Monthly Archives: March 2012

Cardboard Inserts

By shellyhuey | Uncategorized , Victory Update

Shoe shopping is an EXTRAORDINARY experience for Craig.

Stores do not carry his size…unless we find a rare store that has EXTRA WIDE sizes. Typically we need to order shoes online. The catalogues show vivid pictures of the shoes. We know what we are getting based on the description. We trust them to ship us the right shoes. We really don’t know what we are getting until we open the box, take them out, TEST them, TRY them on and walk around.

We ordered a pair of shoes last week. It’s a PAIN because, if they don’t fit we have to ship them back. So we held our breath as Craig tried them on. We wanted them to fit so we don’t have to go through the HASSLE of sending them back. As Craig walked around he noticed one shoe was rubbing on his little toe. He was so DISAPPOINTED. He really liked how they looked. He really liked how the left shoe fit. But the right shoe was too tight. DISCOURAGED, he gave up and took them off. FRUSTRATED, he walked away. I started to put the REJECTED shoes back in the box…then something caught my attention. Inside the right shoe was a cardboard insert. Craig felt the uncomfortable tightness, but he didn’t SEE why. I yelled for him to come back. Laughing out loud, I showed him the problem. It was SO SIMPLE. It just needed to be removed. That cardboard insert got in the way of a perfect fit. Craig tried it on again and the shoe was FINE. In fact, he is walking everywhere in them today.

We don’t really know what we are getting in the Box called Life.
We see the pictures of our life and we see the description of what is going on.
So sometimes we put our orders in to God in the form of prayer requests.

We hold our breath while we wait for answers…that FIT us.

Sometimes those answers are a PAIN, because they aren’t what WE had in mind.
Sometimes those answers are not what we wanted, so we REJECT them.
Sometimes those answers make us UNCOMFORTABLE.

And because the answers to our requests don’t FIT what we think WE want,
We sometimes walk away from Jesus.
DISAPPOINTED. DISCOURAGED. FRUSTRATED.
Ready to box up Christianity and ship it back.

Maybe we are like that cardboard insert.
Maybe we are a stiff necked, stubborn people.
Maybe we get in the way of our Sovereign God.
Maybe we get in the way of His Perfect FIT for our life.

TEST me, Oh Lord and TRY me.
Examine my heart and my mind.
For your Love is ever before me,
And I WALK continually in your truth.
Psalm 26:2-3

Do this.

It’s not a HASSLE. It’s really SO SIMPLE. And You will have…an EXTRAORDINARY experience with Jesus by taking that EXTRA WIDE step of faith.

PRAY FOR: Please continue to pray for our staff. We have a great core team that we wan to build on. Pray for wisdom and unity as we gear up for a big push to the primary election on June 5th.

PRAY FOR: We have launched the South Bay Ambassador Network and would like the word to spread. Once again Christians will be the difference maker in this election. Please pray for a massive grass roots conversation to take place between Christians on the importance of voting and voting according to Biblical values.

PRAY FOR: We have a campaign office. Please pray that the Lord would give us wisdom and bless our staff as we get things set up for volunteers.

PRAY FOR: We are starting our internship program soon. With the economy as it is, we believe this program will be a great opportunity to equip adults and students with some valuable work experience. We need the Lord’s wisdom and the right people.

Buried Junk

By shellyhuey | Uncategorized , Victory Update

I was walking along an open field next to a ditch in the road. It was a sunny day and something shiny was glimmering in the tall, overgrown grass. It rained the day before, so the ground was muddy. I walked closer to see what it was. I thought I had found some buried treasure! It looked like a handle to something that had been buried. I tugged on it hard to try and pull it out. It was stuck in the ground pretty deep. So I found a large stick and started prodding the wet mud away from it. When I finally was able to remove it, I discovered it was a just a metal container, probably an old can of paint. The part that was buried was rusty and corroded. The label was gone. Time had eroded it away. It was empty. Not a trace of what it contained. Just a piece of junk.

Past unconfessed sin is like that buried container. The problem is, we know what it is and where we buried it. Sometimes that sin will stick its reminders through the tall overgrown grass of our busy lives.

We ask Jesus to open our heart to Him.
We ask Jesus to rain down His blessings on us.
We act surprised when the rain Jesus brings, sometimes reveals shiny buried junk.

