Discovering God's Gifts

Finally, a POST!

2006-03-13T02:37:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I have posted anything. And people have been worried about me. A lot of things have been happening. Mark and I have finally moved out of our wee tiny trailor and into a big house! Yes, a house of our own and a mortage of our own too. Praise the Lord!!!

Also, we have a little Bunny called Mocha! She is very cute. She enjoys eating veggies and thinks that they are candy. Now it is our turn to get healthy. HAHA

If you live near by and are bored...come to our house...we will find something for you to do right quick. We live on a 1/2 acher and have a lot of things to clear away. HEHE

We love you bunches....

Blessings,
Jen

A new HOME for us!

2006-01-11T00:50:00.000-05:00

Five years ago, Mark and I moved into a small trailor in a quiet trailor park. Soon after we moved in we got a letter in the mail telling us that we were going to be evicted in ONE month. Well, five years later, we are still in the same trailor. For years we did not hear anything from the people that owned the trailor park. All we knew is that they wanted to get out of the trailor park business.

When we moved into our trailor, the people that own the park did not advise us not to move into the trailor park. We were frustrated because six months later they tell us that they want to evict us. Trust is what we did. We trusted in the Lord to take care of us and all of our concerns. We wondered where we would live next, but never heard anything until about 4 months ago.

Four months ago we were told that the trailor park was going to be bought out. They told us that we were going to be visited by HUD housing and that they were going to help us move etc. Recalling all of the frightening stories, we were slightly concerned until we were visited by someone representing the county to let us know exactly what was going to happen.

Well, they appraised our trailor and the cost of the move and added 60 months or variable difference. He gave us an approximate dollar amount that we would recieve and we thought that was wonderful. A couple of weeks later, the guy called back and told us that we would recieve more than double of our first estimate. Praise the LORD!!!! We were so very excited.

Well, after we found out that we had money for a better down payment, we went looking for a new home! We found a house that we really liked on a 1/2 an acher of land with three bedrooms and a gigantic shed type thing. It more than 100 years old and needed some fixing up. We were told what the owner wanted and we thought that they guy was out of his mind. Well, he lowered his price by30,000 dollars and now we can tell you that on February 2, 2006 we will be the owners of a NEW HOME! Praise the Lord. Mark and I are very excited to start fixing up our house. We have a lot of ideas and if you live near by we are probably going to invite you over to help us paint some walls. HEHE!!!

May the Lord bless you and keep you!!

Jen

Thoughs on War

2005-12-30T01:11:00.000-05:00

Tonight a co-worker asked me if I saw the movie Hotel Rowanda. I told him that I did and that I cried during the movie. I also explained that when this was going on I was in college and much of the media hid what was really going on. So I never really understood what really happened until I watched the movie. It wasn't until I watched the movie that I understood why our country would ever want to help another country. Looking back at what happened in Germany so many years ago and seeing countries killing their own people does not make sense to me.

We have so many freedoms in this country that we take for granted. It was not granted to us...many people died for the freedom that we have. I think about how much STUFF I have in my house that I don't think much about. What about a person in Africa that has to travel 300 miles to get to see a movie or even go to a store. What would I be doing if I lived in Africa? Would my life be better? I wouldn't have to pay taxes, but would I be happy? I don't know.

I do know that I am thankful for all that God has given me. I am most thankful for my loving family that raised to to know what is right from wrong.

So, when I think about the Rowandans today I see how our country could have helped them more. I am glad that we are in Iraq. But I do think that we should have gone a long time ago when things started to get bad. I believe that we do not know enough about what is going on and the government knows so much more than the media ever lets us know. I praise God for a Christian president. God bless President Bush.

Blessings,
Jen

Home for Christmas

2005-12-28T03:02:00.000-05:00

Mark and I spent Christmas weekend with my parents. We had a joyous time. There were 19 people that gathered at my Aunt and Uncle's house. It was a lot of fun. Of all things we ended up playing Bingo! Bingo of all things. I haven't had so much fun in so long! My long lost cousin brought it with her. I am so glad that I am getting to know my cousin. Praise the Lord. She was given up for adoption a long time ago and found us when she was about 30. She is a Christian and had a beautiful personality. I am so glad that God has let us get to know one another. I don't know what I would do if I was adopted? Would I want to see my birthparents or not? I don't know. I guess I would when I was older. I think that it would be confusing to know if I was a child.

My family has many traditions. The church that I grew up in still sings in Swedish on Christmas Eve. It is beautiful! I love the candle light service and being able to listen to the pastor tell a story. All of the people that come to church for Christmas and Easter were there. They were all enticed by what the pastor had to say. It is a wonderful experience. I enjoyed talked to the kids that were in my sunday school classes from years ago. They are all grown up. One is serving our country in the military. A very handsome man and another is getting married. WOW! I feel so old.

Christmas with my parents is not about the presents at all. It is about being together. Visiting people is the best part of it all. I enjoyed visiting some friends from high school. Seeing people from my past is a lot of fun. Seeing the impact that we have made on one another is amazing to see over the years.

A friend has come to me in help because they were depressed about loosing their mother. I felt honored that they would tell me their thoughts and feelings. That is what friends are for and even over the years of not always being in contact...this e-mail things had brought us close to one another once again. Praise the Lord for that.

I thank the Lord for all the good things that he has given me. I praise God that Mark has a wonderful job. I pray for our future and all the things that we will have to endure to move into another home. Please pray for us.

Off for Three Weeks

2005-12-15T02:33:00.000-05:00

Yes! I made it through my first term! Praise the Lord! By getting through my first term I am encouraged that I will be able to get through all the rest. I got through my class of Christian Worldview. The class was all about Philosophy. It was a very tough class for me because I am not a very deep thinker. Though the class was very hard, I enjoyed the class. I learned a lot and I think that I know a lot more than I started. But, the more I learned, the less I really know about things. Thinking about why I believe what I believe and finding my reasons was very important and it was MOST valuable.

Through my other class I learned about my family and why I am the way I am. I was able to interview five of my relatives and build something called a genogram. A genogram is much like a family tree, but it has a lot more information about your family than birthdates and places. It was very valuable and I will never forget what I have learned. I believe that this experience has only helped to build my faith stronger.

Well, I hope to see you during Christmas. I can't wait to give you a hug. I love and miss you all.

Blessings,
Jen

Please PRAY!

2005-12-10T16:38:00.000-05:00

Please pray for my old friend Scott. This will be his first Christmas without his mom. I am going to visit him over the holidays. Pray that I recieve wisdom on what to say and what not to say. Thank you so much for your support.

Blessings,
Jen

UPDATE!!!

2005-12-08T02:13:00.000-05:00

1. Mark has been blessed with a wonderful job. Praise the Lord

2. We have been evicted from our home. Our house was estimated at more than we paid for. We are now looking to buy our first HOUSE. God is so good. Pray that we wait for God's timing.

3. I am struggling in my philosophy class. My professor has cancelled the final. Praise the Lord.

4. My supervisor wants to give me a promotion. Help me to learn to wait and be patient.

Through our hardships over the past 5 months the Lord has blessed us in our patience. We never really worried where the money was going to come from. We were provided all our needs. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!

Blessings,
Jen

Thoughts on Kara Borden and David Ludwig

2005-11-22T01:35:00.000-05:00

Julie Ann says it best!! Thanks Julie...

My brother -- who has been covering the Borden/Ludwig case for the Sunday News -- discussed with me tonight about an article he wrote for this weekend's edition.
He interviewed teenagers with blogs and parents alike, and what struck him was how FEW of the parents had any idea what a blog even was.
The words "Xanga" and "Myspace" may as well have been Greek words, because the adults were clueless.
Not only that, but a number of parents called my brother at the paper to ask how to find out if their kids maintained blogs or not.

This does not surprise me in the least. My family got their first computer when I was only 14. That was before America Online included the internet, it was just a community in and of itself, but even back then there were plenty of ways in which a young teen could get herself in trouble.
In addition to running up my parents' phone bill so high they nearly sent me away to boarding school (this was in the days when AOL charged about $.35 per minute after your free hours were used up each month), I found boys online. Lots and lots of boys! I found harmless teen guys in far away states and all we talked about was Jesus and music.

I found brothers from Altoona, who were both church youth leaders. They showed up to my house in a big white van, and I, having known them live and in living color for all of 5 minutes, walked out the front door and went with them in the van. My mother let me go but must have quickly realized her mistake, because my father followed our vehicle to the nearby restaurant we were going to. Upon seeing that I had not yet been thrown in a dumpster, he left us alone to eat our ice cream.

After the ice cream, we went back to my high school and I fooled around with one of the brothers on a baseball diamond while his other brother drove off in search of iced tea. I'd say we made it to about third base.

