Endurance

Working out in the gym is worth the results…but very rarely do I WANT to do it. It’s never easy, I have to push harder than my body wants to, it hurts, & it tears my muscles. But if I continue to push through the pain, my body will start to build those muscles back stronger than they once were. It will learn to endure, to build stamina & strength… That’s the exact same way God works in us.

Psalm 84:5-7

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
⁶ As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;
    the autumn rains also cover it with pools.^[a]
7 They go from strength to strength,
    till each appears before God in Zion.

He puts us in situations that we don’t necessarily like, that we are not good at, and we decide to label it as a weakness. So we usually push it to the side & focus on our strengths. But if we press on through that “weakness” we are able to see God work in us. He starts to tear us down & then gradually builds us back up stronger than before, so that not only are we able to do what we once couldn’t, but we also gain trust in Him for when the next challenge occurs, knowing that with Him all things are possible.  He builds in us a strong spirit.

Without Him…I am nothing, BUT Phil 4:13- says “WITH HIM I can do all things because He gives me the strength I need.”

 James 1:2 says

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds”

Learn to enjoy these challenges because this is when you are becoming more like Jesus.

Whatever challenges you face this week, change your perspective & start to perceive it as a way of growing, as a way of becoming more like Christ.

God chose YOU to live the life that you live because He knew YOU could manage it better than anybody else. He believes in you.

Believe Him, trust Him, obey Him… because then you have found favor, and recognize it as just that.

Just one step...

A couple of weeks ago I was in bed trying to get my dog to take a few steps towards me so that I could pick him up and put him up there to sleep. I would call his name, tell him to “Come here” but he wouldn’t budge!! he wouldn’t even take one step forward. If he did, I would have lifted him up and put him on the comfortable bed, with a cover and he wouldn’t have had to do any work to get there, except take a step towards me! Instead he stayed where he was in the cold, on the uncomfortable floor, pacing back and forth staring up at this humungous bed wondering how to get up there to rest.

It reminded me of how I am with God…

HE will call me & tell me to “come here” and all I do is stare at this HUGE mountain of a task wondering how I’m going to do what He’s put in front of me… when all I have to do is take the first step towards Him…and He will do the rest! HE will lift me & place me to where I need to be. Where I am blessed with his presence, power, rest, warmth & comfort, but only IF I take the first step of faith. He’s not forceful, He’s not going to get down off his throne (or out of bed in my case!) to drag me to do something I don’t want to do…even if it is for my own good. He gives us free will to choose to trust Him, to choose to let Him hold us in His hands and lead us towards blessings. Instead we sometimes just sit looking up at Him freaking out about how we are going to get “there”

I was reading in Joshua this morning about how The Lord told Joshua to tell the priests instructions on how to get the people and the ark across the river…

Joshua 3:6, 8, 13 & 17

6 In the morning Joshua said to the priests, “Lift up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the people across the river.” And so they started out and went ahead of the people.

8 Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’”

13 The priests will carry the Ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth. As soon as their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will stand up like a wall.”

17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by. They waited there until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan on dry ground.

Joshua relayed the message from God to the priests, to tell them to take a few steps…and you notice in vs 13, AS SOON AS their feet even touched the water, God moved…MIGHTILY! They took one step & He kept His promise and made it easy for them to cross the river… 

What if the priests didn’t have that kind of faith and didn’t take that step into the water?... what if they freaked out & stayed pacing back & forth wondering how to cross the river? 

Would they have ever made it to the promise land? Or would they have missed out on what God had for them?

Friend, when God is asking you to do something, no matter how impossible or scary it looks, no matter how much you don’t understand it…don’t miss out on what He has for you, trust Him, take ONE step, and watch Him move right before your eyes!

Full Busy vs. Empty Busy - Glynnis Whitwer

I wanted to share with you a blog that I read today that clearly hit home...I haven't had the time to sit & write as I have been "Empty busy" which is the most frustrating busy to be... but Glynnis said it perfect in her blog today!... check it out

October 17, 2011 Full Busy vs. Empty Busy Glynnis Whitwer

“We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” 2 Thessalonians 3:11 (NIV)
 

I love empty calories. I confess. Chocolate brownies are my favorite.
 
Although I try to tell myself the eggs inside make them healthy, the truth is there is little in that fudgy goodness that brings value to my body. Besides the moment of pleasure in my mouth, brownies only fill my need for calories but offer little nutrition.
 
Being busy can have the same effect. We can fill our days with busy-work, then flop on the couch after dinner, exhausted and empty. And yet we look around our homes and wonder why a week’s worth of mail is stacked on the desk, dirty clothes drape over the hamper and the kitchen floor is a sticky slip and slide…but we were so busy!
 
Much like the woman who spends $100 at the grocery store and has nothing for dinner, if we aren’t wise about our busyness, we will find ourselves frustrated at how little gets done. Like the brownies and their empty calories, there is activity that keeps us “busy,” but produces little benefit.
 
One area of temptation to empty busyness is my computer. The nature of my work requires that I spend a lot of my workday at the computer. If I sit down without a plan, two hours can pass and nothing is accomplished – except for watching videos of really cute puppies. However, when I’ve taken the time to set goals for my day, it’s easier to stay focused.
 
The same is true for my housework. When I take a few minutes to identify my priorities for that day, the tasks that need to be accomplished usually get done. Otherwise, it’s 7 p.m. and I’m wondering what’s for dinner.
 
Today’s key verse caught my attention recently. I realized we’re no different from those early believers addressed in it. Only our idleness looks different—it looks like busyness. In fact, we often convince ourselves that it was necessary to get caught up on the news, visit a friend’s blog or research next year’s vacation. Important? Yes. A priority for today? Maybe not.
 
There is a time for brownies, getting caught up with friends and online research. There is a time for rest. After all, God ordained the Sabbath. There is a time for play. Even Jesus enjoyed a wedding reception with His friends. The key for productive busyness is to know what time it is.
 
Instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, a wise woman seeks God’s direction for her work and rest. What has helped me avoid empty busyness is taking the time to pray about God’s will for me each day. My quiet time always includes a to-do list. In addition to spending time just enjoying the Lord’s presence, I also seek His guidance for my day.
 
I sit at my kitchen table, cup of coffee in one hand and pen in the other, and ask God to show me His priorities. He is always faithful to help me create a list of what needs to be done that day—not the next day or next week, but that day.
 
My challenge is to be a good steward of my time—both at work, play and rest. I’ve spent too much time on empty pursuits. Busy isn’t always bad, only when it’s empty. And brownies aren’t bad either, at the right time.
 

Dear Lord, You are the Creator of time, and so often I neglect to seek Your will for my days. You have called me to a place of stewardship with my time and I need Your help. Please show me when and how to be productively busy—and when to set it all aside and rest or play. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
 

3 years ago today...

This weekend Holly Furtick read part of her friends blog. This line that stood out to me the most:

“I understand what it’s like to hurt, I also understand what it’s like to be healed.”

3 yrs ago today on Sept 7^th 2008 I met someone that changed my life, in a dramatic way. I had heard about Him, read about Him, believed about his existence, but never experienced what it was like to KNOW Him… till that day. That was the day I met Jesus.

Now for all of you who knew me before, knew this was a very far-fetched thing. I never lived a bad life where I shot up heroin everyday or stole cars to go joyriding on the weekend. But I definitely was NOT a Jesus girl. I was kindhearted, loved to do things for others, & got in minor amounts of trouble as most do growing up. I did drink excessive amounts, but I’m from England, it’s a usual thing there :) and it was never an issue. I lived a pretty regular life. However, I did think all Christians were nut jobs!

I moved to the states when I was 16, finished hair school & started dating my husband at 20 & got married at the young age of 21.

Our marriage wasn’t perfect, I wasn’t perfect and we had a rough 1^st year. But we muscled through it & 4 yrs later we were at a point where we were in a good place…or so I thought.

I was 25 and my world was about to come crashing down around me. My husband decided I wasn’t enough & left me for someone else, someone I knew.

There was a lot of things I uncovered about him that left me dumbfounded. I felt like I had been living with a complete stranger. My trust for men AND women was completely shattered. I didn’t know what to believe anymore or who to trust, other than my parents. My whole world was put into question.

I would look at people & wonder

“Are they REALLY who they say they are?”

“Do they REALLY mean what they are saying? “

“What kind of other lives are they REALLY living?”

There was still a part of me that was in denial that this was all truly happening…until a week later when I saw my husband with his new girlfriend…I completely lost it and started throwing punches like Mike Tyson, which was very out of character for me, I’d never hit anyone in my life but I had so much anger inside of me.

“How could you do this to me? How could you throw away 5 years? Why wasn’t I enough?” were all the thoughts flooding through my mind.

My denial was gone, I knew it was real, and then, I felt numb.

I didn’t think it could get any worse until I had a phone call that there was a warrant out for my arrest. He had pressed charges…2 counts of assault & 1 count of communicating threats.

I turned myself in, they handcuffed me & I went to jail for 29 hours. It doesn’t seem very long but it felt like the longest 29 hours of my life. I was humiliated when I had to walk into the courtroom in front of my parents with an “Inmate” suit on & shackles around my ankles. I can honestly say I was at rock bottom. I got 1 yr probation & had to do anger management classes, I wasn’t allowed to leave the state so had to get an apartment in NC since my house was in SC. I never thought in a million years that I would be standing here, in this kind of situation. I couldn’t care if my life ended.

At this point, I can’t explain the anger I felt towards my husband. Everything had spun out of control & I felt like I was sinking in quick sand, gasping for air…only I’d given up the will to fight.

It was 5 months later that I was invited to Elevation church. I had only been to Church on one other occasion in my entire life and swore I would NEVER go back…it wasn’t my thing, I believed in God but didn’t feel like I needed to be in Church. On Sept 7^th 2008 I figured I’d go, after all, what did I have to lose at this point!?

I walked into Providence high school, which was where Church was being held. I listened to the sermon Pastor Steven preached about how sometimes we feel cut off from God. How we feel He isn’t there & we wonder why all this bad stuff is happening to us. Only He IS there. He was pruning us, cutting all the dead away so that we can become more fruitful. I let these words sink in…they hit deep; they touched a place in my heart that had been hardened. God’s word was cracking through those walls that I’d built up. Pastor Steven asked if those of us that don’t know Jesus, would open our hearts & let Him in to begin work & heal broken places…I raised my hand. That was the day I accepted Christ as my savior.

I can’t explain the way I felt when I walked out of there that day, not so much changed, but my thinking had changed, my perspective had changed. I was on a new path, heading in a new direction, with Jesus walking beside me.

3 years later I AM changed. I am still heading in a new direction & I am enjoying the journey. Jesus has healed me from the inside out. He walked with me through all the hurt & pain & carried me to the other side when I didn’t have the strength to walk. He has made me a new creation; He has set me on a new path to become all God created me to be. He showed me how to love, how to forgive, how to trust again.

People will still fail me, we are human and it’s to be expected. But HE doesn’t. Life will still get scary & there will be bumps in the road. But HE is there to help guide me. There will still be times where I walk through dark alleys. But His word is a lamp to my feet. His love is so captivating that I never want to be without it. I want all my friends, family & even my ex husband to know the love of Jesus. HE can heal you. He can change you in the best possible way. He can fulfill you more than any earthly thing that you run after.

I dread to think where my life would be if I’d never met Jesus that day. I am forever grateful. I will never forget where He brought me from & I’m excited to see where He is taking me.

He has ingrained a vision on my heart called SOUL 139 to help the underprivileged. I feel honored that God would choose me & allow me to be His hands and feet, to show His love to those that don’t feel loved. So that they may come to KNOW Him & experience the one person whose love never fails.

I have never felt more satisfied, content, comfortable, confident, whole & loved as I do today. He is my savior, my redeemer, my healer, my protector, my God,

He is Jesus…the way, the truth & the life.

