guest post: Christy

Erik and I met Christy when she was a student... and then got to know her better when she stayed on staff as the Bible school registrar. Christy was Erik's co-worker, but she was a friend to us all. She's now nannying in California. That's Christy, there in the middle, reading a Bible story to our kids before bed... and her man Bobby beside her. Here's how Christy's depending on the Lord at this stage in her life:

Well, as you know, I'm nannying right now for a family who aren't Christians. Lovely people! They are upright and honest and great employers. Also, the kids are a lot of fun and very dear to me. 

While in this job, it was pretty easy sometimes to think, "Oh, I'm not really doing much right now as far as furthering the Kingdom goes..." which looked true from a quick glance. I don't hang out with many people who aren't Christians, I am not actually involved in my church beyond Sunday attendance, etc.  BUT, God always quickly reminded me that HE placed me here in San Jose with all these people around me! I see people every day who don't know Him, and just because I am not preaching the Gospel verbally doesn't mean it isn't being preached through my life and actions. So I've had to depend on Him to present Himself to people I see in His way - not mine. 

Apparently, being involved in church isn't the only way to build up the body and preach Christ. :) God has given me the opportunity to have a Bible study with my sister, as well as to spiritually encourage Bobby. I am still growing, and I depend on God to grow me through HIS plan - not mine.

Also, working as a nanny has pushed me into deeper dependence on God. I realized very early on that as much as this is a great job for me, I am VERY inadequate. I must depend on Christ for the wisdom I need in working with the children, as well as patience and self-control. And I depend on Him to show Himself to these children the way that He has planned. I have had peace that the work Christ is doing through me with these kids is to be simple groundwork. I want to provide something for them to look back on when they are older that will turn their hearts towards Christ. Of course, I wasn't really sure how to do this in the early months. But God really provided a way.

Tai (the oldest) and I one day got into a conversation about planes and pilots, and somehow got onto the subject of missionaries. When I explained what a missionary was, he thought it sounded boring (he originally thought a missionary was a person who went on war missions).

"It's not boring at all!" I answered. "There were once five men who went to Ecuador..." and I proceeded to tell him the story of Jim Elliot and the missionaries with him who were killed by natives, and whose families went to those same natives and taught them about Jesus and new way of life.

When I finished, Tai asked, "Do you know anymore missionary stories? Can you tell me more?"

Since then, that has been an amazing source of interest to the boys. They frequently ask for new stories, and when I am out of new ones, they request to hear their favorites again. I have been able to present the Gospel many times, and along with modern missionary stories, I often share stories of the early Christians from Acts. The stories really hold the boys' attention, and they have not tired of talking about and hearing them. I told the parents right away about these conversations, out of respect for them (not wanting to overstep my bounds). But they were in favor of me sharing my viewpoint with the kids, so long as I made it clear that these were MY beliefs.

Anyway, how cool is that? I prayed from the beginning that God would soften the hearts of this family and use me as a light, and I walked in dependence on Him to do those things. And He is! It is really exciting to be part of this!

The mother of the family is about to switch to part-time, so I am now looking for a new job (and would be really happy if I could use your family as a reference again!), but I have peace about leaving at this time. I know that God is working in the hearts of the children and parents, and that my time with them is exactly what He planned. Also, I think the children need to see their parents more, so I am happy that the family is taking this step.

guest post: Christine

Today we introduce Christine, a graphic designer for Torchbearers Interanational, sharing how she depends on Christ as her Plan A.

My name is Christine Gerhart, I'm 28 years old and was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. I'm a graphic designer and a Christian (for about five years now). I found my relationship with Christ after going to an evangelical church (grew up Catholic). The head knowledge I grew up with become heart knowledge and my relationship with Christ became intimate and personal. 

Christine!

Ever since I can remember, I've had a goal of living outside Nebraska for at least one year of my life. For some reason, I've had an urge for adventure and didn't want to become a "lifer" (people who were born and raised in Nebraska and had never lived anywhere else). I was sure throughout my high school years that I would go to college out of state. But, as it happens in most cases, logic got in my way. I soon realized the cost of going out of state was unrealistic and soon found myself deciding between a two colleges in my hometown. Looks like I wouldn't reach my goal until after graduating. 

