the beginning of a lesson I am still learning– investing in relationships…

I just found this email I sent a friend during our training before Daraja. I still remember these feelings and I am still learning so much from this season..

Wow! To say I’m in complete awe of Gods favor would be an understatement! It’s 1:15AM and I just want to say thanks and I want to hug Violet! I can not believe how amazing these interns are and the LOVE they have for Kenya/Daraja is like shizzamness mixed with caffeine and Reese’s! Amazing! We shared testimonies/stories today and my heart was broken for things these new friends of mine have experienced, the loss of parents and siblings. I’m just like wow, God! I thought I’ve experienced pain, but it became less important during that time. I just wanted to share goodness! I shared about me applying and not telling to many people because I was afraid people would be upset with my decision. I than of course shared how I felt the day I was accepted:) that i opened my email and just yelled in happiness. woot woot! God makes me Smile:) Today consisted of spending time with new friends & just loving each other! Hugs, high fives, and hand shaking all day long! Hanging at the 410 bridge didn’t seem real. There were so many people with huge smiles! Friendly faces that followed a job description that sounded to good to be true! Walls full of photos of trips to Africa and communities. Walls filled with post it notes and dreams/visions to pour love into places! It made my heart soooo happy! 410 Bridge is going to change the world.. One Relationship at a time! I think this is a gift from God to me… A distinct appointment to spend time with people, no strings attached. To just be in the moment and to love… The 410 Bridge being so relationship focused is what grabbed my Heart! 1. They want to Help work alongside Kenyans 2. They understand that God’s heart is taking care of the orphans. So! Please keep praying for Violet, I really really want her to be on tour! That beautiful Child wants to be a pastor and I know she has HUGE things in store! She will be a leader! Keep praying for the team, relationships, and the upcoming tours! That the children are vibrant shining lights of God’s love:) Asante Sana Ok, goodnight! Kimberly Musch

Being His hands and feet

My heart is all over the place lately! I have been praying in a new way and it has been peaceful and scary. I have been asking God to help me to give in a way that was not “comfortable”. To show me new things that I am missing to get involved in.  Praying that I would not be so blind or to quick to miss a moment to share His love with anyone. I feel like in some ways I have been missing out on doing what is so obvious.  I am always looking forward to what is next, but I continually hear God telling me to “be present”.

I know that there are homeless in Atlanta, that is a need that is easy to see. People need to be loved, they need people to invest in them, to spend time with them, just to be with them.  But what I do not know is what McDonough needs right here, right now. This is where I am right now. So please join in me as I begin to seek what God is placing on my heart on how to meet a need in McDonough, that I may be overlooking or ignoring to often.  It seems like every year around this time I search for a “project” for us to do, but I always just want to head to Atlanta and hang out with my friends in the city, to let everyone see what poverty in Atlanta looks like.  Last year we served in McDonough, and this year we will do that again.  More than that though, I myself want to find what this community needs.

It can become to easy to just give money for someone else to do it or give a donation to an organization, I am feeling like this is not enough right now.  (This is important and I love that so many people can/do this.)

Reading in Matthew 25 challenges me every time. 

35‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

      41“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44“Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45“Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46“These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

A few weeks ago in our Tuesday night Bible study we were talking about some pretty challenging things and how we can put things that we talk about into practice. I love Tuesday night’s SO much for THAT reason! The people in this group talk together, pray together, complain together, and challenge me A LOT. I have spent a few weeks journaling about this and I can not shake it anymore, I need to do something, and I need to have people praying for me too.

Please pray that I will not get discouraged in doing research that may take time, that I will seek God for his direction, and that I will continually have my eyes opened to see things that God sees and to love people, more and more.  That I can help bring love to this town, in whatever way that may be.  That I will believe in the truth that God can use me when I am willing.  May we all remember we are His hands and feet..

NAKUPENDA baby…

Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.
Mother Teresa

 

Chosen by God

I seriously just feel like a jerk lately.  Like inside my heart was not the way it was, I honestly did not know how to handle “negativeness” after so many months.I’ve continued to realize that I’m getting angry, over and over again.

