Alright sorry it has taken me so long to write about my ventures in Cambodia... Just been settling back in to life in AZ these last 2 weeks....
We arrived in Cambodia around August 6th or so after being in South Korea for a week and a half. Let me tell ya, from the minute we arrived in Cambodia we knew we were about to experience something we've never experienced before. We went to different villages throughout our trip within Preah Vear and Kratie, and also stayed in Siem Reap for a few days.
We visited a local church and spoke about how Jesus is Healer and told people to come forward if they needed healing anywhere in their bodies. Around 15 people came forward looking for healing all throughout their bodies- anywhere from chronic migraines to bad knees- People needed healing! I prayed for an older lady who suffered from bad migraines, pressure on her chest, bad sight in one eye, and was near deaf in both ears. Prayed for Jesus to touch her body and take away all pain and she said she felt a little better but was still feeling pain.
Over in Cambodia (and obviously in America too), there are many ways people put trust in other things to help them that are only temporary or just don't help at all- for instance, many believe in Buddha and practice certain "good luck" rituals to help them out when challenges arise. Many wear red bracelets that are a part of Buddhist tradition to give them good luck and blessings.
This woman was wearing one of these bracelets and putting her trust in Buddha to provide healing. Through a translator, We talked to her about how Jesus is the one who will heal her, and that this bracelet will not help her. She took off her bracelet, which had like a million ties in it, and we prayed for her again. We prayed off all other religion that she previously put her trust in and she said she wanted to trust Jesus. We asked her how her body felt, and she said that her vision was restored as well as her hearing, She also felt a "refreshing" throughout her body- she said she no longer had pressure on her chest or any headaches!! It was incredible! Praise the Lord!
That day every person who came in sick and hurting left healed of their infirmities!
Just as it is said throughout the Bible, when Jesus came to earth:
Matthew 8:17 “…Himself took our INFIRMITIES and bare our sickness.”
Luke 5:15 “…multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their INFIRMITIES”
Luke 7:21 “And in the same hour he cured many of their INFIRMITIES, and plagues, and of evil spirits.”
Luke 8:2 “…which had been healed of evil spirits and INFIRMITIES.”
Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit help our INFIRMITIES: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.”
By faith in Jesus as the one, true God, and praying in His name- these miracles are promised to all today!
This was one account of healing of the many we saw occur by the power of Jesus through our team.
So big surprise- my mind was blown again and again on this trip. I realized how powerful God is and how much He loves His people!! All over the world, God wants to be with His people, heal His people, all because of his abounding LOVE!
I've never known such a love, and have never experienced it until my time doing Catalyst.
& I've gotta say my life will never be the same.
I began Catalyst with disbelief, hardness of heart, confusion, brokenness, among many of my problems. Aaaaaand God totally met me, took my hand and guided me through all the hurt and all of the stubbornness and declared me as His own. As soon as I agreed with the truth of who God claims to be and gave up control- surrendering my agenda, my flimsy ups and downs, and all expectations to how life should go-
I finally received what I've been wanting and trying to get all along - Freedom! There's nothing like the freedom that God gives. It's not limited in any way- it's pure freedom.
God has got me!-And life is so much better when you've got the Creator of all that ever was and is in your side. He's got a wayyyyy better plan than I could've ever come up with- I mean He sent me to freakin' Cambodia and South Korea last month! Haha
Dude, come be blessed sons and daughters of the Most High with me.
He won't force His love on you, but when you use your free will to choose the One who has loved you all along (and gave you the free will to begin with), you won't regret it and God will meet you wherever your at.
He LOVES you. Seriously.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
So I'm supposed to rely on science?
So I'm sitting in my Research Methods class that is discussing "Political Science" and one of my classmates asks "Isnt it dangerous to label this "political science" when this includes relative/ not completely truthful statements/ statements that can be denounced?" It lead me to look up the mere definition of 'science'. Science is the systematic knowledge (awareness/acquaintance of facts) of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Science in itself is composed of theories- which are accepted to be true- because they 'make sense' most of the time- matching up with our presumed/ seen/ tested thoughts/ beliefs. When it comes down to it science is formed by people!