Course Adjustment

I was reading a book called 'God is more than enough' this morning and came across this story...I thought it was a great illustration and wanted to share it with you! so here it is...

A car I once owned had a navigational system that for a long time I never used. It was just too much like a computer (in fact it WAS a computer) and people who know mw know that I'm not into computer stuff. So I was stubbornly continuing to find my own way everywhere.
Then one day my son set the system up for me, and punched in where I needed to go that day. He set it all up, and told me the computer would talk to me and tell me where to turn and where to go. So I thought I'd give it a try.
The first thing it told me to do was to back out from my garage. I was shocked. Then it told me how far to continue down the alley to get out onto the street. Step by step it continued giving me every turn to make and the distance for every part of the route, and very soon I was cruising down the freeway. This thing was guiding me all the way, and I was resting. All I had to do was listen to the still small voice of the computer, and it would get me somewhere. The computer had already scoped out the big picture, and it was applying that knowledge to my direction. It was leading me in the paths that were right.
As I drove along I thought, This thing is starting to get fun! Then, as I continued down the freeway, I decided I would check the computer. When the computer told me to get off at the next exit, I kept going. Immediately after I drove past the exit, the computer screen went blank. It totally shut down. I had beaten the system!!
But suddenly the computer popped back on, all by itself, and let me know I would have to take an alternate route. The computer rerouted me. Even though I'd been disobedient and messed up on the first route, even though I had rebelled and chosen my own path, even though I didn't take the way I was supposed to take originally, the computer adjusted to my situation and kept leading me. The computer found me in my disobedience. It found me in my rebellion and created an alternate route, and still got me to the place I was supposed to go.
The bible calls that Grace. Grace is where God meets you, even when you've messed up. He meets you even when you've failed. He meets you even though you've detoured, and He creates an alternate route and still brings you home...so that He will get the glory. He leads us in the right path, always for His name's sake.

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid

There is a line from Serendipity, one of my favorite movies, that stuck with me from the minute I heard it.

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid”

Most people that are stuck in their ways, are very prideful & don’t ever want to be thought foolish. Sometimes following Jesus requires us to look foolish and stupid to the world. That’s the only way we will improve. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves and let Him do His work, which will inevitably change us.

The people in Jesus’ day were so busy arguing and were so focused on what THEY thought the messiah was supposed to look like, that they totally missed the messiah… If only they would allow their hearts to be open to believe… What were they scared of? Being made to look stupid? Worried of being made to look foolish for believing in such an absurd man that did unimaginably crazy miracles? Whatever it was, was it really worth it? In my opinion, absolutely not…

Here are a few of the comments made by the people in John 7

“He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.”

Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”

“But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”[h] 43 So the crowd was divided about him.

At the end of the day, I would rather believe & be thought foolish & stupid by the world, than to harden my heart, question every single thing about Jesus & miss out on living an abundant life through Him.

Believe in Him & watch Him turn your life around to be the most fulfilling you have ever experienced…3 yrs ago on Sept 7^th I did…and my life hasn’t been the same… for that, I am eternally thankful that I was willing to be thought foolish for Jesus.

What are you scared of?

If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid

There is a line from one of my favorite movies, Serendipity that stuck with me from the minute I heard it.

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid”

Most people that are stuck in their ways, are very prideful & don’t ever want to be thought foolish. Sometimes following Jesus requires us to look foolish and stupid to the world. That’s the only way we will improve. Jesus calls us to die to ourselves and let Him do His work, which will inevitably change us.

The people in Jesus’ day were so busy arguing and were so focused on what THEY thought the messiah was supposed to look like, that they totally missed the messiah… If only they would allow their hearts to be open to believe… What were they scared of? Being made to look stupid? Worried of being made to look foolish for believing in such an absurd man that did unimaginably crazy miracles? Whatever it was, was it really worth it? In my opinion, absolutely not…

Here are a few of the comments made by the people in John 7

“He’s nothing but a fraud who deceives the people.”

Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? 27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from.”

“But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”[h] 43 So the crowd was divided about him.

At the end of the day, I would rather believe & be thought foolish & stupid by the world, than to harden my heart, question every single thing about Jesus & miss out on living an abundant life through Him.

Believe in Him & watch Him turn your life around to be the most fulfilling you have ever experienced…3 yrs ago on Sept 7^th I did…and my life hasn’t been the same… for that, I am eternally thankful that I was willing to be thought foolish for Jesus.

What are you scared of?

I now see the one who sees me

Isaiah 43:4 You are precious and honored in my sight.

During my prayer time this morning, I was praying for my boy David that I sponsor. I don’t have kids, so I don’t know what it’s like to love your own child. But knowing David & just getting to spend that week with him, was enough to get a glimpse of that. I feel like I love him more because I KNOW him. I have an other little guy in Ethiopia that I sponsor & while I still care for him, I don’t feel the same about him as I do David, because I don’t KNOW him, I’ve never met him, I see him & write to him, but he doesn’t see me and we have never formed a bond.

God reminded me today that the way I care for David, is the way He cares for me. HE is fond of me, because he KNOWS me. He has always seen me; I have just not always seen Him. I feel the unbeliever would be like my Ethiopian boy, Ashenafi. God loves the unbeliever, but the unbeliever doesn’t KNOW God and doesn’t have a close relationship with Him. And as much as God loves the unbeliever deeply, because He created Him, he is more fond of His child that sees Him back.

If you KNOW Jesus & have a personal relationship with Him, know that He cares for you & knows your every thought, every movement & every hearts desire. He loves you unconditionally & there is nothing you can do that can change that.

If you don’t know Jesus personally, I invite you to start that relationship today. He sees you right where you are, He loves you right where you are, but when you see Him… that’s when the bond forms. When He lifts your eyes to meet His own, that’s when you realize you are loved beyond comprehension, that’s when you start to revolve everything in your life around Him & realize that you are part of a bigger story… that’s a great realization.

I am so grateful that I now see the one who sees me & has always seen me.

