Jan 29 at Dillon

For the first part of the day, the sun was out. I absolutely LOVE this picture. I am so glad I brought my good camera. I felt like God was smiling down on us. He is Awesome!

After the big rain, we went for a walk down to the pier. Here is Justice and Bronx...

...And daddy with Kayden..

Bronx and Kevin and Justice and Kayden walking on the Pier at Lawson's Landing.

We are looking forward to better weather tomorrow and a chance to get down to the beach for some fun in the sand!

Love Love Love...

This is my kids' Valentine's picture. Hopefully we will get the cards printed with their picture soon, and we can mail them out for Valentine's Day. Arent they cute? I cannot believe how quickly they are growing up!

A Heart Ablaze

For anyone looking for some inspirational reading, I recommend

A Heart Ablaze: Igniting a Passion for God by John Bevere.

It will transform your life!

It has stirred such a deep desire in me to be closer to the Lord. To know Him and to be known by Him. To delve deeper into Scripture, to learn everything I am capable of comprehending about the Holy God Almighty.

I cannot tell you enough just how amazing this experience has been. I read it during the time I was fasting, so maybe I was more sensitive to spiritual things, but ...oh my! God definately used this book to get my attention.

If you are in my area, and want to check out what it is about, Bear Creek Community Church is doing a study on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm.

If you have previously studied a John Bevere book, and are interested in seeing him teach in person, he will be at Calvary Temple Worship Center in Modesto on May 23rd.

Check out John Bevere's website for more info.

My, how they've grown!

Here is the most recent family picture. I cannot believe that my kids will be 4 and 2, respectively, in a matter of WEEKS!!!!!!!! Isn't it amazing how fast time seems to fly by?

we were sad that the Pack lost, but at least we can still root for Brett Favre to go all the way!!

He never lets go

"...through the calm and through the storm..."

Today is January 20, 2010. That means that I have survived 20 days without solid food. BUT, the bigger news is the things God has done in me, and through me. I am still praying for breakthrough in certain aspects of our lives; our home-loan situation, our finances, and of course a ministry opportunity..

There have been some amazing blessings poured out on me already: my Dad's baptism, witnessing to friends - who are going to come to church on Sunday! PtL! A new and refreshed desire to serve Him...

Wherever I go after the 21st, I know that it has not been in vain. I know the God has a plan! (Jer 29:11)

He has called out to me, and I am here, ready to do His will, and only His will.

It has been a rough road, but He has been faithful and loving. Never letting go of me, never leaving me to face bitter hunger pains or cravings alone.

Pray with me.

Father God, thank You for being the ultimate Provider. For finishing the battle against sin forever. For setting me free from the bondage. For placing me where You want me, with a plan to draw me closer to You. God, I am so in awe of Your Majesty! I will sing of Your love forever. You alone are worthy. Thank You for providing the mercy and grace that have covered my life, for the blood of the Lamb that has washed me clean, for a life on earth full of joy and for blissful expectancy to be in Your house for ever and eternity. I love You above all else, and I commit my life into Your loving hands. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Fasting

The Pastor of my church contacted me this week, and asked if I would share my "fasting testimony" to both services on this coming Sunday. I was more than a little nervous, but after typing it all out, I am more confident that something I might say would be an encouragement to those who either are fasting with us, or who are even thinking about it.

So here it is. Dont worry, I will NOT be reading this on Sunday. It was just an outline for me to gather my thoughts and decide on what to share, and what to edit. For those of you not attending BCCC, I hope that reading my story, as it has unfolded so far, will be encouraged. My prayer is that the Lord will use me.

For the past few months I had felt spiritually dry. I couldnt feel the Lord moving in my life. I felt that I needed a huge spiritual breakthrough. There were situations in my life, surrounding my family in particular, that was making me feel resentful and prideful. It was aweful. I was literally crying out for a fresh Word from God. Through prayer and meditation, God showed me that I had put Him in a box, and how badly I had neglected Him. I had made my life so busy that I had to "make" time for God.

I had a revelation, where God knocked on the door to my home. Would I "make" time for Him, or would I send Him away, to return when the chores were done, and the kids were napping? God showed me that I needed to live in the reality that I have already invited Him into my heart, my life and my home. I needed to start living with Him as the center of my world. Not my kids, and not my husband. I needed to include Him in everything that I do. Praise Him for everything, not just sing a couple songs on Sundays.

I prayed for a long time about fasting, and having completed a few shorter ones, had decided to start the New Year with a 21 day fast. When I heard that the church was going to do a corporate fast, I was encouraged. I felt the Lord telling me that I needed to get back to the simplicity of our love affair. To get back to my true love.

