Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky on 1/18/2012
(disclaimer - if you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ve probably heard portions of this story before. but God told me to write about this, and this is the only way I know how. so bear with me through the parts you’ve heard, and rejoice with me in the revelations I’ve gotten. and, as always, thanks for reading!)
process 1 |ˈpräˌses; ˈprō-|
noun
1 a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end : military operations could jeopardize the peace process.
• a natural or involuntary series of changes : the aging process.
• a systematic series of mechanized or chemical operations that are performed in order to produce or manufacture something : the modern block printer needs to accommodate all the traditional factory processes in one shop.
A year ago, I thought I had everything figured out. I thought I was going to spend some time in a certain undisclosed location, come back, and work toward moving there long-term. About a month before I left for that place, some major events occurred in that area of the world and concerns about safety were raised, as well as the practicality of sending a short-term worker into such an environment. The people I was going to be joining on the ground had no concerns about me joining them, so I was able to go. To make a long story short, the situation continued to escalate and I was asked to leave early. Even still, when I returned to the US, I knew that I had left my heart there, and I thought I had heard God pretty clearly tell me I would be going back (I even told one of my friends there that, and I hate making promises I don’t intend to keep). I started to talk with the organization about filling out all the long-term worker paperwork, about attending their training during the summer, and about the possibility of me moving there sometime during the fall/winter (as in, I would be there by now).
Something wasn’t sitting well with me, though. It wasn’t that I had heard the Lord incorrectly, or that I was doubting His call on my life. It just seemed as though the timing was off. So I took a step back from my plans and asked God what He wanted. I told Him that this seemed like my only option, and that if He wanted me to do something else He better show up and let me know what it was pretty quickly (probably not the best way to go about talking with the God of the universe, but I’m so glad He has grace for crazy people like me who dare to do that anyway!). Since I had decided not to go to this other organization’s training, the logical step for me was to volunteer to help with World Race training camp, so I headed down to the corner of Tennessee expecting just to serve, to hang out with old friends, and to go back to Michigan afterward and start thinking about what I was going to do with my life.
Funny thing is, though, that wasn’t exactly God’s plan in getting me to come down for training camp. He orchestrated conversations that week that allowed me to share my heart, to share the desire I had to go back to this place and also to share the uncertainty I had about going back right now. He allowed me to share that I was seeking something, when I didn’t even know what I was looking for. And He “just happened” to make those conversations happen with someone who could offer a solution.
So I ended up on this team going to India, even though my heart is still to be going somewhere else and doing something else. I was sharing with my team the other day that it’s not that God hasn’t called me to India or called me to work with those affected by human trafficking or called me to do anything else that this team is going to be doing. Honestly, I think those are all things that flow out of being a Christian: loving God, loving His people, taking care of the widow and the orphan and the oppressed. It’s just that I don’t feel like going to India is the specific call God has placed on my life for the long-term. So why in the world am I going, then? Yeah, good question! I had been struggling with that one quite a bit myself.
What God has been telling me is that it’s not necessarily about the goal, about the “end,” (if you will). At this point, it’s so much more about the process than anything else. It’s about me figuring out what it looks like to be a part of a team planning long-term service somewhere. It’s about getting to know AIM as an organization, not just as the company that developed the World Race and sent me out on a crazy trip-around-the-world with a bunch of other people my age-ish. It’s about divine appointments that can happen right here, in Gainesville, GA: conversations I’ve had with people here that I never would have had if I’d just gone ahead and moved overseas on my own, connections I’ve made (and re-made) with people in the AIM office that have gotten me excited about where things are headed with our new long-term missions department. It’s about me serving someone else’s dream while at the same time God is allowing me to understand a bit more of His plan for my life (He’s showing me that being here is just a small part of a much bigger picture, that there’s a specific reason I’m a part of what’s happening right now.)
