Jesus Doesn't Change

"Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex." -Hebrews 13:1-4 THE MESSAGE

Love Come To Life

Love Come To Life | Melissa Helser & Molly Skaggs | Live at Home from A Place for the Heart on Vimeo.

Come Close

Come Close | Melissa Helser | Live at Home from APlacefortheHeart on Vimeo.

People pleasing is tempting

  It's tempting to give into people pleasing, especially if you've faced a lot of rejection in your life. There comes a time when you simply want to throw in the towel and say, "FINE! What do you want from me?!?!" But caving to people pleasing will never bring the freedom we seek. In reality people pleasing is a lot of work. It's slavery to the things you're trying to please.

   Freedom comes when we get our approval from God. When we accept the fact that people may not like us, we may never have the type of personality or image people naturally embrace. It may always be an up hill battle for us, but at least we are being true to who God created us to be. When people reject you they are rejecting aspects of God because you are His creation.  They will have to answer for their actions one day. It's not our job to hold people accountable or to morph into the image they want. You will never please everyone anyway.
   Even within the church. I'm too Spirit filled for some church people, and not filled enough for others. Does that even make sense? You can't win by people pleasing. There will always be a group of haters. You might as well be who God created you be so your soul will be at peace.  

   

Faithful

Expecting to Find

 "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." - Psalm 34:8 NIV

"How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you." - Psalm 31:19 NIV

    I've often heard it said, "God is looking to be good to those who are looking for His goodness." And as the years have come and gone, I truly believe it. Our God is a good God. He wants to be good to us. It's not wishful thinking to hope for, seek, and find God working on our behalf. The more we expect to find, the more we will. 
   When we fear (respect & honor) the Lord and take refuge in Him, goodness and love will follow us all the days of our life (Psalm 23:6 NIV).

The Lord is My LIght

The Lord is My Light | Joel Case | Live at Home from APlacefortheHeart on Vimeo.

I love Jonathan David Helser and his team, "Cageless Birds" at A Place For The Heart. Their music is filled with such intimacy. If you enjoyed this video you can go to their site and watch new videos weekly : cagelessbirds.com

Word Medicine

 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.- Proverbs 16:24

    There is power in speaking kind words to people we meet. Our words can be life to dry bones. We never know what people have been through. Our words could be healing oil on their wounds, some wounds they've carried for decades. The Bible asks us to,"encourage one another and build one another up" - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

    Just like rain to a garden, our words have the ability to give life to those who are wilting.When we see wilted, discouraged and fearful people, it may be because they haven't been watered in awhile. Let's shower people with affirmation and acceptance. Let's use our words to energize and comfort those we meet. As Christians our mouths are fountains of life (Pr10:11). We are told to, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."- Ephesians 4:29 and to "...consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds..." -Hebrews 10:24 One of the best ways to stimulate one another toward love and good deeds is with our words. 

    There is no such thing as silence. When we don't affirm people, the enemy fills that void with lies and insecurity.  When we don't speak, the enemy will. If we want people to blossom and  use their gifts to their fullest potential, we must learn to encourage one another.

    If we've grown up with an unlimited supply of affirmation, surrounded by parents that gave us encouragement and people that lavishly praised us, then we may not be aware how starved for acceptance others may be. A daily dose of positive words spoken over someone will perk up those wilted petals. We never know the thoughts people are rehearsing in their minds about themselves, these thoughts have the ability to paralyze someone, cause them to stumble, even miss opportunities that were destined for them. 

    Often times we take someone's reserved nature as a negative. As if they are judging us or have a bad attitude, but in reality they are struggling with a spirit of rejection and a few healthy doses of affirming words could be the cure. Job 4:4 says, "Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees."

     It's the same as a doctor's prescription. The prescription does not usually read, "Take once. The End". It usually says something along the lines of "Take 3 times a day for two weeks". The same is true with healing words. It takes a consistent dose of "word medicine" to bring about change. God may have put someone in your life for a season for this very reason.

     Words are powerful. They bring life and death. We will never understand the true power of spoken words over one another as seen in the spiritual realm, but we can see their power transform a fearful, hesitant person into one that is firm, empowered and confident, right before our eyes. The Bible says, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." -Proverbs 25:11, " The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry" - MSG 

     A blessing spoken over someone is like the gun shot that starts a race. Many stand at the starting line their whole lives waiting for something but not knowing what. It's the spoken blessing. A potent dose of "word medicine" could be the very thing to fire the shot that frees them to begin their race.

