We received some "encouragement cards" in the mail from Xenia Christian School where we recently spoke at their spiritual emphasis week. As you know, encouraging words can make your day...and it did brighten our day.
Who can you encourage today? It may only take a moment for God to use you to brighten someone's day!
Encouragement Cards from Xenia Christian School...
I would like to personally thank you for coming to our school to speak for spiritual emphasis week. I think that you really opened our eyes to how much media we consume and how little time we spend doing anything else.
Sincerely,
Peter
Thank you very much for coming and speaking to our school! It was a very good sermon that you both spoke to us and you inspired me to go on a media fast. I'm going to fast TV, texting and facebook. Thank you so much, both of you, for showing me and helping me to do the right thing when it comes to media.
Love,
Mallory
Thank you very much for speaking to our school. I enjoyed it all very much. The 3 days you talked were very eye-opening and I now realize how much our media can affect us and influence us.
Thank you,
Faith
Thank you for coming to our school and really making a huge impact on all of us. Your messages really make me realize how to become closer to God and love Him and myself more.
Abby
Thank you so much for coming to our school and sharing amazing things with us. I loved the messages! You have blessed and encouraged our school to grow in a relationship with God where He is first. I hope that God continues to work through you both. Thank you also for keeping us in your prayers!
Savannah
Thank you for speaking to all of the girls on Wednesday. YOur message spoke a lot to me. I wanted to say I loved the illustration of the cars. I hope that you and your husband will get more chances to talk to teenagers. I will pray for you and your husband to keep working in people's lives and showing/helping people walk on the path to Jesus.
Praying for you,
Cheradyn
It was truly our privilege to have both of you on our campus this week. Many students have mentioned the spiritual change that we felt here as you brought God's Word to Xenia Christian. May the Lord continue to bless both of you on your trip out west and throughout the coming years. Your ministry has truly touched hearts here.
Thank you,
Joe
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Get REAL inC Missions Trip to Abacos Island in the Bahamas
by Shelley Hitz
I had the privilege of going with a team of teen girls and women from Get REAL inC (in Christ) to Marsh Harbour and Dundas Town on Abacos Island in the Bahamas. I've been on many mission trips and we even lived in Belize, Central America for two years doing mission work and therefore have such a huge heart for the people of the Caribbean. And once again, I fell in love with the people!
Why the Bahamas?
Katie Wolfe of Get REAL inC met Bertlyn Linden on a vacation to the Bahamas this past year. Bertlyn had just put up a flyer of her girls ministry called Gifted Girls in her bakery and it caught Katie's eye. They ended up meeting and kept in touch. Bertlyn then asked Katie to bring a team of women/girls to share the message of safe use of technology (social networking, sexting, etc.) through the Get REAL & BSMRT conference. I had just helped speak at Findlay's event on Real Beauty and so Katie invited me to come. The rest of the team is from Indianapolis, Indiana where Get REAL inC ministry begun.
Should I Go?
I really sensed that I was supposed to go on this trip but wasn't sure how it would all work out. CJ and I were planning on being on a ministry trip out west at the time and Katie wasn't sure if they would have the finances for me to go. One night I felt very strongly that I was to tell Katie that even if they didn't have the money to pay for my plane ticket, I sensed I was supposed to come on this trip and we would trust God to provide. She wrote back and said it was a relief for her because they just had a meeting that night and realized that they wouldn't have enough money for my ticket but really wanted me to come. Within the next week, God provided! I received a check in the mail that would cover my ticket to the Bahamas. Thank you Lord for providing!
God at Work...
God did amazing things while we were in the Bahamas. The short story is that we were able to speak in 6 schools to about 800 kids as well as present the Get REAL & BSMRT conference for about 100 teen girls. I've shared more details from each day of our trip below...
Tuesday October 19:
I had the privilege of going with a team of teen girls and women from Get REAL inC (in Christ) to Marsh Harbour and Dundas Town on Abacos Island in the Bahamas. I've been on many mission trips and we even lived in Belize, Central America for two years doing mission work and therefore have such a huge heart for the people of the Caribbean. And once again, I fell in love with the people!
Why the Bahamas?
Katie Wolfe of Get REAL inC met Bertlyn Linden on a vacation to the Bahamas this past year. Bertlyn had just put up a flyer of her girls ministry called Gifted Girls in her bakery and it caught Katie's eye. They ended up meeting and kept in touch. Bertlyn then asked Katie to bring a team of women/girls to share the message of safe use of technology (social networking, sexting, etc.) through the Get REAL & BSMRT conference. I had just helped speak at Findlay's event on Real Beauty and so Katie invited me to come. The rest of the team is from Indianapolis, Indiana where Get REAL inC ministry begun.
Should I Go?
I really sensed that I was supposed to go on this trip but wasn't sure how it would all work out. CJ and I were planning on being on a ministry trip out west at the time and Katie wasn't sure if they would have the finances for me to go. One night I felt very strongly that I was to tell Katie that even if they didn't have the money to pay for my plane ticket, I sensed I was supposed to come on this trip and we would trust God to provide. She wrote back and said it was a relief for her because they just had a meeting that night and realized that they wouldn't have enough money for my ticket but really wanted me to come. Within the next week, God provided! I received a check in the mail that would cover my ticket to the Bahamas. Thank you Lord for providing!
God at Work...
God did amazing things while we were in the Bahamas. The short story is that we were able to speak in 6 schools to about 800 kids as well as present the Get REAL & BSMRT conference for about 100 teen girls. I've shared more details from each day of our trip below...
Tuesday October 19:
We made it safely to the Bahamas today! We are staying at Marsh Harbour on the Abacos Island. I had a really interesting encounter/conversation with a 27 year old girl from the Bahamas in the Nassau airport during our 2.5 hour layover...I think we talked almost about the entire time. We did talk about spiritual things and gave her my card with the website. She says she's a Christian and was raised Baptist, but is not a "strong one." Pray for her - her name is Samantha.
