My Journey

Changing Perspective

2011-07-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

I have often wondered why the Lord hasn't brought my husband into my life yet. Actually this is probably a daily question that goes through my mind. Today as I was spending time with the Lord, I heard him say, "Change your perspective".

What are the good things about me being single and now in my later 30's? A question I need to be asking myself instead of the one I wrote earlier. What can I thank the Lord for in my life? There really are so many things....and beginning to focus on those instead of what I don't have is such a better idea. So often the enemy wants to get us to focus on the bad....the things we are missing out on. My focus needs to remain on the Lord and on His goodness! He knows the desires of my heart, but He also knows the path He has me on....and He is good in all of it!

Things to be thankful for....I don't have as many responsibilities as those that are married and have children. I only have to take care of myself (which can be a chore sometimes!). I can pick up and go whenever I want....no one to ask. I can always go out for "Girls Night"!! I am blessed with an amazing group of friends that have surrounded me and loved me. I am right where the Lord has me....doing exactly what the Lord wants me to be doing! No better place to be!

Just wanted to share a little of what has been on my heart lately! It has been awhile since I have written....but I am working on being more active on here. Thanks for listening to my heart!

~ KIM ~

Adventures in HAITI.....

2010-09-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

This past Thursday at about 2:3o in the morning we pulled into the church parking lot after ending a week long adventure to Haiti. I say adventure because it was exactly that! When I look back over all we did I feel like it was a lot longer than just a week. The days were very long and very full of so many things.

We arrived in Haiti the Thursday before last and noticed that there have been a lot of changes made in the country starting with the airport. Things seemed to be a lot more organized as they guided us through customs to baggage claim. We had no problems getting our luggage and making it out without having to pay someone.....which is definitely different than last time! Once we walked out of the building to find our ride, we noticed that there were fences up holding back the Haitians from grabbing our luggage and trying to help us to our vehicles in hopes of getting money. We quickly found our ride and made our way to the Foursquare base camp. It was nice to see all the changes made around the church as we passed by on the way to the house. The wall we had helped move rock for last time was completely up around the church with a huge gate in front. Ground had been leveled out and all the grass and weeds behind the church had been cleared out. It was so amazing to see all the hard work that had been done in just 3 months!

Once getting to base camp we received instructions for what we would be doing for the next few days. We were invited to hike up to a village out of Port Au Prince called Lascahobas. There is a Foursquare church located at the top of the mountain and they asked us to put on a Vacation Bible School program for the children up there for a few days. We planned projects for the kids along with lessons, and lots of games and other activities. Early the next morning we packed up our stuff and began our 2 hour journey in a Tap-tap (the vehicles that transport people in Haiti). Once we were at our destination we were greeted by about 30 Haitians that were going to be walking up the mountain with us to their village, Lascahobas. We unloaded all of our supplies and personal luggage along with ten new wooden benches that another team had made for the church. As things were being unloaded, the Pastor of the Foursquare church began calling kids over to pick up the benches and then he placed them on their heads. They carried these benches along with other items we brought up the mountain on top of their heads. I still don't understand how they did it, but I saw it happen and I am amazed!

I took a look up at the mountain in front of me and was not sure I would even be able to make this hike. The trail was almost straight up and it just kept going. This was by far the hardest thing I think I have ever done. We hiked up the mountain for an hour and a half and all the trails were straight up. I of course was in the very last group and we took our time....stopping along the path at any shaded area we could find because it was so hot. The Pastor stayed with us the whole time, making sure we were going the correct way. I kept telling him that he could go on ahead of us, but he insisted on walking slowly with us and making sure we made it!

Once at the top I was blown away by the view. It was one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. It was absolutely beautiful. We set up our tents and placed tarps around the toilet that sat on a slab of cement behind the church. It looked like it was going to rain a little so we put the rain flies over our tents and then joined the Haitians in the church. While sitting in the church, which is a building made of a tin roof and tarps for walls, the wind started to blow and the rain started to fall. The storm was beginning to hit and we all scattered throughout the area where we had placed our tents, making sure everything was secure. The wind picked up and the rain was coming down even harder. The tarps we had placed around the toilet were blowing away and it took everything we could do to stand there making sure we didn't lose the tarp. Because the rain was coming down so hard we decided to put the tarp from the bathroom over our tent to keep things dry. By this time we were all completely soaked from head to toe. Once everything was finally secure, or as well as we could make it, we went back into the church to wait the storm out. I can honestly say that I have never been in a storm like that before.

This is a few of us at our camp in the midst of the storm, completely wet!

All three nights that we were in the village, the Pastor invited us to a prayer meeting. The Haitians would all sing worship to the Lord, which was by far one of my favorite parts! They would sing with everything they had in them and it was beautiful. After a few songs, the worship leader would then read a Psalm. Then they would all sing a few more praises to the Lord. Each night one person from our team would share what the Lord had put on their heart. Our interpreter, Robenson, was there to help us out!

During the day we would play games with all the kids of all ages. We had relay's which was so fun to watch them participate in. Even the older women in the village joined in the games! Our team played in a few soccer games, one of which was in the mud and everyone was slipping and falling all over the place! Everyone in the village would come out and watch the games being played and would cheer and laugh with all of us. Basically we were up in their village to love on the people, but really what happened was they loved on us just as much. It was an incredible week of learning what community really is all about. These families live together, eat together, play together and love each other. It really was amazing to see!

While on the mountain the Lord spoke to me a lot about His presence. I was sitting up on this mountain looking out at the Lord's beauty and resting in His presence. He instructed me on what we needed to be doing the whole time we were up in Lascahobas. Without Him I would have been so lost and not really knowing what we could be doing for these people.....but He showed me that we were up there for a specific reason and He guided our steps along the way. I don't want to ever leave His presence. In His presence things happen! When we are in His presence, He gives us instruction and we, in obedience, get to move see things happen that wouldn't out of His presence. As I learned a lot about the presence of the Lord on that mountaintop, I realized that I need to bring that down into my every day life.....the valley. I don't want to go anywhere without being in His presence. I want the Lord to invade my life completely....and I want to see the unbelievable happen.

There were so many more things that happened in Haiti, but really this was the part that impacted me the most. Thank you for your prayers and support as our team went to Haiti. This trip will always have a special place in my heart.....it really did change me and for that I am so grateful!

~Kim~

HAITI

2010-09-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

To be honest with all of you, I just want to admit that I am having a little bit of anxiety about our upcoming mission trip to Haiti. I leave on a trip with our 2nd year Anthem students in a little over one week and I am not sure if I am really prepared for what we are going to be doing. It is possible that we are going to be going to a part of Haiti that has not really been reached yet since the earthquake in January. I am from Eastern Oregon so I know what it is like to be "camping" with no showers and no bathrooms.....but the heat on top of this is going to be hard. Also, leading a group of young people is a lot of work and I have been going through a lot this summer....so the question is, am I really ready for this?

