SABBATH – Resting in the Lord

Recently I have noticed an increase of stress in my life connected to to-do lists and schedules. I have not been that busy, but some days I have dealt with pressure from others as they drop last-minute, high priority tasks on me and other days I have dealt with the guilt of not spending enough time on important things, like language learning, or connecting with Romanians. As guilt, pressure and stress have built, I have found my instinct has been to withdraw in unhealthy disengagement.

However, last week, a friend from home challenged me to determine a Sabbath – when to take one, and what it would look like. To be honest, I have never consistently observed a Sabbath day – unplugged from the connections and worry of life and the world. I questioned the challenge – was it realistic to expect I could take a Sabbath with everything else going on in life? Wasn’t it irresponsible to ignore important tasks or not answer calls and messages immediately?

And then I realized, I have not been trusting God with the use and control of my time.

Mark 2:27 says “Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” God designed us with a need for rest every week. When we never stop, it makes sense for the stress and worries of life to become overwhelming. But what if, by resting one day, we became more productive in the other six? What if, by resting in the Lord, we could be so satisfied and filled up with the Spirit that we just overflowed the rest of the week? The Sabbath is a day designed to bring peace, joy and satisfaction to our lives.

“…if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land…”
[Isaiah 58:13-14]

So over the weekend, I enjoyed a Sabbath. For me, the biggest thing was being free from guilt and worry. I allowed myself to ignore the stressful ‘work’ things and instead just be in the presence of God. It wasn’t about doing nothing or zoning out watching a TV show. It was about doing things I enjoy that help me connect to the Lord. I sat in the morning sunlight, reading and journaling. I went for a walk and enjoyed a bit of autumn. I got out my colored pencils and crayons and tapped into my creative side. It was not a productive day, but it was beautiful and restful.

Taking a Sabbath was the first step. Now I am trusting God with the rest of my week. I am trusting in the rest and satisfaction He gave. I am sure it looks different for each person, but I encourage you to consider how you can rest in the Lord and trust Him with your time.

Life in Romania: A New Transition

I made it. After months of training, preparing, developing partnerships, and just plain waiting, I made it to Draganeşti-Olt, Romania.

As I said my goodbyes and packed my bags, God overwhelmed me with peace. It was not easy leaving the many people I loved, but I was ready for the next step. My time in the States was precious and necessary, but it had been a long transition season; a time of not really knowing how I was supposed to fit in for such a short time. My heart was in Romania and I was looking forward to starting my new life there.

So now the next season has begun but to be honest, I have not been prepared for what it holds. I have been struggling and I realized today that my expectations, while unspoken, were not in line with reality. I thought I was leaving my long transition season to finally feel at home and where I belong. But the truth is, I have entered a new transition season – just on the other side of the ocean.

Let me be clear. I still love Romania and the people here. I love Hope Church and what it stands for. I still know in my heart this is where I am supposed to be.

But it takes time to integrate and learn the language. It takes time to make a place home and find exactly where you belong. This time is just another transition. AND IT IS OK. God did not promise me instant purpose and belonging. God did not promise me speedy language skills. There was no promise this would be easy.

But God does promise that He is with me. He is enough. I have to daily choose to be dependent on Him for my purpose and belonging. I have to live according to His timing, not my own. I have to trust in His plan for my life, even if I cannot see the end result. God is always faithful and good.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

[Joshua 1:9]

Embracing the Uncomfortable – It’s Worth It.

A knot forming in my stomach. A lump lodging in my throat. Anxieties running through my mind. What’s causing these reactions in me?

Ministry partner development. Support raising.

As a missionary, I do not receive a normal salary. I am 100% funded through ministry partners. But like most Americans, I was raised to be independent and self-sufficient. Asking people for help, especially in finances, goes against something ingrained deep inside me. It is hard. It is awkward. It is uncomfortable.

But it’s worth it.

