Hard times – Unwavering Faith

January 17, 2015September 16, 2015Leave a comment

If my belief and trust in the character of God changes in bad times, how does that affect the effectiveness of my faith in the good times? It is in the hard times of life where we have to hold on like never before to who God says he is. He is all-knowing, He is present everywhere at the same time, He has all power and can do anything at anytime. His Love never fails, He is good all the time. He never lies. He is a God of His word. The stripes that Jesus took on His back at Calvary are for our healing. We are paid with a price and have full access to EVERYTHING that has been granted to me as a daughter of the king. There is nothing impossible for our God! Hold onto this with everything you have if you can’t do it on your own ask for us to stand with you. You’re not alone!

Expectations are a killer- But its doesn’t have to effect you

November 21, 2014September 16, 2015Leave a comment

Just a little wisdom from someone who has dealt with expectations from others.

Expectations lead to your finger pointed at others when they do not behave the way we expect and want. We can not control other people’s thoughts, feelings or actions but we can control OURS! Love and unity is a choice that we give to others despite if our expectations have been met or not. Do not let the enemy rob you of pure love in your relationships! It is something we have to walk out daily. It is not easy, but it is worth it! – Rachelle Layzell

The Battle: Christian Kids in Public School with a Biblical or Secular Worldview

October 24, 2014Leave a comment

Parents of Public School Kids: have you discovered that your kids teachers do not use text books for you to be able to review? We had a very interesting first 6th grade parent teacher conference last night. When the Social Studies teacher pulled out a paper from my son of a drawing of a Homosapian who lived 150,000 years ago my “creationist” ears popped up. I wanted to know what my son is being taught so I know how to further supplement his education with a “Biblical World view” teaching. He knows that God created the world in six days about 6000-10,000 years ago. But what he needs is information of the intellect that God created those first people with, Adam & Eve. They were more than “double wise” as his paper said of the homosapian’s. We had a talk about the Tower of Babel as we were waiting in line to talk to his next teacher.

Now I am thankful he does not come home with much homework, because I am going to be ordering some curriculum from Answers in Genesis so he can understand the truth about social studies and science. That is why at Destiny Christian Fellowship we are so adamant about teaching our kids the truth about the authority of the Word of God along with a biblical worldview. Like tomorrow night we will be having a dinosaur night for the kids teaching them what really happened to the dinosaurs, The flood, and many other creation issues.

We have kept my oldest son in public school so he can be a light, it is his choice along with ours. But, we will not sit by and allow him to be filled with a secular world view and not have him know the truth from the word of God. He may be bold and have confidence to speak in front of a group, but he needs to know the truth and have it in him so deep that it comes out of his mouth as easy as breathing. He needs to be able to debate or challenge an issue with more confidence than the other kid. Not with just surface head knowledge, but cold hard scientific facts that creation shows.

It is the parents responsibility to guard their children from the lies of the enemy and most importantly for our children to be aware of them when they hear it. I know he is strong and smart, however it is my responsibility to make sure he has the proper tools and resources to know right from wrong, truth from speculation. If us as parents do not hold fast to the fact that the Bible is Absolute Truth, then we will allow a secular worldview to slowly creep in our mind and our children.

Please make sure you have your own library at your home of material and curriculum for your public school children to draw a Biblical World View from. I will post links below of the places I am going to purchase our own! Our children have the opportunity to transform the educational system from the inside out, they need more than checking in at church and youth group! Kingdom Families function daily inside the home teaching and walking out the truth of God’s word. Time for me to do some research and pray!

Comments Copied from Facebook Post this morning:

Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell https://answersingenesis.org/store/newest/…

Newest

Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and…

ANSWERSINGENESIS.ORG

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Aimee Has he listened to the Jonathan Park series? It may be a little below his age level, but I bet if you put it on for your other kids, he’d like it, too. They teach creation apologetics in a fun, memorable way!

