Tricia's Painting

Nadia's Painting

Kate's Second Painting

Kate's First Painting

Erin's Painting

JESSICA'S PAINTING

Burning Bush Story

Burning Bush Story
Background
After four years of partying, clubbing, etc. (college), in May 2003, I moved home to Anchorage, Alaska to stay for what I thought would be a short-time- as my ultimate goal was to live in New York City, make heaps of money as a mergers and acquisitions attorney, wear fabulous shoes and fill my life up with the best lounges, bars, restaurants. After a trip to NYC in September 2003, I returned home a bit depressed. As one might imagine, it was hard to go from wonderful New York City to Anchorage, Alaska.

It was a Friday morning maybe the second week in September that I woke up absolutely sick of my life- I wasn't a praying person at that time, but I remember saying "God, I can't take this anymore".
Later that Friday, I received a call from a friend who had moved back to Anchorage and become a Christian when we were juniors in college. After a few months of her living as a believer and me living as anything but, it was clear that we had nothing in common and we had ceased communication. So her call was quite a shock[1] receive a call from her because we didn’t end on good terms. More of a shock was the joy that I heard in her voice.

I asked her how she could be happy in Anchorage and she proceeded to tell me how the Lord gave her the ability to be content; I was intrigued, my only way to feel temporarily content at that point was chilled Grey Goose and orange juice. Next thing I knew, I found myself asking to go to church with her. That Sunday, I heard for the first time that the Lord had a plan for my life and a few Sundays later I gave my life to Jesus and entered into the peace and contentment that I was unable to find through any other means.

Burning Bush
Around the same time of my “conversion”, I was also starting to apply to law school. After praying about what to write for my admissions letter, I started to feel a passion stir for entertainment, which I had realized was a huge pathway for me to live a rollercoaster-life of extreme highs and extreme lows; always searching for the next best drink, club, or whatever it took to make me feel-something…anything. Sex and the City, MTV, and Cosmo had inundated my mind with pictures of success, happiness (lust), and seeming satisfaction. It was amazing to think about the amount of influence I had given entertainment in my life. I had become brainwashed. My values and morals had been based on what I saw and heard; I didn't have very high standard to aspire and I was always left wanting more.

I realized that if I had access to quality music, good television and movies, I likely would have been inclined to make better decisions- decisions that would have positively impacted my life, instead of leaving me in debt from all the travel, clubs and drinks, etc. that I bought to try to make me happy.

And then I started thinking how I could help be a part of changing the entertainment environment. I wrote my admissions letter about entertainment and about how I felt like there needed to be more options, and as an entertainment attorney, I would be a catalyst for those options to come to fruition. That year, I was denied from every school, so I had to stay in Anchorage an additional year. The delay was a huge let down, but turned into a year where more vision was stirred for using entertainment to share His love. The following admissions season, I applied to 14 schools and was admitted a school (only 1 of the 14!) in Seattle, which admittedly was my last selection, as I was hoping for LA or NYC. In August 2005, I left Anchorage to attend law school with the same desire- changing entertainment. I didn’t see myself practicing law long, my real desire was to have my own production company for movies, music and television, but I knew this was my first step.

What are the scriptures?
Not sure the specific scriptures yet. When I was praying in preparation for my commissioning night, I asked God to confirm my desire to work in entertainment. I had started to wonder if it was just my own thoughts and imagination. During the commissioning a part of the word that was given regarding ‘a dream that burns in you [me], and it is not from your own ideas or from men, but it is from Me’ (not verbatim). I knew immediately in my heart that the dream was about the entertainment industry- it was my confirmation that while although I don't see anything moving yet, I had not made up the whole idea on my own.

What's in my hand?
After my first year of law school throughout the rest of my law school career, I worked a local television station in the legal department. I had a chance to learn the necessary contracts and other requirements for productions, talent, etc. I am especially excited about the Inspire group and having the Lord show me what other practical steps I can take. I still receive Entertainment law journals to keep updated on copyright issues and other intellectual property aspects as it pertains to entertainment.
[1] My friend later told me she did not want to call me that day, but the Lord kept telling her to call…thank God she listened.

Lena's Photography

Me and Karen Kingsbury (one of my leaders...my favorite author)

Kyle's Photo

Love is the key to any relationship! The rest can be interpreted by the viewer:)

Jonell's Photo

I took this picture because of a message I heard at word of life honolulu. A palm tree is a sturdy tree that shades all. I am covering my family and blessed to be a blessing.

Nick's Photo

To become a published author.

Inspiring photo: The Spirit of the Lord

Inspire Small Group End of Summer/Autumn 2009

Interested in being a part? Email me jen@inspiredstar.com.

Please watch this Elephant Paint

http://fun.mivzakon.co.il/flash/video/2344/2344.html

Then vote on the poll...

Hollie's Poem

Passing by
something catches his eye
He stops to glance
and then to look
He lingers here
His eyes appear
to be taking in
something sincere
He's drawn in now
really somehow
taken to a place
a different time and space
The colors are rich
breathtakingly real
it's almost as if
he could reach out and feel
the textures,the edges,
the scenic surmise
And yet it's only
a play on his eyes
For he stands now transfixed
on a remarkable pic
that he's so grateful
he didn't miss.

Hanging there
how could one not stop
and stare?

Kyle's Sculpture

Hollie's Sculpture

So, the way I came up with my sculpture was as follows:

I took the clay in my hands and began to form it and mix two colors together thinking that I would turn it into this ‘black’ clay that had been mentioned in our last meeting. The red and blue began to swirl together and it reminded me of many photographs I have taken of an image’s reflection on the water. With that in mind, I began to get a vision for this sculpture: It would be a simple (red) fishing boat with its reflection laid out over the blue water. Now, sometimes the reflection is a perfect match of its subject and other times it looks a bit like a jigsaw puzzle or some fancy piece of art in a gallery. In any case, I am not that technical and decided to go with the free flowing reflection. So, this is what you (should) see. And I chose it, again, because it is a subject I enjoy photographing.

A couple things came to mind in writing this out: One, just begin to step out and do something. Faith mixed with works. I caught a vision in doing so and then begin to work in that direction to see it fulfilled. Much like the creative process we are involved with through Inspire.

Elizabeth's Sculpture

Todd's Sculpture

Mark's Sculpture

This is an image of a modern dwelling with a butterfly roof. It will be affordable but stylish!

