KIDS THINK THE DARNDEST THINGS

I can’t believe this month is gone! The last month of summer is just a blink away! Oh, that we would dare to do things differently in order to stay in the moments and enjoy them before they are forever gone!  Grab your coffee and come on in. I want to share an amazing conversation I had with my most favorite nine-year-old boy just the other day.
I was going to go through the checklist in our recipe for joy, but I just feel the need to share a couple of things on my heart that reiterate staying in the moments, especially because you never know when joy is going to get stirred up and come bursting out.
Just the other day, we were in the Taco-Bell drive-thru (me and my oldest grandson) – his blood sugar had dropped and he needed a burrito and fast! He asked me how long before we were home. I answered, “Oh, once we get out of here, probably about 15 to 20 minutes.”
Silence followed my response, so profoundly I had to turn to make sure he was okay. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I watched the expression on his face, blank like an untouched piece of paper. I felt as though he had so much more to say so I just sat and waited.
“I just wish I hadn’t asked that question.”
Startled, I asked him why and he said, “Because what am I going to do for 15 minutes? I might get bored.”
I was silently flabbergasted that my sweet nine-year-old was that concerned about how to spend his time. I prayed before walking through the door that opened to an amazing conversation about staying in the moments. Just thinking about it, and how he received what I shared so stirs up my joy! I confidently and gently told him that when we think further ahead than where we actually are, we lose some of the biggest blessings. I told him that Nana used to be like that, for most of her life, even, and still had to catch herself and bring herself back into the moment she was in so she could truly enjoy it and be in it.
Thinking about the look on his face, how engaged he was, mind and soul, brings me joy, true joy. Right before it was our turn to move up to the drive-up window, he asked, “Nana, is it okay to think ahead if it’s something really fun?”
Well how could I argue with that? “Absodarnlutely,” I answered. “That’s called looking forward to something, and having something to look forward to can help us out of a difficult moment we are in.”
Well that conversation led to stress, and what it does to the body, and up until this point, it was just him and me in the conversation but my son who had just joined us after taking my granddaughter to the restroom added some interesting things about how God designed the body and how He built some protective mechanisms against stress, but if we continue to stay in a mindset of stress, the body begins to react. He described how the body ages faster with stress.
By now I’m thoroughly in this conversation, silenced by the joy of it, intrigued by the depth of it and completely humbled to be part of it, and my granddaughter, sitting so pretty back there in her booster, listening intently, her eyes getting big, just like her big brother’s. I wish you could have seen how big his little eyes got!
“Really, stress really does all that?” He asked.
I piped in with how stress has taken its toll on my body, that that’s why my face looks so tired, especially today, I added.”
His response brought joy bubbling up to the surface of my heart, and as I write this, its gurgling over, making me smile from the inside out as the echo of his response sings in the halls of my heart: “Well I think you look really good, Nana”!
I love talking to this incredibly bright little boy who is always, and I mean always thinking. Oops, I almost started to cry as I thought about this time next week when they all will be leaving for Texas – stay in the moment; stay in the moment; stay in the moment!
Staying in the moments …
Evinda

In Need of some Joy?

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Welcome to our Coffee Hour! Thanks for joining me for a break and some interesting discoveries in this recipe for joy on our way to Destination? Joyful! ™ Grab your coffee and let’s go check out the Hebrew translation for this context of joy in Job 29:13.
The only reason we need to go to the Hebrew Concordance to compare this context with the others we’ve read so far is that its corresponding number appears to be a bit different so there could be a little diamond waiting for us within this context.
Ahhh, this is interesting. This one translates as “ranan” pronounced as raw-nan. As a verb, it means “to sing, shout, to cry out. This type of joy occurs approximately 50 times in the Hebrew Old Testament, half of them in the Book of Psalms,” which is full of singing and shouting of praises to God!
Ooh, I love what this says: “To shout for joy is to let joy ring out”! Now this isn’t necessarily an ingredient of joy, but more a byproduct of joy! Just as there are fruits of the Spirit, He blesses us with fruits of joy! So when we are plugged into the source of joy, we can’t help but shout and sing praises to the Author of Joy. So if I claim my joy, I will be able to rejoice, even when I don't feel like it!
Think of it this way: Have you ever been told some incredibly exciting news and then told you can’t share it? I don’t know about you, but it’s like a tidal wave gushing inside of me, threatening to spill out and gush all over everyone and if I don’t tell someone somehow, I’m gonna burst!
Coffee Hour Friend, have you ever just sung out with joy to your Abba-Father? I must confess, in my current season, I haven’t! Oh, I can only imagine what a feeling it would be, to lose myself in the rapture of joy.
Just this past weekend, God used my sweet daughter-in-love to remind me that He will continue to use the same type of trial to teach what we are not getting! See, there's a certain difficulty that keeps rearing its head and each time, instead of rejoicing in it, not necessarily for it, I slink further and further into the pit of frustration! I think He's trying to add a very important ingredient to my portion of joy!
Father, help us to be still, that we would soak in Your presence and thereafter be filled with joy, singing and shouting our praises unto you, the Author of our joy.
Sincerely seeking joy,

Evinda

Have you ever had to defend your faith?

Joy to you today, and in all your tomorrows, my Coffee Hour friend! I don’t know about you, but I am so encouraged to learn that there are so many ingredients in the free gift of joy! I guess that’s why it is possible to have it even in chaos and turmoil! But now just to grasp it in the midst of chaos and turmoil! Grab your coffee and let’s go to our next stop in our journey to Destination? Joyful! ™
The next stop in Job involves another so-called friend of Job named Zophar, who had an argument or pleading with Job that sounded much like Bildad’s; however, I kind of like his for it is more direct, not so muddy! In Job 20:5, Zophar’s sermon about the wicked man states that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment!
I don’t know about you, but that statement, which is God-inspired, gives me a sort of relief knowing that ultimately, true joy stands the test of time, shines through the darkness of hypocricy and carries us into eternity!
Let’s move on to the next stop, which is in Job 29:13. This is Job’s summary defense! Just imagine a trial, if you will. This is Job’s closing arguments for defending his faith, his love for his God, our God and the truth of his deeds. By the way, did you know that Job was believed to have been a judge, a sort of magistrate/councilman in his day? Interesting!
So about halfway through his defense, Job is speaking about the good deeds he has done, and reminiscing about the fruit he received for those. Oh, how sweet it is to look back and remember when … which is what he’s doing in verse 13: “The blessing of a perishing man came upon me and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.”
Now that phrase, “The blessing of a perishing man came upon me” intrigues me so follow me for an explanation. Something tells me it will make the recipe of joy all the more rich!
A-ha, this is what Guzik’s commentary says: “Not only did Job gain the attention of the people and leaders of the city in days past; they also liked him and what he had to say. He was blessed and approved by those who heard him.” He goes on to explain the blessing: ‘Because I delivered the poor who cried out . . . I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy . . . I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame.”
Here Job wasn’t boasting about his good deeds; rather he was describing how his reputation for wisdom and goodness was earned. He was a man full of good and noble works, especially to the poor and disadvantaged.
Whew, I see a couple more ingredients or are those byproducts in this recipe for joy? Join me tomorrow for more journeying toward this highly-craved gift of joy!
Love and laughter,

Evinda

Have you ever hit a wall . . . and not know what to do? Join us for an answer!

