As I have been working through this journey, the Lord speaks in all kinds of ways. One in particular, is one of our rescues. It’s funny, we’ve tried to have brand new pets, with no damage, and those never seem to work out for us. Our family is destined to have a rescues. And, I’ve started to see this as a blessing. I’m not sure that everyone has the patience and resilience to help someone work through trauma. And, that’s exactly what rescues need.

I grew up picking up dogs from the pound. They’re cheap, and they need love too. They all had their own stories. Sometimes the pound knew what they were, and sometimes they didn’t. You just got to kind of figure it out, along the way, and make your own deductions. This one doesn’t like to be chained up, this one needs lots of attention, and each one is unique. Each one is interesting in it’s own right, and the most invaluable lesson, they all seem to teach you something about yourself.

The first rescue, my future husband and I had together, was absolutely something else. She had been through a significant amount of trauma. At times, her trauma broke our hearts. And, yet, somehow, we just loved her even more because of it. And, in our 11 year journey with her, we learned so much about ourselves, and about others. That an animal who had been through so much, could still love. That she just needed some love, attention, patience, and safety to help her become her whole self. And, she spoke lessons and love into our lives that we will never forget. It’s been many years since she passed, and she still brings tears to my eyes. She was an absolute champion and shining example of how incredible you can be, if people just take the time to help meet you, where you’re at.

But, the rescue that has been speaking to me lately, is our pet bird. Obviously, she’s not like trying to rehabilitate a dog, at all. And, me personally, I hadn’t had a bird since I was very young, and because I also had cats, I didn’t have it for long… So, I was a little apprehensive about a pet bird, but my husband really wanted her. So, here we are. He has a special place in his heart for birds, and even has the seemingly magical capability of being able to befriend wild birds outside, which never ceases to amaze me.

But – back to the pet bird. She was living with some friends of ours, who had another pet bird, and apparently the other bird was not sociable. So – it was making our future pet’s life absolutely miserable. So, our friends came to us, hoping to rehome the bird. They informed us, that she was already about 14 years old, and was only expected to live to about 30-35 years. Which is a little longer than a dog, but she was so gorgeous, we decided this was ok. They did note that they guessed she had been through some stuff because she had some quirks. Well, fair enough, we only seem to be able to handle rescues anyway, she’ll fit right in.

I will admit, I had no real concept of what it would mean to rehabilitate a bird, and the fact that it would take sooooooo long. I’m definitely more inclined to real results, sooner vs. later. So – this bird didn’t fit in my box of expectations whatsoever.

The first year we had her, we made some real strides it seemed, right away. We figured out that she was primarily kept in a cage her whole life, so we almost never lock her door. She’s free to come and go as she pleases. She doesn’t really talk much (she is a parrot) but she loves music. So does my husband. They have definitely bonded over their love for music. But, she just isn’t a “people” parrot. She doesn’t like hands. She doesn’t like flying much. She just didn’t really seem to be too crazy about life in general. Ok – well, she’s been through some stuff, rehomed how many times, not always great owners. We understood. So, we took everything in stride…. little tiny baby strides.

One thing, we did start to notice, is that every time, we moved & she moved with us, she seemed to trust us more. Our consistency, and our actions, and our unwavering love seemed to be whittling away at her. Every time we moved, she started showing us more and more of her true self. Like, maybe these people aren’t so bad, and like she could maybe let us in, a little more.

In the midst of all this, we also figured out that she wasn’t the kind of bird, we were originally told she was. Which, when we did figure out what kind of bird she was – her new life expectancy – is actually closer to 60 years. LOL! But, by that time, both my husband and I just shrugged, and stated, we apparently had made more of a commitment than we realized, but it didn’t change anything, except that maybe we had even more patience because we were in it for the long haul.

So – what I find so incredible, is that we’re going through life. And the last couple years have definitely been interesting, and had their ups and downs, and their changes, and we both continue to grow. And suddenly – in the last couple months, seemingly out of the blue, the bird has started leaving her cage. My husband had installed a ladder down to the floor, years ago. She wouldn’t even go near it. We were almost considering removing it, when she started using it. She randomly started climbing down the ladder, and walking across the house, to beg for our lunches, just like our dog does. We were floored. We have had this bird for 7 years, at least. And, suddenly, she is engaging us. Now, just in the last two months, this has become a daily occurrence. And, just this past week, she actually figured out how to climb up the chair, and sit in my husband’s lap. It has been mind-blowing, and heart-warming. And, she has even tried to take food from his hand.

And, I can’t help but feel, isn’t this how the Lord is? Here we are with all of our stuff, and He’s given us a ladder to make a way to get to Him. We just have to take it. That He has all the patience, and love, and understanding in the universe, and He’s just waiting for us. He just keeps giving us love and affection, and respecting our space, as we work through it. He’ll be there. Waiting. Ready to receive. Ready to love. And that once we do, our relationship can really grow and flourish as He intended. That He’s ready to give us all his good gifts, more than we could ask or imagine, we just need to take the steps to get to Him, and He’s waiting with open arms.

Can I also just tell you, the first time she did this, I was telling everybody! I was so excited! And, I feel that God feels that too. He’s so excited you’re here, and He is so ready to do this thing they call life with you!

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank you for your incredible patience and mercy and grace. Thank you for loving us more than we could ever ask or imagine. Thank you for sending your son for us, that we might have the way to have a personal connection with you. Thank you, that all creation shouts Your Name! Thank you for speaking to us in all kinds of ways. For showing Your hand and Your work in all things, Father. That you are blessing us, and healing us, from the inside out. That you are here and willing and able to make us whole. Thank you for your faithfulness. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I feel like one of the things, the Lord has been trying to drive home for the past few weeks, is that I am whole. He completes me. He makes me whole, and complete. That I am lacking no good thing. That when Jesus died for our sins, and we accepted Him as the Lord and Savior of our lives, the Holy Spirit dropped in, and filled that God-shaped hole in our hearts.

He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good as long as they live; and also that every man should eat and drink and see and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor can anything be taken from it, for God does it so that men will fear and worship Him [with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is God]. That which is has already been, and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by [so that history repeats itself].

Ecclesiastes 3:11-15 AMP

And, if we recall, the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfullness, and Self-Control. So – when the Holy Spirit came into our lives, and lives within us, it’s giving us the ability to tap into all these things – that we already have. Many times, it seems that what we’re “looking for” in our lives – has something to do with each one of these things, but as God tells us – He already gave them to us – through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Part of how it grows – is using the opportunities in our lives (the situations where we struggle) to grow those characteristics that we already have, because they’re already in there. God tells us, that He makes us whole. Together – we are complete. (emphasis below, mine)

⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 9:8

²³ May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 5:23

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

Acts 3:16

If only you had paid attention to my commands,
    your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.

Isaiah 48:18

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:16

Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains (of punishment)… And with the stripes (that wounded) Him we are healed and made whole.

Isaiah 53:4-5 AMP

And – let’s look at some examples of what Jesus showed us, while He was here, of God’s great love & His desire to make us whole:

²² Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

Matthew 9:22

⁵² “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Mark 10:52

¹¹ And it came to pass, as they were on the way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. ¹² And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: ¹³ and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. ¹⁴ And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; ¹⁶ and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine? ¹⁸ Were there none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger? ¹⁹ And he said unto him, Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Luke 17:11-19 ASV

I really like this last one, because – it shows – that all 10 lepers were healed of their leprosy, but the one who returned and gave thanks to God, and showed his appreciation and his faith – is the one who was made whole.

God didn’t send His Son to die for our sins, just so we can get into heaven and eventually have a relationship with Him. He sent Him to die, that we may have a relationship right now. God know that this world is a hard, incomprehensible place at times – but with the love of the Holy Spirit living within us, and the relationship we have with our Lord and Savior – we are made WHOLE. Complete. We are exactly who He wants us to be. He cares about us so much as to the details of our fingerprints, and the speckles and stripes in our irises… does that really seem like you were made by a far off, distant Creator? Or someone who truly sat down and made you exactly how He wanted you to be? For His Joy and His Glory, and for you to have a FULL LIFE because You are WHOLE!

Let’s Pray

Thank You Father! Thank you for sending your Son to be an example. To speak to us, through Your Living Word over 2000 years later – so that we may know, in our hearts and souls, that You sent Him to make Us WHOLE. That through Your love, we have been made complete. I pray that everyone reading this, feels the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. That you bear fruit within them, and through them. That they are complete and whole. That You are healing their minds, spirit, and body. That they are seeing your goodness at work in their lives. That You are speaking love over them, and through them. That You are blessing them, in each and every way. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

These past two weeks, I have been focused on the fact that the next part of our identity, is that we are children and co-heirs with Jesus.

This means that we are accepting that God is our Father. And regardless of what our worldly parents were/are like, He is a good Father. A Good Father, who only wants good things for us. If He is our Good Father, then we are His children, and as his children, we are co-heirs with Jesus. That’s a lot to consider, but truly, it is a part of our identity as Christians and believers in Christ. A part that we have to dig into, and accept to help us grow in our faith and our relationship with the Father. (all emphasis throughout, mine)

¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:11

I know personally, as a parent, I always want THE BEST for my kid. And, as it says here in Matthew 7, if I want the best for my kid, how much more does the Father wish to give us the best?! And, He is much more capable than I am.

But, more at hand here, is MY identity, as a child of God.

First, let’s look at an example of how Jesus treats the children he encounters:

³ People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. ¹⁴ When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Mark 10:13-16

I receive it! What a great example of what we can expect from our Father. He took them into His Arms, placed His hands upon them, and blessed them. He protected them from those around them – who were trying to keep them apart, He comforted them, and He Blessed them. Amen! That’s a great example of parenting, and wouldn’t we all want that?

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5

⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Luke 2:40 *This verse in particular, is talking about Jesus, and because we are co-heirs and temples of His spirit – it is also true of us.

¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

John 1:12

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.

Romans 4:13

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. ¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Romans 8:14-17

²³ What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? ²⁵ As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
    and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”

²⁶ and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”

Romans 9:23-26

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 6:18

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,…If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:26,29

⁶ Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4:6-7

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

Ephesians 5:1

⁷ so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:7

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

1 Peter 1:3-5

²⁸ And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is…¹⁰ This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.

1 John 2:28-3:1-2,10

⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4

²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Revelations 3:21

⁶ Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Revelations 20:6

⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Revelations 21:7

There are many more examples, but truly God is constantly telling us, and reminding us, that we are His Children, and in a few of these examples – he explains in the same breath, that we are co-heirs with Christ. That we are entitled to all the same things as Jesus – since He died for us and for the forgiveness of our sins – to give us that right. And, I love how it states that once we believe, it is our right. Our right to have a relationship with the Father. A right to consider ourselves His children, and that we have a right to all the things that come with it! All that, being a co-heir with Jesus means. God has already given to us. The moment we believed that Jesus died for our sins, and we wanted him to be our Savior – we inherited all these things, all these good gifts! We just have to receive it – to obtain it. To walk into our inheritance and know that all these good things belong to us. We have to speak them into our lives, pray that the Holy Spirit cooperatively work with us to manifest our inheritance. We are His Children, and ALL THAT IT MEANS!!

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you. Thank you for telling us how much you love us. Thank you for showing us how much you care, and reminding us of Your Love, and of our place in Your Kingdom. That You are guiding the works of our hands, and the words from our lips, that we may manifest these good works in our lives, by Your Spirit, and by Your Word. That Your Word does not return void. That You have said it, and that makes it true. This day, and every day Lord, that we may walk in the knowledge and the assurance that WE are Your Children, and You are our Father. Abba, Father! Great and Glorious God of Good things, for His Children. Bless Us, this day, and every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I continue down the path of discovery. The path of Who Am I? Ultimately – who does my Creator say that I am? This week, I’m focusing on the Creator – says I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. That I wish to say to all of you, out there, who were told that you were a mistake, or an accident, or whatever anyone else has ever said about you – Please know, deep down in your soul, God made YOU. And, HE doesn’t make mistakes. He purposefully made you. He looked down at the world, and decided it needed YOU. No matter what ANYONE else says about you, God says He created you, He created you for a purpose, He created you to be who He wanted you to be.

Something, I heard this week, that I feel everyone should hear, because I know I needed to hear it. Let’s remember that God lives outside of time. That He sees the future, in the now, He can see everything before it happens. And, with keeping that in mind, think of David. King David, who was anointed with oil to be the next ruler. But – in that same moment, that he was being anointed with oil – God saw what David with Bathsheba… and He still anointed him. He saw the mistakes that David was going to make, and he still anointed him. He knows who we are, and He loves us anyway. He loves us, in spite of ourselves. He still chooses us. Another thought – He knew Judas would betray him, and he chose him anyway. That just blew me away. I think, I knew it, but to hear it in that respect, just struck me with awe. So, keeping that in mind, let’s look at all the verses where God tells us – exactly how we were made.

All emphasis is mine.

⁴ But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

⁵ Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶ He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

Jeremiah 18:4-6

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Psalm 139:13-15

 But whoever loves God is known by God.

1 Corinthians 8:3

Your hands made me and formed me;
    give me understanding to learn your commands.

Psalm 119:73

⁴ The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵ “Before I formed you in the womb I knew^[a] you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:4-5

²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Romans 8:29

As you do not know the path of the wind,
    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3

For we are God’s masterpiece, created in the Messiah Jesus to perform good actions that God prepared long ago to be our way of life.

Ephesians 2:10 (ISV)

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Revelations 4:11

¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

Colossians 1:16

¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

We are masterpieces, made by God. He knit us together. He purposefully created us, in the image of His Son. He designed each one of us. He thought about each of us, and made us, just how He intended. He masterfully crafted us, and created us to be in His image. He thought about each hair on our heads, and our fingers and toes, and everything in between. He made you, whole and complete, in Jesus. Any gap, you think you might have, isn’t there. Jesus has made you whole, and God made You just the way He wanted You to be.

I think – this is such an important lesson, because the world tears us down. The world creates gaps that aren’t there. The world wants us to believe that there’s something wrong with us, but truly, there is something wrong with the world. And, Jesus came, to close that gap, and that thinking. That we may know our Creator in a close, and intimate way. That the Creator had this insatiable need for us to know Him, and for us to understand – that HE KNOWS US. HE KNOWS US, better than we know ourselves – He CREATED us. That, in order, to better know ourselves – we just have to seek God, and He will tell us who we are. We are BELOVED, and we are A MASTERPIECE, FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE.

Let’s Pray

Dear Father God, I pray that everyone who reads this – truly understands that You made Us. That You don’t make mistakes. That You looked at this wonderful creation, and decided it needed one of us too. That You are such a good Father, that you want to have a close and personal relationship – with your creation. That we may understand who we are. That we may draw closer to you, and in doing so, find the deeper things of ourselves, and who you created us to be. That we may let you do your work in our hearts and minds – to see ourselves, the way that You do. That You see us as whole and complete. That we may understand that, Father. That you bless the work of our hands, and the words from our lips, that we give you glory and praise all the days of our lives, for making us exactly who we are, and who you created us to be. IN JESUS’ NAME. AMEN!!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up pretty quick. And, what I’m finding out about growing up too fast, is that it catches up with you. At least, for a lot of people it does. You suddenly find yourself, all grown up – literally, and you have all this luggage that you’ve been dragging around with you, and you’re like, “HOW DO I GET RID OF THIS??”

At least, that’s what happened to me. All my luggage came tumbling down on me, around me, popped open and burst all over the floor, and the walls. And suddenly, as I looked around, I realized, there was no way you could a) keep carrying this around forever or b)possibly fit all this stuff back in (nor should you.) As I’ve found out, God doesn’t want you to carry it all around, He wants to help you get rid of it. He wants to dig all that nasty garbage out and throw it out! And, then, fill you with the good stuff of God instead.

So, part of my journey, has required that I go wayyyyy back. In fact, all the way back to the beginning. And, with that journey back, I realized. I don’t know WHO I am. Like, as person. I have been going at Mach 5 for so long, and re-acting to everything happening in my life, I haven’t really ever taken the time to understand, WHO I am. Which, to be honest, in your mid-thirties, is a little disconcerting. Feels like I’m a little late to the game, but as always, my rose-colored glasses remind me that, better late than never. And, as I let this realization sink in, of course, it instigates the quest to discover – Who I am. Who Am I? What do I like? What defines me? And, thank God, that I have cultivated this relationship enough to understand, that the best place to look to figure out who I am, is in the Bible. Because – you don’t ask the creation what it is, you ask the Creator. And, God, has a lot to say about who we are. I’m going to unpack those things with you, over the coming weeks.

The first one, I wanted to focus on, was “I am Beloved.” I wanted to start here, because I know God is love. And, I know, that He tells me, I am Beloved.

Beloved – clearly defined – is an adjective. It means “dearly loved”. As a noun, “A much loved person.”

So, here, just getting started – it’s not just someone who is loved. But dearly loved. Very much loved. Here is our Father, doing more than we can ask or imagine, again.

All emphasis below, is mine. Let’s look through what the Bible has to say to the beloved.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:34

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
    for he shields him all day long,
    and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”

Deuteronomy 33:12

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:7,9-12,18-19

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15

¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 5:6-11

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Galatians 2:19-21

¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:9-17

Through all these verses, we can see the emphasis, that God so loved us, that He sent His Son to die for us. That’s extreme love. Dearly loved. Beloved. We are the Beloved.

I heard a saying years ago, that’s always stuck in my heart, and reminds me constantly of how personal the Bible is for me. How personal my relationship with my Savior is for me.

Even if, you were the only person on the earth, God still would’ve sent His Son to die, just for you.

unknown, potentially St. Augustine or C.S. Lewis

I really like to think about it that way, not to elevate myself, but to magnify God’s love. That He would’ve done it anyway, even if it was just for me. That’s how much God loves us. That’s how much we mean to Him. He cares specifically for each of us.

 ⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows…

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Luke 12:6-7; 22-26

He knows the very hairs on your head. And, how much more valuable are you, than the ravens, and the sparrows, and the wildflowers? That He would die for you, to have a relationship with YOU.

Let’s Pray

Dear Father God, thank you! Thank you for your blessings today, and every day. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for loving us more than we could comprehend or imagine. For being the God of more than enough. That although, we may have gone through life, not fully understanding or experiencing love through those around us, that you have shown us Your love by sending Your Son to die for us. That You want to have a personal relationship with us. That You can love us better than anyone, and that you can show us how to love. How to love others, how to love ourselves, and it’s all through the love that you’ve already demonstrated. Love that you wish for us to experience each and every day, in a personal way. That you enter in, and heal us from the inside out. That you are blessing us, Father God. Thank you, for being Love. Thank you for your example, and your never-ending fount of all the good things. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Most of the time, people start looking forward at the New Year. And many times, there’s the adage, “New Year, New You”. But as our family sat together and watched the ball drop this year, my son posed the question, “Why do people care so much about the New Year?” And of course, my husband and I explained that most people do exactly what I just described, they’re making resolutions, they’re putting the past behind them, they’re forging ahead, and making another New version of themselves.

But, I quickly added, “You don’t have to wait for the New Year, to change something about yourself.”

So, over the last couple weeks, I have been in this state of transition. But, I feel, that transitions are truly effective, when you really take into consideration – the past. Where have you been, doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with where you’re going… but for some reason, it seems really important to me to keep it in scope.

2022 for me, was a year of wilderness, of wandering around with God, wondering, “What are we doing?” “Where are we going?” “How long is it going to take to get there… wherever there is…” It was also a year of substantial growth. Sometimes, it seems that in the quiet of the wilderness, is where some of the most interesting growth happens. Growth, you didn’t know you needed.

And, as I write this to you, I’m also reminded that several times in the Bible, Jesus and the Apostles refer to the way it was, and to the fact that it was about to change. But the change would be a good thing. The ways of the past were gone, and a new Kingdom was coming. They discussed in Hebrews 10, how sacrifice was the old way, but Jesus Christ had made a new way.

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. ² Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. ³ But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ⁴ It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;
⁶ with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”

Hebrews 10:1-7

Here is perfect example, of looking back, to move forward.

It was interesting – at the beginning of 2022, I wrote down some very open goals for the year. By open, I mean, like “I want to read more.” Not – I’m going to read 10 books this year. Just like, these general broad-scope goals. And, in the last couple weeks, I realized, I had accomplished all of them. Now, this year, I’m challenging myself to give them more detail (Like, I want to read 20 books this year.)

Understanding where we’ve been, to help encourage us to define where we want to go.

I have also spent the last several weeks, trying to understand the growth that has occurred. Occurred within me as a person, and in my relationship with Jesus. What does that mean for the future? What are we doing next?

I am also in this deep dive of what my identity is, in Christ. Maybe, gaining a better understanding of who I am, because of what He says, will help clarify where we’re going.

As you could maybe tell, I didn’t have a clear outline, as I sat down here today, but I do know that I miss you. I miss spending this time together, and it has been pressing on my heart. And of course, as I bargained with God, telling him that I would sit down for my blog, if I had time, as always, His response was, “what else are you doing with your time?” What could be more important than reaching out here? That even though sometimes, I have no real concept of what we’re going to discuss, it never fails that words flow from my fingertips and here we are. That this year, I truly feel, there’s something here. That this blog is important, and it’s never stopped being important, and I need to get it back on my list where it belongs.

