In the Darkest Places

One of the highlights of this past trip to East Asia was praying through a Buddhist temple. I love Asian culture and architecture. I love dragons and lanterns and old buildings. So my reaction to the ancient places and artifacts is not usually sadness. But here in this place, watching people engage in various forms of idol worship, my heart was breaking. I watched as a mother showed her young son how to rub his hands on this golden dragon and transfer it to his eyes and ears and body.

Our host who took us to this particular temple encouraged us to slow down and really observe the people in their worship: the resident monks who chant invitations and the visitors to beg blessings. As I made eye contact with those who would, I asked their Creator to enlighten their hearts and minds with His truth. My strongest memory is standing close to a huge bowl of incense. As the smoke rose in my face and engulfed me, I prayed Revelation 5:8 - our prayers go up before the Lord as golden bowls of incense. What a privilege it was to pray in the moment for the people in EA whom I love.

It was interesting to me that people would place fruit and flowers created by the true God before the images of false gods with no life inside them. Here is a fabulous tree growing in the midst of these vast temple grounds. God's beauty is here. He is watching, loving, calling people who are searching for truth. We prayed that they would have ears to hear.

Just before we left, I borrowed Shala's ipod and listened to Steve Fee's song Who Have I. It is my favorite worship song of late and very fitting lyrically for where we were. I sang, "In the darkest places you are light, in my deadest spaces you're my light..." as those around me carried out their rituals. Just as Suellen and I were talking about the bondage holding people to this form of worship, we looked up to see this dragon on the roof chained to the top of the temple...very telling.

A Girl Named Hope

A little girl sits alone in a restricted area. No one knows her thoughts. No one! I know what awaits her. But I can't tell. It wouldn't be right to tell her a family is filling out papers, paying money, praying to God, all to get her into their family. What if some paper is not filled out correctly and there is another delay? It is not safe to tell her until they are there, in her country, walking through her door, legally her parents.

On this last trip to East Asia we saw alot of kids with little or no hope. The reality is overwhelming. But for one 10 year old girl, there is Hope. That's going to be her new name: HOPE. She doesn't know that. So how does God's compassion play out in the lives of the hopeless? He promises never to put on us more than we can bear. So how exactly does He comfort an orphan whose days are bleak and without hope?

Ahhh...by giving her a new name. Recall how He did that in scripture. When God bestowed a new name on a person, they were changed. They lived up to that name. And so it will be with this child whose very life is unknown to all but a handful of people.

I believe he is comforting this precious girl. She is prayed for by countless people and they speak her name: Hope. How I wish I was allowed to post her picture here for you to see. Her picture is taped to my desk. In this picture, her hands are folded and drawn up to her forehead. She is praying with a teacher in her classroom. I have been told she prays for God to releive her pain.

Please pray for Hope this year? Afterall, isn't it hope that compels us to pray?

Lost but now I see!

Isn't it..."blind but now I see"? Yep. That's it. And, it's "lost but now I'm found". But, I've got a story that combines both of them into one, because they mean the same thing, after all!

Some of you have heard my "contact contract" story. Is it a contract..., a covenant.... I don't know. Whatever it is, about 16 years ago, God performed a miracle for me regarding my contact lens. In the process, He taught me a very valuable life lesson. He told me I would never lose a lens again, and that when I temporarily don't know where one is, I should trust Him because He loves me and He knows all things. While on our unbelievable trip, we flew into one of our stops and prepared to disembark the plane. In the process, my contact lens was knocked out of my eye! My lenses are slightly blue tinted, and the whole interior of the plane was blue.

I was sitting in the middle seat of a three-seat row. I was immediately reminded that God loves me and all of us on this trip, and He was ever present. I, and others with me knew that God was just sending us a message! So, I sat still and everyone looked around me. Everyone else was off the plane waiting on the bus on the tarmac, while we explained to flight attendants what we were doing. We prayed, and it was found so quickly, right under my left thigh! What? It was great! He is so good. He knew that we were walking into a heavy battlefield in this new city, and we all needed to be reminded that He is in control of all things, and He is sovereign over all! I am so grateful that is true, aren't you?
So, what was "lost", was found. And, when I would have been blind, I could see. We were able to see Him so clearly! We would need to be reminded of that.

Our awesome Lord then performed another amazing act on behalf of another team member - "the reappearing bag" act. Look for that to be found on here soon! It'll rock your socks!

Microwave for Growth

Thank you for praying for us! Going overseas on this kind of trip is like God popping you into the microwave for some quick growth, and sometimes healing. This is something I wrote in my journal last Wednesday while sitting in a park in E.Asia, reflecting over the past week.
April 8, 2009

