Powerful Conversations (Day SEVEN-30 Day Challenge)

Last night I sat down to begin today’s post…in hopes that I could maybe just maybe *whispers* sleep in a bit. I was really excited at the chance to write and not have to set my alarm…but I was feeling a bit blank. =/ At my husband’s suggestion…I left at 9pm to be alone with my writing (and some coffee!) Seriously, his suggestion. He was watching Duck Dynasty and I kept getting distracted by it. My kids were in the living room watching a cartoon movie and ‘camping out’. I offered for Eric, my husband, to turn the TV off and support my writing with his silence (kind of like he does every morning when my alarm goes off. Ha-ha!…just sayin.) He laughed and said that I should go into town with my computer and get some coffee. I was gone faster than he could retract his suggestion. Lol!
I got myself allllll situated. I was in the very back of the restaurant where there were no customers. I got my computer plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi. Got me some coffee doctored up so it no longer resembles ‘actual’ ‘coffee’. And, wait, what is that? Bottom right of the picture above. Oh yeah…got me some heated wild berry pie…a-la-mode. Mmm…mmm…mmm! Okay…now it was time to write.

I started one post…and I just wasn’t feeling it. Started another…again it wasn’t flowing. A third. Same feeling. Ugh! I am trying to get ahead of the game. Finally I am alone with my thoughts and it is like an abandoned warehouse up there in the land of V. I’m slightly annoyed…but not too much because, after all, I am out having pie and coffee.

I suddenly had an urge to text a dear friend of mine. I had seen her over the summer and we connected on a deep spiritual level that we never had before. We cried together as we spoke about God’s goodness and our own weakness. I wanted to keep in touch, but I just hadn’t. I decided last night would be an excellent night to ‘randomly’ text her and ask how I could pray for her. Shortly after I pressed send, I got my response. “Who is this, and how did you know I needed prayer?” I laughed a bit and told her it was her favorite Vanesa in the whole world. She. was. still. clueless. Ouch! ;-) Lol! I was starting to wonder if she had given me the wrong number over the summer.

We finally got it all worked out…and she told me what she needed prayer for. You have an opportunity to pray for her as well. You may know her. You may not. God does not require you to know the who or what. He only requires prayers of faith. She is having testing this coming week and she is scared. The possible diagnosis is not at all a good one! She covets the prayers of the righteous. She needs prayers of those who love her without the promise of ever knowing who she is. I will pass on your love. I promise! =)

As I read her texts, I began to smile. There was a time in my life when I would have been devastated by her news. There was a time when I would have accepted defeat for her. There was a time when I would  have hung my head in sorrow. But God. He has been preparing me over the first 32 years of my life. He has given me victory over everything that dared try to attack my body. Migraines that lasted 13-15 days out of a month…healed in Jesus name. Post partum depression that whispered the call of death…healed in Jesus name. A heart, bruised and broken, by the devastating loss of babies that I had already learned to love…healed in Jesus name!

My smile was not sinister. It was not cocky. It was not uncompassionate nor trying to minimize her situation. It was confident. I KNOW I serve a God that still heals. I’ve not only experienced it for myself…I’ve seen it. I’ve been one of the warriors praying for healing in someone else. I know that we have access to the power of the immeasurably more that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 3:20. I know the One who said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)

Those words are from the lips of Jesus Himself. They are not cocky. They exude confidence in His Father. They don’t leave room for exceptions. They ask us to believe that He is speaking truth. To have faith in His truth. And to ask anything in His name. Any. Thing. I’m not putting expectations on Jesus that He didn’t already speak forth. I’m just choosing to put my faith in those words. In those verses above it does not say ‘may do’, ‘might do’, or ‘we’ll see’…which I’m told always means no without saying no. Ha-ha! I take it as literal. Will do means will do. Ask me for anything…means do just that. Even greater things than these…can be a dreamer’s dream or an exciting reality. Choose what you believe. Don’t let your head choose. Let your heart choose. If Christ resides there…He will trump your thoughts any day!

Have you ever been afraid to pray? Have you ever thought your attempt wasn’t good enough? Have you ever known that God was asking you to pray…and yet your anxiety about not sounding ‘holy’ enough kept you silent? Yep…me too! I used to live like that. I used to be ashamed of how pathetic I sounded. So what happened? How did I conquer my fear of ridicule?

Practice. Some of my most powerful time spent in prayer and worship is done while I’m driving alone in my vehicle. I talk/sing loud and proud. I even scream if I have to. Whatever. it. takes. to get my head out of the way, of speaking from my heart to God’s. I want sincerity to be evident. I want passion to be visible. I want truth to cover any lies I’ve been believing.

