scars of life....I am the Vine... remain in Me

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
(John 15:1-11 ESV)

Since I was on the farm last week, I got a lot of time to just relax and just reflect... It doesn't happen much here in Davao... I try to set time aside but that doesn't always happen when the schedules doesn't stay the same.

It was an amazing week, to not be in the city, but also hard because I could finally be alone and just breathe and sometimes things just pile up and trying to debrief everything can be a struggle.

Yet Praise the Lord for his grace. Since being in the Philippines God has shattered everything that I once held dear... I find myself singing "the wonderful Cross" and I see now what it mean to count it all loss...

Last Sunday was the first Sunday where I could attend church without having a conflict with my work schedule. A huge blessing, it has been six weeks! I went a few times to prayer meeting during the week, but I hadn't gone to a sunday service in a while. So I attended morning service at Davao Fourquare Gospel church and then the SBC- Davao baptist church with a couple of the Philipina midwives from Mercy...

In the evening service they talked about the persucuted church... (pray for the leadership at the church, a couple people have gotten death threats!) They also talked about the scars of life... suffering, poverty, loss of life... How God uses our scars for his glory... Though the trials and scars... they rise up in the Power of Christ... yet ever so humble... meek....

Looking back at my scars... from life... the hardships...trials... It call comes back the Jesus...back to the Cross...

In the end... all that matters is what I do for Christ... if I give to the poor, deliver babies, if I'm an advocate for better health care, if I go to the unreached people in the world... YET IF I DON'T proclaim Christ or live a life in which he could uses me.... its useless, worthless, foolish junk...