Great is Thy Faithfulness

This past Sunday, we were blessed with the opportunity to go to church in the slums.  I had been to the slums once before in high school during a mission’s trip to Costa Rica, but this time wrecked my heart more than ever before.  Seeing the depravity of those people, I don’t even know how to begin to wrap my mind around it.  As we arrived at the slums, we walked down this trash and dirt filled path that was lined on each side with shops made out of tin and cement.  I had never seen anything like it, and I am honestly at a lost for words as to how to accurately describe it.  Because of the conditions, I was not able to take any pictures while we were there, but also I don’t think a picture would do it justice.

What was amazing about being there was that once we walked through the mud, trash and brokenness, we arrived at a sense of hope.  A church.  This church was nothing fancy, but it was enough.  And this was the moment when my world began to be rocked.  Geoffrey is the name of the man who started this church.  He lives in Kijabe with his wife and two kids, which is about an hour or so from the slums in Nairobi.  But he has dedicated his life to the slums.  He spends at least three nights a week in the slums, fellowshipping with the people there and showing them Jesus.

Geoffrey was so proud of the church, which doubled as a school building, that he showed us around as soon as we got there. The school is made up of 130 plus kids, with only 7 teachers to care for all of them...  I cannot begin to imagine what a normal school day must look like!  There were about six classrooms and one big room that was the church, as well as the place were the kids would get breakfast and lunch while at school.  Previous to this, most of these kids would have to scavenge around in the trash to get food or survive off of whatever amount of food their parents or caregivers were able to give them for that given day.  Thanks to Geoffrey, these kids are continuing to be filled with more and more hope!

After Geoffrey showed us around, he took us to one of the classrooms and introduced us to four kids that had started attending his school just one week ago.  He found these kids looking around through garbage, trying to find something to eat.  Just sitting in the presence of these kids brought tears to my eyes immediately.  I will never forget the looks in these kids’ eyes .  They seemed so hurt, so broken and so longing to be loved.  Upon meeting these kids, and seeing all the sights of the slums, I immediately thought about God’s sovereignty.

He knew that we would be going to the slums that day.

He knew that we were going to hear those four kids stories.

None of that was by chance.

And then I heard Him saying, “Now what are you going to do about it?”

I knew that there was something Jesus was challenging me to do as a result of all that I was seeing and hearing.  Geoffrey doesn’t have the means to constantly send these kids to school, as well as pay fees that come with running a school and a church.  And I know Jesus was tugging on my heart to help out with that.  How easy it is to sell t-shirts, bumper stickers and bracelets as a way to raise money and support Geoffrey in his obedience to the Lord.  Please join me in praying for Geoffrey and the people of the slums, and that the Lord would direct my steps as I start to figure out ways to fundraise for this slum ministry!

After Geoffrey told us the kids’ stories (as they could speak zero English), we were able to reassure them that they would never go hungry again and that they would attend school and receive the love they deserve.  We promised them, just like it is written in Jeremiah 29:11, that Jesus has plans to give them “a hope and a future.”  After that, we sang a hymn together.  “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”  My mind started racing with thoughts.  I am in the middle of the slums in Kenya singing about the faithfulness of the Lord.  In the background, I can hear people preparing for church and beginning to sing praises to God in this cement building with sheets of tin as a roof.  Brokenness fills the streets, and yet God is STILL faithful. 

“Morning by morning new mercies I see;All I have needed Thy hand has provide”

Those words stuck out to me, as much as I’m sure a group of white people stuck out in the people of the slums in Kenya.  Every single morning, God mercies are new and overflowing for us.  He meets our every need.  It’s people like Geoffrey that I think are able to fully understand that more than I ever will.  When he feels like his work is failing, when he is unsure of whether or not the money will come on, when he feels like he can’t make a difference... He can fully grasp the truth in this words.  ALL his needs in this slum ministry, God’s hand will always, always provide.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says,

            “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; GREAT is your faithfulness.”

Our God is so faithful!  In the midst of such depravity, He is still there!  And through all of that, we can be filled with hope!

Endless Mountains and one BIG God

So these first five days in Kenya have been a rollercoaster ride to say the least.  It’s been a lot harder than anything I have EVER done in my life, but it has also been the most rewarding thing I have ever experience.  I have felt Jesus more than I ever and I have had to depend on Him more than ever before.  I know I am only going to continue to grow and depend on Jesus more and more throughout my next few weeks here. 