I wish I could say more. I wish I could just blurt out where I’ve been and where I feel God is calling me. I wish I could say what AIM’s role is hoping to be in all this. But that would be detrimental in a couple of ways: first, it would compromise the ministry of the people with whom I’ve worked in the past and with whom I’m hoping to work again in the future; and secondly, it would only encourage me to talk about and dwell on those possibilities instead of focusing on what God has called me to right here and right now. So get excited with me, because God is on the move. He is speaking to me and showing me bits and pieces of His plan for my life. But He is also calling me to the here-and-now, to be fully present as part of this team and fully invested into our ministry in India, and to continue to trust that His plan and His way and His timing are so much better than mine. He’s taking me through a process of refinement, and I know that I’ll come out stronger at the end!
where I'm hoping to go back to someday
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky on 1/11/2012
Remember Bill Nye, the Science Guy? He had a segment on his show called “Did you know that?” - it was full of random facts and fun statistics, and he closed the segment by saying “now you know that!” Well, that’s what I want to do today. Present you with some facts & figures that you might not have known before. Show some resources or websites you might not have heard of. Provide knowledge, because let’s face it: knowledge is power, and with knowledge comes responsibility.
So, did you know that:
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there are over 27 million slaves in the world today?
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the average cost of a slave worldwide is about $90?
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commercial sex trafficking is a big part of human trafficking but it’s not the only reason people are trafficked? people may also be sold into forced labor or forced into an army as child soldiers.
Did you also know that:
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people like Radiant Cosmetics are on the ground in India right now, working on training women how to sew a specific product so that they have jobs when they come out of the industry?
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people like Wellspring Living are providing restoration homes in the Atlanta area for women and girls who have been trafficked right here in the US?
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people like Not for Sale are raising awareness all over the world about human trafficking?
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people at the Passion 2012 conference (right here in Atlanta) raised over $1 million to aid in the fight against human trafficking? (You should watch the freedom video on their website - it’s amazing!)
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the India Initiative team is praying about where in India God is taking us and when He wants us there so that we can be hands-on involved in the fight against human trafficking?
Now you know that!
All it takes is for one person to stand up and say that human trafficking is not okay. One person to pass on a blog or show a video or write a letter to their congress-person. One voice to cry out against injustice. One person whose heart has been wrecked by what is happening in our world today. Because if all of those “one people” join together, we can raise our voices and take a stand against human trafficking. We, collectively, can make a difference.
Will you join the movement?
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky on 1/10/2012
I love long drives. Call me odd, but there’s something about getting in a car for a few hours at a time that just gets me excited. I like the alone-time provided. I like the solace, the peace and quiet, the space where I can just simply be myself. I don’t have to talk, I don’t have to think about anything major or (usually, anyway) make any major life decisions. It’s a time for me to be alone with myself and Jesus and my music, to listen to Him speak, and to simply be in His presence.
I was “home” in Michigan for a few weeks to celebrate Christmas and my sister’s wedding, and just drove back down to Georgia this past weekend. After a couple hours on the road, God started speaking to me about not looking back, about not dwelling on the “what if” or the “what might have been” but looking ahead to see how He is moving in the present and how He will continue to move in the future.
See, He put our eyes on the front of our bodies for a reason. Think of how crazy and different life would be if our eyes were on the backs of our heads, if we walked around all day seeing only where we’d been and not where we’re going. Think about how hard it is to look behind yourself - now imagine if you could only see behind you and instead had to exert all that energy to look ahead. If all we ever had was a view of the past, what would life be like? I think car manufacturers were thinking about this when they designed cars as well. There is a reason that the windshield is clear glass and covers most of our frontal view when we’re driving. It would be rather difficult to drive if the windshield and the rearview mirror were switched, if most of our view was of where we had been and only a tiny portion was dedicated to seeing where we are going.
[reflection - the present is clearer than the past]
Often at the end of a year, we look back on the past and remember where we have come from. But we don’t stop there - we use what we have learned in the past to compel us forward. We don’t dwell on the past even though it may be helpful. We move on. So as this new year begins, I challenge you to reflect on the past, remember what God did last year, remember where He took you from and where He has placed you now. But don’t focus on those things. Don’t sit in the past because it was a “good time” or because you felt safe or secure. Step out in faith, focusing on the future, and allowing God to prod you forward into the unknown.
[reflection - that which is ahead is greater than that we're leaving behind]
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Posted in India by Becky Wiltjer on 12/15/2011
Life has been incredibly busy lately and I haven't had much time to write. I promise some blogs are coming soon, but for now here is the amazing promo video that Caitlin Woodward (one of my D-squad teammates) made for us! Without further ado, here is the India Initiative team's film debut:
India Initiative Promo from becky wiltjer on Vimeo.
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 12/1/2011
Preface: You should read the first two parts of this series first. For part 1, about running, click here. For part 2, about how good God is, click here.
