The last month

The first time...ZAMBIA Blog 1

Well friends, it's good to be back and I apologize for my long delay from my last post. At times think I am not as busy as I am, and then when I have a break I'm depleted because I actually had too much on my plate and I couldn't finish, or things I wanted to do have to be sacrificed because of too many additions and poor planning on my part, to ensure things get done timely, and efficiently. Has anyone ever done that besides me? No probably not...BUT in case you notice the above patterns in someone ELSE you can jump in and say Noooooo! Run for the hills! You're busier and more committed than what you think! Look at your schedule...oh you were too busy to write it out....call 911-over-committed or 911-I need help writing out a schedule and sticking to it! Both of those hotlines refer me to their recovery/repair team guide and reminds me, "If any of you lack wisdom (in this case the wisdom to not over-commit haha) let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5. So needless to say the Lord is helping me with this, and I am grateful for the progress I have made and am making. I pray you too or the someone else's that you know:) will also make progress in the Lord for whatever you or they are lack.

Now that we've caught up, let's have fun!!!

ZAMBIA

In less than a month this country shall be my new home as I begin my service as a volunteer in the United States Peace Corps! I am apart of the rural education development program, where I will teach English to students grades 5-9.  

Q&A

What is the Peace Corps? It was presented and created by John F. Kennedy (along with others working with him) in 1961. Here is a clip of President Kennedy talking about it before it existed yet (how amazing!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y2mZH1dVeA 

For more information about the peace corps go to their website. www.peacecorps.gov.

What made you choose the Peace Corps? What a loaded question but the long and short of it is, it chose me. Love is why. Love has taken me every step of the way in my life to date. So when  I ran into the peace corps on my path, it was like, "ok, yes I will proceed as I always have, step by step, Love leading the way". 

What do you want/hope to accomplish? I want to create, share, spread and BE love to all I come in contact with. This is my goal everyday.

Do you think with all the problems in the world, and the great evil that though this journey may be noble can the good be sustainable? Can one really make a difference? Yes! The world is large but when you put it next to a star (just one) in the universe say like the sun...it quicly begins to look like an ant! How amazing, the earth is so small yet the Lord knows the amount of hair on each head. There is great evil in our world, absolutely but there is incredible, miraculous, unbelievable good in this same world! I will continue to invest in the outrageously good that is beautiful and very present, for every time I add to the swelling of light, I kill and destroy evil so I will continue. Lastly the world is filled with individuals, which make up families, communities, and nations. If other individuals have caused ripples and waves in the ocean, can I not also create a splash? When I see the world I don't see numbers, I see lives, individuals, people just like me, who need love. If I can uplift and provide that for one, I can do it for another. 

People need help here, why don't you do this here? This is very true, I do this here in different ways as the Lord leads and that won't change (this blog is one way) because again my goal everyday is to be love. God has just expanded me. As I said this chose me so I am going where I am led. It is more important to not lean to your own understanding, instead be led by the one who created you and understanding. You can't go wrong with Him. Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 John 4:8.

What if people are mean or don't like you? I will love, forgive, love some more and strive to be kind, like I do here. I will repeat this cycle as often as needed as I have to do here. People are much more similar than what we give credit. My help comes from the Lord, His grace and power is sufficient to help and equip me in all situations, difficult and pleasant. But what if they are not mean, and they like me? (That is just as much a possibility as the negative thought.) That is what I hope for, and my hope is in the Lord, not me or situations, only Him.

Is it safe? I was not created to fear, or live as safely as possible. There is no one who has truly brought major changes to our world for better or worse, who was always 100% safe. There are always risks in everything whether we realize it or not. God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of love (there it is) power, and a sound mind. So I'm gonna use what He gave me and remember that He is everywhere, and with me presently always, it doesn't get any safer than that. There is no place I'd rather be than with Him, He is safety, He is Love. Psalm 4:8, Psalm 121:7, Philippians 4: 6-8,13.

Is this mission work? No, The Peace Corps is a government program, it is not affiliated with any religious organization. You can come from any background to apply to the corps. Missionaries however often do sometimes similar work as far as helping people in their host countries where there are needs in efforts to build strong communities and countries. I believe that I am a missionary, maybe not in the way many think but I believe we are all created with abilities, gifts, resources etc that are to be expressed and shared with the world as it will ameliorate the life of individuals, communities, and nations (why else would we have something if not to share it to make people and the places we live better including ourselves) They are both humble and meek positions. Watch the clip of JFK it will explain in greater detail.

