It's 4:15am which makes it my birthday, so to celebrate another year of the Lord's faithfulness I am going to share what I am thankful for in this moment
I get to do the night watch. I can't believe I get to do such an honourable and holy thing as stand in the night. That the Lord would call one so weak and so fickle to stand in his house is beyond words for me, that at 25 I know exactly what I want to do with my life and I'm doing it, without regrets and without reservation, I was made for this!
As we were having bonding time with our interns we were all telling our stories a little, as I shared how I got here it's like I took a step back and went this has to be the Lord!
So I'm thankful, for many other things, but I was struck again today with how much I love what I do.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Seasons come and go.....
Summer, fall, winter and spring have a new meaning to me now, mainly because that's how we divide fire in the night tracks. This Spring 07 will be my 9th time core leading, which sounds like a lot, and it is, I've been doing this for almost 2 years, and then there's the time I core lead while doing track 2. So I think I will say why I like core leading. These are in no particular order, and this is not exhaustive
1) I get to encourage young women to pursue the Lord for the rest of their lives, and put a vision in front of them for holiness
2) I get to talk about the Word
3) It doesn't take too much time out of the prayer room
4) The people I work with are amazing and many are my closest friends here
5) Stuart is an amazing leader and I get to learn stuff from him
6) It forces me to continue to pursue the Lord myself - I want to be in the prayer room more than any of my interns!
7) I get to go to an inner healing seminar every three months
8) I get to eat peanut butter and pretzels
9) I get to meet amazing people and be a part of their lives
10) I get asked questions and find out I know that answers
I think 10 is a good number so I'll stop there! This Friday we have about 60 interns arriving, track 1 and 2 combined. I am looking forward to meeting new faces that will become people that I know and love by the end of the three months. I really do have the coolest job!
Wendy
1) I get to encourage young women to pursue the Lord for the rest of their lives, and put a vision in front of them for holiness
2) I get to talk about the Word
3) It doesn't take too much time out of the prayer room
4) The people I work with are amazing and many are my closest friends here
5) Stuart is an amazing leader and I get to learn stuff from him
6) It forces me to continue to pursue the Lord myself - I want to be in the prayer room more than any of my interns!
7) I get to go to an inner healing seminar every three months
8) I get to eat peanut butter and pretzels
9) I get to meet amazing people and be a part of their lives
10) I get asked questions and find out I know that answers
I think 10 is a good number so I'll stop there! This Friday we have about 60 interns arriving, track 1 and 2 combined. I am looking forward to meeting new faces that will become people that I know and love by the end of the three months. I really do have the coolest job!
Wendy
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Two in one night
I was thinking tonight about my interns, they are leaving on Monday, two left yesterday, one thing I do have to say is that these ones have loved one another well, though that's not the point of this blog.
I had my last burn team with them tonight and I talked about the Love of God, and how when we believe God loves us, nothing can touch us - what can man do to me? And told stories of time when the Lord broke in when I needed him to with the reality of his love for me, and that he knows Iove him back.
It is right to remember His love, and His faithfulness. It's good to call to mind what he has done, we can start with the fact that we deserve hell and get to spend eternity with pleasures evermore and if there was nothing else he ever did that would be enough to know he loved me, that he died for me. But he does more than that, he gives us food, and clothes, and friends, and fun stuff to do and __________ (fill in the blank)
He is good, and he loves us, I wonder how differently I would live if everyday I just spoke that over myself. Maybe I'll try for a few weeks and let y'all know - anyone up for an experiment in remembering his goodness?
I will remember your love more than wine............
Wendy
I had my last burn team with them tonight and I talked about the Love of God, and how when we believe God loves us, nothing can touch us - what can man do to me? And told stories of time when the Lord broke in when I needed him to with the reality of his love for me, and that he knows Iove him back.
