Why do people go out of control? How can they overcome the rage inside? We hear the horror stories of people wondering how they could do what they did. How does this happen? What can make a difference? Overcoming Rage!
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What do you do after you are rejected again and again? How do you pick up the pieces and continue on? “It must be me or that wouldn’t happen so many times.” This is not true. There are many factors that come into play with relationships. It isn’t that cut and dry. Rejected and Torn!
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Sometimes failure is easier to overcome than the shame that is involved with it. There have been failures in my life that brought me shame. If it wouldn’t have been for the shame, I could have simply got up and walked on. But the shame kept me in this loop of not looking at the situation so that I could deal with it and move on. Failure - Shame!
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What is my dream? Why do I do the things I do? Why do I even care? Why do I get up in the morning what is this compassion in my heart all about? This is what it is all about. It is a vision from the Lord. It is my dream and it compels me on.

In the late 80’s, I was talking with a friend of mine one evening outside of his business. I had just picked up the guitar about a year earlier and began to play it. I started by playing choruses of praise and worship to the Lord. It seemed like almost immediately, the Lord started giving me songs to write. I have almost 200 that I’ve written to date now. Our conversation started with me singing my songs in different places and people coming around for help. What would we do with them? How could we help and where would we send them? It is not right to help someone find the answer and then just leave them. But it also wouldn’t be right to just send them to others who don’t care. This was my dilemma and it still is today.

These times of being alone in worship and praise led me deeper into the Lord’s heart. His anointing would come on me so heavy, I could barely stand and would have to sit down. A few years later in another city, I was in a fellowship with others. We were in prayer and I saw a vision of the Lord. I saw Him on the other side of a desert and I started running towards Him. It seemed like I got about half way to Him and I was up on this ridge. All of a sudden He pointed back over my shoulder. I stopped running and looked back. I saw multitudes of people way behind me where I had started running. He simply said these words to me, “This time you can ‘t come any further without them.” I was shocked and to this day I hold this vision in my mind. This was about 15 years ago and the passion and zeal are just as strong. How do we go on from here? I’ve even gone back to school and learned how to build this web site and write in this blog. What is the Lord doing? How is He going to bring this about?

I like to help others. If you’ve read my other posts, you know I like to encourage. Where are His people? I am not talking about those who have high profiles like the TV preachers. I am talking about believers who are simply walking with Him everyday and are virtually unknown. As in the days of Paul, there are those who are building their own kingdoms and there are a lot of people getting hurt in the process. How will the body of Christ ever come together to accomplish the Lord’s desire. How do we bring healing to those who need it? How can we help others make enough money to feed their families? How can we help them find their purpose in life?

It is easy to complain about our government and about corporate America and all the greed and power hungry people. There are so many bandwagons, which one do we jump on? There are so many distractions and programs to join. Where is the time for anything else?

Here is one answer that I believe can change the world. We, as believers, have everything we need to change our lives and the ones around us. There shouldn’t be any lack among us. The prototype we should follow is in Acts 2. Even though our economy is in a down turn, we can be profitable. If we establish businesses His way, we will have more business than we can handle. We can minister to those who walk in and ask for help. We can train those without skills or teach others new skills. We can provide shelter for those who want to change their lives. We don’t have to do things the worldly way, we can reach out in love. We can pay people what they are worth. We don’t need to build monuments up to the sky. We need to build each other up. What would happen if we let go of the fears that surround us and reach out? Insurance concerns keep many from reaching out. We must rely upon the Lord for His protection. The Lord has inventions He wants to give us. He has business strategies that haven’t been seen yet.

I have been given a plan and I know others have them too. This web site and my design company are only the beginning of what I have seen. This can happen in more than one country, in more than one state and in more than one city at the same time. All it takes is someone who is willing. It is my prayer that the Lord would bring us together to establish His kingdom. So many are so caught up in their own lives that they can’t see beyond their own home. As I share some of these things with others, I see the sparks in their hearts, but it is going to take more than this. It is going to take commitment. We have to trust the Lord to take care of us and to protect us. Now, more than ever, people want change. The world is getting smaller and we have the chance to join hands around the world and help each other.

What is your dream? What are you passionate about? Has the Lord given you a vision? Do you need help? My purpose in establishing this blog is to encourage anyone who would read it. It doesn’t matter who you are, Jesus wants you to know that He cares for you. We may live in different cities and countries and may never get to see each other, but we can encourage each other. We can pray for each other. Together, we can make this world a better place to live. Together we can see miracles take place. Together, the Lord’s love can be shared with those who don’t know Him. Who are our brothers and sisters? We have yet to discover them. They may be closer than we think. You may be at the bottom, but it doesn’t mean you have to stay there.

