fuzzy and frazzled.. who cares just SHINE:)

 

Today my daughter was writing in a friend’s birthday card and she used a pen that reminded me of my childhood. It’s one of those fuzzy ones where you twist it and then boom the hair goes all over the place. How often do we feel that way?  When tragedy or unexpected circumstances shake us up and we are left hair sticking up and frazzled all over the place.  I want you to know that it’s OK! We are women and God knew we would struggle with fear that is why He told us over 300 times to fear not. He knew we would struggle with our thoughts and that is why Paul told us to take every thought captive. He knew we would run out of time throughout the day and not get everything done. We are not perfect and yet we strive to please those around us.  I want you to know you are free from any expectations that this world has placed on you.  Slow down, breathe and know that God is still God even when things are spinning out of control.  It’s time to shine even when you don’t think you can! It’s time to shine even when your house is dirty! It’s time to shine even when your kids are driving you bonkers! It’s to shine even when you are in a job you know you weren’t created for. It’s time to shine even when you have no money in the bank.  Ladies we are beautiful and it’s because of what’s on the inside of us.  Hope and Joy bubbles up and flows out of us in those crazy situations. God shines through you!! Let that sink in…  It’s time to give everything to your Creator. Put down that guilt, and that shame and walk in the truth of who He says you are. Release control and SHINE! SHINE! SHINE! Your story is going to bring healing to someone and may even ignite a dream inside someone.  I refuse to be quiet about what my Jesus has done within me. This world is going to shake you up and may even chew you up but know that God holds this universe in the palm of His hand.  Girls! Ladies! It’s time to change the world …… Let’s SHINE!

Psalm 89:15 blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the LIGHT of Your presence, O Lord.
 

 

Holly

shifting gears...

Tonight as I was cleaning my house from top to bottom I realized something about our hearts.  The problem with my style of cleaning is that I usually go from room to room and by the time I am finished I am exhausted and I have piles and messes in every room.  Tonight I decided to change it up and start at the back of the house and literally not move until the room I was in was complete.  I finished so much more than usual and I didn’t feel as overwhelmed as when I started.  I thought about how we leave messes all throughout our lives without ever really dealing with the issues of the heart.  We chase happiness through things and then after a trail of credit card debt and wanting more we move on to the next thing that will satisfy our craving.  We want to feel love so badly that we jump from relationship to relationship leaving more scars all over our hearts.  We desire to feel whole and complete and yet our hope is in things that cannot satisfy our hearts nor heal us.  For 2013 I have chosen HOPE as my one word.  The word hope means … confident expectation.  We expect God to heal, protect, guide, free, move, lead, speak and reveal Himself to us and make our dreams come true. When we go to Jesus with a heart that is filled with such confidence and expectancy imagine the possibilities.  We usually spend most of our time questioning His sovereignty because we can’t seem to see Him.  I go through each day praying for many of those things I listed and yet something inside me doubts His ability to do them.  I question the Creator of the universe and really for what?  Is it because His timing doesn’t match my timing? Does His plan seem out of line with what I want to happen? YES AND YES!! God doesn’t place expectations on me He simply loves me where I am and calls me into deeper intimacy.  What is it that you HOPE for? Do you long to live out a dream that involves you boldly stepping out of your comfort zone! DO IT!!! Here is what I know… Jesus is our Hope and through us we bring Hope to those around us.  We give them small glimpses of Jesus and how He loves.  I can hope that I lose weight. I can hope that my dreams come true. I can hope that I can share my story but I also can look through the lens of hope from His perspective and see that it’s not about the outcome that really matters it’s the hope of what is to come through my Creator.  He is my hope! He is my future! He is my everything! This year my one word was believe and I am overwhelmed with how far I was pushed in the areas where I didn't believe.  Now it feels like my heart is shifting gears and I am about to go full speed ahead.. God let me dream and wait with CONFIDENT EXPECTATION! 

Psalm 25:5

       Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.
      All day long I put my HOPE in you.

