my Rhema journey

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the two years I spent at Rhema, and just all the wonderful things that the Lord did in my life in the time I spent there. I started thinking about where that whole journey began for me. I remember in 7th grade when the Lord spoke to me about a calling in the ministry, the day that it happened we had a move of the Holy Spirit at school and I was praying with some people and the Lord moved on me in such a strong way and spoke to me about my calling. It was one of the very first times that I really felt the presence of God that strong, and I remember hearing His voice as if He was sitting in the room with me. What is so funny about that day is that I remember telling the Lord that I would go into ministry and follow His call on my life, but I wouldn’t go to Rhema, I basically said I would do anything but that! The reason in my head at that time was that I felt it was so predictable & patterned for someone who went to MCA who wanted to be in ministry to go to Rhema after high school and I didn’t want to be cliché. It’s funny when we think we know better that the Lord does!!

Now it wasn’t until 2 years later [9th grade] when my heart was changed about Rhema. Chris Damico had come to the Rock and was laying hands on people and he laid hands on me and I just fell to the floor under the anointing and the Lord spoke to me [and again it was as if He was sitting right next to me] and told me that it was in His will for me to go to Rhema. As I was laying there on the floor, I was debating back with Him saying that I would do anything but go to Rhema, [it's so funny how we can think we know better then He does!] and He gently kept working on my heart that I needed to go there. I remember finally consenting & telling the Lord that I would go to Rhema & follow His leading. Little did I know what He had in store for me!

Now again another 2 years down the road, my parents & I took a road trip down to Tulsa the summer before my senior year to visit the school and see what it was all about. I remember being so nervous but so very excited when we met with the recruiter to go tour the school. When I finally got to be on the Rhema campus it was such an amazing feeling. I remember when I set foot on the grounds that there was this overwhelming peace and excitement in my spirit because I KNEW that this was it, I knew that Rhema was the next step in my life and knowing that beyond a shadow of a doubt did not come without it’s challenges. I still had a lot of times where I felt like what the heck was I thinking and when I finally moved down there, I felt like, what the heck am I doing??!!

When I left Minnesota to move to Oklahoma I remember that I felt like I was giving up so much to follow God’s call. I mean for a 18 year old to leave their family, friends, & my boyfriend to live in an entirely different state, in my own apartment, in a city where I knew only one person [my roommate], at that time I felt like I was abandoning all that I had. The greatest thing about following the Lord is that for everything you leave or “give up” for His sake, He will always restore that unto you & with so much more! My time at Rhema was the best time of my life, and if I was to sit here and write about it all, I would go on for DAYS!! The Lord blessed me with more then I could have ever imagined for following His plan. My tuition for both years was PAID IN FULL before I even started my first day at school, I was able to live in student housing [you have no idea what a challenge that is!!], I had a wonderful job that gave me an abundance in my finances, and more then anything else I was so truly blessed with some of the most AMAZING friends I have ever had the privilege to know and love. For everything that I had to “give up” I was so abundantly blessed & I still experience that blessing in my life today.

Everyday I miss my Rhema friends so much but I know that the Lord is doing such wonderful things in their lives. They are all such great assets to the body of Christ and I look forward to being able to spend some time with them having a little reunion in the near future! Following the call of God in your life isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but you will be so heavily rewarded to being obedient to Him!!! You just never know what is on the other side of that first big step that you have to take. If the Lord asked me to do something like Rhema again I would do it in a heartbeat because I know that on the other side of it is blessings for me!

it all started with one episode...

Last week Scott & I were having a conversation when I called him on my lunch break, and it went something like this:

Scott: “you are never going to believe what I just did”
Kimmy: “….what?”
Scott: “I just finished watching The Hills episode from last night on the DVR”
Kimmy: “Hahahaha…seriously?!”

