God Shows Up blog series

God Shows Up At Elevation

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I currently work for a church in the Santa Cruz Mountains called Elevation. Elevation has been around since early 2009, and I joined the church family in late 2009. Throughout the years I have seen how God shows up at Elevation. This will be more of a background to what Elevation is rather than specific stories of God showing up.

It was the second church I went to as an adult with my friends, and we quickly became a part of this wonderful church. After a few major life changes with me, I became the admin for Elevation in 2018. That is not where the story of Elevation starts, though.

The story of Elevation has to start with the pastor, Chuckk (yes, spell check it has 2 k’s). His openness to share his past, personality, and love is one reason everyone involved with the church feels safe to be themselves.

It is a beautiful thing when a group of people can be authentically themselves as they journey towards a personal relationship with God the creator. When there are no walls or barriers to break through, you can then learn and grow with people on the same journey as you.

What makes Elevation, Elevation?

The quick answer are the people. Like every church, those involved and belong to that church makes the church what it is. Church is not about the building or even the weekly service. The church is the people who make up the community of believers we hang out with.

The skill of musical people and other creative people are part of the culture of Elevation. This is also one reason I fit into this church. We are weird creative people who love God.

We must be cool because we meet at a nightclub. The actual location of the building doesn’t matter. We just need a space to meet. Plus, more people may be all right going to a nightclub and not a cathedral or other church building.

I’ve learned a lot from being part of Elevation and see God show up a lot throughout the years of being part of Elevation. It is such a beautiful group of God-loving people.

God Shows Up At Elevation
Want More?

For more information about my amazing Church, you can go to Elevation’s website.

For more blog posts in this series, you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series.

God Shows Up blog series

Attending church in 2009

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In 2009, as summer faded, I attended church for the first time since high school. My new interest in Christianity brought me to a large multi-building church with my friends. It was unlike the Catholic churches I had known as a child. This church had modern with chairs instead of pews and different rooms. It even had a bookstore. 

The main sanctuary had a stage and screens. The walls were beige, not stone, and there weren’t any stain glass windows. Plus, they had a sound system and theatrical lighting that would change for the different worship songs, that I did not know, yet.

My friends, who I moved out to California with, were going to this church, so one Sunday after I chose to try out Christianity they brought me with them. I still remember the newness of walking into this odd, but normal looking building.

After the first service, I approached the information table and the lady there gave me a mug and information about the church as a welcome gift. She seemed to care that I was there.

A few weeks or months of us going to the morning service passed. We then learned about an evening ministry. It was about to become its own church. It was a smaller, more intimate church named Elevation.

We couldn’t get enough of God and learning about who He is and how to follow Him. We kept going to both churches for a while since the time didn’t conflict. Both churches then also begun Bible studies, so the group went to one from each church. Both Bible studies met during the week in the evenings. 

We were on fire for God and supported each other to be more and more involved. Soon I was helping in different ministries for both churches and trying to get as involved as I could. The others were also serving and helping. 

God flooded and saturated our lives that first year. We grew immensely in our relationship with Him and our understanding of Christianity. It was a lovely spring board that set up our future paths. It is part of my life that I am truly grateful that God gave me and the group. He was the one that grew us and gave us all the opportunities to grow.

Want More?

For more blog posts in this series, you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series.

God Shows Up blog series

2020 Refocus Retreat

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2019 had many rough patches, difficult changes, and surprises. That year knocked around. I’m grateful that God held on to me through the struggle. I am also thankful that he allowed me to go to the “2020 Refocus” retreat.

It seemed like every time I got on a healthy habit schedule in 2019 something would knock me off of it. With God’s help, I kept finding my way back to Him and the right path for me.

I went into 2020 with an attitude of being freer to explore what the right path for me is and simply be with God.

The first weekend of the new year I was able to do just that. I went on a 24-hour retreat called “2020 Refocus.” My friends had helped plan it and it was wonderful.

My expectations were low. Really I didn’t know what to expect, but it was amazing. God showed up multiple times for me.

