YENE- To Belong ...

Here in Ethiopia, a term often used is YENE.  It means MINE or MY. 

Yene bet= My house. Yene betesab= My family.  Yene metsaf= my book.

And for terms of friendship and love, you’ll hear ….

 

Yene konjo (my beauty); Yene mar (my sweet); and yene fiker (my love).

 

Valentines’ Day is not widely celebrated or known here, especially among the older generation.

But evidence that the idea has been introduced and is starting to thrive was evident last weekend in bigger supermarkets, cafes and clothing stores.

Clothing on mannequins could be seen in reds and pinks. Flowers were for sale and heart candy and chocolates were marketed. Some cafes and hotels were offering special Valentine’s Day dinners and buffets.  Quite shocking.

For me, all this brought out the longing yet again to belong to someone on a deeper level and to have someone belong to me on a deeper level.   

Thankfully, on that day, Orthodox students from Hope College had planned their semester break mountain trip out of Addis. So, most of the day I spent climbing a mountain with these 70 plus students- in a kind of spiritual journey of reflection and thankfulness to God.  What a great way to spend a Valentine’s Day.

 

God reminded me that day and since that I do belong to someone on that deeper level.   I belong to Him.  And I am loved!!!

Exodus 19:5-6

…out of all the nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.

Isaiah 41: 8-10

But you, O Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, “You are my servants; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you…

Isaiah 43:1-2

But now, this is what the Lord says- He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mind. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned… because you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid…

Often times in life it seems, we say MINE.  We grab for what we want and try to make it what we want it to be.  It’s MY job. MY relationship. MY opportunity. MY decision.  MY Sunday-Sabbath. MY life. We say MINE.

Often forgetting that every good thing we have comes from God, is a gift. Our health. Our finances, our family.  Every breath. We can offer these things back to God as a gift.  As an offering.

James 1:7
Every good and perfect gift is from above...

1 Chronicles 29:14

Everything comes from you …

Romans 12:1

Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship…

A great quote I heard somewhere was something like ….
 

Life is God’s gift to you but what you do with your life is your gift back to God.

How can we bless God with the ways and things He’s blessed us with? We can offer it back to Him and not hold to anything too tightly.  We must hold on to Him the most!!!

Some things we need to unclench our hands from and offer them back up to God.  Trusting Him that in letting go- we embrace Him.  He is what we need, His hand in ours!

Psalm 73:23

I am continually with you, you hold my right hand.

Psalm 139

…you have searched me and known me. Where can I go from your presence … if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast

Luke 9:24

If you save your life, you will lose it, but if you give your life up for me, you will find it.

Often too, we’ve been given things in our hand that we don’t want.

A storm. A fear. A doubt. A trial. A doctor’s report.  We want it out of our hand and out of our lives. 

These too can be offered back to God as a chance for Him to move in our lives or someone else’s or both. I heard a quote recently that says- if He brings you to it, He will bring you through it. God is working all together for our good. We can trust Him. Not that life will be easy. But that He will go with us through it all. Even as we get older and our body maybe starts breaking down- our inner beauty and strength- our faith- our impact -can mature and deepen. Our light can shine as we get closer to our God and our eternity with Him.  Nothing is too difficult for God. He is for us and with us. We don’t have to afraid. 

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purpose.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-9; 16

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed…. Therefore we do no lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly, we are being renewed day by day.

1 John 4:4

Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world.

Romans 8:31; 37

If God is for us, who can be against us? … in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us…

May we know and remember that God says to us YENE.  You are mine!!! You belong to me!

You are fearfully and wonderfully made and I have plans of for you!

May we be mindful of what we’re holding onto for ourselves or not letting go of.  May God's hand in ours be what we're holding onto the most and the tightest!

May we continue to not say MINE, but SAY YOURS- GOD!

Prayer Requests

-It's unbelievable to me that it's already the end of February and the start to the new year is well underway. God has been teaching so much already in 2016. Please pray He continues to teach me and use for His kingdom and purpose here.

-This week is a huge one for the processing of a new work permit for me. Please pray that as my paperwork travels through the different offices and through immigration- that things will go smoothly and that I can continue to work here.  The deadline for my business visa to expire is this Saturday.

-Please keep my family in prayer for good health. My Mom, Dad and Sister are wonderful and deeply loved by me and I know by many of you.

-I’ve begun a new semester of teaching at the Bible College- ETC (the Evangelical Theology College)- pray for these new classes of students and that God will use me to help build these wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m teaching three evenings a week again.

-Hope College is now on break time. As a new semester begins in the next few weeks, please pray that God will bring together His perfect plan for me to also teach and help at Hope

-I’d like to begin language learning again this semester and to finally finish my book draft, please pray for good time management in that regard for both of these important things.

-Two families of street kids have found my attention in recent days. Please pray for me as I pray through what God might have me do.

-Please keep all the students and staff in prayer here, also my neighbors, that God will use me and open many opportunities to share about Him in words and actions.

Thanks so much for your prayers.  Please let me know how I can pray for you as well!