Now I LOVE the TV show The Hills, just absolutely LOVE it! And since I have all 3 seasons on DVD and I DVR it every week, Scott has sat through a good amount of episodes and it finally got his interest peaked to the point where he actually LIKES the show as well!! Now this is really funny if you know Scott well because he is anything but the type of guy who would like something like this. He is everything opposite of that! So this got me thinking about how when you spend so much time with someone you can pick up their likes/dislikes, tendencies, and habits. Because Scott is married to me, lives with me, he gets 24/7 of what I like and how I am. The Hills isn’t the only habit that Scott has picked up from me since we have been married, so it has been an ongoing thing. We both have picked up new likes from each other since we have dated and been married, but I love that we are learning to understand each other & what we both enjoy, it’s fun to learn more about him everyday!!

So this got me thinking about our natural earthly relationships point towards how our relationship can be with our Heavenly Father. Just as in this case, the more time I spend with Scott the more I know him and can become like him in certain ways, which then parallels my relationship with God. If I am seeking more of the Lord, then the more that I seek to spend time with Him each day, and really immerse my life with Him the more that I will become like Him and know His heart. That is something that I really want more than anything else! I think sometimes in my mind, I can make my relationship with the Lord so much harder then it has to be. I think that it is something that is so much work to attain, and don’t get me wrong it is work, but if I just set aside time to spend with Him in His word and in His presence then it is something that will come naturally to me, because I will know Him better then anything or anyone else.

It has been really encouraging to me that as I learn more about my marriage and that relationship aspect in my life that the Lord is able to parallel that for me in the relationship He seeks to have with me. I just love that! I love that the Lord is always so real & practical when He speaks to us and teaches us about who He is! It is truly a blessing to be a child of the Lord!!!

give me the simple life

this weekend scott & i went to the apple orchard with andy, shaynah, & rowan and we had such a good time! i love the fall colors and all the fun things you can do in the autumn time! it ended up being a pretty nice day, and the orchard was packed full of people!! here are some pictures for you all to enjoy!






what i love most is that it was just a fun relaxing day with the family! the simple things in life are always the best & most rewarding to enjoy. in life you can get so caught up in things, and i really appreciate the days when i get to be me & have fun with those i love the most!

it isn't all about you anymore....

so lately i have been thinking about selfishness, and how in our lives we start off so selfish. i mean you look at a baby and all they know is self. they cry until they get what they want, because it is all about them, they don't know to consider anyone or anything else but what they want and need 24/7. as you grow up and progress in life, you loose the selfishness and become more aware of the needs of others in your life. each day should be a step away from selfishness, and a step toward selflessness.

i guess this was on my mind because one of the things i have learned [even more then ever before in my life] since i have been married is that it really truly isn't just about me anymore. when i married scott i committed myself to work at our life together. for me, it has been a good learning experience because i don't always realize when i am being selfish and putting what i want above everything else. when i was on my own in oklahoma, i could really do whatever i wanted because it was my apartment, my money, and my life. if i wanted something i could just go buy it and not think about anyone else because it was all me. i got accustomed to that lifestyle, and i definitely liked it because i never had to say no to something that i really wanted. being married is a completely different ballgame, not only do i have to consider my spouse, but i have to consider sticking to our monthly budget, and all the things that come along with working at a life together. it's a learning lesson of loosing the "me" and becoming a "we". it is something that takes a lot of work [as i am learning] but it is worth the reward that you receive. when i prefer scott in things, i see him choosing to prefer me and that blesses my heart. one act of selflessness produce another and it's really like a snowball effect.

it is always a painful process to say no to self, because really who likes to have to tell themselves no? but it is so worth it. i think about how marriage is only the beginning of a life of selflessness, because once you have kids and a family you really begin to say no to yourself even more then ever before, but it is something that i know also produces a great reward. i love that in Christ we have the greatest example of selflessness. He is always our ultimate role model! it is encouraging to know that if He can do it, that He has given us the ability to walk it out in our lives as well. each day is a new opportunity to challenge myself in my walk of preferring others, all the way down to the little things like driving in traffic, but i see that as i make a conscious effort to choose selflessness, it becomes easier to walk it out and really truly understand that it isn't always all about me.

