Ontario Women (Priceless in My Life!)

These are the women of the Ontario House. They are beautiful and incredible and full of diverse beauty and personality! They make my world a better place and my life wouldn't be the same without them. This year has been an unusual year for these girls. Everyone experiences something unique here. This house has been dedicated to the Lord and His purposes. Over 40 different women have lived here in the last 5 years. They are incredible women and completely diverse. A powerhouse of love and living! The Lord has often brought women to this house for community in times of transition, discipleship, and healing. This house is a haven of rest and a place where God can have His way during a season of life. This house has been set apart for the Lord. These girls have been set apart for the Lord. And whatever storms in life may come their way, I know that they have a GOD who loves them and provides for them and longs to shelter them from the storm.

So I say to you women of God in this house: Fall into the arms of grace. Let Jesus hold you during the wind and the waves and the swirl of chaos. You are in His shelter. You are safe within His arms--like the disciples in the boat on the Sea of Galilee during the storm. Jesus is with you. You are safe in the shelter of His love.

I love you and am so glad to have you in my life.

Rebecca, you have been an incredible spark of life to me! You are a firecracker. Feisty. Ready to show the world what you're made of. God is building a great foundation in you. You know you inspire me. Its like you want to turn the world inside out and yourself inside out--so people can see the real you and love you for who you really are! I love this! I never have to wonder if you're telling me what you really think (for the most part)! I have saved your feisty messages and texts b/c I enjoy the way you live life with a punch everyday! Keep being who you are. Let God change you on the inside, but don't ever lose the edge and sword that you hold in your hands. Your words are powerful. You have the ability to cut with your sword beyond the crap and get to the real deal of whats going on! Do not stop! Your mouth is anointed. I saw the fire of God on you the FIRST time I met you and I knew you were set apart for God's purposes! He won't ever let you go! Keep going forward! Don't ever let Him go! ;-)

Hope, you are a beauty of the deep. You have more capacity for containing the deep than almost anyone I've ever met. God has created deep places in you. Draw from them. As He fills you, I know that songs of hope will be rising out of you. You have deeper places in you than almost anyone I've ever met. I bless your prayers, your honesty, your cries, and your tears. I bless them and pray that Jesus will multiply His honesty, healing, realness, and tears on your behalf. That you can be one with Him in this and experience what you are going through together. You are a gifted woman with some POWERFUL gifts. This may attract strategies against you, but GOD IS FOR YOU. You are more than a conqueror. And to you I am instilling this hope through the Holy Spirit! If God is for you, then who can be against you. You will rise to the top once again dear one. The cream ALWAYS rises to the top! I pray that hope arise within you!

Alexandra, you are a gem who has been cleaned and polished by God this year. He is never through, but I see His clearness and His brightness in you. You have blessed me so much. I can see that you are a different woman now than when I met you and your light continues to grow clearer and brighter. You have encouraged me so much this week and I am continually glowing to see what (and who) else we have in common! It is a fun story that is only starting to unfold! ;-)

And Julie, you are technically not a roommate--so how did you get involved in this little house of women anyway?!!! It was SOOOO GOD who brought you into our lives and into this little house! You are not an official roommate, but you are a roommate by the insistent hand of God. He knew we needed you in our lives! I am so glad you are around and so glad that this house is extra blessed because of your presence and love! We love you and I totally consider you a part--while extended! We know God has brought you into our lives for reasons beyond us and totally ALL about HIM! We are so much the richer for getting to experience the full you! The world is your stage! Dance, dance! We know you're a rock star!

Ladies, thank you for adding to my life and the lives of each other. Thank you for being real, being true to who you are. Thank you for being willing to be in each others' lives. Thank you for making my world a better place, for taking care of God's house on Ontario Ave., and for searching for hope in God when we know that this world can be a very dreary and difficult place.

Remember this: God is FOR you! And I am FOR you! I love you with all my heart! I fight for you in the place of prayer and I hope that we will continue to grow deeper in relationship for the rest of our lives!!

LOVE!!!