Saturday, November 13, 2010

To the happy couple :)

CHECK IT.
My sister and her future husband, my future brother, Eric.
I am soooo happy for you two.

This week I wrote down what I want in a husband one day when I get over the "I wanna be single forever" phase of my life, so I don't forget:
1. I want him to be willing to lay down his life for me, just as Christ did for us.
2. I want him to nurture me and care for me, make me feel loved.
3. I want him to be my best friend who I trust with everything. Then love.
4. I want him to know me, know my heart, pursue my heart.
5. I want our desire to be to seek the kingdom together, to further it.
6. I want him to cherish, protect, and guard my heart.
7. I want to have fellowship and prayer together.
8. I want him to love me, but worship the Lord.

I think all of these things Eric and Em have. I pray that God blesses your marriage for the rest of your lives. Looking at your engagement pictures is like eating candy. They are beautiful and the love you two have for one another is so evident. Like iron sharpening iron. :)
I love you two. Congratulations and thank you for being an example in my life.
I can't wait to help plan in 4 months (if you'll let me). :)

Friday, November 12, 2010

God's Voice

Rainbows. Donkeys. Writing with His finger in the sand. Creation. Angels. Dreams. Visions. Pillars of fire. Pillars of clouds. Supernatural Events. Stopping the Earth's rotation. Signs. Circumstances. Audible voice. Impressions. Music. People. Scripture. Inner Spirit.

Last night I was listening to this sermon from the Kansas City Boiler Room (my most recent addiction: http://kcboilerroom.com/teachings)
And Adam Cox was talking about hearing God's voice.
Lately I have been starving to hear God's voice. Just praying praying praying to hear His voice.
Adam started listing a billion ways we hear God's voice (some listed above).
TODAY I HEARD IT.
One of my closest friends here feels like her world is caving in around her. She feels like Satan is attacking her in so many ways. She just kept saying, "God is not with me. He cannot hear me. He has left me. I just want to die." So I grabbed her head, I put my lips to her forehead, and I started praying. "Lord, we want to hear your voice. Father, send us a sign. Heal this broken heart and show Elizabeth that your heart is breaking for her too! Give us a sign, Father! Give us a sign!"
She told me just to leave her...So I began to walk away.
As I was walking away, not even a minute later, I began to feel raindrops. It started to pour, HARD. And it's not even the rainy season here.
It hasn't rained like that since I first came to India.
The Inner Spirit spoke to me: "Go tell her, I have NOT left her."
I ran back and started screaming outside of the Girl's Hostel, "ELIZABETH! ELIZABETH! COME OUTSIDE!"
She finally came out as I stood in the pouring rain.
"See! He is crying just as you are now. He has not left you. He will never leave you."


Please, call me by name Father, because your words are perfect.
Natalie Grace Donald

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

I don't know how many times I've looked at these in the past few days.

It feels like 100 times at least.
I miss my friends. :(










My cup feels empty, and my mouth feels dry.


Lessons.

I feel overwhelmed with all God is trying to teach me. At times, I simply want to give up and say, “I’m ready to go back to my old life. To be old Natalie again, lukewarm. I’m ready to have the lukewarm job and the lukewarm boyfriend and the lukewarm attitude towards You, Father.”

Then I think,

I’d rather be hot, on fire for you, or cold, totally broken, then to come to you at the end of my life, knowing I lived safe, and knowing I chose the world instead of my soul. I chose to die instead of live.”

I feel vulnerable and broken. I feel like everything in my life is being flipped upside down for this King.

Things like this:

to save your life, you have to lose it.

to live, you have to die.

to be powerful, you must become like a child.

to see, you have to have faith in the unseen.

to mature, you have to become humble.

to lead, you have to become like a servant.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Says my brain.

Boy, have I been praying. I feel like all I can do is pray. And I am humbled. Wow, how I am humbled. Tears come with the reality that I have chosen venomous sin in my life, knowing fully well that Jesus was brutally murdered for that sin. Forgiveness and mercy is a beautiful thing that I wish I had more of.

My notebook is completely filled with prayers. I feel like my brain is constantly being regurgitated onto paper.