There’s something you should know about AIM culture: we like to get crazy when we worship. And by we, I usually mean everybody else, not me. I’m not the one jumping up and down on furniture or screaming at the top of my lungs. Most of the time. I mean, there are moments where I’m so moved by the Spirit and I start dancing or whatever, but I’m usually a pretty reserved person.
(worship at the Awakening conference in Ireland, 2010)
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with worshipping a little differently. I have a hard time being in a church service where people just stand there and move their lips without any show of emotion, but I also can get very distracted when people are jumping and spinning and waving flags and speaking out prayers over the music and that sort of thing, so I’ve looked for a nice neutral middle ground for a while. I’m aware of the fact that God speaks to everyone in different ways, and that He chooses different methods to meld our hearts with His. I’ve known that deeper intimacy was coming and that I just had to press in to it.
At the same time, though, I’ve gotten so focused on what others are doing during worship that I become self-conscious. I’ve wondered what “my style of worship” looks like to everyone else. I’ve wondered if people see me not raising my hands and silently judge me, saying I’m not as holy or worshipping with as much enthusiasm. I’ve wondered what people will think of me if I stand up and worship while everyone else is still sitting down. And I’ve let those things inhibit me - I’ve let them stand in the way of my relationship with God, of my heart connecting to His heart in its own unique way.
(one of the sweet girls worshipping in the orphanage in Delhi, from when I was there in 2005)
This weekend I was part of two different worship services, and while neither one was particularly spectacular, each took part in a shift for me in my walk with the Lord. The first was a Sunday evening service at Passion City Church in Atlanta, where Louie Giglio teaches and Chris Tomlin & Christy Nockels lead worship (and I’m not naming names because I’m so focused on the people, instead I wanted to give a bit of context). The singing times before the sermon were good, but I felt like I was missing something. I couldn’t figure out if there was something in the atmosphere or something inside me holding me back. And I’m not sure exactly what shifted during the message, but the worship at the end of the service was suddenly more meaningful, more personal, more about God connecting with me than me worrying about the people around me. The second worship time I took part in was Monday morning at the AIM office - we start our weeks off with a time of worship, which is fantastic. I mean, who wouldn’t want to start out Monday morning with their close friends praising God? Again, nothing particularly set apart this time as different from any of the others I’ve taken part in, but there was a shift inside me. I just closed my eyes and let the Spirit move. I wasn’t falling on the floor or spinning in circles or dancing, but just swaying in the Spirit, just allowing the manifest presence of God to fall on me and actually affect me. I opened my eyes at one point and realized I had moved a little bit, had turned from facing the front of the room toward the side, and was getting closer to one of my co-workers than I would have normally done...and it didn’t bug me. It didn’t matter to me what I looked like, or if people were looking at me - it was a time for me to be myself with God, for a time for Him to speak to me and sing over me.
It’s a sort of victory. A victory over me caring about what other people think. A victory over me being afraid of what the Spirit is doing when I worship. A victory over me, which allows me to focus on my Savior instead.
So this, my friends, is the last “small victory” I wanted to share with you (for now anyway - I’m sure there will continue to be more, but these three things happened so closely together that I needed to share them). I’d love to hear about some of the small victories you’ve seen in your lives lately! How have you seen God move?
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 11/30/2011
If you didn’t read yesterday’s post, click here to read it first. Though it’s not imperative, this is a series, and I’ll be referencing things I brought up yesterday in both this post and the next one.
Like my running pace had hit a plateau, other things in my life had also hit plateaus - one of them being my support account. I’ve been frustrated this past month or so because, although gifts were coming in, it seemed like my account wasn’t actually growing.
I started questioning God, asking if I’d really heard Him right - that this is where I’m supposed to be and what I’m really supposed to be doing. I started freaking out a little bit, thinking that I might not actually hit my support deadline (it’s $10,000 by the end of January, in case you were wondering, and then I’m in need of about $1500/month while we’re in India). I started doubting that what I’m doing is actually going to make a difference. I mean, it’s easy to get caught up in the whole “I’m just in the office going to meetings and reading books I don’t like and having conversations that don’t seem to be going anywhere” mentality.
