Good morning all-
I woke up at 4:30 with tons on my mind but my very first thought was to pray. What am I praying about? My son and his future wife, my other son and my husband. I'm praying for the parents that lost their marine son in Katmandu while trying to help starving and homeless people. I'm praying that the world will see our God in all His glory. Those are just some of my prayers. With all of that, there is just one common denominator, Jesus Christ.
Why did God let His son die in such a violent way? Why did His disciples, men that walked with Him, die for Him? Why when we are scared, hurt or afraid, do we go to Him and why do we need Him? I'm sure you have asked yourself these questions a million times and my answer, "We need Him!" We need Him in every way. He was the only messenger that ever delivered the power of God and He took the cross for it.
So as I woke this morning, I closed my eyes and imagined the power of our Lord and Savior. People don't believe and horrible things are happening around the world and we just look at it and for a second feel bad, sad and hopeless. And then, of course, our day begins and all of that thoughtfulness is washed with a blink of our eye. There are other things to worry about, like feeding your family, taking care of your husband, children or friends. We live in a world where life flies by and we forget to do the one thing we were called to do, worship our mighty God.
Lately, life has been full of momentous changes. My oldest son is getting married in just two weeks and I feel lost already. He was my calm in every storm, my companion and over the last year we have become friends. It's wonderful to see them grow up but in the same moment, so very painful. You realize that you can't keep them from falling, pick them up when they are down or just sit with them in the quiet. Your talks will be with someone else in the room and your moments of laughing will only be heard occassionally, when he comes to visit. Life changes and the road and path is rocky for every one of us. We must have something that reminds us that with every curve there is a blessing on the other side.
So this morning, I closed my eyes and was reminded of God's true power. It's in every word He spoke and in every person He touched. Mostly, it's in the cross where He sacrificed Himself for us. His cousin knew he was the messenger before the Messiah. He was preparing the way to the One that mattered the most. He knew that His mission was to spread the Word and look for Him and then one day, when Jesus was ready, He came to be baptized and no longer was John His messenger because the Messiah had come to teach the world.
Precious is every morning when God comes first. Precious are the souls that He brings near. Precious is our time in prayer where we can see His power. Precious is knowing and loving Him. Sometimes I think I may be a messenger. I'm just an average person with a love for God that I have carried since I was little. I can remember being five and asking Him to help me. I can remember being scared in the dark and asking Him to help me and I am presently asking Him to give my son courage to be a good husband and someday father. I am trusting that the man I have raised will do his duty and that He will be God's hands in this unruly world. I also am praying that my youngest son would truly find Him and know Him the way I do. And if that's not enough, I'm praying for you too. I believe the words that He spoke to His children so many years ago and when I close my eyes I see His power and majesty. The world may believe that it has all the power but there is only one with the power of the cross and that's Jesus.
May the God of my heart come down and rain on His children. May the Holy Spirit be cast far and wide like the great oceans. May the lost come to the cross with abandonment and may we all make way for our Lord and Savior.
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV)
Be well today and know that God is near. Pray for someone that needs to be encouraged, uplifted or just needs our Savior.
I leave you with Isaiah 40:3-
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
To Mother's around the world....
Good morning all-
I'll keep this message brief today. I just wanted to depart something my mother said over and over that has been continued on even so many years after her death. She always left with, "I love you more!" Not everyone in this world gets to hear those words, which really is a shame. There are mothers that aren't great, they love themselves more than the children they created and even some to death. Today is not a day to judge but a day to encourage you to reach out to the motherless. There are children all over the world that need to know they are loved. A hug, a gift, a smile can mean so much to someone that doesn't have a mother or does, but they weren't very good.
Today, we celebrate Mother's Day and with that we must thank God for every good mother on this earth. You know the one. The woman that would throw her baby in a trash can trying to save them, or maybe lay on them during a tornado. It's the woman that would give her own life for her child. And then, there's the woman that teaches her children to love the Lord our God with all their hearts. These are the women we celebrate and that we pray for daily. We pray that women would be encouraged to be the mother God intended. He left us with Mary who loved unto death and showed how love could fill all voids.
Around the world, children are dying, women are hurting and love is lost through war, poverty and nature. We must stand together on Mother's Day and ask our Lord to heal the hurt and honor those that are honoring Him. May we find favor in our Savior's arms. I love you ladies and my prayer today is that God will help us build an army that loves the generations so that we leave a legacy of love. Happy Mother's Day!
I'll keep this message brief today. I just wanted to depart something my mother said over and over that has been continued on even so many years after her death. She always left with, "I love you more!" Not everyone in this world gets to hear those words, which really is a shame. There are mothers that aren't great, they love themselves more than the children they created and even some to death. Today is not a day to judge but a day to encourage you to reach out to the motherless. There are children all over the world that need to know they are loved. A hug, a gift, a smile can mean so much to someone that doesn't have a mother or does, but they weren't very good.
Today, we celebrate Mother's Day and with that we must thank God for every good mother on this earth. You know the one. The woman that would throw her baby in a trash can trying to save them, or maybe lay on them during a tornado. It's the woman that would give her own life for her child. And then, there's the woman that teaches her children to love the Lord our God with all their hearts. These are the women we celebrate and that we pray for daily. We pray that women would be encouraged to be the mother God intended. He left us with Mary who loved unto death and showed how love could fill all voids.
Around the world, children are dying, women are hurting and love is lost through war, poverty and nature. We must stand together on Mother's Day and ask our Lord to heal the hurt and honor those that are honoring Him. May we find favor in our Savior's arms. I love you ladies and my prayer today is that God will help us build an army that loves the generations so that we leave a legacy of love. Happy Mother's Day!
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Facing the giants in my life...
