THE SHACK!!

READ "THE SHACK". IT IS SOOOO GOOD.

I HAVE COME AWAY WITH A LOT. I NEEDED IT.

NOW I FEEL ALL GOOGY ABOUT GOD, JESUS AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

PRAISE BE TO THE ONE WHO LOVES US MORE THAN ANY ONE OR THING.

READ IT IF YOU CAN!!!!

IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN.
MUST READ!! :) HEHEHEHE

I LOVE YA'LL
READ READ READ

HEHEHEHEH LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH LAUGH

GOD LOVES YOU AND ME!!!

The Next Step (God Willingly)

Hello Hello,

I have been learning a lot in this new time of Joel's and my Life. I am learning about "Submission" And what it truly means. It is pretty exciting. Before Joel and I left Friend Ships the Lord had been very clear that the next step after Friend Ships was up to Joel . . . COMPLETELY!!! That I needed to stay out of it.

I am learning that by doing that it is a lesson in submission. Laying down my own will and allowing my husband to be the soul leader. Wow. I thought submitting to God was hard. But trusting in someone so much that has faults and could screw up (Not that Joel has) and allowing them to make decisions for your life has been an eye opener baby!!! It has shown me how strong willed I am and how much I want things MY WAY!!! I am starting to actually appreciate the lesson, now that I know what this whole thing is about "what it truly means to submit" NOT OBEY, submit. Children obey - wives submit. Any way I know there are Taboo subjects on this especially in America, Canada, or any "Free" country because woman want equal rights. And I am not dissin' that I am just saying that I have gotten into a lot of trouble trying to have it my way in the relationship and that I need to realize that Joel is the head of the house hold and I am his armor bearer. Just as Jonathans armor bearer said was the two of them were about to attack 25 or more guys on the enemy side

"Do all that you have in mind. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."

Man what a powerful statement not just for that armor bearer but what if all the Godly wives of the world were to say that to their husbands.
I am getting excited that God put me on this lesson. I am learning a lot. So I am starting to see more why God told me that it was Joel's decision next that I needed to stay out of it. Joel and I are both learning. Joel is learning to be the leader of the house and I am learning to submit. It is great.

Now there are other cases out there where it is unbiblical to submit like if your husband said go and murder my enemy. "Just say no"
But if you truly get what I am saying then Cheer with me while I tell you what Joel has decided.
THis is getting exciting you better get the popcorn for this!!!

Joel has decided that if my parents bosses approve we will be taking over my Dad's three churches for three months so they can have a break. And then after that it sounds like we are going to Stockton. I am pretty pumped. I am pumped to submit that is. This is a hard task and I kind of dragged my feet and I am a littler nervous. But after God being kind and showing me some things and learning even more about submission I am excited to follow my husband.

Pretty cool eh!!! So Joel says that after Canadaian Thanksgiving (Oct 13) We will be heading back to the great northwest (God willingly if it gets all approved)

Sincerely,
Joel's Armor bearer

Bare with me here!!!

Hey Guys,
I know I have been writing a lot lately on the blog. It is a mix of nothing to do and having a lot of things happening (if that is possible)

As you know Joel and I are looking hard to finding the next step. It would be nice if someone just dropped something into our lap that fits us perfect. Well something has fallen into our lap, BUT it is NOT for us. I wanted to put it out there on the blog just in case any of you were looking for this type of thing and wanted to go for it. YA NEVER KNOW!!!

So here is what I wrote on my myspace site enjoy:
I recently saw Eduardo Verastegui interviewed by a christian program. At one point Eduardo was making it well in Hollywood. Had everything ever wanted, fame, chicks,money. Then through things happening He got saved.

Now he is making movies that have Christian value and is changing the lives of people that see his movies. His recent move was named Bella. I haven't seen it but I want to. It is about abortion for the most part but has a great story line.

I just got an email from his organization that wants to have a Christian Internship for people wanting to go into the media business.

