we are not enemies - a call to love

My faith may be different than yours. But we have something in common that runs thicker than what we may believe. We both have blood running through our veins. We both have a heart that pumps that blood to nourish the rest of the body. Our spirits are like that. The heart is in need of something to believe in so it nourishes our soul. I'm not telling you what to believe - I'm merely saying go after something beyond human means. Faith is the thing that keeps the spirit pumping blood to our spiritual hearts when life just isn't turning out the way we'd expect it. Faith actually creates substance in our lives. We're not enemies because we believe differently. Is it not Love that binds our wounds, heals the broken-hearted and sets us free from life's burdens? It is also LOVE that binds us together as the human race. YOU ARE NOT MY ENEMY. We need to stop fighting because we believe differently than one another. Whether you believe God is real or not, does not excuse our behavior or animosity we have shown to one another. It's time to change the filter on which we view our neighbor. It's time to change how we respond to someone who thinks differently than me. It's time to wash each other's feet and leave behind all we find offensive. It's time to put on love. Because above every purpose, above every calling, is the call to love. Can we all agree on this? It's doesn't matter if you're christian, jewish, agnostic, atheist, muslim, taoist, buddish, hinduist, a naturalist, or a tree hugger! We have more in common as human beings than we don't. We all crave love. We all crave acceptance. We all crave purpose. We don't have to agree to live the same way to love one another. We are not birds who only flock together with those who look and act like us. We are not compromising who we are by loving each other. We are not even compromising who we are to be friends with someone who thinks different than me. Because when you live in the truth that you are FIRST called to love - you are set free from all other obligations. Love doesn't mean you have to compromise who you are to be a good friend. While in fact, it is the opposite. Love allows us to accept one another, and serve each other's heart, despite our differences.

The media is calling this year's election "the year of the angry voter". Is that how we want to be viewed? I find our intolerance towards each other's faiths, has now become intolerance toward one another completely. We are intolerant of those who think differently than us. And its happening on all sides. I'm not saying you shouldn't stand up for what you believe in . But if what you believe in becomes more important than seeing the person in front of you feel loved, we have a bigger problem than political, dogmatic, moral, or religious differences. We have lost sight of all that brings about joy in this life - all that heals and all that mends us together as men and women on this beautiful earth. "A house divided against itself can not stand" - both in the book of Mark, and quoted on different occasions by Abraham Lincoln, shows us of the end if we can not learn the art of love. We are not designed for division. The heart of the human race depends on love. If we can't learn it, we will continue to dig a endless pit of animosity. We must view each other through this lens, and in return we can learn how to truly appreciate our commonalities as well as those treasures in our differences. Love forgives. Love is sincere. Love is not conditioned on how you live or act. Love is enduring and patient. Love waits for the best. Love responds gently. Love sets dreams in motion and puts others to flight. Love is unfailing in every way, every situation, every circumstance. Love is the most difficult thing you may choose to do with your life - but its the way, the truth, and the life. Love brings us out of darkness into the light.

If we know love, we know God because God is love. God is not justice, though He will fight for you. God is not morality, although He will teach you how to live. God is not a politician, although He will lead you. There are many things we may do in the name of God, but loving should be the first. Any other mission then comes under love and doesn't get tainted by human effort. So essence, love calls us out from our humanity and into our divinity. You are called. You are chosen. You are made alive to love. Now lets go out and live in it.

what is love?

What is 1 Corinthians 13 really saying?!

1 Corinthians 13 is the most commonly known verse about love, and is the most popular verse chosen at wedding ceremonies. And though the Church as a whole as seen this love chapter through the lens of marriage, it wasn't written with that being the only regard. Paul originally wrote them to address a specific situation which many of us today miss.  Paul was addressing the appropriate use of spiritual gifts to a body of believers that was divided on many issues. Above all, love was what Paul was compelling the Church to do. It wasn't only something married couples were called to, but we as a Church whole are called to walk....above everything.

Here are some of Peterson's (author of The MESSAGE translation) thoughts and my own together. Its piercing to read this in context, and absolutely life changing to read it as one who is called to walk in love (equivalent to walking by the Spirit).

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power and authority, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain and simple, and if I have faith that moves mountains, but have not love I am of no value. (Not your worth value, but what you so has no value.)  If I give everything I own to the poor and die as a martyr, but I die without loving, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up. It will not fail you ever! It supersedes all things, in every situation, in every circumstance.

Love cares more for others than for self. It chooses to be selfless even when you feel taken advantage of.Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut; its not out to prove something. It is not competitive, but allows others to rise above themselves.Doesn’t have a swelled head and is not arrogant or haughty. It doesn't pretend to always have all the answers.Doesn’t force itself on others, it is sincere, considerate, and slow to  accuse.Love isn’t always “me first,”and it doesn’t fly off the handle. Love learns self-control and knows when to ask for forgiveness. Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, or measure one's sin to another.Love doesn’t revel when others grovel, or say "I told you so" in someone's mistake. It doesn't condemn, but brings life.Love takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, and makes it ok to make mistakes, learn and then grow.Love puts up with anything, even when you may be hurting. It pursues even when you feel betrayed.Love doesn't put trust in man, but trusts God always,Always looking for the best,Never looking back,But continues to go to the end. Love is the eternal treasure that cannot be taken from you and continues to grow into all eternity. 

Love never dies. Self-help and motivational speeches will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes (the unknown) will be canceled. And what will be left is love.

And isn't this what Christ did for us? When you examine the life of Jesus, He fulfilled all these things! He was the beautiful example of Love. If we need someone to lead by example, He is it! And its because of His grace that we can love the way He did. And He still loves this way, but now its through us. Let's be compelled to love today.

naturally supernatural

I have often heard men (and women) from the pulpit talk about how they observe miracles happening in third-world countries, but there seems to be none happening in America. Then they usually make conclusions based on that observation by saying, "it must be that the third-world demands the miraculous while Americans have other avenues such as doctors, medicine, counseling, education, etc.) Though this answer may be one part in searching out reasons why Believers are not experiencing supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles everyday, I do not believe it is the very reason. In fact, contrary to what many say, American believers ARE experiencing the supernatural daily, but you will need to just search a little harder on where these men and women are, and what communities are embracing this aspect of supernatural life. I think the difference lies in what we believe.

