Unforgiveness. I've harbored a bit of this a time or two. I have been hurt many times in my 32 years; sometimes quite deeply. Unforgiveness is something that eats away at us like a cancer. It creates bitterness and anger and resentment. It does damage to many relationships and chips away at our trust in people. Unforgiveness also blocks the Lords forgiveness of our sins...
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15.
Pretty tough words there from our heavenly Father. That should demonstrate to us just how important forgiveness is to Him. We need to understand that we are all human beings who are simply made from dust. We will say things and do things to one another that will hurt. But, what we need to also understand is that forgiveness is key to bringing healing and maintaining healthy relationships with one another. Have you been praying about something for a long time and not seen it change? Have you been seeking God on an issue but feeling like the answer will never come? It's time to do a little inventory and see if you are harboring any unforgiveness towards anyone in your life. Ask the Lord to show you if you have unforgiveness towards anyone. Search your heart and see where you need healing.
Think about this...and I mean really think about it. When we are mad at someone because of something they've said or done, what are we accomplishing? I'm serious. What does being angry with someone accomplish? What does consciously choosing to not forgive someone really prove? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Many times the person with whom we are angry does not even know we're angry. Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die. (Ray, CR) Now, I totally understand that there are things that happen to us that seem unforgivable. At the time, and even years later, the pain is so raw that it appears impossible to forgive the wrong that has been done. That doesn't disregard what God's word says about it. That doesn't get us off the hook and allow us to still be angry. God's word is very clear. We must forgive in order to be forgiven.
There is nothing that you can do for which God will not offer you forgiveness. There is nothing too big for Him, no sin too deep that His forgiveness can't cover. The blood of Jesus paid the price for our sin and allows us to be forgiven. So I figure that if God made a way for my sins to be forgiven by offering His son as a sacrifice, then how dare I not offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Put Your Focus On The Bread!
OK, this post is completely inspired by my scavenger of a dog, Barney.
I simply love the book of John. It's so rich and full of life! A particular passage that I love is in John 6:25-59 which is entitled, Jesus Is the Bread of Life. The disciples are asking Jesus what miraculous sign He is going to give to prove that He was sent from God. They make a reference in verse 31 to the manna that came from heaven when the Israelites were in the desert after being freed from Egypt saying, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, it it not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (v 32-33). Jesus is, of course, referring to Himself. He goes on to say in verse 35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe."
So here's where Barney comes in. David and I were standing in the kitchen chatting about our day, and Dave was eating a sandwich. My dog is a true scavenger! He's the type of dog that sits and stares hoping to get just a morsel of food while we're eating. He was so intently focused on David's sandwich that he missed a piece that fell from it to the floor. I said, "Barney, you're so focused on the bread that you didn't see the bite." Immediately, the Lord spoke to my spirit. He said, "If more people who focus on the bread of life they wouldn't see the bites from the enemy." Wow!! I was amazed!
If we as Christians would spend more time with our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus we would not be moved when the enemy attacks us. And trust me, when you're living your life for the Lord, he will attack. It's not something that might happen one day, it something that is guaranteed. BUT, if we stay focused on Jesus and each one of His promises we will overcome and not be moved or shaken. We've gotten our focus off of Jesus and on to everything else around us. We are focused on material things rather than those who are hurting and lost. We think that because we "have a good heart" we can do whatever we want to during the week as long as we go to church on Sunday. God does look at our heart, but your outward actions are a reflection of your inward being. The things that we say and do come from our inner man. People are dying every single day without ever knowing the love of Jesus. They never get to know what it's like to have someone care, truly care, about them. And the blame is on the church, because we're too scared we might get our hands dirty picking up the broken pieces of someone's life.
So many people think that walking the Christian walk is just about going to church on Sunday and Wednesday and simply living a "good" life the rest of the time. That's not all it's about, people. Warming a seat on Sunday is not what God has called us to do. He has called us to be doers of the Word. We are supposed to actively walk out the Word of God in our lives. We are supposed to live lives that make us stand out from the norm. We are to be shining examples of the love of Jesus. We are to have our focus so tuned in to Him that everything in our lives reflect Jesus. When people look at me, my heart's desire is that they see and feel the love of Jesus. I'm not fully there yet, but I'm certainly not where I used to be. I'm allowing the Lord to transform me from the inside out so that I am able to reflect Him. He's got a lot of mud and muck to work through, but He's doing it. He's molding me and forming me into someone whose eyes are stayed on Him through the trials and tribulations of this life. He's making me into a woman who's not afraid to reach out and say, "Hey, I've been where you are. I can offer you hope for a better tomorrow. Jesus did it for me and He will do it for you too!" He is the true bread of life. Focus. On. Him.
I simply love the book of John. It's so rich and full of life! A particular passage that I love is in John 6:25-59 which is entitled, Jesus Is the Bread of Life. The disciples are asking Jesus what miraculous sign He is going to give to prove that He was sent from God. They make a reference in verse 31 to the manna that came from heaven when the Israelites were in the desert after being freed from Egypt saying, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, it it not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (v 32-33). Jesus is, of course, referring to Himself. He goes on to say in verse 35, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe."
So here's where Barney comes in. David and I were standing in the kitchen chatting about our day, and Dave was eating a sandwich. My dog is a true scavenger! He's the type of dog that sits and stares hoping to get just a morsel of food while we're eating. He was so intently focused on David's sandwich that he missed a piece that fell from it to the floor. I said, "Barney, you're so focused on the bread that you didn't see the bite." Immediately, the Lord spoke to my spirit. He said, "If more people who focus on the bread of life they wouldn't see the bites from the enemy." Wow!! I was amazed!
