A Call to Journey with God – Part 3

After the chaotic aftermath of all the funeral events that took place in laying my nephew to rest nearly two months after his death. This entire experience was contentious and emotionally exhausting. We had to endure more than just dealing with the devastating loss of my nephew’s precious life as if that weren’t bad enough. Rashid’s home going ceremony was a struggle from all of the discord; there was a deep division in the way things were being handled. Sadly, we, including all of his friends he affectionately called his brothers, his sister, his nephew, his close friends from High School, and all of his many colleagues from Apple were all desperately looking for closure. The unnecessary drawn out bereaved process only gave way to despair, frustration, and anger. We were not able to see Rashid physically for the last time to say our last goodbyes. We only had photos of him. We ended up doing a nice memorial service and a beach candlelight vigil with floating sky lanterns with inscribed personal messages of love that lit up the sky with a gorgeous sunset as a backdrop. The love shown from everyone was evident that Rashid was truly loved, admired and revered by many who knew him intimately. It was truly remarkable and very special, despite it all. 

There was a separate funeral service that we were unable to attend in person due to the extreme late timing of the service, however we were able to watch it online. The actual funeral took place almost three weeks after our memorial ceremony and vigil.  On that day, it was so cold, it actually snowed for the first time in California since 1984. Go figure.

 I’m sparing all the horrible details of what actually occurred. There were just multiple levels of grievances to our already painful heartbreaking tragedy that ranged from gross mortuary negligence, a breakdown in communication in the chains of commands at the LA coroner’s office that prevented the autopsy to be completed in a timely manner. Which then ultimately led to a total breakdown and discord of immediate family. Unsavory deeds were done that caused the relational values that were once had, to be seriously diminished. However, through God’s LOVE, GRACE and FORGIVENESS. The love is and will always be there. I continue to pray that the relational value as siblings that was lost during this turmoil can one day be rebuilt. 

I personally was so grateful to have friends from the west coast who allowed us to use their church home and pastor to facilitate the memorial service and to be in the company of my closest friends and family who comforted our family and cared for my children during these difficult times. The love and appreciation is beyond words. 

As we were still very much in pain and in mourning we had to press on to complete the task that was set before us, prior to tragedy that caused everything to come to a screeching halt. The time was drawing close to get ready to leave. There was so much left to do. Our home was a complete wreck with all that was left to do and now the short amount of time left to do it. It didn’t seem possible that we were even going to make it. We couldn’t just leave our home as is. We had to be completely moved out, all but our furniture left.  We had to have our home professionally cleaned and hotel ready all while packing and renovating it. It was absolutely overwhelming to say the least. 

My best friend planned a Bon Voyage dinner party for us with our closest friends and family. We ate delicious soul food at an amazing restaurant called Bentley’s in Newark New Jersey. We enjoyed reminiscing together, dancing, and singing Karaoke songs. We took lots of pictures. We all had a wonderful time as everyone sent us off and gave us all blessings and wished us well on our journey. We truly felt the love. Our younger children, Kaden and Khari had their own going away party as well.  We combined that event with celebrating Kadens 12th birthday with their homeschool friends, old public school friends, family, and neighbors. At the new Supercharged Race track and Arcade. The kids had a blast making wonderful memories with friends that they would soon leave behind. There were many projects that were scheduled to get done before we left. We ended up scrapping a lot of the renovation plans because we lost so much time.

 God divinely appointed two very special people of whom I also met at the kids camp that summer, to manage our property for the entire extended time we were planning to be away. They were able to eventually complete all of our renovation projects that got stalled during the funeral. Another redemptive act of God. By the time March came on our final evening we were still not finished with all the packing. How do you pack for six months anyway? You bring everything with you right? Heavy sigh, deep eye roll if I had only known better lol. We were cleaning along with the professional cleaners. Trying to get it all done, all hands were on deck. We had to leave at five am to head to the airport when our property managers came to pick us up. They found us sleeping, sitting up with our personal luggage in front of us still unpacked. We were completely depleted and extremely exhausted. They woke us both up and we simply couldn’t move. They ended up packing the rest of our stuff for us and loading the car up themselves. I was so grateful for them. We definitely would have missed our flight if it weren’t for them assisting us. The trip through the airport with all the kids, plus our exhaustion, we were running on pure adrenaline. We woke up when we were hit with $700 in baggage fees though. We learned very quickly what not to do. This was our first time traveling by air as a whole family for a long period of time. We were finally on our way to Hawaii. What was left was only the outer shell of a beautifully decorated home. All of this was humbly done in radical perseverance and obedience to follow the calling that God put on our hearts: Obey the call of Jesus; “Follow me.”  