Good morning all-
Oh how beautiful God has made today. After three days of no sleep, I slept like the dead. You know what I'm talking about, peaceful sleep provided only by my Savior. I am blessed! Today, I want to talk about facing our giants. I just listened to James McDonald on his message of God's "eternality." We don't know everything about God. If you get a chance it's on: youtube/jorZVfisw-w and it was beautiful. He talked about Moses, Miriam, and Aaron and the promise land. Mighty are His workers but we still sin, have regrets and yes, make peace with our God.
If you've been reading my blog, you know that I have faced some giants in the last week. I spoke truth and it came back to bite me. I knew it when I did it because the person I did it to is powerful and has the ability to crush me, which he did. So much so, that I lost confidence in who I am and what my purpose is. Through prayer and a God that loves me, I found myself again at 7:15 am yesterday. I found courage, a fighting spirit and a direction only Christ could give. He painted the picture of Paul in my mind and his journey. Paul had regrets because of the moments he spent crucifying the people group he would eventually help to save. He killed people, that he would later lead to Christ and he died for Christ because of the power he experienced here on earth.
That picture was so clear that now I know the true path I am to take. I am God's woman. I have been chosen for this time, not to be liked, adored and lifted up. I have been chosen to lead women all over the world to know Him, to follow Him and to lead their families to His cross. That is a huge giant! Ask me how I'm going to do it, I have no idea. Ask me if I think I'm talented enough to do it, probably not. Ask me if I'm brave enough, strong enough, un-selfish enough, faithful enough and my answer: doubtful but I'm willing to give it all I have.
He has been preparing me for my time. See I care so much about what you think. I care about what my neighbor thinks, my co-workers, my family but in God's mission field there is only one thing I can care about and that's the cross. For years, I have walked with the Lord and I have made grave mistakes. I said all the things young women are thinking today including that, "The Bible was written in a different time, therefore, some of the things it says don't apply today." Wrong. Every word of the Bible is meant for our journey today. Aren't are men being killed for crazy leaders? Doesn't ISIS believe that Christians should be desecrated? Don't people believe that our beliefs are old school and don't exist in this world? And finally, aren't children turning on their parents with disrespect and hate. That's what the world believes but we must believe that the words that were written thousands of years ago stand today. Can anyone dispute the fact that if we lived like the Ten Commandments, we wouldn't be doing all the wrong things? Can anyone dispute if we love our neighbor greater than ourselves, the world wouldn't be a better place? Can anyone dispute if we keep ourselves pure for our spouses our lives wouldn't be filled with less pain, regret and shame? Can anyone dispute that forgiveness heals? I can't.
I have made mistakes believe me. I have walked in the path of sin, walked away from Christ and chosen to live my way. I have kept my mouth shut when I should have spoken truth and I have walked away from my giants to save myself. No longer. I must walk in the face of adversity with a sure foot and a path etched in my heart. I must believe that Jesus can do anything He wants to do. He can even use a weak person who loves to be loved and use her to bring change into thousands of women's lives. I don't know how but I know He will and I'm holding on to that. There isn't one single thing in my life that matters more than seeing His chosen brought to the cross. God is calling women all over the world to be faithful and to spread the gospel. We are in a confused generation where young women believe the wrong things. They are dominant, forthright and really confused. We live in a generation that has forgotten the power of Jesus Christ. Some may say, what is she talking about? Others may say, it's easy to sit behind a computer and write. I say to them, it takes more to write than any other thing I could do because I'm exposing my thoughts, failures and faith moments. If you read this blog, you have a very good picture of who I am as a person and as a woman. I have failed, I have succeeded, and I have walked away from God. I know what it is to rest in His arms after being unfaithful. God is my Father and He is yours. Let's face our giants and walk toward the path He has set for each one of His!
Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:8-47 NIV)
I am not going to bold this today because it is very long but read the words of a young boy and see how his faith brought down a giant. Don't you think Christ can do the same for all of us. Be well and know He is God!
Oh how beautiful God has made today. After three days of no sleep, I slept like the dead. You know what I'm talking about, peaceful sleep provided only by my Savior. I am blessed! Today, I want to talk about facing our giants. I just listened to James McDonald on his message of God's "eternality." We don't know everything about God. If you get a chance it's on: youtube/jorZVfisw-w and it was beautiful. He talked about Moses, Miriam, and Aaron and the promise land. Mighty are His workers but we still sin, have regrets and yes, make peace with our God.
If you've been reading my blog, you know that I have faced some giants in the last week. I spoke truth and it came back to bite me. I knew it when I did it because the person I did it to is powerful and has the ability to crush me, which he did. So much so, that I lost confidence in who I am and what my purpose is. Through prayer and a God that loves me, I found myself again at 7:15 am yesterday. I found courage, a fighting spirit and a direction only Christ could give. He painted the picture of Paul in my mind and his journey. Paul had regrets because of the moments he spent crucifying the people group he would eventually help to save. He killed people, that he would later lead to Christ and he died for Christ because of the power he experienced here on earth.
That picture was so clear that now I know the true path I am to take. I am God's woman. I have been chosen for this time, not to be liked, adored and lifted up. I have been chosen to lead women all over the world to know Him, to follow Him and to lead their families to His cross. That is a huge giant! Ask me how I'm going to do it, I have no idea. Ask me if I think I'm talented enough to do it, probably not. Ask me if I'm brave enough, strong enough, un-selfish enough, faithful enough and my answer: doubtful but I'm willing to give it all I have.
He has been preparing me for my time. See I care so much about what you think. I care about what my neighbor thinks, my co-workers, my family but in God's mission field there is only one thing I can care about and that's the cross. For years, I have walked with the Lord and I have made grave mistakes. I said all the things young women are thinking today including that, "The Bible was written in a different time, therefore, some of the things it says don't apply today." Wrong. Every word of the Bible is meant for our journey today. Aren't are men being killed for crazy leaders? Doesn't ISIS believe that Christians should be desecrated? Don't people believe that our beliefs are old school and don't exist in this world? And finally, aren't children turning on their parents with disrespect and hate. That's what the world believes but we must believe that the words that were written thousands of years ago stand today. Can anyone dispute the fact that if we lived like the Ten Commandments, we wouldn't be doing all the wrong things? Can anyone dispute if we love our neighbor greater than ourselves, the world wouldn't be a better place? Can anyone dispute if we keep ourselves pure for our spouses our lives wouldn't be filled with less pain, regret and shame? Can anyone dispute that forgiveness heals? I can't.
