How to Stop Sleep Paralysis (Short Version)
There are two types of stopping sleep paralysis that I will discuss in this chapter. The first type is stopping sleep paralysis in the middle of an event. This is especially helpful for those that are used to sleep paralysis experiences lasting a long time, or if there is sexual violation occurring, but really any SP event can be cut short using the methods I will discuss. The second type is stopping sleep paralysis from happening altogether, to be free from sleep paralysis for good.
If you are not a Christian, you can stop SP events in the middle of an attack and you can prevent SP from getting any worse using the methods I will discuss, but you won’t be able to stop sleep paralysis from coming back again. This is because the most important part of stopping sleep paralysis for good is using the authority that Jesus has given to His followers to order demons to stop. People who are not Christians should not attempt to use that authority in the way Christians do because it can be dangerous for them.
There is an example in the Bible of some people who had seen the power that Christians had over demons and tried to use the same methods themselves. It did not work out very good for them.
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. – Act 19:13-16
Calling for Help – Non-Christians
So you can’t use the methods that Christians can use to stop sleep paralysis, but what you can do as a non-Christian is pray, and ask Jesus for help during a sleep paralysis event. Even if you can’t actually speak during an event, and all you can do is think the words “Jesus help me,” or even just the name “Jesus,” He will help you and stop the attack. He loves you and wants to help you with this. He wants to show you that He has all the authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18). He wants to show you that just like in the Bible the demons that are bothering you must submit to Him. To be clear on this point, non-Christians are able to pray and ask Jesus to help them, whereas Christians, as we will see, in a minute can use the authority that Jesus has given them to end these attacks for good.
For many people that are skeptical of the claims of this book, this will be the first step in what I hope will be your complete freedom from sleep paralysis. I have received many letters from people who had been having terrible demonic attacks, but when they called out to Jesus for help, He stopped the attack, usually in a very dramatic way. They then knew there was something to what I had been telling them. They began to question who this Man really was that lived 2000 years ago, who claimed to have total authority over demons. They began to ask questions like: “Why did the demons that I have been dealing with all these years call out in terror when I asked for Jesus to help me?”, “Why did they stop attacking me? They never stopped before?”, “Is there something to this Jesus thing after all?” They often begin reading the Bible and trying to figure it out. Very many of them have become Christians after seeing the power that asking Jesus for help had, and then eventually found complete freedom from SP using the authority that Jesus gives all Christians.
Stop it From Getting Worse – Non-Christians
As a non-Christian you also have the ability to stop SP from getting worse, especially if you are regularly doing any of the things that I mentioned in the chapter on causes of SP. If you keep on doing those things the demons will continue to slowly gain more access to you, and they will be able to do more and more physical things to you during SP. By quitting the things that are causing SP to get worse, you won’t be preventing it from happening altogether. In all likelihood it will continue because the doors are still open, but you can keep them from getting opened further.
This is about the limit of help I can offer to non-Christians because, as we will see, the main way that sleep paralysis is stopped for good is by using a particular type of authority that is not available to non-Christians. If you are interested in becoming a Christian, you can see the chapter called How to Become a Christian. The minute you become a Christian you will be able to use the methods I am about to describe; you don’t have to wait. In fact, I would suggest that you don’t.
Before I get started I have to mention that not everyone who says they are a Christian is a Christian.
I will discuss this more in the chapter titled How to Become a Christian, but I would only say here that it is possible for a person to think they are a Christian and not be. If you are not sure if you are a Christian, consider reading that chapter first. Even if you are a Christian, I’m sure you will get something out of it too.
Using the Authority
The most important part of overcoming regular sleep paralysis (after becoming a Christian), is knowing how to use the authority that Jesus has given them. I have quoted this verse before in this book but it bears repeating at this point.
Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. – Luke 10:19-20
This authority is for every Christian from the brand-new Christian to the seasoned veteran. It is not just for pastors or “exorcists” or any other professional. For example the seventy men that Jesus sent out to cast out demons in the chapter we just quoted were not all apostles or professionals; they were just followers of Jesus. In fact in Mark 9:38-40 Jesus actually rebukes His disciples for getting mad at a Christian who wasn’t in their group that was using the authority of Jesus to cast out demons. Jesus tells His disciples it was just fine for him to do this even though he wasn’t a part of their particular group of followers. Clearly Jesus’ intention was for this authority of His to be used by anyone who is a Christian.
Why Does it Work?
This is a really important section because you will need a very good understanding of what I am about to say here in order to use the authority that Jesus has given us effectively. We have already seen that demons are afraid of Jesus and the authority that He has over them. The question that remains is why they are so afraid? The answer is that as Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” (Matthew 28:18) He is the final authority on everything; what He says goes. Since He has given Christians the same authority, the demons are now “subject unto us” too. That means they must do what we tell them to do in Jesus’ name. So what should we tell them to do if we encounter them? There are many answers to this question. In the Bible there are different things that were said to demons for different occasions. However there is one thing in particular that we have found to be very effective.
The thing that the demons are afraid of most of all, it seems, is that they will be tormented before their time.
And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” – Mat 8:29
This is interesting because it seems they know that there will be a judgment of them coming one day. A reference to this final judgment can be read in Matthew 25:41. However, according to a number of passages there is a place called the “abyss” that demons can be sent before that final judgment, which seems to be a kind of prison.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into the lowest hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept for judgment.(2 Peter 2:4 ISV)
The Greek word for “lowest hell” here is tartarus which is defined as a “deep abyss that is used as a dungeon of torment for spirits.” This is where the angels that sinned in Genesis 6 were sent (also see Jude 1:6). But it is also the place that demons today fear going. We see in Luke 8 that the very same demons that said, “Have you come here to torment us before the time” clarified what they meant by that by saying the following:
And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. – Luke 8:31
Obviously one reason that they wouldn’t want to go there is because of them “being tormented,” but there is another reason that is more strategic. Satan, the general of the evil side of this war, has a limited amount of demons at his disposal. He cannot risk losing too many. If you are the type of person that uses your God-given authority to send these demons to the Abyss, you become a very dangerous person to them. Satan is at risk of losing soldiers every time you get sleep paralysis if you know how to send them to the Abyss. Pretty soon he won’t bother sending any more to you; it’s simply not worth it.
Here is a good phrase to remember if you plan on sending demons to the Abyss:
“In the name of Jesus I command you to go to the Abyss right now and never return.”
There is no right way or wrong way to say this, and this is just one variation.
Sending demons to the abyss is by no means the only way to rebuke them or send them away, but we have found it to be the most effective way. Many people say things like “in the name of Jesus I rebuke you,” or “In the name of Jesus leave now and never return,” Some people “send them to the feet of Jesus” so that he can deal with them as he sees fit. All those are effective too. The main idea is that you are using the authority to rebuke them or send them away for good.
Just saying the name Jesus, singling praise songs or saying the “lord’s prayer” are okay but those things are not nearly as effective as telling them what to do with boldness. If Jesus says that the spirits are “subject unto us” then we should make the most of that massive gift to tell them exactly what to do or where to go. That is when you will start to see major results.