If we as Christians would spend more time with our eyes and hearts focused on Jesus we would not be moved when the enemy attacks us. And trust me, when you're living your life for the Lord, he will attack. It's not something that might happen one day, it something that is guaranteed. BUT, if we stay focused on Jesus and each one of His promises we will overcome and not be moved or shaken. We've gotten our focus off of Jesus and on to everything else around us. We are focused on material things rather than those who are hurting and lost. We think that because we "have a good heart" we can do whatever we want to during the week as long as we go to church on Sunday. God does look at our heart, but your outward actions are a reflection of your inward being. The things that we say and do come from our inner man. People are dying every single day without ever knowing the love of Jesus. They never get to know what it's like to have someone care, truly care, about them. And the blame is on the church, because we're too scared we might get our hands dirty picking up the broken pieces of someone's life.
So many people think that walking the Christian walk is just about going to church on Sunday and Wednesday and simply living a "good" life the rest of the time. That's not all it's about, people. Warming a seat on Sunday is not what God has called us to do. He has called us to be doers of the Word. We are supposed to actively walk out the Word of God in our lives. We are supposed to live lives that make us stand out from the norm. We are to be shining examples of the love of Jesus. We are to have our focus so tuned in to Him that everything in our lives reflect Jesus. When people look at me, my heart's desire is that they see and feel the love of Jesus. I'm not fully there yet, but I'm certainly not where I used to be. I'm allowing the Lord to transform me from the inside out so that I am able to reflect Him. He's got a lot of mud and muck to work through, but He's doing it. He's molding me and forming me into someone whose eyes are stayed on Him through the trials and tribulations of this life. He's making me into a woman who's not afraid to reach out and say, "Hey, I've been where you are. I can offer you hope for a better tomorrow. Jesus did it for me and He will do it for you too!" He is the true bread of life. Focus. On. Him.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Live Out Love
I love Celebrate Recovery. I mean, I really love it.
The past 3(ish) years have been some of the loneliest years of my life. I have moved to a completely new town and had everything that was familiar to me stripped away. This has been a time of growth in the Lord and a time of leaning on Him for everything. He has taken me through a time of complete and total isolation unto Him. And let me just tell you, when I thought I couldn't take another moment of being in this place of utter loneliness, He transformed my life.
Last August I was sitting in church and looked in our bulletin to see an announcement about a program called Celebrate Recovery that was going to be starting. They were looking for people who had a heart for the hurting. I've always loved to listen to people. I've always loved talking people through the circumstances in their lives that were challenging. I've always been a "fixer." I met with the ministry leaders, found my place, and haven't looked back. One of the MANY things I've learned over the past several months is that God didn't want me trying to fix anybody. He wanted to fix me. He wanted to clear through the junk in my life and shine His light on the darkness. He wanted to wipe away all the heartache and guilt and shame.
One of the things I love most about my CR family is that each one was hand-picked by God for me! It's absolutely amazing how the Lord knows just who you need in your life just when you need them. I'm amazed by Him every single time I think about it.
Through the process of working the steps in the program, I've realized two major things. First, God has really big plans for my life; and second, the enemy knows that. The Lord has shown me that even as far back as elementary school the enemy sent attacks my way to create insecurity and inferiority in my life. If we feel insecure and inferior, the enemy can lead us down paths of destruction. He does this even to our children! Some of the things that I went through as a child led me to make some very wrong decisions later in my life. And it was all part of the enemy's plan to destroy the destiny that God has for me. I praise the Lord for grandparents who have prayed for me every single day of my life. Because of their prayers and God's mercy, I am right where the Lord intends for me to be.
I can not begin to even describe some of the things that the people in CR have been through. Every Wednesday and Friday I am more and more amazed at what the Lord brings people out of! There is literally nothing too big for Him. Some of the things that I've heard sound like they came from a horror movie. These people have literally been through hell on earth, survived, and are praising God for His love, mercy, and deliverance. This leads me to probably the thing I have most learned through this process...You have no idea what the person sitting next to you has been through. No idea. We have got to get our focus off of our own problems and reach out to a world that is lost, broken, and in desperate need of the love of our Heavenly Father. We need to spend time lifting people up and not putting them down. We need to do what the word of the Lord tells us to do and love our neighbors as ourselves. We need to reach out to people with arms wide open and love them, because there are people who have never experienced real, true, pure love. We can only do this when we stop focusing on ourselves and focus on Jesus. He will change us from the inside out as we spend time in His presence. He will teach us how to love the unlovable. You know what happens when we get out of ourselves - we find healing. True, pure love is found at the feet of Jesus. Once we find that, we have all we need to go out to this dark world and be salt and light.
The past 3(ish) years have been some of the loneliest years of my life. I have moved to a completely new town and had everything that was familiar to me stripped away. This has been a time of growth in the Lord and a time of leaning on Him for everything. He has taken me through a time of complete and total isolation unto Him. And let me just tell you, when I thought I couldn't take another moment of being in this place of utter loneliness, He transformed my life.
Last August I was sitting in church and looked in our bulletin to see an announcement about a program called Celebrate Recovery that was going to be starting. They were looking for people who had a heart for the hurting. I've always loved to listen to people. I've always loved talking people through the circumstances in their lives that were challenging. I've always been a "fixer." I met with the ministry leaders, found my place, and haven't looked back. One of the MANY things I've learned over the past several months is that God didn't want me trying to fix anybody. He wanted to fix me. He wanted to clear through the junk in my life and shine His light on the darkness. He wanted to wipe away all the heartache and guilt and shame.
