BBC News- In Pictures

"BBC News- In Pictures" is one of my favorite sites to go to. (Check it out!)
Pictures speak to our hearts...messages and emotions that words can't.
The gallery is changing often. The shots are of anything and everything from anywhere... beautiful, raw, heartbreaking, concerning, and fun...tragedies are captured and victories are revealed.
Faces. Many many faces.
Deep inside I have a desire to know these souls which are behind the captured profiles... they are beautiful, do they know they are loved? Is anyone there to comfort them as they are weeping?
Pray. I can pray for them.

I'm no photographer, but I respect the people behind these shots that are displayed on bbc news. They go anywhere and everywhere to capture important events and be a voice for those suffering.
It connects us to humanity. Feeling connected with whats happening around the world is both overwhelming because one feel helpless, and special because it takes us out of the bubble we living in.

Struggle over the hard pictures. Don't ignore whats happening...learn about it, pray for them, maybe even...help?
 
But don't forget to enjoy and respect the shots of things which are beautiful; created things, passions, worship...art.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in_pictures/

A merchant weeping in despair after fire destroyed her belongings at Port Market in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-22728190

 

 

 

 

religion: consider this

Religion: hated, beautiful, sometimes deceiving, other times true, peace, source of anger and deep fear, discipline, hard work, joy…

I’m not talking about true religion; I’m talking about what man has created or found in search for meaning, purpose…peace

I plea with you, to not take lightly what your neighbor believers ... or who the man across the sea worships…because to them it is truth and the only purpose to life…they don’t know anything different

You tell me, ‘but they are wrong and foolish for believing such silly nonsense’.

To that I reply…each is born into this dying world without hope. How do you know truth? If it truly is true then is it not God and God alone who revealed that to you? He opened your eyes to understanding…

He rocked your world with sacrificial love and undeserved grace.

 Weep for those who don’t know the peace you know.   

Pakistan: Photo by Trudi Dalton

Believe with Fear

By Trudi Dalton

A search to find truth

It is evident in everyone’s eyes

A search to know peace

Yet what each one seems to find are lies

Consider the man who worships

Sacrifices and manipulates and appeases

He knows darkness and its sting to well

There are no true blessings, just teases

The woman who bows down, heart un-mended

She dances, prays, burns incenses, searches

Will her gods think her labor sufficient in the end?

Beautiful woman, will you always be a worshiper of many?

Grandfather with a heart rooted in discipline

He has taught well, prayed often, protected what is written

Fasting, honor what he cherishes, never allowed to doubt

One religion, he has no ear to listen

Humanity is broken

What’s true for you isn’t true for me

Hearts don’t know how to be open

Some consider all to be true, yet are left more confused  

Continue searching dear friend

All roads don’t lead to God, but He can meet you on that road

For you, when will the labor for true peace end

Eternity is a feared reality without Him 

_________________________________________________

Response to the beautiful and thought provoking film: Life of Pi 

What do you think? 

Thinking about Him: poem and a doodle

Thinking about Him
The dark path He walked
His bride was on His mind
The door to God had been locked

He was walking toward death
The grave thought it won
The wicked thought this was right
They all forgot one thing, He is God's Son

This path was real and hard
He was left truly alone
Every sin was His reality
Every sin ever known

The grave held Him with sick greed
Those who loved Him were lost
Yet this was the will of God
His life was the cost

To take this lightly would be tragedy
It didn't end with death and the grave
The cost had been paid
Only because Life won on the 3rd day

Thinking about Him
Oh how He was and is mocked
His love for the world was on His mind
I thank Him for the path He walked

-Trudi Dalton
He has Risen 2013

worry much.

Special: mum, her mum and me
summer 2010, WA

today i started to worry.
why? because i realized i have been planning and thinking hard.. i'm trying to figure out my life.
sounds silly. but i just for once want to truly know what my summer is going to hold. i wanted to know i'll have a job and can make money to pay for moody. i want to know if i'll get to spend most of my summer with my sweet little niece.
i wanted to know.

i called mum. she said to not worry and to trust God. i know mum struggles with trusting God too...and she said "God knows our weaknesses" He knows we struggle with trusting Him and wants to meet us in that weakness.

maybe i haven't been spending enough time in the Word. maybe thats why i'm worrying today.

possibly im frustrated because i've yet again...come to a stand still where the Lord graciously has shown me i can't do it alone.

