To Be LOVED and To LOVE like JESUS!

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...
Matthew 5:42-44

Daily I am amazed--
Amazed at HIS love for me!

I was reminded a couple of days ago
As I read "My Utmost For His Highest"
by Oswald Chambers
Of God's great love for me...
Not because I am lovable...
but because it is his nature to Love!

I was reminded of how easy it is to love the lovable
and how HE exhorts us to LOVE EVERYBODY!!!

That takes effort...
It's a conscious act to love...
It's not about how good it feels to love
those easy to love
But about how RIGHT
it is to love those
who by their behavior...push away love.

I often relate this great demonstration of Love
to the LOVE Jesus must have demonstrated towards Judas.

He knew all along, that Judas was going to betray him,
yet...
he never let on. He never treated him any differently than he did
any of the other disciples.

I often marvel at that because I don't know if I could have been
so generous...so LOVING.

Yet HE was.
SO when I think of consciously loving people--
even those who aren't lovable
I think of Jesus and Judas.

It does take effort...but the more I do it
The less effort it takes!

I hope I can be LOVED by others the same way!
I so desire to LOVE like he does!

Oh how LOVELY to
become LIKE HIM!

Doodling the Name of the One I Love

Jesus Is Alive!

More Inner Dialogue (censored)

I need to find my security in you again.  I need to feel totally secure in you.  I need your words of encouragement and security.  I need your words of encouragement and security. 

 

I love you.  And that’s just it.

Remember that time that you gave me roses.  Remember that time that you delivered me from...  Remember that time when you helped me to...  What else do you have to do in order to make me feel secure in you?  Remember that time when you revealed to me...  Remember when...  Remember when...  What else do you have to do in order to make me feel secure in you?  Isn’t “I love you.” good enough for me?  Can I feel secure in just “I love you”?

I love you.

Why do you love me?  Do you love me because of something that I do?

No.  I just love you. 

Do you love me because of a certain way that I am; a certain way that I act?  Because of how I look?

No.  I just love you.  I just love you.  I don’t love you because of anything.  I am love, and I just love you.  I just love you.  I JUST LOVE YOU!

But why do you love me?

Because I created you.  I love you because I created you and you are just mine.  I love you because you are mine.  I love you because you belong to me.  You are a part of me.  I love you because you were created in my image; in my likeness.  I just love you because you are mine.  You are mine.  Like the way that you love your husband and your children; that’s how I love you.  You just love them because they are yours, not because they do anything for you.  You love them just because they are yours. 

So you love me because I am yours.  Just because I am yours, you love me.  You love me just because I am yours.  I am yours.  I am yours.  I was created in your image; in your likeness.  You are a part of me;  I am a part of you, and you love me just because I am yours.  I am yours.  I am your child.  I am your wife.  I am yours.  I belong to you.  I belong to you forever.  There is no growing up and leaving you; you never have an empty nest.  And unless I leave you, there is no "til death do us part".  I am just yours forever.  I am yours, God.  I belong to you.  I belong to you. 

I AM YOURS!  I AM YOURS!  I AM YOURS! 

My Uncensored Inner DIAlogue

Judges 6:  “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.  So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.”

How very often in the past 9 years have I overlooked the meaning of such passages as these?  The children of Israel did evil in your sight, Lord.  Do I even think about doing evil anymore?  Do I myself do evil, and I don’t know it?  I don’t even examine my own heart for evil anymore.  Why?  And how much more, if I don’t examine my own heart for evil, do I not preach against evil?  What is evil anymore?  

I don’t do the “big” evils; fornicate, steal, murder, worship idols, etc.  But at the same time I still struggle with things inside.  You are looking for a pure heart; you are looking to make my heart pure.  Since I know that this is true, then I also desire a pure heart and desire you to make my heart pure.  I think you’ve already made my heart pure by the blood of Jesus Christ.  I want to get back on track though.  The mentality that I have is that I should live from my heart that is cleansed in the blood.  I have not been doing this though.  Why?  I want to live from you that is inside of me.  I want to live from you that is inside of me.  How do I get there?  How do I get there?  Get me there, God!  Get me there! 

“Take the time to live from the inside out / take the time to be acquainted with the Holy Spirit and the word / take the time to buy oil before it’s too late / for wisdom will be justified, wisdom will be justified / in that day, in that day, in that day.”

7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD because of the Midianites, 8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 Also I said to you, “I am the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell.” But you have not obeyed My voice.’”

I kind of feel like you are personally speaking to me here from these verses.  These verses were specifically for Israel’s particular circumstance, so I am leery of applying them to my own life, and taking them as words from you for this very moment. 

God, I’ve not been wise, and that’s just the reality of it.  “Wisdom will be justified in that day.” I’ve not been a wise virgin, living from the inside out and buying oil for my lamp; taking the time to get acquainted with the Holy Spirit and the Word.  You brought me up from my personal Egypt and brought me out of the house of my bondage.  You delivered me out of the hand of all who have oppressed me and you gave me their land.  But I’ve been afraid, God, and I’ve become fearful; just like in that dream that you gave to me.  And I am in a Gideon phase right now.  I’ve been asking you to prove yourself to me again; to give me signs.  Is that okay, God?  But I think I’m ready now.  I think I’ve seen enough.  I think I’ve seen that it’s really you, and I think I’m ready to go to war with you again.    God, I’ve got to get back into this.  I’ve got to get back into this battle.  I’ve got to get back into intimacy with you and getting acquainted with the Holy Spirit and the Word again.  Getting acquainted with you is my only shield and weapon; my defense and offense.

The Voice of the Lord

I'm addicted to the voice of God.  I love to hear His voice.  I want more of His voice.  

I'm falling to pieces here in my own little corner because I've had my guard up against hearing his voice for so long.  I've thought to myself that I'm a weakling or that I'm misguided or that reading the Bible is the only way to hear His voice for my life today.  Quite frankly, I can't handle it anymore!  I can't handle this guard!!  I can't hold my passion back any longer!!!  I'm addicted to the voice of God!!!!

And I'm sitting here asking myself, "Why am I addicted to the voice of God?", and "Is this wrong?".  To the latter question, I think I may need to go to an open field sometime and shout into the spiritual realm... "IT'S NOT WRONG TO BE ADDICTED TO THE VOICE OF GOD!!!!" until the notion that it is, is broken off of my life.  And to the former question, I'm addicted to the voice of God because I've experienced it and I know what it has done in my life, for one.  Secondly, I've seen what it does to the lives of other people around me.  

1 Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, 
       ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

 2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; 

       worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; 

       the God of glory thunders, 

       the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; 

       the voice of the LORD is majestic.

 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; 

       the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.

 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, 

       Sirion like a young wild ox.

 7 The voice of the LORD strikes 

       with flashes of lightning.

 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the desert; 

       the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.

 9 The voice of the LORD twists the oaks 

       and strips the forests bare. 

       And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

 10 The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; 

       the LORD is enthroned as King forever.

 11 The LORD gives strength to his people; 

       the LORD blesses his people with peace.  -Psalm 29

I'm addicted to the voice of God!  I want more of His voice!!  I'm not ashamed of it!!!  And I'm gonna get it!!!!

