new job

Several have asked about my job, so I thought I would give an update. I am at Catholic Family Services and am teaching ESL(English as a Second Language) to incoming refugees. Most speak no English whatsoever. New country, new rules, new life, new everything. I will also be helping with a program called "Student Impact" as a liaison between the schools and refugees to help them with immunizations and any other teacher/school issues that might arise. Most of the refugees are from Burma, Iran, Iraq, Somalia. All that I have met are very eager to learn and try really hard. It has been rather hilarious. Try explaining "embarrass" to someone who doesn't understand a word you say.

There are over 100 Adult students enrolled and new ones every day. I can't tell you how excited I am that God has given me this opportunity. I have always felt called to teach and am so grateful that He is allowing me to continue with my passion. I pray that He will use me to show the love of Christ as I get to know them better. I understand way better now how Kyle and Shasta must feel like "fish out of water" in language school. I can't really "preach" the message to them, so I just pray I will shine with His love, so they will ask. Please pray as well. We are already building a great rapport and it's amazing that a smile, a bow, a thank you, a hug mean the same thing across cultures.

All in all, the happiest thing for me is when I see the "dawn of understanding" in their cute faces. Ahh, the light bulb goes on. That makes any teacher so happy. It's so foreign and strange. I wonder if that's how God feels about us? He must really be happy when we "get it." When the "dawn of understanding" comes over us. He tries and tries to teach us this foreign language of trying to live a life in Him. You know what, the Bible should be our default. It should be our native language. We who are in Him are just aliens in a foreign land. I have a new understanding of that concept.

Eph. 2:18-20 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
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I love the power of prayer...

I love that when our people have a need, they feel like they can come to our church and friends to pray; and believe that they WILL and ARE praying. I have seen it over an over again at GOW and with my many other friends. That the first thing we do in a crisis is call on our "forever family" to hit their knees. And we know, without a doubt, they will. I love that God must be smiling, knowing that we come to Him in unison together in crisis, in thanksgiving, in sorrow, hurt, in joy of a wedding or thanksgiving over a healing. He is our first and only choice of refuge and haven; and He allows us to come together in unison. Thank you friends for being that kind of friends! I can't tell you the peace it gives me!
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer
Acts 4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
Rev. 8:4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand.

Thank you Lord, for giving us the privilege of prayer!
www.natalielowe.blogspot.com

New Covenant

I've written about "new" and "resolved" and now for part 3--New Covenant. Covenants are so much deeper than a resolution. They require promise and a pledge. God has never broken covenant. Because of His great love for us, He chose to become the Passover sacrificial lamb.
In Him, not only can we have a NEW year. (where His compassion's are NEW every morning) Lam 3:22-23
We also have these promises!

• We can have a NEW birth-1 Peter 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
• We are a NEW Creation- 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
• We can put on a NEW attitude and a NEW self-Eph 4:23-24to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
• All of this leads to a NEW life-Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
• One day, we will have a NEW Heaven and a NEW Earth-2 Peter 3:13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
• A NEW Name known only to you and Him-Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
• Sing a New Song-Rev 14:3 And they sang a new song before the throne
• All Things New-Rev 21:4-6 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

Knowing what you know now, how will your resolutions be different? Should they be covenants instead? How will 2009 be NEW for you?
www.natalielowe.blogspot.com