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!!

God the Provider. Jehovah Jireh is able to meet every need we could possibly have. He knows just what we need before we do.

This week, I had a particularly hard day. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned before, but my career is in the Supply Chain. Which, just in case you haven’t heard, has been very stressed and strained, stretched thin and intermittent at best sometimes. These last two years have been such a roller coaster, such a turmoil of constant stress and worry and trying to be two-steps ahead alll the TIME!!

This past week, I received some terrible news concerning a particular aspect of my supply chain, and although I completely understand it’s out of my control, that I couldn’t have done anything to stop it, to see it coming, etc. That I simply have to do what I can to minimize the damage, it doesn’t change how I feel about it. It doesn’t change that I somehow feel that I have failed. That I have failed myself, failed my company, failed my coworkers. There’s just something about the situation that absolutely breaks my heart when it happens, like it’s some reflection upon me and my ability to do my job. And, as I stated, even though I know in my head, that logically it is out of my control – it’s hard to get that from my head to my heart somedays. That I know I tried my best. That I know that I’m doing everything I can. But somedays, it’s just so big that it breaks me a bit. That it takes me down a few notches, throws me back, and takes my breath away.

So, I had one of those days this week. One of those days, where I just want to go home and try again tomorrow. That I just want to wallow in self-pity and wonder why things have to be so hard sometimes. But, I didn’t. I kept plugging about my day, step-by-step. I did some coping techniques, focused on things I could control, accomplished several smaller tasks that I could handle, took time to be quiet and alone with God. Prayed for Him to help me. And, I went about the rest of my work-day. Also, with the ever-present thought, that even though I haven’t had a drink in 4 years, that I could really use one. Because that lovely, nagging thought always seems to pop up in those moments. But I also knew that I had to stay strong and not give in to that notion. I wasn’t sure how, but that wasn’t the answer.

Thankfully, I believe in the Great Big God, that provides. The Great Big God who does have the answer. He had already put it on my heart to swing by and drop off some paperwork with someone after work that day. They had requested it days before, but were fine with waiting until I had time to stop by. I had already made up my mind prior to this day’s events that I was going to be stopping by that night. As I was hanging out with this person, they were simply updating me on this week’s events, what was happening in their life. And they weren’t really complaining or anything, they were just talking – updating me because that’s what we do. And, as I hung out, I noticed some things that might need some attention as well. So, I said, well, let’s go take care of that right now. They were in need of gasoline, so I filled up their tank. They were in need of some other things too, so without asking I took care of those things too. Then, I went home. After I got home, they realized that I had given them much more than they originally thought. So, they reached out to thank me again and promise repayment, to which I stated, it’s a gift, don’t worry about it and then I said, “Sometimes life is just hard, and it’s just nice to have good people in your life that make it seem not so hard.”

Then, one of my coworkers texted me, to check on me, since they knew that I had a particularly tough day. And I realized, I felt so much better than I had just an hour before. I had helped someone, without being asked, just because I wanted to and I could. God had given me this opportunity and I was so grateful for it. And, low and behold, the urge to have a drink had absolutely melted away.

The next morning, I woke up, and one of the survivors I spoke of last week had messaged me, they read my post. They just wanted to let me know again, how grateful they were and how much they missed me and that they think of me daily. God moving through them, to encourage me again. I’m so blessed. What a great way to start the day!

Then, later that day, I was working with another person who was going to be taking our couch, and they were telling me how they wouldn’t be able to help because they had to take their car to the shop. So, again, God gave me a nudge. And, I decided to help them out too. Without asking, without anything from them, I just know that life is hard sometimes. And sometimes you get to be the one that’s blessed, and sometimes you get to be the one blessing others.

