As I was growing up, I enjoyed the thrill of adventure which sometimes and most times looked like change. Change opened up a place of new growth and new joys! It brought me closer to the Lord as I wrestled with the season. I can resonate with this as I think back to living in my first apartment on my own. I worked a 12 - 9 pm job and with living alone made some times feel very lonely; but I knew what I needed and I fought for it. I signed myself up for a community group where I knew no one and decided to show up to a strangers house. Due to my job having late hours, I could only meet this group once a month and it just so happened to be on their monthly dinner nights where we would all have a time of fellowship and share a meal together. This community became my family over the past five years and together we were able to live life out. Throughout my time with this community group, we have celebrated new jobs, new babies, new group members, while also walking through loss, disappointments and setbacks. We have shared testimonies as well as the real obstacles we were facing. We came together during the week as a body of believers to encourage and support each other in faith.
It was a blessing to be accepted and welcomed even when I only attended once a month. Once my job shifted I was able to grow deeper and became a consistent member. Through so many seasons and changes in my life they have been present, petitioning in prayer, and have sent me off in love to my next chapter. I am eternally grateful for their support, prayers and celebration over these past years, it has been the sweetest family. The Lord has blessed me with this group of community that I am missing dearly - people who really cared and loved as Christ does. Now, it is time for the community group journey to continue as we (Colson & I) will be joining a new group tonight. It is crazy how the Lord gives you people for a season, for a purpose, all according to his plan. I am grateful for my incredible community group that has taught me so much that I can bring and share with my new group in this next season! Love you all and miss you dearly <3
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Thank you, Jesus, for allowing this weekend to be so restful for me. I am so grateful to have slept in, explored LYH, reflected with a good friend over coffee, baked, rested, worshiped with my local church, ate delicious food, meeting more neighbors and celebrating the Christmas season together, and resetting for the week ahead, how renewing and refreshing this has been, a sweet filling for my soul! While reflecting with my friend over coffee yesterday, I was reminded of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. My thanksgiving holiday with my family and fiancé was a sweet gift that I’d had been envisioning for years and God blessed us abundantly. As I take the time to rest and reflect, I can see the other blessings in this season which encourages me to keep petitioning and praying intentionally. God has been faithful to answer my prayers above and beyond, but this did not happen overnight. It was the prayers of my friends, family, community coming together, and it has been incredible to witness. Today was the second Sunday of Advent, which begins the week of PEACE. Are you experiencing peace in your life? What is peace? Peace, also known as shalom, means wholeness, harmony, as it should be. Are you experiencing peace in the busiest time of the year? In church this morning my Pastor shared that having peace doesn't mean that your world is without chaos but rather, it's having the presence of the Prince of Peace in the chaos. Are you encountering the Prince of Peace? Are you making time for Him to cover you with HIS peace? Honestly, the past few months have been difficult for me to rest and encounter Jesus in a significant way; lots of travel, many activities, commitments, you name it, it was busy. Yet, that can’t be an excuse in encountering Jesus, we have to make time for him. Thank goodness for great people in my life to call me out on my weakness of busyness. I thought 4 hours of doing nothing on a Saturday was enough rest, but I decided to give it another try and really rest on Sunday and wow! how refreshing it has been to rest and reflect today as well. Did you know “Advent” means arrival? During this Advent season, I am learning and preparing my heart for Jesus to come back. Are you ready for Jesus’s return to earth? One of my favorite parts of belonging to my church is experiencing their devotion guides. It is amazing to be able to do a deeper dive in scripture with the church body. Our Advent guide leads us into scripture, meditation and reflection and I am so thankful for it especially in this season. I’d encourage and challenge you to take some time to rest and reflect… What can you reflect on? How is God moving in your life? If you are not sure of what God is doing in your life, simply ask; “God, what are you doing in my life?” “Would you reveal yourself to me?” Now is the time to create new rhythms of rest and reflection. This has been challenging for me these past few months, but I promise you it will be worth it, and it is what your soul needs! I feel so rested and excited to celebrate all that this month will bring