No spirit of fear here!

Philippians 4:13 ~ I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength.

Isaiah 40:31 ~ but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 34:4 ~ I sought The Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

I have something really amazing to share with you today!

I have just returned from an awesome weekend retreat with 60 something women. We feasted on HIS Word and lives were changed! I am so blessed by new friendships made and old friendships being strengthened. GOD is GOOD!

The story that I am sharing today, is not my own. I asked this sweet woman if she would allow me to share it. Why? Because….I want you all to see that there is POWER in prayer and that FEAR has no hold on you when you fully trust God. THIS IS HER TESTIMONY..all glory to GOD. ALL GLORY TO GOD!!

Thank you, Tawanna, for allowing me to share your story…I love you and I am so very proud of you!

In her words:

The Bridge

Every year, our church holds a women’s retreat at Epwroth by the Sea on St. Simon’s island. The retreat has been a blessing to me and my family because every year, I leave something on the island, and bring home something new that I have learned about the goodness and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to this yearly ritual that we have come to have where we spend the weekend in fellowship and worship. We sang, we prayed, we danced, we laughed, we cried. Trying to put the weekend into words is a bit challenging but if I had to chose one word, I would chose the word blessed because that is how I feel every time I am on that island.

The one struggle that I have is crossing that bridge that connects the island to the actual town. The first year that we went, I was riding with 2 of my dearest friends. As we started to near the bridge I looked to my left and at first I didn’t know that it was an actual bridge. From a distance, it looked like a big building, I thought to myself and said out loud, “Hey guys, check out that bridge. The blue is so beautiful it almost looks like the color of the sky. As we got closer to the turn my friend in the back said, “That’s not a building it’s a bridge.” As I burst into laughter, I told my friends that I was so glad that we wouldn’t be going over that contraption. I then started to laugh and make comments about the courageous people that went over it daily and I started to thank God that we were not amongst them. The more I talked the more my friends became quiet. They had no idea that I had a fear of bridges, being over water, and certain high places. As I am talking and laughing and talking and laughing, I realized that the turn that I was making towards the left, led me right towards that bridge. Well I started to yell and scream and panic. I started to drive in the middle two lanes, so the people behind me and the people that were trying to come down on the opposite lane, had to merge into one lane. As they honked their horns and yelled at me, and some made obscene gestures and said obscene things, I panicked even more started yelling back and telling everyone that I am on a retreat and that they cannot yell at me. You see I was like Peter in Matthew 14:29. We were all doing fine as we were driving and God was leading us, but I took my eyes off Jesus and started to let fear abide in me. This caused me to panic and to start driving in the middle of the bridge.

On the very last day of the retreat, our beautiful pastor’s wife Lanelle Rogers, asked that the ladies of the retreat pray for and with me, that I may conquer my fear and successfully cross that bridge. I crossed it, but I wasn’t trusting God. I allowed my friend to drive while I sat in the backseat sobbing with a huge sweater wrapped around my head. I placed the garment over my head as soon as we left Epworth by the Sea and did not take it off until I was told that we were well across the bridge. I didn’t want to see what was going. That weekend I had learned so much and was filled with so much love for Christ but I still was not trusting in him.

This year I was blessed to go back. I was so excited that I was able to attend. I asked my girlfriend and fellow sister in Christ Kim Wade to drive as I started to speak fear into my life. I told her that I just knew that I wouldn’t not make it on my own and made her drive. We had agreed that I would sleep the entire way there, and I had gotten up at 2am that morning so that I would be tired and would want to sleep. Kim and I have not seen each other in months so we did what ladies do best. We talked, and talked, and talked. Before we knew it, my phone rang and it was the member of the church that we were following, Lisa Colburn. She called and said that we were approaching the bridge and that she wanted to warn me because she knows of my fears.

We were approximately 5 minutes away and I allowed fear to take over my body. As we crossed the bridge I pulled my shirt over my head and started to scream and holler. The more I hollered the more I panicked. I started to hyperventilate and then before I knew it I was unable to breathe. In the midst of me trying to catch my breath, I became nausea. I closed my eyes, open the car door (not knowing that we were going 55 mph) and started to vomit until my stomach was empty.

