If you haven't seen it yet, go see "Secretariat"! Fabulous film on many levels, and it's clean! Faith produces perseverance, perseverance hope, and hope does not disappoint!
The heart of Big Red...oh that I would have such a heart for the Lord Himself and things of the Lord! Secretariat was created to RUN...we are created to love God and love others....that we would RUN in those commandments the way Secretariat runs that final race in the movie (sorry if I ruin it for anyone), truly nothing would be impossible because it would be 100% Christ IN us, the hope of glory!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Does prayer work? I think so!
I am currently doing research on human trafficking with Exodus Cry. I'm also leading an hour-long prayer focus on Wednesdays where we pray for the Lord to stop human trafficking, specifically in Eastern Europe. During the month of October, there has been a recurring emphasis on Romania...various people in our group continued to come back to this nation (along with other nations), but today, I was floored by something I read.
In my research this week on human trafficking in Romania, I came across an article about a MAJOR bust of a child-trafficking ring out of Romania, trafficking children into the UK, which occurred in October!!!
God pretty much blows me away with His goodness and His reminders that He does indeed answer prayer!
In my research this week on human trafficking in Romania, I came across an article about a MAJOR bust of a child-trafficking ring out of Romania, trafficking children into the UK, which occurred in October!!!
God pretty much blows me away with His goodness and His reminders that He does indeed answer prayer!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Transition
Life is simply full of transitions, isn't it? Clearly, this is how God intended it to be, that we would forever be in the process of change, growth, moving from one level of maturity to the next, all the while growing in increasing trust in Him as the perfect Father.
It doesn't matter how perfect your earthly father is or may have been (or how imperfect) because God the Father is so far beyond any father we could begin to imagine when it comes to love, goodness, mercy, grace, true justice, peace, kindness...the list goes on. Our filters are sometimes (most of the time) so clogged up that we easily fall into the cycle of forgetting what our heavenly Father is really like and begin to project our own images upon Him, thus bringing ourselves into valleys of doubt and unbelief, leading to mistrust and finally self-preservation.
What do transitions do? Throughout Scripture, God brings people to points of transition, where they are asked if they are willing to go here or there, say this or that, do this or that, be this or that. Because the Father will never over-ride a human will, we have choice...we can walk into His transitions full of hope and trust, knowing that our Daddy has our very best in mind, along with His ultimate glory, or we can ignore His voice, continue on our own merry way and miss out. His love for us never changes, and He continues to delight in us because we are His kids! However, I can imagine that His heart is grieved in some ways because He sees the big picture, He sees the end result, He sees the finished tapestry.
As I move into yet another season of personal transition, I have been faced with my own severe short-comings, my own idols of self-preservation, my own "issues" and the Lord, in His grace and mercy, has been patient with me, and has stuck with me, persevering because He knows what is BEST for me. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about this next transition because His goodness, love, grace and mercy is ALL over it, and through it, the Kingdom is going to move forward with power like never before! More to come....
It doesn't matter how perfect your earthly father is or may have been (or how imperfect) because God the Father is so far beyond any father we could begin to imagine when it comes to love, goodness, mercy, grace, true justice, peace, kindness...the list goes on. Our filters are sometimes (most of the time) so clogged up that we easily fall into the cycle of forgetting what our heavenly Father is really like and begin to project our own images upon Him, thus bringing ourselves into valleys of doubt and unbelief, leading to mistrust and finally self-preservation.
What do transitions do? Throughout Scripture, God brings people to points of transition, where they are asked if they are willing to go here or there, say this or that, do this or that, be this or that. Because the Father will never over-ride a human will, we have choice...we can walk into His transitions full of hope and trust, knowing that our Daddy has our very best in mind, along with His ultimate glory, or we can ignore His voice, continue on our own merry way and miss out. His love for us never changes, and He continues to delight in us because we are His kids! However, I can imagine that His heart is grieved in some ways because He sees the big picture, He sees the end result, He sees the finished tapestry.
