FAITH While You Wait!

There is a difference between faith & wishing. Faith sees, feels, knows, talks about, envisions, before it is a reality. Faith comes by hearing. Faith is. #talkaboutittilitsreal #myproof? #tylerjr #trinityfaith #timothyisaacjosiah

Romans 10:17 (KJV) - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

Yesterday I posted the above quote to my social media outlets. I began thinking about faith. About our successes, as well as things we are still standing in faith to see come to pass. I began to think on our greatest success thus far in regards to faith. It was an easy example, our children. 

It all began in 2001-2002. Newly married, a new business and growing in our walk with the Lord. As we were aggressively expanding and growing our new business, we found ourselves driving a lot in the expansion process. We would drive from Myrtle Beach, SC to the Atlanta Metro area in Georgia. The one way drive was a short 6 hours. There were seasons where we drove this several times a week, leaving Myrtle Beach at 3:00 in the afternoon, driving to Georgia for a 1-2 hour meeting, and turning around and driving home. We had a LOT of time on the road. We had a LOT of time to talk. 

FAITH BEGAN
Often on our 6 hour drive home, we were almost talked out. We had talked about everything and to stay awake, we began talking about our future children. We had already decided we wanted 4 children, and had already decided upon their names. Our drive consisted of imagining what they would be like, act like, look like, their personalities, their gifts, talents and abilities, how tall they would be, the color of their eyes, thickness of their hair, even down to who would be the one child who would like to snuggle the most. We began talking about, imagining and SEEING our children.

We began talking about, praying for, seeing, imagining our four children: Tyler, Trinity, Timothy & Taylor, in that order. Two boys, two girls. To this day, I'm still not sure why we believed them in the order of boy, girl, boy, girl, but we did. That is how we saw them. We talked about how Trinity would love to feed daddy. She would feed him bites of her food (and at age 2 1/2, SHE DOES THAT!), and when she was old enough she would make him sandwiches, carrying it in on a plate and beam with pride as daddy thanked her. She would love to serve daddy (and even her brothers), simultaneously this is also the love language of her dad, "acts of service." From the book The Five Love Languages, this is one of the ways Tyler feels loved the most. Taylor on the other hand, wouldn't be the serving type, but she would be the snuggler out of the four kids. She would love to be held, hugged and could just sit in your lap, loving you with her affection. 

I could go on about all the things we talked about, but the bottom line is, WE TALKED and FAITH CAME! Faith comes by hearing! I HEARD my voice as I talked to Tyler, I heard my voice talk about our children, and I listened and HEARD as Tyler also talked about them, and we were in agreement (Matthew 18:19). As we SPOKE WORDS out of our mouth, FAITH CAME. Until, our kids took on themselves, years before they actually arrived. They began to take shape, because we spoke about and envisioned them. We talked about them like they were REAL and one by one, they have become the real, live, manifestation of what we spoke about. 

I've heard many people say comments like, "Well, we're just not like you and Tyler. It just doesn't happen like that with everyone. My husband and I can't just 'pick out' whether we want a boy or girl next."  

My thoughts behind that comment? Tyler and I just spent more time building our FAITH around who our kids were and who they would become. Sure, someone who just makes a decision, hopes for or wishes to have a "baby boy next," may or may not have a boy. How real did that baby boy become? Did they see him, talk about him, envision him, see his characteristics, personality? My questions to them would be, DID FAITH REALLY COME? Did you talk about them so much, OUTLOUD, with your words that, as Romans 10:17 says, FAITH CAME. 

Don't get me wrong, why haven't some of our other dreams and goals come to pass yet? I believe many still will, but why not yet? Well… I believe it is our responsibility to speak about, envision, see those goals becoming a reality. SPEAKING ABOUT them until FAITH COMES. Faith GIVES birth to a new, dreamed, reality! 

When were our children born? Tyler Jr - 2009, Trinity Faith - 2011, Timothy Isaac Josiah - 2013. BUT, truly on our drives from Atlanta to Myrtle Beach, THAT IS WHEN OUR CHILDREN WERE BORN. 

Tyler Jr, Trinity & Timothy …. one more to go! Our baby girl Taylor!

Secrets!

Mark 4:14 - The sower soweth the Word.

Mark 4:22 - [Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known.

Praise The Lord for the opportunity to get in His presence AND to be able to get into the presence of the Word. What good stuff!