Probably even more important than what you say when attacked by demons is your unwavering commitment to say it every time it happens. This is because once they know for sure that you are the kind of person that will boldly use the authority Jesus has given you every single time, they will stop bothering you altogether. This is a crucial key to stopping sleep paralysis for good.
Obviously sometimes you won’t be able to speak during sleep paralysis which is fine. Simply think this phrase or a similar phrase, whatever you can think of at the time, even if it’s just the name “Jesus.” But after you are able to speak, rebuke them in Jesus’ name or send them to the abyss in Jesus’ name. Do this even if the attack is totally over and everything is back to normal. Take a few minutes and let them have it. If they are going to attack you through SP, then don’t let them get away with it without causing them some trouble too. We call this making a reputation in hell. Be the kind of person that makes demons cringe when they hear that they have to go to your house on an assignment. Trust me eventually your reputation gets out and the attacks will stop.
A Word of Warning and an Encouragement for the First Time
Though this is not always the case, the first time you try to use the authority that Jesus has given you on a demon, it may try to act like it doesn’t bother them. Trust me, it’s an act, and it’s taking everything they have to hold it together. This usually is only possible because the first time a Christian tries to rebuke a demon, they are usually not very confident, or they might not be saying anything that is particularly harmful to them. The demons have to use this opportunity of your weak attempt to try to scare you back into your shell. Don’t fall for this age-old trick. You have to realize that they NEVER wanted you to figure this out; it’s game over for them if you do. So the last card they can play is trying to make you think it doesn’t work in hopes that you will never try it again. I promise you the name and authority of Jesus is the absolute worst thing in the world for them. The bolder and more confident you become in using the authority of Christ, the more success you will have. I will discuss this in more detail in the section of this book called “Can Christians Get Sleep Paralysis.”
Closing the Doors – Defense
So far we have only dealt with one side of the equation — the offensive side. Becoming a bold spiritual warrior in the name of Jesus Christ is very important, but doing this will not actually heal any of the wounds in your natural protective barrier that we have talked about; the doors can still be open. In this section we will discuss how to close them for good.
Depending on what was done to open the doors in the first place, this process can range from easy to very difficult. In some cases, particularly people that may have been severe occultist in the past, the wounds in their spiritual protective barrier may require quite a bit more healing. For these people they will need to follow these instructions very carefully and not be discouraged if this process takes some time. In some ways I have found the people who have the most damage to this protective barrier end up being the best Christians, partly because they need more help from Jesus in order to be healed, which causes them to pray more and generally be a better Christians. Some of the greatest Christians I know are former witches and Satanists. Jesus tells us in Luke 7:39-50 that it’s often the people who have been forgiven the most that love Him the most.
Obviously the first step is to stop doing the things that open up doors. This might require help from the Lord to do, especially if there is addiction involved. The Bible says:
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. – James 4:7
Sometimes people pray that God will give them the power to resist certain sins but find themselves doing them again and again. I submit that this verse is true. If you do your part and resist the devil, he will flee from you. Most people pray for God to take away certain desires but don’t attempt to stop doing what they are doing. They are waiting on the desire to sin to stop before they stop sinning. That is backwards. You need to take a step first. Resist the desire to look at or do the things you shouldn’t be doing. It is only then that the desires will have a chance to stop. You may have to fight hard against temptation for a few months, but the desires will go away like a light switch being turned off.
I was addicted to many things before I was a Christian, but shortly after I became a Christian I decided that I would stop doing them. I assumed that I would always be burdened with the extreme desires to do the things I was addicted to. Nevertheless I was determined to stop even if it meant I would be in a constant battle against these desires. Imagine my surprise when after three months of struggle, I woke up one day and the desire for that particular sin was gone!
This same process has been experienced with every kind of sin. For example I know a particular woman who after becoming a Christian decided she wasn’t going to live the homosexual lifestyle anymore. She decided that she was going to stop looking at other women or magazines that might tempt her; she said when she was tempted she quoted Scripture. She still had homosexual desires at this point and she didn’t know what to expect. She thought that perhaps her entire life would be a struggle against those desires. But six months later it just stopped. She is now married to a wonderful man and very active in ministry. I say this to give you encouragement to stop sinning. There is light at the end of the tunnel of sinful desires. God will take them away from you, but you need to resolve to stopping it; you need to declare war on your sin. There is hope.
I am not saying that Christian can live a sin free life, I don’t think that it is possible, but there is victory over sin in Christ, and the more you submit to him, the more you will change. This process will last your entire life, the theological name for it is “sanctification.”
Some people put a lot of emphasis on “renouncing” previous ties to sin, especially in cases where generational doors may be open. Saying things in prayer like: “Lord, I renounce anything that was done on my behalf by any family member (or whoever), and I forgive them for doing it, for they were deceived.” Also for a more general renouncing you may simply ask for forgiveness for all that you have done in the past. The Bible says you will be forgiven for it all.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. – 1John 1:9
One of the most important things to do if you want to close the doors and experience healing is talk about it with the Lord. He is the one from whom our healing will come. And though sometimes He does this instantaneously, other times He wants to do this through a slower process. I think this is because the time that you spend with Him in prayer seeking healing is time that you cultivate your relationship with Him, and prayer is the main way in which this happens.
I suggest that you pray specifically for help closing the doors that have been opened, and not just once or twice. Even if you only pray about one thing every single day, let it be about this issue. Ask Him to close the doors and heal you. As I said, healing, when it comes, will come from His hand, and this is often accomplished through consistent prayer. I would suggest that you also take the time during prayer to tell Him about what is on your mind. Whatever you’re struggling with, ask him for help about it, whatever it is. He loves you and He wants to hear from you about your life. Ask Him for the things that you need. He enjoys answering prayer because it builds up your trust and love for Him.
Prayer is also helpful to prevent sleep paralysis. I recommend praying about this before you go to bed. Pray for protection, or pray that if you do get sleep paralysis that God would give you the ability to speak so you can begin the process of rebuking the demons, which as we have seen will lead to your freedom from SP.
Give your “Shares” to Him
Opening doors is a lot like selling shares to a company. Imagine that your life consists of a certain amount of shares. If you sell too many of them, someone else will have the majority control of the company. Satan tricks people into selling him shares of their life a little at a time. For example say you played with the Ouija board at a party once. That’s like selling him 2 or 3 shares; not that many as compared to the whole, but it’s some.
Over the course of your life you get tricked into selling him more shares, and he gains more and more authority in your life. If you were, for example, a severe occultist, you have sold him so many shares that he has a great deal of authority in your life. The problem is that you can’t get those shares back from him; he is not willing to sell them. But you need them back, so what are you going to do? You can’t take them back from him and keep them, but you can sell the whole company, even the shares Satan has accumulated, to another owner. You can give your entire life to Jesus; give Him total control. You can take those shares from Satan and give them all to a good and loving master, a person who loves you more than anybody else could possibly love you, cares for you, knows everything about you and wants what’s best for you. This is a thing that is done with the heart. You are essentially saying: “I want Jesus to be the boss, Jesus is going to be the Lord of my life now, I am going to try to figure out what He likes and what He doesn’t like in the Bible. I am going to follow Him.” The speed at which you heal is often related to the degree that you make Him Lord of your life.


