A couple of weeks ago, my family set out on a drive across the country, from Rochester, NY to Redding, CA. We braced ourselves for the joys and frustrations of driving 40+ hours with 3 kids (aged 4, 2, and 10 months). It ended up being a phenomenal experience. The kids had their moments (so did Amy and I) but they actually did extremely well. It was a real privilege to be able to see our great nation up close and personal for a week. The view ranged from the spectacular (Rocky Mountains) to the...boring (pretty much all of Nebraska). America is really, really big and beautiful. (I almost broke out in patriotic song at least once)
We have been settling in to our new home in Redding. The kids have a yard for the first time (though with temperatures over 100 degrees, they have not spent a lot of time outside- we also have central air for the first time :)
We had purchased an entire household of items from a family, mostly sight unseen, prior to moving out here. So, our house was pretty much set up for us when we arrived.
Our first couple of weeks at Bethel Church have been great! The first week we heard a testimony of someone from the church (presumably a woman) being miraculously healed of an Ovarian Cyst. Today we heard a testimony of a dead baby that had to be removed from the womb. After the procedure, the baby was raised from the dead. For real. The parents now have a perfectly healthy baby, no ill-effects from the procedure at this point! This just happened this morning! It's awesome to be in a place where the evidence of God's hand is so strong! More, Jesus!
We have been able to pick up our routine that we had in Rochester. Amy is editing and I am with the kiddos about 40 hours per week. We are praying about other potential income sources. (We can and have lived on Amy's editing, but more wouldn't hurt :)
I will be starting school mid-September. In the meantime, please pray with us for some new friendships. We don't really know a single person out here, other than our landlord. We'd really like to meet some people before school starts. If you know any cool people in Redding, let me know.
We will be updating this page regularly, so go ahead and subscribe and you will have the posts emailed to you when they are ready!
Blessings!
Mark, Amy, Abby, Evan, Susanna
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
A Powerful Seed
"Thank You Lord for not giving up on us." ---Amy Calkins, this morning in prayer
You ever feel like you might be on the brink of God giving up on you? You know He has great things for your life, but you just seem to fall short repeatedly?
Yeah, we know that feeling.
This morning, as Amy prayed that prayer, I had an unmistakable impression from the Father:
"How could I give up on you? I've got too much invested in you to ever give one thought to giving up on you."
The impression came with a sense of warmth and tenderness that touched my heart. My soul found rest in the notion that He is fully invested in my life and destiny, and He doesn't make unwise investments. He sowed a most lavish Seed into my destiny:
"He who did not spare His own Son..." (Romans 8:32)
Be encouraged today that Your success in carrying out the plan of God for your life is more determined by His investment than yours. Yes, we have a responsibility to steward that which has been entrusted to us, but the power of the Seed in you is far greater than your power to screw things up. If your heart is His, and you are diligent to pursue His plan for your life, He will see it through to completion. So work hard, but be at rest in His grace today.
"He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, but he (He) who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
New Doors
At the end of June, our family will be relocating to Redding, California. Mark will be a student at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, under the leadership of Bill Johnson. If you are not familiar with Bethel Church, I strongly encourage you to visit www.ibethel.org and listen to a sermon on their site. We've been impacted tremendously by the ministry of Bethel Church. Whenever we've listened to a message or heard a live speaker from there, we've felt transformed and inspired.
For a number of years, it has been in our hearts to go, but the Lord has stirred our hearts that the time is now. We feel a strong call to church-planting and leadership and are moving to Redding to be further equipped to pursue our destiny.
We will be using this page to share updates from our journey as well as things that the Lord is teaching us as we go. Our desire is that you would be blessed in reading this blog in the days and weeks to come.
One last note: If it is on your heart to support us financially, there are a couple of ways for you to do so. We know that He is our Provider, but if you feel stirred, here's how to give:
1. For a non tax-deductible gift, you can use the paypal button on this page. This will go straight to us, after paypal collects their transaction fee.
2. If you'd like to give toward my tuition for school, go to: www.ibssm.org
and follow the instructions.
and follow the instructions. 3. To receive a tax-deduction, you can mail a check, with a note attached specifying that it is for us, to: New Hope Community Church, 3355 Union St., N. Chili NY, 14514.
4. Lastly, I will be posting some links on this site to books from some of the leaders at Bethel. Please use these links to buy them. In doing so, we generate a commission (it's not much, but you get an awesome book and we get a little cash :) For starters, here's a link to Bill Johnson's first book, When Heaven Invades Earth. If you have not read it, it will absolutely rock your world!
. If you have not read it, it will absolutely rock your world! Blessings friends and we promise to stay in touch!
Mark, Amy, Abigail, Evan, and Susanna Calkins
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Jesus Revealed, Today!
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21, emphasis mine)
Jesus promises to manifest Himself to those that love Him.
