Kristen's Korner

A Sweet Aroma

2012-01-30T22:45:00.000-08:00

I had just walked out of the bathroom, in an attempt to escape the foul smell, where some hidden varmint had died. It was one of those smells that enters the nostrils and seems to go straight to the back of the throat to hit the invisible “gag reflex” button instead of proceeding to the olfactory “station” where normal tolerable smells go. As soon as I smelled it, I proceeded, with hand firmly over mouth, to peak into the water cistern that holds the water we need for everyday use. It was there that I was pretty certain I saw the dead remains of a floating bit of unidentifiable gray fluff which seemed to be the culprit. So straight out the door I went in a hurried attempt to breathe and sustain life.

I made it to the kitchen. I thrust through the last few strides of my sprint for the back door. There I hoped to drink deeply of fresh air. It was not to be had. The strong January winds in Kampot are one of the blessings of life here. Cool breezes try to convince you that living here really is something that physically can be done without year long torture from the ever looming “environment.” But the breeze proved a curse upon my arriving at the door hoping for that needed breath.

The stench of freshly stirred up pig dung and urine stung my nose as I sucked in with all the force of need that was screaming in my lungs. Having bent over to steady for the breath that I was focused on, I found myself bolting up and headed out of the kitchen as fast as I had entered. This time I ran to our half bath in search of toilet paper that I reasoned would serve me as I began to blow out the sickening odor that was stinging and burning. I quickly replaced the first bit of paper with a wad of a second portion which I hoped would serve, this time, to reduce what was coming in, instead of serving as catcher of, what I thought must be visible, green stench fumes steaming out.

Strangely enough, in the midst of all the drama, a thought came to me. It was sobering. The thought was not, “Agh! Could I be any more grossed out and frustrated?” It wasn’t, “Why Lord are the challenges of daily life here ever looming?” It wasn’t even that I wish my neighbor would not always clean her pig sty and burn her trash every time the wind seems to be gusting in the general direction of my windows. But my thought went immediately to my life and the state of our lives as believers… huh.

I should have listened to my husband who was constantly reminding me that when it comes to rats and other varmints that I have to wage war, break out the D-con, or whatever it takes to stay on top of the little problems that can become bigger. Sometimes I like to think that I don’t want to be inhumane. But, the Lord wanted me to hear that; “taking care" of the "little foxes" must be done. Some things I can’t control, like the odor blowing over from the pigs next door. But my water, I need. It is life in my house and without it being clean, other diseases and problems will arise. Oh, that I would hear sound wisdom. That I would never be found trying to be “considerate” while a “little fox” is being used of the enemy to "spoil" the life that He has blessed me with, provided, and expects for me to share with others.

May we all be found being extremely conscientious about guarding those things that the Lord has entrusted to our care: our family, ministries, our “homes” from wrong attitudes, wrong perceptions, wrong actions, unchecked pride, selfishness… “little foxes”. We don’t want to find that the life giving streams of fresh water in our spiritual lives have been sabotaged; living waters meant to refresh and bless us and those to whom the Lord sends us. We must wage war on the "little foxes" never allowing things that seem insignificant, to spoil the sweet aroma of undefiled lives that are sparkling and transparent. We must be serious in taking opportunity to no longer deceive ourselves but choose to live humble, repentant, conscientious, transparent, faith filled lives meant to please our God through Jesus! So let’s not allow things to stay hidden till they are dead and stinky. Let us instead purify our “vessels” and homes that we may be considered a sweet smelling aroma to the Lord.

Thoughts of Thanksgiving

2011-12-08T01:15:00.001-08:00

Leaves falling signal approaching death. Yet I never feelmore alive.

All is still, calm…beautiful. My heart awakens and ismoving, dancing… it’s enraptured. It is Autumn.
Morning by morning, coolness presses in, as warm hues oflate summer have passed. All that is, calls us torecognize the season. The season beckonsus to harvest, to prepare, to gather in and close the door. The fire will be the gathering place; allare welcomed to its warmth. We will huddle close and remember, taking count ofthe provision, the plenty. We will bow our heads, remembering from Whom these blessingshave come. We will remember and bethankful.

