Update #78

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

If you died tomorrow would you be happy with how you lived your life, with what you accomplished, and with what you are leaving behind? Are their areas of your life you wish you could enhance, be more accomplished, excel? Are their places or people you would like to sow into, leave a deposit with, impact for the better? Are you satisfied with your life?

I’m not. I am content but definitely not satisfied. I want more. I want a lot more. How about you?

What do you really, really, really, deep down, heart of hearts want? It usually isn’t a material possession, it usually isn’t a shiny object that looses capital value, it usually involves people – a restored relationship, forgiveness, healing of past wounds, to hear someone important say “I love you” or “I am proud of you” or “I accept and love you no matter what.”

What do you want - and what sacrifices are you making to ensure it happens? Will you sacrifice money to seek counseling? Will you sacrifice pride on the altar of humility to say “I’m sorry.”? Will you sacrifice peace in your family to bring a wrong situation right? Will you sacrifice “The way I’ve always done things” to find a new path that benefits others as well as yourself?

Let me challenge you further. Instead of trying to better yourself or your situation alone get God involved. The Bible says that God is El Olam (the everlasting God), Jehovah-rapha (God who heals), as well as the El Shaddai (all sufficient one). Who better to turn to with your issue? Here is a God who is undying in his support and attention; wants to heal hurt, affliction, and pain; and is enough in himself to complete the process.

God already knows what you want. He already knows what you need. The real question is have you asked what his solution to your problem would be? I bet he has an answer and I bet he would like to share it with you. It’s ok to want more and not be satisfied with where you are – but it is not ok to fix it yourself. God wants to be involved, God wants to be instrumental in your life, God wants to help…will you let him?

Updates:
Living – I am living with my relatives, but the Johnsons have made an offer on a property in Los Gatos (close date October 28th) and so I may be moving in the next few months. Check out the blog for details http://campus.inst.net/
Work – Our “training weekend away” starts Friday, September 19th! Most of the leadership positions are filled (thank you God!) and the travel logistics for getting everyone TO the facility are finalized…now to work on getting them BACK to the airport!
Travel – heading to Indonesia the 31st of October through just after Thanksgiving.

Requests:
Housing – a little space somewhere close to the Johnsons will soon be needed! I would love a little cottage all to myself!
Work – for the “weekend away” - that God would be present, hearts would be forever changed, and the travel teams would begin to bond and form community.
Purpose – I am working on making intercession more prominent in the rēp culture as well as help influence the overall viewpoint to be one of praise. I am working on this in the US and have been tasked to pioneer the effort in Indonesia as well…pray for God to raise up the right people when I am there.
Relationships – I have some amazing girlfriends – thank you Jamie, Jodie, Jill, Jo, Terri, Teryn, Teju, Annie, Amy, Angie, Katherine, Kim, and Rebe for your support!
Financing - If you are interested in contributing, please see ‘Contribute’ at http://www.repurposing.biz/ on the left of the page, or visit http://www.denaandrews.blogspot.com/ and read the footer for additional info.

Dena

Update #77

“But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven.” 2 Peter 2:9

Rebecca, 'Teju, Annie and me - GNO (Girls Night Out)

Once in awhile God speaks to me in pictures – moving pictures – like a little film. I don’t get them all the time so when they do happen they are special to me. The one I “downloaded” last Wednesday was about a boy and ballerinas.

I was standing in a wide white framed doorway. The room in front of me I presumed to be a living room of an upper end home – the floors were of golden hard wood with an expensive deep toned Indian rug on the floor. Very nice, but comfortable looking, chairs and a couch in a deep moss green were arranged nicely on the rug and around a dark wood coffee table. Natural light streamed in through a large bay window to my left.

What caught my attention was not the luxury of the room; the original paintings on the walls, the gauzy curtains on the bay window, the silk covered cushions on the furniture and window seat, the crystal on the end tables, or the marble of the fireplace…it was the young boy facing the right wall.

The right wall had a low white mantle running the length of it – about the height wainscoting would be. On the mantle were two identical, dark, ornately carved wooden boxes that were perched on short legs. There was nothing else on the wall – no paintings – nothing – it was blank. The dark boxes and the light wall were in stark contrast.

The boy appeared to be about 8-10 years old; a clean cut brunette in navy short-pants and a white polo-type shirt. He was staring intently at the boxes.

He lifted the lid of the left box. Inside it looked like a little girl’s jewelry box – except in red velvet. Where the little figure would usually be spinning to the music was a ballerina, but she was slumped over. The little boy cocked his head to the side and listened – the little figure was whining, complaining, and navel gazing about her situation. He shut the lid. He dropped his hand to his side and shook his head as if to clear it of all the negative things he just heard.

His focus then turned to right box. He tentatively raised the lid. The box, inside, was identical except for the ballerina – this one wasn’t slumped over – she was jumping, spinning, waving her arms, kicking her legs in the air, doing cartwheels, flips, summersaults as well as continually singing, shouting, and praising God. After about 10 seconds he shut the box, then opened it again, watched, shut the box, opened it…watched, shut, opened, watched, shut, opened – sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes for minutes at a time. He laughed, giggled, and at times mimicked what the little figure was doing. He was engrossed.

I felt myself smiling; watching the little boy’s reaction to the ballerina. Then I heard a powerful voice behind me…“Which box would you rather open?”

The film stopped. In less than ten seconds God communicated something very powerful to me…He relishes our praise! To answer the posed question, I would rather open the second box, thank you very much! I would rather receive praise, glory, honor, admiration, accommodation, applause, acclamation, commendation, and kudos rather than whining, disapproval, condemnation, blame, criticism and complaints coupled with murmuring…wouldn’t you?

Natural questions come from this: “What does God see when He opens your box?” “What does He hear?” “What does He receive?” “Does what He see, hear, and receive cause him to want to repeatedly visit you over and over and over again?” “Does He want to visit again and again just to see what you will do and say?”

What kind of “ballerina” are you? Are you the right (sided) one?

Updates:
Living – I am living with my relatives, but the Johnsons have made an offer on a property in Los Gatos (close date October 28th) and so I may be moving in the next few months. Check out the blog for details http://campus.inst.net/
Work – training is finishing up and our “training weekend away” (which I am in charge of) is September 19-21st. Then we transition into the venture cycle and travel season…
Travel – most likely heading to Indonesia the 6th of November through just after Thanksgiving…then home to Seattle for Christmas.

Requests:
Housing – a little space somewhere close to the Johnsons will soon be needed! I would love a little cottage all to myself!
Work – for the “training weekend away” I still need a few leaders and have an overwhelming amount of travel logistics to coordinate. I would really appreciate (covet) your prayers!
Purpose – I am working on making intercession more prominent in the rēp culture as well as help influence the overall viewpoint to be one of praise. This is harder than it seems – people, as a norm, think prayer is boring and are real whiners!
Relationships – the dating relationship I was in ended (see what happens when you finally post their picture on your blog!)…but God is REALLY good – I had the opportunity to be involved in some really cool “God stuff” over the weekend that reminded me who my first love is!
Financing - If you are interested in contributing, please see ‘Contribute’ at http://www.repurposing.biz/ on the left of the page, or visit http://www.denaandrews.blogspot.com/ and read the footer for additional info.

Dena

PS Happy Birthday to Kelley and “Rhonna”