(What) IF... by Rudyard Kipling & Kim Kipling-Falcon

If Christianity....

A few years ago I had a wonderful friend that was turning 13. His parents asked for words of encouragement from various friends and family members to share.

What I sent Nathaniel is valid for all of us.

Dear Nathaniel,

When I was your age I discovered this poem written by Rudyard Kipling, best known for being one of our relatives -- oh yes, and the author of titles such as The Jungle Book and Kim.

It was during one of those in-between stages -- you know -- to old to hang with the little kids, but not old enough to be considered a teenager, that I read this over & over until I understood each line and it took hold inside of me as character.

Here is Auntie Kim's version with a touch of Jesus included -the words in bold are my addition.

IF by Rudyard Kipling/Kim Kipling Falcon

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, (Peace)
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,(Confidence)
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,(Patience)
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,(Honesty)
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,(Love)
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise; (Humility)

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master, (Realist)
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim; (Wisdom)
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;(Even Tempered)
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,(Calmness)
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools: (Perseverance)

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings (Adventurous)
And never breath a word about your loss;(No Self Pity)
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!" (Determination)

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,(Mind Set on Him/Holiness/In the World, Not Of the World)
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,(Humbleness)
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; (Secure)

If all men count with you, but none too much,(Steadfast)
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, (Effort)

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Godly Man, my son!

Nathaniel,

Who you are has already been formed. Who you become is still open to options.

Always apply Galatians 5:21-23 to every situation and circumstance.

The fruit of the Spirit, which His presence within us, is love, joy, peace, an even temper, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Jesus said you will know who loves and follows me by the fruit they have in their life.

Always display the fruit!

Character is not only made in a crisis -- but it is exhibited.

Much Love, Prayers and Blessings,
xoxo
Auntie Kim


What if.....

Kim Angela

p.s. For the video lovers this is "IF" recited by this year's Wimbeldon finalists.

To Judge Or Not To Judge

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2(NIV)

Jesus meant this! I did find a modern translation of Matthew 7:1-2.

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Unless of course you think that you’re right or smarter or better off, or older or.... …than me; then it’s okay to judge others in that scenario.

Alright, perhaps that isn’t found in any translation; however, as Christians isn’t that how we act?

We all tend to judge. One of the differences is how wise we are in allowing our judgments to surface. Those of you that are wise and can keep your lips sealed are able to keep judgments internal. Those of us that sometimes speak before we think tend to have our thoughts/judgments spread out before men for the whole to see.

My BFF is one of those people that can keep her judgments quiet and on the inside. I, on the other hand, tend to speak my mind. Decades of friendship later we joke that I speak what she thinks. The world around us sees her as this quiet, gentle spirit (which she is) and they see me as this outspoken chic (which I am).

If God looks on the heart, I don’t suppose it matters to Him whether my judgments are internal or external. It’s still a judgment.

In my teens the group I hung with tended to be judgmental. Our humor was sharp, witty, cutting and judgmental. I believe that we all had good hearts, but we were the poster children for the modified Matthew 7:2. We thought of ourselves as smarter, brighter, cooler, more together etc. If anyone, including a member of our group for some reason didn’t measure up we jumped all over it.

Nearly three decades later, oh how I wish I could have a do-over on those years.

Many variables combine to create the standard against which we judge people; heritage, beliefs, doctrine and experience to name a few.

Warning: Transparency Content (Again):

My variables caused me to judge divorced people.
Then I got a divorce. (See Blog: Less of Me)
I don’t judge divorced people anymore.
Sometimes divorce is the only answer.
If you’d like to debate (judge) the matter based on your variables, feel free to do so.

On our jobs, at our church or around the dinner table, judgments are everywhere.

A couple of weeks ago a few of us were emailing back and forth, encouraging each other and sharing what God had been speaking to our hearts. In one of the emails a friend responded with, ‘Thank you for not judging me in moments of vulnerability.’

I thought about this as I wrote this blog. Then the Holy Spirit started to speak to my heart.

I have many acquaintances and few friends. For my true heart friends, I know all about them, and they me, and we still love each other anyway. We make allowances for off days and love them through it. When my friend wrote about not judging in a moment of vulnerability my internal response was, ‘of course not, you are my friend and wouldn’t think of it.’

Then the Holy Spirit asked me if I am as non-judgmental of an acquaintance or a stranger as I am of my friends and family.

Internal judgments are insidious. We may simply glance at the person in the next cubicle or the next pew over and say, ‘well, they aren’t…….’

Judgment Alert!

The most insidious judgments I make are those that are cloaked in care.

We’ve all been there. It’s when we look at someone and think that they could do better, be better or accomplish more if only they would….. We rationalize it by wrapping it in concern for their well being, but in actuality, deep down we are making a judgment thinking that they are not measuring up to where we think they need to be.

