It's God FIRST and God ONLY! GOD IS A PART OF EVERYTHING! Therefore, going for a run with Jesus is just as "spiritual" as going to youth group Wednesday night!
*More passion comes by having a deep intimate relationship with the most passionate being in the whole universe, GOD!
*Don't focus on sin or anything relating to sin, even how to get out of sin, but rather, focus on Jesus and the beauty of Him!!
*Our fears are pushed away the more we love & obey God.
*Circumstances & feelings will not run my life, but the character of God will run my life!
*Greatest gift: the constant awareness of my need for God!
*RELAX. Spend more time loving God than worrying about our decisions. It's not irresponsible, but SO responsible!
*When making decisions, if you don't know what to do, just do SOMETHING! Don't make a "god" out of waiting to hear the specific will for your life... God's "general" will for our lives is to love Him and love others (greatest commandment). Focus on that.
*Set yourself on fire for Jesus and go outside and let people watch you burn!
God wants to give each one of us our own stories.. the questions is, how willing are we to obey Him, even if other people are telling us we're crazy? Ah, all I can say is I'm SO excited for my future & I can't wait to see where God takes me!!
Blessings to all!
Aslyn <3
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Week 5
THIS WEEK WAS TRULY AMAZING!
Topic: HOLY SPIRIT! Speaker: Richard Lowe (UK)
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Jesus gave up his rights (all powerful, all knowning, and everywhere) to be a human being just like you and me! (Phil 2:5-11). The only reason he could heal & perform miracles is because He was FILLED, EMPOWERED, & LED by the Holy Spirit!
*The SAME HOLY SPIRIT that was in Jesus, IS IN YOU AND ME! (assuming you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior). The disciples, humans EXACTLY like me and you, some were murderers, some tax collectors, had the Holy Spirit in them (Luke 9:1), giving them the power to perform miracles just like Jesus! Do you realize how incredible this is!?
*John 14:12 - (Jesus speaking) "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do THE SAME WORKS I have done, and even GREATER WORKS, because I am going to be with the Father." Mind blowing right?!
*The Holy Spirit is with us at all times, because we honestly need Him at all times! He is our teacher, our advocate, our counselor, our guide, our encourager, our comforter, our strength, our joy, our redeemer. (John 14:17, 14:26, 15:26-27, 16:13-15)
*So, God gave us the Holy Spirit without limit (John 3:34)!!! But because we have a free will, we have a limiter switch, which means we can control how much of the Holy Spirit we let in our lives. For example, by allowing our fears, anxieties, doubts, lack of trust, misbelief to control us, we limit the power of the Holy Spirit's ability to work in our lives. So, going back to John 3:34, we CAN have the Spirit WITHOUT LIMIT, but it's up to us.. So, how much do you want Him??
What the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart:
God loves me FOR ME! He created me exactly how He wanted me, and I don't need to try to be someone I'm not. I have an identity, I have qualities about me that make me me and I need to learn to love myself for these things!Because in His eyes, I'm perfect!
This week I have never been so purely happy and joyful. I have a freedom like never before. Thursday night I was able to worship God with an unforced, uncontainable smile on my face. I truly believe & have now experienced for myself, that God is soooo good!
Please pray for an ongoing revelation of who God is and how deep His love is for me!
Blessings to all!
-Aslyn
Topic: HOLY SPIRIT! Speaker: Richard Lowe (UK)
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Jesus gave up his rights (all powerful, all knowning, and everywhere) to be a human being just like you and me! (Phil 2:5-11). The only reason he could heal & perform miracles is because He was FILLED, EMPOWERED, & LED by the Holy Spirit!
*The SAME HOLY SPIRIT that was in Jesus, IS IN YOU AND ME! (assuming you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior). The disciples, humans EXACTLY like me and you, some were murderers, some tax collectors, had the Holy Spirit in them (Luke 9:1), giving them the power to perform miracles just like Jesus! Do you realize how incredible this is!?
*John 14:12 - (Jesus speaking) "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do THE SAME WORKS I have done, and even GREATER WORKS, because I am going to be with the Father." Mind blowing right?!
