raw milk and more

This was too good not to post! Check out why we switched to raw milk a little over a year ago HERE!

This article was written by the Weston A. Price Foundation

Milk: It Does a Body Good?

Written by Lori Lipinski

July 6 2003

It all depends on where it comes from, doesn't it? The subject of milk sparks just about as much controversy as the subject of fats. Many alternative practitioners feel that it's not necessary for humans to consume cow's milk and link its consumption to health problems, such as ear infections, allergies, cancer and diabetes. On the other hand, the medical community has convinced us that if we don't drink enough milk our bones will disintegrate. And the American Dairy Association wants us to think we'll be cool like celebrities with milk mustaches if we drink lots of milk. The purpose of this article is not to convince you to drink milk or not to drink milk. Instead, it addresses those who do--or would like to--drink milk and consume dairy products. If you fit into this category, then you need to know where your milk has come from and what it has been through. Living Conditions If I were to ask you to picture a cow, you would most likely see in your mind a cow grazing in an open pasture, like one you'd probably seen before on a small family farm. That's a lucky cow, compared to most of the cows bred for dairy production in this country. The majority of commercial dairy cows don't have the luxury of grazing on open fields. Instead they are kept in intense confinement, in individual stalls, on hard cement floors, hooked up to milking machines, forced to produce milk ten months out of the year, in an overcrowded building. This is how the average commercial dairy cow spends her short, miserable life--42 months on average, compared to 12-15 years for a cow on pasture.  Environment Not only is the unnatural building environment a problem for the cow, but it can be a huge problem for the people around it as well. The massive amount of waste produced on a factory farm is overwhelming and can have devastating effects on the surrounding environment. Over one-fifth of the country's dairy products are produced in the central valley of California where confinement operations create as much waste as a city of 21 million people! Much of that waste is forced unnaturally into the environment, polluting our lakes, rivers and streams. On the other hand, small farms are able to recycle manure back into the earth to enrich the soil. Feed A cow's natural diet consists mostly of grass, but since there isn't enough grass to go around on the factory farm, today's factory cow is fed a diet of mostly grain, and other things that they would not normally eat. The bulk of the feed consists of corn and soy, which receives 80 percent of all herbicides used in the US. When we think of pesticides we usually think of produce, but animal products can contain up to 14 times more pesticides than plants!1 Simply switching the cow's diet from grass to grain can cause many problems, but that's only the beginning. According to a recent article in US News & World Report, some 40 billion pounds a year of slaughterhouse wastes like blood, bone and viscera, as well as the remains of millions of euthanized cats and dogs passed along by veterinarians and animal shelters, are rendered annually into livestock feed. Animal-feed manufacturers and farmers also have begun using or trying out dehydrated food garbage, fats emptied from restaurant fryers and grease traps, cement-kiln dust, even newspapers and cardboard that are derived from plant cellulose. Researchers in addition have experimented with cattle and hog manure, and human sewage sludge."2 When I first read this I thought there were probably only a handful of farmers crazy enough to feed dead cats and dogs and other animals parts to their vegetarian cows, but I was dead wrong! During the BSE scare, the FDA ordered a halt to feeding all slaughterhouse wastes to cattle and sheep in the US. At that time 75 percent of the nation's 90 million cattle had been eating feed containing slaughterhouse by-products! Like humans, animals need nutrients to thrive and be healthy. Obviously the feed given to factory farmed cows is not intended to provide proper nourishment. Instead, farmers, or shall I say food manufacturers, are interested in stuffing whatever they can into the cows to bulk them up as quickly as possible. This can quickly lead to sick animals and heavy doses of drugs. Like pesticides, these drugs end up in the milk of the dairy animals, as do trans fats from bakery wastes, undigested proteins from soy and animal foods and aflatoxins from moldy grain. To make matters worse, levels of vitamin A and D drop off precipitously when cows are given any feed other than green growing grass. Antibiotics If you're like a growing number of people today, you would rather not take antibiotics when you get sick. You may even be proud of the fact that you haven't had to use them in years. However, if you drink commercial milk or eat commercially raised meats and poultry, you could be consuming antibiotics on a daily basis without even knowing it! Over 50 percent of all the antibiotics produced in this country are mixed directly into animal feed. Ideally, antibiotics should be used in farming only when necessary to treat infection. However, due to the sickly nature of factory farmed animals, they are fed a constant supply of antibiotics from birth until the time of slaughter. Antibiotic resistance is a serious issue that has gotten a lot of press in recent years. Basically, bacteria are mutating and outsmarting the antibiotics, making them ineffective. (The same phenomenon is occurring on farms where bugs are mutating to withstand pesticide applications.) We criticize medical doctors for over-prescribing antibiotics, but that is only part of the problem. Not only are antibiotics overused in this country, but they are also over-consumed. People are unknowingly consuming more antibiotics than they are actually taking by choice. Due to the heavy doses of antibiotics used on factory farmed animals, your steaks, hamburgers, chicken, and hotdogs are all laced with antibiotics. Milk alone contains traces of up to 80 different antibiotics!3 Hormones Back in 1930, the average dairy cow produced 12 pounds (about a gallon and a half) of milk per day. In 1988, the average was 39 pounds per day. This was accomplished by selective breeding to obtain dairy cows that produced a lot of pituitary hormones, thereby generating large amounts of milk. But the industry was not satisfied with this output. Today rBGH, a synthetic growth hormone, is used to get even more milk out of the dairy cows, bringing the average up to 50 pounds (over 6 gallons) of milk per day. CAPTION: A typical modern dairy cow. Her udder is so full it almost drags on the ground and she must be milked three times per day. Note the unusual growth in front of her forelegs--a goiter or a tumor? This sounds like a great thing for dairy farmers, right? However, when you mess with Mother Nature, you will suffer the consequences. FDA documents show that cows injected with rBGH are 79 percent more likely to contract mastitis.4 In 1991, a report on Monsanto's BGH test herd at the University of Vermont found the same kinds of problems identified by the FDA, plus an alarming number of dead and deformed calves born to cows treated with BGH.5 Other problems include reproductive difficulties, increased need for antibiotics, digestive problems, enlarged hocks and lesions, and foot problems. According to the Humane Farming Association, The FDA admits that BGH injections increase sickness and drug use in dairy cows. Consumer's Union reports that because of increased udder infections, it is more likely that milk from treated cows