An Example

I have started to read the Gospel according to Luke for my 'structured' reading, and yesterday I came across a great verse.... but first let me give you the background story (aka context).

The angel Gabriel has just visited a girl named Mary at Nazareth. She is engaged to be married to a man name Joseph. Joseph is a good man, a carpenter, descendant of King David. Joseph and Mary have never been physically intimate. Gabriel has come to announced that Mary will bear a Son. This Son who is to be conceived, Gabriel says, will be great, called Son of the Highest, He will have the throne of His father David.

The thing that floored me is Mary's response:

"Then, Mary said to the angel, 'How can this be, since I do not know a man?'"

The reason why this is so important is because Mary is expecting a miracle! Mary hadn't 'known a man' but she was engaged, so it's not like it wasn't in her future; yet she did not assume Gabriel was talking about her first child once Joseph and her got married. She knew Gabriel was talking about something else. You see, there is no talk of the Holy Spirit coming upon her, etc, etc until she asks this qst. Up until then everything that Gabriel said could have been thought of in a completely rational way, a natural outcome of planned events. Perhaps that is one of Mary's virtues she can look beyond the obvious, she knew how to wait on God and not act hastily.

I wonder how many times we like to reason away God's miracles and plans for our life. God tells us, "You will do this that and the other" or "I have this plan and purpose for your life" and what do we do? We take all the fun out of it. We rationalize it away. We take the supernatural out of it by taking things into our own hands. Can you imagine what would have happened if Mary would have just said to the angel 'Thank you very much Gabriel, for that lovely prophecy' then go to find Joseph and said: 'Joseph, our first child is going to be a king! I think we should move up the wedding and receive the Lord's blessing as soon as possible"

Mary is a wonderful woman. Definitely virtuous. Definitely a great example of a life of faith, and she reaped the rewards of seeking after God. Let us follow in her example :)

Rock-Solid

"The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted." Ps 18:46

At the moment life is a blur. Time seems to speed up and I can barely catch my breath. The Lord is wonderful and worthy to be praised. I stand back in awe at all the opportunities He has given me this week to share about His faithfulness with people.

Thank you for your prayers that God would open doors to share!! They definitely made it to heaven and were answered ;)

KEEP AT IT!!

The scoop:

I was just in San Diego, California to see my friends, touch base, and let everybody know what God's been doing plus what I feel His is leading me into for these next 2 years. It was a mission accomplished. (If you don't know what I'm talking about please refer to: "The Next Chapter(?)" post so you can be updated)

I got to share with so many people I've lost count- I love that, shouting from the rooftops that which He's told me in secret.

I got to share with three home fellowships, a class of 7th graders and address the congregation at HCF on both services!! Not to mention the countless one-on-ones I had... the week ran out before I was able to meet with everyone I wanted to talk to.

It was a beautiful and special time to be able to connect like that with my spiritual family in San Diego.

Prayer Request:

- That God would grow the seeds that were planted this week, encouraging ppl to follow God with their whole heart
- God would restore my physical strength
- Safe flight back east :)
- MORE opportunities to share!!

I love you all :)

One day I'll be a grown-up

or at least so I've been told

But for now, here I am

dreaming of running through flower fields

and galloping half way across the world

hmmm...

The thing is, one never knows

so we might as well try our best now, in the present

So who cares if it doesn't work out?

Do you really want to live with regrets for the rest of your life?

They don't make very good companions....

They are like bratty children

or worse

they laugh at you for eternity, nagging you.... kicking you while you are down

No siree... you can keep all of them to yourself if you really want them

Let me go and fly away... onwards and upwards

beyond the clouds, where all you see is light

I do not want to be tied down to the cares of this world

The worries that choke the life out of many people

The anxiety that causes one to be paralyzed

Let us let go, guys

Let us let go 'of the sin that so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that has been set before us'

Let us let go of this world and become 'other-worldly'

(most churches would call that being 'heavenly minded'.....)

whatever-

let us just transcend into that which we were always fashioned for: live life abundantly

Let me be rid of the stuff that weighs me down

The fears, the insecurities, the what 'ifs' of this life

Let me live with endurance, with boldness

Let me live beyond my expectations

Let me live like nothing else matters but the eternal

(which, by the way, if you didn't know, IS the truth... nothing else matters BUT the eternal)

I want to love with passion

I want to give with sacrifice

I want to be a good friend

I want to be an exceptional daughter

I want to love Him until I dissolve in His presence

I want to see His face

I want to sing His praise

I want to give myself away to Him until there is nothing left in me but that which reflect Him

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" Proverbs 3:5-6

The Next Chapter(?)

