the gift of Gab

I first met Kennedy after another long day in the city where I had once again been unsuccessful in most of my endeavors. And I was in a foul mood.

I was on my way home and peeved that I had to make yet another stop. Why couldn't there be fast food drive-thrus like the "civilized" country I had come from? As I gathered my purse, cell phone, and list, Kennedy approached my car. I had already shooed away the men selling socket wrenches, DVDs and talk time. I didn't have time to deal with this kid too. I'd always managed to dodge him before. This time though, he was there before I even got out of the car.

"Madam, ground nuts?" he asked in a nearly inaudible voice.

"No, I don't want any."

"Only 5000, madam." I did the math in my head. That was about a buck for what looked like 3-4 pounds of peanuts.

"No, I don't want any," I repeated a bit more sternly.

"Madam. Please." He said it with such a sad, pathetic look on his face.

"No, I'm allergic to ground nuts." That wasn't really true. Just intolerant, not allergic. And I don't really like them anyway. Thinking I was safe, I stormed off into the Castle Supermarket.

It was nearly dark when I reemerged loaded down with groceries. In a country where the average worker earns 10,000 ZMK per day, I'm sure I had just spent 100,000 ZMK ($20) without a second thought.

I had already reversed my car out of the parking space when he showed up at my open window.

"Please, madam, I need money to buy notebooks for school."

Continue reading "Kennedy" »

Posted by Gabi at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not much of a romance novel girl. I would rather read a good mystery or an international intrigue. However, I just finished reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers and highly recommend it to everyone who has ever questioned God's unconditional and unending love. He can, and will, transform us from filty whores into His beautiful bride.

Here's what the back cover says: Sold into prostitution in childhood, Angel is a bitter young woman who trusts no man. But when God tells Michael Hosea to marry her, she learns to love and hope---until fear overwhelms her and she returns to her former life. Can she be redeemed? A skillful retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, set amid the California gold rush.

In the book of Hosea, the prophet is told by God to marry a prostitute more or less as an object lesson for the nation of Israel (and us). Hosea offers her at beautiful, blessed life. But Gomer continues to be unfaithful to him and to return to prostitution, just as the people of Israel (and we) insisted on living in sin and disobeying God. Not just once, but over and over again.

Just as Hosea continued to go back for Gomer, inspite of her failings, God continues to rescue us - because of His unending love for us. His greatest desire is for us to accept the fabulous life He intends for us. Look at what he says in Hosea 2:14-15:

14 "But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her there.
15 I will return her vineyards to her
and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.

Continue reading "Redeeming Love" »

Posted by Gabi at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For to us a child is born, 
to us a son is given, 
and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called 
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

I pray that you have a delightful Christmas reveling in the love of God!!

May you experience God's rich blessings throughout the coming year!

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, 
to receive glory and honor and power, 
for you created all things, 
and by your will they were created 
and have their being."
Revelation 4:11

Posted by Gabi at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

God is so good about sending love songs at precisely the right moment!

I'm sitting at my desk at work with K-Love playing in the background. As I'm thinking about heading out to the gyno's office in about 1/2 an hour, I realize that the song that's playing is "God is in Control" by Twila Paris. Then "I Love You More" by Matthew West.

I love you more than the sun
And the stars that I taught how to shine
You are mine, and you shine for me too
I love you yesterday and today and tomorrow
I'll say it again and again
I love your more

God is good! And He is in control of it all!

Posted by Gabi at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When it's all been said and done,
There is just one thing that matters;
Did I do my best to live for truth,
Did I live my life for You?

When it's all been said and done,
All my treasure will mean nothing;
Only what I've done for love's reward,
Will stand the test of time.

Lord, Your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness;
And find purest gold in miry clay,
Making sinners into saints.

I will always sing Your praise,
Here on earth and everafter;
For You've shown me
Heaven's my true home.

When it's all been said and done,
You're my life when life is gone.

When it's all been said and done,
There is just one thing that matters;
Did I do my best to live for truth,
Did I live my life for You?

1999, Jim Cowan

Posted by Gabi at 8:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Monday I trekked across town for an emergency visit to my gynecologist. Really not as emergency as it sounds. I think the nurse in her office may have over reacted when I told her my symptoms.

Be that as it may, since I was there, we did the obligatory poking and prodding to rule out all the bad stuff, including an endimitrioboipsy. Definitely as bad as it sounds. I rarely cry from physical pain, but I certainly did during that little slice of heaven.

The doctor sent me off for blood tests and an ultrasound. Oh goody!! More fun!

Obviously, she'll have a much better idea of what's wrong once the results from all of those little test are returned to her.

On the way home from her office, I talked with my mom and then some friends just to get them up to speed, since they had all been praying for me. During the conversations, I realized that I may have been just a little more stressed about this than I had thought.

I tell you all of this, not to garner sympathy. Emotionally, I'm fine now. I share this as background to what came next.

Continue reading "God Will Take Care of You" »

Posted by Gabi at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.

(J. Sidlow Baxter)

Posted by Gabi at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Mom forwarded me some quotes today. I thought these were great.

God has called us to shine, just as much as Daniel was sent into Babylon to shine. Let no one say that he cannot shine because he has not so much influence as some others may have. What God wants you to do is to use the influence you have. Daniel probably did not have much influence down in Babylon at first, but God soon gave him more because he was faithful and used what he had." -- Dwight L. Moody

Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference. --Max Lucado

Posted by Gabi at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Today is Easter! It is a great day to reflect on the wonderful gift of perfect salvation that God has given us through his son Jesus Christ.

Throughout the service today, I was moved to tears thinking about the incredible sacrifice that God made for me. Me! Because he loves me - and every person on the planet. He is creator of the universe, but he cares about me. How awesome is that!!!!

Some days I take that for granted, and other days I am overwhelmed by the depth of His love and cannot fathom the reason for it. But ultimately, I know that I am His and I am redeemed in and to Him. Thank you God!!

Continue reading "He is Risen Indeed!!" »

Posted by Gabi at 8:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Since Wednesday (when I found out I'd been provisionally accepted by FM), I have been feeling under attack by Satan. I've been feeling anxious and depressed, and even having self doubts and doubts about missions.

This morning God reminded me of yet another song (musical tourette's wins again!). Count Your Blessings. You know the old hymn: Count your blessings, name them one by one...

So that's what I've decided to do today, in no particular order:

Continue reading "Name them One by One" »

Posted by Gabi at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Every now and again the words of a song touch me so deeply they cause me to view an aspect of our Christian walk in a new light. Sometimes, the words are just a great reminder.

This song has been bouncing around in my head since rehearsing it on Wednesday night. We sang it this morning in church.

Knowing You

All I once held dear, built my life upon,
All this world reveres and wars to own,
All I once thought gain I have counted loss,
Spent and worthless now compared to this.

Continue reading "Knowing You" »

Posted by Gabi at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I’ve made several forays into the world of horticulture, each a more dismal failure than the last. Most people who walk by my patio assume that I throw a bunch of dead sticks in a pot full of dirt and call it good.

Every once in a while, I decide that enough time has elapsed for my very brown thumb to have gotten a little green. (It isn’t until later that I realize it was just some mold.) So I head on down to my local nursery and buy several small plants. On really courageous outings, I buy seeds. I lovingly plant them in decorative pots with high quality potting soil. I water them. I talk to them. I beg and plead with them to PLEASE not die this time!

Continue reading "You Gotta Water" »

Posted by Gabi at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Continue seeking God with seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him. - CS Lewis

Posted by Gabi at 2:03 PM | Permalink