When Maples Bars Becomes Miracles ...

Yesterday was quite an amazing day.  I preached Sunday morning at a church I had never been too and the presence of Jesus was so sweet and many of us wept as His presence gently moved throughout the service.  After service I wanted to bring my Dad some donuts, simply to bless him.  My Dad loves donuts, but because all us girls, including my mom, are always eating healthy he rarely gets them.  But, yesterday I just wanted to surprise my Dad with something he would love.  Freshly made donuts.  I tried one donut shop and it was closed.  Tried a second one and it was open!  Yes! As I approached the glass case where all the donuts were, I observed there wasn't a huge selection, but what was there looked good.  I thought to myself, "Just get a few - you don't need a lot."  So, I got some of our favorites 2) Buttermilk glazed and 2) old fashioned one plain and one with maple ... I hemmed and hawed over whether to get Maple Bars too, but over a long deliberation I decided 4 donuts were enough and I would just get maple bars another time.  The woman pulls my 2 buttermilk glazed donuts aside and places them in a white pastry box and then adds 1 plain old fashioned and 1 old fashioned with maple frosting.  She then places the box, with the lid open, on the counter.  I look in the box and there laid the 4 donuts I had chosen. The 2 buttermilk donuts cost $1.90 and the 2 old fashioned donuts cost $1.50 totaling $3.40.  As I walk to my car I am excited to present my Dad with a fun little surprise!  As I drive home I wonder if I had made the right decision in bringing home donuts, as none of us really should be eating donuts, but decide I made the right decision.  I walk into the house and find my Dad sitting on the couch reading the Sunday paper.  Upon requesting his attention, I whip out the white pastry box and I begin my spiel about how I just wanted to bless him, simply because I know he loves donuts and doesn't get them much.  So I thought it would be fun to surprise him freshly made donuts!  He was elated! 

Then, I opened the box.

And there I see 2 large Maple Bars laying on top of my 4 donuts.  I'm speechless.  I'm replaying the events in my head.  I only ordered 4 donuts.  I only paid for 4 donuts.  I saw her put the 4 donuts in the box.  With my own eyes, I saw only 4 donuts in the box before she closed the lid.  I'm sure there were only 4 donuts in that box when I left the donut shop that morning.  And now there were 6.  There they were, two, perfectly placed, Maple Bars on top of my donuts.  They were huge.  I couldn't have missed them.  With wide eyes I looked up to my Dad, who is watching this whole moment unfold, and I say, "God, gave us 2 Maple Bars."  I tell the whole story to my Dad and we both just sit there looking at each other.   As I am telling my Dad the story I hear the Lord say to me, "You just wanted to bless your Father and your Father just wanted to bless you."  


The Lord did this creative miracle simply to show me He blesses just because He can and He loves to do it.  It brings Him pleasure to bless His kids.  When I was at the donut shop I had almost selected the Maple Bars, knowing they are one of my Dad's favorites, but had thought I had enough.  But, then God comes in and gives me 2 huge Maple Bars simply because He knows they are a favorite and we would enjoy them.  There doesn't have to be reason for the blessing and it doesn't even have to be for anyone else to understand or make sense of.   The bottom line is our Father loves to pour out blessing on His kids and He knows our favorites.   

I tell you what, it rocked me.  It rocked me that He gave us 2 Maple Bars just because He loves to bless us.  It just showed me He can give even when it hasn't been asked for and 'maple bars' can be created in a moment.   

As we revelled in the miracle we just experienced, with donuts in hand, we sat back and unanimously  agreed ... "These are by far the best donuts we have ever had."  

RUMBLING & SHAKING

Joel C. Rosenburg stated in his blog a few days ago ... 

"In the last few weeks, the U.S. stock markets have tanked. Americans have lost more than $2.3 trillion in personal wealth. Our economy has nearly stalled. Some 14 million Americans are out of work. We may be facing a double-dip recession. Our debt is exploding. And Washington is nearly paralyzed with partisan gridlock, even as Iran is building nuclear weapons, Syria and Libya are slaughtering thousands, Egypt has imploded, and Israel is increasingly threatened. Put it simply: Storm clouds are gathering. The winds are picking up. The tectonic plates beneath us are shifting. America is being shaken. Israel and the Middle East are being shaken. The Church is being shaken. Why? Where are we headed? What is God doing? And what is He asking followers of Jesus Christ to do?"  