As I move into yet another season of personal transition, I have been faced with my own severe short-comings, my own idols of self-preservation, my own "issues" and the Lord, in His grace and mercy, has been patient with me, and has stuck with me, persevering because He knows what is BEST for me. I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited about this next transition because His goodness, love, grace and mercy is ALL over it, and through it, the Kingdom is going to move forward with power like never before! More to come....
Friday, October 22, 2010
Matching gift!
Who out there wants to participate in a matching financial gift blessing? A friend has agreed to match, dollar for dollar, every dollar up to $800 given over and above the cost for my book Walking Forward. This means if you buy a copy of Walking Forward for $20, ($10 for book + $2 shipping) then $8 will be matched with another $8 to be given to the Budapest Prayer room in Hungary. Deadline: November 6th!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Sowing
Hey blog readers,
I'd like to sow financial seed into the Budapest Prayer Room when I go there in November. Here's how you can be involved:
Buy my book, Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness.
Just $13 gets you the book (including shipping) and ANY financial gift over that amount will go directly to the Budapest Prayer Room! So, you get a book AND you sow into the nations.
Email me: tmhunarden@gmail.com and let me know how many books you want, your address, and I'll mail them to you! I have heard nothing but good things from people who've already read it, and many want to share it with friends...so, keep it in mind for Christmas gifts as well!
Blessings on you as you help advance the Kingdom world-wide!
Check out: www.walkingforward-arden.blogspot.com
I'd like to sow financial seed into the Budapest Prayer Room when I go there in November. Here's how you can be involved:
Buy my book, Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness.
Just $13 gets you the book (including shipping) and ANY financial gift over that amount will go directly to the Budapest Prayer Room! So, you get a book AND you sow into the nations.
Email me: tmhunarden@gmail.com and let me know how many books you want, your address, and I'll mail them to you! I have heard nothing but good things from people who've already read it, and many want to share it with friends...so, keep it in mind for Christmas gifts as well!
Blessings on you as you help advance the Kingdom world-wide!
Check out: www.walkingforward-arden.blogspot.com
Sunday, October 17, 2010
More Walking Forward feedback
I finished reading your book and I LOVED every single chapter!! It made me think, made me laugh, the questions at the ends of the chapters were excellent ones to really get you to think, some of the stories were hilarious (you write like you talk so I could JUST hear you saying certain things!!!!). Can't wait for you to write another book :)
Opportunity to Sow...
Opportunity to sow...
The REAL reason I am writing is to promote my book. Let me be perfectly blunt here! A number of people have read it now and the feedback is super positive. The head of community care here at IHOP and I met last week and he will be adding my book to a list of books for small groups here to consider using in their small groups. This got me thinking about you all out there in various churches and missions groups and the blessing that this book could be to people around you! So, email me back and we can talk about how you want to get your copy (or copies) and how we can get it into the hands of the right people at your church!
A dear friend of mine here who is a Hebrew scholar...not that that has anything to do with anything...is reading the book and says, "It's incredible! It might just be because so much of what you are talking about I am walking through right now, but I am being touched by every chapter!" I hope you all know me well enough to know that I am in NO WAY tooting my own horn. I am completely, utterly humbled by the feedback I am receiving. My prayer from the outset was that God would be glorified and that ONE person would come into the Kingdom as a result of reading it. I am also PUSHING it now because in November, I am heading to Hungary..... ....Yep, I am heading back to my second home for a visit which has turned into a MAJOR ministry trip. However, the part connected to my book is this: I want to BLESS the prayer room in Budapest, which started a worship school last fall, with a much needed financial gift. So, every dollar that comes in over and above the $10 cost of the book (plus $3 shipping; retail is $14.99) will go directly to the Budapest prayer room ministry!!! Wouldn't you just LOVE to be a part of sowing into the Kingdom in and through Hungary while receiving a book at the same time?
