My Heart

Big Dreamer, Big Planner...Failure

2012-01-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

I’m a planner, a big dreamer, man I’ve got visions!! But that’s really all I’ve got. I’m thrilled by the planning, mapping, scheduling, but the follow through is where it ends. I rarely ever follow through with anything. Cleaning plans for my house, school plans for my future, business plans, hobbies, household budgets, plans for daily prayer and devotions, fasting, exercise...I’ve never followed through on any of those things. I’ve come to realize that I love the high of planning and the low of failure. When I have succeeded in accomplishing anything I either never meet my expectations or someone is still disappointed with me. If I can’t succeed then I may as well fail, because success takes work and no one wants to invest only to be disappointed. I’m sure you can see that my thinking is askew and like the faithful Daddy he is, God wasn’t going to leave me this way forever.

I’ve prayed about my lack of desire to clean my house and etc.. desperately, I thought! But it came down to timing for one, and a real honest look at myself and my motives. Then confessing them, and repenting for them. That opened the door for truth and revelation.
God said, “Don’t make a list, don’t make a plan. Everyday choose to do what’s right. AND not for the praise of anyone, do it for Jesus alone!”

This timely revelation came two nights before I was going to attempt a Daniel fast. (By talking about it I hope this doesn’t break the rules for fasting. I just think it’s applicable to this topic.) Normally it’s scary for me to attempt any sort of committed discipline. Yes, I have to have “21 days” in mind, but God is teaching my big dreamer, plan down to the last detail brain, to take things one choice at a time. Each choice has a right or wrong, and right in the moment I choose. If I was thinking about a fast before, I would’ve taken every detail to the extreme, I would’ve overwhelmed myself and quit before I started or failed on the first day and been miserable with guilt an failure.

Usually when I wake up in the morning my first thought is of coffee. The first morning of my fast, my first thought was a line from a song, “God I look to you. I won’t be overwhelmed. Give me vision to see things like you do”. God is gracious! He knows how addicted to coffee I am and how intimidating it is for me to commit a length of time to not drinking it. Every time I walk by the Keurig I choose, “no”. Every overwhelming craving, I choose, “no”, every Tim Horton’s drive thru I choose, “no”. One right choice at a time. I won’t be overwhelmed!

If you’ve been struggling to give something up or to begin something. Start by examining your motives, confess and repent and begin by making one right choice at a time. If you fail you’ve only failed at one choice, when the next choice comes choose again.

I just felt the need to TESTIFY!

The Facade

2011-04-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

At a first glance you’d think I had it all together; nicely dressed, hair and make-up meticulous, kids well behaved, husband and I sit holding hands. You think you want my life. You ask how I am. I smile, “oh good!” I say. But I’m not good today and I desperately wish someone would see past the facade.
I wish you would...
and yet I hope you don’t.
Then you’d know
I’m weak
I struggle
I lose hope sometimes

We say, “Let’s do life together”, let’s be the Acts church with everything in common; a family, a community. I agree as long as it’s me helping you. I have grace for your struggles. But me?
I’d rather be digging in this pit...
until I reach despair.
Despair...
It’s not the only thing lurking in the darkness. There’s self-pity, resentment that friends and family can’t use their magic to discern my needs. The pride here is a suffocating mask called Humility.
It’s cold
dark
silent
Then I meet others.

There are real people down here. I didn’t see them at first. Their eyes are dark and empty, my eyes still glow with the light of God even in this pit I’ve dug. I’ve unearthed these real people in my digging. They’ve become part of the mud, with no hope of resurfacing until now.

And I think,

In this pit of vacant eyes
how could I, this child of light
be here amongst you?
The living among the dead.

No matter my pain and despair I have hope, they don’t. I have living water, they are eternally thirsty and let me tell, you there’s no water down here. No matter what hard times I face on earth I have eternal heaven ahead, they have eternal hell...starting now!

The voice of God breaks through.
“I died for this!”
I let Christ’s death and resurrection rise up in me. My flesh cries out painfully. Self-pity, resentment, pride...
“Pride? I don’t want to give up pride, then they’ll all see”, I whine.
“See what? That I am the joy and strength of your life? That you can’t live without me?”, Truth speaks.
Yes, I even let go of pride.

And what about the others in the pit? I’m bringing them to the surface with me, many as possible!

And you? I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I didn’t let you help me.

How am I doing?
Not good. Not today.

