While sitting in bible study last night the Lord laid something on my heart that I know needs to be shared, so here goes.....
When a woman is impregnated, before the baby can be born it must go through many different stages of growth and development. At the point of conception the egg becomes a zygote. Its barely more than a single cell, but within days it grows into many cells and becomes a morula. A morula grows into a blastocyst. The blastocyst then becomes and embryo. The embryo grows until about 8 weeks when it becomes a fetus. A fetus grows through out the remainder of the pregnancy until birth when it is born as a newborn infant. According to most states, the fetus has to be born breathing, meaning taking at least one breath outside of the womb before it is legally recognized as a baby. What is the relevance of this science lesson?
GOD GROWS OUR SPIRITUAL FETUS THE SAME WAY!
IF YOUR SPIRITUAL "BABY" HAS NOT GROWN IT IS NOT READY TO BE BORN!
It can be so difficult to wait to birth the baby God plants on the inside of us, but as with a natural baby, if your baby is born out of season (prematurely) the chances for survival are greatly diminished in fact, it may not live at all!
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 says: "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born and a time to die..."
So while waiting may be difficult and you may be anxious to get out there and help all those God has called you to help, if you try to begin outside of your season you may prematurely expose your baby to a world it is not ready for! The "lungs" may need a little more time to develop. The "stomach" may not be ready to accept food! As with your natural baby, your spiritual baby is precious and fragile! It needs the full gestation period to grow inside of you! Nurture your baby on the inside of you with the correct food (The Word)! Exercise while you are carrying your baby (focus on things that keep you close to God) so that after the baby is born you are not carrying around extra "weight". Drink plenty of water to keep your system cleansed (keep your hands clean and your heart pure). Taking these steps during the gestation (waiting period) will ensure your baby has the best chance of survival after birth!
Well you may be thinking, I've been waiting for a long time. When will I give birth? When is God going to open the door so that I can walk out what He has placed inside of me? Or the realest, most frightening thought of all, "What if I am not called to do what I desire to do?"
Isaiah 66:9 (NIV)
"Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?" says the Lord. "Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?" says your God.
God will NEVER plant a pure desire inside of you and NOT bring it to pass! He will not plant something inside of you that He does not intend to birth! The thoughts of "what if I'm wrong" or "what if it never happens" are tricks of the enemy designed to get you to abort your baby because abortion is the only way to stop a God implanted baby from being born. Abortion in the spiritual sense includes all things that separate you from God. Thankfully, God makes allowances for our mistakes... that's why He sent Jesus. So I don't want anyone to read this and think, "I sinned yesterday so I aborted my baby". No, that's not what I am saying. To be very clear, You abort when you walk away from God, when you turn your heart away from Him. Even then, God is so forgiving that if you ever come back to Him, He will forgive you and re-implant you with that same seed! Of course, you will have to "carry" the baby again, but in the end no matter what you've done in your past, if your heart is pure and your hands are clean God will "break your water" and cause your baby to take it's first breath!
No matter what, remember your baby has to grow! Rarely does God show us the entire picture the first time He speaks to us concerning our purpose. He gives us glimpses according to what we are able to handle at that point. As we grow and mature in Him, the spiritual "fetus" grows inside of us and He reveals more of what the "baby" will look like at birth! We must wait patiently for God to "break our water"! We know once a woman's water breaks in the natural birth is imminent! The same is true in the spirit! Wait for God to give you the FULL YES! Wait for Him to say, PUSH! Give your destiny the gestation it deserves! If you are getting tired of waiting (as every natural mother does toward the end of the pregnancy) remind yourself that your baby needs the FULL gestation period! A baby born at the beginning of the third trimester has a 90% survival rate. 90% is pretty good, but don't you want you baby's guaranteed success?!?! Wait until your season has fully come!
Love you all,
Otescia R Johnson
~As always, thanks for reading and I pray you are encouraged and strengthened after reading this blog! Please leave your thoughts/comments and share this blog with anyone you know that may benefit from reading it!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Just Jump!
Have you ever had the feeling that you just suddenly "woke up"? Not from actually sleeping in the natural, but in your spirit. If not, keep living its bound to happen. Some people call them "aha moments" or light bulbs turning on. Call it what you like, but to me it feels like I just "woke up". Like an area of my mind and spirit have been resting waiting for this very moment. The point of this blog post is actually not about waking up, rather what I woke up to.
Its like I opened my eyes and I was standing on the edge of a cliff. A huge mountainous cliff, and as I tilted my head forward to see what was beneath me there was utter darkness. Nothing but darkness all the way down to depths unknown. In front of me there is another cliff, but the gap is too wide for me to safely jump. I can see the sun shining on the other side, and there is a storm behind me so I can't turn around and go back. In that moment panic began to rise in my chest, but just as quickly as it rose, I felt the peace of God and heard Him whisper, "Its okay, jump". The natural response is "Heck, no. I'm not jumping off of a cliff!" But when God is saying jump fear has a way of taking a back seat... IF YOU TRUST HIM!
At that point I began to realize what God was showing me. I'm on the edge of the next phase of my life and I have absolutely no foresight as to how I will get from where I am now over to the next chapter. Its not as simple as turning the page when there is darkness between you and the next step. Its not easy to just step out on faith when it looks like there is only darkness beneath you. What I have to remember and what you have to remember is when we are obedient to God and jump, He will not simply steady your feet or extend the Earth for you to walk on, HE WILL GIVE YOU WINGS TO FLY!!!
