Bearing through the storm

When trees are in a storm the branches bend and weather the storm. If they are healthy the tree will come out safe and stronger because of the storm. It’s when they are weak and malnourished that the branches break.

We recently had a storm and I watched as all the branches of the trees around our home blow in the wind and it reminded me of how it is their deep roots that help them weather the storm.

Its the same for us.

When our foundation is rooted and nourished by Jesus we can endure storms in our lives. Its when we have shallow roots and are spiritually malnourished that we crack under the pressure of the storm.

What are your roots grounded in? What feeds your soul?

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. -Colossians 2:6-7

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, the classic song that most people know, is one of my favorites because of what it means. God’s amazing grace that saved, a wretch like me. Every time I hear this song, I want to sing it.

Everyone who has ever lived, except Jesus has done something wrong at some point in their life and needs forgiveness for something. God’s grace does just that. He forgives us for everything we have ever done wrong. He wipes our slate clean and makes us white as snow before God.

I know I’ve done plenty of things wrong in my life, but he forgave me and made me new in him. Because of His forgiveness I get a do over, a fresh start, I get to be new in him.

Often I find memories of my past that try to come back to haunt me. But I know that, that person died on the cross with Jesus. I am no longer that person, because Jesus makes me new and clean with His grace and forgiveness.

Next time you find yourself caught up in your past mistakes, surrender them over to Jesus and let him remind you that, that person died on the cross with him and that Jesus lives through you.

What love is this

I’ve never known a love as deep, as pure and unceasing as the love of God. No where else have I felt safer, more cared for and lacking nothing then in the presence of God. He brings joy and peace, a sense of calm that surpasses understanding. His love is where we don’t feel shame or worry only comfort.

Its us that put up a barrier to keep him at arms length instead of embracing the freedom that his grace provides. But when we accept his forgiveness and surrender control, that’s when we can truly know him.

We are his and he gave everything for us, even his very life just to have a relationship with us. He died because we are valuable to him, we are priceless. And his love is more than enough for us. Accept his gift freely given and melt into the safety of his presence.

What Love is this by Kari Jobe

Love doesn’t hurt

When we’re hurt by the people that are supposed to love us or ashamed of the scares they left, it leaves us afraid to be loved by anyone else. Because to us, love hurts. But that’s not love.

Just because people in our lives who were supposed to love us, didn’t, doesn’t mean that is what love is.

Love is patience and kind, its not rude or self seeking, its not easily angered and does not keep a record of wrongs.

God is love.

And He would never hurt us, neglect us, abandon us or stop loving us.

He is always there, always wanting and waiting to be with us, to love us and take care of us, if we let Him in.

Give God a chance to show you His love, I promise you won’t regret it.

If you already know God’s love share it with a kid who needs it. Check out Royal Family Kids

What is God teaching you?

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.  I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts,  and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. –Colossians 4:7-9

Sharing what God is doing in our lives and others sharing what he is doing in their live is how we encourage and build each others up. We are the body of Christ and how can the body function if it doesn’t communicate with itself. When one part of the body suffers others parts of the body come to heal that part.

When we lived in Michigan we were part of a small group that had no curriculum, no required reading, no plan, except to that each week when we gathered we asked each other one simple question.

‘What has God been teaching you this week?’

Our facilitator/host always had something prepared but we rarely needed it. Some of the members would share, not always the same people even but somehow it always all connected. We would teach each other what God was teaching us and encourage each other to grow in our relationship with God. Sometimes when one or a few of us were struggling or hurting we did what the body does we would focus on that person and help them to heal. Even when we didn’t know what to do we followed the leading of the Holy spirit and let God teach us all. But we made learning a sharing experience.

Sharing with each other and those who don’t yet know God builds faith and trust. It shows that he is real and that he does make a difference in our lives and he can do the same for everyone.

Share your life share your stories of what Gods done for you and seek to learn from others what God has done for them.

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Faith

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:18

Faith can be hard for so many people, because if they can’t see it right in front of them its not there. But faith in Jesus isn’t ambivalent. It’s trust in who He is. Think of the person in this world that you trust the most. You know them and you trust them because you know who they are and that you can depend on them.

It’s the same with Jesus. We have faith in Him to be there for us not only because of what He’s already done but because we know Him. We know his character and track record. We have faith in him because we trust Him to be who He has already shown us He is. Loving, sacrificial and forgiving.

Praise HIM

The first exegetical (which simple means using the whole text and in context) sermon I ever preached was on Psalm 150, the last of the psalms. It cries out the heart of the book of psalms Praise HIM, no matter what, no matter how you feel, Praise HIM.

Praise HIM everywhere in every way, all the time. With singing, with instruments, with dancing, with focus and undivided attention.