I met a 25-year-old man when I was 14 and I walked out of my house to meet him while my mother was hosting a luncheon. We met behind an office complex and fooled around. He offered to drive us to a park where we could walk around and "get to know each other better."
It didn't end well. I won't go into detail, but I think you can figure out what happened. I never told a soul about it until I was in my twenties.

And to illustrate how little my parents knew about the computer, well... Let's just say when I went away to college, I had to write down instructions for them on how to send an e-mail.

All of this proves two important things:
1. Teenage girls are impressionable and somewhat dumb
2. Not knowing what your kids are doing is really, really dangerous

Any parent who believes their child "isn't like that" and that they don't have to worry about what their kids are doing online have been gravely deceived by the devil himself.
(Actually, I would have to say that anyone who doesn't know what their SPOUSE is doing online needs a reality check.)

The older generation is a little bit scared of techology. That certainly is the case with my folks. Take Y2K, for example. Neither of them had any concept of what Y2K actually was, or how it needed to be fixed, they just stocked up on bottled water and bought a hibachi grill and hoped for the best. There's almost this sense that they should "leave it to the younger ones" because they're freaked out by this stuff. Well, nobody expects parents to be computer programmers, but it's not too much to ask that they learn how to check e-mail and familiarize themselves with the internet.

The responsibility lies with Ludwig (I know, I know, innocent until proven guilty), but I have a hard time believing there were no red flags. C'mon, wasn't there SOMETHING obvious, something glaring that was nearly impossible to miss? Or were all the signs there, but no one was around to notice? I mean, isn't it almost comforting to think there were all sorts of signals, and the important people were just preoccupied? I think it's comforting, because I find it terrifying to think that anyone could be that deceptive AND be that believable. We're all deceptive to a point, aren't we? I'll be the first to admit it. I'm a Christian author & speaker, and I struggle with my thought life and with my language. But I don't get how someone can read their Bible during breaks while working at Circuit City, and then turn around and kill his girlfriend's parents? What kind of dude goes to a Christian concert, blogs about it, and then plots to break into a house in the middle of the night and kill a whole family? And what kind of person says "God Bless" all the time, then has sex with a 14- and an 11-year-old girl? (Yep, apparently he was sleeping with Kara AND her little sister, or that's certainly what was implied in the court papers.)

I started out feeling somewhat compassionate towards David Ludwig, but as more and more time goes on, I find myself feeling angry. Angry, because he's turned this town upside down and made all of question many of the things we've always held dear. Angry, because it's guys like him who make all Christians look like crazed hypocrites. And I'm also angry because homeschooling is getting a bad rep, and it's unfair. My brother said it best tonight: homeschooling didn't cause this crime, but it sure didn't stop it, either.

Nobody is immune to this.
It's time to learn how to turn your kids' computer on.

I think Julie has read my mind and says it best!

Blessings,
Jen

Praise, Praise, Praise

2005-11-21T03:49:00.000-05:00

Just to let everyone know. Mark found a JOB! He starts on December 5th!!! I am so excited for him. Praise the Lord!

Blessings,
Jen

Julie Ann Got an Interview by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

2005-11-14T20:03:00.000-05:00

They must have read this blog entry that she wrote:

Good News

Praise God, Kara Borden has been found, and is safe and sound in the hands of authorities.
The two were spotted in Indiana, and David Ludwig lost control of his car after a brief chase.

Of course, the two of them have blogs, but I won't link to them here, since there's no point -- the national news has been giving the URL's out all day.
But being the rubber necker that I am, I stopped by and read some of the sicko comments that individuals have been leaving for them.
Most of the ones to David are, um, a bit hostile in nature. Most them wish him long suffering in Hell.
And most of the ones to Kara and prayerful and hopeful in nature, sympathetic that her parents are dad.

One blog struck me, though, because it was so harsh. It was posted by a Christian, but it was terribly un-Christian.
It said, basically, that this is why the Bible tells children to obey their parents, and regardless of whether or not Kara was directly involved, her parents' blood is on her hands, because she didn't obey them.
In other words, it is her fault.

It made me really damn mad. We don't yet know if she was a willing participant or not, but if she WASN'T, then this is no way to treat a kid who has been through more than any of us can even imagine. This is the kind of screwed up attitude that makes all Christians look ridiculous and judgemental, and turns people away from Jesus.
Yeah, she should have obeyed her parents. But you know what? Most kids rebel, at least a little bit. I think our God is big enough to handle teenage rebellion. And I think He understands teenagers better than anyone -- certainly better than the jerk who left that comment.
I don't believe for a second that God is sitting up there going, "Well, stupid, that's what you get for disobeying your mom and dead! Now I'm going to let them get murdered!"

If that's the God that commenter serves, then count me out. I want nothing to do with a God that deliberately harms children for making mistakes.

And as for David, what he did was terrible. He has ruined his life, and the lives of many other people. It was an evil act, but I was upset reading his "burn in Hell" messages, just as I was upset reading that jerk's comment to Kara. There is nothing God's forgiveness can't cover, even for a murderer. It may not be a popular sentiment, but my Bible tells me it's true, and I believe it. I don't know how a gangly teenage boy can turn into a cold-blooded killer, but it doesn't change the fact that he was somebody's son, somebody's brother, somebody's friend. He was and still is a life, made valuable by the fact that God created Him, and his absence in this living world (since he will likely spend the rest of his days behind bars) will be felt by others, and they will hurt because of it. It's easy to villify people. I guess David Ludwig has villified himself, he doesn't need any help from the general public. And I'm sure that if I were one of the innocent victims left behind, it wouldn't be nearly as easy for me to say all this. I can admit that upfront.

But I hope I COULD say all this. I hope that who I am is now founded enough on the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ, that I could see beyond the killer to the young man -- boy, really -- who likely fell in love and very stupidly threw away his own life and ended the lives of others in exchange for something that would have been youthful and temporary.
Look, I work with teenagers. I used to be one, not so long ago. Take it from me -- teenagers can be profoundly stupid. They have tunnel vision and they get very fixated on certain things, especially romance. I remember when I was a child, my older brother twice stole my parents Ford to drive to Virginia to visit a girlfriend. He was young and an inexperienced driver taking to some major highways. It was dumb. When he got home, my parents nearly hanged him. Teenagers... not always the brightest bulbs in the box, my friends. But that's due to naivete and a lack of experience.

Even so, as I said, I don't know how a stupid teenage boy goes from being just a stupid teenage boy, to a murderer.
But I hope people will remember that he is loved by many heartbroken people, and that God created Him, and that he didn't have the benefit of age and wisdom.

At the end of this difficult and eventful day, there may be no excuse for David Ludwig. (Or maybe even Kara Borden -- we shall see.) But there is certainly hope for him, because we serve a Savior who paid the ultimate price, so that He wouldn't have to.
And that's hope for all of us. By His wounds, we are healed. His blood has made us white as snow.

It's an amazing paradox.

By Julie Ann Fidler

Reminders of Forgiveness

2005-11-08T01:14:00.000-05:00

I have been learning a lot of new things lately. They are things that I thought that I learned long ago, but I have been reminded! I tend to dislike being reminded, but in the end peace comes. I have had a problem forgiving my step-father-in-law. I have been holding a grudge and it has been putting a damper in my life. I have been negative since he hurt me. I don't want to be negative anymore. I want to be loving. Tonight I was able to serve him in a special way. He is in the hospital. He does not look good at all. I do not believe that he will be with us much longer. My husband has been a special blessing to me. He forced me to go to the hospital tonight. I did not want to, but I did. I believe that my step-father-in-law was surprised to see me. Before I left I told him that I love him. He said back that he loved me too. Praise the Lord for forgiveness. I love him Lord I do. Thank you for the tough reminders that you are sending me.

Blessings,
Jen

Happy Aniversary to US!

2005-10-14T18:22:00.000-04:00

It is our 5th aniversary today! Praise the Lord! I feel as though we just got married a few months ago. And some days I feel like it was a century ago. HaHa! It has been five years of learning about how to love one another. We have many stories to share with others about how to make a marriage work, and how to make a marriage NOT work! For those people thinking that your marriage is not going to work...keep seeking and I pray that your seeking will lead you closer to the LORD.

Phil 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Blessings,
Jen

Family Tracks

2005-09-20T04:31:00.000-04:00

As time is rolling by and as I have been preparing for my classes, with miles of reading before I sleep and miles of reading before I sleep! I have been stopping from time to time to check this very blog. Seeing that there have been a few more readers than I ever thought, I thought I would write another entry.