The first session had a lot of good information in it. As I took notes I realized I needed to trust and obey God more and more. That had to be a major focus this year and every day within the year.

God can do such powerful things when we fully depend on Him and trust Him fully.

Another powerful fact that I learned was in my quiet time. I woke early and journaled by myself. Through journaling, I realized that I’ve been focused on earthly things.

Yes, I love God and I am following Him. However, my vision is only for this life and this world. I need to move my focus to eternity and God’s will.

Hearing From God

In the main prayer time, I also heard from God, which if you aren’t familiar with prayer I’m sure sounds weird. “To Love “will be done this year. It’ll be with God and God’s power that I succeed.

With that statement, I’ve changed my focus. When I got home from the retreat I started to work on getting a Kickstarter project up and going. I have also scheduled more time in order to work on “To Love.”

Iron On Iron Activity

The last time I saw God show up, during the retreat, was with an activity called, “Iron On Iron.” It is where 2 people encourage and strengthen the 3rd person, then the roles are rotated until all 3 people are strengthened.

I sat down with my preassigned group and judged them. From their appearances, I thought it was going to be a weird and awkward time. What could we have in common? I figured I’d go first and get it over with.

Well, all 3 of us are artists. True our lives are different, but that allowed us to see things differently and help. It was a great activity. By the end, I really felt connected to them.

I was vulnerable with them. In return, they accepted where I am and who I am. Through them, I felt God’s love and guidance.

It was a truly beautiful weekend and an apt names retreat. I did refocus on God at the beginning of 2020.

Want More?

For more blog posts in this series, you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series

God Shows Up blog series

My First Trip To Africa

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In 2016 I had a grand adventure with God. I went on my first over seas mission trip. It was to South Africa. It was a big and scary trip for me, but I was excited. I had dreamed about taking a trip to Africa for awhile. Now I was able to take my first trip to Africa.

I learned and grew a lot even before I left the country.

The first thing came months before the actual trip. Did you know it takes a lot to plan for a mission trip? We had meetings and homework in order to plan the lessons and activities. This was on top of planning and organizing the basics of travel. Yes, we had a wonderful leader who did a lot, but we were responsible to get the needed shots, our own packing, work related stuff, and fundraising for the trip’s expenses.

Automobile Issues with God’s help

Once everything was planned I thought things would be easy sailing for me. However, a week before the trip my car broke down in rush hour traffic on a curvy mountain highway. I had just enough momentum to get over a lane and pull over on the tiny shoulder.

God showed up by sending the highway partol tow truck out pretty quickly. He was able to tow it to a turn off, so that I would be safe.

The next issue was finding a tow truck who would bring me all the way back to my home area and to the mechanic I regularly saw. After a few calls and what felt like a long wait a truck finally came to tow my car to my mechanic.

I had to leave it outside their building over night on the street. God showed up that night, because there was no damage to my car. On another visit to my mechanic I did hear about a stranger’s car getting looted.

The car was fixed within a day or two. I had it before I left for my big trip. Yes, in the end everything worked out. However, the whole situation was stressful. It caused stress and anxiety. It was not a fun experience, but God was present in it.

My first trip to South Africa also had many God moments. Each time God showed up could fill up another blog post, which I do plan on writing.

Want More?

For more blog posts in this series you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series.

God Shows Up blog series

God Showed Up While I Was Moving

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Sometimes it’s clear when God shows up. He does something huge that is undeniably Him. You hear these types of stories from time to time. Stories about miraculous healing or people being saved from certain death. Most of the time He whispers. The ordinary or simple encounters are easy to miss or dismiss as coincidence, luck, or chance. When you don’t, when you see God’s hand in the ordinary, you realize how extraordinary He is.

God has never helped me smuggle Bibles into Chine or given me superhuman strength to save a child who was crushed under a car. However, He has given me a part-time job almost as soon as I decided to follow Him.

More recently He took away my living situation in order to give me a cheaper one and help me realize the status quo of my life wasn’t working.

One way I know God Showed up in the moving transition was that within a week I found a cheaper room for rent.

