i'm not sure how to describe all that i'm learning about the ONE who loves me. simply put, i'm changing. i'm experiencing major heart surgery by the first and best HEALER.

i have heard that GOD is good, that HE is big. the problem is that i have always seperated the two characteristics. specifically, i have focused on the "bigness" of GOD. i have believed that HE is powerful enough to do whatever HE wants to. when i thought about HIS goodness, i thought, "wow, how amazing that this all-powerful GOD lets me be in relationship with HIM! HE can do whatever he wants with me!" how graceful GOD is that HE did work through me, even though i was kind of missing the point.

here's the truth. here's raw fact. GOD, the creator of the whole universe, of space and time, of the tiniest cells in our veins, wants to be in relationship with me. HE wants me to be in relationship with HIM. HE wants it more than anything else! HE wants every single person on the face of the planet----> every lost, lonely, poor, rich, miserable, tyrannical, selfish, confused, impure, unhealthy, fit, angry, depressed, loving, hateful individual in the entire world to be in perfect relationship with HIM--to have the same unity and love as the TRINITY!

don't believe me? check out john 17:20-23. "...i pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. i have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. i in them and you in me. may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

a brand new state of mind.

                                                               MEET THE FAMILY!
(From left to right) Scotty, Anne, Ashley, Jerome, Emily, Andrew, Jess, Kayla, Whitney, Stefan, Me, Kiki, Kari


The past week has been truly incredible. It is amazing how much Jesus can download into when you open yourself up to Him--when you are willing to let Him have everything. Last week, Ari Sloots shared the importance of taking every single thought captive, as they have the power to determine your future. Every thought. This is hard work. Intentional. And so important. As I shared in my last post, our family has been learning how to hear the voice of God---in whatever way He chooses to speak: Scripture, others, words, pictures, visions, thoughts. The most common way that God often decides to speak is through our mind, in our thoughts. This is why the "renewing of our minds" that Paul describes in the Bible is so important. It is in our thoughts that our future is determined.
On Wednesday, our second speaker, Matt Rawlins and his wife, Celia, arrived for the second theme of the school: "The Character and Nature of God". Growing up in a Christian environment, it is easy to make assumptions about what speakers will teach on this topic. I expected to hear all about the omnicience and omnipotence of God. I expected to hear how He was huge and how we are small. I expected to hear that we are lucky He even considers us at all. I expected a lot of complicated theology and, I'll be honest, by the end of the three days that Matt was here (we finished up this afternoon) my brain sort of felt as if someone had hit it with a baseball bat several times......and then smooshed it into a very uncomfortable shape. But even so, Matt presented God's incredibly complex character with sweet simplicity: God is big enough and He is good enough.
That may sound too simple, but the more I reflect, the more I realize that this is the foundation on which the Kingdom of God rests. It is this principle that the Enemy attacks again and again. What better strategy exists to break down the Kingdom? Attack the individual's relationship with God by attacking the very nature and character of God. Isn't that the case when we feel far from our Creator? We hear whispers that God actually doesn't love us as much as we thought. He doesn't have our best intentions at heart and, in reality, He isn't all that trustworthy.
Again, this is where our thoughts become SO important! If we can learn to guard ourselves against those lies, we can open ourselves up to real God potential. A lifelong journey. This is just some of what I've learned so far....