Another way I conquered my fear. I faced it. I stared it down. I told the enemy that he was no longer invited to my intimate time with my King. I scream prayed him right out of my vehicle. I took back the reigns that I had allowed the enemy to steer for a short time. They belong in the capable hands of Christ…not in the wicked scheme of the enemy. Prayer was to become a huge part of who I am in Christ! God knew I needed to know how to fight like a daughter of the King. Gloves are on…and my target is slithery and sneaky. I will not be silenced any more!
My middle son, Titus,   has been struggling with prayer lately. He is shy when asked to pray. He thinks it is more difficult than it is. I fail some days to encourage him gently…because I just want him to try. I get upset that he can’t think of anything to thank or ask God for. He just resorts to tears. I’m learning how to handle his fragile faith. I want it to explode with confidence. I want him to know the faith he is called to have as a child. I would love for you to pray for him too!!!! (And pray for my friend Sandy while you are at it!)

I remind Titus often that prayer is simply…us talking to God. It is not fancy. God does not require extravagance. He is unimpressed with religious words. He is Creator. You can not beat that power or impressiveness. Stop trying. Look at how He created each living thing. Unique and yet requiring the same simple, basic needs. Nourishment, air, water, sun. You replicate that…and then you can strive to fancy up your prayers. Until then…just talk. Thank. Praise. Request. Worship.

If you are scared to pray in front of others, please read carefully. This is a scheme of the enemy to try to render you powerless. To keep you silent as the powers of darkness war for you and those you love. When you pray…you access the power of God in your life. You stand in the gap for your friends and family. You willingly put yourself on the front line in the fight. It leaves you feeling fulfilled and useful. It leaves you feeling empowered and thankful. It is yours for the taking. God wants to hear from you all day long. He loves your voice. He wants to hear your heart in words. He knows them…but do you? Do you know how loved you are? Do you know how feisty you can get? Do you know what lies you’ve accepted as truth?

Speak up. Your time is now. If God brought you someone, today, who was lost and searching for truth…would you pray them into eternity? Could you? You have the tools. You have always had them. The Bible, Jesus in your heart, a voice, and a brain. Use them wisely. Just use them. That person who is in front of you. That person who is lost and facing forever torment. They could care less how fancy you sound. They just want to find someone who loves what they say they love. Who lives what they claim. And who looks for opportunity to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Practice. You will gain confidence with practice. And when you see the hand of God move in your life, or the life of someone you have prayed for, that practice will. bring. confidence. It will bring praise. It will bring joy and laughter. It will bring peace. It will bring thankfulness. It will bring passion to do it as often as you get the chance. I’m praying for your success, my friend. I have confidence that God will supply you with exactly what you need…and then immeasurably more than you can imagine!

The Choice (Day SIX-30 Day Challenge)

I’m diving right in today. No time to waste. I want you to picture yourself as a child again for just a moment.

Picture yourself playing baseball with a group of kids at recess. You are up to bat. The ball comes towards you. You close your eyes and swing the bat with all the might that you have. To your surprise, you hear the crack of a successful hit. You smile as you open your eyes just in time to see the ball sailing towards…a window in your classroom. The ball crashes through the glass! Sudden panic hits you. What is your instinct? Throw the bat and mingle with the other children. Blend in. Whatever you do…do. not. look. guilty.


Funny thing about guilt. It is almost impossible to hide. If you have gotten good at hiding it…you are on dangerous grounds…and I suggest you flee from your ways. Learn to fight with truth. We were born into this sinful nature that instinctively makes us want to hide when we are wrong. We must fight against. This same sinful nature calls us to stretch the truth. We must fight against. It calls us to blame everyone but who is really responsible. We MUST fight against.

We are loosing battles that God wanted to claim victory over because we aren’t fighting. It is easier not to fight at first. I know. I’ve so been there and done that!  It feels good to go with your natural response. But that good feeling fades so quickly. Immediately sometimes. And you are left feeling ashamed at what you have chosen.


You see the teacher walking towards you. Your eyes are shifting back and forth. You are looking for an escape. You are searching for a hole to dive into. You can’t just stand there! Before you know it the teacher is standing right in front of you. She asks what happened, and the crowd is silent. You are staring into the ground, and she sees. She says your name. Panic. What do you do?


Every day of your life is full of choices. Do you wake up early or do you hit snooze? Do you eat five donuts or do you eat fruit and granola? God gave us free will so that we would CHOOSE HIM! Not just on Sunday. Not just when it is convenient. Not just when we are in crisis. ALWAYS! He created us to worship Him…and we have every day, all day to choose whether we will do it or not.


You are still looking at the ground. You are trying to form an answer. You can choose truth or dare you lie. You can choose life or death with that tongue of yours. All of a sudden a genius idea pops into your head. Blame. It’s not your fault. You didn’t ‘throw’ the ball. It was clearly self-defense. The ball was going to hit you…so you swung. Dare you say it? Will it work? If you can just point your finger with enough conviction…maybe you won’t have to hear yourself breathing anymore out of pure anxiety.

Then just for a moment. You catch the eyes of the one you are about to accuse.   You wonder what would he get in your place? Could you really do it? It is scary that it even crossed your mind. You have not yet sinned…and so you choose.

“I did it. It was an accident.”

Your shame immediately turns to a sigh of relief. Fear is still there, but the weight, the heavy burden of choice has been lifted. You have chosen to put your accusing finger back in its holster. The kids are dismissed and you walk inside with the teacher. 

