Vision Renewal

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;

your love, O LORD, endures forever—

do not abandon the works of your hands"

Psalm 138:8

Our God will never give up on what He has started. I think I have always known this truth. Many times, though, I am deceived into thinking that He puts aside what He has started or just forgets about what He has started in me for a time, then gets back to it when He sees fit. Just the opposite! Our God is an all-knowing, all-consuming God, and He consumes and inhabits every last detail of our lives when we follow Him--from the past, to the present, to future that is yet to be lived. When He places vision within our hearts, He will be faithful to carry that vision into completion and action.

As time elapses from my first visit to India two years ago, it is easy for the memories and words God spoke to me there to slip and drain slowly out of my mind--simply because I am removed from that environment for the time being. The "freshness" of the vision the Lord has given me begins to disintegrate...

Just three days ago it was my prayer that the Lord would reestablish and renew this vision in my heart if it was indeed what He had planned for me and what would bring Him the most glory...

He answered quick! The following day after my prayer, an incredible family with six kids (two biological and four adopted) came in to the office. They had two girls of their own, a baby adopted through the state of Oregon, a seven-year-old boy adopted from Korea, and two little boys--Caleb and Joshua--adopted from India. Immediately upon seeing their faces alone, something in my heart started sparking and flying. Joshua looked so much like one of the Indian boys in my first grade class when I was teaching in Rameswaram, India. Caleb was inquisitive and very affectionate. While his mom visited with their social worker in the office, Caleb sat on my lap behind the front desk and we colored pictures of dinosaurs and cars. Caleb has several severe developmental delays, one of which affects his speech drastically so he doesn't speak much. Just a few words here and there. Joshua talked almost too much, telling me every last detail of his day (and several details that his mom probably would have cringed if she knew I heard). :) There was something so special about spending an hour with these two boys and their siblings. It was refreshing on every level. Caleb and Joshua's presence relit something inside of my heart. On the way home, I could feel the Spirit pressing me to pray for India. An action that was inspired by two sweet little faces. Thank you, Lord.

The following day, I was blessed to recieve a call from my friend Michael. I just met Michael recently through his younger sister, Suzie, whom I have known the past two years at Western (we were in Bible study together two years ago). Michael and Suzie's family are currently serving in Kazakhstan. Undoubtedly, their parents ministry has had a lasting affect on Suzie and Michael's lives as they are both passionate about world missions themselves. Michael spent extended time in Kashmir, India, and in three weeks will be returning to Pune, India, where he will enroll as a part-time university student in order to reach out to the Muslim students on campus. Hearing Michael's passion for returning to India was truly life-giving! Another answer to prayer. Amazingly, Michael has an Indian friend, Debby, who is moving to the states in August. Where is she moving of all places? Well, Portland, ofcourse! In fact, she was one of six people accepted to a small program at Western Seminary which happens to be the same program a dear friend of mine from college will be attending with her in the fall. God's connections are so incredible!

Every little string the Lord has pulled for me this week has given me every reason to praise Him. He has been so faithful to not let the vision He placed in my heart for India faulter or die, but He has fueled it with abundant resources, people, and passion. Thank you to those of you who have been praying for me. God is showing me His faithfulness in new ways as I wait on Him! And it is so good to wait on the Lord.

Buzzing flies, allergies and head butting

It seems everywhere I turn lately someone is complaining about their allergies. Today alone, I heard several frustrated pleas: “Ahh, the allergies are flaring up again…”, “My face won’t stop itching!”, or my favorite, “I am going to poke my eyeballs out with forks!” Kathlee, the desk assistant that sits just across from me in the office has been twitching and itching all morning. Watching her reminds me of a restless sheep shaking its head to keep flies from incessantly landing on its furry face (except Kathlee does not have a furry face).

Either image—the subjugated individual overwhelmed with summertime allergies or the frenzied sheep overwrought with buzzing flies—shows explicit frustration with an immediate problem. Frustration to the point of desperate action. If you have ever watched a sheep struggle with swarms of flies surrounding its face, you’ve probably seen that the animal will do anything within its power to make the problem stop. Generally, the simple-brained animals will proceed to puzzling extremes to fix a fly irritation. Most of the time, they will just begin banging their head against the closest solid object to attempt to swap the vexatious little creatures. Sometimes the sheep will literally bang their heads until they bleed. Their problem becomes so immediately overwhelming that they think it is their only escape.

