Loving the Unloveable

"Love means loving the unloveable-- or it is no virtue at all."

~G.K. Chesteron, Heretics, 1905

More Water Please

I'm turning 34 on August 1st... yeah, I'm telling you my age.  I've been blessed these 34 years.  My parents are still married (woohoo-- 42 years so far)and I was born and grew up in the country with the world's largest national economy (the United States of America).  Even though my family wasn't always so solidly middle class, it is fair to say that I have never known what it means to truly be in want.  In short, you could say that there is nothing else in this world that I truly need.

I wanted to do something different this year for my birthday.  I have a friend in NYC who started a charity back in 2006 that provides clean drinking water to developing nations.  His story is pretty inspirational-- he went from a partying playboy who had a crisis of conscience to now being the founder and CEO of Charity: Water, which has raised over $40 million and helped 2.5 million people have access to clean drinking water.

Did you know that nearly 800 million people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water?  Did you know that more people die from lack of clean water and sanitation than from all acts of violence combined, including war?

This year for my birthday, instead of presents and well wishes, I want people to donate $34 towards a water project.  Together we can help people less fortunate than ourselves get access to clean drinking water.  Every penny of the money raised will directly fund clean water projects in developing countries. Even better, charity: water will show us exactly which projects we funded once they've been fully completed (which takes about 18 months). That means we'll know the locations and names of the communities we helped.  How cool is that?!?

Click here to make a donation: http://my.charitywater.org/water-for-my-birthday-please

I've set the goal for $3,400.  If just 100 people donate $34, we can hit our mark.  So, what are you waiting for?

Love and Lust

Mmmm... mocha latte at Book Munch

I'm finishing up the last little bit of packing for my morning flight tomorrow.  It's been a good day in Dubai-- one for me to remember.  This morning I went with my friend Mark to Yohaan and Raahail's house where their mom served up breakfast for fifteen people.  Afterwards we headed to the Emirate of Sharjah (where I unwittingly broke the law by wearing shorts... oops) and rented jet-skis which in my mind is the perfect way to spend my last day here.  Afterwards, I met up with friend Romana and had a lovely salad at Book Munch, which we've been meaning to visit together almost since the day I arrived four months ago.  The evening concluded with a dinner with my dear friends from my weekly Monday Bible study.  We went out for Thai food, and I enjoyed chatting and laughing with these new(er) friends (Jason, Bev, little Sam, Lays, Leo, Maged, Candice, Jimmy, Ellen, Rahel, Romana, and Keren).  It's been a wonderful day.

Romana and me at Book Munch in Jumeirah 2

Now I'm entering receipts into my spreadsheet-- one last act of procrastination (well, this blog entry is as well) before I figure out how to jam those last little sundry items into my overflowing suitcase.  I'm listening to sermons by Tim Keller, and well, I just listened to this one:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/timothy-keller-podcast/id352660924

It's great.  It's called Love and Lust.  The description reads

The Bible presents a more attractive and comprehensive view of sexuality than is generally understood.  The headings explored in this sermon include the integrity of sex, the challenge of lust and the future of love.

It's good.  It's hard stuff to hear but also so very convicting and also makes me look forward to marriage and what God has in store for me.  I recommend giving it a listen.  If you haven't heard Keller preach before, he's really interesting to listen to and very relatable.  Give him a listen.  And I pray that as you listen to this sermon that God will open your ears to the message and change how you view sex, love, and intimacy.  God has so much more in store for you and me than we can even begin to imagine.  

But, as it is written,“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,    nor the heart of man imagined,what God has prepared for those who love him"                                          1 Corinthians 2:9 

*For those interested in this sermon and other Tim Keller sermons, download the Redeemer Presbyterian Church app from the App Store.  They have a selection of free sermons that you can access (and download) any time you have wifi.  You can also access them in iTunes.  

A True Christian

"A true Christian is one who has not only peace of conscience, but war within."

