Identity = Truth

Intro- about ME, where I’m from, what is my passion/vision for college age women, how I want to be of service to them.

Identity = TRUTH. God is TRUTH, his Word is TRUTH. Please walk in the truth of your identity sooner rather than later. 2Cor. 3:17-18… God is in us, we are made in his image, and the Spirit continues the process of us being made in his image- glory to glory. Being transformed speaks to the journey of believing the TRUTH of who God is, and NOT believing LIES about God or about us. TRUTH=IDENTITY John 6:29 “Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Response: Gen. 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. “ We are made in his image from the foundations of the World. If our Identity is found in him, then who is he? What is God like? What are things you love about God? EXAMPLES from AUDIENCE… okay here are some TRUTHS of who God is we can all agree on… MY STORY of God is my Provider Jehovah-jireh: Erin
God is Love 1John 4:16 God is 1Cor 13
God is Helper, Healer, Judge, Lover, Savior, Friend, Warrior, Leader, Accountant, Generous, Thrifty, etc.

Response: Is there anything negative or bad or harsh or sad or depressing in what we just said about God? NOPE so we can say…There is nothing negative about God so there is nothing negative about me since I am made in his image.

Feelings and past experience can lie to us about God and about whom he has designed us to be. TRUTH of IDENTITY is crucial!!!: The TRUTH of who GOD is and TRUTH of who I am. If your feelings don't match the truth it's when faith comes into play to trust God at his word. Back to John 6:29 Believing God: Taking him at his word, Faith to believe that I am made in his wonderful image. Gen. 1:27
He does not lie!!!

How do the lies of the enemy get into our heads? Why do we not believe God at his Word? If Jesus said it is true, we are made in his image, then why do we not believe Him? Our feelings, past experiences convince us God is not telling the truth. Media, friends, random people, and music tell us lies about God and about who he has made us to be. BELIEVE THE TRUTH- God is amazing; you are amazing that is the TRUTH written throughout scripture. You can’t pick one verse because it is the whole purpose of the Bible to illustrate how amazing God is and how he has poured out this amazing love into us that we get to share with others. THE TRUTH, one more time….
YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!
RESPONSE: Tell your neighbor they are amazing! When you remember God rightly you see yourself rightly.
We forget we are like him is where we run into issues. Faith is believing who God is, Faith is believing who we are in Him even in the midst of lies that others tell us, or past experiences try to convince us. We respond with remembering THE TRUTH. He knows we forget. That is why he lives inside of us and why he never leaves us.

MY STORY: verses on my wall especially Luke 1:45 “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished.”

How do you remember things?
1. Take notes/write it on a card 2. Tell a friend/ mentor 3. Everyday life, walk out in it/ memorize it. 4. Remind each other who you are. One word from God encouragement circle.

RESPONSE: My identity is this: Wed. night encouragement time
Beautiful wanted worthy strong loving kind generous fierce leader needed encouraging creative trustworthy vivacious etc.

My verses: Luke 1:45, Is 61, Zeph 3:17, SS 4:16, Is 43 Moses, Noah, Esther, Deborah, John

RESPONSE: Sit and listen. Who is God telling you YOU are? A verse a phrase a song a word. Listen. Remember if it is negative it is not true. God is not negative. Or harsh or hard. He loves you.

Even Fresher News

Multhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnomah Is a great school full of students seeking out God. There are around 600-700 undergraduate students and a total of about 1,000 with the seminary. I met with the ARD on campus last week and she then called me 2 days later to some and speak to the 70 girls that live on campus... TOTALLY CRAZY!!! I have been praying for an opportunity like this for months. God has just the right timing!! And she asks me to talk about Identity- I think I can do that. 25 girls show up and I chat about who I am and Identity in Jesus for 10-15 min. During these 10-15 min. I am reminded why I love these women... I am made for loving them, pouring my life out into them... I am alive and loving God for making me this way.

I am going to post the notes I used- be warned I didn't say half of what I wanted but ALL that Jesus had planned... be encouraged... God is on the move!!!

Fresh News

****Below is an email update I sent out about wonderful things going on with my college ministry out reach at Multnomah Bible College here in Portland****
Ladies and Gents!