I have made mistakes believe me. I have walked in the path of sin, walked away from Christ and chosen to live my way. I have kept my mouth shut when I should have spoken truth and I have walked away from my giants to save myself. No longer. I must walk in the face of adversity with a sure foot and a path etched in my heart. I must believe that Jesus can do anything He wants to do. He can even use a weak person who loves to be loved and use her to bring change into thousands of women's lives. I don't know how but I know He will and I'm holding on to that. There isn't one single thing in my life that matters more than seeing His chosen brought to the cross. God is calling women all over the world to be faithful and to spread the gospel. We are in a confused generation where young women believe the wrong things. They are dominant, forthright and really confused. We live in a generation that has forgotten the power of Jesus Christ. Some may say, what is she talking about? Others may say, it's easy to sit behind a computer and write. I say to them, it takes more to write than any other thing I could do because I'm exposing my thoughts, failures and faith moments. If you read this blog, you have a very good picture of who I am as a person and as a woman. I have failed, I have succeeded, and I have walked away from God. I know what it is to rest in His arms after being unfaithful. God is my Father and He is yours. Let's face our giants and walk toward the path He has set for each one of His!
Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul’s time he was very old. Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can’t I even speak?” He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:8-47 NIV)
I am not going to bold this today because it is very long but read the words of a young boy and see how his faith brought down a giant. Don't you think Christ can do the same for all of us. Be well and know He is God!
Saturday, May 2, 2015
Troubled waters...
Good morning all-
Have you ever wondered how Paul forgave himself and how he forged ahead to bring people to Jesus? Recently, I made a very bad judgement call and it has bitten me harder than I can say. I was right in protecting the weak and trying to get someone to see the truth but that doesn't matter. Now, I'm facing my consequences with regret and worry. I haven't been able to sleep for several nights, even though I've tried to give it to God. Scripture has flooded my mind. God is so mighty even when we are being so very stupid. I am in awe that He could even get through my obsessive, worried thoughts and yet, He has. I asked Him to go before me and I pray that He will because I have just set into motion something I can't go back on. Luckily, I really thought about it this time.
Paul believed he was right when he was killing the Christians until the day He was struck blind by Jesus. I doubt one person could have told him he was wrong. He even held the robes of those that killed Stephen. He was a man on a mission and right, meant death for religious reasons. But on that road, he was blinded and then a light revealed to him the power of Jesus and all at once, what was right was wrong. His destiny was set, he would become a great man for God but I can't even imagine the shame he felt.
I live by conviction, even in troubled waters. When I believe I'm right, I don't back down but today; I'm choosing to back down because I know that God will go before me, all I need is time. I think that's how Paul got through his troubled waters. I'm sure he felt remorse but his mission was so much greater, so he forged ahead and proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ.
My journey is just beginning. I believe I've been given a true path and I need to follow it. I have been released to follow it and I'm going to do just that. The waters are troubled for sure and yet, my God is stronger than the sun, wind and rain combined. I will trust in Him and He will help lighten my burden. I can't go back and either could Paul but we can forgive ourselves and move forward. I worship a God that forgives. I worship a God that takes bad things and makes them gold and I worship a God that loves His people, even when they have muddied the waters. Oh, how I hate troubled waters. Then again, I love them because if change is to occur, only God can change it. I'm hurt, I'm worried, I'm sad, I'm mad, I'm broken, I'm loved, I'm His! Paul went on to build the church. Through his troubled waters, he left a legacy. He believed that Jesus was who He said He was and gave His life for that very cause. His shame humbled Him to the very cross he denied. And when all was said and done, we all reap the benefits of the day he was blinded and the Son was revealed.
I, for one, will live with my troubled waters if Jesus reveals Himself to me. Be well my sisters and know that through the rain always comes the rainbow.
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV)
Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. (Psalm 25:17 NIV)
Have you ever wondered how Paul forgave himself and how he forged ahead to bring people to Jesus? Recently, I made a very bad judgement call and it has bitten me harder than I can say. I was right in protecting the weak and trying to get someone to see the truth but that doesn't matter. Now, I'm facing my consequences with regret and worry. I haven't been able to sleep for several nights, even though I've tried to give it to God. Scripture has flooded my mind. God is so mighty even when we are being so very stupid. I am in awe that He could even get through my obsessive, worried thoughts and yet, He has. I asked Him to go before me and I pray that He will because I have just set into motion something I can't go back on. Luckily, I really thought about it this time.
Paul believed he was right when he was killing the Christians until the day He was struck blind by Jesus. I doubt one person could have told him he was wrong. He even held the robes of those that killed Stephen. He was a man on a mission and right, meant death for religious reasons. But on that road, he was blinded and then a light revealed to him the power of Jesus and all at once, what was right was wrong. His destiny was set, he would become a great man for God but I can't even imagine the shame he felt.
I live by conviction, even in troubled waters. When I believe I'm right, I don't back down but today; I'm choosing to back down because I know that God will go before me, all I need is time. I think that's how Paul got through his troubled waters. I'm sure he felt remorse but his mission was so much greater, so he forged ahead and proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ.
