Free Grace ... restrictions apply

God sent His son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:17

Recently I stood before a congregation at a small Christian church, giving a course on evangelism.  "We have the privilege of sharing with the world the greatest story that has ever been told: free grace given to all, without partiality.  Do you believe this?"  The church resounded with a mixture of "hallelujah," "amen," and "praise the Lord!"  I smiled.  I knew that the next question would not produce the same reaction.  "Then, you are in agreement that a person living in a sexual relationship outside of marriage is invited without partiality to come to Christ while they are still living with their partner."

I'm sure I heard crickets chirping in the background.

One confident voice shouted over the crowd, "You can't be a Christian if you're willingly living in sin!"

I'm not sure how this life-verse became Christian rhetoric.  It's categorized among the other faithful sayings of the few that we chant so frequently, but which have no biblical basis, such as, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" and "God helps those who help themselves."

Jesus Christ did not come to condemn the world of their sin.  So, why are we so quick to do so?

You don't have to tell a person that their life is out of control or that they are miserable - believe me, they know.  I knew it.  Your knew it.  Somewhere along our journey through the Kingdom of God, we have forgotten how we began.  The world needs hope, not condemnation, yet we preach a gospel of works: "Leave your addiction, and come to Jesus."  "Get out of that relationship, and come to Jesus."  "Let go of your anger, and come to Jesus."  We as the church have forgotten Christ's open invitation:  "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  (Matthew 11:28-30).

Sadly, the majority of Christians today quote Christ as saying, "Relinquish your labor and release your heavy burden, so that I may give you rest."

It is impossible for a slave to free himself from his captivity.  He must first be released from his chains by someone who has fought for his freedom, and then he may be proclaimed free.  The Bible is absolutely clear that it is by grace alone, not by our own strength or ability, that we have come to Christ.  Why do we expect others to do what we could never accomplish?

Oh, that we may be transformed into a church that loves the unlovable, that gives grace to the ungrateful, that reaches out to the unreachable, and that drops the stones that we so easily throw!  We weigh the filthiness and stench of another's sins while we shamelessly strut in our gossip, self-righteous anger, grudges, and pride.  We overfill our mouths with food while thousands of children die of hunger, and then point our finger at the addict who spends his resources on his addiction rather than food for his children.  We confidently drink to quench our thirst, while thousands of people die of preventable diseases acquired through contaminated water.

Where do we draw the line between acceptable sins
and sins that break the heart of God?  

Is our willful ignorance that allows our fellow human being to suffer disease and death for our neglect any better than the man seized with anger and pride who beats his wife and children?  In the eyes of God, both sins are just as evil.

Lord, break our hearts for that which breaks yours.  Let us see the world through your eyes and hear the world through your ears.  Give us compassion for the lost and forgive us for the judgement that we have exacted without any right.  Forgive us for condemning others to darkness while we enjoy Your freedom.  Revive Your church with the flame of love and give us a passion to preach your impartial grace without our personal doctrines and restrictions.

Prayers Are A Reflection Of The Heart

Hebrews 13:5-6

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”  So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?”

In the last few days, I have been out of work, preparing for the trips that I will begin next week.  To avoid the silence of an empty house, I decided to turn the television on and listen to the Christian channels for a few days.  Over and over again this week, I have heard the following commentaries from tele-ministers:

"Sow your seed into this ministry, and God will bless you!"
"We cannot continue this ministry without your support."
"Your donations make it possible for us to continue to minister."

Brothers and sisters, I want to clear up a very important misunderstanding:  God will not bless you for an investment in His work.  God blesses a holy and sanctified life, a life that is committed to to Him and a heart that is humble and willing to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.  Your money cannot provoke a divine blessing.  Even your tithes are only a reflection of a life dedicated to obedience.

Money has never been a sin.  However, the TRUST in money is a sin.  It saddens me to see ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ so deceived by the enemy.  It is not money that maintains a ministry, but rather the grace of God.  In the same way, it is not money that sustains your life, but rather it is the grace of God.


