2/22 Babies, IT'S TIME! #MARCH! :D

On February 14th, my sis Florence changed the what'sapp family group photo to this picture of my sis in Kenya and my nephew and wishing them a Happy Birthday... so seeing that made me think that I forgot it was their birthday and rushed to fb to post that picture wishing them a happy birthday... but later on when I called my sis Yvonne to wish Trevor a good day is when I realized that it wasn't their birthday yet... it was coming up on the 22nd. What'sapp just likes to celebrate birthdays like a week early... Anyway, that mix-up made me realize that Trevor was about to turn three... and I remembered the video that I made of him when he was only one and I remembered the promises of God that I recorded in the video... And I felt a wave of hope sweep over me... God was reassuring me that His promises will come to pass and in fact, IT'S TIME! :D

PROLOGUE: APOLOGIES 

(You can skip this section and move to the main message)

So why didn't I share this exciting news right away? Well as you may already know it's been hard for me to get into the sharing flow for different reasons: 1.) I get super-excited when God gives me hope for the future but I hesitate from sharing coz I get discouraged that people won't believe me or listen... I've failed so many times to follow my heart and yield to God... it's taken so long for these materialization of these promises... so why should they believe me this time? 2.) When I isolate myself trying to fix all my issues myself depression creeps up on me... and when God rescues me when I turn to Him He gives me great hope which I want to share but I don't know how to coz of the distance that's between me and those I call family and friends, and pretty much everyone else... so I try to bridge this gap first so that they don't think the only reason I want to talk to them is just to give them a message or just to invite them to an event... but that also backfires coz I'm not being who I really am, who I fully am. 3.) Because of the past... I don't like being judged based on what God gives me to share... 4.) Busy doing other things, trying to communicate through other ways and not leaving time to reflect...so it all boils down to fear of rejection, fear of man, and self-rejection... though borne through a thirst for peace and unity... But yeah, the cure for all this is just obeying God, trusting His timing, and just being myself, keep loving and serving even though it may seem fruitless, and loving to the point of sacrifice (sacrifice, not compromise). Anyway, I'm sorry this is belated news and I'm super-sorry to God for how I get stuck in these cycles when I take my eyes off Him... making me a selfish hoarder of the gifts He gives me... and yeah for not remaining in His rest (focussing on my relationship with Him). Ok, moving forward now...
_________________________________________________________________________

2/22 BABIES!! PROMISED TIME!! :D

God likes to give me previews of the seasons we're going into ahead of time then I keep getting confirmation so I'll bring up some stuff from the past... So on the 21st God was speaking to me through music... I shared some of it on my wall: "Just hold on... Greater things are yet to come!" "Take the first step and the rest will follow" "It's in Your hands, You will bring it to pass... You're so Faithful. You're so Kind... Shepherd of my heart" Then on Friday this one youtube lady I've subscribed to posted this video: Tomorrow is 2-22! Expectation and breakthrough! I didn't watch it just yet but just from the title I remembered that it was going to my sister's and nephew's birthday the next day and God was reminding me it's PROMISE TIME! And before I get to the promises I saw from my Sister's and Nephew's Birthday.... another Promise was delivered on 2/22...

1.) Baby ISAAC Lomelino!! Congratulations to the Lomelinos!! :D

Remember in my NEW ERA post, I shared a video over the summer where Holly Lomelino, the wife of the Pastor in IV church, shared promises that God gave her over the years and how He showed her that they would be fulfilled with the arrival a promised son, Isaac... in the video she had said she was expecting the child in March but he actually came on 2/22 at 5.50am and was delivered right in their home in Isla Vista... and I saw her friend posted that the night before that Holly knew that the baby was going to arrive that night. I was excited to see this and went to watch that youtube video about 2/22 and she was basically sharing that God told her there would be a shift in seasons on that day. It's TIME to see God's promises!! Yay!! :D

2) Melissa ("Honey-Bee") Wairumu

I made this pic for my sis for her bday last year and wrote: {Melissa = Honey-bee} May God richly bless you this year! I see lots of milk and honey waiting for you just around the bend lol  #Ezekiel20:6. Love you!" As for this year when I was writing her a birthday message, I remembered how musical and artistic she is... She used to like to sing and she choreographed dances at church back in Kenya. Then I also made this video... It's HARVEST TIME!! :D  #AtimetoSING! #AtimeToDANCE! =)





"For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees." (Isaiah 66:12)

3.) Trevor ("Large Settlement")

"You have forgotten who you are so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba, you are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle of Life." -Mufasa. "How can I go back? I am not who I used to be!" Simba. "Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are... Remember... Remember." -Mufasa.

"Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. "He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him."So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth. Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:1-3)

Trevor's bday reminded me of God's promises in this video. Also another video in my drafts called "Jesus Muzik" by Lecrae and the song below from Lion King.

"TOGETHER We Move Forward!" :D

There's a post that's been in my drafts from last Fall called "This Time for Africa"- I'll share right after this. So God's about to do GREATER things than we've asked for or imagined... but before we move forward into His Glorious promises and harvest... The Church needs to be equipped with the Fullness of Love and that's what He's been up to in this season... He is uniting His body so that each part does it's work with humility under the Head, Jesus Christ... He is uniting all the peoples into "One New Man" I have many posts about that. So yeah, that's why in this season God is also doing something new in and through the black community, I already shared what in the post, REAL Identity. "A time for War and a time for Peace."

