I can hardly believe it is already July! The jewelry workshop was finally started up a few months back. Christina with House of Hope Safe House, whom I have been partnering with since I first moved to SA, has allowed us to do the workshop in her Wendy House (this is a shed/cabinish bldg in her yard). The main people whom are working with me are the same ladies whom I had worked with when doing the greeting cards project. I am training them to be able to run things.
We started with just 2 ladies, the next time we had 4, then we jumped up to 8. The numbers continue to fluctuate, but there are always enough of us to get some jewelry made. We have had numerous volunteers come to help out and mostly work with women whom are staying at House of Hope. A safe house in Muizenberg (30 minutes away) has asked if they can start bringing their ladies, too.
The ladies are amazing! Seriously, I can not express that enough. I thought I would have to train them for quite some time, but really they are quick learners and have a basic idea what to do already. So many of them have made amazing necklaces their first or second time making them. They are naturally talented! When I have bandwidth again, I will have to post pictures.
The workshop is set up to make jewelry for the first 2 hrs, stop for lunch and to read a devotional, then another 2 hrs of jewelry. I have to force the ladies to stop making the jewelry, they love it that much! Susan - the woman I am training to run the project - is an amazing marketer and we hope to sell some jewelry soon. (She sold our first piece ;-)
The ladies have asked to start up the greeting card workshop again. I am working to get our supplies again and hope to start doing the cards this next month. We will be starting to make Christmas cards, so be sure to get your order in now. I will be in the States for Christmas, so I can personally deliver them to you!
My heart is so blessed by this workshop. Mostly due to the amazing women I get to work with! They constantly teach me so much. I also get the pleasure of being with Christina's 7 foster children often, now that I am working at their place. I love those kids so much! I wish you all could meet them and be blessed, too.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Terraforming
I participated in a 4 day terraforming training this past weekend. It was SO incredible! Unfortunately, it is near impossible to explain if you don't already have a know how. I will tell you that it provided the keys that were missing for me to do ministry the way that God has been telling me to do it, only I was confused in some places as how to do it.
Terraforming is about healing the land. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us and show us the wounds of the land. The roots that caused them, so that we can pray forgiveness, wash it in His blood and release the blessing and covenant that was intended for the people, area and world.
We had much teaching and then did personal terraforming, which allowed each and every one of us to get personal ministry to shed light on our wounds and what the roots are, then releasing them. Then we had a day where we got the pleasure of doing practical ministry. We formed teams and went out into the land. We had a ground control who stayed and interceeded, smsing us with all that the Lord spoke to them. These were mostly short, to the point words i.e. horses, pain, whipping, children taken from mother's arms, man in red shirt, etc. Some of these words explained situations and others gave us direction in which way to go and what we were looking for.
I was on the flight crew who went out into the land. We both listened to the messages sent from ground control as well as the voice of the Lord and what He was showing us. Together we were directed to specific locations; sometimes a well known place and other times a random cul-de-sac or building. Each place the Lord showed us the wounds of the land - what people had done on it that needed to be forgiven and washed clean (by Jesus, not by us). We then dismantled the enemy and released the Lord. We opened gates in the Heavenlies for His power to come down, realigned broken covenants and released nature to operate how He intended it.
It was quite amazing! We would see things just as GC sent an SMS that would say exactly what we saw, both in the physical and the spiritual. There were many huge things we saw that had happened that was confirmed by the leader who knew some of the history of the area that we did not. Other things were confirmed when people googled to see what it meant. One example is 30 and 3 silver coins. This was given to one member of GC and was sent to FC. We had just seen slaves being sold in the spirit and knew it meant this represented the buying price and meant betrayal (silver coins represent Judas betraying Jesus). One of GC googled this and found out that the price to buy one male slave was 30.3 silver coins. Amazing!
I could tell you dozens of stories - just from 3 hours of our going out. We will be going out every week and I can hardly wait to tell you the stories that come. If you feel inclined, be praying for us and the healing of South Africa... reaching out to the world. Just keep in mind that we can't send anything on that the Lord doesn't release us to send on. We are global and get to also send our emails, sms, etc to other countries involved any time the Lord reveals something to us. Talk about unity! What an amazing way to unite the world by the power of Christ!
I will be using what I learned to Terra4m the area of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking (where my mandate is). I believe whole heartedly that we can and will see these things completely leave the area of Cape Town, branching out to the Western Cape and on to South Africa. You get the picture. Our God is mighty and able!
Terraforming is about healing the land. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us and show us the wounds of the land. The roots that caused them, so that we can pray forgiveness, wash it in His blood and release the blessing and covenant that was intended for the people, area and world.