I feel like I’m in the wrong place.
I don’t feel like I belong here. This is good, I do not want to become comfortable, and I do not want to fit in, I do not want to become complacent.  You ever like you have everything you’ve ever wanted, but you just are overlooking it. God has placed me here, now, for a purpose. I’m thankful for that truth.

I miss my Daraja family so much, every day, every single day.
I miss the hugs, the love, the compassion, the constant visual of God’s Kingdom.
I am thankful for every moment that was shared with that family, even the challenging ones.
The devotions that the kids would lead that led me to ask hard questions and to pray hard things.
The prayers they prayed for restoration in my life, things I’ve ignored for years.
God can use anyone. God has chosen that season for my life, I still can not believe that He chose me.

God uses young children to show his love and his grace.
His grace is enough. He is enough, always enough.
I’m continually in a new place, a place of weakness, where I can’t do it anymore.  I’m desiring and relying on His strength more and more as I realize, that’s enough.

I don’t want to doubt God, I can not doubt a God who has never failed me. I can not ignore the things that he has opened my eyes to see, the hurting around me and in other places, that he is calling me to bring justice too.  I will not ignore the things my heart longs for, I cant…  I have been journaling and soaking in Isaiah 41 for weeks, and I think of the younger generation and some people that I get to share life with and it hit me that God is speaking to me too, duh!

Isaiah 41

^8-10“But you, Israel, are my servant.
You’re Jacob, my first choice,
descendants of my good friend Abraham.
I pulled you in from all over the world,
called you in from every dark corner of the earth,
Telling you, ‘You’re my servant, serving on my side.
I’ve picked you. I haven’t dropped you.’
Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.

You are chosen by God. That is an honor.  I am chosen by God, even when I feel so undeserving, that is the truth.  May we all intentionally live where we are at and live compassionately each day, as a child chosen by God to bring hope, love, grace, and justice wherever we may be..

- NAKUPENDA SANA!

Daraja life- living in community

First of all, it’s been way to long since I have updated my blog!  This season of #darajalove has been an unexplainable amazing time.  Every day God is continuing to teach me that this life is not about me at all, teaching me new things I need to work on, and reminding me of how much he loves me for the child I am, and that is His.  We are currently in North Carolina sitting by a campfire and watching Blindside.  One of my favorite Daraja moments happened today- Weddington church purchased new Bibles for the Daraja children! They each were called up and given a new Bible by the youth of the church. Kevin actually danced his way up to receive his Bible, it was such a joy filled evening that was beautiful.  These children love the Word and for them to have their own Bibles is going to be life changing and even Kenya changing. I remember Abbu saying “we want to train these kids to administer justice in Kenya!” This has been repeating in my head the past few days as I realize that the leadership academy trip is coming up.  God has not only given me the desire to be a part of something bigger than I can imagine, but he has allowed me to share this vision with so many others! I absolutely love meeting people at the concerts who have questions about Daraja, BrightPoint, 410 Bridge, and/or the Leadership Academy.  It reminds me to be continually thankful to be a part of something so much bigger than me, but something so big it is impacting the Kingdom.

To all our past host families, friends, and churches– thank you so much for everything. Living in community in Daraja culture continues to blow my mind by lessons learned and sharing life with such a beautiful family but each host home has been amazing.  Never expected that we would be being poured into by everyone that we have meet, but that is exactly what Daraja is- more than I ever expected or prayed for.

A few highlights

- Worshipping in a high school today surrounded by new friends and family who are connected with a community in Kenya  -several of my host homes have adopted children and really believe in taking care of the father/mother less –  In SC Daraja got to lead worship at Guthrie Grove where my family and now fiance was able to finally meet.  - Prayer note “more kids will have forever families”

Nakupenda sana

Loving, learning, and processing…

Hey everyone!  Words on paper will not do the past few weeks justice, but I will attempt to share some of the highlights and what I am learning.  First of all, imagine this; learning so much about love.  Not the cheap word that I have let it become to describe a nice Mustang or a yummy meal at Moe’s but love in everything.  Yes loving God, but really loving God and everything that entails. His people, strangers, these children, myself, the world, etc…  Loving Him and others is forgetting myself..

