Confessions of a storm chaser

I’ve learned to hear Your voice in the storm. And the depths of those talks may make me a storm chaser for life. It’s you’re revelation, the high definition of Your love, the stillness of your steadfast. Your strength fills my weaknesses. My worth has exploded because You showed up. You captured my heart, it’s quiet and so my soul cries out “Send the rain!!!” ” “Bring on the thunder and the winds of change!!” all for another whiff of your goodness, the way you drew near. But that’s it…A new day has begun and now my ears that are tuned to that perfect pitch, can I hear Him in the Spring? I know Him as a Savior, there was no doubt of my need for a rescuer. The bigger the need the easier it is to justify the cry. Now I must rest on my identity as one he chooses to call righteous. I’ve got to trust that voice I heard in the wind that now begs me to come closer so I don’t have to talk so loud, and just trust him with my day, with my details, just like i trusted Him with my life. How do I become a friend of God, I’ve sang songs about it, but we all understand basic social hierarchy. If the president of the United States and I happen to be at the same charity dinner, I wouldn’t assume he would eat at the same table as me, why would he? The list of more qualified people would put me outta the realm of possible table talk. So why would the creator of the universe switch his place card just to get to sit next to me? Because of love, pure and simple, that and He tells me I’ve got His eyes and my heart reminds Him of His Son, but then He goes on and on and I want to say No, no that’s not true, none of that, you must be mistaken me with someone else, ya see I’d rather be upfront, Christel clear about my super power skills to disappoint, because to see disappointment in His eyes would rip my very soul out, but it’s just as I start to wind up with my full Monty of failures that he tilts his head just that little movement, tiny in fact, that I get swept in to the deep pools of his eyes filled with the most extravagant pure love, love seems like too weak of a word and this love “look” it pierces my heart, and melts my inferiority, my unworthiness vanishes like a light dust with a high powered vacuum and all I can think is ohhhh yeah this is way better than a storm. #stormchasers, #friendship

What I found in my pocket

I have found new pockets in your love, deep pockets, I can sink into and breathe in a deep sigh of relief.
These pockets weren’t what I was looking for, they were what I stumbled upon, as I fumbled around for the love that I lost. If stumbling can lead to a revelation of this proportion than maybe when I’m weak he strength is made abundant, he gives me beauty for trading in my ashes, a garment worth raving about for a bad mood and he takes my total discouragement and gives me the essence of a celebration that was thrown for me.

How bad do you want revival part 2

I grew up in the church, and as a little girl I remember having revival week, it was kinda like vacation bible school for adults. Revival in theory has remained the same but as the church has come out of her shell, perhaps because of the lessons we’ve learned from history, or maybe thanks to social media & the word of our brothers & sisters testimonies around the world, constantly reminding us that God can do more than we thought, hoped or imagined. The constant christian battle cry for the last decade or more has been “Send us Revival, Lord!!!” So my question like so many that have come before me has been was there a common catalyst? The Welsh revival, Azusa Street, The Toronto Outpouring, The Lakeland Outpouring. What attracts the mighty outpouring of The Holy Spirit? If anyone new for sure there’d be no more questions, but a constant outpouring somewhere. So here’s my new fresh thought of the day. We know God is fresh and new and that he constantly surprises us, So if revival is about soul saving (at least at it’s root). So what if we’re looking for a mighty rushing wind & we had the key in our hand the whole time. What if the key to revival is….Forgiveness….What if it’s not about the work we do to get thousands of others changedd what if the buck stopped here, we are the change, the degree of offence we hold on to is the degree of revival we stave off.

Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, Whatever you bind on earth wiill be bond in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”

WOW! This is so powerful, I cann’t believe it took me till today to connect the dots, but Jesus said This is the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, the key, the code the answer. And then Jesus says it again two chapters later

Matthew 18:18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will ne bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In this same conversation Peter ask Jesus How many times do you forgive someone that has wronged you, and Jesus basically said just keep forgiving. When Jesus repeats himself it signifies a matter of importance, in fact anytime someone repeats something they are reiterating significance. So with all that in mind Jesus answer is to repeat forgiveness, not because its weak and needs to be reapplied, no not at all its repeated because of its utter greatness.