Feel free to comment or send an email via the contact page. I’ll post what I believe is appropriate and will answer as much as I can by personal email. There are a lot of us in the same place, yet in different locations geographically. If you’ve received healing from the Lord, pass it on. If you need healing, ask Him. Most importantly, know that the Lord loves you and He has a plan and purpose for your life. Don’t give up. Give out of what you have and He will add more back. If it’s encouragement then encourage. Whatever it is, don’t keep others from receiving a blessing.

Joseph

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Who I am. Who am I? Who are you? Why are we here? When I think of these questions I think back to when I heard a song by Supertramp called, “The Logical Song.” One of the main lines of the song is, “Can someone please, just tell me who I am?” If you’ve never heard of it, you can google it to find a site to listen to it. The album came out in 1979 and we still ask the same questions today. Who am I? I bought the album as soon as I could and would cruise up and down the streets in my home town at night just listening to it. It was just me, the music and the wind blowing through my open windows in the cool night air. This was the question on my mind during my teenage years, “Who am I?” Why do we do the things we do? Why do we have to conform to these worldly standards? We don’t have to conform, there is a better way. Throughout all of history, good changes come when people dare to stand up with a better way. Before we can do that, we must find a better way. Who I am!

I watch people and interact with them everyday. It is very interesting. Sometimes the Lord allows me to see inside to their hearts. Sometimes I see happiness and other times deep hurt and wounds. Sometimes I am able to pray specifically for individuals and they are totally unaware of it. Some are very intense while others seem to not have a care in the world, yet every day each one must meet with reality. I am talking about the times when we are all alone with our own thoughts. The noise of the day is long gone and now there is quiet. I believe we use the noise and music to drown out those moments of reality if we can. We know deep inside that we don’t have the answers but we really want someone to love and care for us. If we could just find the right person. Maybe next time things will work out better. Maybe if I can just get a better job or make more money. Maybe . . .

I searched and searched for years for all the right answers. I grew up in a denominational church so I knew of the Lord at an early age. I even remember talking to Him. I asked Him to come into my heart at the age of 16, but I still couldn’t get things right. I had all of these questions and no matter who I asked, I only found a few answers. I also had a lot of zeal and I was young. One of the turning points in my early walk came when I found the scriptures about healing. I asked my leaders in the church, why don’t we just lay hands on the sick and thet get well. We just always prayed, “If it is the Lord’s will . . .” It is the Lord’s will that we get healed. I begin to see that people didn’t believe what they said they believe and I felt like they lied to me. So off I went on this journey of searching for the truth again. I had had too many lies in my life from too many people I thought I could trust. Just where could I find the truth? I searched through many other church groups and found that they were all the same, just a different name and some different beliefs, but they all stopped short of just believing what the Lord says in the Bible.

Some well-meaning people have told me that this is the way it is and no one has all of the truth. I understand that, but my problem with them is that they were not open to continuing the journey and discovering the multi-faceted walk of the Lord. They stopped short of their destination and just camped. I don’t know if they just got tired or weary, but just like the Israelites they decided not to take some of the promise land, they settled for a spot on the outside. I can’t do that. I am determined to walk in everything the Lord has for me and my generation. I am determined to pass this on to the next generation. I so want to hear the words from the Lord at the end of my life, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” I so want to see each and every person touch Him at least once in their life and see that He is good, faithful and true. Then they can make their own choice. I don’t want to see any bullied. There are enough of these people in the world. They should never be in the Church of Jesus Christ.

I have found something so wonderful and I just want to share. The Lord is not in to having His people separated by cliques. They believe they know the way and condemn everyone else who doesn’t believe the way they do. Rubbish! There is more to this walk and journey than this. True love, His love reaches out to everyone who asks. True love understands where each individual is in their heart and life and loves them anyway. True love has compassion on those who can’t help themselves as well as the selfish, greedy business owner that no one wants to be around. True believers know they are on a journey of discovering more truth as He reveals it to them. They know deep inside there are still areas and wounds that need to be healed for them to be free. True believers know His love, His compassion and desire to see them totally healed, saved, delivered and free. This doesn’t come by way of head knowledge and just memorizing the scriptures. The devil has the scriptures memorized and believes but that doesn’t make him a Christian. If it did, he’d be saved and all of our problems would be over. Having a relationship with the Lord is more than just knowing the scriptures, it comes by walking with Him, listening to His voice and obeying Him above everything else. Who are my mother and brothers? Everyone who has a relationship with Him. I meet people all the time for the first time, but it seems like we’ve known each other for years. The interesting thing is they know Him too.