FOR THE ONE WHO HAS ENOUGH

Money is necessary for living, and God knows our needs, and He provides for them.  If God has blessed you with a good job, or inheritance, or a financial blessing, give Him thanks!  But remember, he who has been entrusted with the riches of this world is also entrusted with a great responsibility.  God requires obedience and humility when He gives riches.  You are expected to distribute, invest, and use your money appropriately, as a good stewart of your blessings.  Those who have money have the Godly responsibility to help and sustain those who do not have enough.  The money that God has given you is not intended to be invested in your own kingdom, but rather to bless others.  This is the kingdom of God.

FOR THE ONE WHO IS STRUGGLING

If you are battling economically, don't lose hope.  I speak from experience: God knows our needs, and He always provides for them, but only when we hope in faith to see His provision.  If we do not believe that God will truly provide, then we will not be expecting His provision when it comes, and we'll miss it.  James reminds us in James 1:5b-8

... God... gives generously to all without finding fault... But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Don't be a Yo-Yo: that's faith that's up one day, down the next.   Strive to have a constant faith. 

Wherever the treasure of your heart is hidden, that's where your prayers will be directed.  Personal dreams should not interfere with eternal hope.  Instead of praying for what we want, it's important to ask God what HE wants for our lives.  Many times we cannot see the provision of God, because our eyes are focused on our own personal goals, and not on God's eternal guidance.

FOR THE MINISTER

If God has put into your hands a ministry that requires an investment, don't worry!  God doesn't need man't money to move His work forward.  He started it, and He'll finish it.  He's the God of miracles, and He'll always glorify His name and provide for anything that He has initiated.

What God DOES require are men and women of faith, good stewards of the blessings that He gives, people of integrity and honesty who will work hard and sincerely, who will believe in His provision and sovereignty.  Never create your own goals for ministry.  Be sure to present before God every step you will take, before you take it, and be ready to hear "no."  "No" always means that God's plan is much better than your plan.

God Forgive America

"Self-Centered Indulgence, pride, and a lack of shame over sin are now emblems of the American lifestyle."

Billy Graham

Your generation remembers peace.

My generation has known world turmoil for the last 23 years.
Your generation sent your young people into a battle with a cause.
My generation receives our young men from the battlefront who question the cause.
Your generations demand that our soldiers return home.
My generation accepts deployment of our friends and loved ones in the military, and we know that we cannot avoid it - we must face it with courage.
Your generation demands retribution on those who stole your peace.
My generation begs that in you seek peace, not retribution.
Your generation is convinced that it is secure and safe, for now.
My generation knows that we are not. We have opened pandora's box.

God, forgive America. I love my land, but it has become troubled and misled.

While children are dying in Syria, we debate over pop-culture.
While people are starving in Africa, we battle obesity.
While crime sweeps through Central America, we secure our families in homes secured by alarms and cameras.
While terrorists take over entire countries, we watch the drama unfold on news broadcasts like a well-made movie, and then conveniently change the channel.
While poverty grows in our own working class, the rich become more .

God, we do not ask that you bless America. We ask that you forgive her. Please hear the cries of your children who are within her borders: for the sake of your loved ones, spare your anger against her.

Awake your church, Lord; revive your people, Jesus. We cry out for peace, not war. We are ambassadors of love, not hate. Sift the grain from the chaff, Holy Spirit, and strengthen those who unite in love and prayer for our beloved and beautiful nation, the United States of America. Holy Father, use us as agents of peace, healing, hope, and love in a world that desperately needs to see it.

We intercede for our leaders, who make decisions that affect other nations: give them wisdom and turn their hearts to you, Father. We pray for our soldiers, that as they fulfill their duties of protecting our land and protecting the lands of others, that their hearts would be turned to you, Jesus. We pray for the families who have lost loved ones in war and for those who have sent or are sending their loved ones into the battlefield, that your would comfort them, Holy Spirit.

