New Blog!!

I am switching over because I've been having some issues with blogger... so please visit my new blog!  I'll be updating on all of my adventures, so if you'd like to still keep up, here it is!

http://hannah-mackenzie.weebly.com/

God bless!
Hannah

The garden of our minds

Philippians 4:8 

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

God has really been speaking to me about my mindset.  People say that you start to become what you focus on, and think about the most.  Its SO true!  When we focus on the negative, we start to become negative people.  When we look at things with an optimistic point of view, we will start to become more positive people.  When we dwell on the things of our flesh, we begin to reap in those things. (1 Corinthians 10:3-6)  Its a battle!  The enemy knows.  He will try everything in his power to shoot us down.  To invade our thoughts with doubts, fears, insecurities, lust, hate, and all sorts of wickedness.  But you wanna know the truth?  We have MORE power and MORE authority through Christ, to overcome this battle of the mind.  He's given us His word, a double edged sword as He calls it.(Hebrews 4:12)  When we fill our minds with truths from there, that's when our mindsets will start to change from what WE want to what HE wants.

I look at it as if my mind were like a garden.  It takes a lot of working, pruning, watering, and growing to get to where you want to be.  Getting rid of the weeds that try to choke out the flowers.  If you become a sluggard, and forget to be on guard, these weeds will overtake your garden and turn it into a complete and crazy mess.  

How can we do this?  How is it possible to change our mindsets, when we are so imperfect?  We can't help it sometimes!  That's a lie.   We CAN help it!  We just get lazy sometimes.  We let our guard down.  We let Satan have a foothold.  
I was really struggling with this a few months back, asking God what I could do to change that.  I had been in the word, filling my head with the knowledge of God and the truths of His word, and I was STILL struggling.  One day I was reading and I came across this verse;


Colossions 3:1-2Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated
at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Now, every time I find my mind wandering away from the truth, or other thoughts not from the Lord start filling my head, I say this verse over and over in my head, and God takes it away.  Its because I'm turning my focus from the bad to the good.  We can love God by the way we use our minds.  By taking every thought captive in obedience to Christ we ARE loving Him.  He says in His word, to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and MIND." (Matthew 23:37)Be alert, on guard, and start filling yourself with His truths.  Soak yourself in them.

Magdalena

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also"  

Matthew 6:19-21

God has been giving me a new outlook on life.  One that looks at others needs before my own.  One of simple living, in order that others may simply live.  Physically and Spiritually.  I wish to live my life simply living and loving like Jesus.  I pray that people would see that being walked out in me. I've learned that what used to be big sacrifices, don't look so big anymore.  When we start to have that mindset of simple living, we put aside earthly possessions and focus more on what we really should be focusing on.  Loving God and loving people.  And everything else just seems less important.
 I knew God was trying to teach me this, and wanted me to stop just talking about it and start actually living it.  On Friday (our last day at the mission) we went to the market in town.  Right away when we got there, my eyes directly went to a little old lady standing in barely rags.  She looked as though she may not have had a shower in months.  Her small feet were bare, filthy and blistered.  Immediately my heart went out to her.  She sat on a bench, not going around begging, but more just taking in everything around her.  I watched as people passed her with hardly even a glance.  My heart broke.  Are people really so blind?  As I was watching and hurting for this lady, I began asking God what I should do.  I don't know Spanish.  I'm so incapable of sharing the love of Jesus with this lady in a language I hardly even speak!  As I was asking God, a sweet young girl came up to me and grabbed my hand.  I asked her name, and she said "Luz"  (In Spanish means Light, which was exactly what she served to be that day.)  We walked to lunch together, and ate, but that lady was still on my mind.  I knew God needed me to talk to her.  I finally asked Luz to come along to help translate, and she agreed.  At first the lady stared at me like I was absolutely nuts.  She asked why I was stopping to talk to her, and I told her because God loved her, and so did I.  I asked to pray for her, and she hesitantly agreed.  She walked away in the middle of the prayer, and I started feeling frustrated.  I felt God beckoning me to offer her my shoes.  My $40 pair of Toms!  For those of you who know me, me and my toms are like inseparable.  But I listened, and told Luz that we had to go find her again!  When we did, and I offered her my shoes, she said no.  Then she said something that made me think.  She told me that she didn't need shoes because she was hungry.  Then I understood.  I was so worried about her having shoes, material things that I thought she needed, when really she only was asking for what she actually needed.  I knew why God had beckoned me to do that, because He wanted to use that to teach me.  It was an Abraham moment.  God was seeing if I was willing to make even that small sacrifice.  That day, I was able to bless this beautiful woman not only with physical food, but spiritual food.  After giving her a little bit for food, she looked at me with her beautiful smile and I told her that Jesus really did love her and that she was his child and that she was beautiful.  As we walked away from this woman, Luz looked at me and said "Now Magdalena is happy."  With the biggest grin on her face.  

