Holy Space

We had a beautiful time of worship this morning in 'Holy Space'.
We wanted to bring a sacrifice of praise to God.(I don't have the scripture verses - there were like 4 that we found...if anyone wants them I will look them up). To push ourselves out of our comfort zones, and bring a sacrifice, not cheap worship, but something that 'costs something'.
It was beautiful to see people breaking through fears that they have and desiring to worship the Lord, fasting their reputation, worshipping for an audience of One. Beautiful.

I saw someone who is really shy, and who had told me that they wish they could be more free during worship but they are scared, and this person was worshipping in ways that were showing 'breakthrough'. Doing things that were a sacrifice, but there was such a radiance of the beauty of Christ on their face. It was such a blessing. I love seeing the Lord free people up. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.
Another person who I know REALLY dislikes feet, asked someone if they could wash their feet. This wasn't something that everyone was doing, so it really floored me. To be able to wash someone's feet, when feet are utterly disgusting to you - the beauty of humility.

Thank you Lord for opening my eyes to see Your children worshipping You and seeking to be more like You.


PS - It's a blessing to have Phil Marriott with us this weekend.Yes, THE Phil Marriott. Haha.
PPS - And from my last blog entry - props to my RTB group = Olivia (USA), Andrea (Australia), Joshua (India), Crystal (USA), Andrew (Australia). Thank you for diving into the Word of God with me daily. Blessings.

Romans

My RTB group (Read the Bible) has just been finishing off reading Romans, and to be honest, I have never loved reading that book more than this time around. God's WORD was jumping out at me left, right and center. I love it when the Holy Spirit speaks to me through Scriptures. I find that I am being changed and that the desire of my heart is to be a woman of integrity and of the WORD of the Lord.

13:10a "Love does no harm to its neighbor…"
14:17 "For the kingdom of God is … of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
14:19 "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual
edification."
15:2 "Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."


These are the verses that spoke to me in the last time that we met together to read.
I am challenging myself with these questions –
How am I loving my neighbours – in my hotel, in my session, in the downtown eastside etc.? Am I truly loving them? How can love them more?
Am I pursuing righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit? Do I pray for these things consciously? Regularly? How are my actions reflecting that?
Am I making every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification? Do I talk sometimes just for myself? Or when I talk is it to edify the body/others? Am I wise with my words?

Maybe I can answer some of these in days to come…

Lord, help me to be teachable. Keep my heart soft and changeable. Let your Holy Spirit guide me into Truth and lead me on the road to everlasting. Amen.

Being Stretched

There is so much that I want to say, and each time that I sit down to write a blog I know that I have limited time. I am trying to be more regular in my blogs, but thank you so much for your patience (I need some patience with myself aswell).

I go to cell on Wednesday nights and we meet in an apartment (mine is at Cherie and Aaron White's house) and cell is a time to invite people from the DTES to come and have a home cooked meal, some fellowship and prayer.
Tonight we were talking about the passage of Scripture when Jesus walked on water (Matthew 14:22-33). Some things that I recognized from that story as I was listening to it being read was that Jesus often comes to us in unexpected ways. I am guilty (as I pressume a lot are) that I get into a funk, from time to time, in expecting to hear from God is the same ways that I have been. Lately I have been inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to me in new ways, and He has been faithful. Tonight was a nice nudge that I have to ask for open eyes to see and open ears to hear him in new and wonderful ways (Jeremiah 33:3 - read it!)
But the most important thing that I got from it tonight was concerning Peter. When Jesus came near the boat, it was Peter who asked Jesus to call him out of the boat and walk on water. Peter chose to be challenged. He chose to be stretched, and of course Jesus then called him out of the boat once Peter had asked him.
Where am I being stretched in my life right now? Where can I be stretched more? Even this week?
Being at the War College is stretching as it is, but after some reflection, here is what I got. So feel free to pray for these areas of my life where I am asking the Lord to continue to stretch me.

NIGHTLIGHTS - This is a program that I am involved in Saturday nights from 9:30pm-11:00 and it's a ministry to prostituted persons. I always find it stretching and pushing me out of my comfort zones. The Lord is breaking my heart more and more for the people that we meet and the things that I am seeing/hearing.

