Just a note to say that we have to pack the computer for shipping, so we're going to be offline as of tonight. (Monday night that is) We're going to try to update the blog as we can from other computers, but just in case we don't get to it...bless you all, we'll be back online as soon as possible.
Simone
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Update
Here are some of the things that are going on as we are entering the home stretch...our last week before we leave;
1. Good news - The tickets are in!!! Thank God, you have no idea how slow the mail is and how many problems any normally reliable courier service runs into around here, so I was pretty nervous, wondering if the plane tickets would get here in time, as this airline doesn't do e-tickets. But thankfully they arrived today! God bless FedEx!
2. Bad news - it's official, I have full blown pneumonia, as per the physician who saw me "it's a whopper". I feel really horrible, but I've been told that I should be better soon...thank God for antibiotics! I guess having fevers everyday for 3 weeks, living off of Advil, loosing all appetite and being unable to breathe is not just a bad cold and I should have been in to see someone a long time ago...but I have things to do...who has time to be sick? (of course I wouldn't be sick anymore IF I had gone to the doctor's 3 weeks ago...hmph!!!)
3. We're going to be home soon...I know that this is evident, but soon is really soon-soon and I'm getting rather anxious to reach the finish line on this one folks...I truly feel like I've been on a very long journey and am barely able to put one foot in front of the other anymore. I need my friends, I need my home church, I need a hug is what I need! So I'll continue to put one foot in front of the other, as that's the only way I'll be able to get home...but this whole finishing the race thing is hard! I just want someone to come and pick me up and carry me the rest of the way...or rather, lets just go right now...(I know, very 6 year oldish of me, but that's exactly where I am right about now!)
So all of this to say that I thank you all for your prayers this week...I desperately need them. I thank God for all of you, cause I know that I haven't done this alone, I have had not just my family here, and our church here, and our church in Cambridge and God, but also all of you individually, who have been so faithful, and who have been as much a part of this journey as we have...bless you, thank you, I love you.
Blessings,
Simone
1. Good news - The tickets are in!!! Thank God, you have no idea how slow the mail is and how many problems any normally reliable courier service runs into around here, so I was pretty nervous, wondering if the plane tickets would get here in time, as this airline doesn't do e-tickets. But thankfully they arrived today! God bless FedEx!
2. Bad news - it's official, I have full blown pneumonia, as per the physician who saw me "it's a whopper". I feel really horrible, but I've been told that I should be better soon...thank God for antibiotics! I guess having fevers everyday for 3 weeks, living off of Advil, loosing all appetite and being unable to breathe is not just a bad cold and I should have been in to see someone a long time ago...but I have things to do...who has time to be sick? (of course I wouldn't be sick anymore IF I had gone to the doctor's 3 weeks ago...hmph!!!)
3. We're going to be home soon...I know that this is evident, but soon is really soon-soon and I'm getting rather anxious to reach the finish line on this one folks...I truly feel like I've been on a very long journey and am barely able to put one foot in front of the other anymore. I need my friends, I need my home church, I need a hug is what I need! So I'll continue to put one foot in front of the other, as that's the only way I'll be able to get home...but this whole finishing the race thing is hard! I just want someone to come and pick me up and carry me the rest of the way...or rather, lets just go right now...(I know, very 6 year oldish of me, but that's exactly where I am right about now!)
So all of this to say that I thank you all for your prayers this week...I desperately need them. I thank God for all of you, cause I know that I haven't done this alone, I have had not just my family here, and our church here, and our church in Cambridge and God, but also all of you individually, who have been so faithful, and who have been as much a part of this journey as we have...bless you, thank you, I love you.
Blessings,
Simone
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Announcing the news to Iqaluit Christian Fellowship
Hi Everyone,
As you know, today is Sunday and so the girls and I went to church. (Unfortunately Dan had to work). I had been kind of dreading going as I knew that I would have to tell everyone that we were leaving, and I felt so very weak, so very vulnerable that I just didn't know if I could handle it. When we arrived I noticed that there were quite a few people that I didn't know, and some that I knew of, but was surprised to see. Those would be Peter Awa the pastor from Resolute (the most northern settlement in Nunavut) and Tagak Curley (MLA- member of the legislative assembly for Nunavut) Also there were the pastor from Coral Harbour and some of her church members. So we had the service as usual, with Mary, the pastor from Coral speaking. Then after a "short" time of ministry James had me come up and announced that we would be leaving in 2 weeks. I shared my heart (with many tears) and the journey that brought us to this place and shared the struggle that we had hearing that it was time to leave as we have definitely become family here. As soon as I was finished Tagak (the MLA) spoke up and shared that he felt as a representative of the government and a leader of his people, that the Lord was sending us back in order to carry "the flame of Nunavut to the south. That we would carry the flame of what the Lord has released and is doing here in the North to the south. He felt that as leaders they needed to commission us - release us to bring south what the Lord wanted to release" He spoke great blessings and then the leaders (from every corner of Nunavut!!! - how significant is that?) prayed for us...it's pretty amazing, and as I'm sitting here I am overwhelmed at how the Lord confirms His words and sends us out, with the blessings of those with the authority to release those blessings. There were many tears and lots of hugs, but we have been released with encouragement and blessings by the whole congregation.
I couldn't have known or anticipated how today would go...God definitely set me up. I am humbled at His abundant grace. I am stirred by His gentle love for me. I am moved that He is caring so much for me that even as I grieve this loss, He endeavors to strengthen me for the journey home with words of love, confirmation and affirmation. I am thankful for the Father's heart...how He speaks and moves in ways that are beyond what we could know, yet ministers so intimately to me...
