Posted by webmaster on Oct 20, 2010 in Testimonies | Comments Off
My take on the Breaking New Ground Retreat: Maybe it's just a personal thing – but I feel (I know) it's impacted more people than just me in this same way – It has gelled us closer together as a "family". I feel more connected, more a part of. The word "unity" has been around a long time in the church and a term sometimes misused or thrown around so loosely in the Body of Christ – with no depth, missing the heart connection – but the togetherness I felt at this retreat really defined it in my heart – a unity defined as "family" that can't be explained, just felt. It was so much fun to be with my family!! I belong!! Yes, each and every one of us is so important in this family!! Now Celebration Sundays feel like weekly family reunions with Jesus!! What joy!! 
Thank You Jesus for Your Body of Christ!!!
.. .And I sing, "How beautiful .. ., how beautiful .. ., how beautiful .. . is the Body of Christ .. ."
Posted by webmaster on Oct 20, 2010 in Testimonies | Comments Off
“Breaking New Ground” – Unified.. .’s 1st family conference was so cool. Honestly, I’m not really sure what changes happened inside of me but something did. I feel connected and I feel enlivened.
I feel the most connected with believers/church than I ever have (I’ve been walking with God for 32 years!).
Maybe it was the atmosphere of the first two sessions the leadership and worship set in combination with a work of repentance God did in my heart that I came on Saturday wide open to follow Holy Spirit. Being a “teen”, as Pastor Dean phrased it (better phrased a” ‘tween”?), I did not feel put out that the conversations and activities centered around parents and children. I did not feel out of place; I felt an ease, a permission, a welcome to any number of families around me. And I did join families and even formed a “teen” family.
Thinking about it now, my heart wasn’t looking at my needs but I was just listening to Holy Spirit. I poured into others not thinking about my lack as I usually do. And the joyous part was that others were doing the same. THAT’s the cool thing. In the “teen” family, we were all responsible for each other; we were looking out for the other. No passive following. I didn’t see the it’s-not-my-party attitude. so cool.
I feel enlivened.
- I found myself unself-consciously initiating:
- I wiggled into a family’s circle to join them for the opening prayer.
- I rounded up other singles to form our own “family” and led them through the kingdom encounters.
- I unabashedly danced (!) with each of the somewhat shy Omori boys wanting to bring them into the freedom and joy of worship.
The best time, though, was the afternoon activity. I was assigned to the State Capital group. That was so, so cool. Being assigned to that group was confirmation to me that I was hearing God, that the Michelle/Aaron were hearing God (exhausted that they were early Saturday morning), and that I have a role in His Great Plan for Hawaii. wow.
On Thursday night a desire to make declarations over the State Capitol sprouted in my mind. I received an email that got me to thinking about the up-c0ming state elections and the seeming entrenched political scene. I saw myself declaring stuff over the building with my right arm with pointed finger hammering the air to emphasize certain points. I couldn’t think of any way I could actually do this, though, or even if I should.
It was with such joy, then, that I heard I was assigned to go with the Cockett’s group to the State Capital. I felt that God indeed wanted me to pray on site and He made the way to bring it to reality. It was a fairly large group that went down but, again, I saw that if God wants something to be done, He’ll open the way. The Cockett’s gave the team freedom to do what we felt led and He allowed me to team up with Carol Kaneyama whose sensitive spirit helped me tremendously to confirm things in the spiritual realm. Such fun.
Like Mike Kaneyama shared during the testimony time later that day, the joy in walking with God is that we don’t have to force things and get uptight; we can be a child and just follow Him. Such joy. That’s what I did on Saturday.
THANK YOU
Posted by webmaster on Oct 15, 2010 in Testimonies | 3 comments
We actually took communion for the first time at home with just our family. We’ve done it a few times with my sister & brother-in-law but this was the first time by ourselves. Pastor Laura gave us permission to be creative with our communion and when I prayed this is what I got. It was pretty neat, we got to talk with Kaity (5 yrs) about communion and what it meant, why Jesus died on the cross, etc. Kacie wasn’t into the talking but couldn’t wait to take communion….papaya and orange juice. But something is happening in the spiritual realm because later tonight, after dinner (we took communion before dinner), Kacie (2 yrs) came up to me, she put both her hands on my knee – one on top of the other and asked me to pray for her. And then she went up to Mike and did the same thing. We got to bless her with just more of God AND she’s the one who asked for it.
Blessings,
carrie
We actually took communion for the first time at home with just our family. We’ve done it a few times with my sister & brother-in-law but this was the first time by ourselves. Pastor Laura gave us permission to be creative with our communion and when I prayed this is what I got. It was pretty neat, we got to talk with Kaity (5 yrs) about communion and what it meant, why Jesus died on the cross, etc. Kacie wasn’t into the talking but couldn’t wait to take communion….papaya and orange juice. But something is happening in the spiritual realm because later tonight, after dinner (we took communion before dinner), Kacie (2 yrs) came up to me, she put both her hands on my knee – one on top of the other and asked me to pray for her. And then she went up to Mike and did the same thing. We got to bless her with just more of God AND she’s the one who asked for it.
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