Lena's Sculpture

This is a picture of a husband and wife spending intimate time together reading my book on marriage. It's bringing them closer together.

Jesse's Sculpture

Angelina's Sculpture

My Biggest Phan- completed vision

I’ve learned a lot about myself over the years of being a professional writer and speaker. The most important is that I still have an issue with humility, and gracious as He is, God is really happy to help me with it. My most recent lesson took place two weeks ago with my self-proclaimed biggest fan at a marriage retreat.
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking at relationship conference on Princess Cruise Lines. I only had two workshops to teach and one evening session on a seven day cruise in the Caribbean. It was heaven! At one point I sat out on my balcony, this is the best perk of being one of the keynote speakers, and just said, “Thank you God! This is awesome! I have arrived. ”
Unfortunately, Mark couldn’t be with me this trip as he was stuck in Seattle working on yet another new property. It’s a little odd being on a marriage retreat without my spouse, but he was thrilled to be building the hip hop coffee shop, and I was happy to bring along my best friend, Rie, from London instead. I admit that I was pretty delinquent in my schmoozing duties. I only attended the functions I was absolutely required to be at and spent the rest of my time sunning by the pool.
I was starting to think that life couldn’t get any better when a gal came up to me as I was heading in to dinner. In broken English she said she just had to tell me how much my book affected her life. Phan was a sweet Vietnamese woman who declared that she was my biggest fan.
“You book, it change my life. My marriage save. Thank to you!”
I was feeling rather spiritual at this moment and Rie, herself a pastor, was standing by so I said piously, “Thank God. I just put on paper what the Lord gave me to say.”
“You write with your husband? “ She asked me.
Assuming that she, like a lot of non-native speakers , mixed up her prepositions I said,
“Yes, I write about my husband. Not only about him though,” I smiled, “about us and our marriage and how good God has been to us. How long have you been married?” I asked her.
She looked at me a little funny and then said, “I marry my husband for 20 year. But I no like him until 3 year ago when I read your book.”
I had to laugh as she began to tell me her story. She, like me, got married at a fairly young age, but she did it on more of a dare. Her father told her that if she cut her hair short, no man would marry her, so after she cut it, she said yes to the first man who asked her. He’d been in the military and they’d only been dating for a few short months. In her mind, if he liked her with short hair, he was far better than her father and at least that was a move in the right direction. Of course, knowing that you can’t build a solid marriage on a haircut, I knew her story would cruise downhill at some point. She said their first couple years were okay, but the fifth year to about the seventeenth year was pretty bad.
With shoulders shaking she said to me, “The only way we together is I no have time for new man. He take a lot of work to teach. When I read you book, I see how I talk to my husband is no good. He not like me to yell at him and call him fat. You book says to be nice, and he be nice, so I try. I say to him. You belly is not so big today as yesterday and he smile at me and say my hair not so ugly today neither. “
“Well,” I said, “It sure sounds like you understood the spirit of it. Good for you! Is he here with you? I’d love to meet him!”
“He having food. He say since we nice to each other now, he okay to be fat again!”
We spent the next fifteen minutes laughing with Phan and hearing her tell me over and over again how much I changed her life, saved her marriage even helped her with her relationship with her kids and especially her in-laws.
“Wow,” I told Rie after Phan left us, “I’m feeling pretty good right now. I never thought God would use my books on marriage to so drastically affect other relationships like that. This has been such a great trip; the Lord is really blessing me.”
“She did seem pretty moved,” Rie said, “especially the comments about how your book affected her relationship with her in-laws. Maybe I didn’t read that book or maybe I skipped over that chapter.” She said. “I don’t particularly remember any of your books dealing directly with other family members. Am I missing something?”
“It’s amazing what God will use when people start opening up their hearts,” I told her. “God can start by working on one relationship and before you know it all of them are transformed.”
I was in the zone. God was using me. I knew I had a gift and it was my job to share. I was the voice of my generation. I was about to share this with Rie, when I saw Phan waving at me from across the dining room.
“Oh, that must be her husband,” Rie said, “I’ll bet she wants to introduce you.”
Sure enough, Phan was pulling a rather bewildered man behind her still hanging on to his chicken leg. Slightly out of breath from pulling this larger man through the room she said,
“Meet the lady who change our life. She write with her husband,” she looked at me with her white shiny teeth smile, “Honey,” she said, “meet Leslie Parrot.”

Dr. Bill Bright

Growing up, Dr. Bill Bright had a huge influence on my life. I was inspired at his devotion to fulfill the great commission, and I was amazed at his passion and zeal to honor the Lord in every area of his life. He even wrote a contract committing all of his possessions to the Lord, which led him to be very generous with his possessions, and kept him from coveting material things. He and his wife founded Campus Crusade for Christ, and have seen countless people come to Christ both personally and through their ministry and work. He lived a very modest lifestyle, and several times, when he received large personal financial honorariums, he endorsed them straight to Campus Crusade for Christ. His passion and lifestyle would not be attractive to anyone with even a hint of worldly lusts, but to many dedicated disciples, he was a hero. I once visited the CCFC headquarters in Orlando and I met an employee who had a Harvard MBA and left a six-figure salary to work for Dr. Bright. At that time, my goals were directed to my personal success and reputation. This experience drastically changed my goals and dreams in life, and gave me a new example of what it is to be a servant leader. My goal is to have such a passion for Christ, that I will make bold decisions that will attract many others to Christ and the Great Commission.

Elizabeth's Painting

Jesse's Painting

One of my leaders

Karen Kingsbury is a leader in Christian fiction and I respect her as a writer and adore her as a reader. Though I don't write fiction, it's her heart that I most relate to. She has a heart to help relationships mend through her writing and she has a heart for foster children and adoption. Those are at the core of what I feel God's vision is for me. I really want God to speak through me and my writing to heal hurting people. I would love for God to speak to me the way Karen says He speaks to her. She says that God downloads the stories to her while she's sleeping and when she wakes up, she just has to put the story on paper. She can write a novel in two weeks. She says she cries at the end of all her stories because it's like saying good bye to a friend, which is why she usually writes in series'. I cry at the end of all her books too, so I guess we have that in common as well. If you've never read any of her books. I strongly recommend her.

Kyle's Painting

Overall the painting portrays a general explanation of vision the Lord has given me. I see myself leading many people to Jesus! My daughter and I pursuing the heart of God! Painting the Good News all over the world. Being a vessel that God can use to minister His healing, deliverance, and most importantly-love, to the ends of the earth! And, being people of prayer who are in tune with the ways of God's spirit that lives within us! Everytime i look at this piece though, i see more!