One of the things I love most about my CR family is that each one was hand-picked by God for me! It's absolutely amazing how the Lord knows just who you need in your life just when you need them. I'm amazed by Him every single time I think about it.
Through the process of working the steps in the program, I've realized two major things. First, God has really big plans for my life; and second, the enemy knows that. The Lord has shown me that even as far back as elementary school the enemy sent attacks my way to create insecurity and inferiority in my life. If we feel insecure and inferior, the enemy can lead us down paths of destruction. He does this even to our children! Some of the things that I went through as a child led me to make some very wrong decisions later in my life. And it was all part of the enemy's plan to destroy the destiny that God has for me. I praise the Lord for grandparents who have prayed for me every single day of my life. Because of their prayers and God's mercy, I am right where the Lord intends for me to be.
I can not begin to even describe some of the things that the people in CR have been through. Every Wednesday and Friday I am more and more amazed at what the Lord brings people out of! There is literally nothing too big for Him. Some of the things that I've heard sound like they came from a horror movie. These people have literally been through hell on earth, survived, and are praising God for His love, mercy, and deliverance. This leads me to probably the thing I have most learned through this process...You have no idea what the person sitting next to you has been through. No idea. We have got to get our focus off of our own problems and reach out to a world that is lost, broken, and in desperate need of the love of our Heavenly Father. We need to spend time lifting people up and not putting them down. We need to do what the word of the Lord tells us to do and love our neighbors as ourselves. We need to reach out to people with arms wide open and love them, because there are people who have never experienced real, true, pure love. We can only do this when we stop focusing on ourselves and focus on Jesus. He will change us from the inside out as we spend time in His presence. He will teach us how to love the unlovable. You know what happens when we get out of ourselves - we find healing. True, pure love is found at the feet of Jesus. Once we find that, we have all we need to go out to this dark world and be salt and light.
Monday, February 13, 2012
I Am.
Quite frequently I feel like I have more questions about the Lord than answers. I find myself asking, "Why, God?" so often. I look at the world around me and wonder why all the time. Why do children have to suffer? Why did my dear friend have to lose her identical twin baby boys, John Wilson and Casswell? Parents should never have to bury their children. Why did one of the most amazing women I've ever known lose her daughter, Shelly, this weekend? Then I am reminded that the Lord tells us in this life we will face many hardships and trials. Some of these trials will shake us to the core and test every ounce of faith we have in us. Some of them will make us want to simply lay down and give up. These are the moments when God can show his love, power, and mercy in a great and mighty way. These are moments when the enemy can be silenced.
Two words have been resounding in my spirit over the past few days. They are simple, yet so deep it nearly confounds me. "I am." In the book of John, Jesus makes several declarations about who He is, but I have really been meditating on one particular verse. John 8:58 states, "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am.'" I've heard this verse so many times throughout my life, but it is really pounding in my spirit lately. All I keep hearing Him say is, "I am." This verse is there to show us that He is the eternal God. He was there in the beginning and He will be there in the end.
In all the sadness, turmoil, sickness, death, and war we often find ourselves asking, "God, where are You?" I think His answer is this, "I am all that you need Me to be when you need Me to be it, because I am. I am peace. I am love. I am healing. I am joy. I am your comforter. I am your protector. I am your provider. I am your deliverer. I am the one who conquered death, hell, and the grave. I am."
Where do you find yourself today? Are you grieving, addicted, lonely, confused, sick? The answer for your every need is simple. Turn to the great I Am. Press into the one who is our everything. I don't know why my friend had to lose her sweet babies or why my precious adopted grandmother had to lose her daughter, but I know that what the enemy meant to harm them will be turned around for their good and glory will be brought to the name of Jesus. Please know this...God does not take our children away from us. The enemy does that. God's word says that it is not His will that any should perish. He intends for each of us to live long, healthy lives. Satan is the one who destroys life. But God is the one who takes that heartache and pain and shows His hand of mercy and healing. God is a God of restoration. God is in the business of saving lives, not taking lives. I love this scripture - Genesis 50:20 says, "You intended to harm me, But God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." What the enemy means to use to destroy one life can be used by God to save many.
Two words have been resounding in my spirit over the past few days. They are simple, yet so deep it nearly confounds me. "I am." In the book of John, Jesus makes several declarations about who He is, but I have really been meditating on one particular verse. John 8:58 states, "'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am.'" I've heard this verse so many times throughout my life, but it is really pounding in my spirit lately. All I keep hearing Him say is, "I am." This verse is there to show us that He is the eternal God. He was there in the beginning and He will be there in the end.
In all the sadness, turmoil, sickness, death, and war we often find ourselves asking, "God, where are You?" I think His answer is this, "I am all that you need Me to be when you need Me to be it, because I am. I am peace. I am love. I am healing. I am joy. I am your comforter. I am your protector. I am your provider. I am your deliverer. I am the one who conquered death, hell, and the grave. I am."
Where do you find yourself today? Are you grieving, addicted, lonely, confused, sick? The answer for your every need is simple. Turn to the great I Am. Press into the one who is our everything. I don't know why my friend had to lose her sweet babies or why my precious adopted grandmother had to lose her daughter, but I know that what the enemy meant to harm them will be turned around for their good and glory will be brought to the name of Jesus. Please know this...God does not take our children away from us. The enemy does that. God's word says that it is not His will that any should perish. He intends for each of us to live long, healthy lives. Satan is the one who destroys life. But God is the one who takes that heartache and pain and shows His hand of mercy and healing. God is a God of restoration. God is in the business of saving lives, not taking lives. I love this scripture - Genesis 50:20 says, "You intended to harm me, But God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." What the enemy means to use to destroy one life can be used by God to save many.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Who Are You Angry With?