My journey is just beginning. I believe I've been given a true path and I need to follow it. I have been released to follow it and I'm going to do just that. The waters are troubled for sure and yet, my God is stronger than the sun, wind and rain combined. I will trust in Him and He will help lighten my burden. I can't go back and either could Paul but we can forgive ourselves and move forward. I worship a God that forgives. I worship a God that takes bad things and makes them gold and I worship a God that loves His people, even when they have muddied the waters. Oh, how I hate troubled waters. Then again, I love them because if change is to occur, only God can change it. I'm hurt, I'm worried, I'm sad, I'm mad, I'm broken, I'm loved, I'm His! Paul went on to build the church. Through his troubled waters, he left a legacy. He believed that Jesus was who He said He was and gave His life for that very cause. His shame humbled Him to the very cross he denied. And when all was said and done, we all reap the benefits of the day he was blinded and the Son was revealed.
I, for one, will live with my troubled waters if Jesus reveals Himself to me. Be well my sisters and know that through the rain always comes the rainbow.
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV)
Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. (Psalm 25:17 NIV)
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Do nothing in vain conceit.....
Good morning all-
I'm once again at the airport and ready to go home. I spent most of yesterday working, thinking and praying. I was washing myself clean and taking emotion out of life and replacing it with God's wisdom, power and glory. I was inundated with Scripture yesterday as I sought God in my circumstances and because of that this Scripture popped out at me today. I waited to pick my 9th verse for Beth Moore's siesta group. This one needed to impact my life, not just today but for my future endeavors.
Like you, I struggle with wanting to be valued, getting recognition for a job well done and then there is always that stupid need to be liked. The last has to go if I am ever going to succeed in God's plan for my life. People could potentially hate me for what I believe and I just need to care less about me and move forward in love. Like you, I'm a work in progress, so we will see as God molds me like clay. For now, I am open to it.
I am often on the go with not much alone time. I took it yesterday as a sign He wanted my attention and Christ got it. I asked Him to remove emotion to help me see and He did. I asked Him for me not to take my pride and crush others and yes, you guessed it, I was given this Scripture to memorize. I don't know about you but sometimes what I ask for is irritating but so what I needed at that moment. I am in a time of reflection and reflection will help me grow and prosper through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So today I leave you with my memory verse. It hits home like an arrow to the heart. It is pointed, sharp and refining. I hope that I spend many hours thinking about it and how it will help me lead women to Christ. My other hope is that God will give me reflection time, love for His people and the spirit to lead with courage, hope and direction. I'm His to mold even if it's painful. Please join me in praying this Scripture and giving selfish ambition and vain conceit to Him because we all carry it and it needs to go.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)
Lord, I pray with all my heart that I will not only memorize this Scripture but that I will learn to live like this. Give me wisdom to seek You, courage to go in Your direction and a heart for your people above my own. In Jesus Name I pray, AMEN
I'm once again at the airport and ready to go home. I spent most of yesterday working, thinking and praying. I was washing myself clean and taking emotion out of life and replacing it with God's wisdom, power and glory. I was inundated with Scripture yesterday as I sought God in my circumstances and because of that this Scripture popped out at me today. I waited to pick my 9th verse for Beth Moore's siesta group. This one needed to impact my life, not just today but for my future endeavors.
Like you, I struggle with wanting to be valued, getting recognition for a job well done and then there is always that stupid need to be liked. The last has to go if I am ever going to succeed in God's plan for my life. People could potentially hate me for what I believe and I just need to care less about me and move forward in love. Like you, I'm a work in progress, so we will see as God molds me like clay. For now, I am open to it.
I am often on the go with not much alone time. I took it yesterday as a sign He wanted my attention and Christ got it. I asked Him to remove emotion to help me see and He did. I asked Him for me not to take my pride and crush others and yes, you guessed it, I was given this Scripture to memorize. I don't know about you but sometimes what I ask for is irritating but so what I needed at that moment. I am in a time of reflection and reflection will help me grow and prosper through our Lord Jesus Christ.
So today I leave you with my memory verse. It hits home like an arrow to the heart. It is pointed, sharp and refining. I hope that I spend many hours thinking about it and how it will help me lead women to Christ. My other hope is that God will give me reflection time, love for His people and the spirit to lead with courage, hope and direction. I'm His to mold even if it's painful. Please join me in praying this Scripture and giving selfish ambition and vain conceit to Him because we all carry it and it needs to go.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)
Lord, I pray with all my heart that I will not only memorize this Scripture but that I will learn to live like this. Give me wisdom to seek You, courage to go in Your direction and a heart for your people above my own. In Jesus Name I pray, AMEN
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
When everything you read has an encouraging word....
Good evening everyone-
I am currently sitting on my bed in Savannah, Georgia thinking about God and His gift of hope. Every day life faces you. Yesterday, our church lost a man that loved God's children. His life was difficult but he turned it around and gave back. Through his life, he showed many children unconditional love. Many of those children were hard to love, lost and lonely. Flash to the baby found in the rubble after a deadly earthquake. Five thousand dead and yet one, four month old cries and rescuers find him untouched. Then fly to Antarctica where a red substance comes out of a white iceberg. Scientists found that due to the saltiness and other things, it turns the water to a blood color. If that's not enough, someone captures a quadruple rainbow. And today, as I felt sad, mad and lonely, God shows me Scripture after Scripture of encouragement.
Great leaders die to themselves and they give. Our words of encouragement are carried through one man's blood, one man's convictions and one man's belief in His Father. Christ will give you a ray of hope in your sadness, in your madness, and in your loneliness. He gives it freely. Take a moment, an hour or a day and really think about Jesus. I can't thank Him enough for every encouraging word today. I can't lead if I don't know what the greatest teacher in the world believed. He believed every day that the words of His Father would carry to every nation and every people group. One ray of hope changes your attitude, your outlook and your destiny. Can you dream big? Can you believe big? Well, we can't dream big enough or believe enough in our God. He saved a baby in pounds of rubble. He saved a young man after four days of being buried. He saves, He is and He always will be. Be encouraged today, live your life for God and know He is, He was and He will be again!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
I am currently sitting on my bed in Savannah, Georgia thinking about God and His gift of hope. Every day life faces you. Yesterday, our church lost a man that loved God's children. His life was difficult but he turned it around and gave back. Through his life, he showed many children unconditional love. Many of those children were hard to love, lost and lonely. Flash to the baby found in the rubble after a deadly earthquake. Five thousand dead and yet one, four month old cries and rescuers find him untouched. Then fly to Antarctica where a red substance comes out of a white iceberg. Scientists found that due to the saltiness and other things, it turns the water to a blood color. If that's not enough, someone captures a quadruple rainbow. And today, as I felt sad, mad and lonely, God shows me Scripture after Scripture of encouragement.
