My heart on Christmas...

I started writing this last week, and it has been on my heart to put out there since probably the beginning of December.

(I deleted a few younger children off my facebook page for the time being. I know it's up to their parents to let them hear and read something like this. I respect the whole parent/guardian thing. And for the record, I've never told any children in my class, or any children at all, that Santa isn't real. I know that isn't my job/position.)


I don't usually parade around with clashing cymbals and big signs, making a big spectacle about how I don't celebrate Christmas and why. But I don't celebrate it and I never will again. And if you ask me why I don't, I will be more than happy to tell you. Personally, I think it is much, much more important to just show people the Love of Christ and through sharing Him with people, they can begin to decide if they want to celebrate Christmas still or not based off how they feel and their heart. It's a choice. Is not celebrating Christmas going to save someone? No! Coming into a true relationship with Jesus and the Father will breathe spiritual life into a soul. What if you don't celebrate Christmas because of the "knowledge" and background someone gives you about it, but you still don't KNOW Jesus. And what a beautiful, power, living Savior He is and can be for your soul. What if you only know Him as words. Or a guy that died on the cross for our sins, but you really don't even understand it or what it means for you and your life. What if He isn't alive in your life? Like truly alive...you just know of Him. But you don't celebrate Christmas because someone told you it's wrong and it's not really Christ's birthday and all the things attached to it are pagan and evil. I think if you start with the relationship part...every thing else will fall into place. The Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you to His plan for your life. And you will begin to do things out of that. The relationship is THE MOST important part. When you begin to truly allow The Holy Spirit into your life and your heart ("I wanna KNOW you intimately Lord! I want you to lead and guide my Life! Because I know with you, I am safe! I know your way will lead me to Life and Love!") and you actually surrender to Him, He will begin to move upon your inner most being like never before and you will never be the same. Then through the unveiling of who He is...the real, raw, true and living God....you can make decisions based off of that.

Before I go any further...I don't want any one to comment on this blog. This is for me to share why I don't celebrate Christmas. Not for there to be some big debate under it between those who celebrate it and those that don't. That's not why I am writing this. To prove a point. Or for anyone else to try and prove a point. I'm just sharing my heart and giving a greater understanding of why I don't, mostly to those that don't understand why I don't and probably think I am coo coo for not because they don't understand. I've expressed to others before why I don't..but it's really in my heart now and I think I can paint a better, clearer picture.

I want to make it clear that I don't Love my family any less for not taking part in Christmas anymore. This has everything to do with my relationship with Jesus. One of the hardest parts of making this change in my life was my family. My family is extremely precious to me and so very near and dear to my heart. ALWAYS. No matter where I am, no matter what it may "seem" like. I love my family deeply and it's a HUGE sacrifice for me to live away from them and not be physically able to be in the mix with them on a regular basis.

I want to begin with a true story. I have to change the name of the woman for professional reasons, being that I am going to mention her work place.
Sarah works at non-christian preschool. However, all the children in her class are Christian. One day, one of the parents gave her a Veggie Tales CD and a Jesus Lullabies CD. The parent had been cleaning out some things at the house and just decided to donate them. Sarah and the parent have become pretty close and talk about the Lord together often. It didn't really seem like anything when she handed the CDs to Sarah.

One day, Sarah's class was in their centers. Some building blocks, some making art, some putting puzzles together. It was really calm. It's not always really calm. So, Sarah decided to put the Jesus lullabies CD on and turn it fairly low. The CD was mostly instrumental anyway. It added to the calmness and peaceful atmosphere the students and Sarah were sharing together.

The next day, as soon as Sarah walked through the doors at work, her boss (the director) met her. With the Jesus lullabies CD. She told Sarah she was not allowed to play music like that. And one of her reasons was, that not every one is the same religion.

Before I go on, I just want to say that I know the director was just trying to do her job. As the director of a "non-christian pre-school".

However...this is what gets me!! You can't play a Jesus lullabies CD at the pre-school, but you can celebrate Christmas?? Isn't that supposed to be in honor of JESUS' "birthday"?? And you bring Easter in too. Which is supposedly about the death and resurrection of JESUS. All the while NOT bringing in any other "holidays" or traditions from any other religions (some schools do, but not all. especially in this particular case). It doesn't make sense.

