Spontaneity and Plan...taneity???

I'm what people call a freedom follower, others call extroverted, some call adventurous and I call exquisitely normal. I find myself loving the spontaneity of life, that whatever comes up I am ready to go forth and conquer; or at least find thorough satisfaction in what I have just allowed myself to get into. However, this type of life-attitude is very inhibitive of making plans. What if I make these plans and something better comes along is a thought which frequents the forefront of my thought quite often. I don't want to get tied down. I want to be able to be free! Hence, the names. Except, is this a good thing? Is it good to be always ready to jump at an opportunity and always ready to accept a new adventure that falls into my lap? Honestly, I love it. I love the spontaneity of my life and being able to plan a last minute camping trip or a last minute night of fun-filled splendor. Do I have commitment issues? Absolutely, not. Except, yes. I can commit to something in advance that I know is going to be fun; but when the unknown of how fun it can be comes to mind I hesitate. So, I only act out of what I know I am going to get out each situation. Oh, wow, self-seeking much???

Colossians 3:16-18 (New International Version)

¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

I'm not saying this verse says to make plans or not makes plans. I will say though that whatever it is I do, decide to make or to not make plans, I must do so with the glory of my LORD in mind. Not my own personal satisfaction. For it is in HIM and through HIM that I am justified which forces my thought patterns to mold into the likemindedness of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:5-7 (New International Version)

 ⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 ⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
   did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
   by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
   being made in human likeness.

I have noticed, prominently, especially recently about my lack of concern for what I can bring to the glory of GOD through my situations and more for the concern of how happy each situation will bring me. Perhaps this is a confession of sin, more so it is meant to be a thought to consider. How we live our lives ought to reflect JESUS CHRIST in everything, literally everything, that we do.


Today a man and woman came into the weights class that I was teaching and I noticed two things. One, they had inquisitive looks on their faces and two they were looking for someone to talk to. In the gym I  teach in, there are two full size basketball courts (which during the time I teach are taken up by a volleyball class) and the cage where the weights and exercise machines are. They came in the entrance and after a few moments of standing and searching they walked the width of the courts to the cage, at the entrance of which I say at my table. I stood up and introduced my self first and last name. PAUSE/side note. I find to be a lost art in the world today as more and more people only introduce their first name; doesn't everyone know you have a first and last name??? Introduce, by definition, means cause to know someone personally. This is not possible without a genuinely sincere initiation of allowing someone to know who you are with a first AND last name. Step down from soap box of blog... RESUME. What took me by surprise was after the man introduced himself and his wife, the question he asked me was "Are you a Christian?" I replied affirmatively and he then asked "Like a real Christian? 'Cuz there's a difference you know. Isn't there?" Of course there's a difference! He said he could tell by how I acted. I don't know how he could tell, but this was encouraging for me to hear. I'm not trying to brag and let me tell you how I am not bragging. I also was convicted of what he said. "'Cuz there's a difference, you know." 


Let us not be taken advantage of, by the devil, in our moments we take for granted. For it is in every moment we live as Christians that we are Christians. We make a choice, in every situation, how we might live. 


"If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away?" ....this is my conviction

Long Time.... No Talk

Is it just me.... or does talking to GOD seem a whole lot easier on paper? After moving down to Waco I have found myself, once again stagnate. Maybe stagnate isn't the right word? Probably more like stubborn! I have successfully managed to find myself trying to do it my way, e'er day, for too many days.... Perhaps this blog helps keep me on track, but probably it's just GOD givin' me a swift kick in the butt to get me back on track. Not that I've been entirely off track by any means, but let me be up front; whether I'm off track by 6 inches or 6 miles.... I'm off track.

In my search to find a place of corporate worship (I figure I'm in grad school, so I should feel the need to use more elaborate phrases rather than simply church, lol) I have found myself turning to iTunes and listening to the podcasts of what I consider my home church in CO. I recognize the fact that I never fully got involved in this church but the worship and messages that I experience there are unlike any other that I have ever experienced. I long to go back there and get involved! However, that will be at least 2 years away so in mean time and in between time I've been attending 2 different places down here in Tejas.... still I keep coming back to those podcasts.... and here's what I found.

