LIVING PROOF

Hello blog! Long time no see! Had something worth writing about today, though.

Today is what I like to call Security Day. A year ago today, April 24, 2010, was the Beth Moore So Long, Insecurity simulcast. It was the wrap up to 9 weeks of going through the book by the same title on the Living Proof Ministries blog. About a year and a half ago, my pastor brought up my insecurity. I felt God wanting to change that. The very next day, my lovely Siesta Mama, Beth Moore, announced the release of So Long, Insecurity on her blog as well as the fact that she'd be leading us through it if we chose to participate. As I participated and met with my pastor, my security began to grow. God was in the process of transforming my life. Finally, it was time for the simulcast. Beth chose to focus on Ephesians 4:17-24:

"With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy." (NLT)

My old way of life had been corrupted from the deception that came from believing things about myself that weren't true based on ways people had treated me and lies. But after learning the truth that comes from Christ, the TRUTH about who I am, I was able to nail my old way of living to the cross with Christ and be raised to a new way of living with Him. I was ready to put on my new way of living created to be like God.

Yep, today is Security Day, but it is also Easter. The fact that they fall on the same day this year has tremendous meaning for me. Christ died so that I might be free from my insecurity, as well as other sins. Today, I am not just celebrating Christ's death and resurrection, but also the fact that I AM LIVING OF PROOF of what His death and resurrection are still accomplishing today. I am not just celebrating Christ's general victories, but His undeniable victories in my life that I have experienced. I am celebrating the fact that God is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do. I am celebrating that I am who God says I am and can do all things through Christ. I am celebrating that God's Word is alive and active in me and truly is life altering. I am more than a conqueror in Christ! Do I still struggle with insecurity? Of course, but not nearly as bad as I did before God began the process of ridding me of insecurity. It is a process, and one that God and I are continuing to take on together.

As I reflect, I have on my wrist my wristband from Living Proof Live in Fresno. I decided to keep it on until my rain comes. Every time I look at my wrist, I see the words "LIVING PROOF", and I am reminded that I am living proof of the power of the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!

VOTE JOY!

Hey, everyone! The Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization founded by actress Mariska Hargitay (Detective Olivia Benson on Law and Order: SVU) is in the running for a $250,ooo grant from Pepsi Refresh. If they win a grant, the grant will be used to help survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. To win the grant, they most be voted into one of the top 2 spots. you can help by clicking on the attached link and voting every day through February 28. This cause is very close to my heart. Please click on the link and help JHF win a one of these grants! VOTE JOY for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse!


http://www.refresheverything.com/votejoy

I'm Still Alive!

I thought I'd post something since I haven't posted in awhile. Ah, school! And work (thank God)! I got out of that pit with the help of my good friend (atleast I like to think so) Beth Moore. I am excited about writing the book that I feel commissioned to write. God has been encouraging me along the way and teaching me how to do this. Take that, Satan! I am also loving the teaching gift that I once thought I absolutely did not want. They say that someone who has the gift of worship will get fired up after seeing great worship. That's how it was for me at the Stockton LPL. Beth got me fired up about teaching. I am using this gift now as a high school youth group leader, and LOVING it! I am growing so much before embracing it, and Scott (my awesome pastor) has noticed a big change in my confidence level. I love that teaching brings me closer to God by forcing me to dig down deeper and to more actively engage in conversation with God!

I am happy to also say that Covenant Grove Church launched almost a month ago! Please keep our church in your prayers. We can't wait to see what God will do through the Grove!

God's been doing huge things in my life lately, and I am so incredibly grateful to Him! I would not trade walking with my Almighty Bridegroom for anything in the world! I pray that you also will feel His loving arms around you, no matter what season your life is in! God bless!

Book Update And A Prayer Request

Hey, everyone. As of now, the book officially has a beginning. God provided an awesome introduction (at least I think so) to help get me started. I'm still in the beginning process of taking notes, but for someone like me who is afraid of having absolutely no idea how to put a book together, having a beginning to the actual book gives me hope. So far God has been guiding me through this and providing resources, so I'm pretty sure this is something He wants me to do. Also, I as I read about videos being made by people who think that Prop 8 was all about hate, I feel that it is important to get this book about why marriage is sacred and how it represents our relationship to God done and out on shelves as soon as possible. One thing that frustrates me in the argument for gay marriage is the main argument: "Love is love." I want to provide a detailed description about the love in marriage and where it comes from, because "love is love," just doesn't satisfy my philosophical mind.

