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Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Completly on Overload

I don't even know where to start or even how to start to tell you how the last 3 days have been. Feelings are stiring and I am overflowing. Today is our last day at the High school and the last day I will see some precious, precious people.
Last night was crazy madness with rooms wanting pictures upon pictures of the americans with them lol. After attemping to pack and taking tons of pictures I went up to my old room to say goodbye. As I was sitting there talking to them I told one of the girls that next time she came to America (her mom lives in the states) that she needed to let me know and I would come visit. Her eyes swelled up with tears and she couldn't stop crying. "I don't want you to go away." she said. At that I started the flood works as well and then shortly after the majority of the room was crying. I sat there thinking "Lord, I want to see these girls again, if not in this life in the next." I know there was an impact from our stay here and the tears reafirmed that. I am ready to start my journey back to the states and then all the sudden I visit some girls and I could stay here for another month to share the Love of Christ with them. We are going to a hotel to start debriefing the trip tonight and I will probably never see these 15 and 16 year olds again in this life. So I ask you to pray with me that we will see them in the next. Pray that what God have done here will soften hearts enough for Him to be Glorified in their lives.

See you all very soon.

Blessings,
Amber

Sunday, August 3, 2008

A movement of the Nations for His name and renown!

Hello to the other side of the world! Ni how ma? (For those of you are wondering what that means it is how are you in Chinese). I am absoutly amazing! God is my joy, my peace, my comfort, and he is my rest.
This weekend was a pretty miraculous weekend. We left the school on Thursday by bus to head to Kuala Lumpur for the weekend. They were having and conference on Friday and Saturday and the Passion KL on Sunday night. It was so great to get to worship God through music this weekend. I really miss getting to do that as often. So many things ended up differently then they were suppose to be here, esp. from our lives in India, but I am so glad it is different in many ways. I love worshiping God through music! It is where I feel that I can best tell about my God and as a friend said speak truth over people. Not getting to do that has been hard. But it my alone time the other day it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was like God was saying "Amber, I know you love worshiping through music, but I want you to understand that I am God and I am worthy to be worshiped in all ways. Don't fix your eyes on only one way to worship me For I am worthy of More!" Though this truth has been a hard one to wrap my mind around I praise God for it. And for letting me have a piece of closeness in him this weekend.
As I was talking about the conference this weekened it truly was amazing! God was truly there and MANY MANY MANY lives were changed and accepted the God of life and life in him! When the speaker was counting hands that were raised to say they had accepted Christ I sat there and sobbed like a baby. I didn't think he was ever going to stop counting. I am still in awe and humbled by the power of the Holy Spirit and the way he grabbed hold of so many people this weekend.
On Sunday morning we had the oppertunity to lead worship at a local church in KL. We got a late start and church started ealier then we thought it was starting so our time to practice the set was about 5 minutes. But God's name was magnified that morning. Even though we were tens and stressed and irritated HE was bigger then that. It was like he grabbed hold of us, gave us a huge hug and calmed us all to come into the throne room of Christ. I praise God for the oppertunity to lead worship and to sing the word of God over people. It is such an amazing blessing to be a part of!
Then is was time for the big night. The time had come that so many people in this country were waiting for. Passion Kuala Lumpur had arrived and let me say right here and now that not just the conference of passion arrived with musicians and a speaker and sound guys but GOD arrived and met us there! There was a croud of about 4000 people from all over the world praising one God. In a place where I have definetly realized that Christianity in the minority it was indescrible to see that many people meeting the Heavenly Father. I still really don't have words to describe it but just know that is was something BIG real BIG for the city and country to get to experience. At every passion event in the beginning we always break off into groups of three and pray. There was a chinese guy in our group and he didn't want to pray because he couldn't speak english very well but we told him to speak in his language. Again I sat sobbing at how beautiful my God is while he prayed. Knowing that that man was praying to the same God I was and that God understood all languages is so so cool! The evening went on with Chris Tomlin, Charley Hall, and a great talk by Louie about a precious girl named Ashley.
As I sit here in the computer lab I have been back at the highschool for about an hour and a half now and filling so refreshed. As many of you know I first felt called to be a part of the mission field at Passion '07 in Atlanta so to get to start the final week of my trip here at Passion brought it all full circle. I have often thought on this trip "Is this really my life? Is God really letting me be here and do these amazing things for His name?" and the question has became even bigger after this weekend. Is this relaly me life? Am I really here? And the answer is- YES! I am here. I am here for another week. There is a reason God had this weekend Planned for us. Because he expects even greater things from us this week... even bigger things then he has already done.
We are coming upon the end of our 40 days in Malaysia very fast and it has been Good and it has been hard. Wierd right that we will have been in this country for 40 days and God has had so many obsticles for us while we have been here. 40 days. WOW! That in itself is Truth spoken over us that this trip was God planed. Is this really my life?~ It is and I praise God for it!



