tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12063044237086812072024-03-19T14:45:44.438-07:00Burn Out BrighterRazzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-2082084669872044412017-04-02T19:28:00.002-07:002017-04-02T19:30:49.422-07:00Where Did the Time Go!?Ill keep this short and sweet!
Its been awhile! Since my last blog I've met a boy, got married, and had a baby girl! Now that you are caught up Ill post again soon!
This is my sweet family - Mikey & Arrow
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEVm_BmrLEHnga7VhNmICpQaGPpBLlGgoi9P179d_orPhx0zhwwccPtmYI2HdtEqkCKDT0yiaw5w3mnPbUkoVmIe9QbLb4qnlJ1a6LsAzu1XADi0kfybBm0PG7abOqt5iYO2_8VRWkFI/s1600/IMG_7807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEVm_BmrLEHnga7VhNmICpQaGPpBLlGgoi9P179d_orPhx0zhwwccPtmYI2HdtEqkCKDT0yiaw5w3mnPbUkoVmIe9QbLb4qnlJ1a6LsAzu1XADi0kfybBm0PG7abOqt5iYO2_8VRWkFI/s200/IMG_7807.JPG" width="131" height="200" /></a></div>Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-35956048617355186322012-11-17T19:07:00.000-07:002012-11-22T10:03:02.884-07:00Plunge. Twist. Pull. Repeat. ThailandPlunge. Twist. Pull. Repeat. This is our enemy, this is Satan. I hate to say it, but our enemy is smart. We are in a battle and he has plotted and made plans to kill, steal, and destroy each and every one of us! Will he? Some yes, some no, and others maybe… Nevertheless, he will try, but greater is He that is in me than he who is in the world.<p>I have always known this, that Satan is real, but have never really experienced it in a real and tangible way, until Thailand. I had plans this time; I felt more comfortable going, more knowledgeable about the subject, more prepared to reach out, and excited to see what God would do in the red light districts! <p>I was not prepared for such an as in your face attack that I experienced the first night I was there. I was not going to share this cause it’s hard and even embarrassing in a way, but I feel I have too in order to be free, to be brave and not let the lie win. There are some things I will leave out because it does not need to be known to understand the gist of the attack and how it affected me and my time there.<p>We started ministry in the district the way we always do by doing a prayer walk up and down the streets of bars before we go into one of them. This night we split into two groups and I was on the second team. We began our walk, talked to vendor friends, tied on Jesus bracelets, and spoke of Him. We got to one of our favorite vendor booths where Justin Bieber works (calm down gals, it’s just the nickname we gave someone on the first trip!) It is a booth full of cd’s and dvd’s of various American artists. As we were informed by our other friend, 50 cent, Bieber was no longer working there, his wife had baby and works another job now, (PTL!). As we came around a second time 50 was no longer there, but a new guy was, so we stopped and chatted and he was very taken by one of our team mates by how beautiful she was (and she is!) It was really cute, he just kept saying “so beautiful! Like Jessica Alba!” So, my team leader Connie said, what is your name, we need to give you a nickname like friends! He replied, Tom, Tom Cruise! Of course I was excited about this because anyone who knows me, knows of my affection for Tom even though he is Mr. Crazy Pants! :) She joked that if he is Tom that she is Nicole Kidman because Connie is a super model and very tall apparently, I have not noticed... ;) As we chatted he told her and the team – next time you are here call me and I’ll come pick you up at airport! Connie said, really? You have taxi? Tom replied, no, friend does or I get tuk-tuk! (A tuk-tuk is like a rickshaw, but motorized.) To which Connie said, really all of us in tuk-tuk? He looked at all 6 or 7 of us and said, Yes! <p>Then it all took a turn down hill.<p>He looked at me, pointed and said, well maybe not her, she is too fat, tuk-tuk break! And laughed. And laughed.<p>I’ve experienced attack or opposition before or people just saying rude things in general, but this was different not just good ole fashioned name calling and my team agreed. This was like a demon talking straight to my face through this poor guy! I don’t know how else to explain it other than, it was different, evil. I don’t think my team realized what was happening or being said at first, it got very quiet and for what felt like an eternity, but was probably really only 3-4 minutes went on about “how fat I was and how come so big and too fat” etc… I think I blocked a lot out honestly. It was surreal, I stayed calm, I listened, tried to joke and not show him that it bothered me, but mostly I was trying not to crumble right there and go home. This was NOT my plan, I did not prepare for This! My team leader Connie tried graciously to rebuke him and tell him that is not right, but he did not care, he was tool and I don’t mean like a “tool” when you are calling a guy a jerk. He was a physical, tangible tool of the enemy. See Satan know my weak spots and yours and will use them if it will make us ineffective and in a way, it worked. He saw where to plunge the knife, twist it, pull it out, and repeat. He has a job to do, and that job is to sit all day and devise plans to knock us down and make us weak and useless! As we walked away, I wanted to cry, but was reminded of Job and praised God because I’m not blind to the enemy's schemes, I’m not stupid, I knew it was attack and it was just not a random occurrence, that it was Personal for me and me alone. I thanked God that it only made HIM, Jesus, more real in my life and that where I was, was dark indeed! But, no matter the grace of seeing and knowing it is attack; it left me shaken because it was evil, in my face, and real! I shut down. I’m not trying to be dramatic, really, I’m not, I’m just trying to describe the moment and feeling of what went down. There is more personal stuff in it that I’m not sharing here because it’s not needed, but I continued on with my team in prayer trying to keep my head up and smile on while asking God what do I do now? The wound was deep; it threw everything in my face and laughed! I saw Connie keep looking back on me to check and see how I was, but if we talked about it then, I would not keep it together for the rest of the night and we had not entered the bars yet. I don’t remember if my team said anything to me or not after that? I think I was just in my head and that was it, most were probably glad it was not them!