Spring has arrived here in Prague. It seems like
overnight God took a big paintbrush and put color on flowers, trees and fields.
Pinks, whites, yellows, purples are everywhere… making me smile. I constantly want to let
out a long whistle at the beauty of it all.
Easter markets have also appeared bringing with them what feels like thousands of tourists. Brightly colored sticks and painted eggs are more reminders that a new season is indeed here. Warmer weather and bright sun with blue skies have been so nice.
Have you ever felt the alignment in some area of your life was off a bit? Things seemed out of line? Maybe you felt unstable? I think for me, that is often how I felt teaching English for the past two years in Ethiopia. I often came home at the end of the day wondering if the way I was teaching was the most effective way.
Romans 8:31-39
Easter markets have also appeared bringing with them what feels like thousands of tourists. Brightly colored sticks and painted eggs are more reminders that a new season is indeed here. Warmer weather and bright sun with blue skies have been so nice.
For me, the change feels very sudden. Probably because
for the past month, I’ve been taking an intensive TEFL (Teaching English as a
Foreign Language) course. This internationally accredited course was offered on
the other side of Prague, which had me leaving home at 6:30am every day and
getting home around 7:30pm each evening for one month. Eleven of us took the
course. It was a ton of work and one of the most difficult I’ve ever had. On the
second day, we were teaching classes of Czech students and being observed by
instructors who gave feedback and grades.
Last Friday, I received my TEFL teaching certificate. Largely in my mind teaching English now finally made sense. Right
alignment had happened!
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| One of our TEFL classrooms |
Have you ever felt the alignment in some area of your life was off a bit? Things seemed out of line? Maybe you felt unstable? I think for me, that is often how I felt teaching English for the past two years in Ethiopia. I often came home at the end of the day wondering if the way I was teaching was the most effective way.
Now I know what works and how to be the
best English teacher I can be. Which feels great!
As I’ve been taking time to reflect on the whole experience, I’ve also been thinking about my life overall. And of course, EASTER. And the whole idea of the importance of right alignment keeps coming to mind.
I believe true fulfillment in life, true peace and lasting joy,
only comes from right alignment...a connection with God. This connection is talked
about in John 15 and is talked about in other places in the Bible:
John 15:4
Remain
in me, as I also remain in you.
John 10:10
I
have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with
you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be afraid
When we’re not connected with God at all, or alignment
with Him is off, we can walk around disturbed, irritated, without security or
purpose. Do you know anyone like that? Or maybe that’s you?
In thinking about my life overall, these times happen
often. Alignment gets off. Sometimes you get this way and
don’t even realize it and then you’re not sure how to get that peace and joy and security back.
For me, there are some big things I have to watch out for.
These always cause my alignment to get off:
SIN, SELF, and SATAN
Sin. As we know, sin separates from God. When we
compromise, when we sin...we feel shame, guilt, and the desire to run and hide.
Unconfessed sin can lead to our ultimate
destruction. But there is hope...
1 John 1:9
If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness.
If we have Jesus as Savior, sin can't separate us from God for eternity. But, it can make us feel like it does. May we confess our sin and live transparently before our God!
There’s also SELF. If I start to focus more on me than others or more than on God, I quickly lose sight of what life is really all about. And then, I start to lean on myself more than on God, and this causes alignment to be off. In the western world, we’re taught to be this way. To look out for yourself, to do what needs done to get ahead. God wants us to be good stewards of our lives, our homes, our families. But it’s in partnership with Him.
There’s also SELF. If I start to focus more on me than others or more than on God, I quickly lose sight of what life is really all about. And then, I start to lean on myself more than on God, and this causes alignment to be off. In the western world, we’re taught to be this way. To look out for yourself, to do what needs done to get ahead. God wants us to be good stewards of our lives, our homes, our families. But it’s in partnership with Him.
There’s also Satan, he LOVES to throw us off
track. We often forget we have an enemy. He’s out to distract us. Discourage
us, and ultimately destroy us.
