The Heartbeat of Haiti

11 days ago, I began my 11-month journey in Haiti. While I am only beginning to scratch the surface of understanding the culture, language, and heartbeat of this nation, I am already seeing God’s presence and vision for this country. I have seen a spark igniting within the Church. God is calling this country to ACTION.

Upon entering the Port au Prince airport, a man said something to me that struck me in a deep way. For those who are unaware, the time I entered Haiti was the weekend after protests and political unrest were just beginning to settle. The man looked at me, asked me about what I would be doing here in Haiti, and said, “Wow. You decided to come right now. Haiti is on fire.” While the man made this statement in quite a literal way, I can’t help but believe that this remark, whether he intended it or not, was indicative of something greater happening within the country.

Two days after arriving, I attended a local church that gave me a closer glimpse and greater understanding of why this airport exchange wasn’t just meaningless small talk. The message spoken was a very direct, powerful, call to action. The pastor encouraged the Church, or the followers of Christ, to take this time of dissension and fear as an opportunity to STAND UP. He declared that it is our responsibility not just to pray, but to act and carry out the call God has put on our lives.

Upon traveling to another community, meeting with some Haitian friends, and visiting another local church, this mindset of taking action and carrying out God’s call was reiterated. I observed God preparing the hearts of young adults to take their stories of what God has done in their lives to unreached places. I listened to another local pastor’s vision to disciple believers and shift the mindset of religion to a personal, relational model. I participated in prayer sessions in which vision and excitement for God’s plan in this nation was advanced.

While this is only the beginning, I can already see that God is moving in Haiti. While the man at the airport may have literally meant the country was on fire, I believe that this “fire” is indicative of the rapid release of light—God’s light---that is releasing in Haiti. As this flame is igniting among the Haitian people, I can’t wait to see how the local Church will arise to spread the Gospel.

Let us pray for this sense of urgency to continue to fan into flame, challenging the Church in Haiti to mobilize the Gospel and take the Holy Spirit to places it hasn’t gone before.

Until next time,

Tamara

The Beauty of Haiti

Many have read or heard of the events that have taken place in Haiti over the past few days. While it’s easy to watch a short news clip and make assumptions that A + B led to C, or to make a generalization that the actions of a few are representative of the population, I would encourage us to take a deeper look and try to better understand the cultural context and heart of Haiti.

While I am not a Haitian national and certainly don’t consider myself an expert on Haitian culture, I would like to highlight some of the beauty I have witnessed in this country as a reminder that God is working and present in this people group.

These are just a few of the many moments that I found very striking and beautiful within Haitian culture:  

1.) Upon receiving a pack of gum as a gift, a little boy around 8 years old opened the pack up and proceeded to pass it around and make sure each one of his friends got a piece. Within a minute, the pack was entirely empty. I remember watching this and thinking how many times I have had a pack of gum and tried to be stealthy about getting a piece when it was almost empty because I wanted to save the last piece for myself. Sad, but true! This little boy reminded me that we are to value our neighbor as much as we value ourselves.

2.) When talking with a young Haitian man about how I was struggling to figure out what I was going to do with my life and worrying about how everything would work out, he reminded me that God is faithful. Although this young man was uncertain about how he would pay for his own schooling or find work, he had peace and hope deeper than my own. He trusted God fully with the future (regardless of circumstance) and encouraged me to do the same.

3.) While visiting a pediatric hospital, a young mom who had never met me before looked at me and allowed me to hold her newborn baby. While I was a complete stranger to her, we exchanged a few words and she passed her baby to me. I found her trust and kindness to be very admirable, particularly in that she would allow me to hold something so precious to her even though she didn’t really know me.

While I could go on and share many more stories, I believe these small moments speak volumes about the people of Haiti. Although there were some violent actions and negative moments that were spotlighted this week in Haiti, I would encourage those of us whom are from a very different background and living in a different context to remember that this is not representative of Haiti. Rather, Haiti is largely a country of beautiful, inspiring people that have resilience and kindness in the face of much adversity.

