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Posted in Mission Trip Thoughts by Nate Chaplin on 2/4/2010
This blog is the sequel or follow up blog to another blog I posted while in Ukraine by the name of Overload. If you have not read that blog, I would suggest you go back and read it real quick to get the context.
In Ukraine I felt overloaded in a very extreme sense. I could not recall almost anything. I could only remember distant memories in my past, but no current events. In escence, I was running on Autopilot. Obviously, I have sinse gotten my head back together. At the time, I did not know why God was sending me through this trial and what I needed to learn from it. All I knew was God was still good. Sinse I've been home, I realized further why I was so overloaded.
As I went along the World Race, I saw amazing and terrible and beautiful and aweful things. And my heart cried out for each of them, saying "when the World Race is over, I will go back to that place and continue my relationship with the friends I met there and finish the ministry I started and solve the problems in that area, once and for all." Every month, it was different place with different people and different ministries and different problems. But the PROBLEM was that there was enough places and people and ministries and problems to last me 11 lifetimes.
I tried to say which one I would go to first or focus on the most, but I felt a unique longing for each individual one. And the more I thought about them, the more I realized I did not know where to start and the there was no way for me to finish. So there I was, stuck in the middle of all these causes (I hate facebook causes!) and then I learned about the beggar pimping that goes on. In Ukraine (and many other countries, including the US), human trafficking goes beyond sweat shops and the sex industry. In Ukraine, you can sell your grandmother to a beggar pimp. Think about it: you can't support her, he says he can if she goes out on the streets and beg for change all day long and gives him the money. On top of that I also learned that people will often rent out their infants and children to these very pimps, drug them up on God knows what so they look more docile, cute, and poor.
And people give even more money because there was a little one there, too.
I think that is when my head started shutting down. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. (kindof a big straw) I could not think about the problems and the people and the.... anymore. It was just too much. I saw no hope for humanity, no light at the end of this blackest of tunnels, and no way I would ever be able to make a difference...... alone. That was it. I was trying to rely on my strength and my goodness and my whatever to solve the problems I had seen and reach the lost that I had to leave at the end of the month. I was not giving these things to God. I was stroring them all up in my heart and trying to take personal responsibility for the ending of these injustices. With the intention of doing Kingdom work, I was playing God. And he saw that. So he started to erode my memories and feelings so he could get my attention.
(This next part is a little confusing in thought, so bear with me as I try to put it into words.) He had to remind me that He has not called me to solve all the problems or even any of the problems of the world or even my family. He has called me to be obedient to my place in the body. And although we often do work toward the freedom of the captives, it is neither our responsibility nor our authority to do so. We may want to do something for the kingdom, but if we do it without God's blessing, we are wasting time and hurting the name of Christ.
Now, I believe that God will put a specific cause on your heart that he wants you to work on, but if we take singular responsibility for its "failure" or "completion", we will not only be ineffective, but also overloaded. It is simply too much weight for our shoulders. We have to do what we can (or what God allows us) and leave the rest up to him.
I still realize the problems of the places I've been, and I know there are millions more I may never know about. But I know that my allegience does not lie with any cause, but with Jesus. I know that I would love to see even one problem find solution in Christ, but I do not require it. I know he deal with each one in its own time. My job is to do what I can with where He has put me. I am now reloaded and ready for war on..... whatever He comands.
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Posted in College by Nate Chaplin on 1/21/2010
Classes at Central Christian College of the Bible started yesterday. And I must say, this very much reminds me of the World Race gone USA. Only 2 months off the Race and here I go again, moving and adjusting to yet another environment. Yet another culture (albeit a sub-culture). And yet another ordinary adventure. I do not know what college has in store for me just as I did not know what the Race had in store for me. But I do know one thing for sure: Christ will be here with me the whole way. And I don't mean that in a cliche, Sunday School way. I really got it at a new level the other day. Christ does not want a 15 min or 1 hr or 5 hr chunk of our day devoted to him, he wants our whole day! He doesn't want me to save a spot in my schedule for him, he wants to go through my schedule WITH ME! In escence, he is not sitting on the sidelines or cheering us on from the bleachers. He is out on the field, in the game, calling plays, making blocks, passing opportunities, and pulling us along when it's just all too much.
