Life!

Life! How does one describe the growing of life within them? The feeling of excitement, the anxious awaiting of a beautiful creation, and knowing it is a complete miracle to have it all forming within you. This is the best way to describe what is happening with me currently. There are no words to describe the life growing in me. I can hear the heartbeat and feel an outstretched hand. Every now and then a bit of nausea, followed with a movement to make me realize how alive this life truly is.

I am in a state of awe and wonder knowing how God meticulously has been forming it all into being just for me to realize how deep His love for me goes. His love is never-ending, unchanging, unconditional, and is always, always there. As life forms, I find myself swept away by Love so deep that I want to spend every moment in His presence. I would give up everything just for that to happen.

I feel the butterflies flutter in my stomach and it makes me want to dance. His arms wrap around me as I get lost looking into His eyes. His smile warms me from the inside out as my soul burns to give Him glory in all things. How amazing that He would plant in me such life and birth a gift unlike any other!

With this beautiful, precious life we will go to the nations. With my husband by my side, through each labor pain, we will be drenched in the sweat that brings forth life. Every pain, every contraction, and no matter how long the transition, it is worth it all for this life to be born. Through blood and rings of fire we will step into our destiny with God cutting through bars of iron just so that all things impossible become possible.

Thank you God for life and how you have given new wings to fly in this destiny that you are bringing forth!


Note: I am not physically pregnant. This is describing a spiritual pregnancy that God is bringing me through. 

Victorious!

Betrayed. Stolen from and raped of innocence. Darkness. Fear. Distrust. Lack of courage. Old self, you once were my constant reality. Now dead, I revel in the victory that Christ has given me! I stand in freedom and a joy that gives my heart wings and lifts my voice out from the depths. For so many years, I was convinced that the ravages of the enemy parading what he had stolen from me would forever dim my life. With a sneer he would flaunt it in every direction that I would look.

With Christ beside me, I took back my voice Sunday. Goodbye old fear. Goodbye old self that lacked the courage to do so long ago. As I stood on stage, before the throne of God, my greatest desire was only to please and glorify Him as I went forth following His instructions for me to take back my voice that was stolen from me. The enemy lay defeated and slain, with no power because of Christ and His healing power and love!

It is difficult to put into words this transformation that has taken place in me that flooded my soul on Sunday. I am in awe at the hand of God so deep within me! It felt as if my heart and soul opened up wider and deeper as I took back ground and sang in the power of the Holy Spirit. For the first time in years, when I sang, my heart finally felt like it was flying, just as it did when I was younger. All I can do is cry in thankfulness. And my tears, along with my hair, I will use to wipe the feet of Jesus. My greatest desire is to love Him with my whole heart.

Now more than ever, I know that wherever I go I must keep looking into the eyes of Jesus. I must not look to the right or the left. He is my strength. He is all I need. And His power is greater than any other. What victory does Jesus want you to have this year, this month, today? Go for it. Unlike the enemy, there is so much more that God wants to give you.

Our Last Great Hope: Awakening the Great Commission, Ronnie Floyd

A book review to share with you all. Read, enjoy and let me know what you think of the book once you read it.

Ronnie Floyd uses his passion and zeal to write Our Last Great Hope in such a way as to bring a beacon of light to the mission of all followers of Christ. By using personal examples, much like the apostle Paul did in his own writing, Floyd is able to convey the importance of the great commission. He explains why the church needs to get out of their seats and fulfill this call that is from Jesus. As simple as this may sound, it is evident that a large majority of believers lack the zeal to save the lost from going to hell. Floyd touches on this sad truth and is able to communicate the urgency to fulfill the great commission.

I encourage anyone to read Our Last Great Hope. Whether you have the same zeal or whether you need to be jolted with truth to spark a passion for the lost, this book will challenge you to rethink how you live your life in relation to our mission as followers of Jesus. Floyd’s passion should be one that we all have in common with each other and this book will help spark that in you if it has died down a little through the years.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

You are Beautiful

I came home last week after work to find some love notes on the mirrors in our apartment from my husband. These simple actions of love mean so much to me. This picture above inspired me to write to you oh readers of mine. The phrase "You are Beautiful" may not strike much emotion in you but to me, it gives my heart wings at times. And it is a phrase that never gets old because when I hear it from my husband and from my Savior I know just how much they mean what they say.

