TAKE ACTION while we still can... This is not about POLITICS...

Even if you are a Barak Obama supporter, please do not brush this off... this is not about Democrat vs. Republican... You may be shocked by the following:

I know this seems long and wordy, BUT PLEASE read it to educate yourself about the Freedom of Choice Act that Barak Obama said would be the first thing he would sign into law in the White House.
FOCA would allow for unspeakably horrible acts to now be completely legal.

Barak Obama said he wanted to do whatever he could to reduce the number of abortions in this country... How does signing this ACT do anything but create more opportunities to have one, and force people who do not believe in it, to pay for them and perform them?

PLEASE DO NOT BRUSH THIS OFF. this is real and there is something that can be done...



This is from the website called http://www.focafacts.com/FOCAfacts/

- FOCA would establish a new fundamental right to have an abortion at any stage of the pregnancy. Even up to 2 hours before giving birth without any legal restrictions. In the last stages, a "health" reason would be required. But as we have seen, "health" reasons have not prevented any abortion from being performed.

-If FOCA becomes law there would be sweeping changes in the legal landscape of abortion. Hundreds of state laws would be nullified including: - All informed consent laws would be overturned. Informed consent laws require that a woman be given accurate medical facts about the abortion procedure, the alternatives available, and her legal rights, all for her own protection.

- All parental notification laws would be nullified. This means that any pregnant girl, no matter how young, could have an abortion without telling her parents. Nurses and doctors would not be required to inform the parents of minors if they referred for or provided an abortion. Only six states currently are without some kind of parental involvement law.

- All laws requiring a waiting period before abortion so that a woman can take time to think about her decision would be eliminated.

- The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 would be reversed. This ban was vetoed twice by President Clinton, and finally signed into law by President Bush. It was tied up in court for 4 years, and finally became effective on April 18, 2007. It banned the brutal practice of aborting a child who was delivered normally, all but the head, and then killed.

- The Hyde Amendment, which restricts taxpayer funding of abortions, would be reversed.

- Religiously affiliated hospitals that do not currently allow abortions in their facilities would be forced to either perform abortions or stop providing health care.

- Military hospitals would now be required to provide abortion the same as any other health procedure.

- Health insurance for federal employees would have to cover abortion as a regular procedure with no restrictions.

- Abortions would no longer have to be performed by licensed physicians, creating a greater likelihood of complications and safety issues for women.

- Health and safety regulations at abortion clinics could be invalidated.

- Doctors, nurses, and hospitals that conscientiously object to abortion would no longer be protected from lawsuits if they created a delay or inconvenience for a woman wishing to obtain an abortion.

- Artificially implanted cloned human embryo's could now be allowed to be carried to term.

- FOCA would require any government program that provides, pays for, or insures childbirth or healthcare services to do the same for the abortion procedure.

- All public hospitals and medical schools that restrict access for abortion procedures would now be open to be used for these procedures.

- Taxpayers would now be required to pay for elective abortions with their tax dollars under the Medicaid program and in the military.

WHAT CAN I DO???

go hereto find out... : http://www.focafacts.com/FOCAfacts/FOCA_What_To_Do.asp

Or, if you are in Orlando, contact me, and I can get you some pre-printed postcards all you ahve to do is sign and mail.

Just say "no" to Vinnie: Speed walk to the finish line! Guest Blogger: SuperPurple JEN

Philippians 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


Near The Goal!!!!

I have come to see that when you're in a race (I did a 5K and a 10K
last year, not running but speed walking) it is not the start that
hurts or even the miles you walk down a long stretch, it is when you
see the end (the goal) in sight. When the goal is spotted is when the
heart, nerves, courage, and muscles are strained beyond anything you
can think of and you feel like you're almost at your breaking point.
Now at this point you can stop and call a taxi and have them take you
home, or you can take a look back and see how much you have
accomplished and press forward to make it to your goal.

The last week has been so up and down for me and instead of hailing down a taxi and saying 'Vinny (Yes I named the taxi driver) take me back to where I started" (and that would be one HUGE mistake), I chose to press into God even more. I know that my new season is just around the bend and
all I have to do is continue to cry out to God with all that I have, I
have been training way to long to give up this race and I know that
God is right beside be cheering me into victory!! So with this in mind
I continue to press into God and reach for the goal, and jump over
road blocks and dash past red light if I have to, just to reach the
goal that is in sight. Even if my goal is in the distance and I feel
like my 10K has turned into a 20K I know that God has a good reason
for his timing, and I may be cry out to him that it hurts, but I know
that the pain will subside and I will have a nice pretty prize in my
hands!!

