I love celebrating! For the past 14 years in Flagstaff, our city leaders have created a tradition of dropping a pine cone from one of the old hotel balconies in the center of town. This event has grown from a real, large-sized pine cone found in the forest to a giant metal pine cone with blinking lights. The Pine Cone Drop has become known around the country and the world. For the last few years, the streets have been closed to handle the thousands of people who gather at 10pm (coinciding with the New York City Ball Drop) and then again at 12am to cheer and sing and dance in celebration of the new year. Somehow the dropping of a pine cone has inspired people to come and celebrate together.
In the last few years, I have devised a plan to be able to see both the 10pm and 12am Pine Cone Drop without freezing to death! We have collected some friends to join us at a local restaurant for dinner at 9:30pm. At 9:50pm we step out the door of this restaurant and we are looking right down the street at the pine cone. And then we turn around to see fireworks soaring off the roof of another local hotel. When our dinner is over, we step outside again at 11:50pm and do it all over again. It has been suggested to me that we could eat a bit earlier and head home after the 10pm drop, but I can't imagine sitting on my couch when I could be cheering with my neighbors in downtown Flagstaff. It is so much fun to feel the excitement and energy of the New Year's Eve cheer!
As I reflected on this celebration and my exuberance in the anticipation, I ran across a scripture in my Bible that spoke to me. I was reading in 1 Chronicles 15 about the time King David brought the ark of the Lord back into Jerusalem. The ark of the Lord was the place the people associated with God's presence in the Old Testament. So the ark represented bringing God's presence back to Jerusalem. As you can imagine, quite a celebration broke out in the city as the ark came in.
It says in 1 Chronicles 15:28 "...with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres." In verse 29, it says in the Amplified Bible that King David was "...leaping as in sport..." I especially love this visual because often time the joy of life and the Lord causes me to jump in the air and click my heals together! We are created to celebrate! Yes, bad things happen, but in the mix are many reasons for joyous celebration!
In this New Year, I am going to take the opportunity to demonstrate the joy in my heart! There are so many moments worthy of shouting, singing, and jumping for joy! God has filled our lives with reasons to celebrate! And the greatest reason to celebrate is His presence in our lives! And maybe in the exuberant celebration, someone will learn all the Lord has done for me! So join me this year in the celebration!
1 Chronicles 16:8-13. "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, O descendants of Israel his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones."
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Monday, December 3, 2012
A Legacy of Prayer and Thanksgiving
I received a card in the mail from my aunt and uncle for Thanksgiving. It is not unusual for me to receive a card from them at Thanksgiving as they are very close to my heart and very gracious people, but when I looked at this card there was something different. The card I received had the picture of a little girl kneeling down in prayer with fruit all around her. She was wearing an apron and had her hands folded and her gaze was focused in a direction off to the side. It was clear that her focus was not on anything in the picture, but something beyond her natural surroundings. As I pondered the front of this card, I thought to myself, "There is something familiar about this card. It seems like it is from someone other than my aunt and uncle."
This peaked my interest as I opened the card. Why had my aunt picked this particular card and why was it so different from the others I have received over the years? When I read the words of the card, tears flowed down my face. This card was purchased by my beloved grandmother! My aunt had found it in a box and blessed me so much by sending it to me this Thanksgiving. My grandmother is the woman who raised my sister and me for the first ten years of our lives as our mom worked long hours to support us. She is the one who introduced me to Jesus and modeled the life that I live to this day. Not only did she buy this card, but she blessed me with a reminder of the legacy of her life which beats in my heart and runs through my veins with each breath I take.
My grandmother was a woman of prayer. Each morning when I woke up, I would find her sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible open and her long prayer list in front of her. My grandmother had an 8th grade education so she kept a dictionary on the table with her Bible in case there was a word she needed to look up. I believe her day started much earlier than mine as she diligently sought the Lord and trusted Him with the many prayers she prayed. The circumstances of her life were not perfect and as I look back, many were painful, but her morning time with Jesus led to days filled with joy, generosity, service to others, and so much love.
