The lyrics to the following song are so incredibly powerful! I first heard this song at Christmas time as I was driving up to Missouri to be with my Dad’s side of the family. I found the lyrics moving and so true. The past couple of years of my life have been filled with the valleys and mountains of a natural walk, however, in the midst of it all HE was there to bring about resurrection in my life. His promises are so faithful and true.
Right now, this song is not so much for where I am, but for where my brother is. He is so in need of Resurrection right now but, as many of us some times are, he is in fear of letting go of what is currently pushing him down and holding him back. Only surrender of the things he is currently holding on to which are offering him no joy, no peace, no pleasure will bring him to where he needs to be. Will you pray with me that the warfare that is going on within his soul will be won by the Father and not by the enemy? Pray with me for his resurrection. Thank you!
Resurrection
Nicol Sponberg
I'm at a loss for words; there's nothing to say
I sit in silence wondering what lead me to this place
How did my heart become so lifeless and cold
Where did the passion go?
When all my efforts seem like chasing the wind
I've used up all my strength and there's nothing left to give
I've lost the feeling and I'm alone to the core
I can't fake it anymore
Here I am at the end
I'm in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I lost to the world, what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand and make me whole again
You speak and all creation falls to it's knees
You raise Your hand and calm the waves of a raging sea
You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering
Here I am once again
I'm in need of resurrection
Only You can take this empty shell and raise it from the dead
What I lost to the world, what seems far beyond redemption
You can take the pieces in Your hand an make me whole again
You have a way of turning winter to spring
Make something beautiful out of all this suffering
I'm in need
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Magic of Africa
I was thinking today about the magic of Africa. I often tell people before they embark upon a journey to that wonderful continent, that I must give them a warning…..if you go…you must be prepared to leave a piece of your heart there and you will never be whole again. Africa captures one in such a way that the only way they can fill the void brought on by being there is to go back again and again. It is part of the magic of Africa, and can be experienced really no where else on the planet. Ask others who have been anywhere in Africa….they will tell you it is true!
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Massage
*******UPDATE 3/21/2007*********
Ok, so I realize that this blog was not exactly “Grace Extending”. I did however extend grace to all of you by not going into the gory details of just how truly awful it was. Because I have talked to several of you who wanted to know the story…I will simply say that he was trying to press pressure points but wasn’t exacting getting there, so it was like 55 minutes of being poked! HORRIBLE!!
*********************************
Just had the worst massage EVER!!
Have a horrible cold....
Soooo going to bed.
More tomorrow...or later if I am feeling better.
Ok, so I realize that this blog was not exactly “Grace Extending”. I did however extend grace to all of you by not going into the gory details of just how truly awful it was. Because I have talked to several of you who wanted to know the story…I will simply say that he was trying to press pressure points but wasn’t exacting getting there, so it was like 55 minutes of being poked! HORRIBLE!!
*********************************
Just had the worst massage EVER!!
Have a horrible cold....
Soooo going to bed.
More tomorrow...or later if I am feeling better.
Friday, March 16, 2007
A Grace Extender
Last night I had the wonderful pleasure of getting to hear an Inner Circle National Sales Director Stacy James. For those of you non-MK-ers, to be in the Inner Circle you are very, very upper echelon of the company!
This woman was the picture of grace and wisdom. What a beautiful Godly example of what a life spent following in obedience can bring about.
One thing that she said that I had heard from my director before, but last night really struck a chord with me was to be a Grace extender. Find something to complement people on rather than finding their fault. This is not the current state of mind that most of us on this planet practice in our day to day lives. Especially in traffic or in busy moments when we believe the world revolves around us.
She challenged us to complement others all around us all the time. Complementing those we like, those we love, those we know, those we don’t know, those we don’t love and those we really don’t like. In looking for something to complement them on, we begin to see the good in them and begin to see them through the eyes that God intended for us to see them through. As we complement others we will begin to enrich not only their lives, but our lives as well….our frustrations towards them will begin to melt away and the love we are to show them will begin to come through.
