My Word for the Year

My Word for the Year

Last year when I started this blog I felt I was in the process of

being freed.  I had been searching out the Lord and His will but

something was holding me back.  Something was stealing joy

and peace.  Like a hand, it held fast my arm as I tried to run

to the place I saw God wanted me to be.  Regret was a constant

thought and companion.

The Lord was there.  The spirit that lives in me called

out to Him who knows all the answers and he brought this

verse into my life.  A life that was full of regrets from sin.  A life

that was being held prisoner to my past mistakes and

misadventures.

The Lord is the Spirit, where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

2 Cor 3:17

God heard my pleas for forgiveness and my longing to be the person

only He could make me.  I have learned to let go of the past and

experience a life full of freedom.  Freedom to run to the place

God has for me in this journey.  To move along, closer to Him and

His kingdom.

Freedom

This year another word has been spoken to me from the spirit

that lives in me.  A word that again will bring me closer to

the woman I know God has called me to be.

In my past experience with regret and imprisonment I learned to

hide.  I learned to let people see only what was good.  Only

what I thought they should see.  Not the the mistakes I had

made or the tired, weak woman I sometimes still am.

God has been speaking this word to me.

Transparency

I have felt over this past year to let the World see me.  The Good

the Bad and the Ugly.  There is such an undeniable difference

in the person that writes this blog to the person that lived

in this body 10 years ago.  If you knew that person, in the

dark days of my life, you would not recognize me now.

This can bring strong emotions like fear.  What will

people think if they knew I went through all that?  Will they

understand the difference compared to back then?  Will

someone try to hurt me with the knowledge I lay in

front of them? 

God spoke through His word to me.

Do not fear.  You are (carved) in the palm of my hand.

I loved you so much I sent my son.  You are mine - I will

protect.

I am endeavoring this year to be transparent and to not

let fear stand in the road and dictate what to show and

what not to show.  Only God should dictate what

we do and don't do.  Transparency also means I want

to be sure I am clean and in good standing with my spiritual

walk.  That will also keep me on my toes.

I have a great testimony to what I was and to where I am today.  

ONLY the Lord full of grace and His expectations of Holiness

have brought me into a place of peace and joy.  Without

Him I would still be living "lost" and Prodigal.  If I take

my eyes off of Him, be assured I will fall again.  God called

me to be transparent so that  people will be

 able to see Christ straight "through" me.

What word has God given you this year?

What new inspirations is He showing you that

will lead you to the path He expects you to take?

Psalm 3:6; Psalm 27:3; Psalm 46:2; Psalm 91:5

John 3:16; Isaiah 49:16

It Is Better That I leave...

It Is Better That I Leave...

There was a time when I spent several years as the oppressed.  Spent

precious time feeling distraught, unempowered and wondering what to do next.

The last 8 or so years have truly been some of my best.  There is a great

reason for that.  The Lord saw  me in the mire and wreckage of

my life gone off the tracks. I had gone through divorce, a miscarriage, went

without a home of my own.  I had wonderful Christian families and friends that

prayed for me, sat with me as I lay unable to get off the kitchen floor. I had

 one friend bring pillows and she and I lay on the cool hard floor until the

wee hours of the morning.  I made bad decisions that would take a huge toll

on my body, heart and mind.  He took me from that place and set me into a

life bent on serving Him. He gave me a second chance. But before all of this

"saving", needless to say I felt, and was, a defeated women.

 I didn't understand the Holy Spirit and I spent hours praying

to feel wanted, loved and needed.  I didn't understand the one, the only one

that could make me truly know these things was already living inside me.

Did you know that in John 16:7 Jesus said to his disciples that it is

BETTER that he go away, and that unless He went away,

into heaven, the COUNSELOR would not be able to come.

That astonished me when I read that scripture today!  I have read that scripture

many times but this time God opened my eyes more than ever before.

Francis Chan writes 'Right now, imagine what it would be like to have

Christ standing beside you in the flesh, functioning as your personal

Counselor!'  Now hear what Jesus says.  "Its good that I

am going, if I don't the new COUNSELOR won't be able to come."

If we know Christ- truly know Him, the power of the Holy Spirit should

be, feel, be as evident to those around us, as IF CHRIST WAS

RIGHT HERE beside us. 

We go through horrible things.  This is part of life in many ways. It is a legacy

of sin.  Maybe not all of your own making, but the nature of sin is all around us.

The enemy will try to mangle what God has promised us.  If I

really understood, way back then, that the Holy Spirit was better

for me than if Jesus was standing right there beside me.  I do not think

 I would have been so defeated and bewildered.

But the ultimate truth is we are NOT ALONE.  The Spirit

of the HOLIEST resides inside of us.  What promise, what

power we should be drawing from these words.  Love, Joy, Peace

Long Suffering should be undeniable in our lives.  Take hold of

this truth today to move towards an empowered life.  The Holy Spirit is

our Power to live for Christ day in and day out!  To stand with us through

the trials of this life.  He resides in us, to direct, comfort, to be our conscious,

to be a friend that will never ever leave us.  No matter what the world

hurls at us and no matter what mistakes we make. 

