Matters of the Heart

" If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you." John 15:18-19
Greetings to you all!!

First of all, THANK YOU ALL for your support of C@therine in her journey here with HS! in M@li!! It has been awesome to walk alongside, to work alongside, and to watch the work of G0d in and through C@therine! He has impacted many lives through C@therine as she has surrendered to Him and He has lived His life through her! Please continue to pr@y for her as she walks through these next 2 weeks...they will be tough in so many ways as she shares her heart, her life, and G0d's plans with those to whom she means so much! Please pr@y for her as she returns home as well...it will not be easy re-entering a culture that is familiar but is no longer fully her own...her life has forever been altered by the culture and people of M@li! 

Secondly, I come to you because I woke up this morning very early...my heart heavy for the people of M@li. First of all for the people with whom we spend time with daily. During the visit of our friends this past 2 weeks, we had 2 more confess that they want to f0ll0w J.s.s. and one who is being pursued by G0d with passion and purpose. She too has recognized tr.th and is making a decision about what she will do with this tr.th. My heart was heavy because those who have chosen to f0ll0w are experiencing very real and personal p3rsecut!on. Their families and their work companions are expressing their dislike and hatred for the choice they have made to f0ll0w. While I know and understand and give great thanks to G0d for His gift of s@lvat!on and et3rnal l!fe, this morning my compassion and empathy was on overload and my heart was crying out to G0d on their  behalf!! I know that the struggles of this life do not compare to the joy of His Presence With Us moment by moment as well as for all et3rnity! Still my heart hurts alongside them as they walk out the reality that the w0rld now hates them and doesn't mind showing it. Yet, I consider and contemplate the GREATNESS of being chosen to come out of the w0rld, to walk daily in the light of His Presence, and to know the joy and peace of His s@lvat!on!!!

I ask you today and these next few weeks to boldly pr@y for G0d's Presence and Protection over those who now belong to Him..who are seeking Him....O, S0, young Ou, M, and MM. Pr@y for courage, faith, strength, wisdom, joy, and perseverance in all circumstances.

Thirdly, I come to you because my heart was also heavy this morning for the country of M@li and ALL of her people! Since March and the C0up d'3tat, M@li has been unstable as a country and has become an open field for the influx of extreme !sl@mic r3beI groups. They have taken over the northern 2/3 of the country and are trenching themselves in for the certain battle that will take place. Their goal...to make Mali an !sIamic state, impose Sharia law through the country, continue their open field of drug, gun, and human trafficking through the S@har@ desert, and whatever else they want. There has been movement of the r3bels over the last few days...movement toward the south. Most say this is a show of muscle because there are meetings tomorrow and this week about how to resolve the problems of M@li. We have begun to see some protesting in the city...protesting the lack of action by the government to free the people of the north.

I ask you today and these next few weeks to boldly pr@y for the people of M@li, for G0d to intervene and show His own might and power over these r3bels. He has begun a work here that the enemy does not like, and these r3bels are serving that enemy. Pr@y for the protection of the innocent people of M@li who are suffering under the rule of these extr3mists. Pr@y for G0d's invisible army to fight for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Pr@y for the f0ll0wers to be strengthen and empowered to speak of J.s.s during these times of uncertainty, thre@t, and struggle.

Thanks for being the people I can come to with the matters of the heart...i thank G0d for you all!

Glimpses of G0d's Gl0ry in His Sanctuary

"I have seen you in your sanctuary and gaze upon your power and glory." Psalm 63:2

W0rship in His Sanctuary
On December 9th, S0 made the choice to go to ch.rch to w0rship with other believers...he did this on his own, without anyone going with him! When he returned to his business, he was radiant with joy, amazement, and pr@ise for G0d and His ch.rch! He enjoyed every moment of his time there and described EVERY detail to us from the music and the musicians, to the cleanliness and coolness of the building and the bathroom, the taking of the offering and the way they seated the men, women, children, to the P@stor and those who stood with him, and to EVERY detail of the message that was given! Since that day, he has closed his doors to business until after ch.rch on Sundays and has made being with G0d's people the first part of his Sundays now.

