A Promise Fulfilled: Haiti Day 1 By Cortney Donelson

From June 7th - 15th, I had the amazing privilege of serving the people of Haiti during a short term mission trip through Lifetree Adventures. Our "Lifetree" group partnered with another phenomenal organization - Heartline Ministries in Haiti (http://heartlineministries.org/). For the next seven to eight weeks, each weekly devotion on this blog will highlight each day in Haiti where God helped me pour out Jesus' love. My hope is that you will be inspired to take your own faith journeys global. For our mission as believers is to take His message "to all the nations..."


2 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV)

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“I will give you rest.”

It was the quiet yet confident voice I have learned to recognize and grown to love. I was sitting on the first of two airplanes at 2:00 am on my way to Haiti for a short-term mission trip with a friend. It had been a whirlwind travel adventure, and we had barely left our home city – delayed flights, a cancelled flight, and even a mysterious “missing flight” had plagued our night. I knew we would be arriving in Haiti before 8:30 am, and I also knew that still required another plane change in several hours.

“God, I have never been able to sleep well on planes. How am I going to…?”

“I will give you rest.”

Before I had finished the sentence of my prayer, God spoke. I smiled and closed my eyes. Sleep didn't come, but peace did. We made our connecting flight and arrived – ready to roll – in Haiti.

The mission team leaders picked us up at the airport and brought us to the guesthouse where we would stay for the week. They asked if we wanted to lie down, and at first it seemed like a great plan given our lack of sleep … but, it wasn't God’s plan.

Suddenly, we felt a strong desire to skip the nap. We didn’t want to miss anything that may bring us closer to God’s glorious presence, so we headed back downstairs. It was then we discovered that the other 31 members of our team were going to be delayed until the following morning. It was just the two of us for the whole day.

Lake Azuei
Source: Unknown

So, as God knew (and I like to think had planned), the leaders took us on an amazing journey through Haiti that we otherwise would not have experienced. We were at the 40-hour mark without sleep, but God fulfilled His promise – I never felt tired. My body never experienced the sluggishness that comes with a lack of sleep. I thought God would provide rest through a nap opportunity. Instead, God provided rest through allowing us to experience this special adventure that took us to a desolate mountain village called Shambone where a 6-year-old petite beauty named Medlynn stole our hearts, and a pastor named Maxo gave us his radically inspiring testimony. He took us to a brilliantly scenic view of Lake Azuei, and He took us to an inspiring orphanage where 24 children who were orphaned by the Haiti earthquake in 2010 gave us a tear-jerking impromptu concert, complete with an 8-year-old drumming prodigy.

Source: Photo taken at Haitian orphanage 

God’s promises never fail. My respite came through living out Jesus’ love. My rest was provided as I sang quietly in MedLynn's ear as she sat, light as a feather, in my lap. My energy was renewed as I gave out candy to precious children with dirty clothes and worn out shoes. I experienced a spiritual awakening that overpowered my fatigued body, allowing it to rest, while God’s spirit fueled my soul for the days to come. As I operated within Christ’s strength and through His heart, my flesh’s weakness fell by the wayside.

I had just lived out 2 Corinthians 12:10. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What promise has God made for you today? What strength found in His spirit will cause a weakness in your flesh to dim and become insignificant? Is it the promise of hope when circumstances seem bleak? Is it the promise of peace as the chaos of life seems to destroy your calm? Or, perhaps it’s the promise of grace when you feel you have made an unforgivable mistake? For me, on this particular day, God promised rest, and He delivered in ways I could not have expected nor accomplished on my own.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31(NIV)

Prayer – Thank You, Father God, for always keeping Your promises. You went before me to Haiti, and You were there with me every step of the way. And, I know You will remain in Haiti loving those who live and serve there. Thank You for giving me spiritual rest that transcended my flesh’s fatigue. I pray for the people of Haiti and for those who serve them in Your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

When Enemy Interference Distracts Us By Cortney Donelson

Source: www.smithical.com

1 Thessalonians 2:17-19 (ESV)
“But since we were torn away from you … for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you – I, Paul, again and again – but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?”

I love to run.

I don’t run far or very fast, and I don’t run daily. I just love to run.

When I do strap on my bright blue shoes and hit the pavement, I usually spend that time with God. Most times, I listen to music and sing for Him. Sometimes, I run in prayer. It’s a quiet time out in the fresh air for God and me to enjoy together.

Recently, I went for a run simply because I had the time – the kids were in school, and it was a gorgeous spring day. As I ran, I worshipped Him – my iPod loud to drown out my footsteps and heavy breathing. However, I was frustrated with what I was hearing. There was static. It was just enough to interfere with the songs and to cause me to lose my focus on the worship. I could sing the songs from memory, but the connection with God while I sang was interrupted because I was unable to hear many of the words clearly. The static had become a distraction.