I should preface some of this with the fact that I had been blessed the week prior and as I was trying to figure out how I was going to honor God with that blessing. During church, He had given me a word and a dollar figure on how we were going to honor Him with the blessing I had received. I had this plan on Sunday, but I had a whole week before I planned on returning to church to fulfill this. But, during that time I was also praying that he help me honor Him through this. And, here he had dropped two people into my lap that I could bless. I feel like that was all part of the plan. That the Spirit and I were in tune, and that God could forsee that I was going to need some double-heapings of encouragement to make it through the week. So, he brought all these people and situations together to help me remember whose I am. Help encourage me when I’m feeling down. To help me help others, which is truly what it’s all about. To bring it all together, to shine His light even when our own light is feeling dim, or maybe when His light is all we have at the moment. That when I cannot go on by my own strength, that His strength can do all things. That He makes all things possible. That I just need to stay on the path, less like me and more like Him, each day, sometimes minute by minute. But, I am tapped in to the Almighty, that He lifts me up and restores my soul. That if I just have faith in Him, He will sustain me and fill my cup overflowing.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Dear Jehovah Jirah, thank you. Thank you for being the Great Provider, The Great I AM, who knows my every need. The God who is the good, good Father, who knows just what I need before I do. Who knows what challenges I will face and is there in the answer before I even know what I need. Who makes a way for me, all I have to do is trust you. Thank you Father God, for being so incredible. For being such a planner, to set all these things into motion so they were ready, right when I needed them. Thank you Father God, for being the Great I AM, and for sending your son that I might have a personal relationship with you – so I can ever be a witness and share my testimony to your goodness and your love. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

There is always hope.

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

This has been on my mind a lot the past few weeks. Someone I know recently committed suicide. And, it has brought back the rush of thoughts and feelings, and everything that comes with those actions. I personally have never battled with it, but I know and cherish 4 survivors. 4 people, that have confided in me that this was almost their decision or who had tried and failed. What a hard thing. Too hard to express in words, it can only be felt and expressed in tears. It has just been racing through my mind these past few weeks-that there is always hope.

That each of these people in my life are so incredible. And maybe even a bit more sometimes, knowing that this could’ve all been lost. That we were so close to not having this. That I wish sometimes, to make the battle more public – just so that others may know that there is another side, a next step, a plan and a future. I know that’s a seemingly impossible task – to ask others to be more open with such a dark time, but the message is truly that there is hope. There is always hope.

“Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures.”

Romans 15:4

“Therefore, once you have your minds ready for action and you are thinking clearly, place your hope completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

1 Peter 1:13

“I pray that the eyes of your heart will have enough light to see what is the hope of God’s call, what is the richness of God’s glorious inheritance among believers, and what is the overwhelming greatness of God’s power that is working among us believers. This power is conferred by the energy of God’s powerful strength.”

Ephesians 1:18-19

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
    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.

Isaiah 61:1-3

Each of those survivors has a completely different life now. One that I believe, they do not regret. That they are happy. That they are grateful, maybe more grateful than most. There is always hope. Hope in tomorrow, hope in Jesus, hope in life eternal. Hope in ourselves, hope for love, hope for change, hope for so much more. There is always hope. If you are struggling with this or know someone who is, I just want to share some quick words with you. I love you, Jesus loves you. There is hope, if you feel like there isn’t – please get help, please tell someone, please stay with us. Please don’t give up. Please give tomorrow another chance, and the day after, and the day after. Please don’t let this be the end of your story. You are loved, and wanted, and needed here. Please give hope a chance. I’m praying for you, and a better tomorrow, with you in it.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you bless those who are suffering now. That you give them a crown of glory for ashes, and joy for the morning. That you renew their spirits. That you bless them Father God. That they may know you, and reach out to you. That they may take on your strength when it feels they have none left. That you may comfort them, and assure them of a better tomorrow. That you may guide their steps and their hearts. That you may put people in their lives that they need to help them through, to help them find hope, and to help them find you. That you shine your light eternal, and it may brighten their face. That you may guide them in their path, in the path you have laid out for them. Bless them Father God, this day and every day. That they may have a renewed spirit, and hope in life eternal in you. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

If you, or someone you know is fighting this battle – please seek help: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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!!