I then spent the first night of the retreat staying up until 2am trying to find alternate routes off of the island so that I could avoid the bridge on the way home. While staying up I missed the fellowship that was going on downstairs right beneath me and later discovered that there was only one way off of the island, and it was over that bridge.

This weekend we learned how to abide in God and to allow Him to abide in us. I really paid close attention to the messages that were brought, the testimonies that were shared and on the last morning, once again, my sisters in Christ wrapped their hands around me, surrounded me and prayed on me and for me. Prior to leaving God sent an angel in the form of Heather Dawkins. As she hugged me she prayed for me and that I would not only make it over the bridge, but that I would open my eyes and look at the beauty that God has created all around me. As she prayed, I thought to myself, “how could I be afraid of God’s beauty?” It was then that I started to think about the bridge and what it represented. That bridge and my fear of it, represented the chains that had me in bondage. I then wrote down things that had me in bondage on several slips of paper and folded them into little pieces. As my friend and I crossed the bridge, I cracked the window. Although nervous in the beginning, I started to quote the scripture 2 Timothy 1:7, for God did not give us the spirit of fear. And I just kept reciting that scripture as I threw the slips of paper out of the window. When I looked at both sides of the bridge, I became humbled by the beauty that surrounded me, and how awesome God’s works are. That bridge no longer represents my fears, but the relationship that I have with Christ as his daughter. I am set free, no longer bound, no more chains holding me.

2 Timothy 1:7: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

WOW!!! Isn’t GOD good!!!!???!!!! So many people were praying for Tawanna…and they never ceased to pray and care… The BODY of Christ lifted her up…and allowed God to use them in her life. Please feel free to comment on this post and tell Tawanna what you thought of her awesome testimony…and share it with others..so that GOD can receive the glory that HE so deserves.

Until Next Time,

You never know where you may find a heart….

Well, tomorrow is Vday. AKA Valentines.. Sweethearts…day of expressing love and feelings.. Could be to a special someone or it could be to your family.. friends…etc..

Some people dread the day. Some love it! Some have no expectations and some have too high expectations.

What is Vday to you? Do you dread it or love it? Why?

I sometimes have really high expectations. Truth. I think it’s because such a big deal is made about a day that should be celebrated ALL YEAR LONG. Not just ONE day a year.

Love. It’s sweet. It’s even painful at times. It’s an action word. Not just a feeling.

Oh how we sometimes forget ( those of us who have been Valentines a long time)… that it’s an ACTION word. Ladies…we can’t blame our men completely for this. Men, you can’t blame us ladies completely either.

See, a couple.. Is 2. Two people. Two who have to do their part.

Ouch.

That feeling you had when you first met.. Remember it?

That excitement you felt when you saw your sweetheart… Remember that?

Remember how you felt when you didn’t get to see the one you loved?

What are you doing different now?

Think about it.

We get in a rut. We let “life” steal and “still” the romance. We let “life” take priority. That’s the problem. We choose to put that “sweetheart” on the back burner.

When we do that..the pot cools off.. The fire starts to slowly die.

Won’t work. It takes work. Intentionality.

It’s time to stop complaining… Stop whining..and do our own part.

So tomorrow.. On this day that’s been commercialized… Remember the days of old. And… Do your part.

Love is so sweet. New love appears to be even sweeter. BUT…Isn’t “old” love even sweeter?

Nothing sweeter than seeing a couple…with wrinkled faces and graying hair…holding hands and smiling. Because… They worked at this thing called LOVE. They stuck it out. They lived and learned and loved.

So.. I’m challenging us all.. To remember and to do our part…

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ~ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Now..read that passage again and again and again. There’s a bit of work involved… BUT, it’s so worth it. Anything worth having is worth working for..and fighting for.

I am so thankful for each one of you.. Happy Valentines Day to you all!

