Stretched INTO shape.

We have comfortably settled into our new environment, and I (Lindsay) can definately say we are adapting. We've seen plenty of moose and eagles. The mountains are common sights now. We've visited the spit and the overlooks and the towns hotspots. Eating salmon, halibut, and especially moose are everyday occurances. It's not that we don't appreciate and enjoy all these good things, we just don't freak out over it anymore. We don't act like the new kids in town . . . usually.

Although we've surpassed vacationer status and the newness of everything is fading away, there is certainly no lack of excitement! God is stretching us in every way, shape, and form. We are truly challenged daily by the speakers and our experiences. This week, our lecturer was a woman who focused on the topic of deliverance. She really challenged me to examine what my beliefs have been shaped by. Do I define God and who He is by my experiences or by His word? Do I make God fit into my life, or do I fit my life into God?

One of the things that we dealt with this week were 'inner vows.' These are vows we make to ourselves to protect pains or overcome difficult situations. Common vows might include, "No one will hurt me again" or "I will never trust anyone else in my life!" One of my exposed inner vows was a result from the difficulties in leading a mission team in Sri Lanka. I made a inner vow to never accept a leadership position again. This was in protection of myself and others from what I saw as failures. When I made that vow, I focused on my own abilities and took control out of God's hands. In Matthew 5:33-37 Jesus says that we should not swear or vow at all, but let our 'yes' be 'yes' and our 'no' be 'no' for anything else is of the evil one. When we make an inner vow, we are not fully submitted to Christ and not fully trusting His promises. We have tried to take care of our hurts ourselves. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. (John 15:5) I found so much freedom this week in letting God deal with my hurts!

This was just the beginning. Her teaching on healing was exciting, too. I have a new heart to pray and see people healed. One of the teachings that really stretched me was about witchcraft and identifying symptoms. Previously, this topic might not have interested me at all, but Alaska is an active place. It's most likely we'll see the bondage of this on outreach, and even here in Homer! It's all stuff we are still processing and asking God to lead us in. Please pray with us in this 'processing' too!!