Live INTENSELY in Christ.

"And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when he appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives." 1 John 2:28


Live deeply in Christ. Live well within Christ. Live to a profound degree in Christ. The substitutes that followed deeply.. are definitions of the word. Other synonyms are greatly, thoroughly, intensely and acutely. Take time to replace 'deeply' each synonymous word.

Live deeply in Christ. Live INTENSELY in Christ. THEN we'll be ready for him when he appears, READY TO RECIEVE.

A few things I love about this (both very basic) is first..when we are living GREATLY and INTENSELY IN CHRIST...are we made qualified to RECIEVE.

Second, I love lovies LOVE LOVE...Where it says THEN WE'LL be ready for him when he appears.

I'm not an english enthusiast. As much as I love to write - I really had to work hard for my A in English. However, I do know WE'LL is a conjuction of WE and WILL. WE...US...MORE than ONE. WE...a BODY. WE...a community.

Because I TRULY believe our faith IS NOT ABOUT US...but also others.

When we live intensely in Christ. We overflow. We sharpen those around us. We make Christ alive to others.

When we live DEEPLY IN CHRIST...THEN WE MAKE OTHERS READY. READY TO RECIEVE...IN A POSITION TO RECIEVE WITHOUT ANY EXCUSE.

So when you are ready to give up. Remember God will - if you let Him - use you to convict others to do business with their maker and be sharpened. We must endure! When we don't, when we chose not to spend even just a few minutes in His Presence, when we choose not to fast and pray, when we place priority on the things we do rather than emphasizing Jesus, we can lose the edge...to be prophetic, to be a relevant hope to those around us...believers or not.

It is not about you - it is about Jesus. And Jesus died for everyone...not just you. Get busy..Get intense...living in Christ.

Satisfied in the Wait

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2


"Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." Daniel 10:12


My prayer everytime before I set my hands to the keyboard - is that Jesus is glorified, people are stirred and God's faithfulnes is recorded. 


Currently on the "physical side" of things...We have heard back from Children's Cup and have began the official paperwork of background checks and such. To make it public..we are going to Africa. Our roles, what parts we'll play or details on when we leave or which of the 3 Care Points we'll be at is still undetermined. (Children's Cup has 3 care points: Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Mozambique). We do know it is a two year commitment. However, (this is news we are sharing) we are sensing very strongly it could be more than just 2 years. We are also sensing that it will be relatively soon when we leave. However, we still need to sell our car and home and both Ben and I joke that it'll probably happen right before we're suppose to leave...


So we wait...


On the "spiritual side" of things...God has been giving us roles to fill here and little fun assignments - that require us to bend and be molded and extremely flexible and faithful....humbling. I have remained faithful to seeking God about blog entries - knowing full well that this documented journey has turned into a regular spiritual read for many of my friends, family and coworkers. I desire not to disappoint the Lord in this. Both Ben and I are continuing to fast and seek the Lord about Africa as well as some other BIG things while were here...


So we wait....


And as I wait..as we wait..as the Lord is calling you to wait....I encourage you to remain satisfied. 


Friday I talked about overflowing. When something overflows...it disrupts. When I wake up at the ungodly hour of three a.m. and I begin to pour water and the formula in a bottle...as Paxton sits on the kitchen floor wailing...and I overflow the bottle...He gets so excited and anxious..HOWEVER...that mess needs to be cleaned. Pax is excited...he gets a few more unexpected ounces...as if he needs it - yet mommy has got a mess to look forward to a bit later when she's a little more awake. 


Overflowing disrupts. When God shows up and overflows - we get stretched - our 'spiritual pants' have to be taken out, we get stretch marks, we get redirected. When God overflows - others are affected. When Ben, Pax and I leave - our mommas are going to be stretched...emotions are going to run over. ..life will be disrupted. 


But what God wants us to know is that even in the waiting He still wants us to experience His Presence, He still wants us to overflow and be satisfied..in Him. 


We know when Christmas is...we love that day..time with family and presents. We wait in anticipation for it...but while we wait...we shop..we satisfy our minds and our time. 


God wants us to know our Dreams and WANTS to fulfill them...BUT while we wait..we got some learning to do..some stretching to happen...BUT we also have some JOY TO BE HAD. 


It then becomes a choice. We can, everyday as we wait, say 'get on with it'...'where are you'...'why you taken up all this time'...'aren't you God'...


OR we can say - I'm satisfied. I'm satisfied, I serve You. A God, who has rescued my soul..and if you do nothing else for me...I am satisfied. 


For those of us truly exposed to the Lord, know it is not His character to keep us stationary. He is a GREAT GOD with GREAT EXPECTATIONS. However...


We must be satisfied in the wait. 


In Daniel 10:12 - an angel or maybe even the Lord showed up to Daniel - He percieved a vision. This angel or the Lord spoke to Daniel. 


"Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." Daniel 10:12


I love 'set your mind' in this verse. It was a choice by Daniel that eventually....eventually....after some wait....recieved a response. But 'since the first day' till the point in which this being showed up to give Daniel clarity...Daniel 'set his mind'. 


Colossians 3:2 says: "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." 


The world says now! The world argues that it has done enough waiting! The world says "immediately satisfy me or I'm gonna move on!"


But God..is not from this world..His ways and knowledge and will is HIGHER. Often HIGHER requires LONGER. 


So when we recieve our reward, our promise - we fully understand the value of it. Because its HIGHER...FAR MORE DIGNIFIED THAN WHAT THE WORLD CAN CONJURE UP FOR US. 


As much as I want more babies RIGHT NOW.. I WANT JESUS MORE. As much as I want to be in Africa serving children and adults...I WANT JESUS MORE. As much as I want my address to read a different country and the thrill of a new culture...I WANT JESUS MORE. 


DO YOU WANT JESUS MORE? Than that thing..that dream...that promise?

Overflowing: The Running Over Kind

I want to first start this off with an answered prayer! Those who have been following me since the beginning of the year know that earlier this month I was instructed to pray for a woman - that she become pregnant and to tell her to her beautiful face that God desired to give her a baby and when she became pregnant that it was the Lord who did it. I then wrote about it a week later..asking you guys to pray for her in my January 7th blog. May I thank you for your prayers, she is pregnant. I didn't skip a beat telling her GOD IS GOOD. Continue to remember my prayer request - that she knows it was from God! Giving HIM credit!

Today - in my imagery of Ephesians 3:20 -"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." I imagined a clear glass being filled to the brim...then it begins to overflow on to the table then on to the floor...as I imagined this my heart burst to know this is my God's intentions for His children. All over scripture when looking up the words like 'abundance' and 'over flowing'...it is made clear that God has great intentions - immeasurable intentions - for His children.

Then my imagery continued...the glass becomes filled with rich red juice that overflows on the beautiful white table cloth then slowly drips onto an extremely expensive rug underneath the table...that soaks through on to the light carpet. Then the overflowing has become an inconvenience...

However the color of the liquid - which in our case is blood...the blood of Jesus...doesn't relinquish the fact that God gives us overflowing...He desires for us to pass the brim and to overflow....that we enlarge! This WILL cause inconvenience.... To your life, to your time, it will inconvenience your family, your friends, your relationships, your co-workers...and most of all you.

Like I said yesterday...it is impossible to do life as usual and still LIVE for the cause of Christ?

This power that is at work WITHIN US... If we let it do it's work...will flesh out more than we can ever imagine. It's the LETTING.. The BELIEVING... The WORK that must be fleshed out for us to attain...the more than we can imagine.

I want the immeasurable...for me and for you.

This Spiritual Thing Just Got Real!

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For,
"In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay." And,
"But my righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back." Hebrews 10:35-38

My sanctuary - there's this place I go. To just be by myself. There are people around but it's so very individual. It's my place - no responsibilities - no roles - time stands still.

Gosh darn it! Seriously! There's a woman she's been in often. And every time she comes in I can't stop thinking about her...urged to pray for her. She wears it, this pain. This frustration. I can tell it's her place too. To get alone. Last time I saw her she talked with people near me, that she hadn't seen since apparently high school, she's near my age so I figure at least ten years. She's been married and "tried that out"...I'm assuming she isn't now..

Seriously! This is my place. I don't care...but He does.

Today she came in and walked right past me and I knew For sure God has been trying to talk to her...but she can't hear Him. Its as though I'm in this movie...it's supernatural though. The Holy Spirit inside me takes this sense of authority as she and the demons she's wearing pass by.

Her shoulders are slumped and I hear this hiss. Crazy stupid intense.

I'm instructed. But I don't want to go. This is my place - my solitude and it's hers. I'll take that away from both of us if I move the way You want me to, God.

Jamie I'm taking you to a place where you have to truly know and walk in the fact that it ain't about you. I allowed you to feel her...see her...see them. They have a grip on her. They tell her she is unloved...she is unlovable. That she is forgotten...forgotten by Me. They are lies.

Be her advocate.

Knowing this I move not unwillingly anymore.. This is injustice! How dare the enemy captivate the heart of this woman.

Holy Spirit go before me..

I tell her I'm sorry for interrupting. I proceed to tell her she has been on my mind a lot - which sounded so dumb - but it was the truth...she blurted "why?" but I knew it came from a root of "why would you consider me?...." not a "how dare you"... And I continued to tell her it is important she knows that God has not forgotten her and He wants to give her what she deeply desires..I ask her if she would like me to pray for anything specific in her life and she says her family..she then reaches her hand to eyes to wipe tears from her face - panicked I said I would and walked off...

Why did I leave her! Why didn't I see it through! What is the matter with me! I hopped in my car and just broke. I have to tell her she's loved - she's loveable. God I've messed up. Though He assured me I did fine. But why did I abandon her?

My heart broke for her. How can I be so wrapped up in my little faith that finds me doubting His love for me - when I'm sure of His love for others!?!? I'm such a brat expecting God to show up more rather than finding myself grateful for His salvation in my life..when people are bleeding from the inside out. Jesus exposed himself on a cross so that we would never be exposed to the enemy but to a Truly Loving God.....yet her pain was dripping from her very being! She was exposed to whatever spirit would satisfy or justify her pain for her. How selfish am I! Are we!?

Paul was content - whether imprisoned, shipwrecked, lost at sea, flogged...He did not give up believing the Lord was for Him! His concern was for the Lost and for the Church! (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-28)

It is impossible to do business as usual and be wrecked for the cause of Christ.

God is worthy of brokenness.. That He may prove Himself GREAT. Please find yourself in prayer for those who havent YET - BUT WILL - know the Lord..and pray also for this woman..I so sheepishly left to deal with her pain. That Jesus will show up and prove Himself and make His sacrifice evident. And if you want pray for my stupidity.

Bread of Real Life

"Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:32, 33, 35

I love bread. Homemade bread or bread from Zio's with some olive oil or butter....oh gosh.

"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and do them, I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase and the trees of the field yield their fruit. And your threshing [time] shall reach to the vintage and the vintage [time] shall reach to the sowing time, and you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely." Leviticus 26:3-5

As much as I love bread - I love and deeply desire to be close to the Lord...

There's reasons. I need His salvation. I have to daily get my hands on His mercy. I want His nearness for confidence and favor. Im desperate to live a life that has purpose and breathes life into others.

As much as I love eating - I've developed a love/hate relationship with fasting. That I may feast on the satisfying nature of the Lord.

All day for a few days I keep hearing bread of Life. I'm the bread. Seek first me and all other things will be give to you. Bread.

Bread was a big deal in scripture. Jesus was the bread of life. When Jesus, at the last supper, was sharing who would betray him he used bread to identify the one - Judas Iscariot. (John 13:26). When thousands of people were hungry and following Jesus - He fed them with fish and bread. God gave bread from heaven for the Israelites. When identifying how sin infects the whole church - he used bread and yeast as metaphors.

Bread was huge then. It was the meal! Not the pre-course...but the whole meal. So when Jesus told his followers he was the bread of life - it was a big deal. Huge deal.

Bread. Love the stuff. When I butter bread I take my time - I get every top part of that bread with the butter! When im dipping bread in oil - you better believe i double dip and take my time enjoying it. When were at Zio's we get a minimum of five loaves throughout the meal - even up to the dessert. Praise Jesus. (I have a point)...

I want to open God's Word - take my time and looking at every word with hungry eyes. Being eager to eat it. To devour and be satisfied. I want to love His very word to keep me from sinning and living righteously...faithfully.

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

To have the truth on my lips and in the stomach of my soul to bring prophecy to people who need hope. To be ready to give an answer for the HOPE I have in Him.

Bread. I have a feeling I'm gonna be here for a few days.

I dare you to see His Word as a beautiful necessary nutritious loaf of Bread.

Isaiah's Faithfulness Revived My Soul: I Pray One Day Mine Will Revive Another's

God in His ever present faithfulness - when I inclined my ear - instructed me to read Isaiah 40. And God - as if I'm surprised - gave me fresh words. Although Isaiah 40 has been around for quite a long time - it along with much of Isaiah is new to me because of the perspective I've been reading it from. I've included the entire scripture...and in my fascination of it's timeliness I've highlighted in bold some awesomeness I felt strongly given from God to me. I'm so amazed in my lack of faith God continues to seek me out and positions me for greatness. I'm also amazed and blessed by Isaiah's faithfulness to listen and record God's Words for His people.. And that God in all His knowledge and wonder would keep it alive and give it the ability to breath and resuscitate life long after its written.

"Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins. A voice of one calling:
"In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever." You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!" See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
or showed him the path of understanding? Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him? As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it. A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol that will not topple. Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. "To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing. Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:1-16, 18-31 NIV)

I love that my God considers me and my family (verse 11 - He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."

I've felt a special sort of grace through this process of release - through this season of preparation and change. So much of me has had to be removed and so much of Him has had to be replaced in just a short amount of time AND so much truth has had to be believed that I knew God has shown me more clear and GENTLE grace. Grace to accept change - to accept the unknown - to accept the truth of His calling. God gave us Pax - not some random act of kindness and even now I believe He is tending to that gift.

Verse 11 means so much to me too because the last week I've wanted to be bundled up in Him. Everyday I'd sit on my couch praying He would swallow me close to Him - as if I desperately needed it.. Because I, infact, do! I still feel like that today - not just to be in His presence but to be able to place my head right near the heart of God. So close I can hear and feel it beating - while my body is nestled under His arms. That's comfort.

Thank God for God! Thank Jesus for mercy! I'm find myself thankful and increasing in faith.

Doubt Deminishes the Prompt Promise

I hesitate to write this entry....as if writing at 9:45pm didn't give it away.

This blog is intended to more or less show God and His faithfulness to flawed people who love Him. And coming out of a week and weekend of hearing God speak to me truths that have begun to sharpen my character as well as severe my pride - I very interestingly found myself today in the wilderness... Of my choosing. As if I had just went from a walk thru the parted red sea to land myself in the wilderness.

Though God is so graciously giving me His manna ..im not biting. Today I took off. Im sorry to the Lord now, and i soak in his unmerited forgiveness..however i find myslef a day wasted. Im gonna be real with you - hormones have played a huge part today (if you know what I mean)...with all of that..I had to make a choice today - though in my husbands opinion came far too late in the day - that I need not doubt that my God will perform...

I have to first believe that the God-I-serve's ways are far higher than my own...

That His intentions are to do good not harm...

But second that there is urgency for the things of the Kingdom of God...

And there lies my frustration.

Then I'm reminded - God's ways are HIGHER.

But then my mind shifts again, there's injustice! Wake up God! There's babies who need love, children who need food, kids, teens and women who need justice, women who need direction, Men who need convicted to rise to the occasion as Fathers and as husbands.

We need to be where were going - what's the hold up!

So whats the wait!

For the love...sell our home God! Sell our car! What's taking you so long???

Can they even sell - they both need serious work which requires some serious money! It's hopeless - it can't be done.


On top of that I'm not sure our marriage can handle overseas missions...shouldn't we have like awesome communication..and be like mega in love and perfect best friends.

And what about our family?

What the heck are all these forms? Missionary insurance?? Who's gonna be administering shots to my baby?

Why's it taking so long?

Why haven't You radically sent some old man to buy our home with cash money for more than we owe - who then says throw in the car for also more than we owe...huh?

And why the financial strain while we wait? Really? We're getting rid of everything and tithing? Where the heck are you!

Where's all the definite answers!?

"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." Matthew 13:58

And this is what I believe - this doubt that rises inside of me - that deminishes my faith and my hope in Him - it is keeping the swift from occuring. Not just by its existence but by its root. The root must be removed before this woman can be a fit servant of the Lord. Because these minor things - they aren't out of the reach of the Lord to do. The faith He wants to develop - the hope He requires - is the kind that moves mountains...the kind that releases captives - the kind that raises the dead. The very existence of my doubt removes the very possibility that God can use me sufficiently - it hinders the greatness God can entrust to me and it limits the MIGHTINESS of God.

See, where we are going - where God is taking us - faith to provide from the smallest to greatest - EVERYDAY - will be a qualification.

"To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless" 2 Samuel 22:26 AND Psalm 18:25

It is my choice to believe He will act. His grace has shown me He is capable. For He has done it before and it's in His character that better lies ahead.

Let this entry stand that God does use crazy hormonal flawed people like me...

Enlarge and Not In-Charge

Todays entry gets me all kinds of excited. As I'm working on my hopeful, willing, restrained and watchful character - God brings encouragement in such a breathtaking way...to me..and maybe you'll find it equally beautiful and timely.

Enlarging. Love this word. We are created to want BIG. We dream on a daily basis for BETTER..for ABUNDANCE. That's from God...yet can be preverted by Satan...but still we must remember - its in us to want to ENLARGE our territory. We want our lives to be important and effective. We want our days to mean something. Believer in Jesus Christ or not.

Enlarging. Such a great word. Enlarge in the Webster Dictionary means 1. to make larger; extend. 2. to give greater scope to; expand. 3. to set free. (the last one I thought interesting)

When a woman is pregnant - though we are wise not to say it - she enlarges...but for good reason. It is a sign that she is not barren and her husband will have offspring.

God - who gives life - abundant life for His people - does not hope for them to be barren. Not just in the form of not having children....but also barren in their life. He wants His people - all people to possess a  FRUITFUL life - ABUNDANT in JOY...a life that is CLEARLY MARKED BY HIM - due to our life's FAVOR, FRUIT AND ABUNDANCE.

When we seek God - even in times where we are being positioned in high places and fleshing out promises God has already given to us..we become rooted. Much like a tree - the taller and wider it becomes the deeper - thicker - more grounded the roots become. He wants us to be OAKS of RIGHTEOUSNESS - a PLANTING OF THE LORD (see Isaiah 61:3)

Enlarging - I'm going to give you the same verses in two different versions.

“Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! For you will soon be bursting at the seams. Your descendants will occupy other nations and resettle the ruined cities. “Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth. Isaiah 54:2-4 - NLT

"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities. "Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth. Isaiah 54:2-4 -NIV

God is asking a RESTRAINED, HOPEFUL, WILLING AND WATCHFUL generation to ENLARGE. And as you're enlarging, strengthen your personal relationship with your Maker, lengthen your sphere of influence, believe God for territory - lives - favor - postitions - dreams that you don't even have yet. AND I love it - it says in verse 2 DON'T HOLD BACK. The NLT says in the last part of verse 2 - 'FOR SOON YOU WILL BE BUSTING AT THE SEAMS.'

When we're enlarged. When God enlarges our territory - our faith - our influence - our favor...it makes no room for your past to hang out....His favor and love and faithfulness and dreams and promises to you WHEN ENLARGED - tells your past shame that there's NO VACANCY in your life, your thoughts, your heart. And did you see it...the end of Isaiah says 'You will not be put to shame and YOU WILL FORGET THE SHAME OF YOUR YOUTH.' Not only will God blot out your every sin from His memory..they all will be blotted from YOURS. Remember the 3rd definition from Websters Dictionary - 'to set free.' Wow. I'd say that's some serious freedom!

When we ENLARGE. The TRUTH says 'You will not be put to shame - you will not be humiliated'...

God wants DREAMERS - those who speak and live in HOPE - who are WILLING to believe God will act on their behalf - and that we are WATCHFUL and know what it is God is giving us and if what we recieve is from HIM.

I serve a GOD who wants me to ENLARGE my territory. NOT limit me. But to give EVERY DESIRE and PROMISE. A God who WANTS me to believe HE will act/perform/bring about all on HIS own - the desires HE knitted me intricately FOR. He truly wants this for you too!

HE WANTS US TO ENLARGE - BUT HE WANTS TO BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN - while we stay confident solely in Him and being sure to strengthen ourselves with His word no matter what season.

Remember when enlarging happens so does stretch marks. When we enlarge - God wants us to stay sharp in His Word and surrounded by people who will stretch us.

Be blessed. BE ENLARGED.

Watchful - watchy watchy!

Watchfulness - Luke 12

    ³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”


Watchful is the word today, and not by accident. Watchful is defined as watching or observing someone or something closely; alert and vigilant: "the watchful eye of their father"..

Synonyms of watchful are vigilant - wakeful - alert  - awake - careful

When we're watchful you can easily attest what God is laying out for you. Watchful people are never caught off guard. How cool! Watchful people are HOPEFUL, they are expectant. They exercise RESTRAINT, because they know at any moment the Lord will come. Watchful people are also WILLING, they are willing to believe God does great immeasure things in and for those who love Him.  Watchful peole know there is something worth being alert for. Watchful people are stirred to seek out...wait...be still...and wait on the Lord. 

Vigilant and awake are my favorite synonyms. Vigilant is unstoppable. Awake is alert, keen on understanding what the Lord is directing. 

I want to be watchful. I want to be alert of need. I want to be watchful of what the Lord is trying to say to His people. I want to be vigilant to serve my King. Alert. Awake to a be a light to a hurting lost world.  

Be watchful. 

Seek the Lord about being watchful! Love you guys. 

Willingness Readies the Promise

"If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land." Isaiah 1:19

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:12

HOPE. RESTRAINT. WILLINGNESS. I'm finding God to be a God of Order. I'm becoming very fascinated by the order of His whispers to me this week. If you have just joined me, I encourage you to read at least monday and tuesday's blog before starting this one.

Consistant followers of this blog have probably recognized my need to define the word or words God is whispering. Today will be no different.

Willing is defined in the Webster Dictionary as 'ready, eager, or prepared to do something; given or done readily; "willing obedience."

There's ALL KINDS OF TRUTH in just a mere definition!

God is looking for a WILLING generation - not just a community of people who literally HOPE for the BEST but also a community of believers ready to connect that HOPE and FAITH with some WILLINGNESS!

When we have a child who is willing to get ready in the morning and willing to do the hard chores without complaint, willing to be obedient - we are happy parents...often over the moon! We become proud parents of our children and are more willing to give them their hearts desires.

God wants willing children. Ones EAGER! Ones READY! A body of believers who are PREPARED TO DO SOMETHING in WILLING OBEDIENCE!

Being ready, eager and prepared says to me that a person who is truly willing expects something to happen and has full confidence that something will occur. God wants people who have full confidence that what He is doing and promising them WILL IN FACT COME TO FRUITION. The more diligent the willingness the more diligent, I believe, the Lord is about making something happen.

I want to honor God and keep certain sacrid things God has cast vision in me, solely between us. While doing that I ALSO want to record God's faithfulness and declare some of the promises He wants to fulfill...that way in due time - when they are happening and being fleshed out your faith and my faith will be made more confident and encouraged.

I confidently HOPE to be pregnant soon. That's bold! I confidently HOPE to be shaken to my core by God's radical truths and miracles and used in a way no one else has been used.  I'm WILLING to believe God will do these things! That He will use a mess like me and my family (whose not quite as messy) through Jesus to FREE CAPTIVES, LOOSE BONDAGES AND INSPIRE PEOPLE-FAMILIES and GENERATIONS.

I'm HOPEFUL He will do IMMEASUREABLY MORE THAN I CAN EVEN ASK OR IMAGINE, ACCORDING TO HIS POWER THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN ME. (See Ephesians 3:20)

I'm confident it is through my tongue people will be convicted to do business with their Creator and will be inspired to live out their life using their giftings in love to serve others. I'm convicted to no longer use my tongue to gossip or back bite or even to speak foolishness. Those are things I refuse to let the enemy use to prevert my tongue. That's BOLD. That's HOPEFUL. Possibly even considered cocky...by world standards.

Remember Monday when I talked about HOPE...how it's not encouraged and is even frustrating to be around people who are so HOPEFUL. But I don't live for the world...nor am I any longer its captive...Jesus bought me and is telling me to be different! Set apart! And WILLING to be HOPEFUL!

My strong desire for myself and for you is to be a lover of Jesus that is WILLING. A believer that is READY, EAGER AND PREPARED! May the Lord 'grant you a willing spirit' in Jesus' NAME.

Revelation Gives Restraint - Restraint actually Gives Freedom!

Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom's instruction. Proverbs 29:18

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end—even the wicked for a day of disaster. Proverbs 16:1-4

Restraint - the act of restraining, holding back, controlling, or keeping in check. When we don't seek God we don't have vision and aren't given direction. When there's no direction and guidance (esspecially from the Source - our Creator God) we have no revelation. When there's no revelation we lose restraint - as we know not what we were created for and what we are to live for - so we live uncontrollably in lust and addiction, in what we think is freedom yet is bondage.

The Lord is calling a generation to know what they are called to do, have confident HOPE and exercise restraint. Restraints antonym is liberty in the dictionary (antonym means 'opposite of' in case you were wondering). However if you are in love with Jesus for any period of time - you know He does things a bit backward. Restraint actually brings liberty. When restraint is executed it is made obvious that the person exercising it is not in bondage to the thing He is restraining. People become obese in all kinds of sin because they don't exercise restraint.. Then the vicious cycle begins. no restraint - no revelation - no revelation - no restraint.

Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

The Lord is calling out to a generation that is desperate for order. Restraint! Freedom.

Restraint with our finances, restraint with our mouths, restraint with our thoughts, restraint with our anger, restraint in our dating relationships, restraint with our bodies, restraint with our God given time and talents...restraint.

Wisdom is calling out! Be blessed! Restrain from the typical way that the world lives and HOPE AND LIVE IN THE LOVE OF GOD!

Restrain! Hope! Be established in the Lord. God wants to reveal His plans to people.

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

1.Give 2.Fast and 3.Pray. All commands that require restraint! for the Lord will surely give you revelation and power as you exercise these 3 restraints!

Hope: A Feeling - That is Actually Encouraged

Man, oh man, oh man. Do I have a word for you today. A rhema word, an utterance from the Lord. I encourage you to seek His face with intention this week - God is working some unique things for those who believe in Him.  Psalms 46:10 tells us to "Be still and know the He is God." To know is to acknowledge - it is a state of being. So my plug before I begin the rest of the blog is to STOP what you are doing - be still and KNOW He is God. To search Him - wait patiently on Him - you will be rewared with a brand new word that will awaken your core and set you alive for the rest of the day.


God's Word to me today - HOPE. Easy enough, I thought and was about to just jump up from my postion of prayer, convicted, I waited. Remembering His ways are higher than mine. So I waited - HOPE was whispered again - but this time my being was alive, my heart started to race. Again - HOPE, along with specific hopes God birthed in me that will remain in Him and my sacrid place. Again, my plug, you HAVE GOT TO GET IN THAT SACRID PLACE WITH HIM - IT'S EVERY KIND OF GOOD.


I began to research HOPE in the dictionary and in God's Word (His written whispers) AND words can NOT AMPLIFY what God is saying in this one word....HOPE.




Hope, in the dictionary, is defined as a state of feeling. PRAISE GOD! Just looking up the word in the dictionary confirmed God was speaking to me. Those who know me - know I'm all kinds of feelings. I'm fueled by them as I've mentioned in other entries of our blog. I 'lovies' the feelings. I'm a feeler-feelie mcgee. Okay I think you get it. Back to more spiritually profound things..


Hope is a state of feeling. It is a noun known as 'the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that that events will turn out for the best.' It is also known as a verb 'to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence; to believe, desire, or trust.'


There is all kinds of amazingness in just the definition of HOPE. And HOPE as a BELIEVER HAS EVEN GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. When we - as His heirs, hope. He says in John 14:14 "You may ask me for ANYTHING in my name, and I will do it."


When we are His and we love Him - we obey His righteous decrees - because we trust He knows what kind of life will give us no regret and power and fullness. When we seek Him - knowing He knows what is in our heart of hearts (often times more than we know) - He will then tell us AND make a way for them to be lived out. Then we are made aware of what to ask Him for - because He wants a relationship with us and WANTS TO GIVE US THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART. OUR BIGGEST DREAMS. OUR BIGGEST AND MOST INCREDIBLE HOPES!

"Yet this I call to mind
   and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,

   for his compassions never fail. 

 They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness. 

 I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him.”

 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
   to the one who seeks him;
 it is good to wait quietly
   for the salvation of the LORD." -Lamentations 3:21-26

And HOPE is different from FAITH - because hope is a feeling and faith is a believing. 

As humans we need hope. We need hope to be real and not mystical. We need hope to not only be in the possession of children who have yet to have their dreams shattered and the loony crazies that are medicated in asylums. I'm serious - our generation is discouraged from hoping. It isn't logical. It isn't safe. It isn't encouraged, therefore it isn't developed. Hopeful people have become an annoyance. An utter distraction from the flow of normalcy. Making it obvious that the enemy has preverted this feeling! We don't even hope anymore because we FEAR we will be let down! God isn't a God of fear - but of what???? OF POWER OF LOVE AND OF A SOUND MIND! (2 Timothy 1:7). God wants you to FEEL and HOPE in your salvation. I know this because I want my own son to hope! I want him to grow up to be a man who is HOPEFUL. Not defeated. HOPEFUL. God loves us more than we can love, so I can only imagine He desires it even more for His children. 

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13

Confident hope! Wow! Imagine a community of believers that walks in CONFIDENT HOPE! Not just HOPE in our death but also in OUR LIFE! God is asking a generation, if they're are up for it, to take the risk and for the LOVE of GOD ALMIGHTY - have HOPE!

So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands." - Psalm 78:7

Did you catch that - anew on GOD. ANEW! Remembering all the miracles He did - BUT ALSO GIVING US THE POWER TO PREFORM NEW MIRACLES KNOWING HE ACTED ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE IN THE PAST - AND THAT HE WILL SURELY DO IT FOR US NOW. We can be sure of this because His word says in Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday AND today AND forever." (AND emphasis is mine). The same exact power - Holy Spirit - that rose a man to life, who was dead for 3 days - LIVES INSIDE OF YOU!

That isn't just faith that is HOPE. 

My findings of hope in God's Word only fanned the flames in me to full blown forest fire. Read slowly and see them as words specifically for you this day - and let your HOPE ARISE - TAKE IT BACK FROM THE ENEMY. Hope again!

We put our hope in the LORD.
He is our help and our shield. Psalm 33:20 


Having hope will give you courage.
You will be protected and will rest in safety. Job 11:18


When doubts filled my mind,
your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19 


Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:23 


Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:5 


Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 2 Corinthians 3:12


Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 


I believe you can't have powerfully effective FAITH without HOPE. And I leave you with this...if I be bias about any of God's scriptures, I will say it was my favorite of all I found today. I pray this over everyone who reads this today - be empowered and infused with hope today. ALSO BEFORE THE SCRIPTURE - May I be so bold to believe when you have HOPE, that you WEAR IT on your face, your attitude, your actions, that it breathes life into your FAITH. AND when you let this happen - when your HOPE becomes huge - that it begins to contaminate the people around you - it will spur them to ask why you're so HOPEFUL - that in your HOPE you WILL have an answer for them and connect them to do business with the TRUE HOPE OF THE WORLD. 


I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

By His Mere Name We Overcome - the Victory is Ours!

"I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 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. "All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you." Isaiah 41:9-13

When God leads you - to the unknown - and He will - because His character is to show Himself STRONG - SUFFIECIENT - MIGHTY - let this truth in Isaiah go before you! Where He directs - He alone qualifies. Where He sends - He alone carries the Victory.

We serve a more than enough God - who enjoys doing the impossible - to show His creation through the life of the created - that He is Victorious for ALL created. HE DESIRES TO DO GOOD TO AND THROUGH ALL THOSE WHO LOVE HIM - THAT MORE WILL LOVE HIM.

Live as if He has already given you the victory - because the truthis, my dear friend, He already has!

Often Logic Can be Wicked in God's Eyes

Todays entry has been on my mind since last night's youth service. Pastor Dean (insert mad props for speaking the Lord's heart) taught in Matthew 25. Dean began to read about 3 people and a master lended money to. One got 5 bags of gold, one got 2 bags of gold and another received one bag. The master left and the first two invested their bags and received back twice as much back. The last in fear buried his. When the Master returned the ones that invested were rewarded. He continued to read about the last one who dug up his one bag and brought it to his Master... This is where the Lord stopped my eyes and began to deal with me...

My spirit was willing BUT my flesh wanted to slam my bible closed...

I slammed my bible closed..

Youth service went on - youth were challenged and empowered - and we went home.

We went to bed.

At 12:46 (the second night in a row the Lord has woke me up and dealt with me at this time).. the Holy Spirit gave me this - not just for me but for the church.

"Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you." Matthew 25:24-25

This last man did a few things that the first two did not.

First, he reacted in fear. The metaphor of this parable is that God is Master - He alone gives us the right and perfect gifts, opportunities, "bags of gold"...and He trusts us to use and advance these giftings, opportunities, etc..ultimately to the benefit of others - expanding God's kingdom. However this man - reacted in fear...he said "so I was afraid and went out and hid"..

The Word says "fear not" a lot. In the king James version it says "fear not" 74 times and "don't be afraid" 29 times (just thought you should know how 'exact' a lot is). We fear because we do not trust or because we're uncertain of what's happening like teenage Mary when an angel just showed up and she was able to see it.

My son doesn't fear I won't feed him - I mean look at the kid, he's a big boy - because he trusts us to feed him. He sleeps in our arms because he trusts we will hold him close and won't drop him.

Second, the man - obviously was a logical man. One he did something logical. When we don't take risks it is said to be logical. Second, he said "I knew you were a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed"... Sounds logical right. What farmer harvests on field they didn't sow and maintenance and what farm hand gathers from a land they didn't even plant seed. Logic - right?

Third, he was lazy. He went out and dug a whole and hid it. When something is buried. When a gift or opportunity is put away - it isn't used. We must work, sacrifice, take risks, sweat in prayer, "go", be spent for our gifts to be used. So naturally when a gift isn't used and an opportunity isn't seized it comes down to the person possessing it as LAZY! They don't want to move, they don't want to risk, they don't want to press in, they dont want to take the time to be still and wait in the Lord, they don't want to be challenged or stretched.

Fourth thing is, he went out and hid. Making his own decision with what he was given because he feared and logically wasn't going to risk and was lazy. But he also didn't have FAITH. He had the wrong view of God. He even goes as far as saying "I knew you were a hard man"...

When our knowledge of God sceud and our mind only believes God to be a certain way - we limit Him to give us the ability to do anything in our lives. When we say with certainty that God is this specific way as if our thoughts and ways are higher and when we start to believe that God is not for us but against us - we hide, ashamed the first and everything time we mess up. We react to life with no liberty. Like Adam and Eve when they first sinned after making their choice to eat from the tree...

"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. God asked, "Why are you hiding?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." Genesis 3:8-10

When we don't believe God can do the impossible - "like harvesting where He hasn't sown and gathering where He hasn't scattered seed"...we begin to use our logic and walk in a life where we strongly believe God has failed us and is not for us.

The Masters response to the servants fear, logic and unbelief...

"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. "'So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:26-30

I believe this servant wanted to do right by his master but he lacked understanding - to know who his master was and what he required and the importance of what he was suppose to do - he lacked faith to take some risks and not fear.

Eventually, the Master became the very thing the servant only knew Him to be. The first two knew Him to be a rewarder - a giver to the faithful and obedient. God is just but He is first loving and merciful - just as the Word is outline: Creation, the Fall, God seeks out people (Abraham, David, Joesph, etc), Jesus comes and dies for us, grace and the Holy-Spirit is given, God euips and commissions... And THEN one day Jesus will return and be Just to a world that denied Him.

Know your gifts, invest in them for the sake of others, seize God appointed opportunities, do not run and hide from the Lord but rather run to Him in confidence. Remove logic and insert faith. Know His will for your life.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 7:21

The TONGUE:factor

Lots of Scripture, very life-changing. Be challenged to read all of it.

"The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "Sovereign Lord, you alone know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'"

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, 'Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, 'Belonging to Joseph (that is, to Ephraim) and all the Israelites associated with him.' Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand.

"When your people ask you, 'Won't you tell us what you mean by this?' say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph—which is in Ephraim's hand—and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah's stick. I will make them into a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.' Hold before their eyes the sticks you have written on and say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer defile themselves with their idols and vile images or with any of their offenses, for I will save them from all their sinful backsliding, and I will cleanse them. They will be my people, and I will be their God. "'My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. 


They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived. They and their children and their children's children will live there forever, and David my servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put my sanctuary among them forever. My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I the Lord make Israel holy, when my sanctuary is among them forever.'" Ezekiel 37:1-28

An infamous scripture. Pastors have used this for several specific teachings. Today I bring it to you in the way of the tongue. A powerful tool - WE ALL HAVE - with the ability to change things. To bring life or to bring death to things you don't want in your life...or very negatively to bring to death to things that should be living, encouraged and thriving.

"The tongue has the power of life and death,

and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21 

Ezekial was a prophet used by God to recessitate a dead generation. No flesh, no muscle, no blood, no nerves, no tendions, no life..just bare bones - was where God sent Ezekial - talk about tough crowd. BUT GOD.

I'm talking about the tongue today but let me also talk about the ear. Our church as been challenged to HEAR the WHISPERS of the LORD and have the KNOWLEDGE to know what to do with them. Ezekial HEARD FROM THE LORD and didn't just benefit his faith and then walk through his life - just seeking God's direction for ONLY his life. He was faithful to prophecy to a GENERATION of people.

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy." 1 Corinthians 14:1

Prophecy is a gift the Word of the LORD says we should desire. Because when we press into God we become keenly aware that our faith is NOT...I say it again NOT about us! Did you hear what I said...NOT ABOUT OURSELVES, OUR NEEDS...ITS ABOUT THE LORD. When we walk out our faith and it becomes about others FOR THE LORD and HIS GLORY. He takes care of you. That is CHURCH.

The enemy hates this truth. OUR TONGUE HAS POWER TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR LIFE, OF OUR FAMILIES LIVES, OUR FRIENDS LIVES, OF THE PEOPLE WE ENCOUNTERS LIVES. THAT'S CHURCH. 


When we HEAR the WORDS of the LORD and we ACT and SPEAK into the lives of the others - GOD is GLORIFIED. When we HEAR GOD'S WORDS - we pray POWERFULLY ACTIVE AND EFFECTIVE prayers, we speak TIMELY AND EXACT words to people, we bring LIFE AND FREEDOM to captives.

I believe we struggle with telling the truth and are tempted to gossip and slander because the enemy KNOWS and is AFFECTED and HINDERED by our life-giving TONGUE - so like he does everything else - he perverts it.

"keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies." Psalm 34:13

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing." (Proverbs 12:18 NIV)

"Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church." 1 Corinthians 14:4

Prophecy the gift that uses the ability to HEAR and SPEAK God's edifying TRUTH.

When we desire this gift for the glorification of the Lord because of our measure of love for him and ask for it the LORD gives. And when we recieve it is never taken away from us.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14

"for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." Romans 11:29

Lord I desire this - this one thing I seek today - that I have the gift of prophecy to HEAR YOUR WORDS and SPEAK SPECIFIC WORDS OF LIFE to those YOU LORD appoint me to encounter.  The gift that will shake their being, break bondages, bring LIFE, restore and frustrate AND ruin the plans of the enemy for their lives, to give them a HOPE for their future and bring them to a point of conviction to do business with YOU JESUS. For your GLORY ONLY!

Even if I Gain Nothing Else..I've Gained You!

This morning Paxton, my son, sweet little baby (more like toddler) had his very first day of day care. Like the more corporate kind. I'm so thankful for those women who watch him, they love them like their own - sending me pictures of him and communicating throughout the day.. I'm grateful and so thankful for God looking out for us. This momma was having a hard time wanting to take him. He had no care as I dropped him off and left. That kid. Momma bear was broken. Tis for a season.

We are still waiting for our conference interview with Children's Cup - as our schedules conflict with when they can call. A bit anxious to get this on the road. However, I'm partially enjoying and dreading God's everyday teachings as we wait.

Everyday since beginning of this month.. I have been instructed to walk by some extreme faith and boldly tell a friend she will become pregnant and it will be the Lord who gives her a baby to speaking some serious prophetic truth to friends about their dreams - to yesterday, having one of my most loyal guests tell me she has breast cancer and a mass in her abdomen. The same guest who until 2011 had 3 perfectly healthy children face medical challenges. One son being diagnosed with severe seizures, another son diagnosed autistic, and her daughter with the opportunity to have a full-ride scholarship for cheer leading break her back, hurt her leg and have a gull bladder attack. Praise Jesus she works for the government as a nurse practitioner... The Lord wanting me to pray and believe for her. Her next question was where do I go to church - so DC community expect for her and her family.(Please join me in prayer for her).

These aren't just 'say a prayer with some faith and I'm done' - I'm fighting a war for them... The wrestling daily kind! Not praise me - praise God. The enemy is under His feet! We overcome by His name!

All this and I see this life shift from my agenda to His and I'm broken before Him that He would use such an unqualified messed up person. A spoiled-often-entitled-acting-BRAT!

That He would talk to me on a regular basis.

That I would be at a point of desperation to hear Him... Even with all the distraction.

This verse says it absolutely precisely where I'm at. How wonderful that we have Words inspired by Him who is not unfamiliar with our suffering and our life.

"He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.

Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.

Then I said, "Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.

I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart."

I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know. Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me." Psalm 40:2, 3, 5, 7-9, 11

There's still some unfinished business on my part - to be obedient to take care. Some unforgiveness I don't want to deal with... And to be honest I fleshly enjoy having. It will be taken care of tomorrow. Ugh! But it needs to happen. There must be release there.

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21

Maybe that's what God's waiting on? Either way I want to be faithful - I want to be forgiven - so I must forgive.

See God does use brats!

Raising Benaiah's: Lion Chasers & World Changers

"Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard." 1 Chronicles 11:22-25

About a year and a half ago I read an incredibly motivating and life changing book called "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson.

It was about Benaiah. About his triumphs and victories because of the Lord's favor. The book about was about getting in the pit and wrestling the enemy without fear, living in our gifts and chase big dreams.

Early EARLY this morning as I was praying in day two of our churches corporate fast - my focus for day two was my family as a unit. My prayers strung into our , the course God is directing and then ofcourse Paxton and that he is also fulfilled in our families calling - then I began to get rhema words for my son. He will be an anointed worshipper, He will be a lion chaser, His life will model a man of God who "enters in" to the lives he leads - showing relevant Godly compassion - inspiring people to live their best life in the Lord.

Lion chaser...

Not only will he chase after the Lord...he will chase the lion of this world (satan) into a pit - fearlessly - with only God's strength - and fight the good fight in victory.

I laughed thinking how God was even preparing me before I ever knew about Pax and his coming.

How do I raise this up? This question kept streaming through my mind as I was playing with him on the floor, then as I was folding laundry listening to him rummage through the pots and pans...that questioned turned into how did Benaiah's parents raise him.

I see a woman much like Samuel's mother, Hannah, who dedicated her son to the Lord. Samuel's mother desperately desired a child and God gave her one..in her oath and gratefulness she committed him back to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 1:1-28).

I see Benaiah's mother and father remaining faithful to glorify God in front of Benaiah - I see them investing in their sons gifts.

I see the strong leaders,themselves - enriching Benaiah - like Solomon's mother (ex: proverbs 31).

I see a mother who prayed and fasted for her family. Speaking life and God's truth.

I see parents who love each other and are unified.. Living examples of creation living in their gifts and focusing on the Lord - Creator - who raises victories warriors. Looking to a God who is experienced in parenting and loving and nurturing and providing.

So I'm making some conscious adjustments - with the end in mind.

My son will be resting - every night on God's word. I will fast certain days of the year and pray for my son and other children.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

If this is true... Which I believe it is PERFECT TRUTH...

Living and active...

"The soothing tongue is a tree of life.." Proverbs 15:4

"The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21

I call my son lion sometimes - but I will be calling him my little world changer - lion chaser - peacemaker.

How incredible to trust the Lord to raise our children with His truth and Word...in faith. And have fun speaking life rather than death..and we know those words... Those names..they've shaped us...

Let's shape a generation of world changers with truth and the words of our mouth. Like it said yesterday - hearing God's whispering truths for those around you - rhema words that will set those you love free and position them to live abundantly. To then shape those around them and their children.

All with TRUTH!

The WHISPER: For the Others

"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." Romans 12:9

Oh. My. Great. Goodness. I have this gratefulness and joy in me that is making me burst. I'm throwing up joy all over the place.

My kid napped near my heart today with his arm across my neck.

My husband took me to Dine-N-Dash and we played scrabble on my iPad my boss gave me... While pax,my son ate in a high hair at the end of the table.

I came home from a church service - one that confirmed God's love for His people - because He graced us with His presence. People who have firsthand testimonies of God's patience, love and desire to give to His creation.

I'm packing up things I thought I totally needed to fully function here. With every clean sweep I feel released. Excited. Grateful.

I fell on my knees in worship - the whole time thinking - God I'm not fit for this - not qualified. I've lived in Missouri my entire life - the southwest part of this state for 26 years. I speak only English. I'm white. I'm married and have a child. I'm not going as a single woman with nothing to lose. I have La Baggage o la centuria... All of that on my knees and I hear God say "Perfect, because that's the only kind I use."

This morning I wrestled with my son in the tub after peeing in our bed, again. While trying to wake up my very tired husband - who kept repeating "I'm an adult, I can decide when I get up".. We weren't running behind - yet I was still frazzled. I went to church in a tizzy because I hadn't eaten and needed even just a morsel of black coffee. And that's the real woman God wants to use.

I'm grateful. Like the bursting out of my being kind.

Im also gratefully convicted. I need to love more. I need to forgive more. I need to remember its not about me. It's all about Him. It's ALL about Him. When it's about Him - the people in my life are blessed. My husband is honored and respected. My son is inspired and encouraged to discover. My coworkers are blessed and encouraged. My church is served by God's giftings in His servant. My friends are strengthened. The people that sit in my chair are blessed and enriched. When it's about Him. I hear Him whisper truth for my life but also about these people... More importantly about these people.

