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And he chose us to be his very own, joining us to himself even before he laid the foundation of the universe! Because of his great love, he ordained us, so that we would be seen as holy in his eyes with unstained innocence.  Ephesians 1: 4 TPT

This one verse alone in Ephesians contains so much of our identity! It is powerpack with the realization of who we are because of the Cross.  Make no mistake, the Bible is clear. You have been chosen. You have been ordained. You are Holy in his eyes. Covered only by unstained innocence because of his great love for you!

At a bible study this week I was so moved by reading through Ephesians. It truly is one of my favorite books of the Bible. If you are ever questioning who God is, who you are, and what he has planned for your life, then take some time to sit right here in Ephesians. The Word that flowed from Paul’s heart will make it ever so clear.

Ephesians tells us that “before we were even born” before you existed, God thought about you and gave you a destiny. And the beautiful thing is this destiny came straight from his heart (Eph 1:11). His plan for you was beating in his heart before yours ever began. Stop and let that soak in for a moment.

We have to begin to let the truth of his Word and how he sees us soak into our hearts or else we run the risk of never discovering the destiny beating in his heart for us!

I challenge you, as I too was challenged this week, to read Ephesians and begin to let God’s Word shape your identity. Let your divine purpose pop off the page at you. Write down every word that makes your heart leap and begin to speak it over your life until you begin to see yourself as God sees you!

I’ll leave you with a few of the words that jumped off the page at me. I turned them into a prayer of thankfulness, declaring his truth over my life.

Thank you, Lord, that you have claimed me as your own. I’ve been chosen for a divine destiny you wrote before my feet ever touched the ground. Thank you that you are the source of everything I need to fulfill this call on my life and that you unveil mysteries before me that make me always live in awe of you!

Lord, I thank you for the passion you’ve given me for your Word and the desire to enlighten every heart I meet with the divine mystery of who you are and how you see us. Lord, thank you for trusting me with the awesome responsibility of being an advertisement of your great and mighty power on this earth. 

Thank you that I have become your poetry, eloquently written by your hand. I can’t wait to fulfill with you all you have planned. 

Thank you that what your light exposes it corrects so that darkness has no choice but to flee my heart! Thank you, Lord, that you placed a divine plan for me in my heart straight from yours! Thank you that I can find my resting place in your unfailing love and it will ground me–making me unwavering and stable as I pursue your plans for me. 

And may I never doubt these plans you have so creatively and thoughtfully designed for me. Your mighty power is most assuredly at work in me and as I partner with your presence I will accomplish more than I could ever dream, think or imagine!

Lord, help me to imitate you and to be supernaturally infused with strength because I chose every day to clothe myself with your armor. I am protected, I am free. I will rise victorious in any battle because you have given me every tool and weapon to succeed! 

Now it’s your turn. I can’t wait to hear how God spoke to your heart through this beautiful letter to the Ephesians Paul wrote so long ago.

Be Bold~ Be a Light!

Jesus stood and shouted out to the crowds, “All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink!”

John 7:37

I am so excited to share with you an excerpt from my new book Shining Freely. This is one of my favorite sections in the book. I just love God’s heart for us and how much he longs to fill us up, take away our shame, and empower us to be all he sees in us. I hope you enjoy!

Are You Thirsty?

Fear is driven by thirst. I realized I was thirsty. Thirsty for accomplishments, titles, and a platform to prove my spiritual worth. I needed you to like me; to approve of me so that I could feel okay. The beautiful thing about God is, when we truly ask him to search our hearts—he does. He searches for and shines a spotlight on the places in us that will make us fall flat on our face in heartache if we continue to try and do life and ministry our own way. He knew that if I kept seeking your approval, I would always be thirsty. The “Am I enough?” void continually threatened the growth he wanted to give me.

I share this because I know many of you reading this feel the same. We are hard-wired to connect, to belong, and to be liked. It is a matter of survival. I was listening to one of my favorite pastors, Steven Furtick, talk about “The Thirsty Trap,” and it shined a spotlight on this approval-seeking tendency in me. He said, “Everyone is thirsty. It is not a sin to be thirsty. It is where you go to get fixed that determines whether your soul will be satisfied.” The truth is, “Everybody drinks from somewhere.”

I think I already mentioned I am a “doer.” Being busy made me feel important. I had a sudden light bulb moment as I realized this thirst was destructive to the very calling I wanted to fulfill. My fix couldn’t come from titles, even though it sounded really good in my head to be a “Cofounder”, “Author”, and “Clinical Director.” It can’t come from accomplishments, the number of followers on my blog, or likes on Facebook either. All those things can change in a moment and leave me thirsty for more.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well, “Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a bubbling spring within them” (John 4:14, NLT). Jesus knew this woman was dying of thirst inside. Not the kind of thirst any man could fix. He was a Jew and wasn’t even supposed to be talking to this Samaritan woman, let alone be sharing a drink with her. It didn’t matter to him that she had five failed marriages. What mattered to him was that her heart was empty, and he knew how to fill it. What mattered to him was freeing her from the shame that brought her to the well in the hottest part of the day, because she didn’t dare show her face at a time when other women would be there. He didn’t need the water he asked her for, he wanted to fill her. He went there on purpose with the intention of giving her Living Water. The kind of water that would cleanse her soul and forever fill the empty places inside her. He knew no other source could provide what she was seeking.

