To Love

Happy Valentine's Day! I love this holiday... I love the colors pink + red, I love love, and I love celebrating! Although every year I am single and am not swept off my feet by romantic gestures coming from a man, I do find joy and love in my life every year on this day! 

I can't help but look at the cross first, the greatest love in history! Died and bled to be with me, Jesus is my faithful King! He will always remain my first love, so it makes sense to think of Christ first when I think of love. Without Him, I would know nothing of love.

I can't help but to think of my parents, who have so graciously loved me throughout all my years (shoulda seen me in my hoodrat years... they had so much grace!). But not only that, I am so thankful for how they support and encourage my dreams. I never thought I would be where I am at in life right now. I never thought I would be working full time for a missionary ministry and also leading short term trips to Haiti every 4 months. It is my dream come true and I couldn't have done it without their support, and I am so thankful that they let me pursue my dreams and my passions.

I can't help but think about my friends and community, who are always there for me and bring such immense joy to my life. Thank you for simply being my friend. Words can't describe how much I cherish your friendship.

I can't help but think of my kiddos in Haiti, who I have the strangest bond with... like they are truly my own. I love them with a fierce love that I never knew I had in me. I imagine this is what one would call, a mother's love. 

I can't help but think of Barre3. As cheasy as it may sound, Barre3 has given me the opportunity to grow in my health and myself. I have been able to connect with other women and been given the resources and tools to live a healthier life not only physically but also emotionally and spiritually. My energy, health, and excitement has gone up since I have been apart of the Barre3 community. Something that I thought would be just a 60-min total body workout (which it is) has turned into something so much more, and I am so thankful for Barre3. 

And lastly, I can't help but think of myself. Something I have been noticing within Christianity is that to love yourself is often seen as "selfish" or "inward focused" and yes... you should not be obsessed with yourself or anything above Christ Jesus but I think we need to revisit our love for ourself. We often think pouring out and putting others first is a noble and Christ like thing to do, which it is. But if it is damaging yourself or the destiny or call the Lord has on your life, you need to check yourself. You need to make sure that you are living and acting and thinking the way you feel called to by the Lord and not by other people.

It is ok to love yourself, to think of yourself, and to do things for yourself. Lately I have been focused on myself a lot! I have been spending more time, money, and effort on eating healthy, exercising, and my own personal walk with the Lord. At first the enemy tried to shame me into thinking I wasn't "doing enough ministry" or that I was "being selfish for focusing on myself" but the Lord quickly showered His love on me and showed me that how I love myself and care for myself will manifest in how I love and care for others. How I love myself and care for myself will also show people that I respect myself and that they too should respect themselves. 

Love who you are. Take time for yourself. You will be a better steward of many things once you have stewarded what the Lord has directly and blatantly given you, which is your body, your mind, your soul, your heart. Don't let anyone guilt you into feeling bad about it either. Of course, everything needs to be put in second place, Christ always is number 1, He always takes first place in our lives, thoughts, heart, and actions. 

But I challenge you... the God of the universe made you in His image and so intricately wove you together with such thought, such delight, and such love. He placed every hair in its place, he fashioned your face, and your little toes. He so loved and continues to love who you are, do you? 

Love + Yoga

The Lord has been teaching me so much lately. Humbling me about things I have always been outspoken about - such as yoga, such as the movie Eat.Pray.Love. Things that I once deemed "of the devil" and something Christians shouldn't even glance at, let alone do. Things I have never done or seen, that I simply agreed with the masses about.

The Lord has been showing me Truth, in many of these things and gently rebuked me in how I talk about them. To not let my pride and righteousness get in the way of Love. How often I stand up and proclaim Truth, may I have the same passion for Love. Let's not only love the unbelievers but love the believers - the ones who believe in something else, another god, maybe even a crystal. Who cares. Let us love them into the Kingdom as much as the atheist. Just as we become a "person who goes to a bar to be a witness to our non-Christian friends" let us be the "person who goes to yoga to build relationships with the yogi folk". Putting ourselves in an atmosphere/situation but not becoming a part of or affected by it. Seizing every opportunity to take back what is the Lord's, and take it back in Love.

