Not of this World May/June 2012
a note from the editor Last year, I read the poem In Flanders Field for a school project. The poem describes a WWI battlefield that is now covered in poppies. Interestingly, the poppies flourished because the soil was soaked with blood and broken up by the battle, making it ideal for the delicate flower. I love that poem. I love that something so beautiful can come out of something so horrible. Poppies have been my favorite flower since living in Italy. In May, they would start popping up amid the cracks of stone walls and along railroad tracks and highways, bright splashes of color amidst dreary backgrounds. Not only do I think they are beautiful flowers, but theyʼve grown more meaningful over the past few years as God has used poppies to remind me of His faithfulness and love. In moments of difficulty and doubt, God has used this small piece of His creation to show me that beauty often does come through pain. And sometimes it takes going through intense battle to see that beauty. This summer, I hope you are encouraged to keep fighting whatever battles God has placed in your life. Never forget that God can turn a heartbreaking situation into a beautiful painting of His love for you. In this issue, there are multiple stories of God turning a dismal story into one of hope and beauty. I hope they encourage and inspire you to keep persevering and serving the Lord.
“When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!” -Psalm 142:3
Happy Summer! -Courtney R. send me notes at notofthisworld.r2@gmail.com To read more about my “poppy story,” turn to page 30
6 table of contents On God...
Bible Verses on Being Lost... 29 Heart of Worship...20, 21
On You...
A Princess of Christ...4 Modesty Survey...5
“For the first time it really clicked that being in a relationship with the Lord is not just a part of your life, but it is life.�
-Page 13
On Others...
Blessed Are Those Who Wait... 6-11 Katie: a Joyful Woman of God...13-15
On Everything...
For I know the Plans I Have for You...16-18 Hope Shells...23-28 From the Blog...30 Quote...22
may you be blessed and encouraged by these thoughts and stories...
24
happy reading!
A princess of Christ... ...forgives because she was first forgiven ...loves because she was first loved ...extends grace because she was first extended grace.
According to The Rebelution’s modesty survey... 91% of guys said despite rampant immodesty all around them, girls who choose to dress modestly do make a dierence
65% said strapless dresses are a stumbling block
92% said that miniskirts are a stumbling block 57% said stomach-revealing swim suits are a stumbling block
76% said skin-tight jeans are a stumbling block 85% said tube tops are a stumbling block As the weather gets warmer, choose your clothes wisely and honor God with your wardrobe.
Blessed Are Those Who Wait:
A Love Story
by Amanda Lent
Because of God’s favor and goodness to me I am becoming your wife today. You embody the loving, thoughtful, loyal, Christ-like man I asked the Lord for. You’re also handsome, hardworking and have become my hero. You are the amazing spiritual leader and pursuer of my heart I’ve desired. My wait was long and hope deferred has been a part of my journey. Thanks for embracing my story and listening to my heart as I’ve shared how waiting has brought both mountain tops & valleys. The sweetness of holding your hand today with complete confidence that God has brought us together is incredible! We have the ultimate gift of God’s perfect timing and I know you are His perfect choice of a husband for me. Thank you for seeking God in our dating, courtship and engagement...our story brings my heart so much joy!
These words are from the vows I spoke to my husband on our wedding day just three months ago. Vows I had long been writing in my heart, years before I met him. Â Vows that I hoped reflected my great gratitude. Vows that came from a heart that waited so long for a man who not only cherished me, but who treasured Christ above all else.
Waiting. The Bible encourages us to be hopeful in waiting, to take heart and put our confidence in His timing and desire give us His best. And there are days when the waiting seems endless and we wonder what God’s up to. At 33 years old, I married my first and only boyfriend. (Yes, you read that right!) Middle school, High school, college, and my 20s came and went and my desire for a guy in my life to be romantically interested in me remained unmet. Yet, the Lord pursued me sweetly each and every year, showering me with attention, affection and abundant love. In hindsight, I can confidently say that what was lacking in the romance department of my life was actually quite overshadowed by how extravagantly God lavished His loving kindness on my life. Through girls weekends with best friends. Through kindergartner’s hugs as a teacher. Through coffee dates with my Bible and journal. Through experiencing beautiful cultures and people on mission trips. I promise that my journey in discovering completeness as a daughter of the King was worthy of each moment God asked me to wait for a husband. I poured out to my heart to Him in both joy and sadness in my journey, asking Him often about how much longer my wait would be. And in the pouring out, I was filled up. I was filled with a deep sense of security that my inner beauty, my gifts, and my heart made the Lord delight and sing over me. I was filled with a deep sense of belonging to the One who created me to enjoy Him and worship Him forever. For me, the wait for a husband was much longer than I would have chosen. But also sweeter and more adventurously wonderful than I could have ever have authored on my own. God chose a path for my life as I waited that brought me such life. When I chose to discover the passions the Lord put in my heart and asked for His wisdom & direction in how to serve Him, I viewed my waiting as a gift and not a punishment. Of course, it was a hard struggle at times, but the Lord was patient with me when I doubted His timing. And so my hope is that as you commit yourself to waiting for God’s best, you’ll commit yourself to running into His arms and not away from them. Commit
yourself to sharing your heart honestly with Him, knowing He knows each thought and wants you to be honest & vulnerable. Commit yourself to discovering the gifts and talents God gives you to make an impact only you can make in the world. See singleness as an adventure, girls. See it as an incredible journey of intimacy you get to experience with the Lord. Just the two of you.