It is right to remember His love, and His faithfulness. It's good to call to mind what he has done, we can start with the fact that we deserve hell and get to spend eternity with pleasures evermore and if there was nothing else he ever did that would be enough to know he loved me, that he died for me. But he does more than that, he gives us food, and clothes, and friends, and fun stuff to do and __________ (fill in the blank)
He is good, and he loves us, I wonder how differently I would live if everyday I just spoke that over myself. Maybe I'll try for a few weeks and let y'all know - anyone up for an experiment in remembering his goodness?
I will remember your love more than wine............
Wendy
Jeremiah
Some of you have probably being wondering why haven't written about Jeremiah yet (I can think of one person in particular) and I figured it's about time I started. For those of you who don't know I have actually been studying Jeremiah on and off for over a year, and this year have decided to be more intentional about it, so on average I spend 10-12ish hours on it a week, outlining, reading commentaries, connecting dots! So I will probably be devoting quite a few blogs to this subject matter.
To begin with I just want to explain why I have chosen Jeremiah as a book of the bible that I want to study. The main reason, to be honest, is because Jeremiah was a prophet to a nation who were experiencing the judgment of the Lord and he felt the Lord's heart, which is why many refer to him as the weeping prophet. And despite his own weakness the Word of God was so alive in him even when he didn't want to he had to speak it. He knew the heart of the Judge who is a Bridegroom and coming back as King I want to know God like that. I want to pray and feel God's heart for those I'm praying for, I want to stand in the council of the Lord and when a nation is going through a time of judgment I want to have the Word of the Lord. That's about it, it's funny choosing a book to go deep in that is really long and no the easiest book to read at the surface level but I'm finding myself reading a lot of Old Testament scripture to help me make sense of what is happening. Some days I get a little overwhelmed with how long the book is but also how serious the message is. But I'm excited to have something to sink my teeth into, and now I've said on my blog I'm studying it I better!
To begin with I just want to explain why I have chosen Jeremiah as a book of the bible that I want to study. The main reason, to be honest, is because Jeremiah was a prophet to a nation who were experiencing the judgment of the Lord and he felt the Lord's heart, which is why many refer to him as the weeping prophet. And despite his own weakness the Word of God was so alive in him even when he didn't want to he had to speak it. He knew the heart of the Judge who is a Bridegroom and coming back as King I want to know God like that. I want to pray and feel God's heart for those I'm praying for, I want to stand in the council of the Lord and when a nation is going through a time of judgment I want to have the Word of the Lord. That's about it, it's funny choosing a book to go deep in that is really long and no the easiest book to read at the surface level but I'm finding myself reading a lot of Old Testament scripture to help me make sense of what is happening. Some days I get a little overwhelmed with how long the book is but also how serious the message is. But I'm excited to have something to sink my teeth into, and now I've said on my blog I'm studying it I better!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Photos
This post is just going to be photos of my life here in KC for those of you back in NZ
Photo 1 - One of our interns Kristian had a birthday so Gabrielle and I made her a carrot cake - the type her mum would make
Photo 2 - My flatmates and I Easter 06, we all made what we would normally have back home for Easter, Christine (centre) made the most amazing pineapple stuffing for the ham!
Photo 3 - This is our backyard in Spring, when it's beautiful and sunny and still cool enough to be outside
Photo 4 - This is a picture of me with my friends Micah (left) and Shawna (right) at our friend's Sarah and Clay's wedding, the reception was at one of the prettiest places I've seen in Kansas City
Photo 5 - This is our backyard in winter - a slightly different look!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Love does not take into account wrong suffered....
This is amazing, NIV says "keeps no record of wrong". when we approach the Lord he doesn't have a little list in the back of his mind of all the times we failed or broke our promises, he doesn't relate to us thinking of the disappointment we "brought him in the past". OUR ACCOUNTS AGAINST HIM ARE CLEARED because this is how we know what love is WHILE WE WERE SINNERS Chirst died! I love this, great is his mercy towards!
that's all!
that's all!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
GBF/conference week
As I mentioned in my last blog I am going to attempt to explain GBF/conference week dynamics for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about.