We had much teaching and then did personal terraforming, which allowed each and every one of us to get personal ministry to shed light on our wounds and what the roots are, then releasing them. Then we had a day where we got the pleasure of doing practical ministry. We formed teams and went out into the land. We had a ground control who stayed and interceeded, smsing us with all that the Lord spoke to them. These were mostly short, to the point words i.e. horses, pain, whipping, children taken from mother's arms, man in red shirt, etc. Some of these words explained situations and others gave us direction in which way to go and what we were looking for.
I was on the flight crew who went out into the land. We both listened to the messages sent from ground control as well as the voice of the Lord and what He was showing us. Together we were directed to specific locations; sometimes a well known place and other times a random cul-de-sac or building. Each place the Lord showed us the wounds of the land - what people had done on it that needed to be forgiven and washed clean (by Jesus, not by us). We then dismantled the enemy and released the Lord. We opened gates in the Heavenlies for His power to come down, realigned broken covenants and released nature to operate how He intended it.
It was quite amazing! We would see things just as GC sent an SMS that would say exactly what we saw, both in the physical and the spiritual. There were many huge things we saw that had happened that was confirmed by the leader who knew some of the history of the area that we did not. Other things were confirmed when people googled to see what it meant. One example is 30 and 3 silver coins. This was given to one member of GC and was sent to FC. We had just seen slaves being sold in the spirit and knew it meant this represented the buying price and meant betrayal (silver coins represent Judas betraying Jesus). One of GC googled this and found out that the price to buy one male slave was 30.3 silver coins. Amazing!
I could tell you dozens of stories - just from 3 hours of our going out. We will be going out every week and I can hardly wait to tell you the stories that come. If you feel inclined, be praying for us and the healing of South Africa... reaching out to the world. Just keep in mind that we can't send anything on that the Lord doesn't release us to send on. We are global and get to also send our emails, sms, etc to other countries involved any time the Lord reveals something to us. Talk about unity! What an amazing way to unite the world by the power of Christ!
I will be using what I learned to Terra4m the area of Prostitution and Sex Trafficking (where my mandate is). I believe whole heartedly that we can and will see these things completely leave the area of Cape Town, branching out to the Western Cape and on to South Africa. You get the picture. Our God is mighty and able!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Missing in Action
Wow! I can hardly believe it has been about a year since I have been on here! I apologize to each and every one of you. Allow me to do my best to explain my lack of communication.
While on holiday, back in the States last year I spoke many, many times about my ministry and all that has been going on in South Africa. I spoke so many times in fact that I got completely tired of speaking about ministry and anything pertaining to me. When I came back to SA I was completely judged on just about everything coming out of my mouth by numerous people. Add to that so many judgements that people have about Americans and you get a whole lot of hurt.
Since I have been back I have gone months of almost completely not talking to people other than what was necessary. I just stopped wanting to talk. It was like I took a vow of silence. This is something the Lord just recently showed me. That I made an inner-vow not to be seen or heard and caused misalignment in some areas of my life.
I came back into alignment with God a few months ago, but have still been seeing some back lash from these vows. So many times I have gotten frustrated with people due to the fact that I would speak and people would just talk over me as if I never even opened my mouth. It was like they couldn't even hear me. God would give me a vision and I would share it, but people would have no clue what I was talking about. It seemed that any time I shared information people were so confused about what I was talking about. It was like I was speaking a foreign language - which is a real issue for me at times, but this was more than that, this was with people who know and understand me well. I felt helpless.
I finally just stopped sharing my input, ideas, visions, prophesies, etc. I especially didn't want to share what was important to me. I recently joined the worship team at church and most people said they couldn't hear me. I thought I was singing loud and even lost my voice. I was afraid and I am not used to singing the whole service, so there was that. Again, it seemed like there was more to it.
I remember in my fear, being torn with not wanting to be heard and everything in me just needing to sing to the Lord. I asked the Lord for Him to shine light on this. He showed me the vows I had made and how over and over and over I repeated these thoughts in my head.
I have since asked God for forgiveness, washing me in His blood and to restore this gift He has given me called: My Voice. This time I choose not to be afraid of what others think about the things that the Lord gives me to share or to be heard. I also ask if you will be so kind as to allow me to share me and not only my ministry for I am coming to know the gift that He has made me to be solely as I am. In return, let me know who you are. Not just what you do, but the beautiful human being that He has created you to be - warts and all!
