LOVE NOW Ministries

Imagine there's no Heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today



Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace



You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one



Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world



You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one



by John Lennon

Happy 4th of July!!! Happy fireworks, watermelon, BBQ, and time to relax. I want to thank everyone who has served and fought and the families who have given their loved ones for our freedom.



As a country we have come so far, but we still have so far to go. It is more than all people and races having a right to vote. It is more than a black man being the president though it is way passed time. If we are going to be a country and government "for the people" all the people have to be represented. Sadly, there is still an inequity. Not all groups have an equal opportunity. Many groups are still profiled and assumed to be dangerous. Stereotypes still run rampant and individuals are not always given the chance to break the mold. Some groups for their choices and inborn tendancies and preferences are still ostracized or unfairly disallowed rights and priviledges that others are given. Life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness should be something we all have equal access to.



I truly believe that men like our founding fathers and Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, John and Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and so many other who have risk their lives to bring equality and freedom and justice for all, have not done so in vain. It is now time for us to join that march, to be that voice and continue what they started till all people, all groups and individuals are are allowed not only opportunity to succeed, but freedom to be judged on their own merits as innocent and capable.



It has been 234 years since the signing of our Constitution, it is high time we really do accept that ALL people were created equal and let them have that God given right.

http://www.fireworkspop.com/liberty.htm

Who would have ever thought that when our forefathers framed the Constitution that 234 years later we would still be fighting for human rights. First we were fighting for women to have equal rights, then for all races to have equal rights and we are still in the battle for all people to have the right not just to vote but to love. How sad we are fighting over love. We are disallowing love. I'm not sure how you tell people who they can fall in love with. We've had all these crazy battles for the posting of the Ten Commandments. Even they never said Thou Shalt Not Love, quite the contrary. Jesus gave us only Two Commandments; Love God and Love Your Neighbor. If we really love God it's not hard to love our neighbor. If we love our neighbor, we don't judge them or tell them they are wrong because we don't agree with them on everything. If we love our neighbor, we don't meddle in their relationships or tell them they cannot spend their lives with or designate their pensions or death benefits for the person they loved. We are all human beings and human rights should exist for us all regardless of race, gender, religion, income or social status. Let It Be.

Today I was reflecting on the life of a friend who crossed many barriers during her wonderful life. She never allowed hardship or prejudice to darken her spirit or rob her of her joy and sense of humor.

At the same time I turned on the TV and there was a wonderful old movie made just after WWII. I couldn't believe I had never seen it. The thing that stood out to me was the message of tolerance and unity it very bravely, boldly spoke. The one thing they conveyed was the thought that all the immigrants, most of which were our parents or grandparents may have come to America with a different language and belief system but some of the same hopes and dreams for their families. Even the message that one young soldier passed onto the mother of his friend who had died in action was that all the people on the front lines didn't consider for a minute the difference of a man's skin or his possible faith, all he knew was he needed that person to stay alive and cover his back.

Have we come so far that we no longer see that our hopes and dreams are still so similar. Have we progressed so far that we have failed to see how greatly we still need each, regardless of our skin color or economic standing or the name we call God by, He still created each of us. Even at the Tower of Babel all the languages became one and had a mind to reach God. They may have gone about it wrong, so God gave them another try in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost when they heard everyone speaking in a different language but all praising God.

Who says we all have to speak the same, look the same, believe exactly the same? What says you're right and another is wrong?

There really is no deal breaker if you walk in love.
To me LOVE is the only language. It is what should and does and will unify us all. If we let LOVE guide us and help us to see passed the surface and even passed the things we may have been taught by our family culture and environment we will see every person with clearer vision and see we are more alike than we think and we truly do need each other.

Challenge and change are always met with hope and opportunity. In God all things are possible. To me this is a year to listen, to embrace, to understand others. I don't have to agree with everything but to allow my heart and mind and spirit to grow, to love all that God created. It is a year to love diversity and how it benefits me, to be open to new things and thoughts and paradiams. I have a picture that belonged to my grandparents. It is a painting of a girl standing in an English garden. The thing that makes the garden beautiful is the variety of the flowers and plants in the picture. Life is that way. It's an English garden and the beauty of it is the variety of colors, textures, scents. How boring if we were all the same.

Let's begin again. Let's evolve. Let's embrace change and as the idea of the word namaste. Namaste basically means: "That which is sacred in me, honors (respects) that which is sacred in you."

That's what true faith is about; trust, love and respect.

So much of life can be a desert. We walk with the feeling that we're going in circles or the scenery isn't changing as much as we'd like it to. Finally in our desperation we come upon an oasis we suppose... people who speak the name of LOVE. While we mingle among them and begin to feel comfortable being ourselves, the snears, jeers and rejection tells on them that they know the name, but not LOVE Himself. We have come upon a mirage not an oasis.

The dictionary states that an oasis is a fertile or green area in a normally arid region providing relief from the usual. And a mirage is an optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water. Thus being an illusion it provides no relief at all.

My greatest desire is to be an oasis. That when someone meets me they feel better when they walk away than when they came. If they are hurting, I want them to be soothed in their pain. A person in distress doesn't need to be told or reminded they only need to be told some Good News. They only need to be reassured that everything will be alright.

LOVE is an oasis. LOVE makes everything better. LOVE provides relief, it soothes pain, it takes us as we are and lets us evolve. LOVE helps us become the best we can be just knowing it is there.

God is there, He is LOVE. He makes no judgments. He is no mirage but a true oasis. We may call Him by different names, but if we walk in mercy and LOVE we are an oasis too.

For all of us the answer is plain; you and I were born to bring glory to God. There may be those who question that fact or that can't see our value or gifts or may even wonder what was God thinking when He chose us. I think the Almighty knows what He is doing even though there are days that I myself cannot see why He would choose me either.

We are such complex human beings our very creation a wonder, and yet for each of us our desires are very simple and very much the same. We all long for some form of success, for love, for wealth, for worth, for health. There may be a focus on some aspect more than others, but the list stays pretty much the same regardless of age, gender, or ethnic origin. So why do we look down on our fellow man when we all are seeking for basically the same things? Even if we appear different outwardly or we have different plans, goals or dreams for our individual path in life that is no reason to judge, attack or separate ourselves from each other.

Diversity is what makes us strong. If all of us were the same not only would it be boring, but we would also only know one way of seeing and doing things. How exciting that is not the case, our ideas and views are as varied as the types of flowers one may see in a garden. I have no desire to make every flower a rose, but to take in the color, appearance and fragrance of each.

Be who you are. Do what you do. Dream what you dare to dream and let others do the same. Thrive in your part of the garden of life and let everyone see how beautiful and unique you are. If you do, people may try less to change you.

It's hard sometimes to remember that we don't wrestle against flesh and blood (human beings) when it seems that human beings are the very ones making our lives difficult. Even more it's hard when some of those we're grappling with are people that we care about.

I have tried recently to put some ministry things in place to benefit many. At the start there was an agreement that pushed us forward to what I believed to be a common goal. As time went by it became clear that we were headed in opposite directions. I was hurt and disheartened that people's needs became secondary to selfish gain.

Stuff happens! This past year has been hard for many families, but I always knew that we had it much easier than most. God has provided for us and in the grand scheme of things even though we have experienced some loss in the natural we are in a much better place without the burden and stress of trying to maintain it all. We are in a better home, a better location and some financial things seem to be finally turning around. We haven't used other people to get ahead we let God do what He had to do, even if it meant discipline and chastisement for us.

I like what my Bishop says about our enemies natural or spiritual. Where some translations of the Scriptures say, "Get behind Me, Satan!" He said we should add, "and push me into my destiny." Because even as the devil was used by God to perform the task of proving to the Christ that He was who He thought He was and that He had authority and dominion, we all have a call and with it the authority and dominion to accomplish it against any foes. The important thing is after the crap has come against us to try us and even the people we thought were on our side have spoke against us and tried to crucify us with their words we have to allow ourselves to not be defeated or crawl in a hole but rather push forward to accomplish what we were called of God to do regardless of our enemies. We are also told to agree with our enemy while we are in the way (on the road or that part of your journey with him) or in other words to recognize him so we're not deceived. Good and evil serve their ultimate purpose as God works it all together for your good. Just keep your eyes on the goal or as Psalms 121 says, "I will look to the hills where my help comes from. My help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth."

Vision: sight, perception, observation, witness. To be visionary one must be able to see not only with their sense of sight but also with their other senses and their spirit what may or may not be there or what may be hidden at first glance.

