Cleaning, Trip to the ER, and a Sparrow...What Do They Have in Common?

Well Glory.  I am sure glad God is in control!  This morning as I was putting away dishes...I saw out of the corner of my eye a glass falling to the ground.  As I heard the breaking of the glass...my reflex (which was totally against what common sense would tell you to do)...was to pick it up with my hand.  In stead...the palm of my hand went over the ragged edge of the glass...and the glass came right into my hand!!!  OUCH!!! As I did that...I instantly knew I had hurt myself.  

Sure enough...here comes the blood...not to be all graphic and all...but I thought that I was going to pass out because I was bleeding so much.  I remembered that my next door neighbor is renting rooms to 2 doctors...so I ran over there...but no one was at home.  People driving by leaving for work must have thought I looked like a scene from a horror movie.  None the less as I stepped back in my house...thinking how I was going to have to drive myself to the hospital...my neighbor pulled into her driveway.  I ran out and she took one look and said "Get in the car...we're going to the emergency room!"

So off I go...where praise God...I only ended up needing butterfly sutturs and not big stitches!!! Another bit praise...one of the cuts was across my wrist...and could have been a lot worse if it was deeper!!!  It was only a surface cut!  And...get this...they didn't even charge me!

This comes after a wonderful night me and my roommate had praying over our new home.  Unsettling to see how real the enemy and his attacks are...especially just after you have done something honoring to the Lord.  But fear not...He is with us always and He has already won the battle!!!!

I am okay...a little more shaken up than anything...I may be a grown adult but was really wanting my mom around!  But God was with me...and I felt his presence.  I also took some pictures in the waiting room as I was bored!  Neat thing when I got home...I looked out my window and there was a sparrow sitting and looking at me.  It sat there for about 5 minutes straight and then flew away.  God has always used nature and animals to speak to me (not a burring bush or anything)...but I just felt that it was a simple reminder that He is with me and cares when I am hurting!!!! Remember...God is always with you too...not even a sparrow falls without Him knowing it!!!

Roscommon...My Kind of Town

Lacken House...our new ministry center.  And yes...we do have sun here in Ireland!
Our shopping center here in Roscommon.  
Sunrise over my neighborhood.
Pria, Me, Orla, and Leena.  Pria and Orla are two of my neighbors.  Pria is a physiologist and Orla is a Geologist.  Leena is my roommate.  Here we were having a lady's tea!
The leaves changing...it is nothing compared to a Georgia Fall...but it is still pretty!!

Hello precious friends and family.  Today it is a beautiful day here in Ireland.  The sun has been shinning all day and not one drop of rain.  As the leaves start to change colors here, I am instantly transported in my mind to the awesomeness of a Georgia Fall.  Things are a little bit cooler here than it would be back home…and a whole lot more wet!  I have come to love and appreciate my rain boots…or wellies as they are called here.  

Things have been so busy…but a good and productive busy.  Along with daily life and attempting to learn my way around here…I have been plugging away at the office…making meetings after meetings…getting things in order for our upcoming big events (Grand opening, Logos Hope Ship’s arrival, Golf clinic and Tournament…just to name a few).  But I must admit that I am becoming more at ease with the driving on the left side of the road…and understanding all the different Irish accents.  Yes…just like our North and South parts of the USA…there are two very distinctly different accents here in Ireland as well.  I have learned that a “jumper” is not a person who sky dives for a living…but a jacket; “buns” are not buns of steel but the polar opposite…cupcakes, and of course my favorite...pants are not what you where on your outside…but on the inside….as in our underwear.  

Our new ministry headquarters (Lacken House) is also undergoing some major changes. We are currently using a temporary office set up in our conference room…all 10 of us…try to have a personal conversation in that situation! :O) Our actual offices are being finished up and we anticipate being in them by early October.  Quick cool story…we were praying for 2 carpenters and a plumber to come and finish the work.  One of our team members brought this request to his local church…and God moved on the heart of one man in particular named Tim.  All last week Tim came and finished our dry wall and lead devotions for us one morning.  In tears he talked about how God kept telling him that his obedience to help finish the project was much more than his sacrifice in doing so.  So…not only was he here last week…he and his friend…another carpenter…will be heading our way again next week.  And we just got word today that we have a plumber who i

s coming next week.  God is so faithful and knows what we need when we need it.  