For someone who first goes to his doctor for medicine to heal his sickness before trusting and seeking God, this ultimately is rooted in what the man believes about God and about himself. It doesn't make it wrong. It just means we can figure out what we believe but how we respond and live life. There are indirect beliefs we have that we don't even know we have, but our actions can clearly show us what is in our heart. From my own experience of being a part of global missions around the world, several different believing communities, and hearing many many teachers in the Body of Christ teach, how we live our life is a direct result of what we believe. Almost every community that embraces the grace message of the mystic union we have we Jesus (John 17), usually walks in some aspect of the supernatural. In fact, its then the supernatural becomes our natural, and the abnormal our normal, the radical our life. It is then it becomes the way of life.

The Greek word for spiritual gift is charisma, which is derived from the Greek word charis, which means grace. It could be better translated that we have been given spiritual graces, rather than spiritual gifts. Gifts imply a sense of personal entitlement, while grace implies the concept of love and mercy given to us by nothing of our own effort. Why do we care? While many people forbid the demonstration of the "gifts" of the Spirit, it is my conviction that to deny the gifts of the Spirit is to deny the same source of Grace (as a person) that is responsible for reconciling humanity. If you cannot find spiritual relevance for daily demonstrating the graces of the Spirit, which Jesus defined would heal the sick, raise the dead, and deliver the oppressed of demons, I would question the premise of what you might understand the fullness of the grace of God to be.

For many of us we looked at grace as being the unmerited favor that allowed us to follow the law (Old Covenant). We rarely see grace as the person the Christ, we usually see it as the outcome of Christ's death and resurrection. But through the Grace of God, which is Jesus Himself, we have been crucified of the flesh so that HE MAY LIVE! Grace allow us to enter into a new, and better covenant than before (Hebrews 8:6). "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) For many of us as believers we choose to not walk in the supernatural because of fear (fear of failure, fear of the outcome, fear of people, fear of rejection or even fear of self- insecurity). And fear is the result of living under an Old Covenant mentality. Sometimes we don't even realize what we believe until we are confronted with it in our own actions. Under grace and love, there is no fear anymore. Jesus died, so that we may live, more importantly, He may live through us. When we walk in the reality that Christ is breathing, actively participating living life through us, we no longer fear the supernatural. The supernatural was never based (same as grace) on what we do. Its the outcome of walking in who we are! When we walk in our truest nature (which was His intent from the beginning) as the fullness of God living in us, we can not help but walk in the supernatural. It will be the inevitable. 

If your desiring to be naturally supernatural, begin to evaluate what you really believe. How do you view yourself? How do you view God? Do you see the nature of Jesus and the nature of God different from one another? If you do this could reveal a dual belief system. For years, we take what has been passed down and taught to us as truth without challenging it. But we see, even around the world, when a new believer comes to the Lord without any aid but the Spirit of God and their Bible, they have a greater truth of the grace of God than any "churched" person I've met. We must be willing to be challenged in this area, especially for the American Christian Church. The face of Western Christianity is changing. And as believers we have to make choices to be ok with learning that maybe we don't know everything. Maybe there is something about my life that could be more. Why settle? Why be mediocre? Why be a nominal Christian when you can walk in so much more!? 

what love looks like

Joshua Tongol's been here teaching our community on visualization and the power of our mind! I'm like blown away here! I can not believe how much of the supernatural REALLY is suppose to be EASY, SIMPLE and FUN!

So ever since Tongol taught on visualization and the power of the mind I've literally just been thinking positive....about myself, about every aspect of life. It's making a huge difference as a mother, and even better in the gym! I've been speaking words of life over myself that have made me accomplish more in my day! It's nuts. In addition to that I had two accounts and one healing in the last two days that visualization aided in bringing things to pass. They were so small but so significant for me.

Yesterday, brandon and I ordered a dessert, and by faith I just said she's gonna bring us two orders (we only ordered one) and then I visualized it in my mind, her bringing us two orders of baklava. When she brought the dessert over, one for us to eat then, and then a SECOND one wrapped to go!!!! And we didn't have to pay for it...just being blessed with it! 

The Great and Beautiful Commandment

The second time was when I went to the YMCA today. Parking is always awful for me and then trying to get three little ones to follow me is harder. So today I visualized a parking spot right in front of the doors, and BEHOLD there it was when I arrived....right in front of the doors! It was blowing my mind! THEN, this is the BEST part.

I see a woman in the locker room who is in obvious pain. She's got exaggerated breathing, frustrated sighing, walking as in pain, getting dressed very slowly. As I'm getting ready I just sense The Lord so I walk up to her and ask if she wants to be healed. She asks me, "are you into alternative medicine." And I'm like, "we'll yes I am! Can I heal you?" And she says, "absolutely!" This women later tells me she has had cancer three times, fiber maloscia (spelling?), lots of stress, arthritis, and joints all a mess. she walks me over to a private area and I just begin to touch areas of her body and say IT IS DONE! I ask her to VISUALIZE with me that she is completely healed until she feels the reality of it. No pain, walking straight, breathing easy, etc . She said she felt electricity come out of my hands and felt fire every where I touched. And BAM, HEALED!!! She was walking different, bending different, and she had peace all over here. I told her that Jesus was the fire and electricity coming out of me.So now she wants to come and worship with us all on Thursdays! Here's the crazy catch! She afterwards tells me she is a witch and her husband is a transsexual and then asks me "does that matter?" I almost broke in tears of joy! Seriously. I said NO! We love you! Come and worship with us. Then she says, I know it's Jesus who healed me. I want to give you my contact info! Needless to say, I am smoked by the goodness of God today! I had love that couldn't be contained.....I never felt before! Jesus IS real! Come on!

What if we love people the way God loves them? How much more can we change the world by loving others into the truth of His love and grace! I challenge us to love like He loves.