When questioning the meaning of life, and what/why things happen in life- and questions related arise- I feel a little uneasy relying on any 'science' to guide me through life. One day people are happy, one day they are sad, one moment we are successful, the next moment we are alcoholics, then someone gets cancer and what do you do, how do you live even trying to be successful if one day you die and stay in the ground.
We are so fickle in our emotions and when life throws curveballs at us we can't rely on science to help anything.
So what about when it doesn't make sense, or science doesn't lead to the conclusion that you come up with? Well- you can try to prove what you believe through arguing x,y, and z- you can Just live what you believe, and you can also believe both- as long as there aren't extreme contradictions within both beliefs.
I'm sure anyone would argue that religion and science can't come together and resonate soundly within one individual, but I say that as long as we properly define science, knowing that it is not wholly reliable because people, fickle fleshly people, created the '"truth" within science'. It could be true sometimes, if the variables being tested react to the "constant" (nothings really constant, come on haha) in a familiar way that reaffirms the past conclusions.
But this all submits to the Creator's truth.
His ways are far above our ways, therefore He does a lot of things that don't make 'sense' to us. Really what it is is that He is so smart that He makes way more sense than we could ever imagine- because He always is fully aware of what has happened, is happening, and what is about to happen at every dashing moment.
You have to start with the Alpha to get to the Omega. Everything begins and ends with God! This world isn't just a series of understandable, explainable events- there is much more going on than the here and now- and if we put our trust in "man" we don't have a solid rock to stand on- we have contradictions upon contradictions within oneself and within life.
Your right, things don't make sense- that's why we desperately need God!
He's the answer, he's the hope, he's fully trusted, he's fully love, he's all-knowing all seeing- all providing!
He doesn't want us in darkness, we are made to be lights, don't you know?
Reach out to Him with a pure heart and He will answer.
When questioning the meaning of life, and what/why things happen in life- and questions related arise- I feel a little uneasy relying on any 'science' to guide me through life. One day people are happy, one day they are sad, one moment we are successful, the next moment we are alcoholics, then someone gets cancer and what do you do, how do you live even trying to be successful if one day you die and stay in the ground.
We are so fickle in our emotions and when life throws curveballs at us we can't rely on science to help anything.
So what about when it doesn't make sense, or science doesn't lead to the conclusion that you come up with? Well- you can try to prove what you believe through arguing x,y, and z- you can Just live what you believe, and you can also believe both- as long as there aren't extreme contradictions within both beliefs.
I'm sure anyone would argue that religion and science can't come together and resonate soundly within one individual, but I say that as long as we properly define science, knowing that it is not wholly reliable because people, fickle fleshly people, created the '"truth" within science'. It could be true sometimes, if the variables being tested react to the "constant" (nothings really constant, come on haha) in a familiar way that reaffirms the past conclusions.
But this all submits to the Creator's truth.
His ways are far above our ways, therefore He does a lot of things that don't make 'sense' to us. Really what it is is that He is so smart that He makes way more sense than we could ever imagine- because He always is fully aware of what has happened, is happening, and what is about to happen at every dashing moment.
You have to start with the Alpha to get to the Omega. Everything begins and ends with God! This world isn't just a series of understandable, explainable events- there is much more going on than the here and now- and if we put our trust in "man" we don't have a solid rock to stand on- we have contradictions upon contradictions within oneself and within life.
Your right, things don't make sense- that's why we desperately need God!
He's the answer, he's the hope, he's fully trusted, he's fully love, he's all-knowing all seeing- all providing!
He doesn't want us in darkness, we are made to be lights, don't you know?
Reach out to Him with a pure heart and He will answer.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Korea del Sur- do you want to be taller or shorter?