as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our King! Thanks for stopping by, I hope this encouraged you! You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-5 NIV) Can you imagine the Earth in the very beginning? Can you picture the Garden of Eden without sin? I bet that was the most beautiful sight! Creation in all of its glory in right relationship with God. I can see peace in relationships, radiance of the sun peering through the trees, calm waters rushing, stillness in the grass as it sways in the meadow, everything we need already provided for us. Now, I have never been to the Garden of Eden but I am looking forward to being reconciled with my Father one day. Honestly, thinking about all this reminds me why I love being in nature. I feel surrounded by God’s presence in a real way, its incredible. Since the beginning of this year the Lord has been teaching me about the Garden. Bringing me back to his original design, God dwelling with His creation in the Garden. The song Communion by Maverick City Music has been an encouragement as I have continued to learn about the Garden. We are returning To the place we've always belonged Righted here with You Take me back to the garden Lead me be back to moment I heard Your voice Take me back to communion Lead me back to the moment I saw Your face This has been my prayer in this quarantine. Remind me of the original design, bring me back to right relationship with you. Each day is a new opportunity to dine with you in your presence in the center of your will. I want to seek you out and grow today. And it was all so simple It was easy to love No space between us It was easy to trust Each day brings its challenges and distractions. How can I miss opportunities? How do I keep letting the enemy rob me of God’s daily blessings? I desire to be walking side by side with my King. Imagine walking in the Garden with God… In step with him, being in the center of his will, being in constant communion with him. Where there is no distractions, chaos, or pain. Wow, what a time that would have been! It seems to be so easy to have faith and trust him, since he was right there! 'Cause You are closer, closer than my skin And You are in the air I'm breathing in (Yes, You are) And here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again Feels so good to know You are my friend I am so thankful that God never left us. Even when humanity sinned in the Garden and broke their relationship with God, he had a redemptive plan. He sent his one and only son to come and restore the relationship because he loved us that much! We were separated from God because he is holy, he cannot even look at sin. Jesus lived a sinless life and died in our place so that we could commune with the Father again. God is with us in this quarantine. He is with us in the struggle, stress, chaos and uncertainty. You have the choice. To invite him in or to live your life without him. And this is the garden Here in the place I find You close This is communion Here in the place I'm fully known There is abundant life with Christ. I am a witness of it. It has not always been easy but the Lord has been faithful to meet me where I am at and walk through it all with me (Isaiah 43: 1-5). It has been such an incredible faith journey and testimony of the goodness of God. This time is to pause and step back from our normal day and to ponder life. The opportunity to fellowship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He knows everything about you and still loves you! There is NOTHING that can separate you from the Father (Romans 8:37-39). And it was all so simple You're so easy to love And no space between us You're so easy to trust Honestly, it has not always been simple to trust, it is a daily surrender. I have to remind myself that the Lord is close. After he ascended back into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to live inside his people. The Holy Spirit’s role it to guide his people and illuminate truth in his word. During this season, we have two choices. We can rest in the promises of our King or we can accept distraction and chaos. We can let ourselves be consumed with all that the world is saying or we can sit in the presence of Jesus. You are closer, closer than my skin (Yes, You are) And You are in the air I'm breathing in And here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again Feels so good to know You are my friend I truly believe this time is a divine moment to commune with the Father. I do not understand why this is happening in our world today but I am trusting the Lord. I believe this quarantine is an opportunity for all of us to reevaluate our purpose on the planet and a way to grow closer in our relationship with God. Whether that means seeking him out for the first time or growing more in our faith. My friend, my friend yeah It's where I'm meant to be This is where I'm meant to be (Right here) Me in You and You in me And I don't have to prove a thing You've already approved of me This is where I'm meant to be Me in You and You in me And I don't have to prove a thing (I don't, I don't) You've already approved of me 'Cause this is where I'm meant to be Me in You and You in me (And I don't have) And I don't have to prove a thing You've already approved of me (This is where) This is where I'm meant to be Me in You and You in me And I don't have to prove a thing You've already approved of me One of my favorite verses is And I don’t have to prove a thing. It is such a great reminder that we are invited to the throne of grace just as we are. We don’t have to strive or be successful to encounter God. 