Hear our prayers. Amen.

Whatever It Takes

If you are connected at all to the media, you know that our world is falling apart.  Syria is unleashing chemical weapons on its own people.  Egypt is in a dangerous social unrest that has affected the entire world.  Central America is consumed with violence, and the United States' is teetering on the brink of economic disaster.  In your own neighborhood, no matter where you live in the world, kidnappings, drug busts, school shootings, public bombings and senseless murders have become a daily topic of discussion. 

In the midst of the chaos, many have wondered, "Where is God?"

Some cling to their religion instead of God.  Some cling to their morals as testimony to God.  Some are in hiding to find God; others are declaring holy wars in the name of God.

What is it about the idea of GOD that intrigues and inspires us so?

Even atheists, who claim there is no God, spend a great deal of effort on denying his existence... which is somewhat contradictory, considering the fact that it is logically insane to deny the existence of something that does not exist.

So, it brings us back to the original question: "Where is God?"

Romans 1:18-32 (NLT) gives us a great answer:

"...ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks... they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, [so] he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done..."

We spend so much time looking for, or avoiding, God, that we fail to see the evidence of His power and nature all around us.  We don't really want to know where God is: we want to know how to fix a broken world.

You were created as an intricate being.  Your being is made up of several essential parts: soul, heart, mind, body, and spirit.

• The soul - your personality, what makes you, YOU.
• The heart - your emotions, your dreams and desires, your passions
• The mind - your intellectual capacity
• The body - the physical, ever-dying cage that you are bound to between birth and death.
• The spirit - the God-given life within you

Apart from one another, the individual parts of our being have their own unique functions and attributes, but they are useless unless they work together in harmony.  Our personality influences our emotions and life-goals; our passions and dreams influence our intellectual quest; and within our body we experiment the individuality that these entities create in their collaborations.

Harmony is a innate desire placed in us by our creator.  We desire to live in harmony within ourselves, and to see harmony in our world.  

Yet interestingly, one part functions all on its own: The spirit.

The spirit is the life that comes directly from God, and is only awakened and alive when the spirit of God is directly connected to it.  Without that divine connection, our spirits are dormant.

God told Adam, the first man created on this earth, "Do not disobey my command, because in the day that you disobey me, you will die." (Genesis 3).  In the moment of Adam's disobedience, the Spirit of God was separated from communion with his spirit - God is perfect, and in His perfection, it is impossible for Him to dwell in the presence of sin.

In that moment of separation, Adam's spirit became dormant, incapable of functioning in harmony with the rest of the elements of the person of Adam. As the father of the human race, Adam passed on this innate disobedience to his descendants, and as a result, the spirit of God is perpetually separated from mankind.  We have a tainted existence with an undeniable emptiness; a piece of the puzzle of our lives that, when missing, leaves us longing for completeness.

Throughout history, man has attempted to fill this empty area of his life with substitutions.  Attempting to satisfy the longing of the other elements of his being (soul, mind, body, and heart), he pursues money, sex, individuality, power, education, and relationships.  These may bring temporary relief to the emptiness, and in and of themselves, are not destructive; but they are useless in filling the gap of our necessity, because what we lack is the missing interactive entity of our being that perfectly intertwines with our body, soul, mind, and heart.  Awful consequences such as war, adultery, murder, abuse, poverty, social injustice, and human slavery are bi-products of mankind's attempt to remedy his empty existence.

People will do whatever it takes to fill the void in their lives.

Yet, man does not need to fill the emptiness - he needs to revive what is dead.

This is what Christ referred to when he explained to Nicodemus the concept of being "born again" in John 3:6 --  "Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life."

We were not created by our maker as finite creatures, but as eternal beings destined to live forever.  This body is just a temporary element of who we are on this earth, and is made of dust, and one day it will cease to function and return to dust, but our spirits will continue to exist.  If they are dormant at the time of death, they will not be able to exist in the presence of God, for one must be born again spiritually in order to enter into the gates of heaven.  Those who are not permitted into heaven will spend an eternity separated from the presence of God in eternal torment, a place we have come to know as "Hell."