So, today, as I remember, I let reminiscent tears flow, and,though far from those scenes, those experiences...humbly, I choose to beThankful.

Why the tears? Poetically I look at my experience, myjourney, through the scope of time… in blocks, like seasons. On my journey summer is over. The tedious,somewhat arduous task of harvesting has beenupon us. And yet, I look out mywindow, and no where do I see the beautyin the earth that proclaims the season of harvest and storing … not this timeof year here, not like I remember. My heart wants to ache for yesteryear, forthe familiar traditions that are nostalgic and dear. I resist the temptation topitifully long for that which we can’t grasp yearly, seasonly, gatheringtogether as family and friends to enjoy the nostalgic traditions we have incommon there; because, truth is we are here in Cambodia, many miles away. However, at such times, we do steal a moment toremember those there. We must enjoy that memory thankfully, and rest our heartsin trust that…We are none the poorer in our absence.

Yes, I trust, and step back in faith, in hopes of seeing withmy spirit’s eye the portion that is our lot here. I step back and ask the Lord to faithfullygive a glimpse in this season of His horn of plenty… full of spiritual fruitand abundance. In this country, so far from our familiar customs and familytraditions, I long to see it, again,just a glimpse, this Holiday season. Asmy heart wants to ache and long for the “times” we once knew there, sights andsmells, and sounds, I know that it is just a parallel of what I’m asking for, believing to see, sense,experience here, in His time. I’m trusting that all the beauty, warmth, and blessings that accompaniesGod-fearing traditions that our families have walked in there, would be a realistic hope, the futureresult of what has been planted here. I trust that we'll see "all things made beautiful in His time" (Ecc. 3:11). Again, in the spirit, I await Hisrevealing of the Harvest that is taking place… the abundance of His blessingmade manifest in this place.

So, it is Autumn, it is “Thanksgiving”, the most wonderfulsymbolic time to remember His many benefits and I choose to look at Him aloneduring this season. He alone is the One to Whom we are thankful for all seasonsof this journey of life. Though we miss the “season” and all the benefitsthere, we are thankful for harvest and dear saints here. Today, I bring toremembrance all the many blessings of yesteryear as well as my “todays”, and Iam thankful. I journey on… and thankfulI will choose to remain.

A Moment in Time

2011-09-21T02:01:00.000-07:00

I was blessed, last month, with theopportunity to join my sister and brother in blessing my parents with a 50^thwedding anniversary “surprise” party. What a priceless occasion it was for us. Iso appreciated my family, here in Kampot, who sacrificed to make it possiblefor me to go. It was a very special time. I wanted to share with you all somethingI wrote for Mom and Dad in honor of the special occasion. It is a letter tothem but also a “memoir” of sorts…

Moments in time.

Life is a gift. It is a gift of dailyopportunity. That opportunity is one that affords us our mostvaluable commodity, time. Time is made up of precious moments. Everymoment of everyday, is building that life, taking advantage of thatopportunity, choosing to hold dear the gift that has been given. The wise, takethe moments, and gratefully use them to the Glory of God.

Yes, these moments are like windows of time tomake a difference this side of heaven and get up every day ready to humblychoose to be a blessing. I have a childhood full of memories andimpressions of two people who lived out before me the ability to take thosemoments and turn them into a story for our lives (or a lifetime) filled withscenes of faithfulness, of love, of peace, of joy… a magical story. Yes, and inthat story, they made Jesus the Hero, and in our eyes that made them all themore like that Hero.

There was a man and a woman, my father and mymother. They found each other and saw in each other a depth ofcharacter. They also saw potential. Fifty years ago, they saw in each other,the possibly of having someone to journey through life with that they couldrespect and trust. They formed a partnership, a covenant to join lives and worktogether to build a Godly home and give from themselves with thoughts of havingchildren that would do the same. They had a vision and have faithfully walkedit out for five decades.

