Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/22/2010
This morning as I prepare to go to church, I have a few thoughts about love running through my head.
The first thing that came to mind was the origins of love. I've often said that God created love, but this morning it occurred to me that He could not have created love. The Bible says that God is love. God is not a created being. He has always been in existence and always will be. God has no beginning and no end. He is infinite. Therefore, if God is love, than love has always been and love will always be.
With that in mind, I began to think about sin. If love has always been, than what about sin? Did Satan create sin? It certainly sounds like he did.
So what does that mean for us? I thought about how man was created and placed in the garden where they were with God. Man was created in love. Adam and Eve were "born" into love, but Satan came offering something else.
Isn't it true that we always want what we don't have? God gave us love from the beginning, but Satan came and offered a different kind of "love" and we wanted it. We traded God's love for cheap lust, and we do it everyday.
Praise God that love will never end. It will always be there because God will always be there. And God promises that if we turn back to Him, he will restore and redeem our hearts. He will remove the effects of sin and return us to love. Do not choose then to return to cheap lust disguised as new things. If you already have the diamond, why would you want the rhinestone?
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/15/2010
Luke 5 30But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
31Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
I've had some opportunities lately to really evaluate my attitude about ministry. It's really easy to be with groups of like-minded people and enjoy the company of others who think like me and have similar interests as me. It can feel really good to encourage each other in the Lord, and pray together, and study together. Sometimes it seems like that is what this Christian life is all about. The Church is after all our true family.
Then, out of nowhere, there comes and interruption. All of a sudden we are faced with somebody who doesn't think like us; who doesn't act like us or look like us. Somebody comes in and challanges the safety and security of our group. Somebody disrupts the pleasantries of our fellowship. Then we are faced with a dilema; how do we respond to somebody that we just can't relate to? What if we don't understand them, don't agree with them, or just plain don't like them? What if this person doesn't meet our criteria; doesn't measure up to our standard? What if this person is... a sinner?
In working with people caught up in addictions, I meet a lot of messed up people. Some of it I could say is not their fault. Often, trauma, abuse, or neglect where a part of their life. But if we are completely honest, a lot of why we are so messed up is our fault. I include myself in that because in a lot of ways, I'm messed up. My thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors are often twisted and out of whack. If God's wisdom is the standard for functionality, I'm pretty disfunctional a lot of the time and most of that is because of my own choices.
I may be getting a little off track here, but it is relevant. We need to know and admit that we're all a few cookies short of a batch. We cannot possibly have compassion and grace for others if we don't realize that we need it ourselves.
Anyhow, sometimes I meet people that I just don't understand. I just can't figure out why they do the things they do and the logic and reasoning they use to justify it. Then there are others who just make my head spin. Some may even make me a little uncomfortable in a creepy or needy kind of way. But what can I do? If Jesus loves them, I can do no less if I call myself His disciple.
In fact, when I read about Jesus' life it is clear that these are the very people that Jesus was drawn to. He knew that this was not the life that God had planned for them and He had compassion for them. He wanted more for them. Each one of them has a destiny, and He made it His personal agenda to offer them redemption - the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom.
This story is an excellent example of Jesus response.
Mark 5 1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
How would we respond if this man was in our neighborhood, or in our church? Maybe we've seen someone like him already.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
Are people running to us because they see Jesus?
15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
Jesus had compassion on this man, and did not focus on what he had become, but rather on who God created him to be. Jesus restored the man to his potential, to his destiny.
16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man-and told about the pigs as well.
People had seen the man how he was, and then they saw him restored. What a testimony. Why do you think they were scared? I have to ask myself, am I confident in the power of Jesus' redemption for myself and others, or am I running scared and avoiding the confrontation? What are others seeing when they look at how I respond to the "unloveable", "unapproachable", "unacceptable", "untouchable", "unclean", "unredeemed" people in my neighborhood? Am I using the power and authority that Jesus has given me to lead others to redemption?
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Am I asking people to follow me, to be like me, to think like me, to live like me... or am I exhorting them to fulfill the plans that God has for thier lives?
I'm not building my own kingdom, I am building the Kingdom of God. I've got to remember that it is not about what I want or what I think is best, it's about God's will for each person's life. They have their own destiny just like I have mine. Once they have Jesus, they have the same power and the same authority as I do. They have a purpose and a calling in this Kingdom and the equipment to accomplish it.
