Strength in Weakness ~ Merry Christmas

I am feeling so overwhelmed and grateful for the love and mercy my Savior offers... I have been rude, self absorbed, ungraceful, and to be blunt, I haven't been what you would call a "Christian." I have hurt peoples feelings, I have said the wrong thing at the wrong time out of frustration, I have been impatient, I have been unmerciful... And it's Christmas... Why haven't I been cheerful, and polite, rather than all of this?

Do you really want to know? I could tell you my secret... But that would mean being really, REAL.

Ok, here it is... I... AM... NOT... PERFECT!

There! I said it!... Shocker right? Yeah right. (Insert eye roll)

Gosh, I am so imperfect... I am human... I am weak...

But there is so much glory to be found in weakness...

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." ~2 Corinthians 12:9-10

God promised me that His grace and His power was all I would need. When I stand in front of Him and I confess that I was wrong, that I had a moment of weakness, that I hurt somebody with my words or actions... His grace is sufficient.

I can confirm that I have done all of the previously mentioned things... It hurts, but I have.

Want names? Because I can give you specific names of the people whose hearts I know I have broken: God, Dylan, Mom, Tyler, Logan, Marena, Sami, Erin, Ellen, Nick... Trust me the list goes on...

If I didn't mention you, but you are someone I have disappointed or let down or been rude to, I am so so sorry...

I almost wish I could wake up tomorrow and say I had a perfect year. But I can't. Things might be awkward, and there might be tension. But... That is nothing compared to the pain and misery that Christ suffered for me. The reason He was born was so that He could save me from myself... So that someday, I would finally understand that His grace really is enough. I'm not making an excuse for my actions, but I'm reminding you that I'm not perfect. I am so weak... And I'm begging for your forgiveness.

Tomorrow we will open gifts, and eat delicious food, and play games, and watch television, and relax, and enjoy time surrounded by loved ones... But PLEASE don't forget that we are celebrating a birthday...

"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord..." ~Luke 2:10-11

 

I can guarantee you that I will have a great time tomorrow doing the above mentioned things. But in the stillness, I can promise you that I am going to praise Him. The one who came to save me from myself... The one whose grace is sufficient... The one who died for me... The only one that can do a mighty work on this Work in Progress.

 

Praying that everyone has a very Merry Christmas!!!

 

Imperfectly Yours,

Symone Lin

The Weary and Heavy-laden

Obviously I haven't been around in a while... With school, work, and the amount of homework I have it has been hard to catch my breath. And me, being a people pleaser on top of that, have used any extra time available to please and attempt to love on those special people in my life... But it becomes hard to love on them when I am constantly thinking, or planning or even worrying about something else.

I could be doing homework, or studying, or planning for the wedding, or taking a hot bath...

It seems that I get so wrapped up in the things I could be doing, that I begin to wander, and I don't really live in the moment... And that is really hard on a person and the people around them. I know it has been for me.

So with the semester wrapping up, having to finish my last assignments and study for finals, I have slowly started to lose my mind. I have been rude, and cranky, and unattentive, and just downright mean to the people in my life that I love the most.

As a matter of fact, I about lost it on my fiance a few nights ago. I had worked for hours on an assignment, and intentionally saved it multiple times. Yet when I went to submit it online... It. Was. GONE!!! I searched in every possible folder on the laptop and it was just gone. Logan offered to look through the folders  to try and find it, he offered comforting kisses, and told me I needed a hug to hold me together, but I wanted nothing to do with him! Isn't that awful? I'm going to marry this man, and I wanted him to just get away from me... Not because of anything he had done, but because I was so mad!

I later apologized. I felt so bad for treating him the way I had when it was in no way his fault and he was just trying to help...

I asked him why he put up with me the way he does when I get cranky or lose my mind?
And he told me, "Because I love you and I can handle it."

Wow... What a smack in the face... And I deserved it. This kind, gentle, loving man was offering me anything I needed for comfort, and I all but blew up in his face...

Don't we all do that, all the time. When we get frustrated or angry, we take it out on the ones we love the most. And as bad as we feel, we know that they will always forgive us because of the unending love that they have for us.

We do that to God... Anytime life gets in the way, or we get so consumed with stuff, and we just feel like we can't take it anymore, and we ask "Why?"

We get mad at Him, and we ignore Him, and we doubt Him, and we hate that we have to go through what we are going through, and we blame Him.

But He has made us a promise because he loves us so much.

 

" ...in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:37-39

 



God promises us that there is nothing that could ever seperate us from His love. Absolutely nothing.... Now consider the people in our lives that also love us no matter what. As awful as we are to the ones we love, there is nothing that we could do to make them love us less. To me that is such an amazing example of Gods love through the people that He has put in our lives.