Here is the website. Check it out if this is the direction in your life you are heading.

http://www.bellamoviesite.com/pmi/new/home.html

Sincerely,
Dess

ps or you can just check out the Bella movie at www.bellamoviesite.com

Things are Happening in Canada!!!

It has been a pretty exciting couple of weeks. We had a blast with the whole (I mean WHOLE) Butler family. We were all nearly under one roof. Then Ben, Kim, and the boys went to Korea and there was half as much under one roof. Joel and I have been spending time with the fam. Hanging out with Sarah and Paul, Making trouble with Tara, and trying to help Mom and Dad around the house.

Joel and I also went to Toronto which was 2 and 1/2 hours away to spend time with Uncle Bill and Aunt Michelle. After we got back Joel and I took mom and dad out for Dad's birthday dinner. We did the progressive dinner fun night and had a blast.

SO here are some pics to catch ya'll up on what has been happening.

This is the only shot we have of the Ben, Kim, Nathan, and Elliot Family.

Paul, Sarah and Tara

Niagara Falls

At the IMAX with Bill and Michelle


The barrel of the First lady that ever went over the Falls. (And SHE LIVED!!!)


At the Zoo







The Air show (It was awesome)


Dad's progressive Dinner


Tim Horton's having the first course (soup)


We were way to hungry at for the main course to shot photos so all we got was this pic.


Dessert at Denny's. It was to die for. (as Mom would say)


Dad Enjoying himself.

Well that is it in a nut shell. We love ya'll very much.
God Bless,
Joel and Dess

Ted Bundy and Secret Sin!

Every since Joel told me that Ted Bundy got saved before they executed him I have been very interested in reading his story and what happened.

I was extremely blessed to have my first and only search be of Dr. James Dobson interview with Ted Bundy. For all of you that don't know anything about Dr. Dobson he is a Christian that is on a radio station called Focus on the Family.

The biggest thing I came away with from the reading the interview was that Ted Bundy had an addiction with Porn that started at the age of 11 or 12. He kept it a secret his whole life and by keeping it a secret the urges just spiraled more and more. Ted went from soft porn to hard porn to having the urges be so great that fantasies could not feed his hunger any more so it went to real life.

This was a huge eye opener for me in that I realize when I don't confess my sin to a person I trust and love and that loves and trusts me back that my sin or craving for a certain sin gets more and more. But when we confess our sin God is faithful to forgive us and when we confess it to the body of Christ whether it be a lot of people or to one person, we trust, we are some how set free. It made me stop and think that I need to be more open with the things I am struggling with and not keep it a secert any more. That is why I wrote about my weight problem because for all these years I kept it inside and it just got worse and worse.

Man God's ways are not our ways but they sure are better. It talks in the bible about confessing our sin. What an amazing God we serve.

So that is all I wanted to share. The following website is the interview between Dr. James Dobson and Ted Bundy. I would highly and strongly recommend reading it. You may walk away with something even better than I did.
http://www.pureintimacy.org/gr/intimacy/understanding/a0000082.cfm

Love you guys,
Dess

Weight Problem

Okay so here it is.

I Dess Annette Butler have a problem in my head and heart with my weight. I usually get the "Oh no not you Dess" Or "Dessy you look fine" Yeah yeah blah blah is all I hear. NO I am getting this out there. I feel the devil really has a foothold on me because I keep my disease in the closet. No I am really sick of this since I was 12 I have been OBSESSED about my weight. But no more. The Lord has promised to release me and I feel the only way I can do that at this point is to announce it to the world.

I HAVE A VERY UNHEALTHY WEIGHT PROBLEM.

So this is where it started when I was in 2 grade through 6 grade I had a best friend who was tiny I mean tiny tiny tiny. And me being competitive I thought I needed to be her size. For goodness sakes I was 8 to 12. And looking back in all honest it was like a Lab Dog comparing herself to a greyhound. No matter how much weight the Lab loses it will never be able to fit into the outfit of a greyhound (not bus the dog).

