Psalms 145:18-20 NKJV) The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. {19} He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them. {20} The LORD preserves all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
I am doing my senior practicum at Catholic Charities of Tulsa, but more specifically at the Madonna House. The Madonna House is a long-term residential program for pregnant women over 18 years of age who are in a crisis pregnancy situation. Most of the residents in the home were either homeless at one point, incarcerated, in an abusive relationship, or struggling with substance abuse. I am learning so much. I work with the same 6 residents every day, and will continue to provide case management for the next couple of months. My heart is at the Madonna House and for the young women in the program. The world of social work and social services is still new to me. Even though, it is my career choice, I still have much to learn. My heart breaks for the young women as I find out their past and all the hurt that they have been through. I want to reach out and help them in every way I can. I want to be their hero and embrace them enough to where hurt and fear can no longer reside. Why did they end up at the Madonna House? What led them here and why did life have to deal them such a bad card? Many of the past and present residents at the Madonna House had various people in their life do something against their will or even intentionally, which then led one bad thing after the next to occur. The Madonna House is a wonderful facility in place to heal and nurture hurting women. It is an extensive program that has a heart to empower women to reach their full potential regardless of their past. My heart breaks, though, because of the need for such a program. Nonetheless, what I am realizing, is the fact that John 16:33 is a faithful scripture from the Lord, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” The Lord hears the cries of His people. We are going to experience trials and dark times in life, because of the sinful world that we live it. We do not have to let those circumstances defeat us, though! For the Lord delivers us out of them all! There is a quote that I once heard that says, “Peace is not the absence of problems, but the presence of God in the midst of your problems.” Even though, it is still hard for me to hear the hurt and see the pain the resident’s eyes at the Madonna House, I know that the Lord is with them. The Lord knows their past and knows of each sin they have committed. “And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” –Romans 5:8. Even in the midst of our “junk”, Christ took out the time to sacrifice His life so that we could be reconciled back to the Father. I am no different from the residents that I serve. The Lord favors none. What I can be rest assured in, is the fact that Lord knows the cry of all our hearts. He is right beside us walking through every season of our lives. Be encouraged in that.
-Crystal Joy “CJ” Johnson-Bryant
Mercy
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Living Free of Fear
Living Free of Fear
While sitting here in my cozy chair thinking about what to write for our blog. I am thinking about how much I am not enjoying this type of weather nor do I enjoy being couped up indoors, it makes me depressed and weary.
However, I earnestly asked God what do you would want me to say for my heart and spirit is down.
In my heart I strongly believe God wants to remind me of his love for us.
A couple of mornings ago, after the recent snow storm. I had a serious plumbing problem that had happened in my apt. I do not own a plunger or nothing of that sort, and no one will be able to come out to service my plumbing. I was practically in tears and afraid. I called and woke up my mother at 5 am and told her the problem. We prayed and she gave some helpful advice. Her advice was to get a wire coat hanger and use it as a snake. Before I did that, my kids and I joined hands and prayed that God will intervene in this problem. I went to the bathroom and did what I could do with the coat hanger and water went running all over the place. The water valve on the toilet is broken. I cried out to God "What do I do?" Suddenly the rest of the water immediately flushed down.
Long story short, our plumbing is fixed!!
I know this is a little comical, but to me I saw God's hand helping a single mother with two children who knows nothing about plumbing, and took of care of it. This was another way he showed his for love for me.
God lead me back to one of my journals and on May 26,2008
I wrote, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. I John 4:18" and my notes continued...
"The only love that is perfect is the love of God and the way you get perfected in his love is to draw close to him and let him fill you with his love." Author Unknown
God has brought me through some dark and painful circumstances that brought me out of fear to a place of healing and mercy. There are times I am overwhelmed by his great love for me, that all I can do is draw closer to him and freely walk out in confidence that he is always there in my midst.
While sitting here in my cozy chair thinking about what to write for our blog. I am thinking about how much I am not enjoying this type of weather nor do I enjoy being couped up indoors, it makes me depressed and weary.
However, I earnestly asked God what do you would want me to say for my heart and spirit is down.
In my heart I strongly believe God wants to remind me of his love for us.