And when the semester is coming to an end, and we (me), act the way we do to the people that mean the most to us, because we are tired and weary and we just need a break, He tells us this:

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."

Matthew 11:28-30

If, rather than relying on myself to manage my time, and my school work, and my personal life, I had relied on God and His promise instead, then maybe I wouldn't have been so awful...

Consider where you are in your walk, and consider the people that God has put into your life, and let those people, who love and forgive you no matter what you say or how you act, know that they are God sent. Let them know that the love and forgiveness that they offer is a beautiful peice of the life that Jesus led.

This Christmas Season I want my loved ones, my family, my friends, my church family, to know that I am so sorry if I have ever acted in a way to them that was anything but the love that Jesus teaches. And I know that there will be forgivness and restoration to this Work in Progress because God promises it. And I have faith in it.

Forgiven,

Symone Lin

Birthdays & Worship

Happy Birthday to me! I turned 20 years old on Sunday the 14th... And honestly, it kind of started off on the wrong foot. The previous day  I had written my last blog about Haiti, and was in search of His stillness. It was a beautiful day, so I grabbed a lawn chair, and went and sat in the open field behind our progressing church building. I really felt like I just needed to be quiet... And I was. I prayed and just sat in the open field with God.

But, something was off. I wasn't really finding what I was looking for. I had been searching for stillness, and I had found it, but I still wasn't satisfied. Finally, I packed up my stuff and left... Unsatisfied. And I realized that maybe it wasn't the stillness I was looking for...

And then... Sunday morning, I wake up at the crack of dawn, I shower and get dressed for church. My handsome fiance picks me up, and we head off to church. Everything is good, I am still struggling with this desire for something, but other than that everything seems alright.

Until we get half way to Fulton. I look over at Logan and I ask him, "So when are you going to tell me Happy Birthday?"

He looks over at me with a look of disbelief, and horror. He had forgotten it was my birthday!! And we had even talked about it the night before!! And I'm not going to lie. Maybe I should have given him a little more time to wake up, and start the day before I said anything, but it still hurt... As much as I don't want to seem petty or pathetic, I was pretty upset.

So here I am, on my birthday, still unsatisfied, and disappointed... Did I mention I was also sick with a cold. You know, running nose, tightness in my chest, burning throat, pulsing headache... And now I am on the verge of tears. My entire face is leaking!!

We have our connection class, and we have our worship, and we have our service... All the while I am back and forth to the bathroom to wipe my teary eyes, and my runny nose. Consistently praying that God would DO SOMETHING to ease my weary heart...

And if you know God, and you know He is good, then you know He did SOMETHING.

The service was coming to a close, and the worship band got up to play. As I stood their listening to the words, and watching the people praise, I was overcome with this need to worship deeper then ever before. I think what finally pushed me to that worship was when a beautiful woman of God stood at the front of the church with her hands raised in total surrender... And I HAD to have it. I HAD to surrender.

I think I had joined this woman at the front of the church before I really knew what I was doing. And for the first time in this drought of praise, I finally found my way to that beautiful, still presence.

The best birthday gift I have ever received in my entire life, was this worship that filled me, and restored me, and lifted me...

I don't want you to think that I have had this beautiful experience and now my life is perfect, because it's not. I still struggle with stress, and time management, and people pleasing. But God gave me that moment of peace so that I can continue on in this journey that He has offered to lead me in.

I know I put this verse in my last post, but it still fits!

"Be still and know that I am God..."

~Psalm 46:10

 

My prayer is that if you are feeling dry, or confused, or distressed, or disappointed, that you will just BE QUIET. He has something for you!! All He is asking is that you will go somewhere to be alone with Him and let Him move you! It's okay to find this alone time when other people are around. If you really focus, you can find yourself absolutely and completely alone with God even if you are in a room full of people...

 

Like I said, this moment didn't make my life perfect. I could have a million moments like this and still not have a perfect life. But I am A Work in Progress, and I am okay if He wants to use the rest of life to work on me. Until next time.

 

Finally Still,

Symone Hurd



Haiti: The Quiet

Alright, here is my last post about Haiti. Finally, right?

You know, since I have been back, it seems like the quiet that I discovered in Haiti has ceased to exist. In the midst of all of this noise that we call our lives, it is a constant struggle to find a little peace and quiet.

But, the quiet I'm talking about isn't just lack of noise that I am looking for. It's this stillness that I can only find in my Father...

