Life Message

I’ve been inspired to write a family motto and create a crest from reading David Crone’s book, “The Power of a Life Message.”

When I watched the movie “Meet the Robinsons” several years ago, the message really struck me.  It actually moved me to tears at several points.  It’s about a young orphan who is brilliant and invents things, but they don’t always work at first. He has a journey (even through time) to find his family and courage to keep trying at what he does.  There’s a quote at the end of the movie from Walt Disney:

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

–Walt Disney

The line about “keep moving forward” struck me and reminded me of Phillipians 3:13-14:

Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward--to Jesus.  I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (The Message)

There are many things that I feel define my life together with my wife including creativity, worship, adventure, intimacy, love, family, leadership, etc., but I feel the common thread through all of it will be to keep moving forward.  It means not becoming complacent, or settling for what has already been accomplished, but to keep pressing in for the best and highest that the Father has for us.  It means to not get caught being  focused on the past, and any failures that have occurred, but to look to the glorious hope of a future we have with and in Him.

If you’ve read David Crone’s book, his family’s motto or life message actually comes from the same verse.  At first I didn’t want to use this verse because I felt like I was copying him, but it just seems to fit. Moving forward has been a theme in our lives, and interestingly, both paintings we had people work on during our wedding showed us from the back, moving forward into something unknown.

Here’s my first try at a life message:

We as a family, vow to life our lives in pursuit of the goal and the prize that the Father has for us in Jesus.  We will never settle for what we’ve already accomplished, or become discouraged in shortcomings or failures.  We will express the greatness that has been placed inside of us by the Father, and cultivate and encourage that greatness in one another.  We will fix our eyes on what is in front of us and keep moving forward, in faith, hope, and love.

beautiful things

Amazing song about the redemptive love of God. I love His heart....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgFxH7iFpBY&feature=fvst

I want to see bodies move

I want to see bodies move

I want to see bodies move at the sound of the Voice of the One who died in my place to bring me peace and victory...

I want to see bodies move as their spirits awaken and take them into the heart of their Father, the One holds them close and never lets go...

I want to see bodies move as the breath of God comes upon them and nothing inhibits their praise to the Man whose stripes made them whole...

I want to see bodies move jumping for joy lifted higher and higher in the presence of God in ecstasy,..for once they were dead and now they truly live....

I want to see bodies move militant in holy war as they stand for life and burn with love in a world of death and pain, fearlessly declaring “the kingdom of God has come”...

I want to see bodies move in light as their love for the nations ushers them to the hearts of people in the world who desperately need an awakening...

I want to see bodies move into their destiny, full of confidence and love, their character shining with the light of day, their souls well-watered, a spring never running dry to the ones who thirst...

I want to see bodies move in the spirit of Elijah turning the hearts of the fathers to their sons and the hearts of sons to their fathers....

I want to see bodies move, get up, get out of sickness and pain and step into real life in the glory of Jesus...

I want to see bodies move, rising from the ashes of regret and despair and into the beauty of the hope of glory that was birthed from the heart of the Father who makes everything new...

I want to see bodies move, filling the earth with the sound of love in the rhythm of the footsteps of the Lion who roars from His dwelling place in righteousness and justice...

I want to see bodies move in passion as they gaze into the eyes of the Son who gave His life for their very own, for the joy set before Him, He saw the end from the beginning, the wedding of the Lamb to the Bride prepared and ready...

I want to see bodies move in love, stomach flipping with butterflies, heart bursting and stirring as their Lover comes near and whispers in their ear....”come here”...

I want to see bodies move...my brothers and sisters right by my side, our dreams manifested, living in love for all eternity...

All praise to the One who died and took my place, and is now the One who is alive and holds the keys to life...

Like a HORSE...

A lot of times I see myself like a horse, especially when I am running. I love horses and would love to ride one someday! I love their speed, beauty, and power. I think of the race horse Secretariat, whose heart was unusually large, enabling him to RUN faster and longer than other horses. Secretariat won the Triple Crown in 1973, finishing far ahead of the other race horses. At the end of the race he accelerated at a pace outrunning the other horses and endured it like no other horse.