Submitted by Special to Eco ... on Fri, 03/30/2012 - 14:37
ST. AUGUSTINE, FL. On Friday, March 23rd, 2012 the Cathedral Parish School held a FLORIDA ARCHAEOLOGY MONTH Celebration with a presentation by distinguished researcher Dr. Kathleen Deagan. Dr. Deagan presented a lecture entitled “Archaeology in St. Augusine with a special emphasis on the Nombre de Dios Mission and Our Lady of Le Leche Shrine”; she was also be recognized by the principal, Todd DeClemente, for her contribution to education in St. Augustine. Members of the School’s Archaeology Club gave Dr.


On April 21, 2019, the Sofia Gospel Choir delighted the Sofia audience with a great Easter concert. His program included a cappella spirituals, traditional gospel songs such as „Amazing Grace“ and „Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho“ as well as contemporary urban gospel compositions. The audience was brought to its feet by the incredible performances of the soloists Steven Achikor and the trio „Trinity“, popularized by the musical TV formats X Factor and Voice of Bulgaria.
Easter concert „Freedom“ – 2019 г.
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In Orlhaguet, one of the most beautiful villages in the north Aveyron, nicknamed the "Nice of the mountain" come and discover a series of 13 sculpted crosses from the 15th and 16th centuries that naturally lead you to the fortified church, half Romanesque, half Gothic, surmounted by massive defence constructions dating from the 14th century.The Croix d'Orlhaguet dates from the 15th and 16th centuries are particularly remarkable. The 16th century cross in the church square is a listed Historic Monument, the cross on the bridge over the Argence, the cross on the crossroad of the square and the D98 road, the cross of the Puech d'Orlhageut, the cross de l'évêque at the crossroads of the D98 and the D900 roads and the numerous crosses to be discovered along the roads in the area. The church of Orlhaguet dedicated to St Etienne was built or rather re-built in the 12th century, it was raised in the 14th century to serve as a refuge tower. Romanesque capitals and portal. 14th century statue of the virgin and child.
Eglise et croix d'OrlhaguetOrlhaguet, Ste-Geneviève-sur-Argence12420 Argences-en-Aubrac lat. 44.815800 - lon. 2.754300
Ne manquez pas notre newsletter mensuelle et laissez-vous inspirer pour profiter pleinement de votre séjour en Aveyron.
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Friday, May 18, 2012
And so, I hide. I hide the gift. But it's not really possible to hide. Really. I find myself leaping inwardly at the opportunity to host events or feed people. And even then I feel shame for wanting that. I recall one evening a friend asked me why I made food for a gathering and I was afraid to say, "Because I love doing it." I found myself conjuring a list of excuses to spout off, detracting and derailing any attempt to trap me in that box. It's silly, I know.
I have discovered that my affinity for hospitality is not so distinct from my teaching gift; both involve feeding people. I am simply driven to give people what they need for sustenance and growth. Teaching spiritually feeds the body of Christ, giving us nurture and goodness. The healthier we are as a body, the more united we are. We eat from the same plate and we drink from the same cup and we are one.
Food has a way of drawing people together into community and cohesion. One evening I made food for an event. I recall walking into the room carrying my plate of treats and what was a scattered room suddenly became a cluster of chatter and excitement circulating around food. The excitement wasn't over the food, but food was the venue for drawing together and uplifting those present. It is the same with our spiritual food and our expressions of that. Whether through the Eucharist or through the preaching of the Word, it is all food that draws us together and unites us in the body of Christ. And so I am convicted to more boldly use this gift to foster greater unity around me.
Several years ago a friend of mine identified compassion as his driving motivation in the expression of gifts. And he was saddened. Not because of anything internal but because of others' perceptions of his gift. He was told that his gift of compassion greatly incapacitated him in any kind of pastoral or leadership role. Translation: "You poor sap, what a girly gift to have." It was most unfortunate and greatly misguided. I would choose that man to sit through any pain, sorrow, or distress with me in life. Fortunately he disregarded that misconception and now serves as a hospital chaplain, walking friends and families through the pains and losses in life.
Stereotypes, whether of gender, culture, or race in the body can hamper us from the expression of our gifts and it is a key tool of the enemy to prevent us from serving and strengthening one another. Are there gifts you hide because you are afraid of how others will view your contribution? Are there cultural conventions that drive you into hiding the gifts God has blessed you with for the lifting up and edification of His body? Don't squander them. God gives them because they are needed. Use them boldly.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Kiefer's gone metro, which is kind of hot. I like a man who can dress. His acting is the annoying part in the new show, Touch. You would think after 9 years of raising an autistic child you would stop yelling his name every time the kid wanders off. He's not going to respond! Why are you yelling?! Nevertheless, yell he does - over and over and over again. Half the show is good ol' Kief running, out of breath, yelling after his son, who never responds. It's like 24 only not. I am mentally exhausted at the end of every episode. So, why do I watch it? Cryptology. Yeah, I know. Nerdy. But I love it. I overlook the poor directing in favor of puzzles and numbers. Who knows, maybe the plot will grow on me like Lost did. By the end of the show I was enamored with all the characters, poor acting and all. AND I got my number fix: 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42! So here's to hoping.
Speaking of Lost, Jorge Garcia has moved on to the new show, Alcatraz. It's pretty good. A bunch of prisoners from Alcatraz disappear in the 60's and time jump to the present. They were all reported dead at the time so there's no record of any of them in the system and they're running amok wreaking havoc in San Fransisco. Jorge is a subject matter expert on all things Alcatraz and gets drafted as part of the team to track down all the criminals. It's kind of like a Fringe meets CSI show. There's a little romance woven in. One of the "jumpers" was a doctor from the 60's dating a guard who did not make the jump. He waited all these years trying to find her and now they have been reunited. Only the decades of separation have resulted in a torturous tension as he is older and she has not aged a day. It kind of wrenches your heart, like Dr. Who and River Song. So far I like it and am looking forward to seeing how the plot will unfold.
I started watching Modern Family. Don't judge me. A friend got me hooked. It's hilarious. And it makes me feel like my family is completely normal. So however delusional that may be, it is a comfort. I learn useful tidbits for child rearing as well. Take that Focus on the Family! In a recent episode, Mitchell and Cameron find out that Lily is a "runner." Oh how this resonates with me. Declan is a "runner." And there's no beating it out of them. On a family trip to Disneyland, they decide to put Lily on a kid leash (yes, I've done the same with Declan.) Apparently there is something socially unacceptable about tethering your child. I never knew... but I guess there is. Anyway, Grandpa Jay gets an idea and buys Lily a pair of princess heels to walk around in. He got the idea from his glamorous hobbling wife who was attempting to maneuver the amusement park in her 5 inch heels. So now Lily is perfectly content prancing around in her little heels and completely oblivious to the fact that she can't run. It's a great lesson. I plan on buying Declan his first pair of heels this week. I'll let you know how that works out for us.
Hello Sweetie. Dr. Who? Uhm, yes. I must confess. Matt Smith was my first. I will never love another like I love him. I have spent time with Eccleston, and even came close to falling for Tenant, but no one can captivate me quite like Smith. The latest season ended with "The Wedding of River Song." Spoilers! No, not really. I'll leave the end a mystery for those who haven't seen it. If you have not dabbled in the Who, you need to. That is all there is to it.
Well, that's pretty much all I have time to watch these days between school and full time mom. I've been flirting with the idea of watching Battlestar Galactica but the jury's still out. I dip my toe in the water with random episodes, but am still abstaining from a full on leap into the water. I'll catch up on other stuff when I get my Netflix back after graduation... in a year.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Fall was something far greater than just a physical reality. We understand today that spiritual repercussions accompanied the physical pronouncements. "You will surely die" meant physically and spiritually. But what about the nakedness?
The work of the Cross negated the consequences of sin pertaining to spiritual death and it is our hope that one day we will overcome the consequence of physical death through the power of the resurrection. The physical reality is yet to be fully realized but the spiritual reality is here now. We have eternal life now because of the cross. But again, what of the nakedness?
The gift of discernment is an oddity in the nine-fold list of Holy Spirit empowered gifts. Words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faithfulness, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking, and interpretation of tongues. My sister, as well as several friends of mine, exercise discernment frequently, but it is different from the others in that it is not such an overt manifestation as are the other gifts. It is subtle and quite unnerving. How is it unnerving? We go through life learning to survive and mask our vulnerabilities from others who may take advantage of our exposure and suddenly someone comes along who quite effortlessly strips away the facade and sees us for what we truly are. We are suddenly naked.
I have talked to many men and women who function similarly when life overwhelms us. We strive even harder to cover up our despair in life by focusing on disarming others through our appearance. I have found I receive some of the greatest compliments when I am feeling my worst. Then along comes a friend with discernment and I find myself thinking, "Oh great! Why did I even bother wearing make-up today, let alone dressing myself?" What is the purpose of this obtrusive stripping?
Nakedness without shame. That is the purpose. It is the spiritual redemption of the cross continued in the work of the Holy Spirit allowing us to be exposed and naked without shame, or at least bringing the shame to the forefront so that we may be convicted to alter the source of shame. Discernment propagates authenticity. Authenticity is necessary for relationships both with God and with others. We cannot truly enter into community, intimacy, and relationships without nakedness. That is true both in its physical reality and spiritually in the body of Christ. It is awkward to feel the probing opened eyes of discernment. It is invasive and uncomfortable. But it is necessary in restoring us to Eden.
I never before associated the gift of discernment with a restoration to Eden until a recent conversation with a friend of mine and it was all a matter of timing. Since I had been so intently immersed in Genesis for weeks our conversation on the vulnerability created by discernment immediately thrust me into the creation and fall imagery. And I knew I wanted that. I wanted to return to Eden. I wanted to be naked and vulnerable without shame. I wanted to be authentic in community, intimacy, and relationship. I suddenly wanted to be discerned, for the layers to be peeled away and to be exposed because it is only through that exposure that we can truly enter into the fullness of relationship.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Play gets a little tricky this summer. I'm taking 3 classes at seminary: Evangelism and Discipleship, Growing in Ministry Leadership, and Globalization in Theological Education Chinese Worldview Today. Fortunately they are not all at the same time and staggered throughout May, June, and July. I'm really looking forward to the course in Globalization as it involves a trip to study in China for 2 weeks.
I took a long break from blogging this semester; more out of necessity than desire. Blogging is therapy for my mind. It gets a little crowded in there if I do not have a venue for spewing excess thoughts. This last semester I had so much paper writing, I was not at a loss for information dumps. My exegetical paper in James was the most time intensive assignment. Trying to keep up in Hebrew at the same time was rather challenging. I do not recommend taking two languages simultaneously and if I had to repeat it, I would definitely opt for the summer Hebrew class as many of my peers have done. Unfortunately I missed that memo and hardheadedly stuck to the degree program worksheet. Drat my inflexibility! I am learning. I am very thankful for my two tutors, Deirdre Brouer and Matt Hollomon, who got me through the year in one piece. I need to throw a shout out to Denise Morris as well for being an encouragement in Hebrew. For some reason just hearing her say, "You'll be fine" was reassuring enough to calm my panic-driven test anxiety.