1 Peter 5:8-9
Be
alert and of sober mind. Your enemy Satan prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in
the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world
is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
May we keep aware of him and remember he’s a defeated foe. His days
are numbered. And greater is He that is in us…
1 John 4:4
…the one who is in
you is greater than the one who is in
the world.
SO, WHAT CAN WE
DO? IF WE FEEL OUR ALIGNMENT IS OFF?
I’ve learned and have been reminded over time of three things I must ask for and seek:
A SELFIE,
SURRENDER and A SAVIOR
A SELFIE. What do I mean? I’ve learned
that for right alignment with God to often get back in place, I need to take a hard look at all areas of my life. I ask God to show me, ME. What does my life look like to Him, to others? This is a hard question to ask and often hard to look at when given.
But God can use His Word, other believers, a mission trip- and often
trials- to bring out what’s really in the heart. This "look" is often necessary to see so healing and help can be realized. May we have
courage like David to ask God to look deep into our lives and show us what needs lifted back up to him...
Psalm 139:23-24
Search
me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts. See
if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me
in the way everlasting
I also need to SURRENDER. This one is not easy. Many
see surrender as an act of weakness, when actually it’s a display of
strength. It’s an acknowledgement of
smallness in comparison to the bigness of God. A bowed knew, a bowed head,
shows reverence. And to me, that shows an acknowledgement of truth. It’s a call out for mercy. It's giving God leadership.
I’ve so much appreciated observing Easter (called Fasika) in Ethiopia the past few years. The humility of surrender is so evident. Between now and Easter this Sunday, people will be bowing, calling out to God for mercy, for help. May we also have courage to do the same. To surrender.
Here is a link to a video I took a few years ago at a Good Friday Easter service in Ethiopia...
http://vimeo.com/65240495
I’ve so much appreciated observing Easter (called Fasika) in Ethiopia the past few years. The humility of surrender is so evident. Between now and Easter this Sunday, people will be bowing, calling out to God for mercy, for help. May we also have courage to do the same. To surrender.
Here is a link to a video I took a few years ago at a Good Friday Easter service in Ethiopia...
http://vimeo.com/65240495
And of course, for right alignment to happen, we must embrace OUR SAVIOR, JESUS! I’m
so grateful right alignment is offered through him. Right alignment with God can never
be earned. You can never fast enough, bow enough or go to church enough. Our
sin is too big, our separation too great. But Jesus gave His life as payment
for our sin. And if we accept Jesus in us and to be for us, God sees us with
Jesus forever, payment for our sin- COVERED. Right alignment and deep forever
connection with God possible because of Jesus!!!!
Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Globally this will be celebrated this weekend. In Ethiopia, and around the world...
Even here in Czech Republic, I was humbled to see this cross on Charles Bridge- showing Jesus. And many standing before it with bowed heads.
Even here in Czech Republic, I was humbled to see this cross on Charles Bridge- showing Jesus. And many standing before it with bowed heads.
If right alignment is needed in our hearts and lives, may
we allow God to speak that to us this Easter season.
May we surrender again or for the first and embrace A Savior who died to give us life.
May we surrender again or for the first and embrace A Savior who died to give us life.
Onward giving thanks for Jesus!
May God Bless you this Easter and spring season!
May God Bless you this Easter and spring season!
PRAYER REQUESTS
-I have one month remaining in Prague before returning to
Africa. Please pray for my remaining time here – that God will give me good
opportunities to share and learn and to share God’s love
-Please pray for my return to Africa in mid-May- that as I
return to teaching- God will place me in the right school and places to serve
-Please keep my sister and my parents in prayer. My
sister as she continues here in the Czech Republic and for her way ahead and for our parents in Ohio.
They are all great!
If you’d like more information about what I will be doing
back in Africa, please email or facebook me. Thank you so much for your partnership!
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| My sister here in Czech visiting with her little friend, Anika :-) |
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| On a recent skype call with our parents, love these two :-) |
