Thursday, October 27, 2011
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Once in a blue moon…
The arts, gifts, creativity, renaissance, a new birth
light, life, love, spirit, beauty, complete surrender
freedom, health, riches, joy, kingdom inheritance
hopes, dreams, and promises fulfilled, rainbows of vibrant color
tornadoes, waves, quakes, radiation, pressure and fire
transformation, purity, holiness, glory, the blood of Jesus
healing, springs of living water, life, the Garden of Eden
emergence, breaking out, butterflies, fireflies, a new creation
peacocks, eagles, lions, family, friends, a new model,
authority, miracles, signs and wonders, sons and daughters
revelation, truth, faith, trust and wisdom, no more religion
kingdom vision, kingdom purpose, kingdom values, kingdom power
armory, weaponry, morals, obedience, dedication and honor
ships, navigation, uncharted territory, pioneering, anchored in hope
generosity beyond compare, missions, cultivated nations, the great harvest
When I ponder thoughts of the New Year and the time to come, these words resonate in my spirit for the church. I believe we are heading into the best of times and the worst of times, the best of times for the church but the worst of times for the world. May you come to know your true identity in God and his love, purpose, and destiny for you and your life. You are made in his image and likeness, and may you shine the piece of himself that he has given you that no one else has to offer this world but you alone.
Love Kels
light, life, love, spirit, beauty, complete surrender
freedom, health, riches, joy, kingdom inheritance
hopes, dreams, and promises fulfilled, rainbows of vibrant color
tornadoes, waves, quakes, radiation, pressure and fire
transformation, purity, holiness, glory, the blood of Jesus
healing, springs of living water, life, the Garden of Eden
emergence, breaking out, butterflies, fireflies, a new creation
peacocks, eagles, lions, family, friends, a new model,
authority, miracles, signs and wonders, sons and daughters
revelation, truth, faith, trust and wisdom, no more religion
kingdom vision, kingdom purpose, kingdom values, kingdom power
armory, weaponry, morals, obedience, dedication and honor
ships, navigation, uncharted territory, pioneering, anchored in hope
generosity beyond compare, missions, cultivated nations, the great harvest
When I ponder thoughts of the New Year and the time to come, these words resonate in my spirit for the church. I believe we are heading into the best of times and the worst of times, the best of times for the church but the worst of times for the world. May you come to know your true identity in God and his love, purpose, and destiny for you and your life. You are made in his image and likeness, and may you shine the piece of himself that he has given you that no one else has to offer this world but you alone.
Love Kels
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Next Step: Mozambique, Africa!
Dear friends and family,
I’m writing to update you all on some exciting news! Just this last Sunday I was accepted into Iris Ministries’ Iris Harvest School which starts October 12, 2009. That is in 3 weeks! Talk about last minute on the acceptance letter! Iris Ministries is one of my two favorite ministries that I have ever heard of in the whole world!
In case you have never heard of Heidi and Rolland Baker and Iris Ministries, I copied some very brief information about them from their website, http://www.irismin.org, below:
“Iris Ministries has expanded to over 5,000 churches all over Mozambique (the poorest country in the world) and into neighboring countries. The disastrous flooding of 2000/2001 catalyzed an overwhelming hunger for the things of God in the refugee camps where we ministered, and the Gospel continues to spread like wildfire. We now care for almost 2,000 children at our centers, and our churches are taking in orphans as well. Jesus is revealing Himself through signs and wonders, visions and dreams, and we have never seen such a harvest before us. May the Lord of the harvest send us workers!”
I want to be one of the workers sent! This is why I applied to the Iris Harvest School. Graduation from the school is the first step into coming into full time, long term work with this ministry, that is if God’s will permits. Their vision is to expand into other countries, and I was told just last night that they have already begun sending long term staff even up into India! The possibilities are endless and I am beyond excited. God keeps reminding me of my call into mission work every time I seem to lose vision, and I am just so thankful for this opportunity!