How much time do you spend angry with God? How often do you question His timing and the answer you receive to your prayers? Think about those things for a moment.
I have spent so much time blaming God for things not going my way. I have begged Him to simply leave me alone. (Incidentally, that's very dangerous ground to walk on, and I don't recommend trying it.) We as Christians find it all too easy to get angry with God when things aren't going as we planned. Notice the latter part of that statement..."as WE planned." I could list hundreds of things that haven't gone the way I planned them. But my plans did not line up with God's will. My plans and my timing are totally different than God's plans and God's timing. Before you were born God had every single second of your life planned out the way HE intended it to be. He wrote a biography with your name on it. The Bible says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...". I love this verse for several reasons, one of which is this - the creator of the universe literally formed me in my mother's womb. He created me. Secondly, He set me apart with a plan and purpose. I have not always chosen His way. As a matter of fact, I chose my own way for years and years. I often wonder where I would be right now had I not done things my own way. I wasted so much time, but the lessons that I have learned will be used to bring glory to His name. I will take every opportunity to speak life and light into death and darkness.
We have no right to ever be angry with God. If we find ourselves in a moment where we are, we must simply look and see where we tried to do things our own way. We must take time to reflect and see where He was trying to lead us in one direction but we thought another direction would be better. Many times God doesn't move fast enough. That's funny to even read out loud. God never gets in a hurry, but know this one thing - His timing is perfect. The Bible says that He is never early and He is never late. He moves mountains for those who love Him and trust in Him. When we put all of our faith in Him, He shows off. I mean really shows off His total and complete goodness, love, and mercy.
So many people spend there time blaming God and complaining about how He doesn't do enough to stop the horrible things that are going on in this world. Have you read the Bible lately? The things that are going on right now are all part of the ultimate plan of God. And you know what? We know the ending...Jesus wins. Plain and simple, but true. There is a very real Satan out trying to destroy as many lives as he can, but there is likewise a very real God who intends to restore all that the enemy has stolen. If you're not living your life 100% for the Lord, you have no one else to blame when things go wrong but yourself. You honestly can't blame God when things aren't going your way. It's not His fault. His plans and His ways are perfect. He promises the very best for His children. He promises blessings, riches, joy, peace, health...I could go on and on. There are over 8000 promises of God in the Bible. 8000!! If you're doing things in your own will away from what God's word says, then you have this promise...it won't work and it won't be as amazing as His way.
This may offend. This may cut like a knife. This is the truth. I have lived this for years. I don't speak forth what's on my heart to hurt or anger anyone. I do it to awaken life inside of you. I do it to encourage and inspire you to seek God and His perfect plan. You can't live a life with one foot in the world and one foot in church and expect God's total blessings to come forth. I wish I could explain just how much He loves us. I wish there was a way to put into words the feeling of knowing your heavenly Father has amazing things in store for your life. I wish I could transfer the excitement I have in serving the Lord. There is absolutely nothing boring about serving God. Satan has this way of convincing us that being a Christian is boring, weird, out-there, freakish even. He makes the world seem so appealing and Christianity seem so confining. There is more freedom in serving the Lord than being bound by the world. I'm sure people wonder what I am like to be around now. I'm happy. I'm free. I'm not angry at God. I'm not bound by the world. I'm not scared to be labelled as someone who is totally in love with Jesus.
I'll leave you with this. Know that every word that comes out of the heart of God is true. This is one of His 8000 promises to you, "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."
I have spent so much time blaming God for things not going my way. I have begged Him to simply leave me alone. (Incidentally, that's very dangerous ground to walk on, and I don't recommend trying it.) We as Christians find it all too easy to get angry with God when things aren't going as we planned. Notice the latter part of that statement..."as WE planned." I could list hundreds of things that haven't gone the way I planned them. But my plans did not line up with God's will. My plans and my timing are totally different than God's plans and God's timing. Before you were born God had every single second of your life planned out the way HE intended it to be. He wrote a biography with your name on it. The Bible says in Jeremiah 1:5, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...". I love this verse for several reasons, one of which is this - the creator of the universe literally formed me in my mother's womb. He created me. Secondly, He set me apart with a plan and purpose. I have not always chosen His way. As a matter of fact, I chose my own way for years and years. I often wonder where I would be right now had I not done things my own way. I wasted so much time, but the lessons that I have learned will be used to bring glory to His name. I will take every opportunity to speak life and light into death and darkness.
We have no right to ever be angry with God. If we find ourselves in a moment where we are, we must simply look and see where we tried to do things our own way. We must take time to reflect and see where He was trying to lead us in one direction but we thought another direction would be better. Many times God doesn't move fast enough. That's funny to even read out loud. God never gets in a hurry, but know this one thing - His timing is perfect. The Bible says that He is never early and He is never late. He moves mountains for those who love Him and trust in Him. When we put all of our faith in Him, He shows off. I mean really shows off His total and complete goodness, love, and mercy.
So many people spend there time blaming God and complaining about how He doesn't do enough to stop the horrible things that are going on in this world. Have you read the Bible lately? The things that are going on right now are all part of the ultimate plan of God. And you know what? We know the ending...Jesus wins. Plain and simple, but true. There is a very real Satan out trying to destroy as many lives as he can, but there is likewise a very real God who intends to restore all that the enemy has stolen. If you're not living your life 100% for the Lord, you have no one else to blame when things go wrong but yourself. You honestly can't blame God when things aren't going your way. It's not His fault. His plans and His ways are perfect. He promises the very best for His children. He promises blessings, riches, joy, peace, health...I could go on and on. There are over 8000 promises of God in the Bible. 8000!! If you're doing things in your own will away from what God's word says, then you have this promise...it won't work and it won't be as amazing as His way.