So, for 21 days, I am not eating food. No solids at all. I am drinking lots of water, Sobe waters, broths, teas, coffee and milk, on the advice of my doctor, when I have to take my medications. I feel I need to unclutter my life from the distractions that I had let overrun my life. I am convinced that when you starve your body, your spirit becomes more tuned in to God. I am so inspired by David, when he wrote in Psalm 42 "...deep calls unto deep..." I want to feel that intimacy with God. I want the deepest part of me to reach out for Him.

Already I have seen God work some amazing things in my life, and the lives of those around me. A ministry opportunity that I have been praying for just opened to me. The prayers of my darling daughter, who will be 4 soon, have become complex words of love, not just the same prayers she has memorized from years of me telling them to her. My dad was baptized last Sunday. Praise God! That was a miracle. I have been able to witness to people who were previously unreachable, and one friend will even be coming with me to Club 31! My prayers have become more focused and I can honestly feel the power of my words when I speak them in prayer.

Keeping a journal has really been the key to my ability to have a sucessful fast. Writing down my prayer 'hit list' in the beginning was a great way to start off. And the fasting journal by Jentzen Franklin has inspired me to pray for things that I would never have thought of before. It keeps my prayers in an organized place. During the first couple days of a fast like this, when the hunger pains can drive a person crazy, it is important to have some way to keep your prayer requests organized.

I would like to encourage anyone and everyone who has never fasted before, to consider it in prayer before the Father. If you feel spiritually dry, if you are in a season of waiting for something to happen, but you dont know what that something is, consider fasting. You can fast for anything. A breakthrough, a release from bondage, to quit an adiction, anything. It really is something that is spiritually sound, and something that isnt practiced enough. It's not for fanatics, or only for pastors. Fasting is for everyone.

I hope that it's not too long. I feel so led to share.

To: Aunt Audra and any other family/friends that want to see my attempt at sharing live, please go to www.bearcreekchurch.com/live at either 9am or 11am, PST.

 
 
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All that being said, the real update is that today is day # 8. I must admit, that the hunger pains have died, but the urge to eat everything in sight every time I walk into my kitchen hasn't subsided one iota. I have a nagging feeling that if I am not careful, after the 21 days, I will gain a hundred pounds due to overeating! LOL...

 

Please know that I am praying the Lord's blessing on you as you read this. I love you, and appreciate your caring enough to stop by and check up on me.

Thank you, from the deepest part of me.

How's It Going?

The corporate fast was suposed to start on January 1, 2010. But most of the congregation didnt get the specifics or the chance to pray about it until the 3rd.

Do you know what that means???

That means that everyone (ok, not EVERYONE) got 3 (ok, 2 1/2) more days of food than I did..

LOL

Today is day #4, and I am pleased to report that I am just about over the hunger pains.

I emailed the Pastor today, and was excited about a prompt reply. His words were an encouragement, something that I needed to hear today.

Also this morning, I got an encouraging phone call from Aunt Audra.

It is so amazing to get responses from people about "fasting". Thank you, to everyone who has encouraged me. I sincerely appreciate it! I feel so priviledged to have the opportunity to fast. Thank-You, Jesus, for Your undying love!

I am keeping a journal, (thanks to Jentzen Franklin) and there are specific daily prayer outlines, designed to focus our prayers during a fast, while still being able to life up everything we have written on our 'prayer hit list' , so to speak.

So, dear and faithful friends, I am praying for you.

May 2010 be a year of breakthrough for us all!!

Polar Bear Baptism!

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 was a day I will not soon forget.

My dad, his friend Jay, and a few other souls brave enough to withstand fifty-something degree temperatures to declaire their love for Christ, were BAPTIZED!!!!!

They were lucky, however, that the BCCC baptismal is heated!

here is Jay Rodacker, a friend and co-worker of Poppy

Pastor George, Poppy, Pastor Bill and Pastor Bobby

...going under!...

While holding Poppy under, Pastor George looked up and mom and asked her "how long do I hold him under?" it was pretty funny, glad we got it on video!

...emerged from the waters, covered in the blood of the Lamb. Forgiven and Free. Praise be to the Lord Almighty, Who hears every prayer and Who's timing is completely perfect. Amen.

DAY 1

Does anyone else ever feel like the clouds are following them, too?

Today was fasting day 1. It definately got more difficult as the day wore on, and the pangs of King Stomach got more intense. But I also felt God smile down on me, as I lifted up my praises and worship.

So, day 1 is in the books.

I heard the first 3 days are the most difficult.

Only 20 more days to go.

Year's End

I cannot believe that the first decade of the 2000’s will come to a close in a few short hours. Wow! I can’t really say “where has the time gone?” because I can remember vividly the events that have made this the most important decade of my entire life (marriage, babies, etc..)

2009 has been a year of turbulent ups and downs for the Kent family. There were some really high points, like going on our Grand Canyon adventure, as well as our trek north. The kids are perpetually learning and Kevin and I have grown closer as partners in love for life. This year has also had the lowest of the lows, with Kevin’s mother’s trial and sentencing, and my own brother’s suicide attempts.