God, i want to trust you...truly trust you... i want to claim your peace today. even though today i'm struggling and i miss my family ... You are good. Help me swell on truth.
Show me the line between  exercising faith and doing things on my own strength.

The Church

The Church: Redeemed, Chosen, God’s Beloved

As I’ve been studying, Ecclesiology, I want to share with you some of the key things I’m learning. Not just for your sake, for I honestly have no idea how many people actually read my blog, but for my sake to have a place to look back and remember these incredible truths.

doodle: the church

Ecclesiology, is the study of the Church, both the universal and local body of believers. I’m not here to re-teach the logistics and wordy facts about this amazing study...but what the Lord is teaching my heart.
“Even though Christianity is individual, it is not individualistic.” Francis Schaeffer
In class we talked about the many divisions in the universal church, we talked about how easy it is to pridefully say “I’d be better off living in a log cabin the woods, just me and God”, and we acknowledged the fact that the Lord is working on so many different levels through so many different grids of theology. Who am I to say someone might have wrong theology when there is more visible fruit in their life then in mine? Can we be okay with this? What would the body of believers look like if we agreed to disagree on some things...and still be able to fellowship together and spur each other on in the grace of Christ to good works?
Oh how important it is to hold firmly to truth and respond in grace and humility toward those you disagree with. As soon as I respond in pride to someone I disagree with I am in the wrong... I pray for humility, I pray that I might see Christ’s perspective of each believer.
As the church we have grace upon grace upon grace...what would it look like to extend that?
Professor Myers gave us three purposes of the Church that are right on:
1. The upward purpose of the Church is to joyfully and eternally express the Greatness and Goodness of God together in worship.
2. The outward purpose of the Church is to communicate the Gospel to the unsaved and call them to faith in Jesus Christ.

There is a great cost to this purpose, and “the sufferings of Christ are completed in the suffering of His saints.” (Myers) (Col 1:24,29)
3. The inward purpose of the Church is to express the grace and truth of God to one another in fellowship, service, and teaching.

These purposes amaze me and cause me to both praise God and pray...because I see this in some churches but not in others...
We have the Spirit of God indwelling us, He gives us a desire to connect with each other. What might  be wrong in the times I don’t want to connect with other believers? Me, sin, flesh... Is what is wrong. Me says I don’t need to love every believe, me says if they have different theology then me then most likely God’s not working in and through their life, and me doubts the power of the gospel to continue to transform and refine each believer...including myself.

Professor Myers pleaded with us to be aware of blind stops in our perspective:
All that the New Testament has to say about our  potion in Christ is corporate! We must participate in each others needs, through prayer and serving. Confessing together, calling sin “sin” brings a deep Spirit of unity and allows the grace of God to work deeply.

Lastly this quote really stopped me in my tracks: read it carefully...
Apology of Aristides (to Emperor Hadrian, 125 AD)
“[Christians] love one another, and from widows they do not turn away their esteem; and they deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly. And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take him in to their homes and rejoice over him as a very brother; for they do not call them brethren after the flesh, but brethren after the spirit and in God. And whenever one of their poor passes from the world, each one of them according to his ability gives heed to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they hear that one of their number is imprisoned or afflicted on account of their Messiah, all of them anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it is possible to redeem him they set him free. And if there is among them any that is poor and needy, and if they have no spare food, they fast two or three days in order to supply to the needs of their lack of food.”

....that is the early church for you...how have we changed...how have we stayed the same?

Pray for the Church, pray that we choose wisely our ‘hills to die on’ and the differences we can let go...pray we never compromise the death,  burial and resurrection of Christ. Most of all, together, pray for the Name of God to be hallowed and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven and for the Nations to truly know Grace... Pray, pray, pray....in the spiritual realm, on our neighs before the Father is where true unity is found.

Gluten Free- a speech

Gluten Free: at The Pancake House

A speech on Gluten Free: [Some information came from my head others came from recent news articles, and some things I say are debatable in the world of science that is constantly changing]

Gluten free? A lot of people call it a fad diet, most people have no idea what it is…but for me? It is a necessary life style, one that I never will chance because I have celiac disease. Today I want to share with you three categories of surprising facts. If you take hold of these you will come away understanding what gluten is, why it is so harmful to many and the benefits of this lifestyle

