The glory of the LORD bursts forth on you!

I LOVE that! Tonight we went with Sr. Toni to Carnegie Hall for Paulus, performed by The Oratorio Society of New York. Sr. Toni knows one of the singers, so we have been fortunate enough to go twice since she's moved in here. It was very lovely. AND, I will not lie to you, but I was EXHAUSTED today! Yesterday morning I gutted out my room...which means that it didn't start to look like my room again until 2am today...add in work, dinner, prayer, I was a tired little missioner! I wish I could say that I wasn't dozing off....but I was :(

BUT it was so beautiful! Paulus began with the story of Stephen's ministry and his martyrdom by stoning...It continued into Saul, who had delighted in the death of Stephen. The chorus sings "Blessed are they who have endured. For although the body dies, the soul lives on." "The LORD forgets not His people." Saul needed conversion...he claimed to be doing the work of God...and then he was blinded by the light on the way to Damascus. "Jesus," so appropriately a section in the balcony asked Saul "Why do you persecute me?" Pretty strong reality check! In the continuing of Saul's story he waited and prayed; Ananias goes to meet Saul and he prayed over him, put his hands on him. The LORD sent him so that his sight might be restored and he was filled with the Holy Spirit.

THE GLORY OF THE LORD BURSTS FORTH ON YOU!

Dang, that is so true. His sight was restored, and he was baptized Paul. Immediately, he began preaching about Christ in the temples...God is so gracious! I would be lying if I say that we stayed after intermission. I knew that I would not last, and it was 9:30 at intermission. The second part was about Paul and Barnabas and Paul's martyrdom as well.

AWAKE! Paul's sight was restored. For a time, every time I opened my eyes, "AWAKE!" Was on the LED screen, as the performance was sung in German. I continue to be amazed by two things; the first is how much we need to pray to have our sight restored. There is so much grace in the wisdom and understanding of God. So much of my discovery and discernment has involved opening my eyes to God's presence all around me. I also have been tuning into how much finding vocation has to do with waking up! In a way, I feel like I am waking up, and pray that I continue to do so. We need to be alert, aware, actively participating, and ready to go where God sends me!

THE GLORY OF THE LORD BURSTS FORTH ON YOU! You are darn right it does! I cannot go a day in the life without being mindful of the glory of God BURSTING forth. Somedays it is harder to notice than others, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't take much work to see it EVERYWHERE. Like Justin just said to me the other night, there are no co-incidences, there are only God-incidences. I believe that 100%. I continue to be blessed by my life as a missioner. In a lot of ways I think that this time has been selfish, but I hope in my own growing awareness of God's presence, grace, and glory, that I sharing it with others! I continue to be excited and empowered in this journey, and it a journey supported by so many forces (the girls, the sisters, beautiful community and prayer, ministry)!!! I just hope that I am being open enough to be moved and changed in ways that give life!!