Complete Obedience = Complete Freedom

Isaiah 55:4

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

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Ford Madox Brown, "Jesus Washing Peter's Feet

This is Jesus.  He leads.  He commands and His people follow.

But Jesus appoints officers.  Shore Vineyard is an officer.  And the desire of the leadership at S.V. is to obey the command of God and lead those He has given us.

We lead because He commands.  But it is our joy!

Keep us focused always on your will, Lord.  Holy Spirit, you will always guide us well.  Our desire is to serve you well.

Keep us humble.  Help us to always practice humility. It is our strength.

We obey because we choose to obey.  Such a magnificent paradox!  

Only in complete obedience is there complete freedom!

Life is a Tabernacle! Isaiah 55:3

This series, the Isaiah 55 series of blog posts was written as an ongoing prayer for my church; but it's a prayer for all churches, for all people.

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Isaiah 55:3

Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.  I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant
Google image.

People say that the model used to establish our "Shore House of Prayer" is based on David’s tabernacle.  And I think that’s a very good thing!

But God didn’t love David because of the tabernacle, the tabernacle was a demonstration of David’s profound love for God.  And that love created a party; a 24/7/365 celebration of mutual affection.  

That’s something Shore Vineyard seems to be be very good at, living a life of mutual affection.  Loving God should be a party!

God is faithful!  His love, for me, for us, is everlasting!  It never runs out and it’s never withheld.

The culture of Shore Vineyard focuses on developing, fostering and practicing communication with our loving Father.

Lord, it seems as if everything should rest on this foundation of the understanding of mutual love and communication.  That’s my prayer prayer for Shore Vineyard; that they would continue to grow in loving you, understanding your insane love for us and how you communicate that to us.  You tell us, over and over, in so many ways, how you cherish us, approve of us, revel in us!  Help us to always hear you and respond well.

Thank you for being crazy about us!

Marta Went to Heaven Yesterday

Marta went to Heaven yesterday.
She woke up in the morning, lay out her Sunday outfit and sat down in the chair in her room.
Then she closed her eyes and waltzed into Jesus' arms.

I met Marta 3 years ago, when I very first started to attend Shore Vineyard Church.  I walked into the House of Prayer and she invited me to sit next to her.  She poured out her heart to me, a total stranger, about how she had lived in an abusive marriage all of her adult life.  She told me how she had been beaten, demeaned and kept alone for years.  She seemed to have a need to pour it all out of herself.  

And it was a very good thing that she did, because it brought her healing.  

I was privileged to be able to watch her grow in faith and freedom.

And she began to dance,

first in the House of Prayer and later in the sanctuary during worship on Sunday mornings.  She told us that she was dancing with Jesus and we all knew it was true!

She would always dress for church.  While many of us came in cut offs and Ts she was always dressed to the nines, with jewelry and dress shoes.  

And she would dance with Jesus.

It always delighted me to see them dancing together.  I took these photos last week, never thinking they would be my last chance to capture this tender moment.

And now these tender moments will never end for her.

Dear Marta, I'm so happy for you!

But, when my turn comes, can I dance with Jesus too?

Nigeria Journal; 2013

Me in Oweri

This is the beginning of a new line of posts that I'm starting.  I went to Nigeria in 2013, on a mission trip that included helping to set up a 12 step program and going on a prayer journey.  Each week I'll be posting a portion of my journal.

I hope you find it interesting.  It was my first ever trip outside of North America and I was so incredibly blessed to be able to go and to be able to be a blessing to so many people.  But before I begin in earnest I want to give a little background info.

Pastor Ignatius Ummuna

Pastor Lozie Ummuna

Pastor Ignatius Ummuna and his beautiful wife Lozie are the pastors of Rescue Mission Church in Lagos, Nigeria.  They have been friends of Shore Vineyard Church, where I attend.  Actually, my pastor, Brett Conover and his father Rod, met Ignatius in Cote d'ivoire, (Ivory Coast) which is located just north of Nigeria.  He was running away from God, much like Jonah had tried to do.  He had heard the Lord calling him to ministry and decided that trying to get to America was a safer bet.  Oh well!

Pastor Brett Conover

Pastor Rod Conover

After much prayer and conversation Ignatius returned to his home where he began his studies for ministry.

He has since been to visit us at Shore Vineyard on several occasions and we love him and his wonderful wife, Lozie, dearly.  When they asked us to come to help set up a 12 step program based on the program we use at SV, we said yes.

There were 9 people that went; 4 especially to do workshops at the Rescue Mission Church and 5 us that helped but were primarily there to go on a Prayer Journey to the city of Lokoja.

Three weeks before we were set to go, Penny and I went to the Nigeria consulate to obtain our visas.

Penny

Unfortunately for us, we did not know that a bribe would be required and only brought enough money to pay for the visas themselves.  Penny, who had lived in Nigeria for a time 20 years ago, tried to convince the head of the consulate, Mr. Iggy, that we needed the visas right away, rather than taking the 6 weeks minimum he was telling us it would take.  He told her that all of the nine visas would have to mailed to Abuja, the capitol of Nigeria, to be approved and them mailed back to us, which we understood to be ridiculous.  So we left NYC without our visas.

My journal proper begins on October 29, 2013... which will begin next week.