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell He hasnt yet. I know my mom has them somewhere, I need to download them. Thank you so much for the reminder. My kids listen a lot to adventures in odyssey by Focus on the Family. But I definitely need to switch it up again

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell I have pinned a lot of resources here: http://www.pinterest.com/rachellelayzell

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Peggy Very important to discuss it, breathe it, learn it deep. It is taught in Science class yes, but also in Reading class, math class, anywhere and everywhere. I taught it everywhere as they still do.

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell Yep, in Reading class it brought up the other side of things that makes me so thankful for Becky Fischer’s ministry
http://www.kidsinministryinternational.org ,
we use her curriculum in our children’s ministry. Tomorrow night while the kids learn about the dinosaurs, the parents will be watching a video that shows how the kingdom of darkness is invading our kids culture. I have her material pinned on my Pinterest site. Kids need to know what to do when they are forced to read books that are opening doors into their spirit. They need to know what to look for and what to guard them self from. If we do not teach them how to be discerning in their spirit they will open up a huge door for the lies of the enemy and his influence to come in. We have been teaching her children for the last year how to hear the voice of God from Becky’s curriculum. It has been phenomenal. From our preschool to the elementary these kids know how to hear God’s voice.
Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell And by the way, I do not think it is just coincidence that they no longer use books. It is much harder for teachers to be held accountable for what they teach.

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Peggy Just for the sake of information teachers have the books and get new ones every 7 years, two problems exist one a lot of students can not read (comprehend) at the level of the textbooks and two teachers don’t have time to familiarize themselves to new text books with the constant flow of new curriculum as well as get their students to pass the state test.

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell Some teachers do, probably more in the elementary. But what I found yesterday at parent-teacher conferences is that in six grade in the Oregon city school district they do not have books because they say the district did not want to buy them. The teacher uses online resources from many different places.

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Peggy Oh they went that route, the online sources are probably from a curriculum company.

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell Unfortunately, because of going online route there are no materials for parents to look through to know and understand what their children are being taught. I’m going to be going through as many links as the teachers give me but that’s not their curriculum in entirety

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Peggy Unfortunately most sources support evolution, homosexuality, even anti-America (in the new common core) and other things we need to train our kids against.

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Peggy You are completely right Rachelle parents are cut out and teachers don’t have the time to list all their resources.

50 mins · Unlike · 1 The common core at its roots is anti-parent.

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Rachelle Hjertstedt Layzell On the way to taking David and Elicia to their private school, with tears in my eyes, I was sharing with them how thankful I am that I don’t have to question what they are being taught. Elicia began to have a discussion about what she would ask the teachers. She said she would ask them, “Who made you?” David went into the explanation that we didnt come here by a big explosion and then happen to come together by ourselves. He went through to describe how evolution says man came to be. And he said, “that is so extremely stupid! How in the world could they believe that!” At the same time when they get into Public high school they will have the tools They need to be bright lights who stand for truth. It made me all the more thankful for Christian resources that are available to help our children in public & private schools understand what truth is and how to discern when they are being fed secular lies. I know Isaac a strong and I will not pull him out of public school, because if he is not there who is going to share the truth with these other kids and the teachers? It is a very hard decision but one God told Isaac & us very clearly.

God is Jealous for YOU!

October 2, 2014September 16, 2015Leave a comment

This morning I saw a picture from a trip to the Lego Store with my boys and it reminded me that God is jealous for us. He is fierce to protect us against from the evil that comes at us.

I found an article which matches what I am saying perfectly. It even talked about jealously as Shakespeare quoted as being “green” like the hulk in my picture! http://www.girlfriendsingod.com/2012/god-is-jealous-for-me/

This thought puts me at rest in many ways. I know God has got my kids back, He has my husbands back and mine. We are not alone. Even though the face of “the Hulk” in the pic looks scary, to me it shows the intensity God is ready to fight for me with. He loves us with an everlasting love. Nothing you can do can take that away. No matter how far you run or try to hide, He wants to protect and cover you. Under the shadow of His wings, but in this case, his very muscular arms!