As we move forward and news about Haiti settles, let us remember to pray for this country. God is working in the lives of Haitians and hope is rising. Let it be our prayer that He continues to do good work, and that restoration is found through Jesus Christ.

Until next time,

Tamara

A Letter to the Brokenhearted

Grief is something personal and unique. Some feel it very deeply, while others feel nothing at all and wait tirelessly for some sort of emotion to surface. While no experience is quite the same and everyone processes loss differently, we all go through varying levels of grief throughout a lifetime.

Currently, I am in season in which many people close to me are suffering great loss. Whether you find yourself in a place of brokenness right now or not, I would like to share a word of encouragement about the promises of God in the wake of tragedy.

1. God is ever-present. You are not alone.

In our darkest moments, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the lie that we are alone. While people may express sympathies and even provide words of encouragement, there are still many moments that can feel empty and silent. While it’s easy to slip into isolation during these times, Scripture offers a promise that is far better than handling grief alone. As Jesus states in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God does not ignore or abandon His people. While we are not exempt from tragedy, God promises to bring peace to us when we seek Him.

2. God is steady. You can lean on Him.

Life is fragile, and the world is constantly changing. Some days are harder than others, and in times of loss we may long for the simple comfort of routine and constancy. It is written in Isaiah 40:28, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” While it may feel as though we are drowning in the pain and heartache of this world, God is the unchanging Father that we can lean on when everything else feels like it’s withering away.

3. Being weak is okay because God can be your strength.

“Stay strong” can be one of the most frustrating phrases for a grieving person. While some would suggest that grief is supposed to provoke a sense of self-reliance and internal strength, I would argue the opposite. Rather, grief pushes us to a place of brokenness in which our own strength is not sufficient. In 2 Corinthians 12:8, Paul receives a word from the Lord that states, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” While feeling weak is definitely not pleasurable, there is an underlying promise in our weakness that is beautiful. As evidenced in this text, God takes our greatest pain and promises to replace it with His strength.

4. There is redemption. Your sorrow is not wasted.

Grief and loss are struggles nobody wants to face. Nonetheless, God promises to redeem and give purpose to our pain. In Romans 5:3-5, it states “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” While the process of grief is hard, God uses it to develop who we are. It becomes a part of our story. When we suffer deeply and choose to surrender our pain to Him, He promises to make our pain into something beautiful.

Although life may seem unmanageable and God may seem far away, take hold to the truth that you are not alone. God is with you. He sees you. He can be the solid rock on which you lean. He can be the strength when you feel weak. He can turn your sorrow and mourning into something beautiful. It is my prayer that those of you who are currently feeling overcome with grief will believe these truths and sense God’s presence in your life more now than ever before.

Until next time,

Tamara

Selah

Pause. Pause to examine what God is doing right now. Pause to listen. Pause to reflect. Pause because God is good right now, even if nothing seems to make sense. Selah.

Selah is a Hebrew word used throughout the Bible, particularly in Psalms. Typically, the word appears after a new thought or idea is presented, indicating a transition to the next thing. Biblical scholars have debated for many years on the exact meaning of the word Selah. While some believe it is simply a musical transition word, others believe it means to “pause,” “reflect,” or “praise.” Although I’m not a biblical scholar by any measure, I tend to think Selah could very well be both a musical transition word and an instruction to pause, reflect, and praise God.

It is clear that while we may not fully understand the meaning of Selah today, it was something important to the writers of the Bible. Hence, it was included over seventy times throughout the book of Psalms.

The more I look into the expressions of David and other Psalmists during these excerpts containing “Selah,” the more I am convinced that this transition, pause, and reflection was something essential. For example, in Psalm 46, the sons of Korah begin the Psalm by crying out that God is our strength despite the immense trouble in the world. Thereafter, “Selah” is written. Then, they go on to say that God is among us and will release His power when morning dawns. “Selah.” Finally, the Psalm goes on to say that God brings desolations on the earth, but He has the power to restore everything. He will be our fortress in all the hard times. “Selah.”

