Unqualified

To those who feel just plain unqualified:

"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God." (1 Corinthians 1:25-29)

I am one of those foolish and weak things God has chosen to use. I am a soon to be high school graduate who is moving to Peru with no college education or great experience. I don't yet speak Spanish. So why would Jesus choose me to do this? I don't know the specific answer to that question, but I know God has a plan that is not revealed until just the right moment.

My dear friend, Jennifer Phillips in Bulgaria wrote on her blog just a few days ago,"God continues to us my obedience rather than my abilities." That quote so related to me. Though God has an awesome plan, a purpose, for each person on this planet, He is not a God who uses "brood force". He wants us to obey, but we must choose to surrender, we much choose to obey, and we must choose to live that glorious life. I've said," no," before, but I am sure glad that even though God didn't "force" me to surrender, he chased after me and drew me to Him and that purpose. He never gave up on me!

God is by no means weak nor foolish, but the world at times considers Him as such. He knows what He is doing! May I never boast in my abilities, for even those that I have are gifts from God. He deserves all the glory and praise! He is the qualifier!

Cleaning Out the Closet

About two weeks ago, I began to go through my things to find items to throw away or donate. I will be leaving for Peru in three months; So, I knew I needed to get rid of a bunch of stuff. I began in the most daunting of places: my closet. My closet is huge, I had at least forty different outfits(at least half of which were to big for me or I didn't wear), a dozen shoes, and various items ranging from art-and-crafty type things to notebooks with some old school stuff. All this, I sifted through and ended up with two trash bags full of junk, and half a bag to donate. I don't doubt there will be more.

Some of the things, were perfectly good, but I had no need to keep them. And as I thought about whether donating them or trashing them, I asked myself,"Would anyone ever use or wear this?" Most of the time the answer was,"No." Most people here in the States have closets full of junk of their own. Why would I throw my junk in on them?

In these processes of preparation, I know God has lessons to teach in it all. What this particular process is teaching me, is that I must allow God to clean me out and make room in me for Him and His purpose. If I don't go through that, I will end up bringing all the junk in my closet with me to Peru and throwing it on people who don't need junk. I must allow God to make room in me for the things which are useful and holy; So, that is what I bring to the people of Peru.

 I believe when or if I return from this mission, I will find even more junk in my closet that I thought I needed before, but would become not as important.

"Sell your possessions and give to charity: make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."                                                    Luke 12:33-34