Since moving to India I have joined a womens Bible study called BSF (or Bible Study Fellowship). They have this Bible study all over the world including the US too. I know they even have one in Sioux Falls. If any of you have ever attended BSF for any amount of time you know that a lot of time each week is spent doing your "homework". They give you notes and scriptures to study each week. Then you get together with a small group to discuss your answers (where you will be held accountable to your "homework"). Then you have a lecture from one of the leaders also going through the same material. This year BSF is studying the book of Matthew. It has been extremely challenging yet so rewarding. I have also had the pleasure of meeting a few friends through our meetings.
Today I was praying and going through my notes and God prompted me to share a few things from the notes with you that apply to this transition that we are going through here in India. These quotes are based out of Matthew 16: 24--Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." So what does this verse mean for us today? The notes say "For Jesus' people today it is to regard your desires, thoughts, feelings plans, rights---your entire former way of life and thinking---as dead. In its place, you choose God's thoughts, God's will, God's emotions, God's power, God's purposes to be at the very center of your life."
That is my truly is my prayer today!. I feel like in moving here I have left a lot of comforts from home behind. I have quit my job, sold my house and car, and moved across the world; simply to follow the will of God. At times as I sit here now I wonder, why in the world did we do this? God what is your purpose in having me here? God is slowly, slowly revealing his purpose to me, but at times it is still very unclear. Then I read this verse in Matthew 16 and I understand how I need to be praying. This is not about ME! It is about taking up my cross and following him. So God I pray that you will help me to choose your thoughts, your will, your power, and your purposes. Make them the center of my life today!! I hope that you also will make this your prayer today along with me!
A few weeks ago I mentioned a few prayer requests. God has been faithful in answering them. We have found a church to attend on Sundays, we are slowly building a community of friends, I have found a Dr. and a hospital to have the baby, and the chiropractic clinic continues to get busier and busier each week. The one thing that has yet to be answered is our prayer request for a car. This is where I humbly need to call on the Church with a capital "C" (that means all of you that believe in Jesus Christ). We simply do not have the money to buy a car here in India. One of our cars back in the US did not sell like we had hoped. Our money we had saved up is dwindling as we are living on about $400/month budget. I am asking you all to prayerfully consider donating your money to our car fund. The car would help Kris get to and from work more easily and help us go on our daily errands (like getting groceries for example). We currently rely on other friends to get us to these places. Molly and I get somewhat confined here in the apartment...but we are starting to get used to it. We do a lot of walking too. My prayer is that we would have enough money raised before the baby comes, so we can get to the hospital in time without having to call for a ride. I did not want to ask others for this, but God told me to put away my pride and make our need known. If you belong to a church or are a leader within your church, please present this request to your church. Or if you as an individual or family desire to give, please prayerfully consider. If you would like to give to our cause please email me (beckydejong@hotmail.com) or message me on facebook and I will let you know how do so.
Thank you for all of your support and prayers so far. We have been here almost 7 weeks and God is totally changing our lives and our hearts. Praise God!!
Today I was praying and going through my notes and God prompted me to share a few things from the notes with you that apply to this transition that we are going through here in India. These quotes are based out of Matthew 16: 24--Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." So what does this verse mean for us today? The notes say "For Jesus' people today it is to regard your desires, thoughts, feelings plans, rights---your entire former way of life and thinking---as dead. In its place, you choose God's thoughts, God's will, God's emotions, God's power, God's purposes to be at the very center of your life."
That is my truly is my prayer today!. I feel like in moving here I have left a lot of comforts from home behind. I have quit my job, sold my house and car, and moved across the world; simply to follow the will of God. At times as I sit here now I wonder, why in the world did we do this? God what is your purpose in having me here? God is slowly, slowly revealing his purpose to me, but at times it is still very unclear. Then I read this verse in Matthew 16 and I understand how I need to be praying. This is not about ME! It is about taking up my cross and following him. So God I pray that you will help me to choose your thoughts, your will, your power, and your purposes. Make them the center of my life today!! I hope that you also will make this your prayer today along with me!
A few weeks ago I mentioned a few prayer requests. God has been faithful in answering them. We have found a church to attend on Sundays, we are slowly building a community of friends, I have found a Dr. and a hospital to have the baby, and the chiropractic clinic continues to get busier and busier each week. The one thing that has yet to be answered is our prayer request for a car. This is where I humbly need to call on the Church with a capital "C" (that means all of you that believe in Jesus Christ). We simply do not have the money to buy a car here in India. One of our cars back in the US did not sell like we had hoped. Our money we had saved up is dwindling as we are living on about $400/month budget. I am asking you all to prayerfully consider donating your money to our car fund. The car would help Kris get to and from work more easily and help us go on our daily errands (like getting groceries for example). We currently rely on other friends to get us to these places. Molly and I get somewhat confined here in the apartment...but we are starting to get used to it. We do a lot of walking too. My prayer is that we would have enough money raised before the baby comes, so we can get to the hospital in time without having to call for a ride. I did not want to ask others for this, but God told me to put away my pride and make our need known. If you belong to a church or are a leader within your church, please present this request to your church. Or if you as an individual or family desire to give, please prayerfully consider. If you would like to give to our cause please email me (beckydejong@hotmail.com) or message me on facebook and I will let you know how do so.
Thank you for all of your support and prayers so far. We have been here almost 7 weeks and God is totally changing our lives and our hearts. Praise God!!
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