tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72955784191532534142024-03-05T21:59:41.388-08:00Adventures with JesusJourneying Deeper Into His HeartSerenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-50951935251362410822017-05-04T09:40:00.001-07:002017-05-04T09:40:28.284-07:00Hansa Center Treatment Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
God was SO amazing at leading me to the Hansa Center in Wichita for treatment in February this year. I originally heard about it through a friend I know through Iris Global where I served in Pemba, Mozambique. Later on, I came upon the story online of another woman in my city who was suffering multiple seizures and could not walk, from Chronic Late Stage Lyme Disease. At the end of her first two weeks at Hansa she was able to walk and her seizures had stopped! Talking to this new friend and seeing her hope in Jesus helped me to trust that I was hearing rightly from God when He kept whispering to me "Hansa Center".<br />
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The Extent of Damage</h3>
I went into the Hansa center with a diagnosis of CFS/ME. This was the only diagnosis that doctors could come up with after a barrage of testing throughout 2014 and 2015. As well as seeing my GP/DO, I was sent to an infectious disease specialist who couldn't give me any answers, and tried various natural health practitioners who were able to help me a little, but I was still continuing to get worse. Further testing later on showed the borrelia bacteria, which is associated with Neuroborreliosis, more known as Lyme Disease.<br /><br />Eventually it came to the point where among other things, I was stuck in bed for 75-95% of each day, and could not go into the prayer room or church because of a problem with processing sound and vibrations. As a musician and singer, this was really hard. I also had postural orthostatic intolerance, being unable to stay upright for too long and needing to lay down flat. It physically hurt to sing, I had cognitive difficulties, neurological issues, pain, and found it hard to hope.<br />
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How Hansa Has Helped So Far</h3>
During my first intensive two week treatment at Hansa, I entered an environment full of peace and the presence of God. I was so encouraged every single day that I always left my doctor's appointments feeling better in some way, and with more answers about what was going on with my body. The doctors and staff at Hansa pray for patients as well as asking the Lord for wisdom in treating each patient.<br /><br />The Lord set me up while I was there. My doctor as well as some other patients unknowingly spoke words in season to me that directly spoke to my circumstances in my life both directionally and in my personal journey with the Lord.<br /><br />I left highly encouraged that I had heard rightly from the Lord in choosing Hansa as the place I would go for treatment. I had more energy during the next two weeks after treatment than I had had in months, if not years.<br />
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Now, among other things, I am able to tolerate being around people more than before, my energy levels have improved, my friends tell me I have less brain fog, and I am able to go into stores without getting dizzy and going into fight or flight mode from overstimulation. Praise Jesus!<br />
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Going Forward</h3>
There are still bumps and challenges in the road - I have layers of infection in my body and it's like an onion - each layer healed and removed reveals more layers and symptoms. Yet this is how chronic Lyme works and I am just so glad I am able to access treatment, as without it I would only be continuing to get worse, possibly ending up like many Lyme disease patients around the world - completely bedridden, suffering more severe symptoms than I currently have like seizures, more heart issues and possibly ending up in early death.<br />
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I Have So Much Hope</h3>
God provided for me and led me so clearly the first time to Hansa. I know that my life does not end here and He has so much more for me. My dream is to get well so that I am able to work more with children from hard places/traumatic backgrounds. My dream is that one day I may be able to sing again without pain, and to be able to go to church and other gatherings without traumatising my body further. I know God is holding me close, and carrying me all throughout this season. He is my Hope, my Faithful Friend, Saviour and Redeemer, and whether He heals me miraculously all at once or continues to use doctors that He has gifted to heal, I trust in His plans for my life.<br />
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Please check out my YouCaring fundraiser <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/serenahockey-815906">https://www.youcaring.com/serenahockey-815906</a> for more information on how to give.<br />
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-35451923883523844852016-12-21T19:25:00.000-08:002017-03-23T09:41:29.241-07:00December 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's the end of another year, and I am oh so thankful for the ways God has provided - even in the midst of one of the hardest seasons of my life!</div>
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<strong>Like Those Who Dream</strong><br />
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion [brought back the captives], we were like those who dreamed [those restored to health]. <strong>Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.</strong> <strong>Then it was said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." </strong>The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.<br />
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Restore our fortunes, Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them. // Ps124 NIV</div>
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<strong>Like those restored to health</strong></div>
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I read Psalm 124 a few days ago, which (while I have not studied it fully) to me speaks of the time when Jerusalem will again be the place where King Jesus rules and reigns from, and where all the nations will come and worship Him! I am so looking towards that day! And I am also so looking forward to the day when Jesus brings my body back to 100% health! The NIV version includes a footnote that "those who dreamed" could also be "those restored to health".</div>
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I am feeling so much more lately, the promise of healing that the Lord has for me. This has been one of the hardest seasons of my life. The most I have felt hard pressed, the most I have felt perplexed; all of those descriptive words from <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A7-12&version=NIV" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+4%3A7-12&version=NIV" target="_blank">2 Corinthians 4</a> have felt extremely real to me. Yet I am feeling expectant and so excited about the healing He has coming for me!</div>
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One day, I will be able to climb mountains and fly long flights across the world all over again. This will SO be a testimony of the Lord's goodness in the nations! Until then, I keep <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3&version=NKJV" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+3&version=NKJV" target="_blank">pressing on toward the goal,</a> <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12&version=NKJV" href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12&version=NKJV" target="_blank">fixing my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith!</a> He is so good!</div>
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<strong>SO close!</strong><br />
I am SOOO close to finishing my 4 year Diploma at IHOPU! Just a few more finals to go and I am done! Thank you to ALL who have supported me over this season!</div>
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<strong>Dreaming Dreams</strong><br />
I've been praying a lot about the next season God has for me, while asking God to open the right doors and close the ones He wants closed.<br />
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I have <strong>So Much peace,</strong> having already felt like the Lord was calling me into a season of really pursuing health here in Kansas City. I will <strong>continue seeing health practitioners that God has connected me with in the area. I have so much confidence that this is God's will for me in His role as the Great Healer!</strong><br />
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I also have <strong>dreams that I feel like God has been stirring for me</strong> for the future. Right now they are impossible, and I feel to incubate them just a bit longer and continue to seek His face and heart! In the meantime I will continue to be connected with the International House of Prayer as He leads, here in this next season.</div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-29400571642336722172016-11-16T12:12:00.002-08:002016-12-21T17:57:03.682-08:00I'm back!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm back on twitter! Will be posting all things God, missions, adoption, child development, music, languages etc that I want to share but don't want to blow up my Facebook feed with ;) You may also catch some more of the "real" me through this feed!<br />
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<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/serenajoy86">Follow @serenajoy86</a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-11951106821639401862015-11-11T22:45:00.001-08:002021-01-23T03:37:50.054-08:00Identity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So I've been feeling challenged to share this for awhile, but have been hesitant the sake of being vulnerable... I hope that this encourages someone! Please excuse the length of it. Writing tends to be where I flow better. Skim if you'd like! I'm trusting Jesus will emphasise what He wants to emphasise. The last half is the most important!<br />
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Over the past two years I've started to struggle more with health symptoms such as intense fatigue, digestive issues, dizziness/vertigo, nausea, increased sensitivities to sound, light, chemicals, carpets, mold; anxiety, random pain in different parts of my body, arms going tingly/numb, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, trouble with comprehension, forgetting what I'm talking about in the middle of a sentence (or before I start the sentence), forgetting what I'm doing, getting confused, and getting more frustrated than normal, quicker than normal with people or circumstances, even myself.<br />
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I'm already looking at this list and wanting to say it's not as bad as it seems! To make myself look better. Yep. Still got some of that "what will people think" going on!<br />
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So, these symptoms started affecting my life in increasing ways.<br />
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In guitar class last semester, I found that while I had grown up used to being the star music pupil always, this was no longer the case. I didn't have the energy to practice the 8-10 hours a week I was supposed to. I found myself in class, listening to the teacher and being so slow that I couldn't keep up. I would try to play something and freeze in the middle of it, my fingers feeling clumsy and thick and my brain confused. I felt like I had a learning/mental disorder! I felt embarrassed and humbled, and wanted to defend myself and say that really I was better than that. Yet I found myself comforted in the fact that if I ever adopted children with those kinds of special needs, I would be able to understand them more :)<br />
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I had been a worship leader for 3 semesters in a row in student worship teams. The first semester in August 2013 was the best! I had so much fun interacting with my team, challenging ourselves with things like fun jazz chord progressions, and getting us to sing a whole worship song in a tribal language of Mozambique, complete with a different style of music :D We dove into the word together, interceded together, encountered God together and for me it was a breakthrough as I had run away from worship leading and struggled with the idea of it for a long time before. My second semester was equally as good but challenging as I didn't have an associate leader to share the load with. I would find that I would finish some sets exhausted and needing to sit still for awhile to recover. I was also not able to stand as much in singing lessons and had random pain that hurt more from exerting myself singing. I remember talking to the Lord about it and wondering if I had some horrible illness... (He said, "You are Mine and you'll be fine." :D I haven't always held on to that but thankfully He's with us through our ups, downs and forgetfulness of His words!)<br />
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The third semester worship leading was the hardest as all my symptoms were worse. I wanted to quit worship leading but was encouraged to stay by my supervisor. They gave me leniency in going home early from sets. I sat most sets (you always sing better standing), found it hard to pastorally care for my team and harder to get along with different personalities. Even some people's voices were of the timbre that just vibrated wrong and caused me to stress/have slight pain/want to run away or punch people in the face (anxiety and stress hormones are weird things). Again I felt stressed out about my reputation before people - thinking of how I would become known as the one who was snappy, grumpy, and not gracious towards others. I knew that I couldn't worship lead the next semester, even though I wanted to.<br />
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The last year I've been a singer on teams, and even that has been hard to sustain. I have not been practicing (don't tell!), because it uses up too much energy and that can cause me to crash/symptoms to flare up. I've had to cross my legs/lean back into my seat/cross my arms and hold the mic in order to be able to stay sitting up. I have felt like a bad student or someone who doesn't know anything about singing. I've been mostly singing in the third singer position (we only have 3 singers) which in the past has been fine with me! Yet besides the normal singer accusations we struggle with like "my voice is bad", "I have nothing to add", I've felt my pride in my reputation again be brought to the surface.<br />
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Two of the main callings I've heard from the Lord have been: "Release the prophetic sound over nations" and "Will you carry the spirit of adoption to the nations?".<br />
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"How can I do what I'm called to do, what I'm MADE for while I'm sick like this?" I found myself thinking, again and again. "I can't worship lead. I can hardly even go to church or the prayer room because the bass, the noise level and the amount of people overwhelm me". I would find myself looking frequently toward the door in classes because the voice of the teacher was louder than I could handle. I would go to church and find myself falling asleep sitting up while Ryan Kondo was leading songs with awesome dance beats (i.e., songs you would normally find impossible to fall asleep in unless you were a 2yr old). I would sit there almost in the front row and Fall Asleep. As time went by it changed to heart racing, panic, needing to leave the building and go home. I felt so bad for leaving early because I've always been the type of person that has to get places on time or early, and who has to stay until the time we're expected to stay. Integrity is one of the things I've prayed about and sought after. A few times I tried to stay in church longer, to honour whoever was speaking and to honour what I had signed up for. I remember staying through worship once, and into the preaching. I suddenly started sobbing. Loudly and uncontrollably and almost hyperventilating at the same time because my body couldn't take the noises and vibrations anymore. A friend had to lead me out the building and drive me home.<br />
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I couldn't serve in any way at school. I couldn't commit to anything socially because even just 5-10 minutes of talking to someone would exhaust me. I couldn't commit. I couldn't get assignments in on time. I felt like people didn't believe me that I was sick because I didn't "look" sick, most of the time. I mean you know, the stuffy nose, funny face, funny voice kind of sick. I didn't get that. It was all the other symptoms I had which when I went to get tested at the doctors, all the results came out normal. Lots of blood tests, heart tests, ultrasounds, even a fun CT scan!<br />
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And OH my reputation! What did I look like? I thought. They'll think I'm crazy! They'll think I'm trying to get out of everything! They'll think I'm not reliable! They don't believe me. They think I'm lying. Am I lying? Am I making this up?<br />
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I couldn't travel at all because it would make me sicker. I couldn't worship lead. I hardly had energy to play piano or guitar. I had to stop serving at kids church check in on Sundays. I knew that there would be no way that I would be able to look after a child. What if I ended up sick my whole life? I could never adopt. Never even marry because I had to move out from my roommate situation and live alone so that I would actually be able to sleep (sensitive to all sounds and lights...). What would my purpose be?<br />
