Dust

I am simpley amazed at the goodness of God right now...I'm bummed to confess that my attitude starting out this week was anything but sunshine and daisies. I was stressed and tired, tense and ready to throw all of my textbooks out of the window before Monday even started! Getting adjusted to this busy schedule after a really peaceful summer of rest has been quite a change. A very good one in fact. Basically I have said a prayer for peace...ten times a day for the whole week and yes, God is faithful. Not saying I doubted I would have much joy or peace in the Lord this week, I just expected it to be pulled in a thousand different directions. This week was actually very productive and very peaceful..hmmm I need to be humbled more often.

Have you ever felt like one day you've got it all together? I'm talking spiritually, emotionally, physically...all packed up in nice boxes and plannersm felling and looking great. I personally am such a fan of feeling organized, feeling like I've got it all in control and nicely kept...no dust in sight. Well my friends let me just say, sometimes we get dusty. I have felt the "dust" of this busy life start to pile up and up on my soul. Sometimes in light flakes and other times in massive clumps like you find ontop of your ceiling fan when you realize you've neglected it for three months. Yuck. Needless to say, I'm in need of a little R&R with Jesus. A nice, quiet place outdoors away from everything. Nothing but my journal, Bible, and possibly some Off. :) Intimacy with Jesus sometimes takes getting back to the places you can see His beauty best...being surrounded by God's wonderful creations. I hope I make it to a place of physical refuge soon enough...but I suppose my back porch will do for now:)

So one of my favorite chapters in the Bible comes from Hebrews. Hebrews 11, specifically. Let me just share some of it with you guys. It is so powerful for those dry, "dusty" days. "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (1). You can never go wrong with that verse. It's one I recite to myself frequently, especially when it just seems like nothing makes sense at all. "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he perservered because he saw him who was invisible."(24-27). Let's stop there for a second....wow! I find that sooo inspiring. Moses, a child given up out of deep love, had a love for his people I want to badly to have. I feel for my brothers and sisters but I want what his people and himself had...that pure bond that held them together....thousands of them. So good. This passage commends several people of the Bible who by faith, trusted in God with their situations. Such as Rhab the prostitute, Gideon, Sampson, Noah, Abraham, Joseph...etc. In the end of this chapter is where I get realy humbled. "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect." (39-40). How good is that? I love it. No matter what is to come of our lives we can have joy in the fact that His purpose in constantly unfolding and something is being done! I love the fact that it mentions His plan as something we work in together. It is so important for us to love our brothers and sisters, and move forward with them or in some cases pick them up. It's hard to describe the feeling I have when I think about millions of my brothers and sisters, suffering all over the world. I want to hurt for them and cry with them. I don't want to be blessed in this life if it means never changing their circumstances and saving their lives. I'm glad God has given me such a burden for them...I consider it pure joy to be able to fight for them.

So now I want to take the time to talk about some organizations that just really hold a place close to home in my heart. I have a very huge burden for the people of Africa. Lately I've been gathering so much info in my classes on AIDS/ HIV and the stats are devastating. This country is being ripped apart by this awful disease. I have just recently formed a team for Mocha Club for Orphaned Children and Children at Risk. It's an easy $7 a month donation that provides complete care of children who are sadly being orphaned every day by AIDS. Check out Mocha Club at http://www.mochaclub.org/ or become apart of my team at www.mochaclub.org/joinme/TiffanieRiley . Many of you also know I am apart of a great organization called Invisible Children. I hope by now, you knwo what that is:) If not go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com/ to read up on their purpose and history of the longest running war in Africa. I joined TRI last March I believe. It has been such an honor to give $12 a month to this cause. TRI funds various events and programs overseas in Africa to help restore these broken states. I've made a committment to peace, will you? Also, one last favorite! Have you every heard of Better World Books? It is an amazing company that receives and sells books for a great price, with no shipping cost at all. Sound too good to be true? Get this: you can buy books on here and they will donate money to a specific cause. For example, buying books from the Books For Africa section will donate money overseas for books for schools. How awesome is that?! Not only are you getting a sweet deal of no shipping charges you are making a difference! http://www.betterworldbooks.com/.

That is all for now dear ones. I am going to enjoy this Hymn by Brooke Fraser and get some peace and rest. J'espere que vous avez une bonne weekend! :)