http://marissavignola.myadventures.org Marissa Vignola - Adventures In Missions - en-us Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:50:20 GMT 30 http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=on-my-way-to-mozambique http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=on-my-way-to-mozambique I am on my way to Mozambique today for two months.  I am leading a Real Life Team with AIM consisting of 12 college age students.  The verse the Lord keeps bringing to my spirit is Isaiah 43:10"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."  The thing that sticks out to me the most is that we are called to be witnesses t Mon, 9 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=how-deep-and-how-wide-is-his-love http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=how-deep-and-how-wide-is-his-love   "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." - Psalm 73:25 This verse is the heartbeat of my soul and the truth that has set me free.  I want to challenge you with this question "how would you live life differently if you were confident and secure in God's love for you?"  What if your identity was defined by the heart of God in an eternal love that does not change?  In my 20 years of being a believer I have never known the love of God the Tue, 3 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=in-the-name-of-love http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=in-the-name-of-love  Many people ask me what I am doing in Swaziland.  I usually say that I am a follower of Christ and came because God called me here to share His love with others.  I am careful to say "this is what I am doing for the Lord" because it is the Lord who is at work and He allows me to join Him in what He is doing.  Many days I simply ask God to tune my heart and ears to what He is doing in the lives of those around me and that He would guide my steps to those He wants to love and Tue, 6 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=mourning http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=mourning "When you hear the word mourning what comes to mind?"  Maybe you get a picture of a widow standing at her husband's grave, maybe you see an old man sitting at a table alone in the house his late wife decorated, or maybe you see a couple standing at the door of a new nursery that is devoid of a child.  These are the same pictures that use to come to my mind when I heard the word mourning.  After meeting Juliet, my idea of how I viewed mourning someone's death has completely chang Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=get-your-praise-on http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=get-your-praise-on How can we get into the presence of the Lord and not be moved by Him.  How can we be called to enter His courts with praise but have no praise on our lips or hearts?  If there is one thing that I love about Swaziland it is their passion to worship the Lord.  If you knew their stories, if you saw their heartache, if you witnessed their struggles, their hardships, their losses, their poverty you would wonder why they come into His presence with a mighty sound of praise.  I be Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-power-of-the-cross http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-power-of-the-cross This Easter has really made me think about the power of the cross.  The Lord has really been revealing His truth to me in regards to forgiveness and what that means.  It is difficult ministering in a place where the sins done to the people have been ones that would make you cringe and break your heart. The simplicity of the gospel and the power of the cross brings healing and hope to all who trust in the name of the Lord.  The hope is found in Jesus who enables us to forgive bec Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=desperation http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=desperation When I first arrived to Swaziland I thought I would take advantage of enjoying a Game drive and seeing the Big Five.  When we got to the Rhino park the driver said "get out of the car."  This is an example of not pleasing man but pleasing God.  I chose to listen to the driver and never expected I would be face to face with a momma and baby rhino.  We all know the saying we have "if momma ain't happy ain't nobody happy." Well this mother stomped her foot and snorted through Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-hearts-song http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-hearts-song    Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.  Psalm 96:1   What is the song in your heart?  This is the song I heard...   Your love is overwhelming Your grace unending Your peace overflowing Down to mehallelujah   I run to you I cry out to you I come into your presence You meet me here   Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? You are here, you are there, you are everywhere I am Thu, 27 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=return-to-the-almighty http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=return-to-the-almighty Return to the Almighty you will be restored   Cry out to heaven Raise your voice to the Lord Lift your hands in submission You will be restored   I will seek the one I love His desire is towards me   Come and find me searching Catch me dreaming Come and see me wasting my time on the one I love   I will seek no other My desire is towards Him   Return to the Almighty you will be restored   Cry out to heaven Raise your voice to the Lord Li Thu, 6 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=healing http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=healing  I recently recognized some pits that Satan has specifically dug to keep me from freedom.   I could believe the lie that these hurts and wounds will remain and this is just who I am.  I know that any pit is not made to be accepted by God, He wants us out and we have the power to withstand the enemy.  The word of God says that truth will set us free; therefore, we need to let the truth speak louder than our feelings.   I am at a place where I can not hide from God Sun, 18 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-reason-for-hope http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-reason-for-hope    I wondered when the world looks at me if I live my life in a way that makes them ask me for the reason for the hope I have (1 Peter 3:15).  As believers there should be something in us that still praises God regardless of circumstance, there should be peace because we know that He who began a good work in you will complete it, there should be rejoicing for this present sufferings does not compare to the glory that will be revealed us, and we should walk in victory because we Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=african-flames http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=african-flames   The other day I was just walking up the hill to my house when I noticed some flames in the field beside us.   In Africa, vandalism looks like setting dry grass on fire and running away.   My friend and I wondered if we should go try to put it out but the locals here said it would be o.k. Within 10 minutes the fire had moved closer and the flames were higher than before.   The fire was moving towards our mission base so we shouted to our friends to gra Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=defending-the-poor http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=defending-the-poor   Jesus calls us to defend the poor.   What does that mean?   Does it mean that we are to come in quickly and fix it so we don't have to see it?   Does it mean we write a check for a good cause?   When you read the gospels and look at the life of Jesus what was His response to the poor?   First of all, He didn't even have a place to lay His head so He identified with the poor.   If I could sum it up in a sentence it is Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=identity http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=identity If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone the new has come.- 2 Corinthians 5:17   I believe revelation comes when you are able to receive God's truth for yourself.    In the past 2 weeks I have come to realize my inheritance as a child of God.   I was reading over a list called,   " I AM" and it hit me that everything on the list was true about my position in Christ.   