Merry Christmas!!

May the Spirit of the Living God overshadow you and bring you peace. Remember His inexpressible gift that comes through the Incarnation of His Son. He became human, walked among us, Immanuel, and died that we might have life. We celebrate Christmas because He came to die. May this drive you to surrender. Remember if the devil can keep us out of the Word and off our knees, he is more powerful, but the minute we drop to our knees and open the Word, the power of the Living God moves in us and blots out the lies and deception and destruction of the enemy. May His strength be yours. Deny the push to walk away from the Word; force yourself to focus in prayer, for it is through obedience that joy and blessing will come. Obedience pounds out the weakness of the flesh. Praise the Lord!!

Many blessings as you celebrate this season! Celebrate the Lord's Incarnation and becoming Immanuel, God With Us!!

Amanda

Friends...

Where would we be without the incredible people that the Lord blesses us with? I can't begin to express the joy in my heart as I look around me and discover the most wonderful people surrounding me. Every day as I work away in the office, I see face after face that I love so very much. These people are so dear to me. Who am I, Lord, that you would bless me so? Who am I that you would surround me with those that support and love and embolden me? May the Father remind you of those He has given you to do life with...right here, right now.

Female HCT...

A Time for Family

One of the greatest joys of the sabbatical the Lord gave to me last year was the time I spent with family. Looking back I realized not only the wonderful time I spent with my brother and sister-in-law, but also how God had orchestrated time with every member of my immediate family...and alone time...wow. Spending time living with my brother and his family was priceless...I cannot put words to my joy at watching the Lord build such beautiful ties there and incredible foundations for so much more. The depth that He is bringing in building off that time amazes me and I am beyond blessed! Following that time, I spent the summer with my dad...such great time, precious time. And then in the fall as I headed for Redding, I was able to spend a wonderful three months living 5 minutes away from my incredible mother! What a gift and a treasure she is!

In the past couple months and even more so in the last week, I have heard countless stories of God drawing His people to their families to restore, renew, rebuild, and transform relationships. Praise Him! So many of my friends right now are pursuing the call of the Lord on their life to be with family. What is coming that we are drawn to this now? What is the Lord stirring...what work is He doing that so many of us right now are called to restoration in family?

"Clean Your Sword"

As spoken by one of our incredible staff here at Qwanoes..."it's a great day for a war!" We began our last week of Summer 2009 with this in our minds...and war it has been, but not just one week; we've been at war all summer. So many battles fought; so many victories for the Kingdom of Heaven. Our staff are challenged and changed. May the God of peace bring foundation in those changes; that each of us would walk away with more than experience...with foundation that God will continue to build on.
As we finished on Sunday, my wonderful sister Nicki reminded us to "clean our swords." I was reminded of this yesterday as I walked along the beach. It has been a wonderful summer and one that took me repeatedly to my knees for the staff. Our great God has accomplished so much in our hearts, and He is the one to honor and glorify in this. Cleaning my sword means offering praise and worship to the King of Kings for what He accomplished this summer. Lifting my hands in worship and awe at what we saw Him do so powerfully before our eyes. Praise God for the wonderful works He has done! Psalm 105 says, "Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done..." We must remember to clean our sword and prepare for the next battle...

Disciples

I can't believe it's been this long...my apologies to those of you who read this regularly. I have been so overcome by all that the Lord has been doing throughout this summer. What a season for change. We have seen the hand of God so powerfully at work in the hearts of our staff here at Qwanoes; it is astounding. I cannot express the joy that my heart has known this summer, nor the elation at the privilege to be part of it. God has moved in such incredible ways to challenge His followers here to more than what they came with. So many lives are being transformed through the ministry of this summer. Children are hearing and experiencing truth...there is no question of that...but my heart is no doubt shifted to the staff the Lord has brought to us this summer. We have come so far since we began to form in April as we have seen God purge so much from us and prepare us to receive challenge and transformation. There is a hunger and thirst for the Word of God that His spirit has brought about in the last couple months. There is a passionate pursuit of these kids that is changing the hearts of our counselors. So many of our staff are experiencing their lives being literally transformed before their own eyes as God works in them to bring about the men and women that He desires them to be. We are a fallen and fallible people that the Lord has and is using to accomplish His divine will. Praise Him for that! This is a summer about change...about foundation...about establishing a life of discipleship and following after our Saviour. The Lord is moving us from decisions to disciples; followers of Jesus; those who long to know Him, serve Him, become like Him and invite others to do the same. As we are discipling the staff team this summer, our prayer is that they in turn will disciple their kids and establish the true calling of God on our lives that does not involve a one-time decision, but a lifetime of following the Saviour.

"Be Holy For I Am Holy"

How many of us still strive for holiness? Can you honestly say that you are striving for holiness? Why does the Lord ask this of us? Isn't it impossible for us to attain holiness while still living in a sinful world? Is that reason to fall into complacency? Never.
The Lord calls us to be holy, and so we must strive for holiness in all we do! We must never be satisfied with the state of our hearts but always looking to become more like our Saviour. God does not ask anything of us that He does not intend to walk through with us.
The more of this world that we release and let go of, the more room we make to invite the things of God into our lives. Purify your heart. You were made to reflect the Lord, the God of all creation, and you cannot reflect Him when your life is full of the world.

A New Beginning

I've known Leila for a little more than 4 years and had the privilege of witnessing the work of the Holy Spirit in her life as God has tested and challenged her. She was a student this past year with the Kaleo Program and coming in half way through and seeing how she has softened and how God has pulled her out of her former way of life has been such a joy! It has been amazing to see her wrestle these past years and come to a point this year where she realized her need to lay her old life down, forsaking it, burying it and allow her spirit to be reborn.

