Poured Out

I have taken a little break from my journey through the Old Testament to spend some time in the book of John. This morning I read from chapter 12 when Jesus comes to Bethany to visit with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary took a bottle of pure nard, which was an expensive perfume and poured it out over Jesus' feet. She wiped Jesus' feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the beautiful fragrance.

Judas was concerned about the monetary value of the perfume. Mary did give a very expensive gift to Jesus- but was it just about the perfume? Mary came to Jesus without abandon. She knelt at his feet and used her hair to clean them. She didn't seem to care what others thought, and it seems to me that she displayed the deep affection in her heart through this act.

I have been thinking about my own heart. For as long as I can remember, I have kept up strong walls around my heart, allowing very few people to really know me. It is hard for me to get close to people because I fear them leaving, fear disappointing them or having to say goodbye. It was not until I went through training last year that I expressed this to someone, who asked how this played out in my relationship with God. It was the first time I had thought about it, and in different ways I realized I had held God at arm's length too.

What does it mean to pour out our affection like Mary, to love God without abandon or without strings attached? Last Friday as part of my birthday celebration we went to a special prayer time at the House of Prayer. As the woman who leads it was singing and drawing us into worship, I got a picture of a girl dancing freely in a beautiful meadow. No shame, no holding anything back, but showing pure adoration and love. What would it mean to love The Lord that way? Jesus is teaching me, slowly what it means in my life to give Him my heart, to tear down the walls, to pour everything out at His feet.

The Greatest Adventure Yet

"So," my sister said with a wide grin, "do they really have cute maternity clothes in Cambodia? What about baby clothes?" Laughter spilled over, as we shouted, "Yes!" With a new little baby on the way, my status is getting an upgrade: to aunt!

I can't tell you how much joy is overflowing from my heart and I haven't even met the little peanut yet (and that is currently about how big he is). I love this little one already and can't wait to see him or her grow in grace, to see my sister and brother-in-law as parents. They are going to be amazing!

I love thinking of the rest of my siblings as uncles and an aunt too. They will love on that little kid, spoil him or her with kisses and cuddles and read all of the wonderful books our parents read to us as kids. My brothers will make sure their niece or nephew can throw a baseball and catch a football, before the age of 6 months. And of course, this child will be the cutest and smartest ever! :)

While I'm sure it is NOTHING like being a parent, I feel an awed sense of responsibility to this little one also. I want to be a role model, someone that they can look up to. And considering the fact that most likely this niece or nephew will be joining us in Asia (along with her mom and dad), I will be the family member living on the same side of the world. To teach this child about what it means to be part Hilkemann, to be constant in a world of many changes, to model (hopefully) what it means to love Jesus and make sacrifices and love the people around me.

So I am celebrating new life in this week after Easter and the brand new role that God has given me. :D

{Before the Throne} Day 5

Thursday, April 17

So much of our time in the west is spent in the written word. This is how we learn and consume information. This is also how we learn about who God is and His love for us.

Many people in Cambodia don't know how to read and write. Recently one woman heard a story of Jesus from God's Word, and practiced telling it to another person in the group. When challenged to take the story and share with others she was so excited. Because she didn't know how to read, she often felt that she couldn't be part of talking about Jesus. "God wants to use me!" she was thrilled to discover.

Pray for God's Word to transform the lives of people throughout Cambodia. Pray that people would be willing to learn stories and express God's love and truth orally. Pray for us too as we enter a season really focused on learning Bible stories in Khmer so that we can pass these on.

{Before the Throne} Day 4

Today is the last day of the new year holiday. Many people will visit friends and enjoy playing traditional games at the temple. Those who hold to tradition will also wash the statues of Buddha at the wat, and then ceremonially bathe their parents and elders as a sign of respect and to ask for favor and health for the coming year. Some will head back home to start work, others will continue celebrating through the week or go to visit the beach. 

Today please pray for God's light to shine in the dark and broken places in Cambodia. Even just the last few days I have come face to face with trafficking and prostitution. There are many NGOs who focus on this issue but they are lacking unity. Pray that there would be shared resources, healthy strategies for helping, and an end to the horrible practices that enslave so many here, for God's glory. 