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I had been looking forward for a while to the externships that all students in my major are required to do in order to graduate. I was hoping to go to Brazil, Amsterdam or possibly Eurasia for a semester to serve in a house of prayer there and take IHOPU classes online at the same time. I was so excited to possibly have the chance to use my Portuguese or beginnings of Eurasian language learning to serve another nation! However being sick cut out those options.<br />
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I was so excited then when I found out that the Orphan Justice Center was running an externship that Summer. As an international student a domestic externship in the Summer was the only option available to me, and OJC was originally not going to be doing that. If you read a couple years back in this blog, my heart was wrecked by Jesus for the American orphan while in Mozambique and I had been wanting to volunteer with OJC since 2013, but felt like Jesus didn't want me to put extra things on my schedule. So getting to do this externship was actually SUCH a great alternative to going overseas!<br />
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Leading up to the externship, I was so worried thinking I would have to quit before it began, because I felt like I wouldn't be able to fulfil the requirements. I remember emailing the externship co-ordinator, then talking to her on orientation day about it. Then God encountered me during orientation even though it was just sitting around a table and talking about schedule, expectations and logistics! So I went ahead with the externship, expecting that I'd have to quit in the first week. Wednesday of that week was our first "Malachi 4:6" set where we have a prayer meeting which is designed to be family friendly - specifically accommodating for adoptive and special needs kids to be able to connect with God and take part in the prayer meeting. We were told to just enjoy the set and connect with God ourselves, because it was our first time and we didn't know all the kids yet. God encountered me again as we sang about Him being a good Father and how He wanted to heal, that nothing was impossible for Him!... yet I still found myself crying from the vibrations and noises by the time half an hour had passed. At the end of the set a couple of interns and others gathered around to pray for me as I shared what was going on and my fear that I wouldn't be able to continue.<br />
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God ended up giving me SO much grace during externship! I was able to do more than I should have been able to with the kids. I had grace from leaders to take it easy when I needed to. The OJC family came around me constantly in prayer, speaking truth into my life and reminding me to sit down when I would have ended up pushing myself in order to prove my worth (Heidi Baker: "When you're tired, sit down!" sorry random bunny trail). I had never experienced anything like that where my worth was being consistently validated NOT because of what I did (mainly never experienced it because I had always had the ability to "do")! I found that I was able to do most service hours even though sometimes all I did was sit there - and love on kids even though I would end up sleeping most of the day in between :)<br />
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<b>I learned how much of my identity had actually been in my ability to serve; to "do" ministry; to be there for others. Yet when all my own strength was taken away, I was shown by the body that I was loved, accepted, and taken care of.</b> I got 3 of my wisdom teeth taken out halfway through externship and was SO taken care of by the team!<br />
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How about you? If your ability to do the ministry you've been used to, to do the job you've been used to, to take care of your kids (believing this doesn't happen), gets completely taken away, will you feel like you are worth something to God? To people?<br />
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I guess I have had the privilege of finding this out.<br />
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I wrote this in the first few weeks of externship:<br />
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<b>"It's so easy for us to find our identity in what we do, not who we are. Also there is sometimes no way to tell that that is where our identity has accidentally found itself until our physical ability to "serve" and "do" is taken away. It is hard for me to not be able to DO more and SERVE more and do what the Lord has gifted me to do - But He is just so proud of me even when I can't do anything! He says "well done", and He says that I am not a burden..."</b></blockquote>
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I'm still on the path to full healing, and I still sometimes struggle with accusation and am fighting for truth. But I have been set in a family and am already so much better than I was earlier. I am thankful that Jesus has used this to teach me more about my identity, and is still teaching me! I hope this has encouraged someone today! And I so appreciate your prayers, whenever Jesus prompts you :)<br />
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PS I am taking lots of vitamin C, B-complex, other great supplements, am resting a lot more, go out in the fresh air every day (I have a dog and she's great therapy), and have cut out most grains, all sugar and all dairy except good quality butter... just for those out there who will want to help me by suggesting things :) I think I'm on a good path right now. :)<br />
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Might upload more from my externship in the next weeks!</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-33181083233651823392015-10-23T04:39:00.001-07:002021-01-23T03:41:48.714-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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"That is authentic leadership in its clearest form—the willingness of people to die for their beliefs, knowing that Christ will vindicate them and give them the gift of eternal life. Thankfully, most of us will never have to experience that kind of leadership challenge..." Albert Mohler, "<i>The Conviction to Lead</i>" p24</div>
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I remember back in 2011 preparing to travel with a team throughout Latin America. Part of what our team was planning was to go deep into the Amazon jungle. Leading up to this trip I had a season of having to process with the Lord about whether I was ready to die a martyr - because it could happen! I remember also as a vocal student at IHOPU, studying out a biblical passage to sing through. I was studying the word martyr and found that some people talk about red martyrs being ones who die a violent death for their belief in Christ. Whereas they also talk about white martyrs, who die daily to themselves in order to choose Jesus in every part of their lives. "White" martyrdom can almost be harder than "red" martyrdom! Authentic leadership then, I believe consists of beliefs so strong that they define the leader and it is obvious to themselves and others that they live a life of conviction, "dying" daily to anything that does not fall in line with those convictions. Their reward, just as it is for the "red" martyr, is Christ Himself. They are alive because He lives, and they live for His purpose alone!</div>
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“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.” (2 Cor 4:7)</div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-92187487403878587732014-10-12T14:42:00.002-07:002021-01-23T03:40:19.480-08:00Prayer as the Foundation for ALL Ministry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Can you do it without prayer?</h1>
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<strong>Entering into the 2nd quarter of this school year</strong><br />
My class was given our first report assignment for Practical and Pastoral Theology. We have to go through and find every scripture in the OT that relates to this question, every scripture in the NT, take into account theological doctrines, historical and sociological issues and find two opinions one from a dead person and one from someone alive.</div>
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Here is just some of the what my group found - it is in it's roughest form but still SO SO good!<br />
<br />
Most of the scriptures in the OT that my group found were related to individuals praying for God's mercy - that He would not destroy a city or people in His judgement! (So there you go - intercession!)<br />
<br />
NT scriptures: Jesus taught on prayer; He lived a life of prayer; the acts church was always having prayer meetings; when crisis hit, they ran to prayer; the apostles prayed for the church; they commanded them to pray without ceasing.<br />
<br />
Every theological doctrine relates to this issue of prayer. Every single one. I'll just mention one here: Ecclesiology: the study of the Church. Through prayer the Church is strengthened, unified and has communion with God. Prayer allows the Church to partner with God, interceding for the sick, the lost, world events etc.<br />
<br />
Historically and Sociologically, there has been great reform and even nationwide healing through corporate times of prayer and fasting, for example:<br />
<br />
John Wesley:<br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal;">John Wesley was deeply affected by the Moravians and their spiritual strength and joy in the Lord and the Moravian prayer vigil, he gathered friends to pray through the night. That night of intercession on January 1, 1739 changed the course of British and American history. He continued to impact Europe and North America along with his brother Charles and George Whitfield. He encouraged Christians to become active in social reform. He supervised the education of lay preachers to educate the people in small cell groups where discipline and faithfulness were learned. These preachers sold and distributed Christian books providing people with spiritual food. He spoke out against </span><strong style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal;">slave trade</strong><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal;"> and encouraged William Wilberforce in his antislavery crusade. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Uganda: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0px;">In 2002, war-torn Uganda was under severe spiritual oppression with a demonic three family members claiming to be the trinity, with the most notable person being Joseph Kony claiming the role of Jesus. He evaded authorities by seeking demonic council who would warn him of attacks. After he had kidnapped thousands of children from a christian school, the church earnestly sought the Lord in prayer, fasting and evangelistic gatherings. The nation’s president provided church leaders armed escorts to dismantle Kony’s demonic alters, and Kony reported he was unable to hear from his spirit guides and fled the country. Miraculously, thousands of abducted children were returned to their families.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Opinion from someone no longer living:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">EM Bounds:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<span style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">A prayerful ministry is the only ministry qualified for the high offices and responsibilities of the preacher. Colleges, learning, books, theology, preaching cannot make a preacher, but praying does. <b>The apostles' commission to preach was a blank till filled up by the Pentecost which praying brought. </b>A prayerful minister has passed beyond the regions of the popular, beyond the man of mere affairs, of secularities, of pulpit attractiveness; passed beyond the ecclesiastical organizer or general into a sublimer and mightier region, the region of the spiritual. Holiness is the product of his work; <b>transfigured hearts and lives emblazon the reality of his work,</b> its trueness and substantial nature. God is with him. His ministry is not projected on worldly or surface principles. <b>He is deeply stored with and deeply schooled in the things of God. </b>His long, deep communings with God about his people and the agony of his wrestling spirit have crowned him as a prince in the things of God. <b>The iciness of the mere professional has long since melted under the intensity of his praying.</b></span><br style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;" /><br style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;" /><span style="color: black; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">The superficial results of many a ministry, the deadness of others, are to be found in the lack of praying. <b>No ministry can succeed without much praying, and this praying must be fundamental, ever-abiding, ever-increasing. </b>The text, the sermon, should be the result of prayer. The study should be bathed in prayer, all its duties so impregnated with prayer, its whole spirit the spirit of prayer. "</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Living person opinion:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Dr Heidi Baker, PhD</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.1500000000000001; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The first part of your calling is intimacy with Him. If you are not in love with Jesus, I loudly cry, “Quit!” until you find His love </span><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so that you can carry it to others</strong><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.1500000000000001; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” </span><em style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Compelled By Love p144</em></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de57e39d-063e-81f2-d4e4-98670e045adf"><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Missions and ministry are simply about laid-down passion at the foot of the cross, praying, “Possess me, Holy Spirit, that I might be conformed into the image of Jesus. Let me reflect the majesty of who He is.” Let Jesus love you first so that you can love others as He did. When you lose yourself inside His huge heart, you find only pure joy in Him”.</strong><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><em style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: calibri; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Compelled By Love p144</em></span></span></span></div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-66947186141245793612014-04-13T20:58:00.002-07:002014-04-13T21:03:47.540-07:00Will You Fight?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 14px;">"</span><span class="John-15-1 text"><span class="woj">I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.</span> </span><span class="John-15-2 text" id="en-NKJV-26702"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;</span><span class="woj"> and every <i>branch</i> that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.</span> </span><span class="John-15-3 text" id="en-NKJV-26703"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.</span> </span><span class="John-15-4 text" id="en-NKJV-26704"><span class="woj">Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, <b>unless you abide in Me.</b></span></span></h3>
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<b><span class="John-15-5 text" id="en-NKJV-26705"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">“I am the vine, you <i>are</i> the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.</span> </span><span class="John-15-6 text" id="en-NKJV-26706"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw <i>them</i> into the fire, and they are burned.</span> </span><span class="John-15-7 text" id="en-NKJV-26707"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will</span><span class="woj"> ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.</span> </span><span class="John-15-8 text" id="en-NKJV-26708"><sup class="versenum"> </sup><span class="woj">By
this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples." John 15:1-8 (I wanted to quote the whole of John 15, but I
know that the more is quoted, the less tends to be read!)</span></span></b></div>
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Hi Precious Friends and Family :)<br />
<br />
So I was reading a book by Bodie and Brock Thoene. If you've never read
their books before, basically they are extremely well researched
historical fiction. To the extent of extremely well researched in Hebrew
and Jewish culture and even going deeper into the text of the original
scripture :) :) Some of their books are set in the time of Hitler and
the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. Some series are set in the
time of Jesus. I recommend their books to anyone!<br />
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I was
reading this book called "When Jesus Wept". In this particular scene,
David ben Lazarus (Lazarus who was raised from the grave) was the owner
of a great vineyard. There was a plague of locusts and while Herod
Antipas' vineyard was destroyed, Lazarus' vineyard was saved. Why?<br />
<br />
<b>From the book:</b><br />
Jesus: "How did your vines survive and Herod's did not?"<br />
Lazarus: "We fought to save them. Patrick, my servant, fought because
now he's won his freedom. Samson, my vinedresser, fought because he
loves me and loves these vines as if they are his own. We didn't give
up. And when the oil from the smudge pots was gone and we could do no
more, the Lord sent a wind and a flock of quail to eat the locusts."<br />
Jesus focused on the contrast. "How is it that the vineyard of Herod is
completely stripped? Not a shred of green remains. All his crop lost."<br />
It was a simple question. Easy to answer. "The labourers hired by
Herod's overseer gave up before the battle began. When the insects
dropped down, the men didn't fight to drive them off. They were paid to
work, but they have no love for the vineyard. No care for the outcome.