*The Holy Spirit is with us at all times, because we honestly need Him at all times! He is our teacher, our advocate, our counselor, our guide, our encourager, our comforter, our strength, our joy, our redeemer. (John 14:17, 14:26, 15:26-27, 16:13-15)
*So, God gave us the Holy Spirit without limit (John 3:34)!!! But because we have a free will, we have a limiter switch, which means we can control how much of the Holy Spirit we let in our lives. For example, by allowing our fears, anxieties, doubts, lack of trust, misbelief to control us, we limit the power of the Holy Spirit's ability to work in our lives. So, going back to John 3:34, we CAN have the Spirit WITHOUT LIMIT, but it's up to us.. So, how much do you want Him??
What the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart:
God loves me FOR ME! He created me exactly how He wanted me, and I don't need to try to be someone I'm not. I have an identity, I have qualities about me that make me me and I need to learn to love myself for these things!Because in His eyes, I'm perfect!
This week I have never been so purely happy and joyful. I have a freedom like never before. Thursday night I was able to worship God with an unforced, uncontainable smile on my face. I truly believe & have now experienced for myself, that God is soooo good!
Please pray for an ongoing revelation of who God is and how deep His love is for me!
Blessings to all!
-Aslyn
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Week 4
This week's topic: Identity in Christ & Authority of the Believer. It was CRAZY GOOD! But, crazy hard as well. Some people were getting sick, others, like myself, were just simply unmotivated and missing home. There was definitely some spiritual warfare going on this week.. which makes sense because the devil is getting scared! We are learning about our AUTHORITY we have OVER him! So no wonder he's freaking out and stirring these emotions inside of us! But, its amazing because this past weekend was probably the happiest I've been so far, and I had SO much fun! God keeps working in my life and revealing things to me which continues to blow me away.. So, this week was tough, but I'm so happy to say, the devil made no ground :) I'm so stoked for this coming up week and I can't wait to learn more about God!!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Identity in Christ:
*Getting saved and accepting God's gift of salvation is the FIRST STEP in fulfilling your purpose, the vision God gives you!
*CHRISTian - Christ, the anointed one, lives IN ME! I now have the capacity & ability of God to fulfill my dreams & visions (which are obviously of God).
* Identity in Christ = Heavenly Calling
*I am BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!
Authority of the Believer:
*Authority = delegated power, power that comes from above/a higher power.
*Jesus GAVE us authority over the devil when He died on the cross and rose again.
*Answer the devil by SPEAKING SCRIPTURE! Use that sword (referring to the Armor of God)! You don't go to war without weapons right? So read and know the Bible!
*Authority is not our own, but in the NAME OF JESUS.
What God has been speaking to me this week:
*God does not work like "To Do Lists". He works on His own timing, so I can't tell Him, "Okay, today you will reveal my identity in you, and tomorrow you will reveal my purpose in life.." Walking and growing with God is a PROCESS! (& I hate that word!) It might not be months till I can "check something off" but I need to learn to accept that, not get frustrated, and trust that God WILL bring me revelations!!
*God gave me a specific purpose on this Earth that only I can fulfill! How awesome!
*Mark 4:40 Jesus asks His disciples why they STILL have no faith, even after seeing Him perform so many miracles and healings? That really challenged me! How many times am I asking God to prove Himself that he is God, or worthy for me to praise, or that He can actually speak to me, or whatever!?? I need to stop doubting and believe because I HAVE seen Him speak to me and work in my life, so why am I waiting for Him to prove Himself yet again when He already has! One time should be enough!
*Rebecca, Philippe's wife, shared with us girls one night about "guy things", and this really stuck out: I need to fall completely in love with God and expect HIM to fulfill all my needs, not my boyfriend/husband. Putting that expectation on a guy is so unfair because no guy will ever meet all my needs, he WILL fail because he is human. God is the only "guy" that will meet all my needs and fulfill all his promises!
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS:
*Girls night with Rebecca (speakers wife)
*Dinner with Chris & Lindsey Lautsbaugh!!
*Rugby game Saturday night! Very different from Football, but a great experience :)
God bless!!!!
-Aslyn
HIGHLIGHTS:
Identity in Christ:
*Getting saved and accepting God's gift of salvation is the FIRST STEP in fulfilling your purpose, the vision God gives you!
