Merry Christmas in Hawaii

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

This year I baked the very special bread my mother has made for years every Christmas morning and today brought it to a dinner with friends. Mmmmmm. Delicious.

Celebrating this season with joy!

Aloha!

Well...I am embarking on my third week of studying the Old Testament prophets. This week's book is Isaiah! I am really looking forawrd to it. Having my mom here this past week has been a blast and now it is time to lunge into tackling a survey of the meaty book of Isaiah. I have been so blessed to be able to explore the island with her, as well as with friends. We went on a snorkling trip, got to see the other part of the island, saw an enormous waterfall, went to a coffee plantation, and ate some very delicious food. Oh, we also got to see a Lu'au, which was such a blast!!!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for me and for spending time in intercession. I have often felt carried by prayers here, so thank you. They are meaningful and help me stay in that place of abiding.


Please continue to pray for me:
1. Finances to finish the course well. I did just get a part time job to help cover the school fees but am still short. I am still in need of: $2,253.
2. My new job situation working at a little boutique that sells toe rings. Aloha Toe Rings is where I work Wednesdays and Saturdays! It is such a blessing....but need a prayer team for this time as I am in a very New Age culture.
3. Endurance and persistent focus in my studies to finish well! (Hebrews 12)
4. Wisdom on the next step for me as a few opportunities that are before me. (More to come on this!)
Thank you again for all of your prayers, friends! Please keep in touch with me and let me know how I can hold you up to our Father as well.

Joyfully yours;
Bethany Joy

You Are An Iron Man!

The alarm sounded at quarter past five on Saturday, October eighth which summoned the beginning of a spectacular day. I scurried downtown with my friends Rebekka and Jonna where we soon found ourselves engulfed by a sea of people flooding in to witness hundreds of men and women compete for the Iron Man world championship. The place we stood was so near the ocean that we often were splashed by the oncoming surging waves. The participants of the professional division began their two mile swim, followed by the other larger group of those who weren't professional. The excitement all around was contagious, music overhead helped create the atmosphere of celebration. We waited until the last person had come from their swim and hoped on their bike to begin the next segment of the journey. We stayed for the morning and then went back home to study and be productive as I prepare for my mother to visit this upcoming week! We had heard that around 10pm to midnight would be the time to witness the handicap, and elderly cross the finish line, so we made sure we were there. It was amazing! Pretty much a dance party when we got there with the energy of the music and the hype of the crowd...it was such a good time!

Incredible it is to witness a race by those who truly have disciplined themselves. The verse that I was reminded of was in 1 Cor. 9 which is: 'Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.'

So let us press on...with what God has asked of you, receive fresh strength to not grow weary...but press on with him, for he is the good champion of our faith!

Post script: My Birthday was amazing. Thank you all for remembering me on the day I turned 27. Here are a few pictures from the Iron Man event as well as my Birthday gathering. :)

Getting Real

I begin by sharing a snippet of one of my favorite stories:

Getting Real
Margery Williams

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but really loves you, then you become Real."
"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.
"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real, you don't mind being hurt."
"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"
"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
Source: The Velveteen Rabbit

There is great value in learning how to be real in one's life. I am seeing that it is not about measuring up to an obligation, appearing nice, conforming to an ideal or image I think is acceptable. Here, somehow obedience and being real work hand in hand, which builds a deeper intimacy with God and self. I am discovering that a huge part of learning to be real is to just be okay with being honest about my thoughts toward something. The best thing about being authentic is that I am able to realize my thoughts, feelings more readily. Without being real, I think it is easy to be stuck in a 'good place' when really there is so much more to behold than the status quo, or 'good.'

The Israelites in the time of the Judges ultimately needed a good king to rule, but without their participation of uniting, or obeying God, there was never going to be a good king established. They went in circles in their serving God, then disobeying, then they would cry out for a deliverer, so God would deliver and set them free so they could once again serve him. Over and over again they would find themselves in this cycle where they wouldn't be set free to love him fully unless they let him set them free from their slavery of sin. I believe that they revisited this over and over for the same reason that I revisit this progression.

I find myself in this place in my life often where I am not in the best place of freedom I was designed for...and it is a fight to guard intimacy with Christ that I may get back to that place. The thing is, is that I believe we are so prone to wander. Just as the doldrums are the dead zone, we too are susceptible to this same thing spiritually. In my crying out to God, he hears me and responds, but staying far away from slavery to sin in the first place is the best possible place to be in life. This is what we were designed for: freedom, and apart from being real, there is no freedom.

Share Love

Reflections on Miss Jackie Pullinger who graced us here with her presence this past week. She spoke at the community meeting and everyone pretty much got rocked by her beautiful simplicity of faith.

The time of singing was anointed and primed by an invitation for the children to come and be part of what was happening. They later were invited to come and lay their hands on the sick that they may be healed. She said that God reveals himself through his people and he always has a word for us, so we must expect this because he is a communicating God. We must ask, seek, knock.

It is incredible how much Father God wants to lavish his love on us, remind us that we belong to him, and love on us some more. Jackie spoke about approaching God to speak with him and it often is in these interactions that He reminds her of how much he loves her, how beautiful she is, and what his thoughts truly are about her. The way she told the story was quite humorous because it wasn't like there was much business done in these times, but mutual enjoyment of one anther. That is what relationship is all about isn't it? Yes yes.

This past week at another community meeting, I was walking to my seat, when a little girl who was about three, out of nowhere and of whom I didn't know, came and tugged on my hand to show me her picture of the water she just finished drawing. She was bursting with joy and led me to the place where she had set up her 'art station' on the cement floor in the back of the crowd. I sat with her and we made art together. She asked me to draw some water, so we drew water. She asked me to draw a shark, so we drew a shark. She asked me to draw a mermaid, so...I tried my best at a mermaid. The thrill in her eyes that she had when I told her I would draw with her was so precious and reminded me of what Jackie said happens when she and God talk. There is a mutual affection and enjoyment shared. This is what it means to be alive.

