Outreaches to launch soon!

A few details need to be ironed out and clarified, but we feel confident that we will be able to launch (officially) two new outreaches.

Pieces and Prayers

Spread the Word

Pieces and Prayers is an outreach that provides lap quilts to folks in nursing homes, shelters, or anywhere a “warm fuzzy” is needed.

Currently, Pieces and Prayers is working on 100 lap quilts for the Lake Mills Care Center. If you would like to help, please contact us!

Spread the Word is a Bible recycling program. Our goal will be to collect previously “loved” Bibles and distribute them (free of charge) to various organization, ministries, etc. To help “Spread the Word.”

Again, a few details need to be figured out, but we are excited and hopeful for these outreaches.

If you have a program or outreach let us know!
No matter how “big” or “small” God loves them all.

J.O.M. - A step on the path...

Part of our mission here at J.O.M will be to highlight what people or groups are doing to help others in need.
Their "Just One _____" that makes a difference in our world.

There is no "big" or "small" when it comes to making a difference. We will never know the impact we can make on one person, even the world, by doing Just One act for even one person.

If we should trust and know anything, it's that God does not think small. What we think might be the littlest act of kindness can cause a ripple.

There's enough bad news out there - We here at JOM would like to offset this bad news with news of hope and good ol' fashioned L-O-V-E, in all it's forms and this is one way we can do that.

And, if possible, we would like to discover ways to help or at the very least encourage people and their project, act, or giving to make a difference.

If you know of someone that is making a difference, please let us know at: Justoneministries@hotmail.com

Thanks!

J.O.M. - Finding Direction

Well, we might be finally finding a direction, or at least a foot path to follow. The specifics are bit fuzzy, so we won't go into them right away.

Okay, the specifics aren't even visible (at the moment) but the motivation is there so is the "general idea."

As things progress, we will keep you updated!

"Friendship With God" - Final thoughts

Okay, so I have pretty much gone through the book twice...I did skim a bit the second time around, but I got the gist of what Walsch was trying to say, or at least a better idea. Given that, I have a pretty good idea, now, why he gets the flack he does from Christian groups, etc.

The ultimate point of FWG is to bring to light the "New Gospel."

So what is the "New Gospel?"

"...There is no master race. There is no greatest nation. There is no one true religion. There is no inherently perfect philosophy. There is no always right political party, morally supreme economic system, or one and only way to Heaven....Only one truth will save you: WE ARE ALL ONE."

Just before this "God" says, "There are a thousands paths to God, and every one gets you there."

"God" also says, there is no BETTER way, only ANOTHER way.

The New Gospel...yeah, I can see how that got him into some hot water with some folks...

There is a lot of talk about love, in the book. God's love and how we think that it manifests itself.

"You have been taught of a God who is jealous, who has enormous expectations, and who is so needy that if His love for you is unrequited, He'll punish you with everlasting damnation."

Thus this God we have been taught this about, has worked out a deal: "...if you love Me, I'll let you into heaven. If you don't love me, I won't."

That last part, really kind of hits home to me.

Isn't that what we are told? Believe in Jesus, LOVE Jesus, love God, and you will get into heaven.

God loves us soooooo much, that he's willing to make a deal with us.

Now, that may be how WE love each other.

Our love may have expectations - but does love? Do you love someone because of what you can get, expect, and bargain for with them?

As a parent, do you love your child(ren) so much you can't think of anything they could do that would cause them to lose your love?

Walsch's "God" also says, "You imagine that I am a God who has needs - among them, the need to have you love me. (Now, some of your churches have sought to describe this as not having a need for you r love, but merely a desire for it."

Yep, I've heard that...God wants us to love him, trust him, God desires a relationship with him...yet -

(Here's comes the interesting point.)

"Yet is a "desire" not a "need" if I am willing to torture you for all eternity if I don't get it."

And...

"You have been told...I will not accept your love in any way, shape, or form than that in which I demand it."

And finally, (here, not in the book) "God" talks about freedom of loving him or not. I can't find the exact quotes, when I do, I'll put them in.

In essence, God says that true love and GIVING freedom means there is no consequence. Thus, if we do not love him, or accept Jesus, we are condemned to hell, that doesn't make us "free" to choose but only "able" to choose.

Certainly there are some interesting things to ponder.