It's not about me, and it never can be. My job, my duty, my responsability, and my calling is to love them and show them Jesus and to learn every bit of truth I can from them along the way. If I think I'm above those I serve, I can miss out on some of the best revelations of truth right in front of my face. Even the demon-possessed man ran to Jesus and bowed in front of Him. The disciples who were with Jesus often doubted, questioned, or just forgot who He was, but this man had no doubt and submitted immediately with reverence and respect. That is a lesson we could all learn from.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 8/10/2010
Seth is the founder of Adventures In Missions, and has been a huge influence on my spiritual growth. As I read his daily blog today (included below), this question really made me pause. Not that I question my salvation, or even my devotion, but there is that issue of surrender. A few years ago I quit my job, turned my back on the American idea of success, gave up many of my possessions, and headed off for a new direction in missions. Compared to my former lifestyle, I can say that I've surrendered a lot; but what have I held onto?
As I get to know my Father better, and get to know Jesus better, I have learned that it is not the outward sacrifices that they are concerned with. Surely, those things matter. Even Jesus told the rich young ruler to give all that he had to the poor. More than giving up those things, I think what really matters is what they represent internally. So often our sense of security and value are based on the stuff we possess. So getting rid of that stuff allows us to find real value and security in our creator; in Christ.
I've given up many things, and those things did represent false securities and identities in my life. I am better for having let them go. Though as I read this blog, I cannot help but evaluate the ideas, thoughts and beliefs that I have held onto, that I have not surrendered in obedience to Christ. If Jesus truely is my Lord, if I have chosen to follow Him as the authority in my life, then it is to my own detriment and my own harm that I allow my ideas, thoughts, and beliefs to continue in contrast to His. Only a fool would declare someone as greater than himself/herself and then choose to fight against Him.
You can tell the Christians who haven't made Jesus Lord yet from a distance. You'll see a number of telltale signs:
- Chaos in their personal life
- They play the victim card
- They struggle to maintain control
- They get their feelings hurt and hurt people's feelings
- They tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly
- Life tends to revolve around their needs
That's what happens when you give Lordship lip service. And then we rail against God and blame him for our mess. We want the benefits of Lordship without the costs. We want him to protect us, guide us and comfort us. But, are we prepared to pay the price? What about having to actually do what somebody else tells you to do without even a vote in the matter?
We moderns struggle mightily with the concept of Lordship. We don't have much experience with authority outside of perhaps, our jobs. What does it mean to fully submit yourself to the will and agenda of someone else? Many parents seem to believe in options more than they do in submitting. So if your child disagrees with you in the grocery store when you say "NO," they have the option of crying and even creating a scene. When that child grows into an ornery adolescent, they have the option of assuming the posture of an aggrieved victim and inflicting a bad attitude on the entire household.
This was not Jesus' way. Following him was voluntary, but once you committed, you were committed. All rabbis trained their followers that way. They didn't have time for a contest of wills. When Jesus led, he had a definite end in mind. ""Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"(Luke 6:46) He asked his followers.
We'd like to change the rules or at least make them a little more seeker-sensitive. We'd like to move the church in the direction of the nonbelievers. But Jesus wasn't looking for fans, he was looking for followers. We want to reduce it down to saying a prayer. Say the prayer and you're a Christian. Being a Christian is the same as being a follower of Jesus, right?
Well, not exactly.
You can tell when someone is a Christian but not a follower of Jesus when style supersedes substance. When what you wear to church matters more than the character you display. When your concern for people's opinions is more important than your concern for widows and orphans. When you are known for your judgments more than you are your grace.
A lot of people are broken, but haven't gotten to brokenness. And many followers of Jesus have stopped at the gate to the narrow road, but won't go further on the journey. Jesus asks them for surrender, and they prefer to call their own shots.
There's a better way to live.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 4/13/2010
Last week, I had the amazing priviledge of leading a Short Term Mission trip in Philadelphia. I had a team of 9th and 10th grade youth from 12Stone church in Georgia. I was excited when I found out who my team was because I had actually been to that church twice while I was living in Georgia.
With this being only my third STM trip, and only my second trip as the primary leader, I was a little nervous about how the week was going to go. Thankfully, Dave Seafort volunteered to come and help out with this trip. It was a real blessing and a tremendous help to have somebody else on-site to help coordinate and manage the activities, as well as helping to teach the kids. Just having him along to help with the grocery shopping saved me a few hours of time and a whole lot of stress. Thanks Dave for all your help. I am so glad that you came along.
Monday
This trip was shorter than usual because of Easter. The team left Georgia Monday morning and drove all day, arriving around 10:30pm. Yikes! That's a rough way to start off a busy week, but they were all troopers. Fortunately, we were able to rearrange the schedule a little to give them some extra sleep Tuesday morning.