Oh but it does. Because not one time, is the name of Jesus mentioned in the school. But Santa is! And Rudolf and Frosty. Who are all fake! "We do it for the kids". That gets me too. Because who can save your kid and be a refuge to your kid and protect your kid and heal your kid and lead and guide your kid to goodness and Life and Love? Certainly NOT Santa. Santa is alive to these kids, and Jesus is not.

They know of Him, but they don't know of the power and ability He posses. They know of Him as History and Future but not as the present. Not who He really is and who He can be to even a child, the most impressionable little thing in the world. That could be raised up to be a mighty man or woman of God, the greatest Lover of all. Even as a child...manifesting Light and goodness to others. Touching their hearts. Because even at an early age, they are learning about Jesus and He is alive in their lives.

Instead we give them Santa. We lie to them. Is that what Jesus teaches? To lie? To make something up that isn't real and deceive children? To take all the attention off of Jesus and what's real. I'm sorry, but that just hurts my heart and grieves me on the inside. All through December the kids make Santas and Reindeer and Stockings and Wreaths and Christmas Trees. Teachers and parents lying to them, saying "Santa is watching, you better be good." Or "if you don't be good, Santa isn't going to come." I can't tell you how many times I've heard that, this year alone. It's such deception for their little minds.

Don't children deserve better than that? Don't they deserve the truth? Realness. Don't we want people to be real and truthful to us 24/7? We don't realize how precious and innocent and sponge-like children are. You want to give Children gifts? You want to make them feel special? I'm ALL about that!! I'm not about Santa and Christmas. I'm not about making someone up to bring them these gifts. How much more special do you think it would be for them if all those gifts were given to them from their parents!!?? Or real people. Santa isn't real. Santa can't Love them. But they can sense and feel Love when it's coming from someone real in their life. Someone that means something to them. Someone they NEED Love from.

And don't they deserve Jesus instead? You think it's hard for a child to comprehend that something that is invisible is real. But if you open up Jesus into their lives, you would be surprised how a child can experience Him and Him become more real then you ever thought possible. I witness it every day. Children don't have as much corruption in them as adults. They don't have as much blocking them from the Spiritual realm. All that world weighing down on them. Worrying and thinking all day long. Children are just being. Floating around, being. And it's so easy for Jesus to come into their lives and walk with them every day. Becoming more and more real and tangible. So real that the child could teach us a thing or two.

Ya know...I'm not saying that NO ONE makes Christmas about Jesus. I know there are people's hearts that are really for Him this time of year. But we can't deny the fact that it's defiled. It's not sacred. It's mixed with some evil and pagan backgrounds. It's really the birthday of several god's. Evil gods. Here's just one website where you can read about it. (http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_sel.htm) We think evil doesn't exist? We want to turn our heads away from it and pretend that it isn't there? Look around? God doesn't go into a person and make them murder another. He doesn't cause rape or abuse or hurt or division in families. He doesn't create things to distract us from Him. He doesn't lie to us and torment us about ourselves. Causing low-self esteem, depression, insecurity, anorexia, bulimia. He doesn't want us to compare ourselves to others and compete. Or how bout suicide? What gets in a persons mind and drives them to that point? Certainly not God. Certainly not goodness. If we think for a second, there isn't evil AND there isn't doors we can open for evil to come into our lives, we are very, very wrong. That's why we need Jesus. He is the only one that will not lead us into destruction. You really gotta see the oppression the enemy puts on one's life to want to cry out for something that can save that person. Can you save them? Nope. But Jesus in you and through you can help a person. Evil can be defeated. So let's not put too big of an emphasis on that either. Because Jesus is and always will be bigger than evil. He is THE LIGHT. And wherever there is LIGHT, darkness CANNOT remain.

So, with all of that being said....there is MUCH more on where the traditions of Christmas come from. Santa, Christmas trees, ornaments, wreaths.... If you care to know, just take the time to do the research. If you want to know why you do what you do and if it comes from Jesus or Evil, then just take the time to look it all up. And of course ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the truth.

For me, I choose not to. And all that I've said is how I feel. I just don't want to be a part of it. I love Jesus and I'm SUPER thankful He was born. And I'll celebrate His birth. Just not on this day. I want to honor Him on more than just a couple days a year.  And being with family and showing them that they are special to me and Him. I'll take the family time, without the Christmas. I found that the word is actually made from two words..Christ and mass. Mass meaning death. If it's about His birth and life, why mass? You can look it up. And if you feel like, Molech too. A god they would sacrifice children to.


