My Heart's Mosaic

Some people run from the past as soon as it's created.
I guess I have a different approach.

If my heart were a very large room filled with stained glass windows,
One of them lay in front of me in pieces.

As I stand and look at the shattered glass before me,
I crouch down to look more intently at each piece.
I hold each one up to the light.
Those pieces too marred to let light shine through,
are tossed aside.
But as I sift through them all,
I find that there are so many pieces still intact,
each one encompassing a different beauty,
still brilliant in color and transparency.
These I hold onto.
These I hold dearly in my hand.
But as I continue to sort,
I see that my hands are filled.
I realize that my small hands can't hold them all,
and I need a safe place to set such fragile pieces.
As I look up, hands are extended toward me.
Strong, gentle hands,
big enough to hold every piece.
In one hand the marred, and in the other the unscathed.
I sit down beside Him, and we start to design.
laying out each piece into a beautiful work of art.
But before I know it, EVERY piece is used.
Even those I deemed blemished beyond redemption.
I start to see that He sees things much differently,
and I now see the beauty in every detail,
every finishing touch.

Sweeter Than Honey

Those words that brought healing to a place that held pain, unbeknown to me.

My love to Him is sweeter than honey. And honey has been redeemed.

You see...

Last year, while questioning a friend in an act of ditching me, he responded "honey is sweet, but too much and ....." it ended there with a wound inflicted far deeper than I had realized.

But now, over a year later, another friend, speaking words from my Father, directed truth to this lie. My heart, the love I have toward my Father is precious to Him, and sweeter than honey.

"It's a Good Day to Die..."

This phrase is said time and time again in a t.v. series that I've been watching online.

To go on a tangent... I've been watching Robin Hood. I love how there is something about it that echoes our life on this earth, living in the kingdom. A group of outlaws, taking small strides for their king while their country is currently in the hands of corruption... PLUS... their is no swearing or inappropriate scenes... AND Robin takes a stand against oppression, giving people hope. Love it.... anyways...

One of the characters, Little John, whenever the group of renegades risk their lives for their cause says, "Today is a good day to die" Which has been a recurring theme for me in the past month.

Several dreams of me teaching what it means to lay down ones life...
Feeling the challenge to die to myself in small ways with family and friends...
Hearing it from the pulpit this Sunday...

I feel the invitation to whatever this may look like,

whether it means:

letting my little brothers use the computer when I'm in the middle of something "important"
biting my tongue and not retaliating with anger when being wrongfully accused,
keeping my heart open when I've been wronged,
taking the first step toward mending a broken relationship,
... etc.

It's on! Because this war that we are fighting is not one of flesh and blood, and our weapons are not weapons of the world but have divine power to demolish strongholds. (ref. eph 6:12 and 2cor10:4) And sometimes these weapons look like death, death to ourselves so that love can take it's place.

Today is a good day to die.

¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other. (John 15)

Follow The Leader

I saw my little brother walking with his arms full of his newly washed bedding.
That's a great idea!
So I washed my bedding.

We saw our neighbor raking his yard.
We end up raking our yard.
And as I raked in my front yard, in front of a busy street,
I wondered, "how many people driving past me right now are going to go home and rake their yards?"

I might not ever know the answer to that question, but it's cool to think about.
How many people see what I do, how I act and take that into consideration for what they will do or how they will act? Good, or bad! I want what I leave behind to be something of honor.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

I Will Follow

This is the song I heard while driving today- REMARKABLE!
When you move, I'll move - YES JESUS!

Follow You

I heard a really cool song on the radio, where everything inside me screamed, "YES!"
This isn't that video...
But I found it while looking for the other one, and this is GREAT.

The Waiting Game

It is with eager anticipation I await my precious package.
Sitting in the living room, looking for any sign of the big brown UPS truck..
I feel like a little child on Christmas morning running around to wake everyone up.
only this is on the inside, bubbling up giddy expectation....