6 random things about me

So, I was tagged by Sheena to write 6 random things about me, so here goes.

Here are the rules that he posted on his blog.
-Post these rules on your blog
-Write 6 random things about yourself.
-Tag 6 people at the end of your post
-If you were tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag.

1. One of my biggest fears is getting stuck in an elevator. I don't avoid riding them but I do get nervous if I hear a sound that doesn't seem normal to me when I am in them.

2. The only person I have ever kissed is my husband!

3. I am really particular about where things go in my house, or on my desk, really any space that is "mine". I have certain places and angles that things are placed and I can tell when someone moves it, even the slightest bit, and it drives me nuts and I have to fix it right away. I am not OCD although I have been accused of it by some friends who like to pick on this tendency!

4. I really want to do a lot of traveling and ministering all around the world. I would love to go all around Europe & Asia just ministering the word and building up the body of Christ!!

5. I have never broken any bone in my body, which is surprising since I can be such a klutz!!

6. I can't wait to be a Mom and raise a family with my husband! I think about it all the time, and can't wait to have my own little ones!

So I tag, Elizabeth, Casey, Paul, Christina, Karen, & Dean.
I know most of you don't blog, but I am going to make you read this post & leave it in my comments!! :)

a thankful heart

Philippians 4:19 (Amplified Bible)
And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

today the Lord really stirred this verse in my spirit while i was sitting here at work with everything that has been going on today in our world. here is a tidbit of what you can see all over the news headlines today, this one is courtesy of fox news.com.

with our country in a complete state of panic, and even in my workplace with co-workers who are in a shocked, concerned, and fearful state about what tomorrow brings, i have had a day to really communicate with God about what a benefit it is to know the truth of His word. i honestly can't imagine what it would be like to have to live without the word of God in your life. the word is so vital to the core of who i am and how i live my life that i can't imagine to live a day without it. in the days that our world is currently facing, thank God for His word! thank God that i can sleep at night and know that He alone & nothing else is my source. i can know that because i am a tither and a giver that my needs are met and i am BLESSED beyond measure!

as the Lord brought Philippians 4:19 into my spirit today, i almost was sitting on my desk about to laugh because i know that no matter what my needs are that they are met, and that is because i live the by laws and rules of God's economy and not this world's! my riches are in HIS riches which aren't wrapped up on wall street, or in any government bank. what awesome news that is! it is awesome to know that no matter what the situation, that i can trust & rely on Him to bring me to the other side with a liberal supply, filled to my fullest of all that i need!! praise God! so, this really got me thinking about having a heart of gratitude for what the Lord has already so graciously blessed me with and i wanted to remind myself of those things, so here is my list.

i am thankful for:

-my wonderful husband: he is an amazing provider, who loves the Lord more then he loves me, who is my best friend, and he is more then i could have ever wanted, or deserved.

-my wonderful family & friends who despite all the craziness we have experienced, love me, care for me, and supports me through the good, the bad, & the ugly.

-my amazing house: this is truly a God given blessing! what a beautiful home that i have with my husband, that the Lord was able to provide means for us to build, live in, furnish, and love.

-my job even though some days i don't like it, it is a provision for me to live, bless others, be a giver & a tither, and help to support my family. in times when people are having a hard time finding jobs, thank God for the steadiness that i have in mine.