*CHRISTian - Christ, the anointed one, lives IN ME! I now have the capacity & ability of God to fulfill my dreams & visions (which are obviously of God).
* Identity in Christ = Heavenly Calling
*I am BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING!
Authority of the Believer:
*Authority = delegated power, power that comes from above/a higher power.
*Jesus GAVE us authority over the devil when He died on the cross and rose again.
*Answer the devil by SPEAKING SCRIPTURE! Use that sword (referring to the Armor of God)! You don't go to war without weapons right? So read and know the Bible!
*Authority is not our own, but in the NAME OF JESUS.
What God has been speaking to me this week:
*God does not work like "To Do Lists". He works on His own timing, so I can't tell Him, "Okay, today you will reveal my identity in you, and tomorrow you will reveal my purpose in life.." Walking and growing with God is a PROCESS! (& I hate that word!) It might not be months till I can "check something off" but I need to learn to accept that, not get frustrated, and trust that God WILL bring me revelations!!
*God gave me a specific purpose on this Earth that only I can fulfill! How awesome!
*Mark 4:40 Jesus asks His disciples why they STILL have no faith, even after seeing Him perform so many miracles and healings? That really challenged me! How many times am I asking God to prove Himself that he is God, or worthy for me to praise, or that He can actually speak to me, or whatever!?? I need to stop doubting and believe because I HAVE seen Him speak to me and work in my life, so why am I waiting for Him to prove Himself yet again when He already has! One time should be enough!
*Rebecca, Philippe's wife, shared with us girls one night about "guy things", and this really stuck out: I need to fall completely in love with God and expect HIM to fulfill all my needs, not my boyfriend/husband. Putting that expectation on a guy is so unfair because no guy will ever meet all my needs, he WILL fail because he is human. God is the only "guy" that will meet all my needs and fulfill all his promises!
ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS:
*Girls night with Rebecca (speakers wife)
*Dinner with Chris & Lindsey Lautsbaugh!!
*Rugby game Saturday night! Very different from Football, but a great experience :)
God bless!!!!
-Aslyn
Saturday, January 29, 2011
week 3
This week was a very tough week for me spiritually and emotionally! Fiona Gifford from England spoke on Sin, Repentance, & Forgiveness.
HIGHLIGHTS from LESSON:
*the Flesh is constantly at battle with the Spirit (Romans 6, Romans 8:1-17, Colossians 3:1-17).
*Sin- man's failure to trust in God, state of unbelief, doubt.
*Sin entered the world in the form of pride and mistrust when Adam/Eve chose to be independent rather than dependent on God and obey the boundaries God set before them.
*Sin starts in the inside, in the heart, and exits the body by YOUR WILL allowing it to. So take control of your body!
*Pattern for sin is most likely because you haven't dealt with the root of it.
*What are your defenses, what you hide behind? What keeps you from being vulnerable (open to being wounded)? Could be silence, business/work, food, a smile, humor, self pity, perfectionism... These defenses need to come down so that humility (being known for who you really are) can come forth.
*Your reaction/response to situations in this world is the most powerful testimony you'll ever have!
*It's how you love one another that people see you are disiciples of God.
This was a breakthrough week for me personally and also as a group. Fiona facilitated a time where we could physically go through the steps of sin, repentance, & forgiveness through a series of exercises. She had us do several group activities where we were given the chance to look at each other through the eyes of God, and because of that we are on our way to becoming more unified. One of Fiona's individual activities gave us the chance to physically wash away our sins with the blood of Jesus Christ (red soap).
Local Outreach- TREASURE HUNT! >> coolest thing EVER!
*Strategy: ask God to give clues- article of clothing, color of shirt, place, name, unusual thing, that will help find the treasure- person needing help/prayer/word of encouragement in that exact moment!
*Plan: write clues down, pick a location to walk to first, start walking, & LOOK for the treasure!
I was skeptical of this at first... how is it possible that God can really speak to us about this kind of stuff? How do we know that these pictures/words we get are actually from God and not just our own mind making things up?...
But, through this experience, God taught me to just trust Him because He CAN and WILL speak to me!