Wednesday October 20:
We are speaking in the schools today giving the Digital Demon presentation about sexting.
Here's the schedule for today:
S.C. Bootle High School (entire school assembly) - 9am (Michele, Brianna, Paige)
St. Francis (6th-12 grade) - 9:30am (Kelly, Laura)
Central Abaco Primary (5th and 6th grade) - 10am (Sarge, Taylor)
Abaco Central High School (entire school assembly) - 10am (Katie W., Shelley, Katie P., Kayla)
Every Child Counts (school for people with disabilities) - 11am (Kelly, Laura)
Today was amazing! I can't even explain in words. As we were all sharing a recap of the morning with each other (4 teams in 6 different schools) some of us had tears in our eyes. It was only God that could be opening the way before us! Can I just say that this message is sooooooo relevant to these kids? Almost all of them raised their hands saying they have cell phones and Facebook accounts. And the guidance counselor at the high school where my group shared said she deals with these issues of sexting/social media, etc. almost daily and was so thankful we came.
There were probably 300-400 at the high school and in all, we probably spoke to about 800 kids plus staff. And we were able to fully share the gospel, scriptures, etc. which was great! The kids were very engaged, attentive and responsive. I did end up doing some of the speaking at the high school to help Katie save her voice and loved it! It felt like I was in Belize again...the people are very similar and so friendly and open.
There were probably 300-400 at the high school and in all, we probably spoke to about 800 kids plus staff. And we were able to fully share the gospel, scriptures, etc. which was great! The kids were very engaged, attentive and responsive. I did end up doing some of the speaking at the high school to help Katie save her voice and loved it! It felt like I was in Belize again...the people are very similar and so friendly and open.
Unfortunately we weren't able to show the DVD in any of the schools, but fortunately God prepared us because we talked through last night what we would do without the DVD and were all prepared for it...plus I think it may have actually gone over even better because we told the stories of Hope and Jesse - real teen girls who committed suicide after sexting/bullying. At the high school we handed out flyers for Saturday's event after we spoke saying, "Do you think you'll be able to come?" Most of them said yes or that they would try. Boys even asked for the flyers to invite their sisters and family.
One of our groups even got invited to a school spontaneously this morning after they spoke in their assigned school. Someone called over to the other school saying, "You have to have this group come and speak to your students" and they changed their schedule at the last minute to allow the group to speak to their 6th graders for about 20 minutes!! PTL!!
One of our groups even got invited to a school spontaneously this morning after they spoke in their assigned school. Someone called over to the other school saying, "You have to have this group come and speak to your students" and they changed their schedule at the last minute to allow the group to speak to their 6th graders for about 20 minutes!! PTL!!
I feel so blessed to be here!
Thursday October 21:
Today was another amazing day! We took the boat to Hope Town and planned on "sightseeing" but I knew that God would use that time to open up divine appointments...and He did! On the ferry ride over, I met Marie - a pastor at the Methodist Church on the Island and Leah - a youth leader in another church. I was able to share with them about what we're doing and our event and they both were excited to invite their teens.
In Hope Town we ate at a restaurant right on the beach which was so fun!! We met one of the cooks on the boat. He ended up connecting with us and we found a piano where he and one of our teen girls played and sang together. It was such a God moment because he came back to talk to us and sat right by me. As we talked earlier I asked him if he attended a church and he said he grew up in church but wasn't living it right now. He said he likes to be honest and doesn't like it when people try to be something they're not. We said we were glad he was being "real" with us...that we value that because that is what our ministry is called, "Get REAL inC" :) Well, I felt prompted before we left to ask him if there was anything we could pray for him. He said his health and getting back on track with his relationship with Christ. So, I prayed for him...afterward he said he was really thankful for the prayers. Keep praying for him because he has a God-given gift for music that I believe He will be using again for God!!
On the way home I met a man who does tiling and was returning to Marsh Harbour from a job at Hope Town. He just happens to have 4 girls and one of his girls attends Central Abaco High School where I helped present yesterday. He said he would encourage her and her friends to come and come up and meet us! (It was a neat moment when I was able to meet his daughter at the event on Saturday!)
Friday October 22:
I continue to be blown away by what God is doing. Today we were interviewed live at the local Christian TV station (well, Katie, Taylor - one of the teens and Bertlyn - our Bahama connection were interviewed!). It went great. Then we took a tour of their new church being built...almost finished (around November, Thanksgiving). We had a really powerful time of prayer for their church and Pastor Mills.
While there we were talking about how they do baptisms and they do them in the ocean :) Well, two of our girls, Brianna and Kayla, wanted to be baptized and asked the pastor if he would baptize them while they were here and he said YES! Brianna's mom, Michelle, is also here and she started crying...therefore we all started crying. She had talked with her daughter about being baptized for a while and had been praying for her to make the decision on her own. So, they are going to be baptized in the Bay of Abaco right outside our condo tomorrow by the pastor after spending about one hour with him. How amazing is that?!?
While there we were talking about how they do baptisms and they do them in the ocean :) Well, two of our girls, Brianna and Kayla, wanted to be baptized and asked the pastor if he would baptize them while they were here and he said YES! Brianna's mom, Michelle, is also here and she started crying...therefore we all started crying. She had talked with her daughter about being baptized for a while and had been praying for her to make the decision on her own. So, they are going to be baptized in the Bay of Abaco right outside our condo tomorrow by the pastor after spending about one hour with him. How amazing is that?!?
This evening we went out on the streets by the only stoplight in the town and handed out invitations for the event tomorrow. It was so different from the states because the people are so friendly and being a small area (only 20,000 people on the entire island of Abaco) people are more open to us handing out invitations. Many people said they were coming or would try to come. Some had already heard of it on the TV, radio or were from the church.