Lord, this is the kind of expectation I want to have when thinking about what you have in store for me. This is how I want to enter into my relationship with you in the day in day out. Expectant of what Word is going to come to life and how we can go about bringing forth your Kingdom here. I think about Jesus, oh for the day that I can see You face to face. Your word says that the pure of heart will see God. I want to see you. I long to see you. Give us clean hands and a pure heart that we might see you face to face. With honesty bring forth the praise within our hearts to lift you up above every circumstance and worry. Let us fix our heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, Let us set our mind on the things above, not on earthly things. We wait for you Lord. We delight in you Lord. We want to behold you Lord. Increase not only our desire for you and for your Word, but also the drive to DO what your Word says. To move where you are moving us, to say what you are speaking, to reach out where you are reaching. We want to be doers of your word and not only hearers. Here's my heart Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above....

Hope Chest

When I was younger my Grandma Pat gave me a few items for my hope chest.
A crystal candy dish was among them.
Years later my aunt gave me cool wall hangy things, into the "hope chest" they went.
My hope chest keeps growing and growing, and within the last few day's at quite a rapid pace.
I can't help but be excited as I can tell that these items are going to be put to use very soon.

A few weeks ago while discovering my home decor style is "vintage eclectic" whilst looking through a magazine with a friend. I spotted a couch that I thought was incredible. Not so incredible when I saw the $900 price tag. BUT while out on a walk on my BIRTHDAY nonetheless I came upon this vintage couch almost identical to what I had seen only weeks before... Happy Birthday to me!

I praise God for this and for friends who helped me load it into the van.

(Random side story.... We don't have a shop-vac anymore so I took my van to a little car care place, paid 75 cents, and vacuumed the dog hair off the couch from the previous owner :)

While out celebrating with a couple of friends we discovered yet another little take home treasure. A round kitchen table and 2 chairs! Win!

God's providing for my needs before they are even needs, it's so great, He's moving so powerfully so quickly. I'm loving sitting back and resting in Him as we coast forward together :)

Come Up Higher

Newness

So I finished a painting today
And am closing in on the end of a chapter of the thrilling page turner entitled, "My Life"
I finalized part one of a two part project the Lord placed on my heart a year ago
These long strides, fruit of a richness I find in my heart these days.
A freedom from timidity
There is NO backing down
No holding back
I throw myself in
passion not withheld
Expectation of what this next year will bring

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is ..."

I will go before you
and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.

I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

Isaiah 45:2-3

I praise God for my singleness!

He has given me time
to spend in the secret place
He and I.
My beloved
The place where I get to know His heart and
He gets to explore mine
Mine.
As in:
JUST ME.
I can catch a plane at a moments notice
without a care in the world
I have wings to soar with
Not that I won't soar when I'm married-
I'm just learning to fly high now
Yes, someday it will be alongside someone-
and maybe we'll fly to even greater heights
BUT- I won't be a rookie to the air :)
God has given ME this time to explore
and discover
I've thought for so long
this state of singleness was a holding pattern
For when both I and my future husband are ready for each other
BUT
It's not
This is a gift
That will be a gift too
This is my gift now.

I've started a list of what I want to do while I am still single
What things do you want to do to embrace the season you are in?

Beautiful Season

I love what the Lord is doing
In my heart
In my life
All around me.
He's great
I love how he reveals things to us before their time.
That there are secrets in store for us,
waiting to be revealed.
Just because
He loves so intently

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15




(painting done by member of Living Word Church, Mesa Arizona)

Dance On

February, 2010

Know that you are healed.

Know that you are healed...

I am healed.

Am I healed?

Desperately I long for it

But am I willing to let go?

To let go of the brokenness that had defined me

Exchange pity for love

To take on a new identity

Is it really new or has it been all along?

Jesus come

I yearn for it- my heart and flesh cry out for freedom

From fear, from intimidation, from judgement-

I've been freed

To intimately experience the heart and the face of the living God

To move in tune

To hear the rhythms of His heart

And dance

To be known inside and out

To be free

I've gotten tastes of freedom- I've been freed

But I've found myself time and time again back in the shackles from which I had been freed

But no more- no more.