Happy Monday Manna,
Even though another hectic Monday awaits you, I pray that God will meet you wherever you are. He’s bigger than any chaotic schedule, or problem that you will encounter this week. He’s on your side! I hope you enjoy!
Most Saturday mornings in the Castro household consist of caching up on caloric deficiencies that take place throughout the chaotic work week and Kay makes the BEST Ezekiel Bread French toast on the face of the planet, so that’s my excuse to over indulge. Normally after breakfast we get into the Word and pray together, but this last Saturday was different.
I woke up early, around 6:00AM, and called my running buddy Eddie Lopez to see if he would be interested in running a trail in Highland. He agreed and we rendezvoused at the trailhead at approximately 9:00AM, which gave me enough time to grab a quick bite to eat and stretch before the monster run. Eddie is one of my best friends and his testimony is a great one. We got into the Word together, prayed for safety, and then began our ascent up the mountain.
We brought half of a gallon of water and a grapefruit that Eddie found in the groves close to the trail head. Eddie and I both knew that we should pack more water, but as you know, the more you pack the more you expend so we decided to opt for the minimalist approach. The first five miles hurt pretty badly since the grade was so steep and the temperatures were already creeping up to 90 degrees. This specific trail doesn’t provide much shade from tree coverage and although the trail is well maintained, the inclines really began getting to me.
We dropped off the water half way up the mountain to conserve energy and then Eddie and I finally had enough air in our lungs to thank God for such a beautiful day. As we were running, we could see the peak of Big Bear and the ominous series of switchbacks that lead to the peak; we were approximately nine miles in. We decided it might be a good idea to head back since we had no water and the temperatures were rising to 100 degrees.
As we began our descent, I remember feeling depleted and then…I hit a wall. I began cramping and I knew that my core body temp was too high since I felt myself getting the chills and I began to shiver. I continued on as far as I could, but then I really began to struggle.
As I was running, pieces of Psalm 22 suddenly popped into my head “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaw; You have brought me to the dust of the earth” (Psalms 22:14).
And just then I pictured Jesus Christ on the cross. The amount of pain I was experiencing was not even a small fraction of the pain that He endured…for you and me. I actually imagined a melting heart. I was delirious from heat exhaustion, but nonetheless, I gained stronger understanding.
I stopped and laid under a small tree to bring down my core temp. I remember praying for God to remove my pain. Eddie ran down the mountain to retrieve the remaining water and his grapefruit. What an awesome friend, right!? I asked myself, what was so much different about this run that the others we had done? I then realized that I hadn’t hydrated nearly enough 48 hours prior to this run and my electrolyte levels weren’t monitored before beginning to run.
Eddie arrived with the water and we shared the grapefruit. I instantly felt my electrolyte levels equalize and I felt re-energized. As we ran down the mountain we passed an old wooden cross that overlooked the whole valley area. It was a reminder of God’s provision and love for me. I’m learning that Jesus Christ reveals himself more and more to us, even through times of agony and desolation. He has His name on us and He will continue to reveal Himself to us as we eagerly seek him. Have a great week and stay hydrated! God Bless!
In His Love,

Garrett Castro

Decay is our Enemy! Jeff's Java Hour at Chicklit Power

Hey guys, how are you? Good? Good! I am glad to hear it. Me? Oh, I’m fine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind. I am a week away from one of the biggest changes in mine and my family’s life and there are a lot of things going through my head and through my heart right now, but thank you for asking. :)
So I wanted to talk about something. I have been watching this show called Big Brother” lately and have been getting convicted that I stare at these images with the lamp to my soul, and fill my ears and mind with this worldly garbage that adds nothing to my spirit. Now I have heard a lot of people say to me directly, “Oh, don’t worry; it’s just a show”; or, “It’s just a song; you can’t be over-spiritual about everything.”
At the time that I’m involved in whatever I’m listening to or watching, that sounds good but when I stop to actually think about those statements, I can’t help but think of how ludicrous it is. It’s crazy to me how we forget, not that “what if” Jesus was sitting here watching this with me, but that Jesus is here watching this with me. He knows exactly what garbage goes in more than I do. I see it as entertainment; He sees it as fiery seeds going deep into fertile soil fully germinated and ready to sprout life choking weeds.
You see, God said In Ephesians 6:12 that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual principalities and against rulers of this Dark Age, meaning that we don’t see what we are really up against and it’s what we can’t see that twists us and tries to get our spiritual eyes to a state of atrophy. Decay is our enemy, not life, and anything that isn’t life-giving is an agent of decay and death. I know I always say this but in 1^st John, God says that friendship with the world is enmity against God, meaning that compromising with the world’s standards of living puts you as an enemy against the Creator of existence.
Do you guys remember those bracelets that were popular a few years ago; the ones that said “WWJD”? What would Jesus Do was the slogan for a long time and nothing could be closer to the truth. He is our example. He is our mentor and teacher. His words and His direction are our perfect example because He ONLY did what His Father told Him to do. I never read about Jesus going to a lion fight, or going to the local discotheque and throwing back a couple of warm ones -- they didn’t have fridges -- and getting groovy with the disciples saying, “ahhh, it’s the weekend; I saved a bunch of souls today and healed a leper so I’ll just relax a little and let loose.” Nope!
I read about a relentless man who cared about the eternal well being of people so much that He stopped at nothing to do His Father’s will. And He told us to do the same and be the same, uncompromising in our faith and commitment to God and His will for our life.
God teach me to be pure at heart and in spirit. Please redefine me entirely and renew my filthy heart and mind. I love you and I love you again and I miss you and then I drift. Please hold me tight and plant my feet like a rock in your will. Give me the boldness to declare your love for the lost and your wisdom to separate the truth from all of the twisted thick vine-like lies that try to crawl up the walls of our hearts. I need You; I need You; I need You; I need You; I need You; I need You; I need You! I am nothing without You and I am an orphan without Your love. Complete me by helping me to remove myself from getting in Your way. I love you Lord.   Amen