Saturday October 23:
Well....tonight's the night. I feel the normal nervousness but also a spirit of heaviness...sensing the spiritual battle. I've especially been feeling attacks of insecurity and doubting what I should say. I did change my presentation slightly after talking with some people here and realizing the girls struggle with different things in body
image than we do.
Today has been a turning point for our team with deepening conversations and relationships. I've had several really deep conversations with the girls and also several of the women.
I can't wait to see what God does tonight!
image than we do.
Today has been a turning point for our team with deepening conversations and relationships. I've had several really deep conversations with the girls and also several of the women.
I can't wait to see what God does tonight!
Sunday October 24:
Wow...I almost feel numb (in a good way) from all that God is doing here in Abacos Island, Bahamas! Yesterday afternoon two of our girls got baptized by Pastor Mills of Friendship Tabernacle Church in the ocean...Pastor has a Christian TV station here and wasn't going to film the baptism but said he realized that most people come to the Bahamas to get married, honeymoon or vacation and yet here are girls getting baptized in the Bahamas. Both of these girls were already Christians, but took the step of getting baptized...one of them had been thinking about it (and her mom was praying for her to take this step). Brianna is an amazing worship leader at only 13 years old and Kayla told me that she feels called to me an evangelist. I sensed yesterday that God was annointing them for ministry...how cool that they were getting baptized on a mission trip while they are ministering in those ways!!
Last night was amazing. The event was to start at 6pm but at some places was advertised at 6:30pm. Well at 6pm we had maybe 20 people and were feeling fearful, disappointed, etc. So we prayed and surrendered it to God. We waited to start until 6:30pm and girls kept filtering in until we had almost 100 girls!!! And it was an amazing night. We didn't know if they were fully understanding us, but when we read the reflection forms, we realized they did. Here are just a few:
- Do you feel your relationship with Christ changed tonight? "Yes. Because sometimes I felt closed to him but now I feel open...like a new person." Grade 7 "Yes. I feel like I don't have to be ashamed to come to Christ anymore because old things have passed away." Grade 11
- "Tonight I learned how to be a real girl and how to give my life to Jesus not to a boy and I really gave my self away to God." Grade 10
- "Tonight I learned about sexting and to give your heart to Christ. I learned that you should not impress your friends and to not let people tell you what to do and say." Grade 6
- "I have real beauty and no need for makeup or any other things that the world sees. I have to look up to God's eyes." Grade 8
- "I learned that God loves us the way He made us. I feel like I have a closer relationship with Jesus." Grade 8
- "Jesus can be your friend no matter what happen you can get forgiveness. You can give him all your troubles." Grade 8
- "To choose friend wisely. Never do the sexting, because in the end it may ruin my reputation and my life. Put away my phone sometimes. Be careful who is add on Facebook and who I talk to on the internet." Grade 12
- "That my body is the temple of the Lord and my beauty inside determines my relationship with God." Grade 7
And they went on and on. It is simply God! We can't take any credit for what He is doing here in Abacos!
Then, this morning we had a great church service. The pastor presented baptism certificates to Brianna and Kayla and then performed communion for them as well as the rest of the congregation. At the end of his sermon, he told the story of speaking to two teen girls this week that have been suicidal here in Abacos - one attempted suicide two weeks ago and one a year ago. Both came to Christ this week!! So, he gave an altar call for anyone to come to Christ or rededicate their lives and 11 youth came forward - 6 girls and 5 boys.
Katie Wolfe and I as well as Brianna and Kayla went back to help counsel the girls. All of them had been at Get REAL last night!! The woman from the church, Norma, prayed with them and then Katie asked if they all had bibles. Two of the girls didn't and the church didn't have extra bibles so I went to go get mine and one of our teens offered to give her bible to the other girl! What a privilege to be one small part of what God is doing here. In talking to Norma, it sounds like it is difficult for the church to get bibles, so Katie is thinking about collecting Bibles to send to Abacos.
Katie Wolfe and I as well as Brianna and Kayla went back to help counsel the girls. All of them had been at Get REAL last night!! The woman from the church, Norma, prayed with them and then Katie asked if they all had bibles. Two of the girls didn't and the church didn't have extra bibles so I went to go get mine and one of our teens offered to give her bible to the other girl! What a privilege to be one small part of what God is doing here. In talking to Norma, it sounds like it is difficult for the church to get bibles, so Katie is thinking about collecting Bibles to send to Abacos.
It's been really neat to see the role God has given me here - I thought I was coming to speak for 15 minutes last night and He has done so much more!! Immeasurably more than I can think or imagine!
Monday October 25:
Today is our last day here in the Bahamas. We'll fly out early tomorrow morning and have a long day of travel and layovers, so pray for our safety as we travel home. It's been amazing to be part of a team and something so much bigger than myself joining Get REAL inC for this trip to the Bahamas! Thank you again sooooooo much for your prayer support! It means more than you realize!
Friday, October 8, 2010
A View From The Road...
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Blinded to the Future
by Shelley Hitz
As I sit in a hotel in Broomfield, Colorado (outside Denver), I think again, "What are we doing?" The enemy bombards me with irrational fears and doubts. What is ahead? Will we be able to pay our bills and our mortgage? How will this all work?
And I don't have a clear answer. I just have a sense from Jesus to trust Him with what's ahead.
In the last few weeks I've had many powerful times of prayer with friends. And during those times I've had different friends say they sensed the same thing...that God is blinding us to the details of the future so that we'll be completely dependent on Him.
My friend Bethany said she saw a veil over our future to force us to depend on God and not on our own strength. Whereas my friend Melissa said she was reminded of Saul (later renamed Paul) who was blinded on the road to Damascus. When you are blind, you are in a position of humility and dependence on others. Saul had to depend on others to lead him by the hand to the city.