OPEN AIRS - We do this on Friday's at about noon our time. I find this a challenge because I really want to be getting the gospel out in the streets and not be ashamed, but there's a balance (maybe it's just me) of knowing whether I am fighting for the right to be able to speak freely about Jesus, or whether I am burning bridges. I am also being humbled and learning to swallow my pride and sacrifice reputation for the sake of the gospel. (I think I need to read that Martyr book that dcTalk put out...)

INITIATING CONVERSATIONS - I love talking to people, but find it so socially awkward to acutally initiate conversation. If I am in an elevator at my hotel, that's a bit easier, but when we're doing prayer walks, or street combat (walking around the neighbourhood to meet people and build relationships) I find it hard to go deeper than a "hello". I thank God that He puts people in my path to talk to me. I LOVE talking with people, it's just hard to get the ball rolling sometimes.

Anyway - so there are my three areas of stretching. I am asking the Lord to 'call me out of the boat' this week as I welcome His Hand that will mold me and make me to be more like the woman that He intended me to be. Amen.

Balmoral

The hotel that I am living in, here in the beautiful Vancouver, BC, is a slum hotel called the Balmoral.
I am part of a "School of Justice" here at the War College and one of the things that our group is doing is making people outside of our community aware of what's happening in the DTES (downtown eastside).
So I am pleased to invite you to come to (temporary) site and take a glimpse into the life that I am leading here with the 614 salvos this year in the Balmoral .
There are eight students living in this particular hotel this year and next year, hopefully more!

Be blessed as you read and may God challenge you and open your mind and heart to pray for the work of the LORD here in the DTES.


Oh, and p.s. if anyone has clicked the link to Dan (the brit) I had the wrong link, so it's fixed now and I encourage you to read his words of wisdom. Blessings.
(It was linked to www.dannywhite.com rather than www.dannywhite.blogspot.com - BIG DIFFERENCE! haha)

The BODY

I am thankful for the BODY of Christ.
I am learning more and more about living in community and learning to trust others - huge.
Today I has a "vulnerable" time (that was quite unexpected for me...maybe not so much for God) and it made me really have to lean on my brothers and sisters in Christ.
For those of you who know me well, know that I have a longing to go deep with people, but find it very difficult. I sometimes find it hard to believe that what I struggle with really affects anyone else.
Praise the Lord that He revealed a timely Scripture for me -

I Corinthians 12:25-26 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. -NKJV

Thank You Lord for that insight today. When one member suffers, ALL suffer. We are called to love one another with deep love and affection.
Thank you to all my brothers and sisters in my session who prayed with/over me today. I am truly blessed to call you friends.

In Him,

RTB etc.

Here are the War College we have many classes and activities everyday, and one of my absolute favourite times of the day is RTB (Read the Bible).
It takes place at 11:30 - 12:15 and we sit in groups of about 5 or 6 and take turns (surprise, surprise) reading through the bible.
We've read through John, Acts and now we're on to Romans. I really love it.
It's so interesting to hear other people's perspectives and thoughts on different matters. In my group there are 2 Australians, 1 Indian (from India), 2 Americans and myself. We start off in prayer asking that Holy Spirit would come and stir our hearts up for the Word of God. And, as usual, He is always faithful.
It's such a blessing.
In Michael Collins class we're learning about HEAPS of things, but one thing that He always encourages us to be "Barians", which was a group in the bible that always examined the scriptures to make sure that the prophets were speaking truth. So with all teachings he gives, he encourages us to test it in the scriptures. I find that it's really pushing me know the WORD more and more.

That's something I really appreciate about many of the leaders here. They don't simply give you something and expect you to injest it automatically. Now, don't get me wrong, there are appropriate ways of "challenging" what is being taught. We need to respect our teachers, but I love the way that they want to grow us as leaders, rather than just carbon copies of themselves. Does that make sense?

All this to say - I am really loving the bible more and more. I am seeking out scriptures more and more, and I feel growing in wisdom. God is so good. I feel blessed to be here.

Also - I found this shirt online and randomshirts.com Haha. If anyone wants to buy it for me, I would really really love it.


AND -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO
DAN WHITE
WHO IS 23 TODAY!
You're a legend Dan. Blessings,

A shot from ACC

Dan, Joe the Turk, Phil
All I got to say is...
MONEY! haha

Hahahaha

I was catching up on some blog reading, and came across Joel's blog about swearing. Read it...