Jesus wants us to walk closer to Him to see what that buried junk in our heart is.
Jesus will tug on our heart hard until we ask Him to pull that junk out.

Sometimes that junk is an action.
Sometimes that junk is an attitude.
Sometimes that junk is a broken relationship.
Sometimes that junk is a betrayal.

The weight of that unconfessed sin is heavy. Like wet mud.

You thought time would help you forget.
You thought time would make it go away.
You forgot that Jesus transcends time.
And He knows all about it.

The best part is that if You know Jesus, He already died for that sin.
You get to confess it to Him 1 John1:9.
And to whomever else needs to hear it James 5:16.
And healing will take place.

And Your rusty, corroded, container of unconfessed sin will be empty.
Not a trace of what it contained will be in Your life.
The label of that sin does not need to be on You.
In fact, that label of that sin has been eroded away.
By the blood of Jesus.
Because You are His treasure, glimmering in the sun.
Not a piece of junk.

Preschooler Obedience

By shellyhuey | Uncategorized , Victory Update

Near my house is a preschool. During the morning hours they have an outside playtime. Sometimes I get a chance to see those kids in ACTION. Riding bikes as fast as they can. RUNNING races and playing tag. Sliding down scary slides and screaming for joy. Creating castles in the sandbox. Doing somersaults and rolling in the grass. Lots of laughing and yelling. They love being outside. They love to play hard. Such enthusiasm. Such zeal for life. It’s CONTAGIOUS being next to that excitement.

Yesterday I walked past the school right as playtime ended. The teacher called the kids to the door of the classroom. They automatically lined up. Then she said, “Ok, now clap your hands together like this, you need to get all the sand off”, and they did. “Now stomp your feet on the ground like this, you need to get all the dirt off”, and they did. “Dust off your clothes and make sure they are clean,” and they did. When they were done with their simple yet effective routine, they filed into the classroom as clean as four year olds could get.

As I walked away I realized why Jesus wants us to come to Him like those preschoolers.

He wants us to get outside of the church.
Because that’s where His playground is.

He wants to see us in ACTION. Matthew 28:19,20
Because He tagged us and we are “it”.

He wants to see us to RUN all of our races with Him. 1 Corin 9:24
Because He every race we run with Him works out for our good. Rom 8:28

He wants to see us sliding down the slides of our life and yet scream for joy.
Because He”s been down those scary slides, He will catch you when you come down. Deut 31:6

He wants to see us creating castles out of the sand He has given us.
Because He trusts you to make great things out Med andre ord; klarer du dette, spiller du optimalt og kan vinne i blackjack online . of what you have. Eph 3:20

He wants us to laugh and play with zeal, to experience real enthusiasm for Him
Because that’s a CONTAGIOUS gospel.

Sometimes we forget to clap our hands together and make sure the sands of comfort haven’t buried themselves in our flesh. Sands of comfort that have prevented us from getting outside of the church and serving people and telling them about Jesus.

Sometimes we forget to stomp our feet on the ground to make sure the dirt of pride hasn’t gotten stuck in our shoes of peace. The dirt of pride that stops us in our tracks from going to “the other side of town”.

Sometimes we forget to brush off our clothes to remove the self righteousness dust that has accumulated. Self righteousness dust that prevents us from admitting we don’t have “it” together. And because of that, we don’t tell people about Jesus.

So stomp the dirt off your feet Church, clap the sand off your hands and dust off your clothes. It’s time to come INTO the presense of Jesus.

Simple. Obedient.

Automatically you get lined up. In alignment for His assignment. So YOU can be Effective.

Excited.

Contagious.

For Him.

PRAY FOR: The Church and Pastors here to “get all excited and go tell everybody” that Jesus Christ is King.

PRAY FOR: Craig, Evan, Yvette and me as we have Fundraisers this weekend for the campaign. We need financial resources to slide into this assembly district, the playground that Jesus has called us to.

PRAY FOR: Protection and strength in Craigs and my marriage. We recognize the POWER of Prayer. Keep prayer purposeful and intentional in our marriage.

PRAY FOR: Effective and productive staff in our companies and campaign. We have a lot going on. We need the right people to do the right things.

Stained Glass Cracks

By shellyhuey | Uncategorized , Victory Update

When I was in eighth grade, every student had to take Art.