Lena's Painting

My picture is represented by my early poem called Precipice. I am standing on the edge of a cliff and I'm not sure how to get to the other side to fulfill my vision. On the other side is a group of people I will have the opportunity to speak to, as well as have my book published or at least visible to people so that as they read it, the Lord can use it to heal marriages. The grass is green and the rain is abundant on that side. On the side I'm standing on, the ground is dead and dry. I'm trying to figure a way to bridge the gap.

Mark's Painting

It's a picture of affordable modern housing in the city, and he'll use his income and influence from his financial planning firm to develop it.

Todd's Painting

Angelina's Painting

My painting represents the Kingdom of God and His will. I believe that God's will is found in His name, YHWY: Shamma, Nissi, Maccaddeshcem, Rapha, Jireh, Makkah, Tsidkenu, Shalom, Sabbaoth, Raah, Pater, El Shaddai, El Roi, Elohim...Zech 10:3, Ez 22:27, Hos 14:3,8, Ez. 34:11, Is. 42:3... too many to list! The painting is about influencing the world in order to establish His kindgom on earth which is represented by the white boarder; with Him ever present (represented by the throne-like white space at the top). The figures are people of every nationality, social, religious and economic background. Each one has coins (talents and gifts) in his/her hand, given by God. The plant and roots represent when talents are used properly, we see physical redemption of the planet; the earth is blessed, deserts bloom, and dry places no longer barren. Also, dry places being nations that do not know Him or have turned from Him (or His principles). Again, redemption Ez. 18:23, 33:11, 18:32, Is. 41:17-20. The water represents redemption of the land and waters. Dt. 32:43, 29:19, 11:12 Jer. 2:7-11, Chron. 7:14, II Sam. 21:14, Num 35:33, Gen 1:24, 1:28, 9:1, Ps. 104:24. The planet was given an energy that we are to harness and protect; it reverberates the praise of His glory: Gen 14:19 &22, Ps 148:13. Land and water are obedient to our words Ps. 49:13, Ps. 96:11. The land is sumissive to God and to man Gen 2:6. The promise of Gen. 3:15 restores God to man and man to ground! For me this represents physical healing because the earth is the Lord's "and God said it was good". Man was created out of good soil (adamah), created in His image; void of illness. I was a spirit who borrowed dirt, His dirt; originally perfect in His design, cursed by man, but now redeemed by the blood of Jesus back to His original design... good clean dirt ;-) We have been given power and authority to influence the world, by word and deed everyday. My vision is to use every talent I have to influence talents of others (whether it be ability, finances, skills) to see His kingdom; His good will, established on earth.

My sketch.

My sketch of my camera is really about what I love to do. I love to take pictures, capture special moments and create memories for people, especially those I love and care for. I want to use my camera to bless people. I love to look through the lense and capture what I see. And when I do it, I want to do it well. I would say my camera is an extension of my arm, but in this season, that isn't always true because I have two little ones who are. And I savor these moments with them. Here is a quote that sums it up well: The camera is a simple apparatus, even the most inept person can use it; the challenge lies in creating with it that combination of truth and beauty called art. -Isabel Allende

Where does my vision go from here...

I’m on the edge of a precipice. Not afraid to jump off,
not afraid to fall over.
Looking for a bridge or a ladder. What is beyond? What’s down there?
What’s at the bottom? I want to know before I make the leap.
Know it’s right though I don’t know it all.
Should I turn back,
walk away?
Should I close my eyes and just keep moving?
I need a breeze, a wind, something to thrust me.
Create me a wall, give me a push, send me over,
show me a bridge!
Toss me a rock, throw me a rope, grant me a path!
I am on the edge. Push me over
or send me back.

But there was no wind.
There was no rope,
no stone, no bridge, no wall.
There in the silence was a voice.
Small but strong.
“Did I not bring you to this edge?
Have I not kept you from jumping over or falling down?
From walking off or turning back?
I have brought you here. I have created your path.
You did not come here on your own.
Wait.
Just be.
I Am.”

Opening my eyes to His vision

The Lord just recently began to give me vision for my life. I hope that doesn't freak anybody out, i'm coming up on 2 years of walking with the Lord:-) He began to show me that all the life experiences i had gone through the first 30 years of my life, even though alot of them painful, would be turned around for good! David says in Psalms 90:15, "Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good." (NLT) I see this as a basis for ministry in the future. The lost need
christians that first, love them unconditionally and second, are relateable and real. That's where i feel God is going to; and already has, used me. I've also been shown that God wants to stir up the gift of creativity within his children. Having interests in many artistic areas and being an artist myself, i see much more creativity that can be used to impact people's lives in a godly way! God's creativity gets people's attention (saved or unsaved), and He's just waiting to share that with those who truly seek His face! It's impossible to describe all that's stirring inside of me! I see God's creativity flowing through, and spilling out of me like bleeding colors not only here but all over the world! What about music, film, architecture, photography, paintings, sculptures, dance, fashion, etc., that draws the darkest, depressed, bitter, hurting people in this world and reveals Jesus and His love to them!? God is not boring, and his ideas are cutting edge-defying the very logic of the most critical critic! My eyes have been opened to the people God has strategically placed in my life, and the directions He wants me to go carrying forth His vision for my life. I'm currently involved with a collective art group, having one of my paintings displayed in a show back in January. I had the privilege of doing a mural in a kids room at my old church in my home town. I was able to paint some tiles for people for the Rose Hill Cottages. As far as ministry opportunities have been presenting themselves. I, just like everyone else, have to overcome fears and keep my eyes on Jesus. That is where i feel secure in art, ministry, and life:-) So many verses speak to me daily, but a few that speaks of this vision is Exodus 35:10,21,29-35, "Come, all you who are gifted craftsmen. Construct everything that the Lord has commanded… All whose hearts were stared and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offerings to the Lord…So the people of Israel-every man and woman who was eager to help in the work the Lord had given them through Moses-brought their gifts and have them freely to the Lord. Then Moses told the people of Israel, 'The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsmen, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. The Lord has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. THEY EXCEL AS CRAFTSMEN AND AS DESIGNERS." (NLT)

Jesus Healing

I am working on a series of 18 black and white paintings right now that will illustrate all of Jesus' healings in the Bible. I have never painted in black and white, and I have never really painted people, but I am praying for grace and creative ideas! I have three completed and I am working on two others now, but I have a lot to do! I am hoping to be more inspired and disciplined to finish all of them by the end of this summer!