Do you get paid? We do not receive a salary but the corps will take care of our living expenses and provide housing etc. We will live like our neighboring citizens.

How long will you be in Zambia? It is a 2 year commitment with an additional 3 month training period.

Are you alone? During training we live with host families where we learn culture, language, safety, cooking, and so much more. After that, it depends but what I've seen mostly in past peace corp Zambian volunteers they have lived in their home on the compound of a family. I am thinking my experience will probably be like that as well. But again even if I was "alone", I am never alone.

Do you have to learn a new language? Yes, I am excited! I love languages, I would also like to pick up again my German as well. Ich leibe Deutschland:)

I'm sure many of you may have questions that I did not answer. Feel free to write in the comments your questions and I will try to respond. Thanks for following my blog...and pre-departure of this new adventure I am about to embark upon. I look forward to hearing from you and I'm praying for you. 

Love aggressively all people always, for you and I are loved unconditionally always. So be encouraged:)

In His love,

madetoencourageyou:)

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

I have recently been reading about reaching goals and at the end of the chapter, I was asked a question that rocked me to the core and the question was simple.... "What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?"

Before my mind could totally process, I had already answered quickly what I would do; there was silence. It was in that silence I knew instinctively "then you should be doing that." So what is stopping us, what causes us to wait and not take action?

A few things come to mind.

1. The fear of Failure. Let's face it, we don't like to mess up, look bad, and it's human nature. We're all similar in that way. But we don't need to be so afraid we don't do anything, or even try because that is when we fail. Here are a few quotes to ponder.

"Failure isn't fatal, but failure to change might be." (John Wooden)

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear" (Jack Canfield)

"It's failure that gives you the proper perspective on success" (Ellen Degeneres)

"I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work" (Thomas Edison)

So failure is inevitable but we must push through the fear to get to the greatness on the other side. I'm sure most of you know how to ride a bike. In order to learn to ride a bike you will fall at times. It does not feel good, sometimes it even hurts, but we keep getting back up because that failure drives us to keep going until....we are riding! We also can see ourselves riding successfully even when our balance and footwork seem to say otherwise. When you see yourself riding before you actually are, you won't stop until you actually are! (That is faith in a nutshell)

So as the new year approaches let's change our mindsets, rebuke lies, and fear that say you can't do it, it's not realistic, it doesn't make sense. Yes it does, because you already can see it. Just do it! The marketplace needs what you have but only you can give it to us. No one can give you me, but me. We benefit from each others gifts, lets push through those obstacles together and be the change that we so desperately want to see. God is for us, who can be against us...so again I say, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? Let's Go!

In the comments tell me some things you would do if you couldn't fail...I would love to pray for you...or better yet show me the things that you were afraid of that you now have accomplished. 

In case you are interested in the book I'm reading it's called The Big Gig (Big picture thinking for success) by Zoro a famous percussionist.

Be blessed, and be encouraged, be encouraging, subscribe, share, tell others about it that they too might be uplifted.

In His love,

Imade

Be thankful in your storm, beauty can still be seen.

What are some simple ways we can show love during a storm?

Answer: Being thankful, but is it that easy?   Yes! 

A storm is defined as a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow. Wow, but how can anyone prepare for such a thing. The reasons why storms usually upset, and ruin our days is because of its suddenness. Whether it is a literal storm or a personal storm, when a violent disturbance shifts the atmosphere you were comfortable with, it has the power to destroy. So how can we be thankful in something like this? Here's how. We must slow down! I will say it again, We Must Slow Down! and one more time, WE MUST SLOW DOWN!

The enemy wants to throw as much wind, rain, and snow all at once, violently, and suddenly...why because he wants to send you into a frenzy, cause you to stress about everything that is being hurled at you, make you feel guilty that you weren't prepared enough, that you lost control (as if you were ever in control), bring frustration, complaining, anger and all sorts of chaos. This is all designed to break you down, cloud your mind so that you will stay focused on your problems, be full of fear, try to fix it yourself, never look to God, be angry with Him because everything is out of control and He doesn't even seem to be around, or doing anything to fix it. 