You know when you are having your quiet time, and you seem to come across EXACTLY what you needed to here at that given point in time? Well that definitely happened to me tonight…

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In this world, you WILL have tribulation.  But take heart, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

So much comfort can be found in that verse.  Right there Jesus is saying life is going to be rough.  This world may try to throw things our way that seem like too much to handle.  But here’s the statement that changes things… “But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Doubt? He’s overcome it.

Fear of failure? He’s overcome it.

Anxiety? He’s overcome it.

Sin? He’s overcome it.

Pride? He’s overcome it.

Anything and everything that this world tries to weigh us down with and make us feel like we cannot go on, Jesus grabs the reins and says, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”  He doesn’t say life is going to be 100% rainbows and butterflies, but He says when it does get rough, when the valleys and floods come, He is our peace because He has already overcome whatever we are facing.  Psalm 46 begins by saying that, “God is our refuge AND strength, a very present help in trouble.”  It continues on to state different troubles we may face.  Throughout the troubles, “God is in the midst of her,” in the middle of the raging waters, “God will help her when morning dawns.”  Verse 10 rocks my world every single time I read it.  “Be still and know that I am God."  In the middle of the hard times and confusion, God is saying I am enough.  He is telling us don’t look at your hard times, look at Me.

As I was sitting outside today taking in the beauty of Kenya, the endless mountains that reach well beyond the clouds, the green fields and trees that go on for days, I was talking with Abby, the other girl at Naomi’s with me, and we were reflecting on how BIG our God really is.  He created all of that beauty and much, much more.  And the same God that created all of that looks at us and says, “Be still and know that I am God.”  

He is our fortress.  

He is our refuge.  

He is our comfort.  

This world could not hold Jesus back.  He defeated all of it.  There is nothing more comforting than knowing that Jesus overcame this world for US.  That no matter what we are going through, He is with us to be our peace, our shoulder to cry on, our comfort.  Hudson Taylor once said, “God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him.”  Because when we are at a point where we are weak enough to lean on God with everything we have, it is at that point that He fills us with overwhelming amounts of comfort and peace.  And it is at that point that we can change the world, all for the glory of God. 

Let the Summer Baking Begin

So I leave bright and early Tuesday morning to head back to Kenya, Africa! Like last summer, I will be there for a month, but this time I will be living at Naomi's Village throughout my whole trip.  Words cannot begin to describe how excited I am to be back! Before I leave, I have been trying to get in as much time with friends and family as I can, and let's be real, what better way to do that than through baking.  While in Kenya, I won't be surrounded with a constant supply of yummy treats like I am here, which may be a good thing... so I figured I might as well overload on them before I leave.  Good idea, right?

Here a few of the recent goodies I've been cooking up in my kitchen:

Cookies 'N Cream Fudge Oreo Brownies
Sometimes I wonder what life was like before Pinterest.  Who knows, but thanks to it, I was able to stumble across this wonderful creation.  Now, I didn't get the chance to take a picture of the final product, or maybe I was just too sidetracked by the pure deliciousness of these brownies... but let me tell you, these things are INCREDIBLE.  I had never baked anything with ice cream mixed in it before, but this will definitely not be the last time I do that.  The ice cream, along with the hot fudge and layer of Oreos, made the brownies super creamy and gooey, which is obviously the best type of brownies to have.  Pair these with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream, and this will definitely become a dessert you bake over and over again.

Here is the recipe and a few pictures of these irresistible goodies, thanks to this blog -  Kevin&Amanda

Recipe:
1 box Brownie Mix

eggs & oil (as called for by the brownie mix)
1 heaping half cup (6 oz) Cookies & Cream ice cream
1/4 Cup hot fudge topping (chilled or room temp)
1 pkg Oreos (regular, Double or Mega Stuffed!)

1. Preheat oven & spray an 8×8 baking dish generously with cooking spray. Combine brownie mix, eggs, and oil as directed on the back of the box, but do not add the water. 
   
2. Add ice cream and hot fudge to the brownie batter and stir to combine. Pour half of the brownie batter into the baking dish, layer with Oreos, then top with remaining batter. Bake for 40-50 minutes or as directed on the back of the box.