God saw them and saw in themones He could trust. He began to woo them, He began to build. He used themtogether and there was woven the most beautiful piece of handiwork to displayto any who looked upon it. He was the master craftsman but oh how perfect andmalleable they were in His hands. The pattern of bright colors andsoft hues, fun curves, and straight borders… were made, of moments, preciouswonderful opportunities that were new mercies every morning from the Father.These opportunities were always capitalized upon in the Lilly home. Mom andDaddy were humble and faithful enough to use them wisely.

Those times, those moments, were seasons, daysfull of love and life. And we were the blessed recipients. Mom and Daddy, therearen’t words to express the treasure that we have had in you. All the time andenergy that you put into loving, encouraging, and patiently tending to ourfamily has blessed us beyond words. The seasons of reading together by thefire, praying, spending quality time laughing and cryingtogether, enjoying summer breezes on thefront porch, taking trips to Disney, listening to stories while watching“lippers”, eating wonderful meals cooked all day in the crock pot, ever hearingof the wonderful testimony of things theLord was doing, all unforgettable memories, moments.

Seasons were always embraced along thejourney. Summers were filled with picnics on the carport, scenes of Daddy goinground quickly on the riding mower racing the clock or the sun, daily swims atthe lake, and tomato sandwiches. Fall came with smells of crackling fires, bigbright pumpkins and leaves, and the yearly stacking of wood. Winters were fullof watching Daddy haul in that wood and make roaring fires while snuggling withMom over good books. Night vigils spent curled up watching for snow was alwaysin order on those cold nights. Christmas came with meals and laughter, softlights and scripture. Easters were spent with the same vibrant joy that markedthe Rising of the Son. Just the thought of being there in the rows at church, Iremember feeling the Life you all were pointing us to through your dedicationto each other and to us. Those specialtimes were filled with moments that you all patiently, lovingly, and joyfullychose to be faithful and unselfishly bless, choosing to enjoy eachother, the journey, and to raise us in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

You all took a life time of dailyopportunities and made not only precious moments but helped forge a pathway toeternal life. You showed us the Way. You made a covenant with God and walked itout in front of us. You took a moment 50 years ago to make a pledge to honorand care for each other till death you would part. It was just a moment, but ohhow significant the lifetime built upon that moment has been.

Thank you for living and loving faithfullybefore us. You have shown us the love ofthe Father and the Unity of the Trinity. You have chosen moment by moment to befaithful to the covenant and the call. So today, Mom and Daddy, we bless andcelebrate God’s gift to us in you. We take this opportunity to seize a momentin time to recognize the beauty of all those moments where you chose rightlyand in so doing blessed all of us along the journey of this life.

May you receive many return blessings for yourfaithfulness. We love you dearly.

Happy 50^th Anniversary,

Kristen

Enjoying Mother's Day

2011-05-27T18:50:00.001-07:00

We just recently celebrated Mother’s day. It is a time of the year when all of us are either feeling blessed by the privilege and opportunity to have our lives enriched by precious children, or we are celebrating women who have impacted and changed our lives.

I was definitely blessed this year with an outpouring of love. My husband and children showered me with kind gestures, meaningful moments, presents, and food! My Khmer children spent the evening distributing cards to Naron and me (Siphan was out of town) and either making flowers or picking them to bless us with. Naron had cried at lunch as the first little notes started appearing beside her at the table, containing expressions of the children’s appreciation. Our hearts were strengthened as we (Naron and I) were reminded of God’s goodness.

Needless to say, the day held sweet moments of remembrance as well. I thought of my mom, prayed that her heart would be pleased as she thought of her children, the fruit of her faithful Godly labor or love. She was as gracious, encouraging, and faithful in mothering as any woman could I’ve had the privilege of knowing. I prayed for my mother- in- law, that she would be reminded of our love for her and encouraged that her constant giving has impacted and blessed us in ways that are eternal and can’t be taken away. We thought of our Grandma Frances and Mamaw Burke who just recently went to be with Jesus. We trust that their reward has been great and that they are now quite convinced that they did well as faithful servants. Their impact on our lives was priceless.

Finally, as Mother’s Day came and went, literally, the number of dear sisters , my friends and family, that are mother’s that I thought of and were thankful for was a long list. I won’t even try to write all of the names down, but if you are reading this, know me at all and are wondering; go ahead and assume you were on that list, and know that you are appreciated for your example of mothering.

