A Change is Happening

It has been a very long time since we have posted anything to the blog. Like we stated in the previous post our lives had become extremely busy. Work, family, friends, mission's trips, traveling and extracurricular activities consumed our lives so much, that we did not dedicate enough time to Storm Riders. Well, all of that is going to change. We will be posting regularly each week. Monday and Friday will have new entries. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Pintrest, Goggle+, Youtube and Facebook. 

When the year began, we were in Liberia celebrating Christmas and New Years. It was our first time back to the country in over 20 years. So much happened on that trip ( we will expound in another entry) that we knew something was around the corner. We both felt like this was the year for change. God is doing a new thing not just in us personally but also in the body of Christ. We have gained so much knowledge in the Word, who we are in Christ, our creation roles and what the Church should really look like in the past year. We are so excited to share these revelations and experiences with you! There is an overwhelming awakening to truly live our lives according to the Word of God. We have been challenged in the last year on our faith, what we have believed to be true in our walk and what the Bible really says about the roles we play in our families and church community. 

We also want to hear from you about the changes that are going on in your life and the challenges that you have had to face. It is the consent renewing of your mind that will allow the perfect Will of God to be illustrated in your life (Romans 12:2). Jesus is perfecting His Bride and making her beautiful for the ceremony. Please continue to believe and have faith that a change is going to come in your life, family, friends, church community and the body of Christ. Watch, pray and keep riding the storm.

31 Day Prayer Challenge

Hey Everyone!

I want to issue an end of year challenge! God's Word says, 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21).

There are 31 days in December and I want you to ask and think big! God says that He can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think! So that means that your "big" is actually small in the sight of God. So go ahead and pray 31 big, humanly impossible, mind blowing prayers! One prayer for each day of December and watch God work! Go ahead and pray for that family member who you think is too far gone, pray for a child, pray for a husband or wife, pray for a job, pray for a means of funding your education, pray for funds to go on that mission trip you have been wanting to go on, pray for open doors in your life and the life of those you love, pray for deliverance! Pray big! Pray specific and more importantly pray in POWER! The verse says according to the power that works in us! That POWER is the HOLY SPIRIT! Pray away folks and I pray that God blows your mind! Also don't forget to write down your prayers so you remember what you asked for, so that God may get the GLORY! Remember the verse says to Him be glory!

Go ahead and pray and watch God work! I am praying with you! I can't wait to see and hear what God does!

Smoke and Mirrors: A Disillusioned Generation

My sister and I went out Thursday night this pass week for Fashion Night Out. The event started in 2009 and we have been out shopping that night since it started. We have always had a good time and enjoyed getting free gifts, food & discounts. We were on a mission this time to get dresses for our cousin's wedding this month. After attending the prayer meeting at our church we headed down to Soho to a couple of stores. When we got out of the station there was a large crowd that we have never seen before!
There were so many people out and in one area. It was extremely overwhelming, considering all the crime that happened over labor day weekend, we were a bit worried. We normally do not like large groups of people and avoid them like the plague but we wanted to go to a particular store. On our way to the store we encountered a lot of disheartening events. Young women were dressed in scantily clad outfits, young men were cat calling the girls, individuals were dressed as the opposite sex and all types of inappropriate behavior. It was like watching numerous identity crisis happening all around us. The girls paraded around imitating their favorite celebrities. You could tell that they have bought into the lies of the media about who they are, their worth and what they should look like. The guys approaching the girls were vulgar in their pursuit. They were unnecessarily aggressive, inappropriate and disrespectful. There were many young men dressed as women or acting extremely effeminate.
We were disturbed by what we witnessed. I recently completed The Vision by David Wilkerson and my sister is reading it now. Pastor David talks about the lewdness, lawlessness and flood of filth that will happen in the last days that He saw in the vision that God gave him. It grieves my spirit to see that happening right now with this generation. It also made me upset how the enemy has deceived the masses to believe what they are not. These young people are trying to be celebrities, relevant or important.
Little do they know that they are already stars that have a divine purpose and call on their precious lives. They don't need to pretend to be something that they are not. They are made in the image of an amazing Creator that loves and cares for them unconditionally. Please keep this generation in prayer. We were all here at one point of our lives. We need to pray that we reflect Christ to the world. If these young people can see Christ in us they will be drawn to him. God said that if He be lifted up He would draw all men unto Him. If Christ is lifted up in our lives everywhere we go He will draw men unto Himself. Please continue to be prayerful and allow the Holy Spirit to move you to impact this generation.

