Visiting Prison today was such a blessing. I was left in tears of joy.. God is so absolutely good! We introduced ourselves, sang 4 songs, a girl on our team shared her testimony and then we did a skit on heaven and hell. Then we had a couple hours of visit time. I got to visit with this young man who shared his story with me.. he had a very rough and gang involved life. He was given his first tattoo at 9 years old.. He grew up around extreme violence and his family members are either dead or in jail for life! He is only in for a year more I believe though if not shorter. After he told me a bit about himself he asked about my story, so I told him. We started talking about what he’s guna do when he gets out. He told me he had nobody. Parents both died a year ago, brothers doing life in other jails and he doesn’t want to go back to his old lifestyle. I told him that there are programs for people struggling to get their life’s back together and wrote down a few references for him because he said he was trying to get transferred to Vancouver to be released. He was very thankful for the references and I asked if I could pray for him. I felt so privileged to pray for him and his family. I almost cried when I finished praying for him. Our conversation was so encouraging and I could see he was eager for change and that he has already been making some big changes in his attitude. I’m going to put his name on my wall so that I remember to pray for him and his family.. Today was definetly a reassurance that I want to help people in their transformations. Nothing fills my soul more then God working in somebodies life to change it for the better. I would really appreciate it if anyone would pray for him. I can’t disclose his name but God will know who you’re talking about. For freedom from anger and the scars he holds from his growing up. For him to receive the Holy Spirit if he hasn’t yet and to find a new life in Christ.. one of encouragement and love. Also to pray for his family and friends. Also for him to be a shining light to his inmates and former friends.
Well day 5 complete of Zumba! Been doing it for an hour each night then stretching and doing some other workouts on the floor. I’ve been cutting out carbs alot and haven’t been drinking juice/pop.
Is so unbelievably blessed. Not because my life is perfect or without many flaws but because God loves me and sent his son to die on the cross for me. He was tortured so that I can stand here today with a smile on my face because I am saved!!!
Just to put into perspective where I came from for those who didn’t meet me before God transformed my life inside and out. I was a broken young lady.
“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. -Luke 8:39
Okay so I haven’t been very good at keeping my blog updated. Other then the quotes I posted yesturday I haven’t really talked about what’s going on in my life. Usually I write blog posts partially to update my family. But since I’ve been home I haven’t really found the need to. I realized though that blogging isn’t just to share with others but it’s for my mental health. It’s good to get out what I’m feeling, and what ?I’m learning. Makes it more real, yeah know? So anyways, I’ve been at my parents house for 18 days now. I’m glad to be here but it’s showing me how frail I still am. Being here is probably my biggest test of Godliness and I’d say my time here has been a complete and utter failure. I definetly had higher hopes, but in the back of my mind I have a feeling that me being here would reveal the weaknesses I still possess. Which is not all that bad I suppose. Seeing your weaknesses is the first step to change right? Right. I know that when I get back I’m going to share how my visit was with one or two of my trustworthy friends who usually have some pretty good insight. This is good. I’m growing, even if the signs of it aren’t as visible at my parents. It’s a process. One big thing that has been helping me is something I read in ‘The Practice of Godliness’ about controllling your thoughts. It said something about how your thoughts become action and you turn into your thoughts. I always felt like my thoughts took me captive but I realized that I CAN control them and it makes a huge difference. When I’m having negative thoughts about someone I can change that and when I’m having negative thoughts about myself I look back to what God says about me. I am a child of God! I am a friend of Jesus! I am blameless in His sight. When I am going into that dark place of depression and suicidal thoughts I can purposely take captive my thoughts and praise God because He loves me even when I look down upon myself. He chose me.
One of the thoughts God has been showing me is very important is humble thoughts. When it comes to my family more specifically humbling myself has to become one of my most go-to attitudes. Doing what God has asked of me even when it hurts. Not seeking to get even when someone ticks me off. Being an example by not grumbling or arguing. It’s hard to shut my mouth in some situations but I’m working for my father and not humans. He wants me to put others first even when it hurts! I think back to the scripture “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals upon his head.”
Martin Luther
Martin Luther King, JR.
I think Christians are making a huge mistake when they write off other religions. This also goes for those of different religions. Instead of seeing our common ground and learning from one another we state things like “they believe this..” as if we are somehow better then them in some way and bear all truth. We all in some way or another do not follow Christs plan for us perfectly. Instead of writing Jehovah witnesses off or Catholics we should look a bit deeper into what God wants for us as a body. Because although we may have differences we are all part of a body of believers. Correct me if I’m wrong?
The reason I’m writing about this topic is that growing up I had this preconceived notion that catholics and jehovahs were let’s say ‘weird’. That they held some beliefs that were strangely different then what God had set forth for us. Which I’m not disagreeing that they do indeed. In the past year I’ve had a Jehovah Witness come to my door. Society might have you believe this is a bad thing but in my sight they are simply doing what God has asked. To tell people about Jesus is our main task on earth. Unlike many I am more then happy to have a knock at my door and have the opportunity to talk with someone who shares my belief and to clear up the misconceptions and find out the truths about what they believe. Along with them they have brought me some little booklets called ‘The Watchtower - Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom’. It is so sad that Christians everywhere and myself have felt a barrier between myself and those who call themselves Jehovahs Witnesses’. Reading the material in these pamplets I’m astounded at the truth we simply do not believe they possess. How has this devision come between believers.