Santa Barbara -"And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”-The LORD. (Isaiah 1:26)

__________________________________________________________________________

LET US MARCH FORTH TILL VICTORY IS WON!! :D

So in the Fall God led me to start a new org called ONE Body (United for Christ) to serve as an umbrella group for all the christian groups (and I'll share the rest of the mission statement later) and we had our first unity event in January called ONE LOVE... it was great and I thank God for making it happen =) But after that I felt the need to have another one... plus everyone there loved the night of unity and wanted to have more and not just wait for the Spring... so when I was thinking of a date to have it I was looking at the calendar, I skipped over February coz there was too many Black History Month events I didn't want to conflict with so...

I looked at March... and when I did I remembered my RISE OF AN EMPIRE post and the promises God showed me through that movie that would be coming out on March 7th. But on March 7th the Pan-African Student Union (PASU) is hosting it's 5th Annual Taste of Africa so it was my call do it either the saturday before or after so I choose March 1st. "Our theme this year is East Meets West. Uniting not only the cultures and customs of East and West Africa, but uniting Africa and Africans with all those identifying with the African Diaspora! This is sure to be an event to be remembered! This is not an exclusive event! All are welcome to come out and enjoy a fun evening celebrating the beautiful and diverse cultures and foods from all over Africa."

So this is what is happening this weekend:

1. "THE SENT ONES"- IMPACT LEADERSHIP Institute

Check out the music video they made: IT'S TIME TO BREAK FREE!! :D

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=748892421789951

2. "THE STAND"- African American FORERUNNER ALLIANCE Conference
"Our "Stand" gatherings draw black young adults together to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying about the prophetic destiny of the black community, with a focus on the glory of God as it relates to worship that is inspired by the revelation of the beauty of Jesus." http://www.ihopkc.org/aafa/

3.  THE DREAM OF A KING- "WE are FAMILY" Night

LET

 US 

COME 

TOGETHER 

AND 

WORSHIP 

THE 

KING!

=D

God's promises from 2012... IT'S GONNA RAIN! It's time to unite and worship the King! =D


4.) UCSC's The African American THEATER ARTS Troupe- When I went to the Afrikan Black Coalition Conference, UC Santa Cruz mentioned that they were having a play this weekend.

5.) The International Conference on the Black Arts Movement at UC Merced

Do you see what I see? Promises coming to pass!! So yeah, Dance, Arts, Media and entertainment are coming alive in the black community and drawing people together =) post: Africa Arise! Now it's Time to sing a NEW SONG! IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO UNITE AND FIGHT! IT'S TIME TO CLAIM THE PROMISED LAND :D K, Later! Peace and Love! =)

*Oh yeah, many other people are excited about March. I saw this yesterday:

Richie McDonnell

Yesterday near Santa Barbara, CA

"When they were but few in number, few indeed... He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: 'Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm…' The Lord made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes." [Psalm 105:12-15, 24]

Praying for a fruitful, March harvest here in Santa Barbara! — with Luke Speckman

CHURCH PLEASE! LET'S UNITE THE WORLD IS DYING TO SEE JESUS! OUR SCHOOL IS SUFFERING UNDER SO MUCH PAIN RIGHT NOW. THEY NEED TO SEE THE LIGHT OF HIS LOVE THROUGH OUR UNITY AND THE GLORY THAT WILL BE REVEALED THROUGH ALL WHEN WE DO UNITE. IT'S A TIME TO ARISE, CAST AWAY OUR PRIDE AND FEARS AND FIX OUR EYES ON KING JESUS AND SEEK HIS KINGDOM. 

African American Forerunner Alliance - Prophecy by Bob Jones

Source of the articles below: http://ihop-atlanta.com/xwp/?m=200906

Calling all worshipers
Sunday, June 14th, 2009
I am convicted in heart  with the belief that God is raising up the house of prayer just as he built it with zeal in the days of David and Zechariah. Right now God is beginning to call out those that are called to be a voice through prophetic singing and musicianship. Just as John the Baptist was called to be a voice of one crying out in the wilderness so, now God is raising up worship leaders and singers that will be voices, proclaiming the word of the Lord, serving, and ministering in the house of prayer.  He is releasing the call right now to thousands of singers and musicians to be those that are skillful on there instruments and voices as well as lead the way in knowledge and revelation in the word of God. The Lord is worthy to be worshipped.

If you look through scripture you can see that the new song is often associated with the judgments of the lord or praise for the victory of the battle. The new song can also be associated with the spirit of prophecy. God is beginning to anoint his servants to proclaim through music with a new song. The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus and prophetic singers are called to SING the testimony of Jesus, which is the word of God. There is nothing more prophetic then the word of God. Prophetic singers and worship leaders are not on the platform as background singers or those called to give another good performance. These are those that are called to release the word of the Lord. In order to do this we have to be people that are dedicated to understanding the word of God.

Everyone who feels like they have a calling for worship should become very familiar with this apostolic prayer prayed in Ephesians 1:17, “ That the God of the Lord Jesus Christ may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened. The Lord will   not entrust us with a platform in the coming days if we do not understand His heart. The only way we can arrive at a place of understanding is that we give ourselves to seeking the knowledge of God. . I love what Allen Hood says, “ The days of our ministries are over, it is the hour of Christ.”  It is time for us to get out of the way and prepare the way for the great One.

To whom much is given much is required. Much is required in humility and depth in the word. This is not just for the preacher or teacher. This is for the singer, the musician, and the worship leader as well. That we also may bear witness of the Light (John 1: 6-9).