God taught me so much through that.  We can live simply by holding loosely to the things of this world, the material things.  Our iPads, computers, clothing, phones, shoes etc... those things are of SO little importance.  They are nice to have, but once they start to take hold of our lives, we lose all meaning.  I want my life to be consumed in building relationships, first with God, and then, with people around me.  If we begin to pour into our relationship with God, we then can have the ability to pour it out to other people by loving the way Jesus would.  

For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  

1 Timothy 6:7

half way home!

This week marks our halfway point.  That's a really sad thought!  I wish it would slow down... This week has been another roller coaster week in Baja... I've just come to accept the fact that it's normal.  You know how I know?  Because if we are giving our all in serving Christ, the enemy is going to do everything in his power to shut us down.  I'm so glad that I have authority in Jesus name to let him know whom I belong to!

Another week of working with my precious babies.  You know I didn't really know it was possible to love someone enough, but I would literally give my life for any of these babies.  They are so precious to me.  And they are really teaching me something too - they have given me an even deeper glimpse of the Fathers love for us.  He poured out His life for us.  He went to the extreme.  He died for us.  And as followers of Him, we are called to be like Christ.  He has really been teaching me how to love.  And of course it's easy to love babies.  Who doesn't love babies?  But he's even showing me that I am called to love EVERYONE like that!  Even those who have treated us wrong, those who are unwilling to forgive... We are called to love them anyways.  I keep praying that He continues to fill me with that extravagant love.

The tragedy struck Friday night.  We were sitting in the home of our dear friends when we got the news that one of the former cuna babies had passed away.  To say this was a shock to everyone would be an understatement.  I can't even describe the pain and sadness that went through me.  The Cuna was all just a mess of tears.  And my question in all this was "why God?  Why would you take the life of a precious innocent baby who has hardly even had a chance to live yet!"  Once again He is teaching me.  It's He who determines when we come into this world and also when we leave.  He has a reason for everything, and although we can't see that now, we look ahead with hope.  My heart is with the family, her twin, her big brother, and momma.  We are sad but we can have reason to hope through Him.  Through it all, He is still God, and He is still glorious.

Saturday was Valentine's day, and what a beautiful day it was!  I am not in a relationship as of right now, but there was plenty of love to be shared that day!  I spent the day with my mom, one of my dearest friends, and our three sponsored children.  Valentine's day isn't a time to mope around and feel sorry for yourself, it's really just about spending time with people you love and cherish the most. And that shouldn't just be on Valentine's day, but everyday!  Because that's what we are called to do.  Love God, love people.

I'm off to sala now, (our corporate morning devotions)
I love life!

Blessings,
Hannah

Week one in Baja!

Well here I am down in the beautiful Baja Mexico... Words can't describe the beauty that surrounds me all around.  Not only in the nature -the trees, the mountains, the ocean... But also in the hearts of the people.  Every time I come down here I never cease to be amazed by the kindness, the care and the love that people are showing everywhere.

To me, that is beautiful.

The ride down was nice.  We met up with a group from Las Vegas, and got to know them, while having some deep discussions on some of the deeper topics.  We arrived safely and were greeted by wonderful friends, and have settled nicely into our little casa.... (Which in my opinion we can't even call little seeing as we have a spare bedroom and PLENTY of space) it's very nice, and I feel blessed to call this home for now.

The work I have been assigned to is with the babies in the nursery.  (My little heaven). My tasks include; wiping boogers, changing poopy diapers, cleaning up the ones who are potty training.. (They call it training for a reason) breaking up fights, trying to communicate with my little Spanish that I know... Those are just a few things that are just everyday tasks in the Cuna (Spanish word for nursery) but I couldn't be any happier, or love my job anymore than I do there.  Aside from the so called "dirty work" my job also includes rocking precious babies, playing and dancing with them, and most importantly, loving them as we are called to love them in Christ.  (James 1:27)
You know you love your job a lot when you come home from a long shift more energized than anything!