I loved my theology and homiletics course this semester. We had some pretty fun banter going in the theology class. The more diverse the backgrounds in the class the funner, yes I said it, the funner the discourse. Homiletics - OMG! Who knew? I love preaching! Learn something new every day. I'm just glad to find that out. I had overruled my pastoral gifts because of a slight fear of preaching. Most of that had to do with just not knowing proper structure and format. Having those tools made all the difference.
I totally dropped the ball on Training and Mentoring this semester. It happens. Well, not to most people, but to me, it did. The geographical relocation combined with James semester stress and just life in general meant something had to give. Shifting my entire network to a new city and trying to maintain mentoring relationships in the former is not really an optimal equation for success. One of my summer projects will be to finish transition and move my mentoring network to Littleton. So beware! I'm on the prowl for loved and respected leaders in ministry to aid in the remainder of my seminary journey.
Declan has decided he likes coffee now and manages to find and sneak my brew.. I am glad I have mornings free for the summer. They are becoming quite the craze around here. I foresee a few trips to Monkey Business to let him burn off steam... and caffeine. I finally have time to peruse the neighborhood. There is a bowling alley around the corner and a skate city close by. Rainy day dilemmas solved! Declan loves hiking! Naturally. He doesn't really hike; he just rides along in the pack. I can't complain. It's great exercise. Naomi's getting better at distance; it just depends on the day. Some days she can hang for 5 or 6 miles, and other days she poops out at 2.
I have some camping trips in the works for the kids this summer. I'm really looking forward to it. We didn't get to camp at all when I was growing up. Probably had something to do with living in a steel jungle with the third largest population in the world; not too many opportunities to wander off in nature. I took Naomi when she was younger, but it's been a few years. Declan is coming up on 3 and the perfect age to start enjoying it and Naomi is still young enough not to get annoyed at family trips. That won't last much longer. 14ers. Yep. Going to do a few of them.
I started dancing again. I forgot how much I loved it. It's been a long time. I used to dance a lot. Part of my summer fun will be dancing. Other than writing I don't choose too many creative outlets; dancing will be one. I plan to paint a little too. I'm a horrible painter, but I like to do it anyway. It gives Naomi a chance to poke fun at me. She's my little artist. Every now and then I go to one of those 'Sipping and Painting' places and pretend to paint. I'll be doing that a few times this summer. I'm picking up piano again. At least that's the plan. It's been a long time but I always feel a tremendous amount of regret and sadness over letting the skill go when I hear others play. So that's enough of that. I'm just going to start playing again.I played scales this morning, boring but necessary. I'll get there. There will be lots of volleyball. I thought it would be a little harder to get back into it than it has been. It's been a few years since I've been able to play competitively. Something about being pregnant and having children sort of gets in the way of that. Although I did play volleyball while I was pregnant with Declan. That was fun... and awkward. But it explains why he's such a little adrenaline junky. I may have taken him on a few rollercoasters in utero as well. Rollercoasters! Yes. I need to do that this summer as well. And lots of water play. The kids love water.
What to watch ? I'm all caught up on Dr. Who for the new season starting in September. I'm rather limited in what I can watch since I swore off Netflix until I graduate from seminary, so whatever can be DVR'd pretty much. It just wouldn't be summer without a few Clint Eastwood flicks. Arid deserts, dirty unbathed men, sultry women and guns. I know, gross... but to each their own. I'd rather read than watch anyway, so I will probably focus most of my free time on reading what I want to read. A friend sent me a list of Kierkegaard to tackle and I have a few books on the Trinity piling up that I need to wade through.I will probably sneak in a Clive Cussler novel or two, you know, just to be gluttonous.
And that's my summer! More to come soon...
Sunday, May 13, 2012
A woman lies curled in her bed, seeking comfort and solace in light of another onset of menstruation. Seven years of fertility drugs and 3 miscarriages have left her empty and devoid of life. 2 years later this young woman again lay in bed, only this time delivering a little girl 15 weeks early. Motherhood for her is riddled with pain in conception, striving in delivery, and years of laborious efforts to keep her young daughter on par with growth scales.
A 21 yr old woman discovers she is pregnant. In a brief assessment of her life, direction and future, she realizes she is incapable of providing a stable home for her son. The only recourse she can see is to find a loving and promising home for him. Three days after he is born she feeds and changes him, buckles him into his car seat, prays over him, and kisses him goodbye as he is whisked away into the receiving arms of his new mother and father leaving the young woman’s arms empty and her body yearning to sustain an absent infant. Motherhood for her signifies emptiness, heartache, and questioning.
A young man stares out the driver’s seat window at the front doors of an abortion clinic. His girlfriend, inside for the last hour, walks intentionally to the car and slides into the passenger seat. They sit and talk over the implications of an ultrasound image portraying twin life within her. Fearful of what the world would think of them they follow through with their initial plan to terminate the pregnancy. 10 years later this man still grieves every anniversary of that day, crying over the loss of life that was part of him. To this seasoned, war-hardened marine, motherhood symbolizes loss, untrustworthiness, and death.
An abandoned and divorced mother struggles to put back together some semblance of normality for her family. She scrambles to recover a career laid aside for family planning, and provide for her children. For this woman motherhood means loneliness, undesirability, and unrealized dreams.
A middle-aged woman battles with the changes of her body as she nears the end of her reproductive cycles. While having a sense of fulfillment over the children she has, she watches them struggle in asserting their independence in the world and wonders if she should not and could not have done more. As she gazes upon her legacy in the world she is plagued by regret. Her body grieves the end of a season. Motherhood to her encapsulates purpose gone, mistakes made, and relationships underdeveloped.
One of many traits these seemingly unconnected individuals possess is that they have all come to the Church seeking wholeness and healing. The problem we encounter with identifying the Church as Mother is that it often adopts the form of our preconceived notions of motherhood as opposed to defining a concept that we are to then imitate. We define the Church by what we know instead of allowing the Church to define what we know. St. Augustine is credited with saying, “The Church is a whore, but she is my Mother.” Is she a whore because it is ingrained in her nature? Or is she instead a whore because we bring our fallen and broken images of mother and impose them upon her?
The Church is to stay true to the purpose of her existence in morality, maintenance, and mission. The Virtuous Bride of Christ brings healing and restoration to a broken world. The Church, as the body and bride of Christ is to reflect His name, desirability and character to the world. Throughout history and into the present the church frequently ignores matters of social concern and her role to meet those concerns. She sacrifices morality, and mission for the sake of her own exaltation and maintenance.
Proverbs 31 is written as a literal explanation of what is desired in a good wife. As women work through the implications of this passage, the impossibility of this character and her characteristics becomes apparent and overwhelming. In the context of the book of Proverbs these many characteristics are repeated throughout the book as qualities belonging to the personification of wisdom. True wisdom belongs to God.
In the NT men are exhorted in their roles as husbands to be Christ-like. We understand the exemplification of these characteristics to be good because Christ, as God, possessed the divine nature of God. Husbands strive to be more like God in character through their roles as husbands. Rarely do we look at the qualities praised in women as also being characteristic of the divine nature; and yet they are. The characteristics depicted in the personification of wisdom and culminating in Prov. 31 are exemplary of the role of wife and mother. In the NT, wives are exhorted in their roles as wives in comparison to the Church as Christ’s bride. Since Scripture is not intended to be contradictory then the roles described in Prov. 31 not only apply to the physical femininity of women in the role of wife but also apply to the spiritual femininity of the Church in her role as the bride of Christ.
Proverbs 31:10-31 An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all." Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
The original audience for this passage was the nation of Israel. When we extrapolate meaning and application from a passage for the purpose of applying it to a modern audience, we must be true to the process. While these attributes were indeed desirable for a spouse at that time, we must question why these traits are admirable. Each and every trait is desirable because they are attributes of God’s character. In all the history of mankind have you ever seen or known God to exalt or honor characteristics that are not first and foremost His own? The answer is – no! So we must conclude that these are characteristics of God. Each attribute described in Proverbs 31 aligns with a parallel use in reference to the personification of Wisdom throughout wisdom literature in the OT. If these attributes are desirable in a bride because they reflect the divine nature of God, then it stands to reason that as the Bride of Christ these are attributes Christ desires in us and characteristics that please Him.
So the question remains who are we attempting to please? Do we desire to please the world or is our desire to serve our Groom. Are we, the Church, prudent with our finances, spending wisely on land, buildings, and modifications? (Prov. 31:13-16) Are we reaching out to embrace, feed, and clothe the poor and needy? (Prov. 31:20) Are we vigilant? (Prov. 31:18) Do we focus on pleasing the masses, and appealing to their senses or are we faithful to a genuine respect and fear of the LORD? (Prov. 31:30) Do we make our Groom's name known and respected to the world? (Prov. 31:23)
“Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm all the days of her life.” Ideally this is a very difficult role to embrace. God trusts us? Why would He do such a thing? Is it even theologically sound to suggest that God would place His trust in something outside of Himself? This may be where we are permeated with skepticism and doubt. Are we outside of God, or are we truly grafted into His body and part of Him extending to the world? Now THAT is an overwhelming concept to ponder. God has pulled us into Himself, into His family, and trusts us fully with His mission to the world. That can certainly hold water. But what of our handling of this task? Have we, as Prov 31: 12 suggests, brought Him good, not harm, all the days of our life? Conceptually, yes; specifically, no. Because we exist today, we are an attestation to the life-giving power and endurance of God in the world; 2000 years is nothing to sneeze at. We have failed in some aspects because we are an organism compiled of imperfect and broken people. In a Kingdom economy a good wife and mother is the Church. I am not suggesting some hidden secrecy or foretelling prophecy, it is an eternal principle of the intimate relationship between bride and groom and thereby a subsequent tool for defining the role of the Church in her relationship to Christ.We, the Church, are Christ's Bride and True Mother to the lost and hurt in the world and grace emanates from our very existence.
The scenarios I shared at the beginning of this piece were not mere hyperbole. They were not construed to evoke emotion or manipulate your feelings. These are real scenarios that I have observed and participated in. This was my family and our experiences in and with motherhood. The woman struggling torridly through the barren wasteland of infertility, the young woman who found herself wrestling through the implications of unplanned pregnancy, the young man fearful of cultural and societal impressions and expectations, the woman picking up the pieces of a broken marriage, and the aging woman’s realization of a season ending - these are our stories. These stories are common within the Church and often overlooked and the Church does not fulfill her role as mother to this very real pain and sorrow in her midst. This Mother's Day I challenge you to question what "mother" means to you and ask the question, "Are we emulating brokenness in our expression of this role in the Church or are we adapting the divine image of Mother lain out for us in Scripture?" This Mother's Day, whether you are a physical mother or not, remember that we are all a part of the body of Christ and therefore Bride and Mother with implications much greater and longer lasting than any role we will have in this life. We are Mother.