 
(the thermometer on the left shows how much money has actually come in to my support account. the one on the right is my current projected amount with what people have said they're going to give)
And then something happened! I’m actually not sure what caused this shift, but suddenly things started coming together again. A friend from college, someone I haven’t really kept in touch with at all, told me that she and her husband wanted to support me monthly. And another friend posted some gracious and encouraging words on facebook (to read them, click here - she let me re-post it to our team blog). And Monday evening when I checked my support account, it had $625 more in it. $625! In one day!
I’m continually blown away by how GOOD God is. How much He loves me. How much He cares about my every need. Sometimes He does things like this - He takes me close and whispers in my ear and says “I’m proud of you. I believe in what you’re doing. I adore you.” He takes me from a place of worry and doubt and reminds me that His timing is perfect, His plans are incomparably good, His Word is true, and He is faithful. He has set me in this place for this time and this season, and He is going to bring everything to pass that He has said.
So while I’m still not 100% supported, I take comfort in the fact that He provides. God’s ways are higher than mine, and He doesn’t want me to worry about even the smallest thing. And that, my friends, is another small victory!
Stay tuned for part 3 tomorrow - it has to do with freedom!
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 11/29/2011
I’ve been running. And though that may not sound like such a big deal to some people, it is to me.
See, I was the kid in high school who could barely run a mile, and hated every single one of those 5,280 feet. I did sports that didn’t require me to run a lot (tennis, figure skating, golf, biking). My idea of exercise was, well, non-existent. I didn’t care about fitness, about being healthy, or about taking care of my body. It wasn’t that I was grossly overweight, but I wasn’t healthy.
And so a few years ago - when I was on the World Race, actually, I started running. First it was just an escape - a chance to get away from my teammates, from our ministry contacts, from anything that was weighing me down. Then I got home from the race and ran my first road race - a 5k. And you know what? I kind of liked it! So for the past 4 years, I’ve been running off-and-on. Not usually very consistently (especially when I moved to Colorado - the altitude there really messed with my lung function!), but I kept plodding along. Last spring my brother and I tossed the idea of running a marathon around - I thought, “hey, why not? what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger, right?” Needless to say, he did a marathon this fall. I did not. (See how well I kept up with running?) I am training for a 1/2 marathon now, though - we'll see how that goes!
(that's my brother in the middle - this is at about 20 miles and he doesn't even look winded!)
The thing is, though, even though I’ve always wanted to run faster my pace wasn’t increasing. At all. I could consistently run a ten-minute mile (and I know, all of you “real” runners out there are saying that’s barely even running...but it was a great pace for me), but I wasn’t getting faster. Until this past week. Suddenly, something in me broke free, and I’ve been running consistently faster. I don’t know if it’s the cooler weather (something in me just wants to be done sooner so I can get back inside & jump into a warm shower faster), if it’s the fact that I’ve been running with my roommate, who is a faster runner than I am, or if it was something else entirely. What I do know is that I’ve gotten my motivation back to run. I got over the ten-minute-mile plateau and am excited about this faster pace, this new level of running, if you will. I no longer have to say “I can’t run any faster than this” because I can. I’ve done it. More than once.
So while running may still not be my favorite activity in the world, I’ve gotten to a place where it is once again enjoyable. And that is a small victory!
(just a little gem I found on pintrest. I think it's probably pretty true!)
Stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow: support account miracles!
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 11/22/2011
Today, I am THANKFUL...
...for 60+ degree weather in which I can run in shorts & t-shirts in late November.
...for a wonderful mom who sent me “the good kind” of candy pumpkins in the mail along with my birthday presents.
...for roommates who like to be crazy and have lots of fun, but with whom I can also have serious conversations.
...for a job in an office where partying is the norm (we celebrated Thanksgiving last week with a HUGE dinner spread, and have an entire week of Christmas celebrations planned up to the night of our office-wide Christmas party).
...for the few pretty fall leaves that are still hanging on.
...for cardigans and scarves and toms - my new favorite outfits consist of all three of these things.
...for a weekend “away” at my roommates’ parents’ house - a time to relax and just hang out.
...for the USPS that delivered the 250-ish support letters I sent out last week.
...for the amazing people who have already helped me get to $4995 in my support account - only $5005 to go for these 6 months (then $1500/month after that, but we can talk about that later).
...for being able to check things off of my to-do list.
...for the ability to work from home in my sweatpants & t-shirts (I can get a whole lot more done when there aren’t 150 people walking past my cubicle at all hours of the day!)
...for skype conversations with friends in Germany. and Asia. and sitting right next to me.