I can tell you, that I’ve spent more time than ever this past year, trying to understand where I’ve been. That I’ve tried to be open, and curious about how I’ve come to where I am. That I’m excited for the future, and all the incredible possibilities it holds. That, just before sitting down here, I went through all my answered prayers for 2022, and found that I had 98 tangible, answered prayers. That comes out to at least 1 answered prayer, every 4 days. That’s INCREDIBLE!! God is absolutely moving in my life, and yours.

I guess, I’m here today, to show you where I’m at, and maybe challenge you to consider the same. To look behind you, and see where you’ve been, and then decide, “Where are you going?” Is this the year, that you make A goal? Is this the year, that you challenge yourself to wander in the wilderness a while? Is this the year, that you finally do that one thing you’ve been waiting for? The year, that you dedicate more time to Jesus? The Year, that you realign your sails because you’ve been drifting? Ask God to help you? What’s on His Heart for your life?

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I know that we can pick any day of the week to start anew. That You are always there, and always waiting for us, wherever we’re at. That you can guide us through anything Father God, and that You have good plans for our lives. I pray that you reveal these things to us. That you put it on our hearts and minds to do Your will. That You guide our steps, and keep us on the narrow path. That You are blessing us Father God, this day and every day. That You are always there to catch us, to watch over us, to listen to our struggles and our triumphs. That You are in each and every moment, and that we feel your presence all the time. That you bless the works of our hands, and the words from our lips. This day, and every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

So, as I stated last week. Here I would like to propose to you, that you start to consider that Rest is a Weapon. A weapon God has given you. That He showed us, that everyone should rest. Enjoy what you’ve done. Appreciate your accomplishments. Take a breath.

And, although, rest, as we all know, is important. How is it a weapon?

Well, let’s think about it a little bit. How long is your fuse when you’re well rested? How much patience do you have after 8 hours of sleep? How clear headed are you, after you’ve been able to truly go to bed, sleep all night, and wake up rested?

What are those answers at the end of a long day, with little sleep? How well do you think at 9pm when you’re trying to problem-solve, or when your small child becomes philosophical because it’s bedtime?

How happy are you, when you’re rested?

How willing are you to help, yet another person, after a long day at work, and little sleep?

I mean, these things are all things to consider, when we’re thinking about how much rest affects how we act. We all know the answers, it’s the same for all of us. When you’re well-rested, you’re a better version of yourself. Less rest = lesser version of yourself.

But, can I also challenge you, that the Devil knows you’re tired, and that’s the moment that he takes the opportunity to pounce. He literally has nothing on his hands, but time, and one of his most effective tools – is to make you feel like you don’t have any.

Now, before you go beating yourself up and feeling guilty – please know, he does it to us all. But, we have to fight against it. We have to seriously look at our schedules, and do a couple things to really utilize this weapon. But, first, let’s read a story.

²⁰ So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. ²¹ Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

²² Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. ²³ Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. ²⁴ Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

²⁵ Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” ²⁶ So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

²⁷ At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” ²⁸ So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. ²⁹ Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” ³² With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs^[a] of seed. ³³ He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”

³⁴ “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. ³⁵ The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

³⁶ At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. ³⁷ Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”

³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

³⁹ When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

⁴⁰ Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

⁴¹ And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” ⁴² So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.

⁴³ “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.

“There is nothing there,” he said.

Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

⁴⁴ The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

⁴⁵ Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. ⁴⁶ The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1 Kings 18:20-46

Now, let’s pause a moment. If we run through this sequence of events, the prophets of Baal started their offering and sacrifice early in the morning and continued into the early evening – so approximately an 8 hour worship service on Baal. Then, Elijah, (in the evening, after giving the Baal prophets a fair chance) got his sacrifice started. Which means – at that time, after being up all day, then he started to prep a bull for sacrifice. Once he was done prepping – then they built the alter – then they doused it in water – 3 times. I can’t imagine this all went quickly – so it was probably well into the evening hours by this point. Then, God answering didn’t take but a few moments – completely disintegrated the sacrifice, the alter, the stones, and all the water. Then, they gathered up 450 prophets – and killed them all. Which, I can only believe, took at least a little while. So, it seems to be a full day for Elijah at this point. (Besides the fact, that this is a culmination of years of events). Then – Elijah climbed, back up, to the top of Mount Carmel to prophesy for rain. Which took 7 trips of his servant for confirmation – so this took a minute. No where in here, is it talking about Elijah taking a nap? Then – when the rain did come – he raced Ahab’s chariot back into town. He outran a horse….

Ok. So – Full Day for Elijah – at best. Sounds to me, more like at least 1 1/2 days, more so. And – then here is this critical moment:

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

1 Kings 19:1-2

Jezebel says – I’m going to kill you. And Elijah, after seeing what all God had done, and the fact that He had sustained Elijah in Cherith and provided for Him and the widow, and brought her son back to life, and performed these amazing miracles on Mount Carmel, and had brought back the rain after years of drought – told Jezebel, “There’s no way, My God will protect me….” ? Um, no. Not at all. You know what the great prophet’s response was?

 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵ Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

1 Kings 19:3-5

He ran. He ran far, far away, and then cried out stating that he was no better than his ancestors and to please just let this whole thing be over.

I don’t know about you, but that seems like a very human response to me. Everybody hates me, nobody likes me, I’m going to go eat some worms….

But – here is another beautiful moment, where God shows us exactly what we need.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” ⁶ He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

⁷ The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. ⁹ There he went into a cave and spent the night.

1 Kings 19:5b-9

God’s like, “You’re alright, you just need some rest.”

With rest, comes perspective. With rest, comes strength. With rest, comes nourishment.

God just lets him rest for a bit. Elijah had just done a bunch of stuff. He had completed a marathon of years in the making. He was tired. I don’t blame him.

I also love, that this was intentionally kept in the Bible. For you and I to read. To know, that this great prophet, listed in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11), was so human. This example that so many people love to quote and to use an example and to strive toward faith like that – was sooooo human. So real. And, left here, to be an example for you and me. That we can experience these incredible high notes of faith, and yet still get exhausted and worn out, and need to rest. That if you’re tired – that’s OK. If you feel like you’ve been running a marathon, that’s OK. If you feel like you’ve got nothing left in the tank – that’s OK. You just need to rest. And you should come to the Father – who gives you rest.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

Let’s Pray

Dear Father, Thank you for this day. Thank you for your amazing examples for us. Thank you for guiding us, for giving us a word in season. That you wish to bless us with rest. You want to restore our bodies and our souls. That you know, that the devil loves to keep us busy and running, to keep us away from You. But that You are the good, good Father who wants us to know that you want us to rest. To pause. To be in the intimate moments with You, God. That you are always there and waiting. That You want to guide us along the way. That you want to help us find out what rest looks like. That you are waiting for us to just pause and spend time with you. That your yoke is easy, and your burden is light Lord. That you will give us rest and refreshment for our souls. That your living water will pour into us, and through us, and into others. That you are guiding us. That you are, all that we need. That you help take our hands in the days to come – to show us what it’s like to rest. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I’ve had a word in my heart for a few weeks now. Which is interesting, since the revelation was revealed to me a few months ago, but yet, the need to share with all of you stirred just recently.

I was burnt out. I know I’ve experienced this a few times with all of you, but it seems, I’m still learning – 1) How to avoid it 2)it apparently has more lessons to teach me.

So, here I was, yet again, reaching the end of everything I have, and your body kicks into survival mode almost. Just doing, just enough, to get you through each day, and that’s it. That’s all you get. No more, and maybe less. Your brain just isn’t cooperating with you anymore. It’s trying to tell you – you need to stop. SoMeThInG needs to come off your plate. You need to back up, and recenter. You need to realign with God.

So – that’s exactly what I did. I took 2 weeks off work. 2 weeks!! First time, ever, in 20 years of working and having a job, I have never, ever not worked for 2 whole weeks. And, it was refreshing, and restoring, and rejuvenating. It helped me get my bearings. It helped me dig deeper, into the things that matter. It got me in touch, with me. And, apparently, I had a lot of stuff to work out.

Which, is fine. And, will probably get played out here, to some extent for years to come. Since, during that time, I discovered I also had some healing to do. And, God wanted to do that with me, and that – is also fine. It’s where I’m at in my journey, and it’s something that I wanted to do. Which is all good things – and my Father wants good things for me.

But – circling back to taking time off, I also decided that this was a stay-cation of sorts, and I literally made almost 0 plans for 2 weeks. I would be flying by the seat of my pants. Which, for anyone who knew me – 5+ years ago (just a little before I started this blog) – seems insane. I was the literal definition of a control freak. So – 2 weeks, without plans?!?!? Who does that??

I did that. And, it was fantastic. I made 2 “plans” during that time frame.

1) Some camping would be involved, we did go camping for 3 of the 14 days.

2) I would be spending every morning with God, as long as I felt necessary, and more as needed.

With this second tidbit – I found a devotional, on burnout – kinda. Devotional on Resting. And, deep within the throws of this devotional, I stumbled across this information. And, it is – an absolute game-changer.

I would like to portray this information to you, the same way it pieced together for me.

²⁹ Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

² By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. ³ Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Genesis 1:29-31; Genensis 2:1-3

We’ve all read this before. We know the story. God made the whole world, and on the seventh day, He rested.

He rested.

He rested.

He rested.

WHHHHYYYYYYYY??? Why, does the omnipresent, omniscient creator of the Universe – who never sleeps….. rest?

I don’t know about you, but the thought, never crossed my mind before. Why did He rest? If you really pause to think about it, it suddenly doesn’t make sense, does it? When you think about other people, it’s obvious, they need rest. But, for as many times as I have read the verses, and known the story, and literally read that scripture. Not once, did I pause to think, Why, in the good gravy, did God rest on the seventh day? He doesn’t need to? He never sleeps, he doesn’t get tired, or weary. It’s almost like your brain is on auto-pilot, just glosses right through it. And He rested.

But, can I pose this to you? He rested – to show us. To be a model for us. Because He knew that our little human lives get soooooo busy. And, we have to pick the kids up, and drop them off, and go to the games, and the concerts, and make the dinners, and schedule the plans, and DO ALL THE THINGS!! I mean! Come ON!! You have to do all the things, all the time, and there’s no time!!!

But, here God was, in his all-knowingness, showing us that He rested. That there is power in resting. That what is the point of doing all the things, if you never get to take a minute, to look at all the good work you have done and enjoy it?

That, dare I say, Satan would love for you to be soooo busy, that you can’t stop. That you’re too busy to go to Wednesday night church. That you’re too busy to go to that Bible Study? That you’re too busy to stop and ask people to pray for you because you’re really struggling? That you’re too busy to wake up 10 minutes earlier so you can have a quick devo or a short prayer with God before you head out on your day?

That, God is trying to show you, that rest is a weapon.

That people who work over 55 hours a week, have significantly higher health risks and their productivity drops significantly. Huh, the more you work, the less productive you are….

Do I dare to challenge you, what do you consider work? The 40 hour job you hold? Or are you also taking into consideration, all the other stuff you do? Because, I would like you to consider, that your body might consider that work too. What about all the driving?? Isn’t that work? You’re operating a machine, for some people it is a job, delivery driver, truck driver, etc. Are we taking it for granted? You have to be aware, and alert, and we all know it’s more dangerous to drive when we’re tired, so wouldn’t that be considered work too?

So – if you look at your life, like that… How much are you working?

Better question – how much are you resting? Not just sleeping, resting? How much time are you spending pouring back into you? Are you taking as good of care of you, as you are of your children? Of your loved ones? How do you think God feels about that? I mean, you’re His kid. Do you think, He might be asking you to go to bed earlier? He might be telling you to slow down, stop running.

That Rest is a Weapon. In Rest, we find strength. We find healing. We find purpose. We find God. He’s there, like a gentleman, just waiting for you to come take a seat.

I’m going to try to really dig into this with you in the coming weeks. But I just want to let that settle in for a while. I really want you to consider what slowing down or rest might mean for you.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank you for being a role model to us. Thank you, for showing us, how you want us to be. That there is rest within you. That you want rest for us. That you are guiding us through this season, and our lives, to know that we need rest. Rest that you give. That your yoke is easy, and your burden is light. That you are guiding us, and protecting us, Father God. That you are in the gentle whisper, and the quiet, still, small voice. That you want good things for us. That you are guiding us, in your will and your way. Bless Us Father God. Restore us. And let us live, in Your Rest, and Refreshment. That you may fill us with your living water all the days of our lives. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!

Across all the podcasts, all the sermons, in the devotionals, every where I seem to turn – I’m hearing that “God is on the move.” And my Spirit longs for it. I hear it, and it speaks truth to my soul. That I agree – God is on the move. He is doing a new thing. Revival is on the tip of every tongue.

And, I hear in this crying out, this proclamation, that it’s like never before. It’s the crying of God to our flesh. “Hear me.” “Listen.”

That He is speaking to each and everyone of us – in our own ways. That He is downloading into our Spirit what we’re supposed to be hearing. That He’s moving each and everyone of us, in His way, to bring it all together. To bring the fire and the love for God.

That we are bringing our cares and our burdens to Him, and He is lightening our load, and making way for a new thing. That His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. That we need just follow it. To accept it and obey. That He is really fortifying and building these, oh so personal, relationships with Him together. That our souls, and the earth, is crying out for Our Creator. He is whispering back – “Hear me, I’ve got you.” That all He wants is this relationship to dig deeper, to be stronger, to be so evident that no one can miss it.

That He’s leading us to be His light. His light to bring in others. That He’s calling – “Come follow me.” That our walk and our faith should be so wound tightly with Him that no one can miss it. That people are asking – What have you got, that I don’t have?

The Answer: Jesus.

There are these new commercials out, talking about Jesus having anxiety, Jesus wanting fellowship, Jesus being human, and it ends with “He gets us.” And, every time I see these commercials, tears well up in my eyes – because He does. He does get us. God sent the Son of Man, to come to earth, to live out the human life, and become the ultimate sacrifice, not just to perform his will and fulfill the prophesies – but to show us – that HE GETS US! He is our Creator.

He put all these feelings and emotions and logic inside of us, in His own image. He gets us.
He gave us an instruction manual, The Bible, to help us, every step of the way, with real knowledge and understanding of what to do in all our situations.
His Word – was with Him in the beginning and it will never pass away.

I had this deep stirring this morning as I listened to His Word.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

It felt like – this other part of God – that I had missed.

God, Jesus, Holy Ghost… and the Word. The Word was God. As we have received the Holy Ghost, and He is working within us – we are to get into His Word. And His Word – is made true within Us. That we have hidden His Word in our heart. That we meditate on His Word, and it will guard our hearts and minds. That there is this deep connection between the Word and hearing the Word and the connection it is making with the Holy Ghost within us – that is bringing all together.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin  for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (emphasis mine)

He has given us this direct insight into Him. The Almighty.

No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

1 Corinthians 2:12-13

That we are to be using the Word to grow our Spirit man. And, I mean I’ve known this aspect all along – but this deep revelation – that the Word is God, just occurred today. That I don’t even know how many times I’ve read the verse, but today – the Word dropped in and spoke a new thing into me. The Word Is God. That it shall never pass away. That our Spirit is crying out to us, to read the Bible and get into the Word – because it’s God connecting with Himself – through us. That as we read – the things of God will be revealed. That as we’re in the Word (in God) that the Holy Spirit living in us – connects and uses our brain to understand in our knower what God is trying to say.

As one of my favorite pastors likes to say, “You know, in your knower.” Which is when that connection occurs – the Word and the Spirit agree.

But the manifestation of the Sprit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7-8

Hear Him. Listen. Get into His Word and let Him speak directly to you. Pull in closer. Follow. Let the shepard guide you. That you may flourish and do well.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day. Thank you for your Word. Your Word in season, your Word stirring within us. Lord, bless us that we may open our eyes to a New Thing. That you may make us so observant, that we are watching for it at all times. That we are sharing it, and knowing it. That we may be ready with the answer of Jesus at all times, on our hearts and in our minds. That you may bless us, Father, this day and every day, by the works of our hands, and the words from our lips. That we are drawing others in to what we’ve got. That we may be the lights and the fresh fire for Your Revival. That you are doing a New thing, and that we are so blessed to be a part of it. That you may guide our hearts and minds in the way for them to go. That You may protect us and lift us up, that we may shine for all to see Your light and Your love. In JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Recently, I have been in a strange place. I have just been struggling emotionally, and trying to get back to where I need to be.
I was listening to the Lord one morning, earlier this year, after my initial prayer time. Just sitting in silence, and listening. Being still in the presence of our Lord.

And, He whispered to me, in my soul. “Growth”

I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t really thinking – like I need to grow more (although I completely understand that we are in a state of constant growth). But, regardless, when the Lord speaks – we listen.

So, I buckled up, for a ride that would be nothing how I anticipated. Because, you know, whenever the Lord speaks to you, you have your own ideas about how things are going to go. And, that is never, at all, what the Lord meant when He said it.

All year, I have kept my eyes open, and my flesh willing, to what the Lord meant, when He said “Growth”.

And, all year, He has been stretching me, and pulling me – sometimes with tears in my eyes and the proverbial kicking and screaming that you can imagine. But, dragging my feet every step of the way, I have still made the steps. Because I know that what is on the other side, is incredible, and worth it, and the only way I can get there – is His way. Not my will, but yours be done Lord.

So, one of the things that He has challenged me with, is being more open and honest with people. I will admit, I think – here – it’s a little easier to be open and honest, because I’m just putting myself out there, but I don’t have any control over who reads it. And, I’m still mindful of what I’m putting out here – but still trying to give you the rough and raw, in’s and out’s of it all. Because this is part of how we grow, and share the Spirit of the Lord – by knowing that we’re not alone. By having the comfort and solace that we’re all making these steps. But – in real life, in my circle, I’m way less likely to be open about the battles I face sometimes. I have a hard time letting people in. I have been burned so many times, I’m quite timid about who I’m allowing to be in my space.

So – you know where this is going… right? God was like, let’s grow that a bit.

Ugh, leave it to our Heavenly Father to know just what our weaknesses are. But I will say this, He does always know what’s best for us, and He really is just helping us in our walks. How can others know, how God is showing up in your life – if no one knows anything about your life?

I have to learn to trust people. And, I know, that I’m still going to get burned sometimes – but you never grow where you’re comfortable, and you can’t open yourself to the miracles and wonders of life, if you’re never willing to open up.

SO – I started trying to open up more. I opened up to my ladies at church. Openly admitted that I am struggling in life, and needed prayer. I openly admitted to my friends and family that I am having difficulties not being a constant hot mess, and I’m not really sure why. I just let some of those raw emotions out. And, they were met with concern and comfort. And, I will admit, sometimes I didn’t really feel it right away. And sometimes I was questioning – why did I even tell those people that? Ugh! But, then in the days to follow, I felt more supernatural peace. I felt solace that people were praying for me. And where two or more are praying in agreement, God is answering.

It opened my eyes to the fact, that I was not supposed to be fighting this battle alone.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Galatians 6:2

That I was over here, growing in God. Trying to fill my cup, trying to let Him fill my cup, and I was neglecting this whole aspect of His ministry. This is not a solo journey.

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together in him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His son, Jesus Christ… But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1 John 1:3,7

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Provers 27:17

And, the outpouring that has occurred from my stepping out in faith, has been overwhelming.

Thank God, that He loves us where we are, but always love us too much to leave us where we’re at.

This past week, I have had all these seeds, that I didn’t even realize were being planted, just pour out into a beautiful bouquet into my lap. That, people have been coming out of the wood-work to tell me, how much they love me. How they have missed me. How grateful they are to have me in their lives. That I am not alone.

The enemy’s lies are powerful, that you can be surrounded by people at times, and still feel alone. I have been so moved by the outpouring that I am shocked that I could’ve ever felt alone. And, I should clarify, I don’t mean alone in the sense of like I’m all by myself, but more that I have to do everything by myself. That because I’m sad and overwhelmed, I’m the only one who can pull me out. And, I should know better. That it’s way easier to grab a hand reaching down to pull you out, than to try to do it on your own. That you should always take help when it’s offered, AND you have to be open and honest – that you need the help. But, funny how, it’s always hardest to take our own advice.

I’m just blown away by the fellowship. That by allowing other people in, they can shine a light in all these dark places. They are wiping out the cobwebs of my soul and helping me get on the more fulfilling path. And, God has been showing me, that I can trust people. I can be open and honest about things, and not only are people not going to look down on me because of it, they’re going to share their own testimonies of being overcomers, of digging out of the darkness, or they’re going to ask if they can hold my hand – look me in the eye – and we can get through this together. Wow. I receive it, the great and glorious love of God. Right here, in my life. The outpouring of His moving, comforting, and supernatural soul – looking me right in the eye – through a friend or loved one, and just being there with me. That I’m not doing this alone. That I just need to be yoked to Jesus, and to realize all the incredible tools that Jesus is using – some of which comes in the form of fellowship & friends.

I feel it’s important to mention, that part of what showed me this outpouring of fellowship – was my birthday, this past week. I have a few different friends who decided to get me birthday gifts this year. And, these are all independent friends – like they’re not friends with each other necessarily, but they’re my friends. So – I noticed a theme among them all. Everyone gave me affirmations. Every single friend gave me some gift that said good things about me. Each in their own way, but every single person was pouring into me for my birthday gifts. And, I took a moment, to recognize – that God had a theme for my birthday this year – that I am loved, I am beautiful, I am alive for a purpose, I am wholly and dearly loved, and that I am not doing this alone. #Godshowedup

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You. Thank you for making me the member of a body. Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that I have people who love and care about me, and who want to help me. People who want to be a part of my life, and my journey. That I am not an island, but a body, and that I can depend on and reach out to the other parts of the body to help me when I’m struggling. That You will use them to help me stand firm in my faith. You will use them to encourage me, and give me affirmations of your love and your faith in me. That you will pour out your love and your soul through all of them. That you move Holy Spirit in incredible, and wonderful ways. That you are the Great God of ALL Hope and ALL Comfort. That you are guiding me every step of the way. Thank you God for growing me, even when it’s uncomfortable, even when I don’t like it. Thank you for pouring out your love and grace into my life, to never leave me where I’m at and to continue this incredible journey with you, and with your body. IN JESUS’ NAME!!! AMEN!!