             Until Next Time,

I’m good at stuffing. Stuffing drawers. Stuffing cabinets. Stuffing closets. AND, yes, stuffing my feelings. Throw it all in and hurry and slam it shut before it falls out or comes undone. Just, out of sight, out of mind.

That’s. Not. Healthy.

So, to be honest..it took me writing out my testimony to realize some of the reasons that I stuff. Some are just hereditary..and some are because of choices made.

So, after realizing some truths, I began to make some changes.

And..I began to change.

Now, I still fight the battle of stuffing. No, I’m not a hoarder by any means.I have no problem throwing away stuff.  I just tend to get overwhelmed and want to forget about it. That’s the case with organizing my home and my emotions.

You can’t break a lifelong habit overnight. It takes intentionality….To make healthy changes. It takes work.

When it comes to being unorganized…I found that admitting I can’t do it alone helped me a lot! I asked for help from someone near and dear to me..(she knows who she is). She’s a natural at this sort of thing. So, we organized and MAN, is life getting easier! I can focus better. It is awesome!

Now, as far as the emotional stuffing goes…That is a work in progress. There’s a thin line we have to be careful of. To still bridle the tongue and glorify God in everything.

To keep in mind that making a big deal about feelings…makes it ABOUT ME…not God.

To trust HIM in every situation and at the same time to deal with emotions, hurts, and feelings instead of stuffing them down. Pretending that they don’t exist. That’s. NOT. Healthy. But trusting HIM and giving it ALL to HIM to handle…That’s WAY BETTER than stuffing.

Psalm 28:7 ~ The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

So…I’m still a work in progress. Learning what to stuff and what not to stuff. Learning that everything has a place and that includes emotions.

I challenge you to look at yourself…Are you a stuffer? Or are you an exploder? Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Unglued, is a fantastic book.. She talks about the four reaction types. Most of us are more than just one type of reactor. Here is her blog post where she discusses the four types.

I’m so glad to know that God is not finished with me yet.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Until Next Time,

    Colossians 4:2 ~ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

   Why is it, that we tend to look at prayer as a last resort? Oh…come on..don’t tell me you always think “let me pray first.” We like to think of ourselves this way. We like for others to think of us in this way. BUT..let us be real..TRANSPARENT..for just a minute.

   I pray all day long.

   BUT…

   There are times when my prayers reflect my wants…not necessarily my “trusting” and “thanking” HIM.

   Sometimes, my prayers are selfish.

   Sometimes, my prayers are not first.

   Sometimes….I freak out and THEN…I pray. Or, I get down and blah…and THEN, I remember..to pray.

   Anybody else do this? Or, is it just me?

   I have come a LONG way. I am so thankful that I am NOT who I once was…and YES, I am very thankful that GOD is NOT finished with me yet.

   Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to       completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

   Every single minute of every single day, we are battling self and the enemy. We have the CHOICE…. to walk closely with GOD. We have the choice to choose HIM. We …I…MUST keep my eyes FIXED on HIM…FIRST!

   Prayer is a privilege. I just don’t see why…so many times, it is seen as a last resort.

   I’ve heard this before: “Well, I have done everything I can..so, I guess I will pray about it.”

   Look at that statement. I…I…I…I…

   See the problem?

   Where is God in all of that? Left out…seen as a last resort.

   Prayer changes more than things…Prayer changes PEOPLE! 

   Sometimes, we will get an answer to our prayers right away. Other times, it may seem like an eternity. We have to remember that God’s way..HIS timing, is not ours. Sometimes, the delay, is GOD’S way of working out HIS will in and for our lives. I do know this, HE always provides. HE never leaves us..and HIS ways are right and better than ours. GOD is ONLY good.

   ”I have never met anyone who spent time in daily prayer, and in the study of the Word of God, and was strong in faith, who was ever discouraged for very long.” ~ Billy Graham

   ”Have you ever said, ‘Well, all we can do now is pray’?…When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God.” ~ Billy Graham

   Oh what a beautiful thing prayer is. That sweet time with my Jesus. The fact that I can even come into HIS HOLY PRESENCE.. ME, a sinner, but saved by HIS grace..it is just amazing and beautiful.