Hello!!

So I know you are all itching to find out what's next now that I am back to the USA.

Well, here it goes....

{Warning: ALL plans shared in this blog are subject to change according to the Master's prerogative... but then again, you already knew that ;) }

I am moving to Florida until the end of January. After that I'm bound back to Southampton, England for two years.

The Story:

As you all know, ever since the Summer of 2009 I always felt the conviction that I was to move back to England but hadn't the clarity as to what part of the country God wanted me at. Well this Summer its been made evident to me that Southampton is the place God wants me to move to. While I was there in October I spoke with the pastor of Calvary Chapel and asked him if there was the possibility to come back, to which he was very open to and gave me a positive response.

Now what? The Immigration laws in England have change since I last lived there- the process is a lot more complicated.

What does that mean? It means that any organization wanting to bring an immigrant over to the country needs to apply and be approved for a special license with the government. It includes, of course a lot of paper work. After this process is finished THEN I can apply to the UK Border Agency for a visa- which also includes a lot of paper work.

So, this next few months I will be gathering the information pertaining to all these processes, applying and praying that everything gets done correctly and speedily.

Prayer Request:

• That I would find all the information I need before applying
• That all application forms would be filled out correctly
• That the applications would be processed speedily
• That all the finances necessary for this venture would come in
• That I would stay focus and encouraged through this whole process
• That God would continue to open doors for me to share His good news :)

Thank you sooooo much for your love and support!!

You are a blessing to my soul, I cherish all of your prayers.

Back to the Future...

Walking around kicking dry leaves under a beautiful blue sky on a crisp Autumn day; that was my afternoon on the last day in England... I love how God cares about the little details of life that make me smile, He is awesome!

I arrived to Washington DC last night. Thank you for your prayers about safe travel.

My time in England was wonderful. I learnt that God is faithful even when we are faithless. When I am tired and feel like I cannot possibly go on, He takes me by the hand and says: 'Come on beautiful, do not be afraid, I am with you, I will see you through. Remember it is not about your strength but about My power being made perfect in your weakness. My GRACE is SUFFICIENT.'

Oh how He loves me!!

I learnt that love's beauty is not about perfection but about forgiveness and acceptance. I learnt, as Elizabeth Elliot wrote once, I have 'chosen the hardest road, but it goes straight to the top'. I learnt that in this world there is nothing more precious than the love of God and that God's heart, the secret place, is the safest place I could ever be. The world may pass away (and indeed it will) but His word remains. The mountains may crumble (and indeed they will) but His promises are sure. The world may be against us (and indeed it will)but greater is He who is in us than he who is the the world ;)

So then, what is the conclusion of the matter?

"Fear God and keep His commandments..." (Eccl 12:13)

FOR

"He cannot deny Himself..." (2 Tim 2:13c)

"...the Lord...He is good!" (Psalm 118:1)

"the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but [His] kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall [His] covenant of peace be removed..." (Isaiah 54:10)

So what then, dear reader?, what shall I encourage you to do? Trust Him! Trust Him with all of your body, mind and soul. Trust Him so much you lose yourself completely in who He is. Trust His guidance, even when the world tells you it is absolutely impossible, even when they say you have lost your mind, love Him and rely on His word...

... it is then, that you will walk on water ;-)

Israel...

Where should I start?...

Israel was great. There were over 1,000 people at the convocation... some from countries I'd never even heard of. My favorite part were the prayer watches with ppl from all over Europe, praying for Israel and our respective countries. We got to see a bit of the land and go to places like the Temple Mount and the Sea of Galilee.

The atmosphere in Jerusalem was obviously tense. It was heartbreaking to see the Jewish people walking around doing all these rituals without understanding and then seeing the young generation scoffing at the older for believing in such things... It was just odd, I wanted to shout and ask them: 'Don't you know who you are?!!'