Tuesday
After settling in and catching a few winks, we started Tuesday off with some devotional time and worship as well as an introduction to the objectives of AIM mission trips. We had to postpone the rest of the training until later that night, because we were scheduled to meet with a local church to do some work at their Thrift Store and Urban Garden. We split the group up by volunteers, and tackled the projects they had for us.
Circle Thrift
I never realised how much work goes into running a Thrift Store. The whole back room was piled high with garbage bags full of donations heaped far above our heads. They estimated that they receive around 150 bags per week of donated clothing and goods. They have people working full time just to sort through the clothes and pick out what will go on the racks and what will be sent to other locations or thrown away. She admitted that the bags on the bottom of the pile have been there for a very long time because they rarely get through the pile before the next load comes in. I'm glad out students were able to help out with the sorting, even if it only gave their staff a break for a week.
In addition to sorting through the donations, clothes had to be hung, tagged, and organized on the racks. The older clothes that have been in the store for a while also had to be removed to make room for new stuff coming in. They have a pretty good system in place for keeping track of how long things have been around, and marking down older items or putting them on a free pile.
Urban Farming
The students that went to the garden project spent a lot of time pullin weeds and cleaning up the garden to prepare it for a summer of productivity. After lying untouched for most of the winter, there was a lot of work to do to get it in shape. After clearing out weeds, they also did some tilling and mulching. Many of the kids really enjoyed being outside and working in the dirt, even to their surprise. It was a new experience for some, and hopefully one they will continue to explore.
The plot is owned by the church, and the garden run by volunteers from the church and community as well as teams that come in over the summer. Those who volunteer in the garden are able to use some of the produce for themselves, but most of it goes toward the community. The harvest is brought to the church where people can purchase it for a small donation. I think gardens like this one bring hope and life back into a community as well as providing an affordable healthy food source for those in need. Perhaps one of the students will be inspired to start a community garden back in Georgia.
Community Outreach
After lunch, we had arrangements to use the showers at another church. While the kids were taking turns with the showers, we took advantage of the time to offer our services to the pastor of that church. He asked if we would be willing to pass out some flyers around the neighborhood. So the students split into ministry groups and canvased the neighborhood passing out invitations to the church. It was a good opportunity to serve this church as well as beign present in the neighborhood.
Kid's Club
The Salvation Army, where we were staying, does a kid's club after school once a week. After discussing ministry opportunities with Josh, we decided to extend the kids club for the four days that we would be in town. Not only does the kids' club provide a safe place for the kids to go after school, but they also learn about God and are fed a good dinner.
I was very impressed with how well the students did with the kid's club. They were divided into groups for lesson, games, craft, and kitchen. The youth leaders provided the curriculem for the week, but it was the students who sat together and worked out how they were going to teach the lesson and lead the games and crafts. They all rotated assignments so that everybody got a turn to do each part.
The students read the Bible story to the kids and did a short skit to demonstrate the story, and then took a few minutes to explain the lesson and how it applies to our lives. They did a great job. The games and crafts were also very creative and well executed.
The thing that impressed me the most was how the students really did this program by themselves. They stepped up and took ownership or it, planned it, and lead it. All of us leaders really just sat back and watched them do it. I struggle with having that kind of confidence in myself, so I was really blown away by how naturally they took the lead and ran the program. And they really connected with the kids, building relationships that impacted both kids and students - as well as leaders.
Wednesday
We had a whole different focus on Wednesday. This was our day to reach out to people on Kensington Avenue, which is one of the roughest streets in the neighborhood. We worked with a long-time AIM partner, Cast Your Cares, who runs a food pantry to assist in providing food to those in need. Along with providing groceries, they also do a lot of outreach and have built lasting relationships with people in the neighborhood.
Pancake Breakfast
We started Wednesday off by hosting a pancake breakfast at Cast Your Cares, for the community in Kensington. We provided pancakes and coffee to anyone who stopped by, and just sat and talked with them. One of the biggest challanges in American culture right now is lonliness. People are so busy and disconnected from eachother that they often have nobody totalk to and nobody who will just listen.
Some of the students got the opportunity to cook and serve, while others got to sit and listen and even share parts of their testimony. It was a stretch for some of the students that have never done this kind of ministry before, but they again stepped up to the challange and found that God is faithful in giving them what they need to minister in the moment. Although some were uncomfortable at first with the idea of talking to complete strangers, those concerns melted away as they found that it was just another person sittign in front of them. Somebody not so different from themselves, and someone very eager to listen and be heard.
