Pray for B.A.

got to spend a few hours with a friend of mine before she headed off to southeast asia for 2 years today!

here is her story. please pray for her as she begins this journey...

http://100peoplenetwork.org/blog/tag/022

are we too afraid?

whenever someone shares their stories about going overseas my ears always seem to perk up even if i am not actually in the conversation. it is intriguing to listen to others' perspective. last week this happened and it began to stir in me many emotions.

a family friend was sharing about her sister's trip she had taken to Haiti. the tone in her voice spoke of fear for her sister life. she expressed how she just wanted her to get back to the US where it's safe. that the places her sister went in Haiti was dangerous, dark, and oppressive. the sister described witchcraft traditions and practices she saw throughout some of the communities. she even shared stories about children being raped by being forced into the horrific child trafficking cycle.

as our family friend continued, i simply was listening from afar as i was working on a puzzle. i wasn't surprised at all to hear those stories. actually i was thankful she was sharing it with some of my family. the reaction from them was sad, speechless, and in disbelief. i was agreeing with our family friend in all she said because of the actually truth with all that is still happening in so many countries. BUT in that same moment i thought to myself..."if we are too fearful and don't want anyone to go to a dangerous place, then who will go? those people in that country need to know about Jesus too. they need to be loved on. they need to have someone investing into them and speaking truth. if we are too afraid about our lives or the lives of our family members, then who will go?" we are so sucked into being 'safe' and not putting our lives in jeopardy for the sake of someone else. so we remain where we are. with people dying everyday in a neighboring country. suffering because no one will care for them. no one will invest their time (which i believe is the most valuable thing we have) in others.

we choose safety and comfort over impacting and changing a life. really saving a life. giving hope. giving life. giving for the sake of the least. isn't that what God gave His son for? for us. for them. so why not follow that example? what is holding us back?

my prayer is that the veil will be lifted so that our eyes may see the real needs of people. that we would step out believing that God is worth it. no matter what situation we are in. that He is worth it. if we are persecuted. if we are stripped of everything. if we lose all that we have...

WE STILL HAVE JESUS.

HE IS ALL WE NEED.

HE WANTS ALL OUR AFFECTION AND DEVOTION.

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss

for the sake of Christ. What is more,

I consider everything a loss

compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,

for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish,

that I may gain Christ and be found in Him,

not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,

but that which is through faith in Christ

- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

Phil 3:7-10

the question

it's crazy how quickly 7 days can go by. lately things have a been such a whirlwind that i can't keep up with what day it is. i am thankful for those people who help me in that aspect. last week i went to my aunt and uncle's lake house. a bunch of my family were there for the day. it was a much needed getaway. the Lord definitely ordained many conversations with a few of my family members. as i even think back to those, a smile is brought to my face. they have loved me for me. supported me through every season in life. and continue to encourage, challenge, and pray for what God is doing in my life.

sometimes when i haven't seen family or even friends in awhile a certain question seems to always pop up. the "what are you doing now" question. i just smile and laugh internally (sometimes externally too) at the question. not what they are asking, but how to answer it in a shorten version. the busyness of our society and world today pretty much demands for a one word or very short explanation of our life. this past week i had two very different people ask me that. two different responses. and two different perspectives.

one of my many cousins at the lake pulled me aside and ask that question. i knew his heart behind it and i felt at ease with sharing all that had transpired up to that point. i knew he would listen. understand. see my heart. my passion. and encourage me. i wasn't afraid of what he may think of me. because in the end it shouldn't matter what people say. only what God says and does matters. anyways, we talked for quite awhile. it was absolutely refreshing to share all what God had been teaching me. he smiled a lot while i was talking. he shared in my excitement and spurred me on. i am so thankful for that conversation. truly i am.

throughout the rest of the day i had wonderful conversations with other members of my family. it was a sweet time to share the day with them. i have been so blessed to be raised in this kind of community and tender fellowship. my aunt and i also had a great talk at the end of day. she is a woman of strength. grace. hope. wisdom. and tender unconditional love.

now the other person who asked me "the" question had a much different feel. i met this lady at my nephews football practice. she was wondering "what else do i do besides coach volleyball"? (you see i am helping this small christian academy start their volleyball program and i have been spending a lot of time up at the school. but the way this question came across was that what i do isn't enough. since it's not measurable then it's not success. so there has to be something else i do besides it, right?) okay back to answering her question...i just smiled because i knew if i tried to explain things she wouldn't really care. or maybe not even care to know. or simply not even understand. so i stuck with a short answer and said "i just do this [coach]". i think she was shocked because she didn't really know what else to say. it was interesting to say the least. but that question stuck with me the rest of the night.