Cool story though: On the plane on our way from England to Israel a secular Jew sat by me (a secular Jew is a Jew that doesn't follow Judaism). He moved to Israel from Russia 20 years ago, at that time he was about 10 years old. He asked me why I was going to Jerusalem and boy, oh boy, that was the start of a 5 hour conversation about God, how He relates to us, how much he loves us and about Jesus Christ. It was awesome :) I wish I could tell you he made a decision for Christ right there and then but he didn't, so pray for him!! I sensed a lot of his understanding was broadened-both intellectually and in the heart- by our talk but of course, faith comes from God. Pray that God gives him the faith to believe.

Thank you so MUCH for ALL your prayers, they were very effective. Things couldn't have gone more smoothly and we were all so blessed by the unity in the group (no doubt thanks to your prayers).
God bless you!!!!!!!

At the moment....

I have not had a chance to sit down and write a post about what's been going on (but I will, SOON!)

So I just wanted to write a quick note to let you know where I've been and where I'm at...

Arrived from Israel a week and a half ago. Israel was fantastic :)

Been in England since then, at Southampton. Being in Southampton feels so good, like coming back home. It was fresher's week this past week, so the town is buzzing with students again which is great fun. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel.

That's all for now...

Write to you soon! :-)

The Language Barrier...

Here is, yet, one more short story about Germany and the Sister...

God doesn't care about the language barrier...

(Remember what I told you about the Sister's bookmarks?.... good.)

the story...

We were out and about buying souvenirs, all of us well supplied with bookmarks (just in case) ;)

As I was checking out at the store I looked at the clerk and thought, 'why not, she looks like she needs some encouragement... I'll offer her a German bookmark and told her God had a message for her'. She looked at me politely and took one. Then it happened, I saw what many of the Sisters have seen many times before... God at work through the bookmarks...

The woman's countenance completely changed, she was happy. All smiles she spoke to me in German (don't know what she said, but it was good) She was so impressed by it that she took me to the other clerk, who was with a customer, said something in German to her then pointed at me to give her one. hahaha...

There I was witnessing God in action, reaching out to ppl (despite my inability). What a GOOD God we serve!! I can scarcely believe how much He loves us and how relentlessly He seeks us. To think that He planned this little moment, to reach this one store clerk, to lavish His love upon her through this tiny little encounter... wow!

I learned that day that God is not really minded by the 'language barrier'... He is not minded by any barriers at all, He will cross oceans, He will leap over walls, He will create the most ridiculous- I speak in human concepts- circumstances to express His love to us.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Sharing Good News with a Costume

Here are more stories about my time in Germany :)

Sister L., the Sister in charged of us during the Summer, decided to take us to this town in the South called Rotemburg, on a day trip. Our purpose was to sepend time together, sight-see, buy souvenirs and do missions (that's what they call evangelism). So we set out in the morning with a nice pack lunch and a back-pack full of bookmarks in German, English, Spanish and who knows what other language...

{Side note: I should tell you that the Sister's bookmakrs are well known in many parts of the world. They have different messages about God, Jesus, His love, plans and desire for us. The bookmarks have very nice pictures and are well made but the great thing about them is all the prayer that goes into them. When the bookmarks are being put together the Sisters pray that God would speak to the people that will receive them in a very special, very real way. They do this with their books and pamphlets as well. Consequently they have received testimonies of people who at the verge of despair a bookmark has made it into their hands and God has revealed Himself to them.}

Back to the story...

At first I was a bit weirded out as ppl kept staring at us. I didn't undestand why they looked at us so intently, then I realized it was because of the Sisters. (hehehe, after spending some days with them one gets so used to the habits as to forget they are dressed quite differently than 'civilians') I thought to myself: 'Oh no! this is going to be a hindrance... who wants to talk to a 'nun'?!' (not that they ARE nuns, they are Sisters, but to the untrained eye they look like nuns)... Well, to my surprise- EVERYONE seems to want to talk to them. Hahaha, there were indeed few people who refused to take something from them or share a word. When we set up to sing about God many ppl came over to listen. Their smiles disarmed the hardest countenances. Praise God He is glorified!!