Do I think God spoke to Walsch?
I don't think he's crazy and I don't think it's satan.
So that leaves: yes or no.
and if it's no: is he lying?
Well, it's at the very least a thought provoking lie.

Yes?

Heck, I did my own "God Chats" and well...

God Chat tid-bits...

I reread this just now:

(we were chatting about this that and the other thing...writing mainly and this came up) God's in Blue.

What about the ministry?

What about it?

Where's it going? Feels like nowhere.

You will never know all the impact you have, and will, make on others. (this goes for) Everyone. If you could see it, know it...

You don't think BIG enough. (I took this to mean depth if not more than size of thinking)

You say I'm so big, but expect so little of me. (meaning, we don't believe he will come through, or not through enough - lack of faith)

We did some back and forth about other stuff, which I didn't get down. But I did get this:

Sometimes I feel I was meant for something more than this.

You all are. It's sad how little you expect of yourselves (we don't think we can accomplish much) and how little you will allow yourselves. It does nobody any good. That is NOT being humble. Thinking down on yourself accomplishes nothing but keeping you down.

But why are there pastors, teachers, ministers, etc. that tell us otherwise?

They don't. Not all of them. For those that do teach that way, their reasons vary and are personal. Some are misguided or have been mislead themselves. Sometime, YOU miss hear, or misunderstand their message - your own internal bias. If there are two sides to a message, you might "hear" it the way you want to hear it: them being down. When really, they are not.

So there you have it...more God Chats.

Take them how you will.

I suppose I will continue to post them here, take a step of faith as it were...to become more fearless.

Since Mom and Sis are picking words of the year I think I'll pick mine too.

FEARLESS.

I'm in Heaven!

Okay not really, but I'm pretty dang close. I'm in Alexandria MN this weekend.

At the moment I'm doing what I NEVER thought I'd ever do...I'm on our laptop in a Caribou.

Gotta kill some time today as Angel has to work a bit. That's okay, I can get some stuff done or not!

I guess there's an ice fishing tournament here on Saturday...

(and if you thinking we're going to skip out of our Pizza Ranch Buffet, you are wrong!)

The only thing to fear...

In another "God Chat" (as I will call them) he and I got around to fear.

We fear a lot...

Some big fears...some little fears.

Many of our fears hold us back.

Hold us back from our best.

Somehow we think that if we "hunker" down and not take a chance that it will alleviate our fear. Wrong.

It only makes fear stronger.

Only by going through our fears to we get rid of them. Give in to one fear (no matter how small) it'll be that much easier to give into another.

Fear of failure, fear of success, fear of ridicule...etc.

Fear to Dream.

I am a Dreamer...I have come to realize that. I think we all are.

I used to think that it was bad to be a Dreamer...not "adult" enough, not "level headed"...not "mature."

But I can't help it...the more I fight it, the more the Dreamer in me kicks and screams and throws a tantrum.

Okay, I'm rambling...

The Better Half had a great goal for this year - To Live Fearless.

To which I say: Why Not?

The only thing we have to fear........

My "Conversation" with God...

In my second time through reading Friendship With God. I wondered if God, too, would have a conversation with me...perhaps that could give me a bit more perspective of Walsch's book.

I decided to give it a shot yesterday. And...

It was an interesting experience. Hard to describe.

What I did was allow myself to be available for God to speak. I did this in silence, as I wanted no disruption and complete attention.

Then I asked questions. (I did this by writing the question down in a notebook, then writing the response I was given)

I will divulge this much: There are still (I'm guessing always will be) hang ups that I have. Mainly these hang-ups come from stuff in the Bible.

The message I was given, was not to worry about them...some things we just won't fully understand (in the Bible) or understand at all. There were more important things to do than to "waste" time pondering these issues.

Someday some might be answered, but most likely many of them won't be - until, you know when.

One more thing.

"Spend time with me," I was told.

I knew what he meant by that, and that was cool.

And he "made" me make a promise with him with something I had to do last night...and yes, I kept it!

Final thought of the experience?

Give it a shot.

Be still and listen...
...and be ready!

Make your own God!

You hear it a lot from....well, anywhere really when God is concerned.

A warning, an admonishment, a scolding sometimes: that we "might" make our own God, or that we will "make" God into what we want him to be.