This is part of a bigger dream to use my talents to help bring people to Christ and to multiply what God has given me. I want to plant a church like the City Church one day as well, becasue everyone needs an awesome church like that! I want God to use my talents, but most importantly, I want to do what God is calling me to do, which will require more boldness and passion for people, especially the lost. I will also need more courage to overcome fear when speaking in front of groups and just be myself and trust in who God made me to be. I am also working on not caring about other people think about me, my personality, gifts or talents (whether good or bad), but only what God thinks. I want to be led by God and not other people's expectations! I am excited to see these things happen as well as everyone else's dreams too!

Jaime's Painting

Rachel's Sculpture

This sculpture reflects what I hope happens when I create. Though you can't see it in this image, the swirl of color starts at the top of the head and curls down around the back of the neck and transforms the arm. I wanted this to represent Divine Inspiration flowing down through my mind, out my fingertips, and pointing back to the one who created color.

Nick's Sculpture

I often see life through a lens of a camera. As I look closely, I can see my self in the mist, I am inspired.

Kristi's Sculpture

Jonell's Sculpture

Teach the nations, touch their hearts, with their ideas and visions.

Jaime's Vision

Background:
God has placed me in a position that I’ve been wanting. I’ve been wanting to be challenged in areas of public speaking, sales, and meeting people. These are all out of my comfort zone. When this job opened up, it was the perfect opportunity for me to take. I get nervous and anxious when I talk in front of groups, I am not the aggressive sales type and I hate bothering people, and I’m very shy when it comes to meeting people I don’t know. God has been working with me and telling me to trust him and to put myself out there and meet as many people as you can. He doesn’t want me to be afraid anymore. He’s telling me not to worry about who’s in the audience. Just be me and he’ll take care of the rest.

When it comes to my presentations, I want to be a motivator, encourager, and influencer. I want those students to feel empowered and moved when my presentation is finished. I want them to feel like anything is possible. I want them to feel the exact way God makes me feel!


Vision:
The bell rings and students begin to fill the room going to their assigned seats, looking around as if something is out of place or something is different. Yes, today is different. They ask themselves, “who is this stanger?” up in the front of the room. “Do we have a sub today?” More and more students begin piling in as it’s almost time to start. Still students are sitting at their seats wondering what this stranger is doing in their classroom today. They can’t help but feel he means no harm and has a calm, pleasant demeanor about him. Even though they don’t know who he is, they feel comfortable.

The final bell rings and it’s time to begin class. The teacher takes role and introduces the guest speaker, “class, this is Jaime Cortes” and explains why he is visiting their class today, “it’s about your future”, the teacher explains. I begin and as I talk about the possiblilities of their future, it’s as if they are transported to the future. Having glimpses of what it will be like in a career they love and are passionate about. A career that allows them to travel, have freedom, and enjoy the things they’ve always wanted. They feel like they are in a story. A story of their future. A future of infinite possibilities. Their eyes light up. Smiles and laughter fill the room. They are having the ride of their life.

Amazed at what they have heard, they want to learn and hear more. They don’t want it to end. They want that future that I have explained. 40 minutes have gone by and it’s time for me to wrap it up. “Okay class, now it’s your turn to make that dream become a reality! It’s time to take the first step.” The room is filled with hands raised in the air. Hands raised with questions about “how can I get that?” “How can I get what you just explained?” “I want it all!” “What do I have to do?”

I can’t help but smile on the inside and think, “Man, God is good!”

So Life is fun

Today will be fun. Challenging, scary, a lot of hard work, but fun. It is the opening of my show room and is marked by the production of Symphony Street, a runway show of this season’s line. Looking over the styles I am please and proud of the outcome. Simple reverence to the human body with the perfect about of flair. Um how pleasant.
I tackle the task of dressing myself for the big event. I commonly feel like if would be easer to orchestrate a whole runway show then build a personal ensemble. Perspective is the key to everything,
Soon I will step out of this house and invite a challenging, scary, fun day. My fine team of five and I will wow our visitors with on experience. An event. A moment. And a picture that will become a part of who they are. This is our chance to show our creations, a bit of ourselves and an atmosphere that is pure, holy and spirit inspired. Clothes are a brand and an image, just something that you wear, but they become something you use to communicate, something you “buy into”, something that defines your identity. This is what I live life for. An atmosphere to command for Jesus, an industry to redefine, a day to enjoy. Breezing thought the details of models, lights, colors, musicians….this is a day to remember and live.
So, I step out, reaching and commanding what is to be, doing what I see and feeding that hunger in the middle of me that calls unto deep.

Leaders I admire

Design:
Claire McCardell (1905-1958)
Claire McCardell is someone I admire for her work in fashion. She has been identified as the first truly American Fashion designer. She was a forerunner for woman’s sportswear and had a vision for a new look when everyone else was focused on making an old one better. Her look was simple but fresh and met the need of a changing culture. She created casual but sophisticated clothes with a functional design, this reflected the lifestyles of an American women.
She was met by the challenge the effect the war had on design. There was no contact with France, the world leader of fashion, and the war effort demanded a rationing of fabrics. These setbacks did not affect McCardell, who already was steering clear of French influence and whose designs made frugal use of material.

Calling:
Abraham Lincoln (President, Abolitionist, Changed culture and society).

President Lincoln’s life has many obvious ……The thing that admire is that he lived his passions and convictions. He believed in freedom so much that he was willing to risk a country’s economic base and political security to gain it. He pushed though an large amount of obstacles in his personal life and brought our country though an amazingly tough time in history. I know there are lots of details, possible motives and cultural influenced about him I do not know. But I do know that he had the spirit of God to influence this country and the world.

Spiritual:
Julia Loren

Ok, so I don’t know a lot about Julia, and I use her as a representation of the collection of people I have just begun to admire. They are the spiritual forerunners that seem to be putting pressure on heaven and are blazing a trail of revelation for us….my generation. These people are concerned with title, pressures, progress and expectations. They are concerned with Gods calling on their life and how it relates to the body of Christ. I see people putting aside so much and then living in true Freedom.

Julia Loren specifically has articulated the real spiritual world. Divinely showing the revelation of how the supernatural works. Her writing brings freedom and equips to fight and live effectively.