Praising God isn’t about the perfect song or if the band is on key, or if you sit, stand, kneel, dance or jump about. It’s about your heart.

Worship is about God, not us.

Are your words and your actions reflecting God? Are you shining glory on him? Are you taking time to solely focus on God, thanking him, praising him and giving him the glory? That’s what he deserves.

How are you praising HIM?

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

   praise him in his mighty heavens.

Praise him for his acts of power;

   praise him for his surpassing greatness.

 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

   praise him with the harp and lyre,

 praise him with timbrel and dancing,

   praise him with the strings and pipe,

 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

   praise him with resounding cymbals.

 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.

Prayer isn’t something to be scared of

Those moments when you’re lost, tired, confused and stressed. There is one thing you can always pray, Jesus.

In times of stress and worry we often neglect prayer because we think we need the right words or we don’ know what to say. But we don’t really have to say anything. We can simple call on Jesus and let him do the talking.

Prayer doesn’t have to be some eloquently written poem. Prayer is a conversion between you and God.

Don’t worry about what to say.

You can be open, honest, raw and say anything, he can handle it. The most important thing is that we are opening the line of communication to him and that we are giving him a chance to talk to us.

Prayer makes an Impact

We never know the impact our prayers may have. In Facing the Giants a faithful man prays over the lockers at the local school for years and doesn’t see the impact till revival hits the students.

Prayer makes an impact, whether we see the results immediately or never.

My friends and family prayed for me for years during the time in my life where I ignored God, but their prayers made an impact. There were key moments during that time when I know their prayers made an impact.

When I was in Uganda, speaking at a women’s conference, at the end the other speakers and I prayed for many of the women there for healing and many other things. We each had a translator that gave us a quick snap shot of their requests for prayer. But there was still a language barrier. As I prayed, I prayed in English and in tongues.

I didn’t understand everything the ladies were saying to me and they didn’t understand what I was saying, but God understood it all; lady after lady came up and they were either healed or their prayer was answered. It wasn’t about the words, but about our hearts and the openness to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me and in them.

Prayer is a conversation with God and we may not always like or understand the answers, or we may be completely astounded and overwhelmed by the answers.

But the one thing I hold true, is that prayer is not something to be afraid.

Pray for those you love and pray for those you don’t, you never know the impact.


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When we are weak Jesus is our strength

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~2 Corinthians 12:9

Why do we always think we have to clean ourselves up before we go to God? That’s the very reason Jesus came, to make us clean, pure new creations in Him. We can try our hardest to do everything perfect and it still wouldn’t be enough.

We need to stop striving to get God’s approval and love. He gives freedom from guilt and shame freely, because He love us.

When we are at our worst, our weakest our most vulnerable and we know nothing else but to surrender and let him lead. That’s when he shines the brightest. When we get our own selves out of the way and depend on him.

We just need to surrender to him, and remember on the days we feel the worst he is the best.

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Freedom from Trying

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch”  (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Colossians 2:20-23

When we die to our selfish nature it’s to stop trying to achieve salvation on our own. We humble ourselves by acknowledging that we cannot achieve it by our own self abasement. So why after receiving God’s gift of forgiveness would we one again try to earn it?

The choices we make to abstain from things in our lives are to help us develop a deeper relationship with Jesus; building more dependence on him and less on our selves. Things like fasting are to show us that God can sustain us, not to show others how devout we can be.

Our choices to abstain from things are for our focus to be undivided. If we focus on trying to redeem our past we will miss what God is doing in our lives now. If we look to darkness for light we are missing the point that he delivered us from darkness.

Stop trying to earn salvation and accept the free gift that it is and enjoy the freedom from darkness that Jesus salvation gives.

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Spiritual thirst

For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,
and my blessing on your descendants.
Isaiah 44:3

Feeling like we are dry spiritually or not hearing God is often because we are not making time for him or listening for the answer. We may be too busy or overwhelmed with all our obligations and responsibilities.


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But if we take the time to give God time he makes those obligations and responsibilities easier and even joyful.

Spending time with God and letting him fill us with his presence gives us joy, peace, love and perspective. When we look to him moment by moment he changes things.

The change he brings may not be a change of location, job or responsibilities, but a change of perspective, of how we view and react to those same situations.

The thing I love about worshipping God is that it’s an exchange. As we surrender ourselves to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit envelope us; as we pour our lives out as an offering he fills us up to overflowing more than we gave.

We can’t out give God. So stop worrying about what your giving up and starting focusing on what he’s doing in and through you.

How do you see yourself?

It’s easy to struggle with how God sees you when you get wrapped up in how others see you or how you see yourself. But how God sees us is what matters!