For me, for my generation- for others, for the generation to come- for my children, for my children's children I press on

To love, and to be loved

To trust and to enjoy being trusted

To shout aloud to contend

To take back

To lay hold

To hold on

And I will dance in celebtation of what's been done

And what is yet to come

Why not today?

So today on my walk, a route I take quite often, I noticed for the first time a hill. It was a great little hill, right off the path with a fairly steep slope that ended at the start of the lake. Looking down the hill between two trees I though, what a great hill for rolling down. Immediately the urge to roll down the hill consumed me. But not today. Why not today? The list of excuses flowed through my thoughts. NO! no excuses. I don't want to live my life with excuses and avoid what would bring joy to my heart. So I took my glasses off, set my keys and phone by a tree and rolled down that hill. Sure, the grass was wet, and I was itchy afterward, but it was GREAT!

So friends, why not today? What have you been putting off and making excuses for? What steps can you make toward that today?

I think this is so important for the times we are in. We need to take advantage of what we have while it's still before us.

"Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),

Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil.

Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17, amplified)

Heel. Toe. Heel. Toe.

Some may think this is about HEALing, but, it's not. It's about trajectory.

When we walk heel to toe it allows us to push off from where we were to where we are going.

Today on my walk I felt compelled to try to walk toe to heel. Aside from it being very difficult for me to do, it really didn't get me very far very fast.

I think about these two ways of walking of two different ways of living.

Heel to toe: when we use our past, and our past experiences as a marker as a starting block to push off from and to advance into what is before us.

Toe to heel: someone who keeps one foot planted in the past to "toe dip" check the waters. held back by fear of a new adventure, or fear of letting go of the familiar ground. a "safe" living of sorts.

Friends! I urge you not to live life trying to prevent getting skinned knees. It's part of the adventure. With passion, throw yourself into what is before you.

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14)

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made - I'm a disciple of His. I wont look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, position, promotions plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by His patience, I'm uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companion are few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be brought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I wont give up, shut up, and let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear!"

~ A young pastor from Zimbabwe who was martyred for his faith. ~

Straight Up.

When I sit, I've always sort of leaned toward my left, sitting a bit uneven in my chair. This weekend, I found out why. I was one of the many whose legs were uneven and saw the healing power of the Lord for them to grow out.

When my friend prayed for me one of the things he prayed was that because of this I would have better posture. It was later that I realized the effect the unevenness had on me. Since then I've been able to sit up straighter, and when I stand I don't stick my hip out anymore to relieve the tension.

But every once and a while I'll find myself favoring that one side. Not that I really need to anymore, it's more out of habit. I'll have to make a conscious effort to remember to sit up straight.

I can't help but relate this to our walk with the Lord. (cuando? huh!) Sometimes the Lord touches our heart and heals or delivers us from something. But sometimes we find ourselves bending toward the very thing that we had been delivered from. Not that it has the same hold on us as it did before, but it's just easy to fall back into habit.

This verse comes to mind. "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." (Philippians 2:12-13)

It's not that we have to re-earn our salvation all the time. That's a done deal, we can be convinced without a shadow of a doubt that we will go to heaven "if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." (Romans 10:9-10)

But the verse in Philippians says we are to work out our salvation. We are already saved, we just need to exercise what it means to be saved into every area of our hearts and lives.

Let's leave our bended ways behind and stand straight up in all that God has called us into.

Precious Pearls

My heart belongs to the Lord!

It hasn't always been this way.
If I had a string of pearls,
I've handed out pearls along the way.
to men.
to hands that knew not how to hold them,
how much they cost, how much their worth.
squandering them like pearls to pigs,
all the while attempting to hand the entire set to the Lord.
Not knowing that He didn't hold them all,
until one day when truth was spoken in love.
My heart exposed,
I had to go there.
I'd hidden from it.
But hide, I will never more.
Being able to look, was to be able to see
that some of my pearls were in the hands of a man.
I took them back and held them,
only to see the Lord extend His hand.
He wanted them.
He wanted all of them.
His precious pearls, with such high a cost.
I'd never let Him hold all of them before.
And though fear loomed at the thought,
I chose to trust.
That although He'd never held them all before,
His hands could hold them all.
I choose to trust, and
my heart belongs to the Lord.
He holds the jewels of my heart,
until one day
when He sees a man
whose hands will be worthy to hold
such great a treasure.
But even then He will have him know
that what he has is only on loan.
My heart belongs to the Lord.

