Perception and Reality

  Sometimes our perception of reality and the actual reality are two different things.  Sometimes if we had the knowledge that we needed to take two steps to one side or the other, we could do that, and afterwards, we very well may see things completely differently.  But, if we don't know there is another perspective, if we don't know to take those steps away from our perceived reality, we very well may not see the forest for the trees, so to speak.  I am convinced that many times women in crisis pregnancies cannot see options and alternatives right in front of them, because they don't know they need another perspective.  They can't see options that may be available to them, because they can only, in that crucial time, focus on their unexpected pregnancy.  Many factors influence a woman facing an unplanned pregnancy.  Many factors can cloud the perception and thinking of a woman in this position.  Factors such as relationships, hormones, money, self-image, resources, fears, time and the sense of urgency that accompanies pregnancy to name a few can keep a woman facing a crisis pregnancy from seeing the full reality of her options.  So many times I hear women say they felt what I felt, "I didn't want to have an abortion, but I thought I had to, it was the only option I could see at the time."  That is a terrifying place to be in, let me tell you.  It's as if you're between a rock and a hard place literally.  I watched a movie a few months ago called 127 Hours, which was a true story about a guy named Aron Ralston who was rock climbing in Utah, when a boulder dislodged and wedged his arm between it and a wall of rock.  After waiting and trying for days to survive and to get his arm out of the deadly place that it was in, he finally resorts to cutting off his own arm in order to live.  If you watch this movie, you will come close to understanding the desperation that some women who have abortions feel inside their bodies and minds and spirits, when they feel forced to do something that is seemingly impossible and unthinkable to them.  These are the women that Oaks Studio seeks to minister to, seeks to help and work with in a non-judgmental, empathic and caring way.          
 

What Power is in this Reassurance!

     One of my very favorite verses is Psalm 32:7, "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."  It makes me feel such a sense of peace and gives me a true understanding of what my Heavenly Father wants for me every single time I read this verse.  Have you ever noticed how beautiful this verse and others sound when you read them aloud?  I can feel the presence of God around me, through me and in me, when I read His word out loud!  

     I know He accepts me just as I am.  He meets me right where I am.  He sees me for who I am and accepts and loves me for it.  He folds me into His arms just as I do my four year old son.  No reservations, no hidden agendas, no "yeah, buts," no fears, just love; pure, holy love.  He will protect me from trouble, and I know that no matter what comes, no matter what I do, He will never leave me or forsake me.  Through Him I can face any obstacle, any force, any fear, and any situation.  What a feeling of assurance to realize the very nature of Him; that He is everywhere all the time, and never falters, never fails.  That He will be steadfast until the very end, and even beyond.

     I believe He is and will surround me with songs of deliverance!  No matter what I've done in the past, no matter how unforgivable I have thought I was, He will deliver me from it!  He does forgive, and does forget, and does heal us and delivers us from the dark places we sometimes go.  He is for us, who can be against us?  You may think/feel/believe that deliverance is fine for everyone else, but not for you; however, I'm hear to tell you deliverance is for EVERYONE!  Every single one of us needs forgiveness and needs deliverance from some evil thing, every one of us.  All we have to do is ask for it.  Ask with a clean heart, with a humble spirit, with a mind set of never doing that horrible thing that you did, whatever it was, again, and deliverance will be given to you.  You will be able to see signs of it in your everyday life.  You will begin to notice beauty in the small.  You will begin to see "God winks" everywhere.  You will begin to hear Him speak in your heart, in your mind.  Your life will change.  He doesn't want his people to be bound by any stronghold whatsoever.  If we've confessed our sin to Him and asked for forgiveness and know that we intend to try our best to never do it again, then He is faithful in forgiving.  He is able and willing to deliver us from our pit of self-loathing, self-destruction, and pain.  He doesn't want his children to be bound up constantly looking backward, holding our heads down, feeling ashamed of who we are or what we've done; these things are the opposite of what He wants.  God said David was a man after His own heart.  David knows what he is talking about here in this verse.  Believe it today, and your life will change.

Praying for the Pieces to Come Together

My friend, Debbie, and I are hoping to partner together in providing Interdenominational Rachel's Vineyard Ministry retreats twice a year.  We visited a facility the other day, that we both feel would be the perfect fit for the retreats.  It was absolutely beautiful!  It is an old, country manor that has been updated and turned into a retreat/conference center. It sits out on private acreage that has fabulous views of the mountains. It has nine rooms, each with their own bathrooms; and two of the rooms have two queen sized beds, perfect for two friends, or a mother and daughter couple that would like to come.  I was so filled with excitement after seeing the facility that night that I could barely sleep at all.   

I believe in these retreats so much!  My retreat was such a blessing to me!  It was the icing on the cake of a lot of very hard emotional work that I had been doing for years before I went.  Through the activities that we participated in, I was able to find the closure that I had been needing and looking for.  I will always remember my retreat as a life changing experience, and it feels good to be working toward providing the opportunity for the same types of experiences for other women in a bigger way.  I love working in the group that I co-facilitate in, and would like to continue that.  And, I would love the opportunity to have an Interdenominational site as well.

If you can donate to help us secure this conference center, so that the charges for the attendants could be reasonable, please do so on the Rates page in the site. Also, please send me a quick email with your donation information at kimberly.ollis@hushmail.me. We would greatly appreciate any donations that you could provide!  If you are not able to donate money, perhaps you would be willing to pray for us to receive the funds that we need to provide these much needed services.  Also, if you knit or crochet, or quilt, we need people to donate lap quilts, small blankets or prayer shawls for the retreats.  Each participant will receive one during the retreats.  Perhaps you live in Western North Carolina and feel lead to donate food to the retreats, that would be appreciated as well.  Please, call me at 828.919.8020 to discuss any donations that you can't send through the website. 

May God bless you as you give according to your heart!  Thank you in advance for your help and for your prayers!

Following God's Call

I've just submitted a request to Rachel's Vineyard to develop a new interdenominational site for post-abortion healing retreats.  These retreats are so powerful and life changing, I cannot wait to have them be a larger part of my work and what I am doing.  

God has been calling me to the post-abortion healing ministry for a long time, and I would agree to do little things along the way, but wasn't quite ready to "go big," so to speak.  Now, I feel an ever stronger leading in my life to open my heart and mind to serving in a larger capacity.  I believe that I am ready for this.  I believe the time is right.  Please, be in prayer that God will open the doors and windows that need to be opened for this new venture to succeed.  Success would mean that many women and men are reached and guided out of their darkness of grief, loss, guilt, despair, self-loathing, depression, PTSD, anxiety, relational problems, and the list goes on and on of symptoms that develop following an abortion choice for many people.

Happy Easter!

     I hope that you all have a blessed, wonderful, happy, amazing, love-filled, incredible, unbelievable, extravagant, gorgeous, unparalleled, warm, supportive, inspiring, creative, enlightening, enriching, tremendous, joyful, ecstatic, pleasurable, and any other synonym for the above that you can think of EASTER!!!!  Check out a song by one of my favorite bands, which I feel is appropriate for this amazing holiday.  Thank you, Jesus, for loving me enough to die for me, and rise again on the third day to return home to prepare a place for all that believe to be reunited with You one day in heaven!  I pray that the songs I sing will bring joy to you, that the words I say profess my love, that the notes I choose will be your favorite tune, and that my heart will always beat after You!