Recant and "Why I Believe the Bible"

Yesterday I was a bit discouraged after seeing that no activity has happened on this blog for almost a year. In my discouragement (and hormonal influence) I rashly made the unilateral decision that if something does not happen with this blog soon (like, in a week) then I would delete it. However, I must apologize, first and foremost, to my fellow contributors and Jesus Christ fanatics, for my horrible independant tendencies. Next, I must recant my decision. Today I have been reviewing the blog and have been very encouraged and have realized that this blog is NOT DEAD! It is SO ALIVE, because JESUS IS ALIVE!!!

And to begin to kick this thing into gear again (as if I could even kick it into gear... I think a lot of it just has to do with the trying of our faith and the trials and new phases of life we've been going through) I found a post on the blog of another Jesus Christ fanatic who had kindly commented on one of our previous posts and I would like to share it here. But before I share it, I would just like to add that if anyone has any ideas about how to better organize this blog (I know a certain Lorentzon that had a lot of ideas earlier in this blog), then please share. Let us have a conference about it sometime, ey? That's all.

Please find the following encouraging post:

Why I believe the Bible

The Bible is a compilation of sixty-six (66) books written by at least forty (40) authors over a period of about fifteen hundred (1500) years. It was written in three (3) languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) on three (3) different continents. Yet it is unique in its unity/continuity.

The Bible is filled with hundreds of extremely detailed prophecies (a large number of which have been historically fulfilled) concerning:

• the future of specific nations
• the future of specific cities
• the future of specific families and individuals
• the future of mankind

There are over three hundred (300) prophecies concerning the coming of Messiah/Savior including:

• the town of His birth
• His family of origin
• His virgin birth
• how He would die and the details surrounding His crucifixion
• His entry into Jerusalem on a donkey
• betrayal by His friend
• His silence when accused
• being beaten and spit upon
• the rejection of Him as Messiah
• His resurrection after three days
• His ascension into heaven

There are more than one thousand (1,000) copies and fragments of the NT in Syria, Armenian, Coptic, Europic, Gothic. There are more than four thousand (4,000) Greek manuscripts containing all or portions of the NT. There are about eight thousand (8,000) copies of the Latin Vulgate. NO other documents of antiquity are as well attested as the New Testament. (Not Socrates, nor Shakespeare, even.)

If all the existing manuscripts did not exist, the entire NT could be reconstructed via thousands of quotations throughout the writings of the early Christians...with the exception of ten to twenty verses. These writings circulated during the time that there were thousands of people living who had seen Christ, witnessed or heard about the miracles He did, and witnessed His crucifixion, none of them refuted the writings as fairy tales or myths.

There is secular historical evidence. (Josephus, Tacitus, Thallus, Mara Bar-Seraphon, Plegon, Lucian, Pliny the Younger) The Encyclopedia Britannica says, "These independent accounts prove that in ancient times even the opponents of Christianity never doubted the historicity of Jesus, which was disputed for the first time and on inadequate grounds by several authors at the end of the 18th, during the 19th, and at the beginning of the 20th centuries."

There is archaeological evidence for its accuracy with more evidence being discovered regularly. No archaeological evidence hascontradicted a Biblical reference.

Scientific discoveries have proven many things mentioned in the Bible. Dinosaurs, the inability to number the stars, the uniqueness of each star, that the earth hangs on nothing, how the wind moves and that it has weight, that life is in the blood, reproductive integrity, the hydrologic cycle, that the earth is round in shape, for instance.

The early Christians, including the Apostles, died rather than recant their testimony that Jesus died, was buried and was resurrected, then ascended into heaven.

115 AD, P. Cornelius Tacitus, in book 15, chapter 44 of The Annals:

“Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.”

The power the Bible has had in my own life.

dead

folks (addressing contibutors to this blog)... this blog is dead. I think it should be deleted. if you think otherwise, please say so. or if you have any other ideas... please share. if no one responds to this in a week, I will just go ahead and delete.

:o)

Beautiful

Jesus, you are as beautiful, and a gazillion times more beautiful, than that which takes my breath away!

Prayers for Soldiers

In the process of preparing a bridal shower for my brother-in-laws finace' I decided to plan a non-traditional shower. One that focuses on the marriage commitment and the support and prayers of our soldiers. He is getting married on Sunday Dec 16th and then leaving that Tuesday. He will get to spend 9 days with his new wife around Christmas before shipping out for Iraq.
In searching for prayers for soldiers online I came across these words. It has given me a greater burden to pray for our troops and our country. Remember our soldiers and what they have done for you.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul;
the other for your freedom.

SOLDIERS POEM

I am a caring mother my son has gone to war
My mind is filled with worries that I have never known before
Everyday I try to keep my thoughts from turning black
I may be scared but I am proud my son has got your back

I am a strong and loving wife with a husband soon to go
There are times I’m terrified in a way most never know
I bite my lip and force a smile as I watch my husband pack
My heart may break but I am proud, my husbands got your back

I am a soldier serving proudly standing tall,
I fight for freedom yours and mine by answering this call
I do my job while knowing that some things lack
Say a prayer that I’ll come home
Its me that’s got your back

Dear Lord,
There's a young man far from home, called to serve his nation in time of war;
sent to defend our freedom on some distant foreign shore.
We pray You keep him safe, we pray You keep him strong,
we pray You send him safely home ...for he's been away so long.
There's a young woman far from home, serving her nation with pride.
Her step is strong, her step is sure, there is courage in every stride.
We pray You keep her safe, we pray You keep her strong,
we pray You send her safely home ...for she's been away too long.

Bless those who await their safe return. Bless those who mourn the lost.
Bless those who serve this country well, no matter what the cost.
God, Bless America!

Pray especially for all our soldiers

God of compassion, look in mercy on all who suffer the terrors of war -
the anguished, the frightened, and the pained, all who are wounded, all who mourn,
and all who have lost home or livelihood.
May they know respite, relief, and hope.

God of love, God of peace, Min HaMeitzar Karati Yah
Out of the depths of despair, I call to You.
My ears ring with the words "do not fear."

But my stomach churns with the acid of doubt.
Determined to preserve our shared world from the tyranny of terrorism,

I turn to You for answers, for values, for strength.

I stand before You with respect and concern for those who have been
summoned to protect and secure our nation, our world.
Give them the courage to meet the chilling stare of death.
Show compassion to them as they seek to make the world safer for me and for those I love.
Ease the pain of their loneliness as they face the darkness of their daunting task.
Let them feel Your presence as You warm the chill of their souls with the blanket of Your light.
Help those far from the comfort of home to find value and meaning in their mission;
that their sacrifice not be an empty act.
Let them sense the yearning of those who await their return and long for their presence –
their loved ones, their parents, their children.
Protect them when they find themselves in harm's way.
Salve their wounds with Your healing balm.

Melech Chafetz Bachayim, Sovereign Who desires life,
above all protect them with Your merciful care.
Return them safely to fulfill dreams unrealized so that they may bless Your name
through the lives they live.

May their efforts further the cause of peace throughout the world and bring us closer to the day when "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn of war anymore."

AMEN.

Jesus Christ is the best ever.... in the whole entire universe!

He's the best!
He's the best!
He's the best!
He's the best!