What a concept huh?
This woman was the picture of grace and wisdom. What a beautiful Godly example of what a life spent following in obedience can bring about.
One thing that she said that I had heard from my director before, but last night really struck a chord with me was to be a Grace extender. Find something to complement people on rather than finding their fault. This is not the current state of mind that most of us on this planet practice in our day to day lives. Especially in traffic or in busy moments when we believe the world revolves around us.
She challenged us to complement others all around us all the time. Complementing those we like, those we love, those we know, those we don’t know, those we don’t love and those we really don’t like. In looking for something to complement them on, we begin to see the good in them and begin to see them through the eyes that God intended for us to see them through. As we complement others we will begin to enrich not only their lives, but our lives as well….our frustrations towards them will begin to melt away and the love we are to show them will begin to come through.
What a concept huh?
Goodbye
So I was thinking to day about goodbyes and how much I hate them.
I recently said goodbye once again to my family. It didn't matter that in a few hours they would be on the other side of the planet and through God's grace would have the technology to talk to me over the internet or chat with me in a chat box. What mattered was they were getting on a plane and going far far away and with one word, I was once again separated from people I love.
I think the word itself is a bit of a oxymoron to tell the truth, very rarely is there ever a "good" bye. Bye is a word of finality.
Of all the times I have ever said it, I cannot think of one time that it was truly the word I wanted to be saying at the time.
Rather than Goodbye I would rather say....
See you soon
Talk to you in a few
Until we meet again
I believe in us
You are a great friend
I am sorry
I love you so....
Some of you may be thinking, "but some of those phrases don't mean 'farewell'" My point exactly, some of those phrases give hope of meeting again soon, would have repaired something that was broken, would have made a friendship stronger, would have brought a smile rather than tears.....
I weep with hope of a day that I will never have to say goodbye again....all will be well....my loved ones will all be around me....I will finally be HOME.
I recently said goodbye once again to my family. It didn't matter that in a few hours they would be on the other side of the planet and through God's grace would have the technology to talk to me over the internet or chat with me in a chat box. What mattered was they were getting on a plane and going far far away and with one word, I was once again separated from people I love.
I think the word itself is a bit of a oxymoron to tell the truth, very rarely is there ever a "good" bye. Bye is a word of finality.
Of all the times I have ever said it, I cannot think of one time that it was truly the word I wanted to be saying at the time.
Rather than Goodbye I would rather say....
See you soon
Talk to you in a few
Until we meet again
I believe in us
You are a great friend
I am sorry
I love you so....
Some of you may be thinking, "but some of those phrases don't mean 'farewell'" My point exactly, some of those phrases give hope of meeting again soon, would have repaired something that was broken, would have made a friendship stronger, would have brought a smile rather than tears.....
I weep with hope of a day that I will never have to say goodbye again....all will be well....my loved ones will all be around me....I will finally be HOME.
Friday, March 09, 2007
After a whirlwhind few months......
Ok, what was that horrible song “Back to life….back to reality…etc”
Living in Las Colinas
As you see from my last post, I am now located in a fabulous apartment in Las Colinas. It was an adventure getting there and getting in, but I am thankfully settled and praising God for His amazing provision (including my ‘want’ of a garden bathtub!).
I have a fabulous roommate. She is a friend of mine from the Tomball area, who in God’s timing, got a fabulous job in the Coppell area and was able to move up at the same time I was moving into my apartment.
Work changes
The “wonderful job” that I moved up here to take turned out to be HORRIBLE. I cannot even express to you how horrible management was. I will simply say that after 6 months of extreme micromanagement, belittling words, and verbal abuse from my manager (including at one point my manager telling me "I have no problem being mean to get what I want, in fact, I learned it from my mother." - her mother being the president of the company); my breaking point came when I was not going to be given two days off to spend with my parents before they left the country again. That was on a Monday, I knew then I would be quitting before the end of the month (at that time only a week and a half away). I began to pray in earnest asking God to provide something, anything to get me out of there.