Thank you everyone for your grace and allowing me to have weaknesses. I will not wait a year to update this and do my best to do it on a regular basis. Thank you for caring about what is going on in my little corner of the world. Be prepared; revival is coming and it is coming from Cape Town and will spread across the world!!
Much love <3
While on holiday, back in the States last year I spoke many, many times about my ministry and all that has been going on in South Africa. I spoke so many times in fact that I got completely tired of speaking about ministry and anything pertaining to me. When I came back to SA I was completely judged on just about everything coming out of my mouth by numerous people. Add to that so many judgements that people have about Americans and you get a whole lot of hurt.
Since I have been back I have gone months of almost completely not talking to people other than what was necessary. I just stopped wanting to talk. It was like I took a vow of silence. This is something the Lord just recently showed me. That I made an inner-vow not to be seen or heard and caused misalignment in some areas of my life.
I came back into alignment with God a few months ago, but have still been seeing some back lash from these vows. So many times I have gotten frustrated with people due to the fact that I would speak and people would just talk over me as if I never even opened my mouth. It was like they couldn't even hear me. God would give me a vision and I would share it, but people would have no clue what I was talking about. It seemed that any time I shared information people were so confused about what I was talking about. It was like I was speaking a foreign language - which is a real issue for me at times, but this was more than that, this was with people who know and understand me well. I felt helpless.
I finally just stopped sharing my input, ideas, visions, prophesies, etc. I especially didn't want to share what was important to me. I recently joined the worship team at church and most people said they couldn't hear me. I thought I was singing loud and even lost my voice. I was afraid and I am not used to singing the whole service, so there was that. Again, it seemed like there was more to it.
I remember in my fear, being torn with not wanting to be heard and everything in me just needing to sing to the Lord. I asked the Lord for Him to shine light on this. He showed me the vows I had made and how over and over and over I repeated these thoughts in my head.
I have since asked God for forgiveness, washing me in His blood and to restore this gift He has given me called: My Voice. This time I choose not to be afraid of what others think about the things that the Lord gives me to share or to be heard. I also ask if you will be so kind as to allow me to share me and not only my ministry for I am coming to know the gift that He has made me to be solely as I am. In return, let me know who you are. Not just what you do, but the beautiful human being that He has created you to be - warts and all!
Thank you everyone for your grace and allowing me to have weaknesses. I will not wait a year to update this and do my best to do it on a regular basis. Thank you for caring about what is going on in my little corner of the world. Be prepared; revival is coming and it is coming from Cape Town and will spread across the world!!
Much love <3
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Gift of Surprise
Doctor Zhivago said, "Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us." Why then am I often so busy trying to figure everything out? I analyze and analyze until my head is aching. Often I figure things out, more often, I think I figure things out.
I have to admit when I let go, stop thinking and just let life happen, I am so often pleasantly surprised. I have a Father who loves me, who lavishes me with love and who has plans to prosper me; why would I try to figure out what He is going to do, when I could just step back and let Him spoil me?
I love to be surprised - it brings a huge smile to my face, melts my heart and fills me with joy. I want to learn how to let life take me by surprise more often.
"There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved: It is God's finger on man's shoulder" Charles Morgan. And how much more beautiful is this surprise when you thought that life was nothing but pain and sorrow, when you have gotten so used to desert that you didn't know if paradise really existed? Then you step out of the desert, towards paradise and you look around, discovering that love is all around you. Oh how the heart swells!
Do you know what it is like to be loved and cared for? If we truly look around we can see that God's expressions of love are all around us. Sometimes we just have to look a little harder. Does this surprise you?
"God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 It was not after we made ourselves good enough, not after we got our act together, and not after we cleaned up our lives, that He loved us. It was while we were yet sinners. What a glorious and beautiful surprise!
Now that's what I call a gift!
I have to admit when I let go, stop thinking and just let life happen, I am so often pleasantly surprised. I have a Father who loves me, who lavishes me with love and who has plans to prosper me; why would I try to figure out what He is going to do, when I could just step back and let Him spoil me?
I love to be surprised - it brings a huge smile to my face, melts my heart and fills me with joy. I want to learn how to let life take me by surprise more often.
"There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved: It is God's finger on man's shoulder" Charles Morgan. And how much more beautiful is this surprise when you thought that life was nothing but pain and sorrow, when you have gotten so used to desert that you didn't know if paradise really existed? Then you step out of the desert, towards paradise and you look around, discovering that love is all around you. Oh how the heart swells!
Do you know what it is like to be loved and cared for? If we truly look around we can see that God's expressions of love are all around us. Sometimes we just have to look a little harder. Does this surprise you?
