How do you rate your week?

This week, my week was talked about in both kingdoms. Recording breaking is good. Talley marks count. Sometimes I feel like I carry the weight of the world and even though I may think that, it’s just a fictional puffed up way to say, “I could use some help”. This week the world I live in never heard me say that, because the words never crossed my lips. But the kingdom I’m living towards, they heard my screams and every cry was met with retaliation from the enemy. Give up was my enemy’s battle cry. Doubt your cause was their air raid. The constant mumble was don’t take our word, just look at the giant waves all around you. You’re not even sure He can hear you from here…are you? Who could hear your baby cries when you’re choking on the storm your drowning in. Where’s your trumpet? The mumbles continued, people worth saving can herald their causes. You must not even have a cause, and if you think you do, you’re so far down on the list you don’t even have a rescue whistle. I heard all that in my spirit. Those untruths crossed my mind. Although they may have dragged me down, it was momentary and the truth that I’ve set my course on was the directional wind at my back.
The truth I know is I’ve been called to right an injustice, an injustice that matters. I’m called because I was born carrying the destiny to rewrite this history. Generations I will never meet, need me to hold on for dear lives. Great swimmers are never giving rescue whistles. Lifeguards save, they never herald for help. What I know is my Savior has made a way, because the cause I’m battling for is imperative. The truth is I’m more than baby cries drowning in my storm. I’m a formable opponent who has caused the enemy great stress this week. I met his financial rip tides with a distracted love for the people around me. And this is something I struggle with adequate words for, financial stress is distracting. As a single mother of three it’s possible to be completely overwhelmed by it. While there were times yes, I was distracted. But the things I was overwhelmed by were the brake marks on the road. Overwhelming love the big gigantic love that makes no sense. Mostly the Love that God has generously filled me with that sometimes came with specific direction, but there’s so much of it that it overflows into crazy things that normal love won’t touch. And when I press into it, and by press in, I mean put my thoughts towards it. Kinda like how a frustration get’s fed so it festers. Pressing is is a religious term that I think means you consciously put your thoughts to. You go after it with your mind. The goldmine I uncovered this week (and thats funny my biggest attacks were financial, because the revelation I uncovered was great nuggets of truth) and as I pressed in to Love. First the Love that my Father has given me and that revelation is another gigantic story. When I think about the ways he’s loved me, I get distracted by my brag stories on Him, they bring an automatic smile, because how could they not. It is a love story, just like in life when someone loves you and although your second hand reheated story may not cause the butterflies to your listeners, to you it does every time. Your heart stirs, your smile rises. That’s what my loves stories about my Father, my Savior, my Lord, thats the domino effect they start. Because His love it never stops there, well it never stops. Reminding my self of His great love springs a leak and then it bleeds onto the people I know that he’s specifically called me to love. As I follow through a well springs up and over flows my frustrations and where they usually rise up, they can’t swim, they drown. And it’s love that makes no earthly sense. Uncultivated love bubbles up. These aren’t champagne bubbles, oh no, these are, you put washing machine soap in the dishwasher bubbles. Overwhelming, will it ever stop love. What I noticed was that as I focused on it in the spiritual it followed up in reality. Believe it or not, all I can say is try it. Love conquers all. The greatest tactics the enemy came against me with, in the grand scheme of things weren’t even momentary setbacks. Great strives were made in the kingdom. Songs were written in celebration of the standards that were raised. It was a big deal. In the middle of it, it was a big deal. But on the other side it’s a different kinda big deal. Sometime’s the greatest thing we can do, in earthly terms looks like busy work. Reminding yourself of what He has done, is the greatest weapon against the enemy’s doubt casting. I believe that’s where engagement is made. If you resign your self to the doubt, the battle is over before it started. I firmly believe this is the first step to warring and changing history, If you don’t who will. No one else was created for your destiny.

What’s in your overflow?

If your not overflowing in peace ask the Lord if you’re carrying something you shouldn’t be, because in his presence there is fullness of joy!
Psalm 16:11
You will make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasure at your right hand.
Merriam-Webster say Joy – the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.
Now how is it that Webster explains a verse I had agreed to never understand.
Hebrews 12:2
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and prefecture of faith. For the joy se before him he endured the cross, scorning it’s shame, and set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus had the prospect of possessing what he desired, the keys to death and the grave.
Revlation 1:18
I am the Living One; I was dead and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.
Joy unspeakable is the goal! Fullness of joy will carry you through the valley. What are you carrying that’s keeping you from being carried?

No more tears

I’ve moved around a fair amount,
And marriage by far, is the saddest, loneliest place I’ve ever lived – cw

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book Psalm 56:8

Why do you keep records of something? You keep records of things that have value. Birth certificates, insurance policies, to prove validity, you keep records. So now reconsider & reread “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book”

He’s collected my tears in a bottle, nothing was wasted, he has the proof! And if the evidence wasn’t enough, he backed each one up with the paperwork and made record of each one in a book.
Now even our sins, if we ask, are forgiven and separated as far as the east is from the west. But our tears aren’t wasted, even if it seems like they went unnoticed unredeemed, they didn’t. There’s evidence, he saved each one and recorded it. Wow!
See before I reread this I wanted to shout if you know how many tears I’ve cried why doesn’t that jog your memory enough to step in, how many tears have I cried over this situation alone, gallons perhaps! If you hold my tears in your hands which I thought you did because of the casting crowns song, but I see now its a bottle, isn’t it overflowing now? Where’s my rescue, where’s my rest. If I can’t quit, where’s the ladder to get over this mountain, where’s your victory, show me again what it looks like, because I’m lost in defeat. The only part of me that’s not quitting is the you in me and the you in me’s always enough. It’s just today I could use a little bit more of you in me.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy Psalms 126:5 and that’s the soundtrack to my victory dance.