So, to make a long letter longer, write to me and let's get a copy out to you and bless the nations at the same time! I'm ending my tome here and looking forward to getting a FLOOD of emails from each of you! ha ha ha! Thank you and love you all so much...cuz it's all about Jesus and His Kingdom anyway, right? Always by grace alone, Arden
The REAL reason I am writing is to promote my book. Let me be perfectly blunt here! A number of people have read it now and the feedback is super positive. The head of community care here at IHOP and I met last week and he will be adding my book to a list of books for small groups here to consider using in their small groups. This got me thinking about you all out there in various churches and missions groups and the blessing that this book could be to people around you! So, email me back and we can talk about how you want to get your copy (or copies) and how we can get it into the hands of the right people at your church!
A dear friend of mine here who is a Hebrew scholar...not that that has anything to do with anything...is reading the book and says, "It's incredible! It might just be because so much of what you are talking about I am walking through right now, but I am being touched by every chapter!" I hope you all know me well enough to know that I am in NO WAY tooting my own horn. I am completely, utterly humbled by the feedback I am receiving. My prayer from the outset was that God would be glorified and that ONE person would come into the Kingdom as a result of reading it. I am also PUSHING it now because in November, I am heading to Hungary..... ....Yep, I am heading back to my second home for a visit which has turned into a MAJOR ministry trip. However, the part connected to my book is this: I want to BLESS the prayer room in Budapest, which started a worship school last fall, with a much needed financial gift. So, every dollar that comes in over and above the $10 cost of the book (plus $3 shipping; retail is $14.99) will go directly to the Budapest prayer room ministry!!! Wouldn't you just LOVE to be a part of sowing into the Kingdom in and through Hungary while receiving a book at the same time?
So, to make a long letter longer, write to me and let's get a copy out to you and bless the nations at the same time! I'm ending my tome here and looking forward to getting a FLOOD of emails from each of you! ha ha ha! Thank you and love you all so much...cuz it's all about Jesus and His Kingdom anyway, right? Always by grace alone, Arden
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rescue of Chilean Miners...a picture of the Kingdom!
The rescue of the miners in Chile is such a sweet picture of building the Kingdom of God: They were "lost", with seemingly no hope of rescue; a way was made for them; and one by one, slowly, carefully, they are brought from the darkness into the light & reunited with families, natural and "spiritual".
I sit here weeping as I watch the live video of families being reunited...such love! Thank you, Jesus!
I sit here weeping as I watch the live video of families being reunited...such love! Thank you, Jesus!
Monday, October 11, 2010
The law of sowing and reaping
I simply couldn't stand it any longer. The harvest of pumpkins from my garden has been bountiful this year. In fact, I received a harvest of 18 large pumpkins, and today was the day to determine from exactly how many seeds those 18 pumpkins grew.
Back in the spring, I planted 4 pumpkin seeds at the suggestion of my wise father, who said I didn't need many. Today, I learned for a fact, as I was yanking the dead vines out of the garden that only 1 of them actually germinated. ONE. ONE!!!
From ONE seed grew EIGHTEEN pumpkins! I'm not very math-savvy, but I think that is an 1800% return. The reality of sowing and reaping, especially reflected in Jesus' parable of the the seeds, has been lived out in my backyard this year!!!
You see, Jesus talks about FOUR seeds. Hmmm.....I planted 4 seeds. In His story, the first fell on the ground and the birds immediately came along and ate it up. The second fell on rocky soil, sprang up and yet had no root...and thus produced no fruit. The third fell amongst the weeds, which grew up and choked the seed off. Only the fourth seed took root and germinated, producing much from little.
God still floors me as He graces me with real-live tangible pictures in the natural of these biblical truths. So, not only do I have pumpkin 'stored away' in my freezer for pies, muffins, cookies and soups, but I have given away pumpkins as well. Isn't that how it should be in the Kingdom? :-)
LOVE IT!
Back in the spring, I planted 4 pumpkin seeds at the suggestion of my wise father, who said I didn't need many. Today, I learned for a fact, as I was yanking the dead vines out of the garden that only 1 of them actually germinated. ONE. ONE!!!
From ONE seed grew EIGHTEEN pumpkins! I'm not very math-savvy, but I think that is an 1800% return. The reality of sowing and reaping, especially reflected in Jesus' parable of the the seeds, has been lived out in my backyard this year!!!