While S0 was at church that day, O sat on the street saying, "Next Sunday, I will go to ch.rch." She could not stop thinking about S0 being at ch.rch and wondering what he was experiencing. She could not wait to sit with him to hear all about it. This was the first time I have ever seen O seriously consider leaving her business on Sundays to go to w0rship G0d with other believers.The next week she had a wedding and was unable to go to with S0 to ch.rch. Even though she was unable to go, I continue to see G0d orchestrating details so that at just the right time O experiences Him in His sanctuary. During the week, we all sat at S0's business and S0 shared with O every detail about ch.rch. We practiced saying our names and where we were from, explained the offering and how that happens, talked about the singing and the message. For the first time O had a clear picture of what to expect as she planned to go to ch.rch the next Sunday.

The next Sunday, December 23rd, the Sunday before Chr!stmas, we all went to ch.rch together. O, Kadia, and I met S0 at the ch.rch and enjoyed a great time of w0rship. An indescribable joy overcame me as I sat with my friend and experienced G0d's people, G0d's ch.rch, and the w0rship/fellowship of G0d with her for the first time. The first song that was sung was about the promises of G0d...not the same song we always sing..but a NEW song. She loves learning new songs, so she listened one time through then joined right in singing!! It was a day to pr@ise a day when we all saw Him in His sanctuary and gazed on His gl0ry!!

Chr!stmas day also found us all in His sanctuary gazing on His gl0ry..the gl0ry of Him sending His One and Only Son to give us life now and forever!! We celebrated with a different group of G0d's people Chr!stmas day and the celebration was GREAT! We sang and w0rshiped--the children shared scr!pture, songs, and dancing with us, then different people groups shared pr@ise to our G0d in their own language...truly an international w0rship of the baby born to save us!!

What glimpses of Him did you see this Chr!stmas?

Glimpse of G0d's Gl0ry #10

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

Greetings to you all and gratitude to our Father for your journey with us in 2012!!

Glimpse of G0d’s Glory #10

His People / His Work

This year, 2012, has been an incredible year! I left my home in December of 2011 not knowing what G0d had in store for me, for HSI, for C@therine, for the people of M@li. My plan was not to be gone for a year, but this week I have been in M@li for a full year and do not know what G0d's time table is for my return home. My plans for my time in M@li were so different from what G0d's plans were for this time! I have seen Him like never before, I have walked with Him like never before, I have heard His guidance like never before, I have watched Him work like never before! The scripture above has proven true...though adversity and suffering has surrounded me, HE has been with me to teach me, I have seen Him with my own eyes, my own ears have heard Him, and He has been right behind me saying, "This is the way you should go." The great thing is that the scripture has not been true for just me, but for the His people in M@li. How about you...how has He been with you this year, how has He taught you, how have you seen Him and heard Him, how has He instructed you?

I have shared many glimpses with you, but one of the greatest glimpses of G0d's gl0ry has been seeing His people bow before Him together and call out to Him on behalf of the people of M@li and watch Him pour out His Sp!r!t and power to move and work!! You see He has taken over 500 pr@yer warriors, countless financial supporters, and the volunteers who walked with Him here, and He has displayed His gl0ry in M@li! All of the glimpses you have read about so far have been a result of your f@ithfulness to pr@y, to support, and to walk with us here!! It has been a privilege to serve alongside you for His gl0ry this year--2012!! When His people, who are called by His name, humble themselves...HE MOVES, HE COMES CLOSER, HE SHOWS US HIS GL0RY!

As 2012 comes to a close and we begin looking toward 2013, I want you to know that my heart is bowed down in gratitude to each of you for your f@ithful pr@yers, your f@ithful support, and your f@ithfulness to walk with us in all the ways G0d has led you. These glimpses and so many more have been given to us by our G0d so that we can know Him, understand Him, and believe that He and only He is G0d. Without you, we would not have seen the greatness of our G0d in this year--2012! I look forward to 2013 together with you! Keep your eyes open for the glimpses of G0d...He is coming by again SOON!!