City to City Revival

Life is a gift

Making family memories!

The holiday season is great. There is truly nothing better than spending time with family and friends while feasting on our favorite foods. Exchanging and receiving gifts while feasting more on our favorite foods. When the glorious New Year arrives we reflect back on the past with hope for the future, all while feasting on our favorite foods. After indulging on food, laughing hysterically, and giving hugs and kisses to those we love, we assuredly come back to the commonality of what every individual has been given: the precious gift of Life.

Some say life is simple. Others disagree and say life is complicated. I’ve heard life’s purpose is about gain and promotion and I’ve also heard it's simply about giving and sacrifice. Some people believe life is expensive, while others view life as being free. There have definitely been times and seasons where life appeared complicated and hard. I’ve also experienced my fair share of striving to gain and obtain while thinking life is not cheap. However, meditating on this last year and entering into a new year I realized how much my perspective on life is completely changing.

By: Cost of Discipleship Blogspot

I have discovered life is truly free and the most valuable commodities in life actually don’t cost a cent. Take time for instance. I’ve never had to exchange a dollar to experience another minute or hour. I’ve never had to work and labor in achieving an extra day or month. People are significantly valuable, yet I never purchased my wife, nor used a charge card to acquire my children. A check has never been written to change or create the beauty of winter, spring, summer, or autumn. Nor has it ever been costly to experience the awe of sunsets, rainbows, and starry nights.

Life is a gift. Life is simple, and life is free. I had a dream the night before New Years Eve and it freed me. I share it with you because I believe God is calling us as children, to enjoy the priceless treasures He has freely given us, simply in its purest form.

The dream unfolded with the scene of an enormous arena filled with hundreds of people from all over the world. It was an arena that reminded me of the American Gladiator Stadium but without the gladiators and there wasn't any sort of competition happening. Every individual was eager and thrilled to be part of this climatic gathering. Some people I recognized and others I’ve never seen before, but I felt relationally connected to all these people in my life. There was such an overwhelming sense of peace, love, unity and respect for one another, each individual’s presence contributing to this cocktail of brotherly love. Then we were filled with this explosive energy! This is what made the dream remarkably great. Every single person was filled with blissful joy as we ecstatically ran around like little children without a single worry, care, or concern in the world! People were leaping over equipment while others were jumping on enormous trampolines. Some were playing tag, while others were racing each other. Some people were climbing on huge rubbery, spongy equipment, while others talked and engaged in conversation. I was caught up in a swirl of cartwheels, summersaults, skipping, imitating, and laughing. In that moment I felt like the happiest kid in the world who had the greatest friends ever.

When I woke up from the dream I just laid there with a big grin on my face. It changed me. Every care in that moment was obsolete and I knew the Lord wanted to speak to me. I believe this year is going to be marked with delightful play and vitality, like children playing with their father. I believe the Lord wants to shift and release us from the weight of worldly cares to a Kingdom culture of eternal joy! Its is our nature to worry about non-eternal things, but its in His nature to remove those things for a heart that screams FREEDOM! It's the divine exchange! Our heart for His...

...because this life was meant to be a gift.

By Brandon Jackel

Being a disciple

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. (Luke 9:1-6 NASB)

What if we did this? I'm being completely honest when I say I haven't seen one individual (in America anyways) who lives this way. I don't live this way. And I know there are reasonable and practical excuses why I can't live this way....like you have a family, there's cultural differences from then and now, or even others saying its the principal, theoretical application....is not literal. But I can't get passed the fact when Jesus spoke it to His disciples, He wasn't being theoretical, he was being literal. He asked this because He knew it would take faith for one to live like this. And it was the measure of their faith that would take the gospel to the world. And it was their measure of faith that they walked out healing the sick. I can't help that the fact they were walking this radical and people getting healed didn't have something to do with each other. There is something about living radically that builds your faith. There was no dependence on self in Luke 9..... In fact being a disciple meant the exact opposite. Being a disciple meant dependence on Him....and this trust was tried and proven when the disciples had nothing.....at that point, trusting God was the only thing they did have.

I'm not saying I'm gonna go do this now, leave my family with nothing and not provide for them. There is a season for everything, and part of being a mother to my children is selflessly providing for them. Some must trust in the provision, while others are the means of that provision. It's important to know what season your in. But I can't help but be challenged with the principles of Luke 9. Abandoning self for the gospel is the reality of the life of a true disciple. What does that look like for us? I think it's so counter-culture that our identity can't be in outer things, not even in the fact that we are American. It's certainly a challenging thing. This is why Paul said, "I die daily." He understood what the cost was to be a disciple of Jesus. He didn't die to himself because he wanted to fulfill Christian duty...he did it because he understood the message of the gospel. He understood Jesus wanted all of Him, just like He gave to us.

What is a disciple to you?

loving the church

I woke up sad this morning. It felt ackward. I couldn't explain why. I just felt sad. So, curious to what the Lord might be doing I sat with Him on the couch and began to process my thoughts. Why do I feel this way?

Then it hit me. I'm tired of Believers slandering Believers. And I'm really exhausted from the amount of power abuse that I hear about when leaders try to "control" their sheep. I'm not talking about subtle power trips. But its manipulative condescending counsel that ultimately ends up bringing a lot of confusion, A LOT of hurt, and many times feeling alienated within your community.

Here's my simple revelation. Everyone has feelings. Treat people with honor. If you don't agree with someone, get over it. And if the Holy Spirit hasn't told you to give (your) advice, then choose not to give any at all. What's the point of idle talk (not being guided by the Holy Spirit in your speech), just so you look good and have all the answers, but yet have no fruit? If you disagree with a leader, still love them.

Jesus was not about being right, but He became the Truth to the people. If we really want to have an influence as leaders, as the Church, we must become passionate about one another! Put away our differences, our doctrinal disagreements, our perfect formulas for winning people's hearts, and our ideologies for the simple fact that we need to be brought back to a place of loving each other. Philipplians 2 is a beautiful example of what it means to lay our lives down for one another. If you have another problem with someone, or a particular group, or even a ministry itself, be the person who rises above and settles it with those leaders. It would help to hear their hearts before we choose to make our judgments. Don't be putting it on fb or twitter, or slander an individual by spilling it out with your spouse, and especially don't go to someone who is not even a part of that group and begin to vomit over everyone how much you disagree or hate something about a leader or group.

