I had an AMAZING dream last night. All I want to remember is that at some point in my dream there was a group of us standing around hanging out. All of a sudden a wolf appeared and I pointed it out. Me and everyone else were scared, screaming and scattering trying to hide. Everyone got into a cabin but I stayed outside. The wolf came near me and I was frightened but then I remembered the story about a woman who had a robber come up to her and she was rebuking satan and a yelling out Jesus' name. Also another story came to mind about the story of David with the bear and the lion. So after those stories came to mind I immediatley yelled at the wolf which was now right in front of me. "SATAN BEHIND ME! IN THE NAME OF JESUS SATAN BEGONE!" I don't remember all the exact words but I remember those and the wolf was starting to sink to the ground, he was melting (like the witch off of Wizard of Oz) and the wolf became into a cute little girl. It was so fascinating and I was so proud of myself knowing that God did that through me. Later on in the dream the little girl brought her parents over and her mom was human but her dad was a wolf and was a nice wolf, but was still a wolf. Don't know what that means but I praised God this morning for the dream he gave me. Showed me that I can be used and that Satan DOES NOT and WILL NOT ever have power over the battles that are being fought in my life. Satan will not have any authority to take me down. I stand today and will fight. I will fight for my family I will fight for the Glory of GOd. That one day will be used in His Kingdom. Praise GOD!
Psalm 35:1-3,
"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation."
Psalm 32:7,
"Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance."
*1 Samuel 17
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Thursday, September 16, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Safe in my Daddy's arms
I had a dream last night that I feel connected with what happened this morning between me and my dad. My dream starts out hanging with a couple of friends(both males) at one of their houses and we were all just talking and doing whatever. And then the two friends left me to go to McDonalds I think and I was stuck at one of the friend's house with his dad. It wasn't a total trashy place but a little dirty so I felt like it would be nice for me to vaccumm the rugs they had so I did and that scene led onto another where my mom was sitting there telling me how nice of you to clean for them, and my dad was also there but just standing there I think. The place was almost so bad that there were two greasy dirty mice behind the window curtain. They start to run around and someone eventually killed them. That scene lead onto another where my parents weren't in the house anymore but there was one of two friend's other friend who came to the house when the two other friends still hadn't came back. Someone had told me he was a rapist and an obsessed freak who'd go after any girl he saw that he liked. I was the girl he saw and liked. I freaked out and after he was talking to me I ran out of the house to go to my house to get away from him. Calling those two friends, no one would answer. So I get to my house and go to my room and lock the door. But I hear the freak coming and I was so scared. I ran out of my room and outside where he was chasing me. A family friend was around the neibhorhood and so I ran straight to him to protect me. It was a good safe place for a little bit till he had to do some errands and work around the neighborhood. I'd find my self trying to find him to stay with him till someone would notice that I wasn't at my friend's house to come save me. But it didn't happen right away. So while I would run after our family friend to stay with him I'd try to call my boyfriend to come and save me. Though, each time I'd dial the number it would be a different number I'd dial and I couldn't reach him. Untill finally I did and as soon as I did I see the freak and ran to my room because our family friend left. I locked my door and had a video camera recording so incase I could have evidence of what he would of done to me so he would go to jail. He broke through my door though and was trying to rape me.. I'd scream and as soon as I did my dad comes into the room and pulls the guy aside real hard. My took me and carried me to the living room and we went outside. That wasn't the end of it because as soon as my dad walked off to find the family friend the freak came out and again I was so scared. And right then I see my boyfriend and I thought he would come save me. But he saw that the freak wasn't really doing anything wrong. I was relieved that my boyfriend and his friend were there to control the guy from harming me but they thought the freak had ended his insanity and so they left and my boyfriend went to a dang basketball game instead to be with me. I knew that the freak hadn't stop his insanity by the look of his face. So I was so scared and right then my dad was there and I ran to his arms for protection, and he stayed with me till the freak was gone. That was the end of my dream. Well this morning my dad comes into the room I was in and tries talking to me, we had a small fight about what we were talking about, knowing he was only trying to protect me from what I was getting myself into with somethings. I was being rebellious about it and didn't want to listen till both of us broke down and I went to go sit by him and he held me in his arms like the dream had felt, safe in my daddy's arms. God was definitely telling me that my dad will protect me and I can't share with him anything even though I get in to my rebellious ways sometimes.. I'm so blessed to have the dad that I have and would be heart broken the day we ever lose what we have with each other.