Before entering a new chapter in my life I have always gone through a trust exercise with God. He's nudged and I've honestly been a little hesitant each time. I've gone back to Him and asked, "God are you sure?" As if He would ever speak something to me that didn't already exist. (smile) What has always caused me to fall in love with Him all over again is how He gently reminds me of the previous times when He's told me to jump.
It started out with little baby steps, like a baby learning to walk from the sofa to the coffee table, but as I've grown over the years the surface between the steps has gotten less and less sturdy, and the distance has grown wider and wider. Yet through it all, He's always there and I've NEVER fallen when stepping out on faith.
As believers we are constantly challenged to trust God more. Today's trust level will not suffice next year, for some not even next week. You're going to have to get to the point that you jump every time He says jump! The more risky the step of faith, the bigger the reward on the other side! I may have only seen darkness beneath me, but my concern should not been the darkness. My focus should have been on His words. HE said jump. He is my ultimate saviour. I have absolutely nothing to fear when He is with me and He is always with me, even unto the ends of the Earth! I am never alone! God is always there encouraging, supporting, pushing, and propelling me to the next chapter! Therefore, no matter what the surroundings suggest, IT IS ALWAYS SAFE TO JUMP!!!!!
Its like I opened my eyes and I was standing on the edge of a cliff. A huge mountainous cliff, and as I tilted my head forward to see what was beneath me there was utter darkness. Nothing but darkness all the way down to depths unknown. In front of me there is another cliff, but the gap is too wide for me to safely jump. I can see the sun shining on the other side, and there is a storm behind me so I can't turn around and go back. In that moment panic began to rise in my chest, but just as quickly as it rose, I felt the peace of God and heard Him whisper, "Its okay, jump". The natural response is "Heck, no. I'm not jumping off of a cliff!" But when God is saying jump fear has a way of taking a back seat... IF YOU TRUST HIM!
At that point I began to realize what God was showing me. I'm on the edge of the next phase of my life and I have absolutely no foresight as to how I will get from where I am now over to the next chapter. Its not as simple as turning the page when there is darkness between you and the next step. Its not easy to just step out on faith when it looks like there is only darkness beneath you. What I have to remember and what you have to remember is when we are obedient to God and jump, He will not simply steady your feet or extend the Earth for you to walk on, HE WILL GIVE YOU WINGS TO FLY!!!
Before entering a new chapter in my life I have always gone through a trust exercise with God. He's nudged and I've honestly been a little hesitant each time. I've gone back to Him and asked, "God are you sure?" As if He would ever speak something to me that didn't already exist. (smile) What has always caused me to fall in love with Him all over again is how He gently reminds me of the previous times when He's told me to jump.
It started out with little baby steps, like a baby learning to walk from the sofa to the coffee table, but as I've grown over the years the surface between the steps has gotten less and less sturdy, and the distance has grown wider and wider. Yet through it all, He's always there and I've NEVER fallen when stepping out on faith.
As believers we are constantly challenged to trust God more. Today's trust level will not suffice next year, for some not even next week. You're going to have to get to the point that you jump every time He says jump! The more risky the step of faith, the bigger the reward on the other side! I may have only seen darkness beneath me, but my concern should not been the darkness. My focus should have been on His words. HE said jump. He is my ultimate saviour. I have absolutely nothing to fear when He is with me and He is always with me, even unto the ends of the Earth! I am never alone! God is always there encouraging, supporting, pushing, and propelling me to the next chapter! Therefore, no matter what the surroundings suggest, IT IS ALWAYS SAFE TO JUMP!!!!!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Bare, Naked, & True
This is the first blog post I've written in nearly a year. There are many reasons I've slacked in writing, but the biggest and catalyst for the others is the move from Germany back to North Carolina. That move took so much out of me emotionally, but even more than that required much faith and reliance on God. I tend to retreat from the world when faced with situations that require more reliance on God. I don't know why I do, I just do. I've learned over the years that if I am going to make it through without hurting others in the process I have to go away and simply be alone with God. It matters not that others don't understand it. I'd rather be accused of being a recluse than constantly having to repent for being short, irritable, or even worse hurting other people because I am hurting.
I've attempted many times I start new blog posts. Every time I tried to share what was in my heart, but found myself struggling to finish because I couldn't find the right scriptures to line up with what I knew God was saying for me to share. The words were there but they were just words, no soul, spirit, or even feeling behind them. I'm very serious about my writing. I have absolutely no desire to be just another Christian writer putting empty words out there and calling it ministry, so instead of publishing a post that I would later have to recant, I simply posted nothing. I received numerous questions about the blog and when I would resume writing and each time I replied the same...soon. Well days turned into weeks and weeks to months and here I am totally naked and unashamed!
What's in my spirit to share? Ladies, be yourself! Plain and simple. There is someone so remarkable and unique on the inside of you that has the power and potential to shake this entire planet for the Kingdom of God! You do not need to be eloquent of speech, look and dress like a beauty queen, be able to quote the bible backwards and forwards, or even have a large platform to speak from. You simply have to open your mind and spirit to the voice of the Lord and follow the instructions He gives you. Each of us has been crafted for a different mission in the Body of Christ. I may only touch the life of one woman in my life time, but who knows how many she will touch? The ripple effect goes much further than you or I will ever know.