will be of lower quality--containing more pus and bacteria--than milk from untreated cows."6 Pasteurization Pasteurization is a process of heat treating milk to kill bacteria. Although Louis Pasteur developed this technique for preserving beer and wine, he was not responsible for applying it to milk. That was done at the end of the 1800s as a temporary solution until filthy urban dairies could find a way to produce cleaner milk. But instead of cleaning up milk production, dairies used pasteurization as a way to cover up dirty milk. As milk became more mass produced, pasteurization became necessary for large dairies to increase their profits. So the public then had to be convinced that pasteurized milk was safer than raw milk. Soon raw milk consumption was blamed for all sorts of diseases and outbreaks until the public was finally convinced that pasteurized milk was superior to milk in its natural state. Today if you mention raw milk, many people gasp and utter ridiculous statements like, "You can die from drinking raw milk!" But the truth is that there are far more risks from drinking pasteurized milk than unpasteurized milk. Raw milk naturally contains healthy bacteria that inhibit the growth of undesirable and dangerous organisms. Without these friendly bacteria, pasteurized milk is more susceptible to contamination. Furthermore, modern equipment, such as milking machines, stainless steel tanks and refrigerated trucks, make it entirely possible to bring clean, raw milk to the market anywhere in the US. Not only does pasteurization kill the friendly bacteria, it also greatly diminishes the nutrient content of the milk. Pasteurized milk has up to a 66 percent loss of vitamins A, D and E. Vitamin C loss usually exceeds 50 percent. Heat affects water soluble vitamins and can make them 38 percent to 80 percent less effective. Vitamins B6 and B12 are completely destroyed during pasteurization. Pasteurization also destroys beneficial enzymes, antibodies and hormones. Pasteurization destroys lipase (an enzyme that breaks down fat), which impairs fat metabolism and the ability to properly absorb fat soluble vitamins A and D. (The dairy industry is aware of the diminished vitamin D content in commercial milk, so they fortify it with a form of this vitamin.) We have all been led to believe that milk is a wonderful source of calcium, when in fact, pasteurization makes calcium and other minerals less available. Complete destruction of phosphatase is one method of testing to see if milk has been adequately pasteurized. Phosphatase is essential for the absorption of calcium. Ultrapasteurization As the dairy industry has become more concentrated, many processing plants have switched to ultrapasteurization, which involves higher temperatures and longer treatment times. The industry says this is necessary because many microorganisms have become heat resistant and now survive ordinary pasteurization. Another reason for ultrapasteurization is that it gives the milk a longer shelf life--up to four weeks. The grocers like this but many consumers complain of a burnt or dead taste. The milk is virtually sterile--is that what you want to drink? Milk producers are not advertising the fact that they are ultrapasteurizing the milk--the word is written in very small letters and the milk is sold in the refrigerator section even though it can be kept unrefrigerated until opened. Horizon, the major organic brand, is ultrapasteurized, as are virtually all national brands. Homogenization Milk straight from the cow contains cream, which rises to the top. Homogenization is a process that breaks up the fat globules and evenly distributes them throughout the milk so that they do not rise. This process unnaturally increases the surface area of fat exposing it to air, in which oxidation occurs and increases the susceptibility to spoilage. Homogenization has been linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis. Milk: To Drink or Not to Drink? Considering how modern commercial milk is produced and processed, it's no wonder that millions of Americans are allergic to it. An allergic reaction to dairy can cause symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting (even projectile vomiting), stomach pain, cramping, gas, bloating, nausea, headaches, sinus and chest congestion, and a sore, or scratchy throat. Milk consumption has been linked to many other health conditions as well, such as asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, chronic infections (especially upper respiratory and ear infections), obesity, osteoporosis and cancer of the prostate, ovaries, breast and colon. Once you understand how modern milk is produced and processed, it seems logical to just avoid it altogether. But Real Milk--full-fat, unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows--contains vital nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins A and D, calcium, vitamin B6, B12, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid naturally occurring in grass-fed beef and milk that reduces body fat and protects against cancer). Real milk is a source of complete protein and is loaded with enzymes. Raw milk contains beneficial bacteria that protects against pathogens and contributes to a healthy flora in the intestines. Culturing milk greatly enhances its probiotic and enzyme content, making it a therapeutic food for our digestive system and overall health. So the answer to the question is--go ahead and drink milk only if you can get unprocessed milk from pastured cows. In the meantime, here are a few steps that can help you make the transition to more natural dairy products. STEP 1: Remove Commercial Milk from Your Diet Normally I propose a step-by step process for making a dietary change, but considering where commercial milk has come from, and what it has been through, it is best to just remove it from the diet altogether. Instead use some of the better quality dairy products such as raw cheese, good quality whole yogurt, butter and cream that has not been ultrapasteurized. (You can use butter or cream mixed with water on breakfast porridge.) Check the Weston A. Price Foundation Shopping Guide for a listing of good quality dairy products sold in supermarkets and health food stores. STEP 2: Find a Source of Real Milk in Your Area In states like California, this is easy because raw milk is sold in health food stores. In other states you need to either purchase raw milk from a farm or through a cow-share program. The best place to start is by contacting your local chapter or visiting the realmilk.com website. Most people who cannot tolerate commercial milk do beautifully on Real Milk--milk that comes from pastured cows, that contains all the fat and that is unprocessed. It is an especially good food for growing children who need extra nutrients during their growing years. REFERENCES Nutrition News and Views, Nov/Dec 1999, Vol 3, No.6, p. 2. The Next Bad Beef Scandal?" US News & World Report, September 1, 1997. Nutrition News and Views, Nov/Dec 1999, Vol 3, No.6, p 2. Mark Kastel, Down on the Farm: The Real BGH Story- Animal Health Problems, Financial Troubles," published by Rural Vermont, 1991. Andrew Christiansen, Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone: Alarming Tests, Unfounded Approval: The Story Behind the Rush to Bring rBGH to Market," published by Rural Vermont, 1991. http://www.hfa.org/. This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2003. About the Author Lori Lipinski is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, lecturer and writer whose articles have been published and quoted in highly respected national and international health journals and books. Lori developed the "Making the Transition" series to help people transition toward a REAL food diet, one step at a time.