We were able to host our first official event at Lacken House…OM Monthly Prayer night.  We invited local evangelical churches to come and share how we might pray for them.  We had a packed room with standing room only.  

It was amazing to see all these pastors together in one room.  Everyone praising God and praying for their local towns.  They were praying specifically over the high suicide rate here.  Just about everyone you talk to…knows some one either in their immediate family or circle of friends who has attempted or committed suicide.  It just makes you sick to here a room full of people talk for over 30 minutes non stop of the list of people who have taken their lives over that last couple of months.  You truly see the darkness that lumes here.  But there is so much hope in these small groups of believers.  They are truly an inspiration to me to keep running the good race.  

My time here so far has been one of great faith experiences and spiritual highs…but it has not come without opposition.  Over the past 2 weeks our team members, including my self have come under many attacks.  We have had everything from car engines blowing out, flat tires, ruptured septic tanks, electricity and gas shut offs with no explanations, phones disconnected, food poisoning, and a team member’s baby falling down the stairs (she is okay…just a nasty looking bump).  Today…a group of us got together to pray specifically for our God to continue watching over us and praising Him that He is so much stronger than the one in this world! 

We have been going through the book of Nehemiah in our staff morning devotions.  I have been learning so much through this man’s life. One thing in particular that grabbed my attention is how even though God told Nehemiah to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem…he faced opposition.  But he was so faithful to say to all those who opposed the rebuilding…”The God of heaven will give us success.”  I truly believe that we are here doing the Father’s business…and we have the privilege of working for God…“rebuilding this once great nation…sold out for Him”.  Some days it seems so overwhelming to do anything because of crazy circumstances we have all been going through…and I feel so helpless…but NOT hopeless.  All I can do is turn to Jesus and literally worship and adore Him.  Here is an oldie but goodie that has been in my head all day…

Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you’re my God. You’re altogether lovely, all together worthy, all together wonderful to me.  I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that Cross.  

• Please continue to lift me and the team up in prayer.  Here are some specific prayer requests:

•Pray for protection over the entire team and their family

•Pray for Carpenters and plumbers to come and finish our office by October.  

•Pray for plans for future build outs…in the once stable blocks…we would like to make a dorm setting that would accommodate 50 people at one time.

•Pray for my internet at home to get up and running.  I ordered it the beginning of August…and still don’t have it properly set up.  (it has really affected my ability to communicate like I would like to be able to, with people back home).

•Pray for me to find a car soon. I have been using my roommates, which has worked because she can’t drive stick shift.  But were are about to have to go to a lot of opposite directions at the same time and will need individual cars. 

•Pray that I would be able to get a GPS system as well…pretty much a necessasity here…especially for a foreigner.  

•Pray that my roomie could learn to drive quickly and safely.

•Pray for my neighbors...pray that I would continue to have a meaningful relationship with them and have more opportunities to share the love of Jesus with them.  That they would be open.

•Pray for a little girl (about 7) in my neighborhood that has taken to me quickly.  She seems to be searching for a female role model in her life...or any attention.  She seems to be neglected severely...usually the poor thing is filthy dirty when I see her...looks as if she is not told to take a bath on a regular basis. She needs Jesus. 

•Pray for wisdom and direction for me as I have been given the charge to do a pricing estimate for our office furniture/supplies.  HELP!!! I have never put an office together…and certainly not one in Ireland. I haven’t a clue where to start. :O)

    * Prayer night (staff photo)...but go online to view a video of snapshots (www.omireland.blogspot.com)

 

Dia Dhuit...God be with you!

Picture above is a view from the outside of my house. These houses are a lot like our town houses in the States. Mine is the one with the blue door.  :O)
A view of my neighborhood.
What I see each morning as I awake. 

Dia Dhuit (pronounced:  Dee -a Geech) is Irish for God Be with You.  All greetings here in Ireland are blessings.  Unfortunately many have started to promote for change of greetings because they ARE greetings.  Sounds familiar doesn't it...with us living in the States...where they are taking prayer out of schools and attempting to remove anything with God from our Dollar.  

 

Well...I hope you are all doing well and miss you all so much. But I am MORE than confident that I am here about the Father's business.  A little update on me...I have returned from my two week international training with OM. .held in Holland . It was an amazing time of people from all over the world being send out to ALL parts of the world.  It was a special time of equipping and learning about how to adapt to other cultures and work effectively in such diverse teams.  I also met lots of Godly people who had the same desires to see our Lord famous around the world.  

