CROWNED

Burdened...

Actually, overwhelmed would probably be a more appropriate title. I apologize for the huge gap between posts, I just haven't known where to start! It definitely hasn't been because I'm at a lack of things to share- it's more because I'm so overwhelmed at all God is doing in my life that I don't know how to make it small enough to fit on a computer screen. To say "God is good" is a drastic understatement. I will definitely try to figure out how to share everything that's going on sometime soon (if I can ever stay in the same place for a full week! crazy summertime! :) For now though- I need to share something specific on my heart, and a prayer request for you all to lift up.

I talked to my friend Alex tonight, who'd gotten a message from our friend Matt Vaughan who is currently in Zambia (Africa) on a mission trip for a month. From what he could get from the voicemail, things have gotten rough for the group Matt's with right now, which made me pray, and then made me think- why not also ask those who read my blog to pray? Matt is there with a group of 16 (as far as I know) students. It is only him (Matt) and one other guy (Matthew) and the rest are girls (one I've met- Lindsay Orr- if you'd like to pray for her by name). I ask that you lift them up when you read this, specifically praying for unity and protection from the enemy. Satan is at work there- which is EXCITING! Because if Satan feels the need to work among them, it is because he is threatened by what God is doing in them and will do through them! So I ask that you pray in expectation that God will move in amazing ways as they continue their time there- they will return July 25.

That being said, I will share that WOW is God giving me a heart for Africa! The more I see and hear and pray for those there, the more compassion for the people there I feel. If you haven't heard of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan, or heard of the Invisible Children, I strongly suggest that you research them and pray that God will break your heart for the nations! Here are some links to get you started (there is plenty of information on the web for them both though):
http://www.darfurgenocide.org/
www.invisiblechildren.com/

All this being shared, I will leave you with the lyrics to a song I wrote tonight:

I see the heart of God breaking
when I look into your eyes,
All the pain you've seen child
that your nation tries to hide...
but it can't be disguised.

I try to find answers in the night sky
But the silence is broken by a dying infant's cry
And hope dies in the mother who was taken from her child
The enemy takes reign here
and evil runs wild.

So what will it take
to break our hearts?
Disillusioned by wealth
we're numb to the pain
Who will see the children?
Who will fight to help?
What will it take to change society's aim?

If we can ignore it
then we can remain
In our comfortable homes
with our hearts unchanged
You turn on the TV and hear of the pain,
but you'd much rather watch some meaningless thing...

So what will it take
to break our hearts?
Disillusioned by wealth
we're numb to the pain
Who will see the children?
Who will fight to help?
What will it take to change society's aim?

Will you see the children?
Will you fight to help?
Will you be a voice for their pain?

posted by ericka b @ 1:10 AM