Every December UCFM (Ugandan
Christian Fellowship Mission), our church, have a annual general conference. Seven UCFM village churches come together in Obulle
for a five day conference. I admit I don’t
always look forward to these things and am often thankful I am not in
charge. I protect my December pretty
carefully with only one month to celebrate and enjoy Christmas. So, a week long conference isn’t usually how
I want to celebrate. Oh me and my lack
of faith and negative attitude… I was
happy to pray for everyone, be at home, and visit the conference when Josh was
speaking.
I am so thankful God’s plans
are greater than ours! I was
surprisingly blessed by this year’s conference.
I honestly enjoyed being a part of it.
I was even torn when I had to be at home to do school, obligations, and
visitors. Although all the usual
frustrations and what seems like chaos to us were there, the people here just
make it work, go with the flow, and mostly love it. I have matured in this area over the years
and become more patient, flexible, and learned to let their cultural norm not
bother me – doesn’t bother them. I have
also become more sensitive to the realities of their lives here. They come late because they don’t have a vehicle,
they are gathering money to hire a vehicle, they have to travel 2 hours… They don’t have a bathroom with running water
to bath in, a stove to quickly prepare breakfast (cooking everything over a
fire takes time!), there are always interruptions, people to see them, and
sicknesses to attend to. I am learning
to be more grace filled.
Anyways, the theme of the
conference was “The Wedding of the Lamb” Rev. 19:6-9. Monday started late with few people but Josh’s
message on “Preparing the Bride for the Wedding of the Lamb” and it was
awesome. He paralleled the Jewish
engagement and wedding with what Christ said and did.
-Jesus chose us and gave His
life as young Jewish men went with their fathers to ask a girl to marry her and
tell them what he was prepared to pay. 1 Cor. 6:20
-The young man would then take
a cup and offer it to the girl and if she drank she accepted the proposal. Jesus on the last night took the cup of His
blood and gave it to us. Luke 22:20
-The young man would then tell
his bride he would go and prepare a place and come back for her when it was
ready. Jesus went to prepare a place for
us and is coming back for us. John 2 She
was now considered married and preparing herself for her bridegroom to return. 2 Cor. 11:2
-Only the father could say when
it was time – when the house was ready and the groom could get his bride. As with Jesus, only the Father knows the time
of His return. Matt. 24:36
-The groom would return for his
bride at night with a trumpet to announce his coming. Jesus tells us His return will come with a
trumpet blast. 1 Thess. 4:16 Jesus told the story of the 10 virgins
waiting for the bridegroom. Some were
ready and some where not. The bride and
her friends had to be ready as we the church have to be ready.
Rev. 19:6-9 tells us to rejoice
for the Jesus has come! Chapt. 17-18 all
evil is brought to judgement and destroyed.
Jesus reigns! The Bridgroom has
come for His bride and we can celebrate! Verse
7 tells us to make ourselves
ready. Clothes of righteousness are
giving to us (vs 8 and 3:5, 6:11 ). Jesus has saved us, but we are responsible to
be ready. We are purified in Christ but
am I getting ready? Does it show in how
I live? How I speak, use my time, money,
resources…am I preparing for Jesus coming?
Remove the distractions and get ready!
I was in tears by the prayer
time and so were others. Are we getting
ready?!
Monday’s teaching was so good I
wanted to be there for Tuesdays on “Inviting all People to the Wedding Feast”. I would love to tell you about it but it
would fill another page. Basically Rev.
19:6 says a great multitude. This was a government
term for common people. Rev. 7:9 tells
us every nation will be before the throne of the Lamb. Matt. 22:1-12 tell us to invite
everyone! We need to join the work of
inviting. Invite everyone – good and bad
– because it is based on God’s grace.
Matt. 24:14 tells us God is waiting on us for His return. When ALL hear He will return.
Wednesday our whole family
went. Our kids did a choir to “Joy to
the World”. Emalai stole the show with
her singing and dancing. The people
loved it. Josh gave another wonderful
message on
Thursday was my birthday and
Josh asked people to write a note to me.
I received 48 notes. It was a great
birthday present. I was so
encouraged! It is truly empowering when
people tell you what you are good at, how they have been blessed by you, and
what they see in you. Many times people
talked about how I respect and encourage Josh and love and teach my
children. I am so excited people see
this!Lusi, who works for us, said she knows I love God's Word. Our neighbor said he appreciates that I am open and share pain with them. I recieved the highest compliment
you can give me to know you hear and see my love for God in all I do. Glory to God!
Thursday was also evangelism –
going out and inviting people to the wedding of the Lamb. Our kids all wanted to go. Josh went with Luka and Malai after driving a
van FULL of people to their location, I went with another group and Lydia and Grace went with another
group. I enjoy visiting people and
people here love it! We were able to
challenge and encourage believers to get ready for Christ return. I was able to share verses Josh gave all of
us before we went out. It was a joy to
share together with Rev. Aneta, Kevin, and several teenagers. Lydia and Grace came back talking
our ears off with excitement!!! They had
a great time sharing God’s Word with people.
Some didn’t want to hear, some listened, and some gave their lives to
Christ. Lydia shared verses with people and
both Lydia and Grace prayed for
people. Our neighbor who was in their
group said they did a great job helping lead people to the Lord. The girls were very happy a neighbor girl and
a teenage boy who plays soccer gave their lives to Christ. Praise the Lord! I was so proud of them and the joy they find
in sharing Christ.
Evangelism started way late so
we didn’t get to eat lunch till 3pm , but no one seemed to
mind. Forty-seven people in all gave
their lives to Christ!
I am bursting with love for the
Lord and our friends and church here. I
loved being with them. I enjoying the
meals together, doing ministry together, learning together, being encouraged and
challenged by the Word… I am so thankful
to be a part of a body of believers I know, love, and can do ministry
with. God continues to remind me He is
coming again and it is so sweet to think about as we celebrate His first
coming. I want to live my life
ready. Together with His church here I
will continue to invite and be prepared to celebrate my Saviors return. Come Lord Jesus, come!
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| UCFM general conference Dec. 12-16, 2016 98 degrees, windy, dusty, about 300 or so people... God taught us to be prepared, get ready, and invite people to the Wedding of the Lamb! |
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| Most churches came with choirs so this is our kids doing their "choir" to Joy to the World/Shout for Joy! The people loved it! |
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| Nursery?! |
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| Cooking for this group is a HUGE task not to mention hot! Each church took turns in the "kitchen". There were lots of dishes too. This is about a forth of them. Be thankful for your dishwashers and remember your brothers and sisters here when you use and throw away plates and cups so easily. |
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| Thursday we went out and invited people to the wedding of the Lamb - evangelism. |
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| People here don't run and hid when they see you coming, they love when guests come! We were able to encourage believers to be prepared for the Lambs return. Lydia and Grace came back thrilled to have shared the Good News with people and see several receive Jesus - even kids they knew from our neighborhood and soccer. What joy to see our kids excited about sharing Christ and people saved!!! |
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| My encouraging birthday notes - all 48 of them! |
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| We ended the conference with communion and a time of prayer. |
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