Friday, September 10, 2010
His Still Small Voice
His Still Small Voice
“But the anointing which ye have received of [God] abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth.” (1 John 2:27)
“Have you ever noticed that you are sometimes aware of certain things even before you know what the Word says about them? That’s because the Holy Spirit is inside you teaching you the truth. He speaks into your spirit. Then your spirit relays His promptings to your mind. Suddenly, you’ll have a new thought. “I need to forgive that person,” you’ll think, or “I need to stop saying those unkind things.”
As you become more aware of the Spirit of God in your everyday affairs, you’ll be quicker to hear and obey those promptings. You’ll actually get in the habit of allowing the Spirit of Truth to reveal the will of God to you. And, believe me, that’s one habit God wants you to have!
One of the first things that the Spirit said to me when I began to listen to His promptings was “spend more time in prayer.” As I obeyed, I began to be impressed to spend at least one hour a day in payer. After I’d begun to do that, He revealed it to me in His Word (Matt. 26:40, “And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with m one hour?”).
Since then, I have talked with people from all over the world who are hearing the same thing. Believers everywhere are hearing the Spirit of God direct them to more prayer.
God hasn’t given the Holy Spirit to just a few special Christians. He’s given Him to all of us. And if we’ll just learn to be sensitive to His voice, He’ll guide us into all truth!
Think about how different your life would be if you knew the truth of God about every situation! Doesn’t that just make you want to listen to your spirit? Doesn’t it make you want to be on the keen edge of what God is saying?
Start tuning your ear to His still small voice within you. Honor Him and welcome His guidance into your everyday affairs. Listen for His promptings and be quick to obey. He’s ready to speak to you.”
SCRIPTURE READING: John 15:1-15
John 15:1-17,
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abidenot in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what y will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.”
Excerpt from "From Faith to Faith" by Kenneth And Gloria Copeland
“But the anointing which ye have received of [God] abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth.” (1 John 2:27)
“Have you ever noticed that you are sometimes aware of certain things even before you know what the Word says about them? That’s because the Holy Spirit is inside you teaching you the truth. He speaks into your spirit. Then your spirit relays His promptings to your mind. Suddenly, you’ll have a new thought. “I need to forgive that person,” you’ll think, or “I need to stop saying those unkind things.”
As you become more aware of the Spirit of God in your everyday affairs, you’ll be quicker to hear and obey those promptings. You’ll actually get in the habit of allowing the Spirit of Truth to reveal the will of God to you. And, believe me, that’s one habit God wants you to have!
One of the first things that the Spirit said to me when I began to listen to His promptings was “spend more time in prayer.” As I obeyed, I began to be impressed to spend at least one hour a day in payer. After I’d begun to do that, He revealed it to me in His Word (Matt. 26:40, “And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with m one hour?”).
Since then, I have talked with people from all over the world who are hearing the same thing. Believers everywhere are hearing the Spirit of God direct them to more prayer.
God hasn’t given the Holy Spirit to just a few special Christians. He’s given Him to all of us. And if we’ll just learn to be sensitive to His voice, He’ll guide us into all truth!
Think about how different your life would be if you knew the truth of God about every situation! Doesn’t that just make you want to listen to your spirit? Doesn’t it make you want to be on the keen edge of what God is saying?
Start tuning your ear to His still small voice within you. Honor Him and welcome His guidance into your everyday affairs. Listen for His promptings and be quick to obey. He’s ready to speak to you.”
SCRIPTURE READING: John 15:1-15
John 15:1-17,
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abidenot in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what y will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.”
