There’s this phrase that Tico’s (Costa Rican’s) say: “Pura vida.” It’s used in different contexts, but mainly as a greeting or salutation or, for instance, you might ask me “How are you?” and I would answer, “Pura vida.” Or instead of saying “hello” or “goodbye” you could say “pura vida”. The literal translation is “pure life”. I have been a bit intrigued by this cultural saying so I decided to look into it a little more. I know what the literal translation is and I recognize the context in which you can say it, but it still didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I decided to try and glean some insight from the worldwide web and found some interesting info on wikipedia.com. They say the meaning is closer to “full of life”, “purified life”, and “this is living”. I love it! I want to live ‘pura vida’ everyday! Not just in my normal daily activities but in my spiritual life as well. I want to be so full of God, of His JOY, and live purified for Him. I want to be free of worldly ideas and desires and actions and just live as God would desire. And I want to live as though each day were my last. I don’t want to look back on my days and feel as though any part of it was wasted. I want to live with purpose, not consumed by things that are of no importance. May God help me!
Until next time, PURA VIDA!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Just can't hide this loving feeling......
So I want to talk a little more about The Passion of the Christ. I keep thinking about it; about how much it affected me more than it has in the past. All I could think about was how much I didn’t deserve salvation. Then I kept picturing myself in the movie, when He looked into someone’s eyes with such compassion, I imagined myself there. I imagined it was my eyes He was looking into. It’s like I saw myself there, just me, and the people crucifying Him, and it was like He was going through all of that just for me. He still went through all of that torture and death just for me! Can you imagine that? I don’t deserve that! I’m so unworthy! But even if there was no one else on this planet besides me He still would have gone through all of that simply because He loves me and wants unity with me. He looked into my eyes and said, “Yeah, she’s worth it.” The teacher yesterday said how Jesus was in perfect, innocent, pure unity with God until the moment He was on the cross. I began to imagine what that must have felt like to be separated from God for the first time; how heart-wrenching it must have been. I wonder if Jesus knew how much He would have to suffer, how bad it would really be? I bet He knew. And He went through it all anyway. Oh how He loves us!
P.S. I also couldn’t help but have a new-found admiration for Mary. I can’t even fathom watching my own son go through all of that; to see Him beaten down and mocked and spit on. I don’t have my own children so the closest thing I could imagine was if I were to watch my sweet nephew go through that. I can’t imagine…I don’t want to imagine! How painful it must have been for her to see her precious baby go through such torment…and for her very own salvation! I would also encourage you, if you watch the movie, to pay close attention to Mary’s role and think about what she must have felt.
P.S. I also couldn’t help but have a new-found admiration for Mary. I can’t even fathom watching my own son go through all of that; to see Him beaten down and mocked and spit on. I don’t have my own children so the closest thing I could imagine was if I were to watch my sweet nephew go through that. I can’t imagine…I don’t want to imagine! How painful it must have been for her to see her precious baby go through such torment…and for her very own salvation! I would also encourage you, if you watch the movie, to pay close attention to Mary’s role and think about what she must have felt.
God IS My Father
Days are flying by! I cannot believe I’ve already been here two and a half weeks and yet it feels as though this has been my home for so long. I love the people and everything I am doing here. It still seems so surreal that I am actually in Costa Rica but I am loving it!! Last week we learned about the Father Heart of God and it was wonderful. The teacher was so incredible, Jack was his name. On Wednesday night he took the whole class out for ice cream and bowling...’because that’s what dads do’. It was so fun and I must say, after hearing him speak I have such a greater understanding of how God is my Perfect Father. I desperately wish everyone could be here and learn all the things I am learning. I’ll post some of the highlights from last week’s class:
The sum of who we are is all that is in our hearts…those things in our hearts are a result of: culture, experiences, friends, parents, God, Satan, ourselves, and relationships. The only thing that can fix those imperfections and change us into who we are supposed to be is to have an experience with the Living God. Jesus changes everything! And if you change who you are it will change what you do.
Who is God to you? We were asked to write down our first reaction to the following scenario: If you were at home relaxing and looked out the window and saw God pull into your driveway, what would you do? What would be your initial reaction? Now look at your reaction in comparison to what the Bible says about who God is. Do you have a proper view of God, or has it been tainted by other experiences and relationships in your life? I challenge you all to search for truth in your view of God, it can change your life! Who is God to me? He’s Daddy, my Perfect Love, the Man who will hold me and kiss my forehead and just let me rest in His lap when nothing else seems right.
This week we are learning about God’s forgiveness and what the cross really means. We watched The Passion of the Christ and I challenge anyone reading this to watch the movie, even if you’ve already seen it. While you’re watching it, ask God these two questions: How much do you love me? What did you do for me on the cross? Then spend some time reflecting and worshiping afterward. I guarantee you won’t look at Him and His sacrifice the same way ever again!