These classes mean more than just getting grades or a degree. I am seeking to understand more the glory and pesonality of God, the means by which I can bring the gospel, and skills to become a better spokes person for the kingdom of God. I am truly blessed to be in a country where education is available and funds are receivable. The United States Government gave me $2,675 to go to school to become a preacher. What an amazing blessing from God. I received $2,000 in various gifts from the people in my church and relative family. Do his blessings know any bounds? I have professors that are extremely educated in the bible and are eager to pass along that knowlege to me, as well as mentor and pray for me personally. What more glory can I give?
I came into this journey terrified of the work and afraid that God was not behind me. I spent hours fretting and worrying about how I was going to adjust to being a student again. I spent many a night nervous as a chihuahua about whether or not my financial aid would come in. Then God sent me a man by the name of Scott Johnson, a dear friend and man of faith (yes, you are), to encourage and lift me up; to remind me of the blessing and provision of God; ultimately, to pour into this man's broken pot of a life. My friends, the Lord's blessings are endless. And waiting for you to receive them.
As I said before, if I know just one thing, it is that Christ is with us always. Calling us to new things, blocking the schemes of the Devil, preparing opportunities to gain ground for the Kingdom (that's for you BLING), and pulling us along when the sky starts falling down. It is going to be a long, hard game. Are you up for the challenge? I am. All to the glory of the King.
As a closing remark, now that I am in college, I just may start getting a little better in my spelling, grammar, and paragraph structuring. But then again, I don't take English Comp until fall semester =). But I'm a patient man. Love to all. -Nate Chaplin
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Posted in General Posts by Nate Chaplin on 1/19/2010
Well I guess this is not news in the fact that I have known this for some time now, but news in the sense I have not revealed this information with my beloved blog readers (you). The news is that the blog will not end now that I am back from the Race. In fact, it will only be terminated if I deliberately ask AIM to close it, and I don't plan on doing so for a while now. I will continue posting blogs on my spiritual growth, revalations in the word, reflections on the World Race, and various other dietic happenings in my life. As a quick reminder I would like to say that you can subscribe to my blog on this very page, giving you instant notifications of blog posts via email. As always, comments are quite welcomed and quite enjoyed. If you are no longer going to be keeping up with my blogs now that I'm done with the Race, I would like to thank you for taking this journey with me and I hope you were touched by the words God inspired on these blogs. If you are continuing this journey with me, I am excited to see the amazing things God will show us in our on-going venture of spreading the Good News of the Gospel of Peace. Either way, I love you and pray for you. May God bless you even more than he has blessed me.
For His glory
Nate Chaplin
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Posted in Poetry by Nate Chaplin on 1/11/2010
Probably the hardest thing about the World Race was having to say goodbye every single month. We would spend a whole month in each country pouring into lives and building up people while they did the same for us. Over the course of a month, we would obviously build a lot of really close relationships with the locals. Every month, when it came time to leave, we had to explain to a child or tribesman or whoever that we were leaving and we were not sure if we would ever be coming back. Many times we even had to leave them in their bad situations, unable to promise a better tomorrow (outside of heaven). We learned fast that we had no choice but to leave it to God because it was too big for us. Such is the case with all our problems.
This is a song I wrote while still on the race. I wrote it first in month 3 in Cambodia after we had left our ministry at Good Sheppard Orphanage. Later in month 6, God prompted me to re-write it completely. I obliged and went a completely different angle for the song, as God had put on my heart. What resulted was a song written for more than me, but also for a friend, Melissa Betz. She helped me tweak a few prepositions and adverbs to make it more grammatically correct (thanks sis) and helped develop the rhythm and tune of the song, because I know nothing about such things. Cameron Caviness provided the guitar note mastery to give the song its heartbeat, and by the end of month 9 we had a finished product.
There is a much longer and more God-glorifying story to the development of this song, which I will post in a subsequent blog. I do not have a recording of the song to go with these lyrics, but as soon as I do, I will add it to this blog and repost it. Until then, enjoy.