i don't know what it is about our society. it bothers me though that the answer to that question (what are we doing in our life?) defines who we are. as though our 'job' makes us acceptable. or gives us value. its been something that has bothered me over the past couple of days. why is it that we have to be "doing" something to give us worth. why can't we just be. is loving people not enough? is investing and pouring into youth not enough? is living out the gospel not enough? is following Christ not enough? is obeying the Lord not enough? is being a vessel for the Lord to use not enough? is being His hands and feet not enough? is Jesus not enough? that's the question that should be asked. is Jesus enough for you? because if Christ isn't enough for you, then what is? he is our reward. our treasure. and who is coming back for us one day. he is the promised one. he is the one who completely satisfies us. he is the one who defines me. gives me value. what we should be 'doing' is giving our lives for him. no matter the cost.

yes. i am coaching. but there is so much more God is doing then just that. my heart is stirring and building with inexpressible joy as i get closer to leaving for Uganda. being able to love on children. touch their weary bodies. and tell them about the hope of Jesus is such a privilege and passion of mine. i come alive being in africa. i am humbled to go on behalf of the Lord. may each of us be in the place we can flourish and bring the greatest glory to God.

I wanted to share an email sent to our team about a need for the babies at Watoto. Our team going to Uganda received this urgent plea today. If you know of any way you can help...please let me know! We don't care if it's formula being sent to our houses, donations to buy it or connections to the manufacturers.

Dear team….

At any given time we have several infants in our Baby Watoto homes who for one reason or other cannot tolerate a regular baby formula.

There are specialty formulas on the market that are designed for various medical issues, that we use in these cases. Unfortunately they cannot be purchased in Uganda and so we have to rely on donations from abroad and our current stock is out.

As this can make a life or death difference for a baby, we are appealing to you to help us with this urgent need. If your team has the space and means to bring even a few tins, it would help tremendously. If you have space, but would need us to fund the purchases, please let us know so we can work this out. The formula’s we need are:

Pregestamil – very hypoallergenic and quite expensive formula
Nutramigen or Alimentum – moderately hypoallergenic and moderately expensive formulas
Pediasure – A formula for over 1 year olds who can’t eat a regular food diet or have to be tube fed.

Thank you for all you do for Watoto!

Our teams momentum is building as we are just so excited to go and and I've been so blessed by how our relationships have flourished in the process of preparation. Thank you so much for being a part of it whether in prayer, money or buying T-shirts...little lives now can have big expectations. =)

uganda

for those of you who don't know...i'm going to kampala, uganda in september with passion city church in atlanta. there are about 15 women going between the ages of 22 - 40. i actually have not meet the group because i am one of a few who live in texas, but it has been a God ordained group from the very beginning. we all come from different backgrounds and each have our own story of how God brought us together. i am so thankful for the opportunity to go love on some children who desperate need it.

we will be going to the watoto orphanage and more specifically in the baby house. we will be caring for the babies ranging from new borns to 2 years of age. we will be there for almost 2 weeks. just thinking about it makes my heart happy. i love getting to love on children and touch them as Jesus did. i am expecting God to do a work while i am over there. my heart, spirit, and mind have been stirring in preparing for my trip. i leave 6 weeks from yesterday (saturday). please be praying for all that will unfold in uganda. it is a country i have not been to, but so looking forward to seeing a different part of africa as well as meeting and learning about the people there. getting to know people and their story intrigues me so much.

as this is another trip that we have to raise support, i have been saving money from coaching volleyball this past year to put towards the trip. God has been so gracious in providing for it. none of this could have taken place if He had not begun to provide the financial side of it. "all of this is from Him, through Him, and for Him." i wasn't going to post this, but (a friend of mine asked about it) if you would like to give towards my trip you still can. i am in the process of getting things such as shots, visas, room & board (where we are staying), and little odds and ends. i have a few shirts left that i am selling/giving away to raise support for the trip. if you would like to donate towards my trip you can mail checks to my address: one eight three nine one FM fifty six. kopperl, texas. seven six six five two. make checks out to me. if you have any questions feel free to email me at joyjanszen at gmail dot com. also, if you would like a shirt let me know as well. (they are brown and pretty cute!)

my main request overall is prayer. i don't know what God is going to do over there, but i know it is something big. thank you all for reading this and staying up with my life. i am not even sure who does read this, but thank you anyway.

To Him Alone,
joy