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil 4:6-7

I am super excited to see what the Lord is going to do with our team....how we will be able to work in this village He is sending us to and what an impact He will have on lives by using us there. I felt like I was to write this blog post and ask that you will join me in prayer....because the scripture says "present your requests to God" and his peace will guard our hearts and minds!! I need the peace of the Lord!!!

Thank you!!

~ Kim ~

What An Adventure.....

2010-09-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

This summer has truly been an adventure. Not so much in going places physically but mostly going places spiritually. The Lord had me start a journey this summer that has taken me back to places in my life where I have made agreements that shape my life. These agreements have not always been good agreements and have caused me to live in fear instead of living in freedom like the Lord has wanted for me.

A few months ago I started meeting with a Christian counselor and she began to help me process through all that the Lord was revealing to me. I felt like I had some pretty major breakthrough in my life and I was on my way to living in freedom!! About a month passed and I realized that the process I began at the beginning of the summer was really just the beginning. I am still on an incredible adventure with the Lord and on my way out of this dark pit that the Lord has revealed to me. There are good days and there are very hard days....but through it all the Lord has been so faithful! He wants complete healing in all of us....it is just our choice if we will surrender to his will and walk through it or just keep living our lives the way we always have. Personally I am sick of living my life the way I always have!!!

Today I was reading in My Upmost For His Highest, and it was talking about pouring out our blessings on the Lord. What the Lord was speaking to me was that instead of me holding on to the blessings and gifts that he gives me, I am supposed to be pouring them back on him. I am so afraid of losing these blessings so I hold on too tight....just hoping they will always be there. These blessings become my filling each day.....and that is not God's intention! He desires to be our complete filling....not his gifts and blessings. It has definitely been something for me to think about!

Now on with the rest of this adventure.......

Seeking His Presence

2010-07-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

It has been way too long since I have updated my blog....so I thought it was about time to do just that.

My life has completely changed over the past few months and it is all because of God's presence in my life. For years I have walked around filling a deep pit with anything and anyone that could come and make me feel good and make me feel loved. The sad thing is that those things never lasted and so I would keep reaching to others and other things. Never completely satisfied. I started seeking the Lord and His Presence and the Lord met me! He came to this deep pit and began to fill it with his presence and his love!

He drew me up out of a horrible pit [a pit of tumult and of destruction], out of the miry clay (froth and slime), and set my feet upon a rock, steadying my steps and establishing my goings..... Psalm 40:2 (Amp)

It is amazing what can happen when we truly seek the Lord with our whole heart. When we finally let go of control and give God our EVERYTHING! I am living proof that God wants to come and completely fill our lives with his love so that we stop trying to reach out and get it from other people and other things. He wants to fulfill our every need!

~ Kim ~

A Revelation

2009-11-06T11:22:00.000-08:00

Revelation - something made known to us by God

For the last couple of mornings I have been reading through the book of Galations during my quiet time with the Lord. The word revelation kept standing out to me as I was reading, so I began to dig a little deeper into what the Lord was wanting to speak to me.

Paul said in Galations 1:12....."I did not receive it from any man, not was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." Paul was talking about how he came to know the Lord.....that nothing any man said changed his life, but it was what the Lord showed him that brought him into relationship with Jesus. Then, in Galations 2:2 he writes....."I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles." Paul had a revelation from the Lord to go and preach to the Gentiles, so his response was obedience.

For my own life I have realized in that the Lord speaks to me often....He gives me revelations! He makes known to me what direction he wants me to go in life. He makes known to me the things he wants to bring healing to in my life. He makes known to me what he thinks about me and how much He loves me. These are all things the Lord is doing on a regular basis. Now, just like Paul, I get to respond. Will my response be obedience or will it be to go my own way? I would hope that it would be obedience, but sometimes I have to admit that I am a little stubborn and it takes me awhile to completely obey.

I pray today that you and I will be receiving revelations from the Lord. That as we draw closer to the Lord he will draw closer to us! I pray that as the Lord reveals things to us that we would respond in obedience. I also pray that when God reveals things to us, that we would be a people like Abraham....."he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Galations 3:6

I pray that when God speaks to us we would believe his truth and declare it in our lives.

Thank you Lord for speaking to our hearts!

~ Kim ~

Step Out

2009-07-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

The moment I saw this camper the Lord showed me a picture. I was at the registration table at camp, checking in all the boys while Kate checked in all the girls. The picture was so real and it broke my heart. I began to pray and listen to the Lord for this young man.

Two days later I am standing in the back of the chapel and I see this young man and the Lord told me to go tell him what I saw. I went back and forth with God for about 5 minutes because one, I didn't know the kid and two, I didn't any clue what God was going to tell him and I was afraid. I had this heaviness on my chest and I knew I had to be obedient. God is so good....as I tapped this kid on the shoulder he glanced back at me, not really sure what I was doing. I leaned over and told him, "I have a word for you!" and immediately he turned around. There was an anticipation in his face and I knew he wanted to hear from the Lord. As I began sharing with him the picture the Lord gave me, God kept speaking more to him. That moment I knew that God met him right where he was and his life would be changed. It was amazing!

No matter if we know all that we are going to say or just a little piece of it, if God asks us to step out and speak....be obedient!

Since camp I have received a few texts from this kid and he told me that he is completely different. God did some pretty incredible things in his life up at camp and I am honored that the Lord would use me through it. I am learning that I don't have to have a feeling or have my heart start racing before I know it is God speaking to me.....I spend time with the Lord everyday and I have learned through my time with him what his voice sounds like. Now I listen and move when he asks, even if there isn't a feeling that takes over. I have seen God show up so much more lately because of my obedience and I don't ever want to go back to the way I was. I want to be used by the Lord everyday to see lives changed. I also want to hear from the Lord everyday for my own life.

I can't imagine living life without God speaking to me. I am so glad I don't have to!

~ Kim ~

Summer

2009-07-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

When I think of summer I think of Camp Crestview. This summer will be my 21st year going to Crestview, with a break in between for a few years. In 1984 I was told by my mom that I was going to go to camp at Crestview, but I was the only girl from my church. I fought my mom, because how scary would that be? I just remember begging my mom to not make me go...but she kept saying, "I grew up at Crestview and so will you. Don't worry...you will love it!" I am so glad that my mom made me go. I didn't want to leave. I couldn't wait until the next summer when I could go again. Camp was a place where I would meet new friends and grow closer to the Lord. It was a place where I learned what worship was all about. It was a place where I remember God talking to me for the first time.