I miss my family this Thanksgiving! Love you guys. I did have a lovely dinner with other family, but not the same.

Army History etc.

We had a class about army history and watched a documentary made in Australia I am pretty sure, give it up for the Aussie's - oy, oy, oy!) and it gave me a deep appreciation for the roots of this holiness movement called "The Salvation Army".
One thing that really struck me was when this army historian guy said that the Salvation Army never claimed to be "the church", but a part of the body of churches. The intent of the Army was for those who wanted to be activists. If you didn't want to be an activist they would have a great relationship with other churches that they could bless you (in all sincerity) and send you to go.
The heritage of the army is so hard core. I love it. There was no looking down on people if they didn't want to be a gung ho fighter on the frontlines, because they recognized everyone's needs in the body (if we were all hands, where would be the feet etc.)
Wouldn't that be amazing though? If the army was filled with people ready to be on the front lines, and fighting for social justice? Fighting to make right of past wrongs, fighting for those who are weeping, those who are oppressed, and the list goes on. An army of activists, oh man, that's intense. It would definately wake me up to see if I had what it takes to sign up for something like that.

I was talking to someone this weekend about being a soldier in the Salvation Army. For those of you who don't know, I am not a "soldier" and have never been. I never signed the pledge/covenant. I never really had anything big holding me back from being a soldier. I have always recognized the great import of what it means to sign your name to such a big commitment. Now, I am not talking about the big commitment to not drink or whatever. I do drink from time to time, but it's totally not something standing in my way.
Hearing many young people say that they got into uniform for the wrong reasons is something you hear ad nauseum. I think I have or had wrong reasons too, although they are probably different wrong reasons. I want to make sure that if I ever make the decision to be a soldier it would be because I am so passionate about the Army and my role in it that I couldn't NOT do it. I don't want to sign up just because I can, or because it's not a big deal. I want it to be a big deal. A HUGE deal. I think that's what's needed in the army.
Being a soldier, being an activist, these are and should always be extremely important decisions not to be taken lightly at all.
I commend all of you soldiers/activists in the church, whole-heartedly. It takes balls to man up to that.(Sorry mom, but I had to say it). Bless you indeed.
Peace and Love

Mario

We had just finished prayer walking and I was on my way to cell at Cherie's house, when I bumped into this man named Mario.
Mario is from Quebec and was quite pleased to have the opportunity to speak french with me. He has been living in the DTES (downtown eastside) for about 23 years. He was so excited to talk to me that at times he would grab me by the shoulders and tell me repeatedly "listen to me" (in french).
I got to chatting with him, although I had to cut it short so that I wouldn't be late, but at the end of our conversation I offered to pray with him and he was very willing to receive prayer.
I hadn't prayed for someone in french in a while, but God must have spoken through me because when I had finished Mario told me that he was so happy that he could cry.
Even if all those years of learning french were just for that moment, I praise God for that. It was such a blessing to be able to give that to Mario. A conversation in his native tongue. Thank you Jesus.

Week 4 in the DTES

Hello to all my faithful friends who keep checking up on this blog despite the few and far between entries. I am trying to get into a groove so that I can be a bit more consistent Thanks for your patience ;)

A lot have been happening lately. I actually have been writting things down that I want to blog about, so here are some COMING ATTRACTIONS, if you will

Hedonic Christianity, Army History, ACC (Agressive Christianity Conference), A verse that got me really thinking, and Mario.

Hopefully this weekend I can flesh out one or two of those for you.

I really love being here (I think that i have mentioned this) although I feel like our session is under some attack. When good things are happening, the Enemy wants to get in there and mess things up. Two people from our session are no longer with us, and our group is grieving the loss. There are some tensions arising in our family (of the 614 community here) and we would really appreciate your prayers.

On a lighter note, I got to meet some of my neighbours yesterday in the Balmoral. As part of our School of Justice my group is trying to establish a stronger sense of community within our slum hotel. Most of the people that we meet are trying to get out of the hotel, but it was great to at least get to know their names. I love saying hi to people by name when I come home at night.

My time is up, but GOD IS GOOD. He is faithful to His word. Amen. In Galatians 6:8 (I am pretty sure that is the right verse) it says that if we sow RIGHTEOUSNESS we will reap UNFAILING LOVE. So I pray that you would sow righteousness so that you can reap His wonderful unfailing love!
Be blessed,