Becoming What We Are

Becoming What We Are

 

What is it that kills your joy? I am sure we would all love to say that our circumstances around us have no connection, whatsoever on our attitudes, but that would be a complete lie. We go through each day in a different way, some good days and some bad days, but our outside circumstances should never influence the way we act toward others. In God's word Paul tells us,”We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead" (2 Cor 1:8-9) Paul’s purpose in this passage is clearly for us as believers, to replace our dependency on ourselves with the complete dependency on God, (and his hardships were life threatening! )We have already died with Christ (Rom 6:5-6), and with his death we have been given a new life, we are now considered holy, so we should be holy in all our thoughts and actions, ” But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do..” (1 Peter 1:15). We are the light of the world because His light is in us, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”, ( Matt 5:16). This is what we are and who we are, justified sinners who are known as Saints by God. During times of "kill joy" ( as I like to call it ), in times if joylessness, we need to remember to rest in God's righteousness....the message of the cross...God's promises...and God's GRACE!  

 

By Grace Alone

 

Bobbi

Living Sacrifices

"¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

    ³For by the GRACE given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. ⁴Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. ⁷If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.  ." -

Romans 12:1-8 ESV

What a Beautiful God

Ok so today is Sunday and we have a new group coming in this evening! We have four more weeks left and I pray that we would continue excellence in all that we do! I know that some of my staff are getting tired including me but you know what, what a better time to lift up our almighty God for his willingness to give us the strength to do his will!!! Praise be to God!

Identity

Who am I? Something that I think I have had to face lately, something
I face daily....I want my identity to be found in nothing else, but
Christ alone, my dependency to be found in Christ alone. So what does
that mean? What does that look like? Living for Christ, depending on
Christ?....God is our creator my one and only Savior, so why don't I
treat him like that. For I am nothing but clay and God is the potter,
but yet over and over I try and mold myself, why don't I trust God,
why don't I live like I trust God. Paul says "I do not understand what
I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if
I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is,
it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know
that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature."Romans
7:15-18. So with this I understand that I am no longer alive to my
sinful nature, But if it is Christ that lives within me then my mind
is captivated by Christ and no longer to my old sinful nature...but
it's a daily struggle....but what continues to give me strength is
Faith and Faith alone. I know that I can not do anything on my own,
even fight my old sinful nature, for I embrace my weaknesses for where
I am weak God's strength shines through me,"That is why, for Christ's
sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in
persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am
strong."-2 Corinthians 12:10.

So what does one mean when they say that their identify is found in
Christ, the very definition of identity is found in the Websters
dictionary as i·den·ti·ty (-dnt-t): The set of behavioral or personal
characteristics by which an individual is recognizable as a member of
a group; The distinct personality of an individual regarded as a
persisting entity; individuality. So to me to say that my identify is
found in Christ, would be quite simple really, it would mean that I
take on the behavioral or personal characteristics of Christ. WOW! OK
so ya way simpler said then done. So yes I am a sinner but I am being
sanctified, straining toward the final gaol of Glorification, that
day that Christ will return!

Hold On
Written by Shawn McDonald and Chris Stevens

Another day gone by
And again I ask myself why
I question my sanity
Why I believe what I believe
Some might think that I am crazy
For believing in something I cannot see
So won't You now
Hold on to me, hold on
Hold on to me, yeah
Please don't let me go no, no, hold on
'Cause I am prone to wonder
Prone to leave this faith I know
Hold on
And now they say that the wise man
Well, he fears the Lord
And this fear, well, it's the beginning of all wisdom
And I must be a fool
'Cause I sure don't seem to fear You
'Cause the very things that You will me to do
Well, I just don't seem to get around to
The very things that You hate
Are the very things that I always stumble into
Hold on
Hold on
Hold on
Hold on
'Cause I am prone to leave this faith I know
Prone to leave this God I love
Won't You hold on
Won't You hold on to me

I MISS YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!

Red Lake, Cass Lake, and Daluth MN all together

This past weekend my staff and I did a bit of traveling to help out a site in Thunder Bay Canada and on our way back we visited Dalth and Red Lake at the fourth of July Pow Wows!

poverty

SO let me fill you in on my week....Logistically everything fell together just fine, but spiritually I think that people were very closed off. Yes they served this community and yes they probably fell in love with the Lord even more, but as far as sharing it, there weren’t any words that came out of their mouths, but you know what? I know that God is here and that it's not words that they have to say to show their growth it's their actions that speak volumes about their love for the Lord. This is just the beginning of their journey to serve their neighbors and love on their communities at home. So maybe I just caught a glimpse of their journey but I know they are in God's hands....My staff and I have been working really well together so that always a plus! Can I share a story with you? Well I hope you said yes because here it is...