Your Hands My Heart

Lord, you see my heart. You see the words that are upon them. You see them and you value me. You honor my heart and all that it holds. Never such a person I have met, for you, O Lord, surpass them all. for you long to hold my heart. You long for me to believe, to trust that my heart is safe within your hands. Papa, O how I love that your hands are both strong and gentle. Guard my heart, Lord, guard my mind. May I never loose sight of the face of you who holds my life. May you be ever present to my thoughts and flow from my actions. May you be revealed in all I do as, as to bring glory and honor to you.

Lifelight

I am so humbled and so honored to be a part of and see what God is doing so powerfully in people's lives.

Our first matter of business was to pray for each of the vendors at Lifelight music festival in South Dakota. Many of the vendors asked for prayer for sales for the weekend, for the people attending Lifelight, or a loved one who was ill. We prayed for favor and spoke healing over their loved ones. Out of all of the vendors, and music artists that I had the opportunity to pray for, one woman stood out to me. She had a very sweet countenance, and although we prayed for her in the group of women at the booth, I wanted to pray for her individually. I wanted to pray for her marriage, I pulled her aside and asked if there was anything I could pray for, and she said her family, when I asked her marriage, she teared up. She was so surprised, and told her friend. It's exactly what is on her heart. I opened my heart to the Father and prayed out all that he placed on my heart. With tears the woman thanked me, and said those were the exact cries of her heart. The Lord hears the cries of her heart, and they are on His heart. I love it. It's so beautiful.

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." (Genesis 16:13)

Although I prayed for many people there were several that really stand out in my heart above the rest.

Praying for a highschool student, the Lord showed me parts of this person's heart, some of their strengths and gifting in how they related to others. The Lord led me to share part of my testimony, I was VERY hesitant to do so. But knowing that the enemy is overcome by the blood of the lamb and the WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY (Revelation 12:11), I shared. The highschool student opened up as they struggled similarly. We prayed together, brought it before the Lord, trusting this is true "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16) My prayer partner encouraged our new friend to continue to declare victory in saying "I'm free" we encouraged our new friend to say it right there, to our surprise our friend shouted right there on the festival ground, "I'M FREE!"

I pray this from Isaiah 42 over our new friend who has tasted freedom
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,

⁷ to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Another impactful story comes from a woman whose friendship is already so precious to me. In being obedient to the Lord, we found ourselves in circumstances where God's healing rain could touch deep places of her heart, to bring forth freedom from lies, and that which held her back from declaring the work the Lord has done in her. Truth of the Father's heart toward her has touched her heart to stand straight into her identity as His beloved daughter, and has empowered her testimony to share and bring life to others.

We prayed for another precious new friend who finds herself at the dock, about to embark on a new journey, and is waiting to get word that this ship is ready to sail. As we prayed the Lord revealed areas of her heart that have seen much pain, and the Lord met her there with encouragement, showering her with words of who he sees her to be, her belovedness. I know there is so much more there, so much hope is yet to be encountered. So much hope is hers. We share similar stories. No longer do we bare scars, for they have been healed. It is Christ who wore our pain so we might experience healing. And oh! is that healing ever springing forth.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
⁵But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.

(Isaiah 43:4-5)

This weekend I saw so many uneven legs grow out, ankles healed leaving crutches behind, deep places met with the loving heart of the Father, people accepting the life of Christ, people baptized in the spirit, empowered, encouraged, and set apart. Again I say I am so humbled and so honored to be a part of and see what God is doing so powerfully in people's lives.

I like your sweater

When women compliment women on their clothing you'll often hear where they got it, how much they paid for it, or who made it for them. Why do we do this?

We look to ascribe something worth. How are we ascribing worth? By honoring it's place of origin. When looking at a work of art one can often find the artist's name somewhere in relation to it. When hearing a song, we often ask "Who is this by?" Upon meeting someone new, we ask where they are from- it gives us a glimpse of who they are.