Declaration of a Jesus Christ Fanatic

I am a man who is addicted to pleasure. I love pleasure. For me, ultimate pleasure is only found in one place, and that is loving God by the power of God. Simply...we’re made that way. I love feeling the power and the love of God pounding with in my being. I am a man who is seeking onething...the face of God. There is nothing else on this earth that can satisfy like He can...nothing. There is no greater peace and joy to speak of. There is no substance on earth that can give the high that my God can...no amount of alcohol or drugs. He is so much better than these things is hardly worth writing the sentence. I know because I used to search there. God’s love is even better than sex. Yeah, that’s right...better than sex.

Money can come and go. Honor can rise and fall. Esteem. All of it can go. I define the value of my life and the success of my life by onething... Jesus Christ. Which means I know who I am in Him and I know what has been given me by this incredible man who died for me, and it can never be taken away from me, and in fifty years the goal of my life is to still have a heart that is on fire for Him and Him alone. And I give all that I am to this man with burning eyes like fire. All my money. All my time. All my energy. All are His, for He is worthy and He has won my heart.

Why Jesus is SO much better than Allah.

I have a new friend. I am REALLY thankful for her! I have needed a new friend.
Interestingly, the friend God gave me is a Muslim who takes her faith very seriously. In our chats about faith and God, I have realized the following things about my own faith and my own God:

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even when I have not covered my head with a prayer shawl.

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even if I am not wearing a skirt.

I am thankful to Jesus that I am allowed to pray next to men.

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even if I haven’t prayed before sunrise.

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even when I am wearing shoes.

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even if I didn’t pray 5 times the day before.

I am thankful to Jesus that He hears me even when I have my period (!)

I am thankful to Jesus that I am allowed to eat the meat of a pig.

I am thankful to Jesus that I am allowed to eat meat with blood in it.

I am thankful to Jesus that He allows adoption.

I am thankful to Jesus that I am clean because He is clean.

I am thankful to Jesus that the reward of fasting is deeper communion with Him.

I am thankful to Jesus that the eternity that awaits me is not only paradise, but paradise in partnership with Him.

There are WAY more things that I could write about my Jesus, but these were the things that I have been made particularly aware of today.

I Need You

I need you, God.
I don’t need a human love that can’t satisfy.
And this isn't some bitter cry,
against insufficient human love.
I do need human touch,
But not to the point that I put it on a pedestal.

I need you, God.
I complain of loneliness,
And my need for fellowship,
And how it seems I don’t get what I need
In the relationships around me, but

I need you, God.
I need you to send me a message
I need you to sit and talk with me
To take a walk with me
To care about what I care about

Which is you, God.

Life

Here is a brief video from The Call Nashville fast, of "tens of thousands of people shouting, singing, and dancing for abortion to END!"

Another Fan!

Check out The Salt Shaker blog!

What God does to me when I listen to an anointed song for the first time

(Upon listening to Jason Upton's song "In Your Presence")...

OH GOD, if anything doesn’t have everything to do with You, then I want nothing of it.

God, you move me. Even in times when I think I am an untouchable, You touch me.

When I think I am stuck, as rigid as a statue in my journey towards You, even then You move me.

Nothing without You, everything in You.

There is something so deep in me, something that will never let You go.

And even that something is of You.

You and only You can satisfy me. You and only You can touch that something deep down inside of me, and bring it up, and manifest it in the tears that roll down my cheeks right now – just at how near You really always are.

“Nothing really satisfies like when You speak my name.”

I lift my heart to You.

I could stay here forever.

Can’t I just stay here forever? There is nowhere else for me...just here...just here...

Let’s Not Put Prayer Back into our Schools

I ran across this interesting little blog post today. The author has some good points. Give it a gander and discuss!

Possession

It burns within me
A longing that lingers too long.
More than a seeking,
more than a striving,
more than a stirring.

Can I just have You.

Tempting holiness.
Endless habitation.
More than longing,
more than a leading,
More than a laboring,

Can I just have You.
Pant no more
Lovesick no more
More than a calling,
more than a craving,
more than a chasing,

Can I just have You.

importance

the blood
relationship
healingmiracleswonders
signsdreamsvisitations
deliverancesalvationexperience
gospelwithpower
firstcommandment

extravagantandrandom
actsofcareandkindness
ambushoflavish
songofsolomonfirstcorinthians13
love
kidsbabiesvalue
youngoldwomenmenequality
secondcommandment

*sigh*

For those of us with Aslan fantasies...THIS is amazing!!!

While disagreeing completely, I agree.

Last week I posted about a dream I had in which I shouted with all my might that

"Jesus Christ is GREAT!"

Today I found out that there is a book on the Bestseller List called

God is NOT great : How Religion Poisons Everything.

One part of the review reads: "With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason."

While I most emphatically disagree with the first part of the title of the book, and would most likely disagree with the content of the book in its entirety (though I have no intentions of reading it), I would have to completely agree that "religion poisons everything", given that one aspect of Jesus' message when he walked the earth was exactly that.

Do you agree? Do you think that "religion" poisons everything?

A Question for Mothers and Aunts

Matthew 19:14
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Hello all you mothers and aunts out there!

We are about to "have" a child (through adoption) and God has gradually been preparing my heart for motherhood.

My question is this:

What have children taught you about the kingdom of heaven?

I am going to collect your answers and put them together in a nice frame for our child's nursery!

So be sure to direct some others here so we can get a bunch of comments!

loveYOUmore

How do I love you more, my Lord?
Find more ways to meet me
Intelligentandcreative you
I’d love to see what you come up with
Blessme
Surpriseme

How do I love you more and more, my Lord?
In the hardspots
Remember your tools
Prayinthespirit and singtheword
In the face of demands
misunderstands
Paininyourheart
I see you follow
and wallow
In me

OH, I want to love you more and more and more, my Lord!!
When I feel your lotta love on me
I'm motivated.
empowered.
keep lavishing, my Lord!
MakeitPossible.
I’m SO proud of you
More than you know morethanyouknow
More than you know

Credo.

Last night I had a powerful dream...

Unfortunately I can't clearly remember what the setting was, or who exactly was there.

But what happened was that I stood up proudly and shouted at the top of my lungs that:

"Jesus Christ is great, and His name is high above any other name!"

It was SO refreshing.


So on my way home from work in the car today I shouted that three times (REALLY loudly).

That, too, was refreshing.

He is worthy of our confession!

LOVE

I was listening to an album by Andrew Peterson and this line reached out through the speakers and grabbed my attention.

Love is not a feeling in your chest…

...it is bending down to wash somebody’s feet.

What is your definition of "love"?

When are you most aware of love?

The month of God's ______

There have been so many times I have wanted to post a blog here these past few months, but each time some distraction would pop up and I kept putting it off. What a bummer! I feel like I (we) have lost out on a lot by not keeping up with one another through this blog as well!

I want to commit to writing here more often because I think this could really be (as it has in the past) a forum where we can bless one another and be blessed - and bring a smile to the face of the One who delights to delight in us.

Last month (March) was a roller coaster month for me. Not roller coaster as in "Yippee! How fun!" but as in the Swedish word for roller coaster which literally translated means "valleys and mountaintops". At the beginning of the month I found myself in a valley where I was just crushed by circumstances. By the end of the month I was on a mountaintop, finally being able to see things from a more "heavenly" perspective again.
In the midst of the valley I heard the Lord tell me he wanted to "theme" my months...so I sought Him for what the theme of the month of March should be, and I heard that, for my own life, March would be the "month of God's goodness." And man oh man, was it ever! It certainly did NOT seem like it would be a month of goodness at the beginning of the month, but God faithfully turned it most definitely into a month of His goodness in my life. A lot of impossible situations were worked out and a lot of despair was turned into hope.