I know that if this is indeed God’s will for my life that He will provide; there is no doubt in my mind. I don’t want to send out mission letters for support, especially during a time when I know how much everyone is gripping tight to what money they do have. I hate for any person to ever feel obligated to give. Instead I ask if the Holy Spirit lays it on your heart to give toward this next step in my pursuit into full time mission work, then it would be more than greatly appreciated! Again, there is no guilt to the person who doesn’t give! I wouldn’t want you to give unless that is something that you really WANT or feel led to do. I hope you can hear my heart in this. Above all, I trust God for provision like I said earlier; I just know He likes to use people to give toward His Kingdom work because those who give get Kingdom interest in return! Yay God!! :)
I love you guys, and I thank you for all the love, prayer, and support in the past!
Glory be to Jesus!
Tons of Love,
Kellie
Contact info:
kellielinder@aol.com
I’m writing to update you all on some exciting news! Just this last Sunday I was accepted into Iris Ministries’ Iris Harvest School which starts October 12, 2009. That is in 3 weeks! Talk about last minute on the acceptance letter! Iris Ministries is one of my two favorite ministries that I have ever heard of in the whole world!
In case you have never heard of Heidi and Rolland Baker and Iris Ministries, I copied some very brief information about them from their website, http://www.irismin.org, below:
“Iris Ministries has expanded to over 5,000 churches all over Mozambique (the poorest country in the world) and into neighboring countries. The disastrous flooding of 2000/2001 catalyzed an overwhelming hunger for the things of God in the refugee camps where we ministered, and the Gospel continues to spread like wildfire. We now care for almost 2,000 children at our centers, and our churches are taking in orphans as well. Jesus is revealing Himself through signs and wonders, visions and dreams, and we have never seen such a harvest before us. May the Lord of the harvest send us workers!”
I want to be one of the workers sent! This is why I applied to the Iris Harvest School. Graduation from the school is the first step into coming into full time, long term work with this ministry, that is if God’s will permits. Their vision is to expand into other countries, and I was told just last night that they have already begun sending long term staff even up into India! The possibilities are endless and I am beyond excited. God keeps reminding me of my call into mission work every time I seem to lose vision, and I am just so thankful for this opportunity!
I know that if this is indeed God’s will for my life that He will provide; there is no doubt in my mind. I don’t want to send out mission letters for support, especially during a time when I know how much everyone is gripping tight to what money they do have. I hate for any person to ever feel obligated to give. Instead I ask if the Holy Spirit lays it on your heart to give toward this next step in my pursuit into full time mission work, then it would be more than greatly appreciated! Again, there is no guilt to the person who doesn’t give! I wouldn’t want you to give unless that is something that you really WANT or feel led to do. I hope you can hear my heart in this. Above all, I trust God for provision like I said earlier; I just know He likes to use people to give toward His Kingdom work because those who give get Kingdom interest in return! Yay God!! :)
I love you guys, and I thank you for all the love, prayer, and support in the past!
Glory be to Jesus!
Tons of Love,
Kellie
Contact info:
kellielinder@aol.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand!
I absolutely cannot sleep. The Holy Spirit will not allow me to stop dreaming about my future with Jesus. I am overwhelmed by God and the kingdom of heaven right now. Today has been one of those, “Please pinch me, I MUST be dreaming, days.” I’ll begin with a few testimonies from tonight. Since I’ve been home from overseas, I started going to a local ministry in Nashville every week called the Under the Bridge ministry. Hundreds of homeless show up every Tuesday evening under the Jefferson Street bridge to come to this wonderful ministry. Since I’ve been attending, my heart has been to do one on one ministry with whoever will let me pray for them. Last week I prayed for a guy in a wheelchair who said his knee/leg had been broken so many times that the doctors want to amputate his leg above the knee (both of his legs were in very bad shape). He also wanted to get back to his homeless community in California because he only come out here to visit his mom, but he was having trouble finding a way back. So I prayed for his healing (and also for his return to California) and I felt the Holy Spirit say, “Now get up and walk!” So that’s what I said! It grieved me when he told me he was too scared to get up and walk because it really hurts when he falls. I offered him some help, but he refused, so I just told him that I still had faith in his healing and told him how much God loved him. I walked away just knowing that he could have walked, because the Holy Spirit said so, and I believe Him. At the end of the night I also walked up to a woman who was with a group of people who seemed really low. I asked her if I could pray for her and she was kinda like, “Yeah, sure, I guess.” I asked her for any special prayer requests and she said her health was bad due to cancer, so I prayed for her while her fiancé stood close by.