 Psalm 130:5

        I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my HOPE.

Lamentations 3:25
      The LORD is good to those whose HOPE is in him, to the one who seeks him;

Micah 7;7
      But as for me, I watch in HOPE for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

 Romans 8:25

      But if we HOPE for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

mirror mirror on the wall you a big fat liar...

Every day girls and women stand before mirrors all over this world and allow it to dictate their entire day.   If we have a bad hair day, a big zit or we look bad in an outfit then our day reflects just that.  We are rude, treat others badly and we often work hard covering  up with layers of smiles and fake excuses simply because we didn’t like what we saw that morning.  I have heard for many years now that I am God’s masterpiece and that He created me with a purpose but often in those moments where I stand before a mirror it speaks louder than that promise I have tucked away in my heart.  Here is what I am learning.  It is my choice to take that thought captive and walk in that truth.  We can speak truth and we can write it down but when we take that truth write it on our hearts and start walking in that truth is when things begin to change.  Paul knew that in 2012 you and I both would struggle with thoughts and that’s why he reminded us to take EVERY thought captive and make it obedient to the truth of God’s word.  You have dreams that are shattered because you let the mirror speak louder than the dream that was birthed in you by your Creator.  You allowed others to dictate you simply because you wanted to see them when you looked in the mirror.  You have hid from being you simply because the mirror told you that you weren’t good enough.  You have changed who you are simply because you don’t want to be reminded of who you use to be.  I want you to know that God loves you even when you run, hide, change or even doubt His truth.  It is not too late for you.  You can start with a step of surrender.  Your past isn’t too dirty, its time to let go and truly embrace that God created you with a purpose and even more that He loves you more than you could even imagine.  I dare you to be you!!  If that’s being weird then BE WEIRD! People can’t see the real you when you are busy trying to be like them or someone else.  I dare you to dream again and to walk in the confidence that God wants to use you to change this world!  Your dream isn’t stupid nor is it out of your reach because the maker of this Universe holds EVERYthing in His hand!  I am going to be me and chase my dreams with ALL I have so join me and let’s leave the results of to Jesus. 

 

2 Corinthians 10:5b.. “and we take captive EVERY thought and make it obedient to Christ”

 

DREAM BIG!

Holly

 

For booking contact unbound@revolutionchurchnc.com  

take the plunge!

You know that feeling when you have been lying by a pool all day and you’re hot, sunburned, and thirsty and you suddenly remember that the cold and refreshing water of the pool is right beside you and so you take the plunge and refreshment happens.  I got that feeling this weekend as I watched around 300 girls worship with their WHOLE hearts at our Pearls are for Girls event.  The messages I received on twitter and through facebook were unbelievable! One of the moms who came gave her life to Christ!!!! Psalm 138:1 says “I give you thanks O Lord with my WHOLE heart”.   My heart is bursting with such joy tonight. I loved planning and praying and really anticipating what God was going to do but today I have done nothing but rest in the complete sovereignty of my Creator.  He fashioned this day from looking like a regular Sunday to a spiritual marker in my life.  I have expanded my dreams and deepened my commitment to follow Him no matter what.  Who would have ever thought that this girl’s conference would push me deeper and leave me renewed?  When a passion is birthed within you by God then you can’t sit still you have to do something. It’s like a pregnant woman craving that one thing and she won’t quit until she gets what she wants.  Satan wants to choke that dream out of you and send people and things to distract you but remember that the craving isn’t going to go away. God loves and pursues you with such intensity eventually you’re going to have to stop running, realize that He is BIG and surrender to a cause bigger than the instant gratification of self. I have put off my calling so many times with the hope of losing more weight, becoming more equipped, or even doubting my purpose and yet in the midst of all that my craving and desire to do what I am called to do has intensified times by a 1000! Tonight I begin a new journey, one that is completely out of my reach but in the hands of my Savior.   God I give you my praise! God I give you the areas of my heart that no one else sees! God I want nothing more than to be used by You! God you are BIG and I am choosing to rest in this beautiful season of renewal! Here I am…. USE ME! Ladies its time to rise up and declare those strongholds as instruments that point you to the unbelievable strength of Jesus and then sit back and allow Him to set you FREE and use you beyond your wildest imagination!!!!!

