an offering of hope comes to employee

               I don't know what came over me. I was working with a guy I hadn’t worked with for a long while. But every time we work together, somehow, our conversation turns ever so serious. And for some reason he feels comfortable enough to confide in me. So it was, Tuesday the Twenty Eighth of October, that the Lord poured out His spirit in the Container Store.

The day started off anomalous. On Tuesdays I usually work with my friend Michael. And for those couple of hours we have more fun than any two people should at their Job. However, This Tuesday we were starting storage displacement to make way for all of our Christmas items. Needing more people to work than usual, I was pared up with this certain individual. As we were working, he asked me if I wanted to hear a crude joke about a pirate. I said NO.  Then amiably started to say, " If I wanted to hear a crude joke about a pirate then I would have walked up to you and said, Hey! Tell me a joke about a pirate." He noticed the unmistakable agitated tone in my voice, and questioned my response. I was at the point where I was done. I was tired of hearing the "F" word like it’s an article, people talking about Porn, and just the overall tone of the world in my ear. Soon after, we some how segue way into the topic of death. He talked about his friend who recently died and I talked about my friends who have died. The conversation had turned all too grim. After his comment of now being depressed, and our agreement that tomorrow is promised to know man, there was an almost awkward feel to the air. The uneasiness of the atmosphere led to an explosion of scientific thought.

                  " Isn't it weird that right now we are floating in space? That we are on a planet, spinning, yet we are able to stand still on earth? And isn't it weird that we are the exact distance away from the sun that we aren’t freezing or burning up right now?" and so he said, yeah, I guess that is weird. A quick pause of thought led to curiosity." are you religious?" “ Yes I am. Well actually, no. I wouldn’t describe myself as a religious person. I think there is a definite limit in its definition.” I started to explain to him how religion is working for something. The person is trying to earn salvation; trying to earn grace. The dependence of Heaven Lies strictly on the person, and why would I… why would anyone want to take that on themselves? I walked him through various religions: what they believe and explained to him how they are all works oriented. “ Religion of the Law screams responsibility whereas a Relationship say, Just Respond. And in responding to God you will do far more than you ever would under religion.” (Jon Courson- loosely translated) He then asked me what I was. “ I’m a Christian!” He couldn’t believe it. A Christian? I could all of a sudden feel the store grow tense. I would have backed off but I wasn’t about to leave him without offering him hope. I told him the hope that lies in me. The work is done; the price has been paid. I am no longer under law but under grace.

         All of this being said, please pray for him. It seems as though the Lord is trying to get his attention.

My heart breaks for the broken

As i was driving through my neighborhood (having a little chat with Elliott), I saw a young woman on the corner of someone's front yard.  She had dropped to her knees and began sobbing. As she grasped for every breath, the smoke from her cigarette filled her lungs. It was as though i could hear her questions run through her mind; the agony in her heart. And for those few uneasy moments, the Smoke answered her. Only, there were no words of comfort. there were no words of hope. The answers were relentless, tearing every invention of hope back to reality. 

2 more photos from carp!

despite the looks on our faces, we really were having fun. we were probably just tired from the long day.

Jehovah Jireh

The Lord is named many things. One of which, and my favorite: Jehovah Jireh- the Lord will PROVIDE. 

   Monday night was pretty difficult for me emotionally. However, the Lord once again proved Himself so incredibly faithful to meet my need physically and emotionally. He truly is upholding me. 

Every monday night I meet up with a couple of girls at the District in Tustin to pray. As we were sitting in Panera and my turn came to share my prayer requests, i started to cry. i have been so overwhelmed as of late to the point where i feel like i cant stand. the cares of the world have been pounding me. I had been praying all day that God would send shepherds to feed me according to His heart, and that night He did it. Two friends stood in a parking lot with me and encouraged me. it was such a blessing. and as i was about to open my car door, my friend hands me a check, and says, " the Lord told me to give you this." i have never been good at taking money from people. I gave her this look as to tell her with my eyes. she told me to check the date; that she had been carrying the check around since that time. once she said that, i knew it was from the Lord. 

        Once i got home i dove into the Word and i received a text with verses to encourage me. and as i was looking up these verses, The Lord completely spoke to me from Job 39:11 -12.  " will you trust him because his strength is great? or will you leave your labor to him? will you trust him to bring home your grain. and gather it to your threshing floor? But for me the Lord said, " Allison, will you trust Me because my strength is great? Will you leave your labor to Me? Will you trust Me to bring home your grain, and gather it to your threshing floor?