To make a very long story as short as possible, as soon as I arrived this evening a man who has been working with this ministry for many years came up to me with a big smile on his face. He told me that he had run into Jim on Saturday, the guy in the wheelchair, and that he was out of his wheelchair walking on his own, and that he was in the highest of spirits!! Jesus healed him!!! I was blown away, even though I had the faith, WOW! He had also met a guy who was helping him get back to California! Jesus!! At the end of the night when I was walking back to the car with my parents, who are now coming, the same lady who I had stopped on my way out last time stopped me. It took me a minute to recognize her when she asked, “Remember me? Would you mind praying for my fiancé?” I remembered and quickly went over to her fiancé to pray for him about a job. After, I looked at her and she was just smiling ear to ear, had life in her eyes, and she just looked great! I told her those things and she responded, “I feel so good!” Now, I know she hasn’t been back to the doctor, but I believe in her healing! Jesus !! These haven’t been the only healings lately. Pain is leaving, sickness is leaving, bodies are being healed and God is opening doors and causing people to walk in favor, lives are being changed, all for Heaven’s sake. I look at what I’m writing, and it’s hard for my own logical mind to grasp, but it’s the facts. Jesus HEALS!! The kingdom of heaven is at hand!!!
I don’t write any of this to give myself any glory, because Jesus did the work. He’s the one with the love and the power. I’m just obedient to His word and to His will. See, I believe as a BORN AGAIN believer, as a DISCIPLE of Christ, that I have no special anointing healing or gifting outside of the Holy Spirit alone! I am no one special; I am only obedient to the will of God and to the Holy Spirit, and that is the same call that is on all of the church of Jesus Christ. I believe in Matthew 10:7. Jesus says, “As you GO, preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.” I believe this is for now church. This is the will of God ALL THE TIME! Whether you are going to another nation, to church, to your ministry, to Target or Wal-Mart, wherever! This is our call. I write to encourage you that the gospel isn’t fake, or powerless, or for another time, but it is real, powerful and for now, so GO for it, please! The world is hungry for it.
Love forever and always,
Kellie
To make a very long story as short as possible, as soon as I arrived this evening a man who has been working with this ministry for many years came up to me with a big smile on his face. He told me that he had run into Jim on Saturday, the guy in the wheelchair, and that he was out of his wheelchair walking on his own, and that he was in the highest of spirits!! Jesus healed him!!! I was blown away, even though I had the faith, WOW! He had also met a guy who was helping him get back to California! Jesus!! At the end of the night when I was walking back to the car with my parents, who are now coming, the same lady who I had stopped on my way out last time stopped me. It took me a minute to recognize her when she asked, “Remember me? Would you mind praying for my fiancé?” I remembered and quickly went over to her fiancé to pray for him about a job. After, I looked at her and she was just smiling ear to ear, had life in her eyes, and she just looked great! I told her those things and she responded, “I feel so good!” Now, I know she hasn’t been back to the doctor, but I believe in her healing! Jesus !! These haven’t been the only healings lately. Pain is leaving, sickness is leaving, bodies are being healed and God is opening doors and causing people to walk in favor, lives are being changed, all for Heaven’s sake. I look at what I’m writing, and it’s hard for my own logical mind to grasp, but it’s the facts. Jesus HEALS!! The kingdom of heaven is at hand!!!
I don’t write any of this to give myself any glory, because Jesus did the work. He’s the one with the love and the power. I’m just obedient to His word and to His will. See, I believe as a BORN AGAIN believer, as a DISCIPLE of Christ, that I have no special anointing healing or gifting outside of the Holy Spirit alone! I am no one special; I am only obedient to the will of God and to the Holy Spirit, and that is the same call that is on all of the church of Jesus Christ. I believe in Matthew 10:7. Jesus says, “As you GO, preach the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.” I believe this is for now church. This is the will of God ALL THE TIME! Whether you are going to another nation, to church, to your ministry, to Target or Wal-Mart, wherever! This is our call. I write to encourage you that the gospel isn’t fake, or powerless, or for another time, but it is real, powerful and for now, so GO for it, please! The world is hungry for it.
