How to deal with Freedom in 10 Steps

I will continue writing about Heroes very soon. But right now I have to talk a little about the end of university. It’s craziness! In one week, after my speech and presentation of my diploma thesis I will be done. Finished… finito! And yet I feel like I’ve just begun… but that’s another story.

This whole last year was quite packed and full and yesterday I thought about what I want to do when I finish this next week. So here’s the list:
1. Sleep
2. Sleep in on Saturdays
3. Read books that don’t have to do anything with studying, business, marketing etc.
4. Write to people I haven’t written to forever
5. Invest time into people who I want to see growing in the Lord
6. Spend more quality time with friends
7. Go out on an adventure and do something crazy which I haven’t decided about yet
8. Go rock climbing… or just climbing
9. Just lie around an do nothing… listening to music… dreaming… getting lost in them and envision new things
10. Spend time with friends

Only one more week and those things can start... I'm so ready and I'm ready for a new adventure, somthing crazy, something new, something refreshing... something that the Lord has for me....
Please continue praying for me through this last week...

Thanks so much. Until next time again with Heroes... I already now who it will be so you can be excited... it's going to be... well... you'll see

xoxo Ramona

Tension & Thrill

This is yet another song by Sleeping at Last called "Tension and Thrill". Great words:

The headlines talk
Of sadness and new risk.
Life is deadly,
My finger’s to your lips.
We’ll send the world in reverse.

Love is tension and thrill
That begs to be ours.

We are diamonds waiting to be found,
Catching light in the corners of our eyes.
We are diamonds waiting to be found.

We are the hunted,
We are the shining northern lights.
We are the nervous,
We feel our hands becoming vines.
We’ll dream in color tonight.

Love is tension and thrill
That begs to be ours.
There are cities inside of everyone:
Life within life,
The trembling in our voice.

When I look into your eyes
I see the tip of an iceberg.
When I look into your eyes
I see that love is an iceberg
That throws us into the sea.

We’re walking on the ocean floor,
Feeding sharks out of our hands.

We are diamonds waiting to be found,
Catching light in the corners of our eyes.
We are diamonds waiting to be found.

xoxo

Ramona

The soft Heart of Joseph

The first Hero I want to give you an insight about is Joseph. I think he is a remarkable man of God and his story can teach us quite some interesting principles. We can find his story in Genesis starting chapter 37.

Joseph was one of the two only sons born to Jacob (Israel) by his wife Rachel. Therefore he was something special to his father and in his favor. We all know about his dreams where he dreamt that his brothers would bow before him. Interestingly his brothers probably would've never imagined doing that for real many years later.

Of course his brothers envied Joseph and decided on killing him which then ended up as selling him as a slave. That's how Joseph came to Egypt which I find remarkable because God is positioning His people very clearly! There would be a famine years later and they needed a person favoring them in order to survive it not to mention how God showed Himself mightly by leading the Israelites out of Egypt through Moses' leadership.

Anyways, Joseph is in Egypt and sold to Potifar who served the Pharao. And Joseph had favor everywhere he went and was successful at whatever he laid his hand upon. That is because he pursued the will of God... it was the most important thing for him. By staying in God's will God was able to bless him! And not only him but the people he worked for. I love that!

Then comes the woman. Very obviously she didn't draw her meaning and her worth from the Lord and needed Joseph's attention and affirmation of her beauty. So girls: The only person you should rely your ultimate affirmation on is Jesus! No person, no man, noone can ever affirm it the way God can!

But... and I love that about Joseph... he stayed faithful to the Lord... oh and what a seduction! Well, Joseph was the man you would want, strong, in love with God, focused on God!
Joseph was thrown into prison but God's blessing was sill upon him and by knowing what the Pharao's dreams meant he came out of prison and was positioned very highly in the kingdom of Egypt. Remarkably Joseph was still young when that happened. No matter how old you are. God is positioning you! He has a plan for your life and even if it may seem a little rough here and there. When you keep your eyes focused on God like Joseph God will bless you and bring you to the place he wants you to be.

In Genesis 42 Joseph's brothers came to Egpyt to ask for food as there was a huge famine. Oh and those verses I love. In verse 24 it says how Joseph went into another room and cried. I mean he cried. Why would somebody cry when seeing his brothers who wanted to kill you and then on top of that bless them. Hello? Only someone who trusts in God is able to feel this kind of love. Isn't it remarkable? I love it! It shows that Joseph's heart was still soft after all those hard years. Is your heart soft or has it hardned over the years? Let God carry your heart and guard it. Don't try to protect it yourself all the time!
The story goes on and whenever Joseph sees his brothers he feels such love for them that it's hard for him to keep his disguise. Oh wow... that just awww... I love that. This softness, this love that comes from an overflowing heart of love!