FIRST THINGS FIRST. OH, the misconceptions about gluten! Gluten is not glue, or sugar, or dairy, or only white flour and the list goes on. It is to be exact, “a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye,” which means that it is the main ingredient for bread, cake, cereal and pasta. What you probably didn’t know is that it is in…ALMOST EVERYTHING!
- Salad dressings, soups, most sauces, French fries, soy sauce, some vinegars, it coats most fried foods, contaminates most oats and is in many candies.
For those of us who can’t tolerate gluten…it is most likely for life and you can’t just “take a pill” to cure it.
I hope you want to learn about this because you will likely be brushing shoulders with us ‘odd ones’ wherever you go… Studies show that Celiac disease affects one in 100 people, totaling to nearly three million Americans.  This disease is often seen in a blood test but they haven’t found an absolutely accurate way to test if someone has Celiac. Gluten sensitivity on the other hand is much more common, approximately 20 million Americans are affected by it. This is usually discovered after a nutritionist advises someone experiencing certain symptoms to take a 30 day fast from gluten with NO cheating.
You probably are wondering, “WHY all of this trouble with gluten now?”  And there are those of you who are skeptics that still think it is just a “fad” diet…but studies are showing that Celiac disease and intolerance is actually increasing. Scientists suggest that there may be more celiac disease today because people eat more processed wheat than in decades past. The wheat used in all our cereals, breads, and baked goods contain a types of wheat that has been genetically created to have a higher gluten content BECAUSE Gluten helps dough rise and gives baked goods structure and texture.Our bodies weren’t made to digest so much gluten, let alone refined and processed gluten.

Now that I’ve cleared up a few misconceptions I want to inform you about the surprising facts of how harmful gluten is. If someone is gluten intolerant and/or suffers from celiac disease they may experience symptoms such as:
-weight loss, fatigue, hives, difficulty breathing, and digestive problems, it can induce headaches, dizziness, and brain fog where you’re just not thinking clearly, it even can cause bone pain, behavior changes, muscle cramps, depression and the LIST GOES ON.......
People with celiac disease who continue to consume gluten end up slowly starving themselves as their bodies aren’t receiving proper nutrition because their small intestines begin to shut down. The long-term effects of consuming gluten for those with celiac disease are: increased risk of cancers, anemia, low energy, and other health complications due to lack of  a strong immune system.The only known treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet.
You may also be interested to know that untreated celiac disease in children has been linked to anemia, underdevelopment, and even autistic symptoms. Irritability and weight loss are the most common symptoms in children…This is something to keep a watchful eye out for!
Unfortunately a large part of the medical field has not jumped on board with the seriousness of intolerance to gluten and celiac disease which has resulted in many misdiagnoses.
It took one young lady 3 years of experiencing a lot of these horrible symptoms, she visited 75 different doctors around the States before she called a doctor she was listening to on the radio and within five minutes he told her she had Celiac Disease…after this, her doctor tested her for it and she tested positive.

I hope those surprising facts about the harm of gluten got your attention….and lastly, on a positive note I want to share with you the life changing benefits of this eating lifestyle, whether it be by choice or necessity.
Removing gluten can improve cholesterol levels and help heal digestive issues. Some gluten free products contain antioxidants that help sustain the body. Gluten is in most fast foods and processed foods, so by eating gluten-free, you end up staying clear of a lot of unhealthy food choice! You also end up preparing most of your own food at home by using fresh veggies, fruits, meats and alternative grains. This is SO beneficial because you know exactly what you're eating!
My mom spent many years with fatigue, brain foggy-ness, and many headaches. She never tested positive on any blood test to have celiac or an allergy to gluten but not long after she went off of gluten she saw a huge difference. Its been more than five years now and she has never looked back.

In conclusion, I hope you have learned something:
Whether it be you know better what to cook if a friend who’s gluten free comes over, (a “GF” friend for short)
OR possibly, as you’ve listened to me today you’ve been thinking that you have some of these symptoms  that in the past you have just blamed on a bad digestive system or eating unhealthy food.  I would encourage you to consider going off of gluten for 30 days. Remember YOU absolutely CAN'T CHEAT!
Some will try “gluten free” because right now it is a fad diet and if they have celiac disease like me or are gluten intolerant like my mom, they probably won’t change back to their old ways of eating, …it is THAT beneficial and going gluten free is here to stay…I hope you will take some of these amazing facts with you so that at the least, you can be more understanding when someone says they can’t have a piece of your birthday cake or at the most, you will pay closer attention to your body if it is crying out for help.. Thank you!

worship..

