A Caterpillar Saved Thanks To Mikayla :)

I have such a sweet, compassionate daughter… she even cares for the beasts (bugs) of the field.   This morning as we were hopping in our vehicle, Mikayla bent down behind the car.  I was watching her in the rear-view mirror, and wondered at what she was doing.  Then I saw her stand up with something in the palm of her hand and walk over to our yard.  As I looked on, she gently placed a little caterpillar safely on the grass… far away from the path of our automobile tires!

Of course, this became a big joke on our journey to the bus, and I must admit that I had a little fun with the whole thing.  I described the moment that her little butterfly would flutter up to her one day and say “Thank You for being my saviour”.

Thinking back on it now,  I realize just how valuable that few seconds was.  It did save a life!  She HAD become this little caterpillar’s saviour! How precious to think that her silent decision could save a life that one day could turn into something significant… That fuzzy little creature now has the opportunity to grow from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly.

It brings me back to a painting that the LORD and I had created while at the IGNITE Worship Arts Event.  God had given me a vision… a simple picture of a caterpillar on a stick.   

I was humbled as I first started to sketch it out, and then begin to put colour to the paper and I wondered as to His message of it.  I felt just as small and insignificant as that caterpillar.  Here I was surrounded by incredible paintings of Biblical proportions, but then God began to move me… He started to give me colours and He started to direct me where to place the paint brush.

As I watched before my eyes I saw a different image begin to appear. I could see it start to take shape, and as I stepped away to look at the painting from another direction, He showed me the outlines of an image that He had given me days before of a violin. The word was that “He was bringing forth a New Sound."  The colours of the rainbow brought back another Word that He had given me speaking of His Promises to His Bride.  I shared at this point on my painting recognizing that it was yet an unfinished work, expectantly wondering what He was going to do with it.

After lunch, the painting developed further as several of us spent the afternoon fellowshipping together. As I joined with Him in the dance of the painting, I could see the caterpillar developing into the beginnings of Peacock Feather Butterfly. I knew that I wanted to get a better picture of the feather wings, so I asked Jean Kelly to bring up some peacock feathers on her digital arts computer and continued to paint the feathers with the colours of the rainbow. He then lead me to develop the Peacock Feathers into a Dramatic Mask. He also pointed out another feather in the image and directed me to develop it into a Calligraphy Feather Pen.

Once I had finished, I sought the LORD as to the further meaning of the imagery. He showed me that in the beginning this was just a picture of a stick and a caterpillar.  Just as insignificant as Mikayla’s little caterpillar.

But the caterpillar represented the small beginnings of my/our Worship through the Arts.  As we joined together in UNITY during the IGNITE conference we were being legitimatized into the New Birth of the beautiful all-encompassing Worship Arts. A peacock feather butterfly mask symbolizing the Dramatic Arts and Digital Arts, the violin bringing out the Music, the rainbow ribbons flowing with the Dance and the praise flags, and the Feather Pen DIRECTING our path through the written Word in Prophetic Worship... through song, through poetry, through dramatic writings, through books and novels, and through other Prophetic Works.

He created a masterpiece through my hands and gave me His New Beginnings... a caterpillar transformed into a beautiful butterfly!  I praise Him with His creative giftings and in the process we take ground for the Kingdom of God. He has allowed me to come against destruction with the opposite force... with Creativity... and it is glorious!!

And today God allowed Mikayla to come against destruction with the opposite force… with compassion.  She saved that little caterpillar from death and God has used her to bring abundant life…. True it may only be the life of a small caterpillar, but one day it will become a beautiful butterfly touched with the colours of God’s rainbow… His promise of New Beginnings…. and it truly is GLORIOUS!

The enemy would like to kill, steal and destroy.  But God has come so that we might have life, and life more abundantly.  (John 10:10)

A CALL TO ACTION…. (Parts 1 & Correction Part 2 Added)

Part 1 - Here are some alarming demographics which I just received via a YouTube video.  (OK, OK,  I know that I shouldn’t believe everything that I see on the internet, but I will admit, this does start my mind to wondering…) 

I would like to hear some comments on this.  Check out the video below and let me know what you think. 

Islam could overwhelm Christiandom unless Christians recognize the demographic realities, begin reproducing again, and share the gospel with Muslims.

Some statistics from the video:

• They say that to sustain a culture that there needs to be a fertility rate of 2.11
• Canada’s fertility rate is currently at 1.6. 
• From 2001 – 2006 there was a Canadian population increase of 1.6 million, 1.2 million was from immigration (Do the math - Only 0.4 million from Live Births… Not from the aborted births by the way.)

• Quote from Islamic Strategy Conference in Chicago “We must prepare ourselves that in 30 years there will be 50 million Muslims living in America.”

Of course, Divine Wisdom says that God is in control even of this… but I must admit that these facts do draw my mind to wondering what God is up to…. Where will Canada be in the next generation… or the generation after that?  What will the world that we are leaving to our children look like?

“Where am I going with all of this?” you may be asking….  Well, ultimately, it all comes down to this.

“Do you know who your neighbours are?” and “Have you told them about JESUS?!!”