Great leaders die to themselves and they give. Our words of encouragement are carried through one man's blood, one man's convictions and one man's belief in His Father. Christ will give you a ray of hope in your sadness, in your madness, and in your loneliness. He gives it freely. Take a moment, an hour or a day and really think about Jesus. I can't thank Him enough for every encouraging word today. I can't lead if I don't know what the greatest teacher in the world believed. He believed every day that the words of His Father would carry to every nation and every people group. One ray of hope changes your attitude, your outlook and your destiny. Can you dream big? Can you believe big? Well, we can't dream big enough or believe enough in our God. He saved a baby in pounds of rubble. He saved a young man after four days of being buried. He saves, He is and He always will be. Be encouraged today, live your life for God and know He is, He was and He will be again!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV)
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Leaving a legacy of love...
Good morning all-
I'm getting ready to go to church but before I left; I just had to write to you. Yesterday, I put on a wedding shower for my daughter-in-law to be. I have watched her grow over the last six years and have loved every minute of it. As it is with brides and mothers-in-laws, I have to learn my place in my kids lives but I'm learning and my prayer is that we will continue to have great respect and love for one another.
I think what I loved about yesterday the most was the memories we made. The fruit butterfly reminded me of my mom, the tulips reminded me of spring and the friendship and chatter of young women reminded me that we all go through seasons. Life changes day to day and year to year but there is one thing that always remains in any season, we are loved. We may not feel it from our family, friends and co-workers but we are so loved. I held the shower for Saras because her family lives far away and I wanted to remind her that she has two families that she can count on. However, she actually has three: Jesus, hers and ours. Jesus loved us so much and left a legacy of that love. He didn't make a fruit butterfly, He made the butterfly and the flowers, birds, bees and all the creatures that remind us that life comes and goes in seasons.
My legacy will hopefully be similar to my moms. I want to leave a footprint on my boys, their wives and their children that love conquers all and that Jesus is the reason we live. That's my goal for myself and for those that read this blog. Jesus called us to love in every season so we must abide by that and show the world that love conquers all!
I normally leave Scripture but today, I want you to send a Scripture that means something to you. I have a friend that is about to be divorced and she feels crushed on every side. It's hard to just say, "I love you." I have to show her through God's word. So I sent her Psalm 91 and 2 Corinthians 4:8. She feels crushed but through Jesus she doesn't have too. Scripture is the most powerful way to show our friends, family and strangers what true love is. Man made love is fallible, fickle and often crushing. God's love is powerful and continues to leave a legacy full of love and sacrifice. Please take a moment to encourage someone and show them that they are not alone.
With that, be well my beautiful sisters and start sharing with me the power Jesus has in your life. Don't be scared! I want to hear from you and know how God is working in your lives.
I'm getting ready to go to church but before I left; I just had to write to you. Yesterday, I put on a wedding shower for my daughter-in-law to be. I have watched her grow over the last six years and have loved every minute of it. As it is with brides and mothers-in-laws, I have to learn my place in my kids lives but I'm learning and my prayer is that we will continue to have great respect and love for one another.
I think what I loved about yesterday the most was the memories we made. The fruit butterfly reminded me of my mom, the tulips reminded me of spring and the friendship and chatter of young women reminded me that we all go through seasons. Life changes day to day and year to year but there is one thing that always remains in any season, we are loved. We may not feel it from our family, friends and co-workers but we are so loved. I held the shower for Saras because her family lives far away and I wanted to remind her that she has two families that she can count on. However, she actually has three: Jesus, hers and ours. Jesus loved us so much and left a legacy of that love. He didn't make a fruit butterfly, He made the butterfly and the flowers, birds, bees and all the creatures that remind us that life comes and goes in seasons.
My legacy will hopefully be similar to my moms. I want to leave a footprint on my boys, their wives and their children that love conquers all and that Jesus is the reason we live. That's my goal for myself and for those that read this blog. Jesus called us to love in every season so we must abide by that and show the world that love conquers all!
I normally leave Scripture but today, I want you to send a Scripture that means something to you. I have a friend that is about to be divorced and she feels crushed on every side. It's hard to just say, "I love you." I have to show her through God's word. So I sent her Psalm 91 and 2 Corinthians 4:8. She feels crushed but through Jesus she doesn't have too. Scripture is the most powerful way to show our friends, family and strangers what true love is. Man made love is fallible, fickle and often crushing. God's love is powerful and continues to leave a legacy full of love and sacrifice. Please take a moment to encourage someone and show them that they are not alone.
With that, be well my beautiful sisters and start sharing with me the power Jesus has in your life. Don't be scared! I want to hear from you and know how God is working in your lives.
Saturday, April 18, 2015
Two Scriptures I've lived by..........
Good morning all-
I woke this morning with the anticipation of the wedding shower I'm about to give. In six weeks my son will be married and his life will change forever. But before I could even get out of bed, sadness overwhelmed me and I wished so much that my parents could be here celebrating this day with me. They loved him so.
In life, we don't get to choose what happens to us. We don't get to miss any of the steps as my mom used to say. There is life and there is death and that's a fact. We will fail and we will succeed. We will be sad and we will be happy. We will worry and we will hope. These are the truths in life. So how does this woman get through all those things, she prays and lives by two very important Scriptures. I think I must speak this at least once a month or so much so that my sister-in-law is giving my son a plaque that has Jeremiah 29:11 on it. I wrote him a letter for high school graduation in 2008 and she remembed it and is giving it to him today.