I have to say, both pastors of this church challenge me every single message I hear. Every stinkin' one hits me right where I'm at. This lets me know, that GOD is speaking to me. Welp, this one involves a little bit of David and a lot, like a lot a lot, bit of GOD. I love reading David because for one he is a super genius, only superseded by the wisdom of his son Solomon; and for two he's brutally honest. Today we went through the first 18 verses of Psalm 139, talking all about how GOD knows us. He doesn't just see us, and he hasn't just created us to leave us alone and watch us freak out on the Jersey Shore (which I haven't watched but I've heard is entirely.... amusing). GOD intimately knows us! Without fail he knows every single molecular and atomic property about our human as well as the exact identity or our person, character and soul. Our emotions, our actions and our thoughts GOD knows! To quote the movie Avatar, "I see you" is what GOD says to us, or "I see into you". HE doesn't simply acknowledge our presence but HE recognizes who we are, what we are, where we are, when we are and why we are.

So I have recently finished my first assignments and test as a grad student, opening up a weekend of free time. How do I spend it? Sleeping, working out, playing ball, eating... repeat. GOD? Oh ya, I have time on Sunday. I'll pay my dues. Please! GOD is there right in front of me saying, "I am yours to ignore. I am yours to reject.... I am yours to accept." I love how David describes how much GOD knows about us, and I love the transition into how much GOD pursues us! HE never quits! Like a conversation without words, GOD knows us and on top of this HE relentlessly pursues us. Pursues me! I mean, I know this stuff but to hear it again is like breathing in Rocky Mountain Air or drinking crisp Rocky Mountain water after living in Tejas for all of a month and a half... no pun intended. Actually it's better than that because I am still deprived of such luxuries that come with living in CO in terms of air and water (which most people don't even get water around the world, so living in Texas might be the luxury that I need to realize). But this GOD who, NIGHT&DAY seeks after me saying "I SEE YOU! I KNOW YOU! I KNOW EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT YOU" I'M YOURS TO REJECT!" entirely consumes my being every time I hear about HIM. I want to highlight only a few verses because I would like for you to read all of Psalm 139 for yourself but these verses were the highlights of what I heard today.

Psalm 139:2 "YOU know when I sit and when I rise, YOU perceive my thoughts from afar"
-The pastor likened this to a marriage and how a husband or wife are able to look across the room and know exactly what each other are thinking

Psalm 139:7-12 "Where can I go from YOUR SPIRIT? Where can I flee from YOUR presence? If I go up to the heavens, YOU are there; if I make my bed in the depths YOU are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there YOUR hand will guide me, YOUR right hand will hold me fast. If I say 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become darkness around me' even the darkness will not be dark to YOU; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to YOU."
-In my highs, in my lows, in the mundane, in the complicated, in the east, in the west... EVERYTHING... GOD wants everything! GOD is there with me in everything

My absolute favorite part of all of this is David's response to this. How easy is it for us to try (notice the lack of success in that word) and run from God? How often do I try and do that in my own life? All toooooo often, is the correct answer. But David; his response?

Psalm 139:18b "When I awake, I am still with YOU"
-David is with GOD. A conscious choice, through all of his crap and yes it is crap. I wouldn't call having  an affair, murdering the husband, lying about it and ignoring it anything more than crap but certainly much less. GOD relentlessly pursues David, and David answers the call, "When I awake, I am still with YOU." I love the "still" as he identifies, YOU have never left me and "I am in". I LOVE IT! David is in and his life will never be the same.

You may have noticed the typical Christian pattern here... especially from my last post. To have a "God Moment" or "Spiritual High", blog about it and ask for a response.... But, as much as this is exactly that. It's not. I am human, I am learning but I am living. This is how I live. This is how I want to live and I know I will fail again. But lessons learned, as I have posted on here, are experience that hopefully others can learn from. It's not about the followers (let's be honest, I only have one and he is a much more distinguished believer than myself) but if just one person reads this and thinks hey, God sounds like a pretty cool dude then this is worth all the criticism. Maybe this is just me sayin' "I'm in."