You see, Jesus talks about FOUR seeds. Hmmm.....I planted 4 seeds. In His story, the first fell on the ground and the birds immediately came along and ate it up. The second fell on rocky soil, sprang up and yet had no root...and thus produced no fruit. The third fell amongst the weeds, which grew up and choked the seed off. Only the fourth seed took root and germinated, producing much from little.
God still floors me as He graces me with real-live tangible pictures in the natural of these biblical truths. So, not only do I have pumpkin 'stored away' in my freezer for pies, muffins, cookies and soups, but I have given away pumpkins as well. Isn't that how it should be in the Kingdom? :-)
LOVE IT!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The day has come....
Sadly, the day has come....
Blondie found her way into the house....
Now she thinks she can come in anytime I'm not home and feast on whatever she finds.....
For some reason, my once bold and confrontational boys are allowing her to have her way....
....to eat their food....
....to be in their territory....
She dashes OUT the cat door when I come home.
This provokes me to some spiritual musings, of course.
First, I have nothing against female cats...or females in general....my beef is with this spirit that has been around since Old Testament times.
Jezebel. I know, I know, people throw around, "She's such a Jezebel," or "He's under a Jezebel spirit," like discussions around the water cooler on Mondays after NFL football Sunday.
And truly, this is not that serious of a blog entry. It's just interesting for me to see this blonde kitty (no, this has nothing to do with her being blonde either) wants control and exerts control; she is not seeking to love and be loved, but control and take over as evidenced by the sad submission both my male cats have fallen prey to.
Over-analyzing? Of course. Seeing spiritual truths in everyday life? Trying. Desiring to provoke any readers to wakey, wakey? Absolutely.
Blondie found her way into the house....
Now she thinks she can come in anytime I'm not home and feast on whatever she finds.....
For some reason, my once bold and confrontational boys are allowing her to have her way....
....to eat their food....
....to be in their territory....
She dashes OUT the cat door when I come home.
This provokes me to some spiritual musings, of course.
First, I have nothing against female cats...or females in general....my beef is with this spirit that has been around since Old Testament times.
Jezebel. I know, I know, people throw around, "She's such a Jezebel," or "He's under a Jezebel spirit," like discussions around the water cooler on Mondays after NFL football Sunday.
And truly, this is not that serious of a blog entry. It's just interesting for me to see this blonde kitty (no, this has nothing to do with her being blonde either) wants control and exerts control; she is not seeking to love and be loved, but control and take over as evidenced by the sad submission both my male cats have fallen prey to.
Over-analyzing? Of course. Seeing spiritual truths in everyday life? Trying. Desiring to provoke any readers to wakey, wakey? Absolutely.
Friday, October 08, 2010
Toby and Simon's girlfriend
A beautiful, blonde has discovered that two handsome boys live in my house. Lest you are shocked by that opening sentence, let me reassure you that I'm talking about cats! :-) Both Toby and Simon are being regularly pursued by this little blonde female kitty who really prefers Simon over Toby. Toby hisses at her if she tries to approach him and so she rubs against the back screen door and looks longingly inside where Simon sits and stares, wanting to go outside but feeling very afraid of this very forward woman!
It's quite hilarious!!! Simon reminds me of the shy boy in middle school who the most beautiful and popular girl in school takes a liking to and he is beside himself because he doesn't have a clue what to do! Pretty much the only time Simon goes outside now is when I am outside with him...he's just too intimidated by this female. Now keep in mind, this is the same cat who successfully cleared out the courtyard of other cats in Hungary, chasing them up trees and out of his territory. Mr. Bold has turned into Mr. Shy-boy, by a woman no less!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
The latest update
Dearest ones! Well, I am finding my feet and working on getting into the rhythm of being a part-time intercessory missionary and a part-time market-place missionary...well, I guess you could call me a full-time missionary, huh? Someone asked me recently what my typical day looks like...I chuckled...no day is typical, but I am trying to establish some rhythm and schedule.