Acts 9:5-8 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
Thankfully, I am not physically blinded as Saul was. But, I do feel blinded to the details of the future and what God has for us in ministry. This forces me to depend on Jesus to lead us by the hand to our next destination. I am so used to planning, problem-solving and doing. It's hard to be led. And yet God is teaching me so much. Most of my life I have not needed to live by faith. I knew when the paycheck would be coming in and my schedule was planned out for me. I'm not saying it is wrong to live like this. But, God is leading us into a different season of life where I don't know these things. I don't have control. And I have to exercise my faith muscles.
Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Did you catch that? Certain of what we do not see. Blinded.
What areas in your life do you feel blinded? I believe God is asking each one of us to trust Him and allow ourselves to be "led by hand," so to speak, to our next destination. Hand in hand with Jesus, following Him.
Will we choose the path of faith or the path of control?
Lord, please help me choose the path of faith to the next destination you have for me. Help me to live for you and follow you during these short years I have on earth. Help me to fully surrender my control and my way of doing life. Thank you for being so patient with me. I love you. Amen.
As I sit in a hotel in Broomfield, Colorado (outside Denver), I think again, "What are we doing?" The enemy bombards me with irrational fears and doubts. What is ahead? Will we be able to pay our bills and our mortgage? How will this all work?
And I don't have a clear answer. I just have a sense from Jesus to trust Him with what's ahead.
In the last few weeks I've had many powerful times of prayer with friends. And during those times I've had different friends say they sensed the same thing...that God is blinding us to the details of the future so that we'll be completely dependent on Him.
My friend Bethany said she saw a veil over our future to force us to depend on God and not on our own strength. Whereas my friend Melissa said she was reminded of Saul (later renamed Paul) who was blinded on the road to Damascus. When you are blind, you are in a position of humility and dependence on others. Saul had to depend on others to lead him by the hand to the city.
Acts 9:5-8 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
Thankfully, I am not physically blinded as Saul was. But, I do feel blinded to the details of the future and what God has for us in ministry. This forces me to depend on Jesus to lead us by the hand to our next destination. I am so used to planning, problem-solving and doing. It's hard to be led. And yet God is teaching me so much. Most of my life I have not needed to live by faith. I knew when the paycheck would be coming in and my schedule was planned out for me. I'm not saying it is wrong to live like this. But, God is leading us into a different season of life where I don't know these things. I don't have control. And I have to exercise my faith muscles.
Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
Did you catch that? Certain of what we do not see. Blinded.
What areas in your life do you feel blinded? I believe God is asking each one of us to trust Him and allow ourselves to be "led by hand," so to speak, to our next destination. Hand in hand with Jesus, following Him.
Will we choose the path of faith or the path of control?
Lord, please help me choose the path of faith to the next destination you have for me. Help me to live for you and follow you during these short years I have on earth. Help me to fully surrender my control and my way of doing life. Thank you for being so patient with me. I love you. Amen.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Do You Believe in Divine Appointments?
by Shelley Hitz
What do I mean by a divine appointment? I believe a divine appointment is an encounter or meeting with someone which was inspired and led by God. As I was flying to a recent speaking engagement in North Carolina, I prayed that God would open up divine appointments for me.
I had to drive, park and get into the airport by myself that day as CJ was also traveling and speaking in Connecticut. So, as I was parking and figuring out where I was going and what I was doing, I was NOT thinking about a divine appointment. The only thing I was thinking about was getting to my gate on time.
The airport shuttle van stopped to pick me up and the driver was talking on her cell phone as she picked up my bags to put them in the back of the van. One of my bags was full of books and pretty heavy, so she struggled to get it inside. After she hung up, she turned and asked me, "Girl...what do you have in that bag? It's HEAVY!!" I hesitantly told her that it was filled with books my husband and I wrote and proceeded to tell her that I was traveling to North Carolina to speak to teen girls on God's perspective of sex.
As I started sharing with her, I felt prompted to ask her if she had any spiritual belief. She asked what I meant by that. I said, "For example, do you believe in God, Jesus or are you a Hindu, Buddist..." Immediately she said, "Oh no, I'm not any of those things. I believe in God!"
She then asked me what I thought of the Jehovah Witnesses. At that moment, my mind went blank and I honestly told her, "You know, I'm not really sure right now. If my husband was here, he could tell you." She said that her co-worker gave her one of their bibles. Immediately God brought back to my mind the difference! I proceeded to explain to her that Jehovah Witnesses don't believe Jesus was God and so they have changed their bible to reflect their beliefs. She said someone else had talked to her about that as well and that she didn't want that bible...she wanted the real thing. And so she had found another bible to read.
I found out her name is Jennifer. As she pulled up to drop me off at the airport, I asked her if she liked to read. She said she did and so I asked her if she'd like to read one of our books. She enthusiastically said yes and I proceeded to pull out one of our "Mathematics of Jesus" books for her. As I did she showed me a tract about Jesus that someone had given her earlier that day.
I told her that she must be on God's radar for Him to send two people in one day to talk to her about Jesus. She agreed and smiled brightly. She asked when I would be back and I told her the next day. She said she wouldn't have the book read by then but she would definitely read it. As I walked away, I glanced back at Jennifer as she was enthusiastically showing the book and re-telling the story to one of her co-workers.
I prayed for a divine appointment and yet when I was least expecting it and NOT looking for it, God opened one up for me! How about you? Have you been praying for and looking for the divine appointments with people that God places in your day? Are you willing to start spiritual conversations with those around you? I encourage you to ask God to lead you and He will!
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8
What do I mean by a divine appointment? I believe a divine appointment is an encounter or meeting with someone which was inspired and led by God. As I was flying to a recent speaking engagement in North Carolina, I prayed that God would open up divine appointments for me.