****************************************************************

Part 2 - After Posting this Blog I received an Email from Maureen Smith, Aglow International Canada National Director (maureens@aglowcanada.com)
I wanted to share the new information for the purpose of accuracy, and apologize for not taking the time to verify the facts beforehand.

From: Jervae Brooks 
Sent: May-06-09 3:12 PM
Subject: Regarding video on www.youtube.com - "Muslim Demographics" (An important correction)
Importance: High

Dear Aglow National Leaders,

We are forwarding the following email to you, from Diane Moder, in case you have received the “youtube” video titled “Muslim Demographics”.

Hi everyone,
On Monday, April 27 I viewed a DVD called “Muslim Demographics.”  After seeing it, the gentleman involved in producing it was contacted. He asked us not to use it because some of the information is incorrect.  He said the material is currently being updated to correct the information. He assured us when that is done we will get a copy.  

That same evening I received my first email that sent a link to YouTube. This same “Muslim Demographics” video has been uploaded to this site. I sent the information to Scarlet Stone, our Researcher and she verified that the material is not accurate in many places. This is her response:

From Scarlet (in red):

Many of the numbers are wrong...for instance the video says that 25% of Belgium is Muslim. The BBC says Muslims are only 4% of the population, and Wikipedia says 6%. That's a pretty big mistake. They are more than likely getting the numbers from Muslim sources which are always higher than reality . . . the picture that they are trying to paint is not complete or correct. I looked into this a while back when we were using this same type of information.

Out of 225 nations that I have fertility rates for, only 121 nations have replacement rates higher than 2.11, and the vast majority of those nations are third world countries where many of the children born will never reach maturity. Not surprisingly, the highest replacement rates are in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, the lowest rates of adult literacy correspond to the highest population growth rate. In other words, if you are uneducated, you are more likely to stay barefoot and pregnant.

According to an article by Asia Times Online, the Muslim birth rate today is the world's second highest, but IT IS FALLING FASTER THAN THE BIRTH RATE OF ANY OTHER CULTURE! Why? Because Muslims (and especially female Muslims) have learned to read. Literacy alone explains 58% of the variation in birth rates among Muslim countries. Also keep in mind although we tend to focus on the influence of Islam on western society, the opposite is also occurring. Western society is influencing the Muslim world.

Now could some European countries have Islamic majorities in the future...of course, but we can not honestly make the kind of predictions that are in the video. There are too many variables in population studies. With all God is doing in the Middle East, they can become Christian nations!

I have received many emails this week with this YouTube link and it is apparent that it is now being sent across the body of Christ. Because of this I want to alert and inform the leaders in our ministry that the information in various places on this video is incorrect and thereby brings a conclusion that is not accurate. At this point, until the DVD is updated I trust you will not use this information or forward the

YouTube link. If you already have received this link and information and forwarded this link to others, please feel free to share this email to tell them that the data is incorrect and the material is being updated.
As leaders we want to make certain that the information we share and forward is truthful and is able to be verified. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Blessings,
Diane Moder
Aglow International Islamic Awareness and Education Director
DianeModer@aol.com

The "Aha" Moment

I was just watching a commercial for Mutual of Omaha.  They are having a contest in which people submit their "Aha Moments." 

One mother of a 6 year old boy was talking about their "Aha Moment."  After watching a show on stray animals the little boy decided to ask all of his birthday party guests to donate money to help homeless animals rather than bring gifts for his birthday.  He is now 9 years old and over the past three years he has raised $2700 for stray animals because he had a "aha moment." 

Another woman had her "Aha Moment" when her mother, the matriarch of her family,  was diagnosed with cancer.  The mother didn't want to die without grandchildren, so the woman decided to adopt a little girl to carry on the family legacy.    That little girl inherited their family name and and they created a legacy through adoption.    (More "Aha Moments"  see:  http://www.ahamoment.com/)

My "Aha Moment" came a couple of years ago... or should I say my "Ah Moment." 
I had been reading in Genesis 17 where God was  blessing Abram with a new name... a name that included part of God's own name... "Yahweh" or sometimes just "Yah."  He gave the "ah" to Abram and he became Abraham.  The LORD also gave His name to Abraham's wife Sarai when He changed her name from Sarai to Sarah.  God had offered Abraham and Sarah his name "Yah" as part of  their covenant ceremony as well. 

When we take someone's name through adoption, and we receive their blessing and their legacy, but we also receive their authority as well.  When Our Heavenly Father gives his children his name to use as part of His covenant, he also gives us the authority to use that name legally... He promises His "power of attorney" and says "All that I have, is yours." 

My own "ah moment" came when the LORD showed me that He had also given me His name, "Yah."  He then pointed out that my actual name already has "ah."  My given name is "Deborah."  When I was born, my parents wanted to name me "Debbie," but I was born in a Catholic hospital so the Sisters wrote my name down as "Deborah" on the birth certificate!!  God had given me His name even at my birth. 

I think back on it now and realize just how powerful that is.  Hebrew 1:14 says that "angels were sent out to minister on behalf of those who will inherit salvation. "  Even as I was a small baby God was showing that He had already chosen me.... That I would be adopted by Him, that I would inherit His Kingdom, and His name.  I am "Deborah."