Away she goes...

Dear Friends,

It is amazing what God can do in one year. Actually, less than one year ago, I would have questioned my own motives in what I am about to share with you. And today, I have never been so certain of something in my life. For those of you who know me, you know I am a bumbling, broken, clumsy spirit, who desires nothing more than to pursue my Savior with all of my heart. I am certainly not shy about what goes on inside my head, and sharing my experiences, in hopes that others will not follow some of my examples. That is how I learn…by falling and getting up again and again. And that is why I am writing to you today. I have a beautiful story of redemption in my heart, and I want to share it with others, not only here, but also across the world, and I want to start this in Ghana, Africa.

If your jaw just dropped, welcome to my world. It is the craziest thing I have ever heard. Me, AFRICA? What? I can recall a conversation in May of 2010 where I blatantly stated that I was “happy right here, with all of this” (referencing my comfortable life) and “why do we need to travel across the world, when there are people here to minister too as well”. Albeit true, and I certainly have a heart for domestic missions, we are called to “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”(Matthew 28:19-20) That can mean several things to different people, and to me, it means traveling to Africa. My dear friend who traveled to Zambia, Africa last year came back with a beautiful story of miracles and His love. When she looked at me and said “you HAVE to go, Nikki, they need to hear your story”, I laughed inside my head. I had ZERO desire to do so, but little by little God has been chipping away my doubts and fears. I began to pursue missional opportunities for the coming year, to anywhere BUT Africa, in November. I had also begun a growing and wonderful friendship with someone with a heart, and plan to travel, for Africa. She off-handedly asked me to join her, and to my own surprise, I said yes. With much prayer and debating with God, that is how I am here.

In April of this year, I will travel to Nalerigu, Ghana to work with The Baptist Medical Centre (http://baptistmedicalcentre.org/) there. 

The team in which I am traveling with will be working in the hospital, which houses 123 patient beds and remains overloaded. My part in this trip will reside predominately with an orphanage on campus, sharing the Love of Jesus Christ with the children, and whatever else I can get my hands into to serve. It is my most honest step of faith, as I truly am not sure what this journey will mean for me, except the most desirable outcome, a closer relationship with my Beloved. From the BMC website, “Currently the BMC is a 123 bed hospital whose reputation brings people from as far south as Accra, as far east as Togo and Nigeria, and as far north as Burkina Faso and Mali. Most recent yearly statistics are as follows: 60,000 outpatient visits, 10,000 inpatients, 1,200 major operations, and 2,500-3,000 minor procedures. Over that past 50 years, it is estimated that over 3 million patients have visited the hospital and around 70 Baptist churches have been planted in Northern Ghana.”  I have included links below to a video and article that particularly touched my heart as I have been on this pursuit to Nalerigu.

Most importantly, I need you for this trip. I need your prayers. I know this is an obedient walk of faith, but it will not happen without some serious praying over the next couple of months. 

Please pray:

• that I would be prepared over the next couple of months by being faithful to spend time praying and in the Word
•  for the children in Nalerigu that I will meet
• for the team that I am traveling with; two doctors that will work in the BMC
•  for the predominately Muslim population in Northern Ghana; that God would prepare their hearts for His Gospel to be shared with them
• for BMC, Greg Nyhus, and other missionaries there; that God will sustain and continue to encourage them

For updates on this journey and my walk with God, please visit my blog at http://nikkirodden.blogspot.com/. Thank you for your time and encouragement. If you would like to support my mission financially, please send gifts before March 15^th to The Church in the Center, P.O. Box 300781, Houston, TX 77230, with “Ghana NR” in the memo line.

grace & peace,

nikki rodden

Please take a moment to visit these sites:

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=172513

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CrazWgjrp8

 

Fully Exposed.