It'<span class="text_exposed_show">s nothing to them if everything is lost."<br />
[Jesus replied]: "The hireling doesn't care, but the one who owns the
land and plants, and the vinedresser who tends the vines, now there are
lions who will fight to save the vineyard!"<br />
<br />
I read this and was struck by thinking about who is the vine (JESUS) and
who are the branches (me, you, the kids in Mozambique, every
believer...)<br />
<br />
So, He said to me in that moment of realisation:<br />
<br />
"Will you fight?"<br />
<br />
Will I fight? Do I truly love the vineyard (thinking of Jesus the vine and his people the branches)?<br />
<br />
Intercessor, will YOU fight!<br />
<br />
Yes I will! Because of my love I will fight in prayer and obedience!
Jesus is worthy of His inheritance from every nation, tribe and tongue!
He is worthy of wholehearted love!</span></span><br />
<br />
Now just <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".o.1:3:1:$comment10152037312806517_29623686:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".o.1:3:1:$comment10152037312806517_29623686:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".o.1:3:1:$comment10152037312806517_29623686:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">to
clarify: HE is the one who fights for us- the Father is the
vinedresser. But because I am His - because I was bought by the blood of
the lamb, set FREE by the blood of the lamb; because I am released from
my sins by the blood of Jesus - I am now free to minister with Jesus as
royalty, as a priest! (Revelation 1:5-7). I will fight WITH my Jesus,
FOR my Jesus, and for HIS heart, HIS people!</span></span></span><br />
<br />
I will go to Brazil and help coordinate this 24/7 house of prayer in
Fortaleza with a small team of myself and 4 others... 24/7 for 31 days!
(Holy Spirit help us). I will go to Brazil and love the prostitute, the
trafficked, the child who has never known freedom... I will go to Brazil
and commit myself to unity with my team and to serve, teach, train, and
lift up the Brazilian church to become labourers in the house of
prayer, calling forth Jesus' purpose for the nations and to become
abolitionists of human trafficking in their own nation!<br />
<br />
I will go to Mozambique and lift up the hands of my Iris family who are
labouring in Pemba, where the floods have devastated the villages, the
roads, people's lives... where Iris doesn't have enough to even rebuild
some of missionaries homes which were destroyed (all are safe), yet are
working hard to do what they can for their friends in the villages.<br />
<br />
I will also come back to Kansas City and commit myself to growth - being equipped and able to give more to those He sends me to!<br />
<br />
I will pray. I will love. I will go! I will commit myself to living out a
life of truth, integrity, standing for King Jesus and preaching (AND
teaching) the whole gospel of the coming Kingdom, so that the Lamb will
receive His reward. I will sing, I will pray, I will fight for the heart
of my King!<br />
<br />
Will you fight?<br />
<br />
What does it look like for you to fight in your sphere, the place God has planted you? I would love to hear from you :)<br />
<br />
Much love and prayers<br />
Serena xoxo<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Praise!</b><br />
I am loving this house the Lord has set me in! My 4 housemates are from
America and from the Ivory Coast in Africa. 2 are on nightwatch and 2 on
days. 3 are in IHOPU and one is saving up for it next semester! We are
between the ages of 21 and 27! They all love the Lord and I am soo happy
HE has set me here! Of course there are challenges like how to handle
noise from neighbours (townhouses, very thin walls, I have been an
extreme light sleeper), but the housemates make all the difference!
Plus, the weather is getting warmer and we are in a predominantly black
neighbourhood - we have kids of all ages playing in the front yard, back
yard and across the street! sooo cute!! <br />
<br />
<b>Prayer requests:</b><br />
Continued physical healing and to walk in complete health!<br />
Intimacy with the Father, with the Son, with Holy Spirit...<br />
Grace to be able to do everything which is required of me schoolwork
wise... I want to have the ability to soak up, retain and grow fruit
from everything I can!<br />
Grace to lead my worship team well. To prepare well, to set them up for success, and to love well.<br />
Grace to labour in the house of prayer (yes, intercessory prayer is both a joy and a labour!)<br />
Abundant provision soon, for tickets for Brazil and Mozambique.<br />
<br />
<b>Random fact:</b><br />
It was 82F degrees (28C) yesterday. Today was thunderstorms almost ALL day. Tomorrow it is going to snow. Oh Kansas City.</div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-59833932399939219432014-03-22T00:02:00.002-07:002014-03-23T21:46:56.815-07:00Brazil- Liberdade 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So... I'm going to Brazil.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
What?</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Liberdade - it means <i>"freedom"</i> in portuguese. </span><br />
<br />
I have the opportunity to go with Exodus Cry, a department of the International House of Prayer Kansas City, which exists for the ending of human trafficking.<br />
Liberdade is the project to partner with the nation and church of Brazil in prayer and intervention leading up to and during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup will see an increase in the demand for commercial sex in each of the 12 cities it is being held.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The battle for human trafficking will never be won in the courts of men until it is won first won in the courts of heaven through the prevailing prayers of the saints" - Benji Nolot</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
I believe that prayer is the most effective strategy that we have for ending this injustice. In prayer, we are partnering with the Lord's heart, partnering with the Great Intercessor Himself: Jesus Christ, and saying that we want to weep with Him, we want to rejoice with Him, and we want to be a part of releasing HIS purposes on earth as it is in heaven! It is out of this culture of prayer and intimacy with Him (in the red light districts of each city) that we will be fueled to go out onto the streets in intervention teams to the ones He loves.</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
More about Exodus Cry:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/82813643" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/82813643">Exodus Cry: Every Person Should be Free</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/exoduscry">Exodus Cry</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
Exodus Cry seeks to mobilize <span style="font-size: large;">a 24/7 prayer room</span> within the red-light areas in<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">each of the 12 host cities</span> that will pray for <span style="font-size: large;">31 days</span>, the entirety of the World Cup, for the <span style="font-size: large;">ending of sex trafficking and spiritual awakening in the nation</span>. </div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
Out of this 24/7 prayer reality, <span style="font-size: large;">intervention teams</span> will be sent into the red-light areas to <span style="font-size: large;">reach out</span> to those being exploited.</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I will specifically be going as part of a team to <b>Fortaleza</b>, which is on the North-East coast of Brazil. It is a city of over 500 favelas, and is known for it's trafficking, corruption, gangs and inequality. It is currently said that Fortaleza is the capital of child sex tourism in the Americas, and ranked 3rd in the world. But I know that the Lord does not agree with this! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>The LORD has great plans for the children, the women and the men of Fortaleza.</b> HE has great plans for His church! Fortaleza is also known as the land of light, and I know that there are believers in Fortaleza who are believing this and claiming this truth about this city. It is a place for the light of JESUS CHRIST to shine and for the church of Fortaleza to be a light to the nations, as well as being sent out to the nations to preach Christ and Him crucified. To be the hands and feet of Jesus and to spread the good news of His mercy and freedom!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here is a 7 minute video on what the Lord has been stirring in my heart for Fortaleza...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CQ7MGMCQgLM" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
My team has the privilege of partnering with Iris Fortaleza for this trip, which I am so excited about because it is like my two families are coming together! Iris and IHOP-KC!<br />
<br />
<b>So, how am I preparing for this trip?</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Learning portuguese - I'm using apps, a course from the library, and spending time translating self assigned portions of the bible, songs and other books to force myself to learn more :)</li>
<li>Serving in the Portuguese team - I am an intercessor in the All Nations Prayer Room at IHOP-KC, where most of our team are Brazilian portuguese speakers, and one is even South African, with Mozambican and Portuguese heritage! (Jesus loves me so much)</li>
<li>Training - our combined teams are having training at Exodus Cry here in KC, in the offices as well as on the streets (yes the United States is the 3rd largest destination for human trafficking. This happens all around the world. YOUR country likely has human slavery going on right now. Pray and get aware!</li>
<li>Prayer - I am asking for more of FATHER'S heart, JESUS' heart through HOLY SPIRIT for His Bride in Brazil. And this prayer is already being answered... I am praying over Brazil, singing over Brazil, and sitting at HIS feet asking for HIS heart!</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://www.ihopkc.org/anpr/#asset/140313_ANPR_2000/auto/true">http://www.ihopkc.org/anpr/#asset/140313_ANPR_2000/auto/true</a>
Go to 0:42 mins - praying out of Eph 1 for a spirit of wisdom and revelation – encounters,
the raising up of intercessory singers and musicians out of the youth in Belo
Horizonte (Beautiful Horizon) – one of the cities for the World Cup. 0:46 mins
is praying that they would know the exceeding power He has to them that
believe. Visions and dreams. That they would step out for righteousness and
justice.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<a href="http://www.ihopkc.org/anpr/#asset/140320_ANPR_2000/auto/true">http://www.ihopkc.org/anpr/#asset/140320_ANPR_2000/auto/true</a>
Go to 1hr 30secs - praying for the children in Iris bases in Mozambique out of
Eph 3 (a lot of people are away in this meeting! But it was such a sweet time).</div>
<br />
<b>In Brazil</b><br />
I will be spending at least 6 hours a day in the prayer room, 6 days a week<br />
At least 3 days a week I will also be a part of outreaches (as intervention teams on the street). I am section leading for Fortaleza so am assuming it will be more time than this, and of course it will be day to day life in loving the ones who are in front of me :) and letting myself be loved by my Papa God, and my team.<br />
<br />
<b>Mozambique</b><br />
The Lord also gave me the sweetest invitation to go to Mozambique right after Brazil, for around a month until school starts again. I will be putting my hand to whatever the Lord gives, and am so excited to see my Pemba Iris family again, and get to sit in on classes with Mama Heidi and Papa Rolland and others! There is always plenty to be done in Pemba, and I am open to whatever HE needs me in most. It will also be partly a time of refreshing after Brazil, as school will start as soon as I arrive back in Kansas City.<br />
<br />
<b>Time period: </b>2 1/2 months<br />
Brazil approx 5th June - 17th July 2014.<br />
Mozambique approx 17th July to 16th August 2014.<br />
<br />
Most teams already have their tickets or are getting them this week. As it is the World cup, tickets are selling out fast, so I'm asking the Lord for the ability to buy plane tickets ASAP in His timing! :)<br />
<br />
