06/06: Malawi Montessori Project
God is faithful! Have no doubt! Stand upon the promises of His Word.
To follow our mission trip to Malawi, you may go directly to the Malawi Montessori Project blog at
www.acts3.org/blog/montessori.php
What God is teaching me this week:
Jesus said, do not doubt, do not fear, and do not be deceived. But in all things trust and pray!
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 &
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
“Do not be deceived, my brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights,…” James 1:16-17a
To follow our mission trip to Malawi, you may go directly to the Malawi Montessori Project blog at
www.acts3.org/blog/montessori.php
What God is teaching me this week:
Jesus said, do not doubt, do not fear, and do not be deceived. But in all things trust and pray!
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 &
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
“Do not be deceived, my brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights,…” James 1:16-17a
05/05: WHEN GOD SHOWS UP
Annie Holt and I started holding garage sales for the Acts 3 Children’s Home in December 07. God has provided over 8,800 dollars in five garage sales so far. It is the prayers of people, gracious donations, and God’s provision that had us raise this amount of money through a simple avenue of a garage sale. You can have all the resources in the world, but if you don’t have love, it’s all a waste. The garage sales for us are about sharing who God is with people. Many people think that God is a God of wrath or a distant God, but this isn’t my experience. My trust in God lives inside a very real relationship with Him. This story is one of many that happen all the time. I am nobody special that God talks to me and shows me stuff. He wants this intimate relationship with each person. And He is chasing after you, if you’d only turn around and see Him. John 3:16-17 and 1 John 4:10
Yesterday a man offered to buy the oven we had at the garage sale. I told him 100.00 and he didn’t reply. Then I asked the Holy Spirit what He thought. Immediately the Holy Spirit prompted, 50.00 dollars. I turned to the man and said, “Well for you sir, 50.00 dollars!” The man said, “That is interesting because I was thinking if you said 50, I would buy it.” He pulled out a 50 and handed it to me and said his girlfriend would pick it up in a couple of hours. Two hours later, his girlfriend showed up in a beat up pickup truck to load it. I told her how nice her boyfriend was and she laughed sarcastically and said he really wasn’t nice. In fact she said he wasn’t very kind at all. I was sort of shocked but then I got mad. “If he isn’t respectful to you, you should kick him to the curb! I am serious, sister, you are a princess, daughter of a King, and your boyfriend should treat you accordingly”, I told her.
But it wasn’t until we were struggling to load the oven into the back of her truck, that I noticed her scar. It was the deepest scar I have ever seen running vertically down her chest. “Hey have you had open heart surgery?” “I was shot in the chest. Gun shot wound.” That is when I got seriously straight with her. I looked into her eyes and gave it to her straight. “Listen sister, God does not bring someone back from the dead without having a big plan for their life. He brought you back because He knows you by name and has a plan for you.” Then I quoted (more like a pretty good paraphrase of) Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I asked her if she went to church, gave her my name and number and Lakeside’s website. Now I am not sharing this because I think I am all that. Most of the time I am praying that I don’t mess things up badly in people’s journey of faith and that Jesus will repair the bridges I burn. Because in my pride and self-righteousness I mess up all the time. I am telling you because she matters to me. She matters to me. And she matters to Jesus. He knows her by name.
I am comfortable around people whose scars are visible, because even though mine may be hidden to most, I have many. People who are “messed up” or “not popular” or “socially unacceptable” are the easiest to be with for me, because in their presence I don’t have to hide anything or have it together or pretend anything. I am free when I am looking into the eyes of a homeless person on the street. I am free when I am grieving with someone whose husband has left. I am free when someone shares their struggle with pride or jealousy or anger or distrust, because it gives me breathing room. Breathing room. Breathing room. Even though I don’t welcome being broken, I am at my best in my brokenness, because then Jesus can do what He does best. Where my capacities end, His begin. And nothing is better than when God shows up.
Thanks for showing up yesterday, Jesus. You are my best bud. And I am so grateful for all that You do. I can’t believe You love me like You do. It makes no sense to me, but I will take it. Love, Mary
Yesterday a man offered to buy the oven we had at the garage sale. I told him 100.00 and he didn’t reply. Then I asked the Holy Spirit what He thought. Immediately the Holy Spirit prompted, 50.00 dollars. I turned to the man and said, “Well for you sir, 50.00 dollars!” The man said, “That is interesting because I was thinking if you said 50, I would buy it.” He pulled out a 50 and handed it to me and said his girlfriend would pick it up in a couple of hours. Two hours later, his girlfriend showed up in a beat up pickup truck to load it. I told her how nice her boyfriend was and she laughed sarcastically and said he really wasn’t nice. In fact she said he wasn’t very kind at all. I was sort of shocked but then I got mad. “If he isn’t respectful to you, you should kick him to the curb! I am serious, sister, you are a princess, daughter of a King, and your boyfriend should treat you accordingly”, I told her.