“...our story brings my heart so much joy.” Photos by Sarah Bray Photography
Moving to a new country? Struggling with feeling alone? Going on furlough? Read Not of this World’s collection of articles on being a third culture kid here.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of
kindness is on her
tongue. Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who
fears the Lord is to be praised. -Proverbs 31
Katie
a joyful woman of God
What countries have you lived in? Indonesia, the US, and Italy
When did you accept Jesus as your Savior?
Growing up, I moved a lot because of my dad’s job. It was really exciting because we got to experience a lot of new cultures because we lived overseas and then we lived in Louisiana, Texas, and California. But, also, it was hard; vulnerable was a huge adjective to describe me. I had grown up hearing about God and went to church, but personally I didn’t really understand it. Thankfully, when I went to college, one of my friends had mentioned Cru, a Christian ministry at American colleges. So I saw a table later on with information on Cru and filled out a card and a staff woman called me and invited me to a meeting later that week. I ended up in a Bible study and I really saw something different in the other girls’ lives. The way they talked about God was different. I was able to be vulnerable with stuff that was happening in my family for the first time. Their presence started to make me think about how they knew the Lord versus how I knew him. By my sophomore year, I was reading the Bible and my Bible study leader really explained to me what it meant to have a relationship with the Lord and how we were separated from Him and I could really feel that separation. For the first time it clicked that being in a relationship with the Lord is not just a part of your life, but it is life. The Lord had already been working in me to be vulnerable and that was the biggest difference I could see. I learned that the Lord is always there and I can be vulnerable - I can be who I am.
Who has been the most influential woman in your life?
Spiritually, Jenny Holberg. She is on staff with Cru and she was my Bible study leader all four years of college. She’s been a really loyal friend. It’s cool because we’ve now known each other for ten years. She’s really open and even from day one as a freshman, she didn’t sugar-coat her life. She let people know what was going on and how she was trusting the Lord. She showed other people what it looked like to trust in Him in the hard times and the good times. The other most inspirational people in my life are my parents. They’ve traveled and been to a lot more countries than I have and I love their sense of adventure and their knowledge that there’s more out there in the world than the American dream. They’ve grown a lot spiritually in the last ten years too. It’s been really cool to watch them make decisions based off of their relationship with the Lord.
What’s your favorite Bible verse?
I have two! Sorry, I’m really bad at doing just one. My first one is Romans 5:8. I really really love that verse. A couple of years ago, I went on a missions trip to Moscow, Russia and while I was there, I was studying the book of Romans. I realized that the longer I’ve been a Christian, the more I’ve been led back to the foundation of who Christ is and what He did for us and I just love that verse because it reminds me that faith is the foundation of life. The other one is Isaiah 10:8. I’ve lived a whole lot and I feel like my life’s mission statement is living life for the Lord rather than me and I pray that I will always live like that.
What’s your advice to teen girls who want to grow up to be Godly women? Really prioritize time with the Lord. When I was in high school, that was not even on my radar and I had not even heard the phrase “quiet time.” What has really impacted my walk with the Lord was reading through the Bible in a year. It literally changed my life. You don’t have to wait to be in your twenties to do that. When reading the Bible, you should not only be asking how does this point me to my sin, but also how does this point me to the beauty of Christ. Also, asking the question who is Jesus to me today is really significant because it helps you remember that you need Christ. Realize that being a Christian is not just part of your life but your life. Take risks and share it with other people. I’m really grateful for my story, but it would have been really cool to understand who God is before going to college.
Katie lives in Arkansas where she ministers to girls at the University of Arkansas. Do you know a woman in your life who exemplifies Proverbs 31? Interview her and send us her answers!
The bell rings.
Everyone grabs their books
carelessly and heads off to lunch. I, however, remain, still scratching down notes, trying to figure out what the teacher has been talking about for the past hour and a half. No one seems to understand. Well, everyone understands except me. That’s my problem. School is in Spanish. Church is in Spanish. Friends speak in Spanish. My sister speaks in Spanish. The mall, the streets, Wal-Mart, the list goes on. My mind even feels like it has to be in Spanish. Everyday, I feel like I’m ten thoughts behind everyone else and there are times I want to say something and just plain can’t. It seems as if no matter where I go, I’ll be blocked by language barriers.