From what source are you drinking?

Are you dying for people’s approval? Are you caught up in the rat race of gaining accomplishments or things to finally answer the “Am I enough?” question looming in your mind? Are you striving and pushing yourself to produce something on your own because in the end you fear God really won’t provide as he promised? What things do you feel you need to have in order to be enough? Is it a relationship, a bigger house, a degree, and letters behind your name? Or do you fill your empty heart with alcohol, sex, shopping, food, caregiving, or a number on a scale? We are all thirsty, in need of filling.

All fear is rooting in self-preservation. “Will I be liked?” “Will I be enough?” “Will I have enough?” The woman at the well was so focused on meeting her need in the moment that she almost missed what was right in front of her, waiting to fill her completely and fully. But God wasn’t going to let her leave that day empty. See that’s what he does, he never leaves us where he finds us! Her encounter with the Living Water that day changed her forever. She left the well a completely different gal. Free! Head held high. She became a woman with purpose. A woman on a mission to spread the gift she received with everyone who would listen. All because of an encounter with Jesus. Never underestimate the power of an encounter (time in God’s presence) to heal you, restore you, to set your heart free, and point your feet in an entirely new direction.

I am now that woman on a mission. I have been changed by an encounter with him. You see I was thirsty and he sought me out. He filled me in a way no number of Facebook likes, titles, or accomplishments ever could. God, his love, his acceptance, his approval, his living, breathing water is the greatest gift and I want to share it with you. There is only one Source that never leaves us empty. A Living Water that never fails us. A longing exists within us all to be accepted, approved of, and loved. His presence is where we find it! When I finally got it, nothing else mattered. God delights in me. God delights in you! He wants your heart, not so he can condemn you and point out all that is wrong but so that he can fill you and show you all that is right about you!

Uncertainty drives our fears. Luckily for us, there is a source of certainty that is always flowing waiting for hearts willing to be filled. Our thirst is quenched by God alone, in time spent with him—time in the filling. You come, he fills enough for each day. Learning how to cease from ourselves to take time to be still in his presence is the key to a thirst-filled life. It’s time! Time to lay down your self-protective strategies at his feet and let him guide the way. He is the most gentle, comforting, and loving guide you will ever have the pleasure of encountering!

Lighting the Way

Heart Check

Take note of any moments while reading this chapter when a light pierced a place you would rather keep hidden.

Reflection Question

What have you been thirsty for and how have you been trying to fill it in your own way?

Prayer Moment

Lord, I ask that you open my eyes to the ways I have been trying to fill the empty places in my heart that have only left me thirsting for more. Forgive me for letting fear drive my thirst instead of trusting in you to provide for my every need. Teach me how to be filled by you. Thank you, Lord, that you delight in me, love just to be with me, and can’t wait to fill my heart to the brim with your love, acceptance, and grace.

Shine Mentality

The “new me” is beginning to take shape. God’s love is changing me from the inside out!

Write your own personal shine mentality or mindset shift you need to focus on creating in your life on the lines provided. You can use the example above, use one of the power verses below as a springboard, or just simply pour out your heart. Let this be your spoken prayer and focus this week.

Power Verses

First Peter 5:7 (AMP)

“Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.”

Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Romans 8:37 (GW)

“The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.”

First Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.”

Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Be Blessed – Be a Light

Shining Freely and its accompanying workbook can be purchased HERE…

I am so excited to introduce to you The 40-Day Journey! It is your next step guide created from the principles discussed in my book, Shining Freely, and is designed to assist you with putting into practice what you have learned. Through the process of writing Shining freely, I sought to discover God’s design for healing in our lives. But it wasn’t until I came to the last chapter that I realized where the answer to all freedom lies. Being fully free to shine our lights without hindrance, only comes through rest! As you learn to rest in God’s presence, he will free your soul and empower your every step. Let The 40-Day Journey guide you into an experience with God’s heart that will blow you away. Your part in this process is to allow yourself to experience something new. Even if it means letting go of the beliefs and strategies you’ve always trusted.

My hope for you is that your experience with the 40-day journey will lead to a lifestyle change. A lifestyle of dependence on God as your new and improved GPS system. This experience is designed to teach you the art of the pause—pausing in God’s presence. It is an intentional practice of pausing from life to hear God’s heart without distractions. For it is in the stillness of his presence that our hearts become free and from which every God-designed path is revealed.

David beautifully paints this path to restoration and purpose for us in Psalm 23: 2−3 (TPT) when he describes God’s rest:

He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name.

God is offering us a resting place beside him surrounded by his love. An offering means we have to receive it and allow ourselves to experience it. As we open our hearts, he will lead us to an “oasis of peace” far away from the distractions of this world. That is where he will restore and revive our weary souls. It is only when he knows we are ready—fully infused with his strength, power, and presence that he will send us out and lead us on the path he has for our lives. Then full of his presence, we honor him. Spilling over, we spread the sweet fragrance of his presence everywhere we go.