So I fasted on the first of April and sought Him for April's theme. And what I got was GOOD! This is "the month of God's SHINING." Isn't that a weird way to put it?!?!? But that is what I got. In my life, the month of April will be the month of God's shining. It has given me new direction and inspiration in my prayer life. I have been able to pray for our child that God's face would shine upon him/her. I have prayed for our child's biological mother, that God would shine upon her life. I have prayed that God would shine through our paperwork and our picturebook down there at the orphanage office. I have prayed that God would shine through us at school and at work. This is indeed the month of God's shining.

Just wanted to share!
What themes has God been bringing up in your life?

My Redeemer Lives!

I know he rescued my soul
His blood has covered my sin
I believe
I believe

My shame He's taken away
My pain is healed in his name
I believe
I believe

I'll raise a banner
'Cause my Lord has conquered the grave

My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives

You Lift my burdens
I'll rise with You
I'm dancing on this mountain top to see your kingdom come

My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives
My Redeemer Lives

I want to see Him! I want to be like Him!

I've stopped calling myself a Christian. It seems, from Acts 11:26, that the disciples never called themselves Christians or claimed to be Christians, rather they were called Christians. "And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." (Acts 11:26). People may think that I'm unorthodox in my descision to not call myself a Christian, but to be sincere, I really don't know if I am a Christian. To be a Christian, I've got to be like Jesus Christ, and I don't think I'm there yet.

I want to be like Him. I want to be like Him so much... to the point that when someone sees me, that they notice I'm like Him, and they call me a Christian in their hearts. It has to be the most humbling experience ever. AND, I want to notice when other people are Christians without them ever telling me!

I want to be like Him! I want to notice Him!

I want to be like Him! I want to notice Him!

I want to love like Him! He loves us so well... without expecting anything in return. Today I read in Luke 6:35 where Jesus commands us to "...love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil." I want to love my enemies, even as God has loved us who could be His enemies at times. I want to "do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return"... and I want to be "kind to the unthankful and evil", like Him! AND, I want to notice His kind of love in others! Once while I was in high school, I was carrying a difficult load from a building to our family vehicle, and one of my classmates showed up out of nowhere and helped me out by opening the car door for me. I went to put the load in the car and when I turned around to thank her, she was GONE, like a ghost! It was one of the most spiritually moving moments of my life... to the point that it still impacts me today.

I want to love like that... and I want to notice that kind of love!

I want to love like Him! I want to notice His love!

I want to notice Him and see Him, so that I can be like Him!

I want to see Him! I want to be like Him!

One Thing on GodTV

The One Thing conference from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City will be airing on GodTV.

On December 28-30, the evening session will be aired from 8-11 pm EST.

And the December 31 evening session will be broadcast on January 1.

To watch, tune in on DirectTV channel 365 (in America), or watch on their Web site at www.god.tv

Also, stay tuned to GodTV for more programming coming from IHOP.

Picture of the (month)

This is from a really sweet post over at a blog called "Rocks in My Dryer." (I love that blog!)

Anyways, be sure to check out the link to get the background on the picture:

"Need a Reminder?"

a profound fashion statement

"And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Jesus is the King of Kings

Thanks for the tip Niklas and Katie!

Pic of the week.

Not by might or by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.

You're My Little Girl

So I was listening to the radio in the car today and I heard a song by, what I at first thought must have been a cheesey, Christian, boy-band. However, upon further research, I found that the band, called "Go Fish", is an a capella trio whose aim is to reach children!

Anyhow... the song is called "You're My Little Girl"... and you can listen to it and other songs by the group here. As I listened to it I thought, "Wow, that's a really great and encouraging song for little girls"... including myself, of course. And when I further thought about it, it really is a good encouraging song for Jesus' little girl... His bride... the Church. The lyrics are as follows:

vs. 1
The ones you love they let you down
And I want you to know that I¹m sorry
The choices that they made were wrong
You were caught in the middle and I¹m sorry

So when the anger and the pain
Get the best of you
I know it seems like you¹re all alone
But I am feeling it too

Chorus
'Cuz you're my little girl
You¹re the one that I created
No one in this world could ever be like you
When you're cryin' in the night
All you need to do is call me
I¹ll be there for you
'Cuz you¹re my little girl

vs. 2
When you're lookin in the mirror
I hope you're likin' what you see
Because no matter what you're feelin'
You're perfect to me

Because I see you as a child
Blameless in my sight
Just spend some time with me
And I¹ll make everything alright

Chorus

Bridge
I know you don't deserve what you've been through
I know it doesn't seem fair
I know that there are times you think you're alone
But you've got to know that I will be there, be there

Chorus

In God We Trust

Stain my retina with your image, let me always see You, Jesus!

Stare at the center of the image for at least 30 seconds. Then look at a blank white wall, or a piece of paper.

Ship Wrecked

I am troubled in my soul for you have wrecked me. Lord , you have tossed me on an ocean current of boundless love. My ship is regal with colors of my failing love and glistening with faltering crew members. Your ocean has taunted me with it's endless beauty. My ship is set in place, chosen to bare this burden of great catastrophe. It lays here sinking in it's depravity as you sing songs of salvation. On the deck, I stand. I stare down the clouds searching my soul. There is a reason I sail this treacherous path of faith. There is a reason I lord my sails to You, the unfathomable Creator. Since you created this ship where I am mocked by your torrent of depth I become aware of how beautiful I am. That you would set a shipwreck in a divine sea. A sea with no end to the depth and death is far removed so I can swim and drink till satisfied.

What are You Thinking, What are You Feeling... I'm After Your Heart, I'm After You.

Lately, as in the past two weeks, I've been listening to a set of Misty Edwards songs, which I downloaded a couple years ago from http://vthop.com... but is now not available for download, but only to listen to here. In particular the song that's gone along with the cry of my heart is the second song titled "Favorite One":

Jesus, here I am, Your favorite one,
What are You thinking, what are You feeling, I have to know,
For I, I'm after Your heart,
I'm after Your heart,
I'm after you.

More specifically, I've just been longing and seeking to know what the Lord is feeling and thinking... to know what is on His heart. I've been graced lately to be able to wake up early in the mornings to seek what is on His heart for my life each day.... or just what is on His heart. Most of the time, whenever I've come to Him to listen to Him, I've only heard a lot of my own thoughts. But lately it's been quite amazing as I've been graced to be able to push aside my own thoughts and imaginations and have been able to seek after the Lord's thoughts and imaginations. It has required me to be patient, quiet, tame, and steady. It has required me to be in a still state of just knowing and being. And that is the state that I feel like I'm in right now... just knowing and being... as I am wanting to just hear from Him and nothing more and nothing less.

Faith Like A Child

this picture was actually posted on Thursday... I just made it look like it was posted on Wednesday... :o)

A Timeless Classic- What a Friend We Have in Jesus

The song below has been relevant in my life for the past two years. I've been reminded that there is so much trouble, anxiety, and restlessness that I could avoid, if only I would talk with Jesus Christ about things. And not just talk with Him about things, but leave things with Him... entrust things to Him... and then not think about things again, and "keep my hands off".

