What an amazing opportunity Laura and I had to be able to attend YWAM's 50th anniversary celebration in Hawaii. Shortly after Thanksgiving Laura and I flew down to Kona, Hawaii. It was an amazing time spent there as we had the chance of a lifetime to celebrate with YWAM 50 years of God's faithfulness, as well as explore the big island of Hawaii. Loren and Darlene Cunningham as well as YWAM's president, and a few others shared with us about what God has done through the years, as well as powerful messages about following Jesus' command to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations," as stated in the Great Commission. Jesus' last command to the disciples before ascending into Heaven.
The Great Commission in one of YWAM's key verse of what they're all about. Loren shared with us how we all need to take the flame and go forward. Not to let the fire burn out, but to continue to run forward for God's glory, and making sure that every person on earth has a chance to hear the gospel. By the year of 2020 the Bible will be translated into every language of the world. People of every tribe and every tongue will be able to have the Bible in their own language. That will be pretty amazing that's for sure!
Loren shared some powerful messages and ones that spoke boldly to me. Many of them were challenging as it meant that I had to continue to move forward and stretching my faith. So many times I struggle with stepping out of comfort zones and taking more steps forward, but I know that God asks me to keep moving forward and trusting in His guidance. It is never an easy thing, but who's to say that life is easy anyways. I know that it is not an easy road, and the roads on the mission field usually are extremely challenging. As I heard some of the stories shared during my time in Hawaii I felt God was speaking to everyone there that He is in control, and He has some pretty amazing things in store for us.
Laura and I also had some wonderful times around the island. It was our first time ever being to Hawaii and we wanted to be sure we enjoyed every minute of it! We had some wonderful times on the beach, driving around the island, exploring various places, and just absorbing God's marvelous creation. We were exposed to nearly every climate zone their is which we were both in awe of. We explored the desert, the rain forests, the ocean and all kinds of other places that we have never seen before at least not so close together and quite like that. We both had an amazing time in Hawaii, and were glad that we were able to go.
I am glad God opened the doors for me to attend the 50th in Hawaii as that celebration was very important to me, and because I wasn't able to attend the celebration in Tijuana. It was an experience that neither of us will ever forget!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
What Breaks my Heart
Holiday season has officially begun. Thanksgiving is just a couple short days away, and Christmas will be coming shortly after. These times are a time of remembrance, a time of reflection, a time of joy... but what about those who don't have that joy? Those who are alone? Those who don't have the hope, and the love of Jesus within them? What about them? These times can be a time of pain for so many people. People who are grieving, who are suffering, and people who spend day in and day out without even being noticed... who feel like they don't matter to another soul in the world.
Yesterday I noticed a homeless lady on the corner, I saw the pain in her eyes. I almost broke down right there in tears, I had to grip it because I was driving, but my heart broke for her. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. There are millions of people in this world who don't know Jesus, and millions who filled with sorrow. Suicide rates are rising, because people are searching for a way out, and come to the point where they feel like death is their only option. It is incredibly sad to know this, and hear about it. I still think of all the people I talked to in San Francisco, all the time. I visualize their faces, their tear filled eyes, and I can still hear them tell me that they feel like a nobody... they feel worthless. I can still hear them share with me their story, what people have done to them, things that have happened in their life, and wishing they had someone who loved them. I was not ashamed to put my arms around them. I wanted them to know how much they mattered, and how much their Savior does love them. I want that mission to continue, and God has placed that passion so strongly on my heart.
There is no greater love than the love of Jesus. This is the time of year we celebrate it, but I hope we will celebrate it year round. As the joyous season comes along, I don't want to forget the true meaning of it. I don't want to be so caught up in the busyness of it that I don't notice the hurting person standing on the corner. My heart's passion is to love those who don't know what love is. To be the hands of feet of Jesus. I pray that Jesus will shine so strongly in me, that when people look at me they see the light of Jesus. I pray that God will melt the heart of stone. I pray that God will move radically within the walls of the city, and throughout the hearts of every young and old person there is. God is the God of the impossible, and He can and does far more than what we can ever imagine. God chooses His children to be His instruments, to be ambassadors in His Kingdom. May His Kingdom come.
God has ruined my heart for Him. Something that I can't explain in words. I completely want my life to be surrendered to Him. I want my life to be all about giving Him the glory, and letting people know who Jesus is. That is my calling. To live for Jesus my Savior. God and God alone. I am here to sit next to a hurting person, to listen to there broken hearts and to say you are valuable... so valuable that God gave His one and only Son to die for you.