Flights all up, if I can buy tickets asap, come to $3200 for both Brazil and Mozambique all the way there and all the way back from Kansas City ☺ I’m quite excited about this as the original quote was over a thousand more! Praise Jesus for cheap flights! KC→ Chicago Bus; Chicago → Sao Paolo plane; Sao Paolo → Fortaleza → Sao Paolo plane; Sao Paolo → Maputo, → Pemba → Maputo → Sao Paolo → Chicago plane; Chicago → KC bus ☺<br />
<br />
Total estimated budget: (high end is more flexibility/able to give more)<br />
Low End: $5100<br />
High End: $5500<br />
<br />
Ask me if you would like more information on the budget breakdown ☺<br />
<br />
<b>
If you would like to partner with me in prayer, keep in touch see below for a prayer guide for Liberdade! If you would like to partner financially, let me know as well ☺ We can see the Lord move on behalf of the nation of Brazil, together!</b><br />
<br />
<b>
More information:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://exoduscry.com/liberdade">http://exoduscry.com/liberdade</a> - you can download a Brazil field guide, as well as a 31 day prayer guide to join us in prayer leading up to and throughout the World Cup.<br />
<a href="http://irisbrasil.org/">http://irisbrasil.org</a> - Iris Fortaleza website</div>
</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-72843245291705129682013-12-05T14:23:00.002-08:002013-12-05T14:30:18.130-08:00His Sovereignty!! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So, I haven't blogged in awhile!!! Partly this has been because of just not being sure what to write, partly because of going through some harder situations lately which made it hard to write, and partly it has been because of waiting on the Lord... Partly it has been even that I've sort of felt like I don't have any really "exciting" amazing miracle stories to share. Yet even then there is so much I would have liked to share had I been able to write... Anyway, I was sitting down a couple days ago with a friend/mentor of mine and she reminded me of the importance of journalling. Of journalling what the Lord is sharing with me, of little breakthroughs here and there in my current faith journey of getting to another country, and even the impact of blogging as so many are impacted and encouraged by the testimony of what HE does in our lives... So, here I am again! and I will try to do better with speaking forth those things He has me share!<br />
<br />
A few little things I'm excited about:<br />
<br />
For the past 2 to 3 years I've been asking the Lord here and there about visiting a certain amazing ministry here in the states, or even interning with them. It's not like I haven't had opportunities to go, yet the Lord has not yet released me. Yet here I am now and the Lord asked me to go to a different country far away; impressing on me a friend who has recently moved there (except I haven't met her yet, but I love her already!), to join her for a short time in whatever HE is doing! It just so happens to be that she was with this ministry in the states for 2 years, and therefore has the DNA as well as Iris DNA... Basically what I'm trying to say is, HE hasn't asked me or released me to go visit this ministry which is right here in the states, yet HE has provided for me to GO and visit a friend and connection of that ministry in a country way far away!<br />
<br />
<b>Sometimes there may be opportunities that are closer and easier and along the same lines of what you feel called to and want to do, yet they aren't what the Lord has for you. WAIT on HIM and HE will guide you to the right place and time!</b><br />
<br />
Basically, I've had another miracle story of provision... HE has provided a cheaper flight for me just this morning, saving me a few hundred dollars in airfares of the cheapest flight I could find earlier on (the new fare is just over 2 thirds of the original price which is huge!) and while I will have to take a bus to a train to a plane in a different city instead of just going to the airport here, it is still WAY cheaper and kinda more fun, more dependent on Jesus to do it this way :) This is just truth here by the way. Some people wonder how I can be continuously "travelling" all the time... Well, He provides when He wants me to go somewhere. And honestly sometimes it takes more effort and time and long overnight layovers at different airports... and choosing the simple lifestyle :) HE always provides for HIS daughter though :)<br />
<br />
I'm writing this at my bedtime on the nightwatch schedule, so I apologise if it isn't very well written! Thank You Lord I get to go to bed after this!<br />
<br />
I just really felt to share about His awesome sovereignty in knowing exactly where we are meant to be at the right times! I'm going to blog again in the next couple days and share the story of how I ended up committing to go where I'm going! It was HIS idea not mine!<br />
<br />
Love you all who read this!!<br />
<br />
Please pray, for INTIMACY; STRENGTH to keep pressing in and believing for HIS heart for the people and nation I am going to; for GRACE to finish up with school finals well; for my BROTHER's visit in a few days time!!! for HEALTH - big one; for HIS WILL on earth as in HEAVEN!; for PROTECTION and for PROVISION - I still need provision for a visa, for bus tickets (cheap), for another plane ticket inside the destination country (cheap) and other expenses... :) :) I am SO excited about all HE is doing!! Thank You JESUS!! Pray for my family, too :) :)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
...HE WILL have HIS way in the nations, whether we partner with HIM or not!! But oh, that HE would have HIS way <i>fully</i> in my own heart... this privilige we have, to partner with HIM... to be friends who pray, weep, love, rejoice with Him!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Be still, and know that I am GOD. <br />I WILL be exalted in the nations, I WILL be exalted in the earth!</i><br />
<i>Psalm 46:10</i></div>
</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-87202314683082142822013-08-17T05:52:00.000-07:002013-08-31T11:11:59.064-07:00August update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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At the moment, I'm in the middle of half switching to night watch (and waiting for approval to be on the Night Watch as it is a very intense schedule for a Music student at IHOPU. I have to write out exactly when I'm going to be eating and sleeping etc)... My heart is yearning to go deeper in my relationship with my God, and to be deeper in the word. I want more change from the inside out and know that I will find that in the Night Seasons. I also know it will enable me to pray more effectively for my friends in the nations.</div>
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This means I'll be in the prayer room 5nights a week <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://8" x-apple-data-detectors-result="8" x-apple-data-detectors="true">from 2am-6am</a>, plus Sunday's from 6-8am and extra briefings which I'm so excited about! I am also approved to worship lead in some capacity this semester, which is in my student worship labs 3 days a week <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://10" x-apple-data-detectors-result="10" x-apple-data-detectors="true">8am-12pm</a>.</div>
<div>
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This semester in addition to music classes, worship/intercession labs and Sacred Trust (prayer hours), I have a class in 'Basic Christian Beliefs' which is like Systematic Theology and also another class on the 'Song of Solomon'. I am really excited about the Basic Christian Beliefs class because it's taught by Jono Hall who I've heard marks really hard- he's British and has a degree in Law from Exeter University. I'm excited to write papers for someone who marks hard!! I am also so excited because Shelly Hundley is teaching my song of Solomon class and she used to be a missionary kid in Colombia and she loves Holy Spirit as a good friend and is really prophetic.</div>
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<div>
It has become my heart to be able to do all 4 years of IHOPU and be able to be a part of the House of Prayer Leadership track - which starts in 3rd year... I'm beginning my 2nd one. <b>My goal IS to become a HEALTHY leader who LOVES WELL even under pressure. </b>We will see, semester by semester, if that is the Lord's plan for me to do all the rest of the 4 years in one go :) I do know that I am meant to be here in THIS season at THIS time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I really feel that this is a season of training the Lord has set me in to help me become a better leader who LOVES people WELL. I feel it's a lot about heart surgery, healing and character development. Lessons in humility, self-discipline, loving and serving my worship team well... I want to make the most of this semester with what the Lord has put in my hands to do and most of all to go deeper in the place of intimacy with the Lord. <b>I want to be a Friend of the Bridegroom and be entrusted with the secrets, burdens and joys of HIS heart! </b>(this is the JOY of Intercession!! being HIS Friend!!)</div>
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<div>
So again, thank you for praying for me and supporting me :) I really value your friendship in my life :)</div>
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<b>SIDE NOTE: </b>Extra because I feel this could encourage someone :)</div>
<div>
School starts Monday morning!! I am truly <b>so grateful to the Lord for the delay in provision</b> just because of the amount of sifting and searching He has done in my own heart... I became open to the thought that maybe I wasn't in the right place? Maybe the Lord didn't want me in school this semester and wanted me back in Mozambique? Or Nepal or even Lord, if YOU want me in a completely new place... Maybe now was the time that I was supposed to make the "long term committment" of 2 years in whichever country with Iris? Through the last 2 days of intense time spent with Jesus - I've gotten to the point of surrender, knowing that <b>JESUS IS WORTH IT ALL, EVERY NATION, EVERY SOUL,</b> and that I am willing to go ANYWHERE HE WANTS me to be! For the sake of ONE nation, and even ONE soul... and I have also gotten to the point of KNOWING again that I am supposed to be here. As soon as I got to that point of KNOWING within myself that I'm in the right place... literally within about 1/2 an hour, the bulk of my down payment came through from somebody I don't know who!! So, the LORD KNOWS our hearts! I do want to use this testimony to encourage YOU that <b>if things are hard right now, USE this opportunity from the Lord</b> to really let HIM do some soul searching, and do it yourself - find out if you really HAVE given this season in your life completely to the LORD - find out where your heart REALLY is in HIM!! OH <b>there is so much JOY in the pressure and squeezing and delay!! Thank you JESUS!</b></div>
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Also, this reminded me of the time I was in Mozambique waiting to get my passport back from Moz immigration so that I could have my interview with the US embassy to get into America for IHOP for the first time... <b>the breakthrough came once I decided in my heart - once my MINDSET shifted - and I KNEW I was doing exactly what the LORD had for me. There is no plan B.</b></div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-34091888594030009252013-04-29T21:08:00.003-07:002013-04-30T20:39:46.095-07:00Falling in Love With the Task...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
Falling in love with the task: if your compassion for people exceeds your passion for Jesus you will end up opposed to Him on the day of His coming. William Wilberforce hardly prayed for the ending of slavery as his prayers were mostly prayers to KNOW JESUS more and to keep up the good fight. - notes from an Abolition conference earlier in 2013
<br />
<br />
Lately I've been kept awake at nights - partly because the heater white noise isn't coming on because it's trying to becoming Spring (it was 82F/27C today.. Thursday it might snow :/ ) - and partly because I am lying awake consumed with thoughts about this latest vision the Lord has given me and this week just happens to be very crucial in the timing of it all. (I'll share more as it happens! Just know it is VERY on the Lord's heart).