I was about to leave a party and the only guests that were still there typically don’t hang out with my main friend group. They rent out a home and hold me that they may have an extra room. I set up a time with another tenant to look at the space and it was perfect for me.

The reasons I know it was God

There are 2 reasons I know this was God. The first is because it typically takes months to find a new place to rent where I live. Plus most of the time you have to be flexible with your budget and pay more than I actually could. It’s really unheard of to pay my rent.

The home I moved into is great and is in a wonderful neighborhood. In addition has beautiful waking paths around it that I can walk.

I could easily mistake this for luck or coincidence, but I know God’s hand when He shows up. This is Him taking care of me. I am confident that God showed up while I was moving.

Want to read more?

For more blog posts in this series you can visit my God Shows Up page. I also have a YouTube series that goes hand in hand with this written series.

God Shows Up blog series

Gum On The Cross

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I don’t remember too many lessons about God from when I was a kid. Honestly, I believe the majority of lessons I hear in church fall away from my conscious memory. When I was a kid the ratio was even higher. This is because most services were spent in the back of a catholic church where me and my sister would help each other not pay attention.

One Sunday I did go to a children’s church program. It was at my step-dad’s church, so I was at least 8 years old. The kids would go downstairs, into the basement of the church, while the adults learned in the main sanctuary.

As the lesson start all the kids were given gum. We were told to chew it up and then put our gum on the cross.

Now I didn’t know much about Christianity, the cross, or church, but I knew the basics. Putting gum on the central symbol of Christianity seemed disrespectful.

My gum was chewed up, covered in my spit, and gross. That was part of the pastor’s point. Our sin is gross.

The part about putting it on the cross was showing us we can give our grossness to God. Jesus dies on the cross and rose again, so that we can know a relationship with Him.

Through out my life I forgot many lessons, feel away from God, and didn’t believe in Him. However, I never forgot the lesson of the gum on the cross.

This is a post in the series God Shows Up. Follow the link to read more.

God Shows Up blog series

Church

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Intro

Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, just like going to a rock concert doesn’t make you a musician. Still church is an important aspect of the Christian life. Finding your church home and being part of a community helps you grow spiritually and can strengthen your relationship with God. A church family also can support you and give godly advice.

The Story

I’m not sure which one of my 4 close friends found Elevation or suggested it first, but we all went one Sunday evening. After attending only a few times, we were invited to come early for dinner. I was uncertain about going. I thought we would be out of place and not belong, but the gang went.

We soon would start to go to ‘after hours’ and spend more time with the church people we had just met. I then started helping out, along we the others. We became part of the family of Elevation.

As we grew spiritually Elevation felt more like family. We were home when we were around Elevation’s people.

For a few years I did move away and had to find a new church. It was hard feeling alone in my journey and not among my church family. In a way that grew my faith and moved me along my spiritual journey. It showed me how to follow God alone and what truly blocks me from following Him closely.

Once I moved back to the area it felt as though I filled a new void and fit into the family again. Sometimes I even forget that there was a time I wasn’t seeing the Elevation family weekly.

Yes, we can be weird and easily distracted. We are not perfect, but we love God and follow Him. The Elevation family helps those in need and loves all. We do our best with what God gave us and work towards being closer to Him. Our church helps each one of us do that.

For more information on my amazing church you can check out our website.

For more information about how God has shown up in my life you can check out the other posts in this series.

God Shows Up blog series

Getting Confirmed – God Shows Up

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The lead up to The confirmation process:

I grew up with a base knowledge of Christianity through Catholicism. I would go to St. John’s Catholic church most Sundays. I don’t remember ever paying attention. Instead, I would sit in the pews and doodle back and forth with my sister.

When I started high school I was given the option of to be confirmed into the Catholic church. That seemed like the thing you were suppose to do, so in 9th grade I started the process.

I went to the classes that taught us the prayers and I guess religious knowledge. Nothing stuck. I do not know what I actually learned during those classes. I do remember that the classes took place in the basement of the school across the street from the church, and most of the time I felt pretty alone. I didn’t know anyone and I was shy. They all either went to the Catholic school or the public highs school. I went to a vocational high school and no friends from my junior high school went to these classes. I was the shy outsider.