Jeff

Are You on Your Way 2 Destination? Joyful! (tm)

It’s great to be with you in this quest for Destination? Joyful! ™ Grab your coffee and let’s get back to the analogy of a hypocrite to a flourishing tree, an analogy full of ingredients to avoid in the recipe of joy.
In Job 8:11-14, Matthew Henry compares the hypocrite to a flourishing and well-rooted tree, which did not wither in and of itself, but as the Word says, and Bildad said, it will easily be cut down and exist no more. Obviously pride has no place in the recipe of joy! The crazy thing about Bildad’s summation is he thinks he’s talking about Job, or encouraging Job to come clean and confess whatever he’s done to bring upon himself all these troubles and yet I can see that this applies to Bildad as well!
And haven’t we all wondered at someone who we think we know is not walking with the Lord but everything he does prospers? But God knows that their roots are not rooted; rather they reach and climb over a bunch of rocks and eventually, wither. (Job 8:16-17) So it is with a hypocrite – one who says one thing and does another, and a hypocrite has no joy for joy has no residence in selfishness; rather flourishes in selflessness!
Such a person will not remain standing -- those who make a great noise boasting about all they have, all that they are, who they are -- but suddenly, and when they least expect, neither root nor branch is left (Mal 4:1)! In other words, any kind of worldly gain is external and only lasts for a short while. True joy will carry us into eternity.
And finally we get back on track to our first context of joy in this book of Job: (Job 8:19): “Behold, this is the joy of His way.” In other words, God always wins! It is not His desire that anyone should perish, but as it says in Psalms, “The way of the ungodly shall perish.” (Psalm 1:6)
When we read through the book of Job, it’s hard to imagine that he had joy as he suffered through all the calamity that was heaped upon him, but he did for he had a deep sense of God and he knew God well enough that he could experience a sort of peace – another ingredient of joy – amidst the chaos.
Now that is some true joy. I’ll meet you back here tomorrow for Jeff’s Java Hour, a new addition to Chicklit Power and I must say, I’m thoroughly enjoying what he brings!
Blessings in all your tomorrows,

Evinda

What is your response to a yelling evangelist?

John 3:17

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Another summer day! I hope you are making some great summer memories and staying in those moments by not thinking too far ahead! Thanks so much for joining me for more of our Weapons of Warfare and Words of Wisdom based on a seemingly lost principle of the Bible, condemnation versus conviction. Grab your coffee and come on in.
Oh, the dangers of a critical spirit and Jesus Himself taught on this when the Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery! Now, the “sin” of adultery has a few “sins” wrapped up in it and these guys, clothed in all their arrogance and pride, couldn’t wait to present this woman to Jesus and have her stoned. I can just imagine the near riot these guys caused as they insisted on Jesus condemning her.
His response: He bent down and wrote in the sand – oh, to have seen what He wrote! And still they persisted and insisted that He condemn her, and I imagine in sarcastic and loud voices. And He quieted them big time … by standing and saying “He who is without sin, cast a stone at her first”! (John 8:7)
He was QUIET about it though, even to the prideful loud-mouthed Pharisees. His quiet correction rendered them quiet!
I am certain that the yelling evangelist was ignorant and unlearned as to the effects of his street-walking tirades claiming the Gospel of Christ, but I saw firsthand an outward expression of an inward emotion that was stirred up by this guy who, as I stated before, probably thinks he’s doing the right thing. What was the outward expression of the inward emotion? FEAR!
When I think of the worst kinds of sin mentioned in the Bible, I am humbled by Jesus’ response – not reaction – to not just the sin, but the sinner. I think of the woman at the well, the one who had been involved with many men simultaneously and He knew it as she made her way up to Him.
Now there were all kinds of rules inflicted upon the Jews, namely, a man was not allowed to talk to/with a woman without her husband present; Jews weren’t supposed to talk with Samaritans, especially the likes of a woman with a reputation such as hers! But Jesus was so much more interested in grace and salvation than He was public policy! He begins a conversation with her, treating her with respect – which is why I say respect Jesus style isn’t earned; rather, it’s letting someone be who they are, where they are!
He didn’t chase after her, yell her sins out to her, demand that she come to Him and be saved. No, His desire was to convict, quietly, and lovingly convict while leading by example for His desire is not to condemn the world but to save as many as will come to accept Him as their Savior.
I pray that the yelling evangelist who walks the streets of Vegas, and quite fast I must confess, would be convicted of this truth of conviction over condemnation; that he would quiet his yelling and look for opportunities to speak into the lives of those far from their creator one on one instead of trying to scare the hell out of people.
And that young boy who was pleading to get by me, I pray that one day, instead of saying “No, thank you” to the calling of his Creator, that he would be convicted to open up his heart and invite Him in.
Would you join me in these prayers?
Love,

Evinda

No, Thank You! July's WOW, Words of Wisdom/Weapons of Warfare from Chicklit Power