Joseph is a hero for me becaus he loved God more than anything. He was humble and yet strong. He never gave up and trusted the Lord. He stayed in the will of God by which he was blessed and found favor wherever he went. But what's most outstanding for me is his soft heart and love and forgiveness for his brothers who were actually his enemies. That for me reflects the heart of God. I admire that and want to live just like that. Absolutley devoted to God, living out of His strength, no matter how hard the times are and I want to keep a soft heart in every situation.

I want to leave you with a few questions:
Where are areas in your life where you have become hard?
How can you make sure your heart stays soft?
Who are the kind of people you need to show more love even though they hurt you in the past?

I hope you are encouaraged to live a heroic life for the Lord.
Keep coming back to the site to learn more about some amazing Heros soon.

xoxo Ramona

Wisdom

I read Proverbs 8 these days and was captured by the beauty of wisdom and how much we need it to make it in this life.

1 Listen as Wisdom calls out!
Hear as understanding raises her voice!
2 On the hilltop along the road,
she takes her stand at the crossroads.
3 By the gates at the entrance to the town,
on the road leading in, she cries aloud,
4 "I call to you, to all of you!
I raise my voice to all people.
5 You simple people, use good judgment.
You foolish people, show some understanding.
6 Listen to me! For I have important things to tell you.
Everything I say is right,
7 for I speak the truth
and detest every kind of deception.
8 My advice is wholesome.
There is nothing devious or crooked in it.
9 My words are plain to anyone with understanding,
clear to those with knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction rather than silver,
and knowledge rather than pure gold.
11 For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies.
Nothing you desire can compare with it.

12 "I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment.
I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.
13 All who fear the LORD will hate evil.
Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance,
corruption and perverse speech.
14 Common sense and success belong to me.
Insight and strength are mine.
15 Because of me, kings reign,
and rulers make just decrees.
16 Rulers lead with my help,
and nobles make righteous judgments.*

17 "I love all who love me.
Those who search will surely find me.
18 I have riches and honor,
as well as enduring wealth and justice.
19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold,
my wages better than sterling silver!
20 I walk in righteousness,
in paths of justice.
21 Those who love me inherit wealth.
I will fill their treasuries.

22 "The LORD formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
at the very first, before the earth began.
24 I was born before the oceans were created,
before the springs bubbled forth their waters.
25 Before the mountains were formed,
before the hills, I was born—
26 before he had made the earth and fields
and the first handfuls of soil.
27 I was there when he established the heavens,
when he drew the horizon on the oceans.
28 I was there when he set the clouds above,
when he established springs deep in the earth.
29 I was there when he set the limits of the seas,
so they would not spread beyond their boundaries.
And when he marked off the earth's foundations,
30 I was the architect at his side.
I was his constant delight,
rejoicing always in his presence.
31 And how happy I was with the world he created;
how I rejoiced with the human family!

32 "And so, my children,* listen to me,
for all who follow my ways are joyful.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise.
Don't ignore it.
34 Joyful are those who listen to me,
watching for me daily at my gates,
waiting for me outside my home!
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the LORD.
36 But those who miss me injure themselves.
All who hate me love death

Be wise!

xoxo

Ramona

And then the Hero comes along

Hello hello,

I hope you all started the New Year well! It will be an amazing year, I know. Greater things are still to come! Uhhh... I'm excited Hope you are too!

Well... we started this new series at you(th) which is called BRAVE HEARTS - Dare to live God pleasing! Wow and I think that is just so amazing. I was inspired and decided to start a new series here too.

For the next few blogs I will introduce you to some amazing Heros!

So, keep clicking on my blog on www.ramonasebald.blogspot.com and find out more soon.

xoxo Ramona

PS: I am reading this amazing book by Christine Caine right now. It's called "Run to Win". You should get it!

The Journey of the Year

At the end of this year and the beginning of a new one I like to reflect on this past year although knowing that we must not only make decisions and look ahead on the eve of a new year.

Looking back this year has been a really interesting one. Although in itself it wasn't always adventurous yet looking back I can see how God brought me to where he has me now and getting there has been quite a journey.