Peanutbutter and Jam Communion

2010-11-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had." Acts 4:3

My grandma is an artist. She has the ability to take very little and out of it flows abundant hospitality. Even back to the days when my grandma would walk down the stairs in the morning asking God if she could just have a roll of toilet paper, maybe a little jam, maybe some beans so she could make a soup. (He always miraculously filled her grocery lists) Back to the days when she served her family head cheese and possum; my grandparents door was always open. My grandpa would frequently invite guests over to fellowship. My grandma would toast up some bread and open a can of sardines to make sandwiches, then she'd take a little flour, a little oil, a little jam and make up some squares. Together all would partake, there would be prayer and singing, and the unifying of heart and mind. It didn't take a lot of money, it just took generosity.

"And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 2 Corinth. 8:1-5

Even in our varying degrees of perceived poverty, we need to break through with generosity. These people pleaded to be able to give. They gave generously and with overflowing joy. These people knew what it was like not to pay the bills, they knew what hunger and nakedness felt like. They found it in themselves to be joyful. That is kingdom thinking. When you should be crushed under the stress of money and possessing, the Spirit of God rises up in you to be generous.

Don't hide behind closed doors worrying about keeping up with the Jone's, they've got their own issues to deal with. I've got the peanutbutter, you bring the jam, let's get together!

Freedom Come Running

2010-08-17T19:36:00.000-07:00

I have these thoughts of freedom running through my brain
Up and down the corridors rattling the chains
Things I thought I knew filled with mystery again
Wonderment and awe loosening these bands

I've longed for my childhood days You seemed so big, I was secure
Before my adult thoughts came rushing in to taint the pure
My passionate youth was filled with intense love that was so sure
For the One who loved me first...they said I didn't know who You were

The lies that planted seed grew up like vines, became my chains
Here I am mature, my passion almost tamed
Yet Freedom has come running with fire in it's hands
I lift my arms to heaven and am consumed once again

Love the Way You Lie...That's what she said (The Remix)

2010-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

I’m the type of person who listens to a song and can’t hear anything but the lyrics. If I agree with the lyrics I’ll enjoy the music.
I’ve heard Brian Beattie say something to the effect of , “We are a generation who knows what their words are worth”. The bible says that words bring life or death. We’ve all felt the heartache of harsh words and the pleasure of kind words.
I just saw the movie “Inception”in the theatre. The idea is that a company was hired to plant an idea into someone’s dream and have the idea become their own to live out in reality. You don’t have to enter someone’s dreams to plant an idea in their head. From the time my children were young I’ve told them that God is the creator of all things, that he loved us so much and even though we didn’t deserve it he sent Jesus to die for us, that he lives in their hearts, He hears their prayers and will answer them and that his words are the ultimate truth. I’ve told them that I love them, that God has a plan for them, that they are valuable and they should guard themselves. After all that is said I try to be a good example and expect them to live according to the words they’ve been taught. They have not yet learned that the secular world preaches a message contrary to everything I’ve just told them...and that people behave accordingly.
If you asked my girls a question about their value as a person or about their God, they would answer you with the ideas I have planted and their own growing relationship with God. The Word says, “Above all guard you heart for it is the wellsping of life.” And “Out of the overflow of our heart our mouth speaks”. It is so important to guard what we know to be true and teach our children to do the same. Either words have worth or they don’t. Either they bring life or death or they don’t. I believe that words are weighty. They become ideas that shape our lives and our actions! We can’t plant bad seed and hope for a crop failure. You can’t listen to crap and hope a daisy pops out. Crap is crap and daisies are daisies.
Think of the songs you've been listening to lately. What if I started singing those songs to my girls. What kind of things, would they start to believe about God , themselves and others?
I’m not rising up “against” secular music, what I’m trying to say is that I am “for” truth and I am “for” guarding ourselves from the ideas of the music that goes against the truth; these ideas that go on to shape our thoughts and then our actions, our belief system. We are a generation who knows what words are worth. The media gets it, they know what their words are worth. You need to know what your words are worth and speak the truth, but don’t just speak it, live and breath it.

10th Anniversary Thoughts

2010-06-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

This week we celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.

