Hope Changes

It's hard for the world to agree on anything now days. From religion to politics to vaccines to the environment, there are so many differing opinions with so many differing perspectives. And I am MOST DEFINITELY not here to say one is right and one is wrong... but one thing we all have succumb to is that the world we live in is a crazy and intense mess.

I've been thinking a lot about how the world reacts/responds when disastrous events take place. I see a theme when I look back through all the ones I've been alive for...

HOPE

For some reason, in the midst of sorrow and grief we begin to care for each other without bias. For a brief moment in time we forget the disagreements and tend to the wound that has been created. We cry together and we start rebuilding together. But most of all we come together in hope for tomorrow.

And then reality sinks in and in a flash we enter in to the quick sand of opinions and theories and disagreements. We forget about the PEOPLE and begin to stare at the DIFFERENCES. All at once that moment of hope comes crashing down. I believe this to be a big offensive play by the enemy. Why? Because hope united empowers a world to make change and to care for one another; hope divided can only bring ruin.

I was watching Hunger Games the other day when the character President Snow said something that hit me in this thought processing:

"A Little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous. 

A spark is fine, as long as it's contained."

Let that sit with you for a second. 

The enemy knows that if he can keep our hope contained and distracted he won't have to worry about anything changing. But I'm calling his bluff. I believe in the God who created us. I believe in His word. And when I read Hebrews 10:23-24 I believe in our ability to not only hope but to protect our hope so it can grow and spread...

"So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives 

within us, knowing that God always keeps His promises! 

Discover creative was to encourage others and to motivate 

them toward acts of compassion. doing beautiful works as 

expressions of love."

... not just in times of tragedy. But at all times. We can rise above and we can hope. It's our choice. Especially as believers and followers of Jesus. We get the chance to LEAD THE WORLD IN HOPE!

So next time you scroll by a post on social media that doesn't share the same thought as you, instead of responding with a battle cry of division try encouraging that person. Instead of staring at the mom  with a screaming toddler and judging her parenting, offer a hand. Do something. Make the choice to stir up hope. Don't sit back and wait for the world to self implode when you have the ability to change it... because you do!

Thanks for reading through my thoughts today.

Jesus, help us to love You and to love others because of You. Let hope arise in our hearts and spread like a wildfire in the world. Amen!

No More

There once was a girl who barely knew how to smile. She carried so much sadness and hurt in her heart that it seemed the weight of the whole world. She saw nothing as a positive and dwelt in a land of negativity. There was so much fear in her heart that if she cared too deeply for people she would lose them or they would fail her. She believed if she were to show excitement about something, it would never come to pass. Things happened in her life that she never felt she could talk about. People let her down and she had to deal with it. Words and actions were heavy... and this had an effect on her whole life.

I was that girl. That is my story.

But not anymore. The same God who created me with purpose also healed me and set me free.

Why am I sharing this today? Why does this seem important in this moment?

BECAUSE I’M STILL STANDING! 

I was not defeated. The enemy didn’t take me out; people’s failures didn’t destroy me; I was not conquered by the heaviness of my youth. Depression did not win!

And because I’m still standing, I am believing that you can overcome as well. I believe the same God that healed, restored, and freed me wants you to have the same. So much so, that Jesus paid a price we could never fathom to get us through whatever it is that hinders us. 

So today I’m calling out darkness in the name of Jesus! I’m not going to live my life with any trace of those chains, and I’m praying you’ll make that choice as well.

In the name of Jesus:

depression be broken off

pain disperse

fear say goodbye

anxiety hit the road

bitterness be uprooted

unforgiveness be wiped away

heaviness be traded in 

doubt flee

There is NO room for any of that in the Kingdom of God 

and there is no place for it in the child of God! Amen!

Enough is enough. We've let it get out of control. Suicide rates are astronomical, depression medications are soaring. People are hurting, the world is hurting, and we are sitting in our church sanctuaries singing songs and listening to sermons, BUT we aren't putting it to action! 

It's time we offer hope to the hopeless, freedom to the captive, healing to the broken, and show them the Savior. And it’s not about living the perfect life, never experiencing sorrow, hurt, or mistakes... but it is about not dwelling in those things. It is about knowing who we were created to be, and trusting that precious Creator to lead us. Knowing how to brush the sand from our feet, and rising up in grace and humility, to fulfill the call of God on our lives.