It was a great lesson for me. Here are this Sisters, their desire is to love Jesus and have other people love Him too, they (even though they might be a little afraid of sharing with strangers just as much as any of us are) want to be obedient to God's command and therefore are unhindered by things like apperance. They are free and courageous, they do not worry about being 'relevant', politically correct, having the right words or examples to share with people- they simply obey out of love for God and God uses them in response to their abandonment to Him.

At the end of the day I thought, they really are just regular ppl sharing an extraordinary God... only they do it while wearing a costume ;-)

Joy is Ageless- Fact!

Hullo!!!

It's been over a month since I set out from Washington DC on my adventures.

I arrived in England on the 28th of July safe and sound. (Thank you for your prayers!)
Departed for Germany on the 31st of July to spend the month with the evangelical Mary Sisters.
And I 've arrived to England again this past Wed.

My time is Germany was very fruitful, and although I am still processing all that I've learnt, I will like to share some hightlights.

There are 144 Sisters in Darmstadt. 144 women fully committed to serve Christ, to seek God's face, to hear His voice and follow His lead. They are not perfect by any means but they have learned the secrets of identyfing themselves with the sufferings of Christ. They have been involved in very many different ministries since the Sisterhood was founded. They now have branches in over 20 countries and have literature translated in almost 100 languages.

But the thing that impressed me the most about them was not the reach their ministry has, nor all the buildings and land they have aquired by simply (literally) praying, believing and trusting in God; no, the thing that impressed me the most was the joy they had which bubbles out everywhere they go.

I met many Sister well over 75 who as soon as they started to talk about Jesus, remembering all the things He has taught them and how He's guided them, would break into big smiles and giggles as if they were still school girls- their eyes would sparkle like I've never seen before. For a moment, despite their wrinkled faces, white hair and glasses they would transform and you could no longer tell how old they actually are. The joy of the Lord is their strength! Their childlikeness is delightful and contagious. What Jesus says about being childlike makes sense when you are around them.

Wherever they go they are welcomed and I saw the grumpiest of persons be transformed in their presence. Not because anything they had to say but because God's presence is evident within them.

They are bold and lovely. I learned a lot about the importance of taking care of our inner life with Jesus, of not losing our first love of Him. Jesus above all else MUST come first: ministry, relationships, the cares of this world, what we eat and are clothed with, is secondary. Jesus must take first place in our hearts and we are to be vigilant against any idol that would like to put itself in His place (yes, even ministry!)

As Jesus said: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you aide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (Jn 15:4-5)

Journal Entry

6th of april 2010

Thoughts...

The thing is, life was meant to be enjoyed not endured- especially the Christian life. Even in our suffering we have been empowered to rejoice: "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I (Jesus) have overcome the world", we ought, out of all the peoples in the world be the most cheerful because we have reason to rejoice: we have a hope that does not disappoint (Romans 5) and a faith that overcomes in Christ Jesus!

For Now... But Then...

Pack. Unpack. Pack. Unpack. Pack. Unpack.

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called
to go out to the place which he would receive as
an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing
where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land
of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents
with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same
promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations,
whose builder and maker is God." (Heb 11: 8-10)

"And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not..."For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills..." (Dt 8)
;-)

It's Time to Revamp!

At last, I can feel His work afresh in my life.

My soul has broken free from the clutches of this world. I feel light and whimsical. It is time to go and explore. I feel like a child, wide-eyed looking at the Spring and Summer season rolling in, wondering what kind of adventures await out there in the 'wild'.

It is time to go and be free; to laugh and to love; to do such things as 'frolic'; to be unashamed.

I do not know what lays ahead, but whatever it is God is faithful to accomplish it

:-)

Germany

This will be a short post to let you know what I'll be doing or with whom will I be involved while I'm in Germany... and how did it all come about...

On arrival to DC in February I felt God calling me to draw closer to Him, to seek His face. In doing so I discovered (in a way) a renewed calling to live by faith in a more abandoned way. To be like one of those men and women of the past- that I so like to read about- that have committed themselves so entirely unto God as to ask even their- very literal- daily bread from the Father's hand.