Heavenly Father, guide the Carolina Catholic Media apostolate through its mission to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people.
Inspire local programming that proclaims the Word of God and the New Evangelization in a manner worthy of bringing our diocesan faith community together in a true Spirit of fellowship and communion.
Encourage all Carolina Catholic listeners and viewers to step closer to the guiding graces found by living out the Sacramental life of our One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Lead us to humbly and intentionally answer Your call to share the body of Christ with all generations of Catholics. Bless and keep this ministry on the path of Your Glory.
We ask these things through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God the Word eternal. Amen.


Come to a rehearsal and check us out! We’re serious about music, but we emphasize fun and the social aspect of singing with a group. We try to keep things informal, loose, and easy-going, but when it’s time to sing, we give it everything we’ve got.
Tuesdays, 7 - 9 pm. September - November.
Tuesdays, 7 - 9 pm. February - May
We encourage new members to begin early in the season (no later than the 4th rehearsal) so you have plenty of time to learn and memorize all the music. We currently rehearse at the Kirk of Bonnie Brae United Church of Christ near Louisiana and University, on the Southeast corner of Dakota and Williams. We rent space there for rehearsals, and have one performance each season in their lovely sanctuary.
Kirk of Bonnie Brae United Church of Christ
1201 South Steele Street, Denver, 80210


About the Summer School
One of the best ways to learn is by trying things out in practice. The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) 2016 International Summer School takes its cue from the Reformation and will explore a wide range of worship with music devolving from Reformation practice and thinking.
Liverpool, with Roman Catholic and Anglican Cathedrals, Free Churches and other venues, is particularly apposite as a location. As Hope Street runs between the two iconic cathedral buildings so, we pray, does the goodwill and wish for unity, not uniformity, run through the 'study, practice and improvement of music for Christian worship' to which the RSCM is called by its foundation documents.
The Summer School will be interactive and busy: in the mornings, you can elect to follow one of two streams of study. The rest of the day is freely available for choice and there will be a raft of skills-based training available alongside lectures, seminars and concerts.
Highlights will include a broadcast on Radio Three; the Millennium Youth Choir joins the Summer School for this as choir-in-residence in the early part of the week.
- The Summer School is an ideal way to refresh the thinking, courage and persistence needed by church musicians working in isolation.
- You can book a range of options from day-student to full board with en-suite rooms for privacy and comfort only a short walk from the training venues.
- MYC director and choral expert, Adrian Lucas
- Graham Kendrick, often called the 'father of the worship-song movement'
- Martin Ashley, specialist vocal coach on boys' changing voices
- Trio 'In Voice and Verse' presenting a full-length concert/reading in their trademark format
- RSCM staff tutors will offer relevant and sympathetic help at all levels of proficiency
- Liverpool Cathedral, St James' Mount, Liverpool L1 7AZ
- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Cathedral House, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5TQ
Linked by Hope Street, Liverpool's two cathedrals are masterpieces of twentieth century architecture. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's monumental Anglican Cathedral is the UK's largest and is easily visible on the skyline from much of the city. With an equally striking silhouette, the Metropolitan Cathedral to the north was completed in 1967. Both of these places of worship will provide us with a diverse choice of spaces for learning, music-making and services throughout the week.
Please visit the RSCM International Summer School webpage.


Fr. Vijay Bonagiri was born on May 31, 1981 in Theretpalle, India. He was the eldest of the three in the family. After his primary schooling at Theratpalle he attended St. Alphonsus’ High School at Nalgonda, India. Then went to college at St. Ann’s Junior College at Nuzvid, India. Subsequently he entered seminary and studied philosophy at Vijnananilayam, Janampet and theology at St. John’s Regional Seminary in Hyderabad, India.
He was ordained a priest on April 14, 2008 by Most Reverend Govindu Joji for the diocese of Nalgonda. He served as parochial vicar, vice-rector a minor seminary, secretary to the bishop of Nalgonda and pastor in his native diocese.
The words that inspired me during my seminary life and as a priest were “Do unto others as you would have them to do you.” [Mt 7:12]. This Golden Rule of Jesus keeps me motivated each moment of my spiritual journey as priest. This taught me to treat everyone with respect and courtesy.


Monday, February 2, 2009
I am new to this blogging craze, but I am very excited to get started. I just wanted to say HELLO ! I will be posting more soon I need to get my thoughts together and get tools together to blog more prepared. Let me just say that I am very blessed. I have wonderful children who are my rocks of faith. God has blessed beyond imagine and we are thankful to him for what he has given us. God bless everyone.


If you need to get your hands on some cheap Christian Nodal tickets, RedHotSeats.com is one of the leading sellers of tickets to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse concert coming to Indianapolis. Below you can choose from all the tickets available for the Gainbridge Fieldhouse concert for Christian Nodal. Christian Nodal Gainbridge Fieldhouse tickets are known to sell quickly, so pick up some tickets before its too late. News about the recent announcement of the Christian Nodal Gainbridge Fieldhouse concert has brought anticipation and excitement to the entire Christian Nodal fan base in Indianapolis. Check out our luxury suites, VIP boxes, floor level seats, and meet and greet tickets to the Christian Nodal Gainbridge Fieldhouse concert. Printable Christian Nodal tickets are also available here. Just look for eTickets and simply download and print them at home. When choosing your Christian Nodal seats at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, check out our interactive venue maps that allow you to know your exact location of the seats in the venue.
Christian Nodal is soon coming to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and RedHotSeats.com can get you there for the concert. Just check out the Christian Nodal Gainbridge Fieldhouse schedule above and click to see our entire ticket inventory. Make sure to look through our inventory of Christian Nodal front row tickets, luxury boxes and VIP tickets. Once you find the Christian Nodal tickets you desire, you will be sent to a safe and secure checkout where your order will be processed. All tickets for Christian Nodal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis are 100% guaranteed and will be shipped through FedEx (unless otherwise specified). Orders taken before 5pm are usually shipped within the same business day. The quickest way to receive your tickets for Christian Nodal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse is to purchase eTickets, where you can download and print your tickets right from home.


Mr. William Lee “Bill” Thompson, 64, of Flora, Illinois, passed away at 6:45 a.m., Tuesday, August 7, 2018, at Barnes Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri. Bill was born in Marion, IL, on July 10, 1954. He married Joanie (Lusk) Thompson on April 14, 1979, at Bloom Baptist Church in Flora, IL. He attended Red Brush Christian Church in Louisville. Bill loved his job as a sports announcer for WIKK radio and everything about sports. He enjoyed fishing (especially in the Outer Banks), a good meal and cooking, and straying from the beaten path. Most of all, he loved his family, especially his grandchildren.
Bill is survived by his wife, Joanie Thompson of Flora, IL; daughter, Tiffany Devore and husband Matt of Flora, IL; son, Dustin Thompson and wife Jennifer of McKinney, TX; and grandchildren, Chloe, Maddie, Chase, Ella, Kayden, and Nolan. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Red Brush Christian Church in Louisville, IL. Interment will immediately follow at Elmwood Cemetery in Flora, IL. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Saturday, August 11, 2018, at Red Brush Christian Church. Expressions of sympathy should take the form of donations to the scholarship fund for Bill’s grandchildren. Online condolences may be expressed at www.kohnfuneralhome.com.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of William L. Thompson, please visit our floral store.


PEACE STARTS HERE!
I don’t know about you, but if my spiritual life is a mess, the rest of my life is usually on a downward spiral as well.
However, I know that when I turn my eyes upon Jesus, I can do all things because He strengthens me. I am not talking about religion here but what I am talking about is having a deep and meaningful relationship with my Father in Heaven, the Creator of the heavens and earth.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths ~ Proverbs 3:5-6
We do regular checkups for our health, run diagnostics on our cars and computers and even take tests for our IQ but how many of us spend time checking on our spiritual health?
On a scale from 1-10 (with 1 being a dark sink hold and 10 being a bright and sunny day on a mountain top over looking the bluest ocean) where would you rate the health of your soul?
We can’t make any changes or improvements until we know where we are now.
If you are at or near a 10, congratulations! You are definitely in the minority. There is so much pain and suffering in this world and it is because so many people’s spiritual life is in the toilet.
When we know God and trust in His promises (you will only know what they are by reading His word, aka the Bible 🙂 that is when we can finally experience a peace that passes all understanding. All of a sudden we are not doing this life all alone; we have someone who loves us beyond our comprehension and in fact sent His beloved Son to die for us so that we could live.
“The Bible is a realistic depiction of the condition of the human race. While there are moments of heroism and moral clarity, the Bible isn’t about larger than life people making flawless decisions and reaping the reward for their perfection. Humanity has an ugly history, and the bible doesn’t ignore it, but rather takes hold of it, owns it and gives us a savior who makes things right.” ~ from the article The Rest of The Story by Jessica Thompson
If you have never heard these stories before and something in your spirit is seeking to know more, please reach out to me with the contact form and I will do my best to help you understand.
For prayer requests, please use this as well.


