Wendy Pauls

  • God Created You To Dream

    Today’s #soulh2o devotion God Created You To Dream, is a topic taken from the Soul H2O Radio – Episode #3 Learning How To Dream Again releasing this Saturday on Joy Radio. It’s with TV Host and Life Coach, my lifelong friend; Wendy Pauls but it’s not really one focussed on in the show and really talks about things the episode doesn’t even touch on.  I really feel that this Soul H2O Devotion is going to be a HUGE key or mind-shift to unlock hidden things for many of you.

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    God Created You To Dream

    The boy Samuel served the LORD in Eli's presence.
In those days the word of the LORD was rare
and prophetic visions were not widespread.
1 Samuel 3:1 HCSB

    Have you ever woken up and got moving along in your day when all of a sudden you remember the crazy dream you had the night before? Ever thought it was so weird that you’d be embarrassed to tell anyone the details because they’d send you straight to counseling session…  or am I the only one?  Chances are, you’ve had an outrageous dream before too and trust me, you’re in good company.

    In my research, I could find about 26 dreams recorded in the Bible and some of them were off-the-charts insane.

    I found there were dreamers who were kings, a farmer, two guys named Joseph, a couple of Pharaoh’s, prophet dreamers, wise men, soldiers, pastors, evangelists, some guys in prison; one a cupbearer and the other guy was a baker but only one chick in the bunch! I’ve gotta say, I found that last fact shocking because my girlfriends have had some doozies.

    The point I’m trying to make here is that God created EVERYONE with the ability to dream.

    It doesn’t make a difference if your home is a mansion, you’re staying in a stable or if your current living arrangement is a jail cell—God created you to dream…  and I believe that more often than not, He’s trying to talk to you through them.

    Think, if God was giving an important message that would save millions of people’s lives through a dream of skinny cows eating fat cows, then maybe, just maybe He’s trying to communicate with you through what you might be deeming as a “too-much-pizza-at-night” dream you can’t forget. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about here, make sure you listen to this week’s episode.)

    GOD WANTS YOU TO DREAM

    If you’re still wondering if God created you to dream, I hope today’s verse will help you to see that He does simply because God really doesn’t like it when people don’t dream. The verse talks about a time in history when society wasn’t having dreams and visions from God. Samuel writes about this as a problem,

    “in those days the word of the LORD was rare and visions were scarce.”

    This isn’t how God wants it and in case you’re still not wanting to take my word for it, why not take God’s? That God created you to dream, so you can hear from Him is such cornerstone message He wants you to grasp that He repeats Himself in the Old and New Testament to make it crystal clear.

    “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
    Joel 2:28

    “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”
    Acts 2:17-18

    It wasn’t good that people weren’t dreaming and hearing from God when Samuel was young and you see in the next few verses after this statement above how God began to speak to and through Samuel from that point on.  It all started with a crazy “dream” hearing knocking at the door.

    I want to encourage you to consider that the dreams you’ve been having, those inklings or random thoughts you keep thinking might be God trying to speak to you.  Don’t dismiss everything and assume God speaking to people was only for Bible times; He hasn’t changed, God still speaks and I believe He’s increasing His prophetic voice in our world today as the hunger to hear increases.

    DREAM DECODING

    If this devotion has piqued your interest in understanding dreams, I encourage you to read a book that has greatly helped me stop dismissing and start understand dreams or thoughts I thought might have been from God (I’ll have to explain that one in a future post). The book is, Seeing The Voice of God by Laura Harris-Smith.  Laura’s ‘Dream Dictionary’ in the middle of the book but is so helpful but I encourage you to read it all to understand how God speaks.

    PRAYER

    Father… I’m so thankful that You speak to me. Your Word confirms this truth.  Sometimes I struggle to believe this reality and dismiss Your voice in my life.  Please forgive me for this and help me to consider and better discern when You’re speaking.  Help me to become increasingly aware and attune to Your voice.  In Jesus Name…Amen

    [tweetthis]God created you to dream, so you can hear from Him![/tweetthis]

    Wendy PaulsIn Saturday’s Soul H2O Radio – Episode #3, you’ll get to virtually meet a lifelong friend and one of my BFFL’s, Wendy Pauls.  The Teaching Segment and interview all deal with the same struggle, Learning How To Dream Again.  Wendy’s Interview will ispire you as we share the key to learning how to dream again!

    You can find the details of the show posted the Saturday the episode airs here: http://www.soulh2o.com/3.

    Drawing From the Well

    1. 1 Samuel 3:1
    2. Joel 2:28-29 / Acts 2:17-18
    3. Proverbs 29:18
    4. Deuteronomy 7:9

    WHERE YOU CAN OFTEN FIND ME LINKING UP MY BLOG WITH OR PLACES WHERE MY WRITING HAS BEEN FEATURED

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  • Missionaries

    Hello friends!  It’s been a long while since I’ve been able to write a post outside of my weekly devotions.   Since Todd’s surgery, things have been crazy busy with us.  After the months of recovery I was really worn out and just needed some time.  In the past few months so much has changed for us and we have some VERY exciting news that I can’t wait to share with you in the next while!  Until then, I will write whenever I can. Tonight I can’t sleep because I feel so strongly to post this blog about MISSIONARIES!