Community Outreach
On Tuesday, we had noticed how dirty the park next to the church was. We decided that in between the showers, we would take gloves and trash bags and clean up the park. There wasn't really anybody around the park the first day we were there, but as we walked around cleaning up trash people began to emerge. I think they were mostly curious, but it seemed to open a door for interaction in the neighborhood.
Soon, a little boy came to help pick up trash. He was excited to help, and we had to keep telling him to be careful what he touched because he didn't have gloves on. We tried to give hime some of ours, but they were much to big for him to use. After a little while, a young man came out to see what was going on. He was apparently the guardian of the young boy. Some of the guys sat on a bench and talked with him for a long time. I could see that the conversation was deep by the way he was hunched over. I found out later that they guys were able to help him thorugh some very personal and difficult issues that he was facing. It was great to see how our presense, and God's presense in that park changed the whole atmosphere.
Kid's Club
The students had another great day of kid's club, continuing the Bible lessons and connecting with those kids. The kids were lined up at the door waiting to get in before it was even time to start. It was obvious how this program is impacting the neighborhood. I'm glad that we got to be a part of it for a week.
Coffee House
After feeding the kids's at kid's club and cleaning up, we headed back to Kensington Avenue to do another outreach at Cast Your Cares. This time we were doing a coffee house setting. The event was again open to anybody who stopped by. They came and found a seat at one of the tables, as students came to join them bringing coffee and cookies, and conversation.
For this event, we also provided a little entertainment. One of the students was the MC for the night, introducing others as they came to share stories and testimonies, and telling a few jokes in between. One of the men sitting at a table with some of the students, had shared how he was recently comtemplating overdosing on cocaine. After talking to the students for a while, and listening to one of the girls get up and share her testimony, he asked if it would be okay for him to get up and share something with the crowd. We gave him the mic, and he stood before the whole group and shared a testimony of how God had used these students to meet him in the darkness and give him hope. I'm not sure about all of the details, but hopefully I have relayed this story with some accuracey. I know that several of the students and this man were very impacted that night.
I also had my impact moment that night on the way to Coffee House. As Dave and I were driving down Kensington Avenue, I noticed a girl stumbling down the street, hunched over and clutching her stomache. I asked Dave to pull over, and I called to her out the window asking if she needed help. She didn't answer, but just kept walking. Dave pulled up a little farther and stopped again. I asked him to wait as I jumped out of the car and walked over to her. I tried to talk to her as she kept walking, but I could barely understand through her mumbles. I know she was in pain and needed to get to the hospital, but she wouldn't let us help. I did manage to get her to stop long enough for me to embrace her and pray for her, but she soon pushed me away and keep walking. It broke my heart to leave her, but she wouldn't accept my help. When I got to Cast Your Cares, the students were already there waiting for me. I gathered them around and explained why we were delayed, and we prayed for her. That was one of the hardest moments of the week for me, but it also gave me an opportunity to talk about the need to let go of burdens. In debrief, I explained how God allows our hearts to be burdned for others so that we respond with love and compassion, but that we cannot try to carry those burdens ourselves. Ultimately, it is an invitation to share God's heart for somebody and hand them over to His care. We can only do what He gives us to do, and the rest we need to turn back to Him to carry. My heart is still aching for her, but I know that she is in His hands and that He cares for her even more.
Thursday
Prayer Walk
We had an extra hour this morning before going to our ministries, so we decided to use the time to do a prayer walk in the neighborhood. We divided into teams and walked around asking God to show us Kensington with His eyes. We saw a lot of brokeness and filth. A lot of decay and trash that seemed to be a physical representation of the spiritual state of the neighborhood. We prayed for new life and new hope to spring up in Kensington, and for God's light to shine through the darkness. We also met some great people and had more opportunities to listen and pray with people along the way.
Circle Thrift / Urban Farming
Thursday morning, we returned to Circle Thrift and the urban garden. The students enjoyed more opportunities to serve as well as connecting with customers and the community.
Community Lunch
The Salvation Army began a new community lunch on this Thursday, so we were able to join them and help lead some worship and serve lunch to the community. It was another good opportunity to see how the Salvation Army is reaching out to this neighborhood and providing a place of refuge and help.
Kid's Club
The students and kids had another great day at kid's club, building on the foundation of the previous days.
Basketball
On Thursday nights, Josh opens up the gym at the Salvation Army to the guys in the community to play basketball. The male students and leaders opted to spend the night hanging out in the gym with the guys. The games turned out to be pretty intense, and only one student was chosen to play on a team, but the rest of the guys had a lot of time to hang out on the sidelines and connect with others who weren't playing. It wasn't exactly what they were expecting, but I think the guys still enjoyed being present and getting to meet another group of people from the neighborhood.