Wikipedia says: In usage to bind & to loose means to simply to forbid by and indisputable authority and to permit by an indisputable authority.

INDISPUTABLE AUTHORITY!!! thats powerful!! Is wikipedia more aware of our idenity in Christ and the powerful authority kingdom keys we hold with casual unawareness.

Could your key to revival be forgiveness? Do you count yourself with those crying for God to heal our land and send revival? Anonymous and unanimous are so grass roots, we can like a post with the thousands of others that says “send revival!” but when it comes to being counted as those who are standing for actual revival and those who are standing in the way, I say have you any inforgiveness? Its so much easier to evangelize and work on other people than to actually do the work of the Lord and forgive like he has forgiven us, like he taught us with the very life he gave up. When you think about salvation on a broad spectrum, like a nation saved, lets call it The United States, Say we want revival in the U.S.A., if God T.V. were to interrupt your new’s feed with breaking news that “First on the scene shows millions saved in the U.S. through a sweeping revival…” We would give thanks, but how many people do we have the power to forgive, set free and show guilt free when it comes to soul ties between us & them when they stand before the Father. Jesus said I give you the keys of the kingdom, when someone gives you the keys you’re supposed to use them, they way they would use them. I think most people that claim they want revival & for God to heal our land aren’t willing to forgive, to get there, forgiveness means you trust God to justify you, it requires faith, sorta like salvation requires faith. Salvation should bears fruit, but unforgiveness brings rot….So I leave you with two questions, What does your harvest look like? And How bad do you really want revival?

How’s your heart?

When I tuck my kids in at night and we have our little day summary chats, the question that is hidden inside everything I ask is, “how’s your heart?” Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Life is a constant motion, you’re either moving forward towards your destiny or you’re moving backwards away from it. Your never really in a holding pattern, but rather a living vessel made to pour out of.

Were you an influence or were you influenced today? Did you change your environment or did it change you? Because the world is begging you to be the difference, anyone can go along with the crowd, but its the Rosa Parks that are willing be the one that influence and change history. Deuteronomy 28:13 The Lord made you the head and not the tail.r

Did you give love or did you give up control of your love? We are called to love, we are created to love, we were made in the image of love, God is love. If life is constantly moving we either were love or we with held our love,

Every day you make a difference, everyday you create a legacy, everyday your life matters.

Just consider how you influence your children, keep in mind you’re also influencing everyone they influence, it’s worth all the effort you can afford and borrow against.

Now that’s powerful!!

Be Mighty!!!!

