6.17.2009

I have left you blogger...

Well the time has come... blogger... you have been so good to me, but Tumblr has drawn me away... but here you shall live... so that anyone can visit and find all those hours of posts, pictures, and videos I have displayed for the world to see...
But it's a new season for me... and Tumblr is going to meet my needs... so long old friend... I shall visit you from time to time...
Fare Thee Well... Kjaere

Now when you go to www.kjaere.tumblr.com
you will have a whole new blog to explore and learn to love. My focus will be mainly me and my adventours going to San Francisco and such... plus all my randomness that I know you can't live without :-)

6.12.2009

The Transistion begins...

This picture is amazing... why? 
Because I took it... and because what you see are 
2 of the 6 people I'm training to replace me as I start to transistion to more 
Reality San Francisco responsibilities. 
I can't believe it is acctually happening! Praise Jesus!

6.04.2009

My plans for the day...

 
A Thursday with nothing to do except read a book is a beautiful thing ;-)

5.25.2009

Memorial Cleaning...

BEFORE:
AFTER:
My accomplishment for the day...
Now I just have to figure out how to keep things this way...
Let alone start pondering moving in a few months...
I have too much stuff.
Anyone who wants to help me pack up and/or get rid of my things,
by all means, come on over!

5.20.2009

Eye, Eye, Eye!

For the last couple months I have been dealing with an annoying eye twitch in my left eye. If you know me personally, you know how frustrated I've been.
I've tried everything to get it to stop. Layed off caffeine, slept more, even tried drinking Tonic water which is thoroughly disgusting. Nothing was really helping.
But praise the Lord, the new electric guitar player at my church, is also an Eye doctor... who, by the way, gladly gives 50% off to people who go to the church. Seeing that I'm still trying to figure out how to pay off the 6 grand I'm spending on my braces, this was welcome news.
Anyways... as it turns out, my eye balls are slightly misaligned or something. Which would totally explain the twitch and random headaches I get. What this means is, shortly, I will be the owner of 2 pairs of glasses. One for my everyday wear and another for when I read or am on the computer (which I am about 90% of my day). 
Hopefully all will be fixed....
Random special fact about me, though. The Doc. dilated my eyeballs and then was completely in shock on how fast and big my eyes got! It's been 3 hours since my appointment, and this is what they still look like:
 
Luckily he gave me some "cool" glasses to help my poor eyes handle the light...

5.11.2009

Tweet Tweet!

I get grief all day long for using Twitter. People just don't seem to understand it. The same people who are updating their Facebooks everyday, don't even get it.

The most basic explanation I can give of it, is it's like the Facebook status without everything else Facebook has to overwhelm you by. Just a status update pure and simple...

Now usually my Tweets are simple updates on my life or a way to let the world know to visit this here blog... but this last weekend I fell in love with Twitter even more.

There's a way in Twitter to make your Tweets show up in public searches. Now in my area there was a humongous fire. The local news didn't update adequately for me at all. However, search in Twitter for #Jesusitafire, and I was kept update and was able to link to all sorts of news and information. From people who suddenly saw fire in their backyard, to former firemen able to get close to the action. It was amazing.

So all that to say... don't hate on the Twitter people...
now excuse me as I need to Tweet that I've written a post about Twitter ;-)

5.07.2009

Jesusita fire...

The Jesusita Fire is raging in Santa Barbara.
I live just to the south of the city in Carpinteria.
It's pretty gnarly and the 3rd fire we've had like this in 2 years.
The last one only 6 months ago.
I took this first picture tonight, standing on Linden Avenue in Carpinteria.
This was yesterday at Butterfly Beach in Monetcito
The crazy winds are making it flare up everynight...
See more pictures here... and pray.
There's a good map found HERE as well...

5.05.2009

Cup of Employment?

As much as I absoultly, positively, totally love working for these people with my little buddy...

all good things have to come to an end :-(

and thus leaves me in need of a new job, especially in light of me going here at the end of the year.

I'm attempting to get a job here now, that is transferable to my future, prayerful, location...

Therefore, today I applied at the Bux... and we shall see what happens next :-)

4.28.2009

But as for me...

Psalm 73:26;28
"My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever... But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works."

