My Walls Are Down, and Yes I’ve Been Hurt

by Bethany Beebe

I think all of us have at some time, in some way, shape or form placed walls around ourselves to keep ourselves protected. We think at the time it is the right thing to do. I mean, why wouldn’t it be. It keeps us safe and unharmed. It makes it so we no longer have to worry about being hurt again or feeling that fear or whatever emotion we didn’t like that made us build the wall in the first place. It’s a totally natural response. (Yes, there is a ‘but’ coming.) But it also keeps us from feeling other things, such as love.

My Way

by Alexis Orth

My sister told me, “If you were only dating this guy and not married to him, you’d've dumped him by now.” I’m pretty sure I cried my eyes out at least every other day during my first marriage, at the age of 21. That 14 month period was the hardest time of my life. I remember telling God at the beginning of the whole mess, “God, I don’t want to hear what you have to say about this. I’m doing this my way.” I remember my mom’s tearful look as she said, “He’s not even a Christian.” And my hateful (and not so truthful) reply of, “Well, he’s working on it.”

Hide and Seek, Finding the Greatest Hiding Place

by Sarah Mattioli

When I was a child, one of my favorite games to play was Hiding Place. To play this game, all that I needed was a blanket or covering of some kind and a wild, vivid imagination. I would playfully put the covers over my head and put my arms or feet up to make the space bigger while pretending I was having the time of my life. I would laugh and shout like I was at the most bumpin’ party of the year. One of my favorite things about this game was that I was able to play alone or with my siblings or friends. If others were around, I would start off in my little shelter by myself and eventually let everyone else in. Whoever was within hearing range of my elaborate celebratory noises wanted to join me in my shelter. Now, as an adult, I still make time to run away to my hiding place to spend time with my Jesus. Like my childhood game, I still let others in only after I have spent some quality time alone with the Lord.

A Buck Fifty and A Lost Camera Lured Us Into Our Destiny

By Titus Watts

As the crowds dwindled and the last of the passengers strolled arm and arm with their loved ones, my eyes studied the desolate luggage carousel making its never ending rounds. My heart began to pound rhythmically in my chest and I held my breath as I heard those six words that no cameraman EVER wants to hear: “We lost your camera, Mr. Watts…and it could be anywhere in Europe right now”.

Carrying on the Torch

by Sunny Gazowsky

Andrew’s story begins with his father, Michael Gopaul. Michael got saved at the Voice of Pentecost Church at the age of 30. He soon began filming many of the church services and events such as weddings, camping trips, plays, etc. Before long, this hobby grew into a real love and passion for filming and he became very skilled behind the camera.

A Vision Helped Me Endure the Garbage Dump

by Robert Castro

As I walked through a garbage dump, pushing aside some local neighbor’s personal trash, I knew that this could only be endured by having a vision.

Accessing your window of opportunity

by Richard Gazowsky

I have been amazed in my life by how many leaders are totally clueless about windows of opportunity. Since I’m in the Silicon Valley area of San Francisco, I have many times had people come to me with great business ventures. But their idea is just totally out of time. They are trying to copy a business plan that has already passed its window of opportunity. An example of this is the computer industry. Most of the companies that make personal computers today were founded between 1976 and 1981. There was a window that opened in the computer industry during that period and those that recognized the time took advantage of it. They found their place in the market. You can find this phenomenon in almost any field of business.

It’s About Compromise

by Rocki Gazowsky

There comes a time when every person has to make a choice between all the things they have ever dreamed about and compromising their beliefs. Sometimes the choice between the two can come disguised as an insignificant package and other times it can be glaring you right in the face. Either way, how you “get there” is imperative.

Born Again: DNA and Downloading Possibilities

by Richard Gazowsky

Even though I am a 53 year old fifth generation Pentecostal preacher it wasn’t until almost a year ago that I realized I had not accessed the full power of the born again experience. If you are an intellectual theologian you should probably quit reading this right now because nothing I am about to say will make any sense to you. If you are still reading you might be able to grasp the simplicity that is in this basic truth that I’m trying to share. Jesus taught the religious leader Nicodemus that he must be born again to enter into the Kingdom of God. I know we usually read this as a basic salvation scripture but I want to deal with this verse in its full simplistic meaning.

Marrying Him Erased Every Bad Decision

by Corevia Flynn

I had no idea when I returned to the Voice of Pentecost that I was going to meet my future husband. I certainly did not know when I joined WYSIWYG that I would be married less than a year later.