I am happy

I am so happy. For the longest time it was hard for me to say that and truly mean it. In away it was not real important to me that I was not able to say that because I knew that being happy is not the most important thing in this life. If a person is happy and going to hell - I would rather spend the rest of my life miserable, but knowing that in the end I will enter into the gates of heaven. However, God is so good to those that He loves that sometimes he blesses us so much in this place also. UNSPEAKABLE JOY!

God is Good!

It is early Thursday morning; In fact it is a few minutes past midnight. Today I have prayer at 6am. I am thinking about staying up all night. There are several things that I really want and need to take care of. Life lately has been turning out to be real interesting. Sometimes a little complicated, but it the end - as long as we are trusting the Lord, He will cause all things to work in our favor.

Beloved - keep trusting me - I am am going to make everything that concerns you perfect. Perfection!

There is something that I wanted to share on this post. It is about the lead song that I have on my playlist at the bottom of this blog. I saw and listened to Lincoln Brewster play this song in Georgia, USA, about a year and a half ago. During that song while Lincoln played, the Lord asked me to surrender the one thing that I was unwilling to surrender. A year and a half later I can say that I have done what He asked me to do, and my life could be perhaps the brightest I have ever seen it. The Lord truly knows what is best, but sometimes what we think is best for us is not what the Lord thinks is best. Then comes our part - Do we rebel or do we trust him? The choice is ours, but there is one thing that I can tell you from my own personal experience - God does not make mistakes. If He asks you to do something that does not look good, you can trust He knows what is best and will honor you for your obedience.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

Merry Christmas!

So it is Christmas - So let it be merry! Tonight was interesting and for the sake of all those involved I will not share very many details. However to tell you the truth - I wanted to point out two things. I got a prank phone call from someone messing with me on my cell phone. I don't want to describe what they said; because, I did not like it. It came up on my cell phone as an unknown number. Then a couple hours later someone called my cell phone with an unknown number, but this time they hung up when I answered. To tell you the truth I do not like this at all, and I inquired of the Lord about it. Harassment it is what the Lord showed me it to be. I don't know who it is or was, but they shall pay a dear price for it. The bible says that you reap what you sow, and certainly if they do not repent of their actions they shall suffer dearly for them.

To all my family, friends, acquaintances and Internet surfers - May you have a blessed day today and enjoy the day that the world celebrates when the Eternal Lamb of God came in the form of a man that we call JESUS CHRIST. Happy Birthday Jesus!

Another Level

It is Christmas Eve and I think that I am doing okay. I think that the only thing that I am lacking right now are gifts for the ones that I love. I am planing on going to dinner right now with my sister and some friends, and I think that now would have been the time to get the gifts. I was just so focused on getting through this week with work, here at the mission, that I did not guess correctly how difficult it would be to get gifts the closer Christmas came. I think that this could be a lesson to not take the time around Christmas so loosely. I just want to post this real quick, and maybe edit it later when I get a chance. Merry Christmas Eve!

I am alive!

I am alive! I wanted to name this post that because this week has been very challenging and finally it is basically over. We went into the schools to deliver gifts to children. I actually find it kind of amusing because I felt like Santa Clause. I don't understand it because I am totally against leading people to believe in him. However, we just went in with bags and bags of toys. I mean it was fun, even if I was not able to persuade any adults or kids that I was not one of Santa's helpers. It was funny, but I think that what really sticks out to me are how some of the kids treated us. I can still see little faces and brief moments where the Lord Himself repaid us for our work.

For example, at the last school there was one little boy that stuck out to me. He was wearing a t-shirt that said, "My grandparents don't spoil me, they are just very accommodating." This little boy, in particular, ended up shaking my hand as his way of saying thanks - without anyone telling him to do it. He could not have been older that 4 years old.

Another example of being repaid by the Lord for this kind of work happened yesterday. We where actually delivering toys and food to a family in Newark who lost everything when their house burnt down. After we had dropped everything off and where all in the van ready to go, one of the little boys shouted out from the door post, with a big smile, "Thank you!"