I asked God to give me some sort of sign, some sort of encouragement that this could still be done. (hahaha, yes, as if the Bible weren't enough)... someone that I could know of that their life could shout 'yes, child, be strong in the knowledge of His might. He who calls you is faithful. He can do according to His purpose. This IS what the normal Christian life truly does (can) look like.'

At the same time I was asking God about Europe. This desire I have to reach the whole continent... The furthest I've made it, ministry-wise, in Europe is England. 'God, will I ever get to go to continental Europe?' I had been studying a world map that is up in my room to get better acquainted with the area, Germany kept coming up but I didn't think much about it.

Then it happened. The dots connected. I was talking to a friend from England on the phone asking him about his plans for the Summer. 'I am going to Germany', he said, 'to seek God'. Lol... To make the long story short, he told me about this evangelical sisterhood in Germany- women that live by faith and most definitely not by sight. He told me a little bit about their story and how the sisterhood was founded at the end of World War 2. He explained how the sisters were opening their home for the month of August to young adults to come and spend time with them and get involved in their daily activities. Everything he said is everything I had been praying for, the kind of people I needed to meet. Then a few days later God confirmed I was to go, that He had prepared it and opened the way.

SO, I am going to Germany. I'll be there from 31st of July to the beginning of Sept. The name of the ministry is: The Sisterhood of Mary and you can check them out at- www.kanaan.org... they are amazing.

The Rest of the "Plan"

As I said before... there is MORE to come...

Well here it is: a rough schedule of the next few months about where I'll be when.

June 2nd-10th: Denver, CO

June 10th-17th: San Diego, CA

June 17th-19th: Denver, CO

June 19th- July 17th: Washington DC

July 17th-26th: Puerto Rico

July 26th-28th: Washington DC

July 28th- Aug 1st: England

Aug 1st- Aug 31: Darmasdt, Germany

Sept 1st-6th: England

Sept 6th-22nd: Jerusalem, Israel

Sept 22nd- Oct 20th: England

Oct 20th: Return to USA

Hahaha... it's a lot isn't it? I will let all this information settle before i load you with more details. So, don't worry, details will come as to what I'll be doing in all of this places. See you soon! ;-)

Prayer Requests:
-Safe travels
-Good felloship
-Divine appointments
-For God to give me encouraging words for all those I will meet.
-For speaking opportunities to continue to share God's heart with His people.

Thank you for your prayers!!! They make a difference in advancing the Kingdom!

venting

what am i doing, what am i doing what am i doing???? Can anybody tell me?

God is good. there is no goodness apart from Him. He is in control of all things, and through Him all things exist

Photo Journal?? Sure, Why Not...

Hello :)

So I was having a hard time trying to write down the different things that I've been up to so I decided to just show you...

what is that they say about pics?... they are worth a thousand words?? lol... enjoy :)

Arrived from England and drove to Miami to see my familyand friends.

That's my mommy ->

Then got back to DC and settled down, unpacked (finally!) ....

Time to get used to the city.....

<------ Make new friends...

And mingle, 'The Gathering', one of the Christian Ministry at the University Campus------>

<--- Jubilee, with The Gathering, night of praise and worship :)

OUTREACH TIME!!!

Prayer Tent

One of the Christian Ministries at American University set up a prayer tent the week prior to Easter... with a different theme for each week... we had some good conversations w/students.

praying and worshiping

Operation Easter Egg

The Church that I attend to in DC puts on Community outreach every easter, to reach out and love on those that sorrund us. inviting them and their families to have fun w/us and get to know us and find out what we are about. There was music, crafts, face painting and more!

<-----Even an Easter bunny!

The egg hunt was a great success ------>





And last but not least...

'SeeSaw Against Slavery'

Volunteered at a Christian event to raise funds to fight against the Child Sex Trade in Cambodia, where we took one hours shifts and SeeSawed for 24 hours.

All funds went to Agape International Missions.

Check them out at aim4asia.org.

Ok folks, there you have it... a snapshot of my life back in the Sates thus far ;-)

"It is Zion for whom no one cares" Jer 30:17

"...You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." Isaiah 62:6b-7

I do not know of many other more powerful and clear statement about God's heart for the Israelites, or of more clear a command for those who claim to be well acquainted with the Giver of Life, Creator of the Universe, God Almighty...