I have to share a huge insight that I gained this weekend.

I was at a women’s conference at my church this weekend and we were talking about speaking life (in general, I’m just linking a previous post for reference). And I had this huge truth bomb just spoke deep into my soul, into my Spirit Man.

Let me attempt to explain this and hope it enlightens you as much as it did me.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 NIV

This intro is repeated in Genesis 1:6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, & 29. “God said,…”

God literally spoke the world into existence, and everything within it.

But we know this right? We’ve all read, heard, know these verses/story. But I want you to pay attention. God said it. Whatever it was. God said it.

Then, bear with me. We have the Holy Spirit inside us. Part of God lives inside us. We accept the Holy Spirit in when we declare Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. But,He is no small role, not a lesser part of God – it is just as big and powerful as God because it is God. Father, Son, Holy Spirit – ALL God.

Still with me?

1. God spoke the universe into existence.

2. He lives inside us.

Soooooo – When we speak – we are tapping into God’s power, because He is speaking through us.

I just want you to read that a few times and let that soak in. Like really soak in. From your eyes to your brain, to your heart. And hopefully the Holy Spirit within you is screaming “YES!!!!!!!”

We have the power to speak to our problems, because when we align with God and speak to our problems – then God is speaking to our problems.

When we align with God and speak – then He is speaking!! Out loud, commanding it to be so.

So, a true key element here would be that we have to be aligned with God when we speak. Some key elements here are that: God wants to bless us and others, God loves you, and God is bigger than our problems.

But when you pray and you are asking God for guidance or answers or whatever. I would like to encourage you to also take a moment to 1) line up with God then, 2) speak to your problems like you think God would speak to your problems. And as you’re doing this, whole-heartedly believe that you are acting out your faith by believing that the Creator of the Universe is using you to speak to your problems and in turn, HE is speaking to your problems too.

Amen!!!

Supernatural peace.

I think this is one of the fruits of the Spirit that I’m the most grateful for.

In Galatians 5:22-23, it lists the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But also in my favorite verse – Colossians 3:12-15 – it says “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” -This is only verse 15, but 12-15 are my favorite verses in the whole bible.

“And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6

Years ago, I was listening to a guest speaker during a Women’s Conference that our church was having, and she said something that struck me to the core. It was a Rhema word for me. Went right down into my soul and stayed there, for me to utilize whenever I needed it.

“If you want to receive the supernatural peace that surpasses all understanding, you have to give up the right to understand.” – Guest Speaker (sorry, I couldn’t find her name in my notes.)

If it’s a peace, that surpasses all understanding – then…. you have to acknowledge that sometimes you are not going to understand why something is happening. Sometimes, things just aren’t going to make sense. Sometimes we live in a fallen world, and Satan has helped spurred an event on – and now you’re living with the consequences. Sometimes, it’s a part of God’s plan, and you aren’t going to figure that out for years to come – or you may never figure it out because it wasn’t meant for you. Sometimes, stuff just happens.

So – how do we get this supernatural peace that surpasses all understanding? Well – you’ve already got it. If you have accepted Jesus, then you received it – when you received the Holy Spirit. The question is – then, why, why, why doesn’t it feel like you have the peace? Because you are still fighting with your human self to understand situations. As people, it’s in our nature to want to understand, to make sense of things, to rationalize.

So, here again, we have to get past ourselves. Sometimes, we don’t get to know. Sometimes, we don’t get the answer. Sometimes, it really is just Satan trying to tear us down, or it’s part of a bigger plan that we don’t get because we can’t see the whole picture. And, I believe as part of being a Christian, this is where we just have to trust that God is going to get us through this – whatever it is. That we just have to know that our hope and our faith is in God, and he’s going to get us through to the other side. Because, as I’ve stated before, our problems are only new to us. God has seen them all before, and he’s dealt with all of them before, and we just have to take the leap of faith that he’s going to walk us through this one too. Whatever that looks like.

