You know, my life isn't happening the way I figured it would...I know, surprise, surprise. lol.
It's all a matter of perspective though....
What an adventure I am on! If anyone ever says that Christianity is boring and a bunch of rules hasn't truly experienced what it is like to have a deep relationship with Jesus! At the same time, anyone who says that it's an easy ride after you surrender your soul to Christ might want to look into it a little farther because the Bible says that we WILL (future tense) experience tough times. That includes times that you just want to crawl into a dark hole or bottle and forget everything...forget that you even exist.
It's at those times that when I MUST wrap my whole being around verses like Romans 8:27-29 "...He [Christ] makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined, to be conformed to the image of His Son...." And, Jeremiah 29:11-14, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD...."
Honestly, I know those verses so well because they seem to be everyone's "life verse", but in truly difficult times nothing can comfort me then they do know that that is my Jesus speaking directly to ME! That blows my mind!!!
The Bible tells me that He is a jealous God...not because He's insecure, but because He has my best interest in mind and has created me to worship Him, so when I worship other things (material things, friends, jobs, school, ideas of how my life should be, etc.) then I am going against my purpose, therefore, I become discontent and unhappy. And then I wonder why I'm not joyful...it's simple! Because I'm not surrendering my past, present, and future to my GOD!
When something happens to me and makes me question everything (even God's calling on my life that I was so sure about!) after surrendering and analyzing and praying and trying to surrender again I MUST CHOOSE to RELAX in Christ!..
I tell ya, those times when everything is pretty good and I stayed in close fellowship (reading the Word (Bible) and prayer) really show their strength when the storm hits...and hits hard!
Circumstances change, people change, my own heart can't seem to decide what it wants and how to feel, but this one thing I do know, my Jesus, my GOD, He NEVER changes! Romans 8:18-39...NOTHING changes where I stand with my God.
All I have to do is look in His Word and in my own life to see examples of this.
As Paul says in the end of Romans 7, I thank GOD that through CHRIST He saves me from this body of death into HIS everlasting, abundant life!
There is JOY 'n CHRIST
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Calling GOD a Liar
This idea of not believing that God has my best interest in mind has been stirring in me lately.
I can look on the dark side of every situation in my life or in someone else's life easily.
I am an unemployed, single girl, still living with my parent's at 22 years old. I don't have a car, I haven't gone to college so therefore there are few good fields in which I could work to have a good career. My heart is torn between two very different sides of the world (the beautiful Astoria, Oregon and Cambodia, both I love equally!!) All of these things are against me in our modern culture! I can naturally fall into this negative thinking process without any effort whatsoever.
BUT GOD, He is Faithful to remind me of REALITY. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!...Be anxious for NOTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made know to God; and the PEACE of God, which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard your hearts and MINDS through Christ Jesus. Finally brethern, whatever things are TRUE...HONORABLE...just...PURE...lovely...good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--MEDITATE on these things." (Phil 4)
God tells me in the book of James 1:12-15 that He NEVER tempts me. Temptations come from my own sinful desires which entices me and drags me away "These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death."
He goes on..."So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is GOOD and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. HE NEVER CHANGES...He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true Word. And WE, OUT OF ALL CREATION, became His PRIZED POSSESSION."
Covetousness is listed among the "really bad" sins such as MURDER, LYING, SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE...so therefore, if I am coveting someone else because they are married, or they have a job, etc, then I am treading on dangerous ground!!!
In a round-about-way in my own mind I am telling God (who said all those beautiful things), "Wow, God...You really know how to make my life a mess. You know I want to be married, You know I want to have some sort of structure in my life (a.k.a. a job), You know I want to live on my own, You know everything and You're all powerful yet You choose to make me wait...and for what, God?!! I obviously know more than You do! Because this isn't the way I wanted my life to be...!"
How awful that sounds when I type it out! :( :(
All I have to do is read some of the old testament stories or like Abraham and how he had to wait years and years and YEARS for the promise that GOD Himself gave to Abraham.
Or take a look at Joseph!!! Dang! Wouldn't that have been frustrating! His brothers hated him, threw him in a pit, sold him as a slave to Egypt, falsely accused and thrown into jail, etc. It wasn't tell YEARS had passed before he understood what God was doing....
How stupid it is for me to even question God's sovereignty. Not only is God all powerful but He is also FULL of compassion! (How many leaders who have so much power also possess so much compassion???)
Even if things don't turn out the way I would want them to, it's OKAY. Because when I stand before JESUS when I die or He comes to take us Home, I won't be standing before you or anyone else and have to make an account for my life. Anything I did on my own, any selfish desire I had will be a WASTE!! If it isn't God's best plan for me to be married and I get married then that will be a sad thing on that Day I'm sure.