I read this verse last night:

“But whether I live or die is not important, for I don’t esteem my life as indispensable. It’s more important for me to fulfill my destiny and to finish the ministry my Lord Jesus has assigned to me, which is to faithfully preach the wonderful news of God’s Grace.” 

Acts 20:24

Can we get over ourselves? Remember what Jesus brought us out of? And then think about the people who have yet to experience His love? 

And so today I am going to do just that. I’m going to stop worrying about my life and the effects of everything happening to me or around me. And instead I will remember the people around the world that need me to be a reflection of Him to them. I’m going to step in to my destiny and I’m going to carry His presence with me.... 

Will you join me? 

Someone needs you to show them the way too!

The Roots

I was riding on a bus through rural Costa Rica... doing as I usually do on car rides, gazing out of the window and taking in the scenery. I happened to look over at this larger tree with very thick roots coming out of the edge of a cliff. And then I noticed several smaller trees along that same ledge. They were much smaller, a lot weaker looking, and their roots were not as deep or fully developed. But what I noticed next is really what spoke to my heart...

The roots from that bigger, stronger, and older tree were coming out of the ground to support and protect those newer trees. Giving them room to grow, to branch out, and yet keeping their root system secure. And then I heard the Lord say:

 “In order for this next generation to succeed and grow 

in depth and strength the previous generation was going to need

 to support and protect their growing process.”

(Disclaimer: this is not the original tree... I tired to capture something similar, 

but this is not as extravagant as the first I saw.)

Often times we see animosity in the midst of differing generations. We can see blame tossed to and fro on both ends of the spectrum. I believe this is to the detriment of the body of Christ and, as a cause and effect of that, a problem for us in reaching the world.

We have to stop. We have to stop arguing, stop pointing fingers, stop focusing on the negative. And instead we need to begin loving one another, learning and growing from each other. I believe this word from the Lord is timely and important. 

Younger generations:

Humble yourselves... we don’t know everything. We have much we can glean from the generations before. There is opportunity before us to grow and allow our roots to deepen and strengthen. For us to be beneficial in this earth we must allow the knowledge, wisdom, and discernment of those whose lives have experienced much to help guide us and mature us. Don’t allow pride to get in the way of what the Lord is wanting to do.

Elder generations:

Please be patient with us. We have not experienced all that you have, but we also aren’t helpless. Help us to find the balance of learning and growing along side of using the knowledge we have already obtained. Please pray for us, love us, and offer opportunity for us to soak in all that you have to offer us. We can’t do this without you, and your mission and journey aren’t over yet.

I also feel this is a specific call to families. As the leaders of your family, establish your roots in Christ. Cultivate the atmosphere with submission to Him, His plan, and His presence. Let Him deepen your roots. And in doing so, you will not only set an example but a precedence for your family following behind. You will establish a fortress of protection for them to grow their roots in a healthy way.

I don’t know the whole picture, I’m only human and can only see in part, but I do know that if the Lord is making a point to speak about something IT IS IMPORTANT. So let’s heed this message, this opportunity and see what all the Lord has up His sleeve in the days to come.

The Tides Are Changing

My whole life has consisted of seasons of ebb and flow. Mountain tops and valleys. High tides and low. I have seen times of great growth through hard trials and times of peaceful rest. All of the seasons I've encountered have stretched me, strengthened me, and taught me more about myself and the Lord. But my life isn't finished, and as I'm beginning this 32nd year I am expectant for whatever seasons the Lord will bring!

And with that being said... I have some exciting news!

Last year, in January of 2018, I attended a conference. At this conference the Lord began stirring my heart and speaking to me about transition coming. I didn't have many details but I did have trust and hope that He is good and His plans for me are good! My best friend also heard from the Lord that same night about transition coming and that was confirming for me. With no timeline in sight all I could do was walk in faith and be ready to obey when the time came.

Throughout the months there were moments when I questioned whether this was the moment for transition but every time I asked the Lord I would feel no peace in my heart. I won't lie, there were times of discouragement, doubt, and lack of faith. But the Father is faithful to meet us in those moments and helps us realign our gaze on Him, and out of that alignment comes trust.