That had been the story for the previous couple of weeks with my quiet times and my ability to write from the heart – His heart. There was static. It was drowning out my ability to hear God clearly. It seemed there was a loose connection somewhere in our “communication channel,” and I began to lose my focus. But first, allow me to back up a bit…

According to multiple sources, my spiritual gifts are faith and discernment (the ability to discriminate between what comes from God, what is from flesh/man, and what is from the enemy/Satan). Spiritual discernment helped me recognize that my inability to focus was not a result of my own flesh blocking my communication with my brilliant Lead Writer. The static during my quiet writing periods was not because I had fallen away, was praying less, had become less passionate, or moved away from Jesus. The Lord and I were still close. I still felt secure in His presence. Rather, this seemed to me to be the enemy’s interference causing static, occurring precisely because I was so in tune with God at the time.

Paul had interference-type challenges from Satan too. Paul had become very close to the Thessalonians. According to Scripture, he couldn’t wait to see them again. Satan despised that bond. It was a godly relationship – Paul and the Thessalonians – built from the foundation of Jesus’ love and teachings. “But since we were torn away from you … for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you – I, Paul, again and again – but Satan hindered us…”

In a similar way, I love writing these devotionals. I get very excited on Tuesday mornings when they are emailed out to those who have chosen to receive them automatically. All credit goes to God when what is written impacts someone else. As Beth Moore once said, “It’s like sharing a high-five with God.” I am so honored and thrilled to be a part of what He is doing within these posts. I love to boast about God through your comments and feedback. “…For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?” And, the enemy hates that. He hates the relationship I have built up with the Lord through writing. He hates when I pray throughout my writing. He detests that we – you and I – are connecting and learning with each other in this way. I bet (I hope) it’s like nails on a chalkboard to Satan’s ears.

I believe Satan throws obstacles into our lives to hinder our relationships and distract us as believers. In Paul’s case, he created physical barriers to prevent him from reaching the Thessalonians. In my case, he created static interference with my worship music to divert my focus during my quiet time while running – just like he used the static to interfere with my writing several weeks back.

As far as I am concerned, he can use whatever weapon he wants. God is stronger, and God is faithful.

Through the static, I have rediscovered something pretty spectacular. God speaks to us in many ways. As I was feeling frustrated by the static interference during my quiet writing sessions, God began unleashing His wisdom and message through different channels – radio, nature, people, and books. I heard Him through each avenue, and it was truly amazing!

When we face spiritual static, we can be confident that God’s Word and promises will remain unchanged, our relationship with Him will be safe and secure, and we can run right back on track with His messages. What kind of spiritual static are you facing? Let’s pray through it together…

Prayer – God, thank You for speaking to us in multiple places and through many means. When we face obstacles, we pray for wisdom and discernment to know where these challenges originate so that we can be on guard. The enemy has no power over You – or us if we follow You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

Search Me By Cortney Donelson

Psalm 139: 23-24 (NIV)

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Source: Unknown

Be careful what you pray for…

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is reach for my phone. Before you decide I need to call SPA (Smartphones Anonymous), let me explain what I do when my sleepy eyes focus on the screen. I read my Bible app’s “verse of the day.” I spend a minute and meditate on it. On this particular day, I made it my honest and authentic prayer. I begged God to search me.

“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.”

I slipped my tired body out of bed and staggered to the shower.

Three quick hours later, God delivered. I opened the door into the darkened play area at the pediatric eye doctor’s office with my 4-year-old daughter in tow. With her eyes beginning their dilation process, she stumbled past me to the toys. I stopped. In the corner of the dark room was a woman sitting in a chair. She was quietly sobbing, and she wasn’t trying to hide it. My daughter didn’t even notice her, which immediately sent up a flag in my heart. My child always notices. She has a habit of staring at people – something we have been working on with her.

As I sat down near my little girl while she played, my heart was being called to this woman. She was alone in the children’s waiting area. She wasn’t just leaking tears … they were pouring out, and my daughter seemed clueless there was someone else in the room. Something was up.

Then, God reminded me of my prayer earlier that morning, “…test me…” I sensed God asking me to go pray over her. He was testing me to see if I would act as a true follower who could put aside uncomfortable feelings of awkwardness and pride (my anxious thoughts) and obey His request.

I did what many of us do. I went halfway, hoping it would be enough.

“Ma’am, can I get you anything?”

She replied, “No, thank you.” I sat back down. God pulled on me harder. I had a vision of Jesus kneeling next to her and praying. I sat on the plastic chair designed for someone half my size and prayed for her quietly, under my breath. I knew it wasn’t what God was requesting, but at that moment, I just could not die to myself – to my anxious thoughts.

