I just returned from our Sunday services in which our associate Pastor Janine is preaching while our pastor is recovering from Surgery.  Today she taught on growing up in the Lord based on scripture reference Ephesians 4:11-17 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man (mature), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head Christ from the whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The message was in titled “Raised from the past” and spoke to me specifically as I am sure this topic will speak to many of you as well.    The message in short described how we come to Christ burdened down with guilt, pain, bitterness, unforgiveness, addictions, pride, loneliness, fear, insecurities and so on.   Then we come to the cross and accept Jesus Christ as our savior but in many instances we don’t make him Lord over our lives, our circumstances, our finances or the thing that entangles us.   So here we are, saved but still carrying the same load of crap with us, never growing and coming to the full knowledge or fullness of joy that fellowship with Jesus Christ promises to bring us if we let it.

So how do we grow up in the Lord and move beyond our past or circumstances???  Well, we must take off the many mask we wear to hide our stuff from the world and be true and let our fellow brothers and sisters see us (this is one area I struggle in as I wear my mask I often find myself wondering can’t anyone see me who I really am) but how can they when I constantly put one mask after another on.  Then of course the most important things are to spend time in the Word which helps you see yourself how God sees you and not the world.  The Word also helps to break the chains of bondage and builds you up and helps you to draw close to the Lord.  Another extremely important thing is prayer, not your thank you Lord for waking me up general prayers we often find ourselves praying just to get by, but those on your knees, bowed in humility snot slinging prayers spiritually naked before the Lord prayers.

Then we need to get outside of ourselves with our “it’s all about me” attitude and commit to service. Something amazing happens when you serve the Lord through serving others.  Then our pastor said something so simply profound, she said ” when you are taking care of Gods business, he will automatically take care of yours.”  This struck me to be so true because it’s in those times that I’m serving others and working for the Lord that I find myself the happiest with a calmness that is nothing but the peace of God that takes my eyes off of my own circumstances and allows me to move beyond myself; and before I know it God has already worked out that thing that I thought I was such a large mountain, he moved it right on out of the way.

So, if you are dealing with issues of wanting to grow in the Lord or so worried about your own little world, get busy serving  the Lord so He can move that thing right on out of the way before you even know it.

Question, what mask are you wearing to hide your true self from others?   And, how long are you going to run from the Lord?

Happy New Year!

With the ushering in of a new year brings all kinds of emotions both happy, sad, excitement, gratefulness, disappointment and anticipation just to name a few. For me personally the beginning of a new year is a time of reflection, a time to look back at the last year and evaluate how well I did or didn’t do with the goals that I set before myself in the past 12 months. More than anything, it’s a time to step back and take a close hard look at my relationship with the Lord to see if I have grown closer in my personal walk with Him.

2008 has been an outstanding year for me personally in so many ways and as I reflect over the last 12 months I am overwhelmed with gratitude to have just made it to another year. My walk with the Lord has grown tremendously as I learn to trust him more than the year before. I have just celebrated anniversaries in both Sizta 2 Sizta and Ary’s Naturals, I have my family and my health. Praise God!

To all of my Siztas that have crossed my path over the last year or that has in some way touched me or that I may have touched in some way through e-mail, phone, my products or website, God Bless you and thank you for helping to shape Sizta 2 Sizta and or Ary’s Naturals.

I wish you all a prosperous New Year and pray that the Lord keep you until the day of his coming.

Stacey

Have you ever wanted to do something….to make a difference in this great big world, but thought to yourself that I’m just one person with limited resources???? I too have had these thoughts of wanting to be used by God and wanting to make a difference for God’s Kingdom in some way shape or form. Like many of you, I would find myself saying “what do I have, or what can I do with my limited resources?” It’s not until recently through starting my business and receiving such positive feedback did I realize that God can and does use small things to make a very crucial impact on peoples lives. I encourage you to join me along with Siztas 4 Christ & Ary’s Naturals to make a difference it this world for God’s Kingdom by helping dying fathers, mothers and children in Mozambique Africa.

Finally, here’s a few sad facts about HIV in Mozambique:

• As we speak every 1out of 5 children born in Mozambique born with AIDS.

• the first case of AIDS in Mozambique was recorded in 1986, but due to the civil war (1975-1994) there was limited national response to the disease and its rapid spread

• at the end of 2007 there were 1.5 million people living with HIV in Mozambique (including 100,000 children). That works out to at least 1/6th of the population with HIV, and probably more like 1/4th in urban areas.

• the average life expectancy in Mozambique is 39 – poverty, hard living, and HIV are major factors.

• In Mozambique (as in much of Sub-Saharan Africa) young women ages 15-24 are the most affected by HIV

• at the end of 2007, there were 90,000 people on antiretroviral treatment, which equals 24% coverage (the number of sites that provide treatment has increased from 32 in 2005 to 211 in 2007)

Biggest challenges = integration of HIV services with other essential services, especially tuberculosis and reproductive health, and strengthening home-based care and education programs on antiretroviral treatment to ensure adherence.

So what can you do to help??? The most single important thing that you can do is pray! The next thing that you can do is help support the Medical mission in Mozambique by purchasing Ary’s Naturals Bath & Body products. Ary’s Naturals will donate $1.00 for each product purchased and $2.00 per item purchased for orders totaling $75.00 or more. Everyone needs bath & body products so if you like the products tell your friends and family and spread the word. Now, how easy is that????

For more information about the Medical Mission in Mozambique, see my early post “Are you a Sizta 4 Christ?”

Have you ever felt like you were all alone and that no one was listening or paying attention as you scrambled around just to catch your bearings? Have you called out to God with a aching heart eagerly awaiting for a response, a sign, anything that would let you know he was there? Or, maybe you went to church week after week, sitting in the congregation of hundreds of your so called brothers and sisters wondering, can’t anyone see my emptiness or the sorrow in my eyes?