"God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 It was not after we made ourselves good enough, not after we got our act together, and not after we cleaned up our lives, that He loved us. It was while we were yet sinners. What a glorious and beautiful surprise!
Now that's what I call a gift!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
How Bizarre
And Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures." Mark 14:48-49
The Jewish police force came out to arrest Jesus, but there was a band of Roman soldiers there, too. The Greek word is speira. This word has 3 meanings: a Roman cohort, if it was a cohort of auxiliary soldiers, speira had 1,000 men, 240 cavalary and 760 infantry; a cohort of 600 men; and more rarely: the detachment of men called a maniple of 200 men.
Lets just suppose that the word speira in this context is referring to the lesser used, smallest force: a maniple. That is an awful heck of a lot of men to send out just to arrest one man, whom is alone in a garden, with his disciples, praying.
I would say that they were afraid of His power, because He is the Son of God, only they claimed He was a fraud and a phony: not the Son of God. Why then were they afraid?
Do you think they started to wonder what Caiaphas was thinking having them all get suited up, in formation and ready for a battle, just to arrest one man. One man who at the slightest sign of his 'army' using their sword to cause harm, reached down and healed the ear that was just slain.
I wonder how many of them thought "You've got to be kidding me. What a waste of my time. Seriously, has Caiaphas lost his mind." Was he out of his mind? Had Caiaphas battled with paranoia or was he a little schizophrenic?
I think that deep down his subconscious knew that this man truly was the Son of God, that He is all powerful and He has the power to do anything He wants. Unfortunately for him (and all the soldiers who had been summonsed), his subconscious was not aware that this all powerful man had every intention of laying down His life. For you, for me and for every single man standing there that day.
The Jewish police force came out to arrest Jesus, but there was a band of Roman soldiers there, too. The Greek word is speira. This word has 3 meanings: a Roman cohort, if it was a cohort of auxiliary soldiers, speira had 1,000 men, 240 cavalary and 760 infantry; a cohort of 600 men; and more rarely: the detachment of men called a maniple of 200 men.
Lets just suppose that the word speira in this context is referring to the lesser used, smallest force: a maniple. That is an awful heck of a lot of men to send out just to arrest one man, whom is alone in a garden, with his disciples, praying.
I would say that they were afraid of His power, because He is the Son of God, only they claimed He was a fraud and a phony: not the Son of God. Why then were they afraid?
Do you think they started to wonder what Caiaphas was thinking having them all get suited up, in formation and ready for a battle, just to arrest one man. One man who at the slightest sign of his 'army' using their sword to cause harm, reached down and healed the ear that was just slain.
I wonder how many of them thought "You've got to be kidding me. What a waste of my time. Seriously, has Caiaphas lost his mind." Was he out of his mind? Had Caiaphas battled with paranoia or was he a little schizophrenic?
I think that deep down his subconscious knew that this man truly was the Son of God, that He is all powerful and He has the power to do anything He wants. Unfortunately for him (and all the soldiers who had been summonsed), his subconscious was not aware that this all powerful man had every intention of laying down His life. For you, for me and for every single man standing there that day.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Home Sweet Home
Ahh, home at last. How sweet it is! I just arrived here in Colorado last Friday evening. It's everything I hoped for, as well as a few surprises. The first surprise was at how angry I was to be leaving Africa. I had worked so hard to get to Africa that a part of me was angry to be leaving. I have so many wonderful friends, a church I truly love: all the people i know are truly beautiful. I already miss them so much and was angry to be leaving.
Sad I expected, angry took me by surprise. Talking to my friend David on Sunday, I was told that he still feels this way every time he leaves Jordan to come back, even after 7 years. Where you now live becomes home and everything you want and need is already there, yet you desire to be around family and friends back in the states and you get angry that you have to leave one to be with the other.
You discover that what you looked to as going home is really leaving home. You are now a tourist in a place that was once home. There is a familiarity about it and as you stand there soaking it in you start to remember what once it was like.
You also know that you are not on vacation, that there are things expected of you and you have to spend a lot of time talking about everything that you wish you were back home doing.
It's exhausting (even thinking and preparing for it) and this makes you angry. So then, how does one deal with this? I don't know, but I intend to find out since this will be something that happens quite often. I intend to find a way to leave the anger behind and just be grateful that I am finally where I longed to come back. I get to be with my family and with my friends. I get to do so many cool things.
I have already been spoiled far beyond my imagination and it has only been a few days. I have numerous road trips planned and know that this will be such fun. I have already received about a thousand hugs and kisses from my niece, who has permanently glued herself to my hip (at least when her mom lets her - she would sleep with me if she was allowed).