I’m really enjoying this supernatural peace, and really happy that I feel like I’ve really made some strides in my faith in these last several years. I had something happen this past Friday, that would’ve previously shaken me to my core. I would’ve been a hot mess. Totally spiraling, worrying, FrEaKiNg right out. I would be losing sleep over it. I mean, pure meltdown. But, when it happened, I was like “Oh ok.” Quickly assessed the situation, took some time to process it, and was like, “alright.” And that’s it.

Then, as I’m listening to the Sermon today, the Pastor says, “You’ll know them by their fruit.” And he starts talking about the real fruit vs. the fake fruit. Talking about how people should know you are Christians by what they see evidenced in your life. How you handle situations. How you treat others. How you bear fruit and witness. How you show that you follow the Lord Jesus Christ, by trying to be an example of Him here on earth. To make others wonder what’s so special about you. What’s so special? Your relationship with Jesus! How he’s helped you grow! How He is the example we should aspire to be like. And what better example of peace?

Storm outside gonna sink the boat. He’s sleeping.

Friend Lazarus dies. Keeps on ministering and preaching as He slowly makes his way over to where his friend is buried.

Gets betrayed by one of his best friends. Has supper with Him.

Is dying on the cross. Forgives everyone.

The supernatural peace of the Messiah – lives inside you. You just have to believe it. Embrace it. I know it seems like an impossible task – stop worrying? Please believe, I used to be the Queen of worry. I worried about everything, all the time. Perpetual state of worry. Consumed my thoughts. But, I had to train myself to stop worrying. To accept the supernatural peace that God had already given me. It’s already in there – you just have to figure out how to let IT consume you. If we can let worry consume us, we can also let peace consume us. I will tell you how I did it, but you do have to figure out what works for you.

I found a verse in the Bible that spoke to me. Then, I wrote it down. I wrote it down on 3×5 little index cards. Then, I put one at my desk. I put one in my car. And I put one right next to my bed. Then, I memorized that verse. And, every time my worry started to creep in – Or maybe was full blown, I would look at one of those cards, or I would start repeating that verse to myself – until it was all I could think about. And, if I felt I was good, and I could stop, then I did. But – if that worry started to creep back in, I would just start all over again. I did this for years (I think it took me about 2-3 years.) I especially practiced this at night when I was trying to sleep, because as we all know, that’s our brain’s favorite time to trip down worry lane – I also just starting praying about everything I was worrying about until I passed out. But then, slowly, I stopped having to do it as often. Slowly, I had to hardly do it at all. And then, on Friday. It didn’t even cross my mind. Oh, horrible situation that’s potentially going to have lasting repercussions – Ok. Guess we’re doing that now.

I want to leave you with 2 more thoughts today.

1 – The Bible does not say that God will not give you more than you can handle. It says, “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted more than you can bear.” – Many people seem to misconstrue that into he doesn’t give you more than you can handle. If you didn’t experience things that were bigger than you, why would you need God? Why would he have thrown us this lifeline if life was full of situations that we were completely capable of handling? When life is too much to stand, kneel.

2 – My favorite verse ❤

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy & dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a 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 3:12-15

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank you for being bigger than our problems. For sending us a Savior that has overcome the world. Thank you for the gifts of the Spirit. Thank you for your supernatural peace. That you lay these blessings on us, and in us. That we may practice your Word, and draw closer to You. That we may continue to bless others, as You have blessed us. Thank You Father God for the supernatural peace that surpasses all understanding. Thank you Father God, for giving us Rhema words when we need them, for speaking to us and connecting with us. For the personal relationship you seek to have with us. Thank you Father God that You are amazing, and incredible, and everything we need, all the time. That You just want to bless us, with whatever we need. That you have provision of more than enough for all things. Thank you Father for your amazing goodness, and that you share that goodness with us, each and every day. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Several weeks ago, there was an incident. We were supposed to be having a family function, and one of my family members treated my son and I very poorly. I’m not going to dive into the details, but let’s just go with the fact that it was bad enough that the entire family was upset and it was a pretty big deal. Now, let’s go a step further, and note that I’m a formidable Mama Bear – so needless to say, I was livid. I was shaking because I was sooooo upset.

