Clandestine Discipleship

Where to begin? I am unsure where the beginning lies…all the way back to Adam and Eve would be a good starting place, but there is not enough space nor time at the moment to begin there. So the beginning will be this past Sunday with a few peeks at the past as well. This Sunday one of our pastors at Grace Community Church, http://www.gracecommunitychurch.org/ spoke on Ephesians 6:4(a) (the next ½ is for next Sunday!). Yup that is right just ½ a verse but what a powerful verse and message.

Sermon Text: Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

What does it mean to exasperate your children? Why would this verse be in the Bible if it was not important? Does God truly care about children and their upbringing? There is nothing that is in the Bible that is a mistake and that is the view point that we must look at this verse from.

Truth: We are all broken people due to the fall, sin!
We went on to study about that broken parents have two options they can either bring their brokenness to the cross, reveal it and receive TRUE healing. Or they will bring it upon their children. This is hard for Believers and non-believers to grasp, for we want to cover our brokenness in shame and anger and never reveal it. And even though we may try not to repeat the brokenness to our children we do and we will if it is not brought to the cross.

I feel I must pause here and encourage those of you that are Christians but have not brought your brokenness to Jesus and are wondering why you are still hurting so. Bring it to Him; He knows all the deepest secrets of anything you have done or things that have been done to you. He wants to bring them to the light and reveal what was hidden in darkness that you may be HEALED! This is scary and painful at time but oh so worth it… (Coming from someone that is still walking through it “ME”.)

Truth: The brokenness that was brought on you by your parents is not your fault but what you do with it is.
Did you really hear it when I said, “It is not your fault?” Even as an adult child I still believe that things that I had no control over were my fault. But the truth is that it was not. Yes, I sinned growing up I’ll be the first to admit that, but the sin of my parents is not my fault.

What will you do with your brokenness? Will you let it continue and pass it on to your children? Will you give your present children or future children an inheritance of brokenness or of TRUE freedom and TRUE healing? This is a question that we must look at, that we must ponder and fall on our faces before the Living God that He may redeem us and heal us.

Please join me praying for our FAMILIES. Our own personal families, and the ones here in Glenwood and all over our Nation.


Link to Sermon (10-29-06) http://www.gracecommunitychurch.org/Sermons/
Link to Study Questions (Very Helpful!) ftp://ftp.gracecommunitychurch.org/sbbs/10-29-06.pdf

Hannah Fest and Imagine Me

This past weekend was a SUCCESS at Hannah Fest. It did rain but the rain did not touch the souls of those in attendance. Along with many beautiful and inspiring songs done by the residents at Hannah's Haven and the testimony of one of the ladies I was moved to tears. I was reminded once again that "God is Good" and that he does indeed care for the broken hearted!

Our G.D.M. girls along with my roommate Denine and I danced to "Imagine Me" by Kirk Franklin. This song speaks to all of the broken places in our lives from past abuse to low self esteem. As I danced one verse in the middle of our girls as they are laying in "broken" positions my heart rejoiced and cried out in sorrow at the same time at the freedom that we all have experinced this past month and the pain and shame that we must fight against.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/kirkfranklin/imagineme.html (Imagine me Lyrics)

To God be the glory for all the great things He has done. Jesus is the ONLY way to true freedom! I have tried for to long to gain this freedom on my own. Resting in His protective arms this afternoon.

Held

Held - Natalie Grant

Two months is too little. They let him go. They had no sudden healing.
To think that providence would Take a child from his mother while she prays Is appalling.
Who told us we’d be rescued? What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares? We’re asking why this happens To us who have died to live? It’s unfair.

Chorus: This is what it means to be held. How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life And you survive. This is what it is to be loved. And to know that the promise was When everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness. We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow. The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)

Bridge: If hope is born of suffering. If this is only the beginning. Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

If I new how to put a fancy link on this blog so that you could listent to this song I would...but I don't know know how and do not have enough time at the moment to explore :).

A friend of mine and I are working on a dance to this song, the lyrics are powerful. Maybe this is something you need to hear today too.

No matter what I am going through I know that I am HELD by my Jesus my Savior.

IDENTITY?

Who am I? At first glance the question seems a little shallow, most of us have asked this question at one point or another but do we ever actually come to a conclusion? There are many things that I thought I was, but in actuality these were things that I did / had accomplished, things that happened, or the walk of life I was in, but they were not the essence, the core, of who I was/am.
The other morning as I was driving back to Greensboro I felt as though I didn’t know who I was or where I belonged. Some friends I just don’t relate to anymore. My views have changed on life. I like to have fun! But not by the world’s standards, crude jokes and idle talk just takes the joy out of fellowship. I realized yet another thing that I had wrongly identified myself with.
If I was to make a resume of who I was to the world I would be…A teacher, an interpreter, a dancer, a missionary in the hood, a Mathis, a dog lover, a college graduate and the list goes on… None of these things are bad in and of themselves at all but when one falls or is taken away are you at lost as to who you are? Am I at lost to who I am?
I am God’s child, I am created in him image. He spoke creation into existence yet He fashioned me out of man, and man out of dust. I am here to bring glory to God, to lift up His name. In this He has given me gifts to function in, He has given me friends, family, a world to dance my life in. Yet when all of the external things fall am I still who God has fashioned me to be? Yes, though at times I lose sight of this, of my true Identity. Today He has lifted my face and showed me once again that I am loved that I am His. This world is not all fair and games. I morn for what has been lost. Yet rejoice that I have not been lost. That I am still a daughter of the King.

Hannahfest 2006A "Friend-Raising" Event

Hannahfest 2006A "Friend-Raising" Event

Sunday, October 22, 2006
2:00pm to 7:00pm
5432 Yanceyville Road
Brown Summit, NC

Food! Entertainment! Hot-Air Balloon Ride! Silent Auction!

Suggested Ticket Price: $10.00

See Hannah's Haven Web site www.hannahshaven.net for information and/or to receive information on how to purchase tickets.