I think what makes moments like these great are that no one forced them to show their gratefulness. They where just genuinely grateful, and it showed, which is how I think that we are supposed to be toward the Lord.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. Psalms 100:4

Well the schools are over, but the Christmas season is not. Tomorrow I am planning to go over to World Impact with Tilly's Teens. However this will be in the evening which will give me the first morning off since last Friday. I am glad about that as there are a couple of things that I need to take care of.

Saturday will be our neighborhood Christmas Luncheon. That should be a little hectic, but since it is an isolated day it should not be very difficult.

Sunday will be the "Christmas Day Sunday". Then Monday Christmas Eve and Tuesday Christmas Day. Christmas is here if you ask me. Do I need to get any presents for anyone? If I do, I do not have a lot of time left.

Christmas Day I am planing on going ice skating with a handful of friends. That should be a good day. Then of course New Years Eve will have arrived and I will be off to Southern California for two weeks. Hum, it looks like life should be pretty interesting for awhile. Now I just wonder what I will do when I will get back from California. What adventures await me as I seek to fulfill God's perfect will and plan for my life??? Only time shall tell...

A Moment of Doubt

Why am I naming the title of this post, "A moment of doubt"? Maybe because I am questioning what the Lord has planned for me. What is it my King? What are Your plans?

Beloved there are times in this life you may not be able to see the great plans that I have for your life.

I am reminded of that book, "Hinds feet in High Places". I loved that book, and I am reminded of how our vision of what God has planned for us can sometimes be blocked; just like how the clouds in the sky block our view of the sun. The truth is that the sun has not gone anywhere, but the clouds make it appear as if it is gone. However the sun is still shining bright behind the clouds, just like how what God has planned for us can look as if it is gone, but it is just an illusion. Truly the Lord has great plans, but it is just a little cloudy out so we can't see them. Do real clouds eventually go away? Absolutely. So the the question then becomes, will the clouds in our lives eventually go away to show the glorious plans that God has for all of us. I believe it... It is going to get better...

My Rights

I do not know why I am naming the title of this post, "My Rights," but the Lord knows. I am at a point in my life that everything is being tested in me to the most extreem of all tests. It is like a fire is blowing on my heart and it will not let up. But God. He is my achor. I am looking at Him and saying, "whatever it takes for your will to be done in my life, so be it, for I know you know what is best."

The Refiner's fire

Today was a day of refining. As gold is tried in the fire and purified, so was I. I am pure as the finest gold or at least I am in the process of getting there. It is not an easy process and to tell you the truth, I do not think I would have taken this path had I a choice. I do believe that it was the Lord who loves me so much that he chose to lead me this way. Perhaps I guess we always have a choice. However, the other choice that I had today would lead me down a road I was not willing to walk down; because, it was the wrong way.

Beloved, a new day is coming. A bright day. Things look bleak at the moment, but that is all about to change. A change is going to take place. A good change that has been anticipated for while with great joy...

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Isaiah 1: 19

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalms 51:10

Victory!.. Victory!.. Victory!..

There are times in our life when it looks like nothing is ever going to make sense again, but then there are times that we can see for miles and miles and it as if nothing could ever disturb our peace. I remember about 9 years ago I visited the campus of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I was not walking very close with the Lord at the time even though I may have thought I was. I remember talking with a friend and watching how free some of the students where there. I mean people doing their own thing just so free and full of life. I envied them. I even remember two girls walking and one shouting out "Victory!" every 20 seconds. Well here I am 1500 miles away shouting out the same thing, but I am doing it in a virtual world which expands the globe. "Victory!" A handful of students may have heard her shout out "Victory!" However, I wish the world would hear my cry of victory, for truly I have obtained it through Jesus Chirst. Victory!

Suddenly... Hope

God is so good. I have been looking for something for such a long time, and I think that I have finially found it. I don't know for sure yet, but it is like because of this I can see that truely God loves me and has a great plans for me. I mean I always thought He did, but because of this it is as if I can see it with my own eyes... Good things are on their way.

Friday Night

So it is Friday night here in the city of Newark, NJ. Tonight was interesting. I just got back from driving home about ten of Tilly's Teens, which is a new ministry here at the mission geared toward younger teenagers. Anyway you know that thing about teenagers being wild, well it's true. I think out of the ten of them, two of them where very quite and well behaved. The other ten had me eating skittles and cookies to ease the stress. I know that is a very bad way to deal with stress, but I was more concerned about keeping my sanity.