On top of all this...in the Bible, the Lord tells us to keep His feasts. Not "Jewish feasts" not "Hebrew feasts", HIS feasts. If you take a deeper look into the feasts, there is a BEAUTIFUL picture of Christ and His Bride. I'm not Jewish, but I do want to keep His feasts and I do. When the Jews set apart a day or week to honor the Lord, they don't play around. It's so sacred and Holy to them. Jehovah is so sacred and Holy to them. And when you can see Jesus and His bride in the feasts, and take part in the symbolism of it, it's a real powerful and reviving time of year.

Do I think I'm better then those that celebrate Christmas? No!! I just experienced some things and read up about some things and this is where I'm at and how I feel. This is what my heart looks like when it comes to Christmas. It means a lot to me.


I'm not perfect and I don't know every thing. I don't mind if you think I'm coo coo. I just really Love Jesus and know what He can do for someone. And I can't stand evil. I can't stand seeing people hurt and in bondage and have to suffer. I hate it! And I know with everything in me that Jesus is freedom! So I will proclaim Him for the rest of my life. And when I die, I hope you will remember me by how I always stood by my Lord and and His Love for me and how I wanted everyone to have Him. And how coo coo I was! lol!! This isn't about people at all. It never is. It's about how much I despise the enemy of God. And what he does to people.

He will be my song for all eternity!
Amen.
Written from the heart of a laid down lover in the making.
-MLB

We can be the trees. Yasha, the fire.

Yasha means: to be open, wide or free. To be safe. Free or Succor. Deliver. Help. Preserve. Rescue. Salvation. Save (-iour). Get victory. To be liberated. To save from moral troubles.

Yehovah is Yasha. 

That's Jesus' name in the Hebrew. It's split up into two words. Beautiful huh? It's who He is. Not some sissy white guy with a beard. He's power. He's alive. He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He breaks chains. He lights up dark places. He IS the Messiah! INHALE! He wants to live in you!! And be Yasha all through you! Seeping out of your pours!! Your breath! EXHALE! Once He becomes Yasha to you, you can exhale Yasha into another! Catch us on fire with you Lord! Let us ignite like a crazy wild fire! Spreading all over the place! Burning so bright and catching so fast, it can't be put out. YOU can't be put out!
We can be the trees! Yasha, the fire. Yehovah came as Yeshua so we could burn with this fire... to be open, wide or free. To be safe. Free or Succor. Deliver. Help. Preserve. Rescue. Salvation. Save (-iour). Get victory. To be liberated. To save from moral troubles. "My Love for you is stronger than death."

This song gets me every time! Oh, passion...

I want to point to you! I have every reason to!

About this video: Originally done by Justin Rizzo. But he didn't have this song up on youtube. So, this is a cover. Shout out to Bryan, whoever you are! Who obviously has a heart for the Lord. Bless him! Also, shout out to Justin Rizzo! If you have never heard of him, please check him out!

An old blog that I was thinking about this morning! And it made me smile. Thinking about Him and how much He Loves us! Be encouraged! And look for Him! He is there! Waiting for you to turn even just a little bit, toward Him!Or to just lay before Him and give Him your burdens...your mind...your heart...confusion...fear....He wants it. He wants to move in Your Life. SURRENDER!! SWEET SURRENDER!! ; )

I want to point to You. I have EVERY reason to!

"Come! COME! Behold! Here He is! Look at Him! Partake!!"

"This is Him! This is my Dad! My King! He's the best thing in the whole world! I know it! I promise you! Come!"

Then I see people running to You. Falling on their knees. Taking the path. The one that leads to You.
And I see tears in Your eyes.
And I know it's because they're returning.
It's because You love them and You're glad to have them home.
You're desperate to see their souls set free from every thing that's not of You.
Lies. Bondages. Sickness. Deception. Darkness. Oppression.
From every thing that causes them to limit You.
From every thing that causes them to settle.
From every thing that makes You look like something You're not.
You long for them to see who You truly are.
The One that created them.
The One that drew up their blueprint.
And Your tears are for all the time they didn't see You.
The real You.
All the time they didn't trust You.
All the time they chose other things over You.
While You know that You love them most. More than those "things".
All the time You just wanted them to know the Truth.
Wanting them to turn.
So You could Love on them.
The tears are for the reunion.
They joy.
The time has come.
They're back.
Your people.
Your children.

