The Great Love with which He Loved Us

I've been asking the Lord over the last few weeks to reveal His heart toward me, to show me what He thinks of me.  To a young woman who has struggled with low self-esteem from a young age, it's kind of crazy to realize that God is for me, He cheers me on, He delights in me, He loves it when I think of Him, He has chosen me, He sees me as beautiful.  I still have my doubts, but the Lord is putting these things into my heart.  He wants me to know how He feels about me because He knows it will in turn ignite in me a passionate love for Him.

I've been reading the book Passion for Jesus by Mike Bickle, and I highly recommend it.  Here's a few quotes from it:

"[There is a] powerful connection between knowing the truth about who God is as the way of experiencing passion for Him.  It is the revelation of God's passionate affection for us that awakens our ever-deepening feelings of love and passion for Him."

"Love is a much better motivator than duty."

Just... Life

Hey everybody! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I haven't really known what to say. I'm settling into life here. Honestly, I've been starting to see in the last few weeks that there's nothing particularly special or even that different about being here. I'm just seeking the Lord in a different context. It's just life in a different place. I guess the “mission trip” feel has worn off after being here for almost two months.

Last week all the kids had two days off of school.  The kids drew pictures to be sent with thank you notes to donors.  We played follow the leader, duck duck goose, and a personal favorite of many of the little kids: Melinda Akka runs around and catches all the children.  The second day Erin, Taylor, Harrison, and I went with a group of older kids to a home for people who have no where else to go.  It was sad to see the condition of the women we visited, but it was neat to see how we could bless them just by smiling at them and combing their hair or rubbing lotion on their arms.  

Then this week the elementary schoolers had Monday off.  The whole staff went out for lunch so Erin and I watched the 15 youngest from 9:30 until about 2:30 (going anywhere around here takes a while).  It was a bit chaotic, but it was fun.  I played on the playground with some of the youngest kids while Erin played football (soccer) with the rest of the kids.  Then we watched Veggie Tales, had lunch, and made the kids in 4th grade and above study for the afternoon while the 5 youngest napped and the rest colored.

This week we started dance practice for parents' day which will be at the beginning of October.  Parents' day is a program meant to bless all the staff that have given their lives to parents these 48 kids.  I am working three days a week with the 5 youngest boys, ages 5 to 11, to make up a dance for them to perform.  Actually I'm doing a lot more supervising and organizing than dancing, but the 11-year-old is awesome.  He is coming up with the steps and teaching them to the younger ones.  This is definitely going to be an adventure, though, especially reigning in the wild 5-year-old and the constantly distracted 6-year-old.

I've come to love chai tea since coming here.  It is served at the home every afternoon around 3:30.  The ladies here make it very sweet and milky, and it is delicious.  Also, I've built up what is referred to as a "rice tolerance."  Praise the Lord!  The first day I was here I gagged trying to finish both lunch and dinner (it is considered very very rude to throw food away in this culture).  But after a few weeks I got used to the food and now there are meals I actually look forward to.  Also, we've started branching out and trying more Indian restaurants on our days off, and I LOVE the food.