'Cause You are closer, closer than my skin And You are in the air I'm breathing in And here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again It feels so good to know You are my friend (Here's where the dead things) 'Cause here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again (Here's where the dead things) Here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again Here's where the dead things come back to living I feel my heart beating again It feels so good to know You are my friend Recently, the Lord showed me the significance of his death, burial and resurrection taking place in a Garden. Our relationship with God was broken in the Garden, yet Jesus’s death and burial reconciled us back to the Father, like his original design in the Garden. Then Jesus raises from the dead proves his deity, he conquered death! The next thing the Lord showed me was through a Zoom church call on Easter through a friend (Clay Graham). He shared this, "When Jesus rose again his first witnesses were two women. They asked if he was the gardner... now most of us would think this is a crazy assumption, but weren’t they correct in saying that? God was the initial gardener, and yet here he is walking (risen again) to reconcile what originally took place in the garden", how cool is that? God is so intentional and pursues his creation with such love. He wants communion and fellowship with us. You have a choice. This quarantine can be a fruitful time of learning and growing or it can be a time where we get distracted and miss what the Lord is doing. God has been intentional throughout our whole lives, don’t you think he is being intentional now? Do you see it? He is closer than your skin and has provided a way for you to have daily communion and fellowship with him. Seek his face and rest in his presence. There is great things ahead, do you perceive it? I chose the picture above as a representation of our lives. We are like those plants. We have the opportunity to grow as the sun pours in and as we are watered. Like these plants we are sitting on the inside (quarantine & staying at home). The veil has been torn and we have the opportunity to grow in this season, we have the opportunity to commune deeply with the Father. Once we have grown, we will be able to be replanted outside and impact our new environment. Let us cling to learning and growing so that we are able to make change in the months to come. Have you ever felt so intimate with the Lord that you have felt like you are walking in step with Him in every moment? I’ve had a season like this and it was so sweet. I could hear the Lord’s voice often and it was clear. Whether it was a word of encouragement, conviction, or a prompting to step out and love others, it was evident and amazing. During that season, I was relying on the Lord to guide me through each day. It was a season where I was waiting on the Lord for new doors to open. The Lord was faithful to open new doors sooner than I expected. Being in a new season of breakthrough, I realized that my reliance on the Lord looked different. Since my circumstances changed, my reliance on the Lord shifted and I wasn't relying on the Lord in the ways I used to. I wanted that intimacy again so I began seeking out what that would look like in this new season. re·ly /rəˈlī/ Verb Depend on with full trust or confidence. Be dependent on One of the key parts of rely is that it is a verb. Relying on the Lord is an action, its not stagnant. In this new season, to be reliant on the the Lord means it is necessary to give everything to Him. I must be surrendered in all parts of my life so that he can move in all my circumstances. This also means I need to give up control, which for me, is a moment by moment surrender. In Psalm 71:6 it says “From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you.” This is a great reminder to remember that from the beginning we have been created to rely on the Lord. He has guided our every breath. He deserves our praise right when we wake up! 2 Chronicles 16:7-9 New International Version (NIV) 7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. 8 Were not the Cushites[a] and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen[b]? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” Through this passage, you can see that there is blessing as we rely on the Lord. He brings deliverance and strength when we rely on Him. He loves to prepare and help those who rely on Him. There is blessing in surrendering our will! Now relying on the Lord is easier said then done. I often wrestle with Lord when certain things I am longing for that are not happening in my timing. However, in scripture I am reminded that the Lord has perfect timing; he is never early and never late. He is reliable and faithful, I can entrust him with my desires and dreams. He has my best in mind and his plans are greater than I can even imagine. I want to surrender more control so that there are more opportunities to see the Lord's hand evidently moving in my life. Reliance is a beautiful picture of the gospel. We can do nothing, yet Christ has done everything and we can rely on his sacrifice for a relationship with him and eternal life. I want to walk in reliance on the Lord in every season and in every step of my day. May you be glorified in all things Lord. I am not sure what path of life you are on today, but I know the Lord wants you to rely on Him. Just as the whole earth relies on the Sun to rise each morning there is beauty each day as we choose to rely on God. You are loved, chosen and his beloved. He has great plans for our lives as we choose to seek and follow Him. God wants us to walk in abundant life on this earth, surrender and rely on Him and he will make your paths straight. The Lord has made it very clear that I am in a preparation season. He has told me I am not ready yet. That I must prepare for the opportunities ahead and that I must be faithful where my feet are. This past year I have been able to learn, grow and continue to develop. The Lord has brought many new friendships and relationships to my life that I am so thankful for. He is continuing to prepare me for the next thing. After the Wintonbury Women’s retreat in April, the Lord brought the thought of breakthrough to my mind. I began to study this word and the meaning. Google Defines Breakthrough as noun 1. a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development."a major breakthrough in DNA research" synonyms: advance, development, step forward, leap forward, quantum leap, step in the right direction, success, discovery, find, improvement, innovation, revolution; According to Webster’s dictionary it means 1.warfare : an offensive military assault that penetrates and carries beyond a defensive line 2: an act or instance of moving through or beyond an obstacle a breakthrough in the talks between the region's leaders a breakthrough agreement 3a: a sudden advance especially in knowledge or technique a medical breakthrough b: a person's first notable success Through these definitions it is evident that breakthrough is a powerful process that can penetrate through enemy lines. The enemy, Satan does not want us to breakthrough whatever struggle we are fighting he wants us to stay stuck. But the Lord has called us to continue through the process of sanctification. There are more opportunities when we walk through breakthrough. The Lord has been putting the idea of breakthrough on my heart. I began to research further and understand the word in terms of flowers growing. I’ve learned about the germination process, of a seed breaking through the soil into new growth above soil. During this study, I resonated with the seed being germinated under the soil. Being in the process of preparation and learning to grow where I have been planted. During this process the seed reaches out to what is around it (nutrients) and grabs them to grow big and strong. Sometimes when waiting for breakthrough, it is easy to get distracted by what you do not have, rather than being a good steward of what the Lord has gifted you in the season. I was grabbing onto darkness being distracted by the emptiness rather than the nutrients the Lord has placed around me; my community, church body, coworkers, opportunities, mentors etc. To step into breakthrough, it is a process of continual growth and preparation for new growth above ground. Are you ready for the next season? I was waiting for a new opportunity to grow and develop. I have always had a heart for the international mission field so I concluded that once I was overseas, I would hit my breakthrough. But the Lord has been teaching me that breakthrough will be a variety of new opportunities that I will encounter throughout my life. Since that seemed to be in the distant future, I decided to focus on other things, which ultimately led to distractions. Since then, the Lord has realigned my focus. I am not sure where you are today, but I want to remind you to keep your eyes, heart, mind, soul and strength fixated on Jesus. In the journey of my breakthrough, I let distractions enter in to my life that took my eyes off the Lord. I began to focus on the things I did not have and began to go after them. The Lord clearly interceded with love and truth. “Lex, don’t you trust me. I want to give good gifts to my kids in a hundredfold. Why can’t you surrender this?” The truth is I have surrendered my will over and over again. But I have realized I am in need of an everyday, moment by moment surrender. The Lord has the best plan for my life, I can trust him and rest in that truth. My encouragement to you in the midst of a breakthrough, rest in the Lord, seek him in all things. He has so much for you in the preparation time, don’t miss it. Surround yourself with believers that will spur you on, call you out and love you well. The Lord has given me an opportunity of breakthrough right here in Lynchburg. On Monday, I will start a new job and I am excited because I truly believe the Lord is giving me a new opportunity to grow and develop. It was truly God ordained and I’m overwhelmed at the thought that I will be stepping into breakthrough, a new opportunity to grow. I did not know my next breakthrough what come so fast. Breakthrough