This week I have been learning a lot about families any why people do the things that they do. I believe that it has a lot to do with the family that you grew up in. Just thinking about that brings a lot of memories to mind from my life. I can relate to them and see my life now to why I am wired the way that I am wired. I can not say that I was enmeshed with my family. Yes, I was with my family most of my growing up, but my parents allowed me to think for myself. I don't know how they did it, but they did. They allowed me so much freedom. I believe that I drove my family crazy with all of the stunts that I pulled in my life. But I am thankful that they gave me the freedom to find out things on my own. It took a lot of courage for my parents to do that. For that I am grateful. As for my brother??? Well, he is an accountant. He listened to my parents and did what he was told to do. On the other hand, I did quite the opposite. I needed my space and wanted to explore life to see all that it had. I dared to be myself and here I am today. Praise the Lord!

But today, what do I know? Not more that anyone else. I have traveled the country. Made many mistakes in my decisions. I am glad that I was not found in a ditch somewhere in my travels. How could my parents let me go? I don't know. It must have been hard for them to watch me make my mistakes. Praise Jesus that I am not dead.

My family tells me a lot about why I am the way that I am. I pray that I learn more about my family in the future. What does your family look like? Why are you they way that you are? I find things every interesting.

Blessings,
Jen

How to Swim With People

2005-08-25T22:33:00.000-04:00

The challenge is to minister in a healing way without being consumed in the process-like the swimmer who caries a struggling, drowning person for some distance without being pulled under along the way. It's easier if you are not alone. It takes time. You will feel worn out at times. The person may fight against you. You need to keep a clear eye on where you are headed. You must hold the person firmly and lovingly but in a way that does not allow you to be pulled down. You will get tired and will need to rest. You will pray. Sometimes the shoreline seems impossibly far away. Sometimes there are waves, sometimes big ones. You will need to call for help. Still the task is to keep the person moving slowly towards the firm ground. (Miller and Jackson: 1995, p. 357)

Prayer Needed!

2005-08-15T20:39:00.000-04:00

School has not even started and I have so much to do in the next couple of weeks. I have several papers due by Sept. 1st. I have a lot to do! I hope that the last couple of entries have been informational.

Thank you in advance for your prayers,
Jen

Important Things to Teach our Children

2005-08-11T13:08:00.000-04:00

I work at a Children's Home and I thought I would share some things that I never new when I was growing up. I wish I knew about them.

THE TRICKS USED BY SEXUAL PREDATORS

THE APPLE OF MY EYE TRICK: This tris is on top of the list for the most insidious of all tricks because predators use the same innocent vulnerability we strive to protect in our children for purposes of methodically gaining their trust. Then by giving speciall attention to the children, they can eventually abuse them sexually. All children want love, attention and affection; this is why children are particularly vulnerable to those who are experts at grooming them with the intent to sexually abuse them.

ACCIDENTAL TOUCHING TRICK: Children are often unaware that an accidental touching may be intentional, or that an offender may be atempting to touch closer to their genitalia (private parts) the next time.

ASSISTANCE LURE TRICK: Offenders may ask a child for help with directions or carrying packages. One convicted offender stated that he liked to hand around "kiddy" hamburger restaurant bathrooms. He would abuse young boys by offering to help them with their zippers. Another type of assistance lure may be an offender who senses a role he might play by assisting a family with children. His assistance might be needed byr babysitting or for driving a child to activities. Watch out for those who are MORE interesting in your child than you are; there is a reason.

AUTHORITY TRICK: Many of us have taught our childrn to respect authority without realizing that many of the individuals who target our children take advantage of their position such as a teaching, a coach, a religious leader or a club leader.

DESENSITIZE TRICK: Offenders may continually talk to children about sex or use pornography to demonstrate sexual acts. They may arouse a child's curiosity by leaving sexual material and aids around where the child may see them.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL TRICK: Drugs or alcohol can be used to incapacitate or weaken a child, making them highly vulnerable to sexual abuse.

EMERGENCY TRICK: Crisis can be confusing for young children and offenders count on that, so they may construct an emergency to lure children.

FAME TRICK: Promises are made by offenders to make the child a movie star, or a music star.

FRIENDSHIP TRICK: Older children may bribe a younger child (or same age) by saying that they will not be their friend anymore unless they participate in a sexual act.

HERO TRICK/SPECIAL PRIVILEGES TRICK: (Coach/Teacher/Person in a Position of Authority) Children are often impressed with those individual they look up to - such as those in a position of authority like a coach, teacher, or older cousin. They may endure abuse to maintain a relationship where they are receiving special previleges for favors.

"I KNOW YOU" TRICK: Do not write your child's name on the outside of any of their clothing or items they use outside of their home such as backbacks or lunchboxes. this gives the offender an opportunity to use the child's name and make your child feel a though they know them.

INTERNET TRICK: The internet is a preying ground for sex offenders trying to lure victims. Offenders will try to get specific information from your child without directly asking for it. They may ask if your child plays on sports teams which can lead to a discussion of where your child played these games. Ultimately, they try to set up a meeting. Predgators on the internet may also transmit pornography to your child.

JOB TRICK: Promises by offenders of high paying jobs easily influence young adults into meeting indiviuals in questionable places for interviews where they may be sexually abused. Young children may be offered hig pay for odd jobs inside an offenders' house where they too may be sexually abused.

LEGITIMACY TRICK: There are a few organizations that promote sexual relations with children and attempt to legitimize this activity - they may attempt to convice a child that sex with an adult is a legitimate activity.

OUTING TRICK: An offender may continually attempting to take a child out alone for special trips or outing and insists that no one else attend. A peiatricain in New Your, who ws convicted of sexually abusing many of his patients, would take often them away for weekends. Parents trusted him because he was will liked and perceived as the pillar of the community

PET TRICK: Similar to the assistance lure, the offender may ask a child to help find his lost dog or cat. They may carry props such as a photo of dog and a leash.

TEACHING TRICK: Assistance is offered to a family to help teach a child a sport or how to play a musical instrument, often without cost. Parents from across the nation have also noticed that sexual predators may be working as driving school instructors.

THREAT TRICK: Children may be threatened into cooperation and further silenced. Once the abuse has taken place, they treatened to expose the child either to their parents or to their friends. The offender may threaten the abused child into then recruiting other children.

COSTUME TRICK: Most volunteers who dress up as clowns, cartoon characters or as Santa Claus during the holiday season are not pedophiles attempting to access children. However, you should always be aware that there are pedophiles attempting to access children. However, you should always be aware that there are pedophiles that would do anything to get at kids.

GAMES TRICK: Body contact games such as srestling are played where touching genitalia (the private parts) is part of the rules of the game.

Thoughts From Lawyers

2005-08-11T12:24:00.000-04:00

Were we robbed because we didn't hear the real Thanksgiving in school? Thanksgiving started by a prayer that George Washington prayed.

There are not many Christian lawyers and journalists. Is it because Christian parents stopped sending their children to school for it?

Why do we have what we have going on in this country? Did we just let it happen? Didn't we fight? Did we get scared?

Scripture was quoted more often in government. Now it is all about luck without God's hand.

Who were the least religious founding fathers? They were Franklin and Jefferson. Did you know that Jefferson opened up church in the Capitol Rotunda? Did you know that Jefferson wrote his own Bible. He just liked to do things his own way when it came to religion.

Our Constitution was written for Biblical people being governed by the Holy Spirit.

People in France did not want to foster any religion in their constitution. France now wishes that they could say God Bless France like we Americans can.

Are we compartmentalizing our lives? We need to be involved in voting, in school boards, etc. and to stop saying that we can not do anything.

The Ten Commandments are what our Constitution was founded upon. Are we extinguishing the flame?

Bad facts make bad law.

Is secularism a religions?

The Supreme Court was not to be a legislative brance. They took the power and nobody is stopping them. Whatever they say is law. Congress has the power over the Supreme Court.

We need to be involved or NOT complain.

Be who you are and show your beliefs.

Evolution is being taught in our schools. It is sometimes taught as fact. It is a theory, not a fact.

Today, the Supreme Court is like a temple.

We serve the lawmakers, they don't serve us. It is all corrupted and twisted.

Have these thoughts made you think?

Blessings,
Jen

Lawyers Meet for Coffee

2005-08-08T15:04:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Supreme Court is a Battle ground in our society today. The lawyers at my church will be hosting an informal gathering tonight at Sacred Grounds (the cafe I work at). They will be discussing the origins of the Court, its history and the recent cases on public displays of the Ten Commandments. We will be learning about the Court so we can better pray for the Justices and appointees.

I am excited to see how many people will be there and the things that will be talked about. I will be sure to update you on the happenings of tonights meeting!

Blessings,
Jen

Reminders Are SO GOOD

2005-08-03T01:10:00.000-04:00

I was reminded by a friend today in a blog and here is what was written:

It's one thing to get distracted from things in our daily routine of living....but when we get distracted from more important things, it can be dangerous!