I know it can be difficult to believe that you can literally change the world just by being who you are in the presence of one individual, but its true. I've seen it in my own life. One woman just watched me for a year. Didn't talk to me at all, just watched. One day she asked me a simple question and that opened the door for me to share Jesus as I know Him; my friend, my provider, my healer, my confidante, my defender, my protector, my everything. I didn't preach to her or drag her to church. I didn't start reading the bible with her, I just talked to her about God and HE did everything else! So often we feel like we have to DO something in order to be effective for the Kingdom. The only thing you have to do is be YOU! The you He has created you to be! Yes we have to yield those dark, ugly, painful areas of ourselves to Him and allow Him to repair them, but that is more of a yielding, listening, and compliance process rather than actually doing something. This life is not about who can do the most, or who can quote the most scriptures. Its about how we live yielding to Him, separated from the world without excluding those in it. If we really want to make our mark; if we really want to please Jesus while we are here, we must live as He has called us to live, plain and simple. I must be the ME He had in mind when He created me. I must not focus on what is wrong, but all that I am that is right (all of those things being what He placed in me in the beginning).
So my time away from you has led me to this place:
I only desire to be ME. The definition of me changes with every word the Lord speaks concerning me, but I have to be true to me at all times no matter what HE asks me to look, sound, and act like. I have no bible quotes for this post, because as I mentioned earlier, they were just typed words (obviously I know the Word is alive and well, Jesus is the Word). But I feel like I have often used bible scriptures as fig leaves sewn together for me to hide behind. Like if I quote enough scriptures maybe no one will realize what is really going on. So in the interest of keeping it 100% (to use a little slang I've picked up recently), I'll tell you exactly what is going on.
I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and more. I maintain a busy schedule with very little down time. I often forget to stop and smell the roses. I have to constantly work on speaking to people in the correct tone of voice when something hurtful or mean is said to me. I don't always make the right choices, and I have very different views of church and religion as a whole. There was a time in my younger days when I cursed like a sailor and would actually fight anyone who crossed my path. *I'm inserting my own personal praise break here. Only God could have delivered me... trust me!* These days I often weep and plead with God for the lives of those that don't know Him. It hurts me to think that some will needlessly die and go to Hell. God and I have pretty in depth dialogue about the state of the world right now and He always comforts me before the end of the conversation because it simply is not a pleasant one. I make mistakes, He forgives them. I have no desire for a title and/or platform. In fact I rather like being unknown. My heart longs to see women whole and living in the constant promises and provision of God. I love people even though they've hurt me. I take no credit for that last statement, only God has healed those wounds and taught me to love from His perspective instead of with this corrupt natural heart. I love my husband and children more than words can say, and my heart beams with gladness just thinking of them. My husband is deployed to Afghanistan right now and Jesus helps me walk this year out daily. Deployment sucks and while I am proud of my husband for his sacrifice and service, I will be more than happy when this is over. Even through a deployment though, we are truly a blessed family and I take none of God's blessings for granted.
So this is my post; bare, naked, and true. I hide behind nothing today for in hiding there is an element of shame. My ultimate desire is to live naked and unashamed not only before God but also before man. This life gets tough, but I've been in this walk long enough to know that there will always be a rainbow after every storm. I live looking past the storm and into the rainbow. Sometimes I take baby steps and sometimes I run, but all that matters is that I make it to the other side with as little trip ups as humanly possible.
I believe everyone that reads my blog has some experience walking with God, but if you don't I beg of you to get to know Him. This life will not last forever and I promise you if you do not know Him you will regret it on the other side. The fact that I am here is a testament to His absolute faithfulness, love, and provision. My life is an extension of the bible, the 67th book as I like to call it. I have many stories of healing, restoration, provision, enlightenment, and LIFE to share. I can relate to God on a personal level because He has granted me access to Him just as He has done for you. Take advantage of that access. If you find it easy to hear God while in service, but difficult when you are alone, that is a clear indication that you need to get to know Him on a personal level. He speaks to the hearts of all of us, not just Pastors, Preachers, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, and Teachers. He loves no one person any more than He loves another. His desire is for us all to experience His love and glory in our own personal way. If you only hear the word of God through the lips of someone else I urge you to dig deeper. Allow Him to speak to your heart in your own quiet place....away from the noise! He's after YOUR heart. He wants you, all of you; flaws and all. Allow Him into your heart and those things that were once hard for you to give up will no longer matter. He changes your perspective and it becomes easy to live a life that pleases Him. If you don't know how to yield to Him and you've already asked Him how but didn't "hear" a response, email me and I will be more than happy to talk with you. Even with my imperfections I know that there is a lady out there somewhere that I can help. The same is true for you! BE YOU and you will be surprised how many lives you will impact! Live daily as you are called. Don't just quote from the book, be the book! Be His representative in the Earth one life changing moment at a time!
I've attempted many times I start new blog posts. Every time I tried to share what was in my heart, but found myself struggling to finish because I couldn't find the right scriptures to line up with what I knew God was saying for me to share. The words were there but they were just words, no soul, spirit, or even feeling behind them. I'm very serious about my writing. I have absolutely no desire to be just another Christian writer putting empty words out there and calling it ministry, so instead of publishing a post that I would later have to recant, I simply posted nothing. I received numerous questions about the blog and when I would resume writing and each time I replied the same...soon. Well days turned into weeks and weeks to months and here I am totally naked and unashamed!
