What Exactly Is Our Purpose In Life?

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ah, the Great Commission. I haven’t written lately because I’ve been waiting on God to reveal what it is I need to say. You see, I want this blog to be about Jesus, and not about me. Well, He has brought me to this command in scripture 2 days in a row from 2 different sources. The first was yesterday in church hearing about discipleship. Today while seeking God on what to write about, He led me to an article on the internet about submitting to God’s authority over our lives and seeking His purposes in our lives. This scripture was used as reference. While I realize these are popular verses, it caught my attention. And as I’ve said before, my writings are as much for me as for anyone else out there.

This command sums up the questions I have for you from the thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head for a few days. Did you accept Jesus to receive your “get out of jail free card”? Check that off the list. Whew, now that I’ve gotten that whole I’m going to heaven thing out of the way I can get back to MY life. Or are you truly seeking Him as Lord of your life? What evidence do we have that Jesus is making a difference in our lives? Every Christian must dedicate themselves to serving Jesus Christ. We must submit to His purposes in our lives.

Before I go any further, let me make it perfectly clear. The acts of service we perform do NOT get us into heaven. That would make it about us. The only way to God and an eternity with Him in heaven is through Jesus and the blood He shed for us. It is all about Jesus. Always has been, always will be. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9. The acts of service we perform are from the fruits we bear through the Holy Spirit that comes upon us once we’ve allowed Jesus into our lives.

Ok, now back to the Great Commission. This is the single most important command Jesus gives to us. Tell people the good news about Him.  We have the most important news in our hearts.  How can we not want to share that with others?  Doesn't everyone deserve to hear about Jesus?  Think about it, did WE deserve to be told about the life giving power of Jesus?  What makes us any different than anyone else?  There should be an urgency about us to share Jesus with the lost.  Are we so caught up in our own little worlds that we don't think about eternity?  Do all the activities, careers, chores, etc. really matter in the end?  No way! 

So, what exactly is our purpose in life? It’s to grow the Kingdom of God. It is to share the truth of Jesus with everyone we meet. Scary, huh? My heart beats faster just thinking about that. Everyone is different, but these are a few things I’ve been doing to bring myself closer to the command before me.

1. Prayer. Lots of prayer. One of my prayers is that my love for Jesus will be greater than my fear of what others think. Another is asking God for His courage.
2. Being in the Word. I don’t have a particular scripture here to share, although there are many goods one. Just spend time with God by reading His Word.
3. As I’ve mentioned in this blog, love, love, love. I ask Jesus daily to show me how to have His love for others. When we love someone, we want what’s best for them. Even when they’re strangers.

I’ll leave you with this for now. Hopefully this was just enough to get us all thinking and wanting to seek a closer relationship with Jesus and to obey His greatest command for us.

Blessings, Karen

Has It Really Been a Year?

Wow! It has been a year since returning from Kenya. It seems like just yesterday since we returned to “normal” life. Can one really return to “normal” after a trip like ours? I don't see how and I thank God that I can't even imagine it. He has been so faithful to keep the Rendelle People in my heart. Kargi, Kenya will forever be a part of me. He's even gone so far as to increase that love by placing the whole Horn of Africa on my heart. I have the sweet burden for people in places I've never been before. I weep for the lost, the poor, and the hopeless and I consider it a privilege. I know this is hard for some of you to understand, because you've not experienced what I have. I know, because I too didn't understand before going. If you are feeling the tug from God to go, wherever “go” may be, please open your heart to that pull. Allow God to work in you so He can work through you.  I personally am waiting to see where God takes me next.  I trust that He will send me where He wants me to go and will provide and protect.  

I'm going to share some pictures from our trip last year. They are very dear to me, so I hope you'll enjoy them and allow God to speak to you through them.

Anna adopted me (custom in Kargi) and named 

me Cararba, which means meeting place.

Part of our WASH team out telling the women of Kargi about 

washing hands and boiling their water before drinking.

Mama Sarah got this basket the women use to be in the picture. 

The children love having their pictures taken.

2 brides and Marco. The red and white beads are what show they 

are married. It's the equivalent of our wedding bands.

Isn't she adorable! This is my favorite picture.

One of our interpreters, Galribo, with his wife, daughter 

and son.  I consider Galribo a friend.