Fundraiser at Axiom Church
In the fall of 2019, we held a fundraiser for the Rose Mapendo Foundation at Axiom Church. We used this time to share the documentary, Pushing the Elephant, about Rose and her family, what they experienced in Africa, and their journey to America. We also had a Q&A time where guests were able to ask Rose questions about her life and ministry, and also sold items that were made by women in Africa. We sold jewelry, clothing, bags, as well as t-shirts we created specifically for the foundation. It was a beautiful and fun experience to share with others what the foundation is doing, especially in regard to the Women Center United for Peace. We are about halfway through building this center in the Congo, and proceeds from this event went towards this project. We are so thankful to announce that we raised nearly $3000. If you are interested in hosting an event like this at your church or organization, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are hoping this event is one that continues to reach more and more people. Thanks to Amber Joy Photography for the photos!


Online giving is a safe and easy way to support the ministry of Sidney First Church of the Nazarene. This system enables you to support the church by making a one-time contribution or establishing a recurring contribution. Your contribution can be made directly from your bank account or by using your debit card.
First Fruits: In Proverbs 3:9 we are taught to honor the Lord with the “First Fruits” of our labor. By setting up a recurring contribution that is scheduled to come out of your account on the day you specify you can ensure that your First Fruits are given back to God.
Simplicity: You will not need to remember if you gave this month or send in your offering checks when you are out of town.
Security: Online giving is more secure than giving with a check in that an electronic gift can't be lost or stolen. A giving statement will be sent to you at year-end for your personal tax purposes.
3 SIMPLE STEPS
1. Create a user name
2. Provide contact and bank or debit information
3. Indicate the amount, frequency (one-time or recurring) and designation for your gift
Keeping your information and contribution secure is a top priority to Sidney First Church of the Nazarene


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Throughout the Bible we see Jesus meeting the broken, the wounded, and the hurting with touches of grace, mercy, and healing. We see Jesus meet the very real, specific physical and emotional needs of...
" Our mission is to communicate accurate and truthful information to those affected by an unplanned pregnancy and to provide them with physical, emotional, and spiritual support."


Second Journeys begin when the life you’ve envisioned isn’t working as you had planned or hoped. The failing of a significant relationship, challenges with depression and anxiety, an unexpected curve, significant grief, the loss of meaning or purpose. These are the moments that can cradle fear; and yet also lead us to search for hope. Second Journeys invite us to deeper courage that can give way to new wisdom, meaningful change, and a clearer understanding of who we are.
At Second Journey we believe counseling is a way to enrich your life and relationships by addressing personal concerns and hopes in the company of a caring professional. We believe that everyone’s life is a meaningful story shaped by joys and heartaches and worthy of a thoughtful read and shared reflection. Foundational to our work is the conviction that relationships, with God and others, are most deeply at the heart of healing and change, and that our adversities are often the birthplace of our most meaningful personal growth.
The counselors at Second Journey have unique professional experiences and gifts, while sharing a common faith in their Christian beliefs. We seek to be thoughtful of our faith in assisting others in growth and change, yet respectful of each individual’s beliefs and desire to explore this aspect of their personal journey. It is our conviction that matters of faith, when addressed, are best done in a relational environment of safety, respect, and the freedom to question.
You are welcome to contact us to learn more about who we are, our professional experience, and how we can support your growth. It is important that you connect with a counselor with whom you are comfortable and can trust as your own ability to be vulnerable and committed to the counseling process is a key element in your own personal growth and change.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Nancy & Kent
Foxboro Square - Regus Offices
6165 NW 86th Street
Johnston, Iowa 50131


He said yes to an invitation.
On Sunday I attended Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Mt. Zion is just around the bend of the bayou and literally down the turn row from my house. In my 60 years I have driven by this iconic country church thousands of times. Often I have pulled on to the grounds and parked under its grand oak tree to eat lunch or simply take a quick break. In all of these years this Church has been a common sight in my daily life, yet I had never passed through its doors nor considered what was inside its walls. Until today.
Thursday I was talking to an old friend, Tyrone Survillion, who invited me to come to his church on Sunday. When I inquired which church, his grin burst out into laughter and he replied, the church just down from you! I said I would try to attend, and then Sunday morning Mrs. Saddler brought over my fresh laundry clearly dressed “for church.” When I asked which church she attended, she smiled and pointed around the bayou and said, “over there around from yo field.” At that moment it became clear that it was time. Time to go beyond the structure and discover Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church.
At 11:00 I changed from my dirty farm jeans into the khakis from the previous night out. The dusty turn row leading to the church billowed in a cloud of dust from the dry fields as I raced ahead. There were only a few cars out front, yet that did not diminish the anticipation of what might lie beyond my familiar, yet unfamiliar, destination.
The church’s last exterior renovation was beginning to peel, and the double front doors were stiff to open. For a moment I thought of this as a signal to retreat, but with a more forceful push the door opened into a small quaint sanctuary. There Sunday School was still in progress. A deacon met me with his study guide, the Pastor shared his Bible opened to the day’s lesson in Acts and the ten or so in the congregation gave welcome smiles of acknowledgment to my entrance.
There was no awkwardness nor discomfort of my presence. The lesson continued as if I had been there all morning. Nor was I exempt from the discussion itself, as the pastor repeatedly asked for my opinions as if I was a lifetime member of the near 100 year old church.
As others began to gather into the sanctuary there was a smooth transition into the morning worship service. Mrs. Saddler gathered with the choir behind the preacher’s pulpit as the keyboard began to play a strong earthly rhythm. We all rose to our feet and began to sing and sway to a naturally choreographed gospel medley.
Afterwords I was asked to introduce myself, which I did as the farmer whose machinery could be heard echoing across the bayou, picking the season’s cotton. Pastor Tony introduced himself and with a loud cry shared, “the man has planted his seeds carefully, cultivated his crop and is now reaping the fruits of his labor.” Whether impromptu or planned, that became the message of the day’s worship: “The careful sowing of our lives for the eternal harvest in God’s kingdom.”
For the next two and a half hours we sang, prayed, and our lives began to bond together in an organic fashion. We held hands in prayer for the morning’s offering to heal, inspire and fulfill the needs of God’s kingdom. Pastor Tony, in his perfectly tailored pinstriped suit, called on the church as he wiped his sweating brow to “be the hospital for those who need healing” and to “jump on the train while the train is still here.”
It was a blessed opportunity when I was called on to share, which I did so with great reception. “The challenge for us all,” I said, “was to get beyond our walls, our comfort zones and our preoccupation on what happened yesterday. God is not concerned about yesterday so why should we? He cares only about where we are today and what we are doing for his children.” “Amen,” “Can I have a Witness,” and “Tell Us Brother” were heard as a background to my voice.
Today I was blessed by the love of God’s people. People who for generations have been within the boundaries of my life, yet I continued to pass them by. Today I did not pass, but entered into a glimpse of God’s kingdom through the doors of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in the small community of Belen in Quitman County, Mississippi.
There is a Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church near you, too. So why, do you pass it by?
Written October 20, 2015
Thank you, Jaby, for sharing this beautiful story with us. It is especially poignant given the challenges we face in America. May God bless you and may God bless America.
Lyrics to “Amazing Grace” written by John Newton (1725-1807)
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.