I am so torn and grieved at the body of Christ. It is so easy for us to fight each other when the rest of the world needs our help and love. Who cares if someone else is raised up by the Lord. They are responsible for how they handle their life. If your relationship with the Lord isn’t right, don’t go blasting someone else who is desperately trying to walk with Him. They may not get it all right, but they have the main thing right. They are walking and heading in the right direction. If their heart is right, it is an easy thing for Father to help them get the rest in place. The issue is the heart, not perfection. Look through the scriptures and you will find that there was only ONE who was perfect and He was crucified for us who are human. WE HAVE TO STOP USING THE WORD OF THE LORD (SWORDS), TO KILL AND WOUND EACH OTHER. His word is to bring healing to the nations. I am not saying you have to leave the fellowship you are with. I am saying, don’t sell yourself short of attaining to the fullness of what He wants you to walk in. It is your choices that you will be accountable for, not someone elses opinions about what you need to do.

I am so encouraged to see the outpouring of the Lord in Florida, with Todd Bentley. All over the world people are getting touched by the Lord and the preacher man has tatoos all over his body. This is an offense to the religious crowd. For some reason, we think ministers ought to be perfect, rubbish again. I was in a move of God in San Antonio in 1994. The presence of the Lord was so strong we fell flat in His presence. Lives were changed. My life changed and His presence never left me. I can still feel it when I worship Him. Talk about reality, this is reality. He is real. Meet Him and your life will never be the same. You don’t know what you are missing until you find it. How does one find the truth? We find the truth when we search for it with our WHOLE HEART.

Feel free to check out our web site. We will be changing some things in the coming months. My work load is heavy right now with our VaryMedia design business, so I will continue to change things when I can. We are going to create a Flash book for the “Destiny Path of Life, Book 1, The Journy Begins,” book. Everyone can read it on the website for free or download it from our shopping cart for a nominal price. I will continue to write approximately twice a week in the blog. Keep checking back for articles that might interest you or someone else and then pass it on to others. Feel free to comment on a post, but keep in mind when you do to either ask questions about what you read for help and/or make suggestions or share your experiences in the same attitude of truly wanting to help others. I will not allow comments that are written to inflate someone’s ego or bring hurt to someone else. We are here to help. Keep smiling, keep going, you can’t lose if you keep on going. Choose to make a difference in someone’s life today, and watch it bring you more joy. “Life is a journey, and it is your choices that carve the paths for you to walk!“

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Is your heart broken and torn apart from separation and divorce? Does it seem that no matter what you do, you just can’t get beyond a certain point? Are you angry and frustrated? Does it cause you to not trust anymore? Healing a Broken Heart from Separation and Divorce!

As requested, I am continuing to share more of my story. I know that I will eventually not be able to respond to all of the emails I receive from others, so I am sharing some of what I’ve written personally to others in hopes that it will benefit many others in the same situation. Some of the following is from an email I just responded to this morning from a precious lady in the United States who has just gone through her third divorce. Who is this person? It might be someone similar to you.

If you’ve read my previous post, “When A Marriage Fails,” you will know that I’ve been through two divorces and have now been married for 13 years. If you haven’t read it, you might want to read it before continuing. It will help you understand the background for this post.

I believe that everyone, who goes through a divorce, gets hurt in some form or fashion. Those who appear to be unscathed must simply be able to harden their heart but it doesn’t change the fact that there was some type or form of rejection and failure. Marriage is a covenant that is honored by the Lord. It is also a blood covenant between two people that is established during sexual intercourse. The breaking of the hymen signifies this covenant. Each partner a person has in sexual intercourse is another covenant created. The two become joined emotionally. When a person has had multiple partners, they can start to become fragmented in their emotions. These things need to be addressed if one wants to be free and whole. The scripture states that most sins are done outside of the body, but sexual sin is done to the body.

Sex can never be casual. It doesn’t matter if you believe me or not, the truth just is. There are emotional things that happen during sex. It may be different for the man and woman to some degree, but there is a connection made. Emotions are transferred from one to another. The state of each person’s being makes a difference. The reasons why also matter. Judgments are made. A person’s mental stability can be affected. How does the other person feel about me? Do they like me or do they reject me? Our identities can be formed in these moments of intimacy, more so than any other form of contact. In every sexual encounter, emotions and thoughts are transferred and they can go to the core of our being. We need to ask the Lord to forgive us for every sexual relationship we’ve had and to heal us and to make us whole again. Also, pray for the other person to be healed and whole. Believe me, you don’t want to carry that junk around with you.