Looking forward to moving my whole life to San Francisco at the end of the year yields excitement and fear all at the same time.


I feel as if I'm standing on the diving board at the deep end of the swimming pool. God is behind me, gently telling me to jump. I know how to swim, I've trained, and I know how to do it, but looking over the edge fear, that old enemy, grips my heart.

BUT... even if my heart and flesh fail,
GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion FOREVER.


I have made the Lord God my refuge and I will tell of all His works and as I continually submit and trust in Him, I'm so excited to see how He is going to work through me and take me along on His plan for my life.

4.21.2009

Called to The City...

Want to know what's going on with me and San Francisco?
Click on this letter below to get a glimpse into why I feel God is calling me to The City...

4.14.2009

Winter Dreams...

My amazingly talented and wonderful friend Misty did a photo shoot involving my 
favorite red-headed two year old in the whole world. 
Her assignment was to do pictures for a Winter magazine shoot.
Here's some gems from it...

4.05.2009

My Brain...

Wow... I haven't blogged in awhile... that's because this is what my brain looks like:
 
Spring Break has come and gone... now starts crazy Easter week. 6am prayer everyday.... this is my favorite week of the year... culminating in Easter service and the anticipation of hundreds more entering the Kingdom of God. Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord....

now to work on unscrambling my brain...

3.12.2009

Praying for San Francisco!

I'm currently with Reality Carp. in San Francisco praying for the city and the future church plant there.

Please pray with me, for me, and for the city.

I look forward to updating you as I'm there and when I return.




Keep updated with what is going on by checking out the Reality SF website and/or
blog by clicking here.

3.11.2009

Wordless Wednesday...

Or I could have picked one of THESE photos...

3.01.2009

A glimpse...


Hello Love from Kjaere Friestad on Vimeo.


To check out some more photos from the concert, click here .

2.27.2009

Book report: The Reason For God...

I just finished reading this book and I would suggest that you pick it up as well.... it was amazing....
Here's one of my favorite quotes:

"Sin is not simply doing bad things, it is putting good things in the place of God. 
So the only solution is not simply to change our behavior, 
but to reorient and center the entire heart and life on God." page 171

Why does God allow suffering in the world?
How could a loving God send people to Hell?
Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive?
How can one religion be “right” and the others “wrong”?
Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?

These are just a few of the questions and doubts even ardent believers wrestle with today. As the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Timothy Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced “doubts” skeptics bring to his church as well as the most important reasons for faith. And in The Reason for God, he addresses each doubt and explains each reason.
Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and reasoning to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.

http://www.thereasonforgod.com/

2.23.2009

2.19.2009

The life is in the blood...

I'm reading through the Bible Chronologically with my church. It's been so sweet. Right now we are in Leviticus. As strange and hard to understand as some of the ancient practices and sacrifices are, I'm so amazed to see so many pictures of Jesus foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

Check this out:

Leviticus 17:11
"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement..."

Ephesians 5:1-2
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."

Leviticus 17:14
"For as for the life of all flesh, its blood is identified with its life... the life of all flesh is its blood..."

I like this verse especially... we sing about it, we pray it, but it is so cool, to me at least, to see it in scripture and understand it better. Before Jesus, my life was identified with my fleshly works and that was only going to lead to destruction and eternal separation from God. But when I accepted the sacrifice of Jesus on my behalf, my life became identified with HIS blood. His atonement on my behalf transfers me from the bondage of my flesh into His glorious kingdom. Wow.

1 John 1:7
"but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

... pour the blood of Jesus over me...

2.17.2009

2.11.2009

2.02.2009

Abide...

I have been pondering what it really means to Abide in the Lord lately. John 15 is a humbling and encouraging passage.

John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

I could talk a lot about what it means to abide and all that is wrapped up in that, but recently God showed me a neat picture of what the outcome of of Abiding looks like... the fruit part. 

I was thinking about what it meant to produce good fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 talks about what the fruits of the spirit are (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)... however, I was also thinking about fruit literally.

