Sunday, October 28, 2007

New Blog

My heart can never quite contain the joy I feel when I get an email or phone call letting me know I or my family have been lifted to the Father in prayer. I believe that that is where the battles of this life are won I am so thankful for those who choose to join me even for a moment on the battle front.

My mom sends out an update every Sunday to friends and family, and I have often shared her letters here on this blog. After so many questions and notes of encouragement, I have created a blog especially for just those updates. It will mostly be updated on Sunday's, but will be full of the life and ministry of my family. It is entitled "News from where my heartbeats" Because anyone who knows me knows that it beats so far away from where I currenly sit. You can find it at mtuwakazi.blogspot.com Mtuwakazi literally translated means "man of work" and is the direct translation of our last name "Workman."

I hope you enjoy it!
Love to you all...

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Botswana Update

**Weekly update from my mom**

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. The last couple of weeks have been hard for us.
Steve flew to the States about a week and a half ago. We have been monitoring Devin from this side and began to be concerned about his lack of progress healthwise. We talked with Jon Konnerup and our sending pastor and they agreed that one of us needed to come to see what the situation was. When Steve arrived, Devin had been diagnosed with pneumonia again. That is the fourth time since last year. After talking with his doctor and his deans at Liberty, it was decided that Devin would take a medical withdrawal. This was a hard decision for all of us but most of all for Devin who has been doing his best to adjust to America, adjust to college life and relationships all the while struggling with some serious health issues. Would you pray that God will help us to get the right help for him? We have already talked with the doctors on this side and they are working on a plan to build his immune system and then go from there.

Transitioning is a very hard process for all missionaries. We spend a lot of our lives preparing ourselves to be in another place. Once we arrive on the field we try to get adjusted and then we have to begin to prepare to go Stateside. We aren’t stateside very long before we have to prepare to come back. It is a strenuous process spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically. Some people work through it fairly well, others never get through it successfully. Please pray with us that God will help Devin as he comes back and that Devin will receive the help that God has for him.

Sometimes when the pastor is away, strange things can happen in church. This morning, we had our time that we set aside each Sunday for prayer requests and praises. All of a sudden, Rahab gets up and RUNS to the front of the service. I’m thinking WHAT IS SHE DOING?!?!? I have never seen Rahab run in the four years we have known her. Most of the time, I have seen her on her back either at home or in the hospital. She gets to the front and says that God has healed her and she has been swimming every day this week for 2 km. which is basically the equivalent of a mile a day. Our people were shouting to see her RUN up there. For all that He has done, we THANK HIM.

There are still many lost souls in Botswana and many young Christians who need to grow in Him and learn to make wise choices for their lives. We are counting on your prayers.

Reaching the Unreached
The Workmans

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The "but nots" of our heart

It has been a while since I blogged. Thank you so much for the many of you that have emailed or called to check on me and mine. I am so grateful for friends like you!
Over the past few months my family has been through quite a battle …one that is not over yet. However, I would like to share with you something that the Lord has given to me as a promise to cling to during this time.

This wonderful truth first came from Eric Mason, a pastor in inner city Philadelphia. He preached at our church a few weeks ago and since that time the Lord has brought his words back to my mind again and again; and, as He always does when he wants us to learn something, He has affirmed them in several other situations.
Eric was preaching on brokenness….something I will share more details of in an upcoming blog…but one point that he made that was so striking to me was the “but nots” of the Bible. For example in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” And in looking at the life of Job, the Lord allowed the enemy to do whatever he wanted to Job, “but not” take his life. Eric put it so poignantly when he said the “but nots” of the Word are the backstage passes to our soul that only the Lord has issue and access too. Beautiful!

The Lord may use the enemy and his attack as a conduit to His will, but He is still in control and will only allow the enemy to go so far.
This promise of the Word has been so incredibly true and perfect in my heart these past few months.
The recent release of Mercy Me’s “Bring the Rain” also came at an apropos time. I will leave you with the lyrics:
I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain
So I pray Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Faith


Light in the clouds
Originally uploaded by Tigpan
Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods.

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)