Love, Peace, Strength, Stillness, Breath, etc. But the biggest thing that is His that we need to take back, is His child. That person you are trying to convict with your own opinion, is not in the light and doesn't understand where you are coming from. You are literally making yourself unrelatable to them. I am preaching to myself right now, I have done this SO much and have seen bad fruit come from it, which is why I am sharing and thankful that the Lord has been doing so much in my heart on this topic. Keep reading...

Let's be Christians who are quick to listen instead of yell our personal convictions. Thinking that we must always defend God. Yes, the Lord is worthy of being defended... of course. But if we have not love, we profit nothing. He also is very capable of defending Himself, remember that He is YOUR Defender. Not the other way around. Let us love one another in Deed + Truth.

Usually when someone asks me if I think it's ok for Christians to do Yoga, I would quickly respond: no, never.

Usually when someone asks me if I think it's ok for Christians to go to a bar to meet up with old friends, I would quickly respond: no, never.

But how will we win them to Christ if we don't give them Him? Hear this clearly; it is all about your heart. If you go into Yoga or a Bar because you want to connect with another god or get drunk, then my recommendation is to stay in community and stay abiding until your Spirit is strong and steadfast to win people over to Christ that nothing sways you. Don't let the enemy near you, resist him and he will flee. Stay deep in the Word of God. Deep in prayer. Deep in community. This is something that takes training and strength - just as we work out to get stronger for a competition or game, so it is with abiding. Work your spiritual muscles so that when time comes for you to use them, you are strong and victorious.

I see this as a competition (because I'm an athlete) - how much Love can I give away? How much can I shift this atmosphere with the power of Holy Spirit? How many people can I sit with like Jesus did? Let us always remember to imitate Christ in all things, especially how we treat others. Jesus sat and ate with sinners, but did not sin. May it be so for us as well. Amen.

Check your heart. Talk with friends and get wise counsel. But don't let laws keep you from winning souls for Heaven, for that is your very purpose. And the only way you can do that is through Love. Have not love, we profit nothing.

In Him,

The Third World Girl

Lindsay Kulick

P.S. I watched Eat.Pray.Love and LOVED it. Very inspiring and beautiful film. 

Taking Breaks

In Barre3 my instructors always say to take breaks when needed. They also say breaks are not a sign of weakness but actually allows you to come back stronger and work more effectively.

Not only does this apply physically but also spiritually. Just like in Barre3 when they say to know and listen to your body - we should know and listen to our spirit. I am naturally a strong person and an athlete (softball for 15 years) - so... super competitive (if you have ever seen me play FishBowl or PingPong you are amen-ing that!). So the idea of slowing down or taking a break always seemed like weakness to me.

I really felt the Lord telling me to take a break recently. To focus on myself (something I am not a fan of) for a little bit. I have always exercised but decided to do a little more (thank you Barre3!), I also have always eaten pretty healthy but decided to focus on what my body is taking in more. There is a lot of "I" and "Me" in those sentences! Which has been so hard for me. If you have done or do any type of ministry you know what I'm talking about...

I am always focused on others, on community, on leading, etc. And I'm not saying I am checked out of those things by any means, but I did feel the Lord telling me to trust that He is doing and leading all of those things. They won't fall apart or die without me, because Jesus is the glue and the life that holds everything and everyone together. I just get the blessing of going along for the ride and helping people see the Glue and see the Life.

If you know me you know I am in constant work mode. I work for an awesome Missions Ministry that I love called Travel the Road, when I get off the clock from that I start doing Awaken Hope (Non-profit) stuff, leading Bible Study, hanging with friends, etc. So it was hard for me to "focus on myself" this month, and still is, because I'm still on "a break". I felt so guilty and condemned. Immediately the Lord showered His love and grace over me. I know we use that phrase "shower" a lot but I literally mean it. I felt the Holy Spirit just covering me, continually and constantly with His love and grace, reminding me that I don't have to do anything to be in right standing with God, I must simply believe. The Lord has really been teaching me what it means to sit at His feet. (I have #marthasyndrome for sure...) Not just in my quiet times in the morning, but how to sit at His feet all day.