And You look back at me. And we smile at each other. And in the spirit we embrace each other. Because we both know what's happening. And I whisper in Your ear..."I adore You, Dad!"

A bag of skittles!

I wake up...and I think. And this morning this is what I was thinking.


12-14-10

What does "the world" and vanity have to offer our souls? Breath? Do we need to take ourselves out of the world? Not at all. But how do we become a light when "the world" and vanity are blowing it's breath in us...and lights out. Ya know...like when you blow out a candle. Darkness. Not love...but, what can I do...what can you do for me? When it should be...Jehovah...what can I do for them? I hate vanity and I hate "the world". Not anyone that's reading this.

I know that the enemy knows when we really don't know who we are. He knows our weaknesses. He knows how to keep us a part from the One that Loves us the most... by breathing into our souls. He doesn't want us to have Life and Love. He wants us to look away from our destiny and purpose. He wants to blind us. It says in Romans ch 8 that carnality is enmity with God. Enmity means hatred. And as long as the enemy can breathe into our carnality and keep it alive, it wars with God and what He wants to do in our lives. It keeps us away from Him.

Do we need to be put in a bubble? Of course not.We need to live! On this earth! But as we are living our every day lives...letting Jehovah breathe in us. Fanning our fires! Giving us His Life. So we can burn. So our candles are lit. So He can live in us. And Heaven can come to earth. So whatever gifts and anointings we have can become alive like never before. So whatever character He wants to put in us can color the world. Instead of the world coloring our soul with a black crayon.

There's Hope! It's Him! And I just release this out right now! That Jehovah would put His foot on vanity and "the world". So the world can start to look like a bag of skittles! And the enemy will be weak, not us! That he wouldn't be able to take what's Jehovah's. And lure them away from the only Food for their soul. Draw Your people Lord!! And take back what's Yours! Let there be a great reuniting! A great Love affair! People falling in Love with You all over the place! And being revived and set free. A new Life! That they couldn't see and lost hope for! Let it be so!

Jehovah is King!
Taste the rainbow!
Amen.

That's what my heart looks like.
MLB

Love and the horizon.

I’ve had writers block for some time now. Something is clogged, that’s for sure. With worry, fear and anxiety? Probably. Annnnd I don’t ever want to write out of the wrong motives. Or from somewhere I haven’t been. Anyway, I am going to try this. Because pressuring this clog with some kind of flow might have the power to unstop the blockage.

The first thing I’ve been wanting  to write about is, something that has been happening in my class. I believe it is a form of intercession and the Lord showing me the power a true intercessor has. How they can move His heart with their heart. When they are genuine and compassionate about another with their petitions.

This has never happened before with my kids. It has just been this past week. And in that week, there have been 3 or 4 different instances spread out throughout the week.

A lot of times when the kids need a consequence I will either put them in time-out or sit them down to “take a break”. It usually means that they have to sit out for a period of time from what the other kids are doing. And they are separated from them.

On these 3 or 4 occasions, another child in the class has come up to me and pleaded for the child that was sitting in time out or taking a break: “Can _______ please get out of time out?” “Can ________ please come back with us?!” So here you see three of us. One child in time out/taking a break, one child standing in between, and the one that holds the power of putting the consequence into action and the power to relieve the child from their consequence. When the child in between was moved to come to me, it moved me. Their heart changed mine. I was moved for both children. I see intercession.

I think we really limit and underestimate Our Fathers Love for us…. The God of the Universe’s Love for His people. Not to see them destroyed or not make it. But to fight for them. And to raise up a people that will fight for them too. When the focus comes off ourselves and solely on others. Standing in between, not just in prayer, but a vessel. Carrying His presence….His substance. Touching people all the time with His power and goodness. With His breath of revival. A people that don’t want anyone separated from the body. These children are only 2 ½ and 3 years old. And I witness their love for each other. It’s obviously not 100%, but it’s there and it’s alive. And I pray that it continues to grow out of control. That they will be a generation overflowing with that compassion and Love. A longing and fight in them for unity. The child that stood in between didn’t just sit back and enjoy that fact that they weren’t the one sitting out, not caring about the other, and just glad that they weren’t separated. No, these children  didn’t like the scenario.  

