Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

But it’s a long way down…

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Why is it that we find it so hard to surrender our lives to God? We say we have faith and trust Him, yet when it comes down to it we struggle with actually letting go and letting God be in control. Why? I think it’s fear. Fear of the unknown…fear of change…fear of getting out of our comfort zones. Ultimately, we are afraid of not being in control. We stand at the edge of the precipice and stare down, thinking only about how far down it is. I know it seems like a long way down, and in the flesh it is but there is no distance too far for the Creator. God will meet you where you are, but you have to trust Him. When God leads you to the metaphorical cliff, don’t just step off reluctantly…have a bold faith and jump! Each time I’ve “jumped”, I have found that the invisible safety net was right below me all the time. Don’t be afraid to make that move, take that job, talk to that person or make that decision…follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. You know when He’s been talking to you. Surrender your life to Him…let Him be in control and JUST BELIEVE and TRUST! 

Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” 

Mark 5:36 “Jesus told him, Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 

Is it head or heart knowledge?

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Many of us have grown up in a family of believers, grew up going to church on Sundays, Sunday school, memorizing verses, religious observances, etc. Those are all good  things. BUT…it doesn’t mean you have a personal relationship with your Lord and Savior. Head knowledge does not equal heart knowledge. Wow! Let’s let that sink in for just a minute…head knowledge does not equal heart knowledge.

Having family that are Christians and going to church every week does not make YOU a Christian. Your faith must be personal to YOU.  This isn’t religion…this is a relationship. Think about your relationships with family members or close friends – how did your relationship with them grow? Your relationship with your mother did not grow from hearing about somebody else’s relationship with her. You grew your own relationship with her, day by day and conversation by conversation.  A real relationship is built over time as you learn and grow together. It’s not something you can learn without experiencing it yourself. 

The same is true with our Lord. It’s time to get to know Him. Talk to Him, learn more about Him by opening up your mind and heart to Him, invite Him into your everyday life, laugh with Him and cry with Him. Seek more than just your head knowledge. If you do, He will welcome you with arms wide open. He wants nothing more than to have a relationship with each of us. You will be changed just as I have been. Stop worrying about what your family and friends might think or say about you as you change and grow in your relationship with the Lord…the only one you should be worried about pleasing is God Himself. It’s time my friends, it’s time.

A hug from Jesus…

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This is an example of just how much God loves us…

My six year old daughter Kelsie watched a show with her older sister in which one of the characters on the show, a little girl, was kidnapped. She developed a strong fear from this and started having problems going to bed every night because she was scared. As a parent, naturally my heart broke wanting to be able to take the fear away from her. I prayed that the Lord would show me how to help my little girl. One night as I was thinking about Kelsie and how I wished Jesus was able to just reach down and wrap His arms around her every night to reassure her, the Lord brought to mind the thought of a blanket. After a bit of searching online I was able to find just the right one…it has a picture of Jesus with some little children. He is walking with them on a bright sunny day and they are safe and happy. Kelsie now wraps herself up each night in a hug from Jesus. 

Thank you Father for helping my little girl; I am so greatful. Thank you for the peace and comfort that she has each night now because of your answer to my prayers. Thank you that you are faithful and trustworthy in every situation. I love you Father. 

Claim His victory…

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There’s people suffering right now from matters of life and struggling with their faith…but take to heart the victory that each of us that have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior have. You have Christ inside of you and He has already overcome…therefore you have already overcome – claim that victory! Satan is defenseless at even the name of Jesus…claim His power and His victory on your life!!

Jesus – our great Deliverer, our strong Defender! His grace alone is enough for every one of us. Seek Him through your struggles; He is faithful and trustworthy. 

You have victory over the attacks of the enemy – claim it!

1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 

God is with us…

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How do we know God is with us if we can’t see Him? Let me ask you this – can you see the wind? We can’t actually see the wind, however we can see and feel its effects. We feel it’s presence as the air brushes across our skin, and we see the rustling of the leaves on the trees, it’s with us and very real indeed. Just the same is God. Although we can’t see Him, the effects of Him  are all around us! We can see His creation in the mountains, the rays of sun streaming through the clouds and in the formation of a rainbow.  We can see the changes He makes in the people we know and feel it in our own hearts. He IS with us! Just think of the wind…

Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. 

Freedom…

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The Lord spoke to me on my way home from church today and said the word FREEDOM. I knew what it meant…it was the answer to why I have been feeling such complete peace and joy since moving down to Arizona. Why freedom? Since putting my trust in Christ three years ago, I have been changed. I’m not the same person I once used to be, I truly am a new creation. I don’t act the way I used to act, I don’t think the way I used to think, and I don’t talk the way I used to talk. There are a few close friends that I was able to discuss the changes going on within me but to everyone else, they just saw the change of my outward appearance as I lost weight. They were completely oblivious to the changes going on inside…the changes that were transforming me as a result of following Christ. We lived in a small town back in North Dakota, the kind where everyone knows everyone. Although I was slowly coming out of my shell and getting to the point to where I was confident in my new identity that I was being able to let it shine through in some respects, there was still a lot of me that felt I needed to hold back from showing the real “new” me. I didn’t feel comfortable to completely reveal what I had become. I felt like I was somehow trapped within two different dimensions, and wanted badly to be able to break through and just fully live out the new me.

Since moving to Arizona, I have been able to just be me…the new me! No one here knows the old me or has any pre-conceived notions about my past. I get a completely fresh start. When I meet someone here, I don’t worry about offending someone by talking about my faith or saying something that might sound strange. I can raise my hands during worship in church and I don’t care who looks at me strange. I don’t feel like I’m being judged and quite frankly don’t care if I am. I have a confidence now that I’ve never had before and it’s growing stronger every day. I am finding who I am in Christ, and letting my true light shine.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Praise God!!! He is so amazing, words just can’t describe…

God is so good!!

