Entertaining Angels while the night becomes history, host of heaven, sing over me- Newsboys

Do you ever wish you could just freeze time, grab a magical tape recorder and press record? And by magical tape recorder, I don't just mean one that records sound. Besides adding in video that captures the detail in facial expressions, I want that recording to soak in the lighting of that moment. I long to hear the tiny sounds continue lingering and the faint smells trail into my nostrils. I want it to emit the intense emotions that were wrapped up in that instant of time. 

There are so many moments that I wish I could convey to people, but am just not able to.

I guess that's why those moments are so special.

Tonight was one of those I think. I'll never be able to fully explain to you what it was like sitting in my Kenyan friends hostel (like a college dorm, but privately owned and rented out) room on her roommates bed. This week during bible study we finished discussing the story of Lot's Wife and the destruction that was brought upon her, even with God's AMAZING mercy on her family. 

At the end of the study, questions were brought before us to ponder and discuss. Two of them in particular were highlighted by the girls: "Are you listening to God's Messengers?" and "When God asks you to go in one direction, are you 'looking back' or pressing forward?" 

Lot's wife didn't listen to the Angels that God sent. They literally took her by the hand (I think it's fantastic that angels can hold your hand by the way) and dragged her out of the city- where she had left her heart. Her body left, but her heart was so much so in that place that she just had to turn back and look at it, causing her to turn into a pillar of salt. Did you know that even in the 2nd century people wrote about how they still knew where that pillar was? Imagine! All those years. I wonder what ever became of it.

I was totally humbled that one of them suggested that I could be an Angel sent to them. I quickly reassured them that I was not, but then one of them suggested that maybe I just didn't know it :D 

We sat and discussed for a while stories that we had either heard or experienced ourselves in encountering angels or demons- because it says in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that the devil can disguise himself as an angel of light. I sat there hearing lots of stories of witchcraft and things that people don't ever consider as a reality in America, but are so real. Terrible tales of people posing as Christians just to drag others down and murder their neighbors as a blood sacrifice to the devil. Not only did the ladies tell stories of demons, but also stories of entertaining angels. These women are so welcoming. That is one aspect of this culture that I love. They open their homes and wallets to one another so freely. One of the girls was saying how at her home, they always cook extra food everyday because they just know that at some point they will have a visitor- whether it be someone who is selling coal or a passing neighbor. They invite people into their homes, and are blessed by those people in return when they pray for them. It got me thinking of how closely people clutch their wallets to their chests, when it's God's wallet after all. 

After we had all gone around and answered these questions and told our tales, one of the girls wanted to close us in prayer. She had a few more words to say however...she said that for a few moments she had been looking at her foot. We all giggled a little bit as she swiveled her heal examining it again. She carried on explaining that she was in awe of God, saying something along these lines: "God is the creator of this foot" she went on. "There is so much detail and so much effort. It is just amazing that this was formed by His hands. It's just amazing to me." It was so cute, so honest, and SO true. Take your foot out of those slippers you're wearing in that cold weather you've got and check out the detail. There's just the right amount of bones...and there is flesh. Underneath that flesh lies a world that I don't claim to understand, but am thankful that God has ordained it so. 

I may not sense God as fully as I would like at this moment in time, or know specifically who his messengers are that surround me, but I can rest assured that he has mercy on those who love him. God rescued Lot and his daughters because of Abraham's faithfulness to God. Abraham bargained with God to get his relatives out of Sodom, and God loved him so much, that He went along with his request. 

May we be faithful to HIM in all circumstances...we've so much to learn.

It's me, it's me, it's me oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer

I’m not really one to speak of spiritual battles, but if I have ever known one to be, it is now. There is a lot of evidence of war at Heritage International School, where the school is facing some rather large and serious issues. There is even evidence of battles in other areas of our lives here. Within our mission, nearly all of our vehicles have problems and have been put into the garage with very strange problems. Now we are left to walking and staying in at night- making it hard, if not impossible to do some of the ministries that I am involved in. Strangely even the weather here has been very odd, with large amounts of heavy rain coming during dry season, so much to cause a landslide killing hundreds of people. Even in my own life I have felt battles waging. I am not at liberty to give any details pertaining to the schools’ situation, but please please keep us in your prayers.

One HUGE praise is that one of our High Schoolers accepted Jesus into his heart after chapel today! He is Indian and comes from a “Jain” background. This is big news and we are all so excited to welcome him into the kingdom. Please continue to pray that he will be an amazing witness to his family and that we as a Christian family are able to continue discipling him. 

Thanks so much for all of your support and for continuing to lift Uganda up in your prayers to the Almighty and Powerful Lord that we serve. The song "What a mighty God we serve" comes to mind, and it is so true!