This Psalm, from my interpretation, reveals a moment in which the writers were reflecting and pausing to honor and remember God’s power. To me, it’s almost as if they were proclaiming those words and repeating them again and again until they fully believed in their meaning. In this passage I picture their hearts declaring, “So be it. Yes, these words are true. Yes, God is good. Yes, He is powerful,” each time Selah is written.  

While I can’t know for sure how accurate my interpretation is on the word “Selah,” I know that this practice of pausing, reflecting, and praising God in the transitions of life is a healthy and Biblical thing to do. As I am in a phase of life in which there are many ups and downs and a whole lot of waiting and wondering, I am challenged by the Psalmists to add “Selah” into each day. To transition effectively from one thing to the next, I must reflect and remember God’s goodness. I must not waiver from my trust in Him. While I may be tempted to move on to whatever the next phase is in life, I cannot forget to pause and note God’s presence and strength in my life that holds true RIGHT NOW. Therefore, I am committing my life to honor God’s goodness by pausing, remembering, reflecting on, and repeating His true Word daily.

Until next time,

Tamara

Active in the Unknown

Transitions are uncomfortable. Some days, it’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that it has already been five months since I graduated college. The past few months for me have consisted of a series of job interviews, a change in financial responsibilities, and an extreme shift in day-to-day structure. Instead of balancing school, work, and several church responsibilities like I have the past four years of my life, I am now working part-time with no homework (Hallelujah!), no school, and fewer church responsibilities. I am constantly reminded by people I respect that I should embrace and enjoy this time, but in reality, this new lifestyle really caught me off guard and hasn’t been easy.

While I really enjoy having free time, I was surprised to discover how quickly loneliness and a lack of fulfillment started to weigh on me. As time swiftly passed by and I hadn’t moved in the direction I hoped I would after graduation, doubt and frustration started to take hold on me. From my perspective, I was doing all the right things and following God’s will for my life. I expected God to start answering my prayers and get my future rolling!

In frustration and perhaps even a little boredom, I started to memorize scripture in hopes that it might reveal something new to me in this challenging phase of life. After spending some time memorizing and reciting James 4, I was quickly awakened to some issues I had in my life.  The passage talks about desires, not getting what you want, and what God’s nature is in light of all our requests to Him. Through this passage, I learned (and am continuing to learn) that God answers our prayers and fulfills us when we choose to align our will directly with His. For me, this was a bit of a wake-up call to the fact that all my perfect plans for post-graduation life may not have been exactly what God had planned for me.

Beyond aligning my will to God’s will, I also feel that He has called me to refrain from passivity in the wake of the unknown. By this, I mean that God doesn’t want me to sit around idly simply because I don’t always know what direction He is going to guide me. Rather, I should be actively seeking His direction, and should be taking steps even when I don’t know the final destination.

As I am learning, this transitional phase of life very well may be a pivotal phase for me. While I await some answers and direction, I am grateful for the little bits of my story God has revealed and the small steps He has challenged me to take during this time.

If you are in a lonely, transitional, or unfulfilling time in life, I challenge you to refrain from passivity. While you may not know what is coming next or why you are placed where you are right now, I encourage you to seek God and allow Him to direct you. Sometimes, we can stifle our own ability to thrive when we refuse to veer from our own plan. In light of this, let us be willing, open, patient, and trusting in the Lord to direct us exactly where we need to be at exactly the right time.

Until next time,

Tamara

Unswerving Hope

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

While in Haiti, I had a conversation with a friend who has truly come against all odds to reach his goals. I stood there listening, dumbfounded, as he explained his life story to me. While I certainly enjoy a good testimony that starts with humble beginnings and ends in “happily ever after,” his story struck me as something much more authentic. There wasn’t an obvious solution to every problem he faced, and no single person swooped in to save the day. There was hard work involved. There was necessary planning and taking action. Most notably, there was an underlying hope.

One of the biggest obstacles in my friend’s life was finding the means to go to college. He simply did not have adequate funds to go. Beyond that, there were cultural and environmental barriers that would reduce the feasibility of a college education. Frankly, from a rational standpoint it was not possible. If you were to talk with my friend, however, you probably wouldn’t see it that way. He explained to me how on the first day of school, he didn’t even know how he was going to be able to pay for books or daily necessities. Nonetheless, he knew God called him to be there and that He would provide. Long story short, in his search for work, my friend came in contact with the exact people he needed. The people he met not only met financial needs, but supported him spiritually and emotionally. By having faith in God and working diligently to achieve the goals set before him, my friend has been able to attend college.