PHILIPPIANS 3:8
"What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ."

WOW.....I tell ya, this verse has blessed me in a HUGE way! Christ needs to be my one and only focus in life. As the verse says, ALL else is rubbish!....yet I continue to cling to things that don't seem to matter.

PHILIPPIANS 1:20-21
"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Anyways....I just wanted to share that with ya'll! God is GOOD, ALL the time! ALL the time, God is GOOD!!

Thought for the day:
"Your attitude of worship can turn any mundane task into an offering to God."

Check out Heart of Worship's Blog!

Blessings,
Jen

Prayers for my Dad

2005-07-28T01:40:00.000-04:00

My dad just turned 70 on the 26th. Praise the Lord! I love my Dad so much! He has diabetes and is having trouble with his eyes mostly! He has surgery a lot because of them. Also, he is having problems with the feelings in his toes.

I thank the Lord that I have a wonderful loving father here on earth. He has been so good to me! I can depend on him when I see him to give me a huge hug and kiss! I miss him so much when I am not at home.

As I work with children that do not have a father, I cannot imagine life without one. My father helped me with tough love to become the person that I am today. Kids need a father!

God, you are a father to everyone. The only reason why we know what love is, is because you have woven us together with it. Love! It is the only reason we live. We were made with love!

Thank you Jesus for the gift of an earthly father! I love him so much. When he passes on to heaven I will miss him much. Thank you GOD!!!!!

Blessings,
Jen

Time Well Spent

2005-07-11T03:12:00.000-04:00

Well, the time off was very relaxing. I kept busy, but in a relaxing way. I got a lot of things done around the house. I got to go to my friends book signing. I was so impressed and proud of Julie! Yippie!! I can't wait to read her next book.

I started going to school last Tuesday. I made it into the program on probation. I am going for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy. I have to take two independant studies this summer. I am very excited.

Starting mid-August I will be taking on a part time job at my church as the manager of Sacred Grounds Cafe. I am excited. There are going to be a lot of new changes. Praise the Lord! I will miss Joanna! But God has plans for her to do amazing things.

If you have been praying for me. Keep praying. If you haven't...you should start.

Blessings,
Jen

Gift of Time

2005-06-28T02:17:00.000-04:00

Starting on Friday, I will have the gift of five days off in a row. It will be nice to get away from working on third shift. I hope to sleep in every day. If I have not gotten together with you in a long time. You need to contact me. WE need to visit and go out for coffee. So give me a call.

Blessings,
Jen

Blessed with Words

2005-06-21T02:20:00.000-04:00

Julie Fidler is an amazing friend of mine. She is multi-talented and she has recently written her first book. I was at her house on Sunday and she gave me a copy of it. I have prayed for her all the while she has written "Adventures in Holy Matrimony." But to my amazing surprise when I opened up the book, she had our names in it. Also, she has a story in it when Mark and I were late to her wedding reception because I had to go the the bathroom. When I came out of the church...everyone was GONE! They vanished. How embarassing, but today it is quite funny. Everyone was worried that we were in an accident. Well, if I didn't go to the bathroom, I would have had an accident on the way. Ha Ha Ha

Julie is a blessing in my life. She is very honest and caring. When I first got married she was about the only girlfriend that I had near Reading. She was easy to talk to about anything and when going to the Fidlers house...Mark and I were considered family.

We have a lot of memories. I have seen so much growth in Julie! She writes a blog and I have her linked on the side. Please check her blog out and PURCHASE her book. You will not regret it. It is a different kind of marriage book.

Thank you for your friendship Julie. I love you sister! Congratulations on your FIRST book.

Blessings,
Jen

Please Pray!

2005-05-23T04:37:00.000-04:00

Please pray for me! I need to find my prayer life. I also need to read the Word more. Also pray for me as I discover better eating habits.

At this point in my life I feel very unproductive and away from God. It is of my own fault. As soon as I complete reading the Bible completely for the first time, I quit reading the Bible. I feel so sluggish.

Thank you for your prayers in advance.

Blessings,
Jen

Iraqis Find Graves Throught to Hold Hussein's Victims

2005-05-10T03:39:00.000-04:00

By ROBERT F. WORTH AGHDAD, Iraq, April 14 -

Investigators have discovered several mass graves in southern Iraq that are believed to contain the bodies of people killed by Saddam Hussein's government, including one estimated to hold 5,000 bodies, Iraqi officials say.
The graves, discovered over the past three months, have not yet been dug up because of the risks posed by the continuing insurgency and the lack of qualified forensic workers, said Bakhtiar Amin, Iraq's interim human rights minister. But initial excavations have substantiated the accounts of witnesses to a number of massacres. If the estimated body counts prove correct, the new graves would be among the largest in the grim tally of mass killings that have gradually come to light since the fall of Mr. Hussein's government two years ago. At least 290 grave sites containing the remains of some 300,000 people have been found since the American invasion two years ago, Iraqi officials say.
Forensic evidence from some graves will feature prominently in the trials of Mr. Hussein and the leaders of his government. The trials are to start this spring.
One of the graves, near Basra, in the south, appears to contain about 5,000 bodies of Iraqi soldiers who joined a failed uprising against Mr. Hussein's government after the 1991 Persian Gulf war. Another, near Samawa, is believed to contain the bodies of 2,000 members of the Kurdish clad led by Massoud Barzani.
As many as 8,000 men and boys from the clan disappeared in 1983 after being rounded up in northern Iraq by security forces at the command of Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as Chemical Ali. It remains unclear, however, how the victims ended up in the south.
Investigators have also discovered the remains of 58 Kuwaitis spread across several sites, including what appears to be a family of two adults and five children who were crushed by a tank, Mr. Amin said. At least 605 Kuwaitis disappeared at the time of the first gulf war, and before the latest graves were discovered, fewer than 200 had been accounted for, he added.
A smaller site was discovered near Nasiriya earlier this week. Arabic satellite television showed images of residents digging up remains there.
Mr. Amin declined to give the exact locations of the graves, saying it could endanger witnesses to the massacres and anyone working at the sites.
One obstacle to exhuming bodies has been an absence of DNA labs and forensic anthropologists in Iraq, Mr. Amin said.
In the aftermath of Mr. Hussein's fall, thousands of Iraqis overran mass grave sites, digging for their relatives' remains with backhoes, shovels, even their bare hands. A number of sites were looted, making identification of victims difficult, said Hanny Megally, Middle East director for the International Center for Transitional Justice.
The American occupation authority, after some initial hesitation, began classifying grave sites, and international teams began traveling to the sites in 2003 to conduct assessments or exhumations. But toward the end of 2004, rising violence led nearly all the teams to abandon their work.
Only one site has been fully examined, a grave of Kurdish victims in northern Iraq, Mr. Megally said. That work was overseen by the Regime Crimes Liaison Office, which is gathering evidence for the trials of Mr. Hussein and his deputies.
The interim Iraqi government, working with the United Nations, has drawn up plans for a National Center for Missing and Disappeared Persons that would have authority over all aspects of the process, from exhumations to providing assistance to victims' families.
That's 290 graves with 300,000 people!!! Clinton justified going into Kosovo for far less!! And he had no UN approval either, and never NEVER recieved a fraction of the heat George Bush is getting!!!I'll never understand the lopsided and heavily unballanced "worldly" concerns of Bush critics.

An Update

2005-05-04T00:59:00.000-04:00

An update!!

I have applied to another school! Yahoo! Please pray for me. The Lord is leading me into the world of counseling. I want to learn as much as I can. I would like to recieve a masters in marriage and family therapy.

Blessings,
Jen

My Testimony

2005-04-21T03:10:00.000-04:00

I cannot remember a time when I did not know Jesus. But, I do remember when I was about seven yeas old I started going to Bible Camp. I knew at that time I accepted the Lord into my heart and wanted to follow Him all the days of my life. I remember when I was very young I tried to think about Jesus at least once a day.
High School was a rough period for me. There was only one other believer that I knew in my class. I had other friends, but only one friend that I could talk with about issues. At the end of high school I decided to work at the Bible Camp that I went to every summer of my life. Being at camp truly helped me to figure out what I really believed. It was when I was working at camp that God told me that He wanted me to be a "counselor." I thought He wanted me to be a camp counselor. But, I was never hired as a camp counselor. I started to think that a counselor was what "I" wanted to be. However, I never forgot what the Lord told me.
When I went to college I grew greatly in my relationship with Christ. I learned to depend on Him with everything in my life. Through the help of professors and spiritual retreats I found a peace of God that I could not understand, but simply experience. All of the hurt and anger from the abuse of my family disappeared. When I told my parents that I was majoring in Youth Ministry they got upset with me. They wanted me to become a nurse or a teacher. They told me, "You will never make any money being a youth pastor."
Well, I became a youth minister. I was the director of youth ministries as a couple of churches, but never found peace about my placement. I kept searching for where the Lord wanted me to go. I became a nurse aide. I worked in geriatrics and really took a liking to nursing. I decided to go to school to become an RN. I applied and surprisingly got into school. One day before the classes started, I had a sick feeling in my stomach and I felt uneasy about going to school and I decided to quit. I started to wonder where the Lord was leading me, but I knew it was not in nursing.
After working in nursing for so long, I had a longing to work with young people again. I am presently working at the Children’s Home of Reading. I also decided to volunteer with the youth group at my church. I began to have visions from the Lord. The Lord gave me glimpses of my future. I know that now is the time to pursue that vision.
God’s vision for me is building bridges between parents and teens. The vision of ministering to them in a counseling capacity is where I feel the Lord wants me to be. The vision goes deeper and a program is now starting with me being part of the process. I am so excited about the future. I believe that going back to school will equip me for the future.
This is where my story is for now. I pray that I have more exciting things to add to this wonderful story that God has given me to tell.