When we find life through the Spirit of God, we call this being "saved," because we are saved from the fear of spending an eternity of separation from the presence of God.  It is also a salvation from our emptiness and brokenness.  When the long-missing piece of the puzzle is finally revived and put into place, we suddenly realize our meaning for existence and are filled with the hope and life that were intended to have.

Romans 10:9-10 tells us how one can be born again:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.

Are you empty?  Do you feel incomplete?

We live in a world of people who kill mothers, rape children, enslave the poor, and destroy the powerless.  Yet, their deprivation did not begin overnight.  They, like you, felt empty, incomplete, and desperate to find the missing puzzle piece to the haunting emptiness in their lives.  The choices that they made and the roads that they followed in order to find wholeness eventually led to a self-destructive life that destroyed themselves and everyone around them.

So, remember the original question: Where is God?

Many believe that God has abandoned us on this earth, uninterested in our plight and deaf to our pleas.  Yet, those who have found life through Jesus Christ know that this is far from the truth.  God doesn't cause pain and suffering, nor does he willingly allow it; people do.  God has not gone anywhere.  In fact, He is very active in this world. He has provided the solution to the greatest problem of humanity: Jesus Christ reunites the Spirit of God with the spirit of man, and brings back the harmony that we so desperately and innately desire. 

Confess that Jesus is Lord.  Believe in your heart that He died on the cross in order to pay for the disobedience of mankind, including yours, and that by His death you are freed of guilt and shame.  Believe that God raised him from the dead, and be made right with God through your faith in Jesus Christ.

Surrender to Christ, and you will find the missing piece of the puzzle that you have always longed to have.  Find Christ, and you will find the life that will forever fulfill the emptiness.

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Inspired by Group 1 Crew's latest song, "Dangerous," featured on their album released in September 2012, Fearless.

I Know Who You Are

Earlier this year, J.J. Heller released a new song on her album, Loved, called "I Know Who You Are."  It's a simple yet powerful song about trusting God when circumstances don't make sense.



In 2001, I knelt before an altar at youth camp, and accepted the call of God over my life to become a missionary.  At the foot of the cross, I lay down the brokenness of my past and asked God to turn my ashes into beauty.

When my marriage of six years ended in divorce in 2009, I took the shattered pieces of my life and laid them before my Savior, and once again, asked Him to turn my ashes into something beautiful.

As I reflect on the last decade, there are a lot of questions that I would like to ask God, but the most pressing is: How does my brokenness fit into God's perfect plan for my life?

Many times, I have knelt at the foot of a bed, or at the bend of a chair, or in the quietness of a mountain, and cried with tears of desperation: "Lord, I don't know what You are doing, or why you have permitted this to happen ... but I know who You are, and I trust You."

Looking back, I realize that the testimonies that have been formed through the processes of my life are much more powerful than any sermon I could ever preach.

Isaiah 55 is my favorite chapter of the Bible, because it's full of God's reminders to us that it's not our job to know what He is doing... it's only our job to trust Him.  

(v. 8-9 NLT)

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

 (v. 11 NLT)

I send ... out [my word], and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it...

Having faith in what God has promised requires that we don't yet see the outcome of the situation: Faith is believing it what is still unseen; when the unseen is revealed, faith becomes testimony.

Having faith means believing that God will provide for the light bill to be paid, even when you have yet to collect a paycheck, because He knows all your needs before you even present them to Him (Matthew 6:8). 

Having faith means believing that the healing will come, even though the doctor has ordered even more tests, because your victory over death has already been won (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Having faith means believing that your children will come to know the Lord, even though they have chosen wayward paths, because you have sanctified them by prayer (1 Corinthians 7:14).

Having faith means believing that the night of sorrows will not last forever.  Even though you are walking through a valley of tears right now and you have forgotten the feel of the sun's warmth on your skin and the sweetness of laughter on your lips, you believe that God will take the tears you are crying today and turn them into streams of joy that will overflow with laughter and hope tomorrow (Psalm 30:5-11).