I was listening to some podcasts/sermons recently and I heard the words, “Your faith is for your trials.”

I know I’ve referenced before that “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

All of this was settling in to tell me, that I am growing my faith for my trials. I know as a believer, not only will I have trials, but I might have more trials than most actually. Satan is actively trying to bring you down. He’s going after you. And, it will either shake your faith, or solidify your faith.

I recently painted a picture that I have hung on my war board, that states, “I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages.” Because I feel that I have. I feel like that’s where I’ve finally reached in my personal relationship with Jesus & Our Father & The Holy Spirit.

That I’m going to have trials. But that God is always going to be there for me. That He’s always going to have a good word for me. That His love never fails. That He is going to give me strength, endurance, and understanding for each day. That He will sustain me.

I’m currently going through quite the set of circumstances. I have a broken down vehicle that’s been in the shop for over 30 days, with no real update to when it will be available again. I have experienced some crazy error that has left me without over half my tax return. All my close friends are going through some real, serious life situations. I’m also currently living through the storm we were watching on the horizon and all the changes that has brought forth (which is a lot). So, needless to say, I have trial or two. I also recently survived the crazy storm that wiped a swath through the Midwest. And, my work is currently going through a whirlwind of changes, as well.

So, you know, just a few things happening. Just a couple things that could get me a little sideways. And, I feel like the recent, actual storm that wiped through the Midwest really helped bring home some of this tidbit for me. During the actual storm, I was separated from my family. I watched a 2-story substantial barn, disappear before my eyes. And, I ended up taking shelter with a nice family that allowed me into their home, by the grace of God. And, during this storm, it never occurred to me quite how dangerous the situation was. I was not in fear for my life, or my family’s lives. There was a calmness within me. There was a peace about me.

Instead, in every situation with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6 

And, I feel like this real, actual physical storm is representative of my current spiritual trials. There is a calmness about it. There is a peace to it.

When I found out that our truck was utterly broken, miles away from town. I was like, “Oh ok. Well, I guess we’ll just have to get that towed and find out what’s wrong.” And moved on. When I saw that my tax return was 1/2 of what I expected, I was like, “Whoa, that’s weird. I’ll have to find out what’s happening there.”

Every time I’m talking with my close friends about their situations, all I’m feeling is love and empathy. Words that are not my own, are comforting them. I pray with them, I pray over them, and I’m trusting that God is doing the rest and guiding them through these situations, and that He will help me to be the wisdom and comfort they need from me.

With all the trails that are occurring, every time I feel my feet starting to falter, I just double-down in the scripture and prayer. I pray for a Word. I read the Bible. I listen to podcasts & sermons. I continue to pour into others as much as I’m able, and I’m focusing on my own self-care. As I understand that the more that is getting poured out, needs to be poured in. That in order to get through these trials, I just need to keep returning to the Source. Just need to keep plugging into the Almighty that supplies all my needs. That He knows what I need each day, and as I’m more important than the sparrows, so He will take care of all my needs. That He will give me the wisdom and understanding I need for each day. That He will guide me and shelter me through these storms, and the next ones, and the ones after that.

That what I need to do, is stay with the Source. To continue to plug in, and show up. That the more drained I feel, the more I need to drink from the everlasting fount of eternal life. That He will guide and supply everything I need. That He will make me new and renewed each morning. That I am so grateful that I do not need to figure out what I’m doing next, I just need to keep taking steps in faith. That I just need to keep trusting Him, and He will guide me. He will lay opportunities before me, that He will speak to me – through His Word. That all I have to do is trust Him, and He is forever faithful. He has given me everything I need to grow my faith, and now that I’m truly experiencing some real trials – that my faith is here to guide me through them. That I have hidden His words in my heart, that I might call on them in my hours of need. That He restores my soul and grows my faith. That He is always there, and I just need to release my faith into these moments. To speak to my problems. To admit that no matter what, I always need a Savior, and Thank God – I have a Savior who has a personal relationship with me. That He is walking me through these moments, and I am not facing them alone.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your amazing grace. Thank you for being all that we need. Thank you for being the source of everything we need, in every circumstance. Thank you for giving us The Word, that we may read it and be renewed and refreshed. Thank you that you are constant. That you are faithful. That You never leave us or forsake us. That we need only to trust in you. Thank you Father God that you help us grow our faith, so that when we need you, we know what to do – to trust in You. That you are growing us that we become more like you every day. That we may shine your light to others. That they want what we have, and we can turn them to the Source, that they might also be refreshed & restored, Father God. Thank you Father, for being faithful. For sending Your Son to die, that we might have a personal relationship with you. Thank You for being all that we need, this day and every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

So, in August this past year, the storm started accumulating clouds. You could hear the thunder off in the distance, you could see the lightening on the horizon and the sky started to turn color. When we heard the news, my husband turned to me, and said, “You need to pray to your God for a miracle, because that’s all that’s going to save us now.”

Wow. When someone turns to you and says, that you need to pray, even when they’re not sure they believe in prayer, that strikes you right down to your bones, deep down in your soul. My Spirit Man cried out and said, “yes, we absolutely do.”

So, that’s exactly what I did. Full in, all the chips. Dug down deep. Every spiritual weapon I could think of, went out searching for new weapons – make sure I wasn’t missing any, all of it. Doubled-down in prayer. Fasting – on it. Declarations – done. All of it. Walking prayers, extra prayers, reading my Bible. My soul pouring out to God, “OH HELP US!!!”

I will admit that it took me 3 days just to figure out what it was I was supposed to be praying. I have figured out over the years quite a few things about prayer. If you want God to answer your prayers, you need to be in-line with what you think God would want for the situation. If you don’t know what to pray, pray about the situation anyway, but also pray that God open your heart to know what His will is for the situation. You can pray for what you want, but make sure you open it up – that His will be done. Pray that He just come into the situation, that you know that He knows what the situation needs. Pray for all of it.
So, in August, I started praying. God we need a miracle. We need one. You need to show up, You are the God who shows up. God, I am your servant. Give me peace about the situation. God, give me the courage and understanding to know what I’m supposed to be doing here. God, use this situation to do your will. Use this situation to show up. God, you are going to do great and miraculous things. We are still waiting. Still not sure what this storm looks like. But, I can tell you that just 2 weeks ago, I realized He has already given us so many miracles along the way. He’s been answering my prayer the whole time!

That this started in August. I prayed that we would all still have the holidays together. In October, we were told that the follow-up would start in January. I prayed for wisdom and discernment, we discovered in January that the person that should be helping was not on our side. More follow-up was delayed to February. In early February, we asked for a different helper. Our new helper is on point, and definitely the right person for the job. They speak life. This event has not followed the normal sequence of events the entire time, it’s almost like we’ve been forgotten – but I think God is answering prayer and keeping us hidden from the plots of the enemy. I think that God has been shielding us and protecting us, to lessen this storm. God has been using this time to grow us, to help soften our hearts to Him more and more, to use this situation to show how big He is. I’ve said from the beginning that I’m praying to the God that is bigger than my problems, to the one being who has faced this situation before – that can help me. That will overcome. That God has given us life and given it to the full. That He has been answering my prayers the whole time, every step of the way. That I was over here keeping my eyes on the horizon, waiting for Him to show up in the end game, and He’s been answering my prayers every day. That He has given me peace over the situation. I’m so grateful. I’m grateful that He’s answered these prayers and given me this opportunity to share with you, that sometimes we have to take our eyes off what the answer we think we’re going to get is and realize that He might be answering us every day, in so many different ways. That we have to keep our eyes open to what he’s always doing. Here I thought I was praying for an answer way off in the distance, and He had really aligned me to pray for all the days in between too. Because He was going to show up in all the days, every day. He is in this situation, in so many ways. That I’m so grateful to have this testimony. So grateful to be able to share this good word with you.

So – don’t ever lose hope. Keep the faith, fight the good fight, that you may win the race. Stay strong, His mercies are new every morning. He is the miracle-worker, the way-maker, light in the darkness. He is the great God of all, and He is making a way to make miracles in ways you could never imagine. He is showing up – you just need to stay aware so you can observe the ways that he’s showing up. SO you can recognize the miracles as they happen, so you can share your testimony with others.

You know another incredible thing that happened? My husband prayed too. As I was sharing about all the miracles I had suddenly observed, my husband admitted to me that he had also prayed during this time. God is so good, and He’s showing up, all the time. And He’s ALIVE & Making Miracles HAPPEN!!

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You!!! Thank you for all Your Miracles. Thank You for ALL THE WAYS you show up! You show up in the smaller ways, and in the Big ways. That you are working all the time, that you are in every situation, that You are working it all together for your good. That You are the Great I AM. That you are using us to show up, that we need only invite you into the situation. That you are the Great God Almighty who is watching over us and helping us bring your kingdom to earth. That we are speaking life into our situations. That we are submitting ourselves to your will, so that you can work miracles. Thank you God for all that you are, and all that you would have us be. Give us words to speak and ears to hear Father God, and for eyes that can see your will and your way at work in our lives. Thank You God for saving me and lifting me up, and allowing me to see life as You do. To give me the eyes that see your miracles. Thank You for all that You are, and all that You would have us be. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I don’t know about you, but I have grown up in tornado alley all of my life. Luckily, most of that has been spent right at the edge of the alley. But tornados are still a very real part of life, none the less.

Today, I want to tell you two stories. Of two particular tornados.

The first, occurred when I was about 5 years old. We lived in Texas at the time, and a tornado had ripped through the town, in the dead of night. I woke up to glass on the floor of my bedroom, and when I walked out of the bedroom, my mom was diligently cleaning up the after-effects. I don’t know that I really even understood what had happened, just that there seemed to be a considerable mess in our house. I went to my afternoon at kindergarten, and everyone took turns discussing what they did during the tornado that night. I had nothing to share really. For all I knew, I had been in my bed the entire time and we hadn’t made any preparations. I was quite concerned about this, and brought it up to my mom when I returned home after school. At this time, she informed me that she had taken me out of my bed, and we had hunkered down in the bathtub for the duration of the storm, and when it was over she had returned me to my bed – as she couldn’t see any danger there (there was no glass in my bed or anything) – the storm had just blown out my window from the pressure. At the time, I simply marveled that I had slept through all of it – completely oblivious to the danger I had been in whilst I slept.

The second, occurred a few years later, I think I was about 8 or 9. We had moved out of Texas, and were in South Dakota now. It was evening, and I had been wandering around the house, looking for my mom. I didn’t find her, so I started to look outside. As soon as I stepped out the front door, there she sat in a lawn chair, looking to the west. I walked up to her and asked what she was up to.

She said, “Watching the storm coming.”

“Oh? There’s a storm coming?” – Seemed rather peaceful and tranquil outside.

“Yep, you see that sky above the trees?”

I looked, and confirmed that I saw this strange sky that didn’t match the landscape just on the other side of our shelterbelt.

“That’s tornado sky.”

In case you’ve never seen tornado sky, it’s green. It’s like vomit colored green sky. It has bizarre weird clouds, and it’s green. I mean, to this day, I cannot get over how bizarre the color is when it happens, and there is no mistaking it for anything else. Never have I seen the sky turn that color for another occasion. It immediately makes my stomach sink, every time.

Back to the story, at this point, I panic. Tornados=bad, right? So, I’m like, “Shouldn’t we go inside? Shouldn’t we do something?”

My mom says, “We will, in a little bit. It’s not here yet, we’re fine.” Now, our shelterbelt is maybe 100 yards from the house? Not too far, the edge of the storm is right there, as far as I’m concerned. But, we just sat there, and watched. As it got closer, the tops of the trees started to thrash. We watched as little particulates of stuff started to fly through the air, we watched as the rain started to hit the trees, and the thrashing became more violent. And as the wall of rain, got to about 25 yards from us, then my mom casually folded up her chair, and set it in the garage. And, turned and said, “Now it’s time to go in the house. Tell your father to get in the basement, there’s a tornado.” At this point, when I looked back into the storm, I could see the clouds starting to pull down into that unmistakable cyclone.

I was more than ready, as I bolted into the house, I hollered at my dad that there was a tornado, and mom says we need to get in the basement. Didn’t need to tell him twice. He came flying out of his recliner, and could’ve possibly past me on the way to the basement (I was closer to the door than he was, when I made the announcement.) We both practically fell over ourselves to get to safety. My mom? Nowhere to be seen. Minutes that felt like hours ticked by, and my mom was still upstairs. I would hustle half-way up the stairs and yell, “Aren’t you coming?” She’d reply, “Yes” and still not appear. What was going on?!? Finally, she came into the basement with us, with a 6-pack of soda in her hand and had a seat with us, while we watched the one window of the basement turn darker, and darker. We watched the grass outside the window lay flat. We watched it go completely dark outside. The rain assault the window pane. Then, it started to lighten, and the grass slowly start standing up, the rain becoming less and less, until it was gone, and the evening sun was shining again. We all headed upstairs to see what had happened. Our house, was still there. All windows in tact. We went outside to see what the rest of the property looked like. Seemed fine, some debris, some branches, but pretty ok overall. Then, we turned to the East, and there lay the path of the tornado. Like someone had taken a giant shovel and scooped out a part of the landscape, just across the road from our house, not 50 yards from us. The crops to our East, were flat, completely destroyed. The cornstalks didn’t stand a chance. Just a perfect line of destruction – directly in line with our house.

Now, I’ve told you all that, to tell you this. What has been on my heart these past few weeks was the storms in our lives. Some of them, come of out of nowhere, catch you totally off-guard. And others, you get to watch them. Coming to bear. Coming with the promise of utter destruction, of complete upheaval, with no mercy.

For all the storms I’ve survived in my life, both physical and circumstantial, I have learned that I’m with the most skilled survivalist, sailor, defender, shelter there is. The Great, Almighty God. All the physical storms have taught me how to survive the circumstantial ones. What can you do in the storm? Be prepared as you can be, and pray that you get to see the light when it’s over. Pray that God will give you the strength and understanding to know what to do next.

I’m currently in the storm that I get to watch on the horizon. The storm that’s slowly coming at me. That’s building up in intensity, that has turned the sky green. And, I’m just watching it. You know what my mom was doing while my dad and I were sitting in the basement? She was opening the windows around the house. I’m not 100% sure I understand, but there’s a snippit of knowledge out there that says if you open your windows before a tornado, it helps because the house is more easily able to “give” into the storm if the windows are open, instead of succumbing to it because of the incredible pressure there is during a tornado and all the windows being shut. I don’t know how much research has been done, or where this information came from, but I can tell you, that to this day, I open my windows. They could’ve discounted it by now, but it’s always worked for me, so I guess I’m sticking with it.

For the storm that I’m watching now, I have opened all the windows. I have secured what I can. I have my 6-pack of soda, and I’m sitting in the basement. I have literally done all I can, now all I can do is pray to see the light and know that my everlasting Savior is with me. Everything else is out of my hands. The other thing I noticed through both of these storms, and many other ones I watched and experienced with my parents over the years – is they’re very calm. They always seemed so at peace. They too, had this deeper understanding of storms. They believed that God was for them, not against them, and that He would make sure they came through to the other side, and would know how to deal with whatever came their way. They did everything they could to prepare, and trusted God for the rest.

I think that’s always one of the scariest parts of storms, what’s this going to look like when it’s over? What’s the aftermath? What do we do when this is all over? The answer, different. It’ll probably look different. I don’t know that any of us get through completely unscathed. But, we have a Great Big God, that will be there with us, whatever it looks like. That we can trust in Him, because He is already there, and He’s here with us. We don’t need to fear tomorrow, because was, and is, there. He’s in all our tomorrows, and todays. And, I’m currently just resting and waiting in that blessed assurance. That, God always was, is, and will be there for me, for every storm.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you. Thank you, that you are the Great Provider, Our Shelter, Our Comforter. Thank you, that our problems are only new to us. That You will be there with us, every step of the way. That you will watch over us and guide us. That You will help to us understand and navigate each situation. That you will make us steadfast in your ways. That You are the GREAT I AM. That you will give us the will and the perseverance to make it through each and every storm. That you bless the work of our hands, and the words from our lips as we go forth. That you guide us and are the light for our path. That we need only to trust in You. Thank you for your supernatural peace Father God. That we need not be anxious in anything, but just trust in You. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Whatever the problem, Jesus is the answer.

He has the answers, whatever the situation.

He is our hope. He is the God of hope.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12

⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:6-8

We, as Christians, are charged to shine the Light of the World. To have a smile on our face, to be steadfast in our hope. To share that hope with those around us.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13

We are supposed to be so wrapped up in the Holy Spirit, that His peace and His hope just overflow through us that others around us, wonder what we got. And the answer is Jesus.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

1 Peter 3:15

I recently have had a few conversations, where thankfully, I was ready with the answer.

I was talking to a coworker, and essentially giving a short overview of some things that are going on in my life. And after it all, they stated that they had no idea, I seemed so put together, and if they had those things they wouldn’t be acting like I was. I stated, “That’s because of Jesus, more like him – less like me.” Old me, would’ve been upset, would’ve been angry and bitter, would’ve been wrapped up in despair and anxiety. But that’s not how Jesus acts. That’s not what he wants for us. He wants peace for us. He wants us to just share his light and his hope with the world. We’re supposed to be ready with the answer.

I also had another conversation recently, where someone was just totally in their feelings. They were all upset and wrapped up in everything, and they kept asking me why I wasn’t upset. Well, the truth was, I was upset for them, but I wasn’t living in my feelings – because I have faith that God has the answer. And, when they asked why, I said, “well, because I have Jesus.” Sadly, this was not inspirational or motivational, not received well. But I just continued to diligently give them my answer. The answer is Jesus.

The anchor is my hope in Jesus. There are many times in my life, where things are going horribly wrong, where I’ve received bad doctor reports, where the stress of life seems to much to stand. So I kneel. God give me the strength to go on. Lift me up with your mighty right hand. Give me the strength and the understanding to do your will. Give me your supernatural peace to withstand the storm. That you are my anchor Jesus.

That is the only way, I’ve made it this far. My hope is in Jesus. My strength comes from His Word. My peace comes from prayer, and my daily talks with Him. That He fills me with that supernatural peace. That when I need an uplifting word, I seek out a scripture. When I’m going through a trial, that I find a scripture and apply it to my life. Like everywhere in my life. I write the scripture down and put in on my battle board (A corkboard filled with scriptures, prayers, an Armor of God depiction, etc.). I put it on my desk at work. I’ve put them on the air vents of my vehicle so I can see them while I’m driving. I memorize them. It’s the scripture for that time in my life, a scripture to hold onto and memorize, and keep in my heart. To know to lean on Jesus.

I seek you with all my heart; do no let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:10-16

When life gets too much to stand, kneel. One of the biggest misconceptions out there, is a misquoted verse – God will not give your more than you can bear. – That verse actually states, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide you a way out so that you can endure it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13. That verse is talking about temptations – not trials & tribulations. God is there, and He is your strength, your peace, your comfort, whatever is you need to get through the trial and tribulation. He does not always stop all the things of the world that come at you, but he promises to always be there with you through those things. He promises that He is the Overcomer, and in Him, we are overcomers too.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

As that conversation continued the other day, with the person who was all in their feelings, some more things were said – that were not so great. Some things that tried to latch on inside me. But, I kept to His promises. I asked God to cleanse me of this. To remove these things from me. And, I got into scripture, to remember His Word in my heart. To lean on His promises. To remind myself, who I am, in Christ.

I am Chosen (1 Thes. 1:4)

I am the apple of my Father’s eye. (Psalm 17:8)

I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17)

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19)

I am forgiven (Eph. 1:7)

I am blessed (Gal. 3:9)

I am above and not beneath (Deut. 28:13)

I am victorious (Rev. 12:11)

I am one in Christ (John 17:21)

I am holy and dearly loved (Col. 3:12)

I am set free (John 8:31)

I am complete (Col. 2:10)

I am His Child (1 John 3:1)

I am Light (Matt. 5:14)

I am more than a Conqueror (Romans 8:37)

I am created for good works (Eph. 2:10)

I am safe in Christ (Col. 3:3)

I am guarded by God’s peace (Philippians 4:7)

I am beautiful (Song of Solomon 4:7)

I am not alone (Isaiah 41:10)

I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Now, before I leave you today. I want you to pick at least one, or maybe more, of these verses. And I want you to close your eyes, and imagine God saying that to you. I want you to remember that sensation, that feeling that it leaves in you. Knowing that God is the answer, is something that’s in you. Being able to share that with others, will not always be well received, so I want you to remember who YOU ARE IN CHRIST, whenever you need it. Whether it’s sharing the answer with others, or just when you need to remember it – bad day at work, nothing seems to be going right, etc. Satan is going to do everything he can to try to take that from you, but your identity in Christ never fails, and satan cannot take that away from you. You just need to lean in. The devil is going to try to plant those seeds in you, but you can’t give them any soil. You need to rebuke them, in the name of Jesus. You are, who God says You are. And, any time you need to hear that, just close your eyes & hear that. He’s always as close as the mention of His name, and He lives within you, and you in Him. His word never fails.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you! Thank you for our identity in you. Thank you for your many blessings! Thank you for everything you do for us Father God. Thank you for your supernatural peace and perseverance. Thank you for giving us your Word. That we may delight in it. That we may hide it in our hearts. That we may use it, to lean on you, and in you. That we may know who we are in you, every day and every way. That you bless us, beyond all measure. Thank you for everything Father God. Thank you that we are overcomers. Thank you for your victory, and your supernatural blessings and peace Father. Thank you that you are my God, and that I may always rest in your everlasting arms. Thank you for lifting me up with your mighty right hand. Thank you for this day, and every day, of my life. Bless you Father! Praise be to you. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

So, we are constantly growing, and even though we may have learned a lesson, we can forget to apply it. Therefore, we are in a constant state of growth, as we learn to continue to lean in, to continue to apply what we’ve learned. It’s all a part of being diligent.