A different way to love



We are really asking the Holy Spirit how is the best way to be living, breathing Christ in the earth today. This has been an extremely hard (and beyond) way of living. Where we personally been at is studying, reflecting, and going deep into the life of Christ in the gospels and allowing our lives to reflect the same thing. What a challenge in every way. The cost is high and the sacrifice is great.

Chicago Gay Pride Parade

The deeper we minister to own convictions, it seems the more conflict we run into, and its not from unbelieving folks. This is probably where many different Christians disagree, which is ok. Not everyone will see eye to eye, but working together despite it speaks great volumes in the least. When we observe the life of Jesus, the only ones he ever rebuked were religious people, the believing people of that day. But when I look at how he ministered to the lost it was really different. I'm not speaking about a message of tolerance or intolerance, because He would tell people to stop from sinning. But the love we observed was how He ate, He drank, He went into their (sinners, tax collectors, adulterers) homes. He loved them where they were at. And when he was confronted by the pharisees about his heretic acts, he said "is it not the sick who need a doctor?"

There's two problems we have found in the Church when ministering to the lost. The first is, the lost dont want to listen to our message of "intolerance" because they feel hated, judged and misunderstood by us. (Truth is, many of us as believers have looked to the lost as projects and not people). They indirectly hate us and have already closed their hearts to our message. What if we actually came to people like Jesus did with the Samaritan women, gave them a life reading and then told them the way to true life? There is a huge brokenness and disconnect from the Church and the lost. We believe in order to even get them to a place where they can receive our message, we must be willing to love them where they're at. The "I'm Sorry" shirts, shouldn't be mis-read. The man who started that was not a tolerant man. He didn't agree with homosexuality (like so many churches are allowing these days) but he was looking for a solution. He was looking for the mending of broken hearts to the spirit of Christ, which is always LOVE. The man who started it was accused by every religious figure about his tolerance, but when you read his story you will find that it was not the spirit he was operating under. He was truly a man looking for a reconcilation, for a solution......and we need one, really bad.