According to the notes in my bible, the word translated "manifest" can mean: to appear, come to view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself to the sight of another, be conspicuous. If you are a lover of Jesus, you have a right to ask Him to manifest Himself to you. The truth is, He wants to reveal Himself more than you want Him too.
Rather than writing a long post today, I want to encourage you to ask Jesus to manifest Himself to you.
"Jesus, thank You that You long to manifest Yourself to me. Today I ask that You would make Yourself visible in my life. Lord, step right into my path and be conspicuous. In the places where I have not recognized Your face nor Your hand, please reveal Yourself. My greatest desire is to see You and know You more today."
If you prayed this prayer, pay attention over the next 24 hours to the ways Jesus Himself shows up in your life.
Jesus promises to manifest Himself to those that love Him.
According to the notes in my bible, the word translated "manifest" can mean: to appear, come to view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself to the sight of another, be conspicuous. If you are a lover of Jesus, you have a right to ask Him to manifest Himself to you. The truth is, He wants to reveal Himself more than you want Him too.
Rather than writing a long post today, I want to encourage you to ask Jesus to manifest Himself to you.
"Jesus, thank You that You long to manifest Yourself to me. Today I ask that You would make Yourself visible in my life. Lord, step right into my path and be conspicuous. In the places where I have not recognized Your face nor Your hand, please reveal Yourself. My greatest desire is to see You and know You more today."
If you prayed this prayer, pay attention over the next 24 hours to the ways Jesus Himself shows up in your life.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Refreshment
Jesus was a busy Guy. Take Mark chapter 1, for instance. After a full workday, the sun had set.
He had retired to a home to rest for the night. Instead of being given space to recuperate from His day, the people of the city brought to Him all who were sick and demon-possessed. It says the whole city was gathered at the door of the house. He went on to heal and deliver many many people that night. If you've ever been in a situation where you are laying hands and praying for a lot of people, you know how draining it can be. It is real work!
Most of us would be inclined to sleep in the next day to rest our bodies. Not Jesus:
"Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed." (Mark 1:35)
Now, there is nothing wrong with getting proper rest for our bodies. However, Jesus understood His primary need in this situation was spiritual, rather than physical, refreshment.
Jesus found His refreshment in the secret place of prayer with His Father.
Jesus, in His humanity, received everything He needed from His daily time with the Father in the secret place. Before choosing His 12 closest disciples, He spent the entire night in prayer (see Luke 6). Think of it, Jesus is the perfect, spotless Son of God. If He needed time alone with the Father, how much more do we?
The example that Jesus set for us is not a religious requirement. Time spent with God does require discipline, but it is so much more than a ritualistic hoop to jump through. Jesus' example is an invitation for us to enter into the most glorious relationship we will ever experience. I love meeting with God alone. He brings peace. He brings love. He brings empowerment. I feel His pleasure over me as I simply sit with Him.
If you have lost your passion to spend time with God, I want to invite you to re-kindle it. Ask the Holy Spirit to light a fire for Him in your heart. If you feel nothing emotionally, great! Demonstrate your commitment by making a choice. The emotions will follow. Set apart some time- 15, 30 minutes, 2 hours, whatever- to be with God alone. Grab a bible (and, for extra anointing, a cup of coffee), open it up and let God touch your heart. You schedule the appointment, He won't miss it.
He had retired to a home to rest for the night. Instead of being given space to recuperate from His day, the people of the city brought to Him all who were sick and demon-possessed. It says the whole city was gathered at the door of the house. He went on to heal and deliver many many people that night. If you've ever been in a situation where you are laying hands and praying for a lot of people, you know how draining it can be. It is real work!
Most of us would be inclined to sleep in the next day to rest our bodies. Not Jesus:
"Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed." (Mark 1:35)
Now, there is nothing wrong with getting proper rest for our bodies. However, Jesus understood His primary need in this situation was spiritual, rather than physical, refreshment.
Jesus found His refreshment in the secret place of prayer with His Father.
Jesus, in His humanity, received everything He needed from His daily time with the Father in the secret place. Before choosing His 12 closest disciples, He spent the entire night in prayer (see Luke 6). Think of it, Jesus is the perfect, spotless Son of God. If He needed time alone with the Father, how much more do we?
The example that Jesus set for us is not a religious requirement. Time spent with God does require discipline, but it is so much more than a ritualistic hoop to jump through. Jesus' example is an invitation for us to enter into the most glorious relationship we will ever experience. I love meeting with God alone. He brings peace. He brings love. He brings empowerment. I feel His pleasure over me as I simply sit with Him.
If you have lost your passion to spend time with God, I want to invite you to re-kindle it. Ask the Holy Spirit to light a fire for Him in your heart. If you feel nothing emotionally, great! Demonstrate your commitment by making a choice. The emotions will follow. Set apart some time- 15, 30 minutes, 2 hours, whatever- to be with God alone. Grab a bible (and, for extra anointing, a cup of coffee), open it up and let God touch your heart. You schedule the appointment, He won't miss it.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Power for Today
"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:33-34)
It's always today. No matter how much you think about tomorrow, it's always today. Here's the good news about today: God has fresh mercy and grace for you. His mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22,23). Grace is divine enabling (power). As we go before His throne in prayer, we receive mercy and grace (see Hebrews 4:16). If you meet with God daily, He will empower you with what you need for the present day.