Often as we were going about our day, my grandmother would spontaneously dance with joy as she kicked her feet and clapped her hands. She was the only grandma I knew who played baseball in her dress and ran the bases in record time as her hard hit ball sailed over the school yard fence. She made my sister and I hand-stirred milkshakes upon our request. And we ate dessert left-over from the previous night for breakfast! She played cards with us, she laughed with us, and she cooked and baked all of our favorite foods daily. She made sure we worked hard at school to gain the education she lacked. She gave her life to us on a daily basis and was a picture of the love of Jesus! It is through her prayers and faith and the way she lived that I was won over to the kingdom of Jesus!
She was not a Christian speaker, a ministry leader or an author. She was not the most popular woman in her church, but the friends she had were close. She was a lover of her neighbors, a generous giver, and a humble woman. She was a person who lacked nothing because of the gift of Jesus she carried in her heart. She gave and gave with a gracious heart and an unlimited supply of love and resources! She was a picture of the unlimited provision of God which exceeds our own needs and overflows to share with our neighbors, family, and friends! Her life was a legacy of prayer and Thanksgiving. And she lived this legacy everyday! Everyday with my grandmother was Thanksgiving.
On this day I received my card, many miles away, my sister was praying for an encouragement from the Lord as she was preparing to speak at a "Thanksgiving Tea." The topic of her discussion was the legacy of my grandmother. My grandmother has grandchildren and great-grandchildren who carry her name. She is often a discussion at our family gatherings. She has left much love, joy, prayer, faith and thanksgiving to the generations that have followed her. As my sister prepared to share these things, she received her own card in the mail. A card my grandmother had purchased more than 25 years ago. A card that might have seemed lost in a box, but was divinely set aside through prayer and faith! A card from my grandmother to be the encouragement my sister needed and asked for!
Thank you, Jesus, for my grandmother. Help me to live a life like hers! I pray Lord that long after I am gone, my life will be an encouragement to the generations to come. Let my life be remembered as one lived with thanksgiving, joy, love, prayer, and great faith! I love you, Lord! Thank you for the precious encouragement You sent through two simple cards in the mail this Thanksgiving! And please give my grandma a hug and kiss from me today in heaven! In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
This peaked my interest as I opened the card. Why had my aunt picked this particular card and why was it so different from the others I have received over the years? When I read the words of the card, tears flowed down my face. This card was purchased by my beloved grandmother! My aunt had found it in a box and blessed me so much by sending it to me this Thanksgiving. My grandmother is the woman who raised my sister and me for the first ten years of our lives as our mom worked long hours to support us. She is the one who introduced me to Jesus and modeled the life that I live to this day. Not only did she buy this card, but she blessed me with a reminder of the legacy of her life which beats in my heart and runs through my veins with each breath I take.
My grandmother was a woman of prayer. Each morning when I woke up, I would find her sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible open and her long prayer list in front of her. My grandmother had an 8th grade education so she kept a dictionary on the table with her Bible in case there was a word she needed to look up. I believe her day started much earlier than mine as she diligently sought the Lord and trusted Him with the many prayers she prayed. The circumstances of her life were not perfect and as I look back, many were painful, but her morning time with Jesus led to days filled with joy, generosity, service to others, and so much love.
Often as we were going about our day, my grandmother would spontaneously dance with joy as she kicked her feet and clapped her hands. She was the only grandma I knew who played baseball in her dress and ran the bases in record time as her hard hit ball sailed over the school yard fence. She made my sister and I hand-stirred milkshakes upon our request. And we ate dessert left-over from the previous night for breakfast! She played cards with us, she laughed with us, and she cooked and baked all of our favorite foods daily. She made sure we worked hard at school to gain the education she lacked. She gave her life to us on a daily basis and was a picture of the love of Jesus! It is through her prayers and faith and the way she lived that I was won over to the kingdom of Jesus!
She was not a Christian speaker, a ministry leader or an author. She was not the most popular woman in her church, but the friends she had were close. She was a lover of her neighbors, a generous giver, and a humble woman. She was a person who lacked nothing because of the gift of Jesus she carried in her heart. She gave and gave with a gracious heart and an unlimited supply of love and resources! She was a picture of the unlimited provision of God which exceeds our own needs and overflows to share with our neighbors, family, and friends! Her life was a legacy of prayer and Thanksgiving. And she lived this legacy everyday! Everyday with my grandmother was Thanksgiving.
