Tag Archives: faith

As You Are 11/15/15 

20 Friday Nov 2015

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Wherever you are please hear these words and let them settle deep within you. 

No matter how you feel you’ve failed you are not a failure! Your purpose hasn’t left nor has the presence of God. He’s been there all along. Your call to journey with Jesus came with a promise that he’d never leave or forsake you. Every mistake, wrong turn, or well intended choice that turn drastically wrong will work in your favor. This is not the end!! Don’t allow the voice of the thief to come and rob you of hope and steal your peace of mind. In the Lords gentleness he leads you and I to his heart where we change from old to new, bitter to better, stained to cleansed, mess to message, orphan to child of God. It is his gift of grace that makes room for us at his table to feast with no fear. There is room for you and me there, imperfections and all. He waits to settle, squash, demolish, and conquer over everything that ever tried to convince you otherwise. Come out from your pit and sit with Jesus at the table he has prepared for you. Here is where every need is met and every desired fulfilled. Don’t try and work it out before you come…come as you are, he’s waiting with arms open wide. 

Closure 11/19/15 

19 Thursday Nov 2015

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That day started off ok. Kids at school, hubby at work, coffee in hand and I was good to go. My heart knew what that day was though…it was the anniversary of my dads home going. Although, I no longer grieve like I used to, that day, my heart ached differenly and it hit me out of the blue. As I was going through some old photos I came across one that punched me in the gut. I remembered that moment in time. How I felt. My situation. It came back like a flood and overwhelmed me with guilt. 

I had regret. Lots of it. My mind raced with what would have happened had I done things differently. There was so much fear then and now regret. Lord why now after all these years would I feel this way? I know the Lord didn’t show me this so I could wallow in self pity. No, he showed it to me so he could heal it. His intentions are for our good but no good can ever come out of a wound unless we allow Jesus access to heal it. Regret has a way of eating at us. No closure. No rest. Again, like so many other times I had to give it to him otherwise it would rot and torment me. 

Let me encourage you to not shy away from the gentle hands of Jesus when you’re in pain. We tend to retreat and succumb to solitude and isolation when we hurt. Jesus draws us out of hiding and into his safety. It’s there we find peace, healing, and release. Our burden is lifted. We get clarity. A new perspective. Hope renewed. Closure. A new chapter!! 

 

Not Finished 11/12/15 

12 Thursday Nov 2015

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Good evening friends! 

Let me give it to you straight…you is good…you is kind…you is purposed. 

Your life was destined for a purpose with a specific process that’s only for you. 

I know your journey has been crazy, emotional, surprising, and tiring. It has you second guessing your dreams, your desires and future. You’re looking around wondering if any of this matters. It does! How could this possibly get me to where I want to go? It will! No one sees me. No one hears me. What I do doesn’t matter. 

The devil is a lie! 

The mere fact that I am writing this to you today is proof that you are seen, you are heard, and your life matters more than you could imagine! All of your behind the scenes are being recorded and will one day be a highlight reel for all to see. Don’t stop! Keep going! Keep doing what you love even though you feel no one is watching. Your destiny is being perfected in these small mundane moments of life. 

Don’t despise small, ordinary beginnings. Remember, Jesus was born in a smelly manger surrounded by live stock and dung. Believe that he is faithful to complete what he started and let him finish it. I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve!! 

It’s Messy 11/10/15 

10 Tuesday Nov 2015

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Good afternoon friends! 

Every six weeks {sometimes 4} I venture into the dreaded act of…coloring my hair. I wish I had the genes of no greys but I don’t. My father had salt and pepper hair in his early twenties and those genes have been passed down generously to me and my children {you should see my 12 year olds hair}. 

Every lady who desires to wash that grey right outta her hair knows my pain. The process is messy, time consuming, and expensive. Yet, like moths to the flame we go, like clock work, through the process because in the end we look…not old. Lol! 

When the desired result is one we seek to have we endure a process that is less than desirable to get there. Baking a cake, dying our hair, building a house, having kids, breaking free from addictions and old habits, losing weight, it all requires a process. Sadly, some give up mid process simply because the mess deceives us of our progress. What we see and feel is not always comfortable nor accurate. This is a trap…a deadly one. 

Don’t allow the mess of the process to hinder your overall goal. Can you imagine if the baker stopped mid process simply because the ingredients didn’t look like a cake? Your life is a series of processes that must finish in order for you to be the best you. It’s gonna be messy. It’s gonna be hard. People will judge. You’re gonna want to quit but I encourage you to stay the course. Give yourself some grace. Don’t look at what you see now. Hold onto the hope that this too shall pass and when it does…mmmm cake!!! 