And I have discovered a few reasons why:

• Dependency on God. While independence and self-sufficiency is something America values, God loves when we recognize our need for Him.  If I tried to do ministry in Romania on my own power, I would eventually fail. Instead, I am learning to depend on him before I even leave. As he provides ministry partners, I can become more confident in his faithfulness.
• Glorifying God. Ministry partner development requires me to meet with people, and in doing so I am given the opportunity to share about God. My desire is to glorify God and the work He is doing in the world. It is a privilege to join God’s work, and it is only because of Him I am able to go.
• Connections. This whole process really is about partnership – building a two-way connection. I am sharing about my ministry, but it brings me joy to hear what God is doing in the lives of other people too.
• Provision. It is ultimately God who provides – and He does so in ways greater than I could imagine. He knows exactly who will join me and how much will be provided. He provides the finances. He provides the encouragement. He provides connections from different seasons of my life. I am continually in awe of how God has already provided, and I trust he will faithfully continue to do so.

This is the uncomfortable God has asked me to embrace because it’s worth it. It might look different for you, but what is the uncomfortable thing God is asking you to step into? Be encouraged – if he has asked you to do it, he will faithfully bring you through.

Heart of the Missionary

 "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." [2 Chronicles 16:9]

When I first considered going back to Romania long term, my Romanian pastor Raul referenced this verse. He wanted to confirm that my heart was for the Lord and for Romania.

After four weeks of cross-cultural long-term missionary training, the heart remains the most important thing when it comes to being effective, no matter where we go. Training, knowledge and experience, while a good thing, are nothing without the right heart.

---

Heart for Culture

God created unique cultures around the world. Every culture often represents God in its own way and when we experience different cultures we often walk away with a bigger picture of who God is. However, because we are so familiar with our own culture, it is easy to judge other cultures and the ways they do life. Therefore it is important to have a heart for culture - to die to our own culture and value what we can learn from other cultures.

Heart for People

This may seem obvious, but it is not as simple as we may want it to be. Most of us as Americans are task-oriented. We like to see results and accomplish big things. Again, being driven toward a certain goal is not a bad thing but majority of the world cultures value relationships over the task. We must be willing to lay down our go-go-go and do-do-do mentality in order to love people and build relationships.

Heart for your Team

You may have heard the African proverb "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." We were designed for community and to work together. Without a solid team it would be hard to be effective and even to survive in another culture for long. However, to have a solid team everyone must have a humble heart and listening ear. It is important to value and love your team.

Heart of the Gospel

It is easy to think "Those people or this country need the gospel so much!" but I heard this statement during the first week of training and it stuck: "You can never preach the gospel to someone who needs it more than you do." No matter how long we have been walking with God, we need the gospel every day. Even if I am going to be a missionary, I am still a broken sinful person. I fall into pride and idolatry. I make mistakes. But the heart of the gospel is God knew all this about me and he still loved me and he chose me. Now I have to daily walk in the truth that my acceptance, my identity and my satisfaction is found in God alone. As I remember the gospel each day, it is a reminder of the goal of the missionary as well: "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake." [2 Corinthians 4:5] I have to daily humble myself in order that God would be glorified.

---

I titled this heart of the missionary, but be reminded that we are all called to be missionaries where we are. I pray God would shape our hearts in humility to be more like Jesus each day.

Transition - and the Need for God

I finished my position as a nanny roughly a month ago and to be honest, it has been a struggle moving into this next phase of the journey. Ministry preparation is now my full-time job and it takes intentional focus and motivation. However, it is hard to be intentional, especially in ministry, when you try to do it alone. Without God's power and strength and without prayer and accountability it was to get stuck in a deep rut. Distractions, laziness, numbing, and isolation were quickly becoming my norm. I did not know how to move forward on my own and it was easier to quit trying.

But thankfully God does not expect us to get out of the ruts of life on our own. He has taught me a lot about how much I need Him and others, especially going into longer-term missions overseas. It was easy to believe the lie "I am alone" but the truth is God has provided me with individuals that love me and care about me if I am willing to be vulnerable and reach out. These individuals have been able to point me back to the ultimate source of life and strength - God himself. "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." [Psalm 29:11]

And so, while the steps have been small, I am moving forward. I am spending more time talking to God and reading his Word. I am tackling one small task at a time. I am reaching out with more specific prayer requests. I am preparing for my training and I am actually excited for 4 weeks of intentional learning. I am reminding myself of the many beautiful people God has placed in my life both here and Romania.

