Refuge in Tragedy

May 20, 2013 in Faith with 2 Comments

Ecclesiastes 9:12  People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy.

Tragic things in life always seems to come so unexpected.
My heart is so heavy for those who have found themselves at the center of devastating circumstances.
I received a text message yesterday, asking me to keep a young bride in prayer…
We’ve never met, but my heart was filled with compassion for her as I learned that only hours after her wedding she and her new husband were in a car accident.
Her groom didn’t make it.
This precious young woman became a bride and a widow within twenty-four hours.
Then…  the news is filled with even more devastating stories.
Tornadoes ripping through the Midwest of our country.
People homeless and desperately seeking for their loved ones.
Violence in middle eastern countries continue to cause ever increasing death tolls and devastation.
Sometimes, the hard times are beyond what we can handle.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Our human efforts to help and comfort are needed and necessary but, God is the only one who can truly heal the pain to depth of the soul.
For all who find themselves in the midst of unexpected tragedy, my compassionate prayers are with you, that God himself will restore and heal you.  That His strength will sustain you and that you will feel His very present help in your time of hardship.  May God turn your devastation into hope once again.   In Jesus Name, Amen

The Right Kind of Busy

May 1, 2013 in Faith with 6 Comments

 

“We must work the works of Him Who sent Me and be busy with His business while it is daylight; night is coming on, when no man can work.” ~ John 9:4
We think of the word busy in such a negative way.   It’s true, when we are excessively busy to the point of overwhelming stress it’s not a good thing.  But, there is a ‘right kind of busy’.
The kind of busy that Jesus talks about in this verse is a busyness found in works that align us with our divine purpose in life.
Motherhood is busy… but investing in our children through all the seasons of their lives is a fulfilling calling from God and planting seeds for the future.
Serving and helping others  in need can make for a busy schedule… but people always matter.
Working a job to provide financially can be busy… but God uses our resources to be a blessing to others.
Sometimes it can just look like busyness from the outside but the motivation and purpose behind the things that fill our days is what I believe defines the actions.
We are faced with moments in time and if we are discerning we will seize those moments with the right kind of busyness.
If we are distracted, we can miss some of those moments with the ineffective busyness.
I have been busy… which is why I have not written here in about a month.
However, I believe that it has been a time of the right kind of busyness, filled with God’s purpose for my life.
May your days be filled with God’s plans and divine busyness!

One of the Hardest Lessons in Ministry

March 27, 2013 in Faith with 2 Comments

When you look at people, do you see their potential?

I do.

I see beyond the past.

I see into the undiscovered realities of what could be.

Maybe it’s because God has done so much in my own life.

Maybe I see potential in others because over the years as a women’s pastor I have seen true miracles and transformations happen in the lives of so many women.

Maybe it’s just because I believe…. I really believe in Jesus and His power to give us victory!

 Romans 8: 37 “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” 

I can believe for victory in someone’s life.

I can see the potential.

I can even lead them to the truth of God, who will set them free.

But, I can’t walk it out for them.

I can’t surrender to God for them.

One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn while ministering to others is…

I Can’t Want It More Than They Do

Sometimes I feel my heart might burst with compassion when I see the pain and hurt they are going through.

Oh, how I want them to experience the healing of Jesus love and to achieve every one of their dreams and goals.

They come to me and ask for help.

I know it’s His help they really need.

I’m happy to share whatever He has taught me.

I see the God potential in their eyes.  I see how close their freedom is.

And then sometimes it seems like they are giving up or losing the battle.

That’s when I’m tempted to try to rescue or some how do more.  But I have learned there are times to let go and trust God.

So I go to God in prayer.

I pray for them.

I pray for freedom, hope, fulfillment and every good gift God has to shower over them.

And, I pray… Oh, Lord please help them to want all that you have for them, because they have to want their freedom even more than I want it for them.

Psalm 71:5  ”O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you”

Boldly Enter

March 23, 2013 in Faith with 4 Comments

Take some Time to Focus on Jesus… and Remember. 