I had to drive, park and get into the airport by myself that day as CJ was also traveling and speaking in Connecticut. So, as I was parking and figuring out where I was going and what I was doing, I was NOT thinking about a divine appointment. The only thing I was thinking about was getting to my gate on time.
The airport shuttle van stopped to pick me up and the driver was talking on her cell phone as she picked up my bags to put them in the back of the van. One of my bags was full of books and pretty heavy, so she struggled to get it inside. After she hung up, she turned and asked me, "Girl...what do you have in that bag? It's HEAVY!!" I hesitantly told her that it was filled with books my husband and I wrote and proceeded to tell her that I was traveling to North Carolina to speak to teen girls on God's perspective of sex.
As I started sharing with her, I felt prompted to ask her if she had any spiritual belief. She asked what I meant by that. I said, "For example, do you believe in God, Jesus or are you a Hindu, Buddist..." Immediately she said, "Oh no, I'm not any of those things. I believe in God!"
She then asked me what I thought of the Jehovah Witnesses. At that moment, my mind went blank and I honestly told her, "You know, I'm not really sure right now. If my husband was here, he could tell you." She said that her co-worker gave her one of their bibles. Immediately God brought back to my mind the difference! I proceeded to explain to her that Jehovah Witnesses don't believe Jesus was God and so they have changed their bible to reflect their beliefs. She said someone else had talked to her about that as well and that she didn't want that bible...she wanted the real thing. And so she had found another bible to read.
I found out her name is Jennifer. As she pulled up to drop me off at the airport, I asked her if she liked to read. She said she did and so I asked her if she'd like to read one of our books. She enthusiastically said yes and I proceeded to pull out one of our "Mathematics of Jesus" books for her. As I did she showed me a tract about Jesus that someone had given her earlier that day.
I told her that she must be on God's radar for Him to send two people in one day to talk to her about Jesus. She agreed and smiled brightly. She asked when I would be back and I told her the next day. She said she wouldn't have the book read by then but she would definitely read it. As I walked away, I glanced back at Jennifer as she was enthusiastically showing the book and re-telling the story to one of her co-workers.
I prayed for a divine appointment and yet when I was least expecting it and NOT looking for it, God opened one up for me! How about you? Have you been praying for and looking for the divine appointments with people that God places in your day? Are you willing to start spiritual conversations with those around you? I encourage you to ask God to lead you and He will!
"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Follow You...
by Shelley Hitz
Because of where we are in life right now, taking a step of faith in ministry and following Jesus where He leads us, this song and the lyrics really impact me!
"Follow You" by Leeland and Brandon Heath
Because of where we are in life right now, taking a step of faith in ministry and following Jesus where He leads us, this song and the lyrics really impact me!
"Follow You" by Leeland and Brandon Heath
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Catch
by CJ Hitz
Recently (August 21-28) I had the opportunity to accompany my friend David on a Canoeing/Camping/Fishing trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness area of northern Minnesota. We had an incredible time taking in the solitude and beauty of this serene part of the country without the distractions of TV, Internet or cell phone coverage that are so part of the standard American diet.
On our third day, David caught a decent sized Walleye that we ate for dinner that evening. If you've ever eaten fish on the same day it's caught, you'll agree you can't beat the taste as a result of that freshness. Same with chicken, vegetables, fruit...everything really (except wine). Anyway, the next day as I was writing in my journal, I found myself writing this request to the Lord...
"Lord, we're going fishing again later this afternoon and I'd really like to catch this evening's dinner. I know David is the better fisherman, but I'd like to be The Man for tonight's grub..."
Just a simple, yet direct request. Within our first fifteen minutes on the water, David reels in this beautiful Northern Pike that he proceeds to immediately throw back into Lake La Croix. Later, he would kick himself for doing this. For the next hour, we proceed to make cast after cast without hardly a nibble. As the sun is continuing to set, David proceeds to pull his line out of the water and begins slowly paddling our canoe back toward Tiger Bay - location of our campsite for the week. I wasn't quite ready to hang it up for the evening so I told David I would continue casting a few more minutes which he more than welcomed. My frustration was continuing to increase with each fish-less cast and I began reminding the Lord of my journal entry request. "Lord, I know you're able to provide a fish...if you want to." Nothing. "We're running out of time here Lord." Nothing. "Yes, we still have peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and beef jerky but..." Nothing. "Lord?"
And then at the peak of my frustration...BANG! FISH ON!!
David nearly fell over with excitement as I reeled in a beauty of a fish. But not just a fish, another Walleye which we both prefer to eat and is much easier to fillet. But not just any Walleye, one that was bigger than the night before and perfect for the two of us hungry men. And it came just in time.
When I later told David what I had written in my journal earlier that day, he realized why he must have thrown that Northern Pike back. Normally, he would have kept that fish until we caught something better. This is why he briefly beat himself up, wondering why he would do such a thing. God was teaching us a lesson in provision on this day.
As I was apologizing to the Lord for the impatient, souring attitude I had pre-catch, I felt Him gently say to me...
"CJ, this is just a fish (which I own by the way). I'm your Provider. I'm your Source. I'll take care of you and Shelley. I'll come through, trust Me. Lean on Me as you take this next step in the journey."
Yes this was just a fish. But this fish was used to teach me a HUGE lesson and encourage me in my faith and trust in the God of this universe. The God who enjoys giving His children good gifts that cause them to practically fall out of their canoe due to excitement! Reminds me of this little nugget...
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." - Matthew 7:9-11
Did I mention how tasty that fish was?