Deeper, Lord

Running loose

"Since they didn’t bother to acknowledge God, God quit bothering them and let them run loose."- Romans 1:28 THE MESSAGE

   When we develop a lifestyle of doing things our own way, we really do begin doing things on our own. God does not force us to acknowledge Him. If we want to run loose, then we can. But when we acknowledge God in all our ways, He participates with us, as we participate with Him.  The Bible says, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."- Proverbs 3:6 NASB 

    Acknowleding God is about trust. Do we trust Him more than we trust ourselves? When we put our trust in God it's easy to acknowledge Him in all our ways, it's when we trust our own opinions and gut that we have trouble acknowledging God. The Bible does not say "follow your gut", it says to acknowledge God and he will direct our path (NKJ). It says He will lead us with His peace and keep us in His peace. 

    Many today do not have peace. They can't sleep at night and they wrestle with many things. Running loose is not as fun and freeing as many start out believing. But there is a promise of peace to those that have their attention set on God. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" - Isaiah 26:3 NLT  When we have tunnel vision, when we acknowledge and recognize God in all our ways, we will live with peace. 

      One of the most important things to remember when journeying through life is to," Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all." - Proverbs 3:6 THE MESSAGE Many problems can be avoided by simply remembering this. 

       Don't succumb to running loose, doing whatever you want whenever you please. We are put on earth for a reason. It's only when we acknowledge God that we begin to see the fullness of that reason. You have a designer, acknowledge Him and His path for you will become increasingly more clear.

Gifted to do

"The successful man lays aside what he can do in order to accomplish what he is gifted to do." -John Paul Jackson

Hebrews 3:12-13 AMP

     "[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God.  
     But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him]."

Cheap Candy

"A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much." - Proverbs 20:19 NIV

      Gossiping. What's so wrong with it anyway? We know gossiping is frowned upon, but why? I'm going to share a few reason as to why gossiping is hurtful for the gossiper and for the those being gossiped about.

     "Fools are undone by their big mouths; their souls are crushed by their words. Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy; do you really want junk like that in your belly?" - Proverbs 18:7-8 THE MESSAGE

    Gossiping stops us from healing. We continually rehearse painful events, ripping off our scabs, causing us to begin bleeding again. Bottom line, a gossip never heals. They get stuck looking backwards instead of moving forward with their life.

    Gossiping causes division and separates close friends. The word "separate" does not provide the visual we need for what really happens. A gossip severs close friends. It's not a clean break. It's a painful cutting and ripping, and our words caused it.
    Gossiping is self-righteous. When we gossip we are often judging others. In order to judge another, we would have to be claiming perfection. Of course, only God is perfect. We make mistakes all the time.
    Gossiping destroys our credibility. When I'm around a gossip the first thing that pops into my head is, "I'm never opening up to them!" and I'm being completely honest. Is that how we want people to think of us?
     Gossiping is slanderous. We tell our side of the story without giving the other person a chance to speak for themselves. "In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines"  - Proverbs 18:17 NIV  "The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him." - NKJ

   Summing it up, gossiping creates loss. It could be a loss of a friend, a job, an opportunity, respect, healing etc. We not only create that loss for ourselves but for others. When we engage in gossiping we are participating in tearing something down when we were created to build up.

      It comes down to integrity. Ask yourself, "What am I hoping to gain by gossiping?" we rarely participate in behavior that does not have a pay off. Be honest and search yourself. What's the pay off? God can help us find ways to meet those needs in healthier ways.

"Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief."

- Proverbs 21:23 THE MESSAGE

Trust God

Happy 2yrs!

      This October my hubby and I celebrated two years of marriage (read about how we met HERE.) October is a special month for us. It's also my hubby's birthday month and the month we bought our house. To celebrate such a fun season we took a road trip to Nashville, TN. It was beyond fun. We've always loved road tripping together. The open road, music, quality time,  random stops etc all make it one of our favorite things to do. We drove through north Texas and straight across Arkansas - next time we want to spend a little more time in Arkansas, because of our schedule, we didn't get to see the mountains. 

       Once we arrive in Nashville there was so much to do. We visited the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum and toured the Reba exhibit along with other artist features. We toured RCA's famed Studio B (insane!!). We also enjoyed walking down Music Row and listening to live music on Broadway. We even visited the Grand Ole Opry and the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. Next time we are going to catch a show at the Opry. 

         After soaking up Nashville for a few days we headed to Memphis, TN to see ELVIS! Graceland was a trip, a serious time warp. Only half the house was open to the public. Elvis never allowed anyone upstairs and it remains that way today. After touring his house we toured his automobile collection and his private plane. I must say, I'm thankful at how design has evolved. Everything in Graceland seemed dark, narrow and extremely gaudy. It's hard to believe people lived like that. As for the spirit of Elvis, the Graceland tour along with studio B really gave me a sense of who he really was outside of his celebrity status. It was fascinating.
      Interesting facts about Elvis: * Elvis had a identical twin, Jesse Garon, that died at birth. *Elvis greeted everyone when he arrived at the studio. He wanted everyone to know they were appreciated. * Elvis was an artist and had to set the mood for each song. He often used colored lighting or no lights (pitch black) to achieve the right emotion while recording. For example the song, "Are you lonesome tonight" was record in the dark, you can hear Elvis hit his head on the microphone towards the end of the song. *Elvis didn't start wearing crazy clothes because of fame, according to his classmates, Elvis was very flamboyant and quirky since grade school and was made fun of for it. *Elvis was extremely generous. He gave away numerous cars and paid off people's debt (even strangers).
       After spending some time in Memphis, hubby and I headed home with hopes of visiting again soon. Nashville definitely holds a special place in our hearts. Hubby always jokes about us packing up and moving....we'll see...maybe one day.