Separation and divorce cut off these relationships. They signify failure and rejection. Some people get involved in casual sex because they fear these things, guess what, it still happens. They still feel these things to some degree. Why was the sex initiated in the first place? When this relationship stops, there is still a separation from the relationship. Everyone wants to be loved for who they are.

During my second separation and divorce, I didn’t want to go on. I was very familiar with rejection and failure and I was totally defeated. I couldn’t work and I could barely cope. Some Christian friends took me in and gave me a place to stay. I am so honored by and grateful to these people. They helped save my life. Others accused me of being a bum. My family could not understand my total turnaround. Here was this person who was intelligent, destined for greatness and all of a sudden he couldn’t even hold a job. My family was fearful and so they reacted in the only way they knew. I didn’t see this at the time and thought that everyone was being critical. To make matters worse, I was a believer and had walked with the Lord since I was 16. How could this happen? You know what I found out, most of the world doesn’t condemn Christians, Christians do that to each other and they are very good at it. I found this part about Jesus to be true. Jesus was crucified by the very ones He came to save. Do we think it won’t happen to us? The religious crowd are ALWAYS the first to judge. Those who truly follow Jesus are the first to forgive and reach out in love. Please Note: This is a good way to find out who is safe and who isn’t. Be on guard, as the word says, some are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Don’t assume that just because someone says they are a Christian, they are safe to be around. Use wisdom.

I know this is a long post, but I don’t want to cut it short. Some things just happen in life. The Lord gave each one of us the right to make choices. Each choice we make has a ripple effect in the lives of others. One example: I can choose to pass on a smile to someone else and brighten their day, or I can grumble and complain about something and bring them down a notch or two. This is my choice, but it affects someone else who affects someone else. Get the idea?

Okay, so enough of my rambling. Following is an excerpt from the email I sent. This person is going through a similar situation that I have gone through. I hope this helps.

I know it is very difficult to be in the position you are in now. I was in a similar position emotionally and physically as well as financially. I had to learn to accept money and help from others and was also accused of being a bum. My family couldn’t understand what I was going through, but the Lord did and that was all that mattered during those times. I had to stay true to Him, He was my only hope. In due time, others began to see and understand some of what I was going through. My family has even turned around. They were very concerned about me, but the way they showed it came through fear and didn’t manifest itself correctly. I needed to come to an understanding that unsaved people cannot see things the way we can and we can’t expect them to understand the things of the Spirit, in fact it is impossible for them to see.

Your family are who they are and until the Lord reaches down and touches them, they will probably stay the same. Forgiveness is a choice and not an emotion and if you can find it in yourself to choose to forgive them with the Lord’s help, I think a lot of things will change as to how you see them. I am not saying that what they have done is right or that you don’t have the right to not forgive them. I am saying that it will make a difference in your life right now. (I don’t know who wrote this, but I read this the other day. “Forgiveness is a selfish thing, because it releases you and frees you from something done to you.” The other party still has to choose for themselves. I thought, how true this is. So be a little selfish and forgive them, but also show a little mercy and pray for them. Then let the healing have its way.)

Try to focus some on yourself too. You need some healing. Your heart has just been torn to shreds and it hurts. It is okay to grieve and cry. In fact it is necessary for the healing to be completed. I would also suggest that you may be fighting generational curses, I know I was. As we forgive our ancestors and apply the blood of Jesus to our bloodline, it cuts the enemy off from us and our children going forward. Of course they are responsible for their own choices, but it does eliminate some of those things deeply ingrained in our families. (I will touch on this subject more in subsequent posts.)

Money is an easy thing for the Lord to change in our lives. The Lord can put us in a situation of plenty overnight. Look at Joseph’s life in Genesis. He didn’t deserve the things that happened to him and he endured a lot of flack from his family. In the end, he was not only able to help them but the whole world around him. Healing the heart, on the other hand, can take a lifetime because it involves us in letting the Lord come into to those secret places and bring His healing. The degree of healing we receive is directly proportional to the depths we are willing to let Him go. Usually, the way He shows us these areas is with other people. What are the judgments we’ve made? Who do we harbor unforgiveness against? Do we keep repeating the same patterns over and over again? Why? Is there a pattern in our marriages? Do the spouses all end up being the same? These are questions to ponder and have the Lord help us with. The more we get cleansed and healed the freer we become. I speak this from experience.

I am going to use some of these things I am sharing with you in my post for today. You have helped me to remember these things and I know it will help others too. Just by your writing to me, you are also now helping others. We are all in this together. As we reach out to others it begins to multiply.