The sum of who we are is all that is in our hearts…those things in our hearts are a result of: culture, experiences, friends, parents, God, Satan, ourselves, and relationships. The only thing that can fix those imperfections and change us into who we are supposed to be is to have an experience with the Living God. Jesus changes everything! And if you change who you are it will change what you do.
Who is God to you? We were asked to write down our first reaction to the following scenario: If you were at home relaxing and looked out the window and saw God pull into your driveway, what would you do? What would be your initial reaction? Now look at your reaction in comparison to what the Bible says about who God is. Do you have a proper view of God, or has it been tainted by other experiences and relationships in your life? I challenge you all to search for truth in your view of God, it can change your life! Who is God to me? He’s Daddy, my Perfect Love, the Man who will hold me and kiss my forehead and just let me rest in His lap when nothing else seems right.
This week we are learning about God’s forgiveness and what the cross really means. We watched The Passion of the Christ and I challenge anyone reading this to watch the movie, even if you’ve already seen it. While you’re watching it, ask God these two questions: How much do you love me? What did you do for me on the cross? Then spend some time reflecting and worshiping afterward. I guarantee you won’t look at Him and His sacrifice the same way ever again!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Downgrading for an Upgrade
Wow, I don’t even know where to begin today. The internet hasn’t been working much so I haven’t had a chance to get online. Things are going really well still but we’re definitely busier nowadays. I loved our classes this week. The teacher was absolutely amazing; her eyes and her smile radiate God and are absolute proof that she loves Him and she knows He loves her. I aspire to have that in my life…simply amazing. This whole week was about intimacy with God. She talked to us about how much God loves us and different ways we can grow in our intimacy with Him. I wish everyone could be here to hear what I am learning. It’s so wonderful and it’s only been one week.
Yesterday was an exciting day, but my first ‘hard’ day. I was feeling a bit homesick and in major need of some alone time. Nonetheless, it was a good day. We planted flowers in the morning to symbolize us planting roots here and growing. We also did a small kid’s outreach in a neighborhood about an hour away. It was fun to see how excited the children were to see us, but it was also very frustrating for me because it’s still hard to communicate with them. I will hopefully have a chance to post pictures on Facebook in the next few days.
It still amazes me the way the people drive here. You can basically do whatever you want yet there are all these unwritten rules. Railroad crossings don’t have barricades or lights so you just have to watch and listen for trains. Many people run stop signs. Motorcycles are everywhere and constantly weave in and out of traffic. No one really uses turn signals. You definitely have to be an aggressive driver if you want to get anywhere. Being here is just so different. Everything is different. Life here is so expensive; I’m really happy I brought as much as I did so I don’t have to go out and buy very many things. I live in a really old building with rats and cockroaches. I use a bathroom that smells pretty horrid because we can’t flush toilet paper so it just goes in little trash cans. I have mold growing just above my bed. It rains every day. I have hardly any alone time. I take a lukewarm/cold shower every day at 5:15am. I have to wake up at 5am Monday-Friday because I have to get breakfast ready then clean up when it’s finished. There’s no luxurious bathroom with outlets and mirrors to do my hair so I shower, put mousse in it, and let it dry on its own…talk about a curly mess! I don’t have a working cell phone. I don’t have a car. I eat rice and beans every day, usually for both lunch and dinner. Sound like I’m complaining? Nah…I’m growing. These are all things I would normally complain about and be completely unhappy, but I’m happy anyway! I am out of my comfort zone and realizing that I am okay living in these conditions because there are other things that are of far greater importance. I am guilty of having a ‘princess, stuck-up’ attitude in America. I have more than I could ever need yet still want more. Some of my friends here are from third-world countries and say that their families get by with the bare essentials. I come from a home that had at least 4 or 5 TV’s at any given time with more food than we could ever eat. And I complained because ‘there’s nothing to eat’?! Talk about getting back to the basics and being pulled off my ‘high horse’, I think this is just where I need to be.
Yesterday was an exciting day, but my first ‘hard’ day. I was feeling a bit homesick and in major need of some alone time. Nonetheless, it was a good day. We planted flowers in the morning to symbolize us planting roots here and growing. We also did a small kid’s outreach in a neighborhood about an hour away. It was fun to see how excited the children were to see us, but it was also very frustrating for me because it’s still hard to communicate with them. I will hopefully have a chance to post pictures on Facebook in the next few days.