CJ
Recently (August 21-28) I had the opportunity to accompany my friend David on a Canoeing/Camping/Fishing trip in the Boundary Waters Wilderness area of northern Minnesota. We had an incredible time taking in the solitude and beauty of this serene part of the country without the distractions of TV, Internet or cell phone coverage that are so part of the standard American diet. On our third day, David caught a decent sized Walleye that we ate for dinner that evening. If you've ever eaten fish on the same day it's caught, you'll agree you can't beat the taste as a result of that freshness. Same with chicken, vegetables, fruit...everything really (except wine). Anyway, the next day as I was writing in my journal, I found myself writing this request to the Lord...
"Lord, we're going fishing again later this afternoon and I'd really like to catch this evening's dinner. I know David is the better fisherman, but I'd like to be The Man for tonight's grub..."
Just a simple, yet direct request. Within our first fifteen minutes on the water, David reels in this beautiful Northern Pike that he proceeds to immediately throw back into Lake La Croix. Later, he would kick himself for doing this. For the next hour, we proceed to make cast after cast without hardly a nibble. As the sun is continuing to set, David proceeds to pull his line out of the water and begins slowly paddling our canoe back toward Tiger Bay - location of our campsite for the week. I wasn't quite ready to hang it up for the evening so I told David I would continue casting a few more minutes which he more than welcomed. My frustration was continuing to increase with each fish-less cast and I began reminding the Lord of my journal entry request. "Lord, I know you're able to provide a fish...if you want to." Nothing. "We're running out of time here Lord." Nothing. "Yes, we still have peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and beef jerky but..." Nothing. "Lord?"
And then at the peak of my frustration...BANG! FISH ON!!
David nearly fell over with excitement as I reeled in a beauty of a fish. But not just a fish, another Walleye which we both prefer to eat and is much easier to fillet. But not just any Walleye, one that was bigger than the night before and perfect for the two of us hungry men. And it came just in time.
When I later told David what I had written in my journal earlier that day, he realized why he must have thrown that Northern Pike back. Normally, he would have kept that fish until we caught something better. This is why he briefly beat himself up, wondering why he would do such a thing. God was teaching us a lesson in provision on this day.
As I was apologizing to the Lord for the impatient, souring attitude I had pre-catch, I felt Him gently say to me...
"CJ, this is just a fish (which I own by the way). I'm your Provider. I'm your Source. I'll take care of you and Shelley. I'll come through, trust Me. Lean on Me as you take this next step in the journey."
Yes this was just a fish. But this fish was used to teach me a HUGE lesson and encourage me in my faith and trust in the God of this universe. The God who enjoys giving His children good gifts that cause them to practically fall out of their canoe due to excitement! Reminds me of this little nugget...
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him." - Matthew 7:9-11
Did I mention how tasty that fish was?
CJ
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Stepping off the High Dive
by Shelley Hitz
This month we are taking a big step of faith. I have officially resigned my position as a Physical Therapist as of September 22nd in order to have more flexibility to travel and speak with CJ. After September 22nd, I will continue to work for the hospital with prn status, which is similar to a substitute. I will work weekends and fill-in for therapists that are sick or on vacation.
The way I describe it to people is like this: I am standing on the edge of a high dive getting ready to jump off. I know it will be exciting, but I'm still scared to jump off. 1, 2, 3...ready or now, here we go!!!
And yet God is teaching me so much through this time. He is teaching me to relinquish the control of my life and trust Him to lead us and provide for us. He is teaching me that security in life does not come from a paycheck every two weeks but from Him. He is teaching me to care more about what He thinks about me than what other people think. He is teaching me faith.
And He is showing me that I don't need to give in to fear, doubt and unbelief. That what we are doing right now is making ourselves available to Him. Then, He can lead and direct us from here. We are opening our lives and our schedules to be available for whatever He leads us to do.
For example, as doors open for us to speak, we will be on the road traveling as "Tramps for the Lord." However, when we are home, CJ can accept jobs to substitute teach and I can work prn at the hospital.
However, if at some point God leads me to take another physical therapy job, I can do that. Or if He leads me to take a 3-month travel therapy job, I can do that. And if He opens up doors for us to travel and speak full time, great! If not, we are confident that He will lead us in the next steps and provide for us every step of the way.
Very. Exciting. Times.
I don't think we'll ever look back on our lives and regret making this decision. However, I think if we don't take this step, we could someday look back and ask ourselves, "What if..." "What if we had taken that step of faith...what could have been? What did God want to accomplish through our lives?" We don't want to live with any regrets. Therefore, we are ready to take this step of faith and allow God to lead us.
How about you? What is God asking you to do? It may be something small. It may be something big. Whatever it is, we encourage you to listen for His still, small voice...and then obey.
"Then Jesus said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."' Luke 9:23
This month we are taking a big step of faith. I have officially resigned my position as a Physical Therapist as of September 22nd in order to have more flexibility to travel and speak with CJ. After September 22nd, I will continue to work for the hospital with prn status, which is similar to a substitute. I will work weekends and fill-in for therapists that are sick or on vacation.
The way I describe it to people is like this: I am standing on the edge of a high dive getting ready to jump off. I know it will be exciting, but I'm still scared to jump off. 1, 2, 3...ready or now, here we go!!!
And yet God is teaching me so much through this time. He is teaching me to relinquish the control of my life and trust Him to lead us and provide for us. He is teaching me that security in life does not come from a paycheck every two weeks but from Him. He is teaching me to care more about what He thinks about me than what other people think. He is teaching me faith.
And He is showing me that I don't need to give in to fear, doubt and unbelief. That what we are doing right now is making ourselves available to Him. Then, He can lead and direct us from here. We are opening our lives and our schedules to be available for whatever He leads us to do.
For example, as doors open for us to speak, we will be on the road traveling as "Tramps for the Lord." However, when we are home, CJ can accept jobs to substitute teach and I can work prn at the hospital.
However, if at some point God leads me to take another physical therapy job, I can do that. Or if He leads me to take a 3-month travel therapy job, I can do that. And if He opens up doors for us to travel and speak full time, great! If not, we are confident that He will lead us in the next steps and provide for us every step of the way.
