Friday, August 30, 2013
Three Days and Counting
Dear Friends & Family,
Thanks for your constant love. Thank you to each one of you for having my back and looking out for me in the past. In just three days, I'll be in Brazil on an internship with Discovery, a short-term missions program of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
"Today about 209 million people do not have any Scripture in their language. Wycliffe’s vision is to see the Bible accessible to all people in the language they understand best. To make this vision a reality, Wycliffe also focuses on community development, literacy development and church partnerships." (www.wycliffe.org)
I believe the Bible is life-giving, and I also love language-learning and cross-cultural interactions. I'd love to use my degree in linguistics to translate the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into at least one language. Whether that desire is far off or will happen immediately after grad school, I don't know. I can tell you that I eagerly anticipate this trip and what I'm about to learn and experience!
Click here to listen to John 3:16 in Quechua, a language spoken in Perú, Bolivia and Ecuador.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to my trip, you may make out a check (payable to WBT with Wycliffe Discovery on the check memo) and send it to:
Accounting-Discovery
Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO Box 628200
Orlando FL 32862
All contributions go directly to my trip costs.
I thank God for you, and I'm humbled and honored all at once to have you as friends/family!
Love,
Angelina
Thanks for your constant love. Thank you to each one of you for having my back and looking out for me in the past. In just three days, I'll be in Brazil on an internship with Discovery, a short-term missions program of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
"Today about 209 million people do not have any Scripture in their language. Wycliffe’s vision is to see the Bible accessible to all people in the language they understand best. To make this vision a reality, Wycliffe also focuses on community development, literacy development and church partnerships." (www.wycliffe.org)
I believe the Bible is life-giving, and I also love language-learning and cross-cultural interactions. I'd love to use my degree in linguistics to translate the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into at least one language. Whether that desire is far off or will happen immediately after grad school, I don't know. I can tell you that I eagerly anticipate this trip and what I'm about to learn and experience!
Click here to listen to John 3:16 in Quechua, a language spoken in Perú, Bolivia and Ecuador.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to my trip, you may make out a check (payable to WBT with Wycliffe Discovery on the check memo) and send it to:
Accounting-Discovery
Wycliffe Bible Translators
PO Box 628200
Orlando FL 32862
All contributions go directly to my trip costs.
I thank God for you, and I'm humbled and honored all at once to have you as friends/family!
Love,
Angelina
Monday, August 26, 2013
Early Bird Prayer
In exactly a week from today, I'll be flying south to Brazil on a new adventure. So, I'm hoping to gather some thoughts and use this as an online journal. I can't promise any groundbreaking insights or concise witticisms, but I can promise honesty.
I consider myself a morning person, not exactly an early bird though...I start to shut down with the setting sun and engaging in conversation becomes a burden after about 11 PM. Let's just say I'm somewhat grateful for, but also somewhat salty about Edison's invention of the light bulb.
Mark 1:35-39 describes what Jesus did after a full day of teaching and performing miracles "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons."
Picture this: Jesus calls the first four disciples. They drop their daily tasks and follow Him. Imagine how mind-blown they must've been after they witnessed the way Jesus shut that demon right up. "And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee" (vs 28). No kidding. But it didn't stop there. This is still Day 1, and Jesus went to Simon and Andrew's house and healed Simon's mother-in-law of her fever right after the demon episode. That same evening, the "whole city was gathered together at the door, and he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons." (verses 33-34).
So what did Jesus do "very early in the morning" on Day 2? (verse 35). He prayed. This leaves a big impression on me. I think it's easy to look at a verse like this and think "well, this is Jesus we're talking about...of course he woke up and prayed." I did a double take on this verse, and reflected on the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh. He felt hunger pangs when he was tempted in the desert for 40 days. He was thirsty and asked for a drink on the cross. He experienced enormous pain while his weight pulled at his wrists on the cross. He got tired, too.