He paid the price for our sins so that we could boldly enter the presence of God.

We can enjoy all the promises God has made as our own.

Jesus completes us. We are whole.

May the promise of Hebrews 10:19 to “Boldly Enter” draw you closer to His presence.

Although we were once far from God,

Now we have been brought near to Him through Christ. (Eph. 2:13)

Sunday 

Purified Conscience

March 20, 2013 in Faith with 3 Comments

“…The blood of Christ will purify our consciences 

from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God…”

~ Hebrews 9:14

Our conscience tells us what we think about ourselves.

It’s the place down deep inside of each of us where guilt meets mercy.

As we celebrate the gift of God’s Son and remember the victory He has given to us, I think of the power of His sacrifice.

His blood washes not only the sinful deeds but beyond that He has purified our consciences.

We are deeply and compassionately loved by God.

He wants us to know that and more importantly believe it all the way down to the core of who we are.

Where shame has led to feeling rejected; His blood makes whole and we know we are accepted.

Jesus not only forgave our sins, He washed them from our conscience so that we would no longer condemn ourselves.

With hearts fulfilled and souls redeemed we proclaim, “I am free!” ~ Thank you Jesus!

#TellHisStory

ITWW

Follow Your Dreams but Take Your Brain with You

March 10, 2013 in Enjoy Life, Faith with 4 Comments

A couple of weeks ago I invited a friend to teach a finance and budgeting class to a group of people at the Dream Center.  

The room was filled with people representing very diverse backgrounds.  Most of them had overcome devastating situations from their past.

Everyone sat attentively,  listening to the advice of a very successful business man with the common hope of rebuilding their lives.

Practical life skills and tools were laid out like building blocks to use as stepping stones into a new future.

After the class, one thing he said stood out the most to me.

He said, “Follow your dreams but take your brain with you.”  

It made me think, it’s good to have plans, dreams and vision… but don’t forget the importance of Wisdom.

God wants us to pursue our dreams and His Word is filled with encouragement to heed Wisdom along the way.

 

  • Wisdom is valuable.

Proverbs 3:13 –  Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding

Proverbs 16:16  - How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!

Wisdom and understanding are great tools used to bless and help us as we attempt to accomplish new goals in life.

Unfulfilled potential is within us all.  Keeping wisdom and understanding as close companions helps us reach the God sized dreams inside of us.

 

  • Wisdom is a gift.

Ephesians 1: 7-8 – In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding

It’s God’s desire that just as we have accepted His indescribable gift of forgiveness, salvation and redemption through His grace ~ we would also recognize that with that same grace He has lavished upon us “Wisdom and Understanding”  

Salvation is an eternal gift of redemption for our soul….

Wisdom and understanding is a gift to help us succeed and fulfill the call God has placed on our lives.

 

  • Wisdom Protects.

Proverbs 4:6 – Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.

There is nothing quite as reassuring as knowing that someone has your back.

Wisdom will always have your back.

Wisdom helps us to see things that we might have missed without it.

Understanding and discernment help us make good choices, guarding us from the consequences of bad decisions.

 

  • Wisdom comes when we are teachable.

Proverbs 21:30 - There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.

Proverbs 11:2 – When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10- Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

Proverbs 15:22 - Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

We all like to be right… but sometimes our own understanding can lead us astray.

Our personal wisdom is usually limited to our experiences in life.

God dreams and visions intend on taking us to new, undiscovered territory.

Humility with a teachable spirit yields insight and wisdom beyond our personal experience.

Wisdom is available.

It is available from God directly through His Word and from others who have gone before us.

Sometimes our plans and visions fail simply because we didn’t ask for guidance from God and others.

Hopes, dreams, vision and plans….  we should follow them, but we should also remember to bring our brain (wisdom) with us.

 

Covered By Grace

ITWW

 

Forever

February 16, 2013 in Faith with 7 Comments

Grass withers and flowers fade

when the Lord sends the wind blowing over them. 

People are no more enduring than grass. 