John 3:17

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks for joining me today for a little coffee break, and for tuning out the rest of the world and all of its crazy demands upon your life and your time. Grab your coffee and come on in for our monthly WOW, before July is gone!
Last week I was walking the streets of Vegas with two of my girlfriends – we were on our annual getaway for girls. I was amazed at how crowded the streets were, especially for a Tuesday! I mean there were people everywhere! Doesn’t anyone work anymore? :) It’s hard to believe that it’s a vacation destination for so many different people. But because it is, Vegas has got to be one of the top places for people-watching! Talk about a lot of culture!
Speaking of people watching, I must have been doing just that as I was trying to keep up with my girlfriends – I had actually wrenched my back on the ride to Vegas two days prior, thanks to a wasp/fly in our vehicle that landed on me and sent me twisting and turning in ways that I didn’t know I could. And the frapachino I had in my hand, well, that went flying! Anyway, that’s another story but the ending to it was my sweet friend Sherry climbed out of the front seat, into the back with me, stretching her body out as far as she could to reach into the very back and squish the sucker as I sat crouched in the corner, trying not to scream while laughing in fear and disbelief, all the while reeling in pain.
Anyway, back to the streets of Vegas. It’s about 112 out; sweat is trickling down my back as I’m walking behind them, giving up keeping up with them, and suddenly I hear this “Excuse me; excuse me” in an English accent. The voice was rather timid in a strong kind of way. I looked to my left and there was a young boy, probably 12 or 13ish trying desperately to get by and he seemed to be in a hurry, a bit frightened even.
Right after he made his way past me, I heard the reason for the suspected hurry: “YOU’RE A SINNER, CONDEMNED TO DEATH! YOU NEED TO REPENT AND ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR!”
The voice got louder, closer and to tell you the truth, I couldn’t even tell you all of what he was saying. Why? Because I tuned him out! And my two girlfriends, both of whom are believers, didn’t hesitate to add their commentaries, which in no way were positive! In fact, one of them called the guy a freak!
I shook my head in frustrated sadness because I just know in my heart this isn’t what Jesus asks us to do.
Now to avoid finger-pointing, or picking up the gavel, I did explain to my friends that I strongly disagree with this method of so-called evangelism; however, he was doing what he believed to be the right thing. We could only pray that somehow, some way, God’s Spirit would intervene and do damage control while trying to be heard by the heart of this yelling evangelist as well as the young boy he just scared off.
Have you ever encountered a yelling evangelist? What was your first reaction to his/her message?
Join me tomorrow for the conclusion to our WOW for July!
Marveling at the lessons,

Evinda

Paying it Forward from Castro's Corner

Happy Monday Manna,
We just arrived home from Mexico last night after a three-day trip made with the family. We had the privilege of exploring different areas of the coast, which were south of the border, and the only other time we had been to Mexico previously was with the Hands of Mercy organization. All the memories of the house-build came flooding back as we passed all the familiar landmarks on the coastline.
The Hands of Mercy house build campaign, sponsored by Upland Rehab and HOM, was one of the most gratifying things I have ever done. I remember meeting at Upland and our family, along with the Upland Rehab Department heads, began assembling the walls and paneling for the house onsite at Upland Rehab. The next weekend we would be loading the two pre-built homes and heading South of the Mexico border to a small rural town that was approximately 1.5 hours inland from Ensenada; the name of the town was Ojos Negros.
The day had finally came for our expedition, so we rendezvoused at Upland Rehab and prayed for traveling mercies before we began on our adventure. As we came across the border through Tijuana, I remember seeing all the of small homes sitting on the hillsides and I remember seeing a young mother eagerly approaching all tourists and visitors with colorful pieces of fabric that she would braid into your hair for a few dollars. I was blown away by how different things were across the border, but I hadn’t seen anything yet.
We stayed the night in Ensenada that first evening and we went to bed early, since we knew we had to be up at around 5:00AM for breakfast and for our trip to Ojos Negros.
When we arrived to the small town, we introduced ourselves to Isidro and his son who would be receiving one of the homes. They were currently homeless and Isidro’s wife walked out on him and their young six-year-old son. The wife’s family did not permit them to build anything on the property, which they once lived on, so we had to start building the house on a very small plot of land next to the other property.
It was very warm and there was zero shade, so we put on our sombreros and began cutting the paneling for our foundation dimensions and then before we knew it, the walls were going up.
In all the house completion took us approximately six hours from beginning to end, including installation of a propane stove, curtains (A woman’s touch is always needed), as well as a fresh coat of paint on the outside of the home. When we finished, all 50 people, including Isidro and his son, prayed for the family as well as God’s blessing on the house.  Isidro began praying in Spanish and even though only a handful of people could interpret his prayer, EVERYONE was impacted in such a way that we could feel the presence of the Lord pouring down his love on that family and on that house. That Spanish prayer meant more to me than anything else. I still get goose bumps every time I reminisce.
I can still say with confidence that the house build for Isidro and his son was truly one of the most gratifying things I have done in my life. We hope to go back for another house build soon, but until then, please pray for Isidro and his son. God's love and care crosses all cultures! God's children are everywhere and He cares for all of them. God Bless and have a great week!
In His Love,

Garrett

The Cost of Unforgiveness = a Hefty Price!

So I was watching Youtube the other day, and I ran across some accounts of people who claimed to have died and either gone to heaven or down stairs... reeeeeeaaaaallly far down stairs.  Now I understand that there are all kinds of people who just want their 15 minutes of fame so they will say anything to anyone if they can get it, but one story caught my attention.
There was a man who claimed to have had a heart attack -- he was a preacher by the way -- and instead of going to heaven, he was met by Jesus and sent to hell.  Aside from the guy being bummed out because he forgot his sunblock for the hottest place in existence, he was very shocked to say the least that he was in hell.  After all he was a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he had prophesied in His name, and cast out demons, and served his whole life in ministry, yet there he was, standing in disbelief at the gates of.
He turned to Jesus and asked why he was there and His answer was simple: "You have had a  lot of resentment toward your wife."
The guy agreed with Jesus silently. He had a lot of unforgiveness in his heart toward his wife and now he stood dumbfounded at the truth that it was blocking God's forgiveness for his own sin.
Now up until this point I was VERY skeptical about this whole story but when he said that he was cast out from eternal life for unforgiveness, I started to think about the truth to that.  Even if that story was a big lie, that little detail is very true.
Look at Matthew 18:21-35 which is the story of a king who brings a man before him and calls him out on the enormous debt that he owes him.  And when I say enormous, I mean more money than the servant would be able to pay back in his lifetime.  So the king tells his keepers to sell the servant's wife and children to help pay some of the debt and the man begins to grovel at his feet pleading for another chance.
The king had pity on this man and forgave his sizable debt without requesting anything from him!  Can you imagine?
Every time I read this I always  imagine my school telling me the same thing regarding my school loans.  But seriously the depth of this king's forgiveness was incredible.
Now after the servant leaves the kings quarters, he sees a man on the street who owes him somewhere around twenty dollars and he grabs him and begins to scream at him and threaten him.  Can you imagine?  This man's million dollar debt was just fulfilled with the gift of forgiveness and now he is ringing this guy's neck over 20 bucks!
Well word got back to the king and he had the servant brought back to him. He was going to deal with him and deal with him goooooooood.
So many times I have been that servant; pointing my finger at everyone when God forgave me of killing His Son.  I can never be good enough to earn a ''VIP'' spot to get me past the line to heaven.  God's word also says that many people will stand before Him on judgment day condemned saying ''Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and did we not cast out demons and perform many miracles in your name?''(Matthew 7:22)
And God will say to them ''Depart from me you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.''  Wow! (Matthew 7:23)
GOD said: How can you say that you love me but you hate your brother? 1st John 4:20 He also said that if you can not forgive, then to that measure you will be unforgiven.  It is encouraged these days to place yourself above the people that hurt you.  Society says if you forgive, then you are weak and if you are humble, then you are worth taking advantage of; but I'll confess to you, that is a fatal trap to fall into.  We have to learn to forgive and I find that when I do, I lose my crazy expectations that keep the people in my life that I love the most crippled and unable to live up to my crazy expectations.
Forgive us, God, and help us; teach us; discipline us so that we can forgive those all around us who hurt us.
Love,