I can say for sure that I am glad that the ‘2009’ chapter is coming to a close. I can only pray that 2010 holds for us all the blessings that come with being a family who serves Christ and keeps Him the center of their lives.

For the first 21 days of the New Year, Kevin and I have made a commitment to God and self, to fast and pray. Kevin will be joining numerous members of the church on a “Daniel” (fruits, nuts and veggies only) fast for 3 weeks, and I will be doing a “normal” (liquid-only) fast for the same amount of time. Though there are numerous reasons to fast, and there is biblically sound evidence that fasting, praying, and giving are the 3 principles Christians should adhere to (check out Matthew 6), this fast in particular is deeply significant to me. First of all, it is my very first attempt at a 21-day fast. (Whew! – Pray for me!) And secondly, I am hoping that God will use the opportunity to help me release all of the negative and bitter feelings that I have let control my emotions recently. I will be doing my absolute best to keep you informed of my progress. Although I can say that I have ‘cheated’ a little already, allowing myself to have coffee and tea during this time. Due to health reasons, and because of my medications, I have to take in a supplement like protein shakes or broths also. If I attempt this fast without them, and continue to take my hormones as usual, I will most assuredly end up in the hospital, dehydrated. So thanks, to Dr. Hickox for reminding me of that one little detail. Lol…..

I hope that you all have a safe and happy end-of-the-year celebration. May the Light of the Lord continue to shine!

See ya next year!!!

ILEFSA.org - nothing's wrong with a shameless plug!

Starting January 1, 2010 the new International Law Enforcement Family Support Association website will be up and running!

The two most awesome friends a girl could have are the masterminds (to be fair, one is more mastermind than the other. It's Erica's baby). I am so blessed to be able to be a moderator.

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Here is my bio, for those of you who arent connected to the current AH site:

"My name is Julie and I am so excited about ILEFSA and the opportunity to support this organization. You’ll see me on the board as SwatWifey.

Although I may be young, I come with a lot of experience. I was a police cadet with our department for years, before quitting so I could date ‘the man’. I’ve known him since he was in the police academy (2001). I was actually in the police academy when we found out I was pregnant, so I dropped out to be a wifey and SAHM. We have two children, a girl and a boy, (almost) 4 and (almost) 2.

My husband is very goal-driven, and is a member of the SWAT team, Honor Guard, and K9 unit. (Bronx, the 5 year old Belgian Malinious/partner is the biggest pain in the butt of them all!) He is a Defensive Tactic/Weaponless Defense instructor and Cadet Advisor, and serves on various other committees within the department. He also likes to work nights, which is an adventure in itself.

We have traveled through the spectrum of emotions together, from devastation (losing a k9 partner, a baby, and being passed up for promotions) to elation (getting married, having 2 babies, getting a Life Saver award, being assigned to SWAT, K9, Honor Guard, and practically everything else.) Trust me when I say, I can relate to you!

I don’t care what anyone says, there is much hardship in a police marriage. What people on the outside just don’t understand is that the life isn’t all glamour and peace. It takes a lot to keep a police marriage going, and I believe that every woman needs a support structure. I am hoping that ILEFSA can be that support for you, a place full of women who know, like you, what it’s like to be married to ‘the man’.

So sit down and pull up a keyboard. Come chat awhile. We can’t wait to meet you!"

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I would like to invite everyone to come to the forum, and join in the fun. I can personally vouch for these ladies, and I can assure you that the site has the most updated security system in place, and the women that are connected to the site are all verified wives/gfs of current Law Enforcement Officers.

Due to all the recent ambushes, attacks and executions of police officers, I believe that everyone who loves a LEO should have a support system. Through this site, I have laughed, loved, and grieved along with women in the same position as me. It has been an enriching experince, one I hope you would enjoy too.

So come stop by and say hello!!

A lot to catch you up on

Dear faithful Kent blog readers,

I regret that I have been less than a faithful blog author these past few weeks. Alas, time itself has eluded me more frequently than it has during the same season in recent years.

My recent blog inactivity can mainly be attributed to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding my brother. Though I cannot bare to repeat everything that has transpired since that fateful November day, I can say that Ryan is currently at home with our parents, and trying to get better.

For those of you who are unbeknownst to the issues that have befallen us, here is a quick synopsis:

In November, Ryan ran away to Montana and tried to commit suicide by ingesting a cocktail of prescription/recreational drugs. He was, by the grace of God, spared. After recovering a few days there in Montana, Ryan was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and sent home (dad went to get him and fly him home). Ryan was an outpatient with mental health services in a Sacramento facility. He spent a brief time there as an inpatient, following an explosive rage episode.