Blessings,
Simone
As you know, today is Sunday and so the girls and I went to church. (Unfortunately Dan had to work). I had been kind of dreading going as I knew that I would have to tell everyone that we were leaving, and I felt so very weak, so very vulnerable that I just didn't know if I could handle it. When we arrived I noticed that there were quite a few people that I didn't know, and some that I knew of, but was surprised to see. Those would be Peter Awa the pastor from Resolute (the most northern settlement in Nunavut) and Tagak Curley (MLA- member of the legislative assembly for Nunavut) Also there were the pastor from Coral Harbour and some of her church members. So we had the service as usual, with Mary, the pastor from Coral speaking. Then after a "short" time of ministry James had me come up and announced that we would be leaving in 2 weeks. I shared my heart (with many tears) and the journey that brought us to this place and shared the struggle that we had hearing that it was time to leave as we have definitely become family here. As soon as I was finished Tagak (the MLA) spoke up and shared that he felt as a representative of the government and a leader of his people, that the Lord was sending us back in order to carry "the flame of Nunavut to the south. That we would carry the flame of what the Lord has released and is doing here in the North to the south. He felt that as leaders they needed to commission us - release us to bring south what the Lord wanted to release" He spoke great blessings and then the leaders (from every corner of Nunavut!!! - how significant is that?) prayed for us...it's pretty amazing, and as I'm sitting here I am overwhelmed at how the Lord confirms His words and sends us out, with the blessings of those with the authority to release those blessings. There were many tears and lots of hugs, but we have been released with encouragement and blessings by the whole congregation.
I couldn't have known or anticipated how today would go...God definitely set me up. I am humbled at His abundant grace. I am stirred by His gentle love for me. I am moved that He is caring so much for me that even as I grieve this loss, He endeavors to strengthen me for the journey home with words of love, confirmation and affirmation. I am thankful for the Father's heart...how He speaks and moves in ways that are beyond what we could know, yet ministers so intimately to me...
Blessings,
Simone
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Conflicting Emotions
What an emotional time we are in! Waves of joy and grief wash over us time and time again as we face the prospects of seeing our dear old friends, and face the reality of leaving new friends behind. Our hearts are overwhelmed by the feats of strength required to simply walk out our days here. And time continues to rush past us, bringing us closer to the day we are scheduled to leave. I can't say that we are surprised by these emotions, but we are startled by the intensity of those emotions. I've been so bowled over that even my physical body seems to be rebelling against me, chills and fevers and sweats so intense that I am almost unable to function...headaches and ear aches and weakness throw my schedule completely off. Here I am with less than 2 weeks now to prepare and I have been unable to do anything at all...
I must say that we are going to miss our family here...when we came, we came to stay. Not holding anything back, we dove into life here in Iqaluit. We embraced the friendships, the culture, the adventures that we encountered fully and completely. We had no idea that we would be leaving, so there was no reason to hold anything back, we didn't have to protect our hearts, we could give of ourselves fully. Because of that we were embraced, drawn in and adopted. Dan got a sweater as a gift that says in Inuktitut "I am an Inuk". That says it all, we have become a part of this place, family. Now, we are leaving, and it's hard. We are going to miss our friends, the land, the culture. I guess the good thing is that we are always going to be friends. And we have been deeply impacted by our time here. We are never going to be the same...neither is Canada going to be the same to us. Our vision of who we are as a nation has expanded... but that's a whole other post... for another time.
All of this to say, we are going to miss Iqaluit, and the north. Our hearts are aching at the thought of leaving, as much as we are rejoicing at the thought of going home. Talk about conflicting emotions!
SC
I must say that we are going to miss our family here...when we came, we came to stay. Not holding anything back, we dove into life here in Iqaluit. We embraced the friendships, the culture, the adventures that we encountered fully and completely. We had no idea that we would be leaving, so there was no reason to hold anything back, we didn't have to protect our hearts, we could give of ourselves fully. Because of that we were embraced, drawn in and adopted. Dan got a sweater as a gift that says in Inuktitut "I am an Inuk". That says it all, we have become a part of this place, family. Now, we are leaving, and it's hard. We are going to miss our friends, the land, the culture. I guess the good thing is that we are always going to be friends. And we have been deeply impacted by our time here. We are never going to be the same...neither is Canada going to be the same to us. Our vision of who we are as a nation has expanded... but that's a whole other post... for another time.
All of this to say, we are going to miss Iqaluit, and the north. Our hearts are aching at the thought of leaving, as much as we are rejoicing at the thought of going home. Talk about conflicting emotions!
SC
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Homeward Bound
Well, I guess soon-soon is sooner than we had thought!!! I am tempted to say that we're "moving back" to Cambridge. But the Lord has assured me that we're not going back...rather, He's "calling us forth" to Cambridge...might just be semantics to some, but it means alot to me. We're not just going back to settle into our old routines or our old roles...those have changed and been filled ( and filled wonderfully) He has new things for us there.
So here's the scoop; some dear friends have generously donated some aeroplan points and so we have our flights booked for Friday, February 3rd. We will be landing in Ottawa at 4:15! We'll be spending the first week with my parents in Northern Ontario...getting some much needed quality time with the fam.
If you're wondering what you can pray about for us here's the short list;
- jobs for Dan and I
- a place for us to live, near a good school for the girls.
- home furnishings...we litterally have no beds, tables, dishes, pots and pans, linens of any kind.
- and for covering as we pack up and walk out our last two weeks here in Iqaluit.
The girls are excited, but nervous...a feeling we all share. They hope that their friends remember them, though I've assured them that they will. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Blessings,
Simone
So here's the scoop; some dear friends have generously donated some aeroplan points and so we have our flights booked for Friday, February 3rd. We will be landing in Ottawa at 4:15! We'll be spending the first week with my parents in Northern Ontario...getting some much needed quality time with the fam.
If you're wondering what you can pray about for us here's the short list;
- jobs for Dan and I
- a place for us to live, near a good school for the girls.
- home furnishings...we litterally have no beds, tables, dishes, pots and pans, linens of any kind.
- and for covering as we pack up and walk out our last two weeks here in Iqaluit.
The girls are excited, but nervous...a feeling we all share. They hope that their friends remember them, though I've assured them that they will. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Blessings,
Simone
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Soon, but not soon soon.