As the months passed and November quickly approached I began preparing for my trip to South Africa. I was very focused on everything that needed doing before I left that I found myself getting lost in the busyness and recognized the need to spend time preparing my heart as well. It was in one of these moments of prayer that I heard the still soft reminder of the Lord that transition was near and for me to be ready. Still with no clear direction of what that meant, I had to trust... and so trusting I continued to do.

I left for South Africa and within the first few days the Lord began reminding me of areas of ministry that I love and stirring areas of my heart that had been closed up for a while. After a week of traveling, in a moment on a patio, the Lord said it was time for movement. It felt like a very dynamic moment that I needed to treasure and process through with the Lord, and so I did not share what was happening with anyone around me. 

When I got home I began to fast and pray (after struggling with some nasty sinus infection and terrible jet lag that seemed never ending). In the midst of that time of praying I had a dream that a woman I admire was telling me it was time to move and to get ready. When I woke up I got in the word, and everything I read was speaking peace to my heart. So I asked those closest to me to pray and believe with me. And I knew that this was the moment of transition the Lord had been preparing me for... 

I am going to be leaving California... and moving back to Tennessee!

Everything from that moment on has been a whirlwind. But I am so excited about what God is doing. I am excited for every opportunity He is bringing and every open door He will fling wide. I am thankful for every bit of confirmation He's given me even when He had confirmed it so many times prior. He used friends and family to speak to me, confirm what He had spoken to me, pray for me, and simply listen to me process through what the Lord was saying. And because of all that has happened in this process I am excited I can make this announcement with the confidence that this is the Lord's doing and workmanship.

There are still many questions to be answered, things to organize, and trust to be had... but one day at a time, one step of faith at a time, and with every ounce of obedience I can give, I will see this transition happen with praise in my heart. 

My mom and I will be traveling to the Nashville area in April to find a place for me to live and begin the biggest preparations. Once I have an official place to live I will know when my move date will be. Until then, please pray with me. This isn't going to be a "small, might come back home in a few months" kind of move... this is a "pack up everything, start a new life" kind of move. And that can be overwhelming, tiring, expensive, and emotional. So your prayers will be appreciated and cherished.

I would also like to take these last few months that I'll be living in California to spend time with those of you who have played such an important roll in my life over that last 11 years of living back home. You experienced some of my biggest growing seasons with me and you all hold special places in my heart. Reminisce with me, but also let's celebrate the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord.

Here's to 2019, my 32nd year of life, and all that is to come. The tides are changing, and I am jumping in full force!

Small Adjustments!

It has been several months since I found myself sitting in a church hearing a Pastor speak a word that was directly for me. "Small Adjustments" I would hear him say over and over again. And each time he would speak it I could feel the words settling deeper in my spirit. It was a word meant for right then... and yet all these months later, it's still permeating my heart.

Most who know me will tell you I tend to be an all or nothing, overly passionate, black and white, make a decision kind of woman. Because of that, when I do anything, I seek results. I want to see fruit come out of whatever I have decided to think, feel, say, or do. This is not a negative part of me, in fact most of the time it's important. But as I'm learning more about myself and the Lord, I'm learning that every season, situation, and lesson requires a little something different... sometimes it requires small, simple strides forward instead of large leaps and bounds.

With the new year having just begun, I am being reminded of the importance of this thought. As I watch friends and family setting their resolutions, and goals and as I process through my own goals, I can hear the Spirit reminding me: "small adjustments, one step at a time." I love how the Lord uses things in our lives that we didn't even realize were lessons to teach us things that will bring great change.

I have consistently been going to a chiropractor for over a year now. Throughout that time I have learned a lot about the chiropractic process. One big take away has been: when my ankle is out of alignment it will effect my knee, which in turn will have an effect of my hip, and that will then cause my whole back/spine to be out of sorts. One small thing, one minor misalignment can cause your whole body to feel and act wonky. But, with consistency in recognizing the misaligned parts and dedication to bringing them back in to alignment, you can avoid the mess of your whole body becoming misaligned.

And the same goes for your spirit, heart, & mind.

When we are experiencing issues in our lives, it can always be traced back to a misalignment. Sometimes it can be the result of poor choices, sometimes it can be passed down generationally, and sometimes it can even be things we won't let go of. (In fact as I'm writing this, I feel like someone reading needs to forgive a prominent person in their life. If that's you, please don't wait to ask the Lord to help you choose forgiveness.) There is always a root that needs dealing with in order to find yourself aligned... and sometimes the best way to address it is with a small, consistent adjustments to your life.