Don’t Delay 11/9/15 

09 Monday Nov 2015

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Good morning friends! 

There is no such thing as “random” in the kingdom of God. His word says he delights in the details of our life {Psalm 37:22}. Have you ever had a thought to do something for someone? Bless someone? A name just pop up in your head? Maybe someone is heavy on your heart? Those are details!! 

For over a month I had this feeling that I was to bless a friend financially. I was sure it was the Lords leading and I needed to be obedient. However, I didn’t immediately react. I procrastinated. I got distracted. The longer I delayed the more I doubted if I should do it. Situations came up that made me question if I could even afford to do it at all. Finally, God had to remind me in a dream to do it. Uh oh! Thankfully God is merciful and slow to anger otherwise I would have been in a lot of trouble {I’m thinking like a mom}. 

A few days ago I got a call from my friend and as she told me her about her situation I just cried! I wished I would’ve been obedient sooner!! Maybe I could’ve spared her some unnecessary heartache. Oh how we need to obey because we never know who or what is on the other side of our obedience. Although I didn’t know her situation God did! 

If God has laid someone on your heart or you feel a nudging to act…do it! Make the call. Send the card. Pray. Write the check. If you don’t see how it will help or how you can do it step out anyways. He knows all and sees all and you may be the answer to someones prayers including your own. 

Homesick 11/6/15 

06 Friday Nov 2015

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Happy Friday y’all!! 

Today I am feeling homesick. There are moments that this journey wears on me. I get tired and I miss the comforts of home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. Not everything was perfect but I had a comfort zone {don’t we all} and I would have never left except to be obedient to the Lord. 

Sometimes our obedience leads us on a journey to lonely places. I recall the story of Abraham. The Lord called him out to a place where he had never been. He just went. He gathered his family and went. He didn’t have a plan. He had faith. He trusted blindly. This decision of obedience will always cost us. We will lose some things, some people too. We will leave things and people behind. We will take a huge risk in the hope of God being faithful. 

In Hebrews 11 it tells us there are rewards for such faith. It’s the hall of faith. What a list of amazing people doing extraordinary things for God. These were everyday people like you and me. They got homesick. I’m sure at times they wanted to go back {the Isrealites did}. I sometimes want to too but on days like these when home seems so far away I choose to remember everything God said and did. I take my tears to Jesus and he comforts me with hope. Hope for all he is going to do even though I don’t see how. I am comforted knowing that I am not the only one who took a risk and left home. I am encouraged that like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, and all the others who have walked a journey, that I too, will be rewarded for my faith. What an honor! 

Keep Asking! 11/5/15 

05 Thursday Nov 2015

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Good morning friends!!

Every year my husband and I request that the kids make their Christmas list {open season lol}. I must say the kids don’t disappoint as their list can be quite extensive. This year was no different but I noticed that my teenager had a really hard time making a list {will wonders never cease}. You’d think I’d be happy…no list…no gifts. Right? I was curious to what was taking him so long so I asked him. He said that what he wanted he knew he wasn’t going to get so what was the point in making a list. Hmmm. Not the answer I was expecting. 

How many times have we refused to go to the Lord with a request simply because we didn’t think he would answer us? 

I was hurt because I asked him to ask and he didn’t trust my heart towards him. He didn’t see it that way. He saw the times that he asked and didn’t get what he asked for. Sound familiar? I am not insinuating that our request is like a Christmas list or that the Lord is Santa Claus. It’s the principle here of asking when told to ask. The Lord tells us to pray; to bring our request before him continually. Often times we stop asking because we haven’t received in a way we expected. Just like my son, we don’t trust the heart of God towards us. We see an unanswered prayer and our hearts get hardened and distant. We get discouraged and disappointment sets in and we no longer pray and seek God for our needs and desires. 

God asks us to ask and seek him and he knowing the plan for our life will say no at times or not now. This is NOT him not answering or not hearing you. This is his protection over you but do not stop asking!!! Don’t be discouraged over a no or not yet. Be encouraged that the Lord knows your end from your beginning. He sees your need and wants and has a plan to meet them all. In the meantime he’s working on your behalf in unexpected ways. Trust the Fathers heart towards you…you are after all his beloved child. 

A Good Father 11/4/15 

04 Wednesday Nov 2015

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Good morning friends!! 