The second problem we have found is that many Christians (who preach an intolerance message) do NOT actually have friends that are lost. Most believers will tell you that homosexuality shouldn't be tolerated and when we ask them if they have a homosexual friend, most do not. Were not talking about you know someone who is gay, or you have a relative who is gay. We're talking about having a friend, someone you hang out with, have gotten to know, gotten to appreciate in your life. The problem lies in that we would rather preach intolerance then actually get to know these individuals, with hearts, with minds, with feelings. They believe their beliefs are as real as our own. So how do we become all things to all men without compromising the message? Do we have a meal, hang out, get to know these individuals the way Jesus did before we cast the stone? By putting love on first, by word and action, the other stuff will follow. I DO NOT believe a message of love is tolerance. I DO believe that has been the fall of the Church in this case. But I also believe we need to put on love and the spirit of reconcilation and begin reconciling people's heart to the love of Christ. This will come in asking for forgiveness in where we have erred. And we have; we have judged, condemned and even told people they are not loved by God for their lifestyles. Maybe not us personally, but we need a man who will stand in the gap for such self-righteous accusations. Who is the accuser of the brethren but the devil himself. I am a woman that is not without sin and I cannot cast a stone at another because of it.

 I was hestitant to share all that, but I felt it was important that you hear our heart in that. To judge a group by saying they are being over-zealous and mis-led is a big accusation. But that is what is happening with the group of "I'm Sorry" believers at different gay pride events. And I can tell you that if we were to ever do something similar there would have been a lot of thought, a lot of prayer and a lot of biblical confirmation to go along with us when we make a decision like that. I understand that not every Christian is going to agree on certain things, but my hope is that honor would still be among believers even when they don't agree. We can't sustain new wine in a old wineskin. We believe, in this time and hour, God is doing a new thing if we will let him. We're going to have to think outside the box and try different things if we want to truly reach the lost.

What do you think? What do you think it would look like loving people the way Jesus did?

Worship Album Coming Soon!

Check out MY WEBSITE!

You get a FREE DOWNLOAD when you sign up or share the page!

Live Music and Art Auction!

 

Come join us for an EPIC night of LIVE MUSIC with special contriuting artists: HOLLY KLUGE, EMILY NEWTON, MARK BITTLE and JAZZ BAND, CRYSTAL JACKEL and JOHN FENTRESS!!!! We will be having a silent art auction with several different prophetic artists, including: SHERI MORT...ILARRO, JOSHUA LOPEZ from SELAH Prophetic Art, MOLLY O'RILEY, CHRISTINE MATTA and MORE! Please join us this night! Caricature drawings of yourself will be available as well on the spot as well! Everything contributed will be raised for Burn 24-7 Ireland! Thanks to Katie Hagstrom and the team @ Cafe Aviv, 20% of all barista sales that night go towards Ireland as well!

If you would like to contribute a piece to the auction please contact me! crystaljackel@gmail.com

Come join this awesome night of great music, aromatic coffee and beautiful art!

God has been doing a wonderful work in our lives here with Burn Rochester. An exciting door has opened for our team from the Burn 24-7 family to go to Ireland, Wales and England in September!!!! God is sending us to the nations! But WE NEED YOUR HELP!

How can you help? COME and enjoy a night of music, art and creativity in support of our Ireland trip this September!

The Burn is diverse in expression, non-denominational in affiliation, simple in focus, and missional in practice."Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks" (John 4:23). This is the heartbeat of the Burn — to see the Father’s dream for this generation realized. We have heard the call from the Lord to go and are taking this step of faith, God is going to do amazing things both corporately and individually. This will be our first missions trip as a team outside of the United States! Our hearts are being stirred for the nation of Ireland! We are going to cry out to the Lord for revival and to minister in the streets as the Lord leads! Ireland has a rich history as being a place of great revival and our desire is that He would move in Ireland in an even greater way than before. The latter rain will be greater than the former! We say THANK YOU for partnering with us!

This benefit will be aiding these team members: Brandon and Crystal Jackel, Cheri Poirier and Kelley Valentine!!! All money raised will go directly to each individual evenly.

For more info on contributing artists:
Holly Kluge, Crystal Jackel, Emily Newton, Sheri Mortillaro, and Joshua Lopez

Loving radically

Greetings family and friends!!!