BUT! Praise GOD, He can turn even our stupidity into glory for Him! He makes ALL things work together for good for those who love Him...even our mistakes...THAT should make me all the more want to give ALL of my life to Him...not to hold anything back.
It says in Psalms that He remembers that we are made up of dust. The only thing good in my is Jesus Christ...and when He sees us who have put our trust and hope in Him, then He doesn't see our filthiness.... <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">He only sees how perfect His Son is when He looks at us...and we are always in His sight. =)
Lana Salisbury
I can look on the dark side of every situation in my life or in someone else's life easily.
I am an unemployed, single girl, still living with my parent's at 22 years old. I don't have a car, I haven't gone to college so therefore there are few good fields in which I could work to have a good career. My heart is torn between two very different sides of the world (the beautiful Astoria, Oregon and Cambodia, both I love equally!!) All of these things are against me in our modern culture! I can naturally fall into this negative thinking process without any effort whatsoever.
BUT GOD, He is Faithful to remind me of REALITY. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!...Be anxious for NOTHING, but in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made know to God; and the PEACE of God, which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard your hearts and MINDS through Christ Jesus. Finally brethern, whatever things are TRUE...HONORABLE...just...PURE...lovely...good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--MEDITATE on these things." (Phil 4)
God tells me in the book of James 1:12-15 that He NEVER tempts me. Temptations come from my own sinful desires which entices me and drags me away "These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death."
He goes on..."So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is GOOD and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. HE NEVER CHANGES...He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true Word. And WE, OUT OF ALL CREATION, became His PRIZED POSSESSION."
Covetousness is listed among the "really bad" sins such as MURDER, LYING, SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE...so therefore, if I am coveting someone else because they are married, or they have a job, etc, then I am treading on dangerous ground!!!
In a round-about-way in my own mind I am telling God (who said all those beautiful things), "Wow, God...You really know how to make my life a mess. You know I want to be married, You know I want to have some sort of structure in my life (a.k.a. a job), You know I want to live on my own, You know everything and You're all powerful yet You choose to make me wait...and for what, God?!! I obviously know more than You do! Because this isn't the way I wanted my life to be...!"
How awful that sounds when I type it out! :( :(
All I have to do is read some of the old testament stories or like Abraham and how he had to wait years and years and YEARS for the promise that GOD Himself gave to Abraham.
Or take a look at Joseph!!! Dang! Wouldn't that have been frustrating! His brothers hated him, threw him in a pit, sold him as a slave to Egypt, falsely accused and thrown into jail, etc. It wasn't tell YEARS had passed before he understood what God was doing....
How stupid it is for me to even question God's sovereignty. Not only is God all powerful but He is also FULL of compassion! (How many leaders who have so much power also possess so much compassion???)
Even if things don't turn out the way I would want them to, it's OKAY. Because when I stand before JESUS when I die or He comes to take us Home, I won't be standing before you or anyone else and have to make an account for my life. Anything I did on my own, any selfish desire I had will be a WASTE!! If it isn't God's best plan for me to be married and I get married then that will be a sad thing on that Day I'm sure.
BUT! Praise GOD, He can turn even our stupidity into glory for Him! He makes ALL things work together for good for those who love Him...even our mistakes...THAT should make me all the more want to give ALL of my life to Him...not to hold anything back.
It says in Psalms that He remembers that we are made up of dust. The only thing good in my is Jesus Christ...and when He sees us who have put our trust and hope in Him, then He doesn't see our filthiness.... <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">He only sees how perfect His Son is when He looks at us...and we are always in His sight. =)
Lana Salisbury
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Back in the States...a summary
Thursday, September 15, 2011 at the refreshing air conditioned Russian Market's KFC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia away from the hot humid weather, is where I last updated this blog.........now..I'm sitting in Knappa, Oregon, USA at my parent's home with a sweat-shirt and ear warmer on sitting here by the fire place while it's raining side-ways outside. Lol
More then what I can write has happened since that hot day in September. I will try and summarize the best I know how.
I don't want the white-picket-fence-American-dream-life....
More then what I can write has happened since that hot day in September. I will try and summarize the best I know how.
As soon as I got back, I felt like I had just woken up from a wonderfully, beautiful dream put back into reality (maybe even a false reality)! Because I know this world in America soooo well, yet the Khmer world is so familiar to me! I can close my eyes and I am right back there on the street of Phnom Penh, or in the province of Takeo....
I was almost in constant motion the moment I got home for close to 3-4 weeks, so I've hardly had time to reflect or process that I am NOT there anymore.
There is simply too many details to fill in on what went down the last 3 months or so that I was in Cambodia.
Because God made it so that I stayed there 2 extra months I had a few very Divine appointments with people that have blessed my socks off!
I was almost in constant motion the moment I got home for close to 3-4 weeks, so I've hardly had time to reflect or process that I am NOT there anymore.