What does she do? She has a choice too. She takes you to the classroom and hands you a dustpan. She starts to clean the glass and asks you to help. She has not chosen to yell. She has not chosen to get angry. She even thanks you for telling the truth. Your choice of truth has set you free. Even though you are guilty, you do not feel guilty. You had a choice and you fought against the lie of the enemy. God was proud of you that day!


“My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness.” Proverbs 8:7     Sin lover…or sin loather…you choose.

I imagine you have stories of when you have chosen truth and stories of when you have chosen lies. Which one left you feeling satisfied? Which one provided a way out but quickly offered only shame and remorse? It’s not too late. You always have truth. You always have choice. You can still choose truth. Your character is forever being fine tuned. God is refining you so that you are more and more like Him. He sees you drowning in your choice…and He offers a way out. He has not turned against you. He is not ignoring you. That conviction you feel. That is because He refuses to accept less than what He has for you. But this 'free will' always leaves you with a choice. Good or evil.

What lies have you been believing? What half-truths have you been telling? Today I challenge you to choose truth. Whether you got away with your wrong choice or not…you do not have to live in guilt and shame. You still have the truth. You know it. God knows it. You might be nervous or dreading an uncomfortable conversation. But be honest with yourself, you live in discomfort knowing anyway.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 You can say you love truth. You can even convince me and those around you that you live truth. But God sees the fruit you are eating. He knows which ones nourish and enrich your life…and which decay and sour the effectiveness of your ministry. It is not too late. It is never too late! Restoration is close. Freedom is right on the tip of your tongue. Have the courage to speak to the mountains you’ve built by choice. It is your choice that got you in that valley…and it is only choice that will remove you from it. Your ministry is waiting for you to live and love what you know. “…if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 Those are the words of Jesus, Himself. They can be trusted! NO thing will be impossible for you. Rise up!

God has great things in store for those who earnestly seek Him. He rejoices when you choose, on purpose, to fight against the scheme of the enemy. He longs to see you defeat. He loves to watch you dodge those fiery darts of the enemy. They fizzle out. They become extinguished because of your choice. Their power to harm you is gone. Who knew that the easiest way to send the enemy retreating in defeat was to choose truth? Righteousness. Trust me…it looks good on everyone! =)

Contagious Generosity (Day FIVE-30 Day Challenge)

Good morning all!

It is Thursday…which you know means it is almost Friday. More importantly…we are one day closer to SUNDAY! Do you love Sundays?!?! I just love them. I get to spend Sundays with some pretty amazing people. I am so excited and blessed that God has brought me to my church. I thank Him often, as I am blown away by their generosity. And I don’t just mean financial generosity or tangible gifts. There are people within the walls of my church that are teaching me, by example, to be generous with my time. They make themselves available whenever ministry happens. These people I am blessed to know are generous with their encouragement. They are generous with their affection. They are generous with their covering of prayer. They are generous with their blessings. Generosity comes in so many different avenues!

The main road from which ALL avenues of generosity should stem…is the heart. Willingly AND happily giving because God has asked, is not a pre-requisite. IT SHOULD BE…but you are surely ABLE to give with the wrong heart condition. You can give a compliment and expect a return. You can hold out the blessing God has asked for you to give, with a hand clenched, and a icy glare. Almost challenging the recipient to dare take that which God has instructed you to give to bless them. We can always mess up God’s blessing. Think about this though…

Let’s pretend that you are asked to bless someone with a financial/tangible gift. You do it…but your heart is NOT into it. You give begrudgingly. You talk behind the recipients back about how they should’ve been smarter with their finances. You hold your hands out. One with the blessing. One with your own expectation. A return. You are waiting for the groveling at your feet. For the million pleading thank you’s. And if your unspoken expectations are not met…you deem them ungrateful.

What, besides the obvious heart issue, is wrong with that mentality? Why is it even something we should try to remedy? YOU. ARE. THE. ONE. THAT. IS. CHOOSING. TO. NOT. BE. BLESSED! When you, with the right heart, bless someone with words of affirmation, gifts, meals, time, prayers, etc…you ARE blessed in return. When you aren’t expecting it because you are ‘entitled’…I promise it will absolutely floor you. It is all about your heart condition. We give generously because God does not hold back. His scale is already tipped one way on what He deserves compared to what we do. His resources are nothing like ours. We give as He leads…because we trust HIM! If we don’t give when
He asks…I would say not only is it a heart issue that MUST be addressed…it is also a trust issue.
Can God replace what He has already given you if He asks you to give it up? YES! That might be the whole point of the blessing. A teachable moment! He can use anything to stretch us in our faith/trust.
Are we willing to change? I pray so!

Let’s look up some verses to help prove God’s point for today. I don’t want you to take MY word for it. Dive into HIS! Don’t set out to prove me wrong…set out to prove Scripture to be right and relevant in your heart of generosity.