But it wasn’t until we were struggling to load the oven into the back of her truck, that I noticed her scar. It was the deepest scar I have ever seen running vertically down her chest. “Hey have you had open heart surgery?” “I was shot in the chest. Gun shot wound.” That is when I got seriously straight with her. I looked into her eyes and gave it to her straight. “Listen sister, God does not bring someone back from the dead without having a big plan for their life. He brought you back because He knows you by name and has a plan for you.” Then I quoted (more like a pretty good paraphrase of) Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I asked her if she went to church, gave her my name and number and Lakeside’s website. Now I am not sharing this because I think I am all that. Most of the time I am praying that I don’t mess things up badly in people’s journey of faith and that Jesus will repair the bridges I burn. Because in my pride and self-righteousness I mess up all the time. I am telling you because she matters to me. She matters to me. And she matters to Jesus. He knows her by name.
I am comfortable around people whose scars are visible, because even though mine may be hidden to most, I have many. People who are “messed up” or “not popular” or “socially unacceptable” are the easiest to be with for me, because in their presence I don’t have to hide anything or have it together or pretend anything. I am free when I am looking into the eyes of a homeless person on the street. I am free when I am grieving with someone whose husband has left. I am free when someone shares their struggle with pride or jealousy or anger or distrust, because it gives me breathing room. Breathing room. Breathing room. Even though I don’t welcome being broken, I am at my best in my brokenness, because then Jesus can do what He does best. Where my capacities end, His begin. And nothing is better than when God shows up.
Thanks for showing up yesterday, Jesus. You are my best bud. And I am so grateful for all that You do. I can’t believe You love me like You do. It makes no sense to me, but I will take it. Love, Mary
22/04: God Wax
Make no mistake- Our God is alive, listening to and responding to the prayers of His people! He does not leave us orphans. He pursues us with His love!
Last Wednesday (4.16.08), I left a school site where I was supervising a new teacher and pulled over to a gas station to fill up my jeep. I sold my car in December to be in financial freedom and my sister, Christina, gave me her 1989 red Jeep Wrangler for a dollar. Even with 118,000 miles on it (which just happens to be the size of Malawi in square kilometers) it was an outrageous and timely gift from God.
I was praying as I pumped gas at this gas station that I have never stopped at before. You see for the previous week or so, I had been doing my own thing- my own agenda, rushing around, like everything depended upon me, not listening to the Holy Spirit, and the day before I said, "Enough." I missed hearing from God, just hanging out with Him. So I settled down, got quiet, got peaceful and made breathing room that day to hear Him.
I was filling my car up when this young woman approached me with a big bottle of car wax in her hand wanting to demonstrate it's effectiveness on my very old and faded jeep. As she sprayed it on I had a conversation with God in my head. "God, I really want to give my sister this jeep back all shined up and beautiful. This jeep has been a blessing to me and I want to shine it up and be a blessing to my sister, but two cans for $ 25.00 is way too much money, especially since I am saving for Malawi."
Well, my dialogue with God went on like this. It made complete sense not to buy this wax, but I felt so at peace about it. And I was reminded of something God had told me a while back. "I will provide for you."
The girl had returned to her table next to the gas station mini mart so I drove over and handed her my credit card and proceeded to share about my sister, the jeep and Malawi.
She stopped me in my middle of my sharing and asked, "How are you going to Malawi? Are you going with an organization?"
I responded, "Ya, Acts III Global Ministries."
She responded, "Acts III Global Ministries out of Savannah, Georgia?"
I just stared at her.
She said, "Randy McEwen?"
"No way! You know Randy?" I exclaimed.
Suong (Sue) Nyugen met Randy and Julie while she was waitressing on their table in Savannah, Georgia. She had been going through a divorce at the time. They invited her to church and she accepted Christ into her life. She moved out here to California with her five year old daughter.
This is pretty amazing and statistically impossible, but this isn't the best part of the story. Sue shared that she had been frustrated and discouraged and even missed church the past Sunday. As she prayed all morning at the gas station, asking God, "Why do you have me out here selling car wax? I don't understand what you have for me God."
She said she was praying that I would buy the wax. She hadn't sold anything all day. In the moment we discovered God's orchestrated meeting, we prayed together. Two sisters in Christ. Sue came to church with me this past Sunday. Randy said God had placed her on his heart for weeks to pray for her, but he had no contact number for her. Now you tell me the statistical possibility of her and I meeting and then finding out we were connected?
Now you tell me is there anything that is impossible for God? Because if you even dare to say there is, you can call me right now and I will give it to you straight up from Jesus!
"With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27
And for those who are discouraged, here is the scripture God gave me on Sunday for Sue.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Rock on Jesus!!!!!!!!
Last Wednesday (4.16.08), I left a school site where I was supervising a new teacher and pulled over to a gas station to fill up my jeep. I sold my car in December to be in financial freedom and my sister, Christina, gave me her 1989 red Jeep Wrangler for a dollar. Even with 118,000 miles on it (which just happens to be the size of Malawi in square kilometers) it was an outrageous and timely gift from God.
I was praying as I pumped gas at this gas station that I have never stopped at before. You see for the previous week or so, I had been doing my own thing- my own agenda, rushing around, like everything depended upon me, not listening to the Holy Spirit, and the day before I said, "Enough." I missed hearing from God, just hanging out with Him. So I settled down, got quiet, got peaceful and made breathing room that day to hear Him.