Greater things are yet to come
Greater things are still to be done in this city
Because there is NO ONE like our God!

Blessings,
Amber


P.S. I am writing this on Monday even though it says Sunday. lol

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Stoked about Passion!

Hi everyone!My journay here seems like it is winding down and yet I have another two weeks. Yesterday was my last time teaching until this coming Monday. We are leaving tomorrow morning to go to Kuala Lumpur for the Passion conference and I am so excited to see what God has in store for thisvent. Most of you know that the Passion movement has a huge place in my heart so the oppertunity to go in another county is so amazing for me!
Things at school are pretty normal. There are some major things that I am not going to write about on here and that I would love for you to just keep the student in this school in your hearts and pray for them. We moved rooms again yesterday and my room now nice, though I really miss my last room. These girls are 14-18 years old so a wide age ranch. I don't get to spend as much time with them because of our schedule here for the next few weeks.
I don't really have a lot of time to write today though I have alot to say so just know that things are well here and God is still continuing to move and amze me. :)

Love you all and see you soon!
Amber

Monday, July 21, 2008

Declaring His Name

Okay, so I know I just wrote yesterday morning but yesterday was such a packed day I had to write about it and share it with you. God is GREAT! Thank you Lord for always knowing what we need when we need it. Thank you for putting us where you want us.
So Yesterday after classes Melissa, April, and I took bikeshaws (the Malaysian version of a Indian rickshaw) to the mall to get away. Classes were overbearing yesterday so we just needed a little time to ourselves.
After getting back I went to my room to and got a book to read. I am reading a book called "Don't waste your life" by John Piper which has turned out to be extremely appropriate for this trip and everything life has to offer right now. While I was reading a girl came over and started talking to me. The conversation started out like many before and ending up in a remarkable place. She is buddhist so we were talking about he temple. I went on to ask her about Buddhism and some of the things that they do and believe. She started by saying that there were lots of things they had to memorize and practice and the she didn't like it. (Here whatever religion your parents are that is what you are, even if you know nothing about it. So even when kids here say they are Christian they might not have a clue what that means.) She then said this... "I like Christian better the Buddhist". I went on to ask her if she even knew what Christian meant and she said no but she knew that we had more freedom. I asked her if she wanted to know more about it and what I believed as a christian. Her answer was not just a sure but an emphatic YES!!! I was blown away by her enthusiasm and the huge door God had just opened! This girl was craving to know what I was about and why it looked so much different then what she has always known. We went on talking for a while and the conversation had to come to an end for manditory study hall. BUT she want to know more she wants to talk to the other women on my team about what they believe and what this all means to us.
I just sat there in awe of what had just happened. What had just happened is why I came on this trip. Even if there isn't another conversation or another time where God works through me to her, That moment was worth this entire trip. God is amazing! I just sat and talked with a 16 year old Buddhist about My God for an hour.
So I write you this not only to tell you about the awesomeness of God but to ask you to pray for this girl. I am not at liberty to give you names for their safety but please pray that God will move in them. I also ask you to pray for us that are going to be talking to them more about Christ and our relationship. That the light of God will shine down through what we say, do, and think. That those times will be divine appointments for the Holy Spirit to move.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!...Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."
Psalm 96:3,10


Blessings,
Amber

Sunday, July 20, 2008

dancing like a mad women

Hello All! My journey is halfway over and I am so in awe of who and what my God is! HE is blowing my mind every second of this trip and I can honestly say that I am not the same person I was when I left you all. Who I am is Gods child to be molded into a reflection of him.
Alot has happened this week and it has all been wonderful! There was a basketball team here from America for 3 days. It was so nice to get to talk to other Americans! Thank you Lord for such a great blessing. Wednesday Melissa came! Melissa is a team member that had to come later because her sister was getting married. I am so excited that she is here. I feel like our team is more complete. On Wednesday Omar and I got a chance to go take some pictures which I haven't taken many and go find this casmier store... Everything in it is handmade and awesome! I have to admit I couldn't help myself and I bought a Pearce lol.
This weekend was Packed full!!! Saturday morning we went to a couples house and they fed on breakfast. It was the strangest breakfast I EVER had. lol Rice (of course), friend chicken, pepper sauce, omelet, homemade cranberry muffins (YUM) and the best chocolate cake I am had in my entire life. Yes I had chocolate cake for breakfast. lol.The after breakfast we had worship practice for Sunday morning and then there was a youth event we attended and led games for. Lots of fun. Then we were so beat that they took us to someone house and we had a nap. After our nap we went to a think called African Night. It was really cool. I now REALLY want to go to Kenya. Then one of the funnest things I have done this entire trip happened. The African were playing music and they had some dancers dancing an african dance. Then April and I decided we were going to dance with them! It was a blast even though we were white americans who couldn't dance it was so so much fun.
Sunday was a typical Sunday. I thank God for the typical days that help to keep me sane. Last night (Sunday)was GREAT! I was able to hang out with the girls in my room and just get to know them a little better. We talked about music and what american music they knew. They are so excited about learning English (most of them) so it is fun to see them try to communicate. Along with them learning English they are trying to teach my some chinese. I am horrible at it so they laugh. At one point last night I was putting ointment on my legs in spots. I am ATE UP with mosquitoes so I was putting stuff on my bites. They laughed so much because well I did look ridiculous. Then I was able to talk a little about my God. Most of the girls are Buddhist so it is great when they ask about what I believe.
When we first got here I was so upset because we aren't doing what I signed up for this summer. But I am here, where God wants me, doing what he wants me to do (teach alot of english). but us teaching english opens up doors with the school that we wouldn't have otherwise.
God is a gracious God!
All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing amoung you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.
Colossions 1:5