He is our creator and a creator always knows how something was meant to be used. It’s us or others that misuse ourselves and see ourselves not as we were intended to be.

God sees us all as his beautiful kids that he loves. We need to ask him to show us how he sees us each day. Then we can fulfill the purpose he intended for us when he made us.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13

True Fulfillment Isn’t A Quick Fix

Temptation is attractive. That’s the reason it’s tempting. Just because something is fun or enjoyable for a moment doesn’t make it a good choice. Especially if we feel guilty or worse after.

Temptation leads us slowly to make compromise after compromise to fulfill a growing need that is never really satisfied. So we go deeper and make sacrifices, push aside responsibilities, neglect family and friends to try to fulfill our need but never find satisfaction. Because we are trying to fill our lack with the counterfeit. 

Like Edmund in “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” He craved being important which is why being a king appealed to him. Aslan made him to be a king but Edmund tried to achieve it on his own. He listened to the White Witch because she offered an almost immediate answer to his need. Edmund even uses his own family to achieve his selfish desires. When if he’d only waited his need would of been fulfilled by Aslan when he makes him king the right way without compromise or guilt. 

This is what God does in our lives. He places in us desires but we often look to fulfill them on our own. When if we would only look to him he will fulfill the needs he put in us beyond anything we could of achieved on our own.

God created us and he is the one that fills our needs, wants and desires without guilt, regret or shame. If we would only look to him to fulfill the desires he has placed in us, instead of the counterfeit quick fixes. We would find fulfillment in Jesus. What he has for us is always so much better then anything we could think, dream or imagine and its always more then we deserve.

God’s got your back

With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. 

Psalm 18:29

God is who we draw our confidence and our feeling of invincibility from. When know who we are as His kids, who He has made us to be and what He’s called us to do. It gives us a firm foundation to stand on, to know that the creator of the universe has got our back.

Imagine if everywhere we went and with everything we did, we had a fifty foot angel standing behind us backing us up, giving us support and encouragement. That’s what it’s like when we trust God to lead us, but even better. Even a fifty foot angel fails in comparison to God and He is with us all the time.

We are never alone if we have Him by our side, if we look to Him for guidance, for the right words and for each step and each action each day. He created the universe, He can handle our daily schedule. And with Him, we can tackle what seems impossible, because nothing is impossible to him.

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Jesus Humbled Himself

Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature  of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

Phil 2:6-8

Even Jesus didn’t consider himself equal with Father God when he came to earth. He could of been born to the highest king in all the world, He could of come as an adult.

But instead He choose to come as a baby, to a young girl and her fiance with no notoriety or status.

He choose to start with humble beginnings.

He never demanded to be worshipped, glorified, honored or respected.

He simple came to serve us in love, to do what we couldn’t, to live a sinless life and then die falsely accused the death of a murder.

All to give us the opportunity to have right relationship with Father God. To not have to earn anything, simple to let Him live through us and He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Jesus did the hard part.

We need to stop striving and trying to work for Him. Instead we need to start surrendering, to let Him work through us!

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What fills you?

Soaking is a term meaning to literally sit in God’s presence and soak it in. You don’t have to pray or sing or do anything. Just sit and let everything go, all your worries all your concerns, all your pain and frustration and just let him be enough for it all.

If you’ve never tried it, I want to encourage you to put on your favorite worship music and just let everything go and let God fill you up with his peace, joy, love and presence. Let the words flow over you like a river and let God melt away and your worries and concerns. Because he is more than enough!

God is Good

There are so many songs that talk about how good God is and each one resonates because he is good. King of my Heart by Bethel Music repeats how good he is to us in everything that we face. He is the anchor in the storm, his is fire in our souls and the mountain where we run.

We know that we can run to him no matter how we are feeling and he is there for us. There to comfort us when we are sad or shield when we’re weak. He anchors us when we start to stray and he is who we run to and thank for his blessings beyond our beliefs.

God is good, because he has proven it to me more times then I can count. He blessed me with amazing friends that never gave up on me when I ran from God. He blessed me with an amazing husband who has strength and character that I didn’t know I wanted or needed. God is good.

He has been there for me in some the hardest moments of my life, and helped me find joy and peace when I saw none.

God is good. Ask him how he wants to show his goodness to you today!

Never underestimate an Open Door

Run the Race is a movie about the power of forgiveness and the bridges that forgiveness can build. It’ a great story of how no one is beyond saving and we should never give up on people.

My childhood friends from the church I grew up in never gave up on me. They were always there for me and never stopped praying. They never compromised themselves or approved of my choices during my time of ignoring God. But there were always there.

When I finally made the decision to change my life. They immediately jumped in to help and encourage me to stick with my decision.