Posted in Articles, Front Page | Comments Off

Let My people go
Monday, June 1st, 2009
In 1983, Bob Jones, a prophetic father in our nation, gave a word to Mike Bickle, founder of IHOP Kansas City. He spoke to him of the prayer movement that was arising and what it would look like. He prophesied that there was a revival that God desired to bring and that the beginning breakthrough of that revival would only come after African-American men and women were functioning in their God-ordained roles of leadership in the prayer movement. In Oct 2007, Bob released another word announcing that there was a harvest coming from the black community, especially the young, who would be thrust into an accelerated training mode to function as prophets to the nation with revelatory gifting.

At the One Thing Conference 2007,  Mike Bickle and several black leaders trumpeted this message. They declared God’s desire to draw black believers into the house of prayer as set watchman on the wall (Isaiah 62:6-7). After the main session, we were invited to go to a room set aside specifically for us to pray and share our hearts. As I stood in that room surrounded by hundreds of my black brothers and sisters, I knew something significant was taking place.

After that initial meeting and much prayer, the African-American Forerunner Alliance was launched in Kansas City. The AAFA is a group that is committed to praying for the black community and calling them into their destiny as leaders in the prayer and worship movement. I recently flew to Kansas City for the AAFA’s first ever Kairos Leadership Summit. It was called the “Kairos” Leadership Summit because of that word’s unique definition. In the scriptures, kairos refers to “the appointed time in the purpose of God, the time when God acts.” We are in a kairos time in the purposes of God for black believers. This is a history-making time, where the dreams of God that have been held in His heart for years are now to be released on the earth.

We, in Black America, are familiar with what we have come out of; we know the pain of the past, the horrors of slavery, our struggle for civil rights and basic freedoms. We are also painfully aware of the issues we face in this day: Abortion, Poverty, Inner-city violence, Imprisonment, Fatherless families. The list could go on and on. We know where we have come from and the state we are in now, but do we have any idea where the Lord desires to take us?

When the Lord released the children of Israel from slavery, He told Moses to declare to Pharaoh “Let My people go…that they might worship Me” (Exodus 10:3).  God called the Hebrew children to the wilderness to celebrate a feast and offer sacrifices to Him. They had spent their life serving Egyptian masters and now they were being released to worship and serve their true master, the God of all creation.

As unbelievable as it seems, what happened in Moses’ day will pale in comparison to the divine activities that will occur before Jesus’ return. The Messiah is coming and before He does the world will experience calamities incomparable to any time in human history. It will be a time of great difficulty, but it will also be a glorious time when the Lord pours out his spirit on all flesh (Joel 2). Our rightful King is coming to set up His Kingdom. Jesus will come and reign on this earth and we as His bride will rule and reign with Him.

In this hour, the Lord is raising up a global prayer movement that will usher in the return of His Son. This is what He is inviting us to participate in. It is a huge invitation, a divine calling.  This is much more than a Wednesday night prayer meeting. This is a movement of prayer and worship that will touch the ends of the earth. This is every tribe, tongue, and nation crying out for the Lord’s return. This is every people group standing before the God of heaven and earth declaring “Come Lord Jesus!”

In 2005, I was an intercessor in Washington. D.C at the Justice House of Prayer. During that time, I dreamt I was in our prayer room when a well known gospel music artist walked in.  I turned to see if any of my friends would recognize her, but to my surprise my friends were gone and the room was filled with black men and women, young and old.  When I awoke, I heard the Holy Spirit strongly say to my heart, “My house of prayer is a house of prayer for ALL NATIONS!” (Isaiah 56:7)

What I dreamt of years prior, I am now seeing come to pass. The Lord is drawing African-Americans into His house. On college campuses, in churches, and throughout the nations, He is raising up lovesick worshippers. We are lifting our voices to the King. We are raising our banners high; we are dancing, shouting, and giving Him the glory that He is due. Even through our pain we are choosing to offer him a sacrifice of praise. The Lord has not forsaken us as a people. Though we have seen great trials and affliction, He has called us His own and He is making us joyful in his house of prayer.

“Also the sons of the foreigner, who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Isaiah 56:6-8

The Heroic Initiation Paradigm in Wendy Wu: The Homecoming Warrior :)

So I'm de-cluttering my computer coz the memory's at capacity and found this paper I wrote for my Greek Myth class back in Fall of 2012. Check it out! It's based on the Disney movie: Wendy Wu- Homecoming Warrior: "A Californian teenager learns that she is the reincarnation of a legendary female warrior destined to protect the world."- IMBd. "Wu is the reincarnation of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can prevent an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world."-Wikipedia. (You might be able to more clips on youtube or the movie on netflix if you're interested. Oh yeah, and it was my lil sis Olivia who told me to watch this movie and it ended up blending well with what I was learning in the class and what God was teaching me. Plus I got an A on the paper! It's not that great but I think I was one of the few people who answered the question. Either way I'm Grateful! =)

"You don't wanna mess with me."- Homecoming Warrior :-)

In the movie, “Wendy Wu: The Homecoming Warrior”, Wendy is a high school student and her main focus of the year is becoming the homecoming queen. However, a mysterious young Chinese monk named Shen appears and he insists that Wendy is the reincarnation of an ancient powerful female warrior and the only person who can defeat Yao Lo, an evil spirit, and prevent him from destroying the world. This paper will demonstrate that in the movie, Wendy Wu undergoes the different stages of heroic initiation because it shows her call to adventure, refusal, supernatural aid, crossing the first threshold, road of trials, temptress figure, her ultimate boon and her return to normality but it does not totally conform to the mythological paradigm since she does not go through atonement with her father nor apothiosis (no one in the film becomes a god). 