Panera, The Bread of Life

2005-04-08T09:36:00.000-04:00

I am sitting in a cafe right now. Yes, the other side of the world. Before I walked in the the door I figured that it would be full of stuffy people in their own little world. That is what I see on TV. Well, today things have changed my mind.

Today I have been overwhelmed by people coming in, sitting down and praying. There are two ladies sitting near by having a Bible Study. Truly inspiring to listen to their conversation. Two men in their 20s just left and they had a conversation about their faith and how their spiritual life is doing. In front of me there are a couple of women praying. It is an awesome sight.

I am sitting here enjoying the peace that I feel here. Even the little boy screaming for his juice does not bother me at all. He is looking and me and I just waved at him. He has a really cute smile! My mind has changed.

Praise the Lord for places to break bread like Panera.

Blessings,
Jen

Visions

2005-04-06T04:55:00.000-04:00

Praise the Lord for visions. A very awesome friend of mine Jo, has just told me that she is following the vision that the Lord has given her! Praise the Lord!

For about a year we have been discussing future issues. She has felt stressed and out of sorts for quite some time. She loves the job that she is doing, but is seeking to go where the Lord wants her to develop her gifts.

I look up to young people when the decide to follow the Lord's leading! I think back in my life when the Lord has spurred me on. And not moving on his leading has held me back. There have been many times that the Lord has shown me small things to do and I did not move on his leading. I remember these times and wished I would have done what he asked me to do. Today, I try to move on the things that he wants me to do. Especially pray for people right there on the spot. When someone asks me to pray for them, I try to pray for them right there and then. It is the smallest thing that I can do.

As for what I consider the LARGE things to follow the Lord's leading on...I struggle with them. I cannot tell you how many times that they Lord has guided me toward schooling, etc. I got scared and thought I couldn't do it. If it is of the Lord, I need to have comfort in it and trust in the Lord to guide me.

I couldn't tell you how many times that he has called me because I was not listening. I was listening to my own mind jibber jabber on about this and that. Why could I not be quiet and know that He is God??? I am learning more and more every day.

Thank you Lord Jesus for the Visions that you have given me. Thank you for leading me to what you want me to do. Help me to be quiet and to listen to your Words.

Are you listening God?

Blessings,

Jen

Sight and Sound

2005-03-30T03:31:00.000-05:00

Sight and Sound is a wonderful place. Two very good friends of mine invited me to go along with them. It was spectacular. I loved it! If you live near Lancaster, PA, you need to go.

God has blessed me with wonderful friends. I praise the Lord for them and I pray that I never take for granted their kindness to me and my love.

Praise the Lord for his Goodness!!!

Blessings,
Jen

Inward Exposure

2005-03-23T03:58:00.000-05:00

Part of a sermon from Pastor Joe
1. God enters into the darkness
A. Were you ever afraid of the dark? Are you afraid of the dark? What makes the dark scary is being alone in it. We need somebody bigger than us; somebody wiser; well, let’s face it, somebody braver than us to take charge of the monsters under the bed, or those creepy, skinny arms with long, "I’m goanna getcha" fingers whose shadows we see on the wall when the moon shines through the branches of the tree out side our bedroom window on a windy night. "Come on covers, don’t fail me now."
B. While I was still young enough to scare myself, and millenniums before Monsters, Incorporated came out, my dad did some remodeling in our house and I was moved to an upstairs bedroom with a tree outside the window. Now before that remodeling, the upstairs wasn’t used so I’d already delegated it an empty, formless mass cloaked in darkness (at least at night anyway).
C. On the night I was extracted from my downstairs room and escorted to the "dark tower" my parents rehearsed for me all the reasons why I shouldn’t be afraid. It’d didn’t work It wasn’t philosophy I needed, but presence Sooo0000oo, for the first few nights my dad came upstairs and slept by my side, and then one night while I wasn’t looking he slipped out from under the covers and went downstairs. And low and behold, his presence did the trick: all the monsters left and were never heard from again. And remember that skinny arm with the long, gotcha fingers? It turned out to be only a tree after all. I’ll betcha my dad was relieved.
D. Genesis 1:2 says that "The Spirit of God was hovering over (the earth’s) surface. God entered into the darkness; he hovered close to the formless mass of the empty earth, and Jesus went with him
(1) God is not afraid of the dark, neither the natural dark, or the Devil’s dark.
(2) Right from the beginning God has loved his creation up close; he has never been aloof,
(3) In the beginning he entered into that primeval darkness with intention. And his intention was light, and life and filling the emptiness with all that he planned to speak forth.
E. "And God said, let there be light, and there was light." At the breath of God, the darkness flees; especially when his breath gives life to words.

A Special Prayer

2005-03-22T04:44:00.000-05:00

A Prayer Of Closing And Opening
And Of Things That Come Before

Thy will before my will;
Thy goodness before my desire;

Thy service before my comfort.
This season before all seasons;

This day before all days;
This moment before all moments.

All people before my people;
My people before one person;

One person before me.
My love for one person;

One person's love for my people;
My people's love for all people.

All moments bring us this moment;
All days reveal this day;

All seasons balance this season.
My comfort found in Thy service;

My desire to be Thy goodness;
My will and Thine the same.