As Dan, the girls and I were talking after church today, we were deciding what our plans would be for the rest of the day. Dan's plan was a family nap, we all crash out in front of the t.v and sleep for a while (His favorite thing!) He and I had already discussed that we would need to spend some time in prayer for a while in the afternoon. So a I felt a nudge from the Lord, that we should plan to pray as a family, not just Dan and I. I suggested it to everyone and they agreed, though Dan and I were concerned, cause we haven't talked to the girls about any of what's going on, and we knew that if we said "girls, we want to pray about whether or, rather when we should go back to Cambridge", they would say "tomorrow".
So we decided together that we wouldn't direct the prayers. Instead we said that we want to hear what the Lord is saying to each of us. Because we all have the Holy Spirit and if we all share what the Lord is saying to us, then we have a clearer picture of what He is doing with us as a body. The girls agreed, so we all quieted down to hear the Lord.
Right away Julia piped up " I'm hearing that we need to pray more so that we bind our minds to God and love more." Cool...that sounds like God! Then we wait for a while longer...(not the easiest thing for Julia) and we ask Elisabeth if she's hearing or feeling anything, and she says "no" pauses, then says "but I have some writing in my mind." Okay, what does the writing say? "it says we're going to go back to Cambridge soon, but not soon-soon" Huh? What does that mean? "well, we're going to go back, but not in the next couple of days." okay...good enough. So we finished praying and thanked God for speaking to us then the girls went to play. And this is where we are.
So for now, we know that we are going back...soon, but not soon-soon.
blessings,
Simone
So we decided together that we wouldn't direct the prayers. Instead we said that we want to hear what the Lord is saying to each of us. Because we all have the Holy Spirit and if we all share what the Lord is saying to us, then we have a clearer picture of what He is doing with us as a body. The girls agreed, so we all quieted down to hear the Lord.
Right away Julia piped up " I'm hearing that we need to pray more so that we bind our minds to God and love more." Cool...that sounds like God! Then we wait for a while longer...(not the easiest thing for Julia) and we ask Elisabeth if she's hearing or feeling anything, and she says "no" pauses, then says "but I have some writing in my mind." Okay, what does the writing say? "it says we're going to go back to Cambridge soon, but not soon-soon" Huh? What does that mean? "well, we're going to go back, but not in the next couple of days." okay...good enough. So we finished praying and thanked God for speaking to us then the girls went to play. And this is where we are.
So for now, we know that we are going back...soon, but not soon-soon.
blessings,
Simone
Monday, January 09, 2006
What?
I was talking to Julie last night and we were laughing at the whole "coming up north to do what exactly?"question that I often get faced with when talking to people and frankly the one I ask when I'm talking to God.
It all sounds so great..."Dan and Simone have a call to the North so they're leaving everything behind and moving so that they can support what God is doing up there...namely support the local leadership"
Have you ever been in a goal setting workshop? Do you know what the facilitator would most likely say about that statement? "So what exactly are you supposed to be doing?" And that is what we've been struggling with since we got here...actually since the whole call came in the first place.
WHy? Why is this a struggle? Well, first of all the worshop facilitator would say that it's not specific or tangible...there are no deadlines, measurable factors to evalutate whether the goal is being reached...yada yada yada. But its also a struggle because it begins with the question that we always begin with "What am I supposed to be doing?"
This by far has been one of the biggest thorns in my side since I've been here, and here is how it's been going;
Simone "God...Give me a task for mercy's sake!!! Tell me what you want me to do, what you want me to produce....give me a deadline and I'll have it done for you!!!"
God .............Silence.............
Simone "okay, maybe you want me to give you some options....I could teach a class, do a bible study?"
God .............Silence............
Simone "Okay, maybe I'll start a children's ministry, something one night a week"
God .................Silence...............
Simone "Okay, well I've been asked to preach this Sunday, can I do that? "
God .............."Sure, do the one you did last summer"
Simone "Cool, that was awesome, it really gave me life...I know that this is what I was meant for...can I do it again?"
God ................Silence................
Simone " I've been asked to teach a workshop, can I do that?"
God ............."Sure, here's what you should touch on...."
Simone "That was even better!!! This is what I was made for for sure!!! I can see this becoming something regular eh Lord?"
God .................Silence...................
Simone "well, it's been about a month now...what do you want me to do now?
God .................Silence..................
Simone "how bout now?"
God ................Silence...................
Simone "now?"
God ................Silence...................
Simone " Come on, I came all this way, gave up everything I gave up, for what? What do you want me to do? There must be something you want me to do? What did you give me all of this passion for, this training for...what?"
God ........."did you ever think that it wasn't about you?"
Simone "huh?"
God ..........."maybe it has never really been about you, or your call or your giftings or your talents or what you needed to do."
Simone "huh?"
God ..........."you know that I can do this without you right?"
Simone "huh?"
God ............"you know....I made the whole world...I can handle this fine without you doing anything."
Simone "huh?"
God ............"maybe all I wanted was for you to be obedient and walk in faith...when I want you to do something I'll let you know...right now, just be"
Simone "Be? What do you want me to be, I can be pretty much anything you want me to be if I try hard enough"
God .........."no... no trying, no striving, none of that....just be...you"
Simone "Be?"
God .........."yeah be...and watch me work, it's going to be pretty cool"
Simone "watch you? But what about me?"
God ..........."it's never been about you...but if you learn to watch me, I'll let you tag along and see some pretty cool stuff...maybe even let you get your hands dirty now and then"
Simone "that's it, watch you?"
God ........"that's it...just watch me."
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
It's not about what I'm doing. It's not about me. So I'll keep my eyes on the cloud, move when He moves, do when He tells me to do...be when He tells me to be...and let Him deal with the rest. If that is how Jesus lived, what more can I live?
Blessings,
Simone
It all sounds so great..."Dan and Simone have a call to the North so they're leaving everything behind and moving so that they can support what God is doing up there...namely support the local leadership"
Have you ever been in a goal setting workshop? Do you know what the facilitator would most likely say about that statement? "So what exactly are you supposed to be doing?" And that is what we've been struggling with since we got here...actually since the whole call came in the first place.