On this day I received my card, many miles away, my sister was praying for an encouragement from the Lord as she was preparing to speak at a "Thanksgiving Tea." The topic of her discussion was the legacy of my grandmother. My grandmother has grandchildren and great-grandchildren who carry her name. She is often a discussion at our family gatherings. She has left much love, joy, prayer, faith and thanksgiving to the generations that have followed her. As my sister prepared to share these things, she received her own card in the mail. A card my grandmother had purchased more than 25 years ago. A card that might have seemed lost in a box, but was divinely set aside through prayer and faith! A card from my grandmother to be the encouragement my sister needed and asked for!
Thank you, Jesus, for my grandmother. Help me to live a life like hers! I pray Lord that long after I am gone, my life will be an encouragement to the generations to come. Let my life be remembered as one lived with thanksgiving, joy, love, prayer, and great faith! I love you, Lord! Thank you for the precious encouragement You sent through two simple cards in the mail this Thanksgiving! And please give my grandma a hug and kiss from me today in heaven! In Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Holding it all together?
In a conversation with my friend the other day, I noticed she kept putting herself down for being disorganized and forgetful. She was very upset with who she was in her weakness and she was speaking very badly about herself. I realized she was being attacked and felt the need to testify! So I shared with her my similar struggles in this area and a smile came to her face. She looked at me in disbelief and said, "You have it all together! I can't believe you struggle with disorganization or forgetfulness!" (Boy, did I wish I had a tape recorder to play back her words to my husband! We would laugh hysterically together!)
When she said this, I realized I needed to take this opportunity to give credit to God! She perceived me as being strong in the area of organization, when that is not the case! I am dependent on God to help me each day hold my life together and make things run smoothly! He has taught me how to use the calendar on my phone to remind myself where to be and what to do at what time. This gives me freedom to daydream, think, and pray in my spare moments! God is the rudder in my life and directs me as I go through my days! I prefer a spontaneous path and He knows that! After all, He made me this way for a purpose! I trust Him to be strong in my weak areas so I can thrive in the gifts He has given me!
I don't have it together, but He is holding my life together! Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." My life and the details are part of what Jesus is holding together. I love resting in the knowledge of His amazing power holding my body as well as all of my situations together. Make no mistake, I know who is holding my life together and it is not me!
As my friend and I talked, I saw her burden lifting! I explained to her how we are all made differently for different reasons. I found out her boss at work was putting her down for some of her differences and this was leading to her self-loathing! I challenged her to believe the beautiful things God says about her in His Word rather than the ugly words of her boss! I encouraged her to be at peace with her weaknesses and to laugh at herself in moments of struggle. Although we are imperfect, we are useful and loved deeply by God and others! We are a masterpiece of God created to do great works on the earth! He is our maker and helper.
Often when I get annoyed with my disorganization and forgetfulness, I remind the Lord, "Lord, help me! You made me this way!" And I feel His gracious presence and power come in to save me! Thank God for my imperfections that lead to a closeness to Jesus! I am leaning on Him continually and I feel His arms around me holding it all together! I would not want it any other way!
When she said this, I realized I needed to take this opportunity to give credit to God! She perceived me as being strong in the area of organization, when that is not the case! I am dependent on God to help me each day hold my life together and make things run smoothly! He has taught me how to use the calendar on my phone to remind myself where to be and what to do at what time. This gives me freedom to daydream, think, and pray in my spare moments! God is the rudder in my life and directs me as I go through my days! I prefer a spontaneous path and He knows that! After all, He made me this way for a purpose! I trust Him to be strong in my weak areas so I can thrive in the gifts He has given me!
I don't have it together, but He is holding my life together! Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." My life and the details are part of what Jesus is holding together. I love resting in the knowledge of His amazing power holding my body as well as all of my situations together. Make no mistake, I know who is holding my life together and it is not me!
As my friend and I talked, I saw her burden lifting! I explained to her how we are all made differently for different reasons. I found out her boss at work was putting her down for some of her differences and this was leading to her self-loathing! I challenged her to believe the beautiful things God says about her in His Word rather than the ugly words of her boss! I encouraged her to be at peace with her weaknesses and to laugh at herself in moments of struggle. Although we are imperfect, we are useful and loved deeply by God and others! We are a masterpiece of God created to do great works on the earth! He is our maker and helper.