~J.C. Ryle, Holiness

I'm a wee bit frustrated because I was *this* close to being finished with my blog post for Five Things Friday when somehow it all disappeared.  Sigh.  It's after 2am here, so I'm going to call it a night.  I am leaving for your reading pleasure a quote that I read recently and liked.  If you're unclear on what is means, drop me an email and I'll share my take on it.

In the meanwhile, I'm thankful that I have a computer (even if it doesn't always cooperate). I'm thankful for electricity.  I thankful for the can of peanuts by my bed.  I'm thankful for A/C in this hot climate.  I'm thankful for a very good day filled with friends.  I'm thankful for Pastor Dave's teaching on the 46th Psalm.  I'm thankful that my Lord is my refuge and my strength.  I'm thankful for Martin Luther's hymn.  I'm thankful for Carmen's presence in the body of Christ.  I'm thankful for old friends and for new friends.  I'm thankful that you take the time to read my blog.  I'm thankful for all of the amazing thinkers out there whose words have shaped my life thus far.  I am thankful for those who love me in spirit and truth.  I'm thankful for the conviction I feel in my heart.  I'm thankful that I am already forgiven for everything I have done and will do.  I'm thankful that there is nothing I can do that will make God love me more or love me less.  I'm thankful for Jesus Christ who lived the life I should have lived and died the death I should have died so that I might have fellowship with Him.  I am thankful for the Bible-- the most beautiful and spellbinding book I know.

I Have Chosen You for One Another

“In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university instead of another...the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--any of these chances might have kept us apart. But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. Christ, who said to the disciples, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," can truly say to every group of Christian friends, "Ye have not chosen one another but I have chosen you for one another." The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating and good taste in finding one another out. It is the instrument by which God reveals to each of us the beauties of others.”

~C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

Five Things I'm Thankful For Friday

This week I'm thankful for:

1. Praying Friends.  Thank you to my friends who remember me in their prayers.  And thank you to the mighty God who hears those prayers, prays on my behalf (Romans 8:26), and answers those prayers for my good and His glory.  God be praised!

2. Reminders of God's Faithfulness.  The biggest reminder I get is when people call me to remember.  They point me to scripture and answered prayers to remind me how good He is.  Moreover, I'm reminded of his faithfulness when I begin to count my blessings.  I have my parents and siblings, dear friends, a roof over my head, money in my pocket, food in my belly, brothers and sisters in Christ, an amazing Gospel-focused church, people praying and caring for me, a library of books to read, readers of my blog, internet connection and contact with the outside world, many gifts, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit... the list goes on and on.  He loves me and He is faithful.

3. TGIF.  Fridays are my favorite day of the week, and not for the reason you may suspect.  Here in the Middle East, the weekend is comprised of Friday and Saturday, with Friday being the holy day when religious services are held.  I eagerly look forward to Friday mornings when Redeemer Church of Dubai meets.  I love our time of worship as well as the sermon that is preached each week.  After church, sometimes as many as thirty of us go out to eat, and our day together turns into evening.  I'm thankful for my church and for this day when the saints convene.

4. INFPs.  If you're not familiar the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test don't know what I'm talking about, but basically it's one of sixteen personality types.  I happen to be one, and lately it seems God has been putting a lot of INFPs into my life, which is really fun, because we seem to click really well with each other.  I feel like we 'get' each other and we can talk for hours about many different things.

5. A Violin-playing Friend.  This week and last I was able to get together and play violin with another girl here in Dubai.  We seem to spend as much time talking as playing, but boy is it fun.  She's a professional violinist and a private teacher, which makes me feel majorly inferior, but she's humble and encouraging and sweet.  We played Bartok's Duos for Two Violins and Bach's Concerto for Two Violins.  It's wonderful-- classical music just thrills my soul to listen to and play.  I'm thankful for our burgeoning friendship and for a friend to play music with.

Say Cheese

Instagram shot from yesterday's shoot for Friday Magazine.  It comes out Friday, June 28th.

U Magazine

These are from a shoot I did last month in Amman, Jordan.  I'm sort of so-so about them, but thought I'd share them with you.  The hair, by the way, because you probably can't tell from the photos, was styled into fun 1940's-era victory rolls.