God’s faithfulness in my friend’s life is directly paralleled in his work as a gardener. As he works in a country that has faced many natural disasters, he has encountered several situations that have wiped out his livelihood. In spite of the hurricanes, earthquakes, and other unpredictable obstacles that have destroyed life, he has not stopped planting, re-building, and working to revive the garden. With my own eyes, I can say that I have literally seen his hard labor bear fruit. Remaining hopeful and diligent to the work set before him, God has provided life and restoration.

God is good and He provides! My friend’s story doesn’t end there in a “happily ever after,” though. He still has to face the challenges of finding a career in a place that has limited opportunity. When I asked him how he felt about the prospects of his future after graduating college, he looked at me in the eye and said, “When you work hard and follow God’s will for your life, He will take care of you.” These words were very meaningful to me and will be something I remember.

In Hebrews 10:23, we are charged to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” I am thankful to have a friend that has spoken this truth into my life. As I am in a stage of life that comes with a lot of unanswered questions and waiting, I am encouraged to remain hopeful in Christ. I am challenged to diligently seek God’s will for my life, as I know that He keeps His promises to those who faithfully follow Him. 

Until next time,

Tamara

Embracing the Uncomfortable

When I was a kid, I had many grandiose plans for my future. I had all kinds of ideas about what early adulthood would entail, and I was certain that everything would just sort of fall into place. While it may have been a bit naïve to think this way, I grew up watching so many people around me whisk through life with what seemed to be such ease and grace. They knew what they wanted out of life, they chased their dreams, and often times it seemed like everything just worked out.

As I am sitting here now, less than three months away from graduating college, I can’t help but laugh at my youthful perspective. While I absolutely support pursuing dreams and believe that hard work pays off, I have learned that there are other factors involved in shaping one’s future. Life isn’t quite as simple as a checklist of acquiring skills, dreams, and accolades. Rather, there is a significant amount of personal growth that has to take place to get to these points. Furthermore, there may be detours along the way that postpone reaching these goals. And, perhaps the most difficult to come to terms with, is that personal dreams may not always align with God’s perfect plan.

If someone was to ask me in my childhood where I thought I would be in life in my early twenties, I’m positive I would not have answered anything along the lines of where I actually am today. While I have had to grow and learn some things the hard way, have faced obstacles to attaining goals, and have even been completely re-routed to a different path than I had planned, I can honestly say, I wouldn’t have it any other way. My five-year-old self would have told you I couldn’t wait to grow up and chase my dreams. As I have grown older, however, I have realized that perhaps my dreams were not the dreams I should have be chasing.

 In Romans 8:28, Paul states, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

This verse is so reassuring to me. As it clearly depicts, I am a child of God created with a purpose in mind. Beyond that, as a follower of Him, God is working for my good. So while I might have many great dreams that could blossom into something tangible and remarkable, how much better would it be if I sought to attain the goals and purpose that God set out for my life before I even came into existence? How much better could I be if I embraced the things God has challenged me to pursue?

As I am entering a transitional phase of life and certainly still possess many dreams and goals, I am not suggesting the best idea is to throw these hopes out the window. Rather, I am choosing today to yield my dreams to God. I am choosing to place His will above my own, as His ways are perfect and better than mine. I am choosing to embrace any challenges or uncomfortable things that come about because I know that God is working for my good.

If you are feeling uncertain, disappointed, or even cynical towards your future, I challenge you to adopt a new mindset. Don’t give up on your dreams. Instead, give them to God. Ask God if your dreams are something that He has planned for you. Embrace moments of growth and correction. If your dreams turn out to be something that God does not have planned for your life, be willing to aspire to His greater call. Whether you feel like it right now or not, God has created you with a purpose. Beyond that, there is nothing He desires more than for you to seek His will.

Until next time,

Tamara