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Measure of Faith

Measure of Faith

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Ok. So, today I want to talk about faith just a little bit. I think most of us have some level of faith. Even if it’s only the size of a mustard seed, right? I mean, the Bible says that “if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we can tell the mountain to move from here to there, and it will.” (Matthew 17:20) 

Does that mean the actual mountain will move? Probably not. But it does mean that when we put our faith in God’s hands, great and seemingly impossible things can happen.

I wanted to post about faith today because I needed to talk it through for myself. To understand that even my doubt means maybe it’s possible. I needed to know that God will supernaturally multiply my faith when I give it to Him. 

The problem with many of us is that we believe having faith means we never have doubts about what God is doing. That definitely is not the case. God had to show the people in the Bible what they were capable of. That’s the same thing He does with us.

God will sometimes allow us to be in situations that test our faith, because He needs us to know that what is impossible with man is possible in Him. 

Our faith has to be tested. We won’t know what real faith looks like until we put it in the hands of the Master. He takes our little scrawny faith, and makes it something so powerful that it can move mountains. 

But that can only happen when we surrender it to Him. And because we put our faith in Him, He puts His Holy Ghost power in us. How amazing is that?

Until next time…

Be blessed

I’m Not Going Back

I’m Not Going Back

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There was this song the praise team sang today that just resonated in my spirit. Im not sure what the title was, but the main part of the song (chorus) just kept repeating, “You have rescued my life, and I’m not going back.” The more I sang it, the deeper it went into my spirit. And in that moment, I fell in love with God all over again.

When we think about what God did for us at Calvary; when His Son gave His life for us on that cross, not just for the people there with Him at that time, but for all of us who would be coming later…it’s overwhelmingly beautiful. Nothing will ever compare to that. All I know is that I am on His team for life. I can truly say that there is nothing in my life before Christ that I miss. God even worked it out so that the people I used to hang out with either came over to the Lord’s side, or went totally in the other direction.

I may not know a lot of things, and I may not always get it right, but I know without a doubt that I am not going back. 

I don’t know anywhere else I would rather be than in the center of His will. I want to care like He cares, and love like He loves. I want to give freely, and openly without reservation. I want to go when He tells me to, and know that wherever He leads me is exactly where I need to be…without question.

God has been so good to me…to all of us. He keeps making a way, moving mountains, opening doors, healing the sick, and forgiving our faults. I don’t have enough words to even tell you…I would run out of words, before I run out of ways (smile).

I guess the only way we can even begin to repay Him is to stay close, keep loving Him, and keep loving one another.

Until next time…

Be blessed

It’s OK to Take Time to Rest

It’s OK to Take Time to Rest

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Ok, so today at church my pastor spoke about the sabbath, and how it was set aside as a day of rest…not for God, but for us.

He talked about how many people get so hooked up on when the sabbath is supposed to be that they forget what the whole purpose of what the day is supposed to be for. What he said was that the sabbath may be different depending on your faith. The point is…that it was intended to be a day of rest. And whatever day you set aside…just make sure it is set aside unto God.

I was blown away. Not so much because of what he said, but because I will be speaking on a similar topic at a women’s conference in August. God is so strategic, I love how he confirms that what you are doing is on track. He even reminded me of a few things that I needed to include. 

Rest is one of those things that people get so mixed up. Either we rest so much that we don’t get anything done, or we never take time to really let our bodies rest, because we feel so guilty. We really believe that if we are not doing anything, we need to find something to do. 

And to prove that point, on my way home from church I stopped to talk to my nephew, and he said he wasn’t doing anything but lying around, so he was thinking about working on his car. I told him to just let his body rest, and you know what he said…”I’ll rest when I’m dead.” 

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want that to be the only time I take time to rest.

I am so excited about this conference now, because I know that there is going to be someone in attendance that God is trying to reach. He always gives me a specific word that sometimes doesn’t even make sense to me. But I have learned not to question it. I just do exactly what He says, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest. 

I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Approved

Approved

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I was at the store one day, and I used one of those express lanes that you check your own groceries out, and I finished my purchase, paid for my items with my card and proceeded to my car. When I got to my car, one of the employees came running out after me, and told me that I hadn’t paid for my items. 

I told her that the machine had said approved, but she said it still showed I owed money. I went back in and sure enough, it said approved, but there wasn’t enough money on my card, so it bounced back. Who knew? I always thought that if there was no money on the card, it would say so. I guess not…..sigh. I added the needed cash, paid again for real this time and left.

All of this made me think about how we are always “approved” with God. We can never run low with Him. Our bank account is always full. 

We sometimes have to deal with a lot in our day to day living, and our spirits can take a beating from trying so hard to do what is right. But when we give our lives to Jesus Christ, God justifies us. That means that our relationship with Jesus makes us right with God. 

