Sitting in the back of the plane on my way to Africa, Here I am Arms Open Wide.

Sitting outside of IMME quarters journaling in AFRICA, Here I am Arms Open Wide.

STANDING on the top ridge of the bluff facing the strong wind overlooking the water, Here I am Arms Open Wide.

HERE I AM ARMS OPEN WIDE.


Take my life I lay it down at the cross where I am found. All I have I give to you oh God. Take my hands and make them clean. Keep my heart in purity that I might walk in all you have for me. Oh here I STAND arms open wide. I am yours and you are mine. JESUS. HERE TAKE MY MOMENTS.

STREAMS OF LIVING WATER.

"He who believes in Me... out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." - John 7:38

Lord to pour out what you have given me. What does this mean in my daily living??

It means I can be excited about the things you are excited about. I can be excited about LIFE. about your creation- Ocean, sunset, water, rest, compassion, people, service, love, peace, purity, holiness, healing.

In my devotional it says to pour out to the Lord, I must make a DETERMINATION- to do so.

LORD TODAY I MEDITATE ON POURING OUT THE LOVE AND KINDNESS YOU HAVE SHOWN ME THROUGH THE RIVERS OF LIVING WATER THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. I need your wisdom and your direction in how to do so. I am new to this as self sufficiency and pride likes to take control, especially in this new job and learning how to do things the right way. Soften my heart O Lord so that I can in turn be soft towards every area in my life. TO myself, and flowing out and onto the relationships I come in contact with. Best friends and strangers alike Lord. I LOVE through the rivers of your Holy Spirit which enables me to do so. Thats it my God. I AM LISTENING AND I DESIRE TO APPLY THIS.

The Importance of TOGETHER.

HIV+ individuals and community is essential. When I studied abroad in Uganda we learned that people a lot of times are so ashamed when they discover that they have HIV/AIDS that they isolate themselves all the way up until they die of the disease.

A pastor who invested and cared greately for individuals suffereing from AIDS wore a bright red tag that said HIV+ to identify with people and suffer with them. People gave him loooks and wouldn't look at hiim at times because of the identity he took on, but he didn't care for a good reputation from people wasn't his main concern.

Visiting an oraganization called TASO I was inspired. This groups was a communitiy of individuals who were all affected by HIV/AIDS who had joy and energy. When we got off our bus they were dancing and singing and drumming a welcoming song to US. Their hope was contagious as they encouraged us to clap and even dance along with them.

Wow, what a difference I thought. After hearing testimonies and stories and facts about the mass majority who isolate themselves in shame when discovering that they were sick, this group was different.

And how was this so? I fully believe that it was the community. They had each other. They leaned on each other, supported each other, and loved each other. This kept them together, and this kept them going despite their weakness of their sickness.

I still can clearly picture the patients of the community after perfoming hopeful traditional African song and dances for us stepping forward introducing themselves.

All the way down the line all the way up to the very last individual in the group stepped foward and boldly declared with a joyful smile:

"Hello! My name is ......... and I am HIV+ and have been for ..... years."

Wow. wow. wow. What a lesson that we can learn from this.

As individuals like you and I, we may not be HIV+, but we certainly affected by a differnt disease, we have all fallen short as sinners who have been saved by grace.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. - Romans 3:23

This is why we need each other. By ourselves its easy to let ourselves be condemned for our short comings and loose site of what Chirst has done for us. But together, we are reminded the faith and hope we are able to have in Chist.

All of us as weak individuals together all in need our Creator. As a friend put it, we are all hanicapped individuals in need of each other.

I picture myself standing up bolding like the HIV + patients at the TASO organization, as I proclaim with no shame, "My name is Megan Hall who is a sinner who daily falls short of the glory of God But who is saved by God."

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.Psalm 34:4-6

My fleshly side constantly wants to do things my way, and run off and do my own thing as it just feels easier sometimes to do what I want rather than submitting to working and compriming with others as well. But the Truth is, we need to. To get healthy, stay encouraged, and boldly be ok with our shortcomings, we need community. Without it, we are really by ourselves and dead in the flesh. Thank you Lord for the encouragement of your Holy Spirit which guides me into truth in hard times, family, friends, and even strangers as we are all alike, in need of Truth. Amen

Nothing is Small when We All Contribute

The following is the beginning of my vision of a project for people to get involved with by allowing for my host dad’s vision of a school to be fulfilled. My vision is to put this out on Facebook and through email and see if people would be up for getting involved.