So, in reflection, in asking, one receives, in seeking, one finds, and in knocking, the door is opened and love is shared.

Blessings

Workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat its fruit. In the same way, workers who protect their employer's interests will be rewarded. Proverbs 27:18 (NLT)


El que cuida de la higuera comerá de sus higos, y el que vela por su amo recibirá honores. Proverbios 27:18 (NVI)


هر‌که درخت انجیر را نگاه دارد میوه‌اش راخواهد خورد، و هر‌که آقای خود را ملازمت

Yesterday, I was amazed at the end of the day as my roommates and I underwent a thorough cleaning of our space in preparation for the inspection today. I had told them at dinner time that I was feeling especially tired and may head for bed early after we did our cleaning. They responded with such kindness and offered to help me with my job. This verse that I read today reminded me of the interests that my roommates protected in me to do what I could do. They aren't the workers, and me the employer, but the concept of needing to work together brings forth a deliberate choice on one's part. I am thankful for the young ladies that live with me and am constantly blown away by how much they show me kindness. It is every day that I stand amazed at how much is given to me, showered on me, and communicates an invitation to the banqueting table.' The word says that it is more blessed to give than to receive, so I am asking for my eyes to be peeled back that I may see how I can bless, love, protect, inspire, and be compassionate to today. I want to be better at loving, to not love many, but to love well those in my life right now. I cannot do this alone.

I went running today with a new friend named Taylor and she inspired me to thank God for 10 things every morning...sometimes it can be a challenge, but today I found it to truly be a joy because I am realizing how blessed I am.

Thanks for reading!
post script: on a side note: the fig trees here are producing fruit~

My Papaya Mini-Adventure

As I write, I am looking into the distance and the setting sun is casting a kind and warm glow and touching everything in sight. Not only is the view stunningly beautiful, but I hear these words resounding from the Ohana (family) court where a few hundred people are having a spontaneous time of worshiping the King of Kings...

"I'll give you what you paid for, Here I am, Here I am."

It is as if the Father is saying:
'I'll let you enjoy me! Listen to my song over you, listen to the melody that I sing.'

The weight of the responsibility of one of the hardest weeks I will have while I am here academically had just finished and I am feeling so happy about it. :) The book of Genesis truly packed a punch of not only learning about the history of the nation of Israel, but it was a good time to reflect on the true definition of redemption. There were times of nitty gritty details I felt I'd be lost in, but there were also times of digging in and discovering life giving message of God's love.

My days here are mostly filled with studying and carrying out my responsibilities in class and work duties, but today was a lovely refresher. It was a time for catching up, and preparation for the next assignment ahead, I even scheduled in an adventure.

The adventure I had planned for didn't work out for today, but will in the future, I will assure you....Tonight's adventure hinged at the end of my sweet time with my friend Crystal who meets with me to check in and be a support once a week.

I suggested we could go try to get a papaya down from a tree I had passed on campus previous in the day...so we did. It was a challenge to reach with an awkwardly shaped stub of a plumeria branch. We ended up finding a real fruit cutter and got not just one but two!! Which inspired us to continue looking in the surrounding trees throughout the campus. Success...we came away with five beauties, one of which we had to eat right away like we were in the wilderness wandering or something and hadn't eaten in days. The taste was perfectly sweet and was sufficient to cover up the horrid taste of the aloe vera plant gel we had just eaten. Oh man! that was such a bitter taste, but the papaya was wonderful. I did eat a few seeds though, I hope I will be ok.

Now the sun has gone down fully and the music continues with loud clapping, laughter, joy, and singing to the rhythm. This place is alive and thriving, bursting and bubbling over with life in every way. Time to rest my eyeballs so I may wake with gusto for a new week of learning about the Exodus, among many other things.

Thanks for reading! It was nice to share some time.

One Campaign Flash Mob

Hey All!

I am going to write more about life here in Kona soon...but until then...enjoy this video. In my last post I had alluded to the fact that the Fourth of July was very exciting and that I would write more about it soon. I was able to participate in a real Flash Mob in my hometown, Longview, Washington with a group of friends. There were about 70 of us in all and just had a blast dancing to "Firework" by Katy Perry. Enjoy!

Youtube: The One Campaign Flash Mob- Longview, WA

I will write more very soon!

Reaching Higher

Hey all! Well, with much investigation of what my next step is in my life...I have decided to take off for Kona, Hawaii July seventh through December twenty-first to finish the SBS (School of Biblical Studies) with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). If you would like to read about the program: please visit their website at:
http://www.uofnkona.edu/ The school information is under Training and "course description" and "Christian Ministries."
Please keep me in your prayers during this rigorous time of study!
Thank you so much!

The donate button on the right works for Pay Pal if that is the route you'd like to go for donations, or you could simply send a check to my home address: 4015 Pacific Way, Longview, WA 98632 and it will be processed.

It has been a good time in Longview as I have purposed to work at the wonderful cafe: ZoJos as well as picking up a few hours at Head Start too. I have enjoyed the amazing relationships that have been strengthened and am super thankful for those who have been relentless in loving me. There are so many good things about being around people who both love me, and are actively growing themselves...but, it has been a strengthening and preparing season for me to launch I have discovered. This I know for at least a season.:) So, this thing about 'reaching higher' is a theme of my life right now...to be tenacious about aiming higher....past the issues of life to set my heart on things above. To set my heart fully on Christ.

I am very much looking forward to spending time here in Longview for the 4th of July....it is going to be epic for sure....details to come which can't be reveled just yet. :)