ARE YOU SURE?

I want to begin by saying thank you. Thank you to my wife for letting me contribute on this blog. I also want to thank you for reading. This blog has been a great source of encouragement for Julie and I over the years. Your feedback has been key for us getting even more revelation of the Grace of God.

Today I want to ask you a few questions and hopefully encourage you in the process. On what do you place your certainty? What is your true north by which you set your internal compass? When all around you looks shaky and uncertain what is the one thing that is certain in your life? When scandals happen around you in the world what keeps you from giving up hope? Scripture points us to faith in the Gospel as our source of certainty.

Philippians 1:6 in the ESV says, “6And I am sure of this, that he who began(H) a good work in you(I) will bring it to completion at(J) the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul has confidence in the good work that God has started. He said, “I am sure of this…” He had no doubt about it. God has started something that He will carry out to completion “at the day of Jesus Christ”.

James 5:7-8 in the ESV says, “7Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives(N) the early and the late rains. 8You also, be patient.(O) Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord(P) is at hand.

These verses are found at the beginning of a section on suffering. Often when we suffer we are most tempted to let our faith unravel. Circumstances distract us and we feel our faith deflate with each distraction that comes. But James says be patient! We are to be like a farmer who knows that because he planted a seed he will reap fruit. The farmer has an established heart because he knows the truth about growing and harvesting. He has faith. We likewise should not allow what is going on around us to rob us of our faith in the Gospel. Verse 8 says to establish our hearts. To establish your heart is to believe the Gospel. Believe that Jesus came in the flesh, obeyed the Father on your behalf, became sin for you, died in your place as your substitute, cancelled the written code that stood opposed to you, freed you from the power of sin and death, and will return just as He left to clothe you with your new immortal body! Wow what good news! It is all based on Him not us or anyone else. That is the power behind the Gospel. It hinges completely on Jesus and Him alone. That is what our hearts should be established on.

So I ask you again, on what do you place your certainty? Do you place your faith in people, your self efforts, or circumstance which can change tomorrow? Or have you established your heart by believing the Gospel? You can be sure of this, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.

New Developments on Voice of Grace

There are a few changes happening around here. Two new writers will be joining me on the blog, which is great news for everyone! For me, it means more frequent posting without any extra work, for you it means more grace writings to read. This is going to especially great for me since my writing will be decreasing during pregnancy and life with a new baby in the family.


So without further ado, I am excited to announce that my husband Aaron Morris and our very good friend Bertie Brits . will be joining me on the blog.

I'm not sure how often Aaron will be writing but he's been talking about doing this for quite awhile now. I'll be putting up Bertie's first post shortly...looking forward to seeing what God does with all this! Hope you all enjoy the new additions!

Internet Connections

A few years back, I often lamented having no real friends. I was pretty lonely, and really had no close relationships with anyone outside of my husband and family. Growing up, we moved a lot and I was naturally very shy and fearful, withdrawn, thoughtful, and melancholic. Though I had an amazing intimate relationship with God, for which I'm still very thankful, I had very few normal childhood friendships. Thank-you God for giving me a sister to grow up with, or I would have been a hermit I think!

I think one of the greatest fruits of coming into grace has been a growing love for and enjoyment of people. And just over the past couple of years, God has put several very close and wonderful relationships into our lives. It's been amazing! But even stranger have been the relationships with people we've never met! Truly what was an area of great lack is now an expression of God's lavish abundant rich grace to me.

We've recieved prophetic words, jokes and stories, testimonies, encouragement, links to many various helpful teachings and resources, prayer support and more than any one thing alone, great fellowship-- all through this wonderful ability to connect to easily to anyone anywhere in the world. And as time goes on we actually meet or talk on the phone with more and more of the people we meet online.

So to all my friends out there in the world, thanks for being our friends, our brothers and sisters, we consider you some of our greatest blessings in this world, we love you all and thank God for you every day!

Why I Share the Bad Stuff in Public...

My husband asked me if I thought it was a good idea to share things like in my last post, being brutally honest about whatever I'm struggling with on the world wide web. Just thought you all might be interested in why I choose to be as transparent on here as possible. It's really for a couple of reasons.

