"Being" for God

Today Kate Irwin is our guest blogger.  Kate is currently living in Ethiopia working in the Grace Centre for Children and Families.  Thanks Kate for sharing with us today.

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Nicole asked me to consider writing something for this blog while I was still in Australia.  I have pondered on and off what to say.  Today, I sat in the Grace Centre office in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia and read an email from Nic with the results of Emily’s trip to the cardiologist and I was reminded again how hard it is to be so far away and how often I feel stuck between two worlds.

When I am here in Ethiopia I often think of Australia and wish I could be there, with family, with friends, a part of that world BUT when I am in Australia I think about this world in Ethiopia and long to be here where God has called me to be.  To find oneself never satisfied with where one is a sure way to drain the joy from life.

It reminds me of the story of the Rocketeer...

 I wonder, do you ever find yourself split between two worlds – in one place but looking at another?   Wishing you were in another place.  For me, just like the Rocketeer,  this is something that I struggle with on a sometimes daily basis.  I am learning (sometimes painfully slowly I am sure) to be in the place that God is calling me to be and to focus on the people I am with.  This does not mean that I forget people in Australia nor does it mean I stop communicating with those in Australia but it does mean making a conscious effort to value the people I am with and to BE with the people I am with.

Too often I find myself focusing on anyone and anything and any place other than the one I am in, the people I am with and the things I am doing.  Here, in a culture that is all about relationships and being with the people you are with, I am constantly challenged to be in the place God called me to be – focused on the people I am called to be with and to be thankful that I am here.

For me, this is a lesson that I need to learn over and over and over, but the joy that comes from being where God called me to be, focused on the people God called me to focus on, is a source of joy that knows no bounds. 

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 Written by Kate Irwin

Only By the Grace of God I Go!

A while ago I felt that God had given me the verse, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Nice verse I thought at the time, very true indeed.  But this verse has kept coming back to me and won't leave me alone. Only now am I beginning to see that God wants me to know in experience what I know in my head, that his grace is sufficient for me and his power is made perfect in my weakness.  At the moment I'm being taught what living in the grace of God really requires of me - complete abandonment of my self,and utter trust in Christ's redeeming power and strength. And it is both amazing and scary.

As someone who has lead small groups and bible studies for a number of years, it is part of being the leader to be prepared, organised and guide the group through questions and issues relating to scripture to help them grow closer to God.  But as Child Friendly Bible Study examines the book Respectable Sins :Confronting the Sins we Tolerate (by Jerry Bridges) I feel completely inadequate as the leader and I'm not used to that feeling.  I don't like being out of control.    I am overwhelmed by a great sense of inadequacy as I am confronted by my own sin that God is revealing to me and I ask myself  "how am I supposed to lead these women through this book so they are strengthened and grow closer to God when I haven't got it altogether myself?"  

I am deeply moved by the statement from the tax collector in Luke 18:13 and identify with him,

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

I am a sinner and  I need God's grace.  In fact, I need the gospel each and every day.  God is showing me how I do so many  things in my own strength and act in my own willpower.  I wasn't aware of myself doing this and had thought I had outgrown such tendencies.  How wrong I was.  How arrogant of me to think I had outgrown this sin.  I am humbly reminded that our hope is secured only in Christ  as "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).  And I take hold of the promise in 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."  


The assurance that my sin is forgiven completely encourages me to go to God with my sin without fear and to face up to it.  Through the gracious love of God I am rescued.  Also, it is by God's grace that I have permission to lead Child Friendly Bible Study.  It is a group that is such a blessing to me and I am so privileged to witness God's wonders happening in the hearts of these women.

So as I wrestle with the verse "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" I pray that you will also be challenged to examine your life and ask God to reveal any hidden sin in your heart and seek to live your life in God's grace and not your own strength.

Photos courtesy of www.christianphotos.net

God's Transforming Word

Today I wish to welcome Naomi Bell, a member of Child Friendly Bible Study.  Naomi has been taking the journey to read through the Bible in a year, and today is sharing some insights from her experience of reading through God's Word.  Thanks Naomi!


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Why did you decide to read through the bible in a year?
 Naomi: At the beginning of this year I was feeling a little proud of myself for actually finishing reading through a year long devotional book for the first time. I had started many many books before and never stuck to anything for more than a few weeks/months. So to actually finish this one and only about a week late was an accomplishment for me. So I started thinking 'where to next?' and 'what should I read now?'. I have used 'The Word For Today' as a daily devotional in the past and I noticed they also have a plan for reading the Bible in a year, so I decided since I had never done that before I should challenge myself to keep going with my daily reading and the Bible would be it.
  

What is something you have learnt from this process?

Naomi:  So far I have learnt that whilst I thought I knew all the stories of the Bible, having been brought up in a Christian home and been a Christian for some time now, I really dont know that much of the details at all! When reading through the Old Testament I have discovered how amazing God is and how fascinating the people of the Old Testament are.

Is the experience what you expected?  Why or why not?

Naomi: I guess my only expectation was that I would struggle to read every single day since I had in the past found the bible very hard to read and to understand. So it has been very unexpected to find that I am now feeling like I just want to read more and more and for the first time in my life I have that feeling of not wanting to put a book down. I have always struggled to read books and still don't read novels at all so it is very exciting to feel this way about the Bible of all books! 

Would you recommend others to try reading through the whole bible?  Why or why not?

Naomi: I would definitely recommend others to give it a try and also to take the time to pray about it and ask God to help open your heart and mind to absorb as much as you can. Reading the bible each day has really opened my eyes to how much I have been missing out on all these years and is helping me to grow into a stronger Christian. 

What is God challenging you from this?

Naomi: I think God is challenging me to know more about my faith and why I believe so that I am better equipped to share it with others. Particularly with my children, since my 5 yr old has starting asking a lot of tough questions about God, Jesus and heaven just this year. I don't believe in coincidences and God's timing never ceasing to amaze me! 

What's next for you after this?

Naomi: I guess when I've read through the whole Bible in a year the only thing to do would be to go back and do it all again every year. Maybe if I am needing even more I might have to do some studies to go alongside it as well. Only God knows for sure whats next for me and I sincerely pray that through my daily reading this year I can develop a closer relationship with him and be more aware of his guidance in my life.

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 Many of us have had such great aspirations to read through the entire Bible but for different reasons give up.  I pray that Naomi's response will encourage you to pick up your Bible and discover more about the God you love and reignite the passion you first had for Christ.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him."                           (2 Corinthians 2:14)