So, this is what happened with my group:
-I got: dread locks, red shirt, Reebok, corner. Other 2 guys in my group got: snake, pink shorts.
-We started walking, and the design of a HUGE snake was built into the framework of the fence surrounding this house. So, we timidly knocked on the door! We talked to a young man who is not a believer, but instead believes in the power of the human mind and the good in man having the power to overcome evil. But he is very interested in other religions, including Christianity. He is always encouraged by Christians! And, he knows someone connected with YWAM.. so you never know what our little talk with him will lead to!
-We continued walking, and a man with long dreads wearing a red shirt was walking right towards us! So, we pulled the guy aside, we were very scared and nervous just like the first time, and told him he was part of our treasure hunt because he matched the clues we got from God! He happened to be a homeless man that lives on the mountain, and he has very weak eyes. So we prayed for safety & protection, and strong eyes with good vision! Who knows if God healed him, but the smile on the guys face after we were done praying was priceless!
*Some of the other groups stories are crazy cool! Another group got a picture of cans, so they went to the grocery store and went to the can isle... no one was there. But then, a lady came walking down the isle with a whole cart full of cans!!! So, trusting that she was their "treasure", they went to her! She happened to be a believer, and was on her way to distribute cans to the hungry, and earlier that day she prayed for encouragment since she was really nervous about distribution.. so this group was the answer to her prayers! How crazy! So anyway, they prayed for her & even gave her some money :)
Blessings to everyone! Hope you all are enjoying the snow :)
-Aslyn
HIGHLIGHTS from LESSON:
*the Flesh is constantly at battle with the Spirit (Romans 6, Romans 8:1-17, Colossians 3:1-17).
*Sin- man's failure to trust in God, state of unbelief, doubt.
*Sin entered the world in the form of pride and mistrust when Adam/Eve chose to be independent rather than dependent on God and obey the boundaries God set before them.
*Sin starts in the inside, in the heart, and exits the body by YOUR WILL allowing it to. So take control of your body!
*Pattern for sin is most likely because you haven't dealt with the root of it.
*What are your defenses, what you hide behind? What keeps you from being vulnerable (open to being wounded)? Could be silence, business/work, food, a smile, humor, self pity, perfectionism... These defenses need to come down so that humility (being known for who you really are) can come forth.
*Your reaction/response to situations in this world is the most powerful testimony you'll ever have!
*It's how you love one another that people see you are disiciples of God.
This was a breakthrough week for me personally and also as a group. Fiona facilitated a time where we could physically go through the steps of sin, repentance, & forgiveness through a series of exercises. She had us do several group activities where we were given the chance to look at each other through the eyes of God, and because of that we are on our way to becoming more unified. One of Fiona's individual activities gave us the chance to physically wash away our sins with the blood of Jesus Christ (red soap).
Local Outreach- TREASURE HUNT! >> coolest thing EVER!
*Strategy: ask God to give clues- article of clothing, color of shirt, place, name, unusual thing, that will help find the treasure- person needing help/prayer/word of encouragement in that exact moment!
*Plan: write clues down, pick a location to walk to first, start walking, & LOOK for the treasure!
I was skeptical of this at first... how is it possible that God can really speak to us about this kind of stuff? How do we know that these pictures/words we get are actually from God and not just our own mind making things up?...
But, through this experience, God taught me to just trust Him because He CAN and WILL speak to me!
So, this is what happened with my group:
-I got: dread locks, red shirt, Reebok, corner. Other 2 guys in my group got: snake, pink shorts.
-We started walking, and the design of a HUGE snake was built into the framework of the fence surrounding this house. So, we timidly knocked on the door! We talked to a young man who is not a believer, but instead believes in the power of the human mind and the good in man having the power to overcome evil. But he is very interested in other religions, including Christianity. He is always encouraged by Christians! And, he knows someone connected with YWAM.. so you never know what our little talk with him will lead to!
-We continued walking, and a man with long dreads wearing a red shirt was walking right towards us! So, we pulled the guy aside, we were very scared and nervous just like the first time, and told him he was part of our treasure hunt because he matched the clues we got from God! He happened to be a homeless man that lives on the mountain, and he has very weak eyes. So we prayed for safety & protection, and strong eyes with good vision! Who knows if God healed him, but the smile on the guys face after we were done praying was priceless!