We have been so conditioned to seeing one another after the flesh that we often forget to see the spirit. We see too much of the humanity and the failings; we tend to keep historical records of errors when God has not. We must perceive our brothers and sisters, discern that they are a part of the many membered body of Christ whether we think they qualify or not. If we looked into your deep, dark thoughts and imaginations would we reconsider if you belonged. Christ told us in I Corinthians 11 that a man should examine himself. We need to stop examining each other and work out our own salvation. He also told us to eat His body, in other words take it in or digest the thought that people we may have not believed were His body are in fact a part of the Christ. Next He told us to drink His blood or cup. The wine usually symbolizes the Spirit. The thought of looking through the supernatual eyes of the Spirit allowing us to properly discern what we see.

I John 4 says that they that are of God, love and they that are not do not love. Do we see through the eyes of love or the eyes of judgment? Are we inclusive or exclusive? Is our acceptance of people conditional on if their views match ours or their doctrine matches ours? If we are walking after the Spirit of Christ who is LOVE, we cannot help but see everyone through the same eyes and recognize that everyone of His creation is our brother and sister.

Change your vision, perception and be your brother's keeper in LOVE.

This week has been met with challenges and opportunities. The one thing that stood out the most was GRACE. We spent the week with family prior to and surrounding a funeral. The memories good and bad it evoked brought pain and healing.

We tend to remember people the way we knew them or through the eyes and paradigm of someone whose opinion we value. The problem with that is it frequently holds people to past behavior or mistakes not leaving room for growth, change or GRACE. As we listened to the eulogy and family remarks the person we heard about was different than we knew.

We must allow people to change, we don't want to be held to past mistakes or remembered only for childish behavior. In I Cor. 13 - the LOVE chapter the author put away childish things when he became full grown. As Christians religion tends to judge a person before it knows the entire story and it also sees people are held to their "sins" long after they have repented. Even some prominent Bible characters are remembered more for thier errors than their faith; Rahab the Harlot or Doubting Thomas, etc.

Isn't it time we stopped holding onto erroneous history and fallible religious traditions that leave no place for GRACE? That is why the love of the Savior is still amazing. He does not see as we do the things we see as unforgiveable or damning. The woman caught in adultery He told to go and sin no more and forbid others to stone or judge her. The woman with the Alabaster Box; they saw her as a sinful woman, He saw her as a woman forgiven much who loved much and said her act of love should be remembered not her past.

It is high time who we are, our love, our fruit be looked at not pokes at juvenile, religious mumbo jumbo that points fingers at non-essential stuff that either we don't understand or agree with or that has no bearing on eternity. Let us remember that God is the only righteous judge and each of us has only him to answer to. I recall a statement made by an old, dear friend: "we all have 12 months a year, 6 to take care of our own business and 6 to stay out of everyone else's."

GRACE - Yes it's still amazing!

Enough! Dry your eyes! Enough I say!
I'm tired of excuses, even my own.
So what about the past. So what about the present. So what about the future.
I'll do the best I can now. I'll be the best I can now.
I'll speak the best thing I can now. I'll be a better neighbor, a better friend, a better child, a better parent, a better partner, a better citizen, a better Christian, a real Christian.
WOW! A real Christian, someone like Christ, who loves and doesn't judge, who gives without thought of return, who challenges people to achieve their highest potential, who loves and keeps loving, even when you have been wronged, hurt, offended, etc., etc., etc.

God made us just like we are. Why would we choose to be ridiculed, rejected or attacked because of who we love? If there is something others don't like about you other than that, like hair style, hair color, clothes, shoes, attitude, weight; whatever, we can change those things if we really want to, but don't do it to please "them" do it because you want it. The most important thing you can do is love God, then you've got to love yourself or you can't love anyone else. You're good, unique and wonderful just like God made you, so stop apologizing, change what you want, but stop trying to "de-gayifying" yourself it's impossible. You are who you are just as much as your eyes are a certain color or your path has been what it is. There are always some variables, but most of it is just what it was planned to be to make us the best version of us and help who we were sent to help, and love who we were sent to love. God doesn't make mistakes and as my mother used to say, "God don't make no junk". Nuff said!

Growing up in the Midwest, made up of conservative, corn growing, hard working, steel mills, industry and railroads kind of people I was made to believe that what I saw and was taught to believe was "normal". However, other than a town in Illinois that I passed through a few times as a child I'm really not sure what "normal" is or where it may be located.

I know every child deserves to have their superhero be it Clark Kent, Spiderman, Dad, Mom or whoever. Our view of our superhero may get marred as life goes along and we find that they are more human than we first supposed them to be and they really can't leap tall buildings nor out run a speeding bullet or overpower a locomotive. I had Mom and Dad growing up but "normal" wasn't what I wanted. I loved them, but even their roles seemed strained and bothersome at times. I always saw not just with my family, but others like it too much of the "keeping up with the Jones' and trying to maintain this facade of "normal" for the kids.

I think kids would rather have happy parents and especially parents that clearly love each other than arguing, miserable people who stay together "for the kids". Somewhere in the midst, I knew my parents loved each other but it took my mother's death to really prove that.

I've struggled with this "normal" thing since I was four years old. I've waded through a lot of excrement and denial, self-loathing, and rejection to find out what my "normal" was and to make peace with it. I don't want to be with a man (no offense to my Dad, because he was and is a wonderful husband, father, provider, man and superhero). I've always wanted; needed to be with a woman. I have some dear male friends, one that I hold most dear, Michael, that I've been friends with for thirtysome years. He doesn't want to be with a woman though he has a good relationship with his Mom and did with his Dad.

I keep feeling like part of my lot in life is to re-define people's perceptions of "gay" or "same sex unions". It makes me think of the old commercial, "this is not your father's Oldsmobile!" My Daddy always loved Oldsmobile cars, we had at least four I remember growing up. I drove one of those Oldsmobiles when I was in my 20's and was going to get my new car the next day. I was in a terrible wreck. I almost died trying to drive my Daddy's "normal". God only has one "normal" for each of us and it may be different than what your parents was or what your neighbor's is or what people may want to define for us. I know for me, it's time, high time, passed time for me to be my "normal" to love this woman I love, to love God, and be everything He created me to be even to the point of re-defining "normal".

When considering this old nursery rhyme I thought of the focus to teach children not to let the words of others leave permanent damage that time could not heal. Words are strong tools that can also be used as weapons of mass destruction. Words can destroy self-esteem, hope, joy, health, families, futures; in short your world or the world of someone else.

I enlarged the word TRUST on purpose because if there is one person we can count on to never fling careless words, or angry words, or words of rejection or criticism at us is God. People, no matter what age can. Even in difficult times and circumstances we can forget that things happen beyond our control, be it the death of a loved one, the loss of something precious that we held dear or worked hard for, or just a total change or upheaval in our world that may seem for a season to shatter our peace. I was reminded of a wonderful song written nearly 30 years ago by the great psalmist and folk artist, Nancy Honeytree for her friend Melody Green whose dear husband , Keith and her son were suddenly killed in a tragic plane crash. The song was simply titled, "Do I Trust You?". Each verse would answer back that question with unchangable things in our lives like; "Do I trust you, does the robin sing? Do I trust you, does it rain, in Spring? Do I trust you does the river flow? Do I trust you, does the North wind blow? You can see my heart, You can read my mind and You've got to know I would rather die than to lose my faith in the One I love, do I trust You, do I trust You, do I trust You, Lord?"

In life there are constants like rain, snow, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. There are also constants like life and death, and change. I have seen in the last few years things that I held dear that seemed like constants were not, home, transportation, job, family, friends. People die, jobs, or cars, or homes are lost; possessions dear become memories held in mind, but not in hand. Even old friendships that once appeared unshakable we may find to be transitory. One constant remains - GOD!!!

Can you trust Him? Yes. Will He fail? Never. Will He leave you? Never. David said it in the Book of Psalms and the old song did too, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken or His children begging for bread." When God finished with those days of creation, everything type of thing and every type of person He would even create, He said it was good. Jesus called sickness, death and judgment finished. Even if human lives are touched by things now, forever they are finished and good in the eyes of God. You are good in the eyes of God. and everything that is happening in your world today is good or soon will be, you can TRUST GOD.

Sanctuary, oh the thought
that He who my salvation bought
would also be, my Sanctuary.

Sanctuary, oh what bliss
that this precious, wounded head of His
Would bear the chastisement of my peace
and be, My Sanctuary.

Sanctuary, refuge divine,
Lover of this soul of mine,
Ever calling me to come and dine
In Your Sanctuary.

Sanctuary, it is all my heart's desire
To set ablaze this fire
In the hearts of other mortals
crying out for The Immortal,
To find oh Lord, to taste and see
You, The Sanctuary.

My heart is crying out to You
There's no one I need more
I run, I fight,
At times I know I cause my plight,
Despite my flesh its You I love
Dear Lord its You I adore.

I cannot judge another
God does not judge me
I must love my brother,
and pray that they get free.

It's time to let go of hurt and pain
To grow and let it be
It isn't holding anyone else in limbo,
It's only hurting me.