Similarly, "What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast, s though it were not a gift?" (1 Corinthians 4:7)

When we are met with success, we must boast in Christ for the gift of the circumstances he has allowed for us to succeed. We must give credit to the Lord for was we do as in partnership with Him.

This is not only true of our works, but of our very existence. We should be moved into praise that we are alive, and know that our identity is both founded and secure in Him.

Food for Thought

So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time - before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. The Lord will give to each one whatever praise is due (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Wow! I know that I can't judge people, but with this verse I realize more of why. It's because people here, they aren't necessarily who they are. There are things that they might say or do as a result of a world fallen-and not yet restored to Christ. If love hopes, then I believe that it sees the best in people- even if it's not fleshed out yet.

God still might be transforming certain areas of their hearts and therefore I do not see a person as they TRULY are and have no place to judge them. For soon we will be as Christ. I choose to see Christ in them.

Father, help us to see people as you see them.

2010 In The Red White and Blue

When God said that I'd be traveling across the country this year, I'd never guess how much. It has been amazing to see how much He has done and where He has taken me.

I started the year worshiping in Kansas City, Missouri

California to be with family.

Washington to foster deeper relationships.

Wisconsin to hang out with Gabby, help her move out, and fix up her apt.

Washington D.C. to be with my dad for the homeless world cup.

Chicago, Illinois to take my sister to the airport.

South Dakota to be a prayer person at Lifelight music festival.

What an event-filled year :)

The Worship Parade

It was so beautiful. I was blessed to worship alongside friends that go way back to elementary school, it was so rad. We were at church lined up in our row, and all of a sudden I was experiencing it someplace else. I had this vision, wherein all of us were standing, as we were lined there in our sanctuary only we were lined up for a parade. Not the sort of city parade where you have lots of different event going by. It was more like a Disney Land parade where you have one show, the main event to see. JESUS was the event, He was the reason we gathered along the gold paved street. He was walking by and it was such a celebration! We each took turns going up to Him, some of us kissing His feet, some of us bringing Him our troubles and fears. They are gifts. Some handing over bitterness and resentment toward someone. Whatever it is that we bring Him, our brokenness our failures- He receives it all with great joy and gives each of us a big hug and a kiss atop our heads before we return to the line and rejoin the celebration.

(Just)Trust

Jesus full of the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert. Luke 4:1

Sometimes, like Jesus, we are led from places of triumph to a place of difficulty.

Jesus returned from the Jordan.

The Jordan was the place where God had proven His faithfulness and His greatness to the people of Israel.

God wanted to establish Joshua's authority among the Israelites as their leader after the death of Moses,

"so they know that I am with you as I was with Moses" Joshua 3

God instructs Joshua to,

"Tell the priests who cary the ark of the covenant, "when you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river" verse 8

The Israelites obey the decree of the Lord, despite the fact that the river was swelling because it was in flood stage.

"Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away... The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground."

Israel's OBEDIENCE to the command of the Lord enabled them to STAND FIRM on dry ground during the flood season of the Jordan River.

I want to STAND FIRM on the dry ground that the Lord has prepared for my willingness and obedience to trust Him. How about you?

God did an amazing act among His people that day.

The Jordan is also a significant place in the life of Jesus.

This is where His father affirmed Him as His Son. We see this in Luke 3:21

"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my son, whom I love with you I am well pleased.' "

It was at the Jordan were His identity was solidified by His Father's voice.

It reminds me of those seasons where you feel so close to God, where you can hear His constant affirmations and feel His warm embrace. -- What great seasons :)

There are times,though, that God feels a little further away even though we know that He is with us. We don't rely on our feelings during these times but on His character and on His Word. He says

" Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...." Isaiah 43:1-3

We stand on the promise that he will not leave us or forsake us.

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into one of those seasons, he was led into the desert.

It reads in verse 2 that for 40 days he was tempted in the desert (and I think one day is bad!). He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry.