STAY Written by Nate Chaplin and Melissa Betz
Intro: Tears are running down your cheeks - As I pull you to my chest
Saw it coming now for weeks - You know I'm never coming back
V1: Have to go but wish to stay - Pull you close and hold you tight
Have the perfect words to say - But cannot utter this goodbye
Tears are running down my cheeks - As I turn to walk away
Though a hundred orphans scream - I hear your voice cry out and say...
Stay - Just a little longer -- Hold - me a little tighter
One Day - I'll be a little stronger
I Pray - Someday the days are brighter
But for now... Stay
V2: Tears are running down your cheeks - As I hold you in my arms
Long to hold you when you're weak - And to keep you from all harm
Oh, Lord, my God, I need your help - I love this kid with all I got
Promise me you'll keep her well - I pray you stay when I cannot...
Stay - Just a little longer -- Hold - Her a little tighter
One Day - She'll be a little stronger
I Pray - Someday her days are brighter
But for now... Stay
Bridge: And even as I walk away - You know my heart will always stay
And even though I fade away - The Holy Ghost will always......
Stay - Eternity and longer -- Hold - You forever tighter
It's okay - ‘Cause He is even stronger
One Day - He'll make the days all brighter
And starting now... Stay
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Posted in General Posts by Nate Chaplin on 11/17/2009
John 8:32, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ESV
Last night, Teri and I were running around Vienna just checking out some of the cool scenery and simply being random. We got off the metro at random spots and checked out what was in that area. Then we hopped back on the metro and went to another spot. By around 10:00 PM we were both kinda hungry and thirsty, so we stopped at a street vendor and got a slice of pizza and a water/Coke. As we sat down to enjoy our 3 euro meal, we began talking about the importance of confession and being vulnerable with Christian brothers and sisters. If we refuse to open up to fellow Christians (or at least somebody) we miss out on so much growth and intimacy, even with God. The conversation soon moved to our call as Christians to always walk in truth. Truth, not lies. As Christians we are COMMANDED not to lie. I then posed the question, "What would life be like if everyone was totally open and honest, and could not (or would not) lie?" What if no one lied? What if everyone were honest?
If truth brings freedom, lies then bring captivity. All those in the captivity of lies would be freed by this astounding presence of truth. How many of the world's problems would be solved just by eliminating dishonesty and letting the spirit of truth reign? How would the absence of lies and dishonesty change the way you act, if you were unable to lie? How would it change the behavior of the world?
Gandhi once said "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." In light of that, let us look, not at the whole world, but at the church. What if we were unable to lie? We should be already. But just imagine if the church (all believers) would live without lies and dishonesty. What if we kept that command? It would be ugly at first. Even more with absolute honesty. My pastor, Rod Cooper, once said that if we could see each others thoughts, we would all ban one another from the building, and he would be fired, then banned. Why? This begs to wonder, what if we met honesty with love and grace, as we are also called to do? THEN how much freedom would be in the church? At that point, how would it affect the world? Do we want change? Be the change. What kind of revolution and revival would it bring if we started keeping only one commandment? If you started keeping it? If I started keeping it? What if? What if?
The ball is in our court. I dare you to move.
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Posted in General Posts by Nate Chaplin on 11/12/2009
Here is the other half of Teri Gunnink's blog on God guiding Team Manna to Vienna.
We were met in Vienna with very cold, wet weather. Not ideal
when you have nowhere to go. We made our way to the train station and decided
to pray about where God wanted us to go and what he wanted us to do. After two
different sessions in prayer I felt God telling us to buy a SIM card and
minutes for our cell phone and to make our way to the Mercy House of Prayer.
I also, again, heard the Dido song except this time I heard
more of it. I heard "And I want to thank you for giving me the best day of YOUR life." Yes I know it is supposed to say ‘best day
of MY life" but God was singing it and He wanted us to give Him today and He
would bless it and make it the best day of our lives.
Two hours later we arrived at the Mercy House of Prayer.
They would not be there until 10am so we had a few hours to wait. Tim and
Sammie went to get the phone card while the rest of us waited.