One day, while we were in Haiti, our leaders carved out an entire day for us. Not a day to relax or rest, but a day to do whatever we felt God was calling us to do. And immediately, His very real presence told me, and repeatedly told me then, and is continuing to tell me now,

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

~Psalm 46:10~

 

At first I thought He was asking me to stay back at the compound to pray for the others that went out to minister to the people of Haiti. But where I went instead, was definitely where He wanted me to be.

 

While some of the members were called to go down to the ocean and minister to those on the beach, others were called to prayer walk in the area around our compound, and a few others did end up staying at the compound to pray. The group I went with, went back to the church we had been doing our VBS ministry at.

 

And we sang, and we danced, and we cried, and we prayed... without ceasing... for almost 3 hours!

 

I would say that one of the greatest gifts that God gave me, was my ability to sing. I can't say I am great, but I definitely felt like it had been my biggest outlet for praising Him. But I discovered something... I discovered that my biggest outlet for praising Him, is just to be alone with Him. To BE STILL and KNOW that He is my GOD.

 



My biggest prayer while I was there, was that God would reveal Himself to me in the midst of the heartache, and the filth, and the corruption, that is called Haiti.

 

When I asked Him what He wanted me to do, we didn't chat... and I didn't question Him... because when he told me to BE STILL, I MADE time to BE STILL. Being here in America, where everyone go, go, goes, it is hard. But, we have to make time...

 

Today I have to make that time. Since I have been back, I have craved, and desired to find some of this stillness; I want more of it.

 

I can't please everybody... I do love you. But my number one concern in life is that I please my Father. That I make time to be with Him... Because this quiet stillness I am searching for, can only be found in Him.

 

 

The last day in Haiti, we went to the beach. It was fun, it was relaxing, but it was also still... Nature has always been my peaceful zone. When I am frustrated or confused, or I just need to get away I go outside. And today, October 13, 2012, is the perfect day to be outside. The air is warm, but the breeze is cool. It's the perfect day to sit out at the property of your future church to dream, to be still, to find rest... To be still in Him.

 

And my prayer now, is that you find this stillness too. Because He will fill you, and restore you, and give you this unimagineable love and hope that you have never felt before. It's like a coma, you get so far into the stillness that you don't want to come back. But when you do, He will make you ready to go out and do His mighty work in this land.

 

Until next time...

 

Still in Him,

Symone Lin

 



Haiti: The Hopeful

At this rate, it might be next year before I finish retelling Haiti. I hope you will forgive me for taking such a long time between each of these posts. A lot has happened in the last month. As usual, school is kicking me in the rear. It's like I will never be ahead at this point unless I spend every waking minute studying and doing homework. But then I also have work, which I WILL NOT complain about. At least I have a job, and I love the ladies I work with. But now, on top of all of that.... I am planning my wedding!!!! It's not as if everyone reading this doesn't already know that, but it's still exciting, and I want to tell you again.  :)

So here we are... I promised in the last post that I would share about The Hopeful. It's been almost 2 months since the trip, but let's see what I can pull up for you.

....................................................................................



What does it mean to be hopeful, or to have hope? For some, it's, " I hope I get an A on that paper." or, "I hope I get that promotion or raise." For others, " I hope I get the job, so I can provide for my family." And then we have, "I hope God does work here."

Someone asked me a week or so after the trip what I thought of Haiti and the people... I told him, "They are better off right where they are." *Gasp* Did I just cross a line? I don't think so. Because when I think of being hopeful, I think of someone who has nothing left to rely on. Someone who only has GOD. And some of these people in Haiti... have.... nothing. All they have is hope that God will show up and give them what they need for that day.

Yeah, Haiti is a dirty, immoral, corrupt place. For crying out loud, there number one religion is Vudu. They worship the devil!!! But there are people who have a heart for God, that I can only dream of having...

I have tried to imagine what life would be like for some of these people if they came to live in America. Someone would give them clothes, a nice bed to sleep in, cook them dinner, and maybe even find them a job. But then they would turn into the rest of us. The rest of us who rely on clothes, and shelter and food and MONEY! They would begin to rely on these things, and the hope that I saw in these people would start to wither away. "Well God brought me to America, and gave me all of these blessings, and now I'm so busy, and I'm making money, and I...." They would become a part of this vicious cycle where we rely on ourselves...

When I was in Haiti I saw hope. I saw people who had nothing. I saw people praising God for a bench to sit on in church. I saw people who didn't even need a bench, because their worship was so deep, that they could climb no higher than their knees...

We hear people ask all the time, "If God is good, then why do people suffer?"

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

~ 1 Peter 5:10 ~

 

For me personally, when I suffer, or when my heart is breaking, that is when I hope in God the most. Because clothes, food, money... None of these things can get me through the suffering. If my God has the strength to move mountains, then surely He can calm an aching heart.

