Sunday, December 16, 2007

Peace to You!

Dear family and friends-


As I sit here tonight working on my Cultivating Contentment Bible Study for this week, my heart is overwhelmed by all that God has been teaching me. Currently my house is very calm compared to an hour ago when we were in the midst of our staff Christmas party. The calmness I feel around me and within me is a perfect reminder of how God originally designed the season of His son's birth. Born in a quiet town in a stable where the only sounds heard were those of the animals. There wasn't a lot of busyness around our Savior's birth.

Now fly through more than 2000 years, here I sit in my living room on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, listening to Bing Crosby sing Christmas music with the angel on the top of my Christmas tree flashing sporadically. There is a cool breeze blowing from the fan. All of the comforts of modern day life in America. Boy what a difference in setting between the night Jesus was born and where I sit tonight but that divine calmness is the same. That calmness is known as peace and I was reminded of all of this after reading Colossians 3:13

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful."

We can have that peace in the midst of even the crazyiest situations. So my prayer for you is may the peace of God be with you! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Much love and God's blessings,
Angela

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Moments

Ever have one of those moments when you look back over your life and ponder the things that you have done??? Some are happy. Some are sad. And most are somewhere in between. Over the past few days I have had quite a few of those pondering moments.


God has allowed me a bit of a vacation to visit North Carolina . I came with no expectations and have been blown away by what God had planned. The purpose of the trip was to come back for my ten year class reunion but I feel like it has been more of a walk down memory lane.

The journey started by going to a Friday night Western Alamance High School football game where the memories of marching band and the cool crisp fall nights flooded the scene. No matter how many things change there are still a lot of things that stay the same!! Saturday brought with it an evening filled with old friends and talking the night away at our ten year class reunion. It was so good to see everyone and reconnect with people I haven’t seen in over ten years. Sunday brought with it a new church and a late night dinner with an old friend at the infamous IHOP!

As I settled into the routine of being back at my parents and getting in touch with people, I couldn’t help but remember the emotions of the previous weeks. …finishing the first quarter of school with evaluations and parent conferences…watching two boys for nine days while their parents went to the mainland…getting everything washed and packed for a two week trip…sorting out all of the details while I am gone…and the heartbreak of losing two friends in the matter of a few days made this trip something less than desirable to look forward to. (Plus I think I was exhausted!!!) I have had to remind my self numerous times over the past few days that I am on vacation and not in the “real” world. Just as there were moments of not wanting to come to NC, there have been those moments of not wanting to go back home to Molokai for there are responsibilities to take care of.

So with all that said- I have three more days left and I am going to make every moment the best it can be because there will never be another moment like the last. When you look back over the last week of your life how have your “moments” been???

Hope all is well with you! Keep in touch and let me know if there is anything I can lift before the throne of God for you!! I will try to stay in better contact!
Much love and God’s blessings,

Angela

Sunday, July 8, 2007

Grace

Grace

Sunday, July 08, 2007

After three weeks of trying to write a newsletter, I have been praying for a topic, song, or experience to write on and nothing has transpired. Every time I sit down to write, I get a few thoughts down on paper and then it ends. They don’t seem to connect. Well tonight I was sitting at my computer emailing some friends when the phone rang. A precious friend was on the other end and after talking with her for about half an hour, I had to type up what was on my heart. God’s grace – so here goes…