We had a great disagreement on the way to the restaurant we were going to . It was a much needed discussion. We talked, we yelled, I cried, we were silent and then we started again. Nobody won and no resolution was made, except a resolve to love. There's that peace and security in knowing we'll be together always; in sickness, in health, for rich, for poorer, forsaking all others until death. We sat in silence for a good twenty minutes (the cool down), each content that we had been heard, truly heard, by the other. When we got to the restaurant I sent him a text under the table. It said, "You're hot!!!" and that broke the ice and sealed the argument. He knew that was code for , "I forgive you. You forgive me. Let's make love tonight".

I'm sure that not everyone gets here within the same timeframe or in the same way, but I feel like we've come through the most selfish years and settled in for the long haul. The first couple years are spent in shock. The dating blinders come off, everyone eases out of their best behaviour and plays out every fear they developed watching their parents marriage. It's a time for establishing boundaries. It is truly hard work! and not all couples make it through. If you can make it through the spring to the summer of unconditional love it is well worth it. We still have plenty of crap to work through, but here is where we are safe to do so.

I am so blessed to have Dwayne's love and I look forward to the long journey ahead!

Women are Like Flowers

2010-06-08T15:54:00.001-07:00

Women are like flowers waiting to bloom.

Contrary to popular belief we don't want to be lied to either. When a woman asks you if she "looks fat in this", "is my makeup alright", "did you enjoy dinner"; she already knows every single flaw and she's waiting for you to confirm her worst fears, at the same time hoping against hope that you see something she can't. Fundamentally we know what we are supposed to be. Woman are the fairer sex, the domestic goddess, we bring forth new life, we are our husband's greatest help.

You would do well to study the woman in your life. Do you know how glorious a flower in bloom is? The beauty, the fragrance, the pleasure, a work of art.

Art has always been subjective. One may see something magnificent while another may view the same piece and not see anything of value. At a first glance maybe. But when we begin to study it's creator, his point of view, his purpose; we develop a new appreciation.

I get it, "do I look fat in this" becomes a terribly loaded question and it's up to you to know the answer. It's a sort of ultimatum saying, "I will become everything you need if you can tell me what God saw when he made me the way I am." May I suggest that if she was already blooming she wouldn't have to ask.

"You're just too complicated" answers another question, "Am I worth fighting for?" You could do it because it's right and you could do it for yourself. A woman in bloom is worth fighting for, I guarantee it.

Am I lovely?

Am I worth fighting for?

Do you see me?

Father's of daughters have the same responsibility to help their daughter's bloom. If you do not answer these questions for them, they will search for someone to answer the questions. And by search I mean, they will give almost anything.

If you know the creator you will see the masterpiece. It's not as complicated as you think. He will show you everything you need to see.

Could Have Been Born

2010-04-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

I often think about how I could have been born at any point in history, into any part of the world, into any situation. Could've been the Queen of England, Pocahontas, Joan of Arc, Judas Iscariot...I could've been born in India, a Dalit, the lowest caste; enslaved from birth, treated like a dog or less. I could have been born in Africa, died of aids or starvation or worse. I could've been a child soldier. I could have been born in Thailand, sold by my parents at the age of four and raped by North Americans until I died. I could have been born to alcoholic, abusive parents, ended up on the street...

Could've. But God chose for me to be born now, here in Canada. I am a free woman. A woman living in a country of wealth, privileges and abundant resources. I've got a book to read on anything I could ever want to know. My head is full, my hands have more than they could ever hold; wealth, privilege, resources...responsibility. When God placed us in this great country what did he mean for us to do with all we have been given? Our heads are full, our hands have more than they could ever hold. Unless we give it away it will become a great burden.

Maybe we were meant to rescue. Maybe we were meant to give as though it was all God's in the first place. Maybe we were meant to save, heal and deliver by the power of Jesus.

Why were you born here, at this point in history?

Gain the WorldWideWeb but Lose Your Soul

2010-02-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

The glorious worldwideweb is said to bring people together in ways we never thought possible. The ministry opportunities are endless. It's like having a gideon bible in every home! People just have to google a thought related to God and a website will point him in the right direction. There are prayers and prophecies and profit (profit meaning: money raised for a good cause) and then there is pornography. Tell me what does it profit a christian if he should gain the worldwideweb, but lose his soul? (based on Matt.16:26)

Here are some christians, pastors and Church pornography statistics:
A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event.
51% of pastors say cyber-porn is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle (Christianity Today, Leadership Survey, 12/2001).
Over half of evangelical pastors admits viewing pornography last year.
Roger Charman of Focus on the Family's Pastoral Ministries reports that approximately 20 percent of the calls received on their Pastoral Care Line are for help with issues such as pornography and compulsive sexual behavior.
In a 2000 Christianity Today survey, 33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week.
29% of born again adults in the U.S. feel it is morally acceptable to view movies with explicit sexual behavior (The Barna Group).
57% of pastors say that addiction to pornography is the most sexually damaging issue to their congregation (Christians and Sex Leadership Journal Survey, March 2005).