<p>Nevertheless, I could not shake the feeling, I prayed, I wrote, I asked to remove it, but it stuck with me like a scarlet letter. I tried to just stay focused on Jesus and get through and not waste a minute of my time there! I will say that I am blessed in that I have never felt insecure about who I am because who I am, is in Christ! Yes, I have insecurities like any woman and he did not tell me anything I don’t already know, but I don’t spend a lot of time focusing on it cause it’s just not who I am, I am confident in the Lord, but Everyone who looked at me after that I felt immediately judged by and I did not know what to do with that… It changed my countenance a bit for the rest of the time even though I tried to let it go. I did not talk about it in our debrief meeting, I did not tell my roommate, at one point Connie told me, just so you know, I disagree with him 100%, but we really did not talk about it and for whatever reason, “Jesus knows!” ;) i know my team had my back! The next night we were going to another district and as we took the trains to get there, I of course could not shake the feeling that encounter left me with. One of my sweet teammates came up behind me and said, Rae I don’t know why, but I just feel God wants me to tell you that you are stunning! I said, really? Thank you, and asked her, were you on my team last night or the other team? She said the other. I said, oh, so you don’t know what happened? She replied, no…? So I shared a bit and thanked her for her kind word. My two team leaders and friends, both told me at different points, just so you know, I think you are stunning! There is that Word again, I thought… Then I realized that day before the incident happened another teammate said to me, I have been meaning to tell you all day that I just think you are stunning! To all I replied with thanks. Strange God kept using this particular word, I’m not sure I had ever been called stunning in my life and now in the span of a week I had heard it 4 times, various ways, from different people! <P>Sadly, I think I fully realized this too late for that trip, but THIS, is what my Jesus spoke to me, “my daughter, my bride, the world does not see you the way I see you! They see your flaws and shortcomings, and all that you are not, but I see into your heart and YOU ARE STUNNING!” I would expect nothing less from my God, to take what the world does not see and understand and call her Stunning! I was made for my Jesus and that is the only thing I need!<p>I never saw Tom again. I was not sure if I wanted too, but I was willing. I heard later Connie spoke to him again, but all I can do is pray for him. This is the reality of the battle we are in; Satan will find your weak spot and fight to make you useless! I lost sight of that and God graciously gave me new insight! It does not change my heart for Thailand or take away the desire to go back, if anything, it makes the desire stronger because I’ve realized the girls in the bars face judgment from men and people every day and my Jesus wants to tell them they are Stunning and loved as they are, that they fearfully and wonderfully made! He may just even use me to do that! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuh7L4p27mYF3yzmEQOTTm_PDZIW-ZqlA1_Os0PAVp9l0g_pYPJsoRHievDHTbZQJaf0Npp87gTqSEgdtB6EANwUzR5TT3V_t9SmDwoz7RSB2dPnyxoRxsdveI_t9cThLMM6HxmQ3G0Y/s1600/thai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="267" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcuh7L4p27mYF3yzmEQOTTm_PDZIW-ZqlA1_Os0PAVp9l0g_pYPJsoRHievDHTbZQJaf0Npp87gTqSEgdtB6EANwUzR5TT3V_t9SmDwoz7RSB2dPnyxoRxsdveI_t9cThLMM6HxmQ3G0Y/s400/thai.jpg" /></a></div>Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-61573810699660499692012-07-31T10:11:00.002-07:002012-07-31T10:12:44.245-07:00Invite 10 Project : Harvest AmericaSharing the gospel can be one of the most scary, invigorating events in your life! It is a natural high to feel the Spirit work through you! To encounter someone and realize later you had no idea you knew the stuff you just shared! I have seen it in my own life and I have seen it in the lives of others. Nothing compares to sharing the gospel! Yes, it means rejection and epic “fail” moments, but it also means sweet, sweet fellowship with the One you love and serve in taking that step of faith to make His name known.
<p>
Ask yourself – <b>How beautiful are my feet? Are they beautiful like His?</b> (Romans 10:15)
<p>
I believe sharing the gospel is mostly relational. We can have the whole Bible memorized, but we have to be able to meet people where they are at, so we can relate to their hurts and needs and openly share what Christ has done for each and every one of us! In John 4, you know the story, Jesus tells of his encounter with the Samaritan woman. Was Jesus surprised she showed up to get water? No. He knew she had needs, she had hurts, she had sin. He knew she would be there, He knew to meet her there to fill her need. What was His tool? Water. Simple. Effective.
<p>
<b>My vision for Invite 10 is simple.</b>
<p>
Invite 10 people who do not know the Lord to come to Harvest America. The beautiful thing is that if you are unsure how to share your faith fully, all you have to do is hand them a simple flyer, an invitation to come and meet your Jesus! What a privilege to share in the planting of seeds that others may harvest and God will reap! (John 4:35) Sometimes sharing your faith begins with small steps to build your faith…
<p>
<b>Ideas:</b>
<p>
- give an invite to your local coffee barista<br>
- a person in line with you at the grocery store<br>
- if you eat out, invite your server<br>
- your neighbors<br>
- take them to work and give personally to your co-workers<br>
- give to friends and/or family that you have never known how to reach out too<br>
<p>
You get the idea – keep your eyes and ears open, be aware of the people around you, be compassionate to their hurts and needs and risk reaching out. Make it a point to have <b>personal</b> interaction! You know hurt, you know joy, you know pain, you know love. Most importantly, you Know Jesus! Forsake all to follow Him. Even in handing out a simple invite you can offer the only water that gives life! My prayer is that you will have an everyday conversation that leaves an eternal impact on those you encounter!
<p>
<b>Luke 4:18</b> – we all have fit into the groups that Jesus quotes here at one time or another;
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the <b>poor</b>;
He has sent Me to heal the <b>brokenhearted</b>, To proclaim liberty to the <b>captives</b>
and recovery of sight to the <b>blind</b>, To set at liberty those who are <b>oppressed</b>.”