Ladies Night
As I was planning for this week, and as we began to minister in the community, it became evident that most of the ministry in the area was either co-ed or directed toward men. There really didn't seem to be any woman focased ministry, so all of us ladies got together and discussed what we might be able to do while the guys were playing basketball. We had originally discussed doing a movie night, but later decided that we wanted something that had the potential of being sustained after we were gone. Since there isn't many woman doing ministry at the Salvation Army, we talked to our ministry partners at Cast Your Cares about using their space to do a ladies night. Since they have teams coming all summer, we hoped that if it went well it may be something other teams could continue.
We ran it pretty much like the coffee house, except that we decorrated the tables with fresh flowers and candles. We brought our worship leader along so that we would have a least on guy for safety and some acoustic music for the night. Since it was a last minute idea, we didn't have any time to promote it, so we just went hoping that somebody would show up. One of the ladies from the coffee house was there waiting before we had even gotten there, and we invited the cook from Salvation Army to join us for the night. Asside from that, it was pretty empty for a while.
We recruited a guy from the AA/NA group next door to invite some ladies for us since it wasn't safe for us to walk down the streets at night. He eventually found a few to send our way. It was a small group of ladies, but it soon became very evident that God had brought them for a reason.
We held a raffle to give away a few simple gifts that we had purchased. We also raffles off the flowers and candles just so that everybody would get something. We served coffee and cake and had chocolates on the tables.
Without going into long details, I know that these women were impacted in very personal ways. They came in very skeptical, especially when they saw that there wasn't many people, but they left feeling very special and loved. I think the night was a huge success, and one that Cast Your Cares will likely try to do again sometime.
Friday
Center City Tour
Friday morning was our tourist time. We all loaded up and drove into center city to see the sights. First we went to the Art Museum so everybody could run up the steps like Rocky. The we drove to Penn's Landing and paked there for the rest of the morning. From there, we divided into teams and set out to explore Old City where Independence Hall, Constitution Hall, and the Liberty Bell are located amoung many other historic sites. Most of us had a good ol' Philly Cheese Steak for lunch to complete the experience. I also decided to treat the team to Shoofly Pie fromone of the Amish stands at Reading Terminal Market, just to give them a taste of the local culture where I'm from in Lancaster. We had a good time, and took a lot of pictures. It was a great way to relax, celebrate a good week, and enjoy eachother's company for a few hours.
Kid's Club
Friday was the wrap up for the kid's club. It mostly went off without a hitch, as a great end to a great week. The students got to say their final goodbye's to their new friends and pray for what God is doing in their lives.
We did run into a little bump when one of the kids was caught getting into some trouble. Again, the students did a great job of staying on task and running the program while the leaders handled the situation. The students also rallied around and prayed for God's wisdom and grace in the situation. The demonstrated great maturity, both naturally and spritually throughout the week, and made all of us leaders very proud.
Cleanup
Friday night was spent mostly cleaning up the building and debriefing the week. We had a lot of great discussions about all that God did throughout the week, and what was learned. Some of the students shared ideas about how they can apply what they learned and beging ministering in their own community. We had a great time of worship with Jonerik to close out the week, and praise God for all that He is doing in Philadelphia and in us. Another great end to a great week.
Saturday
Saturday was another early morning. The team got up and loaded up the vans in time to leave arund 5am. Another long day of driving for them. I finished packing up my things, locked up the guilding and made my 2hr drive home. I spent the rest of Saturday sprawled out on the couch sleeping on and off, all the while thinking of my new friends who were still on the road, praying that God would keep them awake after a long and exhausting week. I got the notice that they arrived home somewhere around 9pm, when I started seeing comments on Facebook. : ) You gotta love technology.
All in all, I would say that it was a very blessed week for all involved. God is good.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 3/29/2010
I've had many people ask me over the years why missionaries go overseas when there is so much need here. It's a good question that deserves an answer.
For me, that answer comes in several parts. The first part that I will address is the us verses them perspective. One thing that has changed drastically for me over the last few years is world view. I no longer see the people of the world as separate groups, but rather as a whole. We are all God's creation, and He desires that we all become His children. I don't see our need as different than their needs, or one as a priority over the other. I just see need everywhere. I see people everywhere in need of a Savior, and in need of love. I see a Body of believers that spans lands and seas, with unique cultures, personalities, and gifts. So to me, the question of us or them is irrelevant; it's both - us and them. When I am in the US, I do my best to meet the needs that God puts before me here. When He brings a need in another country to my attention, and makes the way for me to go there, than I go and do my best to meet that need as well. Need is need, and God can choose whom He desires to meet it.