Pocklington Methodist Church are appealing for donations of warm winter clothes which will go to asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers.
The church on Chapmangate has placed a box outside Wesley House (to the right-hand side of the church).
The box will remain at the site until Monday, December 29 when the contents will be passed to the Open Doors project in Hull.
A spokesman for the church said: “We are one of a number of churches across the area that are collecting winter clothing.
“The appeal is to support the good work of the Open Doors project which is run from the Methodist Church on Princes Avenue.
“People can leave their unwanted warm clothes in the box and they will be passed onto the project.”
You can find Pocklington Methodist Church here:


Churches play a vital role in communities, providing spiritual guidance, support, and a sense of belonging to their congregations. However, sustaining a church’s operations and programs often requires careful planning and strategic funding. In this article, we’ll explore various aspects of church funding and discuss effective strategies for ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
- Tithes and Offerings: The Cornerstone of Church Funding
Tithes and offerings are the primary sources of income for most churches. Congregants voluntarily contribute a portion of their income to support the church’s mission and ministries. Encouraging regular giving and stewardship education can help maintain a steady flow of funds.
- Diversify Income Streams
Relying solely on tithes and church fundraising can be risky, especially during economic downturns. Diversifying income streams can help stabilize church finances. Consider hosting fundraising events, renting out facilities, or selling merchandise like books or recordings of sermons.
- Grant Opportunities for Churches
Many organizations offer grants to support religious institutions in their missions. Research grant opportunities at local, state, and national levels, as well as those from religious foundations. Applying for grants can provide significant financial boosts for specific projects or needs.
- Online Giving Platforms
In today’s digital age, online giving platforms offer a convenient way for churchgoers to contribute. Setting up easy-to-use platforms for online donations can increase giving, especially among younger members who prefer digital transactions.
- Budgeting and Financial Planning
Establishing a clear budget and financial plan is essential for managing church finances effectively. Regularly review income and expenses, allocate resources wisely, and adapt the budget as necessary. Seek the expertise of financial advisors if needed.
- Endowment Funds for Long-Term Sustainability
Creating an endowment fund can ensure the church’s financial stability for generations to come. Encourage members to include the church in their estate planning, leaving a portion of their assets to the church’s endowment fund.
- Capital Campaigns for Major Projects
When your church has a significant project or expansion in mind, consider launching a capital campaign. These campaigns aim to raise a specific amount of money over a defined period to fund major initiatives. Engage members and the community in the campaign, emphasizing the project’s significance.
- Stewardship Education
Teaching the principles of stewardship to your congregation can foster a culture of giving. Educate members about responsible financial management, generosity, and the impact of their contributions on the church’s mission.
- Financial Transparency
Maintaining transparency in church finances builds trust among members. Regularly share financial reports and updates with the congregation, so they can see how their contributions are being utilized.
- Community Engagement
Engaging with the local community can yield financial support. Organize community events, workshops, or outreach programs that not only serve the community but also create goodwill and potential financial partnerships.
Church funding is an ongoing challenge, but with careful planning and strategic efforts, churches can ensure financial sustainability. By diversifying income streams, seeking grants, utilizing online platforms, and practicing good financial stewardship, churches can continue to provide spiritual guidance and support to their congregations for generations to come.


Dear Scholarship Candidate,
As most of you know, the planning committee of the Early Childhood Methodist Conference established the Ella Hawes Scholarship many years ago. This scholarship is for Early Childhood continuing education in memory of Ella Hawes, who was a pioneer in developmentally appropriate early childhood programs. Ella was serving as director of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church Day School at the time of her death.
Scholarships will be awarded each year to eligible recipients who are seeking continuing education in the early childhood field. Candidates must be employed in a licensed United Methodist preschool and have a minimum of three years total experience. Please see all requirements on the application.
The deadline for submitting your application is December 4,2020.
If I can be of further assistance to you, please email me at firstname.lastname@example.org
Scholarship Committee Chairman
Early Childhood Methodist Conference


08 May Track: Natalia Rich – Mash It Up | @iamnataliarich
Track: Natalia Rich – Mash It Up
Like most great artistes, Natalia found her love for music in the church. She started at the early age of seven, working with the music program in her father’s music ministry. In church, Natalia would rewrite secular music into songs of worship for Sunday service. This was a task that helped fine-tune her song writing skills.
Born and raised in Holland, Netherlands, Natalia’s native language is Dutch. However, moving to St. Maarten at the age of 12 has given her a very noticeable island accent. This is also where her eyes were opened to the world of Reggae and Dancehall music. Because of her distinguishable voice and island roots, she has been compared to Rihanna. She is most certainly a “bad girl gone good”, holding fast to her Christian faith and the importance of God in her life.
Natalia’s first single, “Mash It Up” is sure to be a hit, followed by her second single “On My Mind”. Her Music is an exciting mix of European with an Island flavor. Heavily influenced and inspired by Michael Jackson, Natalia plans to tour and be internationally known for giving the world music with a message of positivity, and a wealth of knowledge.


Steve was born and raised in Michigan. At the age of 29, happily married and just finishing seminary, he was assaulted by a deep and intense depression that would not leave him alone. Diagnosed with bipolar II disorder in 1985, God began to change Steve's life direction and ministry.
After earning his BA at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI and having a desire to help others, Steve studied for his Masters of Social Work at Marywood University in Scranton, PA. He had a heart for ministry and a call of the Lord on his life and went on to further study and earned his Master of Ministry degree from Baptist Bible Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA. Steve is also a certified DBT (dialectical behavior therapy) therapist. He was personally instructed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, founder of DBT, and graduated from the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics at the University of Washington in Seattle.Steve brings a wealth of knowledge to his practice but also a fierce love and sense of protection for the hurting. One of the reasons for his passion is that he has not only counseled thousands over the years but he has been a patient in a psychiatric hospital himself with major depression three times! He has seen mental illness from both sides of the clipboard. His wife recounts visiting him in the hospital as a patient and then hearing of him a month later, carrying patients' charts and a clipboard behind the nurse's desk caring for others. This experience makes Steve an unusual and caring therapist.He has been a pastor, a certified counselor in the community mental health system for years and now is the Executive Director of Heartfelt Counseling Ministries in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. He and his wife, Robyn, have been married since 1978.
Steve's theological training and his extensive education, coupled with his own personal suffering, have equipped him in a special way to minister to those who suffer with mental illness. His compassion for the broken is indisputable. Steve has made it his life's work to help and advocate for those who suffer from debilitating mental illness
Robyn was reared in West Palm Beach, Florida and they have four children; three grown sons and a daughter and granddaughter who were killed in a car accident. Lindsay and Emily are both safe in the harbor of heaven. She has been a stay at home mom, bible study leader, inspirational speaker, pastor's wife and now a grandmother enjoying the big blessings in little packages called grand kids!
Robyn supported Steve through the turbulent misunderstandings of the early days of onset in 1985. She knows first hand the confusion and blame that abounds towards the one who suffers mental illness. It is in this spirit that she is the co-founder of Heartfelt Ministries.
Currently Robyn is a published author, speaker and life coach guiding women through life's difficult times. Robyn assists Steve in his work, always encouraging and comforting the brokenhearted. She has a caring spirit for those who are hurting.
Steve and Robyn lost their only daughter, Lindsay, and her unborn baby Emily, in a tragic car
accident after returning home from a prayer vigil on September 11, 2001. They lived a parent's
worst nightmare and together clung to the Lord, sharing faith in the midst of tragedy. This
deep hardship resulted in Steve and Robyn's heart enlarging even more--this time towards
others who have suffered the loss of a loved one. Taking the comfort they themselves
received from the Lord, they now seek to help others who suffer with bereavement.


Meaning of Colour in Religious Iconography
Gold is reserved for Christ and symbolizes divinity. Traditional Icons
are gilded with gold leaf. The gold shines through on the halos and other parts
of the Icon. The gold symbolizes the eternal uncreated light of God and his
White is used to show heavenly purity and divinity. Icons of the
resurrection will often show Christ in white robes pulling Adam and Eve from the
depths. White is also used to depict swaddling clothes of babies, the shrouds of
the dead and the robes of angels.
Purple was the Byzantine symbol of royalty. It is used in icons to
represent Christ's Kingdom
Red is used in icons to represent humanity and the saving nature of the
resurrection. It is the color of blood and thereby signifies life on
Blue signifies the heavens and the kingdom of God not on this earth.
Byzantine icons of Mary show her with red outer garments and blue ones on the
inside. This signifies her original human nature (the red) and her heavenly
nature (the blue). In Eastern iconography Mary was depicted in red or brown to
depict her as a physical (grounded) being but the earliest icons depict her in
blue. It could have depended on the availability of pigment. Lapis Lazuli was
ground to create the blue colour and was a very expensive
Clothing: Icons of Christ will show him with Blue outer clothing and red inner
clothing. Christ's inner garment is red and symbolizes his humanity. His outer
garments are blue and symbolize his true divinity. In addition to blue, red and
green are also reserved for Christ and Virgin Mary.
Green is the color of the living earth and has been used to portray
youth, hope and where life begins. This contrasts to brown which is meant to
show our fallen nature on earth and that we will all eventually become
Black is used in Iconography to portray evil and death. Demons and
satanic beings are portrayed in black. However, several religious orders use
black vestments and in this case black is used as part of the traditional dress
of the order.
The colors of white, gray, blue, green, and light shades of red are used
for other holy persons.