The struggle is far from over. The enemy doesn't want me to be successful and will continue to do everything in his power to keep me off task. "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." [1 Peter 5:8]
But God is always victorious if only we continue to rely on him. "For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory." [Deuteronomy 20:4]

------

Update on the Journey:

• My four weeks of training at the Center for Intercultural Training (CIT) in North Carolina begin Sunday. This will be cross-cultural training and equipping. 
• Following training I will begin intentional ministry partner development - meeting with individuals to share my ministry vision and financial goals - in order to be ready to return to Romania in September.

Romania Update: Q&A

Friends & family – it is time for an official update. Many of you know bits and pieces of my journey to Romania but I also know there are a lot of questions.

Where exactly are you going?

I am returning to Hope Church in Romania. Hope Church is a gospel-centered community dedicated to growing and impacting people with the hope of Christ from Draganesti-Olt, Romania to the ends of the earth. Their mission is to fulfill the spiritual and physical needs of people according to the teaching and practice of Jesus Christ. For more information: www.hoperomania.org

How long are you going?

My plan is to be in Romania for at least two years.

What is your timeline?

I am currently working as a nanny and spending time in prayer and preparation. In April and May I will be attending the Center for Intercultural Training (CIT) in North Carolina for long-term missionary training. I will spend my summer doing ministry partner development as well as enjoying time with my friends and family, including my youngest sister’s wedding in June. My plan is to return to Romania by early fall 2016.

What will you be doing?

My main role will be Director of the Social House. The goal of the Social House is to provide a physically, emotionally and spiritually safe place for those transitioning from hard situations, especially orphans and young mothers, which is something I am passionate about. My role will include administration, counseling and mentoring but most importantly sharing the love and hope of Christ.

What sending organization are you going through?

I will be a missionary with Commission To Every Nation (CTEN). CTEN is an inter-denominational missionary co-op serving 600+ missionaries in over 50 countries through administrative support and pastoral care. Their motto is “Helping ordinary people partner with God to accomplish the extraordinary.” For more information: www.cten.org

What will your needs be?

As a missionary with CTEN I am responsible for raising 100% of the funds needed to live overseas. However, it is about more than raising money. I need people to partner with me and my ministry through prayer, emotional and financial support over the next two years. Right now I am in a time of prayer and preparation but in a few months I will begin the active process of ministry partner development. It is an important process and I want to be prepared, intentional and focused as I move forward. However, if you are interested knowing more about giving now, please contact me or visit www.cten.org/naomidemmon. 

--

Hope this helps answer some of your questions. I am getting ready to send out my first newsletter which shares more about my journey and how I decided on Hope Church and CTEN. If I do not already have your address and you are interested in getting my newsletter and any future newsletters, please message me and I will be happy to add you to my list. I am also open to sitting down with anyone who wants to hear more! Thank you to all who have already been supporting and encouraging me over the last few years!

Just Sit & Be.

Today was one of those strange Iowa winter warm days. It was sunny and 40 degrees even though it is January. Now I normally work long days and get to see the light of day very little which is fine, but that is what made today extra special. The mother I nanny for came home two hours early with the exact instructions for me to go enjoy the beautiful day. With extra time off it would have been easy to start on my never-ending to-do list, but I decided to take her advice.

So I spent time today sitting on the bank of a little creek. I took a few pictures and read a bit but most of my time was spent just sitting. And as I sat there I realized how little I do that – take time to just sit and be. No agenda. No timeline. I closed my eyes, basked in the light of the day and listened to the sound of the rushing water. I rested. I reflected.

A year ago I was in the most remote part of Botswana, and that month was the last time I was able to consistently just sit and be. It was a month without WiFi and without convenient access to anything other than the land I lived on. I miss the mornings just sitting, watching the sun over the delta. I miss the quiet. I miss the peace and rest.

But I cannot go back. I live in America for now and I have to be more intentional about making space for peace and rest in a fast-paced, driven culture. When I finally slow down I can hear God so much clearer and he reminds me of the things in life that are most important.

Remember what comes first – and keep it first. Be thankful – always. Find joy in the little things. Love others. Slow down & listen. Just sit & be.

So instead of New Year’s resolutions, these are my New Year’s reminders. Wherever you are, I pray you would experience the peace and rest amidst a crazy busy world. Just sit & be. 

"Be still & know that I am God."

[Psalm 46:10]