how could i have ever thought i could do this without YOU?

you are life.

faith. oh, FAITH.

you are the worst enemy of my mind.

doubt. oh, doubt.

you are just a cloud. you are of no substance.

I will never fully understand.

but i believe.

and i will choose to believe everytime that doubt creeps in.

those who trust in Him will never be let down.

He is a good Father

"God has granted us existence- the greatest gift of his goodness, and after we had fallen away from life unto death he gave us his Son to bring us back o life. How small by comparison are all the other gifts we ask him in prayer, and how easy it is for him to give them to us at the first work of true faith, if they are really necessary to us. "

-St. John of Kronstadt

how do u physically TRUST?

you can say it all you want- "i trust you, i trust in you..."

when and how do those words become reality?

give us childlike wonder

dear Lord, grant me the grace of wonder.

suprise me, amaze me, awe me in every crevice of Your universe. delight me to see how Your Chirst plays in ten thousand places, lovely in limbs and lovely in eyes not His, to the Father through the features of men's faces. each day enrapture me with Your marvelous things without number.

i do not ask the reason for it all; i ask only to share the wonder of it all.

-joshua abraham heschel

*photo credit: dorien scheltens

Philippines; Baguio and Antipolo

LAST HOUR in antipolo ywam base. this week has been so great.
the past two weeks have been really different than i expected.
it has been really laid back for me but a lot of fun.
i took care of Rouwen, sat in at DTS lectures, went exploring with david and sarah and hung out with the dts students and staff.
i really love ywam antipolo and the environment that the staff and students created- passionate, real, joyful, fun and really serious about their missions and ministry.
i spoke to the dts one afternoon about what God's been teaching me about ministry and i also lead them into a time of meditation that morning. but mostly i hanged out with them and even did one-on-ones with some of the girls. So i guess that's been my ministry- hanging out!!
God's showin me that ministry doesn't have to be a perfect picture of me being with the poor in the slums but ministry could simply be just hanging out which I LOVE TO DO. encourage, tell stories, laugh, pray, listen, care and love. investing in people.
God's glory still shines in that.


now i'm off to the Balut base and i have a feeling that it's goin to be a big change. I will be by myself but i'm so excited. i will be helping out with the daycare ministry in Smokey Mountain.

God is so good.
Peace be with all of you.

Singapore's Longing for Truth and Joy

(Jessica and I in the city)

Singapore
6 days.
This is a country that is small in size but growing, buildings are constantly being built and malls are always constructing. The country is aimed for success, productivity and growth. I definitely fell in love with it. the culture. the food. the city. And when you fall in love with a place you feel the need to help it, to give it what it needs and what it longs for...freedom and Truth.
Religion and materialism are one of the main bondage of Singapore.

Materialism
There are shopping centers everywhere i look. 10-story malls is where you find most of the youth. They are buying their way in the trend to keep up with today's fashion. The great deception is that their value is found on the brand of their clothing and things. Jessica was telling me how her high school would base their group of friends and how they would treat you on the brand of your purse and where you went shopping on the weekends.
Jess and I walked through a busy strip of shops- Gucci, Aramani, Bvgalri etc. And I was observing people's faces, looking for the look of contentment, the sign of happiness...nothing. I like to believe genuine joy flows out you know?
I was thinking about the best way to communicate the JOY and the satisfaction He gives. I started imagining how ministry would look like- talking to them and hanging out and being a light.

Religion
Buddhism. Taoism. Islam. Hinduism. It was my first time being really emerged to these religion. It was my biggest culture shock. One of the things i will never forget is the heavy feeling that dropped on me once i saw the different sculptures of Hindu gods and when i walked into a Buddhist service of the Hungry Ghost Festival. I felt oppression, bondage and darkness. There was no TRUTH. It was lost in the many gods, rituals and pursuit of luck through good works.

They are so into their rituals as if there was some greater meaning and purpose but where is the harvest in the seeds they've sown?
LOVE grows and transforms. Truth brings FREEDOM.
I thank the Lord for the Word that we can hold on to and depend on when He said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life..."

I hope that somewhat i was a conveyor of that Joy and Truth. It lead me to intercession for sure. And if anything it stirred up a passion in me- I plan to take an outreach team to Singapore and India next year through Mr. Rama's (Jessica's Father) missions group. If anyone is interested, pray about it.



(Hungry Ghost Festival- they would offer food
and burn incense, paper money, books etc to
honor their deceased ancestors.)

So now I'm in Bagiou City, Philippines helping Sarah and David teach in YWAM's Discipleship Training School (DTS). I've been helping David research for his topic and providing of what little insight I can give. But mostly I'll be building relationships with the students- encouraging them, valuing them and just hanging out with them. Then next week I'll be in YWAM Antipolo helping out with their Campus Ministry program and the last week I'll be in YWAM Balut with the Daycare ministry and Student Sponsorship Program.
Thank for all your prayers. God has definitely been so evident even in the smallest detail!
please continue to pray for constant refilling of God's love in me to pour out!

Love to all,
rachel.

For more pictures:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=250526&id=506195265&l=a16717a023