The Reading Room
A place where we lift up
Jesus and love people! February 2009
By Dennis Jernigan Read More
Sunday School and Healing for the Homosexual
Melanie K. Spinks Read More
My true identity
By Richard Holloman Read More
Mike and Stephanie Goeke
A Marriage Restored Read More
Homosexual no more
Tim Wilkins Read More
Did God Make Me Gay?
by Christine Sneeringer Read More
A Pastors Story
by Patrick Payton Read More
First Baptist Church of Opelika
from the Pastor’s Heart
“We have only one answer to offer people.”
I learned so much from Bob Stith during his presentations on ministering
to those who are struggling with same sex addiction. Although he knows
many who, by the power of God, have been changed from a homosexual to a heterosexual orientation in their lives, he shared that his goal was not to turn homosexuals into heterosexuals. His goal was for them to know the love and fullness of Christ. He doesn’t try to change people. He lets Jesus change people.
When Martin Lloyd Jones stirred England by leaving his post as the “King’s
heart doctor” to become a mission church pastor, he was asked to speak at the local “Temperance” Conference. This was a part of the movement to focus on getting people to abstain from alcohol. He refused saying, “I have come to this country with one answer, the Gospel.” He refused to focus on side issues. He aimed at the root problem, people’s lostness while bringing the one answer, Jesus.
Bob Stith also stressed that the only way to have the right to offer Jesus to
someone who is struggling with same sex attractions is to love them, not attack them. Dennis Jernigan, a popular modern Christian music writer, had a friend who responded when Dennis shared his struggles with him, “Dennis, I don’t understand what is going on in your life. But I will walk with you toward Jesus.” That friendship helped Dennis come to Jesus and find wholeness.
When our time with Bob Stith was over, I realized once again that we are here to “lift up Jesus and love people.”
By the way, if you know of someone who is struggling with same sex
attractions and desires a support group, we have one that meets in Auburn. We also host a support group in our church, once a month, for parents and family of those who have gay loved ones.
The Church and Homosexuality
How Can We Minister? Read More
Homosexuality and Your Church, Part One:
Homosexuality and Your Church, Part Two:
Learning From The Past
by Mike Goeke Read More


We go to a lot of trouble in this country to preserve the separation of church and state. However, citizens who are Roman Catholic often have some extra-heavy-duty decisions to make, according to Archbishop George H. Niederauer, writing in Catholic Digest.
While Roman Catholic beliefs never seem to perfectly fit with the platforms of either the Democratic or the Republican Party, Niederauer stresses that the Catholic Church teaches that citizens should take an active part in public life. He adds that education, public safety, law enforcement, health care and many other essential issues depend on the direct participation of Americans in the political process.
American Catholics seem to have a lot of questions as the 2008 Presidential election quickly approaches. Beyond the current economic and employment problems, they want to know if they’re permitted to vote for a candidate who holds a position in opposition to a Catholic moral teaching. Issues at the top of this list include abortion, euthanasia and stem-cell research.
Many Catholics are scratching their heads about what to do when neither candidate appears to hold a position totally consistent with the Church’s teachings. To help answer these concerns, Niederaurer explains that the United States Catholic bishops published a document called “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” which formed the basis of his article.
In regard to the tradition of separation of church and state, the Archbishop explains that the U.S. has a long history of religious and civil leaders working together to solve issues such as slavery and the civil rights movement. Current issues include homelessness and hunger.
Niederaurer states that the Catholic Church bases its teaching on political issues on the Gospel, which shows readers what is true and good in the sight of God. He adds that connected to these truths is respect for the dignity of each individual, adding that it is the bedrock of Catholic moral and social teaching. Catholics, he stresses, are called to promote the well-being of everyone, especially the weak and vulnerable who have no voice.
Is the role of Church leaders to tell parishioners how to vote? Catholic leaders should instead teach Roman Catholics the importance of an informed conscience, the Archbishop states, so that they can make the best choices on the ballot. He adds that conscience is not a way to rationalize a particular behavior or something we want to do. Rather, it’s the voice of God in the human heart, telling us what the trust is and calling us to do the right thing and avoid evil.
Conscience requires each person to make serious attempts to form sound moral judgments based on the truths of the Catholic faith. In short, Catholics have a lifelong obligation to form their consciences within the framework of human reason and the Church’s teachings.
So what’s a Catholic voter to do when a candidate expresses a position directly in opposition to the Church’s teaching? Niederaurer explains that according to “Faithful Citizenship,” there could be times when a voter rejects the unacceptable position and decides to vote for the candidate anyway. However, this decision should be based on morally grave rationale.
The worst dilemma a Catholic voter faces is when each person on the ballot expresses one or more positions opposed to Church moral teaching. According to the U.S. bishops, the voter may take the very unusual step of not voting for anyone. Another alternative is to decide, after detailed deliberation, to vote for the individual who seems less likely to advance the position in question and who will also further other valid human concerns.


The Heat of a worshiper
Your identity is not in what others think of you, but in Christ who died for you
Heaven and Hell are REAL
I can honestly say this probably been a hard for some of us. Losing someone you care about is NEVER a easy process, weather expected or unexpected. I have been reading a few comments and post that people have been putting about someone who has died.
When anyone dies, we are so quick to put them in heaven. YES heaven is real. But so is hell. We are quick to put people in hell when someone does a unimaginable crime of some sort. But our minds can’t quite grasp God putting “Good” people in hell.
God does not put anyone in hell. We put ourselves in hell. John 14:6 says Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. That means no one can enter heaven if Jesus first does not enter you. John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. The thing about Jesus is that he gives a choice to follow and love him. He does not force us to love him even though he loves us. Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
God is looking for those who will follow him, and love him in sprite and in TRUTH. Someone who will love him with their whole heart. I believe it does break God’s heart when anyone goes to hell. That is not his heart. But, just like our parents give us consequences when we are repeatedly disobedient to what they say, God does the same thing. God is a merciful God. But there comes a time where He will let go if you keep running away from him.
HELL is not a place you should want to go. Yes, the things we do may seem like fun, But is it worth losing your soul? As long as you have breath in your body can make a choice to serve him. Romans 10:9-10 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. God loves you. He WANTS YOU. He wants to USE you in a way that is so much BIGGER then you could ever imagine. The question is will YOU let him.
With GOD, all things are POSSIBLE! Mark 10:27 #LetMeRepeatThat
Amen to this! NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD
ooh this is deep love (:
(Source: kimiohosokawa, via beautyinstillness)
What are your choices? Whom are your choices for? Not just for yourself. Chose now whom you will serve, and that choice is going to affect the next generation, and the next generation, and the next. Choice never affects just one person alone. It goes on and on and the effect goes out into geography and history. You are part of history and your choices become part of history.


St. Nicholas’ Church of England Church is situated on Uphill Road South, between the main road and the park, set slightly away from the centre of the village.
It was built by the Victorians to replace the little Norman church of the same name on the hill. Adjacent to the church is a church hall, built in the 1950s, and a temporary portacabin. Car parking is limited & the best place to park is on Uphill Road South.
The new churchyard is relatively small and is now closed to burials. The Old churchyard is also closed to burials except where family graves have sufficient room for further burials.
In addition to the war memorial in the churchyard of the Old Church on the hill, a war memorial is maintained in the baptistry of the new church.
Everyone is welcome to attend our services & groups. If you would like any more information, please telephone 01934 620156 or visit our web site at www.stnicholaswithstbarnabas.org or contact
Mark K Madeley (Rev’d)
Rector of St Nicholas with St Barnabas, Weston-super-Mare
The Uphill Methodist Church in Uphill Road South was built and opened in 1841 over one hundred and sixty-six years ago. It stands on a plot of land purchased in 1840 for just £5.
The site also housed a schoolroom for the village re-used during the war years for evacuee children. In 1959 the building was damaged by fire.
Following this the premises were extensively modernised and re-dedicated in 1965, the white flat exterior covering a much more interesting building.
Contact:firstname.lastname@example.org or email@example.com
Visit our web site at http://uphillchurch.wix.com/uphill-church
This church is to oldest in the area. It is Norman and dates from AD1080 and retains many of its original features. Mediaeval and Victorian additions and features such as scratch sundials on the South Wall, interesting gargoyles and carvings, doorways and windows of several periods, and a peal of six working bells make this an interesting building.
The Old Church is in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust (formerly known as The Redundant Churches Fund). It endeavours to keep the church open to the public for as much of the year as possible.
Subject to weather and underfoot conditions on the hill the church will be open during daylight hours on occasions through the years. See Events for more detail.
See also the Village History pages for more on the Old Church of St. Nicholas.


Our family used to live in the Rocky Mountains where Gary was an elder at the Church at Agape Outpost in Breckenridge, Colorado for many years. During this time God developed a heart for the nations in him as he went on mission trips all over the world. It was contagious and so together, he, Cathy, Josh and Abi dreamed together and then stepped out into an exciting adventure.
Gary farmed in Arkansas before his move to Colorado, and so a return to the farm seemed to fit. Through a variety of unusual circumstances the Lord planted us in Uruguay and provided an amazing farm for Fields of the Fatherless; a place far above and beyond what we could have hoped for, dreamed of, or paid for! Just as He did that in the physical realm, we have hope and faith for Him to do far above and beyond what we could imagine or hope for in the spiritual realm.
“Now to Him who by His power within us is able to do far more than we ever dare to ask or imagine—to Him be glory in the Church through Jesus Christ for ever and ever, amen!” Ephesians 3:20,21