This may offend. This may cut like a knife. This is the truth. I have lived this for years. I don't speak forth what's on my heart to hurt or anger anyone. I do it to awaken life inside of you. I do it to encourage and inspire you to seek God and His perfect plan. You can't live a life with one foot in the world and one foot in church and expect God's total blessings to come forth. I wish I could explain just how much He loves us. I wish there was a way to put into words the feeling of knowing your heavenly Father has amazing things in store for your life. I wish I could transfer the excitement I have in serving the Lord. There is absolutely nothing boring about serving God. Satan has this way of convincing us that being a Christian is boring, weird, out-there, freakish even. He makes the world seem so appealing and Christianity seem so confining. There is more freedom in serving the Lord than being bound by the world. I'm sure people wonder what I am like to be around now. I'm happy. I'm free. I'm not angry at God. I'm not bound by the world. I'm not scared to be labelled as someone who is totally in love with Jesus.
I'll leave you with this. Know that every word that comes out of the heart of God is true. This is one of His 8000 promises to you, "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."
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Who is He?
Do you ever take time to simply sit and meditate on who Jesus really is? I have to admit that I haven't done that a whole lot in my life, but I'm making a conscious effort to do that now. I'll be the first to admit that I've taken everything that Jesus encompasses for granted. I have taken the most precious relationship that has been offered to me for granted. Not only that, but I abused that relationship as well. Not anymore. I've been taught who God is since I was a very small child. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was four. I believe that the Lord reveals Himself to children. They just know and believe with all that they are that God is real and that He loves them. It's adults that doubt His existence and love. We try to use reason and logic when it comes to something that is totally unreasonable and illogical. But yet, somehow, it all makes sense. We have programmed ourselves to only believe that which we can see when it comes to the Lord. But, we will believe anything that someone tells us about earthly things. We've got it backwards, people. So many people choose to not believe in God because He's not something that is tangible. So if we can't see Him or touch Him then how do we know that He's really there? I saw a "pin" on Pinterest the other day that I'll paraphrase as my answer to this question. I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. Knowing that God is real requires faith. The thing is, God's word tells us that He has given each one a measure of faith. He has pre-programmed us to believe in Him already. We just have to make the choice to believe. Once we do that He will begin to reveal Himself in strong and mighty ways. He will show us who He is.
So that's where I am right now. I've always believed in God. Always. Never doubted His existence once. I have had too many experiences with Him throughout my life to doubt for one second He's real. Now I'm learning to read His word with a new set of glasses on. I'm looking through the lenses of, "Who are you, for real?" I know the Bible stories that we are all taught as children, but I want to go deeper. I want more than just the top layer, the warm fuzzy feelings, the things that are indoctrinated into us by different denominations. Each church has it's own rules and regulations and pathway to Heaven, but honestly the only way is through Jesus. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) I want to know God's heart. I want to know His desires for my life. I want Him to entrust me with big things, because He knows I'll be faithful to do what He commands. I believe the verse that says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I believe with all my heart that the miracles that were performed in the Bible are performed everyday all over the world. I believe 1 Corinthians 12 is for the church today because there is no scripture that tells us otherwise. Not one. I believe that every single scripture is God breathed and has both literal and spiritual meanings. I believe that God makes His word applicable and alive for His children when we need wisdom and guidance. I believe God's word. Period.
It time to stop taking God for granted. No one will ever love the way He loves. I truly love people, but there is not one person that I would give my daughter's life for. He gave His son for us. We were already etched on His heart when He sent Jesus to this earth with one purpose - to win us back from the grip of the enemy. You may believe in God and simply be away from a relationship with Him right now, but He still loves you. You may not even believe in God, but He still loves you. Sounds simple. It is. He simply loves. That's who He is...
So that's where I am right now. I've always believed in God. Always. Never doubted His existence once. I have had too many experiences with Him throughout my life to doubt for one second He's real. Now I'm learning to read His word with a new set of glasses on. I'm looking through the lenses of, "Who are you, for real?" I know the Bible stories that we are all taught as children, but I want to go deeper. I want more than just the top layer, the warm fuzzy feelings, the things that are indoctrinated into us by different denominations. Each church has it's own rules and regulations and pathway to Heaven, but honestly the only way is through Jesus. He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) I want to know God's heart. I want to know His desires for my life. I want Him to entrust me with big things, because He knows I'll be faithful to do what He commands. I believe the verse that says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I believe with all my heart that the miracles that were performed in the Bible are performed everyday all over the world. I believe 1 Corinthians 12 is for the church today because there is no scripture that tells us otherwise. Not one. I believe that every single scripture is God breathed and has both literal and spiritual meanings. I believe that God makes His word applicable and alive for His children when we need wisdom and guidance. I believe God's word. Period.
It time to stop taking God for granted. No one will ever love the way He loves. I truly love people, but there is not one person that I would give my daughter's life for. He gave His son for us. We were already etched on His heart when He sent Jesus to this earth with one purpose - to win us back from the grip of the enemy. You may believe in God and simply be away from a relationship with Him right now, but He still loves you. You may not even believe in God, but He still loves you. Sounds simple. It is. He simply loves. That's who He is...
Monday, February 6, 2012
Blind Faith
I'm working on something - relaxing and trusting. The thing is, I'm a planner. I plan things well in advance, and I don't do well when things change suddenly. I like order. I like a schedule. I like to know what to expect at any given moment. I'm annoyed by people that don't follow my way of thinking about this too! Ha! (i'm working on that as well) So, in following God's plan I have to let go of all of this. Gah, seriously?!? My thoughts are often, "You made me this way! Why are You not cooperating with me?" to which I'm certain He says, "Ah, hem...who's not cooperating?"