Please pray for me as Satan is attacking me throughout this process and I know he will continue to so even after the book is published. Currently, I am struggling with fears of incompetence. I have no idea how to write a book and I am afraid it won't turn out very well. I'm so afraid of failing. Please keep me in your prayers and pray that I will faithfully follow God through this and trust Him to guide me through it. My world the past year has been one where I have experienced so much hate from people because I believe marriage is sacred and is meant to be between one man and one woman. Sometimes I feel like the book will have no impact other than to make a target for a larger group of people looking for someone to take their anger out on. But then I remember Jesus on the cross. Satan came at Him with a large crowd of mockers, but He trusted in the power of God and the victory went to the ONE backed by the power of God, not to the many who mocked God. I'm going to trust that God will do the same with this book. Please, if you are reading this blog, I ask that you would stop by every once in awhile and leave a comment of encouragement to help me along. You have no idea how much I would appreciate it along this difficult journey! Thank you and God bless! I'll give you another update soon!

Prayer Request

Hi, everyone. I just talked to a young woman that Brad Wiiliams, Nicole Naravage, and I served with at an aborigine church in the southern part of Taiwan last year. The church was very small and within walking distance from a river in Pingtung County, which was hit hard by the typhoon. Fortunately, the person I talked to was not in the area and is fine, but she said that the village is full of water and someone is still missing in the river. Roads and bridges were also damaged, and the road to Pingtung is closed, so family members are unable to get down there. Please pray for that the person who is still missing will be found safe, as well as for all the others who are still missing. Please also pray that God will provide the much needed help and funds to repair the damage. Last but not least, please pray that God will bring good from this disaster by using it to bring people to Him. Thank you. Your prayers are much appreciated!

Don't Take The Girl

Hello peoples! I was driving home from my grandma's house tonight and Tim McGraw's song "Don't Take the Girl" came on the radio. The part where the wife is dying after having their baby and he pleads with God to let him take her place totally reminded me of Jesus on the cross. He came down to plead for God to take Him instead. Here's the verse of the song:

"Take the very breath You gave me.
Take the heart from my chest.
I'll gladly take her place if You'll let me.
Make this my last request.
Take me out of this world.
God, please don't take the girl."

Just like the song Jesus sang for us, His Bride, up there on the cross. Jesus showed us that GOD IS WILLING TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING EXCEPT US!!! Granted, He'll let us go if we choose to walk away, but He gave up EVERYTHING to hold on to those that choose Him. This song reminds me so much of God's love for His Bride. He gave His riches, and ultimately His life so that we might be spared. Take a few moments to reflect on this. God loves YOU more than ANYTHING! Out of every wonderful thing that God created, WE are His most treasured possession! I don't have the words to express how this makes me feel as I soak it in!

I pray for you to experience life in full knowledge of the fact that YOU are His Beloved! May He be with you on your journey. God bless!

Hesed

I AM IN TOTAL AWE OF GOD RIGHT NOW!!! The focus in youth group this summer has been examining the ways certain words are defined by our culture and how they are defined by God in the Bible. Tonight's word? LOVE!!! Scott spent a lot of time explaining the Hebrew word "hesed" to us. Hesed translates to steadfast, unchangeable covenant love. I looked it up on Yahoo a little while ago, and found a wonderful article about it and how it relates to Christ as the Bridegroom loving the church as His Bride! God has been doing such awesome things in my life this summer! I am so grateful to have been given 2 dramatically life changing summers in a row! He has been answering so many prayers this summer, especially since LPL. He's even starting to open up financial doors. I'm seeing the doors to the ministry He's been working in my heart to pursue open up, and cannot express the joy in my heart! Psalm 37:4 says, " Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." How wonderfully true! I'm loving the path He has placed me on! He has such an amazing plan for me, and I intend to follow Him and experience His love to the fullest.

Oh, and I forgot to mention in the last post that on the day I ended up going to see Julie & Julia, there happened to be a quote from Beth Moore in my inspirational daily planner. Not intentional (at least by me ;) ). My life's been kinda weird since God introduced that woman into my life, and not just because she's weird (which I LOVE!). I'm glad God tricked me into doing a Beth Moore Bible study. :) It's strange how someone I've never actually met in person has had such a big impact on my life.

As promised, here are a couple pictures of my precious kitty. :)

So angelic!


This was when she was sick a couple of weeks ago. Poor kitty.

And here's a picture of Stefano taking a nap.

May God bless you as you walk with Him and may you feel the love that he lavishes upon you! Trust in Him and the plans He has for you. They are MARVELOUS! Gros bisous! XOXO