GOD >>> LIFE = KNOW

Proverbs 1:7 (English Standard Version)

 ^7(A) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
   fools despise wisdom and instruction.
__________________________________________________________________________________

It is one week away, the move to Waco, TX and the start of my grad school career... Bittersweet??? MUCH. I have been reflecting a lot, this summer, on my life and where the LORD has brought me. YES, without the LORD I would not be here today; nor anywhere close. From my dramatic high school life to my restorative college experience I have now found myself at the feet of the LORD, knowing it is HE who brings me through all things. I have learned what it means to have a zeal for the LORD; and I have also learned what life is like without this zeal. Knowing that I am leaving for a different journey, one in which I feel as though I am starting with only GOD to turn to, I have craved spending time with friends and especially family. New friendships and old friendships I have cherished and I know what is to truly love people.

Recently an acquaintance from high school took his life and although we were not entirely close my heart breaks for his family and close friends. His close friends are some of my close friends. Seeing them in so much pain is so hard. Why does such tragedy exist in such a world as this? Why must this be allowed to happen? Why should anyone be brought to the point of such horrific emotions and actions? WHY?! The LORD, I do not fully understand. HE is not for me to fully understand.

The LORD is for me to fully fear. In situations such as this the LORD is at work saving those whom HE loves from the pain of this sinful world. Reflecting on my recent mission trip to Costa Rica I remember seeing so much pain and not even thinking that it was possible to live in such a place. The pain and sufferings I not only heard about but witnessed was indescribable. Coming home, things were happy go lucky and refreshing... for a while. Then the routine came back and apathetic emotions consumed my Mon-Sat life while Sun was still the "holy day" where church, communion and tithing were not optional.

This routine was the same up until last night while I was at church. A different church than I normally attend but still one that I have attended in the past. I contacted a good friend to see if they were attending church this evening and they proceeded to inform me of our friend's tragic weekend. I sat through the sermon very distracted by what had just been made known to me and heard, by quantity of what the pastor said, very little. In magnitude of what he said, I heard more than enough. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 1:7......

Do I fear the LORD? Do I value my faith enough to have a zeal for the LORD and share him passionately with all of those whom I call my close friends??? What is this life if but short? The pastor also pointed out what little time we truly have and how much more we realize this the older we get. The brevity of this weekend, if but only one evening, has changed my perspective on my faith. It is not something to take for granted nor is it something that I can passively dismiss as able to be procrastinated. Life is too short to take anything for granted, especially faith.

At the end of the service, Romans 8:31-32 flashed up on the screens and I wrote it on the back of my hand. As I lay in bed last night I took notice of this writing and looked up the verses. I read the whole section of where these 2 verses were located and have now pasted it below. I have emphasized verses 31-32 and 38-39 in light of this past weekend; I hope it can bring comfort to those whom it is directed.

Romans 8:28-39 (English Standard Version)

²⁸And we know that for those who love God all things work together^(A) for good,^[a] for^(B) those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those whom he^(C) foreknew he also^(D) predestined^(E) to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be^(F) the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also^(G) justified, and those whom he justified he also^(H) glorified.

 ³¹What then shall we say to these things?^(I) If God is for us, who can be^[b] against us? ^32(J) He who did not spare his own Son but^(K) gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?^(L) It is God who justifies. ^34(M) Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—^(N) who is at the right hand of God,^(O) who indeed is interceding for us.^{[c] 35}Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ³⁶As it is written,

   ^(P) "For your sake^(Q) we are being killed all the day long;
   we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

 ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than^(R) conquerors through^(S) him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

My plans < God's PLAN

As it is 11:30 at night when I am starting this, don't expect a lengthy epiphany of greatness. Please only accept the humble realizations that I have come to in my own life, with a SIGNIFICANT amount of help might I add....