Very. Exciting. Times.
I don't think we'll ever look back on our lives and regret making this decision. However, I think if we don't take this step, we could someday look back and ask ourselves, "What if..." "What if we had taken that step of faith...what could have been? What did God want to accomplish through our lives?" We don't want to live with any regrets. Therefore, we are ready to take this step of faith and allow God to lead us.
How about you? What is God asking you to do? It may be something small. It may be something big. Whatever it is, we encourage you to listen for His still, small voice...and then obey.
"Then Jesus said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."' Luke 9:23
My retreat focused on solitude in MN and how God broke my heart...
by Shelley Hitz
It’s hard to fully put in words what God did in my heart this past week. It happened in nature and solitude. A retreat in a lake cabin in Minnesota where some friends we met on one of our speaking engagements, the Wetterstroms, invited me to stay…what a blessing to have this time to unplug from the world in order to plug into Jesus.
Because I am an extrovert and get energy from being around people, spending time by myself in solitude is often difficult. It takes some time for the waters of my soul to settle in order to hear from God. And this time was no different. It was awkward at first and I found myself missing CJ. I had dropped him and his friend David Todd off at the Boundary Waters for a canoeing/wilderness trip on Sunday morning and then drove to the Wetterstrom’s lake cabin by myself. I had no way to even call CJ and talk because he didn’t get cell phone reception where he was canoeing and camping. Nevertheless, this time of solitude ended up being very fruitful in my heart.
Have you ever thought about taking a retreat by yourself to practice solitude? If not, I’d encourage you to try it! Even if only for a few hours in a local park or a few days in a retreat center, it can be a powerful time of spiritual growth in your life. I know every time I have taken time for solitude, it has been impactful. My first retreat was less than two full days and I think that was all the time by myself I could handle. But, some very significant healing happened on that trip from some hurts of the past.
So, what a blessing it was to have this time of solitude with God in nature once again. My favorite time of the day was waking up to watch the beautiful sunrises over the lake and listening to the loons. So. Very. Peaceful.
I recently was inspired to re-read the book about Keith Green’s life called, “No Compromise.” He was a popular and controversial Christian musician in the late 70’s that tragically died at the age of 28 in a plane accident along with two of his young children. His story is a powerful story of his spiritual journey that led him to Christ and the ministry God gave him through his music and preaching. Very inspirational.
There is a section of his book where he talks about a breakthrough that happened in his life. He was reading a chapter in a book by Charles Finney called, “Breaking Up the Fallow Ground” based on Hosea 10:12, “break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes.” He describes fallow or unplowed ground as “ground that has been tilled but has gotten hard and now lies waste. It needs broken up and made soft again before it is ready to receive seed.” The Holy Spirit used this teaching to convict Keith’s heart and bring about personal repentance in his life as well as in his ministry. I’d encourage you to read the full story here
Inspired by Charles Finney, Keith and Melody Green edited and paraphrased what they learned on repentance for others. You can read the article here.
As I read this information, the Holy Spirit also began to convict my heart…on many levels. I wrote in my journal, “I realize I have some hard ground in my heart that needs your touch Lord. I feel so complacent and dead inside right now. There are sparks of your Spirit but I’m not on fire right now.” I then went on to write out a list of my sins…wow! Here are just a few…
* Complacency/numbness towards the poor, unsaved
* Laziness/wasting time on things that don’t really matter or won’t last like my phone, Facebook, internet
* Lack of prayer
* Lack of time in God’s Word
* Pride, ego, self centeredness – esp. in regards to ministry
* Wanting the approval of others – how I look, how I present myself
* Greed/materialism – wanting to spend money on myself, love for gadgets/things
* Jealousy/envy of other people – their abilities, their relationships, their ministries
* Complaining/grumbling spirit – complaining anytime I have a little ache or pain, am inconvenienced, etc.
* Being critical and judgmental of other Christians and/or of family for their choices
* Control – taking control of my life instead of living surrendered to God
* And the list went on and on.
Wow. I had no clue there was so much hard ground in my heart that needed broken up. I felt led to write an e-mail to some family members asking for their forgiveness as well as a few other people. Tears were shed as I felt like I was being broken. And yet God began to bring breakthough in my heart as well as breakthrough in some of my relationships.
I wrote in my journal what I sensed God saying to me after I asked forgiveness and repented of my many, many sins, “I am not here to condemn you. I forgive you. Now, go and sin no more. Repent and leave your old self behind. Allow me to fill all the empty spots where your old self used to be. Allow me to fill you with humility, surrender, faith, hard work as directed by me, putting others above yourself, lover of Me and of people, filled with my Holy Spirit, always connected with me and attached to the vine – allow me to abide and live in you.”
There was something that lifted and a breakthrough that began to occur. A fresh start. A new day. New beginnings and grace. “Therefore is anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Forgiveness, grace and mercy. Oh how I need God’s grace so desperately and am so thankful for it!
The morning I went to pick up CJ and David at the Boundary Waters, I hiked into the first portage to meet them. I arrived early and so I went exploring and hiking. It ended up being such a rich time with the Lord. I sensed that I needed to return to my first love. That I’ve been so self-centered, self-focused and self-consumed that I’ve put MYSELF ahead of God. Ouch. That’s pride. I had forsaken my first love. Revelations 2:4-5 says, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
As I hiked along a stream, I ended up in this area where the water was a still pool. It was so still that I could see an almost perfect reflection of the trees in the background in the water. It was so beautiful. And I sensed God reminding me that I am a reflection of Him to others. As He continues to purify my heart, thoughts and motives through true and deep repentance, I become more of a reflection of Him.
And so the journey has just begun. I am so imperfect and yet God’s power is able to empower me to change. By staying focused on Him and connected to His Spirit. By listening to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me instead of trying to control my own life. By trusting Him instead of worrying.