<p>
Thank you for sharing in God’s Kingdom work! Pick up your Invite 10 packet at the Welcome Center!
<p>
Til All Have Heard,
<p>
Rachael Ward
raeward@live.com – for questions, comments, or prayer. www.facebook.com/calvarynorthmissionsRazzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-48122592195719212232011-11-17T07:10:00.029-07:002011-11-17T13:49:13.662-07:00Grace makes Beauty out of Ugly things<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdQSwZ5d3bzgsjbuzU1eVUJ49JXdFShAnAw-pvKSSgiXBnnNmYWmSdydr9kpdAQ5H5sMajxmjLVyj-asWfcQ87HmHtfp7zeiWvgltG5MBa102zUSM0kCGqn94VFr_txl7hB8PdGKPV0k/s1600/IMG_9362.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdQSwZ5d3bzgsjbuzU1eVUJ49JXdFShAnAw-pvKSSgiXBnnNmYWmSdydr9kpdAQ5H5sMajxmjLVyj-asWfcQ87HmHtfp7zeiWvgltG5MBa102zUSM0kCGqn94VFr_txl7hB8PdGKPV0k/s200/IMG_9362.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5675971008347745730" /></a><br />I keep trying to write an overall trip blog. Not going to happen. There is too much to tell and so many faces to share their stories all at once. So I am going to start with one story...<br /><br />Bua & Som - they work at Glamour Bar in Patpong district. They were standing outside drawing in potential customers as we were prayer walking the streets and stopped to chat. I got to share with them the redemption story and how Jesus see's them as the pearl of great value (mt.13:46) that the fisherman sold everything he owned and bought that 1 pearl because he saw the value in it. How Jesus gave up everything He had, His life, for them because He sees their worth!<br /><br />I love the U2 lyric - "grace makes beauty out of ugly things." Prostitution is ugly, Trafficking is ugly, the red light districts are... ugly. Bua and Som happen to be two of the most beautiful people I met there inside and out. Our friendship started by talking outside the bar. Each night we made sure to stop by and see them at work, but as our team left at the end of our trip, my teammate Sarah and I had a few extra days in Thailand to visit the friends we had made. <br /><br />I had been questioning on the trip how effective I was in bar ministry, or rather, questioning how to be more effective in bar ministry with these girls in the amount of time given. So as I was praying througout the week the question kept popping into my head "where are these girls during the day?" Yes, most likely sleeping, but if they work 7pm to 2am and sleep til 1pm in the afternoon, they still have a good 6 hours before work, so how do I find them then? I was sharing this with Sarah as we walked to Glamour bar and outside was Bua and Som and so I took the opprotunity and said "hey, lets go have lunch together tomorrow, ok?" and they lit up and said "yes, yes, have you tried...." and so began their quest to take up to some spicy thai food haha! God provided right away the answer to my prayer, to hang with them outside the bar!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBTsk5CbXGUqxRiP7-SURBvebk450QNrHxwIqhoUJPUARM2y2q4oHcoYv-L5TOZ5b98ghZjM7Y8dlAMd4Jx3m09hTLLuGT4F9GPKW6MYDRakqcVa8J4-wCF2ueP6Tga-8sv8uqZSVIkk/s1600/IMG_9409.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBTsk5CbXGUqxRiP7-SURBvebk450QNrHxwIqhoUJPUARM2y2q4oHcoYv-L5TOZ5b98ghZjM7Y8dlAMd4Jx3m09hTLLuGT4F9GPKW6MYDRakqcVa8J4-wCF2ueP6Tga-8sv8uqZSVIkk/s200/IMG_9409.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676062649494978258" /></a><br />We met the next day and just got to be girls! They took us to the largest mall I have ever been in, 8 stories! We had some food (which we were not fans of haha), and some coffee. We talked about girl things like favorite types of stores, colors, boys we like, and yes, even Twilight! Its a universal language "girl talk", no matter the language barrier girls can always argue who gets Edward and what color is best in a scarf! We got to ask more about their work, their families, and what they want to do in life... Som, would like to be an airline stewardess, but it is so expensive she may never get too, she was married and he was not nice, and she is now a butterfly. Free. Bua, is only 21 and has a 5 year old son who lives with the father, she wants to be a receptionist. Dreams seem more simple there, maybe because they come at so high a price? <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghInls8O6xijJarvOHTpDCKKOhtGZyFyVy3CZwW9f4ExNqFIcNCmZIr19f4fFk4rYZ2KPF1VMdbtoFnscLpf__LivNJ8KKIfO5C90nyMfpvuP2vySPtwM1V348CMWINp98stUFjHQuehY/s1600/IMG_9403.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghInls8O6xijJarvOHTpDCKKOhtGZyFyVy3CZwW9f4ExNqFIcNCmZIr19f4fFk4rYZ2KPF1VMdbtoFnscLpf__LivNJ8KKIfO5C90nyMfpvuP2vySPtwM1V348CMWINp98stUFjHQuehY/s200/IMG_9403.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676063534906222562" /></a><br />I was so blessed that day to see them be who they really are, dress in their normal clothes and talk about dreams! We started a friendship that will cross oceans, cross borders, and if the Lord permits, share in eternity with them. It was a lot of seed planting but the Lord knows who will reap that harvest if not Sarah or I, maybe another saint. Pray for them and their friend Ning who joined us later that day. Bua shared she reads english better than she understands it talking so I took the opprotunity to write out the gospel for her to read and share with Som and Ning.<br /><br />Those girls are reminder to me of how grace makes beauty out of ugly things...Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-21676784555721821182011-11-12T15:37:00.003-07:002011-11-17T13:20:09.370-07:00Love Without Expectations<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqrTim6O0rAqxRt5Fb7ThWmVyWOipCuSz9emNoSF7cmPFhxvRiObwm5BySTGdd25sDYmK6j9p5hMJ9xHWNe-cehDDu7FXiXyuj5DlPBYjA-m6c2COqX74_bK3Yv330cSc8I9_sho1veo/s1600/IMG_9451.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqrTim6O0rAqxRt5Fb7ThWmVyWOipCuSz9emNoSF7cmPFhxvRiObwm5BySTGdd25sDYmK6j9p5hMJ9xHWNe-cehDDu7FXiXyuj5DlPBYjA-m6c2COqX74_bK3Yv330cSc8I9_sho1veo/s200/IMG_9451.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5676062156485326994" /></a><br />Ministry is hard here.<br /> <br />It’s easy to start a trip like this with thoughts of grandeur and the need to resolve and defend. Quickly we find it’s more about the simple expressions of love that speaks volumes of who you truly ar. No one has ever been able to show me the love of Buddha. No one has ever been able to share with me how he died and rose again for me. No one has ever been able to tell me that he created me to worship him, that I was not created to be sold.<br /> <br />I look in so many eyes of women, young girls, children, and ladyboys and see no hope that anyone and any god can save them. I would even go so far as to say that I see some of that same desperation in the men who frequent the bars as customers. It just wears differently on them.<br /><br />This is life, no less, no more. Which is why I believe simply loving on them without expectations is a huge testimony of how God loves us and calls us to share that love. No other god loves like that!