does God REALLY move mountians?

This is my favorite story... Here it is, decide for yourself - or ask me questions!

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Uganda, A Bet, and a Prayer

Uganda is back in the news these days because of elections and problems within the nation. While praying for Uganda, I was reminded of a story I read several years ago. I found it and wanted to send it to you to encourage you in your prayer life, and to remember the great nation of Africa in prayer. I trust this story will encourage you, not to make bets on God answering prayer, but simply trust in the sovereignty of God! Let's trust Him to move in the hearts of men and women throughout the world.

In December 1994, Doug Coe, who is a remarkable man of faith working and living in Washington D.C., told this story about his friend, Bob Hunter. Bob was a new Christian, searching about to understand what it all meant. One day he asked Doug, his good friend: "Doug, do you really believe what the Bible says about moving mountains when we pray?" Doug thought about it, and answered "sure." Bob was rather incredulous, and asked him, "Do you mean to say that you believe that if I prayed for a mountain to move, that it would move?" Doug thought for a while and the conversation went something like this:

"Let me put it this way. I not only believe it, but I'll make you a bet. A $500 bet. Bob, what do you know about Africa?"

"Nothing."

"What do you think about when you think of Africa?"

"I think about monkeys swinging from trees."

"Then here's the bet. I want you to pray for 45 days. 'God help Africa.' You can't miss a single day. And that's all you have to pray, 'God help Africa.' At the end of 45 days, you be the judge on whether any mountains have moved. If you think a mountain has moved, you pay me $500. If you don't think a mountain has moved, you just tell me, and I'll pay you $500, no questions asked."

Bob, being an astute businessman, rather liked the odds. He accepted the bet. And he began to pray daily, "God help Africa."

Just a few days later, he was at a dinner, and sat next to an elderly lady. In the course of the conversation, he found out she lived in Uganda, and ran an orphanage there. He began asking her a number of questions about Uganda and Africa. After awhile, she finally asked him why he was so interested in Africa. To which he responded, with some embarrassment, "You'll never believe this, but I made a bet with a good friend," and proceeded to tell her about his bet with Doug Coe. By the end of the evening she invited him to return to Uganda with her in a few days to visit the orphanage. He accepted the invitation.

You can guess that when he visited the orphanage in Uganda, his heart was touched by the orphans. After coming back to the U.S. he got a few friends together and bought a load of toys and clothes, and sent them to Uganda. The following week, he got a phone call from the woman at the orphanage: "Mr. Hunter, the children are so grateful for what you did, they would love it if you could come again so they can make a special presentation to you to show you their appreciation. Can you come?" He accepted the invitation, and was off to Uganda again.

After a very heartwarming ceremony at the orphanage, there was a phone call for Bob from the President of Uganda. He had heard about the gifts and called to thank him personally and on behalf of his country, for what Bob had done for the orphans. He also invited Bob to visit him that afternoon.

When Bob arrived that afternoon for his appointment, the President was just in the middle of rushing out of his office. He apologized that he had to go off to some appointment, but invited Bob to come along, so they could get acquainted in the car. Bob accepted. Along the way, at one of the stops, Bob looked out the window to see what appeared to be a stockyard; only this was a stockyard not filled with cattle, but with men. Bob asked the President what he was seeing. The President responded that it was a political prison, and those men were his political enemies. The conversation went something like this:

"But Mr. President, that's not right to have men living in such horrible conditions. You must let them go."

"But those are my political enemies; men who have tried to subvert my authority. I cannot let them go. That would be foolish."

"You have to let them go; it's just not right that human beings would have to live in those conditions."

The conversation did not last long, and shortly thereafter Bob was back home in the U.S. About a week after getting back, he received a phone call. This time it was the State Department asking him to come to a meeting with the Undersecretary for African Affairs.

Rather puzzled over the purpose of such a meeting, he nevertheless went to the appointment. At the meeting, the Undersecretary of State for African Affairs and Bob had a conversation along these lines:

"Mr. Hunter, on behalf of the Government of the United States, I want to thank you for what you have done in Uganda."

"What? The U.S. Government is thanking me for sending some toys to some orphans in Uganda?"

"No, Mr. Hunter. It is about the political prisoners."

"What about the political prisoners?"

"The President of Uganda recently released the political prisoners, which is something our government has been trying to get him to do for years, without success. He told us after taking this action that he was doing it because of what you said to him."

"What I said to him?"