This year did not start too well for me and I did not yet know what lay ahead of me. The first few months were filled with many worries about the future, uncertainty and me therefore withdrawing and diminishing not being at ease.
Nonetheless there were fun times and God was truly moving, it was only me holding back a lot of potential.

Spring came and I made some tough choices. No more worrying about the future, no more holding back. I decided to work on some friendships and let God deal with some of the things. Amazing how I broke free of quite some hard stuff. You can go back on this blog and read my series about the Exciting times of waiting to get a feeling of these times!

Summer started and my first License thesis which I basically wrote within two weeks. How insane was I? No sleep, no rest, just writing and thinking and pressure. Don't follow this example. Don't know what I was thinking.

Anyhow, Campfour 2008 with the theme FRESH! It was truly the best Campfour we've had this far! God was stirring up things, equipping young people, challenging them to fight for their faith, to live a life completely surrendered to Him! Great things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city! I am incredibly blessed and honored to be part of ministering to the youth! I love them so so much and I want to see God doing even more through and with them!

I was also honored and blessed to be given the responsibility of planning and bringing together the big anniversary banquet for my pastors. 35 years of ministy! It was an amazing night!

The Hillsong Conference 2008 brought some great confirmation into my life. God really spoke into my life, challenging my stlye of leadership and affirming plans and dreams and visions in my life. God, I want to follow you only, hold my hand, never let me go! Jesus, you are the only one and I want to be part of building your house!

As of now, I am finishing up my bachelour thesis and will be done with university in a few weeks. It's amazing. God has brought me right here right now, with my past and a big plan ahead. I do believe that the best is yet to come and I am more than excited about that! I am to this day more convinced than ever how important it is to be planted in a local church, building God's house and I want to play my part, I want to fulfill God's will for my life! I am here to serve Him. Take my hands, take my heart, Lord. This is yours. I want Him to tell me at the end of my life: Well done, my good and faithful servant!

The best days still lie ahead of us.

xoxo Ramona

How to Date - Part 2

Let's continue with How to Date, today with part 2. Before starting though let's repeat a little from last time. Remeber the definition we formed for dating:
"Dating is when two people are together with the intention of getting to know each other better."

I just think that takes out so much pressure of dating and relationships and makes things a lot less awkward.

Last time we talked about the 2 lies of dating and I already announced a third one.

3. Dating is a game.
Dating is not just a game. There is so much more to it and it can become dangerous to think that way because it is out of pure egoism that you see it as a game. If it were just a game you would only want to satisfy your physical/emotional feelings but a relationship is more about GIVING than taking.
Yes, God has given you feelings and emotions but he wants you to controll them. And how does that work? Well, turn with me to John 15:19 where it says:
"The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world."

The Lord has called me to step out of the world, remember we are in it but not of it! And by living that way comes self control which in actual fact is a fruit of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit will yield out of our lives if we live not by the principles of the world, but by God's principles!
But it takes us to make the steps and give everything to the Lord, WITHOUT COMPROMISES.

Therefore before I continue let me ask you this question: Are you will to give up your dream to get married/have a boyfriend for the Lord?

We have to come to the point where we are not dependent on another person but on God and giving everything to him, letting go of everything includes giving up your dream to get married. God's plans are bigger than your own. That doesn't mean that you are not meant to get married or that God doesn't want you to. It simply means that God is in controll of everything.

So, once we're there let's talk about how to make the most out of a date. And if you are expecting a candle light and soft music answer, you are mistaken... so, fasten your seatbelt with me and let's throw away all the old perceptions of how things have to work.

1. Know, that you don't have to date
It's that simple. You don't have to date. Let's read out of the book of Song of Songs 2:7
"Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love until the time is right."
Love will wake up when it is well rested and mature enough. Don't tell someone your love them if you can't take the responsibility of your words.
Let me ask you the question: Where have you woken up love before it was well rested?

2. Know that men and women are different.
There's not much to say about that except that you should keep it in mind. Be careful of the signs you send and how they might be interpreted. This includes touching, hugging, the way you dress. Reflect on how you deal with these thing.

3. Know that dating doesn't necessarily need to be romantic and tight up. Relax, have fun times together but take preventive steps when you are alone. Meet up in a public place or open all the doors and windows. Be careful.

Therefore think about your attitude about dating. Ask yourself the questions asked above. Take steps into the right direction. Dating is a serious thing and you will want God to be the center of it!

I hope you enjoyed the series about dating and start going into the right direction. Let me know about it. Let me also tell you that each and everyone of you is so important to me. I do care about your lives. It matters to me!

In this sense

xoxo Ramona