Nepal-bound.

In a few short hours, a small team of us will be flying to Nepal for a CMS GoExplore short-term mission trip.  CMS runs a few of these GoExplore trips each year, to a gradually increasing number of countries.  The purpose of these GoExplore trips is multi-faceted...  but they provide the opportunity to visit another country, to see what local ministry looks like, to get a feel for what it's like to live, work and serve in a different culture, to help you consider whether or not you could serve long-term in a cross-cultural context, to serve, encourage and help wherever possible, and maybe most of all, to be challenged and changed, and to personally grow in light of what God is doing amongst our brothers and sisters who may have a different language, culture and lifestyle. In a nutshell.

You can check out what CMS is about here.

So, we are the team going to the beautiful country of Nepal!  Five of us are going... and all getting pretty excited by now!!  I lived in Nepal for six months from August 2011 until February 2012, and I am so unbelievably thrilled to be heading back.  I still can't quite believe I have the opportunity to return so soon. Thank you God.

You may be asking, "so, what will you be doing over there?"  Excellent question.  I'll update what we get up to on this blog throughout the trip.  But it sounds like we'll have the opportunity to see and get a little involved with a few different things, including church-related activities, investing in relationships, checking out some of the health and development work going over there, and a few other things.  More to come...

For much of the time, we'll be doing most things alongside expatriate cross-cultural workers who work under an organisation called the International Nepal Fellowship (INF).  I had a lot to do with INF last time I was in Nepal, and they're a fantastic organisation, founded on solid Christ-centred principles, and with a real heart to see God glorified and people cared for in the name of Jesus.

You can check out what INF is about here.

INF have published a series of videos, which give a snapshot of some of the work that they're doing in Nepal.  Here's just one beautiful, touching story:

We leave late tonight from Brisbane International Airport.  If you'd like to pray for us, please pray that God would go before us throughout our trip, that we might be humble and teachable; ready to listen, learn and change as God grows in us his heart for the nations and the lost.  Also that we might shine the light of Jesus, wherever we are and whatever we're doing!  Also please pray for the work of CMS, and INF.

Hope you all have a great Saturday night!  Now, as one of my friends described it:  to the land of mountains and lentils! 

Beauty, Truth and Music

Do you ever have times when you feel like you've lost all confidence in who you are?  When you feel hopeless and defeated in the battles you're trying to fight - and start to feel the ache of doubt and fear that you are really accepted or loved... or even worthy of love?

I do.  It can be tough.  But the beauty of trusting in Jesus is that I am accepted and loved and worthy.  And this acceptance and love and worth is not because of me or anything I've done, it's because of what Jesus has done on the cross.  Which never changes.  However I'm feeling, or however much I mess up.  If it depended on me, what a shaky roller-coaster ride my salvation and assurance would be!  What joy and peace lies in knowing Jesus is the solid, unchanging basis of my worthiness.  Yet how easily I seem to forget even this incredible truth, in the midst of my failure, weakness and emotion.  So, I'm incredibly thankful for the Bible, for times of prayer, and for the counsel of good friends - all of which remind me of what the truth is.

Lately (and always!) I've also been finding music an incredible reminder of where my hope lies, and a way ti have truth living in my heart day-to-day.  Thank you, God, for artists who evidently share my very same struggles, thoughts and battles, and write music about them... and whose songs remind us of the Truth with which we fight these battles, and that we already have victory, because of Jesus.  Jason Gray is one artist that I absolutely love, for so many of his songs deal with the struggles I find myself in over and over again.  This song is really precious to me at the moment.

Tell me once again who I am.