Glimpse of G0d's Gl0ry #9

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

Greetings to you all and gratitude to our Father for your journey with us in 2012!!

Glimpse of G0d’s Glory #9

Empty hearts / His Joyful Song

Since January of 2011 and especially in the year 2012, the glimpses of G0d's gl0ry have been countless as He has taken empty hearts and filled them with His joyful song!! In a culture where everything has a rhythm, drums are played to celebrate and to encourage people as they work, dancing is the highlight of the day, the week, the month, or the year, and people break out in song at the slightest prompting, I have watched G0d pour out His joyful song into the hearts of those who have come to know Him. I have seen Him use His joyful song to teach them His word and the truths that come from it. I have watched His gl0ry and presence grow in both O and S0 as they learn a new song, as the LIGHT of J.s.s reveals its truth, and as they find strength and understanding to f0ll0w this new way of life.

His joyful song has not only impacted those who have chosen to f0ll0w Him!! Some of the greatest glimpses of His gl0ry have come as His servants and His children have simply allowed the joyful song in their heart to be expressed in all that they do. Just a few of the glimpses:

• Singing His praise, sharing songs while we sell ice on Sundays, and watching as another woman stops her work for a moment and listens to the words of the song--even joining in on occasion.
• The day O's mother began joining in our songs and quietly singing beside us
• The continual request from 0's children to listen to a particular song on my phone
• The joy on a young girls face as I handed her my phone and let her listen to the songs of J.s.s
• The face of a child as they walk up and sing one of the songs they have heard
• The joy in a father's voice as he shares how his son of 4 years was singing and dancing to one of the songs he heard us singing
• The hunger of a man to listen to the songs and worship his G0d
• The gathering of people outside the gate to our apartment as we sat with friends and sang songs of praise
• Daily being asked daily by O as we listen to a song--"Do you understand?" and then her proceeding to explain to me in simple Bambara what the song means
• Hearing the sound of O makes as a new truth or understanding is revealed to her about J.s.s or about what it means to walk with him, and hearing her ask me, "Is that true?" or hearing her proclaim, "That is true!"
• Watching a group of young people grab the drum and altogether sing one of their favorite J.s.s songs
• Seeing smiles fill the faces of those with us as we sing the song "Ala Ka Layidu" (The Promise of G0d) and placing the names of all those around us in t*/he line that says, "All of G0d's promises for ___________ are fulfilled in J.s.s"
• Waking up in the mornings MYSELF with a heart filled with the BAMBARA songs of J.s.s

This list could go on and on! The impact of music in the lives of ALL people is huge...it is G0d's design that our hearts be filled with HIS SONG!

I cannot end this glimpse of G0d's gl0ry without sharing the things that happened this week. During our thanksgiving celebration with our M@lian friends, we did a LOT of singing!! O and D@n were leading our time of singing while S0 was leading our time of storying from G0d's Word. Many of the people who came were friends and family of O and S0. On the day after the celebration, O told us how her friends and family were amazed by her singing and how she knew all of those songs about J.s.s. She declared, "They know I am f0ll0wing Him!" Then one of her friends, MM, came to sit with us on the street a couple of days after the celebration. Again, we were talking about what a great time we had together. So O and I began singing the "Ala ka Layidu" song. Almost as soon as we started, MM blurted out, "O, I woke up with that song playing in my head! I couldn't remember all of it, but then it came to me. I thought to myself, I can't be singing this song about all of G0d's promises being fulfilled in J.s.s. Then I thought, if 0 can sing it, so can I." MM has been a part of many things we have done. Little by little the walls are being broken down and she is experiencing a taste of J.s.s. He is filling her empty heart with His song! I'm certain it is not just MM's heart He is filling...

Glimpse of G0d's Gl0ry #8

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

Greetings to you all and gratitude to our Father for your journey with us in 2012!!

Glimpse of G0d’s Glory #8

His Servants / His M!ssi0n

"Go...make disciples...baptize them...teach them to obey all I have taught you...be sure of this...'I am with you always...'"