My friends and my mom never gave up on me. Which made my choice to change free of fear or condemnation.

Extending forgiveness and keeping the door open, creates a safe place for people to come when they have questions or choose to make a change.

Never under estimate the power of prayer and an open door.

Like leaving the door open when you baking cookies, eventually someone is going to smell the warm comforting sweetness and come in.


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Trust in all things


Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

As we continues to face new challenges and new opportunities arise. Whatever comes our way good or bad. We can trust God. We can look for him in every situation and he will bring us joy and peace. We may not understand why or how, but putting our faith in God is not about understanding, it’s about trust.

When we are children our parents give us instruction to protect us and take care of us. We may not understand why but we trust our parents to take care of us. It’s the same with God. He may ask us to do something or not to do something for our benefit whether we understand it or not, we can trust Him. We can trust that He knows the outcome even if we can’t see it at the time.

How many times in your life have looked back and realized your parents, mentor, leader or boss were right about something you didn’t understand at the time.

It’s the same with God. He can see the bigger picture, the effect of the cause and the cause of the effect. He knows what it takes to get us where we need to go and what may harm us in the long end. Trust God to lead you and know that His heart is for you.


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Second chances

As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.  They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”  Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman.  Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

-John 8:3-11

We have all done something wrong in our lives and none of us is without blemish. None of us could cast the first stone at the other for their mistakes because none of us are without mistakes. But that’s the beauty of why Jesus came to redeem us.

He came to do what we could not, to live a life without sin.

That’s why second chances and believing in the others is so important because we all were given a second chance from God so how could we not do the same for others.

I watched a movie the other night about a basketball coach who saw potential in his players to not only do well as athletes but he saw beyond that, that they could exceed the expectations of others around them in their education too.

That’s how God is with us. He sees way more potential in us then we or others see in ourselves. That’s why he never gives up on us and he is always our biggest cheerleader because he made us and he knows that we are capable of far greater then we can think or imagine. If we will just trust him to guide us to it.

God’s Love Endures

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. –Act 16:25

The love of God is so overwhelming that even in prison his disciples still worship. You have to wonder what is so great about God’ love that people would be willing to be imprisoned for it and still praise him in that prison.

When I read the book Heavenly Man, the true life story of a leader of the underground church in China and the multiple imprisonments he endured, beating and mistreatment. I was moved by how he still shared God’s love with the very men that beat him, enough to know that I would be willing to endure the same for the gospel. But that’s God’s love, it endures everything and anything.

Jesus was falsely accused, beaten and died the death of a murderer for all for us, because he loves us.


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That love is worth sacrifice.

God’s love endures.

It endure our constant rejections, abuse, neglect and straight opposition.

His love endures.

No matter what his love for you never changes, no matter what you say or do he loves you and it is that love that holds us together.

His love endures all things

If his love can endure all, isn’t it worth giving him the chance to love you?

Forever on Your side

I’m not going to even begin to think that I have all the answers. But the one thing that I know for sure is that God is forever on our side. I know that his love for us never ends and that he is always there for us no matter what.

He was there when I made less then wise decisions, he was there when I choose to ignore him and he is there for me now. He is always there for all of us, all the time. We choose whether to let him in or not.

He’s been there for me in some of the hardest moments of my life and he’s been there for the good times too.

When I was young I was really shy and I had very low confidence in myself. But as I’ve grown to know God deeper and more intimately. I have grown in confidence and assurance of who I am. Because I know who he made me to be and that he gives me everything I need to achieve the goals he’s laid on my heart and he’s there for me when I fail too.

God’s love is not dependent on our behavior its always there, but we have to allow him in. We have to allow him to show us who he made us to be. When we find our identity in Jesus it opens new doors and opportunities that we never knew existed and he gives us the confidence to succeed.

Give God the chance to show you that he’s forever on your side.

We’re Never Truly Lost

“Just because someone stumbles and loses their way doesn’t mean their lost forever” (Professor X, X-Men: Days of Future Past)

While cooking lunch I heard this quote from the movie my husband was watching. Reminding me that God never sees us as permanently lost.

We have all stumbled in our lives or we wouldn’t need God’s forgiveness. But we must remember that when we look at others they may be stumbling and lost now but they don’t have to stay that way. We shouldn’t give up on each other. We all have friends or family that we ache for them to find freedom.

Having been that person for several years I know both sides of it. What helped me the most was not people pointing out what I was doing wrong (I knew it was wrong, I didn’t care) What helped was the people that were there for me when I was ready to make a change. It was that support system that helped me to stay committed to the changes I had chosen to make.

We must remember we can’t force anyone to change but we can encourage and uplift them in their decisions to change.

Find the Light

Light even in the darkest place will help you see, if you look for it.