To begin with, Wendy receives her first call to adventure when Shen the Chinese monk appears at her door and tells her real identity and destiny but she refuses it. She kept receiving the call since Shen would not give up but she would turn him down each time. Finally Shen pointed out that she had skills that she could not explain. She knew this to be true but she made up excuses demonstrating a lack of confidence in her identity and calling. According to lecture she is acting like a “whinner kid” since she is doubting her qualifications for the task she is called to achieve which is one of the characteristics of the first stage in heroic initiation. But Wendy finally accepts the call to adventure after she learnt what the consequence of her refusal would be (various disasters falling upon the earth). This aspect is similar to Odysseus’ call to adventure in The Odyssey in that, though he did not want to leave behind his mother, wife and new born son, he felt that it was his duty to leave with his men to fight against Troy. (Erickson, 11/16/12)


However, a major difference between the separation stage in the movie and that of The Odyssey is the fact that Odysseus becomes physically separated from his loved ones and his land after he accepts the call to adventure (he journeys through the sea to different places) while Wendy does not move away from her family. She still lives in her parents’ house and goes to the same high school after she accepts the call. So her separation stage entails having a secret life (she does not inform her friends and family about her adventure only her grandmother knows and she does her training at the park and not at home) as well as separating herself from her former lifestyle (for example, she chooses to sit by herself and meditate instead of having lunch with her friends or watching television with her family).


Wendy needs really needs supernatuaral aid coz she's
 fighting not just one evil-possed person but a whole army!!

Moreover, another feature evident in the separation stage of heroic initiation is supernatural aid. Apart from her duty to save humanity, another main reason why Wendy accepted her call to adventure is the fact the Shen assured her that he would help her. She knew nothing about being a warrior but Shen offered to train her in kung fu and meditation which would not only mold her into a powerful warrior but also help her in school work. Wendy also receives a medallion which she is to wear at all times since it protects her from the evil spirit which is after her soul. Shen also provides for her five other mentors who assist Wendy in preparation for her day of battle and Wendy’s grandma also helps and encourages her. Similarly, in The Odyssey Odysseus gets help from Aeolus who bags up all the winds except the westward winds which would lead him to Ithica, Hermes who gives him the plant to eat which is the antidote for the portion that the witch would give him thus it prevents him from turning into an animal. (Erickson, 11/16/12) It was also Hermes, sent by Zeus, that enabled Odysseus to be set free from Calypso’s island so that he could return to his journey back to Ithica. Additionally, Athena helps him at the end by giving him the disguise of a beggar (Erickson, 11/21/12).


Although Shen serves as one of Wendy’s supernatural aids, he also has a side-kick relationship to her. When Shen first appears to Wendy she rejected the call to adventure and they fought each other. Wendy won and kicks him out of the house but he still decides to follow her around at school to protect her. This is similar to the instance in The Epic of Gilgamesh when Gilgamesh traps Endiku, a wild man, with a harlot then fights him. Gilgamesh wins the fight hence Endiku gets established as the side-kick. In the Gilgamesh heroic myth, Endiku dies and Gilgamesh mourns his death. Likewise in the movie, Shen is also destined to die in the battle that he fights together with Wendy against Yao Lo, the evil spirit. Towards the end of the battle, Yao Lo kills Shen as was expected, Wendy mourns but she manages to give him back his life thus changes his destiny. 


In the liminality stage of the paradigm, Wendy has received some of her training but she makes the mistake of taking off her medallion. This leads her to cross the first threshold since she had a confrontation with the evil spirit while she was unprotected (without her medallion). Her soul would have been taken away at this point if it wasn’t for Shen’s help. Shen gave her warning just in time for her to fight back and save her soul.

The next level she undergoes is the road of trials. Shen introduces Wendy to her four new mentors who are meant to train her and test her strength. She passes the test when she gets to fight the mentor and wins or performs a certain task successfully and it is only then that she can move on to the next lesson and test. She starts off her training (“road of trials”) with the snake to gain flexibility then the leopard to gain speed, the crane for balance, the dragon for invisibility, the tiger for aggression then she gets to face all of them at the same time. When she successfully passed those 5 tests she became the warrior she was destined to be and she was ready for her day of battle against Yao Lo. This is similar to Hercules and the twelve labors he has to do to atone for the crime of murdering his wife of children and for the prize of immortality. In his labors he also had to deal with animals (mostly). He had to either kill or capture the following and in this order: the Nemean lion, the Lernaean hydra, the Ceryneian deer, the Erymanthian boar, the Augean stables, the Stymphalian birds, the Cretan bull, the horses of Diomedes, the girdle of Hippolyta, the cattle of Geryon, the apples of Hersperides and lastly Cerberus (Powell, 385-399) Both Wendy and Heracles were successful but an obvious difference is the fact that Heracles had to travel to different places to find his assigned tasks while Wendy did not have to since Shen brought all of them to her.

