Organizing my Kelty backpack is exciting for me. It means a new season is on its way!
This venture will also bring me through airport security . Weight limits and safety codes aren't something that generally affect me, but I've been finding a great selection of books and will be toting them with me to SBFM. Last night, as I packed, I weighed my options....
...I figured this was my wisest decision, "I'll have my hands full with my trekking pack, carryon, and shoulderbag --- tying and untying sneakers, no thank you. Flip flops take up less space in my bag and, hey, I've won races in heels, what could it hurt?"
After packing (over 25 pounds of journals, books, and other literature) into my Kelty back pack, it slipped off my back; buckling my knees, flipping backwards with the weight.
It made me laugh and inspired me (finally) to go through some field work video logs-- clipping the bloopers added some goofy creativity to Sara Kristinsson's mashup of songs :: "Somebody to Love" Jefferson Airplane Justin Bieber , and her original "Sky ! High"
I do a bit of video logging, for personal growth and processing, and after replaying the clip again and again I thought I would spice it up and send it to some friends.
The sound quality was so quiet I had to give the silly film subtitles-
07 September, 2011
14 August, 2011
Faith in the Midst of Suffering
[SUFFERiNG]: The state or instance of enduring pain, misery, loss, etc.
O! Why constantly cower in fear?
We wrestle belligerent agony; sheer
confusion haunts our broken dreams,
the silent voice of evil screams.
Ponder the mind; one moment to dwell
on what we knew before we fell.
Original model; initial design
did not comprehend a death paradigm.
Created to love and be loved in return,
Marriage has never been something you earn.
How rarely ideas hold near the same merit
of hasty dismissal; some sin we inherit.
Inspired by purity; by humble desire
the Almighty God formed man from the mire.
[FAiTH]: is taking God at His word.. saying "I trust you in the storm, in the heights, in the uncomfortable;" not being moved by circumstances
[FAiTH]: is believing in God and God alone; not having a backup plan incase He doesn't pull through
[FAiTH: is leaving fear for Love; looking into the eyes of Jesus and declaring His will be done
Mountains only move with faith.. The prayers we offer in faith move the heart of God. Distrust and unbelief have only ever been poison to relationships.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reads "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him- a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
What stirs within me as I read this passage from Ecclesiastes breaks my heart: Eve, the crown of creation, was created solely for the purpose of lifting Adam up- being his "suitable helper." (Genesis 2:18, "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'")
Recently, I finished Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. The married couple point out the Hebrew words ezer kenegdo, commonly translated “help meet,” are more accurately translated as “sustainer beside him." They noted that “ezer” is listed twenty other times in the Old Testament, all in context to God, describing times when you need Him to come through for you desperately. That is, more of a “life-saver.”
How vigorously must we fight against Satan as he continuously puts temptation before us? Adam and Eve were the consummation of lovers designed to lift one another up. And still, the evil one lures us in with just one taste; with that one act of disobedience to our Father- the veil separated us from intimate relationship with Him. The only way to reestablish the bond was to send Jesus to die alone on the cross. Jesus suffered more than I ever have... and God, the Father, suffered immensely by witnessing the massacre of His one and only Beloved Son.
"Suffering," Megan voiced, matter of factly, "affects everyone."
Walking back to our University of the Nations campus, my beautiful beach blonde friend advised me, (with wisdom well beyond her seventeen years), how to best touch lives for the cause of Christ. As with all our end of the night goodbyes, Megan Rae and I hugged, then stretched hands to hold shoulders, committing our time to the Lord. It had been a long Friday, a long week, a long year of extraordinary life changes..
I prayed for my sweet girlfriend; blessing her for her ability to explode with life and curiosity. When Megan prayed for me, I felt like a treasure. At one moment, I thought she had finished, but she continued delicately- asking God to release me from the mind trap of confusion, that His spirit would fall on me in a new way... that I would feel free to evangelize. Megan asked that her gift of faith would be imparted to me. Sincerely and specifically, she declared that we were in agreement and asked the Lord to send His angels to come down and war on my behalf. Beautiful, simple prayers overflowed from our hearts... more like a conversation between a Father and his daughters than a religious recital.
When we opened our eyes, it felt like things looked different- for lack of better words- an awareness of the knowledge of another dimension. Megan asked me first, "Do you feel it? Something shifted." I was skeptical, but doubt was immediately overpowered by my respect for Megan and her ability to believe, to trust; her bold faith. I said 'yes, I felt it,' then took my eyes off her and looked to the left.