Today I will walk (or speed walk) to my victory!!!!

Jealousy: Guest Blogger: Alison

Jonah 4:9-10
But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the
vine?"
"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."
But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though
you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died
overnight."

To put the above scripture in context, Jonah was angry first at God's
compassion towards the Gentilles and second Jonah was made even more
upset when his own circumstances worsened because the vine that had
provided him protection from the elements died.

How many times have we been so consumed by jealousy of what other
people have and what we don't have, only to overlook the things God
has provided us with? And then we have the audacity to get angry at
God when things in our own life start to crumble? Oh the nerve! We
have been so focused on what was missing that we fail to take care of
what we have.

I could go on about how God teaches us to be good custodians of the
things he provides to us, which is definitely a part of the scripture
here. But what speaks to me loudest here is the line where Jonah
says, "I am angry enough to die." Now that is jealousy to the
extreme!

This reminds me of my circumstances at work a couple years ago. A guy
was hired into a parallel position to my own; we have pretty much the
same responsibilities we just cover different lines of business.
Shortly after he was hired I found out he made about 25% more than I
did and I was extremely upset. This was just not fair! Not only did
I have more experience than he did, but on top of our same
responsibilities, I was also managing several projects and was
responsible for our company website. I tried to talk to the marketing
director about it but he deferred my salary negotiations until my new
direct boss was hired. My new boss was hired 6 months later, and he
deferred my salary negotiations for several more months.

This whole time I was just seething with repressed anger towards the
marketing director. You could see it in my work ethic. I no longer
put forth 110% effort, I did just enough to get my work done and keep
my boss satisfied. I was so consumed with jealousy towards my
coworker that I stopped caring about moving my own career ahead. I
started to let my "vine" whither away.

God has blessed me abundantly, and I recognize this now. I have let
go of my jealousy, not just towards my coworker but towards everyone
and everything I had envied. No, I still haven't received my big
raise, and you know what? I'm okay with it. I'm going to give 110%
in everything I do because I am confident that my efforts will be
rewarded one day, and it may not be in a way that I am expecting.

God, I just want to thank you for all that you have provided me in my
life. Please help me to become a better custodian of your provisions
and help me to see when jealousy begins to cloud my judgment.

FEAR! Dead end trap! Guest Blogger: Dayari

Proverbs 29:25- "Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the Lord means safety."

My parents grew up in very dangerous countries and developed a fear/
strong strong caution of the harm people could do. My mom especially
never wanted to leave and sister and I home alone (even as older
teenagers), never wants us to go anywhere alone or at night, and is in
constant fear for our safety. She's always scared that something is
going to happen to us and I feel that I have adopted the same fear. I
feel that there's truth behind her concern because as a small child in Venezuela, someone tried to kidnap me, so I've seen that the danger is
real.
When I am alone, go for a walk, take my dog out, etc I get very
scared when I pass by or see someone I don't know (especially men).
Now that I live by myself, I get very scared at night because I think
that someone could break in or be in the house and every little noise
scares me SO much and I don't feel at ease.

I love how this verse doesn't just say that fearing people isn't good, but that it's a dangerous TRAP. It makes me realize that by having that deep fear and feeding it, I could actually be speaking it to life. Merely having that fear could make it happen.

God has called us to love and help people, and I can't do that if I am
SCARED of them! Instead of having fear, I will claim this verse that trusting the Lord will keep me safe in ALL situations.


ADDENDUM: (By SuperPurple MamaFree)
Job 3:25
What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.
The bible also tells us that what we fear actually comes upon us. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? I believe we have the power to make things happen with our words. And if we speak positive things and beliefs with our mouths, they come about.
And the same goes for our negative faith. Fear is only negative faith. If we are constantly speaking our fears, and our words make things happen, then guess what?
Think about it...

My Encounter with God... Guest Blogger: Desiree

Half of the church knew me from the past. The other half that didn't spoke of Northwest's character. I started going to my church when I was 12-13 years old. So I can pretty much say I was raised in the ways of God. I knew the lingo, I knew what I was supposed to do, but my heart wasn't to do those things. I tried to make it my heart, but that was the problem from the very beginning. I was trying- in my own power. I was trying to please everyone else, I neglected the most important part- needing to please God.

A big issue that comes with the territory when you're too busy trying to please people instead of God is when you screw up, you don't want anyone to know. You want to always appear on the outside as if everything is hunky-dorey. And I walked into the worst of situations because of this.

