have you girded your loins?

I imagine this may be a funny phrase to those of you unfamiliar with it. In Roman times, it meant to pull the loose hem of your tunic/robe between your legs and tuck it into your belt so that you could move faster since it would not be in the way as you fought in battle. Many time in the Old Testament, individuals were instructed to gird their loins, but two specifically stick out to me. The first comes in Exodus as Moses and Aaron are confronting Pharaoh about granting the Israelite people freedom from the oppression of the Egyptians (Exodus 12). Just as the Israelites are preparing to celebrate Passover, God tells Aaron and Moses to instruct the people to gird themselves during the meal and eat in haste. Basically, be prepared to leave immediately because something is about to happen and you will need to move quickly.

The second time we see the phrase “gird your loins” is in the story of Elisha (2 Kings 4:8-37). A Shunammite woman could tell that Elisha was a man of God as he passed through her town, so she made a place of rest for him in her home. Because of her kindness, God blessed her and her husband with a son. Years later, the son became sick and died, and the woman went to Elisha. As soon as he heard the news, he instructed his servant, Gehazi, to gird his loins and go immediately to where the boy's body was lying. He was informed to not even say “Hello” to anyone along the way.

We find in Ephesians that as followers of Christ we are also told to “gird our loins,” or in essence, be prepared at a moments notice to do what God has called us to do. I wish I could say that I was immediately ready to do what God called me to at a moments notice. My call to serve overseas has been a long process and I've been stubborn along the way, but I am thankful that the Lord has been gracious to me and shown patience more times than I deserve.

Is God calling you to do something that you should be preparing yourself for? It may not seem as sudden and dramatic as moving to another country, but it is just as big of a calling if God is behind it! Maybe it is starting a Bible study at your work, helping the neighbor next door in a time of need, sharing your faith with a lost friend, serving at a local ministry, etc. Whatever it is, are you girding your loins? Will you be ready at a moments notice to accomplish what God sets before you? I know I want to be, and it can only come by filling myself with the Truth of His word so I know how to live each and every day (Psalm 119:105).

my journey thus far...

As I look back over the last few months of my life, it's so exciting to see the journey God has brought me on and where He is leading me to go.  Many of you know my "story" already, but I will rewrite it for those who don't know.

For the last 2 years, it has been my prayer that if I was not doing what God wanted me to do (as far as teaching) that He would make it clear to me.  Big changes happened at the end of the last school year , and that helped me make the decision to step out in faith and follow God to do short-term overseas missions.  The switch from telling a parent at field day one morning of my plans to be back at the school to telling my administration that same afternoon that I would not be returning was actually a very easy decision because I confidently knew that I was in the will of God.  I watched as He planned the details of my week-long missions trip to Haiti over the summer, still unsure of exactly what I would be doing this school year.  Despite the unknown, I was completely at peace with my decision and knew that everything would fall into place in the Lord's timing.

Over the summer, I had looked into several different missions options, but really felt that my week trip to Haiti would have an impact on my decision.  I knew that I had no desire to teach children overseas and had no idea what my "skills" were that I could use aside from teaching; yet, God knew all along. 

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love to do crafty things.  Be it from teaching how to quilt and make jewelry, to sewing and crocheting baby gifts for friends who recently gave birth, I love being creative.  But, who, I wondered, would ever have a need of this on the missions field?

After returning from Haiti, I felt a burden for the people and really wanted to return, having no clue what I would do.  A distant relative, June, has been working with Medical Teams International in Haiti for the last 10 years making prosthetic limbs, and recently moved to Haiti for an extended time to assist the amputees since the earthquake.  I had kept in touch with her before my trip to Haiti to learn the "ins and outs" of what to expect, and continued to follow her through Facebook when I returned.  Well, to my excitement, in several of her photographs and captions she talked about an organization that was teaching sewing and crocheting to many of the patients in the hospital to give them a new way of life since many were immobilized after the earthquake.  I immediately contacted her for more information and she replied back that the organization, Centre Lumiere, offered a 4 year home economics training school in Haiti where students are taught the Bible, life skills, health and needlework and they could possibly use my assistance if interested.  June passed on my contact information to Olga in Haiti, and she called me within an hour, eager to talk about my skills and what I could assist in.  Out of curiosity during our conversation, Olga asked what I had previously done for a living, and when I told her that I was a teacher, she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.  As I found out, Centre Lumiere, also has 4 schools that they have chartered but chose to close down after the earthquake for teacher enrichment because many were discouraged and needed more training.  I will also get to use my knowledge as a teacher to lead workshops on areas of classroom discipline, lesson planning, grading, parent-teacher communication, etc.  God is so good!

All that to say, I will be going overseas to Haiti for 6 months beginning in January, but not before a 5 week trip to Word of Life: Guatemala to assist with the camp program.  Words can not express how appreciative I am of your support thus far, and I ask that you continue to pray for the next leg of my journey.  The journey is not beginning now, it has been in process before I was even aware what God was doing... His plans are greater than ours! Psalm 139:15-16