 

Dream BIG!

Holly

breathe and don't puke....

I am learning what it means to slow down, relax and what the word no means.  I have lived such a busy lifestyle for so long that slowing down even a little is making such an impact.  Last year we launched our church and every day was exciting and I wouldn’t change not even one second of the process and journey we have begun but I realized that at the end of the year I had missed so much.  I missed the joy of hanging ornaments on a tree even though it was fully decorated. I missed the joy of cooking both thanksgiving and Christmas goodies even though it was done. I missed the joy of preparing cookies for Santa even though we did. From September through December I missed the beauty of simply living.  I missed an entire month of thankfulness and an entire month of celebrating the birth of my Savior even though I participated in both.  This past year my one word was BELIEVE and honestly I struggled with unbelief more than I ever have.  It had nothing to do with Jesus and who He is but EVERYTHING about who I am in Him.  I spent so much time doubting and questioning the things I knew without a doubt I was called to do. I allowed insecurities to choke my dream.  When I would find myself in the midst of unbelief Jesus would ALWAYS end up shocking me.  A few weeks ago I was asked to speak to our students and I of course said YES!! I began preparing and I also felt something stirring inside me. I was afraid to speak, I begged God to let me out of it and when the night arrived I had a panic attack.  I remember my sweet friend praying with me before and her words seem to bounce off of my heart and I heard nothing, and felt nothing.  I wanted off the stage and afterwards I hurried home.  I remember laying in my bed literally crying myself to sleep and also begging God to change my dream. I didn’t want to pursue speaking to girls/women any longer if it meant going through that.  Around 2am I woke up and heard God say “Holly I chose you”.  I got up and for about 3 hours listened to my Creator speak to me. He said you asked for me to enlarge your territory and I am. I didn't understand.  He overwhelmed me with His words of encouragement which is my spiritual gift. He poured over me with new vision, new excitement and new passion! I literally was in awe.  The next morning I felt refreshed and renewed.  That following Sunday we had a huge meeting to discuss all the details about our upcoming girl’s event and our student pastor told me I would be speaking at the high school we partner with.  I immediately felt weak in my knees and began talking myself out of it. I was SCARED OUT OF MY MIND!  I had just had a wonderful night with Jesus and I found myself in UNBELIEF all over again. As Thursday approached I could feel God stirring in me the newness that He had just filled me with.  When the morning finally arrived I could feel the prayers of everyone surrounding me.  I got text after text filled with such sweet encouragement and verses that warmed my heart.  When I got to the school I had an incredible team of ladies that came to support me.  I kept telling myself breathe and just don't puke! I didn't even have one ounce of a panic attack and as the microphone was handed to me I looked out at ALL those girls and my nerves vanished! I walked away with such a peace in my soul like I had never known. I believed Jesus for the first time (funny how it took entire year to happen).  I am beyond excited for this weekend and because I have chosen to slow down I am enjoying each day leading up to our event. I am praying with a full heart for every area, every speaker, every volunteer and BELIEVING that life change is going to occur. This morning I came across this sweet verse and my heart literally skipped a beat. Psalm 138:8 The Lord will work out His plans for my life-for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me. What a beautiful reminder that He NEVER leaves me.  He knew from the beginning of time I would struggle in this season of my life and yet He would also send constant reminders that He is sovereign and in complete control.   So today I sit waiting with great expectation of what is to come.  This weekend is our Pearls are for Girls event and hundreds of girls will come pouring in and I BELIEVE with all my heart that incredible things are going to happen. Also on a side note it’s Nov 6^th and my entire house is decorated for Christmas… I am determined to enjoy the upcoming holiday season one day at a time!

 

Holly