The Power of Remembrance.

Brothers and sisters, I am now in Des Moines, IA beginning what God has asked me to do next. I start working in the BEST (Bless. Encourage. Serve. Transform.) Salon tomorrow and my heart is overflowing with many emotions.

I've slept two nights now in my new home and Des Moines is beginning to feel like home in ways I can't describe. As I lay on my bed the another night, I open up the scripture to Hebrews 1:5 'Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.' I then began to think, 'Hmm, I wonder what my Final Application was about for the book of Habakkuk (during my studying of the Bible in Taiwan this past year)..' So I open the Final Application, and my eyes began to fill with tears as I start reading what I had typed at the end of that book, realizing it was that book that Jesus had revealed to me the power of remembrance and it was that night, my first night in my new home in Des Moines that Jesus reminded me to remember.

(This was what I got from my parents for Christmas, because of what I'm about to share below this. My dad helped me put it up above my bed, so that I'd remember to remember Him at night.)

 

 

I felt like He wanted me to share this with you, whoever is reading this...because He wants this to become part of your thoughts, for it to become worship, a lifestyle of remembrance of who He is.

 

FINAL APPLICATION: Book of Habakkuk

 

Timeless Truths:

• God's power doesn't always come about when and how people expect. (Hab. 1:2,5)
• God knows best. (Hab. 1:2,5)
• God is sovereign over injustice, and what doesn't make sense. (Hab. 1:6)
• Only reliance on God gives life. (Hab. 2:4)
• Shifting focus to who God is changes the posture of one's heart. (Hab. 1:2; 3:17-19)

What am I to believe? I am to believe that God is constantly at work; that even though when it seems as though He is quiet, or when I am not hearing Him, or when nothing is 'hitting me super hard,' in the books that I am going through...God is still at work. I am to believe that remembering who God is, and who he has been, will change the posture of my heart and results of my day and even how I live life on this earth until He comes again.  When I stop remembering of who God is, or who he has been, my heart will look for more at what is happening around me than it will look on who God is and it will change the end result of my day of where my heart is...and that affects everything and everyone.

 

'Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.' Ephesians 4 :26.

 

I am to believe that God is still at work in my heart even if I don't meet my own goals or others' goals. For example: Doing three builds a chart ( < this is school talk here..sorry.. :) )..I was determined to do it and I wasn't able to.

 

Are there attitudes or thought patterns that I need to change? I need to train my mind to remember. That when thoughts of condemnation creep in, that I remember, that I begin to speak out truth and remembrance of who God is, and who I am in Christ. Because it's in days like yesterday, where I am tired, I feel like anything tries to get at my heart and if I don't change my thought pattern of remembering like I did yesterday (being super encouraged by you (this was my 'checker' or teacher you could say that I was talking to, who was checking my work in the book of Habakkuk) to simplify my work, and to answer the questions, then I think, 'wow, Kort, you have been doing it wrong the whole 9 months..checker after checker tells me these same things and you can't GET IT.' Then moving my thinking to, 'wow I wonder how much more the Lord could have revealed to me..')

 

But it is not true. God has been at work in me and around me more than I know, and when any thought like that enters, I need to speak truth...to speak what God has been doing. Because it was a day like yesterday on my way home that when I spoke truth out, those false accusations/condemnation was silenced and I had a really enjoyable night. Thank you LORD for TRUTH and for checkers to spur me on!!

 

What can I learn about my relationship with God, with people? God is so sweet, so BIG, so powerful and he wants me to be dependent on him at ALL times. Not just in little things, not just in big things, ALL things. He wants my focus to be on Him at all times because He wants things to turn out for my good, He wants my heart to be filled with a knowing of who He is and that can't happen without thinking about Him and learning about Him in my heart and my mind. I'm learning that my relationship with God is maturing, it's maturing more so than I thought. As Lesley was teaching and talking about spiritual maturity, I began to realize that in these 9 months of SBS (School of Biblical Studies) of being even in YWAM this past year and a half, that I've been trusting God, I've been  growing in it, it's noticeable when I think about it and remember where I was at and where I am now. I'm learning that my relationships with people are affected by my trusting the LORD because it allows me to be comfortable around people, which allows them to be comfortable around me. I'm learning this as I think and remember that I thought 'I'm becoming crazy as I become more in love with God,' and that 'I wasn't going to be funny anymore', that I didn't know how to act around people because God was and is changing my heart and it didn't necessarily match up with everyone around me back home. Such silly thoughts...but real thoughts.