To be honest, being able to hug, kiss and spend time with my neice is the one thing I longed for more than anything else here back home. I had times that I had a dream about her and I would wake up crying. I intend to soak up every moment I get with her, even the constant "Emily, Emily do this, Emily look at this, Emily help me, Emily, Emily, Emily..." For I know that not long from now I will once again miss this.
Sad I expected, angry took me by surprise. Talking to my friend David on Sunday, I was told that he still feels this way every time he leaves Jordan to come back, even after 7 years. Where you now live becomes home and everything you want and need is already there, yet you desire to be around family and friends back in the states and you get angry that you have to leave one to be with the other.
You discover that what you looked to as going home is really leaving home. You are now a tourist in a place that was once home. There is a familiarity about it and as you stand there soaking it in you start to remember what once it was like.
You also know that you are not on vacation, that there are things expected of you and you have to spend a lot of time talking about everything that you wish you were back home doing.
It's exhausting (even thinking and preparing for it) and this makes you angry. So then, how does one deal with this? I don't know, but I intend to find out since this will be something that happens quite often. I intend to find a way to leave the anger behind and just be grateful that I am finally where I longed to come back. I get to be with my family and with my friends. I get to do so many cool things.
I have already been spoiled far beyond my imagination and it has only been a few days. I have numerous road trips planned and know that this will be such fun. I have already received about a thousand hugs and kisses from my niece, who has permanently glued herself to my hip (at least when her mom lets her - she would sleep with me if she was allowed).
To be honest, being able to hug, kiss and spend time with my neice is the one thing I longed for more than anything else here back home. I had times that I had a dream about her and I would wake up crying. I intend to soak up every moment I get with her, even the constant "Emily, Emily do this, Emily look at this, Emily help me, Emily, Emily, Emily..." For I know that not long from now I will once again miss this.
Who's Plan is It?
Jesus said "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"
Matthew 26-52-54
And here Caiaphas thought that he was the one to orchastrate the arrest of Jesus; Malchus thought that it was Caiaphas he was following orders from. Ends up it was really God who orchastrated the whole thing and gave the orders.
How often do we think that we are the ones orchastrating everything just to find out that we are really not the ones in control at all? So often I put a whole LOT of energy into trying to make things happen, just for it to not really happen or worse, for me to mess up what would have happened sooner and better had I left it alone. Sometimes I even make it so that what was going to happen doesn't end up happening at all, due to trying too hard to force things and people having the power of choice.
Caiaphas thought he was a big dog and that he finally would be the one to get this Messiah that so many were hoping to put a stop to. He thought he had it all figured out. Oh how blind pride can make us. He thought he was so cool. He thought he was making the impossible happen. Yet what was 'impossible' wasn't so impossible after all since it was the will of God. Had he not followed through, God would have chosen someone else to do it. It had to happen since it was the will of God.
So you see, we're really not that cool at all. It is not us that make things happen (whether we believe in God or not, we are still subject to His will. We just choose which side of the team we will be on.) It is not us that help or save others, for alone we can do nothing.
It is because of Him; He is the awesome and powerful One who put everything into place even before time began. It is by His power that we are able to make a difference. We are just blessed enough to be able to join in His plan.
Matthew 26-52-54
And here Caiaphas thought that he was the one to orchastrate the arrest of Jesus; Malchus thought that it was Caiaphas he was following orders from. Ends up it was really God who orchastrated the whole thing and gave the orders.
How often do we think that we are the ones orchastrating everything just to find out that we are really not the ones in control at all? So often I put a whole LOT of energy into trying to make things happen, just for it to not really happen or worse, for me to mess up what would have happened sooner and better had I left it alone. Sometimes I even make it so that what was going to happen doesn't end up happening at all, due to trying too hard to force things and people having the power of choice.
Caiaphas thought he was a big dog and that he finally would be the one to get this Messiah that so many were hoping to put a stop to. He thought he had it all figured out. Oh how blind pride can make us. He thought he was so cool. He thought he was making the impossible happen. Yet what was 'impossible' wasn't so impossible after all since it was the will of God. Had he not followed through, God would have chosen someone else to do it. It had to happen since it was the will of God.
So you see, we're really not that cool at all. It is not us that make things happen (whether we believe in God or not, we are still subject to His will. We just choose which side of the team we will be on.) It is not us that help or save others, for alone we can do nothing.
It is because of Him; He is the awesome and powerful One who put everything into place even before time began. It is by His power that we are able to make a difference. We are just blessed enough to be able to join in His plan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)