Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. [Philippians 2:12-13]
Confession. The past couple weeks here at home in London, ON Canada have been markedly devoid of discipline, passion, abiding and rejoicing in the work that God has been and IS bringing about in me. I know that His will will be accomplished despite my personal hang-ups and shortcomings... and although I have seriously been sucky, I thank God for His grace and love. Over the past year I have grown to see my sin as more detestable, disgusting, heart-breaking... how sinful and ugly we are! Our hearts - beyond cure and understanding. I am so increasingly humbled and awed that a beautiful, holy, complete, pure, perfect Creator would love me. I have so much to repent of: attitudes, words, actions...
Most of all! It has been revealed to me by a VERY convicting/difficult/much-needed conversation with a wonderful brother that I definitely have some issues to deal with here in this city I call "home". Instead of walking in intimacy with Christ and carrying that light wherever I go, I have made London my place of light-sucking, comfortable laziness. This blows my mind, because this is precisely the situation I had been anticipating and thus trying to avoid. I have again fallen into the trap of allowing my environment to dictate to what degree of maturity/discipline I live out my faith; what I call "situational discipline"... but no more! No more accepting things as they are and just settling. Let me have the courage and receptiveness to allow the Holy Spirit's transformative power be at work at me EVERYWHERE I go, not just in certain locales.
So! In terms of Cambodia prep, I have a few more details now.
Regarding Finances... I do not have an exact figure (will update as soon as I'm given the information from OMF, myself!) but I do believe I am nearing full support! I must again thank everyone who has given (so incredibly generously) to support me in this adventure. I have thank you cards. :)
Our Work: We have been told that for two of the weekends in August our team will be leading a children's ministry at an aftercare/assessment facility in Phnom Penh. I hope to give more details closer to the actual dates of this program, but I will say I am SO excited and humbled that God has given us short-termers this opportunity to partner with this local ministry!!!
Other work will include maintenance for the local ministry (painting a fence with the girls), and otherwise being available to serve wherever we are needed by the long-term missionaries in Phnom Penh.
Travel : Me and my teammate Carmen are flying out from Pearson Airport (Toronto, ON) on August 8 at 1:30AM. This flight is 15 hours long and will take us to Taipei, Taiwan where we will have a 6 hour layover before hopping on a plane to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We will arrive in Phnom Penh on August 9 at 11:35am. We will be meeting our third team member Sarah when
we arrive in Phnom Penh.
Prayer
1. Finances - that God may take each supporter's donation and multiply it to bless many people's lives
2. Ministry - may Christ be the centre of everything that I say and think and do in preparation for and in the midst of serving the women and children of Cambodia.
3. Travel - safety and for a smooth transfer of flights in Taipei
4. Physical health - I started to feel back pain today... last summer my back pain was healed HOURS before leaving for Tibet by much prayer. I believe that God can do it now! Please pray for physical healing, so that my physical body will in no way be a hindrance to my fulfillment of God's purpose!
-Also, of course, my eczema. I won't get into details, but the hot weather has caused a couple flare-ups in my skin condition and I am afraid the hot muggy weather in Cambodia will do the same. Eczema flare-ups make doing anything and everything uncomfortable and/or painful...
5. Spiritual awareness/maturity - let the blessings God has poured out on me not be spent on me in vain. Please also pray for spiritual protection and for current feelings of negativity and dark fear to cease to have any grip on me.
6. Focus - It amazes me how quickly I lose sight of the saving power of Christ's blood shed for me. Let not thoughts, surroundings or people be distractions from the One Thing that truly has worth.
I can do nothing alone... and thank goodness, because on my own I feel so much turmoil and unrest. But God is telling me John 14:27 over and over, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid."
This is me, right now, with back brace/stabilizer band thing. Owie.