is constantly stepping out in faith and trusting God will equip you with all that is needed for this new season. I have a new opportunity to trust the Lord through a new job venture. I am so excited to be working with international partners and helping others go to the mission field. This position is truly an answer to prayer and I am so excited to see how I will grow and develop. The Lord has an amazing plan that takes perseverance, patience and strength to walk in. Ask for help, lean on your community, seek him for wisdom. Before the breakthrough I leaned into the truth of the song, praising the Lord for the season to come. Whether you are stepping in breakthrough or waiting for a new change, worship the King, he is worthy of all our praise. He will show you the purpose of your season by who he has around you and the different opportunities he has placed in your path. Be faithful, be fervent and rest in his faithfulness. Praise Before my Breakthrough-Bryan & Katie Torwalt Prophesy your Promise- Bryan and Katie Torwalt Since I still feel called to international missions, I will prophesy his promise that I will be back in the international mission field in the future. stead·fast·ness
Dictionary result for steadfastness /ˈstedˌfastnəs/ noun noun: steadfastness
As I began to prepare for this new year, I felt the Lord preparing for a year where I would grow in steadfastness. This last year was filled with many mountain tops. From my last year in college, to graduating, to working a rewarding summer job with The Hartford Project, to having an internship that led to a dream being fulfilled; serving in Africa, to getting my first “real” job, to settling in an apartment that was so divinely orchestrated…. There was a lot of mountain top experiences & it was incredible. However, when I began to pray about this year I did not really see anything big, I just heard the word steady and steadfastness. So I began to look in scripture to see what this looked like. What I found was that similarly to the Google definition above, it was about being firm and unwavering. It was about obedience and trusting the Lord in all things. To not fear, but to be focused on the Lord. Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. The Lord has begun to teach me about steadfastness. The ability of trusting him in the season when I do not know what is coming next. To be “faithful where my feet are” to be invested in where I am so that the Lord can prepare and equip me for what is to come. How freeing is that? The Lord has an amazing plan that he has created for you to walk in even before you were born. Through this past year I have seen his hand so evidently in my life through the mountain tops, but I began to fear and be distracted in this preparation season. Comparison has been such a distraction for me these past couple months. Comparison of others post grad life. Some of them are living their dreams! Which is great but I began to wonder, How am I not there yet? I graduated too! How can I get there? I was consumed with striving and I did not even realize it until recently. Striving for success in the my own eyes and being totally DISTRACTED from what the Lord has for me RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. The enemy has been using this distraction to get me to wallow in doubt. Doubting this season, the purpose and believing the reality that I am not where I should be. But, I must remember how I got here.… through all the doors that the Lord went before me to open. So I must FIX MY EYES on JESUS alone. Not others, not my friends, family, Instagram but on the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He has given me every experience I have ever had and may I trust him to continue to open up the next doors in his PERFECT timing. Forgive me Lord for missing what you have for me here. May you fill me with your peace so I may be your vessel to expand your Kingdom in this season. When I take the time to be reminded of all the new blessings of this season, I am overwhelmed. Amazing coworkers, great landlords, an incredible church community, mentors in all aspects of life, the ability to continue friendships, an opportunity to continue to learn about the coffee business, an opportunity to potentially further my education, an new opportunity to travel with my current job—The Lord is FAITHFUL. He knows exactly what we need when we need it. I am so thankful to serve a Savior who sees me, hears, and allows me to wrestle with His will. Success in Jesus’s eyes is a surrendered will. Dear Lord, Forgive me for doubting your perfect plan and this season. I have seen your hand so evidently in my life that there is no other explanation than you. God, may you give me new eyes to see your purpose. May you continue to grow me in steadfastness. That I would be obedient and faithful to your will here. I am excited for you to take me deeper and allow me to grow in this season. I love you my King. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen The Christmas season in America is typically a rush. Literally, the day after Thanksgiving people of all ages go to the malls to get the Black Friday deals. However, what would it be like if we just rested with our family because the isn’t that what holidays and life is all about?
