Jambo sana from Kenya

I know I am in Africa when I see people walk in the middle of the road …...I eat the most delicious mango that cost just 25 cents........the kids clean their running noses on their selves......when I get a sun burn after 10 minute.... the kids call me “Mama Maria” ….when I am confronted with unspeakable suffering and look into a face that radiates joy …..when I hear heart warming stories of God's provision and care. ….I could go on and on, life here is so different.

To my surprise I adjusted well so far. Physically I am feeling well. The high altitude does not bother me and I have no headaches! This is an answer to prayer. 

  

This is a picture of Martin and Melanie  with their little girl Mary. I enjoy living with them. Martin helps me with many things concerning the children.  Have a great day, Maria                                                                                            P.S. I have a phone now here in Kenya 254 country code 072 000 357  Looking forward to hearing from you.  Skype works too !!!!               

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Dear Friends!

I arrived safley in Kenya. My flights were uneventful! Tired but happy! It feels like coming home! Today I visited the orphans! What a joy! We puzzled together, listen to music, and started to read the children's bible that I brought. They were excited to see some of the things I brought!

 The Sticker books were the hit of course.
There are several new children in the home. One is Angle, a special needs kid! I am sure you can make her out in the picture.

Martin and Melanie welcomed me into their home. I already saw some "old" friends and met new ones! Of course its warm and sunny, facts easily embraced by me.

Thank you fro praying,
blessings, Maria

Centered Prayer

Be still, and know that I am God; Psalm 46:10

Today I talked with a friend about “Centered Prayer”. She expressed her desire to learn more about it but was uncertain about what it is and how to practice this form of prayer. Just last month some friends and I gathered for an evening of “Centered Prayer”. You might ask what's up with that? What is “Centered Prayer” and why would you want to do it?

The roots of “Centered Prayer” can be traced back to the early beginnings of the Christian church. It's a spiritual discipline that focuses our hearts on Christ. In the business of life, Centered Prayer is a form of “just being” not doing! Being silent in the presence of God; quite difficult for people whose schedules are filled with many activities.

Our common desire is to be led by the Holy Spirit into the presence of God. The promise of scripture is that “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 Framed by worship and listening to God's word we seek the presence of God. (music for me reaches the deepest part of my being)

In the quietness of our hearts we yield to His love. The Divine invites us into fellowship with Him! Amazing! Amazing love!

As the deer pant for water, so my soul longs after you O God. Psalm 42:1

Centered Prayer is about being drawn into a deeper level of communion with God; deeper then our mind, emotions, and our will, it touches our soul. The place where God Himself lives in us.

In Centered Prayer you engage your mind with Christ. It is not about “stop thinking or feeling,” it is about focusing on Christ. Some people repeat a word or phrase to dialog with Jesus. Others may focus on God's attributes or name revealed in scripture (Redeemer, Savior, Shepard, Abba, Father)

Centering Prayer is ultimately about the center of our life - Jesus! If He is not the center of our worship, life, purpose, prayer, and being then we are off center!

Most of the time my experience with Centered Prayer is not highly emotional or revealing. One thing I noticed about my life is that overall it gained a steadiness and peace; I am more grounded. It's like a calm river running through my life. Centering prayer can be part of your daily quiet time with God or experienced as a group.

Enjoy an unhurried time with God! Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

For more information: maria.allewelt@gmail.com

2013 – Reflection & Celebration

As the year draws to an end many people think about making improvements to their lives. Most of the “New Years Resolutions” are short lived. True changes don't come from will power but seeking God and the power He provides for us in the sanctification process. The following exercise is helpful to me not only to focus on the future but also being grateful for the blessings God has given to me during the past year. A receiving heart is a grateful heart that quickly points to the graces God has extended to us. Join me in reflecting and celebrating!

1. Reflect and Celebrate 
Look through your calendar or journal. What are some of the highlights and accomplishments?

• Write down one success for each month

• What breakthroughs did I experience? Thank God for each of them!

2. Learning

•  What did I learn about God?  
•  What steps forward did I take?
•  What values did I live out?

3. Hard but good

• What losses did I experience?

• What disappointments did I encounter?

4. Looking ahead

• What goals would I like to achieve?

• What new skills would I like to acquire?

• How would I like to experience change in myself over the next year?

• What spiritual gift do I want to focus on and grow in?

• Do I need to unlearn a habit or behavior?
  
  Enjoy what God has done in your life this past year and even more so enjoy Him who loves you!      "Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!"

2.  God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 reveals an amazing fact about God's love for us. He gave himself into death so we can live! Pretty radical isn't it? Sacrificial love is one of the most beautiful ways to demonstrate love! Giving of self starts with choosing to put another person's needs over your own. You “fight” for another person's advantage rather than your own. That takes great courage and willingness to put someone other than yourself into the center of your universe. Your thinking and feeling stops circling around yourself but makes another person the focal point of your attention. This is how Jesus loved and loves us! He removed at great cost whatever was in our way to receive the Father's love. Now His love can flow uninterrupted into our hearts.
   

The amazing thing for me is that Jesus did that before I ever knew Him. Nothing I did convinced Him that I would be a worthy cause to die for. None of my gifts or accomplishments impress Him to do something so radical for me. My “good deeds” outweighing my “not so good deeds” was not a consideration of His in giving himself for me on the cross. He died for me because of the Father's love for me! “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. (John 3:16 The Message)




Did you ever do something out of love or did you ever stop doing something out of love? Something that was costly to you, something that involved a disadvantage for you and a benefit for the other person? (Giving up the right to be right! Taking the first step to reconcile! Not to criticize or blame the other person...) Think of how you can love like this today. Becoming like Jesus is loving like Jesus! Pretty awesome to consider and act in a divine manner!

Conversations with God

GOD says, “I love you.” You reply: “Really? How have you loved me?”



God's reply: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. Long before I laid down earth’s foundations, I had you in mind, had settled on you the focus of my love, to be made whole and holy by my love. Long, long ago I decided to adopt you into my family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure I took in planning this!) I wanted you to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of my beloved Son.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you. I, God demonstrates my love for you in this: While you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, you are free —free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!
I, God have made you my friends again. I did this through Christ’s death in the body so that he might bring you into (my) God’s presence as a person who is holy, with no wrong, and with nothing of which I can judge you guilty. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.


My love has been poured out into your heart through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to you. I, the Lord your God is with you; the mighty One will save you. I will rejoice over you. You will rest in my love; I will sing and be joyful about you. Be still, and know that I am God.”
Malachi 1;2 (MSG) Jeremiah 31;3 (NIV) Eph. 1;3-6 (MSG) Isaiah 43:4 (NIV) Rom.5;8 (NIV) Eph. 1;7&8 (MSG) Col. 1;22 (NCV) Rom. 8;1 (NIV) Rom.5;5 (NIV) Zeph.3;17 (NCV) Ps. 46;10 (NIV) in all passages I took the freedom to adopted the pronouns accordingly and made slight changes, without distorting the meaning of scripture.