TOMS - 1 Million Pairs

I have become a huge supporter and advocate for TOMS. They have an incrediable one for one motto. For every pair of shoes that is bought they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. and this September they will be giving away their 1,000,000 pair of shoes! That means there have been 1 million kids that now can go to school, will be protected from disease and now have hope for TOMorrow.

breaking free from grief

it amazes me how a little bit of stress can cause my heart so much grief and thus distract me from what the Lord desires me to focus on. I always thought Satan would try to stop me with something big. i don't know what i thought big was or is i just thought BIG! like life changing BIG can't believe i survived it BIG! but i found that satan uses the smallest of worries to keep me from fully relying on Christ's power. maybe this is why God told us not to worry because he knows that worry will be harder to overcome than illness, or loss, or separation. because worry stirs an anxiety in us that builds a paralyzing fear. That Fear for me, keeps me from doing the very things i desire to do...it breaks down the relationships that are most important to me and build walls between the me God created me to be and the me i am in the midst of worry. As i begin to realize what is happening i fall into a state of grief. Not the grief that is healthy to walk through when you loose a loved one but the grief that you feel when you see nothing but failure in front of you. it is in this moment of smothering grief that i must cry out to my God to pull me up out of the pit. To set me free. to empower me from my own depths. to be the life i can't see in the moment. sometimes it is as easy as saying out loud: "God help me" but most of the time it is me fighting against myself, reminding myself that God has greatness for me and HE will provide the strength i need, and that He desires me to walk in a fullness of his power. those first few steps are so difficult. but i find with each step a little bit of the weight falls off and i am closer to freedom from my grief.

Push forward. walk in the power Christ has for you!! for HE will set you FREE.

my personality profile...

Inspired by a friend who posted his Myers-Briggs personality on face book i decided to take a test and see what it said about me. i would be interested in seeing if you all agree with the profile... here is your chance to comment directly on my personality.

"Counselors have an exceptionally strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others, and find great personal fulfillment interacting with people, nurturing their personal development, guiding them to realize their human potential. Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes.

Counselors are scarce, little more than one percent of the population, and can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. They are highly private people, with an unusually rich, complicated inner life. Friends or colleagues who have known them for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that Counselors are flighty or scattered; they value their integrity a great deal, but they have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

Counselors tend to work effectively in organizations. They value staff harmony and make every effort to help an organization run smoothly and pleasantly. They understand and use human systems creatively, and are good at consulting and cooperating with others. As employees or employers, Counselors are concerned with people's feelings and are able to act as a barometer of the feelings within the organization.

Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly."

--http://keirsey.com/handler.aspx?s=keirsey&f=fourtemps&tab=3&c=counselor

take your own test at the link below:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

if i were satan...

below is an excerpt of a letter that i read during tonight's message... dear (insert your name here),

I want you to understand something.... because of the difference you are making .... if i were Satan. . . I would target you and try to take you out.

I would see if i could disqualify you. I would get you into sin so no one would believe your message. Now you are the national enquirer. Making these great claims but you have no integrity whatsoever.

If i couldn't disqualify you, I would distract you. I would get your focus back on material things and making money that you wouldn't be concerned about making an eternal impact.

If I couldn't distract you, I would divide you. I would try to create arguments, disagreements anger amongst your organization, family and community. I would make you a JOKE.

If i couldn't divide you, I would discourage you. I would get you so down under heartache that you would give up.

If I couldn't do that i would endanger you. I would make you love your life. I would get you scared.

If i lost all those, I would try to kill you.

So you become the bulls eye. you become the authentication. Armor up! You aren't playing a mundane game of cards or book sales...you are messing with Satan's souls. It's a whole new level. You aren't alone though. We are praying for you!

If you are wondering why life is hard...maybe just maybe it has more to do with Satan desiring to destroy you and your work for the kingdom then you know. The more power you contain, the more you can pour out on those around you and the more you can use to radically change the lives of those around you. Satan doesn't like this!!! He wants to keep you ineffective as well as unsure of your self and lacking confidence in Christ!

Battle well and know that: There is more to this life then what you see.