I hope you feel better and I pray that you continue to receive His encouragement and strength. The Lord has great plans for you. You are not a mistake, the Lord knew you before you were born and has marked your destiny. Keep on walking, blessing and reaching out to others and try not to take anything personally. They are not rejecting you, they are rejecting Him.

This is true for you too. As time permits, I will continue adding to my story. May you be totally healed inside. May you find the grace to choose to forgive and let go of others. As you study the scriptures, may you find out how the Lord really thinks of you. You are the apple of His eye. Those who touch you, touch Him. He has a destiny and a purpose for your life. You were born for greater things. It doesn’t matter what others may say about you, it only matters what you believe about yourself and the promises the Lord has for you. No one can keep you from your destiny except you. 2Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Keep your head up, like Thomas Edison said, “I haven’t failed. I’ve simply found another way that won’t work.” Keep searching for the truth and you will find it. Here’s to you. Go for it with everything that’s in you. The best is yet to come. Have a great and wonderful day.

Joseph

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What do you do when the love of your life says, “I’ve had enough and I want a divorce?” How do you cope? If the marriage covenant meant anything to you at all, it is a devastating situation and it will rip your soul in two. How can it be? How could this have happened? What do you do When Your Marriage Fails?

When my first wife said she wanted a divorce, I was shell-shocked. I didn’t see it coming. I had vowed to never get a divorce and here I was knocking on the door of the divorce court. My two precious daughters were only three and one and a half. My youngest hadn’t even taken her first steps yet. They were going to go through exactly what my brother and I did at their ages, a divorce. They would be separated from their dad. How can this happen again? Frantically, I went to my lawyer and asked him how I could stop this from happening. What did I have to do to stop it? His answer was simply, “there isn’t anything you can do!” I was devastated. I could see the generational curse happening all over again and I was powerless to do anything to stop it. Later, I would learn that it was my youngest that would pray over and over again for her mom and dad to get back together again, but that never happened.

I learned some important lessons during these trying times. I learned to lean on the Lord and to trust Him in every situation or so I thought. Life is a journey and I had prayed for wisdom and understanding. The scripture says that, “though it cost you everything, get understanding.” I was only beginning on my journey. I did everything I could to try to stay near my girls, but their mom kept moving. I finally surrendered this area to the Lord and told Him I would do everything He wanted me to do, but He had to take care of my family. He still honors this to this day. He has protected and kept us from all kinds of dangers. He is totally awesome.

Well, a few years later I met someone else and I thought that this was it. I thought that this was the person for me and I thought the Lord’s blessing was upon it. It lasted ten short months. This was the one that almost did me in. I couldn’t function anymore. My faith was shaken to the core. Everything I had hoped and dreamed for was lying dead on the floor. I just wanted to leave the earth, but He wouldn’t let me leave. He has given us all choices and we don’t always make the right ones. Sometimes we give up too easily on one another. How will we ever survive, let alone rise victoriously over the things that hold us down? Strictly by His grace and power!

It took me more than two and a half years to come through this last fiery trial. The Lord put someone else in my path and we have been married now for over thirteen years. Was it easy? No! I have learned a lot since then. I have gained some wisdom and understanding. The Lord gives us all choices and some times we just aren’t patient. It is because of our choices we can bless people or create hurt and destruction in others lives. Torn, bruised and broken people are created by our own and others choices. This is who we are without Him.

I have received a lot of healing over the years. I have spoken about my fears in many of my other posts. I am a different person and I hope I can help others find hope and healing too. My wife and I live to help others. This is why we get up and do the things we do every day. We have touched His heart. We have embraced His love. We have received His forgiveness, mercy and grace and now we want to pass it on. We have lived in His miracles and they still continue. Every day has its miracles and we are thankful for everyone. This journey is too wonderful to keep to ourselves. Others need to know they can have this too. I am saddened by the fact that not everyone will, however I am encouraged that some will and this keeps me writing.

Feel free to check out our web site. We will be changing some things in the coming months. My work load is heavy right now with our VaryMedia design business, so I will continue to change things when I can. We are going to create a Flash book for the “Destiny Path of Life, Book 1, The Journy Begins,” book. Everyone can read it on the website for free or download it from our shopping cart for a nominal price. I will continue to write approximately twice a week in the blog. Keep checking back for articles that might interest you or someone else and then pass it on to others. Keep smiling, keep going, you can’t lose if you keep on going. Choose to make a difference in someone else’s life today, and watch it bring you more joy. “Life is a journey, and it is your choices that carve the paths for you to walk!”

Joseph

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