*Some of the other groups stories are crazy cool! Another group got a picture of cans, so they went to the grocery store and went to the can isle... no one was there. But then, a lady came walking down the isle with a whole cart full of cans!!! So, trusting that she was their "treasure", they went to her! She happened to be a believer, and was on her way to distribute cans to the hungry, and earlier that day she prayed for encouragment since she was really nervous about distribution.. so this group was the answer to her prayers! How crazy! So anyway, they prayed for her & even gave her some money :)
Blessings to everyone! Hope you all are enjoying the snow :)
-Aslyn
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Week 2
Verse that stuck out to me this week:
Hebrews 12: 1-2, "...Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith..."
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LESSON:
Speaker: James Lunn, leader of SBS here at Muiz base. We covered SO much this week and in great depth, so it's kinda hard to write only the main points... hopefully it all makes sense. He taught from Romans 1-8, so I encourage you to study these chapters on your own!
*God is JUST not FAIR! If He gives us what we deserve, then we would still be under His wrath and would not experience His grace. BUT, for anyone who believes in Jesus, they are now RIGHTEOUS in God's eyes, He does not see them anymore as sinners! He sees Christ's righteousness when He looks down upon us.
*Your actions do not effect your position with God. If your actions would draw you closer to God, then Christ died for nothing. He died to give God's righteousness as a GIFT to us!
*Our job: Receive the gift. Respond to the gift. NO WHERE in between is there any earning of the gift.
*So, how to respond to God's gift? Our life = Thank You letter to God. We can't repay the gift, but out of gratitude for what he has done, we live in gratefulness to Him. We read the Bible and spend time with Him not because we have to, but because we want to!
*If you sin, you are letting yourself be a slave to sin. & you are a slave no matter what- either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. So, be a slave to righteousness!
*DON'T ABUSE GOD'S GRACE! You are given freedom from sin, but not freedom to do whatever you want!
*Life in the spirit vs. life in the flesh= constantly at battle! The one you feed the most will always win! So, feed the spirit- read the Bible, spend time with God, etc. Then temptation to sin becomes weaker.
*"Doing good things" are a natural outpouring of your salvation. Notice, Galatians 5:22 talks about the fruits of THE SPIRIT, not fruits of YOU! Peace, love, faithfulness, and so on are results of walking in the spirit!
Group Activity Highlights:
*LAST WEEKEND: girls night- had tea, painted nails, played games. Shopping with a few girls. Church and tea at Shelly's house with some girls.
*THIS WEEK:
-S'more party!
-Game night with the SBS (School of Biblical Studies) students & leaders.
*THIS WEEKEND
-Went to see the penguins at Boulder Beach in Simon's Town on Saturday.
-Church, then lunch at Kalky's (fish place by the water), then flea market close to the base on Sunday.
& FOUND OUT THAT I'M GOING TO VIETNAM AND THE PHILIPPINES FOR OUTREACH! ah I'm so excited!
This week God revealed so much to me! I'll never fully understand the immensity of His love (and i never will), but the fact that he can love me despite everything I've done, is SO amazing! Why would he love someone like me?? That just shows how great and amazing His love is!
Also, this week, I've realized that my life is not my own, it is God's. I am here because of Him. So i need to surrender every area of my life to Him and trust wholeheartedly that He will fulfill His promises. And He's God, so obviously He can do so much more than I could ever do on my own! So why not put all my faith and trust in Him!
I continue to thank you for all the prayers and support! :) Love you guys!
Blessings,
Aslyn
Hebrews 12: 1-2, "...Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith..."
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LESSON:
Speaker: James Lunn, leader of SBS here at Muiz base. We covered SO much this week and in great depth, so it's kinda hard to write only the main points... hopefully it all makes sense. He taught from Romans 1-8, so I encourage you to study these chapters on your own!
*God is JUST not FAIR! If He gives us what we deserve, then we would still be under His wrath and would not experience His grace. BUT, for anyone who believes in Jesus, they are now RIGHTEOUS in God's eyes, He does not see them anymore as sinners! He sees Christ's righteousness when He looks down upon us.
