Prayers, Werewolves, and Vampires, oh my!

Hola amigos (as if multiple people are really reading this blog haha! )


Well today I guess i have a couple things on my mind. First off I want to inform you of the AMAZING experience I had the other night. For a little background info, I've been attending prayer nights in Duluth with some friends from UMD for almost a month now, and the first two times a different family graciously opened their home for us to use. Well this last Monday night we were back at the Dillon's house (well this was my first prayer experience at the Dillon's, but i had been UBER pumped to attend one there!)

I'm so encouraged to know that there are families like the Dillon's out there. They are so welcoming and hospitable to everyone, and their hunger for God and His word is a great example for the college kids they welcome into their home!

We spent the beginning of the evening in some awesome fellowship, soaking in God. For those of you (again, I'd be surprised if people are actually reading this haha) who are not familiar with this "soaking" concept, let me explain! =D

As Chris (the mother in the Dillon family) put it, when two or more are gathered God is there in the midst of them. So often when we get together in His name we spend a lot of time talking about Him, talking to Him, but maybe not so much time trying to listen to Him and here His voice. Soaking is a time of just quieting yourself and trying to listen to God's voice, in whatever way He may manifest Himself to us.



Now this is something I struggle with. Quieting my mind. My mind is always in a constant state of turning, thinking of a bunch of random or maybe not so random things, contemplating one of my many musings, and sometimes preparing by thinking of multiple outcomes of a situation. and then sometimes my mind is just daydreaming haha.

Anyway the point is I have trouble just stopping and clearing my head. As I soaked, I attempted to focus on Him instead of the millions of things racking at my brain. Well it worked some of the time, I could stop trying of thinking about things, things to ask of Him, things to thank Him for, and I could find momentary brain silence.

But I still need practice on this. At one point I think I may have seen an image of the top of a windmill that was not moving. At first I was like, okay God, what the heck does a windmill mean? But then I thought about how the word "Spirit" can be translated as "wind". Perhaps I need a little more of God's spirit in my life to get my windmill really moving?? I don't' know, I'm still new to this ahah. I'll just keep practicing.

Well, after that we talked a bit and it was super cool to get to better know the people I've been praying with for a while.

Then by about 10, 10:15 we got to the praying part. We all stood in a circle around the one we were praying for, laid hands on him/her and went around the circle praying for the person. Wow! It was so incredible.

Now, I heard prayer at this house was intense, and I'd heard some stories about "hitting the deck". Hitting the deck is one of the way God encounters us, sometimes the power of God is too amazing that you can't even stand up anymore. Most people we prayed for hit the deck, including me. I didn't think I would but its hard to explain, God just fills you so completely the next thing you know you have no control over what your legs can hold up haha! it's so amazing!

We prayed for a girl named Rebbecca before me, and one of the ways she encountered god was an uncontrollable laughter! She was so full of Joy she would burst out in wonderful fits of laughter! Oh what a joyous sound!

While I was being prayed for I started up standing, and Rebbecca would burst out and I'd giggle a bit, being so happy to hear that joy! But Next thing I knew i was falling over backwards and was laying on the ground and I had some ab crunching, body tightening laughter just burst out of me! I could not contain it! The ones praying over me felt it was a laugh of victory, which is so amazing!

For me, I think I always underestimated the importance of prayer, but let me tell you, its one of the most important things! Through prayer we get to have conversations with God! We can make known our desires (even though he knows the very most desires of our hearts) we can ask for blessings, we can praise God and so much more! There is an amazing connection you can get with God and those you pray with, that only comes with the power of the Holy Spirit!

Another thing that was so amazing was I experienced people speaking in tongues for the second time in my life (the first time was at my first prayer night with this group of people a few weeks ago). How amazing is it that we can be verbal vessels, if you will, of the Holy Spirit!

All in all we got done at like one in the morning, but it went by so fast and I wish we didn't have to stop. It was such an amazing and rewarding experience, I can't wait until the next one!!! I loved being in the presence of other people who are so on fire for God! Its so encouraging, and its soooo helpful to get prayer and here their prayers for me: for my life, for my role on campus as an Intervarsity leader. Praise God for the ways He comes to us and for His love!!

The second thing I'm going to write about today is the new movie in the twilight series that just came out, Eclipse. Yes I went to the Midnight showing. I wasn't planning on it but one of my friends had an extra ticket so I thought what the heck, why not. Now don't get me wrong, it's an okay story (But it know a better one =] ) but the whole twilight craze scares me.