In order to get confirmed you also had to do a certain amount of volunteer hours. I volunteered at a soup kitchen for community hours. Again, I didn’t feel like I quite belonged and didn’t know what I was doing. I just knew it was part of the process.

I finished all the requirements, but due to a scheduling issue I could not actually get confirmed with the classmates I had learned with. I was confirmed at my Memere’s church instead.

What happened shortly after confirmation:

Shortly after my confirmation I decided to look into my friend’s religion. I thought that if my faith was real it wouldn’t matter and I would be able to learn a different aspect of my friend. I soon found interest in this new religion and even started to believe in it. I chose to believe in what Wicca taught and became a pagan.

It took many years before I would even think about revisiting a church or remember that I was confirmed as a Catholic.

Looking Back:

Looking back, I turned away from Catholicism and Christianity, because I didn’t have a real faith. I also didn’t have a community that I could call my own. I felt more of a belonging with my Wicca friends, rather than my Catholic church.

My Catholic faith wasn’t really mine. I focused on what I ought to do with my Catholic faith. In contrast I focused on what I wanted while practicing Wicca. Both paths led me to finding who I truly am.

I needed to give away the gift of my faith to another religion, before being able to accept the gift of Christianity.

I do see God in all of this. He protected me through the years of disobedience and showed me the way to my own path.

If I didn’t go astray I wouldn’t be walking the path I am on now and would not have a deeper understanding of God or an actual relationship with the creator of the universe.

God Shows Up blog series

Introduction to God Shows Up

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To those who do not believe in God He may be a fictional character, distant, or dead. To those who have experienced the real and true God He is very much alive, real, and desires a relationship with His followers. Those who believe in God are His children and each have a different experience with Him.

I have experienced the God of the Bible, and I have a relationship with him. I know He hears my prayers, because He has answered them in His perfect timing.

For a while I’ve wanted to share the love I feel and the experiences I’ve had with God. I was not sure how I would do this. What would be the best way of spreading God’s love? How should I explain the truths of the Bible that I know first hand?

I finally asked an important question. What do people I know want to read? The answer was that at least one person wanted to read about the experiences I’ve had with God.

In this series I will start with that idea, but also expand it. I will be writing stories of answered prayers, times God showed up in my life, and what my spiritual life looks like. Eventually I may even branch out and write about God showing up in other believers’ lives.

Some weeks I will focus on telling a story about my experience, other weeks I will focus on explaining an important area of my spiritual life, and finally other weeks there will be a combination of those styles.

I do hope you enjoy the story of how I see God show up and please, let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading.

Where Am I? – DreamWard Bound

by tiffanyDreamward bound, LifePosted on No Comments

dreamward bound logo for where am I

I started this DreamWard Bound series almost 5 years ago. A lot has changed with the series and in my life, since then. My creative life has bounced from the foreground of my focus to the back burner and back up front.

What I focus on in my creative life has bounced around, also. Even my artistic purpose has morphed into something new.

My creative focus has changed, because the close I get to my ideal life the more I learn about myself and my true passions. I’m still not living my ideal life, but I am learning more about it.

In learning about my true passions I have added and changed my artistic theme and purpose. My theme now is ‘joyfully fun creations.’ I’m trying to keep most of my art joyful and/or fun. Sometimes I will still step away from my theme. This is mostly seen with poetry and other writings.

Having a theme to focus on has helped with my art and creating a solid body of work that has the same light, joyful feeling and style to it.

This theme/ style has carried into my memoir that I almost have completed. The book has been taking up a lot of my creative energy for the past few years, which is why this blog has been so sporadic. I have high hopes for it in both publishing success and keeping my new artist theme. I worked long and hard on it, so hopefully it is good. It’ll be very me at least.

I have also started to do more digital art work and post them for sale on Redbubble. I’m having fun creating lettering art and silly characters to share. I will be giving Redbubble at least 1 post of its own, if not more, in the near future.

I am also planning on writing more blogs and making sure this site is up to date on all my creative happenings, so stay tuned.