The Redemption of Souls is Costly - Psalm 49:16

2011-04-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

I wrote to a couple friends this last few months and relayed to them my thoughts on taking in our newest children Puhn and Ouksa. My motivation in writing to them was mainly to process in my own heart to make sense of why once again we would be considering more children. “Why,” you may ask, “wouldn’t you take in more kids? You are an orphanage.” Yes, yes we are. But the question of how big that orphanage should be or how long we plan to take new children is a serious consideration as we look at the vision of Heritage House Home for children. So, again, as I pondered I wrote out thoughts .As I wrote, I wanted to weep. It began to be therapeutic. “How can we?” I allowed myself to question. “ I simply don’t have the energy,” I stated to my heart in that quiet moment.

As I wrote I considered how effective I felt we were being in seeing the children’s lives improve. We had at that point fed, clothed, educated, and significantly raised the socio-economic situation in which all the kids lived. All the Heritage House kids were much better off physically, socially, educationally for sure. Spiritually, we have seen fruit of repentance born in so many hearts ,and once where there were jealousies, fear, anger, hurt, rejection, we’ve seen kids who now worship, know scripture, make Godly decisions, and seem so much more peaceful and joyful than they had ever thought of being when we found them. But there were more considerations. Were they prepared for life after Heritage House? The statement that came banging at my heart and mind was, “I don’t want to just ‘feed’ kids.” That was my way of expressing that I just didn’t want to fill them up on all this good stuff only for them to leave one day and none of it have really taken deep root.

We had for over a year at the point I sat writing that , been pouring ourselves out before the Lord in petition over the older kids who were beginning to leave the house or prepare to leave. To those folks reading this that have gone through the season of having to begin to release adult children, you know my struggle. I am sitting there seeing each of those faces and wondering at the challenge of each individual situation, how could I go through the years of concern for each one, intercessions, handing out tough dictates, and even the emotions of so much potential good that may have risen as opportunities for many of the kids, but even in those situations the decisions that would have to be made to see them go forward were weighty. I had shored up my heart before the Lord relying on His grace for those kids, but could I take in more? I would have to count the cost again. I couldn’t just assume that a few more could dangle on to the grace I felt flowing for the others.

So, before I felt I had had a moment to really ponder, Lewis and Vutha were out the door and headed for the village in which these two little ones lived. We had been praying for a few days and I honestly thought that they would once again just be discussing with the aunt and village leader the situation before we’d need to make an offer to take them. Nope. Lewis called. “Hey hun, what are you sensing?” was the question. He told me that he and Vutha had left to grab lunch and that they would pray together and discuss whether they would be taking the kids. Upon their arrival back at the house they would be taking the children or leaving them there. I knew it was time.

Lewis described the situation and the utter poverty they all lived in. He agreed with the aunt that there were just not the resources to continue feeding the kids. So, the question that I had wrestled with that day was staring me in the face again. Do we simply feed kids? What if we begin to bring in kids hastily and they are numbered as ones who leave our care in 8 or 10 years and all we can say of them is we simply fed them. I didn’t know how we were doing on the monthly support needed to feed the ones we had. I didn’t know if we were ready for them to come. Lewis expressed he had had the exact same thoughts and then he stated the inevitable. He said “Kristen, we may only be feeding kids, but after being out here today, I don’t know what else to do. We have to bring them in. We have to trust Jesus to feed them and to change their lives.”

He simply echoed the Truth that was resounding in both of us. They must be fed. Jesus came so that the captive might be set free. He didn’t come to ensure that they would. Every human born under the sun will have a choice; to do good which leads to righteousness and blessing or not. But God withholds provision and love from none. If they will come, He will receive: He states in Luke, in the synagogue before the assembly, reading from Isaiah the very prophetic statement of Who He was; Who He is:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor,

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind

To set at liberty those who are oppressed

And to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Am I just feeding kids? I don’t think so. I believe the great commission is being lived out. His goodness must be preached. Will Puhn and Ouksa receive this glorious good news and be radically changed as well as generations to come after them. That is our passionate Hope for them. I have nothing in my heart I desire to give them except that one thing, for it is life and life not only more abundant but everlasting. To that end, the story will continue to unfold, but in the mean time, I believe that these prophetic words Isaiah wrote and Jesus proclaimed will continue to resonate throughout the earth, that Messiah has come. He has fulfilled this scripture in the hearing of all! He has preached the gospel of good news to the poor and He continues to call those ones to the fountains of provision. Yes, He continues to just “feed kids.” And I am sure that I am all the better off because He sought out and fed me.