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8

As I’ve stated before, our enemy is not of the flesh. We do not war against this world & the people in it. We are battling the devil. But take heart, the Lord has overcome the devil and this world. As I learned in The Year of Great Loss, in the midst of my battle – God reminded me, tore the veil from my eyes, that it wasn’t Him I was fighting. The devil was coming after me, in spades. He was pulling out all the stops, but I just needed to stand fast in Jesus. I just needed to remember what side I was on, and call on the name of Jesus to help me through everything satan had in store. And He did. God brought me through all of that, to the other side. Brought me through stronger and more resiliant than I had ever been before.

So, here I am, a couple weeks ago, just living life. Feeling blessed, blessing others. Taking opportunities to share the gospel, to help others explore their faith, to get deeper. Just glowing in the spirit of the Lord. Loving life.

And, along came satan. He just jumped right in there, as a quick knock-down. I mean. He just jumped right in, and started messing me up. He went right after my ego. Used people around me to knock me down a few notches. Just stirred up all the anger and frustration and hate that was still in my heart. Like deep down in there, hiding. Didn’t even realize I still had any of that. He just knew exactly what to do, and who to use, to just mess me up. Woof! I was bent for days. I was so sideways about the situation, I just couldn’t even think straight. And, I had mis-stepped. I was over here mad at men, mad at the world, just backslid right into that old way of thinking. I mean, I was seeing red. It was ugly.

And, then, as I’m on my way to Bible Study, 6 days later. God took the veil off. Just swish, gone. Fell from my eyes like the scales of Saul. I was being spiritually attacked. As I stated, I was over here, sharing the gospel, loving life, blessing those around me. Things seemed to be going along pretty great. DUH! Of course, I’m all comfortable, over here, sharing the Word with people. And the devil just snuck right in. Dressed as a human, but saying all the perfect things that he knew would tear me down, and have me fit to be tied. In that moment, as I was on my way to Bible Study, all the hate just evaporated. I just shrunk. I was no longer this big, puffed up, hot mess – I was humbled and back to getting right with Jesus. He just air-dropped peace right into my soul. I also had the profound realization the next morning, that God uses these situations to continue to help refine us. That as we walk through the fires & tribulations of this life, that God uses it to help make us better people – when we lean on him.

Like I stated, I didn’t even know I was capable of being that upset anymore. I thought we had washed all of that out. That we had worked through that. But there it was, deep down in there. And when it reared it’s ugly head, I’ll admit, I lived there for a while. Just upset. Ten shades of bent. Absolutely beside myself. But then, when God removed that veil, I was like – “Whew!” and we got some more of that nasty, icky, world feelings out. God was like, “We don’t need this. This isn’t the answer. I’m the answer, and satan is the problem.” And, I was reminded – who we’re fighting against. I was reminded why we put the Armor of God on every day. Because satan’s just walking around in the shadows, waiting for whom he can devour. He’s just waiting to pounce. Waiting for an “in”. This is why we have to read our Bible. To have daily fellowship with Him. To turn to Him in prayer. Why we’re supposed to be constantly leaning in, and when the going gets tough, lean in harder. Because in moments like this, #Godshowedup. He was like, Stephanie, you have lived there long enough, you forget who you’re fighting. Of course, satan is going to attack you. He’s always lying in wait, especially when you’ve been trying to be a light. But, if you’re diligent, and vigilant, and continuously trying to grow your relationship with God, then God will come in and remind you – more like Jesus, less like you. Jesus understood who he was fighting, Jesus didn’t let himself get all caught up in the situation, he lived in the answer. And the answer is God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. I’m so grateful for my relationship with Him. That He was able to help me get through the situation, to help bless my heart and soul. To use the experience to help me purge some more of that pain and anger, so I can continue my walk to be more like Him, and less like me, every day.

So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:7

Let’s Pray

Praise You Lord, that we are overcomers because of You. Thank you Father God, that you remove the veil from our eyes. That You bless us with the will & the strength to overcome. That you reveal the true enemy for what he is, and that you build us up, and use the fire to refine us. That you press out the impurities like grapes and make us a sweet, sweet wine to your lips. That you guide us, and protect us from the darts of the enemy. That you always give us the strength and the diligence and the understanding to overcome our trials because our trust is in you, O God. That you lift us up with your mighty right hand. That we may never fail. That we are always overcomers, and we are always victorious in you, O God. That you make us the head and not the tail. That we are forever growing and becoming a new creation in you. Thank you Father God, for all that you do for us, and that we may bless your name all our days. That You may enable us to forever shine your light, for all those around to see. That we are blessed in all that we say and do, and that we may exalt you, forever and ever. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I am so grateful that I have been through so much with God. My life has been particularly difficult at times, but it’s mine. Mine to live, mine to grow, mine to encourage others. I know we all feel like life can be difficult, but we are to count it all joy, that we may use those trials and experiences to comfort others. That through us and our trials we can show the world that there’s something special about us. That we have a relationship with the Almighty God that makes our lives ultimately better because of it. That when life gets tough, his yoke is light. When everyone around us is worrying, that we don’t need to worry. That God has everything in his hands. I’m so grateful that God has shown me over and over again that He has everything under control, and that I do not need to be in control – or to worry about tomorrow, because God is already there.

I am grateful that I know who the enemy is.

I am grateful that I have a relationship with the Almighty God.

I am grateful that I have the opportunities to continue to grow spiritually.

I am grateful for all his blessings in my life.

I am grateful for all of this, because right now, we are experiencing a trial. At first, I had to take a little while to wrap my head around it. To grasp everything that was going on and the potential repercussions and fall-out that would occur. Then, I had to take a little while to figure out what I was praying for. I needed to align myself with God to know what I was to pray for as a potential outcome. I knew that I couldn’t just pray for what I wanted, but for what the situation needs. For how God wants to show up here. To bring his Kingdom to earth – I needed to speak to my problems, the way that I felt God would want me to speak to them.

Then, I got another word. “This situation needs a miracle, only your God can save it now.” – Said to me, by an unbeliever – who knows that I needed essentially to pull out all the stops & call in all the favors that I could to help reign this situation in somehow. Someone who watches my faith and relationship with God, and knew that if there was any hope, the Almighty God that I pray to – is probably our only chance. And, for a minute, that was ok. I just made sure I was praying, made sure I was aligning with what I felt God wanted for the situation. But, then, I was reminded, when you want big answers – you need to lean in.

So – that’s exactly what I’m doing. Leaning in with all I got. I’m not worrying about the situation. I’m doing everything I feel I’m supposed to be doing, but then I’m just leaving the rest up to God. I’ve dedicated additional prayer time to the situation every day. Setting aside more time dedicated to just the issue at hand. And, I’ve started fasting. Leaning in requires sacrifice. Now, I’ve done this before and I will continue to do it whenever there are major life situations at hand, because that’s what we’re charged to do. When it gets to hard to stand, kneel. Kneel more. Kneel as much as possible. Ask the Great God Almighty to help you navigate the situation. Ask Him to give you discernment. Ask Him to lay his hands on the situation. Ask Him to show up. He always does. I do not wish to disillusion you into thinking that He answered my prayers the way I wanted Him to, or that the situations have turned out the way I was hoping and praying they would. But I have no doubt, ever, that He answered them exactly how he intended to from the beginning. And, He will this time too. All I can do is pray.

I know that the situation is happening whether I like it or not. That it’s happening whether I pray or not. It’s happening in spite of everything. But how I react to it, is up to me. How it shapes me, is up to God and I. I can either allow this situation to completely wreck my life, with doubt, worry, hesitation, fear, or I can use this situation and count it pure joy that God and I are going to walk through this together, and I’m going to be a better person because of it. I’m going to lean in to God, and he’s going to hold me up with His mighty right hand. That I’m going to be able to comfort someone else because of what I experience in the days to come, just as I have had family encourage and comfort me because they have experienced this before.

I spent years worrying. Years of anxiety. Years of being so fraught with fear and trepidation that I was literally immobilized at times. I just couldn’t think straight. But, God has healed me, and taught me how to use His Sword and His armor to protect myself against those thoughts. He’s taught me how to speak life, and speak His word, and lean in. How to protect myself during these spiritual attacks, that I’m not going to succumb to that way of thinking. That I know that God’s got this, and all I need to do is lean in, and He will protect me. He will see me through this. He will provide for me. His love never fails and His word never returns void.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for all that You do for me. Thank you for your incredible blessings. Thank you for always being there. For being the good, good Father who provides. For all that You are, and all that You would have us be. Thank you for your blessings and your comfort. Thank you for your eternal salvation that guards our hearts and minds against the attacks of the enemy. Thank you for your easy yoke, and that your burden is light. Thank you that in times of trials and tribulation, that I need not worry about anything. That I know deep in my heart and soul that you will always bless me. Thank you for situations to grow. Thank you for all that You do, today and every day. Blessed be Your Name, O God. Blessed are You, and blessed am I to know you, and to love you, and to have a relationship with you. That you will walk with me all the days of my life. Thank you for everything Father God. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

You know, if there’s one thing I’ve learned through my most recent experiences, it’s been, that having a personal relationship with God – is what you need the most. You can’t count on being able to go to church, you can’t count on being around other believers to lift you up, you can’t count on having someone else help fill you up. You have to learn how to have the personal connection with God, in order to keep yourself going. And, when you’re down and out and you don’t know what to do, you’re not always going to be able to reach out to someone for direction. Especially, when you don’t really know what’s wrong with you. The Father knows His children. He knows just what you need. And, He will provide.

These past several months, I haven’t been attending church because of the coronavirus. I was able to attend Bible Study because we got it set up online. I was still in contact with other believers throughout the time, but not nearly like it was before. And what really helped me through all of this, and ultimately what helped lead me out of being burnt, was prayer.

What helped me when my back was injured. Prayer.

What helped me through the Year of Great Loss. Prayer.

What helped me when I was working two jobs and couldn’t make ends meet. Prayer.

What helped me get through sickness. Prayer.

What helped me get through months of isolation. Prayer.

That personal time with God. Talking to the Father. Prayer is the key. The key that unlocks so many things. That helps us tap into the Father, tap into ourselves. Helps bring the Father’s kingdom to earth. Manifesting His will among us and in our lives and in other’s lives. I cannot emphasize it enough. I really enjoyed a post I did a while back on Prayer, so I’m going to leave you with that today, and some links to all the other ones I’ve done on Prayer. I hope it helps. I hope it heals. I hope it helps you move forward in your faith and have a deeper relationship with the Father.

Prayer Life

Salvation

Praying Through

God answers prayer

Battle!

Prayer

Prayer (continued)

The Long Game

Speak Life

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day, and all the days. Thank you that you sent Your Son so that we may have a personal relationship with you. That we may talk to you anytime and all the time. Thank you for blessings us now and forever after with all the many blessings that you have for us. That you guide us and watch over us Father. That you keep your Word and that we may keep Your Word in our hearts that we may know your truth. Thank You Father that you have given us one of the most powerful tools there is, the ability to talk directly to You, anytime, anyplace. That we may grow deeper in our connection with You Father. That we may know you, on the deepest level. That we may help manifest Your Word and Your Will here on Earth, through the mighty power of prayer. That you may know us Father and guide us according to your will. That you may forever change our lives for the better, and that others may know you through us. Thank you for all that You have done, and all that You will have us do. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

It felt like a good time to revisit this post. It was laying upon my heart last night as I fell asleep. This was originally posted as “Not about us” on September 20th of last year.

So, one of the other things that was really driven home last week, as I was listening to our guest speaker, Bill Vanderbush, was, this guy gets it. He understands one of the biggest things that has changed my Faith. The way I talk the talk, and walk the walk. He gets one of the biggest things our world today is trying to smother. What the world today cannot afford to let people know.

What if, we loved others-the way God loves us?

This is so incredibly important, let me repeat myself, What if, we loved others-the way God loves us?

Now, in order for us to get this from our heads to our hearts, we have to understand how God loves us. So, let’s take a moment to think about how God loves us. He loves us: when we don’t pray, when we don’t worship him every day with all our hearts, when we don’t say thank you for all the amazing things he does for us -every day, he loves us…. Even we don’t know that he’s there (before we become believers or understand the concept of God.) He loves us, even though we still sin. He loves us when we hurt those around us, intentionally or not. He loves us. He loves us, like you love your child. That swelling deep inside your bones, love.

Now, imagine-loving others that way…. Ok, I love my kid when he’s ungrateful and defiant. I love my spouse, even when they lie, whether it’s a little, white lie or something a little more serious. But, what about someone who’s done me wrong? Ok, I forgive that co-worker who stole my project idea… I forgive that jerk who ran into my car because they were careless and texting and driving…

But what about…. Someone who doesn’t believe the same things I do? What about someone who’s a different social/economic class than I am? What about a criminal? What about an addict? What about a murderer?

What about these people? Are we practicing God’s love here? Have we really reached down to understand the depth of God’s love in these situations? It’s all fine and good, when it’s suits us. But what about when it doesn’t? What about when we’ve been hanging on to our hate and prejudices for so long, we don’t know how to let go? To forgive. To love. Those who have wronged us, wronged those we love? What then?

We have to get to the end of Us.

It’s not about us.

You have to get over yourself. It’s not about you. It’s about God. And God loves ALL OF US. ALL OF US.

You have to remember, sin is sin, no matter how big or small. Lie is the same as murder, it’s all sin in God’s eyes. You are no better or worse than anyone else. We all put our pants on the same way, and we all go in about the same size hole at the end of this life. Holding onto that hate and hurt is just closing a door that doesn’t allow God’s love in. And, let’s all just take a moment to act like life’s too short for all that hate. Well, because it is.

In order to understand and exercise God’s love, we need to tap into his grace and mercy. And to understand his grace and mercy, let us remember that he tells us to forgive our brother seven times, and seven times seven, and seven times that. Why? Because if we forgive that much, we’ll lose count. That’s the whole point. God does that for us. How can we expect that God will extend that grace to us, but not to Joe-schmoe over there. Nope, he’s just too bad. Not worth saving… Saying it out loud hurts, but it’s true. That’s what you’re doing. You are saying that, that person is not worth saving. And you need to admit that, to yourself and to God, and ask that he forgive you and let you see that person the way he does. Because you can’t experience everything that God has to offer, until you get past the fact that this is not about you.

Followed by an excerpt from Mercy & Grace:

Because in order for God to show us grace, he must first show us mercy. He must first, not give us what we do deserve. If God didn’t first have mercy, He would be so busy punishing us, He wouldn’t have time to show us grace. And, in our ever present struggle to grow in our faith, and become more like Jesus, we have to take hold of this. We have to understand that to move into the realm of over-abundant, unrivaled grace, we first have to understand that we have to understand this mercy. We have to understand this relentless, abundant mercy of not giving people what they do deserve. If we’re so focused on trying to make sure that people know how wrong or bad they are, how are we supposed to extend grace?

God’s mercy is that if we commit sin, and ask for forgiveness, it is forgiven. Not, He’ll think about it, not He has to go deliberate, decide if you’re sin wasn’t too bad, not have you done enough after asking for forgiveness to determine that you receive forgiveness…. It’s just, you are forgiven. Simple. You are forgiven. You just have to ask for it.

But, let’s also look, at the fact that we had fallen away from God. We had broken our covenant in the garden, and were doomed to wander the Earth apart from God. God was separated. We were sinful things, who couldn’t follow 1 rule. #youhadonejob 😉 But, even after we had fallen, and were cast out of the garden. Did God give up? Well, obviously not. He started a series of complicated events to get us to where we needed to be again – back with Him. He began working everything together for His good, to get His son here, to get us back into His proverbial garden, by sending His son. Why? Because He has mercy. Because He created a God-shaped hole in our hearts, and He knew that we will do ANYTHING to fill it, but He knows that He’s the only thing that can fill it. So, in His Mercy, He sent us the answer to the question all of creation was begging for – where is our creator? What is our purpose? And, that answer, came in the form of Jesus Christ. But, think about that mercy, we didn’t even know how to ask for it, and He knew what we needed, and how to get us there. Also, the mercy involved, in not forsaking us and leaving us to perpetually wander without Him. This mercy, that we take for granted today. Because we do not know what’s it’s like not to have this option available to us. David did. David understood how hard it was to get back to the Father. Jesus Christ hadn’t come yet, so he was perpetually battling to get back from his fall. We simply need to ask.

But, yet, as we continue to grow deeper in our Faith, we also need to understand that some people are never going to ask, or maybe they don’t even know how. So, we need to dig deep, and tap into the Father’s mercy to extend that to them, without their asking as well. We need to understand, that we can’t grow deeper in grace, until we stop focusing on how much punishment everyone needs and how they need to get what they do deserve, because they don’t. And, that punishment, is not ours to give anyway. May He without sin, cast the first stone. For we are all sinners, and have fallen short of the glory of God. And, if we want to understand Him better, and grow deeper in our relationship with Him, and shine His light for others. First we need to start trying to tap into His form of mercy, so that we can extend grace.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You. Thank You that you save us from us. That you have made each and every one of us with a God shaped hole in our hearts that we want to fill with you. That you love each and everyone of us beyond comprehension. That you forgive us seven times seven times seven. That you have an abundance of Grace and understanding that we can tap into to move past ourselves. That you can give us that grace that surpasses all understanding, so we can give it to others. I pray today Father that you overwhelm us with that grace, that we may truly understand how much you love us, so we can love others the way you do. So, we can move past ourselves and be more like you. So, we can shine Your Light into the world that others may want to come to You and know You by Your love, shone in our lives. I pray that we all become shining examples of Your love and understanding and tolerance and grace. I pray that we all become more like you, each and every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Can’t stress this enough! You ARE A MISSIONARY!!

Focus on the positive. If you are already doing something, then bless you! Keep on, keeping on!

Ways to reach out, where you’re at:

Make a video of something fun and interesting for those in isolation

Facetime people you know who are in isolation

Are there elderly/older people around you? Save them a trip to the store (next time you go), by picking up their stuff too and delivering it to them

Make masks and donate to local clinics, nursing homes, older people you know (many states have a specific #millionmaskmayday page to find local places that need masks if you’re local clinic isn’t accepting them.)

Participate in #worldofhearts or #we’reallinthistogether by decorating your windows with hearts

Think of something on your own. What can you do to help? Everyone can be a missionary, where they’re at.

It’s funny, we’ve been reading a book on waiting in our Ladies’ Bible Study, and here we are, going through a season of waiting. When we started the book, no one was going through a waiting season, but as time progressed, the Coronavirus happened, and we’re all going through a season of waiting. And, now, I’m going through another season of waiting on top of it. Waiting for an answer to move into a house. Just another rental, but still. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Waiting for an answer, waiting for things to open up, waiting to return to a semblance of normal. Waiting. Nobody likes waiting, but it’s definitely a part of our lives. So, what do we do while we wait?

We trust in the Lord.

We believe in His timing.

And, when we finally get our answer, we accept it. Whatever that may be.

This, reminds me of a story. Years ago, I was working for a different company, in a different town. I was having to commute every day to get to work, and here in South Dakota, that can be a challenge. The snow and the winter definitely make commutes more dangerous, even when they’re only 20 minutes. I thought my job was going really well, and I was loving it. So, my husband and I had decided that we would start looking to relocate to the small town, to eliminate my commute. We just-so-happened to know someone in that town, and she owned a house that she didn’t live in. Because she liked us so much, she was willing to sell us the house as a contract-to-deed. We started the process. My husband and I put together a down-payment. We started making arrangements and packing. We were going to get together with her 2 Fridays from now, and have lawyers go over the paperwork, sign, and give her the down payment. Small, exciting season of waiting. This was all decided on a Wednesday. That Friday (exactly 1 week before the lawyer meeting), I was pulled into the CEO’s office with a fellow employee, and we were both ripped from stem to stern. I had never experienced this before, and was rendered speechless. After the meeting, the other employee and I could only figure out that maybe they were trying to get him to quit because he was so expensive for insurance, but why I was there, we could not figure out. To this day, I cannot fathom what I did that so egregiously offended them as everything they discussed didn’t seem to be anything worthy of termination, let alone the eating-alive that I had received. Over the weekend, I decided I would leave the company. I proceeded to work there for 1 more week, until Friday – the day that we were supposed to meet with the lawyers and put a down-payment on a house, when our truck suffered a catastrophic failure. I was done. Apparently to me, I had my answer. This is not my road. And, within 2 weeks, I started working for the company I’m at now. And, I have shared with all of you, the winding journey to where I’ve gotten today. But, without that small season of waiting, I wouldn’t be here. Without giving God that time, who knows where I would be today. And, although, this is just one story of waiting, of course, I’ve had many, as I’m sure you have. But, it doesn’t seem to make waiting any easier.