Tomorrow I am to go up with Tilly's Kids to a Christmas party. Pass-it-along has ordered a bus for us and should we should be leaving the mission around 11PM for our destination.

I am not sure if I want to have kids anymore, for I am around so many these days.

Tomorrow night is the young adults Christmas party. I am sure I will be nice and ready for that one.

Podcasting is proving to be pretty tricky. I don't know why either. I have found about 10 places to help me with it. I think that maybe this last site I may be able to accomplish my mission to be a podcaster. Time shall tell.

Jesus is so Awesome! I love him so much! I can't wait till we meet face to face. Face to face my Lord. My King, my Saviour, my everything. My Jesus.

Podcasting

This is an attempt to figure out how to podcast. Here we go!!!

Pastor Samuel Giresi - The Bride of Christ - Part 9

Eternal Life

I preached my first real sermon today here at the House of Mercy Mission and entitled it Eternal Life. In Act 20:35 the Word says it is more blessed to give than to receive, and so it was so this experience for me. To listen you can click the "Eternal Life" link I posted above. Please feel free in sharing that word in anyway the Lord moves you. Be Bless!

In Christ,
Timothy Shields

Burger King

Ha Ha, I am naming the title of this post Burger King. I am almost even laughing while I am writing this. I was just recently at Burger King in Maplewood, NJ, minding my own business for lunch/ dinner.


View Larger Map

Something very peculiar happened there, but before I expound on that I want to explain a few things.

Earlier today I was surfing the web and went to this website www.informationgiants.com. The president of this company is a good friend of mine (John Giresi) and is also the son of Pastor Sam Giresi here at the House of Mercy Mission. I actually posted one of John's messages entitled The Armor. I posted that message on this blog a few days ago.

Anyway I was reading something on Information Giants that stuck out to me and made me think. It was more like a question; "If you could not fail what would you do?" The funny part about this whole thing is that I answered that question in Burger King. I answered it with; "I would delight myself in the Lord." With that answer I could not loose, for the bible says that if you delight yourself in the Lord he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4

A blessing came almost immediately, right there in Burger King, after I had answered that question. I do not want to explain the blessing any further, but it was one of those, "Wow Lord, you are great!" moments...

Greetings to you Michael and Yasmin if you are reading this, and to all else may the Lord bless you!

Timothy Shields

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. Ecclesiastes 7:12

One world?

I thought this video was very interesting. Could a one world government be closer than we think?

I feel your pain

I feel your pain; all you who are suffering and hurt inside, for I have felt the very depths of despair and the very height of heaven itself. I can even hear God's whisper to those he loves. He whispers, "Beloved, my child, unto you my ears are turned. Beloved, I am calling your name, for I have en-graven it on the palms of my hand. I love you my dear, sweet, child and would do nothing to hurt you."

I don't know what it is, but I feel like I have wandered into the valley of the shadow of death. Yet the word says I am to fear no evil, for the Lord's rod and staff comfort me.

It makes me wonder how I have time for all this drama. My list of things to do is so long that I don't even know where to start. Yet I find myself typing, blogging only because that is what I want to do.

Tomorrow is Wednesday and it is the day that I am to catch up with everything I am supposed to be doing. Thursday I am sure will be very busy at the mission. All day from 6am to 5pm. 11 Hours... scary thought! Of course it will not be like I will be doing hard labor... much... Just kidding. I find that the busier that I am on those days, the quicker they go anyway. So much to do!

You know what I love? When I find people who I really like. It is funny because they never turn out to be who I think they are going to be. They always turn out to be people who seem the most different from me. Then I have to say, "wow Lord, thank you for this person who is/ was such a blessing in my life. I would have chosen someone else to bless me, but you have chosen that certain person, and all I can do is give You the glory.

My brother Peter almost had a layover here in Newark today, but he had a change of plans with his plane, as he is flying out to California. He was actually the last person I expected to see out there when I go for the first two weeks in January.

The young adults are having a Christmas party over at Jamie and Nina's house this Saturday evening. I am expecting to have a blast over there.