Excerpt from "From Faith to Faith" by Kenneth And Gloria Copeland
Monday, August 30, 2010
A Woman giving birth
I'm scared. My suicide thoughts were getting worst. I knew it wasn't me thinking of such things to want to kill myself because they had came out of nowhere. I was walking by myself down the sidewalk to go to Loodles, and there's quite bit of traffic passing by. And out of nowhere I get a voice that said, "Katy, just jump. Just go out in front of the cars. It won't hurt; it'll be a quick pain. It won't hurt as bad as the pain you've been in." I knew immediately that it was Satan, I even told myself, "Wow, that was a loud voice that definitely wasn't me who thought that." The one thing that kept me from jumping out in front of the traffic was the thought of not wanting to put any of my friends and family member in that pain and situation that I had been in with my best friend "little sister" who committed suicide. Also, I didn't want to give Ellerslie a bad reputation. I go to Loodles and I see a group of Ellerslie students hanging out and drinking their lattes and chai. Thank God they were there so that someone was able to drive me back, because I knew it wouldn't have been a grande idea to walk back to the campus by myself. I get back on the campus and I tried to wipe off the mess and I was trying to forget what just happened by turning to facebook and other social networks I had (which are now deleted). I was typing away at my laptop in the computer room when I suddenly had to use the restroom. I get up and ran to where there was the nearest restroom and as I was heading to open the door, one of the Ellerslie girls (student) name Teressa met me. We started to talk and it got on to the topic of what we did today and how our walk with the Lord was. Out of nowhere I started to pour out my emotions and what was happening to me. As we shared and listened to each other she said she would have the men at Ellerslie pray over me that night if I wanted it. Of course I wanted the prayers but not at that moment, because I didn't want to bother anyone. So I figured we wait till the morning.
"Sandi, I need help. I need major prayer, I'm not doing well," is what I told Sandi, one of the Ellerslie's staff, on Friday morning June 18. It was during worship time and I had felt so confused and had heavy burdens that I was carrying. It was beyond imaginable what took place that morning for me, to sum it up, freedom took place.
"Ok, we'll figure something out after worship is over, why not go back to your seat because now wouldn't be the best time to announce that you need prayer." Was what Sandi told me. "Right, I know. I just really had to tell you that I need help from the entire body of Christ, because it has gotten worst." I responded.
Before I came to Ellerslie I was in a very dark place, my dad was just diagnosed with throat cancer and my best friend, "little sister" committed suicide. I was deeply hurt and confused with thoughts of committing suicide myself because of what all was happening at once. To this day when I look back at the times of Ellerslie I see complete darkness as if it were a nightmare that I now finally woke up from.
I walked back to my seat with a confused expression on my face because it was huge for me to have gone up to Sandi to bother her with my problems.As I took my seat I drew a picture in my journal till worship would be over, I just wasn't into worship that morning. What I drew was something not pleasant, because I had heard voices just the day before to jump out in front of traffic. As I sat in my seat, in the back row, I saw from the corner of my eye Sandi talking to Eric. For some reason I wasn't expecting that because I new she was telling him about my needs. I remember feeling very nervous while I was sitting waiting anxiously for worship to be over, because I was ready. Worship was finally over and Eric went up to the microphone. He paused with a sort of expression on his face and started to pace in front of everyone. He began to pray about what God would bring for that day. When he said amen, he looked up and looked at everyone and asked who needed prayer. Of course I raised my hand, but so did a few others, which comforted me to know I wasn't the only one in need of everyone's prayers. "Alright, Katy how about you be the first we pray for, since what you told Sandi. Will you please share with everyone what's going on?" Eric said. I don't know what came over me, but I just poured out everything with what was going on in me. "K, how about we do this, let's get 3 men and 3 women and let's go back to Annie's office. While we are going through this process with Katy, everyone else in here should really fight and pray." We went into Annie's office, and the battle began. In there with me was Eric, James, Ben, David, Leah, Kourtney, Camille, and Annie. I don't know if I can go into much detail besides the basics of what had happened in that room. I remember us starting out in prayer and as I was speaking out things that were going on with me, Eric was telling me to rebuke Satan and give authority to Jesus Christ. I fell to my knees, because I wanted it badly, I wanted Jesus to come in and renew me, to light the fire within my soul and take out the darkness that once was in me. Soon after falling on my knees I fell backwards as Camille caught me. i was in a position where Camille was holding my back up. I remember James covering my tattoo that's on my right foot because he told me that he had a dream about it (I'm guessing it wasn't a good one of that symbol to be in his dream?) During all this I was pleading that Jesus Christ would come in our presence (which He very much was) but I was seeking for Him to do even deeper things in our presence. I was claiming Jesus Christ to take authority in the areas where I had the enemy take a foothold on. Within the minutes I felt a sort of peace pour out over me. I still had the uncertainty if everything that was darkened in me was gone, but my brothers and sisters in Christ assured me. I remember Gabi (one of the students) walking in with a verse that God had put on her heart to share with me, it was Psalm 91, and it was in perfect timing (God's timing). A couple of moments afterwards, after all things took place and the room had settled down, Kourtney had a verse that fitted perfect in its timing (again, God's timing), it was John 16:21, "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world." It was great because I was thinking right before she shared that verse, the position I was in and the things that was going on had felt like giving birth to a child (though I never been in labor before) it was in relation to what I was conceiving: Freedom, Jesus Christ, a new born, a new Katy into this world. It was a painful and hard process but out came a beautiful beginning of something. Praise the Lord Jesus! It had ended and Eric walked out of the room shouting, "VICTORY!" Everyone clapped and was so joyful, especially the ones right outside the door that were praying and was eager to see m have victory. I was absolutely joyful and at peace, and when I came out of that room a good bunch was crying with tears of joy and all gave me hugs. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you," was all that came out to each one I hugged because I knew without their prayers my victory in Jesus Christ would have probably been a longer wait and wouldn't have even happened that day. VICTORY! VICTORY IN JESUS CHRIST MY SAVIOR! amen! :)
"Sandi, I need help. I need major prayer, I'm not doing well," is what I told Sandi, one of the Ellerslie's staff, on Friday morning June 18. It was during worship time and I had felt so confused and had heavy burdens that I was carrying. It was beyond imaginable what took place that morning for me, to sum it up, freedom took place.