"Yes. What exactly did you say to him?"

Needless to say, Bob Hunter was flabbergasted. But the story doesn't end there. After the State Department meeting, the President of Uganda called Bob over the phone, and asked him to return to Uganda to help him form a new cabinet for his country.

"But Mr. President, I don't know anything about your country or the people who would best serve in your government. I'm just an American businessman. How can I possibly help you choose a cabinet?"

"Mr. Hunter, I trust you. Please come."

Bob went. And did what he could to help the President select his new ministers. And since that time, a close friendship has developed between Bob Hunter, American businessman, and the President of Uganda. The President even stays in Bob's home in the D.C. area when he visits the U.S.

And you can guess, after those 45 days of praying "God help Africa," Bob Hunter sent Doug Coe a check for $500.

That night in Gig Harbor Doug Coe proceeded to tell us that he told his story later to a group of around twenty very successful business executives, all members of Young Presidents Organization, an international association of business people who have become the chief executives or owners of companies above a certain size by age 40.

After he told the story at this YPO lunch, 13 of them came up to him and asked him if he would take on the bet with them. Swallowing hard, after doing some quick math, he nevertheless accepted the bet. He laid out the ground rules for them, that they had to pray every day for 45 days. They did not have to tell him what they were praying for, and at the end of the 45 days, it would be entirely up to them to decide whether a mountain had moved as a result of their prayers.

After those 45 days, Doug received 12 checks for $500 each. A while later, he received the 13th check, accompanied by a letter that said something like this:

"Doug, my mountain did not move. But the discipline of praying every day for 45 days has changed my life, and so I feel I owe you this $500."

Note from Doug Nichols, International Director for Action Team World Wide.

Sarah - Hug or strangle?!

Some times I want to hug her to death...sometimes I feel like i could strangle her to death....

hE kNoWs YoUr NaMe!

Right now... I'm feeling two totally different emotions, and i'm not quite sure how that works...

Firstly, I'm so mad. Today, I was thinking to myself how if I want to serve one day (in Mexico :D) I need to start serving 100% at home... Then I realized, I do that. Yes, there are definitely ways i can pick it up more, but ... I DO help out a lot, and, right now I'm totally be "prepared" for whats going to come. There's a reason I'm growing up where I am. Just today I was thinking that... But then, mom, Sarah and I got into a huge argument on the way home from our piano recital. Basically they ganged up on me saying that I boss Sarah around to much and i'm not grateful for waht she does. But, it was so off! Like, she doesn't do ANYTHING, complains about anything she *does* do, whines about everything, doesn't do anything whole-heartedly, and I'm almost sick of it. I've always been the one who works so hard to keep everything cleaned and in order, yet here they are saying that I'm not grateful enough to *her*! Now, I will admit i can be a little bossy v(that's def something i can/should work on) but for them to be mad at me about that! ahh...
so that brought up a lot of different things for me. the first one is that since she whines about working and complains about me asking her to work *I* get yelled at (since she's the one making all the commotion) instead she should be thanking me for all the work i do.. but since i don't make a huge deal about it, she just gets forgotten about by my mom and dad.
Secondly, my mom was saying how much of a "NOT servant" i am. which really hurt! i try *so* hard to do everything for my mom and dad. i don't know one other person my age who works as much as me around the house. i cook, clean, and even still.. i half raise Sarah!
They put $10,000 into Daniel every year so he can (go to school) and play football. They put SO much time into driving him EVERYWHERE, getting him trainers, and entire work out rooms, almost moving the whole family for 3 months to Columbus - just so he can play. Which, yea I'm for that, it's his dream, he wants to pursue it, it'll def be in his future somewhere... but if that do all that for him, can't they do just a little for me? Not only do they forbid me to go to Mexico (my passion/dream), but they discourage me all the time! kingslove, vbs, etc! on top of that, to tell me that i suck at serving, when it's what i feel so called to do, i love doing it, it's *my* special thing, and i work so hard at it (at home).
ah they put everything into Daniel! can't they leave SOME for me? I'm not even talking about money (that's a whole separate issue), but just support me mentally, encourage me, TRY to find me a Spanish class... etc!
So that's one way I'm feeling.
However the other part of me feels so loved by god (ironic huh?) how do those two emotions even work in the same sentence? How can i feel so rejected, unloved, and abandoned by everyone, yet so loved and everything?
God knows me by name. How amazing is that? he has MY NAME written on his hand! omg that's like saying president obama (not that's he's so great or anything) but if he wrote anna griffith even on his paper - that would totally be wierd! someone who has so much to do, so much on his mind is thinking about you all the time! omg that's just crazy!
I got the Back2Back semi-annual new's letter/magazine yesterday, so I've been reading all the stories that's going on down there. I'm so inspired by God. He is so powerful, he can do anything. We totally don't trust him enough.
I'm so excited to see what He's going to do in my life over the next few years.
My mom was so right (she gave me like a 40 minute sermon - all of which was true, but i didn't' want to listen at the time). But even though i AM right in the sense Sarah doesn't want to work, she isn't grateful, etc, but that doesn't mean that I am WRONG too in the aspect of controlling her, and making her work, trying to discipline her in that way, instead of just letting God take care of it. I honestly thought if I don't make her clean the kitchen it wont get done. and technically that's true, she needs to be made to do it, or she wont. but i need to trust in god and let him take care of her, setting an example of a hard working, caring person (instead of a bossy, mean sister)
God knows me by name! If the creator of the universe can do that... then I can be a little nicer to Sarah, and work a little harder to serve the family. The one time I was talking to Guillermo, and he said something just casually about being busy and school. He said "I have to do good, because I am a child of God"! That hit me really hard...for a long time I kept thinking about it. I always here ppl saying "glorify god" etc... i know that's kind of the same concept, but this hit me completely different. What does it mean to Glorify God? But BECAUSE you are Gods child, you should do good... God knows my name... I can at least to try to do something right. I can't do it by myself though, i know that...