I think that next week is going to be totally insane here at the House of Mercy Mission. We are planning to go into the local Newark schools and give out Christmas presents all week. In away we will be preaching the Gospel in the public school system; something that seems to rarely be be done these days. It is funny to me too because no one can stop us either. It is almost like the Lord is saying that we can go into the schools and do this, and that makes me just feel like saying, "ha ha" to the devil. So excuse me one second while I do this.

Ha Ha devil! You have lost the Newark public school system to the Lord!

Okay, back to my normal readers. My finial note; I did not get much sleep last night, so perhaps I should try to make up for that tonight.

Thank you for reading my blog and God bless you!

Timothy Shields

A strange little flow

I was just amused at how you find things of interest on the Internet. For example, how did I find this video that I am about to post? I found the video entertaining, but also amusing as to how I found it. I was reading a friend's blog on blogger "Garret's Wonderful Blog." As I was doing that I read someones comments on Garret's Blog, John Creasy's Comments. I then began to read one of John's posts in which he talked about a friend of his winning a contest when he borrowed John's guitar. John linked to the site "Video Contest" showing the the contest and the video itself that won the contest. Of course the video I posted above is the video I found there.

Crucified!

Today was one of those days that I asked, "why me?" I am speaking of the part from around 3pm to 6:30pm. I went up with Tilly's Kids to Sparta, NJ, today. One of the activities involved was making gingerbread houses. I think that I started to get a sick feeling when we had to figure out away to get about 20 gingerbread houses on Styrofoam plates on a school bus, without making a mess. In the end we did make a mess, but it was inside a large cardboard box. My second wave of panic started to hit me as I was driving home some of the kids in the church van, and realized I would not be able to make a 6pm engagement. I had to postpone until 6:30pm and even then I was over 5 minutes late.

There is something weird that keeps happening to me. I keep seeing this homeless guy around, but he he always acts like my friend. The more friendlier you are to him the more he feels comfortable asking you for a dollar or two. I was in Starbucks and I knew that there was no escape from him. A funny thing happened though. I ordered the wrong drink and the Lord told me to give it to him. I ordered a Chi tea, but I really wanted a Chi Latte. So I was like no, I can't just give him a drink like that, but then I thought, why not? He says he is homeless and acts like my friend. For that reason I am going to give it to him, and so I did. He asked me, "What is this?

I said, "Drink it and find out."

There where a few people who saw that interaction, and immediately he got up to ask me for something else and I said, "No."

He began to ask me again for something, and I said, "no" again, but also added that that is what the Lord told me to give him. "The Lord just told me to give you that, and nothing else," I said to him. That is when he stopped anymore efforts to get anything else, and he even chuckled a little. I thought that it was interesting the effects of speaking my mind had on him... It pacified him.

I am so tired. I got up around 7:45am to go and pick up the donut containers at Dunkin Donuts, for our noon day service here at the House of Mercy Mission. I guess that would not have been that bad, but I have had a fickle habit lately of staying up late the night I am supposed to work. I was doing a lot of things, but the last thing I was trying to do before I went to bed was get a message preached here, from awhile ago, online. That attempt actually failed... I am just so tired right now that I just need to lay down for a bit...

California Dreaming

It looks like I am going to be flying out to Carlsbad, California, for the first two weeks of January. $430, Yikes! However, it is more important to be obedient to God than to worry about how much a plane ticket costs, right? I think what I am most excited about is that I will be flying into and out of Polomar Airport in Carlsbad. I love this airport as it is very small and cozy. The only draw back is that I have to change planes at LAX. Still, for the same price, I would rather do what I have done rather than take a non-stop flight to SAN.

My You Tube Video

I am not sure if I would prefer a You Tube video of this video, or stay with the Blogger video. I guess what I will do it both if my You Tube video will Imbed.

Me in West Side Park, Newark, NJ, and My Sister Elizabeth's Birthday

Hi Liz, Happy birthday! Love ya sis!

Check out these links to a few pictures in your honor:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6340105

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6340104

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/6340097

Daily picture

Today's picture comes from Jersey City, NJ, in its infamous Journal Square. Apparently there was a false bomb scare.

Todays noon day message

Okay, I guess once you have you have it, huh? I just wanted to post John's message from today at noon day service. John Giresi - Thursday December 6, 2007 - How to Help You Study the Word of God.

Success at last!