There is simply too many details to fill in on what went down the last 3 months or so that I was in Cambodia.
Because God made it so that I stayed there 2 extra months I had a few very Divine appointments with people that have blessed my socks off!
To name a few, there is my Mum Gail from Australia that has been here for me (on Facebook;) while I transition back into this modern culture (I knew her before, but not very well).
Then there is Ted & Caroline, Cindy, and Chad from the USA who's heart were really burdened for the ministries that Sothea is doing in Takeo (the Rice Field Church (RFC) and the school) and Sothea himself.
I think of when Paul says several times that he was so happy because one of his brothers in Christ had the same heart for a certain church and it made him so happy (2 Corinthians)! I feel the same with Ted & Caroline, and Chad! They have blessed my heart so much!!!
Cindy spent quite a few years on the mission field herself so she was able to encourage us in particular ways because she's been through it too. I pray God will continue to bless her beyond what she can imagine!!!
Then there is Laura, <3 I can't remember what month it was that I met her, but she is just a few streets down from me with a different organization. God started to knit our hearts together from that first time that we met at Water of Life !! She was able to accompany me out to Takeo one of the times I went out there in (I think) September and she also fell in love with it !! I felt so comfortable with her out there and felt she fit in like she had always been there! GOD is sO gOOd !!
Honestly, I never wanted to really come home (knowing that I didn't have a plan to go back, that it wasn't just a VISIT home). I wanted to come home to visit, but not to live.
I don't want the white-picket-fence-American-dream-life....
My heart is deceitful above all else the Bible says, so I must trust that He will guide me if I stay in His Word with a WILLING heart to follow hard after Him and do what He has put in front of me. I have been praying hard about what I am supposed to do while I'm here (and not miss that!). I have no doubt but am convinced that God has a specific reason that He brought me home.
I really want to move back to Cambodia until God tells me otherwise...right now, I'd love to go back within this next year (2012), but I honestly don't know how that all works out right now. Just praying and seeking Him.
I miss Cambodia very much, the way of life there, I miss Water of Life and all that are there, I miss Sothea and Nget and their students, and landlord and his family. There are so many in needs around this world, who NEED the Hope of Jesus Christ to save their hungry/thirsty souls (they are hungry for Jesus though they may not know it) !!
I really want to move back to Cambodia until God tells me otherwise...right now, I'd love to go back within this next year (2012), but I honestly don't know how that all works out right now. Just praying and seeking Him.
I miss Cambodia very much, the way of life there, I miss Water of Life and all that are there, I miss Sothea and Nget and their students, and landlord and his family. There are so many in needs around this world, who NEED the Hope of Jesus Christ to save their hungry/thirsty souls (they are hungry for Jesus though they may not know it) !!
but I am content where I am here, because GOD has me here and not there for now.
I never, ever want to fall away from His beautiful Feet and Word! I want to be constantly offering praise to His glorious name !!
<3 Jesus Christ is all I can live for, without Him, I have no purpose whatsoever !! <3
<3 He IS my life !! <3
May God bless you all more and more with the awareness of His presence in your lives! =)
Love,
I never, ever want to fall away from His beautiful Feet and Word! I want to be constantly offering praise to His glorious name !!
<3 Jesus Christ is all I can live for, without Him, I have no purpose whatsoever !! <3
<3 He IS my life !! <3
May God bless you all more and more with the awareness of His presence in your lives! =)
Love,
Lana Salisbury
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Donation List
Hey ya'll (church fam)
My parents are coming over here to Cambodia soon and this is the list that Water of Life gave me of things that they could use/want that are expensive over here or that you just can't get.
If you would like to donate anything, please contact my parents.
Thank you all so much!
God bless ya!
My parents are coming over here to Cambodia soon and this is the list that Water of Life gave me of things that they could use/want that are expensive over here or that you just can't get.
If you would like to donate anything, please contact my parents.
Thank you all so much!
God bless ya!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Don't Know Where To Start....
Don't really know where to start here...it's so long between the times that I write.
Right now, I'm sitting here at KFC (Khmer Fried Chicken;) next to the Toul Tompong market where I can get internet.
Monday of this last week was very discouraging with the second class out in Takeo...Sothea and I taught them "Who Am I?" by Casting Crowns. But then Tuesday night was much better and I taught them about Noah and the Ark. Sothea didn't translate and made them listen to me. He only translated a couple of times so that we didn't spend too much time and miss the point.
They are a very hard class...very skeptical it seems. Please pray that their hearts will be soft to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
1 1/2 weeks ago when I taught them that you are received of God ONLY by faiths and not by works (Cain and Abel), and they just laughed at us. ...Praise GOD! Truly, we know that it's the truth of Jesus Christ that saves souls, and so therefore we are not ashamed to say so. Yet, I still need boldness!
