layouts and lobio

This week we had a DTS outreach team from Bulgaria here...and it was so fun to have them!! To have Vazi (the place I live) filled up with people, like during DTS, and to make new friends. It was very cool. Now they are in Ushguli Svaneti, it's like the highest village in Georgia in the Caucasus mountains or something like that. PRAY FOR THEM!

Me, I'm doing good. Wondering a bit why hardly anyone responded to my latest update...hoping they didn't forget me!! But keeping busy, so I'm not too lonely. :-) Last night I cooked some "lobio" (beans) and they were pretty tasty. Success! And also last night a girl flew in from Canada...she's Georgian, actually Russian, and she was in Canada for like 4 years, and her visa ran out now...so she's back! She's staying with me and it's been cool to get to know another person! Still fighting this cold a little bit. It's not bad, there are just some lingering symptoms. But I'm sort of tired of people asking, "Are you sick? Do you have a cold?", because it seems like that's what people asked for the 5 months I was in America, and now too. Oh well. At least I'm decently healthly.

It's getting colder and more grey in Tbilisi now, as it's turning to winter. But the trees still have some color on them, so that helps a lot!

I'm trying a new layout for this blog, but I'm not too sure if I like it a whole lot yet or not. The header picture came from this blog, check it out. I added the words and cropped it, but he takes some really good pictures, you should look!!

Well, I have a meeting to attend...so I'd better go.

:-)

some of my bible-time reflections (abridged version)

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:22-24

I want to serve and obey not with eye service, not as a men pleaser, but in SINCERITY of HEART and fearing God. I want to do whatever I do heartily, as to the Lord. I am learning this (although, slowly).

++++++++++++++++++++

Also, the other day the story of David and Bathsheba illustrated God's good character to me in a new way, and our responsibility for our actions. David saw Bathsheba, wanted her, took her, got her pregnant and killed her husband. Bathsheba mourns her husband's death (Uriah the Hittite), and when that is finished, she goes to David's palace, becomes his wife and gives birth. God is displeased, and so he sends Nathan the prophet to rebuke/convict David. David is convicted. He confesses to Nathan and repents. Nathan declares that God has forgiven him, but there are consequences that will follow...his child will die. His child dies. David comforts Bathsheba, his wife, and sleeps with her. Bathsheba becomes pregnant and gives birth to Solomon. The Lord loves this child. (2 Samuel 11-12:25)

Oy mey. I don't get it. It's beyond my understanding. But somehow it's helped me to understand a little more.

++++++++++++++++++++

I'm learning.

Jenni's Journeys #4

JENNI'S JOURNEYS #4

by the way

This is amazing. No, seriously.

nose drops and nostalgia

One year and one day ago, I posted this poem that I wrote, here on my blog. I was in Georgia, in the middle of DTS lecture phase. And here I am in Georgia now, but in a different situation and capacity. But you know, I still relate to this (and probably always will).

Lord, there are so many times when I disobey
And then can't see past my feelings at all
Feelings of frustration, disappointment and sometimes even hate
Caused by my amazing ability to fall

But Jesus I know this is why you came
To rise above all the confusion and pain
It's like Paul says in your book, 'Of all the sinners, I am the worst'
And through this example you have displayed

MORE THAN I COULD HOPE FOR

I see your unlimited patience for those who would be saved
And I pray Lord Jesus, that for me you'd do the same
I know I don't deserve it, but oh Lord I pray
That for me you'd do the same

Tonight I went to a Bible Study with the Campus Crusade people here, the one I attended when I was here before. It was really good to see people that I knew! It was good.

I'm a little sick now (cold-ish stuff) and that's not always very much fun, but hopefully I'll get over it soon. I just bought some nose drops or something, like decongestant for my nose. I had to actually like put drops in my nose, not just nose spray. It was very interesting. But I think it will work (I hope it does, I hate sleeping with my mouth open to breathe, you know?) :-)

On Monday we're (the YWAM staff) going to a village near Batumi (it's the city on the Black Sea, I've been there a few times) for a staff retreat! We'll be there until Wednesday, and I think it will be really good!! But if you're reading this and you like to pray, please pray for us! That we will really be in God's presence and be renewed and cleaned and led by Him!

I'm now sharing a room with Ira, and Diana will move in next week. It's a small space, but I really love these girls...so it's really okay. This past week Ira and I have been spending a lot of time together, and it's been really good for our friendship! (Just so you know: Ira and Diana were my roommates in DTS, and they're on staff too now).

Ira, Diana and I

Okay, I am very tired. I hope you have a great day.

a little video

This is the first part of a video I'm working on for the YWAM Tbilisi website. I really don't know if I will keep the parts of me and Ira talking (it was not intended to be used, but it turned out kind of funny in the end)...but I'm just waiting to get more footage, hopefully with a better camera or something, so this will suffice until then!

When I get the page ready so that people can actually see it, I'll let you know the address.

the fragrance

Hooray, it's the first day of a new month, and the first day of a new week!

So, I woke up this morning totally dazed and confused. I can't even explain the feeling. I think it partly started with my sleeping. I woke up at 3:30 originally...but then I went back to sleep until like 9 (:-O!) and it somehow really confused my brain. Then I got up, and there were people here and I didn't understand how they got in (the door was padlocked, I didn't know they had a key). And then I received a weird message on Facebook that I didn't understand, "You're the Woa Man". And a funny SMS, "Questions. What time are you coming here? Can you lead worship? Do you know the Chicken Dance?"

But I'm better now.

I met a really sweet Georgian girl yesterday at the church we went to. Her name is Ana, and I think her and her sister are going to come to our fellowship meeting tonight. Ana knows some English, but not very much...so it's good for both of us to be around each other. I can practice my Georgian, and she can practice her English! :-) And she plays guitar and sings, so we have that in common. It's cool to make new friends!

So, I feel like there is a lot of sort of spiritual attack happening here at the base. But I was really encouraged this morning by Nino, she's the owner of Vazi (the place I'm living). She told me that sometimes when she wakes up in the morning she feels attacks, or pressures. But she says, "No. God, I know that you have big plans for me for this day. Please help me to see it." (This is my interpretation of it. We communicate with each other in broken English/Russian/Georgian!). But, it was really encouraging. The end of my time in the States was really busy, but since I've arrived in Georgia, I've mostly been resting and adjusting...and it's hard! Sometimes I wake up and feel so purposeless. But, it's not true. Everywhere we go, everything we do has potential to be used by God.

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." 2 Corinthians 2:14-15

So this is my life. :-)