When we first told one of my younger brothers who lived with us at the time what we were doing, we asked if he wanted to join us. All he would need to do is get his plane ticket.  He frowned at the opportunity and said, “Nah, I don’t want to go, it’s not vacation, it’s work” in fact we even offered this same opportunity to  my nephew, who died suddenly. He left this world unexpectedly not knowing God sadly, he was too late. He thought he had more time until he didn’t. Our two older children also declined saying work was more important. We were saddened and frustrated, feeling that we failed them by not teaching them the importance of having a relationship with God, and to put God above everything else, and teaching them how to recognize good opportunities when they are presented to them. We didn’t establish that strong foundation. We also didn’t know any better then, regrettably. 

I was so annoyed by the thought that somehow once you surrender your life to God you can’t enjoy your life anymore. Like you can’t have fun anymore. Says who?? You can absolutely have a lot of fun, in a way that’s still pleasing to God that doesn’t compromise his commands or your beliefs. We were so saddened that they had all missed this amazing opportunity based on either their own negative thoughts, not wanting to miss out on having “fun with friends”, pessimistic points of view, or that working for money and depending on yourself weighed more and this all was more important than allowing God to bless and provide for you. None of them gave this any serious consideration at all or asked detailed questions to even try to see how to make this possible. They had eight months to properly plan for this great adventure with God. But they all ultimately decided they were all happier in their current state of comfortable, nothingness. We were grieved as parents. 

 How many of you miss out on your blessings and opportunities because you’re scared to leave what’s comfortable to you??

 I know this is not a common road that’s traveled or a popular concept in today’s society but it needs to be! We gave up everything: careers, friends, house, cars and much so more and these young adults of ours weren’t doing anything too spectacular with their lives; they all had little to no  responsibilities other than themselves. No children, cars and homes to manage that could possibly hinder not going due to the timing. I continue to put my hope in God and pray that he would continue to protect them, soften their hearts and incline their ears to hear what’s right and one day put a YES on their hearts so He can bless them abundantly too. 

To prove that we can still have fun and vacation while giving God our YES! We decided to leave earlier to spend two weeks on vacation before our DTS began. On the gorgeous Island of Oahu at the Waikiki Beach Resort. We were finally done with laying our lives down and God gave us time to relax, soak up the sun, enjoy our children, visit friends, and see the beautiful Island as tourists.  

Then we were off to the beautiful Island of Maui for a week. In celebration of our newly awakened spiritual life, with God finally at the forefront of our marriage, Keith and I decided to renew our wedding vows and dedicate our union together to God wholeheartedly in our seventh year of marriage.

Keith and I remarried on April 2, 2023 in Lahaina, Maui. It was absolutely wonderful. It was everything we wanted to do in our first wedding, but instead we caved into doing the wants of others in our family out of pressure. This time it was “JUST US” in a small beautiful  sunset ceremony at the Royal Lahaina Resort.  

 We had our three youngest boys; Kaden, Khari and baby Kairo As the ring bearer, bride escort, and best man. It was extra special because this time around my mother in law attended and participated in our wedding ceremony. As she didn’t not attend our first wedding. God is a God of redemption when we give him our Yes, he restores! One of my best friends, whom I’ve known for over twenty years from working at MTV also joined us as well. She was our witness and she made sure my hair and makeup was absolutely flawless. The significance of that date was that it was on Palm Sunday, a reminder of the welcoming of Jesus into our lives completely. We enjoyed a beautiful evening dinner for two on the beach. The food was excellent. We spent the entire evening together walking on the beach holding hands, not talking about our future plans or what’s next. Instead we were present in the moment and soaked up the Awe of it all. Instead we delighted in our sheer excitement and expectancy on how God was going to show up in our lives now that they rested firmly in his hand not knowing or planning the outcomes we simply became clay in the potter’s hands. It felt so liberating. It was intimate and dreamy. God is so good!