LET GO...You are squeezing the life out of something that God wants to breathe life in

God alone knows what is best for us, so why can’t we trust Him with our hearts, dreams, desires & plans?

It is OK to plan & prepare, but we need to LET GO and stop trying to control the outcome, leave that up to God.

That goes for anything in life,

~ Losing weight

~ Starting a business

~ With your spouse

~ If you’re single, looking for a spouse

~ In any friendship/relationship

~ With your kids

Psalm 138:8

The Lord will work out His plans for my life,

For your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.

Maybe God is trying to change something in you & you are so focused on what YOU want to change, that you are missing what God is trying to do.

LET GO…You are squeezing the life out of something that God wants to breathe life into

You need to let go of control and let Him work. Stop focusing on what YOU want & start focusing on what GOD wants to do IN & THROUGH you.

What are you holding on to?

What are you trying to control?

What are you scared of if you let go?

He’s got your situation in His hands; nothing is too big for Him.

Psalm 139:5 says…

You go BEFORE me & FOLLOW me

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Friend, God has already gone before you, & He’s got your back. He has already let this situation pass through His hands; He knows you can handle it as long as you are dependent on Him.

Stop trying to do it yourself, you will wear yourself out …I know, because I am at that point…For the last few weeks I have been relying on my own strength to get things done, the way I feel they should be done…I’m tired, overwhelmed & just plain exhausted…God spoke softly yesterday and said “Let me do it…”

I wonder when I am going to learn, because I seem to do this every time.

Why do we continue to try to do things in our own strength, when He is willing to do the work?

We just have to let Him…  

Today give God the room, let Him show you just how big He is…Plan & prepare, then let go & let Him do what He’s good at!  I promise you, you’ll feel a lot lighter if you put down the load you are carrying. After all, that’s what Christ died for.

He sees you... even when you don't see Him

Today I was telling the story of my trip to Guatemala to one of my clients. I got to a part that I had told about a squillien times, but God really spoke to me this time.

It was when our team had woken up early to walk the kids to school. We waited outside their dorm at 7am for them to come out. Kristi & I waited a little further up by the bridge to say good morning to the girls who were coming down from a different area. I saw the boys come out of their dorm and each one made their way over to the team member they had made a connection with. I saw David (the boy that I am sponsoring) before he saw me. I stood and watched as he looked for me in the crowd & when he didn’t see me, he put his head down and walked on as though he was disappointed… I stood there with a huge grin on my face because I could see him the whole time & I knew he thought I didn’t come out to see him…when he walked past me with his head down I pushed him. He looked up, saw me, let out a loud “ahhhhh” and gave me a huge hug! That moment made my day…actually my week! 

Today when I told that story, it made me think that’s what happens with God & us.

We are hopeful for something, we think he is going to come through in a certain way…and he doesn’t. We get disappointed thinking He’s forgotten about us & then he totally surprises us with His greatness in another way!!!! And it’s always so much better than we had imagined!

Friend, God hasn’t forgotten about you. He is still there even when you don’t see him. He is watching from afar to see how you will react to the situation He has placed you in before He makes his presence known.

God hasn’t forgotten what it is that you’re asking for either, if He knows YOU, he certainly knows what your heart desires…He is watching you with a huge smile on His face because He knows He’s there. He knows what’s in store for you!!!! Stay hopeful, even when you don’t see him… He sees you.

Live by faith, not by sight ~Pastor Steven Furtick

Inner or outer loop?

As I was driving yesterday, I was trying to think of which way I needed to go when I got onto the 485 loop that extends around the city of CLT. See, the signage changes depending on your location on the loop. Sometimes it will say North or South, East or West, other times it will say Inner or Outer. So you really have to know where you are, in order to figure out which way you are going.

It occurred to me that it’s the same way in our relationship with God. It’s about perspective. You have to understand where God has placed you, to know where He wants you to go.

Do you understand & appreciate where God has placed you? Or are you asking the question “Why am I where I am? “

What is my purpose in this job? In this city? In this friendship? In this Church?

Friend, WE make mistakes, but HE doesn’t. He has placed you there for a specific reason. He knew your decision before you made it. He has already worked it out for your good.

Sometimes we have to step away from the picture in order to see what’s inside the frame.

Other people may look at our lives, see the beautiful picture and envy us, while we are sitting there thinking ”what in the world am I doing HERE?”

You may think you are wasting time, in the wrong place or think you got on the outer loop when you needed to be on the inner loop!  God has a purpose for having you right where you are. He will use this time to prepare you for where you are going.  You just have to know WHERE you are, to get WHERE you’re going.

Where are you? What is God trying to teach you in this season of life? What is He speaking to you that you’re not quite getting because you are so focused on thinking you are in the wrong place?

You need to sit and take a look at all the scenery that God has put around you during this time in your life.

Today I sat and wrote down some blessings that God has placed around me…we all have them, we just need to open our eyes to see & appreciate them.

My life may not seem glamorous to some people, and to others it might…all I know is I am right where God meant for me to be & that I am so thankful for the life that I get to live.

I get to work in the best salon in Charlotte, with some amazingly fun people. I get to go to THE best Church IN-THE-WORLD, where I met my most incredible friends who have become like family. I have the most caring & thoughtful mum & a step dad that I call dad, because he is every essence of the word. I get to travel to Central America on mission trips & to London to visit family.

Sometimes we don’t realize how good we have it until we step back & look at it from a different perspective. When you start looking at your life from different view, you start to appreciate it. When you start to appreciate it, you start to realize that where you are may not be the wrong place after all. You realize that even if you were on the outer loop & needed to be on the inner loop, that you can still get where God intended you to be, you just had to go about it a different way than maybe YOU had originally intended.

God has you where he wants you & although it seems as though you are going the wrong way on the loop, he has a purpose for taking you that way around.

If you never went that way, you would never know what was there…maybe He wants you to know what’s there, so you can help someone else get to their destination while you are on your way to yours.

