"Need You Near" is a beautiful song that my friend Sophie Eicher wrote, and my sister has had the opportunity to sing on a number of occasions. It had been resonating in my head for a couple weeks straight... and I just had the sense that I should prepare to share it somewhere. There were a couple "almost" opportunities... but then I just sort of wrote it off like I probably wouldn't share it any time soon. I thought maybe it was just my own selfish desire to share such a pretty song, and I also thought I probably didn't know it well enough anyway, and I'd just mess it up... I don't know, all sorts of random rationalizations tend to float through my head on a regular basis about things like this, haha. Would you knock it off, silly, deceitful devil!
Anyhoo, so then last weekend... boom, boom, boom... not one, not two, but THREE opportunities right in a row.
First at the Brazilian church congregation that I was able to visit for the second time last Saturday night. I have made some special friends there, and I just absolutely love the spirit of worship with that "BASIC" body (Brothers And Sisters In Christ). The first time I was there, I had been asked and planned to share a few songs with them. This time I had returned with no plan, only for the sole purpose of wanting to see them again and fellowship together in beautiful worship! But out of the blue in the middle of the service the pastor says, "and now Meggan will bless us with one song." ...or yeah, something like that. :) And... sweet, I kinda sensed it right before he said it... and then he said it (in Porteguese of course, so I still wasn't exactly for sure what was going on, haha), and then I had no doubt this was my chance to share the song. :) And I'm grateful God could use it as a blessing for my dear friends there!!
I thought that was it... but on Sunday two more opportunities happened! :) That afternoon, one of my best friends, "my younger sister" Ioanna, invited me and some other beautiful girls over to her house for lunch. She had told me they had a piano at her place that I could play, and I had been eager for the opportunity to get over there to do so! ;) AND SO, there, again... I was able to share the song with those girls.
And THEN, that night at our "House of Worship" event, we had a beautiful time of prayer together for our friends after a wonderful message from Matthew 14, about Jesus trying to convince his disciples to trust him that he truly was the Son of God. And would they respond, step out of the boat and follow him? He wanted them near him. And they needed to recognize that they needed him NEAR!! They needed to intimately know the voice of their Lord, master, Jesus. :) And I just knew I needed to share that song. It fit as a nice transition between their time of prayer into more songs of beautiful worship together.
Ah, so great...
I'll post the link to my sister singing it on YouTube. Ignore the poor quality on a few of the more powerful notes, sorry. :) Ah, Morgan, where are you.. I miss singing with you. Come to Greece ASAP!!! ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmcwk3NIvzM
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Mission - TO DO list
What is on your TO DO List?
Seriously, take a minute to start rattling off a few things…
For example, here are just a few things on mine…
Keep on top of communicating the HM and OJ vision with people through the web – e-mail, website, facebook, blogs, etc.; help with all OJ event coordinating details; communicate regularly with my personal supporters; learn the Greek language; keep finding ways to plug into the local Greek 1st Evangelical church that God has so clearly called me to become a member of; learn to be a good homemaker and cook; practice more guitar and piano… (and begin strategizing/saving/praying to acquire these instruments for myself here in Greece!); write more songs; memorize hymns and scripture in Greek; follow up on the ba-jillion connections and friends I have made in Greece so far!; encourage each and every one of my facebook friends personally; … etc, etc.
Yeah, honestly, that’s just half of my to do list! I’m crazy, I know… but here’s what I want to remind both you and myself of…
God’s TO DO List for us:
Look at me, my precious child. Look at me.
Know my love. Follow me. Do what I do. I will teach you.
See me, and hear me, and know my voice,
because my presence is ALL around your daily circumstances.
I will walk with you through each step you take…
And carry you through the hard stuff…
I love you, and don’t you dare forget it!
So what are YOU going TO DO now?
I suggest we pause and look to our loving Father…
Just talk to Him… about all your cares, concerns, joys, thanksgivings…
And especially about all that we are privileged to be a part of as members of this family of God...
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full on His wonderful face,
And the things of earth with grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Seriously, take a minute to start rattling off a few things…
For example, here are just a few things on mine…
Keep on top of communicating the HM and OJ vision with people through the web – e-mail, website, facebook, blogs, etc.; help with all OJ event coordinating details; communicate regularly with my personal supporters; learn the Greek language; keep finding ways to plug into the local Greek 1st Evangelical church that God has so clearly called me to become a member of; learn to be a good homemaker and cook; practice more guitar and piano… (and begin strategizing/saving/praying to acquire these instruments for myself here in Greece!); write more songs; memorize hymns and scripture in Greek; follow up on the ba-jillion connections and friends I have made in Greece so far!; encourage each and every one of my facebook friends personally; … etc, etc.