If we go back to what I mentioned about myself a few paragraphs ago, you can probably guess why this has been an ongoing lesson in my life. When I see something in me that is not right, or not functioning the way it should, I am always quick to want complete resolution and freedom immediately. This, wherein lies the problem. And this is where the small adjustments come in to play.

Say I tried to cold-turkey uproot, realign, heal, and solve every issue in my heart all at one time... that would be a lot, too much to handle. As a fallible and very imperfect human being, I would most certainly become a crazy person going through all of that at one time. I would not learn any lessons from the process; And I would not get the chance to recognize the testimony of God's hand working in my life. BUT, if I patiently and consistently allowed the Lord to work on me bit by bit, I know the outcome would be sweeter and more beneficial to me as a whole person.

I am thankful that the Lord is teaching me how to be a better me through this lesson. I am thankful that I am learning that it's not failure for a process to start small and inch it's way forward... progress is progress. It is ok for me to trust and obey when the Lord asks me to make small adjustments. And it is beneficial to my spirit, heart, and mind to take my time in growing and stretching. My whole being benefits from the small adjustments, one step at a time.

So if you are feeling overwhelmed by the resolutions and goals you've set for this year, I want to encourage you: don't rush the process and miss all you could gain from within it. And please, please don't let yourself be discouraged when the progress seems to be at a crawl. As long as you're moving forward you are in a good place. Lastly, trust the Lord... He knows best what tweaks and twirks you need to be the best you. May you be ever encouraged by His small adjustments in your life.

Positioning My Heart

I woke up today with a song sitting in my mind and heart. It's a song that has been sitting with me for a couple of weeks now. It is a reminder, an encouragement, and it stirs my heart. The reason is simple and is declared in the title... "Great Are You Lord"!! It may seem simplistic, it may be obvious, but I'm trying to not rush past it. I want to let it sit and soak and allow myself to meditate on it's words. I want the lyrics to stir my heart every time I hear them. I don't want to miss it.

Will you Listen to the song with me right now?

"You give life, You are love

 You bring light to the darkness

 You give hope

 You restore every heart that is broken

 Great are You Lord"

THIS, this is our God. This is the one who created us, who loved us so deeply that when sin overcame us and separated us from Him, He sent His wonderful Son to restore us. He is the giver of healing, the giver of wholeness, He is the mender of hearts. I don't know if this is coming across clearly not, but it's burning in my heart because He's just so good. 

I never want to forget all the things He has done in my life. I never want to forget the healing, physically and emotionally. I never want to live a day where I don't thank Him for the freedom I get to walk in; for the salvation He gave me SO FREELY! I never want to miss the chance to remember His hand reaching down and pulling me out of the pit of sadness, anger, bitterness, and hurt. I want to always remember Him revealing who I am as His daughter, chosen, called, fierce, and loving. HE is the reason I am today. 

"And all the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing

GREAT ARE YOU, LORD!"

In the deepest parts of my heart I pray that we would be filled with the awe of all He is, all He has done, and all He will continue to do. I pray that our hearts would be filled with thanksgiving and praise. That we would allow Him to fill us so that we can pour out our praise. He is so great and so deserving.

And I pray that if you have a hard time recognizing His goodness; or if your past has hindered you from processing goodness, that healing would come! That you would be loosed from the heaviness that bogs you down and that the JOY of the Lord would fill you. I pray that your heart would recognize His hand at work in your life, and in recognizing it that you would be stirred to praise. 

He's so good. He's so faithful. His grace is astounding. His mercy, never ending and new every morning, is beautiful. His heart is for you and His heart is for me! His will for us is perfect and wonderful and beyond anything we could fathom. 

So Lord, my God, my beautiful and wonderful Father, we worship You. We praise You for Your hand at work in our lives. We glorify You for the peace that You give us that surpasses understanding. Thank You for Your faithfulness to love us, through every moment that we turn our backs, You are right there, arms opened, calling to us, loving us. You celebrate our victories; You mourn our losses. You lead us by still waters for us to be refreshed; You go before us in battle. Lord there is none like You. Thank You for being You, thank You for loving us. Great are You Lord!

South Africa - November 2018

South Africa 2018... unforgettable.