Jeff

Come with me to ... Destination? Joyful! (tm)

Welcome back to our series that is getting us closer to understanding as much as we can the gift of joy, joy that will carry us to our Destination? Joyful! ™, and keep us heading towards our eternal home! Grab your coffee and come on in. I’m hoping to wrap up this first joy stop in the life of Job!
So we are digging for understanding of the verses preceding Job 8:19 and I was sharing with you Matthew Henry’s commentary. He goes on to describe the hypocrite/spider, and the bee/Christian.
The one who builds his life on false hypothesis is very fond of it/self, just as the spider is of her web. I can just imagine a spider weaving her web, sitting back on all her legs and admiring her work. But it weaves deeper than that, as Matthew Henry explains: “he pleases himself with it, wraps himself in it, calls it his house, leansuponit, and holds it fast.”
Whew, I’ve often likened effects of sin to a spider and a web; the longer we stay in a particular habit, hurt and/or hang-up, it becomes like this web, spun so tightly there seems to be no way out because you can’t find the exit, or the beginning! Definitely no joy in that dilemma!
Just as the spider weaves this web with her legs, so a hypocrite takes hold of false security with his/her hands, hugging themselves in the fullness and firmness of their outward prosperity! Think of building your house on sand or a rock! Matthew 7:24-27!
Now that was paraphrased, and to explain it simply, this is a false sense of joy, aka, external happiness! This is not in any way a form of joy, because joy is internal and happiness is external, based on external things. Take the X out of external and what do you have? Eternal! Joy is based on eternal things.
As I read further in Matthew Henry’s commentary, I was astounded at how direct and blunt he was about those professors, teachers who flatter themselves with their so-called secured salvation and is secure in their place in heaven, those who cheats the world with their vain confidences. Wow, this is Bildad’s argument to Job. Oh, em, gee, he’s literally accusing Job now! I can’t help but giggle as this becomes a bit more clear to me because I’d love to as Matthew Henry, even though you are describing Bildad’s argument, are you describing Bildad who is describing Job?
Ahh, here's the proof that there's no joy in finger-pointing, either!
I love how Matthew Henry wraps up this first analogy of the hypocrite and the spider:
“The prosperity of worldly people will fail them when they expect to find safety and happiness in it. They seek to hold fast their estates, but God is plucking them out of their hands; and whose shall all those things be, which they have provided? Or what the better they will be for them? The confidences of hypocrites will fail them. The house built on the sand will fall in the storm, when the builder most needs it and promised himself the benefit of it. When a wicked man dies, his expectation perishes. The ground of his hopes will prove false; he will be disappointed of the thing he hoped for, and his foolish hope with which he buoyed himself up will be turned into endless despair; and thus his hope will be cut off, his web, that refuge of lies, swept away, and he crushed in it.”
Whew, I’m thinking Bildad, in his quest to understand what was going on with Job, why what was going on was going on, lost sight of true joy!
Join me next week for the analogy of the hypocrite to the flourishing tree, which I promise will lead us to a deeper understanding of joy!
Joyfully,

Evinda

Come with me to Destination? Joyful! (tm)

Happy hump day! I’m so glad you could stop by for our Coffee Hour! Sharing these truths and principles of joy with you brings me joy! Grab your coffee and come on in away from the demands and distractions of life. We are headed to our Destination? Joyful! ™
So we left off in the middle of our first dig into joy in the book/life of Job. I’ve done a bit of research and I think I’m coming to understand this context. So first off, the guy talking is Bildad, one of Job’s friends, a guy that leaned more on the critical side, if you know what I mean. Someone who, like us, was trying to come to an understanding for what was happening to his friend Job so he came to the conclusion that Job just couldn’t be innocent. He must not be confessing something!
So in the verses preceding, there is this sort of tension, an argument, if you will about God’s justice. And while Bildad’s argument about God’s justice is correct, his idea of God’s justice was not. I know; that was completely confusing.
See, in Bildad’s opinion, God could not be unjust, meaning He wouldn’t just punish a just man for no reason – this part is correct – therefore, Job must be unjust! That last part is where he made a false judgment and Bildad held steadfast in his theory. But hey, how many times have we heard this type of reasoning, and even from the pulpit? How many times do we wrongly assume that people suffer only as a result of their sins, or their lack of faith, or something that they didn’t do? And when we dare make those assumptions, we are pulled up on our pedestal … until we are brought down by some sort of spiritual lesson that hopefully just crumbles not only that theory, but the pride that perched us on it!
I know it “feels” like we are way off the joy track, but trust me when I say we’ll get back there soon! It’s just so important to understand what is being said before we get to 8:19 so we understand its context accurately. I did some research and came upon my favorite commentary, Matthew Henry, while in the Bible Gateway site. What I read popped my eyes wide open and lines up with what we’ve just talked about. Again, in order to grasp the depth of this joy, we must dig down to come up!
In the preceding verses, (Job 8: 14-18) there are two remarkably visual comparisons made: the hypocrite and a web-building spider; and the hypocrite compared to a flourishing tree. I know, you’re probably going what in the world does this have to do with the price of eggs, let alone joy? Just hang tight. This gets good!
Let me share with you what I read in the Matthew John Henry commentary and I will paraphrase for the sake of clarity:
He compares the hope of the hypocrite to the spider and the web: See just like the spider’s web is woven out of its own doing, so is hypocricy! See, the hypocrite and the spider are creatures about their own agenda, and arise merely from a conceit of his own merit and sufficiency. In other words, they are about self, living for self, unaware of how they affect others around them.
Matthew Henry then takes this comparison further: He says, “There is a great deal of difference between the work of the bee and that of the spider.” He likens a diligent Christian to the laborious bee, “who fetches in all his comfort from the heavenly dews of God’s word; but the hypocrite, like the subtle spider, weaves his web/life out of a false hypothesis of his own concerning God, as if he were altogether such a one as himself.”
Wow, there can be no joy in selfishness or self-centeredness for they lead us to false hypothesis, and you don’t have to be a scientist to hypothesize! :)
Join me tomorrow for the conclusion to this first joy stop in the life of Job … in the meantime, ponder this question: Why can’t someone who weaves webs of self-centeredness experience true joy?
Pondering with you,
Evinda

