Saturday, March 12, 2016

Have faith for its more precious than gold!

Good morning my sisters-

The headline today is have faith for its more precious than gold. In the last year, I have realized what a treasure it is to walk in faith and not by sight.  If you know me personally, you wouldn't believe I could even do that.  I monitor risk, weigh all my options and play it safe most of the time but in the last two weeks I've come to realize that I don't have to know what's up the stairs, in the next room or ahead of me.  I've come to a place of peace where I don't know anything and my only hope is to trust in the plans of my maker.

We all say things like, "I trust God."  Do you really?  Do you trust Him for others only?  That was me.  I said it, I thought I walked it but in reality I only trusted Him for other people.  I would see my prayers being answered and I could easily say, "Trust in Him."  Over the last 15 months, I have been on a monumental walk in faith.  I have encountered rough waters, scaled high mountains and have seen the lowest of valleys.  I have embraced reading Scripture daily, asking for God to steer my path and waiting.  When I say waiting, I mean waiting and not always patiently.  But in my hours and hours of prayer, I have felt peace I don't understand, have become strengthened in my weakness and have finally begun to see the woman God has called me to be.  I have spent time asking for forgiveness, especially when it comes to providing and my love for money and I have had to pray for people, forgive people and love those that I didn't want to love.

It has been a journey I will never forget.  I know without a doubt that through it my faith is stronger and I can truly praise God daily for making my faith stronger and me more faithful.  God is always faithful but I can't necessarily say I've been faithful.  It's ironic because I never wanted to be like the Israelites and yet, I was.  I so was.  I grumbled, got angry and lost site of Jesus.  I wandered my own desert, it just was in the US and I wasn't grateful for the trial.  That is until I got really sick two weeks ago.  Getting an illness and sitting in bed gives you a ton of time to evaluate you.  And to be honest, it gives you time to really talk to Jesus.  As I sat in a bed, not hardly moving I realized two things.  I was stronger in my faith and when I said, "I trust you Lord," I meant it.

It's been 15 months since the beginning of this trial and today I can say it was well worth it.  Faith is truly more precious than gold. Leaving behind the old and becoming new is so beautiful. I am astonished that God cared enough to sift my heart and to show me that faith was more important then money, honor or possessions.  Faith does move mountains!

David knew that and even in all his sin, he knew God would be faithful.  How many times did he cry out and ask God not to leave him or hide from him?  How many times did he walk up to a giant and watch it be crushed?  How many enemies followed and hunted him only to be destroyed?  The answer is many.  Many times David faced giants and God went before him and today, He goes before a woman who was propelled by fear and has replaced it with faith. He goes before all that follow Him!

Faith comes from getting on your knees, spending time in the Bible and asking God to change you.  Faith really is a change movement.  Recently, I saw a quote on LinkedIn by Martin Luther King, JR. that said and I paraphrase, sometimes you have to take a step up the staircase without knowing what's up it.  How do you come to a place in this world by stepping out on faith?  You really spend time with Jesus. That's what I'm doing this week.  I'm stepping out in faith and I look forward to the adventure ahead.  I'm not scared of the dark staircase because I know that Jesus has gone before me.  I'm thankful for every minute of this trial because it made me realize that faith was more precious then money!  What a gift to know that.  I'm a work in process but for today, at least, I have more faith, more security, more wealth in Jesus.

Treasure faith over the world.  Treasure Jesus over money.  Treasure your journey with Him over anything and realize that we are all a work in progress.  Take care my sisters!  He is so very near.

Mark 10:21 (KJV)
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me

Jesus go before us and be our guide.  Make us stronger in faith and mold us to be your women.  Hold us, guide us and change us so that we may follow you, not just today but to our death.  In Jesus name we pray, AMEN!

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