With some of the Christian teenagers that live in town. Sugai (Su-Gay-i) 

is to my immediate left. She is a very sweet girl that took to me.

Rendelle women and children learning to use the tippy taps to 

wash their hands.

I could show even more pictures, but I won't do to that to you. Instead, I'll leave you with some scripture that I used to prepare myself for this trip:

“In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness, “ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

Blessings! Karen

Love, Love, Love

I've been so obsessed with love lately.   I'm not talking about love for your mate, family, or close friends.   That's a given.  Sometimes that love is easy and sometimes it's hard, but it's still a love that comes to us naturally through our own little world.  I'm talking about a love that only comes through the Holy Spirit.  I'm talking about compassion for those we've never met.  I'm talking about praying for a complete stranger and breaking down in tears because you're so overcome with emotions.  I'm talking about having a heart for the poor and lost halfway around the world in a place you'll probably never visit.

I don't want to waste your time talking about what I see in others, besides that would be judging.  Instead, I'll ask you to seek God and ask Him to create in you a pure and loving heart.  Ask Jesus daily to show you how to love and have compassion like He does.  You'll know then what I'm talking about because you'll feel it in your heart.  When I notice myself having negative feelings towards someone for being, looking, thinking, or behaving differently, I say love, love, love.  That's my way of calling on the Holy Spirit to correct me.  I hope you'll find a way as well through having the desire to love.

I'll leave you with the words of my new favorite song.  It's The Proof of Your Love by for King & Country (http://www.forkingandcountry.com/).  You've probably heard it on the radio, but have you really listened to the words?  Every time I hear the song, I stop and ponder on the words.  I think of God's love for us and  ask myself if I really am proof of the love, life, and sacrifice of Jesus.

THE PROOF OF YOUR LOVE

If I sing but don't have love
I waste my breathe with every song
I bring, an empty voice
A hollow noise

If I speak with a silver tongue
Convince a crowd but don't have love
I leave a bitter taste
With every word I say

Chorus
So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love
Let my love look like You
And what You're made of
How you lived, how You died
Love is sacrifice
So let my life be the proof
The proof of Your love

If I give to a needy soul
But don't have love then who is poor
It seems all the poverty
Is found in me

Chorus

Ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
When it's all said and done
Ooh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
When we sing our final song

Only love remains
Only love remains

Chorus

(Music & Lyrics: Joel Smallbone / Luke Smallbone / Mia Fieldes / Jonathan Lee / Fred Williams / Ben Glover)

Blessings and much love!  Karen

Are We Using the Right Methods to Defend Our Faith?

I decided to start this blog because I have so much going through my mind and felt strongly that I needed to share it.  What got me to thinking so much today?  It was an article on a news website about Chaplains being told that they could no longer pray in the name of Jesus when saying the prayer at city sponsored events, such as police department promotions.  The article itself didn’t spark this fire in me, but rather the comments from readers.  Of course there was the usual Jesus Freak hater that thinks we should all be committed because of our delusional beliefs (that’s a whole other topic).  What really got me was the number of people that argued with him.  Someone even made a personal attack on the guy.

This got me to thinking about what comes out of arguing with a non-believer.  I fully understand defending our faith and am concerned about where our country is headed on religious freedom.  On the other hand, at what point do we, as Christians, cross that line into bitterness and hatred ourselves.  Does our ranting and attacks on those with opposing beliefs really further the kingdom of God?  Does God really need this level of defending?  I may have missed something, but I don’t recall a story of Jesus arguing with people.  He asked them pointed questions, stated His point, and then moved on.  He even told His disciples to shake off the dust and move on when they were rejected.

So, how should we react?  I’m no biblical scholar, but this is what I feel is a good start.  First, we should strive to walk with Jesus and chase after Him.  I ask Him daily to show me how to love like He does.  It’s only through His love that we can approach anyone with the gospel.  It’s starting with our family, neighbors, and co-workers. Yes, I am telling myself this as well.  I just can’t help but wonder what this young man’s beliefs would be if someone would share the gospel to him in love.  I feel saddened that the responses to him probably only drove him further from Jesus.  Maybe it’s time for us to stop being so passionate about being reactive to attacks on our faith and being proactive in leading those around us to Christ.

Blessings!  Karen