Do you remember when the disciples were on the boat and all of a sudden they were hurled into a storm and Jesus was sleep at the bottom. They were up there, all hands on deck doing their best to maintain control, knowing that they had none, trying not to loose equipment, and most importantly trying not to die. Jesus was asleep. They said angrily "Do you not care if we parish?" Can you imagine the outrage..."We are up here doing everything, we know to do, trying not to die and you're down here sleeping!" Jesus came up, spoke to the storm and said, "Peace be still" and it calmed. Did he care, yes! Did they know that? No because they Never Slowed Down. The reason why we complain is because we're afraid, the reason why we're afraid is because we can't see, but Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God! (If you slow down, you'll be able to hear, and the faith will cause you to see again) From the moment the storm came, they were in a frenzy which is exactly what satan wants. He doesn't want you to think, because then you will see the truth and the answer is sleeping within you, you just need to slow down, ask and wake it up. God is always there friends, slow down and hear Him, He is waiting to arise within you and give you peace in your storm. When this happens His beauty will sleep no more and you will see clear again, though everything around whirls. Do not be overcome, don't go insane, slow down, the answer and solution is already there. Greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world. Go and be thankful in your storm, see and hear the beauty, now that you know that you can!

Here's a practical unedited video of ideas God gave me on how to be thankful in a literal southern snow/ice storm. Do enjoy, you have my full permission. I love you all and I am praying for you continually.

Madetoencourageyou:)

"As a Man Thinks So is He" Ramblings Part 2

At every moment we have the amazing ability to speak life or speak death. One way the enemy tries to get us to speak death is by lying to us, in hopes that we believe them. Beloved, when we believe something, it takes root in us and we naturally talk about it. Well lies work that way too, if we hear a lie for instance..."I'm fat" even though I may be 5'8, 135lb, if you hear it long enough And Believe it....what happens? You begin to speak it out, even though it is NOT TRUE because you believe it, it becomes true to you and begin to live out the lie. This is a way satan tries to destroy us from the inside out.

In this video I want to encourage and challenge you to wake up to, yet not submit to the attacks and lies thrown at you on a daily basis from the enemy. Instead recognize them, cast them down in the name of Jesus and focus on Christ, the way, the TRUTH, and the Life. Don't believe lies about yourself, about others, even if you've been doing it for a long time, you can still change. God is your greatest fan, He is rooting for you, He believes in you, and He wants you to win! I love you all; Be Encouraged!

Madetoencourageyou:)

Breaking News! STAND UP

BODY OF CHRIST STAND UP

In the last couple of days I have been bombarded with news of murders, rape, molestation, immorality of every kind, child abuse, and amber alerts of children missing. As I kept hearing about all of these heinous acts, my heart was saddened and I began to get weighed down on account of all the evil deeds. All the while remembering a time a few years back when I became so angry and with tears pouring from my eyes and soul, stormed up to the throne room (since I knew I could come boldly) and cried out to God with questions that you might have asked or maybe thought of asking at some point:

“God how could you let this happen”

“What are you doing, satan is having a field day, and what are we doing”

“It says that we win, but it looks like we’re losing”

“Crime and more and more perverted acts are increasing by leaps and bounds”

“Why am I here studying music (enter your area of work) when people are dying, being sex trafficked, lied to, deceived, slaughtered, murdered, molested day in and day out"

“In the year of 2013 there are over 27 MILLION people in slavery around the world and oh yes the US has all of these things going on in a much greater degree than Americans know or want to realize”

“Lord my brothers and sisters are dying and I didn’t even get the chance to meet them, let alone shine my light. What can I do? This is too big for me, how could I possibly even remotely make a difference?”

I had all of these types of questions running through my head…and those same types of thoughts wanted to start attacking my brain again…and then I remembered what I heard a leader of an organization who rescues people from sex slavery. There was a European girl who had just been rescued from years of abuse….(they were in some part of Europe…it was someplace nice like Greece places we've vacationed or would like to visit….isn't that heart breaking in the very same places we vacation, someone is living a nightmare on repeat) Anyway they were there and this girl was rescued…as the woman leader was making her way to where the girl was…can you imagine the meeting…what was going on in the minds of these two. I’ll tell you…it knocked the breath out of me….the girl who had been rescued began to speak. She started talking of some of the horror that was a daily reality for her for years…she said “I would pray and pray that God would rescue me….I prayed to Buddha and no one came, I prayed to Mohammed (this is a true story I promise I’m not making it up) and still no one came. So then I to prayed to Jesus, and  you came. As she’s saying all of these things, the woman was feeling good….she prayed to Christ! Yes, God hears!....this was the girls last question; what took you so long?” The woman sat there stunned and broken….she finally responded and said, “I don’t know, I don’t know what was so pressing in my life that I didn't come earlier”.