People don't always realize what growing up without a father does to a child. Although that is the case with me, I'm not here to give excuses for what I'd done. What I always thought was the worst of the worst of sins- when I used the cross as a "scale of good and bad" instead of for redemption- was, "well at least I'm not having an affair with a married man." Well guess what...

I did.

And to make matters worse, it was in the church. My church. It lasted nine months in secret. This emotional affair ate away at my very being. Of course I couldn't tell anyone- what would they think? Of course I couldn't just end it and repent before it had gone too far. I didn't fully understand the power of the cross and all I saw was, "you're wrong, you're bad, no one will understand, everyone will judge you- you have to still appear as if nothing is wrong. Everything is hunky-dorey. Remember?"

That only made matters worse. I began to feel like I was going clinically insane, having to constantly be covering my tracks. I had to give good reasons for why I wasn't home and figure out "where I was". Make sure you told this person over here the same story you told that person over there in the off chance that they'll talk to each other and hear different stories. The lies were physically eating away at my insides until sometimes I'd feel sick.

But it had gone too far for me to turn around now. I was in the middle of a mess. I liken it to when a cat will vomit, then eat it again. Disgusting, filthy, and absolutely revolting. But he was telling this fatherless girl everything any girl would want to hear. Too good to be true... It was.

When everything blew up- we were found out- my life as I knew it- was over. I was asked to leave the church with good reason. There was no way for me (the other woman) and her (his wife) to receive healing in the same place, so long as she still decided to attend my church. But my already broken heart took this as rejection. Everyone who I knew to be my real friends were now being told they couldn't talk to me by their leaders (and once again, with good reason) but my already broken heart didn't see it that way. I took it as more rejection. My family- who all attended my church as well, now knew of this "worst of the worst" sin I'd committed, and I felt as if I'd put my family to shame- even worse, I felt as if they felt I'd put them to shame.

After leaving my church, things only got worse for me. Because I'd committed this "awful sin", I felt as if I was ruined. I had nothing left to give anyone- I was worthless- so what did it matter? This led to countless run-ins with random guys. Drunken nights. Pointless relationships. Depression. My list of guys I'd been with was rather large- and the worst part was it was all done within a two year period. I was literally wasting away- but what did it matter? I was worthless. I was ruined. My time to shine had come and gone.

When I'd first gotten the call that this man's wife had decided to move out of state, and that I was now welcomed back to my church for family restoration, my immediate thought wasn't, "Screw them! They left me alone to rot." No. It was, "There's no way I could go back there. Absolutely NO WAY... Everyone has been talking about me- everyone knows what I did. Everyone hates me."

More time passed. But there's nothing like a death in the family to bring them close together. It was exactly five days after I'd broken up with one of my boyfriends, whom I was sure would last, but didn't and I was still living with him in Tampa because I had no where else to go- when I got the call that one of my favorite aunts ever, my Aunt Becky, had died in a freak accident. That very day I packed up all my stuff and made the two hour drive back to Orlando to move back in with my mom.

But that wasn't enough- just yet- to have me come running back to God. Close- but not yet. It wasn't until after I'd still not found a steady job in Orlando- and our landlord sold the property my mother and I were living at, thus having to move; me having no money meant I had no where to go. That's right Ladies and Gentlemen. I was now homeless, moneyless, jobless, boyfriendless, Aunt Beckyless, AND Godless.

This was when it started to finally click in my head. I wasn't only NOT in the perfect will of God, but I was RUNNING from it. And it's not like God was smiting me. It was more like he was saying, "All right, Desiree. You want to do things your way? I'm going to have to remove my hand of protection from you. I can't reside with sin. I'm sorry."

I caught a very descriptive-disease filled- glimpse into a life without God and finally realized... Not only do I not want that for my life, but my spirit is hungry to be under God's protection, love, and forgiveness.

And so began my weekend on my Encounter.

God is so so good. He's such a loving, powerful father. A daddy. My daddy. He showed me this weekend that he not only accepts me back with open arms, but he wept tears of joy as he welcomed me back and said, "I'm so glad you're back, daughter. I've missed you so much." He cried. I cried.

But it was a process. The weekend began with me thinking to myself, "Wow! That's funny. The enemy didn't try ONE tactic in trying to keep me from coming this weekend." But as the night began, I felt my pride creep up. It was stopping me from receiving. Enjoying. Opening up. And then I realized it. The enemy was saying, "I don't care that you're going (because the truth of THAT is NOTHING was going to stop me from attending the Encounter so he didn't have a choice) I could care less that you're here, but I'm not going to let you receive anything. Watch me work." I went to a leader immediately and had her pray with me/ for me that I would be open to receiving what God had for me this weekend. And he did. He totally, completely, 100% did.