 Burn Rochester Crew

Sorry its been a good month since we've shared any news! We have been EXTREMELY busy on 

God adventures! In the past year we have experienced incredible measures of God’s presence by mobilizing the corporate body of Christ in the Rochester region to a place of worship and prayer. Monthly we gather night and day fulfilling the greatest commandment, loving the Lord our God." In the place of “worship and intercession” we are raising up a generation of people who walk in “first love". We believe the second commandment (loving people) flows out of the first commandment (loving God). Therefore, BURN 24-7 is a movement centered on His presence." Our primary ministry is to the Lord and then to man. In one year we have experienced great momentum in the midst of raising three children, working and going to school full time. His Grace has been sufficient and His Presence has been leading us. Out of the place of loving God, spending countless hours in His presence, a time came to begin to fulfill the great commission." Since August of 2012 our BURN ROCHESTER CREW has taken ten different domestic mission trips Because Jesus said, “you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth.” "As we have tarried with the Lord for countless hours in His presence,we can honestly say we have been filled with power! We have left our Jerusalem (Rochester) and have begun to travel abroad to several different cities including: Chicago IL, Harrisburg PA, Wilmington and Middletown OH, Cambridge and Salem MA, Port Huron and Detroit MI, Kansas City MO, Jerusalem Israel, Austin TX, and San Francisco CA, and soon to be Belfast, Ireland!!!!

Raising up Radical Lovers...

Our Vision: Regional transformation through loving God and loving people.

Our Mission: Discipleship through teaching the commandments of Christ: Loving God and loving people.

Looking back at our travels God has used our team's gifts to unconventionally build up His Body in every city. It has become clear we don’t need a ministry name, nor do we need a platform. All we need is LOVE! Jesus said, “If you love Me you obey me.” Out of love we have taken the initiative to say YES when Jesus tells us to DO something. We have seen it with our eyes. Every time we follow through with what we are hearing, His Spirit comes and people get touched with His presence. We are compelled by His love, captivated by His beauty, and smitten by His faithfulness. We've given our hearts fully to Him!

Sound of the Bride Worship Album!

 

We need you! Please prayerfully consider partnering with us on this project!

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

We're going to Ireland!

GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND MAKE DISCIPLES...

If God’s ways are higher than our ways, how does one articulate glory?! When His presence comes, everything is caught up in a swirl of love, wonder, awe, thankfulness, anticipation, suspense, and power. Before you know it you get plowed by His spirit because you’re laughing, shouting, crying, and trembling all at once. What brings this incredible array of heaven? Is it music? Song, melody, heart, rhythm, and harmony being the vehicle of heavenly joy? Maybe it’s our prayers. Supplication, thanksgiving, petitioning, decreeing, interceding and groaning, attracting the heart of God. We believe a broken heart and a contrite spirit He does not despise. This is the extent of what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard in the unending times of worship and prayer. Since August our BURN ROCHESTER CREW has taken nine different domestic mission trips. Why? Because Jesus, said “But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the Earth." As we have tarried with the Lord for countless hours, being in His presence, we can honestly say that we have been filled with power! We have left our Jerusalem (Rochester) and have begun to travel to several different cities including: Chicago, IL, Harrisburg, PA, Willmington and Middletown, OH, Cambridge and Salom MA, Port Huron and Detroit MI, Kansas City, MO, Jerusalem, Israel, Harrisburg, PA, Austin, TX. Looking back at our travels, God has used our gifts to unconventionally build up his Body in every city. We don’t need a ministry name, nor do we need a platform. All we need is LOVE! Jesus said, “If you love me you obey me.” Out of love, we have taken the initiative to say YES when Jesus tells us to DO something.

And we are saying YES to Him as He leads us this Fall to IRELAND! There is a rich history in Ireland of non-stop worship and praise that lasted three hundred years in Vangor, Ireland. We will be going to the streets of Dublin and to the Ireland Burn in Belfast, as well as monumental sites in history where we will pray and release our adoration to the King of Kings! The Lord is calling us to tarry the nation, unlock the wells of revival and to see the people of Ireland walk in their inheritance. We continue to covet your prayers! We are in need of raising $3900 by August. This will cover the cost for housing, food and transportation. PLEASE PARTNER WITH US ONCE AGAIN! Please send tax-deductible checks to: Elim Fellowship, 1703 Dalton Rd., Lima, NY 14485 (please write Brandon and Crystal Jackel in memo). Thank you again!

With unwavering love,

Brandon and Crystal Jackel

family

 

California!

What’s up everybody!!!!  We want to send word back to the east coast of all the incredible encounters we had in California.  It was a true honor to link shields with Roger Joyner and the Burn crew in Oroville, California!  The city of Oroville has a large number in poverty and they are contending for renewed hope in their region.  We believe God is raising up the Tabernacle of David in Oroville, and believing hope-deferred would be eradicated and renewed hope and the testimony of Jesus would triumph in the region.

The highlight of our journey was spending quality time with the Oroville BURN.  It was a blessing to encounter a crew who is as passionate and hungry for the presence of God as you all are.  It encouraged our heart to see a company of radical lovers of God tarring through the late night and crying out for restoration in the early morning.  These people are true contenders to see justice, love, and mercy established in their land. 