I have been an newborn. I have been an infant. I have been a child. I have been a boy. I have been silly. I have been sad. I have been happy. I have been mad. I have been a teenager. I have been "in love". I have been "heartbroken". I have been a winner. I have been a quitter. I have been a friend. I have been an enemy. I have been nice. I have been a jerk. I have been a high school graduate. I have been confused. I have been misguided. I have been self-centered. I have been led. I have been blessed. I have been disciplined. I have been befriended. I have been asked. I have been a teammate. I have been shown. I have been included. I have been insecure. I have been weak. I have been tempted. I have fallen. I have been irresponsible. I have been arrogant. I have been busy. I have been overwhelmed. I have been lonely. I have been surrounded. I have been insane. I have been calm. I have been hungry. I have been poor. I have been distressed. I have been there. I have been needed. I have been wanted. I have tried. I have succeeded. I have tried again. I have been intentional I have failed. Above all, I have been humbled...

Psalm 21:30 "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

I am a college graduate. I am going to grad school. I am single. I am alive. I am afraid. I am still alive. I am adventurous. I am a lifeguard. I am a son. I am a friend. I am a brother. I am a cousin. I am a grandson. I am a nephew. I am fun. I am happy. I am searching. I am silly. I am encouraging. I am laughable. I am ignorant. I am arrogant. I am selfish. I am embarrassed. I am in awe. I am seeking. I am finding. I am looking. I am learning. I am a sinner, saved by grace. I am humbled. I am, because God lets me be....

I have just graduated college, taken the mission trip of a lifetime (more to come on that later), I am waiting for Baylor and all that will bring, and yet I am still unsatisfied with my faith. I am at a place that is comfortable, and I am so very uncomfortable being comfortable. I love my friends, I love my family, I love my dog (Chowder), I love God, but I don't love what God is doing with me. I feel as though I am not good enough, and that God is not rewarding my faith because I feel as though I am failing at it. A good friend recently told me:  

"I think what you're searching for, you already have, you just don't realize.. and that makes the frickin enemy so happy he would keep you there forever...It does the Lord no good if you do NOTHING b/c you worry you aren't enough.  or that you're "not in".  He doesn't really care if you're the biggest loser on the planet if you're willing to serve Him.  so regardless of you have or don't have, or get or don't get, or pray or don't pray... if you're just saying, "Lord I delight in You, use me."  That's it.. you're in."

So, back to the verse I posted earlier. Psalm 21:30 "There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. I believe that my plans are able to trump God's plans? JT, let's get one thing straight. I am a sinner, saved by grace. I am not my own. Who's am I? God's... Who's story is this? God's...

What I have now learned, with much help might I add, is the Lord loves me despite all of my efforts to be the me I think I need to be. The me that I am, which HE created me to be, is what HE allows me to be. I recently came upon the following verses from Isaiah:

30:15 "The is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel says, "In repentane and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it"
30:18 "Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; HE rises to show you compassion; For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"
30:21 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'"

A quote from my devo today, "HE is looking for those who are willing to serve in places hidden from the sight of others, yet in full view of Heaven, and are sustained by the Holy Spirit". Where am I getting my sustenance? In my lack of gratitude in my faith in the LORD I have turned my heart against serving HIM who deserves all glory, all honor and all praise. It is in HIM I am sustained, in HIM I am happy, in HIM I exist. I am because God created and allows me to be. Knowing this and believing this, I have now realized, are entirely different but both are necessary. One without the other leads to a feeling of emptiness, being comfortable and inadequate. I know because I am there. However I am coming out. I feel as though I am Peter stepping out onto the lake. The entirety of my being wants to be out on the lake with the LORD, but my legs are so heavy. My legs are becoming lighter, and my spirit is becoming brighter. It is here, with the LORD that I choose to live. LORD, let me feel the full weight of YOUR direction, let me hear YOUR voice behind me "This is the way... walk in it".

The poem from my devo:
Just where you stand in the conflict, There is your place.
Just where you think you are useless, Hide not your face.
God placed you there for a purpose, Whate'er it be.
Think He has chosen you for it; Work loyally.
Put on armor! Be faithful At toil or rest!
Whate'er it be, never doubting God's way is best.
Out in the fight or on lookout, Stand firm and true;
This is the work that your Master Gives you to do.