First of all, I've mentioned before I use my blog as a kind of journal of my life so I (and my family) will be able to look back on what God has done.

Second of all, I think God gets way more glory when people can see the story from start to finish. In other words, if I didn't share the ugly parts of what I'm dealing with, my testimony will not be as amazing to you when I tell you how God has transformed and conformed me to Jesus. Yes, I have faith that the things I'm struggling with now will be a great story of God's grace and power at some point in the future, and even now it proves how faithful he is to sustain, comfort, and pour out compassion on his children. Already my faith has been boosted since I wrote the last post. Perhaps I'll share that little story next, it's a little funny...

Recent Prophetic Words...

This past Sunday we were able to visit a local church here in Moncton called Water and Wine Assembly of Christians led by Dave and Marilyn Britton. It was Aaron's first time visiting so we were called forward to be welcomed and receive a jar of homemade grape jelly. Dave then told everyone that his father had led my grandfather to the Lord many years ago...they have been friends of our family for years though I don't know them well myself.


Anyway, they had a couple visiting to do some prophetic training named Bob and Anita Wing and the Brittons asked them to give us a prophetic word, which they kindly recorded on cd for us. I've transcribed it in full below for those that know us and might be interested! We'd love to hear your thoughts on it, though it is a bit lengthy. We were very encouraged, and some parts are quite exciting (I fancy the part about the angels myself). Well, here it is:

(Bob) Lord we stretch our hands towards this couple (what is your name again?) Father we just thank you for Aaron and Julie we thank you for visitation, your habitation on their lives. Oh man of God what I heard the Spirit saying he said you are one that I had to get my fishing pole out and get my hook out and a special bait to bring you in. The Lord said son I am going to do a great thing in the midst of you the Lord said son I'm unwrapping your gifts, your annointing, and your ability the Lord says I've called you to be a man's man the Lord says you know no fear, growing up that got you in so much trouble because the Lord says you'd just do anything the Lord said but now I've put my heart in you and I'm transforming you and bringing you into new levels of the kingdom of God.

The Lord says son I'm going to use you in a way to impact other men, I've put an annointing on you for leadership and you're going to lead many and you're going to stand strong the Lord said you were a scrapper and a fighter but now I'm going to make you a mighty man of war for the kingdom. The Lord said I'll bring even a fresh annointing upon your thinking and I'm opening up your understanding even as I breathed on the disciples I'm breathing on you says God to open up a destiny a plan, and a purpose that you might bring your whole family into a new territory of the kingdom of God. The Lords says son even as I gave portions of the land to the different tribes I'm giving a portion to your family to possess the kingdom, to prosper, and to do great and mighty things. The Lord says son know that as you study leadership things it's going to cause you to begin to excel and it's going to bring a settling in your spirit. It's going to cause favor with man and favor with me that's really going to begin to bless and change the atmosphere even around you says the Lord.

And the Lord says little princess, you're one who's very special, the Lord said you're very stable, you're very picky, you won't just buy anything. The Lord says you have many questions and I love that about you says God because you're one who will look into the things of the Spirit and one that will look into the principles of my Word. The Lord says there is a teaching gift on the inside of you to be an explainer, a teacher, and one to be a proclaimer. The Lord says daughter you're always giving instructions, some think that you're always trying to be nit-picky but the Lord says no daughter you're one who wants to make things right.

And I love your heart and your spirit and the Lord said daughter I'm even opening up your spirit person to let you walk in realms of the supernatural you didn't even think of. I put a prophetic mantle even upon you to be able to speak forth and bless my body with fresh annointing and revelation from heaven. The Lord said don't be timid don't be shy, it's ok to make a mistake the Lord says as you minister and release the gifts and annointing that's deep within your spirit.


(Anita)And the Lord says daughter know that even the annointing of old is upon you and even that those of the patriarchs that have come down even through your lineage says the Lord are upon you. But daughter know that is a blessing and not a curse, know that it's one that's been like almost a heavy weight upon your shoulders to be in a position to conform to some things that you didn't really buy into you didn't really understand, but the Lord says daughter know that I'm breaking that off you today that you might be able to walk free he said because I have a path just for you it's not one that anyone's trod in such a way that you have to conform and follow in that manner. He said daughter know that I'm loosing you from those bands even this day so that you might walk circumspectly before me and in a way that is pleasing unto me even in a new dimension says God.