“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly(which means excessively), but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:24-25  Keep giving when God leads. Keep blessing with right heart motives. God promises you WILL be taken care of. You will be refreshed. You will gain even more. Those are the inspired Words of God…not of Vanesa! Unfortunately I don’t have the resources to give all that this world needs…but, thankfully, I have access to someone who absolutely DOES! And maybe, just maybe, the gift you give is not at all about the gift. Maybe, instead, it is about showing the heart of Christ to someone who is silently struggling. Maybe this small act of obedience on your part is meant to be a turning point for the person receiving it. Maybe they are just waiting for someone to truly and openly live the heart of Christ before they themselves become sold out for Him.

You see little. God sees ALL. Who’s perspective do you trust?! Let’s set up a picture in your mind.

You know how I LOVE to do that. I want this to stick! I don’t want it to be easily forgotten!! Put yourself at the top of the Grand Canyon. Place a camera in your hand. Put your eye up close to the teensy-weensy view window. Put your head down and focus on one of your own feet through the eye of the camera. You can see only where you are standing at that moment. You can’t see the next step. You don’t know where you might stumble. You can’t see the beauty that comes after years of shaping. You don’t know where danger is. You don’t know what lies ahead…because you only see your own focused, little path. One shoe. Tattered. Beaten. Tired. How can you take a step of faith to give, what you have been given mind you, when you don’t KNOW what is to come?

Now take the camera down to your side. Look up. Open your eyes to the beauty that lies ahead. Trust that even though you don’t know how to shape this impossible rock…you know One who does. He’s not asking you to figure it out. He’s not even asking you to try. He’s asking you to trust. Give freely…and trust without question. You see little. God sees ALL and it is beautiful!

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6:17-18

We can’t allow the world to out-give us. Some of the most generous people I know are spiritually lost. =( How sad that makes me for them…and also for the example that we, the church, are not living up to. I understand that this not a competition. I’m not trying to make it out to be. How can we expect the world to learn Godly generosity without an example? Notice the title of today’s post. Contagious generosity. I would say the opposite side of this coin is infectious hoarding.

John 3:6 says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” Radical generosity is contagious! It is exciting! It is humbling. When you listen to the Holy Spirit that lives within you…it gives new birth to that generous mentality in others. OR…you stay in your flesh. You withhold. You talk about how you had to work hard for what you have…and you deserve to be comfortable. And those words, that mentality give birth to others to live in the flesh. To only see in the natural. You choose what type of birthing coach you want to be. Choose carefully. Choose wisely. One will bless you. One will keep you stagnant and in wanting.

Extravagant generosity. What causes a Christian to be just that? Extravagantly generous! Simple. God. They are concerned with pleasing God. They are concerned with giving back to God what He has blessed them with. It is the anonymous man who walked into the Christian Academy that my children attend for grade school. He asked a simple question. “What is the amount needed to pay off your newly finished school building?” He wrote one check. He had extravagant love for children he might never meet. That is the type of generosity that is contagious. He did not require a plaque in his honor. He quietly and confidently offered a check written out with six figures (BEFORE the .00)... to bless a community of the next generation. You do not have to compete. If someone like this man wanted it to be about the amount for competition…I would know his name. Instead, I am clueless. I am thankful. I aspire to be that faith-filled with my abundance!

How can you be contagiously generous today? It doesn’t have to cost you a dime…but it may. =) My family and I were the recipients of MANY MANY blessings last week. I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God! I was humbled at the specific gifts that God gave. I was floored by the them all. Each of them surpassed the need…and even covered what I hadn’t even asked God for. He saw the need…and He raised me a few wants. Lol! So this week…will I choose to let that generosity be contagious? Or will I let it die? Will I let that Spiritual blessing give birth to the out flowing of many more spiritual blessings?

I command contagious generosity in all forms to flow freely in/through me this week! I want people to know that I adore Christ when they meet me! I’m praying for you to have opportunities just as I am me. I want divine appointments to be evident to you. I’d love to hear about them too!!! Please?! Ha-ha! Until then…love to love ya!

Who do you Spend your Mornings With? (Day FOUR-30 Day Challenge)

“The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Isaiah 50:4

We’ve all felt it. The nudging of God. That gentle conviction to do what we ought OR ought not. Annnndddd…we’ve all ignored it, doubted it, suppressed it. So what is one of the most common refusals? (Purely in my opinion…and probably based solely on MY own past.)

It is the whisper of God to your heart…

”Wake up My child. Meet with Me. I want to teach you. I want to send you out on your day filled to overflowing so that I am what people see and hear from you. I want you to have something to offer to the lost and broken. Wake up. The war still continues while you sleep. I am waiting to fine tune your fight. When you leave me out of your morning, you sometimes forget I AM the solution. Each trial of your day, I LONGED to conquer. Each frustration you took on yourself, I WANTED. Invite Me FIRST when you awaken. I will give you the joy and strength to finish each day. Wake up!”

This is the whisper, that feeling in your gut, that I believe to be most commonly ignored. I’m not saying I’ve done a world-wide study or anything. I just know in my life, I have good intentions each night…and a snooze button in the morning. I am excited and determined when i set my alarm…but something happens while I slumber. I remember hearing a professor speak during my first week at Geneva College. He set this exact scenario that we have each day. Your alarm goes off to wake up for that class you chose at 8am and you have a split second decision. You either choose to get up…or turn the alarm off. No one is making you get out of bed as a freshman in college. What is ONE skipped class? What is ONE lesson missed? Again. And again. And again. Those choices add up.