Grace- We would all recognize the song Amazing Grace but do we really see how absolutely amazing God’s grace to us really is. John Bradford said the infamous quote of “There but by the grace of God, go I”. God has been really teaching me about His grace and how left to my own thoughts and actions, I deserve nothing better than hell. But only by God’s grace do I get to spend eternity in heaven because of nothing I have done but of what Jesus Christ has done for me. More than twenty years ago, I accepted Christ as my Savior at a vacation bible school but it wasn’t until years later at a friend’s funeral that I also made Christ Lord of my life. I surrendered my ALL to Him. Everyone serves some kind of master whether it be money, what people think, themselves, worry, society, etc. but the only master that is fair and just is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even with Christ in my heart and life, I still make choices that go against what God’s word says. That is where God’s grace plays a huge role. Because of those choices, I have to live with the consequences but they don’t affect where I will spend eternity. The grace that God offers has taught me so much about His gentleman-like characteristics. How easily I stumble, but the hand of God is always there to help me back on my feet. My dad and I used to sing a Twila Paris song when I was little called “The Warrior is a Child”. Even as hard as the battle is, and as tired as the warrior gets from fighting, God is always there to wipe away the tears and lend a hand.

I can honestly say that this summer has been too short and tiring. I chose to watch children six out of the seven weeks of summer vacation. So I have had between 5 – 10 children, ages 3 to 8 years old, on a daily basis from 6:30am to 4:30pm all by myself while trying to get work done in my office for the upcoming preschool year. I have come home in the evenings with little energy to do things around the house but still needing to get things done. Friends and former students have also desired a piece of my time, so between three Bible Studies per week, bread runs, and trips to the movies at night, I am living like I am on summer break but still having to get up at 5:45am every morning. Again only by the grace of God have I been able to build friendships, help parents out, and spend some time having fun. God has truly blessed me with some absolutely amazing friends this summer who have taught me what it looks like to be authentic and captivating.

So with all that said, I sit here tonight amazed by God’s grace- that it is not by my strength but by His. God chooses to use us even when we feel unusable. God delights in our hearts that are filled with worship to Him. And we are truly beautiful in His sight because He created us with that beauty.

As I close out this letter… I apologize that it has taken me so long to write. I desire to know what is going on in each of your lives. If you have prayer concerns or just want to chat feel free to email me back or call. I am also on facebook (finally) and myspace. Just use my email address!!!!

Much love and God’s blessings,

Angela

Saturday, March 31, 2007

A thankful heart

A Thankful Heart

Written- March 26th, 2007
What can I give to You who has given me everything?

After spending 10 days in Haiti, I have truly realized how blessed I am for all the things God has given me.

How often do I take for granted a warm place to sleep when people here sleep in the dirt?

How often do I take for granted my education when families here have to choose one of their children to go to school while the others work?

How often do I take for granted the value of life when parents are willing to give up their child to a stranger?

How often do I take for granted my safety when the police here take a car to get money?

How often do I take for granted my regular paycheck when the average worker in Haiti makes $2 US a day?

This trip has truly opened my eyes to see that I take a lot of things for granted. God has blessed us with so much and all He desires from us is our heart to serve Him.

Seven members of Molokai Baptist Church flew out of Honolulu airport on March 20th to Port Au Prince, Haiti. When we arrived, Chris and Kelli Lieb met us and took us up to Baptist Haiti Mission, which would be our home for the next ten days.

Downtown was very hot and dry but as we made our way up the mountain the weather got cooler and wetter. One of the first major differences that we noticed as we made our way up to BHM was the driving. In Haiti there are no traffic rules- no speed limits, no right of ways! Ultimately it is a big game of chicken!

While at Baptist Haiti Mission, Charline and I painted, cleaned, helped out at the hospital in the maternity ward, and got to go on a home visit to meet Charline’s sponsored child. The guys- Randy, Clinton, Colton, Kevin, and Kawika- worked on the health clinic, wiring, construction, and got to go on an adventure to Maissade to preach at one of the churches in the province.

We also had a great opportunity to encourage the Lieb and Baker families while we were there. The Lieb family lived on Molokai for five years prior to moving to Haiti. It was great to spend time with Chris and Kelli and their five children. We even had Hawaiian night where Kelli made huli-huli chicken, rice, and musibi.

If you want to find out more info on where we worked you can check out the Baptist Haiti Mission website at bhm.org. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support.