I cannot look in the pain in someone's eyes and ignore it. Each time I notice someone alone my heart does break. I know that Jesus weeps over them. Jesus feels their pain, and Jesus does care. I pray that they may feel Jesus over them, and His loving arms holding them tight. I pray that God will use me to uplift them, and that God will work in their hearts. I pray that their pain will be healed, and they can live as another testimony of how great our God is.
Yesterday I noticed a homeless lady on the corner, I saw the pain in her eyes. I almost broke down right there in tears, I had to grip it because I was driving, but my heart broke for her. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. There are millions of people in this world who don't know Jesus, and millions who filled with sorrow. Suicide rates are rising, because people are searching for a way out, and come to the point where they feel like death is their only option. It is incredibly sad to know this, and hear about it. I still think of all the people I talked to in San Francisco, all the time. I visualize their faces, their tear filled eyes, and I can still hear them tell me that they feel like a nobody... they feel worthless. I can still hear them share with me their story, what people have done to them, things that have happened in their life, and wishing they had someone who loved them. I was not ashamed to put my arms around them. I wanted them to know how much they mattered, and how much their Savior does love them. I want that mission to continue, and God has placed that passion so strongly on my heart.
There is no greater love than the love of Jesus. This is the time of year we celebrate it, but I hope we will celebrate it year round. As the joyous season comes along, I don't want to forget the true meaning of it. I don't want to be so caught up in the busyness of it that I don't notice the hurting person standing on the corner. My heart's passion is to love those who don't know what love is. To be the hands of feet of Jesus. I pray that Jesus will shine so strongly in me, that when people look at me they see the light of Jesus. I pray that God will melt the heart of stone. I pray that God will move radically within the walls of the city, and throughout the hearts of every young and old person there is. God is the God of the impossible, and He can and does far more than what we can ever imagine. God chooses His children to be His instruments, to be ambassadors in His Kingdom. May His Kingdom come.
God has ruined my heart for Him. Something that I can't explain in words. I completely want my life to be surrendered to Him. I want my life to be all about giving Him the glory, and letting people know who Jesus is. That is my calling. To live for Jesus my Savior. God and God alone. I am here to sit next to a hurting person, to listen to there broken hearts and to say you are valuable... so valuable that God gave His one and only Son to die for you.
I cannot look in the pain in someone's eyes and ignore it. Each time I notice someone alone my heart does break. I know that Jesus weeps over them. Jesus feels their pain, and Jesus does care. I pray that they may feel Jesus over them, and His loving arms holding them tight. I pray that God will use me to uplift them, and that God will work in their hearts. I pray that their pain will be healed, and they can live as another testimony of how great our God is.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
God Continues to Amaze Me
I know it has been quite some time since the last blog was posted. I've been trying to maintain them as much as possible, but life craziness sometimes has a way of taking over.... November has been a pretty busy month. Projects needed to be edited, and printed, community meetings to attend to, Genesis connects to listen in, etc... But life has been good here in sunny San Diego. In Mexico homes continue to be built each weekend by several teams, and schools continue to move right along.
I have been busy in the office making sure brochures and fliers are printed, as well as other print work that needs to be done. Some thing that is very exciting is we are gearing up for San Diego ministry. I along with two others will be meeting each week, and we will be preparing for Mission Adventures to join us in San Diego next year. In the prayer meeting this week, it was brought up that once a month we have city prayer walks as staff. That would be a great opportunity for all of us. As a team, we will be going through the city and getting ourselves familiar with what it is all about. I am very excited to see what God is going to do throughout all of this. I am glad He has brought me here and that the doors are opening for me to step foot into city ministry with my co-workers. God has placed the strong passion on my heart which has been around even before I joined YWAM. It is amazing how when I said yes to God and each and every step I took was a step of faith. I had no idea what God was going to do and I have no idea what He is going to do in the future. But as I continue on the journey of faith I know God will continue to move the mountains and open the doors to more opportunities and ways that I can serve Him.
God has placed the desire, and it amazes me how much He has led me through the past few years and even beyond that. I can testify that waiting on the Lord and trusting in His will and perfect time is worth everything I have and everything I've been through. I can only walk one step and one day at a time. Each day a new blessing comes, and through all circumstances God continues to build my character. I am here for the purpose to serve my King and no one else. God has called me to city ministry, and I know He will continue to lead me to it and through everything. Only He knows where I'll go next, but all I can say is I am ready and willing no matter what that may be.