Long time ago, comes a time so far away

I remember the wood grain to be bit of a light color. It was stained with a very heavy coat of lacquer. I am not quite sure if I remember it being beautiful then, maybe its just now years later I realize how beautiful it was. The wind had quite a cool breeze, but more refreshing then anything. It was autumn. The clouds were gray, almost ready to rain. In fact maybe it was even misting, but so light of a mist it made it kind of delightful. We were rocking back and forth; I heard something flapping in the wind. There were loud noises and people around. But I had a moment; a moment where everything stood still, and there it was, captured, I had achieved perfect flow of the mind. I was fully immersed in this moment. I had an energized focus. It was beautiful and never forgotten.

As I stand here I find my self so fascinated with that capture. I am always reminded of it. Anyway, I must keep packing; we have a long journey ahead. So many years have past, not one part of that image has faded. So we set sail. Ready for months ahead with nothing but the world to sea.

After three months it’s been amazing journey so far. We are just making our way around the north tip of France, heading into the English Channel. A night passes, and here we are the North Sea. We make our way up the cost of The Netherlands and enter the canal passage that brings us into Alkmaar. What a beautiful sight. The water was choppy; it had a strong current flowing out to the North Sea. Wind was very strong. I will say it was very calming though. I could see on the edge of the land people riding their bikes, It was like I was going back in time. The windmills were still turning full speed with the brisk air. Up ahead I see an open body of water. As we approach the wind died down a bit. I call down in the cabin, “hunny please take the wheel.”

I turn around and I quickly became highly focus I get this senseless case of déjà vu. Its very strong, I drop me to my knees. I immediately close my eyes to refocus. I notice, still on my knees, that I am grabbing the back of the boat. I look up out into the water. What an amazing moment, it was so surreal. “Wait, this is the moment”. I realized I was here, and the moment I realized I made it. Yes a moment I have never forgotten.

World Changers

William Wilberforce: 1759-1833
“God Almighty has set before me two great objects, the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of morals.” At twenty-six years of age Wilberforce became an evangelical Christian, there changing his path forever. Becoming an anti-slave-trade activists Wilberforce acted out to end salve trade in his lifetime. There after he became one of the leading English abolitionists, and stared the largest abolitionists campaigns that we know today. Through trial and tribulation, in 1807 the Slave Trade Act was passed, ending all slave trade in Britten and its colonies. As slavery was still legal, Wilberforce set out to see that all slavery would end also. He worked his entire life fighting this; three days before his death, slavery became illegal. Known as Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Talking about a man filling his dream, a man that was denied eleven times and got back up every time. William Wilberforce is a true hero of all of humanity, an anointed and determined man that changed the course of our history forever!

Albert Einstein: 1879-1955
His problem-solving ability declined as his knowledge increased. Einstein broke all the rules in what defines a genius. If we live in the knowing, all that is, is what someone else thought up. He takes knowledge out of the picture and puts intuition into everything. The simple idea if someone makes a “crazy” suggestion in a meeting, no one says, “Wow, that kind of original thinking may lead to a novel solution.” Instead, they roll their eyes and return to the discussion. Is where we went wrong, we have been taught to learn the rules and use the rules that society has put before us. The theory of relativity only came form breaking the rules. For the rules set before him would of only lead to a lifetime of ideas with no meaning. As a failed high school dropout and struggled with autism he was no disappointment to humanity. He quotes “The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” This states: that what we know is not of importance, but that intuition is everything. Not only did theory of relativity change the course of how we live today but for some, it was how he got to he theory that changed everything. Einstein quotes in his later years “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” That leads me to….

Ron Paul: 1935-Present
Republican United States Congressman, physician, bestselling author, and two-time presidential candidate and the only man that has been telling the truth and has not been shot. He is a constitutionalist, libertarian, advocate for ending the federal income tax, scaling back government spending, abolishing most federal agencies, and removing military bases and troops from foreign soil. Rob Paul is no puppet for our postmodernism ideologies; no amount of money will buy his actions. We must legalize freedom, not strip is all away like we are watching happen. Ron Paul quotes “The obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.” One World Order would be a shame to all of civilization; there is just simply no freedom in fascism.

Confessions/Declarations/Expectations

I am an influencer, motivator, and encourager to people that they can accomplish anything they put their mind to.
I am a bold, dynamic, and inspirational speaker.
People feel the presence of God when they are around me.
I am debt free
I am pure, holy, and righteous
I will live a long, healthy, and active life
I prosper in all I do
I walk in Faith, every minute of every hour of every day
The Lord is my guide and will not allow me to fail, therefore I fear nothing because God is on my side
I exceed all my production goals every month
I leave lasting impressions on everyone I come in contact with
I am quick to listen and slow to speak

The Rachel Variations

Playwrite Steven Dietz revised the classic drama "The Sea Gull" by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, but couldn't quite decide how to enact the last scene between the two principle characters, Nina and Treplev. Dietz's imagination left him with 43 alternate endings. These were compiled into a new drama called "The Nina Variations." I don't know how my vision's "script" will end, so I wrote a few different options.


I

I slide the 25th sheet into its clear
page-protector and review
snippets of Truth
fragments of Light
hues of Hope
that I tried to pin on paper.

God and
I created

together.

And that’s enough for me.

I close the notebook and
put it back on my shelf.


II

She found it a while ago and
would not let me have it back.
She has a connection,
she said,
who might be interested in
seeing this collection of…
chopped & glued paper?
jumbled wordwork?

CREATEDNESS.

Editions, additions, subtractions
later—the pre-release copy sits
open in my hands.

God and I created together.
And that’s enough for me.

I close the bookette and
put it back on my shelf.


III

Someone gave it to him—
he doesn’t know what it is.
A strange picture-book.

From the unfolded binding
spill
echoes of beauty
shards of redemption
fragrance of grace.

He closes the book and
puts it back on the shelf.

And then picks it up again.

Serena's Painting

Katherine's Painting

Kristi's Painting

A Miller & an Elf walked into a bar—the Iconographer ducked.

This is supposed to be about someone who has done what I’m attempting—create poetry [verbal AND visual] to reflect Truth. I didn’t find a historical or cultural figure who did precisely that, so I’m combining a couple different aspects of folks who’ve inspired me. This is not to say that I’m the first person in the history of the universe to create in the way I hope to; my research was not exhaustive and, like any creative process, I just rearrange existing elements to form a unique whole.