I walk up to a house on 34th street, as I just got out of my brand new silver van after having taken a nice hot shower and eaten a very large breakfast, I sigh for I know this is going to be one more long hard day. I step onto the sidewalk which is now covered in glass and weeds. It looks as though there has been a riot on the street and not just a riot over night, but a riot all through the day. As I approach the house I notice that there are no windows, no door knobs, and no grass. I think to myself "is this a house or someone’s fort”. I believe at one time the house was blue maybe even grey, but now it's peeling so bad that there is no color. I feel afraid, not for my life but for what I am about to see. For I know that this is a house and not just anyone’s house, this is my new friend Roberts house, as my eyes fill up with tears I struggle to keep them in, I must be strong for I can not show a pity, or sadness. As I put my knuckles against the door to knock, the door begins to swing open. ...I am still, I am heart broken, I am silent. She says “give me a minuet” and I wait. As I step into this place, this house, I am overwhelmed with poverty. What I think to be a kitchen table is a cardboard box and a pillow as a seat. I see an empty old mattress in the middle of the living floor, and on it lays a baby who’s diaper is looks about a week old. She comes back with Robert, his little 4 year old legs covered in bruises and scratches, he tries to look me in the eyes, but he has lost his glasses, so he strains to keep his eyes open. As I look at his little face he sees me and grins from ear to ear from cheek to cheek. He asks if he is going to get to eat today and I nod with joy. His face lights up as though it’s Christmas morning and he has all the presents under the tree, I begin to cry inside. My tears now are not because I am sad but because I am moved. My heart is breaking for the things that break God’s heart. Robert is my friend, and I have many friends like Robert that are in my life that I haven’t seen, because I have been to busy in my mansion.

ya their were a lot of things God taught me this week but this is one of the biggest lessons I continuly get struck with....

Some posts that didn't post

My friend rhubarb….

So I made a big mistake today I let some ladies at the nearby church know that I had never had rhubarb and they insisted on bringing some in after church and having me taste it. I bet you all have no idea. Like me, what this Rhubarb is all about. It kind of looks like celery, but red, and it taste like cranberry..it’s pretty tart. When I bit into it I think I looked like a 2 year old bighting into an orange for the first time..lol…but it was so sweet they invited us over for rhubarb pie and then again for rhubarb cake…by end of this summer I am going to be a rhubarb expert!

Indian Tacos

I had my first Indian Taco today, Ila “our new grandma” made us some Indian tacos..mmm….basically they are like fired dough with a whole in the middle kinda taste like a funnel cake. You put all the fixins on it like, beef, cheese, sourcream, cheese, and all the normal stuff you put on a taco! It’s pretty good but I am sorry to say that was probably my last one considering that there is probably like a million calories in one..lol

Might have an ULSER!

So ok it’s been another great and stressful week up here in Cass Lake. I am getting to know the community a lot more through the relationships that I continue to build. Let’s see well we got settled in to the school last week, right after graduation. WE first started by cleaning the kitchen and setting up our living areas. Karen and I are staying in the schools woodshop classroom, so it smells a little foresty in here, I am not sure if that’s even a word. The room is pretty big we moved all the desks and chairs out of the way and set up camp right on the nice tile floor. We both have air mattresses but I have had some major trouble sleeping on mine lately. The one thing that’s kind of odd about the room is that there are no windows, and it is super dark when we sleep, so when we get up in the morning we never know what time it is because it looks like its 2 am! But we will live. This week has been more preparation; I don’t think I have ever been so stressed out in my life! It has been one thing after another, but God has been teaching me lately that I need to stop trying to do everything or anything for that matter on my own. I didn’t know this but I guess I am a huge micro-manager. I thought I was the opposite way letting people just let things get done with out having my hand in everything, which I think I am that way but I have to first be able to trust that the person is going to get the job done. So that’s something that I have to give time. I am some great visits this week with the natives of Cass Lake; we went to a bbq at a ladies house that we will be going to weekly for beading, nature hikes, and native dinners. It was the rose of my week; I just felt so at peace and sat back and just got lost in the forest…..awww….ya it was nice.

I had a nice talk with my RD yesterday; I got to blow off some steam and kind of talk through some things. I really am going to grow and stretch this summer, I really need to be in constant prayer and I know it can become so easy to get caught up in “doing God” what I mean by that is that we can get so caught up in the motions I do it all the time….I can get in a routine and then just stay in complacency, so even though things haven’t been easy they have only been sharpening and making me stronger for it.

Prayer Requests:

Cass Lake Community and their teens
Our Youth who are coming up on Sunday to serve and grow
My Staff to be unified
For me to see the big picture and not get wrapped up in the details!

Only by Grace
Bobbi Marie

Newest Entry

My first Real Youth Works week

What a week I tell ya! Its been a very interesting past couple of days, we had three groups here from MI,NE, and IL. And the mixed of denominations was great, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Non denominational. The kids are so much fun, today we were painting a house and we stopped for a minuet and the owner, a very sweet old women) came out and was saying thank you and one of the girls gave her a hug and said that she was so glad she could help. It wasn't what she said that touched me it was her genuine hug and joy that made me feel alive. I noticed how when we get older I think we lose a lot of excitement and passion for the excitement of service and just plane loving on people; our neighbors, our families, our co workers the list goes on, I myself am so guilty of this! I know that I do not make the most of every opportunity that I have in life. But you know I think this trip has already taught me something that I didn't think I even needed to learn, and that is child like spirit, like almost nievitness(if that's a word) towards falling in love and thirsting for God like we thirst for all the other crap that we get excited for these days! You know I read John Pipers" Desiring God" book before I came on this trip and basically it was all about being a hedonist for God and learning that all that we do and all that happens to us is not because we have any part in it or because we are so great, no, it is because God is so great and he let's us do it for his Glory! And that to me is the greatest blessing, that God let's us live and serve him, and in return we get to experience his goodness and promise! So ya things went crazy this week but I only boast in those weak times and the messed up schedule, because where my weakness is (which is all over) lol..then his greatness shines through even brighter.