At last new joy within my heart
I didn't know life could be this fine
I want to sing and dance
God gives us so many chances
And He offers so much peace
Our God is always good
In Him is sweet release.

by Beth Rehbein

It's been a little while since either of us have posted. There has been so much going on that to give you a play by play would be near impossible. With all the recent events, God has definitely been in control. It brought to mind an excerpt from one of my favorite books, "The Disciplines of Life" by V. Raymond Edman, which sadly is currently out of print. This little book is packed with some great lessons that life can teach us. "The School of Hard Knocks" is not one any of us would ask to attend, but as life would have it, we all get our turn. Passing or failing is all determined by our response to those situations. With that in mind I couldn't help but feel that those of us who have some unusual battles to fight, whether it be because of being gay, or discriminated against because of race or religion or any other foolish reason may have been also given some special grace to overcome it.

In the book, each lesson is preceeded by a poem. This one has always stood out:
Pressed
Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length,
Pressed so intently, it seems beyond strength,
Pressed in the body, and pressed in the soul,
Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll,
Pressure by foes, and a pressure by friends,
Pressure on pressure till life nearly ends.

Pressed into knowing no helper but God,
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod,
Pressed into liberty where nothing clings,
Pressed into faith for impossible things,
Pressed into living a life in the Lord,
Pressed into living a Christ-life outpoured.

When I realized at the young age of four that I was different, and was drawn to females in a way I never was to males; I think I knew I would need some special grace. I remember saying to my mother, "if I'm so evil, why doesn't God just take me?" I know now that its because He made me and He called everything He made, "good". In fact, my mother used to always say, "God don't make no junk." How true.

So here we are, lesbians, gays, bis, trans, whatever; all we want is what every human being on the planet wants, to love and be loved. When we feel we have no purpose or value we cannot see why God would want us here, but when we realize that what may seem like a huge setback, even a handicap of sorts because we didn't decide to be gay anymore than we decided who our parents were or the color of our skin.

All things are for a purpose, to build something in us or in others.
I love the way II Corinthians 4 puts it; "We have this treasure in (frail, human) vessels of earth, that the greatness of this power may be shown to be of God and not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side, but not crushed, we are perplexed and unable to find a way out, but not driven to despair. We are persecuted, but not deserted; we are struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed."

Remember, God is on your side. People can be cruel, but God has made a way for us to stand strong and tall and face any difficulty or criticism that would try to take us down. We can handle each situation with grace and walk in peace even in the midst of the storm.

It's time to see that who you are and what you are is a blessing not a curse. You are a gift to help others understand that being unique is good. It's time to fly in the face of adversity and let God use your uniqueness as a call to the world to love every person for who they are not looking on their outward being, but on their heart, just as God does.

Many of us grew up with or at least have heard the story of "The Little Train That Could". The story relates the struggle of the little train against the odds who told himself repeatedly, "I think I can", until he could and did. I urge you today, no matter what you are up against; no matter what people, family, friends have said about you or against you, you are better than what has been said. If anyone in your world has made you feel unworthy of love or like you are not good enough, they were wrong. I think I have said it before, but it bears repeating, God is not like any other man. If you grew up with an abusive father or an alcoholic father or even a non-existent father who failed to step up to the plate to support you in any way. Sadly the image you have drawn of a Father has been marred.

Little girls are to learn that Daddy is a safe haven, a strength, an encourager. He makes you feel special and loved. Daddy and Mommy train us and discipline us, but we also know that their love is unconditional. God is just that way and more. He is the true example of unconditional love. He made us as we are with this free will to choose, but even when we make an error in judgment, He is quick to pick us up, dust us off, and start us back on our way. God is love and mercy personified.

I will never forget when I went away to college. I choose to call them "the stupid years", because I did some really dumb stuff as most young people do when they first get out from under parental supervision. One day my choices came back to stare me in the face and I sat on my bed sobbing. At that moment I felt a presence sit beside me and put an arm around my shoulder. At that same instant I heard clearly a voice that kept saying, "I love you. I love you. I love you." which made me cry even harder, but I knew it was God telling me that no matter what, He made me and He loved me, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

You are special. you are wonderful. Know that the Father loves you. I want you to know today you can make it, it's going to be alright. It is alright. I think you can. I think you can. God thinks you can. God thinks you can. Please get on board our train. There are great things in store for you ahead.

From the time we are born we live in places called "home". Some feel like it, some don't. The most important thing that makes them "home" is were you able to be yourself? If not, I challenge you to not stay anywhere you are not free. We have such freedom in this country, but there is still miles to go. How vital that we are true to ourselves. There is a whole level of discrimination that is rarely talked about; that is what we as Gay Americans face. My major issue is freedom and equality of rights for same sex couples regarding life and health insurance and pension benefits.

Job discimination is a hard one to prove, but you know when it exist. Find your niche, your circle of friends that celebrate you. Find your circle of faith that show you the Real Jesus who loves you and made you who you are. Then allow yourself to move into your real home - YOU. You are wonderful just as you are. Let yourself be free, happy and whole. Loving God and being gay are not mutually exclusive. Jesus is really like no other man and He really does love you just as you are. Welcome Home!

This year so far has been met with many blessings. So clearly already what it had promised; a beginning of things waited for. I couldn't help but think of Psalm 126:1 AMP where the people taken captive in Babylon finally returned to their home land after hundreds of years. It states, "When God brought back the captives to Zion, we were like them that dream [it seemed so unreal]." I have waited so long for the events that are now beginning to unfold and I want to encourage you that yours is coming too. There is such an environment for and atmosphere of change in the air right now, not just the coming inauguration alone. I know I've said it, but it bears repeating; not all change is bad even though at first it may appear to be.

For more years than I care to tell you I have prayed for and even written as one of my yearly petitions the desire to be in full-time ministry and to complete some writing projects I had been working on. Well, year after year I wrote it again, picked at the writing, but saw little accomplished to move me toward my goal and dream. At the beginning of 2008 I was hit with a major blow, a layoff after 12 years. I cannot tell you all the emotion that I experienced, but I knew one thing when I got that last paycheck, I went to Natali's job at lunch and we went to our church and payed our tithes, handing the envelope to the excutive secretary of the ministry. I believe this act was a key to God sustaining us. My years of experience in my field, along with my previous position and salary seemed to work against me when looking for work, along with the total economy issues facing the entire country. With gasoline prices so high at that time too, we were throwing a chunk of money into our big SUV. By July we had to let it go. The transportation thing became a challenge too, but Thank God for our family, and church family and friends. We didn't miss a beat. About then we reflected that there was no significant loss or lack, no utilities cut off, nothing.

A few avenues I tried didn't pan out, but I went back to the writing. I completed a women's devotional I started about 14 years ago, sadly I finished the final edits when word came about the passing of my former pastor from cancer. When I started the book initially, I had dedicated it to her and her influence on my life. Pastor Jackie Siggers shall not be soon forgotten. Natali and I also completed a book together, the cover is featured on our blog here. Both are ready to go to press.

I have found that generations will prove that the "greats" in history became so because of all the junk they saw, experienced, and determined not to repeat. When we rise above the mundain or the things that could take us out but decide instead to use it as a stepping stone not a stumbling block to walk into our purpose and destiny, great things do happen.

Some dear friends that are like family and I went to look at and negotiate for a property yesterday. A couple of weeks ago we discussed giving what we could to help needy families. Now here we are ready to move in February 1st to full-time ministry. My motivation has been a message I heard by Betty Violette who worked with Teen Challenge for years. Her word was about the verse, "Where there is no vision, the people perish (the empty, lonely, hurting people)" Proverbs 29:18. About 10 years after hearing this message the Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance Isaiah 54 about the barren woman who would have more spiritual children then she could possibly conceive (no pun intended). At that time I worked with a woman who started her own business a few years prior and need a field manager, then through the intervention of God we ended up at 3 of the 7 government aided apartment complexes we serviced with her company and were able to have a huge impact to the families through Vacation Bible Schools for the kids, groceries several times during the year to the families, a Bible Study for the Senior complex, and Christmas gifts for the children. This went on for a few years. When I left and eventually moved out of state, my heart was grieved to hear the company folded, and the outreach stopped shortly after. I had so much in my heart I wanted to do, but life and circumstances had dictated my path for all these years until now.

WOW! When things change, they change big. In this time in history, anything can happen. Please revisit your dreams. Let God open doors you thought were closed. When that plane landed miraculously in NY the other day, I thought to myself, "see, all things are possible". You are the heir apparent of your own fate, rise to the occasion, walk into your destiny, it's waiting for you to say "Yes!"