The second part of that answer from my point of view is that Christians are doing much in our own country. If you search the internet for Christian non-profit organizations, you will find a very long list. We don't always call them missionaries when they work locally, we often call them volunteers or ministers; but the goal is the same. Most if not all of those organizations are there for the purpose of meeting a need and sharing the love of Jesus Christ to a lost and desperate world.
A third point I would like to make is one you have likely heard many times before, but it is no less relevant. Even Jesus said that a prophet is without honor in his hometown. There is just something that makes it harder to hear truth objectively from people near you. Many other countries are now sending missionaries to the US to share the gospel. If we take offense to that, then we need to inspect our own hearts. Again, God will choose whom He chooses and will send whom He sends to do His will. I am grateful that others are coming and reaching those whom we could not. We need those members of the Body, just as they need us.
Mark 6 4Jesus said to them, "Only
in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet
without honor." 5He could
not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and
heal them. 6And he was
amazed at their lack of faith.
The final point that I would like to make is perhaps a little harder to swallow. When Jesus sent out the disciples, he told them to go and stay where they are welcomed, but shake the dust off their feet and move on when they are not. With they increasing prejudice against Christianity in the US, our message is often not welcomed. Any mention of God or Jesus is being systematically wiped out in our nation. With this kind of attitude, and this kind of resistance, God is limited in what He can do here. He will not force himself on anybody, He is too much of a gentleman. If hearts are not open, we would be wasting our time trying to "convert" them. Just as the disciples, we need to go to where the good news is welcomed and invest in those who have ears to hear. We reach the ones we can, and continue to pray, pray, pray for open hearts and repentance that will open this nation up to receive the answer it so desperately needs. Meanwhile, I will go where God's Spirit is moving and transforming open hearts.
Mark 6 10Whenever you enter a
house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And if any place will not welcome you or
listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a
testimony against them."
I welcome any comments or feedback you may have on this. I'm always open to discussion.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 2/17/2010
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:3-5
An amazing, historic day in Haiti
Posted in Haiti by Seth Barnes on 2/13/2010
We didn't expect this. We expected the devastation, the crumbled buildings, the tent cities. But we didn't expect the hope.
We arrived in time to witness something I've never seen before - the pastors of Haiti called for three days of prayer and fasting and the people responded.
Everywhere we went this morning, under tents, under trees, in the squares, in the rubble, were gatherings of people praying and singing. We drove to a gathering our translator estimated to be 6000 people.
A man was at the front talking. As he stopped and as the people began to sing and to wave their hands, we could feel the Spirit of God blow over the crowd and through our hearts. You talk to any one of them and they have lost someone. Maybe a wife, maybe a father or a sister. But here they were, worshipping.
As I walked through the crowd a man said something to me in Creole. Not understanding, I kept walking. He said it again - I could tell he wanted an answer. I looked at my translator and he said, "He's asking you, why aren't you clapping?" It was true. Me, the American, the outsider, the reporter, watching. It wasn't appropriate. The people were there to respond to what God is doing in their land. God is pouring out his Spirit and the appropriate response is clapping for starters.
In every church that hadn't fallen down, in almost every open area, people were gathered in crowds that spilled out into streets, praising God, singing and praying. And it demanded a response - engagement. I suppose it's like heaven in that way. If the angels are praising God, we'll be compelled to join them.
Later we walked by the front of the now-collapsed Presidential Palace where 50,000 or more gathered to worship and the crowd was beginning to disband. And at Pastor Christian's church, an estimated 9,000 sat on the ground under drooping blue tarps. Somebody saw me in the back clapping to the music and asked, "Why aren't you dancing?"
Back in the van, we drove through the city center, overwhelmed by the devastation. Tent cities were everywhere. Some highly organized in new, white half-cylinders from the UN or USAID. Others, ramshackle, made of rags, sheets, and scraps of plastic. A large train terminal, impressive for its colonial architecture, sat at a cockeyed angle - leaning precariously. Some of the buildings had collapsed forward into the street, poised like barges being launched from docks.
We passed people in shoving, angry lines waiting for large white bags of flour. Everywhere, people here are on the move, trying to find a way to survive - negotiating a world turned upside-down. But the crowds who came to pray, the Haitians who by the hundreds of thousands spread out from every still-standing church and meeting tent on what seemed every other street corner testified to another reality.