 I was undone, weeping, thanking God for rescuing this one precious life and praying for her restoration healing because I knew the road would be long. I also thanked the Lord for His grace and mercy, sovereignty, His forgiveness, and for the girl and the leaders honest response. I was forever changed by it.

 There is great, great, great evil in the world, so much so that you and I feel many times we can’t do much about it. If we do pray, our prayers are even filled with defeat especially regarding topics such as these so then we don’t really pray anymore.

I recently went to a concert and a singer-songwriter said something on the same lines because he too had asked several of these questions…when he saw so many people in poverty, to the point of death but then one father of a family who had come to Christ through mission work that he was involved in spoke with great authority when they asked him what he would ask for if he could have anything in the world. The father said as he stood in his tent house made of dirt and straw, “There is nothing else I need, my family and I have Jesus, I have everything, I don't need anything else.” 

  The singer-songwriter guy said… “We often ask the question, where is God, but where are we?” We are His hands and feet? Where are we, why are we not coming? What is holding us back?

BODY OF CHRIST WE MUST SHOW UP! 

Don’t you see; the world can’t afford anymore sick days from us!

 People are dying and so many without hope and without Christ. This should break your heart for the Father wants no one, not even the people committing the heinous crimes to perish. I know that’s hard to hear but it’s true He wants no one to perish. Some of you may be thinking I can’t afford to help anyone else; I can barely take care of myself, my family. I don’t have money to sponsor a child or go on a mission trip; I have tons of debt, bills to pay, I can’t jump on a plane and go feed the hungry or fight the trafficking, I have to work, I don’t have time… I understand all of the barriers that humans face but I've come to encourage you. YOU STILL CAN DO SO MANY THINGS.

The enemy is trying to do his best to make sure we don’t show up, here are some ways how. Fear, lies (we’re not strong enough, capable etc), indifference, impatience, lack of compassion, not wanting to get uncomfortable enjoying our comfort, unforgiveness, disobedience, selfishness, busyness, exhaustion, distractions, keeping believers fussing about trivial things denominations/their doctrines, gossip, slander, get you to never grow into mature Christian but stay a baby and continue to live carnally, push off the uncomfortable responsibility onto someone else, excuses, have us focus on our image and our space on the internet, sin, try to get your mind off of the Lord so that you can’t even hear the Lord crying out when the Lord is asking “Who will go for me”. All the while every moment people are crying out to God, God is grieving, hears their cries, sees their pain, and cries out to us, asking again, WHO WILL GO FOR ME?

Beloved we are His hands and feet, if we don’t go, who will? if we don’t push past the obstacles and care for those God loves which is everyone, and be bold, who will? If we don’t forgive, extend grace to the broken, guilty and defiled (because we once were guilty too) as Christ did for us, who will? I urge you dear brothers and sisters to GO! Just by writing this letter, this is one way the Lord told me to Go. I had to be obedient because God told me to GO whether no one reads it or not, I must be obedient. I want God's desires to be reality through my life. Your “GO” may not be my “GO” but it will still make a difference. 

Here are just some ideas the Lord gave me that will help the Body of Christ Stand up:

PRAYER- Always pray, ask the Lord to break your heart for what breaks His and I promise you that will already begin to open your eyes with revelation with the hurt all around. The prayer of the righteous availeth much; we are all here because someone was praying for us. Pray whether you think someone deserves it or not, I didn’t deserve but I am most grateful for every prayer in my prayer account. Pray for the guilty as if it were someone you love, prayer changes lives, ushers in salvation, and turning away of sin.

WAKE UP- To many of us are asleep, we know everything that goes on in the world but we don’t even see the pain/torment or joy in someone who might be living right under the same roof.

DO IT AFRAID- We are too afraid, rebuke fear and even if your legs are shaking, do it afraid. The Lord would just ask me to say hi to someone, or start a conversation just to uplift someone’s day but I wouldn't do it b/c I was afraid, and I certainly didn't want to bring up Christ b/c that might offend them. DO IT! People’s lives are at steak. The Holy Spirit is in you, you don’t have to conjure up something, when He lays something on your heart to do, do it. You can trust Him everything He tells you to do will always build up and never tear someone down. Besides once you jump out there the first time it gets better and easier, and you will feel so amazing knowing you made a difference in ONE persons life! GREATER IS HE THAT LIVES IN YOU THAN he that lives in the world.

