New Year, old problems...

I've been thinking, I know, always a bad idea! But every time the New Year celebration rolls around, do we not always say this year will be different?

How can it be though, if we are going into it with the same problems?

Isn't that what crazy is - doing the same thing expecting different results? I would like to suggest we stop thinking of fixing everything ourselves and let the LORD do it in His time.

He being the utmost and Creator of the heavens and the earth, still does not overwelm us in the fixing. Yet we seek as a people to pack on the plate of issues to be fixed and then just want it done right away. What an interesting breed we are!

Can't I just lose this weight? RIGHT NOW! Can't we just fall back in love? IMMEDIATLEY! Can't he be mine? FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

I wonder, no, I'm pretty sure God is asking, "Can't you just hold on, who do you trust?"

See, I think we are more comfortable in the dysfunction of trusting ourselves; we are downright shaky when it comes to trusting the father. And let's face it, He knows the ropes. He made 'em! Our ways to get things done, flat out don't work. We need the LORD to show us; He has shown me, it may not be A,B & C, but rather, C, B & A. That may be the process of uprooting the pain and sadness. That may produce the good fruit.

Let us take every day for what it is this year and first off trust the One who created, came and died, beat death in ressurection and is alive and active right now.

He wants so badly to love on us.

Can't we let Him?!

Senses...

It occurred to me yesterday as I was listening to Travis Cottrell sing “Annie’s song,” the LORD DOES fill my senses. As I took a walk on a trail that edges the Pacific Ocean, I realized how breath taking the world is through the gifts of my senses. Senses that are gifts to me from my heavenly father; so much so, I thought I would take a moment and share a few:

· The fragrance of a fresh Christmas tree; what I call “green perfume” (like Marilyn in the Misfits)
· The sight of snow, so undisturbed and clean, as if God just laid out a white perfect blanket down for all to see.

· The touch of the felt patchwork stocking my mom made for me.
· The sight of a rushing river, moving rapidly and smoothly against river rocks.
· The taste of a peppermint candy cane.

· The sight of Christmas lights glowing all around a tree.
· The sound of thunder, a little scary, but mostly amazing and powerful.
· The aroma of chocolate chip cookies being baked to give as gifts.
· The sight of White Christmas on my television.
· The sound of O Holy Night.
· The sight of the perfect shade of green, one that comes when the sunlight shines through a leaf on a tree.
· The sweet and tart taste of cranberry sauce.
·The sound of bells; any bells. Little tinkle bells, big ol’ church bells, or sleigh bells.
· The sight of Christmas wreath’s on doors.
· The fragrance of hot apple cider.
· The warm and magical touch of the Santa Ana winds.
· The sound of Christmas carolers.
· The sight of the Nativity, grand scale or home-spun.
· The touch of a crackling fire, warming my chilled skin.
· The sight and sound of a four-man band playing carols at the entrance of the boardwalk. All the while taking in the sight of the sun dancing on the ocean.
· This next one practically takes all senses, but is a tradition and love of mine. Going to see the Nutcracker Ballet. The colors, the music, the art of dance. It is like dessert for the eyes and ears.
· The fragrance of good food, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and sweet potatoes, Oh my and don’t forget pumpkin pie.
· The sound of my mom saying Merry Christmas on Christmas morning.
· The aroma of fresh brewed coffee on Christmas morning.
· The smell of fresh air, anywhere.
· The sound of a note being reached in perfect harmony.
· The sight and sound of Clydesdale horses; all horses for that matter. (I’m a girl with that horse – love thing). But there is something about them galloping in the snow.

Now the last thing I want to note is not a sense, as in the 5 senses; but I do believe it is a sense of God and His nearness.

· The hope I have in my heart. For dreams to come, for memories to savor, for present moments to be handled with care and love. I love that at this time of year, I feel that the LORD gives me that sense of Joy and Peace and that He is present.

Merry Christmas!

Pay attention to the break-through

I have recently gone through what I would catagorize as an earthquake. Not the kind that is reported on the news with a richter scale number, because frankly, mine would be off the charts. No, this was a soul earthquake, and I feel the LORD allowed it. You see He wanted to shake that which could be shaken, to leave that which could not.

Or I should say who could never be shaken. The rock on which I stand.

I was living in a wrong state of my mind. One that was depressive, critical of myself and just all around dillusional. And that is not the life He has planned for me.

But in the break-through He gave me, would you believe I kept trying to return to the sadness.

Just like a human.

I want to not only experience the rawness of the break-through's with the LORD, but I want to pay attention to the rebuild that follows. Oh how dear and close I want our relationship to be and how many times do I wonder if I rush right past HIM so fast, because I've got places to go..

Help me father to pay attention to the break-through. So that the rebuild can be real.

Starry Sky

Star light, Star bright..

In my studies of the word of God over the years I had remebered hearing about how God told Abraham that He would make his decendants like the stars in the sky; the sand on the shore - too numerous to count. So imagine my surprise when I go on vacation to southern Oregon, and God shows me personally.

Let me explain.