I find myself finding peace in this comment-“O Jesus, my Love, finally I have found my vocation: my vocation is Love! (St. Thomas Aquinas,) I really do like getting to know people, their stories, and building relationships with people.  Daraja is the perfect place for that, and being intentional about spending time with people, again perfect.  These children are a picture of the Kingdom, seriously.  The feeling you get when you are lead into worship with such beautiful love for God is a bit overwhelming, I find myself letting God get a part of my heart that he totally deserves, but I have built huge walls around it for years and he is beginning to break that down a little at a time.  It is about time!  I have tried on my own to allow myself to get to that place, but my strength is not enough.  These children, interns, and the wisdom from our Kenyan adults is unreal!  During devotions, prayer time, and even free time when these children rather read the Bible or do extra homework I find myself just soaking it in and wanting to continually thank God.  It is a season of learning about the small things again, and I am really excited about it and thankful for it.

Some of the prayers I’ve kept note of in my journal: “Thank you God for another day, for there are others who wanted to see this day and didn’t.  Please bless our host homes and their sacrifices they made by hosting us.  Please be with the churches we are going too and that they will worship you with us.”  Thank you for bringing us to the US and letting us be loved.”  I absolutely love praying with these kids and just listening to their hearts and seeing the love they have for their Father.

We have been to several amazing places and meet some wonderful people!  I love that on this journey we get to meet people who have the same vision, love, and passions we do, thats another unexpected blessing!  My current host family in Maryland, well God couldn’t have placed me with two better people for the place I am at in life and for the 3 girls I have! Last night we enjoyed dancing in a living room that doesn’t have furniture (which looks great!), spilt water twice, knocked over a lamp, made pretzels, and laughed the entire time.  The girls spilt water and immediately jumped up to clean it and said “sorry, sorry”, our host parents just laughed and said its totally okay.  It was precious, funny, and another reminder of how loving God is towards us when we go to Him.  And seriously this couple really really has a heart for the same things I feel passionate about- and I am totally pumped about that!  Well it’s about time to head to the church.

I know that I have barely begun to process this and it will take a long time, but just a little update for you all! Thanks for all your prayers and sharing this journey with us!  I will have to write some more later, if you can come see Daraja!

Please be praying for the upcoming vision for the leadership academy trip that will be happening this December, so excited!

Nakupenda sana marafiki

intentionally living.. (here AND now)

Hey! It’s been a long time since I have been able to update this- but this has been something on my heart.  Intentionally living!  Impacting our communities here & Why do I miss it?  Why do we miss it?  I have seriously fallen in love with the joy I was able to see in Kenya!  In love with the faces, the heart, the complete joy and faithfulness that was shown through their worship!  And not only that a huge group of my friend have found that same love, like seriously- how awesome is that! Completely honored to witness so many people who are caring enough to love people they have never meet!

I have been waiting, waiting, waiting for this Daraja tour to start and the past few months have been like a huge reminder of a love I used to have and earnestly seek, but that I let slip away a little at a time.  I let life get in the way of living.  To do list’s, events, trips, people pleasing, trying to fix my “family issues”, building walls between people, holding on to the past, and looking to the future, that I have missed SO MUCH and I hate that.  My heart breaks when I think of opportunities I didn’t take, people I walked away from, relationships I have let fall apart, or worse that that, relationships that I broke and didn’t invest in the way I should have.

Why do I make things so complicated?  I know I am guilty of this as I write this too but I have been incorporating these thoughts in my own life over the past two years.  The famous mission type verses that are so powerful and quoted often are “love your neighbor as yourself” or “whatever you did to the least of these, you did unto me..”  Jesus is talking here folks, this is a big deal!  We do not need to replace ourselves into a new location to serve, we can serve where we are at.  (Not opposed to GOING, obviously but I am just realizing that we are not all called to the same thing at the same time) It’s about a lifestyle of missional living and purposefully seeking out ways to love other.  We have the opportunities to impact people’s lives around us.