Something spiritually historic is underway. The cry of a desperate people is rising up to the heavens - calling out for mercy, crying out for God, shouting out for the arrival of the soon-coming king. And, today at least, God responded. His Spirit blew through the tents in ways that sent you to your knees in response. In 30 years of missions, I've never seen anything like it. It's the thing you read about it books. It's the thing you hope for but sometimes grow cynical about ever seeing. And it's happening here, now.
Haiti is arising - a month after the greatest natural disaster of our time, new and hope-filled day is dawning.
click here to read more of Seth's blogs on Haiti
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 1/20/2010
How many things do we overlook in a days time because we just passed by?
How many people do we pass by, never seeing beyond the surface?
I am currently at a training center in North Carolina learning about healing and deliverance ministry. There's a deep subject.
So many things are lurking in the depths of our hearts, just below the surface. On the outside, we appear to be okay - or at least "normal." Again we could ask, how many people to we pass by not realizing the pain they carry just below the surface?
In the last week and a half, I've seen a lot of pain that was hidden below the surface. I've even shared some of my own. The amazing thing is that God already knows what is below the surface, and He will meet us there and take away the pain if we let Him. We've put up icy barriers, blocking out every threat to expose our pain. But there is beauty hidden in that pain, and God knows exactly how to bring it out.
On my break yesterday, I went exploring as I love to do. I found a little pond out front that was frozen over. My curiosity got me to thinking; "I wonder if that whole piece of ice is just floating on the surface?
I wonder if I can move it?"
So I stepped up onto the rim, bent down and pulled the icy mass toward me. As I pulled, a piece broke off in my hand. It crumbled actually, and what I discovered was so incredibly beautiful to me.
That huge disk of ice was made up of verticle clusters of ice "crystals" that broke apart in my hand.
The light shimmered ans sparkled within then as I turn them around in my hand, in awe of their beauty.
I was so excited about my little discovery that I brought Krystal out the see the pretty little "crystals."
I even came back later to take some pictures to remind me of the beauty hidden below the surface.
As I meditated on this throughout the day today, I felt as though God was showing me that it isn't only pain that we hide below the surface. He has little treasures hidden there if we will search for them. There is so much beauty inside each one of us, even when it doesn't show on the surface.
In the Spring when that ice thaws, that same water will gush forth in a fountain of glory. And so will our hearts, when the icy shrouds are broken and thawed. As the pain is released, new life is poured in and our hearts are awakened by His glory.
As you go about your day, dare to look below the surface.
You might be surprised by treasures you will find.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 1/10/2010
This is Jesus' invitation to all of us. What does it mean to you?
When I first got the invitation, it meant repenting and asking Jesus to be my savior. Later, it meant seeking His will for my life. I went from attending church and Bible study to a search for something more significant. My first taste of ministry was with Walk to Emmaus and then KAIROS. They were both great, but I wanted something more. I took my first mission trip to Peru, and then to Kenya – twice. With each new adventure, I longed for more. Then came the World Race. Eleven countries (technically thirteen) in eleven months! What could possibly top that?
From there, things took a surprising twist. I found myself in Georgia; the state, not the country. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Where was the adventure in that? Yet, God met me there in ways I least expected. There wasn't a lot of glamour or adventure. Actually, most of it was really hard. But God met me there and continued the process of exposing my heart and building something in me that I still can't quite explain. He was preparing me for a future that I couldn't even see yet.
The next turn was even more surprising. The doors closed in Georgia, and I found myself feeling a bit aimless and desperate. I searched for grand opportunities overseas; a leadership school in Spain, ministry in Africa, and considered many other options as well. I was even accepted at the school in Spain, but I didn't have peace about any of them. I kept feeling this nagging and unrelenting push to go back to Pennsylvania where I grew up.
I had left Lancaster County as soon as I was old enough to be on my own. I had dream of living in the big city, and felt quite at home there. Then after traveling overseas, I fell in love with foreign cultures as well. I would have rather moved just about anywhere than home. Moving home felt like failing somehow. But God wasn't budging on the issue, so I had to suck it up and go. What choice did I have? What good could possibly come from ignoring God?
What I have found, is that when I opened my heart to what God was doing, He began to change mine. I began to appreciate Lancaster County again, and have seen the little details that are unique to that area. I've been able to see it with new eyes, and explore it as I never had before.
In addition to that, God is revealing a lot of the brokenness in myself and in my family that I had apparently been running away from all these years. Even better, He is beginning to heal and restore us. I had the wonderful privilege of spending the whole holiday season with family this year instead of only flying in for a week. I only got to see my sister for a few days, but I'm hoping to remedy that soon. I never realized how much I actually wanted, and needed that. I thought I was content with the fly-by holidays, but I was missing out.