But, we continued with the family function, and the day, and went on. As the next day arose and I entered my prayer time, I prayed for God to give me a word to forgive. I knew that this was what needed to happen, because enough things have happened in my life, that I know, nothing good comes from drinking the poison of anger, hurt, etc., and expecting the other person to die. I needed to forgive for myself. I also knew this is what needed to happen because I have changed the way I think over the years (see The Now, Back to the Basics, Good day, Reminder, I choose Joy) So, I prayed for a Word. Help me God, to forgive.

Then, I went to church, because where better to hear a Word. Went through the whole service, and no word. Ok. Well, I also heard we were having a guest speaker that night, and he’s always someone I enjoy. So, I went home for the day, and went about my business. Still battling and wrestling with the situation before me. As the time drew closer, I was walking out onto the porch, and my pinkie toe caught my weights laying off to the side, and let’s just say that the rest of my body kept going, and my toe didn’t. I jammed it good and proper. I sucked wind and gasped, and stood very still as my body tried to assess what just happened here. After a few moments, I regained my composure and continued doing what I was doing. About half an hour later, it was time to go to church, so I finished getting ready, and as I was walking out the door, stated to my husband, that I was concerned about my toe – but I would be back after a bit. I get to church, and we start worship, and about half way through, I realize my toe is UPSET. Like starting to become overwhelming. But, I’m here now, and I’m waiting for a word – so I guess my toe will have to wait. About halfway through the sermon – there it was – the Word I was waiting for. As the sermon finished up, I KNEW that my toe was an absolute situation, so as soon as we were “dismissed”, I bolted for the car. As the days went on, I was on the fence about whether or not my toe was broken (and I’ll admit, 6 weeks later, I’m almost positive I broke it because it still hurts and it sits a little funny now. *I did not seek medical attention, because there’s almost literally nothing that they actually do for a broken toe.)

But I told you all that to tell you these 2 things, 1-I believe that God held my pain off, to ensure that I could make it to church to get my word, because aside from the initial pain – I seriously just thought I jammed my toe good – not that it was broken, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have gone to service because I would’ve been elevating it and treating it like it was broken. And 2 – The Word.

“ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

John 20:23

There it was. Someone else’s potential forgiveness from the Lord, depends on my attitude. And, there’s another corresponding verse that adds to this statement.

“¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15

Woof. Talk about some responsibility. This verse comes right after the Lord’s prayer – I find it a little interesting in looking at it now, that it was not tagged onto the end of it to be a more constant reminder of our responsibility to forgive others.

But there it was. God forgives me of all my sins, and I know that. Sooooo, if I’m in a consistent state of trying to be more like God, then fill in the blank…. *answer – I have to forgive others. Oh, ouch. Even when it doesn’t feel good. Even when they have egregiously hurt me. Even when, I doesn’t feel like I should forgive them. I have to get past myself and forgive.

Our Savior’s final act – “Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

This goes hand in hand with the calling, we as Christians, are supposed to be doing. Love one another. That means loving beyond the hurts and offenses. How are we supposed to continue to love, as the Father loves, when we’re harboring resentment and anger? We can’t. First, we have to forgive.

Follow-up, I will note that the family member called me the following day, to apologize. They didn’t make excuses, they didn’t try to push the blame off. They just apologized. Which helped the healing process, of course, and was a great step. But, I didn’t need them to apologize because I had already forgiven them in my heart. I knew that I needed to get past myself, and acknowledge the fact that they could decide to never apologize, and forgive them anyway. I think it was one of the best things I’ve experienced as a Christian, is learning how to do that. Now, again, I’m only human, and it’s not like I’m just going to instantly know how to do this every time, or that I’m going to get past it so quickly in the future – but it was a great step in my walk in faith. It was a great lesson God walked me through. And, I am very grateful for it. Because I also know when it was happening – that I couldn’t see how we were going to get past this, but God saw it – and he was like, “Don’t worry, I got you.”