- THE LORD WILL PROVIDE!

All Nighter

Friday night was the Jr. High all nighter. The event starts at 10:30 pm friday night and goes until 8:00 am saturday morning. From 10:30 pm to 2:00 am the kids played at  Newhope  Gymnastics. from 2:00 am to 6:00 am we were at Boomers in Irvine. from 6:00 to 6:45 we drove along the coast watching the sun rise, and from 6:45 to 8:00 am we ate breakfast at Calvary Costa Mesa.

The night went pretty well: No one was seriously injured, it was cold but not too cold, there was a constant flow of coffee, I almost beat Jeff Gonzel at miniature golf, I was able to drive my own car, and because I did, I was able to go to starbucks on Baker and do my devotions. 

I came this close to Heaven... Dying that is.

It was amazing: glassy, perfect barrels. I ran back to the truck, grabbed my board, and headed down to the beach with my cousin. As we ran toward the water she asked me one last time if i was going to be fine without a wetsuit. Of course I was gonna be fine. Why wouldn't I be fine? I do amazingly in cold water. However, this was not cold water. It wasn't even close to cold water. We got past the waves and started paddling as fast as we could toward the sets. As I began  to look to my right i heard her yell, " I'm gonna take this one!"  The last thing i saw was the nose of the board dive straight into the water. I knew she was a goner. The board flying in the air proved it.  Seeing a set in front of me, I paddled as fast as I could to get past it. I knew I was gonna get trashed. By this time my body had almost acclimated to the freezing temperature. though, I never fully submerged my body in the waves.  

     The wave came full force forcing me to duck under it. As I was underwater my mind went completely blank, and i stopped breathing. It was awful. Even after I surfaced, I was without breath. finally, my body allowed me to gasp for air. I looked back, thanking God it was all over. However, seeing another wave heading my way, I swam as fast as I could toward shore. Without getting very far, I dove under again. The same thing happened as before. My mind went blank and my breath left. I surfaced once more and could not breath.  Finally I was able to stand and air filled my lungs. My cousin was on shore about to go back out when she saw what was happening to me.  Once I was out of the ocean, I started Hyperventilating.I put my hands over my mouth as tight as possible trying to get the whole "Paper bag" effect. For the most part it worked. Once my breathing was normal,I pretty much narrowed it down to the water being so freezing that it took my breath away. Hug me the next time you see me. I'm alive!

Jonah

    " What to you mean sleeper? Arise, call upon your God; perhaps  your God will consider us, so that we may not perish."(vs.6)  " For whose cause is this trouble upon us."(vs8) The people knew this was no ordinary storm. they knew it had purpose. Jonah told them what they needed to do to stop the storm but they fought it and tried to resist. Despite Jonah's unequivocal plea to be throne into the tumultuous sea, they strove to row their way to shore. " Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them."(vs.13) It always seems to happen that we try to exhaust every option before coming to the Lord. Like He is the Ace in our deck. But we save Him for our craziest games. When did the Lord become our last resort? " so they picked up Jonah, and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from raging. See what goodness the Lord has? He's waiting on the sidelines wanting to calm the storm for us, but we wait. We wait to use him. Our desire to exhaust every option before allowing the Lord to step in only exhausts us. God never desires for us to go at it alone. " now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah."(vs. 17) Notice, " the Lord had prepared," signifies a previous plan, that is now being fulfilled. Despite Jonah's disobedience, the Lord still desired to take care of him. God will never force Himself on us. He waits patiently on the side for us to call out His name. God still desired to calm the storm; the Lord still sought to keep Jonah safe. He sent a whale to swallow Jonah in-order to take him out of the conflict. It may not have been Jonah's ideal solution but God allowed him to make his own decision and when he failed, God sent a whale to swallow him. He does the same for us. For some reason God doesn't do small scale.  God does whatever He has to to accomplish His will. Apparently God knew it would take a whale swallowing Jonah, for him to submit to His will. Jonah sat in a belly of a whale for 3 days and 3 nights in order for him to learn brokenness - sitting in stomach acid, smelling the decay of fish, thinking of all the places he would rather be, thinking if he had only done it the Lord's way. I wonder what would have happened if Jonah  said, " yes" to the Lord from the beginning. Sometimes God has to send a great fish to swallow us to get our attention. to sit. to wait. to think. to cry out. to obey. 

