assalaamu alaikum

peace be upon you.


I learned about this afghan phrase today as I was listening to the extremely powerful words of a missionary named Libby Little. For many years Libby, her husband, and her 2 young children were missionaries in Afghanistan. I was truly inspired by Libby's story of suffering, pain, and great hardships all in order to bring glory to God and to help these people who no one else seemed to care about.
Libby explained that in Afghanistan when you speak this phrase "peace be upon you" to another, you are literally roped in; you are essentially saying that I want to help that peace be in your life. She explained that it is costly to give this greeting of peace just as it was costly for God to send down His son to die for us; when you say "assalaamu alaikum" you have to be ready and willing. It's not something that you just throw around. Lately I've been thinking about this word peace and how we just throw it around so much that it has essentially become void of meaning. It has become the "cool" thing to say, just as the sign for peace has become the "cool" thing to wear. Is it just me or is literally everyone wearing peace signs?

anways, I just think that the way the people in Afghanistan take this phrase "peace be upon you" to have so much meaning and power is truly beautiful.

Another Afghan greeting which means 'how are you?' is also MUCH different from out typical north American greeting. It means so much more than simply how are you, it means how is your family? your health? your home? your life?
and when they ask this, they truly want to know your answer. I just found this to be so beautiful because I know that I constantly fall into the trap of 'how are you?' good.
'how are you?'
'good.'
and then that's the end of it and I carry on with my day. We are just always so rushed in American culture that when someone asks how you are they ususally don't truly care how you are, they just want to hear 'good' and be done with it.

How awesome would it be if we all just slowed down and everytime we asked 'how are you' we genuinely wanted to know how that person was doing in every aspect of their life. How awesome would it be if we all genuinely cared about eachother and took the time to listen, not just when it's convenient for us but any time of day.

Libby explained that this is the KEY to evanglism. Not being an amazing speaker, not having every verse in the bible memorized. No, the key to evangelism is simply having compassion and listening to people with all your heart. Libby explained that she hardly ever shared the gospel message in Afghanistan but instead just took the time to become people's friends, listen to their problems, and try to help them in any way. Through this, 100s of Afghan people turned their lives over to Christ. It had essentially nothing to do with her knowledge of the Bible, or her speaking ability.

Of course being knowledgable in the Bible and being able to speak well in front of people is in no way a bad thing or futile when it comes to spreading the gospel. As we've seen it is through the work of amazing speakers like Greg Laurie that thousands of people become believers every year.

but sometimes it's easy for us to get caught up in all of this and start thinking that if you're not the greatest speaker or if you don't know everything there is to know about the Bible then you simply cannot witness to people. This could not be farther from the truth. Sometimes all it takes is a listening ear and a heart filled with compassion to turn someone's life to Christ.






in other news
I want to get out of America.

a glimpse at what it's like to be me.

Friday morning 8:00 am I wake up to the sound of the street sweeper right in front of my house. My first thought, oh crap there is no way I am adding another street sweeping ticket to my present collection of about 15(no I am not overexaggerating). so I immediately jump out of bed, rush down the stairs, grab my keys, and run out the door. I do not give any thought whatsoever to my clothing situation, all I cared about was moving my car before the street sweeper reached it.
As I'm running to my car I notice that some of the people who are standing outside on my street are giving me strange looks. I ignore them, assuming that the looks are simply from the fact that I am wearing pjs and running down the street at 8 in the morning with no shoes on. At this point I could really care less if my neighbors think I'm crazy, I was not going to pay 30 bucks for another ticket!
As I finally reach my car and get in a wave of relief comes over me. This relief only lasts a moment,however, as I look down and realize why I was getting so many strange looks...

[brace yourself. I have done some pretty embarassing things in the past but this one definitely takes the cake.]

I had in fact ran outside with no pants on. a pretty long shirt, but still no pants.
I was just rushing so much and in such a panic about getting a ticket that it never popped into my head to make sure I was appropriately dressed before going out in public.
so pretty much I flashed my whole neighborhood that morning.
this is my life.

on another note here are some highlights from my recent morro bay camping trip:

• katelynn's AMAZING food
• sweet tent
• new friend
• kayaking with sea lions
• playing cards
• laughing at extremely random things
• cheap entertainment
• relaxing
• napping on the beach
• watching the bees constantly follow bethany
• fresh air
  

a thankful heart.

Sometimes it's so easy to focus in on negative things in our lives and we competely forget how truly blessed we are.

I'm thankful for:

• getting paid to watch adorable kids like maddie
• amazing friends
• the beach
• a roof over my head
• a loving family
• not having to worry about where I'm going to find my next meal
• getting the opportunity to attend an amazing Christian college
• health
• my savior
• My shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.
• The spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.
• the scriptures
• being able to go to a doctor when I'm sick
• being able to enjoy frozen yogurt, hawaiin pizza,chips and salsa, and pazookies
• the sunshine
• my life

"that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:12

abandoned.

So I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
I’ll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

this week has been draining,emotional;both my body and my soul have felt it. it's been good though. very good in fact. for it's in times like these, times of brokenness, times of crying out laying face down before God that I feel God strongest, He replaces my self-life with His desires. He renews me.

as I was singing this song last night at rockharbor the word abandoned stood out to me. ABANDONED.releasing my heart to worship without constraint.Sometimes I need to abandon my heart. Leave it there in the hands of Jesus. Leave the bleeding, hurting mess.
I'll stand, with a heart that is freed from all inhibitions and contraints and just worship you Lord, with all I am.