-life & the means to live it: in times in our world when people can't pay their bills, let alone enjoy the wonderful things that life has to offer, i get to pay off what i owe, give to the Lord, and enjoy life on top of that!! for that i am TRULY blessed, and have my needs met, and have some extra to enjoy. it may not be the glamorous life of expensive things, but it is a life FULL of good things for me to enjoy. what a blessing!

i guess i said that all to say that today what the Lord spoke to me about was that not only that He is and will continue to be my provision through whatever tomorrow brings, but that when days look dark, and things look tough, to remember what He has done, be thankful for it all, and as you do that, you will see that your concerns will fade because you know and have lived the goodness of what God has to offer, and no matter what is going on in this world, that will never change, the word of God is consistently the same and will ALWAYS stand the test of time. thank God for His word and thank God that i get to live in the fullness of it!!

then & now:how we became one

so last week i was sitting in my loft, and i decided to peek through some of my old journals and it was really interesting!! for those of you who don't really know about the beginnings of mine & scott's relationship, this will be an interesting post for you!

i would really have to post a novel if i was to get into every detail about our beginnings, but i will recap here for you the best way that i can. basically scott & i first crossed paths back in the 7th grade and i was anything but nice to him. he was the new kid & i thought he was geeky, so in typical middle school fashion i made fun of him for being the kid with the cream backpack. this continued on for the rest of middle school, basically we didnt have much to say to each other and our paths never really crossed which didnt bother me much until one fated day. one day out of the blue in the 9th grade, while sitting in mrs. bergk's class scott caught my attention. i couldn't really tell you what exactly caught it, but i remember looking at him laughing & smiling and i was just drawn to him. of course, i was like what is going on? since all i had known of this kid was laughing and picking on him. as time went on i really just prayed for him & about him everyday, and sought God on my new found feelings for him. i watched him with admiring eyes from a distant and really got a big big crush on him.

as with anything in high school, this was soon followed by a lot of DRAMA. i had told some friends that i liked him and from there somehow it spread around and before i knew it most everyone had heard, including scott. things were said by people about him that he had said, some true, some not true and i was literally crushed. i tried with all i was to hate him but something in my heart wouldn't let him go. i asked God about it and the only answer i got was to pray for him. so that is what i did, as time went on i still had a crush on him, but my heart was more concerned about just praying for him, and whatever his role in my life was. a YEAR went by of this, and this is where i found myself turning through the pages of my journals, and i thought i would share some posts with you.

9/13/01
you know, i don't exactly know how long this will all last, whether it be a day, a month, a year, or forever who knows? whatever tomorrow brings, i am ready for it.

2/25/02
i was thinking of scott today and i've decided to FULLY trust God with everything, including boys, He knows it all and He'll bring that right one to me if i trust Him with it. i'm not sure if Scott is someone special and i'm not sure that he's not. i'm just trusting God to lead my paths and to show me the way, until then i am content being myself.

9/3/02
there is just something about scott that my heart longs to know, longs to be with, i know God has a magnificent plan for me, and i am getting to a place where i am anxious to know,but more importantly i want to know if scott will ever be in my life. i guess what i am trying to say is this year is the beginning of a whole new journey for me, an exciting one, filled with many God things, and i know God will and is taking care of Scott issues, so i just need to trust Him.

11/30/02
we talked on im tonight for like 2 hours, about like deep things, his life, my life, just things in general, but he totally opened up, and we talked about our families, and wow just so much! our conversation totally turned into a God thing! it's awesome! i cannot even say how extremely happy i am!!

12/12/02-the day after scott asked me out
i thank God so much for this gift He has given me, words cannot even begin to describe the contentment within my heart, i know that this is his perfect will, and that God placed scott in my life for a very special reason, and it is a very special relationship.

reading all these journal entries, it is just so wonderful to see how God's plan worked out in our lives. it was a long journey from then to now, and this entry was only a snapshot of what has happened for us, but it has been a wonderful journey of love created by our heavenly Father. i see then how i was able to really trust God and then i had no idea of all that would become of scott & i but my heart knew there was something special about us and as we both stayed faithful to His plan, He was able to bring us together. what a wonderful relationship we have had so far, and things will only continue to get better.

i am so thankful that we were willing to wait for each other and really trust Him in relationships. i love that scott has been my one & only, i love that i don't know what it is to be with any one else. i have been able to share my life & my love with my very best friend, and i am so thankful that God is the one who orchestrated it all. what a good Father we serve that He loved us so much to be created our love story so wonderfully.