Yeah, honestly, that’s just half of my to do list! I’m crazy, I know… but here’s what I want to remind both you and myself of…
God’s TO DO List for us:
Look at me, my precious child. Look at me.
Know my love. Follow me. Do what I do. I will teach you.
See me, and hear me, and know my voice,
because my presence is ALL around your daily circumstances.
I will walk with you through each step you take…
And carry you through the hard stuff…
I love you, and don’t you dare forget it!
So what are YOU going TO DO now?
I suggest we pause and look to our loving Father…
Just talk to Him… about all your cares, concerns, joys, thanksgivings…
And especially about all that we are privileged to be a part of as members of this family of God...
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full on His wonderful face,
And the things of earth with grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
The Mission - Renounce Everything
Today I was thinking about how at home I feel here in Greece.
I was thinking about how relatively easy it has been to leave small town Iowa and get settled into this BIG city life in Athens.
I was thinking about how blessed I feel to be in this place, surrounded by such an incredible "BASIC" community (...of Brothers And Sisters In Christ). I was thinking about how relatively easy it was for me to give up much of my comforts, familiarities, and abundance of "things" at home.
I was thinking about all of this...
and then I also started thinking about...
...Luke 14 and the "cost of discipleship" - renouncing everything... Haven't I already done that? Haven't I left family, friends, comforts, etc...? For what, Meg?.. in exchange for new family, friends, and comforts here?
...how Job lost everything... really, everything but God on his side, and intimate conversation with God in heaven.
...how Jesus will return like a thief in the night, at any moment, catching us all off guard, surprising us... will I be ready? Do I WANT him to come? Am I still clinging too closely to life in this world, or will I be more ready and LONGING for leaving it ALL behind to at last be in the full, complete presence and communion with my Savior
...how Abraham was called to sacrifice his precious gift from God, his promised Son... how it made no sense to him, yet he obeyed the call of God. He had faith in God, and sought God's will first, not his own. He was ready to give it all up on the altar for God...
Would I be willing to give up this life and work and new place and relationships that I am coming to absolutely LOVE. No matter how strongly I do feel called here, and at peace here, and at the center of God's will for my life at this moment... would I be able to renounce it all, and give it all up, to run without a single hindrance to my one and only LOVE? Would I be able to follow a call by God to pack up again and GO somewhere else? I'm not so sure I would be quite ready to do that... so it was a great "do you trust me?" check. In my gut I knew that this was exactly true to the Spirit I am praying for... to be so in love with Christ, that he is my one and only sole focus in this journey through life, this endurance race to finish closer to my Savior, this all out sprint to know Jesus more intimately!
So I pray that you would keep filling me up with a desire focused only on you, Lord, and less and less and less on all of the things of this world... no matter how good and great they are, as special gifts from you even. :) Please keep leading me along on this adventure with you... keep me from flying out of my seat on this thrilling roller coaster ride... don't let go of my hand on this precarious journey through the wilderness, across the streams, over the mountains, and down through the valleys... "Lord, I want to follow, anywhere you go... but sometimes you walk faster, and I walk to slow... Oh.. Lord Jesus, lead me where you go, cause I just want you to be, my Savior, Lord, and King..." I love you, Lord.
I was thinking about how relatively easy it has been to leave small town Iowa and get settled into this BIG city life in Athens.
I was thinking about how blessed I feel to be in this place, surrounded by such an incredible "BASIC" community (...of Brothers And Sisters In Christ). I was thinking about how relatively easy it was for me to give up much of my comforts, familiarities, and abundance of "things" at home.
I was thinking about all of this...
and then I also started thinking about...
...Luke 14 and the "cost of discipleship" - renouncing everything... Haven't I already done that? Haven't I left family, friends, comforts, etc...? For what, Meg?.. in exchange for new family, friends, and comforts here?
...how Job lost everything... really, everything but God on his side, and intimate conversation with God in heaven.
...how Jesus will return like a thief in the night, at any moment, catching us all off guard, surprising us... will I be ready? Do I WANT him to come? Am I still clinging too closely to life in this world, or will I be more ready and LONGING for leaving it ALL behind to at last be in the full, complete presence and communion with my Savior
...how Abraham was called to sacrifice his precious gift from God, his promised Son... how it made no sense to him, yet he obeyed the call of God. He had faith in God, and sought God's will first, not his own. He was ready to give it all up on the altar for God...