Of course, at times I need to "pray through" some things, like the "persistant widow". For example, if I talk with Jesus about something and give it up, but then it comes back into my mind and I start thinking about it again, I have to catch my thoughts and talk to Jesus about it again, and give it up again. If it comes up again, I've got to go through the same process and talk with Him about it again and again and again, until my mind is relieved or the problem is solved.

Anyhow... whatever the case is... in order to avoid unnecessary restlessness in this life... I've just got to remember to talk with Him about everything!

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

What a friend we have in Jesus, All ours sins and griefs to bear;
What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear;
All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful? Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour still our refuge; Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee; Thou wilt find a solace there.

Thursday = Music Spotlight Day

Maybe Thursdays could be "Music Spotlight" day!

After what Jenny shared on her blog last week (a song that was very meaningful to her and to where she was in life), I thought it might be fun to find out what people are listening to right now...like, what album is in your CD player almost all the time right now, or what song can you just not get enough of, or what's the latest new music you have been listening to.

Here are some of mine:

Morningstar Fellowship has a CD called "Jesus (broken)" that I have been totally blessed by this past month or so. The title song especially has touched me deeply since I have been studying in John about how we are to eat and drink Jesus.

Click on the album to link to a site where you can listen to samples!

I love Todd Ganovski's passion expressed in his album "Breathe/Prophesy", especially one song that I put on nearly every day as loud as possible called "Your Love Surrounds Me."

(sorry, no media samples available for this one)

What are you listening to???

The Spirit of Intercession

Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.

Psalm 2:8

God is Love
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
-1 John 4:8

“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”-1 John 4:16

Love...
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself; is not puffed up; does not behave rudely; does not seek its own; is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…”
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

God…
suffers long
is kind
does not envy
does not parade himself
is not puffed up
does not behave rudely
does not seek his own
is not provoked
thinks no evil
does not rejoice in iniquity
rejoices in the truth
bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things
never fails

The List Goes On

Check out this Jesus Christ fan's list of 15 things she loves about Jesus Christ!

Very powerful, inspiring, and beautiful!

That's our Lord!

15 Things I Love about Jesus (and His kingdom)

FILTH, ICKY-POO & GRODINESS

So I had this dream a few nights ago. Its content and lesson was not specifically aimed at me because I felt no personal conviction, but it was an interesting visual that sparked a spirit of intercession so I would like to share it.

The dream>>

I was entering someone’s house that looked fairly decent, run-of-the-mill on the outside. I mean, it was medium-sized and fairly typical of the houses around here, meaning it looked like just about every other house (sometimes in Sweden entire streets or blocks will be filled with houses that are the EXACT SAME – no kidding). Just a normal, ordinary, nice-looking house.

But as soon as I entered in through the front door it was just a DISASTER. Have you ever seen that show Extreme Home Makeover where they go in to some family’s house that is just a WRECK and really nasty for whatever reason??? In the house in my dream there were no “floors” at all – it was just thick, smelly mud COVERED in the nastiest insects and bugs and cockroaches and worms and larvae and icky things like that I had ever seen. The floor was just oozing, almost alive with all the GRODY stuff crawling in it. I had to hold my nose and try not to barf (sorry for the graphic visual, but it is important to the point of the dream).

I didn’t want to go in, and I really didn’t want to be there. But I started walking in a bit more and noticed that there were piles of dog poop EVERYWHERE and that I couldn’t even hardly step without having to avoid a mound of it. And there were like flies and such buzzing all around. It was just HORRIBLE.

And I was like “This is NOT a home! This is no place for anyone to live! This is no dwelling place!”

>>end of dream

And I woke up, and those were the words ringing in my head afterwards: “THIS IS NO DWELLING PLACE!”

And that is when it hit me. The Holy Spirit is looking for a dwelling place and He is looking for it in the hearts of human beings. That is where He wants to make His home. And JUST IMAGINE what He sees when He searches eagerly for a heart in which He can dwell, in which He can make His home. He is looking, looking, looking, eager to make a dwelling place in the human heart, and what does He see there but FILTH, ICKY-POO AND GRODINESS!!!! I mean, just imagine anyone taking a look inside at the house I described above. That is in NO way welcoming for anyone to even enter, much less make a home there!

It is not my intention to be judgmental because of course all of us need to make our hearts cleaner, but in this case I was just burdened terribly by the heart condition of the typical Swede. The typical Swede’s heart is NO dwelling place for a HOLY, BEAUTIFUL, PURE AND REFRESHING GOD.

Anyways, it just caused me to feel a bit of what God feels when His eyes sweep the earth, looking for a heart to come and dwell in and make a home in. A home should be a place of refuge, a sanctuary, a place of peace and purity and contentedness. That is the kind of home the Holy Spirit is looking for.

And He is looking for that place in our own hearts.

Change In Us

"Most of us plateau when we lose the tension between where we are and where we ought to be". - John Gardiner

"What a great quote that is laced with such depth and personal confrontation. It is so true that when we begin to settle for the way things are, we stop reaching for what we once knew we could be. That is the Wilderness that most people die in. The place of in-between… the desert of indifference… the fields of flawed thinking that resulted in bowing out just moments before breaking through.

Somewhere in me God placed a tenacious faith that keeps compelling me to change, adapt, and grow internally so I can progress externally. I often struggle with a Holy Discontent. What I see internally (My Vision), doesn’t match up with what I see externally (My Reality.) I have but one of two choices, just like you, I either embrace the flawed thinking that I can never see my vision and dreams come to pass, and Plateau at that point; or I can embrace the possibilities that I can change, and in my personal internal transformation I can begin to see and enjoy a radical shift externally that will mirror the Dream in My Heart!

"An unchanging reality is always the reflection of an unchanging person". - Danny Chambers

When a person willingly submits to the process and work of the Holy Spirit on the inside of you, change is inevitable. God will always accept you just as you are, but He loves you too much to leave you as you are. When we submit to the Holy Spirit working in us, we begin to think differently, process and analyze differently, respond and communicate differently; all of these things representing “CHANGE IN US.” When we experience personal change, our families change, our work changes, our income changes, our health changes and our world changes."

This LIFE CHANGE is God’s idea and it’s how we change our WORLD, “One Life at a Time.”

- Danny Chambers, from the Oasis Church in Nashville, TN.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
-Psalm 139:13

BABY FEET OF TEN-WEEK-OLD ABORTED FETUS

Memo: Picture of the Week

Hennyfair will be responsible for the picture of the week this week. Hereafter we shall take turns in the order which we appear as contributors on the blog- Niklas & Katie, Tamara, O Yeh Reen Days, Hennyfair.

TAKE HEART!

The verse I heard in my head today during prayer was:

In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world!

Jesus said that. He said that right after He said: “But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.”

They were going to leave Him all alone! The one who had poured His life into theirs for 3 years! They were going to leave Him all alone! They “scattered” when He needed them most.

But He knew He was not alone. Even though all of His friends had scattered and left Him when He so needed their support and nearness, even then He knew that He was not truly alone. “My Father is with me.” That statement erases the very definition of “alone”. When our Father is with us, we are not, in any way, alone. There is always someone else there.

And then He says, “Yes, you will have trouble in this world, BUT TAKE HEART! I have overcome the world!”