I have been busy in the office making sure brochures and fliers are printed, as well as other print work that needs to be done. Some thing that is very exciting is we are gearing up for San Diego ministry. I along with two others will be meeting each week, and we will be preparing for Mission Adventures to join us in San Diego next year. In the prayer meeting this week, it was brought up that once a month we have city prayer walks as staff. That would be a great opportunity for all of us. As a team, we will be going through the city and getting ourselves familiar with what it is all about. I am very excited to see what God is going to do throughout all of this. I am glad He has brought me here and that the doors are opening for me to step foot into city ministry with my co-workers. God has placed the strong passion on my heart which has been around even before I joined YWAM. It is amazing how when I said yes to God and each and every step I took was a step of faith. I had no idea what God was going to do and I have no idea what He is going to do in the future. But as I continue on the journey of faith I know God will continue to move the mountains and open the doors to more opportunities and ways that I can serve Him.
God has placed the desire, and it amazes me how much He has led me through the past few years and even beyond that. I can testify that waiting on the Lord and trusting in His will and perfect time is worth everything I have and everything I've been through. I can only walk one step and one day at a time. Each day a new blessing comes, and through all circumstances God continues to build my character. I am here for the purpose to serve my King and no one else. God has called me to city ministry, and I know He will continue to lead me to it and through everything. Only He knows where I'll go next, but all I can say is I am ready and willing no matter what that may be.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
One Red Light, One Divine Appointment
It was a typical Saturday afternoon. I had just left Target, and was leaving the parking lot waiting for the light to turn green. The typical moment turned into a moment where I felt the Spirit tugging on my heart. A moment that I knew I had to listen to what God was asking me to do. My heart started to speed up a little bit, as I was taking a step of faith, and another leap out of my comfort zone. I don't know if I can define comfort zone for me anymore... it has been knocked out so many times, that determined that is one of the things my life is about. There I sat in my car, with the radio in the background, looking up at a distance I saw a man. His clothes were worn and dirty, his face looked pretty rough, but there he stood with a sign in his hand. He was one of many homeless men and women who stand on the street corners daily hoping someone would give them the time of day to help them out.
God was tugging on my heart to roll down the window, and to get his attention. The nudge was pretty strong, and I knew I couldn't ignore it and just wait for the light to turn green. So I sat there for a second, and slowly rolled my window down a few inches... just enough to stick my hand out. I had a small Bible that I kept in my car. I knew God was asking me to give it to this gentleman standing there. With the Bible in my hand, I reached out my window to get the man's attention. It was shaking a little bit, because I honestly didn't know what kind of reaction I was going to get in return. I mean he could have thrown it back at me, or said certain things that I've heard several times before, which I won't repeat in this blog. But he did none of those things, instead he took it, and he said "God bless you, this is something that I have never received before, I wanted one of these more than a dollar, a dollar I can live without, but not this." He smiled at me, and that said it all to me. He assured me he was going to read it. I'm trusting that God will begin to do some incredible work in this man's life. I probably will never get to know his story, but I don't need to, it is all for God's glory at that is what matters.
The light turned green and I moved along to my next destination. For the rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. I was walking around in the water at the beach and kept thinking and wondering what God was up to. That was just the first step of what God is calling me to do. There are more homeless men and women standing on the street corners, sitting on the sidewalks in downtown, all are hurting, they all have a story, and they all have been ignored day after day. God wants more Bibles to be handed out, and He wants me to trust in Him, to keep leading me to people who need Him. I want to have more Bibles in my car. I know that I may have people say bad things to me, but I also know God is the God of the impossible, He can melt the heart of stone, and He can move in these people's lives, through the streets of San Diego, and all of the other places of the world. I just have to say, "hear I am Lord, send me." Where God leads I will follow. I will continue to be led out of so called comfort zone.
Please pray for these people, all the hurting and lost people of the world. Pray that I can receive more Bibles to give. This is only the beginning. God has asked me to move forward, I know that faith is not always easy, but I need to cling to God and His promises. I know that the pain can increase rapidly, but climbing a mountain, is not a piece of cake. I will keep climbing and I will not loose heart, I will keep my eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of my faith.