Would I be willing to give up this life and work and new place and relationships that I am coming to absolutely LOVE. No matter how strongly I do feel called here, and at peace here, and at the center of God's will for my life at this moment... would I be able to renounce it all, and give it all up, to run without a single hindrance to my one and only LOVE? Would I be able to follow a call by God to pack up again and GO somewhere else? I'm not so sure I would be quite ready to do that... so it was a great "do you trust me?" check. In my gut I knew that this was exactly true to the Spirit I am praying for... to be so in love with Christ, that he is my one and only sole focus in this journey through life, this endurance race to finish closer to my Savior, this all out sprint to know Jesus more intimately!
So I pray that you would keep filling me up with a desire focused only on you, Lord, and less and less and less on all of the things of this world... no matter how good and great they are, as special gifts from you even. :) Please keep leading me along on this adventure with you... keep me from flying out of my seat on this thrilling roller coaster ride... don't let go of my hand on this precarious journey through the wilderness, across the streams, over the mountains, and down through the valleys... "Lord, I want to follow, anywhere you go... but sometimes you walk faster, and I walk to slow... Oh.. Lord Jesus, lead me where you go, cause I just want you to be, my Savior, Lord, and King..." I love you, Lord.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
The Mission - GO
Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to the airport and "see off" a Greek missionary couple on their way to Sri Lanka. It was such a blessing to chat with Ritza and Michaelis and reminisce the special send off my church family gave me right before I came to Greece just a short time ago. Ritza and I encouraged one another with a hug and the simple gift of mutual understanding for what this "packing up, leaving home, and saying good-bye" stuff feels like.
This was an extra special moment for all of those gathered at the Athens airport, because it is not exactly common or popular for Greeks to leave for a long-term mission service assignment. Praise the Lord for the supportive parents and church family of Ritza and Michaelis! In fact, my fellow HM staff explained to me that the last family who did this was our founder, Costas Macris, and his wife, Alky. Alky was a part of the group gathered to send off Ritza and Michaelis with prayers and blessings, and needless to say it was an emotional time. Johnathan, Costas and Alky's son and current president of HM, shared the vision with our staff that we will start wearing out the path to the airport because we will travel it so much to send off more and more Greek missionaries to serve God all over the world. This couple had actually met and been encouraged towards mission during their participation in a summer sports camp out at HM's waterfront property, Porto Astro. I pray God will continue to use this blessed location to disciple and mentor the Greek young people towards mission!
And why "mission?" Why GO? Why leave home? Why serve God in a different country? As you might guess, I have asked myself these questions often, and I have had some great discussions about these things with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I mean, on the one hand, we are ALL called to be lifelong "missionaries" no matter what context we are in... far or near from home, no matter what our job title. So why not stay near home and use the gifts God has given me there, because no doubt there is plenty of need there too! Well, to be quite honest, as I cried out to God that he would lead me and give me the courage and strength to follow his good, BEST plans for my life... I had no other option but to leave all of my securities and familiarities behind me, and GO somewhere new. I was praying for less attachment to my possessions and comforts, and more reliance on God alone for my every need. I was praying for God to help me trust him with each and every life decision, big or small. I was praying for clarity in the good, BEST ways to encourage my friends and family members with what God was doing in my life...
And I couldn't have asked for a better assignment than this mission field abroad. There is so much more to share with you on this subject, so I will make it my goal to keep discussing these thoughts in more regular blog posts.
Jesus told us: GO, and make disciples of all nations... baptize and teach them all that I have commanded you. Invite them into this way of life. I will be with you as you do this, day after day after day...until the end of the age.
He also said,
"Come, follow me." And they left behind everything...
He also said,
"Go out two by two, and take nothing for your journey..." And they did this and they lacked nothing.
He also said much, much, more... ;) I'm reading through Luke right now. It is one of my favorite books, and it has been so encouraging to remind myself of the perfect life of obedience to God that Jesus models for us. These couple verses at the end of chapter 4 especially hit me this week:
(I'm reading in three different translations simultaneously right now... but I want to post the Message paraphrase for you...)
"He left the next day for open country. But the crowds went looking and, when they found him, clung to him so he couldn't go on. He told them, 'Don't you realize that there are yet other villages where I have to tell the Message of God's kingdom, that this is the work God sent me to do?'"