 

Trusting in God affects everything, it affects his and I's relationship greatly and it has huge impact on others around me..this is such a humbling realization and is actually tying together what He was speaking to me on Sunday about 'being salt.' Salt has effectiveness...and I can only be the salt he wants me to be through reliance on HIM.

 

What is the Good News for me? The good news is that I serve a God who is unchanging, and always moving. HE is over all things and He desires me to remember what He is doing because it's in remembering that I am reminded of what He has done and is doing in my heart causing the results of my day and my outlook on things to be different because of remembrance of who He is.

 

In view of these truths, what changes should I make in my life? Be specific & practical. I need to do more remembering. Remembering when I'm down, when thoughts creep in that are not of the Lord, and even when things are going well. I will do this today by taking a sticky notes and place it on the railing of my bed, so that when I wake up and go to sleep I would see 'Remember' and do it.

 

How do I plan to carry out these changes? Be specific & practical. I plan to carry this out by asking my mom to be on the look out for a sign with REMEMBER on it because as I was typing earlier about not letting the sun go down when you are angry, I had this picture of 'REMEMBER' above the bed I will be sleeping in when I move to Des Moines to start working in the Hair Industry. I think it's greatly important for the beginning and ending of my days, but also for other reasons..this would be SO COOL! I'm going to text my mom right now.

 

(and now..here it is above my bed in Des Moines. Beautiful.)

 



 Hope you are encouraged to read this and would come to see the importance of remembrance.



Layers of Cake

It's been past a month now since I wrote last and I just wanted to let you know I'm doing insanely well and am overflowing with thankfulness for this season of my life. This week made me stand in complete awe of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

As I was typing an update to my friend, words were spilling out of my heart into my fingers and I knew I should probably just also turn it into a blog post. So we are I think on book #15 now in SBS and here I was expecting to have massive revelation each book, each chapter because in my mind I thought that is what determined learning. The truth is; I have not been blown out of the water with each book and to be honest a lot of those 14 books were not all enjoyed because of my attitude an many times my ungrateful heart.

This past week we studied 1 Corinthians. My, o my, was I blown away. 1 Corinthians 2: 10-16 I have read before, but that is the beauty of the Eternal Word, there is so much to each word that God just can't help but reveal more and more at just the right times which can  provoke hunger, thirst, and action. So, the Corinthians were seeking after wisdom and found great importance in wisdom and knowledge to be portrayed as spiritual and to be thought highly of. The problem was that they weren't seeking it from God, but from man and man does not understand power of God. Who understands the power, the wisdom, and the knowledge of God? The Spirit. Yes, yes, yes, the Spirit! When I came to vs. 10 'these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the DEPTHS of God.' I was completely stuck and struck on the word 'depth.' The word depth is insane and is defined as; from top to bottom, known as several layers; quality of being deep; complexity and obscurity; gravity; seriousness; emotional profundity.

Those who believe in God and have believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, have the Spirit of God in them. Therefore, we have ACCESS to the depths of God if we want. I don't think it just happens just because one calls themselves a Christian, I think it happens when you seek after it and ask.

So to sum up why I was so moved by this or what he revealed to me because of what Paul says in the beginning of chapter 3 (He is basically telling them they are immature and like children because they didn't seek after God or didn't take the gospel seriously, or didn't seek after the Spirit to learn the depths of God, which made them remain as they were when Paul first visited them.) What I realized is that I have access to the Spirit of God because the Spirit lives in me and in these past few years I have really sought after Him and the Spirit has revealed much to me about God which has caused great growth and maturity in my life. Thinking back and realizing growth is great but what He revealed to me is that there is MORE--continual growth if I so desire. If I desire it and want it then I will spend time and ask the Spirit to reveal the layers upon layers there are of God...the vastness..I described it to my friend as maybe an unending cake with every flavor imaginable plus more and flavors you can't even think of, plus layers of frosting and maybe ice cream too, different textures..I could go on and on but I think you get the point.