    On Monday I wrote a devotion blog called ALL OVER THE WORLD.  I shared about how God desired to do great things ALL OVER THE WORLD through every one of us!  I told you about some of my amazing friends who were doing just that.  Today, I want to introduce you to some of them and connect you to see the wonderful things they’re doing ALL OVER THE WORLD!  My hope is that you’ll take some time and check them out to possibly partner with their great organizations!  Maybe God will inspire you through them like He has in my life!

    First I mentioned one of my closest friends, Wendy Pauls.  Wendy is one of those people who unassumingly makes this world a better place just by being in it!  Wherever she goes, she inspires others to become the best they can be through her coaching and friendships.

    Theses are some pictures of Wendy during her most recent trip to Guatemala.  I think she feels at home in Guatemala as she has spent so much time there over the past years.  Her partner in crime (those are good crimes of course), for many years was another friend Sam Welten.

    Until recently, Wendy worked with Sam at his Missions Organization Possibilities International.  Sam desires to inspire a world full of “Everyday Philanthropists” who make a difference ALL OVER THE WORLD!  Their mission tagline and website is: IAM1RU???  So, if you’re wanting to be an “Everyday Philanthropists” and go oversees to help others, you should check out the humanitarian trips Sam leads through Possibilities International.

    Reynold and Kathy Mainse have been friends for years.

    They often travelled to Africa in their leadership at Crossroads Relief and Development years ago, but now have taken a HUGE step of faith into what God has called them to as they left the creature comforts of Canada and moved to Gulu, Uganda to open an office for their organization, World Embrace Ministries.  The way they live out their calling to build unity in the church of Uganda and to facilitate another Heaven’s Rehearsal is so inspiring!

    One of my new friends Cheryl Weber is the current reporter and spokesperson for  Crossroads Relief and Development.  Many of you will have seen riveting footage of Cheryl’s missionary journeys on the 100 Huntley Street show.  I am so blessed to be partnering with Cheryl and the team at Crossroads Relief and Development on their water project in Turkana, Kenya!

    Crossroads Relief and Development  is digging wells in the deserts of Kenya and cultivating the land for the people. Families receive a 1/4 acre plot of land once the soil is ready.   When completed, there will be 12 farms, each providing land for 130 families!  That’s over 1500 families!!!  The first set of farms have just started growing crops!  They are literally growing gardens in the desert!!!  That’s something only God could bring about!!!  This is a link to their webpage that contains a video that shows gardens growing in the desert and a little of what Cheryl does!

    Crossroads Turkana Update Webpage with Video and don’t forget to donate! 

    Peggy Kennedy is one of the most encouraging Missionaries you can ever meet!  She effortlessly (well it looks that way!) travels the globe and spreads God’s Word to the nations, yet finds time to not only read my weekly devotions via email, but never fails to write me and tell me how God uses them to encourage her or how it ties in with something God is doing somewhere else!  I know that was a long sentence, but it’s almost 4 am and I’m usually sleeping at this time 🙂  Peggy heads up Two Silver Trumpets ministry with her partner in life love and ministry, Jack.  Together they make an impact ALL OVER THE WORLD and right here in Canada!

    In December I wrote a blog called Christmas Giving.  In it I told about my friends Jamie and Michelle Stewart who lost their beautiful daughter Emma to cancer.  I was also able to share about how they have turned this tragedy into something beautiful!  Blooming in the desert!  They have started a fund called Emma’s House and have begun building homes for  orphans in Africa as that was a passionate desire for Emma!  Please read the Christmas Giving blog and hear more of the amazing story!

    I also have friends doing work in Remote Access Nations.  These are countries whose governments are closed to the gospel and their lives are at risk if it is publicly announced that they are doing any form of aid work.  It’s so hard for them to fund their work as they can’t share pictures or talk openly about what they do like other ministries.  These are the Rambo missionaries (without the guns!) who have the most intense calls of God on their lives, in my opinion!

     We need to pray for them and bless them financially whenever we can!  

    If you feel a tug and want to help, please click on the website link below and help out my friends in a Remote Access Nation.  http://www.agreatdoor.com  Please logon and register to make a donation that will make an impact ALL OVER THE WORLD!  Due to the nature of their work and for their safety, they will have to confirm your identity in order to partner with them.  It’s not a hard process like they live out, but a little more difficult than just logging on and donating like with other ministries, but oh the impact!!!

    Thanks for letting me brag about some of my amazing friends!  I really have a ton more, but this blog is getting long and I need some sleep 🙂

    Love you all,
    ~Sherry xoxo

    “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world”                                   Romans 1:8 NIV

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