I try most mornings to get to a prayer meeting from 9-10 with Deeper Waters, a marketplace ministry here. Their message of HOPE is transforming cities and nations and I truly feel the Lord has something He wants to do with and in me there. I spend 12 hours per week in the prayer room, which is spread out over 5 days right now. My service hours (as they call them) are divided between inner healing prayer ministry, prophecy team ministry and research and writing for Exodus Cry (fighting human trafficking). A true blessing started yesterday with the gathering of four amazing women! We will be studying a wonderful book by John Eldredge called Journey of Desire and meeting every two weeks to pray, discuss and encourage one another. I've moved from a 30 somethings group to a 40 somethings group of women! A young lady approached me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would mentor her. We meet weekly and I know the Lord is opening more doors with young women who need older women to pour into them, so I am blessed to "be available" to Him.
I still have two part-time jobs as I wait on the Lord to bring in full support, and I'm thankful to have them! I'm also thankful to each of you who is praying faithfully for me as well as to those who are financially sacrificing! Lives are being touched in powerful ways.
Some of you may have heard that the awakening meetings which have been taking place 4 nights a week since last November are being put "on hold" for a season. In no way is it because the Lord is not showing up and doing His amazing work of healing bodies and hearts; rather, there have been a number of words from the Lord indicating that there will be an even greater "wave" of awakening not only here but across the earth and the need now is to go into the place of prayer and intercession and prepare our hearts for what is coming. It's the Ezekiel 47 reality; we've been enjoying the ankle deep water and splashing about in the joy of the Lord, watching Him heal hearts of shame, emotional trauma, addictions and more, as well as bodies from tumors, paralysis, deaf ears and weak vision, just to name a few. There are reports from across the globe from over 6000 people of how they have been touched by God including many new believers in the Kingdom. All that in addition to over 1500 baptisms here at IHOP alone! The Lord wants to do more and human logic would say, "Just keep it going." But the Lord wants to do more His way; He wants to bring the entire global bride of Christ into waist deep water and then in over our heads; and so we push 'pause' on ankle deep, seek out the heart of the Father in the place of prayer, worship and intercession, and wait for His timing in sending the next wave. Truly it is we who need to prepare our hearts in humility. God continues to move with power in the prayer room here as well as across the globe, so the "awakening" hasn't stopped...it will continue!
Ok, this was to be a quick update and it has turned into another TOME. Sorry. The REAL reason I am writing is to promote my book. Let me be perfectly blunt here! A number of people have read it now and the feedback is super positive. The head of community care here at IHOP and I met last week and he will be adding my book to a list of books for small groups here to consider using in their small groups. This got me thinking about you all out there in various churches and missions groups and the blessing that this book could be to people around you! So, email me back and we can talk about how you want to get your copy (or copies) and how we can get it into the hands of the right people at your church! A dear friend of mine here who is a Hebrew scholar...not that that has anything to do with anything...is reading the book and says, "It's incredible! It might just be because so much of what you are talking about I am walking through right now, but I am being touched by every chapter!" I hope you all know me well enough to know that I am in NO WAY tooting my own horn. I am completely, utterly humbled by the feedback I am receiving. My prayer from the outset was that God would be glorified and that ONE person would come into the Kingdom as a result of reading it. I am also PUSHING it now because in November, I am heading to Hungary..... ....Yep, I am heading back to my second home for a visit which has turned into a MAJOR ministry trip. However, the part connected to my book is this: I want to BLESS the prayer room in Budapest, which started a worship school last fall, with a much needed financial gift. So, every dollar that comes in over and above the $10 cost of the book (plus $3 shipping; retail is $14.99) will go directly to the Budapest prayer room ministry!!! Wouldn't you just LOVE to be a part of sowing into the Kingdom in and through Hungary while receiving a book at the same time?
