His arm is not too short.

A few years ago, I met K. We worked together, and quickly became friends. We both moved onto different jobs around the same time, and within a few months, we randomly started Friday night dinners.

Almost every Friday night for the last 21 months, K and I have done something together. We have had picnics, gone to movies, sat on my couch while reading magazines, gone out to dinner, or ordered from Hungry Howies. It just became assumed that Friday nights was time together. It was never the plan to do it every week, but I am so glad it happened that way. Somewhere in there, we became best friends.

When K and I first became friends, she had never been inside of a church, not even for a wedding. That was just the way she was raised. It was such a contrast to the way I was raised. I have a hard time remembering a week of my life that I wasn't in church.

I never wanted to force Jesus, church, or my beliefs on her. So, I tried to live my life in a way that pointed to Jesus and His love, I answered any question she had, but most of all, I began to pray fervently.

I prayed almost every day for 21 months. I memorized Isaiah 59:1 "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear."

I begged God to soften her heart, and give her the desire to know Him. I rejoiced every time she had a question about Jesus, church, religion, or the Bible. I prayed even more. I sobbed when I drove home one particular night, knowing she was beginning to understand. I asked God to make clear opportunities in conversations to share Him.

She started to attend church with her boss pretty regularly around the beginning of the year. My heart leaped inside of me.

One day a few weeks ago, she told me she had been thinking about my future husband, and so she stopped everything and prayed for him. There are not enough words to express how much that blessed my heart. I had no idea she was beginning to pray, let alone, pray for my husband.

Last week she asked me if I would be at church when she gets baptized. I agreed, but told her, only after we had a serious conversation about some things beforehand.

So tonight, we went to dinner, we caught up after a busy week, and then we sat down on the couch. Bible in lap, I began to go over the plan of salvation. I wanted to know that she understood the Gospel, and wasn't just getting baptized just to get baptized. I wanted to make sure she knew baptism does not wash away sins, or get us into heaven. It is just a step of obedience in following Jesus. I wanted her to know that the Bible is truth, and that we can go to it for everything. Religions and denominations may not have the answers, but Jesus and His Word always will. She stopped me a couple times to clarify as I read and explained things, but at the end of our conversation, I asked her if she had accepted Jesus, confessed her sins, and believed in her heart yet.

She looked at me with big, tearful eyes, and told me she had. She couldn't remember the exact day this winter, but she had accepted Jesus as her Savior.

Between tears, I told her of how I had prayed for her for months and months to know Jesus in a real way, and how faithful He was. I told her that Jesus is the most important thing in my life. He brings hope, peace, everlasting life, love, joy, and so much more. There is nothing more I could ever want for my friends, then to know my real Jesus.

So, rejoice with me today. My heart is full.

God is so faithful. His timing is perfect.

His arm is not too short to save. His ear is not too hard of hearing.

He saves. He hears.

Thank you for all of your prayers the last couple of years. You may not know my friends, or even me, but I know people are praying.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16b.

Please continue to pray for K as she is a baby believer, and is beginning to sort out her faith.

I cannot wait to share more stories in the future, of things I am trusting and believing He is working out. What a faithful God we serve.

Have a nice weekend.

Love, M

Beauty.

This week I have been amazed at the glory of creation.

The stars on a cool desert night are so clear and bright. There are stars in between stars. I sat in awe as shooting stars darted across the black sky. It is intoxicating.

The mountains with snow capped peaks soar into the heavens. The rolling hills turn into flat desert lands at the exact moment they need to.

The sun falling behind the dark silhouettes of mountains brings a bold watercolor display across the sky. It is truly breathtaking.

In all of this beauty of creation, my heart falls more in love with the Creator. What a wonderful God to create such unexplainable beauty.

He is the God who made mountains, causes the sun to set in a beautiful display of colors, and still cares deeply about me.

I am in awe.

He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth-- the LORD God Almighty is his name. Amos 4:13

Have a lovely Monday.

-M

Beauty For Ashes

This is a repost from the new website I am writing for, http://graceeveryday.org/ I wanted to share it, because this is one of my favorite verses, and I believe in the importance of it's message.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion - to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

Isaiah 61:1-3a

As Christians, we have been given a specific 'to do' list in Isaiah 61. We are told to proclaim the good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, release prisoners from darkness, proclaim God's favor, comfort those who mourn, and provide for those who grieve.

When I first read these verses, honestly, I was overwhelmed. How can I do this? I don't know what this looks like. Is this even possible?

And then, I remembered, Jesus did all of this for me. He gave me the ultimate good news, the Gospel. He bound up heartaches buried so deep no else even knew they were there. He set me free from sin, death, my flesh, the grave, and Hell. He released me from the darkness of this world. He has poured out so much favor on me, it doesn't even make sense. He has comforted me in times when life fell apart. He was always there. He gave me grace and mercy when I didn't deserve it, and could never have earned it.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The only way to accomplish this seemingly insurmountable task is to remember what Jesus did for us, and realize we have everything we need to pour it back out unto others. He has given us the perfect example, and the power to complete this 'to do' list.

So, what does this look like practically? I don't believe we have all been called to move to a third world country and start an orphanage, to walk the streets of Detroit and feed the homeless, or even to be a shoulder to cry on for every broken heart. God has placed you and me in this exact time and place for a purpose. There are broken people in every corner of this world, in offices, schools, homes, streets, hospitals, funeral homes, and even in churches. We are commanded to love them as Jesus loves them, care for them, and share the good news.

How can we do this?

-Preach the good news to the poor. How can you share Jesus with someone who doesn't know Him? Where may it be uncomfortable to share the Good News? Who are the poor, oppressed, and afflicted in your life, and in the world?