But, that story, has made me more accepting of God’s answers while I wait. And, more aware, that you never know what’s going to happen while you’re waiting. Sometimes the waits are more important than the final answer. What you’re doing while your waiting can completely change the outcome of the situation. And, you never know, what God is doing behind the scenes. The story of Ester is a great example, and also the one we just read about in our Bible Study. While Ester was waiting for the second feast, that was the night that Xerxes couldn’t sleep and decided to read the chronicles of his kingdom and decided to honor Mordecai for saving his life. And Ester used that situation to her advantage in the plea for the lives of her people. But, if she hadn’t waited that one extra day… would the outcome have been the same? I mean, thank God, she did as it gave her people a fighting chance, but here everything was right at the edge of her grasp, and she decided to wait… just a little bit longer. To trust God, that now was not the moment. And, He used that time to give her the edge she needed to ensure her victory. (Ester 5:5- 7:10)

So, take heart and do not be discouraged in your season of waiting, for the Lord is good and wants to give you good things.

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:13-14

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

Isaiah 30:18

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Romans 5:3-4

Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Micah 7:7

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

James 5:11

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank you for always taking the time to direct my path. To direct the paths of others. To work your blessings into my life. That in all our seasons of waiting, you are working. You never stop working your blessings into our lives. Thank you God for patience, perseverance, character, and hope. Thank you that you are watching over us Father. That you know how the pieces fit. That you bless us. That you guide our paths in the way we should go, that we may honor you. We just pray Father that we always see the glory in the wait. That we understand the blessings you may have for us, at the end or in the in-between of our waiting. That we are faithful servants to you Father, and that You may always give us the answers we need when we are waiting. Bless us Father, guide us in your ways, and thank you for also making us wait sometimes. As we grow stronger in You. Bless the words of our mouths, and the work of our hands, all day, every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

In the midst of all that is happening, always trust in God. With the media blasting coverage over a virus, school shut downs, sports events with no fans, stores being wiped out, and nursing homes going into lockdown, everyone is reading more articles than ever. Knowledge is power. So allow me to empower you through the Word of God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Matthew 6:25

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Romans 15:13

He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

Psalm 112:7

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

John 14:1

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 13:12-15

Knowledge is power. A Bible that is falling apart, usually belongs to someone who isn’t. I strongly encourage everyone to take general precautions and use common sense. Stay safe out there.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you have done for us. Thank you for being the good, good Father. Please watch over each and everyone of us. Please guide our steps and let us know which way we should go. Please put knowledge and wisdom into those who need it during this time to help find a cure, to help the sick, to guide the masses. Please lay your blessed hands on those who are caring for others and doing your will during this time to give assurance to those in need. Please wipe this from the earth as quickly as it started. Please lay your blessed hands upon all of civilization that we may fear this no more. Give us the peace of the Messiah. Bless our bodies. Heal us. Heal the nations. Watch over us Father. Bless the work of our hands, and the words from our lips. That we may all exalt your Holy Name, for you are the good, good Father. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Again, I’m a big believer that knowledge is power. So, I’m just posting some local links for actual information about the virus and information about where you can get help if needed.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Local clinic’s info: https://www.avera.org/how-to-prepare-for-the-coronavirus-covid-19/

SD updates: https://doh.sd.gov/news/Coronavirus.aspx

As I’m coming off this season of busy, I’m thinking about how every step matters. It’s a step in the right direction. How many steps it took to get here. To get there. To get to where I’m going.

You know, looking back on my life, I took a lot of steps. Steps in the wrong direction. Steps down bad roads, and wrong turns, and dead end streets. And many times, I purposefully took that step. I knew, I didn’t care. Took that step and stayed there, took another step further. I went so fast down that way, my own friends and family didn’t recognize me. I had turned into a monster, that frankly scared people. I was so far down that road, I couldn’t see the way back. The forest for the trees. I was pretty content there too. That’s something a lot of addicts don’t talk about. We’re not usually sitting around in self-loathing wondering how we got here. We’re totally happy here. We don’t need saving. We’re good.

And now, today, to think back, I ache. I ache because of the pain I caused my loved ones, but not really for myself. I don’t feel bad for myself, I did that, but thank God for his grace. For his everlasting, loving light. For his reassuring, guiding light back. Always reminds me of how he’s a gentleman. He could’ve done all kinds of stuff to try to snap me out of it, and he did send a couple messengers/nudges over the years, but I had to come back on my own. No one else could do it for me.

And now, I’m so different. So different from before. And what’s super crazy, is I liked both of me. I liked the old me, but I love the new me. I’m so grateful for all the baby steps that got me here. I’m thankful for the incredible grace that allows me to not be defined by my mistakes. I’m not who I used to be. Thank God, he saves you from you.

As I was reading Ephesians today that all kinda flooded into my head. I think that’s part of why I like Paul so much. I can relate. Although I’ve never killed anyone, Paul was one nasty dude. And a lot of times, when I think back on who I used to be, that’s who it reminds me of. This completely different person, totally transformed by the grace of God. Just like my buddy, Paul. Sometimes it’s just really incredible and inspirational to think about the little miracles that God is doing every day. And the really inspirational part to me, is that no one is ever too far gone, for God to bring them back. We can always come home.

I AM AN EXAMPLE OF WHEN #GODSHOWEDUP

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you! Thank you for being the incredible miracle-worker that you are. Thank you for your incredible example of Paul, to show us for thousands of years, that no one is too far gone. We can always come back home. We can always come back to you Father, and live in your over-abundant grace and glory. That we can always believe in you, and trust in you. We can always count on you to be there for us in our times of need, and in our times of plenty. That you are the Good, Good Father that always provides, always heals, always forgives. Thank you for your everlasting love Father. For all that you are and all that you would have us be. For all the days of our lives. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Channel to Brazil – Talk about a mission group that saves people! I first discussed them in God’s Plans. And they were the first mission that I started focusing on when I started Mission’s Circle. “Our work is all about offering a pathway out of poverty for children. With 35 years of experience of working in Brazil, our programs are designed to support families and build stronger communities.”

You can read more about them here.

And donate here.

Putting on the Full Armor of God. It’s not a piece of armor, it’s not a small bit. It doesn’t protect just a small portion of us. It’s Full Armor. The helmet of Salvation, the Sword of the Spirit, the shoes of the Gospel of peace, the belt of Truth, the breastplate of Righteousness, and the shield of Faith. Complete from head to toe. I do like to say that it leaves your back exposed, but God’s got your back 😉 Also, all the armor is toward the front, because we’re supposed to be moving forward. Please believe that we are fighting a battle. That the devil attacks those who are aware, and leaves those who are blindly following the way of the world alone for fear of removing the veil. If you never feel spiritually attacked, it’s probably because you aren’t going the right way.

I will say this Armor has changed my life. About a year and a half ago, when we started our Ladies Bible Study, we dug in to a heavy study by Priscilla Shirer. It was amazing! It was life changing! It’s a complete, in-depth study into the full armor of God, and I will never be the same. We all joked during the time that it was too heavy, and that we may have bitten off more than we could chew, but even if you retained half of what it was trying to help you understand, you’re better off for it. Now, I’m not here to promote her book, although I have linked it in her name so you can find it if you’re interested. I’m here to encourage you, to dig in to putting on God’s armor for yourself.

The Bible repeatedly tells us that there will be trouble, that we will suffer, that we will be attacked, but that we already have what we need to defend ourselves. The mistake that most Christians make is that God is inside our Sunday box. He was never meant to be there. In today’s world, we have so much of our life separated out into their own boxes and sections that we forget – that all of those boxes – belong in a bigger box – the God box. We belong in God’s box. He was never meant to be kept apart from the rest of everything, He was meant to hold on to everything in Him. Part of how we do that, is by putting on our armor, daily.

Don’t you already feel like every day is a battle? We joke that it is, but it’s a half-hearted joke, because – seriously – it is. Don’t you think, you would feel better if you felt like you were prepared? That if every morning you woke up, and put on your breastplate of Righteousness, because you are Righteous. You are righteous, because He has made you Righteous. You are His. You are the Victor. You are blessed. You are forgiven. You are as Righteous as Christ. Then, hold your breastplate of righteousness in place with the belt of Truth. His Word is Truth. You are holding your Righteousness to yourself, with His Truth that He has given us. That He has spoken over us and to us. Strap on the shoes of the Gospel of Peace. Because He is peace. His word brings peace. He gives us a supernatural peace that cannot be explained, except only as the Love of God. The consuming, overwhelming, reckless Love of God. His Love implants a Peace deep within our souls, a peace that I have only tapped into recently, but am so deeply in love with. An ethereal peace that blows my mind. The Helmet of Salvation – that I touched on last week. Something to protect your most sacred of space, the one thing that can make you, or break you. Your own mind. A Helmet of Blessed Assurance, of eternal Salvation, of the knowledge of a God that will never leave you or forsake you, a God that has overcome the world, and the devil, and everything in between. A God that sent His Son to die for You, that you may live, may WIN LIFE, that You may stand victorious with Him forever and ever. A God that only wants good things for you, a God that believes in You, that made you so perfectly woven together because the world needed one of you too. Your Sword of the Spirit and your shield of Faith. Because when you can’t attack with the Spirit, you block with your Faith. Thrust & perry. Actively alternating as needed. And also, with a Sword, you apply very little effort – with a whole lot of effect. It’s a giant extension of yourself and it does all of the work. You need only to learn how to use it, like everything, it takes practice.

I am a new creation in Christ because I actively put on my armor every day. Because I pick when to use my shield, and when to use the Sword. I’m constantly retraining my brain to be more like Christ – and it shows. All the time. I hold tight to my Gospel of Peace, because I know Peace & Love are from God, and I want everything He has to give me. I know I am Righteous because the Truth has told me so. I am a Warrior in God’s army, the most calm, loving warrior I can be. Because only love drives out hate. Because light overcomes darkness. Because I am fighting a winning battle. I’m playing with a stacked deck, and the best armor there is.

I hope you choose to start putting on your armor too. It’s a gift from God, that prepares you for this day, and every day.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you. For this day, and every day, of the rest of my life. I praise your name, Almighty Father. Sweet, sweet Father of everlasting peace. That you give such amazing gifts. That we may cloak ourselves in Your Armor. Built to defend and defy satan. That we may always know who our real enemy is, that we may hold tight to our Salvation. That we may rest in your blessed assurance and supernatural peace. That we may always move forward, even when it’s slow, and know that you’ve always got our back. Bless your Holy Name Father, THE GREAT I AM! That we may always and forever be, faithful and victorious warriors in you. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Last Chance for Operation Christmas Child!! Collection starts all over America on November 18th! Last year, 10 million shoeboxes reached children all over the world. Spreading good news, and great joy to even more children! Spreading the Gospel, and hopefully planting the seed of the armor for their lives. Please take a moment to read about and pray about this wonderful ministry, and that each of those boxes – get exactly where they need to go. YOU CAN EVEN BUILD ONE ONLINE!! – $25

Read here.

Donate!

I’m circling back to Mercy and Grace this week. I’ve heard a lot of people this week talking about being offended. How they’re offended, how someone has done them wrong. And, I know, we say that they need to “let it go”, we tell ourselves that we need to “let it go”, but how? How do we let it go? How do we get over it? How do we extend that mercy and grace. How do we stop drinking the poison of anger and pain and suffering (and expecting the other person to die)?

Well, I will share of my experience of getting past a major offense. Something major and traumatic had happened between a family member and myself. And, every time, I started to think about what that person had done and how mad I was about it, I picked a scripture, and would replace those thoughts with that scripture. I started to retrain my brain. Every time I got mad, I would start reciting that scripture to myself. Now, this was not easy, and sometimes I had to recite that scripture for hours in my head, and sometimes I would dwell a little while before I started reciting that scripture, but eventually it just started working. It got easier and easier to stop thinking about how angry and hurt I was, and it started closing that wound up. It started to change my heart of stone, to a heart of flesh. It started to change the way I think. And, I believe that was one of the most powerful things I’ve learned as a follower of Jesus.

For several reasons:

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:11

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” – Phillippians 4:8

“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. – Ephesians 4:26-31

11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end. – Proverbs 29:11

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. – James 1:19-20

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. – Psalm 37:8-9

And, here was the verse I memorized, the scripture I recited repeatedly, the one that helped calm me and retrained my brain to stop living in the past, to stop giving the devil a foothold, to letting someone else steal the peace that God has given me and that no man may take away:

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for peace today. I pray that we learn to “think right” that we clothe ourselves in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. That we forgive those who have offended us as you have forgiven us for all of our sins, and continue to forgive us. I pray that we meld ourselves more to the mind of Christ. That we love our brethren. That we believe in the mercy and that grace that you have for us, and that we extend that incredible grace and mercy to those around us. That we claim the peace that you have given us for ourselves. That we continue to bend our hearts to walk like you Father. And that you reach inside us and give us healing. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission Circle

Operation Christmas Child! This particular mission, is very near and dear to my heart. What an incredible opportunity. For less than $20, you can make a shoebox for a child, and drop it off at a local collection center, and spread love and the good news around the world. From right where you’re at. In every shoebox, Samaritan’s Purse puts a leaflet that gives the Salvation Story in their language, and as they’re distributing them, they share the story of Jesus Christ.

Operation Christmas Child

Donate here

So, as I was getting ready to post the most recent blog entry, I kept having this nagging feeling that it was incomplete. Kept feeling like there was more to that entry. More than just me admitting that I struggle too, that I’m still completely human sometimes. The reason I don’t post those things as often is because I’m trying not to focus on those moments. It’s kinda the same philosophy as: you are what you eat. This blog is to be lifting people up. It’s how God is working in my life, and those around me. And, if I sit here and focus on all the bad stuff all the time. I could go on for days and days.

My life is not perfect, by any means, I have my own struggles, I help people with theirs, other’s lives are so intertwined with mine that theirs become mine. But, that’s not the point. I’m sure you do too. That’s life, I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of life. It’s not our cars, or what we have, or where we work, or any of that. It’s our experiences. It’s the problems we face, it’s the problems we fail to face, it’s where we succeed and where we fail. I admitted my problem because it’s still a problem. I still battle it. It’s been over 2 years since I’ve been there, but it doesn’t mean that I’m not still overcoming it. It’s been over 10 years since I’ve battled some of my other issues, it doesn’t mean that I do not still constantly battle them. It doesn’t mean that Satan doesn’t still use them to try to make me bend or break. And please believe, some days are harder than others. But, I’m on team God now.

And, I have my eyes on the prize. I’m about my Father’s business. I will be attacked, I will be persecuted, but I am more than an overcomer. I am the secret weapon of God.

³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

We had the prophetess Crystal Jones speaking at our Women’s Alive Conference this weekend, and she spoke these words over us, and now I’m speaking them to you. You are God’s secret weapon in someone’s life. You are more than an overcomer. You are here to be about your Father’s business. May you be emboldened with the Will and Strength and Desire of God to be about his business, as I am. May you reach out where you’re at, and beyond where you’re at, to be God’s secret weapon. To shine His light so brightly, that men will know that You work for the Almighty God.

Something else that was said this weekend, was where she admitted that she had called our Pastor Jeanne in a moment of turmoil and grief to ask for guidance. And our pastor told her, “Lean into Easy”. God’s yoke is easy. Lean into God’s yoke. Read your bible, pray, minister to others, go to church, fellowship, call or text your fellow believers and tell them to pray for you. Lean into Easy. Take your yoke off and throw it at his feet. It is not yours to bear, you are to lay yours down and pick his up. Lean into Easy. When life is too much to stand, kneel. This week, when I could’ve let the devil win, I just turned on praise music instead. I just started overwhelming myself with podcasts of victory and overcoming. I buckled down, and reminded myself who I belong to. I ran to my Daddy and told him to take this away from me. And He did. Because He never fails. He makes me more than an overcomer. I am a victor. I am royalty. I serve the Almighty God, and I bend to no man, and I definitely don’t bend to the devil. God loved me too much to leave me there. And, He loves me too much to leave me here. I’m going to continue to go further, to be more. Because God is more. He is so much more. He is more than I could ever think or imagine, and He wants me to have it all. And You. I’m not special, by any means. I don’t have anything different than you. I just love God, and know that He loves me back, and with Him I CAN DO ALL THINGS.

You know, it was funny, I told a couple people that the only reason I don’t like going to conferences or big spiritual events like this is because then I get attacked. And, I hadn’t even made it home from the conference, and I was being attacked. Then, I got home, and here was another blow. But, I just reminded myself that, “If you’re never getting attacked, it’s probably because you’re going the wrong way.” I was warned in podcast that if you ever wanted to be a preacher, or a mouthpiece to God, you were going to be attacked. It’s not an easy life. But, God makes it easy. His yoke is easy. The devil isn’t attacking me, he’s attacking God in me. He’s trying to shut me up. He’s trying to steal, kill, and destroy. He is the source of all lies. And, I believe the one true, good God. And Satan is never going to shut me up, he can’t have my joy, I will win life. Every day of the week – because I’m on team God.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you!! Thank you that your yoke is easy. Thank you that you take all my burdens away. Thank you that you have removed the veil from my eyes, that I may always see my true enemy. Thank you that you love me too much to leave me where I was at, or to leave me here either. That I may continue to go above and beyond. That you may give me all you have, that I may bless others with your gifts, and may show your light to the world, that no man may deny you. Blessed be the name of our ALMIGHTY GOD!! IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

I realized this week, that I may have painted this picture for my audience that has me being “holier than thou” sometimes. And I want to take a moment to make sure that I completely understand that this is not the case.

I’m so broken sometimes, so very, very human. I simply choose not to focus on that part so much, not because I want you to think I’m good or perfect or anything really. What I want to focus on is that God is, that he has things to teach us, that he knows we are a work in progress, and loves us anyway, forgives us anyway.

This week, I was very human, very me, but in the midst of all of it I was putting on a garment of praise.

“And provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. I was praising God for giving me the strength to not be me, or the old me anyway.” Isaiah 61:3

I had a couple tough days this week, but I was praising God in the midst of it, because thank God I don’t drink anymore. There was a day this week that I would’ve crawled into a bottle before 10am and called it. I was done. But instead, I didn’t. Because God didn’t leave me there, he has given me the strength to move past that. And please believe, the devil knew I was struggling, he just kept piling it on, but I buckled down. I thanked God that he is good and that alcohol is not my answer anymore. I have to be about my Father’s business.

I am a work in progress, if I’m still breathing -he’s still working. And that’s ok. I’m never going to be perfect. I’m just trying every day to be more of who he wants me to be. One step at a time, one day at a time, sometimes one minute at a time. Less of me and more of you, God. Sometimes, I’m my biggest reader. I write this blog with some incredible insight that has been given to me, sometimes I don’t even realize what I’m writing until I go back and read it, and I’m like, “wow, good stuff” (and I’ll admit, sometimes not so great- but I’m a work in progress!)

I’m just walking by faith, letting my Savior lead me. Trusting that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, praying for guidance and understanding, praying that I am about my Father’s business.

Because that’s what all of this is really about. A journey, a relationship, both of those things are messy, not perfect, not always exactly what you think, and may not take you where you were expecting to go, but unlike any other relationship or journey, I can promise that they are absolutely worth it. Thank God that he loves you enough to save you from you. He loves us more than enough. He wants more than enough for all of us.

He wants to make us more like him, and less of us.  That’s the incredible thing about this relationship, it’s God who defines us, not our situations or our circumstances or anything like that.  It’s what the Bible says we are, what God says we are, we are the Sons and Daughters of the Almighty God! We are His children, we are royalty, we are heirs to the throne, we are his beloveds, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  God loves us for who we are.  He created this whole big wide world and galaxy, and decided that the world needed one of you too.  Don’t ever forget that! 

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, THANK YOU!! Thank you, that you don’t leave us where we are. Thank you that we can boldly come before your throne. Thank you that you give us a garment of praise, oil of joy, and beauty for ashes. Thank you that you are the incredible GOOD GOOD FATHER! Thank you that you watch over us, guide us, and protect us. Thank you that you are the Light! That others may see your light through us. Thank You for all that you are Father. Thank you for this blessed life. Joy for the morning and life all of our days. Thank you for giving us the victory. That you have already won. That we may stand with you as victors in Christ Jesus. That you are the SAME GOD who rose Christ FROM THE DEAD, and that you will raise us too – that all we ever have to do is ask. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Operation Christmas Child! This particular mission, is very near and dear to my heart. What an incredible opportunity. For less than $20, you can make a shoebox for a child, and drop it off at a local collection center, and spread love and the good news around the world. From right where you’re at. In every shoebox, Samaritan’s Purse puts a leaflet that gives the Salvation Story in their language, and as they’re distributing them, they share the story of Jesus Christ.

Operation Christmas Child

Donate here

God prepares you

I really had no idea what I was going to write about this morning, but as always, God provides. As I sat down at our computer desk, I was flooded with the thoughts of how things come full circle. Of how, God prepares you for what you’re going to need later. As I spoke these last two weeks, first on Mercy, then about how I had needed to apply mercy that very week. It’s all just so incredible how God works.