Often when I get annoyed with my disorganization and forgetfulness, I remind the Lord, "Lord, help me! You made me this way!" And I feel His gracious presence and power come in to save me! Thank God for my imperfections that lead to a closeness to Jesus! I am leaning on Him continually and I feel His arms around me holding it all together! I would not want it any other way!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
God Idea!
On Saturday evening, I received an email that inspired me. A friend of mine had encountered a woman who was two months behind on her rent. This woman was a single-mom of three children, a full-time teacher at a school with a 90-mile commute, and a master's degree student in the evening. WOW! It was clear to me this woman was not behind on her rent due to a lack of motivation or effort! She was working hard!
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
When my friend heard her situation, she boldly spoke up saying, "Twelve hundred dollars is not a problem for God! He created the whole universe. Let's ask Him for an idea to get the money for your rent." I can't tell you how this blessed my spirit! I agreed completely with my friend and immediately wanted to participate in the answer to this prayer! God is huge and we should boast in His power! He is the answer to all of our needs and situations! He can be trusted with our concerns and desperation. Whatever the idea, I was in!
Anyway, as my friend asked the Lord for this idea, she remembered a wall hanging she had been making that was stuffed in her closet at home. She had been working on it slowly for 10 years. The Lord suggested to her to have a raffle with the wall hanging as a prize and sell tickets to raise the money for the rent. This solved two problems. It would raise the rent money and it would get my friend motivated to finish her artwork. So, my friend wrote this idea in an email, sent the email out to everyone she knew, and began working to finish the wall hanging.
On Sunday morning at church, I found my friend to buy some raffle tickets! I was excited to hear the outcome of God's idea! I love when God gives us ideas because they are supernatural and work even better than we might expect! When I greeted her with the money to buy my raffle tickets, she said, "I have a problem. So many people have responded to this raffle! I have raised over two and a half times the money needed." This brought a smile to my face! I answered with, "You don't have a problem! You have a God who is in the habit of giving us "more than we can ask or imagine". You have a God who can't wait for us to trust in Him in faith and loves to "open the floodgates of heaven" in our lives! You have a God who gives us "a double-portion and even a triple portion"! Let's just enjoy His benefits and praise Him!"
I pray we will boldly ask God for ideas when faced with the struggles of life today! I pray we will not shrink away from any problem! After all, we have the supernatural power of heaven on our side. Jeremiah 32:27 says, "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?" Let's believe together and boldly act on knowing "nothing we encounter is ever too hard for our God!" Just ask Him and He will give you the "God idea" you need! And we will spend our lives praising Him together!
James 1:5-6. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Expectancy!
Recently, I was asked to come to a meeting and share the signs of transformation in our city. As I pondered about what to speak, I wrote a list of things by which God has been encouraging me. Then I sent the list to my host and he asked a question. "What if someone questions these changes? What are the sources for this information?" And I had a simple answer, "Our local newspaper, The Daily Sun." I regularly read the newspaper looking for answers to my prayers.
I started praying for transformation in our city over 15 years ago. As I prayed, I looked around for answers to my prayers. For the first 9 years, I saw lots of transformation in individuals (including myself). Starting in 2006, I began to see major changes in our city in general. What drove me to pray was a firm belief that the transformation of our city was an idea from God. It was His idea, not mine. The success of this transformation rests solely on His shoulders and my part was just to believe "Nothing is impossible with God." So, from that point forward, I had an expectancy! I have seen in significant ways how God is working toward transformation. My part is to watch with expectancy and pray! And also ACT on anything the Lord asks me to do!
This journey of learning to wait with expectancy has been a battle for me. If you know me very well, you know that patience is not one of my strong points naturally! I pace in front of the microwave! I drive different routes in my car to avoid waiting at lights! Just ask my husband! This lack of patience has often caused me to get caught up in a specific expectation when praying. I have learned that praying requires me to let go of control. My part is crying out to God for His answer not expecting Him to answer in the way I would. When I am stuck on planning HOW God should answer my prayers, I am trapped in pride and frustration. This takes away my expectancy, my joy, and my freedom. When I am locked into a one-way outcome, I am in danger of losing my faith! My faith needs to rest in the Almighty God and His incomprehensible wisdom, rather than in my faulty and limited human plans.