Even as a self-labeled "morning person," I find it very challenging to get anything short of 8 hours of sleep. First thing in the morning, I'm more likely to check the little red (strangely addicting) notifications on Facebook while waiting for the tea kettle to whistle. First things on my mind: caffeine + social media. In other words, taking care of my perceived "needs", not exactly getting on my knees. Just being real...
So, I'm impressed by Jesus. Beyond being in awe, I'm motivated to learn from His example. Here He had a day of successful miracles and crowd-gatherings on Day 1, and I'm sure it was physically and emotionally taxing. Why not expect the same for Day 2, Day 3, and so on and so forth? Once we start to see success happening, isn't it true that we have a tendency to feel like we no longer need God in His Almighty Strength and Power? At least I do...I reflect on this past year--my first year as a full-time teacher. I called on God every morning during my 30 minute commute not because I loved Him that much, but because I was like a pitiful child feeling an intense need for His strength and power to get me through the tasks of the day. I wish that my heartfelt prayers would have come from more of a pure desire to just be with God and spend quality time with Him. Once that last 3:15 PM bell rang in the school hallways and squeaky sneakers filed out for summer vacation, I stopped feeling a need to wake up early and my knees hit the carpet less frequently, a lot less frequently. Caffeine became my go-to once again, and I didn't feel all the richer for it. Rather than get down on myself for the lack of diligence or desire for prayer that I've had in the past, I take encouragement from what Jesus did.
Jesus woke up before the sun. Maybe, just maybe he still had bags under his eyes. Maybe he stumbled across a few stones or roots in the path because there sure wouldn't have been many street lights provided...One thing is for sure--He purposed to spend time in the Father's presence in prayer, so He made a path.
Just a few things about Jesus' prayer that I want to apply to my own prayer habits:
1) The Place --> it was desolate, so it minimized distraction. Whether it means going on a morning walk, kneeling at my bedside, or going to a quiet garden where the only sounds are buzzing bees, finding a place to retreat and pray is more necessary than we often perceive.
2) The Time --> it was early in the morning, so it minimized distraction.
Doesn't it seem strategic? I imagine that Jesus knew that due to the crazy things people witnessed on Day 1 of his ministry, they would be swarming around to see what else He'd be up to on Day 2. Maybe Jesus reasoned that He needed to wake up early to spend time alone with the Father before the day even began.
3) The Purpose --> it was clear, and it was followed up by action. Often the Christian lingo is to say "Let's stop and pray for _____." It's good to "stop" and pray about something as things have a way of surfacing during the day, but isn't there a new dimension when we go and pray? What about retreating to a desolate place where it can only be YOU + God Almighty? Another habit I can get into is responding to a prayer request with an automatic, yet sometimes empty reply "I will be praying for you." Lately, I've caught myself on this one. I have begun to change my language in the hopes of taking those prayers more seriously--"I promise to pray for you about this." Suddenly, it goes from empty to empathetic. I wonder what He prayed about on this particular morning. I can't be sure, but I know that the way He went about praying made an impression on me.
Quest for Answers:
What could Jesus' desire to go and pray to God the Father stem from? Do you think it was mostly talking or listening? Why do I pray? Why don't I pray? When do I tend to pray? When do I tend to avoid prayer? How do my corporate prayers and individual/private prayers differ? Is one more sincere than the other? Do I feel driven to pray sometimes? Drawn other times?
I consider myself a morning person, not exactly an early bird though...I start to shut down with the setting sun and engaging in conversation becomes a burden after about 11 PM. Let's just say I'm somewhat grateful for, but also somewhat salty about Edison's invention of the light bulb.
Mark 1:35-39 describes what Jesus did after a full day of teaching and performing miracles "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons."
Picture this: Jesus calls the first four disciples. They drop their daily tasks and follow Him. Imagine how mind-blown they must've been after they witnessed the way Jesus shut that demon right up. "And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee" (vs 28). No kidding. But it didn't stop there. This is still Day 1, and Jesus went to Simon and Andrew's house and healed Simon's mother-in-law of her fever right after the demon episode. That same evening, the "whole city was gathered together at the door, and he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons." (verses 33-34).
