When I was twelve years old, I lost my innocence to a fourteen year old boy, and I thought I had found love. This happened on a weekend night. That following Monday at school, he acted as if I didn’t exist…looked past me…flat out ignored me. It broke my heart. Maybe that’s why it’s always been important for me to look people in the eyes, to let them know I “see” them. This is still true for me today. Continue reading
Change the World
Favor with the Boss
Yesterday afternoon, my friend, Carlene, brought food to have lunch with me in the park. We were ready to chat, laugh, pray…whatever God had planned, and guess what? He had something planned. Continue reading
To Never Be Alone
Yesterday morning, as I was walking up a slight hill towards work, I noticed a homeless man named Cedric walking down toward my direction from across the way. I hollered to him, and he hollered back. I turned the corner, and as I was walking, I could hear his shopping cart advancing at a quicker pace than my step, so I slowed down, so he’d be able to catch up, and he did. Continue reading
In His Stillness
Yesterday, in Balboa Park, I was sitting on my wall, admiring God’s beauty in the scenery and in the people around me, when this man started to walk by. I asked him about his day. He said it was good and asked about mine. I said the same thing. Then, he added a comment about where he was headed. To me, that was an open door, so I jumped up to talk with him. Continue reading
JC’s Girls at the Rock
I lead a ministry at the Rock Church in San Diego called “JC’s Girls,” and we go to strip clubs and porn conventions and love on the ladies, and beyond that, we live our lives through God’s heart. Every day…reaching out.
What Our Ministry is About
As a leader, I’ve been loved, supported, prayed for, judged, talked about, challenged…there’s probably more, but thank God…I only care what He thinks, so I’m going to pour out my heart for a moment.
An Order of Prayer
A couple of weeks ago, I had a meeting at a Starbucks and met a man who fell in love with my laugh. His exact words…”I will never forget you.” Last night, I ended up at that same Starbucks, and when he saw my face, he said, “I remember you!” That made me laugh. Then he said, “I remembered you before you laughed!” He was so proud of himself.
He asked if I wanted to order anything. I told him I was waiting for someone. I asked him how he was doing. He said he was letting go of some stuff, and it was hard. I asked him what he was letting go of. He said, “Drugs. I was so high last time I saw you.” I grabbed his hand and started praying. Continue reading
Hoping for a House Call
Yesterday in the park, God just brought people to me. I don’t know why it amazes me every time. It’s so His Character. He wants people to experience His nonjudgmental Love.
As soon as I sat down, I met a woman named Sandy. She was from Oakland (naturally blessed because she’s a Raiders fan). We began talking about her dog, her visit, her kids, and I told her what I do in the park daily. She liked that. Then, she opened up.
She told me that just the other day, she woke up with the thought that she’s wasted her life, that she hadn’t done well with the time that God had given her. I spoke into her heart how much God loves her, and that it’s never to late. When I asked if she’d like prayer for anything, she mentioned her son, who has an incurable sickness going on. Guess where he lives? Imperial Beach. I offered to go to him to pray over him. She said in surprise, “You’d do that?” I said, “Of Course!” She took my phone number for him. I hope he calls.
After I prayed for her, a homeless man named Dan came up. He was commenting on Sandy’s dog. I asked him questions about his life, his homelessness, his dog. At one point, he served our country oversees. As he was sharing, he stated that it was most important for him to feed his wife, his dog, and then himself. He showed me the food he’d found in the dumpster. He said, “People throw away perfectly good food all the time.” I offered him the candy canes I had in my pocket, but he said he needed to watch his figure.
He let me know where they sleep in the park. I’ll be walking with a friend today, so I’ll see if we can go visit them. God is so good! He loves so deeply, so uniquely. I love that he always has me around dogs. He’s softening my heart towards them, and it’s working.
Meet Emil
This is my friend from the bus stop outside of my work. When I first met him a few months ago, he was grumpy. Look at him now!!
Since the first day I met him, what’s happened?
He let me bless him.
He let me pray over him.
Prayers were answered…freaked him out.
He almost died.
He was placed in a home.
He believes in God.
Transformation.
Over time, I’ve talked with him, laughed with him, loved him. We’ve become friends. He is the sweetest man! He used to be grumpy. Now, he’s not. I never know when I will catch him at the bus stop. Yesterday, I was so happy and surprised to see him, and he felt the same way about seeing me. I rarely have my phone on me at work, so after we talked for a little, I ran in and grabbed my friend to take a picture of us. I’m so glad because in case I never see him again, I will always have this picture!
Kneeling
Yesterday, the neatest things happened. (I love how the “neatest things” happen daily. It makes the morning so exciting.) It all started on the way to work in my prayer time.
In the early morning, I heard a pastor sharing about his amazing time with God in his bedroom with the door closed, kneeling, laying before Jesus…just a sweet time. The first reaction in my heart was ‘I wish I had my own room.’ (I share a room with my kids.) Anyway, I continued on with my morning and left for work.
As I was driving down the road, listening to worship, I began praying. I was thanking God for the cross…all that was accomplished. All of a sudden, my knees began burning with this cooling sensation, like Icy Hot. It was amazing! Immediately, I KNEW it was God, so I shut off the CD, turned off my ear piece, tossed my phone and started thanking Him, and I asked Him what it was for. He explained.
God revealed to me that kneeling isn’t the position of your body; it’s the position of your heart, and the way I was communing with Him at that moment was the expression of the kneeling of my heart. I was undone. He told me more, but those things are private…just between me and Him. (By the way, the burning in my knees last two hours!)
I was just enjoying His Presence, arrived near work, parked, and started walking. I was having the best time with Him. As I was walking down the sidewalk, I made eye contact with a homeless man named Rick.
At first, he was hesitant to reveal his name, but after I told him mine, he softened. He extended his hand as if to shake mine and stopped. He said he didn’t want to get my germs and didn’t want to give me his, so we fist pounded. [Will I ever feel comfortable doing that?]
He went on to tell me that he didn’t want to get sick, that he had enough problems with arthritis and COPD. I said, “Hey, God loves you and wants to get rid of that. Can I pray for you?” He started crying. He said, “Forget that. Pray for the alcohol to leave.” I melted, literally. I knelt at his feet and listened. He poured out his heart, the oppression, the strong hold he was trapped in. I just listened.
Right then, a resident came down the stairs to leave and said hi to Rick. Rick called him by name and said hi back. (He must’ve been a regular on those steps.) Rick was telling him what was going on and how I was praying for him, and he said something funny, which made me laugh. He said, “But I don’t like her laugh though.” It was hilarious. I told him my laugh is like tequila: you either love it or hate it. He smiled.
As I was praying, he was weeping. It was an amazing encounter with God. We said good-bye, and I went on to work. As I was walking with God, it dawned on me: I just got to “kneel” at his feet. It was just a cool realization of kneeling in my heart and kneeling on the ground. God is so good!
I love it when I’m able to “feel” God’s touch, and I’m glad I don’t “need” that to know He’s there. I don’t “need” a room with the door closed. I need an open heart with eyes ready to see all that God wants to do. No one can take away what I have with Him. Actually, even the loneliness has gone away. I’m taken. I’m loved. I’m favored. I’m used. Hallelujah!
Worship Flags and Infinity Scarfs 