Praying is not about giving an order to God. It is about surrendering a need to God and then waiting for His response. It is about reading my Bible to find revelation from God's Word. It is about understanding how mighty and great He is! It is about knowing He is better suited to decide how to meet my prayer requests. And often when the answer comes, I would not have done things the way He did. This is because my perspective is too small compared to His vantage point. He sees the whole picture and I only see the part. But as I pray and accept His answers, I am awestruck and humbled! The Almighty God of this universe cares for and communicates with me. He listens to and answers my prayers! He invites me into the great things He is doing in the world today! I can expect Him to listen, answer, and sometimes even invite me into the answers!
So as I watch and pray, I will wait with expectancy! I will live with joy, freedom, and great faith! I will believe God for the answers to my prayers! I will keep my ears and eyes wide open as I expect the answer to my prayers in whatever dynamic way my Lord chooses to answer them. And I will watch in awe and praise as He continues to transform our city! And sometimes His answers will be written as headlines in the newspaper.
Ephesians 3:20-21:"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
I started praying for transformation in our city over 15 years ago. As I prayed, I looked around for answers to my prayers. For the first 9 years, I saw lots of transformation in individuals (including myself). Starting in 2006, I began to see major changes in our city in general. What drove me to pray was a firm belief that the transformation of our city was an idea from God. It was His idea, not mine. The success of this transformation rests solely on His shoulders and my part was just to believe "Nothing is impossible with God." So, from that point forward, I had an expectancy! I have seen in significant ways how God is working toward transformation. My part is to watch with expectancy and pray! And also ACT on anything the Lord asks me to do!
This journey of learning to wait with expectancy has been a battle for me. If you know me very well, you know that patience is not one of my strong points naturally! I pace in front of the microwave! I drive different routes in my car to avoid waiting at lights! Just ask my husband! This lack of patience has often caused me to get caught up in a specific expectation when praying. I have learned that praying requires me to let go of control. My part is crying out to God for His answer not expecting Him to answer in the way I would. When I am stuck on planning HOW God should answer my prayers, I am trapped in pride and frustration. This takes away my expectancy, my joy, and my freedom. When I am locked into a one-way outcome, I am in danger of losing my faith! My faith needs to rest in the Almighty God and His incomprehensible wisdom, rather than in my faulty and limited human plans.
Praying is not about giving an order to God. It is about surrendering a need to God and then waiting for His response. It is about reading my Bible to find revelation from God's Word. It is about understanding how mighty and great He is! It is about knowing He is better suited to decide how to meet my prayer requests. And often when the answer comes, I would not have done things the way He did. This is because my perspective is too small compared to His vantage point. He sees the whole picture and I only see the part. But as I pray and accept His answers, I am awestruck and humbled! The Almighty God of this universe cares for and communicates with me. He listens to and answers my prayers! He invites me into the great things He is doing in the world today! I can expect Him to listen, answer, and sometimes even invite me into the answers!
So as I watch and pray, I will wait with expectancy! I will live with joy, freedom, and great faith! I will believe God for the answers to my prayers! I will keep my ears and eyes wide open as I expect the answer to my prayers in whatever dynamic way my Lord chooses to answer them. And I will watch in awe and praise as He continues to transform our city! And sometimes His answers will be written as headlines in the newspaper.
Ephesians 3:20-21:"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Friday, September 28, 2012
Fear Struggle!
The other day I was sitting on a plane with my husband when I began to have some chest pains. I have a fear of flying but usually the Lord helps me overcome this when I am on planes. So the chest pains surprised me since I was feeling peaceful at the moment. As I sat in my seat wondering what the best thing to do was, I began to pray.