I stared at this pretty green bush and sighed in admiration... 'Jesusss ' <3 My eyes were drawn back to Megan's and she said, "...something shifted!" Her eyes widened and she stated, in all seriousness, "Wooah! Something just left!" As the words were leaving her mouth, a chill had festered between my shoulder blades, shot down my spine like a lightening bolt and fled to the right (north). For a blink of a moment everything felt "empty", then a blanket of "Safe" fell and expanded. Bursting into tears, we both began to praise God. Before I knew it, I was weeping, uncontrollably, and knelt next to a rock wall. It was as if a weight was gone. Similar experiences, where I can recall the same distinct feeling? -when I've heard the voice of the Lord; it feels like I'm floating among the stars. My eyes were opened. The veil was lifted. Our faith and prayers moved the heart of the Most High King.
In the words of Art Katz - "Because to persuade the world that this life presently, is transient and preparatory, for that which is eternal and abiding, requires men who come down from that place, who are in the world but not of it. It requires men who exude eternity and not just possess it as a category. They’re timeless and they’re eternal in the reality of what they are in themselves, and therefore, they can move through the world and society and culture and it’s like “water off the duck’s back”. They’re never jerked or manipulated or self-conscious or fearful or intimidated or threatened by any such thing. Once you are in the realm of eternity and eternal value, that which is in time comes into its proper focus, whereas, the enemy wants to exaggerate its importance and, by that, make you captive."
I highly, highly recommend watching the above sermon.
We love because He first loved us,
Kelsey Maxine Tungseth
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
O! Why constantly cower in fear?
We wrestle belligerent agony; sheer
confusion haunts our broken dreams,
the silent voice of evil screams.
Ponder the mind; one moment to dwell
on what we knew before we fell.
Original model; initial design
did not comprehend a death paradigm.
Created to love and be loved in return,
Marriage has never been something you earn.
How rarely ideas hold near the same merit
of hasty dismissal; some sin we inherit.
Inspired by purity; by humble desire
the Almighty God formed man from the mire.
[FAiTH]: is taking God at His word.. saying "I trust you in the storm, in the heights, in the uncomfortable;" not being moved by circumstances
[FAiTH]: is believing in God and God alone; not having a backup plan incase He doesn't pull through
[FAiTH: is leaving fear for Love; looking into the eyes of Jesus and declaring His will be done
Mountains only move with faith.. The prayers we offer in faith move the heart of God. Distrust and unbelief have only ever been poison to relationships.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reads "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him- a threefold cord is not quickly broken."
What stirs within me as I read this passage from Ecclesiastes breaks my heart: Eve, the crown of creation, was created solely for the purpose of lifting Adam up- being his "suitable helper." (Genesis 2:18, "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'")
Recently, I finished Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. The married couple point out the Hebrew words ezer kenegdo, commonly translated “help meet,” are more accurately translated as “sustainer beside him." They noted that “ezer” is listed twenty other times in the Old Testament, all in context to God, describing times when you need Him to come through for you desperately. That is, more of a “life-saver.”
How vigorously must we fight against Satan as he continuously puts temptation before us? Adam and Eve were the consummation of lovers designed to lift one another up. And still, the evil one lures us in with just one taste; with that one act of disobedience to our Father- the veil separated us from intimate relationship with Him. The only way to reestablish the bond was to send Jesus to die alone on the cross. Jesus suffered more than I ever have... and God, the Father, suffered immensely by witnessing the massacre of His one and only Beloved Son.
"Suffering," Megan voiced, matter of factly, "affects everyone."
Walking back to our University of the Nations campus, my beautiful beach blonde friend advised me, (with wisdom well beyond her seventeen years), how to best touch lives for the cause of Christ. As with all our end of the night goodbyes, Megan Rae and I hugged, then stretched hands to hold shoulders, committing our time to the Lord. It had been a long Friday, a long week, a long year of extraordinary life changes..
I prayed for my sweet girlfriend; blessing her for her ability to explode with life and curiosity. When Megan prayed for me, I felt like a treasure. At one moment, I thought she had finished, but she continued delicately- asking God to release me from the mind trap of confusion, that His spirit would fall on me in a new way... that I would feel free to evangelize. Megan asked that her gift of faith would be imparted to me. Sincerely and specifically, she declared that we were in agreement and asked the Lord to send His angels to come down and war on my behalf. Beautiful, simple prayers overflowed from our hearts... more like a conversation between a Father and his daughters than a religious recital.
When we opened our eyes, it felt like things looked different- for lack of better words- an awareness of the knowledge of another dimension. Megan asked me first, "Do you feel it? Something shifted." I was skeptical, but doubt was immediately overpowered by my respect for Megan and her ability to believe, to trust; her bold faith. I said 'yes, I felt it,' then took my eyes off her and looked to the left.
