Seek FIRST Him*

This season of my life I am finding that there is much acceleration going on. My Mom always said when I was a child, "With Mary when it rains it pours." Its like everything happens within a very short amount of time and then there’s like a time of settlement for a bit....then it comes all over again. Maybe you're the same way and you know exactly what I mean. This season I am seeing exciting growth in my relationship with Christ and Him forming His character in ways I have not ever experienced. The relationships in my life are growing...needing more attention, but there is so much fruit. In my Interior Decorating Company, "forty one: style. decor. design" God is opening doors and expanding me in ways I wasn’t expecting! I’m busy and excited about the ministries I am honoured to be apart of, I’m dating the man of my dreams...everything important is progressing and seems like at full tilt.
The last while I have felt like I was on a never ending hike! Getting somewhere...maybe even beautiful places...but just not being able to stop and rest..and actually just stop and enjoy where I am on my journey in life.
In my daily time with the Lord I am being challenged....to OBEY the WORD. Period. I felt with life, even though I am in a wonderful season...I was so overwhelmed at times by everything demanding my attention...that the "good things, have been fighting for the "best things" when the only "best part of my life should be Jesus Christ." Matthew 6.33-34: "But seek FIRST the KINGDOM and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."
Seek FIRST the Kingdom. Seek FIRST the Kingdom. Seek FIRST the Kingdom. The more I read God's Word and the more I obey what it says, through Holy Spirit’s power in me the more I life fully. I’m at peace and in true joy in my heart, my life takes on the priorities that are on God’s heart. Immersing myself in Christ every day, making HIM the priority and then daily taking (sometimes painful) steps to be obedient to what the Word says: The more I take time to listen, read and obey, the more I become and the more I get to experience!
So right now in this season of acceleration I am learning to SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM. Not to seek first the worry and stress of life, not to seek first how I can be the best decorator in the world, not even to seek first to be a good person. NO. Seek FIRST the KINGDOM...and you will see more than you ever have before*

Mary

Are you battle weary?

Then it's time for the Word:

Psalm 20

 ¹ May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
   may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
² May he send you help from the sanctuary
   and grant you support from Zion.
³ May he remember all your sacrifices
   and accept your burnt offerings.^[b]
4 May he give you the desire of your heart
   and make all your plans succeed.
⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory
   and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
   May the LORD grant all your requests.
 ⁶ Now this I know:
   The LORD gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
   with the victorious power of his right hand.
⁷ Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
   but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They are brought to their knees and fall,
   but we rise up and stand firm.
⁹ LORD, give victory to the king!
   Answer us when we call!

and PRAISE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc&feature=related

Reminded.  Renewed.  Running on.  With me?

Pressing in and pressing on,
Giselle

Your daily adventure*

Just looking again at the pictures highlighting our retreat a few weekends ago makes me so excited about what GOD IS DOING around the world...but more so even what He is doing here, at home...in our hearts and in our families and in our communities.
I love how when God calls us to something often we have no idea how things will come together, but God does and will make it happen in His time, with His resources and by His power. The burden of "result" is not on our shoulders, the adventure of "obedience" is something we can do something about.
In the recent months I have been learning alot about being decisive and action focused more than ever before in my life....lol since my amazing boyfriend exhibits this trait I soon realized that I would have to be ok with that too and be open to how God was going to shape my heart through being challenged by it......I always seem to be a few steps behind him:)

I think its essential to ask God, hear what He has to say and then GO and DO. However I think sometimes we wait around, either indecisive or afraid....when the Word clearly has given direction to go and do. I find often I’m waiting around and not just DOING what God so beautiful has already told and called me to do. When Matthew 28. 19 says: "Go and make disciples of ALL nations......." We are commanded to go and do. Now is the new believer that God brought to your small group the woman God wants you to disciple? Pray about it, ask God to shut the door if its not right and go for it. If the door shuts, move on and...keep making disciples. Are you feeling overwhelmed with family, work, ministries and feel like there is no day off in the week for you to rest? Genesis 2.2: “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”

The seventh day God rested. Take your day off. God commanded obedience of it for Himself, we need to practice that also. 
Get deeper into the Word. Take EVERY opportunity. Trust God for the results, ask Him for a heart of repentance and obedience. Be trusting and obedient when a door shuts. Let Him take you to a new place of blessing and "knowing Himself," the greatest fulfillment there is*

Mary

Ladies Retreat

Here are a few highlights from the fall ladies retreat.

Shopping at the Mission Minded Marketplace.

Many great items from Living Hope - Watoto.

Beautiful pieces of jewellery from the Dominican Republic.

Our great helper Brenda!

Our amazing sound person Debbie!

Thanks worship team for leading us in worship!