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you!! Thank you for your forgiveness. Thank you, for drawing me nearer to you, that I may learn to be more like you every day. Thank you for helping me through life’s trials and tribulations, that I may practice your ways and be the light to those around me. Thank you Father that you are bigger than my problems. That you have faced all my problems before me, and that you are on the other side, and in them, and in me. Thank You Father God for your Word. That is strengthens me and sustains me. That it nourishes me and gives me hope. That You Father God, are making me a new creation, that you are helping me get past myself to be more like you. Thank you for always being there, and helping me every step of the way. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!!

Well, another chapter has come and gone. The house purchase didn’t go through. But, I find it interesting that my husband and I had a certain peace with that. We have almost gone through a complete home purchase now, and there is no longer any aspect that we don’t know about. I also received the word multiple times that God must have something better planned, and I believe that.

I’ve been going through a new interesting season, of hearing from God. I think one of the things I have found the most interesting, is that no one is really giving direction on how you’re supposed to hear from God. They’re just like: “tune in” “listen” “know your Father’s voice.”

And, what I’m finding out, is that you truly do just listen. But, when you’re reading about it, it’s like – “But HOW?!” Until you try it. You end the part of the prayer where you’re talking, and you just listen. Conversations are a two-way street. We are supposed to have a communicative relationship with God. It’s not supposed to be emergent telephone calls of, “Oh Lord, please help me.” and then, hang up and go on our merry ways – hoping God’s just going to answer the call. I think many times, we’ve gotten a bit spoiled because he does hear our cries, and answer the call. But, we’re not on the other line anymore, listening.

I have been practicing this two-way street this week, and it’s been interesting some of the things, I feel, He’s saying back to me. About my day, about my next steps, etc. Without sounding too crazy here, it’s not so much actual, audible words, but a sense I get, or images while my eyes are closed – focused on listening. But, I think we’re making progress. Only time will tell.

This all started because sometimes it feels like God picks up His phone, and pushes his call through, “hey, go talk to that person.” Puts words in my mouth of just what someone needed to hear. Or gives me overwhelming peace about a situation. And, I’ve been “hearing” the message that I need to figure out how to “listen” to God, over and over again, much like the message of “Rest”. Sometimes, it seems that your life takes on a theme – when God is trying to get something through to you. You start hearing it everywhere. But, because I kept hearing this over and over again, I started to think, “How do I activate these moments? How do I tune-in and get this conversation going on a regular basis?”

I’m not sure how this journey is going to go, or if I’m even doing this right, but only time will tell, I’m sure. And, thankfully, God is very amiable, and meets us where we’re at.

I’ve also had a phrase on my heart. Physical obedience brings Spiritual release. – I heard this word during a podcast sermon I was listening to, but it was so compelling that I wrote it down and stuck it on the wall by my desk. The diligent act of physical obedience when you hear the Word, when you know you should be doing something and simply following through with it, when you know you’re supposed to. I told you that, to tell you this, I’m not sure if today’s word is for anyone, but I know I’m supposed to be writing this blog. I know I’m supposed to be reaching out and sharing what God puts on my heart because it’s helping others in their journey. So, even though today, it doesn’t feel like I have much to share, I hope it helps. And, I’m hoping in this sharing that I know I will see fruit. You know your word is good, and from God, by the fruit it bears. May God bless you and keep you.

Let’s Pray

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you! Thank you for your Word. Thank you for your blessings. Thank you, that you want to have a personal relationship with us. That you shine upon us, that we may shine for others. Thank you for everything that you do for us. That you sent your Son that we may have this relationship with you. Thank you for all that you do Father, and all that You are, and All that You would have us be. IN JESUS’ NAME!! AMEN!