This new adventure before us. We place all our
expectations in Christ Jesus and Him alone. I find myself OUT of the box of
contrived ministry with its predictable and mundane behavior. NOW we venture
even further out of our comfort zone, leaving the confines of religion further
than we have even been to date. Not comfortable BUT trusting God.
We are not surrounded by Christianese word-speak in
our daily walk nor do we worship in predictable settings. Marvin and I are on
the move. That is our Christianity. Please keep reading.
I want to walk, live and move in Christ. How to
explain this? We are living without a Christian template of meetings-receiving concept,
which formed the early years of my Christian life. Right now there is only a
few of us and we ARE the church. We are moving in a
relationship-mentoring-equipping model based so beautifully on what Jesus
Himself embodied in His life.
How does this play out in the practical day to day? I
don’t attend a church but I am in Christ and my Christianity is alive and well
– IN CHRIST where it should be. For those of you in a more traditional setting
of church, well okay…it’s just not us.
For years, Marvin and I have been moving in Christ,
obeying, exploring, worshipping, in relationship with other Christians,
studying, traveling, and so much more. So very good – all of it. This last
year, 2012, in Finland, has taught us some powerful lessons. Our characters are
refined and our walk encompasses more wisdom in Christ.
Many people feel we are so BUSY in ministry – so OUT
and ABOUT, yet, in reality that is so far from reality in our lives. I have had
few, if any invitations to preach and minister over the past 5 years or more.
It has made me feel at times as if I had lost all favor with God but I see now
that is so untrue.
We have rented buildings in Finland and the States in
2010-2012, believing with all our hearts that we were called to equip, raise up
people and establish a spiritual house for God. Yet, in these years, few people
came to meetings and financial support was almost nothing. Yet we continued to
obey. Right now, in Rivers of Eden, after all these years there are only 3 of
us, a three-fold cord. Here I sit, today, feeling in sync with God but so out
of sync with so much else. My “ministry resume” seems totally void and
lackluster if success is measured according to the world’s standards. Yet, my
relationship with Christ is alive and vibrant, exciting and fresh.
So what now? It seems like I am always writing to each
of you something about our ‘new beginnings’ and our ‘new places’. We thank God
for all He has taught us for these past years. We have found ourselves bored,
distracted, broken, empty, angry, jealous, upset, discouraged, depressed, let
down, alone, lonely, impatient – and so much more. Yes there has also been joy
and peace and rest. For years He has asked me “Am I enough?” I said, “Yes” but
now I know, yes I truly know, my heart was not ready. BUT NOW!!!! I am – ready!
For what? I don’t know. I just feel ready to MOVE. I am prepared. In Him. For
Him. However He moves us out. I am very excited.
I am a preacher who has not really preached for years
now. Yes a few things here and there but not in the flow I had anticipated.
I am a prophet with few if any people listening to
what I feel God is saying through me. I
have no platform or iconic ministry conference but I persevere because I can do
no less for the call on my life is sure and real.
I am a minister of the Lord and a leader and yet,
there are few people willing to follow as I follow Christ.
I can readily see the reality in what I am saying
because pride has fallen away for the most part. Where there is nothing to
prove, there is nothing to lose. Selah with a big smile. I walk in my
imperfections day by day, knowing that He is enough for ME. I hold every promise that God has given to me
that I have yet to see, for He is faithful, truly faithful.
We leave Finland on December 6, ready for our move to
SoCal (Southern California). We are Nor Cal people (Northern Cali) so it is a
new place for us. God truly surprised us in this upcoming move.
My FOCUS based upon reality yet knowing by faith
nothing is impossible for God and in God.
Writing a book
Blogging
YouTube
Final Cut Pro Classes for more videos and advanced
stuff to travel into the nations with as God leads
Exploring
A New Website (I have the vision – are there any
graphic designers out there to do this for us?)
Social media such as FB and Twitter to keep in touch
with people
Waiting and trusting God to open the nations (Including
the USA) to us as He has promised
New relationships in a new place in Christ and those
who don’t even know Him yet
We will settle in SoCal – in between Orange County and
San Diego. I feel joyful inside for change feels good at this point – for all
of us. Up to this point, life has rarely gone the way that I have expected or
intended. Do I hear an amen from so many of you? Yet, I feel alive.
SoCal here we come. We leave Finland with no regrets.
We have truly learned a lot while here and perhaps, when the people are ready
for Rivers of Eden, we will be asked back to equip and mentor apostolically and
prophetically. Until then, off we go! Amen!
In Christ
Debra (& Marvin)
