Mission Trip to Ecuador - September 2009

                                   

Dear Friend,

What an honor and privilege it is to share what God is doing in my life over the last year!  As many of you know last summer I left my position at Trinity Church to further pursue my Masters degree in Counseling and focus on other projects and adventures.  I am now at Pediatricians of Dallas working in the front office as an administrative assistant.  It has been a huge learning experience for me and great training ground as I further my education.  In my spare time I hang out with friends, read, write, baby-sit, and blissfully play the role of Aunt Cristyn to my nieces and nephews.  I’m constantly doing something and often wonder where time goes, I absolutely love every minute of it.  Recently, God has been putting a desire in my heart to participate in world missions by going on a short-term mission trip and now I have the perfect opportunity to serve through my church, Trinity Church Dallas. 

From September 5th to September 18th, Frontline (the missions arm of my church) will be sending a team to Cuenca, Ecuador to serve and share the love of Christ.  I plan to join a team of 10 people traveling to this beautiful country.  We will be doing ministry work with the family of Krissy Clark, a good friend of mine and a staff member at Trinity Church.  We will have the opportunity to minister to the people of Cuenca, the church there, kids, youth, men and women.  I look forward to this opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and really serve the people in Ecuador and help further the kingdom of God. 

We are currently seeking partners to join us on this outreach.  There are two ways you may partner.  The first, and most important, way is through prayer.  I believe that prayer is essential to making this outreach work.  When we pray, it shows complete dependence upon God, and a desire for His will alone to be done.  James 5:16 says, “…the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”  Prayer is the fuel that will allow us to be successful as we follow God’s leading.  Without prayer, nothing will happen. 

As a team, we will need to raise $18,000.  This cost will include all airfare, lodging, food and ministry supplies.  Part of my responsibility to the team will be to raise $1500.  The deadline for our team to turn in funds is August 15th.  I pray that you would consider partnering with us so that we might take part in this terrific opportunity.  Enclosed you will find a response card and envelope.  Please make all gifts payable to “Frontline”.  You will receive a receipt for your tax records.  In the memo space, please write “Ecuador ST 2009”.  (Please do not write any team member’s names anywhere on the check). I look forward to receiving your responses.  

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.  Thank you for prayerfully considering this opportunity to give towards our mission to Ecuador! 

For His Kingdom,

Cristyn R. Rohloff

Transformation... more than meets the eye?

trans-form-ation: noun: a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." ~ Romans 12:2

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." ~ 2 Corinthians 3:18

When most of us think of the word "transformation" we think change.  Some may think of it in the sense that a caterpillar changes or transforms into a butterfly, a seed grows or transforms into a tree or plant.  But what about ourselves?  Can you see or sense or feel a transformation that has happened to you in your lifetime?  I can, in fact I'm still walking it out right now.  I have reminders right in front of me as I type of what I changed from.  What has transformed me and is continuing to transform me from where I was 15 years ago sits on the shelves of my desk in my bedroom.  

I've been fixated on the topic of "transformation" for about a month now and I'm still not for sure if what I'm writing flows well so if you're reading this please bear with any ramblings ; )  I really can't put into words quite yet all the God has done and continues to do in my heart and in my life as He transforms me from who I was once was into who I am now.  I can even see such a huge difference between October/November 2007 to March 2008 to the present (June 2009)... it is shocking to tally how much has happened in the last 20 months to get me where I am today.  There are still moments where I want to throw up my hands and just give up, but those moments are way less often than they were a few months ago... now when I picture in my mind's eye where God has brought me it brings a peace and a gentle smile to my heart.  My life is not at all what I thought it would be or could imagine it to look like at 27, but I guess I've also learned that when you begin to finally "let go and let God" it turns out much better than you could ever expect, hope for, or imagine.  I definitely could have done without some "life lessons" but then again what would I have learned? ; )  

God has finally gotten a hold of me (or maybe I've finally stopped running) in the last 6 months as I've laid down the deepest desires and hopes of my heart.  I hear others say to "hope" that I'm not in the same place they are at a certain age, and so I do... not because there life is so bad and I don't want it, but because that's not what God wants for me.  He's got another path in mind for me and as He slowly reveals it day by day, moment by moment, I greet Him with a happy heart and great anticipation for the journey ahead.  I strongly advise you to take hold of what God is laying out ahead of you and with a peaceful heart and soul trust Him... with all that you have... you will not be disappointed! : )

Left my fear by the side of the road
Hear You speak
Won't let go
Fall to my knees as I lift my hands to pray

Got every reason to be here again
Father's love that draws me in
And all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You

All I need is You
All I need is You Lord
Is you Lord

One more day and it's not the same
Your spirit calls my heart to sing
Drawn to the voice of my Saviour once again
Where would my soul be without Your Son
Gave His life to save the earth
Rest in the thought that You're watching over me

~ All I Need is You - Hillsong United (2004)

The Wait

Twice in a matter of an hour or so today the Lord weighed upon my heart the word "wait."  I haven't thought much about "waiting" or a season of "waiting" since August or September of last year (whenever it was I wrote that blog about waiting, it's somewhere under the "older posts" tab).  It didn't take long for me to get it today though, as soon as He brought it up the first time (as I was walking out the door to my Thursday night "me" activity) I instantly knew it was time to blog about it to my faithful readers (there are people reading this... right?).  My heart was overjoyed because I felt like I finally got it, I finally get what this season is all about. Then at my Thursday night "me" activity I was worshipping the Lord to the Chris Tomlin song "Everlasting God." 

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, 

we will wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.  

Our God, You rein forever

Our hope, Our strong deliverer

You are the Everlasting God, the Everlasting God

You do not faint, you won't grow weary

For months I would skip this song whenever I listened to this CD, not because it talked about waiting but for another purpose that looking back now I realize is completely stupid.  I guess what this all gets me around to is I finally get where I'm at, I've finally stopped running and I finally understand what it means to wait and just be in this moment.

The other day I was whining to God about how boring my life is right now.  Yes, I'm busy but I just feel like nothing exciting is going on... of course this whining was quickly reciprocated with a response from the Lord that went a little something like this...

"What?!? Now you're complaining because you think nothing is happening?  This time last year you were complaining because everything was happening and I wasn't even finished rocking the boat yet... what's it gonna take for you to get it?"

Okay so maybe it wasn't that abrupt and maybe it was a little softer and compassionate, but I wanted you to get the point.  I wasn't getting it... when things are crazy and hectic and "out of control" I complain to God that He needs to slow life down.  And then when nothing is happening, when the waves have silenced and the storm has passed I complain because it is "boring."  I'm sure God wonders if there is anything He could ever do to make us happy all of the time. 

So this is it... my season right now is to just wait, to roll with the punches, enjoy life where I'm at and take in every single blissful moment.  I've said a number of times that my life has changed, that I have changed since my nephew Billy died last March... I'm not sure I'll ever be able to put it into words but I know that I'm one crazily blessed girl and for that I thank my Lord and Savior for never leaving and never forsaking me.  Life is good, even when it is "boring" and doesn't always seem to make sense.  I'm in a good place and I wouldn't change it for anything.

What is God showing you about this season of your life?