Today, you don't have grace for tomorrow. But you will tomorrow. This is why Jesus instructed us not to worry about tomorrow. Take care of today, because He has given you what you need for today. When you wake up tomorrow, ask for grace for the new day.
Let's say you are a mother of 1. One child seems like a lot to you, but you can handle it pretty well. But the thought of 2 children seems incredibly overwhelming. Do you know why it seems overwhelming? It's because right now you have grace for 1 child. When you have 2 children, God will give you grace for that.
Don't let anxiety over the future steal your present from you. The present- today- is all you have.
Philippians 4:6,7- "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
"God I trust You with today and all my tomorrows. Thank You for empowering me to succeed today. Thank you that I can receive fresh grace every morning. Help me to trust You fully with my life. Amen."
Other verses for your consideration:
Psalm 37:8b- "Do not fret- it only causes harm."
Isaiah 26:3- "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
It's always today. No matter how much you think about tomorrow, it's always today. Here's the good news about today: God has fresh mercy and grace for you. His mercies are new every morning (see Lamentations 3:22,23). Grace is divine enabling (power). As we go before His throne in prayer, we receive mercy and grace (see Hebrews 4:16). If you meet with God daily, He will empower you with what you need for the present day.
Today, you don't have grace for tomorrow. But you will tomorrow. This is why Jesus instructed us not to worry about tomorrow. Take care of today, because He has given you what you need for today. When you wake up tomorrow, ask for grace for the new day.
Let's say you are a mother of 1. One child seems like a lot to you, but you can handle it pretty well. But the thought of 2 children seems incredibly overwhelming. Do you know why it seems overwhelming? It's because right now you have grace for 1 child. When you have 2 children, God will give you grace for that.
Don't let anxiety over the future steal your present from you. The present- today- is all you have.
Philippians 4:6,7- "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
"God I trust You with today and all my tomorrows. Thank You for empowering me to succeed today. Thank you that I can receive fresh grace every morning. Help me to trust You fully with my life. Amen."
Other verses for your consideration:
Psalm 37:8b- "Do not fret- it only causes harm."
Isaiah 26:3- "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."
Monday, April 11, 2011
Happy Giving
"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity (under compulsion); for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:6, emphasis mine)
My 4-year old loves offering time. At my church, while the adults sit there looking bored while the baskets are passed, the kids go to the front and place their offering in a bucket on the edge of the platform. We always go up with Abigail as she joyfully throws her dollar (or 5 or 20) into the bucket. Before I go to work, I sometimes tell her that I need to go work so we can have money to give to God at church. She gets it and she loves it! We are raising a cheerful giver!
We are able to raise a cheerful giver because we are cheerful givers. Seriously. There have been seasons when we have looked forward to the offering as much as any other part of the service!
So why are we cheerful givers? The verse above is the number one reason, in my book, to be a cheerful giver. God loves it when we give cheerfully. If you search the Bible, you will find a bunch of things God loves and some He hates. When the Bible says that God Himself loves something, that's where I want to be.
The kids at our church are engaged in their offering. They physically get up and bring their offering before the Lord. Now, there's no magic in walking your offering to the front of the room. But, there is power in being connected to your giving. I challenge you to engage your heart in your giving. Smile and celebrate His goodness as you give. The promise of Scripture is that, when we give happily, it brings pleasure to the Father. We have the amazing privilege of bringing pleasure to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. So, smile when you give and know that He is smiling back :)
My 4-year old loves offering time. At my church, while the adults sit there looking bored while the baskets are passed, the kids go to the front and place their offering in a bucket on the edge of the platform. We always go up with Abigail as she joyfully throws her dollar (or 5 or 20) into the bucket. Before I go to work, I sometimes tell her that I need to go work so we can have money to give to God at church. She gets it and she loves it! We are raising a cheerful giver!
We are able to raise a cheerful giver because we are cheerful givers. Seriously. There have been seasons when we have looked forward to the offering as much as any other part of the service!
So why are we cheerful givers? The verse above is the number one reason, in my book, to be a cheerful giver. God loves it when we give cheerfully. If you search the Bible, you will find a bunch of things God loves and some He hates. When the Bible says that God Himself loves something, that's where I want to be.
The kids at our church are engaged in their offering. They physically get up and bring their offering before the Lord. Now, there's no magic in walking your offering to the front of the room. But, there is power in being connected to your giving. I challenge you to engage your heart in your giving. Smile and celebrate His goodness as you give. The promise of Scripture is that, when we give happily, it brings pleasure to the Father. We have the amazing privilege of bringing pleasure to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe. So, smile when you give and know that He is smiling back :)
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