Here's what the bible has to say about pornography:
Matthew 5:27-30+ (the "+" is where I add in a modern application) "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If the worlwideweb causes you to sin...well then sonny disconnect it! It is better for you to lose out on the internet than for your whole body to go into hell, for your family to be torn apart, for your future to be devastated.
At a 2003 meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, two thirds of the 350 divorce lawyers who attended said the Internet played a significant role in the divorces in the past year, with excessive interest in online porn contributing to more than half such cases. Pornography had an almost non-existent role in divorce just seven or eight years.

Here are some stats about our world's future leaders, future husbands, future wives; our children:
9 out of 10 children aged between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet, in most cases unintentionally (London School of Economics January 2002).
Average age of first Internet exposure to pornography: 11 years old (Internet Filter Review).
Largest consumer of Internet pornography: 12 - 17 year-old age group (various sources, as of 2007).
Adult industry says traffic is 20-30% children (NRC Report 2002, 3.3).
Youth with significant exposure to sexuality in the media were shown to be significantly more likely to have had intercourse at ages 14 to 16 (Report in Pediatrics, April, 2006)."Never before in the history of telecommunications media in the United States has so much indecent (and obscene) material been so easily accessible by so many minors in so many American homes with so few restrictions." - U.S. Department of Justice, Post Hearing Memorandum of Points and Authorities.

I also read another study that stated: "The internet is not actually a neccessity of life" (internet for dummies). Shocker! So in actuality to disconnect it would be less painful than cutting off our hand or plucking out our eyes... we would survive the process... and save our souls!! "aha", as Oprah would say.

What does it profit us if we should gain the worldwideweb, but lose our souls? Just asking...

The Pride of Criticism

2010-01-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

Criticizing involves a lot of pride. It is very self-gratifying to find you have the “one up” on your church’s leadership or your fellow christians. Some would be so bold as to criticize the body of Christ as a whole. These people are seldom brave enough to confront the people to which they have so much to boast against behind their back.
Matthew 12:25 states that, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”. Criticism tears down and divides, it does not edify. It is like a sickness. What body functions well when it is sick?
Granted some people have great ideas for changes. Some people have great discernment for spiritual things. But you will forever hear me quote my father who says, “You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem.” There is no middle ground; you’re either/ or. Criticism shows a lack of ownership for your own life and it’s function within the body of Christ. We criticize the church as though it is something outside ourselves. You, me, we are the church! Make yourself part of the solution by adopting humility and a desire to serve. Let the good fruit in your life gain you influence. Pray and fast. If the time ever comes where God releases you: confront in love and with humility and grace, knowing that you are trying to look past the plank in your own eye (Matthew 7:3).
Pray and discern what spirit your concerns come from. Do your words build you up or do they build up the whole body? Sow good seed with your words and attitude. Beware of the critical spirit in yourself and others, guard against it. If you have the arrogance to criticize, repent and ask for humility. Often criticism results from being hurt, seek healing!
“They will know us by our love.” (John 13:35) We are each known for many things. Are you known for your love?
Love is
Patient,
Love is kind.
It does not envy,
It does not boast,
It is not proud.
It is not rude,
It is not self-seeking,
It is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs!
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth!
It always protects,
Always trusts,
Always hopes,
Always perseveres.
(1 Corinthians 13)

Nevertheless!

2010-01-05T15:09:00.000-08:00

I feel like I've just woken up; I feel fresh and alive and full of joy. Just a glimpse of God's glory can change your life in an instant!

I look my enemy in the face and declare:

I am undeserving of God's love; there is nothing I could ever do or have ever done that would make me worthy of His love. I know it!

Nevertheless!

God sent Jesus and he died for this unworthy woman.

Nevertheless!

I am an heir to His kindgom; I am his beloved daughter.

Nevertheless!

I stand redeemed, with the full authourity granted to me when Jesus died on the cross.

I'm not worthy. I know it. God still loves me!

"If grace were an ocean, then we're all sinking".