How wonderful is our God??! He is amazing, full of mercy and provision. A few weeks ago I met with Mickey Fernandez the Multnomah Student who goes to our church, to try once again to figure out how to reach college students on campus. During lunch we discussed two things: 1. The Justice Conference and 2. Rick Ezinga. Rick is a Baptist pastor of around 60 at a church actually around the corner from my house. He has been praying and mentoring students for 3 years at Multnomah. He has about 100 students on his prayer list and disciples 9 guys. He is an amazing man of God and I met with him 3 weeks ago. He offered to let me shadow him one of the days that he is on campus, and he said he would introduce me to women on campus too. Well…. Today is the day!! I have an appointment on thurs. to start mentoring Jaime and then having lunch with the Assistance Residence Director for the women on campus and one of her RA’s. Then I have a meeting with another RA too. RA’s at MBC are really responsible for their students. They meet with them; they plan all of the outreach, fun outings, etc. They are a HUGE KEY CONNECTION for getting into campus life on a day to day basis. –Funny side note that one of the RA’s name is Jennica Lynn- one of my best friend’s exact same name!!:) A good sign for sure.

Thank you very much for your prayers. Please continue to pray for even more favor and resources. It was so easy. Rick introduced me to each of these ladies. I said hello and within minutes had meetings and contact information for each one. Praise the Lord for his plan, his timing, and his deep love for each of these women. Every time Rick said that I was on campus to pray and mentor women on campus it was followed with this response “Oh that is wonderful! That is something we really need. Thank you!!” I’m not kidding- God is crazy!!!

2012 Happy New Year

well I'm a little late since its almost Easter already but I hope you are having a wonderful year and enjoying each day that comes. Exciting things going on with me... updates to come in just a few moments!!

"Miss Frizzle and the Magic School Bus" - Inside the Human Body

Seriously people... read it and you will learn all you need to know about why I was in the hospital for 5 days, got 3 I.V.s, multiple pokes for blood tests, and started itching when they gave me pain meds- oh and to top it all off, when they tore off one of the pieces of tape after a poke for some more blood tests, they tore of skin and called it an "allergic reaction" to tape! HA! more like you poked me so many times my skin just couldn't take it any more... here are a few pics of the experience...

New Things

New Things you might or might now be interested in
1. Beyonce happens to be my favorite artist right now... I have this WHOLE album on repeat! so good

2. Na Hoku (www.NaHoku.com) is my new place of business... I am learning the wonderful world of fine jewelry-- its hard and I am learning patience with myself and trusting again in God's provision of what I need

3. Winter is here so that means scarves--- my favorite

4. Crabtree and Evelyn (www.crabtree-evelyn.com) is across from my store and it smells like my Daddy (his cologne growing up was from here) so it feels like home when i walk in- i walk in about once a week!

5. Friends really do make life worth living. and new friends abound at www.thedoorpdx.com ... we are growing folks!!

Just a short list, what's new with you?? for some reason imbedded links don't want to work except with Beyonce... she is the BEST

Countdown to 30...

30... its fast approaching and oh so wonderful. I really am feeling good about turning 30. Not sure what life will bring but I am thankful for the possibilities of so much more LIFE, fun, adventure to come!

So many people have asked me, "Are you where you thought you would be at 30?"... well the answer to that is of course NO. But to be honest where I am right now is so much better than I could have dreamed possible when I was young- 16 or really even 21. I have changed, my priorities of changed, my likes and dislikes have changed- even down to food- I used to hate onions of any kind and now i LOVE onions!

I am excited for the promise of the future. The unknown is uncertain and maybe even a little risky... but with Jesus risky isn't so risky anymore, or uncertain, or even unknown. (Did you like that train of thought??)

I know Jesus is in every chapter of this life with me. That's the only outline I need to know, or want to know... wouldn't want to spoil any surprises coming up! I'm resting in the peace of knowing my Creator King of Love. He is my safe place, my step by step plan, my confidence.

Life Group Nature Walk

New favorite flower I found on our Nature Walk with Life Group last week. Headed out to Oaks Bottom Creek for a little Nature and Jesus combo.
We walked about 5 min. from Shannon and Adam's house to get there... GORGEOUS in the middle of the city! LOVE LOVE this city!!!!!

GLORY...

What an amazing word to describe something so BEYOND words. I have started to use it in everyday life to explain the wonderfulness, greatness, perfectness of something or event.
Ex)It is glory to have AC in my apartment
Ex) Driving 2 min. to work every day is...glory
Ex) Living with only 1 roommate, for my personality...glory
Ex) Fresh produce from the farmers market- you guessed it glory!

I realized this morning that it is dulling the phrase GLORY of the LORD...