Another scripture that burned in my heart as I considered what must be done is the one I have written at the beginning of this piece. The redemption of their souls is costly. I had to consider, and do daily, the cost of seeing a way made that others might know the Savior. In order to redeem our situation, it cost Him everything. Pray with us as we continue, and hopefully you continue there, to do all we can regardless of the cost, to see people fed. Don’t be hasty in your vows, but do be ready to be used.

All Went Still

2010-08-30T21:22:00.000-07:00

"We heard gun shots and then all went still," he paused for a minute before continuing, "I knew it was my father." Krum begins his story of the night he lost his father and his life was forever altered. This story also belongs to Coy, Yaht, and Srey Ma, but on this rainy night, it is Krum’s story to tell our small cell group.

Krum had left his father’s side only a matter of hours before these events were seared into his soul. Krum is one of the few who tells of spending time with his father, the man who would take him along to work most days. It is a story that quickly shifts from a faint picture of a man that may have taken time to begin to father in the only way he knew, by equipping his son for survival, to a scene of a boy left with hardly a chance for that (survival).

After his father was murdered, Krum's mother immediately abandoned the children because of the hardships brought on by the tragedy. Yet now Krum must sit before us as he attempts but to scratch the surface of the depth of the story; his story, which is just one of the many stories of the children of Heritage House.

Yes, many may come from some of the same families, but as each tells his story, it is uniquely his own. Each in turn has told of distance, loss, lack, tragedy, offense, rejection, or disappointment. Yet swirling around through every remembrance, they wind their way back from their “beginnings” toward the grace that they have tasted and still daily seek. We hear voices still groping for that hope of His love that they so desperately want to trust in, to believe in.

We are four weeks into doing this study with the children on the "Father Heart of God". As we explore the true heart of Father, so faithful and just, kind and committed, respectable and humble, so real; Lewis and I are finding not only a sweet brokenness and new vulnerability begin to appear among the kids. We are humbled, in our own broken state, not only of any sorrows we may have known which He desires to heal, but humbled in places our own “fathering” or shepherding may need the gentle directive nudge of the Holy Spirit of Grace, to bring correction, refreshing, and restoration.

I am grateful that we are having the opportunity to go through this study with the older children from Heritage House. I know that the Holy Spirit is working in all of us as we seek to be vulnerable and to know the Father's heart. Thank you for praying with us as we journey through this study. The book is full of talk of our destinies in Him, under His loving care, but all of us, as the author points out, like David and Saul, will face disappointments in life where we fail and others fail us. As we ponder those times we need His help to journey on in from here. We must learn to cast off our self -perserving tendancies as David did, lest we seek to "save our lives", only to loose them. We must at that point remember that, " in returning and rest is our salvation and in quietness and trust (alone) is our strength" (Isaiah 30:15)

Therefore, still pressing on toward the goal of the upward calling in Christ, may we resolve to see Him glorified in our lives past, present and future. As hope dawns and He reveals Himself as the quiet waters that He longs to lead us by... to lead Krum by, may we ever be still and in that stillness, may we "hear" the sound of the still small voice beckoning us past death, upward and onward toward new.

Finding My Voice

2010-06-08T19:24:00.000-07:00

There is a group of women at a church that we hold dear to our hearts who daily share their stories through blogging. These Harvest church ladies write; and their stories intertwine…. They minister to each other and all who read their blogs through their stories. At our sending churches my dear friends Kathy Oakes and Shannon Jones share and have a gift to grab our hearts and take us along through all they are journeying through in the Lord through their writings. All who read their words are touched or changed. My mom and sister always had this gift. These ladies have found their colors, their threads, their tapestry, and they are weaving ornate designs that speak of their journeys.... I am, in this season, trying to find my colors.