For the record, I did apply for jobs out of state after graduating but none of them seemed to work out. Around that same time, I had become a new Christian and a full-time job at the church I was attending opened up. It was an opportunity too good not to take and was instrumental in my growth as a Christian. I also had the opportunity to go on my first short-term missions trip a year later with that church, which only increased my love for adventure and travel. It was terrifying to take a leap of faith and go to Africa for two and a half weeks, but the way I experienced God was something I wouldn't forget. 

Life has a way of becoming routine and comfortable. After three years at the church, I found myself involved in a couple different ministries and my schedule was packed. My boss at the time encouraged me from time to time, that if I ever wanted to travel between jobs, I should check out a Torchbearers school in New Zealand that he and his wife attended a decade earlier. It seemed like a crazy idea, but being a single 25 year old, the thought seemed to linger as a possibility. I was surprised when I kept feeling nudges from God to look into going and that I should apply. Up to that point, my traveling had been all talk and God was slowly helping me put into action all the things I had said I wanted to do.

Capernwray Bible School, New Zealand

After getting accepted, I moved in with a few friends to save money for the next year. I also had the opportunity to work a second job as an art teacher in the inner-city for a ministry I was a part of, which was another way God provided funds for the next year. It's incredible to look back and see all that God was already teaching me before I had even stepped foot on a plane. He was building my trust in Him and His provision that comes on His timing.

first day in New Zealand

In July 2010, I left for New Zealand. I had never traveled internationally by myself. I arrived a few days early and had never stayed in a hostel by myself or navigated a foreign city by myself. Again, I found myself terrified and again, I felt a closer to Christ than I had ever before. God provided in so many ways. There are times I would pray for specific things that I needed for school and God would put it on someone's heart to give me money for the exact amount I was praying for. He blessed me at that first hostel with great roommates and even a room to myself the last couple nights. He gave me opportunities to share my faith in those first few days and this was all before I even got to the school. 

hiking in NZ

The next of my life was incredible. I learn what it meant to truly trust God when you have no plan B. I was stretched and challenged just as much as I was encouraged and affirmed. I was living the dream I had in my heart for years but only with and through Christ could I have ever made it a reality. It was during that year that God put the question in my heart, "what if this is your new normal?". What He was asking was what if I turned this "year of adventure" into a lifestyle? A life lived in dependence of Him and with Him as my plan A and no plan B. It was a turning point in my life and I can't imagine where I would be had I not trusted Christ and went to New Zealand. 

NZ beauty

I still don't have a plan B. Right now, I'm back in Nebraska preparing to spend a year in India come August. I have no idea what I'll do after that, but I have confidence that God knows and He'll tell me what I need to know, when I need to know it. He has given me other dreams that I can't wait to see fulfilled through His grace and strength. He is faithful, sufficient and so patient in His calling of us to Himself, whatever that looks like. 

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Want to know more? Christine's shared her blog links... feel free to visit!

Current BLOG: 

http://lifeandbunnytrails.wordpress.com/

Portfolio BLOG: 

http://christinegerhart.wordpress.com/

NZ BLOG: 

http://christinenz.blogspot.com/

guest post: Sjoerd

Continuing on with out guest posts this week, we introduce you to our friend Sjoerd from the Netherlands!

Freedom

Hey! My name is Sjoerd. I've known the Snyder family since September 2010, when I came to Ravencrest to study Bible for a year.

Lately I've thought about the great freedom I have in Christ, and therefore I want to write down some of the things I've learned from God. Like with my own blog, I write to arrange my thoughts, while hopefully encouraging others with them. In that, my goal is always to tell about our God, and never just what I do or think.

Let's start with reading from John 8, where Jesus says that He has come to make us free people instead of slaves of sin.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” [John 8:31-36]

In Luke 4, Jesus also says that the following prophecy, foretold by Isaiah, is true about Him.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

Because the Lord has anointed me

To bring good news to the afflicted;

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to captives

And freedom to prisoners. [Isaiah 61:1]

That is again about freedom from slavery and imprisonment to sin. This is the start of freedom, knowing that in Christ you are free from condemnation, that the full price for your freedom has been paid by Him!