Just as I take a break in Barre3 classes and come back stronger, with better form, and perform more effectively, so I know that this year will be the best yet, because spiritually, I will also come back stronger, in better form, and perform more effectively for His glory. It's all about His glory, it's all about lifting Him high. That is my passion with health - all work together. Mind, Body, and Spirit. You can learn so much from working out each one! And it all applies to one another and it all is for His glory.

So make time for yourself. Don't see breaks as a weakness. The one thing you should never break from is abiding, because apart from Him - everything is nothing. We must have our gaze firmly fixed on eternity and a heart rooted in Love that desires to see Him lifted up in His rightful place.

May the Lord lead you in your breaks, may His Word give you the discernment your Spirit, Mind, and Body needs. And more importantly, may you just fall head over heals, deeply in love with Jesus and sitting at His feet.

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17)

In Him,

Lindsay

The Third World Girl

You've Always Been Beautiful

The beginning of a new year usually means New Years Resolutions! Which I think are great. 

However, lots of people give up on achieving their resolutions (or goals and dreams in life) because they give up during the process. Every change in your life is going to require time and/or effort. The best advice I was ever given was to "love the process". 

Last year I fainted for the first time in my entire life. Completely blacked out and hit the floor after taking a hot bath one night. I ended up having an inner ear imbalance and sinus infection at the time but regardless, it shook me up quite a bit. I from then on decided I wanted to change my health. I wanted to sacrifice what tasted good for what was actually good for my body. I wanted to exercise so I could be more energized and alert. I knew that I wanted to simply feel stronger, be more available (even physically!) to serve the Lord, and be in my best health. 

And it has been a year and I am still going! It takes time. And it also should be a lifestyle change, not just a year thing. I started out just walking... maybe about 30-45 minutes a day. When I carved out that time to go outside, walk, listen to worship music, and just be in God's presence, He spoke so clearly to me and taught me so many things through the process of walking to jogging to running. When you set out to achieve a goal or live out a calling or fulfill a dream, you must take it one step at a time and really chose to get mundane things done so that you can achieve your goal, calling, or dream. If I wouldn't have gotten up (almost) every morning and gone walking, I would have never ended up jogging. If I didn't go jog, I wouldn't end up running. It's a process. Sometimes you won't see the fruit right away, but when you chose to daily do it - you will see results.

I just wanted to encourage all of you who are choosing to get healthy this year... that you have always been beautiful. Remember that. Don't let the focus of getting healthy be "to become more attractive" let the focus be on you getting stronger, more energized, and healthier so you can better offer yourself to the service of the Lord. Let it be so that you can have a lifestyle of good health so that you can feel better as you travel, serve, hangout with friends, have a family, etc. 

And remember... You've always been beautiful. You don't need to change to become more beautiful. You don't need to lose weight to become more beautiful. You don't need to do anything to become beautiful because you already are. Shift your focus to something eternal amidst exercising, not something worldly. If you focus on the eternal benefit of good health while on this earth, you will want to persevere when it gets tough or when it gets boring. 

But my advice to you: do it! Just. Do. It! 

My love and blessings to you and your health! May the Lord be glorified in all that we do. 

In Him,

The Third World Girl 

Orange Juice

What does Orange Juice have to do with anything Lindsay? Well, let me tell you. 

This morning I woke up craving Orange Juice, which happens quite regularly for me. About a year ago I decided that to best serve God in the first and third world would not only be to be in my best spiritual shape, but also in my best physical shape. I'm not going to write about exercise and eating right however, I am going to talk about how when we make a choice to give up something for the more of God, it becomes a natural desire and craving and vice versa. If we keep choosing something else besides the Lord, besides abiding, then we won't miss or long for it like we once did.

Let me explain this in further detail through OJ and Soda.

