The song of the redeemed rising from the African plain

"Its the song of the redeemed
Rising from the African plain
Its the song of the forgiven
Drowning out the Amazon rain

Its all Gods children singing
Glory, glory, hallelujah
He reigns, He reigns"

He Reigns, Newsboys



There is just something so special about experiencing worship in other cultures.  The fact that God speaks all languages, that we are bound together by the same bond, regardless of the tongue we speak is so cool!  And when we have the opportunity to experience it "live and in person" is a special thing indeed.

This last week we had the opportunity to go to the interior of the country and spend some time with a pastor and his sweet children.  During this time we got to hang out and interact with the kids, and just be a part of their lives.  

In this song that they shared with me they sing..

"There is no one like Christ,
no there is no one like you..."

Together we sang a lot more songs, I sang a few in English, they returned the favor and sang in Spanish, and even in Fang.  It was a beautiful time.

Is your heart or your flesh speaking?

So...we hear we need to "pay it forward" - don't get me wrong - I think this is an AMAZING idea!  I LOVE it!  However...what is your motive?!

YEARS ago, way before we ever went on the mission field, I helped a young man who tipped his wheelchair over and couldn't get up - I stopped my car, and got out to help him, got him back upright, and sent him on his way.  But my pastor asked me - why did you stop and help him?  were you thinking about what others thought about what you were doing, or were you doing it because it was the right thing to do?!

Now...my DNA since my earliest memories, was as a 4 year old saving a baby bird that had fallen from a nest...and I begged my pre-school teachers to save this poor little creature.  As an adult I realized that this was hopeless, but as a young child of 4, my world was wrapped around this little bird.

God put into me the NEED, no, the MANDATE to help others...people, animals, it doesn't matter.  My husband has been so frustrated with me at times ...as an example, one day I made him pull over as a praying mantis was on our windshield, and I knew would be killed if he flew off of it at 50 miles per hour, so I made him stop, I scooped it off our windshield, and placed it on the forest floor before we continued on. I've "rescued" a robin who flew into my windshield...I took it to the vet...I picked up (yes..I picked it up) a tarantula that made it's way into our house, and I escorted it out to do it's job...I've given food to the starving, clothed the naked...I can't pass by the need...it's a bit overwhelming at times...I feel overcome...but my DNA, no....my God script in my soul...tells me to help those who can't help themselves.

 Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God?

Then I look at my motive...what IS my motive?!  Do I do it without others seeing?!  Yes...I've stopped and administered CPR to a bicyclist hit by a car...a man who flew through a windshield not wearing a seat belt, and life flighted him to a hospital...delivered a baby in the devastating earthquake torn country of Haiti...comforted a man who lost his whole family after a tsunami swept them all away...I do it because I am called to do it...I do it because I can't NOT do it...my heart hurts when others hurt...

Search your heart...do good to others...not because society is watching...not because you want to be seen...do it because you WON'T get the accolades...do it because you WON'T be seen by others...because God sees your heart...He knows why you do it...

1 Samuel 16:7

"...The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I was sick and you visited me...

I was naked and you clothed me...

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat...

Matthew 25:35 - 40
‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Termites ate my couch...and other stories from a missionary nurse.

My husband is the writer.  He has written more than 50 articles that have been published.  He is sought after for very specific subjects, and has an incredible way of pushing people without insulting them, and yet doesn't sugar-coat things either.  I am a journaler.  Now, don't get me wrong - I really do NOT like to journal.  But I write blogs, and somehow this fulfills that journaling need.  I write blogs for me...I am just thrilled that some people actually like to read them as well.

Man do I have stories...they have filled up my blog over these last 10 years.  Stories written, and stories unwritten fill my head.  Stories that I only passed over in a cursory manner, and did not give them the full credit they deserve.  But I understand that we, as people living in 2016, have a very short attention span, so I limit myself on the stories.  Until I can't.  Then I write 5 part blogs...but again - that's for me...to help  me get out the feelings I need to get out.  We all go through things in our lives that need telling.  You need to feel it to heal it, my sweet friend once told me.

Delivering a baby in the rubble remains of earthquake torn Haiti
Keeping a man alive while we drive through the rubble of Port-au-Prince
CPR and being the only "EMS" around
Feeding the hungry
Sri Lanka and the tsunami

These are a few of the many stories I have to share.

So my blogs are short, to the point, and tell a message.  But a book...now THAT I could write as much as I wanted - people were reading a book to get the nitty-gritty after all.  They are expecting to sit down for the long-haul and read something more than 800 words.

I am a story teller.  I'm not all that funny, I'm not all that wise, but I have some things to share, that I think others would be interested in.  Life, medical, whatever.  So I'm going to tell it.  I don't know how long it will take me - I've already started and am more than 13,000 words into it.  My husband tells me that an "average, short book" is about 80,000 words.  I am positive I will hit that number before I even make it to our time in Africa...and I'm sure the stories will start coming in once our time here is in full-swing.  And so I begin...I begin this journey and will see if anyone is interested enough to come along for the ride.