Camp Sold out

Be intentional

Be intentional, diligent. One thing that always amazes me about God is how He does everything with a purpose. We were created with a purpose. God's every word has a purpose, it never returns void. Every part of our lives has been already written, we are simply walking in the revelation of what God has known since eternity. Everything we do should be likewise, intentional, with a purpose. Its easy to get involved in idle chat and meaningless activities, but where are they taking us? We have a limited amount of time on this earth, are we being as productive as we could? Even our rest time should be intentional, otherwise we end up needed a vacation from our vacation. Lets ask God for a vision and a purpose for each day, so that every moment is keeps us on God's perfect path.

Worship

This past friday, my pastor preached on worship. In my short years of being a Christian, I've come to realize both the importance and sensitivity of the area of worship. The fight for worship brought the downfall of Lucifer and today he continues to try to steal it from the One who it rightful belongs to. This comes disguised in many ways even infiltrating "christian" music. There are many thoughts on what instruments should and shouldn't be used and what style of music is appropriate, but one thing that did stand out to me that my pastor said was this: "you cannot worship someone you don't know." Before we can talk about any other aspect of "worship," we must have this as our foundation. Worship is more than a slow song, its a life lived for God and knowing God. As we fall in love with God, we express that love through our service and our singing etc. Worship is a public expression of something that occurred privately. Its how a new song is produced in our hearts even before getting to church. Let us fall more in love with God so that our desire to worship consumes our entire life, even in our sleep. This only happens in our communion with God. As we get to know Him, we have more reasons to praise Him, more reasons to fall in love, more reasons to worship.

Prostitution

Isaiah 61:1 ...He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captives,And the opening of the prison to those who are BOUND.

Growing up in Miam, specifically Hialeah, prostitution is not a foreign concept. It is something that plagues the city and can sometimes hit close when you meet a child who's mother is one. I finally got to see the film "Nefarious." Its truly a movie that opens our eyes to world rarely seen, let alone talked about in major news. This film exposes what is known as modern day slavery. Where young women, some as young as 5, are kidnapped, sold and used as means of gaining money through prostitution. One thing that took me by surprise was how some families would sell their daughter for money. They would "rent" them by day and they would come home at night or whenever the "pimps" would be done with them. It was sad to see just how people who don't have God, in desperate situations, would turn to such low ways of making money. It's a crime fueled largely by the sex industry. As the director of this film said, you stop legal prostitution, you stop the demand for these sex slaves. For most of us, when we see someone who works in that industry, we quickly think, "they made that choice."This film brings out that in most cases it was not a free choice as we would think. Most are forced to stay "working" through attacks on their lives, through torture, through threats. One of the techniques these captures use to control the girls are to reduce them to less than animal status. They make them feel that they are no longer human, no longer worth anything. Under these circumstances, I think we can begin to see how it is more than about a choice, how its slavery.

But what can we do? Our greatest weapon against this is prayer. Prayer can help set things in motion that most of us could not do from our home. God will guide and provide for those who can help to do their best to set these people free. Their are many testimonies of where Jesus had revealed Himself to these women and given them back their sense of worth, set them free. At times even revealed Himself to the captures, where they repent and become activists against the very thing they were involved with. Secondly, we spread the word. The fact that most people have not heard of this or think its something remote helps to make this an easy practice. But I assure you it is not, it happens in America as well.  Even corrupt governments join in helping these criminals capture innocent victims. 

Overheating

The trip home after graduation was quite an adventure. Packing up a life of two years into a few boxes and suitcases always leaves someone pensive. Considering each item as it is carefully, sometimes methodically, placed in its container, reviewing the memories that they bring back. Pictures bringing back the thoughts of persons, places, smells, laughs and words. Gifts and letters that remind me of those who have invested in some small manner to the experience lived in these past two years. The goodbyes were quick, not as hard as I had thought they might be, it was peaceful, knowing someday in the near future I would run into these lovely people once again.

After finally having the truck loaded, we headed out to Virginia, praying for a smooth quick trip, but God had something else in mind.The car kept indicating it was overheating, yet the motor showed no signs that it was. It was suspicious, but it was better to be safe than sorry. This made our trip even longer as we had to stop every 30 minutes to let the car "cool down." These quick breaks helped me refocus, rest, and have some time to pray along the way. The car issue caused us to stay in Virginia for an extra night. Consequently we were able to enjoy more time with Pastor Wilson and his family, even take a drive up to D.C. Sharing with him was a great blessing and encouragement and I see how God had all this in His plans including the "overheating," which still to this day has not been an issue since the trip.

After arriving home, it was clear it was a new season. God was taking control and showing Himself in a new way, not just guiding me anymore, but teaching me. There is a great difference between being guided through a path and being taught to know the path. We can go through things and never know why, not understand much of the dynamics of a situation but when God teaches you, things become clearer, and you understand God's ways and now what you have learned can be applied in situations for the future and for others, God is making it personal. Now that I have graduated from ZMI, this blog is the story of where God will be taking me and what He will be speaking. I pray this will be a blessing and encouragement to you as well.