New Song

He has given me a new song to sing,

    a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.   
They will put their trust in the Lord.

(Psalm 40:3)

A healthy, seven-year-old boy bikes around the house on a sunny Saturday morning, inventing songs for Jesus as he pedals through the mountain grass.

Four years ago, this same boy was often seen alone in his neighborhood streets at night, entering into bakeries to demand bread for his hungry belly.  

God has truly put a new song in his mouth and heart, just as He has done and is doing with so many children that Formando Vidas (Shaping Lives) works with... and many other organizations all around the world!  (Good Shepherd's Fold in Uganda, for example).

And this is one of my prayers for their lives:  That many will see what God has done, be amazed, and put their trust in the Lord!

truth is power

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  -John 8:31-32

A while back I wrote about this verse, too, about how we often hear verse 32 out of its context:  You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.
But first, we must 1. hold to Jesus' teaching  and 2. be his true disciples (living and growing in becoming more like him).

Last night, we had a special time of worship and fellowship with the ministry team.  Bibi and Julio's church often sends short-term missions teams, and right now part of the worship team is here for two weeks, helping in different areas of the ministry, painting the Oaks House, and last night, facilitating this space for us to connect with God and with each other out of our routine.
As the words of songs familiar and not washed over me, I started declaring my belief:  that I can, and will see the Spirit at work in and through me.  That, to those who believe in Jeses, rivers of living water will flow out from within.  ... Even if I mess it up? (yes)  Despite my mistakes (yes) and losing my temper (yes) and not living in the Spirit (yes) and by the Spirit's fruit in my life?  YES.
Because I've been giving my natural self more power than what I've been giving to the Spirit and to Jesus' blood.  And in so doing, I was giving the devil a foothold, more power than he deserves!

One of our teens has recently experienced a lot of fear: not being able to sleep, waking up at night feeling like someone is in her room... Fear paralyzes us, and gives our spiritual enemy power over us.  But holding to Jesus, and claiming the truth of the power of His blood, frees us to live fully.

Jesus was our ultimate example of living in the Spirit.  Let's not believe the lie that "it was easy for him because he's God!" -- because he willingly put off his Godhood and took on the form of a man, and became obedient to all that affects mankind.  And yet, Jesus learned to live completely dependent on His Father, and to live in the Spirit... that mysterious "living in the Spirit"... Jesus knew that he needed God and that he couldn't live in a way to please God without utterly depending on Him, and staying in constant contact with the Father, listening to the Spirit.

...I long for that.

recovery

On Monday I had sinus surgery.  The procedure was quick -- about an hour, I think.  It was the first time I had general anesthesia, and I'm very thankful that I didn't have any of the side-effects I'd be warned about, especially vomiting.  I hate vomiting.  My only side-effects were crying a lot and that I wasn't cold.  I usually sleep with wool socks, a sweatsuit, two thin blankets and a down comforter, but that night I was hot without socks or a sweatshirt, and I couldn't stand any more than a sheet and small fleece throw blanket!
In this surgery, the doctor went in through my nostril, peeled back the skin, and cut off part of my deviated septum.  She also burned some other enlarged bone structures.  The point of all this is to open up more space to help me with my chronic rhinitis and sinus infection problems.

It's really not painful...

But it sure is ANNOYING!

I have to do lots of nasal rinses and I can't blow my nose, even though I always feel like I need to.  Pretty much all the time that I'm not squirting water up my nostrils I have dried blood boogers that pull at the insides of my nose.  Along with the stiches and some sort of plastic (?) sheet covering the burned bone, I'm almost always uncomfortable.  The first two nights were the worst, since I had giant sponge-like plugs up my nostrils and I felt like I was choking.  I'm so grateful for my friend, housemate, and sister-in-law to be for sharing her bed with me, helping me clean out my nose, passing me my pills, and taking care of me in general.  My fiancee comes around to make sure I'm being obedient and not doing anything too strenuous, and to keep me entertained by covering his nose with gauze and whatnot.

I sure hope this helps.  Because this recovery is really tiresome.