-Bind up the brokenhearted. How can you use your past heartaches and pain to help heal another? Will this help you realize your brokenness has value?

-Proclaim freedom for the captives. How can you be a voice for those who are enslaved, captive, and carried away? What can you do to raise awareness for the captives in our world?

-Release prisoners from darkness. How can you bring light to addicts of all sorts: body image, alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, pornography, gambling, etc.? How can you help someone break free from the darkness of depression, anxiety, bitterness, cynicism, insecurity, worry, self hate, and the lies from Satan?

-Proclaim God's favor. How does your life show that you have God's favor? Do you recognize it yourself? Do you share what He has done for you with others?

-Comfort all who mourn. How can you be available to listen when someone's life falls apart? In what ways can you be a comfort to someone?

-Provide for those who grieve. What can you do to be a help to someone who is grieving? How can you make thier life easier in a time of pain? How can you cultivate joy, beauty, and praise in their lives?

What does this look like today for you?

Have a great day. Love, Michelle

Two Words

I recently spent a week out of town. One of my high school friends got married, and I went to help with the wedding, and be a bridesmaid.

I spent a lot of time pondering. Because that's what I do in airports and on airplanes. I ponder life. I ponder people. I ponder myself.

I spent 10 days in an unfamiliar city, with people I had just met, and may never see again. I had nothing and no one familiar around.

If you know me, you know I'll talk to just about anyone, anywhere, about anything. I love people. I love to talk.

Two words kept rising to the top of any conversation. Whether I was standing in line for coffee, waiting for a plane, doing wedding crafts, meeting the bride's family, wherever I was, my conversation included these two words.

I never thought much about it before. Back home, I talk about these two words daily. Almost everyone I converse with has heard me talk about these two words. I do it so regularly and with people so familiar, it never caused me to stop and ponder.

But, delayed planes really make me ponder.

Every single day I was gone, I shared these two words with complete strangers. Every day for the past few months of my life, back home I talk about these two words. I can't go a day without saying these two words.

Jesus.

Bolivia.

Sitting on the plane I began to think, what was so special about these two words that 24 hours couldn't go by without me uttering them to anyone?

Then it hit me. They both changed my life. Completely changed. They both give me purpose in my life.

I am literally not the girl I was before.

I just want to be like Jesus. I want to love people.

I want to be able to look back over the past years and without doubt know that He has transformed me, and is continuing to do so. I want to point others to Jesus. I want to know His love, compassion, patience, peace, faithfulness, favor, joy, and goodness. I want them to be my life's song. I want bitterness, gossip, lust, vanity, and sarcasm to fall off me as I cling to Him and to His word. I want to be not important, and for Jesus to be everything.

Ah, Bolivia. 2 months, and I was in love.

I left part of my heart there. Bolivia may not be where I end up, but its where this girl experienced God is such an overwhelming and real way. It is where I fell in love with the least of these. It is where my purpose really took root and passion and dreams started to grow. It was my first huge solo adventure. It was where I decided wherever He sends me, I'll go.

How can I not go a day without saying those two words? When something seriously changes your life, you want to tell everyone.

So thank you. You listen when I ramble. You encourage me. You believe in me. You are patient when I share my dreams again and again and again and again. Thank you.

M.

kindness challenge again

I have a small group of high school girls I see on a weekly basis at church. Recently I encouraged my small group girls to be kind. The think I'm kinda crazy, and told me it is hard to be kind. I remeinded them that I wasn't asking for huge acts of kindness. Just small, consistent, intentional acts of kindness. They grumbled about my challenge, so I am not sure if they will do it. But it got me thinking.

I was reminded how easy it is to slip into my own life, where all that matters is me. Kindness is not something that is expected. It is not glamorous. No one gives out gold stars for being kind. It is is easy to get caught up in life and just making that work. Kindness is often inconvient and uncomfortable. Sometimes it can cost money or time. When we don't receive thank you's, and our feelings get hurt. It can be hard.

So, get over it.

Be kind. You are not too busy, money is not too tight, and you have enough people around you to be kind.

So, I challenge you and I once again. Spend the next week doing daily acts of kindness. Don't just do them for people you know. Be kind to strangers. Even if it is uncomfortable.

Pray specifically for people and how you can be kind in a way that makes a difference to them. Then do it.

I challenge you to involve other people. Challenge your kids, students, co workers, whoever to also be kind this week.

I would love to hear of fun and creative ways you shared kindness this week!

Seven days. Seven ways. Be kind.

Love, M

Update on Nestor

This is the latest I have received from my friend Kathryn. She is back in Bolivia, serving fulltime. I hope to Skype with her soon to get more information. But for now, this is enough.

Nestor, a baby who was extremely malnourished due to a hole in his heart, is now strong and growing! The first picture is him a 16 months weighing 11 pounds and the second is him now, 2 years 3 months weighing 22 pounds! Praise God!

And The Winner Is.....

 

Thank you for joining me of a week full of Being Content While Single! I loved sharing what God is teaching me. And I really enjoyed reading your feedback. It was so encouraging!

 

If you are interested in following my blog, you can subscribe by email. I write about a variety of topics. (What God is teaching me, His faithfulness, challenges to be more thankful, mission work, having a heart for the broken, being single, etc.) You can always click on the words under the "what am I talking about" section on the right for certain topics.

 

I loved doing this giveaway contest! I have never done one before, and it was fun to buy for it. I had 32 entries! That was more than I had thought I would have, so thank you!

 

So, without any more nonsense....

 

The winner is....

 

Kim B. from Mt. Pleasant, NC

 

WooooHoo!

 

Congrats Kim!

 

Please send your address to me an email at michelletobolivia@gmail.com

 

Your fun pack of prizes will be in the mail ASAP!

 

Thanks for a fun week everyone!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Love, Michelle