For many years, God's consistent message to me has been how beautiful He made me and how beautiful my growth is to Him. Too often, we can tend to toss aside our value, especially when it is God telling it to us in many ways. When I look at the snow fall, I see how much God loves me and thinks I am beautiful. When I see how amazing a sunset is, I see the promises of God and I know God calls me beautiful. Everyday, there is something that God shows me to reveal this simple truth. It is like He is my lover who planted the tree in the backyard that I love just so that everyday I would know how great His love for me is... in fact, He showed me how deep His love for me was the day He died on a cross of wood from a tree that was planted for that very intention.

God uses my husband to communicate this same truth. I could not be more grateful for this! In fact, it has become a part of my daily life that I love and hold close to my heart every time I hear how beautiful I am from my husband. I must also say that there is a difference between having one say it and another mean it with every fiber in their being. For example: One can say that they love you but if they do not show it in their actions, the phrase is simply just words that have a superficial meaning to them. A person's actions reveal the truth and sincerity behind their words. It does not have to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest gesture can have a thousand meanings. And the person has to be able to be at a place where they can see it, hear it, and accept it deep into themselves.

I sense that many of you have been deeply, deeply wounded. In some ways, we all are alike because we are able to understand the pain of betrayal, rejection, gossip/slander, and so much more. When we allow God to heal these wounds and show us how safe He is, we are finally able to see, hear and accept our true value, our true identity. Too many times, we toss aside our true identity because we have yet to believe what God tells us about ourselves because of the pain (some of you may live or work in an environment where negative/false identities of who you are, are planted in your heart... or you may be holding onto the pain because that is what you are used to), while other times we just ignore His voice whispering in our ear because instead of living WITH Him we think that living for Him is the same and we remain busy.

So BEAUTIFUL ONE, you are deeply loved and you have a God who gave all and designed this earth to show you your value. The next time you see a flower growing through the cracks of pavement, or the sun rise from the darkness, know it was God who was thinking of you when He set it all in motion. His every thought is you! You are beautiful to Him. Soak it in, embrace it, and accept this truth. He has so much more He wants to show you. Accept His extended hands to be swept up into His arms as He longs to dance with you. You have no need to worry about the steps to this dance because all that matters to Him is that you are in His arms. Just keep looking in His eyes. There lies the truth of who you are. He does not lie. To you He says, "You are Beautiful, my Beloved."

My Life: A Bottle to Break Over Your Feet...

For the first time in weeks, I have some extra time to write about things on my heart. I must admit that I am tired, worn out and I feel a little beat up. There are so many good things that are happening and about to take place, but in the middle the enemy attempts to steal my joy. When life gets tough, I have to remind myself that God holds my heart and He is what matters.

At the moment, I am having an evening that reminds me of moments that I enjoyed from my years of being single. My husband is at a class tonight and it is strange that I am by myself. As I think this way, it also occurs to me that it seems strange that I would think that this is strange at all, because when I was single I thrived on nights like this. Nights where I would have a bubble bath by candlelight, eat junk food, and watch a girly movie.  These moments that I have enjoyed and am currently enjoying, are my favorite because Jesus meets with me here. I thrive being in the presence of God. It is all I want.

There is a song by Misty Edwards with a line that says, “I want to put my passion in a bottle and break it over your feet”, like the time Mary anointed Jesus with perfume. If I could put all that I am; all my dreams; all my passions; all my love; all of me into a bottle I would want to break it over Jesus’ feet and anoint him with it. As I think about what this means, it puts my heartache into perspective. My heart can be that bottle and each time that it breaks it pours a little bit more of my passion and life onto His feet as a love sacrifice. There is nothing more that I would want other than to love my Savior in this way.

As I reflect over the past year, all of the heartache was worth it. It helped fill up the bottle of expensive perfume to anoint over the feet of the one who calls me Beloved. What is even better is that my bottle fills up with not just heartache but of thanks for all of the wonderful things that God did for me this past year. 2011 was amazing in so many ways, and I get to wake up to one of the most precious gifts God has given me every morning!

Even though I am tired and beaten, my soul sings and my lips will forever give Him praise. I will live my life filling my bottle to pour over Jesus’ feet. No matter how many tears I cry, or how my heart might ache, and even if I may have a hard time breathing for the feeling of a sword piercing my heart, it is worth every priceless drop of my life over His feet. I am indeed a woman in love. And Love constantly sweeps me off of my feet into a sweet romance that is my life. Here I am. Forever yours.

Adoption

For a long time God has been speaking to me about how He wants me to have a loving impact on others. There are so many different ways that God has been teaching me how to do this. Most recently, and actually on a more consistent basis since 5 years ago, God is teaching me about the importance of adoption. There are so many different perspectives that one can take on this. I have been adopted into God's family and there He gives me unconditional love. With this in mind it causes me to reflect on how I view others and in turn how I treat them.