In following the Lord we don't really get to know much beyond our very next step. And sometimes we don't get to know that until the moment we lift our foot to move forward. Walking with the Lord is all about trust. We are required to trust that He will lead, guide, and direct our footsteps as we let go of our will and choose to follow His. I have found this nearly impossible to do at times. Many times, actually. In fact, I spent all of my 20's doing things my own way. I didn't really ask God which way to go or what He wanted me to do. I was lord over my own life. Shame, shame. That's not the way we are intended to live. We are created to lean not unto our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5)
So here I am at 32 learning to walk in blind faith and disregard my plans as I wait ever so patiently on His. Did I mention I am NOT PATIENT AT ALL?! Imagine what it's like for me right now. I have no idea what His long-term plans for me are, and sometimes He doesn't let me know His short-term plans until the very. last. second. God must really be laughing hysterically. In case you think that the Lord is this really mean guy that just thinks of ways to punish us, let me assure you, He's totally opposite of that. Our heavenly Father loves, adores, cares for us more than we could ever imagine. I mean it. Read His word for any amount of time and you'll see His love pouring out. (If you're just getting started reading pick something other than, say, Lamentations. Start with like, Psalm 33.) Anyway, He totally has a sense of humor, and He totally loves everyone.
Blind faith is a very hard lesson to learn. But it's the key to my future. I may not know the exact details of what's ahead for me, but I do know that there are big things in store. God's training me right now. He's equipping me for my future. He's molding me and making me into His fearless follower. I know that this portion of my training must be finished so that I can move forward to the next part. This is the part where He's teaching me how to hear His voice. He's teaching when to move and when to simply be still and wait. I will let this part of my training come to completion because the reward will be great. Mind you, the reward is always Jesus and getting to know Him more. But in knowing Jesus we are offered things like supernatural peace, unspeakable joy, and for me, eventually, patience. Blind faith...hard, but so very worth it.
In following the Lord we don't really get to know much beyond our very next step. And sometimes we don't get to know that until the moment we lift our foot to move forward. Walking with the Lord is all about trust. We are required to trust that He will lead, guide, and direct our footsteps as we let go of our will and choose to follow His. I have found this nearly impossible to do at times. Many times, actually. In fact, I spent all of my 20's doing things my own way. I didn't really ask God which way to go or what He wanted me to do. I was lord over my own life. Shame, shame. That's not the way we are intended to live. We are created to lean not unto our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5)
So here I am at 32 learning to walk in blind faith and disregard my plans as I wait ever so patiently on His. Did I mention I am NOT PATIENT AT ALL?! Imagine what it's like for me right now. I have no idea what His long-term plans for me are, and sometimes He doesn't let me know His short-term plans until the very. last. second. God must really be laughing hysterically. In case you think that the Lord is this really mean guy that just thinks of ways to punish us, let me assure you, He's totally opposite of that. Our heavenly Father loves, adores, cares for us more than we could ever imagine. I mean it. Read His word for any amount of time and you'll see His love pouring out. (If you're just getting started reading pick something other than, say, Lamentations. Start with like, Psalm 33.) Anyway, He totally has a sense of humor, and He totally loves everyone.
Blind faith is a very hard lesson to learn. But it's the key to my future. I may not know the exact details of what's ahead for me, but I do know that there are big things in store. God's training me right now. He's equipping me for my future. He's molding me and making me into His fearless follower. I know that this portion of my training must be finished so that I can move forward to the next part. This is the part where He's teaching me how to hear His voice. He's teaching when to move and when to simply be still and wait. I will let this part of my training come to completion because the reward will be great. Mind you, the reward is always Jesus and getting to know Him more. But in knowing Jesus we are offered things like supernatural peace, unspeakable joy, and for me, eventually, patience. Blind faith...hard, but so very worth it.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
oops.
This was a misadventure in baking.
I spent a little time - OK, an hour or so - on Pinterest today and saw so many yummy vegan recipes I wanted to try. I got to baking and suddenly forgot all the tidbits of information I've learned over the years. Like, for example, if you add any liquid to melted chocolate it will immediately seize up. Not in a couple of minutes. Immediately. I made what I knew was going to be an ooey, gooey, yummy, dark chocolate brownie which I was going to top with my creamy chocolate peanut butter ganache. Right before pouring the ganache over my brownie I decided to add a little maple syrup to sweeten it up a bit. Needless to say, I had to spread the lump of peanut butter and chocolate with a fork. It looks terrible, but it tastes great. I mean, peanut butter and chocolate are a classic combo, right?
Pretty sure I won't forget that you can't add liquid to melted chocolate. (Add it before it's melted and it will blend beautifully)
Freedom at the Cross
I've always loved to watch people. I'm perfectly content to sit in the middle of a mall and just watch the people that walk by. It annoys my husband because I think he feels like I'm "judging" them. I'm not at all! I love to see how differently we are each made. I like to see what people wear, how they try to present themselves, and how they interact with others. Often times I find myself feeling overwhelmed with compassion towards people. This feeling of overwhelming love, sadness, or compassion has at times left me in tears. I think many times the Lord has allowed me to feel a small amount of the love He has for people (I say small amount because our human bodies simply could not handle feeling all of His love at once.), but I've also been allowed to feel their pain and grief. Sometimes there are burdens that are simply too much for one person to handle. In these moments of our lives the Lord will place some of that burden on others. It's a gift from Him. How awesome to know that the Lord entrusts us with carrying the weight of someone else's burden. In a sense, we get to help them through their difficult time without even saying a word.