 

"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

~ John 16:33 ~

 

 

Sometimes we aren't always placed in the ideal conditions or situations... But my prayer is that you are hopeful. That you are thankful for what you have, that you trust His provision for the things you need, and that you remain hopeful for the plans that he has for you.

 

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you HOPE and a future."

~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~

 

Sorry everyone, no pictures for this one... How do you capture hope...?

 

Until next time, let your hope change you, and mold you in Him. I know that's what I will be doing, because I am A Work in Progress.

 

 

Hopeful,

Symone Lin

Haiti: The Children

I returned to the states a month ago today. It's bittersweet to sit here and think about the fact that we worked, and raised money for nearly a year, and just like that, it's over. But it's not really over...

There are so many lessons that God is still teaching me, and I would like to break it up by the three things that affected me most while down there.

~The Children ~ The Hopeful ~ The Quiet~

 

 

Today, I would like to share with you the children God sent. 

 

But first, I'd like to be real with you. When we first arrived, and had to sit on a bus for oh... 5-6 hours waiting for the rest of our team's planes to arrive, the panic started to set in. I was in a foreign, third world country, that needed my help, and I am so small... The humidity was unreal, showers were 2 minutes or less, electricity was rare, and let's just say the food made me a vegetarian that week. Do not get me wrong, I was very thankful and blessed to be in a place where I always felt safe, where hot meals were provided, where I could take a shower, and then relax in the shade, and where I could grow with my teammates and discover where God was moving us together and as individuals. But for five days, I was uncomfortable. God had taken me away from my friends and family, and thrown me right down in a struggling society that had always seemed unreal. And I was scared...

 

For the first three days, during the afternoon, we would walk down dirt roads, between crumbling homes, down alley ways, and around the corner into a dark church that resembled a concrete vault or even a cave. While it did provide us some comfort being in the cool shade, the dampness clung to our already sweating bodies. And that is where we meet the children. They would come alone or with their friends or siblings, and they would come without their parents guidance. There were 5 year olds that were in charge of caring for their 3 year old little brother or sister. Can you imagine being 5 years old and having all the responsibility of bringing your 3 year old sibling to church??

 

Those three days, we did VBS with the children in the area. While we had only prepared for 60-75 children to show up, God brought over 100 each day, and that church was filled with tiny hearts that wanted someone to love on them and show them hope. We did lessons with them and memorized verses with them. We did crafts, and sang songs... And each day a few more lives were added to the Kingdom.

 

I remember one small girl in particular. Each day she would come into the church, take a seat on one of the benches or chairs, and fall asleep.

 

 

Isn't she darling? The first day she was there, she was nodding off on one of the benches, and I mean quite literally nodding off. Her little head would roll to the side and she'd be inches from tumbling right off the. So that first day, I picked her up, and let her take her nap right there in my arms. Together, I'm pretty sure the heat we produced was close to fire. But to see her relax into my arms, and see her feel safe was everything.

 

Another day, we did a small service for the women of the community, to come and learn how to bring unity into the home. We knew this would be a rough topic for those women that worked hard, and did not feel as if they should submit to an unbelieving husband, and that is why we prayed. During the service, there were three girls from our team in the back of the church praying at all times. Near the end of the service, I went to back and began to pray. Not only had I struggled to do this since arriving, but God had a plan for me there.

 

I prayed and I prayed, and after a while, I felt someone sit down beside me. I peeked to see who it was, and there was a young girl there. She smiled at me, and I smiled back, and then I continued my prayer. And slowly, but oh so surely, she scooted a little closer... And a little closer still, until she was right next to me. Leg to leg, arm to arm. And she reached over, and she put her little hand on my knee. And God told me to pray for her. So I held her hand, and she held mine, and we sat there together until the service ended. And if you know me, you know that I cried, of course. Without words, we were able to communicate love, and understanding to one another. I later found out her name was Anna, and that she was one of the seven children to the pastor of the church. And each day we came to the church, she would come to me and smile. And I have high hopes for her.

 

 

Alright now, were almost to the end of this part. But there is one more story I would like to share. The very last day we were in Haiti, we spent the morning at an orphanage for little girls. I wish so mush, that we would have had more time to spend with them, because these were girls so young, and they had never experienced the love only a parent can share. So that morning, as we prepared to see these girls, our team leader told us, "It is sad to see, but your job is to go in there, and love on these children. Be their mother, be their sister, be their friend. Be whatever love, they need you to be." And we did. We wrapped these girls in our arms, we shared to story of David and Goliath, we played games with them, we sang songs with them, we offered clothes. And when we found out they were running low on food, we went out and bought bags of rice and beans for them. At the end of our service, the girls were asked if any of them wanted to "ask Jesus into their hearts." And guess who was privileged to pray for the ones that did? Little ol me.