What's in my spirit to share? Ladies, be yourself! Plain and simple. There is someone so remarkable and unique on the inside of you that has the power and potential to shake this entire planet for the Kingdom of God! You do not need to be eloquent of speech, look and dress like a beauty queen, be able to quote the bible backwards and forwards, or even have a large platform to speak from. You simply have to open your mind and spirit to the voice of the Lord and follow the instructions He gives you. Each of us has been crafted for a different mission in the Body of Christ. I may only touch the life of one woman in my life time, but who knows how many she will touch? The ripple effect goes much further than you or I will ever know.
I know it can be difficult to believe that you can literally change the world just by being who you are in the presence of one individual, but its true. I've seen it in my own life. One woman just watched me for a year. Didn't talk to me at all, just watched. One day she asked me a simple question and that opened the door for me to share Jesus as I know Him; my friend, my provider, my healer, my confidante, my defender, my protector, my everything. I didn't preach to her or drag her to church. I didn't start reading the bible with her, I just talked to her about God and HE did everything else! So often we feel like we have to DO something in order to be effective for the Kingdom. The only thing you have to do is be YOU! The you He has created you to be! Yes we have to yield those dark, ugly, painful areas of ourselves to Him and allow Him to repair them, but that is more of a yielding, listening, and compliance process rather than actually doing something. This life is not about who can do the most, or who can quote the most scriptures. Its about how we live yielding to Him, separated from the world without excluding those in it. If we really want to make our mark; if we really want to please Jesus while we are here, we must live as He has called us to live, plain and simple. I must be the ME He had in mind when He created me. I must not focus on what is wrong, but all that I am that is right (all of those things being what He placed in me in the beginning).
So my time away from you has led me to this place:
I only desire to be ME. The definition of me changes with every word the Lord speaks concerning me, but I have to be true to me at all times no matter what HE asks me to look, sound, and act like. I have no bible quotes for this post, because as I mentioned earlier, they were just typed words (obviously I know the Word is alive and well, Jesus is the Word). But I feel like I have often used bible scriptures as fig leaves sewn together for me to hide behind. Like if I quote enough scriptures maybe no one will realize what is really going on. So in the interest of keeping it 100% (to use a little slang I've picked up recently), I'll tell you exactly what is going on.
I am a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and more. I maintain a busy schedule with very little down time. I often forget to stop and smell the roses. I have to constantly work on speaking to people in the correct tone of voice when something hurtful or mean is said to me. I don't always make the right choices, and I have very different views of church and religion as a whole. There was a time in my younger days when I cursed like a sailor and would actually fight anyone who crossed my path. *I'm inserting my own personal praise break here. Only God could have delivered me... trust me!* These days I often weep and plead with God for the lives of those that don't know Him. It hurts me to think that some will needlessly die and go to Hell. God and I have pretty in depth dialogue about the state of the world right now and He always comforts me before the end of the conversation because it simply is not a pleasant one. I make mistakes, He forgives them. I have no desire for a title and/or platform. In fact I rather like being unknown. My heart longs to see women whole and living in the constant promises and provision of God. I love people even though they've hurt me. I take no credit for that last statement, only God has healed those wounds and taught me to love from His perspective instead of with this corrupt natural heart. I love my husband and children more than words can say, and my heart beams with gladness just thinking of them. My husband is deployed to Afghanistan right now and Jesus helps me walk this year out daily. Deployment sucks and while I am proud of my husband for his sacrifice and service, I will be more than happy when this is over. Even through a deployment though, we are truly a blessed family and I take none of God's blessings for granted.
So this is my post; bare, naked, and true. I hide behind nothing today for in hiding there is an element of shame. My ultimate desire is to live naked and unashamed not only before God but also before man. This life gets tough, but I've been in this walk long enough to know that there will always be a rainbow after every storm. I live looking past the storm and into the rainbow. Sometimes I take baby steps and sometimes I run, but all that matters is that I make it to the other side with as little trip ups as humanly possible.
I believe everyone that reads my blog has some experience walking with God, but if you don't I beg of you to get to know Him. This life will not last forever and I promise you if you do not know Him you will regret it on the other side. The fact that I am here is a testament to His absolute faithfulness, love, and provision. My life is an extension of the bible, the 67th book as I like to call it. I have many stories of healing, restoration, provision, enlightenment, and LIFE to share. I can relate to God on a personal level because He has granted me access to Him just as He has done for you. Take advantage of that access. If you find it easy to hear God while in service, but difficult when you are alone, that is a clear indication that you need to get to know Him on a personal level. He speaks to the hearts of all of us, not just Pastors, Preachers, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, and Teachers. He loves no one person any more than He loves another. His desire is for us all to experience His love and glory in our own personal way. If you only hear the word of God through the lips of someone else I urge you to dig deeper. Allow Him to speak to your heart in your own quiet place....away from the noise! He's after YOUR heart. He wants you, all of you; flaws and all. Allow Him into your heart and those things that were once hard for you to give up will no longer matter. He changes your perspective and it becomes easy to live a life that pleases Him. If you don't know how to yield to Him and you've already asked Him how but didn't "hear" a response, email me and I will be more than happy to talk with you. Even with my imperfections I know that there is a lady out there somewhere that I can help. The same is true for you! BE YOU and you will be surprised how many lives you will impact! Live daily as you are called. Don't just quote from the book, be the book! Be His representative in the Earth one life changing moment at a time!
Friday, March 19, 2010
In the Midst of a Tsunami
Below is a fictional short story that fell in spirit a few weeks ago. I pray that as you read it you will be able to take hope and encouragement away with you! Know that Jesus is always there carrying us through, even in the midst of a tsunami!!!
