Thursday, May 28, 2009
Adopted!
(Rachelann) We finally purchased our tickets so we are leaving on August 10th 2009. God has been making it so clear to me His want to provide. He is teaching me to act as though I am adopted. I have been acting like an orphan. Like maybe He will say yes maybe He will give us a nation. His Kingdom is upside down. He is asking us to eat at the banquet now. What are we waiting for? I am starting to realize that we are living in Eternity and that my in inheritance starts now. I AM ADOPTED!!!!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Testing Testing....
I just set up textblogging from my mobile phone. It totally works. Cool! Now I can text from anywhere in the world and update my blog! How cool is that?!
Just for reference -
(Ben): Much of the training Rachelann and I have been giving ourselves to in this season of life comes from Heidi and Rolland Baker. They started a ministry 20 years or so ago in Mozambique to test the Sermon on the Mount. They had just graduated seminary and realized that if the Sermon on the Mount wasn't true (feed the hungry, turn the other cheek, love the unlovable...), there was not point in trying to honor the rest of what God said in His word. Since then God has been showing up with signs and wonders. He has been multiplying food just like He fed the 5,000. He has raised the dead, healed blind people and many other things. I read their account and realize that they are doing things in a unique way with God. I figure if I am going to follow my heart to go love people, then maybe my own agenda isn't going to work. So I have been listening and processing their experiences and have been greatly encouraged.
So the purpose of these post was to provide that information if anyone is interested in researching it. They have a training school each year and we are going to apply to go. We have some friends who have recently come back from doing this training school and they were extremely encouraged in their faith by both what they saw and also how they grew in their relationship with God.
So it's pretty great. It makes me realize just how amazing God is. I have often wondered "why not here God?" While He has been doing things here in the West, they don't seem to be as widespread as what I am hearing of what is going on in Africa, China and other countries.
I have been listening to their teachings online at:
http://www.fathersglory.com/insp/Roland_&_Heidi_Baker.htm.
Their ministry website is:
http://www.irismin.org/p/home.php.
It has been interesting hearing their stories and lessons learned. As I listen through the messages, I get a sense of lessons learned through life experience, successes and failures. This is quite different than the seminary model of learning or the university model of learning (though I definitely enjoy these models in part!).
But more importantly, I feel like I am finally started to make some sense of what it really looks like to live fully for God while at the same time not becoming some legalistic Bible thumper. So check it out. I have been blessed by the content and the simplicity of the messages. Rolland is the logical type whereas Heidi is more free spirited and kinda "out there". Just so you know, if you listen, they both believe in speaking in tongues as a way of communicating with God. So if this offends you, open your mind and heart and see what might come of it.
So the purpose of these post was to provide that information if anyone is interested in researching it. They have a training school each year and we are going to apply to go. We have some friends who have recently come back from doing this training school and they were extremely encouraged in their faith by both what they saw and also how they grew in their relationship with God.
So it's pretty great. It makes me realize just how amazing God is. I have often wondered "why not here God?" While He has been doing things here in the West, they don't seem to be as widespread as what I am hearing of what is going on in Africa, China and other countries.
I have been listening to their teachings online at:
http://www.fathersglory.com/insp/Roland_&_Heidi_Baker.htm.
Their ministry website is:
http://www.irismin.org/p/home.php.
It has been interesting hearing their stories and lessons learned. As I listen through the messages, I get a sense of lessons learned through life experience, successes and failures. This is quite different than the seminary model of learning or the university model of learning (though I definitely enjoy these models in part!).
But more importantly, I feel like I am finally started to make some sense of what it really looks like to live fully for God while at the same time not becoming some legalistic Bible thumper. So check it out. I have been blessed by the content and the simplicity of the messages. Rolland is the logical type whereas Heidi is more free spirited and kinda "out there". Just so you know, if you listen, they both believe in speaking in tongues as a way of communicating with God. So if this offends you, open your mind and heart and see what might come of it.
We walk by faith not by sight....
(Ben): Wow. This is the first main post of many to come. Rachelann and I will be posting all sorts of things here. Thoughts, hopes, fears, events, prayers, requests.... So read along if you like.
There is so much going on that it is hard to quantify it all. Right now we are about 3 months out. We sorting through ticket prices and the weight of what we are embarking on is beginning to overtake me. We have been working hard to make things happen. After much prayer, both Rachelann and I keep getting reminded that simple trust is what God wants from us. As it stands right now we have been trying very hard to relax knowing that we don't currently have enough in our bank account to cover all the expenditures coming our way. Interestingly, thus far, this has not seemed to be a problem for God.
For example: we had been praying for months for a place to stay. As we compiled a rough budget we both realized that our living expenses in Africa rivaled, if not exceeded, our living expenses here in the States. I did not like this. I have been noticing my urge to control things more so as of late. I like having financial provision buffered by a nice sized savings account for all of those "just in case" scenarios. God has been dealing with me about this, reminding me that He really is calling us and He really is committed to providing our every need. So what happened? A few weeks after intense conversations with our friends over housing costs we felt led to contact a different friend in Uganda. As it turns out, this other friend of ours graciously extended an open invitation for Rachelann, Javonta and I to stay with him at his orphanage. Our lodging and meals are now taken care of and the cost is no problem! Go God!
There is so much going on that it is hard to quantify it all. Right now we are about 3 months out. We sorting through ticket prices and the weight of what we are embarking on is beginning to overtake me. We have been working hard to make things happen. After much prayer, both Rachelann and I keep getting reminded that simple trust is what God wants from us. As it stands right now we have been trying very hard to relax knowing that we don't currently have enough in our bank account to cover all the expenditures coming our way. Interestingly, thus far, this has not seemed to be a problem for God.
For example: we had been praying for months for a place to stay. As we compiled a rough budget we both realized that our living expenses in Africa rivaled, if not exceeded, our living expenses here in the States. I did not like this. I have been noticing my urge to control things more so as of late. I like having financial provision buffered by a nice sized savings account for all of those "just in case" scenarios. God has been dealing with me about this, reminding me that He really is calling us and He really is committed to providing our every need. So what happened? A few weeks after intense conversations with our friends over housing costs we felt led to contact a different friend in Uganda. As it turns out, this other friend of ours graciously extended an open invitation for Rachelann, Javonta and I to stay with him at his orphanage. Our lodging and meals are now taken care of and the cost is no problem! Go God!
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