Proverbs 3:6

Seek Him in all you do & He will direct your paths

Soul 139

WOW… I don’t even know where to start. What an incredible day Sunday 24^th July 2011 was …the first day of Soul 139.

I have been planning this since God laid the vision on my heart 5 months ago. I am still in the process of filling out papers to apply for non profit status & trying to lay the foundation, but I didn't want to let that stop me from moving. I decided to have a "Demo day" & Sunday I got the privilege of doing hair for some people from hope haven & Jackson Park.

I couldn’t believe the day actually happened. God has orchestrated this perfectly from the get go. The whole journey has pushed me out of my comfort zone in numerous ways. But that is where God grows me the most. Each time I’m obedient, as scary as it is, He blesses me beyond words. I had the privilege to pray with these people, to lift them up to Jesus & ask His blessing over them. I had the opportunity to create a style & to honor them in a way that has not been done in a long time, if ever for some of them. We had men, women & kids! It was a great day.  The neighbors were SO appreciative for everything that took place.

I am so grateful for the amazing people God has placed in my life to be able to make SOUL 139 what it is. Without them, that day would not have been possible or as special as it was.

I want to take a moment to thank each of them for all they did…Thank you to

~ Maximized living Dr, Dr Matthew McAlees from Carolina Chiropractic who taught our neighbors how to live a maximized life!

~ Brooke Thomas of bthealthsource.com who made the scrumptious healthy black bean brownies & also helped with nails.

~ Cara Hyde, for helping prepare food & talking with neighbors.

~ Andy Brooks, for making the caprese salad & talking with neighbors.

~ Tony Godfrey f,or the awesome massage, that they LOVED.

~ LD Akers for photography…can’t wait to see all the pics.

~ Tina Shaw for taking time to chat with neighbors & make them feel comfortable

~ Adam & Karen Rummel, for shooting video, talking with neighbors & helping with nails.

~ Heidi McClure & Brittany McClure for nails & the use of the camera… plus Thank you to Logan McClure who is skillfully editing the video!!!

~ Kristin Clark for nails & support

~ Sonshine Watkins, Eric McPhaul, Daniel Pesirithes & Tanya Brown for doing hair…you all did an amazing job .

~ Kristi DeMeritte, for being my “Chunks Corbett”, Prayer warrior & constant support

 Krystal & James McLean, Dominick Thompson, Kinte Clark, Howard Hollins, Gayle Hollins for your support.

I plan to have a tumblr site up soon with more photos & video of the day! I hope you will go check it out to see what went on. I am also planning to have the next Soul 139 day on Sept 25^th (not set in stone) If you’d like to be involved in the next one please email me at soul139mog@gmail.com

Also check out our FB page & please “LIKE” it!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/SOUL-139/200236700014507?sk=info

Thanks so much

Anticipate

When I was at Casa Aleluya last week, Mike, the man who started the orphanage, preached a great message to us about being a soldier of God. He said a soldier doesn’t quit; a soldier keeps on fighting to the very end. He explained that there is no armor on the back of the soldier because he was not intended to ever turn & run from the battle. Soldiers were made to face it head on, that is when they are protected.

In the same way their armor protects them when they fight, God protects me when I come up against opposition.  I don’t have His full protection when I turn & run from it- I was not made for that. God made me to be a fighter. He made us all soldiers, with the ability to be strong & willing to fight for Him.

I am about to do something huge to advance His kingdom in this city… and the opposition I have faced since I have started the process has been insanely difficult. Sometimes I have wanted to throw in the towel. But at the end of the day, I love Jesus & I want to fight no matter what. The only way to lose, is to give up...and I'm not a quitter! So that's not even a question. When I want to quit the most, is when I need to fight my hardest. What keeps me going is knowing that God placed this calling on my life, I know He will see me through it. We must depend of God with absolute obedience to be sure of the victory He has promised us!

The other day God laid on my heart the word “anticipate” I responded with “Anticipate what!?” a couple of days later I was walking & thinking about Soul 139 (the nonprofit I am starting) I have the first day tomorrow & I was feeling nervous, discouraged, scared, intimidated & looking forward for it to be over… now…when I’m chosen to do Gods work…those are not the feelings I should be feeling! He has given me great gifts to be able to use for His glory, tomorrow I get the chance to love on some people, the way He loved me.

“Anticipate” came to my mind again. Only this time I thought, my relationship with God right now in this situation is a lot like my relationship with my assistant. I tell them all the time to “anticipate what I am going to do & prepare for it” They do what THEY can do, so I am able to do what I can do. They set me up for the next haircut, but ultimately it’s up to me to pull off the haircut & make the client look & feel great when they walk out the door. So right now, it’s my job to “Set up” & anticipate what God is going to do, then leave the outcome to Him!

Putting things in His hands is one of the most difficult things for me to do. I’m a planner, a perfectionist & like to be in control of the situation. If I don’t think it’s going to get done right, I do it myself. Which is exactly why I get overwhelmed & burned out. God never intended us to do it on our own; He can do abundantly more than we can EVER do ourselves! Plus, Jesus died for us to not have to carry this junk.

This is a learning experience for me to exercise putting this event in His hands, because as of right now… there is nothing more I can do, Its out of my control. He will run the show the way He wants it done. That might not be the way I anticipated for, but at the end of the day, I’ve done all I can do, it’s time for Him to do all He can do! After all…it’s His show!

These are some verses that I read that helped me stay motivated... the people around me are my fighting men! I appreciate all those that have my back. I love you!

Joshua 8:1 Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men & attack.
Joshua 8:7 You will jump up from your ambush & take possession of this town, for the Lord your God will give it to you
Joshua 8:8 Set the town on fire (For Christ :) as the Lord has commanded, you have your orders.

http://www.tumblr.com/tumblelog/soul139

Guatemala 2011

I can’t even begin to put into words the feelings Guatemala left me with. I never in a million years could have predicted the impact these Children had on me.