I stared at this pretty green bush and sighed in admiration... 'Jesusss ' <3 My eyes were drawn back to Megan's and she said, "...something shifted!" Her eyes widened and she stated, in all seriousness, "Wooah! Something just left!" As the words were leaving her mouth, a chill had festered between my shoulder blades, shot down my spine like a lightening bolt and fled to the right (north). For a blink of a moment everything felt "empty", then a blanket of "Safe" fell and expanded. Bursting into tears, we both began to praise God. Before I knew it, I was weeping, uncontrollably, and knelt next to a rock wall. It was as if a weight was gone. Similar experiences, where I can recall the same distinct feeling? -when I've heard the voice of the Lord; it feels like I'm floating among the stars. My eyes were opened. The veil was lifted. Our faith and prayers moved the heart of the Most High King.
In the words of Art Katz - "Because to persuade the world that this life presently, is transient and preparatory, for that which is eternal and abiding, requires men who come down from that place, who are in the world but not of it. It requires men who exude eternity and not just possess it as a category. They’re timeless and they’re eternal in the reality of what they are in themselves, and therefore, they can move through the world and society and culture and it’s like “water off the duck’s back”. They’re never jerked or manipulated or self-conscious or fearful or intimidated or threatened by any such thing. Once you are in the realm of eternity and eternal value, that which is in time comes into its proper focus, whereas, the enemy wants to exaggerate its importance and, by that, make you captive."
I highly, highly recommend watching the above sermon.
We love because He first loved us,
Kelsey Maxine Tungseth
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
30 July, 2011
Awake My Soul Medley
A video I created - Enjoy!
PROVERBS 22 (KJV)
A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Affectionately yours,
K-Maxx in Kona
PROVERBS 22 (KJV)
A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.
The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?
Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?
Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.
Affectionately yours,
K-Maxx in Kona
28 July, 2011
July Update
Hello everyone!
It is hard to believe it has been seven weeks since DTS ended!
Asked to join Kona's staff team by my school leaders, I have seen wonderful changes to my life already this summer. The first two weeks of July brought over five hundred people from more than 30 nations- such as Fiji, Honduras, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Switzerland.... well, the list goes on and on!
After graduating my Discipleship Training School, I transitioned to serving the campus in numerous ways, specifically the hospitality department. Andrew and Faith Dutton, the school leaders of my DTS, helped run "Impartation," a global leadership development course, with Darlene Cunningham and David Hamilton, esteemed YWAMers for over 50 years!
Praise God, the turn out was incredible, and I was able to sit in on quite a few seminars between serving.
Impartation hosted one speaker named Brian Molitar, whom I had the privilege to meet personally. Hearing the vision closest to his heart was a true blessing; Brian taught and lived out his mission statement, inspired by Malachi 4:6 ("And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers...") Set out to bridge the "generational gap", Brian is committed to seeing broken people everywhere once again be part of a 'family.'
There were many ideas Brian shared that I was able to immediately apply to my life. A quote I wrote down in my journal reads, "Irrational fear is your best guess at the worst case of what might happen.. sometime in the future." I was honored to be a part of such an unforgettable experience and will forever treasure the lessons learned.
Prior to Impartation, the University of the Nations walked the Independence Day Parade on July 4th. A beautiful festivity, we had maybe fifty people walk, flags in hand, behind a float by Island Breeze (a member of the family of ministries of Youth With A Mission). Celebrating my own heritage, I chose the Norwegian flag and danced with my friends to sweet Hawaiian melodies.
(Affectionately dubbed) "Uncle" Penny- informing us before the march.
Our beautiful, award- winning float pulling out to begin!
My girl, Ty, getting ready to hula dance with Island Breeze :)
My new friend and roommate, Sharla, and myself.
Sharla and I love our breakfast dates with Jesus.
Sweet Emily Kate, Andrew and Faith's eldest.
Emily and I have grown as close as sisters since January!
Ended the evening with a beautiful sunset, frozen yogurt, and fireworks!
Happy Birthday America..
I love you,
Kelsey Maxine
It is hard to believe it has been seven weeks since DTS ended!
Asked to join Kona's staff team by my school leaders, I have seen wonderful changes to my life already this summer. The first two weeks of July brought over five hundred people from more than 30 nations- such as Fiji, Honduras, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Switzerland.... well, the list goes on and on!
After graduating my Discipleship Training School, I transitioned to serving the campus in numerous ways, specifically the hospitality department. Andrew and Faith Dutton, the school leaders of my DTS, helped run "Impartation," a global leadership development course, with Darlene Cunningham and David Hamilton, esteemed YWAMers for over 50 years!
Impartation hosted one speaker named Brian Molitar, whom I had the privilege to meet personally. Hearing the vision closest to his heart was a true blessing; Brian taught and lived out his mission statement, inspired by Malachi 4:6 ("And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers...") Set out to bridge the "generational gap", Brian is committed to seeing broken people everywhere once again be part of a 'family.'
There were many ideas Brian shared that I was able to immediately apply to my life. A quote I wrote down in my journal reads, "Irrational fear is your best guess at the worst case of what might happen.. sometime in the future." I was honored to be a part of such an unforgettable experience and will forever treasure the lessons learned.