Decision Making Prayers

I have had many decisions to make in my life. I recently and still am, seeking the Lord on some major decisions that I have to make. Some concerning the matters of the heart. I am a control freak and the Lord had to deal with me in this area. There were many times that I relied on my own knowledge and will to make choices. Needless to say some of those decisions landed me in trouble. The Lord had to show me that I needed His Knowledge and Will to help me in my decision making.
A good example of this is in Genesis 24. Abraham sends out his oldest servant to find a wife for his son Issac. The servant prayed that the Lord would "show him success this day."(verse 12) His prayer was asking God to bless his master, Abraham, and to show him the woman that he should take back with him for Issac. The servant was very detailed in his prayer and the Lord answered quickly by having Rebekah come to the well at that time. The servant's prayer came from a true honest heart for the love and loyalty that he had for Abraham and Issac. It wasn't a selfish prayer or about him having favor or receiving any gift for doing his job. He knew that he had to call upon God for help because he knew that he could not make this decision on his own.
Have you ever had to make a decision on leaving a job or excepting one? Have you ever had to make a decision on which school to attend? How about which church or ministry to join? How about deciding on if this is the right person for you to marry? Or, where to move, how much to charge for your services, to home school or which school your children should attend? Maybe you had to make a decision on what medical care to receive.
Whatever your situation is, go to God in prayer. Please do not be general with your requests. Just how Abraham's servant was very detailed in his prayer and made it very intimate with the Lord, we should do the same. Spend time with God and let Him know everything that is going on in your life. All the decisions you have to make and the desires of your heart. Yes, God knows all and He sees all but He loves that special time when we get away from all of life's distractions and we come to Him. God loves when we ask Him for advice or guidance because it shows how we have surrendered all our cares to Him.
We don't need to read horoscopes, go to palm readers, call talk radio shows or go on talk shows for advice. While, going to friends and family members is nice; there is only one source that can give you the answer that you need. Psalms 62: 5 says it all:

" My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him."

Our Father has our best interest at heart and He will guide us in the right path, so that we make good decisions. We need His wisdom, knowledge and discernment to get through in these last days. The only way we can achieve that is through prayer. Can you imagine if the servant went on his own feelings, emotions, understanding and flesh, what could have happened? Would there have been the nation of Israel? Perhaps the servant knew what was at stake. Maybe Abraham had told him the promise that God had made him? So he knew this mission was not something small or insufficient. A whole nation was going to be birthed out of Issac's seed. So he had to make the right choice.
Sometimes we think our choices or decisions are not that important. So we don't seek God to direct us. My friends, every choice we make is important to the Kingdom of God! God has major plans for our lives but He gives us the ability to choice His way or our way. Proverbs 3: 5-6 states:

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

That is what the servant did. He trusted God to help him pick Rebekah. He acknowledged the Lord and gave Him all the glory. He did not rely on his intelligence, years of experience, taste or occupation to make this decision. He asked God to " show kindness" to Abraham and appoint the "one" for Issac. Here is the amazing part of this story, just when he is done speaking, Rebekah comes to the well! God is so good! He was so eager and excited to answer this heart felt prayer that He didn't even wait for the servant to finish! Can you imagine what He is waiting to do in your life?
Call on Him and ask Jesus to give you the sound mind, wisdom and discernment that you need in order to make everyday decisions. I pray above all else that the Lord is glorified and lifted up in your decisions!