WHy? Why is this a struggle? Well, first of all the worshop facilitator would say that it's not specific or tangible...there are no deadlines, measurable factors to evalutate whether the goal is being reached...yada yada yada. But its also a struggle because it begins with the question that we always begin with "What am I supposed to be doing?"
This by far has been one of the biggest thorns in my side since I've been here, and here is how it's been going;
Simone "God...Give me a task for mercy's sake!!! Tell me what you want me to do, what you want me to produce....give me a deadline and I'll have it done for you!!!"
God .............Silence.............
Simone "okay, maybe you want me to give you some options....I could teach a class, do a bible study?"
God .............Silence............
Simone "Okay, maybe I'll start a children's ministry, something one night a week"
God .................Silence...............
Simone "Okay, well I've been asked to preach this Sunday, can I do that? "
God .............."Sure, do the one you did last summer"
Simone "Cool, that was awesome, it really gave me life...I know that this is what I was meant for...can I do it again?"
God ................Silence................
Simone " I've been asked to teach a workshop, can I do that?"
God ............."Sure, here's what you should touch on...."
Simone "That was even better!!! This is what I was made for for sure!!! I can see this becoming something regular eh Lord?"
God .................Silence...................
Simone "well, it's been about a month now...what do you want me to do now?
God .................Silence..................
Simone "how bout now?"
God ................Silence...................
Simone "now?"
God ................Silence...................
Simone " Come on, I came all this way, gave up everything I gave up, for what? What do you want me to do? There must be something you want me to do? What did you give me all of this passion for, this training for...what?"
God ........."did you ever think that it wasn't about you?"
Simone "huh?"
God ..........."maybe it has never really been about you, or your call or your giftings or your talents or what you needed to do."
Simone "huh?"
God ..........."you know that I can do this without you right?"
Simone "huh?"
God ............"you know....I made the whole world...I can handle this fine without you doing anything."
Simone "huh?"
God ............"maybe all I wanted was for you to be obedient and walk in faith...when I want you to do something I'll let you know...right now, just be"
Simone "Be? What do you want me to be, I can be pretty much anything you want me to be if I try hard enough"
God .........."no... no trying, no striving, none of that....just be...you"
Simone "Be?"
God .........."yeah be...and watch me work, it's going to be pretty cool"
Simone "watch you? But what about me?"
God ..........."it's never been about you...but if you learn to watch me, I'll let you tag along and see some pretty cool stuff...maybe even let you get your hands dirty now and then"
Simone "that's it, watch you?"
God ........"that's it...just watch me."
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
It's not about what I'm doing. It's not about me. So I'll keep my eyes on the cloud, move when He moves, do when He tells me to do...be when He tells me to be...and let Him deal with the rest. If that is how Jesus lived, what more can I live?
Blessings,
Simone
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Endurance and Faith
I was listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson earlier about endurance... lol...that word, along with perseverance had almost become like kryptonite to me the last few months...you know as soon as you hear it you just want to recoil, shut down or change the subject. So when I tuned in to the sermon I was pretty annoyed at first that I was going to have to listen to anything telling me to "hang on in there, work a little harder " you know the little Christian guilt trips that we so often get tangled into. (nice attitude on me eh?) I've been "working" so hard trying to make things better and exhausting myself holding on for the better part of the last few months, fighting the guilt and expectations and well you know... that I strongly considered just tuning out and clicking over to ebay, see if I could fill the void with a little shopping instead of some teaching...(BTW, Elisabeth is sick today so I couldn't go to church...which we havent' had since the week before Christmas...which is why I'm tuning into online sermons so much lately...but back to the story) But I decided to listen anyways...be a good girl and squash the attitude.
I was surprised to hear him say that he never speaks on endurance because it can be dangerous...(Hmmm? tell me more...) He shared about how many people endure for the sake of endurance...like trying to earn brownie points for the hearafter. He states that endurance for the sake of endurance pointless. He states that as believers who believe that the Kingdom is "At hand" we are not just holding on for the end... When we endure, it is with the continuous anticipation that deliverance is "at hand", that at any moment the Lord can and will speak a word that will bring freedom, healing, deliverance, releif...whatever is needed into the situation. The difference with this endurance is all in perspective...Here are some of my notes;
[ The word of righteousness is that which settles those issues (insecurity, competitivesness, etc) it provokes internal change, where God has dug deep in you so that you know not just on the surface that Jesus is Lord, but where you know that "I have met the battle, I've gone head to head with what I did not know I could survive and now I can say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and King. He is good. He is kind. He is faithful." Having that root deep in yourself is the secret to endurance.
Alot of what you've cried out for - what you and I have cried out for is on the other end of endurance...endurance, the capacity to endure is strengthened and encouraged by proper perspective; a clear clean outlook. It starts with knowing the nature of God.
- God is good period. He has made complete and ample provision for me. There is nothing that you are facing whether it is loss or anything that he did not attend to on the cross. The appetite of every problem has been satisfied on the cross.
- Gen 3:15 Every problem you have ever faced with the enemy was temporal (bruised your heal) every one you've ever given him is eternal (crushed his head) No weapon that is formed against us will prosper...
Endurance for endurance sake is pointless, endurance for deliverance sake is life giving, whether for our life or the lives of others. He blesses the enduring life that lives by biblical principles. We live our lives by biblical principles, we push through, treating our spouses the way He says in His word, working the way He says to, tithe the way the word says. When you walk by principle the enduring walk through Christ, resolute on obedience but anticipating deliverance there is a moment in time when He says "Do this", and with obedience deliverance comes.