I like that “take heart!” because it just so…encouraging, uplifting. If the verse had just been “In this world you will have trouble, but I have overcome the world” it wouldn’t have quite the same effect. But there is a “BUT TAKE HEART!”

I like to envision Jesus saying this statement. I like to imagine what His facial expression is when He says “but take heart!” and I like to imagine Him looking at me when He says it.

TAKE HEART KATIE! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD! TAKE HEART! I LOVE YOU KATIE! TAKE HEART!

So I checked out other verses in the Bible where that phrase is repeated, in both the Old and the New Testament:

Twice in the Psalms:

-Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

-Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

And twice when Jesus is ministering:

-Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

-Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

So I can take heart when I am waiting for the Lord, I can take heart because I hope in the Lord, I can take heart because my sins are forgiven, and I can take heart because by my faith I am healed.

Most of all, I can take heart when I am having trouble in this world.

Why?

Because He has overcome the world!

yet another link!

Well, now that we are sharing links...(!)

I happened upon this intriguing site where someone has roughly sketched their takes on many different Bible stories.

VERY interesting. Take some time to look at it!

I was especially provoked by the sketch entitled "Lamb of God."

Click on this LINK.

Hot Worship

this is not to make light of what Katie just posted... and I'm not trying to compete or anything like that... but I ran across this website today... http://www.hotworship.com

have fun!

:o)

Jason Morant

I am REALLY digging Jason Morant right now.

I have played his entire new CD (which you can listen to for free at worshipmusicradio.com for a few more days) like 18 times in a row.

He has a website but it just points you to his myspace page (what was life like before myspace? - seriously, ask any teenager...I feel kinda out of the loop without a myspace...)

It's just great, diggable music that is about Jesus.

(I hesitate to compare him to any other artists because - do new artists really want to be compared to other artists? Isn't that one of the reasons they started - to do something unique?)

Pic of the Week!

I know I am a day early. Oh well it is my birthday so I get to do what I want! I wasn't sure I would be able to make it on the internet tomorrow.

PURSUIT

Hey,

There is an EXTREMELY cool promotional video (3 min music video) available online for the oneThing 2006 conference.

It made me weep.

Check it out on the IHOP/oneThing website:

Go to this link and then click on "More Details" and "Promo Material".

25 Things, More or Less, About Jesus Christ

1. He is eternal.
2. He has no beginning and no end.
3. Yet He was born over 2,000 years ago!!!
4. He created the universe which marked the beginning. (Genesis 1:1)
5. He is the beginning and the end. (Revelation 1:8)
6. Everything begins with Him and ends with Him.
7. Yet, He has no beginning and no end.
8. The end and the beginning belong to the universe - they are not things of God - yet He created them and He is them.
9. He created mankind in His likeness. (Genesis 1:26, 27)
10. He created them male and female.
11. He is like a male and female combined.
12. He is a perfect balance of testosterone and estrogen. (this is an idea I would like to explore later... or see someone else explore.
13. He created mankind to be His friends, children, people - to be His bride, His wife.
14. Does that mean when we get to heaven we'll be cooking, cleaning, and doing His laundry for Him?? (just joking)
15. Since He created humankind, He knows all of our intricacies.
16. Therefore He knows what is best for us.
17. So, when we did our own thing and disobeyed Him, we reaped the logical consequences of our actions and stepped away from the One who knows what's best for us... thereby experiencing what is the worst for us.
18. He knows what is best for us.
19. His life is the best for us.
20. He provides redemption for humankind - redemption from doing their own thing.
21. In His redemption is healing.
22. He heals - disease, sickness, broken-hearts, blindness, deafness.
23. He delivers - from demonic oppression.
24. He provides - for physical, emotional, relational, and mental needs.
25. He protects - from sickness and disease, injury, demonic attacks and oppression.

"When Jesus saw this, he was indignant, and he said..."

I was in the middle of teaching my first Sunday school class for the year, having prepared for several hours and I was really hoping the kids would pay attention in a quality way, so that I could get some important points across to them. Gabriella, the 3 year-old, who is a bit too young to really understand the level of teaching I use for the rest of the kids (who are from 7-11), kept tugging on my arm in the middle of the lesson, trying to get my attention. I was getting a bit annoyed because it was important to me to deliver the message in a clear way to the other kids without them getting distracted. But she kept poking my arm and calling out to me.

And then I felt the Spirit say to me, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

I paused in what I was saying and gave her my attention. She had discovered a miniscule bump on her finger and she wanted me to look at it. So I did. And made some remark about it. That was all she needed. It took 2 seconds. I picked up where I left off with the rest of the teaching. And I felt the approval of the Holy Spirit.

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them,
for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

10 Things I Love about Jesus

This won't be as extensive as Katie's, but just as heartfelt.

1. Fairer than the sons of man. Fairer means more beautiful. Jesus is beauty defined. We can't even compare Him to earthly figures to define His beauty. He is high above the earth's superficial graces.
2. He is unrelenting. God continuly reaches out to those who cast Him aside and/or sin against Him. He doesn't just forgive, but pursues with passion and wills that every man be saved.
3. His jealous wrath. God's wrath, though still a mystery to me, facinates me. His character is covered with layer upon layer of mercy and love. Yet, even in wrath He is pure and attractive. His final judgements though terrifying to most are still righteous and pleasing for a Holy God and His holy people. This aspect of God floors me!
4. He makes covenants. A powerful Spirit with a deep understanding of man's frailty still enters into contracts with them. He pursues us with binding promises usually catering to a deep fellowship with Him.
5. There is no God like Him. Jesus was a revolutionary. He didn't fit the mold. He is set apart and completely other than. Many times gods are compared to other gods. Religons are compared to other religons. In God's truest form He has no similarity to these other gods. There is no God like You!
6. Jesus chose ordinary men. I still rejoice at the fact that God had tax collectors and fishermen in His band of followers. These men were radically changed from encountering Him.
7. He is Jewish. I love that God made a covenant with a nation and chose to bless her through His appearing. This send chills down my spine.
8. He is going to get married! The wedding supper is not fictional or symbolic. Jesus is really planning on marrying the church. I could go on for days about this.
9. Jesus's feet got dirty. Jesus lived here on earth and experienced life just as we do. Frustrations and temptations. He chose not only the cross, but the barreness of leaving the Father's side. What a gut wrenching reality.
10. Jesus knew I needed friends like you. Jesus is all knowing. He gives us the desires of our hearts and His plans are to give us a future and a hope. He knew what He was doing when He sent me you.

Wednesdays could be "Picture of the Week" day!

Honestly...

I am really hungry right now. My stomach is growling and my head is feeling weak and I am a bit irritable. Want to know why? Because I am fasting. And why am I fasting? Because I want to be hungry for God instead.

I want my heart to be tenderized towards the things of God and I want my spirit to be positioned to receive from Him. I want to be touched with longing at the thought of Him and I want to be empowered to serve and equip others selflessly. And so, I am fasting.

I baked fresh bread today, and the smells filled the apartment, nearly making me dizzy with a desire to "take and eat". Why am I fasting? I want to hunger for the touch of God instead.

I baked a huge batch of cookies today to prepare for a retreat this weekend our church is going on. As I rolled the dough in my hands just before placing them on the cookie sheet, I longed to taste just a bit of the dough. Why am I fasting? I want to long to taste the goodness of God instead.