I always wondered: might they (the ones who sound the warning) be making God into who they want HIM to be?

Some folks seem to be all about a hellfire and brimstone God. The God of the Old Testament. A God we are to fear.

Fear does not breed love, however. You cannot truly love what you fear. Never. Love has no fear.

Some folks like a God of "if it feels good, do it."

This has the danger of selfishness. All about "ME" and searching for outside sources for our happiness.

That goes the same with the "Health and Prosperity" God that is sometimes preached.

Which, in my view, turns God into nothing short of a vending machine.

No doubt, whatever our view of God is - He is infinitely better than that.

There is no way I could "dream up" a better God than He is...Better doesn't exist for God. God Is. "I Am," He said.

But, could we really go way off base about who we think God is?

Would we really do such a poor job at it? (not that it would really matter, obviously)

Oh, maybe some people could - but that would be more of a reflection of who they are than who God is.

Maybe that's the crux of the issue. Perhaps a persons view of God reflects more about who they are, who they think "they" are, how they view themselves...because some people have a very sad view of God.

Has anyone ever told us to think about it? To "create" our own God?

Why not?

If we do it, might there be a danger that we "create" the wrong God?

Sure, I guess so, but I would think, hope, that if we are true and loving, God would at least give a hint if we are on the right track or not.

Cults would be the drastic example of what "could" go wrong...but remember, cults are about the so-called-leader of the cult, not about God. They are about power, not love. (I'm not using cult here in the scientific sociological sense - but the "wacko" sense)

But might we not get a better understanding of God if were to take a moment to think about how we would "create" a God?

Might not God reveal something to us...if anything, it could be a way to "discover" a new perspective of God.

Besides, it's just for fun, don't take it too seriously.

Take a moment to make your own god. How would he be? What would he expect? What would he require, if anything?

If the Bible didn't exist and God came to you and said, "How do you want me to be?"

What would you say? What would you tell him?

Just "BE"...

God gave me a little reminder earlier this week...just to "BE." BE the BEST ME I can. I don't have to WILL or MAKE things change within myself...those will emerge as they are already a part of me.

They are with all of us.

We THINK we need to change, we sometimes are even told that. We just need to BE. The rest will fall into place. God made each and every one of us a certain way, a different way, a unique way...that's exactly the way he wanted it to be!

We are NOT to be all alike...all of our difference, different views, perspectives, thoughts, lifestyles, likes/dislikes are to be shared and used and enjoyed with each other.

Most times, though, we use these differences against each other.

Sometimes we think we need to "find" ourselves. I don't think that's the case. I think we need to accept ourselves, to re-discover even.

My goal is to Just Be.

Try it...see what happens.

Be with yourself...

Be yourself.

Friendship With God - Done.

I finished Friendship with God yesterday.

A few thoughts: an interesting read. "God" said quite a bit of thought provoking things. I am going to go through it one more time. I have found by reading a book that is thought provoking at least twice through (back to back) the information gels together better and a clearer understanding of the author's intent is attained.

That said, perhaps I can address (in part) the issue of whether or not Walsch's book is actually God speaking to him, through him, as Walsch claims and "believes." (I do not know the man, so I have no idea about what he truly believes or not.)

For now, this is what I will say.

Walsch is either:
1. Telling the truth - God really did speak to him and have him write these books.
2. Lying - God never spoke to him, these are just his writings and thoughts only, there was no divine involvement.
3. Crazy - Walsch believes God is talking to him, but it's really the voice in his head that he interprets as God.
4. Mistaken - It isn't God that's talking to him, but Satan posing as God.

Maybe there's more, but those are the four I can come up with now.

I can, with certainty, address number 3.

No. Walsch isn't "crazy" or mentally ill - at least not in respects to the books. Folks with mental illness that "hear" God's voice (or other voices for that matter) don't do so in such an organized manner. I could get into further description here, but you'll have to take my word for it. The thought process (that is evident in the book) is not a reflection of mental illness. Without divulging too much - yes, I do have experience working with people with mental illnesses. While I am not a doctor, I am very familiar with the behaviors of folks with mental illness. Especially on a day-to-day basis and daily living.

So, that leaves us with: God is talking to Walsch, Satan is talked to Walsch, or Walsch is lying.

I will reserve my own judgement until I am finished reading the book the second time through.

As always, thoughts are welcome...