I just returned from eleven days in Europe. I'm still overcome by how God put it all together and made the way for us to go. He moved in so many ways just to satisfy this most simple of the desires of my heart. I've wanted to go to the America's Cup ever since I saw the Francis Ford Coppola movie "Wind" in 1992. But since it was in New Zealand at the time and remained there for the next decade, I never made it. That changed in 2003 when the Swiss team Alinghi won the cup and moved the race to Europe. I vowed then that I would go anywhere in Europe to see it. Since Switzerland is landlocked they had the option to hold the next match anywhere. They chose Valencia, Spain.
So on May 16th, my brother and I packed up and flew all night to Europe with my 60 year old mom and her friend in tow. Valencia is a beautiful city and, as far as cities go, it's one of my absolute favorites. We stayed in an apartment on Calle Salas de Quiroga, that I rented through http://www.homelidays.com/ and made friends with the owners of the cafe on the corner, del Sol. They helped us find our way around the city and even made reservations for us at a great little restaurant, Tapelia, just east of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. We went out on the spectator boat to watch the 4th race of the Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals. Even though the American team, BMW Oracle, lost that race and the semi-finals, it was an amazing experience just being out there on the water watching these $80 million + boats sail along the Mediterranean Coast.
After our boat returned to the dock at Port America's Cup we walked around taking pictures of all the beautiful sailboats and the bases for each team that had come to challenge the Swiss for the America's Cup. It was awe-inspiring just to be able to look at the actual America's Cup ewer that has been all around the world during the past 30 years of the 155 year history of the race. As a sailor I can think of few thrills that would match the simple experience of standing next to that "Auld mug" as they call it. And this, only our second day in Spain!
The day after our Port America's Cup excursion we walked nearly the entire length and breadth of the city's center. I had taken nearly 300 photos since we landed and was just thanking God for my digital camera when I realized that it had frozen in some strange mode. Despite all my efforts to change the mode or even turn it off and reset it, nothing worked (and those of you that know me know that I'm a pretty technically adept individual). Even my brother, James couldn't figure it out. I quickly jumped to the conclusion that it was broken and that I would have to just find a camera store and buy a new one. I was trying to make sense of what had happened as we climbed 200 stairs to the top of the bell tower in the ancient cathedral that houses the chalice thought to be the Holy Grail . I was able to take some photos but I couldn't change any of the settings. Though I tried to be thankful that the camera still worked partially, I was in tears by the time we reached the top of the tower. As I looked out over the terra cotta rooftops and vivid blue cupolas toward the Mediterranean I began to release the frustration and remind myself that God had brought us here for more than just taking photos.
I thanked God for the camera and for bringing us to Valencia and showering so many blessings upon me over the past year, especially restoring my health so that I could even make such a trip in the first place. We descended the stairs and entered the chapel that houses the Holy Grail where I was able to get a few more photos in the low light. Back outside, we began our journey around the massive cathedral to see each of its three different facades, Rococo, Gothic, and Romanesque. I wanted to take photos of each. Walking across the Plaza de la Virgen I looked again at my camera and realized that it was fine. You could say it was a coincidence, but I know that it was my Father proving to me, once again, that He can do anything.
That's a theme that He has been speaking to me a lot lately. He brought me through a difficult illness to the point that I can even work a full-time job now - something I never believed I'd be able to do. It's not that I didn't have faith that He could heal me, I just didn't want to be holding on to something so tightly that I missed something else. I let go of the desire to work and be a "normal" 20-something working American woman several years ago. But He opened up all the doors for this job last August and here I am nearly a year later and I'm still doing fine. Every time I begin thinking about how impossible it would be for Him to break through a friend's hardened heart or how difficult it seems that another person could fit with me enough to want to marry me, He reminds me that He is the God of impossibles. Even my doctor wasn't sure I would be able to handle a full-time job. We were all prepared for a crash. Someone with postural orthostatic tachycardia, myalgic encephalomyelitis, diastolic heart failure and Addison's disease shouldn't be able to work a full-time job. But here I am, 10 months later, just returned from a whirlwind trip to Spain and Italy and I still wake up every morning and go to a job that I love - I'm still standing. I still take handfuls of medication and dietary supplements and I have to live within my boundaries and make sure I get enough rest. But I'm doing the impossible.