Ephesians 6: 10-13

There are no goddesses in the movie but there are many temptress figures who try to distract Wendy from her path to becoming a warrior. They include Jessica her homecoming revile who competes with her for votes and her best friends who always interrupt her conversations with Shen and distract her training by calling her cell phone to gossip or to invite her for different events like shopping. Shen helped her conquer this temptation by taking away her cell phone and she also conquered it by choosing to separate herself from them and meditate to improve her skills. In addition, Austin her boyfriend is a temptress figure since he wants her to focus her time and energy in campaigning to be the homecoming queen. She later eliminates this temptation by dumping him. Then throughout the movie, Yao Lo possesses different people around her such as her brother, the dog and her teachers, to try and steal her soul. But she gets protected by her medallion if she’s wearing it or by Shen when she is not wearing it. So Wendy manages to resist the temptations and remained on track to fight on the day of battle. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh encounters Ishtar when he went to Uruk and she wants to sleep with him in exchange for rich rewards but Gilgamesh resists the goddess and abuses her (Powell, 341).

In the movie there is no atonement with her father, contrary to the paradigm, as Wendy does not kill anyone. She destroyed the evil spirit but he is not a father figure to her. So the next stage is reintegration. The ultimate boon is apparent towards the end of the movie when Wendy learnt that there were more important things in life to obsess over than homecoming and she decides to give up her crown to her revile Jessica thus making peace with her. Wendy also learns true sacrifice when she risked her life to save the world and her friend Shen. The return to normality is clear at the very end of the movie, at the end of the battle when Jessica and Shen go get cappacino. Another instance where the movie does not conform to the mythological paradigm is the fact that no one becomes a god. This ending can be compared to that of The Odyssey whereby Odysseus has to fight the suitors to return to normality by trying to regain his world back. (Erickson, 11/21/12)

Bibliography
Powell, Barry B. Classical Myth 7th ed. New York: Pearson, 2012.
Erickson, Brice. “Greek Mythology.” UC Santa Barbara. 5 November 2012.
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior, DVD. Directed by John Laing. 2006; USA: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Erickson, Brice. “Greek Mythology.” UC Santa Barbara. 16 November 2012.
Erickson, Brice. “Greek Mythology.” UC Santa Barbara. 21 November 2012.
_________________________________________________________________________

I had blogged more stuff I learnt (God taught me) through my Greek Myth class especially( "The Odyssey"-didn't do much of the reading though :P so mostly through the movie and class lectures) relating to my life in this post: Journey. Other related posts include: What's your name? and the more recent Destination SB post (though I still need to update it). There is Purpose even in the Process. Peace! =)

Another thing, I really love how some movies like those two make it easier to understand spiritual warfare. I'm reminded of this Scripture:  "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Ephesians 6: 10-13. Read more in this post: FULL Armor of God)

Check out this song! ♫ You just don't know who you're messing with, I'm a Warrior! ♫

Through all I have been through, Lord it was You! Pulling me through!


Restore me! Definitely Need Supernatual Aid!!

William Joseph Seymour & The Azusa Street Revival :)

"The Azusa Street Revival was a historic Pentecostal revival meeting that took place in Los Angeles, California and is the origin of the Pentecostal movement. William Joseph Seymour was an African American from Louisiana and was a son of a former slave who had severe case of smallpox which left him blind in one eye and a disfigured face. He was born May 2, 1870 in Centerville Louisiana. The Revival began with a meeting on April 9, 1906, and continued until roughly 1915. It came to be known as the birthplace of the Pentecostal Movement Revival and the birth of a spiritual renewal that hit around the world."

"Seymour and those who were with him knew the revival wasn't about them. They walked in great humility. They were from the wrong side of town yet their humility was visited by God and allowed for what some have considered the greatest harmony in the history of Christianity."

"A story of Real Events.  Real People. And a REAL GOD."

I can't remember how I ran into this video last year... but however it happened, God wanted me to watch it and it fired me up and also saddened me (I'll explain later). A lot can be learnt from the life of this humble man. Watch the video and you can also check out this play: The Fire Still Falls Azusa Drama - also comical and really powerful! K I'll share some lines (some paraphrased) from the video and what I took from it.

"Power, miracles, signs... Anointing released at Azusa street. It begun there but it spread to the whole world."

It was the Spring of 1906 when a group of African American christians met up in a simple home in downtown L.A. where they prayed and waited on God's Spirit, Seymour was one of them... One night Seymour preached Acts 2:4 "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." and then people were actually baptized in the Spirit and begun to speak in tongues. What happened in that house invited ridicule from the press and divided congregations in L.A and all over the U.S. At the same time, it changed lives forever and forged friendships that crossed racial and economic barriers and endured until death... After that meeting a bible study was started on Azusa street and more and more people attended... people across many denominations and today ~600 million people trace their spiritual roots to the Azusa Street Revival.

WOW! That's really cool right? And it's crazy to think that all that stemmed from/strongly influenced by one man's obedience to God. That first 6min is amazing but what blew me away was hearing the story of what Seymour endured during that the time of segregation and blatant racism in America and also within the church. His humility, love and devotion to God is just touching and convicting. Though there was opposition from even his own brothers and sisters in Christ, he remained true to the vision and hunger in his heart, and the calling on his life. And in times of rejection and discouragement he turned to God and waited on Him through prayer, fasting and reading the Word.