The same goes with mornings without God. Choosing to leave Him out…it adds up. What does it matter if you choose sleep…just one day? And then another? Habit. Bad habits are easily formed because they usually fall right in line with the sinful nature that we were born with. Just because we claim ‘this is how I was born’…does not mean that it is how we were meant to stay. You may have been born with anger issues, selfishness, lack of compassion…but you were CREATED for more. You were created to overcome your weaknesses. And when you choose to do so…you are claiming victory over ‘I was born this way’ sinful nature in Jesus Name!

“Why are mornings so important? Why can’t it be night instead?! I’m more of a night person. I hate waking up early.” Been there…said all of that. Read again the verse in Isaiah that I started today’s post with. “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to KNOW the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” How different would your days be if you allowed God to instruct your tongue. Oh how I could use that some days. Uh…I mean ALL days!

How are you going to know the Words of life that will sustain your weary self? Your friends? Your colleagues? Your family/children? Your church? By studying! Do your days usually go ‘as planned’? I know that once my family is awake…my days seem like a crazy race to bedtime. Lol! They rarely…and I dare say…NEVER go as I plan. My only chance to be sure that I have quiet time with my King is to awaken while they snooze. Don’t feel like you must follow my example…but let us find One worthy of following…

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.” Mark 1:35   I’m not asking you to wake up and leave your house to pray. I am challenging you to leave your bed. Set your coffee pot the night before. Buy yourself some yummy creamer. Make your morning easy and desirable. Set out your Bible and the devotional of your choosing. Find a new journal that makes you WANT to write out your prayers and revelations. Be willing to stick with what works…and change what doesn’t. Your routine doesn’t have to be so…routine. Some days I wake up and know that I am to write a letter to someone on my heart. I still pray. I still seek verses while I write. But I make myself available to whatever God asks of me…when I wake up! So why don’t I? I LOVE SLEEP! But…I LOVE my Savior more…and I am setting out to prove that with my daily actions. =)

How about these verses found in Luke 6:12-13a, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him…” Has that ever happened to you? You wake up in the middle of the night with a sudden urgency to pray. What do you do? Way TOO MANY times I tried to fake my way through it…God and I both knew I was fading quickly. Then what? I would wake up and head off on my day and find out something was going on in the middle of the night that could’ve used my prayers. GAHHHH!!! Why do I choose sleep over Christ? Why?! Am I learning from my mistakes…or am I just living in the shadow of their guilt?

What is God calling to you? You are His beloved. You are His chosen. You are an Heir to the Throne of Christ. Much is required of you…because you have something worth seeking. You have something worth sharing. You have everything! Figure out what your time is. Figure out a consistent time to dive into God. Consistent. That is key. Bad habits are easily formed. They take no work. They are natural. The fight to be more, to know more, to seek more…that must go against the flow of your born-into nature. You were created to worship. Start your morning off with it…and watch how different your days are! I dare you! =)

They See You Loud & Clear (Day THREE-30 Day Challenge)

I’ve been thinking about this post on day three since I hit ‘Publish’ on day one. I’ve been a bit anxious about it. Today…is my test. Today I am starting completely from nothing. And today I HAVE to write in a timely manner, as it is a school day for my three oldest children. Eeeek…let’s do this! =)

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of Life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” Philippians 2:14-16

I warned you that I am becoming a woman of God who focuses on specific words in Scripture. I am tired of skimming over radically, life-changing words. Let’s re-read the very first part of that passage in Philippians. “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Okay, now get out your Bible and notebook from yesterday. I’d love for you to underline that whole passage I highlighted above. Circle the word…everything. Now open your notebook and write a list of things  would not be included in the word ‘everything’. Done? Okay good…THOSE are the things you are allowed to argue and complain about. If you wrote down anything at all…you didn’t understand the exercise. Haha. It’s okay…there is no condemnation here. Just flip the page. Start fresh. I want you to be staring at a blank page in a notebook. Picture it the next time you are speaking argumentative or complaining words.

For the most part, the Word of God really is simple. The enemy takes joy in telling us otherwise. he loves to confuse. he loves to whisper thoughts of doubt. he loves to discourage before we even start. he knows that if we open up our Bible and dive into it…we WILL be forever changed. he knows the Word better than you and I. (Ouch!) he can see us when we are studying it. he can hear us when we pray it. he knows how important it is that we meet together with other ‘like-minded’ Christians and learn it. And each choice we make to further our knowledge of Christ…we have a spectator.

The cool thing is…that we also have an army of angels that are cheering for us while we read Scripture. They know that, “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 In my Bible I have these verses underlined and starred. I drew some fancy, spiked half sun looking things around the words ‘living’ and ‘active’. And lastly, I drew a sweet sword. (Okay. Okay. I will admit that the sword I drew is awful. I am so NOT artsy in my drawing ability. Seriously…tears of laughter and amazement (at my pure genius lack of ability) when I tried to play the Post-It Note game. Lol!)