"Consecration that Shifts Nations"

2009-11-26T19:02:00.000-08:00

I'm reading Faytene Kryskow's book "Marked". Chapter 7 is called "Consecration that Shifts Nations". When I was about 6 years old somebody gave me a frame with my name and it's meaning. It said my name meant pure of heart and I received that word; my name was Trina and that meant I had a pure heart. Later on I discovered the effort and surrender required to keep my heart pure.

Dwayne and I decided to watch a movie last night. To be honest as soon as I saw the name, my spidey senses began to tingle. By now I know what that means: it's not the movie for me! How many times have I sat down to watch a movie, "spidey" senses tingling, knowing very well I will regret it when it's over? Too many! I was just reading the book and debating with God on wether or not I could continue to watch that show and still be in total consecration. "Other people seem to get to watch whatever they want", I said. It's not that bad! Good versus evil…in a dark, creepy, disturbing kind of way…What about evil in the bib…(lame). Thankfully God's voice was still audible through that crap, he said, "You will prophesy, you can call yourself a christian, you will serve me and you may even make it into heaven, but your level of consecration will measure your authority". I do not want to speak words that hold no power! What kind of feel good waste of time would that be. "Oh I felt a fuzzy!" Big whoop! I want to feel the whole earth shake as strongholds are torn down and nations bow to Jesus, as the Sons and Daughters of the Most High God are revealed in the earth! God didn't place us here to blow smoke.

"God is raising up a generation whose voice is going to be recognized in the heavenliness, even if their names are not known on the earth. They will declare to the gates of our nations, both in the natural systems and in the spiritual realms, and gates will be opened. They will declare to unrighteous gates to be shut, and they will be shut. When they speak, mountains in the spirit realm will be moved." Faytene Kryskow

Though there is a terrible ripping of flesh, I would never be content with anything less than total consecration and I will fight to get there!

The Songs of God

2009-11-16T19:22:00.000-08:00

Zephaniah 3:17 says that God exults over us with singing. Kari Jobe sings a song called "Singing Over Me". The chorus says:

Your words have never stopped. You've been singing, always singing over me. Your words are still enough and you're singing always singing over me. Give me faith, give me strength enough to wait. To stand in faith and listen, listen for your melody.

Doesn't it excite you to know that the God who spoke everything into existence is singing over you? Singing words of life. Singing what is true. Singing your hope and future over you! We need to "stand in faith and listen for His melody". Listen...what is he saying?

2009-11-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

I dreamed last night that I gave birth to a son. There was another woman in my dream who gave birth to a son on the same day. She rejected her son and I received him. I was thrilled to have him. I kept saying, "they are twins". I was glad also to be able to nurse both sons. I named them Justice and Isaiah.

Justice is: making something that is wrong, right again.

Isaiah is an old testament prophet whose name means: God is my salvation. Isaiah prophesied God's judgment over the nation of Israel and that their sin would bring captivity. Isaiah also prophesied God's comfort, forgiveness and restoration.

Isaiah 53: 4Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...5 He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, by his wounds we are healed. 6 ...the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Justice

Isaiah prophesied justice. Everything has been made right through the blood of Jesus. We can't reject "Isaiah" and expect justice. God's salvation is our justice.

Lisa Bevere wrote a book called "Nurture". Nurture is : 1. to give tender care and protection. 2. to encourage to grow, develop, thrive and be successful.

"There is a power that comes to woman when they give birth. They don't ask for it, it simply invades them." Sheryl Feldman

As a woman I have the ability to nurture these twins. Along with sons of God on the earth, they will make war.

Women of God you are birthing spiritual sons; sons of war, sons you must nurture. Do not be afraid. Let the power of God invade you. Be purposeful in your words and what choices you make.

"...this is in fact our season to grow, develop, and thrive. Heaven is passionately and purposefully reconnecting with our wounded, war-torn earth and the people who inhabit her. In this season I believe the daughters of God will prove integral agents." Lisa Bevere, Nurture

I prophesy Justice over every inhabitant of the earth in the name of Jesus. The Lord has laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all, so that we may receive justice!

Rememberance Day- Lest We Forget...