I'm enduring not because I'm earning brownie points for endurance. I'm enduring because I'm anticipating deliverance, I'm anticipating that prophetic act, that thing that could open up the miracle, the release....there is something about the resolve that says "no matter what, God wins. He's going to be glorifed, no weapon that's formed against me will prosper, it's impossible. I'm looking for God's intervention in this situation." anticipation of God's miracles is the way we live the life of endurance...]
so here I am...with a change in perspective. Endurance is not just holding on because you have no choice and because God and everyone around is expecting you too...it's not something to do to prove your maturity or to prove to God that you deserve whatever breakthrough you're contending for or anything else that seem to be implied by us at times... Endurance isn't something that requires us to DO anything. It isn't really about us and who we are, it's really about God and who He is. Endurance is walking in faith...trusting that God is good and that He cares and is able and willing to step in, (in His timing). It is being willing to believe that God is for us and has good intentions toward us. Having faith that the Kingdom really is at hand. Endurance is in a word - Faith.
anyway, that's what I got out of it...
Simone
I was surprised to hear him say that he never speaks on endurance because it can be dangerous...(Hmmm? tell me more...) He shared about how many people endure for the sake of endurance...like trying to earn brownie points for the hearafter. He states that endurance for the sake of endurance pointless. He states that as believers who believe that the Kingdom is "At hand" we are not just holding on for the end... When we endure, it is with the continuous anticipation that deliverance is "at hand", that at any moment the Lord can and will speak a word that will bring freedom, healing, deliverance, releif...whatever is needed into the situation. The difference with this endurance is all in perspective...Here are some of my notes;
[ The word of righteousness is that which settles those issues (insecurity, competitivesness, etc) it provokes internal change, where God has dug deep in you so that you know not just on the surface that Jesus is Lord, but where you know that "I have met the battle, I've gone head to head with what I did not know I could survive and now I can say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and King. He is good. He is kind. He is faithful." Having that root deep in yourself is the secret to endurance.
Alot of what you've cried out for - what you and I have cried out for is on the other end of endurance...endurance, the capacity to endure is strengthened and encouraged by proper perspective; a clear clean outlook. It starts with knowing the nature of God.
- God is good period. He has made complete and ample provision for me. There is nothing that you are facing whether it is loss or anything that he did not attend to on the cross. The appetite of every problem has been satisfied on the cross.
- Gen 3:15 Every problem you have ever faced with the enemy was temporal (bruised your heal) every one you've ever given him is eternal (crushed his head) No weapon that is formed against us will prosper...
Endurance for endurance sake is pointless, endurance for deliverance sake is life giving, whether for our life or the lives of others. He blesses the enduring life that lives by biblical principles. We live our lives by biblical principles, we push through, treating our spouses the way He says in His word, working the way He says to, tithe the way the word says. When you walk by principle the enduring walk through Christ, resolute on obedience but anticipating deliverance there is a moment in time when He says "Do this", and with obedience deliverance comes.
I'm enduring not because I'm earning brownie points for endurance. I'm enduring because I'm anticipating deliverance, I'm anticipating that prophetic act, that thing that could open up the miracle, the release....there is something about the resolve that says "no matter what, God wins. He's going to be glorifed, no weapon that's formed against me will prosper, it's impossible. I'm looking for God's intervention in this situation." anticipation of God's miracles is the way we live the life of endurance...]
so here I am...with a change in perspective. Endurance is not just holding on because you have no choice and because God and everyone around is expecting you too...it's not something to do to prove your maturity or to prove to God that you deserve whatever breakthrough you're contending for or anything else that seem to be implied by us at times... Endurance isn't something that requires us to DO anything. It isn't really about us and who we are, it's really about God and who He is. Endurance is walking in faith...trusting that God is good and that He cares and is able and willing to step in, (in His timing). It is being willing to believe that God is for us and has good intentions toward us. Having faith that the Kingdom really is at hand. Endurance is in a word - Faith.
anyway, that's what I got out of it...
Simone
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Just thinking...
I've been checking out the family devotionals by Josh McDowell on Josh.org every morning with my kids. They're pretty good...yesterday for some reason there was just a scripture, no reading to go with it...but it got me thinking about my life;
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (JOhn 8:31-32)
Obedience. This is such a strong word. As a teen, this word conjured up thoughts of control and manipulation. I felt somewhere inside that if I obeyed it was because I was forced to, and had no freedom...it was a form of slavery. Now, as I've grown and lived a little longer (not much longer :) !) I see the truth in this scripture...obedience brings revelations of the truth, and this truth sets us free! Obedience = freedom! Of course, not obedience to just anything or anyone. Obedience of Jesus' teachings...
So what does this mean for me now, in my current situation? It means that having walked in obedience in the things the Lord has called me into, I can be assured that I will know the truth regarding my life, my call and my circumstances, regardless of what these actually look like. And knowing the truth, and walking in obedience, I can rest in the fact that I am free! I am not bound by location, by employers, by anything else...because the truth that I have encountered in HIM is what directs me...leads me. I am free to have peace and joy in Him, as I continue to endeavor to walk in obedience. No fear of man, no fear of failure, no fear period! Freedom... not only from fear, but from expectations, especially my own... hmmm... If I believe, not only in Him, but actually beleive Him when He speaks, obey his teachings, then I am free to know the truth and walk in freedom. Thank you Lord for your amazing grace!
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32)
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (JOhn 8:31-32)
Obedience. This is such a strong word. As a teen, this word conjured up thoughts of control and manipulation. I felt somewhere inside that if I obeyed it was because I was forced to, and had no freedom...it was a form of slavery. Now, as I've grown and lived a little longer (not much longer :) !) I see the truth in this scripture...obedience brings revelations of the truth, and this truth sets us free! Obedience = freedom! Of course, not obedience to just anything or anyone. Obedience of Jesus' teachings...
So what does this mean for me now, in my current situation? It means that having walked in obedience in the things the Lord has called me into, I can be assured that I will know the truth regarding my life, my call and my circumstances, regardless of what these actually look like. And knowing the truth, and walking in obedience, I can rest in the fact that I am free! I am not bound by location, by employers, by anything else...because the truth that I have encountered in HIM is what directs me...leads me. I am free to have peace and joy in Him, as I continue to endeavor to walk in obedience. No fear of man, no fear of failure, no fear period! Freedom... not only from fear, but from expectations, especially my own... hmmm... If I believe, not only in Him, but actually beleive Him when He speaks, obey his teachings, then I am free to know the truth and walk in freedom. Thank you Lord for your amazing grace!