It still amazes me the way the people drive here. You can basically do whatever you want yet there are all these unwritten rules. Railroad crossings don’t have barricades or lights so you just have to watch and listen for trains. Many people run stop signs. Motorcycles are everywhere and constantly weave in and out of traffic. No one really uses turn signals. You definitely have to be an aggressive driver if you want to get anywhere. Being here is just so different. Everything is different. Life here is so expensive; I’m really happy I brought as much as I did so I don’t have to go out and buy very many things. I live in a really old building with rats and cockroaches. I use a bathroom that smells pretty horrid because we can’t flush toilet paper so it just goes in little trash cans. I have mold growing just above my bed. It rains every day. I have hardly any alone time. I take a lukewarm/cold shower every day at 5:15am. I have to wake up at 5am Monday-Friday because I have to get breakfast ready then clean up when it’s finished. There’s no luxurious bathroom with outlets and mirrors to do my hair so I shower, put mousse in it, and let it dry on its own…talk about a curly mess! I don’t have a working cell phone. I don’t have a car. I eat rice and beans every day, usually for both lunch and dinner. Sound like I’m complaining? Nah…I’m growing. These are all things I would normally complain about and be completely unhappy, but I’m happy anyway! I am out of my comfort zone and realizing that I am okay living in these conditions because there are other things that are of far greater importance. I am guilty of having a ‘princess, stuck-up’ attitude in America. I have more than I could ever need yet still want more. Some of my friends here are from third-world countries and say that their families get by with the bare essentials. I come from a home that had at least 4 or 5 TV’s at any given time with more food than we could ever eat. And I complained because ‘there’s nothing to eat’?! Talk about getting back to the basics and being pulled off my ‘high horse’, I think this is just where I need to be.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Happy Happy Days!!!
I had my first warm shower today!!! You don’t understand what a success this really is! There is an art to turning the shower on so that it is warm…and when I say warm I mean lukewarm. My first few showers were so cold it literally took my breath away but today was glorious! I was lost in a dream while taking my warm shower…then it got freezing cold and I was snapped back to reality. But nonetheless, I got to enjoy washing my hair rather than trying to wash it without getting any water on myself.
Today was the first day of class and it was so absolutely incredible. This week we are learning about intimacy with God and it is such a perfect way to start the DTS. Today we talked about eternity and God’s love for us; I wish I could share all that was learned but there is so much! God loves me so very much that He will never, ever give up on me. Ever! He created me so unique that no one ever has nor ever will have the same DNA as me. No one thinks the same way I do. No one loves the same way I do. No one receives love the same way I do. No one worships the same way I do. God longs for a relationship with me because when I am not in relationship with Him, He is missing me because NO ONE is the same as me!! He loves me. Individually. Uniquely. He didn’t create us because He needs us. He is the Almighty God who can do anything on his own. He did not create me just so I can worship Him; He already knows how good He is. He created me to be in relationship with Him because He loves me and longs for intimacy with me. He didn’t create me to work for Him, He can do everything on His own. He created me to join hands with Him and be in fellowship with Him. He calls us to worship because it blesses us. He allows us to work for Him because it creates a closeness to Him, which blesses us. He is good and He loves me!
I’m so happy to be here! I have so much peace and I feel like I have a constant smile on my face. Today we were assigned our ‘family contributions’, which are basically work duties. Normally they are done from 4-6pm everyday but I was assigned to breakfast duty so my day starts earlier, but I have two hours in the afternoon to do other things like assignments, personal devotion time, internet, help others with their duties, etc.
**sigh** It’s already so good and I’m sure it will only get better.
Today was the first day of class and it was so absolutely incredible. This week we are learning about intimacy with God and it is such a perfect way to start the DTS. Today we talked about eternity and God’s love for us; I wish I could share all that was learned but there is so much! God loves me so very much that He will never, ever give up on me. Ever! He created me so unique that no one ever has nor ever will have the same DNA as me. No one thinks the same way I do. No one loves the same way I do. No one receives love the same way I do. No one worships the same way I do. God longs for a relationship with me because when I am not in relationship with Him, He is missing me because NO ONE is the same as me!! He loves me. Individually. Uniquely. He didn’t create us because He needs us. He is the Almighty God who can do anything on his own. He did not create me just so I can worship Him; He already knows how good He is. He created me to be in relationship with Him because He loves me and longs for intimacy with me. He didn’t create me to work for Him, He can do everything on His own. He created me to join hands with Him and be in fellowship with Him. He calls us to worship because it blesses us. He allows us to work for Him because it creates a closeness to Him, which blesses us. He is good and He loves me!
I’m so happy to be here! I have so much peace and I feel like I have a constant smile on my face. Today we were assigned our ‘family contributions’, which are basically work duties. Normally they are done from 4-6pm everyday but I was assigned to breakfast duty so my day starts earlier, but I have two hours in the afternoon to do other things like assignments, personal devotion time, internet, help others with their duties, etc.
**sigh** It’s already so good and I’m sure it will only get better.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
I have arrived!!!
