Friday, May 23, 2008

My Heart is in the Clouds ♥

After I finished my last week of work, I had a chance to go to Ocean City, MD, to rest and reflect.
It's interesting how it happened. I was feeling like things were going very fast and I was so busy and was not spending time being still before God. I thought, what if He has a detour for me and I'm not giving Him the time to tell me. I began to feel that He was telling me to slow down and listen. That same day, two of my friends said the same thing to me, slow down and be still before God. So, I began to ask God how best to do this, since I was living in my friends living room at the time. :) To make a long story short, He brought Ocean City to mind and the next day I had a place to stay, for free, with a friend in OC for the rest of the week!!

I love the beach. The roar of the waves always put things in perspective for me. It reminds me that God is so ... BIG. ("He's not a tame Lion") I was walking on the beach and asking God what He wanted to say to me that I had been too busy to hear. I felt He was saying to me, "Spend some time resting and getting your heart back." As I was thinking about what that meant, I looked up to the sky and saw - a heart cloud!!! (Most of you probably know I Love hearts!!) I couldn't believe it! I had a huge smile on my face and in my heart and then remembered that I had my camera with me. By the time I got it out of its case and turned it on, the cloud had started to shift, but it still looks kind of like a heart. :)


(If picture isn't visible, click on this link to see it -
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38523&l=7118e&id=672092186)

The next day, as I sat bundled up on the beach, I asked Him what He meant by "getting my heart back." I felt that He was really telling me to get His heart back. His heart for people. For the last few months of finishing up my job, I realized that I had become task oriented over people oriented.

So, I am taking it day by day and learning the 'rest' of God. And learning to rest in God. Being more concerned with his direction for me than other peoples expectations of me.

On the raod again...

Hi Everyone!!!
Guess where I'm moving next!!!???
I don't know - your guess is as good as mine!!!

About a year and a half ago, I began feeling that God was telling me to prepare for something. It has been an amazing journey (that is still going). Here is the letter I read to my church the day I resigned (effective March 31 [which was moved to April 22]). It explains my journey so far and where i think i may be going. Please read it when you have a minute.
(I've also included a note after the letter, to explain some things that i did not share in the letter.)

Prayer requests:
Continued guidance, faith, wisdom, safety, and provision
Wisdom & safety traveling with my car or provision of other transportation

Id love to hear what's up in your life! If you would like to be added to the email list of updates that I mention at the end of my letter, please send me your email address so I can add you to the list! Thanks! Love and Miss you all, Kerrie


March 2, 2008
Dear Lake Shore Family,
I have some exciting news to share with you. I want to start with a verse that God has impressed upon me over and over again in my life.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
For the last year and a half, the Lord has been leading me on a journey that has stretched and strengthened my faith in Him. He has also been teaching me to hear His voice more clearly. Both of these have been prayers that I have prayed for years. God is so faithful to answer our prayers! It is amazing to look back on this journey so far and see where God has taken me.
A year and a half ago, God began to tell me to prepare for something. At first, I was not sure what it was He was telling me to prepare for. As I continued to seek Him daily, He began to show me how to prepare but still not what to prepare for. As I struggled to be obedient each step of the way, He began to show me the next step - never the whole journey or my destination - just the next step to take. Walking in dependence on the Lord is never a dull journey.
He began to answer my seeking in amazing ways. I wish I could record all His answers to my prayers over this journey. Over and over again, He has confirmed for me the direction He is taking me. He has spoken to me through His word, the Holy Spirit, close friends and mentors, and even through strangers that He has divinely placed in my path! For the sake of time I cannot share all these stories here, but if you are interested in hearing more, I’d love to share with you.
One story I will share happened in early September of 2007. I was on the beach in San Diego praying and seeking God’s direction. I was asking Him if what I felt He was showing me was truly from Him or if I had just made it all up. He is true to His word, as I sought Him on that beach, He answered me. His answer was to trust Him. He told me that He would not show me a full “road map” of my journey to come with destination and route marked out. Instead He told me to seek Him each day for that day’s journey and that day’s step of obedience – holding tightly in dependence to His hand each day. Then as I left the beach and began walking to my car, I saw an older gentleman sitting on a bench overlooking the beach. I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me to speak with Him. Again, not sure if this was the Lord’s leading or my own, I looked at the man, smiled and said, “Hi.” In response He patted the seat next to him and asked me to sit for a minute. Now, knowing that it had been the Lord’s leading to talk to him, I sat down. We began talking and I found out he was a Christian. Then, through our conversation, God confirmed for me again the direction He was telling me to go! I sat there amazed. This stranger started talking to me about the very things God had been showing me over the last year! There was no way that this gentleman could have known what God had been working on my heart. Again, God had answered my seeking and reassured me that He is in control and able to guide me – step by step! I am so amazed by God’s goodness; to answer me in such a dramatic way!
So each step of the way, as I have been obedient, God has shown me the next step to take; never several steps ahead, just the next step with a general direction to walk in. All of this has led me to this step.
God has told all of us to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). He has shown me over and over again that at this time, that means for me to physically “Go.” For months I have been asking, “Where, Lord?” and He has steadily answered, “Go.” I repeat my question and He repeats His answer! I now know that the next part of my journey is to step out in faith, even though I do not know my final destination, and “Go.”
With excitement for what He has for me and sadness for what I leave behind, I am going. My last day here as Children’s Pastor, will be March 31st. I do not know exactly where I will be going but I know He will show me. This was my next step of obedience. I know that now that I have obeyed He will show me the next part. A friend reminded me of what Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”
I have moved out of my apartment, put my belongings in storage, and will be staying with different families for the month of March. Then in April I may be going to visit friends in Northern Kentucky who are intentionally living life together in community, focusing on making disciples and letting God build His church. I am not sure if this is where I will end up or if it is just the next step in my journey. What I do know is that God has put it on my heart to live life together daily with other believers and to focus on going into the world and making disciples.
God has used my 2½ years here in Maryland to stretch me, grow me, strengthen me and teach me more about His love and provision. I cannot wait to share with you what each future step will bring! If you would like to walk this journey with me, please send me your email address and I will add you to a list of people that I will be sending updates to.
Please be in prayer for me as I continue this journey with the Lord. I know that trying times will come and I will need your prayers and support.
I want to leave you with two more verses that God has been repeating to me over and over again during this journey. I pray that they encourage you as much as they have me.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13

In His Love,
Kerrie Kasimatis

My email address is: Hisprinsess@hotmail.com
If you would like to receive updates, please send me your email address and I will subscribe you to my updates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
About a year and a half ago, I was praying and asking God what He wants His church to be. God is faithful to His word - He has been answering me. He has been teaching me about a more simple, organic, new testament way of being the church - not "doing" church. It is an amazing journey. My next step is to go and visit different organic/house church networks. Im not sure where I will end up exactly. That is why I have stayed so long after I KNEW God had told me to go. I didnt know WHERE I was supposed to go. But after much prayer and counsel from mentors and friends, I am continuing this journey!!!
I am amazed by God's timing. Its amazing to look back and see how God prepares us for the next step to take!!! If any of you know of any healthy organic/house church networks - please send me their contact info. Thank you! Love, Kerrie

Princess - Daughter of the King!!!!
Remember the One who loves you, and then be different because of it.