So I deeply admire the beautiful writings of these precious sisters, because I find that sitting down to share my heart is something that is harder for me to do in these past years of my journey. I want to find my voice again, and the heart that once longed to be vulnerable and had the courage to share as they do.

I'm wanting to stir up wells inside, of faith in the Lord, that truly testify to the truth that “all my springs are in You, Lord.” That is what the singers and the players of instruments in Psalm 87 said, when they were moved or inspired to write or sing! They understood well that depth of life, joy and sorrow, times of deep perseverance and times blessed increase, were from the hand of the Lord. The psalmists cried in Psalm 90, “teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom… and so the beauty of the Lord be upon us and establish the work of our hands for us; yes establish the work of our hands.”

Not only did the psalmists understand where the inspiration to journey on from here came from, they desired that all that they worked at from that place of inspiration, would be built or established by Him. Oh, how I desire to have all that is established in our lives be kissed by Him. I want to write stories and sing songs of His praise and all that He is establishing and bringing forth in our lives.

I want to share what my sisters share… their heart, their lives. I want to find the words of the testimony of His grace in peaceful places of confidence and trust. I want to learn, like the psalmists, how to communicate it, write it, speak it forth... So for now, I’ll be found waiting for Holy Spirit inspired springs to well up from secret places of His love. I’ll be here finding my voice. Thanks to all these sisters and so many more for the nudge.

Kristen's Thoughts - Mar. 2010

2010-03-24T03:03:00.000-07:00

There has been so much the Lord has been encouraging me with and challenging me on since we have been back in Cambodia. The theme of the rebuilding of the temple in the days the Israelites began to return from their captivity in Babylon, hits me again and again as I have been reading the scriptures. I am challenged and encouraged so much through so many of the words of the prophets and leaders of that time period. The challenge is to daily take heed how we build. I know that Lewis and I have not laid our hands to one thing here that we dare call our own. God has truly been building a “house,” but we are stewards here in Cambodia, and we long to continue to see His kingdom coming and His will being done. We do not want to finish in the flesh what we feel strongly was birthed by His Spirit in our midst. We must consider, as did the Israelites, having been commended as “builders,” to submit all our expectations and all the work to Him. “For we are God’s fellow workers, and /Heritage House/ is God’s field. It is God’s ‘building’.” (1 Cor. 3:9).

Our “expectations” is something the Holy Spirit is highlighting as we seek Him on how to go on from here. Building has taken place here. What God started was good. There is a foundation laid. Endeavoring to keep the “workers” and the remnant that God has raised up and called to do the work focused and encouraged remains a daily endeavor.

In Chronicles, we see a huge spirit of expectation resident in the hearts of the Israelites as the first temple was being built. David’s vision was God given and under Solomon’s leadership a temple was constructed in which God could meet with His people. The scripture says the people gave of their talents, resources, and wealth willingly to see the temple of the Lord built, and it was glorious. There was a confidence and great expectation in the hearts of the people that God truly had inspired and directed David to see that the temple built and that He had God’s heart. They expected God to show up to bless “His building” and so, when the project was completed, the temple was filled with the Glory of God.
Later in history, the Israelites have strayed and been exiled. We see them coming back to Jerusalem and starting to rebuild the temple after their captivity. In the writings of Nehemiah, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah and other prophets and leaders of the time, we see a Holy Spirit inspired mission to see the temple rebuilt, and the remnant of God’s people restored to worshipful right standing with God. God was expecting a righteous remnant to seek Him. The remnant had expectations as well. Many of these expectations, however, were now born out of disappointment, disillusionment, and human attempts to regain some kind of religious nostalgia based on the memories of yesteryear.