You realize that Yeshua was an intercessor for us. He stood in between us and The Father. To initiate us into The Family. And we are called to do the same. A sea of laid down Lovers. People that laid down their lives to initiate others into The Family. “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils:  freely ye have received, freely give.” We don’t receive just to receive for ourselves. So we can be safe and sound and that’s it. No…we receive to give. It’s not fair to take a seat in the family and just sit there. While others are dying (naturally and spiritually) and are in need. As we get to sit close to Him, we need to have a longing for others to be able to experience the same. He wants to equip us, while we are in that place with Him, to send us out. Not to fill us with knowledge and puff us up. But to have a true relationship with The One that Loves us the most. And take that experience to others who are in need. “I’ve been with Him, and He wants to be with you too! Come!”  Yehovah wants to bring Heaven to earth. We have the power to unite with Him in Heaven and pull that down to earth. An intercessor is the horizon. The connection between Heaven and Earth. The Intercessors pours out on the Earth. And is to bring them into into the same place. Not just to stay in a place of getting poured on. But to become an intercessor too.


Love comes from above the horizon.
Love wants to abide in the horizon.
Love wants to breakthrough beneath the horizon.
Love is on the horizon!


Let Love in.
Pour Love out.
Be Loved.
Be Love.


Jesus. Yehovah is Yasha.
Yasha means: to be open, wide or free. To be safe. Free or Succor. Deliver. Help. Preserve. Rescue. Salvation. Save (-iour). Get victory. To be liberated. To save from moral troubles.

RECEIVE!!

I am falling in love with my purpose...
MLB

The Apple Thief and The Shopkeeper

There was once a powerful king who ruled his kingdom with an
...iron fist. And with good reason. The vast majority of his subjects were a rowdy
bunch. It was a dog-eat-dog existence, with each man out for himself. One day,
a man by the name of Nathanael was caught stealing an apple from an apple-cart vendor. Now, you should know that Nathanael was not really a bad person. It
wasn’t really in his nature to steal anything from anyone. But after living
among so many scoundrels for so many years, he simply gave in to his
selfishness on this one occasion. He picked a bad time to make his first
mistake.

The King was in a particularly foul mood because the crime
rate had risen for seven straight days. The King knew he had to make an example of someone in order to send a message to the rest of the people-and so it was that Nathanael was sentenced to die for his crime. The first-time bandit
accepted his fate without any fuss. After all, he had no one to blame but
himself.

The King asked Nathanael if he had any last request. He did.
Nathanael asked if he could have three days to settle his affairs. Nathanael
had to pay off some business debts, he owed a few personal favors, and he
wanted to say good-bye to all of his loved ones. He figured that in three days,
he could tidy it all up. The King was impressed by Nathanael’s acceptance of
his fate and his sense of responsibility, so he agreed to accommodate this last
request. But there was an obvious problem. “If I grant you this temporary
reprieve.” The King said, “I have no assurances that you will ever return to
fulfill your sentence.” Nathanael understood the Kind’s dilemma. “I have an
idea,” Nathanael responded. “Suppose I have a good friend stand in for me until
I return. If I am late, you can execute my friend in my place.” The King
laughed. “If you can find someone who will take your place, I will grant you
your three days. But if you are even one minute late, you can be sure your
friend will be hanged on the gallows.”

 

Nathanael asked his best friend, a shopkeeper by the name of Simon, to stand in his place. Simon and Nathanael had known one another since childhood. And Simon loved Nathanael like a brother, so he told his best friend that he would be honored to go into temporary custody on his behalf. Simon was handcuffed and detained while Nathanael hurried off to wind up his affairs. “Remember,” the King yelled out, “one minute late and I will hang your best friend.”

One day passed; then two more. Nathanael never showed up. He
was one hour late when the King ordered Simon to the gallows, where he was
confronted with the hangman’s rope. A noose was slipped around Simon’s neck.
The hangman tightened it. A hood was put over Simon’s head. And then, suddenly, a voice was heard screaming from far off in the distance. “Stop! Stop! I have returned!” It was Nathanael. “Please, I beg you,” Nathanael cried to the King. “Remove noose from my best friend. This is my fate, not his.” But the King replied, “You are an hour late.”

Nathanael was so out of breath he could hardly talk. “You
don’t understand, Your Majesty. My horse became lame. I was forced to run all
the way back. That is why I am late. It is I who should die, not my dear
friend.”

Suddenly Simon began to cry out. The hangman removed the hood from his head. “That is not true. I am the one who should die today. We had an agreement. Besides, I could not stand to sit here and watch my best friend die before my eyes. Nor could I bear living without you. So it will be I who will die today.”