The past two Sundays I've spent much of praise and worship looking around at people. Now I love praise and worship time. I look so forward to praise and worship at my church! Our worship leaders usher in God's presence and man, it's amazing! So, to have two Sundays in a row where I'm a bit distracted is unusual. I think the Lord was leading me in these particular "people watching" ventures to show me His love, joy and power. I have found myself so overwhelmed with the joy of the Lord that I sometimes have to snap myself out of it, so to speak. You see, I look around this huge church filled with people who are not ashamed to worship the Lord freely and openly. And then I realized what I was really seeing. Sprinkled in each section were people that I know from Celebrate Recovery. I began to notice people whose lives have been drastically transformed. They are no longer held in bondage to the slavery of sin. They have been delivered and they know without a shadow of a doubt just who set them free. They are worshiping and praising and thanking the Lord for the fact that He brought them out of the depths of despair into His marvelous light. They know God's power. That can't be taken away from them. No one can tell them He's not real, because they know what He brought them out of. Some of these people were addicted to every drug you can imagine, some were alcoholics, some nearly lost their marriages due to broken vows, some had been severely abused both physically and mentally, but ALL are now free! God does not simply want the people who have served Him from childhood and never forsaken Him, He wants us all. He wants to take every single pain, heartache, addiction, struggle, and mess-up and bring healing, restoration, and wholeness back into our lives. This is why He sent His son Jesus to earth.
So many times I think we take the message of the cross for granted. I think that since it's something that we typically learn from a very early age we tend to not really think about the enormity of what it really means. Because of Jesus' perfect, finished work on the cross we do have freedom from our past, present, and future mistakes and heartaches. Jesus died so that we can be free. When we doubt that He really wants to free us or that He has the power to do so, we discount the fact that He shed his blood for us. We take away from the pain and suffering that He endured and in a sense say that He is powerless to help us. All power and all authority is placed in His hands. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God then the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you. (Eph 1:18-23) Grab a hold to that power and walk in the freedom of the cross. Walk in your victory. Dance, sing, praise, and worship because Jesus already overcame death, hell, and the grave for you.
The past two Sundays I've spent much of praise and worship looking around at people. Now I love praise and worship time. I look so forward to praise and worship at my church! Our worship leaders usher in God's presence and man, it's amazing! So, to have two Sundays in a row where I'm a bit distracted is unusual. I think the Lord was leading me in these particular "people watching" ventures to show me His love, joy and power. I have found myself so overwhelmed with the joy of the Lord that I sometimes have to snap myself out of it, so to speak. You see, I look around this huge church filled with people who are not ashamed to worship the Lord freely and openly. And then I realized what I was really seeing. Sprinkled in each section were people that I know from Celebrate Recovery. I began to notice people whose lives have been drastically transformed. They are no longer held in bondage to the slavery of sin. They have been delivered and they know without a shadow of a doubt just who set them free. They are worshiping and praising and thanking the Lord for the fact that He brought them out of the depths of despair into His marvelous light. They know God's power. That can't be taken away from them. No one can tell them He's not real, because they know what He brought them out of. Some of these people were addicted to every drug you can imagine, some were alcoholics, some nearly lost their marriages due to broken vows, some had been severely abused both physically and mentally, but ALL are now free! God does not simply want the people who have served Him from childhood and never forsaken Him, He wants us all. He wants to take every single pain, heartache, addiction, struggle, and mess-up and bring healing, restoration, and wholeness back into our lives. This is why He sent His son Jesus to earth.
So many times I think we take the message of the cross for granted. I think that since it's something that we typically learn from a very early age we tend to not really think about the enormity of what it really means. Because of Jesus' perfect, finished work on the cross we do have freedom from our past, present, and future mistakes and heartaches. Jesus died so that we can be free. When we doubt that He really wants to free us or that He has the power to do so, we discount the fact that He shed his blood for us. We take away from the pain and suffering that He endured and in a sense say that He is powerless to help us. All power and all authority is placed in His hands. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God then the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives within you. (Eph 1:18-23) Grab a hold to that power and walk in the freedom of the cross. Walk in your victory. Dance, sing, praise, and worship because Jesus already overcame death, hell, and the grave for you.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Utter Abandon
Have you ever been broken? I don't mean have you ever had a broken heart because of a lost relationship, the death of a loved one, or some other misfortune. Although that is a form of being broken, it's not the form I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is a form of brokenness because you've realized the utter depths of sin that engulf you. I'm talking about reaching a point in your life of total despair and gut-wrenching longing to simply be washed clean of all of your ugliness. It's a place of brokenness that only the Holy Spirit can bring you to and He does so in His loving kindness. Doesn't sound much like love, but trust me, it's nothing more precious than to have your heavenly Father reveal to you this secret...He longs to change us from the inside out. This is a place that I've been in for nearly 3 years.
I have a love/hate relationship with brokenness. On one hand, I love being here because I know that it's part of God's plan for my life. I committed myself fully to Him and His will for my life. I was not satisfied with anything that this world had to offer me. I knew the presence of God and what serving Him would mean. I don't mean just going to church on Sunday and the occasional Wednesday night. I mean, fully committing my life and will to doing what God has called me to do. I mean taking a stand and saying that I want to be different than I once was. I cried out to Him and said, "That's it. If you'll take this mess and make it a ministry, I'll do everything I can to please You." So you know what He did. He listened. He began to strip away at the layers of sin that I had accumulated and brought me to a place of utter abandon to Him. Being broken is the stripping away of all of me, the emptying me of all of my fleshly desires so that I can be filled with all of Him. This is where the "hate" part comes into play. It's one of the most painful experiences I've ever been through. It's saying goodbye to that old, comfortable place of living in the world where everything is safe and saying hello to a very uncomfortable place of total abandon to God's will.
