Sometimes to me the answer is so simple that I don't even know how to answer it. Of course it's because I want to help people and love them and show them Jesus. I want to go, and to me it just makes sense. But lately that question has caused me to really think deeper about where I'm going and why.
There are people who are poor, physically and spiritually, right here. There are people who need love right here. I don't need to cross an ocean to love people. God needs people here, to shine the light of Jesus to people don't know about the depth and power of His love, right here. As I keep thinking, I wonder, do I have other motives? Am I going for the excitement of a new adventure? Because I want to go somewhere new? To see and experience things that I wouldn't be able to by staying here? I pour out my heart to God because He knows my heart even when I am confused by it. I want to be honest before Him and I want my motives to be pure. I want Jesus to be my reason for going and nothing else. The more I think, the more questions I have. I question if I'm really even needed overseas, if going even makes any sense at all, if maybe there's a chance that this is more my desire than it is God's.
In the middle of me telling Him all this, an amazing thing happens. In all His wonderfulness, like He always does, He meets me right where I am. There aren't words to express how thankful I am for this, that my God knows me and my heart and understands all of my doubts and questions. Even more than that, He answers me. That yes people are needed right here where in Buffalo NY, but, He tells me, someone needs to go to the far places too. Why me, I have no idea, but He tells me to trust that He has a plan. To trust that He has put these desires in my heart, the desire to GO to third world countries and spread His life-changing Love there. It might not make logical sense, but when has God ever been worried about making sense?
So, I will have faith that He has a plan. I will follow Him halfway around the world because God has set my heart so on fire to go that I feel like I couldn't say no even if I wanted to. I want to be where He is leading me, and to know more of Him. I want to know the poorest of the poor, to learn from them and love them and see Jesus in their faces, because whatever we do for the "least of these, " the outcasts and the forgotten, Jesus says we do for Him. This and the words of Jesus will be enough for me to go, His command to go and make disciples of all nations. And I will go with the confidence and comfort that my Jesus, the One who loves me with a never-ending Love, goes with me, as He adds..."For behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
God Story
Just had to share this story of the Father's goodness in my life. He is amazing and gets all the credit! Check it out here.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:8-9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
-Isaiah 55:8-9
Friday, November 1, 2013
Learning how to be dependent
So here it goes: blog post #1. Lately I feel like I've been going through a lot of ups and downs between peace/trust and anxiety. Peace and trust because God's timing is always perfect, even when I don't understand. And anxiety because I don't have a plan. What God, no plan!? I have to trust you totally? That you really know what You're doing? And then I think, obviously You know what You're doing God. Thank You that You always know what You're doing! And I stay gratefully in His peace until I decide to start thinking all logically again.
If we were going by my plans, by now I was supposed to be in the Ivory Coast. To back up a little, this whole thing started right after I graduated in May, with my Masters in dietetics. It was one of those things that I didn't really have my heart set on going anywhere in particular, I just wanted to go somewhere, and do something, in another country. And without realizing exactly what I was getting myself into, in July I found myself presented with the opportunity to teach nutrition education in the Ivory Coast for 7 months, to people suffering from HIV/AIDS at a medical clinic there. It was like God was saying, "Christine, I know your heart. This is what you have been praying for for over a year. And here it is! The choice is yours." My yes was already on the table, so without really even thinking about it, I gave it. I was so excited that this was actually happening!
I started raising support. I called churches, sent out letters, organized bottle drives, bake sales, and fundraiser nights at local restaurants. I sold chocolate bars and homemade body butter. God sent so many amazing people to help with all of these things. Friends, family, neighbors, strangers who just wanted to help in any way they could. I am so thankful for each and every person who played a part, giving time and money and thoughts and prayers. Through them God was trying to teach me something that I couldn't quite grasp yet. I still thought I was independent, that I could lean on God and that it would be enough to raise all the support I needed. Don't get me wrong, it is SO true, that I can do nothing without Him. But He was trying to teach me that I could not do this alone, nor was I meant to. I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was leaving or make a big deal about it. I just wanted to go and remain under the radar. I thought I was being humble, but realized I was actually being proud and selfish. Because I can't do it by myself! I need help, soo much help! It's called the body of Christ for a reason! We are here for each other, so we don't have to do this life thing alone.
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." - 1 Corinthians 12:12-20
Everyone has a different role to play, and no part is better than another. But everyone is needed for the body to work like it's supposed to! We need each other.