Well, my first full day here and so far it’s going good! My first hour here yesterday I was already ready to leave. Thankfully it got better by the end of the day. Today has been even better and I know these 5 months are going to be incredible. I’ve started making some friends; we’re a very diverse group. We have 10 girls sleeping in the same room…with hardly any space for our belongings. There are a few of us from the US, one from New Zealand, two from El Salvador, one from Costa Rica, and the last one hasn’t arrived yet and we can’t remember where she’s from. We are having fun talking about the differences in our cultures and I’m sure my Spanish will be much better before I leave my time here.
It started raining a few hours ago and hasn’t stopped. There was a little bit of thunder, but mostly it just pours. We stay in a big building with no A/C but we actually don’t need it at all because the temperature is so perfect. I actually got a little cold when it started raining. The building has a lot of windows and openings so there’s constant fresh air and it’s nice to hear the rain. The main building on the base is where my room is. The first floor has the main area where we eat and have group meetings, etc. There are several different areas of the building so I won’t even try to explain it, but my room is upstairs. The building was built in 1930 and first served as a coffee plant then a school of architecture and now the YWAM San Jose base.
Everything here is so green and the trees and plants are very different from what I’m used to. One side of the property is nothing but bamboo…the biggest bamboo I’ve ever seen! Before I came, I had so many people telling me that there would be animals everywhere but I haven’t seen anything yet, unless you count little flying insects or a small spider with really long legs that was watching me brush my teeth this morning. I was talking to one of the guys that’s in my DTS and he actually lives about 10 minutes from base; he said you have to go outside the city to really see the animals.
Anyway, I’m going to go chat with my new friends but I’ll post again in the next week!
It started raining a few hours ago and hasn’t stopped. There was a little bit of thunder, but mostly it just pours. We stay in a big building with no A/C but we actually don’t need it at all because the temperature is so perfect. I actually got a little cold when it started raining. The building has a lot of windows and openings so there’s constant fresh air and it’s nice to hear the rain. The main building on the base is where my room is. The first floor has the main area where we eat and have group meetings, etc. There are several different areas of the building so I won’t even try to explain it, but my room is upstairs. The building was built in 1930 and first served as a coffee plant then a school of architecture and now the YWAM San Jose base.
Everything here is so green and the trees and plants are very different from what I’m used to. One side of the property is nothing but bamboo…the biggest bamboo I’ve ever seen! Before I came, I had so many people telling me that there would be animals everywhere but I haven’t seen anything yet, unless you count little flying insects or a small spider with really long legs that was watching me brush my teeth this morning. I was talking to one of the guys that’s in my DTS and he actually lives about 10 minutes from base; he said you have to go outside the city to really see the animals.
Anyway, I’m going to go chat with my new friends but I’ll post again in the next week!
Friday, July 9, 2010
The time has come!
I cannot believe that I will be on my way to Costa Rica in just 7 hours!! Needless to say, it's late and I'm definitely not getting much sleep tonight. I cannot believe that it's really happening. I was on my way to say bye to my friend tonight and said to God, "God, I hope I'm doing the right thing." I know I am. I think I just said that because it's hard to leave so many people that I love so dearly. You know, I was accepted to the DTS at the beginning of April so I've basically had 3 months to raise nearly $8000. It was down to the day before my departure but I received all the money I needed plus some extra!! It seemed like the blessings and miracles kept coming in this week. It amazes me! Between yard sales, donations, saving my money, etc God provided every single need!!! I know I'm going where He wants me to go and doing what I'm supposed to do and I am so very excited. When I was speaking with a very close friend the other day, God gave her a word for me and it was simply this, "You're ready." God has paved the way for me to be ready for this season in life...it's been years in the making but I AM READY!! But I must say, leaving is much harder than I thought it would be. I'm sure the five months will go by quickly but there are so many people and things to be missed. Part of it is also the realization that it's not just me going to Costa Rica for five months, it's a complete change in direction for my life...it's life-changing! I just know God is going to do amazing things in me and through me and come December 1st when I land in Austin, TX I will return a different woman. Stronger. Simplified. Courageous and bold. I will have a clearer direction for what's next and I will have such an intimate relationship with my Heavenly Daddy. I can't wait to see what's in store. Please pray for me as I go! My prayer is that I will do all God intends for me to do, learn all He wants me to learn, and be molded into the person He wants me to become. I look forward to new-found friendships and exciting experiences. I can't wait to share the awesomeness of God to people who don't know just how wonderful He really is. I'm going because I can't imagine doing anything else with my life. My deepest passion and desire is to carry God's love to people who need it most; to let them see the tenderness and hope that He has to offer. One of my best friend's, Kristy, always says, "Go big or go home!" So here I go, REAL big!!!
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