<br /> <br />So when we walk the streets of Pat Pong, we walk with a purpose to be light and show love. We smile, say, “Sawatika”, give out friendship bracelets, and share however God leads us. Taking the time in a bar just to hear a girl’s story can be so powerful when it seems like most of her life revolves around pleasing others, why would we care?<br /> <br />Again, it’s simple, relational ministry. Are we moving mountains? Maybe not yet. But that’s the Lord’s job, not ours. We are called to worship, to be a Light, to love at all times… even to the men. The heart of our Savior loves both the women and the men equally … and so should we.<br /> <br />The gospel is not for the “cleaned-up, ready-to-go” soul. It’s for the broken, the lost, in need. For the girl forced to sell herself in a bar in Bangkok to the girl in Phoenix, Az waiting for the one man God has for her. In His eyes, we are the same, a daughter of the King. That’s what Love does.<br /> <br />I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself – Jeremiah 31:3Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-76467520489977514002011-11-08T00:34:00.014-07:002011-11-08T02:24:31.561-07:00little Pong<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB_LdGTP9pSdUdJDq9I9mErBa5Xf3fmQBm0XyzqgRkc4Nmp0iE1klxutjWA7_yuxn-ai3TWb1oXxT8eawR1vs0Hiwn2g9WrDP-H9H97B6KJNAHMELApcwNMmCw18ubpCLK5N-OiEiYdU/s1600/bap.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihB_LdGTP9pSdUdJDq9I9mErBa5Xf3fmQBm0XyzqgRkc4Nmp0iE1klxutjWA7_yuxn-ai3TWb1oXxT8eawR1vs0Hiwn2g9WrDP-H9H97B6KJNAHMELApcwNMmCw18ubpCLK5N-OiEiYdU/s200/bap.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672537668509447570" /></a><br />I planned to blog more here but time did not permit, nor has my mind have time to process all my thoughts, so I'm down to my last night and thought I would share what's been the highlight of my time here and will blog about the other things later. Thank you all for your prayers and support, they are felt in abundance! <br /><br /><br />1 john 3:18 "dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other, let us really show it by our actions."<br /><br />this verse sums up our trip, if not our lives. bar ministry can be sensory overload to say the least. dim lights, bright lights, loud music, smoke, incense, girls dancing, inappropriate surroundings, etc. its a lot to take in and more importantly a lot to try and NOT take in all at the same time. one night we divided into teams of two and prayer walked the streets of patpong. that night we not going to go into the bars, but just talk to the girls working outside the bars, the street vendors, and those that sell "sexy shows". my teammate Sarah and i decided after walking and praying we would sit at one of the outdoor, corner bars and see who we could talk too. as we sat there we saw a little girl who we assumed was the daughter of one of the men who sells "shows" sitting on a dirty wood flat trying to put together a bracelet we gave out earlier in a ministry gift bag we made for the kids. she was having trouble so we invited her over to sit with us so we could help her and buy a her a coke. well, where there is one kid, there are more just around the corner.... so twelve kids later haha we introduce to you "little Pong" our red light district version of VBS. before Sarah and i knew it, we were sitting at the bar with 4-6 kids at a time making bracelets, drawing pictures, playing an absurd amount of tic tac toe, and singing Jesus loves me. my bar ministry just took a drastic turn!<br /><br />the people did not know what to make of this! what foreigners choose to sit at a bar with kids and just play with them and buy them cokes? these are the kids of the vendors, show sellers, dancers, and some vendors themselves (the kids who sell items, I was just told by Rahab Ministries today, are more then likely the kids who are also sold underground). it does not seem to happen here, there is no ministry outreach to the children of Patpong, these kids are inundated with so much darkness that to me the real question is, how could we not? to allow them a little space to just be kids and distract them from the surroundings was a amazing blessing for me and a game changer for the rest of my trip. the smiles and laughter they expressed was answer enough for me, God blessed Sarah and i with so much joy to just "be" there with them and play and draw despite the language barriers.<br /><br />the first night the surrounding adults gave us looks of uncertainty, but were curious as to what we were doing and would come up to the table and smile while keeping a watchful eye on us, the second night they warmed up a bit and stayed and asked our names, by night 3 and 4 we were welcomed by them shouting our names across the streets of patpong to say "hello Rachael!" and shake hands, even our bar maid was showing us to what table we could use and bringing more chairs for our growing VBS! by our last night, heartfelt goodbyes and tears as we send the kids back to what they know, long nights from 7pm -2am and only God knows what else. i could do this every night, this would be my ministry here, the effectiveness of simply showing love, His love by our actions with these kids opened so many doors to share with the adults and be a light. even the western men stopped and asked if we were teachers or if we worked here and if not, why we would sit here and play with these kids? my only answer is because its what Jesus would have done, simple, relational, real. light casts out darkness, that's what little Pong did, in a place where it seems only darkness reigns, The Creator allowed us to take over the night to bring Him glory, let your light so shine before men.<br /><br />on that corner for just a few nights our friends stopped selling sex shows around us and allowed themselves to enter into the joy these kids were having and i am amazed and humbled at the work of the Lord. watching these little ones and how the adults reacted to us showed me that maybe the best defense again trafficking or selling yourself is to end the cycle before it begins, red light ministry with the kiddos!<br /><br />"Jesus love the little children, all God's children everywhere. red and yellow black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children everywhere." <br /><br />ps - please pray for Bap and her friend in the picture above, they more than likely are trafficked underground.<br /><br /><br />In His Love,<br />RaeRazzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-900824352977785472011-05-25T10:03:00.023-07:002011-05-25T10:56:22.451-07:00In the Moment or For the Moment?We spend so much time planning for future moments, 401k, savings, stocks, buying a home, kids, etc., but how many times do we stop and look at the present day before us? Considering only whats one step in front of us instead of ten? I confess, not much. Already I have spent the last 15 minutes thinking about just being done with work so I can move onto the next thing! I decided the other day that I need to stop thinking about tomorrow and only look at today and so of course I have been challenged with it non-stop and have come to realize how much I live for my tomorrow.