His presence is where our freedom lies, our hearts come alive, and our purposes are set free! Dare to take this journey with me and encounter God in a whole new way. Let him show you who you are so that you can experience the freedom to be all he has created you to be!

Be Bold~ Be a Light

CLICK  HERE TO GET STARTED WITH SHINING FREELY AND THE 40-DAY JOURNEY!

Freedom Verse of the Day Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)

Arise, Shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

Everyone loves the underdog, come-back story. It gives us hope that no matter the odds there is always a chance for us. Today’s freedom verse is all about God’s come-back story for his people.

The people of Jerusalem, otherwise known as Zion, were in a deeply, depressed state of mind. They were surrounded by darkness and longing for change. Just a few short verses away from Isaiah 60:1, this is what the people of God were saying:

We look for light but find only darkness, we look for bright skies but walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, feeling our way like people without eyes … We moan like mournful doves. We look for justice, but it never comes. We look for rescue, but it is far away from us (Isaiah 59:9-11, NLT).

They were so deep in the darkness that their eyes couldn’t see a way out. But, then suddenly, moved with compassion for his people their Redeemer calls out to them.

Have you ever been there? Feeling consumed by the circumstances you found yourself in.  I remember multiple occasion where I cried out to God saying, “I just don’t know if I can do it again, Lord. I want off this roller coaster.”

When the roller-coaster of life has descended deep into the valley and we find ourselves clenching the bar in front of us and experiencing the pressure of its force on every muscle, we need to remember the truth in Isaiah 60. It is all about the “Rising from the ashes” moments we all long for. It is the promise of a new day—new beginning! It is a reminder that we are never too far gone to be a light for Him. No matter the circumstance, if we trust in the light that has risen upon us, we can arise and shine once again.

A Deeper Look

This short verse is jam-packed with power and goodness. There are three words or phrases I want to highlight.

The first is “Arise”. Arise means to come into being, to originate from a source, emerge, or to get to one’s feet. Our source is God’s light—His Presence. We emerge from his light that shines upon us and we are lifted to our feet.

The second word “Shine” means: of the Sun, to give out a bright light—especially from reflected light, to beam, radiate, and emit rays of light. Again, we shine because we are a reflection of His light that has risen upon us. We are not light without him, but with him, we become radiate-beams of unstoppable light!

The third phrase points to the source of our rescue—”the glory of the Lord”. This represents God’s active presence among us and refers to his splendor, abundance, greatness, supreme strength, power, and light.

Today’s Application

God’s people in Isaiah 59 were focused in the wrong direction. We do it too. We tell ourselves stories that we come to believe as our truth. Have we become too focused on the wreckage behind, replaying in our minds the damage we’ve experienced in the past? Or will we learn instead to focus on the truth that everything the sun (Son) touches becomes light and is empowered to do as he did?

If we take our cues from nature we find that the sun always rises from complete darkness and touches everything with its light. Nothing is beyond its reach or singled out as unworthy! You, my dear, no matter how much darkness you feel surrounds you, are being called upon by the God of the universe to arise. He, who divinely summons you, knows you and everything you’ve walked through and when he looks at you all he sees is the unbelievable beauty of the light that is within you!

The promise tucked-away in this verse eases our fears of rejection. His glory that rises upon us isn’t something that might happen if we get our act together. No, it says it has already happened regardless of the state we are in! His Presence, His Power, His Light, His Strength and His Greatness has already risen upon us. Bishop T.D. Jakes says, “The access is always open … But the response is limited.” Some choose not to believe that the light was meant for them. Others, however, run with it with all their might.

Friends, this call to arise from God wasn’t because his people finally reached the mark. He spoke into their heart from a place of complete mess, brokenness, and despair. Our problem is that we keep looking at the ashes we came from and it causes us not to believe in the light that is within us and has risen upon us. We have to begin to live as if we believe that the light of the world has taken over our soul and is empowering everything we do!

The question isn’t whether or not we are light. The question is whether or not we believe in the power of the light that has risen upon us. When we are touched by God’s light, we automatically become light!

Now is YOUR TIME! Arise and Shine, for the light of the world has risen upon you and made you His light-bearer to the world.

Praise, Prayer, and Declaration

Thank you, Lord, that the question has been settled. We are light! No matter the path we’ve taken, or what our past contains nothing can stop your light from shining upon us and making us pure light to bless the world around us. May we be bold world-changers for you, living as people who believe in the power that lives within us!

Be Bold ~ Be a Light!

“Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. [So that we] can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God…”      Romans 5:1 TPT

I can’t speak for all you gentlemen out there, but I can definitely speak for the majority of the ladies! We are comparison junkies — all trying to prove our worth by feeling like we have it more together than another. It is second nature for us to size up, tear down, and criticize each other. We compare outfits, hair, blogs, and how well our houses are kept and our kiddos behave. Why do we do this? Because our hearts contain a question we long to have answered. Am I good enough?

I admit it. I struggle to feel adequate, good enough, and worthy at times and during moments of self-reflection, I’ve discovered the root. All judgment flows out of the insecurities, hurts, and fears our hearts hold. There is a quote that portrays this so clearly; “Every time you judge someone, you reveal a part of yourself that needs healing.”