A tree, that is properly watered, with good solid roots is going to produce healthy fruits. Not only is the fruit a sign of a healthy tree, but the fruit has a purpose.
  1. To provide nourishment to those who would partake of it  
  2. To plant seeds so that other trees can grow 
How cool is that, when you look at how your life should be in accordance with the Word of God!
A healthy Christian life, that is Abiding in Jesus, should produce fruit that blesses others but also plants seeds and is part of nourishing new believers!

Jesus talking: 
"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love." 
John 15:8-9

1.30.2009

... with reverence and awe.

The majority of the reader's of this blog, know that I do the Keynote (or powerpoint) for Reality Carpinteria. Sometimes I can be a geek when it comes to the fun stuff I'm able to figure out or do with it. (And the new lens we got this week. that allows me to utilize the entire screen, is amazing!)

However, from my vantage point, I get a unique view of everyone else worshiping. I'm so in awe of how the Lord moves through the congregation. I never get tired of seeing hundreds of people raising there hands, in the throne room, worshiping the King of kings.

This is a snapshot from tonight, from what I see...

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."
Hebrews 12:28

1.22.2009

Cracking...

It's resorted to me hooking up another monitor people... the cracks get a little bigger everyday
oh well... I'll make do... someday I'll get a new computer...
but until then, duel screen's is the way to go...

 
 

1.15.2009

When he prayed...

"The Lord restored the fortunes of Job
when he prayed
for his friends..." Job 42:10a

Wow. Job's friends had given him bad advice. They were convinced Job was hiding sin and not honoring God. In their minds this was the only reason why all these tragedies had happened to him.

Then the Lord stepped in... I can't even imagine how mighty and terrifying that must have been.

Was Elihu, all proud of himself, in the middle of his rebuke to Job, mid-sentence, when in a mighty thundering voice and brilliant light, the Lord showed up, because He had had enough?

The Lord speaks of His own greatness and the things He has done as creator. When He has finished talking to Job, He turns to Job's "friends" cowering in the corner. What was going through their minds? How terrified they must have been! And what does the Lord do? He tells them to repent and ask for Job to accept their burnt offerings as a sign of their repentance and devotion to God.

They chose to obey... but I'm sure they were wondering if Job would accept? He had no reason to according to the wisdom of the world... but Job had just had an encounter with the Living God.

I think it's important to note that God had not told Job He would restore him. In chapter 42:6, the last we had seen of Job was him repenting in the dust and ashes.

There was Job. His tear-stained face in the dirt, his body, covered with sores, laying prostrate before the Mighty Lord. Timidly Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, (note: the Bible does not say if Elihu was there) approach. Job feebly stands, his whole nature crushed, his mind racing and in awe of just being in the presence of the creator of the universe.

What did Job's friends say? No words are recorded, but that they obeyed the Lord, offered up a burnt offering, and the Lord accepted Job's prayers.

I imagine, as job mustered the last of his strength to stand there and pray, his friends were kneeling in grief at his feet. Job prayed for his accusers, his mockers, those who had lost faith in him. As Job continued and asked the Lord to forgive them and accept their offering, his strength began to build, with each breath his skin began to heal, wounds vanished, health returned. As Job finished his prayer and his friends raised up their eyes to behold their friend, all were struck speechless, in awe of the redemption of the Lord displayed for all to see.

Job was healed, restored, and strong.
And I'm sure the love in his eyes spoke louder than anything that could be said with words.

"... and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold...
the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning." Job 42:10b; 12a

1.13.2009

The Redemption...

8 years ago I was getting settled into a new life in Santa Barbara. I had just run from a mess of problems and friends in Northern California. The first week of 2001 I had shocked my body with an almost deadly mixture of drugs. Here I was now, living with my grandparents. Angry. Blue hair. Strung-out. Struggling with self-mutilation (including cutting myself) and most defiantly needing Jesus.

Fast-forward to today. Dominic Balli has been shooting a music video for his song "Warrior". Not only have I had the privilege of being an extra in the video but they decided to use my room to shoot a scene of a girl, hopeless, needing Jesus, who struggles with cutting herself.

That was me 8 years ago! And the Lord has drastically transformed my life into who I am today. Joy-filled, lover of Jesus :-)

Praise the Lord. I gave Him my hurt, my pain, my confusion, my sorrow. And He has been so faithful to perform mighty works of healing and restoration in my life.