Tomorrow I get to go to Crestview for High School camp. I am busy getting ready....packing clothes and hoping I don't forget anything. I am so excited for what is going to happen this coming week. Last year was the best year at camp for me by far.....but I am expecting God to show up in a new fresh way this year....and I am waiting for him to rock the lives of these young people going to camp. The great thing about camp is that not only are the campers lives changed but also the staff. I came home from camp last year a new person....and I am looking for the Lord to work in my heart again this year!

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to go to camp. I am thankful for a job that allows me time off of work to do the ministry I love so much! I am thankful for the expectant heart the Lord has given me for camp. I am also thankful for the amazing summer weather we are having!!!! I love the sunshine!

~ Kim ~

Stories that make you laugh.....

2009-07-09T09:39:00.001-07:00

I love to sit around with friends and tell old stories.......

Laughter

Last night, while sitting in the Allstott's living room, some friends along with some "kids" that used to be in the youth group when I was a leader sat around and shared story after story. We have had some fun times and it meant a lot to me to just sit back and laugh with friends. At one point I know I was crying because I was laughing so hard.

Tomorrow we celebrate Kevin Osterloh's life and last night we were able to share our funny Kevin stories. The way I want to remember Kevin is by these stories we shared. He was such an amazing young man and has blessed each of our lives.

Being back in La Grande just reminds me of all the good times I have had here. I am thankful to be here and to be with friends!

~ Kim ~

Do Not Hide

2009-07-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Psalm 40:10

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.

I remember a time in my life where I had a hard time believing that God was really good. It's crazy because God has always been faithful. He has always been righteous. God has always been loving. Why then would I have a hard time believing he was good?

I can look back at my life and really wonder what happened here and there. When bad things happened was it God punishing me? No....it was me walking through the choices I made. God taught me things through those hard times. He is so good that he wanted me to learn more about him through the choices I made that brought me pain and sorrow.

My responsibilty now is to not be quiet about what God has done in my life, but to speak of his goodness. When I am talking with someone who is walking through a hard time I need to be leaning on the Holy Spirit to tell me what to say. My words are not going to change what someone is going though, but God can change their heart by what he wants me to speak. Being quiet and not telling others of his goodness in my life is not allowing myself to be used by the Lord to bring his truth.

My heart is so heavy right now. There are people in my life that do not walk an easy life. Their choices have brought some pretty hard circumstances. I want to come in and fix the problem. I want to help them make choices that will be better for their life....but I can't. What the Lord has shown me today is that I can be quick to listen to the Holy Spirit and when he tells me to speak, I will tell of God's goodness. I will tell of his righteousness. I will tell of his great love. And instead of me changing things in their life......I allow God the room to do what He can and will do in their heart.

I am thankful for what the Lord keeps showing me in my quiet times with him each day.

I am thankful that God's word is......"Living and Active", Heb 4:12

~ Kim ~

Thankful For Lifelong Friendships

2009-07-06T10:47:00.001-07:00

I was able to sleep in today. What a wonderful feeling! I woke up refreshed and ready for my week. As I rolled over to look out the window I saw beautiful Mt. Emily and smiled. What a site to wake up to. It is nice to be in La Grande for awhile.

Today I get to have lunch with friends.....then I am off to spend the rest of the day with someone very close to my heart. After this weekend of spending time with this friend.....I realized how deep my love is for this person.

John 15:12-14

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

I am thankful that the Lord has blessed me with this friendship. I am thankful that the Lord brought both of us back "home" so that we could have time together. The Lord always has a plan.....and I am honored to be used by Him to love His children!

~ Kim ~

July 5th....

2009-07-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am thankful for an amazing 4th of July weekend at Wallowa Lake!

I am Thankful for......

The Allstott Family and for them inviting me camp with them this weekend

Laughter and Memories

Long talks with an old friend

God speaking through others to my heart

More Laughter

Fireworks at the Lake

Good Food

Good Weather

And again......Laughter

~ Kim ~

July 2nd.....

2009-07-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for........

My car that is paid of and will get me to my destination!

Air Conditioning

Waking up before my alarm......it is a beautiful day

Time off

Great friends!

Today I begin my adventure.........

Wallowa Lake ~ Friends ~ Camping

Sunshine ~ Boat Rides ~ Fireworks

Great Food ~ Games ~ Road Trip

~ Kim ~

On July 1st I am Thankful for....

2009-07-01T11:47:00.001-07:00

Quiet Time This Morning

Hearing God's Voice Speak To Me

Amazing Sunshine ~ Summer

A Trip To Look Forward To ~ The 4th of July is coming!!

I decided yesterday that I am going to start writing down things I am thankful for daily. Too often I get caught up in the negative and forget about all the amazing blessings in my life. Even starting this yesterday I could see how I was having a hard time thinking of the things I am thankful for. I need to change my mindset! Here I go!

~Kim~

A Thankful Heart

2009-06-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of days I have realized that I keep thinking about the things that I don't have and not looking at what God has given me. I don't seem to have a thankful heart too often. I am always wondering when God is going to show up with the things I desire instead of looking at all the blessings He has given to me.

This morning I was reading in Psalm 104 and it really spoke to my heart. How amazing is our God? I don't think I spend enough time thinking about how amazing my God really is. If you have a moment you should read Psalm 104 and really think of all that God does on a regular basis. He provides for our needs. He gives us the breath that we need to live. God is in control and He has our best in mind.

The more I sit and think about these things the more I forget about the things I don't have. I think that the enemy wants me to sit in my self pity and make me think of all the things I am missing. I don't want to sit there anymore. I want to change my thought process and have a thankful heart. So that is what I am going to do. For the next few times that I write on here I am going to write about what I am thankful for. I am going to stop letting the enemy keep me down and I am going to start thanking the Lord for all the good things he has done.

Today, I am thankful for the breath that God has given me. In Him I have life! I am thankful that God giving me a purpose for living. Thank you, Lord, for having a plan for my life!

~Kim~

Weary

2009-06-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap

a harvest if we do not give up.

Galations 6:9

This past week the Lord put a word on a friends heart for me. He said to my friend that I have been growing very weary. At first when I heard this I was not in agreement with that word. "I am not weary!" I kept saying to myself. While sitting down that next morning, spending time with the Lord, I began to look up the word weary and scriptures that talked about being weary. I began to understand what the Lord was saying.

This past year has been a lot of "plowing" ground for what the Lord wants to do in and through my life. As I look over the past 10 months I have seen God strip things from my life, including my comfort. I have been seeking the Lord and doing what he has asked of me, even if I am not understanding all that he is doing. I have really been trying to walk out the "doing good", as the scripture says. The Lord has given me many promises and I believe he is faithful and these things will come to be in my life.....so I will keep doing good and wait.