A beautiful name of God is Jehovah-Shammah, which means, "The Lord Is There." (Ezekiel 48:35)

The Lord is not far away in heaven, looking down on your situation.  He is there.

He is not distracted by the needs of others and unaware of your struggles.   He is there.

He is not walking at a distance to avoid your humanness and brokenness.  He is there.

Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Hebrews 13:5-6 NLT

God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

If anyone in history can be credited with believing in God's promises even when the circumstances were unclear, it's Abraham and Sarah.  In Romans 4 and in Hebrews 11, the authors explain why Abraham and his wife are heroes of the faith:

Hebrews 11:8-10 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

 

 Hebrews 11:11 (NLT)

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again.

Romans 4:20-21 (NLT)

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.

If you are feeling like you are walking a road less traveled without many lamp posts to guide your steps, you are not alone.  Throughout history, God has called men and women like you and me to step out from our safety zones and walk in the unknown.  He doesn't tell us what the road will bring, or what we will experience along the way.  He does, however, make us a promise:

(1 Cortinthians 2:9 NLT)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 

Maybe we don't know what you are doing, Lord... but we know who you are - You are good, You are faithful, and You are here.  We trust in You.

No Prayer Is Too Small!

This week, I have been preparing for my ministry trip to Mexico.  I will be travelling for two months throughout Mexico, holding leadership conferences for children's ministry workers (you can learn more at http://transformar414.wix.com/transform).

At the beginning of this week, as I was walking through a mall on the way home, I saw some beautiful dresses on a window rack.  “Lord,” I prayed, “I never buy things for myself, but I would really like something pretty for the conferences."

It was a frivolous request, and I knew it.  I knew God would give me everything I needed, but this was something that I wanted, not necessarily a need.  I have lived by faith most of my Christian life and I have seen some pretty amazing ground-shaking miracles.  Sometimes, it’s easier to have faith for the big impossible prayers than to believe that God is interested in the small, insignificant ones.

Two days later, I went out with some friends.  An older woman of our group reached over the table and touched my arm.  “Lacynda, I have a confession to make to you.  As I was praying on Sunday morning, the Lord told me to give you $20.  I argued with Him and told Him I only could give you $15, but He insisted that I give you $20.”

“Wow, thank you,” I exclaimed, and reached out to hug my friend.

She blocked my arms, pointed her finger at me, and sternly said, “Wait, there’s more.  God gave me specific instructions to give you.  You are not to use this money just for anything.   You are to go to the store, and buy you a nice suit.  Maybe even some pretty tops.  Then, wear one of them to church on Sunday.”

I was speechless.  She had received the instructions on Sunday… I had prayed the prayer on Monday.

My mom always tells me, “God is interested in what interests you.” It is true!  The heavenly Father loves His children, and is content to fulfill our needs, but He's also interested in what delights us!  Not everything that we want is in the Lord’s will, and He answers prayers in accordance with what is best for us as His children; still, that should never hinder us from asking, because God always answers: it always comes in the form of "Yes", "No", or "Wait".

Never think that any prayer is too small.  Your heavenly father is delighted when you come before Him with simple requests.  Big prayers are important, but no prayer is too small for God!  He delights in you, and loves you!

Zepaniah 3:17

“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Transform: The testimony

So, let's get formal introductions out of the way, shall we? :)  My name is Lacynda, and I am a missionary.  Actually, I have been a missionary for 16 years.  From inner-cities to rural fairgrounds, from Australia and New Zealand to Mexico and Honduras, I have enjoyed a life of living by faith, and watching God accomplish amazing feats through my life and through the lives of others.  I have had the amazing privilege of touching many hearts, but also the humbling reality of being touched by so many dear and wonderful people throughout this world.  It is through relationships that I have ministered, and it is through those relationships that I have received the most amazing and wonderful ministry to my own person.