Nathanael’s eyes welled up with tears. “I beg you, Your Majesty. Do not listen to him. Do not let my best friend die. It is I who was originally sentenced to death, not Simon. If you kill him, I will not be able to live with the pain of seeing my dear friend depart from this earth. I beg you to take me. “Simon and Nathanael continued arguing, and not surprisingly, the King was taken aback. In a land rampant with hooligans, the King was not accustomed to seeing acts of unconditional love. Nevertheless, a decision had to be made, and justice had to be meted out according to the law of the land.

“I have reached a final verdict,” the King said. “Today, neither one of you shall die. For I realize that if one of you dies today, I will be killing two men. The original sentence called for only one man to die. Thus, I am forced to set you both free.”

The trunk and me

 Cleaning. Then gonna read, write and relax. Part of me is wishing I had a family to clean for. And not a bachlorette type apartment. Wanting to make dinner, wash dishes, paint with the kids while listening to worship music, give baths and tell bedtime stories! Then the other part of me is loving her solace. Alone time with The Prince of Peace. Hoping one day I can manifest the alone time spent with Him to my family. Him Loving all of them through me...  

(Being a little transparent.)

 If I'll ever be thee, Let me be like the trunk of a tree...

Lord, make me like the trunk of a tree!
Deep and secure, my roots gripping You tightly!
Lord make me strong like the trunk of a tree.
So my family can cling to me.
Let my roots drink from Your water to quench me.
I know if I am your cup, I can love them unconditionally.
When the storms come, they can hold onto me.
Because I am like the trunk of a tree.
And we won't be shaken, because I am in You and You are in me.
My roots are what help me to see.
Let me have Your eyes, and a strong woman to them I will be.
A mother, a wife. Truly.
Please Lord, I must be like the trunk of a tree.
For all the times, they will need me.
If Your heart beats in my chest, You can be what they will need You to be....through me.

Thinkin about breath...

Just thinkin about how God's character is in His breath. And how He wants to breathe into mankind and revive them. Giving them a spiritual Life while they are naturally alive. To be free from oppressions and bondages and lies that weigh on us. So we can Love Him and one another. In a more selfless way. So we can be meek and forgive. So we can be patient. So we can have wisdom and knowledge and understanding. So we can yoke to each other humbly. Pulling each other. Because He is in us. Elohiym. Pulling one when they are weak. And grabbing on and being pulled when you are weak. So we can all have a piece. Pulling where He has strengthened us. So we can be one with Him and one with each other. A radiant, colorful, magnificent beauty. Flowing together. On one accord. I'm thinking about how He sent Jesus to do His will. How Jesus manifested salvation. He manifested Love and righteous judgment. Because He was truth. How He healed sinners. And before He died when He was hanging on that piece of wood...He didn't say "send them all to hell Father!" He said "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Yeah, He rebuked men. But I believe it was because they were 'acting' in a position that wasn't truly breathing Life into others. But instead leading them away. If someone doesn't have God living in them, but acts as if they do and personifies that to people...really they are keeping them in a place of death. So of course He would call that out. Jesus Loves us! Just as the Father does. He wants to protect us and wants us led where we can inherit eternal Life. He doesn't want people with any kind of authority leading us away from that and painting a picture that isn't true and isn't Him. What parents would want their children under the influence of something deceptive. Just like the Holy Spirit is in people and behind who they are and what they do, so are spirits not of God. And it's those spirits that are His enemy. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Whatever inhabits us...whatever fills us...is what we create. Whatever we believe is our perspective...our reality. Whatever we give to others is our breath. Whatever seeds we plant in them. Whatever influence we have on them. Let's inspire His breath so we can expire it into others.

Be Praised by Brian Whalen at The Call Nashville

Bobby the Snake....

When I tell the kids stories at school, I always use "Bobby the Snake" to represent Satan. I never say "Satan", but they know the characteristics of "Bobby the Snake" by the way I use him in the stories. He is a bad guy. The one that wants you to lie to your parents or disobey them or leave you in the dark forest after he tells you he's your friend and he wants you to stay out there with him. He is manipulating, cunning and of course, he's good at it. He makes bad look good.