Enjoy :)

S'mores Brownie Pie
So if you know anything about me, you know that I have a slight major obsession with anything and everything s'mores.  That being said, I'm always on the look out for a new s'mores inspired treat to bake.  Yesterday as I was scrolling through Pinterest, it's safe to say that not only did I find my new favorite s'mores recipe, but my new favorite baking blog as well.  I mean, this girl knows how to bake that's for sure.  As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it, and luckily, I already had all of the ingredients on hand!  One of my favorite things about this recipe is that everything was made from scratch, and yet it was still so simple to make.

Recipe:
Crust

12 full-sheet graham crackers (or 1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs)
6 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Brownies
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold1/2 cup all-purpose flour
25 large marshmallows (1/2 of a standard package or use mini marshmallows)

1. Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
2. Make the crust: Using a food processor or blender, pulverize the graham crackers into a fine crumb. Pour into a medium bowl and mix with melted butter and sugar. Press into an ungreased 8-inch or 9-inch pie dish. Set aside.
3. Make the brownies: Melt the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl in the microwave. Melt in 30 second increments and stir after each time until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will look gritty. Set aside for a few minutes as you get the other ingredients ready. You don’t want the mixture to be piping hot.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. The batter will be thick and look shiny. Add the flour, beating with a whisk until fully combined. try not to overmix the batter at this point. Pour into crust.
5. Bake for 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with marshmallows. Return to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 3 minutes to melt the marshmallows. If the marshmallows aren't toasted, turn on your broiler for 1 minute. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.

It doesn't get much better than this!

*Useful tips: I added chocolate chips to the brownie batter, because when is extra chocolate ever a bad idea? Also, I would suggest baking the batter for 30-32 minutes before adding the marshmallows.  Turning on the broiler is definitely a good idea, because it gives the marshmallows that yummy, campfire-like taste, but make sure you don't have it on for longer than a minute or else they will start to burn.

I hope you try these delicious treats and enjoy them as much as my family and I did!

Now That is Love

For the past few weeks, I have been reading through the book of John.  It's one of those books where I feel like I'm familiar with a lot of the stories, but have never taken the time to read through it from start to finish.  I was reading through John 13 yesterday, and these two verses below really stuck out to me:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

The first thing that catches my eye out of these verses is "just as I have loved you."  As I read it, I thought to myself...

How does Jesus love me? 
What are ways that He continually shows love to me?

A few of the MANY ways I found that Jesus loves us are:

• "Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens." Psalm 36:5 
• "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." Ephesians 2:4-5
• "but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
• "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are..." 1 John 3:1
• "I have loved you with an everlasting love." Jeremiah 31:3
• "...and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galations 2:20

Now that is love.  Not the type of love you see through a dozen roses or in the latest Nicholas Sparks' movie.  That's the type of love that says I'm going to leave my perfect throne in Heaven and live a life on this imperfect earth so that I can give my life for you and as a result you can spend eternity with Me. That's the type of love that changes lives, sets aside differences and meets people where they are at.  Max Lucado once said,

"He, who can dig the Grand Canyon with His pinkie, thinks you're worth His death on Roman timber."

The fact that Jesus thinks that we are worth His death on the cross is a perfect depiction of the love He has for us.  Here in John 13, that's the love He tells us we should have towards one another.  Now obviously, being the sinful people we are, we will always fall short when it comes to loving others like Jesus loves us.  But it's through this love that more people meet Jesus and see Him on their level.  Jesus says, "by this" - by the way we love - people will know that we are His disciples.  It should be our goal to love others with a love that has Jesus' name written all over it.  We should ooze the love of Jesus out of every ounce of our body.
In any encounter you have with someone, see people through the eyes of Jesus.  When we see people like Jesus sees them and sees us, we are able to love them like He loves us.  1 Corinthians 13:13 (MSG) says,

"But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly.  And the best of the three is love." 

Did you catch that... Jesus tells us that love is the most important out of all three of those.  And He doesn't just tell us to love, He tells us to love EXTRAVAGANTLY.  Synonyms for extravagant are absurb or bizarre.  The way we love people should get to the point where it flat out doesn't make sense.  Because at that point, where our love causes people to start asking why, is the point at which love becomes a game changer.  Through that love, people will see Jesus.  And when people see Jesus, lives will change.