Iconography—the depiction of God or saints—was deemed a “vocation” in the historic church. Just like you could receive a vocation to be a priest or a nun, God could call you to full-time service as His artist. Iconographers did not even attempt to start an image until they felt that God had inspired them with vision to do it as He desired. Iconography is still considered a “vocation” in some branches of the church—a holy art.
I want to be iconographic in that I want the images that fall onto my paper to be instigated by the Holy Spirit.

Calvin Miller grew up poor and fatherless in a dusty Oklahoma town. He somehow made it to college, into ministry, and through higher education. At a point when he was dealing with stagnation and depression, he felt God challenging him to lead a deeper inner life and express to the world a vibrant, robust portrayal of Christ through literature. He awoke one night at 2am with the first line of what would become a poetic trilogy. It was about Jesus. It sprang from focusing on Jesus. And it touched thousands of people.
I want to be like Calvin Miller in his exquisite skill with words and his capacity to cloak eternal concepts in earthly language.

I hope that, in my concoctions of words and images, I somehow express the divine. In The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien’s elves state “…we put the thought of all that we love into all that we make.” I guess that’s my heart’s desire and my inspiration to live up to the words of 1 Peter 4:10-11: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

Nick's Painting

What is this? I will call it madness...

Jonell's Painting

Rachel's Painting

Our lives, our world, even our morality, sometimes fade into greyscale... And I can't help but think that maybe we were meant to revel in a full spectrum of color. Redemption, Hope, Grace, Beauty, Truth, and Light spill earthward, and I pray they will find welcoming space on my blank pages.

WHAT I WILL DO

Spiritual: I want to grow more faithful everyday with God. Find payer and direction by God in everything I do. Seek purity and truth for everyday ahead. To never underestimate the willingness of God’s grace and direction he want to share with me. I want God to show me more vision for what he laid on my heart, to STOP human trafficking. I pray guidance for the awareness walk that I am organizing for Seattle. I say that thousands will join me in this! I want to pray everyday for my mom, dad and sister that they find Jesus, and walk with Him. That I can be witness to them, that their life be fulfilled and that they seek God for their purpose and to live that out. To never stop praying for my wife, that she is out there in the world, that she is safe and healthy. That one day I can be there for her to help her live out what God put on her heart.

Personal:
Short Term: Continue my love of photography; get better and better, never expect nothing less then professional work. Setup an art studio in my place; spend more time in the creative world. Take dance lessons. Travel to five new countries this year. Continue my education with a huge passion of mine health and nutrition. Grow closer with my sister, be an influence on her! Get inspired more, achieve more, give more, cook more, love more, read more and expect more out of this short but so purposeful live. Never give in, but always keep giving out!

Long Term: Sail the world. Spend time in at least three hundred countries. Restore a sixteenth century chateau in France. Own and run a beautiful vineyard in South America. Own a racetrack with my dad in Europe and restore a nineteen sixty-one three fifty six bathtub Porsche with him. Along with many others, stop child trafficking and slavery in my lifetime. Never stop making new friends around the world. With all this and I am sure so much more to come, I would like to find my love along the way.

Business:
Short Term: I am in the process of starting a privet investment fund. By May I will have it started. By the end of two thousand nine I want to have the portfolio grow past the one million dollar mark. I am head the manufacturing division for Do The Extraordinary a street-athletic clothing company, Diesel meats Nike, if you will. I want to see this company launch this fall and grow to a multi-million dollar company within the first year.

Long Term: To have passive income in all my business. To have it set on autopilot. To have everything I do and my energy spent not making money, but rather, spending it on fulfilling the needs God’s people.

Daily confessions: feel/ see/ speak

Here is an outline of my confessions. Each of these thoughts bring up floodgates of feelings and connection. This is what my 2008-2009 is hovering over……I want to land soon.

Me, internal/interpersonal:
To Trust
To live every moment in real and peaceful confidence
To take real risks
To do something once a day that scares me.
To discover how I am made to function.
I will be financially settled, enough to support others.
Spiritual growth is my main goal
To see others though the correct filter, eyes of Christ
To decipherer the emotions of interaction, seeing the spirit and not the issue
To be free
Outward not inward
To put the kingdom of God above all else:
Above my own ambitions
Above my self
Above my progress
Above my accomplishments
Above my pride
Above my past knowledge
Above my favorite things
To be in charge of my atmosphere, where ever I am.
To understand my authority
To let my passions overtake me

Me, tangible/professional:
I will pick an idea to place my efforts into
I will live in a foreign city
I will design and own a clothing company
I will sail around the world
I will create and own a hostel/hotel
I will adopt
I will speak French
I will make a piece of furniture
I will Travel to every country
I will be a pilot
I will be an artist

For the Heralds...

1. God redeems the mistakes of my yesterdays.
2. I have all I need to flourish in my today.
3. Jesus walks with me into my tomorrows.
4. The Holy Spirit guides what I ingest.
5. God's adequacy is larger than my inadequacy.
6. Christ leads me from Glory to Glory, from Grace to Grace, from Truth to Truth.
7. I am deeply, inextricably Loved.
8. I have a purpose, a hope, and a future.
9. I love my life.
10. I am not home yet.

Confess Jonell

· I am a business woman of God
· I see my business launching- all facets in God's order
· I see my goals being worked on to completion
· I am equipped to build what God has in store for me.
· I communicate in an organized manner
· I am a visionary
· I am debt free
· I give to my church
· My Godly husband patiently and calmly waiting

Burning Bush Experience

It was not long after I received Christ as my Lord and Savior that my experience happened. I was attending a birthday party for a friend of mine and we had gathered around him to pray. When we finished praying for him, someone said we need to pray for Joe also. I was told while being prayed for that I would be in dark places of prisons, where only I would be able to bring light into dark. I would set captives free. At that time, I had no clue what that meant. I wanted to be ministry, but not that type!
So, three years later I am finally ready to do what the Lord asked of me. :)
I started attending Prison ministry thinking this is what the Lord wanted me to do. I found fulfillment from this, but it was not what the Lord had in mind. On my way home from a ministry session, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, I want you to go into the prison son and reach the people that do not know me. I said Lord I am doing what you asked of me. I thought prison ministry is what you wanted. The Lord replied and said, there are people that do not know me and need me inside the prison where I can not get to. You have to get to them for me son. I was like how? He said I want you to become an officer and work for me inside the prison. I replied with if you can get me in God, I will do what you ask of me. Thinking in my fleshly self, there is no way they are gonna hire a tattooed guy like me!
Well.... God is a VERY BIG GOD! and......
I am currently working as a Correctional Officer at Monroe Prison.
I would like to mention that it was prophesied numerous times that I was to do this. I just did not understand it would be literally!