Wednesday I got a phone call from a recruiter I had been working with to interview with the American Heart Association. I interviewed on Thursday, and was asked if I could start the next day!!! I told them my only requirement was that I was able to take the time off to be with my parents in the two days before they left, and that was granted.
I went back to work, and spent the day getting my projects done or completely up to date, making sure that I would not leave anything for my co-workers to have to clean up after me. I cleaned out my desk and for the last time walked out the door and locked it.
I called in to the former office on Friday and told them I would not be in that day, and then headed to my new office at AHA as the executive assistant to the Executive Vice President of Healthcare Markets for the AHA!! Very exciting for me to be sure! So far, I am very much enjoying this position. My exec is a fabulous woman, with lots of spunk and a BUSY schedule.
Saying goodbye...again
Tuesday of this week, I once again, put my parents and brother Derek on a plane back to Africa. I get so jealous that they get to be where my heart lies, but for now that is what God has for us all. Please pray as they get resettled. And as Derek begins to heal both spiritually and physically – that he will be able to hear God speaking over him.
They left me on this side of the water as well as Devin – the youngest. He is in Virginia in college. Please pray for him as this is the first time he has been left on this side of the water. He is doing great so far, learning as he goes. Pray that he will be able to learn the time management skills that one needs to get by in college, and that God will continue to provide financially for him.
Ok that is my long update. Now that my work load is more normal and I work for a company that does not drain all energy creative and otherwise out of me, I will be able to update more often! Talk to you all soon!
Living in Las Colinas
As you see from my last post, I am now located in a fabulous apartment in Las Colinas. It was an adventure getting there and getting in, but I am thankfully settled and praising God for His amazing provision (including my ‘want’ of a garden bathtub!).
I have a fabulous roommate. She is a friend of mine from the Tomball area, who in God’s timing, got a fabulous job in the Coppell area and was able to move up at the same time I was moving into my apartment.
Work changes
The “wonderful job” that I moved up here to take turned out to be HORRIBLE. I cannot even express to you how horrible management was. I will simply say that after 6 months of extreme micromanagement, belittling words, and verbal abuse from my manager (including at one point my manager telling me "I have no problem being mean to get what I want, in fact, I learned it from my mother." - her mother being the president of the company); my breaking point came when I was not going to be given two days off to spend with my parents before they left the country again. That was on a Monday, I knew then I would be quitting before the end of the month (at that time only a week and a half away). I began to pray in earnest asking God to provide something, anything to get me out of there.
Wednesday I got a phone call from a recruiter I had been working with to interview with the American Heart Association. I interviewed on Thursday, and was asked if I could start the next day!!! I told them my only requirement was that I was able to take the time off to be with my parents in the two days before they left, and that was granted.
I went back to work, and spent the day getting my projects done or completely up to date, making sure that I would not leave anything for my co-workers to have to clean up after me. I cleaned out my desk and for the last time walked out the door and locked it.
I called in to the former office on Friday and told them I would not be in that day, and then headed to my new office at AHA as the executive assistant to the Executive Vice President of Healthcare Markets for the AHA!! Very exciting for me to be sure! So far, I am very much enjoying this position. My exec is a fabulous woman, with lots of spunk and a BUSY schedule.
Saying goodbye...again
Tuesday of this week, I once again, put my parents and brother Derek on a plane back to Africa. I get so jealous that they get to be where my heart lies, but for now that is what God has for us all. Please pray as they get resettled. And as Derek begins to heal both spiritually and physically – that he will be able to hear God speaking over him.
They left me on this side of the water as well as Devin – the youngest. He is in Virginia in college. Please pray for him as this is the first time he has been left on this side of the water. He is doing great so far, learning as he goes. Pray that he will be able to learn the time management skills that one needs to get by in college, and that God will continue to provide financially for him.
Ok that is my long update. Now that my work load is more normal and I work for a company that does not drain all energy creative and otherwise out of me, I will be able to update more often! Talk to you all soon!
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