I am most quick to judge other women in the places I’ve been hurt, feel I failed the worst or struggled with my own identity! This is where the beauty of Romans 5:1 comes to our rescue. There are two words that drew me right in reading the verse above: flawless & peace.

When we are declared flawless in God’s eyes it means that we are: without blemish or defect. We are seen as perfect, without fault, mistake or shortcoming. Get this, it means that when God looks at us he declares us “extremely good”. When is the last time you felt in your heart that you were extremely good? In God’s eyes, you are the absolute definition of perfection and everything he ever hoped for.

Would we ever need to judge another woman again if we truly allow this truth to enter into our hearts?

In the eyes of God, nothing that has happened to you or that you have done can in any way diminish your value. For you were declared flawless the moment you received Jesus as your Lord and savior.

The second word in the verse above that drew my eyes to it was peace. The word peace in this passage speaks to the beautiful way that God longs to connect with us. It is the Greek word for Eirene, and it means “to join” as in the dove-tail joint (The Passion Translation’s commentary). As I studied further, I found that a dove-tail joint is a woodworking-joint that connect the corners of a drawer. For it to fit perfectly together, it requires the handiwork of a master-craftsman. The dove-tail joint resembles the interlocking of fingers and is know in the industry as the strongest of all woodworking joints. And possibly most beautiful of all, once the interlock is in place it resists being pulled apart!

This metaphor captures the true nature of God towards us. God intentionally crafted a plan that would forever render powerless the possibility of our connection with him being thwarted. He gave his son so that he could declare us flawless and create a true, beautiful, peace-filled connection with us. What an amazing thought! Once we place our faith in him, he locks onto us and never pulls away. His heart interlocks with ours and forms the strongest and most reliable connection we will ever encounter. This connection allows his presence to become our guide and transform us from the inside out!

Are we not all longing for acceptance and to know that no matter how much we’ve flubbed it up we are loved and valued? Our mistakes always seem to have the spotlight in our minds. But not with God. Instead, somehow when he looks at us all he sees is the good inside of us. It is just like a loving parent who looks past their child’s ugly behavior because they know who they really are. This is how God sees us. He knows who we are, he sees us for the beautiful flawless light that he designed us to be and as we grasp this truth his peace will flood our souls.

So take a moment to self-reflect. At what times are you most likely to see your judge-o-meter engage and flip into high gear? This meter is your indicator that something in your heart is in need of your Creator’s validation and grace.

This verse is a hard one to accept for many of us because it confronts and calls out the beliefs we hold in our hearts that tell us we don”t measure up. Our instinct is to think, well sure, that’s true for Mary Beth down the street with her perfectly kept house, handsome husband, and well-behaved kids, but not for me!

How do we let this truth into our hearts and believe that when God looks at me and when God looks at you, all he sees is the flawless reflection of his son?

We have to realize it isn’t about us. It’s about the ultimate sacrifice Jesus paid for us to have a clean slate and perfect, unhindered connection with God. So let today be the day that you open your heart and your ears to hear God declare you flawless in his eyes. He can’t wait to set you free from the doubt that is rising up in you about your worth. Say it out loud with me now, “I am flawless in God’s eyes. I am fully accepted and filled with the peace that my connection with him is secure, certain, and locked in for life!”

Lord, we believe and declare that our mistakes, glaring imperfections, or scarring moments can never diminish our value in your eyes. May we take the time right now to settle into your cozy embrace, interlock our lives with yours and feel the security that when you look at us all you see is the good, perfect, and flawless light that you have placed within us!

Jesus thank you for your sacrifice. We declare that it settles once and for all the question in our hearts: “Yes my dear, you are most certainly enough – enough that I gave my life so that my Father could declare you beautifully flawless in his eyes!”

Be Bold ~ Be a Light!

Whatever the revelation-light exposes, it will also correct, and everything that reveals truth is light to the soul. Ephesians 5:13 TPT

We are avoiders by nature. We think somehow if we just don’t think about it, it will go away or work itself out, but if we are honest that never really works. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5 that whatever God’s light exposes, he will correct and it will become light to our soul.  Darkness cannot stay in the presence of light. Sometimes we go about it all wrong. Thinking that we need to keep our pain hidden and out of sight, we allow our shame to keep us prisoners. But God says let my light expose it so that I can reset your heart with the TRUTH that brings new life to your soul!

There is no other way – all vision requires light. The purpose God has designed for your life cannot be found in the dark covered up by past pain. Pastor Steven Furtick puts it this way, “What God has purposed for you to do is too important for you to leave your issues unconfronted.” Let the light of God’s truth set you free to pursue the dreams he has for you. Paul says in Ephesians 5:8, “Now you have the very light of our Lord shining through you because of your union with him. Your mission is to live as children flooded with his revelation-light!

Time here is short. It is not for our comfort, but so that we will live as children flooded with HIS LIGHT and be the difference maker he has called us all to be! My prayer for you is that you will no longer let anything hold you back and that you will find the courage to expose what you have been too afraid to face. Bring it before the Lord and let him set you free for the greater purpose he has for your life. Don’t let another second tick by letting your past rob you of the future God wants to give you.

BE BOLD ~ BE A LIGHT!