YOU have the potential to make the biggest impact on the world around YOU.

Love and serve your neighbor.

We are surrounded by statistics of the injustice in the world.  AIDS, malaria, poverty, lack of water, human trafficking, and homelessness are just a few.  How can the younger generation eliminate these injustice issues. How can one person change the world, or impact someone else’s life?  The love of Jesus, His grace, His love…

What did Jesus do? He spent time with people. He talked to people. Jesus invested in relationships wherever the people were.  Jesus was intentional about being where he was when he was there..

I know so so many of you have been praying for me/Daraja/the children/interns/ the churches and other aspects I haven’t even thought of but please join me as my own prayer for myself is that I will become intentional about loving others and seeing people how Jesus does- whatever that may look like.  My desire to people please has seriously left me feeling burned out at times, and I know that I am not anyone’s Savior, but I have continually tried to fix everyone else’s life and it’s completely insane for me to attempt!

I’ve got a lot to learn…   so glad God doesn’t give up on me, ever..

Here & Now!

It is so easy for me to get caught up in what is next, that I over look the NOW!  Funny thing is that just a few weeks ago I was excited about this “NOW”!  As we were preparing for this youth weekend, we wanted to things to happen. 1. The GA/SC youth groups to spend time with each other to strengthen their relationships and 2. give them the opportunity to serve together and remind us all that we have different gifts, talents, and ways that we can serve.  I’m so thankful for this group and the the leaders, my church family, and the conference churches!  “You are the church of TODAY”- Bob Alcumbrack  May we all continually remember this and live like this!  That basically sums it all up!

Martin Luther King, Jr. understood what it meant to live in the midst of great Kingdom polarities and tensions. This warning from one of his sermons entitled “A Knock at Midnight” still rings true today:

 One of the great liabilities of life is that all too many people find themselves living amid a great period of social change, and yet they fail to develop the new attitudes, the new mental responses, that the new situation desires. They end up sleeping through a revolution.

Let’s not miss the revolution. Let’s not miss out on all that serving and missions have to offer our ministries and our world. Let’s not miss out on the fullness of the Kingdom.

 As the Old Testament prophecies indicated, a major part of Jesus’ ministry here on earth would be to the poor. Jesus, when teaching, quoted the prophecy concerning himself and his ministry clearly, recorded in Luke.
Luke 4:18 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,
         BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.
         HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,
         AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,
         TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED

“Luke 7:22 And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM.

Jesus Christ was a poor person in the material sense that the world sees things. Going further beyond that point Jesus was a homeless person. He gave up his home and all he had to do his ministry here on earth and for a specific reason.
“Luke 9:57-62 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”

 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Debriefing discussions

What did we learn from spending time at Safehouse?

What could/should we do differently next time?

Where did you see Jesus today?

Take some time to pray for Atlanta and the kids/parents we met today. 

Read the following Proverbs and summarize the thought of each among your group:

Proverbs 14:20 Proverbs 14:31 Proverbs 17:5 Proverbs 19:17 Proverbs 22:2 Proverbs 29:7

God will deliver you in time of trouble, if you have helped the poor.
Psalm 41:1 How blessed is he who considers the helpless;
         The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.

God will repay you what you give to the poor.
Proverbs 19:17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD,
         And He will repay him for his good deed.

If you give to the poor you will lack nothing – don’t give and have many a curse.
“Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will never want,
         But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

A righteous person does what is expected for the poor
“Proverbs 29:7 The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor,
         The wicked does not understand such concern.

Judge righteously and plead the cause of the needy.
“Proverbs 31:8-9 (MSG) Speak up for the people who have no voice,
   for the rights of all the down-and-outers.
Speak out for justice!
   Stand up for the poor and destitute!”