From the time I understood who I really was I knew I was different and I had a special mission. Much like the God that I serve with my whole heart, I believe I was called to continue what He started: to re-define LOVE. I think our perception has been so confused by the Hollywood and the media views that we don't even know what it really is. Webster's defines it as affection, benevolence, brotherly concern or even love for God. The deeper meaning I feel we have lost sight of is the word, "passion". This word has been associated too closely with sex or physical relationships, but in this instance I am relating to the passion of Christ, the Son of God who for love's sake came to earth, took on the form of man, became a servant to the point of washing the feet of His betrayer, was beaten and crucified unjustly, taking our sin, sickness and shame. He came to build a bridge back to the Father.

We attended a interfaith unity walk and service today commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the bridge he sought to build with his dream. What a wonderful thing it is when brothers walk together in unity. Something that one of the pastors spoke so resonated with me. He spoke of his special needs child whose handicap became his gift. Sometimes the things that seem to be our thorn or Achilles' heel really are the thing that in overcoming becomes our call or the very means by which we can help others because we have learned compassion for it and through it.

What is your handicap, your passion, your mission? Live, LOVE, Laugh!!!

It's finally arrived - 2009!!!
The long awaited "Year of Consummation".
All the new beginnings from last year were mixed with some good changes and some difficult, but now is the time to move forward, to push, to declare, decree, and see the completion and perfection of the hopes and dreams that seemed almost dashed. The one thing that has stood out to me during these tough times has been the unwavering faithfulness of God. Sometimes God has to take extreme measures to get us where He wants us to be. As human nature would have it we are creatures of habit and tend to get into ruts. For the God whose mercies are new every morning I assume He would like us to be more like Him; creative and spontaneous.

I'm looking at continuing my education, some new ministry opportunities, new business opportunities and the completion of some projects already in the works. Last year at this time none of this was even in view, I was in a rut till God moved me. I'm excited, I have great anticipation for what's ahead, we're even talking about having a commitment ceremony early this Summer.

Let's create a new world of hope and peace and love that's unparalleled. Why not? It's about time.

In this season of economic dismay, other than the good news of President Obama election, there has only been discouraging news reported from every media source that you can fathom. We've gotten a daily dose of how bad the housing market is; how low the Dow has gone, and a constant feeling of lack and loss. Panic and fear is in the heart of every man that believes he is his own source. The word source means; a point of origin from which something derives. Well, we derived from God our creator, we are created in His own image. In a few weeks we will celebrate Christmas because Jesus the Christ was born; wrapped in proverty, given to us , "for onto us a son is given". He was laid in a feeding trough or manger {please see the symbolism}, even immediately after his birth Jesus was laid out for us; first to behold, second, to be served up as an offering. If we can believe in the special gift that He is to us, our paradigm will shift and we will see there is really no lack or loss to those that can accept that what we are all going through is purposed so that we can seek Him first and teach others how to. As the carol says, "Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King. Peace on Earth and mercy mild, God and sinner reconciled." The message has not changed that Christ said from the cross, "It Is Finished!" This is a song we can sing all year and no matter what the circumstance.

It is my prayer for you to know that God is the source for all of humanity. At this holiday season don't get depressed because you feel overwhelmed by the desire to buy presents and lavish love ones with things. "Things" are good, however, true love expressed is far more valuable.

Count your blessing and see the miracles God performs for you everyday, don't believe the report of man. Say this, "I will look to the hills from which comes all of my help. My help{our} help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth". Remember this, we have what we say. Better yet say what you heard, what God spoke to you, so you can see what you said and declared with your own mouth. I say, "We have a Father in heaven that will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory."

This Holiday Season I Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year of Prosperity and Vision!

by Natali Warner

Most of us are familiar with the old story of Scrooge. It has been remade in many incarnations including the very similar cartoon version of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". The only major difference I see is Ebenezer Scrooge is visited in three dreams by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future. In these dreams he is allowed to remember old friends and loves and disappointments. Then he sees how miserable his life has become. Last he gets a view of what his world would be like without him. Sadly he sees that some of those he could have helped or made a difference for literally perished because of his choices.

Similarly, the Grinch we see suffers diasappointments too and in seeing the happiness of the people of Whoville thinks that if he removes the gifts and "stuff" they will cease to be happy. Not so! They show that love is what made them happy and desiring to give in the first place.

Not just the Christmas holidays approaching made me think of these stories, but something I heard the other day also triggered the thought. Someone was relating how freaked out people were a few years ago about Y2K. Many thought it would be the end of the world or at least some nuclear disaster would strike and much like the generation following WWII built bomb shelters in their cellars or back yards, prior to the turn of the millenium stocked up on canned goods, bought generators, etc. The comment was made that they still were dealing with the fumes from the generator that was never used.

How many of us collect things and hold them for years. They may be generators, but mostly they are anger, or hurt or unfulfilled expectations. They fester, they grow, they separate us from joy, from peace and sometimes eventually from others. A man I spoke with told me he hoped to see his sister for the holidays, but didn't know if he would. They hadn't spoke in 12 years due to an argument. He said he couldn't even recollect what the disagreement was about. His sister probably can't either, but still 12 years later they have missed out on each others' lives and families.

I urge you let "The Ghost of Chistmas Past" be just that, the past. To remember that happiness and life is what you make it. Everyday can be joyous when we walk in peace with all people especially those closest to us and refuse to allow disasters real or imagined holding generators or anything else we don't need to keep. There are so many great things to hold on to and many more to look forward to.

2008 was the year of "new beginnings" and 2009 is the consumation. So all the things that happened this year good or bad need to be examined. Some of the new things that happened this year may have been unexpected or even unwelcomed, but we always have the choice to see the glass as half full or half empty. We can make lemonade of those lemons or keep generators and junk in our basements and hearts that hold back the blessings.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!

Here we are and it's already November. At the beginning of this year it was decreed that 2008 was the year of new beginnings, and they were right on so many levels about that declaration. In our home as well as myself, we have gone through many changes this year. Some welcomed and others unexpected. I am finding though that God does indeed work all things together for our good. In Genesis chapter 50 Joseph said to his brothers after they had sold him into slavery and he had suffered in jail unjustly for a crime he didn't commit, that the things they meant for evil against him, God turned for good. How many times do we look at a negative and see no positive about it? I got a whole new take on this the other day when my Bishop, Jim Swilley from The Church In The Now said that Jesus when He was in the wilderness being tempted, said, "Get thee behind me, Satan". He meant for him to get behind Him and push Him onto His destiny. Even Isaiah 54 states that God created everything with a purpose and He uses that purpose many times for something higher than we can immediately see. "Behold I have created the smith to blow on the coals to produce a weapon for it's purpose; and I have created the waster to destroy, but no weapon formed against you will prosper, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment, shall be proven to be in the wrong for this is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness and vindication is from Me."

I have heard Grace and Mercy defined like this:

Mercy - not receiving punishment or judgment one may deserve.
Grace - receiving a positive benefit one does not deserve to receive.

For some reason this Thanksgiving I think of the Biblical practice of Jubilee. Three great things happened every 50 years; all those in bondage were set free, all who had to sell their land due to poverty or need would have it returned to them, and the land would receive a rest. People were to live on what was produced the previous year and what grew spontaneously. Not just at Thanksgiving but especially now before the end of the year let's agree to release everyone we've held in bondage with our thoughts, our words and our memories, even if it's ourselves. Be Free! It's time to allow restoration to come, to you and from you to others. Lift up the fallen! Give rest to the land of your words. Sow no seeds here you have before, let good grow up spontaneously. Peace!

Now I want to make some declarations of my own before the year is up. You may want to make your own.

I'm through with:
1)Being petty or negative or focused on my way being the only way.
2)Holding onto the past, good or bad.
3)Thinking I've failed. I can't fail at what I haven't started.

I Recognize That I am:
1)A product of the completed work of Christ and His righteousness. It's not based on my decisions or performance but on His sacrfice and resurrection.
2)Called for a divine purpose. If I were not vital to His plan being accomplished in the earth and the Body of Christ, I wouldn't be here.
3)Supplied daily from on high with strength, wisdom, ability, provision and power to succeed at every task I undertake.

So I Will:
1)Rejoice in the Lord Always, and again I say rejoice!
2)Remember Jesus is the Alpha (Beginning) and Omega (End), so I will not fear anything because He's got it all covered.. When it's all over and the dust settles, Jesus is there!
3)Not Quit!

Give thanks for all you have, it could be taken or changed in a minute and life is far to short to miss any of it or live it in regret. It's all good, He sees to that.