to be perfectly honest

Have you ever had the Holy Spirit whisper something to you really loud. As I diligently pursued getting to know this teacher of the Trinity, I’m amazed by his gentleness, so its just like him to get a ferocious point across with the force of a whisper. So brief background, I had a relationship that was 99% frustrating, and I’ve been bringing this to the Father but what I realized through this learning experience was I was really treating my problems like a side dish at a pot luck, I was just sharing them and bringing them back home with me. What sorta faith is this. I was talking to a friend & every time she tried to give me advice it hit a nerve and the pain was all right at the surface, like a fresh wound that hadn’t healed at all. And let me interject this, the past couple of years I have been on my own journey to find out who God is to me and with every single discovery I’m completely desperate for more. I’m convinced my Father has given me authority I can’t even begin to imagine, yet I must begin to imagine. I am convinced the Creator of the universe, my Father, has more power than all my fears combined. Stories I’ve read and podcast I hear convince me that seeing the dead raised, the blind see and the deaf hear is more than a possibility its a commandment it’s a job description for the mighty calling on the life of every believer who dares. So these are the ground rules to what I consider the core beliefs of my secure faith, with God absolutely anything is possible. I think I believe that, but theres this relationship, a thorn in the flesh for sure, and on this day I’m in the familiar spot of hopeless & ready to jump off a sinking ship. I mean at some point thats just prudent, right? But see I know the words the Father has spoken over my life and I know the people they include and this relationship is involved, so anyways, I replay this conversation in my head as I engage the Teacher Holy Spirit & I begin to notice I have zero faith when it comes to this relationship, and the Holy Spirit reminds me that I believe God can do anything. I realize after tossing this back and forth I kinda don’t want God to fix this, almost in a humble way…like Ohh Father I got this, there’s plenty of other things that need your attention, and besides this it’s too broken, I should’ve realized that a long time ago and saved us both the trouble. And thats when the whisper comes….”but what about the fact that I make all things new?” I still hold my ground, but this would require more new than new car sent new, and that’s when I put my finger on it, deep down there was this murmur that said “No way, impossible, it can’t be done” I believe the Red Sea was parted, I believe the impossible stories I’ve heard about healings and miracles, but it boils down to idenity. God stepped in because more was at steak, was that it, was that where my faith hinged on the worthiness of me and my need. What kind’ve faith is that? Did I think God’s mercy and grace was for the multitudes but fell short when there was only an audience of 1. See when I actually say it, my heart argues with my head. I really didn’t know there was such a big part of me that was holding back, I thought I believed God could do anything, but now I knew there was part of me that wasn’t all in. This was an awakening, because when I break it down it easy the spot the lies, the crack in the foundation of your thoughts. The truth is God doesn’t need a publicity stunt, and just like I love each one of my children individually more than they could ever possibly imagine, He’s got me beat with his love for me. So if God is only as big as my faith is, no wonder my realtionship feels so hopeless, I wasn’t factoring him in to the solution at all. And this simple truth, this ferious whisper was a ground breaking revelation, that brought me in over my head in love with my Savior who’s waiting on me to invite him in. Waiting on me to line up my heart and head with the truth of who he is and the magnitude of how he loves me, he wants me to come boldly to him, but the bodly means I’m not holding back a bold request means, I’m asking for 100% backing and I know without you it’s impossible, but you make all things new. You know sometimes I thnk the Father wants to know what we want, what is it you want? Now do you believe he has time for you? Because his word says he does. Do you believe this is a problem you can fix, are you still weeding out possible solutions, because I was. I thnk the Father wants you to leave your “do it yourself, for dummies” book at home and come to him with complete abandonment, like a child, just like a child would, beacuse thats how the Father gets involved with an audience of 1 that comes to him just like child…and that changes everything…

I’m diving in….

When I don’t return sarcasm for sarcasm, that’s because You were guarding my heart, when I give You my heart, You guard it for out of my heart flows all of life, so in the midst of a storm you covered me with your wings, you gathered me in and protected my utmost with your highest. And in the aftermath you restored my soul. I trust you with anything because you already protected it with your everything. You’re mercies are new everyday, it’s impossible to get to the bottom of your love, so dive in deep, head first, give it a try, you got nothing to loose, but everything to gain.

Road map to your Destiny

What is Destiny, was it a Disney movie? Is it a fairy tale? Do we each have a destiny? How do you know if you’re living your destiny or you took a wrong turn? Does destiny mean you feel different? Are there disappointments on the path to destiny, or is it smooth sailing. Maybe destiny is retirement, When you get to you destiny are you jst beginning or are you done?

Wikipedia says that Destiny is a predetermined course of events, It may be concieved as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order.

The Bible Says:
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil , to give you a future and a hope.

Romans 8:29 – For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers

1 Corinthians 2:9 – For it is writtern ” What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.

So what was the real reason you were born?

Well thats a question for your Savior, but lucky for you its a question he’s dying to answer. A relationship with the creator of the universe is the road map to your destiny. The thing is so many times we let our baggage, where we’ve been, our history get in the way of our furture with Him. Sometimes it’s easy to believe the lie that, too much happened, you’ve gone too far, only the flawless get used by God, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Our Destinies are never at the mercies of other peoples agendas decisions or mistakes. Your destiny isn’t determined by people, its determined by God. God is bigger than you greatest enemy. God is bigger than your greatest failure you or anyone else has ever had.

His mercies are new everyday.

Start a new day with a new plan, to leave an inheritance for generations to come.

How bad do you want revival? Part 1

How does revival begin? People have been asking this question for ages…

Does it require the Holy Spirit? Yes, I think so, that seems to be the main ingredient, waves & wave of Holy Spirit, falling fresh.