Love forever and always,
Kellie
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Dear India
Dear India,
I'll never forget you. Our relationship was an extreme roller-coaster ride, but the lows were always my fault, not yours. You showed me what it was to be a servant. Through you, God worked in me a servant heart. He wanted me to learn to serve Kolkata, and that I did. So much of my old self died with you, learning how to sacrifice my needs, comforts, rights, and selfish ways. Through learning how to put you first, I've realized I can now probably put anything and everything first. You were a great challenge to me, forcing me step out in faith alone, causing me to put my faith into action. Through serving you, I had to cling tight to my faith in Jesus as protector and lover of my soul, and sure enough, here I am on the other side not only unharmed but a better person. I shed a lot of my old self and old ways while there with you and now you have my heart also.
I think you are beautiful and I hold so much hope for you! I see Jesus working hard in your midst Kolkata, shoving His way through any door that will even crack open to Him! Please turn to Him so you will be fully restored, shining in the brilliance of the India that you were always meant to be, reflecting a very distinct flavor of God that only you can show! I long to see you with God's kingdom reign, with Jesus as the King of your nation, and oh, how beautiful you will be! How exotic and wild, gorgeous and rich! Not even the British who held you in splendor could have even fathomed your full potential. I see deep jewel toned colors, gold and silk, clean streets that sparkle and shine! No poverty, no illness, no caste system, no false gods, no idols! Just a beautiful, exotic Indian nation praising and worshiping Jesus! You are meant to shine India! You are meant to be breathtaking!! I pray the work of the cross over you... May you become what you were always meant to be!!
Love always,
Kellie
PS I gave you my all, and I can only pray that that made some sort of lasting impact within you. My hope is that my work glorified Jesus, making Him better known to you.
I'll never forget you. Our relationship was an extreme roller-coaster ride, but the lows were always my fault, not yours. You showed me what it was to be a servant. Through you, God worked in me a servant heart. He wanted me to learn to serve Kolkata, and that I did. So much of my old self died with you, learning how to sacrifice my needs, comforts, rights, and selfish ways. Through learning how to put you first, I've realized I can now probably put anything and everything first. You were a great challenge to me, forcing me step out in faith alone, causing me to put my faith into action. Through serving you, I had to cling tight to my faith in Jesus as protector and lover of my soul, and sure enough, here I am on the other side not only unharmed but a better person. I shed a lot of my old self and old ways while there with you and now you have my heart also.
I think you are beautiful and I hold so much hope for you! I see Jesus working hard in your midst Kolkata, shoving His way through any door that will even crack open to Him! Please turn to Him so you will be fully restored, shining in the brilliance of the India that you were always meant to be, reflecting a very distinct flavor of God that only you can show! I long to see you with God's kingdom reign, with Jesus as the King of your nation, and oh, how beautiful you will be! How exotic and wild, gorgeous and rich! Not even the British who held you in splendor could have even fathomed your full potential. I see deep jewel toned colors, gold and silk, clean streets that sparkle and shine! No poverty, no illness, no caste system, no false gods, no idols! Just a beautiful, exotic Indian nation praising and worshiping Jesus! You are meant to shine India! You are meant to be breathtaking!! I pray the work of the cross over you... May you become what you were always meant to be!!
Love always,
Kellie
PS I gave you my all, and I can only pray that that made some sort of lasting impact within you. My hope is that my work glorified Jesus, making Him better known to you.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Howrah Station, Kolkata India
Getting to work with Life Connection ministries and the Howrah children was such an amazing experience! God did some major work in me during that time and I'll never forget it. There are over 200 children orphaned at Howrah train station currently. Most of the kids have no idea how they even got there. They have no choice but to live cruel lives of survival, much like the survival of the fittest, so it is a very violent, tragic, and animalistic style of living for these children. There are about 50 girls, but mostly boys, and all the children seem to be highly addicted to glue huffing. Huffing glue suppresses their appetites, which is the initial reason for partaking in it, but it doesn't take long for these children to become horribly addicted.