While in California, we also had the opportunity to visit Bethel in Redding.  Our hearts were encouraged as we sat under the ministry of Bill Johnson, Kris Valloton, and other honorable fathers of the faith.  As great of an experience this was, I can honestly say the highlight was to plow and pioneer a resting place for God in Orville.  Something legendary happens spending countless hours with people who have pioneering hearts.  I’m thankful for the regions in our nation where a Kingdom culture has been established such as Redding, CA.  But I can honestly say I desire to see greater things than these in regions such as Oroville and Rochester.  Why?  Because we are standing on the shoulders of leaders such as Bill Johnson.  THEIR CEILING HAS BECOME OUR FLOOR!!!!!

Lastly we had a great opportunity to visit San Francisco, with Roger and his wife Gabriel.  These two led JHOP (Justice House of Prayer) in San Francisco for two years.  On our way to the city Roger gave testimony of their time in San Francisco.  The cry in his heart became contagious as a spirit of travail fell upon the car and we wept for the city.  Entering into the city limits we spent most of our time in prayer as we visited the AIDS memorial and the Castro District, the largest homosexual community in our nation.  Our cry has become,

“Lord, raise up your house of prayer in San Francisco!  Raise up a company of people who carry an anointing to break the back of HIV!!!  Let us see a movement in our day that would contend for the deliverance of those who wrestle with homosexuality, and a community of  believers who will love San Fransisco into their destiny!”

Returning home we have great expectancy in our heart to see further break-through within the Rochester region.  This is why we are alive on the Earth!  This is why Jesus has entrusted to us the ministry of reconciliation!  We won’t bow our knee to mediocrity!  Nor will we tolerate a form of Godliness with no power!  We are lovers at heart, and warriors by trade!  It has been such an honor to love and cry with you all.  We are who we are today because we have found a company of people to live with and a company of people to die with.  I’m convinced that the  keys in fulfilling the destiny of our lives fall in the hands of our brothers and sisters.  Please continue to unlock our dreams as we fervently and persistently unlock yours.  With an unyielding love, we look forward to reuniting our hearts with yours.    

One will put one thousand to flight but two, ten thousands,

Love Always,
Brandon and Crystal 

the last 6 months

With every place we've been traveling and ministering in we've been purchasing A starbucks coffee cup.

This reminds us while we're having our cup of joe in the morning to pray and bless the cities we have been too.

Obviously, Israel didn't have Starbucks so we settled for a local brand there :D

Who is Israel?

I have had a word burning in me since I've been in Israel that I never really got a chance to release. I often look back at our trip and am in complete amazement. I literally only slept 4 days out of the 9 we were there! Now thats a supernatural wonder! And I'm still in awe of the strength that came to the team while we were there. I think we've only tasted the true significance of this trip for us all.

So, I need to be obedient and rightfully share this word that I tarried through the night with while we were in Israel. If it speaks to you may God take you on your own journey through the scriptures and even begin to teach the Church about who she really is.

The word is this - Israel is a physical place, with a significant promise. But its the spiritual Israel that has been neglected in us that leads us to neglect her as a nation.

Who is Israel?

Why would God say, "I choose Judah and Jerusalem as my possession." (zechariah. 2:12) and also say through Peter speaking to "aliens" that they are a chosen people, a royal preisthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession (1 Peter 1:1, 2:9) and also Paul say to Gentiles that God CHOSE them for salvation FROM THE BEGINNING? (2 thes. 2:13)

Are we ALL God's chosen people?

Does Israel only make-up Jewish believers or does it just include New Covenant believers (replacement theology)? Or does it include them both?

We must understand that God NEVER said He makes His covenant with the House of Jews or with the House of Gentile believers. He said He makes His covenant with the House of Israel! So we must rightly define who Israel is to know who He is making covenant with.

Exodus 4:22 says, "Israel is my son, my firstborn."But who is really God's firstborn son, the son of many sons? Yeshua Messiah! He is the true son, Who will join Israel together in the last days. Isaiah 49:1-6

Israel IS the true Bride of Christ. When the Church recognizes they are a part of Israel, a part of the seed of Abraham (Hebrews 2:16), who is joined together by Yeshua, it is then that she is truely able to carry the heart of God for Israel. The joining of Ephraim and Judah, which I believe are the two olive trees in Revelation, is symbloic of the one new man....The Bride He is coming back for without spot or wrinkle (this is why Jew and Gentile must walk hand in hand). We are Israel. And there is a deep deep mystery when we come into the understanding that we are a part of her. Think about this - Abraham was not born jew. He was a man without a God....he worshipped the sun, moon and stars. But then God revealed Himself to Abram and he believed, changing his name to Abraham. It was Abrahams faith that God brought the promise. His faith bore him a people chosen by God (which also made him the first Jew). It is also by your faith that you too bear the promise.....the promise of life.