I went up just recently to the area of my upbringing, Jacksonville/Ashland Oregon area. Beautiful place, in my opinion, stunning picture of God's creation. One of the things I was so excited about doing while up there is attending the Applegate Christian Fellowship. I listen regularly to Pastor Jon Courson and Ben Courson (Peter-John Courson just happens to be my Pastor here in So. California, so lucky!).

The friends I was staying with lived right across the street from the church (DO NOT think residential, this is a country road up from the church; country, country, country!) I decided to go to church one night by myself and after they dropped me off they said call us when you need a ride home(I unfortunatley did not know there number, OOPS!).

So I decide to walk home. In the dark, no, I mean the DARK. No city lights allow for some darkness in the country, but I set out in the stillness. Half way up the road I realized two things:

A) I might scare an animal; which made me now walk a smidge faster and start praying out loud.

and B) when I looked up I could see the stars clearer than I ever had.

Here is what blew my mind, there were so many stars I could see clearly, but behind those bright diamonds was a blanket of stars so small, they looked to be like sand on the shore.

And then it hit me, this verse I had remembered hearing:

Hebrews 11:12

12 And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

I had originally thought this was in Genesis, but last night in my homework of the Patriarch's (Beth Moore) God confirmed the miracle which He had shown me.

And what a sight, right then on that walk, I still was a little freaked out by a possible animal in the dark, but honestly, I couldn't take my eyes off the sky.

I couldn't stop looking at my God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and how He was communicating with me!

An email worth posting...

THE BELL
I KNOW WHO I AM
I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord (1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20) I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1) I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8) I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt 5:13-14) I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27) I am free forever from condemnation ( Rom. 8: 1-2) I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil 3:20) I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31 -34) I am a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Cor 5:17-21) I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18) I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6) I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39) I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor 1:21-22 ) I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28 ) I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16 ) I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12 ) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13) I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).. I have been justified (Romans 5:1) I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship (Eph. 2:10) I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil. 1: 5) I have been redeemed and forgiven ( Col 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5) I belong to God Do you know Who you are?

'The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
And give you peace...

Something to chew on…

Just recently, I heard of a Christmas dinner being held to give people a chance to relax and treat themselves during this hectic holiday season. Now first off, I am leaving this loose and with hardly any details, because, I think this happens a lot and the last thing we need to do is point and blame. This is just something we should all be aware of.
What grabbed my attention is that the tickets for this event were A) limited, and B) $25.00/per person and $15.00 for children under 12. Now one question sprang to mind and one concern.

Question: What on earth are they serving?

And concern, during this financially difficult time (which for some did not just start, a lot of people try not to live out of their means and have had to sacrifice events before this financial downfall.)

Are they really going to exclude the very people this would be a blessing for?

What about the single woman who would like a beautiful and safe place to go so that she could get all dolled-up? But does not have the money right away and when she does, her ticket is gone. What about the family who needs a breather from the stress of how to pay for the holidays? But can’t afford this? It seems to me it is excluding the very people it should include.

I truly believe that if one is going to plan an event, one should make sure that everyone can attend. If that means it has to be scaled down from fancy catering to old-school potlucks, then so be it.

Now, in all fairness, I am sure they didn’t set out to exclude, but these things never happen obviously; let us not be a people that ignore the subtly of traps and be smart in our caring. When Jesus fed the multitudes in John 6:10

10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down."

He could have just giving thanks to the father for the loaves and fishes and then thrown it out to crowd and let them divvy it up. Quite frankly the LORD would have still provided. Because that is what He does.
But I think Jesus shows us a picture of calmness and thought when He says this. Let us follow and have the heart to give, but the mind to be aware and organized.
Sometimes the poorest person you will meet in a day just needs time or thought. We love and serve a God who has (Thank you LORD) EVERYONE in His sight. He sees the starving orphan, the crippled soldier, the homeless man, the locked-up juvenile, the struggling family, the broken marriage, the addicted woman, the heartbroken woman. He sees all faces, catches all tears. But I for one do not want to miss an opportunity to be part of a blessing for whoever needs it.

It is not my job to decide who receives blessing; it is my privilege to possibly be part of that blessing.

Scriptures...

These were a few scriptures given on the LPM blog by siesta’s sharing what scripture the LORD gave them in their morning time. I loved the idea.

What is one of your favorite verses?

2 Timothy 3:16 (New International Version)
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10 (English Standard Version)
9 "Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children— 10how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.'

Proverbs 27:2 (New International Version)
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.

Titus 2:11-14 (New International Version)
11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

How beautiful, the sound of women dialoguing about the one who has saved all of us and loves forever. In my bible study at church, we are going through The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by Beth Moore. The thing that blows my mind is the feeling of being part of a group of women that are there because they want to be. We talk, ask questions, laugh hysterically (I mean hysterically) and just enjoy this freedom of BIBLE STUDY!

Thank you Jesus for the love you have for women! And thank you Mary Magdalene for being one who had the bold love to study.

Studying is one of my things! I crave it. Not to say I can’t get busy and let time fly by, but when I connect and get into the word and have questions for the LORD (who always meets me), I could sit all day at the feet of Jesus and just soak in the truth. At those special times, I know my LORD and I know each other.
My sisters in Christ and I know and are known by the father. Collectivly.