What a privilege to see someone put their f@ith in J.s.s! What a joy to walk beside them! What an honor to see them walk in His ways and begin share with others and teach others all that G0d is teaching them. We have seen glimpses of G0d's gl0ry in the lives of O and SO as they have put their f@ith in G0d and begun to learn what it means to be a f0ll0wer of J.s.s. Two of the greatest glimpses were watching G0d take this f0ll0wers and use them as His servants.

At the beginning of November, O went on her first m!ssi0nary journey with the medical team! She saw first hand what it meant to be a servant of the Living G0d, to impact the lives of those who were sick and in need--all in the name of J.s.s. She had never seen anything like it and took in every detail as we sat together making baggies of medicine to pass out through the pharmacy. As we sat there, she burst into song changing the words to the song to reflect what she was seeing and experiencing. We titled the song, "The L0rd helps us as we do His work." It expresses how there may be troubles, tiredness, difficulties doing G0d's work, but G0d gives us courage and patience. The L0rd helps us as we do His work." She still sings this song when she remembers our time serving G0d and serving others. Another amazing glimpse of G0d in His servant 0 was watching G0d fill her with boldness and courage to go out and bless the people and share with them the difference J.s.s has made in her life since she started walking with Him. In this culture, giving blessings is how they start their day, relate throughout the day, and end the day. O blessed the people at the medical clinic with a blessing G0d had placed in her heart mind months before ..."May G0d take your sickness up to heaven and may health and strength come to sit with you." After sharing it the first day with many people, she ran into the room where we were working with great excitement and told us about how it meant so much to the people. She herself was filled with joy to overflowing and said at the end of the day, "Today, I am so happy to be a f0llower of J.s.s. This work is just a miracle!"

At the end of November, S0 taught his first story from G0d's word!! On November 29th, we hosting a Thanksgiving celebration for our Malian friends. We invited them to our house, cooked a favorite Malian meal with a little Am3ric@n twist, served water and soft drinks, sang LOTS of Chr!sti@n songs, shared testimonies of our thankfulness to G0d, pr@yed, and shared G0d's word. S0 loves G0d's word so much, so we asked him to share the story of the 10 Lepers who were healed. We spent the week before the celebration telling the story to him, talking about it, and preparing him to retell the story and lead the discussion at the celebration. It was amazing to watch S0 take in the story himself, listen to G0d's voice teaching him what the story meant and how it applies to our lives, then watching him tell the story with joy, animation, and excitement as if the story was happening right before us. D@n, our M@lian partner, had spent time telling the story to S0, and the next day, I sat with S0 and asked him about the story. He was nervous and wanted to tell it exactly like it was in the B!ble. He got his B1ble so he would not make a mistake. I told him, ":First, just tell me the story as you remember it from yesterday." I closed his B!ble, and he told the story. It was perfect!!! He missed no details!! On the day of the celebration, had I not known it was his first story to tell from G0d's word, I would have never known. He is a natural story teller and discussion leader, and HE LOVED IT!! Since the celebration, I have seen 5 of the people who heard the story. All 5 have retold me the story without missing any details!!

Oh the greatness of the glimpses of G0d's gl0ry being lived out in the lives of His Servants!! Again, what a privilege to see someone put their f@ith in J.s.s! What a joy to walk beside them! What an honor to see them walk in His ways, begin share with others, and teach them all that G0d is teaching them!!!

Glimpse of G0d's Gl0ry #7

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

Greetings to you all and gratitude to our Father for your journey with us in 2012!!

Glimpse of G0d’s Glory #7

Life Choices / His Courage

The daily glimpses of G0d's gl0ry come as we watch G0d's servants, O and S0 grow in their f@ith!! At the end of the day each day, I sit and ponder and I am compelled to give thanks and pr@ise to G0d!! I feel like M0ses daily as he sat in the cleft of the rock and saw the back of G0d as He passed by so M0ses could see His gl0ry. I never see Him coming on see His back as He passes by!! I marvel daily at the G0d I serve, the G0d I love, and the G0d I live to gl0rify!!