Sometimes it seems like our lives are much like a series of movies. Today while watching the lineup on TV I really saw a pattern emerge. There's "The Wizard of Oz" where Dorothy is so tired of her reality that she desires to leave it altogether and with the aid of a tornado and many clever special effects she does, at least for a while. There's those flying monkeys, the Good Witch, the Wicked Witch, her companions the Scarecrow who lacked wisdom, the Tin Man that lacked love or trust, and the Cowardly Lion that lacked courage. I saw in it all many things, people or situations we struggle with in our daily lives only to find out like Dorothy that the Awesome OZ is nothing more than a human just like us, and all he did was give them a token to remind them that what they needed was right there within them all along . It was a matter of self-perception and allowing "stuff" to become big and scary that isn't hard if we just address it.

Another was one of the many versions of "Yours, Mine and Ours", and "Cheaper by the Dozen" with the career officer father that had more schedules, charts and structure than any home or kid can handle who is coupled with the layed back mother who calmly handles whatever comes. Sadly, I seemed to be the more structured one that was hard to live with till it all collapsed and a happy medium was found.

Last was "Hook" one of the last and I believe best attempts to update the classic "Peter Pan". Peter finds himself in a corporate, stressed out existence. Upon returning to his childhood home he finds it nearly impossible to use his imagination or dream. It literally takes his children being kidnapped by the evil Captain Hook and him being knocked out and hijacked by Tinkerbell and taken to Neverland for him to remember that his greatest strength was in loving and never forgetting how to relax and dream. Being childish may not be a good idea but being childlike is something we should never lose. That's where the name Neverland came from. Children always have a sense of wonder, great things are so much greater, problems are so insignificant compared to the time and effort we expend on them, and having fun and enjoying your life should be the entire goal for the journey. When we fail to dream we fail to hope, when we fail to hope we fail to love, when we fail to love we begin to fear and everything really does start to come "unglued" so to speak.

I don't know where you are on your journey but I urge you to draw some insight from these movies. I know they are just movies and not real life, but it may be time to step back from real life and remember how to dream. Step into Neverland for a few moments and re-prioritize. All three movies rang out the same message that our families, our children, our partners or significant others are the most vital things in our lives. They are what we do it all for in the first place. So, stop the schedule if you must, watch a movie, play a game, dream and most of all remember, no matter how dysfunctional, click your heels together and say it three times, "There's no place like home." "There's no place like home." "There's no place like home."

This has been such a profound week, finally in 2008 we have elected a man that a century ago could not vote and two centuries ago would have probably been a slave. Have we made history at last, no doubt, but we still have far to go. I was reminded this week by my eight year old about other parts of the struggle for civil rights because they are studying it in school. One day she came home to tell me what they had learned about Frederick Douglass and the next day about Susan B. Anthony.

In watching the news this week once again the right for Gay Marriage has been revoked in California. Its been a virtual roller coaster for the partners there. In many parts of the country and indeed the world it is still outlawed for same sex unions of any kind and in some countries it is punishable by death. I have even read news articles of gays that have sought political assylum in the U.S. because they knew they were going back home to a certain death because of their sexual orientation.

What I see in all of it is how far we have come and yet how far we have to go. I believe it was Confucius that said, "the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step." How true this is and we have taken steps to equality for men and women of all races, religions and creeds but so few are willing to take the necessary steps needed for equality of representation for same sex partnerships in regards to health benefits, insurance and death and pension benefits. We can share a lifetime with the person we love, but we are not allowed to speak openingly about them in the workplace, show our family pictures or have the right to make decisions regarding their health or subsequent death under most states' laws. Many people have the right to say whatever they wish about our lives like they know us and our hearts and what we believe in our gut.

My partner and I are driven by one thing, LOVE. We have a deep faith in God and desire that all people know that He is not mad at them as many churches would have you to believe. God Is Love, so how could He turn away what He created especially when He created you as you are. Yes, some of us knew as children, for me it was at age four, that I was gay. For others they went through the paces trying to be what was pre-conditioned by society as "the norm" but it never fit. That was the case for my partner. She married twice and had four great children and adopted another great kid. All the while she was miserable, those relationships and others in between all failed because her environment kept telling her one thing about God and how she had to act, and another voice (the voice of the Holy Spirit) kept telling her she was okay just the way she was. Loving God, serving God and being gay were not mutually exclusive. Even though much of the traditional church and religious right don't accept it, all paths point toward God, He sees to that.

So here we are again its 2008 and its time for ALL people to be equal. In God's eyes we are. I pray in time we will be legally around the globe. Love will always point our hearts toward what is right. I tend to cling to those old words spoken in our Pledge of Allegience, "With liberty and justice for ALL." Let freedom ring.

Dear Friends,

I urge you to vote for the persons of your choice this election, but PLEASE, vote!!! There are many who have gone before us and made great sacrifices for the freedoms we have. I was raised to believe that your vote is your voice, or that people forfeited their right to complain if they didn't vote to change things. Just consider who has the core values you cling to, the civil rights of ALL people in mind and remembers we are all citizens; our government is in place to serve the people who by election or appointment are put in the position to do so.

When the settlers first came to America, they came for political and religious freedom, many still immigrate here for those same reasons. The American Indians had those freedoms, and then in the 1800's we tried to limit them and put them in reservations. Women and African- American's rights were also limited for many years. No person's freedom or civil liberties should ever be hindered or limited unless they impose on the life or safety of another. Everyone should have their opportunity at the "American Dream" if they want it.

God Bless, and His Will Be Done!!!

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to write you today simply to remind you how precious you are to God. His Word to you is the ultimate Love Letter. First He tells of His creation of all things and then man that He created with a free will, because He didn't want a robot who would love and serve Him because He had to, but because he chose to. Just like life can and does come to distract us and lead us away from God, it happened in the Bible too. That letter goes on to show us men and women who tried to live and acknowledge God and some who didn't. It shows us ways that they tried to get others back to God by thinking a system of rules could do it but it failed too. Finally God Himself decided that only He could fix the problem, so He sent His Son to be a living "Show and Tell" of His love for all humanity. We are all created with that God nature in us; that desire to live, love and serve Him.

The rules and laws that came by Moses were transitory, temporary because they were doomed to fail because man could not be perfect no matter how hard they tried. Jesus came, lived a perfect life and then gave the perfect sacrifice of His life, and the perfect gift of His Spirit to help us live overcoming lives. When we look to Him and not Moses to guide our lives, He helps us to live from the inside out, no longer from our falable human flesh, but from His perfect Spirit in us. You are now His living Love Letter to others. We all have a choice to continue to see and speak the laws and judgment that Moses spoke or to see and speak the LOVE that Jesus is. Romans 5:20 tells us, "Where sin abounds, grace much more abounds." So whatever was weak and shameful in us is covered, forgiven and given a fresh life, fresh chance in Christ. God's mercy exceeds His judgment.

There is a great song that Kirk Franklin leads on one of his CD's called, "I Need You To Survive". It speaks about all of us as God's human family that we all need each other. The verse I cling to is the one, "I won't harm you with words from my mouth. I love you. I need you to survive." If we can get the fact in earth science that each species is dependant on each other. If pollution in the environment and other changes can even wipe out a species, why wouldn't we think that our very words, which even God used WORDS to create with could be creative or destructive?

Today, I choose to speak words of life, mercy, reconcilation, inclusion, and LOVE to you wherever you are on your journey, because I need you to survive.

Someone was relating the story of Helen Keller to me after seeing the wonderful classic, "The Miracle Worker" for the first time. I have always loved this movie for so many reasons, but mainly for the great truths about triumph over adversity of any kind and the wonder of discovery. For Helen she overcame her multiple handicaps of being deaf, blind, and mute. Her story proves the strength of the human spirit when faced with seemingly insurmountable circumstances.

This also beautifully depicts the thought that we can never go back once we have seen or known something to be true. Once Anne Sullivan finger spelled the word water in Helen's hand and she made the association with the water running on her hand with the "Wa Wa" her mother had given her as a child before she lost her hearing, it all began to fall in place. There was a point of discovery that changed everything forever.

Helen Keller went onto graduate from college and become an author and lecturer. Proving anything is possible.

With this in mind, I have found some simple truths about myself. I first knew I was "different" when I was about four years old. I fought the stigma my entire life. I tried dating and even got engaged a few times to nice guys, but it would never stick. I even made a pact with a gay friend of mine that we might marry each other because of our long friendship and he was one man I did trust and me, one woman he trusted. We both clearly understood that if we married, it would probably never be consumated, but we would be safe and play the normal social roles.

Wow! It's crazy the stuff we put ourselves through. God never puts such harsh demands on us. He only asks us to love Him and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I know the "Love Thy Neighbor" thing is hard to do at times, especially with some people, but it can be even harder when you don't love yourself. The old expression, "to thine own self be true" still applies. It's hard to love anyone, or accomplish anything great when you are angry or fearful or hiding from a truth you know. The best thing you can ever do is to be the best YOU that you can be. God made you just the way you are. Enjoy that truth now that you know.