Shine

Light for Others

The struggle many of us face....to eliminate or illuminate.

Distractions instead of destiny

    There are so many opportunities to build in today's world that if we aren't careful we will be building distractions instead of destiny. Just because we can build something doesn't mean it's God's will for us to build it. 

     I've have to be careful of this as well. I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Even as a kid I was always trying to create something from nothing whether it was art work, a club with friends, or small business.  I've learned over my lifetime that my ideas can sometimes, well, most of the time, out run God. I can get trapped in doing many things and forget the main thing,"God's called you as a Christian writer". 

    It's hard for me to picture myself having a "normal" life as some may call it because my experiences have left me far from "normal" in the ways I think, feel and take in the world around me. This aspect of myself has caused me to jump out ahead with new ideas that I usually regret because I haven't spent time seeking God first. Any free birds out there know what I mean?

      We are capable of many things, but not all things are destiny - most things are distractions. If God hasn't given you a word about something I wouldn't spend enormous amounts of time or money perusing it. Take it from someone who has done many things in vain, and chased countless whims. God always gets His way with His children. It's better to spent time in prayer and WAIT for the go-ahead than it is to spend weeks, months, even years sowing into a dead end. I even have to wonder if these whims are from the enemy himself, trying to keep us from doing what we were meant to do. 

     Ideas are great. Creating art is freeing. Building something is exciting. And keeping the main thing the main things can quickly become oh so boring. But we have to develop self discipline, which is really hard for some of us. The discipline to focus and drive it home. 

    The Holy Spirit gives me little sayings that help me focus and live the life God wants of me. I'd share them all but they are really personal at times (many make up chapters in my two devotional books). The current one is the one I'm sharing with you now, "Distractions or Destiny?" I'm going to start running my gazillion ideas past it before moving ahead with anything!

       We are either sowing into distractions or destiny.

Diluted versions

       We are so much more vibrant than we often know. In order to live a life that continually carries it's maximum energy, color and potency, we must uncover what's diluting us in the first place.
      There are many ways to become a diluted version of yourself, but the two main culprits I've found are A.) passed trauma  B.) people pleasing (in the form of being "balanced", "politically correct", or "Popular"). The key is honesty. We have to be honest with ourselves and do a little inward investigating.
     What passed trauma have you experienced? It could be something dramatic to something sublet and unnoticeable to others. How has it affected you? What have those experiences robbed from your life?
        As for people pleasing, the truth may not be balanced. The call God's put on your life may swing so far one way that you are out of balance to earthly standards, but it's that drive, focus and fiery passion that will help you accomplish the very things you were born to do. To walk in your full potency you may have to give up being popular.
      If you've lost this edge and feel like a diluted version on yourself, pin point what's draining the color and life out of your life and allow God to transform you in those areas. It's a life long journey. I felt diluted for much of my life, but through soul searching, doing the hard work (counseling, classes, reading etc), and being honest with myself about insecurities and things that have held me down I continually sense a new level of vibrancy as each productive year passes.
     How about you? Do you feel watered down? You were created to live at maximum strength.

Your love sets me free

Spirit of the age

    "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." - 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

 "If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get." - 2 Corinthians 4:4 THE MESSAGE

    There are greater days ahead. I'm not a doom and gloom Christian. I believe that those who stay connected to Him will continue to go from glory to glory, victory to victory no matter what happens around us. Our best days are ahead. But that does not mean everyone will continue on the path of light. Many will be devoured by the spirit of the age and follow the voice of deception. Many will leave their pure unadulterated faith for a compromised new age faith that enjoys a little bit of everything - creating their own god.

     How do we avoid such a down fall as the majority begin floating down steam? We avoid it by staying focused. By reading our Bibles and praying in the Holy Spirit. If you are not filled, it's time to be filled with the evidence of speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit will empower you, He will teach you, guide you and lead you on paths of righteousness. He is our helper.

       There is a way that is cool, it's seen as mature, cultured, worldly and hip and then there is a way that is right and true. We have to choose which way we will go. It won't always be easy, but the choice is ours. There are greater days ahead and an eternal weight of glory awaiting those who will not turn their backs and follow a god created by man.