Let's change the world differently than how we have in the past! When you want a child to be obedient, you don't tell him what he's not doing....you tell him what he should be doing. Likewise, instead of picking on the Church about every single thing they are doing wrong, how about teaching the truth of God's Word and living out how to do it right?! The truth is, people would rather tell you what you're doing wrong because then they don't have to be accountable to the truth of how to live out the gospel right. For example, instead of saying "the church doesn't believe in signs and wonders anymore. They've taken the supernatural life out of their daily walk." How about changing it to, "if you want to see healing in your church, all you have to do is believe the fullness of God lives in you, receive, believe and pray. You can do it!" But teaching the truth challenges believers, because then they become accountable to the Word. Live your life as the loudest influence for believers. And choose to honor people despite what you think or what you observe. If you have questions, ask them....don't just assume or make judgmental or cynical presumptions. Choose today to love your neighbor. Remember, were brothers, joined together by the blood of Christ. You deserve to be loved and accepted by me. It seems as if believers find it easier to love the unchurched rather than the churched. That's messed up. Jesus paid for it all. I don't need to persecute you. Hear my heart. I'm choosing to get over our differences so that Jesus is not limited through my own ideas of what I think is right. Love outside the box.....He did.

John 15:12 "My command is this, that you love one another as I have loved you."

happy are the helpless

I recently have been reading the Sermon on the Mount, over and over and over and over again. And then when I think I’m moving on, I read it again. The truth is, there is so much in the Sermon on the Mount that I’m becoming overwhelmed by revelation and wrecked by its empowering Truth! I’m convinced it is one of the greatest messages preached in all of history, probably because Jesus was the one giving it! Everyone who knows me well knows one of our greatest passions is to see believers walk into their identity. Want victory? Identity. Want freedom? Identity. Want truth? Identity. Want more to know your purpose? Identity.  This is why I want to share some of the things that have rocked me and  ruined me forever. I found the teachings of Jesus to be the stake  I personally needed, entering into the reality of who I am called to be. I believe the Beatitudes are the KEY for a believer’s walk to move from “striving” to “thriving” in their identity in Jesus Christ.

I want to start by quoting Heidi Baker, a full-time missionary to Mozambique, in her book Compelled by Love, “Believe it or not, our lives are much easier than yours. You see, where I live they are sick and hurting; and so they come and give their lives to Jesus by the hundreds every week around the country. But in your nation, your poor do not know they are poor, and your sick do not really know they are sick unless they are dying of a disease and no one can help them. They look confident, and they appear as if they are altogether. But maybe they are not. So your job is a lot harder than ours.”

Since America was young we were taught to be independent and self-sufficient. For a large portion of us that grew up middle-class, we learned from our youth that America is about equality, fairness and declaring and living out our rights as human beings. We were taught well how to be worth something in society by educating ourselves, pursuing a good standing career, and keeping things sustainable so we can build the dream of the big house, the happy family, the toys to keep life fun and looking good. I recently came to a wall in my own ideologies of what I believed “happiness” looked like. You see, unless I become “poor in spirit” nothing this world has will ever satisfy me. In fact, many of these things fight for my heart. Why is it hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

"Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs in the Kingdom of Heaven...." Matthew 5:3

“Why does the Kingdom break forth in such power among the poor here in Mozambique? It’s because the poor rely on each other. They need each other. They live in a community of interdependence. They have to share with each other just to survive. Those who have much are often quick to accumulate and slow to give away. They often give without remembering; they receive without forgetting. The poor are truly rich for the simplicity of their devotion.” (Heidi Baker’s Compelled by Love)

Does selling everything and living simple make you poor in Spirit?  No, but there is certainly something to be applied here. It is the condition of the heart, but we must become like those who are physically poor in the same manner in our hearts.

The Greek word for “poor” is ‘Ptochos‘,  and it literally means” having nothing, reduced to begging, like a beggar, totally broke”.  Just as the poor understand they cannot survive without the one who will give to them, so we must come to the understanding in our hearts that Jesus is the Giver of true life.  Because the word "poor" is a term that is not physically poor, but is to be poor in spirit, likewise it is not saying we need to beg God, but to become "like a beggar. Being poor in spirit means we are desperate for God, recognizing our complete need for Jesus. We don’t live in the “whatever”. We live in the constant devotion and pursuit of all that He is. We are hungry for it and nothing will stop us from this obsession.  This is BIG! Think about it! Jesus is saying if He becomes our EVERYTHING, He will give us EVERYTHING! The Kingdom of Heaven is freely given to those who will freely receive. If we do not recognize are need, we do not receive.

This is the heartbeat of what makes God tick.  They are attributes that Holy Spirit is drawn to.  God has a lot of workers but he has few lovers.  Being poor in Spirit would be hearing God and obeying. When a poor person asks you for something they ask humbly and they are not afraid to ask because they will die without it. My heart must say, “Lord, I will die without knowing you, seeing you, touching you! I am so hungry for you! I am in need of your love, your life and your constant supernatural presence!” I believe what it means to be poor in spirit is complete dependence on Him alone. It certainly goes against the grain of what we were taught and what our nature is, but I am convinced it is the ONLY way to live.

 I leave you with the words of Mother Theresa,

“Hungry for love,  He looks at you.
Thirsty for kindness, He begs from you.
Naked for loyalty, He hopes in you.
Sick and imprisoned for friendship, He wants from you.
Will you be that one to Him?”

What are your thoughts? What do you think it means to be poor in spirit?

Some more verses for thought:

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."— Psalm 34:18

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."— Psalm 51:17

"For this is what the high and lofty One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."— Isaiah 57:15

This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.— Isaiah 66:2

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.— Luke 18:9-14

why I'm done playing church

because Jesus is so much better.