February 2nd will be my 8th birthday of a renewed and healthy relationship with Jesus. Amen and amen.

If you want to check out my testimony in full including my struggle with self-mutilation; visit: www.1kings18.blogspot.com

12.27.2008

Friestad Family Christmas fun!

Here's a glimpse into my family's Christmas fun... enjoy!

12.23.2008

Gingerbread and Nutcrackers...

I stole Abby and Aaron today and took them with me to my grandparents house where we had lots of candy and frosting fun with my parents and sister. 
Check out more pictures HERE.

12.18.2008

Me, My Mom, and My Sister...

My Mom made this video... I had never even seen most of these pictures. Just thought I'd share it with all my blogging friends... can you tell which pictures are the little me?

12.16.2008

Rainy Day fun...

Oh the fun me and my new camera are having! 
Here's some snapshots from some rainy day fun with me and my favorite little buddy :-)

12.12.2008

I found Him!

I'm working at Reality today.
Getting things ready for Adorn and Church.
I started shifting through some backgrounds to see what might work for worship tonight.
I googled "baby Jesus"
and this is the first thing that popped up:


All this time, and all I had to do was go to Target ;-)

12.07.2008

Birthday Weekend...

I just got home from the most AMAZING birthday weekend EVER! 
I have a lot to think and pray about now...
check out more pictures HERE

12.03.2008

Birthday Plans...

Tomorrow night my friend Christina and I are off to San Francisco for the weekend to celebrate my birthday! I'm so excited!!! I'm taking a Friday and a Sunday off... and praying all things Keynote survive without me while I'm gone!

Never fear, though... I couldn't have a birthday without my annual waffle party.




December 9th at 5:30pm a waffle party is occuring at 125 Holly Ave. #7 in Carp 
(Lara, Christina, Courtney's house). 
Come on by if you like :-)

11.26.2008

Giving Thanks...

I miss my family...
I talk to them all the time...
I see some sort of arrangment of them at least every few months...
I see my Farmor and Farfar all the time...
But this is the first Thanksgiving without them... and suddenly I'm all emo about it.
I don't think it helps that I'm house sitting and all alone on Thankgiving Eve.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving with the Hillners, the Joens, Kim, and her man...

So... to make things a little better, I endevored, all by myself, for the first time ever, to make a few of my families traditional things... 
These 2 things have always been present at every Thanksgiving I can ever remember... 
and so I give you...
 
The Friestad Family Bran Muffins
(ok... forget any ideas you have about Bran Muffins... these sucka's are AMAZING!
And since the recipe was for The FAMILY proportion, I have plenty of extra batter to make you some, just let me know)

 
The Friestad Family Triple layer Jello
(Ok... so I think the green was supposed to stay on the top, but it sunk to layer 2, but there's still 3 layers, right? And that middle/1st layer is full of yummy goodness)
Thank You Jesus for family, friends, and Good Food... 
Happy Thanksgiving! 

11.23.2008

Beep Beep...


Finally...
24 is back tonight... well almost... at least we get a little taste of what's to come!
In the meantime,
I leave you with:


Basic Truths About Jack Bauer
  • Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.
  • If Jack Bauer was in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Nina Meyers, and he had a gun with 2 bullets, he'd shoot Nina twice.
  • If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.
  • Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.
  • If it tastes like chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken, but Jack Bauer says its beef. Then you better believe it's beef.
  • 1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.
  • Let's get one thing straight: the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.
  • Jack Bauer is the leading cause of death in Middle Eastern men.
  • Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.
  • When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.
  • Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something then you better do it.
  • Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.
  • When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.
  • You can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.
  • Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 11am
  • When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.
  • Every mathematical inequality officially ends with "< Jack Bauer".
  • In 96 hours, Jack Bauer has killed 93 people and saved the world 4 times. What the heck have you done with your life?
  • Guns don't kill people, Jack Bauer kills people.
  • If Jack and MacGyver were locked in a room together, Jack would make a bomb out of MacGyver and get out.
  • People with amnesia still remember Jack Bauer.
  • Jack Bauer literally died for his country, and lived to tell about it.
  • Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Jack Bauer laughs at Superman for having a weakness.
  • Jack Bauer's family threw him a surprise birthday party when he was a child. Once.