While waiting on the "harvest" to come forth in my life, it is encouraging to know that I have friends around me. Friends that I can be real with. Friends that will walk beside me and pray. Friends that don't always have the answers, but they are willing to listen. God has blessed me with some pretty amazing friends!

~ Kim ~

Saying Goodbye

2009-05-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Saying goodbye to a friend is hard, especially if you know it will be the last time you ever talk to them. A little over two weeks ago I was leaving Medford for a mission trip down to Mexico. I received a text from a friend letting me know that I should probably give my friend Mary a call before I leave, just in case she didn't make it until I got home. My first response was to just leave and not have to deal with how I was feeling about the situation, but I decided that I would make the call and I am so glad I did. Mary was 82 years old and she had leukemia for the second time. This time she decided not to do any treatment and go home with the Lord when he was ready to bring her home. Mary is like a grandma to me. I have known her most of my life and over the past twelve years, while I lived in La Grande, I grew really close to her. When I made the phone call I wasn't even sure if I would be able to talk to her, but God is so good and allowed me to have my final conversation with Mary. I was able to tell Mary goodbye and that I loved her and she said the same to me. This was one of the hardest conversations I have ever had and it ended with me crying harder than I have in years. Two days later, while I was walking back to the hotel in Mexico, I received the news that Mary had passed away. A part of me was relieved because I didn't want to see her in pain anymore and I knew she was at home with Jesus, the other part of me was sad because I lost someone so close to my heart.

We spent another week in Mexico when we received the news that another close friend of mine, Kevin, was not doing very well and they weren't sure how much longer he would be here. Kevin is 21 years old and has been in my life since he was in the 6th grade. I have loved Kevin like he was my own child. I was his youth leader for many years and then had the honor of being here in Medford, helping out with Anthem, where he is a student. Kevin was diagnosed with a brain tumor a little over two years ago and in the past couple of weeks we found out that his tumor has grown to 6.5mm. Just last week, after not thinking he might make it through the night, the doctors gave him steroids and that helped him to make it back home to La Grande. Our team in Mexico made the decision to cut our trip short and head home as quickly as possible. We flew into San Francisco, drove home to Medford, did some laundry and packed up again.....then we made a long trip to La Grande this past weekend. We were so blessed to have made it back in time to see Kevin and spend some time with him. He is such a blessing to all of us and we really wanted him to know that! We were able to stay in La Grande for a few days. Monday night was our last night in town and we planned a special night just for Kevin. Since he will not be able to join us here in Medford for the Anthem graduation, we gave him his own graduation ceremony. Each of the students prepared something for Kevin.....a letter, song or just sharing with him some of their favorite memories with Kevin. I had the opportunity to share with Kevin how much I loved him and what he meant to me. This was one of the most incredible nights of my life. To hear from each of the students and leaders just how much Kevin meant to them and changed their life, that was a moment that changed my life. That night I said goodbye to Kevin and maybe even hugged him for the very last time. He is still holding on and we aren't sure what God is going to do, but we will keep praying and see what God has in store for Kevin.

Something that both Mary and Kevin have taught me is to live life for the Lord until my very last breath. Each of them have been such an amazing example of lives completely sold out to the Lord.....no matter what came at them, the still praised their Jesus. I do not want to take for granted the life God has given me. I want to be a light for him every second of every day, just like Mary and Kevin have both done. I am going to miss my friends very much but I am so comforted to know where they will be!

~Kim~

Extravagant Love

2009-04-07T15:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was shown Extravagant Love by some pretty amazing friends. These friends allowed the Lord to use them to pour out His love on me in a time when I really needed it. My birthday was on Monday and for the past few years I have really struggled with that day. Since being in my 30's the enemy has really gotten me down around my birthday, bringing up the fact that I am single and going through life alone....and for some reason getting older is hard to face. I have sometimes even bought into the lie that God has forgotten me. I know all these things are lies but around this time of the year I always seem to believe them.
A few weeks ago our pastor spoke about Extravagant Love. He spoke to us about allowing ourselves to be used by the Lord to show others the Father's love. On Sunday...the day before my birthday...after church, my friend Kate took me to lunch and to the park to relax in the beautiful weather we were having here in Medford. Not really knowing what was happening, I was totally surprised by two other friends, Kate B. and Steph, who were redecorating my bedroom. On Sunday evening I was taken home and with my eyes closed I was guided up the stairs into my bedroom. My friends had been asking me questions for months about the things I like and don't like. They had been working together on making my room a place where I could go and relax and just completely enjoy. It is so beautiful! They made me a new duvet cover for my comforter and bought me satin sheets and beautiful pillows to lay on my bed. They made me curtains for my windows and to cover my huge closet doors. There was a new lamp on my night stand with candles and plants in cute pots. Everywhere you look something was new and it was so beautiful. I had always been bummed about my room because it was so blah and boring....now it is elegant and relaxing. My friends went above and beyond all I could have imagined and I truly felt the Extravagant Love of my Heavenly Father.
On my birthday these same friends had the whole day planned....from picking me up in the morning and bringing me tulips and a Starbucks coffee to the end of the night celebrating while eating my favorite dessert, Bobbi's famous carrot cake! Along with my friends here in Medford, I received many cards and packages from friends in La Grande. Just to be remembered was a blessing. I can honestly tell you that this is one of the best birthday's I have ever had and I will remember the Extravagant Love my friends poured out on me these past few days!
Now it is my turn to show the same kind of love to someone else. I am listening closely to the Lord for his direction. I know that he wants to use me and I am excited for the opportunity!

~ Kim ~

In Obedience We See God's Miracles

2009-03-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Joshua 3:15-16

"Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing."

This morning in my devotion time, the Lord had me walking through Joshua. I love the book of Joshua because it is the time when we see the goodness of the Lord and his promises come forth. Joshua becomes the leader of the Israelites after Moses dies. He is the one that gets to lead God's people into the Promise Land!!! Once the Israelites get to the Jordan river the Lord directs them to take the Ark of the Covenant into the river. The river is not just a calm river and it is no big deal to come near it.....it is actually raging and at the flooding stage. I can just imagine what the Israelites were thinking when they saw the river. I am sure they were a little fearful and wondering if they really heard God correctly.

In Obedience We See God's Miracles

The Israelites were Obedient
"Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their

feet touched the water's edge....."

And they saw the Miracle

"....the water from upstream stopped flowing."