We all woke up this morning to the current uprising happening in Libya. Tripoli Square has been over taken by rebels and the people chant FREEDOM!  More than ever, we have felt the rumblings and shaking of government structures and economic systems.  Systems that once seemed so strong are now dangling on delicate threads threatening to break at any moment.  Never in history have we faced what we are facing today. 

I think many of you would agree there is a hunger in people we have not seen before.  As the unrest becomes more apparent so does people’s hunger.  I am convinced, the more the fragile the world becomes the more people’s hearts become awakened to God. I would rather of course have people’s awakening come without the crisis, but my prayer has and always will be, “whatever it takes”.  No way, am I pointing a finger or would even attempt to blame current world events on God.  No, this is the power of free will at it’s finest.  But, I do believe that God can and will use ALL THINGS FOR GOOD.  So, when things get bad, I look for the good.  Honestly, everywhere I go right now the Lord is bringing people into my path that need an encounter with Him and His love.  I can feel the pursuit of the Father over His sons and daughters and the flow of releasing His heart over people has never been so easy.  People are more open right now than I’ve ever experienced.  Again and again, with tears streaming down their faces people share with me how they have been praying, for the first time in years, asking God if He is real to reveal Himself.  Then here comes the kindness of the Father showing them how much He loves them, speaking to them on such personal levels, things only He would know.  As they share, my tears flow freely too. 

One of my favorite encounters happened two weeks ago. I was on one of my many flights and as the flight began to prepare for take off I begin to do my usual routine.  I got out my head- phones, the book I was reading and just as I was opening up my book the Lord said to me, "Close the book and start a conversation with the girl next to you".  As I did this, I looked at this beautiful, free spirited young woman sitting next to me.  She was in her early twenties with hair in dread-locks and she carried this essence of adventure about her.  Just as she was about to put in her headphones I asked her the classic travel question, “So, are you coming or going?”  This simple question led into us talking the entire flight about the Lord.  She, being a new Christian, was on her way to spend a week with her sister and take some time to figure out ‘what in the world did she want to do with her life’.  And here I sat next to her.  What a gift I was being given.  As she and I shared our hearts I began to hear the Lord speak things over her.  Things the Lord was calling her to and how He wired her and the way she approached things was of His design.  In the natural flow of conversation I began to share with her what the Lord had showed me about her.  With tears in her eyes she said what I had just shared were the answers to the things she had just been praying about. I know, right there on that plane, this girl fully searching for her purpose, just encountered God.  Her life can never be the same.  When we are led by His spirit the course of one’s history can be changed.   I know on that day, this young girl’s life was being re-written by Him. 

So, I say let the world shake! Let the rumblings take place!  Hearts are being opened and you and I are alive for this time, for this place!  Open your eyes and look around you and share His heart! People are hungry and people are searching and we have the answer.  JESUS.  In all this instability people are looking for security.  The only security we have is Jesus Christ.  Share that with someone today.   

Welcome to CHAMBER!

Welcome to CHAMBER!


This is going to be my blog about my life and all its crazy twists and turns!  I am convinced that following Jesus is the greatest adventure one can embark upon ... I wanted this blog to be a place where I could invite family and friends to read about my journey and know what in the world I am doing and where in the world I am at :) !  I hope this turns out to be something you enjoy reading and connects you a bit better with the journey the Lord has me on.   I've never had a blog and this week I started two!  One with two friends of mine for a little furniture business we started called '503 Couture' and now 'Chamber', my own personal blog.  Who knows what I'll do next! 


As many of you know two weeks ago I attended Jesus Culture Chicago and I was incredibly impacted by what Jesus poured out.  Reinhard Bonnke spoke one session and it was one of those moments where I walked away never the same.  Since that session, the Lord begin to download a word to me about the Generations and the importance of each age group.  This past Sunday I had the privilege of releasing this word to Garden Valley Christian Assembly.  As soon as it's available online, I will post the link so you are able to listen to it.  God is doing such an incredible thing right now and it really is an honor to be alive at this time in history!  Here are some pictures of Jesus Culture Chicago .... Let me also say Jesus Culture Chicago was NOT an event, but a commissioning in the Spirit to the generations!  Let us all take our place because IT IS TIME! 


Created To Love,
Christa Lee 

Jesus Culture Chicago 2011

18,000 People Were Estimated in Attendance 

Hillsong United Leading Worship