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32)
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Holiday 2005 Pictures
Here are some pictures from the holidays...enjoy!!!
Opening their new P.J's on Christmas Eve
Opening their new P.J's on Christmas Eve
Stockings are sooo much fun!Just dump the whole thing out!!!
Let's see how we put this thing together!
Sliding at noon on boxing day!
James lent us his skidoo and kamotik
We only lasted a few runs...it was pretty cold!
Julia lost her first tooth on New Year's Eve!!! Yeah!!!
My notes from "The Rest of the Story" sermon by Bill Johnson
I was listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson from Bethel church in Redding CA. I like listening to him cause he has an amazing grasp on the Kingdom of God...He speaks once in a while at TACF and Scott had encouraged me to read some of his stuff in order to learn more about the Kingdom message...anyways, this site is one of my survival tools, when I'm hungry for some preaching and teaching...this is usually where I go. I'm always encouraged and energized by his sermons, so here are some of my notes from tonight. If you're curious and want to try to make heads or tails of it, you may just want to go and listen to the sermon yourself @ www.ibethel.org . Then select free sermon. (this is the shortest one so far, you get to listen to free ones pretty much every week, but make sure you have time, they are usually pretty long)
Mark 1:38 And He said to them "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose have I come forth."
He came to preach!!!
The announcement was not so that you could sit on the cot in the jail after the door was opened, it was to let you know what was provided for you, you are free, you can go. To bring the reality of deliverance and salvation to us.
Every time there is a declared word that originates in the heart of the Father, Heaven shows up to enforce that word for anyone who just simply says "Be it unto me as you have said in your word".
The worlds were made by Him preaching, He said "let there be light and the light appeared" it is the proclamation of His word, it's the way heavenly resources are moved from one reality to the other, through the declared word.
Jesus says "I came to transfer from My account to yours and it takes place through My teaching, my declared word. I give promises not to tickle peoples ears, I give promises not to build false hopes, I give promises not to create an emotional condition built around religious ideals that I'll never back up. I preach because when I speak things take place, and realities are created that didn't exist a minute ago, that's why I came!" is what He's saying.
John 9: 39 Jesus said, "for judgment have i come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."
This was fulfilled and lived out in Jesus' life. Not judgment against humanity, but against the enemy attacking humanity. To say to those who think that they see, that what they are seeing is not real, and to provide sight for those who have been bound by the enemy so that they may be set free.
John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
abundantly means that you have way more than you can use...it's leaking all over, you can't hide it. Life is a great word in the bible, in hebrew it is connected to health and healing, when Jesus says I came to give you life...what a great reason for coming.
What does extreme life look like? It Isn't cautious... you'll be careful with things you have limited amounts of... If you're plugged into the unlimited resources, you'll be a little more carefree. You only have to guard what you have a limited amount of...if you have abundantly you can just give it away.
John 12: 27 "My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? "Father, save me from this hour?" But for this purpose I came for this hour.
Jesus came to become a curse so that we wouldn't have to bear the curse. He came to take on himself what we deserve so that we can take on what He deserves.
Luke 19:10 "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Jesus came to take back the keys that had been given to Adam and Eve. So that we could get back to plan A
1John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
"As the Father sent me, I send you... " He came to die, and He came to bring life. He came to bring judgement on all that wars against love happening in your life, He came to destroy the works of the devil and to equip you to do the same. That's why He came!
Mark 1:38 And He said to them "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose have I come forth."
He came to preach!!!
The announcement was not so that you could sit on the cot in the jail after the door was opened, it was to let you know what was provided for you, you are free, you can go. To bring the reality of deliverance and salvation to us.
Every time there is a declared word that originates in the heart of the Father, Heaven shows up to enforce that word for anyone who just simply says "Be it unto me as you have said in your word".
The worlds were made by Him preaching, He said "let there be light and the light appeared" it is the proclamation of His word, it's the way heavenly resources are moved from one reality to the other, through the declared word.
Jesus says "I came to transfer from My account to yours and it takes place through My teaching, my declared word. I give promises not to tickle peoples ears, I give promises not to build false hopes, I give promises not to create an emotional condition built around religious ideals that I'll never back up. I preach because when I speak things take place, and realities are created that didn't exist a minute ago, that's why I came!" is what He's saying.
John 9: 39 Jesus said, "for judgment have i come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."
This was fulfilled and lived out in Jesus' life. Not judgment against humanity, but against the enemy attacking humanity. To say to those who think that they see, that what they are seeing is not real, and to provide sight for those who have been bound by the enemy so that they may be set free.
John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
abundantly means that you have way more than you can use...it's leaking all over, you can't hide it. Life is a great word in the bible, in hebrew it is connected to health and healing, when Jesus says I came to give you life...what a great reason for coming.
What does extreme life look like? It Isn't cautious... you'll be careful with things you have limited amounts of... If you're plugged into the unlimited resources, you'll be a little more carefree. You only have to guard what you have a limited amount of...if you have abundantly you can just give it away.
John 12: 27 "My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? "Father, save me from this hour?" But for this purpose I came for this hour.
Jesus came to become a curse so that we wouldn't have to bear the curse. He came to take on himself what we deserve so that we can take on what He deserves.
Luke 19:10 "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Jesus came to take back the keys that had been given to Adam and Eve. So that we could get back to plan A
1John 3:8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
"As the Father sent me, I send you... " He came to die, and He came to bring life. He came to bring judgement on all that wars against love happening in your life, He came to destroy the works of the devil and to equip you to do the same. That's why He came!
Sunday, January 01, 2006
The Last Days of 2005
Hi everyone! Happy New Year!
I just wanted to share some of what transpired in the last few days of 2005...