We get to Korea and when we finally get to the hotel, after about 20 hours of traveling we are exhausted! The hotel appears pretty nice! Which is awesome and when we go upstairs, we see that they took the beds out of the rooms, to make it more "roomy" for us. Hahah. Random but then we had a few days to relax before we were to be the prayer team for this Impartation Seminar held at the hotel. During our days relaxing we had some interesting food and some great worship sets. We also wrote up 'dreams' for trip, which was incredible to see come true throughout the trip (you will see)
Once we begin the first day of the Impatartation Seminar, we find out that there will be this awesome Korean worship band that makes you dance like crazy. So the first hour starts, and we are all jumping around dancing like crazy people- and needless to say continued jumping and dancing all crazy like for the next week and a half with them (our calves hurt to the point where we had to stretch everyday and be careful walking hahah) After being drenched with sweat, we sat down to listen to Deyoung speak then Chad Dedmon (from Bethel) spoke the majority of the Seminar. By the way- this seminar was filled with about 100 Koreans ranging from ages 15 to 68. The next few days we prayed for each one of them, recording what God would tell us when we asked how he created them. People were extremely blessed and Jesus was touching hearts even as we prayed.
The next day Chad felt like someone in the audience had knee and back pains and asked if they wanted to be healed. A few people from our Catalyst team went up, including me, and he prayed for us. When I was prayed for I was swaying back and forth and nearly fell over. Hah, I was also swept over with joy. My knees felt tingling in them. Then one of the leaders on our trip received prayer, One of Laurens legs was longer than the other because of a broken leg hindering growth when she was younger and she decided to get prayer for healing. She sat down on a chair and a group of us, including Chad, prayed for one of her legs to grow out (about 2 inches to catch up with the other) and I saw with my own 2 eyes God grow her leg out 2 inches.
At that point I had to refuse all human logic I've ever put my trust in, I knew God was big- but prior to this moment I thought He made a lot more 'sense' to human reasoning (silly statment in itself) and I had to expand my view of God, especially in reference to what He is capable of here on earth.
To top it off, a Korean woman needed healing on the same thing- one of her legs was also 2 inches shorter than the other- so we began to pray and the shorter leg grows now 2 inches longer than the other- Chad grabs a translator and asks the woman "do you want to be taller or shorter?" she says she's always wanted to be taller and as they pray the other leg catches up and becomes even with the other!
God doesn't give a dang about what should logically happen according to our little pea brains!!
Hahaha. There has been a lot of laughs. During one of the worship sets- I was overcome with laughter, along with a few others. And I could just feel how near God was in that place. The Holy Spirit was having a good time in there. It felt like I was playing with Jesus, it felt so right. God continually wants to surprise us, wants to take us to new places, and just have fun with us... It's true!
I've learned that the only thing that keeps us not living in this joy and adventure with God is our tendency to take our eyes off of Jesus and focus too much on others and ourselves. If we stay focused on God He will take care of us, and uniquely be with us, love us, and show us new things.
During one of the teachings- Chad spoke about Heaven's perspective on success, and how it is not about RESULTS but about our Faith in following Jesus and takings RISKS!!
Taking risks isn't merely physically demanding tasks, but also is about emotionally putting yourself out there when it doesn't feel right, when it doesn't feel comfortable, when it feels irritating, even when it feels pointless. We're called to put ourselves out there. To be vulnerable with each other- and to take on each others burdens. I haven't been the most vulnerable in the past, so when it came to dealing with my ish on the trip I tried to go back to old ways and internalize- but knew God was calling me to take a risk in this area, because He wanted to show me how He would take care of me and help me in those times.
Let me tell ya, the frustration in approaching vulnerability is so temporary and the results from taking risk in these areas lead to better relationship with others and with God. He loves breaking down the walls around our hearts so we can feel what love really is.
He brings us to greater life, we are indefinitely most alive when are with Him. He desires to be with us through everything- even more so for us to recognize that He has, in fact, been there all along.