So what did Jesus do "very early in the morning" on Day 2? (verse 35). He prayed. This leaves a big impression on me. I think it's easy to look at a verse like this and think "well, this is Jesus we're talking about...of course he woke up and prayed." I did a double take on this verse, and reflected on the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh. He felt hunger pangs when he was tempted in the desert for 40 days. He was thirsty and asked for a drink on the cross. He experienced enormous pain while his weight pulled at his wrists on the cross. He got tired, too.
Even as a self-labeled "morning person," I find it very challenging to get anything short of 8 hours of sleep. First thing in the morning, I'm more likely to check the little red (strangely addicting) notifications on Facebook while waiting for the tea kettle to whistle. First things on my mind: caffeine + social media. In other words, taking care of my perceived "needs", not exactly getting on my knees. Just being real...
So, I'm impressed by Jesus. Beyond being in awe, I'm motivated to learn from His example. Here He had a day of successful miracles and crowd-gatherings on Day 1, and I'm sure it was physically and emotionally taxing. Why not expect the same for Day 2, Day 3, and so on and so forth? Once we start to see success happening, isn't it true that we have a tendency to feel like we no longer need God in His Almighty Strength and Power? At least I do...I reflect on this past year--my first year as a full-time teacher. I called on God every morning during my 30 minute commute not because I loved Him that much, but because I was like a pitiful child feeling an intense need for His strength and power to get me through the tasks of the day. I wish that my heartfelt prayers would have come from more of a pure desire to just be with God and spend quality time with Him. Once that last 3:15 PM bell rang in the school hallways and squeaky sneakers filed out for summer vacation, I stopped feeling a need to wake up early and my knees hit the carpet less frequently, a lot less frequently. Caffeine became my go-to once again, and I didn't feel all the richer for it. Rather than get down on myself for the lack of diligence or desire for prayer that I've had in the past, I take encouragement from what Jesus did.
Jesus woke up before the sun. Maybe, just maybe he still had bags under his eyes. Maybe he stumbled across a few stones or roots in the path because there sure wouldn't have been many street lights provided...One thing is for sure--He purposed to spend time in the Father's presence in prayer, so He made a path.
Just a few things about Jesus' prayer that I want to apply to my own prayer habits:
1) The Place --> it was desolate, so it minimized distraction. Whether it means going on a morning walk, kneeling at my bedside, or going to a quiet garden where the only sounds are buzzing bees, finding a place to retreat and pray is more necessary than we often perceive.
2) The Time --> it was early in the morning, so it minimized distraction.
Doesn't it seem strategic? I imagine that Jesus knew that due to the crazy things people witnessed on Day 1 of his ministry, they would be swarming around to see what else He'd be up to on Day 2. Maybe Jesus reasoned that He needed to wake up early to spend time alone with the Father before the day even began.
3) The Purpose --> it was clear, and it was followed up by action. Often the Christian lingo is to say "Let's stop and pray for _____." It's good to "stop" and pray about something as things have a way of surfacing during the day, but isn't there a new dimension when we go and pray? What about retreating to a desolate place where it can only be YOU + God Almighty? Another habit I can get into is responding to a prayer request with an automatic, yet sometimes empty reply "I will be praying for you." Lately, I've caught myself on this one. I have begun to change my language in the hopes of taking those prayers more seriously--"I promise to pray for you about this." Suddenly, it goes from empty to empathetic. I wonder what He prayed about on this particular morning. I can't be sure, but I know that the way He went about praying made an impression on me.
Quest for Answers:
What could Jesus' desire to go and pray to God the Father stem from? Do you think it was mostly talking or listening? Why do I pray? Why don't I pray? When do I tend to pray? When do I tend to avoid prayer? How do my corporate prayers and individual/private prayers differ? Is one more sincere than the other? Do I feel driven to pray sometimes? Drawn other times?
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