It’s true though. Another great example, is one of my Pastors, was recently moved to write a book, like couldn’t shake the urge. And, when she sat down to really start writing it, she started going through her notes from previous years, and realized, she had practically already written it. Now, her book is available to everyone, and it’s a message of Goodbye Panic, Hello Peace. You can find it for sale here. #Godshowedup!

I have another friend, who started a home business in the past couple years. She’s a home & life organizer, she helps people declutter their houses, and their lives with creative and positive solutions, while being understanding and supportive. And recently when she was going back through some of her paperwork and different things she had collected (articles, documents, etc.) , she realized that this had been a passion of hers for years. And, here God had helped her make it into a business. #Godshowedup!

Even with the example of my mercy story, and the many, many other stories I’ve related to you over the almost 1 year I’ve been writing this blog. I felt compelled this week, in the fact that 1) I’ve been writing this blog for almost a year (?!?!? What?!) and 2) this week, I had yet another miraculous series of events that has compelled me to reflect in awe and wonder as to what the future will hold. Many, many moons ago, my husband and I had a candle business, and in our first real year of running the business, we turned a profit. But, then, life got in the way, and we focused on various other things for a long time, but as a lot of things have calmed down, and we’ve had the ability to refocus some efforts… here we’ve come full circle. Now, over the years, it’s been very tempting to restart the business, but it’s never been a good time, or we couldn’t focus our efforts. But now, it all seems right. And, with the internet businesses better than ever, I’m more optimistic than ever. I also had a girlfriend recently who was getting rid of a bunch of candle stuff, that I took off her hands for her ;). I mean – #Godshowedup!

It’s really incredible, when you leave everything in God’s hands, you do start seeing God’s hands in everything. I could go on and on, but I’ll just share a recap of this year’s areas where #Godshowedup. Because when you let him, He’ll show up, every time.

The Bible Study

Spoons 1 & Spoons 2

Light

Plans, plans, plans…

The God who provides

Don’t quench the Spirit

My Grace is sufficient

The Year of Great Loss

Full Circle

Best You

Worry

God’s Plans

How Great is our God?!

Timing

Working Out My Salvation

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you!! Thank you for being the incredible, amazing, Good Father that you are. Thank you, that you show up! Thank you for being faithful. For wanting the best for us. Thank you that you are the Good, Good Father, who slowly shows us all the things we need to work toward your will for us. Thank You for laying your hands on our lives. Thank You, for all that you do Father. My words cannot express my gratitude for your will and hands in my life. I pray that everyone reading this experience the amazing awe and wonder that I have experienced at watching you work my life, for your good. I love you Father, and I appreciate all that you’ve done for me, and I ask that you show everyone here how much you show up. I pray that they let you work your hands in their lives. I know that you are the ALMIGHTY GOD WHO SHOWS UP, EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK! And, I’m so grateful for that. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Women’s Alive Conference is this next weekend! This is held in Brookings South Dakota, every year in October. A time for refreshment and renewal. A time for women to get together and encourage each other, and to soak in God’s word, and make lasting relationships with each other, and God. It’s October 18th & 19th. Crystal Jones is the guest speaker this year.

If you would like to join us, please register with the Holy Life Tabernacle. (Click here) It’s only $20!

Or if you would like to donate, click here, and chose Women’s Alive Conference in the options.

Breathe on me, Oh breath of God

As I have been overwhelmed this past couple weeks, with all the things. Fun things, enjoyable family things, life things, I have struggled to get to church on Sunday morning. Ever since I hurt my back, I’ve noticed that I tire easier. Get worn out. And, have to take life a little slower. Which is a blessing-since I’ve lived a good portion of my life at Mach 3, but sadly these past two weeks, I didn’t wake up in time to get to church. So, then when I heard this past Wednesday that we were having a guest speaker – who I listen to their podcasts – was speaking. I knew, I had to go. And, I wanted to go. But Satan pulled his old tricks, and started making me feel guilty about not spending time with my family during a weeknight, when we’ve been so busy. He also made my work absolutely crazy that day, so I would be dog tired by the time I got off work. And, I had forgotten to do anything about supper and now I had no time to make it. But, right at the last minute, I dug my heels in – and said, I’m going to church. And, my pastor’s voice rang out in my head, “If you don’t go, you’ll miss an opportunity.” I had to attend. Those small words were just confirmation that I was going to be blessed, and I was meant to hear the words that night. And, I was not disappointed. Because, did we ever doubt it, #Godshowedup!

This past Wednesday, Bill Vanderbush was the speaker at my church. What a blessed word!?! Revelations were made and had, and #Godshowedup. Without a shadow of a doubt. I’m sure everyone had their own revelations, but as I have digested these things for a couple of days, I will share what was revealed to me.

It’s been bothering me for some time, that we have Religion. That when people ask what I believe in, and I say Jesus Christ, they then ask what church I go to. Or what denomination I am. Or whatever. I don’t fit in a box. I don’t necessarily believe what any of the “religions” are teaching. I believe the Bible. I believe in the feeling I get when I’m praying. I believe in Jesus Christ, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit that lives inside me. I believe that God is alive and well, and working in my life. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and was resurrected to make a new covenant for man and God, and that I have the Holy Spirit of God living inside me that is my connection to my God, and that enables me to do all things. I struggle with the fact that humanity has fallen so far away from God, that they believe you can put Him in a box. That He is this clearly defined thing that we can sum up in words like, “Catholic, Lutheran, Non-denominational” to know what it is I believe.

Oh my goodness. I just want to shout it from the mountaintops. I believe in GOD. I believe in the Almighty Father, who is the Alpha and Omega. I believe in the God, who raised Christ from the DEAD. Who raised Lazarus from the DEAD. Who healed lepers, and paralytics, who knows all things, and sees all things. Who is the VICTOR. Who defeated SATAN. Who saves me from me, and you from you. I believe in the GOD who removes your sins so completely from your life that you can be a new person. Like, literally, a new person. A NEW CREATION. I believe in the God, who after man had broken his covenant (Adam & Eve) made a way to have a new covenant that we couldn’t break – because Jesus would make that covenant for us, and we can’t break something that we don’t have. I believe in the God who performs miracles. Who created us. Who created everything we see. I believe in the God who breathed life into us, and spoke creation into existence.

It just breaks my heart that so many “believers” out there, seem to miss the mark. They’re like, “Yeah, I believe in God, and that Jesus died for my sins.” But DO YOU? Do you really? Do you understand that the God you believe in, LIVES INSIDE YOU? He’s not somewhere out there. He’s INSIDE YOU. You and Him are one. And I’m one with Him. Do you truly understand that the SAME GOD who raised Christ from the DEAD, lives inside you??? That if You believe, that you will receive, that what you give, will be given to you? I ache that I seem to be part of this small faction that understands the amazing, awesomeness of the fact that God wants to have a personal relationship with me, and that He lives inside me. And, that we are ONE. That I am sent to bring others to this revelation. That if you truly understood that God LIVES in YOU, You would be on fire too! That it would bother you that not everyone seems to be getting it! They have not truly received the Holy Spirit, to understand that God has re-established this connection that we lost for thousands of years and was only reconnected after Jesus came and re-established it. That we can feel everything God wants us to feel. Love, peace, joy. They’re all ours to be had.

Months ago, someone revealed to me, that Jeremiah, was nick-named the “weeping prophet” – and in that moment, something rang true in me. I identified with Jeremiah. I then began to read Jeremiah, and I wasn’t understanding why I had identified with him. But, for months, it’s been nagging at me. The weeping prophet. But, just now, as I’m writing this to you. It all makes sense. I have this connection with God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. I have this incredible, amazing feeling, deep down in my bones whenever I’m reading the Bible, or praying, or just walking around living life. Because I know, that there is a God, and he loves me, and you, and wants us all to be saved, and to understand what it’s like to have this relationship. And, yet, here’s the rest of the world, living in depression, and hate, and sinfulness, and despair, and they don’t seem to have any idea, that there’s a God out there that wants you to feel Amazing! That wants you to be happy, and have the best things in this life, and the next. And, that if people truly understood the connection that God wants to establish in you, that you would feel that way too. I ache and I weep because I want to airdrop this feeling into everyone. I just want everyone to get it! On every level. Just like Jeremiah. I’m not weeping for myself, or for God, but for everyone else.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your wisdom and your understanding. Thank you for imparting your Holy Spirit to us, and for saving us from ourselves! Thank you for speaking to us. Thank You that You sent Your Son to save us, and to make a new covenant that cannot be broken. That You don’t leave us where we’re at. That You are the Great, Amazing Father who blesses us. That you watch over us and guide us. Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit that You may live inside us, and give us this amazing connection to You. Bless Your Holy Name Father. May we live forever in You. IN JESUS NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

I’m going to be promoting this one for the next several weeks. It’s the beginning of Operation Christmas Child! This particular mission, is very near and dear to my heart. What an incredible opportunity. For less than $20, you can make a shoebox for a child, and drop it off at a local collection center, and spread love and the good news around the world. From right where you’re at. In every shoebox, Samaritan’s Purse puts a leaflet that gives the Salvation Story in their language, and as they’re distributing them, they share the story of Jesus Christ.

Operation Christmas Child®

Operation Christmas Child

Donate here

He keeps his promises

If you’ve been with me for a while, you know, that all of this started because I trust in God’s timing, or try to, anyway. If you’re just joining, I’ll catch you up. Last year, in April, I had been praying for a Bible Study for about 2 years. I had been going to different ones I had heard about here and there, but the timing wasn’t right. I couldn’t do it on the particular night they had it. They didn’t have it as often as I would like. Different stuff. It just wasn’t working out. Then, as I’m walking to my car this crisp April morning, I heard this whisper as clear as if someone was standing behind me and had breathed on my ear. “Why don’t you start a Bible Study?” I actually turned around to see who had said it. I was in disbelief. Me?! Start a Bible Study? I just started going back to church? (In the grand scheme of things, I hadn’t been attending church as long as I had felt it necessary for someone who leads a Bible Study’s caliber required.) But, my doubts only lasted a moment. Yeah, that’s a good idea. I know a couple people. I’m going to see them both tomorrow (up to this point, the only time I would ever be seeing both of them in the same day. Coincidence? I think not.) So, when I saw each of them the next day, I asked. They would love to. I also informed another life-long friend that I was starting a Bible Study without thinking she would want to attend, and lo-and-behold, she invited herself. We had gone from a concept to our first meeting within two weeks. Since then, we have lost a member, gained a member, had a member go on hiatus and come back.

Then, this past May, I threw a kick-off party. I invited everyone I could think of. I wanted the Bible Study to grow. We had grown personally so much. We now had this tight network of people that we could count on to pray for each other. To be there with us, when life was throwing us hard balls. To have “jam sessions” where we just talk about life, how God’s working in our lives, or getting guidance when we don’t feel like he’s working. We rented out a room to support “everyone” that was going to show up. We made bars, had games, prizes, everything. And, not one new person came. I was disappointed, but that’s ok. Not everything always goes according to plan. But, I haven’t given up. I always have to remember – not my timing. Now, since May, on a random Tuesday, we got a new member. Who has been a great addition to the group, and hopefully feeling that same sense of fellowship that I know the rest of us have grown to depend on. And then, this past Tuesday, another new member has joined. And, I have whisperings that this coming Tuesday, we’ll have another. We have almost doubled in size – since May. Without a party. Just God nudging people’s hearts to attend. 2 of the 3 weren’t even invited to the May party, I believe. Look at God’s timing. Look at how #Godshowedup. I’m so grateful. Not necessarily because I just want more people, but I cherish the Bible Study so much, that I want others to have that in their lives. I want others to grow. To have that sense of fellowship. To have a network to help them work through life. To have people praying for them.

It’s so important to trust and wait on the Lord. To know that He will fulfill His promises. That if we take leaps of Faith, He will catch us. This blog is another testimony to God’s timing. He had been laying it on my heart to start this blog for some time. Then, one day, I had said during morning prayer, if I have time today, I’ll do it. He proceeded to make everyone cancel their plans with me that day, before noon. Within a few short hours, everything I had on my calendar, had been wiped clean. Text after text came rolling in, can’t make it, can we do it another day? and so on. Ok, God. No more signs. Since then, I have had people share their testimonies about how this is just what they needed to hear that day. I’ve had people print and save some of my prayers for themselves and for others. I’ve had a total of at least 344 visitors (I don’t believe my website catches all who read it.) What an encouragement, for myself and for those who read it. I never aspired to be a writer, but the Lord has stuff to say, and I have prayed to be a mouthpiece. May God always bless the work of my hands. I hope this encourages you, to pray that God use you. To pray that you trust in his timing and his path. May the work of your hands always flourish and may you see and cherish the moments where God shows up! Because they’re amazing! And they never get old. And God is most definitely alive and working today. I hope that you’re a willing vessel to bring His Kingdom to Earth, that you may see His works, and live in His awe and wonder.

More Stories

Few more stories about his timing:

Don’t quench the Spirit (#1 read entry of mine)

Cookies

Spoons

Spoons 2

Light

Plans, Plans, Plans….

The God who provides

The Year of Great Loss

God’s Plans

New Creation

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank you for showing up! Thank you for your timing. Thank you for instilling a trust in us, to trust in You. May we be vessels for Your work and Your Word. May we have the patience and the peace that surpasses all understanding to know that You’ve always got our backs. That You will always fulfill Your Word, and that You only want good things for our lives. Bless Your name Father that You are the Good, Good Father who watches over us and protects us, and that You have everything done in Your timing and not our own. That we may always continue to see Your work and wonder in our lives. That we may be a blessing to those around us, and that we may bring Your Kingdom to Earth. That we may shine Your light into the lives of others. That we may be beacons of hope, the hope and assurance that You provide, and that we may guide others to Your Light. Thank You for all that You do Father. May we always bring glory and honor to Your name. IN JESUS NAME! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Hurricane Dorian has left much of the Caribbean devastated. Please take a moment to pray for these people and their families. Samaritan’s purse is there, helping as much as they can. To read more: Hurricane Dorian

To donate: Click here

We are the Body

This past week, an important discussion came up. Which church do you go to? I’m not sure if I’ve discussed this before here, but my ladies Bible Study group is not church-specific. It is compiled of ladies that have come together through networking, a couple of us go to the same church, but most of us don’t. And, one of the things I really love, is that the churches we do attend, are all different “denominations”. Because please believe, denominations were not God’s idea. That is a tool that Satan has used to keep us separate, and sometimes, even pitted against each other. The more I read and understand, the more I see the enemy’s handiwork and understand how’s he’s got some people so twisted. – Anyway, today I would like to discuss the importance of church – in the sense of gathering together and fellow-shipping with others.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. All Church. And we are the Body. Collectively and singularly. The Body. Together we are supposed to be functioning as extensions of the Head, doing all the Body work as combined efforts. And singularly, working as an individual within the Body to further the efforts of Jesus Christ, which means putting our own effort in. So, we are supposed to have a church group where we can “plug in”. You can attend and get fed the Word, fellowship with other believers, and spend time in unified worship of our Father. And, this is what 75% of church-goers are doing. (By the way, that’s 75% of the 38% of Americans that are attending church every week). But then- there’s this whole other step that we’re supposed to be doing. We are not supposed to be going to church – just to go, just to get fed, just to feel better about going? We are supposed to be furthering the Kingdom. The church has WORK to do! The Body doesn’t just lie there, on a big chaise lounge, eating grapes, waiting for the Son to return. Also, Christ didn’t say he was the Head of a building (stationary and ungrowing), or the Head of a tree – that just stays where it’s at. He purposefully picked the Head of a Body. A moving, growing, changing thing that can manage and operate the world that it’s in.

We are supposed to be using our gifts to plug in and help the Church expand and grow. We are supposed to be helping one another and figuring out how to win more souls, how to get more people coming to the Faith – and hopefully coming to Church! We are supposed to be growing as believers and helping other people grow too. We are not supposed to be at church to go through the motions. And, if you are a believer, you should be going to a church. It’s important to have a relationship with Jesus, and read your Bible, but iron sharpens iron. Humans are pack animals, no matter how much some people want to say that they’re loners, we have an inherent sense to be a part of a community – some people just prefer smaller communities. The more we go to Church, the more you should want to go to Church. The more you grow, the more you should want to talk to others about what you’re learning to try to understand the concepts more. Church should challenge you to want to grow. Church should be a place where you can challenge others to grow. A place where you can plug in and be a part of the body, and also find your place within the body to help the body move into new space and further the Kingdom. We were never meant to sit still.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! For all that You’ve done. Thank You for sending Your Son to die for us. Thank You for Your grace, and Your wisdom. That Your wisdom may flow into us, and give us a deeper understanding of Your Word. Bless Us Father. Bless the work of our hands, and our thoughts, and guide us in the way that we should go. Show us Your way Father. Show us where we’re supposed to be and guide us to get there. May we grow ever stronger in You, and may we bring others too, to bask in Your light and love, all the days of our lives. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

History suggests that church planting remains the most effective form of evangelism.

The church is God’s primary vehicle to advance his kingdom on earth. The goal of our evangelism and mission work is to establish new churches and strengthen existing ones. We don’t randomly scatter seeds with the hope that something grows. We strategically plant churches that will become strong enough to plant more. Learn more about EveryNation Church Planting here.

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They will know us by our love

Many moons ago, I talked about how God is Love. God is Love. He is everything that is love, He is all those feelings, He embodies it, He is the definition of it. And love feels so good doesn’t it? To love, to be loved, all the good things that love gives us. And, God himself, is Love. And in John 13:35, it says, And everyone will know you, by your love. Because if we are true believers in Christ, You should be striving to be like Jesus, and if Jesus is God, and God is love. You should also be love.

As a few weeks ago, I was talking about how, if we’re just striving to be like Jesus, then, you will see your fruits. They will just come naturally, as you continue to grow and draw closer to God. One of the fruits is Love. And several times throughout scripture, God tells us to put on love.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Romans 12:9-10

 
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:29-31

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” 

Romans 13:8

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Ephesians 4:2-3

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:7

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 

1 John 4:11

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

1 John 3:16-18

“Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:14

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:35

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:12-15

One of the biggest things that hurts my heart is believers who acknowledge him with their lips and then deny him by their lifestyle. Or deny Him by speaking out in hate against others. Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand that we get wronged and get upset about things that happen to us. But we’re not supposed to let it fester. It’s not supposed to continue to live in us. Even Jesus had righteous anger in the temple against the gamblers and hypocrites, but then he moved on. He didn’t bear that grudge. He didn’t continue to beat them over the heads with how wrong they were, physically or verbally. In the very next verse, he starts healing the sick and goes about his business. Because He was here to do the Lord’s business.

One of the most difficult conversations I have, is trying to explain that I believe in the Bible and am a follower of Jesus Christ, when we have such a bad wrap – because of all these people who obviously weren’t grasping the main point of the Bible and being a believer. We have the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, even the Klan is said to have religious ties. Not to mention all the horrible things that have been done by people throughout the ages, while clinging to the “guise” of Christianity while doing it. It’s hard to make others understand, that those people who did these things were really missing a big point of the Bible. We are supposed to be love. Others should know we are believers, by our love. We are not supposed to seek vengeance, or put others down because of what they believe, or judge them, and we are definitely not supposed to be hurting anyone who doesn’t believe the same things we do.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 7:1-2

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:17-21

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:38-39

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

Matthew 18:21-22

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Matthew 11:25

²⁷ “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.
³² “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. ³³ And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. ³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.³⁵ But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36

As I was having this disagreement with another believer at one point. Who had a very strong disliking for a specific group of people who did not believe in the Bible, they were up on their soap box, telling me how immoral it was and how wrong these people were. And, I looked at them, and said, “I understand that, but how are you supposed to win any of those people over by telling them that? By hating them? Who wants to come into a community and a relationship with God, when the example that they have, you, is spewing hate and filth? You know, God created them too, and wants them to be saved too, and you’re not winning any souls with that attitude.”

We have to remember that we hate the sin, not the sinner. We all sin, and in the eyes of God, all the sins are the same. A lie is just as bad as murder. Not one of us is above another, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. In this century, and the last, and the next to come, the world needs more Love, more God. More of Him, and less of us.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you. Thank You, that you are better than us. That you love each and every one of us so much, that you sent your Son to die for us, every one of us. I ask You today Father, to take out our hearts of stone, and give us hearts of flesh. Hearts like Yours Father. Wash us in Your Word. Remove the logs from our eyes, that we may see the world as You do. Give us supernatural peace and understanding to love one another, to love ourselves, and to love You. To know that You are the Good, Good Father who loves us. To see that we live in a fallen world, and that others should see your light, and know your love, by our love toward others. Bless the work of our hands, and the words from our mouths, and the people in our lives by our love – which is Your love through us. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

A mission finder! Help out here! Spread the Love of God’s Word. This particular mission, is a agency that will connect you where you are. You can go on short trips or long trips, local or the other side of the planet.

https://www.shorttermmissions.com/?STM=83db5a17a6625a0f5641b8e83fa61d04

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Looking back

I think one of the most powerful things I’ve learned in the past couple years as a new creation in Christ, is that only the devil wants us looking back. Any time, we start to fixate on the past, that’s the devil’s handy-work. Every morning you wake up and you get a new chance to make new decisions. Every day, you get a new chance to forgive yourself and forgive others. And, one of the most powerful tools that the devil has is You. Your own mind. Your own insecurities. Your own anger. You. And if he can keep you in the past, then you can’t live in the now, and you can’t move forward. Sure, you’re still getting up and going places, but where are you in your head? God knows this. Why do you think He gave us the helmet of Salvation? Because some of the biggest battles you face, are going to be with yourself.