"Ok, we'll figure something out after worship is over, why not go back to your seat because now wouldn't be the best time to announce that you need prayer." Was what Sandi told me. "Right, I know. I just really had to tell you that I need help from the entire body of Christ, because it has gotten worst." I responded.
Before I came to Ellerslie I was in a very dark place, my dad was just diagnosed with throat cancer and my best friend, "little sister" committed suicide. I was deeply hurt and confused with thoughts of committing suicide myself because of what all was happening at once. To this day when I look back at the times of Ellerslie I see complete darkness as if it were a nightmare that I now finally woke up from.
I walked back to my seat with a confused expression on my face because it was huge for me to have gone up to Sandi to bother her with my problems.As I took my seat I drew a picture in my journal till worship would be over, I just wasn't into worship that morning. What I drew was something not pleasant, because I had heard voices just the day before to jump out in front of traffic. As I sat in my seat, in the back row, I saw from the corner of my eye Sandi talking to Eric. For some reason I wasn't expecting that because I new she was telling him about my needs. I remember feeling very nervous while I was sitting waiting anxiously for worship to be over, because I was ready. Worship was finally over and Eric went up to the microphone. He paused with a sort of expression on his face and started to pace in front of everyone. He began to pray about what God would bring for that day. When he said amen, he looked up and looked at everyone and asked who needed prayer. Of course I raised my hand, but so did a few others, which comforted me to know I wasn't the only one in need of everyone's prayers. "Alright, Katy how about you be the first we pray for, since what you told Sandi. Will you please share with everyone what's going on?" Eric said. I don't know what came over me, but I just poured out everything with what was going on in me. "K, how about we do this, let's get 3 men and 3 women and let's go back to Annie's office. While we are going through this process with Katy, everyone else in here should really fight and pray." We went into Annie's office, and the battle began. In there with me was Eric, James, Ben, David, Leah, Kourtney, Camille, and Annie. I don't know if I can go into much detail besides the basics of what had happened in that room. I remember us starting out in prayer and as I was speaking out things that were going on with me, Eric was telling me to rebuke Satan and give authority to Jesus Christ. I fell to my knees, because I wanted it badly, I wanted Jesus to come in and renew me, to light the fire within my soul and take out the darkness that once was in me. Soon after falling on my knees I fell backwards as Camille caught me. i was in a position where Camille was holding my back up. I remember James covering my tattoo that's on my right foot because he told me that he had a dream about it (I'm guessing it wasn't a good one of that symbol to be in his dream?) During all this I was pleading that Jesus Christ would come in our presence (which He very much was) but I was seeking for Him to do even deeper things in our presence. I was claiming Jesus Christ to take authority in the areas where I had the enemy take a foothold on. Within the minutes I felt a sort of peace pour out over me. I still had the uncertainty if everything that was darkened in me was gone, but my brothers and sisters in Christ assured me. I remember Gabi (one of the students) walking in with a verse that God had put on her heart to share with me, it was Psalm 91, and it was in perfect timing (God's timing). A couple of moments afterwards, after all things took place and the room had settled down, Kourtney had a verse that fitted perfect in its timing (again, God's timing), it was John 16:21, "A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world." It was great because I was thinking right before she shared that verse, the position I was in and the things that was going on had felt like giving birth to a child (though I never been in labor before) it was in relation to what I was conceiving: Freedom, Jesus Christ, a new born, a new Katy into this world. It was a painful and hard process but out came a beautiful beginning of something. Praise the Lord Jesus! It had ended and Eric walked out of the room shouting, "VICTORY!" Everyone clapped and was so joyful, especially the ones right outside the door that were praying and was eager to see m have victory. I was absolutely joyful and at peace, and when I came out of that room a good bunch was crying with tears of joy and all gave me hugs. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you," was all that came out to each one I hugged because I knew without their prayers my victory in Jesus Christ would have probably been a longer wait and wouldn't have even happened that day. VICTORY! VICTORY IN JESUS CHRIST MY SAVIOR! amen! :)
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The Ball in the Tree
I came across a letter from someone who sent me, close to the time after Cheyenne's death. It spoke to me then and still speaks to me and I would like to share what this Godly woman wrote to me...