There is a game we played when we were children called, "Statues". It was a type of tag, but the person who was it had to stand away from everyone else and everytime they turned their back the statues would run toward them trying to tag them before they would turn around again. You had to freeze when they would turn around or remain a statue. Isn't it amazing how like children we are. We tend to hold each other in a statue like state if they don't do what we want when we're looking. Forgiveness is not theirs; they can't even get to it, because we keep turning around and holding them captive to what they once were or once said or did. Like the Children of Israel wandered around in the wilderness forty years. They kept trying to live the way they did in Egypt. They were slaves there, but even though God delivered them they held themselves captive. We are doomed to relive what we cannot forgive (release).

I titled this after a powerful song that was written and performed by Bob Carlisle and more recently by Donnie McClurkin, "We Fall Down, We Get Up". The idea of it being that walking by a monastery one day he thought upon how did these "holy men" live, so he asked one of them he saw standing by the gate. The reply was, "We fall down, we get up. We fall down, we get up and the saints are just the sinners who fell down and got up." How true this is. God is overflowing with mercy and willing to forgive us time and again for the same things, but often we can't forgive ourselves or others for the same indecretions. We hold them in a statue-like state trying to receive forgiveness and never quite getting there. Proverbs 24:16 reminds us, "a just man falls seven times, and gets up again." Even Jesus said in Matthew 18 when questioned by Peter about how many times he was obligated to forgive a brother who sinned against him (offended him), "I tell you not just seven times, but seventy times." Knowing no one could possibly do something to anger or offend anyone as much as seventy times in a day.

When God forgives He throws our errors in the sea of forgetfulness, He doesn't remember it, it's like it didn't happen. God's mercy endures forever, does yours?

What we do to each other in the name of God or religion is just not fair to God or the people verbally assalted by it. I started to write a book about 14 years ago by this title, but it has morphed as I have tried to write it. The premise has become a living lesson in humanity. I have heard my own bishop say that part of our life is determined by God's will for us, and an even larger part of our life is determined by our reactions to it. Our Human Factor; our personal bias, our environment, our religious training, our own personal self esteem and conception all weigh in. On top of it all there are "the words", those lovely pronouncements by family, those near and dear. Even Jesus had no honor among His own, the Bible tells us. We must be sure that we pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and speak positive things, "Life" with our mouths too.

I'm reminded today about heritage; who we are and what we've become based on the input of some of those human factors we've discussed. Even the Pharisees who couldn't keep the Law but kept heaping on more "shalt nots", constantly telling the people what not to do, but never showing them what to do. Much like a child will dress up and imitate the behavior of the adult influences in their lives, they practice being "grown" and doing what they see and hear until they can process what is correct behavior for themselves. That is why it is so vital what we communicate to each other.

I John 3:2 tells us, "Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." Jesus walked and talked here for 33 1/2 years, so everyday we could play "dress-up" and put on Christ and walk and talk it out till we discern what is godly behavior. He showed us what patience and mercy and love were by example (word and deed), not the 'do as I say, not as I do' of the Pharisees.

It's time to park our "Human Factor" at the door of our homes, at the door of our houses of worship, or better yet just lay them at the altar and let God help you back into your Jesus suit till you begin to look and act and sound more and more like Love Personified.

Proverbs is an interesting book. I don't read it often but it does lend itself to a monthly devotional read since it is 31 chapters long. We are told in Proverbs six to 'consider the ant'. Solomon prompts us to study the ant and their ways and their preparation like much of nature that stores up for bad weather, or what in the human world would be hard times. There is another thing I admire about ants and that is their tenacity. Ants don't give up easy or get detoured from their appointed goal. They work as an army under a Queen. If it rains and washes away their ant hill; they don't cry or bemoan the loss, instead they quickly start to rebuild. If someone steps on it the same scenario occurs. Sadly we are too little like the ant and too much like us. We still get distressed too easily when hardship hits instead of trusting God that He is working in secret for us.

We're also told in Matthew 6 and Matthew 10 that the lilies and the sparrows live their lives without need or longing because they just believe that the Almighty who makes the sun rise and set will take care of all they need. God did promise He'd provide for all of our need. We just have a tendency to doubt when it doesn't happen as fast as we think or in the way we think it should. That doesn't mean God is inadequate or that He has failed. God is faithful! Let's together consider the ant, the lilies and sparrows and the mercy and love of God.

In the Book of Luke we are told a parable of a poor man named Lazarus and a rich man who is not named. In the story Lazarus in his need is seen begging daily at the rich man's gate till one day he dies. We read also that shortly after, the rich man dies too. As the story goes they were taken to a holding place beyond the grave till the Christ would come. The righteous dead went to a place called Abraham's bosom or Paradise. The unbelieving dead went to a place called Sheol or Hades that was a place of purging to remember their errors and injustices just as this rich man and to be cleansed and freed from them. We are also told that the one could not cross over to the other, but were aware of the peace of one and the hardship of the other. Even the rich man ask once he is reminded of his cruelty to Lararus, "Can't someone come and put a drop of cool water on my tongue to relieve me from my torment?" Then he asked if that couldn't happen couldn't someone be sent to his family to remind them to be kind and to help the poor and the orphan and the widow, so they too would not have to go through a place of purging like him. He is told that just like him they had the Law and the words of great prophets and teachers to guide them. If they would not hear them then why would they believe even if someone came back from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31)

There was a popular ministry that used to use the expression, "Plundering Hell to Populate Heaven". I believe there were even books written with that theme. The thing I want to remind everyone of today is that Jesus the Christ already did that. All those people that died believing or unbelieving before He came and even the thief beside Him on the cross, He said would be with Him that day in Paradise. Jesus went there too, but He went as the Scriptures tell us to lead those in holding or captivity or as some faiths call it purgatory. Whatever your belief, He went to get them and lead them out since He took the punishment and judgment for us all, once and for all.

There is the story too of the Syrophenecian woman who come to Jesus regarding her child with the unclean spirit. He told her healing was the children of faith's bread when she asked for His help to just speak the word and heal her child. When she told Him she would even eat just the crumbs from under His table, her faith moved Him to compassion and He healed her daughter. (Mark 7:24-30)

Our bread is God's word; not just what He said but what He is still saying through apostles, prophets, pastors, evangelists and teachers and to your heart directly too if you are seeking to hear from Him.
Our meat is to do God's will as He directs us. In other words, we are strengthened and sustained by doing His will and being directed by His words.

Some would have thought that the Rich Man or the Syrophenecian or maybe even you or I don't deserve to be a part of the church or the Body of Christ or to have the priviledges of children, but I love the first letter to the Corinthian church where in chapter 11 we are told to rightly discern who is the Body especially when we take the sacraments and remember Christ sacrifice. It goes on further in chapter 12 to say that God gave gifts to everyone as He willed and decided to do. Even if its someone we don't understand or think should not be named among us, we don't have the right to say who is good or bad, necessary or not necessary. It even goes so far as to say that the ones we think are the least honorable or respectable, He gave more honor and respectability. Christ made up for what we lacked. He gave those with no honor 'more exceeding honor'. We cannot say we don't need each other just like a human body cannot say it can exist or fuction to full capacity without one of its vital organs or limbs. So we are reminded that we are to help, even weep with those who are struggling to find their way and rejoice with those who are rejoicing and know clearly who they are and are at peace.

Lastly, these two great chapters are followed by what we call "The Love Chapter", chapter 13, which tells us that everything we do should operate and be motivated by love or it means nothing. We need you, you need us. Come on in the house, the door is open and we'll leave the lights on.

The words, "time and chance happen to all". How real this is especially in our lives right now. Life will not always be easy, but I also like the fact that the Bible encourages us to comfort others as we have been comforted by Christ and to show mercy as we have been shown mercy.

Ecclesiastes is a tough book and Solomon who wrote it was definitely an intense thinker. I do find it interesting that he wrote about the idea that the sun and the rain, good and bad come to all people during the course of our lives. What we do with it, how we perceive it, and how we in turn handle it, makes it a stumbling block or stepping stone for us.

Many of us have read the stories of Christ's calling of His disciples. One day He found Peter who has fishing and called to him to cast his net on the other side. He told Christ they had fished all night and caught nothing. Again He encouraged him to cast the nets to the other side and when he did their nets were immediately filled about to break. Sometimes our view is limited to the fact that we have been working at something trying to make it work and we don't see that one little change will change everything.

I am encouraging you as I have been encouraged today to cast your net on the other side whatever that means for you. Maybe you keep attempting to get something or someone to change their view of you. Maybe you are looking in one field of work where you have always been. Keep loving, keep looking, but don't lock yourself into one place or not move forward yourself because someone valued to you fails to change their view. Please keep growing and keep yourself free from other people's junk. Misery does love company. Many who would criticize you are miserable and need to move forward in their thinking and are stuck, so they want you to be too. Don't do it! Cast you net on the other side.