Have you ever closed your eyes in a dark room and been able to see better when you opened them. If we stay in the dark, we will get used to it and think that this is how life is. But if we seek out the light and look for more, we will find the light and eventually leave the darkness behind.

God gave me a vision a long time ago of him walking in the woods at night with no path, but as he walked the footprints he left behind illuminated to guide me where he wanted me to go.

We can find the light if we look for it. Jesus is always with us waiting to be the light, to guide us even in the darkest places.

Close your eyes and ask him to show you the light, to show you the steps he wants you to take.

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True blessings

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places–Ephesians 1:3

Jesus sacrifice gives us the opportunity to come into right relationship with God. This relationship makes us heirs with him so we can experience his blessings.

But God’s blessings are not all tangible, like we so often look for. Most of them are spiritual. Peace that surpasses understanding, freedom from guilt and shame, being loved more than we can imagine. These things can’t be taken from us.

The next time your looking for God to provide. Seek his kingdom and know that he provides and blesses us with the things that really matter.

Abide in Jesus

 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:1-11

Abiding in the vine, in Jesus, changes us. It changes our wants, our desires, and the way we think. If we abide in the vine, we abide in the love of God. Jesus’s desires become our desires.

So that keeping his commandments is out of love, not status or achievement.

Abiding in the vine is about, literally growing as a branch to reach out and grow fruit. If we are each a branch then how many could we reach.

We are stronger when we abide together in the vine to bear fruit.

It’s great to have alone time with God but we draw so much strength from gathering together too.

Abide in the vine that is Jesus. Abide in his love and you will bear his fruit.

Love to get you through

The love of God gets me through more then I thought I could ever handle.

I’ve always tried to be the person that says they can do anything, I don’t back away from challenges and I always try to find the solution to any problem.

But when I’m faced with things that I can’t fix or make work, it opens the door to be discouraged or even depressed.

A few years ago I struggled with depression over not being pregnant after several years of trying. I was discouraged and I knew that God loved me but I didn’t want to spend time with Him. Honestly I was mad at God. But in time I came to realize that just because I wanted a baby doesn’t mean I’m ready. Having a baby isn’t about me, it’s about the baby.

God was teaching me that having a baby wasn’t about fulfilling my desire to be a mother but it should be about wanting to do and be whats best for the child.

I needed to learn that.

Even though we are not expecting yet. I am trusting that God will bring a child into our lives when it is best for the baby.

I trust God because I know He loves me and I’m reminded of that each day as I write. Writing helps me keep focused on Him, it helps me to evaluate my life and see Him working in it.

His love sustains me, it feeds me, but I have to let Him love me.

What area of your life are holding back God’s love from?

Love and respect can’t be forced

We can’t change other people. But we can choose how we treat and react to other people.

I recently watched a great movie on Pureflix called ‘How to train your puppy husband‘ I thought it would be funny as we have two dogs I am training and I would never train my husband. But it reminded me of an important lesson.

We can’t change other people, but we can choose how we treat and react to other people. When you’re training a puppy you are actually modifying how you treat and react to what your puppy does.

You should never try to train or change your spouse. But you can change how you treat them and react to them. We are to love God and love others as ourselves. So think about how you would like to treated and treat your spouse that way. If you want to be loved and respected, love and respect them. You can’t get what you don’t give. When has demanding, berating and manipulating ever really resulted in exactly what you wanted.

Forced behavior is never really what we want, what we want is for others to do things for us because they want to, so we must do that for them. If we want others to care for our needs and wants, we need to put the other person first and care for their needs and desires.

Love and respect can’t be given by force.

Trusting God, Isn’t Hard When You Know Him

But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD,

I say, “You are my God.”

Ps 31:14

When you know someone you trust them. So how can you trust God if you don’t know him?

Of course big leaps of faith sound crazy if your trying to trust a God you barely know. But that’s why it’s so crucial to have a daily relationship with him. When you spend everyday with someone you know them. You know their quirks and their preferences how they would react in different situations.

That’s how I trusted God with the big decisions in my life. Because I spend time with him. This blog is one of those ways. I ask him to show himself to me and he speaks to me through songs, movies, nature and often just a conversation. 

When we make God a daily part of our lives. Trusting him with the big and the little decisions doesn’t seem scary; it just feels right. Because we know he wants nothing but the best for us.

Learning to walk

If we as infants need love, care, guidance and protection to learn the basic of just walking and talking. Why do we expect those that are new in their faith should automatically know how to walk, talk and act in their new found faith in God.

We should teach them to read the Word of God, to go to him in prayer when they need help and show them how God has guided us in our own lives. The majority of the New Testament is instruction for the new believers. If it took such lengthy instruction to help guide them. How can we expect someone who just surrendered their life to God to know everything.