From there, as you understand that you can do nothing apart from Christ, you will find that this freedom is also freedom from the power of sin, because Christ lives in you.

Man, what a gift! And that's not even all of it. The freedom I've been experiencing more and more is the freedom we have to actually do whatever we want. Paul writes about this in his letter to the Galatians, in the fifth chapter, right before he writes about the well-known fruit of the Spirit.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery... For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [Galatians 5:1, 13]

The Galatians had freedom, but later they were enslaved again by the law. People told them that they had to do this and that in order to be a good Christian, or in order to be loved by God, or whatever.. The problem with laws is that we cannot keep them, and there you have the reason that Christ freed us from them. No, we don't have to do anything to earn God's love for us, He loves us. And in Christ we are free from the law and free to do whatever we want. Paul says: “Now don't use your freedom to fulfill your own plans and desires and to do everything in your own strength, because you'll find out soon enough that that is the way straight back to the captivity you are freed from. Instead walk by the Spirit and rely on Him to grow in you His fruit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Right?, that is not a restriction, that is the most loving counsel God could give you along with this freedom.

I find more and more how great the treasure of this freedom is. I'm free to study hard, but also to relax for a weekend. I'm free to write a blog to share with you how awesome our God is, but I'm also free not to do it. And I could come up with many more examples. It is when people tell me that I 'must' do something, that I actually don't feel like doing it, because that's not freedom.

I believe that I am free to make my plans and dreams known to God, and that He will bless me as I take steps toward them. Of course He can have a much greater plan for me, something I much rather want. Then He will redirect my path. But that's great, because in my freedom I want God to guide me in His way. That is what Peter calls us to do, to use our freedom as servants of God! Not because we are His slaves or because He forces us to. No, He freed us from slavery and gave us the choice to become His bondslaves, servants by choice.

“Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.” [1 Peter 2:16]

Below I've added a picture to show what this freedom feels like for me. Please feel free to comment or visit my blog, which is: http://sjoerdvonk.blogspot.com

guest post: Anne

This week watch for guest posts - people from a cross-section of life, sharing what it means to depend on Jesus!


Up today is the lovely lady I get to hang out with all week: Erik's mom, Anne. Erik's parents live on one of the breathtaking Gulf Islands off the west coast of Canada, accessible by boat, ferry, or float plane. I'm happy to "share" her with you through her story today. Enjoy!

God’s Surprise

It was a beautiful summer day on the island. One of those days when the warmth of God’s sun seems to touch your heart. We were in the middle of  “changeover” day.  People come to stay in our home each week to enjoy a time away on the island with our Lord and I was busily getting ready. Beds were changed and looked inviting, the bathrooms were clean, and now the porch and walkway needed a sweep. Looking out on the water, the ferry was about 10 minutes from docking……would there already be guests for our home on it?

Moving quickly with broom in hand, I saw the spiders had taken over again. How quickly they worked creating their webs and placing their anchor strands across peoples’ paths. My heart turned away from the beauty of God’s day.  Suddenly a “battle feeling” surfaced as I finished the porch work, and now on the walkway sweeping quickly, wondering how many seconds were left before the ferry docked. 

Next, the dry earth, crusted from many hot sunny days and no watering, caught my eye. Leaves on the smaller bushes looked wilted and hanging as if needing a drink. I quickly grabbed the hose to rescue them in their plight. The battle continued to be overbearing as I now had another mission to accomplish.  Glancing ahead I spotted a cobweb, gently bobbing in the space across the pathway. A few fine threads anchored it to the bushes along each side. Anger now took over and taking the hose I sprayed the water in full force directly at the cobweb, certain that it would disappear.  Instead, still hovering on its anchor strands, it became filled with droplets of water. The sun being at the right angle shone through the droplets, making the web a brilliant jewel. Tears trickled down my cheeks as my ugly heart surfaced.  God had rescued me again, and in such a beautiful way. 

  

Often my greatest learning in knowing and understanding His ways has been one of resting and trusting in Him for His sake, not the accomplishments of the everyday and doing all the good and right things.