Last Friday was the one year anniversary of one of my loved ones passing. Tati, was my great aunt and had a huge impact on my life. She lived out the art of “be-ing”. The definition of BE: to exist, be present, occur; take place, stay in the same place & condition, etc. It is a simple term that holds weight. Tati taught me the art of be-ing more than anyone else. From sports games to award ceremonies, dance recitals and graduations she was always there. There were even times during the week where she would watch my brother and I. Often times, she would be in the same room with us watching what we wanted, or cooking our favorite meals. Yes, there were times where she fell asleep, but she was still with us. She made a lasting impact by always being intentional in the moments. She did not say much but when she would, her words had impact and are phrases I still remember to this day. The art of be-ing is a selfless act. It turns the desires of your heart into a serving the people around you by asking questions about them, listening to their stories, being with them. It is the posture of being all there and loving those around you with all that you have. Holidays are a great time to be with family. I think we sometimes get distracted by the idea of Christmas that we forget what it is really about, spending undivided time with those who you love so dearly! My challenge to you is to no to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays that you miss out on creating memories with those who matter the most. This reminds me of a story in the Bible…. “Now as they went on their way, Jesus[a] entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.[b] Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 Friends and Family, Please do not get distracted this holiday season. Be with those who you love and be fully there. There will be distractions but please do not give into them, press into the time with your loved ones. Forget about what "needs to get done" and sit and be with your family and friends. I had a couple friends over yesterday and I asked the question, “What are you hoping for this holiday season?” They said, “being with family, having quality time with siblings that live in different places.” May this holiday season bring you hope, love and new memories. May you get better at the art of be-ing and truly cherish those who are in your life. After all, the best present you can give your family this Christmas is your presence! The art of be-ing is something I am currently working on. To be present and love anyone who comes in my path. To not get caught up in how things look when I’m hosting friends, but rather keep the dishes in the sink so that I can sit with my guests and catch up with them. Tati has taught me so much on this principle and I know her legacy of how she lived, will live on in our lives. What is the source of your HOPE? This week I have been reminded to place my HOPE for ALL things in Christ. HOPE, a powerful force of the mind that believes even when there isn’t a clear path in sight. I have been trying to place my HOPE in Jesus’s plan instead of my current feelings. The Lord has given me encouragement in the future things I am hoping for. He is providing for all my needs. He is reliable, trustworthy and is more than enough. As I began my week, I was searching for purpose and HOPE in this season. Do you place your HOPE in temporary things or are you searching for something eternal? I read this devotional earlier this week, it was called Hope in Waiting. [Flourish by Margaret Feinberg] “To follow Jesus is to live “in-between.” This is hopeful news for those of us who are holding our breath, withering with worry, and dreading tomorrow. In-between jobs. In-between relationships. In-between places to live. In-between paychecks. Like a sculptor, God shapes us while we wait. Like a teacher, God instructs us while we wait. Like a counselor, God settles us while we wait. If we believe God is everywhere at any time, then we must accept that God waits with us in the in-between times. We are never alone. God invites restless souls, like my own, to find respite in him. Not only does he listen to our heart’s cries as we wait, but he blesses us, strengthens us, and renews our HOPE in the process. In the in-between times, God invites us to place the weight of the wait in him, Christ will come again.” Today in church, I was reminded of this truth, “The world is not free of pain, but Jesus stepped in to bring us HOPE.” -Andrew Moroz Jesus’s life is a true testimony of a life lived to bring others HOPE. He was brought into the world to save all people from their sins. He lived a perfect life, free from sin. He was the perfect sacrifice to die the death we deserve so that we could have a relationship with God. He was willing to die so that we could be in relationship with our Father and King! 