So I fasted during lunch one day and just went through my life with Him and He showed me how He never leaves us nor forsakes us. "The love that he has given us was never in doubt"
This was merely the first 5 days in Korea. I realized at this point that my mind was about to be thoroughly blown while on this trip.
Once we begin the first day of the Impatartation Seminar, we find out that there will be this awesome Korean worship band that makes you dance like crazy. So the first hour starts, and we are all jumping around dancing like crazy people- and needless to say continued jumping and dancing all crazy like for the next week and a half with them (our calves hurt to the point where we had to stretch everyday and be careful walking hahah) After being drenched with sweat, we sat down to listen to Deyoung speak then Chad Dedmon (from Bethel) spoke the majority of the Seminar. By the way- this seminar was filled with about 100 Koreans ranging from ages 15 to 68. The next few days we prayed for each one of them, recording what God would tell us when we asked how he created them. People were extremely blessed and Jesus was touching hearts even as we prayed.
The next day Chad felt like someone in the audience had knee and back pains and asked if they wanted to be healed. A few people from our Catalyst team went up, including me, and he prayed for us. When I was prayed for I was swaying back and forth and nearly fell over. Hah, I was also swept over with joy. My knees felt tingling in them. Then one of the leaders on our trip received prayer, One of Laurens legs was longer than the other because of a broken leg hindering growth when she was younger and she decided to get prayer for healing. She sat down on a chair and a group of us, including Chad, prayed for one of her legs to grow out (about 2 inches to catch up with the other) and I saw with my own 2 eyes God grow her leg out 2 inches.
At that point I had to refuse all human logic I've ever put my trust in, I knew God was big- but prior to this moment I thought He made a lot more 'sense' to human reasoning (silly statment in itself) and I had to expand my view of God, especially in reference to what He is capable of here on earth.
To top it off, a Korean woman needed healing on the same thing- one of her legs was also 2 inches shorter than the other- so we began to pray and the shorter leg grows now 2 inches longer than the other- Chad grabs a translator and asks the woman "do you want to be taller or shorter?" she says she's always wanted to be taller and as they pray the other leg catches up and becomes even with the other!
God doesn't give a dang about what should logically happen according to our little pea brains!!
Hahaha. There has been a lot of laughs. During one of the worship sets- I was overcome with laughter, along with a few others. And I could just feel how near God was in that place. The Holy Spirit was having a good time in there. It felt like I was playing with Jesus, it felt so right. God continually wants to surprise us, wants to take us to new places, and just have fun with us... It's true!
I've learned that the only thing that keeps us not living in this joy and adventure with God is our tendency to take our eyes off of Jesus and focus too much on others and ourselves. If we stay focused on God He will take care of us, and uniquely be with us, love us, and show us new things.
During one of the teachings- Chad spoke about Heaven's perspective on success, and how it is not about RESULTS but about our Faith in following Jesus and takings RISKS!!
Taking risks isn't merely physically demanding tasks, but also is about emotionally putting yourself out there when it doesn't feel right, when it doesn't feel comfortable, when it feels irritating, even when it feels pointless. We're called to put ourselves out there. To be vulnerable with each other- and to take on each others burdens. I haven't been the most vulnerable in the past, so when it came to dealing with my ish on the trip I tried to go back to old ways and internalize- but knew God was calling me to take a risk in this area, because He wanted to show me how He would take care of me and help me in those times.
Let me tell ya, the frustration in approaching vulnerability is so temporary and the results from taking risk in these areas lead to better relationship with others and with God. He loves breaking down the walls around our hearts so we can feel what love really is.
He brings us to greater life, we are indefinitely most alive when are with Him. He desires to be with us through everything- even more so for us to recognize that He has, in fact, been there all along.
So I fasted during lunch one day and just went through my life with Him and He showed me how He never leaves us nor forsakes us. "The love that he has given us was never in doubt"
This was merely the first 5 days in Korea. I realized at this point that my mind was about to be thoroughly blown while on this trip.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Chase.
I write this as a introduction leading into telling my experiences of venturing through Cambodia and South Korea, because an introduction is quite necessary for what was experienced.