Yes, grass withers and flowers fade,

but the Word of our GOD endures forever.  ~ Isaiah 40:7-8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the midst of our temporal circumstances, God calls out to us with hope of the eternal.

His Words are sometimes beyond our ability to completely understand.

Promises that touch the temporary with a glimpse of  Forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Linked with Still Saturday and Sunday

The Clean Slate

February 12, 2013 in Faith with 6 Comments

We all know the sting of regret.

In some way, great or small we have all done and said things we wish we could take back.

For me, most of those times come when I have let careless and hurtful words shoot  from my mouth like daggers at someone I love.

If only we could hit the rewind button and erase the moments of shame.

And yet, it’s when we taste the bitterness of shame that we often humble ourselves to make needed changes.

Just a little taste is all that’s needed, lingering in the shame too long becomes the heavy weight of condemnation; paralyzing any inspiration and crushing hope.

But how does one find release from the burden of a past that seems to define the future?   Some mistakes are life changing.

Every week I have privilege of ministering at the Dream Center in Los Angeles.

It’s a place of hope; rebuilding lives that have been broken.

The pain and destruction caused by abuse, addition, homelessness, poverty and even human trafficking can leave more than just a little taste of shame and regret.

Over the years I have personally seen hundreds of testimonies.  Each one is a beautiful success story of redefined identity all because of grace found in a Clean Slate.

The clean slate is a genuine fresh start based on the truth our beautiful Lord gives to us ~

Your past doesn’t define you… You are not limited by the experiences you have had or the mistakes you have made…You are FREE!

Romans 10:11

“As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”   

1 Peter 2:6

 For in Scripture it says:“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  

Our precious savior Jesus took all our shame upon Himself so that through faith in Him, we can have a clean slate and the hope of a new beginning.

This truth can produce great fruit if it is planted in an atmosphere of grace, however  this same truth can be hindered from its fullness if choked out by judgmental criticism.

The Dream Center creates an atmosphere of success for all, no judgement based on history, only faith in the truth that sets us free.  Because of this fertile ground many have found God’s restoration, healing and freedom within the safety of that loving atmosphere.

In Christ, we are no longer defined based on our past experiences and mistakes…

Everyone around us needs the the power of a clean slate to bring hope for the future God has planned for them.

We can either help or hinder the healing process of others.

Do we define others based on their history?

Are we willing to release them from their past to become a new creation in Christ?

Freely we all receive a clean slate from God.  Lord please help us to freely give the same to others.

May the hope of a clean slate be yours today in Christ~

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  I am pleased to be joining the #TellHisStory  writing project

Promises

February 9, 2013 in Faith with 7 Comments

Have you ever read the Bible and had a difficult time accepting that God’s promises are really for you?

I have.

His promises are so big and sometimes the truth of His Words don’t equal the facts happening in life.

Although the blessings sometimes seem to be hidden, they are just as tangible as the buildings and trees around us.

FAITH uncovers the promises and brings them to life.

My fallible nature is always a constant reminder to me that on my own, I certainly would not qualify to receive all that God has promised.

The Holy Spirit is also right there to remind me that every promise God has made is indeed “YES” because of CHRIST.

And I say thank you Lord and Amen!

May the promises of God that you are tightly holding to today be yours ~

Linked to Still Saturdays and Sundays 

More Than Just Words

January 30, 2013 in Faith with 1 Comment

This image says it all…

The Bible is so much more than just words on a page.

When we truly believe by faith in the words we read they become powerful and life changing; able to abundantly fill every need.

Hope and Comfort ~

“Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.”  Psalm 119:50 

Forgiveness and Grace ~

“He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy…”  Titus 3:5 

Reassurance of God’s Love and Kindness toward us ~

“I have loved you with an everlasting love and drawn you with unfailing kindness”  Jeremiah 31:3 

Life is more than the temporary things we see ~

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 

Guidance and Direction ~

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”  Isaiah 30:21 

His promises are endless and completely satisfying to our soul.

Linked Here

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