              Until Next Time,

Do you ever have days where you are just in a “funk”?

Days when you question your decisions….

Days when you ponder your future choices…

Days when you are constantly battling that negative voice…

I do.

Those days are the hardest.

Those days are when I have to fight..fight..fight..the enemy. Fight myself even…

My GOD has already won. But..that doesn’t mean that the enemy won’t try to attack me..or you..

That is why putting on SPIRITUAL ARMOR is so important.

Ephesians 6:11 (NLT) ~ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Truth is…those days usually occur when I haven’t BEGAN my day with my normal and regular “quiet time”.

My QUIET TIME is part of my SPIRITUAL ARMOR. If and when I neglect to “put it on”... I am less prepared to fight the negativity that may pop up during the day.

Make sense?

IT IS MY FAULT, if and when I neglect my Jesus. HE never neglects me.

Do you have a daily quiet time? (being still, praying, and also studying the Bible)

Do you notice a difference in your day on days that you neglect that time with God?

Do you realize the importance of a DAILY time with Jesus?

If you don’t currently have a daily quiet time with Jesus, will you commit to at the very least…10 minutes a day..to begin with?

(If you have decided to commit to a daily quiet time, I’d love to hear back from you after 3 consecutive days, of how you have noticed a difference in your day.)

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

Like a lot of others, as this year comes to an end, I am reflecting.

Reflecting on the past year. The choices made. The changes that need to be made in the coming year.

There is always room to grow. Room for improvement. We have never “arrived”. We have to keep growing in our spiritual walk..and keep striving to be better than we were the day before. Not for ourselves, but so that our walk matches our talk.

I began making a list of “goals”. Not “New Year’s Resolutions”, but GOALS. Yes, I know that they are just about the same thing. But, not really. New Year’s resolutions are made and everybody has in the back of their head..“I’ll never fulfill this one.” Goals are more serious in my opinion. Goals are necessary.

My list looks something like this:

Budget/Household Goals:

~ Create a budget

~ Pray over the “budget”…for obedience and determination to stick to it.

~ Work towards buying mostly necessities. (truth is, a lot of money is wasted on “wants” )

~ Make a plan to take each room of our home, and eliminate clutter. 

 Physical Goals:

~ Eat healthier

~ Continue to work out 4-5 days a week

~ Try to cut down on sweets and breads, and eat cleaner.

Spiritual Goals:

~ Finish reading and studying the entire Bible..I am currently in Matthew 3. (Genesis to Revelations plan)

~ Begin to read the entire Bible again..using my new Chronological Bible.

~ Trust HIM more fully.

~ Be a better leader.

~ Establish a family devotional time and stick to it.

~ Be a better encourager to my husband.

These are just some of my “goals”. .

The most important goal is this:

John 3:30 (NLT) ~ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

That is what it all boils down to. God HAS to be first. HE has to be the center of everything. HIS will HAS to be of most importance in my life. I HAVE to get in the passenger seat. I MUST let HIM drive. TRUSTING HIM FULLY. Even when life isn’t what I planned. Even when times seem tough. TRUST HIM.

Until Next YEAR ,

Maybe you’ve heard of Dr. Gary Chapman’s book, The 5 Love Languages. The first time I heard of it, my husband and I were on a church couples retreat. Wow, it was eye-opening. Basically, I learned what my husband’s and my own love languages were. {You know, like what makes you feel loved by your husband/wife.}

Acts of Service
Words of affirmation
Receiving Gifts
Quality Time
Physical Touch

Here is the website that you can go to at your convenience and take the quiz…
www.5lovelanguages.com

It says to give yourself 15-20 minutes to take it. May not take you that long..

My primary love language is WORDS OF AFFIRMATION . Makes sense.. Because even though it shouldn’t matter, words of affirmation ARE very important to me. I hate to admit that.. Let’s be real clear though..I am not talking about empty words or words that you know are not sincere..I’m not talking about flattery..

I love to GIVE them and yes, it makes me feel good to receive them.