We need to love and encourage them to learn about God and develop their own relationship with him. So that he can father them to be who he made them to be. Teach someone to walk and talk as Jesus. Just like Jesus taught you!

The unknown doesn’t have to be scary

God fights for us even when we don’t see it. He works things out before we even know them and builds a path for us to walk that we cannot see. It can be scary to go where you haven’t been.

My husband and I have lived in nine different states in the nine years we’ve been married, in each place, he put people in our lives for us to reach, love and encourage in their faith in God. And people have influenced us too. Because no matter how long or short we we were somewhere God had gone before us and prepared a place for us, he built connections for us and prepared our way, we were simply willing to go.

God may not be calling you to move across the country or to move around the world. He may only be asking you to walk across the street. But whatever he has called you to, he has prepared the path ahead for you. Are you willing to follow where He leads you?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight

Proverbs 3:5-6

We don’t have all the answers

It’s easy to say you ‘depend on God’, when everything is going good. But to say it even in the hard times too. That’s when our faith in him shines through.

Because our faith in God should not change because our circumstances do. God doesn’t change. He is the same in the worst of moments of our lives and in the best. He always loves us, wants us and is there for us. We are the ones that lose faith, or feel unworthy, or push him away.

But the question we have to ask God is not ‘Why?’ but ‘What now? God what do you want to be for me in this moment? What we’re going through may not be what he wanted for us but he will be with us through it and he will use it to bring us closer to him if we let him.

Don’t Believe Everything You’re Told

In the Lion King Simba tries to run from his problems, only to find out later that he didn’t even do what caused him to run. It easy for us to take what someone else says about us and let it influence us. But what if it’s not true? We should always take everything to God. He is our creator and he knows us best.

Simba allowed what Scar told him to dictate years of his life. Sure he had some fun with Timone and Pumba but the result was him abandoning his family, and not living as he was intended to; eating bugs when he was designed to eat meat.

If we believe what everyone tells us then we let them determine who we are. But if we take everything to God and let him tell us what’s true and what’s not; we will find our identity in him not the world.

God knows you

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:1-6

We all search for and want someone who understands us, who gets us, and knows us to our very soul.

Jesus is that person. He knows us even better then we know ourselves. He knit us together in our mothers womb and He knows us to our very core.

We are the ones who put up the barriers and choose to separate ourselves from Him. We are the ones who surrender some of us, but still hang onto the most painful parts of our lives, to keep control.

I want to encourage you to surrender everything over to Him. Stop holding back and trust Him. I’ve never felt more myself then when I surrendered my life over to Jesus. I know it sounds strange, but He made us and He knows how to fulfill us.

We just have to trust Him.

Who God made you to be

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Ephesians 1:1

God’s identity for each of us is so crucial to our relationship with Him. Who and what He has called us to is so much more then a career; it’s who we are.

For me, it’s writing, it’s who he made me to be and even though I don’t earn a dime from it currently, it’s still who I am. Writing uplifts me, it causes me to think about who God is, what He’s done and what He is doing. Writing about Him is how I understand Him and know His character.

In our American society we get so encapsulated that our job or career is our identity, but we are so much more the what we do for a living. Our identity can never be stripped away. We can lose everything and everyone and God will still be God and we will still be who He called us to be; His kids.

Paul knew that and that’s why he says by the will of God, because God completely changed who he was, God gave Paul a new identity, a new purpose and even a new name.

God does this with us too. When we seek God and ask Him who He made us to be. He reveals His identity for us, who He designed us to be. We become fulfilled by Him the more we walk in the identity He’s called us to.

Who has he called you to be?

We Need More of Jesus Each Day

What was it that attracted you to God? For me it was his forgiveness and love. He knew all my mistakes but still I felt his love and forgiveness the moment I surrendered my life to Him.

What keeps me in relationship with God, is his never-ending love, grace and beauty. I feel his love each day, his grace when I make mistakes and he shows me his beauty more each day.

We should never stop falling in love with God. Just as we should never stop falling in love with our spouse. Each day we need to see them both in a new light and a new appreciation.

God wants to reveal himself to us more each day, we just have to let Him.

Who will you choose to be?

It’s easy to define ourselves by our mistakes and failures. But that’s the beauty of finding our identity in Jesus. He gives us new life, a new beginning each and everyday. We don’t have to be who we were yesterday or even a moment ago. We can choose each moment to be who we used to be or be who God says we are.

We can’t earn God’s forgiveness, He gives it freely and it doesn’t matter how much we fail. He is always there to pick us back up and give us a fresh start.

But we have to make the choice to die to ourselves and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Finding our identity in Jesus is a daily choice. We can choose to be who we used to be or we can choose to let Jesus live through us.