First of all, we haven't been staying at our appartment since Friday December 23rd; we've been housesitting for James and Looee and thouroughly enjoying it! What a difference being in a house, with lots of room for the girls to play and with an atmosphere of peace! We feel like we've been blessed with a holiday right here in Iqaluit!
(we realized quite quickly that there is a definite difference in spiritual atmosphere staying here...instead of in our place where we've been feeling confused and stressed out, here we can actually rest and be at peace...even when we stop over at our place now to pick something up, we can feel the difference...I guess that's what happens when there is such a spiritual battle with the owners (the owners being Northmart!))
We had a fun time with Christmas, we opened our presents and everyone was pleased with their gifts... we have had lots of time off together as well, which has been really nice! Dan and I both worked a few days this week, but have another long weekend together and we are all filling up on rest and fun together!
The great thing with having time off together and being able to rest is that we've been able to wrestle together, pray together about our situation here...there is much less of a feeling of being alone and overwhelmed when we can battle together! As we spent time praying and crying out to the Lord on the 27th we surrendered again and placed the ball back into God's hand...something we have been learning to do minute by minute instead of just day by day! We just couldn't try to figure out how to do all of this anymore... we just didn't have any answers...I had called about different appartments around town and balked at the cost of rent - $2500 to $2800 per month + utilities! How were we going to be able to do this? Dan would need to find a job making at least $3500 per month just to cover our housing costs!!! Plus, we were wondering if we were even supposed to stay, something we were wrestling with for a few months now, because it seemed that everything we had a mandate to do over the next few years had already happened, as strange as that sounds...we had already been "worked out of jobs" from the ministry perspective...we just attributed it to God's timing, we got here at a time when everything was able to just fall into place...stuff that should take 3 years took three months! We really didn't know what we were supposed to do anymore! The church was on fire and local leaders had picked up the ball and were running with it. Crazy...so there we were, again just giving it back to God, wondering what to do and if the mandate had changed and if we were supposed to go or stay, then finally surrendering it all to God and saying "We can't figure it out, this is yours, we are yours, let us know what you decide!" ...Dan took off for a while and called me from the other room pretty excited, he handed me a devotional by Joyce Meyers that he had picked up out of the blue...here's what it said for Dec 27th;
MOVE FORWARD
I do not consider, bretheren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on. ( Philippians 3:13-14)
God will anoint you to do what He calls you to do. But when His anointing is gone, let it go. Get rid of the things that God's anointing was on at one time, but not anymore. Don't keep doing the same thing becaues people expect you to.
I encourage you to prune off activities that fill your day but don't add to your life. Sometimes we hold on to assignments that God is finished with for us. Ask God for wisdom, then walk away from tasks He no longer is asking you to do. Make room for new life to flourish through the work of your hands.
Dan and I looked at each other with wide eyes..." is this saying to you what it's saying to me?" seemed to be the question we were asking. It was! We were both realizing that we had been feeling that this thing the Lord had called us to was coming to an end...though it seemed unreasonable to us and foolish, we both had been battleing this sense that God had already accomplished what He had wanted to do here with us...we'd been fighting this for months now... it just didn't make sense that we would come all this way, sell everything for just a few months journey!
How could it be...He must expect more from us...we sure did!!! How could we go home and say "okay, we're done...this big call we were feeling is fulfilled in just a few months"...we felt like fools! But as we've been processing this we've realized that we really didn't do anything, and the Lord had never expected us to do anything! (does that make sense?) All He wanted was for us to be obedient so that He could release what He wanted to release at this time...it wasn't about us at all!!! It never had been!!! It is and has always been about HIM doing what He wants to do!!! His power at work...His hand moving in such a way that the things that should logically take years to accomplish are done in a matter of a few short days and months!!! Not by might, nor by power, but by HIS SPIRIT! What the Lord requires of His disciples is obedience and love, that's it...they can't heal anyone, they can't convince anyone of His love or change socities, or hearts or do anything...it's HIM doing it...they are just being obedient. That's what He needs, if we are just obedient, He can and will do anything!!!
Sorry, I'm just getting a little excited as I begin to see that the burden that I thought I had to carry isn't mine, and has been taken from me...it's just about obedience pure and simple...I'm free!!!
Anyways, back to our story... So we decided to look back at what we'd been hearing and feeling for the last few months. Something we were not doing, because we were fighting everything we were feeling because we just didn't trust what we were hearing and feeling...we were afraid to listen!!! I had felt the Lord say about a month and a half ago in the middle of a worship service "I'm preparing to take you home" I balked and threw it back to God saying ; "I can't hear that right now God, if it's you, just do what you've got to do..." But I kept hearing it for about 2 weeks...then 6 days ago, I heard "You're going home in February" and I said, "That must just be me...it couldn't be" So I didn't say anything to Dan...until the next day, which was the 27th when we read the devotion that I already shared with you. So over the last few days I've come to the conclusion that we're done...I could be wrong...I could just be delusional and everything could just smooth out in a few days and get back to normal. But I don't think so! Both Dan and I feel like our time here is coming to an end. We are still in the waiting mode. We still need to see what transpires over the next few weeks...but with the direction that things have been going, it really seems that we could be going home in February.
The company told Dan that he would be getting his transfer at the begining of January, and that if he turned it down that we would lose our housing and food allowance... we really can't make it without these benefits...so unless something truly miraculous happens (which isn't impossible) we have no recourse but to head home...
Please continue to pray for us as we navigate these waters...we need wisdom, discernment, courage and faith to walk this out... If you have a word for us, please contact us...most of you know how, if not, you can get our personal contact info from the church office in Cambridge. If we are coming home...we know it won't be easy, finding new jobs...a place to live, basically starting from scratch...we did get rid of everything in order to make this move...but it seems like God is set on keeping us in a state of comlete and total dependance on Him...wherever we are! The good thing is that we've come to know that we can trust that He will ALWAYS be faithful!
Happy New Year... and may the Lord bless you all!
Simone
I just wanted to share some of what transpired in the last few days of 2005...