We don’t have to worry about doing anything. It is already done. God loves us just as we are.

That means that we can stop worrying about the things we can do nothing about…especially when it comes to other people. We sometimes worry so much about what others think that we lose focus of what God thinks. That their opinion of us means more than God’s opinion of us. And nothing should be that extreme. God’s opinion is the only one that really counts anyway, right?

So, whenever that little credit card reader says approved…first make sure your transaction actually went through…lol.

…And then give God a little thank you.

Until next time…

Be blessed

Testimonies That Are A Blessing

Testimonies That Are A Blessing

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I woke up so grateful this morning, and I knew that God was going to show up big time…and He did.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for every day that God wakes me. I once heard the testimony of a young man that really blessed me. He stood there telling us that he had suffered not one, but two, massive strokes. Did you miss the part where I said he “stood” there? To look at him you would never have known what he had been through. 

Our God is amazing. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. We were actually attending a service at a local rehab facility, and his testimony gave those patients hope…it gave me hope. We all left that service believing that God could do anything. The patients believed that if they put in the work, it could happen for them too. When one of the patients was on the way back to his room, I offered to push him, and he said, “No, I have to do the work!” Praise God! That’s how a testimony should make you feel.

That’s what it’s all about…encouraging and motivating one another to go a little further, and push a little harder. 

Sometimes, God will place us together to help one another do what we think is impossible. Sitting in a wheelchair, you may feel like it will never get any better, but keep doing the work. Having to go to a job you don’t like may seem like punishment at times, but keep doing the work. Watching others succeed while you continue to struggle may seem unfair, but keep doing the work. 

God has a blessing with your name on it. If you stay faithful, and keep believing…anything is possible.

Until next time…

Be blessed

The Fear of Missing Out

The Fear of Missing Out

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When I was a little girl, I wanted to be like superwoman. I mean I literally wanted to have super powers, and be able to fly anywhere I wanted to, and do anything I wanted to do. Well, I may not be able to fly without a plane, but God has definitely given me the power to defeat the enemy. Who knew that would be possible? God did. In Micah 5:9 it says, “Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies, and all your foes will be destroyed.” According to the Word of God–our enemies don’t stand a chance!

I have so much to share with you that I hardly know where to begin. I love writing this blog, and sharing the things that God has placed on my heart. Lately, God has been speaking to me about finishing well. It has been difficult getting a rhythm going, but I think with God’s help, I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My focus is always on getting closer to God, and learning more about what He expects of me.  But somewhere along the line, I started getting anxious about finishing. I love the Lord with all of my heart, and pleasing Him is why I do anything. So I had to look at what changed in my life to make me feel that way. 

What I found is something that I think many of us struggle with…the fear of missing out (FOMO). 

I spoke about this a little in my last blog post where I talked about redeeming the time. I think this happens a lot when we focus more on the end result and not on the journey. Our minds are constantly moving from one event, one task to another without really taking time to breathe. That’s not living…that’s existing, and I don’t want that. None of us should.

So, I am going to re-prioritize my goals. I will find something to enjoy about each day…no matter what that day holds, because I know that it is not about finishing…it is about finishing well.  And it is about knowing that no matter what, when we put God, first…everything else will fall into place. The Bible says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

We owe it to God, and we owe it to ourselves to enjoy this day, and focus on one task…one moment at a time. 

Until next time…

Be blessed

Make The Most of Every Day

Make The Most of Every Day

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I cannot believe that this is the first weekend of July already. I don’t know about you guys, but it seems like time is moving extra fast. It feels like we just celebrated New Years…and before you know it, we’ll be gathering together for Thanksgiving. I’m not complaining though. Whether time is moving fast or slow, I am still here, and for that…I am grateful. 

I think I notice how fast time is going when I realize how much time I’m wasting. I know that God will not bring us home until our work here is done. But the thing is…none of us knows when that is. So, we go about life a little haphazardly thinking that everything will magically fall into place. And though God doesn’t need us to agree with the plan He has for our lives, I think we still have a big part to play in how soon it happens.

I believe all of our “left” turns sometimes can delay our destinies. It won’t stop it, but it can definitely make it take a little longer than it has to. God does use those left turns though. During those times, He teaches us how to hear His voice. How to move when He says move, or stay when He says stand still. Nothing with God is ever wasted. The Bible talks about redeeming the time (Ephesians 5:15-18). To live in a way that brings eternal rewards. What that means is that we make the most out of every day doing what pleases the Lord. 

So, let’s begin every day by turning our day over to the Lord, and asking Him to order our steps. In that way we won’t worry so much about how many days we have left, we can just make the most out of every day we are given.