In the past 4 months of trying to raise support, mostly through thinking that my own efforts were enough, God has provided $4,919. I still need a little over $5,000 to go. I am trusting God to provide the rest of the support I need by the end of November - in one month. I say this in faith, because I believe that this will take a miracle. But I also believe that God's word is true that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Stepping out in faith in Him allows God to work wonders in such a way that no one can deny Him the credit. I don't want to deny God the Glory that is all His, so I am totally surrendering this to Him. Please pray with me for God to work a miracle over the next month to do what only He can do!
Lots of thanks and love,
Christine
Interested in helping? The most important thing I am asking for is prayer. I believe it is powerful and that God moves through our prayers! Please pray for His provision and for His blessings on everyone who has/ is going to play a part in this journey. Pray for the Ivory Coast and the people there. Pray that they would see Jesus in the love of all the people who work at the clinic there. Pray that Jesus will help me love them like He does once I am there. Pray for hearts to respond to Jesus and to know the Amazing Love that is found in the wide open arms of the Father!
Interested in giving?
You can give monthly or through a one-time donation. Every dollar donated matters and is so appreciated! You can give securely online at cmfi.org/cfleming, or if you prefer, you can send donations through the mail as well. Checks can be made out to CMF International with “Christine Fleming” in the memo, and sent to CMF International, PO Box 501020, Indianapolis, IN 46250-6020
If we were going by my plans, by now I was supposed to be in the Ivory Coast. To back up a little, this whole thing started right after I graduated in May, with my Masters in dietetics. It was one of those things that I didn't really have my heart set on going anywhere in particular, I just wanted to go somewhere, and do something, in another country. And without realizing exactly what I was getting myself into, in July I found myself presented with the opportunity to teach nutrition education in the Ivory Coast for 7 months, to people suffering from HIV/AIDS at a medical clinic there. It was like God was saying, "Christine, I know your heart. This is what you have been praying for for over a year. And here it is! The choice is yours." My yes was already on the table, so without really even thinking about it, I gave it. I was so excited that this was actually happening!
I started raising support. I called churches, sent out letters, organized bottle drives, bake sales, and fundraiser nights at local restaurants. I sold chocolate bars and homemade body butter. God sent so many amazing people to help with all of these things. Friends, family, neighbors, strangers who just wanted to help in any way they could. I am so thankful for each and every person who played a part, giving time and money and thoughts and prayers. Through them God was trying to teach me something that I couldn't quite grasp yet. I still thought I was independent, that I could lean on God and that it would be enough to raise all the support I needed. Don't get me wrong, it is SO true, that I can do nothing without Him. But He was trying to teach me that I could not do this alone, nor was I meant to. I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was leaving or make a big deal about it. I just wanted to go and remain under the radar. I thought I was being humble, but realized I was actually being proud and selfish. Because I can't do it by myself! I need help, soo much help! It's called the body of Christ for a reason! We are here for each other, so we don't have to do this life thing alone.
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body." - 1 Corinthians 12:12-20
Everyone has a different role to play, and no part is better than another. But everyone is needed for the body to work like it's supposed to! We need each other.
In the past 4 months of trying to raise support, mostly through thinking that my own efforts were enough, God has provided $4,919. I still need a little over $5,000 to go. I am trusting God to provide the rest of the support I need by the end of November - in one month. I say this in faith, because I believe that this will take a miracle. But I also believe that God's word is true that without faith it is impossible to please Him. Stepping out in faith in Him allows God to work wonders in such a way that no one can deny Him the credit. I don't want to deny God the Glory that is all His, so I am totally surrendering this to Him. Please pray with me for God to work a miracle over the next month to do what only He can do!
Lots of thanks and love,
Christine
Interested in helping? The most important thing I am asking for is prayer. I believe it is powerful and that God moves through our prayers! Please pray for His provision and for His blessings on everyone who has/ is going to play a part in this journey. Pray for the Ivory Coast and the people there. Pray that they would see Jesus in the love of all the people who work at the clinic there. Pray that Jesus will help me love them like He does once I am there. Pray for hearts to respond to Jesus and to know the Amazing Love that is found in the wide open arms of the Father!
Interested in giving?
You can give monthly or through a one-time donation. Every dollar donated matters and is so appreciated! You can give securely online at cmfi.org/cfleming, or if you prefer, you can send donations through the mail as well. Checks can be made out to CMF International with “Christine Fleming” in the memo, and sent to CMF International, PO Box 501020, Indianapolis, IN 46250-6020
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