 

It went a little something like this. "God, meet these little ones right here. Meet them right where they need you. Comfort their hearts when they are scared and lonely, and show them love that only you can provide. Give them hope for their futures, and keep them safe. Lord, guide them for the rest of their lives, so that when the time comes, they can be right there with you."



 

 

 

 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

~Matthew 19:14~

 

 

His Child,

Symone Lin 



This is it... I am blessed.

In three days my best friend and I are leaving for Haiti.

I'm not sure where I want this post to go... If you have ever read my About Me page, you will know that when I started this blog I planned on being really real with you. That I would share when I was up and when I was down. Right now, it's a little bit of both. About a month ago, this trip stopped being sureal and became real. And I have to say, I kind of panicked. Number one, I have never ever left this country. Number two, I am going to be thrown way out of my element (which isn't a bad thing). And number three, I am fully expecting anything to happen. I expect to see deep poverty, hunger, nakedness, possibly even death...

But, I also plan to see revival, and worship, and hope and love. I plan to see lives changed.

As of now, we have been informed that we will be in Carrefour, an area near Port-Au-Prince, which is where we will fly into. A majority of our mission will be VBS type of work which means CHILDREN!!

  

We will also be working some in construction and cleaning. These people, who have never experienced the easy life, are still struggling after the devastating earthquake that occured two years ago!



Monday night, Marena and I counseled with Jason & Marcia, our pastor and his beautiful wife. Before then, neither of us had considered what life would be like when we came home. Of course we would be changed. Still the same people, but with a new perspective and deeper understanding of the hopeless. We plan to run on little sleep for the week we are there, and we are fully expecting to be on our toes the entire trip in order to get as much done as possible.

Therefore, when we return we might not want to talk. After running for a week straight, we might just want to be alone with our thoughts to dwell on what has taken place in our lives, and how God moved. For those of you that read this, all I ask is that you give us patience and understanding. There may be things we will never want to talk about... But, when we are ready, we are fully prepared to share with you how God moved.

We are both so thankful for this opportunity to grow closer to God and to see hopeless lives become full of hope and love that only God's grace can share. I am especially thankful that I get to experience this with Marena. There is no one I would rather go on this trip with. A friend that has gone to hell and back with me. Someone who, at one point in our lives, I was content to never speak to again. A friend that has grown with me and pulled me back to my feet multiple times. Someone that, despite the fallings out and the times of hurt, was still always meant to be in my life, and would find a way back. There is no one that has gone through so much with me from such a young age. Marena, I am thankful for you, and I am proud to call you friend.



I am also thankful for all of the support and prayers that has allowed us to be where we are. A dear friend to me, whom I hadn't had contact with for too long, contacted me this morning and shared her love with me.

"Well, look at it this way. You're not leaving the country for crazy things. You're leaving to go do Gods work. You're doing what you can to further the kingdom. So there is no reason to be nervous because you have his protection. Just remember Psalm 91. Keep that passage close to your heart and all nervousness will fade away."

"1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you say, "The Lord is my refuge,"
and you make the Most High your dwelling,

10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

~Psalm 91~

In three days we are leaving. Please pray for comfort, guidance, wisdom, protection, the works that will be done, and for God to move in mighty ways. Pray that we are able to serve, be selfless, be flexible and teachable. Pray for us to use this time to really rely on God and draw closer to Him in our own personal journey's. Pray that this will be an amazing part of A Work in Process.

I can't wait to share our journey with you... Until then.

God's Servant,

Symone Lin

For a Lifetime

This morning on my way to work, I cried... Not because I was sad, but because I was listening to a story on the radio that really touched a place in my life that I have really struggled with.

Have you ever known a person that just doesn't get it? There are several people that come to mind when I think about this. Family and friends... How do you get people to understand how great our God is? How do you share Gods love to a closed door?

This morning on the radio I heard a testimony about this. A man and his wife had been married for several years, and had attended church regularly with their children. Until one Sunday the husband decided he was done. He had witnessed to much hypocrisy and guilt and judgement within the church, and he had had enough. He had closed the door.

For the next 40 years this wife fasted and prayed for her husband, going to the Lord when she didn't know what to do next. The man that was supposed to lead her, had all but given up. At the age of 69, the husband had a series of strokes and new it wouldn't be much longer until he passed.