It's one thing to read God's word.....it's another thing to believe that it is truth. This season of my life I have been learning a lot about being obedient to the voice of the Lord. And when I say obedient, I don't mean a few days after he says something to me, but immediately doing what he asks. About two weeks ago I received a phone call from a really great and trusted friend. As we were talking I walked away knowing that the Lord was asking me to do something that I saw as very hard....and I was even a little fearful of the unknown, just like I am sure the Israelites were before they stepped into the Jordan river.

What the Lord has asked me to do is to sell my truck. I know to some of you that is probably not a big deal....but for me it has been completely hard to make that decision. When I first heard the Lord say that to me, I was thinking.....why would God say that to me? I have spent so much time and money taking care of my truck....why would he ask me to do this? I love my truck!! This is going to be a sacrifice. So I began to process through what the Lord was saying and realized that if I do sell my truck, I can pay it off completely, buy something else to drive and I can get out of debt almost completely. Thinking about that now, in the place that I am in financially.....getting out of debt is God taking a huge load off my shoulders. WOW! God does have a plan! So I will step out in OBEDIENCE and watch what the Lord will do!

I put my truck up for sale this past Tuesday.....parking it in the church parking lot on the busy street the church sits on. Within a few hours I had phone calls coming in. We are living in a day and time where people are not buying things, they are selling.....but God asked me to sell and he is bringing me a buyer. If you would like to pray for me during this time I would greatly appreciate it! I want to see God's miracle and I belive it is coming!!

~ Kim ~

Life On The Vine

2009-03-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to Camp Crestview to join 160 women at a conference/slumber party called Life On The Vine. I went with Kate, Ashley and the Anthem Girls.

It was our first "girls outing" and it was amazing!!

On Saturday afternoon I went in to the chapel to hear Sunshine speak. She shared her testimony and the response of the women was amazing. After the testimony time, Shannon Kearney spoke about the next thing we were being invited to do. Around the front of the sanctuary were about 5 or 6 different stations. At the first station was ash on a plate. The second station had rocks and a cross. The third station was clean water in bowls. Then there were about six women available to pray with you. After that you could go and take communion. Next stood three men that had been asked to attend this conference. They were there to pray with the women. After that there was salt and then apples and honey.

At first I didn't really understand the reason for the stations. Usually in situations like that I tend to just walk away from them instead of engaging. I did walk out of the sanctuary for a little bit and said to the Lord, "I don't get it!" He said back to me, "I don't care, get back in there and go through it." I have been in a place of learning to be obedient right at the time that he asks something of me, so....I walked forward and got in line. Still unsure about what the purpose was, I reached out and touched the ash. Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart and said that my past is behind me and I need to stop looking behind and keep pressing forward. I went to the next station and picked up two rocks. As I was holding on to those two rocks the Lord began to show me two things I needed to let go of and leave at His cross. I began to pray and then placed them at the foot of the cross. The next station was prayer and as I turned around I saw someone that I knew and the Lord sent me to them. There has been a relationship that I have struggled in and the Lord wanted to heal that area. God is so good to direct and prepare hearts. After the conversation and prayer with each other, I was then able to take communion. The next steps happened and I left the sanctuary really excited about all that My Father had just accomplished in my life. If I would have remained stubborn and not walked through the stations just because I didn't understand, then I would have really missed out on something wonderful and very freeing.

Thank you Jesus for the blessing of your voice speaking to my heart. I would be lost without hearing from you!!

~ Kim ~

Pressing Forward

2009-02-25T09:28:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a hard one....I had about three and a half days to relax and just catch up on some things, but it ended up being a weekend of working through some hard things in my life instead. Most of the students were busy doing things, so things were quiet in our apartment. I was really missing La Grande and my friends there and so that added to the lonely feeling I was having.
It's interesting because what I came away with from this weekend was that I need to press forward through the desert times of my life. I was getting ready for church on Sunday morning and in my devotion time the Lord spoke very clearly to me through the book of Numbers. I was reading about how the Israelites were complaining to Moses saying they would like to go back to Egypt, where the Lord had rescued them out of bondage and slavery. They wanted to eat the meat they had in Egypt. They were complaining because all they had now was the manna that the Lord was providing them in the desert on their way to the promise land. Instead of the Israelites looking at what God had brought them out of and being joyful, they were looking at what they used to have and were frustrated.
The Lord has taken me from a place where I was being held back by the enemy, by being comfortable and in control, to a place of promise. When I made the decision to move and pursue what God was asking me to pursue, the chains were being broken off me and I began heading toward the "promise land". Right now I am walking through the "desert" and it is hard but I am learning so much at the same time. I am in a place where I am leaning completely on the Lord and I am totally out of my comfort zone. On the hard days when I am lonely, like this weekend, I know that the Lord is telling me to hold on....the promise land is coming! I don't want anything less than his best...so I will keep pressing forward and not revert back to my old self and my old ways of doing things. I will look to the Lord's direction and do things the way he is teaching me now. Sometimes I do think it would be easier to just pack up and move back to where I have been before....but then I am not in the place where God can move in my life. God never said that serving him would be easy....but he is always right there to walk through the good and the bad with me!

~ Kim ~

What I Am Learning

2009-02-11T11:59:00.001-08:00

I woke up at 4AM this morning for no reason. I started thinking about things going on in my life and started to get anxious. Until about 5:30 this morning I had a full blown anxiety attack. It was so stupid. I was going over and over in my mind how I was going to pay the my bills. I was trying to figure out how much I have in my bank account and then I began to subtract all that I need to take care of. I was really freaking out because I didn't know if things would get taken care of. How could I take care of them. How could I come up with money?

Do you see that I kept saying I. It was all about my own ability, not once was I asking the Lord to provide for my needs and to guide my steps. I was trying to figure things out on my own.

It says in Phil 4:6-7..... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Again the Lord is speaking to me about releasing control. When I try and figure things out on my own and try to take control, that is when I have anxiety attacks. When I put my complete trust in the Lord and do what the scripture says...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.....that is when I will feel God's peace! He will take control when I release it.

Don't ya just love it when God speaks!

~ Kim ~

Don't Hold Back

2009-01-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

This morning I had such an amazing time with Jesus. I was just talking to a friend saying, "Don't you just love it when the Lord speaks to you through the word?" This morning as I sat in my room in my favorite chair....the Lord met me!

I have read the book of Acts so many times, but today I read the beginning of Acts 5 and I heard the Lord in a new way explain to me what he wanted me to get out of that passage. It is the story of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. They sold a piece of property and with the full knowledge of what they were doing, they held back part of the money for themselves. The scripture reads.....

Acts 5:3-5

Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died.

A little further in scripture it says that his wife lied as well and fell down and died.