First of all, we haven't been staying at our appartment since Friday December 23rd; we've been housesitting for James and Looee and thouroughly enjoying it! What a difference being in a house, with lots of room for the girls to play and with an atmosphere of peace! We feel like we've been blessed with a holiday right here in Iqaluit!
(we realized quite quickly that there is a definite difference in spiritual atmosphere staying here...instead of in our place where we've been feeling confused and stressed out, here we can actually rest and be at peace...even when we stop over at our place now to pick something up, we can feel the difference...I guess that's what happens when there is such a spiritual battle with the owners (the owners being Northmart!))
We had a fun time with Christmas, we opened our presents and everyone was pleased with their gifts... we have had lots of time off together as well, which has been really nice! Dan and I both worked a few days this week, but have another long weekend together and we are all filling up on rest and fun together!
The great thing with having time off together and being able to rest is that we've been able to wrestle together, pray together about our situation here...there is much less of a feeling of being alone and overwhelmed when we can battle together! As we spent time praying and crying out to the Lord on the 27th we surrendered again and placed the ball back into God's hand...something we have been learning to do minute by minute instead of just day by day! We just couldn't try to figure out how to do all of this anymore... we just didn't have any answers...I had called about different appartments around town and balked at the cost of rent - $2500 to $2800 per month + utilities! How were we going to be able to do this? Dan would need to find a job making at least $3500 per month just to cover our housing costs!!! Plus, we were wondering if we were even supposed to stay, something we were wrestling with for a few months now, because it seemed that everything we had a mandate to do over the next few years had already happened, as strange as that sounds...we had already been "worked out of jobs" from the ministry perspective...we just attributed it to God's timing, we got here at a time when everything was able to just fall into place...stuff that should take 3 years took three months! We really didn't know what we were supposed to do anymore! The church was on fire and local leaders had picked up the ball and were running with it. Crazy...so there we were, again just giving it back to God, wondering what to do and if the mandate had changed and if we were supposed to go or stay, then finally surrendering it all to God and saying "We can't figure it out, this is yours, we are yours, let us know what you decide!" ...Dan took off for a while and called me from the other room pretty excited, he handed me a devotional by Joyce Meyers that he had picked up out of the blue...here's what it said for Dec 27th;
MOVE FORWARD
I do not consider, bretheren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on. ( Philippians 3:13-14)
God will anoint you to do what He calls you to do. But when His anointing is gone, let it go. Get rid of the things that God's anointing was on at one time, but not anymore. Don't keep doing the same thing becaues people expect you to.
I encourage you to prune off activities that fill your day but don't add to your life. Sometimes we hold on to assignments that God is finished with for us. Ask God for wisdom, then walk away from tasks He no longer is asking you to do. Make room for new life to flourish through the work of your hands.
Dan and I looked at each other with wide eyes..." is this saying to you what it's saying to me?" seemed to be the question we were asking. It was! We were both realizing that we had been feeling that this thing the Lord had called us to was coming to an end...though it seemed unreasonable to us and foolish, we both had been battleing this sense that God had already accomplished what He had wanted to do here with us...we'd been fighting this for months now... it just didn't make sense that we would come all this way, sell everything for just a few months journey!
How could it be...He must expect more from us...we sure did!!! How could we go home and say "okay, we're done...this big call we were feeling is fulfilled in just a few months"...we felt like fools! But as we've been processing this we've realized that we really didn't do anything, and the Lord had never expected us to do anything! (does that make sense?) All He wanted was for us to be obedient so that He could release what He wanted to release at this time...it wasn't about us at all!!! It never had been!!! It is and has always been about HIM doing what He wants to do!!! His power at work...His hand moving in such a way that the things that should logically take years to accomplish are done in a matter of a few short days and months!!! Not by might, nor by power, but by HIS SPIRIT! What the Lord requires of His disciples is obedience and love, that's it...they can't heal anyone, they can't convince anyone of His love or change socities, or hearts or do anything...it's HIM doing it...they are just being obedient. That's what He needs, if we are just obedient, He can and will do anything!!!
Sorry, I'm just getting a little excited as I begin to see that the burden that I thought I had to carry isn't mine, and has been taken from me...it's just about obedience pure and simple...I'm free!!!
Anyways, back to our story... So we decided to look back at what we'd been hearing and feeling for the last few months. Something we were not doing, because we were fighting everything we were feeling because we just didn't trust what we were hearing and feeling...we were afraid to listen!!! I had felt the Lord say about a month and a half ago in the middle of a worship service "I'm preparing to take you home" I balked and threw it back to God saying ; "I can't hear that right now God, if it's you, just do what you've got to do..." But I kept hearing it for about 2 weeks...then 6 days ago, I heard "You're going home in February" and I said, "That must just be me...it couldn't be" So I didn't say anything to Dan...until the next day, which was the 27th when we read the devotion that I already shared with you. So over the last few days I've come to the conclusion that we're done...I could be wrong...I could just be delusional and everything could just smooth out in a few days and get back to normal. But I don't think so! Both Dan and I feel like our time here is coming to an end. We are still in the waiting mode. We still need to see what transpires over the next few weeks...but with the direction that things have been going, it really seems that we could be going home in February.
The company told Dan that he would be getting his transfer at the begining of January, and that if he turned it down that we would lose our housing and food allowance... we really can't make it without these benefits...so unless something truly miraculous happens (which isn't impossible) we have no recourse but to head home...
Please continue to pray for us as we navigate these waters...we need wisdom, discernment, courage and faith to walk this out... If you have a word for us, please contact us...most of you know how, if not, you can get our personal contact info from the church office in Cambridge. If we are coming home...we know it won't be easy, finding new jobs...a place to live, basically starting from scratch...we did get rid of everything in order to make this move...but it seems like God is set on keeping us in a state of comlete and total dependance on Him...wherever we are! The good thing is that we've come to know that we can trust that He will ALWAYS be faithful!
Happy New Year... and may the Lord bless you all!
Simone
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