 My mother in law and friend helped watch the kids so we could enjoy our Honeymoon together on the Island. It was so sentimental and special in every way. 

God showed me again that He is the Great Redeemer. He took our marriage from a wreck to madly in love and faithful. He made our marriage anew, aligned it so beautifully with His perfect will and on His own timing. Keith and I have never been happier in our marriage. There’s no greater feeling of relief when you completely surrender your life, together unified as a family and just let God take on all your worries. God provides! – He’s proved He’s trustworthy! He says for us to count up the cost to give it all up! 

On April 6, 2023 we finally arrived on the big Island of Kona. Upon arrival on campus, we were greeted with raucous cheers and horns blowing, open arms, warm smiles and everyone was so excited and ready to help us get situated with our apartment, passports, medical paperwork, ID badges and the scheduling of welcoming day events. It was very reminiscent of day one of Rowan University orientation so many years ago when I became a college student. 

Our Crossroads DTS class consisted of people from all over the World: Norway, Australia, India, Iraq, USA, and S. Korea, to name a few. Some people were very successful in their careers as well. We had people who held career titles as Doctors, Pastors, Teachers, Engineers, Marines, Professional Soccer Player, Nurse, Chef, Lawyers, Fashion Designer, Accountants and Entrepreneurs.

 Most people held no career titles at all and some were just lost souls trying to figure it all out. Others lived a full and complete life already. The Fire and Fragrance DTS were a group of radical young men and women so full of life and on fire for Jesus they were willing to go to the farthest and hardest ends of the earth to preach the gospel. They were so amazing and brought life to the campus. They were just a delight to walk this walk alongside with. We all ended up here together, laying down our lives to answer the call of God. 

 What would happen over the next three months during our lecture phase was completely different from the way we had imagined it in our minds. Which was simply a journey to learn more about the Bible. When actually it was more like open heart surgery for all of us together. One of our classmates coined this term so perfectly. We all received an abundance of Healing physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally from childhood wounds and other traumatic experiences from our past. 

 We learned the nature and character of God and how to hear God’s voice. We learned what the Kingdom Culture looks and feels like. We learned how to live a fully committed surrendered life with God first in all that we do. We restored the foundations of each of our lives  through full repentance to God breaking off every curse we came into agreement with, Generational curses,  sins,  and soul ties by the acknowledgment of it all. We learned  how to walk in the freedom, authority, and identity that God divinely planned for us as part of our original design. We learned how to serve and do all things for the Glory of God.  A few of my favorite things on campus were our Ohana worship with all of the other schools together, listening to powerful speakers and talented musicians.

 God has a funny way of getting us back for our cynical thoughts because I got picked to be the cafeteria lady serving food for my work duty on campus… lol! (To get this joke read part 1) Everyone has to volunteer and do work duty on campus while studying. It’s a part of the kindness culture here having a servant heart like Christ.

 Our children went to Foundation school and they were learning the same topics we were learning but in their respective age groups. It was an absolutely incredible experience for them. They did prophetic art stations, cleaned up beaches, prayed for healing to all the students on campus. They learned how to evangelize and preach the Gospel, how to pray for people, sing and Worship God. They learned all of the books of the Bible and all the fruits of the Spirit and how to walk in their gifts and purpose and so much more. I am so delighted in the spiritual growth of my children and how they have matured from knowing literally nothing about God or Jesus to having a strong foundation deeply established. We made right what we were doing wrong.

 They went from being entitled and privileged with a side of brattiness. To humbled young servants of God. By serving, learning respect, gratitude, and learning how to pray for others. They too are on fire for God and walk in boldness. They know who they are and whose they are.  They were taught resilience and grit to deal with the pressures of this world that we as parents who grew up hard can’t teach by telling our kids but more effectively by showing them.  They went from only knowing a rote bedtime or food prayer to understanding their purpose, identity and their inheritance. 

