Greetings!
Short Blog to ask your assistance in raising funds to help rescue Human Traffick Victims
in Bulgaria & Greece.

I (Michelle Thielen) am raising funds and awareness about this subject that has been near & dear to my heart, but now I have the opportunity to "go" and help personally,
But, I need your help getting there.
Will you partner with me for the crucial trip in November. I have a goal of $3100 ($2600 + $500 for A21)
So I have a little ways to go.
I appreciate anything you're willing to give, including prayers!
Thank you so much.

Donate Here: http://www.gofundme.com/A21-BULGARIA
or see fliers if you live in the Puyallup area: Panda Express Fundraiser on Aug 31st, 2013
http://www.pandaexpress.com/fundraiser/Flyer?guid=14c6652d-c607-49c3-bf43-da78b1697516
Michelle A. Thielen

YogaFaith's Camel Pose, Ustrasana

Benefits of Backbends and a Meditation for Backbends

Natarajasana, Lord of the Dance Pose

BACKBENDS

Job 11:13 If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer!

    Backbends will lift your heart to the Lord. These poses come from leg strength, so the bottom half of your body must be completely engaged and strong for a successful backbend. You have to root down in the feet, be strong in the Lord, then you can lengthen, rise up, and lift your heart towards the heavens.

Ez 31:7 It was strong and beautiful, with wide-spreading branches, for its roots went deep into abundant water. (NLT)

    Like twists, back bend postures can be incorporated into many asana (postures) families; such as seated, standing, balancing, prone or supine poses.The nervous, digestive, and metabolic systems are all stimulated in backbend postures. They are known to be rejuvenating and invigorating, for this reason it may not be a good idea to practice them near bedtime or when wanting to relax. 

    Back bends stretch the entire abdominal and release the chest muscles, allowing circulation to flow freely to the heart and lungs. Mental clarity and focus can be a result of backbends as cerebral spinal fluids are circulated throughout the system. Back bends also stimulate the lymphatic system, pumping lymphatic fluids, by opening the shoulders, chest, armpits and groin where lymph nodes and glands are located. Backbending causes pressure on the kidneys and adrenals which not only enhances the cleansing action, but also releases adrenaline, causing the invigorating sensation.

   The spine remains pliable while strength is required and developed throughout the entire body. Backward bends are dynamic postures which move to counter gravity. Generally speaking, we spend a lot of time on the front of our body, these postures need to be incorporated for a well balanced practice, as they will stretch and strengthen primarily the front of the abdomen, hips, thighs, shoulders, spine, and chest. A lot of stress, tension, or trauma can be trapped in our core center, back bend postures can help release deep tension, mild depression, and trapped emotional trauma.

    It is always a good idea to release the worked muscles from backbends by doing forward fold and/or forward bends. Individuals with back injuries, who are pregnant or are menstruating should avoid back bends. Back bends will not only rejuvenate, but will also leave you with an overall sense of well being.

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A Meditation for a Back Bend

Is.57:12-15

I will bring evidence about your righteousness and your actions;
they won’t help you. When you cry out, let those things you’ve gathered save you!
The wind will lift them all; one breath will take them away.
but those taking refuge in me will inherit the

land and possess my holy mountain.

It will be said: “Survey, survey; build a road! Remove barriers from my people’s road!”
The one who is high and lifted up, who lives forever, whose name is holy, says:
I live on high, in holiness,
and also with the crushed and the lowly,
reviving the spirit of the lowly,
reviving the heart of those who have been crushed...
It is my own doing that their spirit is exhausted—
I gave them breath!

Child's Pose, Psalms 95 Let us Bow Down & Worship

http://yogafaith.org/a-meditation-for-restorative-worship-postures/

A Meditation for Restorative & Worship Postures

Psalms 95

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

In his hand are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice…

A Meditation for Relaxation and Surrendered Postures

http://yogafaith.org/a-meditation-for-restorative-worship-postures/
Hebrews 4

 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said...
For he has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “and God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; and again in this passage, “they shall not enter my rest.” 

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,he again fixes a certain day, “today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things yet without sin.Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

He Heals the Brokenhearted

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Jehovah Rapha – The Lord our Healer heals all our troubles.  He heals all our sicknesses, and He heals our souls.

Take Possession of God's Promises

Job 10:12 Declares that God has granted us life & favor, and that it is His care that has preserved our spirits.

     Is there something or someone that has gotten the best of you lately? Do you feel as if you cannot go on one more day? 

     I want to encourage you that no matter what you may be feeling, no matter what your circumstances are, you must lay hold of the absolute truth. Your spirit, which is perfect, is being preserved! I always default to Jeremiah 29:11, because at the end of any day, no matter what the outcome appears to be, I know that His plans are good and He has abundance in store for me, not plans that can harm me.

  Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

                                                                                    Photo Credit ICS Signs

  How often as Christians have you said, "Okay Lord, I believe it, I do! I receive it!" Only to wonder why do I not have what I say I have? This is the faith walk after all. To pray as though you already have it. But what if I were to hand you a key to a brand new car? And you just held your hand out, wanting it, really wanting it. Your hand even got really close to the key. You believed it was yours because I told you it was yours. But you  never actually grabbed a hold of the key? Now imagine you reaching quickly and snatching the key out of my hand. I'm pretty sure the next thing you may do is rejoice and jump up and down for awhile. Praise! Praise! Praise! That is another message.

    The difference is, you actually grabbed the key and took possession of the key that unlocks the car, or unlocks- fill in the blank. It is yours indeed! You started telling people about your gift. You believed in your heart it is yours. You started singing about it, praising God for it, you started cleaning out the garage for your new gift, you made plans with it. Do you get the point here? The gifts from God are indeed already ours.
We just need to receive. Take possession of what He promises us, and live as if those promises are manifesting already. 
Never doubt His goodness or His faithfulness.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

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