A Week in the Life of...

Sometimes you may wonder what my life actually looks like, or a day, looks like for the typical missionary. Well, there's no easy answer. Mornings are late and nights are later. There is no "schedule" and you never know when plans are going fall through or be canceled - for the 3rd time.

Now after a year and a half in, I have a "routine" but that doesn't mean I'm set in my ways because there is still a lot of flexibility in my schedule!

Sundays, you guessed it, I go to church. I am not assigned to one particular church, but rather when I first arrived was able to visit a number of churches in the city before choosing where I would go. I stayed with Villa Mitre, which is right in the heart of the city. Almost "suburbs" of city apartments if you can imagine. People don't go to Villa Mitre to work, they live there. I hope that makes sense. A lot of Porteños don't even know where the barrio is, so I have to explain more or less streets in the area or give them an idea. THIS CITY IS SO HUGE. . . Anyway, so Sundays there is Sunday school followed by church. The rest of the day I can eat lunch with people, or spend it however I want. The weekend here is people's time to get OUT, not really a napping indoor thing like Baptists at home tend to do ;)

Mondays, I catch up on e-mails, laundry, and grocery shop. I go to a Bible study that is in Recoleta at 5:30, followed by a prayer meeting at 7, then service at 8. I usually get home around 10 and have dinner afterwards. (If I'm lucky it's Crystal's night to cook ;)  This part of town is what they call "old money" and it is evident not only in the buildings, but even in Bible study. People coming in suits, their style of dress.. you just are made aware of where you're at. And It's great, because this part of the city only has 1 Evangelical Baptist church for the 157,932 persons living there.

I pass this flower outside the Law School in Recoleta every Monday coming home.

Tuesdays I spend my afternoon into evening with my good friend, Araceli. We have tea together and study the Bible. I met here in the Monday night study at Recoleta and for over a year we have been meeting.  I used to go to another couple's house for dinner after Araceli's, but the woman's health hasn't been doing well this winter. She and her husband are like my grandparents of BA. Tuesdays are easily one of my favorite days!

Me with Araceli

Wednesdays I have all day to organize with people how I want to. Our Puerto Madero Bible Study happens this night and I leave my house about 7 to get down there and return home around 11. Then it's time for dinner :)

Puerto Madero is prettiest at night and I pass by this landmark pedestrian bridge every week

Thursday we have our bi-weekly team meeting, which I am so thankful for. Thursday night I have my small group with church in Villa Mitre. It's at 8:30 so I go an hour early to discuss the night's material with my co-leader. We finish up and I get home around 10:30, usually. Then, as you can imagine.. I eat dinner.

My small group has become like a small family to me. This was for my birthday.

Friday I try to attend a Bible study in La Boca that my boss and his wife have been leading for about 3 or maybe more years now. We meet in a pizzeria at 6:30 when the sun goes down and shops start to close up in the famous Caminito district of the barrio. There we sing worship songs and study the Word for a few hours before riding back home together.

Thousands of tourists pass through Caminito "the little street" daily

Saturdays are, obviously, one of the better days for getting to meet up with people in the city, if there isn't a special event or activity planned with a church. Every Saturday night I try to go to youth group here, which is not intended for high schoolers necessarily, but more 16-30 year olds. People studying, people working; anyone is welcome. Until you marry and have kids..... then you're pretty much out of the group.  Again, this is like at 7-8 start time, and finishes around 10 or so. Sometimes you eat there with friends. Otherwise dinner is on your own.

So, there you have my week, more or less; and no two are ever the same. I adore this city and the people and God is welcome to change any of the above if it is necessary for bringing His name more glory in mi Buenos Aires querido.

An Open Prayer to the Future Hubs.

My mind often wanders to some of the strangest things late night on the colectivos (buses) that bring me home. Tonight in particular, I was not distracted per say, but let's just call it like it is: there were good looking men on the bus. This is Argentina, after all.

So how do I appreciate God's good creation in a fine looking man? Well, I thank God for his creation (no, seriously) but what it really draws me to do is pray for my future husband, God willing I have one. Because while on the outside this man may be good looking, I know nothing about his heart, which is where the wellspring of life flows from (Proverbs 4:23).

There are so many ways to pray for my future husband, right? I mean SO many ways. And that's before even knowing him. Lord help me when I have character and real issues to intercede on behalf of! Tonight though, I thought it would be a good idea to pray for the armor of God. I know it's something in theory we put on everyday, but I thought, how could I specifically apply all of these to him?