to expound on worship.
 its been on my mind for some time...growing as ive seen myself fight within over who and what deserves my praise.
people... oh how i idolize certain people.. friendships...yes i hold them tight and think about them often... people and friendships when turned into an idol quickly...very quickly disappoint and frustrate us.. frustration is when someone isn't meeting your expectation... this is a downward spiral..
dissatisfaction...yes its an idol too...it steals my energy, my thoughts, and wheres on my emotions... for it births anxiety, fear, longings, and painful or beautiful dreamed up circumstances...desiring anything but where i am right now... worshiping dissatisfaction is seen in the amount of time i invest thinking or complaining about my present situation...
the list could go on...not only do i worship people. relationships. dissatisfaction...but also succeeding, praise from others...or being wanted, having plans...and ect.

oh Christ. refine my heart..steel it and may it worship You and You only.

"Worship is only fitting and proper for God..." Pastor Pat
"Worship is an active response to the character, words and actions of God, initiated by His revelation and enabled by His redemption, whereby the mind is transformed, the heart renewed, and actions are surrendered, all in accordance with His will and in order to declare His infinite worthiness" (http://www.theopedia.com/Worship)
Worship God as Creator: 
" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Rms 11:36
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him."

All things are from Him and for His glory... worship. worship. worship.

He is worthy. No other thing, person, thought...nothing is worthy of worship..
Only my Creator, King, Father, and precious Savior...He is worthy.

Practically...in all things, Lord show me how i can worship You, choosing to remain in Your grace... Your grace that intentionally pursues my heart...claiming the liberty i stand in when i'm tempted to entertain thoughts that don't honor You...may i see You working in such real ways in and through those around me that it leads me to worship you...bring me to places where the hard and the tired days...are okay because they are opportunities to worship your sufficient strength and your trustworthy, sovereign, faithful Hand... You are Worthy... Your Promises are true.

i worship You.

its been a while..this is real life.

stop consider reflect...to much on my mind...
first things first.
WORSHIP- my desire to see the Lord do a refining work in my heart, my idol factory that needs to be destroyed each moment each day, He is worthy, and i was created to worship; thankfulness, faith that He's trustworthy...talking with Him...rawness. real. thats worship. beautiful

second thought- my burden for the kids on my bus has grown...yet i don't have freedom to talk to them about the Lord, today i did try.. i heard two of my elementary kids talking about God, the world, creation, Jesus, what happens when we die... my heart rejoiced to hear them talking..but then i heard their theology...their perspective is being shaped by 'religion' of dos and don't...i started talking to one of the girls about Jesus..i told her "i love Jesus too"..she said "oh we cant talk about this"...and i said "your allowed to talk about it and ask questions" then she said "i go to church school and in april i get to have my first communion"...i said "oh thats really neat"...[i hope i don't loose my job]....i hate religion...a system that is not of true faith, hope and love is of the devil ...fact. i hate it. i cry for the kids of this nation, so much potential, they have freedom to ask questions, but they don't and expectations for kids are so, so incredibly low..  all they want is to see kids barely pass each grade and keep them off the streets and away from drugs... my middle school kids talk about drugs alot...they are searching and no one is holding them to a standard hirer then that which would lead them to doing drugs..
burdened. i want to tell them i care about them and i'm proud of them for doing well on my bus. they behave really well..compared to some that is.. if one would want to see totally depravity, come ride my bus. but these kids are great, and alot of them need to be loved.. i missed two days of work and they were so, sooo happy to have me back. now thats very special:)
kids. i love them. so many are abused and lack the love that they were created to know and need. God take me to places where you can love kids through me. anywhere. i'll go.

third thought- servant, not a "leader"..not special cause i'm on 'leadership', no it means being a servant, humility - God change my perspective of the people around me, of each member of the body of Christ, they are precious and beautiful and important, treasured by you,,,love them through me.

fourth thought- i ran into my old co-worker's mom, she told me her daughter thought id stopped being her friend because she got pregnant out of wedlock.... if that didn't make me stop and re evaluate my priorities then i don't know what could.. oh how i must make things right with her.. 'cause that never was my thought ever...life got to too busy after i left working in the deli.. i must see her, she just lives down the street. i want to talk her a baby basket of gifts. she's having her baby real soon and doesnt have alot of money

thought number five- life's going to get busy soon, all my roommates will be getting here, i want to start this semester well...last semester was rough, very raw experiences, learning... . ONLY by the grace of God can i finish this chapter in this place well. each day is in the hands of the one i worship, the One i love, He will do great things. He will refine and humble my ever so prideful heart, He's faithful to discipline and shape the ones He loves... this is precious, when things are very hard this is what i must be reminded of...when really neat things happen He is the only One i can point to.

last thought- i cherish my family and am so thankful for the special, short time i got to have with them; they support we 100% and pray for me all the time..that's something not many people have...thanks God.

hospitality.