"My truth"

   The new age saying, "My truth" is becoming more mainstream and gaining momentum as more people begin to incorporate it in their every day lives. "You follow your truth and I'll follow my truth". Even Christians are beginning to include this phrase in their conversation, "That's your truth, not mine".
    As a Christian what is "my truth", anyway? If you are a Bible believing, Jesus following, Christian then Jesus is your truth. He said it himself in John 14:6 NIV, "I am the way and the truth and the life." 

   He didn't merely say He taught truth, but that He is truth. Jesus makes many bold claims throughout the Bible, this is why the leaders of the day were so upset. I'm sure they wouldn't have minded Him so much if He simply said "I share truth", or left it at, "I follow truth", but He didn't. He said, "I am...". He was calling Himself God and they knew it. It infuriated them to the point of wanting Him dead. 

   We are faced with the same Jesus today. He is saying to us, "I am the way and the truth and the life." There is no other way, truth or life. He's either "my truth" or He isn't. He didn't leave it open for compromise. His radical claims force us to make a choice. 

    As a Christian "my truth" is based on the one who calls Himself "truth". If "my truth" adds up to anything other than Jesus then "my truth" is sadly being used as justification for "my deception". Your truth, my truth, their truth, none of it matters in the end. What matters is if we embraced THE TRUTH, Jesus.

The Reward

Unconditionally

Brokenness has taught them...

True intercessory folk are often entrusted with knowledge only for them as they give themselves to the groan of His heart. So the intercessors are not tattle-tales; they do not use their gift to lord over another or as a badge of importance. Brokenness has taught them that quiet, trustworthy obedience is better demonstrated. - Don Nori Sr., Former CEO at Destiny Image Inc.

 

       Ever wonder why God reveals His secrets to you? It's so we can pray. :-) When I was younger I'd get so frustrated when God would reveal things to me. I was like, "Okay? What am I suppose to do with this?" Eventually, I learned from older and wiser people that it was God's calling to pray. 

       His secrets are revealed so we know how to pray. Prayer changes everything! Some people don't have anyone praying for them. :-( No father, mother, grandma etc. out there speaking blessings over their life or asking for a hedge of protection. 

       When we are shown something it's because God trusts us with the information. Trusts that we will love and not hate. Trusts that we will weep with them and for them and not puff up with pride. Trusts that we will be moved with compassion for things that are breaking His heart. :-)

        The Lord trusts you with His secrets because He knows you are broken. Don't despise the broken pieces in your life. They have been used to shape you into exactly what He wanted - a usable vessel.

When inspiration hits

      I have 50 draft articles in my blog account. Those are articles I started but laid aside to finish, "tomorrow". The thing is when inspiration hits, we need to respect it and give it the time it requires to create what it's intended to create, otherwise we lose momentum. Like ME!! And my 50 draft articles!! What in the world!!

     I'm still excited and a believer in each article, but it's slightly overwhelming to think about capturing the same frame of mind and spirit to finish them all. I'm slightly disappointed with myself for putting off so many.

     I'm learning from this feeling of disappointment to pound out each message as it comes because "tomorrow" never really comes. Inspiration beckons me toward something else and I never get a chance to come back and finish what needed to be finished yesterday. I need to complete each article while I'm in the flow.

        Hopefully some of these draft articles make it onto my blog eventually.

Happy Fall

        Happy Fall from my baby boy, Winston the Basset Hound. He's trying to run off with my pumpkin lid. :-) 

        Should Christians carve pumpkins? As with Yoga, I can only share what I believe to be true after researching the topic myself.

       Where it started, "The Celts would hollow out turnips, then carve faces in them and place candles inside.  The turnips were then either placed in the windows, to keep evil spirits from entering a home, or carried around as lanterns.  This tradition eventually melded with the North American tradition of carving pumpkins.  At this point, the carving of pumpkins, which had been around in North America before Halloween was popularly introduced, became associated almost exclusively with Halloween (around the 19th century)."

        So why were American's carving pumpkins if it was not for Halloween as many mistakenly think? The answer is, for lanterns. A hollowed out pumpkin made a great lantern on the table or on a stick in the yard and even down a road to light up the night before electricity. I don't have a problem making a cute fall lantern every October. When the Irish came to America and saw how much better pumpkins were for lanterns they stopped using potatoes, beets and turnips and began using American pumpkins, since then we only hear about the "dark side" of carving pumpkins and completely forget that pumpkins were carved as lanterns, not faces to welcome the dead.

        Carving a fall lantern or carving a Jack-o'-lantern or demon face would be the same difference as a Christian stretching vs a Christian participating in yoga. They look similar but completely different.

          The legend of Stingy Jack is sorta creepy, you can read it HERE along with the Celtic tradition of using glowing jack-o-lanterns, to welcome deceased loved ones and protect against malevolent spirits. Though I did carve faces into my pumpkins as a kid, I will not allow my future kids to participate, or even go trick or treating.

       However, I love the idea of going to the pumpkin patch, and making fall lanterns with my family. Then sitting outside on a crisp cool night, sipping something warm and enjoying our lanterns, sharing our thankfulness and making memories together.