What the Lord spoke to me was this.....God wants ALL of us, not just parts of our lives. He wants us to lay down everything at his feet. He wants our love, our desires, our frustrations, our relationships, our pain, our accomplishments.....he wants our whole life! When we hold back from the Lord there will be death. Not saying that there will always be a physical death, but that there will be death in our spiritual life. God wants to bring life to us....so when we give God our everything, he breaths life into those areas. When we are frustrated or struggling with sin, he wants us to lay it at his feet and he will bring life to us in the area where the enemy wants to bring destruction and death. When we release our desires at his feet, he gives us his desires.....bringing life into that area! In our relationships with others, God wants to bring life into those, being the center of all our relationships!

It's interesting....this past week I have really walked through some hard things with the Lord. What I saw though was that the Lord showed me a place in my life where there was death. It was a hidden sin in my life that I was ashamed to bring to the light. It was a place that I was holding back from the Lord. A place where I could be in control. I believe that Ananias held back some of the money to have a little control in his life as well. The Lord revealed to me that this hidden sin was holding me back from going deeper with the Lord and that I needed to bring it into the light to see freedom. To see God replace this death with Life. Once I called a close friend and brought it into the light I felt a peace like I have never had before. There is no more death in that area of my life....God has brought his LIFE!

I want to encourage you to release everything into the Lord's hands....good or bad! I am learning in this stage of my life that I can't be in control anymore. God has a plan for my life and I want to go his way, not mine!

~ Kim~

He Meets My Needs...

2009-01-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

Phil 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

He meets my needs.

He even shows up with some of my most simple desires.

I have a funny story to share with you to show you just how the Lord shows up....how HE has blessed me in even the simplest of ways.

The other day I was driving down Jackson Street, passing Red Robin, and the smell of delicious food came into my truck as I looked over to some people walking into the restaurant. Part of me was jealous because I was hungry and I love Red Robin. Another part was wondering when the next time would be that I would get to eat there because as of right now I still don't have any money coming in (I start working tomorrow by the way) so I can't afford to eat out. I went on my way not giving any more thought to Red Robin. The next day I had a friend call me....making some plans for the day. She told me that she was going to treat me to lunch. I am sure you can see where this is going but I will continue! We get in the car on our way to lunch and she says that she has had a craving for Red Robin. I didn't realize that God was answering a simple desire I had the day before until a couple of days later (sometimes it takes me awhile) but as I thought about that lunch and about the time I had with my friend....I also realized that God is good! He loves me and wants to bless me, even with the simple things in life.

Since that day I am moved into an apartment with the four Anthem girls. While going through boxes the Lord blessed me with money I had put in a box before I left La Grande and I couldn't remember putting there. He had me find some more contacts that I needed before I have to go in for my annual eye exam and he has provided me with more food than I thought I even had. I am telling you....there really is something to letting everything go and giving it all to God. He has plans for our lives and holding on to control of that just hinders God from really being able to bless us in all the ways he desires.

~Kim~

What does God have for 2009

2009-01-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

One week into the new year.....what is God bringing my way?

The following scripture is what the Lord brought me to in my quite time one morning this week....

Gen 21:14-19
Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

Hagar was at the end of all she knew to do. She thought her son was going to die and had no idea of what to do to keep this from happening. God met her right where she was and he provided a well of water!

I have been obedient to the Lord in all he has asked me to do. He asked me to pick up and move to Medford to pursue the ministry he has called me to....working with a huge passion of my life which is Anthem (a discipleship school for college students). In all this I have been stretched beyond what I could have ever thought was possible....but God has been there the whole time! He is doing the stretching.

So how do I relate to the story of Hagar? I have listened to the Lord and since I have been in Medford I have given all my time toward Anthem....allowing me to go to a conference, go to Mexico with the team for a mission trip and also have some time with family and friends over the holidays. That means that I haven't been working I have just been living off of my savings. As you all know, savings do run out if you are not putting money back in to it. How I relate to Hagar is that I feel at the end of all I know to do. I have been applying to every job I can think of and still have had no luck in finding anything. I find myself on my knees crying out to the Lord in search of direction......waiting on a "well of water". This has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do...but I know it is just more stretching from the Lord. I need to remind myself to trust the Lord in all that he has for me. You would think this could be a little easier sometimes, but then what would I learn if it is easy?

I appreciate all your prayers and support during this time of waiting on the Lord and I look forward to what the Lord will do in my life in 2009!

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-23T09:39:00.001-08:00

~Merry Christmas~

I have been driving through Oregon over the last couple of weeks......visiting friends, attending the Bailie wedding in La Grande and now staying with family in Central Oregon for Christmas.

I wanted to share what I woke up to this morning, Tuesday December 23rd.......

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:11

Christmas

Family Friends

Great food Birth of Jesus Presents

Games Christmas Tree and Lights

Christmas Cards Family Pictures

Wrapping Presents Snow Shopping

Many Blessings Joy

Laughter Celebrate

Love

I pray that you have a blessed time with your family and friends this holiday seasons and that we all remember what Christmas is all about......celebrating the true HOPE of the world, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas

~ Kim ~

Feeling Crafty....

2008-12-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

My Saturday

Sleep in until 9:15
Make myself a cup of tea

The day begins once I start to wake up.......

Pull out my scrapbook bag and the crafts begin........

Put in the six hour version of Pride and Prejudice

(the best version by the way!!!)

.......and the cards ideas start coming

For the last two weeks I have tried to start making Christmas cards and well.....I just haven't felt the ideas coming. My cards that I have Tried to make have been so ugly....and ended up in the garbage.

Today......today I was inspired

Today I made 20 cards

20 cards to give to my friends and family

Here's a look at my creations.......

Still in my PJ's....watching Christmas Specials on TV.....but I feel ACCOMPLISHED!!!

This was a great day!

~ Kim ~

Thanksgiving In Colorado

2008-11-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving I was able to go to my sister's house in Colorado. I did a road trip with my Dad, Wanita, Shawna and Kevin. We left on Tuesday....driving through the night....arriving in Colorado at around one on Wednesday. We stayed for a few days, enjoy the holiday with family, and then headed home yesterday....finally arriving at my parents this afternoon. It has been a long time since we have been with Erica and the kids for the holiday's, so it was totally worth the long drive!

Terrell, 14 ~ Tevin, 12 ~ Eric, 9

My nephews are huge football fans. They have grown up eating and breathing football. This, of course, is something I can totally relate to. The one difference is, they are Dallas Cowboy's fans and I am a Denver Bronco fan. The talk all weekend was about how much they love their team and how much I love mine. I enjoyed playing around with they boys....throwing the football around before dinner and then watching the games on Thanksgiving day. I was so blessed to go to Colorado to be with family.