I have been presented with an amazing opportunity to go to Israel in September, to participate in a Convocation dedicated to intercede. People from all the nations come to the convocation to pray for Israel and all the nations.

"And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles."
Zech 14:16

I will be going with a group of people from England composed of individuals from different churches. Our traveling dates are Sept 6th through the 22nd.

Please keep me in your prayers that God would be preparing me, even now:

-physically: Keep me healthy before during and after the trip (no jet lag or exhaustion),

-spiritually: It is a schedule packed with worship, A LOT OF INTERCESSORY PRAYER and listening to testimonies of what God is doing in the nations of the world. I need
spiritual stamina and a soft heart to listen to His leading, specially in prayer.

-emotionally: If you've ever done any sort of focused Christian work you know that emotions can all of the sudden go haywire as part of the spiritual warfare, specially the thought life. Pray against that.

Thank you so much for your prayers... There are even MORE trips that I will be taking this Fall [Autumn as my British friends prefer to say ;-)] I will post info about that later on...

In General...

Oh, my- oh, my - oh, my.... I've completely neglected my blog. Please forgive me?

I had started to write an entry a month ago and I could have sworn I had posted it, and now I realized I never did! :-\.

Uncool.

Anyways, lets try to right the wrong now. Are you ready? Let's get up to speed.

I arrived back from England in mid February. The trip was amazing as you well know. God went definitely before me preparing divine appointments, places to stay, ministry opportunities and great lovely ppl to befriend!

I am now in Washington DC... and AGAIN, God IS FAITHFUL.

Coming back from England I didnt know where I was going to live. You see I dont have a car anymore so the city I live in had to be strategic so as to be able to move around without personal transportation. So I thought: 'Alright God, its looking like NYC, Denver or DC (since then Ive also heard that Chicago has great public transport). What do You think?'

My sister lives in Washington DC but she has since moved to a smaller apt and the new roomates made it clear they were ok with ppl visiting as long as they didn't stay for more than a week! ' This I knew before I left for England. 'Alright God, what do You have planned?!'

In the plane ride back to the US I felt settled in my heart it was Washington DC were I needed to be, but again I had no idea how I was going to afford it or WHERE I was going to live since staying with my sister was out of the qst. I put it in God's hands because, at the end of the day, 'who can by worrying add a cubit to his stature'?

I arrived at Dulles Airport in DC my sister picked me up. The next day I was thinking, 'what is the next step? I can't stay here very long...' In the afternoon as I lay on the bed looking at the ceiling, my sister blurts out: 'You know you can stay here 'til September right?'... 'Uhmmm, no, no I didn't..." I said with a slightly confused look on my face. 'I thought the girls said they didn't want ppl staying for very long?' 'Yeah,' she replied, 'but I asked them again while you were away and they said is fine, they love you.'

Hahahaha, what?!! God had already sorted out all the living arrangement details while I was away. :-) Oh, my God is GOOD!

Seriously peeps, why do we even worry? He cares for the birds and the flowers, He obviously cares about us more than we care about ourselves!

So here I am: trusting Him, dwelling in the land, feeding on His faithfulness and delighting in His presence- seeking His face. (Psalm 37:3-4)

I will be Stateside until Aug/Sept time and do hope to visit you all while I'm here. Please pray for that (cheap airfares).

As for the future, I will write to you more about the plans He has been revealing and unfolding on another post.

I love you all! Thank you so much for your kindness and your prayers. Don't forget: This are exciting times we are living in, let us continue to watch and pray!

Life Without Sour Cream...

Life without sour cream is pretty sad business, life without God is just plain gruesome...

I sit here, eating a cheese quesadilla for breakfast, and I think to myself: I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.... huh?! who would have thought? ALL things... Even the deepest of heartbreaks or the sourest of disappointments do not compare to the greatness of God, of His comfort, of His promises, of His care... ALL things, I can do ALL things... I can suffer long and be kind, I can hope all things and endure all things (1 Corinthians 13). Really that's the biggest trial of them all, isn't it? To love without hypocrisy; to love truly and sincerely; to love even to one's own expense from a genuine heart that expects nothing in return. wow!