The beach was beautiful that morning as Evelyn made her way out for her usual morning walk. It had been her routine since being diagnosed. Something about walking barefoot in the sand alone with her thoughts helped her to escape the painful reality that was her life. After walking for a few moments Evelyn noticed that while things looked the same, something was missing. The sea was calm, the sun warm, and the early risers were beginning to venture out onto the sand, but something was off. She wasn't sure why, but Evelyn got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She stopped walking for a moment and turned to face the water shielding her eyes from the bright reflection of light coming from the water. All of a sudden it appeared as though the sea was receding. "What in the world" thought Evelyn. She'd never seen such a low tide before and better yet, where were all of the birds. That's what was missing. Normally the shore is full of birds every morning. Large beautiful white birds normally entertain Evelyn as she walks. This morning however the birds were missing, and that realization gave Evelyn a clue that something was about to happen. When she was just a little girl her grandmother used to tell her, "If you wanna predict the weather, watch the animals. They are much better at telling you whether or not a storm is coming than any old weather man." Remembering her Grandmother's words, Evelyn decided she better head inside. She was not in the mood for an early morning soaking. It seemed that rain always came down harder around the sea. Before she could follow through on that last thought, she noticed what seemed to be a large wave heading right towards her. "Dear Lord its a tsunami" thought Evelyn.
Instantly her heart began beating violently inside of her chest. Knowing full well she couldn't outrun the wave, Evelyn broke out into a sprint. With her heart beating in her throat and her lungs struggling for air Evelyn ran until she felt her feet could no longer carry her. Her legs felt like noodles and her t-shirt was soaked from perspiration. Just when Evelyn thought she could no longer move and the sheer panic would overtake her she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. Despite the turmoil around her, Evelyn felt peace resonate through her as she turned to look into the eyes of Jesus. She knew it was impossible, yet she was standing face to face with her Creator. She couldn't make out the details of His features, but she knew it was Him. Only Jesus could give the kind of instant peace she felt when He touched her shoulder. With her eyes locked onto the face of the giver of life, Evelyn felt herself being lifted into his arms. She lay her head on His bosom as he began to carry her back in the direction of the ocean. When she realized he was going toward the storm panic began to rise inside of Evelyn again. "Do not fear" He said, with His voice barely above a whisper. "I am here". At the sound of His voice Evelyn began to relax. She lifted her head and looked around. There were random pieces of furniture flying through the air, water and debris had formed a standing wall of sorts. Everywhere Evelyn looked nature was behaving violently, but nothing was touching her. Her clothing wasn't even wet aside from her own sweat. There was even an instant when a huge tree limb was heading straight towards them and Evelyn felt her stomach begin to do flip flops. Jesus simply turned to the limb and said "Be still", and the tree limb that had only moments before behaved as though it 10,000 pounds of force behind it fell hard to the ground with a loud thud. With confusion in her brow, Evelyn turned to face Jesus.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"I've come to show you." He replied.
"Show me what?" Evelyn asked.
"That no matter how severe the storm, no matter how hopeless the situation seems, I am here. I control all, and I carry you through all. In Me, there is infinite safety. Now rest, for morning is coming."
Evelyn felt all tension once again leave her body as she tilted her head toward the beautiful blue sky. Though everything around her was in complete chaos, the sky was beautiful and serene. There wasn't a cloud in sight and Evelyn felt as though she could live in that moment for ever. She closed her eyes and enjoyed being taken care of so completely. Nothing mattered to her besides that moment. No cancer, no financial problems, nothing. It all left her thought process as though it didn't even exist. She enjoyed the silence they shared, saying more to each other in the silence than could ever be shared with words. Evelyn had found perfect peace in the arms of Jesus.
Just when she thought she would fall asleep Evelyn heard a faint sound. Like a phone was ringing somewhere way off in the horizon. The ringing began to get louder and louder until it snapped Evelyn out of her dream and into reality. Evelyn squinted her eyes to counteract the bright sunlight that was beaming through the blinds and into her bedroom. "I can not believe someone is calling me and waking me up from the most beautiful dream I've ever had at this time of the morning" Evelyn said aloud. She had a good mind not to answer it until she looked at the caller ID and realized it was the oncology clinic. "Dear Lord, she prayed. "Please let that dream be a sign of things to come."
"Hello"
"Hi Evelyn, it's Dr. Peterson."
"Good morning Dr. Peterson."
"No Evelyn, it's a great morning. I got your lab results back and wanted to call you personally."
"Don't keep me in suspense!" Evelyn yelled.
"Your blood is cancer free. Evelyn, you are in remission!"
God bless you all. Please leave comments to let me know what you think of the story.
The beach was beautiful that morning as Evelyn made her way out for her usual morning walk. It had been her routine since being diagnosed. Something about walking barefoot in the sand alone with her thoughts helped her to escape the painful reality that was her life. After walking for a few moments Evelyn noticed that while things looked the same, something was missing. The sea was calm, the sun warm, and the early risers were beginning to venture out onto the sand, but something was off. She wasn't sure why, but Evelyn got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She stopped walking for a moment and turned to face the water shielding her eyes from the bright reflection of light coming from the water. All of a sudden it appeared as though the sea was receding. "What in the world" thought Evelyn. She'd never seen such a low tide before and better yet, where were all of the birds. That's what was missing. Normally the shore is full of birds every morning. Large beautiful white birds normally entertain Evelyn as she walks. This morning however the birds were missing, and that realization gave Evelyn a clue that something was about to happen. When she was just a little girl her grandmother used to tell her, "If you wanna predict the weather, watch the animals. They are much better at telling you whether or not a storm is coming than any old weather man." Remembering her Grandmother's words, Evelyn decided she better head inside. She was not in the mood for an early morning soaking. It seemed that rain always came down harder around the sea. Before she could follow through on that last thought, she noticed what seemed to be a large wave heading right towards her. "Dear Lord its a tsunami" thought Evelyn.
