It's Coming, Don't Quit

      In February 2023 the Lord led me on a new journey to follow Him more than I ever have in my 40 years as a Christian. Yes, I was living for the Lord and loving Him, but I wasn’t fighting spiritually like I once did.  The challenge really began in June 2020. For two years I let the “stuff” of life distract me as I encountered several personal trials and health challenges. At times I would find myself fighting the wrong battles or not fighting at all. It took everything in me to hold onto the vision, dream & calling that the Holy Spirit planted in me years ago. Then July 2020 the Lord challenged me to get out of my comfort zone in a way I never dreamed of.

     This challenge came to me in the form of a dream where the Lord showed me that I was to move to Taylorsville, a town approximately 50 minutes north of where I was living at the time. Usually, I am not one to venture off on a long drive by myself into unfamiliar territory. But the Lord really stirred me. Finally, on Sunday morning August 2, 2020. I decided to take a test drive to visit a church in Taylorsville. As I drove up Hwy 16, I can only say that God must've had me in a protective bubble of some sort because I saw beautiful scenery on the way into town that to this day I've never seen again.

     In the dream I was shown a three-fold mandate of sorts to relaunch my recovery ministry (Free Indeed RM), start a women’s bible study, and begin to host yearly women’s conference again. I knew nothing about Taylorsville at that time. Little did I know that there is a massive problem with drug/alcohol addiction, and there isn’t much available to encourage Christian women to reach their full potential in Christ.

     One of the first lessons I learned upon moving to Taylorsville was that just because God calls you to something that doesn't mean it's going to be easy.  As I continued this journey there were tough decisions had to be made, yet at the same time ministry burning in me and God was restoring the hope of His original calling in my life. So much has happened since I moved to Taylorsville in November 2020, too much to share here except to say it’s been a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. I’m so thankful for God’s grace!

   Iin October 2023 the journey took a twist I never imagined. I had been praying and fasting and the Lord had really been stirring some things up inside of me. Oh my, I never dreamed of the whirlwind that was about to happen. Friends were even sending me texts and e-mails saying, “God is about to bring a suddenly in your life”.  God confirmed this with (2 Corinthians 16:9 NLT) “There is a wide-open door for a great work here, although many oppose me.”

     Then God dealt with me in the end of 2023 to take some significant steps. I requested of Him that in this season He would put people around me to support and encourage me with the ministry unlike ever before because it was getting tiring fighting alone. He has done that in ways that I have never imagined would happen and with people that I have never dreamed would happen with. To God be the glory!

     Now, let's look to see how God was building His view to me from the scriptures.  Look at Psalm 73:1-28.  In verses 1-20 David was bemoaning the blessing of the wicked around him and questioning God about his own trials, even questioning whether it was worth going on with God. Then in verses 21-28 David turns his trust back to the Lord, having his vision and hope renewed. The Psalms are the most read book in the bible because so many of us relate to David. He was a man after God’s heart but like us he often struggled with who God called him to be, but he wouldn’t give up and would always find the grace and mercy of the Lord available to him giving him victory after victory.

     The next scripture from the Lord was a familiar one but stronger than ever as I read it  “¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV)

     In closing let me break this passage down for you a little since I feel this is right where I’m at in my life right now and a place we all need to find ourselves at some time.

I’m not perfect: I have made mistakes along the way, and I still miss it at times. But I keep getting up. (v12) I haven’t arrived (apprehended), but I am forgetting the past and pressing on. (v13)

Most importantly, I am pressing toward the call of God so that in the end I can hear “well done.” (v14)

     One more verse. We can never get too much of God’s word! “For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end [fulfillment]; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait [earnestly] for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day.  (Haggai 2:3 NASB)

      Friends, I challenge you. Do not give up on the calling, dream or vision God has planted in you. Remember, two of my favorite statements: “Obedience doesn’t require understanding.” And “There is hope beyond where you are.”
      Yes, there will be hurdles to jump along the way, but it will be worth it to follow the Lord and know that we have been obedient to His calling. We will be able to say as the Apostle Paul said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”  (2 Tim, 4:7 NLT) 

    

 

 

Need Somthing New in Life?

I’ve been thinking about the New Year we’re all about to face. I know for most of us, since 2020 in the past few years with Covid, the chaos in our country, as well as our personal lives, things have been difficult. I can relate as I went through some personal battles of my own.  If it were not for the strength of the Lord, my family, and friends, I don’t know what I would have done.