Monday's Manna from Castro's Corner @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy Monday Manna!
Hopefully you are feeling recharged and ready for a victorious week! Victories come in all shapes and sizes; they truly do. But what about those things that happen that are just almost victories? I had an almost victory the week before last and I feel compelled to share it with you.
I was commuting to work a few weeks back and I always take my little shortcut, because it will save me approximately two minutes on my drive and every minute counts! As I was pulling behind the building I saw a gentlemen sitting in the middle of the drive way with an open wine bottle on his lap and he may have also been missing a shoe; I can’t recollect. I drove around him and as I drove past him I saw so much sadness on his face that I stopped, put my truck in reverse, parked and made my way over to him.
As I was walking towards him I thought to myself “I will for sure be late to work…is this really worth being late?” Second-guessing a good work is a device the enemy LOVES utilizing. As I bent down and talked with him, I could see that most of his wine was gone, but he had most likely been binge drinking since he could not articulate words. I asked him what his name was. He replied. I asked him if he lived close; he replied, “Yes.” Then I asked him if he needed any help, he replied “No.” So I told him where I worked and if he needed anything that I would be available to help. I drove away…
Later in the day I remember thinking to myself about my almost victory. I hadn’t asked this man if I could pray with him and ask God to remove this addiction from his life. The enemy laid it on me hard that afternoon as he kept reminding me of my failure, but God ministers to us through fellowship and that’s just what He did. As I talked to one of our members about my almost victory, he reminded me that persistence in praying over the bonds of addiction in someone’s life will give God room to work to work in their life.
It’s human nature to freak out when we realize that we don’t have the ability to control a particular situation, but it’s the outcome of that particular situation that provides us with a new understanding of God’s sovereign ways. When we fully and completely surrender our worries and anxieties to God, he ALWAYS works things out perfectly.
Victories are won through surrendering. I may never know if the man I talked to that morning will break free from the chains of alcohol addiction, but I do know that my supplication before God will be heard. It’s incredible to see how the enemy seeks to shake our foundation as he attempts to remind us that spiritual victories are obsolete in a world that has so many problems. Sometimes it seems that the odds are never in our favor when we look at the condition of the world around us, but we have to step back, breathe, and remember who our God is.
Have a blessed week and prepare and surrender for victory!
In His Love,


Garrett Castro

Destination? Joyful! From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy day to you! It’s a hot one! Grab your coffee, hot or iced, and let’s get back on this joy track, aka, a theological game of hopscotch!

We left off in the Book of Esther where we discovered that no matter how big the mountain looks, or how complex the circumstance appears, there is joy in the making! The more I walk with God, the easier it is to confirm these Biblical truths and the more I see them come true in my own life.
Now let’s hop on over to the Book of Job – I hear what you’re saying! “How can there be joy in the life of Job?” Something tells me this is going to not only reiterate the truth we learned about Joy from the life of Esther, but it’s going to go beyond! There are four different contexts in the Book of Job for the word joy!

For my Coffee Hour friends who are not so familiar with the Bible and/or the Book of Job, let me give you a summation about this guy: He was a man of faith, pure faith! He was/is known for his suffering which produced patience which produced endurance! In other words, for all he endured, he did not come out empty-handed, especially spiritually, though many focus on the monetary value that was added for his perseverance, I picture this guy to have such strong spiritual muscles that he would beat any body-builder out in any kind of contest!

Job was also a generous and caring person, two rare characteristics for a man of such wealth, but he understood the principle spoken of in Luke 12:48b: “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

We could get way off the joy track here and go off on at least seven different tracks of principle, but I’ll keep us on the joy track. I’ve not “studied” the Book of Job, but I have read it years ago, before my shovel/digging days. I have, however, done some in-depth studies on a few of the verses within the life and lessons of Job, so I am able to empathize with Job in this particular area: He wanted to understand why the things that were being done to him were being done! He sought to understand while in the fire, especially considering the truth of not being burned or consumed! See, pain, whether it is emotional, physical or spiritual, is not always a form of punishment!

I’ll leave us there for now, but take some time to ponder how you’ve responded to a painful situation. Did you find joy waiting for you afterwards, or were you bitter?

In His transforming joy,

Stir up that joy!

Evinda

Destination? Joyful! From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks so much for joining me for more of this fun series, Destination? Joyful! ™ I can’t help but giggle with joy as I remember how we got this trademark, the writing journey riddled with highs and lows, frustrations and victories, lessons that have added to my Cup of Joy each and every day! Uh-oh, I think we have the next book title in the Cup series! Grab your coffee and come with me back through the pages of scripture to learn more about joy!

So we left off in the Book of Nehemiah where Ezra is telling the people who are filled with Godly sorrow that the joy of the Lord is their strength. Let’s see what the Hebrew concordance says about this context of joy. So this joy is “gladness.”

Wow, I just felt a little nudge on my heart reminding me of a precious series of memories made just a few years ago wherein I was happy to be sad, glad to be sad! The season of sadness produced such joy because I had been obedient to His calling and had experienced Godly sorrow for all that I had lost in the years gone by!

I don’t know about you but I am beginning to realize through writing this series that joy is a bit like patience and maybe even humility, too, because there’s a lot that goes into the recipe of joy!
Let’s go check out the next stop on our joy tour, which is in the Book of Esther. Now the events written about in this book actually happened prior to the events written in the book of Nehemiah, but they take place where the Book of Nehemiah begins, in Persia. To say there is conflict and confusion is an understatement; in fact, to be a Jew meant living in the shadow of death. It’s important to understand that oppression was all around in order to emphasize the power of joy.

