Thursday, July 26, 2012
Being Home. Jesus is Enough.
Being home surprisingly has not been as bad as I had expected, thank you Jesus. Sure, I miss Swaziland like crazy and I miss my team(best friends) a whole lot too, but Jesus has given me such a peace. It's so weird haha, i don't know how to describe it...but He's given me such peace about being home right now and that the kids and people we ministered to throughout manzini in the carepoint and hospitals are okay. ha They're in great hands and God will never leave them or ever forget about them. I have peace.
Simply being home for 4 days God has already taught me so much. I've had so so so much time to process about Africa and I've only hit the top of the ice and boy its been so good. Daddy has been teaching me much about my time in Africa and why I was even there.
While I was there He disciplined me and grew my faith. He showed me that I am no different than the orphaned child. Just as Jesus never forgets or abandons them, so He never forgets or abandons me. That truth is for you and me too!! Jesus delights in me!
I learned that I don't let God love me. He wants to love me big, but i only let him in a little and then close him off. He wants all of me! He wants to show me new things and take me deeper in His love. He is such a loving Daddy that loves to cradle me in His arms and stare into my eyes.
I want to run to him with my arms raised high yelling "take me, Daddy, take me," just like the Swazi's did when they saw us "take me."
He's simplifying my faith....a childlike faith.
Man, God just showed me that He is enough. God didn't take me to Africa so that I could come back home with a cool story about a miracle or how people got healed and the country was revived and people believed in jesus....
Those things are great and its cool that people come back with that. However, God restrained that from me on this trip. My heart is not ready for that yet...my heart is still selfish and prideful. Jesus alone is enough! I don't need a cool story, though sometimes i still wish i had one to share with you. But Jesus is enough. I went to Africa and God showed me Jesus...and He is enough. God took me to Africa to humble me and love on me.
He showed me that it's not about me at all. It's only about Him.While i was sick and home from ministry me and God re-evaluated my passion for missions...am I in it for the glory and cool stories or am I in it solely to love on the people in front of me as a way of making jesus famous? Am I in it just to put that on my list of things i've done and mark off another country i've been to? Or am i truly passionate about this because Jesus is too and my heart breaks for what breaks His?
That was scary to re-evaluate while being in Africa. My heart had good intentions yet was in a bad place. Pride seeped in and flooded my heart...Then I allowed Jesus in and He cast it out.
It's so important to daily check your heart and ask God to renew your mind...
I learned to pray ephesians 6 every day...to put on the armor of God daily. I didn't realize how important that is until Africa where it's essential to do so daily.
Jesus is revealing so much to me right now and it's so humbling and I am beyond thankful for where He has brought me and what He has taught me while in Africa and even being home right now. His presence is so good.
Jesus is enough! Jesus is enough!! Jesus is enough!!!!!!! You don't have to have a cool story or feel anything, speak in tongues, heal people, prophecy, see visions, dream dreams...Jesus is enough!! Those things are gifts, they're not Jesus. If you have those gifts, thats super awesome, and if you don't thats just as awesome. JESUS IS ENOUGH!!!
open up your heart and let Jesus love you!! Let Him cradle you in His arms and stare into your eyes. You are His beloved in whom He is delighted in!!
Thanks for listening.
Laura Beth Harbin
“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” - Mandela
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Pics and videos update
Hey all!
I haven't done much at all besides lie in bed, journal, listen to music, and upload pictures and videos. Last night was the first time i got out. I went to the refuges community group and it went so well. I'm glad I went. It was good to be around a community of believers.
Anyway I still don't have words to describe my trip yet...I'm currently still processing it all and reading over my journal and all that jazz. Please keep myself and my team in your prayers as we continue to transition back into life that isnt normal anymore.
In the mean time feel free to check out some of my pictures and videos on my YouTube account as well as Facebook. Just search Laura Beth Harbin on facebook adn my pics should be public.
Love,
Laura Beth
http://m.youtube.com/#/user/lbharbin11
I haven't done much at all besides lie in bed, journal, listen to music, and upload pictures and videos. Last night was the first time i got out. I went to the refuges community group and it went so well. I'm glad I went. It was good to be around a community of believers.
Anyway I still don't have words to describe my trip yet...I'm currently still processing it all and reading over my journal and all that jazz. Please keep myself and my team in your prayers as we continue to transition back into life that isnt normal anymore.
In the mean time feel free to check out some of my pictures and videos on my YouTube account as well as Facebook. Just search Laura Beth Harbin on facebook adn my pics should be public.
Love,
Laura Beth
http://m.youtube.com/#/user/lbharbin11
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Back home
Hey all! I am back home and well it's bitter sweet. I'm excited to be home yet at the same time i so desire to be back in Swazi with my new friends!