I immediately sensed that this place was surreal and very special, it was like we came to the “Land of Kindness”. Everyone was warm, encouraging, prayer was the common language and everyone delighted you with engaging conversations. The most common question everyone asked was “How did you get here”?  Because getting to this point in all of our lives and all of us being at this place, at the same time and for such a time as this. It would require so much faith, trust, courage, boldness, and radical obedience to God calling us out of the darkness we carelessly lived in. 

What is God calling you out of? 

God is calling you out of your delirious version of “Happiness” He’s calling you out of your “good people” sins, your highlight reel life that’s not as glamorous as it appears to be. Out of your depressed lives filled with anxiety and tremors. God is calling you out of your lives that lacks peace for your troubled souls, your suicidal thought lives, your traumatic childhoods, your horrible pasts that you hold in dark secrecy. God is calling you out of your hopeless lives filled with shame, guilt, laziness, greed, vanity, pride, lust, and promiscuity. God is calling you out of your mundane overworked, underpaid lives. Out of your heavy burdened lives that lack passion or purpose. God is calling you out of your bereaved and grief stricken lives. God calling you out of your idol worship and occult practices, and false religions. God is calling you out of your mental prison. Out of your homosexual Immorality. God is calling you out of your infidelities and adulterous ways. God is calling out of your addictive unhealthy lives to sex, porn, alcohol, drugs and every other unnamed wickedness people indulge themselves in. God is calling you out of poverty. God is calling you out of your unbelief in Him, His Word, His only begotten son Yeshua, your savior. God is calling you out of your own foolish pride, your own willful ignorance. Your confused mindset of always seeking knowledge but never finding the understanding of what is the real truth that you can rest on for sure. Are you listening? 

Everyone here on this campus has their own unique story and has in some way, shape or form begun their surrendered faith walk to their journey of redemption! In the Kingdom Culture by walking in our God given freedom and being completely healed! Our hearts were made whole with a new life in Christ with a true relationship with God through Jesus! 

It is written: 

Now this is what the LORD says — the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine.

If you feel like God is calling you out by your name will you be bold and give him your life? Believe and Accept Jesus Christ Today! 

May I suggest a prayer like this one:

“Dear God,

 I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Jesus to come into my life and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him. I want to make Jesus Lord of my life from this day forward. 

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

If you are already a believer and you haven’t fully surrendered your life to Jesus will you consider rededicating your life completely surrendered full on yielding to God’s will? 

May I suggest a heartfelt prayer like this: 

Dear God, 

I thank you for all that you are, and all that you do for me through your son Jesus Christ. I thank you for my life and for your mercy. In Jesus’ name, Father, I place myself entirely in your hands.

I surrender to you my whole self, my heart, my mind, my soul, my imagination, my will, my emotions, my passions and my personal ambitions, my body, my identity, my sexuality, my desire for human approval, my weaknesses, my desires, my sins. I surrender every person in my life to you. I surrender every situation in my life to you. I surrender every relationship I am in to you. I surrender every concern I have to you. I surrender every fear I have to you.

I surrender every doubt I have to you. I surrender all confusion I have to you. I surrender all sadness I am experiencing in my heart to you. I surrender all my wounds to you. I surrender all anxiety and worry I have to you, I surrender all that deceives me in my heart to you. I trust you to care for me and others in a perfectly loving way.

As I have emptied myself, and surrendered everything to you, I ask you now, Father, to fill me with your Holy Spirit and all the gifts and fruits of your Spirit. Holy Spirit you are the source of love, hope, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, tenderness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Purify my desires. Help me to open my heart to you. Help me to become perfectly receptive as a pure child. Help me to believe in your love for me. Help me to hope in your love. Help me to receive the love of Jesus. Please help me to be as you are, a good disciple, an obedient servant, a true child of God. I ask this in the Name of Jesus 

Amen

I personally pray that God meets you wherever you are in your life and softens your heart  and  allows your ears to hear the truth of his word. May you be spiritually enlightened and inspired to do the Lord’s will. His way is always better!

 In Jesus name,

Amen

Please be sure to read part 4 to hear the rest of our amazing adventure with God. Subscribe to get notified. For more pictures click the IG link to follow. Look in the stories or Highlights section for the correlating pics and videos to go with each part of the story Thank you!

Salt & Light

Aurelia🤍

Look at God! He is so Awesome!