The first evening, all the leaders had prayed over the chairs before we even arrived and whatever chair we chose to sit in was the one that lined up with the word that God had given for that chair. I sat in the first chair, third row. One of the leaders approached me and gave me my word. That word was:

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart, I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." -Jeremiah 1.5
"God set aside this time for you! It's NO mistake that you are here this weekend on this Encounter! He has big plans for you!"

I found this interesting. Why? Because I remember receiving this same word, a long time ago... that I was to be a prophet to the nations... I'm beginning to see the big picture, the large plan God has for my life and if it involves nations? I'm in. I'm sold. Where do I sign? And even better, it's going to involve setting other women free in the name of Jesus!

God did so so much for me on this Encounter. So much I don't even know where to begin. I'm going to have to add more and more here and there, every day let you in on something else the Lord has given BACK to me that the enemy had stolen.

But as for now, I'm watching Kung Fu Panda with my niece, Vivia, whom I am proud now, to be her aunt. I was always proud to be her aunt, but now... I'm an aunt I'm proud for her to look up to. I'm giving her something to look up to. Praise Jesus. I'm in love with you.

Amen.

Rest in Him: Guest Blogger: Stephanie

Job 39:11
"He's hugely strong, yes, but could you trust him, would you dare turn the job over to him?" In this new season that I am entering I am finding out that it is very exhausting and demanding. There really isn't a thing called "rest" in my week. Well not the rest that most people consider rest. With my M/W
nights spent at school and Tuesday cell, my nights are pretty jammed
pack. Midnight is becoming a very common hour to me now. Last night
was the first night my daughter really has seen me all week and I was
sooo tired that the attention I was giving her I know isn't what she
wanted or needed at that time. Soo much is going on that my brain
never wants to shut down.

The fear of not being a good student is creeping in...and the fear of
that Cali is thinking that I am rejecting her because Mommy is always
at work and school. I told her the other day that the reason why Mommy
is going to school is because I am becoming a teacher. And she smiled
at me and said, "I want to hold the stick Mommy and I'll point to the
numbers and you say them out loud." It was the cutest thing...she went
on saying who was going to be in our class and sit in the desks. As I
listen to her say all of this, I wish she could REALLY know why Mommy
is going to school and works at a good job...I want the best for Cali
and I want to be a good role model that she can look up to and say
someday, "Hey my Mom did this, so can I." or "Thank you Mom for
keeping me when you knew you were going to be a Single parent." As I
sit in my classes at night wishing I could be home with her I look at
my phone with a pic of her on it and I have to remind myself that I am
doing this for not only my future but for hers too. So many thoughts
race through my mind if I'm really doing the right thing. It's soo
easy to give up and say I can't do school. But like the verse says,
"Do you dare to turn the job over to HIM? Do you trust HIM??" Do I
trust God in this season?? Am I putting limitations on what God is
capable of doing??

Oh Lord please help me rely on your strength and not my own. Teach me
how to be excellent in this new season. I break off all these fears in
Jesus name. I am NEW in you!! I am an Excellent student, worker,
leader and Mother! Jesus protect Cali in this season and help me think
of creative "special" dates to have with her, so she knows that she is
my pride and joy always. I cast my burdens on you Lord and leave them
at your feet Jesus. You are bigger than this season Lord!!! Teach me
what you want me to learn through all of this Lord. Help me not to
complain. Give me strength when I am weary Lord. I love you Lord!!!

I am Second...

Go to this website when you have a few minutes to spend there...
http://www.iamsecond.com/
REALLLLLLLY cool stuff!
Testimonies of famous people who got saved.

Can we imagine??? Guest Blogger: SuperPurple Alison

2 Corinthians 5:5-6 (The Message)
We've been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we'll never settle for less. That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead.

I LOVE this translation of this passage! God has given us the Holy
Spirit as a promise to us of what we have to look forward to, and to
show us why we should want to live by His standards, not the world's,
by giving us a small sample of heaven.