I remember being in 6th grade in the bath tub looking at myself and crying and telling myself over and over again I am Fat, I am so Fat. I hate myself I am so fat. (I just saw a pick of me from when I was 12 I was no were near the weight I thought I was)

Then I got to the summer before my Senior year of high school, for you Canadians that is Grade 12. So the summer before Senior year I got my wisdom teeth out. I couldn't eat very well. When I did get well enough to eat I only had one bagel a day and Power aid. When I went in to get my physical the doctor said "Oh you are a little heavy for your height you could afford to lose some pounds." I thought in my head "I am barely eating anything now, what does he want me to do eat nothing."

Volleyball came and I had to choose between volleyball or not eating. I loved volleyball more so I choose to eat. Then first year of college I puked twice on purpose to try bulimia but I told a friend because I was scared and didn't do that again.

Every day it follows me. I mean come on, you have to eat to live. It is not like I can just walk away and never look at another piece of food again.

I do really hate my body. My whole life I have always wanted to be 145 lbs and a size small. I guess you could say I wish I were something instead of what God made me.

So what now. Well I have given it to God. "YOU DID WHAT" That is right for so long I fought it thinking if I give it to God He will make me fat. Yikes that scared me. Lame thought but true.

Finally I have given it over to God. I know He is going to deliver me or He is actually delivering me layer by layer piece by piece.

This is what God has shown me so far that has really helped me:

1) We went to a dog beach one day and I saw all these different kinds of dogs. Tall, small, wide, slim, different shapes, sizes and color. And God really brought to my attention that if a Great Dane wanted to be the same weight as a Chiwawah (Spelling?) it would be impossible. That God made us all different. He made some people short and some tall, He made some people wide and some people lanky, God made some to be size 27 and others to be size zero. That we need to appreciate the body type that we are.

2) Did you know that when God made our body he made us naked. That was a gross thought to me at First but it is true. One day I was standing before God naked. I mean super naked and he was showing me that he curved my butt (All these years I hated my butt because it was so big) But he made it the size he wanted to. He showed me all the curves he put on me and all the time he put into me. Then he said "Your body is beautiful just the way I made you" Wow. If we could just get a hold of that. Instead of wanting to be super models if we could love our bodies the way God made us how free would we truly be.

3) The way I judge myself I judge strangers. I would look at peoples legs and arms and other parts and if it wasn't up to the standers of Vogue I didn't like the way their body looked either. But now that God is showing me that he made every ones body different I look at others different. I see them now and go "Wow God made their legs like that and He thinks it is beautiful"

4) The enemy has glasses he wants you to look through. There was this one day I was struggling with looking at my body in the mirror. I mean just hating what I saw (This was a month or 2 ago. So I said Lord you show me what you see you show me the way you see my body and how you see it. Man it was as if Glasses came off my eyes. I saw my legs for the first time the way God did. It was amazing. Not that I was like Hey BABY. Instead I was at peace with what God created.

SO this is where I am at now. I still am struggling wanting to be free. That is why I told you. The more sin is a secret the harder it is to be free from it.

That is my story. That is my struggle. God is working on me. Praise God!!!!

I love you all. SO hopefully this story will free you. Maybe there are skeletons in your closet the devil has a foot hold on. Let it out and Let God do what He does best.

"He set the captives FREE!!!"

I LOVE YA'LL,
Dess

Presenting my Dog as a living sacrfice.

What an emotional ride I am on. When I truly stop and think about what is going on inside me I just want to cry all day until all the pain has been washed away.

So Joel and I headed to our second journey of our vacation. When God released us from Friend Ships we felt a peace about taking 5 months off to rest and see family. We completed our time with my family which was sad and heart breaking to say the least. We had the best time with them. It was a direct blessing from God. There were few and far betweens moments where it wasn't absolutely fabulous.

But then came the transition. The point I wish we could have skipped all together. Well at least the part of giving up our dog or as I like to call him our first child. The Lord had put on our hearts 5 months ago that He wanted us to give up all of our pets. And God even had a couple in mind to give Dynamite to. So Joel and I drove from Idaho to Blacksburg Virginia to see friends that we had met at Friend Ships and to give our precious loved dog away to a young couple.

