week one of living in Entebbe Uganda... well at least a little about my first week.

one of the things that we say at the church here before the pastor starts his sermon is "God is good" which are response is "All the time" and then he says "And all the time" at which we say "God is good" I just love it! God is good all the time and all the time God is good! I can't even begin to put into words how good our God really is because well to be honest there aren't words for it! and if there is such words... then I sure haven't heard them yet! but I will say that no matter what's going on whether good OR bad... God is good! (just a side note... I have no idea how to really write so MANY of my thoughts are all over and not very clear, but praise God anyways right?!) one thing that I've learned so far is that when we have nothing, God is our everything and when we have everything, God is the one who gave it to us. God is so much better then we could ever imagine! one of the lessons I've learned this week is when God answers a prayer in a way that I didn't necessarily want... to rejoice in him! because he gave me a clear answer even though it wasn't what I wanted! how great is it that we get to make our requests known to him and he hears us and responds! how blessed our we?!?!?! now enough about me!! let's talk about the people. the people here are so incredibly welcoming! like more then I've probably ever seen! I'm so excited to have this opportunity to build relationships with these people and to also serve them in whatever way God chooses! so far I've gotten to work beside some of them and they are absolutely amazing! the kids... I can't even begin to put into words how amazing they are! to run around with them and see their massive smiles to carrying them around on my back to speaking Luganda to them and seeing them laugh because I'm not saying it right! to sharing bible stories with them to singing worship songs with them and hearing their voices sing praises to God! they have some of the biggest smiles that I have ever seen and I am far too blessed to get to hang out with them! so that's what... week ONE? mind = blown

prayer requests

that I would give all of my inadequacies to God and that he would be glorified through it!
that no matter the task whether I can do it or not that I would run to him for wisdom and strength
that no matter what's going on.... my attitude would be glorifying to him and that I would be a good example
and that I would be able to pour into these kids the same that I've been poured into!
and for my team, that we would stay unified, that we would find everything we need in Jesus, that we would stay healthy (if that's God's will) and that we would be able to pour into the people here in a way that would bring glory to God

the verse that has stuck out to me in my devotions is 1 Corinthians 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known
what I got out of it (which could be a complete misinterpretation of it so look into it yourself) but what I get out of it is... we only see God dimly, but one day when we're in heaven we will really see who he is! and that he is so much better then we could ever see!     now please don't take my word for it, look into it yourself because I don't always interpret verses correctly, but that's what I got out of it.

God is good... all the time and all the time... God is good.

1 corinthians 9:25

Every athlete exercises self- control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable

a good athlete does not sit around on the couch eating chips while he has the time to be training, he takes all the time that he has to become better prepared for the time ahead! he has to do this to have control over his body! he has to do this to know his limits and be able to push past them! now he does all this for a earthly prize! he gives up his time to try and achieve this prize! now we are athletes as well! we train ourselves by reading the word and through prayer! the race is our lives and in our lives we have many challenges that when we have self-control through training! we can overcome and succeed! now for my brilliant illustration! now think of a athlete that is going to the Olympics! now he gives up everything to train for that event and to achieve that prize! now the prize... is a 1989 VW bug with three wheels, no engine and it has three and a half squirrels living in the drivers seat! that's the equivalent to what he's trying to receive! and he trains all his life for that! but for us! imagine the newest Lamborghini... the top of the line! and better yet! every year they come out with a new one... they replace the old one! so it just keeps getting better and better! you never have to worry about it breaking down or growing old! now our ACTUAL reward in heaven... is FAR better then what I used in my illustration! so if a athlete is training that hard for a prize that means absolutely nothing... then we/I should be training even harder!

application
this week I will memorize all of the verses that I haven't memorized from the past weekly memory verses

1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it

for this verse it took me awhile to begin to come up with anything to write! it seems pretty simple! I mean to me it looks like Paul is just saying to run hard so that we can win the prize in heaven! but I decided to look up what the word "run" actually means! and this is what it says "moving at a speed faster then a walk, never having both feet on the ground" having both feet of the ground leads to better balance and better stability! but it also leads to a slower pace and less ground covered. walking is a more comfortable thing to do! running pushes ourselves and causes us to work more! when we run in a race, when (I know for myself) when I get to the end with any energy left, I feel like it was in vain because I didn't get the prize and I still had more in me! but when I run a race with everything I have and I finish with nothing left in me... I feel great! because I know I gave it my all! how often do I settle on a nice slow pace when I could be pushing myself to cover more ground! to me this has nothing to do with a race, it has to do with how I'm pushing myself to further the ground of God's kingdom or why I'm settling for a slow easy walk that doesn't cover nearly the ground! when I walk... it leaves me with the thought of "what more could I have done?" but when I run! it leaves me with "I've done my best! I've pushed myself and completed it in the best possible way!" I don't really know if any of this made sense, but to me this verse is a challenge to push myself for Christ and to run with everything I have! no more walking


application
tonight I will memorize Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth

1 Corinthians 9:22b-23

I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some, now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you

what if we didn't tell anybody about christ? we read our bible, prayed, had a great relationship with Jesus and kept everything entirely to ourselves? never said a word to anybody about the beauty of Christ and of all the many blessings of having that relationship with God? nobody ever said anything. how would anybody know? how would the person that puts on a face every time they leave the house because deep down they are hurting beyond what they think anybody could comprehend... how would they hear about the joy and salvation that changes lives that we have freely been given? how would the person that just lost their best friend... how would would they be comforted? who would they go to? who would they pray to? how could they get back up? those are only two examples, but there are so many more! but the main point is that the people of this world have no hope in anything that is going to stand! we walk in this world, but we are not of this world! we have hope in somebody which will never fail us! so back to the people of this world. we don't always know everything that is going on in their lives, but we can have an impact in their lives just by our actions! what if we just asked how the (cashier, waitress, store clerk... etc) was doing? addressed them by name and be polite and ask if there's anything we can pray for them for?! those are just a few things that we could do! we are called to go and make disciples, but how can we do that if we go around in our own world? we don't have to do the things they do for us to be a friend to them! why not just show love towards them? it's easy and we're called to do it!

application
this weekend I will find a way to download the language videos on the internet onto my computer, so I'll be more equipped to become a Ugandan

Philippians 3:12

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own

I don't really know if this has a lot to do with this verse, but during my time trying to figure out this verse... this is what came to me. how often do I dwell in the right here, right now emotions/feelings? how often do I walk around with a look of sickness or tiredness on my face? sure I may not be feeling the best, but what is that to stop me from rejoicing in the fact that Jesus has made me his own?!?!?! and often times I dwell in the fact that I'm not perfect or ANYWHERE near it, but you know what?! Jesus died for me knowing EXACTLY who I was and what I did! he didn't die for me in hopes that I'd become perfect! he died for me because he loves me for the broken down vessel that often times hold very very little water, but who is to say that when that broken vessel overflows because it can't hold much, that it might help fill another vessel in the same way he filled me?!?! so who am I to walk around with any expression on my face and any attitude other then joy that my heavenly father loves me enough to give up his ONLY son (knowing perfectly well that I am not perfect and that I never will be!) to die for me! gee willikers! and to read here that Jesus has called me his own! do you go up to the kid that spits in your face, mocks you, beats you to the point where you don't even look human and wants nothing to do with you and then take all of the blame for ALL of his wrong doings and failures and then call him your own?! as I kinda see it... it's like you calling him your brother or something like that! so would you do that? well guess what... Jesus did. enough said. no more doom and gloom because I didn't get my jolly rancher after lunch!


application
from now on if somebody sees me walking around with a sad/grumpy look on my face and it doesn't have VERY good motives for it... rebuke me!  because I have no right to show my emotions in any other form then that of rejoicing because my savior has died for me and he calls me his own! (keep this in context though! don't go and rebuke me because I don't have a huge smile on my face! but if you see my negative emotions getting ahold of me, tell me!)

Philippians 3:10

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death

fellowship of his suffering? what does that mean and how could that in any way be desirable or good?!?! see there's a major part to that and that is "fellowship"! we often think about sitting around a dinner table and fellow-shipping in that way, but that only goes so far in the relationship there! now think of the fellowship you have with somebody when you go through major trials! the two don't even compare! when you suffer with somebody the two of you can relate to each other in ways that others can't, because you went through that together and you know how the other person feels! there is a relationship there that comforts! it's an amazing relationship that won't break! we have that same relationship with Christ! even though he went through things that even my worst nightmares couldn't hold, when we go through trials... he knows how it feels! and when we lose ourself (like we've been talking about in the last two verses) we find ourself being less and him being more! when we empty ourselves, we can be filled with more of him! the more we have of Christ, the more of that comfort we have from him! yeah, when we're filled with Christ we often go through persecution just like he did (of course in our day persecution (at least in my life) isn't nearly as hard as it was for him) that's where we have fellowship in his sufferings! we can't have a one way relationship

For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too
2 corinthians 1:5


application
I will memorize luke 22:42 and 2 corinthians 1:5 by friday

Philippians 3:9

and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith

at times I find myself trying to achieve righteousness through other means, but although that may equal a small amount of righteousness (a very small amount) it doesn't even compare to when I gain righteousness through God by faith! I can be as good as humanly possible! I can do everything right! (well, pretty close to it) but if that's all I do, it's still counted as loss! the righteousness that I've achieved means nothing! the righteousness that I need comes through faith that Christ has all righteousness! I have no righteousness aside from him.


application
for the rest of the weekdays I have here I will wake up at 5 knowing that he will give me the energy to get through the days