A couple of mornings ago, after the recent snow storm. I had a serious plumbing problem that had happened in my apt. I do not own a plunger or nothing of that sort, and no one will be able to come out to service my plumbing. I was practically in tears and afraid. I called and woke up my mother at 5 am and told her the problem. We prayed and she gave some helpful advice. Her advice was to get a wire coat hanger and use it as a snake. Before I did that, my kids and I joined hands and prayed that God will intervene in this problem. I went to the bathroom and did what I could do with the coat hanger and water went running all over the place. The water valve on the toilet is broken. I cried out to God "What do I do?" Suddenly the rest of the water immediately flushed down.
Long story short, our plumbing is fixed!!
I know this is a little comical, but to me I saw God's hand helping a single mother with two children who knows nothing about plumbing, and took of care of it. This was another way he showed his for love for me.
God lead me back to one of my journals and on May 26,2008
I wrote, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. I John 4:18" and my notes continued...
"The only love that is perfect is the love of God and the way you get perfected in his love is to draw close to him and let him fill you with his love." Author Unknown
God has brought me through some dark and painful circumstances that brought me out of fear to a place of healing and mercy. There are times I am overwhelmed by his great love for me, that all I can do is draw closer to him and freely walk out in confidence that he is always there in my midst.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sometimes it is hard to hear God’s voice.
Sometimes it is hard to hear God’s voice. Not because He’s being allusive or trying to get us to decipher some code in a message but because we make it hard. I know personally there have been many times I heard His voice and second guessed it because I didn’t have faith that I was hearing His voice or that it was even His voice to begin with. I don’t know why we as Christians, let alone people, always second guess what we know in our hearts to be true. I’ve missed out on some great moments and opportunities because of that. Had I just had faith, I probably could have saved myself a lot of toil and trouble if I would have just listened and obeyed trusting that God would take care of me and wouldn’t lead me astray. Its hard though because as people we like being in control and knowing what’s going to happen but once you give your life to God, He’s in control and you just have to have faith that He’ll take care of you. A big thing is that you have to die to yourself meaning that your control is gone and given to someone who will probably do a better job since He is the One that created us and planned our lives out. That’s the big thing I struggle with. I don’t like being vulnerable and feeling unsure about what will happen but God is such a good God and its almost crazy that I could ever think He may do something that would hurt or hinder me. Isn’t it smarter to give your life over to someone who genuinely cares and has an unconditional love for you and wants to give you the best out of life? In times that I doubt I reflect on Matthew 17:20 that says even with the smallest faith great things can happen but with big faith even greater things that you never thought were possible can occur. God speaks to us a lot in many different ways and if you trust and have enough faith to listen, he will change your life for the better and cause good things to happen to you. Have faith in God because He’ll never let you down.
-Barbara Filomeno
-Barbara Filomeno
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Mercy
M E R C Y
Psalm 86:15 says, “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
As a pastor’s daughter, growing up in church made me almost take for granted the mercy of my Lord. To me, mercy was something for the really “bad people”. I felt as though I didn’t need to cry out to the Lord to show me mercy. That suddenly changed when I reached high school and thought I had really matured. I made some mistakes that really grieved me and I began to draw away from the Lord. Although I felt convicted and asked the Lord to forgive me; I still struggled with the simple, yet complex truth that Jesus died for the sins of every person, including me. I struggled to get over my mistakes. A little while later, a close friend of mine went through some passages in the Bible with me. She began to talk with me about God’s love and mercy. She reminded me that when we ask God to forgive us and we truly repent; He throws it into the sea of forgetfulness. He then remembers it no more. After that conversation, I asked the Lord to forgive me; I truly repented and asked Him to help me remember that no one is perfect. I also asked the Lord to forgive me for being so proud, and not taking His word seriously when it talks about His mercy. I then felt His love so deeply like never before. I felt so much peace and joy. Tears came down my eyes as I thought about my Savior who loved me so much and died for the sins He know I would commit over 2,000 years later. When I read Psalm 86:15, it had a new and very important meaning to me. This time, I wasn’t taking His mercy for granted. I truly believe His love and mercy is for everyone, we are all sinners. This new meaning has changed so much in my walk with Christ. It has drawn me so much closer to my Father in Heaven. I am excited to be able to testify of His love and never ending mercy. I am so excited to share God’s love with the women of Mercy Ministries! J Osama Onaghinor
Psalm 86:15 says, “But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