"God likes to send me little true-life illustrations to clarify things—in fact, I’m on my second journal full of them! (Maybe He thinks I need the extra help…) I was eating lunch at school last week, struggling with how to explain my thoughts to you, when the answer unfolded before my eyes right there on the playground. One of the aids was trying to retrieve a playground ball that had gotten stuck in a tree. She had a long pole in her hands, and was jumping up in an attempt to reach the ball. An adorable little girl was really wrapped up in the situation, and was jumping right alongside her! Each time the aid jumped, so did the girl! Even though it did nothing whatsoever to get the ball out of the tree, this child was giving it everything she had. Suddenly, it all seemed so clear: we are not responsible for the outcome of another person’s spiritual journey, and I for one am grateful not to have to carry that burden! We are called to journey alongside others. Sometimes, it is a terrific season filled with blessings; other times, it is a difficult path that ends in despair. But in the end, each person has their time with the pole in their hands (the calling of the Holy Spirit), trying to get to the treasure (hope, joy, and peace) that is stuck in the tree (the troubles of this life). The bottom line is this: We can’t reach it for them; we can only be beside them, jumping for all it’s worth!!!... A pastor once spoke of how our lives on this earth were like the multicolored, knotted, messy, seemingly random threads on the back of a tapestry. At the end of time, God will turn it over for us and allow us to see the beautiful work of art that was created though all the things we didn’t understand. Amen!"
"God likes to send me little true-life illustrations to clarify things—in fact, I’m on my second journal full of them! (Maybe He thinks I need the extra help…) I was eating lunch at school last week, struggling with how to explain my thoughts to you, when the answer unfolded before my eyes right there on the playground. One of the aids was trying to retrieve a playground ball that had gotten stuck in a tree. She had a long pole in her hands, and was jumping up in an attempt to reach the ball. An adorable little girl was really wrapped up in the situation, and was jumping right alongside her! Each time the aid jumped, so did the girl! Even though it did nothing whatsoever to get the ball out of the tree, this child was giving it everything she had. Suddenly, it all seemed so clear: we are not responsible for the outcome of another person’s spiritual journey, and I for one am grateful not to have to carry that burden! We are called to journey alongside others. Sometimes, it is a terrific season filled with blessings; other times, it is a difficult path that ends in despair. But in the end, each person has their time with the pole in their hands (the calling of the Holy Spirit), trying to get to the treasure (hope, joy, and peace) that is stuck in the tree (the troubles of this life). The bottom line is this: We can’t reach it for them; we can only be beside them, jumping for all it’s worth!!!... A pastor once spoke of how our lives on this earth were like the multicolored, knotted, messy, seemingly random threads on the back of a tapestry. At the end of time, God will turn it over for us and allow us to see the beautiful work of art that was created though all the things we didn’t understand. Amen!"
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Purpose of Life
My dad cleaned up the attachments and copied and pasted for easier reading – It wasn’t coming across correctly on our computer...
Rick Warren - About Life
I thought this came at a good time for all of us. Maybe you've read it before.
AN INTERVIEW WITH RICK WARREN (AUTHOR OF "A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE")
Interview with Rick Warren , author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, "which is my problem, my issues, my pain."
But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal my wife or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better ...
God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Rick Warren - About Life
I thought this came at a good time for all of us. Maybe you've read it before.
AN INTERVIEW WITH RICK WARREN (AUTHOR OF "A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE")
Interview with Rick Warren , author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California .