We are getting ready soon to take a big step of faith in our ministry and in our lives. I know that God brought me to this lake cabin to prepare me for what is ahead. I encourage each of you to also consider a time of solitude, reflection and repentance. Because God wants to bring breakthrough for each of His children.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” Acts 3:19
It’s hard to fully put in words what God did in my heart this past week. It happened in nature and solitude. A retreat in a lake cabin in Minnesota where some friends we met on one of our speaking engagements, the Wetterstroms, invited me to stay…what a blessing to have this time to unplug from the world in order to plug into Jesus.
Because I am an extrovert and get energy from being around people, spending time by myself in solitude is often difficult. It takes some time for the waters of my soul to settle in order to hear from God. And this time was no different. It was awkward at first and I found myself missing CJ. I had dropped him and his friend David Todd off at the Boundary Waters for a canoeing/wilderness trip on Sunday morning and then drove to the Wetterstrom’s lake cabin by myself. I had no way to even call CJ and talk because he didn’t get cell phone reception where he was canoeing and camping. Nevertheless, this time of solitude ended up being very fruitful in my heart.
Have you ever thought about taking a retreat by yourself to practice solitude? If not, I’d encourage you to try it! Even if only for a few hours in a local park or a few days in a retreat center, it can be a powerful time of spiritual growth in your life. I know every time I have taken time for solitude, it has been impactful. My first retreat was less than two full days and I think that was all the time by myself I could handle. But, some very significant healing happened on that trip from some hurts of the past.
So, what a blessing it was to have this time of solitude with God in nature once again. My favorite time of the day was waking up to watch the beautiful sunrises over the lake and listening to the loons. So. Very. Peaceful.
I recently was inspired to re-read the book about Keith Green’s life called, “No Compromise.” He was a popular and controversial Christian musician in the late 70’s that tragically died at the age of 28 in a plane accident along with two of his young children. His story is a powerful story of his spiritual journey that led him to Christ and the ministry God gave him through his music and preaching. Very inspirational.
There is a section of his book where he talks about a breakthrough that happened in his life. He was reading a chapter in a book by Charles Finney called, “Breaking Up the Fallow Ground” based on Hosea 10:12, “break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes.” He describes fallow or unplowed ground as “ground that has been tilled but has gotten hard and now lies waste. It needs broken up and made soft again before it is ready to receive seed.” The Holy Spirit used this teaching to convict Keith’s heart and bring about personal repentance in his life as well as in his ministry. I’d encourage you to read the full story here
Inspired by Charles Finney, Keith and Melody Green edited and paraphrased what they learned on repentance for others. You can read the article here.
As I read this information, the Holy Spirit also began to convict my heart…on many levels. I wrote in my journal, “I realize I have some hard ground in my heart that needs your touch Lord. I feel so complacent and dead inside right now. There are sparks of your Spirit but I’m not on fire right now.” I then went on to write out a list of my sins…wow! Here are just a few…
* Complacency/numbness towards the poor, unsaved
* Laziness/wasting time on things that don’t really matter or won’t last like my phone, Facebook, internet
* Lack of prayer
* Lack of time in God’s Word
* Pride, ego, self centeredness – esp. in regards to ministry
* Wanting the approval of others – how I look, how I present myself
* Greed/materialism – wanting to spend money on myself, love for gadgets/things
* Jealousy/envy of other people – their abilities, their relationships, their ministries
* Complaining/grumbling spirit – complaining anytime I have a little ache or pain, am inconvenienced, etc.
* Being critical and judgmental of other Christians and/or of family for their choices
* Control – taking control of my life instead of living surrendered to God
* And the list went on and on.
Wow. I had no clue there was so much hard ground in my heart that needed broken up. I felt led to write an e-mail to some family members asking for their forgiveness as well as a few other people. Tears were shed as I felt like I was being broken. And yet God began to bring breakthough in my heart as well as breakthrough in some of my relationships.
I wrote in my journal what I sensed God saying to me after I asked forgiveness and repented of my many, many sins, “I am not here to condemn you. I forgive you. Now, go and sin no more. Repent and leave your old self behind. Allow me to fill all the empty spots where your old self used to be. Allow me to fill you with humility, surrender, faith, hard work as directed by me, putting others above yourself, lover of Me and of people, filled with my Holy Spirit, always connected with me and attached to the vine – allow me to abide and live in you.”
There was something that lifted and a breakthrough that began to occur. A fresh start. A new day. New beginnings and grace. “Therefore is anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Forgiveness, grace and mercy. Oh how I need God’s grace so desperately and am so thankful for it!
The morning I went to pick up CJ and David at the Boundary Waters, I hiked into the first portage to meet them. I arrived early and so I went exploring and hiking. It ended up being such a rich time with the Lord. I sensed that I needed to return to my first love. That I’ve been so self-centered, self-focused and self-consumed that I’ve put MYSELF ahead of God. Ouch. That’s pride. I had forsaken my first love. Revelations 2:4-5 says, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.”
As I hiked along a stream, I ended up in this area where the water was a still pool. It was so still that I could see an almost perfect reflection of the trees in the background in the water. It was so beautiful. And I sensed God reminding me that I am a reflection of Him to others. As He continues to purify my heart, thoughts and motives through true and deep repentance, I become more of a reflection of Him.
And so the journey has just begun. I am so imperfect and yet God’s power is able to empower me to change. By staying focused on Him and connected to His Spirit. By listening to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me instead of trying to control my own life. By trusting Him instead of worrying.
We are getting ready soon to take a big step of faith in our ministry and in our lives. I know that God brought me to this lake cabin to prepare me for what is ahead. I encourage each of you to also consider a time of solitude, reflection and repentance. Because God wants to bring breakthrough for each of His children.
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” Acts 3:19
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