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 New International Version (NIV) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Truth is life is hard. Transitions are hard. Change is not often loved. We are beings that crave consistency and dependability. However, in a constant changing world, that seems impossible. Let me share some HOPE. Jesus, is also called Emmanuel which means “God with us”. Isaiah 41:10 New International Version (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. He has promised not to leave us or forsake us. We do not have to be afraid when we are in the in-between. The Lord goes before us, yet He is right here with us too. God sent Jesus to give us HOPE. No longer are we stuck in our sin, shame, guilt, circumstance. We are loved and called to walk in freedom. We can have HOPE in every situation because God has a divine plan for our lives. So rest in Jesus, trust him with your dreams. Place your HOPE in Him. He is the reason for the season and the best gift of our lives. You are not too far from God, he is calling you to come home, Beloved. Return to the one who knows you better than you know yourself. He wants to give you HOPE and lead you to live the best life he has for you. Check these out!No matter what season we are in the Lord calls us to be faithful. Whether we see the big picture or are trusting the Lord in each step we should be "faithful where are feet are." The Lord calls us to be faithful. I have learned over the years to be faithful in each season and transition. Even when I am not in my dream location, job, community—the Lord has been faithful to provide opportunities that make my passions come alive. He is SO FAITHFUL! & loves to give good gifts to His kids. I remember last spring being so conflicted with the fact that I was graduating and preparing for the future but also trying to be present in the moments at Liberty. It was hard balancing being present and preparing for the future. I am not sure where this phrase came from, but I have used it to get me through-- “be faithful where your feet are”. To me, this means that during the time I was currently in VA I must be faithful to what the Lord was calling me there. Even though the future is coming soon, I had to continue to seek the Lord and His will in Virginia. Fast forward to this summer as I made the transition home not knowing where I would be after that, I had to be faithful in CT. I decided to get involved in a women’s ministry in my church even though I did not know what the future held. I invested in my community and relationships not knowing how long I would have with those I loved. Soon after, I visited Virginia again to see if this was where the Lord was calling me in the next chapter. Now, my “feet” were in Virginia and I did not want to squander that time. I met with friends and was intentional with people. Flew back home and my “feet” are now in CT where I needed to reside and be faithful before the Lord calls me back to Virginia. Fast forward again and I am here in VA, getting plugged in. The Lord has made it evident that this is where he has called me to be for this season. By providing a job, an apartment (that was not even listed on Zillow), a great church family and friends. I am beyond blessed and am called to be faithful in this season. I know the Lord has great plans ahead that will require big faith and courage, but I know that time is not now. So I will not sulk in the “what if”, “what will be” but I will rest in my King and actively wait by being be part of His will here. I went to a women’s event at my church yesterday and we were talking about actively waiting. Actively waiting is the posture of living a life surrendered to the Lord and being faithful in His work all around you. It is not “waiting” for that next step but rather being obedient to what He has called you in this season. So my encouragement to you is that in whatever season you are in… “be faithful where your feet are”! Where does the Lord have you right now? What He has called you to do? Who has He called you to invest in? How are you able to use your spiritual gifts in your community? It is not easy being in a place where you may not want to be, but that does not mean we can be idle in our faith. The Lord calls us to sanctification which is the constant process of being sharpened, pruned and molded to be more like Jesus. Our life is full of seasons and transitions that help us grow! The Lord has giving me glimpses of my dreams that overwhelm my heart with gladness and joy. I am resting in His promises that one day those glimpses with come to fruition and become reality. However, I am not there yet and will not grow weary. Instead, I will be “faithful where my feet are” and learn so that I can be better prepared for the future plans the Lord has for me. And