Summary

I know this is a lot and could be an exhaustive study (and should become one). But simply this is what I heard the Lord digging deep within my heart. Rev. 21:9 Who is Israel? This is the real question. Is it physical or spiritual? Is it both? Physical Israel and God's covenant He made with them is a foreshadow of the covenant promise He is making with the Spiritual Israel, His Bride, His Beloved.

I believe we are leaving in defining times right now. The Church is being redefined by going back to the foundational example Christ gave by breaking bread with one another and fulfilling the greatest commandment to love God and love people. Though there are some who would like to remain in the old wineskin... God is doing a NEW THING (Is. 43:19). He is bringing brothers and sisters together to dwell together in love and unity. We must not forsake Israel, for we are a part of her. This is why America's choices for our stance with Israel is so important. An attack on Israel is direct attack on both the Jew and the Gentile believer. We MUST see ourselves as one. It is only then that we can genuinely pray for her, stand with her and be joined to her. Some stay in the old, while other replace the new with the old. I believe Jesus fulfilled the law by marrying the two. Food for thought.

have park days really begun?

some recent pics of the pretty flowers this late winter

(but its a tease with all this nice weather!)

a riddle

I'm the centerpiece in the American home

I'm worshipped everyday.

You even arrange your furniture around me.

Now I am at the gym, and sometimes at every machine.

You love to spend time with me that life would be hard without me.

I've become one of the family and I' m treated with honor

I teach quanitity, not quality, because thats what life's really about.

The more you take in the better you can live your life in the satisfaction of others living.

I make you feel good instantly, that you can't help to come back again and again.

I'm aware that bigger is better and so you save to make sure I am just that.

In fact, put me in every room and you'll be sure to make everyone in the house feel better.

I am your safety. I am pleasure. I am entertainment.

Who am I?

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.

overcome by presence....

It’s hard to describe glory! In fact it’s almost impossible. If God’s ways are higher than our ways how does one articulate glory! When His presence comes everything is caught up in a swirl of love, wonder, awe, thankfulness, anticipation, suspense, and power. Before you know it you get plowed by His spirit because you’re laughing, shouting, crying, and trembling all at once. What brings this... incredible array of heaven? Is it music? Song, melody, heart, rhythm, and harmony being the vehicle of heavenly joy. Maybe it’s our prayers. Supplication, thanksgiving, petitioning, decreeing, interceding and groaning attracting the heart of God. Nevertheless a broken heart and a contrite spirit He does not despise. This is the extent of what our senses perceived in that prayer room. And this is just a taste of even greater things to come.

Leaving the House of Prayer we made our way into the Upper Room. Wow! I’ll never forget the acoustics in this place. Spontaneous praise broke out as our hearts were flooded with love, joy, and goodness. It wasn’t long after when the same thing happened at the pool of Bethsaida. What started off as a single man leading a chorus with a simple chord progression turned into a harmonious choir of worship. Presence was filling the atmosphere and Jesus was drawing all men to Himself.

View from the top of Mount Carmel!!!!

Looking down at the Valley of Jezreel

Israel, only the beginning

My eyes opened at 5:45. Perfect I have to be up by 6 anyway. I felt wide awake and ready to start my day. I almost did until I realized that it was only 1am in the morning in Israel and the 5:45 on my phone was PM, echoing Eastern Standard Time. To say the least I couldn’t fall back asleep. That’s when a rooster began to crow. Crowing is an understatement. You would think this bird was howling at the moon. However it brought life to the story of when the cock crowed three times after Peter denied his Lord. “Wow, this is crazy” I thought to myself. Israel, Jerusalem, Jet Lack, and Crowing roosters early in the morning. I thought it didn’t get better than this until I heard Muslim prayers and chants bellowing outside my window several hours later. With the atmosphere filled with dark chants of hopelessness my heart began to conceive a cry for the city of Jerusalem.

After a helping of some incredible cheerios we began our journey to the Old City of Jerusalem. Passing through the Damascus gate we made our way to the Wailing Wall. We were going to have to revisit this monumental place seeing that we only had a short window of time to make it through security. Passing through security was more intimidating than customs at the airport. It’s not every day when you observe Israeli and Palestine soldiers caring around machine guns as if they were some type of accessory. This nation is truly in war, I thought to myself. And we were about to ascend to the most fought after piece of land on the face of planet Earth. Our minds can only fathom the spiritual war engaged over this land. Who will occupy the high place? Principalities and spiritual hosts of wickedness or myriads of angels.

Psalm 24 began to resonate in my Spirit. “The Earth is the Lords and the fullness there in. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place. He who has clean hands and a pure heart, which has not lift up his soul to an idol.” As we made our ascent sobriety entered my mind. How could it be that the very place that once radiated the glory of God through His temple was now the location of a gold Muslim dome? Even though the dome of the rock was an impressive sight the cry in my heart toward the city of Jerusalem began to grow. The sights, the smells, the views were astonishing on the temple mount. There is much to be said pertaining to the Eastern Gate, the Mt. of Olives and the Kendron Valley but words do such an injustice when God gave us five senses to take in the beauty of what was created. Besides we were on our way now to the City of David.