Myself and our beloved speaker - Colleen!

A few of the ladies from Stonewall

and Dauphin

and Lac du Bonnet

and Calvary Temple Winnipeg.

Lots of laughter

with great friends.

And a room full

of beautiful ladies!

We had a great weekend hearing from the Lord,

making a difference in our world,

investing into the lives of others,

and spending time with

quality ladies!

Meet our retreat roadie Andrew... Thank you for all of your help!

Look Up!

There has not been much rain this year where we live and so when a storm rolled in, I watched expectantly.  The clouds moved quickly, they seemed to get lower and darker.  They were bumpy and three dimensional and closing in on our view of the clear, blue sky.  Rain, winds, hail, it all arrived so quickly.  Oddly enough, we were indoors in a room without windows and yet there was no doubt there was a war raging outside - we could hear the drops hitting the roof and pelting at everything in its path.  When we peered out after, there was a lighter feeling.  The water had sunk deep into the ground and the smell of earthy goodness rose up.  The clouds had begun breaking and as I looked up, I saw an amazing sight:  pure white trim above the dark clouds reflecting back the light that shone from the sun.  Beautiful!  A reminder that even above those clouds, menacing as they are, the rays of sunshine warm the earth, shed light and are forever there.

Your God loves you!  Even as things may happen, His arms like those rays of light wrap themselves around and no darkness can contain.  His love will burn through those clouds of doubt and He will redeem everything for good.  For the very disastrous issues at hand must succumb to His goodness, His protection, and His dominion.

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!’
Deuteronomy 33:27

Press in and press on,
Giselle

With a thankful heart...

Happy Thanksgiving Precious Women of God!
No matter where you are in your life, remember Jehovah Jireh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgU8re8b8aA&feature=fvwrel

He provides and we are thankful!

Press in and press on,
Giselle

Plans

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:11-13

I recently read this verse and I was reminded of the omniscience of God. He is all-knowing. God knows my future and He also knows my past – likely better than I do. . . considering some days my memory is failing and God's memory is not!

I am reminded that when I seek God with all my heart He will be found. This isn't a hide and seek game with God. God is not some distant being who may or may not care for us, His creation, depending on how he's feeling that day. No, our God is our loving Creator who has a plan and purpose for each of our lives. Some people grow up understanding and living with this foundational verse already established in their hearts, but there are many people who wrestle with who they are, who God created them to be and how they are to get there.

Let me suggest if you come from a difficult past this is one of those verses we should memorize to remind us that God has a plan and purpose for our lives. It also reminds us that our God is approachable and available. If you come from a great home life then perhaps this is one of those verses you need to memorize so you can speak it's truth into the lives of others. Either way we need to "Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deut. 11:18 &19

Jo-Ann

When God immerses your life in His presence

Its a beautiful day out today. The sun, the colour, the lingering of one season and the merging into another. With all of those great things, October 3rd is a little more than that for me. Its the birthday of a very special friend of mine, Chris. I first met Chris when he applied to Master's Commission during the years I was directing. He came hungry for Christ, for growth in the presence of JESUS. We watched as he began to grow and grow, more and more. He became an example without realizing it to other students, to the youth groups we were involved with and even Pastors we were connected to. The example was that every aspect of his character was visibly being transformed into the likeness of Christ. It was raw and painful, but yet he kept clinging to the Word and standing on the truth of God's words to him. It was evident that his hunger for Christ's presence was not coming from his own self, but from God Himself. When he graduated from Master's Commission he went on to lead co-workers to Christ, be a spiritual leader within his own friends and family circle and living out what he was passionate about....flying. He loved being a pilot and often would send me emails telling me he went up again and flew over the rookies "like being on the wings of eagles." A short while ago he also was able to go to Africa on missions and live out more of Christ in him.
Its amazing the legacy that we as people have the opportunity to leave in Christ. Most of the time we have no idea we're doing it...but we are in fact leaving something behind*
Last Christmas, on Christmas Eve, I received a phone call from a close friend telling me that Chris had gone to sleep, and during the night went home to be with Jesus.
Everyday living more in Christ's presence in all aspects of life counts. Chris would have been 29 today, and what he left in Christ without knowing he was leaving, was something that has impacted people all over the world.....because the root was not Chris but Jesus. The deep roots in his life were not Chris, but Jesus. His increasing hunger for the Word and Jesus presence was not Chris or anything Chris could create, but what Jesus created within his heart. The legacy of Jesus Christ was left because Jesus IS.
Dear friends, I pray today that you also would continue to ask God to increase your desire for His word, for His presence. He is doing a work that He will continue to do in you. He will leave His legacy in your life when He immerses your life in His presence*

Mary