No such thing as Christian yoga

      We abstain from things offered to idols -Acts 15:29

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. -Romans 12:1-2 NIV

      Yoga is a trend that's growing with great momentum in America. Should Christians practice Yoga? This is a hot topic that gets tempers to flare, trust me, I've gotten in several debates about it. I can't force anyone to see it my way, there are many different opinions, but I can share what I believe to be true about this issue. 

       Yoga is rooted in Hinduism. Oneness with the universe is the goal of all yoga. That's also known as the process of enlightenment, or union with Brahman (Hinduism's highest god). As Christians we are only to be in union with our God, and yoked to Him.

        Spiritual dangers of yoga: 

- Many yoga classes instruct students in astral projection, or "stepping outside" of the body, which poses a serious spiritual danger.

- The word "namaste," often said at the close of yoga classes, means, "I bow to the god within you."   - The sound "om," chanted in many yoga classes, is meant to bring students into a trance so they can join with the universal mind.

 - The "salute to the sun" posture, used at the beginning of most classes, pays homage to the Hindu sun god. 

       It's impossible to extract Hindu spiritualism from yoga. Every pose is a pose to a different god. Can Christians stretch? Yes! But next time you are in a yoga pose remember these are postures that are offered to the 330 million Hindu gods. You are giving offerings, praise and worship to another god. How can we do this as Christians? Some yoga classes in America will even have statues or pictures of the god's for you to "bow" in front of, as it is in India. The best thing I've heard about this subject is, Christians participating in Yoga would be like a Hindu or Buddhist taking communion.

Grace forever

“Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.” 

- Brennan Manning
April 27, 1934 – April 12, 2013

Influential ministries in my life

      How did you become who you are today? If you are Christians, I'm sure you'd say, God. I agree, God deserves all the praise. But who did God use to help shape you, grow you and mature you spiritually? Lots of ministries have sowed a little here and there, but there are specific people that have played bigger roles in my life.

        If I had to make a short list of the most influential, life changing, people in my spiritual walk with God it would be as such: (not in order)

John Paul Jackson - His teaching on dreams and holiness gave me a safe place to learn about the encounters and events in my own life. Learning to understand God in this way has shaped and directed my life greatly. God is speaking, are we listening?

Jason Upton - Jason Upton's intimate worship and truth speaking revolutionized my time with God and changed the path my spiritual life was heading in. I first heard of Jason Upton through a "dreamer" friend, and first saw a video of him at Jentezen Francklin's church. I've even heard angles singing at one of his events, which has happened several times at his events from what's I've heard. Jason Upton eventually opened the door for me to discover Jonathan David Helser who has been a great influence as well.

Jonathan David Helser - Jonathan's musical style has a folk country sound. It's so relaxing. I've been listening to him since 2005. One word - intimacy. Check him out, his sounds brings healing to broken hearts and encouragement to the weary. This is the first ministry that truly showed me what the family of God should look like in heart and action. His farm house internships and events are something truly sincere. I'd love my future kids to participate in something like that.

Joel Osteen  - I sat under Joel Osteen for 10 years. I'm so happy God used Joel to built such a firm foundation at such a young age. Because of Joel I have a foundation of hope. You don't realize how important this is until you go to other churches and meet other Christians and see how defeated and depressed people are. I'm so thankful that I know how to encourage myself and build myself up with God's promises. He was truly my first pastor (other than random places I went as a kid). He's deposited a measure of faith in me that can never been taken. I will always have a "glass half full" perspective. God is for me!

Jentezen Franklin - His teaching about Python really helped point me in the right direction as a teenager. . I will never forget the video skit about Python at his church. He went on to minister to me greatly with all his other books as well. Not to mention, fasting. Fasting has changed my hubby's and my life. So many miracles and breakthroughs!

Leo Tyler - Healthy Soul Ministries is an amazing discipleship program that my husband and I spent several years sitting under. Leo opened our eyes to a freedom process that truly works for us. We discovered our personality types, how to identify and be healed of past hurts and walk in our new nature. As a psychology lover, Leo's christian class changed our life.

Kim Clement - Kim's whimsical and quirky prophetic style are a true gift. He's so far out of the box that you can't helped but be refreshed. It's a nice change of pace. His encouraging and musical nature have a special place in my heart.

Dreams & Mysteries

       I love the new program airing on Daystar, Dreams and Mysteries. It comes on every Thursday at 9:30c. On this program John Paul Jackson teaches about dreams and mysteries. Last night He discussed the difference between Prophets and Psychics. I'm thrilled he shared this information on such a large platform like Daystar. Unfortunately, many Christians  read their horoscopes and run to Mediums for answers. They're getting the enemies plans for their lives, even if it sounds good. Some may argue, "But the reading was accurate!". John Paul Jackson touched on this as well and talked about the difference between revelation and information. A psychic makes information sound like revelation.