Now, it’s the little things that can push me over my fragile edge: going home and staring at a blank word document that’s supposed to have tomorrow’s Spanish essay on it; having to go to “English as a second language” class and do a verb conjugation sheet on the simple present tense for “to be”. I’m tired of bland cheese and expensive chocolate. I miss things that I always used to take for granted, like lolly-pops and street signs. Sometimes, I go to the tiny little shelf of English books in the library and start crying because I know it will be hardly any time before I’ve read them all. I’ve started reading textbooks now. There are so many things about being an MK that are so hard I want to scream. I sit in my room sobbing into my pillow and feel sorry for myself. As I think of all of the things that hurt my heart, I think that this is not what it’s supposed to be like. It’s not my home, friends or
language ability that’s messed up - it’s my attitude. God didn’t only call my parents to be missionaries. It’s not like I just wasn’t a part of the plan. I’m not in Costa Rica because God called my parents. I’m in Costa Rica because that’s where God wants me; I have been called to serve. While I don’t know what all that means, it may mean I have to struggle. I am different. I move a lot and travel all the time. I don’t have T.V. I don’t know any modern music. I went from advanced English to English as a second language. I live on a seminary campus. I can barely communicate with my friends. I couldn’t tell you where my home is, because I don’t know. However, these are not God things, they’re me things. I will not be controlled by them. Through it all, I will trust in God, because He has a plan for me. ‘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 a hope and a future.’ - Jeremiah 29:11
Written by Allie T.
What’s your favorite summer book? Click here to share your favorites for Not of this World’s Ultimate Summer Reading List on the blog!
Heart of Worship: “Trouble surrounds me, chaos abounding” are lyrics I can acutely relate to at the moment. My parents have to make the very critical decision of where we will live next year, my senior year of high school, and they are doing everything they can to make the choice that keeps God at the center of our lives. It’s scary, chaotic, and confusing. It feels like we are in a boat, just having come from a large storm of transition and now we must decide which direction we will take next. Wherever we go, we will face huge storms. Sometimes I’m tempted to say that I would like to pick the more comfortable location or the one that will bring the most smiles and good memories, but I have lived a little and I know that the best and safest place to be is in the middle of God’s will, which is not always a comfortable and fun place. But I want to grow closer to the Lord and I want to follow His plan for me. All that to say I think the life of an MK can leave us feeling lost quite often. Like a kid who gets left in the toy aisle of a Super Walmart (for those who aren’t familiar with those just picture a huge store) and he has no clue where to even start looking for some sign of the comfort of his mother. We can all relate to feeling lost in various situations in life. Where should I go? What kind of classes should I take? What kind of friends should I be looking for? What does a “normal” kid look like/do? Sometimes we just feel so different and we are struggling to just find something that is familiar. I have pinned this feeling to the fact that most of us have just been following our parents all over the world and have had a very limited amount of choices. When faced with our own decision, it is beyond overwhelming and I think it can feel defeating as well.
Lost
by Michaela F.
But God has us in those situations to show HIS power and HIS faithfulness and HIS unbelievable love. If you have ever seen a lost child you will know that what I am about to say is true. They are in their most vulnerable state ever. Tears streaming down their face, their whole body trembling with fear, crying out “Mommy? Mommy! MOMMY!!” As the feeling of desperation consumes them, they become hysterical and all it takes is just one kind smiling face and a gentle touch to reveal a palpable change in their countenance. Yes they may still be afraid, they may still be crying, but they know someone is there. And that is all that matters. You see, God puts us in situations like that because He wants us to learn that He is there no matter what and that He will come through for us every single. time. It is such a God thing that I have heard the song “Always” (click to listen) by Kristian Stanfill at church and at school a bunch of times recently because it reminds me of the truth that my soul can rest in the Lord because He will come through for me always. No matter the opposition I am facing or the chaos that is consuming my life, He will be there. That’s all I need.
“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
-Psalm 25:14-15
“But God is the God of the waves and the billows, and they are still His when they come over us; and again and again we have proved that the overwhelming thing does not overwhelm. Once more by His interposition deliverance came. We were cast down, but not destroyed.”
— Amy Carmichael
Hope Shells
Fiction by Courtney R.
The
gentle wind tugged at her loose braids and the sun playfully splashed its warm rays on her freckled face. The sky stretched out like a never-ending canvas of pale blues and milky whites, blanketing the rolling waves below. The sandy shoreline was empty, except for the occasional runner or fisher. Birds flew overhead, their shrill sounds creating an oddly peaceful melody with the soft crashing waves.