I like how the New Living Translation says it, “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” Phillipians 2:12

I know how hard of a battle this can be. I’ve been an addict, an abuser, and been abused. Trust me, there’s been a lot of Salvation to work out. When I was called to write this blog, those were definitely some items that were trying to hold me back. Who is going to believe me? Who is going to want to read my stuff? I’ve been in the lowest of the low places. But, I just have to remind myself that God has forgiven me, and that I’m trying to share his word and bring others to the Faith and have a closer relationship with him. Because if God can forgive Paul (a murderer) who turned out to be one of the biggest advocates for Jesus Christ, He can forgive me, and He can forgive any body else who asks for it. And please believe, I have not admitted some of these things openly before because there are people who read my blog who don’t know these things about me, and could think differently about me because of it. But we all have our own struggles, and I have overcome all of mine. Because God has set me free. And because I serve the one true God who will watch over me and guide me and has been urging me to be honest and open with my audience. Because He has forgiven me, and I have forgiven myself, and I have forgiven others, and I don’t live there anymore. I’m only looking forward. And, now, here I am, a new creation in Christ. And, I’m not special. It’s available for everyone. You just have to work for it.

Looking Forward

Sometimes, it’s crazy to think what my life used to be, compared to what it is now. But that’s part of what’s so amazing about your relationship with Jesus Christ. He removes all your transgressions, as far as the east is from the west. He washes you white as snow. If you ask for forgiveness, He doesn’t just forgive some of the things, He forgives ALL of the things. Sometimes Satan tries to sneak in there and tell me that I’m not worthy of God’s love, that I’m not forgiven, that I’m going to suddenly get in trouble for something that happened 10 years ago. But those are all lies. They’re all in the past. I haven’t lived there for 10 years. And, I’m only looking forward. I continually am working out my Salvation with fear and trembling. But, I just reassure myself that I am a child of God, Holy and Beloved. That God only wants good things for me. I have spent a decade becoming a new creation in Christ. I am sad that Satan had a hold of me for so long, but I have spent 10 years being a new person. 10 years growing into this new creation. And, I am looking forward to the next 10 years, because it can only get better. I am a child of the Overcomer.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your incredible love. Thank You that you forgive ALL things, and that we can all rest assured in Your Salvation. That You are the Overcomer, and that You give us the strength and the Salvation to be overcomers ourselves. Thank You Father, that you only want us moving forward. That we do not live in the past. Thank You Father, that you gave us Paul as an example of anyone who seeks your Salvation and your word can be a Child of God. Thank You that you sent your son to die for us. Thank you for all that you’ve done, and may we all continue to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!

Mission’s Circle

When I was a teenager, I went on a mission trip here to help out for a week. A homeless shelter in downtown Atlanta. Preaching the Good Word and trying to save souls and lives.

Atlanta Mission – The Shepard’s Inn

Donate: Ways to give

We serve an Amazing God

This past week, I just received the title up there of what I would be discussing. How to pray through. It has become one of the most powerful tools that has effectively changed how I think and how I act as a Christian. I read a book a couple years ago, that spoke on this topic, and it really opened my eyes to all the different kinds of prayer you can do, all the concepts behind prayer, all the ways and situations we could and should be using prayer in. And, thank God, I will never be the same. It is incredible, the power of praying through. If you haven’t heard of this concept, let me share some information about it, then I’ll share a story of one of the first times I really applied it.

Science

So, I’ll admit, I’m a nerd, and I love Science, always have, always will. But here, I’m going to share some information, and share how it applies to our prayer life. So, a couple years ago, I was reading an article about information they were discovering about the brain and how we think, and they have since grown and expanded this information and you can read more about it almost anywhere if you’re interested. So, we can grow up thinking one way, and being a complainer and griping about all kinds of things all the time. And just thinking that everything that happens to us is the most awful thing ever, and telling everyone and their dog about it. Or — every time, we start to think that way — we can stop that thought in its tracks. And think about something positive. If we start doing that – thinking about something that makes us happy when we start stressing out – and we have to keep at it. Start getting stressed out – think happy thoughts – quite literally. You can actually REWIRE your own brain. Let me say that again. YOU CAN REWIRE YOUR OWN BRAIN. Now, God told us this a long time ago, but you know, it takes us humans a while to catch up sometimes.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

So, if you continue to battle those negative thoughts, by thinking good thoughts when they start to creep in, you eventually will be thinking that way – naturally. You can rewire your own brain. — I cannot stress that enough. God has given you the power to rewire your own brain. You can do this. And, it’s incredible. I’m going to show you two different ways I have applied this.

Praying through

I’ve touched on this before in the Year of Great Loss, but we’ll dig a little deeper today. One of my family members was in jail for a crime they didn’t commit, waiting for their hearings and trial. Their bail was set at an astronomical amount. But, at one point, our family had set another bail hearing to try to get it reduced. Now, I absolutely had no means to give the bail money, even if it was $100. But, I was convicted that he would be getting out on bail. I had set myself that he would be released. That was the only possible outcome that day. For weeks in advance, that was all I was praying about. Not only that the bail would be reduced, but that some angel would come and give the bail money, and he would be released. I couldn’t stop praying about it. God was about to give us a miracle. I knew it in my bones. I went and visited him one night, just days before the hearing, and after the visit, my in-law and I walked the courthouse block and prayed that God was about to work a miracle. I wrote that he would be released in my prayer box the night before and thanked God for his miracle. I was so sure of it, I was acting like it had already happened. I had a dream just days before that I was going to give him a hug. This was absolutely happening. The day came, and I was fasting and praying all day long, and I received a call (I had to work), that not only had his bail been reduced, but someone had put up the money and HE WAS OUT!!! GOD IS GOOD!! I had prayed through, and #GOD SHOWED UP!! I knew that it was going to happen. I trusted God, and He showed up!! But, that story, is one of the many where God has showed me that He loves His children, and He shows up. Praise God!!

Flipping the coin

Now, another part of this rewiring of the brain concept, is a little different. For a while, I’ve had a family member that stresses me out. Like, really stresses me out. They kinda live in chaos, and every once in a while that chaos seeps out into my life. And, after a few very interesting and stressful situations, one of Satan’s little demons snuck in and grabbed a hold of me. His name is Anxiety and Panic. After these situations, I started to live in fear. Live in a constant state of being afraid. Afraid that the phone would ring and chaos was about to ensue. Afraid that there would be a knock at the door, and I was about to have another horrific incident of terrifying mayhem. I couldn’t think straight. I was terrified all the time. I wasn’t living my life because of it. I couldn’t make plans. I couldn’t do all kinds of stuff because I just couldn’t. Those demons had a death grip on me, and were choking me. I was being suffocated by it. And, I just couldn’t. I couldn’t do anything (I mean, I was going through all the motions of life) but I was checked out, and I was checked in to Satan’s hotel of pure anxiety and fear. And, one evening, the phone rings and here is chaos. And, I am freaking out, what am I supposed to do? How do I stop this? What?!?! AHHHH!!!! And, I look over at my husband, and he’s just hanging out. Now, a tiniest snip about my husband, he grew up in chaos similar to what I’m currently experiencing. And, I go, “How?! How did you do this? How can you be so chill?” And, he just says, “What are you going to do about it? What can you possibly do?” And in his words, my chain-breaker showed up.

Although my husband is not currently a believer, God used His words, to channel my Holy Spirit, to tell me that I needed to stop. Just stop. Stop living in fear, rip those demons from around my throat and send them back to where they belong. And, from that moment on, whenever those demons try to sneak back in, I start thinking positive thoughts. I memorized a verse, I would recite that verse to myself in my head. I started thinking about all the good things God has done for me. Now, I will admit, sometimes I still get a little panicky. I start getting nervous about something I think might happen. But, I just start reciting that verse in my head again, and it starts calming me down.

Colossians 3:12-15 “¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

But God has given me the peace that surpasses all understanding. I have to let go. Chaos is going to happen, at some point, at some time or another, whether with my family member or someone else or something else. It’s like death and taxes… inevitable. There is no way I can live in this fallen world and think that I’m untouchable and that just because I’m a believer that I get to be over here living this perfect life without Satan trying to sneak in here and mess stuff up. But, I do know, that God tells me not to fear. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I hold you up with mighty right hand. That I’m on the winning team. That no matter what happens – I just have to pray through it. Sprinkle some praise on it. Thank you God for giving me my life, that it may all glorify and honor you. That you may bless the work of my hands, and use it all for your glory and your goodness. I can tell you that I no longer live in a state of constant panic. I am no longer a giant ball of nerves. My chain-breaker has set me free.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, THANK YOU! Thank you that you are the chain-breaker. That you SET US FREE! Thank you!! Thank you for all that You are. Let us all come before You, that you may show us how to free ourselves from those demons that wish to steal, kill, and destroy. That You may help us change our thoughts. Change the way we understand life. Bring us to Your level. Lift us up with Your mighty right hand. Remove these thoughts and this fear from our lives. Rule our hearts Father. Show us to not be afraid. To be the warriors you’ve called us to be. To watch over us, and help us watch over ourselves. To remove the veil from our eyes that we may see the schemes of the devil, and that we send him packing. Bless us Father. We are the head and not the tail. Watch over us. Guide us. Make our paths straight. Straight unto Your Holy Kingdom. That our paths may shine bright and show others the way to You. Bless Your Holy Name, the GREAT I AM!! IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Although this isn’t a “Christian” mission, it is an important one. National Suicide prevention hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

You can volunteer to help too. Or you can donate here: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/donate/

God loves all His children.

Big Problem

Let’s talk this week about one of the biggest issues that faces Christians. Why won’t God answer my prayer? Right? We’ve all had this moment. Something is happening, and you’re praying, and you’re praying, and….. nothing is happening. And, you start to doubt, you start to wonder, maybe…. I’m not praying right, maybe God doesn’t love me enough, maybe whatever. Well, I’d like to take a little time this week, to go through some possibilities of what’s going on. I know it took me a while to figure some of these out myself.

First thing, we have to understand why God does answer prayer. God answers prayer, when it’s His will. So, as I’ve stated previously, you have to pray for God’s will to be exercised through you, you have to bring His will onto Earth. I’ll use money as an example: You can pray for more money, but then you have to be ready for the responsibilities of more money, be ready to give His portion back (you should already be giving Him his portion too), be ready to walk through the opportunities that He gives you to get more money. But, with all of this, it also has to be the right time for you to get more money (and only God knows when that is.) Sometimes, your circumstances have to be what they are for God to work the blessings He has in store for you, and if that means you need to be strapped for cash right now, then that’s how things are going to be for a minute. But know, that God does want good things for you, through your trials and tribulations, remember that God plays the long game. You need to as well.

This ties into the second one, which I’m sure we’ve all heard. It’s in His timing. This one is rough. ” But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” 2 Peter 3:8. The Lord’s timing is completely different from ours, and that makes waiting seem like it’s taking f o r e v e r. But, it’s true. God only does things when the time is right, and he never does it during the wrong time. And, as Christians, this goes back to trusting God. We have to implicitly trust in His timing. Again, it’s the long game. God’s got all the time in the world to make His will happen in our lives. Our relationship with God, is a marathon. Even the Bible refers to “running the good race.” “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?” – Galatians 5:7 I like that it asks you this ^^ question right after, seems like we’ve all struggled with keeping to the Word sometimes. 😉

Sometimes, it’s not God’s will. —-OOOHHHH, ouch. Although that one is a little cutting, let me lessen the blow. Sometimes, it’s true, what you’re asking for, is not what God has in mind, but this is two-fold. 1) Because He has something better in mind, which again, we have to trust that He knows what’s best since He is the omnipotent God. 2) It’s truly not His will. —- Now, we as Christians are supposed to be trying to align ourselves to be more Christ-like, to be more in-tune with God, to have a heart and mind like God does…. not just for ourselves and our daily lives, but for our prayer-life. Then, if we are achieving this harmonious relationship with Jesus and our Lord, we begin to pray accordingly – more in line with the Father’s will – and therefore seeing more of our prayers being answered! <— See how all that melded together? As I grow in my prayer-life, I realize more and more, that I’m not praying for my outcome – what I think I want to happen in the situation. I am praying for the situation, and that God put His hand in there and do what needs to be done for the best outcome. A big part of that, is because I’ve been shown, that I obviously have no idea what the best outcome is sometimes because I’m over here thinking about options A, B, and C, and God comes out of left field and answers the situation with Option M – which no one even thought was possible or in the realm of being able to answer the situation. But, that’s really some of the most AMAZING work that God does sometimes. He completely exceeds our expectations and gives these miraculous answers, but we have to be ready and open for these answers too.

And, then, my final one. Which may be the most difficult one to understand at times. Going back to my post last week. We live in a fallen world. And, sometimes, our prayers don’t get answered because there are more things at work. Sometimes, when it’s a situation that the devil obviously has a hold of, it may take longer to win the battle. I feel that sometimes, we can pray all we want, but if you’re not dealing with just yourself in the situation, and the devil’s got a hold on the other players, those players are going to have to ask God to step in. He’s a gentlemen. Maybe the only thing you can do is pray that they see the light. Or try to pray with them. Continue to be a blessing of love and light in their lives, and pray that they ask God to enter the situation. ” For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12. Sometimes, it’s not our part to solve the situation, but to pray for the right person to do the right thing. No matter how bad we want it. This is a moment of let go, and Let God.

With all that being said, I hope it helps. I hope you have a better understanding of some of your situations right now, or some of your situations in the past. I hope you can apply some of this knowledge in the future. To know, that God does want what’s best for you, and for those around you, and to ALWAYS trust in Him. I hope that you continue to grow in your Faith and your understanding of the deep love the Father has for you, and that you may grow in your love with the Father as well.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you! Thank you for all that you’ve done for us. For all that you continue to do. For your great knowledge and understanding of our lives, and our hearts. I pray Father that you give deep knowledge and consolation to all those reading this. That you lay your hands upon their lives, and hold them close. That we may all share in the understanding that You do know what’s best for us. That Your hand may be at work in our lives, in all the best ways possible. That you give us the peace that surpasses all understanding as we wait for Your will to be done here. That You continue to watch over us and guide us in Your ways. That You bless the work of our hands and the words that come out of our mouths. That they may be blessings to those around us. That we show others Your light through our actions and our words. That all the world may know Your love, and that we may be a part in sharing that love. Bless us. Bless those around us. That it may all be for Your glory and honor. IN JESUS’ NAME!!! AMEN!

Mission’s Circle

The Kulpahar Kid’s Home is a missions based in India. It’s the oldest missions there, and the ripe age of 72 years! This missions helps local children living in a very impoverished area get an (Christian) education, medical attention, and a home. They home over 90 children on these 32 acres, keeping them safe from the elements and helping them lead healthy, happy lives in an otherwise very dangerous and unstable area of India. For $60/month you can sponsor a child. Or you can just donate as your heart feels.

Here’s a link to learn more: Kulpahar Kid’s Home-School

To donate: http://kulpaharkidshomeschool.org/contact-us/

A Fallen World

So last week, I touched on something that was an incredible revelation for me, and I thought I should dig deeper because it’s probably a big missing piece for others as well. We live in a fallen world. Now, I think we all know that and have probably said it at some point, but what does it mean? What does it mean for us? What does it mean for those around us?

In the beginning, God created a perfect world, and put Adam and Eve in it. And, if you remember, at that point, God walked around on the world, and interacted with Adam and Eve directly. And life was good. But then, along came Satan, and sin. And he tempted Eve into biting the apple. And because Eve and Adam had free will, they made a choice, falling into the traps of the devil, and so we – and the world – fell. At this point, death became the ultimate repercussions for sin. And the world became Satan’s domain. Because, as we know, God cannot be in the presence of sin. He cannot look upon it. We then, spend the next couple thousand years trying to get back to God, which obviously we cannot, and so God sent His son to give us that connection back.

When Eve bit that apple, God didn’t step in and put his almighty hand between her mouth and the apple. He could have. But He didn’t. He gave us free will. Free will to do what we wanted with our lives. Free will to make choices. And, with Satan at the helm, we make the wrong choices. ” The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

Big picture

Big picture – when Eve and Adam bit the apple, the condemned us to living in Satan’s world. Think about it – after this God banished them from the garden (which we have never been able to find again on Earth.) and put them out to work the fields and endure hard labor and to always be bitten by the snake, and to always have the choice to crush the snake’s head. And then, God left Earth. I do not believe there is another mention of God stepping onto Earth after the garden. He gets close, he speaks from the heavens, he manifests himself into other things, but God actually stepping on the Earth – never happens again. Because, Earth, is Satan’s playground.

Here, Satan causes all these terrible things. He uses the minds of others to manifest his wants, to kill others, to hurt others, to damage things. To steal, kill, and destroy. That’s all Satan. And, it’s not God “allowing” it. This isn’t his place. As I’ve always said, He’s a gentlemen, and this isn’t his house. That’s part of why we’re asked to let God into our hearts, to give our lives to Jesus, to have a personal relationship with God. Because that’s the only way that God can do his will on Earth – is if we ask for it. We are his vessels to manifest His will here. Think back to the Lord’s prayer – “your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.” We have to bring it down. We have to speak it into existence. We have to overcome the Devil, and demand that God bring His will into this world. Because, Adam and Eve already made the choice for us, that He had to leave, and we have to make the conscious choice to bring Him back down here.

Close Up

Another – closer example – would be the Year of Great Loss, all this crazy, horrible stuff was happening. And, I’m over here going, “God, why are you doing this?” “What is the point?” “Why is this happening to me?” But see, even Satan can make a puppet that looks like God. And, if he can convince us that it’s God’s fault that bad things are happening – then, ooooh what a way to shake your faith?!?! Turn you against your Savior? Make you believe that the one thing that can save you, is the reason you’re in the mess you’re in?!!? Then, he’s GOT YOU! God doesn’t do these terrible things! He did in the old testament, but He has made a new covenant with us.

And, if you think about it, during the my year. Satan was picking at me, doing all this mayhem. Turning me on my heels. I’m begging God in prayer to stop whatever’s going on. Then, during a prayer one morning, I had this revelation, that it wasn’t God. That it was Satan. Then, I changed the game. Realized that God and I were on the same team. That we had the Victory, together. That – we – together would defeat Satan’s plots. And, if you remember, as soon as I knew who I was battling against – it only got worse. It was like Satan was like, “Fine, if you know who you’re messing with anyway,” And then proceeded to roll up his sleeves and pull out all the stops. It only spiraled into this nightmare of chaos. (I never said it was going to be easy.) But, guess what? Who’s got the victory? I do. God and I do. Because as the rest of John 10:10 says, ” The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ” or as Luke says, ” Stand firm, and you will win life. ” (Luke 21:19)

Believe in Jesus, give your Life to God, pray for Him to make you into the vessel He needs to manifest His will on Earth. Understand who your enemy is. Pray that God opens your eyes to the schemes of the devil. Pray for the peace that surpasses all understanding. Give your problems to God that He may make them into blessings. I mean, when I consider the Year of Great Loss, while it was happening, it seemed that there were no blessings in it. But, I’ve grown so much since then. I’ve used those experiences to grow. I’ve used them to help you grow, to help others around me grow. My life is so blessed now. And, even in the days that it’s not, I know who my real enemy is, and Satan will never pull that wool over my eyes again. I hope this helps. I hope this blesses you. I hope it removes the veil that Satan so enjoys having over many of us. That you never fall for this trick of the enemy again, and that you may be stronger for it. Take the victory, my dear friend.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank YOU!!! Thank you, that you have given us the victory. Thank you for this time together. I pray Father, for all who read this, that they may never falls for this trick of Satan’s. That they may always see who’s really running these puppets. That they may have the deep understanding that we live in a fallen world. That You only wish for us to have life, and have it to the full. That you rain down your blessings upon us. That you watch over us, and lay your mighty hand upon our problems. That you guide us in your amazing wisdom, in your understanding that surpasses all understanding. That we may trust in You, even when we cannot see the forest through the trees, that we know who guides our steps, and where our Faith belongs. That You may always show us the way out, always show us where our next step will be. That you are Jehovah Shammah – the God who is there. You are here, and where we’re going and all the places in between. That We may understand that, and speak your kingdom into existence-here. Thank You Father for all that You do, and all that You are, and that we may draw ever closer to You. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

This week, I’m focusing on Samaritan’s Purse. They do a lot of incredible things, and I’m sure many of you have heard of them over the years. Operation Christmas Child (which will definitely be a focus of mine in the month’s to come – as it is very near & dear to my heart) – but this week, I’m promoting because there is a current Ebola crisis happening, and Samaritan’s Purse is in there getting their hands dirty to help out. So, even if you cannot give – please pray for them. Pray for the workers, pray for the mission, pray for all those who are suffering this terrible illness. Pray for healing. Keep them in your prayers. Pray for them now. May God bless you and keep you always.

Samaritan’s Purse Home Page

Samaritan’s Purse – Ebola crisis

Own It

I’ve been jamming out to one of my favorite Christian rock bands recently, who were really popular when I was pretty new to the Faith – DC Talk. And, at the intro to one of their songs, they have a little saying that really got to me this week.