The other Scripture is 1 Corinthians 13 which I received in a plaque form as a wedding gift from my bestfriend in college. It has been on my wall for over 25 years. I love this verse because love is all those things and in marriage it is hard to remember to love like that. Let's be real, it's hard anytime. I am called to love, so when I'm not loving correctly; it's above my sink to remind me that Christ loves me that way.
These two Scriptures along with Psalm 91 have carried me through my trials. They have reminded me that I should not fear, God has a purpose for my life and I must love with patience and kindness. Often, I miss the mark. I'm sure you do too. But it's in these moments that I realize how awesome God truly is. These Scriptures are given to all of us, it just so happens they have taken me through half my life and molded me into the woman I am today.
I was reminded today of the legacy my parents left behind. They loved one another, were devoted to one another and when one went, the other wanted to follow. It's hard to believe they have been gone so long. Spring is a constant reminder to me of their love and here I am in April preparing my son to cleave to his wife. Time has come and gone but one thing remains true, Jesus has a purpose for us all!
I pray that today finds you well and that the two Scriptures that have guided me through rough waters will minister to your hearts today. Oh and I'm going to throw in the third because it has brought me through some horrible things and made me stronger every time I have prayed it out loud. If you have a Scripture that has moved you and that you have lived by, please share it on this blog. I would love to hear from you and I know it would encourage others. So with that being said, I am off to make a fruit butterfly!
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV)
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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV)
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:1-16 NIV)
I woke this morning with the anticipation of the wedding shower I'm about to give. In six weeks my son will be married and his life will change forever. But before I could even get out of bed, sadness overwhelmed me and I wished so much that my parents could be here celebrating this day with me. They loved him so.
In life, we don't get to choose what happens to us. We don't get to miss any of the steps as my mom used to say. There is life and there is death and that's a fact. We will fail and we will succeed. We will be sad and we will be happy. We will worry and we will hope. These are the truths in life. So how does this woman get through all those things, she prays and lives by two very important Scriptures. I think I must speak this at least once a month or so much so that my sister-in-law is giving my son a plaque that has Jeremiah 29:11 on it. I wrote him a letter for high school graduation in 2008 and she remembed it and is giving it to him today.
The other Scripture is 1 Corinthians 13 which I received in a plaque form as a wedding gift from my bestfriend in college. It has been on my wall for over 25 years. I love this verse because love is all those things and in marriage it is hard to remember to love like that. Let's be real, it's hard anytime. I am called to love, so when I'm not loving correctly; it's above my sink to remind me that Christ loves me that way.
These two Scriptures along with Psalm 91 have carried me through my trials. They have reminded me that I should not fear, God has a purpose for my life and I must love with patience and kindness. Often, I miss the mark. I'm sure you do too. But it's in these moments that I realize how awesome God truly is. These Scriptures are given to all of us, it just so happens they have taken me through half my life and molded me into the woman I am today.
I was reminded today of the legacy my parents left behind. They loved one another, were devoted to one another and when one went, the other wanted to follow. It's hard to believe they have been gone so long. Spring is a constant reminder to me of their love and here I am in April preparing my son to cleave to his wife. Time has come and gone but one thing remains true, Jesus has a purpose for us all!
I pray that today finds you well and that the two Scriptures that have guided me through rough waters will minister to your hearts today. Oh and I'm going to throw in the third because it has brought me through some horrible things and made me stronger every time I have prayed it out loud. If you have a Scripture that has moved you and that you have lived by, please share it on this blog. I would love to hear from you and I know it would encourage others. So with that being said, I am off to make a fruit butterfly!
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV)
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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV)
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91:1-16 NIV)
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Don't you ever wish you could hear from Jesus?
Good morning all-
It's been too long since I sat down to write. Life has been catching me by the tail and I must confess, it's good to be back. I don't have a lot of time today but I wanted to reach out and ask you an important question. Don't you ever wish you could hear from Jesus? I don't just mean through Scripture but really see Him, touch Him, be on the mountain with Him?
When I am in a dry season and don't really feel the rolling of the Holy Spirit, I often wish Jesus would talk to me, walk with me and share some profound truth to me. I wish I could know my future steps and if what I believe He wants me to do is in His will. Oh, how I wish to see the angels surround Him and hear them sing to Him and in the quiet I wish I could sit at His feet and listen to Him. But it's a dry season and all I hear is crickets. In those moments, I have a choice. I can believe that the God of Israel sent His son to earth and that He raised Him up again! I can believe that I was born for a purpose mightier than my wants and desires on earth! And I can believe that Jesus will someday come and bring His bride and while I wait He is spreading His word among every people group in every nation.
The time is now. I am in that dry season where I can't feel Him. So I rely on the one thing I know to be true, Jesus is the reason I live and when He is ready; He will reveal to me His purpose for my life. I hope you find comfort in these words and remember it is through faith that we are saved and it is by His blood that we will have eternal life. Hold onto these truths in darkness and during your desert moments. Those that believed stepped over the threshold to Israel and those that fell away never got to see the promise land. I may be in the desert now but I believe that He will bring me through and light my path and one day, I will be delivered. Remember that Jesus is hope and that at the end of this life, we will hear from Him, see Him and be in awe of all the things He did for us on earth. May today be filled with God moments and may you find hope in the King of glory.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)
To all my sisters around the world I pray this Scripture for you. We are not in the desert; we are daughters of Jesus Christ and we remain in Him through faith and His blood. Be aware that all things come through Him, by Him, to you for a greater purpose. You are worthy because He died for You. May the God of Abraham and Isaac give us strength and courage to walk with Him all our days and may we have faith through the desert so that one day we will see the promise land! AMEN
It's been too long since I sat down to write. Life has been catching me by the tail and I must confess, it's good to be back. I don't have a lot of time today but I wanted to reach out and ask you an important question. Don't you ever wish you could hear from Jesus? I don't just mean through Scripture but really see Him, touch Him, be on the mountain with Him?