The VBS is going so great! I love the kids so much!! They are so young and very smart! I taught them about the 4 friends who had a friend that was paralyzed and let him down through the roof (because there were so many people in the house that Jesus was in) so that Jesus could heal him.
And Jesus didn't heal him right away...first, He said that the man's sins were forgiven...because Jesus knows that it's our souls that need the real healing. :)
Thank you soooo much for your prayers!
May God continue to bless you!
Lana Salisbury
Right now, I'm sitting here at KFC (Khmer Fried Chicken;) next to the Toul Tompong market where I can get internet.
Monday of this last week was very discouraging with the second class out in Takeo...Sothea and I taught them "Who Am I?" by Casting Crowns. But then Tuesday night was much better and I taught them about Noah and the Ark. Sothea didn't translate and made them listen to me. He only translated a couple of times so that we didn't spend too much time and miss the point.
They are a very hard class...very skeptical it seems. Please pray that their hearts will be soft to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
1 1/2 weeks ago when I taught them that you are received of God ONLY by faiths and not by works (Cain and Abel), and they just laughed at us. ...Praise GOD! Truly, we know that it's the truth of Jesus Christ that saves souls, and so therefore we are not ashamed to say so. Yet, I still need boldness!
The VBS is going so great! I love the kids so much!! They are so young and very smart! I taught them about the 4 friends who had a friend that was paralyzed and let him down through the roof (because there were so many people in the house that Jesus was in) so that Jesus could heal him.
And Jesus didn't heal him right away...first, He said that the man's sins were forgiven...because Jesus knows that it's our souls that need the real healing. :)
Thank you soooo much for your prayers!
May God continue to bless you!
Lana Salisbury
Saturday, August 27, 2011
the 11 year old boy now has a choice....
a village....
an 11 year old boy....
an enemy who is pulling countless billions of people into Hell with him....
parent's minds deceived by centuries of the Devil lying to them through the face of Buddha....
parents who want the boy to know the English language for a possible chance of a better life....
a man who obeyed God's call to go....
the 11 year old boy thinks he had the opportunity to learn the English language....
the 11 year old boy in reality has the end-all opportunity to hear about a God who loves him....
a God who knows exactly how many hairs are on that 11 year old boy's head....
a God who knows exactly what that 11 year old boy was thinking on his way to school....
the God who made every atom of every leaf of every tree....
the God who made every star and calls them by name who proclaim His glory....
the all mighty God who is planting the seed of Life in the 11 year old boy's life....
acceptance of Jesus may not be now....
acceptance of Jesus may not be soon....
but acceptance of Jesus may be....
this is his story....
we don't know the end....
but we have the choice whether or not we will have a part in that 11 year old boy's life....
this is a small ministry going on in Takeo, Cambodia....
this is a small ministry going on in Takeo, Cambodia....
Friday, August 26, 2011
God's Amazing Grace
Hey guys,
This has proven to be a challenging month.
Not with the ministry here, but in my own life, and with those at home. I feel the burden of my family at home and it's hard to be here when they are going through stuff.
I have been broken over my sin this past week a lot, as my Jesus comforts me a lot.
We read Isaiah 61 and verse 3 really touched me.
It reminded me of the song, "At The Foot Of The Cross" that we used to sing at Coastline, but it had been so long that I couldn't remember most of it off the top of my head, so I looked it up and was so encouraged!
"At the foot of the Cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me Your love
Through the judgment You received
And You've won my heart
Yes, You've won my heart
Now I can...
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the Cross
At the foot of the Cross
Where I am made complete
Not with the ministry here, but in my own life, and with those at home. I feel the burden of my family at home and it's hard to be here when they are going through stuff.
I have been broken over my sin this past week a lot, as my Jesus comforts me a lot.
We read Isaiah 61 and verse 3 really touched me.
It reminded me of the song, "At The Foot Of The Cross" that we used to sing at Coastline, but it had been so long that I couldn't remember most of it off the top of my head, so I looked it up and was so encouraged!
"At the foot of the Cross
Where grace and suffering meet
You have shown me Your love
Through the judgment You received
And You've won my heart
Yes, You've won my heart
Now I can...
Trade these ashes in for beauty
And wear forgiveness like a crown
Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
I lay every burden down
At the foot of the Cross
At the foot of the Cross
Where I am made complete
You have given me life
Through the death You bore for me
Through the death You bore for me
I'm laying every burden down
I'm laying every burden down"
God has been showing me more of how disgusting and putrid my sin is to a holy God, but...then He is showing me in return, how AMAZING His GRACE is!!
Thank you all for your prayers!
Love,
Lana Salisbury
I'm laying every burden down"
God has been showing me more of how disgusting and putrid my sin is to a holy God, but...then He is showing me in return, how AMAZING His GRACE is!!
Thank you all for your prayers!
Love,
Lana Salisbury
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