Shinan This Type Love

Throughout elementary school- high school I remember writing an enormous amount, an average of eight poems a day. It was entirely natural and a way of life for me to express how i felt and a healthy outlet for me. I have always felt like someone who "has a voice" not that everyone doesn't but more like one that wont stop talking. I have decided I am going to get back into writing poetry.. and hopefully slam again in a town near you soon! This is one of my favorite slams I discovered in in the 10th grade. ENJOY!

Invitation to Dream

"Everybody wants their dreams to come true, the world is BEGGING for someone to reveal dreams coming true are possible."- Danny Silk


I remember sitting on my bed at 11 years old, thinking I would be 100% okay if I never lived to be 20. And I remember a chill went through my bones as I absolutely realized I meant it. All my dreams had died at that point and I didn't any longer felt safe to express myself or how I really felt. I had forfeited my dreams for a mentality of survival, living in a world of low self esteem, extreme depression, horrible circumstances, self hatred, and irrational fears. A LOT has changed since then.. okay EVERYTHING HAS!

 I find myself often dreaming and pondering what will the future look like, what can I bring, what do I offer , and HOW CAN I CHANGE THE WORLD!?


The distance between what should be and what will be is us and will we dare to dream?  Or will we remain satisfied with what we have? It takes a lot of courage to dream because most dreams currently appear impossible. I really believe that nothing is impossible and that God wants to see impossibilities bow to His name through partnership with us. AND I'M GIVING MY LIFE TO THAT RIGHT THERE.. that's what I want to be known for a woman who loved God with everything and lived in a way that nothing was impossible.. what do you want to be known for?

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Or you were ten times bolder or resources were not an issue?

THINK.. those are your dreams

 Your life is meant to feed and inspire those around you.
 When we dream with God it causes a dissatisfaction with a natural life and propels us into a life of purpose.


When your dreams are coming true you are a tree of life, your eyes illuminate hope. The whole world sees it  because everyone is hungry to be fulfilled, to be doing what they were born for, to be doing what makes them come alive.


 So I keep a list of my dreams I believe I have 170 of them and I add to them and check them off as they happen here are a few that have happened since March..

 -Visit the Redwood Forest 
-Paint on stage during worship (at Bethel)
-Visit LA and San Frann
-Go to Mexico
-Hug someone and they be healed (she was blind)
-Pray for people and they be healed of cancer


 Some dreams of mine I have dreamed that have not happened yet, but will!

-Start a spontaneous dance party in public
-Open air preach in America (demonstrating God's love and power)
- People who are extremely starved  bodies get fat and entirely nourished, miraculously
-Visit Cuba 
-Travel throughout Africa
-See Africa completely redeemed the ground grow fat crops, family unit restored, creativity, ect.
-That people getting out of wheelchairs would be normal (in my life)
- Adopt beautiful and amazing kids 
-That when I shop people would fall out in God's presence and encounter Him just because He lives inside of me.
-Give away a house
-See healing recognized in the world wide church as part of the atonement.. a reformation!! hahaha!



I AM NOT GETTING OFF THIS PLANET UNTIL... CANCER and AIDS BECOMES COMPLETELY ERADICATED I just love dreaming with God and staying expectant and looking for what He does and how we can partner with Him and take risks. Living in this place of dreams and having vision in our lives are like a compass directing us where to go. Our dreams (or lack of dreams) literally steer our lives. I CHALLENGE YOU to start dreaming more with God and writing them down and looking out for how He shows up. (these are things I have been thinking about for a few years and a few of my lines were inspired by things Danny Silk has said) <3

 

Cuba {Desire fulfilled}

"Sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

This time last year I was often seen walking around with this tall, peciular Norweigan girl who I befriended. I remember long talks and dreams. Dreaming of photography, fashion, and driving a pastel, junker car in Cuba and potentially hitting a Cuban Cigar.. okay maybe not the latter. I have never understood the American and international fascination with Cuban cigars. In those moments of expressing our dreams. I was awakened to my childhood thoughts of Cuba and young boys with the name of Elian Gonzalez. Do you remember him the illegal immigrant from Cuba? Well I do and I remember running home from school at nine years old to hear about him, communism, and what kind of country I would grow up into. During this time something inside f me burned to see his culture transformed and I didn't understand that fire burning in my chest at all.. now I can a bit.. here it is..  read this letter I recently wrote.