One morning, his youngest daughter was taking care of him; feeding him, giving him his medication, when she realized he was crying. Never, in all of her life had she seen her father cry. She asked him what was wrong, and he explained to his youngest that he knew he was dying, and that he had accepted that, but that all he felt was darkness and emptiness. He asked his daughter to to get her mother.

His wife rushed to his bedside, asking what he needed her to do? He simply said, "I need you to pray for me." She had spent 40 years waiting for him to ask her to pray for him. He died two weeks later knowing that his heavenly Father was waiting for him.

So what do we do when we come across a person in our lives that walks away, or never really knew Him in the first place?

We pray and have patience.

Our God is so BIG, and He works in His time!

When you come to a valley and you don't know what to pray, use scripture as your guide:

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought is into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

~Colossians 1: 9-14~

When we seek God with all of our hearts, He will listen, and He will make Himself known.

"Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity.'"

~Jeremiah 29: 12-13~

Like I mentioned, their are several people I pray for on a regular basis. I have at times begged God, "Please! Change their hearts. Help them to seek you and know you. Help them to understand!" I have lost patience and been all but graceful to them, begging them to try harder! But, no matter how much I beg and plead with God or that individual, I see no change.

But, God is working! He is always at work in someones life. Even mine. When I lose patience with someone, He calls me back and works on me. Do not ever give up on a person. Spend your whole life praying and being an example to that person. We are all A Work in Progress.

It may take minutes for some, but a lifetime for others. Be patient and pray. Knowing that your prayers aren't ignored. God is hearing them, and He is building beautiful testimonies.

Patiently Yours,

Symone Lin







Grown Up Things

Never did I realize that I would be to the point in my life where I would be saying and doing grown up things.

Now, I'm only 19 years old, but I am to the point where I am saying, "I remember when I was your age...." or, "When you grow up..." or even holding a mature conversation with a grown up about politics. Yuck!

Now, as far as doing grown up things, that is why I am up at the time I am, on my day off. Rarely am I up before 10 am, sometimes even as late as noon, on my day off. This morning I was up at what seemed like the crack of dawn (8 am), to go and have my car inspected. Not only that, but this afternoon I have to run errands. Errands such as, going to the chiropractor, getting new tags for my car, picking up my prescriptions for the upcoming mission trip, and gathering other assorted items for the trip.

I can hear it now, real grown ups everywhere saying, "You call that running errands? Try grocery shopping, paying bills, taking your children to the doctor!" I admit, these errands aren't all stressful and time consuming, but they are things that fill my day with running.

In the midst of the chaos, it is hard to find time to dwell on the blessings that these errands really are. I am blessed to be able to do all of these things. In some countries, such as Haiti, people can't drive cars, or go and get a back adjustment when they feel out of whack, or go and purchase prescriptions to prevent malaria. I am blessed to have these things to fill my day.

In fact, most children in other countries are doing much more adult like works in order to support their families. All I am required to spend my hard earned money on is myself and the things I need. I say "hard earned," as if I were farming in the hot, dry sun with no real equipment to make the job easier.

I am so blessed in fact, that even though it seems as if I have plenty of things to do to fill my day, I am still able to find time to dwell on the Maker who offered these blessings to me. I am able to sit down on my soft quilted bed, with a warm cup of coffee and the cool air conditioning to add to the comfort of it all. And to top it all off, I have the day off from working. I am so truly blessed to be able to seek the peace and stillness my Savior has to offer me. I have the time to be a child of God in a world that constantly says, "Grow up!"

"I Will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

~2 Corinthians 6:18~

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation - but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba Father.' The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit, that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share his glory."

~Romans 8:12-17~

"We are God's children." We are the sons and daughters of the Maker of the Universe, the one who created the world, who knows the beginning and the end. The Father that can give huge blessings to such a tiny me.

I am blessed to be able to cry out to my Abba Father, when the grown up things of this world become seemingly too much to handle. I am blessed to have quiet time to sit down, stand up, sing, dance, and praise my God. I am blessed that I have nourishing food, and a place to sleep at night. I am blessed because I have the power to change someone's life, even if it is just one. I am blessed because I am obligated, not to sinful nature, but to that of the Holy Spirit which gives me this beautiful life.

I am blessed because I am A Work in Progress.

Blessings,

Symone (Daughter of God)

Haiti Relief Trip

In 24 days my best friend and I will be leaving the country, and embarking on our first MISSION TRIP to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti! For me it is the first time leaving the country... Until about a week ago, I was super excited. And then I realzied, I'm leaving the country in a month! The idea that this was actually happening was still slightly surreal to me. And now it's crunch time and I continue to ask myself, am I ready for this kind of adventure? Will my heart be right where it needs to be, so that through Him I can do these great works? Will I be mentally ready to see such devastation? Will every single one of my actions be about glorifying His kingdom?