I recently had the most amazing "God-experience" of my life. My heart-twin, appropriately named after discovering that we shared the same heart verse, and I were chatting, venting, etc and decided to pray in 2011 RECKLESSLY. We have seen some similar circumstances in our years and are walking this incredible journey together. While talking, we decided to start praying...and we prayed All Night Long! We prayed for everything you can think of...crazy big dreams, loved ones, people that have hurt us, people that we do not know, people that we wish we did not know, everything! It was phenomenal and God sustained us both completely through our commitments the next day. In a hotel room days after, I grabbed the hotel-provided conditioner. I needed more than I had packed and was happy to use the cute little mini bottle that I find amusing for some reason. Examining the bottle prior to slathering it on my hair, I see the name of the conditioner, Renew. The word immediately struck my heart and I thought, "Yes, I have been renewed" with a smile. After showering, I spent some time thorough a Cynthia Heald study I am finding new truths in, "Becoming a Woman of Simplicity" and the word came out again, "renew", as well as countless examples in scripture. One in particular is Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, 
   for his compassions never fail. 
²³ They are new every morning; 
   great is your faithfulness. 
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; 
   therefore I will wait for him.”
That would only be the beginning of my renew journey, though. The weekend then followed with lots of playful fun, parties, dancing, seeing old friends and showing a dear friend bits of my past...healing in some ways and exposing in others. How easy it is to fall in to the ways of this world. I like to think of myself as devoted and I certainly know that my heart is 100% in crazy, fall on my knees, heart-pounding, butterfly-exciting LOVE with my Savior, but I didn't act like it this weekend. I came home feeling defeated, fallen, and exhausted. What on earth was I thinking? I know so better than to let myself get swept into keeping up with the crowds and all that mess. Ugh! Why oh why do I find myself learning lessons over and over again? The answer came to me this morning...because I am a sinner and forever in need of a LORD and Savior. The beauty of the cross is more evident than ever. We get to be "renewed" over and over again. But, I would still carry the burden for two days to come, battling untruths in my head, and even after talking to friends and family, the yuck, well, stuck. Even with truth blaring to me on the radio like "the beauty of the cross is that Your Grace has found me just as I am". It would not go away despite the revelations in praying about it and obedience, until I talked with my earthly father, whom I have had a broken relationship with in past years. And dinner that night afterwards, with that heart-twin person I adore, confirmed it for me. I am a child of God. I need my Father to tell me that everything will be ok when I fall, which I am destined to do. So this is why I am writing...to put it all out there. I find myself telling friends and family things that I am scared to say to Him, but no longer. That is where the reckless part comes back in to play. I am looking forward to seeing what 2011 has in store. Promise to keep this updated. Thanks for reading.

Joy in the morning

Strange how things hit you when you least expect them. As I was praying (admittedly briefly tonight as I am tired) I distinctly remember thinking, "boy, for someone who is attempting to challenge themselves to a month of prayer, you suck!" I looked at the clock and realized that I could start a new book that I have been wanting to read, "90 Minutes in Heaven" by Don Piper. I am sure you will hear more about the book soon, but tonight something else struck me. As I finished reading for about 45 minutes, just to the point where my eyelids were blissfully droopy and I could fall asleep with little randomness inside my head, I turned the light off and rolled over to enjoy my oh so comfortable bed. I then moved to thinking about what lie ahead for my day tomorrow, with a little disappointment. It will be a busy and active one, and cold. These thoughts are proceeded by the start of this day and I smiled remembering what a wonderful silly moment I had pulling out of the garage this morning. As I plugged in my iPod, Michael Jackson blared through the speakers, volume left inappropriately set from my last workout. "Man in the Mirror" was just starting...one of my favorites! "Yes!", I thought, and turned it up a little more. I then went through two lights and entered Highway 59 with not one thought of anything except how much I love this song and with ridiculous dancing...as much as one can possibly do behind the wheel of a vehicle, plus some! I was ready for what was BOUND to be a wonderful day! And then, stop after stop, phone call after phone call, hour after hour, my day just sort of ebbed and flowed, concluding with exhaustion. Some great moments, some average ones, some not so great. How could a day that started like that turn out to be average? And tonight it hit me...That is life. And the fulfillment of the Promise of joy in the morning. As I rest tonight, I know that the same joy that I saw this morning is certainly ahead of me again and again. Thank you Father, for daytime and night time, for beginning of weeks and weekends, for new months and new years! For fresh starts that are all around us. No matter what each moment of my life holds, may I always be thankful for the Promise of joy in the morning.

Psalm 30:4-5

Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing (joy) comes in the morning.