Just when I think I’ve arrived at a great God destination the Holy Spirit puts His finger on something else. (See Blog: I Haven't Arrived, But I've Left)

Kim Angela

iPray ~ 24/7 (You Tube Video Must See)

The room is charged with excitement about a new opportunity. The opportunity is sure to make a change in our life and in the life of our church. Many have already signed up to participate.

iPray ~ 24/7

This is an opportunity to be part of a prayer chain that will hold up our church & its leaders for 7 days, 24 hours a day. This is a concerted, organized prayer effort to effect a transformation in our lives and hence in the life of our church. Participants sign up for a specific 30 minute window, daily during the week.

This week my church started our iPray week on Sunday at noon and we’ll go through to next Sunday at noon. Being an active part of our Music Department, along with others we signed up for more than one slot daily. It is the intention of the Music Department to fill every slot with someone from our department – we made it.

Warning: Transparency Content

How do I really feel knowing that tonight I am facing 2 one hour prayer slots? Gone is the excitement filled room. Group mentality has faded being replaced with lone pray-er status. Friends with other time slots are at home, watching their favorite show while I’m about to embark on my first hour of the evening prayer time.

There was a time in the not too distant past that an hour of prayer would have been unthinkable, let alone two hours in the same evening. Prayer was something I did in my car on the way to work. Prayer was something I did in the shower every morning. My prayer life could be summed up in a 15 minute car ride or a 5 minute shower.

Sure there were times when prayer lasted longer thrown in with a little fasting; but mostly because there was a ministry event coming up. I fervently sought God when I needed Him to show up and chatted with Him cordially the remainder of the time.

No more!

Five years ago I woke up to the fact that, apparently I really didn’t have the faith to believe that what the Word says and says about me is true. After all, if I really believed what the Word says I’d act different, talk different and be different.

I went from the logos of the word to the rhema of the word. Or in English that is, I went from knowing it in my head to believing in my heart!

In the late 1940’s my great aunt asked her pastor if she and her friends could stay in the church and pray as they were desperate for a touch from the Lord. For 11 days and 11 nights the ladies stayed at a little Assemblies of God church in Regina, Saskatchewan until God visited them. He did, in a BIG way.

In the 70’s & 80’s it was common place in my home to see people from all churches across the city in our living room praying.

So here I am in the 2000’s carrying on the Godly heritage of prayer that has been passed down my family line. Not because it’s what I’m supposed to, but because it’s what I want to.

This past Thursday, July 3rd I went to Dallas to be part of a service conduct by Todd Bentley. Todd is the evangelist at the Florida Outpouring Revival going on at Ignite Church, an Assemblies of God church pastored by Steven Strader in Lakeland. As the miracle power of God began to move across the meeting I was transported back to my childhood sitting in healing services of Kathryn Kulhman and Morris Cerello.

I had driven 240 miles because I wanted to be in the presence of God. I wanted to receive a touch of God’s power and anointing. As I stood to worship with the 10,000 gathered (that was cool!) I heard the Lord speak to me.

“What you are looking for can’t be found in this coliseum. What you are looking for is found in your own prayer closet.”

Ouch.

Well, God is always right. I was/am looking for the power of the Holy Ghost. I am looking to be so full of the power of the Holy Ghost that flows out of me naturally. I want to be a 1st Century Christian ~ a bold, full of power, witness for the Lord. Just to set the record straight there aren’t people lining up to have my shadow fall on them. (Acts 5:15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.)

What I want isn’t found by getting in line to see what is being handed out.
What I want is found by getting alone with the Lord and praying.

Wait, I’ll be right back… my first one hour slot of the evening is starting.



Okay, I’m back. That was great. Where was I…?

You never know what is going to happen when you pray. Last night as I prayed my favorite Psalm, #27 the Lord opened my eyes to see verses in a new light. Tonight I cranked my music and began to pray and worship Him. I got to song #4 and God showed up. All of a sudden a song that I’ve heard and sung dozens of times took on a fresh revelation about the words and how it pertains to this current iPray 24/7 event.

As you read the words to this song think of my church’s iPray 24/7 event. From teenagers to 80 year olds, every generation is praying for a transformation in us and in our church. We want to see God’s power move in order to change lives. We want our lives to be changed.


Lord, hear our cry
Come heal our land
Breath life into these dry and thirsty souls
Lord, hear our prayer
Forgive our sin
And as we call on your name
Would you make this a place
For your glory to dwell

Chorus:
Open the blind eyes
Unlock the deaf ears
Come to your people
As we draw near
Hear us from heaven
Touch our generation
We are your people
Crying out in desperation

Bridge:
Hear us from heaven,
Hear us from heaven,
Hear us from heaven (4x)



Kim Angela