breathe in breathe out

I don't think I've ever been this busy. Right now, I'm print 600 fliers and organizing them all - about a 8 hour job. Every 30 seconds or so I have to run up and re-start the printer. Every 5 minutes I have to put all the printed papers into folders, and re-start the process. Today, I woke up and went straight to piano lessons, came home - had 2 hours to completely have my debate partner's binder ready to go for Friday (normally a 5 hour job). After I had finished that, I ran off to work late- worked for 5 hours, and ran to do the project I'm currently working on. Right now, it's about 8pm, I still have 4 more hours on this project (due Wednesday night). Tomorrow morning I have my piano audition I've been preparing for since October. My songs aren't memorized yet. I was planning on practicing for a few hours today, however... time's running out. My national debate tournament is Thursday, I have yet to print, organize, and read any of my hundreds of pages of evidence (a 10 hour job). Wednesday I have to work... When will I do all this? I'm about to go crazzzy!!!! As I've been working on this project for the last 3 hours, literally running across the room, throwing papers, I started thinking - why is my life like this? Why do I have to be so busy? School ends soon... yet it's not going to get less busy! I thought summer was the time for rest, relaxation, FUN!?! Then I realized... my life can't get any better than this! I honestly have the "DREAM LIFE". Why am I complaining that I have so many opportunities? That I'm learning soo much!? That I am NEVER bored? Do you know how boring it is to be bored? (lol) I just have to take this one step at a time, and enjoy every minute of it.. because this season wont last long (even though it seems like it will!). I'm going to wish I had this time back.. yet right now, I'm wishing it away. Who wouldn't want to be in a Log Cabin in the woods, all alone, blasting music, windows open, filing papers? All I've to do is think about my friends in Mexico - they either get to sit in the boiling sun, bored, or ...work in it! I mean, what am I complaining about? Seriously?
Yes, it is a little overwhelming everything I have to do. But if I just look at one task at a time...I'll be fine :)
I also realized God promises us rest, and peace. All I have to do is trust in him, and I can relax! Who needs to be stressed out when they have the Creator of the Universe fighting for them? Honestly! - How bad will it be, how many lives will it effect if I don't win the Debate Tournament? Or if i mess up in the audition!? There are more important things going on in the world!
In all the busy-ness of the day, I realized how thankful I am for this season of life!