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

~John 14:12~

Can I truly understand that I will do even greater works than my Lord and Savior did??



Relationships
As I began to ask these questions, the panic started to set in. In my first post, I discussed the importance of relationships within the body of Christ. Relationships was another topic, that even after that post, was weighing on my heart. Which is why I am so thankful for the Lighthouse worship team, More Than A Song. For 2 weeks our lead worship pastor was on vacation, and the group was pretty bare. Honestly, I really struggled with making the praises about God and His glory. Instead, I focused more on how I sounded, and how the congregation was reacting to that sound.

So last week when the whole team was back together again, we grew together. Before practice, we sat down; we shared our praises and our concerns. And me being the big ball bag I am, began to cry. This kind of relationship, with the people that I call brothers and sister is what I was waiting to truly experience. I had been singing with these people for a few years, and until then, I had never sat down and grown with them, and praised with them, without singing. I was experiencing a oneness with these people and the Holy Spirit. I was able to share the concerns I had for the trip, and the mission God has for me. And we prayed together... As a group we are moving and changing. God has a plan for this group, and I am so excited to be a part of it.

That being said, once we had spent this time praying together, I felt at ease. Knowing that my God will watch over me, and guide my every action is the confirmation I needed to know that even if I am not ready to leave today, that I will be ready to do and be a part of what He has in store for me.

"He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation."

~Mark 16:15~

Does this make God smile?

When I begin to struggle with whether my actions are pleasing to God, I ask myself, "Would that make God smile? God does this please you?" When I begin to shift my focus from what the world sees me doing to what my God sees me doing, it automatically becomes more about Him. So when singing becomes more about the sound than the praises, I ask. And when a mission trip becomes more about me being thrown out of my comfort zone, I ask. "God, how I can I please you?"

Some people state that there is plenty of hardship here in the U.S., and why don't we stay here and help those people rather than travel to a foreign country where things are so sketchy. Things are sketchy here too! I'm not saying there isn't devastation here, because there definitely is. But when God calls us to go out into the world, He isn't talking about home, where we are comfortable. For me, I felt pushed to go outside my realm of comfort. Originally we were booked to go to Lima, Peru, but not enough people signed up to attend, so we had to be flexible and choose a new mission. That's all part of being God's child. You can make plans, and make plans, but ultimately our plans are not His. Flexibility is the key to serving a God whose plans never change.

Prayers
To those of you who do read this, all I ask that you pray. Pray for safe travels, and for Gods presence to be known. Pray for protection and guidance, and I will pray that through your prayers for my friend and I, you grow closer and reach out further to the arms of God that await you.

I'm just A Work in Progress...

Loving His Presence,

Symone





P.S. - We have been encouraged to bring a daily journal to Haiti. Therefore, you can expect to hear much about my trip when I return!

My First Blog

Hello! Welcome to my first blog... I've never done this before, but I want to share my thoughts and my questions in hopes to become more understanding of this wonderful life, and to even encourage others.

Recently I attended my Bible Study and a few girls were missing. One was out on account of surgery, and the other for pnemonia. They asked me to take notes for them, instead I wrote out what I got from the lesson. I would like to share it as my first post. I think it fits, simply because this is what we have gotten away from, and something I hope can, not necessarily be restored, because it was never broken; rather, I want it to be about finding it again... I hope you enjoy.

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Hey Girls!

I'm sorry you are both feeling under the weather this week. Something we discussed last night was how easy it is for us to get in a rut, and think, “Why God? Why are you doing this to me? Why do I have to go through this?” Rather than thinking why NOT me? After we did the lesson, we began to discuss this topic, and I thought it fit, that you are both going through some pretty traumatic health experiences, yet you know and understand that your God is faithful, and that He will get you through this! At least I hope you trust that. :)

Who are we as mere humans, to ask the God of all creation, why me? The God that has control over our whole lives and that controls where the oceans and lakes and rivers stop, and where land begins, and who controls where lightening will strike, etc. Why do we doubt that He has a plan? Rather than focusing on the negative aspect of whatever it is that we go through, why don't we focus on the goodness of God in the situation? We watched a Rob Bell video called Whirlwind, and it explained this so much better than I am. I hope that you both will find a way to watch this. I of course teared up... Ha!