Sure the good ol'heart will hurt, it will get bruised, it might even bleed. Trials are meant to shape us, mold us, equip us, and at the end of the road I will be complete, I will lack nothing (James 1:4). Oh yes, the greatest of all joys! To be found in Him complete, good and faithful... To be seen through the darkest of valleys and the steepest of roads, through the most ferocious of all hurricanes and through the torment of silence in the midst of the ocean's vastness.

And in His name I do trust.

"The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills." (Hab 3:19)

Journal Entry- 15th February 2010

It is scary to get excited about the promise when you can't see how it will come to pass; when it is not just seemingly impossible but out-right crazy. When all circumstances around you claim it can't happen, when nature itself, in a way, denies you the right...

I was musing on the thought above, as I waited for the train, when God spoke to me: "That's what faith is: 'The substance of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things NOT SEEN.'"

He said: "Remember Abraham: 'who is the father of us all... in the presence of Him whom he believed. God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who CONTRARY to HOPE BELIEVED, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, 'so shall your descendants be.' And NOT being WEAK in FAITH, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthen in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore 'it was accounted to him for righteousness.'"

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting... Going, Going, Going

(me waiting at the train station)

We are at the final lap of the trip and the devil would love to discourage in such a way and in such magnitude that I would be run to the ground... completly ineffective for whatever God wants me to do this week or even unable to hear what He would like to speak....

I NEED PRAYER!!

There isn't anything terribly wrong going on, nothing disheartening really... just the pesky ol'devil gnawing at my ear speaking lies, junk, discouragegement, about everything and anything he can think of.... I think he is getting desperate... I am about to leave the country, it has been a fruitful time and who knows what kind of encouragement I'll be able to bring to the ppl in the States if I continue on this glorious high of God's goodness and faithfulness.

GOD IS GOOD!! My eyes are ever towards the Lord...

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called FAITHFUL and TRUE... His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns... He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God... "

I am currently in London.

Please pray for protection of myself and my belongings; that God would refresh me even in this time and lift me up on wings like eagles... I want to soar even higher... God give me wings!... I want to see His face...

First Things First

First things first....

Thank you so much for praying about this Sunday's talk. It went very well. I spoke on the morning and evening service. The first service was about the importance of reading and knowing God's Word; and the second service was about the importance of absolute surrender and how we can hear from God.

I had the great blessing to pray with a lady who is very broken and is very hurt due to events in the past. We prayed for a long time and God spoke to her and comforted her. Please keep her in your prayers, that God would provide her with a safe enviroment in which she can feel comfortable to be vulnerable before God and express what is truly in her heart. Pray that God would give her the faith to believe that He is good and that there is no darkness in Him at all; that the Holy Spirit would radically transform her mind and understanding, that she would enjoy- grab a hold of- the freedom Jesus Christ purchased for her on the cross.

Thank you all. Your prayers further the kingdom. Jesus is coming back soon, may He find His people ready at His coming.

The Latest...

God is Faithful!!

I am now in Watford (about 30min north of London by train). I arrived yesterday evening safe and sound. I feel my time here in Watford is to be spent mainly in prayer and pouring into a friend I have here. Please pray for me that I would be an absolute encouragement and blessing; that God would use me to build up and strengthen those areas that are weak by the power of His Holy Spirit. Please pray that my words would be seasoned with salt and grace.

ALSO,

I've been given the opportunity to speak twice on Sunday at a church in Sunderland (northern England) so I'll be traveling on Saturday to go back up north. Please pray for me that the Holy Spirit would be the one doing all the talking; that I would come to serve them out of a heart of humility and compassion, longing to see them built up in the faith. I am speaking on the reason and importance of studying God's Word, and total surrender.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your prayers. The kingdom of God is advancing, let us press on, even now as Jesus will come back soon, and continue to see God work His supernatural power here on the earth; each one working in the measure He has given us.

I love you all.
May my God bless you more richly and abundantly than you've ever thought or imagined.

What is to come ...

Right so I know I have a fairly busy schedule and many of you are wondering where am I now, where am I going next and... WHEN!

Here is a rough schedule so you can know where I am and pray for safe journeys and such :)

6th-10th Feb: YORK

10th-13th Feb: WATFORD

13th-15th Feb: SUNDERLAND

16th-19th Feb: LONDON

Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

Time and Time Again...