Well friends, I'm onto 2 Corinthians this week and then 2 Timothy--May you have a blessed week.

He's Never Gonna Leave Me Dry

It feels as though there has been much more time in between March 20 and April 21, but reality is that it has been just a month and a day since I arrived in Taiwan and there is 8 more months to go. I love it here and from day one I've felt like those that are surrounding me quickly became family. It's a beautiful picture of the body of Christ and a great picture from Acts 4:32, "Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul and now one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common." No, I am not meaning that we like to eat all the same things and study the exact same way, but I don't know that that is necessarily what matters or what we should all have in common. The one thing we do have in common is believing in Jesus Christ! 

The school and place where I live is located in the Danshui District which is in the North of Taiwan and about an hour away from Taipei City. I'd love to share more about the culture, but I believe in this blog post I need to let you know how I really am doing.

I believe there is a reason for me typing my blog today, as I have wanted to for the past couple weeks but just wasn't feeling like I should. I think it's to encourage many of you reading this and for me to be transparent with you. 

The question has often been asked by many of you, "What is the weather like there?" My response is, "It's always raining, and we've maybe had two days of sunshine." You say, "O, isn't that depressing?" It hasn't really been depressing, but I am seeing what a JOY it is!

Why? Because today as I was sitting meditating on these last couple weeks, the Lord reminded me that He is never going to leave me dry. These last couple weeks I have totally turned to self reliance. I've been trying to read the Word and do all my work on my own strength, my own understanding, my own time with the result being; anxiousness + a sadness that 'He isn't revealing anything to me through His Word and I can't connect my heart and mind!' Well, of course I can't--I simply can't do anything without Him, and neither can you. The truth is that 'I am broken, I'm thirsty, and I'm in need of him, I'm desperate for His Spirit.' It's a joy to be reminded by rain, that it's Him who I am in need of. We need to be filled by His Spirit in order to do what Jesus has called us to do. Without being filled, I can't share the gospel again and again without getting sick of it, I can't do anymore studying without wanting to quit and having a bad attitude, I can't walk in the gift of encouraging others or sharing His heart with classmates, staff or Taiwanese without being filled by His Spirit again and again. 

I hope this encourages you and I want to share more about what my day to day life looks like while I am here, but this post could get lengthy, so I have an update via e-mail that I've sent out on what life looks like here, as well as prayer requests. If you want to be a part of that e-mail list, please comment on my Facebook. I am so thankful for many of you who have been supporting me financially and through prayers, every time I think or pray for you, I become overwhelmed by His goodness through you. And just an update of where I'm at in school, we have went through the books: Philemon, Titus, Galatians, Ephesians, Mark, Luke and yesterday we started Acts!

Peace to you my friends, please enjoy this song below. 

'You're never gonna leave me dry, no you don't no you don't, 

Your always willing, my cup you'll be filling."

This song, 'Never Gonna Leave Me Dry' by Cory Asbury was used by the Lord this morning to really speak to my heart, so I thought I'd share :)

 

 

The Wind and the Leaves

Fundraising is completed. Jesus poured all finances in this past week as I gave pedicures to many of you for my upcoming adventure/season. I stand in awe of the God we serve and as a friend heard that all finances came in she quoted someone, "where God guides, God provides." I do agree with this quote as it seems to be quite true in my life. Never did I imagine that Jesus would guide me to go through YWAM and then continue in it for another season, but as He has confirmed it time and time again, I couldn't help but be obedient. When I said 'yes,' in my heart to following the leading of leaving the salon, things weren't all so clear, but I believe that is the whole idea about being obedient. Romans 1:5 Paul says, "obedience comes from faith".

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you can not tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (Jesus speaking to Nicodemus)

Today, as I discovered a set of bleachers to my right while driving in Kansas City I decided to park my car and go sit on the bleachers thinking maybe I would read a book or draw a picture. The wind was warm and the sun inviting. I lay down on the bleachers and shut my eyes and wonder at the sound of creation. The wind was blowing and I could hear the leaves moving. Meditating on the sounds, the wind reminded me of Jesus's Spirit moving around me. The sound of the leaves moving sounded like footsteps, people walking to and fro. As I thought about it, the leaves represent people: some leaves are sitting on the surface of the grass and other leaves have been stepped on or have become weighted down by other leaves or maybe the rain. The other thought that comes to mind while typing this out of my journal is that some leaves have settled in because it is comfortable and don't want to be moved out of comfort. 

