Standing on Promises

Exciting things are happening here in Uganda, here at DOORS Ministries, and here in my life.

For starters, DOORS has purchased an acre plot of land walking distance to our DOORS Home, Joshua Home, and DOORS Mission School. We have named this plot Yahaya’s Plot after a young boy who we knew and who DOORS tried time and time again to bring home from the drug-addicted streets of Kisinye. His story is written about here: http://hispicketfence.blogspot.com/2014/02/we-remember.html. The vision for this new arm of ministry is to empower, disciple, and love families living in Namuwongo slum where DOORS Primary school is and the hard street children in need of hope (such as Yahaya was) that attend weekly street programs in the Kisinye slum; to provide training in applicable and implementable sustainability and revenue generating projects for families living in slums that they may not only be able to attain a higher quality of life but also realize identity in Christ alone; to be a place of learning for DOORS Primary School, DOORS Mission School and Secondary Sponsorship pupils; to be a place for farming of nutritious fruits and vegetables to add to the diet at DOORS Primary School in order to fight micronutrient malnutrition; to be a place of revenue generation and employment activities for DOORS such as a jewelry workshop, bakery, tree nursery, and mushroom growing; to be a place of peace, rest, praise, righteousness, and rejuvenation; to be a place where Isaiah 30:18 can come to fruition. “The Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are those who long for Him.”  As you can see the vision for Yahaya’s Plot is huge, and it is something I am very excited about, and that DOORS is very excited about. When we first began looking at plots back in October, we were originally just looking for empty plots that we could build upon. In the beginning of January, the Lord brought the plot we ended up buying along our path. Already built upon it is every structure we had envisioned from a quarters we could transform into a bakery to a private residence included to chicken coops to sample slum homes. As of the end of March, Mallory and I were fully moved into the property and taking full possession.

While yes, we have taken full possession, there are still some obstacles ahead of us. Through all of this (the gift of the land and the opposition faced), I have been reminded to continually stand on the promises God has given. One promise the Lord has continued to remind me of is from Deuteronomy 28:7-10. “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord.” Please pray for us as we continue to trust the Lord and move forward with the Yahaya’s Plot vision even in the face of obstacles before us. We are starting the renovations next week to begin to make this vision a reality.

Along with that, don’t shrink back from standing on the promises God has given you as an individual, and those given through His word. Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those that shrink back to destruction, but of those that have faith to the preserving of the soul.” What has He promised you, and how are you standing upon and moving forward to attain that?

Until next month,

Ashley

A Year of New Things

What wonderful months December and January have been!! My delay in writing an update these past couple of months is a result of being overwhelmed by all of the things that have transpired from December 1 to now…from a fully recovered and resettled “Justin” (last email update), to a week in the village learning sustainable farming methods with two DOORS boys, to a very Merry Ugandan Christmas, to a 10 day visit from my TEAMeffort family, to the innumerable changes and transformations (physically and spiritually) that have taken place at DOORS Ministries.   

Yesterday I was at the DOORS Primary School briefly checking in with the teachers that have returned for work and the new school year there. The Primary 1 (1^st grade) teacher jumped up at one point during our meeting and exclaimed, “This is a year of new things!” How right she was and is!

These past months we have experienced incredible transformation, growth and change at DOORS Ministries. Check out this recent DOORS blog post for more on that: http://hispicketfence.blogspot.com/2015/01/news.html. And of course, like most everything in ministry, what is going on work/ministry-wise readily overflows into personal life as well!

This season I have continually been reminded of God’s Word and promises in the book of Joshua. The Israelites, after years and years of wandering and wondering in the desert awaiting the fruition of God’s promises given back in Egypt, and even earlier in time to Abraham, have finally reached the border of the promised land—Canaan. The years spent wandering were years spent in refinement, years spent learning how to walk in obedience to God, years spend understanding the depth of God’s love for His people and years spent recognizing His provision of all things for them. This has been the last couple of years and months for me. As soon as they reach the border of Canaan, God immediately commands them to “hurry up and cross over” the River Jordan into His promise, into the promised land. Miraculously water is parted and the Israelites run over to the other side. Without delay, without first taking a vote, without discussion, without hesitation…but rather in belief and trust of God’s word and command, they are in the promised land. God’s promises have come to fruition…but is that the end of the story? Absolutely not. The rest of the book of Joshua details battles and fights and struggles the Israelites encounter to fully take possession of God’s promises, of the promised land Canaan. The Israelites find success every time they seek the Lord’s counsel, and defeat when they try to possess the land on their own strength or tactics.

When God brings us fulfillment of a promise, it is a promise to share with Him and not take or possess it on our own.

This past month and a half has been fulfillment of many promises not only for DOORS Ministries, but for me personally. We have “hurried up and crossed over.” In the past month, DOORS has opened the Joshua Home transitional living for the 4 boys-now-men that have reached the age 18, has moved the DOORS Home to a new location allowing 4 new faces to be welcomed home, has hired many new staff that have taken complete ownership of their areas of ministry walking with His authority and power in the DOORS mission and vision, and has transformed the homeschool into a newly constructed (structurally and systemically) Mission School on the ACE curriculum. In the past month, I have received a renewed purpose in my role, passion for tasks, vision for my future within DOORS, and promises that I am “crossing over” into. Our challenge: not find rest in the promises of God, but in God Himself. Hebrews 4:8 “For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that (as rest).”

Entering God’s promises doesn’t bring us rest, entering God’s presence does. The Israelites continued to battle and fight to fully possess the promises of God. We must do the same. When we first taste fulfillment of God’s promises in our life (promises given personally, or as stated in the Scriptures), let us not stop and rest there, but rather continue on, run the race set before us, and fight alongside Him. "No matter what changes or blessings God has performed in you or given to you, never rely on them alone." -Oswald Chambers

Belief coupled with action is dangerous. When we believe God’s Word(s) and act upon that, we are dangerous in the kingdom of God.

May this continue to be a year of new things. 

Spending a week in the village on a farm pursuing sustainable methods. 

Making Christmas cookies.

Prepping Christmas dinner...(this is all I was involved with)

TEAMeffort running program for street children living in the Kisinye slum.

Transformation projects began by TEAMeffort on short-term trip.

Completed gate and fence at DOORS Primary School.

Sundays at DOORS Home, a family that is continually growing.