<br />
<br />
I've been worried that this vision has been becoming larger in my heart than God Himself, and I NEVER want that to happen. Yet it is just taking up SO MUCH of my thoughts, mental space and emotions!!
<br />
<br />
I'm one of those people you might call a "visionary". These people are such that once they get an idea, they run full force ahead with it, at least in their minds, researching it and finding out as much as they can, even connecting people together if it involves people; they look at all angles and possibilities to see how this idea CAN come to pass and it CAN be done! Because of course it can! Anything, if it's from the Lord, is possible! It is all possible in HIS perfect timing and HIS perfect wisdom, strength and ability! It just takes chasing HIM first...
<br />
<br />
So, I'm lying here tonight, and thinking of how I don't want my passion for the task to exceed my passion for the Creator... Im saying to Him how I want to know Him and to run the race well, to fight the good fight. And He says to me,
<br />
<blockquote>
"Serena, you just keep Chasing after Me. Go after what I've put on your heart and seek to Know Me in the middle of it all, seek to walk in the way I would do it... Seek to know Me in the middle of it all. And I'll take care of your heart."</blockquote>
<br />
You see, I've been worrying about my heart. And yet HE is the only one who knows my heart. I actually don't even know if this vision He's given me is becoming bigger than Him. Of course there's some times when you KNOW that it's bigger and more important and of course then, you are responsible to know your heart and talk to Him and do what you need to to make JESUS first again. But when there's times where you're not sure... He says: "[your name here], just chase after me and seek to live out My heart in My ways... And I'll look after your heart." phew.
<br />
<br />
Let's not get all tied up in knots needlessly. Yes we need to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Check our hearts. But if we're not sure - the answer is, bring HIM into everything. Continue to READ His WORD back to front. Talk to HIM constantly. Have HIM constantly before your eyes and your thoughts. And It will be okay :)
<br />
<br />
I bind my mind to the mind of Christ. I bind my heart to the heart of the Father. Holy Spirit, thank You that You are with me. Please remind me of everything that Jesus taught and how to live imitating HIM. Let me flow with You minute by minute, breath by breath. Let my only thoughts be Jesus' and my only emotions be out of the Father's heart. In Jesus' Mighty Name, Amen!</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-34943609056609235752013-04-26T17:18:00.001-07:002013-04-26T17:21:03.993-07:00Heavenly perspective in the midst of change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Jennifer Roberts has been here in Kansas City for something like 14 or 15 years, and before that she was IN THE NATIONS for something like a decade (I only just found out about her), and is now going to pioneer the International House of Prayer in Brazil... For anyone ESPECIALLY who has done Harvest School, or YWAM... This podcast is so good and so relevant! Especially if the Lord has called you to somewhere like the west, for a season (like me!). Enjoy!!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe width="504" height="283.5" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yQ-2v1ccWnw?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-20797281883645149152013-04-14T15:21:00.001-07:002013-04-14T15:23:55.115-07:00I will Tell the World... for I carry you in me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Now that I have seen<br />
I am responsible<br />
Faith without deeds is dead<br />
Now that I have held you <br />
In my own arms<br />
I cannot let go till you are...<br />
<br />
And I am on a plane<br />
Across a distant sea<br />
But I carry you in me<br />
In the dust on... the dust on... the dust on... the dust on....<br />
My feet<br />
<br />
I will tell the world<br />
I will tell them where I've been<br />
I will keep my word<br />
I will tell them, Albertine</blockquote>
I'm sitting down to finish my assignment on worship due tomorrow... and put my itunes on shuffle to help me concentrate. The first song I played was "Albertine" by Brook Fraser. This song has been special to me for awhile mainly because of the lyrics posted above. There is more to the song which you can find if you want to google it, however these lyrics resound with me the most... I think you would understand why! If you don't, you probably don't know about the last 2 years of my life. Feel free to start at the start of this blog and read onwards!<br />
<br />
I carry the children of Mozambique in heart. I carry the faces of those on the streets, from the poorest to the richest of that land. The Lord has given me His heart for them all... Maybe one day I will be long term there (meaning, a couple of years all in one go!), or maybe not.<br />
<br />
You see, I also carry the children on Ukraine in my heart. Oh wow I felt it, even just then as I typed those words out. The children and the teenagers of Ukraine are just soo hungry for the breaking in of the Lord! They are hungry for His love and His truth!<br />
<br />
I carry the people on Nepal, the people of other south-east Asian countries, I carry the children of Mexico and Guatemala in my heart. I carry those ones in my heart who I have not met yet... and, most recently I carry the children of North America in my heart...<br />
<br />
I feel the burden of those children who are in the foster care system. Those ones who are orphans by very definition ---- Those ones who may have been waiting a year, 5 years, 15 years, in foster care just hoping for a permanent family to choose them as theirs. It is said that 75% of these kids who grow up without being adopted end up homeless. In fact, half of the homeless population of (Canada of the US, I can't remember for sure) is made up of foster kids who have "aged out" of the system without being adopted. Would we, as the ones who are meant to be the extended body of Jesus, accept His heart to set the lonely in families? To take care of the orphans?<br />
<br />
I just want to put this out there and make it known. If you're worried about expense, it can cost pretty much nothing to adopt from the state foster care system (and I know this from friends who have done it, and would do it again)! Of course if you feel called to adopt internationally or to go start a children's home overseas, DO it! The Lord is WITH you! But there is an EXTREMELY legitimate need right here in the States, even in Australia, in the UK, and everywhere else you wouldn't normally think about - for children to have families to support them not just until 18 or 21, but even for life.<br />
<br />
Bless you as you go about your day and lean closer into the Father's heartbeat :)<br />
<br />
Serena<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjkOD4yK_eJLOVQSgNyavR1n1B2OCS6CaXKp07l7bqL-8kGi5t6lLj29tkVfHZMmR0OSkDfGSwcty2fz_-_P-YbrPLV1WIL_iBZ5TQbaSNyCKWcX7iKg5yBpZSp_6ZBI8kUWbWBBlcyKk/s1600/551026_355389397893909_591087716_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjkOD4yK_eJLOVQSgNyavR1n1B2OCS6CaXKp07l7bqL-8kGi5t6lLj29tkVfHZMmR0OSkDfGSwcty2fz_-_P-YbrPLV1WIL_iBZ5TQbaSNyCKWcX7iKg5yBpZSp_6ZBI8kUWbWBBlcyKk/s320/551026_355389397893909_591087716_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adopted-Life-Priority-Adoption-Christian/dp/1581349114/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365977920&sr=8-1&keywords=adopted+for+life+by+russell+moore" target="_blank"><b>Adoption is not charity. It's WAR (spiritual warfare) - Russell Moore</b></a></div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-25529112066454287472013-04-09T14:14:00.003-07:002013-04-09T14:14:32.637-07:00The cry of my heart...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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God, release the sound<br />
Release the movement<br />
I'm laying down everything <br />
<br />
God, you promised nations<br />
I want the nations<br />
I am not gonna settle, now<br />
I, I hear the cry<br />
I hear the longing<br />
This is the sound of freedom<br />
<br />
I stand in the gap<br />
I stand here praying <br />
For the next Great Awakening</div>
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Jake Hamilton - "The Next Great Awakening" - Marked By Heaven </div>
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<a href="http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=66682" target="_blank">Full lyrics: click here </a></div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-75773061921450630432013-03-23T13:18:00.003-07:002013-03-23T14:07:47.858-07:00Following the River<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm starting a blog over on wordpress.com. The main reason I'm writing is because it's required for school. If you're interested, you can keep up with it, <a href="http://serenafma.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a><br />
<br />
A preview:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://serenafma.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/riveryellowstone.jpg"><img alt="Image" class="size-full wp-image aligncenter" id="i-11" src="http://serenafma.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/riveryellowstone.jpg?w=487" /></a><br />
<blockquote>
We will not experience the fullness of the river until we
step over to the other side. However, the Scriptures make it clear that
we can drink of God’s river now, here, in this life, even if it’s only
in a measure // Bob Sorge // Following the River // p3</blockquote>
We can have a taste of the river now, not just at the end of time. It
won’t be to the fulness, but it is to a measure! Just like we see now
in part, yet then, we will see in full (1 Cor 13:12)!<br />
<br />
I remember being in college back in Australia. I had great big gaps
between classes and used to spend them all in the library… One day I happened to stumble upon the section on REVIVAL and RENEWAL. This
was where I first found out about the Toronto outpouring, and also where
I first read about Rolland and Heidi Baker (I smile, just thinking
about it because who knew then that I would ever end up in Mozambique,
let alone other nations with Iris).
