Headed For Destruction?

Tonight I am making minestrone and i spent about 15 minutes looking for extra ingredients to make it taste that much better. I finally ended with salt and a dash of pepper.  I decided to use the recipe and measurements it gave. As I was cooking I thought about all the years I would measure my success by other peoples standards and yet somehow I would always come up short.  when I began to embrace the freedom I have in Christ that measuring stick went into the trash can.  I desire to be who God created me to be. I recently read in Joshua and I was reminded of a passage that made me think about how many times I have ended up in the hands of the enemy and asked God what in the world was going on and often questioned His sovereignty in my life. What a brat I am...

Joshua 7: 12 that is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. 13 "Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, 'consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies UNTIL YOU REMOVE IT."

Removing things in our hearts that will lead to destruction is a painful process.  I have taken God off the throne and replaced it with food along with other things for many years.  I begged God for years to give me freedom and victory but it wasn't until I admitted it and then surrendered it to my Father in Heaven that I could feel the release it had on my heart.  For some maybe its your job and the pursuit of "success" that your devoted to and it consumes your time and causes you to miss out on life. For some its your weight,body image and appearance you are devoting every single thought to and the desire to look and feel a certain way. I had to remove the things I was devoted to in order to stand before my enemy and embrace the freedom my heart longed for. Today what needs to be removed from your heart in order for you to claim victory and avoid destruction from the giants in your life?

Is Your Heart a Wasteland?

Last night I was talking to a group of middle school girls during our life group and we were discussing things that seem to take away from our desire to pursue Jesus more.  Their answers were boys, good/bad grades, friendships and relationships. They were so honest and even shared their frustration with even the idea of not chasing boys with such relentless pursuit. Their little hearts are like sponges and I LOVE IT!  I then asked each of them to give me some practical ways in which pursuing God could happen in their lives from this moment on that didn’t look like a chore. The more I heard them talking about the difficulties of reading their bibles I thought about how as Christ followers we seem to make reading our bibles look like that nasty medicine you use to take as a kid. I hated it so much I would hold my nose and try and drink something right after to avoid the nasty after taste. I think the bible has that same effect on many of us because we have made it out to be such a chore and it stirs up the good bag and ugly in our hearts. I also think that we run from time with the Creator because we know He will call us out of sin.  The bible was not written to make us feel guilty, or to confuse us. We now have a ton of bible apps on our phones, tons of devotionals to pick from and yet we cringe to sit down in the presence of our Creator.  God’s presence highlights the very things that we need to pull out of our hearts and lives and yet we often ignore it.  Satan uses those things that are highlighted to be “not so bad” so we will continue in it.  God’s grace is beautiful, unfailing and yes never ending but if you aren’t moving forward in the pursuit of righteousness and holiness then you have to understand that complacency is right around the corner. Complacency is defined as “self satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies.”  WOW!! Self satisfaction is exactly what sin does in the moment. Giving us instant gratification without any preview of what possible danger is waiting around the corner.  It is like water that just sits in a dark place.  Without the light to evaporate it, it literally just sits and sits and becomes stagnant and what purpose does stagnant water have? NO PURPOSE whatsoever!   Pursing God helps you see more clearly what being clothed in righteousness looks like.  You have to understand that it is not being self righteous to pursue holiness its understanding that when you have encountered Jesus everything changed within you.  The desire to be loved from your peers/guys turns into lavishing in the love of your Creator and pouring that love you craved for so long on to others who have NO hope. When crisis and chaos hit, when depression sets in, or you cannot understand why your dreams don’t come true its then that those who have NO hope look to you and no longer see failed attempts, broken dreams and broken hearts but a Creator that makes ALL things work together for the good.  We choose to rest in His sovereignty and though sadness and grief, frustration and anger may set in you have an unexplainable joy that surfaces and those around you see Jesus.  We have to  lean to our HOPE because if not the world will continue to lean on those things we have been called to let go of.   I became a believer my first year in college and yet it took me being in my late 20’s that I began to see who Jesus was without all the legalistic rules that I had been fed my whole life.  I remember a pastor once said “you can watch television for an hour but you can’t spend an hour reading your bible?”  We then wonder why we have a generation struggling to read their bibles.   I finally got it and it was because I began to pursue Jesus and not the chore of just pleasing Him. And when that happened He began to peel back the layers of my heart and show me the dark and insecurities that had become stagnant waste lands. The deeper into His word the deeper the pain would surface. I would often give up and tuck it back away and stop reading the bible to feel normal.  But once I surrendered those secrets God released the grip satan had on my heart and took those insecurities, dark places and turned them into instruments that helped me find freedom.   Be encouraged today and know that God just wants you… ALL of you. 