The city of David was astonishing. Seeing the foundations of David’s palace and being near the ground of where his tabernacle was erected for 33 years was very intriguing. As much as I would have longed to be part of the community of David’s Tabernacle years ago, I looked around and presently saw myself part of an even more glorious company of people. A people living in a better covenant, built upon better promises, experiencing a better out pouring. Oh how the later rains are greater than the former and we were about to experience some of that glory rain as we entered into a House of Prayer that is the closest prayer room to where the original Tabernacle of David was erected. Come On!!! It doesn’t get better than this. I would love to continue to write more, but I feel sleep deprived and once again heaven is waiting for our partnership tomorrow morning.

- Brandon J

Struggling with weight

MY FIRST GUEST POST!!!!!

****************** DAVE POIRIER ****************

Who happens to also be my dad :^) Be inspired!!!

I'm writing this because my daughter (Crystal) suggested that I may be able to help others by gleaming from my experience of dealing with excess weight. I didn’t even realize how much of a weight problem I developed over the years. It was as if I was living in denial. I was just like the frog that boiled to death and didn’t even know it. Put a frog in water, and when the water temperature is increased, ever so slightly, the frog will eventually boil to death without a chirp.

Another thought that comes to mind is when I used to smoke. I would say, “I really like to smoke.” Then one day I realized, I didn’t like it when I first tried it. Funny, the first time I tried a smoke I coughed and hacked through the whole experience. Eventually I turned addict, and denial set in. Slow weight gain can act the same way. Eventually you’re eating your way to an unhealthy lifestyle, and potentially an early grave.

Truth is, I’ve always had a problem with weight and for awhile I kind of controlled it by smoking (curved my appetite). Smoking is a TERRIBLE habit, and it took all I had to give it up. But it's worth it! It was about ten years ago when I quit, and like so many others before me, I began packing on the weight. I gradually put on about 50 lb growing from 190 to 240. In my mid 40’s the doctor put me on blood pressure medication, and most recently was introduced to a C-Pap machine, a unit helping you breath at night. The real issue was keeping my wife up all night with loud snoring, also caused from large deposits of fatty tissue in my nasal and throat passages. Everything was weight related! It was time I woke up from the denial.

(Me, back in the day)

Like the frog or the confident smoker, I didn’t see myself as being THAT overweight. I was blind, looking in the mirror, still seeing myself as if I was in high school. Now that’s funny! Here’s a guy 50 lbs over-weight, approaching 50, and thinks he’s still all that hunk! Then my youngest began to struggle with excess weight. As the years went by, the problem continued to grow and I didn’t know what to do. The situation affects the family dynamics, long with my marriage, and we still struggle with the best approach with what to do. So, we pray……continually.

It was praying and asking on behalf of my daughter when God answered. "Son," He said, "how can you expect anything from your child that's not operating in your own life first?" That’s it! Soon after the Lord spoke this to me, my employer had enlisted Weight Watchers to help employees lose weight. I jumped at the opportunity!

BEFORE and AFTER: Going for a run w/Brandon

So, now I'm 40 lbs (soon to be 50) lighter, off the blood pressure meds, off the C-Pap machine, all after changing my diet! WW is teaching me healthy ways to eat and how to listen to my body's hunger signs. I'm no longer addicted to food. They promote a lower fat, low carbohydrate intake while increasing protein and fiber. Regular exercise is also important (1/2 hour of exercise a day). I didn’t do that right away. So if your new to it, it's ok. I started very gradual, running further and further every week. And now I'm running 6 miles consistently! I never thought I'd be doing that at 50! If I can do it, you can do it too!

If you're struggling with getting healthy I HIGHLY encourage you to begin changing your diet and eating whole foods that are natural and nutrition-dense. This is what your body needs.

WW also introduced me to a varied number of supplements that I found beneficial and take on a regular basis:

1. Psyllium husk – (2) table spoons every morning – See http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-psyllium-husk.html , or read about it on Dr. OZ.
2. Chia seeds – Great fiber super supplement, put in all kinds of food, reduces points for yogurt from (2) to (1) point because of the extra fiber. See: http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/lindsey-duncan-nd-cn/chia-ancient-super-secret
3. Astaxanthin (10 gm) – (1) a day. Great antioxidant.

2012 brings in a new era at the Poirier household. My wife has embraced most of the new changes and has 110% supported the healthy lifestyle approach (it works best when everyone’s in the same boat). Our general practitioner has given my youngest approval to join WW this year and we find that the new insurance will cover some of the cost. So, here's to a year surrounded by God’s favor (2 Peter 3-11)!! Be blessed!