I was filling my car up when this young woman approached me with a big bottle of car wax in her hand wanting to demonstrate it's effectiveness on my very old and faded jeep. As she sprayed it on I had a conversation with God in my head. "God, I really want to give my sister this jeep back all shined up and beautiful. This jeep has been a blessing to me and I want to shine it up and be a blessing to my sister, but two cans for $ 25.00 is way too much money, especially since I am saving for Malawi."
Well, my dialogue with God went on like this. It made complete sense not to buy this wax, but I felt so at peace about it. And I was reminded of something God had told me a while back. "I will provide for you."
The girl had returned to her table next to the gas station mini mart so I drove over and handed her my credit card and proceeded to share about my sister, the jeep and Malawi.
She stopped me in my middle of my sharing and asked, "How are you going to Malawi? Are you going with an organization?"
I responded, "Ya, Acts III Global Ministries."
She responded, "Acts III Global Ministries out of Savannah, Georgia?"
I just stared at her.
She said, "Randy McEwen?"
"No way! You know Randy?" I exclaimed.
Suong (Sue) Nyugen met Randy and Julie while she was waitressing on their table in Savannah, Georgia. She had been going through a divorce at the time. They invited her to church and she accepted Christ into her life. She moved out here to California with her five year old daughter.
This is pretty amazing and statistically impossible, but this isn't the best part of the story. Sue shared that she had been frustrated and discouraged and even missed church the past Sunday. As she prayed all morning at the gas station, asking God, "Why do you have me out here selling car wax? I don't understand what you have for me God."
She said she was praying that I would buy the wax. She hadn't sold anything all day. In the moment we discovered God's orchestrated meeting, we prayed together. Two sisters in Christ. Sue came to church with me this past Sunday. Randy said God had placed her on his heart for weeks to pray for her, but he had no contact number for her. Now you tell me the statistical possibility of her and I meeting and then finding out we were connected?
Now you tell me is there anything that is impossible for God? Because if you even dare to say there is, you can call me right now and I will give it to you straight up from Jesus!
"With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27
And for those who are discouraged, here is the scripture God gave me on Sunday for Sue.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Rock on Jesus!!!!!!!!
15/04: Who Am I
I am a follower of Jesus Christ who is committed to responding to His
message in word and deed. I am committed to all people knowing the love of Christ. By profession, I am an Elementary School Teacher, trained in general education and special education for children to 8th grade. I have earned my multiple subject credential, special education credential, resource specialist certificate and masters in special education. I am a Montessori teacher with my credential for teaching 2 1/2 years olds to 6 year olds. I have been a teacher for over 18 years.
I am committed to all children knowing that they are extraordinary creations of a holy and loving God. I am committed to discipleship and community. I am committed to working in partnership with and investing in other leaders who want to make a difference for their communities.
I believe that even though Malawi is half a world away, that they are my family too. The Malawian people and the children of Malawi matter to me. Given the power of our great God and the abundance of resources, money, ingenuity, community and leadership, it is unacceptable to me that people do not have the basic items necessary to life and to their spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical development.
I believe God has called me to serve as a teacher at the Acts III Children's
Home in Malawi to expand my faith and understanding of His Word, the faith of my church family at Lakeside Church in Folsom and my personal family and to be a contribution in any small way that I can to the people of Malawi. I am going to Malawi because God called my name. I know the people of Malawi will be a blessing to me. It is my hope and prayer to make a difference for them.
1 John 3:16-20, James 2:14-17, Matthew 25:34-35, Luke 10:2
Check back for frequent updates. Click here for a picture from my 2007 Malawi visit. I am on the left in the white shirt.
message in word and deed. I am committed to all people knowing the love of Christ. By profession, I am an Elementary School Teacher, trained in general education and special education for children to 8th grade. I have earned my multiple subject credential, special education credential, resource specialist certificate and masters in special education. I am a Montessori teacher with my credential for teaching 2 1/2 years olds to 6 year olds. I have been a teacher for over 18 years.
I am committed to all children knowing that they are extraordinary creations of a holy and loving God. I am committed to discipleship and community. I am committed to working in partnership with and investing in other leaders who want to make a difference for their communities.
I believe that even though Malawi is half a world away, that they are my family too. The Malawian people and the children of Malawi matter to me. Given the power of our great God and the abundance of resources, money, ingenuity, community and leadership, it is unacceptable to me that people do not have the basic items necessary to life and to their spiritual, intellectual, emotional and physical development.
I believe God has called me to serve as a teacher at the Acts III Children's
Home in Malawi to expand my faith and understanding of His Word, the faith of my church family at Lakeside Church in Folsom and my personal family and to be a contribution in any small way that I can to the people of Malawi. I am going to Malawi because God called my name. I know the people of Malawi will be a blessing to me. It is my hope and prayer to make a difference for them.
1 John 3:16-20, James 2:14-17, Matthew 25:34-35, Luke 10:2
Check back for frequent updates. Click here for a picture from my 2007 Malawi visit. I am on the left in the white shirt.