<br /><br />Matthew 6:34 says "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."<br /><br />We have been commanded ("do not") to not worry about tomorrow. Jesus came so that we can have life and have it more abundantly. Are we truly experiencing abundant life if we are not living in the moment, but for the next moment? No, we are cheating ourselves of the blessings and hidden treasures that the Lord has for each one of us and I bet it breaks His heart to see us experience so little and miss so much! One of my favorite things about mission trips or traveling is that you are free from you "life" back in the states, you are not caught up in the everyday things, but completely able to focus on what God has before you in that day and able to experience each moment He has planned for you. It's the most freeing feeling and forever changes your views of what life should be and what you think you "need" to be fulfilled. And it allows to find joy when you get stuck in the Only elevevator in Tumen, China!<br /><br />One thing Jesus often teaches is that we look without seeing. In John 4:35 he says to the disciples to not look at the harvest and say in four months it will come. He tells them to lift up their eyes and look for it is already here! (rae's version ;)) I know there have been times in my life when I was rushing to do something in my schedule that after the fact something struck me and I remember thinking, Oh man, sorry Lord, I completely missed that! I could have shared, I could have helped, I could have listened... Now my prayer is that I would allow the Holy Spirit to be stronger than my flesh so that I don't miss these treasured moments! On the other hand the other day I set my schedule, my plans for the day aside and got to share coffee for over 3 hours with a new friend and see the Lord work and it was great! Totally threw off my day haha, but I would not change it for the world! It was an abundant 3 hours!<br /><br />We are human and we Need each other, we need to be in each other's lives, lifting one another up and carrying each others burdens. We are made to be a community, living and working together for the good of the harvest, not for the good of our own future plans.<br /><br />My challenge to each of us would be to start our day asking the Lord to show us the moment(s) He doesn't want us to miss. That we would no longer look without seeing, but that we would see to be fulfilled. Live in the moment.Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-14508687588140434092011-05-17T11:16:00.007-07:002011-05-17T11:28:06.913-07:00The 17thIf you truly believe that I work all things together for the good of those who love me, then you will let go of your own desires and wants. I desire to bless you beyond all you could ever imagine or dream! Rest in my presence and be filled with my peace that passes all understanding. Trust that I alone know your heart and look to me to fill your heart. My child never think you are not good enough for me. That is a tool of the enemy to draw you away from me, your Creator. I created you in my image and I love the way I designed you! I moled you into who you are knowing the ways you would bless others. Don't be fooled by the god of this world that airs you need to change who you are in order to be loved. You are loved, by Me, in order to change the world!<br /><br />Amen.Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-84806270256676376762011-05-06T15:00:00.003-07:002011-05-06T15:01:55.646-07:00The Sad Truth - TraffickingDemand:<br /><br />Every year 800,000 new victims are locked in the sex trade against their will.<br />Every year the businesses in Bangkok rake in one billion dollars off of children alone<br />About 100,000 kids will go missing from America's streets this year.<br />Every year the global sex industry makes $57 billion.<br />Every minute two children are forced into the sex industry.<br />Due to porn, forced prostitution, early death to AIDS & honor killings about 500,000 females 'go missing' every year.<br />Our 'first' world is the largest consumer of porn & the sex industry it creates. The 'third' world is the largest victim. We have re-created slavery around lust.<br />The porn industry is 57 billion dollars strong.<br />Twelve is the average age of prostitutes.<br />Porn revenue is larger than the combined finances of all professional sports franchises & exceeds the combined revenues of all news networks.<br />12% of the Web is dedicated to porn.<br />12 – 17 year olds are their largest consumers.<br />90% of eight year olds have seen porn.<br />Scientific studies prove that view porn is addictive and leads to the following.<br /><br /><br />Results:<br /><br />Rape rates in the USA have increased 523% in 30 years.<br />Males become violent. Incest and sibling molestation has increased.<br />Most battered women are those whose partners viewed porn.<br />Most porn viewers try out what they see within a few days.<br />Heterophobia heightened ( the fear of, distrust of, and disappointment with the opposite sex) is the common outcome of porn. In these instances, it often leads to homosexual and lesbian activity.<br />Men exposed to porn become callous to women. Marriage becomes devalued, and more bizarre forms of sex are required to stimulate. Multiple partners become the norm.<br />Impotence is a natural result of using porn.<br />Every day 8,000 teens in the USA become infected with a STD.<br />Children born out of wedlock, abortion, Viagra, date violence, STDs and AIDS have become a 'normal' part of our world.<br />In the USA teen pregnancies and single mothers in poverty cost us 7 billion in taxes.<br />78% of pregnancies are unintentional. Abortion is costing US taxpayers more than 5 billion a year.<br />Treating STDs is 10 billion dollars of tax funds.<br /><br /><br />Solutions:<br /><br />Become a voice – find and use your voice for victims.<br />Host an Awareness Event in your home, church or place of employment.<br />Volunteer to help.<br />Choose to buy items made by rescued victims at Fair Trade wages. This empowers them.<br />Raise funds to support or start projects that rescue and restore – both locally and internationally.<br />Choose abstinence and faithfulness.<br />Become an intern; use your skills.<br />Connect with organizations who are doing something.<br /><br />UGH! :(Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-65564564133765142642011-05-02T10:36:00.050-07:002011-05-02T15:13:04.032-07:00Is the American Church a Joke?I am currently reading The Forgotten God by Francis Chan, ouch! So much is lining up with what God has already been doing in my heart and connecting with what was shared on Sunday. So here I go!