I have to be honest, when I first arrived at Casa I thought “what on earth am I doing here…I can’t talk to these kids. I’m not gonna have an impact on them, I have no idea what they have been through” I was right about one thing…I may not have had an impact on them… they had one on me!!!

 I left my heart in Guatemala with the kids, particularly one boy… his name was Danni David Roca Lopez. I met him half way through the week. I was getting attached to so many of the kids, but God kept putting David on my heart. He was sort of stand offish, which a lot of the kids there are…they have so many groups come in and out, why would they open up to someone, only to be left a week later?

When he played cards with us he kept cheating & putting the cards in his pockets. I called him the hustler of the group! Everytime you asked him a question he would roll his eyes and go “pssshhh”  if you asked him his name, he would lie & say “Jose’” or “Carlos” anything but his real name, and would crack up laughing. I started asking him about his rings as he had on two. They werern’t really rings, they were plumbing tube rings but he wore them all the time. When I finally got him talking he told me that he wanted to get rings on every finger. I felt led to give David my ring. It was my John 15 ring that I swore I would never give away. It made my heart happy to give that to him. He sat and looked at it for ages & said “for me!?” he seemed surprised that someone would give HIM something. From that point on, he was totally different with me. He hated having his photo taken, but he would let me take it. He would never smile if in a photo, and he would smile if I asked him to…towards the end of the week, I didn’t even have to ask, he just did…it was amazing to see him open up so much more than when I first met him. He even gave me hugs every once in a while! We spent a lot of time together & I finally told him that I was going to sponsor him…I had never seen him smile so big all week. I can’t explain the way it made me feel to see him show some kind of emotion. It made me happy to see him happy.

God really worked in my heart on this trip. He broke my heart for what breaks His. When I think about the children at Casa, I cry. Partially happy tears because they are in a great place, partially sad tears because of what they have been through to end up there. I’m so grateful for the life that I have been given. These kids have nothing, they don’t have anybody to tell them that they are loved, they don’t have parents, or someone to pour into them constantly, they have ripped shoes & clothes, they literally have nothing but one another, yet they have so much joy. The smiles on some of their faces are unforgettable.

There was a boy named Jose who had just arrived at Casa, he had the most amazing heart. Unlike David, he was very affectionate. He would be smiling all the time & come running to give you a hug as soon as he saw you. The day we left, I cried & he walked up to me, gave me a huge hug & rubbed my back…it made me laugh that a 10 yr old was consoling me. He is such a sweet boy & I hope life doesn’t change that.

This trip made me walk away with the realization that life is too short to be busy “doing” all the time… Yes we should love to serve…but we also need to take time to “savor”  (thank you Kristi) each blessing God puts in our life. I left Casa thinking that if these kids that have been through so much in their lives can have joy & smile because they are alive, no longer being abused & know Jesus. Then why can’t we smile all the time…we have SO much to be thankful for! It goes to show, stuff really doesn’t bring you happiness. If anything, it takes happiness away.
To see the way these kids live their lives, showed me that Jesus can heal more than I could ever imagine! Learn to love one another, fully. Savor each moment. Endure hard times with joy & keep your eyes on Jesus. He is our source…no one or nothing can fulfill & heal us the way He can.

                                      
WHEN I GAVE DAVID THE RING, CISSY CAUGHT THE MOMENT ON CAMERA.

THE FIRST DAY DAVID STARTED TO TALK TO ME PROPERLY

WHEN I TOLD DAVID I WAS GOING TO BE HIS SPONSOR

THE LAST NIGHT AT THE SOCCER TOURN. I LOVE THIS KID!!!!!!!!

A poem from my Nanna

I wanted to share my "Grandmas poem of wisdom" that I found in my bedside drawer today! It touched my heart & I hope it does yours.

From my Nanna to me!

I've travelled paths you've yet to walk
Learned lessons old and new
And now this wisdom of my life
I'm blessed to share with you

Let kindness spread like sunshine
Embrace those who are sad
Respect their dignity, give them joy
And leave them feeling glad

Forgive those who might hurt you
And though you have your pride
Listen closely to their viewpoint
Try to see the other side

Walk softly when you're angry
Try not to take offense
Invoke your sense of humor
Laughters power is immense

Express what you are feeling
Your beliefs you should uphold
Don't shy away from what is right
Be courageous and be bold

Keep hope right in your pocket
It will guide you day by day
Take it out when it is needed
When it's near you'll find a way

Remember friends & family
Of which you are a precious part
Love deeply and love truly
Give freely from your heart

The world is far from perfect
There's conflict & there's strife
But you still can make a difference
By how you live your life

And so I'm very blessed to know
The wonders you will do
Because you are my Granddaughter
And I believe in you!

Don't miss the point

The Gospel has been distorted over the years & it has resorted to being about rules and restrictions rather than a relationship. The plot has been lost. The point has been missed.

There are still so many Christians out there that are racist, homophobes & extremely judgmental about the way other people live their lives! These people definitely DON’T show the love of Christ. They make un-believers reject Jesus! They even make some Christians want to reject being a “Christian.” I know I don’t want to be associated with any of that.

People can get so focused on things that don’t matter…it’s not about any of that!!! Don’t miss the point! Jesus didn’t die on the cross for you to be able to go around pointing the finger & deciding who goes to heaven & who doesn’t, who is worthy & who isn’t…that’s not your job. He died on the cross to set us free from the sin that holds us captive. He died on the cross to carry our heavy burdens so that we don’t have to. He died on the cross to show how much God loves each & every one of us…UNCONDITIONALLY, and it’s way more than you or I can fully comprehend.

The Gospel is supposed to give hope…In the book I recently read, Love Wins, the author makes a good point when he tells the story of a son dying and a Christian woman asks the mum “was he a Christian?” when the mum says “no” the Christian woman responds with “so there is no hope then” …WHAT!?!?!.... What kind of love is that??

THE GOSPEL IS ABOUT HOPE…what kind of hope does that give the mother who just lost her child?!  What about that statement would make that mother WANT to know Jesus during her time of suffering? Or ever? 