So who will you choose to be?

We Have a Choice

“You can either run from your past or learn from it” Rafki  The Lion King

One of the greatest gifts God gave us was choice. We have the choice to choose our actions and reactions. We can choose to let things in our past dictate how we act, speak and interact with others or we can make a conscious choice not to let our past determine our future.

The amazing thing abut Jesus sacrifice is that he gives us a choice. We can choose to continue to live our lives for ourselves. OR we can choose to believe in his sacrifice and accept the forgiveness he freely gives us. But the choice to follow Jesus means we die to our selfishness, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and put others before ourselves.

Every moment of everyday we can choose to follow the Holy Spirit or we can choose our own selfish desires. I’ve tried both and for me Jesus is always the better choice. What will you choose?

Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash

What would you sacrifice for the Gospel?

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,  for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Phillippians 1:18-21

Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

The apostle Paul is in prison as he writes these words. What a bold prayer. He could of prayed for protection, but instead he prays that he will boldly continue to preach the gospel, the very thing that put him in prison. He offers up his life so that it may be used for God’s glory whether that be his life or death.

Where does this boldness come from?

He not only hands over his life, but he is rejoicing in his imprisonment.

How do you get to that point in your relationship with Jesus, where you are willing to sacrifice everything for him to be glorified?

It’s by knowing the character of God. When you know his character, you know you can depend on him because of who he is. God is always in your corner backing you up. Who would want to go against the God of the universe.

Some may say that was in the bible, try doing it now.

But there are people living this way now. A present day example of this is in the book Heavenly Man by Paul Hattaway. Heavenly Man is about Brother Yun, the Pastor of an underground church in China. This book will stretch and strengthen your faith more then you can believe. Brother Yun sacrifices everything to witness to those around him. He’s beaten, abused and imprisoned for preaching the gospel, but he rejoices in his suffering and preaches even to the guards and inmates that attack him.

What lengths are you willing to go to for sharing the gospel with others? Would you sacrifice your life?

Marriage is about balance

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Colossians 3:18-19

Some say this seems archaic but that’s a surface level answer.

Photo by Ryan Franco on Unsplash

There is a balance to this. Wives are to submit to their husband and husband are to love their wives. This is because men and women are different and we each need different things to feel loved. Women feel loved when they are protected, supported and encouraged. Men feel loved when they are respected, affirmed and appreciated

Marriage is about serving each other and putting the needs of the other above your own. God gave it to us as a model for his relationship with us. Jesus came to serve, not be served. He was not looking for what we could do for him, but what he could do for us. When we focus on fulfilling the needs of the other then our needs are then met by our spouse.

The Birth of Jesus

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:1-7, 16-20

Can you imagine being born where the livestock are stored? Laying in hay to give birth and being surrounded by animals.

Jesus birth may seem humble to us and in a way it is. But he was surrounded and heralded by his creation, the very animals he spoke into existence and his birth was announced by angels and celebrated by the poor and the rich.

The Bible says that if we do not praise him the very rocks will cry out, and in many ways they do. Have you ever seen the majesty of a mountain. All creation cries out to praise Jesus and we being his creation are to do the same.

He created us, each one of us, he knit each of us together in our mothers womb. We are his creation. As his creation, we should praise him too!

O Come Let Us Adore Him

This song always makes me feel calm and at peace. It’s like when you see a sleeping baby, they are so peaceful and calm, it brings joy to your face.

When I hear this song I think of Jesus as an infant. He wasn’t born in grandeur but in humble beginning, yet his birth was celebrated by angels, shepherds, wise men, the rich, the poor and the heavenly hosts. What a joyous celebration for such a humble beginning. 

It goes to show that it doesn’t matter where you start from but how you live. Even if you were born in the poorest of circumstances that doesn’t mean you can’t do great things.

The Holy Spirit works in and through us just as he did in Jesus and anyone can have the Holy Spirt we just have to humble ourselves and allow him to work through us and he will do great things.

So adore him this Christmas and let his peace reign in you.

Bless Others

The Christmas Shoes song and movie inspire putting others before yourself. Just as Jesus did when he came here to save us. He put others before his needs and desires.

In this season of gift exchange, look for opportunities to bless others. Pray and ask God what each person needs. He knows each one of us and the desires of our hearts. Trust him to provide for what he asks you to give, even if you don’t know how. Or give to a stranger or someone you barely know, it could make all the difference in the world to them.

Like the Christmas shoes. Even if we don’t understand why. Simple bless others because Jesus blessed others.


Photo by DiEtte Henderson on Unsplash

Peace be with you

Our God is truly amazing. He can change our whole attitude and mindset with a few words. You can go from irritated, rushed, anxious and frustrated to complete peace without a single change of perspective about your circumstances, surroundings or workload.