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Excuse me while I wipe away the tears that are rolling down my cheeks right now…God is so good!!

The Lord has put on my heart to share the blessing of my weight loss with others so that others may be blessed through my testimony. As part of this, I’ve felt for a long time like I’m supposed to mentor someone that also struggles with their weight as I once did. I started praying about a year ago for the Lord to match me up with someone who could not only use but also desire this kind of mentoring relationship. I remember telling my mom, “how am I supposed to find this person, it’s not like I can just hand out business cards for something like this!” but trusted that when the time was right He would align all the pieces. 

Late last week, I was sitting in the parking garage getting ready to get out of the car to head into work when I looked up and saw the words “It’s time” displayed on a billboard in front of me. I looked away not really realizing what I had just read and then I looked back at it and thought did I read that right? Sure enough, that’s all the billboard said was “It’s time”. I had a flood of thoughts instantly go through my mind as I wondered if this was the Lord speaking to me. As I sat and stared at that billboard, there was no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit was using that billboard to speak to me and I knew what it meant…it’s time to share my weight loss story and pass on the blessings that I’ve been given. I knew that there would be a revelation coming soon. This morning I saw that same billboard and smiled as I got out of the car recalling my experience from last week. 

I came back this evening from taking my youngest daughter to the park to find a message from a new friend that had reached out to me and has asked me to be a mentor to her as she has been struggling with her weight. She had shared with me a few weeks ago about her weight struggle and I had a feeling at that time that there was something significant about this new relationship/person. Praise God!! He is faithful, He is trustworthy, and He does answer prayers. I’m so excited for both of us…I can’t wait to walk with her down the lighted path! 

Please pray for both of us as we set out on this journey together, that He would guide each step. 

Don’t underestimate the power of your testimony…your story can help others too. 

God is so good!!

Count it all joy…

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My husband has been struggling with what he is supposed to do for a living since we moved to Arizona. We’ve had some “interesting” times and tough discussions about this since our move here and although I have been able to trust the Lord to provide work for him when the time is right, my husband does not have the same level of trust. He has been dealing with depression over his lack of direction in his life right now. We were talking about things again last night and the Holy Spirit reminded me of one important thing: count it ALL joy! This too has a purpose and is part of His plan!! How quickly thoughts can turn from “when are things ever going to fall into place” to “thank you Father, I’ll just be patient and continue to trust You because I know this is necessary and someday I’ll know why”. I know from past experiences that trials we face in life are never easy but they always have a purpose and if you are leaning on and trusting God through them that they always bring you into a deeper relationship with Him…so, count it all joy!! I keep telling my husband that someday these struggles are going to be part of his testimony of how the Lord worked in his life…I have faith in that because I have faith in Him!

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Spirit lead me…

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One of my favorite songs is “Oceans (where feet may fail)” by Hillsong United. The lyrics to this song are words that I pray often. I pray that each day the Lord leads me to deeper waters and into a deeper relationship with Him. I pray for faith to follow Him wherever He calls me…

Oceans (where feet may fail)

You call me out upon the waters, the great unknown where feet may fail. And there I find You in the mystery. In oceans deep, my faith will stand. 

And I will call upon Your name, and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace. For I am Yours, and You are mine. 

Your grace abounds in deepest waters, Your sovereign hand will be my guide. Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me, You’ve never failed me and You won’t start now. 

So I will call upon Your name, and keep my eyes above the waves. When oceans rise my soul will rest in Your embrace. For I am Yours and You are mine. 

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander, and my faith would be made stronger in the presence of my Savior. 

You really must listen to this song…

Father God, today my prayer is that You would call me out to deeper waters. That You would give me the faith and trust that I need to follow Your lead wherever You would call me. I pray that Your presence in my life be stronger and stronger with each passing day and that I will have peace knowing that my life rests in Your sovereign hand. Thank  you for the daily confirmations that You give me to show me that You are right here with me on the path. In Jesus name, amen. 

Peace…

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Every day I am more and more amazed. The Lord is teaching me so many things right now, I could write for hours and hours about it! 

The point I want to pass on right now is about His will and the peace that comes when you walk in His will for your life. He is showing me the full depth of the peace that walking in His will brings. When you walk in His will and move in the direction that He wants you to go in, He pours out unbelievable blessings and provides a supernatural peace that truly passes  understanding. 

I’m living that at this very moment. I’ve had some difficult things to deal with in the past few weeks and yet I told my mom just this week that I’ve never been happier and more at peace than I am right now and have been since we moved to Arizona. Just a few short months ago my husband and I were giving notice to our employers and lining up a moving company to move across the country from North Dakota to Arizona without any jobs lined up and without an address to give the movers. We walked in what we believed was His will for us, followed the peace and laid our whole lives down at His feet. He gave me complete peace at a time I couldn’t have possibly had peace. At the “last minute” or EXACTLY when we actually needed it (His perfect timing), He provided me with a transfer with my current employer and a beautiful house to call home. God is so great!! God is so faithful!! God is so trustworthy!! I am now finding myself in another situation where I need to just trust Him and I have once again laid mine and my family’s life down at His feet. Despite the recent situation, I have a crazy peace that I can’t understand and joy that I never knew was possible. What’s different now than the rest of my life when I didn’t have peace and joy? I’m actually walking in His will now; things are starting to come into alignment the way He planned. 

Walk with Him. Let Him walk with you. Let Him set the stride. There are countless blessings when you make Jesus the focus of your life!! My life is absolute proof. 

Psalm 16:11 – You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.