Picture this:
The other day, I covered one of the tables with a very large piece of paper. It is a center the kids can go to create whatever they want with crayons and markers. As I got all the kids settled in their centers, I went and sat across from one of my little boys at creation table. I was going to just doodle with him. When I glanced over at what he was drawing, I noticed it looked a lot like a forest (one of the scenes in one of the stories I tell them). So I started asking him questions about his picture. It turns out he was drawing the story. The forest...Adam...the good animals...the good fruit...the bad animals....the bad fruit. Whatever he retained from the story, he was putting it on the paper. It was amazing, seriously. The morals and all.

The best part:
So we start talking about Bobby the Snake. And he goes on to tell me that he likes Bobby the snake.

Pay close attention here:
At first, I was like : WHAT?!! (in my mind, lol)
So I started to tell him that Bobby the Snake was bad and why he was bad.
Then when he explained himself in his little three year old way, I realized that he didn't like Bobby the Snake because he was bad. He just felt bad not liking him. Like, no one, not even Bobby the Snake should be not liked. He was genuine and sincere. And it seemed as if he wanted to be Bobby the Snakes buddy...be his friend cause no one else liked him. It seemed as if he wanted to love his enemy. It came out of such a sweetness in him. Not even out of ignorance. Not out of a love for evil. But out of innocence. Out of wanting to love on, even him, even though he was "bad".

I could of melted right there in the chair.

Maybe they learn from me. Maybe God loves them through me. Maybe He manifests Himself to them as much as I'm willing.

And maybe...just maybe...God loves me too. Maybe He teaches me through them. And loves me through them. And manifests Himself to me through them. Maybe He wants to pour His Love on me as much as He wants to pour His Love on them. Maybe He's there. Stirring in our class. Just waiting for the perfect moments to show up. And have an encounter with us. I feel like I need to be more aware. Not just of when He wants to move through me...but also when He wants to move for me. Maybe I need to recieve the fact that He would do that.

And maybe sometimes when we look into each others eyes at school, we're actually looking at Him.

Lord, please grant us with eyes to see and ears and to hear! Please pierce through our flesh! Help us to see and hear you throughout our busy lives. Help us slow down and be more still, to inhale you and receive encounters with You!

I love and adore You, Father! And I thank You for the availability! For Your Love!
Amen.

Afterthought:
There's so much in here....
Matthew 5:40-48
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Meet us in the middle!

I've seen restoration! Beautiful restoration. I'm thankful for the way God takes people and exhales into them. Waking up their dry bones. Stripping away blankets of heaviness. Lifting dark garments accumulated from lies the enemy planted over the years. I'm thankful for the freedom that I've seen. The best part about it is, He just got started! I'm looking forward to the next level of restoration to come. Genuine, powerful restoration. Believe.Let's turn toward Him and inhale His breath! Let's receive all He has for us! Please help us receive all that You have for us! RAINBOWS!!!

We have a promise. Let's go!! Meet us in the middle Lord!!!!!!!!

New Music. Building on Faith.

I got a new journal today! This was my first entry.