Caroline soaked up the scene in a glance and sighed as she walked on the edge of the water. She stopped and stood still, letting the water lap at her ankles. Blue water stretched out endlessly before her. She felt a lump rising in her throat. She could practically sense peace radiating from her surroundings, but they could not penetrate her heart. Slowly, she turned and walked away from the water, finally finding a spot to sit in the sand. She drew up her knees to her chest and settled her head on them. A single tear rolled down her face and splashed on her knee. She longed for peace, for the freedom the birds must have felt as they soared through the salty air. Her aching heart was desperate for a cure. Anything to make all the heaviness of life go away.
She shut her eyes tight, trying to shut out everything but the gentle lull of the waves. But everything came rushing in anyways. Like a giant wave, surging with ominous energy, it crashed over her again and again, smothering her with a thousand worries and struggles and fears. Until her face was streaked with tears and her light blue eyes could see everything but hope. Only then did the wave recede, leaving her feeling weaker and lonelier than she thought possible. She didn’t even want to pray. She and God had talked about everything so many times. So many times. And nothing could take away the constant ache, nothing could give her rest, nothing could fill her with joy, nothing could give her peace.
As she battled to bear her entire world on her shoulders, she let her fingers aimlessly wander through the sand. They brushed against something hard and she picked it up. It was a seashell. The cool, smooth surface of the pearly pink shell distracted her from the pain. She brought the shell up to her eyes and focused everything she had on it. It reminded her of Faith, a friend. She was the only one of her friends
from back home who remembered her birthday without an alert from Facebook. She had sent her a beautiful necklace, the same color as the shell. Caroline smiled as she remembered opening it in the mail. She tucked it safely in her hand. Then she remembered the small box that sat beside her. Her sister had given it to her. She wanted her to use it to collect shells since she wasn’t there to do it herself. Caroline placed the shell in the wooden box and spotted another shell. This one was had a pale violet coloring and looked so very fragile lying among the millions of grains of sands. She picked it up and gently cradled it in the palm of her hand. Grace. She instantly remembered a incident that had happened in the fall. She had messed up, definitely proven that she was not perfect. Yet God had shown her grace. He had interceded on her behalf. She placed that shell in the box, too and crawled on her hands and knees. A white shell with ridges caught her eye next. Love. The taste of vanilla frosting overwhelmed her taste buds as she thought back to a cold, winter day a few months back. It was the type of day when everything went wrong and then it rained. All
she had wanted to do was bake. Bake a vanilla cake with vanilla frosting. Comfort food. Yet, vanilla frosting was as hard to find as a ray of sun on that stormy day. Tears started to run in torrents down her face. “Do you not love me?� she had even dared to ask God. And then, as if in a direct response, she spotted a single can of vanilla frosting sitting in the window of a small grocery store. She smiled as she remembered how loved she had felt at that moment. God had taken the time to listen to her silly desires and given her a can of vanilla frosting. She put the shell in her box. She stood up and began to search the beach for more shells. A rusty, red shell was tossed at her feet by a wave. She dipped it in the water, washing the sand away. Purpose. The shell conjured the image of a classmate in her mind. She had been so lost in sin. Caroline relentlessly pursued her and almost gave up hope when, one night, the unthinkable happened. In tears, the girl had come and asked how to have a relationship with God. Caroline felt her own eyes cloud over with tears as she remembered the sweet moment.
She let that shell drop in the box as well. She continued to walk along the beach, intent on finding shells. Each shell had a story. Each shell matched a face. Each shell gave her hope. After an hour passed, Caroline turned back and walked along the same path from which she had come. When she reached the end of the beach, she turned to go back to her hotel room. She glanced down at her box, now full of shells. She gently picked them up, one by one, letting them fill her heart to the brim, until it overflowed. Tears filled her eyes as she looked down at her shells, her hope shells. They reminded her that life wasn’t over quite yet. God still had a purpose for her life and He still loved her. And, if she kept her eyes open, He would remind her of that each and every day. Like He had been doing all along.
Verses On...Being Lost “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” -Luke 19:10 “He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” -Matthew 15:24 “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” -Luke 15:10 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he find it?.” -Luke 15:4 Painting by Kathleen Giese
from the blog Every time I open my Bible to the Psalms, I smile. Because I see a winered, paper-thin flower pressed between its pages. That flower means so much to me because it represents answered prayer. I moved to Italy when I was eleven and, for four years, the only person near to my age who was a Christian and could speak English lived two hours away. I rarely saw her and when I did see her, it was only for a short matter of time. Even though I’m not much of a “people person,” I craved fellowship. I pleaded with God for just one friend. Just one girl who could relate to me. Many tears were shed and God and I had so many conversations about it, which mainly consisted of me begging for a friend. But He did not answer my prayers, at least not in the way I had hopes He would.
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Romans 12:2 Not of this World for MK girls by MK girls