After: My First Five Minute Friday Entry

It is time for the Five Minute Friday Flash Mob of writers. Every Thursday night until Midnight Eastern time a group of women gather, waiting for a prompt for the week. They never know what the  prompt will be, but thru Twitter they encourage and uplift each other and then they write!
Thank you for being here for my first Five Minute Friday!
Now, my words on:

AFTER

I struggled for a long time with a feeling of never belonging and always feeling, outside. I was frustrated and alone and would lash out at people who loved me, and then feel sorrow and more alone.  I didn't realize that after a life altering event when you are a child, there can be such a wound, that it takes surrendering to Jesus to let it go. For decades, I carried it around like a heavy burden that I just couldn't let go of. Most of the time, I didn't notice that it hung around my neck and pulled me down. Not until something triggered a repressed memory and I would feel a flash of anger and pain. Like a wounded animal, I would blindly attack anyone close to me.

Then, I found myself surrounded by people who continually lifted me up. I would unload all the ugliness I had held inside and they would pray for me, the most loving words. I finally had the courage to face that I had been molested as a child. That this pain had fueled a rage in me that kept the hurt from healing. I wept, and took my sorrow, guilt and shame to Jesus, and then, I felt lightness.

Now, I fight for others to find this freedom. I seek out the lost and wounded and tell them, there is a way to find peace. I feel a thrill, an exhilaration of hope when I tell them, my burden is gone! When I see their eyes begin to have a distant twinkle of hope, I know they are beginning their journey to freedom. I thank the Lord for guiding me to women who prayed fervently for me when I was in my darkest place. I praise God for His healing and grace and look forward to the day, after the weariness of this world, when there will be no more sorrow or pain.  

♥~♥~♥~♥

Before I go, the first FMF post I read, was from Gracie Biskie and her lovely poem After. 

A quick look at the guidelines from the gypsy mama - Lisa Jo Baker who is also the ringleader!

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..
Also, if you would turn off comment verification, it would make leaving some love on your post that much easier for folks!

 

Who Is My Jesus?...

You ask, "Who is this Jesus you speak of?" and I can't help but smile and feel a joy bubble up inside me. That question is a loaded one because there really isn't a simple answer. He is so much that words can fail, and yet spill out all at the same time. I've found some tools to help me, so let's explore this shall we?

Even when you think you know Him, but you feel something is missing. You've been raised in the church, but never given your own salvation much thought. Maybe you say, "I'm a Christian, but something is missing..." It's okay. It happens to the best of us. Because it's personal. He comes to us and waits for us to invite Him into our lives. 

Maybe you think you're too far gone. Oh nothing could be further from the truth. He is always there, waiting for you to give up on this dead end life, trying to do it all on your own. He is waiting for you to turn to Him and say, "Help me." He loves us so much, he laid his life down and died for us in the most horrific fashion. He did this knowing us before we were even a whisper on the wind. Centuries before our first ancestors came together to form a family, He knew our names and was ready to reveal Himself to us when we were ready to turn from our sinful lives and ask Him in.

What are you waiting for? Don't you want to be a part of this amazing plan He has for us? You see, the body that we trudge through this life in. This feeble, often broken, failing shell that we shamble through our days in, is not who we really are. Inside, we are a soul. When this life is over, our soul goes back to where it belongs. We belong in heaven! A place beyond the scope of our imaginations. If you think it cannot get better than this, you are wrong and there are no words to describe the amazing life in store for us. You see, our Father in heaven has prepared a place for us to live. To get there, Jesus extended an invitation to us. We will get a new body and will live forever in a paradise beyond description. But we have to have a personal relationship with Jesus. We have to ask Him to guide us. Turn our lives away from the sins of this earth. The easy road that is paved with temporary pleasures that will never satisfy, and trust in Jesus. Can you do that? Just try it! Ask Jesus to help you see Him in your life. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. You won't be disappointed. I promise!

If you don't know where to start this journey, start watching these videos and find out who Jesus is and what you have to look forward to.

(more at www.FreshLifeChurch.com)

If you're still interested, there are eight more videos to this amazing series. For the webpage to the series, click here:

Kickstart

There are more amazing videos, as I mentioned before and the church streams live it's church services. Wherever you are, find out when and you could view the service in real time (if it's not too late or early for you).

Equality For Whom?

I've been seeing people all over Twitter and Facebook, showing their support for gay marriage by posting the red equal sign. I am going to post two feet. The feet represent the millions who never get to breathe the air of this world. Who never feel love let alone get married. Those who never have the chance to have children or go to school or do anything many gays are afforded the privilege to do. They are never given this chance because a human decides that their life is unimportant because of a defect or being an inopportune time for the person who conceived them. This is for the millions of children aborted yearly. Talk about rights being denied.

So I don't want to hear anymore crying for things you cannot afford or force people to give you through executive and congressional orders. I don't want to hear about how the government should recognize your union. You know why? Because you can survive without that, or get by on a reasonable facsimile. Because in the end, the greatest tragedy never recognized by the spoiled, self centered brats of this country, is that MILLIONS are DENIED the RIGHT to LIFE!!! Is anyone systematically murdering you because you are an inconvenience to them or you aren't perfect in their eyes? No?

THEN SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP! 

If you are going to make your fight for whatever, valid with me, you better give equal time, fighting for the right for innocents to live.

That is all.

Can Good Friday and Easter Rock? Yes!

I am super stoked for both Good Friday and Easter this year. Why? Because we have the most dynamic pastor ever! Listening to him speak brings the word alive. He speaks with an energy, enthusiasm and emotion that is evidence of his trust and absolute belief in what he is speaking. There have been numerous times when I have felt God's presence and the Holy Spirit when he is delivering his message. So, to hear him speak for Good Friday and Easter Service is going to be even more exciting because it is always an outreach to the lost. There is more fervor and passion when winning souls. It fires me up to continue to witness and try to get people into the church.

Now, why are these two events going to rock? Thousand Foot Krutch is going to be headlining the Good Friday event and Phil Wickham will be there for Easter. Amazing artists that will deliver powerful performances. I can't wait! If you are local, come! You will not be disappointed, and who can pass up a free concert??? If you aren't local, you can join us live (the events will be archived later as well) online. Good Friday will be through the Skull Church website and Easter through the Fresh Life Church website. Do NOT miss this!

Watch this promo to see what you are looking forward to!...