Song of Solomon 8:6-
“Put me like a seal over your heart, Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD.
7“Many waters cannot quench love, Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love, It would be utterly despised.”

Freedom for your children: Breaking thoughts of agreement

September 30, 2014September 16, 2015Leave a comment

This morning I had to walk my son through some steps of freedom. Even though he is trying his hardest in school and is getting the work done, it is so intense he feels like he is drowning. For a kids with learning challenges, growing up means everything gets harder. He began agreeing with the lies of the enemy and last night and this morning came into my room because of disturbing dreams. He had a dream that there was a scary lion outside our house looking at him and it came onto our porch. This morning we had a long talk and prayer time. I read with him in

1 Pet 5:8 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

I told him that when life is hard the enemy puts thoughts in our minds like we are a failure, life & school is torture, I want to give up, and when we agree with those thoughts and speak them out loud or draw them on our homework, are are coming into agreement with him and allowing him to take a cubby in our mind. We then prayed together and I had him repeat a prayer of asking forgiveness for agreeing with the specific thoughts he was having, Then asking and receiving the Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness & Self-Control (Fruits of the spirit) Of God. His mood completely shifted after we prayed.

When the kids get home we are going to go through Psalms 19 and talk about our thoughts. Parents, take advantage of every opportunity to show your kids the freedom that is found in the word of God and what it means to walk through life in that freedom. Even children can come into agreement with the lies of the enemy. We need to recognize when that happens and walk them through a prayer time of freedom. The dream that my son had, I thank God for!! Even though it scared him, it allowed this beautiful opportunity to share the truth of the word of God. I am so grateful!

^{Psalms 19: 7-14}

The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
⁹The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
¹²But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

The Mind of Christ: thinking about “Thinking”

September 25, 2014September 16, 20151 Comment

I have been doing a lot of thinking about “thinking”. Our thoughts have a massive amount of influence on our day. No matter what the situation that may arise-our thoughts will determine our emotions and actions. We need to understand what it means to “Have the Mind of Christ” BUT, what is the mind of Christ? Check out the picture below Phil 4:8

We also need to know how to “Take Every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ”.
But what does that mean?
It means 1st of all Repentance– for wrong thinking, for specific things we are focusing on that are not in Phil 4:8, for thoughts that contradict the nature of God and His commandments. When we constantly live with those thoughts and never repent for them, we allow the strongholds that attach themselves to those thoughts to have Legal Access to our spirit. I don’t know about you, but I do not want the enemy to have any legal access to my mind, heart or spirit. We have the authority to stop the enemies access, through our repentance with humility and sincerity.

After repenting for wrong thinking, you need to fill your mind with the good things of God. Philipians 4:8

The next step is constantly living with an attitude of thanksgiving for what God has done for us. This takes our eyes off of ourselves and present circumstances and shifts our attention to him. As we glorify and worship him He releases us from the burdens that we carry in our every day life. This is a true way to walk in joy, freedom and hope.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Here are a couple articles that offer more teaching on “The Mind of Christ”

http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=live_with_the_mind_of_christ

http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/7041-living-the-truth-have-the-mind-of-christ

How to change atmospheres

August 18, 2014September 5, 2014Leave a comment

(Facebook Post Aug 12,2014)(Pictures above is from a Powerful Teaching from Dawna DeSilva from Bethel Church, Redding CA. Click on picture to take you to their website where you can order the set)

I’ve got some incredible news for you, if you ever feel intimidated or fearful of sharing the love of Christ with people in public, here is another way you can participate in shifting the atmosphere where ever you go. Pray and/or worship. Today as I was at Safeway there was an intense presence of God around. All I could do was worship singing songs that lifted up his name. One way to learn how to sing your own song to God is take the melody of the song that is playing in the store, and put your own words to it that glorify God. You could do it to scriptures you know or anything that glorifies Him. I was doing this as I was walking through the store, and the joy of the Lord filled me to overflowing. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. Even though I didn’t speak to anyone, the presence of God filled that store without a doubt and I know it shifted atmospheres.