But, again, God was working. He still had expectations and vision for what He had always faithfully held out for; a place where He could be glorified and find His resting place on the earth. He longed for a remnant of people who would set their hearts diligently to obey and prepare such a place. Could they learn from the lessons of the past? Could they take what had begun years before with the vision and building of the first temple and expect to see God’s glory once again.
There are so many correlations to our work as believers in having expectations that God can and will see His kingdom built. God does glorious things in our lives and makes His dwelling place in our midst. As we respond through right expectations to the vision of what He is building us into, we so often see good fruit. We see progress. We see His Glory coming. He is after a remnant. Under the new covenant He is looking to build with those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, who are built together not in a physical building, but into a body, His bride, in the earth. He is looking for ones from every tongue tribe and nation.
We know He is looking for a representation from Cambodia as part of that body. But as that body (or building) comes together, again as stewards of the “building” that is taking place, we must make sure that no other foundation is laid except that which is Christ Jesus. We cannot move away from the vision and be moved by discouragement in times of rebuilding. Because until God’s eternal plan unfolds completely, there will be seasons of the Glory of the Lord being revealed in what is being built, and there will be times of rebuilding. There will be times of the remnant that He is calling together, finding their way back to His plans and ways. In these times it is crucial that we stay founded in the Word of God, understanding His ways, and ever having our expectations and our vision grounded in what it is He is doing throughout history to call His people ever back toward His plan to have a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2) built ultimately upon Jesus the foundation and cornerstone.

To keep my vision grounded in His word, and as I consider all this, the Lord faithfully continues to encourage me with even more examples of God’s building project historically. That encouragement has included the lives of the leaders highlighted in the writings I mentioned above. We see the exiled Jews making their way back to Jerusalem, under the leadership of those who encouraged them to, in essence, do it God’s way. In Ezra 7:9,10 scripture says, “ according to the good hand of the Lord upon him” Ezra arrived in Jerusalem from Babylon, and he “ had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel”. Then in Chapter 8, we see Ezra moving forward in the midst of this season of building with fasting and seeking the Lord with the other leaders of the remnant for “the right way for /us/ and our little ones.”

The entire book of Haggai, is a beautiful encouragement and challenge to the discouraged “builders” to “consider their ways” (1:7) and set themselves back to the task of seeing the temple built not allowing difficulties or self -centeredness to get in the way of their building. We have to make sure that we are diligent in working at His building and not anything of ourselves. Then, as He promised, we’ll see, as we did through the leadership of Zerubbabel, a true remnant, willing to obey and build. Our hope is that their remains a group of people in the earth, in Kampot, Cambodia, that choose to obey, that fear the presence of the Lord, and who are commended by the Lord to be strong for He is “with them”, and that are stirred up and ready to be gathered and “work” (Haggai 1:12-14) to see His temple, or body, being built. When we know and have understanding of the will of the Lord in stewarding through the building of God’s kingdom, as David and Zerubbabel did, we can go forth in confidence that His Spirit will “remain among” us. And that He will “shake the nations and they will come to the Desire of All Nations”(Haggai 2:5-6), who is ultimately the Christ the lineage of David and Zerubbabel. His body, that temple, will be “built”, we must just continue to consider our ways ( Haggai 1:7) as we present ourselves workers before Him and stewards in that building process.

And in expectation and consideration of the work that He has laid before all of us, I end with God’s beautiful encouragement through Zechariah…. Ultimately, if anything is built, “ its not by might nor power but by My Spirit says the Lord of hosts”… and he (Zerubbabel) shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, Grace to it!... and his hands have laid the foundation of the temple and his hands shall also finish it… (Zechariah 4:6-9), again which we see through Jesus his offspring, thus the prophetic “his hands”…

So that is my encouragement, that through the God head, the Spirit of might and power is released toward what God is building through Jesus Christ. That shouts of “Grace, Grace to it”, are there because of His victorious reign! That in this hour of history in this city in Kampot, Cambodia, we can be expectant and trust that there truly is a remnant, at Heritage House Home for Children, at Hosanna Cambodia, at other small fellowships here, that are “being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” through Jesus Christ. I pray that He will continue to pour out His grace to see that “remnant” of believers here, coming forth as “heirs of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which we have become ministers/stewards according to the gift of the grace of God given to us by the effective working of His power” (Eph.3:7). We can only trust Him and His Grace to see it accomplished.

And so I am praying over us and His body, the remnant of Christ, here, as I pray for you who are also being built up together as a “spiritual house” there and for those in stewardship over you.