I want to be like the leaf sitting on the surface of the grass. As Jesus's Spirit is blowing whether it is a strong wind one moment or a light breeze another moment, I want to be moved by His Spirit. His Spirit is what lives inside of us and it is what directs us. I desire to be like the leaf all the days of my life. 

"Jesus, may I sit on the surface of the grass, letting the wind of you Spirit move me to where you want me to be. May I not become comfortable but always willing to be moved by You because you say Your Spirit moves wherever it pleases."

As I share this raw entry in my journal with you, I pray that it would be encouraging and resonate with where you are at right now. And for those of you who feel stuck or comfortable, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit would come underneath and 'un-stick' you. 

Thanks for being so encouraging in my time being home and leading up to this next season of dedicating it solely to the Word of God. I've been witnessing Jesus moving in crazy ways since I've been back in Sioux Center and I believe it's been because of many of your prayers. Would you please continue to lift me up as 5 weeks from tomorrow I will be leaving to attend SBS (School of Biblical Studies) for 9 months. I've been told by others and the Lord has revealed this to me through many that this upcoming season is going to be intense. I invite you to lift up the class, teachers, and staff in Taiwan. 

Kortney

Transformation

Being home in the midst of family, great community and processing my time away has brought a crazy amount of joy to my spirit, soul and body. There has been days where I pray, "Jesus help me control this joy so others can have room to speak." I can't explain this joy, hope and love that consumes me but as He keeps drawing me back to observe and meditate on the beginning of the transformation by His Holy Spirit in my life, crazy revelation is being released and I believe that is where this joy is stemming from!

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the 

Lord's glory, are being transformed

 into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, 

which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 

                                                                   2 Corinthians 3:18 

I've wondered for days on end at Jesus as He reminds me of the process of transformation that has been happening in my life. This verse Paul wrote has been a verse the Lord highlighted to me before I left for YWAM and as I have returned home has brought me into deeper revelation of this verse. 

As I made the choice to recommit my life to Jesus the veil was removed from my eyes and I began to have an understanding that "I am a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 He rescued me from guilt, shame and redirected me to the path that the Word gives light to. I feel like a newborn baby that craves pure spiritual milk because I really have tasted that He is good, He is the one to satisfy and no earthly thing will do.  He redirected me but also began to transform me into His likeness. I love the word, being. It reveals to me that in this life, transformation will never end. We are being transformed into his likeness, with ever-increasing glory until the day He returns. 

My process of transformation so far has been enjoyable, painful, and full of many challenges. I come home to the challenge the Lord has put before me: How you are at home is actually how you are. For me, I believe further transformation into His likeness starts in the home and might be the hardest part of the process so far. I say the hardest, but I also want to add that much joy, thanksgiving and learning have taken place in my time home. Family is beautiful and I believe is often the first place the enemy will try to have his way--creating division and hurt through lies, annoyance, tiredness and miscommunication, etc. 

I can't go after this challenge by myself, but there is one He has sent to help me; the Holy Spirit and I couldn't have asked for a better teacher, counselor, or comforter. As I've been home I feel as though He has helped me to set the tone and many times I have messed up but often times those are the times when I've relied on my own strength.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; 

my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and 

I will give thanks to him in song. 

                                                          Psalm 28:7

I am home for sure until March because I have felt Jesus confirm to do an SBS (School of Biblical Studies) in Taipei, Taiwan. In the time that I am home leading up to this school, I'd love to hear what Jesus is doing in your heart and if you would like to do coffee or hang out to know more, contact me! 

Love Creates Impact

Over two months has gone by as the 10 of us made our new home in Masipuhmelele. Now, two days have almost passed and we've already moved out and have begun debrief. Time amazes me. In 10 days I will be arriving to Sioux Center, Iowa.