Since ministering to children is my life right now (as well as my husband's life), God has been revealing His heart for children during our most intimate moments together. His heart breaks when children are neglected, abused, forgotten, negatively yelled at, talked down to, and left behind. It is gut wrenching to see the affects of sin from adults upon children. My question to you is: what are you doing about it? Are you adding to the grief of children or are you helping them?

One of my favorite parts of what I do is being able to adopt kids every week for a short period of time as if they were my own. This is something that God has been teaching me. I long to have His heart and His heart is HUGE for kids! There are times when I long to get out on the streets of Rwanda, India, Indonesia, Thailand (the list goes on and on), and pick up orphan children and bring them home with me to a warm bed, clean clothes, food and water. Even with this longing, God has been showing me how to do this very thing in the lives of children every week on a spiritual level. I know that this is training for what God will be propelling my husband and I into later.

My soul cries in agony, it groans, for words cannot express the desire to save hurting, lost, and orphaned children. This desire has been planted and God has been watering it and showing me how I am saving kids already. As I look at the many faces of the kids I get to minister to each week, I see such huge hope in knowing that they will lead the church to save others. Their potential is so much bigger than most of us give them credit for. My husband and I adopt them, so to speak, for the short time that we have them, and it is beyond amazing to see them grow!

Adoption speaks so much more than just accepting someone into your family (or as your own like I mentioned above). It is treating them as your own flesh and blood. It is about loving them unconditionally and doing all in your power to give them the best. When any of us are put into an environment of people who treat us like this; like the most precious person in the world, we thrive and grow in ways that surprise us. It is my prayer that every child that God puts into my life would feel God touching their heart with His love; and that they would know their true value, priceless, beautiful, and worthy.

So, whenever I dream with God, I see Him planting wonderful seeds of hope and love in the hearts of kids everywhere. I know that wherever my feet walk, I will pick up kids and bring them home to care for them as if they were my own. It may be a large family, but it is worth every tear, sacrifice, and sorrow to bring children before the feet of Jesus. Someday soon, I will kiss away dirty tears, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and shelter the homeless. Until that day, I will faithfully do all I can to do the same for children spiritually.

If you ever have wondered why Jesus informed the people to "let the children come", take a look at this video below. I think that God desires children to be lifted up higher and higher to their full potential. Too often we limit them, whether by accident, religious codes, or because of abuse and neglect. I encourage you to take the time to watch this video. It shows how someone invested in them to train them up as spiritual leaders. In this process, they realized their identity in Christ. This is God's heart for children and for His people: that they would know how precious they are to Him and that there is no need to fear. He will use you to do great things. Now... take a look at the video and you will know what I am talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RyW6-pM0oE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Victory!

How do I begin when most often I am left speechless because of who God is? I can write today in praise and awe of the One who calls us beloved. He is our victorious King!

As the holidays are right before us, especially Thanksgiving this week, I have never been more thankful for all that God has done! So many dreams of mine have come true within the past year that I do not even have the words to describe my grateful heart. I cannot even begin to sum up all that God has done or is going to do. It would literally be a novel if I began to describe everything that has taken place.

I am beyond excited when God begins awakening hearts and revealing more of who He is to those that are very dear to my heart, as well as my husband's heart. Just this week, God revealed His marvelous Love and Spirit to dear friends of ours whom are family to us. New life and healing was a surprise for them this week and we could not be happier. In fact, I sing and dance in praise to God for His victory!

God also did very many victorious things for us this week. We are learning what it means to fight the enemy with the Holy Spirit leading our every step. To know the Spirit by His first name, Holy, is something that transforms my husband and I every day. We bow in surrender and deny ourselves in order for Christ to reign in us. Victory! There is only victory in Jesus.

I hold all these things close to my heart; the things that God has done and has promised us. As I do, these take root within me and I feel as if I could fly high on wings of eagles. Do I feel strong? Most of the time I feel so weak and unworthy. But God states, "my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). That is all that I need to know and my heart is content. 

During the rage of battle, we know that our King goes before us victorious! We are found in the arms of Love, safe, and thriving in ways that we never thought could ever be possible. This life is hard but living it is an adventure that brings such joy and love. I pray that not just my life, but also the life of my husband and I would only reveal who God is. And God brings freedom, joy, healing, love, peace, life, and victory! My heart sings praise to our Victorious King and will continue to all of the days of my life.

Thank you Lord for who you are! We will never stop serving you and loving you with everything within us. Thank you for your victory! Your blessings and gifts are more than we ever dreamed. We thank you with our lives.