Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Firsts...

I, too, had a 3-day weekend. It wasn't memorial day for me here, but the holiday proved to be quite enjoyable. Among the festivities were several "firsts" for me and/or those around me. Even after a year of living here, there are plenty of firsts to be had! Check it out:

First of all...my roommate and I decided to take our last night out. These next 3 weeks are going to be super full and so I wanted to be sure we made time for this. I took her for Japanese. It was a FIRST for her as she had never had sushi OR eaten with chopsticks. She loved it and did great! Not the most flattering pic of her, but it tells the story:

Then there was a concert. It was my first concert here in Colombia. Aldaba is the group that played. They are a Christian group that get their style from the indigenous music from the peoples of the Andes Mountains here in Colombia. Very cool. The concert was a huge success as they released their 3rd cd.



I DROVE!!!! After a year of living here, I had yet to drive in Colombia. We took a road trip through the mountains to some hot springs and I got to drive. A First in Colombia and a First in 5 months!

Monday, May 18, 2009

A week in the life...

Last Monday, as I browsed my missionary friends' blogs, I came across a very interesting one. "A day in the life" I thought that some of you may wonder what it is that I actually do. So, I spent the last week taking a few pictures of the things I do here. And now, I present to you my life:

I start off my day around 6:30-7:00 am when either my alarm wakes me up, or the paper business in my building turns on their machines and wake me up with the shaking of my entire apartment. :)

Then it's off to the gym for an hour or so. (this is not a picture of MY gym, but of a gym chain here in Colombia. I felt akward trying to take my camera into my gym)


Next comes my shower and walk to work. Before I leave the house though, I am sure to fix myself a hot cup of delicious, steaming, Colombian coffee. YUM!

On Mondays we all get to work and have a morning meeting. We discuss prayer requests, tasks/meetings for the week, and have a devotional time as a team. This picture is missing 3 staff members (including me, the photographer)

Next, I sit down and check my emails. I usually average between 10-15 non junkmail items, so it takes me quite a while to sort through them and respond.

I then spend my time emailing for work, putting together itineraries for various events, and doing anything else my superior may ask of me. This is all done at my desk; the "official" part of my work.

In no particular order, I am also the librarian for UCU. We have about 1,500 books that I am in charge of checking in/out, organizing, and making ID cards for students who want to become UCU library members.

The "relational" side of my job is in discipleship and mentoring. Various students come to me for advice or prayer and so I spend time with them whenever they are able to come to the office. Here is one of my regulars, Adriana.

On Wednesdays, we have our regular Bible Study. We average about 25-30 students per Wed. and it is about a 2 1/2 hour time of worship, prayer, and studying the Word. (note that this picture is not from our Bogota group but from our Barranquilla group. I completely forgot to take a pic of the group last Wed.)


And that wraps up what it is that I do. Until next time my friend!

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Studying Romans


I am amazed at the various moods I can take on. Not just throughout the month, or the week, but throughout one single DAY! I have met a few steady and constant people in my life. Its not to say that they are "better" than us more moody folks, but it sure is nice to always know what to expect from them. Yes, they too have their moments, but they aren't like my moments, which change with the wind. THAT is something I am working on. It has progressed over the years and I continue to move towards being a more emotionally steady person. But cut me some slack....I'm female! haha

Why talk about this? Isn't this blog's title about studying Romans? YES! I am constantly amazed at God's faithfulness as seen in Romans. Paul does such an incredible job of repeating in various examples how the Lord did save me (justification), continues to save me (sanctification) and will one day complete his salvation work in His second coming when I am forever changed into the absolute image of Christ (glorification)!

Paul also quotes Isaiah in Romans 10 when he reminds Israel that "all day long I [God] have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." There he stands, despite my contstant fight for control over my own life and my constant mood change, waiting for me to recognize that HIS ways are FAR BETTER than MINE! My heart can't help but recognize its selfishness while my Spirit sees God's hand at work and hears His voice saying "trust me Zoe"!

Since the news of my fallen support, I have researched various ways that I can, upon return to the States, make it 'on my own'. NOT SO! He has ALWAYS been faithful to me, even when I "was still a sinner". And so what has changed? Why is it all of the sudden up to me to save myself financially? ITS NOT! That's not to say I sit around on my rear and wait for some happy miracle where 1 million dollars will just fall into my lap. Of course not! But I can trust that God WILL provide...either through raised support, or a part-time job, or whichever other way I can't imagine that He already has set in place.

And so I am encouraged today to recognize that the Lord has been standing there with outstretched arms waiting for me to crawl back in His lap and say "Ok God, DO YOUR THING!"
How about you? Are you running out of yourself trying to work out your own "salvation"?

All I can say is...thank you God for Romans! hah! (and the the rest of the Bible too of course)

"...the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'the just shall live by faith'"
Romans 1:17