Divine Appointments and Answered Prayer

Today I had a friend come visit me at school. It was sort of spontaneous. I had invited him to come to the Latino Ministry with me on Sunday, but he ended up not coming because his parents were greatly opposed to the fact that our church is not Roman Catholic. I was greatly bummed out by this fact because I really wanted him to hear from God.

However, after he told me he could not come on Sunday, I told him we would need to get together sometime this week. That happened to be today. I had no idea what he had planned for the few hours we were going to spend together, but I had a plan in mind: tell him of the great love Jesus has for him.

My team from my Leadership in Ministry class met today for a time of prayer. We prayed for my friend during this time. And I also prayed for myself. I wanted to get my motives straight. I didn't want to share the Gospel with him for my own glory, but to bring glory to God. I didn't want to have any selfish motives. I also knew I couldn't do it on my own.

God answered our prayers.

I don't know how it happened, but somehow some aspect of "religion" came up when we were talking, and I mentioned how I don't like classifying myself as religion. This was a very small window of opportunity, and I took it. It's what many like to call a Divine Appointment. God orchestrated this time with my friend today, and He allowed the conversation to lead to spiritual matters. I took that opportunity (with slight hesitation, I must admit). I was scared at first because I had no idea how he would respond. However, God gave me the boldness and I went for it. We talked about religion, faith, and what it really means to be a Christian. The conversation lasted for about forty-five minutes, praise God. I was doing most of the talking, but my friend was listening very intently. I shifted the conversation from basics to the gospel about halfway through. This is what I wanted to really get through to him.

As I was explaining the story of the gospel to my friend, I could tell he was intrigued. Growing up in a catholic family, he knew the basics. However, he still believes that salvation must be earned. He argued that just like trust must be earned by others, so must our forgiveness from God be earned. I continued to explain how salvation is a FREE gift from God. And boy, was he listening. And just when I could see the words had hit  his heart, he built a wall. He said, "How'd we start talking about religion? Why are we talking about this? Let's talk about something else. I don't want to talk about this anymore." I didn't try to push him.

I was so very glad God had spoken to my friend through me. I know it wasn't by my own doing because verses were flowing out of my mouth. It was like I wasn't even the one talking at times. Yet, I was a bit disappointed that he closed up right when the truth was hitting him. But I can find hope in that because I could see in his eyes that it DID hit him. Just when it was starting to make sense, he shut it out.

I had told him on Sunday that I wanted to give him something. After our "religion" talk, he asked me what it was I wanted to give him. Because he had just shut out that topic, I told him to wait. Before he left, I slipped a copy of Surprised By Faith in the backseat of his car. For some reason, I felt like I shouldn't hand it to him directly. I followed that prompting and discretely placed the book in the backseat.

Not much later, we got hot chocolate in the CLC on campus. In his car, my friend had on what he called "urban" music. There was a lot of profanity and inappropriate language. I had mentioned that I like to listen to some Christian rap and Spanish reggae. So while we were drinking our hot chocolate, he asked to see my ipod, and he was listening to parts of each song that I had, some in English, some in Spanish. This, too, gave me hope and reassurance that our conversation earlier had an impact on him.

I also know our conversation had meaning because he asked me about five other times, "How did we start talking about religion?" He never said any more than that, but no more was needed. I knew that he was still thinking and processing through what I had said (rather, what the Holy Spirit said through me).

I know he has a lot to deal with right now, but that is why I felt I needed to share the gospel with him. He needs Jesus in his life. I ask that for all who read this, please be praying for my friend. I know God will work a miracle in his life, but not by my own strength or somebody else's strength, but through the power of God.

I thank God for the opportunity he gave me today to present the gospel to my friend. I do believe this was a Divine Appointment God set up in advance. But I know that it would not have gone as well as it did if I had not prayed beforehand. I give all glory, honor, power, and praise to my King and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Spanish Plan

I need to be learning Spanish faster than I am right now. At this rate, it'll take me forever to feel comfortable reading, writing, listening to, and speaking Spanish. I have the willpower in me to do it. I have the people around me to do it. Right now I think time and confidence are the two things stopping me. I don't have as much time as I'd like, and my confidence I can learn Spanish correctly at a faster pace is virtually nonexistent. I know it needs to be done. There are several ways I can improve, little by little. I can be like a two-year-old, listening to whatever I can and speaking the few words I pick up. I can be like a first grader learning to read. Reading things out loud and being corrected by people. And I can be like a college student (hey, shocker!!) and study the grammar, rules, and larger vocabulary by memorization. Then I can be held accountable by the dozens of people I see on a weekly basis who speak Spanish.

