Why in the World?

When I was reentering the USA I had to answer some immigration questions. I had talked with the officer and left him quite confused.

I’m sure his thoughts were something like:
Why would an 18 year-old girl travel to India for 3 weeks by herself? Why would she go and not really purchase that much stuff? What could one do to fill 3 whole weeks ‘touring’ a country?

Thankfully what I have to tell that officer is not al

l there was to my trip.

I got to do so much more. He probably wouldn’t have understood, actually I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.

“Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint”

He could not understand.

I got to be part of a move of God. I saw people being

transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lives were changed and destinies altered.

Foreigners entered a land that they had never given thought to before. They will never be the same. How could they? They left their country, their families, and gave up their idea of a regular Christmas to experience India and begin a partnership. Forever their lives will be tied to God’s work in India. They can no longer pretend that all they know is their own country and lifestyle.

The nearly 30 visitors to Nagpur, India, have seen part of how God is working in India. They now carry the vision of this ministry. I pray that all of us, me included, will fervently lift up the work of God and that we would join with the body of Christ, that we would never be able to forget what we saw during our trip, and that we could accurately portray the vision of this ministry.

WOW

Wow, oh, wow. It has been forever since I've posted. Most of that is due to my 3 weeks in India and then my slow jet-lag recovery.

So, you may be thinking, "How was India for the 3rd time?"

My answer w

ould either be short and to the point or more likely long and full of fun stories. Hopefully over the next few posts, I can fill you in.

Probably one of the best things that made this trip so different than my previous two was the amount of time and quality of time that I got to spend with the female Bible students and children. I stayed in a house just up the road from their hostel and thus we were always back

and forth to their hostel. I was able to interact with them on a more normal playing field. I was no longer just another visiting American, I was a

neighbor and friend.

Another awesome part of my 'job' while in India this Christmas was that my responsibility was these three kids. They are absolutely wonderful children. I got to play a behind-the-scenes role by helping take care of the kids, do laundry, cook, and clean. Since I was working on some of the household duties, this freed up time for my family, Rachel and Amol, to really pour their time and effort into the Crossroads team.

I am really thankful that God allowed me to be a part of Christmas 2010 in India! He has continued to work in my heart, clarifying my call and placing bigger dreams in my heart.

More to come!

Are you listening?

You have so much to be thankful for. You may not drive the nicest car or have the biggest house but God is meeting your needs, isn't he? Just a thought for you today: There is always a need around you. Are you taking notice AND doing something about it or do you just pass by like it is nothing?

"Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered."

Proverbs 21:13

In honor of my dinner outing tonight:

I had the chance to TrySomethingDifferent (we call them TSDs) tonight with a group of Honors students. We visited a South Indian restaurant near Charlotte. The food was very authentic and delicious. Here are some images of just a few meals that I had while visiting India in 2009.

Where all the magic is made:

Who ever said you couldn't have chicken curry and birthday cake?

Some of the best times were spent just sitting on the floor, drinking chai, and hearing the Family tell stories.

Chokardani: a fun outing with a plate of food filled like this:

A dosa with my adventurous teammates

A second lunch of the day: PB&J with chai and masala flavor chips.

What are you waiting for? DO what it SAYS

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 1:22-27

Feet

I have always hated the way that my feet look. One verse that was brought to my attention over and over again in India was Romans 10:15. I had a hard time really grasping that feet even humanly ugly ones, can be the instrument of God. It is so true though. God really does love to use unlikely tools and people to do his work.

Here is that scripture. Read it and think, what are you doing to use your beautiful feet? Where do they take you?

Romans 10:14-15

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010:14-15&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+52:7&version=NIV

Skyline

It can be so powerful to take some time and pray over a city. One time during my first trip to India, for our group morning devotions, we had a time of worship and then spread out around our rooftop and prayed over all corners of the city. We took time to pray for God to move mightily in the people of Nagpur. It was amazing individually and as a team to pour our hearts out over the city. That can cause you to really fall in love with a skyline.

www.crosspointofindia.org

Pollution

The sunsets in India are magnificent. The colors are so brilliant, unlike anything I've seen before. One night watching the sun go down, my team and I were discussing how awesome the sky looked. Someone brought up the fact of pollution in the air creating the colors. I had never thought of that before. How could chemicals so terrible create sunsets so beautiful?

This reminds me so much of God's love for us. We do all this crazy stuff and work hard on our own but all we get in our lives is clutter, trash, and pollution. The haze is so strong that often we can see what's right ahead of us. God loves to take the trash of our lives and use it to teach us. He takes the pollution that clouds our view and paints a beautiful sunset before our eyes. Isn't our God great?

www.crosspointofindia.org

Dry and Thirsty Land

For He says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2

The spiritual condition in India is as diverse as the terrain of the country. There are mountains with snow, deserts with hot, dry sand, but also luscious green fields. You can find Hindus, Muslims, deists, Catholics, atheists, and Christians living within the country's boundaries. God is evidently moving in one area but seemingly absent in another. He is always moving and acting,we just don't always see how. It is important to keep that mindset when observing countries like India. I feel this need to be a "knight in shinning armor" out to save the world from Hell, but God reminds me that in his time the people will know him.