Firstly the GBF, this stands for Global Bridegroom Fast, a 3 day fast (7 days in december) when basically a whole bunch of people fast, not just at IHOP, but all around the world (aka "Global") without going into great detail, because we want Revival, Israel to be saved and Jesus to come back! As IHOP staff we are asked to go to at least 2 intercession meetings a day the 10am, 4pm, 8pm or 12am, I don't quite understand why the 4am doesn't count, but I'm sure there is a reason!
During the GBF we are encouraged to pick a book of the bible and read it through, I always chose Jeremiah and I never get through it, I think I did once and that could of been the seven day one. I look forward to the GBF because most other meetings are cancelled and it just nice to spend time getting re-focused.
After the GBF we have a conference, this month it's Passion for Jesus, to be honest I don't attend much mainly because my sacred trust involves being in the prayer room a lot on Thursday and Saturday is my Sabbath, and I don't really like big groups of people. But we have I guess 1000-2000 people? God TV also broadcasts them. I am looking forward to tomorrow as John Bevere is talking.
So, needless to say the GBf/conference week is pretty packed out and you pretty much can't do much else during that week. Interesting aspects of the week is that Misty's set at 10pm is PACKED out, at our midnight sets we have a few extra people who can't get enough of the prayer room (I can understand if I was here for 3 days I would stay up as late as I could too!) the interns get exhausted from having to get up and be at sessions at 2pm, a time when most of them are still sleeping on other days. Also the 4th of July has been over the GBF both years I've been here for it and sure enough it's on Wednesday this year!
I think that's all, except that I have a little cold so I'm feeling very sorry for myself and finding it very difficult to concentrate on anything that's actually important!
Firstly the GBF, this stands for Global Bridegroom Fast, a 3 day fast (7 days in december) when basically a whole bunch of people fast, not just at IHOP, but all around the world (aka "Global") without going into great detail, because we want Revival, Israel to be saved and Jesus to come back! As IHOP staff we are asked to go to at least 2 intercession meetings a day the 10am, 4pm, 8pm or 12am, I don't quite understand why the 4am doesn't count, but I'm sure there is a reason!
During the GBF we are encouraged to pick a book of the bible and read it through, I always chose Jeremiah and I never get through it, I think I did once and that could of been the seven day one. I look forward to the GBF because most other meetings are cancelled and it just nice to spend time getting re-focused.
After the GBF we have a conference, this month it's Passion for Jesus, to be honest I don't attend much mainly because my sacred trust involves being in the prayer room a lot on Thursday and Saturday is my Sabbath, and I don't really like big groups of people. But we have I guess 1000-2000 people? God TV also broadcasts them. I am looking forward to tomorrow as John Bevere is talking.
So, needless to say the GBf/conference week is pretty packed out and you pretty much can't do much else during that week. Interesting aspects of the week is that Misty's set at 10pm is PACKED out, at our midnight sets we have a few extra people who can't get enough of the prayer room (I can understand if I was here for 3 days I would stay up as late as I could too!) the interns get exhausted from having to get up and be at sessions at 2pm, a time when most of them are still sleeping on other days. Also the 4th of July has been over the GBF both years I've been here for it and sure enough it's on Wednesday this year!
I think that's all, except that I have a little cold so I'm feeling very sorry for myself and finding it very difficult to concentrate on anything that's actually important!
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
FYI - a happy day
FYI - these posts will be bits of information for the people back home just to know what's going on in my little life. So if you just want a regular catch up you can go straight to these posts.
Today was a happy day because I finished my Fire Within outline, a few weeks ago I decided I was just going to get it done, so I did! It's nice going into this week (which is GBF/conference week, I'll explain another time) without really having to think about my Fire Within outline until next week when I work on it more.
A little note that the main reason I got it done is because I woke up at 12:30 again, (an hour earlier than I want to be up!) and thought I'd just use my time effectivly!