In my moment of prayer, God reminded me to depend on my husband in these moments of fear. He is a levelheaded man and makes good decisions. Despite my feelings of desperation, I calmly told my husband, "I am having chest pains. They are about to close the door to the plane. Do you think we should get off?" He reached over to rub my head and said, "Honey, you are going to be fine. Lay your head back and rest for a while." I did not agree with him! I was sure I was going to die in the air! But it was the Lord's idea to ask my husband in the first place. As I realized I have been in this position before, I did what I was told even though everything in me said to get up and get out quickly! I have learned that sometimes things are not as they seem. Feelings of fear can be very deceptive! I trusted my prayer and my husband and my Father in heaven! So I closed my eyes, laid my head back, and surrendered!
Before take-off, I began working on a project I had brought in my bag. As I became distracted by this, my chest pains eased and I realized a few minutes later, I was actually enjoying the flight. The Lord had helped me to overcome the fear and I had become productive and filled with joy once again.
The thing about overcoming fear is the feelings are still there. The fear still lives in my feelings, but I do not let these feelings control my actions. I don't live in fear although sometimes I feel it. My actions are based on faith in a God who loves me and has done everything to save me from my fear! He has given it all so I can have faith in my weakest moments.
I write this today, because I have encountered several people with life-altering fear this week. I say life-altering because I know they are being inhibited from reaching their dreams because of fear! I am writing this to stand with them as a person with many fears, but a person who has not let fear stand in the way of my dreams! I have overcome these feelings and have walked through them. I am no longer ruled by fear! Yes, I do feel it, but when I feel it I do not let it stop me!
Revelation 12:11 says,"They overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." I believe if I had not realized earlier in life that Jesus shed his blood to give me freedom, I would have essentially lived a life dead to my dreams and gifts. I would have been a person waiting for death instead of living in the fullness of life Jesus provided for me.
So today I am testifying. I have gone to the top of the Empire State building although I felt fear. I have confronted people I love although I felt fear. I have flown to China on a thirteen-hour flight although I felt fear. I have spoken in front of groups of 300 or more people although I have felt fear.
I have exchanged my fear for faith! I live today in victory over fear! And my life makes a difference even in all of my weaknesses and fears! Your life is important and your dreams can be realized! Please join me in trusting God to walk with you through your fears! When you feel fear, pray, and walk straight at it until you get to the other side! Your life is worth living! And living is a state that exists in faith not fear!
1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."
In my moment of prayer, God reminded me to depend on my husband in these moments of fear. He is a levelheaded man and makes good decisions. Despite my feelings of desperation, I calmly told my husband, "I am having chest pains. They are about to close the door to the plane. Do you think we should get off?" He reached over to rub my head and said, "Honey, you are going to be fine. Lay your head back and rest for a while." I did not agree with him! I was sure I was going to die in the air! But it was the Lord's idea to ask my husband in the first place. As I realized I have been in this position before, I did what I was told even though everything in me said to get up and get out quickly! I have learned that sometimes things are not as they seem. Feelings of fear can be very deceptive! I trusted my prayer and my husband and my Father in heaven! So I closed my eyes, laid my head back, and surrendered!
Before take-off, I began working on a project I had brought in my bag. As I became distracted by this, my chest pains eased and I realized a few minutes later, I was actually enjoying the flight. The Lord had helped me to overcome the fear and I had become productive and filled with joy once again.
The thing about overcoming fear is the feelings are still there. The fear still lives in my feelings, but I do not let these feelings control my actions. I don't live in fear although sometimes I feel it. My actions are based on faith in a God who loves me and has done everything to save me from my fear! He has given it all so I can have faith in my weakest moments.
I write this today, because I have encountered several people with life-altering fear this week. I say life-altering because I know they are being inhibited from reaching their dreams because of fear! I am writing this to stand with them as a person with many fears, but a person who has not let fear stand in the way of my dreams! I have overcome these feelings and have walked through them. I am no longer ruled by fear! Yes, I do feel it, but when I feel it I do not let it stop me!
Revelation 12:11 says,"They overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." I believe if I had not realized earlier in life that Jesus shed his blood to give me freedom, I would have essentially lived a life dead to my dreams and gifts. I would have been a person waiting for death instead of living in the fullness of life Jesus provided for me.
So today I am testifying. I have gone to the top of the Empire State building although I felt fear. I have confronted people I love although I felt fear. I have flown to China on a thirteen-hour flight although I felt fear. I have spoken in front of groups of 300 or more people although I have felt fear.