I have such a burden to let everyone to know how easy it is, you don’t have to be an expert or have gone to Bible college or have been a Christian your whole life. It’s just walking in the spirit with Jesus wherever we go. #NaturallySupernatural

Psalm 66:1-14 Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds! So great is your powerthat your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you,they sing the praises of your name.’
Come and see what God has done,his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land,they passed through the waters on foot –come, let us rejoice in him. He rules for ever by his power,his eyes watch the nations –let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Praise our God, all peoples,let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our livesand kept our feet from slipping. For you, God, tested us;you refined us like silver. You brought us into prisonand laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads;we went through fire and water,but you brought us to a place of abundance. I will come to your temple with burnt offeringsand fulfil my vows to you – vows my lips promised and my mouth spokewhen I was in trouble.

John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’

Honor: Receiving from our Grandparents

August 17, 2014September 16, 2015Leave a comment

(Written on my Facebook notes: March 21, 2011)

Isaac, my 9 year old, was tearing up in church today. When I asked him what he was feeling, he said he was thinking about “Palsy Walsey” his Great Grandpa David Hjertstedt. Elicia had been talking just a few days ago about wanting to see Palsey Walsey up on the Mountain in Heaven. Now being up in Canada visiting my in-laws it makes me drawn to and love my husbands grandparents Hugh & Audrey Layzell (click on link to order their testimony on Amazon. They have had a live long impact on the nation of Uganda and also the Latter Rain Movement in North America) so deeply. They are the only grandparents I have left on this earth, so when I’m in Chilliwack I want to cherish the time I could have with them. We have to cherish our grandparents & great grandparents while we have them on this Earth. They have so much to impart into our lives if we open ourselves up to them and allow them to pour in. If you get board with your grandparents telling you all the old stories over and over, please cherish them, write the stories down (I know I did with my grandpa, but now I tear up knowing if I would have just paid more attention than I would have a wealth of testimonies to pass down to my own kids). There really was something to God telling Moses to have the generations have the young ones sit on their knees and recite to them the stories of faith of their fathers. I want to receive every blessing and impartation I can from our families Patriarchs & Matriarchs. Why miss out? Your children and your children’s children will receive the blessing you receive if you want to receive it from your family heritage.

In this profile picture my brother Josh and I with the most incredible Revivalists that ever walked this earth! My Grandparents David and Faith Hjertstedt. They might not be in your Bible School textbooks as that, but they are still meeting all the thousands of people in heaven who are there because of encountering Jesus through them. They brought worship back to Israel, when no one in the church believed God would save Israel. They brought Jew and Arab together in their many churches they started over there. David and Faith Hjertstedt, like stealth bombers, spread the fire of the reality of the presence of God all over the world and didn’t stop till the day they took their last breath. My grandpa spent more time at the mall than I have in my entire life. Even till the age of 84 he spent his days sharing Jesus with everyone he could meet. Then he would come home and spend hours with Jesus in his room. Countless nights my parents would hear him weeping usually in the hours of (12 – 2AM) as he laid in intercession and was physically being encountered by the intimate presence of Jesus. Like no one else I know, he walked like Moses did, who “knew Jesus face to face”. And was truly a friend of God. Also as “King David” whose heart cry was, “This one thing I have desired of the Lord and that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord (which is inside of us, not just a church building) all the days of my life, and to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” Ps 27:4 – More than anything that scripture encapsulates who and what my grandpa was, but now is for eternity. –

There are hours and hours of video clips that friends took of my Grandpa Hjertstedt a few years before he died. As soon as I get those digitally copied I will include them on this blog. I am stoked because I haven’t seen them yet

Live Life Out Loud For God

Not Ashamed to tell the world what God has done!

Tag: God