Before I came to know Christ, I was a church kid and a minister's kid.  Not a pastor's child, but I belonged to a pair of dedicated youth directors who seemed to involve me in every aspect of their ministry.  My other sisters lived fairly disconnected lives from the ministry of my parents, but somehow, I was always drawn to the intricacies of their planning sessions, the long drawn-out meetings with their staff, and the exciting testimonies of their adventures in the world of teen ministry.

Yet, amidst the family ministry, I was a struggling preteen. At the age of 12, I began to ask serious questions about my faith: why did I pray to a God who I could not see?  Why did I raise my hands to God who did not reach back down and touch me?  The answer of the elders in my church was not to question my faith, but rather to do what I knew I should do as a "good Christian," and wait for God to give me the faith needed to grow deeper in him.

This answer simply was not sufficient for my ever-increasing inquisitions, and I began to seek for answers to my spiritual questions outside of the church.  It was a friend in elementary school who introduced me to the first answer that actually made sense.  "You can't find God because He's not up there in heaven, He's inside you already.  You just have to release His power."  She gave me a small lesson on how to increase my prayer life by praying with a crystal in my room, to help me focus more.  Thus, my introduction into the New Age religion was birthed.

 At first, I only prayed with a crystal.  Then, I began to be fascinated by fairies, unicorns, and spirits.  The spiritual and fantasy world became one-in-the-same in my mind, and as the years passed, I became more aware of an ever increasing change in my own life.  Though I was on a desperate search for God, and was very active in my local church as a singer, youth worker, and children's teacher, I was developing a growing distaste for the church.  I found much more satisfaction in my own prayer life than in the mundane religious rituals of my small Pentecostal church.  So, I feigned my way through each service, and then rushed home to explore my growing world of spiritual enlightenment.

There is much that I could say about what I experienced during the four years in which I was engulfed by the practices of the New Age religion.  Without any outside influences, I discovered new doors of opportunity every day.  And with each passing experience, my acceptance of the supernatural and extraterrestrial became more lax.  By the time I received a visit from three "beings" who were ready to teach me how to meditate deeper and go further in my spiritual quest, I was so accustomed to the uncommon and unexpected that their appearance did not even phase me.  The newly-found friendship quickly grew into nightly visits, and I felt a power as I had never known as I delved deeper into the spiritual realm.

It was on one particular day, as I was walking into the living room of my house and began to speak against my own free will, that I suddenly realized that the power I had found was not so easily controlled.  Fear gripped me, and I began to question the depth of my involvement with the three spiritual mentors.  I attempted to stop using the crystals and to step away from my practices, but quickly learned that that was not an option.  I was trapped.  Fear was a daily companion, and yet, I was compelled to continue.  It was obvious that the power that I felt was not my own, and that I had very little control over it.  My family life began to fall apart: my sister and I were fighting constantly, my parents and I were at constant odds, and my personal life seemed completely surreal when I was not in meditation.

In the summer of 1999, my parents literally forced me to go to youth camp.  Youth camp was once my beloved summer past-time.  Now, I despised the deeply moving services and the spiritual environment that seemed to always make me want to run and hide.  Although I had delved deeply into the New Age religion, my heart still longed to know God personally, and my tormented spirit was torn between an innate desire to flee but a deep longing to stay and find the God I so desperately desired to know intimately.  One particular Thursday night, the speaker spoke on a subject that struck me to my core: the need to step out of the box that we have created around our lives, give up control to our Creator, and allow God to be our governing King and Authority.

Standing at the altar, I wasn't sure what to pray, but my heart yearned to know God deeper.  I raised my voice slightly and began to sing a song: "Amazing Love, how can be that you, my King, would die for me?"  A sound like thunder shook the entire stage, and my head shot up as a voice rang in my ears loudly, "I am not your King."  I searched the stage.  No one was at the microphones.  Maybe someone had a microphone in the back, I assumed, and I bowed my head and began singing again, "You are my King, You are my King."  This time when the voice thundered, it was so loud that I covered my ears, and the floor shook so violently that I fell to my knees.  As I glanced around, I realized that no one else had felt the tremor.  "I am not your King!" roared the voice.  "How can you call me your King when you have done all of this to me?"