As a pastor’s daughter, growing up in church made me almost take for granted the mercy of my Lord. To me, mercy was something for the really “bad people”. I felt as though I didn’t need to cry out to the Lord to show me mercy. That suddenly changed when I reached high school and thought I had really matured. I made some mistakes that really grieved me and I began to draw away from the Lord. Although I felt convicted and asked the Lord to forgive me; I still struggled with the simple, yet complex truth that Jesus died for the sins of every person, including me. I struggled to get over my mistakes. A little while later, a close friend of mine went through some passages in the Bible with me. She began to talk with me about God’s love and mercy. She reminded me that when we ask God to forgive us and we truly repent; He throws it into the sea of forgetfulness. He then remembers it no more. After that conversation, I asked the Lord to forgive me; I truly repented and asked Him to help me remember that no one is perfect. I also asked the Lord to forgive me for being so proud, and not taking His word seriously when it talks about His mercy. I then felt His love so deeply like never before. I felt so much peace and joy. Tears came down my eyes as I thought about my Savior who loved me so much and died for the sins He know I would commit over 2,000 years later. When I read Psalm 86:15, it had a new and very important meaning to me. This time, I wasn’t taking His mercy for granted. I truly believe His love and mercy is for everyone, we are all sinners. This new meaning has changed so much in my walk with Christ. It has drawn me so much closer to my Father in Heaven. I am excited to be able to testify of His love and never ending mercy. I am so excited to share God’s love with the women of Mercy Ministries! J Osama Onaghinor
Monday, December 27, 2010
So, I’ve been learning the importance and healing power of simply having relationships. Both types--those with the same sex and opposite sex. Along with the wonders that take place with just having someone available for support. I have taken for granted and under estimated support systems like family and friends. I became aware of how much I take for granted these support systems when doing an internship with the Mental Health Association of Tulsa (great social service in Tulsa, by the way). I was able to observe their daily program, in what they call their peer to peer program. The specific day this came to my awareness involved the leadership simply taking one of the people with a mental illness on errands for the day. This woman with the mental illness had no other family that I was aware other than her daughter. This woman was attempting to establish a “normal” life by getting a vehicle, entering herself into counseling and up keeping a new home she had. I feel I have been taught by society that people with mental illnesses are you know, “those” people. However, something the MHAT helps their clientele do is build their lives. Not only was it a major help for the woman in leadership with MHAT to drive this woman around but being that there can sometimes be a stigma when having a mental illness the fact that the clientele also just had someone there to talk with I sensed made a huge difference. Another part of the peer to peer program not only involved leadership taking this woman on errands but spending quality time together-- doing things like shopping, playing games, eating dinner together etc.
I share this information to lead into something I have been experiencing myself even more specifically, today. I twisted my ankle a few weeks ago. Foolishly believing time would cause it to heal, it has gotten in worse shape. Walking around a campus that the majority are assumed to believe in healing, I have felt foolish walking with a limp. It has caused me to slow down in walking because of the pain and it has caused much frustration. Simply, because I am a fast walker and also because I did nothing but walk out of the door of my professor’s office (after having a successful time of review) and it just gave out on me. See! Not a thrilling story at all for this little thing to cause so much trouble. On the other hand, a friend I asked to meet me to walk with to class to save myself the embarrassment of walking with crutches, not only walked back from our Chapel service but all the way to the dorms to walk with me, went with me to lunch and waited with me in the waiting room of the doctor’s office as long as she could. Once she left the thought crossed my mind “my little prideful self probably could have done without her all day but it was so nice to face this day, not alone.”
I look forward to just BEING with the girls in St. Louis and I pray not only to be just BE with someone today who needs you but I pray that you find comfort with someone just BEING with you today.
-Savannah Villarreal
I share this information to lead into something I have been experiencing myself even more specifically, today. I twisted my ankle a few weeks ago. Foolishly believing time would cause it to heal, it has gotten in worse shape. Walking around a campus that the majority are assumed to believe in healing, I have felt foolish walking with a limp. It has caused me to slow down in walking because of the pain and it has caused much frustration. Simply, because I am a fast walker and also because I did nothing but walk out of the door of my professor’s office (after having a successful time of review) and it just gave out on me. See! Not a thrilling story at all for this little thing to cause so much trouble. On the other hand, a friend I asked to meet me to walk with to class to save myself the embarrassment of walking with crutches, not only walked back from our Chapel service but all the way to the dorms to walk with me, went with me to lunch and waited with me in the waiting room of the doctor’s office as long as she could. Once she left the thought crossed my mind “my little prideful self probably could have done without her all day but it was so nice to face this day, not alone.”