Instantly her heart began beating violently inside of her chest. Knowing full well she couldn't outrun the wave, Evelyn broke out into a sprint. With her heart beating in her throat and her lungs struggling for air Evelyn ran until she felt her feet could no longer carry her. Her legs felt like noodles and her t-shirt was soaked from perspiration. Just when Evelyn thought she could no longer move and the sheer panic would overtake her she felt someone place their hand on her shoulder. Despite the turmoil around her, Evelyn felt peace resonate through her as she turned to look into the eyes of Jesus. She knew it was impossible, yet she was standing face to face with her Creator. She couldn't make out the details of His features, but she knew it was Him. Only Jesus could give the kind of instant peace she felt when He touched her shoulder. With her eyes locked onto the face of the giver of life, Evelyn felt herself being lifted into his arms. She lay her head on His bosom as he began to carry her back in the direction of the ocean. When she realized he was going toward the storm panic began to rise inside of Evelyn again. "Do not fear" He said, with His voice barely above a whisper. "I am here". At the sound of His voice Evelyn began to relax. She lifted her head and looked around. There were random pieces of furniture flying through the air, water and debris had formed a standing wall of sorts. Everywhere Evelyn looked nature was behaving violently, but nothing was touching her. Her clothing wasn't even wet aside from her own sweat. There was even an instant when a huge tree limb was heading straight towards them and Evelyn felt her stomach begin to do flip flops. Jesus simply turned to the limb and said "Be still", and the tree limb that had only moments before behaved as though it 10,000 pounds of force behind it fell hard to the ground with a loud thud. With confusion in her brow, Evelyn turned to face Jesus.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"I've come to show you." He replied.
"Show me what?" Evelyn asked.
"That no matter how severe the storm, no matter how hopeless the situation seems, I am here. I control all, and I carry you through all. In Me, there is infinite safety. Now rest, for morning is coming."
Evelyn felt all tension once again leave her body as she tilted her head toward the beautiful blue sky. Though everything around her was in complete chaos, the sky was beautiful and serene. There wasn't a cloud in sight and Evelyn felt as though she could live in that moment for ever. She closed her eyes and enjoyed being taken care of so completely. Nothing mattered to her besides that moment. No cancer, no financial problems, nothing. It all left her thought process as though it didn't even exist. She enjoyed the silence they shared, saying more to each other in the silence than could ever be shared with words. Evelyn had found perfect peace in the arms of Jesus.
Just when she thought she would fall asleep Evelyn heard a faint sound. Like a phone was ringing somewhere way off in the horizon. The ringing began to get louder and louder until it snapped Evelyn out of her dream and into reality. Evelyn squinted her eyes to counteract the bright sunlight that was beaming through the blinds and into her bedroom. "I can not believe someone is calling me and waking me up from the most beautiful dream I've ever had at this time of the morning" Evelyn said aloud. She had a good mind not to answer it until she looked at the caller ID and realized it was the oncology clinic. "Dear Lord, she prayed. "Please let that dream be a sign of things to come."
"Hello"
"Hi Evelyn, it's Dr. Peterson."
"Good morning Dr. Peterson."
"No Evelyn, it's a great morning. I got your lab results back and wanted to call you personally."
"Don't keep me in suspense!" Evelyn yelled.
"Your blood is cancer free. Evelyn, you are in remission!"
God bless you all. Please leave comments to let me know what you think of the story.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Know the Members of Your Herd!
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. ~Matthew 18:20
One day while absently flipping through the television channels I came across a show on the National Geographic channel. This particular special followed the hunting patterns of hyenas. Due to a decrease in their food supply, the pack of hyenas was forced to hunt close to a pride of lions. Night after night the hyenas came up empty handed because the lions were hunting in close groups and dominating any prey they came across. Often times the hyenas would sit on the side lines waiting for the lions to slip up just once so they could get a taste of the prey. After nights of waiting, the perfect opportunity came for the hyenas. A lioness had wandered away from the pride in search of food. She found an animal, quickly killed it, and began to eat her dinner. Just as quickly as she had taken down the animal, a pack of hyenas swarmed her and wrestled her kill away from her. Knowing she was outnumbered, the lioness retreated with little resistance.
While watching this, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me, "See that's exactly how Satan works. When you are with your fellow sisters and brothers in Christ you are strengthened, so he tries to isolate you so he can devour you!" {Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour ~ 1 Peter 5:8} Do not be fooled by this trick of the enemy. There is always safety in numbers! When you feel hard pressed on every side, run to Jesus and ask Him to reveal to you the members of your herd for that situation. While we recognize Jesus is our source for all we need, we also recognize that He often works through people He places in our paths. When you come together with the members of you herd; the herd God has joined together for your edification, you will find safety! When the herd comes together (Matthew 18:20), Jesus is there in the midst of them! The hyena (satan) knows better than to attack the entire herd, because he is defenseless against Jesus!
