I have had a few thoughts that I really feel like I would like to share...These thoughts all kinds got just started with the question that I got asked when talking about JEMfriends "Do you train your mentors?" The first thought that hit me was, how many people shy away from mentoring because they are not "trained" they don't feel that they "know enough"? These are probable true facts I am sure that there are many that feel this way. I started thinking about how our world has pushed the education, training, certifications, yes you can get mentoring certifications, I just wonder when it comes to mentoring if it has gone to far and we have replaced the biggest part of mentoring...friendship.

I just wonder if we started saying you being you is enough to be mentor, how many more people would make the effort to mentor, how many more kids would walk this world and get noticed.

Thinking about it there are a few reasons that we get trained...
1. To learn to be better at what we do.
2. To be able to do what we do in less amount of time.
3. Cause we love what we do and we want to learn everything that we can about it. 

These are not all wrong reasons especially the 3rd, but they one go so far because mentoring is a time investment, a listening to the heart and a friendship things so hard taught.

You are enough to be a mentor and let your training come from Christ who understands time investment, a listening heart, and the friendship perfectly.

First day... er... week of work

So I was planning on blogging after my first day of work but things were rather busy.... so here I am after 3 days of work and just now getting this blog together.

I apologize in advance if this blog is super random. I just have not blogged in so long and I have so many thoughts rolling around in my brain ready to spil out it might just come out all jumbled ;).

It was a full moon last night and so the past couple of evenings have been so fantastic getting to see it come off the horizon :)

Last Friday night I was lying awake at like 2:30am complaining to God about some things and as I was praying, thunder rolled and the lighting flashed and the rain poured down in an awesome reminder that God never leaves us... all I could do was go outside and stand in the rain and fog :).... It was definitely the reminder I needed to stop complaining and instead thank God for all he has done for me :)

Speaking of storms there was a really windy thunderstorm on Monday night which I had to drive through to get to choir practice.... avoiding branches in the roadway was kind of an ordeal. Also the storm blew over the grill at the house I was housesitting.... luckily it was my Aunt's house so I was not in too much trouble.

I also got pulled over twice this week... thankfully both times was to let the fire truck go by.... so no speeding tickets.... yet ;)

Work has been pretty much awesome. My first day was on Monday. I get to do all kinds of fun stuff. Pretty much I do whatever Liberty tells me too.... this has mostly involved computer work. I do not have a "title" yet for my job but Liberty is working on coming up with it :) So as soon as I know I will be sure to inform you all :)

Sorry this has been so random but hopefully this shows you my life lately :)

I will try to put together a less nonsensical blog soon.

Mercy Faith

Exodus 15:22-27... some thoughts

 Exodus 15:22-27 "So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?  And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."

As you read through the book of Exodus it is easy to start to skim over the passages that just seem to tell the  day-to-day happenings of the Children of Israel's journey to the Promised Land. However, we must remind ourselves that the story of their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land was a physical example of our Spiritual journey from total depravity to life eternal with Jesus. There are many parallels that can be seen throughout the Israelites story but I wish to just touch on the ones I gleaned from this particular passage.


To put this is in context let me just refresh your memory of what was going on in Chapter15. The first part of the chapter is devoted to recording the songs of Moses and Miriam after God miraculously delivered them from the army of Pharaoh and lead them across the Red Sea. After this great celebration with singing and dancing it is time for the Children of Israel to move on. This is where these verses (22-27) enter the story. The Israelites have traveled through the wilderness with no water for 3 days and then when they get to Marah where there finally is water the water is undrinkable (bitter). The people immediately start complaining. Moses cries out to God and God shows him to cast a tree into the water and the waters become sweet. God, through Moses, then promises the people that if they will hear Him and keep His commandments then He will not punish them as He did the Egyptians. After that He leads them to Elim- an oasis.


This passage really spoke to me as it showed it a physical sense our spiritual journeys. God reaches down and brings us out of Egypt (our depraved state) and shows us the path to Eternal life. The journey is not easy, this life is a wilderness full of trials. However, God does not let us face the wilderness alone, if he did we would turn back to Egypt and the our life of sin just as the Israelites wanted to time and time again. Instead, God is not only with us, He is there protecting and leading us as a pillar of fire. 

He is there as we face seeming insurmountable opposition and just as He did with the Red Sea he opens a way for us to walk in the midst of it. It can be scary because even as we can feel the dry land beneath us and see the pillar of fire ahead of us we are tempted to look at the walls of water and think of what would happen if those waters came crashing down on us. Yet we know if we trust in the Lord and look to Him we will make it through this trial and come out on the other side unscathed. After coming through trials that bring us closer to God it is easy in that moment to turn to Him and trust Him with our whole heart. However, our faith will not be measured only by these good times but by the tough times as well. 

After this period of celebration, the Israelites are lead through the wilderness. They are still on their way to the Promised Land but God is testing their endurance. In our spiritual Journey, God will lead us through deserts and these are not to drive us away from Him in despair but are to draw us to Him as we pant for the "living water" of Christ. 


Eventually, the Israelites come upon some water in Marah. The lesson taught here is one not to be missed. After the trials of the wilderness, God has lead us to what we think should be a refreshing spot. But God is here showing us more of His wonder. The cup that he as prepared for us now is one we see as bitter and "unhealthy" yet God in His Providence uses it to pull us to Him. 
  
 The tree that God shows to Moses to redeem the situation reminds us that when Jesus died on the tree at Calvary, he drank the bitter cup reserved for us. And because of that the waters we are offered are sweet and refreshing. This is a great hope for us. We will never have to drink of the waters of death, Jesus has already taken that for us. 

After this amazing demonstration of God's power, He speaks to us and reminds that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He will never plague us with the plagues of sin (the Egyptians). Yet He also reminds us that  we are to follow His commands. After He has made this promise and the Israelites have accepted the condition, He leads them to an Oasis, a true resting place on the road to Eternal life in the Promised Land.

This Passage as a whole is one filled of Hope as it reminds us to look to God in ANY and ALL situations. God knows us, knows our hearts. He loves us. What may seem to us as bitter cup, He will turn to sweetness. He uses many means to accomplish His goals through us and if we are willing to be an empty vessel that He can fill with His Will, we can accomplish so much more than we could ever dream for His Kingdom

In Christ,
Mercy Faith Barrett

The Great Divide

Written the day after Idaho's Presidential Caucus

There are a few times in my life when I realize how optimistically naive I am sometimes. Last night was one of those cases. I really did think that there were more than 1,766 people in Ada County who cared enough about their freedom to take a few hours out of the routine of their lives and vote for liberty. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Dead wrong.

For whatever multitude of reasons, many of them good ones I’m sure, the 100 people that would have placed Ron Paul and the cause of liberty in 2nd place were not there. I myself know half that number of Ada County Residents who profess with their mouth that they love liberty, but their actions showed otherwise last night. Lest I sound like a sore loser my real heartbreak lies in this unspoken tacit consent that any Republican candidate is better than the Democratic one. It seems as if folks feel like they can take a stand the next time around. Ladies and Gentlemen, there may be no “next time around.”

I know it’s hard to exchange our comfort, security, and seeming peace, but we are paying for these facades of freedom with our liberty and our future. Just think for one moment about what your life would have been like if our founding fathers had said they’d take a stand “the next time around.” You and I would most likely be living in utter poverty in a totally socialistic regime. Thank God for men who did what it took for the cause of liberty. And, we can’t even take 3 or 4 hours to make the statement that needs to be made at this time.

The words of Patrick Henry’s famous speech are echoing in my mind:

“They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power...There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!...Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace but there is no peace.”

What will it take to rouse us from our slumber? I would suggest a rallying cry like Paul Revere’s, and if that is what it takes then give me the horse and I will ride and proclaim,

“Awake and to Arms! The redcoats of our day are already amongst us! They try to kill your children and if they can’t then they teach them in the government schools. They tax your money and your property! They invade your privacy. They deface the value of your currency.”

We must fight now or never. There is a great divide between those who care about liberty for now and the next generations, and those who don’t. I fear that it may never be bridged.

We may be tempted to say in our hearts “Peace. Peace.”

But, ladies and gentlemen, there is no peace.

Rain

Rain.... one simple word can bring up many different pictures in one's mind... for some, days of depression and wishing for the sun; boredom and staying inside all day.... but for others the images are not so dreary.... some see gardens sprouting and flowers blooming.... lightning shows and the roll of thunder.... the feeling of freshness...