2009-11-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

When I was young I always honoured rememberance day because it was very improtant to my grandpa. He was also my pastor and a man I loved dearly. He always tried to stress to the young people how men and women died for freedom and what a valuable thing freedom is. It was hard for us to see then; we had always just been free.
Today rememberance day is more significant to me. It is a day where I am thankful; thankful that someone would die for me and my children. Thankful that I live in a country where I can freely worship Jesus. Thankful for a country that is relatively peaceful. At the same time it is a day where I mourn the contrast. Gone are my days of ignorant bliss. All I want is to be happy and healthy and raise my family and love Jesus. But I know things about the world now and I can never go back. People are growing evil and violent and perverse and it has gotten too close to home. Now there is a new kind of war to fight and I realize it recquires my life.
I read a story about the "Montreal Massacre" entitled, "The Men Who Ran Away". A lone gunmen came to an engineering class and ordered the 50 men present to leave the classroom, leaving 14 women at the mercy of the gunmen. It is said that those 50 men meekly filed out....the women were shot at. Some died, some were wounded. Those men could've taken him out. They had a chance to prevent a massacre and they "meekly filed out" in order to preserve their own lives. Our society has adopeted that meekness. We see tragedy, enslavement and abuse and we turn a blind eye. We think we are protecting ourselves by doing nothing, all the while violence is creeping closer to our doors, peeking in our front windows. You can close your curtains but it does not go away. "Evil prevails when good men do nothing".
Every day our freedom to worship God is being challenged, from daily exchanges to the highest levels of government. Most of the church sits idly by; dumbed down by their anti-religious sentiments. There are no standards, no disciplines, you do whatever feels right to you. And if sleeping feels good then we sleep. While our foundations crumble down around us, while the poor are begging at our door, while children are being sold for sex in our cities, while our freedoms are being taken, we sleep.
John McCrae wrote this poem "In Flander's Fields", in 1915 during the war:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

It is said that his dying words were, "If ye break faith with us who die we shall not sleep".

In response to his poem Moina Michael wrote, "We Shall Keep the Faith":

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,

Sleep sweet - to rise anew!

We caught the torch you threw

And holding high, we keep the Faith

With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led;

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies,

But lends a lustre to the red

Of the flower that blooms above the dead

In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red

We wear in honor of our dead.

Fear not that ye have died for naught;

We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought

In Flanders Fields.

Have we learned the lesson taught in Flander's fields?

2009-11-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

The other night I was at a friends and we watched the film "Fields of Mudan". It is the story of a very young Asian girl who is forced into modern day slavery by a child brothel owner. The only solace she finds is through the memory of her Mother and the promise that she would one day find Mudan and take her away to America. She also develops a friendship with another young brothel girl. I can't say don't watch it, but I'm warning you that it will rip your guts out. For me it is a horror film. I myself have a young daughter approximately Mudan's age and when I saw Mudan on the screen my young daughter was staring back at me through her eyes. I left my friends house feeling as though I had been to a funeral. I wept and wept because that movie is some little girls true story and it could be happening in my own city. I also burned, my heart on fire with righteous indignation. Church of God listen to what God would have me say:
I tremble with righteous anger. Sword in hand, I make ready. The Lord of hosts sounds the battle cry. Who will take up arms and join this fight for justice? Awake o' numb ones. Open your eyes to the world around! A cry sounds for justice! There is blood in the streets. There is blood on our hands. We think we can wipe it off on a rag as though it's something that can wash away. It is something that can only be "done" away with; their blood will only be silent when something is done. Awake Church of Almighty God! Awake bride of Christ! If you remain asleep the consequences will be born for generations. I saw a picture of men and women roaming the streets, they were all grey and looked like death. They were ravenously seeking for something to prey on. Same perversity as in Sodom and Gomorrah. There is much to lose if we do not stand up against this! After the Lord showed me this, I tried to sleep, but I still didn't have peace. I got up and went in to kiss my girls and pray over them. I found them all fast asleep, but what was odd was they were wearing white wedding dresses; dress up clothes that I hadn't seen for months. I smiled and went back to bed and God said it symbolized hope and the Church of Christ. In her book "Marked", Faytene Kryskow quotes from Revelation 19 where it talks about the bride being ready, clothed in fine linen which is the righteous acts of the saints. She says, "the church that is truly washed clean will arise and clothe herself with a response and that response is...doing righteous acts." There is a parable found in Matthew 25:1-12. It is about ten virgins awaiting their bridegroom: 5 of them are ready when he comes and 5 of them are not. Wake up! Clothe yourself. You are the hope, you are the salt of the earth. You know who you are.