“ For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…(through that expectant thing that stirs in you); that you ,being rooted an grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God ( His glory in His temple!). Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think (or expect), according to the power that works in us (not by might nor power but by His spirit praise God), to Him be glory in the church ( again, His Glory come to His temple… the church) by Christ Jesus to all generations (in every nation) forever and ever. Amen!” (Eph.3:14-21)

Our First Month Back in Cambodia

2009-11-18T04:10:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are.

Once again, Cambodia has become our home and though the journey for us never veered off from here, taking up residence in the nation after a long furlough has proved to be challenging but peaceful. In our hearts we know that this continues to be the harvest field into which we have been sent to labor for "such a time as this".

And so it is here that we will labor. These last couple of weeks I have had the privilege of resuming a weekly prayer meeting I have always had with our female staff members. I awoke early the morning of the first meeting we were to have, and as I read and was praying, the Lord very graciously dropped something very powerful into my heart. I was reading the story in Judges of Deborah and the song that she sang to the Lord after a victory in which she had been involved in Israel defeating some Canaanite foes. Three things hit my spirit as I read. I knew that they were encouragement to me as I stepped back into this particular season of our work in Cambodia.

First, when starting her song to the Lord she immediately praises God for people who "offer themselves" and for leaders who "willingly lead" in Israel. As we step back into Cambodia, I have recognized throughout the process of transitioning that I needed to continue to stay in a position of "willingness". For any of us, willingness is everything in our walk with the Lord and accomplishing His bidding in our lives. I encouraged the ladies with this also in light of how they continue to offer themselves willingly, daily, to the needs of the kids at Heritage House. Praise God for all the willing vessels around us both on that side of the ocean and this that offer themselves to see His gospel established in the lives of these kids and in this nation.

Secondly, I was encouraged by verse 7. This is the verse that after God initially had my attention, hit me as though my heart had a bulls eye on it. It reads, "village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, until I, Deborah arose, arose a mother in Israel". After a season of rest, a season of contemplation, a season to take in while in the states, I knew as I stepped back into this nation I must decide a few things. The willingness issue I had settled, but when the Lord highlighted this verse something in me was shaken. I knew that I knew that I was being reminded of a calling that the Lord has made plain before me in being here. I have had friends confirm to me even before I left come here 8 years ago and through out the time since even up to a email I recieved this week concerning the Lord's call on my life here to a place of authority and mothering. I knew as I read those words that the dorm moms and I must arise to take our positions of authority in the spirit, once again, over these children. Have we been doing that in prayers and logistical matters and the like... yes, but something needed to be stirred again as we redefined our places and our callings in regards to the running of this house.... Naron and I all but wept as we prayed and allowed the Lord to plant this deeper in our hearts. One English term she knows, from some English I have passed on over the years, is "stand up"... She looked at me and said in Khmer and then in English... "Oh Mama, it is time, we must "stand up"! Yes, there is no doubt that there is no time for us as mothers to wait any longer, we must arise lest village Life begin to cease around us. We are gate keepers and when we arise and stand up willingly, we will see battles won.

Finally, verse 12 states "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake and sing your song!" This closed it out for me. Personally, whenever I feel the Lord move me deep in my spirit, whenever I feel moved by the Lord on a deep level, stirred, awakened.... I feel if I am moved to worship.... I feel confident to declare in authority what He is stirring over me, over my family, over Heritage House or any area I feel Him releasing within me an authority.... I feel confident to declare what I am sensing in song.

I know that this is a somewhat long update and there are so many things I could have shared on what daily life is looking like, but I wanted to share with you the goodness of the Lord in meeting me and moving me through His "living" word to me last week... I am willing and by His grace I pray that I am awaking to the song of the Lord as I arise where I am to mother and continue to lay my hands to that which he has graciously given me to do. I pray that you are all doing the same on your priceless journey He has you on. I know so many of you, and so many of you inspire me to keep on at the task ahead of me. Let us arise to the call... and see Him receive His reward and all the Glory as He accomplishes His will in the earth through us. I feel a song coming on!