Yesterday Carol Chatman was kind enough to invite Liz and I to a meeting at the mission office where Beryl Boswell, a former missionary, spoke to us. He was a church planter here in Peru, and began within the first 20 years of the International Mission Board’s coming to South America. He was among the first to pave the way for those of us who are here now. It was so encouraging to here his story of faith and frustration. He spoke to us in a real way, never denying his humanity nor the way he was often discouraged by circumstances or people. His love for the Lord and his desire to reach the lost was also transparent in the manner and words that he spoke to us. These days I’ve been so conflicted about my future and future plans. When telling our prayer requests, I mentioned that I was considering missions as part of my future. He said, “Don’t think about it. Do it! Matthew 28!” Perhaps he is right. My prayer is that God will send me answers and wisdom and discernment and confirmation of the things that I believe He is telling me and in the way He is leading me.
Anyway, Mr. Boswell also spoke over the properties of prayer. I’ve come to realize just how important prayer is in everything that we do. It seems so simple, but is something that I’ve always struggled with consistency in. He broke this down into 10 parts of which the Laws of God’s Will, Inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Pure Motive and Correct Diagnosis were of particular interest to me. Obviously I have been praying for God’s will here and in the future, but something I’ve battled against is keeping my motives pure. I have certain desires, but I shouldn’t push those as being God’s will for me. This leads me onto the Law of Correct Diagnosis which poses the questions, “What is this request good for? God’s glory?” My prayer in assessing this is that the Holy Spirit will bring about conviction and change in my heart so that my prayers will become pure and pleasing to God. When I pray, I want to pray with confidence that God is listening to me and hearing the prayers of a righteous woman. My prayer is that God will mold me into that woman who seeks nothing more than His will and His heart.
On a side note, there was food! (Baptist people + “meeting” of any sort = food!) Liz practically had to roll me home after I ate 4 pieces of pizza, a chocolate chip cookie, a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie and a chocolate covered doughnut. Too bad the pizza wasn’t chocolate covered, too. . . Yeah. I think I’ll be eating celery and carrots for the next week to make up for my behavior. I must mention that we are used to eating lunch around 11:00 and we didn’t get to eat until almost 1:00. Soooooo not my fault. ¡Estaba muriendo de hambre!
Katrina
“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."-Matthew 28:18-20
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