<br />
<blockquote>
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of
his heart will flow rivers of living water // Jesus // John’s Book, 7:38
// God’s Word</blockquote>
It started then. Then is when I started to hunger after seeing the
Kingdom manifest in my world. I hungered to see the Lord break in in
supernatural power. My prayer became, “Lord, please make me a conduit. I
want to be a conduit of Your presence, Your love, Your power… I want it
to happen so that even if people walk past me they encounter You. So
that even just one touch, causes them to encounter YOUR love Jesus, YOUR
healing Jesus… so that they get hungry for You…”<br />
Every time I move house. Every time I move states. Every time I move
countries. This is the prayer that I always come back to. Lord. It’s all
about You.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://serenafma.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Click here to keep reading my blog for school </a></div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-37473243065451225432013-03-11T19:39:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:37:34.231-07:00Forest Lake, Minnesota! Partnering with and Strengthening Houses of Prayer...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Twin Cities Ministry Trip</b><br />In the first week of April, I'll be travelling with a team of IHOPU students to Forest Lake, Minnesota. There is a local church there who have invited us to come and partner with them in strengthening their ministry to the Lord. There will be a gathering of around 20 houses of prayer from all over the state who are coming to be trained, equipped and ministered to! Some of what we will be doing: training in tools for ministering in a House of Prayer; running a youth conference and adult conference at nights; ministry to children; training in outreach and tools for living a life ABIDING in the Love of GOD! We will also be running a 3 day burn - so 24/7 prayer for 3 days. We will be split into three teams for 3 different sleep schedules. I'll be part of the Night Watch so will be sleeping in the mornings. I am so excited about what the Lord will do through us. Not really sure exactly what to expect but I do know that it's conferences and events like these that have impacted my life as a teenager/young adult, so I know that the LORD will impact many hearts from all over Minnesota, as well as our own!<br /><br />Thank you so much for continuing to stand with me in prayer, love and support :) Please continue to Pray, that I would only be taken deeper and deeper and be filled with such a deeper HUNGER and THIRST for JESUS - the ONE who is WORTHY of it all!!<br />Much Love and Joy!<br /><br />Serena xo<br /><br />You can see the website for the event, <a href="http://www.crossroadscovenant.com/content/abide" target="_blank">here</a></div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-42536767662937484792013-03-09T19:34:00.000-08:002013-03-23T13:37:34.232-07:00Life in KC...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dearest Beloved Friends!<br />
<br />
Hope you are all doing great!! Whether you are in a season of smooth sailing or a season of challenges (or both!), may you find JOY in Jesus!!<br />
<br />
"All the Nations they will come, holding broken chains above their head<br />
They'll be singing: 'We have overcome! By the blood of the LAMB!'<br />
Jesus YOU, YOU'RE worth it ALL!<br />
Every Nation, Every Soul!<br />
All the people will sing Your praises, Glory to the LAMB of God!" - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hbJ-aZuexI" target="_blank">Circuit Riders - "Every Nation, Every Soul"</a> - Lindy Conant<br />
<br />
At church last night we were led in worship with this song, and you could feel the power in the song as well as how it seemed that almost every person in the place was really connecting with it. Lord, thank you for continuing to stir up a passion for the nations in Your House of Prayer for all Nations!! This week we have over 40 houses of prayer and ministries from all over America and the world, coming to recruit graduated IHOPU students for their prayer houses and ministries. I am so so excited as we are here to be trained up and sent out to strengthen those who are already out there pioneering new works, as well as to pioneer news ones ourselves.<br />
<br />
<b>Visiting the Night Watch!</b><br />
Not sure if you all know this but this time in Kansas City has been different: I've been doing days, for the first time not on the Night Watch!! It has a definite different feel to it! Also as a music student instead of an intern it's totally different, too.<br />
<br />
<b>For example:</b><br />
FITN Intern: 36 hours a week in the Prayer room<br />
Music Student/Full-time missionary: 24 prayer room or "Sacred Trust" hours to fulfil: 12 of which are completed in the "labs" where we have student worship teams and run our own prayer room sets. 6 more of my hours are done serving either on keyboard or as a group singer in the Hispanic/Spanish teams in the "All Nations Prayer Room", and I therefore only have 2 hours a week in the "Global Prayer Room"! (I know, there're a lot of names. That's why we have all the acronyms..).<br />
<br />
I've started getting up at 3am this past week to go to the 4am sets (last set of the Night Watch), and it has been brilliant. The sweetness that I get from being able to spend more time sitting before the Lord and not concentrating so much on the music, or trying to translate the small amount of spanish in my head that I know, is more than worth it. <br />
<br />
Yesterday our music classes were canceled because of an inner healing seminar that the school was running, so my day looked like this: <br />
<br />
4am Intercession set - Ashley Prior's team was leading, which last week the Lord was so moving in that set that although they're meant to transition teams at 6am, they kept going all the way til around 7am! Contending for a culture of LIFE. This is one of the issues which is SO on the Father's heart! Please pray for the Nations' babies, as we have a voice to speak and they do not!! Speak up for the silent! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ihopkc.org/prayerroom/archives/">http://www.ihopkc.org/prayerroom/archives/</a> Watch the 4:00AM Fri March 08 session. Try watching from 1hr 34 mins. Praying for LIFE starts at 1hr40min.<br />
<br />
6am - spent some time working on homework in the cafe next door, where my friend who works there so sweetly brought me a mango smoothie! Thank you Jesus!! <br />
<br />
7.25am - got picked up to ride to the JPR (Justice Prayer Room, where the All Nations PR sets are held) where we had briefing and then did another intercession set, praying for Venezuela also for the Hispanic intensive starting on Monday! (Pastors and leaders coming from all over, including Juarez, Mexico! Please pray for them for the LORD to encounter their hearts! Open hearts for revelation!)<br />
<br />
10.15am - Spent time with another Iris family member, who went to Harvest school and staffed the next one in 2009. It's the first time I've gotten to spend time with her apart from during spanish sets! Yay Jesus!! She and her husband have a heart to move to Spain and be involved in House of Prayer/other Missions work there! <br />
<br />
12pm - This is normally my "lab" time in the student worship teams. Because of cancelled classes, we spent it in the Global Prayer Room instead. Two Worship with the Word sets in a row, with Justin Rizzo's team leading first (one of my FAVOURITE teams as a lot of the time they have orchestral instruments such as french horns, strings, flutes/whistles, percussion... think film music/celtic/hip-hop/rap :) and Misty Edward's team leading at 2pm. I had to walk up and down a lot so I wouldn't fall asleep, and got to partner with JESUS in praying with what was on HIS heart!<br />
<br />
4pm - got a ride back to my place, where my landlord was working on pipes to get them to unblock... seems like America isn't so far from Africa after all ;) sat down to eat some dinner and write to all of YOU!<br />
<br />
6pm - Encounter God Service at Church. The current theme the Lord is having most people dig into around here at the moment is John 14-17, about Abiding in Love... <br />
<br />
The same love the Father has for Jesus, Jesus has for us!! Let that sink in for a bit... The intensity to which the Father Loves Jesus, Jesus loves YOU (and your friend, or not-yet-friend...)</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-29308026472439195692013-02-01T10:30:00.000-08:002017-03-23T16:22:11.988-07:00Training for the Nations!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I don't think we EVER get over the training stage! Life with Jesus is a constant, never ending training and learning to go Low, to receive HIS love (this one, yet again, I've realised I need help in!), to love Him, to Trust Him, to obey His voice...<br />
<br />
I'm here in Kansas City, Missouri having just moved house 2 weeks ago and getting ready to move house again in another two weeks!! Apparently this nomadic lifestyle just never ends either :) We ARE sojourners and foreigners on this earth - just passing through - so I guess this makes sense!<br />
<br />
After obeying HIS voice and heart, to rest for 2 weeks in England, I arrive in KC on the 20th december and spent the next 4 weeks sharing a twin (single) bed with one of my best friends. Thank you Hannah for your generous heart and thank you Daddy for always providing! Moved into my current place ready to start school...<br />
<br />
Once in a while I still have this thought of: wait. What am I doing here again? How is this to do with my call?? Then I have my first class. Our teacher starts talking about seeing Houses of Prayer raised up in every single nation. My KeysETT (Keys, Ear Training and Theory) teacher starts talking about teaching us how to teach so that we can go and teach children in dark, far away places how to play and sing to the Lord. I get to my audition for another class and the guy auditioning me says: "Imagine you're trying to lead a prayer meeting in some nation like Papua New Guinea and you have no electricity and you're the only instrument." and in my mind I'm like... oh! I did that already! in Mozambique...<br />
<br />
Lord, send me. Here I am. Send me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>some Praise points: </b><br />
Jesus is teaching me about TRUST. and LOVE - HIS Love :)<br />
He is providing!!!<br />
I'm getting connected with some of the Hispanic ministries community here - and it's stretching and growing and good!<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>some Prayer points:</b><br />
the roommate HE wants me to have, in the place HE wants me to live :)<br />
Oh that I would go deeper, and Love Him to my full capacity, and receive HIM to my full capacity<br />
my studies :) :) TIME with Him in the secret place<br />
Connections<br />
continued health<br />
<br />
<br />
_________<br />
<br />
Random fact: one of my classes is "Life of a Worshipper". or LOW. . . It's all about going LOWER still :) :)</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-55431857780481277322012-12-27T10:39:00.000-08:002013-02-01T10:43:31.025-08:00December '12 Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
Dearest Friends,</div>
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<br /></div>
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As our hearts are filled with joy and our homes with family (whether biological or spiritual) this season, I pray that you have most of all felt Loved and encountered by the One who started it all – the One who holds every living thing together…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I pray that, if you have children and you have felt joy over their excitement at opening gifts and having all the people that they love all together in one place, that you understand: that feeling you are having is just a small taste of the JOY that our Daddy God feels over us as He sees us opening gifts HE has given, and stepping into plans HE has planned for us!! He is the Father of Lights, EVERY good gift comes from HIM and in HIM there is no shadow of turning! He desires only good things for His children – although His children may not always agree with what is good for them ;) Just sayin’!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The Condition of our HEARTS</b></div>
<div>
I want to share this with you… for as I have been travelling and transitioning and loving and being loved and also putting walls up so I won’t HAVE to explain all over again what I’m doing here (wherever here is that I happen to be) or, so I won’t HAVE to explain again what I’ve been doing “there” – wherever “there” has happened to be… (by the way the walls are not a good thing)… I have found that most of all, Daddy God is interested in shepherding my HEART. HE is interested in the condition of my HEART.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>30th Oct 2012</b></div>
<div>
“I woke up this morning lots of dreams and things that made sense. One sentence I saw/heard was “Que quiero ti”. I looked it up and it wouldn’t translate Portuguese – on either google translate or my apple translator. So I tried Spanish. On google translate it was: “I want you”</div>
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</div>
<div>
“I was struck. And in awe… You [the God that upholds the UNIVERSE!] want me…</div>
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Then on my mac translator: “That I love you”.</div>
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“Jesus… Daddy… Lord… YOU want me! That YOU love me!</div>
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<br /></div>
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Oh… THIS is what it’s all about…</div>
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I will get the answer to my question in just knowing that You love me.”</div>
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Now I had been dreaming and fasting and praying about decisions I needed to make, because I just had not been having peace with a certain thing I was scheduled to be doing and it was coming up soon. That morning, I was struck by the realisation that I <b>didn’t</b> have to worry about whether I was hearing the Lord right, about whether I was doing the right thing… I realised that all my worry and stressing and anxiety actually <b>cut me off</b> from hearing rightly. It is as our hearts are <b>AT REST</b> in our daughterhood or</div>
<div>
sonship in HIM, that we will be free to hear Him rightly. We will be free to hear what HE wants… Once I had the freedom to rest [didn’t mean I stopped fasting. I just stopped fearing] – I heard from Him real easy and was able to make a big decision and talk to all the people involved with peace and surety in my heart :) He is concerned, friends, with our HEARTS :)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, going to get rest in England, really turned out to be… such a great time of REST in England!! Honestly. I am blessed with the most amazing friends who are Jesus to me… I got to sleep, rest, sleep, talk through and process some things, sleep, eat, have pet therapy (the pets my friend had), sleep and rest :) I got to spend so much time with one of my God‐given British sisters! Thank you Daddy!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<div>
<b>Somehow, This All Fits in Together</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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The Dream. The Vision. The Calling…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I don’t know if all my travelling around and being involved in different things has ever confused you. Well sometimes it confuses me. Just sayin’. Yet as this 1 year and 8 months has passed by and things have started to become clearer and make more sense, I have come to know for certain that I am called to:</div>
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<br /></div>
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• The Dirt – the poor, the 3rd world.</div>
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• The Western local Church.</div>
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• Releasing the Prophetic Sound to the Nations</div>