Remember to stay alert and hold firmly to all that you believe. Be mighty and full of courage. Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do. (1 Corinthians 16:13 Passion Translation)

I can’t say I’ll miss 2017. It is held a lot of disappointments and pain, but has also led to the establishment of order in my life. You know that often quoted verse in Romans that says, “God works all things for good”. I can look back now and see it so clearly. God granted me one of the greatest gifts of my life,  in one of my darkest moments of 2017. He introduced me to the blessings of His Rest! I’d resisted it for years and when I finally had no other choice, I experienced him in a way my striving and perfectionism had never allowed me to before.

The thing I have come to realize is there is no freedom without rest. It is contrary to our regular mode of thinking, but then again, Jesus’ ways have always confounded the wise. They say, “Less is more”. When it comes to finding the freedom we all seek, this simple phrase is undeniably true. Less of us, leads to more of Him (John 3:30). More of God, leads to the discovery of our purpose and the courage to fulfilled it!

So, my word is “Courage” this year because I don’t want fear, insecurity, and doubt to win in my life anymore. There is a whole world of possibility out there that many of us never tap into because we are too afraid to pursue it, we’re too insecure to believe it, and we let the voice of doubt scream louder than the promises God has made to us in his Word.

My family and I are about to embark on a whole new journey. I know I’ve been a little M.I.A lately with writing and Shine Healing Ministries activities. BUT, we’ve been taking the time necessary to seek God’s way and vision for what he has put on our hearts. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we’ve hit some road bumps along the way.  However, faith tells me to believe in God’s timing. We are excited because 2018 is considered the year of “New Beginnings” and the year of “Family” and we are fully believing in this promise!

The new beginning that God has placed on our heart is to create a retreat center, a space away from the chaos so that others can experience God’s rest, be restored, and filled with the courage to pursue the dreams in their hearts. God confirmed this vision as he unraveled his truth to us through Psalm 23. I hadn’t seen it before. It is such a common Psalm that we have a tendency to glace over it without stopping to truly pause and soak in the beauty within the verses King David wrote. As I meditated on this verse for months, the revelation that all freedom and restoration comes through REST became so clear. David says in verse 2:

“He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.”

Look at this very next verse…after God leads us to rest!

“That’s where he restores and revives my life.”

And after her restores, just see what he does next…

“He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness.”

Did you see the progression?

He leads us to REST, then RESTORES, then OPENS his path (our purpose) before us!

When is the last time you truly rested in God – pausing from the busyness of life to soak him in, so that he could restore you, and lead you on the path that he has for your life?

Jesus said:

“Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me” (Matthew 11:28-30, Passion Translation).

Rest is his gift to us. Jesus is asking us to give him the burdens we have placed on ourselves, so he can set us free. He longs for us to come and drink of him and promises that if we do, he will be our “oasis” and refresh our dry and weary places. The definition and synonyms of oasis paint a vibrant picture of what Jesus is wanting to be for us when we are weary and weighed down by the burdens of this life. When he says, “I am your oasis,” he is wanting you to see that he is your: watering place, your peace, your retreat, your sanctuary, your shelter, your harbor, your refuge, your relief, your restorer, your pleasant change, your sustenance, your safe place, your haven, your nourishment, your place of growth, your covering, your hideaway, your resting place, your escape, your watering hole, your well, your spring, and your ever-flowing fountain. Join with him, learn his ways, and let him be your oasis.

Our vision is to provide a peace-filled space where woman, families, and ministry leaders can experience God as their oasis! Please be in prayer for us! We have been given a beautiful, peaceful 17 acres of land that completely needs developed and transformed into a retreat center. Our first phase in going to be underway this spring. God has already been hard at work providing a meeting place (covered shelter), a fire pit, and necessary land maintenance free of charge to get us started! There is obviously a lot more work to be done and we will remain within God’s timing and leading, believing fully that he will provide every step of the way.

May you be filled with courage this year to shine your light brighter than ever before!!!!

Be Bold ~ Be a Light!

*Some to the excerpts from today’s post are from the new 40 Day Journey coming out in 2018!

You keep every promise you’ve ever made to me! Since your love for me is constant and endless, I ask you, Lord, to finish every good thing that you’ve begun in me! Psalm 138:8 Passion Translation

I love when Kim Walker in her song, You Define Me, belts out  “Only your words define me. You tell me who I am!” How differently would our hearts react if we only let God’s words define us and direct our steps?

The truth is God has placed a passion, purpose, gift inside our heart that was meant to be expressed and when that is held back from being set free because of fear, we struggle with a discontentment we can’t quite explain. In Romans we are promised that the purpose God designed specifically for our hearts to hold can never be “rescinded”. No matter what has happened to you, no matter how many times you feel you have failed, the purpose God gave to you is always in there waiting to be shared with his world.

“And when God chooses someone and graciously imparts gifts to him, they are never rescinded.” Romans 11:29

I was blown away by this as I read it. To rescind means to “revoke” or “cancel”. What a promise we have here from God in Romans. Pause for a moment and re-read it – let it soak into your heart. God is saying to you right now in this moment, “The passion, the purpose I put in your heart I  promise to never take it away from you -NO MATTER WHAT!”- He will never cancel  it, or say, “Oh, I guess I was wrong she isn’t good enough for this.” Girl you gotta understand, the purpose he has placed within your heart, he’ll never take it back. That is not the kind of God he is. He always believes the best in you and knows that what he placed in you, you can become!