When I am in a dry season and don't really feel the rolling of the Holy Spirit, I often wish Jesus would talk to me, walk with me and share some profound truth to me. I wish I could know my future steps and if what I believe He wants me to do is in His will. Oh, how I wish to see the angels surround Him and hear them sing to Him and in the quiet I wish I could sit at His feet and listen to Him. But it's a dry season and all I hear is crickets. In those moments, I have a choice. I can believe that the God of Israel sent His son to earth and that He raised Him up again! I can believe that I was born for a purpose mightier than my wants and desires on earth! And I can believe that Jesus will someday come and bring His bride and while I wait He is spreading His word among every people group in every nation.
The time is now. I am in that dry season where I can't feel Him. So I rely on the one thing I know to be true, Jesus is the reason I live and when He is ready; He will reveal to me His purpose for my life. I hope you find comfort in these words and remember it is through faith that we are saved and it is by His blood that we will have eternal life. Hold onto these truths in darkness and during your desert moments. Those that believed stepped over the threshold to Israel and those that fell away never got to see the promise land. I may be in the desert now but I believe that He will bring me through and light my path and one day, I will be delivered. Remember that Jesus is hope and that at the end of this life, we will hear from Him, see Him and be in awe of all the things He did for us on earth. May today be filled with God moments and may you find hope in the King of glory.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)
To all my sisters around the world I pray this Scripture for you. We are not in the desert; we are daughters of Jesus Christ and we remain in Him through faith and His blood. Be aware that all things come through Him, by Him, to you for a greater purpose. You are worthy because He died for You. May the God of Abraham and Isaac give us strength and courage to walk with Him all our days and may we have faith through the desert so that one day we will see the promise land! AMEN
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Happy Easter! He is Risen!
The Lord has risen! That sums up what we believe. We believe that He sits at the right hand of His Father and there is One God! May the Lord reveal to the world His power. As He was asked by the Pharisees if He was King, His kingdom was not of this earth. We know that because the disciples died for Him. They watched this incredible event, spoke with Him and went on to proclaim His existence and the truth. Don't be persuaded to think anything less. He is our God, we were made for this time and He will use each one of us to spread the word. No one will ever be able to wipe out the name of Jesus Christ. He was real. He was not a prophet with magic at His finger tips. He was our God in man form, come to earth to save His people and in the end, every knee will bow. Please take every moment to proclaim His existence in love.
Be strong in what you believe and know that without a doubt, He is Lord! May the God of hearts open eyes today as we sit in churches all over the world proclaiming, He is Lord of all! Pray for our brothers and sisters in other countries that have to hide to love Him. Pray for the men that are trying to destroy a faith they know nothing about. Pray for our enemies that are no different than Paul. Pray that they will see the hand of our God. I pray this in Jesus name. Let's never forget what the disciples knew about Jesus. He was our Savior! Glory be to God in the highest, who was and is and is to come! Bring forth the Holy Spirit and proclaim that Jesus has risen. In Jesus name, I pray this with all my heart. AMEN
Be strong in what you believe and know that without a doubt, He is Lord! May the God of hearts open eyes today as we sit in churches all over the world proclaiming, He is Lord of all! Pray for our brothers and sisters in other countries that have to hide to love Him. Pray for the men that are trying to destroy a faith they know nothing about. Pray for our enemies that are no different than Paul. Pray that they will see the hand of our God. I pray this in Jesus name. Let's never forget what the disciples knew about Jesus. He was our Savior! Glory be to God in the highest, who was and is and is to come! Bring forth the Holy Spirit and proclaim that Jesus has risen. In Jesus name, I pray this with all my heart. AMEN
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Revelation 6:7-11...This is for all those killed in the name of Christ
My sisters-
As I have been meditating this morning, I asked the Lord to show me where it talks about the martyrs in Revelation and at 7:03 am it was revealed to me through the Holy Spirit. I believe that God is calling us to read this and to meditate on it this weekend. The pictures of the 147 killed on Thursday are devestating but when I get a Scripture and it's exactly what I was trying to find; I believe God has revealed it so that we can understand His power and majesty. Please read these words and know He is God. The first to die on Thursday were those that confessed Jesus was Lord and Savior. May the Lord move His people to have the same kind of faith in the face of evil and may we triumph against evil, while the truth is revealed!
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6:7-11 NIV)
Please pray for Nigeria on Easter Sunday
Good morning all-
Tomorrow we will celebrate Easter. For a Christian, this is the pinnacle of being a Christian. If Jesus was not an innocent man and He did not die on a cross then Christianity is for nothing. But more importantly, if Jesus never was seen after death, then we just worship a man. However, as the story goes, Jesus died as an innocent man, on a cross and rose again! We all know the story but how does that impact us today?
For months, I have been praying for Nigeria, Syria and Egypt. God called me out of sleep one night to pray for them. The women of countries I don't know. And then over the last six months as the militant islamist groups have waged war on Jews and Christians I have prayed. This morning was no different. I woke with that same kind of passion for a people group I don't even know. The Lord wants us to pray for our enemies. We are called to love them, even if we don't believe in what they are doing. You probably are saying, no way. I challenge you to remember who Paul was to the Jews. You know the story, he was their persecutor. He held the robes of those that killed many Christians and yet, God destined this horrible man to become one of the greatest teachers in the Bible. He was not worthy to speak the Lord's name and yet, he was given authority by Jesus to spread His word far and wide.
In my mind, I picture our enemies. They are in every country and every city from the US to the Red Sea. There are no boundaries and there are no walls that contain these men and women who hate what we believe in. No surprise really. Christians have been marked since Jesus' day. Why? Because the evil one wants us to believe there is no hope, no joy and no eternal life. We know different, right? Why do women and men have to be killed for their faith? I don't have any answers. I wish I did but sometimes I think it's to remind us that the enemy lurks everywhere and that Jesus, time after time tried to tell us to prepare for this day.