And son and daughter know that I've even stationed angels round and about you. He said there is a movement in the heavenlies over you and he said there's been an open heaven placed above you that's pouring out upon you. And he said daughter and son know that as you declare and decree the angels will go out from among you and gather that which you have need of and draw those unto you that will be able to relate to you, to be able to support you, to be able to understand the teaching that you bring forth and the way that you bring forth.

He said you've kept your lives pure, you've kept your lives holy, you've attempted in every way to follow after me. He said and daughter and son know that even as you do that continually I will bring a stream of people around behind you that will allow that annointing to flow upon them. He said and there will be even a group developing around about you that will cause you to elevate even in the spirit realm says God. And even in the positioning that's upon you son and daughter know that there is that apostolic mantle upon you that will draw many unto me and he said as you do start to see even a fruition of things that you've dreamed about come to pass and know you don't have to wait for 20 years or 40 years or 80 years says God, it's going to start to happen around about you because the angels are causing a stir in the heavenlies says God over you and they will continue to move on your behalf.

So son and daughter know that this is a day of looking up unto me no longer look down to see where you've been to see where you're trodding he said but keep your heads lifted up high and your eyes focused on me and I will lead you every step of the way says God. I'll not allow you to stray to the left or the right but I'll set that path out before you and as you take a step of faith the road will appear it will start to be a walk of total faith following after me says God. As you hear my voice you'll step into the newness that I have for you says the Lord.

(Bob) So Father we thank you for your word let it go deep into their spirits, let heaven pervade and let hell shrink back! in Jesus' name amen.

Aaron is here!!!

He's been here since Saturday and we've even had a couple of days all by ourselves on the beautiful Prince Edward Island. Keep praying that all will go well with finding a job, car, place to live, and immigration. It's pretty complicated moving from one country to another. It's very good to have him with us again--the kids were very happy to see him to say the least. Hopefully the church thing will begin to take shape soon as well, any ideas for a name? We're leaning toward "New Covenant Grace Church" (I hope I'm allowed to divulge that information haha). And just for the fun of it I'll put up a couple of pictures as well.

Checking in, new blog...

Yes, I'm still alive. I know, I've been strangely missing in action but I'm sure I'll be back to my old self if I ever get my computer back again! We think our house is sold by the way, as long as everything goes well. Settlement is set for October 19th I believe.

In other news I went to a wedding today and there was a long sermon in the middle of it that left me with a headache it was so darn legalistically depressing/enraging. It was 'evangelistic' vomit--a mish mash of regurgitated illustrations, quotes, and cliches. The man seemed to enjoy preaching death and condemnation of unbelievers and barely tacked on some 'good news' in the last 2 minutes. I was also questioning the purpose of marriage vows. Do you think we start out with a legalistic mindset in marriage vowing to do all kinds of things perfectly even though we know it'll never happen that way? Should we be making promises of perfection to the one who will know our faults and shortcomings better than anyone else on earth?

And in still other news, a good friend of mine who has been receiving great revelations of God's love and grace lately has just started a blog. It's great to read what God's been doing in her life and I highly recommend checking it out. Her name is Lydia and her blog's name is 'a joy to be me'.

And one more thing...sorry I haven't called you yet Katie! And thanks to all of you who've been feeding Aaron too.

12 Years

Today is our anniversary. I can't believe we've been married for 12 years already, though is some ways it feels like we've been together forever! This past year has been a more difficult one at times, actually, much more difficult than any year since the first few. But I think we've been pretty happy together for the last half of it. God has done so much for us and brought so many good changes this year. With having young children around, the romantic aspect of all these types of celebrations sometimes (o.k., let's be honest--usually) gets left by the wayside so I want to use this chance to be sappy and honor my husband in a somewhat public way. So, this next part is a sort of open letter to Aaron:

You are my best friend and though I can function well without you (a testimony to how God has used you to help me grow) I hate it when you're not with me. We are becoming so joined together that we finish each other's thoughts and sentences and your ideas round out my own (and mine yours). Together our faith is stronger, our dreams are bigger, and the possibilities stretch so much farther than they could for either of us individually. I never imagined when God first showed me that you were the one he meant for me all that it would mean. I've doubted his wisdom at times, but now I'm amazed at what he had in mind.