*Your actions do not effect your position with God. If your actions would draw you closer to God, then Christ died for nothing. He died to give God's righteousness as a GIFT to us!
*Our job: Receive the gift. Respond to the gift. NO WHERE in between is there any earning of the gift.
*So, how to respond to God's gift? Our life = Thank You letter to God. We can't repay the gift, but out of gratitude for what he has done, we live in gratefulness to Him. We read the Bible and spend time with Him not because we have to, but because we want to!
*If you sin, you are letting yourself be a slave to sin. & you are a slave no matter what- either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. So, be a slave to righteousness!
*DON'T ABUSE GOD'S GRACE! You are given freedom from sin, but not freedom to do whatever you want!
*Life in the spirit vs. life in the flesh= constantly at battle! The one you feed the most will always win! So, feed the spirit- read the Bible, spend time with God, etc. Then temptation to sin becomes weaker.
*"Doing good things" are a natural outpouring of your salvation. Notice, Galatians 5:22 talks about the fruits of THE SPIRIT, not fruits of YOU! Peace, love, faithfulness, and so on are results of walking in the spirit!
Group Activity Highlights:
*LAST WEEKEND: girls night- had tea, painted nails, played games. Shopping with a few girls. Church and tea at Shelly's house with some girls.
*THIS WEEK:
-S'more party!
-Game night with the SBS (School of Biblical Studies) students & leaders.
*THIS WEEKEND
-Went to see the penguins at Boulder Beach in Simon's Town on Saturday.
-Church, then lunch at Kalky's (fish place by the water), then flea market close to the base on Sunday.
& FOUND OUT THAT I'M GOING TO VIETNAM AND THE PHILIPPINES FOR OUTREACH! ah I'm so excited!
This week God revealed so much to me! I'll never fully understand the immensity of His love (and i never will), but the fact that he can love me despite everything I've done, is SO amazing! Why would he love someone like me?? That just shows how great and amazing His love is!
Also, this week, I've realized that my life is not my own, it is God's. I am here because of Him. So i need to surrender every area of my life to Him and trust wholeheartedly that He will fulfill His promises. And He's God, so obviously He can do so much more than I could ever do on my own! So why not put all my faith and trust in Him!
I continue to thank you for all the prayers and support! :) Love you guys!
Blessings,
Aslyn
 |
| Penguins! They are really small, only about knee high. But so cute! |
 |
| S'more party! They don't have graham crackers in SA, they use thin cookies instead! |
 |
| Sea Lion! We saw 3 & they loved showing off for us haa. |
 |
| @ Kalky's. They gather the fish right here... and this is also where we saw the sea lions. |
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Week 1
Yesterday marks the completion of one full week here at Muizenberg! :)
*30 people in my DTS (all from a number of different countries- Zimbabwe, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, South Africa, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand)
Group Activity Highlights so far:
*Hiking on Saturday- absolutely GORGEOUS!
*Church on Sunday- a wonderful message on what our purpose for life is.
*Cape Town Sunday afternoon- more of the "wealthy" part of South Africa. BEAUTIFUL!
*Tuesday Night (which was our free night)- some of us rented and watched a movie!
Lesson this week- Hearing God's Voice, given by Dan Shannon from the States.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LESSON:
*Point of our life is to love God and make Him known. The rest are just details.
*Are you going to be a part of God's story, or is He going to be a part of yours?
*There is no difference between Bible times and now! God is still the same, and we are living out Acts 29.
*Must silence 3 of our 4 voices- our own voice, the enemy's voice, and the voice of others & then we will hear God's voice.
*There are many ways God speaks to us- through the Bible, the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, our conscience, our circumstances, our visions, our dreams, His creation, and many more.
*He has a STILL, SMALL VOICE that is super-NATURAL! Thunder and fireworks don't have to sound in order for God to speak!
*Most important thing= after we hear God's voice, we must listen and obey, and then we will see God move!