Around 9:30 they arrived and we entered their room. We were
informed that they have 2 hours of prayer and worship that was completely led
by the Lord and what He wanted to do, so we joined them. After prayer we talked with the lady in
charge, Vicki, who just happened to be wearing red and blue...
Bekah, who had seen the vision of the woman in red and blue
told Vicki that she felt we were led to encourage her. Immediately Vicki's
demeanor changed. She told us that
when she had received the email that she was not thrilled at the prospect of
another team. So when she saw us
at the door that morning she was not all that excited.
Tim had some words of encouragement and Vicki shared with us
that a Bible verse Tim had read during prayer and worship was exactly what she
had needed to hear. We prayed with her and another girl there and God really
used my teammates to pray prayers that Vicki needed prayed. After prayer Vicki
disappeared and then returned with 110 Euros for us. She told us she felt led
by God to give us the money for lodging tonight. (Keep in mind that its $1.5
USD to 1 Euro, so things are expensive for us and this amount equals $165).
Another lady who was there and heard our story asked for our
cell phone number and told us that she would call us if she felt God leading
her to help us in any way. If we hadn't gotten the SIM card this would not have
been possible.
From there we had to part ways with Vicki with the promise
of seeing her Thursday night at prayer and worship. We had information for a
hostel that was just in budget and headed to it. Upon arrival God blessed us
again. They had 1 room that housed 6 beds on the ground floor. We have 6
people, 1 of which has a hurt ankle. We entered the room to find that it had
its own bathroom and is perfect for us to do our team debrief in! With the
money Vicki gave us we should be on the track to staying in budget this week here
in Vienna.
Today was a HUGE day for me. God has never felt as real to
me as He has today. Just to see His hand guiding us from the very first time we
prayer and got the vision for this lady. While it was sad to end our ministry
in Croatia I am so excited for what God has for us here in Vienna. It is
already evident that this is exactly where He wants us.
Its truly amazing what God can do in us and
through us if we are simply obedient to His word. He wants to bless us
and others, all we have to do is listen and obey!
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Posted in General Posts by Nate Chaplin on 11/12/2009
Check out this amazing blog posted by my teammate Teri Gunnink about God guiding us to Vienna.
Almost every
continent we have had an "Ask The Lord" month. Each one has turned out unique
and God has shown up in pretty cool ways. This time blew my socks off!
We talk a lot
about God opening and closing doors. When we prayed about where God wanted us to
go He closed numerous doors and opened one BIG one in Croatia. So off we went.
When traveling through Germany we were faced with the question of what to do
for the 3 days we had without ministry but before final debrief.
After prayer we
felt like we were supposed to go to Vienna early and do a mini team debrief
before the big final one and that we were supposed to find an international
church and encourage a woman who was wearing red and blue. I also got the song by Dido "It's gonna
be the best day of your life."
Once in Croatia
we were slated to work for 2 weeks at a center for mentally and physically
handicapped individuals. We
completed the first week and on Friday we were informed that do to a
miscommunication with management and ownership, we were not invited back. We
were informed that we could go on Monday and say goodbye and that was all. So
we prayed about what we were supposed to do and felt led to Vienna a little
earlier than expected.
We began looking
up international churches, hostels and transportation to Vienna and the
surrounding area. I emailed several churches but heard no response. We looked
up hostels only to book one and find out they were closed for renovation. We looked up ways to get to surrounding
villages and Avis car rental had NO cars for rent in Vienna during the time we
needed them. When Sammie was doing research all websites stopped working except
the chat box she was using to chat with Tim. We needed to print of
transportation maps and the printer stopped working. This sounds like the swoosh of a closed door.
So on faith we
decided to book our bus tickets to Vienna and see what happened from there.
Luckily God decided to give us one lead. Team Tikvah was in Vienna and had
heard of a Mercy House of Prayer. They gave us the email and address. This was
all we had to go on. Tim emailed them but heard no response by the time we got
on the bus at midnight last night. Five hours later we would arrive in a cold,
dark, rainy, windy city with no idea what to do or where to go.