It is imperative that we as believers recognize our "herd" and stick together. Just as the hyenas preyed on an animal they would otherwise be afraid of when they saw an open opportunity, so does the devil attempt to prey on us when we do not seek support from one another. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ~Romans 15:1 Today I may be strong and you weak, but next week the roles may be reversed and I may need you to bear my infirmities. If I pull away from you during my "weak" season and try to "handle" things alone one of us would be lacking in either giving or receiving support. I know there will be times when the Lord will instruct us to speak to Him alone regarding the issues of life, but even then, know He has placed you on the heart and mind of someone in the herd and they are bearing you up in prayer. Know your herd (not necessarily members of your local church body, but often times will be), love your herd (love with the love of Christ, not from your emotions), run with your herd (stick with the people God leads you to stick with)!
It is also important for us to remember in our "strong" seasons not to forget about the weak. God does not strengthen us just for us. He strengthens us that we may strengthen others. In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus said, "Simon, Simon, behold, satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted strengthen they brethren." When you are experiencing your mountain top, do not forget about your herd members that are still in the valley. Carry the burden of prayer for them (as the Holy Spirit leads) until they see victory or until the burden lifts. In all things, be led of the Spirit of God!
God bless you!
One day while absently flipping through the television channels I came across a show on the National Geographic channel. This particular special followed the hunting patterns of hyenas. Due to a decrease in their food supply, the pack of hyenas was forced to hunt close to a pride of lions. Night after night the hyenas came up empty handed because the lions were hunting in close groups and dominating any prey they came across. Often times the hyenas would sit on the side lines waiting for the lions to slip up just once so they could get a taste of the prey. After nights of waiting, the perfect opportunity came for the hyenas. A lioness had wandered away from the pride in search of food. She found an animal, quickly killed it, and began to eat her dinner. Just as quickly as she had taken down the animal, a pack of hyenas swarmed her and wrestled her kill away from her. Knowing she was outnumbered, the lioness retreated with little resistance.
While watching this, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me, "See that's exactly how Satan works. When you are with your fellow sisters and brothers in Christ you are strengthened, so he tries to isolate you so he can devour you!" {Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour ~ 1 Peter 5:8} Do not be fooled by this trick of the enemy. There is always safety in numbers! When you feel hard pressed on every side, run to Jesus and ask Him to reveal to you the members of your herd for that situation. While we recognize Jesus is our source for all we need, we also recognize that He often works through people He places in our paths. When you come together with the members of you herd; the herd God has joined together for your edification, you will find safety! When the herd comes together (Matthew 18:20), Jesus is there in the midst of them! The hyena (satan) knows better than to attack the entire herd, because he is defenseless against Jesus!
It is imperative that we as believers recognize our "herd" and stick together. Just as the hyenas preyed on an animal they would otherwise be afraid of when they saw an open opportunity, so does the devil attempt to prey on us when we do not seek support from one another. We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ~Romans 15:1 Today I may be strong and you weak, but next week the roles may be reversed and I may need you to bear my infirmities. If I pull away from you during my "weak" season and try to "handle" things alone one of us would be lacking in either giving or receiving support. I know there will be times when the Lord will instruct us to speak to Him alone regarding the issues of life, but even then, know He has placed you on the heart and mind of someone in the herd and they are bearing you up in prayer. Know your herd (not necessarily members of your local church body, but often times will be), love your herd (love with the love of Christ, not from your emotions), run with your herd (stick with the people God leads you to stick with)!
It is also important for us to remember in our "strong" seasons not to forget about the weak. God does not strengthen us just for us. He strengthens us that we may strengthen others. In Luke 22:31-32 Jesus said, "Simon, Simon, behold, satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted strengthen they brethren." When you are experiencing your mountain top, do not forget about your herd members that are still in the valley. Carry the burden of prayer for them (as the Holy Spirit leads) until they see victory or until the burden lifts. In all things, be led of the Spirit of God!
God bless you!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I Will Not Let Past Hurt Hinder My Future... I WILL LIVE!
And behold one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet. and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, AND she shall live." So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.- Mark 5:22-24
While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler if the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult abs those who wept ans wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were filled with great amazement."- Mark 5: 35-42
When reading the passage above the words in red struck a cord within me. The ruler not only desired to see his daughter healed, but he desired to see her LIVE (refer to Matthew 7:7-11~ If we ask for a thing, He gives it to us)! If this natural father could make such a profound request for his daughter, imagine what our Heavenly Father desires for us! God desires for us to live in a perpetual state of healing, wholeness, abundance, and freedom. When Jesus heals us, He heals us that we may LIVE! That we may forget those things which are behind and press toward the mark of our higher calling in Christ Jesus. He desires for his daughters to "arise" and live the beautiful life He has set before us! When He touches a hurt area in our life, He heals it, and simultaneously breathes new life into that area. That which was once crippled and disabled becomes new, whole, and fully operational!
Gone are the days in which we mourn past hurts, problems, and mistakes! I have purposed in my heart to remember the lessons that come along with my mistakes, but to FORGET the baggage associated with them! I am determined to silence the voice of the enemy concerning my past hurts because they are just that, the past! Most importantly I am resolute in my conscious decision to leave my every problem in the hands of the Father for I have learned it is not my job to solve them. My job is to serve the Father. His job, which I gladly give over to Him daily, is to take care of me!!!
I am healed, and I shall live in the fullness of LIFE God has planned for me! I encourage you to do the same. Do not let the enemy steal another moment of peace from you. You have been healed to LIVE!!!!! Arise, women of God........ AND LIVE!
God bless you!