We are getting ready to enter into promises we've been holding onto for a long time. I know there are many many hard times ahead of us, but there are also so many blessings and so much joy ahead and I can't believe I get to live it all with you in the exhilarating presence of God. More than anything, I want to thank you for loving me no matter what and listening to me and not holding the past against me but always letting me grow in grace. I'm so excited to see you coming into all that God has always planned for you. You're becoming the man I saw God wanted you to be when I met you; what was once your potential is fast becoming who you really are. You've been growing steadily in your revelation of grace and I can't wait to hear you preach it! God is going to use you in increasingly powerful ways as he draws you closer and closer to his heart, and you're going to march out into the world a son so sure of your Father's love and confident of his big muscles that fear won't enter your head for a second, and all your boasting will be "my Dad is stronger than your dad". Together we're going in to posses the land God has prepared for us! I think Rob would call that my pentecostal anointing hehe... anyway, I love you and I always will. Thank-you for giving me the joy of spending my life unraveling the mystery of who you are, as we unravel the mystery of who God is together.

Now That I KNOW the Gospel!!!

I have to say that one of the most exciting things about this amazing ongoing revelation of pure grace that Aaron and I have been living in for the past few months is that we are 'getting' the gospel for the first time. I mean, we've understood parts of it at different times, and we had a mostly true cerebral understanding of what the gospel was, but now we are really really KNOWING it. It's changing our lives completely, almost as if (ahem) it had some kind of power over us and in us!

The glorious thing about it is that is seems the more revelation we receive the more it just keeps on coming. It started out slowly but now it's as if we receive fresh revelation every day and it's incredibly exciting to have all that Bible knowledge that once puffed us up come to life in the Spirit (or be put to death by the Spirit if it was a wrong understanding). When I was home in Canada recently, I began to be excited just thinking about preaching this message of pure grace to the people there. I have an ever-growing confidence that this is the best and most powerful way to change the whole world, and that as we are committed to immersing ourselves in pure grace we'll take the wonderful glorious presence of Jesus with us everywhere we go. I'm no longer worried about have powerful gifts of healing or miracles because I believe they will naturally and effortlessly flow when we boldly live in pure grace (yes Rob, we are really getting it!). Evangelism will literally be a breeze, or perhaps more like a hurricane!

And to all those who are skeptical that grace is really that powerful and we really need a little bit of law or guidelines or suggestions to keep us going in the right direction:

I just have to thank God for many answers to prayer, answers that are being realized for the first time and all since we have begun to come more and more into true grace. I was watching my husband last night singing worship songs and taking an opportunity to preach grace a bit (at a birthday party no less) and I can tell you he's a different man than he was even a month ago. I almost don't even know him. There is a boldness and fiery passion rising up in him that is (I think) apostolic. Increasingly he won't stand for even a hint of law and will graciously but fiercely fight for grace in people's lives. This from a guy who was so bound up in legalism and fear of man that I used to wonder if he cared about anything much, he lacked passion so badly. He lived in constant defeat and condemnation. Basically, I'm watching him pass from the ministry of death into the ministry of life. And it's happening to me too.

I realize that using phrases like 'pure grace' and 'true gospel' aren't very helpful. I mean lots of people steeped in law use these kinds of words too. They just don't know what they're talking about! I think I'll have to put together something just telling the gospel as I see it in Scripture to give an idea of what I actually mean. I want to see it myself, as I think I'll be surprised what comes out of me...

Using the Gift of Tongues

I think I recently mentioned in passing how I came to receive the gift of tongues. I guess it all came about during the summer of 1998 shortly after I was introduced to the charismatic world. But quite frankly, I couldn't find much use for it and rarely used it. There is precious little practical teaching on this gift, at least in the churches I've been in. Yes, I've heard brief exhortations to sing in tongues during worship or even to speak out (with interpretation) as God leads for corporate edification, but in the last ten years I think I've heard only one sermon on it (though I've heard brief explanations during Alpha week-ends as well). It was actually a good sermon too. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that all in all I've neglected this gift most of the time.