There have been times over the past couple of years when it would have been a heck of a lot easier to turn back, to give up, to walk away and do things my own way. But because of God's word I know His promises for those who are faithful to Him. These past 3 years have been, at times, the loneliest moments of my life. But that too is all part of His plan. I know that through this intensely painful loneliness He's drawing me closer to Him. I know that He's tuning my ear to be able to hear when He whispers. I know that these moments of feeling like He is so far away are the moments when He is actually the closest to me. And in that I find comfort.
I believe that when I cried out to Him, He immediately planted a seed within me that He's watered and watched grow. Now He's pruning it. Now He's making me into the woman He wants me to be. We can't always live on the mountain tops. We're told that we will face struggles and hard times, but we also have the promise of victory. It's in these moments of despair that we can rest assured that our heavenly Father is not walking beside us but carrying us. So I will press forward with my eyes focused on the prize. My prize, your prize, is Jesus. That's where the victory rests. I've come to a place of utter abandon to Him, and while that requires a season of brokenness, I wouldn't have it any other way.
I have a love/hate relationship with brokenness. On one hand, I love being here because I know that it's part of God's plan for my life. I committed myself fully to Him and His will for my life. I was not satisfied with anything that this world had to offer me. I knew the presence of God and what serving Him would mean. I don't mean just going to church on Sunday and the occasional Wednesday night. I mean, fully committing my life and will to doing what God has called me to do. I mean taking a stand and saying that I want to be different than I once was. I cried out to Him and said, "That's it. If you'll take this mess and make it a ministry, I'll do everything I can to please You." So you know what He did. He listened. He began to strip away at the layers of sin that I had accumulated and brought me to a place of utter abandon to Him. Being broken is the stripping away of all of me, the emptying me of all of my fleshly desires so that I can be filled with all of Him. This is where the "hate" part comes into play. It's one of the most painful experiences I've ever been through. It's saying goodbye to that old, comfortable place of living in the world where everything is safe and saying hello to a very uncomfortable place of total abandon to God's will.
There have been times over the past couple of years when it would have been a heck of a lot easier to turn back, to give up, to walk away and do things my own way. But because of God's word I know His promises for those who are faithful to Him. These past 3 years have been, at times, the loneliest moments of my life. But that too is all part of His plan. I know that through this intensely painful loneliness He's drawing me closer to Him. I know that He's tuning my ear to be able to hear when He whispers. I know that these moments of feeling like He is so far away are the moments when He is actually the closest to me. And in that I find comfort.
I believe that when I cried out to Him, He immediately planted a seed within me that He's watered and watched grow. Now He's pruning it. Now He's making me into the woman He wants me to be. We can't always live on the mountain tops. We're told that we will face struggles and hard times, but we also have the promise of victory. It's in these moments of despair that we can rest assured that our heavenly Father is not walking beside us but carrying us. So I will press forward with my eyes focused on the prize. My prize, your prize, is Jesus. That's where the victory rests. I've come to a place of utter abandon to Him, and while that requires a season of brokenness, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Adventures In Blogging
I've wanted to start a blog for months now but didn't know where to begin or what to blog about. I decided to just do it and write about things I love: faith, family, food, and fashion. And so the adventure begins. At any given moment you'll join me on my journey to grow, indulge, and inspire.
I'll begin with the meaning behind my title, Feathers and Grace. I was reading a devotion one day about a woman who had just heard a sermon about God's divine protection. As she was going home she was attacked by several people trying to mug her. She couldn't remember the exact scripture, but she just started yelling, "feathers! feathers! feathers!" and the muggers left her alone, unharmed. That serves to show us the power behind speaking forth the word of God - even if it is just one word. This happens to be a reference to a scripture that I find particularly beautiful.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4
How amazing it is to know that God Himself covers us and protects us under the feathers of His wings!
Grace, for me, has many meanings. First of all, God's grace in my life has brought me to where I am right now. His grace means so many things: unmerited favor, forgiveness, mercy, love, but most of all - empowerment. His grace working through us allows us to do things that we otherwise never would be able to do or accomplish on our own. It's His strength and power flowing through us to do what we've been called to do.
Second of all, Grace is my great-grandmother's name and my daughter's middle name. I simply love the word and all that it means. :)
So there you have it. Feathers and Grace = Protection and Empowerment. What better way to go through life than protected and empowered?
I'll begin with the meaning behind my title, Feathers and Grace. I was reading a devotion one day about a woman who had just heard a sermon about God's divine protection. As she was going home she was attacked by several people trying to mug her. She couldn't remember the exact scripture, but she just started yelling, "feathers! feathers! feathers!" and the muggers left her alone, unharmed. That serves to show us the power behind speaking forth the word of God - even if it is just one word. This happens to be a reference to a scripture that I find particularly beautiful.
He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:4
How amazing it is to know that God Himself covers us and protects us under the feathers of His wings!
Grace, for me, has many meanings. First of all, God's grace in my life has brought me to where I am right now. His grace means so many things: unmerited favor, forgiveness, mercy, love, but most of all - empowerment. His grace working through us allows us to do things that we otherwise never would be able to do or accomplish on our own. It's His strength and power flowing through us to do what we've been called to do.
Second of all, Grace is my great-grandmother's name and my daughter's middle name. I simply love the word and all that it means. :)
So there you have it. Feathers and Grace = Protection and Empowerment. What better way to go through life than protected and empowered?
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