Ephesians 6:11-17 we specifically find the armor, as stated:

¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ¹⁷ and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

So, amidst several things I seek, I think this passage gives great insight not only into how we can pray, but also what God wants for every one of his children.

The belt of truth. His Word is truth and by it we are sanctified, being made new. Does he know truth, that we mutually agree on?
The breastplate of righteousness. Does he leak Jesus? I know I don't always leak Jesus, and I can't expect him to 100% of the time because we're not perfect, but by God's grace and power of the Holy Spirit, we are made righteous by the blood of Christ Jesus. This I pray for my future husband.
The shoes (...) that put on the readiness by the gospel of peace. Is he willing and ready to always give a reason for the hope that he has? Can he challenge me and push me to be a better witness.
The shield of faith. Will he lead me and our household as Christ does the Church? When hard times and things of this world come our way, can he hold up this shield and say "our faith will not be shaken" because we have a firm foundation.
The helmet of salvation. Oh Lord, does he know you, today? If not, bring him now to your presence so he can grow in knowledge and wisdom. This helmet guards the most central part which cannot be taken away from us.
The sword of the Spirit. Does he know the Word, love the Word? It is sharper than any double edged sword because it cuts straight to the heart. I want him to have a hunger for it and it to constantly be on his lips.

There you have it. I new way to spiritually lift up my husband, Lord willing. Like I said, today there is so much more that needs to be taken into account. I've never been super animada about the idea of praying for a future husband, because - in case you missed it - it sounds presumptuous (hence all the "Lord willing's").  But, Lord willing [there it is again... I just can't!] He brings a man into my life, I don't want to say I never prayed for him. Given the way our world is today, young men could really use all the prayer they could against the things of this world... girls and the media aren't helping young guys, at all. Let's help a brother out.

Xo,
B

5 mos. and counting

It's been a long time since I've written and there's a few reasons for that.

1. I've been busy with teams, and until now my life hadn't returned to normalcy.
2. I, as per usual, didn't know what to say. I don't like writing a lot unless I am sure of what I'm saying. To get on my blog and just write about how I went to Fulana's to make tacos doesn't seem profitable to anyone. I feel like I need to have a passion to write something (ha, I almost wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit. I am not writing the 5th gospel).

Now that it's mid-August, the summer teams have all come and gone and yet I'm looking at my calendar, with only 5 months left until my return home. Unbelievable.

Something I've been confronting lately is this reality and struggle we have when we desire so much more for people and all we can do is pray for them. And wait.

There is a specific group I have in mind and we have had so many great discussions, but arrive at different conclusions. Life is often like that isn't it? We want more - the best - for people, who reject it for themselves.

I have faith, and pray to God who can make all things happen that there will be a day when they will have understanding and their eyes will be open to the things we are discussing now, but until then, it is so hard.  To wait, and trust in His timing is so difficult.

Especially when there's a 5 month countdown.

So, in the meantime, I've been finding my prayers more fervent (why now more than before.. good question. Eternity has always been at stake since day 1). Asking God that even if I don't see anything change from now until the I leave, that for their sake the seeds we have sown would continue to grow and through other means and the work of the Holy Spirit, bear fruit in one day yet to come.

My heart is heavy knowing that a day is coming will I leave leave from here to head home. Maybe I didn't do all that I expected to do. Were my expectations too high? My supervisors or the job description too high for me? I'm not sure.  But I'm taking great comfort in knowing I don't accomplish anything on my own nor in my own power. For it is all by the work of He who goes before and He who will also bring it to completion.

Tunesday Tuesday.

I am a Child of God. No other title matters.

Love Wins.

Lately my mind has come back to the white elephant in the room, if you will. I have avoided posting anything about it on my personal social media because I fear people unlike myself want their voices heard (read: I don't comment on controversial issues on facebook). Since I'm sure nobody reads my blog besides maybe 2 readers and it's really just an online diary, I've decided to write something. :)

My heart is so saddened and hurting for my generation, my nation which I have no choice but to call a hypocrite nation. One who laments with the murders of 9 a church shooting, but rejoices in evil in the face of a Holy God. 