Some of you know about my relationship with Rene.  Last August when I was here we really bonded and had a really good relationship, and so I started sponsoring him.  The first night here I went to the Cuna and picked him up for church, and it was like picking up where we had left off.  We bonded again right away.  My heart just loves that boy so much.

Now, this week hasn't just been all fun and perfect... It has probably been one of the most challanging weeks I've had for a while!  Spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  My first night here I had (what we think was) a heart attack, and afterwards some very bad heartburn.  Which was like nothing I've ever experienced before. (I honestly thought I was dying) but by the grace of God it wasn't too major and the heartburn hasn't come back for a few days now.  Day 3 I got very sick, unable to get out of bed most of the day.  I finally got enough energy (or so I thought) to take a shower, but I ended up passing out in the shower (another thing I have never experienced before.)  I could tell plenty of people had been praying for me because the next day I was up and eating, feeling so much better.  I had a bad stomach ache this morning, but that went away after taking some meds.
Gods been working on some things in me... doing some refining and shaping (which doesn't always feel the best) and has been challanging me in some of the things I thought I was so clear on.  It's been difficult, but I know that He uses the refinement time to shape us into His perfect masterpiece, and so I'm learning to fully trust and rely on His promises to get me there.

Week one has been a roller coaster, but I'm perfectly content knowing that this is where God has me at the moment, and He is doing something awesome!  I've been enjoying building relationships with the people here, and most especially with my babies (whom I will hopefully introduce in another post.)

Much love to all of those who have been supporting me with prayers, I appreciate it very much.

Dios te bendiga!
Hannah

triumph through trials

{{For when your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow. 

So let it grow, for when our endurance is fully developed,

you will be strong in character and ready for anything.  James 1:3-4}}

We have all been there.  In the garden of grief.  Those times were we find ourselves on our knees, weeping, crying out to Him for help.  Sometimes we find ourselves questioning.  "Why God did You bring me here?  To a place of hurt, disappointment, betrayal..."  I know I, myself have been there plenty of times.  Its rough.  Sometimes I find myself asking Him why He couldn't have found a way less painful, a way that wouldn't hurt as much as this.

   The truth is, He knows EXACTLY how we feel!  He was in the same spot when He was in the garden the night He was betrayed.  He also asked for a less painful way.  But He also KNEW that it was Gods purpose, and that the ultimate victory was at the cross.  He trusted the Father.  Just as olives must be crushed to make oil, so He was crushed and poured out as a love offering to us. 

He is testing us.  Refining us.  Our faith is more precious to Him than gold. As it says in 1 Peter 1:7;  "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

   We have to go through the nasty stuff, to get to the beautiful.  The pain, the hurt... in the end, it will all be worth it to see His beautiful face at the finish line, and to hear Him say; "Well done child.  You have won."  

The trials this world throws at us are meant to give us endurance and teach us how to fully rely on Christ.  We can't do these things, or go through them on our own.  He gives us His Spirit to live inside us, and walk with us in our lives daily.  

   And when the weight of your circumstances begin crushing down on you, He tells you to come to Him in prayer, and to lay all of your burdens at His feet.  

The time will come, to leave that garden, and He will lead you straight to the cross where your trials will be transformed into triumph. 

Hallelujah! 

striving for holiness

1 Peter 1:16  

{{since it is written, “you shall be holy, for I am holy."}}

holiness isn't just something we should have in the back of our minds, holiness is a lifestyle.  a lifestyle that God calls us to live and serve in.

holiness is being set-apart.  being in the world, but not of it.

from experience i know how difficult it can be to live up to Gods standard of holiness (as it said in 1 Peter to be holy as HE is holy)  those are some big shoes to fill! (or should i say sandals ;))  God is perfect.  faultless, blameless, pure, and upright.  NOBODY can compare.  we are human.  we fall, we stumble, we sin... its natural for us to do so.  living a holy lifestyle isn't about being perfect and never sinning.  but we are also called to confess - when we do fall short, when we do stumble.  we are called to repent, to turn away.  we are also called to forgive not only others, but ourselves.  to love.

we should always have the mindset of pursuing holiness.  everyday.  ask God to help you with those things in your life that get in the way of pursuing that.  our flesh is weak, but the Spirit is willing.  its about taking up our crosses daily and denying ourselves and our flesh.

{{Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.}} 2 Corinthians 7:1

{{Pray, ask, repent, forgive, love.  That is how you pursue a holy lifestyle.}}