Preacher, Shawn Bolt, puts it this way, “The calling of God will never return void in your life. If you just partner your faith with Him, no matter what, it will get awesome!”

Don’t let the enemy of your destiny lie to you any longer. You have a purpose in your heart just waiting to change the world around you and nothing can take that away from you! No one gets to define you, but the God who designed you. Break free from discontentment by boldly shining your light in this world!

Be Bold – Be a LIGHT!!!!

You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure. Deuteronomy 14:2

Why are we always trying to fit in when we were meant to stand out? How often I wonder do we miss being the treasure we were meant to be because we are terrified of being “set apart” and seen as different.

I recently took a new position in my home town school system. Wow, what an eye opener of an experience. We are trained from an early age not to stand out and to fall in line. The thought “different isn’t acceptable” is drilled into us without even knowing it is happening. We come to believe that being different ensures rejection.

I wonder how many dreams and possibilities never came to be because they were put up on the shelf of “I must fit in with the rest”.

As I leave the Elementary and walk into the Middle School and High School, I find that the belief that being different equals rejection has only grown more intense. It has become a way of life – all these teens terrified of being mark with the scarlet letter “D”.  I think we are scared of those who dare to be different because then we’d have to face our own mediocrity and insecurities. Maybe we learn something in school no one intends to learn, and it causes us to fear being different more than we fear leaving this world without making a difference! 

Unfortunately, in my short stent as a school staffer, I’ve witness the trend and seen the cruelty experienced by those who don’t fit in with the rest. Those who dare to be creative and unique are often shunned. I’m constantly seeing these bubbles of opportunity being pop because of someone else’s view. If we don’t break the mold and dare to be different, we will always be paralyzed by other peoples’ opinions.

I believe many of us have allowed the truth in the Gospel message to follow the mentality I’ve see everyday in the hallways of our schools. As Christians we have been shamed into conforming. We are terrified to be different. Little by little we have allow God’s Word to be watered down all under the disguise of fitting in with the world. I’m so thankful Jesus never watered down the message his Father sent him to deliver. He never came to fit in, no, he came to do everything different. He loved like no other. He forgave in a way people couldn’t understand,  and he served radically different than anyone who had ever come before him.  People couldn’t put him in a box and make him conform to their long-laid rules. I think in the end, they were terrified of what he was asking them to be so it was just easier to rejected him.  

I can guarantee you the message God places on your heart to share won’t always be accepted with open arms by everyone.  But we can’t be so afraid of being different in this world that we fail to make a difference.  As Jesus was leaving his disciple to ascend back to heaven he said to them,  “Just remember, when the unbelieving world hates you, they first hated me. If you were to give you allegiance to the world, they would love and welcome you as one of their own. But because you won’t align yourself with the values of this world, they will hate you. I have chosen you and taken you out of the world to be mine” (John 15:18-21, Passion Translation).

If I can be  honest with you for a moment, I often feel this way regarding the message God has place on my heart to share about healing and freedom. Most of us would rather stay in a world of denial than face the fears that grip our hearts. I’ve found that freedom requires a fight most don’t want to fight. Trying to spread a message of light in a world that has come to believe remaining hidden and in the dark is safer, isn’t always well received. But, yet, a passion for helping every heart chained to their past find the freedom to shine their light, keeps me voicing God’s truth!

In the end, I believe that light always wins and that if I dare to be different and spread an often hard to look at message, then more lights will be left shining than if I conformed and tried to be liked. My husband often says,  “Josie,  people just aren’t like you. Most of us don’t want to look inside. We don’t want to do the hard work of healing. It is just easier to avoid.”

Well, then I embrace me and how God made me different, because I know in the end it will make a difference! Maybe different isn’t so bad after all, maybe it is exactly what we are all meant to be!

Dare to be fully YOU ~ Dare to be a light in a world that is always trying to dim it!

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.”     Habakkuk 2:2

I get this sense that many of us have a vision written on our hearts that have never been read.

I think sometimes we are afraid to look because we fear not being enough for it. The thought of writing out our dreams in plain sight can be terrifying. What is written, we have to see. What is written, we have to face. What is written, we have to be accountable to and what if we don’t live up to it? What if we never see it come to pass? Sometimes it is just easier not to look at all – not to believe. Instead of putting on our running shoes, we’ve wrap ourselves in the comforting blanket of doubt and secured our spot on the couch of disbelief.

The old adage, “Cat got your tongue” popped in my mind as I was studying the verse in Habakkuk above and I realized that there are words and messages written on our hearts just waiting to be released. I believe God is asking us to take a stand and be heard. He is asking us to read the vision he has written on our hearts and run with it. But something keeps our eyes darting away, afraid to see what he is calling us to do.

Whether or not we possess a uniquely created vision is not in question. It is a promise in God’s word that we can stand on.  He calls us “His masterpiece” perfectly created “for the good things he planned for us long ago” to do (Eph. 2:10).  The vision is there, whether or not we will run with it, is up to us. It is a question we must all ask ourselves. Have I been too afraid to discover the passion that lies within, because I fear what that passion will ask of me? 