We flew into Atlanta yesterday at 7am and stayed at hotel there last night. We got to debrief and worship which was so good and needed. Please pray for myself and my team as many of us are sick from traveling or just sick in general. Also pray as we transition back to American life and begin processing a whole months journey and experiences.
Whew!! I'm quite overwhelmed and feel terrible. I cry randomly and miss my friends and the people of Swazi so bad!
I don't have much to say-
I do want to say a huge thanks to all my supporters andthose who have been praying. You have no idea how thankful I am. Keep te prayers coming.
Love you all. Will update when I'm sane.
Laura Beth
We flew into Atlanta yesterday at 7am and stayed at hotel there last night. We got to debrief and worship which was so good and needed. Please pray for myself and my team as many of us are sick from traveling or just sick in general. Also pray as we transition back to American life and begin processing a whole months journey and experiences.
Whew!! I'm quite overwhelmed and feel terrible. I cry randomly and miss my friends and the people of Swazi so bad!
I don't have much to say-
I do want to say a huge thanks to all my supporters andthose who have been praying. You have no idea how thankful I am. Keep te prayers coming.
Love you all. Will update when I'm sane.
Laura Beth
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Rough week, but so good.
Hey everyone.
So this week as definitley been a tougher week for our team. several of us have been sick and on the toilet because of it....no fun.
also, it seems like we had been sitting in darkness and we couldn't get out of a lil pit of funk. but what is so cool about our group is that we are aware of it and pray at that moment.we have been praying ephesians 6 everyday over each other. Yesterday was so much lighter that the rest of the days and we are all well rested now and back on our feet in full health. praise jesus.
God's been breaking down several of our walls we have built up and is continuing to teach us so so much. most of all he has been teaching us love. his love never fails. his love never grows weary or gets tired. he delights in us running to his arms and he calls us by name. he doesn't ever abandon me. he breaking down my pride and my selfish desires.
yesterday i saw jesus staring back at me through the eyes of a 7 month old baby boy. i got to hold him and feed him. his name is Kleo. Wow...amazing!!!
I just can't get over how much God has been stretching and growing us all. I love this team. At night time we always have a big snuggle session and its our favorite haha.
i've loved working at the carepoint we the preschoolers. they are so so smart for there age. they know there abc's and can count to 100...all in english!!! so awesome.
they are always smilng, and if they arent smilng they will as soon as you pick them up and wipe away there tears.
i love these kids and there laughter and joy...its contagious.
please continue to pray for wholeness, for light and life. Pray against darnkess death and lies. pray habakkuk 1:5 over us that god would show us things that are so bizzare that we wouldn't even believe it to be true. pray he take us deepere with him. that we would all experience and feel so much more of his love. love to permeate us.
i love this country and these people. i love my team so much. i don't want to come back home...so i haven't been focusing on that.
pray that each of us would live in the here and now. to live in the present and love in the present.
pray for more of the holy spirit. more of jesus and less of us.
JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS. only JESUS!!!
pray pray pray pray.
love,
Laura Beth Harbin
So this week as definitley been a tougher week for our team. several of us have been sick and on the toilet because of it....no fun.
also, it seems like we had been sitting in darkness and we couldn't get out of a lil pit of funk. but what is so cool about our group is that we are aware of it and pray at that moment.we have been praying ephesians 6 everyday over each other. Yesterday was so much lighter that the rest of the days and we are all well rested now and back on our feet in full health. praise jesus.
God's been breaking down several of our walls we have built up and is continuing to teach us so so much. most of all he has been teaching us love. his love never fails. his love never grows weary or gets tired. he delights in us running to his arms and he calls us by name. he doesn't ever abandon me. he breaking down my pride and my selfish desires.
yesterday i saw jesus staring back at me through the eyes of a 7 month old baby boy. i got to hold him and feed him. his name is Kleo. Wow...amazing!!!
I just can't get over how much God has been stretching and growing us all. I love this team. At night time we always have a big snuggle session and its our favorite haha.
i've loved working at the carepoint we the preschoolers. they are so so smart for there age. they know there abc's and can count to 100...all in english!!! so awesome.
they are always smilng, and if they arent smilng they will as soon as you pick them up and wipe away there tears.
i love these kids and there laughter and joy...its contagious.
please continue to pray for wholeness, for light and life. Pray against darnkess death and lies. pray habakkuk 1:5 over us that god would show us things that are so bizzare that we wouldn't even believe it to be true. pray he take us deepere with him. that we would all experience and feel so much more of his love. love to permeate us.
i love this country and these people. i love my team so much. i don't want to come back home...so i haven't been focusing on that.
pray that each of us would live in the here and now. to live in the present and love in the present.
pray for more of the holy spirit. more of jesus and less of us.
JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS JESUS. only JESUS!!!
pray pray pray pray.
love,
Laura Beth Harbin
Monday, July 2, 2012
Hello From SWAZILAND
Sawubona!!! Hello!
I will try my best to write as much as i can but i don't have much time so bear with me and show me grace with spelling errors, etc.
I have a story to start off with real fast. So...my group was supposed to come to the cafe to blog and email friends on saturday. however, it wouldn't work so we decided that on our way walking to the hospital that we would stop by the other cafe. Let me tell you that we pretty much walk everywhere. haha. SO....the walk to the hospital took about 1 and a half hours!!! yes, one and a half hours. It wasn't bad but what made it stink was that when we were going to the cafe it ended up being closed!!! so that definitley put a damper on things that we walked almost 2 hours and got no internet. haha
but it was good. we got to spend time together instead and pray and ready our hearts before going into the childrens hospital. I've never seen anything like it...I honestly have no words to describe it. There was so so so much pain and hopelesness. However there was this one little girl that was maybe 2 years old suffering of malnourishment and she just luaghed and smiled so so so much. That's what got me through....the joy and hope in her eyes.
after that we hitchiked so that we didnt have to walk back for 2 hours in the dark. it was so much fun.
sunday we went to church and it was so so so so much fun!!! i absolutely love there beautiful voices.
today we went to a few carepoints to get a feel of what we'll be doing for the next 3 weeks.
i fell in love with one little boy today called NANA. he is not even 1 yet and ahhh he is beautful. i also have already been peed on :) nothing like some african baby pee on ya.
oh yeah....we are living in Manzini right now...to be honest we are incredibly blessed and have it pretty easy. we are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. our team loves to snuggle and talk about poop. hahah. oh my word. im so thankful fo my team.
we are so diverse and its so cool to be goofy at one point and then another time gather around each other and pray intentionally and see how god has been working miracles and speaking to each of us. its so bizzare.
okay im about to have to go.
i ask for more prayer....i feel like theres this layer over my heart thats holding me back and im not sure what it is. pray that its broken off. pray for deliverance and freedom.
pray for my team of 15 and our 3 leaders. pray for the poeple of swazi!!!
THNKS
Anyway so we have been in swaziland since wednesday and boy its such an interesting country. It's one of the most beautiful places i've ever been too. The mountains are outrageous.
habakkuk 1:5
Laura Beth Harbin
I will try my best to write as much as i can but i don't have much time so bear with me and show me grace with spelling errors, etc.
I have a story to start off with real fast. So...my group was supposed to come to the cafe to blog and email friends on saturday. however, it wouldn't work so we decided that on our way walking to the hospital that we would stop by the other cafe. Let me tell you that we pretty much walk everywhere. haha. SO....the walk to the hospital took about 1 and a half hours!!! yes, one and a half hours. It wasn't bad but what made it stink was that when we were going to the cafe it ended up being closed!!! so that definitley put a damper on things that we walked almost 2 hours and got no internet. haha
but it was good. we got to spend time together instead and pray and ready our hearts before going into the childrens hospital. I've never seen anything like it...I honestly have no words to describe it. There was so so so much pain and hopelesness. However there was this one little girl that was maybe 2 years old suffering of malnourishment and she just luaghed and smiled so so so much. That's what got me through....the joy and hope in her eyes.
after that we hitchiked so that we didnt have to walk back for 2 hours in the dark. it was so much fun.
sunday we went to church and it was so so so so much fun!!! i absolutely love there beautiful voices.
today we went to a few carepoints to get a feel of what we'll be doing for the next 3 weeks.
i fell in love with one little boy today called NANA. he is not even 1 yet and ahhh he is beautful. i also have already been peed on :) nothing like some african baby pee on ya.
oh yeah....we are living in Manzini right now...to be honest we are incredibly blessed and have it pretty easy. we are sleeping on mattresses on the floor. our team loves to snuggle and talk about poop. hahah. oh my word. im so thankful fo my team.
we are so diverse and its so cool to be goofy at one point and then another time gather around each other and pray intentionally and see how god has been working miracles and speaking to each of us. its so bizzare.
okay im about to have to go.
i ask for more prayer....i feel like theres this layer over my heart thats holding me back and im not sure what it is. pray that its broken off. pray for deliverance and freedom.
pray for my team of 15 and our 3 leaders. pray for the poeple of swazi!!!
THNKS
Anyway so we have been in swaziland since wednesday and boy its such an interesting country. It's one of the most beautiful places i've ever been too. The mountains are outrageous.
habakkuk 1:5
Laura Beth Harbin
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