The Brevity of Prostitution... (copied from ccucostarica2010.blogspot.com)

I wrote the following on May 21 on our team's blog page so I apologize for the late post. However, this is a post about going out on the streets and ministering to prostitutes from my perspective. At times the voice changes from a third to first person, or vice versa, point of view but that is for the sake of the other blog. Just note that I am writing it from my perspective, kthanks. Also I will try to update sooner and hopefully twice before we leave. kthanksreaditbye..................

So our blog is one day old, but that is due to the fact that yesterday we (Joni, Michelle, Joelle and JT) went out on the streets with Mariliana in search of women to invite to Rahab for rehabilitation. We were also joined by two women in the program, Alejandra and Mayella, on our venture. We sought out women who were, in broad daylight, selling themselves to men. On the streets, in the park, in a brothel... broad daylight.

On the way to downtown we passed a brothel, which doubled as a casino, where outside stood two girls who looked no older than 16 or 17. They were trying to attract customers which, Mariliana said, by standing outside the men know that there are young girls in this place. We stood outside of a brothel for about 10 minutes while the three women acted upon the blessings God has bestowed upon them. The women we saw had no distinct age, race or body type. The only identifying feature was that they were selling themselves. Men would come and go from the brothel as if nothing was different from any other store. We were shocked to see no signs of shame or embarrassment on their faces. The women seemed to respond a little to talk of the program, however when prayer was mentioned they didn't want to pray right there with us. It was tragic to think that these women were working, trying to earn a living selling themselves to not just one man, but many, everyday. We moved on to a different part of town trying to find more brothels. Stopping to ask people, even police officers, where they knew a brothel existed. Along our search there were enormous amounts of prayer being lifted up for our protection because we were not in a good part of town. How incredible that I (JT) could feel the Lord working not just in the group of women seeking out prostitution, but also in me as I went with them. Never have I felt a presence of the Lord such as I did that day. We stopped by a woman and talked with her, although I don't know how much she actually understood at that moment because she was obviously very high on drugs. She did ask for prayer which was encouraging despite the situation but also very disheartening to see her in that situation. Right after our prayer several of us witnessed a woman on the opposite side of the street negotiate with a man and then leave with him. Never in my life have I even fathomed what this situation would be like and here I was, along with the group, witnessing it firsthand.

From here we went to a central park, more like a plaza, where crowds of people gather just to take a break. Scattered throughout the entire park were women soliciting business, if it can even be called that, from men just getting off work. It was encouraging when Mayella and Alejandra stopped and talked with women that they knew, however they knew them from their previous involvement in the world of prostitution. These two women were able to share their stories with these women and encourage them to come to Rahab to not only receive help but also healing from the Lord. The group stopped with a group of 4 women and we talked about Rahab for a few minutes but most importantly these women really wanted us to pray for them. After our prayer the two women with us gave a short version of their testimony and experience with Rahab which was very great to witness. It was very encouraging to see Mariliana make a point to touch every one of the women that she talked with. She would make sure to touch each of their shoulders or arms or hug them to not only tell them but show them that they are accepted. What an incredible woman she is and an inspiration to all who witness her work.

We were speaking with her when she took us home, afterwards, and she was showing us brothel after brothel that existed all over the city. She also told us about when she would go out by herself at night and see ladies and transvestites working outside. She said that it is mostly transvestites who work at night and have specific areas that they work in. They take ownership of that area and don't let anyone else work in that area. What was also interesting is that she said that these men wait for her and are very nice to her when she comes around to them. She does not discriminate against them and most certainly prays with them. They ask her to pray for their family, to find work, health and the like but especially for a shelter for them. The shelters that are set up are for women and children along with separate shelters for men, however these shelters don't accept gay men. Mariliana is trying to raise money for a shelter for these men but so far there has been little progress in this area. What she would really like is a facility for women and children and another one for the men however being diligent is also proving to require lots of patience.

