Changing of Seasons

My walk (which is usually with Kent at night) early this morning was a peaceful and ponder moment. As The humidity was slight and a cool breeze with perfect hues of every color of the coming change of seasons I had time to think. I had already eaten breakfast with Kent & the "babies" (which really aren't the 'BABIES' any longer) and read about Nehemiah's perseverance to rebuild the wall. Thus it gave inspiration to take an early morning walk.

Okay enough rambling. Changing of seasons is beginning in many ways ~ especially in our home. Mya and Tia are now both registered for Sr. High - YIKES! Kent has great vision rekindled after Sunday our mission team shared "sermon" and we visited with Ronnie and Darlene Epps until almost 4 p.m. over a meal. I am beginning a NEW position in a different elementary school. So the "babies" and I will all be in the same building at different grade levels. And last but definitely not last we will find out in a week and a half if we are carrying twins or not. :-) Mya is also going Through a new transition herself with Chaz leaving to college. He is a great guy who has been a spiritual pillar who encourages her, and whom we approve of :-) (He's a KEEPER!). Not only are we seeing the changing of seasons but so are our lives experiencing the changing of seasons!

The girls are growing up sooooo very quickly. Our ministry is "happening" and it is going through growing pains of change. Kent and I are "beginning from the beginning again" very soon. The "babies" will pass on their baton. Changing of Seasons . . . I do enjoy them and this morning it was refreshing just to ENJOY everything around me and to reflected and also cast a vision for what God has possibilities for futures.

It is time for us to update our family picture and to remember the joy of the changing of seasons of our lives. It really is but a mist. I just Thank the Lord for the Joys given from Heaven in creation and giving yet another moment to live them together. I have prayed for YEARS for these changing seasons in my life and those who are, and have been a part of it and those yet to come. Now as I reflect I am very thankful for each season, even the difficult ones because it has developed our character to be stronger in HIM!

Refreshed

Wow . . . did I ever sleep soundly. There is so much to PRAISE this morning!!! A new day to celebrate life in every way. Psalm 32: 8-ff; "The Lord says, I will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like the senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord. So REJOICE in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey HIM! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!"

After a good nights rest one feels refreshed, and that is how I feel. A new day to live for him and give it everything to glorify His name. Whom will I see this day? How will I be for Him today? When I surrender everything to him he is my hiding place and he is the one who protects me from touble. Thank you Lord for surrounding me with songs of VICTORY!

Are you refreshed today? How so? If not what will it take to get there? Maybe just stop, ponder and start over again then you will be able to Jump into HIS refreshing waters and have some great laughter in Him reguardless the outcome! Go ahead Jump in and be REFRESHED!

It is soooooo worth living for him! Isn't it worth a try? Share your refreshment with others and maybe they'll just "jump in and be refreshed with you! It is so fun to share life together even thru situations of all kinds to help each other through and experience true JOY!

Life has been good to celebrate each moment, even when a tide may be just rolling in! Go ahead take the Leap of Faith and be truly REFRESHED each and every day - you have nothing to loose!!!

Good or Evil

What can I say other than the world has a very warped vision. I just went on a date night with Kent to see a movie. The Dark Knight. I was confronted with Jesus Christ in a different "light" - through evaluating this movie. I liked Batman Begins but this one . . . My heart broke at the message the world accepts so easily. It can all seem so dark.

Was it a sin to watch the movie - no but was it something to edify Jesus Christ? No. It is just that our mind is an incredible thing that NEVER forgets anything. Greater than ANY computer or any type of technology I couldn't help but think . . . scripture.

I thought of how the human heart is deceitful above all things who can fathom it. . . (Jeremiah) and many things through out scripture. I can't help but think of how I/we must be careful of how we live, and what we watch. Ephesians 5 puts it best. "Be VERY careful, then, how you live-not as UNWISE but as WISE, making the most of every opportunity, because the days ARE EVIL. Therefore (what is it there for?) do not be foolish, but understand what the LORD'S will is. . .." keep reading his TRUTH.

