In the spirit of dreaming dreams and making them happen, today’s guest blog post is written by our oldest daughter, Mariyana. We are honored to watch her mature into a godly young woman, and particularly excited for her to be embracing her dream of going on a mission. I think you’ll really sense her heart and passion in her post, and would encourage you to consider supporting her in her endeavors!
January 2011
Dear Family and Friends,
Greetings to everyone! How’s your new year? Can you believe 2010 has come and gone?! I can’t, but I’m excited for the New Year! God is doing so much in my life, I can’t thank Him enough for it. This year God surprised me by giving me the awesome opportunity to go on a mission trip to Bohol, an island in the Philippines! I’m thrilled beyond words!
Ever since being adopted, I started having a heart for the poor. Maybe because I myself was once poor, but not under the same conditions. My birth parents drank and at times even forgot about us children and didn’t even come home. As a result of the drinking, my birth mom would often run away from home in order to escape dad’s cruel hand. People would often say that he had “golden hands but a rotten mind” and I believe the saying! He had the job of making beautiful carvings on houses but he forgot to carve something that truly counts. When he got his payment he would run off with it and spend it all on alcohol, choosing to forget that he had 6 starving children at home depending on him.
My early childhood was filled with confusion and suffering but I see some great things as a result of my past. I have a wonderful testimony to share with others. Sharing my testimony with those who are ashamed to share theirs may open a door that was closed for so long! This is how I was. I was really shy in sharing my past with others because of fear of what others may think of me.
But now my past is all behind me except for what I choose to keep. Now I have a family who loves and cares for me! They also invited me to be one of God’s children! I realize now that I was created for a purpose. He didn’t have to create me but He did! This encourages me to live a life for the One who gave it to me! God wouldn’t create a person without a purpose in life so existing on this earth means you and I have a purpose! You and I were put in this specific time in history for a purpose but you’ve got to let God use you for the purpose He planned for you! Like someone once said,”Everyone ends up somewhere but few end up somewhere on purpose!”
I have a desire, and that desire is to be great in the Lord’s eyes. “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). In James 1:27 God shows His desires to us, “to visit orphans and widows in their troubles.” But God doesn’t just tell us to help the poor and leaves us with that. In Habakkuk 1:5 He tells us that He “will work in our days” and it will be so wonderful that we wouldn’t even believe it if we were told about it in advance! What a beautiful promise! All of these small desires lead to one big desire – making a difference in this world! I am only one person but think of Martin Luther King Jr. He was only one person too but made a huge difference! Like God said, “What are you doing for others?” I believe you just have to have a desire in you to make a change!
You can help make a difference right now! Imagine living in darkness all your life and never hearing that someone loves you and wants to bring you to a better life, a life full of light! How would you feel after you heard about this too good to be true news? No words to express your emotions, right? Someone living in the dark can’t be told about Christ if no one goes! God is waiting for human actions – not that He is not able to work on His own, but He wants His children to be involved in His work!
You can be involved in His work too! If you feel led by the Lord, will you consider supporting me through prayer or funds or both? I must raise $2,200 and although I might get all the funds I need, without prayer the money is worthless! Money gets you to places but prayer changes lives! Prayer is necessary! So please pray! Pray that God will work in His own perfect timing just as He said. “The message I give you waits for the time I have appointed. It will happen when I want it to” (Habakkuk 2:3). There is a wonderful story about perfect timing related to this mission trip. To make a long story short, the mission team was actually going to the Philippines over Christmas break, but the plans didn’t turn out the way they had hoped. And now I get to join them! God is amazing!
I will be going with the team to the Philippines from August 4-15th. Once in the Philippines we will be working on projects such as painting a school room (I have plenty of practice on that from painting at home), clearing a section of land for a chicken coop to be built, and teaching crafts and Bible stories to the children.
If you want to support me financially, in prayer, or both, I will greatly appreciate your generosity! At the bottom of this letter, you’ll find a form you can print and fill out letting me know how you are going to help. Then please send it to the Glendive Evangelical Church at 118 West Borden St., Glendive MT 59330. If you are writing a check, please make it out to “Glendive Evangelical Church”, with “mission” in the memo. Or if it’s easier to give online, you may go to www.ecglendive.com and click “Donate” at the bottom of the page, noting your donation is for the Philippines Mission Fund.
Thank you so much for all your support and may God bless you richly through all of this!!! I look forward to sharing with each of you how God worked through my team and I when I return!
Mariyana Faith Marble
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MARIYANA’S MISSION TRIP TO PHILIPPINES
Mail to: Glendive Evangelical Church, 118 West Borden St., Glendive MT 59330
I will PRAY _________
I will SUPPORT FINANCIALLY $________________________
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ADDRESS___________________________________________________________________
EMAIL______________________________________________________________________