God was tugging on my heart to roll down the window, and to get his attention. The nudge was pretty strong, and I knew I couldn't ignore it and just wait for the light to turn green. So I sat there for a second, and slowly rolled my window down a few inches... just enough to stick my hand out. I had a small Bible that I kept in my car. I knew God was asking me to give it to this gentleman standing there. With the Bible in my hand, I reached out my window to get the man's attention. It was shaking a little bit, because I honestly didn't know what kind of reaction I was going to get in return. I mean he could have thrown it back at me, or said certain things that I've heard several times before, which I won't repeat in this blog. But he did none of those things, instead he took it, and he said "God bless you, this is something that I have never received before, I wanted one of these more than a dollar, a dollar I can live without, but not this." He smiled at me, and that said it all to me. He assured me he was going to read it. I'm trusting that God will begin to do some incredible work in this man's life. I probably will never get to know his story, but I don't need to, it is all for God's glory at that is what matters.
The light turned green and I moved along to my next destination. For the rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. I was walking around in the water at the beach and kept thinking and wondering what God was up to. That was just the first step of what God is calling me to do. There are more homeless men and women standing on the street corners, sitting on the sidewalks in downtown, all are hurting, they all have a story, and they all have been ignored day after day. God wants more Bibles to be handed out, and He wants me to trust in Him, to keep leading me to people who need Him. I want to have more Bibles in my car. I know that I may have people say bad things to me, but I also know God is the God of the impossible, He can melt the heart of stone, and He can move in these people's lives, through the streets of San Diego, and all of the other places of the world. I just have to say, "hear I am Lord, send me." Where God leads I will follow. I will continue to be led out of so called comfort zone.
Please pray for these people, all the hurting and lost people of the world. Pray that I can receive more Bibles to give. This is only the beginning. God has asked me to move forward, I know that faith is not always easy, but I need to cling to God and His promises. I know that the pain can increase rapidly, but climbing a mountain, is not a piece of cake. I will keep climbing and I will not loose heart, I will keep my eyes on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of my faith.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Steps of Faith
Today has been a wonderful day, a wonderful Sunday it was. This morning I attended an incredible church service. God spoke to me through the pastor this morning. I am called to take steps of faith in obedience to Him. The pastor said these words, "if you are wanting it to be easy, you are in the wrong place.... but we have to be armed with God's truth, because we are in a world where it's only going to get harder." I know that as I move forward I need to trust in God for His provision, His protection and His guidance. There is a call and tug on my heart that continues to get stronger. There are challenges that have come up along the way, and there will continue to be, but I know that I need to continue. I need to keep taking each step and be who God has called me to be. There are times when I fall, times when I struggle, and those times where I feel like I've felt like I've been slammed to the floor, but there has never been a time where God has been away, and never a time where I have been defeated. It is by God's grace that I can keep going, and it is through His strength. I know I have talked about this a lot, but it is one of the most important things I need to remember. I need to remember who I am serving, and why I do what I do.
It is not an easy journey. Choosing the narrow road has bumps in it. Hard ones. But that road also is leading to eternal life with Jesus Christ. The One who conquered death, suffered and died so we can live. He is walking the road with me, and He is in the boat with me. When the storms rage, God is my strength, He is my comforter, and He calms the storms in my life. This evening I spent some time reflecting on all that God has led me through. I was reading through my personal journal, where I wrote down every feeling I was feeling. There was a lot I went through, and probably a lot I'm going to go through. But one thing I've learned is how God is there with me every step of the way. As I've said so many times before, I must continue on the journey with faith and perseverance. Knowing that the race does have hurdles, but there are so many people out there walking in total darkness. I must keep being the hands and feet of Jesus, and going to where He is calling me to go. Many people need to hear the words I love you, and hear how valuable they are to their Heavenly Father, and how much He loves them. I am not afraid of what they may say to me, I've been called many things already, and have heard and seen so much already, but I still know they need Jesus. That is worth everything I have.
It is not an easy journey. Choosing the narrow road has bumps in it. Hard ones. But that road also is leading to eternal life with Jesus Christ. The One who conquered death, suffered and died so we can live. He is walking the road with me, and He is in the boat with me. When the storms rage, God is my strength, He is my comforter, and He calms the storms in my life. This evening I spent some time reflecting on all that God has led me through. I was reading through my personal journal, where I wrote down every feeling I was feeling. There was a lot I went through, and probably a lot I'm going to go through. But one thing I've learned is how God is there with me every step of the way. As I've said so many times before, I must continue on the journey with faith and perseverance. Knowing that the race does have hurdles, but there are so many people out there walking in total darkness. I must keep being the hands and feet of Jesus, and going to where He is calling me to go. Many people need to hear the words I love you, and hear how valuable they are to their Heavenly Father, and how much He loves them. I am not afraid of what they may say to me, I've been called many things already, and have heard and seen so much already, but I still know they need Jesus. That is worth everything I have.
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