Leila and I went into the water on Saturday and were able to show those that attended in a physical way what the Lord had accomplished in her life. He has made her a new creation; she has chosen to be raised to a new life! Praise the Lord

Discipleship

“Go into all the nations and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Are we inviting people into a lifelong journey of following Christ or offering them a ticket into eternity? The decisions made by adults, young children or young adults to say a prayer of penance often leaves them with the impression that there is nothing more to being a Christian. In this, we have failed to communicate the message of grace and hope that Jesus brought. It’s not that we simply need to explain better what people are committing to, we need to do a better job of making disciples instead of converts.
Take Jesus’ example: He came alongside twelve men for three years, using every part of life to impart on them the way they are called to live. He taught through his life, the community around them and the environments they were in whether city or rural. Jesus called people to “follow Him” literally, where He went as well as how he lived. Today, our call as disciples is much the same: to walk as Jesus did, teaching those around us through our life and situation how to be followers of Jesus.
There’s nothing wrong with encouraging a commitment, but that commitment is a springboard into a life of following Christ; it’s not the final moment. Unfortunately our society, in pushing for decisions, has encouraged neglect of a new believer once they have made a decision and leaves a hungry child starving for the pure milk of the Word. As believers, we have been commissioned to “disciple” those we are doing life with. We ought never to assume that our job is over because they have made a commitment through prayer. That person is an infant of faith. What would happen to a newborn child if they were left to fend for themselves immediately after entering this world? What were the purposes of Paul’s letters if not to disciple the churches of Galatia, Ephesus, Corinth and so on? He did not simply leave them with the message of hope, he discipled them. True, you may not have opportunity to disciple all whom you are privileged to introduce to Christ, but in sharing the gospel, communicate that this decision is one to follow Christ for the rest of their life; introduce them to a “full life” in Christ, one that comes through being discipled and grown in one’s faith. Do not leave them to starve for faith and hope. Upon introducing someone to faith, give him or her the tools to continue in their faith and become a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Freedom

Freedom that comes from a life with Christ exalts the God who gave it to you. If you cannot live in freedom from what he has saved you from, others cannot see the greatness of God. It is in witnessing the transforming power of Jesus Christ in a sinner’s life that others will seek to follow. When you take pride in the work of Christ in your life, you exalt Christ. Praise him for the work he has done to set you free from the sin in your life; do not hold onto the chains that bind you but instead embrace the mercy of God and stand on him rejoicing in who you have become because of him! You are a new creation, the old has gone!! The new has come!! Walk in that truth! Embrace that promise! To ignore this is to stomp on the gift of grace in your life. Jesus died that you might be free! Not so that you could continue to feel sorry for how awful you are! Take hold of what God is extending to you and live in such a way that exalts God for his gift!

Exhortation

Where is the balance in a fervent attempt to compel people to completely turn from the corruption of sin and the compassion to do it in a way that they will respond with open and willing hearts? This has been an all too familiar struggle in my life and unfortunately one that has flared disruption and even contempt from some of those I have been responsible for raising up in the truth. A zealous and fervent spirit can quickly offend to the point of hurt or anger and it is not the desire of our Father for us to bring about this emotion in people. In fact, this situation can very possibly do more damage than good. Raising an awareness of the effects of sin in our lives is essential to a life devoted to abiding with and becoming more like Christ (Phil.2:5-11). As teachers and leaders it is vital that we invoke this searching of the heart in a compassionate form that exemplifies the heart of Jesus in our own lives. It is better neither to ignore the effects of sin nor to highlight them to the point of damage, for neither the former nor the latter will result in a deeper relationship with the Lord for the man/woman we are guiding. We must allow ourselves to burn with fervency for the changing of hearts and lives while harnessing that passion into compassion and love to see that person overtaken by the truth of the freedom that comes from a “full life” (John 10:10b) in Christ. The fervency and zealous passion that we feel towards the need to turn and run from sin needs to be harnessed into prayer; our emotions can overflow before the Lord as we break for the state of those we know and even those we do not know. Righteous anger will pour out of our mouths and as the tears begin to flow, we must release these emotions before the Lord that He may receive the brokenness that we feel for those in our path. Most importantly, the anger we feel must not be revealed to those we are broken for unless the Lord opens that door. Love draws people to the Lord and anger, even righteous anger, can easily be perceived as judgment. Although we are not responsible for the perceived emotion that others feel, we are responsible for acting in a way that glorifies the Father who sent us and who empowers us. We have no right to address any issues except by the authority that has been given us through Jesus Christ. Although you may see the truth of a situation, you may not be the one chosen to communicate that truth. Beware of your own ambition! And do not think of yourself so highly that you forget whom it is that you serve.

Canada...again??

Although I assumed my leaving last April was for good, the Lord showed me this past summer that the time to return would come and here it is. I know not for how long only that I am committed until the end of this summer. The Lord has been gracious in calling me back up here for this season, and He has already unveiled some of His reasons for calling me to this place once again. I am thrilled at the opportunities that the Lord has placed in front of me and look forward to this time. I have the great privilege of working with the staffing team to prepare and hire the staff for this summer and then will move into the Head Counseling position once again for the summer. The Lord has been quite specific in His design for me here, and I believe He has a specific place for me this fall as well. I will be excited to embark on that journey as the time draws near.
For now I am in a place of contented peace, knowing that my Lord has drawn me up here for this time and will complete in and through me the work that He has set forth for me to do. I would appreciate your prayers for wisdom as I seek a place to live over the next few months. For now, the Badkes have opened up their home to me, and I have been so blessed to be here. Although I am unsure where the right place is for me the next few months, I trust that the Lord has a place that will suit and ask that you would uphold me in prayer as I seek that out.

Many blessings!