As I was reading this passage, I was reminded of the song by Mercy Me,
"I Can Only Imagine." Now I'm going to have it stuck in my head all
afternoon! :)

This passage is incredibly inspiring to me, especially the part about
not being willing to settle for less. This applies to not only my
longing for eternal life in heaven, but also to all of my hopes and
dreams while on earth. I am my Father's daughter and He wants only the best for me. Why should I settle for less than what I want? The world may try to discourage me but the world is not my authority. I
have the Holy Spirit to help guide me on my journey, and though I may
face disappointments and failures, I have faith that better days lie ahead because this is what He has promised me and God always fulfills what He promises.

Vision Questions... For those of you setting 2009 GOALS

I got these off an awesome BLOG called SIMPLEmom. CLICK HERE You don't have to be a mom to answer these questions or to set goals. These will help!
Enjoy!
~ SuperPurple Mama Freedom

Vision Questions for 2009

1. What skill do you most want to learn this year?

2. What is one skill you already have that you’d like to improve this year?

3. Name three books you most definitely want to read in 2009.

4. In what specific area do you most want to encourage your spouse? What are some ways you can do this?

5. Think of one of your major life goals. What will you do this year to make you one step closer to reaching that goal?

6. Name your kids’ biggest strengths. What are some ways you can specifically nourish those strengths?

7. Name your kids’ most prominent weakness. What are some ways you can encourage their ability to overcome it?

8. What is one of your strengths? Think of some specific ways you can exercise it this year.

9. What is one of your weaknesses? Brainstorm some ideas on how you can overcome this deficiency.

10. Think of an important relationship aside from your spouse and children. How will you nurture that relationship this year?

11. Name a few ways your physical health could be improved.

12. Name a few ways your family’s financial health could be improved.

13. In what way do you want to draw closer to God?

14. What is one area of home management that frustrates you? Think of some specific ways you could improve your attitude about it.

15. Have you ever created a family mission statement with your spouse? If so, why not do one for this year?

16. Name one specific thing you could do with your spouse this year that will deepen your intimacy.

17. What is something that is continually undone in your life? What will you do to fully complete it this year?

18. In what ways will you be involved with your local community?

19. What is one thing you’d like to accomplish by your birthday this year?

20. Think of three words you’d like to describe your 2009.

Faith, the Sixth sense: Radiate it! Blogger: SuperPurple Mama Freedom

I have been reading a book lately by a Pastor from Columbia, Caesar Castillanos called "Touching the Father's Heart." It has been full of insight and tidbits and revelations. Really good stuff!
The one thing that really stood out to me today was this:
He says... "Through our senses, we make contact with the world around us. Through our faith in Jesus, we make contact with the Kingdom of God."

This makes perfect sense to me.
God gave us five tactile senses (sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste) to be able to perceive, make contact, and an impact on this planet. Likewise, he gave us spiritual senses also to perceive, make contact, and an impact in the Kingdom of Heaven, the spiritual kingdom in which we belong here on this earth.

We often hear of people who have ESP, as having a 6th sense. I do believe this exists, but not in the way that so-called Psychics talk about it.

One of our spiritual senses is : Faith
This "sense" is just as accurate and powerful as any of the other tactile senses. This is how we can just know things even though we haven't seen it, tasted it, touched it, smelled it, or heard it with our natural senses. And we can react and set courses based on the information we have received by our faith sense.

This is the sense that activates the hand of God to move in our lives.

DO you see it?

Isaiah 60:5a says
"Then you shall see, and become radiant..."
What does "radiant" mean?

ra⋅di⋅ant

–adjective

1.	emitting rays of light; shining; bright: the radiant sun; radiant colors.

2.	bright with joy, hope, etc.: radiant smiles; a radiant future.

May you all SEE in 2009, and become RADIANT with vision! and radiate the love you have within you- to all you meet!

2009: Pick a promise! Guest Blogger: SuperPurpleLaura

Take a minute to count your blessings ladies! Thank God....for every good and precious gift comes from above!!!

Joshua 14:11
[Caleb said,] "I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then."

Wow. When Caleb said this to Joshua, the leader of all of Israel, he was 85 yrs. old. And he was claiming the promise that God gave to him 40 yrs before that, and he was willing to go to battle to CLAIM that promise. (The promise was a huge, prime piece of land in Canaan.)

Are you willing to go to battle to CLAIM the promises of God? I AM!!!!

Here's how: Pick a promise verse from the Bible (there are hundreds) that supports one of your goals, and ask God for a revelation of that promise for your life. Share it with your leader. Then pray over that promise, claiming it for yourself. Be open to what God wants you to DO in order to receive it--not that you are earning it, but that you are willing to get to the place in your life to be able to receive it.

Make 2009 the year God's promises come to fruition in YOUR LIFE!