       John Paul Jackson is very close to my heart. I've been following his ministry and teachings since 1999, when he was less known. So seeing him on Daystar weekly, not just as a special guest, is like sharing a close friend with the world. He's been so faithful all these years and I'm excited for this new opportunity God's opened for him. I know he is blessing many.

        I've had dreams since I was a child. I was even harassed by nightmares and wasn't able to sleep. John Paul says that many dreamers have the same experience growing up and I  agree. Many of my "dreamer" friends had nightmares growing up. The enemy likes to attack your gifts. One of the best ways to discover your gifts is to look at the attacks that come against you, and ask, "What's this attack trying to stop me from doing?".

        If you feel that you're gifted in this way: as a seer, prophet or a spiritually sensative person in some way, check out John Paul Jackson's teachings. He's very well balanced and backs everything with scripture. It's hard to find solid teaching in this area because many are either extremely religious and against it, or whack-a-doodles on the other end of the spectrum. John Paul's ministry, over the years, has helped me develop deeper intimacy with God, learn to hear His voice more clearly and has encouraged a holy life.

          I've you've missed any of Dreams and Mysteries episodes you can watch online, HERE.

One topic in my next book

          I hope you are excited about my next book. I know the subject may throw some for a loop but I truly believe the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about this. Without giving away everything in my next book I'd like to ask you to think about the Bible's account of Peter walking on the water.   

          Many of us have heard this account used in sermons about leaving our comfort zone, but is this really the point of the story? When we are taught something early on, we may find it difficult to think about the story outside of the box that we've always heard it. But the Lord's been speaking to me about this particular account as I finish up my forth book.

        Was it really out of Peter's comfort zone to jump out of the boat? Peter was a man of action. He was gutsy. Out of everyone I'd expect such action from Peter - no surprise. It wasn't his only bold move. It's not as if Peter was shy and timid. Do we see anyone else trying to walk on water? So, what could this account be telling us if it's not about stepping from our comfort zone?

            I'll leave it at that until my book is released! :-) 

You're Enough

"Start With Me"

You are air to desperate lungs
Water falling on the sand
Silence to an angry storm
Sight to a blind man

You're still the God of miracles
So if You're gonna move again
would You move in me?
Move in me

You're the beat to a broken heart
Bread for a hungry crowd
In one word from Your voice rings out
And the dead of the grave close down
Because You're still the God of the empty tomb
The one who came alive again
So come alive in me
Come alive in me
Come alive in me
Come alive in me

My life is an empty cup
Fill it up, fill it up!
I wanna hear every rescued heart cry
You're enough, You're enough!
Break what needs breaking
'Til You're all we see
Start with me, start with me

Whose arms hold the fatherless?
Whose voice do they hear?
Who sits with the prisoner
And stands for the one who fear?
You're still the God of what is just
And You're still the God who loves
So would You love through me
Love through me yeah
Come and love through me
Would You love through me, yeah

My life is an empty cup
Fill it up, fill it up!
I wanna hear every rescued heart cry
You're enough, You're enough!
Break what needs breaking
'Til You're all we see
And start with me, start with me, yeah

Your kingdom come
Your will be done
Lord let it be
Let it start with me, start with me

Yes, Your kingdom come
And Your will be done
Oh Lord let it be
Let it start with me, start with me

Yeah, start with me, start with me

My life is an empty cup
Fill it up, fill it up!
I wanna hear every rescued heart cry
You're enough, You're enough!
Break what needs breaking
'Til You're all we see
And start with me, start with me,
Yeah start with me, start with me
Yeah 

     I'm a lover of lyrics. I could stay up all night listening to songs as the words fill my heart. Lyrics take me on a journey. Before I know it, it's 4am and I'm still awake riding on beautiful ribbons of poetic words. 

     This song in particular has been ministering to me greatly. Life has a way of breaking us in the most intimate ways. But it's in the brokenness that God comes alive in us. When we think we've been broken enough and can't go on we see there is yet more work to be done. Brokenness allows His light to shine through us. I'm learning to embrace the process each broken piece brings. Break what needs breaking, Lord, till you are all we see.

Today and everyday!

Help me to live in such a way...

Destiny Hope

       I've seen all these bloggers write letters to Miley. All well meaning, but still sometimes sarcastic and cutting. I thought I'd write my own little letter to Miley and share what I sense in my spirit for her.

Dear Miley,

     God can give you a new name, restore the name He prophetically put in your parents hearts and mouth, Destiny Hope. You are a child of purpose. You have been placed on this earth for a reason, for now, for this season. As I began praying for you and thinking upon your life and all the wonderful plans God has set aside just for you, this song began to bubble up in my spirit for YOU.

     God can replace all the shame and sadness and replace it with true joy. He can give you real freedom. Freedom from your critics, freedom from users and abusers, freedom from yourself. A freedom that allows you to BE, to soar and to rest. He will bring restoration to your soul.