                     Lets try saying, "YES" to the Lord and see what happens.

                                   let me know how it goes.

The Heavens Declare His Glory

 most days my head is somewhere in the clouds or focused on some unimportant pleasure in my day. however, today is just one of those days i want to barry my head in my Abba's chest and cry.

  work has grown increasingly awkward as a fellow employee has not so suddenly proclaimed his like for me and some times likes to say he loves me. how do you avoid the awkward conversation of: " you're not a christian, the Bible says not to be unequally yoked." as these will not make sense to him. this morning he referred to me as his girlfriend and I'm pretty sure i didn't sign up for that one. i didn't even know what to say. i just looked at him like he was crazy. and friday he kept asking me out. he said, " so are we gonna hang out this weekend?" i laughed... hard. his reply? " so i guess that means no." then there was an awkward pause. i said, " i don't think you want to hang out with me. Im kinda boring." He looked at me somewhat puzzled and let out a small laugh. but honestly to a  person who spends his time partying and wasting countless times waking up and not remembering anything from the night before, I probably would be really boring. i don't drink. i don't smoke. i don't swear. And i don't party. I love God. sunday morning i lead worship at a church. monday night I have a prayer group with a couple of girls. wednesday night i go to church and help out in the Jr.. high ministry. and saturday night i go to church. everything else kinda just fills in the holes. Despite the whole him not being a believer, we have too much in common. However i know with all my heart that the Lord has NOT called me to him.  And on top of that i have no idea what God is doing in a certain situation. Im in a waiting period. but my eyes are fixed upon Him. I just want to sit on the couch with my fathers arms wrapped around me. The Lord promises rest is found in Him. so if anyone needs me thats where I'll be.

what happens in Autumn

 driving down bear to meet up with my brother at the apple store, i felt autumn. it was as if the trees around me breathed a sigh of relief. they had been holding up there branches for far too long. Giving up their control, their colorful leaves fall to the ground. - invest time over coffee! -Fall in a cup.

Dave's fake birthday

its my party- i can cry if i want to

Camping on the Beach- last week

ok so clearly this doesnt depict our vacation in any way,but i hate writing without pictures. im a picture kinda gal. there is absolutley more to come but my brother is still editing them. just keep check'n back. hopefully he will have them done soon.  and i dont really want to write about our time just yet. im kinda tired . 

ElLiOtT's CaRs

Caiden is ONE!

happy birthday keats!

bridges and butterfly prayers

today was rediculously hot... so today cryn, dave, and i took the little ones down to corona del mar for a little fun in the sun and water- though elliott isnt a fan of either. instead of playing in the waves with caiden, El and i built a bridge for his cars. well, i built a bridge for his cars. As i was doing so, i was reminded of how i am with the Lord. 

          Elliott came running up the beach toward me asking, " Aunty, can you build me a rode for my cars?" and of course who could resist someone they love and want to bless- plus he came calling me Aunty!  so i walked down toward the water with him and began to construct this rode he asked me for. As i was building, he kept putting his 2 cents in and saying, " can we do that? Is it possible if?" huh? what do you think?" ... Next i hear him say... " what are you doing? - building a bridge!... Elliott was full of even more questions... the more i wanted to build upon his initial dream, the more i received questions.  i found myself saying, elliott, we cant do that. the bridge will collapse if we do it that way." which was greeted with... " WHY?".. i told him," ive been building roads and bridges (in the sand) for a long time... i know what im doing.. trust me!" as those words came slipping out of my mouth i laughed and told him to come close so i could give him a kiss, and said thank you, Lord!  

          I saw a perfect picture of who i am with the Lord and at this very moment too. I come running to Him, Calling out, Daddy, Can you build this rode for me?" and as he starts to construct my initial dream he starts perfecting it in His own way... and as He does He hears more and more questions and requests.-" Daddy, what about this?.. is it possible if?..Huh? what do You think?.. and as i ask those questions, i see Him start to construct things that would bless me in the long run but things i didn't necessarily ask for... in my own time constraint i think to myself, " why is He doing that? that's nice but now it's gonna take longer? oh Gosh, i hope He knows what He is doing." and even before i have time to let even one syllable slip from my mouth, He says, Allison, Ive been building roads and bridges for a long time... I know what im doing. Trust me!   - THE CROSS BEFORE ME THE WORLD BEHIND ME- NO TURNING BACK. FORSAKING ALL TO HEAR THE LORD'S VOICE.