I'll admit i was sucked in at the end of my senior year of high school. I read the books, twice, and was intrigued by them. I let myself get too close to the story, like my emotions were actually effected by it. During the whole second book I was depressed like Bella, I found myself wishing for the kind of love Bella and Edward had, and stuff like that... just way too over the top (thankfully that's definitely not the case anymore!).

What scares me is that some people are drawn too much into the story that it becomes a sort of worship. Its what fills peoples time and thoughts. As I was sitting in the theater last night, there were girls, like elementary and Jr. high kids that were completely obsessed with the characters, drooling over them because they thought they were "smoking hot" and had "hot abs" or something like that. The crazed fans could probably quote a million lines from the books, know the names of all the characters, know the main points, know the story.

I couldn't help but think, but how many of these people have encountered Jesus with this much fire and intensity?? Is this what these girls think true love is about? Having a smoking hot body? Being so ,for lack of a better word, obsessed over the one you love that you are that bound to them? Now I understand that the majority of them were just teenage girls gaga over cute boys, but will they grow out of it? Does our society really give that much of a different picture as to what love is in other areas outside of twilight? I don't think so.

The only one that we are intended to be that bound to is Jesus, to God! God is love! The problem with Bella and Edwards relationship is that it is not centered in Christ! No relationship should be less than three, because Christ must be there! The only way any relationship we have can be anywhere close to it's potential is if it is held together by Jesus!

This applies to all relationships, not just "romantic" ones. This is something I've thought about alot lately. I've never really had any sort of what we would call a "romantic" relationship. I was kind of bummed about it on and off throughout high school and the beginning of college, never having a boyfriend like the other girls in my class,(and being completely inept in the whole general "boyfriend" field haha).

But I've come to realize something. My heart is not mine to give. It belongs to God. Before I was not seeking a relationship for the right reasons. I was seeking earthly love before heavenly love. I wasn't accepting the unconditional love, that surpasses anything this earth could give me, the love of God. It's still something I'm working on, but God has changed the way I think about it.

I now understand that all (there is that all word again haha, as if our seeking of the Lord is some easy task and not a day to day seeking and yearning) I need to do is seek first to fill myself with God's love, and if he blesses me with someone else to share this earthly life with, to pray with, to long for God more with, to grow old in His love with, then so be it. If not, so be it.

God's plans may be different than mine, but His are always better in the end. I need to trust God's direction in my life and spread His love to the world to the best of my ability (and of course I still fail. oh fiddle sticks I'm human).

How many in the theater (and the theaters across America) could quote the greatest story of all with such passion and love for it? How many are being surrounded with a craze, like that of twilight, for the story of Jesus?

Don't get me wrong, I get caught up in all the wrong things too, I waver and fall short like all of us, I lose my drive sometimes too! Maybe this is a call we Christians must fill! We need to be the ones to be praying for fire, to be working on our campuses, living intentionally, getting to know people and show the love of Christ in every way , in every are of our lives!!

Our time on Earth is unknown and limited, How are we going to spend it!!? Oh Lord stir up the desires of this city, let our hearts burn for you with unquenchable passion!!


<>< ♥ ♰
God Bless =]

Sometimes We Need Our Eyes Checked

Hallo, my name is indigo Montoya! You Killed my Father! Prepare to Die!!! lol I love The Princess Bride. Anywho, I Guess I've got a few things on my mind that I'd like to share.

First off, the other day I got some new glasses! (finally!! I'd had my old ones since the end of 10th grade of high school!) Well needless to say I had my eyes checked and I need my prescription strengthened just a tad. Once I put on my new glasses, I couldn't believe the difference the small correction made. I could see better! (not that my old prescription was that horrible but it was a nice upgrade). I've been thinking a lot about this as it applies to my spiritual life. You may be thinking what the heck does getting new glasses have to do with your spiritual life, I'm happy to explain what I mean :).

As Christians we are called to live life missionaly. In order to do this we have to be able to SEE in order to FEEL something in order to ACT. Sometimes we pray for God to give us his eyes, to let us see the hurts and pains and even joys in this world. As we petition for this God begins to open our eyes and we start seeing where people are at, to really feel for them, to ask ourselves "hmm I wonder what this person's story is". But sometimes this can become tiresome and very sad because there is so much hurt in this world. It can be easy to turn out heads or shut our eyes. Our "eyesight" becomes fuzzy.