The work that these women, Mariliana in particular, is incredible. Their passion is so incredible that it overflows into our lives as well. While our passions may not be exactly what theirs are, the passion they have forces our passion to grow greatly. Our faith is growing by the day and the longer that we interact with the women, employees and participants alike, we are seeing a change in ourselves that will remain a marked moment in our lives forever. It is with great humility that we are able to be here and with great pride that we do our work. the LORD is at work here. Every divine appointment is noted and we are accepting great responsibility with every little moment that He provides us with. Pray that our work, how little it may seem to us, provides great blessing for the women we are supporting during our trip. Praise the LORD for the work that these women do on a yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, hourly, minute by minute and second by second basis. Their example is one that the LORD will never forget.

Psalms 66:1-5

"¹ Shout with joy to God, all the earth!

² Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!
³ Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
⁴ All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name."
Selah
⁵ Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man's behalf!"

short and sweet... Volcan Turrialba

So our almost fearless leader was picked up from the airport today by Fernando (our driver), Julie and myself... On our way back to the hostel where we are staying (AMCA) I noticed what seemd to be red clouds protruding out of a mountain... I said to myself, "Why not ask Fernando if it's so the volcano?" I proceeded with this idea and he responded by valdating my presuppositions. So check out the link below!!! And you'll see up close (online) what I get to see from far away (in person).

http://www.ovsicori.una.ac.cr/videoturri.html

Estamos en Costa Rica!!!!

Hola y Bienvenidos al Costa Rica!!! jajaja, a few key phrases that have unveiled themselves since we've been here... "goin' to the bank, rated R" "mcmango-ed" "eat this bug for veinte colones" "I think I'm going to sell emergen-C on the street to get some street cred" "gettin' mc-diced" "mc-pranked by the vines" "lookin' good, feelin' good" "JT, hey JT, what time is it??? um, 530...am..."   .......... there are others but I'll save those for later.

So here's the skinny on what's goin' down. Arrived in CR at around 630am Weds. Got to the hostel (AMCA) around 8am  and had breakfast, took naps, had lunch, orientation from Rahab folks, dinner, sleep. Thursday- breakfast 730, Rahab 830, catchin' geckos, teachin' computer classes with Mateo 11, lunch, mas computer classes, workin' a little bit, back to AMCA, din-ski.... bedtime. Today- 530 wake up call from Mateo, 8am brekast, 9am Rahab, rakin' leaves, gettin' mc-diced y mc-pranked y mc-maba-ed (I caught a snake...a black mamba), banco con Carol y Mateo, fruit drinks with Mateo, lunch, work our tails off... banco otra vez con Carol y KJ, popsicles, gettin' mc-mango-ed by Mateo's popsicle, back to AMCA, dinski, paneria con the corner creepster, worship night with Jenny y Ray y Kelly, makin' gecko noises, mc-prankin', bed.... more to come laterz.... Tienen Buenas Noches y voy a hablar con suyos an unos dias.


-Jota Te

Thoughts....

"About to graduate... for real???"
"Birthday tomorrow... the double deuces"
"Intramurals, Preview, SGA.... parties???"
"Last Shelter event of the year... Bittersweet"
"Last week of undergraduate finals... passing, hopefully"
"Senior Banquet... same place as my high school senior banquet"
"Graduation next Sat... oofta"
"Grad parties for all my friends... oh ya, wouldn't miss 'em for the world"
"Time with the fam before the longest mission trip of my life... 19 days"
"Mission: Costa Rica...Destination: Heaven came down"
"I could not have a more busy, emotional, exciting, adventurous and God-filled upcoming week and a half"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ya12I036lg

Team!!!

Hey all!