Mankind is so searching for Jesus Christ and will put anything in HIS place in the void of our lives to fill it, even though we are designed to be complete ONLY IN HIM, Life is full of mixed messages. But the only message that really matters is the fact the Jesus Christ came to be the ONLY one who can save me, us! He is the only HERO ever to fulfill that vacuum of emptiness with in our heart and soul. Until we can grasp Jesus . . . we keep trying to fill it with anything and still fill the void. The Dark Knight . . . he was empty trying to fill the chaos of Gotham. He . . . needed the true PEACE and really never found it and never really gave true answers for anyone around him or in his life. I know it is just a movie. But what is the underlying message? Does good victor? Hum . . .. Was there any "trust" left in any thing? or anyone for that matter?

All I know with all my heart is that after watching this fictional film; is that I am glad that my real HERO is Victorious and I know the outcome. Now more than anything I know I don't want those who are in the circles I am in to Die for all eternity. The world is Evil BUT the Good is in the "Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ" and I will . . ."submit to one another out of the reverence for Christ." No matter my outcome because one day I am going HOME with the VICTOR and I am going to take as many as I can with me for all eternity! GOOD WILL FULLY PREVAIL, and there is no "joking" about that! . . . I know and believe that with all my heart despite the wickedness of mans' heart we need and grasp the Love of Christ if we are just willing to. Because Jesus desires NONE to perish! I pray their eyes will be open to see HIS GOOD through His TRUTH and not the evil of this world reguardless of what the "world" shares so openly.

Love . . . really?

What is it you/I really LOVE? Spouse? Children? Career? Money? Retirement? WHAT? Oh sure for a believer in Jesus Christ we are to "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and then to Love your Neighbor as yourself". But are we? Am I!?

Love . . . . really . . . . here is what we experienced!

Last week I found myself amazed at a TEAM I truly grew to LOVE. There were 23 of us and we varied from 12-76 years of age. There was NOT one conflict, unrest, we were ONE in the Spirit, Purpose, Goals - LOVE! Agape was sooooo very evident in the lives of the 33 people (counting the home saints who worked there) I lived with during the week. It was AMAZING! I have taken many trips and I must say I have never experienced what took place last week. God truly humbled me in an incredible way - for that I will ALWAYS be eternally grateful!

Love began with Him the day last year He placed the passion and vision to find a way to get to the Dominican. Love revealed itself when some said it couldn't be done for various reasons. Love poured over when 3 beautiful senior saints said they felt the drive to come on this TEAM and be a part regardless their age. Love overflowed when the funding was astronomical beyond our wildest dream and left us with blessings beyond reason. Love became evident from the time we met @ 3 am and were challenged with the devotion of the two seat er bicycle for our journey. Who would be our Love and Controller for the week? Others, Ourselves, or Jesus Christ our Lord?

We were in areas that were just four years ago very hostile to Rick and Carie Bernard and now thru Love the "people" of the Banjo (spelling?) are open to the teams who come to share the Love of Jesus with them. Jesus is now becoming real slowly but very realistically. Are there hardships that come with Love? YES.

Senor Juan Antonio and Senora Maria live it every day yet Love Never Fails to get them thru another moment in time to extend HIS LOVE to those who are willing to receive what they are willing to give freely! The small church in a community of of 10K people in a very small area is just amazingly know by actions of LOVE~!!!

Also the Refugee area where the peoples run to be "Blessed and prayed for" is heart rendering.

