Hiya...

I am going to miss Arusha Vineyard, the church I have been calling home for the last few months. I have found community there and a sense of peace and a physically verbal filling of my soul that sometimes can feel so empty. 

Some of the bigger reasons why I love this church is ...

• the non denominational / mix of cultures kind of worship
• the amount of knowledge that has been brought in by people from all around the world
• the fact that about every 2 Sundays we have a guest speaker (who have all been wonderful)
• the songs that remind me that Jesus is ALIVE & I have to wait for His good timing & I can sing praise to Him all the time
• And I appreciate the fact that Vineyard doesn't pretend like everyone is perfect. We talk about our problems and the problems we face as a community living in a 3rd world country. It feels as though everyone has the common ground of the daily struggles we face in Tanzania.

Over the last year I have been learning about the peace and fulfillment that I can receive from the Lord to fill me up when I am empty. I find it through having my different conversations with God throughout the day, reading and being filled by the Word, and singing praises to His Holy Name.

These last few months have really tested my inner most being to see if I truly do take God's comfort, strength, and trials to heart. I believe it is an ongoing process, which I am learning that like many things, won't be over till I die. 

I feel like everything I have been reading this week has kind of combined into what we learned at church this morning. 

1Cor 15:58 Stand firm, let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in Christ is not dead.

 2 Cor 1:8-9 Paul speaking about the time in Asia: We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  

•  I thought this was humorous, Paul was in your face (the message) "we were forced to trust god totally-- not a bad idea since he is the God who raises the dead! .... and he will do it again!"

Luke 1:37 -- Nothing, [NOTHING] is impossible for God.  

Ephesians 4:1 Paul is a prisoner of Christ because He lives to spread his love and bring honor and glory to God's name. Like wise we too are prisoners, and we all know that being a prisoner isn't a walk in the park... well it's becoming that now but you know what I mean :)

The pastor this morning was a pastor/missionary from New Zealand who is on fire from the Lord. He spoke the truth and spoke about the hard stuff that no one wants to hear. He spoke about suffering, not focusing on how everything is no big deal because I love Jesus-- but about the fact that because of Jesus, I am guaranteed to suffer.

He reminded us that we need to wait

Psalm 27:13-14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. WAIT for the Lord; be strong and take heart and WAIT for the Lord!

and that we will have hardships, so so many of them

Psalm 66:10-12 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison. (pushed us to our very limit --the message)You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. 

So why this hardship? Because suffering "turns the reins to Jesus." When we are suffering that is when God really has our attention, we all know this, we've all heard this, but it's true isn't it. That is when we are most vulnerable, when we listen the most, when we seek the hardest, and when we wait for the Lord.

My food that sustains me every day is a two part meal. It begins by being spiritually nourished by spending my time with Jesus and then is acted out by doing the will of my Father. This often times, I know almost daily for me, get's pushed to the back sometimes because my selfishness and own desires get in the way first. But selfishness is a "sickness of the soul"therefore I have to truly pay attention to who leads my life.
[the "quotes" come from the pastor's words this morning]

And I so loved that this morning he pointed out the truth that I stated in last week's blog about the song from CBC.... without Jesus we are nothing but rotten old sinners.

Can I get an AMEN to that?

Oh the thankfulness I have to the grace that has been bestowed to me of which I am completely undeserving, but immensely grateful.

On that note, I know that I have been through what I would consider my Psalms 66. I also know that it is not over and more will come. I have decided to take an internship in Dallas this summer after I get home. I will be moving up there about 4 days after I get home (I can use some prayer for adjustment in all areas including time, heart, and body). I am very excited because I will be working in a company involved with something I am very passionate about. I will be working for a Christian pro-liberty social networking company called Liberty Linked. In doing that, I am looking for a place to live for 2 months (mid June till Aug 12) or shorter during that time in which I'd be happy to help cover rent. (Sorry insert a little personal ad for myself!)

I have 4 finals this week and then will have completed the study abroad program. I will be in Tanzania until the 28th when I fly to Mombasa to hang out (serve and work) with my friends (both local Kenyans and the Moore's).

Blessings to you all and thank you for taking the time to catch up.

Oh, I almost forgot... the title today "Hiya..." is a word Swahili speakers use when they understand or show they are  listening. The "ya" part is the accented part... I have come to say it when I don't have anything else to say or when I am trying to translate my thoughts into Swahili words!