Well, that is all behind me now and I am looking forward to 2024.  As we face going into a new year, I’d like to encourage you to allow the Lord to do some new things in your life. Some of you might be comfortable with your life. To that I say, the Lord loves us too much to allow us to remain as we are. We need to always be growing in some area of our life. Others of you may be fed up with life, disillusioned, even fearful.  For some of you there’s been a dream that you’ve held in your heart for years, but you just don’t see it happening. Hold on, you might be delayed, but you are still destined!

Now let’s look at some new possibilities for 2024.

New Pursuits “There are many plans in a man's heart, nevertheless the LORD'S counsel-- that will stand.”  (Proverbs 19:21)

God might lead you to a new job position. He might send you back to school for some more training. Ask the Lord what He wants to do with your life.  If you’re a Christian maybe He’s calling you into ministry or to go on a mission trip. Be open to new ideas in the New Year. Get your steel-toed shoes ready…. It might be that you need to change some of your relationships that are leading you down the wrong path. In the bible it says, “Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character." (1 Corinthians 15:33 NLT) - You have more worth than you realize. Don’t let yourself be dragged down by those who are on a destructive path in life.

New Reputation "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.” (Isaiah 54:4)

Perhaps you’ve failed in some area of your life.  Have you done something that brought you shame? Or maybe it wasn’t something of your own doing, but the false words of others against you. It can all be made new when you call upon the Lord. I could share some stories with you about how God has turned some things around in my life! All praise to Jesus!

New Heart  "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3)

Has your heart been wounded, broken, and shattered? Maybe your heart has been so hardened that you feel you just can’t reach out to others or allow people to reach out to you. If you ask the Lord, He will give you a new heart.  Look at this scripture – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” – (Ezekiel 36:26)

New Beginnings  “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” Col 3:10

If your life has been full of pain, abuse, addictions, and failure, whatever – God wants to give you a new life, a new beginning. I can testify to the reality of having my life taken out of the gutter and being made brand new. My life was such a mess at one time. After all these years that I am still in awe that the Lord has changed my life as He has.

Friend, if you have tried everything else and it hasn’t worked, perhaps it’s time to give things over to the Lord. I know He will help you live in a new way. He will give you hope. If you will just surrender to Him, He has a good plan for your life.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Once again, I must share with you one of my favorite scriptures – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Lastly, every year I ask the Lord for a word to focus on for the year. I am continuing with the word Hope from this year and adding the word Stand” -” Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV) Therefore, I will hold on to HOPE and STAND believing for the fulfillment of the vision. Glory to God!

Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus because He never fails!

 

Lift Up His Name!

 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12)

In less than two weeks we will celebrate Christmas and prepare to enter a new year.  A year that I am sure has many new challenges for us as it does blessings. This year has been a rocky year to say the least. Political chaos, unusual, even weird weather, a lot of sickness. Many have lost jobs, loved ones, relationships, etc. Life just gets tough sometimes.  Whether it is health, finances, family issues or other difficulties, one thing I have learned is to call upon the name of the Lord, for it is He alone who can rescue us

In the bible there are many references to various Hebrew names of God that point to a particular area of His care for us in our lives.   I would like to share a few of those names with you and how you can apply them to your life.

Jehovah Shalom – “The Lord our Peace” – “So Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace..." (Judges 6:24)

     When life is stressful and you’re feeling no peace, run to the Prince of Peace and let him fill you with his peace that passes all understanding.  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”  (Isaiah 26:3)

Jehovah Nissi – “God is my Banner” – “And Moses built an altar and called its name, THE-LORD-IS-MY-BANNER;” (Exodus 17:15)

     In those times when you just want to run and hide under the covers, run to Jesus instead and let him cover you with his banner of love and protection.

Jehovah Jireh – “The Lord is my Provider” – “And Abraham called the name of the place, THE-LORD-WILL-PROVIDE; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided." (Genesis 22:14)

     This name of the Lord is a reminder of God’s promise to provide for our needs. Notice it’s our needs he provides for, not always our wants. I remember a time about fifteen years when I saw a $900.00 bill forgiven. Praise God! More recently, in the past four years I have seen God provide in ways that I never dreamed.

Jehovah Rapha – O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. Psalm 30:2 

This Hebrew word, Rapha means to “restore, to heal, to cure and to repair.” This can apply to physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

Jehovah Shammah – “The Lord Who is always Present – “It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. ”- (Ezekiel 48:35)

     What a wonderful promise! He is always there when we need him!  Now there may be times when it feels like He is not there and instead of trusting His hand we have to trust His heart. People may leave us. But as the song Matthew West sings, “He’s the God Who Stays.” We can’t always “feel” God, but we know that His word is true because it says, “He will never leave us nor forsake us. “ (Hebrews 13:15)

Yahweh Roi – “The Lord is my Shepherd” – Psalm 23

     This chapter is the Book of Psalms is probably the most read chapter of the bible. Many turn to it for comfort during difficult times. The Lord does care for us tenderly as a shepherd tends to his flock. To gain a greater understanding of Jesus being the Good Shepherd in your life I would highly recommend the book “A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23” written by W. Phillip Keller.    