It doesn't mean I'm not going to go to Sunday morning worship. It doesn't mean I'm backsliden and forsaking the assembling of believers. It doesn't mean there is no value in pulpit preaching. It has its place. It has its fruit.

What I'm talking about goes beyond title, beyond business of a "ministry", beyond precedented times of prayer and worship. There's a voice calling us out to go deeper, to search wider, to seek truth outside the box and its echoing the Church of Acts 2. To not go to church, but to BE the chur

ch.

I love my fellow brothers and sisters. Hear my heart in this, less we harden our hearts like the religious people in the days of Jesus. Isn't it interesting that we rebuke and harrass the heart behind the Pharisees but fail to see it in ourselves as well? For me, the sobering reality has been that Jesus literally broke every religious rule, jurisdiction and order of that day!

What would each of our lives look like if we embraced every aspect of the life of Jesus? Did Jesus say He gave Himself partially to the Church? Did the Bridegroom say His Bride would only be half His? No. And as ridiculous as it sounds we have a large generation of people not walking out the reality that they have been made ONE with Jesus, and that He has given us His whole self without restraint! We have become a people coping with their demons rather than being delivered from them because we fear our sin more than we fear God. We are trying to empress people in the four walls of what we call "church", rather than loving God first.

Oh Church! We were called to so much more! Relevency cannot hold you. Talented musicians will not sustain you. We teach what we know but we can only impart WHO WE ARE. Programs will bring people but they may not bring the presence. Where is the presence? Where is the presence? Where is the presence?

I've commited my soul to the Lord. All my days are fashioned by Him. Whether in my home, in the secret place, or whether amidst a congregation before man, my heart will be rendered to the Lord. I will radically love, willingly obey and freely walk in the liberated life Jesus gave me. Did He not die for nothing that we still be entrapped by that man of old, that spirit of religion?

Come. Come join the rollercoaster of freedom. Its so much better to Be His. You were not built by man's hands. You were made for His glory. Be free to be His glory. Be ALL His. You don't have to be afraid. Were all wanting something real. We all want Him. Its sometimes hard to let go into the unknown. But He's saying its ok. Its ok my Love. I've given all that I am so you could do so.

maximize your mornings

So I've recently started something new that I've probably been feeling that I should start while I was pregnant with Arista.

If any you ma's and pa's out there are as busy as I am with three little ones then I'm sure you'll be able to relate to this post! You know you're a mother when showers are commodity, solitude is when your going to the bathroom, and sleep depravation becomes the least of your health concerns. Life demands so much in motherhood. We're the family nurse, teacher, caretaker, cleaning lady, accountant and pastor. Bored with life? Add children to the picture and guantee you'll never get bored again! But in the mist of all that life demands, when does God get HIS time? Is it that God gets put on the back-burner until the children are grown? I dunno, but if my husband decided to do that to me while he took care of the demands of life, I KNOW I would have a LARGE problem with it. But how often do we do that to God?

Simply, when God said we should pray without ceasing I think it meant that it would be as constant as breathing. We stop breathing, we die. We stop praying.....well, we die. One is physical, the other is spiritual. But just because it's simple doesn't mean it's easy. How do we get to a lifestyle where praying becomes like breathing? How do we choose to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh? I am convinced that its my morning hours with the Lord, when the sun is about to rise, that is critical to my day and my lifestyle of breathing prayers.

My voice shall You hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto You, and will look up! Psalm 5:3

What does this mean to me? It's God drawing my heart in the morning hours, before my children awake the dawn, to draw near to Him! And there is a longing in my heart to walk with God. I know I can't be the mother God has called me to be without Him living His life through me. But I found every excuse in the book to not get up any earlier than I was. But then I came across this mom's youtube video and was inspired to action!

So I started getting up a couple hours before my children awake since last Monday. And apart from my Sabbath day, I've done ok. Not all days have worked out as planned but I've certainly seen fruit in my own thoughts and heart during my day, both toward God and my children. So this has inspired me even more to encourage other moms who feel this draw from the Holy Spirit to help them start as well. I'm starting an accountability group on FACEBOOK. So if you're a MOM looking for some extra inspiration in this area I encourage you to join this group! HERE we'll be able to check in during the morning hours, share about how are mornings are going, and share prayer requests with one another. Simply, its a place we can inspire one another to grow into all God has called us to be as mothers. Certainly if you are not a mother, the group is not limited to only moms. Its for ANYONE who wants the encouragement to MAXIMIZE THEIR MORNINGS, so we can consciously choose God first in our day. Let's maximize our mornings together!

Come away

~ received during Sunday morning worship ~

Whom did you come to see?

What have you come seeking?

Do you know I am every good thing?

I am faithful.

I am the I AM who brings life to your being.

Does your heart ache?

Does your belly hunger?

Is your soul thirsty?

Is it Me you want?

This is what I desire....that you would not be a double-minded people.

That you would forsake all other lovers.

That you would say "yes" in your heart to Me and abandon yourself.

Follow Me, lose yourself in Me.

Come unto Me, and I will come unto you

and I will reign in your hearts and bring living rain to all the dead and dry places.

Taste and see my goodness.

I will feed your bellies with truth.

I will satisfy your thirst with water.

I will fill your souls with my healing Spirit.

Your worship is like honey.

Your praise is like a life-bringing harvest.

Your promises to Me are like a river that never ceases to dance.

Come, Come away with Me.....

Choose Me.

I have already chosen you.....

church

why i believe sunday service shouldn't be catered to unbelievers....

i have a friend, whom we'll name Stacy. Stacy has a relationship with Jesus and really desires to know Him more. In fact, she's been searching for a church now for the past couple months that offers a real authentic, passionate love for God in everything they do. Burnt by religion, she aggressively began a search to find something supernatural - something that would offer her more than what the rest of the world offers. And as she searched she noticed her heart growing hard and bitter, not really understanding why. Stacy hasn't been to church now in 3 weeks. She deeply desires to be a part of a family but everything just seems too political, too structured, too big and too organized.