There was no condemnation from God. I felt a convicting love. God was showing me where I was still offensive to His ways. He was teaching me – leading me.

The lady was finally called out of the room by a nurse. I happened to catch her last name.

For the next 36 hours, I encountered that name three times. It was a name I had previously never heard of or ever seen. The first time, there was a feeling of more conviction, and I knew God was correcting me with a lesson. The next two instances, I felt God was calling me to pray for her by name until He said I should stop. I did. I prayed for her until He released her name from my narrowly focused world – three days later.

That one morning, I had earnestly asked God to search me and test me. He did. He revealed to me one of the areas where I still come up short. It is with my pride – my fear of being judged. We all come up short somewhere. It is why we all need Jesus. The good news is that I am now more aware of this weakness. I have a focus point for some serious spiritual development.

I thanked God for answering my prayer and “leading me in the way everlasting.”

Prayer – Lord, You know my heart better than I do. I am sorry for not following You with all my heart, mind, and soul every day. Some days I will fail. Thank You for the conviction without condemnation that You always provide to help guide us to You on those days we miss Your mark. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

Just One Word - Part II: Midyear Checkpoint By Cortney Donelson

Romans 14:17 (ESV)

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” ~ C. S. Lewis

It is the halfway point – the intermission. It’s time to do a quick assessment.

In January, I posted a blog called, “Just One Word,” (http://www.asaclayjar.blogspot.com/2013/01/just-one-word-by-cortney-donelson.html) about finding one word by which to live out the new year. Many of you chose a word with me – words such as rest, restore, and service. It was a beautiful thing. My word for the year is joy.

Now the calendar has flipped to June, and I am almost afraid to ask myself, “Am I living out joy?” There have been some rough patches. Life is always full of them. Yet, despite those bumps, have I been able to find joy on a daily basis? Has it become my habit to seek God’s goodness, light, and faithfulness even as the rain pours and darkness seems imminent?

In January, I envisioned joy would come from intentional decisions and actions. They key word has definitely been intentional. I have discovered something crucial to successfully living out a joyful life - joy is an option. It is absolutely a choice! I bet living by some of your words would take choices too. Joy is also an experience. Not just a passing emotion, joy can bubble up and shine out as if it is a living entity all its own - despite where you are, what you are doing, or the circumstances surrounding your life. 

I cringe at Merriam-Webster’s definition of joy: “The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” If that were true, joy would remain elusive for every single one of us. Not one person would ever find it – let alone hold onto it. After all, it seems the more we get, the more we crave when it comes to our selfish wants and material possessions. Joy does not come from well-being, success, or good fortune. Those things are nice … and fleeting. Joy is not receiving what you desire; rather, joy is finding that perfect source of all your delight. That source is not one that is tangible or one that can be lost or stolen – it is not temporary. The perfect source of all our delight is God. He is, was, and will forever be … joy. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” He is all we need.

If you don’t believe me, consider Christine. Christine was a 15-year-old girl with terminal brain cancer. Her circumstances stunk to say the least. She was a teenager who would never learn to drive a car, never go on a first date, and never graduate from high school. Her days were filled with chemicals, tests, and pain. Merriam-Webster would consider Christine a lost cause for finding any joy. Yet, Christine was one of the most joyful people I have ever met. She was positive, bright, always smiling, and completely at peace. Her sense of humor was truly remarkable. Those around her found it difficult to remember she was sick, despite her obvious limp, swelling face, and curling hands. She chose to make God her source of all things desirable. No circumstance – no illness – was going to come between Christine and her Creator’s purpose for her short life, and no diagnosis was going to squash her joy.

Fourteen years later, I still think of Christine at times. Mostly, I think of her when my circumstances take a turn toward the opposite end of up. I remember her joy. She was the first person who taught me (seven years her elder at the time) that joy was a choice. She left a lasting impression on me and many others. Joy is an experience that God offers to us all through His promises. It is an offer, though. He will make ALL things good. We just have to believe and say yes. And, that my friends, is the precise moment we can experience full joy – no matter what is happening in our lives.

So, how am I doing? I give myself a B for this semester. I could work on experiencing joy on a daily basis. I pray that once I can grasp joy every day, I will never let go of it. Then, it will become the cornerstone for how I face the world and its challenges. How are you doing with your “word of the year?” Do you make decisions in order to prioritize your life around that word? Or, maybe you have forgotten the word you picked? I encourage you to do your own midyear checkpoint. Ask God to open your eyes, and then allow yourself to open your hands to the gift that your word could offer you for the next six months.

Prayer – Heavenly Father, thank You for joy. Thank You for people who exude Your joy – no matter what is going on around them. I want that! Help me find it by reminding me to choose it every single day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.