The only scripture that the Lord had laid on my heart and its my life verse! Its what drives me to keep going when I don't want to!
Hebrews 13:3
Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

God has put the entire prison in my hand right now! I am a soldier for Christ, and I will not be afraid. He has equipped me to do the work of the ministry. I am given the body armor of Christ, that I put on each morning before entering into the facility. I am there to deliver and set free the captives. The Lord is my strength!

Trust

Trust

I can’t remember the specific date, but I believe it was in May or June of 2008, just about 1 month after I became saved, when God was pressing the idea on me of brining the Renew training team closer together. We called ourselves a team, but it felt like there was so much division and selfishness. We all enjoyed working with eachother, but we would only help eachother out when it would benefit us. I was part of the management team and we would have weekly meetings on all aspects of the business. This is where I felt the biggest challenge was. It was myself, the general manager, and the two owners. I felt so much negativity in those meetings and there was a lack of trust. I simply didn’t trust anyone, even though I loved the guys and enjoyed working with them. This lack of trust had been building up for several months and I would pray about it on my way to work and on my way home because I felt so much un-easyness about it. God spoke to me to lead a team meeting on Trust. About this time, I was required by management to lead 1 meeting per month with all staff and management. This was God giving me the opportunity to lead.

So I prayed about it and I bought a great book on trust and read it for several days before the meeting to help me get some ideas on what to talk about and some exercises to do during the meeting. I didn’t have much confidence and wasn’t comfortable up in front of people and the whole time I felt like I was jumping around, my ideas were scattered, and it was choppy. One of the owners had to jump in a few times to help me get through the meeting. It was an okay meeting and I got some constructive feedback by one of the owner after the meeting. From this, I felt God was very proud of me, even though I didn’t feel so good about it, because no one else had talked about this issue with the team before.

I continued to pray about it for the next few weeks because I knew I wasn’t finished talking about it and I didn’t get the message that God wanted me to get acrossed. Finally, it was time for me to lead again and this time I was even more prepared. I asked God to be with me and give me confidence to speak and be bold. I won’t go into all the details but basically I had confidence, the meeting went smooth, everyone was involved, and it got the team thinking about how they can become a better teammate. Trust takes time and it requires humility and vulnerability. Jesus demonstrated humility to it’s finest. If someone wants to lead a group, that leader has to demonstrate humility and vulnerability. I gave the team examples of my vulnerabilities because I wanted them to know that I needed them to help me as a teammate and to break down any barriers that we may have. After the meeting, I got called into the office by the owners, again, and this time their reaction is not what I had expected. I got hugs and hand shakes and was told that that was the best meeting they’ve had in years. I thought wow! I knew God was with me and he gave me the confidence to get up in front of the group and deliver that message of Trust.

After that, the team just seemed to bond together and we were stonger. That was the last time I gave a meeting on Trust, but it shouldn’t have been the last. Trust is a process and is ongoing, but we eliminated the weekly meetings and turned them into monthly meetings. I knew God wasn’t finished with me on giving that message, but I let other circumstances get in the way.
When I left Renew for my current job, it was a very difficult decision because I felt in one sense that God wanted me to stay to finish what I started, but this job was everything that I had been praying for.

2. What scriptures has God given to you pertaining to this vision or idea?
1 Timothy 4:12-16
“12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers In word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laing on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress amy be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”


3. What has God put in your hand to do right now?
God has given me this new job to speak and empower students. I feel blessed to have a great job and I get to inspire students to go onto higher education. I feel that He wants me to be an example to the students. Not sure how long the Lord will have me doing this, but I feel he has me here because he is preparing me for the the next step. Maybe it has to deal with youth or maybe he wants me to get back into Education????

IT IS QUITE SIMPLE

It is quite simple - in my lifetime along with thousands of others throughout this world, I want to end sex trafficking. The abduction of young girls being thrown into filthy brothels, striped down to bare skin, forced to intoxicate them self’s so they can be sexily abused and raped for a small price. Not just once a day, but over and over and over again. If you live in the greater Seattle area there are seven hundred women being sold every night in your backyard, two hundred of them are under the age of fourteen.

This is the largest growing business in the world. It is simply one of the most heinous and evil crimes on the face of this earth. It is expected it be the largest industry in the world in the matter of years. We CANNOT sit back any longer. It is not about making shelters and putting bandages on the problems. We cannot relay on government to take proper action. These are precious women and children of God. Its time to track, arrest and put behind bars anyone who fuels this industry. The roots start with the unawareness of the issue, along with acceptance of societies naiveté. It is time to chance that.

On the most privet level of bank instrument trading there are trillions of dollars being trading ever day to help raise money for big government projects. The governments pay extremely high rates to borrow this money. This business is a multi-trillion dollars global non-corrupt banking miracle. After the day trades the investor yields a very high return. We are not talking investors with a few million but rather a few hundred million. That adds up to daily profits in the fifty million plus range. This is where the miracle comes in; these highly regulated platforms are not made to make a multi-millionaire a billionaire overnight. Only thirty percent of the proceeds are used and added to the investor’s portfolio. These platforms are to add billions and billions of dollars in the privet sector. These are how billion dollar humanitarian projects get funded without government help.

This system dates back hundreds of years. It is simply the most pristine and largest business in the world. It helps government get money needed to do such projects and it helps put billions of dollars a day back into the world through all types to humanitarian projects. With very few mandators allocating this money towards human trafficking. I see vision and direction to change that. That is simply what I am going to do.

So the way I see is, it is not if, but when. When is the day, when millions upon millions of dollars can go directly to this problem? No more million here a million there fighting this crime, but billions over the course of our lifetime fighting and ending this evil, evil crime. Jesus says, “ Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes Lord (Matthew 9:28)?”, not a doubt in my mind!!

A little History

I realize I am in search of my “next” Burning bush experience. I was flipping though my pasts experiences and see that everything about my calling has been a process, shaping it a layer at a time.