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me.
I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.
God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort.
God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.
We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife getting cancer.
I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.
Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, "which is my problem, my issues, my pain."
But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal my wife or make it easy for her.
It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.
You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life. Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity? Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better ...
God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do. That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
God's message through Bob (CCSA)
Extend your arm, and point at a corner of a wall. Now draw a long line, and then once you have drawn a line to the other corner of the same wall, keep extending it with your mind. Just go through the wall, extending it down the street, till you’re disappearing out of the atmosphere, past the moon, past the solar system. That line is going. You should have the line being drawn way out there, beyond reaches. The line is still going; and it is still going! Now that, is a long line you have drawn. You’d have to agree. Now extend you arm one more time, full length, and turn your finger up flat, close one eye and cover up as much of that line as you can with your fingernail. Right at the start of that line (that long line that you drew is your life) this amount that you cover with your fingernail that is your life on earth. Is that accurate? Is it true? I believe it is! Your life is long, and it’s not going to end. That is true for everybody whether or not they enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Life on earth, even by our own logic, compared to this is so short. Scripture over and over refers to as grass, as a breath. And yet life demands our attention. And therefore its traps work better. If you allowed your whole focus to be on this, I mean what does the Lord call that? Foolish. The parable of the rich farmer, Jesus didn’t say he was corrupt or evil. But in the parable, in this telling: for those who may not remember it, this guy brought in an incredible crap. He says I have so much crap that I can’t even store it. I’m going to tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and I’m going to lay it up for a lot of years and I’m going to sit back and say: eat, drink, and be merry. I’ve got it made. And it says, God says to him: you fool! That’s strong words. But He didn’t call him a fool because he was corrupt; he called him a fool because his whole focus is on this. What I want to say to you is, if somehow your contentment (see in human condition, we lead to discontentment, we lean toward it hard actually) and if you allow your contentment to be bound up, really, with anything in this small place, in this short line, then you’re not going to taste the kind of contentment that Paul is talking about. You’re missing an opportunity; I believe to lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, to live on the long line. 2 Corinthians 5, “Now we know that this Earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God an eternal house in heaven not built by human hands.” What did it refer to our body as? The tent, what’s a tent? It’s temporary, it’s flimsy. Hey listen, our bodies are great blessings, a healthy body is a beautiful blessing from the Lord. But your body is not who you are, it never is who you are. You don’t have a soul remember? Peter lord first said this to us: You are a soul, you have a body. Who you are, is still going to be who you are out here 8,000 years 8 million years, and on and on and on, that’s who you are. I would say you’re going to have your own name and that the Lord is investing in you and not just in this. Is He aware what’s going on here on earth, sure you bet. Is it His highest goal for you, no way. We know that in all things, in all things, God works for the good those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. For those God who knew, He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son. Now where’s that conforming going on? It’s in the you that’s really you, it’s in this part of you. It’s in that expression of Godliness, and the choosing of contentment when things on a short line are horrible. That is a laying up of treasure for you. I’m telling you and it is a conforming of who you are, the “real” you. It is a conforming to that of the likeness His son. This is God’s purpose for us.
