A Walk of Intention

“God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8

I know it has been a long time since I’ve posted anything. This last year has been a new season for me, as I stepped into a new leadership position. The year has been filled with transition, growth, and new challenges. But all of that is for another time and post. 🙂

Recently, I attended a heartbreaking memorial service for twin babies born prematurely. I was struck by the strength, courage and faith as the young couple honored their babies. They shared about the conscious choice to trust God, even in this most tragic of circumstances and believe that He is still good.

In that moment I was reminded how our faith – our decision to trust God – is an intentional choice. One not based on our feelings or circumstances, but an intentional choice based on the character of who God is. Although, that intentional choice to trust God , doesn’t make us immune to the feelings and emotions that come with the struggles of life. We just need to process them through the lens that God is good, even still.

Daily, we have a choice to be intentional with our faith and not rely on our feelings or to be swayed by the circumstances that surround us. The choice to trust God because we know He is good, He loves us and wants the best for us. It is in that intention that we find His strength, comfort and grace to carry us through the storms of life.

He is faithful…

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My Word For 2017

“I have hidden Your Word in my heart…” Psalm 119:11

Happy New Year!

At the close of every year and the beginning of a new one, I have always had a strong sense of direction or theme that the Lord wants to direct me in. This year has been a bit different. As I scrolled through Facebook, I saw lots of people with a “word” for the new year and my heart got heavier with each post I read. I didn’t have a “word” yet and was clueless.

What there was though, was a lingering thought that I couldn’t escape…I knew that God’s Word needed to be tucked away (hidden) in my heart. But not just hidden there, but believed in and acted upon in greater and deeper ways. This quote by Christine Caine sums up how I feel: “The truth we store up in silence comes back to us in the storm and lifts us away as on a life raft from the fears and disappointments that would otherwise pull us under. When we abide in His Word, He abides in us.”

When I think about abiding in God’s Word, I think of it as an anchor. That is my word for 2017. God’s Word is an anchor for my soul…for you soul. That is my heart’s desire for this year. The word anchor means: to be firmly fixed. I want God’s Word to be fixed firmly in my heart, so much so that it continues to “come back to me” in the midst of the storms of life, as well as the joys. A commentary puts it this way: ” To seek God is to seek His Word; to know God is to know His Word; to obey God is to obey what is in His Word.” I think it is one thing to seek God’s Word and to know God’s Word but quite another thing to obey what is in His Word. That is what I am trying to get at.

I want God’s Word so firmly anchored to my life, that I not only seek it and know it but I live out what it says.

May we hide His Word in our hearts in deeper ways this year. His Word is truly an anchor for our souls!

 

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“Experience Christmas” Series

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:14

Just a simple truth this morning…God. Came. Near.

God – our Almighty God and Everlasting Father…

Came – approached us, moved toward in our direction, positioned Himself into view

Near – He is close, He is available, He is faithful

Why? He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness towards us. Towards you. Towards me.

May you encounter the Savior today!

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“Experience Christmas” Series

“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will be call Him, Immanuel (God with us).” Matthew 1:23

There is something about the Christmas season that I love. The story of how a Savior was born to us and wants to be with us, never gets old for me. I am continually challenged each Christmastime to live my life in light of that truth. This year, I truly want to experience Christmas – I want to experience, to encounter our Wonderful Counselor, our Mighty God, Our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace in new ways instead of embracing the craziness of this season. I hope you’ll join me!

The above scripture never loses its meaning on me and it’s even more significant for me at Christmas. I find myself in awe of the incredible truth that Jesus, Son of God, was born to us – He wanted to be with us, with me, with you.

God. With. Us. He desired to come alongside us. He wanted to be near us. He cared to be in the thick of life with us. Why? The answer is so simple and yet so difficult, at times, to comprehend…He love us. He loves me. He loves you.

The question I find myself asking is “How do I respond to the moments of my everyday life in light of this truth?” My first response is thank you. Thank you Jesus that you care enough, that you love enough – to want to be with me. You accompany me, you are beside me…you are near. Not just during this Advent season but in every season, every moment of life.

My second response is “Am I living from of place that God is with me?” “And what does that look like?” To me, it looks like the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God. With. Us.

At times we may feel abandoned and we may feel that God is distance but the TRUTH is He is Immanuel…God with us.

May the way we live be a reflection of His presence with us.

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Thankful November – Day 30

“Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength to our God forever and ever! Amen.”  Revelation 7:12

Thank you for journeying with me over this past month! Stay tuned for more blog posts as Advent begins!

To wrap this series up, I feel it’s fitting to end with thanks and praise to God – He reigns and holds all things in His hands. And He is worthy of all our praise!

I pray that as we have been in a posture of thanks to God that our eyes and hearts have been directed upwards off our circumstances and onto our faithful God. And may we have a fresh revelation of His endless love for us!

Bless you!

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Thankful November – Day 29

“Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.” Psalm 99:3

Today I am thankful that Jesus inhabits the praises of His people!

When we take time to praise God we gain a greater awareness of His presence, our hearts are more sensitive to His voice and our faith is cultivated. We are encouraged to praise not only because God is worthy of it, but because of the transformation that it does within us.

Praise lifts our eyes off our circumstances and on to Jesus.

Praise exchanges the spirit of heaviness for the spirit of joy.

Praise realigns our heart with His heart.

Spend some time in praise…He is so worthy of it and it will do your heart good!

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Thankful November – Day 28

 

Today I am thankful that the Lord is my Shepherd.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
² He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
³ he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
⁴ Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
 forever.

Rest in the Lord’s provision, guidance, goodness and love today…

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Thankful November – Day 26

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” 1 Corinthians 15:57

I was going to save this song for the last day…but I couldn’t wait and it seems fitting on this Thanksgiving weekend.

Let us truly give thanks for all He has done!

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Thankful November – Day 25

“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” 1 Samuel 2:2

Today I am thankful for the holiness of God. In this context of the scripture above, the New English Translation refers to God’s holiness primarily to “His sovereignty and incomparability. He is unique and distinct from all other so-called gods.

I find great comfort in that truth. There is no one holy like our God. Declaring the truth of who God is brings comfort to the weary soul, brings freedom to the captive soul, brings light to the darkened soul, brings strength to the hard-pressed soul and grace to the worn-out soul.

God’s holiness isn’t meant to inspire fear in us , but an awe and reverence of the Living God.

He alone is worthy.

He alone is like no other.

He alone is the Great I AM.

He alone is the Living God

He alone is Sovereign over all.

May you rest today in the truth that God is holy…and there is none like Him.

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Thankful November – Day 24

“Now therefore, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I am thankful for the gift of Jesus! For me, without Him, the purpose and meaning of life is unfulfilling and directionless. With Him, I get the opportunity to hopefully grow more and more into His image and to be His hands and feet to those I encounter.

Today we are encouraged to give thanks, but maybe circumstances are difficult and your feelings are struggling to be thankful.

Jesus knows and understands…but He encourages us to still give thanks.

Jesus Calling says it best this morning…”Thankfulness takes the sting out of adversity. That is why I have instructed you to give thanks for everything. There is an element of mystery in this transaction: You give Me thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you joy (regardless of your circumstances).”

Wherever today may find, may you enter into this transaction with Jesus – giving Him thanks and praise for who He is and in exchange He will bless you with His matchless joy.

In all things, give thanks.

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