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• Adopting large sibling groups/older children. Or any child from any country with any kind of “special need” the Lord specifically leads me to. This could mean I'm having at least 15 children! Or maybe a few hundred. Depending where it is and what it looks like!</div>
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• Gazing into the eyes of Jesus and adoring Him. Ministering to Him. Intercession…</div>
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• Letting Daddy love me.</div>
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• Nations – nations – nations. So far HE has led me to 5 different continents and I have found love swell up in my heart for places and people in all those continents. How that works is only because of the love that JESUS puts there…</div>
</div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>“Someone in this generation is gonna make a</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Noise that’s gonna shape a Nation”</b></div>
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<div>
I was on the plane from Doha, Qatar to London Heathrow on the 6th December, when I decided to listen to some of Jake Hamilton’s latest for the first time… His songs “War Drums” and “New Song” totally caught my heart and helped me spill forth vision onto the pages of my journal.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
“This is what it’s about. I believe that part of my call is to release a prophetic sound to the nations. I believe in the power of a SOUND. Just like David’s anointed harp playing cause peace to come to King Saul, so the anointed, heaven released SOUND that the Lord releases through me can shape nations. Can build up. Can tear down.</div>
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I believe I am called to release this:</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
through BEING in nations – physically releasing the sound along with the CHILDREN of the nations – those</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
who were abandoned but are now found :) adopted into HIS KINGDOM FAMILY</div>
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<br /></div>
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And also spiritually – through what He releases through me in the Global or All Nations Prayer rooms here</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
in Kansas City.”</div>
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<br /></div>
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So, the reason I am here in Kansas City – only GOD knows the full reason, but I do know that part of it is:</div>
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<br /></div>
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• to be trained up more in my gifts</div>
<div>
• to have more of a theologically solid foundation and to have more time to reaalllly go DEEP into the Word!</div>
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• to be able to do all this and still be in a place where the nations converge and where they are sent out again back to the nations</div>
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• to possibly become involved in a volunteer capacity in the Orphan Justice Center – Rescue, Adopt, Restore ‐ http://orphanjusticecenter.com/</div>
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<br /></div>
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I so appreciate all of your continued love and prayers, and financial support!</div>
<div>
Please let me know of any prayer requests – I love to pray for you! And do let me know how you are going. He has made us for relationship. He has made us for family.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Serena xo</div>
<div>
Adventurer and Lover of Jesus</div>
</div>
</div>
Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-59409736403810345672012-10-03T16:14:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:30:25.963-07:00Purple Royal Flip-Flops<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Today was one of my best days ever. Well actually, it was just one of those days that had so many special moments...<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It started out at 6am as I pressed the snooze alarm many times, finally getting out of bed about 20 mins before I had to leave... As I was pressing the snooze alarm I could hear Christina, our cleaning lady coming in the door and greeting my room mate in makua, the local tribal language </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
(side note- my room mate is one of the most incredible women in the world. She truly and genuinely loves the makuan community who we are privileged to live and do life with, and not only does she love them but she is crazy amazing and gifted at picking up the language... Honestly she can have whole conversations in makua when most of us are still trying to improve our Portuguese. She's even starting to write new worship songs in makua (because translating some of the songs that already exist just don't even work with all the syllables that can be in even just one word!) my room mate is amazing. Side note ended).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, we walked out the door at about quarter past seven along with a couple of other friends on my base. One, an American who did the harvest school in October 2011 and has come to teach preschool and art lessons. The other, a Mozambican friend from Maputo who is a teacher in the bible school and also a worship leader here in Pemba. The 20 min walk by the ocean was interrupted by rain and all the Moz bible students walking near us started running for the other base! We broke out in "let it rain" in Portuguese, then as it started to get heavier changed it to "espera! Espera deis minutos por favor! Espera Señor!" (wait! Wait 10 minutes please! Wait lord!" God slowed down the rain enough so that we didn't get soaked and the dirt didn't turn to full on mud, yet. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I was aiming to get to the prayer house early for our 8am set with the Iris older girls. Someone else had already opened it up as some boys had one of the prayer room guitars and was playing it outside. A couple of older Iris girls were also in the prayer hut early reading their bibles and journaling, along with some mission school students visiting from around the world. It was so precious to see them really wanting to read His word and know His love... I decided that even though it was supposed to be a time for the older girls, I couldn't just close the door to the iris boys who were hanging around! So after hanging out with them for a few minutes, we all went inside the prayer house to worship and seek His face together. I was originally supposed to be teaching on some principles to worship, but we ended up just praying and worshipping, passing the lead to each other... Today was one of the most flowing, amazing prayer times I've been in with the kids yet... The kids would just break out in spontaneous prayer and songs as myself and an iris boy played the guitar. They were passionate, they were genuine, and it blessed my heart so incredibly... It is on my heart to start spending more time with them even outside the prayer house, training them a bit more in music and learning more Portuguese!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All of this was before 9am... I could go on about all the amazing stuff that happened, but will condense it for you. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Myself and the other missionary who was there then cleaned out the prayers house completely, taking everything out and sweeping, mopping... (this of course drew a small crowd of children- some iris kids and some village kids, who promptly proceeded to grab the guitars and strum chords that aren't in existence, and when they started to get a bit rowdy and we started to ask them to be a bit more careful, one of my village friends (Fogas) proceeded to promptly grab a broom and sweep everything in sight to help us, and the other one grabbed a baby wipe we had used to wipe the whiteboard, and used it to wipe everything in sight! The keyboard, my guitar case, everything! Once all was done and dried and locked away, Fogas asked to try on my flip flops and I would try on his. Then he said that I can borrow his til tomorrow! He insisted that we do this as he leapt in the air and laughed with my (slightly too small) brown $2 Walmart over-a-year-old worn-almost-every-day-in-15-different-countries-moulded-to-fit-even-my-toes-and-worn-almost-all-the-way-through flip flops on his feet... I looked down at his definitely-too-large-purple-flip-flops-with-pretty-flowers-on-them that felt like thick mattresses after wearing mine... And worried about him walking on the road and feeling every bump and getting thorns stuck in his feet... And worried that mine might break while he was borrowing them and then he might feel bad! I asked if he was sure? "Yes!!! Amanya!Amanya! (tomorrow, tomorrow)" well... Okay then!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So for the rest of the day, while working on organising practical missions for the harvest school; tutoring my friends fun, energetic 5year old and attending a baby shower for the base director with most of the female part of our base staff family... I would randomly look down and notice my friends purple flowery too large flip flops adorning my feet... And I would laugh. At the personality of my friend Fogas that he would convince me to swop for a day. At the fact that a teenage boy has purple flowery flip flops (TIA- this is Africa!). And my heart would get slightly melted at the thought that he would wear my almost broken, brown so worn flip flops and God would decide to have me wear purple (color of royalty! and my fav colour) flowery (makes me feel special!) flip flops that belong to a village boy who is from a very poor village family... Our God is so upside down... I love Him so much!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Now it is 1am and I am typing this from the safety of my mosquito net, with the familiar sounds of barraca (streetside shops) music<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"> coming through my glass less windows... (which I am so thankful for as it keeps the houses so much cooler!) I can feel each of the slats through my mattress, and frequently sink down in places where the slats have shifted all to one side or the slats themselves are just not flat! But I have a bed and I have a pillow. I have freshly washed sheets and a net and an amazing roommate. I have a family here in Pemba who loves to do life together, not just work. And I have my village friend's purple flowery flip flops to remind me who I am. Loved. Royalty. Trusted (enough to borrow his flip flops!). Most of all they remind me of my God who is the one who loves to give me these precious moments!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Love to you all, and thank you for sharing in some moments from one of the days from my life here in Mozambique!</span></div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-54931547389878073662012-09-22T16:33:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:34:58.086-07:00A New Season...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">Last time I wrote I talked just a little about outreach. We went to a place in South East Asia where a local family in partnership with an Iris graduate from Tennessee has been rescuing children from slavery in the granite mines. We stayed with our friend who is about 26 years old. He lives in and runs one children’s home – the kids there are not from the mines but are from other circumstances. There were meant to be 60 children in the home, but by the time we got there, there were over a hundred and by the time we left it had increased to almost 200! This was in part because while we were there, they had to close down one of their other homes so they had to move those children into the house. Also while we were there a few local Mums came and dropped their children off to the home, as they had AIDS and had only a couple of days left to live… Our friend who runs the home is from a family who has been pastors for a few generations now. His Dad runs another home, his Mum another home for older teenage girls and his sister yet another home!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><div>
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We were the first team that they had ever had visit, they had only ever had maybe 3 or 4 different westerners come at different times before. So it was very much a spearheading team and we went mainly to love, to go low and to go slow! It was such a privilege to be a part of the very first team they had ever had :) We all immediately fell in love with the kids. Although there are sooo many children living in the home and what seems like only a few adults, they all are full of joy and and laughter! They all mainly sleep on the roof, on blankets on the concrete, two or three children to a blanket so they are literally shoulder to shoulder.</div>
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You can find out more at www.mercy29.org and on the mercy29 user channel on youtube.</div>
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<b>"Rest Time"</b></div>
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God gave me an awesome gift in getting to visit the family in Nepal that I got to know last year with Jesse and Tanya! Myself and the other team leader arrived there and realised that we only had about 10 days before we arrived back in Pemba and were full on into the middle of a hectic schedule again! So we made sure that we stayed home a lot, just mainly hanging out with the family, going to Jordan (15 yr olds)’s basketball games and watching Step up with their youngest daughters :) We were so blessed by our time in Nepal..!</div>
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<b>Passports and Visas</b></div>
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My passport is now completely full!! No blank pages left!! I got to apply for a new one while in Joberg, and now have to juggle how I’m going to get it sent up here, and also get my current one cancelled and back up to me in Pemba. When the courier system isn’t reliable and the postal system even less so, it requires God to do a few miracles to get things like that done! Also the Moz embassy only gives out 30 day renewable visas, so I have to juggle getting that renewed every 30 days (probably by getting someone to take it out of the country to Tanzania a couple of times) as well as sending it down to Joberg or Maputo… My last passport page is taken up by my visa to Zimbabwe which was used for one day while driving through from South Africa to Mozambique... SUCH a fun experience and it felt like a birthday present from God :) We had a flat tyre on the first day and had to get it fixed the next, which took up a lot of time but GOD still happened and we got to Moz in record time! We stayed the first night in Zimbabwe at some lodge, and the second night in the front yard of a couple missionaries who used to live in this house on the main road, and it's still guarded but they have moved to be involved on another base in Moz. So the house was all locked but we got to park and set up camp in their front yard, and use their latrines :) :) They actually had had a couple armed robberies while living there but we were totally fine the whole night and next morning! </div>
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<b>A New Season</b></div>
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Today I moved house - from the Village of Joy - where the student compound is, to the Glory Base!! I have transitioned from being a Harvest School staff member into being Base staff, up until December.</div>
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I will still be co-ordinating Practical Missions and am still taking care of the general emails for the school, however my main focus will now be my involvement with the House of Prayer here on the base. I am also going to be involved in training up some of the Iris kids into the House of Prayer. My heart is to see the kids trained up not just in music, but in worship. Today I had my first HOP session with a couple of other missionaries here and two of the older Iris girls who live in the children's home. It was meant to be a set from 8-9am. However we actually started around 20 minutes late and then when I left at about 10:15 they were still going! God really showed up and you could feel his presence so strong...</div>