<br /><br />In the intro of the book Francis proposes this question: "If he was born and raised on a deserted island with nothing but a Bible, had only read about the New Testament church yet had never seen a church, would he recognize his own institution he was leading as being remotely similar to what he read about in the New Testament?" He came to the conclusion that he would not recognize his own church system as being even remotely similar to what he read about in the scriptures.<br /><br />I recently read in another article that he had the chance to spend some time in Asia with underground church communities and shared with them what the American church system is like and how many join or leave that church based on the worship band, liking or not liking the pastor, the variety of programs offered to them, etc.<br /><br />They laughed at him.<br /><br />In fact, the more he shared with them on our church system, the more they laughed because they thought he was telling them jokes!?<br /><br />I find it heartbreaking that the underground church, who has suffered so much, would see us as joke. Not because they have been misled in that view, but because in many ways they are right. They must think we take our freedom for granted...? From their point of view some of the things we do must seem ridiculous and overdone. It got me thinking that somewhere along the line I have lost the desire to let the Holy Spirit move in and through my life and I can't be the only one. Have we strayed so far from the church of the new testament that we are now just viewed as an institution, a business, a community center of sorts, aimed to give a fast fix to the get it now generation? Please understand I am not mocking or saying it's wrong to have programs to draw people in or to use them to reach out because I have seen them be used mightily here in our culture and it's part of the way we connect, but I am saying we (the church body as a whole) are More and should desire to be More than those things, not just merely defined by them. No amount of activities or bands or dynamic speakers will bring the Holy Spirit to us if we are not willing to allow the Holy Spirit to be an active, permanent part of our life, I think that's where we differ from those in the underground church. They thrive on the Holy Spirit to make changes in their lives, they cry our desperate for him to hear their prayers, the cling to the knowledge that he is alive and working in them and through them! They know He alone will protect the church they are not allowed to have.<br /><br />Are we missing the Holy Spirit as the main attraction and feature of the church? I don't mean just the church I personally attend, I mean as a worldwide body of believers...<br /><br />Acts 4 - Peter and John do something extremely courageous, they go before the all the big wigs (Sanhedrin) and proclaim Christ when asked to defend what they have done. v.8 - "Then Peter, <strong>filled with the Holy Spirit</strong>, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.<br /><br />Did you catch that? "Filled with the Holy Spirit", there was no band, no lights, no glitter, just the Holy Spirit and a man willing to listen and allow the Spirit to work through him. <br /><br />The bible goes on to say in v. 13 - "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were <strong>unschooled, ordinary men</strong>, they were astonished and they took note that <strong>these men had been with Jesus</strong>."<br /><br />That's my heart and my point in all this, do people see us and recognize that they have been with Jesus? Or do they just say, "gee that was a nice service." and go on their merry way? It is the prayer of my heart for my church and in my own life that others would sit with me and know that they have seen Jesus, not merely because I told them I am a Christian, but because they experienced him in my life.<br /><br />Would the persecuted of this world see our church system differently if we operated on the Holy Spirit and not just on programs alone? Would we "turn this world upside down?" would we change the hearts of those who don't believe or see?<br /><br />I think we would. In fact, I <strong>know</strong> we would.<br /><br />This is all said out of love and what God is doing in my own heart so please know when I say all these things I say it to myself first and if you leave taking something from it then praise the Lord! ;) For the record, I don't think we desire to be a joke, we just need a kick in the booty to get back in line.<br /><br />Ask yourself, if you were living on a deserted island and had nothing but the Bible, what would church look like to you? In my mind, I don't see a church that needs to host the next big thing or a body that desires to be poured into, but I do see a church willing to to be brave and pray for one another, to step out in faith and use the gifts they have been given, I see believers willing to lose their life for the sake of the one who gave His. I see the persecuted church.Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-48308599790699601662011-04-30T11:56:00.019-07:002011-04-30T20:38:15.923-07:00If God Were a ColorMy great grandma G.G. passed when I was 26 and she was 96, I am so blessed I had to chance to really grow up with her and know her because in many ways she was the one person who truly understood me, my best friend. She taught me how to pray and love God and know Him personally and she always talked about the sparrows and God's love for us in light of how He cares about the sparrows, (hence my sparrow tat, not for captn' jack like you thought...). She also instilled in me that if everyone wears red, you wear blue. That simple statement left such a huge impact on me as a kid. It was a revolutionary idea. Go against the flow, be your own person, own who you are and let no one tell you different. I'm not sure if she knows the impact it had on me, good or bad haha!<br /><br />I was a strange kid, in a good way, I think... I was very shy until I started acting, in theatre that is, not just acting out. But, when asked about something I always had an opinion. I was not afraid to stand up to bullies or to my teachers if asked to read what I considered and inappropriate book. I never backed down when asked to speak less about God in my reports and never stopped our prayer circle before a performance when told it did not include everyone, even though I invited everyone. I never dated because I did not see the value in dating someone I would not marry, why waste our time? Man! How did I survive high school haha! When God is in the marrow of your bones it becomes necessity to live it out no matter what age you are. Granted, I was and am by no means perfect and I think... I have grown to show the grace I have been given. I guess thats why when the random lady in Walmart told me I should 10 or 15 pounds it did not shake me. Of course I do! Who doesn't!? lol But I know who I am and maybe it's just another shade of blue for me? Another way to rebel against what everyone thinks I should be... I will never be a size 2 nor do I want to be so blue it is! :)<br /><br />Every once in a while G.G and I would talk about stuff going on in my life and if felt like she was not understanding where I coming from, I would say "G.G., if everyone wears red, I wear blue." And she would smile and squeeze my hand and say, "that's right, you do!". Lord, I miss that hand!