Okay, I am so excited because I just posted Pastor Sam's message from Sunday. I have been looking for a free place to post audio, but felt like I hit a brick wall recently. Here we go, check this out! Pastor Samuel Giresi - Sunday December 2, 2007 - The Bride of Christ -Part 9

All things are working together for my good...

Pictures from Thanksgiving in Illinois


(My Robinson nephews and me)



(My grandmother and me)


Brian and Claudia (my brother-in-law and sister)


Jon and Liz (another brother-in-law and sister picture)


Wait, how did that get in here? Oh ya, that is my Newark picture of the day. Apparently there was some sort of stand off between Newark police and a gunman.
In other NJ news, apparently the Feds busted a two million dollar drug dealing ring.


Warning: I originally just posted the article below, but then decided to spice the post up with all of the above.

It is 10 past 1am and here I find myself writing. I can hear police sirens in the background or perhaps it was the sound of an ambulance. For the most part it seems to be a quite night. It is cold out here in Newark, NJ. My weather bug says 26 degrees, but I am sure with the wind chill it is a lot colder. I feel sorry for the homeless right now. I can not even begin to imagine what it must feel like to be trying to sleep in an abandoned building or something.

I am not real sure if I am going to be going to bed tonight. I would have to be up at 5:30am anyway for 6am prayer. I slept past noon today anyway today so I figure an all nighter should not be to difficult. The bible says that all things work together for good for them that love God. All things. Romans 8:28 I suppose that I will just have to cling to that verse right now. I went over to Barns and Nobles earlier tonight, I guess just to get out. It was very interesting as I met two fellows; Mike and Hector. It is a long story, but I always go there and I never meet anyone there. They both seemed pretty cool and Hector even showed me James 1:2. Then just a short while ago I came across that verse again. This time on another blogger's blog. IN HIM OUR HEARTS REJOICE If you go down to her Nov. 5th post you can see that verse.

This month of December is going to be so busy here at the House of Mercy Mission. With so much to do here I do not know how I managed to sleep past noon. I love to sleep in on my days off. I think I love doing that a little to much. It is funny though because if I could do trucking work on my days off I would. As much as I hate waking up early I definitely can do it. Especially if I am well paid for it. In fact I find it easy to wake up early when I am planning on it and have something to do. Most of the time it is easy. Unless of course I only got a couple hours of sleep. Now that I hate.

Dad, Mom I love you! I miss you! Hopefully I will be able to take a trip out to Southern California to visit you guys. I would love to get out of Jersey and into that warm Cali sun especially this time of year. California here I come! Maybe. Only if I can sleep in...

Newark Riots Link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkFu5OBXAIE

I was trying to embed this video, but the host of this You Tube video disabled that option. Nonetheless I found it to be pretty interesting.

It is 4AM and my brain feels funny

Okay, so it is 4am right now, and I am so burned out from surfing this web. I did not mean to stay up this late. Lets see, I got to start picking up the donut containers by 8am. Wait never-mind, false alarm. For some reason I was thinking it was Thursday or Saturday. Okay, I still have to get up around 8am. 9am is prayer. 9 to 10am. Does anyone have any prayer requests? Anyone, going once, going twice, sold to the man in the blue hat. Just kidding. As you can tell, I have reached the "lame joke" hour. Seriously though folks, if you have any prayer requests, feel free to drop them in the comment box. I know I have a whole shoe box full of them. I am constantly praying for the state of this city. Praying for salvation for the drug dealers, drug addicts, prostitutes, pimps, homeless, crips, bloods, the list goes on and on. Praying for the safety for the police, firefighters, the mayor and all those in authority. Even the president of the United States of America. I am just praying that God would lead this man. I know that no one likes him anymore, but he is still our president and needs the prayers of the saints. I am praying for Israel and peace to be in Jerusalem, as the word of God says that those who love "her" shall prosper. Psalm 122:6 Who does not want to prosper? Than pray for the peace of Jerusalem! I am also constantly praying for the sick in the body of Christ. For those who suffer for Jesus' name, for just being a Christian. Here in America we don't get a lot of persecution, but in other parts of the world, forget about. Persecution is off the hook!
Okay, I got to go! I feel like my head is being persecuted. Ouch!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

I fell in love with this video the moment I understood the meaning behind it. Enjoy!