I got the opportunity to make a stained glass piece. It was really fun and easy…but it took time and was tedious work. The final product was pretty amazing. And as a 13 yr old, I was proud of my work. So today I have an appreciation for stained glass art.

We have a stained glass window in the hallway of our home. It’s strategically placed to get the most light possible. It’s really quite beautiful. People that see the window, admire it, and some are awed by it.

The other day, I noticed that the paint on the wall under the window was discolored. In fact, the wall itself was slightly bulging. I forgot about the beauty of the window and focused on the problem. We had to get it FIXED and FAST. I knew what it was…water damage! There was a tiny crack on the outside wall, so when it rains water drips down the window and into the crack. Over time, the water started to soak into the drywall. It’s a pretty easy fix, tearing out a soggy wall.

During the process of repair the laborers NOTICED the stained glass window, but were CONSUMED with fixing the wall. Their conversation was about the materials they needed for the repair, the specific problems they might encounter and the process of the repair. Never once did they MENTION the stained glass window. It was the first time that I can remember that the window didn’t get ANY ATTENTION. It was almost like the window didn’t exist. When they were finished, they explained everything THEY did and how proud THEY were of THEIR job. Not once did they point out the window or acknowledge how it looked with a new wall underneath it.

When I go into any Christian bookstore, I’m bombarded with self help books. I see countless books that teach us Christians how to FIX our soggy, discolored walls. They have books for whatever our problems are: Marriage/Relationships, Finance, Parenting, Addictions. Books that specifically outline materials that we need to do the repairs. Books that identify specific problems we might encounter in our Christian walk. Books that help us with the process of repair. Definitely needed books. But an overwhelming amount. Aisle after aisle. Section after section. Every topic imaginable.

A good indicator of where the Church is today. Focused on OUR problems.

Consumed with the cracks in our life.
Consumed with the cracks in our churches.
Consumed with the cracks in our ministry.
Consumed with the cracks in our pastors and leaders.
Consumed with the cracks in our nation.
Consumed by fixing the walls.

Not Consumed by Him.

Why have we as LABORERS forgotten the beauty of our stained glass designer, Jesus.
Why have we gotten used to just NOTICING Jesus?
Why have we allowed Jesus to NOT get all of our ATTENTION?
Why do we go on and on about what WE do and not what HE DID and DOES?
Why have we sometimes acted like Jesus doesn’t EVEN EXIST; we do everything ourselves?
And we give ourselves the credit.

Lost in the middle of the bookstore is the section on the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God. Somehow, the Core of Who He Is has gotten lost.

Who He Is has become marginalized.
Who He Is has become ignored.
Who He Is has become almost driven out.

You were created for the reflection of His spectacular light.
You were purposefully designed to shine for Him.
You were really fun for Him to make and creating You was tedious but easy.
You have been placed in a strategic place for His glory.
Because He is proud of You.

He is the restorer of water damaged souls.
He is the repairer of soggy, water logged bodies.
He is the redeemer of discolored spirits.

Allow the Great I Am to BE all of Who You Are.
Allow the Great I Am to consume You and all of your cracks.
Allow the Great I Am to be Your Focus, He is bigger than your soggy mess.

He wants you to be FIXED and FAST…so He can get the Glory.

And People will See Him.
And People will Admire Him.
And People will be in Awe of Him.
Through You.

PRAY FOR: Craig and I to continue to establish a powerful staff for the campaign and volunteers. We are excited by the people that have been on board. We see another uprising of intentional purpose and hope surrounding this campaign. Pray for specific people to be available to help in many ways.

PRAY FOR: Campaign headquarters to be the perfect location. That this office would be strategically placed in this district. Anyone coming to the office would know that amazing things are happening there, that will affect positive change for our state.

PRAY FOR: Craig and I to continue to have influence over business and political leaders and organizations. We are meeting with very powerful people on a regular basis. Craig and I want our words to be effective and to give God glory. Pray for the people that we are with to have ears to hear and hearts to receive.

PRAY FOR: Strength and endurance for Craig, Evan, Yvette(campaign manager) and I as we are gearing up for this campaign. We have a very busy schedule. Pray for our consultants to have wisdom and discernment regarding the timing of events, speeches and appearances.