To worship you, I live

Your Love Is Extravagant

For signs and for seasons

"And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day." Genesis 1:14-19 ESV

        I love looking at the sky. I love the stars, the clouds and sun sets. I've heard about people who've seen the life of Jesus written in the stars, those that have seen angels in the clouds, and felt the warmth of God's presence in the sun. Through out the ages the sky has been a mysterious and beautiful thing for all cultures and religions. This shouldn't be a surprises since even God says He created the lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, for signs and for seasons and days and for years. He created them with messages to us, with a rhythm for us to catch onto for seasons, days, nights, weather, signs etc. But as with anything sometimes a message gets skewed, taken advantage of and exploited by those with an alternative agenda. 

        One example of a deceptive message coming from the sky would be horoscopes (a diagram of the heavens, showing the relative position of planets and the signs of the zodiac, for use in calculating births, foretelling events in a person's life, etc.)  Horoscopes are false prediction of your future. One given by a false or corrupted source. Since I  have a heart for discipleship it really puts a fire in me when I see Christians posting their horoscopes. Horoscopes are witchcraft. I used to love them as kid, when I didn't know any better. We all have a desire to know what's next. It gives us hope and a sense of expectancy. Plus, they look innocent and fun in those fashion magazines. They don't look dark or demonic at all. When I learned the dark source of the predictions while in my teens I repented and never looked at another horoscope again. Horoscopes and Astrology are not only a sin but deception that will eventually lead you away from God's good, perfect and pleasing plans for your life. Same goes with fortune tellers and psychic hot lines.

          It is built in us to want revelation about our future. God put that in us. But that desire is to be filled with His presence and divine revelation that comes from a relationship with Him. He can give you divine words, dreams, signs and direction but it comes by being connected and loyal to Him, not demonic copy cats. 

        There is a difference between Astrology and Astronomy. Astrology is  the belief that, "the position of the Moon and Sun within these twelve divisions influence what happens on Earth, from the personalities of people born under a certain sign to the likelihood of certain kinds of undertakings to be successful." Astronomy is the, "scientific interpretation of matter in space" and has nothing to do with the future and shaping of individuals and their lives.

         So next time you are admiring the beautiful art work in the sky, do just that, admire God's handiwork and delight in it and know He has woven mysteries within. Even the wise men followed a star to Jesus and they are not the only ones. Throughout history people have used the stars as maps and guiding lights for their explorations, escapes to freedom and the telling of weather patterns. But when it comes to your future, it is in God's hands, not the stars and the interpretation of an individual who is under demonic influence. If you want the map to your life then go to the source, the creator, God almighty and His personal book to you, The Bible.

 (Definitions from the farmersalmanac.com)

Good, Perfect and Pleasing

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 NLT

Material and Godliness

      I was watching a video on Youtube and I saw a comment by someone that stated something along the lines of "If you're rich it's a sign of God's blessings" and basically if you weren't then the opposite is true. She went on to say that you can tell if someone is in God's favor by the things they own. Sadly, this is a common misconception that's been running throughout many churches for a long time.

     Of course God blesses His people, but what does that look like? There are many ways to be blessed. When we think about being blessed we can't think only about America, we need to think world wide. People are dying everyday all over the world from starvation, lack of water and disease. People are living under trees, in cardboard huts and some with less than that. If we look at the bigger picture we realize that if we have access to a computer/phone to read this very blog we are already blessed.

      If we only look at blessings in comparison to how the wealthy live in America we will be deceived and succumb to greed. We will never be grateful. Common sense tells us this idea of wealth being a sign of God's blessing is flawed. If it was true we'd have to assume the Mafia was favored by God, also the Kardashians and other Hollywood Celebrities. Are they living a life for God? Do they even believe in Jesus? So you see, wealth is usually a sign of compromise and sin, and not a sign of living a Godly life. What about the missionaries who live off 20k or less a year? Are they sinful and unloved by God? This whole idea of measuring a person's favor with God by their material gain is broken.

        Look at the world around you, so many have much less than you do. You are blessed. You are taken care of by God. He loves you. This crazy, insane wealth we see in America is usually filled with sin, scandal, compromise and a self reliance, not a God reliance (there are a few exceptions to this). At times it's easier for ungodly people to get rich because they are able to sow into the lusts and fun, evil desires of others. Sin sells. Also, they don't have the enemy trying to stop them in the spiritual world. As long as you are doing the devil's work why would he try and withhold anything form you? These are all things we have to think about. God's people do righteous and holy things with wealth. They make the world a more beautiful place with the prosperity God gives them, so of course more hindrance come with this holy agenda.