I look forward to just BEING with the girls in St. Louis and I pray not only to be just BE with someone today who needs you but I pray that you find comfort with someone just BEING with you today.
-Savannah Villarreal
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Mercy
Mercy.
-(Of a journey or mission) performed or of a desire to relieve suffering; motivated by compassion.
-Intentionally place oneself in someone’s hands in the expectation that they will behave mercifully toward one.
-Compassion and kindness in our treatment of others.
The vision of Mercy Ministries has stirred something within the girls of the spring break trip 2011. We are learning the purpose behind the call and the heart of the ministry. Each one of us has walked through our own afflictions and have come out alive with hope. We are becoming stronger as one unit and are preparing to release a sense of hope upon the girls at mercy ministries. Not only to we hope to touch the lives we are going to serve, but we are also in hopes our own lives will be moved. I am looking forward to this process and what God has for each life apart of this team and the women at Mercy.
-Leah Sostman
-(Of a journey or mission) performed or of a desire to relieve suffering; motivated by compassion.
-Intentionally place oneself in someone’s hands in the expectation that they will behave mercifully toward one.
-Compassion and kindness in our treatment of others.
The vision of Mercy Ministries has stirred something within the girls of the spring break trip 2011. We are learning the purpose behind the call and the heart of the ministry. Each one of us has walked through our own afflictions and have come out alive with hope. We are becoming stronger as one unit and are preparing to release a sense of hope upon the girls at mercy ministries. Not only to we hope to touch the lives we are going to serve, but we are also in hopes our own lives will be moved. I am looking forward to this process and what God has for each life apart of this team and the women at Mercy.
-Leah Sostman
Friday, November 19, 2010
Learning to Love Mercy
"What does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8
*16 Weeks
*$14,625 Needed
I have been studying and meditating on the sayings of Jesus in the New Testament, and it has been changing my life. Moreover, the conversations with dear friends that are resulting from these practices have altered the way I live in and view the world. This group of friends and I are being challenged by and wrestling with various aspects as we seek to be obedient to the individual convictions of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives; and through this we have incited one another to live into the simplicity of the Gospel’s truths. The vital question that we have been asking one another is, does Jesus want us to take such words literally, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:42); “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? (Matt. 5:44, 46a); “Do not invite your friends… in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:12b-13); “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25). Oh how often we rationalize the meaning of these hard words. I am on this journey of trying to listen to Jesus more carefully and obey more faithfully. I really want to love the LORD with all of my heart, soul, strength and mind, and love my neighbor as myself. Yet, if I ignore the difficult sayings of Jesus, I am not loving enough, and I devalue the abundant life that Christ died for me to live. The staff that I serve with and the young women who I lead are striving to give away and serve more during this holiday season, because so many people are in need, including us. This is not a guilt trip, but it is the words of a struggling disciple of Jesus who is trying to serve and love God and people more faithfully and is forever in need of His amazing grace.
*16 Weeks
*$14,625 Needed
I have been studying and meditating on the sayings of Jesus in the New Testament, and it has been changing my life. Moreover, the conversations with dear friends that are resulting from these practices have altered the way I live in and view the world. This group of friends and I are being challenged by and wrestling with various aspects as we seek to be obedient to the individual convictions of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives; and through this we have incited one another to live into the simplicity of the Gospel’s truths. The vital question that we have been asking one another is, does Jesus want us to take such words literally, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:42); “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? (Matt. 5:44, 46a); “Do not invite your friends… in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:12b-13); “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25). Oh how often we rationalize the meaning of these hard words. I am on this journey of trying to listen to Jesus more carefully and obey more faithfully. I really want to love the LORD with all of my heart, soul, strength and mind, and love my neighbor as myself. Yet, if I ignore the difficult sayings of Jesus, I am not loving enough, and I devalue the abundant life that Christ died for me to live. The staff that I serve with and the young women who I lead are striving to give away and serve more during this holiday season, because so many people are in need, including us. This is not a guilt trip, but it is the words of a struggling disciple of Jesus who is trying to serve and love God and people more faithfully and is forever in need of His amazing grace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)