Tierra, 7

We had finished eating our Thanksgiving dinner...dishes were done and all the food was put away. While we were sitting in the family room at my sister's house, watching football.....my 7 year old niece, Tierra, said, "Auntie Kim, I want to paint your fingernails!" She chose the color blue, her new favorite color. I sat at the kitchen table and she paid close attention to what she was doing.

A little while later she wanted to check on her work, so she came over to me….looking closely at each nail to see how each nail at dried. Then she pulled off my slippers and started trying to clean off the paint on my toenails with a kleenex. She was scrubbing hard trying to get the paing to come off....but without the remover, it wouldn't. When Grandma asked her what she was doing….she looked up with a smile and said, “Just shinning them!” She is so cute!

I hope that you all had a truly blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends!

~ Kim ~

The Drive Begins.....

2008-11-24T21:41:00.001-08:00

The journey began today....Medford to Terrebonne. I stay with my parents for the night and tomorrow we drive to La Grande to pick up Shawna and Kevin....then on to my sister Erica's house in Colorado for Thanksgiving.

"Slow down and enjoy the view", the Lord spoke softly to me today.

In the past I have driven from destination to destination.

Today I slowed down and enjoyed the beauty of God's creation!

Things on my mind as during the three hours of driving....
Quiet ~ Prayer ~ Beautiful ~ Thankful ~ Worship

How Long? ~ Waiting on God's Timing
Fasting ~ Laugh
His Presence ~ Family

the drive ahead ~ A Smile Refreshing

Many times we need to just slow down and enjoy the view. Too often we are so busy that we miss what the Lord wants to show us or speak to us. Nothing like a beautiful drive in Oregon to slow me down. I am truly blessed.

~ Kim ~

Mexico

2008-11-21T10:46:00.001-08:00

After being in Mexico for almost a week, God did something that completely blessed me. I was in Mexico on a mission trip with the Anthem team. We went down to a place called Tepic where we worked with a church called LaFuente (The Fountain). LaFuente is planting their 7th church in the course of 10 years in a town called Compestella….and this is where our team mostly served. We were able to go to Compestella almost once a day, while in Mexico, to pray over the community and some property they would like to purchase for their church along with playing in a nearby park with children and adults from the community. It was an amazing experience!

On Sunday morning we went to LaFuente for breakfast and then spent some time praying with the leaders of the church for their Sunday morning service. While worship music was still playing and people were walking around the Sanctuary praying, I sat down and grabbed my water bottle. A woman from LaFuente came to me and said, “Bless You!” and then said something else to me in Spanish. I said “Bless You!” back to her and she smiled and walked away. She took a few steps and turned back around. She was speaking more Spanish to me, so I was not sure what she was saying….but all of the sudden I realized that she was praying for me. She knelt down and grabbed my hand, resting her head on my head, she began crying out to the Lord for me. I could only understand one word she said during her prayer and that was “persevere”. As she was praying for me the Lord told me, “I understand her prayer for you even if you don’t know what she is saying.” I was so blessed by this woman’s obedience to the Lord to pray for me. The prayer brought me to tears. Language was not a barrier….I knew that the Lord heard her!
As the day went on, our team went to one of the church plants in Puga to help with the morning church service. Pastor Verl, from our team, gave the morning message and then had people in the congregation come forward to respond to what the Lord has spoken to them. Our team was then asked to pray over the people who responded. It was amazing because again….language was not a barrier. Even though the woman I prayed over didn’t understand English, the Lord spoke to her. The Holy Spirit showed up in a mighty way that day…..and I was truly honored to be used by the Lord to pray for this woman.
The Lord is so good! Since that day the Lord has spoken to me either through someone or through something I have read about persevering. The woman who prayed over me heard the Lord and I am so grateful that she prayed for me. I am listening to all that the Lord is speaking to me….I am learning to persevere through all that comes each day.
One more pretty great thing that happened while we were in Mexico is that our team was able to meet some pretty amazing new friends. Chris and Stefanie were two of those friends that were with us most of the week. I just love how our team loved and included them as part of our team, our family! That is what we are to do everyday….love others! Chris and Stefanie and the rest of the crew from LaFuente will always have a special place in our hearts….and I look forward to seeing them again someday, hopefully soon!

~Kim~

FAITH

2008-11-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Psalms 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord,the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you — the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day,nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Yesterday Kevin and I went on a hike up Tablerock, here in Medford. As many of you know, Kevin was diagnosed with a brain tumor over a year ago. Kevin teaches me so much and I am so grateful for him being in my life. As we were walking up the trail he told me there was no way he could have hiked up this mountain last summer....but look at him now! It was such an accomplishment for both Kevin and I to make it up to the top....to see the beautiful view of the valley we now live in. One thing I have learned from Kevin is to hold on to the Lord and trust in him with all that I have. Kevin has done just that.....he hasn't given up on life but has surrendered his life completely over to the Lord. Everyday he is being used by the Lord to reach the lost and love them. Today as I was doing my daily devotions I read this in the notes of my Life Application Bible........

Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus

My faith in the Lord has grown so much over the past year. It started growing when I finally completely surrendered my life, my will, my dreams, my everything over to the Lord. That is when He could finally do what he wanted to do in my life. I started trusting in the Lord...trusting that he knows what's best and he will take care of my every need. I began trusting him with every step I take. I wasn't holding on to control anymore....I started seeking the Lord's face and his will for my life.

~Kim~

Learning To Rest

2008-10-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

This past week I was at a conference at Bethel Church in Redding California with the Anthem students. The last morning we were there a man came up to share his testimony about how God had healed him completely of his lung cancer. This man was given 3 months to live and his doctor couldn’t do anything for him except take him to Bethel to be prayed over at a conference. While he was there, the Lord told him to rest. He said it was something he just didn’t know how to do. He is a type A personality and resting was just not in his vocabulary. After being prayed over by someone at the church, the Lord told them the same thing he told the man….he needed to rest. As he has rested in the Lord, waiting on the Lord to bring healing to his body….God has done just that. The man is completely cancer free.
I moved to Medford almost three weeks ago! Since I have been here the Lord has spoken to me many times about the same word the man at Bethel received. I need to REST. I am also a type A personality….and resting is also not in my vocab. I completely desire to do what the Lord has asked of me, so this learning how to rest is a process.
Medford has been so amazing. I moved to Medford without a job, but the Lord told me to go. Not having a job has been part of the learning to rest. I have been able to completely jump into helping with Anthem, the ministry I am helping with at Living Waters. Instead of going, going, going all the time, I am learning to hear God’s voice and only do what he is asking of me. I have been praying all the time about where does the Lord want me to get a job and when….but I just keep hearing rest. I don’t have any control of my life….it is all in His hands! I know that when it is time to find a job, he will tell me when and where. He has a plan and I desire his will to be done, not my own!
God has been blessing me so much through this time of rest. I have released all control and in this God has taken care of all my needs….from my financial needs to my emotional needs. My church family in La Grande blessed me more than I could have ever asked by sending me off with a wonderful love offering. My new church family here in Medford has been so loving and just opened up their arms and welcomed me in. God knows my needs better than I do, so there is no better place than to rest in Him.
As I start this new chapter in my life, I ask that you will be praying for me as I grow closer to the Lord every day and learn to rest in Him alone. I am really enjoying the new adventure I am on and I am looking forward to the Lord showing me more of him everyday.