     It’s amazing how when new trials come our way, we quickly forget what God has done for us in the past. When I face those times of wondering what God is up to in my life, I often go back and refresh myself with some of the meanings of His name.

    Christmas isn’t an easy time for many. My friend, be encouraged today, the Lord is for you, not against you. Ask Him to help you focus on the positives of what He’s done for you. Take a step in a new direction and trust the Lord with this season of your life. Sometimes we just need to stop and listen to what God is saying to us. 

     Lastly, don’t fall into the trap of isolation. That is one the of the devil’s biggest schemes. He wants you to withdraw and be alone, making you susceptible to discouragement.  Instead of running into hiding, go to your local church or Christian friend and ask for prayer. Take time to pray His name over your life. There is power in the prayer of agreement with another person and proclaiming His name over your life!

As Tasha Cobbs Leonard sings, “There is power in the name of Jesus To break every chain, break every chain, break every chain.” 

Friends, let’s go forward into this holiday season and the new year STRONGLY declaring the power of the name of Jesus!

 

Holidays Can Be Tough

Wow! It’s hard to believe we’re in full swing of the first week of December. Things have already been busy, and Christmas is just a few weeks away! But for some it’s a month of pain. Some have lost loved ones due to death. Some have been through the pain of separation and divorce, or having a child go wayward. This time of year often brings painful things to people. However, there is hope. God through his son Jesus wants to bring comfort to your life during this season.

You may think I’m just saying this because I’m writing my blog. I have been through some personal battles throughout my life and most recently, in the past four years. What I share with you today I have been applying to my own life. So, once again let’s use an acronym to see how we can receive God’s comfort in our lives.

Cares – “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) 

     We must cast all our cares on the Lord. Despite what you may feel or what others have told you, God does care for you. But it requires faith and trust to believe that.

 

Omniscient – “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk...” (Psalms 142:3)

     The word “omniscient” means, “all knowing.” God knows everything from the beginning to the end. He knows the paths our lives will travel. As I have often heard preachers say, “Nothing comes to our lives that doesn’t first go through the hand of God.” His grace and his all-knowing can be trusted to carry us through any situation.

 

Meditate - "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

     One of the best things we can do to receive the comfort of the Lord is to daily read the bible. Did you know that the book of Psalms is the most read book of the bible? Why? Because David shows that he is human, which we can all relate to. Many of his Psalms start off with a trial but he always ends with giving praise to God for providing a way out of troubling situations. We can do the same. (See 1 Cor. 10:13) Things may look bleak, but if we hide God’s word in our heart, the praises will begin to flow from our lips before all is said and done.

 

Faith - “… if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20) 

    Do you see that? Even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed it is enough to move mountains. So don’t accept the lie from the devil that your faith is too little to do receive strength and comfort from God. Use what you have, and the Lord will multiply it.

 

Omnipotent –- “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; his understanding is infinite.” (Psalms 147:5)

     Here we see another interesting word. Omnipotent means “all powerful.” God is more powerful than anything else in the world.  When you find yourself feeling weak and defeated ask God to show up in His power to remedy things as only He can do.

 

Rest –"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) 

     What an offer! Jesus was telling us in this verse that if we will give Him all of our burdens, He will give us His rest. That’s a great promise to hold on to when the going gets tough.

 

Trust – “⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

     This may be a familiar scripture, but it is so true. If we lean on our understanding, we will mess things up every time. No matter how difficult this season is, try to make an effort to trust the Lord. Trust Him that He will help you with the pain, the memories, and with whatever it is that you need in your life right now.

 All of this takes me back another familiar scripture found in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

     Oh, my friend, how the Lord wants to comfort you! He wants to comfort you so that you have peace as you receive His comfort. But He also wants to comfort you so that someday you will be able to share that same comfort with someone who crosses your path and is need of healing from the scars of life.

     In closing, While the pain you’re experiencing is real I want to encourage you that it’s not the end. God wants you to move forward with your life. He wants to heal you of your pain so that you can be His instrument of comfort to someone else along the way in your journey. I am speaking this to myself as much as I am you!  Be encouraged, because of Jesus Christ, there is Hope ahead!