I woke up this morning singing a song about what a good Father God is. Seeing God as a father can be very hard for some; it was for me. We tend to look through the lense of our personal experience with our own dads. If our experience has been bad or even non existent it will be a challenge to see God as he really is. 

I love the movie “Father of the Bride.” I can not watch that movie without crying. The way George Banks loves Annie just melts my heart. He wasn’t perfect, in fact he was hilariously cheap but his love, admiration, respect, and devotion is what I imagined a dad’s love should be like. 

No matter what your experience has been I’m hear to tell you that our God is a good Father. His word says it. His actions prove it. His track record is flawless. He can be trusted. He doesn’t withhold good from you. He will always keep his promises and meet your every need. His plan is not to harm you but protect you. He stores your tears and knows the very number of hairs on your head. There is not one moment of your life that he has left you or forgotten you. He sees you. He ears you. He is for you and his heart will always be to give you all of him. 

Lord I pray today that you heal every broken part of us that keeps us from seeing you as you really are…our good Father. Comfort those of us who still grieve over the loss of our father and relationship. Bring peace and quiet the noise that drowns out your voice. In Jesus name…Amen! 

Sticks and Stones 10/24/15 

24 Saturday Oct 2015

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Happy Saturday friends!!

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me…what a lie. 

All I heard was “you’re not” and then everything went fuzzy. Why go there?  Why use those words? I must have a big red button on my heart revealing my weakness and fears. I felt like I’d been beat up with words of anger, frustration, and bitterness. Their disappointments spoke and left questions in my mind. Were they right? The thought that I even questioned mysef made me angry and despondent {without hope or courage}. 

I’ve come to realize that hurting people hurt. They lash out with arrows full of poison. Whether they use their words or actions it hurts all the same. I’ve been guilty mysef. It wasn’t my intention but it was the result. Unless we allow the Lord to heal us we will rot from the inside out. When our hurts are so deep they will choke out every bit of hope and expectation in us and those around us. We will eventually become so toxic that drastic measures will need to be taken. The deeper the pain, wound, hurt, the greater the healing needed to root it all out. This is a painful process but not an impossible one. 

My dear friends, if you are in pain let me encourage you to take it to the Great Physician…Jesus. There is nothing that he can not heal. Surrender every ache, sorrow and wounded part of your life today. It’s time you start living pain free. The process won’t kill you but it will make you stronger. I’m living proof that the healing comes slowly but surely just don’t give up!! 

Jesus take a hold of everyone who reads these words and bring hope. Heal every secret place in them. Go deep Lord and do a mighty work that showcases your healing power. I come against every lie and word spoken against your truth in their lives. Bring comfort. Restoration. Salvation. Healing. In your name we pray…Amen!! 

Liar Liar 10/12/15 

12 Monday Oct 2015

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Good afternoon friends!!

Don’t you hate it when a thought interrupts your day and overstays it’s welcome?! Me too!! I was doing the dishes {when am I not?} and I had a thought about dishonest people {ugh}. Trying to decode why people lie is almost impossible. You’ll hear lots of reasons why but truth is there is only one real reason anyone lies…fear. I know all the times I’ve lied {guilty} has been out of fear. Fear of consequences. Fear of what the truth will look /sound like. Fear of what I will look like if I tell the truth. Honestly, the truth sometimes is a scary thing. 

Truth requires more out of us. Telling a lie is the easy way out. We don’t have to confront ourselves or others. We get to hide a little bit longer and avoid the inevitable…truth or consequence {a result or effect of an act or condition}. The bible says the truth will set you free…free from what? Free from strings that lies are attached to {my condensed definition}. Guilt. Shame. Condemnation and ultimately sin. We as Christians know the truth {Jesus, his word} and yet we settle for lies everyday that chain and bind us like a slave to the enemy and in return it results in a lifestyle of sin and destruction. 

I wanted to judge the liar and realized that I too, have been one. I am one every time I tell myself anything contrary to Gods word; when I comply and agree with the enemy when he whispers lies in my ear. I want to be an honest person but I must know the truth…Gods word! Live it. Believe it. Speak it and then I’m free from lies and the hurt they bring. 

Lying is a temporary fix for a deeply rooted fear. God is the only one who can dismantled our fears with his truth and love that leads to right believing and right living. Next time you’re tempted to lie think…What am I afraid of? I guarantee if you process this and begin to practice truth in your inner being you’ll be less tempted to lie to yourself or anyone else. 

Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part [of my heart] You will make me know wisdom.           Psalm 51:6