What I am beginning to realize, is that this is where God brought me. This is where He asked me to follow Him too. Not to the city, not overseas, and not even really doing that much "ministry". He led me to where I least wanted to be, and where I most need to be.
I suspect that those other places and desire still play a role in my future, but what matters is where He is leading me now, in this moment.
So my question to you is this. Where is He asking you to follow Him to? Where are you hesitant to go, or flat set against it. The chances are pretty good that if there is somewhere that you have said, "anywhere but there," that is probably exactly where you need to go. And one thing I have learned, although I am not always quick to follow, is that when you say yes to God, you will never lose!
If you feel a nudging for something more; listen. I want to take you on a journey. I promise that it will be challenging. I promise that it will lead to places that you may not want to go. And I promise that it will change your life. Will you come with me?
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 12/28/2009
Working in retail at the holiday season has shown me many things about our culture that I would rather not admit. Instead of goodwill and cheer, the overwhelming masses come demanding and complaining, ensuring that everybody's lives are as miserable as theirs has become. A few hours on the floor felt more like a few rounds in a boxing ring. What happened to Christmas? What happened to peace on earth and goodwill to man?
Instead, we complain when our schedules are interuppted because there was a line we had to wait in. We become completely unravled when our plans and agendas are disturbed by unforeseen events, or even predictible ones that we would prefer to avoid. It seems that our whole lives revolve around our ability to predict and control the events of out day, from the weather right down to the exact blend of coffee that we must have for our day to go well.
I think we all need a little disturbing from above to get our priorities back on track. Since moving home, I've encountered a few divine disturbances on my own that have revealed misguided attitudes and entitlements that needed to be corrected. It seams that somewhere along the way, I had come to believe that I was better off on my own; that I didn't need my parents, grandparents and other family members to be a part of my regular life. I was content to see them on ocassion, around the holidays or whenever it worked out. In all of my stubborn independence, I never realized what I was missing until God disturbed my plans and sent me home. Now I am beginning to realize that family is what I've needed and longed for all along.
I think this poem by Sir Francis Drake communicates well, that God's plans are far superior to ours and will meet the needs that we don't even realize we have. When we surrender our lives to Him, follow His lead and allow His will to be manifest in us, we cannot loose.
Disturb Us, Lord 
A prayer by Sir Francis Drake
Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.
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Posted in General Articles by Kimberly Martin on 11/24/2009
Copied from streamingfaith.com.
Planned Parenthood Clinic Director Resigns After Witnessing Abortion
from Staff and Wire Reports
The director of a Planned Parenthood abortion center in Texas has resigned and embraced the pro-life movement after witnessing an abortion through an ultrasound.
Abby Johnson had worked at the clinic in Bryan/College Station, Texas, for eight years before departing from the facility after her change of heart.
"I left on good terms and simply had a change of heart on this issue," she told 40 Days for Life, which had been holding prayer and fasting initiatives outside her clinic since fall of 2004. "Over the past few months I had seen a change in motivation regarding the financial impact of abortions and really reached my breaking point after witnessing a particular kind of abortion on an ultrasound."
According to reports, Johnson had never seen an abortion take place on an ultrasound but happened to be present during one procedure, in which she saw a 13-weeks-old fetus trying to move away from the doctor's probe
"I just thought, 'What am I doing?'" she told ABC News. "And then I thought, 'Never again.'"
Two weeks later, Johnson quit.
"It's truly been a testament to the power of prayer and the courage of Abby to leave a job she felt she could no longer do in good conscience," commented Shawn Carney, the director of the Coalition for Life and a 40 Days for Life board member.
"It has been a joy for all of our volunteers who have prayed outside of the clinic for the conversion of the clinic workers to witness that conversion actually happens."
According to 40 Days for Life, Johnson is one of eight abortion industry workers who left their jobs during the fifth coordinated 40 Days for Life campaign that concluded recently in 212 cities. Johnson was the highest-ranking of the eight, the campaign reported. Others who quit their clinic jobs included nurses, office staffers and security personnel.
In the wake of Johnson's departure, Planned Parenthood has gone to court to seek a restraining order against both Johnson and the Coalition for Life, the local group that originated 40 Days for Life and continued regular prayer vigils in front of the clinic for the past five years.
Planned Parenthood filed the "restraining order of disclosure" against Johnson reportedly because of fears she may have taken confidential files out of the organization. Johnson, however, has denied those allegations.
A court hearing on the order is scheduled in a Texas court on Nov. 10.
Coalition for Life director Carney has been working with Johnson since she left her job last month.
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