Myrrh

My dear friend, Stephanie and I were talking the other day about Myrrh and how Esther used it in her beauty treatments. I told her I had some notes on this and sure enough I sat down to do my devotion the other day and my notes were right there. It is so great when the Lord does that, it usually means He wants to get my attention and it was good timing for me to reread them. So here they are Stephanie and anyone else who wants to know:

When Esther went through her beauty purifications, she soaked for six months in myrrh (Esther 2:12). This process opened up her pores. Once her pores were opened, she began to soak in more pleasing spices. Because of her time in the myrrh, these spices became a part of her very skin. When you are in a desert season, soaking in myrrh, know that God can use it to open your heart in a way that would not have been possible without the myrrh. Once your heart is completely open, He will have access to fill your heart with more of Himself, so His beautiful spices will become apart of your very being.

merry christmas

Since we didn't send out Christmas cards this year. I am sending my greetings to all through this blog this year. I pray that your Christmas is filled with hope, comfort and adoration. I have so many emotions inside of me this Christmas that it is would be impossible to even try to describe them. I am trying to fix my eyes and the behold the One who this season is truly about: Jesus.

Enjoy some pictures below from Christmas with my family that we celebrated already at thanksgiving time. Also, I found a great website yesterday that allows you to downloads free background papers and cool extras... ribbon, buttons, letters, frames etc. Click on the link to view it for all you love to design scrapbooks and other fun things: http://www.shabbyprincess.com/

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

So tomorrow is my parents 40th Anniversary. My sister and I planned a surprise for them while they were here in Kansas City over Thanksgiving. We blindfolded them and took them to the chapel where they got married since they use to live here in Kansas City. It was a lot of fun (you can see pictures below). We each spoke blessings over them and prayed for them. One thing we highlighted was the stories in the Bible that had to do with forty years. It was amazing at how many there are and how most of them had some sort of victory or breakthrough after forty years such as: Noah was in the boat for forty day before the rain stopped; Moses was on the mountain for forty days when he got the 10 commandments; The Israelities were in the desert for 40 years before they entered the promise land, David reigned for 40 years with wars and then Solomon reigned in peace for 40 years; Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before he started his ministry; After Jesus was raised from the dead he appeared to his disciples and many others for 40 days before He ascended into heaven.  Right now my parents should be landing in New Zealand what a glorious way to begin this new season for them. Have fun Mom and Dad. I love you.

Immersion

This past Sunday 16 people of our community decided to be immersed. Why, you ask since most of them have already been baptized (immersed). In Jewish tradition people did immersions for lots of reasons and one is for a change of season and repentance. Many of us have felt that our understanding of seeing that we as Gentiles are truly grafted into Israel (Rms 11:17) and the implications of what that really means, is a big change of life season. We repented of any anti-Semitism and replacement theology, we said the Shema and confessed Jesus (Yeshua) as our messiah. Then we had a member of our community who is a Messanic Jew (a Jewish person who believes in Jesus) pray a blessing over us. I have to say, I felt a joy and a refreshment afterwards that I haven't felt in a long time. Here are some pictures from the night. For those of you from the community if you want to see more pictures or copy them to your computer you can click on the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/kingdomlivingchurch/Immersion?feat=directlink (you can thank allison for taking the pictures)
also you can click on the picture below to make it large and if you click on individual pictures they will enlarge as well.

Highlighting on one of these pictures:

My husband, he so reminded me of Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof as he looked up and talked to G-d just like Tevye did often in the movie. It was classic especially since the night was focused on Israel.

To worry or not to worry

Many of us are familiar with the story of Mary and Martha. The Lord showed me a new perspective on it this year. In the past, I have heard messages on this portion of scripture that Martha was in the wrong because she was so busy, whereas Mary was right because she took time to be with the Lord. However, if you look closely at this passage Jesus goes straight to the heart of the matter. He says, "you are worried and upset about many things.." He is addressing the attitude of her heart not the fact that she was so busy.

Luke 10:38-39

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Lately even when I have been taking the time to "sit at the Lord's feet" and listen like Mary did, the condition of my heart is the same as Martha's "worried and upset about many things." Once I realized this, I repented and asked the Lord to change my heart. I am a work in process right now. Here are some practical ways I am going to try to walk this out. I guess I am writing this out for accountablity purposes for myself (maybe someone else might find it helpful I don't know).


1) Turn the deep cry in my heart towards intercession for the people I am concerned about instead of asking the questions of "why".

Philippians 4:6

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

2) Try to focus on the day itself and not all of the impending decisions that need to made by making out a check list for just this day and a seperate one all the others.

Matthew 6:34

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

3) When I get stressed instead of eatting food, to read the psalms aloud until the craving goes away.

Psalm 34:8

8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.