For those of us who have not studied the Book of Esther, let me just give you a brief bio of her: She was a woman of beauty, inside and out. Because of her beauty and character, she was appointed queen by King Ahasuerus, king of Persia. Because of her title, of course she was surrounded by comfort and things that the world looks to for security but she did not think of herself before others and she did not think of herself better than others. She was a woman of courage and kindness as well as patient and intelligent. She was teachable, and she was humble. From her life – which would be another great blog series – we are able to grasp the truth that serving God often requires risking our own security. Her life’s story proves that God’s provision of working all things for our good and His glory is a truth to be grasped by us all.

So while there is an edict to kill all the Jews, Esther is used by God to save all the Jews in more ways than one. Her biggest and boldest move was that she pleaded with the king for years to reverse his decree. I can only imagine the tension in that household but she was fit for her assignment and carried it out with confident humility!

That is where we get back on our joy track in Chapter 8, Verse 17: “And in every province and city, wherever the king’s command and decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a holiday. Then many of the people of the land became Jews, because fear of the Jews fell upon them!

Wow, talk about a turn of events. First the Jews feared, then they became the object of fear! It’s really a cool story of how God used a series of events to bring a twist of results that could only be of/from God.

This is another huge victory in history, and it goes back to the first Hebrew translation for joy: the term for an external expression as well as the abstract internal feeling!

Can I encourage you today; have you gotten beyond what you deemed an impossible situation? Go ahead; rewind the moments and I pray that He will reveal through His sovereignty a powerful revelation showing that joy increases with adversity! The greater the trial, the bigger the victory; the bigger the victory, the more full our Cup of Joy!

Joyfully,
Evinda

Destination? Joyful! From Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Are we really headed toward mid-July already? Sometimes I wish I could make time stand still, especially after victories, that I may bask in the joy that follows such victories, but then again, if we are standing still, we are stagnant, lukewarm and we all know what happens when that happens! So, let’s keep moving forward, one day closer to His glorious return! Oh, the joy of heaven! Grab your coffee and come on in for a bit!

So far we’ve discovered that no matter what’s been taken from us, done to us, happened concerning us, joy is within and is able to be stirred up! Joy is a representation of the abstract feeling or concept, meaning it is part of our emotions within us. Joy stirs us into action and joy usually follows a victory.
Let’s continue on our joy track. I think I already mentioned there are 210 references to joy in the Word, but no worries, we won’t be going through all of them! The next joy stop will be in Nehemiah. We’re going to stop here because this type of joy is referred to as the “joy of the Lord.”

Let’s get a bit of background on this guy. When we come to this book of the Bible, and into Nehemiah’s world, we learn that he was surrounded by chronic complainers and gripers, people who complained about all the problems of their world. And while Nehemiah was able to recognize some truths in the complaints, and felt distress in his heart, he chose not to be part of the problem, rather to be part of the solution! In order to do that, he had to take action and when he began to march into action, he met amazing opposition! STOP! I cannot just whiz by this truth.

Why is it when we meet opposition, we think immediately that we must be doing something wrong? Or that we are not walking in God’s will? Many times, quite the opposite is true! See God uses trials to produce perseverance and perseverance produces patience and patience fuels faith/trust in the only One who will never let us down! Nehemiah was an amazing example of a man whose joy kept him as part of the solution to the problem!

We won’t stay in the book of Nehemiah but let me just give you a short version of his story: He gave up a comfortable and wealthy position to return to his broken homeland of his ancestors in order to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall and thereafter lead the people. As I turn the pages in the Book of Nehemiah, I see that he was an incredible man of prayer through all things. Because Nehemiah invited God into all things that concerned him and his people, God had room to work in his life and all that concerned him.

I read further that at times Nehemiah expressed anger to God, but did not move in his anger or take matters in his own hands; he trusted God. Wow, I think I want to do an in-depth study about this guy! Let’s move to the reference to joy, though so we can stay on track.

It’s found in Nehemiah 8:10 but this is spoken by Ezra and the verse says: “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’.” Oooh, don’t you just love that last part? But what does the first part mean?

So I looked at the footnotes and, wow, talk about perspective! See, this instruction to not sorrow was because the people were weeping openly about having strayed so far from God; they had Godly sorrow! Because they had Godly sorrow, they had the joy of the Lord, and that would be their strength!

Hmm, could it be that Godly sorrow produces joy?

Pondering with you . . .

Evinda

Monday's Manna from Castro's Corner @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

 Hopefully every one of you had an amazing Fourth of July weekend! June is a busy time for our family with birthdays, so I never act surprised when Kay tells me that we are attending a birthday dinner for a loved one. A majority of our family lives in Beaumont, so we have been blessed by proximity.

I received a phone call from my brother on Thursday evening and he informed me that he was moving to Yucaipa over the weekend; I was ecstatic! I offered to help him move. I’m the guy that everyone calls when they need help moving ANYTHING, since I always say “Yes!” and since they all know that my little Toyota pick-up is still capable of carrying loads larger than it should. God has blessed me and that little truck!

I was off on Friday, so I was able to meet him in the morning and as I was loading up the boxes at his old place in Grand Terrace, I was just so thankful that he would be moving closer to home. Evan has been all over and I pray that God will keep him close to us until he needs him for his greater purposes elsewhere. I have never realized the importance of the family support system until now.

My family has always supported me and when I married Kay, I was uncertain if her family dynamic shared the same qualities that mine had. It didn't take long to realize that they did! I am still blown away by the continued support our families consistently provide. I remember talking to Kay and asking “Do you think that we could ever move away?” I clearly remember her response and she said “As long as we could relocate the whole family, of course we could!”

I laughed and then thought to myself- the deeper our roots get, the more difficult it will be to move someday.

We love Southern California, but God may call us to move somewhere else some day and I can’t begin to imagine how hard that would be on the family and ourselves. I can remember packing my brother up for college in Utah and I remember that feeling of losing the only adult male role model I had in my life. I am so blessed to have my brother in my life and as I look back at all the fist fights, arguments, and quarrels, I’m reminded that God gave me my brother as a way to help with my own inner refinement. Let’s face it, we are all rough around the edges; Evan and I are a testament to that. People used to call us the “Jesse James Brothers.”

I never knew what to think of the title, but it sounded cool so I always used to just go with it.
I still look up to my brother, as I did when I was a child, and I’m overwhelmed with joy when I’m reminded that the Lord has brought him back to us. God has blessed me with Evan, just as He has blessed me with our family. I am reminded that blessings don’t always take on material form. For us they take on the form of each member of our family, and although we don’t keep in contact with some members of our family, giving grace has been achieved through persistence in prayer. God’s blessing are so abundant, so this week I exhort you to take time out of your busy day to stop, glance at an old family photo, and just thank God for every day He has given to you. We are blessed beyond measure and I am thankful to call you my CPM Family! God Bless and have a great week!