Repentance, Gods Blessing, and total submission to His will are all hugely

involved but that is a whole other blog.  Just know this:  If you are

saved, if you have repented of sin, see your need for a savior and you

know only Christ can give this to you.  You have a bright shining light inside

of you.  You have a comfort that no human hands and no dark and dreaded

enemy can steal from you.  He is there for you, always. 

Believe and know

that the spirit that created this world into being, that Christ himself said is

better than himself for you, is ready to burst from that closet in your

heart that you pushed him into long ago. 

God has so much for us to do for His kingdom.  We must know

and use the gifts and power He bestowed upon us when we became

His children, to be able to fulfill our lives for Him.

My prayer today...Help me to know your Spirit in every way.

Draw me into a love so deep, Your new revelations I will keep.

I am no longer defeated, Rising from the Cross, Death and misery you cheated.

I am a conqueror for you today, no more bowing to the enemy of my spirits decay.

Help me feel your being in my soul, Don't let your power to me, the enemy control.

I am yours in every way!  Help me learn to live YOU in my every day.

"Desperately Honest"

How long has it been since you were totally honest about yourself?

How long since you realized or put away the facade,

understood your total desperation for God?

I spent so many years in fright, wanting to be perceived in a certain light.

Wanting to be "all together", I really wanted to believe.
Trying to be a person that just was not me.

I was afraid.  I tried to believe, running the show of the "Unspecial Me".

I was afraid people would see the gaping empty hole

 that was actually an all too empty soul.

 "Let this go.  The world wants you that way.  Let only my son's work show today"

God said "In my son's blood is truth.  You can be honest.

 He presented Himself so you would be blameless."

So I took off my costume.  Laid it at Jesus's feet.  There I was "The Terrible Me".

So I looked in the mirror without the facade,

"Christ, I am desperate for your cleansing blood."

"My son makes you clean.  Be only true to me.  Don't be afraid for others to see."

Christ said, "Be only desperate for my love and affection. 

Let totally go of any earthly apprehension."

"It will help others learn and grow. What you have learned, please tell and show.

It will help others, encourage them to be honest and real. 

Only His blood will their souls heal."

So now its just me, truly understanding, knowing my honest desperate need.

So now I have peace, I can open up so much more.

Hoping to show through me, Christ's open door.

Without Him, each day I would feel and be alone. No praises. No song.
Without Him I am lost.  Left wanting for something more.
Wandering aimless. Betrayed by sin and impure.

With Him I know realness and  peace as never before.  I know song and joy.
With Him I have purpose.  I have hope.  I know His way.
A sense of belonging my words could never fully convey.



Imprisonment

Imprisonment

You are not a prisoner to your past or your sins. 

You are not alone in the wreckage and consequences. 

You are not created to muddle along in chains of unchangeable circumstances.

God's word clearly says that sins have consequences. 

God's word says that repeatable sins can be brought out for others to see. 

God's word gives us clear definition to His expectation of Holiness

God's word is designed perfectly. On the true path you should be.

If you are a child of His, he promises to forgive. 

 If you are a child of His you will be prompted to repent. 

If you are a His child you will feel the pressure of sin, heavy on your heart.

If you are a child of His you will want a clean heart again.

You are not meant to be held fast in regret.

You are not a prisoner to your sins or the aftermath of them.

You have a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

You have an inner help that knows you and is recognized by Him.

God's word promises if you know Him and search Him, he is always there.

God's word promises the power to give strength, hope and peace.

God's word promises a life of beauty even after mistakes are made.

God's word promises you should not live or be lost to grief.

If you have made mistakes, don't give up.  God has not given up on you.

He loves you, He wants to hold you in His arms again.

If you are imperfect let His son's blood wash you and make you new.

If you have been washed, each sin is forgiven, there is no prison.

If you bring sin to Him he will help you through the consequences too.

Whose Thumb Are You Under

"Whose Thumb are you Under?"

In the start of the New Testament we see how Israel is under that thumb

of the Roman empire.  In my Bible study today we talked about the Silent

years of Israel. 

400 years God was Silent.  Israel, again was given over to oppression.

They turned from His voice.  His commands.  They turned from their

own bright future.

400 years of Silence.  Then Christ is born.

Has God been silent in some area of your life?  Is there something

you are "under the thumb" of?  Something you feel oppressed by?

...Friends

... Family members

... Children

.. work situation

...home life

...money troubles
...expectations
...you fill in the blank

We should never feel oppressed by anything when we have the

choice to turn to God.

Turn whatever it is over to the all powerful God.  Let Him

regain and retake your Spirit in these areas. 

Turning it all to the Lord Who Reigns

running under His Wing and to Him once again

No silence to long or loud, no oppression to strong

Give it to God - Regain His favor, regain that bond.

No more sorrowful tears, no more long weary nights

You have the victory over the oppressor with God at your side.