Non-Christians. New Christians. Skeptical Christians. They are watching. They are waiting for us to live this verse. They really do WANT us to. They are looking for a people willing to actually LIVE how the Word says to. Can you say that you do EVERYTHING without arguing? Can you say that you never complain about anything? This is not a guilt trip I am taking you on. Don’t go packing your bags for that trip. I promise I DO NOT BELIEVE that I am not holier than you. I am not above. I am with you in these trenches. I see the flaming arrows that are flying by from the enemy. Arrows of shame. Arrows laced with guilt. Arrows covered with words waiting to be spoken in the heat of your anger. Some days I stand up, close my eyes and allow them to pierce me.

And once that arrow is in my hand, in my heart I choose where they go. Sadly enough, there are days that I dare use them against those I claim to love. Those are the days I am not living in line with these Words from Paul in the passage from Philippians 2.


The Word of God speaks loudest and clearest when we live without arguing and complaining. Today is a new day. You never have to live in yesterday’s failures. THAT is what grace, mercy and forgiveness are all about. Learn what God has for you. Let it sink in deep. Mark up your Bible with what HE spoke to you today. Write down in your journal the answer to this question...

“How can I strive this week to make Christ more of a focus of my days?”

Write simple, realistic goals. I want you to succeed. Success is not only satisfying...it leaves you feeling fulfilled! Doesn't it feel good to accomplish something on a list to-do's or want-to's? You can even write the list and post it on your fridge. Whatever it takes to help it to sink in! Make HIM a priority today...because you are always a priority to Him. You are always on His mind. He is always available to you...ALWAYS!

Faith AND Deeds (Day TWO-30 Day Challenge)

James 2:20-22 “You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the alter? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”

And. It is such a small word. And yet it clearly and very simply binds things together. It is your indicator that the previous and the following…go together.

Or. That is an even smaller word. Or, indicates that you have a choice. You can choose this OR you can choose that.

How can such tiny words in the English language have such powerful impact when reading scripture? Oh how easily my friend! Let me try to make sense of what God has placed in my heart for today! ;-)

I'm sure we can all agree that it took many…countless…hours… to translate, proof-read, edit and print our individual ‘preferred’ version of the Bible. I, myself, am not a strict ‘Bible snob’ when it comes to version. With that said, I do only like to use one of my own Bibles because I have written ALL through them. God has spoken so many powerful truths to me while reading His inspired Word and I KNOW that I don’t want to forget the words of my Father. I love to write the ‘always was…but is new to me’ truth with the date(mo/yr) beside the verse(s) that inspired them.

Think about what it might have been like though. Imagine being the person or group of people who started translating page one of the Holy Bible. It probably seemed like an ENDLESS job. How many previous people had felt the call of God to start and gave up before they even started? Why don’t we always remember that if God has called us…He will see us through?

Think about the significance of each word in the Bible. How careful they absolutely had to be! How many times did they have to check and recheck if what was printed was exactly what was intended. Had they really picked the BEST word from our language to portray what God wanted? Let me assure you that I never used to be…but am passionately now becoming, the type of person that focuses in on one, single word in Scripture. Today it is AND! =)

When I again opened up my Bible to James chapter 2 today, my eyes were drawn to a heading in bold print. “Faith and Deeds” There is that word again. And. Why is this word so important? What does faith have to do with deeds? EVERYTHING!

Faith must be accompanied by action. Let me give you an example from yesterday morning’s church service. After worship God led me TO the path of two women. Both of them hurting. Both of them in pain. Neither of them seeking attention. As I walked by both of them, God presented me with an opportunity. I was on my own path. I was standing at a crossroad. God only led me to the path of this woman…I was the one who had to choose to walk in it. I saw the tears in the first woman and I was drawn to her. Some people shy away when they see tears. Sometimes that is me. And yet…this day I knew I was supposed to talk to her. I leaned over and asked, how are you feeling? This woman was in pain. Excruciating pain. When I heard of her recent medical findings, I KNEW that I was supposed to pray for her radical healing. I have faith, so I know what to do. But the knowing is not nearly as important as the actual DOING! Knowing I needed to pray did this woman absolutely NO good. So, I pray. I approached the Throne of Grace boldly!

The next young woman was walking the halls of the school that we currently hold our Sunday morning worship service in. Her arms were across her stomach and her face had discomfort written all over it. Again…I was presented with an opportunity. Talk to her…or walk by and smile. Again I asked, ‘Are you feeling OK?” Again, this young woman said that she was not. Knowing what to do would’ve done her no good. Knowing the power of healing doesn’t heal. Knowing the plan of salvation is not enough. Knowing. Knowing. Knowing. Just as I said yesterday in Day ONE of this 30 day challenge…

Even the demons know. Even the demons believe. What is the difference!?

Action! The difference is when you have both faith AND deeds. When you pair faith WITH action…lives are changed. Those…are what show our God to be living and active. Jesus is not a helpless baby lying in a manger. He is the King of Kings who faced every trial thrown at Him…head on. He was/is forever victorious. He conquered hell and death when He ascended back to His Throne in Heaven. What would our reality be if knowing had been enough for HIM?! If Christ had known how to save man and did nothing…where would that leave us? Let that be your motivation to DO what you KNOW!