 If you have been following my blog many things from his story should be sounding familiar... that's why watching this video filled me with hope and also made me sad at the same time... through this video God was showing me the bigger picture of what has been going on here at UCSB and in my own narrative, and the things He wanted to do through the church, what He wanted to do through me, to use me as a pioneer, and it's not just about me but anyone who yielded themselves to be used by God... but He hasn't given up on us He still has GREAT plans for our lives!!! :D
__________________________________________________________________________

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA, AMERICA, WORLD, IT'S TIME!!! :D

So yeah, if you've been following my blog you already know that many people have prophesied that a huge revival is coming to Santa Barbara. Also in the 70's Kathryn Kuhlman prophesied that one day a great revival will happen in Santa Barbara and then spread to the whole world (posts: Let there be light and Hello Africans...) Seymour had also prophesied that in 100 years there would be another revival in America. I didn't know that until I watched this video: I shall Now pour out My Spirit The revelation she received from God really struck my heart, "I have repented of a Word I gave Seymore in 1909 about beginning another world-wide revival from America 100 years later ~ FOR SHE DID NOT HUMBLE HERSELF AND OBEY ME TO ENTER IN." Then she goes on to share how the Lord has chosen Wales to begin this world-wide revival due to her humility. Those words really convicted me (the underlined words especially) because it made me think of last year, and the year before... all of the times that God wanted me to lay my life down so that He could move through me but I disobeyed Him because I let low self-esteem, self-rejection, fear of man, fear of standing out keep me from entering in (post: Self- esteem). It also made me realize how my disobedience contributed to setting back this nation from entering into God's promises, and how if I humbled myself and obeyed God... how just one person's sacrifice can make a huge impact in this nation... just like Seymour did, rather what God did through him humbling himself. So yeah, this realization made me really sad and I started crying when I was writing this in the Ucen so I stopped writing and saved it in my drafts. But yeah, though God told that lady that He will start the revival in Wales instead, I have witnessed His Grace and Mercy so heavily in my life... and I say Yes to the revival in Wales! but I also repent and contend for a Revival right here and right now in America and all over the world! FRIENDS, IT'S TIME TO RISE UP! LET HOPE ARISE! IT'S TIME TO PROCLAIM OUR VICTORY! =D

_______________________________________________________________________

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: THE END-TIME HARVEST IS UPON US!!! :D

1.) UNITY in the Body of Christ -The Role of the Black Church

"The movement really originated in a little black church that became integrated in Los Angeles."

In the post: Changing Times I shared the paper that I wrote over the summer for my black studies class called "The Obama Phenomenon" with Madison... it wasn't my best work though (I'll explain what happened later), I wanted to re-do it before I shared it... but basically God was showing me the role of the black church in bringing unity in the body of Christ and the implications of the times we are living in- the prophecies from the Book of Daniel (I already shared this though in the REAL Identity post). This post is an easier read, Wedding Bells, I also did it that summer and it was inspired by Alex and Lissah's wedding. God was once again confirming to me that one of the biggest problem / strongest stronghold in America and the world is the institution of  Racism. And that's clearly the work of the *devil (means 'divider') and that's why unity in the body of Christ is actually God's weapon against the devil's schemes and is what will lead to great revival and restoration in America and the world. But for there to be unity, there needs to be humility, everyone humbling themselves in reverence of Christ's supremacy (post: Spirit of Unity)

"Seymour and those who were with him knew the revival wasn't about them. They walked in great humility. They were from the wrong side of town yet their humility was visited by God and allowed for what some have considered the greatest harmony in the history of Christianity."

2.) EARTHQUAKE!! CREATION IS GROANING

So like I said before this post has been in my drafts since last Tuesday, and what usually happens when I wait before posting something is that I get more and more confirmation (well that shouldn't be an excuse for procrastination and disobedience though lol :( Anyway, a few days later I googled Seymours full name coz I wanted to find out more info about the prophecy he made and I found this page: William Seymour and the History of the Azusa Street Outpouring. And I found out more similarities to what led to the awakening back then to what has been brewing up here in Santa Barbara. 

The article begins with the earthquake in San Francisco in 1906, "It was the most destructive earthquake in North American history...The unpredictable San Andreas Fault, 800 miles (1287 km) long and passing through the entire State of California, had shifted." It says that many people were angry and blamed God "calling the tragedy a judgment and a warning from the God some were cursing. But that earthquake could have had another cause...the groaning of creation... birth pains! In Romans 8:19-21 the apostle Paul declares that ‘The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God."

"For some time spiritual shock waves had been felt, particularly at two centres, in Topeka, Kansas and Houston, Texas. These early tremors called Christians to pray throughout America and in early April, 1906 a massive spiritual awakening erupted at Azusa Street, Los Angeles. The event was so great that the after-shock waves have been felt throughout the world for almost a century impacting almost every nation of the world. A new Pentecost had come. God had opened up his heavenly portals again and had sent great power to his people once more."

Ok I've quoted a lot from the article, but what does any of that have to do with Santa Barbara? So at the awakening experience I described in Hello Africans... many people had visions and one of the staff, Paul Benthin shared a vision that there was going to be an earthquake in IV then revival would happen after that. After that experience at the Prefall leaders retreat, just like in Seymour's time, a lot of conflict and division happened within InterVarsity (just like in the visions people had and I tried to explain why that was posts: Waging war and HOPE). So anyway, after my experience being baptized with the Holy Spirit, I was filled with this fire of urgency, excitement and brokenness. God started revealing to me the times we are living in (Jesus is coming back soon), how in the last days the whole earth will be groaning and it will be a time of distress; but at the same time, there will be a breakthrough of God's power and glory (post: To Be Human Again). And that year many people were prophesying that a huge earthquake was coming to the West coast and I could feel it in my sprit which led me to prayer and intercession (West Coast Groans).