2 days after discharge, Ryan again attempted suicide. This time was slightly more serious and spent time in the hospital in the Emergency room, in an ICU room, and in a regular room with a 'round the clock "1 on 1" aide.

Christmas was definitely more stressful for us this year, as Ryan's moods are grossly unstable. But somehow we managed to host a Kiddie CHRISTmas party, and play hosts for CHRISTmas day festivities.

Here are some pictures that have commemorated our Advent season:

The Kiddie CHRISTmas party:

Shana, Kellen, Sundey, Camille, and Gage doing crafty things

Katrina with Elijah and Tyler making beautiful wreaths, snowflakes and trees

Justice decorating a CHRISTmas tree.

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DelOsso Farms, December 2009:

Kayden and Justice

my 3 goofballs!

Justice, a beautiful wreath-girl. haha

again, my goofy fam

Justice as a tree.

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CHRISTmas Eve 2009:

Justice and Kayden in front of Grammy's tree

Kayden and his new Choo-Choos

Justice and her new Zippy video game system.

The fam with Santa and Phil. (Thanks, Steve!)

me, Dad, Justice, Ryan, and Kevin, Mom and Kayden

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CHRISTmas day 2009:

The kids' stockings

My livingroom looked like Toys R Us vomited all over it!

The Happy Birthday Jesus balloons we sent to Heaven, complete

with Merry CHRISTmas messages for Bubba, Mama Honey, and Grandpa.

The cupcakes I made and Justice helped decorate, to

celebrate Jesus' Birthday.

Update on Ryan

Thanks, everyone for all the prayers and concern. Ryan is doing.... as well as can be expected.

We know that the battle will be ongoing, but we continue to lean on God for support and strength, and we continue to do our earthly part by being there for him, and showing him the joy life has to offer.

He was officially diagnosed with Bipolar 2 Disorder, and is on the various medications that accompany the diagnosis. He is being treated as an outpatient at Sierra Vista in Sacramento (it's more like north Elk Grove...). He is still not out of the woods, as the stablizers take 3 - 4 weeks to be completely absorbed in his system.

I would like to encourage you all who know Ryan, and the situations we have faced these past few months, weeks, and days, to continue to lift him up in prayer.

A very special thanks to Sandy and Renee, who have gone above and beyond the traditional boundaries of friendship and familial-relations to make a difference in this situation. Your calls to Ryan in Billings meant so much to him, and to my family. Thank-you both, from the very deapth of my heart.

Just Like Daddy

We had some amazing pictures taken of the kids this week, with all of Kevin's work gear. Justice wore his Honor Gaurd uniform shirt, and Kayden wore his regular Class B uniform shirt.

It was very fun to watch the kids discover att the cool things that Daddy gets to play with at work.

Here are some of my favorite shots. We ordered our pictures, and since we are going on vacation, won't get them until we return home, late the first week of December. Enjoy!

(Shout-out to Bre: you did a great job! Thanks!!)

this ^ is my favorite pic of Justice!

this ^ was the one we ordered. Ke lilked the close-up, and it is very similar to the pictures take 2 years ago.

this ^ is the picture that we ordered of the kids. the goofy expressions on their faces is typical of them, and that's exactly what I wanted to capture.

I am torn on "favorites" of Kayden. I love this one ^ and the next one. They are both so cute, but we ordered the next one. Since we got a close-up of Jus, we thought we'd do a close up of Kayden too, and get one of them together that shows all the gear we set up.

this pic ^ is also adorable. when he wasnt screaming, he took some cute pics!

Daddy's boots are still too big, but it made for a cute picture! lol

Park Playday

Tuesday the kids and I went to the park with Shana, Sierra, and Kellen. The kids had fun running around and expelling all that energy before Daddy got home from the SWAT school in Monterey.

"Cheese!"

"Cheese!"

I dont know what they were looking at.. They always have fun swinging together.

This is how Kayden goes down the slide by himself. He cracks me up! What a big boy..

Halloween photos. Part 2

"Dorothy" and "ToTo". We visited some friends of ours and they have a cute little lunch dog. (I call small dogs lunch dogs instead of lap dogs because they look like they would be lunch to my big dog!)

Kayden and Bubbo while we were trick-or-treating at Grammy and Poppy's. Poor boy HATED that costume!

Kevin and I. 10.31.09

The pictures that we had Bre Wentz do at BW Black and Whites. It turned out sooo cute!

Halloween photos. Part 1

cookies Justice and I made 10/30

making trick-or-treat bags at the Alpha Xi Delta/Downtown Turlock Halloween Carnival 10/31

Kayden and Justice in the maze at the Carnival.

Justice got a pink bird painted on her hand - who knows where she got that idea!

cousin Rebekah and Justice in the bounce house.

nothing's better than homemade birthday gifts! Justice made Bek a tiara and a cute AXD tote..

Happy (early)20th, Rebekah!!