May you understand God's grace in all it's truth,
Amber

Friday, July 18, 2008

Sorry its been so long

Hey all! Sorry it has been ages since I have blogged! I am so extremely busy I barely have time to sleep! I am having the time of my life out here and I have got to experience things that I have dreamed of doing and seeing. We have been putting on Sunday services since we have arrived and I preached at Sunday service about 2 weeks ago. It was definitely a new experience for me. I am not one to stand infront of a congregation and give a sermon but with God's grace I got through it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I preached about trusting in God and his plan for your life. God has changed my heart so much since I have been here and I think that that is a big reason that he called me to come here this summer.
I recently got to go white water rafting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on the snake river a couple weeks ago. It was amazing! I have been on about 5 hikes in the past 2 weeks. I have hiked about 76 miles since I have arrived here. I got to see a moose and her baby out at a lake one night and I have seen tons of bears! It is truly amazing to see these animals.
I have about 4 weeks left here and I have mixed feelings about it. I am anxious to get home and see everyone but at the same time I don't know how I am supposed to leave all of these wonderful friends I have made and leave Yellowstone. It is truly an amazing place and I will be lost without the mountains, elk, bison, and all the other wonderful aspects of Yellowstone. I am so blessed to have gotten to have this experience and make life long friends.
My mom, Cassie, Jason, and Jadyn are here right now for my cousins wedding. It is so great to have them all here and get to see them. It is there third day here and they have about 4 days left. We are going to go explore Yellowstone in the next 4 days and I am excited about that and showing them some of the secrets that only people who live here know about :)
I hope all is well back at home! I will be home soon to see everyone! I want to thank everyone for their prayers and support. It is greatly appreciated! See everyone soon!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

All I Need

Hello GBC Family and everyone else!I first want to start by saying that this isn't going to be just a simple blog. Alot has happened to me and through me since I got to Malaysia. Before I came on the trip I asked God to Stretch me and boy has he. I asked him to Grow me into a reflection of him moreso then ever. God is stretching me over and over and I seem to constantly fight back and let self get in the way. I am continuing to pray this until I stop fighting back.
This past weekend we as a team led worship as a church on Sunday morning and then the youth program that night. I am the vocal leader here and in a huge way that has so much responsibility that I don't feel ready for. God is stretching me in trusting that HE is God and the HE has control. I have no control here. I have no control over what I do, who I am with, or where we go. Being a person who likes to have a since of direction It has been and is really hard to give over that control to God. I am not in conrtol HE IS. I am not here for me I am here for HIM to do whatever he asks of me.
So many times I could bottle up and not do anything because I have such an urge to be confortable and feel at home and then God will push me. I praise Him for Not giving up even when I have. Don't get me wrong, I am loving this trip. I have just felt a little lost this past weekend. It has for sure been the hardest days on this trip for me so far.
I am so thankful for a simple statement that a good friend told me before I left. He said "A majority of what God is going to show you and grow you in this summer isn't going to happen until after you get back home". That statement has been my sanity alot lately and really something I have tried to remember the entire time I have been gone. Right now I don't know why I am here, why certain things are happening, and I am so lost in what God is showing me. But I am so excited for that day when God gives me his answer.
He is also stretching me in my relationship with people. Everyone on this team is so different and we all have very stong personalities which has been very interesting. We are all here for one purpose... to be a part of what God is doing in all the nations. Please pray for us that this is will be the echo our hearts. That God will lead us instead of us attempting to lead ourselves which I have to admit I have been trying to do ALOT lately. Please pray for out team leader Josie. She has a hard role to fill and like I said we all have strong personalities so as you can imagine that doesn't make it easy to lead. Pray that we remember each others feelings. and remember we don't have a right to ANYTHING.
Our God is a GREAT, MIGHTY, and POWERFUL God! I am humbled today by the grace of my Savior and just in the fact that he is my savior. HE is ALL I need.
May God bring you peace in knowing that you are His precious and beloved child,
Blessings,
Amber

P.S. Thank you Hebron Vactation Bible school for you Prayers and Support... May Got bless you all.