by Real Live Preacher

Seven Steps to Forgiveness

2005-02-28T05:33:00.000-05:00

SEVEN STEPS TO FORGIVENESS
Jesus taught very clearly about forgiveness. This is often overlooked, yet it has been the key for many, many people in solving their difficulties. Here is a look at Jesus’ own words about forgiveness, with seven steps that we have found to be a great help in making this teaching practical – and exciting!
JESUS’ TEACHING ON FORGIVENESS
Matt. 6:12 – In the "Lord’s prayer" Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. When we pray this we are actually asking God to forgive us in the very same way that we forgive others!
Matt. 6:14,15 – Right after the "Lord’s prayer: Jesus taught more about forgiveness: If we forgive others, the Lord will forgive us, If we do not forgive others, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us. (Mark 11:24-26)
Matt. 18:34,35 – Jesus said that if we do not forgive others we are "delivered to the tormentors". (We feel this means a guilty conscience, often resulting in anger, resentment, bitterness, fear, emotional and even physical illness. It can also open the door to demonic oppression.")
Matt. 16:19 – As believers, Jesus said that what we bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. BUT what we loose (or free) on earth we will be loosed in heaven. (John 20:23) When we do not forgive we bind ourselves and others in sin. Unforgiveness always creates bondage. But when there is forgiveness there is freedom! When we forgive we are freed from the guilt and the "torments" we’ve had because of unforgiveness. And God is freed to work, not only in our lives, but also in the life of the person who hurt us!
(Now here are the seven steps that help make this teaching practical.)
1.CHOOSE TO FORGIVE
Forgiveness begins with the simple decision that, In Jesus’ name we will oben God and forgive those who have hurt us.
"And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Eph 5:32
Jesus made in clear in Matt. 18:35 that this decision to forgive is to be "from our heart". This means we are to forgive wholeheartedly, not holding back or keeping any resentments.
Forgiveness Doesn’t start with feelings, but with a decision. We don’t need to wait for the "right feeling" before deciding to forgive. Instead, we can have "instant forgiveness"! We can immediately choose to forgive from our heart and God will recognize that. Verbalize this decision – by faith confess aloud, "In Jesus’ name I forgive __________." When we have done this then our feeling will be worked out. God will see to it!
Forgiveness doesn’t start with feeling, but we do need to deal with them. In the name of Jesus take authority over your emotions and command them to go along with the decision you have made. Then let God take care of them!
Be alert! The devil may try to bring some feelings of resentment back into our lives. We do not need to feel guilty about these temptations, but we do need to deal with them. Since we have already made our choice, we need to stand firm on having already forgiven that person in Jesus’ name! (I Peter 5:8-10)
For example: When that feeling of resentment come back, say to yourself, "I did forgive! I dealt with that." Eventually when you remember that sad experience, it will be with the happy thought, "That’s all over." Herein lies a secret of the healing memories.
Be joyful! Thank God for loving you, for forgiving you, and for working His character into you life through this experience. Other emotions cannot stand up very long against a thankful heart and a joyful spirit! (I Thess. 5:15-18)
2. CONFESS YOUR SIN TO GOD
Unforgiveness is sin against God. It is disobedience to His command that we are to forgive others even as God has forgiven us. (Eph. 4:32) Even more, God desires for all people to know forgiveness, even to the point of sending His Son, Jesus, to die in order to make that possible. Our unforgiveness can stop people from experiencing God’s forgiveness. Unforgiveness is a terrible sin against God.
Yet God is always ready to forgive us when we call on Him! (Psalm 86:5) So we need to accept our unforgiveness as sin, and confess it to God – and do you know what He does?
I John 1:9 – "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
(This confessing implies naming our sins one by one.)
Pro. 28:13 – "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
How can we be sure we are forgiven? By God’s Word! He very clearly says,
Matt 6:14 – "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
I John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just for forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Could it be said any simpler? If we forgive others and confess our sins, the Lord will forgive us and cast our sins into the bottom of the sea and REMEMBER THEM NO MORE!
Ps. 10312 – God will remove our transgressions as far as the east if from the west.
Isa 43:25 – God will wipe out our transgressions and will not remember our sins!
Isa. 1:18 – God will cleanse us and make us white as snow!
Yet sometimes we still doubt that we really are forgiven. There is one more thing that we need to do. We need to RECEIVE GOD’S FORGIVENESS, accepting it just as we would accept a gift someone gave to us. How is this possible? Listen to what the apostle Paul said:
II Cor. 5:20-21 – "God is using us to speak to you: we beg you, as though Christ Himself were here pleading with you, receive the love He offers you – be reconciled to God. For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, He poured God’s goodness into us!" (Living Bible)
3. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OF THOSE YOU WRONGED
We are responsible to restore relationship with anyone who has anything against us. (Matt. 5:23-24)
Accept responsibility for the wrong you have done, and ask for their forgiveness.
If you do not know what you did wrong, ask God to show you
Ask forgiveness for the basic sin involved. Do not go into details that would do more harm than good.
If you do not have a genuine sorrow or repentance in going to that person, stop first and prayerfully ask God to show you have you hurt that person, and how they may have felt. Allow God to give you a whole new understanding and sensitivity toward that person.
It is good to look right at the person when you tell them you did wrong and ask, "Will you forgive me?" Wait for an answer. If they say, "Yes, I will forgive," this will bring a release to them also. (Regardless of their answer, by confessing your sin and asking forgiveness you have been obedient. You can now leave them in God’s loving hands.)
Make any restitution that is necessary. Ask God to give you His wisdom as to what restitution to make and how. (see Ezekiel 33:15-16; Luke 19:1-10)
4.ASK GOD TO BLESS THE PERSON WHO HURT YOU
Luke 6:28 – "Pray for the happiness of those who curse you: Implore God’s blessing on those who hurt you." (Living Bible)
To "implore" means to earnestly, strongly ask. Implore God to truly bless the person who hurt you. And as you do this, follow the example of Jesus in asking God to bless them by forgiving them!
5.DO SOMETHING NICE FOR THE PERSON WHO HURT YOU (YOU BLESS THEM!)
Luke 6:27 – "Do good to those who hate you."
Rom. 12:21 – "Don’t let evil get the upper hand but conquer evil by doing good." (Living Bible) (This could be by complimenting that person, baking some cookies for them, fixing their car, or maybe babysitting their children. Ask God and He will show some way that will be meaningful to that person)
6.ACCEPT THAT PERSON THE WAY HE IS, EVEN IF HE IS ALL WRONG –
Not defending what he does, but defending him. You do not necessarily need to approve of what he is doing, but treat him with dignity, respect, love and kindness, anyway.
Romans 15:7 – "Accept one another, then, just as Christ accept you, in order to bring praise to God." (NIV)
7.LOOK AT THAT PERSON THROUGH EYES OF FAITH AND BELIEVE GOD TO CHANGE HIM
Do not concentrate on areas of weakness, sin, or irritation. Rather, concentrate on seeing that person as God wants him to be. Believe that God will answer your prayers for that person. (I John 5:14,15) Follow Abraham’s example and by faith see things that are not as though they are. (Rom. 4:16-21)
Begin to think and speak positively about that person. I Cor 13:7 – Love "believes all things, hopes all things."
Expect God to do a miracle – greater than you can imagine! (See Eph. 3:20)
SUMMARY
Here is a quick, personalized summary of these seven steps to forgiveness:
1.In Jesus’ name I choose to forgive those who have hurt me.
2. I will confess my sins to God, especially the terrible sin of unforgiveness. (And, by faith, I will receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing.)
3. I will, as God directs me, ask others for forgiveness for the wrongs I have done toward them. (And I will make restitution as needed.)
4. From now on, I will ask God to bless the one who has hurt me.
5. I too will bless that person, doing kind, helpful things for him.
6. I will accept him and treat him with love and respect.
7. I will look at that person through eyes of faith, and believe God to work in him.
It is extremely important that you make these decisions your own! Pray through them, saying them to God. Do this sincerely, from your heart – and SPEAK THEM ALOUD. (Rom. 10:10) And then experience the freedom and blessing of forgiveness! If you forgive others, then God will forgive you!
PRAYER
Just as a help, here is one way you can begin praying through these steps for forgiveness. This is simply a guideline, a help in getting started.
"Father in Heaven, in Jesus’ name I choose to forgive _________ for the wrongs
he has done. I chose to forgive him completely, without reservation, just as You have forgiven me. And Lord, forgive me for my sin and unforgiveness. I know that unforgiveness is terrible in Your sight and I truly repent of it. I don’t want any part of hatred and anger. I want only Your love and forgiveness toward him. Forgive and cleanse me, even deliver me from any "tormentors," and make me pure in Your sight. Thank You, O Lord, that according to Your Word that even as I have forgiven those who have hurt me, and have confessed my own sins, that You now forgive me. Thank You for forgiving me and making me white as snow!:
Now go on, and in your own words make those decisions your decisions!

Written by a friend named Betty

Created to be Like Christ

2005-02-28T04:05:00.000-05:00

Your attitude determines your Altitude. We need to set our goals and dreams high. There are four ways that we can do this. We need to change our thinking, have character, commit to God's way and watch our thoughts.

First, we need to change our thinking. We should not copy the behavior of this world. Romans 12:2

Second, we need to think about how we act when nobody is looking and when everyone is looking. We need to display a new nature as it says in Ephesians 4:22

Third, we need to commit our way to God's way. A commitment is like a promise or devotion to someone or something. It is obligating oneself to something. It is giving ALL of our life to Christs.

Forth, we need to watch our thoughts because they will be come our words and our words will become our actions and our actions will become hour habits and our habits will become our character and our character will become our destiny.

What is your character?

Blessings,
Jen (notes from a talk given by Eric Goldsboro 2/23/05)

Quotes and Questions

2005-02-22T02:38:00.000-05:00

God's not asking you to imagine that He is real or His love is real. He's saying "come experience it for yourself"
Do you place your faith in what His word says?
3 things in this life are always bad for you....I can't remember the first two, but the third is donuts!
May everything that happens cause you to realize that all you've wanted and all you want is Christ.
"all that is entailed for evil to prevail is that good men do nothing"

Doing some Visioneering!!!

2005-02-21T03:17:00.000-05:00

Visions, visions, visions are in my head of the future. Thank you Jesus for giving them to me. Help me to keep on pressing on toward the goal that you have for me. May I have said to me, "Well done good and faithful servant." I love you Jesus. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Want to know more about my vision? E-mail me! I am now reading a book called Visioneering. I am pumped for the future of the teens in my county. Thank you for visions!!!

Blessings,
Jen
Phil 4:13

Why Not PBS and the Weather Channel?

2005-02-07T07:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the Superbowl. Yeah? So what. We were at a Superbowl party yesterday at church. The awesome thing that they did was edit all the advertisements and the half time special out. Praise the Lord for that! I do not really like to watch football games because of all the the beer and racey commercials they have on TV. This world has enough problems without putting addictions on the TV to entice men.

You think that sports are bad? Well, what about the soap operas on TV these days. Many women have it on when they are taking care of their very young children. I can remember my mother watching "Days" and "General Hospital". The women and men sleep with everyone on the show. What is going on with this country. They try to make distroying your family look like it is the thing to do. Why can't this country only have PBS and the weather channel?