I used to crave Diet Coke on the regular... I just loved it. I remember driving through McDonalds sometimes just to get a Diet Coke! So crazy. Once I made an active choice to cut out Diet Coke & replace it with healthier drinks I found myself not missing Diet Coke as much. I did for a while, but eventually the routine and memory of Diet Coke disappeared and I had a new thirst and craving for water and especially Orange Juice. I made a choice to drink water. I made a choice to drink OJ and I found that I felt better after drinking those drinks than I did when I would drink Diet Coke. That made the continual choice of water/OJ easy.

But then... you have those days where you get an old urge, an old craving. You want the flippin Diet Coke! But you know it isn't good for you and it doesn't make you feel as good as water and OJ. I found myself during these hard times, choosing to chug water or OJ instead of getting in my car and driving through McDonalds for a Diet Coke. It was a choice. I made it because I used my mind and through the hard times of choice my body started to walk in alignment with the choice I made in my mind. It started craving water, started craving Orange Juice, and now I don't even care for Diet Coke. But it took an active choice and perseverance.

Ok cool Linds, again... what does this have to do with Jesus? Well If you haven't made the parallel yet, this is a total revelation I had when drinking Orange Juice this morning. How often I watch people chose the Diet Coke, chose the world and forget the goodness that Jesus brings, the goodness that water and OJ is to them. They grow accustom to the Diet Coke and it becomes a habit they are blind to. Is that you? Are you letting the world slip in? Are you slowing down in the run? Put down the Diet Coke, actively chose the Water or the Orange Juice. I am not talking about sin. I am talking about following Jesus. I am talking about choosing the world and not Christ. Choosing to settle and not abandon. I am talking about slowing down and not pressing on.

I am praying that the Lord illuminates to us through Holy Spirit where we have compromised. Where we have chosen second best instead of Him. May He be our first choice. Our first priority. Our first love. May we remember the love poured out on Calvary and joyfully lay down our Diet Coke, joyfully lay down our worldly desires, and radically chose Him, radically pour out everything, and radically follow Him with everything we have. My advice: chug the Orange Juice, it's so good and no matter how I feel, it tastes the same and has the same affect on my body. Same with Christ. No matter how I feel, He is good. No matter what, when I chose to put Him first, I will have a good affect in my life but more importantly, the world.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Third World Style

First Off: Happy Thanksgiving! 

How thankful I am for the love freely bestowed upon me as a child of God! May I always pour out that same love onto others with a firey passion in my heart to see His love manifested on this earth until His triumphant return! 

Alrighty. I ain't no fashion blogger but I sure do love me some fun clothes for the mission field at a darn good price!

Here is a "store" I found on Amazon SMILE (www.smile.amazon.com - gives back to a non-profit! Chose Travel the Road to support the unreached being reached with the Gospel).

They have amazing dresses, skirts, and shirts that are lightweight, conservative, and great for either Church or a day in the orphanage!

Third World Style - Sakkas Amazon Store

In Him,

The Third World Girl

Faith vs. Fear: Which one do you operate from?

What if we took God's Word seriously? What if we took it literally? What if we believed it was written to us, about us, and for us? 

As I go through life, in community, in missions, in everything... I can't help but notice a lack of faith in the Church. Yep, I said it. Lack of faith. That means not a whole lot of faith... Wow, this is getting more awkward as I type it.

Let me encourage you that I too am in this lack of faith Church. However, I desperately want to change it. So often I see people operating out of fear and not faith. I see back up plans, cautious and strategic life choices, and doubtful dreams take a backseat. I see lots of Plan B's just in case God's plan doesn't work out. When you say it out loud it sounds ridiculous... As I type it it sounds ridiculous. To doubt God's voice. I am all about planning too by the way. Faith is NOT an excuse for lack of planning. The fear I am talking about is when you make a back up plan IF something doesn't work out, not actually planning something out before you act in faith. You get what I mean? You are operating from a place of fear not faith, doubting that this is "of God" or that God will come through for you if you make a wrong turn or decision and are stuck. This breaks my heart into a million small pieces that I know are broken for a reason. When the Holy Spirit worked this "faith" thing out in me, it changed my life forever. I want you to experience it too. It brings true freedom and true confidence. And the way I learned it was watching other people live it and knowing the heart and character of the God I claim to follow.