The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today

Is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips

Then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle.

That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.

DC Talk, What if I stumble

This tied into another revelation I had this week. Our Faith is something we are constantly working through. ” Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed–not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence–continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ” Phillippians 2:12

I say all of that to say this, our Faith is not something that we just have. We work on it. We exercise it. And the more we exercise, the stronger we become. Now, I would say in order to exercise it, you have to understand what you have. I think my Faith has grown significantly since I truly started to understand what my Faith meant. At its core. Let me attempt to explain.

We are saved by Jesus Christ who died for us that we may be free from having to pay for our sins, which also enables us to have a direct connection to the Father. – this is where a majority of Christians stop.

Our connection to the Father enables us to have a personal relationship with the Almighty.

In our relationship with the Almighty, we are to work toward being Christ-like – as He was the perfect example that was sent to us.

We attain this movement toward being Christ-like by exercising the will of the Father in our lives, and bringing Heaven to Earth (manifesting the will of God on Earth through us.)

We are able to perform the will of the Father because the Holy Spirit lives in us, and through the Spirit we are able to perform the will of God. (But – we do have to “activate” it by speaking it into existence through prayer or speaking).

By working for the Father, through the Holy Spirit, we become more Christ-like.

^That’s it! That is what we are to be actively doing as Christians. I believe that is what is meant by “working out our salvation”. As I stated a couple weeks ago, it’s not that we are trying to attain fruit, it’s that we are trying to be more Christ-like, and the evidence of our behavior to be more Christ-like will be evident by our fruit.

Now some of you may be asking, how do I help bring God’s will on Earth? Or why does God’s will need to be on Earth? Couple key things to understand here.

After Adam, Earth was no longer perfect and it became the kingdom of Satan. That’s why, when bad things happen, it’s not God doing it. God only wants good things for us, but we live in a fallen world. God doesn’t do the bad things, but He does see us through them. So – in understanding that this is Satan’s domain, we have to be the ones to speak the Will of God into existence. God is a gentlemen. He always has to be asked to enter the situation. You can’t just expect Him to show up. You have to be the vessel that helps manifest his will into this world. That is part of why you have the Holy Spirit, it enables you to do the Will of God, when you ask for it.

I personally think that’s a lot to take in. This past week, it all literally came together like a giant ethereal puzzle that I had to digest. I was getting all these bits and pieces, and even my blog has been evidence that I’ve been putting it together, but this last week, I was slammed with the real, whole, entire concept that just put it all together.

One of the things I would implore you to try in the coming weeks, if you are interested in growing your Faith and deepening your connection with the Father, would be to pray this prayer over your life.

Let’s Pray

¹⁵ For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹ far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²² And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. – IN JESUS’ NAME! AMEN!!! (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Mission’s Circle

This week I’m focusing on the “Alpha House” out of Sioux Falls. This organization is a non-profit that focuses on helping unexpected pregnancies. They help teens who want to keep the child become more prepared, enabling them and connecting them with networks of organizations that will continue to sponsor and assist throughout the child’s life. They also help parents navigate the adoption process if needed. *As you will see they also have information about abortion, but in no way condone, refer, or perform them. They are mainly focused on trying to help parents of unexpected and/or unwanted pregnancies find help and assistance to ensure that the baby is placed in a healthy, happy home with informed people, and that those people know that they are loved and supported throughout the child’s life.

Alpha House – https://alphacenter.org/

I had an interesting experience this week. With this warmer weather, and the joys of summer coming into play. The gorgeous sunsets, the beautiful evenings, all the events that summer has to give us, and the bugs. Ugh, the bugs. I know they’re God’s creation too, but they need to stay out of my house. The only thing my husband and I can figure out, is that we had a neighbor shuffle recently in the house/apartments next to us… and someone has bed bugs. Now, I have never had bed bugs before, but it doesn’t take long to figure out why everyone hates them so much. During the time when you are sleeping, these little guys are feeding. A time when you are supposed to be safe and secure, resting and relaxing, and here are these little parasites munching away and disrupting you, when you are you’re most vulnerable. Just like Satan.

So, yesterday, when I got off work, I stopped by the store, and loaded up on supplies. Thursday before I went to bed, I had done some homework, and put together a game plan. And, as my family lovingly calls it, I went into full on “Mom mode”. Bad situation, handle it, move on. I hit the ground running, tackling the worst room first, cleaning EVERYTHING! And, it was kind of interesting, the whole time I was cleaning, vacuuming, and bagging everything up, I was reminded how we have to clean Satan from our lives. You have to get in there, and do every little inch of everything, otherwise, he’ll slowly creep back in. You have to make sure you’ve got everything covered, a plan for all of it, otherwise, you’ll miss something and he’ll use that chance to eek back in. But, also, once you’re done with the first sweep, you have to be diligent, you have to continue to keep an eye on it, so you can act at the first move to keep him at bay. These little guys are no different.

Funnily enough, right in the midst of all this, I also received a phone call from the bank that my debit card had been hijacked. Seemingly from the very mundane place where I grabbed lunch on Friday. Since my picking up lunch on Friday, there were a few attempts to use my card at some odd places around town – even though my card was with me. But, the bank was all over it. My debit card was quickly locked out, and the situation was under control. Again, like Us battling Satan. Swift crackdown. You can’t let him have the foothold, otherwise, he’ll just dig right in (and wipe you out!). You have to remember sometimes, you’re not his first victim, and you won’t be his last. He’s been at this game for thousands of years. He is the Father of Lies and deceit. He has ruled over kings and kingdoms, he has coerced people into doing unthinkable things. We are up against the most formidable foe. But, take heart, we are with the Victor. We are on the winning team. And God has a victory plan for us. We just have to live in Him. We must stay in His strong tower, and He will keep us safe.

As I quoted last week, “A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.” (Charles Spurgeon) We have to keep His words in our heart so that when times such as these come, we are prepared. You have to read the Bible and be in The Word when times are good and peaceful, so that you have that ammo in your belt when you need it (and maybe there isn’t a Bible close by). You have to be so immersed in the Word that you can handle these situations when they’re happening. This, is the Strong Tower. The Tower that you make in your mind, with the Word, through building your relationship with Jesus, through prayer, through listening to God, through fellowship. All of these things work together to create the Strong Tower. You can’t just go to church on Sunday, and keep him out the rest of the week, and expect to have a Strong Tower – it’s more like a little, baby outpost (easily overrun). God’s not calling you just to go to church, that’s not what saves you. He isn’t calling you just to believe in Him, you have to trust Him. You have to immerse yourself in this relationship that you are called to have. Your relationship doesn’t end on Sunday. If you think about it, this is the only relationship that we treat this way. I’m only going to see this person, at this time, on this day, and only talk to them when I want to, but they’ll still be there for me? How would you feel if someone treated you like that? We are called to have a relationship, in every sense of that word.

Even to go back to my earlier analogy, a couple weeks ago, that He is the Tree of Life. We are the branches. We have to be connected, otherwise we’re dead. The next thought would be, how are you connected? Are you one of the little branches way out at the edges that easily breaks off? Or are you one of those big mama-jammas down near the base, tapped into the trunk, shooting off little branches of your own? You need a chainsaw to get those guys off, they’re so deep in there, you could cut them off on your own if you wanted to. Also, those big branches are healthy, aren’t they? Because they’re tapped into the source. The trunk that gives nutrients. When the weather gets tough, they’re still solid. Not those little guys, they break, sometimes with the slightest wind, they snap off into the air to be tossed about. Which one do you want to be? That’s the question here. That’s what you need to be asking yourself. You have the key. You have the trunk right at your fingertips, GRAB IT! Dig deeper. Don’t let the excuses of not enough time hold you back. Make time. This is your salvation! Let the grace of God live inside you.

What does the Bible say?

” The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. ” Proverbs 18:10

For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. Psalm 61:3

For he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. – 2 Chronicles 14:7

For thus the Lord says to me, “Go, station the lookout, let him report what he sees. “When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, A train of donkeys, a train of camels, Let him pay close attention, very close attention.” Then the lookout called, “O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post. – Isaiah 21:6-9

God, in her palaces, Has made Himself known as a stronghold. – Psalm 48:3

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. – Psalm 1:1-3

But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. – Psalm 52:8

Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken – Micah 4:4

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls – Proverbs 11:30

“So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 7:17-19

“They will not build and another inhabit, They will not plant and another eat; For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands. – Isaiah 65:22

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree that we having died to sins, might live for righteousness. – 1 Peter 2:24

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you! Thank you for sending your Son to save us. Thank you for making a way, when there was no way. Thank you that we can have a personal relationship with you. That we can live in your Word, and have you build a strong tower within us. That we may know that You are God, in every part of our lives. That your hands may be at work within us, and that we may worship You in all that You are, and everything we do. We thank you Father for your Amazing Grace and Mercy! That you may help us to grow in Your Word. That we may be Your branches. That others may see Your light by us, and through us. Give us the still peace that You are, give us the glorious grace that we need, give us every nutrient You have Father. Give us the words, give us the actions, give us everything we need to live and grow closer to You. Help us be the Victors in You Father. Help us crush Satan under our heel. Make us the head and not the tail Father. Shine Your glorious love in us, and through us. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Mission’s Circle

Kid’s Night Out! is this week!

Sponsored by my local church. They advertise in the papers and invite the whole community to a night filled with games for kids, and FREE BIKE GIVEAWAYS. They do this via Raffle. We’ve given away hundreds of bikes over the years, and while we’re raffling, we also share THE GOOD NEWS with everyone in attendance.

Article here from last year’s: https://brookingsregister.com/article/kids-have-their-night-at-holy-life

You can donate to this ministry here: Just choose “Missions”:

https://my.simplegive.com/App/Giving/holy241165

Trouble

This past week has been a week of worry for quite a few people in my life. And the mix of things go from worrying about something small that is going to happen the next day and be over in ten minutes, to life-changing adult issues that could, and probably will, affect the rest of their lives. And, to be honest, I’m pretty proud, because I think this is the most chill I’ve ever been in my life. 3 years ago, it wouldn’t have been the same story. 3 years ago, I would’ve been a wreck. I would’ve have been worrying, and racking my brain on how to help all these people. But, I’ve really grown in the past three years. I’ve learned that God shows up. I’ve learned that the ONLY thing I can do sometimes, is pray about it and trust that God is going to put his hand in there and sort it all out. I have also learned that God is going to fix it, however he’s going to fix it, and that I need to trust what he does. Not all of my concerns have worked out the way I thought, or in a way that I feel is right, but I also know that I can’t see the big picture, so eventually, someday, it’s all going to make sense.

What does God say:

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. – Proverbs 12:25

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God – Phillippians 4:6-7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

And, as I’m sure, many of you have heard in your lives, the Bible is quoted to have said, “Fear not” 365 times, which is one for every day of the year. Why? Why should we fear not? Because God has promises, and we need only to remember them.

The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still – Exodus 14:14

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. – Isaiah 40:29

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, – Isaiah 54:10

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4:7

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. – Deuteronomy 31:8

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

So, if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed – John 8:36

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. – Mark 11:24

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. – Phillippians 4:19

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. – Psalm 18:3

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. – Psalm 34:17

God is putting his hand on your life. God will step in for you. God will show up. God will be there, if you only let him. God has got it all under control, and you just need to pray for the peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus, to let him do it. Humble yourself to the Lord, and ask him to fix it, and to give you the peace to stand back and let Him.

You know, it’s always so incredible, and part of why I love my blog so much. There are weeks, where I totally know what I’m going to talk to you guys about, and then there are weeks like today, where I literally sat down in front of the computer without a clue of what we were going to discuss, and sometimes it’s just a word, and sometimes it’s everything that’s in here – just comes pouring forth from my fingertips. That someone who reads this, it’s exactly what they needed to hear. That God is speaking to you. I’ve received so many incredible testimonies of people moved by what is shared here. And, I pray that it continues, as long as it needs to. I pray that God continues to use me as a vessel to help others see his glory and his grace and his overwhelming love for all of you. That it may bless you and keep you, just as the ever-loving Father intended.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, you are such a good God, and I thank you for all that you are. I thank you, that you are actively working in our lives and that you care for us. I thank you for the opportunity to share with these people and help them grow in Your word. You are so incredible and amazing, and I thank you that you sent your Son that we may be your people. I just want to pray for anyone reading this, that they may see you Show UP! That whatever is troubling them may be overcome by you. That you are the Victor, Father, and that we need only to trust in your word and in You. That your blessings may pour out on our lives, that we become so blessed we don’t know what to do with ourselves but share the testimonies and victories with others that they may receive your blessings too. That you are the great and glorious God of all, and the SAME GOD who blessed Abraham, and the SAME GOD who sent his Son for us and raised Him from the DEAD, is the SAME GOD who is blessing us today. That NOTHING is too big for You God, and we need only to be still and let you have your way with us, and in us, and around us. May we be so blessed that all we can see is YOU. Thank you. Thank you for your blessings. IN JESUS’ NAME! AMEN!!!

If you would like some stories on how life can be a wreck:

The Year of Great Loss

Plans, Plans, Plans

Life

And when God shows up (in addition to some of the above):

Don’t quench the Spirit

My grace is sufficient

The God who provides

Little Help?

Spoons 1 and Spoons 2

The Bible Study

Cookies

Take it to the Lord in prayer

So, if you’ve been with me for a while here, then you know, I completely see God working in my life. If not, feel free to take a stroll through some of my previous posts, like Christmas Story, Year of Great Loss, or How I’ve gotten here. But, the truth is, I absolutely see God working in my life. This is also evidenced by my Prayer Box. Which is a collection of answered prayers over the years, which, if you don’t have a way to record how God is answering your prayers, I suggest you start, since it really gives you a chance to reflect, and to thank God for all he does for you. It also is a testimony you can share with others, when they’re having questions about what your God does for you.

But, I’m really telling you that ^, to tell you this. What makes us so different? Do I have something you don’t? Do you feel like God isn’t showing up for you? He can. He absolutely will. If you want him to, he’ll step right in, and be all that you think he can be, and more. If you do feel like God is actively present in your life, AMEN! Good for you! I’m glad! It’s one of the most incredible and amazing feelings there is. It’s comforting, it’s amazing, it’s just bar-none, one of the best feelings you can experience, and if you’ve already got it, then I’m so happy for you. But, if you don’t… read on. Let me share with you a big part of how I got here.

Change the game

Obviously, if you don’t feel like God’s showing up, change the game. The first thing, I suggest, is prayer. Talking to God – makes you want to read about God, reading about God – makes you want to get around people who are experiencing God in their lives, and experiencing God in our lives – is the end game, right? Everything else kinda falls in after that. Once you’re really experiencing God in your life, you want to tell people about it, you want to volunteer, you want to draw closer, learn more, be more – all of it. But, if you’re struggling to have that connection, the most powerful thing you can do is pray. There’s a reason they’re called prayer warriors. They’ve honed their skills, they’re in battle, they’re making plans and waiting to listen to what the Father has to say about what they should do. They’re warriors, they’ve spent time on their knees, on their hands and faces, crying out to God, talking to God, sharpening their iron, and asking the Father for exactly what they need or want, or whatever. But, how do we get there? It’s going to sound simple, because it is. Take the time to pray.

Now, how do we pray? How do you pray? Well, their’s the Lord’s Prayer, which really is a very basic template that we can use. And, from everything I understand, if we follow that template, it gives you a really good start to get rolling.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

So, let’s take that. Starting with telling God how good he is. Thanking him for everything he’s given to us. There’s another scripture that tells us, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalm 100:4. We start with telling God how amazing we know he is, or how amazing he can be, and thanking him for all we have. You can be as specific or general as you are comfortable. You’re proclaiming this, reassuring yourself and God that he is good, and you are grateful. Grateful that he sent his son to die for you and thankful for all that you have. He is the good Father, and he wants to do good things for you. Also, let’s remember that it’s much easier to ask for stuff when we’re talking nicely isn’t it? Get more flies with honey, start the conversation off on a good note.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,

Here it gets a little more intense. One of the hardest things for us to get through our heads, is that we need to ask for his will to be done. Not ours. His will, is always, so much better than ours. His will be done. Bring it down to Earth. Don’t ask for the specific outcome you want all the time, especially if it’s a tricky situation. Example: a very sick baby is in the ICU, you may instinctively ask for the baby to come home…. but what we really want is for a healthy baby to come home, no matter how long that takes in the hospital. Therefore: Heal the baby. Miraculous, overwhelming health, so the baby can come home. Proclaim the baby’s health over the want for it to come home. Right? That’s a very basic example, but really, you have to change the way you think a little bit. Think about what you’re asking for. Or, if you don’t know what you’re asking for (i.e. you don’t understand what the situation’s best outcome would be) then, just give it to God. “God, lay your hands on this situation. Give everyone the understanding and the wisdom to make the best choices. You, Father, are the only one who knows how to fix this, put the solution in the minds and hearts of those who need to know how to fix this.” We’re messengers and warriors bringing his will down to Earth. Proclaim it, give Him the in to the situation. His will be done.

Give us this day, our daily bread

Provide for me and my family, meet our needs, exceed our needs. Help me know throughout the day, what I need to do, and give me the strength to do it. Help me give bread to others.

And forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us

OOOOOOoohhhh snap. Can we skip this part? lol. This, is a good reminder, that every day, we need to forgive, because he forgives us. That grudge you’ve been holding, let it go. If God can forgive you, you need to forgive others. Ask for him to help you forgive others. I’ll be honest, I’m still actively working on this. I have a couple people, I need to forgive, and I’m continuously asking God to help give me the grace and the peace to forgive them. I know that the problem is my own, the people have shown repentance and remorse, and I need to forgive. I need to forgive because it’s what’s best for me, not necessarily what’s best for them, even if they haven’t acted sorry or said sorry, we didn’t say we were sorry originally either, but God forgave us, so we must also forgive. Take a moment to be honest with God. Or take the moment to ask for forgiveness about stuff you know you did wrong. We’re all sinners, struggling to get better, ask him to help you be better, it works. He will. He wants the best for all of us, but we need to be honest about it.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Ask Him to help you walk the straight and narrow. We all have monkeys on our backs, skeletons in our closets, and vices that we’re dealing with. Ask him to guide you to the better you. Give him the in to your conscience, to catch you up when you’re looking to slip up. Ask him to save you from you. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. He knows that, the apostles knew it, Jesus knew it, everybody knows it, ask God to help you with it. We are our own worst enemies, that’s why God put a God-shaped hole in us, because only in Him can we be complete. Only in Him can we conquer our demons. Only in Him can we aspire to be more than we are, in every way. And if you’ve got something that you’re struggling with, start spending that time with God, praying, reading, getting with the right crowd, whatever. Fill it up, with God time. He does not disappoint! I can personally attest to the fact that NOTHING else fills that hole like Jesus does.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen!

Amen and AMEN!!! We’re closing with a promise. Your kingdom, forever and ever and ever. He is the victor. Bring him down to Earth. Thank you God for being good. Thank you God that your kingdom reigns.

If you follow this template, you’re on the right track. You’ll be spending more time with God. Open up the prayer. Carve out time from your schedule to talk to God. I wake up 10-15 minutes earlier than I used to, just to be sure I have God time. I get down on my hands and knees, with my face on the floor, most mornings, and proceed to pour out my soul before I start the day. I ask him to guide my steps. I ask him to protect me and my family and friends and whomever else I’ve been asked to pray for. I ask for his intervention where-ever it’s needed. Feel free to step in at any moment God, I will absolutely step aside. I don’t need to fix everything, I can’t fix everything, and THAT’S TOTALLY OK!!! We are not God. We’re just his children, and sometimes with children, parents need to step in. Just let it happen. You’ll be a better person for it. Ask for the wisdom to understand when those moments are.

I think I feel so compelled to share this with you, because I recently prayed with someone, and when I got done praying. They lifted their head, and said, “You are praying totally different than I’ve ever heard. I don’t think we have the same God.” And, I responded, “Well, my God shows up. And my God knows what to do, and I just pray in a way that let’s him show up and do what he needs to do to fix it.” And, to be honest, that was a really hard prayer, over an incredibly difficult and scary situation, and I just started with, You’re the Good Father, we’ve messed up, but you love us, and you’re absolutely going to step in and save us, because that’s what you do, you’re the God that saves. – it was a lot longer than that, but I have never felt so calm and relaxed and confident about a situation in my life. But, I know that He shows up, you just need to step aside. And that person felt much better about the situation too, just because I felt so confident about it. But, trust me, that person and I used to pray the same way – the only difference is, I’ve changed the game, to how it’s really supposed to be.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much. Thank you for this blog. Thank you for this opportunity to talk to all these people. Thank you for being amazing! Thank you for all the incredible things in my life. Thank you for knowing more than me and knowing what’s best for me, and looking out for me, and all these people reading this. Thank you that they are taking the time to read this, that they want to draw closer to you, Lord. Watch over them Father. Keep them safe. Bless them. Bless their lives. Open your windows and pour out blessings upon them. Give them so much that they don’t know what to do with it all, and then give them more. Bless their relationships, bless their minds and their hearts. Reach in there, and make them hearts of flesh and hearts on fire for you, Father. Draw them closer to you Father. Help them fill that God shaped hole in their life. Forgive them Father, help them forgive others. Help bring us all closer together. Help us see what you want us to see, bless our hands and feet that they do your will. Help us bring glory and honor to you, in all that we do. IN JESUS’ NAME!!! AMEN!!