Until next time…

Be blessed

You Have to Look Within

You Have to Look Within

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This seems to be my season for reflection. Recently I’ve been looking at my life, and not just at what I am doing or not doing…more of what God is doing. I feel like something is taking place in the Spirit that God is not ready to show me yet. Like there are some things I need to do…some things God wants to teach me before He can take me there.

I was having a talk with a friend, and in her conversation…without her even knowing it, God began to speak. What He said through her is that all of those little irritations we keep having are just distractions. He wants to take us deeper, but we keep letting foolishness get in the way. 

It’s hard to recognize that at first because we are so agitated about the situation that we are not even looking for the lesson. All we know is that it is getting on our nerves, and we wish it would go away, or God would just make it stop. But, that’s not how God works. 

For instance, a supervisor will do something that is so far out in left field that you begin to wonder if maybe they are on something, or you feel yourself being embarrassed by someone else’s behavior when it has absolutely no reflection at all on you. Why? What is that about? What we discovered was that it was not those people or those situations that was the problem…it was us. 

I remember a long time ago a friend told me that it is always about us. What she meant was that when something affects us that way, it usually means that it is speaking to what is inside of us. So, if that situation or that person is bugging us to no end…we need to ask God what is that thing tapping into that is inside of us? 

I believe God is trying to get us to that place where it doesn’t matter what anybody else does…we are content in Him. We follow Him. The Apostle Paul got it…and I am determined to get it. What about you?

Until next time…

Be blessed

God Puts A Song in my Heart

God Puts A Song in my Heart

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I absolutely love how God speaks to me through song. God will use whatever means necessary to reach his children. Gospel music will often help usher in the Holy Spirit…not that He needs any help, but it helps till the soil so to speak. Lately, God has been speaking to my heart through a particular song, and I’ve been singing it over and over.

In part, the lyrics say, “…there’s a pressing in the spirit…” I love that song. Every time I hear it I’m reminded of how much God loves me. I woke up singing that song the other day, and sang it all the way to work. I know that whenever that happens God has taught my spirit something as I slept. The funny thing is that a lot of times He doesn’t reveal it to me right away. I have grown to trust Him so much that I no longer try to figure it out.

I know that part of it is because I was asked to do something that He didn’t want me to do….yet. I have a tendency to get caught up in someone else’s excitement. God has given them a vision and our spirits will connect…the next thing you know, I’m knee-deep in a place I shouldn’t be. This time, God was saying that I have something for you and it’s not that, and this time I listened.

My brothers and sisters…know that when God has something for you not even your procrastination can stop it. We will oftentimes prolong our journey by taking turns we shouldn’t take. God is so patient with us. He loves us and wants to bless us…so, He waits for us to realize our place and then He moves us into it.  For me, that means that He waits until I sleep, because that is when my heart is open to Him. His way of letting me know everything is going to be alright is He will wake me with a song. That lets me know that He heard…He knows…and He is still in control. I love when He does that….

Until next time…

Be blessed

It’s Not The Thing…It’s the Best Thing

It’s Not The Thing…It’s the Best Thing

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Back before the pandemic, our group ministered at a local rehabilitation center. The clergy who spoke gave a demonstration using a heavy backpack to illustrate how we walk around weighted down by all of our burdens when Jesus is walking right beside us trying to “lift” those burdens from our shoulders. It was powerful. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s the case…then a demonstration is worth 100,000!

We get so used to trying to handle things ourselves, that we don’t know how to rest in God. And here’s the thing…resting in God doesn’t mean that we will never be anxious, or nervous, or afraid. It means that when we do begin to feel those things we can “cast our cares” on Him, and allow Him to carry our burdens. But, a lot of us feel that we are not being good stewards when we do that. Surely, we must not be managing our lives well, because we shouldn’t still have so many burdens. And besides that…it just doesn’t seem right to put our problems on someone else. But, it’s not a bad thing to put our burdens on God…it’s the best thing.

We can’t keep going through this life alone. Sometimes, as Christians, we make these man-made rules that we can’t even maintain, and it keeps us in a place of defeat. We keep trying to make God like one of our friends. And if your friends are anything like mine…sometimes they are all in, and let’s face it…sometimes they’re not. 

We think that putting all of our cares on God is like “copping out,” or getting God to do the things that we should be doing ourselves, but that’s not how it is with God. He actually wants us to bring our burdens to Him. He knows that we need Him, and He loves us enough to wait for us to figure it out.

In Psalm 34:19 it says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” So, why are we struggling through trying to do something we were never meant to do? 

The best thing we can do is to let God be God in our lives, and to trust Him with all of our “stuff.”  Then all we have to do is remember that He who holds the plan…holds our hand.

And nothing will ever change that.

Until next time…

Be blessed.