I can't sleep, and all I can think about is the time I've spent in Masi and the friendships/relationships that have been made, and the ache that resides in my heart from saying good-bye to friend after friend, child after child.  I could go on to list the things my team 'did', but I don't know that that is what the outreach phase is about. I believe what it comes down to is love.

One night last week Lucas, a brother who lives in Masi, comes over because He felt that Jesus was going to highlight something on His heart to share with us. As we begin talking about how Jesus is moving, two words come to his mind: Love and Passion. He asks, "Kortney, tell me what comes to mind right away when you see a homeless man."
I respond, "Well, Lucas I guess I want to just give him anything I have, give him my purse or anything that is near. But, something always stops me from doing that."
I think a bit longer, and as I begin to speak again Lucas has tears in his eyes. "I think Lucas that Jesus stops me from just 'giving' materials away. Because what really matters is that man knowing Jesus and feeling His love rather than what I have to give him."
He begins to nod and says, "Yes, I think so too." He went on to say that he was moved by the passion we carried and the love that flowed from us. There was something that really made him ask what was different about our team, and as he told me what he had observed and how we loved really created impact in Masi, I wanted to burst. I wanted to burst into song, into tears, into laughter of relief. I had been fighting lies in my mind that I hadn't 'done' enough. Jesus was speaking to me so clearly through a brother and even my sister sitting next to me. As us three gathered together, the Holy Spirit connected and united us to say what He had to say.

1 Corinthians 13:3 "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."

This scripture Jesus put on my sister's heart as we continued to talk. Often times we have a mentality that is, 'do do do, give give give' (like I would always like to do to the homeless man on the street). But what about love? Paul talks about it in Corinthians, Jesus talks about it everywhere and even commands us to love him with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is what I believe His will is for us: to LOVE, to be His hands and feet (1 Cor 12). It's not about selling all our belongings or giving our possessions away to those who are begging or asking for it, I believe it really comes down to     them feeling loved and that love creating a desperate need of, "I NEED Jesus." He is the one to satisfy, and yes as we partner with Jesus, He uses us to be part of it!

I look back at the time we spent in Masi, and I can say we loved. We loved well. And when you love from a place of knowing Jesus' love, it's that much more powerful. Loving others moves them to love, to want and to know His love in ways they've never expected. It's beautiful, encouraging, and empowers me to keep loving knowing that everything is rooted in love.

New View

Friends and family,

As of yesterday my team and I are walking into our 4th week here in the township named, Masi. Anywhere from 40,000 to 60,000 Africans surrounding us, we have been walking the streets and have started to meet many, as well as building relationships with a handful of women, men and children.

Many are longing to know the hope we have in Christ Jesus. Many 'know' Jesus or have heard of Him, but they don't have a relationship with Him or see Jesus as, friend. Our team has learned that when we preach the Gospel it isn't just about asking, "Do you know about Jesus? Let me tell you about Him." But it really comes down to, "tell me what you know about Jesus," and praying that would lead into sharing our story and sharing the Gospel we know but also praying that it would increase vulnerability to hear their story and lead into a relationship. Also, sometimes I think it starts with persistence in the place of friendship and simply visiting with them. This is something I have really been struggling with but also trying to walk out.

It has looked a little different for me as Jesus really put teenage girls on my heart back in Sioux Center, IA before I left to YWAM. As I have had a longing to speak identity into teenage girls, I have really been seeing Jesus fulfill that here in Masi. Other girls on the team have also had teenage girls on their hearts, so we have been pursuing girls in the place of friendship and reading the Bible together. It's exciting, at times it is intimidating, challenging in the area of 'how do I make reading the Bible fun for their age!?' I absolutely love it because I am learning day after day.

Something else I have been challenged with is, community. I believe I was living in community in Sioux Center, and Kona, but in South Africa Jesus is really showing my how to realistically live in community. To me it looked like what you can go to or find where you are at but I'm finding that it starts with how you live and how you serve the people you live with. As I live in a house with 10 others, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen, 1 living room, and 1 dining area, I am beginning to learn how to give up control, self focus, and selfishness. I am learning that it is actually true what my mom has taught me my whole life. She has always said it in many ways probably to try to make me understand but it comes down to this:
         "How you are at home, is how you really are."
It's so true. But how I have been living the last 19 years of my life in the home has not looked like Jesus. And it is okay because as I ask to be transformed more and more into His likeness, He is really teaching me how to do it in the home and many are holding me accountable. I think many of you would agree that it is easier to be nice to those outside the home simply because you don't live with them. What would it look like if we started to look to Him to transform us and shift the atmosphere and culture of community?