We need to get our eyes checked and get a new prescription from the big guy upstairs. We are meant to see the suffering in the world, and in seeing that suffering we are called to Love as Jesus loved, to do what we can, when we can, the best we can. Jesus intentionally interacted with the suffering, showing his ultimate love and compassion. He then made the ultimate sacrifice by enduring the crucifixion, his death on the cross the payment for our sins so that ALL may be forgiven and spend eternity in Paradise with Him. We need to show that same compassion, and in order to do that we need to have our "eye prescriptions" up to date and be intentionally seeing the world through God's eyes!

Another thing I've been thinking about is this next year at Scholastica. Since I've been elected to be one of the co-presidents next year it's been a time of preparation. I've been trying to be organized and responsible about planning our new student out reach. Well yesterday at Rock Hill, we continued the "church on fire" series in the book of Acts. (side note, I'm absolutely loving this series, I'm learning so much about living missionally like Paul).

To give you a little background, last week we went over the part where Paul finally gets to Ephesus (the place he really wanted to get to) and Paul realizes he can't stay. He leaves Priscella and Aquila (the tent makers Paul is living and working with in missions) behind. This week Apollos comes into Ephesus after Paul has left. Apollos is from Alexandria and he comes in and teaches what John the Baptist was preaching and a little about Jesus.

The thing is, Apollos doesn't know everything he needs to know about Jesus, he doesn't have the full picture (but what he did know he was preaching accurately). So Priscilla and Aquila, Paul's dos amigos(they weren't Spanish though =P ) pull Apollos aside and give him the full picture. He then moves on to another city, I believe Corinth...let me check *switches windows* Yep it was Corinth. He fit well in Corinth and he helped those who had already been saved by grace.

Now, the thing about Apollos that got me was that he was "eloquent" and had "fervor". During the service we broke down the words. "eloquent' really means that he used great emotion. He could convey the feeling he was trying to get across to a particular audience and it was a powerful attribution to what he was sharing. It moved People. What really got me was "fervor".

We usually think of "fervor" as just a passion, which in itself is an okay description. But to be more accurate, "fervor" means a boiling over. He was so full of the Knowledge and passion for God and His word that it just boiled over out of him. He could not contain it! How awesome is that! This really hit home for me. This past year God has been moving in me and I think (hope) he has begun to instill in me this sense of fervor. I want nothing more than to boil over for God!!

This was very encouraging because as one of the Christian leaders on my campus this is what I need for preparation. All (all, haha) I need to do is convey with genuine emotion what God has done, in the world and in my life, and to fill myself so completely with God and His word that I can't contain it! Let it boil over! AHHH!! Its so exciting! That is what helps people! I wish so bad to be the person that Jesus was, to have the boldness and Perseverance of Paul, to be so willing to learn and have the fervor and eloquence of Apollos!

Yet I fail so easily. I get lazy in my seeking of the Lord. I know I don't read the Bible as much as I would like or as much as I should, which is dumb because when I do read it, it just makes me feel so great! Gah! Blast these stupid, sinful, human tendencies!!!!

What does help is music. I love music, just listening to the amazing gift God has given, to be able to create something so beautiful with just a voice and some weird contraption of metal, wood, and/or string! Probably my favorite thing to do is to blast some christian music in the car and blare it out at the top of my lungs (when I'm alone haha, i won't subject you to my probably obnoxious singing if you hitch a ride with me :P) or just listen to someone live and see their passion and love soaring out in song!

Praise God for this wonderful gift! But don't let pretty tunes and catchy rhythms take away the meaning, I often get caught up in the musicality and forget to really listen to and process the lyrics. When I pay better attention it makes me think and truely get the most out of the music. =]

Okay I think I've rambled enough, hopefully I've said something of value haha.

In the words of Red Green, Keep your stick on the Ice, we're all in this together! =D

<>< ♥ ♰

God Bless!

When Fears are Calmed

So today I experienced more of the same thing that we've had over the month of June....rain. Only today it decided to get a little more intense. Tornado warnings sprung up across the map, headed right at my house. Immediately after we heard the warnings on the TV, my mom called home on her way home from work informing us of the warnings and instructing us to get next door to my uncles house. (We live in a trailer and have to go across the yard to my uncles house to get to a basement).

I casually grabbed my backpack, put some things in it to avoid boredom and headed next door, meanwhile I began to think about something. I used to be deathly afraid of storms. I would bawl at the sound of thunder, the sight of lightning, or the slightest wind with rain. I was terrified of tornadoes.