As we neared leaving on outreach, I had questions, I had doubts, I had desires, I had hopes, insecurities, limitations on myself, limitations on God, fears as well as dreams.
Of course, I wasn't too aware of most of this, but God had a plan to teach me a lot! 2 journals full of teaching to be exact. Documented Highs and lows. Lessons from school in Tacoma. And now of God being God in Korea and Cambodia. Saving people, healing people, making himself known in peoples' hearts. Making Himself known in my heart.
The ways I saw Jesus come to His people has radically changed my life. People always use the "it's not a religion, it's a relationship" but woahhhh is it! Religion dies out eventually, as we all do. Relationship, Love-in fact with the one who made you, the one who your always at home with, and going home to some day- never dies out. Jesus is a lover and a fighter. He does not give up or forget to show up. He's in it for the long run and wants to give us a new song, wants to give us a new heart and WILL do all He promises to do.
So He promised He was going to show me who He is, and when I left the US He decided to start revealing Himself to me differently than He ever has. ...good different haha
He gave me new eyes and a new brain to start off.
As we neared leaving on outreach, I had questions, I had doubts, I had desires, I had hopes, insecurities, limitations on myself, limitations on God, fears as well as dreams.
Of course, I wasn't too aware of most of this, but God had a plan to teach me a lot! 2 journals full of teaching to be exact. Documented Highs and lows. Lessons from school in Tacoma. And now of God being God in Korea and Cambodia. Saving people, healing people, making himself known in peoples' hearts. Making Himself known in my heart.
The ways I saw Jesus come to His people has radically changed my life. People always use the "it's not a religion, it's a relationship" but woahhhh is it! Religion dies out eventually, as we all do. Relationship, Love-in fact with the one who made you, the one who your always at home with, and going home to some day- never dies out. Jesus is a lover and a fighter. He does not give up or forget to show up. He's in it for the long run and wants to give us a new song, wants to give us a new heart and WILL do all He promises to do.
So He promised He was going to show me who He is, and when I left the US He decided to start revealing Himself to me differently than He ever has. ...good different haha
He gave me new eyes and a new brain to start off.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
I leave for South Korea today!
Lesson on marriage?
Mmm. Yep. And many other thoughts/lessons from this week (haven't written in forever!)
We were all made for love.
&
He wants our all. Because He has everything in return for us.
Understanding that God is the ultimate lover changes things up.
He is our Judge, our King, our Father, AND the Bridegroom.
And God has this fiery, fervent, unwavering, passionate, jealous love for us.
He is currently preparing us for intimacy that is entailed in such a relationship.
This crushes Satan schemes to make us fall or wander off. Because! God is madly in love with us! He won't ever give up on us.
When we say yes to him- its saying yes to Truth. Saying yes to life, saying yes to trust, saying yes to the definition of love.
---------------------
On Sunday City Central and the pleasure of hearing John Dawson. Not gonna lie, I never know these famous Christians who we have been super blessed to hear speak while I've been here in WA! But I do know I am blessed! We had Allen Hood last week (am I name dropping) haha. The appropriate term for this time in Tacoma has been related to drinking out of a fire hose. We've just been straight up blasted with prophetic teaching, life changing messages, and actual life change!
It's been a pretty wild ride. And has gone by SO fast. I must say Tacoma is doing some things "right" in my book. They have an incredible community, whom I will miss dearly -come to AZ next people!- hah and truly yearn for a life lived the way God intended it AND there is such fruit! In marriages, kids, ministries. Man, GOD is proud of these people!
----------
I've always known life was like a song to me, but in a recent message I heard life being compared to a poem. Written by God, flowing, strengthened and moved by God, powerful and convicting, passionate.
We all have a story. This elaborate human story is being written simultaneously all over the world. And as we play a certain role, others have roles. We have different characteristics, varying backgrounds, belonging to somewhere and some people- but all playing a role in the same film. We all have room for redemption and saving. And never could say we have enough love.