"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." Romans 12.13

This verse came to mind this morning when my mom asked me if i was ready to work hard to clean the house for the guests that came tonight... my initial reaction in my head was, nooo... we keep having guests over and ive helped so much already since being home..

Yet its my parents joy to open our home to people... to bless them with a meal and a time to swim...ever since i can remember its always been their joy. I grew up asking "is anyone coming over for dinner tonight?" :) even though we had to work hard i still loved it!

Conclusion, hospitality takes work, yet it is still more blessed to give then to receive and i pray some day when i have my own home that i too would make that extra step, be okay with a longer 'to-do' list so that i can practice hospitality.  

(post that's been sitting as a draft for too long)

simple joys

Give Thanks, that is what the Lord tells us to do, no matter what...in all circumstances.

As i so easily slip into thoughts about me, my dreams and what i want, i loose sight of the the things my Father is blessing with me this very day. I'll call them simple joys. Those things i must not hold to closely but offer back up to my God who has showered me with so many blessings. He is the One to be thanked. He is the One to be praised. He is Sovereign to save, to bless, to draw lost to Himself, to comfort, to allow, to disciple those He loves, to answer prayer... this is a comfort.
to HIM, my beautiful Savior, i offer these simple joys:

gluten free muffins from my mum
making Thai curry with my dear brother
cleaning the house with wonderful music playing
spending time with my highschool Bible study leader
hearing my co-worker talk about Christ at work in Her life
children at vacation bible school with big genuine smiles
hugs
getting to see my niece's face on my phone background ALL the time:)
talking with my wise father
watching my brother and his girlfriend build a lizard cage in the back yard
absentmindedly almost putting laundry soap in the fridge! oops
vacation bible school songs that talk about the beautiful characteristics of my Lord
reading others blogs.. God's teaching so many
praying for my mom as she's with my grandparents
a bag of marshmallows..:)
a healing bee sting
driving in a hot car, for some reason i love absorbing the heat with the windows down
feeling the pain of so many hurting in this world and knowing He has a plan
12 days left at home sweet home.
sun setting
Pandora: Sovereign Grace Music radio station

stop.

looking here and there to those close and far
can even one of them meet my needs today
they love me yet i'm not satisfied, not yet
my mind occupies only thoughts of me
down down down...this spiral goes


patiently One is waiting yet to any other i would love to run
physical arms and audible words is what i'm looking for
His gentle hand is plucking away what i think i need
stop. He whispers.
that list you have and all your desires, i know them, He says
just stop.


for this day look to no other
the One who waits for my wondering heart
He is gentle, forgiving and kind
He is all satisfying
to those who cross my path, do they see Him
to those who i miss; they come and go
i entrust to Him


today i stop. listen and wait.
a master piece is what He calls me
to the One whom i belong i ask,
"prepare me for the desires of my heart,
for in this You are most glorified"

http://www.redletterwords.com

living in the moment

photo i look. i love it. its still ... and the shape reminds me of the Trinity.

living in the moment is something i struggle to do.
being home from school...loving being home..i love my family with all my heart...but knowing i'll be back to a busy schedule soon far away is hard.

today i went back to my home church. it was so fun seeing familiar faces that i love and hearing the word of God taught. yet something seemed so off...i realized i wasn't living in the moment. Instead of thanking the Lord for the opportunity to be back i became sad at seeing changes and feeling like an outsider in a place i had invested so much of my heart into. Instead of asking the Lord to bring opportunities to bless and be blessed by the body of Christ I just wanted to leave.... or i wanted to stay. but stay for good.

again and again it gives me such comfort to know this world is not our home.
Oh may the reality of eternity impact ever moment here...every choice. every reaction i have to any given situation the Lord puts me in.
being selfish causes me to miss out on so much.. God isn't limited by the fact that my focus is off...He continues to draw people to Himself..i just miss out on the blessing of being a part of my Father's Master piece.

it might not just be that i struggle to live in the moment, but i struggle to live in the moment with my eyes fixed on Jesus... yes this is what i long for.

This song was sung in church today and it always edifies my soul.
Before the throne of God Above: Charitie L. Bancroft, 1863.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea.
A great high Priest whose Name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!