I Have Felt…
So in-tune with my Heavenly Father
So out-of-touch with reality
So carried by Him
So disciplined in love by Him
So grateful for Jesus, for His mercy, love, and grace
So lifted up above the filth and evil that exists in this world
So brought low by my own pride and selfishness that is that same sin
Totally broken
Totally healed
Extremely exhausted
Exponentially energized
Thankful for friends and sisters I have through Him who loves and adopts us
Ashamed of my own inability & unwillingness to love with humility
Waves of guilt
Waves of conviction
Tsunamis of grace and acceptance
The Holy Spirit fill and move in me with love and power
The vacancy of that same love and power due to my own pride and selfishness
My brain on fire with thoughts of Him and His word
My brain turned to mush that engulfs all my thoughts and leaves confusion
Anger that I cannot have my own way
Anger that I cannot control what others believe or feel
Sadness that people don’t know Him and don’t seem to care
Grieved that we live in a fallen, nasty place that will choose death over life
Joy that our God is the Biggest
Joy that He reigns, and it is never too late
Joy that nothing is too big for Him to forgive
Peace that He is with me. Even if no one ‘gets’ me, He does
Peace that we stand victorious in Him
Overwhelmed that He loves all people and He’s in every place and every time
Humility because I do nothing good on my own and without Him I am just dust
So glad that He holds the universe and I hold nothing

Grateful that because He loves me and adopted me, I am not alone, not misunderstood, do not need to worry, do not need to explain, do not need anything but what He can and does freely give me!

Shala

The Same Moon

The round moon I see tonight from my bedroom window is the same moon I gazed at yesterday from the 11th floor picture window overlooking a busy East Asia city. Hard to believe I have traveled so far around the globe in a few hours time. Just two days ago I fell asleep to the sounds of noisy traffic. Tonight I entered a quiet house at 2am to see sweet faces, hear familiar rhythmic breathing as I kiss each sleeping member of my family. Oh, I loved the adventure from which I have just returned. My heart is so full, I must unpack each experience with care. How happy I am to be at home as I sort through all I have seen and heard. It was a fascinating trip. God is alive and active in East Asia. In the days to come, we all will be sharing more of our experiences with you.

4 more days!!

Guys, we leave and board the big bird for the other side of the world in just 4 days!! Crazy. We are all sooooooo excited! Please pray along with us and for us on this amazing journey. If you want to receive prayer requests during our time there, please email me at shala.nolan@gmail.com, because we will not be posting specific requests on this site.
thanks so much for joining with us on this trip!
With His love for the nations,
Shala

Trippin'

Trippin’

Oh, I love to travel, to trip it, to live it!
Amazing places, inspiring people, and life-changing experiences
He loves every individual, family, and nation
And in them He’s moving to bring them to the author of all creation
Whether home or abroad, we take His Word and love with us
He allows us to be a part of His plan and His purpose

Going out where my control cannot be feigned
It’s a painful, yet healing surgery on my heart and my brain
I only pray it’s affect does not wane.

I enjoy the food, smells, sights, and sounds
Everything different, all around
When I sit down of food to partake
Sometimes I don’t recognize what’s on the plate
So, to God I pray, “I know you’re there.
My mind, mouth, and stomach please prepare.”
“It’s not wrong, it’s just different,” I often repeat
When astonished by scenes I wish to change or delete.



I want so badly not to waste the time I’m given
To listen to people, and soak up every minute
But, oh the jet lag - - in the day, I’m dizzily tired
Yet, in wee morning hours, dizzily wired.

Time and my body are not in harmony
Here the stage is set, for God to live and breathe in me
Through a sacrifice of continual praise and abandon
Surrendering my rights, my power, my strength to the great I Am.

These combinations of everything in my world being changed
Give Him astounding freedom to Reign
Such small things that at home, I can do, if I choose
Have now become hills and mountains, unfit for my shoes
It’s both necessary and convenient to let Him carry me
After all that’s one major reason this trip came to be

Seeing and speaking with people who have so little we can see
Less resources, less freedom, and less opportunity
Being sure of what is hoped for and certain of what is not seen
They believe, and they pray with a faith that is keen
I’m left to examine my trust in God and His Word
Dared not to just hear but to do what I’ve heard


His Word becomes solid under my feet
When I walk in faith with each challenge I meet
Some trials spring forth from unexpected places
From people I love who join me in these faith races
In the battle that rages, we’re sometimes caught unaware
And other times, we choose the flesh we can wear
It’s essential to remember that this side of heaven
Perfection is absent, we’re all saints who still sin
Keeping our eyes on Jesus and looking through His
All feelings, our doubts, and insecurities vanish
With brothers and sisters, whatever occurs, one thing can be certain
If we let Him, He’ll weave us together and grow us in Him
It’s His love in us that triumphs and reveals
To all those around us, how His love really feels.

While here in a land whose King is not the Lord
It’s paramount that we fight with the shield and the sword
Often I see more clearly the war that is raging
I’m compelled to kneel down and do battle through praying
Here God’s most powerful work is done
And here we see that the battle is won.
I know and love Him so much more
When I am forced to bow down to the floor
Understanding of Him and of His mysteries is received
Compelled by love to face the nasty residue of flesh to which I cling
I get to see Him up close as I am emptied
And He fills me to use me as His hands, mouth, and feet

Why do I love trips God calls me to travel?
He seems to accomplish 10 times the sanctifying in the battle
He brings Himself glory that blinds me with brightness
And when I come out I’m more conformed to His likeness
As for my affection and friendship with my Father, and Savior
It flourishes and it’s transformed forever
Because of all this, in the dark times that will most definitely come
There’s a bounty of standing stones to which I hold on.