<br /><br />That was God to me as a kid and now, He was always the blue I chose to wear and still choose.<br /><br />What color is He to you?Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-85720496611874305372011-04-30T11:05:00.031-07:002011-04-30T12:34:41.482-07:00The Bigger Picture<div>Thought - If everything in our lives can be explained apart from the work of God in our lives, then something in our life is wrong.<br /><br />We end up being not all that we were made to be. We are living outside of His presence and in our own story instead of the one He is writing.<br /><br />I listened to a teaching the other day where he said, if you would stop living in your own little story and start living in the larger one God is writing, you would find abundant joy and happiness and give up the lie of this world that says "it's all about me." Lately I am learning a lot about what it means to really press in to God and seek Him in a deeper way so that I don't miss the larger picture of what He is doing. Meaning I can be so consumed by one tiny little detail going on in my story that I miss how God is wanting use me in the bigger picture, mainly, in someone else's story. I have made so many mistakes by living in only what I can see and it does nothing to further His kingdom and that's something worth changing.<br /><br />I wonder what would happen if we started living by letting the scriptures dictate our actions vs letting our story dictate how we interpret the scriptures in our lives? As Dell would say "we would turn this world upside down!" THAT'S my desire and my passion, whether I live here in the US or in another country, whether I clean toilets or serve in children's ministry, I want to live with the Holy Spirit in my life in a way that turns the world upside down! God's script is so much better than what we can come up with so just let it play out and be willing to hear Him and act on what He shows you and He is faithful to do so! We have a wonderful, merciful God whose heart breaks for His children when we hurt and rejoices with us when we have victory! There is blessing for those living in God's design and hurts and joy are all a sweet part of it.</div><br /><br />2 Cor. 2:18 "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." are you willing to live in the unseen?<br /><br /><div>I choose to let the God of this universe write my story, to live by the Holy Spirit, and let the scriptures dictate my life. :)</div>Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-84267941401501048672011-04-27T13:36:00.005-07:002011-04-29T15:25:53.286-07:00Oh by the way.... Thailand.I'm going to Thailand! Lord willing...<br /><br />I have been praying about a lot of things including missions and well God has laid Thailand on my heart, randomly out of the blue, it was not on my list of things I was praying about! But... since He did, I kept it quiet and told no one cause I wanted to be sure I was not crazy... I asked a few girls to pray and fast with me and I asked the Lord that if Thailand was where He wanted me, to just have someone, anyone, just walk up to me and say "Thailand!" cause that sounded like a good plan to me!? haha!<br /><br />A few weeks ago at Barros pizza, we walked in to order and it’s been the same two girls working there forever and randomly the brunette tells me "guess what!? I got accepted to teach overseas next summer!" and I said "yay congrats, where?" and she goes "THAILAND!" so I laughed, "haha!" and even though it was not a direct, "Rae, God says go to Thailand super spiritual moment", I felt it was exactly what I did pray for! I took a step of faith and filled out the application. I was accepted!<br /><br />I'll be going to Bangkok, Thailand with a group called Adventures in Missions, I will leave end of October and return in about 2 weeks I think. I found this trip through something else I was looking at and when I saw the nature of the trip I knew this was it and why the Lord had said Thailand. <br /><br />The nature of the trip is human trafficking and it's an area He placed on my heart right before moving to China. The team will focus first on ministry to trafficked young women and children in two major red light districts-Patpong and Nana District. The goal is that we will see with His eyes and feel with His heart as we encounter various opportunities for ministry relative to human trafficking. Our overall mission is to encourage, uplift, and work alongside ministries which have been working diligently inside Thailand for many years in these areas. We want to offer hope in Jesus and a way out of that lifestyle! It's an intense trip so they only take 15 women and keep it short; therefore we need Lots of prayer! <br /><br />How You Can Pray: <br /><br />-Against spiritual attack<br />-Pray for the women and children stuck in the cycles of human trafficking.<br />-Pray for the relationships we will form with the women in the major red light districts.<br />-Pray for the Patpong and Nana Districts and the people who flock to these areas as a way of getting away and handling their own rejection.<br />-Safety <br />-Pray my heart would be teachable and flexable cause this is a rough area where sometimes I think a machette would be more effective (kidding..)<br /><br />At this point I have paid my deposit to secure my spot, but I am confident God will provide the rest. I feel so blessed He would give me the opportunity to go and I am excited to see what He does! Friends and family join me in prayer for the trip because I know it will be pretty emotionally and spiritually intense and I am not sure I am equipped for this area, but I am willing to go. :)<br /><br />Thank you all for your love & support!<br /><br />In His Love,<br />Rae<br /><br />Come follow Me to the darkest places Come to the hurting, the howling, hallow faces, Come with Me to the addicted, convicted, and caught, Come with your light, run with your salt, Come to the sorrow; the suicide tree Come to the stable, Come follow Me. Amen!Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-63332174544204012992011-04-27T11:37:00.000-07:002011-04-27T20:56:35.604-07:00I have a confession...I am not a missionary. Don't get mad at me, yet...<br /><br />When I moved home from China that completed my 5th or 6th "mission trip", but I have never considered myself a "missionary". I was approached by someone asking about how I like being a missionary and I thought, "Well, I'm not, I'm a Christian and I am just living out what He has called me to do." I guess I never looked at myself as a missionary mainly because I never thought of myself as someone who could stand in front of a crowd or walk up to a stranger and share God's word to bring them into a personal relationship with Him. Or that I had to live over seas or travel to another country to be one. In my naive christian eyes that was a missionary to me and I did not fit all of that bill so how could I be one? <br /><br />Until God showed me more.