So, I've been a little busy but here's yet another update! Above is a picture of our team and for those of you who don't know, we're pretty much awesome! I, along with the rest of my team, am stoked to go down to San Jose and display the love of the Lord of this Earth. What a mighty God we serve! We just completed one of our fundraisers here at CCU. Who woulda thunk that sellin' Root Beer/Orange Floats, Soda, Popcorn, and Candy Bars would be so fun! The Sanctus Real concert at CCU was the location of our fundraiser and we raise a fair amount of money. We are so close to our financial goals, and for all of you who have supported us THANK YOU!!! I pray that you will be blessed for having blessed us! As you may be able to tell I am using a lot of !!!'s in this post but this serves as to emphasize how emphatically enthused I am for leaving on May 11. The day soon approaches that my team and I will be serving the Lord in the most radical way that I have been a part of up to this point in my life. I am praying that the Lord uses us in powerful ways, even though we might not witness the change that we may impart onto others. Not only do I pray for our lives to be a witness for the Lord unto others but I pray that our lives are dramatically changed by our ministry and the people that we encounter. Please pray for the same! I will be giving all who have donated to our team, several photos from the trip and of our team! So be on the lookout for those. Because I have a lot going on in the upcoming weeks with graduation and finals I might not update very quickly but I will be sure to make at least one more update before we leave. Thank you all for your support and I look forward to making/sharing encounters, interactions and stories very soon!

JT

“So I Stand Near The Door” by Reverend Samuel Moor Shoemaker

 Here is a poem that was brought up in my life today and I cannot tell you how much it impacted me. It really made me think, if I am truly going to go through the door that leads to Christ, I cannot simply remain inside of this door and forget everyone else outside of it...


“So I Stand Near The Door” by Reverend Samuel Moor Shoemaker

“I stand near the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,
The door is the most important door in the world—
It is the door through which men walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside, and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men.
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it . . .
So I stay near the door.

“The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door—the door to God.
The most important thing any man can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,
And put it on the latch—the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man’s own touch.
Men die outside that door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter—
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live, on the other side of it—live because they have found it.
Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him . . .
So I stand near the door.

“Go in, great saints, go all the way in—
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics—
In a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms,
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in,
Sometimes venture a little farther;
But my place seems closer to the opening . . .
So I stand near the door.

“The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving—preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,
But would like to run away. So for them, too,
I stand near the door.

“I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not even found the door,
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long,
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there too.
Where? Outside the door—
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But—more important for me—
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch,
So I shall stay by the door and wait
For those who seek it.
‘I had rather be a door-keeper . . .’
So I stand near the door.”

I heard this today not at my mission trip meeting, but at my Young Life Leader meeting... I couldn't help but be filled with passion when listening to my area director read this aloud. Not only could I feel the passion build inside me but I found myself asking 'Where is my passion to stand near the door?' Yes I do YounfLife, and yes I am going to Costa Rica to fight human trafficking (which will be one of the most real world encounters I will have faced thus far) but where am I standing? Do I just passively participate outside of these areas of involvement? Why am I not constantly thriving on showing people the "door"? Psalms 84: 10 reads "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." and Revelation 3:20 reads "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

Prayers...

So I have very recently been obsessed with prayer.... Prayers of others, prayers in the Bible and prayers of myself. I wanted to share a few that have touched me in one way or another. Whether they help you or not is not my intent. However, I would love for them to mean something for you, just as they have for me. Some of them I believe have said better, what I have been trying to say for a while....

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
attributed - sir francis drake -1577

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve our fellow men
throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger.
Give them through our hands this day their daily bread,
and by our understanding love, give peace and joy.
mother teresa

My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.
Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.
Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.
O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.
For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation;
I dare only to stand in Thy presence.
My heart is open to Thee.
Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.
Behold and lift me up!
In Thy presence I stand,
awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments,
into which my mind cannot penetrate.
To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.
No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.
Teach me how to pray.
Do Thyself pray within me.
Amen.
prayer of philaret - metropolitan of moscow - 1782-1867

**this last one is longer...***
I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with his Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial,
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim
in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven;
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire,
speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea,
stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to secure me:
against snares of devils,
against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature,
against everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that
may oppose my body and my soul,
against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics,
against craft of idolatry,
against spells of witches, smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.
Christ to protect me today against poisoning,
against burning, against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come abundance in reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth,
Christ in length,
Christ in height,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
Amen.
the lorica (the deer's cry) - breastplate of st. patrick - 433 a.c.e.

Theme Verse and Plane Tix...