So what then can I do? What do I do? I feel so hopeless and helpless when I look all around me and people I have been raised with in youth group and taught along side in college youth are now posting rainbow pictures and liking same-sex posts.  I think I feel saddest the most by those people because I expect more from them. I have plenty gay friends and am not offended by their celebrating, I see why. But from the believers: Is this the future of the Church?

I feel so counter culture. Anti-American.

Christ tells his followers in Luke 9:23 that if anyone wants to come after him, he is called to deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Christ. A cross is much more than a fashion statement. It is a means to die by. I think it goes without saying this includes your comforts and fleshly desires.

Homosexuality is a desire of the flesh and I believe with the power of the Holy Spirit it is possible to control it. It is a sin just like any other but the difference between it and heterosexuality is that one God created (Genesis 2:23-24) and the other man created (Genesis 19:4-7, Romans 1:26-27). Clearly heterosexuals can and do sin when they enter into pornography, adultery, and premarital sex.  

So why then as a 26 year old do I feel so against the grain, countering culture for my beliefs? Because Christ calls us to die to ourselves by taking up our cross daily. It's not easy and neither is going against culture. Which is why I think a lot of people do it instead of standing for what it right.

And how do I respond?

On my knees. Asking the God of mercy for just that - mercy. He is the only one who can convict and turn the hearts of the people.

And another thing. The 5 Justices? They too will answer to a God one day being held responsible for their decisions.  (As will all of us).

The United States is not the first country to legalized same-sex marriages, nor will it be the last. Go talk to the Christians in the countries where it's been legal for a while, they can provide testimony that it will be okay. I know it's hard to swallow right now. I'm sure the evangelicals the Roe v. Wade decision was made also had a hay day, and if facebook had existed back then, it would have been the talk of the web then too.

Fellow Christian, please be an example of love. John tell us in his gospel that we will be known by our love to others. Let us show the love of Christ, but ever so cautiously with your words during this sensitive time.

Love has already won 2000 years ago and it's because of that love we can (and should) live in peace with others. And love will win again when He comes again in His final glory.

Articles I've agreed with for further reading:

http://www.faithit.com/5-things-jesus-would-say-to-the-gay-community/
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2015/06/26/but-what-does-the-bible-say/

Four Wall Christian Homes.

I lived in my Christian 4-wall house for far too long. And I think a lot of Americans still do, if I'm not wrong.

And I don't mean we don't know pop culture or the world. I think we do that a little too well.

Let me explain. 

I was reading a really great book last week, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, and in it we hear the story of a devout Muslim raised in America come to faith over a 4 year journey in college. One of the things that amazed me reading this book was that this boy raised as a Pakistani Muslim, knew so much of the Bible. Now, facts or twisted truths, that's a different story. But none the less, his family had a KJV Bible in the house growing up and when talking to Christians as a Muslim, he could refute their faith, always anticipating what they were going to say. This amazed me! Growing up Baptist, we never learn anything about any other religions. Is that not the truth? To this day I have trouble knowing the difference because Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, honestly.

So, maybe when I say American Christians live in their 4-wall houses, I mean their Christian home and there is nothing else. No rooms, closets, no where to find out about other religions. NOBODY but Jesus in that household.

Now clearly I'm not wanting idols. Far from it! I also think we make idols out of the smallest things, from iPhones to husbands, but we'll save that for another day ;)

But is it bad to talk about those other religions within the home?? I never once growing up talked about Orthodox Judaism or Islam. What I learned about it was from the television. Reverse that. Do I want Muslims or Jews learning about Christians from what they see of it portrayed on t.v.?? Heck to the NO!  They make us out to be pious no fun duds!!

How are we supposedly to evangelize and teach truth if we don't know what we're speaking against? I realize the Bible stands for itself, but if we don't know what others believe and teach, how will we know what angles they have? We'll be blindsided.

Or how about Ramadan. I really don't think I knew anything about that growing up, but now I know more, finding that it's maybe the second most important month in the Muslim calendar? It's their holy month, full of fasting and seeking Allah. And it's known that during this time God often reveals himself to them in visions and dreams! It's a wonderful month to celebrate in prayer in fasting alongside them and I encourage you to look it up if you don't know much about it here.

I'm so grateful to God for making me aware of many things now, but I feel like it was a cost to myself. But the good, is that now I have a lifetime left to discover how to use what I know and to continue studying it!

Tunesday Tuesday.

Embracing Accusation by Shane and Shane. We'll call this a celebratory post since the guys are working on a new album, Psalms 2!!! :)