Anyway, you both know how scattered some of our topics get at BS, and last night was no exception. The only people there were, Austin, Logan and myself. Our conversation began with a discussion over magicians and illusionists and being able to discern when they are dealing with black magic, and how to guard our hearts from letting evil thoughts enter our minds. We talked a little about sports, and throwing Logan in the pool... Too bad it didn't actually happen. :)

Finally, we decided, that despite the fact that we were the only ones there, that we would go ahead and do the lesson. I'm glad Kelly asked me to take notes, because as much as you probably don't want to read page after page, I think this will help me elaborate a little more on my own thoughts about the lesson. We watched the next video in the Frances Chan series we have been watching, and this video was about the Holy Spirit. When I take notes, I ask questions or make statements rather than answering or taking actual notes. So, here are the “notes” I pulled from the message.

• We claim to be Christians, but where is the Holy Spirit in us? Why aren't our lives more like that of Jesus if we do have the Holy Spirit?
• Jesus tells us He has to leave this world so that something better then Himself can come into the world. Can you imagine anything better than a Savior??
• Why is a church service so predictable? Why is it that we rush through a service and shun this amazing supernatural spirit from our hearts? Why don't we let it in and let it move us?
• This Holy Spirit is like a wave. You can't fight it, change it, or manipulate where it goes. All you can do is jump on the wave, ride it, and let it change you.
• Do you think the same Holy Spirit exists that same way it did 2000 years ago, when Jesus first left this world?
• What would the church look like today if we stopped controlling it and let the Holy Spirit move us? Would we be where God wants us to be?

After the video was over we went back to the scriptures that Frances Chan used as examples. They were Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:40-47. I suggest you check those out, because I'm not putting them in here. But I will talk about them. (I'll put links at the bottom of the page).

The first verse discusses the miracles of the Holy Spirit, when he/she/it, I don't know what to call it, came to the earth. Tongues like fire touched all these people that had followed Jesus and they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and their friends saw it and they began to gather there, where this was taking place. So our question here was, “Do you think the only reason people gather in Christs name is because of the miracles they see?” Clearly you can have your own opinion, but my mind went back to the question, “Do you think the same Holy Spirit exists that same way it did 2000 years ago, when Jesus first left this world?” And honestly I disagree with miracles being the only reason, and yes I do think the Holy Spirit exists the same way, but I think we treat it differently in our society. Let me explain... Go up to anyone in our church and ask them why they are here. I bet most of them would probably say either because of their family or friends, or because that's all they know. Which is why I think that while the Holy Spirit is still the same, and it still dwells amongst us, but it's different because in our society, people seem to gather in Christs name because they are looking for acceptance or to build relationships with somebody. Notice the key word being relationships...

So why isn't it about the miracles of the Holy Spirit? Why isn't that why we follow Christ? Here is why I think that we come for the relationships, rather than the miracles... It is because in our generation and many generations past, when we see God perform a miracle through a person, we look at the person and call THEM healer. Even though it was through God's power that the miracle was performed. We have taken the miracles out of God's hand and made it about the person. “Oh, you were healed of cancer? You must have a great doctor.” Isn't that usually how it goes...? I'm not saying that coming to Christ through relationships is bad, in fact, I wouldn't be here if it were not for relationships, but that's not how it happened in the beginning. Just something to think about...

In the second verse, which I'm also not putting in here, it discusses those relationships. It talks about these people that were filled with this spirit having, “EVERYTHING IN COMMON.” I will not repeat myself. Let that soak in. What if everyone in our church had everything in common? Sounds kinda boring right? I agree, but to these people, in this time, having everything in common meant knowing each other... Really knowing each other... Knowing where a person was spiritually, physically, mentally, and then taking care of each other. Breaking bread together, having compassion for one another, and sharing everything! What if we all knew what each other needed and we had the tools to help them through their struggles? Why is it that today we are so lost to the needs of others? Why don't we share our hearts? Why don't we share our possessions and our money and all the extra things we have that we don't need?

Here is my conclusion to the million questions I've thrown out there, I hope it all makes sense. First, it is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to build relationships. Even when we do not feel like we have the Holy Spirit, it is constantly dwelling with us. It is guiding us to certain people and building relationships, because that is the plan that God has for us. It is constantly performing miracles that we never even see...

Second, how do we get the church to recognize that we are nothing without the Holy Spirit? How do we bring it back? How do we get people to stay and build relationships rather than rush out after the service ends? Well, we give and forgive, and share and care, and become really real with each other. We build intimate relations where we aren't scared to share our struggles, and we help each other through them. We give when someone needs, we forgive when someone hurts us, we share our love and our wisdom and our possessions, and we truly care for all of the people, even the ones we can't stand... We grow together, we hold each other up, and we always know and understand. But above all things, we understand that this is part of God's amazing master plan...

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What did you think? Let me know.

Thanks for being a part of this progression with me.

Sending His Love,

Symone L. Hurd