So if the Holy Spirit is the key, but we’re not sure how it begins, I say you start with what you know. First of all we know not to grieve the Holy Spirit. How exactly do you grieve the Holy Spirit? Well this is the way I consider it, you’ve got to be a good host. I’ve spent a long time considering this and exactly what that means. For so long I was really guilty of taking the Holy Spirit for granted, as if the whole relationship was a weight the Holy Spirit carried. I almost considered him like a seat belt, it came with the car, I use them when conditions are bad, when I’m driving at night, but I’ve never experience the depth of my seatbelts importance, I’ve never flipped the car & was holding on to life by my seat belt, so I treated it casually & sometimes I even argue that the seat belt could be more dangerous, I mean what if it traps me. I’m using this as a parrell more than a legitimate arguement, but the point is how do you get to the depths of the relationship with out a valley. And this thought led me back to hosting. How many times have you been to a resturant that you left saying you’d never go back, what made you feel that way? Did you feel like you were unimportant? Did your server make you feel like their other tables were more important than you? Did you feel like maybe they just didn’t sense your needs, did they leave you thirsty? Maybe they never checked back to see how you were doing, or you had to wave them down to get their attention. How do you host the Holy Spirit? Do you consider his needs? I heard Bill Johnson from Bethel Church in Redding, CA say to treat the Holy Spirit like an actual dove on your shoulder. How would that change the way you walk, even down the stairs, well you would carefully consider each step aware of the dove. I think thats half of it, you cannot host the Holy Spirit without carefully considering him like a dove on your shoulder, but the second half is that this Holy Spirit you are carefully considering is POWERFULL!!!! He is loving, he is a teacher, but that gentle dove has dunamus power, that is looking for a partner to bring the kingdom to earth with, but power without understanding is dangerous, so host this powerfull presence, get to know the dove. Sense his needs, get to know his desires, he’s a great tipper so beg to wait on him.

When you’ve done everything to stand, stand…

When I’m at my wits end and I begin to look at the waves crashing around me. The enemy screams no one is listening, your efforts don’t matter, you’re single voice is useless.
When giving up looks safe, but I know there’s no place for me there.
So to spit in the face of my accuser, I grab the hand of my sister who sees a similar wave and together we remind ourselves of the mighty Savior we serve and the high calling he’s leading us to and above all we remind ourselves of how worthy he is of our trust.
If our situation clouds our vision, he’s still there. When you’ve done everything to stand, stand and then take a step forward, pulling someone with you forces you to step forward, because the place you were standing was only room for one.
And then he overwhelms me with his love, he overshadows me with his awareness of my needs, my wants and even the desires that dare not even rise up, he knows them all. The surprising part about His love to me are the little parts, like the way he was listening, how he heard every cry. He saw every stand I took. He heard every word I said, and he wanted me to know now that my voice was heard. Today my life mattered. My discouragement broke his heart and the way I would look at my own heart broken kid and beg to hurt for her, He actually did! As a parent I often struggle with the right words to say to heal a heart. My Savior actually came to heal the broken hearted, he actually says the exact words to stop the bleeding and to restore hope. How’s that possible, I have no idea, but to love Him is to know Him. With every step through every struggle I’ve never looked back and wish I would’ve stayed grounded. Standing is fantastic, but taking a step is the beginning of momentum, which can be monument!

When all else fails…

A bold decree attracts the hand of the hand of The Lord,
Well I’ve made some bold decrees & I couldn’t feel further away, I realize feelings are emotions and are not facts, but they feel real, and I feel real alone. I hate this feeling, I hate living this way & it’s always been this way, it’s like asking God to change a rock into a butterfly, maybe there are just some things that aren’t worth changing, maybe there are somethings that just can’t change because they don’t want to change. I don’t wanna give up, but only b/c I don’t know what else I’d do, there’s no hope in that, but there’s no hope in any of it, this is the definition of nonexistent hope. I don’t know the string you pull, I think it’s thread bare.

Less than 5 ,000 days how will they be lived, how will they be celebrated…will they be celebrated. Everyday counts even when the very thing you’re holding onto bites you keep holding and regrip, if what you holding bites you then you’re not holding it the right way. The same goes for crabs if it pinches you, you’re not holding it the right way, and I guess crabby people.