Ok back to SB, so later that year I had brought up Paul's vision to some InterVarsity people but people were like it was meant to be interpreted as spiritual earthquake not an actual earthquake but I knew in my spirit that it was both physical and spiritual just like the Romans 8:19-21 Scripture talks about. The physical manifestation was directly connected to the spiritual awakening in the body of Christ leading to massive awakening in the nation and around the world. This was case in Seymour's time and also true in our time. Check it out:

• In the Spring of 2013, Troy organized the With One Voice worship and prayer night to bring together the body of Christ - there was around 100 people there- and a couple of days later, on 5/29/2013 there was a 4.6 magnitude earthquake in Isla Vista (post: Prison Break). 
• This year, I came back to SB in the Fall coz God told me to and during the first week of school He gave me the idea of forming an organization called ONE Body (United for Christ) for the purpose of enhancing unity in the body of Christ - the idea was to have at least one student rep from each christian group to be part of it. (I'll share the whole vision of the group later) but anyway, towards the end of Fall quarter I went to an inter-faith dinner where I met Pastor Dave Goss from Light and Life Goleta church. After he heard about the ONE body group I was forming and he put me in contact with his wife, Tracey Goss, who was actually planning a reception "for the Christian orgs to have a time of sharing about what God is doing in our groups, encourage one another and pray for our ministries and our campus." She wanted it to be done in the Fall but there wasn't enough time to plan it so shoot for early Winter. God really impressed unity on her heart this year... her mom had a dream that God would use Tracey to bring small lights together to make one huge light. It was definitely God who drew us together coz we had the same vision. I'll save the whole story for later... so this Winter quarter we were finally able to meet up with the One Body reps and plan our first event called One Love: A Night of Unity. It was really sweet! Around 50 people came. Details later. And then a few days later - yesterday- it rained. Then I saw Matt Pevarnik's status:

Rain and a 2.9 earthquake 10 miles to the west of Isla Vista at the same time? Got to be significant. — with Victoria Pevarnik.

• You, Jason Lomelino, Victoria Pevarnik, Lindsay Belt and 2 others like this.
• 

  Taylor Pevarnik What would the significance be?

  Yesterday at 2:12pm · Like
• 

  Victoria Pevarnik Signs of revival

  Yesterday at 2:45pm · Like · 1
• 

  Matt Pevarnik Hosea 6:1-3 is the first part I believe... Come, and let us return to the Lord...Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain,
  Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

  21 hours ago · Unlike · 2
• 

  Matt Pevarnik Second part: Hebrews 12:26-27... now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

  21 hours ago · Like
• 

  Matt Pevarnik According to 1st Peter 4:17, judgment starts at the house of God. It is a time of renewal and repentance for believers in this city of turning towards the Lord. He will shake things up and what cannot be shaken, i.e. those who have built their lives upon the rock, Jesus will stand (like at the end of Matthew 7). I believe this will lead to an amazing outpouring of God's spirit upon this place.

  20 hours ago · Like · 1
• 

  Tarra Rarick 1 Kings 18.."Then the fire of the Lord fell and...When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord indeed is God; the Lord indeed is God...And Elijah said to Ahab, 'Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.'”
  
  Once the unbelieving people acknowleged God's existence and supremeness, Elijah declared that it would rain.

  16 hours ago · Edited · Like
• 

  Samuel Kim I knew I wasn't crazy when I felt that quick shake haha

  15 hours ago · Like
• 

3.) Baptism of the Holy Spirit and with FIRE

Did you catch that? It rained in the middle of a drought and there was an earthquake (also days after the One Love event). I must have been asleep when that earthquake happened coz I didn't feel it but that same day when I was taking a shower this song came to my mind, "When the time is Now or never to make your dreams come true, you better WAKE UP and pay attention." God was just reminding me that it's time for His promises to be fulfilled, though it's been a long and rough road, His mercy endures forever and He stays faithful to His promises!!! GOD IS AWESOME!! :D

So before my Prefall experience we had the Ignite conference in L.A. and I went to Paul, one of the InterVarsity staff, to pray for me... and I don't know if He saw a vision or what but he said these words to me, "God is going to use you to baptize people with the Holy Spirit."I didn't know what it meant at that time but I kept it at the back of my mind. Then at Prefall is when God baptized me with the Holy Spirit and with fire... and I was meant to spread that fire but uh, I failed :/ You see one of my biggest struggles that kept me from entering into His promises for us is self-esteem -not seeing myself as God sees me and doubting that I'm worthy to be used by Him. But that stems from putting my armor down and letting the devil's lies get to my head. Anyone can be used by God all we need to do is have faith, believe in Him and what He says about us. But the past is the past and we are in a season of RENEWAL, God is still able to do the things He said He will do. He will fulfill all His promises to us! Let me share some more quotes from the Seymour video first:

"Teachings of sancitifcation and Christian unity,...

they lived their lives patterned by the lives of the early saints"

"Salvation, Sanctification and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit"

"Speaking in tongues, singing and playing piano under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit 

(even though she didn't learn how to play piano)."

"God gives us eccentric people... not for us to settle them down...
 but for them to raise our spiritual temperature."

"The meetings did not depend on a human leader but God's presence became more wonderful."

