Every Dream is a Journey June 25,2012

Dreams come one day at a time. Their fulfillment is often marked by a day, an occasion; sometimes they are realized in an instant. One thing is for sure, dreams aren’t created in a moment, there is always preparation and premeditation. There are a million little things that add up to the named desire and goal.  A swimmer has to jump into the pool, a painter starts with scribbles, and travelers take a step. Every link is essential in the life of a dream—in reality I think the beauty of dreams is that they’re a process. Even their fulfillment is almost like a rebirth. All those little things rush back—the twinges, nudges, neon signs of “yes, this is the way you are to walk” are experienced in a collective joy. The little things matter, they make the big thing possible and then are re-gifted as gratitude and acknowledged as grace when the day, moment, month arrive. Wherever you are in the journey of your dreams—embrace it. This day is just as  essential as the day you “go”, say I do, get the degree, hold the child. In retrospect—moments make up the joy. The dream isn’t just a day, a moment, a certificate—it’s a journey.

I want to love well today June 25,2012

I want to love well today. In delays in international airports, I realized how finite my love is. I try to love on my own strength and fall flat on my face. I am so selfish in my love. I love when it’s easy, when people are likeable and like-minded. Even worse, when I muster up love for those who are irritable, I do so with pride. I want to love genuinely—because my perfect Christ loves me and loves others perfectly in my place. I want to “love my neighbor as myself”, like lewis says, when I truly love myself as much as my neighbor. I know that I can’t do this. Love must be genuine, not contrived. A cheesy movie quote, from Dan In Real Life, states that “love is not a feeling, it’s an ability”. While that can be laughed off, I think there’s truth in that. True and pure love isn’t simply an emotion, it’s a choice, an ability, if you will. As we grow in Christ and let His love pour through us it’s his supreme ability that comes in and gives us the ability to love genuinely.

Orientation Overload

I can't believe I've only been in Charlotte just under two days. Maybe it was the 3 hours of sleep, the packed days of informative, encouraging, and equipping sessions; or the fact that I'm surrounded by so many like-minded people that you just easily settle in and feel like you've known each other a long time. I've been challenged, discouraged by fear,doubts, and encouraged by testimonies and truth in countless ways. I'm so blessed to be here and have been so blessed by YOU; the many texts, prayers, encouraging conversations, and so much more have come at such amazing times. I am thankful for the chance to grow in my knowledge and in practical tips through this preparation time. Thank you for coming alongside this journey.

I'm over loaded in many ways: in peace, in grace; and yes with information and busy days, but it's worth it!

Prayer: for a sound mind to retain the information, for rest, for clarity and discernment to sift through my thoughts and bring them back to the gospel, and for overall peace and preparation, God's brought me this far and He'll continue to lead me.

P.S  we ate at an Ethiopian restaurant today..SO good!

Leaving round 1

well here I am...at the airport...ready to head to charlotte for orientation. This time next week I'll be in Kenya...I can't believe it. This month as flown by. I have been incredibly overwhelmed with blessings...calls at just the right time, seeing the Dad and one of the Son's of the amazing family I know in Nairobi last Saturday, phone calls/texts at literally the moments of freak outs and doubts. Even getting in contact with a couple of the people I will meet next week who are also arriving in Nairobi next week, one even on the same day! My inner 12 year old who put "go to kenya" on a marker-written bucket list is freaking out that the week is here.
I am futilly attempting to anticipate the change this will bring...I know that it will be used for good and for His glory.

Specific prayer: sleep on these red eye flights, hearing loss humility, and hope and joy :-) thanks!

my SIMprofile

Here is the link to my profile with SIM and leads to more information about the organization I will be working through while in Kenya


Elise Bateman

Hope, preparation, how the light gets in.

“How the light gets in.

As I mentioned at the start of this journey it’s a Leonard Cohen lyric. The truth being we’re all broken, we’re all cracked and what so many people see as a fault or a malfunction really is something to be considered useful. I’m not sure how much longer I have left but it appears that the physical and medical signs are all pointing to my end.” –Kristian Anderson

This quote was written right before Kristian died of cancer. I didn’t know this man or his family, but I stumbled upon his blog right after his death last december. His wife recently updated the blog, How the light gets in, about how she and her two boys are doing. Also check out this video he left for his wife…beautiful.

What struck me today was the truth of his words, especially the part that “…we’re all cracked and what so many people see as a fault or malfunction really is something to be considered useful…” Through two sermons yesterday, this truth about my hearing loss was reinstated in my heart. My loss is not an accident, a hindrance to what God’s called me to. It is just as important and BENEFICIAL to what he has for me. I so easily forget this, and slip into the routine of trying to mask it, live over it, of feeling like I’m less or that I have to prove that I can deal with and overcome the loss. Get over it. I forget that nothing is an accident, that this loss wasn’t a divine mistake that I have to suffer through, rather it was divinely appointed. It entered into my life and affects those around me, purposefully. My loss will make things different and interesting in Kenya, especially when it comes to the language, but it’s not an insurmountable obstacle, it’s going to be an asset. It is already forcing me to rely on Jesus as my strength, my confidence; my ears. He promises that his power is made PERFECT IN my weakness, not in spite of it. I was reminded of Paul’s thorn, and struck by the truth that it too was essential to his ministry, it’s still ministering now, two thousand years later, to a 24 year old in the United states. What a profound purpose that thorn had, it was the avenue by which Paul’s contentment and perseverance were displayed. As I head into the final weeks and days of preparation, I want to throw off what hinders; lack of trust, dwelling on the unknowns I can’t control, and the lies that tell me I can’t. The truth is, we’re all cracked, broken in our own ways, and there’s so much beauty in that. There’s beauty in perseverance, in facing the giant with a sling shot and a prayer of faith, in battling thousands with 300 men, in flying across the world to follow a lifelong dream. The light gets in when we persevere in faith, in hope, in the darkness that “is as light” to the One who calls, equips, and sends.