Sometimes when I feel I need a pick-me-up I make hot chocolate. Today my head really needs a pick-me-up…I am feeling weak and slow and on the verge of a headache. But, even though I know a hot chocolate would do wonders for me right now, I will not make hot chocolate because I am fasting. Why am I fasting? Because I want to thirst for the water of the Word instead.

I am really hungry right now. My stomach is growling and my head is feeling weak and I am a bit irritable. Want to know why? Because I am fasting. And why am I fasting?

Because I want to be hungry for God instead.

The Holy Spirit is at Work

Wow. The Holy Spirit is SO active.

Early this summer a 32 year-old young woman named Eva-Marie gave her life to Jesus Christ. She has been completely transformed. She struggled for years and years with depression. But then she made the decision to give her life to Jesus Christ and to get baptized. Since then there has been a light and new life in her eyes and in her spirit and she is SO hungry and cannot get enough of God through teaching and the Word and through worship. Everyone at her workplace has noticed the change in her. She recently told me how touched she was by listening to a particular worship song and so I made a copy of 20(!) similar albums as a way to sow into her life and allow her to experience God through worship. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK!

My 43 year-old friend Annette was hit by a car a year ago, which destroyed the bones in one of her legs and gave her major back pain. She was still walking around on crutches because the leg would not heal properly. She asked for prayer for healing at a meeting this past weekend and the man said he felt to pray that her leg would grow out so that it would be the same length as the other leg. She busted out laughing as she watched her leg grow out slowly, because she thought it looked so funny and thought it was like watching some special effect in a movie. When she stood up after that and started walking, she had no pain her back, her entire walking gait had changed and improved, and she didn't need crutches. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK!

My little friend Emelie turned 5 yesterday. She was to have her big "pajamas party" on Saturday, but the evening before she came down with a major fever and stomach pains. She kept saying how stupid the devil was for making her sick. And how Jesus could heal her so that she could have her pajamas party. So she and her parents prayed that she would be completely well when she woke up on Saturday morning. She woke up completely well and ran to tell her parents that Jesus had healed her and that the devil is stupid. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK!

In the middle of April we had NO money in our savings account. NONE. At the end of April we decided to adopt and asked God to do a miracle so that we could afford it. Through different means and miracles, we have now determined that by the end of November we are going to have every single cent we need for adoption ($14,000) without needing to go into debt. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK.

My 47 year-old friend Carina went through a major depression this spring. She had to quit her job as an assistant nurse and became unemployed and felt like she didn't have much of a purpose with her life and had terrible self-esteem. But she didn't let go of God and trusted that He would see her through. Today she is at her first day of school, a new educational program that will give her experience in retail business administration, and she is SO pumped after having had a wonderful, blessed summer where God gave her new promises about the future. Her smiling face and positive attitude are always something to look forward to whenever we see her at church. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK!

My 32 year-old friend Ewa has longed to meet that special someone for a REALLY long time and in a lot of ways her life has revolved around wanting to get married and have a family and a cute house. One by one all of her friends would meet someone and get married and start families. She had so many questions and disappointment in her heart because she never, ever met anyone and was desperate to find someone to spend the rest of her life with. We in the church prayed so often for this matter, but nothing ever seemed to come of it. But on June 28th of this year she met him, Daniel, one year younger than she is, and they fell in love. He is a terrific guy who loves the Lord and is a part of a newly-started church that is making a difference in his city. Ewa is SO thankful and so happy and is a testimony to the FACT that God answers prayer. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK!

The Beautiful Man

I could NOT wait to share, so I am going to post some of my list already...
it is a list in progress and so far I have written only 12 things...

(feel free to write your list in ANY way you please!
This is not a set "format" for what the list is supposed to be like!)

Jesus, You are:

1. “Outstanding among ten thousand…”
2. …which means that you hold the highest place in my heart of all that is lovely, all that is to be admired, all that is to be adored, all that is to be held esteemed and respected and great, all that is awe-inspiring and breathtaking and all that touches me most deeply – your place in my heart is greater than all of these things…Jesus, You are outstanding among ten thousand.
3. The “Author of my faith…”
4. …which means that You loved me first and in Your GREAT grace planted a seed in my heart that caused me to turn, ever slightly, towards you, only to find that you were already running, no sprinting towards me, already looking, no gazing at me with eyes full of life and fire and light and purity such that I was ruined with desire for You after having only glimpsed Your face for a fraction of a second.
5. …and which also means that through this journey called walking with You, on a path that grows narrow at times and goes down into valleys at times and goes through storms at times and leads me through murky waters at times, even at all those points along our path You are authoring, guiding, navigating my trust in You so that every step becomes firmer and more certain…Jesus, You are the author of my faith.
6. “Emmanuel…”
7. …which means God With Us, the mystery of mysteries, the unfathomable and the unthinkable, the fact that our minds can barely grasp, offensive to many, and a joke to some, but for me the unmistakable, unbelievably precious truth that my God, my Creator, my Other Than and Higher Than and Greater Than, would come and be with us, for the simple and undeniable fact that He longs to be with us…Jesus, You are Emmanuel, God With Us.
8. The “Lion…”
9. …who reigns supreme, who is king of all, ruler of all, THE decision-maker, the be-all end-all authority on ALL matters, the Leader of leaders and King of kings, the Ruler of rulers and Lord of lords, Your decrees and Your laws and Your regulations must be carried out and will be followed, there is no one who can decide over You, who can rule over You, who can tell You what to do because You are supreme over all things…Jesus, You are the Lion.
10. My “Brother…”
11. …which means that there is no one else on earth to whom I am more “genetically” similar. I was created in Your image. You let me be created in Your image, You were willing to share that with me. I am therefore beautiful, perfectly made, perfectly sculpted, perfectly planned and designed, not only a reflection of who You are but in Your very image. Everything that is beautiful about me comes from you. You imparted Yourself to me when you determined that I would be created in Your image, and let me share in the beauty that is You.
12. …and which means that we have the same Father. And you have modelled for me what it is to love our Father, what it is to be so consumed with doing His will and pleasing His heart that nothing is more desirable than seeing Him smile with pleasure at even the slightest attempt to show Him our devotion. You have shown me that there is nothing higher that I could do with my life than to love and obey our Father. Thank you for being a big brother whom I can look up to and admire and model my life after…Jesus, You are my Brother.

101 Things about Jesus

Official Memo to all Jesus Christ fans:

Since Jesus is our Number One Favorite Person Ever, I think it would be

fun/enlightening/enjoyable/inspiring/uplifting/edifying/illuminating

for us to put together a 101 list about Him.

Maybe we could each write, say, 25 things, and share them with one another on this blog. It would be cool to see which things overlap or which things are quite personal revelations of His character.

It will also prove to be a lovely form of worship, right here on the Internet!

If you want to, feel free to join in, or just drop by and read about Him!

Welcome to the Non-Womb World!

Just wanted to say welcome to the newest
Jesus Christ fan.

Be blessed, little Ayo!!!

The Enemy's Camp

The following vision/insight/contemplation from a fellow Jesus Christ fan, Karen Long, in the words of another Jesus Christ fan, Jenny Hayes, is "a great reminder to us to let God be our authority and not the enemy." Thank you Jesus, that you have all authority!!!