As for Valencia, if you get a chance, go there. It's a truly beautiful city. The river Turia was diverted in the 1960s and the riverbed that runs through the city center has been converted into a long, sunken park with lush gardens, fountains, walking trails and play areas. Many of the old bridges are still standing, their architecture a testament to the city's rich history. There are museums and monuments all along and the largest aquarium in Europe lies at its Eastern end. But now I sound like a tour guide, so I'll stop for now. I'll try to post some photos here soon as well.
More to come on the rest of the trip including Rome and Florence...
Monday, June 4, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Do you have any thoughts on this?
I got an e-mail from a friend that is currently studying at Harvard Divinity school. He's learning a lot about Christianity that he had never heard before so he comes to me with these kinds of questions quite often. His most recent question was about the "Word of Faith" doctrine - also called the Gospel of Prosperity or simply the Faith Movement among many other things. The subject of his e-mail was "Do you have any thoughts on this" with a link to an article on Wikipedia. My response is below. I've been thinking about it a lot though and I may end up posting a rant here at some point, but not tonight.
--I'm very aware of this particular movement and have been to many different churches that have varying levels of agreement with the Faith teachings. I'll have to fall back on my old stand-by line that there's a bit of truth to be found in just about everything. You asked if I have any thoughts on this and my answer is "yes, lots of thoughts!" I could write an entire dissertation on this particular movement as well as its critics. It seems as if the only voices speaking about this idea are the polar opposites and there in no effort to find a middle ground.
My bottom line evaluation of the Faith movement is that it doesn't always make sense. There are always Job situations where the level of faith is unquestionable but the sufferring is still there. Faith teachers claim that if someone isn't healed of an ailment or is poor it's because they don't have enough faith. But then critics of the Faith movement sometimes argue that illness is a judgment from God. Which i don't agree with either.
There is a lot more to the movement than the Wikipedia article suggests.
Personally, I think that arguing about these things is a waste of time. And accusing people of being part of a cult because they believe that Jesus loves them and wants to bless them is more than a little outrageous. But so is accusing people of not having enough faith to receive healing. God relates to each of us as individuals not as one big group with overarching rules of order and company policies. If the basic Christian theology of "repent and believe" is adhered to, the rest is up to God. Our arguing and criticizing and accusing is what Paul referred to a sowing strife. And its a sin. We keep arguing about how to worship God and forget about the common fact that we are all worshipping the same Adonai.
He came to Jacob as the Angel of the Lord and wrestled with himall night, finally breaking his hip so he limped the rest of his life, but he was blessed abundantly. He came to Moses in a flaming bush and a rushing wind and He even placed the ten commendments in his hands but then denied him entrance into the Promised Land. He came to Elijah in a still small voice and carried him away to heaven in a fiery chariot so he "knew not death." He came to the disciples in the physical form of Jesus and allowed himself to be beaten, tortured and murdered for the love of his people. He came to Paul on the road to Damascus and blinded him but restored his sight later as Paul became the first evangelist, bringing the message of love and restoration to the gentile nations.
If He has done all these things, how can anyone say that God definitely will work in one way but not in another? When Jesus is the common denominator who can know how God will work?
I do not know where the winds come from nor have I seen the storehouses of snow. How could I even begin to understand the ways He works in the lives of His children? My personal testimony can attest to that.
He came to me as a little girl and sat beside me as I suffered from uncurable illnesses for 20 years, ever-questioning what would become of my future and how far I could dare to dream. Like Jacob I have been broken yet I lean on the promises God has given to me. Like Moses I have been touched by the hand of God but denied the life that seems to be common among my peers. Like Elijah I have heard the still small voice of God and been snatched from the cluthes of death on more than one occassion. Like Jesus I have been wounded by love for those that would not return it. And like Paul I have been afflicted only to healed for the glory of God - to what end I do not yet know.
Every step of the way He has held my hand and reassured me that He would never leave me or forsake me. I won't argue about how my God will work in the lives of His children. I know that He can do anything.
--I'm very aware of this particular movement and have been to many different churches that have varying levels of agreement with the Faith teachings. I'll have to fall back on my old stand-by line that there's a bit of truth to be found in just about everything. You asked if I have any thoughts on this and my answer is "yes, lots of thoughts!" I could write an entire dissertation on this particular movement as well as its critics. It seems as if the only voices speaking about this idea are the polar opposites and there in no effort to find a middle ground.