A while back I heard Jackie Pullinger To describe her personal experience with the gift of tongues and I could really identify with it. She never used it either until challenged by some Americans visiting her in Hong Kong many years ago. God used them to convict her of her foolishness in neglecting a gift he had given her and she promptly began speaking in tongues for 15 minutes a day though it didn't seem to do anything. It was shortly after she began doing this that she began to see incredible breakthroughs in her ministry. (You can listen to her speaking or check out her book Chasing the Dragon to get a more detailed and accurate account.) This has always stuck in my mind and it has served to remind me that if I've been given a gift, I need to use it!

So over the past few years I've slowly begun to just pray in tongues sometimes, whether I feel it accomplishes anything or not. Recently thought, I've really been thankful for it. I am now happy to report that I'm actually experiencing the reality of "...The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself..." (I Cor. 14:4) Though I'm not using it every day, I'm using it far more regularly, and particularly in times of intercession, when my words seem to fall short, and also in times of need, such as in temptation, spiritual attack, etc... Of course I have to give an illustration.

The other day I was having a somewhat stressful day. Actually, most of my days are 'somewhat stressful'! Our two-year-old has been removing dirty diapers lately, along with all of his other usual disasters in every room of the house. And we are desperately trying to get our house in order so we can put it on the market. Well, this day I had already spent more than 2 hours trying to get this kid to take his nap. He can now climb out of his crib and cannot tell you how many times I disciplined him and put him back. Then my husband got home and commented on one of the lesser disasters I hadn't had time to clean up yet. I got angry, it wasn't pretty, I left the house for a couple of hours feeling lots of guilt and condemnation. I could recognize spiritual attack in the middle of it all as well, but just couldn't seem to find my way to the throne of grace. I went back home but nothing was resolved and I left again feeling depressed and hopeless. When I got home again, it was still terrible. I wouldn't even let Aaron pray for me.

Finally as I ran a bath it occurred to me that I could pray in tongues. I felt so relieved as soon as this thought came to me (thanks Holy Spirit!) and I immediately began praying and God's presence came back! Love and mercy came flooding over me and all the anger, bitterness, hopelessness, unforgiveness, I had been giving in to just gave way and was gone. You see, I had repented of my sin, but the enemy was just accusing me and telling me I couldn't have an uninterrupted relationship with my Father. I had to wait and suffer a bit you know. But when I started praying in the Spirit the power of the enemy was broken somehow.

I'm really beginning to value this 'lesser of gifts'. I think I've really been ashamed of it for a long time. My background in the Wesleyan Church, while good in so many ways, perhaps left me with this sense. They affirm every gift except tongues as a prayer language, which is viewed as divisive (which I'm sure can be true). I've even encountered a strange vehemence and hatred towards tongues from some people, some of whom I highly admire and respect. Growing up it was common to hear my parents and others saying things like "yes, they speak in tongues but you would never know it,they are so godly they would never talk about it". So I guess I have thought it's wrong to admit to having this gift! But Paul didn't seem to mind claiming to have it, and I've never heard of anyone keeping any other gift a secret (actually it sounds a bit like burying things...) So instead of being ashamed, I'm going to thank God that I'm speaking in tongues more and more and encourage all of you to do the same if you have this gift. And if you don't, than eagerly seek it along with the greater gifts!

A Response to the Concern of a Couple of Important Readers...(Aaron is a Nice Guy)

Some of my readers (who shall remain anonymous) were concerned that people who don't know me or my husband personally would get the wrong idea from my last post. So for the record, Aaron is a great husband who has always respected me and treated me as an equal person. My problems are not stemming from my personal experience in marriage! Though we both began to be affected by some misapplication of Biblical principles, God in his mercy has intervened and preserved our love and respect for one another. Aaron is my best friend in this world and we are constantly discussing everything and I think we have an amazing 'iron sharpening iron' relationship, which I thoroughly enjoy. For clarification, when I mentioned fearing disagreeing with him, I was talking about fearing what others would think of me. Aaron has never discouraged me from sharing my opinions with him, in fact, he always wants to hear what I think about everything. And yes, this does involve some pretty intense disagreements at times! I wouldn't want it any other way.