For months leading up to this trip I knew the Lord had big plans. Why?? Because so much was going wrong around me. The enemy was hitting every area you could imagine. It was obvious to me that he didn't want this trip to happen... which became my source of encouragement to push through. The enemy would not be so resistant if he wasn't scared, and that was exciting to me. The Lord had plans and I was ready and willing to be a part of it.

I look back over the two weeks spent traveling throughout South Africa and Swaziland and realize the Lord did more than I even realized in the moments. One of the biggest miracles to me was that our team, a group of 28 people from all over the place, were united in one purpose and got along. There was a bond that could only come from the Holy Spirit's leading, and it was beautiful. Every person was there to serve the people of SA, but also to serve each other. It constantly stirred my heart to pray for the church to walk in the very same perspective. Lord, teach us to love and serve in the same way You did.

We started the trip off with our safari, which I feel was strategic in team building. We enjoyed seeing the animals, and even got to see the lions being fed... incredible. We were staying at a lodge that also had so many cool animals roaming around. One morning we were having devotions and several zebra walked right next to us and started drinking from the pool. I don't think I've ever felt more at home, lol. 

From there we headed back to the airport to fly to Cape Town. We spent the weekend ministering at The Gathering in Paarl. People were set free, healed, and filled with the Holy Spirit. I was praying for a lady on the last night to be filled with Holy Spirit and I felt the power of God moving in a strong way, but she was so quiet that I couldn't tell if she was speaking in tongues or not. I leaned my ear towards her mouth and started laughing because the spirit of the Lord was moving so much she couldn't 't stop moving her mouth. I love getting to see people filled with His Spirit! I'm believing that she will allow the empowering of the Holy Spirit to give her boldness to share His love in great and mighty ways!

From Cape Town / Paarl we made our way to Nelspruit. This was probably the most surprising part of the trip for me. We joined up with a smaller church that we had never visited before... no one knew what the expect. But the Lord in all His wisdom knew what was needed. This church encouraged me. they LOVED each other. When the pastor had everyone greet one another, they literally greeted every person with such depth. I laughed because in America greeting times in churches are so awkward and everyone tries to get through it quickly... but they rejoiced in getting to be with each other. They honored each other with hugs and huge smiles. It was really beautiful. Some of us then shared briefly things the Lord was putting on our hearts for the church and we ended the night with a prayer tunnel. There is just nothing like a prayer tunnel in Africa when it's already hot and you're asking for more of the fire of the Holy Ghost! Whewwww!

After a quick nights rest we drove in to Swaziland. My favorite! As we were crossing the border I could immediately feel my heart swell with love for the children we would get to encounter. And my heart was not let down. When we visited the Care Centers there were children of all ages waiting for us to just love on them. We brought them sweeties (candy) and toys and clothes and tooth brushes and so much more... but above all that, we brought them hugs. We brought prayers to pray over them. We declared that they would have a hope and a future. That their future would be filled with kingdom things! And I prayed that they would have endurance to run this race of life, because life isn't easy but God's plans supersede the craziness of it all.I could have stayed with those babies for two weeks alone, but I am so glad we got the time we got with them. 

We ended our time back in Jo Burg at the big tent. On Saturday we held an outreach in the park across from the church. I told one of the guys that from the second we drove up I felt the Spirit of the Lord stirring, the atmosphere was thick. We unloaded all of the supplies we brought with us and all the food we purchased. We gave testimony, danced in worship, called on the Lord to meet us there, the word was shared, we prayed for the people, and then we fed them and distributed supplies. It was beautiful. It was precious. And I won't forget the faces of thankfulness from every person I handed something to. Thank you for sending me with supplies to share with these wonderful people!

I know this is lengthy, and doesn't have a ton of detail, but my heart is still processing all the Lord has done. I will say that this trip changed something in me. I mean, these trips usually do change me, but this was something I needed in the place of life I'm in. Not only did I get to reconnect with dear friends, I was able to establish some new relationships. I was encouraged constantly, which I hadn't realized how much I needed. I just left feeling so full and ready for what the Lord has next... whatever and whenever that may be!

So, please, keep praying with me. Praying for the people of South Africa and Swaziland. Praying for all the seeds that were sewn and every life that was touched. And please pray with me for the next steps in my life. The Lord is faithful and I am honored and humbled that He has chosen me to reach out to some many different people in my life... I'm ready for even more!