11.22.2008

What I do...

Something Britt asked me to make happen for tomorrow... oooo... ahhhh... isn't it amazing? It will make more sense during church tomorrow... but here's a teaser for you ;-)

Search Demo from Kjaere Friestad on Vimeo.

11.18.2008

Positive Post Tuesday - PRAY

So, not only is this a Positive Post Tuesday but it is a call for prayer. My friend Courtney has been in the hospital for over a week. She is having issues with her gall bladder and her pancreas is severely infected and the infection is affecting the rest of her internal organs. On Sunday, the doctors said there was a 55% chance she would not survive. They have finally decided that despite the infection, they need to go ahead and operate and remove her gall bladder. PLEASE PRAY!

She has a wonderful heart and is an amazing servant. She has blessed the college ministry at our church with her hospitality and wonderful snack making. Please pray for the doctors to have wisdom and for her and her family to be at peace. And above all, that THE Great Physician would heal His daughter.
Thanks friends...

3pm UPDATE: Courtney is out of surgery and it all went well!!!
She still needs prayer for infection to go away...
thank you for your continuing prayers.

11.17.2008

Prayer Meeting tomorrow:

6 am at Reality Carpinteria... come pray for the next church plant...

11.16.2008

Crack...

That's not my background people... 
although I wish it was... 
good thing I have a birthday and Christmas coming up :-)

11.10.2008

11.06.2008

The Countdown begins...

I just realized that in one month from today, on the 1st Saturday of December... I will have compleated my 26th year and be moving on to #27... so strange! How'd that happen?
Anyways... the last 2 years I've had an amazing waffle breakfast birthday party... should the tradition continue? 
Or should I do something else? 
The possibilities are endless! Thoughts anyone?

11.05.2008

11.02.2008

Join us in Prayer...

Reality Carpinteria. November 4th.

10.30.2008

Brace Faced...

10.28.2008

Too Cute Tuesday...

Shots captured by my cell...
quality is horrible but I hope the cuteness shines through!
               
Aaron plays the Piano from Kjaere Friestad on Vimeo.

10.27.2008

10.15.2008

Treasure!

Treasure... what do you picture when you hear that word? Pirates, gold, diamonds, maps...


The Psalmist in 119 verse 11 says: 

"Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You."

I was pondering this as I studied to teach this passage last week. The concept of treasuring the word of God in your heart. 

Follow with me:
- a person discovers treasure
- they bury it, because it's precious and they want to have it to use later
- they go out and search for more, trying to get as much as they can


In a similar way, God tells us to treasure His Word in our hearts, to bury it in our hearts, to store up as much as we can. However, not only does this "treasure" of scripture equip us to stand firm against the enemy, we can and should freely share the treasure we have found.


I'm constantly convicted at my lack of treasure in my heart. Especially as I teach this Bible study. The blaring theme of Psalm 119 is "Memorize and Know the Word of God".  Whether Kings are hunting you down, princes are spreading lies, or your very life is in danger, the Word of God stands true and "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproofing, correcting, for training in righteousness. So that the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17... which I just typed from memory!)


I'm endeavoring to commit to memory some portion of scripture every night before I go to bed... because I want to be equipped in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2)... 

and I want lots of treasure... the kind that's gonna last forever... 
and is safe from pirates ;-)

10.11.2008

10.07.2008

Bright and Sunny...

You know how some people get depressed when it's dreary, foggy, and cold for too long?
I think I have come to the realization that I am the direct opposite.
The longer summer drags on, the more "depressed" I get...
(ok... don't worry, I'm not really depressed, but just trying to make a point)!


I had mere moments of rejoicing over the rain on Saturday, and now it's 84 degrees outside?!
I mean, really? I don't know who I'm really complaining too...
Thank You Jesus I live in Southern California,
but everyone around me seems so happy it's still "summer"...
I guess since I grew up in Northern California, deep down, I can hardly wait to be able to wear a sweatshirt all day, pull on my boots, and snuggle under 50 blankets....
I guess in the meantime I'll be content and glad I'm not still in Siberia about to face way below Zero temperatures :-)


Ok... that's my rant for the day...
I'm going to get over myself and go study
for my Psalm 119 Study tomorrow night.