It's not impossible. It can be done. I just need the motivation and persistency to achieve my goal. What is my goal exactly? Good question. I need to take time to write down my specific goal and plan of action, then get to it!

First Love

First Love
Avalon


I used to be the one who would long to hear Your voice
A child who sought to win his Father's heart
But as I carried on, life's got a hold on me
Now here I am a son so far from home

Tell me when did I loose my first love?
Where did the fire and passion go?
Burn in me Your holy fire give me back my lost desire
And restore in me the love I felt for You

Can I remember how it felt?
When they looked into my face
And they saw the love of Jesus in my eyes
When I looked back on my life
And questioned where I've been
Can I really say I've done my best for You?

Tell me when did I loose my first love?
Where did the fire and passion go?
Burn in me Your holy fire give me back my lost desire
And restore in me the love I felt for You

Oh, where did I go?
Oh, I'm lost and I'm alone
Oh help me please
Lord lead me home

Father take me back let me start again
Lord I've failed and fallen in my pride
Lead me back to You where my life began
Revive in me the yearning that has died

Tell me when did I loose my first love?
And where did the fire and passion go?
Burn in me Your holy fire give me back my lost desire
And restore in me the love I felt for You
Oh, the love I felt for You

Restore in me the love I felt for You
Restore in me the love I felt for You
Restore in me the love I felt for You

Grr-ness

Ever since I came home from Peru, I've felt rather weird. I don't know how to describe it in a word besides "grr-ness" because when I think about how I've been feeling, I just want to say, "grr." It's so frustrating that I've been feeling this way.

I haven't gotten more than a half a dozen good nights of rest in the past two months. Most things don't really even seem enjoyable to me. I have no motivation to do homework, hang out with people, talk with people, even spend time with God. I think I hit a spiritual and emotional slump. And it's such a weird feeling and I want it to go away.

At first I thought I wasn't sleeping well and feeling this way because there was so much I still had to process from the trip and talk through and make sense of. Yet it's been two months and I still feel this way. I've thought about the idea of it being depression. Yet I don't want to automatically jump there.

I am the kind of person who always thinks. I'm always thinking about something. Yet there have been several times in the past two months where I can't think about any one particular thing. Why? Because I have a million different thoughts flooding my mind that I can't even pick one to think about specifically. If I try to find something to think about, it branches off into another ten different ideas, which each branch off into another ten other ideas. This is so overwhelming and exhausting that I usually just give up. My thoughts then just run like crazy, jumping from one thing to another with no logical connection. For this reason, I find it very hard to write lately. I usually don't even know where to start. I'm surprised I was able to sit down to write this.

Talking to my friends in Peru make me sad because I miss them like no other. Yet I need to talk to them. I would go insane if I didn't. When I let my thoughts wander, they usually fall to my friends. I miss hugging them just because I could. I miss talking to them face to face. I miss laughing and goofing off together. I miss failing at Spanish with them. I miss going out to eat together.

My one "safe place" for my thoughts and emotions is my music. I can put on Point of Grace, 4HIM, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Spanish worship, or anything else I have in my library and have a song fit exactly how I'm feeling. My music speaks louder than words so often because the music itself (not just the lyrics) contains to much emotion that I can't physically express or write down. Yet it frustrates me to know that I can't share these feelings with someone else because they're too internal.

I know God has me here for a purpose. I have a reason for being here at this moment. Yet I so look forward to the day when I can see my friends again. Smell the diesel from the busses, see, hear, and think Spanish, and view the gorgeous cities of Lima and Callao. Half of my heart is still in Callao. It's been there for three years now, and I miss that part of me. I know I'm no Peruvian nor no expert on the culture (or language!). Yet I know it feels like home. That is an undeniable feeling that I can guarantee will never fade. Peru will forever be a part of me.

Peru Wrap-up Video

Where you go, I'll go. Where you stay, I'll stay...


I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait
I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience

While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You,  Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy, no
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

While I'm waiting

I will serve You

While I'm waiting

I will worship

While I'm waiting

I will not faint

I'll be running the race

Even while I wait

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting

I will serve You while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord



God, you know my heart. This is where half of my heart is.

Peru Wrap-up from Nate Anderson on Vimeo.