The director and main character is God and He is madly in love with us.
It's the best love story ever told, and he's the greatest fighter you'll ever know. He loves to fight and fights to love. Never settling for our flesh's limitations.
"If we all were the same, we would have nothing to offer each other- therefore our differences are what attract us to each other- our differences are what is beautiful" John Dawson
As I am about a day away from being in South Korea, I start to really experience the reality of this whole deal. I'm getting on a plane tomorrow at 2pm for South Korea for around a week (going to be teaching English! Eek pray for me, hah) and then off to Cambodia (we will be in villages peaching the Gospel and teaching English) until the last week of August! It's a beautiful beautiful thing getting to be able to do this.
Never thought I'd have a heart for Asia, but God does work in some funny ways.
I'm thinking God is about to blow my mind...
To God be aaall the glory!
Keep me in your prayers! Love you and miss you all!
Mmm. Yep. And many other thoughts/lessons from this week (haven't written in forever!)
We were all made for love.
&
He wants our all. Because He has everything in return for us.
Understanding that God is the ultimate lover changes things up.
He is our Judge, our King, our Father, AND the Bridegroom.
And God has this fiery, fervent, unwavering, passionate, jealous love for us.
He is currently preparing us for intimacy that is entailed in such a relationship.
This crushes Satan schemes to make us fall or wander off. Because! God is madly in love with us! He won't ever give up on us.
When we say yes to him- its saying yes to Truth. Saying yes to life, saying yes to trust, saying yes to the definition of love.
---------------------
On Sunday City Central and the pleasure of hearing John Dawson. Not gonna lie, I never know these famous Christians who we have been super blessed to hear speak while I've been here in WA! But I do know I am blessed! We had Allen Hood last week (am I name dropping) haha. The appropriate term for this time in Tacoma has been related to drinking out of a fire hose. We've just been straight up blasted with prophetic teaching, life changing messages, and actual life change!
It's been a pretty wild ride. And has gone by SO fast. I must say Tacoma is doing some things "right" in my book. They have an incredible community, whom I will miss dearly -come to AZ next people!- hah and truly yearn for a life lived the way God intended it AND there is such fruit! In marriages, kids, ministries. Man, GOD is proud of these people!
----------
I've always known life was like a song to me, but in a recent message I heard life being compared to a poem. Written by God, flowing, strengthened and moved by God, powerful and convicting, passionate.
We all have a story. This elaborate human story is being written simultaneously all over the world. And as we play a certain role, others have roles. We have different characteristics, varying backgrounds, belonging to somewhere and some people- but all playing a role in the same film. We all have room for redemption and saving. And never could say we have enough love.
The director and main character is God and He is madly in love with us.
It's the best love story ever told, and he's the greatest fighter you'll ever know. He loves to fight and fights to love. Never settling for our flesh's limitations.
"If we all were the same, we would have nothing to offer each other- therefore our differences are what attract us to each other- our differences are what is beautiful" John Dawson
As I am about a day away from being in South Korea, I start to really experience the reality of this whole deal. I'm getting on a plane tomorrow at 2pm for South Korea for around a week (going to be teaching English! Eek pray for me, hah) and then off to Cambodia (we will be in villages peaching the Gospel and teaching English) until the last week of August! It's a beautiful beautiful thing getting to be able to do this.
Never thought I'd have a heart for Asia, but God does work in some funny ways.
I'm thinking God is about to blow my mind...
To God be aaall the glory!
Keep me in your prayers! Love you and miss you all!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Hello game changer
Don't give up.
We are called to keep on keeping on.
God promises that He is faithful to good servants. In Galatians 6:9 It is instructed that we must not grow weary of doing good, for in due time we will reap, IF we do not give up.
Let me be the first one to tell you that God is faithful and His promises endure!!
When we are hungry or thirsty, He's there pouring out just waiting for us to turn to Him.
I've had the gift this week, to receive even more understanding of what God has called our generation to do and it is so awe-inspiring-powerful-beautiful.