So let's be a generation and a body of Christ who operates FROM faith. Who believes God when He speaks. So many times we over analyze this and think "does God really want me to go on this missions trip?" "does God really want me to..." and so on and so on. The beautiful thing about these questions is that they are answered through His Word! We already know the answer. So many times we get caught up trying to "hear the voice of the Lord" when He really wants us to know His voice by knowing Him and act in faith so that His glory may be revealed in our lives. So many times we "wait on the Lord" out of fear, out of questioning, out of worry. Do you know someone who lives by faith? There lives are radical testimonies of God's glory and faithfulness and huge encouragements. Watching my boss's (Tim Scott & Will Decker) live by faith is a huge encouragement to me, they seriously believe what God says in His Word and operate out of that belief. They pray knowing that they have already received! (Mark 11:24 & Matthew 21:22). They believe that when they lay hands on the sick they SHALL recover (Mark 16:18). They believe that God will take care of them (Matthew 6). God rewards faith. I know we don't like to hear that in Church either... that God "rewards" people, but it's true! (All of the Gospels & Hebrews 11:6) Faith is the access to all the things of God. If you believe, you will be healed (another awkward "did she just go there moment") but come on you guys... read the Gospels! "Go, your faith has made you well" "Your faith has saved you" and so on. God LOVES it when we are radically dependent on Him and believe His Word. He will show up. Always.

Want more faith? Thinking to yourself, "Ok cool Lindsay, I am glad you think this way but I just can't." I would challenge you to abide in scripture. The fancy way of saying read your Bible. You probably hear this often, and rightly so, for it is Life to all who hear. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by ONE way, hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Read about God's faithfulness to you and all of mankind between Genesis and Revelation. Read about His marvelous deeds in redeeming Israel and delivering them to the Promise Land! Read about Jesus, who was God! Read about the life He lived to redeem you, bless you, heal you, and make His home in you! There is a reason why all throughout the Psalms you read "I will remember your marvelous works", "I will recount your faithfulness", etc. It is vital that we remember God's faithfulness, provision, and blessing not only in our own lives but throughout all of time! It's insane. If you actually read the Bible and believe that it is to you and for you. It is real. It is literal. All of it is done. Jesus has already died for your life, for your healing, for your joy, for the power of the Holy Spirit to be in you, etc. But until you receive it and walk in it, it is idle. Anything that is NOT said or done in belief is idle. You must believe it.

So when Jesus says in Mark 16, that I will be protected from all harm when I preach the Gospel to all creation and that when I lay hands on the sick they WILL recover... I believe it. When Jesus says to pray, believing I have already received, I believe it. When God says that I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me, I believe it. When God says greater is HE that is in me, than he who is in the world, I believe it. When Jesus says I am more than a conquerer in Him, I believe it. When God tells me that He will come again and wipe away every tear, I believe it.

Let's be children who believe their Father. We all like to believe the verses like the last one I said. That He will wipe away every tear.... but do we believe all of them? We must. And if you do, you will be a recklessly abandoned follower of Jesus, going from momentum to momentum conquering the enemy constantly and winning many to Christ. Take His Word in and speak it out, for what you say will rule you. Operate from faith, not fear. And encourage your brothers and sisters to as well. If someone comes to you and tells you what the Lord is putting on their hearts to do and it seems crazy to you, like a huge leap of faith. BLESS THAT. They are living by faith and risking probably something they really love or are used to having or doing to follow the radical footsteps of Jesus! Don't speak doubt into their life, don't instill fear because you think what they are doing isn't "logical" or "smart for their future", etc. How dare we as the Church come against a fellow brother or sister walking by faith. How dare we. Let us be the ones sending them off with blessing, encouragement, prayer, and provision! Faith doesn't always make sense, or agree with the waves of society, or normal "American" life. But that's the fun of it. Living by faith is the funnest, most adventurous life you can ever imagine. It will take you places spiritually and physically that others have not wandered and you will never regret taking that leap. So jump. Remember who owns your life and has the very numbers of hair on your head numbered. This life is but a vapor and what is only done for Christ will last as this life will surely pass.

In Him,

The Third World Girl