One summer I was working for my uncle, scrapping the paint off of the house he rents out and then priming and painting it (that sucks haha, takes wayyyy too long) And while working for him I would stay at their house, and one day there was a big thunderstorm with tornado warnings. I didn't like that news. I started to freak out a bit and confessed my fear to my uncle. His only response was "why?". I think I responded with something like "I'm afraid to get hurt" or something along those lines. And all he said was "whats the worst that can happen? you die? so what what's death in the grand scheme of things" or something along those lines. And it got me thinking. What is so fearful about death? Jesus promises us eternal life with him! How awesome is that! If I were to die, I get to be with Jesus! After pondering over that for a while, my fears began to subside.

Something that also helped me along the way was the story of the storm when Jesus and the disciples were in the boat. (Mark 4:35-41) The disciples were terrified as the storm came up. Jesus was asleep and they woke him. Jesus wakes up, tells the storm to pipe down and then says to the disciples ""Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" This really hit me.

First off Jesus shows amazing power here! Look at the power of God, even the wind and the waves obey! Mother nature's got nothing against her creator! But most important is faith. If we put our trust in Jesus to protect us, he will not let us down. Sure things may go wrong, we will sometimes be hurt, we may experience loss of possessions from things like tornadoes and other natural disasters, but in the long run God works things out for the good of those that love him. This passage made me realize i need to have faith in Jesus during the storms in my life (both the metaphorical and the literal)

Now, years later, I can appreciate thunderstorms in their awesomeness! Today there were tornado warnings up the wazoo but I wasn't shaken a bit! I even walked outside down the driveway to check out how the sky looked! A few years ago I would be huddled in a corned of my uncles dirty basement next to the potatoes hahaha.

After the storm passed I went outside and there was a HUGE rainbow. Not only that but it appeared that both ends of the rainbow were in our field. Upon closer look, I noticed that the rainbow was actually a double rainbow, one right on top of the other! How cool that after what used to be my biggest fear, god gives me a glimpse of his eternal promise to never flood the earth again. God sure makes me smile!

I strapped on my sandals, got an umbrella and my camera and trekked through the soaking wet hay of our fields to find it filled with daisies! (i think they were daisies haha) in attempt to get a picture of the rainbow. Unfortunately, by the time i got out there the rainbow was kind of faint so I didn't get a great pic of it, but the flowers were a lot easier to capture (although I'm no photographer haha) =]

<>< ♥ ♰ God Bless

To entirely lack creativity I'll title this "The First Post"

So here's my first post. I guess I'll just explain the name I decided upon. Recently I've come down with a case of something. It's quite intense. I don't think the doctors can do anything about it, and I don't think I would want them to. I'm not sure what it's called but it has some extreme symptoms. I'm not sure what to do about it but I think I'll go and make an amateur guess that what I've become subject to......is an intense case of Joy in the Lord.



I am constantly noticing the small things, like some wild flowers on the side of the road on my 45 minute drive to Duluth, and thinking that they were strategically placed there by God for my delight. I see magnificent clouds in the sky that I've never noticed in these parts before, huge fluffy clouds that I like to call "the mountains of Minnesota", for that is what they resemble. I get into my car after church and my favorite song is playing on the radio. I see my 3 year old cousin grinning wide and giggling loudly, finding immense delight in something as simple as blowing bubbles. All these little gifts from God bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.



I tried using a name generator to find a good name for my blog, and kept coming up short. I searched random quotes, then quotes about love, for what is greater than the Father's love for us? But still, I didn't find anything I really liked. Then I finally used my head and moved my cursor to the right hand corner of my laptop and used the google search box to find Bible passages about love.

Many great verses came up, including the famous 1 Corinthians 13 (if you're not familiar with this verse, look it up, you won't be disappointed :] ) and 1 John 4:8 " Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (NIV) " which both really stuck out to me (and I'll probably elaborate about them in a later post) but nothing really felt right for the title of my blog.

So it then occurred to me to look up Bible verses about joy and wha-la, the very first one , Psalm 27:6, had just what I was looking for. "Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.(NIV)" "with shouts of joy" was the winner for me, it so neatly described my recent overflow of happiness, the "deep seeded joy" as one of my friends once put it.

As I have been changing over the past year, my thoughts have been transformed as well. Before my thoughts of God and Jesus were reserved for church and those rare moments. But now my heart has been transformed to constantly be acknowledging the greatness of God in everything I see! and it has brought me immense joy! What makes you joyful? I'd like to know =D

oh and here are those adorable kids loving the bubbles =]

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God bless