Nobody wants lukewarm, nobody wants just a Sunday activity, a conscience cleaner, or a low maintenance religion-
Our generation is a generation that seeks and is Finding! Finding God! Finding that He is real and He is Big! Finding that there is more to be found. And knowing that no matter how hard it is to get out of bed some mornings or how dry certain days feel- that God is working. God is building up like a humid day builds up clouds- like where it gets so hot and sticky before it just POURS!
God is starting to pour, preparing hearts so He can pour, and changing the game up.
During worship on Friday night, people began dropping to their knees and just releasing a full on surrender to God. Talk about powerful. We don't want anything to do with our flesh, we want pure hearts and to do God's will.
We are contending for the ultimate greatness.
"Forgive our debt, as we have forgiven our debtors" Matthew 6:12 we've gotta forgive or else were carrying around baggage that wasn't meant for us to carry- therefore it weighs us downnnn.
Matthew 16:12 the disciples were freakin' because they forgot bread. Jesus lays down the law and reminds them of the times He had just provided bread for thousands of people and that they need to have faith! Jesus tells us to be aware of false teaching and the spirit of religion over people.
It is so funny how dumb we are. As people (living in America especially) we are going day to day in no desperate need of really anything- because we so overly indulge in everything. It seems as if it is so simple to forget the basics.
Being thankful!! Remembering His hand throughout life, seeing answered prayers, signs and wonders, knowing that as He has provided He will continue to provide. He is Provider, and that will never change.
Intimacy is what we all need and long for. That intimacy is what switches the game up. Intimacy with God, our daddy! The Redeemer, Our hope, Forever, and the Greatest.
We are called to keep on keeping on.
God promises that He is faithful to good servants. In Galatians 6:9 It is instructed that we must not grow weary of doing good, for in due time we will reap, IF we do not give up.
Let me be the first one to tell you that God is faithful and His promises endure!!
When we are hungry or thirsty, He's there pouring out just waiting for us to turn to Him.
I've had the gift this week, to receive even more understanding of what God has called our generation to do and it is so awe-inspiring-powerful-beautiful.
Nobody wants lukewarm, nobody wants just a Sunday activity, a conscience cleaner, or a low maintenance religion-
Our generation is a generation that seeks and is Finding! Finding God! Finding that He is real and He is Big! Finding that there is more to be found. And knowing that no matter how hard it is to get out of bed some mornings or how dry certain days feel- that God is working. God is building up like a humid day builds up clouds- like where it gets so hot and sticky before it just POURS!
God is starting to pour, preparing hearts so He can pour, and changing the game up.
During worship on Friday night, people began dropping to their knees and just releasing a full on surrender to God. Talk about powerful. We don't want anything to do with our flesh, we want pure hearts and to do God's will.
We are contending for the ultimate greatness.
"Forgive our debt, as we have forgiven our debtors" Matthew 6:12 we've gotta forgive or else were carrying around baggage that wasn't meant for us to carry- therefore it weighs us downnnn.
Matthew 16:12 the disciples were freakin' because they forgot bread. Jesus lays down the law and reminds them of the times He had just provided bread for thousands of people and that they need to have faith! Jesus tells us to be aware of false teaching and the spirit of religion over people.
It is so funny how dumb we are. As people (living in America especially) we are going day to day in no desperate need of really anything- because we so overly indulge in everything. It seems as if it is so simple to forget the basics.
Being thankful!! Remembering His hand throughout life, seeing answered prayers, signs and wonders, knowing that as He has provided He will continue to provide. He is Provider, and that will never change.
Intimacy is what we all need and long for. That intimacy is what switches the game up. Intimacy with God, our daddy! The Redeemer, Our hope, Forever, and the Greatest.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Goal; Reliance
RELIANCE: The faith, confidence, or trust felt by one who relies; dependence. See Synonyms at trust.