What are you watching?

Blessings,
Jen

2005-01-23T01:13:00.000-05:00

Ever have a vision that God gave you and it continued to knock around in your head and made you guilty that you never acted upon it. That was me until Monday and Thursday. I sat down with two pastors from my church and told them about my visions.

Now that I have talked to some people about my vision for the future, I need to get busy. I was having visions of an outreach outside of the church. Something that was open everyday that was near a place that was busy. Currently there are people in my church that have similar visions. I have had this vision for years. I have acted upon them only to have the Lord say, "Not now!" But now is the time.

I need to get busy and complete my education in counseling. I want to be able to use my spiritual gifts effectively.

I encourage you to act upon your visions and dreams if God has given them to you.

Blessings,
Jen

It is Finished

2005-01-21T04:14:00.000-05:00

For those of you that have been waiting for me to complete the spiritual gifts test....please go to the PRAYER AND GROWTH link.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me.

Blessings,
Jen

The Gift of God in Old Camp Friends

2005-01-19T02:37:00.000-05:00

This fall I was reunited with an old camp friend. Only through God's amazing were we reunited. It was no sheer coincidence that we found one another. God is so awesome!!!

When talking to an old camp friend, Marie, about having children, she had this to say about her children:

"Who else could ask such innocent questions as 'Who is God's
father?' 'Why didn't an angel come and take off the thorns from Jesus' head?'
'What is the Christmas spirit?' and challenge your thinking more than it has
been in a while."

What a true gift children have. Innocence at large. God wants us to come to him as a child. Wow, what an awesome way that children an help us learn.

Blessings,
Jen

What Is Anointing?

2005-01-18T04:09:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I went on a prayer retreat with the youth leaders of our church. It was an awesome day of focusing on prayer for the kids and one another.

We reflected on increasing our anointing. We learned most scary thing is to not have the anointing of God. We need to be hungry for the anointing of God and we must covet it. Anoint means to rub, smear, or paint with oil; also to set apart.

One person that was set apart in the Bible was Saul. Not from the new testament, but the old testament in I Samuel 15. Saul was the first anointed king. He needed to heed God's voice very carefully. Samuel was told to destroy EVERYTHING as God said. But Saul ignored the little areas. Saul did not duster everything. He kept the best of everything alive. In the end, Samuel regretted anointing Saul

Another person that was anointed was David. David had a transparent life. But the best example of someone that was anointed was Jesus. Jesus had a true anointing. Anointing is not something that comes and going. It needs to remain. Matt 4:16.
We are also not to judge other people's anointing.

What is the purpose of anointing? In our lives?

1. To know the truth (Jn 16:13) - there is no ministry without the Word of God

2. To communicate the truth (I or 2:13) - the Holy Spirit teaches anointing
of the Holy Spirit

3. To walk in truth (I John 3:24)

We are to be set apart and teach all people the truth.

Saturday I was also anointed with oil for healing. I have to testify, that what has been bothering me for months and months is ceasing to exist as a problem in my life. Hallelujah!

Do you have an anointing?

Blessings,
Jen

"I Hear the Voice of God"

2005-01-16T22:55:00.000-05:00

I HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD
-Mark Mayhue

I strain to hear the voice of God
As I sit in silent prayer
Sitting by the water's edge
Enjoying the clean, crisp air
I ask the LORD to speak to me
And wait for His response
But then there's only silence
It seems like God is gone
Then I hear the water
As the ripples meet the shore
A constant, soothing, gentle sound
That's relaxing all the more
I listen to the gentle wind
As it rustles through the trees
It brings a sense of peacefulness
As I feel its cooling breeze
I hear birds singing joyfully
But, why do I feel so odd
Then finally it occurs to me
I'm hearing the voice of God
I hear Him speaking peace and rest
Through the water, wind and birds
Now I'm assured I've heard His voice
Though He never spoke a word

"Never on Your Own"

2005-01-15T23:34:00.000-05:00

NEVER ON YOUR OWN
-Mark Mayhue

I can’t believe it’s been so long
Since I’ve been born-again
I’ve had my up’s, I’ve had my down’s
In these years of serving Him
At times it seemed we were so close
I could reach and take His hand
But then there were those moments
My heart seemed a barren land
Has God forsaken? Has He gone?
Has He forgotten me forever?
I wondered why He seemed so far
No longer were we together
But over time I realized
That never did He leave
I’m the one who lost my faith
In the God whom I believed
His silence does not mean He’s gone
I’ve learned He’s always there
He’s always working in our lives
In joy and in despair
So, if the LORD seems distant
That He has left you all alone
Just know He also works in silence
You are never on your own

Something New

2005-01-14T03:55:00.000-05:00

For those that have been curious, a spiritual Gifts Discovery is being developed here.

Blessings,
Jen

The Test!

2005-01-13T07:18:00.000-05:00

I sat down with a church leader yesterday to talk about a test that I took. Two months ago I took a spiritual Gifts Test. The test consisted of 125 questions. The results I found very shocking. There are certain things that I did not realize about myself until I looked at scores on the test. The gifts that I scored high in were:

Pastoral - 12/15 the gift of pastor is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the spiritual welfare of a group of believers. Eph. 4:11-14; I Timothy 3:1-7; John 10:1-18; I Peter 5:1-3

Knowledge - 12/15 the gift of knowledge is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to discover, accumulate, analyze, and clarify information and ideas which are pertinent to the growth and will-being of the body. I Cor. 2:14; I Cor. 12:8; Acts 5:1-11; Col. 2:2-3; II Cor. 11:6

Discernment - 13/15 The gift of discerning of spirits is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to know with assurance whether certain behavior purported to be of God is in reality divine, human, or Satanic. I Cor. 12:10; Acts 5:1-11; Acts 16:16-18; I John 4:1-6; Matt. 16:21-23

Exhortation - 14/15 The gift of exhortation is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to minister words of comfort, consolation, encouragement, and counsel to other members of the body in such a way that they feel helped and healed. Romans 12:8; I Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:25; Acts 14:22

Giving 12/15 - The gifts of giving is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to contribute their material resources to the work of the Lord with liberality and cheerfulness. Romans 12:8; II Cor. 8:1-7; II Cor. 9:2-8; Mark 12:41-44

Faith 13/15 - The gifts of faith is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and purposes of God for his Work. I Cor. 12:9; Acts 11:22-24; Acts 27:21-25; Hebrews 11; Romans 4:18-21

Leadership 12/15 - The gift of leadership is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to set goals in accordance with God's purpose for the future and to communicate these goals to others in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to accomplish those goals for the glory of God. I Timothy 5:17; Acts 7:10; Acts 15:7-11; Romans 12:8; Hebrews 13:17; Luke 9:51

Administration 12/15 - The gift of administration is the special ability God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to understand clearly the immediate and long-range goals of a particular unit of the body of Christ and to devise and execute effective plans for the accomplishment of those goals. I Cor. 12:28; Acts 6:1-7; Luke 14:28-30; Titus 1:5

Serving 13;15 - The gift of service is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to identify the unmet needs involved in a task related to God's work, and to make use of available resources to meet those needs and help accomplish the desired results. II Tim 1:16-18; Romans 12:7; Acts 6:1-7; Titus 3:14; Gal. 6: 2,10

I scored 0 out of 15 in Celibacy! Praise the Lord for that! Amen!

What was revealed was very encouraging. There have been times in my life where I feel that I don't have anything to attribute to God. I though that I was dust under His feet.

Have you taken a Spiritual Gifts test? I would be willing to type it up and e-mail it to you if you are interested. It is neat to find things out the gifts that God has given to you.

My next step is using the gifts that God has given to me. This is going to an interesting ride. I guess that is one of the reasons why I named this blog place Discovering God's Gifts! Praise the Lord for that.

Please let me know if you would like to take the test.

Blessings,
Jen

Do you want to know more about Jesus?

Smoke Anyone?

2005-01-11T14:19:00.000-05:00

Phillip Morris...can we say hypocrites??? It does not make sense to me!! They say that they don't want you to smoke and encourage you to quit smoking, yet they continue to sell cigarettes. Every time I see the commercial on TV it really makes me mad. What is Phillip Morris trying to say? Do what I say and not what I do? How many times have I heard that in my life? What kind of examples do we look up to?

What kinds of examples are kids looking up to today? What kind of parents do we want to be? I, for sure, want to be a parent that my kids look up to. I don't want to have to ask them to do something that I have not done myself. You cannot teach someone something that you have not already done in your life. If you ask your kids to clean your room and your room is a wreck, what are you telling them?