Prior to Impartation, the University of the Nations walked the Independence Day Parade on July 4th. A beautiful festivity, we had maybe fifty people walk, flags in hand, behind a float by Island Breeze (a member of the family of ministries of Youth With A Mission). Celebrating my own heritage, I chose the Norwegian flag and danced with my friends to sweet Hawaiian melodies.
Sharla and I love our breakfast dates with Jesus.
Emily and I have grown as close as sisters since January!
Ended the evening with a beautiful sunset, frozen yogurt, and fireworks!
Happy Birthday America..
I love you,
Kelsey Maxine
03 July, 2011
Lion of War
God inspired scripture comes alive--
http://www.lionofwar.com/new/
Publisher's Note
Day of War, author Cliff Graham's first novel, has earned him a film option for the entire book series---Lion of War---from director David L. Cunningham (Path to 9/11) and producer Grant Curtis (Spider-Man films). In ancient Israel, at the crossroads of the great trading routes, a man named Benaiah is searching for a fresh start in life. He has joined a band of soldiers led by a warlord named David, seeking to bury the past that refuses to leave him. Their ragged army is disgruntled and full of reckless men. Some are loyal to David, but others are only with him for the promise of captured wealth. While the ruthless and increasingly mad King Saul marches hopelessly against the powerful Philistines, loyal son Jonathan in tow, the land of the Hebrew tribes has never been more despondent---and more in need of rescue. Over the course of ten days, from snowy mountain passes to sword-wracked battlefields, Benaiah and his fellow mercenaries must call upon every skill they have to survive and establish the throne for David---if they don't kill each other first.
Cliff was born in Dallas, TX and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. He has been a Military Police soldier, Army officer, pastor, and author. He made his way to Kailua-Kona a few weeks ago and shared the story of how God has used him over the years to make this vision come to life. I believe Jesus will be glorified as this book and movie is released, touching lives of people across the globe and sparking a hunger for biblical truth in all age groups.
“Graham creates a seamless pattern of fiction and history that feels as real as if he were reporting live from the battlefields of Saul circa 1000B.C. From Benaiah’s opening encounter with a pair of ferocious lions to its final bombastic and bloody battle with the Amalekites. ‘Day of War’ moves with the same swiftness and adrenaline of the warriors that inhabit it. Every sentence is taut and the dialogue kept to a stoic minimum, reflecting the hero’s countenance. Somewhere between Frank Miller’s immortal ’300′ and Stephen Ambrose’s sorrowful ‘Band of Brothers’ is where you’ll find the blunt traumatic force behind ‘Day of War’. Grit your teeth and bear down. You’ve never felt hurt this good.”
~BookReview.com, ‘Must Read’ Selection
http://www.lionofwar.com/new/
Publisher's Note
Day of War, author Cliff Graham's first novel, has earned him a film option for the entire book series---Lion of War---from director David L. Cunningham (Path to 9/11) and producer Grant Curtis (Spider-Man films). In ancient Israel, at the crossroads of the great trading routes, a man named Benaiah is searching for a fresh start in life. He has joined a band of soldiers led by a warlord named David, seeking to bury the past that refuses to leave him. Their ragged army is disgruntled and full of reckless men. Some are loyal to David, but others are only with him for the promise of captured wealth. While the ruthless and increasingly mad King Saul marches hopelessly against the powerful Philistines, loyal son Jonathan in tow, the land of the Hebrew tribes has never been more despondent---and more in need of rescue. Over the course of ten days, from snowy mountain passes to sword-wracked battlefields, Benaiah and his fellow mercenaries must call upon every skill they have to survive and establish the throne for David---if they don't kill each other first.
Cliff was born in Dallas, TX and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. He has been a Military Police soldier, Army officer, pastor, and author. He made his way to Kailua-Kona a few weeks ago and shared the story of how God has used him over the years to make this vision come to life. I believe Jesus will be glorified as this book and movie is released, touching lives of people across the globe and sparking a hunger for biblical truth in all age groups.
“Graham creates a seamless pattern of fiction and history that feels as real as if he were reporting live from the battlefields of Saul circa 1000B.C. From Benaiah’s opening encounter with a pair of ferocious lions to its final bombastic and bloody battle with the Amalekites. ‘Day of War’ moves with the same swiftness and adrenaline of the warriors that inhabit it. Every sentence is taut and the dialogue kept to a stoic minimum, reflecting the hero’s countenance. Somewhere between Frank Miller’s immortal ’300′ and Stephen Ambrose’s sorrowful ‘Band of Brothers’ is where you’ll find the blunt traumatic force behind ‘Day of War’. Grit your teeth and bear down. You’ve never felt hurt this good.”
~BookReview.com, ‘Must Read’ Selection
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