It is a lovely sunny African night as we just finished up dinner and cleaning up. My African siblings are outside running around playing and enjoying taking pictures with my camera as they pop in and out of the house every so often pulling at my arm trying to get me to play with them. Usually as a nightly routine I would already be outside before they could even ask me to join them as playing games with my siblings holds some of the greatest memories of my Study abroad experience, but not this night. As I currently sit with my host dad as he shares what’s on his heart, his voice is filled with much zeal and his eyes have a deeply focused passion as if his vision to build a school for orphans was already fulfilled and he was staring directly at its completed stature. Through the real and hopeful explanation, I could almost see the school myself in his eyes.

Last Spring of 2011,I was blessed with the opportunity to spend a semester abroad through my school, Northwest Christian University, in Uganda, Africa as its been my dream to go since the 7th grade. The story above from only one of the many nights and conversations during my time there hasn’t left me since I have been back in America. That night my host dad didn’t ask for my help, as he was just sharing what he saw was desperately needed in his community and village. I told him that I wanted to help but not wanting to promise anything that I wasn’t going to be able to actually carry out, I told him that I didn’t know how much I could actually help, and would at least start with helping through prayer. His response which rings through my ears the most was:
“Nothing is small when we all contribute.”

You and I as individuals may be small by ourselves, but through some of the following listed ways, will you help to fulfill my host dad’s vision and ultimately allow for Ugandan orphans and young mothers to receive an education? Here are my thoughts: Every single one of us has something that they are good at, whether it's through our careers or a hobby we all have something. And all it takes is just one thing. Just one event. Just one idea. Just one check. Just one item sold. Just one garage sale. Just one bake sale. Just one running event. Just one quilt. Just one painting. Just one song. Just one step of action. JUST ONE >

As my Ugandan dad quoted, when all of these things are combined they can in turn build ONE school for hundreds of orphans. My Ugandan dad has a vision. With all of our gifts and our talents combined, we can make a difference and in turn change lives.

I have seen the passion in my Ugandan dad’s eyes as he shared with me his vision for the school. And if you don’t have the time and money ( I understand, as I am a college student working on paying off loans and in my last semester of classes as well),I have put hand-made donation cans in local stores believing that Everyone’s change can make a change. So, if you will help by putting a donation can out at your work or around your local stores, I can send you the donation skirt through the mail. All you will need to do is attach it to a can or jar and place it in an area where it can attract change. The sum of the idea is to believe that Change WILL make a change in the lives of women and children in Mukono, Uganda. Don’t forget that we all have something and it would be awesome if you would join in to help change the lives of the 25,000,000 orphans in Uganda. These are all specific individuals like you and me with dreams and goals, but who are unable to attain them without the proper education and without our help.

It has been over a year now since my host dad shared his vision that night, and as the the passion in his voice and the vision in his eyes has been sitting and stirring inside my heart all this time, I have tasted some of the bitter truth that without right action and response to not only big visions like this, but in our every waking moment, they can and will just slip by if we let them.Together I fully believe that we can fulfill my Ugandan dad's vision. And all in God's timing the orphans and young mothers in the village will receive proper education and the ability to change their next generation.

Walking in the Spirit- Eugene Faith Center

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
- Galations 5:1-6

We live in a generation where FALSE VOICES speak so loudly to us from every direction. They tell us that we must PERFORM in order to be accepted. THIS IS A LIE.

"IT IS FOR FREEDOM THAT CHRIST HAS SET US FREE."

Because of this truth, we are free from performing and trying harder to "fix" ourselves.

This message really hit every part of meTthis morning because I am really good at falling into trying harder, performing, and living based upon everyones affirmations and likes and dislikes about me. This kind of living throws me back and forth, up and down in emotions as it enslaves me to live accordingly to opinions of others, and myself.

As the pastor, Steve shared this morning, we are never free through trying harder or living based upon the opinions of others. As we can only share what we are full with, the only way to get rid of the voices in our heads that tell us we can't be ourselves and to be fully alive and filled with the Holy Spirit is by

TRUSTING GOD'S WORD OF TRUTH AND LIVING IT OUT IN FULL BELIEF.


WE DESPERATELY NEED TO ACCEPT OUR ACCEPTANCE and walk on ALIVE.

Thank you God for reminding me that the voices that fill my head and heart are not truths, but illusions that look so real at times. I pray that by your word and spirit, that you will lead me and guide me constantly into your TRUTH in every part of my life. For your word is a lamp unto my feet and in you there is NO DARKNESS AT ALL. Thank you that by your spirit we can understand and walk confidently in the love that you have poured out for us.

Amen.