At our team meeting this week we picked out a theme verse which is Hosea 6:1-3 and it reads, "1 - He has torn us into pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but He will bandage our wounds. 2 - After two days he will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 - Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the Earth." (NIV)

We will be getting team shirts that will feature a portion of this verse on the shirt hoping to inspire dialogue and conversations leading to witnessing to the Costa Rican people. I cannot wait to go down there!

Pretty soon we will be needing to buy our plane tickets so if you were thinking about donating to my team's trip it would be preferred to get your donation in soon. I hate to ask for this but unfortunately it is the situation that my team, and me personally, is faced with.

Thank you for all who read this blog and have already started supporting my team and I with your prayers. Next post will feature some info about what specifically I will be doing in addition to what my team will be doing.

SIEMPRE VA CON DIOS!!!

Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Starting January 11, 2010 it is International Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Please pray daily for the 27,000,000+ victimized by this heinous industry worldwide...

COSTA RICA MAY 2010!!! Human Trafficking

This coming May, 2010 I will be partaking in a mission trip to Costa Rica where my team and I will be making an effort to fight human trafficking and more specifically the sex trade. We will be partnering with an organization while in San Jose and more information is provided about that further down the blog. As many of you know this is a supplement to the information I have already provided on my facebook page. Many of the people I do know do not have facebook so if the information looks similar that's because it is and I am doing my best to provide everyone who is supporting this trip with information they may be curious about. Here are a few statistics on human trafficking in the U.S. as well as worldwide:

-It is estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked internationally each year (this excludes people trafficked within nations each year) which is still growing

-It is estimated that there are 27 million people worldwide that will unwillingly labor in this industry today

-14,500-17,500 people are trafficked INTO the US each year-50% of people trafficked INTO the US each year are children

-It is estimated that this industry reaches $9.5 billion dollars worldwide, with at least $4 billion of this coming from the sex trade

-"Most (83 percent) of the reported human trafficking incidents involved allegations of sex trafficking" (From the DOJ OJP Bureau of Justice Statistics)

Sources for the above information as well as for additional information:

-http://es.urbanministry.org/human-trafficking-statistics

-http://farmlab.org/-http://www.humantrafficking.org/

-http://traffickingproject.blogspot.com/2009/01/usdoj-releases-trafficking-victim.html

-http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&tid=40

-http://www.humantraffickinged.com/

*** It is difficult to come up with accurate statistics for this growing industry as it is internationally illegal and highly exploitative***

I will be traveling to Costa Rica, along with 8 other teammates with CCU2THEWORLD in order to fight human trafficking specifically people involved with the sex trade. In this endeavor we will be partnering with the Rahab Foundation whose information, vision, mission and brief information is listed below: www.fundacionrahabcr.org

"The Rahab Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been working in Costa Rica since 1997. Its vision is to see families who have been connected with prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation of minors restored and reincorporated into society with new skills by means of coming to know the gospel of Jesus Christ. We offer a holistic program to reincorporate this population into the labor market and to heal the areas of their lives that have been affected by working in sexual commerce, as well as by the family and social situations in which they have had to develop. In order to contribute to the success of these families, we offer psychological, spiritual, medical, and legal support. The hub of our program is weekly psychosocial support groups, during which we deal with many subjects such as abuse, self-esteem, couple and parenting relationships and God’s healing love. In addition, we also offer food subsidies, job training, and an educational and scholarship program to help the women and their children finish primary and secondary school. We work with about 75 women each year and about 300 total beneficiaries, since we work with their entire families. Because of this program, the women have developed improved self-esteem, better educational levels, new job skills and improved ability to care for their families. This is the pioneer and only program in the country that works to rescue victims of sexual exploitation in a holistic manner, working with the entire person, body, soul and spirit."

I will be providing weekly updates from our team meetings in order to keep you all updated on what is happening with our team on with human trafficking in Costa Rica and around the world. My total estimated cost for our trip right now is $2500. After this weekend I will have a more clear and accurate view of the trip cost. If you would like to contribute financially e-mail me @ jttrimble@students.ccu.edu and I can provide you with further information. I ask and encourage you all to support my team and I through prayer first and foremost. Thank you all!!!