A lot of people would categorize Stacy as someone who was not mature in their faith enough to look past the faults of the church to get to Jesus. But as you get to know her you see there is a deep longing and burning in her heart to learn, grow and excel more than anyone who've ever met. In fact, at her last church she helped service the worship team, but as things became more dry and boxed in, she decided to inquiry of the pastor of why things have become so ordered. her answer? "If we lose order in the worship- we lose control of the people." What did this say to Stacy? It said we care more about manipulating people through organized religion so they behave the way we want them to than we do about the people encountering and be transformed by the presence of God. ouch.

So why do we even gather on Sunday mornings? What's the purpose of it all, really? Hebrews 10:25 asks us to not forsake the fellowship or the gathering of believers (the saints) and even to come together singing spiritual songs, worshipping with one another (Ephesians 5:19). But the Bible seems really clear, we cannot have fellowship with one another if we don't first have fellowship with Him. "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)

So what is this really saying about when we come together? The focus isn't AT ALL on unbelievers. Not one bit. Nowhere can you find one scripture that supports a "service" even catered to unbelievers, or by definition "seekers". So does this mean being "seeker sensitive" is unbiblical? I would dare to say, yes! Jesus didn't even talk about such things. In fact, He tried to mess organized religion up in His 3 years of ministry. He told us that the ekklesia, the Church, was called to "go out" and make disciples, to persuade men by our good works so they can see Jesus glorified (Matthew 5:16). Go out from where? Well from our gatherings of course.

But what about people like Stacy? How will she know how to live, to persuade men with her life that Jesus is real to her? What about others who only know how to preach organized religion but not live their life in radicall real relationship with Jesus? What's different in what we offer from the rest of the world if we have no authenticity?

Ephesians 4 says, "And Christ Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ". This is what empowers us to out from where we gather to be light to the rest of the world. And though most of our "churches" and "services" operate like an monarchy - one leader with elders under him, then service hosts under them, then congregants under them....and even children considered to be under them :( I really don't see that system really displaying what Jesus asked us to do. But we're asked to each bring our gifts when we gather - that we were each called to His service, for His glory. (1 Peter 4:10-11) I think by man's definition, being the Church could look pretty messy.

Think about this for a moment. "The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. That's the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8) Wind usually messes things up alittle and sometimes there's no explanation for it. Why does man feel the need to explain every move of God? We are so uncomfortable with messy supernatural things! We have such a need to feel comfortable in a "controlled" atmosphere. I'm not saying lets forsake all order and do as the Corinthians did, walking in the supernatural power with no wisdom or love - but does that mean we lose that raw and radical realness in our services for the sake of that order? Ultimately what brings greater satisfaction?

If the church doesn't wake up soon to this reality, our gatherings will get smaller and smaller. The unchurched will not be fooled (in fact you don't see unbelievers coming to church anymore, new members are usually old members somewhere else). And now even the churched are leaving, in hope to find a people radically pursuing God. It may just mean we let go of our agenda, our programs set for the day, or lose ourselves in worship. Actually it changes the whole face of things...it changes the whole force behind why we gather. We no longer come to get, but to give. And we leave EVERYTIME transformed, ready to take the world on as our inheritance because we know we can and there's an undeniable trust in who Jesus is in us. Isn't that what we're all really seeking? If that's what "seeker sensitive" means, then I want that! - But nothing less.

tired of "church"

I recently went to a workshop for church leaders that was entitled "how to have exceptional sunday services". I enjoyed the workshop, but I really can't help but shutter a little inside when i hear such a title. There are many reasons the idea of us focusing our energy on exceptional services doesn't sit well with me, but the largest issue I have with it is something I have only experienced more recently.

Brandon and I have currently been pioneering "church relationship" ministries since '07 when we realized a huge need in the area of networking churches in order to see regional change in our communities. And as easy as that sounds, the task has been an extremely hard one, and at times, absolutely exhausting. None-the-less, the Lord has us forerunning ministries that require the Body of Christ to work together in order to thrive......and we know its the love of God that compells us to keep at it even when there is no budge.

It's unfortunate that in the more we worked with church leadership (not all, but a lot) how ingrown our vision and aspirations have become. And though many churches prayerfully and financially support others on the mission field, its few that actually do the same for their fellow localized Body. For instance, we often see churches thriving in light of being "missions" minded, supporting people over-seas and aiding them in furlough, etc., but when it comes to working with other churches or leaders in their own region there's just not enough time, energy or emphasize on what that would even look like for most. And though we recognize we are the ekklesia, "the called out ones", we rarely have the availablity to go beyond what our "own" family of God is doing to aid in what God might be doing regionally. This has been very true for the prayer movement in the city of Rochester. If you don't know any of the history of the prayer movement in this city, you should know that for YEARS men and women of God have been trying to get sustainable 24 hour prayer and worship happening, with many houses of prayer falling and dying. It's been an unending task that has been on the heart of God, but its people continually burning out. It's because in order to have true regional reformation it will not come through one man, one church, or one stream.....it will come through the entirety of the Body of Christ working together, being in covenant-relationship with one another. This is the heart of God.

So how does this correlate with my point in the beginning? Here's my case, in which I hope the heart behind what I'm sharing is heard openly.....if we are the ekklesia, which isn't a building, a business or even a sunday service, but an "assembly" of believers loving God and loving each other radically....how would we change our approach on how we "do" church? Really. Would we even have seminars titled "how to have exceptional sunday services" or would we rename them something like "how to host the presence of God on a sunday morning"? I don't know. But something needs to shift in our minds. Something needs to shift in the way we think about church.

I am fortunate to go to a healthy-cultured church, so this is no means attacking churches. I am FOR the Church! God is just so ever-redining my places of worship and enlightening my own idea of what it really means to be the Church. Tell, what do you think? What are your thoughts?

Obviously what I'm writing is a generalization and every church has its own culture, values and traditions and the article is based upon experience and not what every church does. But its written with an open heart to challenge our thinking. Please receive with a willingness to grow together in the things God desires to show us all. Even as leaders, we should remain teachable.

marriage

I'm sure most of you will agree that marriage is a wonderful, beautiful, intimate, challenging, sometimes overwhelming and hard thing! How can they be ALL these things and more? I believe because of the sacredness of marriage and all God intends it to be - was meant to ultimately be a for-shadow of something even more supernatural, divine and holy.....Himself!

