Bless the Lord, oh my soul!

Today started my last weekend here in Mexico City for the summer. I can't even believe those words as I type them. I got to spend the majority of the day with my oldest host brother, Leví, as we went to his university to get his schedule and finalize his enrollment. It was really fun for me to adventure out more into this city and see an area I hadn't seen before. We also spent a good amount of time talking about college in general and it got me thinking about a lot of things. Later tonight we also went on our last Visita (home visit) and as I was looking for some scripture to share, I came across Psalm 103 which just further emphasized what the Lord had been pressing on my heart.
If I have learned anything this summer it is this: to bless the Lord with all my soul at all times. There have been days (especially lately on crutches) when all I did was complain. There were days when all I wanted to do was sleep and rest and speak English. There were also days when I would cry in prayer at night because I was so overwhelmed by how badly the people of this city need the Lord in all the poverty, lost, brokenness, addictions, prostitution, idolizing, paganism, idleness, hurting and hopelessness here. There have been days when I just cried out to the Lord, "Where are you?!"
But tonight my heart is filled with joy. Because I am reminded of all the thousands of reasons I have to bless the Lord. With all my soul and all my being. I am reminded that as a cherished and treasured daughter of the King, I am completely provided for and left without wanting. His presence alone makes my soul rise in joy, singing praises to the heavens above. If I have nothing else in this world besides His saving grace, I have not a single reason to complain or withhold praise to the Lord. And I am not going to praise the Lord for blessing me more than my neighbor (not to say that I haven't been extremely humbled by this whole experience in a culture much more economically disadvantaged than what I have come from) but tonight I bless the Lord simply for who He is: kind, patient, merciful, caring, fierce, intentional, beautiful, joyful, constant, fearless, strong, wise, loving, endless, intimate, sweet, truthful, honorable, selfless, glorious, marvelous, zealous, protective, sovereign, generous, disciplining, gracious, sufficient, uplifting, comforting, quiet, faithful, and enough.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!

The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures

   In truth, I am being majorly humbled right now. The past few days on crutches and "bed-ridden" have been some of the hardest days for me so far. For many reasons. For one, the pain medicine knocks me out so I end up sleeping most of the day while my family works around the house helping out with chores and what not, which annoys me because I want to help so badly. I have to have people carry things for me, and at times I feel like it is a burden which makes me feel so guilty. I also can't even carry my own bottle of coke across the room which is frustrating. I really am so stubborn, so being told "no" is always a hard lesson for me. Physically I am so weak, as I am learning that using crutches is quite an exercise, especially living in a city like this. Spiritually I am realizing how weak I am too, as the temptation to rely on my own strength physically is great at times, leading me to forget how much I need to lean into and rely on the Lord. 
    Tonight Psalm 23 really spoke to me in a manner like I hadn't thought of before. My brother was asking me how I was doing and I was telling him how it is hard for me to be so weak and disabled right now and he started encouraging me to know that this time is for a purpose and I can use it to draw closer to God and grow in patience. Then later when I read through Psalm 23 I started thinking how usually I relate to this passage when I am wanting to rest and gladly in a time of rest, but I never really thought about how "the Lord makes me lie down in green pastures."
    I wouldn't say that I am in green pastures right now, but I realize that it isn't about the literal presence of nature during this time of rest but the heavenly provision that He gives to be renewed and strengthened again in His power and strength. Even though I am not necessarily enjoying this time of disability, I am praising the Lord that He didn't let me continue on in my own strength and that He does indeed make me lie down to rest because He is a God of rest, He is my hiding place, He is the fountain from which I will drink to be filled again to continue on in His labors. Yes, "my cup overflows." Thank you Lord for your promises that "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

Prayer requests

I can hardly believe that I have been here for almost a month now. It doesn't seem like it has been that long. We have been really busy already with various activities with our Spanish classes, family and church and the next couple of weeks are just as packed. I ask that you pray for each of these upcoming events and that the Lord would be further glorified in each one.
-Today and tomorrow our entire team is going out into the countryside for a prayer retreat. I'm very excited and anxious to meet the Lord in a more quiet and tranquil environment than this city. And I'm excited to see more green and nature :)
-Thursday and Friday evenings our family goes on home visits to church members who are sick. I usually play a song or two, my roommate shares some scripture and an encouraging word, and our Papa, Mama and brothers pray over the person. Its amazing to be allowed to witness the Lord moving this way here.
-Friday is our graduation from our Spanish classes!
-Saturday our youth group from our church is taking around 25 people to a park about 2 hours away for an outreach and evangelism event. My brothers have invited two of their friends to come along who don't know the Lord personally so please be praying for these girls' hearts and that the Lord would already be working in them. Please also pray for the individuals that we will cross paths with at the park and that our youth group would be bold in sharing this glad news of the hope we have in Christ!
-Sunday I will be sharing my testimony at church. My family (2 brothers, sister, cousin, and roommate) and I will also be leading worship again this Sunday, which is quite different than in the States. Usually our set list is at least 9 songs and always open to whatever the congregation wants to sing as well. I am really being blessed and strengthened through this experience though :)
-Next week begins transforming the church for the Vacation Bible School. This year we have it open for free for the public so please be praying that lost children will wander in and this will be an opportunity to reach out to the neighborhood in which our church is located. Also please pray that everything would be provided from all the materials needed for decorating, to the money to pay for all of this. We have a small congregation, no more than 100 counting children and the economy is really bad here in Mexico so tithing has a different meaning here somewhat. People give what they can but we definitely are spending more time just praying for the Lord's provision for this VBS than I have ever seen in a church in the US. Very very humbling.