Young Life India Video

Hey ya'll!  I've been back in the "South" for a month and have definitely regained my southern accent :)  I threw this video together to show you some of the Indian leaders who are passionate about youth in India.  I am so blessed by their faith and desire to share the greatest Story ever told with Indians teenagers.  To show them that it is real and true and something they can cling to, no matter what life throws at them.

Some things I've enjoyed since being home - the smell of real coffee in the mornings (even though I don't drink it! haha!), meals with my family, consistent meetings with a Young Life staffer who is pouring into me weekly, strawberries and blueberries, air conditioning, God's pursuit and love for me, refreshing times with friends/family/spiritual family, being encouraged by supporters/friends when I feel completely inadequate and overwhelmed by the task, seeing TN and NC mountains (although they'd be considered "hills" in India!), and driving!

Ok, that list could go on a long time, but those are just some that came to mind.  I'm trying to soak in all these moments because I have learned to cherish them in the past 2 years of being away.  Love how God teaches us contentment and dependency in Him wherever we are.  Aight, I'm signing off!  Peace!  More lata!

Me and Debster the Webster :)

Mama and Becca

 Love these old camp friends!

Outdoor Nashville Symphony concert

Yaks and Such: A Picture Update

Mother's Day...lots of mothers and LOTS of kids!  haha!

Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls...my first homemade batch ever...with maple frosting.  Were they as good as they look?  Um, DUH!

I went to Gangtok, a hill station 4 hours from Siliguri, with my friend Kaitlyn for the weekend.  We soaked up these beautiful mtns.  It was a great and refreshing getaway!

We spent hours and hours drinking tea and reading.  My drink of choice: "hara chai" (green tea in Hindi)

Kaitlyn was reading "The Heavenly Man"...and crying.  If you haven't read the book, go read it.  It was challenge and inspire your faith.  And punch you in the face...in the best way :)

 

On Saturday we went to Changu Lake, about 2 hours from Gangtok.  There was a landslide halfway up, though, so Kaitlyn and I decided to hike!  Our driver eventually caught up :)

We stopped at one jolly tea stall to drink chai...7 rupees each, about 15 cents.  Amazing!  Starbucks, I HATE your prices!

Changu Lake.  It was cloudy as we came up the mountain but cleared up a little bit.  So beautiful!  My soul was made for the mtns!...although the altitude was so high that we got a little dizzy and nauseous :(

Yes, this is a yak, and yes, we rode them around the lake!  haha!  And my yak had curly hair on top of his head...fate :)

Jolly colors!

Me and Kaitlyn with our guide, Bishal

Momo's for lunch!

Some awesome Nepali Christians we met (the pastor is in the white shirt).  We met the guy in the back, Elijah, at an umbrella shop and went with him to their house fellowship on Sunday.  Even though it was all spoken in Nepali (people translated for us), it was so evident that God's presence was there.  They are filled with faith and dedication to Christ.  So encouraging!

At our guest house on the porch.  What a jolly place to read and drink tea in the mornings!  The garden in the back was so peaceful.

The guest house

Jeff's birthday was on Tuesday.  So Trish made an Italian Cream Cake.  While Victoria was trying to light the candle, he was blowing out the match.  Yes, he's 5 years old.

For those who don't know, Jeff and Trish are avid University of Texas fans.  So when Trish saw this little puddle that had formed on the counter in the shape of a longhorn, she flipped a lid!  haha!  Happy Birthday Jeff.    Roll Tide!  We still beat you in the championship :)

For more pics, go to this link:

Sikkim and more

Rejoicing in the Days of "Small Things"

There have been many times in the past 2 years that I have questioned God's timing.  Even my main purpose in coming to India 2 years ago (teaching a missionary's daughter) was not what I ultimately felt called to do.  But God kept reminding me of Isaiah 30 - "Blessed are those who wait on Him."  So I have continually prayed that God would make me faithful in the small things until I saw His bigger vision and purposes.

In Zechariah 4, God tells the people that His will will be accomplished by His Spirit and in the right timing.  "Who despises the day of small things (or small beginnings)?" (verse 10)  If you're a newly-wed and about to have your first house built, you're not disappointed when the contractor takes the measurements or the builders lay the foundation, are you?!  NO!  You're elated!  We know those things take time, and we rejoice and invite all our friends to rejoice even in those "small" beginnings.

The "small" things for me these days are meeting with potential YL leaders to share with them the vision/mission of Young Life.  Spending time in prayer.  Packing to move to an apartment just down the street in August.  Preparing to meet with people in the States who will be partners in this corner of kingdom work.

And I'm reminded that if one high school kid comes to know Jesus as Lord because of it...it's worth it (Luke 15).  Rejoice with me in the day small things.  Let's not despise these days but look to the Lord in every step.

Here are 2 awesome girls, Lisa and Mona (yes, together, they are Mona Lisa! haha!), who are praying about becoming Young Life leaders.  Pray for them to hear God's voice clearly.