God is good! Thank you so much for your prayers for Friday's Bible Study. It was a night filled with the Holy Spirit. I spoke about the blessings of giving, how great are His promises if we believe, obey this commandment and trust Him to be who He says He is even with our earthly possessions.

So thank you very much.

I am now in York and have had several conversations with students here already about God's faithfulness and provision. The next 3 days I'll be with YWAM York, getting involved with them a little bit and gleaning as much wisdom as I can from their staff. Pray for good conversations and God's grace and favour to go before me.

God bless you!! Keep on praying it makes a difference!

ENGLAND... what else needs to be said?

I'm here, I'm good- God is good. There has been no lack. Apologies for the lack of updates but Internet has been hard to come by. Thank you for your prayers.

So far, I've been to London, Watford and Southampton.

Right now I'm in Sunderland (Northern England). Please pray for me. This Friday I've been given the opportunity to speak at a Bible Study for students of the University of Durham on the subject of 'Giving'. Pray that God would open their hearts, that they would be able to receive the truth of His word and come to know God more through this act of worship. Pray that God would empower me with the Holy Spirit, that it would be His words piercing their hearts and bringing them to the light.

I will write more about what God has been up to on my time here later on.

Thank you so much for your prayers they make a difference for the kingdom!!

It's coming, Tuesday is coming!

It's coming, Tuesday is coming! It is coming with all the impetuous winds of a new adventure. I can see the clouds forming, the temperature has cooled down, the whispers of the wind are getting louder: 'Arise, My love, My fair one, and come away..." With eagle wings I look at the tempest, what a good God He is, He has made me to fly... to fly high, higher than the circumstances bellow, higher than the natural eye can see. Go spirit of mine, go and follow the Lord where He leads. Care not about tomorrow, give yourself entirely to Him today. Oh soul how miserable would you be if you do not go, don't be afraid, He cares for you. He always has, He always will.

Breath, Just Breath...

Being with family over the holidays, going here and there, doesn't really give you time to think about the enormity of what is ahead; yet God doesn't forget. Now, as God continuous to answer prayers and I am at the brink of a new chapter, feeling pressed down by the emotions and normal anxious excitement of the unknown, I am reminded of His words- the words that were spoken when I wasn't looking. The words that were spoken when I wasn't thinking about it. I am reminded and I am comforted. Comforted because He is in control. Comforted because He cares. Comforted because even when I'm not looking He is. Comforted because He is the One who keeps all things together. Comforted because there is nothing I can do apart from Him.

breath Ama, just breath...

breath and remember...

breath and trust...

breath and delight in Him...

:-) .... hmmm... delight in Him.... that is good... HE is good... there is nothing better than Him, in this life and that which is to come. I can melt in His presence. I don't have to pretend before Him. There is nothing sweeter and safer than Him.

"Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forever." Psalm 131

Thanks for Praying :)

Thank you all so much for praying.

Sunday went well. I spoke about missions and Mark 8:34-38. We also spoke about not being afraid of God's call in our life because God's plan for us not to harm us, and that God will never ask us to do something He is not willing and able to equip us and see us through. But my favorite part of all was getting to know the kids hearing where they feel God is leading them or the gifts He has given them and then praying for them.

If you remember please keep in mind Phil and Connor*, they are the youngest in the group, they are brothers. Both of them were pretty introverted but I could see such a bold faith in their eyes. They know the truth and I would just like you to pray that they would come to know God in a tangible way. That they would see how their faith applies to the every day life. That those things that I could see brewing in their hearts about how good and true God is would find an outlet and impact not just them but those around them.

Thank you so much :-D

You are wonderful!

Much love and many blessings!

*all names have been changed for privacy purposes

Please Pray :)

Hello there :)

I am currently in Washington DC visiting my family for the Holidays before I go to England.

I have been given the opportunity to share with the Youth Group at church my sister attends on January 3rd.

Please pray for God to be the one speaking through me and that He would be stirring the hearts of the young men (it's an all boys group at the moment) to step out and live a life surrendered to God.

Thank you all so much!

Happy New Year!!

AJ