Currently Reading The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical By Shane Claiborne see related

For Africa next year I'm required to keep a weekly blog (funny xanga taught me something i needed for my future!) Since I have to post there I don't think I'll have much original stuff here anymore  but I'll try to import stuff but seriously if you guys could go to my other blog and read it, encourage me through it, there are tons of pictures, there will be stories and there is a link for electronically supporting me (i need $10,000).  Check out please....!

♥http://deniseeckert.myadventures.org ♥

This was my most recent post-

I've been reading Irresistible Revolution by Sean Clairborne and now

My heart...It hurts its jumping out of my body... I've caught a revelation

I was talking to God on the way home from school, and I asked "why is this so heavy on my heart..." and quite simply he said... "b/c it is on mine"

This is my heart-

Gal. 2:20 "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me...."

It's more than what we normally think... lepers in Calcutta whisper the mystical word namaste. There is in no western concept of it... its best explained as "I honor the Holy One who lives in you"... its seeing God in the eyes of a person- the lepers, homeless, orphans, widows, the poor... and I want it to be in my eyes, people could catch the a glimpse of the image of my lover... in me

When Jesus died, the curtain was torn, God was doing more than redeeming, God was setting all that was sacred free. Now God doesn't dwell behind the veil in the temple but...in the eyes of the dirty, the dying and the poor, in the ordinary and the mundane... in things like bread and wine, or beans and rice.

Look at the eyes of the poor, children, orphans... see look hard... look for God in them

John 14:12 "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father."

"the greater works"

" It's not just the miracles... miracles were an expression not so much of Jesus' mighty power as his love. The lasting significant were not the miracles themselves but Jesus' love. Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, and a few years later he died again. Jesus healed the sick, but eventually they got some other disease. He fed thousands, and the next day they were hungry again, but we remember his LOVE. It wasn't that Jesus healed a leper but that he touched a leper, no one touched lepers." And... that love is living in US! The Spirit in us lives in us

John 14:15-21 " If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans, I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them."

WE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST- THE HANDS, THE FEET OF JESUS IN THE WORLD!

Jesus warned people of the cost of his discipleship, that it will cost them everything! They have ever hoped for and believed in... their biological families, their possessions, even their very lives. He warned them to count the cost before following and he even allowed people to walk away.

"God comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable"

I think right now... I'm being very disturbed ...

I'm uncomfortable with the suburbs with America, with materialism and the norm. I long for something more! I will not settle for comfort

" Even if there were no heaven and there were no hell, would you still follow Jesus? Would you follow him for the life, joy, and fulfillment he gives you right now?" I am more and more convinced each day that I would. Don't get me wrong. I'm excited about the Heaven (desperately waiting with tingling anticipation). And yet I am convinced that Jesus came not just to prepare us to die but to teach us how to live.

No wonder Early Christians were known as Followers of the Way. " It was a way of life that stood in glaring contrast to the world. What gave the early Christians integrity was the fact that they could denounce the empire and in the same breath say, "And we have another way of living. If you are tired of what the empire has to offer, we invite you into the Way."

most don't give us anything to DO

And we forget

Teaching in James 2

5-7 " Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn't God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren't they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? But you dishonor the poor! Isn't it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren't they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?"

17 "So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

"Once, there was a small group of kids who decided to go to a park in the middle of the city, and dance and play, laugh and twirl. As they played in the park, they thought that maybe another child would pass by and see them. Maybe that child would think it looked fun and even decide to join them. Then maybe another one would. Then maybe a businessman would hear them from his skyscraper. Maybe he would look out the window. Maybe he would see them playing and lay down his papers and come down. Maybe they could teach him to dance. Then maybe another businessman would walk by, a nostalgic man, and he would take off his tie and toss aside his briefcase and dance and play. Maybe the whole city would join the dance. Maybe even the world. Maybe . . . Regardless, they decided to enjoy the dance." (From a newsletter of the SimpleWay)

But... that... that's what I want! I want to just dance! in a park, in a market in Africa, in the slums of Haiti, in the streets of Jerusalem, in the cities, towns, villages, big small, black, white, brown! I just want to dance, dance that invokes people, that inspires, that points them to the light that is within me. When I dance, its not it's the feet of Christ, the hands twirling are his hands, the hips moving his hips. People might chuck me out as a silly kid who wants to change the world- well you know what I AM! It's not just a dream or a foolish notion. I want to feed the hungry, sit with the dying, love the lepers, dance with the down trodden, teach people to fish so they can live, I want to LOVE on every single person. It's not my words that will change this world. I don't want to go to Africa to tell them about Jesus. I want to SHOW them how Christ lived. As an evangelical, the only way I know to invite people into Christian faith is to come and see. After all, I'm not selling something, its not about a some doctrinal statement, but its about really knowing love, grace, and peace in the incarnation of Jesus! Jesus did not seek out the rich and powerful in order to build his kingdom. Rather, he joined those at the bottom, the outcasts and undesirables, and everyone was attracted to his love for people on the margins. (We all are poor and lonely anyways) Then he invited everyone into a journey of downward mobility to become the least.