 

When I returned from my training...it was late Saturday evening. Both me and my roommate were absolutely exhausted...physically...emotionally...we were wrecked.  So much so that neither one of us could find the strength to go out and continue on our "church finding" efforts the next morning.  There are very few evangelical churches in our local area...you really must search high and low.  So be both decided we would stay home and worship.

 

So as I awoke this morning I began to reflect on all that the Lord has done for me over the past few months.  Reading in my journal entry from June....I am confessing to God that "I don't "see" how you are going to provide for  me in a timely manor...I mean I am leaving for Ireland in August."  Wow...He has provided above and beyond anything I could have ever imagined.  Not only am I fully supported, but extra funds have come in that are now helping the ministry as a whole with the start up of our offices.  God also provided a roommate, who even though is from a completely different culture ( Middle East )...she gets me...and we can share in our ups and downs in life.  He has provided a house that I could never imagine getting...and we are already scheduling "girl's night out" in our home for the local believers.  God has been VERY gracious to me and has been a real "provider".  Thank you Jesus for allowing me to experience that in such a real way..

 

One of the things that the Lord has broken my heart over is that of our neighbors.  I have a bay window in my bedroom and every morning I sit on the edge of my bed looking out over the neighborhood.  I am convinced that He has brought me here to minister right where I am and be a light among this precious people.  He has literally broken my heart for what breaks His...people who do not have a living relationship with Him.  I cannot even write this letter about the sweet people of Ireland without tearing up.  

 

So back to Sunday morning...I came downstairs...exhausted...but very thankful about what all God has done for me.  I sit in my comfy living room...lights dimmed and praise music flowing through the room.  I am overtaken by the words that I hear... "....come...just as you are to worship.  Come just as you are before your God.  One day ever tongue will confess you are God. One day every knee will bow.  Still the greatest treasure belongs to those who gladly choose you now. "  There I am...not in a formal service...but believe me...there is a service of "2" going on...me and my God!!!! We had CHURCH!!!! :O)

 

I can't express the humbling feeling I have to just be here doing "the Father's work".  What an honor...I am not worthy of.  But none the less...I am so excited about all that is in store for here.  I cannot express enough how grateful I am to all of you as well...those back home that are praying for me and supporting me.  You are making things possible for me to be here and I don't take that lightly.  I can tell you that you are part of something real and something that is just the beginning of how the Lord is going to transform the people of Ireland .  This once great Chris tian nation...will once again turn back and praise His name!!!  I can't wait to tell you all the great things happening in the near future.  A few prayer request in the mean time:

 

• Meaningful relationship to be formed with my neighbors and landlord
• Unity and WISDOM for our team on how the Lord would have us operate.  We have have almost quadrupled our team over the past couple of weeks.  We have gone for 2 people in the office to 7 at all times!!!  We have much expansion going on and with that comes lots of needs...office supplies etc. Also....how we work together as a team...and all the ideas that God gives us...that we all will be unified to bring Him glory!
• His ministry plans will be revealed to us...that it not be about us...but everything will be about Him and for Him
• A thriving church plant here in our town.  Currently there is a plan for a church plant to start in our town.  Right now a Brazilian evangelical church is allowing their services to take place on Saturday night...because they are confident another English speaking evangelical church plant is soon to come.  They have left Sunday morning open just for that to take place!!!
• A personnel officer...we are in desperate need of someone to head this up...the person who was in charge...has left...and now our finance officers is taking on that job as well...and is totally overloaded.
• Protection from the enemy.  When we are doing the Lord's work...the enemy is quick to try and stop us!
• Favor in the local community.  That people's interest would be peaked about our ministry in a positive way.  
• Homesickness...Grace and mercy and comfort on me and my family that I have left behind
• The Creech Home to sell quickly
• Provision for office supplies as well as some equipments needs.  We eventually would need 8 desktop computers in order to connect to a server properly.  Also...things such as shredders, copy machines etc.  

I deeply love and miss you all.  I hope to hear from you soon...please let me know how you are doing.  And PLEASE....keep praying for me and all the workers over here.  GOD has...and is going to do AMAZING things!!!!

 

Mary