Hello everyone!
I am currently sitting inside a market in a mountain village in Topojan, Albania. I made a video and posted it on YouTube/Facebook to share some of the things I will share in this blog. I will also share some other things that have come up that I want to share. Surprisingly, they have Wi-Fi at this little market in this village which truly amazes me. It does not always work, but that is ok! I wanted to take this opportunity to write this post while it works! We arrived here on September 28th and we are basically staying at an Airbnb. There is a girl in the family who speaks very good english. We see her everyday and we are the first Americans she has met and the first Christians. Most of the people here have never met an American or a Christian either. What an honor it is that God has led us here and that God gets to use us to be a light to these people!
There is a mosque in this village and they have the calls to prayer. Every time I hear those speakers turn on, I start to pray. I use it as a reminder and opportunity to pray over them and this village. It breaks me so much that these people are going to a “god” that isn’t real and obviously does not answer their prayers. They have no idea about eternal security in Jesus Christ and they have not yet experienced the great unfathomable love God has for them. Boy oh boy can we learn a thing or two from them about being devoted to prayer. Jesus desires for us to come to him and talk to him about everything that we are going through. Like a parent does to his child. That we would be praying over others and for change to come into this world! There is nothing he does not already know. He is all knowing so why not come to him? We can’t hide anything from him.
-O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:1-6, ESV)
-Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. (Psalm 147:5, ESV)
-for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20, ESV)
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One of the things I have enjoyed reading more is the Hebrew Bible. I don’t know about you but have you ever read the Old Testament and were extremely confused by the difference between the God you see in the Old Testament vs the New Testament? Understanding the context of scripture is extremely important. I know it is very easy to be confused while reading the bible if we hear so many different teachings. I looked back at my journal from the beginning of this year. I wrote down: “There are a lot of false teachers out there! Our country (United States) may have a lot of churches, but are those churches focused on you God? Or are they focused on appealing to man? Telling people what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.”
Whoever is reading this blog, I encourage you to think about this question very intentionally about your life.
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What is your identity in this world?
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Who is God and who does God say that you are?
I have a friend back home in the states. His name is Daniel. We were talking one day. If only people knew their true identity is in Jesus Christ. Identity isn’t talked about very much it seems. If only people knew that it only matters what God thinks of us. It would change the perspective we have in our lives. Believe it or not there is an enemy in this world that we can not see and that does not want us to know our true identity in this world. It is so hard to see because of all the division within the church in the United States and all these lies people hear and believe! I desire for people to know the great love God has for his children. If only people knew that love! It breaks my heart and I know it breaks our God’s heart infinitely more! It breaks my heart because God, the Holy Spirit that lives within me, broke my heart! The confidence we can walk in each day knowing where our identity lies.
I know I cannot go one day in my life without Jesus. These people here and so many places around the world don’t know Jesus because they haven’t heard! They walk each day without the hope that I and so many others have. God has broken my heart for the unreached. I know there are so many unreached people in this world, but each time I meet people who don’t know Jesus and haven’t heard of him, it breaks me. Oh, how we take for granted the Grace and forgiveness that has been freely given to us! I think; “If only you knew the Father’s great love for you! Who sent His Son to take the punishment of sin that we all deserve!”
-”I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, ESV)
I know these are words on a page but I hope you can somehow see and feel that they are not actually words on a page. This great yearning in me for people to know Jesus. Even through the suffering and hardships in life, Jesus is worth laying down everything to follow him. Each day that they would at the very least see the great joy that comes in knowing him. They would see his love and light shining through me and that He ALWAYS deserves the glory and never me. I know I am never perfect at this but this is my desire, to make him known and my God would be glorified through my life.
We leave for Kosovo in the next couple weeks. From my understanding, the population of Muslims in Kosovo is about 95%. Be praying over us as we travel to Kosovo in the next week or so.
Prayer Requests:
1.) Pray over the remainder of our time here in Albania. That people’s eyes would be opened and God will work miracles in the lives and hearts of the people, even after we leave.
2.) Pray over our upcoming travels to Kosovo. Pray for the softening of people’s hearts as we prepare to serve over there.
3.) Pray over my missions team/family. Continued prayers that God would use me to be a light to them and find ways to encourage them.
4.) Pray over the Holy Spirit to continue to fill us up and to give us energy to continue serving others and find ways to serve others. That we would be obedient in whatever God is guiding us to do.