Romans 8:18-23 " Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us."

I want those in poverty to no longer be "my mission project" or where I serve! I want them to become my friends, and my family- with whom I laugh, dance, cry, dream and struggle. I want to come from servant hood and build genuine relationships with the poor, to have mutual love.

A friend said something about feelingly sorry for the poor the other day, and that made me think of charity. When people begin moving beyond charity and toward justice and solidarity with the poor and oppressed, as Jesus did, they get in trouble. Once we are actually friends with folks in struggle, we start to ask why people are poor, which is never as popular as giving to charity.

" Charity wins awards and applause, but joining the poor gets you killed. People do not get crucified for charity. People are crucified for living out a love that disrupts the social order that calls forth a new world. People are not crucified for helping poor people. People are crucified for joining them."

So, I guess what all my babbling...my hearts groaning -my mind racing, thinking wanting, dreaming of and thinking of ways to actually live this all out. Why I'm writing this here, has crossed my mind, its come down to Are you with me? Will you leave everything else behind? EVERYTHING! friends, comforts, hot showers, comfortable beds, the normal, your family, the American dream -the 2 kids an SUV and a picket fence. You maybe ridiculed, laughed at, spit on, looked down at, thought of as a fool. Are you really willing to follow Jesus if it means a painful death? Will you go hungry so that a poor little girl will eat that night, will you give up your blankets and shiver so an old man will not die sleeping on the street, will you? This is what is meant when Christ said take up your cross and follow me, sacrifice, leaving the norm, being a radical revolutionary who shakes everything up. I don't think until... that's how we live will we know Jesus words, why he came

John 10:10 "... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Are You With Us?

much Love

~dD~

" And this little revolution is irresistible. It is a contagious revolution that dances, laughs and loves"

Currently Reading Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive By John Eldredge see related

    IM GOING TO AFRICA!!!

that it makes God look really huge, but at the same time it makes things really difficult because there's absolutely no foundation for anything except Him...

            Jesus has called me to be a servant to the hurting, the dirty and the dying.  After I graduate in June instead of the normal college training, God has called me straight into ministry.  I am pumped for the opportunity that He has led me to be part of, the First Year Missionary program with Adventures in Missions. After an application process,  God has cleared the path for me to spend seven months in Africa!  I will be leaving September 12^th, 2007 for training camp in Georgia.  On September 19^th our team of forty eight 18-24 year olds will be flying to Johannesburg, South Africa.  The next three months will be full of new experiences, discipleship, training and internships.  After a month home for Christmas, we will be divided into 4 teams and sent to the location God calls us to.  Swaziland, Kenya and two locations in South Africa will be invaded with an outpouring of Gods love.  For the remaining four months I will get to do my own ministry in whatever God calls me to do, working with AIDS patients, orphans, widows, teenagers, the poor, the dirty, the forgotten and the people God poured out His precious blood for.

            I have longed for an opportunity like this.  My desire for the last six years has been to minister in Africa.  I will receive training and discipleship in many aspects of ministry and missions.  As I learn, I will also be able to share the gospel with those who have never heard.  In Psalms 37:4 it says “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”  My desire is to share Christ with others!

I beseige you for prayer.  For this to be, worthwhile, for me to survive... for Christ to work through me, I need to be bathed in your prayers! Thank You guys, for all your support, prayers... and LOVE!

I will miss you much

Love

~dD~

I've spent a lot of time in reflection the last 2 weeks, a ton of reflection... on my life, on where I am going from here, the future,

It seems like moments in my life stick out, and people with them. Those moments when the world seems right, when you feel alive, I find that majority of the time nature plays a key. Seems like God's nature makes the best backdrops and sceneries.

Its like you can look back on your life, and realize those moments, the smells that where in them, those moments when your heart aches, sometimes in pure elation, sometimes in laughter, and even in the sadness that rips out your heart

But underlying in each of those situations, there is something that makes them stick out,  Love. Its the people you were with, those people you love. And those moments that stick out when you are alone, it is the love of the Father.