"Don't leave this meeting and talk about tongues, instead try to get people saved....Remember apostolic power will bring apostolic persecution... When you are sanctified people can see it in your life but when you are baptized when He baptizes you the Holy Ghost it brings a holy boldness to stand before the world without fear. Man may say that it is of the devil and you are drunk. But Glory to God! There is a Power behind you that they can't deny." - Seymour.

I may have already mentioned this but most of the drama in the fellowship happened between staff and students but it was obviously (well to me) spiritual warfare. God wants to do more in InterVarsity and in the whole church, He wants to baptize us not just with the Holy Spirit but with FIRE! You can check out the cool video below about Rodney Howard-Brown who's calling is to be a fire-starter. 

4.) GREATER WORKS THAN JESUS DID

So what's the point of being filled with the Holy Spirit and FIRE! well, intimacy with God (bride of Christ preparation) and also advancing His Kingdom with power! Also the quotes above reminded me of what God was teaching me in this post: Pimp My Ride.

The personal accounts from Azusa street are so beautiful bringing tears to my eyes. That's what I want. I don't want church as usual. I want the fullness of GOD, fullness of LOVE. I want to see FREEDOM, HEALING and DELIVERANCE. I want to see HEAVEN invading earth. 

At 3:16 he explains a vision he had in 1996: "God started speaking to me about the coming age of the church. God is raising a generation of people, they are gonna walk in a reverential fear of God, they're gonna walk in an authority- a Kingdom authority. They're gonna begin to speak things into the atmosphere and they're gonna materialize. They're gonna be young people, teenagers, college students, they're gonna flow in the supernatural and purity... It starts with the Word of God (In John 6:49 Jesus said, "My Word is spirit and Life)..." Watch the rest of it! :D

________________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL & CORPORATE APPLICATION:

Surrender, Unite, Wait on God together :-)

1.) SURRENDER: We need to repent (turn to God with all of our hearts) and yield to His Spirit.

"God working mightily in the human heart is the spring of all abiding spiritual power; and it is only as men follow out the promptings of the inward spiritual life that they do great things for God." -David Livingstone. (Stole the quote from Caralee's wall :)

"We cannot hold back from God. You cannot divide up your life, giving a bit to God and holding some back for yourself, just in case He doesn't show up. It's all or nothing! God doesn't do half-measures. You have to throw yourself into Him completely, holding nothing back. Then, He is able to do the miraculous with your life. Then He can do what only He can do. Please, give Him your life! What do you want to hold on to it for? Remember, God can do anything with anybody." -Heidi Baker.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139: 23-24)

2.) UNITE: CORPORATE PRAYER AND FASTING

Listen to the message in the first part of the video below- A word from Pastor Ryan fullerton about the importance and power of prayer and fasting - and not just by ourselves but with and for each other. We are family! Let's unite and fight for each other. Let's humble ourselves before God, not just for our sake but for the healing of our land :) 

3. WAIT ON GOD ALL TOGETHER: THE DREAM OF A KING EVENT

 "On one occasion, while he (Jesus) was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leaveJerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5) Then what did they disciples do? "They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." (vs.14) There was unity in constant prayer. And then what happened? "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them." (Acts 2: 1-3)

So yeah let's start/continue the habit of meeting together to pray, fast and worship in preparation for the more that God wants to do in us and through us. There's a prayer meeting that just started up last week on Wednesdays at 12.30pm at Storke Plaza and I'll also fill you in on other prayer meetings :)

And also, let's ALL come together and praise God together and let Him fight all our battles. Let us ALL lift up one voice with the faith that our voice has the power to shake the nations and it indeed will. All roads lead to Santa Barbara, on March 1st the One Body team is planning another event, "Dream of a King" at 7pm in the Linda Vista room in FT. Mark your calendars!! And if you're no longer in SB start making plans to come back that weekend. There's an ARMY RISING UP to BREAK EVERY CHAIN and we're about to be SENT OUT with POWER! Wooohoooooooooo! IT'S TIME!!! GLORY TO GOD!! :D

 (The beginning of last year a group of young people -college age and post-college- called the Circuit Riders were sent by God to campuses around the US and along the West Coast. They shared the vision that God gave them: A great awakening is going to happened from the West Coast to the East Coast, he (Samuel) also saw a great earthquake and tsunami hitting at that time, but though the earth will be groaning it will be a joyous send-out to the nations to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He saw a wave of revival and reformation. God also gave Him numbers: 80million into the Kingdom and 200,000 being sent out into the nations! SO EXCITING!!! LET'S ENTER IN! SHALL WE?)

"But come, come, children, rally ’round,

and maybe TOGETHER we can make a sound

that will shake the trees or rattle the ground,

make strong our knees,

we’s-a freedom bound.

And we know this place.

Reclaim the crown.

Hold onto the prize,

never put it down.

Be firm in the stance,

no break, no bow,

got to forward on, Mama,

make your move now.

Forward on, Papa, okay.

make your move now.

Forward, dear children,

’cuz FREEDOM is NOW."

-Sunni Patterson, "We know this place."

________________________________________________________________________

“Come, let us return to the Lord.

He has torn us to pieces

    but He will heal us;

He has injured us

    but He will bind up our wounds.

After two days He will revive us;

    on the third day He will restore us,

    that we may live in His presence.

Let us acknowledge the Lord;

    let us press on to acknowledge Him.

As surely as the sun rises,

    He will appear;

He will come to us like the winter rains,

    like the spring rains that water the earth.”

(Hosea 6:1-3)