It was in His hunger that the devil said to him, 'If you are the Son of God tell this stone to become bread.' Jesus answered, 'It is written man does not live on bread alone'

Here Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy. He's referring to a passage that is reminding the Israelites not to forget The Lord. The entire verse reads,

"He humbled you causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

The point of this being that when Jesus was tried by satan He STOOD FIRM upon the Word of The Lord.

There is a steadfstness here, a stability. Unshaken. Unmoved. His foundation is firm. It's secure. He knows that His Father is

"Not a man that would lie, nor a son of man that would change his mind."

Again satan comes at Jesus but this time higher (verse 5)

" The devil lead him to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, 'I will give you all their authority and splendor for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours"

side note- I know that some of you might be wondering how satan could give this to Jesus if Jesus is God...

The Lord gave the earth to men but through our sin we hand over our rightful authority to satan. Sin is how sstan gains legitimate access to our hearts, marriages, families, homes, territories, nations. But since we rightfully won this and it's been redeemed and purchased back by the blood we can reclaim these territories back to the Lord and turn our back on sin.

Back to Jesus' response, again He goes to the word. Here is the living word declaring the written word to defeat the enemy

"It is written worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."

pwnd!

The devil led Jesus to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the highest point of the temple. Now here satan tries to use the word against Jesus he says to Him, "If you are the son of God throw yourself down from here for it is written 'He will command His angels concerning you to guard you carefully, they will lift you up in their hands, so that you do not strike your foot against a stone'"

This is a statement from the Word of God . Jesus could have done this and seen it come into action, but he saw the intention behind it and refutes satan by saying " It says 'do not put the Lord your God to the test.' When the devil had finished all this tempting he left him until an opportune time."

satan gave up. There was no shaking Jesus. He was rock solid. Founded on the Word of God. This is how we need to be. Unshakable. Rooted firm in the truth of the Lord. We need to believe God so that we too can stand firm and walk on solid ground.

James 12:23 says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend."

I want to be called God's friend! I want to be considered righteous because I believe Him, because I trust Him.

I love Jesus. I miss Him. I need more.

I've found myself mulling over what Jesus looks like, imagining that day when I can finally be with Him. But tonight was different, it went beyond that for me- way beyond that. I was driving home from Molly's, listening (and by listening I mean singing at the top of my lungs while envisioning it all) to the song
Invisible Love



(number 5)


which starts out

If my arms could reach you, I would never let you go...

and later has a verse:

Someday there will be no time to mind
I will be your long awaited bride
We will dance away the night

I was overcome with such longing in my heart. This DEEP place within me YEARNED for Jesus. It felt almost as if my soul became deeply aware that I've been with Jesus, fully completely, He and I. That we've known each other intimately, in and out. But now misses Him- SO MUCH. Like lovers unable to fully share their affection with each other with an ocean between them. I LONG FOR HIM. Almost to a point where it physically aches in my chest. So I tear up as desire to be with my love increases.

And then my eyes start burning as if I'm cutting onions, and I can only hold one eye somewhat more open than the closed eye at a time. So I ask Jesus for help, and then pull over to cry for a bit. Back on the road I couldn't shake this. I MISS HIM SO MUCH! And just desire to be closer to Him, in a way I've never experienced before.

I pull into the driveway and see that my neighbor's are having a bonfire. And although I've never joined them before, and I wasn't invited, I felt the Lord leading me to join them. So. I did. The neighbor boy, Luke, was playing the guitar with his dad. I asked him if he knew any worship songs. As he played the first song, I was covered with goosebumps, even my face was crawling. Something was happening, shifting, shaking. We continued to sing unto the Lord together- Luke, his dad and I. It was so precious, so powerful, I love Jesus

Running toward forever

I've taken your hand.
We've been running this race.
Help me, O Lord keep up the pace.
The time is ticking,
we are on the clock.
Let's not stop running,
through to eternity, we'll never stop.

Good deeds with empty hearts,
that, I def. need not.
Fill this heart.,
Let it's over flow
flow over this nation, this continent, this world
for your Name's sake.
for your glory, may we never rest.

Now behold I release you from the chains on your hands...see the whole land is before you go wherever you see is good and right to go....