The realization in one year, I may very well be in Africa, there is so much to that. I am jumping with excitement, and is I am having to hold back because I cant wait I've been waiting since the age 12 with the greatest anticipation for that day. The joy that it will be to serve, to love the unloved. To shine Jesus where he has never been shined before. That is the cry of my heart. The hard part is the other side, actually realizing what I will be

s a c r i f i c i n g.

I guess I had never really thought of the sacrifices. Thinking that I was getting the best end of the deal, being able to live in a foreign country....its AFRICA!

Its more then warm water showers, electricity, a government system that does up hold some sort of Justice, the freedom to come and go as we please, anything we could want is with in our reach and of course good food.

But, the things that I guess are the hardest I'm realizing...

I will have to sacrifice, those moments with the very people I love the most. My friends, my family, my church.

Last Friday it hit me, that for 9 months I wont be able to see Nick and Anna... there wont be any of those moments with them. We have so so many moments like that, and it seems like they just keep happening. I was literally cry to God about it, that night... and guess who calls... Nick and Anna... they had just watched Rent and where crying... God hit each of us  that night in a unique way.  Its when we were all crying... we had so much love and comfort from one another...it just became funny, we instead just sang random songs way off key... and laughter... the laughter where your sides hurt and all I could do was Thank God as tears ran down my face for those moments more and more. 

Then my parents, they have given so much up for me, and we have those moments where we may just be sitting in the living room watching TV, or a OSU game or even family dinner. Not having them there at all, no hugs, no crawling up in my moms lap when my head is bad, no long conversations, no dinner time. I realized I may have spent my last birthday with my parents ever.

And I wont be home next thanksgiving or Christmas. Imagining the holidays and not being home... is like wow, I realize my sacrifice isn't just me sacrificing, my whole family is sacrificing.

I wont be at church for 9 months, I love my church and those people, my parents small group. It the people that love me, those are the people I'm going to miss. 9 months is a very long time not to see people.

Its those moments, that make it hard to say goodbye for a year... or for the rest of my life. I'm having conflicting emotion over those moments. They make me love life, but it makes it so much harder when you realize there will be no more of those moments.

God... I leave those moments i have had, and all those to come... here and abroad... in your hands.

      

Currently Reading The Bondage Breaker By Neil T. Anderson see related

Delta...

My summer at Delta was indescribable,  God moved in such extreme amazing supernatural ways.  We ticked Satan off big time, and felt the repercussions, but Gods authority is so much higher! SATAN CAN NOT FACE HIM AND WIN!, the demons quake at just his name.  This summer spiritual warfare was fought so much over the camp grounds and over the life's of those the holy spirit was changing. I worked as a counselor for Senior High camp, Jr. High camp and worked Haven the camp for mentally handicapped adults. My campers ROCKED!... God blessed me, and taught me so much through them... im sure more then i taught them.  The Holy Spirt rained down from heaven on this camp!

AMAZING!!!


Nick driving me up in his Elcamino

The Amazing Hats Found in the Snack Shop

Me, Wolters, Neilson, Moses, Anna, Marianne

Sparky and my Senior High Campers

Brady and Susanna

Heather and I

My Junior High Girls and I

The Fallen (the worship band)

Joe and I

Paul and I

As we come today we remind ourselves of what we do
That these songs are not just songs but signs of love for You

As we come today we remind ourselves of what we do
That these songs are not just songs but signs of love for You
This is a holy moment now, something of heaven touches earth
Voices of angels all resound, we join their song

Come, come, come, let us worship God
With our hands held high and our hearts bowed down
We will run, run, run through Your gates O God
With a shout of love, with a shout of love

Lord with confidence we come before Your throne of Grace
Not that we deserve to come but You have paid the way
You are the Holy King of all, heaven and earth are in Your hands
All of the angels sing Your song, we join them now

Come, come, come, let us worship God
With our hands held high and our hearts bowed down
We will run, run, run through Your gates O God
With a shout of love, with a shout of love

Let this be a holy moment now, let this be a holy moment now
Let this be a holy moment now, let this be a holy moment now

Come, come, come, let us worship God
With our hands held high and our hearts bowed down
We will run, run, run through Your gates O God
With a shout of love, with a shout of love

Come, come, come, let us worship God
With our hands held high and our hearts bowed down
We will run, run, run through Your gates O God
With a shout of love, with a shout of love
With a shout of love, with a shout of love
With a shout of love, with a shout of love
With a shout of love, with a shout of love

Let this be a holy moment now
Let this be a holy moment now
Let this be a holy moment now
Holy moment now...