Hebrews 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

1 Peter 1:16 ¹⁶ since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

^{Matthew 22: 37} And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Psalm 143:10 ¹Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!

Isaiah 61:10 ¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

I Am Expecting! (Not Pregnant...)

Today is January 1, 2013

This morning as I woke up I realized the newness of this day. 2012 is history and the possibilities for the upcoming year is endless.  God did so much in 2012 and the resistance that often took place in my heart or in my follow through didn't stop Him from changing lives. This past Sunday Richard honestly preached the best sermon I have ever heard him preach. He asked the question " God if I don't accomplish anything else this year what is the ONE thing you want me to do?"  Today I am abandoning my ways, my wish list, my plans and my passion to be fully open and empty as I ready myself for what God wants me to accomplish.  Genesis chapter 22 Abraham was asked to to do something crazy, bold and full of total surrender and faith. This one line rocked my world. He was asked to sacrifice his adult son and yet with his heart ready, open and fully surrendered he says this to the servants....

Verse 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "stay here with the donkey;I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you"

He was asked essentially to kill his son and yet he said with confident expectation that both of them would return!! What is it that God is asking you to give up, sacrifice or do in 2013?  Better yet what can you do today to walk in the direction of obedience and surrender.  My one word is all through this passage in Genesis. Abraham had HOPE. He didn't know how God would do it and he NEVER asked he just knew with confident expectation that God is God and His faithfulness is constant.  As I was closing out 2012 I came across this verse and it is a beautiful picture of exactly where I am this morning as I embrace a new year with an expectant heart.  Let today be a spiritual marker of your total surrender:) Happy NEW Year everyone!



Psalm 106:12 then they BELIEVED His words;they sang His praise

Rescued...

I have had numerous conversations with people this week about being in the word. This time of year brings about chaos. From family, work, church, friends Christmas parties to squeezing in holiday traditions. We celebrate the birth of our Savior and yet without even realizing it we tend to feel so far away from what represents our hope. Yesterday I filled in at church with Revolution kids and I was so blessed watching and listening to those sweet kids worship in their own ways. From clapping, jumping to yelling to even some screaming they were writing those songs on their little sponge like hearts. The video was talking about needs and she said "God knew our greatest gift was to be rescued and so He sent Jesus". I can't seem to get that out of my mind this morning. So many of the people I am surrounded by are struggling financially, or their marriages seem to be slipping through their fingers and there is no visible sign of hope to them. For some it’s the chaos of what this season brings like credit card debt, remembering a death, depression and even anxiety.  For believers we celebrate Christmas as a season of hope and yet for so many it doesn’t represent that at all. 
 Isaiah 40:31 says this..

"but those who HOPE in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

 I love the very first part of that verse it says IN the Lord.  That strength we need to push through this season is found IN His word. Those pages are a direct path to the heart of God. It is our direction, answers and healing. It brings comfort; it teaches us and ultimately shows us that our struggles and the battles of this life will one day be over.  How exciting to know the end of the story and Christmas is where it all began for you and me.   This season is an opportunity for those around you to see you draw from the very reason why we celebrate.  Don’t let gifts, annoying family members and things you CANNOT control keep you from experiencing your Creator like ever before.  He wants you exactly where you are today. Rest in Him. Pull Strength from Him. Seek Him. YOUR rescuer is on the way. 

Psalm 18:19
He brought me out into a spacious place;  He RESCUED me because He DELIGHTED IN ME.

 
Holly

 

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

 

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