It’s one of the reasons why writing words are important to me. WORDS.

It’s one of the reasons that hearing that I’ve done a good job at something makes me feel good.

Words.

It’s one of the reasons that I’m compelled to encourage.

Words.

Why does it even matter, though? Why does it hurt sometimes?

Isn’t God enough? (YES)

Why is it important that I “hear” the words of mere man?

I don’t know the answer to all of those questions. I do know this.. One of my spiritual gifts is encouragement. And because words of affirmation mean a lot to me, I “love” others in this same language. Or, I try to. I still fail. I do need to listen more and talk less.

So, maybe my love language goes along with my gifts. WE ALL HAVE A SPIRITUAL GIFT if we are authentic believers in Christ Jesus. He didn’t skip over you. But, that’s another topic for another blog post on another day.

I really do believe that by knowing your spouse’s and even children’s and friends love languages, that you are learning how to make the ones you love actually “feel loved” by you.Makes life a lot easier and helps you to understand why you are the way you are and why others are the way that they are. Helps you to tune in to the needs of others. Doesn’t mean that you have to walk on eggshells, but it will make you aware. Who doesn’t want to feel loved? We all do…

Yet, we must remember that GOD is enough. GOD IS LOVE. HE really IS enough for me. Abundance of WORDS or a lack of WORDS is NOT where my JOY is found. Sure, they make me feel loved ( when they are sincere)…and sometimes happy..But, I don’t depend on them to bring me the JOY that can only be found in HIM.

Happiness and JOY are not the same.. Happiness is based on circumstances but Joy is based on the LORD. Happiness is like exchanging gifts and having fun at Christmastime..Joy is really GETTING and knowing what Christmas is all about. Happiness is if the line is short in front of you and JOY is finding peace even in a long line of waiting. Happiness is not falling in a mud puddle and JOY is falling in it and brushing yourself off and not letting it ruin your day.

Philippians 4:19 ~ And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Even if others aren’t meeting our love language needs..God can and does! God never changes. He’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. People are fickle. People DO change. But, GOD NEVER DOES.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) ~ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God created us to be relational. Relational with HIM first and then relational with others. To do this, we have to know how to relate to others.

Ecclesiastes 4:9,10 ~ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

So…if you want to..take the quiz.. You can even comment on here and let me know what you discovered about yourself! I would love to hear from you!

                 UNTIL NEXT TIME,

    Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

3 You search out my path and my lying down and are

acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord,

you know it altogether.

   Isn’t that a beautiful passage of scripture… GOD already knows. HE knows my feelings. HE knows my fears. He knows when I don’t feel like doing something.

   I’ll be honest with ya! There are days that I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE IT. I get weary. I get tired. I get to throwing myself a little pity party…

   Sound familiar?

   Be honest…Be real…

   There are those times, when I wonder why I am even writing, teaching, etc. I feel so unworthy. I AM unworthy. Then..HE shows me again that HE is the reason. He reminds me that HE doesn’t call the equipped…NO, HE equips the called.

   Did you notice in the few sentences above that there were a lot of “I” statements?

   Here’s what happened this morning:

   I sat down at my kitchen table to have my “quiet time“ with God. I was tired. My mind was filled with so many distractions and things that I was concerned about. From questions about what I should be doing with my life to thoughts about my kids starting back to school. I just felt very compelled to be real with God. Before I even opened my Bible, I just talked to God.

   I told HIM…as if HE didn’t already know…(see Psalm 139:1-4 above). I told HIM what was on my mind.

   You know what? It felt GOOD to be honest with HIM.

   He already knows. He appreciates our honesty. More so than that, HE loves for us to admit that we can’t do it alone.

   See, true faith begins with humility. True obedience begins with surrender.

   There are going to be times when you won’t “feel” like being obedient. There will also be times when you will feel like you aren’t making a difference. Those are the times when you have to take YOU out of the equation and totally put the focus on God.

   There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with telling God that you are tired. There is nothing wrong with being completely honest with your Father. He prefers honesty anyways.

