Thursday, September 12, 2013

my love::poem




poem i wrote for jason for our 6 year anniversary:

My Love

How does a flower bloom, my love?
How does it start to grow?
By the light, tenderness and whisper of God
That He so lovingly bestows

How does a tree stand so tall,
Strong and splendid in all its worth?
By the roots that go down deep, my love,
To drink the water from the earth

And the ocean, my love, with all its breakers,
Where does it find its roar?
It’s by the might and strength of his hand
That controls the oceans floor

Our lives are growing and blooming
By tenderness and whispers of truth.
Under the light of God our Father,
I married the love of my youth

Our family, so strong and tall
Come wind, come heat or rain…
Like the tree, our roots go down deep
To drink from his well again and again

And like the mighty ocean
God controls our seasons and tides.
His majesty displayed in the waves,
The stillness, the swell… the deep and the wide…

All from the brilliant mind of God
A dream alive in His heart
And our love was given birth there too
He knew we were better together, than apart

-Mariya Manalli 9/08/2013



Wednesday, September 11, 2013

testimony from March 20

Jason shared at CIA's chapel today with junior highers and 12 healing miracles happened! He had the kids pray for one another so that they knew they could pray too and God can use them. Not just a "special guest speaker". What a way to start a day at school haha!

husband

My husband is so amazing. Many times I do not wait to see how things pan out and I doubt some of the things he does. What I've come to know about Jason is that he's secure in who he is in The Lord. I always ask if he's nervous when he has to step out and do things that to me require so much courage. And, of course, he's always fine! He approaches everything with a child like faith, totally believing in The Lord. I've been humbled many many times when I think he made the wrong decision and it turns out it ends up being someone's amazing break through. And God works it out that those people tell me before Jason. So then I'm like, "Oh he was totally right!!" I'm thankful for this heart that I get to navigate through life with.

dragons

don't care how anyone tries to justify it, we are made for community. we all need to be in a family. if you are alone, TELL SOMEONE. if you see someone that is alone, REACH OUT TO THEM. the epidemic of today is a people trying to be so self sufficient and needing people less and less, when in reality they are yearning for community but then don't know how to express it. this is called PRIDE. kill that stupid dragon...

family

"If you want to build something significant for the the Kingdom of God on earth, don't build a ministry, build a family." -Jeremy Riddle

8 year anniversery... my jason

8 years ago a beautiful man walked into the room and straight into my heart. 6 years ago I walked down the aisle to that beautiful man, my champion, and we became a family that day! His tenderness, openness and the strength that comes with it astounds me. With Jason, I am free to be
bring my best to our marriage because he constantly does the same. He loves so so so well.

to sum up in a quote:
"What was said to the rose that made it open was said to me here in my chest." 

6 years and 100 to go!!! I love you, Jason Gregory Manalli, with all my heart!

some thoughts on identity

some people believe that you cannot move outside of the permission of church leadership. it freezes them in their tracks and puts their dreams in a choke hold when relinquishing that much power to mere men. before you think i'm going on a bitter rant, know that i am a leader at a church.  i believe in accountability. but i am your sister, you are my brother (or sister) and church is the expression of a family in which the Lord is the head... one of the reasons why we call him PAPA! you want to know what you're capable of and what he is releasing you to do?? read the word and explore the impossibilities of Abba! he's called you to great things, to raise the dead, heal the sick, cast out demons, preach the gospel and be absolutely amazing, all for the purpose of bringing him glory! #intimacywithGod#freedom

jesus wept

i'm so moved by john 11:35, "jesus wept...." this was before he raised his friend lazarus. jesus KNEW he would raise him from the dead. yet he wept. the one who takes away the sin of the world. the one who is victorious over death... wept. my jesus feels... he sympathizes with us... he comes down to the lowly and loves so fiercely. he was not exempt of feelings and was not disturbed by emotion. he was victorious in the circumstance. but if i am to follow my jesus' example, it is that i can weep with those who weep, still knowing that the one who lives inside of me is the champion. my jesus wept.