Living in this country where animism and !sl@m are the focus of most, to choose to be so different from your family, friends, business clients is quite the challenge to the new f@ith of a young f0ll0wer of J.s.s. But in the lives of O and S0, I have seen courage and f@ith that can only come from the Sp!r!t of G0d living in them.

There are 2 big holidays in the !sl@mic religion. R@mad@n and T@bask!. During R@mad@n, they fast, pr@y and seek G0d's will for 30 days. T@bask! is the day when they seek G0d's forgiveness for the year, remember the time when G0d provided the ram so that Abraham would not have to sacrifice his son, and they themselves make a sacrifice and eat a lot of meat!

This year during R@mad@n, O chose to f0ll0w the ways of J.s.s. G0d's Sp!r!t lead her to continue walk with Him instead of following the traditions of her family, friends, and even her country. She chose to put her f@ith in J.s.s and live that out before her family and friend. Because of her f@ith and obedience to J.s.s, her confession about this year during R@mad@n was this, "This year has been very different. Normally during R@mad@n, I do not even go to the market. No one is buying peanuts or ice because they are fasting. This year daily God sold all my ice and 3 times this month I have had to replenish my peanuts. People were asking me, 'What are doing with the white people?' I said, 'Nothing. We are pr@ying to G0d and He is helping me." Just a glimpse of G0d giving O courage to change and walk in new ways with Him--a decision she made and lived out daily, a decision He honored with His f@ithfulness to walk with her

During T@bask! this year, both O and S0 asked about whether they should eat the meat their families sacrificed. After talking about that and the holiday, what our response should be to those around us, they each were encouraged to f0ll0w whatever G0d was leading them to do--celebrate with their families or not. In Chr!st we have freedom, and the most important thing is that we listen to Him and follow what He says to each of us. It is not always the same answer. S0 decided to separate himself totally for T@bask!. He chose to go to the market to sell like he regularly does. When I went to the street that day and saw him, he said, "I just want to spend the day alone with G0d, listening, seeking, and pr@ying." He spent 4 days doing just that

Both O and S0 have faced new life choices as f0ll0wers of J.s.s. They have to answer the questions about how to live this new life amidst old traditions. G0d has given them courage to choose J.s.s and His ways!! Those choices reveal His Gl0ry to those who are still sitting in the peanut gallery!

Glimpse of G0d's Gl0ry #6

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

Greetings to you all and gratitude to our Father for your journey with us in 2012!!

Glimpse of G0d’s Glory #6

Peanut Gallery Reversal/His S@lvation

“Though the L0rd gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:20-21

 

After our c0up refuge in S3neg@l and our retOn the day when Ama and Lasi were sitting in the peanut gallery listening to our conversation with S0, the peanut gallery reversed. S0 became the one watching and listening as Ama and Lasi shared their stories and then listened as they found answers to their life needs--J.s.s. S0 sat listening and watching as these 2 young men talked about the power they felt in our words and how they wanted to f0ll0w J.s.s. Then for the next couple of weeks, SO watched as Ama studied and talked about G0d's word with us. He was filling the seats of the peanut gallery.

Then one day out of the blue, as soon as we arrived on the street, S0 began telling C@therine and I something with great enthusiasm and animation. I looked at C@therine puzzled and trying to process what I thought I had just heard...my language then and now is still not always what I think I'm hearing. I said to her, "I think he just said he wants to f0ll0w J.s.s." She said, "I think I heard that too." So we listened and then told S0 we would get out friend D@n to come and talk with us to make sure we understood what he was saying correctly.

It was true!!! S@lvation had come to S0!! He had made the choice to stop traveling 2 roads--flip floping from animism to !sl@m to Chr!sti@nity. From that day to this day, S0 is f0ll0wing J.s.s in power, truth, courage, and f@ithfulness!!! I have never seen a man more hungry to know how to walk this road of J.s.s, how to live out this f@ith, and how to serve his G0d!! Every day, S0 wants to study G0d's word, to know what we have read that day, to pr@y together, to help each other with our daily struggles. This man is a new creation in Chr!st...as we read and talked about yesterday..."the old has gone and the new life has come!"