In His Love,
Garrett Castro

Destination? Joyful! (tm) from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

It’s great to be with you for our coffee hour! Thanks for stopping by for more of this series, Destination? Joyful! ™ Grab your coffee and let’s get back to where we left off.
So far we’ve discovered that joy is a representation of the abstract feeling or concept and we’ve also seen from the Old Testament that joy stirs us into action! Let’s keep digging for more diamonds so joy may make us sparkle inside and out.

Did you know there are approximately 210 references to joy, in all its forms, in His Love Letters to us? In many of the references, music was/is involved! As I look at the first several mentions of joy, I’m suddenly filled with a curiosity to check out all the surrounding circumstances that brought about the many people mentioned who were singing, playing instruments and rejoicing with joy.

Let’s go check out what stirred up King Saul’s joy in 1^st Samuel 18:6. Oooooh, it isn’t the joy of King Saul, but of the women of all the surrounding cities of Israel. Let’s dig a little deeper to have a true concept of the context of joy.

So the backdrop of this joy is King Saul, the father of Jonathan, had taken David under his wing. David was also his son’s BFF. King Saul took David everywhere with him, setting him over the men of war and he was accepted by everyone, even Saul’s servants. Well, David is coming home after an assignment wherein there was a major victory and the women were singing and dancing – to meet King Saul – with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments [1^st Samuel 18:6] and I am a bit amused by their song:

 “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”



Hmm, I’m so tempted to go off on that obvious detour, but we are going to stay on the joy track! I will give you this quick fact, though about this demonstration of joy: This planted the first seed of jealousy in King Saul’s heart that grew to such hatred, hatred which overtook his own life, and while David was definitely no saint, his heart was consistently seeking after God.

Now, let’s get back to joy and the women rejoicing joyfully: Joy always follows a victory!
Oh, that we would seek after more spiritual victories that we may be washed in joy!

In His Joy,
Evinda

Destination? Joyful! (tm) from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Happy July to you! Another month gone by! Whew, my head’s spinning with the flying by of time. :)  Thanks for taking time out of your day to come have coffee with me at Chicklit Power. Grab whatever you’re drinking, and come on in for some joy.

We left off looking at the first definition in the Hebrew Concordance before taking that detour which showed us that “joy” actually makes its first appearance in Genesis! Then it shows up again in Deuteronomy. Let’s get to the second description/definition for what we long for, joy: “usually a representation of the abstract feeling or concept”!

Well, feelings are within, right? But is joy merely an “abstract feeling or concept”? Let’s look at Deuteronomy 28:47: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything”… Wow, I don’t know about you, but I definitely want to know more about this one!

In addition to being an abstract feeling or concept of joy, the Hebrew Concordance says “In another technical use this noun signifies the entire activity of making a feast before God: And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great mirth [literally]; to make a great rejoicing.”

Hmm, let’s chew on that a moment!



Do you notice that this type of “joy” moves them to action? In this case, it was to prepare a feast “before God” and then they “went their way …” and they sent portions and made a great rejoicing.
So this joy spurs us into action and inspires us to give, to share with others. Joy stirs up compassion for others. Joy causes us to rejoice. You cannot rejoice without joy!

I keep hearing a question: Each of us has a measure of faith that is exercised, stretched and perfected as we walk with God, abide in Him, but where does joy come from? Is it always within us and just needs a big stirring in order to bring some to the surface of our hearts and minds, or is it a gift we get only once in a while or is it something planted deep within when we accept Christ as our Savior?
Have you ever wondered any of these things or is it just me? Have you ever felt as though you were in the midst of a desert and there was no joy to be found? I call those seasons “dry bones!”

I’d love to hear your thoughts and these are some questions that we will answer in the balance of this series! I can’t wait to understand this subject of joy that I might grasp it with my whole heart!

Joyfully,
Evinda

Highlights from Thriving in Life & Love from Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thanks for stopping by today. I'm still lost in all that happened at our Thriving in Life and Love event we held this past Saturday. Grab your coffee and come on in. I'd like to share some of the highlights.
I stood in my little room watching out from my window as the event began. I absolutely loved how our emcees interacted with the audience; they were both a breath of fresh air for our final event of the year! So humorously engaging!

I prayed for humor, as I always do, and I never know how He's going to supply it, but let me tell you, He didn't let us down! My sound pack which I wore on the back of my dress went out in the midst of my talk, and I went with it as it made all kinds of crackling noises and I crumpled to the ground to demonstrate my batteries had run out! I don't remember exactly when it happened, but it was His perfect timing!

The message He spoke through me was rooted in the acrostic TRUTH-(Trust,Resolve to Respect, Understand your emotional dashboard, Taking the good with the Bad, and Halting instant gratification) and I did a visual alongside the message that He showed me quite some time ago. Basically it involves the lies we buy, which is the dirt inside of us, and the truth we need to learn to take in, which is water, and at first, what's inside of us is all muddy, painful and most of the time, people run from that point on, not ready to stir it up and add more truth!

I've heard from several people that they are adding water to their dirt, and I'm beyond grateful and humbled, excited that He answered my prayer that hearts and lives would change!

Our second half was started off with an exciting round of raffle gifts from our Radical Raffle (over $3,000 in prizes) and then we opened up our Thrive, Not Just Survive, T.V. Talk Show with Steve . . . Oh, he gets better and better and I just love his heart! He brought four people up to play a game to demonstrate that a lot of us don't know how to have fun! Boy did he make the point, but with such love and humor!

The closing was every bit as powerful wherein we asked any who wanted to come forward and commit to the 10 Ways to Thrive in Life and Love by taking a book marker off of the cross . . . Everyone came forward ...

a holy moment . . .

That Holy Spirit moment, when nothing else matters, none of the details, the numbers, but lives and hearts changing, accepting new truths to bring false truths to the surface that they may reach their Destination? Joyful! (tm)

And to the team . . . WOW, each one of you is every bit as important as Steve and me! If I could do this behind a curtain, I would. I love knowing there's you, and my heart is sad knowing we are going to not see each other as much since we will not be having an event for over a year (5th anniversary party) but I am praying that each of you prayerfully consider your new place in this ministry as it heads to the trenches to do some serious life-changing work!

Learning to thrive,
Evinda