A large transparent screen appeared before me, and I began to watch excerpts of the last four years of my life.  I watched as I committed shameful acts in an effort to bring myself into deeper meditation, and with each scene that flashed upon the screen, I saw crouching at the foot of the bed thousands of demons screaming, "We almost have her!  Just a little more!"

I was terrified.  I was mortified.  I was repentant.  I fell to my knees that night, and found the God that I had been searching for for the last five years.  When I arose from the altar, I was a new person.

The next two years were some of the most horrible moments I had ever experienced.  The three spiritual mentors who had once visited me in friendly manner were now forcing their presence upon me each night.  Terrified, I would hide myself under the covers of my bed and listen to their taunting mockeries:  "You think you can be free of us that easily?  You will never be free.  You are bound to us, and we own you!  You will never leave!"

One night, after months of torture, I began to pray silently.  Just the first word left me lips: "Jesus..." Suddenly, the room fell silent.  The spirits were outside the door, trembling.  They attempted to come back in, and I called out again in a stifled voice, "Jesus!"  Again, they fled.  I had found the key to victory: not through my fear, or my power, but through the awesome name of the Savior who had found me in my sin and given me this new life: Jesus!  I began to rebuke the devils in the name of Jesus, and began to see less and less of them.

My passion for knowing God was more fervent than ever.  At 17 years old, I was desperate to read the word of God.  I obtained a commentary, Bible dictionary, and two Bibles from a youth ministry I was attending, and spent my days studying, writing, and learning.  I was amazed at how much God's plan for His relationship with mankind was so distinct from the religion that I had come to know as "church" and "Christian life."  I attempted to share my new-found passion with my family, but they were leery of this sudden change in my character.  I felt further than ever from my parents and sisters as the judgement of my past laid hold in my heart, and I began to cling to Christian ministries and other churches where I was able to grow in my faith.  It took a very long time for God to mend the bridges that had been destroyed by my past actions (I can now testify that 7 years after my conversion, God did a supernatural healing work in the hearts of each of my family members, and we are now inseparable).

By the time I was 19, I was ready to serve the Lord with all my heart.  I had signed up to go to Australia on a mission trip, but during the same month of my departure, had received an invitation to go to India for ten days and preach.  The decision was difficult.  A week before my departure date, I worked in the same Youth camp where two years earlier I had found the Lord.  Kneeling before the altar one night, I cried out to the Lord in silent whispers, "Tell me what you want me to do.  I'll do anything you demand of me.  Tell me to return all the money to the donors who are sending me to Australia, and I will.  I just need your direction!  Please, tell me where I should go!"

It was during this prayer that a fellow staff member, an older pastor, came up to me and touched my shoulder.  "Lacy, God has sent me here to tell you something.  You are praying for his guidance for a trip you are going to take, but you cannot be used of Him until you are baptized in His spirit."  I had grown up in the Pentecostal church, so I understood what he was talking about, and said, "Then pray for me, please."

I don't even remember him finishing the first sentence of His prayer.  The power that came down upon me was stronger than anything I had ever experienced during my spiritual searches in the past.  My heart was filled with an overflowing joy and I began to praise God loudly, in another tongue.  I walked away from the pastor and lifted my hands and began to cry.  The experience was overwhelming.

The room disappeared into a white background, and I found myself standing alone.  I lowered my hands as I heard the Holy Spirit speak inside my heart.  He said, "Preach." I hesitated.  "Preach what I tell you."  His words began to flow from my heart to my mind, and as I opened my mouth to say what He was speaking to me, the words were in another language.  Out of the white background, people began to slowly appear and walk forward.  They were of different colors, different cultures, and wore differently shaped hats on their heads, which I perceived was significant of their tribes and nations.  There were more than I could count.  As  they listened, they began to lift their hands in praise, fall to the ground in worship, and sing out songs to God with tears flowing down their cheeks.