God gives us peace by dwelling in us. When we bring God into the situation he changes our perspective or view of our circumstances so that we see things in a different light. Sometimes he even tells us a solution we never would of thought of on our own.

Trust in him in all things to bring peace to your heart and soul. Because when you know who he has made you to be and what his promises are, you can stand on those promises.

Like Peter walking on water when Jesus told him to. Peter did the impossible he walked on water and during a storm no less. Something that seems impossible, but he did it because he was focused on Jesus. It wasn’t until he changed his focus to the storm around him that he began to sink.

When you feel overwhelmed and like there is no end in sight. Look to Jesus and let his peace fill you. Trust him to provide and guide you through anything.


Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

Don’t hide your light

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

Everyone represents something. Their friends, family, company, beliefs, theology. We all represent something, whether it be our own thought process or someone else’s. No matter what you do, who you are and what makes you that way, will shine though eventually, even if you try to hide it.

God is like that in our lives. When we choose to follow him even if we try to hide it, he will shine through in our actions, our smile, the way we treat others.

We have to make a concise effort to hide his light. Even if we put it under a basket, light will shine out through the weaving or a bowl, light will shine out the edge.

There are many reason we hide our faith in God, worry, fear, anxiety, safety. The first three can be combated by knowing God more, knowing who he made you to be and allowing him to give you the words, the confidence and the wisdom in shining his light.

Those that fear for there safety, literally for their lives, if they share their faith. These people are the ones who shine the brightest, like Brother Yun or David Hogan those that have had their life threatened multiple times and still shine for Jesus. They and others like them shine God’s light because they know who they are and the value, the power and the love of God and that gives them no fear.

Although I do not have to hide my faith daily, I have had moments on a mission trip when our teams life was threatened. And in that moment, not a single one of us wavered, we knew the risk of sharing about Jesus where we were going and God gave us the boldness to shine for him without a moments hesitation.

That’s who God is he shines through us in ways we may never have imagined. Shine bright for him by knowing him.

Photo by Josh Boot on Unsplash

Let Every Heart Prepare him Room

“Let every heart prepare him room.”

That’s what this Christmas season is about, thinking about and being thankful for Jesus birth. Our relationship with God would be so different if Jesus hadn’t come. But he did and I’m so grateful for the deep intimate personal relationship we each get to have with him. 

Christmas heralds us in and reminds us of the humble life Jesus choose to live to give us the opportunity to have that intimate relationship with us.

So celebrate Jesus this season with boisterous applause!

Mary Did You Know

The trust that Mary had in God to say ‘let it be done to me as you have said’ speaks volumes in her faith in God. To agree to carry and raise the son of God. The faith that took, is inspiring. She had to know that there would be questions from her parents and Joseph that her community would most likely stone her. But she trusted God anyway. 

So why don’t we trust God when he asks us to do something for him? Do we think that he’s going to hurt us or harm us? He won’t. But that doesn’t mean we won’t face doubt or hardship. But god will provide through it just as he did for Mary.

Trust God to guide your every step and take a leap of faith like Mary did. You never know what might happen.

Blessings in Disguise

The Christmas Candle movie illustrates how God wants to and will bless us, just that it may not be how or when we want it. But if we put our trust in God and look for him in everything we can see past our expectations and find what he wants to bless us with.

God’s blessings may not be what we thought it would be or happen how we thought it should. But how, when and with what he does bless us will be better then if we had tried to get it on our own.

God is always there for us and he wants to bless us with the desires of our hearts. We may just not understand what he’s doing at the moment.

Christmas is a time of hope and tradition but it also has discouragement and loss. Its a time when we hope for the things we desire, be it a gift, relationship restoration or a new relationship formed, and traditions that we hold dear to our hearts. But we can become discouraged when things don’t go as planned or we don’t get what we had hoped for.

Jesus didn’t come as the people expected. That’s why we should ask him for his perspective and let him change our view of what may seem like hopelessness, but actually his blessing right around the corner.

Photo by Gareth Harper on Unsplash

Find Joy, Hope & Peace in Jesus

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. —Romans 15:13

Nowhere here does it say we have to manufacture our own joy, peace and hope. Because it comes from trusting God. I don’t put my hope in myself because I will fail myself. I don’t find my peace from within. I find peace and hope in God and that gives me joy.

What a relief it is that we don’t have to find joy, hope or peace in ourselves but we can trust in the one that is bigger then us, stronger, kinder, more generous and loves us beyond our understanding. Our Heavenly Father. On our worst day and our best day and he will still always welcome us with a huge hug and a smile and provide all we need.