I have exchanged my fear for faith! I live today in victory over fear! And my life makes a difference even in all of my weaknesses and fears! Your life is important and your dreams can be realized! Please join me in trusting God to walk with you through your fears! When you feel fear, pray, and walk straight at it until you get to the other side! Your life is worth living! And living is a state that exists in faith not fear!
1 John 4:18- "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear..."
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Using Weakness to Gain Strength!
Lately, I have been feeling like my life is just a great big prayer list! As I go through life, I pray for many miracles! I ask God for help, and I trust Him to answer as I cry out to Him! My prayer list is added to as things are answered and it seems to stay in a balance of about 7 things in 8 categories. So I pray for about 56 things on a regular basis. My idle minutes are transformed into effective prayer time as I share my days in conversations with Jesus! I wonder if the last day of my life will be directly related to the list I have been praying. When the list is done and my time to pray is over I will go to my home in heaven and enjoy God's presence for all eternity!
As I was thinking about prayer and its huge part in my life, I began to ask the Lord to remind me of how He taught me to pray. It amazed me when I noticed the foundation of my prayer life is rooted in my two greatest weaknesses! When I first surrendered to the Lord, my life was filled with fear and anger! I was scared to death of even the most routine parts of life. I worried so much about everything and I thought that the worst things would happen to me and the people I loved! I also carried a deep well of anger from the things that happened in my life. I had anxiety and physical symptoms related to my anger and fear. And this is where the supernatural strength of my Abba, Father (Daddy) in heaven came to transform these weaknesses into powerful gifts and blessings to the world around me.
As I surrendered to God, He met me where I was! He worked with me in my weakness. He showed me a new way to live. He gave me "...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair...!" (Isaiah 61:3) He "perfected His strength in my weaknesses!" God did things in my heart I did not think were possible! Now instead of worrying...I pray! When fear rises in my heart, I pray! I still have these weaknesses in my flesh but the result of them is for the kingdom purposes of God. Instead of being paralyzed by these weaknesses, I respond with prayer! Jesus has taught me to depend on Him in everything! I pray often because of my weakness and as I pray, I am convinced it is the most powerful thing I can do on earth! It changes everything! And so I spend my days watching with awestruck eyes, as the Almighty God who created everything we see answers my prayers! This is amazing! This has built a faith in me which has caused me to really believe, "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
Jesus is the God of transformation! I have watched Him transform me and I believe Him to transform the situations and people around me! There is no limit to His power! There is no limit to His love! He is available to turn our weaknesses into strength! Thank you Lord for teaching me to pray!
As I was thinking about prayer and its huge part in my life, I began to ask the Lord to remind me of how He taught me to pray. It amazed me when I noticed the foundation of my prayer life is rooted in my two greatest weaknesses! When I first surrendered to the Lord, my life was filled with fear and anger! I was scared to death of even the most routine parts of life. I worried so much about everything and I thought that the worst things would happen to me and the people I loved! I also carried a deep well of anger from the things that happened in my life. I had anxiety and physical symptoms related to my anger and fear. And this is where the supernatural strength of my Abba, Father (Daddy) in heaven came to transform these weaknesses into powerful gifts and blessings to the world around me.
As I surrendered to God, He met me where I was! He worked with me in my weakness. He showed me a new way to live. He gave me "...a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair...!" (Isaiah 61:3) He "perfected His strength in my weaknesses!" God did things in my heart I did not think were possible! Now instead of worrying...I pray! When fear rises in my heart, I pray! I still have these weaknesses in my flesh but the result of them is for the kingdom purposes of God. Instead of being paralyzed by these weaknesses, I respond with prayer! Jesus has taught me to depend on Him in everything! I pray often because of my weakness and as I pray, I am convinced it is the most powerful thing I can do on earth! It changes everything! And so I spend my days watching with awestruck eyes, as the Almighty God who created everything we see answers my prayers! This is amazing! This has built a faith in me which has caused me to really believe, "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
Jesus is the God of transformation! I have watched Him transform me and I believe Him to transform the situations and people around me! There is no limit to His power! There is no limit to His love! He is available to turn our weaknesses into strength! Thank you Lord for teaching me to pray!
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