Jesus is changing my view on many things in my own life and is really widening my perspective. I find great delight in taking a few steps up to look from His perspective before I go forward. It begins to change how I think.

Love to you from South Africa.

Faith Journey

I sit in our classroom this morning as I look out to the ocean, sitting in awe of our Maker. Creator of the ocean, of the stars, the galaxies, everything that has breath. He chooses us. He chose to love us from the beginning, He knows our name and our every thought. And at the end of the day it always comes down to His sons and daughters choosing HIM. I am known by the Father. All I want is to give back what has been given to me: my life. As I have given Him my life, I ask Him to increase my faith knowing that whatever is next that I would just say, "Here I am."

What would my life and your life look like if we were lead by faith? If I always knew what was ahead of me, would I actually go? I think that is the whole idea, being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

Word started to get around last week as classmates were saying, "we don't have class today, it's a surprise." "I think it involves lots of walking..an adventure.." My mind started to wonder and a mix of feelings started to arise because I wasn't sure what was about to happen. Dan Baumann started class off by sharing a couple stories of how and where the Lord has lead him. When he felt the Lord saying a location, he questioned Him a few times, but then just went believing that he was suppose to go. It was so evident that not only through the stories and experience he shared but how he lives life on campus that he lives by faith.

As we were inspired by Dan, we are told that, "today, your teams are going on a faith journey! The earliest you can be back is 8:00 p.m. and the latest is 7:00 a.m." One cell phone was allowed per group for emergencies and no one has cars so it was up to us how to get around to where we felt lead. Our leaders prayed over us and sent us out.

Our group began the day praying into where we were suppose to go. The Holy Spirit gave team South Africa a few words/places: Music, green, dog, wheat field, letter M red truck, YPO (location on the island) and we were feeling the Lord really wanted to do something in our team that day. We began to walk and our plan was to just go wherever we felt lead. As we began to walk, frustration was forming because we weren't exactly all on the same page. We headed north because we noticed a red pickup turning north. Eventually we began to hitchhike and within 2 hours we were able to be picked up by 3 different vehicles and we arrived to Waimea, northern location of the island that is very green. Our team decided we needed to stop trying to check off the list the Lord had given us and just rest. (Psalm 23) Soon we began to share what was going on in our hearts and were super vulnerable to each other. Our team was drawn together in unity and we were filled with joy. Those around us had to think we were nuts! We began to walk to Mc Donalds because of the letter 'M' someone received and enjoyed each others presence in Mc Donalds. As we started to head out of Waimea we heard music. The eight of us ran across the street to see where the music was coming from and it happened to be a Zumba class! A woman asked if we wanted to join and we gave the remaining money we had to them. As we begin to dance, it was so freeing. I felt alive and didn't want to stop dancing. In the middle of one of the dances, we all recognize at the same time that, "THIS IS THE MUSIC!!" It was the music part the Lord was going to allow us to encounter! We blessed the women as we left by having conversation and praying for them. The sun was down and the winds began to blow and rain started to fall. Our team was cold and unsure of what was next but joy overcame everything! Our team walked into a gas station, meeting a loving man named Sirius. He couldn't give us a ride back to the YWAM base but we enjoyed getting to know him. He left, and as we are trying to hitch a ride back to the base for about 30 minutes, we see the same white pickup Sirius was driving. He pulls up next to us and says, "Hop in, I'll take you guys back to the base." Bless this mans heart. He took us an hour and a half back to the base and we had the greatest conversations!

As I type this, my heart begins to beat quite quickly. This day we called, "A Faith Journey," moved my heart and my team to live by faith daily. Hoping you are encouraged by this experience as many of you are starting up school again and some of you are questioning, "what is next?" He loves leading His children. In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

Drink It.

The Word is Life. Jesus is the word.

If the Word is life then why am I not drinking it? 