*Story- Dad tells his son in the other room to bring him a cup of tea. But, the son hears, "Can you please bring me a slice of cheese?" So, the son listens, and brings his dad a slice of cheese. The dad isn't disappointed that the son brought him the wrong thing, he's just happy his son OBEYED! And the dad makes use of the cheese his son brought him. This is how we must act with our Father. Listen, and confidentally obey! If we mess up that's okay! God will work out the details.
Prayer Need: to not just know God loves me, but to FEEL it in my heart. Along with that, to have a better understanding of what God's love is, and to understand that despite all of my sins and failures, I am WORTHY of His love.
Thank you all so much for your prayer and support!
Love you guys!
-Aslyn
*30 people in my DTS (all from a number of different countries- Zimbabwe, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, South Africa, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand)
Group Activity Highlights so far:
*Hiking on Saturday- absolutely GORGEOUS!
*Church on Sunday- a wonderful message on what our purpose for life is.
*Cape Town Sunday afternoon- more of the "wealthy" part of South Africa. BEAUTIFUL!
*Tuesday Night (which was our free night)- some of us rented and watched a movie!
Lesson this week- Hearing God's Voice, given by Dan Shannon from the States.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM LESSON:
*Point of our life is to love God and make Him known. The rest are just details.
*Are you going to be a part of God's story, or is He going to be a part of yours?
*There is no difference between Bible times and now! God is still the same, and we are living out Acts 29.
*Must silence 3 of our 4 voices- our own voice, the enemy's voice, and the voice of others & then we will hear God's voice.
*There are many ways God speaks to us- through the Bible, the inner voice of the Holy Spirit, our conscience, our circumstances, our visions, our dreams, His creation, and many more.
*He has a STILL, SMALL VOICE that is super-NATURAL! Thunder and fireworks don't have to sound in order for God to speak!
*Most important thing= after we hear God's voice, we must listen and obey, and then we will see God move!
*Story- Dad tells his son in the other room to bring him a cup of tea. But, the son hears, "Can you please bring me a slice of cheese?" So, the son listens, and brings his dad a slice of cheese. The dad isn't disappointed that the son brought him the wrong thing, he's just happy his son OBEYED! And the dad makes use of the cheese his son brought him. This is how we must act with our Father. Listen, and confidentally obey! If we mess up that's okay! God will work out the details.
Prayer Need: to not just know God loves me, but to FEEL it in my heart. Along with that, to have a better understanding of what God's love is, and to understand that despite all of my sins and failures, I am WORTHY of His love.
Thank you all so much for your prayer and support!
Love you guys!
-Aslyn
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
first dayyyy! : )
Hey guys! I'm so happy to say I made it safetly to South Africa!! Me and Larenda, a girl from Washington state, flew in together from Amsterdam to Cape Town around 11 last night. Funny story, we didn't realize that we were only suppose to bring only 50 lbs of luggage, so we both brought around 100 lbs! And the cars here are really tiny, so 3 guys picked us up at the airport in this really small car. Well, so had a slight problem because only our smallest suitcase fit in the trunk, and we still had 4 big suitcases to fit in the car! So, we put one suitcase on the floor of the car, forcing me to sit with my legs straight up, almost touching the roof! And then we had 2 more suitcases to hold, and the one guy in the passenger seat held our 4th suitcase. It was soooo funnyyyy! We couldn't see anything because our luggage took up every single square inch of the car. I wish i could of gotten a picture, but there was no way i was getting to my camera... But anyway, we all laughed so hard the entire way home. It was a great way to start this trip! : )
But this morning me and Larenda walked with some other guys to the grocery store and got some snacks. Then, on the way back we walked on the beach, and let me tell you.. it is beautiful! I'm already falling in love with this place : ) but anyway we all have to meet for snacks and coffee now so i gotta go! But yeah, i made it safetly and everyone here is soo nice and friendly, so basically i'm already having so much fun! I love it!
Blessings,
Aslyn
But this morning me and Larenda walked with some other guys to the grocery store and got some snacks. Then, on the way back we walked on the beach, and let me tell you.. it is beautiful! I'm already falling in love with this place : ) but anyway we all have to meet for snacks and coffee now so i gotta go! But yeah, i made it safetly and everyone here is soo nice and friendly, so basically i'm already having so much fun! I love it!
Blessings,
Aslyn
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