3 Plays - 3 Days

So this week I decided to just go watch plays :)
Wednesday night, I went with Lizzie and Morgan to CVCA's school play - Beauty and the Beast. That was really cool because I had never seen the movie or heard anything about it. So that was like a first time experience for me.
Thursday night, I went straight from Co-op to Sarah Z's house, hung out, then went to Padua's school play. My 2 second Cousins were in it, which made it all the better. Kevin played a drunk, poor, guy! (haha!) And Nate played a serious (HAHA) poor guy. I got to see them and Aunt Karen after the play, and that was awesome! I miss them so much. It was cool to hang out, even though it was only for like 10 minutes :)
Padua's play was Les Miserables, which was amazzzing. I almost cried three times! I love the book too. I've read it twice :)
So then, Friday, Joseph took sarah and I to HIS school play - Pride and Prejudice. It was good! Joseph said about half the school was in the play... lol...
It was a really fun week. I love plays :) I'll never get sick of them ;)

Realizing God's Grace....

Today, I went to work on the most beautiful day I've seen in a LONG time... Ashlee and I sat on the porch with our computers on our lap, getting a tan and playing Taylor swift. :)
I ran out of work around 4:30, and had 1/2 an hour to waste time. ;) So i decided to Google "sick, shocking murders". How fun right? I told my debate partner a few weeks ago that I'd tell her more scary stories about people eating each other on the buses in Canada... (lol) men being 1200 pounds... just random stories. Now I regret ever googling anything. We live in a sick world... I read about men beating up little babies, children and women being kidnapped and never being found. 12 year old girls killing elderly people...a ton of sick, disgusting stories. At first it was entertaining (in a weird type of way...) Ashlee and I would just laugh at the stupidity of some people in unbelief. But then I started reading about little babies, and young children! The world is truly a horrible place. As i was reading it all, I kept thinking about Mexico, India, Africa, China - third world countries: how horrible life is for them, what it's like to actually be in their places, to really go weeks without water, to not know where their food is coming tomorrow... Thinking about that, while reading theses stories, while sitting on a porch drinking a coke and eating fruit snacks...I realized how blessed I really am. I have so much, I'm so safe, I have a job, I live in a pretty good country... I don't have to worry about how I'm getting my food, or who's stalking me!
My only worries today was what music I was going to listen to, and if my debate block will be done on time.. what a horrible life right? ha! We constantly worry about such little things, when in the big picture - it's so tiny. We are seriously bless...we just have to realize it...

Looking Into the Face of Christ

I've been going to this bible study for the last few months, and it has changed my life. Joseph Korpics, our leader, is the most biblical, inspired, god-fearing, loving man i know. He's been leading us throug this series - Looking into the face of Christ. He knows how to make the most impactful, meaningful sermons i've ever heard. Mr. Korpics alwasy talks about God Romancing us. This was something very new to me, I had never thought of it before like this. Basically, how he explains it is God is madly in love with us and is constantly trying to make us fall in love with him. He longs for us. When you long for someone/something, you've just got to have it, and will do wahtever it takes to get that thing. That's how God sees us. He speaks to us, shows us things, dies for us, would give anything to see us happy, and is so hurt/dissapointed when we let him down, or don't desire to be his. How cool is that? Doesn't it make you feel bad after you realized, he would give ANYTHING to be your everything, and we ditch him because "we're to busy", we'd rather go watch a movie, or sleep, maybe log onto facebook!
This weeks message was on Mark chapter 4, when Jesus calms the storm. Mr. Korpics sheds so much onto theses small stories. When I read them, i admire them to a certain extent, get some lessons out of it... but he, he gets SO much out of it. so much i would have NEVER thought of. it's amazing. He starts off by pointing out, the disciples on the boat were all fishermen (use to storms out on sea, use to the elimiates, this was thier territory).... yet in this storm, they were frantic, in fear, hopeless - it was one BAD storm, they thought they were going to die.
They rudely awake jesus, once the storm got deathly bad, and say to jesus' face "why dont you care about us?" Wow, jesus knows how much he loves them, he would give everything for them, yet they ask him that! that's what i would call low, and painful. yet jesus calmly gets up, does'nt say anything to them, but asks them about thier faith, calms the storm (within seconds) and asks them again where their faith is...
Sometimes God amazes me. Theres so much about this story now, that would take me hours to mention, that just awes me.
God longs for us so badly...yet we dissapoint him so much, just as the disciples did when they asked him if he cared. Yet he still longs for us, would die for us, forgives us, and is "in wonder" of us. Now that's love.
anyways.... i'm not completing my thoughts.
All i can say is i've learned so much from Mr. Korpics, and i'm really sad we have to stop for "summer break"! Who needs summer break!? lol...
I can't believe God would even want to romance us... Why?
I want the kind of perspective Mr. Korpics has. I wanna be able to read the bible, and get what he gets out of it!!!