This is also the chapter where he talks about a prophet not being welcome in his own town. And... anyway, I just found it interesting that Jesus couldn't just stay and keep his Good News Message in one place, but he was called to GO elsewhere and keep spreading the Word. The people were mobbing him and distracting him and clinging to him - his physical presence - too tightly when he stayed in one place...
What do you think about all this?
I pray God fills you up with strength and courage to listen and follow his call for your life. Where is he telling you to go today? What is he telling you to do? May we NOT get too easily distracted by our own plans and ambitions. It is challenging to keep focused on our one and only goal, Jesus Christ... and running after him with all we've got. :) But oh what glorious reward when we do!!! :D Thank you, Jesus, for your presence so near in my life, as you're helping me be obedient to your call and keep throwing off everything that hinders. Please empower all of my brothers and sisters, from America, Greece, and ALL over this world... to keep their FOCUS on you... and their ears in TUNE to your glorious redemption symphony.
This was an extra special moment for all of those gathered at the Athens airport, because it is not exactly common or popular for Greeks to leave for a long-term mission service assignment. Praise the Lord for the supportive parents and church family of Ritza and Michaelis! In fact, my fellow HM staff explained to me that the last family who did this was our founder, Costas Macris, and his wife, Alky. Alky was a part of the group gathered to send off Ritza and Michaelis with prayers and blessings, and needless to say it was an emotional time. Johnathan, Costas and Alky's son and current president of HM, shared the vision with our staff that we will start wearing out the path to the airport because we will travel it so much to send off more and more Greek missionaries to serve God all over the world. This couple had actually met and been encouraged towards mission during their participation in a summer sports camp out at HM's waterfront property, Porto Astro. I pray God will continue to use this blessed location to disciple and mentor the Greek young people towards mission!
And why "mission?" Why GO? Why leave home? Why serve God in a different country? As you might guess, I have asked myself these questions often, and I have had some great discussions about these things with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I mean, on the one hand, we are ALL called to be lifelong "missionaries" no matter what context we are in... far or near from home, no matter what our job title. So why not stay near home and use the gifts God has given me there, because no doubt there is plenty of need there too! Well, to be quite honest, as I cried out to God that he would lead me and give me the courage and strength to follow his good, BEST plans for my life... I had no other option but to leave all of my securities and familiarities behind me, and GO somewhere new. I was praying for less attachment to my possessions and comforts, and more reliance on God alone for my every need. I was praying for God to help me trust him with each and every life decision, big or small. I was praying for clarity in the good, BEST ways to encourage my friends and family members with what God was doing in my life...
And I couldn't have asked for a better assignment than this mission field abroad. There is so much more to share with you on this subject, so I will make it my goal to keep discussing these thoughts in more regular blog posts.
Jesus told us: GO, and make disciples of all nations... baptize and teach them all that I have commanded you. Invite them into this way of life. I will be with you as you do this, day after day after day...until the end of the age.
He also said,
"Come, follow me." And they left behind everything...
He also said,
"Go out two by two, and take nothing for your journey..." And they did this and they lacked nothing.
He also said much, much, more... ;) I'm reading through Luke right now. It is one of my favorite books, and it has been so encouraging to remind myself of the perfect life of obedience to God that Jesus models for us. These couple verses at the end of chapter 4 especially hit me this week:
(I'm reading in three different translations simultaneously right now... but I want to post the Message paraphrase for you...)
"He left the next day for open country. But the crowds went looking and, when they found him, clung to him so he couldn't go on. He told them, 'Don't you realize that there are yet other villages where I have to tell the Message of God's kingdom, that this is the work God sent me to do?'"
This is also the chapter where he talks about a prophet not being welcome in his own town. And... anyway, I just found it interesting that Jesus couldn't just stay and keep his Good News Message in one place, but he was called to GO elsewhere and keep spreading the Word. The people were mobbing him and distracting him and clinging to him - his physical presence - too tightly when he stayed in one place...
What do you think about all this?
I pray God fills you up with strength and courage to listen and follow his call for your life. Where is he telling you to go today? What is he telling you to do? May we NOT get too easily distracted by our own plans and ambitions. It is challenging to keep focused on our one and only goal, Jesus Christ... and running after him with all we've got. :) But oh what glorious reward when we do!!! :D Thank you, Jesus, for your presence so near in my life, as you're helping me be obedient to your call and keep throwing off everything that hinders. Please empower all of my brothers and sisters, from America, Greece, and ALL over this world... to keep their FOCUS on you... and their ears in TUNE to your glorious redemption symphony.
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