The voice that was directing my sermon stopped speaking, and a voice said to me, "I am sending you to a people that is not your people, to preach my name in a tongue that is not your tongue."  When I turned around, I was looking into a dark tunnel, and the figure of man surrounded by a brilliant light was moving toward me.  "Lord," I pleaded, "You know who I am and you know what I have done.  I'm not worthy of such a calling!"  The Lord stretched out his hand and touched my face, and said, "You are worthy because I have made you worthy."

I lost consciousness and fell to the ground, but it was during that time that an unspeakable transformation occurred in my life.  When I awoke, I was a new person.  The shame and fear that had dominated my mind only moments before were now completely gone.  An assurance, peace, and power rested in my soul.  I began to praise the Lord, and during testimonies, I boldly said to my peers, "I don't know where the Lord will take me, or what He will do with me, but I know this: He has called me to be His missionary, and I have said yes."

The trip to Australia and New Zealand was a wonderful experience.  As I traveled for three months with my ministry team of peers, we spoke in countless schools, churches, and events where I was drawn to look into the eyes of children.  Children growing up in a world where God is not reverenced.  Children searching for hope in a world where God is an option, not a priority.  The Spirit asked me one night, "What will you do about bringing my good news to them?  You once were this child, a small 12-year-old longing to know the Creator of the Universe on a personal level.  Will you allow them to take the same road that you took?"

Thus, my passion for children was born.  I returned to the U.S. in 2001, and by 2003, was working in an inner-city ministry focused on outreach to children who were from poverty stricken and broken homes.  In 2006, the Lord opened the door to work in Mexico, this time on a long-term basis.  For four years, I worked with a team of Mexican and American missionaries who took the gospel to villages and cities, and set up several churches and children's evangelistic ministries.  It was during this time that I saw the lack of understanding of Children's ministries in the churches of northwestern Mexico.  Transform was birthed in my first attempts at helping churches to establish ministries to children and elect passionate adults to be trained and equipped to lead them.

In January 2010, the ministry influence in Mexico through that particular organization came to an end, and I returned to the states.  For the first year, I was a bit disoriented with the culture shock and the reintegration into a new life outside missions.  But God was not done by any means, and within just eight months, I developed a deep sense of necessity to continue equipping and training the saints for the work of the ministry through teaching and discipleship.  The Lord moved me to a new city, and honed my vision toward the discipleship of children's ministry leaders in the Spanish congregations of the United States.  The doors of ministry have since reopened in Mexico, and new doors are opening in Central America.  Transform Ministries has formed collaborations with several church denominations in the U.S. to train and equip local church leaders in Children's Ministry, to raise up new leaders, and to carry out evangelistic events, and the ministry continues to expand.

Each of us have been transformed by the renewing power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is our calling to transform our world with the testimony of that change.  If you have not yet experienced that transforming power, God is ready to show it to you.  His forgiveness extends far beyond what you believe He could ever forgive, and He loves you with an endless and passionate love.  He created you for a purpose and has a specific plan for your life.  Confess to Him that you have sinned against Him, and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay for your forgiveness and then rose from the grave to give you victory over sin.  It is by faith that we are saved, not by anything that we do, but rather a free gift of God to His creation.  For those who choose to believe and accept His gift, He offers not only eternal life, but also an abundant life of healing and purpose right now.

Paul says in Phillippians 4:12-14,
"I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me... I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

Now you know my story.  Let's hear yours:  How are you transforming your world?  Whether you are a mother, a businessman, a farmer, or a secretary, God is calling you to be an agent of transformation in the people around you.

Welcome to Transform Ministries!  I'm glad you've taken time to learn a little about me, and I hope to hear from you!

Visit the website:  http:/transformar414.wix.com/transform

God bless you,
Lacynda