   We can’t fool HIM.

   We CAN trust HIM to lead, guide and direct us.

   If I am focused on how I feel…then I am NOT focused on obedience to GOD. Pray for the desire to be obedient. I DO. By the way, did you notice that my word popped up again? Here is the link to the post on Obedience that I posted earlier…if you don’t know what I am talking about.

   It boils down to this. This life is NOT ABOUT ME. Tired, weary, confused…those are all “ME” feelings. If I am focused on “ME” then I am not focused on all of the blessings and all of the ways that I can be a blessing to others because of God working through me.

    THINGS TO PONDER:

   Are you being real with God?

   Sometimes I am…and sometimes I forget that HE knows my true feelings.

   Do you ever feel weary even though you are actively serving God and others?

   I do. When I take my focus off of HIM…and begin thinking of how I feel…When I am being selfish.

   Do you realize that GOD knows your thoughts..your heart..the words that are going to slip off of your tongue?

   I realize that..but, sometimes I don’t grasp this truth completely.

   Does the fact that God already knows your thoughts, etc.. scare you? Does it make you want to apologize to HIM?

   It is definitely a humbling thought. It definitely makes ME want to be very careful and thoughtful and to please HIM completely!

   I pray that on the days when YOU just don’t feel like doing something that HE has asked you to do, that you will take a step back and be real with God. Take a breath. Pray. Be honest with God. He understands and HE can and will change your heart! You just have to let Him. Like I did…

   “If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes.” ~ Corrie ten Boom

   Blessings to you all…

   UNTIL NEXT TIME,

I’m back!!!!! As I was walking this morning through my neighborhood, I knew that I was supposed to share something today. I told you in my last post that I felt the nudge to be more TRANSPARENT and VULNERABLE with you all. So, here I am..and I hope this post blesses you.

There is a part of me that still struggles with insecurity at times. Thank goodness, it is nothing like before. BUT, every now and then..I listen to the negative voice instead of the voice of my Father God. That is backwards my friends..I should be able to hear God better than the enemy.

For many years, I struggled with feeling like I fit in. If you have known me a long time, you may not even know that about me. Why? Because, I hid it. Or, I tried to hide it.

Even up until a little over 2 years ago, the thought of going to a function with my husband (you know, the ones that you have to mingle and actually “talk” to people at) would make me sick to my stomach.

Those who didn’t know me well may have thought I was a snob. Why? Because, I don’t hide my feelings well. I am sure I looked miserable.  I just felt like I wasn’t good enough..and why in the world would they want to talk to me?

It was a MISERABLE place to be in…feeling “out of place”. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t feel comfortable like everybody else.

Then…it hit me…THEY MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE EITHER. Or, maybe they do.

I was so shy, that even speaking to people as I walked past, was nearly impossible. Most of the time, I would just look down or away. Appearing..snobbish. Not at all who I really am.

Guess what?

After coming to CrossPointe Valdosta, I began to grow so much in my relationship with God. I came to the realization that I had only scratched the surface of the relationship I could have with my Savior. I had been lukewarm. Saved at a very young age…baptized at age 18…serving…teaching…but still, just lukewarm.

Praise Jesus! God wooed me to Himself. I fell in love with my Savior. I began to grow and God began to change me. I realized that I had never fully surrendered to HIM. I had been living a life of trying to be good and follow all the “rules”. I realized through teaching and preaching at CrossPointe, what a REAL relationship with Christ Jesus is! I went from lukewarm to ON FIRE for God! Surrendered and filled with Jesus!

I have a desire to speak to EVERYBODY now! I LOVE meeting new people now! I no longer dread “get-togethers”! I LOVE them! The only explanation is GOD!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) ~ For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

God is LOVE. I now can truly say that it is GOD that is loving on people through me. It is God that is making me lift my hand and smile and wave or speak to strangers! In fact, the other morning as I was taking my girls to school, I waved at a car that was driving by. My daughter said: “Momma, who was that?” My reply:”I don’t know baby..I just felt like waving and being nice.” It happens ALOT.