It appears that the act of relying on one outside of one's self is a difficult concept to live by as many are raised in ways that force them to be independent. I'm not saying that independence is horribly bad, but it definitely is part of the problem. Reliance has turned into painful memories of people not coming through creating the lie that "if you don't look out for yourself, no one else will". Walls are built up, reenforcing independence.
Life is about reliance!
We weren't made to live on our own. We weren't made by just one parent. We weren't made to hurt on our own. We weren't made to be silent. We weren't made to just love ourself.
We were made to be enjoyed by others. We were made to share life with others. In order to experience life with one another- reliance is a must!
Life wasn't intended to feel completely safe all of the time. It takes faith and trust in something beyond yourself to get through it. We must trust others' words, emotions, and promises.
We're living in a world where everything is telling you to run away and defend yourself and reliance means leaning towards and opening up. I understand this is hard. Even painful. Because people have and are going to run when you have leaned on them,
AND that is exactly why it is our duty to be the difference- to take a stand and hold fast to our promises and Commitments. To be faithful to one another. To truly love another. To depend on one another.
Weighing the pros and cons of putting yourself out there and experiencing that pain rather than never experiencing pain and living a life of seclusion and safety- there is love that results from putting yourself out there, taking risks, and relying on another!
"For it is better to have loved and be hurt, then to have never loved at all"
So why not yearn for reliance on one another. Let us be a generation that loves dangerously.
That loves even when we might not be loved back.
And how will we be able to rely on one another, even when we are broken, hurt, and weak-????
by relying on God first and foremost.
For His promise is to never leave us nor forsake us,
To rely on Him and ask Him questions and He will Answer!
His promise is that the sacrifice might be painful, but the reward is GREAT!
He promises to keep us safe, to lead us in paths of righteousness.
To love us.
To restore everything into perfection.
He is our reliance, our hope, our trust, our peace, our confidence.
Beginning and End.
Therefore we must be rooted in our reliance upon Him to also be rooted in others.
How sweet life is when it's shared eh?
Even sweeter when it's shared in such purity.
It appears that the act of relying on one outside of one's self is a difficult concept to live by as many are raised in ways that force them to be independent. I'm not saying that independence is horribly bad, but it definitely is part of the problem. Reliance has turned into painful memories of people not coming through creating the lie that "if you don't look out for yourself, no one else will". Walls are built up, reenforcing independence.
Life is about reliance!
We weren't made to live on our own. We weren't made by just one parent. We weren't made to hurt on our own. We weren't made to be silent. We weren't made to just love ourself.
We were made to be enjoyed by others. We were made to share life with others. In order to experience life with one another- reliance is a must!
Life wasn't intended to feel completely safe all of the time. It takes faith and trust in something beyond yourself to get through it. We must trust others' words, emotions, and promises.
We're living in a world where everything is telling you to run away and defend yourself and reliance means leaning towards and opening up. I understand this is hard. Even painful. Because people have and are going to run when you have leaned on them,
AND that is exactly why it is our duty to be the difference- to take a stand and hold fast to our promises and Commitments. To be faithful to one another. To truly love another. To depend on one another.
Weighing the pros and cons of putting yourself out there and experiencing that pain rather than never experiencing pain and living a life of seclusion and safety- there is love that results from putting yourself out there, taking risks, and relying on another!
"For it is better to have loved and be hurt, then to have never loved at all"
So why not yearn for reliance on one another. Let us be a generation that loves dangerously.
That loves even when we might not be loved back.
And how will we be able to rely on one another, even when we are broken, hurt, and weak-????
by relying on God first and foremost.
For His promise is to never leave us nor forsake us,
To rely on Him and ask Him questions and He will Answer!
His promise is that the sacrifice might be painful, but the reward is GREAT!
He promises to keep us safe, to lead us in paths of righteousness.
To love us.
To restore everything into perfection.
He is our reliance, our hope, our trust, our peace, our confidence.
Beginning and End.
Therefore we must be rooted in our reliance upon Him to also be rooted in others.
How sweet life is when it's shared eh?
Even sweeter when it's shared in such purity.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)