It’s strange how much we can be like those sheep—letting our immediate problems or preoccupations inhabit our minds until it literally drives us mad. Many times our response is to fix the issue—even if it means banging our head till we bleed. I have found myself doing this recently—letting the enemy plant ideas, problems, and distractions in my mind that I play over and over again like a broken record, letting the preoccupation circle and circumnavigate its way into my continual thoughts and heart. Then, I find that I am dwelling on my troubles to such an extent that I try to fix the problem for myself—I try to hide the problem, divert my attention from it, cover it up with excess spiritual activity, whatever it takes to remove it! I become like a stubborn little sheep, banging my head against the fence to find aid instead of letting the Shepherd come in and deliver me. The Shepherd wants to come and give us renewal by the transforming of our minds. (Romans 12:2 “Don’t copy the behavior of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way that you think” NLT). We no longer have to live inside our minds—we can have freedom from the buzzing flies that won’t leave us alone. The Shepherd has come that we might have peace—shalom—that is utter completeness and soundness of mind. Let the Shepard come in and fix the incessant flies and allergies of your mind. Let Him tread in the midst of your troubles and lead you beside quiet waters. Let Him prepare a table for you in the presence of your enemies. When those enemy-like thoughts don’t vanish—cry out to the Shepard. He will come, tend to you, prepare a banquet for you in the midst of the troubles, anoint your head with oil, and fill your cup to overflowing (Psalm 23).

The Shepard, our Lord, is the great fly swatter of flies and He is like Claritan’s sweet relief to any allergy! Let Him transform your thoughts and bring freedom, rest, and most of all, a continual peace of mind.

Fancy Nails and the Gospel

Colossians 4: 5-7
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

As I was chatting with my mom over the phone last week she told me about the most intriguing woman she met who gets manicures and pedicures every other week for the very purpose of ministering to the women who do her nails. Ha! I laughed aloud a bit after hearing what sounded like a dually- intentioned excuse to always have pink-polka-dotted toes that conveniently match your newest handbag. But my mom spoke on with convincing inflection in her voice, “All of the women in the nail shop are Vietnamese immigrants. Most of them speak only a little English. Can you imagine, Abbie? Here are women that are rarely recognized while at work and in walks an affluent woman who comes not only to get her nails painted, but to talk to them, listen to them, invite them over to her home for dinner.” The more I thought about this creative ministry, the more powerful it became. It rang with familiarity…Jesus’ parable of the banquet host giving the most honored seat to the most impoverished of his guests. The greatest treatment given to “the least of these”.

In our culture I think often women in the “beautification” industry, specifically hair and nail stylists, are treated in the same fashion as bartenders—they become the “token listener” for the client who comes in worn out at the end of the day desperately needing someone to pour their troubles upon. There was something distinctly different about the approach of the woman my mom told me of—a role reversal—she sought out the women in the nail shop to listen to them instead.

My mom’s story was fresh in my mind as I went to the hair salon late last week to make an appointment. I admit—I was not going with the intentions of ministering…I just had split ends and it happened to be the closest (and cheapest) place to my house. I walked in and scheduled and appointment with the only woman who was available, Neptune. Anyone with the name of a planet in our solar system is hard to forget. The next day, I walked in at 5:30 p.m. anticipating an eccentric earth-mother type who would be ready to dye my hair an eye-catching shade of purple. Instead, I was greeted by a petite brunette named Diana. “Diana” I thought, “hmmm...” Diana spoke up, “Neptune couldn’t make it tonight so I am filling in.” I sighed with a bit of relief.

