Thursday 26 January 2012

The Magic School Bus

There are kids in the DTES. We have the fun of getting to walk some of them twice a week from thier school to a free music school (St. James Musical Academy) run by one of the communities down here in the DTES. We are called the walking school bus. It really is a lovely change of pace, to get 15 mins just walking and chatting with these kids, I always walk away with a smile and a prayer on my lips. Please pray for the children in the DTES, they are so vulnerable, but I do believe that our Father can protect them and reach them before the enemy does, I have to believe that He will save them from all the evils of this neighbourhood. They are truly a light here in the darkness, God bless them. Amen

Fasting or Feasting?


Do we need to fast? Should we fast? Is fasting required for breakthrough? Why do we fast? Did Jesus say we needed to fast? Will I be spiritually stunted if I do not fast? These are some questions I have been asking the Lord, friends, wise council, reading commentaries and the Bible, and I have also been practising it a little bit.

Here is a video that presented some ideas that were new to me, and I found them quite surprising. I want to share it with you in the hopes of causing you to explore the topic from maybe a new perspective and also to open up discussion.

I do not necessarily agree or disagree with what John is saying.

Meet Jesus

War College blog: http://www.thewarcollege.com/?p=2244

Thursday 19 January 2012

Does God Love You?

Do you know that God loves you?

I do. In my head, and sometimes in my heart, but mostly I only know that Jesus loves me because the Bible tells me so.
Since coming to this revelation, that I head know God’s love for me but do not heart know, I have been on a journey with God into His love for me, not God so loves the whole world, nope just me, I want to know that I know that I know God so loves Maria.
Something that I read in a book gave me the idea of making a list every day of how I have seen Father God love me. I have not been faithfully make a list every day, but I did post a note beside my mirror saying “how has Father loved you today?” and well brushing my teeth I reflect on my day. I have actually found it quite helpful in recognizing how God is active in my life.
I encourage you to take sometime and make a list of all the ways you have seen God’s love towards you over the past couple weeks. Even if you know that you knoe that you know God loves you, I think it can be a encouraging exercise to recognize specifically how your Father God activily loves you each day.
This is my list:
The day I was leaving Victoria to come back to the DTES I was physically sick with anxiety and heart broken to be leaving my home. Father God carried me back, I really did not want to come back, but He gave me just enough strength to get on to the boat. The last couple days at home I was praying that He would prepare me to leave, on the day I was praying for the courage and joy to return. It was as if He was hugging me the whole way back. Then He loved me through my session mates, when I was back in the DTES, by them welcoming me home with screams, hugs and laughter. As we sat on the couch catching up, He filled me with joy, I was happy to be back.
Last week Thursday I was really wanting sometime in praise. In our allotted time, that did not happen. In the evening after Knee Drill (kind of like church) I asked my session mates if they wanted to come and spend some time praising the Lord, some said no, a couple said “OK, a few songs.” In the end all eight of us gathered in the guys’ room and spent a couple hours praising Jesus and praying for each other. It was beautiful. A couple times I laughed out loud at God’s goodness towards me; it was exactly what my heart needed. I kept crying because I was overwhelmed with the love of my Father.
I find great joy in the sunshine. I also love going for walks outside in the fresh air with the birds singing and the sun shining, it is one way I experience the beauty and warmth of my Father’s love. It is almost as if I can feel God smiling down on me and hear Him singing over me.  I do not think Father God created the sunshine just for me, but over the past couple weeks I do think He has provided me with the time to go for walks with Him in the sunshine.
Last week Saturday Father God loved me through my friend. We had not seen each other for over a month. We only had a short time together, but in that time God used her to encourage and challenge me. She is one of Father God’s many gifts to me, and I thank Him for her in my life.
This is just a short list, there is more, there is always more with Father God!
Father God please open my eyes to how you love mw on a daily bases, I want to have a deeper more intimate revelation of your love for me, so that I can be even more transformed into the likeness of your son., also so that I can have a stronger and more secure faith in you. Please. Amen.
I believe I “heard” Father God say to me:
I love you more than… my love is like a rushing wave, all consuming… you are my precious beautiful daughter, I picked you out, I made you to be just as you are, I love you Maria.
Amen.

Slay the Dragons

This is the latest for War College blog: http://www.thewarcollege.com/?p=2223

Thursday 12 January 2012

Sad Beauty

This is a window on East Hastings. This sad lady caught my attention. There is a lot of sad ladies in this neighbourhood. She is beautiful. There is a lot of beautiful ladies in this neighbourhood.

I Pinky Swear

If there is no man in the sky, why do I hold my head up so high?

High to see the sky bright blue, with fluffy white sheep skipping across the field.

High to bathe in the rays of joy streaming down on me from a star that is not to far but not to close.

This world we skip, jump, dance and sometimes sing in is held together by a perfect string

One thing off and poof, bang, alakazam! We are no more.

Is there a God? How should I know? Do I look like a woman with all the answers?

Oh but, yes there is a God

A BIG one, and just one at that.

He or rather she or wait a minute God has no gender or sex or sexual orientation for that matter

He is far above all that, yet He is… oh look there I am using pronouns again.

Please excuse me, I’m not perfect. Are you?

God is, yup perfect in all ways, not one mistake, not one.

That includes you, you my friend are no mistake, you are a well thought out plan.

From the start God dreament you up, so long ago, before the ground you walk on was down, before the stars burned in the night sky, even before the very first kiss, you were the twinkle in God’s eye.

You are special, so very special, no matter how low you go or high you rise, you will never ever be out of the reach of God’s loving embrace.

This is not science paper or theological debate, this is not even a poem, here you have some late night ramblings, all to tell you that GOD LOVES YOU!

I pinky swear.

Tummy Aches, Dragons, and Family

My first War College blog in a month, and since getting back from my break: http://www.thewarcollege.com/?p=2180