How I met Cheyenne
I'll never forget the day when me and Cheyenne started talking at school. It was my senior year and her freshman year. For one of my class periods I was an office aid, and while I was in the office Cheyenne would come in every so often. I asked her one day what was wrong and she had told me she started to have seizures and was waiting to be picked up. We started talking about what could have been causing her to have her seizures and what doctors were saying and I told her, "Well I can totally relate to you because when I was younger I use to have seizures all the time." I felt in my heart God telling me here's your chance and opportunity to show love and to be there for someone in need. So the very next day I put a goodie bag in her locker with a journal, some candy, a weird gadget toy and a couple of other things. I also slipped a note in there and told her if she ever needed anything to not hesitate to text me and asked her if she wanted to join me to youth that following Wednesday. A day later I get a text from her that said, "thank you soo much for your gift and I would love to join you to Youth this Wednesday." I was stoked and soo excited. When Wednesday arrived I picked her up from her house and took her to youth with me. It all started from there. I'm soo praiseworthy that I obeyed God in following my heart to chase after Cheyenne.. Because later down the road she was huge help in areas of my life. Never will I find someone as great and fun as Cheyenne. Never will I laugh the same laughs I did with her. And Never will I find the love we had for each other as sisters. I miss her greatly and not a day goes by where I don't think of her and the love I had for her.. I love you sooo much Cheyenne and I miss you more than you know! Praise Christ our Lord that He has set me free from looking upon her death. I will cherish and always remember the memories we had with each other.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Journey to Ellerslie
It started in summer of 2009 when I was reading one of Eric and Leslie's book called, When God Writes Your Love Story. It changed my whole perspective on relationships and showed me how to see Christ as my heavenly husband, and I, as His bride. I noticed that there were more books written by Eric and Leslie Ludy so I got online and ordered up a storm of more of their books. It wasn't till then (fall 2009) that I noticed an add on their order page about Ellerslie. Every other day I'd check to see the progress of the books' shipment and each time I'd get on the site, it brought more desire and interest to keep checking this school out. Back in late September early October I printed out copies of the Ellerslie's statement of beliefs to show my Dad seeing what he thought about it. So far his thoughts were good until he saw that part of the finale of the school had to go to Haiti (not a bad thing), it wasn't in my dad's interest for me to be going there. I sort of left that out of the question and moved on with some of the college classes I was already involved in and such. Months pass by and I was just "going through the motions". In mid January I see on the news that a severe earthquake had just hit Haiti. Immediately Ellerslie popped up in my thoughts. I asked God, "God is this a sign? I know you wouldn't let an earthquake happen just for a sign for me, but a part of the many reasons why this earthquake happened should I consider going to Ellerslie?" I sort of left it at that and wasn't really praying about it much. February came along and mid February, was a weekend Christian event called Acquire the Fire. It was till then I decided God wanted me to attend to this school. I felt so excited and enthused because I had really wanted to go as well God wanted me to. I called my parents and told them "God wants me to go to this Ellerslie School!" My parents are very supportive for this sort of thing. They know when God commands, we must obey. And I wanted to obey Him on this one. So we talked about it a bit more and prayed about it, a month past by and I got on to the Ellerslie website, started filling out an application, answering questions thoroughly. I submitted it, and within a few days I received an e-mail from one of the Ellerslie's staff informing me that within a couple of days someone will be interviewing me. I was super nervous but confident at the same time. The 2 days past up and on March 15th I received the phone call and was trying not to sound too nerve wracking. But I only did what I could and felt ok with that. At the end of the phone call the staff had told me she was real confident in my acceptance to Ellerslie. I was stoked and the next day I received a congratulation e-mail confirming my acceptance to Ellerslie. Never had I felt soo proud of myself and praised worthy of God for this sort of acceptance. I worked hard on it and felt for once I did something accomplishing. Little did I know that Satan was going to try to stop me with all that he could from attending at Ellerslie; because the day after I got accepted my Dad was informed that he was diagnosed with throat cancer. Never in any of my family member's lives would we have thought something like this could ever happen. I know it can be one of those "blessing in disguise," but what terror and heart break it is to find out that sort of news. And as if it didn't get any better 3 days later I receive a phone call from my best friend's mom (very much considered as my little sister) that she had committed suicide. It’s one thing when your "little sister" dies in a car wreck, but it's a totally different package when it's someone you love who takes their own life. I can't tell you how numb I felt, how much pain, grief, and sorrow that was within me. I was a zombie for weeks. My parents wouldn’t even let me drive for 2 1/2 weeks! It was traumatizing! This definitely made up mind to not go forth to Ellerslie anymore. I was very much in a careless state of mind and if you looked into my eyes during that time, you would of saw a blankness, deadness upon my soul. I was definitely going downhill for awhile and didn't care what was going to happen to me. I was still registered to go and it was now my parents who were in control of it and was commuting with the staffs at Ellerslie (and who of course were paying financially for me to go). I thank God that they helped me stuck with it or I definitely wouldn't be here. There were a couple of times where I was saying "No, I changed my mind I don't want to go now," then I would be encouraged to go forth. One night I was determined not to go because of my boyfriend. Thank God I saw lessons that were learned from others in my life not to either stay behind for a boyfriend or go somewhere for a boyfriend. But I still had that careless heart to want to choose other things over God and after a long night of decision making and talking it through with my sister and parents I decided, "Ok, I'll go. I'm going. Dad, book my airplane tickets." Before I knew it I was on the plane flying out of good ole' Texas. I thank God and praise Him to be here, for Him to change my life each and every day that I've been here. It's His timing, plan, and command that I must trust and obey.
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