That “Christian” woman just pointed this poor mother in the complete opposite direction of the one thing that could help her through it…Jesus.

Who is she to say that woman’s child didn’t go home to be with his father, that loves him unconditionally, that sent his son to die for him, that created him & knows him inside & out?

“You don’t have to DO anything; God has already done it through Jesus.” Rob Bell

God offers a free gift of eternal life through Jesus, we cannot earn by our own efforts, works or good deeds. Only God can judge that…not us, ever

We get accepted by Gods Grace…by His mercy, that’s it!!!!

You don’t HAVE to go to Church, you don’t HAVE to read the bible, you don’t HAVE to live your life a certain way, and we are all given a choice. But God instructs that we do because we will be in our sweet spot, where he designed us to be. Sin is crippling, He instructs us to live a certain way so that we can have a FREE life. Discipline brings freedom. Christ brings freedom.

The point of Church, fellowship & bible study is to draw closer to God because it’s there that you learn what His character is like, you learn that God IS love, God IS good & He IS great. It is there that you are supposed to get fed so that you can go out and feed others.

When we realize life is not about us & we are indeed a part of a bigger story, we start to get a different perspective. God is always present no matter where you are, it’s just up to us to seek Him & open our eyes to see the blessings that He puts in front of us everyday. It’s up to us to lean into Him and rest in His strength & not try to do it on our own. Seek & you shall find.  

Jesus’ message isn’t about getting somewhere else… or HOW to get to heaven, it’s about bringing that somewhere else here, bringing heaven to earth…It’s about living life in Him abundantly NOW, growing yourself as a person to be more like Jesus, caring for others, showing compassion, helping people, putting others first, going above and beyond…but not because you HAVE to, but because you WANT to… because you know that Jesus loves you unconditionally… it brings that out in you. When you realize that, you can’t help but love others the same way He loves you- be a mirror and reflect Gods love to others.

Pregnant with desire

I was reading Captivating today and there was a section that caught my attention. It said:

“The waiting does not diminish us. As a pregnant woman is enlarged in her waiting, so are our hearts. God does not always give us what we so desperately want, when we want it. He is after something much more valuable than our happiness. He is restoring & growing in us an eternal weight of glory.”

It got me thinking…

Much like a pregnancy, God puts a desire in us, He grows it while we wait. He calls us to be patient during time of growth. Then he births it when the time is right.

We always tend to push things along. I know I do that often! We think we are ready & want it NOW… and what could have been great in Gods timing, is now defected because we rushed it & pushed for OUR timing.

I like the definition of the word defected:

The lack of something necessary or desirable for completion or perfection

With any situation, if we wait patiently on His timing, it will be perfect. Before then there could be complications & incomplete growth.

Its time to come before Him, unguarded, undistracted & be fully present. Stop trying to be in control, open up, let your defense down & let God grow you during this time of waiting. He will do more than you could ever imagine, just seek Him & ask!

Be patient, persistent, but purposeful. 

The process is what we go through to receive the gift

Who was Kat before Christ?

A friend asked me not so long ago “Who was Kat before Christ?”

We were at dinner with lots of other people and I thought it was a bit of an in depth question to answer right then and there, so I spluttered out something that later, I felt very unfulfilled with.

The question came back up when I was reading this morning, and I felt as though God was asking me again “who were you before me?” I took the time to write down who I was then & who I am now…It really made me see how much has changed in my life & how much God has captivated my heart in ways that I didn’t even realize, because I’m so caught up in every day life & learning to walk with Him.

Whether you have walked with Him a long time, or just gave your life to Him…we ALL still tend to forget what He’s done. Sometimes we just don’t allow ourselves to think that deep, we stay surface level, it’s safer… but I’m going to ask you

Who were you before Christ? What has Jesus done in your life since that defining moment of when you truly gave your life to Him?

If you don’t know Christ then I will ask “Who are you?” and do you think you’re missing the mark on who God made you to be? Friend, I want nothing more than for you to know who you COULD be if you knew Christ. God brings out the best in all of us…He made us, so He knows what’s best for us.

I will share my "THEN's" & "NOW's" with you as maybe it will help initiate your thought process.

THEN

I never knew I was loved by God

I was closed off to people

I was lonely even though I had tons of friends

I didn’t know how to show or receive affection

I didn’t believe in waiting till I was married to have sex

I was somewhat wreckless

I wasn’t secure in who I was

I didn’t have joy

I had no purpose

I loved to do for others but was too embarrassed to do it

I was selfish

I was a hard worker but didn’t want to be seen as a “goody two shoes”

I cared tremendously what people thought

I would seek attention, usually from men

I was scared

I was negative

I would stay in my comfort zone

I thought I was loved conditionally

I was shy & quiet

I thought I was “too much to handle” “not good enough” “unworthy”

I would never initiate conversations

I would NEVER be vulnerable

I didn’t trust, and if I did it was always an unsafe person

I didn’t like affection or emotional/romantic ushy gushy things because I didn’t know how to handle it

I never wanted kids or to get married because I thought it was a sign of neediness & weakness to be a “mother & wife” (boy was I wrong)

I thought crying was a sign of weakness

I thought I had to always have it all together

I held onto bitterness & unforgiveness

I wanted revenge for those that hurt me

NOW

I know Jesus loves me

I know I am beautiful the way God made me & I will strive to look after what He gave me

I LOVE to help & do for others & I’m not embarrassed to do it

I can receive a compliment

I’m joyful

I’m content

I have a purpose

I will get out of my comfort zone because I know God will grow me the most there

I’m a reader

I’m a leader (because readers are leaders) ha

I will talk to people I don’t know

I want a family of my own

I am learning that it’s OK to be independent & still be vulnerable

I am learning to get comfortable with affection & accepting words of love from friends & family

I am learning I don’t have to have it together all the time & I don’t have to be tough

I’m an encourager

I know not to stay in discouragement because God has amazing things planned for my life!