My bottom line evaluation of the Faith movement is that it doesn't always make sense. There are always Job situations where the level of faith is unquestionable but the sufferring is still there. Faith teachers claim that if someone isn't healed of an ailment or is poor it's because they don't have enough faith. But then critics of the Faith movement sometimes argue that illness is a judgment from God. Which i don't agree with either.
There is a lot more to the movement than the Wikipedia article suggests.
Personally, I think that arguing about these things is a waste of time. And accusing people of being part of a cult because they believe that Jesus loves them and wants to bless them is more than a little outrageous. But so is accusing people of not having enough faith to receive healing. God relates to each of us as individuals not as one big group with overarching rules of order and company policies. If the basic Christian theology of "repent and believe" is adhered to, the rest is up to God. Our arguing and criticizing and accusing is what Paul referred to a sowing strife. And its a sin. We keep arguing about how to worship God and forget about the common fact that we are all worshipping the same Adonai.
He came to Jacob as the Angel of the Lord and wrestled with himall night, finally breaking his hip so he limped the rest of his life, but he was blessed abundantly. He came to Moses in a flaming bush and a rushing wind and He even placed the ten commendments in his hands but then denied him entrance into the Promised Land. He came to Elijah in a still small voice and carried him away to heaven in a fiery chariot so he "knew not death." He came to the disciples in the physical form of Jesus and allowed himself to be beaten, tortured and murdered for the love of his people. He came to Paul on the road to Damascus and blinded him but restored his sight later as Paul became the first evangelist, bringing the message of love and restoration to the gentile nations.
If He has done all these things, how can anyone say that God definitely will work in one way but not in another? When Jesus is the common denominator who can know how God will work?
I do not know where the winds come from nor have I seen the storehouses of snow. How could I even begin to understand the ways He works in the lives of His children? My personal testimony can attest to that.
He came to me as a little girl and sat beside me as I suffered from uncurable illnesses for 20 years, ever-questioning what would become of my future and how far I could dare to dream. Like Jacob I have been broken yet I lean on the promises God has given to me. Like Moses I have been touched by the hand of God but denied the life that seems to be common among my peers. Like Elijah I have heard the still small voice of God and been snatched from the cluthes of death on more than one occassion. Like Jesus I have been wounded by love for those that would not return it. And like Paul I have been afflicted only to healed for the glory of God - to what end I do not yet know.
Every step of the way He has held my hand and reassured me that He would never leave me or forsake me. I won't argue about how my God will work in the lives of His children. I know that He can do anything.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The why of this...
In the Old Testament, we often see people like Abraham or Joshua building monuments to mark the place where God had blessed them. I think that they did that to make sure they would remember how much God had done for them and that those who came after would see the goodness and faithfullness of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What a faith-builder!
I wonder what my backyard would look like if I had built a physical monument every time God has blessed me. At a single glance I could be reminded of all the years that God has been faithful to me and all the times He has come through for me. I imagine I would quickly be filled with hope for whatever situation I may currently be facing.
Whenever I come across an old notebook stuck in a drawer somewhere or a photo from years ago, I am reminded of one of the nearly miraculous things that have happened in my past. I can't help but think that there is no reason not to trust Him for the future.
There are so many things that I have forgotten about as the years pass. I don't want to forget. I want to remember and continue to trust Him more day by day. So that's why I started this blog. I want to remember and, perhaps, build a monument or two that someone else will come across one day and be encouraged by in the midst of the desert.
I wonder what my backyard would look like if I had built a physical monument every time God has blessed me. At a single glance I could be reminded of all the years that God has been faithful to me and all the times He has come through for me. I imagine I would quickly be filled with hope for whatever situation I may currently be facing.
Whenever I come across an old notebook stuck in a drawer somewhere or a photo from years ago, I am reminded of one of the nearly miraculous things that have happened in my past. I can't help but think that there is no reason not to trust Him for the future.
There are so many things that I have forgotten about as the years pass. I don't want to forget. I want to remember and continue to trust Him more day by day. So that's why I started this blog. I want to remember and, perhaps, build a monument or two that someone else will come across one day and be encouraged by in the midst of the desert.
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