1 John 4:16 ~ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

Listen, I still get called to get out of my comfort zone. In fact, at our women’s retreat, I was asked to be in charge of the Icebreakers. No problem..and then on the day of, I find out that I had to get on stage with a MICROPHONE to explain them, etc.. YIKES! That old voice of insecurity popped up…“Who do you think you are doing that? You can’t do that..That’s not you..” Guess what I did?! I told that voice (which, by the way, IS the enemy) to GET THEE BEHIND ME & Be quiet!

You know what? I loved every single minute up on that stage! It was a blast! If I had not stepped out of my comfort zone then I would have never known how much fun it could be!

There are other times when that voice of insecurity pops up. Yes, sometimes I do listen to it. Then, through His merciful ways, He reminds me that I am HIS and that through Him I have overcome. I’m not who I once was…and by HIS mercy and grace I am moving daily in the direction He wants me to be. It is a conscious choice..a daily battle that we are in. To stand firm in GOD and keep moving forward. Persevering. Growing. Changing. Like a caterpillar..a Beautiful Metamorphosis.

I am so very thankful for the real relationship I now have with my Savior. My Jesus. My Heavenly Father and Best Friend. It IS REAL and if you feel loved by me..just know that it is God loving you through me.

I have to ask, Do you know my Jesus? Do you need to train yourself to listen to God’s voice,  instead of the enemy’s voice that speaks insecurity and negativity?

I promise to continue to “BE REAL” with you all. Share with you again real soon! Blessings!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

There’s just something about sharing the deepest parts of yourself with others. The ugly parts that God has turned into something beautiful. It’s a vulnerable place to be in. An out of your comfort zone place. Yet, it’s a place that God is glorified in.

I am reminded in Acts 22…when Paul asks to speak to the crowd that was accusing him and beating him, of how he used those moments to be honest and vulnerable and give his testimony. He didn’t get up and say, “I am perfect and that’s why you shouldn’t throw me in jail.” NO…Paul told of who he was before he knew Christ as his personal Savior and then he told of his transformation after coming to know God. He was transparent. He was vulnerable. He was unashamed.

How willing are we…as followers of Jesus…to be transparent?

Why is it so hard to just “be real” ?

We are called to “BE REAL” friends. We are called to LOVE. We are called to forgive. AND….we are called to be transparent…honest…to bring God glory.

Matthew 6:15 (NIV) ~ But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Luke 17:4 (NIV) ~ If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, “I repent,’ forgive him.”

John 13:34 (NIV) ~ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

1 John 1:8 (NIV) ~ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Why is it so scary to be “transparent” ? Well, one reason, is the fear of being judged by others. Let’s be real…we all fear that at some point or another.

If our transparency brings healing and hope to just ONE person, then it is worth it. When we let God use the mess that we made of things and turn it into HIS message, then who cares what others may think! That, my friends, is being obedient and transparent.

I’ll be completely honest with you. I don’t always WANT to be transparent. It is a lot easier to put a “smile” on my face and pretend things away. That doesn’t bring God glory though. I have to be willing to be obedient in sharing my testimony…when HE wants me to. Same goes for each of you.

Truth is, everybody has garbage. Everybody has made mistakes. It is what we choose to do with the mess or garbage that makes the difference.

So, I leave you with these questions.

Is there something that God has asked you to share with someone…and you haven’t yet because of fear of being judged?

Do you believe that God can turn your MESS into HIS Message?

First, I would advise you to pray diligently over it. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Be sure that your testimony points to God. That it only brings glory to God. Then, write it out. It is always changing…as it should be. Finally, pray some more and if you feel that nudge from God..GO FOR IT! Let Him be glorified!

I will be sharing portions of my testimony as I feel led, in the days to come. Why? Because, I know God wants me to. Because, I have been feeling the nudge to be even “more real” than I already am with you all.

Share more with you soon! Very soon..

Here is a link to listen to Mandisa’s song..What If We Were Real?

ENJOY!

02_what_if_we_were_real___

UNTIL NEXT TIME,