Death is no stranger to these children. Some die from rolling off of rooftops in their sleep to 100+ feet below. Many fall on train tracks getting cut literally into pieces, while others are murdered by other boys in fits of rage. Just the night before we arrived at the station, two boys died from huffing too much glue on a train causing them to become disoriented and they fell from the train onto the tracks of the express train coming from the opposite direction. They were hit and both boys died instantly.
They collect bottles around the train station to make money. 3 bottles = 1 rupee. With this money they buy mostly glue, but some food as well. The girls at the train station seem to have it the worst. The seek out the older boys who have more money and offer themselves for glue or for basic survival needs. They will also marry very young, around 12, to find some feeling of safety in being protected. One girl that I spent some time with, Najne, was only 15 and had already had 4 or 5 miscarriages. She would get pregnant by her husband and then huff so much glue during each pregnancy she would lose the baby every time. Even while we were there spending time with them, they were pouring glue onto clothes right in front of us. I don't even know if they know how to hide it.
While all this is happening in the Howrah train station where literally millions pass through every day, these children remain unseen. They are considered the "untouchables" of the Indian cast, and most wouldn't even take the time to look down on their existence because surely it was karma that put these children in that place to begin with. The tragic stories of the kids don't even make the local paper. They are unseen, unheard, and unloved - they are voiceless. Even though they went so long without being seen or loved by people, God saw them and loved them, and created a plan!
Life Connection ministries was started by a Indian Christian missions family who felt called to Kolkata and didn't even know why. Through obedience in following, Jesus led them straight to Howrah Station and to the children there. God is so good! Life Connection is only now getting up off the ground, having started only two years ago, and has only 9 full time staff members of whom are all family. They are fueled by volunteers, but there the field is plentiful and the workers are far too few. They go to the station 3 days a week to spend time with the kids, loving on them and doing whatever they can to win their trust and respect. 2 days a week the ministry invites the children into their ministry house to bathe them, give them new clothing, shave their heads (most have a bad case of lice), feed them, play with them, and to teach them about Jesus. When I was there, there were 10 kids who decided to stay with the ministry full time. These boys told the staff that they didn't want to go back to their lives at the train station, so they have taken these boys in full time, and there was one more boy added in the week that I was there. We helped to teach these boys not only more about Jesus and the love of God, but also English, math, and writing.
It was such a privilege and honor to get to work with this ministry, and during my time spent with them God worked so much in my heart. As I learned to lay down my rights, comforts, and needs for these beautiful kids, they won my heart over completely. Now if you knew me, you would know what a HUGE deal that is! Let's just say I'm not a kid lover. :) But these kids seriously were some of the most beautiful, giving, and loving children that I had ever met in my entire life. It blew my mind really. They wound up being the highlight of my day and the joy they brought me was like no other. There were a few in particular that I so badly wanted to take home with me! I wanted to save them from their lives, but I don't believe that's what God has planned for them. Their ministry will be most likely right there in India. What powerful testimonies they will one day have! World changers they will be! You don't grow up in that kind of a life, find Jesus, and then become mediocre about Jesus and what He has done for your life! They will have passion and zeal!! I know it with all my heart! God bless those precious children!
I long to raise awareness for this ministry. The stories I could tell about the staff members and their financial struggle breaks my heart. The church in India is very small and poor, so support is minimal at best, and these workers give their whole lives and hearts to this cause. They work seven days a week to care for these boys with no breaks or holidays. They need help! Nabin, our contact and leader of Life Connection, even asked if I would come back and work with them full time. I promised that I would at least raise awareness for their cause and do what I could, and I don't want to break that promise. These missionaries work so hard, you wouldn't believe it! The contacts that we were with would sleep whenever they could get a chance. On the trains, buses, taxis, whenever they weren't moving. All in all, they know and I know that God is good and that He will provide because this all was His will and plan in the first place.
Again, 50% of my art sales will go directly the Life Connection family to sow into their ministry and what God has called them to do! I also have their direct contact info if you are interested in supporting them directly, just let me know. There are some photos attached!!