Anyone who knows me even a little probably knows that I belong to the latter group and that I absolutely love the rain :). Besides the usual feelings that rain brings as a fore mentioned; rain for me is always a reminder of God's love, mercy, and faithfulness.

Just as there are many types of rain there are many ways God shows us His love.

Sometimes He shows us gently and steadily, just as a drizzle will constantly remind you that the rain is there but will not drive you away.

Sometimes He urges us to search for Him and find Him, just like when you hold out your hands to catch as many raindrops as you can in the lightest of rains.

Sometimes the rain comes with a driving wind that is so powerful we have no choice but to run for shelter. Shelter not from the raindrops of God's love but from the wind of Satan's attacks.... in this situation we can make different choices: we can run for the false shelters we erect out of our own pride and "abilities", we can determine to face the wind alone (another choice made of pride), or we can run for the cleft of the Rock that is named Jesus and there rest in the assurance that as little or as much of the wind that that touches us there is exactly what Jesus knows is the best for us... even when it seems as if we may as well have stayed out in the full wind, the difference being the constant support our Rock gives us continually.

Sometimes the rain will come hard and steady but as there is no wind we stay and bask ourselves in it smiling and laughing and even running through it... a rain that seems to take all your troubles out of your heart and gives them to God.

And sometimes the rain is such that as one stands in it, burdened with more cares than they care to count, with a broken heart and a weary soul, as the tears stream down the sufferers face, the rain mixes with them as a testimony that God hears them and that he breaks with them.... He even cries with them....

Every time I walk out in the rain I hear these words "I am here. I love you. Look to me for your strength and I will give it to you." It is amazing how often I need this reminder, but fortunately God chooses to send the rain just as often :)

I hope that the next time it rains, even if you are not a rain lover, you will reflect on the goodness of God and let go of your burdens, seek God's face and remember that He loves for you, He cares for you, and He will never let you go.

Hope

An empty well,
A Shallow stream,
What hope does one gain from these?

An empty heart,
A shallow belief,
What hope does one gain from these?

The Father's love,
The Son's embrace,
This brings the hope for all things.

The Spirit's breath
That gives us life,
Fuels the hope for all things.

To gain the love,
To gain the life,
We would gain the hope that is given.

Grandpa

Today I found out what really maters, God and Family. Today a big piece of my heritage was taken home. My Grandpa has left this Far Country for his true home beyond the sea. I had never imagined until now, as I face the reality, that in this life he will not see me graduate, he cannot attend my senior recital, he will never see me walk down the aisle. Yet he will see these things, clearer than any of us here on earth. Tonight was my Senior night basketball game. A game I have looked forward to ever since I begun playing basketball because I knew it would be a special night. Yet tonight was even more special than I could even have imagined because for the first time in the three years I have played, my Grandpa finally got to see me play. For the last few years he has been confined to a wheelchair and this last year confined to his house. I believe he saw one of my volleyball games in 2009 but never a basketball game. And now on the last home game of my career, my Grandpa finally got to see me play. It didn't turn out like I would ever have imagined but even more wonderful. Even though I could not see his face, he was there.

...

Dear Grandpa,
I miss you so much already, even though it hasn't even been a day. I know you are having such a blessed time with our Lord and Savior.

I know in this life I never expressed very well my gratitude for all you have done for me... let me now do that. Thank you so much for your love, not only for me but for my family and the example you gave me through your love for the Lord. Thank you for raising my dad to be a Christian and preparing him to lead my siblings and I in the way of truth. Thank you for your example of patience, self control, and faithfulness, in these lessons I could not have asked for a better teacher.

I can't wait until I see you again :)
Your Loving Granddaughter,
Mercy Faith

...

Even as my Grandpa has passed from this life to a far better one, those of us that are left behind are reminded of a few things. First, cherish the time you are given with your loved ones and give them hugs every chance you get. Second, never forget to tell them how much they mean to you cause you never know when you will never have that chance again. And Thirdly, keep all your friends and family in prayer because as we know, we will get to see them again if they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I am so happy that my I will get to see my Grandpa again :)

Prayer is a mighty weapon... let us use it to its fullest...

With an overflowing heart,
MFB