Fail…

We all have days like this, mine lasted all day long, I could list the reasons, but they’re the same as yours. I guess what makes it an epic fail is when everything’s a fail. Today was one of those exceptional days that absolutely nothing goes well. My grandmother used to say, “This has come to pass…but the one who’s with you will never leave you or forsake you.” Meaning whats happening will pass and fade away, but focus on the One who won’t. Those words were like a band aid and a kiss, the situation didn’t change but it recharged my hope, do you know what I mean? Toady I needed to hear that and two of the sweetest girls in the world reminded me, so the fact is you do reap what you sow. They’re proof of that! Even though it took me a little reflection time to see it. No matter what you plant weeds will come in, but not to worry. Just because they’re in your garden doesn’t mean you have to eat them!

When I have a day like today it’s easy to feel like I’m all alone, when bad things happen it’s easy to react like a toddler and assume the worst, my Father had abandoned me. But that’s not true! My anchor has to be tied to the truth.

“We rejoice in our suffering because we know this, suffering produces perseverance and perseverance produces character and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint!!!!”

That’s a promise, hope does not disappoint! This is part of what makes the gospel such good news!

I love it when I can see the Father in my day to day stuff, I love it when I can hear His whispers wraped up in all my thoughts, but when I can’t. On days like today, I remind myself of the truth of who my Father is. I delight myself in who He’s been to me, and He’s been amazing! Over and over again He has surprised me for no reason with the very desires of my heart. He delights in my excitement. He constantly reminds me I’m worth it. He restores my soul, again and again, He’s never forgotten me. He has never treated my feelings carelessly, He values my time and adores my effort. He’s the best thing I’ve got, so when the day fails, why would I blame it on the One who has never failed me, Today is a day my independence I will gladly discard a run to his arms, and hide my face from the day, because He’s a good Father that more than anything knows how to hold a daughter and mend a broken heart.

Guilt trip

Whats the biggest problem with the church today? Well I think the hold back with the “go ye therefore” commission is simple. The church or (body of Christ) has established itself for the wayward of the world, even in the Dark Ages as a place of sanctuary, but we’ve as a body have never been able to bridge the gap. When the bottom falls out people still seek solace in the sanctuary. In my opinion there are two reasons the world darkens the doors of the church the first being the last resort on the road trip to make sense of life, to seek justice to find answers, to feel hope. The second is the guilt trip, and we’ve all been on one side or the other of that morality push. So guilt and answers are the reason’s nonmembers serve their pew time. I don’t think the church get’s this, they’ve approached the problem, I’ll give them that. There are even names for these churches, they’re called “Mega Churches” or “Seeker Friendly”. Let me be clear, I think these are fantastic attempts, I just don’t think they’re the full monty. I live in a growing suburban city, at a recent festival they had shirts that said “Suwanee, Live, Work, Play” I think that’s what the church is trying to accomplish in a round about way. I keep thinking about the way Jesus handled outreach, he met people where their needs were, he hung out with the tax collectors, the prostitutes and the sinners, and they loved him. They invited him to their parties, they sought him out, they invited him over, they stayed late, they came back for more. And the main thing that surprises me was that they didn’t avoid him, quite the opposite. He seemed to stir them up im ways that made them feel alive like never before, they wanted to be around him, they wanted him at their parties and let’s be real, these weren’t Sunday school parties. See he was in the world, but he wasn’t of the world. You HAVE to be in the world to give the answers their hearts are dying for, we carry the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news, the light in the darkness, the hope for the hopeless. But when we knock, they pretend they don’t hear, they put up a front before we get our foot in the door. This is the point, this can’t be right.
The people Jesus was hanging around would’ve said, what makes you so cool, why is it when we’re with you everything seems possible, and here’s the key… He said, guys if you think I’m legit, you should meet my Father, as a matter of fact, if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen The Father. This has got to be our driving force, this is our one and only example.
In my lifetime of conversations whether I was above the life curve or behind it (spiritually) I never considered, not really my life light, the light your life gives off should brighten the footpath for those around you, it gives them hope for the glory that lies ahead. See in darkness fear sees just fine, and how would you treat a friend that lied to you as much as your fears have? Light scatters darkness and fears are subjected to the truth of the light. Our life light is what the world needs, because they may not be open to your thoughts or opinion, but living life in the dark with people and coming along beside them with your light, well that’s effortless, you were already shining. And there we have it! “Come you me…my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The work of the “Church” should be easy for the parishioners, just live like your loved. Flow out of your overflow. Give out of your abundance, and shine for your light has come!

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…