Phenomenal Cosmic Powers....itty bitty living space

One year ago on Jan. 19th, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. Over the last year, a lot has changed in our lives and God has taught me so much. We take a lot of things in our life for granted, we put too much importance on little things that don't matter, but most importantly, God's presence in our lives gives us more power than most of us ever tap. Our pastor taught on the miracles surrounding Elisha's life a few weeks ago. When he was surrounded by the enemy, he prayed that his servant's eyes would be opened to see the truth and he beheld the circle of angels that surrounded them for protection. These angels blinded the entire army that came against the man of God. In Egypt, one angel of death killed the first born of every Egyptian family in one night. Angels are powerful beings that can carry out the will of God. However, if we read about Jacob wrestling with angel, he fought with this being for an entire night and the angel could not prevail against him. He finally touched the hollow of his hip and put it out of place so that he could escape. While angels are powerful beings that can wipe out an entire army, we as Christians, have more power than that because of God's spirit in us. Think about that. Imagine the power that God has bestowed in our lives. Why do we constantly hear Christians making statements like "Boy, the devil is really fighting me lately" and "I'm just trying to hold on"? We were never meant to merely hold on, we were meant to be "more than conquerors" and "to fly on wings like eagles". 

If I could pass along one message to my friends and family from my last year, it's this....live the life God has given you. Life is going to throw curve balls at you. Bills are going to come that you don't know how you will pay, careers will rise and fall, and kidneys will fail. However, through all of these trials that seem so huge to us, if we could see these through 
God's eyes, we would see that these are just speed bumps in our life. God said "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11" The Almighty Creator of the Universe specifically has plans for your life that can take you to places you never even dreamed, you just have to hold on for the ride. We were called to be salt and light in the world with an imbued power that can "say to the mountain, be thou removed and cast into the sea. Mark 11:23". Let's all start living the lives we were meant to live. 



"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."--Marianne Williamson

Family and spouse and Mickey's house

We spent another wonderful New Year's Day at Disney world this year. The kids had a blast (ok...so did I). Lincoln was able to ride his first real roller coaster and absolutely loved it. He squealed the whole time and then demanded to get right back on...looks like he will be an adrenaline junkie like his dad. We ate too much, stayed up too late, and tried to accomplish too much everyday; just like you should on vacation! While we were there, we had to convince Lincoln to take a nap during the day to make it through the rest of the day. This was not the easiest task. It would usually involve us telling him "no, we can't stay any longer now, but if you will take a nap, we can come back tonight and stay as long as you want." This would often involve a two year old melt down about staying. We just wanted him to rest so we could have a good rest of the day, but he couldn't see it that way. He was fixated on getting what he wanted right then, even though it wasn't what was better for him. I couldn't help seeing the similarities in Acts 3 when Peter and John were asked by the beggar at the gate Beautiful for alms. "Silver and Gold have I none, but what I have I freely give, Arise and walk." There are three important parts to this answer. The first is the answer no, I will not give you what you ask. The next, and possibly the most important, is but. Then, there is a demand for a action that will lead to a better gift. Sounds a lot like our situation with Lincoln, but more importantly, I wonder about myself as a "child" of God. I wonder how many times God has answered my prayers with "no, but" and all I heard was the no. How many blessings have I missed by not following the demands of God after the "but"? After all, He promised to open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out blessings that we could not contain.
My New Year's Resolution for 2013 is to not miss the "buts" that God gives me, but to accept both his demands for me and the blessings that he has in store for me.
Happy New Year's for all my family and friends, I hope that God's blessings fall on each of you this year.

On the kidney transplant front, I'm still awaiting the final testing from one of my living donors. I ask my friends and family to pray for these folks. God said that what you do for the least of these, you do for me. He also promised to return their blessing a hundred fold. While I'm not sure what a hundred fold return on a kidney is, I pray Lord, let it be.

Anthony