Have you abandoned your dreams and forsaken your faith because you feel they have discarded you? Life does have its cycles like seasons of the soul. Just like Spring and new life gives way to Summer and abundance, it can also be followed by Fall and changes. Some of those changes can be colorful and beautiful, others can be difficult. By all evidences things are dying and the vast oasis of hope are becoming stagnant puddles only large enough to reflect back aborted plans or zealous failures. Then Winter comes and stark reality is present; there is no lush foliage to cover your nakedness and need.

Now what? I'm reminded of the the captivity of Israel. Here they are in pain, they think they can't ever go home. Even the prophet Jeremiah cries, "Is there no balm in Gilead?" They knew God had provided for them everything they needed even in the way of balsam trees that had fragrant, healing oils. We see the brothers of Joseph brought some of this balm to Egypt when they went to plead for their brother Benjamin. The botanical name for these trees is "commiphora" which is a kin to the camphor tree also known to have healing properties and from which we derive our word comfort. Even in their temporary exile, in God there was still comfort and there was and is always healing when we remember who we are in Him.

I hear you say, "it can't be that easy". But it is. God has never rejected you; He made you, He knows what you are made of, or as the one writer wrote, "He knows my frame." He is an ever present help in times of trouble. Winter is just a season, a short time and when its over desolation gives way to hope and promise and new dreams and visions. The sun will shine again. There it is, I see it on the horizon, and there you are as wonderful as God always said you were; its Spring again!

There was an tag line a few years ago that appeared on posters, greeting cards, etc. it said, "Who you are is God's gift to you. Who you become is your gift to God". Don't know who came up with that one, but it is surely applicable.

I have to laugh at our society when they have identified a need, but don't know how to address, it must be labeled as a disease or disorder. That's like the term, "Co-Dependent". From the time that label came out everyone at least in the Western world has tried like Freud to pschoanalyze themselves or their parents to find out what made them like they are and how to fix it. The humor in it is that co-dependency has been given the rap for drug and alcohol abuse for sexual abuse and other things more difficult and painful than I care to name. When just the human condition and accountability should be named for most of our woes. The need for us to be co-dependent on someone, God first, then others to get through this tretcherous gauntlet called life is never mentioned. We have as a people taken up the mantra of the old song: "I Am a Rock, I Am an Island."

We try like "hell" to please everyone and to fit in and deny our own God given gifts and uniqueness. It was brought up on a GLTB comedy TV show that the only place that the Bible speaks about homosexuality is in Leviticus. I found that rather interesting that true enough in Jesus' earthly ministry in none of those red letter words does He address it or take issue with it. Adultery and infidelity, yes, but homosexuality, not once. Loving your neighbor, walking in mercy toward the poor and needy, yes, many times. Who you choose to spend your life with or how you make love to them is no one's business. We are adjudicated before the world everyday, some times many times in a day because they are on the outside looking in, thinking they know our hearts and inner workings. Not so!

Our passion for life, for God, for love, for acceptance and peace are no less than any other person, if nothing else they are greater, because they are denied regularly. It is time!

We are those whom the angels long to investigate this divine grace that was poured on us before the foundation of this world was laid. Our salvation was stored up and silmultaneously overflowing to us, this glorious river of grace, overflowing with mercy streaming down through generation after generation.

We are that new generation, we are the last that are made first, grafted into the position of first by Jesus the Christ.
We are properly Identified now as the righteousness of God.
Isaiah 9:6 spoke of and now has been fulfilled in the book of Matthew 2:6 and the Gospel of John 19:30 he completed the gruesome task that spanned the generations, we are all new creatures praising and serving our awsome Father who now knows us as his own beloved children that he treasures and adores.

By Natali Warner

So the question goes like an elephant in the room that everyone sees but is afraid to speak of. We in our very human state with all its frailty and fallibility ponder the answer to this question, or at least I do on occasion. How far is too far; what will God wink at and at what will He turn a deaf ear. We have read the verse that God is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy not willing that any should perish. Right now though, I feel like I’m perishing. I’m not; but I’m reminded of Job’s wife who said, “Curse God and die” after all those horrendous things had happened to them. What a wise man that he said he would not charge God foolishly even though in the natural it seemed he had just cause.
Life is a curious thing. Here we are with all this free will that God blessed us with, and we wield it mightily sometimes like something too big for us to control. Maybe it is. Young David when he went out to fight the giant was fit with armor and a sword that overshadowed his youthful frame. Besides the fact that he said he had not proved them (found them to work for him), he remembers all those nights out with the sheep. He had no sword or shield only a sling shot and his faith in the grace of God to sustain him. When the lion came, when the bear came, it was enough. God is always enough!
Back to the question, “What Does Grace Cover”? Does it cover the slip of the tongue, the ill-spoken word, the bad choice, foolishness, deliberate rebellion? Does it cover the child, the teen, the woman, the man, the businessman, the tax man, the politician, the rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief? Does it cover the gay, lesbian, transsexual, or bisexual? We are not degenerate, but there are some of every sexual persuasion that are. But, to all these I say, “Yes”! Grace covers all things and all people, not to give us liberty to act foolishly with that sword that is indeed too big for us, but instead to show grace and mercy because we have received it so freely. Grace is there to give us hope and prove to us that He never gives up on us or turns His back even when people may. His grace is still amazing.

Some days give time for introspection; today was one of those days. I was thinking on the name of our ministry as well as on those verses in I Corinthians 11 about the sacrament of Communion. Christ warned about discerning "The Body" and judging oneself so that we are not judged. Before we partake of the Lord's supper we are encouraged to examine ourselves. I think to myself, "Have I judged someone just because I didn't agree with something about their life or something they may have said or done to me or someone I care about?" Wow! Who set me up as judge anyway? Usually when we point fingers we are or have been guilty for the same thoughts or things at one time or another. I cannot say who is able to come into God's house or eat at His table. I dare not try or I could be excluded for some reason or another. In God's eyes all are welcome at His table, because Christ died for all and invited all to come and dine. (Rev.3:20)To take it further, love must begin with the people we are with every day at school, at work, at church, and definitely at home. We tend to take the people we are closer to for granted. We rarely consider their feelings or practice even common courtesy or apologize for daily minor transgressions against them. We think, "They know me, they know I didn't mean it." Well, they may and they may not. We also do that with God, we assume because He is all knowing, all powerful and all present, "He knows my heart, my intent", so we don't always apologize to Him either for infractions, we tend to impose on His mercy. Do we treat the Almighty like one of our buds or like the Creator of the Universe and the Lover of Our Soul, a lover we need to truly treasure and romance and give gifts of a sweet smell, even if they are coupled with apologizes for our humanity? I encourage you to LOVE NOW or as it says in I John 3: 18 (Phillips Translation), "My children, let us love not merely in theory or in words - let us love in sincerity and in practice."

Hiding being gay has you in a dark place wondering and stumbling in and out of unwanted relationships. Our Father wants you to know that His Son, the Christ has atoned for all and was judged for all. Even if and I say "if" being gay was an abomination to our Lord, He came down from Heaven to abolish all the dark clouds that the laws of man had us under. It was never His intention to have His children weighed down by the casting of judgement on each other. We were so cast down we lost the ability to encourage and elevate one another to the joy of this life that He wants for us to live in. Some even now are still stumbling and falling into traps set by traditionally minded Christians, who'd tell you it's a choice to be gay, God didn't make you like this. So you hide, hide in your little corner the gift that you are, hide your true talents, and slowly die to fit the mold that humanity has decided to put us into. Well, I came to tell you that our loving friend, Jesus the Christ, came to set the captives free, free from being alienated from God the Father in your mind. Nothing can separate you from His love and Jesus has covered you from His wrath. When El Shaddai looks at us now all He can see is the illumination and glorious light of His only begotten Son shining on us because He came to save us all.

By Natali Warner

Interesting little word, perception. You are or aren't who you perceive yourself to be, you have or haven't what you perceive yourself to have and can or can't do what you perceive you can do, OR if you allow yourself to be redeemed in the Spirit of your mind as the Bible speaks of, that perception can change. The word "repent" literally means to change direction by changing one's mind. Your entire world is good or your entire world is bad based on your perception.

Sadly enough there are many things in life that can shape our perception. Childhood or just life experiences, violence or violation, disaster, disappointments, death or loss of any kind, negative words or a harsh, negative environment can bring years of damage to the human psyche that sometimes is hard to reverse. With love and prayer and by the power of the Holy Spirit working in you these things can be turned around for good.

Today, I want you to see yourself as God sees you. You are a work of His creation He called very good. You are someone He is well pleased with. Even when we stumble the Father does not love us less. He picks us up, dust us off and sets us back on our journey. You are a winner. Today, you can do great things because you know you can, you are beginning to see it. You have peace and joy and potential because you are special and loved. Let yourself see with new eyes and change your course.