That's all
Today was a happy day because I finished my Fire Within outline, a few weeks ago I decided I was just going to get it done, so I did! It's nice going into this week (which is GBF/conference week, I'll explain another time) without really having to think about my Fire Within outline until next week when I work on it more.
A little note that the main reason I got it done is because I woke up at 12:30 again, (an hour earlier than I want to be up!) and thought I'd just use my time effectivly!
That's all
Saturday, March 3, 2007
To love and obey
As a somewhat famous lyric goes " I want to know what love is" they must have never got around to reading 1 John or Romans for that matter because in first John we are told not only that "we know love by this, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" but that "God is love" if we flip over to Romans 5 we are told in verse eight "But God demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" And just because we all like the Chapter we can throw in 1 Corinthians 13 "Love is patient, love is kind......". So from these verses we can say that we know God loves us because he sent his Son to die for us (John 3:16) and that Jesus on the cross is a manifestation of "God is love". He makes in invisible visible by displaying the love of God in such a deep way we will spend many years singing "Worthy is the lamb because he was slain" So if it is Jesus death that shows us the love of God what does this mean for us showing our love to God and to others?
Jesus, in his "final message" in John 14 tells us that those who keep his commandments are the ones who love him. So, to love God is to obey God. People may ask what does it mean to obey God. It means do everything He tells you to do, and I'm not talking about which job to take, or car to buy but actually do what the Bible says. For example, take Matthew 5-7 and do it. Ouch. When there are policies in place for your work, follow them. Say what you mean, forgive people, don't complain, all those things that are quite frankly really hard and in fact impossible to do without God, so we go back to 1 John, we love because he first loved us, and having a revelation of God is what enpowers us to obey him.
I have been reading and outlining Fire Within by Thomas Dubuy, which is a great book on the contemplative life that we are all invited into, if I was to summarise the book I would say one of the main points is that our obedience to the Lord, and to those over us has a direct co relation to our prayer life, it's hard to pray if we are not obedient and it's hard to obey if we don't pray. Amazing.
I think I'll leave it there, but this will be a subject matter that you will find me pondering on a lot. How can I love Jesus to the fullest right now? Not tomorrow and not yesterday, because really all I can do is love Jesus in the present!
Grace and Peace
Wendy
Jesus, in his "final message" in John 14 tells us that those who keep his commandments are the ones who love him. So, to love God is to obey God. People may ask what does it mean to obey God. It means do everything He tells you to do, and I'm not talking about which job to take, or car to buy but actually do what the Bible says. For example, take Matthew 5-7 and do it. Ouch. When there are policies in place for your work, follow them. Say what you mean, forgive people, don't complain, all those things that are quite frankly really hard and in fact impossible to do without God, so we go back to 1 John, we love because he first loved us, and having a revelation of God is what enpowers us to obey him.
I have been reading and outlining Fire Within by Thomas Dubuy, which is a great book on the contemplative life that we are all invited into, if I was to summarise the book I would say one of the main points is that our obedience to the Lord, and to those over us has a direct co relation to our prayer life, it's hard to pray if we are not obedient and it's hard to obey if we don't pray. Amazing.
I think I'll leave it there, but this will be a subject matter that you will find me pondering on a lot. How can I love Jesus to the fullest right now? Not tomorrow and not yesterday, because really all I can do is love Jesus in the present!
Grace and Peace
Wendy
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Okay, I'm actually going to do this
So, I'm going to become a blogger and actually write in it and actually tell people that I have a blog, amazing. Someone once told me that the person who gets the most out of a book is the author, the person who gets the most out of a sermon or message is the speaker, so the person who will benefit that most from this blog is me. Nothing like selfish motivations. Hopefully I will learn to better communicate thoughts and ideas that sporadically turn up into my head and have them become something concrete. As I go along I will try and include photos and make this blog look interesting, because as we know we live in a visual generation.
Next post I'll try to say something moderately interesting
Next post I'll try to say something moderately interesting
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