I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 89:1 Here is an encouraging song --- Yes & Amen---- Housefires During the preparation for summer, I was craving rest. I was getting ready to graduate and with college wrapping up, I was ready to have a long vacation! I was looking forward to a couple months of being with family and friends in my hometown with NO HOMEWORK TO DO. But, as most of you know from the outside…. my summer has looked like everything but restful and at times that was true. However, the Lord has been showing me how to rest. This looked like being in his truth, with his people, and dwelling in his promises. He has answered a lot of prayer requests and it has been so filling and life giving. The Lord is teaching me how to REST in him. He revealed that rest will never come unless I make time for it. I will never feel rested unless I prioritize time with him. Even though this summer has been one of the busiest summers I have ever had—I have learned so much about the King in many new ways. It has been incredible. The Lord is available 24/7 and delights in being with his children. He gives us himself and lavishes us with his love. As the Lord called me into this summer, I knew it would be great. Matthew 14:29-32 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Like Peter I had a decision to make. I had the option of trusting and stepping out on the waves with my Savior or getting overwhelmed by the waves. To be totally honest, there were times where I lost my focus and got tripped up in doubt. But, as I sat with my King, he refreshed me with his truth and I was washed anew. He replaced my doubts with truth and his promises. This summer has been restful because I have been resting in the presence of my King. I have learned to not only invite him in the moments when I need him but when I want him to be there. It has been so cool to see his hand in each day and to see him in new ways. I love resting in the Lord because it is FREEING. It releases my grip of the unknown day ahead to the one who holds it anyway. It allows me to walk in peace and joy. Everything that happens throughout the day is already ordained by the one who created it. If I change my perspective to see it through Jesus’s eyes, I will not miss opportunities to encourage, be kind and loving to those in my path. Every day is a gift and starting it by surrendering it to the one who gifted to us is the BEST way. Find rest. Sit with Jesus. Nourish your soul with soul food—the Bible. Surrender your plans. Surrender your schedule. And rest in God’s goodness as you venture with him and what he has for you today. He has great plans. Romans 8:27-28 ”And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Trust in Him. He is faithful and he loves you with an everlasting love. Confident- Steffany Gretzinger You're always moving in the unseen The breath You exhale sustaining me Before I call, You know my need You're always going before me I'm confident Your faithfulness will see me through My soul can rest, my righteousness is found in You With every moment left, in every borrowed breath, let this be true That all my heart, for all my life, belongs to You Your laughter scatters my enemies You give me joy for my mourning You lift my head so I can see All of heaven surrounding me I'm confident Your faithfulness will see me through My soul can rest, my righteousness is found in You With every moment left, in every borrowed breath, let this be true That all my heart, for all my life, belongs to You I won't win this battle with the strength in my own hands You're the mountain-mover and only You can I won't build my life on sinking sand You're my hope forever, the rock where I stand I won't win this battle with the strength in my own hands You're the mountain-mover and only You can I won't build my life on sinking sand You're my hope forever, the rock where I stand! The rock where I stand! All other ground is sinking sand All other ground is sinking sand I'm confident Your faithfulness will see me through My soul can rest, my righteousness is found in You With every moment left, in every borrowed breath, let this be true That all my heart, for all my life, belongs to You Rest- United Pursuit [Verse] Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today [Interlude] [Verse] Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today [Chorus] You’re already here You have shown us Your love Our hearts are open wide And even so we cry You’re already here You have shown us Your love Our hearts are open wide And even so we cry [Verse] Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today Holy Spirit Rest upon us Come and be with us Be with us today |
AuthorA daughter of the King sharing her experiences and life journey with you. Archives
August 2019
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