I wrote my first song. It’s not that great. But I wrote it after my chaotic week and the words just sort of spilled out.

It still needs a lot of work, and I feel like I have the music in my head, my friend is just putting it to a guitar for me.

Here it is:

I ask you, “Why?

Why? Why? Oh Why?”

Have you taken such a life?

I ask you, “How?

How, Father, How?”


Can I kneel here at your throne

and let it all bleed out?

Let each beat inside,

Show you the life

That I am chasing after, Father.

Because

I’m beautifully broken

Divinely chosen

For You, my Lord, for You, my Lord.

I’m beautifully broken,

Divinely Chosen,

For a King

Who heals all things.

Like a child, I reached up to You

You took my hand.

And You helped me stand.

I’m beautifully broken,

Divinely chosen.

For you, my Father, for you my Father.

I’m beautifully broken,

Divinely Chosen,

For a King

Who heals all things.

Heal this heart.

Hear my soul.

For you are love.

And this I declare.

That…

You are everything and I am nothing.

You are everything and I am nothing.

You are everything and I am nothing.

I’m beautifully broken,

Divinely chosen.

For you, mere Pita, for you mere Pita.

(My father in Hindi)

I’m beautifully broken,

Divinely Chosen,

For the King

Who heals broken things.

He heals all things.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Thankful am I.

I don't know how to write this blog.
I've tried at least four times and I still haven't found the right words.
Because I don't think there will ever be the right words to say to these people.
The ones that make life worth living, refresh the soul, and hold us together after the hardest week ever.
So, I don't know what else to say, but thank you.
To you who prays for me day and night. You know who you are. I know you are on your knees for me in prayer daily and I pray that God keeps us close forever. You are my best friend.
To you who brought me oranges, cold medicine, a million romance novels, and my favorite sweets when I was feeling sick. Thank you for loving me at all times and for teaching me what friendship really looks like.
To my family in Christ, who just lost everything, but yet has given me more than I could ever begin to ask for this week. I will never forget your kindness, your hours of cooking for me, letting me mourn with you for hours but then still finding joy in the Lord at the end of the day. Thank you for remembering that mango juice is my favorite and for thinking that I am a genius for getting the 1,000 rupee question right on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. It boosts my self-confidence.
To you who is giving thousands to the Karuna Home, just because. I still cannot believe it. One day I hope you can come and meet my babies and see what a better life you are giving to them.
To you who sneaks me chocolates everyday, just because you know it will make me smile, despite the fact that one day I will become fat because of you.
To you who reminded me about the song that no one could sing, but the 144,000 redeemed. Thank you for teaching me how to love others. I am honored to leave your legacy.
To you who sent me the book about friends, reminding me that they are my angels and when I have awful weeks they somehow find a way to preserve my spirit again (and yes, you are my best friend, Gram. You always will be :) ).

I probably have a million other thank you's that I could say.
Today I am thankful because what would life be without friends?
Even though I feel as sick as a dog, I have friends that love me very much.
And that is the best thing for your health, I think.
:)

Thank you Jesus for friends that put band-aids on my heart when the pain comes.

Amen.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

lieutenant dan moments

natalie grace, running up the steps of our roof or the karuna home not wanting to ever miss it.


watching the sun come up and the sun go down in india.
i am overcome with peace.


and in awesome wonder.

Transforming for my destiny

Natalie's thoughts:
"I'll be happy when I figure out what I'm doing with the rest of my life."
"I'll be happy when I fall in love."
"I'l be happy when I move to India."
"I'll be happy when I get more confidence."
"I'll be happy when I get back to America and eat a slice of pizza and take a hot shower."

"When will you ever be happy if you are living like this Natalie?"



Tonight, sitting on the roof of my house, watching the sun go down and the kites flying for miles in the distance, listening to switchfoot, dragon flies buzzing around me, reflecting on the past week, and having absolutely no idea what the rest of my life has in store, I can tell you that I, Natalie Donald, am completely and absolutely happy. Even though hard things may come, I can rejoice in the fact that I know a God who painted that beautiful sunset for me and who has a plan in store for me greater than I could ever begin to imagine.

"For when you are weak, then you are strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10


Awakening,
Natalie Grace