Love to all!!
Kellie
Death is no stranger to these children. Some die from rolling off of rooftops in their sleep to 100+ feet below. Many fall on train tracks getting cut literally into pieces, while others are murdered by other boys in fits of rage. Just the night before we arrived at the station, two boys died from huffing too much glue on a train causing them to become disoriented and they fell from the train onto the tracks of the express train coming from the opposite direction. They were hit and both boys died instantly.
They collect bottles around the train station to make money. 3 bottles = 1 rupee. With this money they buy mostly glue, but some food as well. The girls at the train station seem to have it the worst. The seek out the older boys who have more money and offer themselves for glue or for basic survival needs. They will also marry very young, around 12, to find some feeling of safety in being protected. One girl that I spent some time with, Najne, was only 15 and had already had 4 or 5 miscarriages. She would get pregnant by her husband and then huff so much glue during each pregnancy she would lose the baby every time. Even while we were there spending time with them, they were pouring glue onto clothes right in front of us. I don't even know if they know how to hide it.
While all this is happening in the Howrah train station where literally millions pass through every day, these children remain unseen. They are considered the "untouchables" of the Indian cast, and most wouldn't even take the time to look down on their existence because surely it was karma that put these children in that place to begin with. The tragic stories of the kids don't even make the local paper. They are unseen, unheard, and unloved - they are voiceless. Even though they went so long without being seen or loved by people, God saw them and loved them, and created a plan!
Life Connection ministries was started by a Indian Christian missions family who felt called to Kolkata and didn't even know why. Through obedience in following, Jesus led them straight to Howrah Station and to the children there. God is so good! Life Connection is only now getting up off the ground, having started only two years ago, and has only 9 full time staff members of whom are all family. They are fueled by volunteers, but there the field is plentiful and the workers are far too few. They go to the station 3 days a week to spend time with the kids, loving on them and doing whatever they can to win their trust and respect. 2 days a week the ministry invites the children into their ministry house to bathe them, give them new clothing, shave their heads (most have a bad case of lice), feed them, play with them, and to teach them about Jesus. When I was there, there were 10 kids who decided to stay with the ministry full time. These boys told the staff that they didn't want to go back to their lives at the train station, so they have taken these boys in full time, and there was one more boy added in the week that I was there. We helped to teach these boys not only more about Jesus and the love of God, but also English, math, and writing.
It was such a privilege and honor to get to work with this ministry, and during my time spent with them God worked so much in my heart. As I learned to lay down my rights, comforts, and needs for these beautiful kids, they won my heart over completely. Now if you knew me, you would know what a HUGE deal that is! Let's just say I'm not a kid lover. :) But these kids seriously were some of the most beautiful, giving, and loving children that I had ever met in my entire life. It blew my mind really. They wound up being the highlight of my day and the joy they brought me was like no other. There were a few in particular that I so badly wanted to take home with me! I wanted to save them from their lives, but I don't believe that's what God has planned for them. Their ministry will be most likely right there in India. What powerful testimonies they will one day have! World changers they will be! You don't grow up in that kind of a life, find Jesus, and then become mediocre about Jesus and what He has done for your life! They will have passion and zeal!! I know it with all my heart! God bless those precious children!
I long to raise awareness for this ministry. The stories I could tell about the staff members and their financial struggle breaks my heart. The church in India is very small and poor, so support is minimal at best, and these workers give their whole lives and hearts to this cause. They work seven days a week to care for these boys with no breaks or holidays. They need help! Nabin, our contact and leader of Life Connection, even asked if I would come back and work with them full time. I promised that I would at least raise awareness for their cause and do what I could, and I don't want to break that promise. These missionaries work so hard, you wouldn't believe it! The contacts that we were with would sleep whenever they could get a chance. On the trains, buses, taxis, whenever they weren't moving. All in all, they know and I know that God is good and that He will provide because this all was His will and plan in the first place.
Again, 50% of my art sales will go directly the Life Connection family to sow into their ministry and what God has called them to do! I also have their direct contact info if you are interested in supporting them directly, just let me know. There are some photos attached!!
Love to all!!
Kellie
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