As Christian Gonzalez came to spend a week with us, the Father gave me revelation through what He spoke to Christian: 

     Filling up a cup of water. As the water is in the cup you observe it, protect it, and you try not to let it   spill. Someone comes over and knocks it out of your hand, you now have no water left in the cup. The only way   to keep the water is to drink it. If it remains in the cup, what purpose does it have? It's the same way with the word. The word is life, but it needs to be a part of you. It needs to be in you.

Such a simple picture from the Lord and it allowed me to realize the importance of the word. We get the privilege of having the word in our hands and the ability to have free reign in reading it whenever. The Bible isn't just a book, it's life. Without it everything would be meaningless. The Book gives us access to the Father, it gives us life, it guides us and teaches us everything we need to know. 

I'm in awe of how it's connected from beginning to end and wondering why I've never had the desire to really dig into the scripture. It has always seemed boring and only a few books seemed interesting to read. I also thought it wasn't for me to understand but I was so wrong about that. Jesus has given us an Author to be with us the entire time we read the word. All we have to do is ask. John 14 says Holy Spirit is our teacher and I am a witness letting you know that Holy Spirit is a pretty awesome teacher! Something we learned this week from one of the staff was how to really engage in what we are reading:

1. Pray. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and teach you. Ask Him to reveal the things you don't see or understand. Ask for wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17). 
2. Observe. What does the text say? When we look at it all together we get the whole picture of God.
3. Interpretation. Seeing what it is communicating to us. The bible was not written to us but it is for us. Take yourself back in time (culture, place.) 
4. Application. What does it mean to you? We can learn, learn, learn but if it doesn't change us, then what is the point? This is the number one goal!

Who and what are you living for? If you have a desire to really know the Father, the only way to do that is to drink the water. As we start to drink the water He will turn it into a flowing river..rushing waters. Start memorizing (this is something I've been challenging myself with). Memorization is a 'container'. He wants His word to live in His sons and daughters! 

Something I was struck with this week was 1 John 1: 6 "Whoever claims to live in him, must walk as Jesus did." I read this over and over again. I do claim that I am a daughter of the Father who lives within me and I in Him. Therefore I must walk as He did. Jesus is the perfect example and my desire is to follow Him with all that I am. The more I am in the word, the more I get to know my Father. This honestly blows my mind. 

Dear sons and daughters, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28. 

Captured

Why captured?

I sat up for hours one night as I tried to decide on a title for this blog. Yes, hours..nothing fit. I then began to type c a p t u r e d. It just seemed to work and I started to wonder why, captured?

I'm captured by the Fathers love, and I am free. I picture the Father standing on a hill, a hill that is higher than all others. As He stands upon this holy hill I give Him full reign.(Psalm 2) Full reign over my being, my life. He then throws a net down and I'm captured. I'm captured, but in this net I'm in complete joy because the King just captured me and there is so much freedom. The net is placed into the waters and I'm now at the point where I say, 'Jesus take the net deeper, take me deeper into your love, take me deeper into the Truth.'

This is what has been burning on my heart this week, is going deeper. Learning that in order to go deeper, it requires time. And why would I not want to give Him my time? A speaker, Mike Brown, described life as four quarters this  week. Let's say these quarters each represent 20 years, so I would have one quarter gone already. Knowing that the Lord could call me home any day or Him choosing to give me one two or three of the quarters I have left, how am I going to spend my time? Sure, it might be 'easy' to give the Lord time at YWAM during a Discipleship Training School because the focus is Jesus, but it's still a choice here. The weekends are free and it comes down to: 'Am I going to prioritize His presence?' As I prioritize His presence, I'm going to be taken deeper into the water, into the Truth of who He is.

In order to get to know the Father and His love for us we need to choose: YES or NO. Love is a choice. The Father isn't disappointed with where we are at with knowing Him or the Bible knowledge we have. Instead, He smiles and continues to love us. He invites us to go deeper with Him daily, His Holy Spirit we can invite in to teach us all things as He promises in John 14:26, 'But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you....Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.' He who lives within you will teach you all things.


Remember: He is not disappointed with where you are at and that He is Truth. When we prioritize the Father and His presence, it's the best decision we could make. It changes things.

Be led by hunger. Get after Him.