The list went something like Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-safe-place http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-safe-place I remember hearing a story from a missionary a few months ago about the power of Jesus' love.  She spoke about a boy who was forced to stand up and worship Allah.  He refused saying that the people who follow Allah took my parents and killed them infront of me, but the people who follow Jesus washed my feet, loved me, and feed me.  It is hard for me to tell of this story without weeping because I know that the children in Africa have seen darkness and Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=god-is-light http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=god-is-light  God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.   This has been my verse that I cling to in the midst of what "appears" a dark place.   I asked my team the other night to describe how God has revealed Himself to them thus far.   I immediately thought, "God is light" and I realized my perspective on life in Africa has changed.   I think when I came before I noticed darkness and I let that discourage me at times.   Now I am coming Thu, 21 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=abiding http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=abiding                                                                                   & Wed, 9 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=warfare http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=warfare    All my life I have heard the words "God has a plan for your life."   Let's be honest, most Christians can quote Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you"   Since I have been in Africa it hit me that not only does God has a plan for my life so does Satan.   He is out to kill, steal, and destroy and he is just waiting for us to believe his lies.   What I realized Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=ministry-insight http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=ministry-insight I love the fact that Jesus was so unpredictable, but He did nothing except what the Father was doing.   I have found in Africa that ministry can not come as an organized package with instructions.   Some days you are going to the hospital to "pray for the sick" but then you see a women outside crying and the Father says go to her you find out that her 20 year old daughter just died of AIDS and she is left with her 3 children.   What if you just past her by to do "yo Fri, 13 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=prayer-pains http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=prayer-pains I am learning the meaning of intercession. Intercession is praying from a place of "we" and not "them." I think it is literally putting your place in the person's shoes and praying from a place of feeling what they feel. I don't think casual prayers connect us to the heart of the Father and allow us to pray from a place of identifying with the pain. Since I've been in Africa I have prayed to be able to intercede for the children here. Today, God allowed my heart to b Sun, 1 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=as-a-mother-comforts-her-child http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=as-a-mother-comforts-her-child   As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you. Isaiah 66:13a It seems the more you fall in love with Jesus the more you feel His heart for His children.   Sometimes the Father's heart is overwhelming and comes with pain, tears, and intercessory prayer.   I often hear Christians pray, "Lord break my heart for things that break yours."   I think when we offer our life to Him that prayer becomes a reality, it becomes who Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=face-of-god http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=face-of-god                                                                                    & Thu, 1 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=i-cry-out http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=i-cry-out I hear you calling my name Its hard to run when Im wearing chains This pit is deep, you are deeper still Lord move in me, do your will Come Holy Spirit indwell within I am no longer a slave to my sin  No more dead man walking, no more oppression Rise up spirit man, Lord be my obsession Youre not to blame for the way I behave Its time I start dancing on my graves Thu, 8 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-prayer-to-god http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=a-prayer-to-god I am burning for you Lord I am tired of myself and the things that have kept me from you- all of you I am desperate for you Forgive me for settling for anything less than what you want for me Forgive me for idolatry in my life, for saying my way is better Forgive me for not obeying the first time you ask Forgive me for not living my life as if you are enough Come Lord, save me from myself, from my destr Sat, 16 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=surprised-by-god http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=surprised-by-god   "If you,then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"-Matthew 6:11  You ever have those times where God reaches down and hugs you.   Its as if you say out loud, God loves ME, God loves me.   This morning I was thinking about God as my Father and if He could give His son, the most precious thing to Him, why would He withold something simple like mon Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=faith-like-a-mustard-seed http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=faith-like-a-mustard-seed  Without Faith It is impossible to Please God.  The other day our Discipleship Team took the day to pray and seek God for direction and to ask, "what is it that you are asking us Lord?"  The church leadership prayed and felt lead to buy our tickets.  I was overjoyed when I heard this, but then I thought we have the tickets but not all of our funds, Lord do you want us to step out in faith?   As I was walking I heard the Lord say, "I am intereste Mon, 6 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=romans-12living-sacrifice http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=romans-12living-sacrifice   Romans 12:   Righteous Living   Wake up Christ- followers and embrace the holy calling of the Lord.   God offered His life for you and in return is asking that you offer your bodies as living sacrifices unto Him.   Dead thins cant worship and dead things cant be offered as a sacrifice. It is a call to be set-apart, for our lives to measure up to our beliefs.    Let me stop living like you are just important in Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-body http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=the-body     O.k., so God is always in the business of teaching us lessons through life.   I see my life as a parable at times and He can use me as an example- unfortunately it could be as of dont be like   The dont be like has come up these past 2 weeks as I have been a bit stubborn in receiving from my brothers/sisters in the Lord.   I had surgery on my hand and have not been able to use it- my RIGHT hand that is, did I say my RIGHT han Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=let-freedom-arise http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=let-freedom-arise   The other day I went on a hike in the mountains.   When I reached the top I was thinking it was worth the climb.   The spirit of God rose up in me and I felt like dancing.   I was thinking where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom- in that we can dance on our graves.   We can rejoice in the power of God and the new life we have been given in Him.   I think for a while I have heard God say that I am calling Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=stained-pure http://marissavignola.myadventures.org/?filename=stained-pure Ever have one of your favorite shirts that gets a stain and you cant seem to get it out.   No matter what you do it is still there; that annoying stain.   This morning as I was thinking about those sins in our life that we cant seem to get past, no matter what we do or how much we pray they still show up.   I felt the Lord say, you are stained with my blood.   We have been stained permanent with the blood of the lamb that was slain and has ta Wed, 18 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT