Exodus 14:13-14

 

Don't be afraid, just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord himself will fight for you, just stay calm.  

 There always comes a time of elimination.
The earth sheds each year.
The trees and flowers let go of their identity.
As the old identity dies, a new identity is born.
The body sheds constantly.
Some of it happens invisibly; so naturally
and silently that we do not realize it is happening.
The heart and the spirit also shed.
They shed the emotions and experiences that we no longer need.
They shed the things that stunt our growth.
This, too, is an invisible process.
Yet because of the energy involved, the emotional energy,
we often feel the emotional and spiritual shedding; 
it feels as if we are dying.
We are.
Just like the flowers and the trees,
we are dying to an old identity.
This shedding, or death, is not the end of us,
 it is the beginning..

Luke 22:42
Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours (always) be done.

The devotion for January 31, 2012
Trusting God through emotional trails.
That's the title.
Growing into a mature Christian takes time.
It doesn't happen overnight.
It's a process.
Little by little,
one experience after another,
God tries us and tests us.
He tests our emotions,
this helps us grow.
Difficult situations stir up emotions.
We see how unstable we are.
How in need we are of a Saviour.
How we cannot go through life alone.
especially with the hard stuff.
The night before Jesus' death he begged God,
"take this cup from me"
He was going through the hardest trial.
He didn't want to die,
but he looked past his emotions,
and said,
"not my will, but your will be done."
God's will.
Not ours, no matter what we are feeling.
God knows best.
You can make it through any trial,
with God.
Jesus wasn't led by his feelings,
we don't need to be either.
When God tests your emotions, seize the moment.
Let the experience change you.
Let it grow you.
Trust God with it.
God can bring peace and confidence
to any situation.
He purposes don't always make sense to us.
But He knows best.
I trust God more than I trust myself.
And i'm thankful for my challenges,
it has made me the woman that I am.
"Not my will, but the Lord's will."
He loves you.
 

 

 

 

Through the storm, He is Lord, the Lord of ALL.

 

Lord you make all things new.

Your love is never-failing.

Your grace is never-ending.

Forgiveness you bring.

Thank you.

 

 

This season.  

So much has happened this past few weeks.

Am I proud of it all? No...

Humans make mistakes, we are no where near perfect.

We get caught up in the wonders of the world.

Our flesh consumes at times.

I have regrets, I have sins, I feel the shame.

But God is good.

He is forgiveness. He is love. He is redemption.

The Lord makes all things new.

And the truth is, God has a plan for this life of mine.

He planned it out with much detail.

I pray that His plan will override my own weaknesses.

I pray that His plan will overcome my sins.

I was lost for awhile, which hurts my heart.

But God has called me back once again.

Over and over we try to run our lives.

Over and over we fail.

We fall.

But God is quick to redeem.

He brings us back each time.

Arms open.

Heart broken.

Loving us.

Wanting us.

 

 

Looking back. 

The past is so enticing, so tempting.
Things that once broke you, have now been healed.

And you find yourself wanting to go back.

Wanting the things that brought you pain.

But brought such a high as well.

What to do...

My heart has been so confused.

I've been in need of comfort, love, security.

Have I been looking in all the wrong places?

You better believe it.

Have those other people & things been satisfying?

You better believe not.

Have I sinned and fallen away from the Lord?

Unfortunetely yes.

Do I miss my God?

With all of my heart and soul.

Am I ready to go back to where I belong?

I'm ready.

Take me as I am.

Jesus Come.

 

 

Anchored.

I'm anchored in who I am.

Who I've become.

I know my heart, my soul.

I'm secure in myself.

I'm grounded in truth, God's truth.

I'm firm and secure in the Lord.

In His love for me.

In His hope.

In His life.

I'm anchored to the Lord.

Forever I will stay.

Secure.

Complete in Him.

Do I forget that sometimes?

Absolutely.

But does that change the truth?

Does that change who He ultimately is?

Does that change the fact that He loves me,

the fact that He'll always be there?

Absolutely Not.

He loves me.

 

Future seasons.

 College graduate.

Still can't believe it.

My dream from childhood is in the midst.

My passion is here.

The finishline has come.

A teacher.

A TEACHER.

Somedays it brings tears to my eyes.

Now what?

My college journey has come to an end.

well for now.

I have the anxiousness of finding a job.

We are told not to be anxious.

It is easier said than done at times.

will I teach soon?

How long until I find a full-time place?

My own school, my own classroom.

Where does God want me?

He has a plan.

He has brought me this far.

He won't give up on me now.

Lead me in your ways Lord.

Show me where you want me to go.

And help me get there.

Without God I can do nothing.

Teaching is my heart.

Children are my heart.

Teenagers are my heart.

Shaping.

Molding.

Educating.

This is me.

This is what I was made for.

I just need to find that security.

Find that job.

Figure things out.

And that is where I stand right now.

Time will tell...

 

 

 My heart.

My heart is heavy.

My heart is lost.

My heart is anxious.

My heart is wanting.

My heart is hurting.

My heart is ashamed.

My heart is lacking.

My heart is empty-feeling.

 

But God heals,

God provides,

God fills my emptiness,

God shows me strength,

God fills me with hope,

God restores,

God re-claims,

God brings peace,

God is all-knowing,

God leads me,

God holds me,

My God loves me.

Amen.

 

 

The God of angel armies is always by my side.  

Healing come.

 

Still my anxious heart

                                             Forgetting the past... Looking forward...

Phillippians 3:13

Still my anxious heart, Lord.
Let His word be my strength, and hold tightly to His promises.
Never settle, although conviction doesn't let you anyways.
A Godly spouse is a must. Period.
Be with someone who lifts you higher, who leads you to the Lord...
Not away from Him.
Light and darkness cannot work side by side.
Life starts when we leave our comfort zone.
Rely on God, not other people to satisfy you.
Be patient. Pray for patience.
With God all things are possible.
Seek a community of believers, those who share your heart.
Hope, even when you're all alone.
Trust God, even if you feel like doing the opposite.
Don't compare yourself to others.
Leave a relationship if you're staying merely for the comfort.
God gives you the desires of your heart.
Don't worry, God will answer your prayers...
It's just on His timing, not yours. God knows best.
Don't fear the future.
Be an optimist.
Let go of the things that weigh you down.
Don't worry about those who hurt you, God will deal with them.
Trust God, even if your heart wants to do the opposite.
Never seek retaliation.
No power can stand against God and His plans.
The devil cannot stop God from blessing you.
God loves you.
Why wouldn't God want what is best for you?

Song on my heart: I will rise- Hillsong United


There is so much going on in my heart lately. such discontent & eagerness. a lack of patience. the list count go on. But at the same time, I know that God is among me. He is leading me. I need only be still. And trust Him even when it hurts.

It's been awhile. here we go again.


Life hurts. God heals.
Love is patient. It's patience.
God doesn't make us selfish people.
We were made to be more.
We were made to be in His image.
This life in not OURS.
Love has self-control. It isn't easily angered.
I put my faith in God, not people.
I'm worn down, i'm disappointed.
I feel discouraged. But my hope is in Him.
He has it all planned. He knows.
Nothing gets to me before going thru Him.
He permits things.
He brings things on purpose.
But all of this is for our own good.
God is nothing but good. No sin in Him.
No evil in Him. He is all good.
God is able to do more then we could ever dream..
More than we could ever ask for.
He gives us the desires of our heart.
Those desires that are good.
We are not to settle for less. ever.
Our heart knows. God has put his plans in our heart.
When we aren't aligned with Him, we know it.
We are want to feel loved. to be wanted.
And sometimes we don't accept God's love as enough.
But it IS enough. it is...
Oh the things we think we know.
But honestly we really don't.
We need to believe that what's meant to be, will be.
No need for worries.
Trust God. afterall He made you.

Quotes, images, photography.
It brings out the depths of my soul.
It tells my story. the words i couldnt say.

Fall season. my ultimate. love.

At our worst, God gave us his best. Jesus <3

Chasing God isn't always an automatic thing.
Some of us chase money, relationships, fashion, drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it.
We search for love, satisfaction and happiness.
But we are searching in all the wrong places.
We must worship the Lord.

When we are lonely God's love may not seem like enough.
We need affection and we chase after everything except God.
Even though He loves us the most..
Those other things will never do.

We will be tested. Our faith will grow.
And then, only then, will we realize that God is enough.
His love is enough. He does satisfy.
Only He can.