I’m not scared when bad things happen because I know God has already allowed it to happen & HE will walk with me through it…

I have a different perspective, I look for lessons in every situation

I’m learning to trust safe people

I forgive because I am forgiven

I don’t hold onto bitterness

I don’t want revenge & I hurt for those that hurt me

I am learning how to give my burdens to God…Jesus died so that I don’t have to carry them (this will always be a struggle)

I can still be selfish sometimes, I’m human, but know now that I need to regain my focus on God and do what He’s asking me to do and put others before myself

I am a hard worker, but I do it FOR Him & to make a difference on this earth like He put me here to do.

My heart hurts for hurting people

I have peace

I want for people to know the love of Christ

I want to wait till I’m married to be intimate. I don’t want to share that with anyone other than my husband

I’m attracted to a completely different type of person

I seek God for attention & acceptance, only He can fulfill me the way I was always looking for

What used to make me happy (or so I thought) doesn’t even have a place in my schedule

I never thought that I’d LOVE to spend a Saturday night reading Gods word rather than going out partying. Some of that comes with age too :)

I want what God wants rather than what I want, He always ends up giving me what I desire when it’s the same thing He wants anyway!

I’m secure in who I am, because I know WHOSE I am…. I know who I belong to & that’s all that matters

I’m not who I was, but I’m not yet who I will be either. I am who I am, because He made me that way and each day He shows me how to grow & be better.

Hope this helps you get started in beginning to see who you are in Christ. :)

God is faithful, believe His promises

Believing God for His promises is sometimes a difficult thing to do.

In Dec 2010 I felt like God was starting to prepare me for a spouse. Didn’t know how, when or who, but I felt like he was strategically placing people in my life to prepare me for that. He was showing me that there ARE Godly men worth waiting for. He was placing Godly relationships & marriages around me that I could watch & learn from. I didn’t know then, and still don’t know now, who that person is. Those are not details I wish to be hung up on.

But since then, God has asked me to give up certain relationships…. which at the time seemed really hard. Now that I look back on it, it wasn’t too bad & it was the best thing for me. (who woulda thought, God knows what He’s doing!?)

God won’t bring the RIGHT person in your life while you are hung up on the WRONG person.

Sometimes I get discouraged and think

“Did God really promise me this?”

“Was it just my own desire?”

“When will be MY time?”

“Am I going to be one of those that he has called to be single?”

“Do I REALLY want a husband?”

“I am happy & very content on my own, why let go of that?”

So when I start to doubt & get discouraged I tell myself…

Yes, He did promise me this.

Yes it is my desire, but I run after God & my heart desires what He desires for me. A Godly man that when partnered with me, we’ll be a team unstoppable for Christ.

No, God has not called me to be single.

Who knows when my time is, stop asking & let God work.

 Yes, I do want a husband.

And the reason I should let go of something good (being on my own) when the time comes, for something better (a husband) is because it’s worth it…even though it may be more work, it will grow me, strengthen me, push me closer to God, get me out of my comfort zone, test my faith, make me lean on Him & will teach me how to be selfless…AND I will make a bigger impact for Christ when partnered with the right person.

That’s the last thing satan wants, so of course he is going to try to discourage me… he uses the same tactic every time, I know when he does it but don’t always know how to fight it… today, that changes!

Writing about Gods promises & past faithfulness will help me trust Him in my future.

There is always a waiting period between the promise & the payoff… what are you gonna do during that waiting period?? Will you sit & whine about not getting what God has promised yet? Will you sit & doubt that God DID actually promise? Or will you push on, learn, grow, be obedient in the little things He has called you to NOW & believe God confidently while you’re waiting?!

Some encouraging verses to help you remember that God will come through on what He has promised you. Whether that be a husband/wife, a job, a baby, a strong marriage, provision or just peace & rest. He will provide what He has promised… in His time! In the meantime, keep your eyes on Him, do what He’s called you to do & Trust Him!

Hebrews 10:23-25

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love & good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return draws near.

Hebrews 10:35-36

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do Gods will. Then you will receive all that He has promised”

Hebrews 11:1

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen. It gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”

Practice makes perfect, be careful what you practice

Each morning I receive an email from Girlfriends In God.  It’s usually some scripture, a story and how it relates to God in our lives and some encouragement. I then went on to read James 3 because that’s what my bible was open to and funnily enough it talked about the same subject.

God is clearly speaking to me about this today because it was mentioned in each thing I read… My words.

How you use your words can really make or break a person. In the email I read the quote

“How do you use your words? To fortify or flatten, to defend or defeat, complete or compete”

How many times do we carelessly let words flow and not think of the damage it can cause another person, even when we’re not intending it to? I know I do it often, usually in a playful manner, but nonetheless…it doesn’t make them any less deflating or destructive.

James 3:3-6 says

We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in it’s mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest fire.

What you say and what you DON’T say are both important. In James 3 it talks about examples of an untamed tongue

Gossiping, exaggerating, complaining, manipulating, flattery, lying, bragging, & putting others down.

Before you speak, ask, is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

James 3:7-12 says

“People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, & fish. But no one can tame the human tongue. It is relentless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes the tongue praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing & cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely my brothers and sisters, that’s not right. Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water & bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.

My contradictory speech will often surprise me, I’ll sit and think “why do I have so say things like that?” or “where on earth did that come from” At times my words are pleasing to God, other times they are destructive. Which of these reflect my true identity?

The bible says “We are made in Gods image, but the tongue gives us a picture of our basic sinful nature. The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, he gives self control so that the person will speak words that please God.”

Today I pray that the Lord will continue to convict me when I start to become a salty spring. I want my words to reflect Jesus inside of me, not me. I want to speak life into those around me & lift them up, not tear them down.

My downfall is that I don’t mean it and it’s my way of playing, I usually only do it when I feel comfortable around a person enough to play that way. It may start as a spark but there will come a point that it will start a huge fire…

I read something the other day that said

“Practice makes perfect, be careful what you practice”

I don’t ever want to put something into practice that will become perfect, if it’s not joined with life.

Speak life to those around you today, encourage, inspire, love and see their potential skyrocket.