When studying the original meaning of the word run, used in the Habakkuk passage above, it conveys a sense of urgency – like God is trying to spur us on to get moving with the vision in our heart. I was convicted of this very thought the other day as I listened to Steven Furtick’s sermon, “Don’t Blow it”. He was explaining that we don’t have time to waste and that we get stuck telling ourselves  “One day when” and then twenty years passes and we find we never got around to it.  

I don’t want that to be my legacy. I want to run my race and not be afraid to write out and make plain the vision God has written on my heart! I don’t want fear to stop me from sharing the gift God has placed with in me and I don’t want fear to stop you either.

What is keeping you from running with the passion burning inside you?  I admit it. At times I want to run from the vision in my heart too. But recently I experienced something even more debilitating. I was paralyzed. Past failures were haunting me and it made me afraid to try again.

But, luckily, there is God who refuses to quit pursuing us and he handed me a rope out of the muck I found myself in. I know deep down, that I am a fighter and this fight is worth fighting. His message is worth it. His Truth is worth it and worthy to be shared. So,  I refuse to quit. I refuse to let fear stop me from running my race because if I do there is a cost far greater than failure. This message in my heart that God has hand-crafted solely for me to share with his world will never be heard.

We have to count the cost of never reading  and running with the vision written on our heart. Will you dared to read it? For he who reads it, will be asked to run with it! Ask God today to give you the courage to read the vision he has written on your heart. Let him lay it out before you in plain sight so that you may take hold of it and run with it, letting nothing hold you  back!!!

When God wrote the vision on you heart, he also placed within you everything you needed to fulfill it!

Be Blessed ~ Be a Light!

can any progress really be made unless we are willing to leave somethings behind and walk with trembling feet through new doors of uncertainty?

I was bemoaning and making an idol out of the mistakes I had made in this past season of my life. How many of you know that God will always sneak through a message your heart most needs to hear even when you aren’t wanting to hear it?

I was reading an online daily devotional from Elijah List and Randy Walter’s words hit the the bull’s eye on my resistance. I was seeing my surrendered flag as repentance – when all it really was, was guilt.

Randy said in his own bemoaning season he heard the Lord say, ” You’re not going to get very far until you stop massaging your guilt over the past. That doesn’t impress me…because you confuse it with repentance.  Woe is me is not the same as forgive me and help me move on. If you really want to please me don’t wave your past mistakes like a flag of surrender. Just learn from them and I’ll be happy.”

And just like that God’s arrow of love, grace, and redemption pierced through my resistance landing smack dab into the fragile tissue of my heart. With raw honesty I admit to you, I woke up this morning not wanting to spend time with God at all.  BUT, God clearly had another plan.

There are often messages God is trying to get through to us and he will keep gently pursuing us until we are ready to listen. For me, the verse was Isaiah 60:1. I had seen it pass before my eyes at least five times in the last week.  It says, “Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come and the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.”

The past season of my life did not go as planned. I’d been pushed down one too many times. I found myself spiritually depressed. Empty. Unfulfilled and afraid to move forward. My legs had not yet recovered from the fall of perceived failure and I wasn’t sure I was ready to try them out again. My heart was aching and felt like any hope it held was constantly finding a hole to seep out of. I was so tempted to place my white flag in the ground and walk away.

Months back, God had showed me a vision of an open door before me. I didn’t realize at the time that the Jewish year of 5778, which is now here, is also referred to as “the year of the open door”. I am no expert on the Jewish calendar and all the significance it holds. It wasn’t even until recently that I even knew it existed, but this was a sign even this gal could understand.

There is an open door God has opened before me and before you. I have been peeking through at times, but mostly, I’ve been hiding on this side of certainty. I’ve been letting the whisper of perceived failure define me and immobilize me. Because the truth is the open door, requires me- requires you, to abandon somethings and let go. For me I needed to forgive myself and not hold onto the guilt of my mistakes. There is a lovely quote that broke a little tether of the guilt that was wrapped around my heart when I read the words, “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” God was preparing my heart so that today he could break the rope completely with his truth!

The challenge before us is this , WILL WE TRUST GOD AND WALK THROUGH THE DOOR HE HAS GRACIOUSLY OPENED BEFORE US OR NOT?  What do you need to lay down so that you can walk through? Is it shame? Guilt over past mistakes? Is it fear of the unknown? Is mistrust or doubt? We all have our struggles – those things we are holding onto that keep us hiding from further pain.

God may just be trying to crack open your heart to a message you need to hear right now in this very moment! Pause and create some stillness to listen…

What my dear is God asking you to dust yourself off from so that you can walk through this new door of opportunity in your life and take hold of the destiny He has for you to ARISE AND SHINE?

He was sending me a very clear, beautifully displayed message. In true God like fashion he was speaking right to the heart of my struggle. He saw how I was weakened in battle, falling to the ground exhausted and weary. But as I was laying there, knocked off my feet and dazed by the fall, he hadn’t forgotten me. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Get up my sweet child. Get up from the dirt. Dust yourself off and move on. This is not the end. NO! It is just the beginning. The door is open. Will you take my hand and let me lead you through?”