ASK GOD FOR IDEAS- Every good and perfect gift comes from God, in grad school, I asked the Lord what could I do for people since I didn't have much money at all. The Lord gave me two ideas, If I found spare change I would add to people’s meters so they wouldn't get a ticket, then I wrote a paragraph…just encouraging people that someone loved them (me) and was thinking about them, and that God loved them so much and to have an amazing day and when no one was looking put under their windshields wipers before class starte…(because so many people are facing terrible battles and suicide is on the mind of many) If you know you can be trusted with helping a family with their kids, babysit, be a mentor, how great it is to know that children are safe b/c to live is Christ and to die is gain. Be that Christ like character for someone, your great character and time could save a child from neglect and abuse. You make a difference.

OBEY AND LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT- Every time we don’t listen the Lord or ignore His voice we will ALWAYS miss out and sometimes that means other people too…b/c all of our actions effect somebody else. Ask the Lord to grow sensitive to His voice, His heart, and His cries, then be obedient…if He’s not saying GO, or trust that person, speak, or do that thing DON’T DO IT. If He says do this certain thing, pay for this person’s meal, or groceries, pray for that family…DO IT, He desires to touch people and make a difference in people’s lives through you! What love!

DRAW NEARER TO GOD- May He put a thirst in you like never before, may you hunger for His word and His character above all else, and may He give you Himself, in Jesus name. Just like any person the more time you spend time with them, the better you know them, know their character, and their voice…hanging out with God is the most beautiful and rewarding...you GROW, and you shine like stars in the universe to God be the Glory…people need to see your light more than you know, because you are important and there is no other light exactly like yours.

Alright beloved, let us continue to live as Christ, shine for Him, and Go and be brave for Him. We are His hands and feet. No matter how great the evil, Jesus is radically saving, changing, restoring, healing and rescuing lives every moment. He invites us to join in with Him, be His hands and feet, be bold, be courageous, He believes in you, and you are loved tremendously by Him.

In His Amazing love; be encouraged.

Madetoencourageyou.

Rambling Part. 1 Dealing with feeling AWKWARD.

Have you ever felt weird? If you have this message is for you! The Lord woke me up early one Saturday with thoughts on how to help others deal with certain issues we all face. One of those issues were feeling awkward. The society we live in places a lot of attention on those that are "cool" and those that are not. Many people struggle with fitting in, not knowing what to say etc. Well I've come to encourage you with this secret, are you ready for it? Here goes:

EVERYONE STRUGGLES WITH "FEELINGS" OF AWKWARDNESS TO SOME EXTENT.

We are all made so uniquely different, and we all communicate differently but that is one of the things that make us all so amazingly beautiful. It's OK, just because you struggle with  not knowing what to say doesn't make you "uncool". The fact that you are the only YOU we have, and there is not another duplicate, MAKES YOU COOL!  If you are in, trying, or having a conversation and feeling awkward, and you're finding it hard to come up with the "right" words to say....PRAY. Ask the Lord to help you, He cares and He will help you in every conversation. Don't panic, He is just a thought away.

You want to know something about me? I tend to ramble, I usually have to talk out what I'm learning and once it's out....then I go back and unscramble my thoughts and words, sort them out, and try to cut them down to the main points I want to talk about. It's sort of like when you write a paper...you first get your thoughts onto the page, once that's accomplished, you can then go back and proof read, edit and fine tune the paper until it says exactly what you want it to say. Well that's what I have to do with the information and words of wisdom the Lord gives me. It sounds like a bunch of rambling but really my brain is sorting and putting the information into the right format and in complete sentences (people don't understand my fragments...still working on that invention:) so that others will understand what I'm saying. Some people don't have to do this but I do. This may seem strange or awkward to some but I don't let that stop me.. the Lord is able to speak and minister even through my ramblings!:) This video you're about to see is an example of just that!  I purposefully did no editing or fine tuning to just to show you that God will help you, even when you don't know what to say,  and even if you ramble like me. WHERE MY RAMBLERS AT! lol

Be open to God, keep Him first in your life....He will unscramble the words of your heart and soul. Don't be afraid, if He does it for me, He most certainly can do it for you. Enjoy this video, like I said, there are many moments where some would say AWKWARD, but God still shines forth, and the point is still clear. Don't let feelings of awkwardness stop you, the Lord loves you, and He wants to help you always. Please let Him.

In His love,

Imade