...for amazing stories about how $10 is the biggest blessing our team could receive.
...for conversations in the AIM office about the potential for ministry in another part of the world that’s been big on my heart (don’t worry - I’m still fully committed to India. this is just on the back-burner for what I can be doing & where I should be going after this commitment is up. and it could change. I’m totally open to that too!)
...for authentic chai tea. and hot chocolate with marshmallows. and loose-leaf white jasmine tea.
...for people in my life who challenge me to be the best that I can.
"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 11/10/2011
Hey everybody! This is a blog from my teammate Pam Wilson - she's quite a bit behind on her fundraising right now and is asking for all the prayers and financial support she can get. She asked me to repost this so it gets out to a larger audience:
I have BIG news that you all need to hear about ....
Just after I got home from The World Race, God gave me a dream. This dream was in really vibrant colors and bathed in gold. In it a man came up and prayed for me, which led me to feeling so free and happy. There was a new type of freedom I was walking into; a release from home into something new and different. That dream has led me to be a part of The World Race India Initiative. This is a team of five women who have committed to a two-year term with Adventures In Missions. For the first six months we will be training, planning and fundraising in Gainesville, GA. The next year and a half our time will be in India reaching out to both young girls and woman sold into prostitution. The need is great and the work is hard but it is what my heart beats for, what I can't wait to do.
What a task lies before us. And here is where you come in . . .  During my short time in the states my goal is to build a team around me to walk with me through this next step of my journey. I need people like you to commit to pray for our team and me as we prepare for life in this very needy place. I am looking for people to partner with me in prayer support, financial support or both. My immediate need is to raise $10, 000 by January 15th, 2012. My long-term financial need is to raise $1500 per month, which will cover my housing, food, transportation, and other basic needs. I am also looking for people to pray for specific times on specific days to cover me throughout each week. Prayer-wise just let me know what works for you and I'll put you on my list, so grateful for your involvement. Financially I am praying for people to partner with me monthly in the following ways:
1 person at $200 per month
3 people at $100 per month
4 people at $75 per month
9 people at $50 per month
10 people at $25 per month
Would you prayerfully consider partnering with me this holiday season to bring love and hope to young girls and women in India? If it's possible for you to commit to helping financially and prayerfully, one-time gifts are so appreciated but monthly would help immensely.
You can partner with me in one of several ways:
Adventures.org/dynapay-fill out this form online, it allows money to come directly out of your checking account and does not charge a fee to my account.
Pamwilson.theworldrace.org-click on the "support me" link on the left-hand side and follow the instructions
Snail-mail-send check to: Adventures In Missions PO Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353-4470. Please put Pamela Wilson in the memo line.
Thank you so much for being willing to consider making a lasting impact in India by joining me prayerfully, financially or both.
So there you have it. Support Pam. Pray for her. Help her continue to be a vital part of this team.
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Posted in 0.0 General Articles by Becky Wiltjer on 11/7/2011
I've been told to blog more. Like, once-a-week more. And when I'm "out on the field" that's usually not a problem. Here, though, I have a hard time coming up with stories to tell, things to share, and exciting parts of my life that you might possibly be interested in. I forget that my life is interesting. I forget that being in the US is not just a mundane thing that I have to go through. It's not just about the tasks that I have to complete or the phone calls I have to make or the things that need to be done.
As we were worshipping this morning (sidenote: we have corporate staff worship every Monday morning - what a great way to start out the week!), I realized something: my purpose in life is not just to complete tasks so that I can go to India. My purpose is to bring Kingdom wherever I am, in whatever circumstances God has placed me. My purpose is to speak life, to bring life, and to be life in every place I am.
So last week when I met with a friend for coffee (or tea...that's more my preference), I should have been speaking some life and truth into her like she was speaking into me. And yesterday when I watched my roommate jump into Lake Lanier fully clothed for a promo video I should have been speaking life and truth over her. And this week as I'm sending emails and facebook messages to people to get their addresses, I need to be speaking life and truth over them. And when I do move to India next spring sometime, my purpose is not going to just be to rescue women and children or to provide healthcare or whatever else, it's going to be building relationships with them so that I can speak life and truth over them.
So whenever I have a tendency to get stuck on all the mundane details, I need to remember that it's not about that. It's about speaking life. And bringing life. And bringing kingdom. Because in the long run, that's what really matters.
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