Life is a journey not just a destination; might as well enjoy it!

Isaiah 53 is a beautiful chapter that foretold of Christ sacrifice. His wounds were for our brokenness and rebellion. His bruises and humbling were for our depravity. His punishment; beating, flogging, piercing was the final cure of the Great Physician. Understand, until then men merely tried the only way they knew to appease the wrath of God by perpetually offerings. Even with that they saw that judgment or destruction would still follow. When Christ died and rose the equation changed to this:

The Death of Death + The Death of Judgment = The Cure of Peace with God and Unconditional Love

We're Back In Eden - Come into the garden, God's waiting to love on you.

How we view ourselves is how Our Father views us, this is important to remember. When you are walking with God in the cool of the day in your garden of Eden and He has given you your task for the day and He leaves you, or in you mind you can't physically see him so you presume He's not there. Standing there in this place of ultimate provision you lack and want for nothing, until a serpent walks up and says, "Hey, why are you so happy? If I were as naked as you I'd be hiding. God told you that He created you and all that He created is good. Well, He left you in this garden naked with no idea of what's really going on."

Now you take a bite of this mind altering conversation from this serpent and you take it back and tell your God chosen mate about the fruit of new revelation very different from what the Father said to you, forgetting that we live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Your mate gives ear and now you're looking at your life and the realization that you're naked hits you and God appears. You're hiding, hiding your nakedness from the one who created you. Seeing your fear and hearing the lack of joy in your voice, He asks you, "Why are you hiding from me?" "We are naked" you fearfully answer. "Who told you you are naked? Who told you that you should be ashamed to be who you are (naked) before Me or before the world? Who has replaced your love for Me with fear? Who has deceived you to believe, that what you are and where I have placed you is shameful. Your fear towards Me repels Me. I AM a God of love that never fails, your doubt and lack of faith has made Me to turn from you. I won't provide for you until you can see yourselves as naked and shameless before me. This is how you can return to me and to your garden of peace, healing, prosperity, rejoicing, dancing, and unfailing love.

My gay sisters and brothers don't bite the fruit that the serpent dangles, in front of you to cause you confusion and fear these thing alienate you from Our Father in your mind. See yourself as a loved, joyfully naked babe ready to live your life walking and talking to God in your garden in the cool of the day.

By Natali Warner

Good News! Who would have ever thought that the day Christ died would be the beginning of the best news ever. On that day when He hung His head and spoke those fateful words, "It Is Finished" we're told that the veil that separated man from the holy of holies, the presence and the voice of God was rent or torn from Heaven to Earth (top to bottom). No longer did men have to go through a fallible priest or wait till the day of atonement but they could go daily, weekly, momentarily if they needed to into God's presence and seek forgiveness and because of Christ's sacrifice they could be accepted. We are accepted, yes, that's Good News!

For some reason when it comes to the GLTB community many people seem to be stuck in the Old Testament in their view of us and their judgment toward us, so let's go there and look at it and bring it into the light.

We see in Exodus 25 when the items were listed that would go into the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant including its lid on which sat the mercy seat and the two cherubims that would cover it of spoken of. We also see that on the annual Day of Atonement that the High Priest once he made sacrifices for his own sins would then enter into the holy of holies and sprinkle sacrificial blood for all the people on the mercy seat to atone for them. We are further told in verse 22 that God would meet or commune or talk with His people at or from that place; at the mercy seat, between the wings of the cherubim.

The High Priest was only allowed to enter the holy of holies once a year. This was a sacred time when the people would encamp around the tabernacle and celebrate their sins being atoned for and wait to commune or hear from God through the High Priest.

To bring this forward to 2008; let us look at the completed work of the Christ, the Great High Priest, without spot or blemish who entered into the holy of holies once for all. No longer does atonement have to be made yearly or do we have to hear from God through a man. Yes, there are men and women called to ministry from all faiths. Yes they can help us to understand how to find God, and how to hear from Him, but we can speak to God ourselves. We are no longer separated, we have been atoned for. Christ was our "mercy seat". His sacrifice opened the way for a daily Day of Atonement.

Religious equilibrium
The first shall be last
A well balanced scale
Last shall be first.

Dead in Christ
Those who have buried themselves
Under the Law of Moses,
They live a life without rejoicing
The birth of God in the flesh
On earth dead in Christ
And in spirit living a life
Of hardship, self-imposed decimation
Holding tight to the shalt not’s
Fist tight to the do not’s
Eyes shut to the light of God’s revelation.

Dead in Christ
Given the breath of life more abundant
But in constant need of resuscitation.
Dead in Christ
Walking, talking, releasing carbons
Of more death and condemnation onto others
With these old laws that smother;
Creating an “us and them” mentality.
Dead in Christ to the reality
That we are all sisters and brothers
And very much alive
With the love and rejoicing bliss
That comes from Christ.
Alive, because within us all He does, exist.

Two commandments are nail scarred in His hands;
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
Love your neighbor as I love you.
Alive in Christ
Making strides, thriving with fruitful visions,
Choosing life is a free will decision
Free to all flesh
The debt has been paid.
To the Tree of Life
A flaming light is there
To beckon you to come back inside,
Reside, partake of the fruit of this tree
No debt, eat and drink, it’s free.

by Natali Warner

Rain is usually seen as a blessing and the lack of it as a curse. Drought would bring rainmakers to dance, to seed the clouds and hope that all would stimulate the stubborn skies and bring the much needed precipitation. We too are desperate as well for “mercy drops” or as the old song says, “but for the showers we plead.” We are lost indeed without the knowledge of the great mercy of God. So many have heard a different Gospel that has been anything but “Good News”. The truth that was talked, walked and shown by the Christ was one that went to all people wherever they were, many times meeting them at parties, at weddings, dinners, in marketplaces and common locations that common folks might be found. When He would show up there was no judgment but rather joining into the festivities, even turning water into wine. As the story goes what He made was the best that even the guests couldn’t believe was kept till last.

There is only one Gospel, only One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Whatever you call it or however you do it, it all cleanses like rain. It all renews like rain. It all brings healing like rain. Rain doesn’t pick some to dispense itself on and others to withhold from. Rain covers and blesses all. Put your umbrella down and come on in the waters fine.

God is not condemning us. He is not this scary character much like something off a Road Runner cartoon, like Wiley Coyote looming on the top of a cliff ready to drop a boulder on us. This is a great paraphrase of Romans 8:1-11.

"God is not judging you only encouraging you to think and do good things not bad things toward others. In an effort to get you to believe that this statement is true, God sent His own Son in human form able to think, feel and be subject to temptation and the ability to sin, yet He didn't fail so He could become our mediator, our atoning offering allowing the judgement for all sins of the flesh to be judged once and for all by His death on the cross. This shows us that evil thinking and doing can lead to death, but good thinking and action leads to life and peace with God and man. Laws alone won't keep people from making mistakes or doing bad things, the law is weak, but God is strong and His Spirit can empower you to live right."

What a relief that God is full of mercy or as John 3:17 KJV says: "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."

Much like this true story posted on YouTube. Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZtTVixgAC4&feature=related

Without love we are mere mortals
Incapable of greatness or great power
Unable to leap tall buildings in a single bound
To do or speak anything profound.

Love brings peace to any hamlet
You don't have to be a superhero to see that
Love changes us, not just the possessing of it
But the giving of it,
Not just the speaking of it
But the doing of it,
Love gives purpose and hope.

Be a superhero and change history
In someone's life by your very words and deeds
You'll find out for unconditional love there is no kryptonite
And to walk in love is the greatest place to be.

by Beth Rehbein

The best part of you has yet to be seen. Have you kept it wrapped up in a crysalis hoping to be able some day to spread your wings and fly? I think you have. I did too. I always knew that I was created to be who I am. For years I lived as most of us do by the dictates of society and even the Church world and what we are told is "normal". WOW! We each are such unique beings. There are no two human beings that are identical, even identical twins have some slight differences; different finger prints and if they did a retina scan it wouldn't even match. Those two children raised in the same environment, with the same parents and mostly the same memories will still have a "bent" or "norm" that is right for them individually. That is why we cannot lump people into groupings and say absolutes that categorize some as right and some as wrong because of what is their norm.

I love the fact that inside that cocoon that caterpillar liquifies and becomes something that resembles itself but is a better more beautiful version. When we are allowed to evolve and be accepted for who we are, we become a better more beautiful version of us.

Let's attempt to change the world through love and acceptance of each other's special and unique being. Who we are has little to do with what we look like, what color, or religion, or gender, or sexual preference we are but every bit to do with what type of citizen of the universe we are in respect to our neighbor and accepting them for who they are. The old saying, "Live and Let Live" still seems a good thing to go by.