Prayer for Work and Rest

This is a prayer by Timothy Keller in NYC. I found it in tandem with my life right now. Enjoy. 

Give us Father this great [daily] rest that has been promised to us. Help us to see it. Help us to know it. Father, there is a lot of great work to do. We look forward to the day we can do our art, our teaching, our counseling, our business, and let it be about the work. Not about us. Be about You, and not about us; to be about other people around us and not about us. We look forward to a day where work is not crushing us into the ground. And we ask Father, therefore, that you would give us this deep, deep eternal rest so that the work, and the frustrating [aspects] of the work in this world, would not any longer just crush us. We ask that you would help us to be like your Son who worked and rested in you. Amen.

HE is the Light in the Darkness

"This in essence, is the message we heard from Christ and are passing on to you: God is light, pure light; there's not a trace of darkness in Him." --1 John 1:5 (The Message)

My devotion came from Timothy Keller's sermon "Treasure vs Money."

Key quotes: "It doesn't matter how much light is in a room, if your eyes can't see, you won't be able to see the light."

"The best way to see that money has no power over you: first, love rich people. Secondly, respect poor people, that you look at them and you respect them, you expect to learn from them, and you don't look down your nose at them."

"Everything that says 'Die for me' is a greedy treasure. Jesus is the only treasure that died for us."

Lord God, help me, like Thomas, not to be shy in asking the questions on my mind and heart, not to be afraid of expressing honest doubt, not to be lax in searching for answers, and not to withhold my commitment to your son as Lord and God. (Disciplines Daily Devotional)

Coming Home

Hi all,

I had a wonderful visit with my mom. We made it up to Gulu so she could meet the ladies I work with up there. It was a blessed time. Ethiopia was the break I desperately needed. Things have been rough since I moved to Kampala. After spending time with my mom, we decided that it was best that I come home sooner than planned.

If you all could be in prayer for affordable flights, I would be so grateful! I have received so much support from my Church family...I can't begin to express how humbled I am to know each of you are praying. I feel like God has blessed my time in Uganda, and he has made it clear that there are steps that I need to finish here then my time is done. I am so looking forward to coming home!

Much love,

Lauren