~ Kim ~

My Life as a Book

2008-08-30T16:04:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize lately that I am living my life like reading a book. Each day the Lord has me turn the page to see what is next, but I can’t see past that page. I can’t go to the end of the book to find out what happens. It is exciting and I love when the Lord shows me something new. I am in a place where I am completely surrendered to Him. I can’t take a step until he tells me to. What a wonderful place to be!
This past week I made a huge decision. It is probably the biggest step I have taken in my adult life. I am going to take a step back really quick and show you how this all began in my life. This past March I was with some friends at a retreat for Camp Crestview Camp Directors. When I left the retreat to come home, I felt a stirring begin to take place in my heart. Lately I have been very comfortable in the place where I live, in the job that I go to everyday and in the ministry I have been working in over the past 9 years. The Lord does not want us comfortable….he wants us in a place completely relying on Him and Him alone. When I am comfortable I don’t need to rely on Him….I have it all taken care of…at least that is what I thought. As I left that retreat and came home, my heart longed for more. I was talking to one of my friends and he said this….”Kim, don’t get comfortable! God has stuff ahead for you that is going to blow your mind. For years you’ve been ‘underutilized’. I think you are going to get to experience some years of being TOTALLY USED! “
Since that conversation the stirring kept happening in my heart. In my quiet time one morning I heard the Lord ask me to step down from youth ministry at the end of the summer. If you know me at all, you know that had to be God because there is no way that I would ever step down unless he told me to. I knew that God was up to something and I just needed to be obedient, so I went to Jeremy, our youth pastor, and let him know what the Lord was asking of me. I was not sure what God was doing because he told me that I was going to be totally used….so how would stepping down from youth ministry allow me to be totally used? I had to just trust that God had a plan.
Through this past summer I have seen the Lord change me in ways I can’t even explain. I have heard his voice so clearly and I have begun to step into all he has asked of me. I know that there is more and I keep turning the pages in this book I live to find out what is next. At the end of High School Camp this past July, my friend Ryan mentioned that he would like to have me come to Medford, Oregon to help with the “Anthem” program they lead at Living Waters Foursquare. Living in Medford has always been something I have wanted to do, but I have never felt that the Lord wanted me to be there….until now. I left camp with an excitement like I haven’t had in a very long time. I didn’t want to make a decision about moving to Medford based on my emotions, so I took a few weeks and didn’t think about it. I focused on Middle School camp, which took up all of my time. The second Middle School camp had ended, the Lord put Medford back on my mind. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I talked to Ryan some more over the phone about all the things he would like to see me doing this next year with Anthem…..and I knew I wanted to go. I talked to the pastoral staff at Faith Center and they began praying along with me as I waited on the Lord to direct my footsteps.
Like I said earlier, this past week I made a huge decision. I am moving to Medford this coming October. The stirring in my heart that the Lord began doing in March is all because he has called me to move to Medford for more. For more opportunities to do ministry that is so out of my comfort zone….but right where he wants me to be. As I begin this new adventure I ask that if you think about it, please be praying for me! I am completely surrendered to Him and in His will…..which is right where I want to be!

Camp Crestview

2008-07-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

This past week I joined youth and leaders from all over our district at Camp Crestview. It was a week full of amazing times of ministry, worship, teachings and lots of laughs. I have been going to Camp Crestview as a leader for the past 10 years and I have to say….this camp was my favorite by far. I went in to this week ready to do whatever was needed of me. I had no idea what that meant exactly….I was just ready to go and be used. After the first night of ministry to all the leaders I was so excited to see the youth get to camp and be ministered to. I just knew that the Lord wanted to speak to each camper that week.
On the second night of camp, the speaker asked the campers to stand if they felt abandoned, rejected or like a disappointment. By the time he asked those three things most of the camp was standing. I was blown away. Then, as leaders we had the amazing opportunity to pray over these young people. We were told to pray the opposite of abandonment, rejection and disappointment over them. As we started to see the young people coming through the tunnel of leaders, the Holy Spirit started giving us leaders words for each student. We began to pray intensely over each student and speak into their lives. I have never been more stretched in my life. I saw other leaders who had a word for every student that walked by them….and I wanted to do the same. I started asking the Lord to show me his heart for these young people….give me words to encourage them. Let me see them through His eyes. It was amazing how the Lord showed up. I began to hear the Lord tell me that I was going to pray over someone’s feet…so every set of feet that stepped into the prayer tunnel I looked at. After about 20 minutes, maybe even longer, I saw the feet I was to pray over. Immediately I fell to my knees and began to weep over him and pray for his every step. After I prayed over his feet, I got up and looked this camper in the face. He too was crying. The Lord told me to tell him that he was going to be a missionary and that he would be traveling all over the world to places he hasn’t even heard of to share the love of the Lord to others. I was so blessed to be used by the Lord to pray over these campers. To watch them come in to the tunnel of prayer looking one way and watch their faces after they were prayed for was so beautiful. You could see on each campers face that the Lord had spoken directly to them and that the things of this world, the lies of the enemy had been broken off and that they were walking in the truth that the Lord had spoken over them. This was one of the most incredible experiences of my life!
The theme of camp this year was “Known”. On the last night of camp each camper received a piece of cardboard and a black marker. On one side of the cardboard they were to write what they were known as when they came to camp. On the other side they were to write what they were now known as. I was sitting in the back with some of the leaders watching each camper go across the stage, while the worship team was playing, and they would show one side and then the other. I sat there weeping because of the change the Lord had done in each of their lives. I saw one cardboard say that she was know as a Pastor’s Kid and now she is known as a Pastor. One said she came to camp known as Worthless and now she is known as Priceless.
The amazing work the Lord did at camp this past week will not be forgotten. I was changed just as much as each student that came to camp. I pray now for each camper that they would not listen to the lies of the enemy that would come at them, but that they would walk out the truth and promises God has given them this past week!!