So, to make a long letter longer, write to me and let's get a copy out to you and bless the nations at the same time! I'm ending my tome here and looking forward to getting a FLOOD of emails from each of you! ha ha ha! Thank you and love you all so much...cuz it's all about Jesus and His Kingdom anyway, right? Always by grace alone,Arden
I try most mornings to get to a prayer meeting from 9-10 with Deeper Waters, a marketplace ministry here. Their message of HOPE is transforming cities and nations and I truly feel the Lord has something He wants to do with and in me there. I spend 12 hours per week in the prayer room, which is spread out over 5 days right now. My service hours (as they call them) are divided between inner healing prayer ministry, prophecy team ministry and research and writing for Exodus Cry (fighting human trafficking). A true blessing started yesterday with the gathering of four amazing women! We will be studying a wonderful book by John Eldredge called Journey of Desire and meeting every two weeks to pray, discuss and encourage one another. I've moved from a 30 somethings group to a 40 somethings group of women! A young lady approached me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would mentor her. We meet weekly and I know the Lord is opening more doors with young women who need older women to pour into them, so I am blessed to "be available" to Him.
I still have two part-time jobs as I wait on the Lord to bring in full support, and I'm thankful to have them! I'm also thankful to each of you who is praying faithfully for me as well as to those who are financially sacrificing! Lives are being touched in powerful ways.
Some of you may have heard that the awakening meetings which have been taking place 4 nights a week since last November are being put "on hold" for a season. In no way is it because the Lord is not showing up and doing His amazing work of healing bodies and hearts; rather, there have been a number of words from the Lord indicating that there will be an even greater "wave" of awakening not only here but across the earth and the need now is to go into the place of prayer and intercession and prepare our hearts for what is coming. It's the Ezekiel 47 reality; we've been enjoying the ankle deep water and splashing about in the joy of the Lord, watching Him heal hearts of shame, emotional trauma, addictions and more, as well as bodies from tumors, paralysis, deaf ears and weak vision, just to name a few. There are reports from across the globe from over 6000 people of how they have been touched by God including many new believers in the Kingdom. All that in addition to over 1500 baptisms here at IHOP alone! The Lord wants to do more and human logic would say, "Just keep it going." But the Lord wants to do more His way; He wants to bring the entire global bride of Christ into waist deep water and then in over our heads; and so we push 'pause' on ankle deep, seek out the heart of the Father in the place of prayer, worship and intercession, and wait for His timing in sending the next wave. Truly it is we who need to prepare our hearts in humility. God continues to move with power in the prayer room here as well as across the globe, so the "awakening" hasn't stopped...it will continue!
Ok, this was to be a quick update and it has turned into another TOME. Sorry. The REAL reason I am writing is to promote my book. Let me be perfectly blunt here! A number of people have read it now and the feedback is super positive. The head of community care here at IHOP and I met last week and he will be adding my book to a list of books for small groups here to consider using in their small groups. This got me thinking about you all out there in various churches and missions groups and the blessing that this book could be to people around you! So, email me back and we can talk about how you want to get your copy (or copies) and how we can get it into the hands of the right people at your church! A dear friend of mine here who is a Hebrew scholar...not that that has anything to do with anything...is reading the book and says, "It's incredible! It might just be because so much of what you are talking about I am walking through right now, but I am being touched by every chapter!" I hope you all know me well enough to know that I am in NO WAY tooting my own horn. I am completely, utterly humbled by the feedback I am receiving. My prayer from the outset was that God would be glorified and that ONE person would come into the Kingdom as a result of reading it. I am also PUSHING it now because in November, I am heading to Hungary..... ....Yep, I am heading back to my second home for a visit which has turned into a MAJOR ministry trip. However, the part connected to my book is this: I want to BLESS the prayer room in Budapest, which started a worship school last fall, with a much needed financial gift. So, every dollar that comes in over and above the $10 cost of the book (plus $3 shipping; retail is $14.99) will go directly to the Budapest prayer room ministry!!! Wouldn't you just LOVE to be a part of sowing into the Kingdom in and through Hungary while receiving a book at the same time?
So, to make a long letter longer, write to me and let's get a copy out to you and bless the nations at the same time! I'm ending my tome here and looking forward to getting a FLOOD of emails from each of you! ha ha ha! Thank you and love you all so much...cuz it's all about Jesus and His Kingdom anyway, right? Always by grace alone,Arden
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