This is your new beginning my sweet friend. Your door of opportunity awaits. But there is one more thing I cannot forget to tell you. Your progress will not come without a price. Paul states clearly to the Corinthians in the verse above that there is a WIDE-OPEN door ahead, but there are also many adversaries. The enemy will always attempt to steal your light. He will whisper to you as well. Trying to get you to tremble with fear and doubt that the door is for you. Don’t listen. GOD WILL ALWAYS PROVE TO YOU- YOU CAN! YOU, MY FRIEND, WERE BORN TO SHINE!

Your door awaits. I pray you find the courage within to take God’s hand and let him lead you through!

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17

In case you needed reminded like I did this week of God’s great love towards you! Here is a little snip-it from The 40 Day Journey devotional coming soon!

My heart adores you and I cannot wait to tell you who you are. You are beautiful to me. A masterpiece of all masterpieces. I designed you specifically. I carefully planned every detail – from the color of your eyes, to the heart you possess, and all the way down to tip of your toes. I gladly claim you as my own. You are loved! You are cherished! You are my treasure, my delight. I have made you completely new. No trace of the past. You lack nothing and you are worthy of the dreams I have for you. I created you just the way you are so that you could accomplish the specific plans I have designed for your life. Within your heart I placed my power, my might, all that I am. You are my warrior, my nothing-can-stop-you conqueror! You are gifted, you are full of grace, you are ready for the tasks ahead of you. I know you. I love you. I can’t wait for you to see yourself through my eyes because what I see just blows me away.

Be Blessed ~ Be a Light

It was for this freedom that Christ set us free {completely liberating us}; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery {which you once removed} Galatians 5:1 (AMP)

It’s true what they say, freedom isn’t free. Someone always pays a price. In our case it was Christ. He gave His life “completely liberating us“! Why then do we often feel so chained, held back, broken, and restrained?

We gain ground, find freedom, make progress then two steps back – maybe ten, or so it seems.

I’ve had moments in my life where joy abounds and I feel so free and then I have moments where I felt all progress was lost. I admit it, this woman who believes so much in freedom in Christ, sometimes doesn’t feel so free.

As I was wrestling with this dilemma in my mind, suddenly it hit me.

Freedom isn’t free which means we have to STAY free. Soldiers don’t stop fighting once they gain a little ground they keep protecting the land they fought so hard to gain. Once you win new territory, take new ground, find another layer of freedom you must defend it from intruders! We let down our guard and let invaders back in to plunder our soul . Robbing hope. Robbing joy. Robbing vision.

The enemy is a relentless intruder always wanting to steal back the ground we’ve gain. The truth is, he is a creature of habit. We know his main mode of attack. He always goes after our mind. Time and time again he plants seeds of negativity, doubt, and insecurity so that we back down.

And this is what Galatians 5 is talking about. We must stand firm on TRUTH or else we easily slip right back into the chains we once walked away from.

I’ve done it. I don’t blame you. Sometimes those chains are just all too familiar. I’ve let doubt and fear rob me of my vision, of the ground I’ve gain in Christ.  I’ve struggled to believe in the promises I can’t yet see and I’ve let my limited view, limit God’s work in my life.

I read a quote this week that gave me hope, however. It said something like, the wars are just preparing you to be a WARRIOR. I want to be a warrior for Christ. And to do that I’ve got to stop expecting there not to be a fight. Christine Caine laughingly said that sometimes she tells her daughters, “Suck it up sailor”, explaining that the fight is hard, but we can’t give up. Every new level in Christ comes with a price and as we progress in stepping into our calling and becoming the warriors we were designed to be, the fight gets harder not easier.

This is why there are so many starters but so few finishers!

We have to let the wars develop a warrior spirit in us. As we being to believe in the power within us, the greater we will fight!!! Women it is time we ARISE and stop giving up ground. The enemy wants us to fight each other, be jealous, and insecure of other women’s talents and gifts. He loves to consumed our mind with our own problems and rob our praise through circumstance.

He wins when we get so focused on ourselves and our own issues. We are drowning in our own self-absorption at times and the world around us remains untouched.

I had to look honestly this week at this giant log in my own eye. As I allowed the enemy to get me self-absorbed in my own grumbling, he stole my joy. He stole my desire to reach out and be a light. Temporarily that is! I am glad to say I am back in the fight!

I had to let praise lead the way!

Praise is a powerful weapon. The enemy knows this. He can’t stop the power of praise, but he can work darn hard at stopping us from praising.

I believe my vision of an unstoppable wave of women banning together and boldly shining their light for Christ will come to pass! It is time to draw our swords Ladies and believe in the light that is inside of us! We don’t have to back down, give up ground,or let the enemy win by robbing us anymore. BUT I do believe wholeheartedly that there is one thing we must do in order for this to happen – UNITE.

Soldiers don’t fight alone and neither should we. Women united, encouraging each other to shine their unique light causes the enemy to tremble with fear – because he knows something we don’t. The light inside us destroys his power. His only hope is to get us to doubt it.

So stand your ground! You are becoming a WARRIOR!

Be Blessed ~ Be a LIGHT!