There will be times when Satan lies to you.
He will say that your sins are too big...
God cannot forgive sins so great.
And the Enemy will remind you of your sins again.
But Jesus has paid your debt.
He has set you free. The past is no more.
Your sins are forgiven.
Remember that.

Meditate on God's word.
Remember His promises.
Hold tighly to His truth.
Tie it around your neck.
Write it on the tablet of your heart.
For the truth will set you free.

When i'm weak, your strength Lord is complete.

We never stop worshipping. For we are worshippers every one of us. But sin causes us to worship anything and everything other than God. We tend to exalt a substance, an experience, a person* or a dream to the level of a God. We define life by it's attainment, and we feel like dying when it is gone (when we lose it). Whatever we are worshipping becomes bigger in our eyes then the one and only God, and our idols become our God.

This is idolatry...

Redemption has come thru Jesus Christ. Redemption is to be liberated, freed, rescued from bondage and slavery to a person* or thing*.

Your life has been out of control, dominated by your addictions. Perhaps, despite your desire to be free, you've gone back again and again...& again... It has cost you dearly and has left you miserable. You are beneath the load of guilt and shame.

This is slavery...yet it's slavery you've chosen.

It is voluntary slavery.

We were in bondage until Jesus came as our ransom...
Now we are redeemed, well in the process.
We are not fully there yet, but the process has begun in us.

Something that pierced my heart today as I was reading is the following segment from the book "Redemption" by Mike Wilkerson. He says,

"Desires for God and desires for sin cannot COEXIST in our hearts with one another.

They are two OPPOSING affections. One will always push the other out.

When you worship something you cannot simply "stop it" on command.

The person or thing you are worhsipping is rooted deep within you.

It has your affections and your emotions.

That is why we must slowly replace our sinful worship with the worship

of our LORD. By His grace we will be changed..."

"Being free to worship God, doesnt necessarily mean that we will."

In the middle of our suffering it feels as though God is absent.

As if He has abandoned us.

Watched from the sideline, deciding not to intervene.

When we are in the "thickest part" of it,

We are unable to see the truth.

We are blinded to the truth...

"God is not a silent, detached, distant, disapassionate diety. He hears His children's cries. He knows their suffering. He will keep His promises. He will rescue them."

 -Redemption by Mike Wilkerson

Jesus also begged the Lord to take it all away, but God did not. -Luke 22:42

Jesus lived the kind of pain you & I are experiencing today.

Hostility, despised, rejected, alone, abandoned, oppressed, crushed, betrayed.

Jesus didnt ignore his pain. He didn't drown it out with addiction.

He didn't deny it- HE FACED IT.

He ran to God with it.

He called out "ABBA"-FATHER...

Sometimes God just needs us to face our pain with Him.

Sometimes we create barriers between us & God.

Sometimes it is the very experiences that threaten to drive us the farthest from God that actually bring us closest to Him.

Sometimes we feel such a deep grief while still feeling closer to God than ever before...

I love you all...



Jesus, All authority, every victory, IS YOURS.

God's will.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Nothing else.
Thank you Jesus.
For loving me.
For your protection.
You love us so much that you died for us.
We are free from our sins.
All because of you.
There is more to life now.
I'm found in you.
In my weakness you love me.
When i'm weak you Lord are strong.
I want to boast in you.
Only you.
Your love keeps me going.
My identity is found in you.
Not other men. No one else.
My confidence comes from you.
Only you.
God you feel my pain.
You understand when I hurt.
Because you hurt with me.
This battle is not mine alone to carry.
My battle is your battle.
I'm ready to let go.
Even if I don't want to all the way.
Even if I don't know how.
Lord bring me freedom.
I'm ready to love you.
Love you instead of this world.
Love you more.
I will never cease to pray.
Pray is power.
Pray brings healing.
I want to climb a mountain and scream your name.
I want to feel your presence surround me.
I want to live in your presence all of my days.
Stand right by me.
Give me your strength Lord.
You have overcome.
Worthy of honor and glory.
Worthy of all of my praise.
You overcame.

God could have resided anywhere beautiful in this universe,
but still, He chose your heart to be His dwelling place,
and He shall redecorate it to make it beautiful.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May He fill you with His never-ending love.
Remember God loves you.
He will never give up on you.

He is relentless for you...