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow, Jesus is Amazing!  It seems He is always looking for opportunities to partner with us to show His miraculous intervention into the everyday world around us. Here are a few things that have happened recently in my life. Just this week, at church during Baptisms a blind man  Sunday was getting baptized and as he got up from the water he could see figures which then progressed to him reading signs and seeing clearly!!! Wow, that is good news! He loves us!!! Also, this week at the healing rooms, a man who was completely paralyzed got up out of his wheel chair laughing and full of joy walked for like 20 minutes around the room with assistance. We just laughed with him as he continued to get more and more breakthrough! It has become extremely normal to see people radically touched by God in public, encountering his love, being radically healed, rocked with His joy, or saved.  Every day I am reminded why I am alive, to love God and love the world around me!

As many of you know I am in my second year of Bethel Supernatural School of Ministry and God is doing many awesome things in my life! I am writing to share with you about the opportunity I have to go to CUBA on a mission trip. Our goal is to rise up leaders in Cuba who will influence their nation from within their country with Kingdom core values, love, and the power of God. I wanted to let you know about all the exciting things God is doing in Cuba and also partner with you to see your own breakthroughs! I am praying that God's love and goodness would be rocking your worlds daily, that God would change your world and the world through you!

This is the first time Bethel has taken a team into Cuba, but we have some very strong connections with some of the national church leaders.  Our main objective will be the implementation of two healing schools, one on each side of the island.  Each school will serve as many as 400 pastors, equipping them with tools to impact their areas of influence. During the evenings these schools will be open to the public.  It is believed that as many as 1000 people will come to these evening conferences to be trained in signs and wonders. We will also spend some time doing ministry on the streets and within the communities.  This is an amazing opportunity, and we are expecting God to do AMAZING things that will LITERALLY change Cuba's history. We are expecting blind eyes to open, lame people to take their first steps, dead to raise, many people to start walking in miracles, and of course everyone’s lives who we encounter to be transformed by God's great love and His unspeakable joy! "IT IS TIME FOR CUBA TO BEGIN TO MOVE IN SIGNS AND WONDERS AGAIN!"

 I am very excited about what God is going to do in Cuba not only the time we’re there but in history. Cuba is definitely shifting and changing in a very good way. Please partner with me in dreaming and praying for Cuba. If you would like to give to what God is doing in Cuba, financial gifts may be made online at ibssm.org. Click give to a mission trip, then type in Naomi West, and fill out your card info. This gift is tax-deductible and you will receive a statement at the end of the year for your tax records. If you wish your gift to be anonymous, please check the anonymous box. This will allow you to receive an end of year statement, but will not allow the student to see your name.

(If online payment is not an option, donations can be mailed to Bethel Church Attn: Bethel International 933 College View Dr. Redding, CA 96003. With my name on a paper enclosed

 with your tax-deductable  gift)

Thank you so much for being a part of my life!! I am so thankful and grateful to know you. I would also love to get an update about what is going on in your life and how I can pray for you. My trip dates are March 26- April 7th, I look forward to telling you all the amazing things that you helped make happen and about God’s provision for this trip. My trip payments are $1,250 due January 6^th and $1,000 due February 18^th. Thank you so much for partnering with my team and I in prayer and support!

Even though we’re separated by the miles, it’s really important to me to keep in touch with you!  Feel free to send me an email at naomigracewest@yahoo.com I pray that the life changing power of Jesus invades your life and sends encouragement, joy, and hope your way today. I’ll keep you updated on what God is doing in my life and would love to hear what’s going on in yours as well. Thank you so much.

Sending my love,
Naomi Grace West