        With all this said, know, God takes care of His children. God will make sure we have everything we need. God is not going to have His kids begging for bread and for shelter over their heads. But if we are comparing God's provision with a Mercedes and a Hollywood mansion we may miss the goodness that's already been given to us by our Lord or judge people unfairly. Our ideas of wealth in America are so far in left field that we forget that rain and sunshine are all gifts from God. That a healthy family, and air in our lungs are blessings. That having a job, food on the table, a house (no matter the size), access to the internet, a vehicle and more are all blessings that many live without.

        This whole wealth and godliness mentality does nothing for us but feed our greed, causes people to live fake lives trying to keep up appearances, and breaks down healthy relationships in our churches since everyone wants to be around wealthy people since they are "blessed" (sad but true in many places).

         The fruit I care about are the fruit of the spirit in your life. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." - Galatians 5:22 NIV    I don't care what car you drive up in, what brand your clothes are, what your job title is, how expensive your purse is, or how many vacations you go on per year. As Christians we should be ashamed of ourselves if we judge others based on such temporary things. Material does not determine if a person is evil or good. As with all things God looks at the heart.

         Plus, if we really look around we will see that many of us are far more blessed than we ever realized, but we are to busy lusting after a Hollywood and an upper east side lifestyle to notice.

Your love never fails

Who God is

The least of these...

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. I'ts something you live by and share with others. - Author Unknown

Amazing

Jason Upton - Calgary Confrence

I love Jason Upton's teaching. His videos take you on a journey.

Stand up for others

Parenting Goals

     I'm not a mother, yet. But I already love my future children. I find myself praying for them and blessing them in my quiet time. I've gotten several dreams about the names of two of my children. I'm sure other women have experienced this. The Holy Spirit has really been working in me and speaking to me about what it means to be a parent and challenging me to really think about what His goals are.
    I've been jotting down notes here and there about my hopes and dreams for my children and how He wants me to raise them. 
   
Some of my notes are as such (this is a rough list):

-Help my kids develop mentally, emotionally and spiritually

-Add no emotional trauma

- look into their eyes and truly see them, everyday

-cherish the moments and never forget this is the good old days

-To be a safe place where issues are healed not covered or exploited

-teach them to think for themselves and to be assertive

-Leaders not followers, yet respectful of authority

-Routine is resistance to wonder. Encourage my child’s sense of wonder.

-Recognize my children’s gifts, talents and joys and help them sharpen and peruse them

-Above all teach my children to love God, love others and reach out.

 

    What are or were some of your goals for you and your children? I want to pray over this list and edited as the Lord leads, then hang it on my mirror or in my office and read it every morning. I guess my list is more about myself - reminding me not to control them or forget them, but truly see them and enjoy them, and help them grow into all God created them to be. I don't want to be swept away and never truly be present.  :-)

Eat your fill

        My husband and I are proud parents of a bossy Basset Hound. I don't know what you know about Basset Hounds, but most sources say they are lazy. This can't be further from the truth in our case. Winston, is always on the go. He's loud, bossy, silly and makes friends easily :-). When we lived in the apartments there was a trail we could walk him on every day to burn energy and stay fit. He was eating about four cups of food a day! Two cups in the morning and two in the evenings. That's more than my Golden Retriever. Yet, Winston was super skinny and fit. Basset lovers always admire his healthy size, since most Bassets are stereotyped as fat and slow. Over time we slowly cut Winston's food down to three cups a day (two in the mornings and one in the evenings). He seemed fine and it allowed us to save food.
         Eventually we moved into our house. Though we have a huge backyard, Winston didn't get those long walks on the trail anymore. So we decided to cut him down to two cups a day. One in the morning and one in the evenings. I mean, if my huge Golden Retriever can live off of two cups, surly, Winston can, right? As time went on I noticed Winston acting up, he would jump on the counters, he wouldn't settle down, and wouldn't listen. I had no idea what was going on. Then one day he was eating breakfast and I saw his stomach and thought, "Hmm, He's looking kinda skinny." I told my husband I wanted to start feeding him three cups again. He agreed and we began increasing his food. I saw a noticeable difference right away. He was calm, slept more, obeyed the rules and was back to being a cheerful little guy. Today, he happily eats three cups a day and remains fit.

          As I was thinking upon this situation and my little buddies behavior problems and how a little extra food changed him back to his happy self, the Lord showed me how we act the same way when we are spiritually hungry. Hunger can cause us to act in strange ways. When we are spiritually full we are calm, we rest well, we live life respecting others boundaries, spreading love wherever we go. But when we are hungry and running on empty we are moody, short tempered, rebellious, willing to eat anything and careless of others.  It's all about us.
           If you find yourself looking in the mirror and not recognizing yourself check your spiritual diet. Are you hungry? Are you running on empty? My poor little Winston's whole personality changed when his tummy was on empty. When is the last time you've eaten something good for you?
          When we are full of God's word our lives reflect that fullness in everything we do. So, if you are noticing negative behavior and attitudes in your life, know, it's not you, it's your diet. Eat your fill on healthy spiritual things and you will see positive changes take place almost instantly.