Knowing, accompanied by actually doing what we know to be right and true, IS what leads people to our Savior. Being presented with an opportunity to pray over someone can be missed if you choose to walk by. God’s healing for a person in pain can be prolonged or even thwarted if you ignore the nudge of God. People can and are dying without the saving Grace of God because of our fear of rejection. We live in the land of ‘What IF”. It is a land that the enemy happily and easily draws us to and then relentlessly holds us in. What IF I ask if I can pray and they say no? What IF they don’t believe in healing? What IF I try to lead them to Christ and they don’t accept it? God never asks you to figure out the what if’s. He asks only for obedience in the going out.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” " Matthew 28:18-20

That passage is not just for pastors. It is for YOU! Authority has been handed to you by the scarred hand of Christ. He said those words recorded in the book of Matthew to His disciples the first time they saw Him after He was resurrected. ‘All authority’…does not leave room for excuses and exceptions. ‘I am with you always’…does not leave you alone and helpless…EVER!

Let us be willing and available to teach people. Let us lead them, by bold example. Let us be sensitive to the call of God to pray AND go do it. Let us believe in healing AND proclaim it in Jesus name! Let’s choose to not only see the lost, but to LOOK for them AND pray with them.

We don’t have time to wait. We can’t leave this job to someone else. God needs each of us actively engaged in our faith because the world is lost. They are looking to anything, grasping at everything and coming up empty. They are hungry and thirsty for more and we, as Christians, know exactly what will satisfy. “Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

Knowing is not enough. It never has been. Go and do.

Count how many words in the following passage are verbs. How many of them are words that ask us to perform an action? I encourage you to get out your own Bible and underline each action that God is asking of US.


“My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding
and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom,
and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds victory in store for the upright,
He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for He guards the course of the just
and protects the way of His faithful ones.
Then you will understand what is right and just
and fair--every good path,
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.” Proverbs 2:1-11


Did you notice that the first five verses are our suggested action. What about the other six verses that follow? Ah, those are the action-filled promises of God, that will be fulfilled if you are fully engaged. Stale, stuffy, and stagnant are not words that define my Christian walk. How about yours?

Let’s strive to have contagious faith IN action! Look for your opportunities today! Search for them! Who is God asking you to pray for right now? GO! Who is God laying on your heart as you read? CALL! Is your heart beating faster? GOOD!  Are you feeling a bit uneasy? Excellent…now that you know…

What. Will. You. DO?!

What is Enough? (Day ONE-30 Day Challenge)

Welcome to Day ONE of my 30-day challenge. I encourage you to get your Bible, your favorite pen, a journal and a steaming cup of coffee. (You really should think about trying coconut cream if you want to copy what I am currently sipping! It. Is. Delightful!) Get ready to write and underline in that Bible. It will be okay, I promise. Writing all through mine has been a huge help to me in making God’s Word come alive. I love to see what God says to me when I read the verses I’ve underlined and the notes I’ve written beside them. It really does make it easy to apply this ‘head’ knowledge. Soon enough…what I’ve always known in my head…is now forever etched in my heart. THAT is faith! =)

I am so excited to begin…and only slightly dreading the sleepiness that comes when you wake up BEFORE the sun. Lol! I know, now that I am awake and writing, that I would rather be with my King than sleep. He never disappoints me in my time with Him. NEVER!

So… I sat down this morning and opened up my Bible to James chapter 2. My eye was immediately drawn to what I had written beside these God-inspired words of James. Let’s first read the verse… “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” James 2:19 (NIV)

Beside this bold statement made by James I wrote… “Belief is NOT enough! Religion does not equal relationship!” Don’t just skim over these words. READ them.


The demons believe in God.

You believe in God.

What IS the difference?!?! Is your jaw on the floor? Pick it up, dust it off. Don’t let these simple words cause you to feel shame. Shame is the tool of the enemy. But God…HE works with conviction. Conviction still doesn’t feel good…but it is necessary. Shame is not. Learn what God has for you today. Learn the difference between these words; religion and relationship.

RELIGION is knowledge without application. Religion is concentration only on rules. Religion is complacency. (The definition of complacency is- self (uncritical) satisfaction when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers. In my words…you are satisfied with where you are and what you know because you are choosing NOT to think about how dangerous it is to stay that way.) Religion is choosing comfort over the will of God. Religion is the unwillingness to stray from tradition when it is no longer effective.

The demons know all about religion. They are in religion. They hold their allegiance to death. Destruction. Confusion. Pain. They love head knowledge that stays there. They do everything within their power, to make any person with a heart still beating, to never know the difference. The enemy, satan, does NOT want us to know how fulfilling it is to apply Scripture to every part of our day. he knows that even our pain has purpose when we pair head knowledge with heart application. satan has seen God use what he set out to destroy us…to make us stronger. To make us fall more in love and have a deeper level of trust for our Father. The enemy cringes…I smile!