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God... The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." (Romans 8:14, 16).

We are the daughters of God; and he loves us. It is beautiful to know you and I matter to the Creator and Possessor of the Heavens and the Earth. And that we are not only allowed but encouraged to study, ask questions, ponder and dialogue with the Father.
I love my group and I anticipate the weeks to come.
Thank you Jesus, for knowing what my heart needed.

Can we talk?

I have been considering lately what to write about in my next post. But in my truest attempt to be a good work steward, I realize I have no time at work to blog (Bummer). But actually, just like with anything that GOD does, he uses this time for another revelation.

Every time I had an idea I had to blog on and expand on, I noticed that my inability to post it right away lead me to finding my mind change with ideas and new thoughts. You see, we all have the opportunity to dialogue with GOD all day if we want to. It is not just a one moment message we have to focus on and can’t move forward from until we get it right. New things pop up all the time. Further more I find the different ideas GOD reveals to me seem to fit together in the stronger lesson being learned.

How lucky we are as followers of Christ to talk with the creator. We have these moments as believers to feel for a moment I believe, the reality of Christ when he was on earth. We are a new life alive in Christ and so the holy spirit within us along with the reconciliation of Christ dying for us on the cross instead of us facing our own sins (see Jon Courson Searchlight – “The Great Switcheroo”) we now can dialogue with the father, perhaps the way that Adam and Eve did before the fall and the way Christ did when he was on this earth. What an amazing thought, we can have a perfect connection with GOD. Asking questions and relaying wonderment. You see, with the LORD, he already knows all of your days; Psalm 139: 16 says,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

But, and here is the beauty, even though he knows the outcome,

HE STILL WANTS THE SEARCH…

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

(Psalm 139:23)

God knows ALL things, beyond what we even could know could be known. The concept is gorgeous. But in all that the lord knows, he wants to experience the newness and the adventure with us. He wants to see our excitement and catch our tears. He wants to walk the path with us. The Word of God (Bible) is the inspired (God- breathed) written voice of GOD. Thy word is a lamp onto my feet and a light unto my path, Psalm 119:105 says. He tells us, he lights our path, but his steps want to walk the path he lights, just to be with us. Just to be with you, just to be with me.

That’s Love.

So my hope is that in this specific time on the Kingdom Calendar, where the focus can tend to be on what can I learn and how fast can I teach it to someone else, we might just stop and love the fact that we are conversing with the creator of time and space.

It gives a whole new meaning to, “Can you hear me now?”

OK, yes I am obsessed...

Two words. Michael Phelps. Unbelievable success for this 23 year old at the Olympics this year in Beijing (not to mention, he's a cute as a button). What has me in awe is how God's creation in Michael had such a determined purpose.
Michael is 6'4"; he has a arm span of 6'7"(this trivia staggered my nine year old niece, "wait, what do you mean?!). But this is the part that gets me, his legs are that of a 6' man, but his torso is that of a 6'8" man. Both knees and ankles ard double jointed as well as his toes (this is why he can wrap them around the starter platform) I mean, come on that is detailed design. My point is this, besides the fact that I like talking about him, is that his natural design had a distinct purpose.

Folks, God does NOT guess!

I remember watching a special DVD series done by our beloved Beth Moore, called Measureless Love. In this, she showed us that the planets, the stars, our bodies our designed by the LORD with incredible precision and thought. The measurement God took in creation and the measureless love he has for us. God designed us and the purpose we would have with what he gave us. He does not just "wing it."

Michael Phelps to me is a kingdom illustration as to how the father creates; BIG, powerful and purposeful.

I don't know about you, but I need to know I will be taken care of in a situation. That doesn't mean I need someone to do everything for me, but if I don't sense safety or thought in the process, most likely I don't participate. Knowing that my LORD not only knows me but delights in planning out the very wonderfulness he wants for me, makes me giddy. Makes me love him even more.

Fall in love with the adventure, love him like no other. He is the one and ONLY!

Psalm 139:13-16(New International Version)

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008


Dreaming again...

This is the first post of my brand new blog; I have to say I am so excited. I would not have known how or if it was even possible to have a blog if it weren't for my friendly siesta's out there pointing me in the right direction.

This also comes at a time of new beginnings for me. I am charting a new course with the LORD in which I know I am embracing my reality and looking forward to my dreams coming true.
Somewhere along the line, I let the enemy lead me to believe that those dreams were not for me and to settle. And when the LORD closed the doors to events I was settling for (he can shut doors no one can open, and open doors no one can shut), I just felt alone and sad.

NO MORE!!!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 states and has been a verse very near to my heart, although now it has taking on a whole new meaning.
With this divine participation I am invited in to with the King, my life is in his hands and my dreams are ideas in waiting. And I get to be a part of it. My God and I.
And those situations that look pretty but are just traps in waiting, he will cut away all the while providing me with what I truly need.

HIM!

I love this forum and I am excited to see what will be in the future.
Don't worry, I'll keep you posted.

As for now, WELCOME!