Let's not be hypocrites. Lets be the person that we want our children to be. Try to not just say what you want them to do, but be the person that you want them to be.

Blessings,
Jen

Words from Julie the Elick

2005-01-07T08:19:00.000-05:00

China, Russia Assist Syria and Iran In Squeezing Israel Into Ezekiel 38 Prophecy

The year 2005 is already shaping up to what could become one of the most dangerous years in the history of mankind.
The United States is waging a violent war in Iraq, which has become the frontline on fighting terrorism.
Israel is making peace overtures to the Palestinians while radical Palestinian terrorists vow to keep fighting.
In the background are the militarily-aligned nations of China and Russia feeding Iranian and Syrian appetites for weapons of mass destruction and the delivery systems to use them.
The Isaiah 17:1 prophecy that Damascus will no longer exist and the Ezekiel 38 prophecy about Russia, Persia (Iran and part of Iraq) and other nations coming against Israel now look like more than words written for a distant future.
Syria and Iran are working parallel strategies toward their common goal of eliminating Israel as a nation. Both nations harbor command centers for Hezbollah, Hamas, even al Qaeda. Well documented are the Iranian missile and nuclear programs supported by China and Russia, but little has been written about Syria's 600 short range Scud B missiles, a growing stock of Chinese M-9s, and as many as 15,000 rockets and missiles of varying ranges deployed by Hezbollah in Syria and in nearby Lebanon--all able to deliver chemical weapons of various magnitude, and all made possible by China and Russia.

Israeli Defense Forces officials admit that Syria and Hezbollah now have enough firepower to virtually eliminate the entire Northern part of Israel. Iran is funding and feeding insurgency in Israel as well as in Iraq. Iran will do all it can to sabotage any peace effort between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. And there are growing concerns that the U.S. military in Iraq is very exposed to Iran's missile systems and possible nuclear capabilities. All this means that Iran and Syria, with a good deal of help from terrorist organizations like Hezbollah, may strongly believe they have both Israel and the United States in positions of weakness going into the new year.

Insider's Take: This scene plays well into the hand of prophecy. In Isaiah 17:1 the Lord says, "Behold Damascus will cease from being a city, and it will be a ruinous heap." Additionally, Ezekiel 38 prophesies that Gog (Russia), Persia (Iran and Iraq) with Ethiopia and Libya will come against Israel "ascending like a storm covering the land like a cloud." These nations are now aligned and armed. The United States is considering more unilateral sanctions against Syria—already there are trade sanctions, but they are not honored by other nations. While leaders in Israel and the United States may try to negotiate these dangerous waters through diplomacy, the die is cast. Jesus said in Matthew 24:33, "So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors!"

Why Vinegar is Sometimes Better Than Honey

2005-01-06T01:06:00.000-05:00

I had a dream about a month ago that I still remember today. It had to do with the quote, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I am told that this quote means to treat someone kindly for your own personal gain. It can also mean to always treat someone kindly and they will be your friend.

In my dream, vinegar was better than honey. When someone uses honey, they get sticky and gooey. Honey needs to be kept in a special container and is very difficult to clean up if it is spilled. Honey is good, but if it was not for the cleaning properties of vinegar, honey would eventually have unpleasant things sticking to it.

If we are to be good friends to people, we need to apply vinegar to the honey that we apply to our friendships. If we don't apply some vinegar from time to time, to clean up our messes, then honey attracts debris and other things that we do not want.

Sometimes we may have a tendency to smother our friends with everything good and sweet. When we get upset or mad at other people, we do not want to tell them about it. We believe that the other person will be mad and not want to remain friends. This is why God created forgiveness. If we would all apply more vinegar to our relationships, to clean them up, our friendships could have a lot less debris or grudges.

This image has been with me for awhile and I don't usually remember my dreams. Maybe this has been something that can impress upon you also.

Blessings,
Jen

Yippee for Julie

2005-01-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

Please help me congratulate my friend Julie for finishing her book. Her last post says she finally finished it. She wrote a cool book called "Adventures in Holy Matrimony." Give her a great comment!

If you look further at her blog you will see where you can purchase her book and even pre-order her book. I think that is cool! HEHE

Blessings,
Jen

"That's What God is For"

2005-01-03T20:22:00.000-05:00

"That's What God is For"
-Mark Mayhue

When it seems like life's unfair, and all your hope is gone
And everyone around you thinks that you are always wrong
You start to feel like giving up, and giving in at last
You think your life is useless and you want to end it fast
But, God cares for you deeply, your sin His Son died for
He's always there to help you through, that's what God is for
He'll help you through your darkest hour, He'll help you to endure
His peace will be sufficient enough, That's what God is for
So, do not be discouraged, my friend, don't give up the fight
And all those people who said you're wrong will finally see you're right
Because, God cares for you deeply, your sin His Son died for
He's always there to help you through, that's what God is for
He'll help you when you're lonely, He'll help when you're unsure
He'll help you do His perfect will, That's what God is for

Pray For Julie

2005-01-03T20:08:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine is right now in the process of completing her first book called "Adventures in Matrimony." I encourage you, my friends, to pray for her. She is completing her last chapter to summarize her book.

Julie is an amazing writer and I encourage you to go to her blog. She has a lot of interesting thoughts that I have never pondered before. Also, she has many awesome links to go to.

Thanks for your many prayers.

Blessings,
Jen

How Was Your Christmas?

2004-12-28T01:28:00.000-05:00

"How was your Christmas?" is a popular phrase this time of year when going back to work. What exactly does that mean? How are you suppose to answer that? Do you grade your Christmas on how much you get, or on if you fought with your relatives? "How was your Christmas?" I did not even know that Christmas was suppose to be ours.

I don't know how many times I have been asked that question. I don't know how to answer that? I would rather be asked, "Where did you go to spend Christmas Day?" or "What did you have for dinner on Christmas Day?" I would then tell them about how I celebrated Christ's birth.

I believe that we need to give Christmas back to the Lord. We have taken it and destroyed much of what Christmas is. A lot of people when asked, "What is the Christmas Story?" they think of the movie, Santa Clause, or even the Grinch. It has become commercialism and a gigantic birthday party of gifts for us. But what about who was born on Christmas? Do we think about why there is a Christmas celebration?

This Christmas I did not buy as much as I usually buy for my relatives. I am tired of video taping every gift that is opened. It is becoming a real drag of faking expressions so that it can be captured forever on tape, only to collect dust on a shelf and never watched again. Opening gifts is NOT my favorite thing about Christmas.

My favorite memories of Christmas is on Christmas Eve at home with my parents. I enjoy waking up to Christmas music filling the house. The house is full of wonderful smells of pumpkin pie and preparations for dinner the next day. The house is full of love and care. On Christmas Eve we always go to a candle light service at a small Swedish Church. Being with friends and sharing Christ's love with one another as we pass the light of Christ from one another is the total meaning of Christmas. It is my favorite time of year. I see friends that I have grown up with and some older friends that have prayed for my my entire life. Seeing them always brings cheer and warmth to my heart. That type of love is Christ's love.

When someone asks you, "How was your Christmas?" how are you going to answer them?

Blessings,
Jen

Gifts come to you in sickness

2004-12-17T04:04:00.000-05:00

Tonight I was at a Christmas Party with some friends and suddenly I became very sick. I went to the bathroom was in there for a very long time. My friend came to check on me. I did not know what to do and I was scared. I began to pray to God that he would help me. I felt trapped. A couple of people came in to help. Praise the Lord for people that want to help. If not, I would still be stuck in that little bathroom stall. As I was leaving the restaurant I was sitting on a bench waiting for my husband to pay the bill. I must have looked white as a ghost, but a very dear 16 year old stood by my side. She did not say much, but I knew that she cared by the way she tried to cheer me. Bless her heart. I have seen her grow in the Lord with her selfless giving. Thank you for the friends that I have. They are a true gift and I would have nothing in this world without them. Thank you Jesus!

Blessings,
Jen

My First Post!!!

2004-12-12T07:33:00.000-05:00

By no means am I any sort of writer. I make no claims that my ideas will even make sense. I do enjoy communicating with people about life and the struggles that we go through. I have a friend named Julie that is a blog writer and I always find her writings very honest and interesting. She is currently writing a book and I admire her greatly for using the skills that she has to glorify the Kingdom. In her blogs people make comments to her about what she writes. I think that is cool.

To start off, I work in a Children's Home as a Youth Care Worker. The kids come from rough families of all kinds. The stories that I have heard about the history of the kids is tough to hear. I also volunteer at my church with the Jr. Hi Ministry and I love it! I love it so much that I could do if full time as a career. Where the Lord leads me, only he knows.

I pray that my blog may bless someone soon. I pray that the Lord will give me the Words to share.

God's Blessings,

Jen