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Posted in Mission Trip Thoughts by Nate Chaplin on 10/29/2009
What do you hide from? Where do you hide? Do you hide from God? Do you hide in godliness? Tough questions with no easy answer or resolution. Just conviction, which is always tough. I have been asking these questions to myself for some time and always thought I was doing pretty good. Today, God opened my eyes. We were discussing the balance between spending time growing spiritually and spending time in outward ministry. My argument was that we were commissioned to make disciples, not grow. I said that outreach should be the #1 focus of our time and if there's extra time, spend time growing yourself. I said that setting aside time on a mission trip just to spend time reading the bible and dealing with your own self is a very slippery slope. Because it could become a temptation to spend all of your time learning spiritual things and end up running out of time to share them with those who aren't even going to heaven.
At this point in the conversation God showed me that I read the bible more in preparation for a sermon than I ever do for growth. Here I was pointing the finger saying that others weren't spending enough time in ministry and I wasn't spending enough time in prayer and the word for personal growth. I was hiding from God by doing things for God. I was perhaps afraid of what would come out or be revealed in those times of growth. Perhaps afraid it would mean change on my part. And that would mean discomfort and effort. But what of the opposite? Do we sometimes hide from God by spending time with God? Perhaps we become afraid of outward ministry. Perhaps we are afraid of what we would be called to do. Perhaps we are afraid of having to leave our comfort zones, know that it would take some serious effort and could get messy. Perhaps. We can't spend all our time in ministry and we can't spend all our time in personal growth ministry. God built us for both and requires both of us.
Let's say for a moment that I had married a wonderful woman of God. I am in a covenant relationship with her. But I spend all my time out looking for ways to make her happy (buying her flowers, buying her tickets to a ballet, putting the seat down, etc.) and I never just spend time with her to build our relationship (learn more about her, tell her more about me, discover things about us, or working out problems between us). It wouldn't be very good. Pretty soon, I wouldn't even have a wife to make happy. The same would be true if I never did things to make her happy. I would need to do both. And do them in balance. Like faith without works and works without faith, it doesn't work with just one half.
What do you hide from? Where do you hide? Do you hide from God in godliness? Like I said before, there is no EASY answer. But as Christians, we walk in truth, however uncomfortable that might be.
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Posted in General Posts by Nate Chaplin on 10/27/2009
Just a quick update, we are leaving Ukraine tonight and heading for Germany. We will stay the night there and begin our 2 day journey through three countries to get to Croatia for our final month of ministry on the World Race. We will be working with a friend of Sammie's doing work at an institution for physically and mentally handicapped people. It will be a heavy month of ministry, I'm sure, and being the last month of the Race, it will be difficult not to check out and just focus on home. Pray for our endurance and focus this final month. Pray that we will SPRINT across the finish line, not jog or walk. And pray that transportation bumps will be smoothed out and God's glory would rain over it. I don't know yet if there will be internet in the town we are going to, so this may be the last blog for 3 weeks. Then we will be at final debrief with internet. Either way, keep praying and keep praising. For He is always worthy. Love to all. -Nate Chaplin
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Posted in Poetry by Nate Chaplin on 10/26/2009
Here is a song I've just recently finished. We're still working on putting music to it, but the message is one of a man astounded at the grace of God to cover his filth with the holiness of Christ. Enjoy...
Holiness
Bring my hands up to my face
In the presence of my God
Found I cannot keep the pace
Curse the ground that I have trod
What is it you hoped to find
In the failures of my heart?
Strength to change was never mine
Only prone to fall apart
Chorus: Why do you persist with me
When I am such a mockery
How is it with one carress
You fill me with your holiness
Why do I persist to fall?
Surely I would learn by now
Wish I could resist your call
So afraid to break this vow
What is it you hoped to use?
This jar of clay is all but lost
How could you so quickly choose?
Did you never count the cost?
Chorus: How is it with one embrace
You cleanse me with your perfect grace?
How is it with one carress
You fill me with your holiness
Surly I am weakest now
It is now that I am strong
Surly I will seek you out
Even though the night is long
Lift my hands into the air
In the presence of my God
For the holiness I wear
Comes not from this broken pot
So fill me up with one embrace
Make me perfect by your grace
Give me one more sweet carress
And fill me with your holiness
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