"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the LORD Almighty.

-Zechariah 4:6

The Obituary of a "god"

On Easter a couple weeks ago, a very famous Indian Hindu guru, known as "Sai Baba," died at a South Indian hospital.  He not only claimed to be a teacher/guru but also a reincarnation of a god.  He even predicted that he would die in his 90's.  But death came sooner for this guru.

He had millions of followers.  But someone who they looked to for healing and forgiveness couldn't even heal himself.  It brings up the question of what kind of god you want to serve.  One who cannot defeat darkness, sickness, and sin?  Or One who has overcome death and hell itself?

It seems almost fitting that Sai Baba would die on Easter.  Compared to Jesus (who also claimed to be God), this so-called "god-man" does not measure up.  He comes short in every way.

It is amazing to reflect on the power, authority, perfection, and mercy of the Living God...not only to raise Jesus Christ from the grave but to forgive us of past, present, and future sins...to transform us by the saving work of Jesus.  It is a radical, transforming, freeing, peace-filled power.  There is none like it.  NONE.  I challenge anyone who has experienced this power to find any other like it, here in India or across the world.  All else comes up short.

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinth. 15:17)

"...but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always LIVES to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:24-25)

Sai Baba's Obituary: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13153536

You can only imagine what people said after some Indians saw a picture of my hair all brushed out..."Megan looks like Sai Baba!"  I gotta admit he's probably the only Indian to have a fro :)

Spring is Springing in India!

Thank You?

Today I went to ANTS graduation..."All Nations Theological Seminary."  I wonder if they thought about the acronym when they named the school?  Hmmm.  It's unforgettable, that's for sure!

Anyway, yesterday I received what I thought was a compliment, although I had slight hesitation in saying "thank you" because I am pretty familiar with Indian culture by now.  But today, it was confirmed that the "compliment" I had received was basically a rebuke!

Picture this: any American girl gets told she looks "thin."  What's her reaction going to be?  Sheer excitement, right?  DUH.  That was my reaction to an Indian's comment to me yesterday.  However, you can only imagine what a "LOL" moment I had when I overheard a conversation today that went something like this:

Boy says to girl, "You're looking very fat these days."

Girl replies in an excited voice, "THANK YOU!"

Haha!  I laughed not only because this would NEVER be a compliment to an American girl (and you'd get the "Jerk of the Year Award" for saying it), but mainly for the fact that I had expressed gratitude for a "compliment" yesterday that wasn't really a compliment.  Oh man!  Were there any Americans around to share my cultural story?  Of course not.  So I just had to hold in my laughs and chuckle at the irony.

Oh, and if you're labeled "healthy," it doesn't mean you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables.  It means you eat a lot of rice...aka too much.  So I guess I'm not eating enough rice :)  I love learning and using the cultural terminology of "Indian English."

ps - another cultural twist is that Indians want to be "fair," (they have BOATLOADS of fair creams, even for men) while Americans want to be dark.  Today in the service, a pastor was talking about pride and said, "For example, if you think, 'I'm more fair than that person..."  Haha!  I also smiled at this, thinking that my sister would have a lot of pride issues here in India :) 

Megan Susan Stephens...Calling Us By Name

This morning I'm thankful that our God is not only a living God but is personal and that he knows us, he knows me, by name.  He doesn't just deal with us on a universally human level but on an intimately personal level.  Isn't that amazing?  No other god does that.  No other god knows you by name....and desires such a relationship with you that he would die for you.  THAT is love.

I've been reading about some old testament prophets, who God called out by name.  Elijah and Isaiah.  Remember the time when Elijah called down fire on the false prophets of Baal?  Well, everybody was pretty mad after that and wanted to kill Elijah.  So what did this mighty prophet of God do?  HE RAN.  Not the most courageous thing to do.  But who could blame him?  After he'd been running for 40 days, God confronted him.  "What are you doing here?!"  haha!  So Elijah explained he was on every "Wanted" list in the country, although I'm pretty sure God didn't need his explanation :)  Sometimes God asks us questions for our own benefit, to show us our sin.  After that, God told him to get ready b/c His presence was going to pass by.  He sent a wind, earthquake, and fire but God wasn't in any of them.  Then he sent a still, small whisper.

what are you doing here, Elijah?

God did not abandon Elijah simply because he ran.  His mercy covered him in love and compassion, one that didn't destroy him but mercifully confronted him.  After Elijah gave him the same explanation, God told him to go back and anoint some kings and finish the job he had started.

And it's not just a one time deal.  I've been dwelling on these verses recently:

"Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He HAS delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he WILL deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will CONTINUE to deliver us" (2 Corinthians 1:9-10)

God delivers us.

Past

Present

Future 

He is the God who knows you by name.  Do you know Him?  Do you know His continuing deliverance?  Let the truth of these verses and truths wash over your heart.  This is the spring of living water that is inside us who call Jesus our Hope.