I first pondered the idea of design and something in the creative due to my Mom’s encouragement. She probably saw though the rough and pulled on those little strings. I would be called to the room when ice skating was on the TV, or pulled aside to talk to someone she met that had an interesting creative career. When in Collage I took a required career development class. Through that I deducted that I either wanted to be Fashion Designer or a Pilot. Consequently I was frustrated; I think I was hoping of a tighter range of interested.

After seeing that I was at a standstill, not really knowing where God had called me, I went with what I really knew. That was that I wanted to do God’s will and so I followed my peace and came to Seattle to do the City Church Interns. During my first two years in Seattle I felt, what I would consider, the first sketch of my calling. One by one the mosaic pieces of my “dream” have started to fill in. First I felt called to change the fashion/art industry. I could see a society changed because truth was spoken in the head places of creative design. So, I have been going down that path of applying myself. I happily discovered that my technical skills, that I first saw so distant from my creative, are perfectly pair.

God has added other “loves” to my life. He started with the desire to have a hand in humanitarian aid, and most recently the thought of true freedom. I desire, more then anything, to see people free on a physical level and on a spirit level. Again, it seems that my two main passions are far apart. But I know they will meld beautifully because “normal” is not something I expect in my life anymore.

I don’t really have a scripture to place all of this on but I will look into it.

Right now I am in a fashion design career and am currently growing in that. I know that my favorite creative moments are when I am establishing an atmosphere, whether that is throwing a party or just planning an excursion. This is something I am just starting to develop……I am definitely looking for a burning bush moment here to bring it all together.

Burning Bush

I just graduated from college and had no idea what to do, where to go. I packed my apartment and went to Hawaii. When I “tried” to get advice from my family, the answer was “just get a job.”

I was sitting in my Aunt’s house back in the summer of 2003. I was helping her with her company- who knew she was helping me with mine. Whoa!

I was raised in a Catholic environment, went to religious schools, grade school, high school, and college. I had no idea what I wanted to do after college. I got a degree, now what. The internet world grew so fast, it exploded. That was my degree- internet businesses and information systems. I have been looking for a job for the past six years- a job that I would jump out of bed every morning excited to work and be a blessing to others. Every job I worked, I always felt that I am not using my whole self or lately I have been getting bored a week into the assignment. Argh!

Long story short, a month ago, I reconnected with my aunt and a prophetic word was reaffirmed. I am to start a business. The “business” is still being birthed and blue printed- privy information.

My desire is to help people. My heart wants me to be a blessing.

Scriptures!

Habbakuk 2: 2-3 The Message

2-3And then God answered: "Write this.
Write what you see.
Write it out in big block letters
so that it can be read on the run.
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what's coming.
It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait!
And it doesn't lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It's on its way. It will come right on time.

Matthew 25:14-30 – The Message

19-21"After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: 'Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.'


What is in my hand?

I am diligently planning out my business, meditating on what is written. I am pursuing an Accounting certificate in the summer- the application opens on February 2nd, I plan to have my paperwork submitted on the 2nd. This certificate will allow me to sit for my CPA exam. I am working on networking meetings in the business world.

I am not committed in an area of service at church. I am praying on a new area.

The story of my story

A bunch of winging spoilt kids. A bunch of of non-winging and non-spoilt kids. The friction and contrast between these two groups created my burning bush experience.

I spent five years of my life working with young people ranging from the abused, rejected, seriously mistreated to your average, everyday issues young person. There was no doubt that I loved my job but it was hard. Emotionally these young people where always able to find that soft or even damaged place inside of you and aggravate it. The story of their lives and the direction they were walking in challenged my faith. Their emotional state trigger my own hurt and painful history. It was a beautifully challenging job.

My position at that particular time was working directly with 'at risk' young people in a residential setting (a half way house, a youth refuge). 'At risk' was a term used to describe those who are endanger of hurting themselves through self harm, drug abuse, promiscuous behaviour, bad decision after bad decision. After about a year, when I had been there long enough to see the comings and goings of many young people, I began to get frustrated at the pattern I was seeing. There is a culture among the kids that call the refuge system home, an extremely detrimental culture. A young person would come, kicked out or removed from their family or simply a runaway, they would encounter such a negative culture among the other residents at the house and spiral downwards. They would then eventually break too many rules at the refuge and be 'exicted' to continue onto another refuge where the cycle would begin again.

It made me angry. These young people had been given a second change, a roof over their head and amazing workers that would bend over backwards to help them. Yet rarely did they reach out for the opporunity at hand. Instead they chose to follow the behaviour of the other people in the refuge, competing for attention to see who could self harm the most, take the most drugs, miss their day program, steal. It seemed like every service and every youth worker was at their disposal but they dropped it all to the ground.

Around this frustrating time I saw the movie documentary Invisible Children. This film told the story of Ugandan young people who were stolen from their family by war rebels and forced to do unspeakable things. The young men where forced to kill their friends or be killed themselves turning them into war machines. The young women too where forced to fight or repeatably raped and made to marry rebel leaders. They had to fight a useless war that has lasted for years. The games of innocent childhood were replaced by killing, raping and stealing.

In the closing scenes of the documentary it shed a beautiful light on the issue. Children that where rescued were able to be rehabilitated. Granted, not all where able to rebound as easily as others but there was hope. What was apparent was the thirst many of them had to harness every opportunity and help that came their way. Amazingly many were able to bounce back after the atrocities they had seen and often committed that would overshadow many of the experiences of our young people.

I began to wonder to myself why the young people in my care did not have this ability, spirit or mentality to be redeemed. What was in the culturural makeup of these Ugandan young people that was not in our culture.

It occurred to me that maybe God had a plan. Here, by that I mean Western countries, we have everything we need. Even the most disadvantaged in our countries is advantaged compared to the rest of the world. We had gained the world but at the expense of our souls. We needed healing.
On the other side of the socio-economic scale they needed our things. They need our food, they need our education, they need tools to farm with or to create micro enterprise. But we needed their spirit. There are two deficites but also two gifts. We would find our healing in their healing. If we could give of what we have that is uselessly in abundance, our awareness of them and their story would give us spirit.

I believe a great way from the the people of western countries such as Australia and America to be aware of others around the world is through news. Good news services bring to us the ills and perils of the rest of the world but can also bring the life that is out there as well. The news helps bring our lives into perspective. It can also move us to be generous.

I want to bring these stories and the importance of watching or reading the news to young people. After working with young people for five years believe they suffer from a severe case of inward focus. The news would help them look out to the amazing and sometimes treacherous world outside, inspiring generosity and giving us some well needed heart and soul.