Love - once rejected now accepted four almost five years later because it is sincere. They know we came in Love, to pray with them, to bless them, to give simply medicines - LOVE! Rick had shared that when they first came to this refugee area (that has been here over five years now) was NOT accepting of them at first. The got out of their van and had to leave in 2-3 minutes because of the hostility then next time 5 minutes. They never gave up. Now there are times when the "missionaries" leave they ask, "you leave now? why?" Oh there are still times when the "witch doctors do not approve and the missionaries have to leave quickly but we were blessed to have an opportunity to pray with a few who were very ill. Some allowed us to pray IN their homes which could hardly have more than 8-10 people at a time in them. They were full of disease yet they are LOVELY to touch, pray even hold!

The biggest blessing to Love this particular day was to pray over a baby who had her "red ribbon witch doctor bracelet on" As my Team partner was ill from kidney stones the mother came over to us sitting outside the bus and allowed us to pray over her baby. We both prayed for God to remove that wrist band held so sacredly dear to that family and make her a PILLAR for the Lord of Lords and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ some day. As I was praying for her from the top of her head and over every limb she literally began to smile when we sang "Holiness . . . " over her. She grinned the largest grin and the mother began saying something very quickly at that very same time the child in my womb began moving. Sherri and I couldn't contain our praise and kept singing! It was an AWESOME God moment for all seven us around this child. I know in my heart the LOVE of GOD is real to that little girl and We will see her in Heaven when we are home together. To hear her story of the bracelet being removed as a testimony to Jesus Christ!

Love -the thought of Love has far exceed more than all I could ever ask or imagine! My life . . . is but a whisper than can never truly experience the vastness of LOVE. Every time I begin to wonder if "this is it" I realize there is so much more to yet live and experience. Christ Loves so much yet I still can not fully fathom just how much! LOVE - It causes my heart to ache in a huge Jesus kind of way! I long to keep spreading the gospel to all those around me. I hurt literally when I think of my own earthly father now surrendering his life, heart, soul and mind over to him yet I keep praying for God's Love through Jesus Christ to penetrate his heart. Someday my daddy will come to know him! I pray for the ones the Holy Spirit will allow me to share Jesus' true Love and they turn from the world of sin. I am grateful for the 23 TEAM members I grew to Love who have left a huge imprint on my heart never to be erased!!! I LOVE missions work. It is thru Jesus Christ and his LOVE that it is all around me everyday whether my children, my Missouri next door neighbor or my neighbor around the world. May He grant me yet just one more opportunity to LOVE . . . REALLY LOVE one more for HIM!!!!

So Won't YOU LOVE . . . REALLY? We will see it.

Psalm 27:13-ff

"Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD'S goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD."

In the Stillness . . . a challange

As I sat up very early this morning the Lord was trying to calm my spirit because of the excitement of preparing to lead a team and leaving with them for the DR.
I sat and went to the living room and just sat and thought of all the time to be ready for this moment! All I could do was praise HIM! Besides yesterday there really hasn't been any "worry" because this trip has been bathed in prayer since last July 2007! Last year after returning from a two week/ two mission locations God placed it upon my heart to take a team to the DR with the Bernard's'. It was soooo strong that I prayed, prayed and prayed that someone would be led to take our team there. He said in the stillness . . . "Ana, I have been - I placed that hunger in your heart! Now what are you going to do with it?"

Since the 15 July 07 God has brought this Psalm across my reading and thoughts. Led by the Holy Spirit and then challenged in an AWESOME vision."Praise the Lord all you nations, extol him, all you peoples; For Great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 117

From that time until today many changes have taken place in our family! New job locations, responsibilities, relationships, and the blessing of another baby brought into our lives. And finally the hunger to share the gospel . . . with our church body to have God Vision and be led by the HOLY SPIRIT. Where there obstacles? Sure. The DR had many obstacles: cost, distance, "no one will be interested", Who's going to lead? etc., etc., etc., But now 23 people later and after hours of working together with our local bodies of churches, everyone has had a job and done their task diligently - thru God. I love it! All in the stillness. Yes, God IS Good! Even when the stretching of our walk allows us to sit in the stillness and work thru any challenges and see His Hand. He will and does guide our every step. Why not take the challenge and see where he moves You?