This whole post has made me smile since the day I knew God was asking me to write it. I understand that these are not new revelations I am writing. I am sure that these things have been said before. But I also KNOW that God is going to use them to set someone, as they read today, FREE from religion. They are going to dive into true…relationship! God has been looking forward to this day. He has seen your life…and He knew that your divine appointment was today. I am speaking to YOU! I am writing for YOU! I have been created for such a time as this…and I can not be silenced. Ha-ha!


RELATIONSHIP is constantly striving to move towards. Relationship isn’t happy with being stuck or standing still. Relationship isn’t content with just getting by. Relationship is passion. Relationship is seeking to know more. Relationship is constant conversation. Relationship is looking for ways to bless without expecting a return. Relationship is choosing to see ALL people as though they ARE/or absolutely COULD BE an heir to the Throne of Christ! Relationship is a life of worship…NOT a Sunday morning concert. Relationship is putting off all your old ways and running into the arms of Christ. Relationship is an intimate time spent with just you and your King…daily (at least!)

Relationship flees from evil. And I DO mean flees! To flee is to run away from a place of danger or evil. To hurry toward a place of security. If you stay in the places that drag you toward sin (while you are still drawn to that sin)…how are you going to effectively resemble your Father?! What is your plan? You must have a plan…because the enemy already has a scheme. he sees you reading this now. his scheme is already in place to make you busy. To forget. To doubt. So do me a favor…

Right now…write down your own definition in a journal/notebook of what “Relationship is…” or what “Relationship is not…”. This will help you to not forget. This will prove to the enemy that you are serious. This will help you when doubt tries to creep in. You can say, out loud, “There is no room for doubt in me!” You can scream it if you have to. I do!  Proclaim it now… “There is nothing that will make me too busy to have this relationship with Christ that I have been created to desire! NO THING will stand in my way!”

Can you see how the enemy has so easily deceived a multitude with the thinking that religion is enough? Oh how many people bought into the lies that knowing rules and stories were enough. Learning them definitely has purpose, but it was never meant to be enough. When you realize that even the demons KNOW…you must choose to be different. The enemy is not new at this. he’s been deceiving since the garden. he’s practiced up! he knows what has worked on your mother/father/sister/brother. he doesn’t work harder than he has to. he doesn’t need to come up with new ways, if the current ones are already working. Are you prayed up to handle his scheming? Do you make him come up with new schemes because you keep defeating his stale, old ones?

Let’s focus in on one more word before I leave you for today. Shudder. Read James 2:19 in your Bible and if you will underline it. Circle both times it says the word believe and put a box around the word shudder. Again…I am not into skimming past words that pack a powerful message. Let’s define shudder so you get a clear mental picture of what the demons do because they believe in the power of God.

Shudder-

• to tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or a sense of disgust and loathing
• shake
• shiver
• quiver
• palpitate
• spasm

You see, the demons shudder, shake, palpitate because they know and believe in the power of God. Their belief  is exactly why they tremble with loathing fear. They detest God. They are disgusted at His evident power. They know that they have absolutely nothing to match it. They know that God can speak and even THEY must obey. They hang their head in shame at the mention of His name.
What about you, my friend? Do you only believe? How have you been proving/showing that your religious belief…has made it to relationship status? Do the demons know Who you belong to? How can you actively seek to have a real relationship with God today? The wait is over. Your time has come to get serious.

You can start by praying that God will give you a real desire to meet with Him. Set apart a time. 5am is now my time…feel free to join me! I do not promise it to be easy…but I can guarantee it will leave an eternal effect. In you. In your spouse. In your children. In your church. In your community.

This is your homework.

1. Find a Bible that you love and understand. If you don’t have one IN your home…let me know. I will set you in the right direction with one of my favorites! ;)
2. Find a journal or notebook that you can write in. Write prayers. Write struggles. Write revelations from God (AKA-Light bulb moments that leave you finally understanding what was always there.) Just write! I want there to be a record of where you started and how far you’ve come.
3. Find a church that loves you and actively engages in your life. A church that is alive. A church that does. A church that loves the lost enough to refuse to let them stay that way. A church that not only preaches the Word (religion)…but lives it (relationship)!
4. And find a friend that can keep you accountable. A friend that wakes up at 4am to pray for you if that is what her King asks of her. A friend that roots for your success. A friend that inspires you to have contagious, audacious faith. A friend that doesn’t allow you to settle for LESS than you were created to be.

I have each of those listed things…and I have never been closer to God in all of my Christian life. I have never understood how specifically intimate He is to each of His children. Set out to find a reason not to love Him…you won’t. Because it says in John 10:27-28 “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.”-Jesus


 
My son, Levi and little kitten, Princess who followed me out to take a picture of the sunrise this morning. I can. not. fathom. a love more real or deep to my core…than what I feel for that handsome little man pictured above. But I know that I haven’t even scratched the surface of understanding how God feels for me. Dive in to what He has for you. He is waiting for you. I expect great things for you…because I KNOW my Redeemer lives!

Now…go do your homework! ;)