Encouragement

Wrote this yesterday ...on the 27th, so the 26th for you Americans ;) 

Okay, here goes. Hope everyone is doing well. I got up at 5am today and went for a run, for anyone who knows me that isn’t easily done, so thank you to my friend Beck for that. Haha. Hoping to make that a routine, because I love challenging myself physically just as well as spiritually and intellectually... creatively, etc. The 9-6 schedule is a bit rough and it’s easy to just slack at night and hang out with my friends.

I wanted to simply write a blog of encouragement. This morning I started going through Song of Songs. (I am studying it from a view of the Lover as God and the Beloved as his Church.) Last week really inspired me that INTIMACY is key and without that, it’s so hard to keep ourselves on track. Understanding God and his deep, deep love for us is so vital in understanding who we are and our identity. It kind of just falls into place after that. Have you ever reflected on the fact that God has both father and mother qualities?

We are talking about family relationships this week, as well as all relationships in general and I’m starting to identify where I’m strong and where I am week. Patrick Dodson, this week’s speaker, is teaching that we have four vital needs:

Unconditional Love

Provision

(which are mostly developed in us, in a perfect system, by our mothers from ages 0-12)

followed by Destiny and Value

(which should be nurtured in us by our fathers from about 12-18)

We are learning quite in depth on this topic and how the system works.

Yesterday we discussed early details for Thailand outreach. We are unsure on where exactly we are going yet. The “hot spots” appear to be in the south - recovery work, where as prevention seems to be key in the north. Please be in prayer that we will be able to research areas of culture, locations, government, language, etc. as well as a better understanding of the Golden Triangle heroin trade and how this feeds into trafficking in Thailand. I read yesterday that the Thai government passed a law against sex slavery in 1951, but didn’t make their first conviction until 2006. On a good note, there are a lot of YWAM connections in Thailand and hope is not dead. :)

Gotta get to class, but I want to leave you with my verse for the day. I am attempting to learn God’s promises, so the promise today is God will bless those who obey Him:

“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him and we will comes to him and make our home with him.” - Jesus, John 14:23

God bless, take care and please...stay in touch! Shoot me an email or a facebook message and I will get back to you ASAP.