Think about it for a moment. Now we'll have to put ourselves in a perfect world, ultimately His world, to fully understand what marriage is suppose to represent....meaning let's forget for a moment the flaws of our physical marriages on earth and think about what God says about marriage. We're asked to be married to one person, to be faithful and loyal (Matthew 5:27). Even that our bedroom would be sacred and pure (Hebrews 13:4). We're asked to be joined to this person as One embodiment, where the two flesh become one (Matthew 19:4-6). We're asked to forsake all other family so that we can be joined to this person (Mark 10:6). We're asked to procreate as the fruit of this oneness (Genesis 1:28). We're told two is better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) and that the fruit of our womb is our inheritance (Psalm 127:3). Yes, we are even told that love is the greatest thing we will ever know, give and become (1 Corinthians 13:13).

If what we are asked to do in the natural is ONLY a foreshadow of what God desires in the spiritual, what would a marriage with the Lord really look like?

Many times throughout scripture we are referenced as His Bride, and even later as His wife. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7) I don't believe this is a futuristic thing, but meant to be a "present" Truth.

And what does it mean to make yourself ready? Think about everything you did to ready yourself before your own wife or husband to be. I think its safe to say that most of us didn't marry our spouses on a blind date, but we entered into a relationship with one another that lead to that partnership. We grew toward love and ultimately a point of decision to make this the person we would spend the rest of our life with. And even in covenant, we remain steadfast in our efforts to getting to know one another in that intimate oneness. BUT THIS IS ALSO WHAT GOD DESIRES OF US!

It is my conviction that marriage with the Lord doesn't necessarily happen the day of salvation, meaning the day we gave our hearts to the Lord. I would dare to say I have met several "believers" who have yet to come into the understanding of what it really means to be married to Jesus. He desires that we would also forsake all other lovers, to be joined together as one embodiment (as Jesus prayed in John 17), to lay down your life for Him (Matthew 16:25) and, yes, to even reproduce with Him (Galatians 4:19)! You think I'm crazy, but it is inevitable, when the two become one, there is procreation. And Jesus wants to reproduce Himself, but I stand fully convinced this only comes through pure, unadulterated, ardent love for God....because in love we can not help but birth His life through us.

He sees us as HIS inheritance and He is just waiting for us to choose Him.

ever hurt by the prophetic?

We had come friends up for the weekend, which was really refreshing. What was interesting was some of the conversations I had this weekend about the prophetic, with different individuals. I think its in no question that I believe God speaks to us, and I believe its for everyday. In fact, the I believe the rhema word is all too often neglected in alot of people's relationship with God. But as I shared different experiences I have had with prophetic people and heard different stories from others, I heard a common thread of things that lead people hurting, mislead and confused, more than built-up, encouraged or full of direction.

This is by no means a blog to lash out or tear down prophetic people (I would be discrediting myself if it were). Know in my heart I believe without the voice of God in the hearing of our ears, we have little to no direction in our personal lives. And I am also a firm believer we need each other in the Body of Christ to grow in the things of God. But far too often I am finding many who are left isolated, hurt and confused, with even a deep darkness clouding their own view of God because a prophetic person gave a word that was either off or without love.

I could share countless bad experiences I have encountered over time but that wouldn't be fair either because my "good" experiences have far out-weighed the bad. And accuracy within the prophetic has even far out-weighed the erred. But I wanted to share some things that have helped me over time, especially in a ministry that is very driven on the prophetic, and have aided me in giving and receiving what God is saying.

1. LOVE. if I could sum up all the things I have learned it would be in this one word. Paul makes it quite direct that is we have no love, or if love is not what is driving us (but even have every gift of the Spirit), then we have absolutely nothing. This is what will weigh and judge every Word given! Are we more about "being right" or are we compelled by love to share the truth? This is also of utmost importance when we are a receiving a Word - especially one that may be hard to swallow.

I've come to realize that though prophecy is a powerful gift, which requires high sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, prophetic people are also very sensitive people in nature. I will be the first to say that it took a long time for me to learn to not be moveable in the case of an offense. in fact, even though prophetic people can cause offense, they often struggle with being offended. Which leads me to another suggestion:

2. Humility. i encourage people to have an opinion. In fact, let that opinion be loud, clear and heard! far too often I see silence as the one of the largest injustices to all the injustice in the world. Righteousness and justice are executed through our actions and our voices. But if being heard out-ways the desire to see people free, we have really committed an injustice against ourselves. So I now say, have an opinion, loud and clear, but always makes sure its coupled with love and humility. The ability to put someone above yourself is what Christ did for us. If we don't learn how to do this than we aren't representing Christ at all.

3. Learn to hear God for yourself. This can be tricky as all of us are in completely different places when it comes to hearing the voice of God. And a lot of times its even learning the language and way God speaks to you uniquely. But this will certainly be your best friend when someone is giving you a word that may be a little off. There were times when someone gave me a word that I knew was off, but because I was listening as well to God i was able to feel the freedom to not respond to the word.

There are a lot of good, well meaning individuals, who can still be very wrong in what they are saying. yet, there are very abrasive and obtrusive people who will be dead right in what they are saying. the truth is, we will come across many different circumstances were we need the prophetic, however it is being filtered through the person giving it.

4. Be unoffendable. Jesus was never shocked by the responses he got when he shared. And he certainly was never offended. yes, at times he was offensive, because the truth doesn't always feel good. But it would be of great value that we learn as believers to not be so easily offended. It would help all of us in a mature way. i realize this is very hard for our American culture because from childhood we are taught we have rights, we must be treated fair and we have the freedom to do what we want. But this earthly and american kingdom and the Kingdom of God are at war with one another. And we must fight the urge to always "protect our rights". Jesus was treated very unfair, even unruthlessly judged and put to death. We will have a lot more joy in our situations if we learn to appreciate suffering and even offense.