Within minutes of trimming and clipping, Diana started asking me questions about men. “So do you have a boyfriend?” I am sure that question is normally the trigger of hours of response time coming from whoever typically sits in Diana’s chair. But I kept hearing my mother’s story. I flipped the question, “Do you?” I asked. Diana, a little taken back by my inquisitiveness, started to tell me how she ended a two-year relationship just three days before. She also told me how it was her first relationship since the end of her 23-year marriage which resulted in her husband leaving her for another woman. I sat in the chair just asking the Holy Spirit what to say. “How is your heart doing?” is all that came out at first. “Fragile” she said, “very fragile...” She kept talking and I kept listening. The conversation meandered its way into the realm of her father—another broken relationship. She was a woman who had been let down one too many times to hide behind her small 5’2’’ frame and darling smile. The smile began to disappear as she gave way to her deep emotional pain. By God’s grace, the room was empty—I was the last client to get my hair cut that day. The emptiness of the salon gave Diana the freedom to pour out what she probably hadn’t even shared to her co-workers. Diana kept talking about how she desired to join a divorcee support group. “Maybe then I will get a little understanding” she said. The Lord kept pressing it on my heart to invite her to church. Finally I opened my mouth, “Diana, have you ever thought about trying out church? I go to church and have found it to be a lot like a support group. A lot like a family, too.” She just remained quiet, letting me speak on. I told her about the value of Christian community—how the intent and purpose of fellowship is to aid one another in making our lives right before the Heavenly Father…the Heavenly Father, there was another thing to share about. The Spirit kept helping me out, giving me words and discernment. By this time, my haircut was long over and Diana had taken a seat in the salon chair next to me. She opened her mouth to share more about her dad, more about her ex-husband, more about her pain. She began to cry and shake a little. I couldn’t stop thinking about how physically little this woman was. I just pictured her tiny frame wrapped up in Jesus’embrace. I pictured her reunited in her Savior’s arms—the one source of comfort that would be all-sufficient to each and every one of her needs. Before long she asked me, “Where did you say you go to church again?” I told her that I went to Athey Creek Fellowship—just down the road, but that I would be gone at weddings for the next two weekends. I gave her directions and encouraged her to go on her own until I returned. I told her that if God is the Living God He says He is, then surely He could pull a few strings and bring the right people in the church community into her pathway. All she needed to do was show up.

Two-and-a-half hours after arriving for my haircut in what turned out to be an incredibly providential encounter with Diana instead of Neptune—I left Tangles Salon. Diana gave me her phone number and we shared a big hug. I drove home crying out to the Lord. Every need that Diana had shared was so obviously pointing to her greater need for Jesus’ fulfillment and redemptive power in her life. Walking to my front doorsteps, I just praised the Lord. How good He was to share those moments with me. How good He was to provide opportunity. How good He was to give me courage. I was filled with such a confidence in Him knowing that He was going to complete the work He began in Diana’s life that evening.

I plan on calling Diana sometime very soon to see if she went to church yesterday. I am so excited to hear about the people she “just so happened to meet” these last few days. I am praying with confidence that the Lord will just keep bringing women and men of faith into her life to deliver more and more of His invitation of love and grace to her. Isn’t the Lord awesome how He works? Sometimes He just lets us poke our nose into people’s lives at opportune times. Sometimes we get to be a part of the harvest right at the beginning, and other times he let’s us participate in those ripe, exciting moments. The Lord really encouraged me through my encounter with Diana to keep speaking up. To “make the most of every opportunity” just like the woman who intentionally gets her nails done to share the gospel of God’s love with the Vietnamese women in the nail shop. Sometimes making the most of opportunities means they will fall into our laps, other times it requires seeking them out.
Ok, everyone, go get haircuts and manicures! :)

Things to pray for:
1) Pray that Diana would encounter Christ’s redemptive love daily, even if she hasn’t stepped foot in a church service yet.
2) Pray for healing and restoration in Diana’s relationships with her father, ex-husband, and ex-boyfriend.
3) Pray that the Lord would continue to press Diana’s name on my heart to lift her up in prayer and follow up on her life. Pray that she will come to church with me two Sundays from today (July 8th).

Thank you for praying!

A poem I wrote in college on prayer

Praying and Doing

I’m no front porch Jane
Watching horizons fade and dip to black
Putting the lights out again
Praying for grandchildren, neighbors, my cat
Routine-driven words to Heaven
Again and again by bedside
Knees flat and hands clasped
Don’t you dare open an eye—
God won’t hear you then

I pray on my back
Hands stretched high
Sometimes desperate
I shout
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray, Oh Lord, don’t keep my soul--
Push my soul, send my soul
I don’t want to be comfortable

We lie still on bleeding knees, not blinking
Too long in one position
Just talking and waiting, not moving
Waiting for revival
Waiting for a change
Waiting and shaking heads
Predictable as little dolls
with artificial folded hands
What has the world come to?
Unanswered we fall asleep

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
Come quick and
fix this rush of pain
Wrench of deep-laden anguish
Remedy needs of broken souls
Get me up right off my knees
Send me running straight with faith
To help a world half-dead
I don’t want to wait and sit
in position
just still
not doing

Thanks for reading and praying!

Our thinking about prayer, whether right or wrong, is based on our own mental conception of it. The correct concept is to think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Our blood flows and our breathing continues "without ceasing"; we are not even conscious of it, but it never stops. And we are not always conscious of Jesus keeping us in perfect oneness with God, but if we are obeying Him, He always is. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life of the saint. Beware of anything that stops the offering up of prayer. "Pray without ceasing . . ."— maintain the childlike habit of offering up prayer in your heart to God all the time.

-Chambers