Day 2 Part 2

Here is the offering table set up by the family running the guesthouse we are staying at during Khmer New Year. 

{Before the Throne} Day 3

Tuesday, April 15

For this second day of the new year celebration, children and grandchildren will take gifts of money, cake and new clothing to their parents and grandparents or aunts and uncles to show respect and ask for their blessing for the coming year. They will also have a ceremony to pass along favor and merit to ancestors that have passed away.

Today, pray for a fresh spirit of revival to blow through the Cambodian church. Pray that believers would be bold and loving in the ways that they seek to obey Jesus and reach out joyfully to the people around them. Pray for unity and a desire to see each province reached with the Gospel.

{Before the Throne} Day 2

Monday, April 14

Today is offically the first day of the holiday! Families are organizing special tables in front of their homes with offerings for the angel that will look after Cambodia in the coming year. They will put candles and incense, fruit, flowers in vases and water in bowls on this table. The family will gather around to ask for favor and good health in the coming year. Many people will also take food and drinks as gifts to the monks at the temple.

Please pray for the family unit in Cambodia! Pray for healing from destructive generational patterns, godly examples of a loving and respectful husband and wife relationship, and that whole families could be introduced to Jesus together. Pray for healthy ways to meet the needs of families and share Christ's love with them.

Photo Credit: Kristin Tillotson (at least from her camera)

{Before the Throne} Day 1

Sunday, April 13th

There is much joy today as family members arrive in their home province and begin to get ready for the festivities surrounding Khmer New Year. Women are busy cleaning their homes and getting food ready, and many people buy new clothes- for themselves and to give later to their elders.

Today, pray that God would reveal Himself to the Khmer people- in dreams and visions, through the love and mercy of people who know Christ, through His Word whether spoken or written. God is the one that draws people to Himself, and I am praying that He will do that in huge ways here among the Khmer people!

John 6:44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me. 

Photo Credit: Benjamin Tillotson

{Before the Throne} Khmer New Year

This next week the Khmer people in Cambodia (and other places too) will celebrate one of their most important holidays: Khmer New Year. Many will travel to their home province to be with family and friends, and they will enjoy eating and playing special games together. Many traditions during Khmer New Year also come from Buddhist or Hindu roots, including setting up a table with offerings for the angel for that year that is watching over Cambodia, bringing gifts to the monks in the temple and passing on merit and blessings to deceased relatives.

I am praying that God will do big things in the lives of the Khmer people during this special time! Will you join me? I will be posting some specific things you can pray for each day on my blog. Check back on Sunday for the first post! Thank you for lifting up the Khmer people to the throne of grace.

Psalm 99:1-2 The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. Great is The Lord in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations. 

Sua s'day Chnam Tmey!

Happy New Year!

Our language school is really great about organizing events for students to learn about Khmer culture and the teachers are lots of fun to hang out with! This last weekend a group of students and teachers went for a day to a spot outside the city to learn about Khmer New Year, the most important holiday in Cambodia that is coming up the 13-15 of April. Here are some of the highlights of our time together!

We started off at our school to learn some of the basics about the New Year celebration. I got to help with the translation for a presentation on the kroma, a distinctly Khmer scarf that has a multitude of uses! It was fun to do the translating and a helpful experience as well. 

Our transportation was sitting squished together in the back of a truck. Not the most comfortable of rides but at least it wasn't long and the breeze was delightful! 

Once we arrived we all hiked up to the top of a hill with a pagoda and an amazing view. 

Most of the day we learned about the games that Khmer people love to play during Khmer New Year celebrations. It was a hot day and we were all exhausted after all of the games, but it was a fun time!

Our whole group! 

I am thankful for the opportunity to learn more about these people and their customs. A large part of the New Year celebration involves going to the wat and giving offerings to spirits. I am praying that this year, many people will come to know the truth of Jesus Christ and want to live a life of obedience to Him! 

Starting this upcoming weekend I will be posting special ways you can be praying for the Khmer people during Khmer New Year this year. Stay tuned!