I don't think I will stop using it, but use it with a fresh reminder of the majestic greatness of the GLORY of the LORD that sets my heart on fire, makes my face glow, and my mind in awe of who He is beyond the words to express. For after all if C.S. Lewis takes a whole book to discuss it, and yet says he falls short in explaining it, I think I am okay with realizing it is beyond me!
When you look at GLORY of the LORD in the O.T. every other entry is about His glory filling the Tabernacle and the priests couldn't do their work because the Tabernacle was overflowing with God... I mean come on with how awesome in power and the overwhelming wonderfulness is the presence of our King??!!!!

2 Chronicles 7:3
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”

For my Mommy!

Conducting Your Perfect Day!

In case you have missed it via email, FB, twitter, or a phone call I have started my own wedding coordinating company called JOY!


please visit me at www.wedwithjoy.com or on FB...

It has taken me a great while to figure out what I am gifted in, great at, love, and really do get excited about doing in life... this is one of them!

If you or anyone you know is getting married and would like help or suggestions- I'm available.

Vision of JOY- Conducting Your Perfect Day so it will be full of JOY not stress or worry, because it is my JOY to organize, create, and plan. And most importantly... "There is fullness of JOY in HIS presence, and pleasures in his right hand.

Junuary and Juluary

Basically we have not had a summer here in Portland... I would kill for some sun, or some warm weather, or even just half a day of sun. Seriously check out the 5 day forecast for Portland It lies... the forecast has been like that for the past 2 months with little success in the sun actually coming!!!

So you can pray for us here in the great NW that we can have some sun, and summer, and not have a whole year of winter!!!

My house for the past year...

My cute little house for the past year... i will be moving so i can be closer to my job. I currently live at the most opposite sides of the city as possible for work and home! E and SW:) it snowed a lot last week and this is a pic of where i have been living... updates on the new place to come soon- need to find it first.

organization

sooo why does the rest of the world not understand how to organize like i do? is it really that hard to understand and follow through with?? at work we often sell the jewelry right from the display case to the customer and then we are supposed to replace it with backstock items and put the correct tag on it.

this hardly ever happens unless it is me. i mean really??? how hard can it be, especially if there is the same item already displayed in another part of the case. its not like you even have to go the extra step to look up the item number... UGH i get SUPER annoyed and frustrated...
PLUS if there is not a tag or its tagged incorrectly the next time a customer asks how much something is you either guess (maybe get it wrong) or you have to stop then while the CUSTOMER waits and look up the item. this is not a simple look up in the computer you have to go through a catalog. our computer system is set up with the prices a little hire than what we can sell them for so the tag price is always the CORRECT one... STUPID PEOPLE!!!!! it just doesn't seem that hard- but obviously it is because the other people i work with after MULTIPLE reminders still seem to not get it...

thanks for listening to my rant

Nordstrom

i went into this lovely store late last week after work one night and walked around. Nordstrom is a lovely store. it has lovely people that work in it. it has lovely things to sell. and it also has lovely expensive price tags... i like it all though and am content to say it is perfectly lovely to think this way!
-- sometimes in portland if you don't buy from goodwill, a thrift store, or get it off the side of the road people think you are not normal...

snow

i just have to say 6 inches and no school for a whole week in dallas is crazy. that would happen in portland more likely. i'm jealous of snow!! i'm jealous of not having to go to work more likely.

New Year New Things

New things
1. Manager of Inori, Inc. at Washington Square Mall. I got transferred and promoted at the same time.
2. Admin. help for the mission trips our Church is taking this year- Mexico, Haiti
3. Not working in Kingdom Kids for awhile- still babysitting
4. looking for a new place to live with the roomies

still love portland!!! most days- when its sunny, and beautiful and you can see the mountains

ICE

i had ice all over my car last night when i got off work... crazy. it took me over 10 minutes just to get it off enough so i could look through a little pocket to drive. of course it was all melted and gone by the time i got home, which is annoying. but hey- at least i have a car to get me from point A to point B:) ohhh the beautiful 'Stang, won't ever get tired of driving it. i love my Jesus car.

Sun Mr. Golden Sun...

Ohhh the beautifulness of Sun really can not be fully understood until you live in a place that doesn't have it all the time. we have sun not just in the morning but still at 2pm this afternoon. LOVE IT!!!! my mom always laughs when i say we have rain and cold for about 6 months, but a little sun too. we don't really have a little sun too, we have sparse pockets of wonderfullness like today!! a great way to say goodbye 2010--- HELLO 2011!

christmas!!!

home for christmas has been fantastic!! couldn't have asked for more. family is fantastic, but the weather has been not to great. its been portland in dallas almost the entire time!!! YUCK- but christmas with the niece and nephew and getting to see cousins from the other side of the world SUPER!!! sad to go home. its been fun! how was your christmas??