<br /><br />I had a realization awhile before moving to China that the Lord used in my life to set me free of the pressures of that word. I always expected that to wear the badge of "missionary" that it has to come with a tally of those you have saved, like "we" in and of ourselves actually do the saving, ha! I was always so nervous to carry the weight of it because I knew I could not live up to it. God showed me that His word does not say "Missionaries, go out into all the world and make disciples...." it says simply, "GO!" That's when the burden lifted and He showed me that its the duty of all believers to be a light to this world, not just someone who is deemed a missionary and there are many ways that He uses us to share the word of God in order to lead others to know Him. I learned long before China that I had a gift for building relationships with people I did not really know and He has used that to bring others to Him by just living among people and being in each others lives. Some, have the gift of just saying, "hey you need Jesus" and people come to know Him and its Amazing! I think that is the beauty and complexity of our Lord. We assume because we do not live or travel to foreign countries that we are not missionaries, but brothers and sisters, you are! You are a believer and you have a gift inside of you that He desires you to use! The word tells us that they will know we are His disciples by our love. It should flow out of us like oxygen and His spirit in us is not something the world can ignore! Sometimes you just give someone a cup of water, others you give the word of truth and sometimes you end up giving the non-homeless guy you thought really was homeless fruit snacks and all can be used to lead others to Him. The good news is when He does call you to speak, He is faithful to fill you up with words, I have seen Him do it in my life many times. We are by default, missionaries, by simply living the life He has called us too!<br /><br />Therefore, GO!<br /><br /><br />I guess I have a confession...<br /><br />I AM a Missionary ;)<br /><br />In His Love,<br />RaeRazzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-10048201888686037732011-04-27T10:40:00.000-07:002011-04-27T12:42:52.325-07:00I Believed in God, so I spoke.2 Corinthians 4<br /><br />1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. <br />7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. <br />13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. <br />16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. <br /><br /><br />All I can say is I am continually humbled by my Savior! There is so much in this chapter I am eating up, such as... <br /><br />"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing." I love how the scripture describing "understanding" as a "veil" think about it, they are basically transparent! So thin and see through yet completely successful in hiding the truth. How much more are we needed as believers to lift the veil for others as Christ has lifted it for us.<br /><br />"Let light shine out of darkness," We have talked about light and darkness a lot lately in different things and I am reminded that without darkness, there is nothing for the light (us) to burn away. Seek out the darkest places and illuminate the truth.<br /><br />"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." I am continually challenged by this verse because taking every thought captive and not succumbing to the thoughts and pressures of this world is beyond my capabilities without His help! I fail, a lot, yet, I press on ;)<br /><br />"I Believed in God, so I spoke." this was in the NLT version and I loved it! so simple.<br /><br />"We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." Wow, I am sooo moved by this! I guess I have never really looked at this verse in this way. Yes, I know we have the Him inside of us, but to look at it as carrying His death in order that His life may be revealed in us is such a privilege to me and hopefully to you. I think its just that beautiful reflection of the personal and deep relationship we can have with our Savior. My prayer is that I learn to live this out more and more and for you too!<br /><br />anyways, just ramblings I guess :)<br /><br />Have a beautiful day!Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-63645115460831065392011-02-07T18:45:00.000-07:002011-02-07T19:14:11.725-07:00Oh The Love of God"Oh love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong. It will forevermore endure the saints' and angels' song."<br /><br />How beautiful is the heart of the one who forever loves us, forever changes us, forever gives us grace! To know a love so rich and pure and to rightly give Him his place. I am amazed by my God who loves without condition, without hesitance, without fear. It's a love full of sacrifice, that chases us and causes us to fall in worship! <br /><br />Oh the love of God is stronger, Oh the love of God is stronger, Oh the love of God is stronger, than the power of death!Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1206304423708681207.post-14442274342691244422011-01-31T18:39:00.000-07:002011-02-09T09:57:47.633-07:00What Kills You?I am completely hung up on this idea that “God never said He was safe, but He did say He is good and faithful.” He never said pick up your comforts and follow me, but he did say pick up your cross and follow me. The cross was a way to die, and instrument of torture and death, not a safe choice if you ask me. I have been thinking a lot about sacrifice and the different roles that can take and it all came out in this little thought and how He is calling me. Following Him does not equal a “safe”, happy go lucky life….<br /><br />So my question is, what kills you?<br /><br />What is it that you need to pick up and carry in order to follow Jesus? If we know that He is good and loving and is for us and not against us, why do we keep ourselves from freely following Him with reckless abandon, at any cost?<br /><br />My guess is fear. I’m guilty of it. Then I remind myself that the word tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” I know, I know easier said than done, but practicing this will build up your spiritual discipline and keep you focused on what matters – Christ.<br /><br />I have been thinking about how there is nothing in my life I really need or truly want except Jesus. What will kill me to know Him more? Sacrificing, or giving up; My future? Those I love? My company? In my heart of hearts I know I would because I love Jesus That much more, but I hinder myself from fully living that out. My desire is not to live a life that meets the status quo of this world's standards, it’s to live a life of adventure and go where the wind blows or in this case, where the Holy Spirit moves.<br /><br />Do you feel it? The sacrifice, the cross, the call?<br /><br />Then let the wind blow and move what kills you.Razzle Frazzlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09550634899180053567noreply@blogger.com0