5. Don't spectate. This is different than judging the word with the Scriptures. This is the hardest one for those whom have been hurt by the prophetic. Instead of working through the hurt, feelings of rejection or mis-interpretation of God, they become people who totally turn away from the prophetic. They spectate and dissect the prophetic word, trying every capability to tear it down before its had a chance to minister to them at all. The problem with this is you will put God in a box. Whether the word isn't from God or came straight from heaven, you have already made up your mind that it is flawed. And furthermore, the voice of God in your own life can even begin to become muffled, unclear and even confusing. It is best we work through our feelings of hurt, discontentment with the prophetic and confusion so we can lean toward an even greater capacity to hear God for ourselves.

There is so much I could write on this particular topic and depending upon what others share I may write more. But I wanted to share some of what has been happening in my heart lately. I've ran into many people recently who have been severely hurt by the prophetic and I know God has been using it to teach me a lot, including some of my own hurt. My purpose in sharing this is not to discredit the prophetic, but to show how we can better communicate and receive what God is saying to each of us.

Many blessings and love to you all!

incredibly blessed

So not long after I wrote my last blog, did I come into a very difficult week. It was like the Word was given so that it could be tested and approved in my own life.

But you know what I found out this week? I am incredibly blessed! And I had no idea! Really. I knew I was blessed, but I did not know I was incredibly blessed, supernaturally blessed, divinely blessed. Meaning, God had so wanted to bless my socks off that He sovereignly orchestrated this week so that i would know without a doubt that I am highly favored!

So here's a brief synopsis of what my week entailed. I recently came home from celebrating our anniversary from Colorado at about 2 am on Friday morning. i came home to a very messy house...and with the amount of luggage we had, I didn't even know where to begin. And because I have two children who are 2 and under, the early birds were up around 6:30 am. Later that evening Brandon and I were facilitating 24 Hour prayer and Worship, which means I usually pull an all-nighter with the children sleeping in the prayer room with us. Though Brandon and I were able to arrange split night shifts, I still was a little overwhelmed with the fact I didn't know how I was going to contend with the rest of my week on that amount of sleep (especially since I've been extra tired with the pregnancy). Sunday we had small group out in Lima, while Monday I host and lead a small women's group at our place. Wednesday was going to be a long day at the salon and I would have to arrange to leave early because we are having our first core-team meeting with the leadership of Rochester Burn. And Friday Bound4LIFE has a dinner banquet to attend that Rescue Rochester puts on every year, in which we had already covered the expense for our whole team to go. Not to mention I had no one yet to watch the girls. I was burnt and I didn't know what to do about it. So I did something I NEVER do.

I asked for help.

It was quite humbling to say the least. That super woman needed help. I mean I have a reputation to uphold. I can do it all. Just God and me, right?

Nope. It wasn't God and me this time. God was saying its time you learn to ask for help and see people want to give to you if you let them. (It tears me up just writing it.)

So I sent out an email to the group of girls I meet with on Monday nights. All of them are wives, mothers and are very busy. Even as I was sending out the email my thoughts were, "well I'll be obedient and ask, but I doubt anyone will have the time." I left it very open ended for any of them to help in anyway. You know what happened after that? I got help alright. I got WAY more than that.

Two women came over my home while I was at 24 hour and cleaned and organized the downstairs of my home. I came home to a beautiful spotless house! Another women took charge and said not to worry about Monday and they would facilitate it. Another woman offered to care for the children while we go to the Friday dinner. It was quite shocking how much everyone was willing to do. And to even a greater surprise I receive this amazing gift on Monday night - a huge wicker basket full of all my favorite teas, two enormous chocolate bars, a jumbo pack of hot chocolate and a whopping $75 gift certificate to Wegmans! i seriously had a melt down by how incredibly blessed I was.

And I just want to say THANK YOU! Thank you girls for taking time out of your busy lives and showing me how much I am loved. Grace came in my week through your act of kindness. It was truly a benchmark for me to see how much God loves me.....and for this, I am eternally grateful.

Post dedicated to: Amanda R., Angelica A., Cassie C., Erin B., Kathy B. & Lara C.

sometimes you just have to

be thankful!

Today on the way home from small group the Lord reminded me of a story. It was a story of when I was thankful for very little. I was in college, a small Bible school, and because we had several internationals who came to this school there many times that those students had no where to go during holiday breaks. So the school always tried real hard to make things a little easier for them by finding a family for them to stay with or doing something on campus during the school break. Well, it just so happened to be near Thanksgiving break and the cafeteria decided to do a Thanksgiving dinner right before everyone went off. Honestly, I think about the meal now...and its nothing I would have cooked. It was cut turkey and/or beef (which wasn't organic), mashed potatoes that could have very well came from a box or were at least bought pre-made, and some cooked cut carrots...you know the ones...the ones with the ridges already perfectly cut into them. Yeah, certainly nothing fresh. But as I sat with my plate in front of me, starring at the abundance of food I had been given to eat, my heart grew glad. It was so glad that I began to cry. Yes, right there. And as my friends who were sitting with me wondered what was wrong, it dawned on me that I had everything in the world I needed. I was so thankful! And as God began to over-flow my heart with this gratitude, I couldn't contain it. I looked at everyone with tears in my eyes and started to express how thankful I was for this meal. I mean, some thought I was nuts, while others caught the same spirit. Yeah, man....we are rich, aren't we?

I think about the meal now and I'm like, wow...what was I thinking? But that just shows you I needed to be reminded of this story. We complain about so much and so often that sometimes its hard to even recognize we're doing it. But sometimes you just have to purpose yourself to be thankful. I think we sometimes want to see the abundance and blessing come first, and then we're thankful. But I think we're thankful first, and then we recognize the abundance. Just like Jesus when He thanked God for the fish and bread before feeding the thousands.

i can't embed this video but its only 2 and 1/2 minutes. You should watch it. It challenged me because I needed reminding of what I've been given: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH_eqDwTDRY

Or look at this one man who is changing the face of what it means to be thankful!

A little reminder to us all....that we have everything we need!