"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." Romans 12:9

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8

When we miss God's whispers we can miss divine appointments. When we miss whispers, and go our own way we miss it for ourselves BUT we miss it for others too - others who have greatness in them, others who have families and friends. We miss a community of people who could of been radically changed by a real representation of God - you - being used by God.

When I don't wake up to feed my kid - he goes hungry - then fussy - then feelings of abandonment set in. If I don't love my husband - you know - for weeks and months - he begins to get frustrated. Feelings of neglect and disrespect set in. He begins to question my love for him.

OBVIOUSLY I don't do either. Because I love them. In relation I also must find myself in love with those God graciously entrusts me to encounter...like really LOVE them.

When we love - we are attentive to God. When we neglect time with the Lord - it's not just our lives that miss a promise, a rhema word, that brings us back to life - its not our lives that miss a truth that will set us free - we miss it for others... Others who are in bondage.. Others with addictions that leave them sweating and aching for release.. Others you rub shoulders with - in the confines of their rooms, pleading desperately for a God to rescue them and send answers. And those lives affect lives. This fact is bleeding for attention. Fortunately we serve a God who BLED once and for all.. Out of love.. To stop all bleeding..ONCE FOR ALL.

Being faithful to LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL HOUR HEART, SOUL AND MIND - will set you free - send you to your promise - and having you see wonders you never expected...

As well as others...living, breathing, desperate others..

Oops I did it again: 2 blogs 1 day - Thanks to Two Incredible Authors.

I really don't take any credit for this entry. However I felt it a really good 'word' for some people. Especially as our church is beginning a corporate fast this Sunday.

In personal preparation for fasts I read fasting focused books and was actually excited to snag a new one this past week - The Fasting Edge by Jentezen Franklin. I also grabbed Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. The following entry is not my own work and are from two different chapters of The Fasting Edge and then ending with a timely encouragement by Mark Batterson from Circle Maker. It's long but I promise you won't regret reading it. The last bit is my favorite. May you be encouraged on your fast or encouraged to do one the beginning of this new year to capture what has for you.

"Prayer and fasting was a big part of Jesus's life. Jesus was led by the Spirit to fast and pray in that desert before He preached one sermon, healed one cripple, freed one captive, or called one disciple. Fasting "dethrones" the rule of our demanding fleshly appetites so that we can more easily follow the leading if the Holy Spirit. The problem with us is we are too impatient. If God doesn't speak to us in the first five minutes of prayer, we decide He isn't talking today. Where is the tenacity of the old saints who would take hold of God in prayer and fasting and refuse to let go until they received a sure word, a rhema word? We have been blighted with a microwave mentality, but we serve a Crock-Pot God. We want everything overnight, including maturity. We've deleted from our bibles the scriptures that command us to wait upon the Lord. Jesus was waiting on God for forty days and nights as he fasted in the wilderness. God was working on Him. There is a working going on in you right now that you may not be fully aware of, but without fasting, prayer,and wilderness experiences, you will never be qualified to handle what God has for you in the future. Fasting prepares you for what is yet to come."

"It is amazing to me that everything Jesus endured through His trial, through His beating, through His crucifixion - is called His passion. Power follows passion! That applies to so many areas. If you are standing in a worship service and it doesn't seem to have any power, remember that power follows passion. If you are guilty of holding the "remote control" at times because you don't like the song, you don't like the music, you don't sense any passion in worship, throw out the remote and bring the passion yourself - I believe you will see a difference."

"Where there is hunger, there is passion. Where there is passion, there is power. Whenever we see the release of power in the Bible, it follows someone not caring what others thought. Remember the blind man, Bartimaeus, who cried out to Jesus amidst the rebuke of the crowds? Remember the woman with the issue of blood, who risked everything by pressing through that crowd of people to just touch the Lord's robe? Remember Mary, anointing the feet of Jesus? She didn't care what others thought of her when she came to the place where Jesus was eating. She knelt at His feet, broke open a vial of expensive fragrant oil, and lavishly poured out her worship over Him. She used her own hair to wipe excess oil from His feet. The disciples ridiculed her, complaining about the waste, some pointing out the sins of her past life, but Jesus rebuked them all on her behalf. Not only did Jesus have the aroma of the anointing on Him, but Mary did also. When you spend time in broken worship with Jesus, what's on Jesus will rub off on you. You can't truly pour out your worship on Jesus without some of the fragrance of that anointing coming back on you. It is what happens when you spend time in broken worship. It should be your desire to have said of you what was said of the disciples: "They recognized that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13,AMP)."

"If prayer is the way we circle our promises of God, the fasting is the way we double circle them." Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Trust & Provision: Beautiful Things

The next few days I have off (3 to be exact).. With much to do to occupy them sufficiently. I'm finding myself very anxious. A grateful anxious. We have the day-to-day busyness and the long term prep and planning - currently in the form of getting our house organized, painted and purged.

Getting rid of stuff is hard and I'm finding myself attached to things that have sat in the garage since we moved in August of 2008.

Doing repairs in a small home while trying to live in it with a walking teething baby. And I'm grateful. The process is consuming but has an amazing end result.

"And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." 2 Corinthians 9:8

We're purging - and ironically I'm finding myself gaining so much more. I'm giving away so many things we saved to have and earned on our own and I'm feeling more abundant.

Our home and our car need so much work before we feel like they would sell. BUT I remind myself and speak His very own words outwardly to process and claim over our situation. 2 scriptures being:

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.." Ephesians 3:20 NIV

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV

God is able and I believe wants to surprise us with His love - he's got it covered.

If I freak out about anything its that we won't be able to sell our stuff and have enough to go. Hey - just being real. DAILY I have to speak in faith and dream big and believe BIG too. Refusing to walk in the flesh and remember God wants more from us and has called us - therefore making the way plain and accessible.

I know - because our life has reflected this truth - that it won't go how I plan. Things wont sell how I want and in the time I'd love. So the pride in me has to let go..so I can still allow God to use me here.

The only thing I need to freak about and really fear is God. Sounds weird.. But God says "fear not" a lot in scripture about situations or life challenges but the Word also says a lot about the fear of the Lord. In that fear I can trust that He has me, he has all of us..and this HUGE AND HOLY God has chosen us and wants to bless our faith in Him by showing himself faithful.

"How great is the goodness
you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world." Psalm 31:19

The prayer I ask of you today is actually not pertaining to the above at all but rather a friend. My friend is not a professing Christian. I actually don't really know where she stands - however she wants a baby so bad and in expressing it to us - the Lord very clearly told me to tell her He wants to give her a baby. And He wanted me to tell her that AND pray for her AND boldly tell her when she gets pregnant that it was the Lord Who gave her the baby. I ask that she sees fully what Lord is doing for her and that it blesses her. I know God will do it.

Love you all and pray you will experience every spiritual blessing from the Lord.