Rollercoaster

My life has been like...a rollercoaster. To say the least!
The realization that I had recently was this - that God's timing is perfect. He allows you to see more and more as He equips you to see more and more.
Some things that I went through this week I would not have been able to handle if it had happend earlier. I don't think this is just coincidence.
As I move from one level in my life to another, God is right there with new things to show me, new challenges, new life lessons, new tears to cry (oh my!).
I guess you could say that I have been going through a lot of 'mental trauma' lately. But praise the Lord for people in my life who have been encouraging me and praying for me. I don't know where I'd be without the prayers of the saints.

I don't think that I will share exactly what I saw this weekend, because it's quite disturbing, but if you'd like to know you can email me. This all went down Saturday night, and through prayers and listening (thanks so much Dan and co.) God settled my spirit. In my ration time on Sunday morning I was reading 2 Chron. 18-20, and then prayed and for one of the first times of my life knew what it was to be in the fear of the Lord. God is powerful and nothing goes unseen, or unheard. He is mighty to save and all things are in His hands. Glory to Him!
I went to Cariboo Hill for the a.m. and p.m. service. I have been reading up about worship (from Numbers and Chronicles etc.) about Judah and all that jazz, and I know that worship is warfare. That as the people fo God raise their voices in praise, the roar of the Lion of Judah is stirred up. Hallelujah! So despite my brokeness I waged war with love last night. I danced my little heart out.
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord. You are good and your love and mercy endures forever.
Praise be to Jehovah!

Yummy in my tummy

Today I had the privilege to cook for my cell. It was wonderful. More wonderful however than you might think. I am just coming off of a three day food fast. My 'school of justice' group is praying and interceding for the sin of this land. We were reading Daniel 9, and Daniel put on ash and sackcloth. We didn't really want to go there, so instead we fasted showering, washing our faces and putting on deoderant for the three days. Man oh man, that was rough. I feel SO GROSS! But that's what sin does. Makes you gross, so it was good at helping me to identify.
So supper today was great. I made this great pasta sauce etc. But for a special treat I bought french cheese and french bread. So great.
I love things like that, which are small, but so exciting.
I brough the leftover cheese to Steve Court. He looked much more cultured eating camembert cheese on a baguette. Good on ya!

Thank you Lord for yummy food. Please bless those who aren't able to eat when they are hungry.

Yes, it's community living

This week started off a bit rough for me, but things are looking up.
At the War College, there are many things that get surfaced. All of that junk that you've been suppressing all your life, all of your shortcomings seem to be magnified... It's a painful process, but beautiful at the same time.
I have always been a pretty independent person. Depending on others is counter-cultural, and in my mind (and what society has drilled into me) is that when you need others, it shows weakness.
So when I feel lonely, or I'm going through something tough, the world says - suck it up, or journal it, or get loaded ... But living in community, with the mentality of being one member of a bigger body (we are all knit together, all joined as one body!)I need to learn how to go to people, lean on them. I know that I should "get" this. But when you really think about it, you lean on someone hard enough, and then you are in a position that you could fall. And here's the scarier thing, falling is inevitable, because nobody is perfect.
Trust is huge.

I feel like I should mention some things that I love about living in community, so that I don't give off the wrong impression. It's a beautiful thing, but tough. So ...
Things that I love about community here:

1)The wonderful feeling when you walk into re:Cre8, or Carnegie and someone knows your name and is excited to see you.
2)Being able to cry in front of others.
3)Hugs.
4)Dialoguing throughout the day about what God is doing, showing you, etc.
5)Learning how to love people.
6)Listening to great life stories.
7)Being truly thankful for the small (or not so small) things in life.
8)Watching people being transformed and growing in their gifts.
9)The Fun Patrol (wait...does that still exist? Dan???)
10)Praying with others and for others.

I'll write more later :)
GRACE TO ALL OF YOU

Oh, and I am in a VIDEO check it out.

Sister sister time :D

It's good to be back in Vancouver!
I have had an amazing privilege to have Rochelle (sister) spend the past 24 hours with me.
She came over yesterday afternoon and we went on a prayer walk, cell group, ice skating, sleep over, re:cre8 shift, pray the bible, class ... jam packed, but it was great.
We have discovered several more mice in our room in the past few days, so as I slept on the floor to give Rochelle my bed, I noticed/heard/maybe slightly feared - the mice scurrying around my head as I tried to sleep. Nice. There are many worse things, I know, but it's one of those things you need to get used to!
Rochelle and John taught the War College a very good class this afternoon about how to love our neighbours. Challenging.
They are so much smarter than me, it's ridiculous. So many points of view that I share, but I can't articulate properly. They talked about how to love our neighbours. So often we forget our privileged situation when we are talking to people or "ministering" to them.
Let us be moved with compassion (not pity, or trying to get stats) but out of love. Let us try to get into some different shoes to feel how the world is from a different perspective.