While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher further?" As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler if the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe." And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult abs those who wept ans wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were filled with great amazement."- Mark 5: 35-42
When reading the passage above the words in red struck a cord within me. The ruler not only desired to see his daughter healed, but he desired to see her LIVE (refer to Matthew 7:7-11~ If we ask for a thing, He gives it to us)! If this natural father could make such a profound request for his daughter, imagine what our Heavenly Father desires for us! God desires for us to live in a perpetual state of healing, wholeness, abundance, and freedom. When Jesus heals us, He heals us that we may LIVE! That we may forget those things which are behind and press toward the mark of our higher calling in Christ Jesus. He desires for his daughters to "arise" and live the beautiful life He has set before us! When He touches a hurt area in our life, He heals it, and simultaneously breathes new life into that area. That which was once crippled and disabled becomes new, whole, and fully operational!
Gone are the days in which we mourn past hurts, problems, and mistakes! I have purposed in my heart to remember the lessons that come along with my mistakes, but to FORGET the baggage associated with them! I am determined to silence the voice of the enemy concerning my past hurts because they are just that, the past! Most importantly I am resolute in my conscious decision to leave my every problem in the hands of the Father for I have learned it is not my job to solve them. My job is to serve the Father. His job, which I gladly give over to Him daily, is to take care of me!!!
I am healed, and I shall live in the fullness of LIFE God has planned for me! I encourage you to do the same. Do not let the enemy steal another moment of peace from you. You have been healed to LIVE!!!!! Arise, women of God........ AND LIVE!
God bless you!
Friday, February 12, 2010
When He Comes!
A few different things have been rolling around in my spirit lately. Three in particular have led to the composition of this post.
1.) A song from Bishop T.D Jakes & the Potter's House that simply says, "His presence is here to heal. In the presence of the Lord, be healed."
2.) Something the Lord spoke to my spirit a while back- "I do not do or allow anything to happen without purpose."
3.) The thief cometh not, but for to kill, and to steal, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.- John 10:10
With all three of the above mulling around in my heart and spirit, I began to seek the Lord concerning what it all meant. I "know" John 10:10. I've heard it preached for as long as I can remember. I know God is not idle, and therefore is not "doing" things for the sake of "doing something. The song mentioned in number one is not new to me. I first heard the song over ten years ago. Why then Lord, is all of this coming up now? What are You saying to me through these things that are echoing so loud and clear in my spirit?
His response: "Whenever I allow my presence to be revealed unto you, it is for your benefit. I am always there, but I do not always allow you to "sense" me. When I reveal myself to you, there is a reason; a purpose, and it is not to be taken lightly. The reality behind my presence goes so much deeper then the tears you shed, the tongues you speak, and the shaking/trembling you may feel. When I allow you to realize I am there, it is to be a memorial for you that I have done something IN you! Every time you are in my presence, you are being transformed. My presence is transforming you into the image I originally intended for you to be; the image I see when I look into your future. Never forget the magnitude of My presence, for Your purpose exists through MY PRESENCE. Sit at My feet and learn of Me!"
I urge you women of God to pay attention when He comes. His presence is precious. We must not become overly confident and think we have "earned" the right to sit in His presence. We are only granted access to "see" Him through His grace and mercy. All that we will ever need has already been provided for us when Jesus died on the cross, but our capability to hold those things are enlarged in His presence. Our flesh dies and our spirit is strengthened. When He comes, He comes to prepare you and I to receive all the "LIFE" He has for us through Him! Our destinies are stored up for us in heavenly places, and is revealed to us through the presence of our Creator! Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.- Matthew 6:33
God bless you!
1.) A song from Bishop T.D Jakes & the Potter's House that simply says, "His presence is here to heal. In the presence of the Lord, be healed."
2.) Something the Lord spoke to my spirit a while back- "I do not do or allow anything to happen without purpose."
3.) The thief cometh not, but for to kill, and to steal, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.- John 10:10
With all three of the above mulling around in my heart and spirit, I began to seek the Lord concerning what it all meant. I "know" John 10:10. I've heard it preached for as long as I can remember. I know God is not idle, and therefore is not "doing" things for the sake of "doing something. The song mentioned in number one is not new to me. I first heard the song over ten years ago. Why then Lord, is all of this coming up now? What are You saying to me through these things that are echoing so loud and clear in my spirit?
His response: "Whenever I allow my presence to be revealed unto you, it is for your benefit. I am always there, but I do not always allow you to "sense" me. When I reveal myself to you, there is a reason; a purpose, and it is not to be taken lightly. The reality behind my presence goes so much deeper then the tears you shed, the tongues you speak, and the shaking/trembling you may feel. When I allow you to realize I am there, it is to be a memorial for you that I have done something IN you! Every time you are in my presence, you are being transformed. My presence is transforming you into the image I originally intended for you to be; the image I see when I look into your future. Never forget the magnitude of My presence, for Your purpose exists through MY PRESENCE. Sit at My feet and learn of Me!"
I urge you women of God to pay attention when He comes. His presence is precious. We must not become overly confident and think we have "earned" the right to sit in His presence. We are only granted access to "see" Him through His grace and mercy. All that we will ever need has already been provided for us when Jesus died on the cross, but our capability to hold those things are enlarged in His presence. Our flesh dies and our spirit is strengthened. When He comes, He comes to prepare you and I to receive all the "LIFE" He has for us through Him! Our destinies are stored up for us in heavenly places, and is revealed to us through the presence of our Creator! Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.- Matthew 6:33
God bless you!
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