7/31/10

Sometimes I pick certain journals for a reason. The last journal, Wonder Woman. Hoping that in that season my mentality would change and I would be more courageous and fearless. It seemed like the opposite happened. It is full of feeling and probably being defeated. A LOT of fear. I think it might have increased in the past few months. Paralyzing. Restraining me. Oppression at its finest. But, it's all about to turn into a great testimony of God's Love and how Faith WILL defeat fear. And Truth will chase out the lies. It says that perfect love casteth out fear. If part of God's Love is to save us by grace through FAITH, then His Love for us is His Grace and FAITH. The gift of FAITH being 1.) Yeshua, because He is FAITH (evidence and substance) 2.) Another vessel pouring into us (evidence and substance) and 3.) The FAITH in us. We cannot survive on anothers FAITH. It is their FAITH that revives us by God's grace. It is their FAITH that nurses us back to health. But that is the jump start to our very own FAITH. Our FAITH is the very thing that we need to STAY alive. It is what will keep our heart beating. It is gained through our very own relationship with our Maker and Savior. It is filling our consciousness with Him and being still enough to let HIM change us through the relationship. I say "relationship" because that's what it is. Isn't a relationship getting to know each other? Going through things TOGETHER. Going deeper. Climbing levels of intimacy. It is the unveiling of Him that changes our mind. Seeing who He really is. As a whole and also personally. Who He is to us. Not just something we see, but something we begin to experience. And as we begin to experience Him as a verb and not just a noun, it becomes our turn to be the giver. To share Him. To share Our experience. And the power in that will change another's life. Because it's not just saying: this is God is because this is what I read and this is what it says. Merely knowledge. Which is good. But that can't be all there is. EVIDENCE AND SUBSTANCE. It's saying, this is who God is because I KNOW HIM! Intimately. And I KNOW HIM because I experienced Him. Because He showed up. Because He backs up His Love for us. It's not just words. It's alive. When we can stop guessing who He is and stop trying to figure Him out-He can move. And when we can stop being afraid. Out of that fear we try to do things on our own, with our own hands. We "try" to be righteous and holy, and then we fail. And then when we fail, we condemn ourselves. Thinking He must really hate us now for failing and not being perfect (what we think perfect is and what we think He wants). And it becomes a vicious cycle. But who is God? Certainly not us. Who has the power to save and create and transform? HIM. Not us, off our own strength, that just leaves us heavy laden from the labor. It leaves us exhausted and frustrated with our continuous failure to be what we think He wants NOW. So, we first must allow Him in. And open up to His Love for us. Letting Him reveal Himself to us the way He wants to and the way He intends. We have to let go of our mindsets. And fill our consciousness with what He shows us. As we do that, it is His Love that transforms us. It makes us who we were always meant to be in Him. THEN we will begin to bare HIS fruit. Because there was real transformation. Not trying to do and be something we can't without the necessary process HE made specifically for us. A special, individual relationship with each one of us. A special, individual process for each one of us. Not trying to do and be something out of fear and worry and anxiety. Fear that we can't. Fear that we won't be able to do it. Fear that if we don't reach somewhere fast (off our own strength and with our own hands), He'll leave or we won't make it. Fear that if we don't hurry and be this or that (off our own strength and with our own hands), it's all over. That fear and worry and anxiety is the very thing that will make us miss Him. And destroy the relationship He wants to have with us which leads where He wants us to go and what He wants us to be. How He wants to do it. He wants our heart and our mind. He wants surrender. Sweet surrender to His Love. He wants to give Himself to us. He wants to Love us and breathe in us. But we have to be willing and available. He wants to spend time with us. Not out of fear, worry and anxiety and obligation. But because we want to. Because we are hungry for Him. Because we know we need Him and He makes us complete. Because we know He can change us and give us His heart for others. Because we are desperate for something more. He wants to get to know us even though He knows us better than we know ourselves. But He still loves when we talk to Him and express ourselves to Him. When we unveil ourselves before Him out of trust even though He already sees beyond the veil. Yeshua, husband of the bride, wants her to stay. He wants her to stay and get to know Him. He wants her to see His beauty and fall passionately in love with Him. He wants her to feel Loved and safe. What husband wants his wife to feel forced to Love him? He wants us to just stay and let Him in. He knows He can Love her better than any other Lover. That He is the only One will be true to her. Real intimacy. It's hard to let go of ourselves. But He is truth. And He will NEVER harm us. The pain is in letting go. But if we hold onto our Faith, it will pull us through. Faith being what He has already poured in us and done in our lives. What we have experienced so far. The truth in us. And as we are able to remember and hold onto that and NOT concentrate of every area we lack...He can continue to build on what He started. And our lack will perish more and more.
End.

Note: My new journal is a lined book for writing music (for instruments, not lyrics). And I got it because my writings are the music of my heart. I want Him to be the music of my heart. In other journals I wrote a lot out of fear, worry and anxiety. Panicking. Suffocating. But I want this journal to be full of His beauty. Meditations on who He is. On what He has shown me about Himself. On beauty. Not constant negativity that pulls and pushes me down. But Faith and Hope that will pull and push me up. I want to remember what He has given me and let Him build through the pages.

Amen.
MLB

TOGETHER. I love that word!

The world makes us compete and struggle and grow weary. We were never meant to compete. Or struggle. Or grow weary. We were supposed to be unique pieces of a multicolor quilt. Pieces to a puzzle that FIT TOGETHER. That add to each other. A Body. Arms, legs, fingers, a liver, lips... I think my left arm would feel sad if my right was dysfunctional. Not feel happy that it was the only one working! I think the right arm would get tired from doing all the work. We need each other! Competition, struggling and growing wearing makes us self-absorbed. Let Jesus be the head. And Yahweh be our seamstress!!! "TOGETHER" is so beautiful! Working "together" in any relationship takes selflessness to work. His Mind helps! Let's take it on!!