Trials are something that each and every believer goes through throughout his or her walk with Christ. Understanding trials is so vital to how well you handle or shall I say don’t handle them while your right there in the midst. Like all believers, I have been through many trials in where I would often wonder what was going on, or did I do something wrong and this was God’s punishment for my sin. But, that’s not the case, trials are actually a test or testing period used to grow and stretch our faith muscle. In the book of James 1:2-3 we are told to “count it all joy when you fall into various trails, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Come on, let’s be real here, who at first sight counts it as a joy when you find yourself right smack dab in the middle of a trial???? In most cases you know that all hell just broke loose and you might not even recognize it as a trial until much later. In my personal experience, trials get my attention fast! They drive me to my knees in search for answers, strength and peace about what’s going. The longer I walk with the Lord, I’ve learned to recognize trails or even look at small things as test and seek guidance from the Lord.

It seems as though a few years back my husband and I were going through what seemed to be an everlasting trial. It seemed that it was never going to let up and things were going crazy in every direction. I was praying and it seemed as though the Lord had shut me off, turned his back and was not listening. I had a sense of hopelessness and I felt very alone. It’s in those times that we must decide that regardless of how things look, God’s word is true! I had to take him at his Word and know that even though I didn’t feel his presence that He is not a man that He could lie. I had to believe that no matter how things looked in the flesh, He was already working it out in the spirit! I learned to praise him right there in hopelessness for everything He had done, for who He is in all is Glory and Majesty!

During those lonely times I would often wonder “is any body listening?”" Does anyone see me???? And the answer to my questions is yes. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was listening to my every word, he saw my every tear and he heard all of my cries and delivered me from them all!

I received this message by a customer and thought it was worth sharing and I’m sure you will be blessed as I was. Also, it gives you something to think about.

To my sisters in the Lord…

There comes a time in every woman’s life when she has to take a close
look at herself. Not at her circumstance, not at what she did, not how
unfair life is, or at who made you do it. She has to just look at
herself in all her glory and imperfection. Have you ever admired a
woman who has been through changes in her life? Or have you made up in
your mind that she is just messed up. Before you make this mistake,
take a closer look. A woman who has endured the most unusual life is
someone of wisdom, someone who has been chosen by God to go through
things that have made her stronger.

Think of all the great women in the Bible: Mary Magdalene, Ruth and
Naomi, the woman with an issue of blood, and Esther, to name a few.
Mary was a prostitute, a very uneasy woman. But by the time Jesus was
done with her, she was His closest follower. Esther was unfortunate in
marrying an abusive man, but by the time God was done with her, she had
married one of the wealthiest men in the land.
=0
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Women are so quick to beat the next one down instead of trying to hold
her up. Before you wonder, ‘ What’s up with her?’ ask yourself, ‘What’s
up with me?’ That woman could be my mother, sister, aunt, in-law,
stepmother, niece, grandmother, great-grandmother, neighbor, friend, or
co-worker, etc. That woman could be ME.

Women are the carriers of life, not the channels of death. Let’s build
and encourage each other, as did Ruth and Naomi. Pass this to all the
women in your life. Encourage and love, forgive and forget, and trust
that the woman that receives this will be touched in some way. May the
peace and love of Christ be upon you!

”If You Need Help, Ask God.
If You Don’t, Thank God”

God Bless You!

Siztas 4 Christ is a project that I am working on that I’m hoping will be able to unite Siztas 4 Christ from around the globe. I am currently working on my salvation story that when you read it you will know it was nothing but the hand of God on my life. I’m hoping to have this finished by the end of Aug 08, I get teary eyed as I write so it’s taking me a little longer than I had expected.

In addition, Siztas 4 Christ will be partnering with Bryan and Megan Myers on their mission trip to Mozambique to help train doctors. read more below

I am so excited to announce that Siztas for Christ
will partner with Brian & Megan Meyers in thier Mission efforts in Mozambique.

Please take time to read their story and stay
tuned for more information coming in the next month.

Brian & Megan Meyers

Preparing to serve in medical ministry and leadership development in Mozambique

Brian and Megan Meyers will be ministering in Beira, Mozambique, the second largest city in the nation. Brian will be working at a Catholic Medical School (one of three medical schools in Mozambique) training future doctors, and working at the Central Hospital in Beira. Megan, while not a medical professional, plans to join Brian in his efforts to mentor medical students by building relationships with the students through the means of hospitality. She’ll also be busy raising three daughters, and dreams of one day using her training in ethnomusicology and arts education in some way. Missions work is not unfamiliar to the Meyers. Both Brian and Megan are missionary kids. Brian was raised in China and Japan, while Megan grew up in Papua New Guinea. They met in Ivory Coast–Brian completing a medical rotation, and Megan recording worship songs for the Nyarafolo Bible Project. Together, Brian and Megan have spent the first years of their married life in ministry and service in Detroit, partnering with Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation and Citadel of Faith Covenant Church. Through two vision trips to Mozambique, they now sense God’s call to serve there, to mobilize medical missionaries, and to encourage the African-American church towards global missions.

My husband and I met Brian and Megan at our church Citadel of
Faith When we joined about two years ago.
We’ve had the chance to get to know the Meyers,
they are wonderful people and truly love the Lord.
I am very excited that Siztas for Christ
will have an opportunity to partner with the Meyers as the
Lord has lead them to
Mozambique to train future doctors.

More information and details will be posted
in the coming month about how Siztas for Christ
will help in every way possible to assist the Meyers in their mission.

Please be prayerful for leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.