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I am also going to be very involved with helping with some of the missionary kids. Their Mum is due REALLY really soon to have their 4th child. So I'll be helping out with the first 3 children (mostly tutoring, and some hanging out, maybe teaching music) and also tutoring/babysitting another 5yr old daughter of another missionary (who I worked with on my visit in 2011!).</div>
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In December I am also still going to be leading the Harvest School outreach team to Uganda and Sudan. So far my team is a group of 9 from the UK, Canada, the USA and New Zealand plus myself (Australia!). It will be Christmas in Sudan with the least of these!! </div>
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<b>PRAYER points:</b></div>
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- Intimacy with Jesus. Knowing who I am as Daddy's girl!! </div>
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- Health and strength for my body - today especially was so hot and hopefully not an indication of the next few months! Sudan I know will be even hotter! Yay! So, my body has to adjust in Jesus' Name!</div>
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- Provision - for the rest of my time here, and also for Uganda/Sudan and beyond...</div>
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- That I would recognise which Iris kids the Holy Spirit would be highlighting for me to train up a bit more in music/worship/intercession</div>
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- Relationships with other missionaries on the base!</div>
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- That myself and the kids would bond well and have well established boundaries and relationship.</div>
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- Keep my eyes, time and strength focused on HOLY SPIRIT's plan for the HOP times and every bit of my time here!</div>
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- Good sleep!</div>
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- That the Uganda/Sudan outreach team will be fully prepared and ready in their hearts for this outreach! Unity and honour being key!</div>
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- More intercessors for myself to be raised up. We as missionaries are on the frontlines here of a war zone here and I know that you hear us say that, but it is so true and there is a lot - not just physical, that we have to deal with.</div>
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- Provision of more instruments for the kids to learn/worship on! Even for after I am gone.</div>
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Lots and lots of love to you!!!</div>
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Serena xoxoxoxox</div>
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Paypal: Go to www.paypal.com and click on "Personal", "Send money internationally". Fill out all your details. My email address registered with paypal is serenaxh @ gmail.com (without the spaces)</div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-90902089268378768402012-07-27T10:45:00.000-07:002015-11-13T20:14:42.059-08:00Bom Dia!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Couldn't sleep last night til past midnight... Got woken up just after 6 by someone sweeping?? (sweeping the dirt?!?) outside my window this morning... and now am on my computer trying to get some things sorted... After finding myself stuck in not being able to get a certain situation moving forward, I was sitting in what I call my "office" (an open front porch haha which gets VERY windy at times, next to the big baobab tree with views to the family houses (kids playing!) and the clinic) feeling almost like giving up when I hear: "Bom Dia!! (good morning!) Bom Dia!! Bom dia bom dia!!! One of our Mozambican gardeners comes running up to me and holds out his hands to grab mine - hand shaking is a greeting that happens pretty much every time you see someone here. So I grab his hands, and find something pushed into mine - I look down and it's an orange flavoured "Bobo Pop"! (lollipop/sucker). He bounds off up the dirt pathway chuckling and I find myself immediately beaming and so happy that Daddy God just gave me a lollipop - and from a mozambican brother obviously overflowing with JOY! - haha!! He SO knew how to cheer me up! I love you so much God :) :) :)</div>
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Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-13122982827876411642012-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:34:58.084-07:00Thoughts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Dear Friends,</div>
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Just felt to share some thoughts which have been stirring in me from recent events in the past week... and then were provoked into verbalisation from a question yesterday :)</div>
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I just had someone come up to me and ask where I'm from. I said,<br />
"Well, originally Australia." :)<br />
This person said,<br />
"What about now?"<br />
I said,<br />
"Everywhere." :) I then proceeded to explain in a very small nutshell where I've been in the last year or so. This person then said, "Well, that's nice! I'd love to do that! How did that work practically? I would like to do that. I love to travel!" </div>
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Well. How DOES that happen? (my heart screaming inside of me: it's NOT ABOUT TRAVEL!! IT'S ABOUT THE FATHER'S HEARTBEAT!!!)</div>
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You cannot plan this kind of adventure. The best adventures are not planned but are rather, fallen into. Or in this case, the best adventures come out of leaning into the Father's heartbeat. They come from desiring His presence, seeking His face. </div>
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<b>Why are you seeking His face?</b> Because you want Him. No other reason. You want to know Him. To know Who He is. Why He is. You desire His heart. His fire. His glory. None other. </div>
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Then He gives you a dream, or a directive. Whichever it is, or whether it's both. He gives it to you. This might be in a moment. It might be in a year. It might be over a number of years. It might be for -- NOW. It might be for the next season. It might be for a few seasons time... Whichever it is, the adventures comes out of the obedience. We seek His heart and His face, and we get consumed by His Holy Fire. By His radical love. </div>
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The radical love and obedience of the Son to a Holy and All Consuming Fiery Loving Father,<br />
The obedience of this Son to suffering and death resulted in <b>our</b> Freedom and <b>His</b> Joy. </div>
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It resulted in our freedom to become Sons and Daughters to that same, Holy, All Consuming Fiery Loving Father... it resulted in our enablement (grace: the empowerment and enablement of God) to become obedient to that Loving Father who desires that ALL men be saved, not just one. Who desires that ALL of Israel be joined to Him, not just some. Our obedience to His LOVE in this age... (which is a very small, very fleeting age by the way) results in eternal relationship with Him in the next... (which, is a very long, very continual age by the way)... It results in eternal blessings. Eternal favour. Eternal Mercy. Eternal rewards. Would you rather have riches and blessings and favour and comfort in this age or the next?</div>
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Let's join in the Son's intimacy with the Father, let's join in His grace and enablement for what we're called to, let's join in the calling of the Heavenly invasion down to earth (seeing His ways and His heart manifest on earth), let's join in the Son's obedience, and the Son's suffering, together with the Son's joy! </div>
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One more thing. Without Holy Spirit, we can't even know the Son and the Father to the fullness of what He is to be known. Do you know the Holy Spirit? Do you know Him as a friend? Do you know Him as a person...? Do you treat Holy Spirit as a person, or as a force? We are sooo blessed because Jesus left earth to go to heaven. If Jesus did not leave us, we would never have the Holy Spirit. Jesus could only be in one place at one time. Holy Spirit is with me at the same time as He is with you! He knows our hearts and our spirits more than we could ever know ourselves! He is with me. He is with you. We are connected through the Holy Spirit. And He is with the Father. He intercedes for us. He is our COUNSELLOR. Our help in time of need. He is a person. He can manifest Himself, His presence as a person and sometimes I can tell when He's standing on one side of me and when we walks into the middle of a group... but, funny... most often when I feel or see Him (with spiritual eyes) He doesn't go in the middle of a group... He tends to be alongside me... or joining in the circle... He really IS the helper, the one who comes alongside! </div>
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I pray you get released into the adventure today... by Leaning into the Father's heartbeat... by joining in the obedience, the suffering and the joy of the Son... by coming to KNOW and fellowship with the person of the Holy Spirit... :) He is always with us, but He makes Himself known when you talk to Him and talk about Him. Just sayin' :)</div>
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Major love and blessings to you today. I pray you flow in the Father's Love and the leading of the Holy Spirit. May JESUS be glorified and lifted HIGH! Email me with how you are :)</div>
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"Not to us,<i> </i>O Lord, not to us but to Your name give glory, for Your mercy and loving-kindness and for the sake of Your truth and faithfulness!" - Psalm 115:1 AMP</div>
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Serena xo<br />
Adventurer and Lover of Jesus</div>
</div>Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-53244295315835644212012-05-20T09:58:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:30:25.961-07:00Iris Harvest School of Missions, Mozambique<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For those of you would like to know more about what exactly the school is about that I am going to volunteer-staff at:<br />
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Check out these videos :)<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/c6oB0UTwNK0" width="420"></iframe>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cxzfd8rqiLs" width="560"></iframe>
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And these links!<br />
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<a href="http://www.irismin.org/missions/harvest/">http://www.irismin.org/missions/harvest/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.irismin.org/about">http://www.irismin.org/about</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.irismin.org/about/mission">http://www.irismin.org/about/mission</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.irismin.org/about/history">http://www.irismin.org/about/history</a><br />
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<br /></div>Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295578419153253414.post-70239630174466085112012-05-16T06:20:00.000-07:002013-03-23T13:30:25.964-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Dear Friends!</span><br />
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Well, it's happening! 2 days 'til I leave the country again for who knows how long (God does I know!)</div>
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My passport had a couple of delays but arrived this morning with the courier, Praise Jesus!! Now I can leave the country legally, and not only that but go to Mozambique for 90 days legally!! Once the June school and 10 day bush outreach is over, I will leave Mozambique for approximately 3 weeks, having obtained another 90 day visa in time for the 2nd school from October to December. In December I will have the privilege of co-leading an extended outreach into Sudan! Christmas in Sudan with the least of these who know where their true riches are! It will be a time to remember!</div>
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Right now my parent's living room is strewn with all my things, and I'm having to decide what is the most needed out of all the necessary things I'm meant to take. 20kg is the weight limit for my last leg of flights to Pemba, so I have to fit everything down to that. Some of the random items I'm taking: </div>
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- sticky notes and sharpies - it always helps to be organised and to be able to label your waterbottle!</div>
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- loong board shorts - so as not to show my knees while in the water! Some men in mozambique have never even seen their mother's knees. So it's quite important I don't show mine!</div>
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- Masterfoods mixed herbs - to add some flavour to my rice and beans ;) Or rice and matapa. Or rice and cabbage.</div>
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- swim shoes - so I don't get nasty coral cuts or sea urchin spikes</div>
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- bed sheets - Take all your own bedding! </div>
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So, Onward and upward! Inward and deepward! I will be spending 5 days in Malaysia visiting my mum, relatives and friends before hopping on a Qatar airways flight to Qatar - 10 hr airport sleepover! Then an overnight in Johannesburg, before arriving in Pemba for the last of house prep and staff meetings before the approx 300 students start to arrive... I'm ready for chaos!! Not to be chaotic for very long!</div>
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<b>Please pray:</b></div>
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- Long, long story but basically I don't have a working debit/atm card so had to have one expressed to me by the bank. They said it MAY arrive tomorrow but could also arrive Friday... Friday I am leaving early in the morning!! Basically, I need it to arrive tomorrow.</div>
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- Finance. For all staff members in need of it and all students too who are in need of it!! Some families are coming to do the school with up to 5 or more kids... it means plane fares x 7, at least! God is in the business of miracles and I have seen him do it before! He provides where He guides! Also for myself as I am still needing more :) My Daddy is Jehovah Jireh, my provider! </div>
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- Construction of the student houses! Again, this school is bigger than any of the previous ones so again, they are having to construct more moz style student housing for the students to arrive.</div>
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- JOY! and favour with luggage, protection over luggage, divine health, anything else you can think of :) :) :) </div>
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I am SO excited to have you be a part of this with me!! Many, many blessings to you and to all your families!! You are the beloved of His heart and therefore favoured and held close, safe and secure :) I pray that you receive everything you need today, whether it be comfort, joy, safety, finance, direction, wisdom, peace...</div>
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Lots of love and hugs, in JESUS because He is ALWAYS Worth it ALL!!</div>
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Serena x</div>
</div>Serenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01345581193838309025noreply@blogger.com1