Much love and God’s blessings,

Angela

Friday, February 23, 2007

Nothing Else

February 23, 2007


As I was driving home tonight from our parenting class “Essentials in Discipline”, my heart was very heavy from all of the things going on at the moment. I was listening to Chris Tomlin’s CD “Restored” and this song came on.
Nothing Else I Need lyrics

When I think of all I've seen nothing
Compares to what you give
And to drink of what you bring you quench
The thirst for me to live
I am satisfied by what tenderness you've
Shown to me and I empty all that I am
And you fill my life you're everything to me
There's nothing else I need anymore
And I know you are everything to me and
There's nothing else I need anymore
I have tasted and I know this fire birthed
Inside will only grow and I've sought all that
This world tried to offer me and it lead me
To your feet and I empty all that I am
And you fill my life you're everything to me
There's nothing else I need anymore
And I know you are everything to me and
There's nothing else I need anymore
I will lay down all my needs and you will
Come and make them new
To make you my only desire my desire
And you fill my life you're everything to me
And you fill my life you're everything to me
There's nothing else I need anymore
And I know you are everything to me and
There's nothing else I need anymore...
There's nothing else I need...
The words of the song really touched my heart and got me thinking… Is there anything else in this life that I need more than what God has already given me? If I answered it truthfully, my answer would have to be “No, there is nothing else that I need except for more of God.” Of all of the things I have seen and done, nothing compares to the sacrifice Christ made for me.
Once I got my focus back in the right spot, things looked a lot brighter. It is not about me, and the things I have to do, but what God has done! So many times, I have my own agenda of things I think need to be done, but when I compare it to what God’s Word tells me to do, it doesn’t match up. Again it is a daily task to lay down all of my needs, knowing that God will make them new so that my desire matches up with His.
I especially like the line that says “I’ve sought all that this world tried to offer me and it lead me to Your feet and I empty all that I am”. I have tried to run my life by the world’s standards and you know what “IT’S JUNK!” The world keeps you longing for more- more money, more things to do, more friends, more drugs, more alcohol, more of everything except for the one thing that will truly never leave your nor forsake you. Just like the woman at the well, who wanted more of what the world had to offer but she wasn’t satisfied. Jesus gave her the living water so she would never thirst again!!! He is truly the only thing you will ever need! Is Jesus everything to you?
One of my co-workers mentioned to me that she had a book I might be interested in reading. Then she joked “in all my spare time”. That statement got me thinking, if something is a priority, you will have time for it. Think about it… if you really want to do something then you are going to find a way to do it, even if it means cutting a prior commitment. This convicted me because how many times do I say the bad “B” word (you know B-U-S-Y) when really I just don’t want to do it. So my new challenge is not to use the “B” word when I am asked to do something but to truly pray about it and see where the Lord leads. Most of the time it is pretty clear whether I am to do it or not. If I am to do it then it gets put in my planner and if not I can honestly say I am not able to do it and suggest an alternative idea.
Thanks for letting me share what the Lord has been teaching me. Sorry it has been so long since the last time I wrote. I appreciate your thoughts, prayers, notes, and emails.
Here are a few more things to lift up in prayer!
PRAYER REQUESTS

q HAITI- I am coordinating a group of seven church members to Haiti. We leave on March 20th to work with the Baptist Haiti Mission for 10 days. Please be praying for health and safety for the team and for passports to come in! Also be praying for the finances to be raised… we are still in need of about $9,000 and we leave in less than a month. If you would like to give, please email me back.

q PRESCHOOL- We had our annual preschool inspection yesterday. Praise that everything went smoothly. Please be praying for the family situations of my class. Between drugs, alcohol, and abuse…some of my kids have seen and heard more in their 3 or 4 years than most of us will ever experience.

q HEALTH- Working with 20 preschoolers, it is inevitable that I get sick at least a couple times a year. Please pray that this cough will go away. It came after the head cold and has lingered for two weeks. My doctor says nothing will make it go away but my God is the great physician.

Please email me back with any prayer requests you may have!

Much love and God’s blessings,

Angela