I think about this story and my liking to horses because today the Lord gave me a picture of a horse...

I was thinking about my job as a nurse at the hospital and how sometimes it is stressful and has seemed very weighty because of the intensity of the patient care, and caring for families as well. God began to show me that my weapons are love, peace, joy, patience, and life. I went on thinking about this with God, and He gave me a picture....I am His daughter, riding on His back. He is the War-Horse and He has already won. I am riding on His victory, and this makes all the difference. When things happen at work that may cause distress, negative feelings come. These feelings simply need to be let go of and cast off, because Jesus finished the fight on the cross. I can ride freely on His back. He has taken all of the stress for me. He also has all the answers. He knows the way, and it is staying close to Him, never getting off the horse that carries me into victory. We ride together. So even though things don't turn out perfect in my eyes, I trust Him to take care of the rest. He is my Father. I just know that I will not fear. He is with me, and I was made for love, not fear or doubt. God made me, and He made you before the foundation of the world (Eph.1:4). He created you and me to be with Him in glory. This is why He sent His own Son, Jesus to take on our punishment and satisfy the wrath of God and bring us in to full restoration. He's not mad anymore, and He invites us to ride on His victory every moment, every day.

His victory is love. God constantly stirs in me a love for my patients, their families, and the people I work with. I just love resting in His love and riding on His back! What an adventure! His love overcame every worry and fear on the cross. It's free...this invitation to ride with our Daddy. I can see His hair blowing in the wind, and feel the wind on my face... Can you hear Him?..."come ride with Me"...

Our Story

Check out the new page with our LOVE story!  It continues to be written...

Sun of Righteousness

A lot of times when I'm running, Jesus takes me into intercession. The other day when Nate and I were running, I put on a song called "Sun of Righteousness" by Stephen Roach. The lyrics are...

The Sun of Righteousness is rising

The Sun of Righteousness is rising

These light afflictions that we bear cannot compare to the Promise You gave

Therefore we don't look at what we see

We gaze beyond in hope, expectantly

You are faithful to complete this work You began

To bring us back, to rest in You again

Even though the sorrows seem to last an endless night

Over the horizon the darkest clouds are breaking

The Sun of Righteousness is rising

The Sun of Righteousness is rising

With healing in His wings

Your favor is upon us like the morning dew

Settling on everyone, chases after You

You are changing us to the image of Your Son

Leading us onward 'til the work is done

Even though these sorrows seems to last an endless night

Over the horizon the darkest clouds are breaking...

As I was running, I felt the Lord speaking to me in this song so I kept it on repeat. I was seeing and declaring this song over Japan. In my imagination I saw Jesus, the Son of Righteousness come up over Japan with healing in His wings. He came as hope, and as light to the nation. Even on the TV screen in front of me, there was a commercial or something that was showing a scene of the sun at dawn. I was filled with so much hope for the nation of Japan. I believe it is a dawning of a new day in Japan. He Himself is coming, and even the darkest clouds will break at His Light!

I was telling Nate about my experience later, and he told me that Japan is the "rising run", as their flag is a symbol of the sun. The hope of Japan is the rising Sun of Righteousness!

Springtime has Come

Yesterday as I drove home from dance at Burning Hearts, I started singing a prophetic song over Fargo....

Springtime has come, Springtime has come

Spring, Spring, Springtime has come, Springtime has come

Snow, snow, snow you must go, back up to the storehouses

Snow, snow, snow you must go, back up to the storehouses

Grass, green grass awaken and grow

Flowers bloom bright with your colors

Grow, grow grow all you trees grow up tall, let your blossoms bloom

Come come come alive

I sing over you Fargo

Spring has come Spring has come

Snow, snow, snow you must go! Back up to the storehouses, your season is done, it's time to go

It's Springtime now and forevermore

Sky turn blue, let your brightness come

Sun, O Sun, Sun show your face

Come out, come out, come out of your place

Like a Champion ready to run his race

Like a Champion ready to run his race

Sun, O Sun, Sun come

Come forth, Come forth, Come forth

Shine shine shine in your glory

Spring, Spring, Springtime has come!