Solafide :) ,
BOBBI MARIE

First week in the green acers..

Hey Everyone Happy Friday!

It has been agreat week, very busy but truly full of blessings. WE have realy gotten to know alot of the community. We met the Mayor, Ealin flemming and she gave us a tour of the city. We truly got to see the real need in the community. There is a lot of poverty that you do not see until you go back into the side areas. Joe our works projects man has a wonderfully long list of projects all lined up for the summer and Karen has kids already wanting to start Kids Club right now! We have one more week until we get all the youth groups in. We move into the High School tommarow morning and we are so anxiuose to get everything in order. TOday was realy just a chill day before we have to really get our hands dirty this weekend. Our staff has been getting along great no major conflicts, although we all have very different personalities...Last night we shared our life stories and I think that realy broke down some walls and allowed each of us to understand eachother a lot better. THrough teh week we have been running allo over town in ans out of visits with the importan figure heads of the city. I had an interesting experience yesterday, I was at a youth development meeting, what this is, is a group that comes together once a week to discuss what they are doing in their differnt communities to get their youth involved in. Well I was a guest speaker and that went well but the interesting part was at the beggining of the meeting, they passed around some kind of incent kind of thing to each member, I soon began to understand that it was an incent it was tobaacco, I got stuck with it at the end and finnaly the man in charge of the meeting took it from me. Lets just say I had the worst headache all day! But I enjoyed learning about each of these communites and tribes, and I look foward to building some great relationships over the summer with them. Tonight we are attending the Cass Lake Graduation so we can meet some youth and get oriented with the place we will be staying at for the summer.

Prayer requests: For my Staff to be constanly encouraged and strengthened, I just prayt aht we have a lot of energy threw the hole summer and don't grow weary and lose heart. For this next week of hard work, that we would accomplish what the Lord would have us get done by being productive and staying on task. And for the Youth that are coming uo next week, I pray that their hearts would be broken for the things that break God's heart.

Thank you everyone!

My Summer Home

Hey guys,

Well I have a lot to catch every one up on in such a short time, but let me start off by saying...I hope you check up on this blog and keep us in your prayers:)


I got done with school before I know it and then I took off five days to be with my family and friends in California, and then flew to Minniapolis for a week of training for my job this summer and now I am in Cass Lake, MN for the rest of the summer...some of you might be thinking where the heck is Cass Lake I too did not know until I got here. it is in Northern Minnisota almost Canada actully weve been here for 4 days and it has rained every day. But it has the largest National Forrest and I basiccaly live in the forrest too:) It's very green and beautiful. Right now we are staying at a Small Luthren Church until the High school gets out on friday and then we will be living there for the remainder of the summer. It is suppised to be a very nice facility, for those of you who dont know what it is I am doing for the summer check out Youth Works. Thats the organization I am working with, my job is a the site director, thats right I am the boss!! lol...also just a little side not cass Lake is an Indian reservation, interesting I tell ya.We got here on Friday and let me just tell ya, we got a little lost on the way up. Youht works has given us to lovely cars, a ford pick up truch and a th"big red" also known as the dodge neon. I have three wonderful staff members, Karen, Carlos, and Joe Joe. I love them we have only known eachtoher for a week and so far so goo. Karen and I are so much a like, she has already tought me how to knit, which I ve wanted to learn how to do forever, and she has a big passion for peanut butter like me:) lol...Carlos he cracks me up, he has such a great sence of humor and he is very wise, and then theres Joe I havent raly gotten to know him to well but he seems like a cool cat as well. When we finnaly arrived here at the church, pastor Peter and the sweetest lady in the world Ila were here to greet us, the welcomed us with dinner and hugs. I can already tell that Ila is going to be like our grandmother! Shes so kind she took us on a tour yesterday of the town, oh and by the way the population of cass lake is 850 people and that iss including the snowbirds that come in every year. We attended a pow wow today, which was quite the cultural experience they did native dances in a ll there regella, and it was kind of like a fair with food stands and things for sale, I bought a beautiful necklace for only $2. Ila had us over for dinner with Pastor Peter and we watched the NBA basketball playoff game tonight. Over all it was a very nice day....

There is a very noticable differince between the two parts of the town, half caucasian and the other half native, and on the native side is where you see the most poverty. Gods gonna rock our worlds this summer and I can't wait for the molding process, please contine to pray that we would remember why we are here and not get caught up in the "work".