My heart broke. The idea of not having Dynamite was hard beyond description (unless you had been there). After 14 months of being with him, 24 hours a day 7 days a week except for a week and a half of him being away from us, we had to give Dynamite away.

I can't even tell you how bad my insides hurt. How much I had loved and cared for this living being. How much time and energy we had put into Dynamite and then completely giving him up. When we got to Virginia we had a few days with him all to ourselves. And each morning (around 4 or 6) The Lord would wake me up or my broken heart would wake me up. I was crushed. So all I could do was go to my heavenly Daddy and lay in his lap or hide under Him and just abide in the one that loves me more than anyone. It was during this pain and during spending time with my Daddy that I found a place I had never known before. A place where I could be fully in my fathers arms and feel no pain even in the midst of my deepest heart ache. It was incredible. I had been there before a few times but it wasn't to the point of my God taking away every once of my pain and sorrow. My Lord gave me such peace and such reassurance that this is where dynamite should be. That this was his home and that the couple (dan and mary) were perfect for him. That during those morning hours I spent with my Daddy and that it didn't hurt one bit.

I still cried and I still hurt with everything in me after wards but it was mixed with peace and joy that surpasses all understanding and all emotions. It was unbeleiveably hard and unbelieveably joyful all at the same time.

So the day came when Joel and I had to go to Dan and Mary's house and give dynamite over. I cried all morning. But my prayer was that I would not cry at Dan and Mary's house so that they would feel joyful and comfortable about taking dynamite. And my God my Daddy granted my prayer request.

Dan and Mary are so awesome. And I feel so blessed that they are so great and wonderful for Dynamite. One of the things that made me happy is that when Dynamite stands beside Dan they make each other look normal. Explanation: Anyone that knows Dynamite knows how tall he is. Everyone calls him a horse because of his height. Dan is so tall as well and that when they stand by each other they don't look above average in height. I knew, when driving away, that God had blessed us in having Dynamite for a time and during that time we were to prepare him for dan and mary (which we didn't know) And that God had created dymamite for Dan and Mary. Oh yes Joel and I learned a lot from Dynamite, but in the end he was for Dan and Mary.

So You may be asking why would God have me give away our Dog. Why would God take pleasure in what I went through. If he really is a loving God he would have never of asked us to give up dynamite. So many questions so many feelings so many hard times.

A lot of scriptures have run through my head during this time. One being from Job: "The Lord gives and the Lord Takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord." I know there are seasons where the Lord gives gives gives or I also know that God gave us dynamite. I had be praying for a dog for a year before God provide the right time and the right Dog for us. I prayed for our dog to have floppy ears (Dynamite did) I prayed (this is weird but true) I prayed for God to give us a dog that was so beautiful that every time we went out or saw people they would comment on how beautiful he was (and it happened almost every time we were out) God is so good. I prayed for other things and God gave almost everything I wanted to us in Dynamite.

But I also know that God sees Joel's and my future. I also know that God is good and that He is trust worthy. I know that Joel and I have given over every part of our lives, that we are God's property, and that He will tell us where to go and what to do as He sees fit.

So from knowing these things and having peace about giving up dynamite though we can't see what is next (only God) I know that there is a huge reason for God not allowing us to take dynamite into our next step, whether it be that we won't have enough finances for us and him or that the next place God takes us won't allow dogs and or that Dynamite would have been miserable in the next place we go to. I know when I find out why God asked us to give him up I will be thanking him for it.

My God is so good that He provided a great home for Dynamite. My God is so great that He gave us the strength, guidance, peace, and joy to give dynamite away. Which if it would have been all up to me and on my strength I couldn't have done it. 2 months before giving dynamite away I kept asking God "How am I going to be able to give up Dynamite, How am I going to be able to give him up and walk away from something I have wanted for so long and love with all my heart now"

Man I love my God. He has been so good to me. So as Job said I will say too BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!"