The song…Enemy’s Camp…the lyrics are “Well I went to the enemy’s camp and I, took back what he stole from me”. It got me thinking last night. I instantly got a visual picture of what the enemy’s camp might look like. It was dark, and there were massive piles all around me. Each pile had a sign with a name on it. I was overwhelmed by the size of the piles…they were so huge. I wasn’t sure how that much stuff could be in a pile, and not fall all around me. I was surprised at how neat the piles were. It looked like a junkyard. I felt so small in comparison to the piles. So I start to walk…I’m looking for my own name. I expect my pile to be smaller, because surely it isn’t possible that he stole that much from me. I could only think of a few things that came to mind that he might have stolen from me. Can you see it? Are you walking with me to find your own pile? What will be in your pile? Can you think of the things you KNOW the enemy has stolen from you?

I walk, and I find my pile. I’m shocked. It’s not a smaller pile at all. It’s just as huge as the others. I look and there are a few things I recognize, that I expected might be there. There are some things I know would be there. Joy, broken relationships, things that I took for granted, or allowed bitterness, anger, hurt, rejection, etc…to get the best of, and therefore lost those things. But there are so many more things that I never thought would be there, even some things that I didn’t recognize at all. Some things I had asked for, but never gotten, some things I never even dreamed of. Obviously the enemy stole them before they ever even got to me. How long has he been stealing from me? How is it possible that he has so much stuff, in such little time? How could I not be aware that he was stealing from me, right under my nose? How could I stand by and let all of these things go. All of these things that are mine, that I care about? Things that were MEANT to be mine. How many of them were blessings my Father had intended for me? I want them back. I’m going to get my stuff back, right now!

So I try to get something off the pile. When I do, I feel something hit my hand. I try again, and I get hit again. I try it a different way, a different approach, and again I’m attacked. How can I ever get my stuff back? I can’t even touch it. It’s as if he, (the enemy) is watching, and laughing and gloating at what he’s done. What he has kept from me. And he knows that I am no match for him. I can’t just take my stuff back.

So I walk away, feeling defeated, and sad, and tired, and frustrated. All of the things that were mine, that were stolen and I can’t get them back. I feel violated. I feel ashamed that I didn’t protect my things better. Why would I leave my most precious things unprotected? Why wouldn’t I keep the doors that contained them locked? How could I just give them up? So I leave the camp. I have to leave my stuff behind. Or do I?

There is one who is greater than the enemy. There is one who can get my stuff back for me. If I go in, and use the authority of He that is in me…that’s how I get my stuff back. So I ask, Jesus will you come with me. Holy Spirit will you guide me. I walk back into the camp, and this time it’s different. I can see my surroundings better. I can see those who are guarding the piles. They are angry at the mere sight of Him. They are gnashing their teeth, but they can’t move, they can’t come near. I can see that they are angry, but they are also afraid. It’s obvious they know who He is, and what authority He has over them. We walk thru all of the piles until we come to mine. I stand there patiently. I can now see the one who was guarding my pile. He’s bigger than the ones I saw along the way. And then I realize there are so many of them guarding my pile. How did I not see them before? He tells me to reach out and take back what is mine. But I’m afraid, I can see the ones standing guard over my pile, that eerie smile….the hate and anger in their eyes. Then he tells me, do it, take back what is yours, I’m with you. They can not touch you. They can not hurt you. I reach out my hand slowly and go to grab something off of my pile. The one standing guard of my pile to my right goes to smack my hand away, and then I feel the Spirit rise up in me. I can see the warfare going on before me. I stand there and watch as the one in me rises against this huge guard, and he cowers down like a dog tucking his tail between his legs. Then against his will, the guard tries to fight it, but he bows before Him and declares him Lord, then he flees as he makes a protesting growl. I see the other guards flee behind him, obviously not wanting any part of what their leader has received. He tells me again, now go child, take back what is yours. Take back the things I intended you to have

The Lion of Judah

It is such a blessing from God when He gives His children spiritual dreams that encourage us, give us direction or correction, or just allow us to sense His presence in a special way.

A few nights ago I had a very detailed and realistic dream in which I was in the world of Narnia, much like the movie. We were going forth to battle, a bunch of us humans. All of a sudden a great host of other creatures (all white and beautiful - reminding me of angels) rushed past us and went ahead of us into battle.
And then HE came. Aslan. He came in all of His glory, a big beautiful lion with a big beautiful mane and a big beautiful roar.
He roared, and in some way in the midst of that roar He cried out, "I HAVE COME IN ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS!" and ran ahead of us in that glorious, confident way that lions can run, on into the battle ahead of us.
I woke up refreshed and convinced of the great victory that we have in Jesus Christ.

Adorers of Jesus

Here is a picture found on the Life Church blog/Web site.

Spending the day with Jesus

Ever since I was given the revelation of God's total involvement in my life I have had the yearly tradition of asking Him to give me something special whenever I have a birthday.

This year was no exception. I woke up very early in the morning on my birthday and as I was falling back to sleep I started to dream. In my dream I was spending the day with a WONDERFUL person that I just LOVED being with. I could be myself with him, laugh heartily or giggle ridiculousy, talk deeply or about silly things or just sit together in silence. I had the sense during the entire dream that this was without question the most satisfyingly wonderful and simple and thrilling day of my life, all because I got to spend it with this person. I enjoyed myself so immensely. When I woke up again I realized that I had just spent the day with Jesus in my dream. He loves me so enormously even in the midst of everyday life, and that is where he wants to be.

Later that day, in the evening, I looked out the window and saw a rainbow and my first thought was that the rainbow was just for me. To be reminded of God's promises to me about this 27th year and about my life. And that he promises to never leave me or forsake me.

Spirit of Adoption

Psalm 68:6a says the following:
God sets the lonely in families...

John 14:18 says:
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

A New Creation

the following is a flash video project which testifies to how Jesus Christ makes us new.

thank you, Jesus!

click on the picture frame to play the video. be sure to turn on your speakers or plug in your headphones!

Kingdom business

GO JESUS!

The following is a tribute to Jesus Christ, who LOVES kids and reveals Himself to them!

This past Sunday was the last week of "God's Super School" for this semester. We reviewed for all the adults everything that we have learned these past few months.

And then it was time for Hanna to be baptized! When I asked her why she wanted to get baptized she said: "Because I love Jesus and I want to follow Him all my life," which, of course, is a good reason to get baptized!

The Philipsons have a pool that they filled with water for the occasion (it's a bit early in the season, and the water was 57 degrees!). As the other kids and adults watched, Hanna was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!
It was a wonderful moment and I know God was smiling at us!

Congratulations, Hanna!






What a wonderful, KINGDOM day!

A song for the Jesus Fan Club

I wrote this Kids' Worship song the other day.
I imagine it having a catchy, uplifting beat...it can also be a somewhat slower reflective type of song as well.



--I want to SHINE

--I want to SOAR

--I want to reach out, expecting, to always find MORE

--I want to live this life with You

--I want to live to make You smile at everything I do

--Make my life a witness to Your love,

--Make my dreams the dreams of heaven above!

It's not quite done yet, since I'm "expecting to get more"!

Pouring Out Adoration to the Only One Who is Worthy of Adoration

That's what this blog is about!