Now is the time that we must pray for the deceived. When men run into a University, while young people are in prayer and massacre them shouting about God, we must pray harder and more often for the evil we can not see. We must ask Jesus to come to these men in dreams and help them see His mighty power. Evil is lurking but God is ever present and there is no better time to pray then on Easter. I believe, as one body, we can pray and a course can be changed. I believe as one body, evil can be overcome and I believe as one voice, praising the name of Jesus, change can happen in the lives of men and women. We have to stand in unison tomorrow and take a moment to pray for our brothers and sisters all over the world. We must believe that Jesus died for us, loved us, rose again and in 2015, He can spread His kingdom from one end of the earth to the other. Jesus can impact a life and we have the power to pray that this will happen.
Israelites were warned about their enemies and they could not go into the promise land until they had enough faith. There fathers did not step over because they saw God's power and had no faith. God warned them that trials would come their way and so they have for centuries. Does it mean God is not real because Christians are getting slaughtered? No. It means He lives even more. If God and Satan didn't exist there would be no need for one religion to be over another or for men to hate from it. This is an evil world we live in but the grace of God is flowing.
I would challenge you tomorrow to really look at the blood that was shed on the cross and for the blood that is being shed in the Middle East. These are our brothers and sisters. We must also praise Jesus for the commitment of the young men and women that step away from fear and love Jesus anyway. More importantly, we must pray for our enemies and ask Jesus to penetrate their hearts. That's my prayer today.
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Revelation 2:10 NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NIV)
My Prayer:
O, Jesus, you are more mighty than ISIS, Boko Haram, and Al-Queda. You are more loving and caring than any person on this earth. You reveal to us in Scritpure that Your love will never fail. I believe that with all my mind. You are a God that will save the Jews and have revenge for your beloved people. We cry out in one voice today, saying,"Worthy, Worthy, is the Lamb that was slain for us." You are King of our hearts. A mighty warrior to the weak. And when we call, You hear our cries. Be with Your children in Nigeria, Israel, Syria, Egypt and all over the world. Let Your power be seen and felt in every corner of the world as we honor the day You rose again!
Tomorrow we will celebrate Easter. For a Christian, this is the pinnacle of being a Christian. If Jesus was not an innocent man and He did not die on a cross then Christianity is for nothing. But more importantly, if Jesus never was seen after death, then we just worship a man. However, as the story goes, Jesus died as an innocent man, on a cross and rose again! We all know the story but how does that impact us today?
For months, I have been praying for Nigeria, Syria and Egypt. God called me out of sleep one night to pray for them. The women of countries I don't know. And then over the last six months as the militant islamist groups have waged war on Jews and Christians I have prayed. This morning was no different. I woke with that same kind of passion for a people group I don't even know. The Lord wants us to pray for our enemies. We are called to love them, even if we don't believe in what they are doing. You probably are saying, no way. I challenge you to remember who Paul was to the Jews. You know the story, he was their persecutor. He held the robes of those that killed many Christians and yet, God destined this horrible man to become one of the greatest teachers in the Bible. He was not worthy to speak the Lord's name and yet, he was given authority by Jesus to spread His word far and wide.
In my mind, I picture our enemies. They are in every country and every city from the US to the Red Sea. There are no boundaries and there are no walls that contain these men and women who hate what we believe in. No surprise really. Christians have been marked since Jesus' day. Why? Because the evil one wants us to believe there is no hope, no joy and no eternal life. We know different, right? Why do women and men have to be killed for their faith? I don't have any answers. I wish I did but sometimes I think it's to remind us that the enemy lurks everywhere and that Jesus, time after time tried to tell us to prepare for this day.
Now is the time that we must pray for the deceived. When men run into a University, while young people are in prayer and massacre them shouting about God, we must pray harder and more often for the evil we can not see. We must ask Jesus to come to these men in dreams and help them see His mighty power. Evil is lurking but God is ever present and there is no better time to pray then on Easter. I believe, as one body, we can pray and a course can be changed. I believe as one body, evil can be overcome and I believe as one voice, praising the name of Jesus, change can happen in the lives of men and women. We have to stand in unison tomorrow and take a moment to pray for our brothers and sisters all over the world. We must believe that Jesus died for us, loved us, rose again and in 2015, He can spread His kingdom from one end of the earth to the other. Jesus can impact a life and we have the power to pray that this will happen.
Israelites were warned about their enemies and they could not go into the promise land until they had enough faith. There fathers did not step over because they saw God's power and had no faith. God warned them that trials would come their way and so they have for centuries. Does it mean God is not real because Christians are getting slaughtered? No. It means He lives even more. If God and Satan didn't exist there would be no need for one religion to be over another or for men to hate from it. This is an evil world we live in but the grace of God is flowing.
I would challenge you tomorrow to really look at the blood that was shed on the cross and for the blood that is being shed in the Middle East. These are our brothers and sisters. We must also praise Jesus for the commitment of the young men and women that step away from fear and love Jesus anyway. More importantly, we must pray for our enemies and ask Jesus to penetrate their hearts. That's my prayer today.
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. (Revelation 2:10 NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NIV)
My Prayer:
O, Jesus, you are more mighty than ISIS, Boko Haram, and Al-Queda. You are more loving and caring than any person on this earth. You reveal to us in Scritpure that Your love will never fail. I believe that with all my mind. You are a God that will save the Jews and have revenge for your beloved people. We cry out in one voice today, saying,"Worthy, Worthy, is the Lamb that was slain for us." You are King of our hearts. A mighty warrior to the weak. And when we call, You hear our cries. Be with Your children in Nigeria, Israel, Syria, Egypt and all over the world. Let Your power be seen and felt in every corner of the world as we honor the day You rose again!
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