In having my quiet time this morning, sitting with my husband like we usually do, Tyler and I got into a good conversation. Early in our marriage while we were visiting Charleston, SC, he got a revelation. As we laid on the grass looking up at the trees, he realized that the big water oaks were growing in that very moment. Effortlessly. With the right amount of water and sunlight, the trees grew big and beautiful. Tyler read this morning, "with the right amount of water and SON-light, we also grow!" With the right amount of LIVING water from the WORD of GOD, being in the presense of Jesus, WE as believers also can grow effortlessly.

Are you a sower?
It's ESSENTIAL to be a sower! If you are a believer and want to experience FRUIT and VICTORY in your life, it is ESSENTIAL to be a sower! When you sow the WORD of God continually into yourself, you can begin to see growth and victory in your life. Effortless. Victory. Every area of life.

More? As you spend time time in the presence of God, growing in the SON-light, those "SECRET REVELATIONS" are no longer a secret FROM you, but FOR you! As you dive into HIS presence, EVERYTHING is made clear. You begin to see with eyes that reveal answers. Mark 4:22 reminds us how to get answers! Secrets are hidden TO BE REVEALED by YOU the believer! Your answers are there, in the SECRET PLACE. As you sit in the presence of the Holy Spirit, seeking out answers, get your pad of paper ready for the answers to flow! The answers are not hidden FROM you, but FOR you to find when you get into HIS presence.

From Vodka to Vanilla

Phil 4:13 - I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

Philippians has always been one of my favorite books in the Bible. When I was in High School, Philippians 4:13 was my favorite verse, we even included it on the back of one of our cross-country shirts. Though there are the other great verses in the book, Phil. 2:13, Phil 3:14, Phil 4:8, Phil 1:6, just to name a few of my favorite.

This morning, for the first time ever, I read Philippians 4:13 differently as I read the amplified version. I noticed that in the amplified, it used the word "infuses." It says, "through Him Who infuses inner strength into me." 

You see... my recent "Martha Stewart" skills over the last 2 years caused me to try and learn how to make Vanilla Extract. I bake enough that I use vanilla extract A LOT! Not to mention my theory with vanilla... "If a little vanilla is good, a LOT is better!" When baking, I think vanilla makes everything better. If a cake or cookie recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, I add 2-3 teaspoons! But, vanilla is not cheap for the normal person! A small 2 ounce bottle may cost $4-5. That doesn't go to far with as much as I use it. So, that brings me to this eye-opening new way of seeing Philippians 4:13. I looked up the definition to the word "infuse." This is what it said:

infuse: to steep or soak (leaves, bark, roots, etc.) in a liquid so as to extract the soluble properties or ingredients.

In order to make vanilla extract, you need vodka or rum. You cut the vanilla beans, scrape out the "caviar" from the center, and both the bean and the "caviar" soaks in the vodka or rum. Then what happens, the vanilla flavor is infused into the vodka creating Vanilla Extract. The vanilla flavor is extracted into the vodka creating that super yummy ingredient for all your favorite baked goods. THE SECRET?!?!

Infusing takes TIME. 

For the vanilla beans to change the vodka from simply an "alcohol" to "vanilla extract" takes TIME. At least 6 months to be exact, and like wine, the longer the vanilla infuses into the vodka, the greater and richer of a flavor it will be. Like wine fermenting over time, vanilla beans will continue to extract their flavor and infuse into becoming a delicious ingredient that could make world renowned cookies! :) (If you know me, you know that I have been in a few chocolate chip cookie bake-off's, so I take my cookie baking and ingredients seriously! Ha!) 

The amplified version of Philippians 4:13 reads, "I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency."

The Holy Spirit will INFUSE INNER STRENGTH within you! But this infusing process takes time. It's going to take you and I steeping and soaking in the Word of God so that the Word of God can be extracted into our lives! So that the Word of God can begin to change our flavor, change our make-up, renew us, change us from the "vodka" (the world & flesh) to the "vanilla extract" (the good things, the God-nature, the Christian who walks in and by the Spirit). As we steep and soak in the Word of God, not only are we strengthened as it says in Phil 4:13, but our literal make-up begins to change. The cuss-words that were a part of our sin nature, as we steep in the Word of God, over time, those same cuss words begin to sound like nails on a chalkboard. Some of the movies we watched at one time, now seem to not be appropriate. As we steep, we are changing! The Holy Spirit is infusing us with INNER STRENGTH! When things come at us, we are stronger to handle them, where the previous us would have broken, the INFUSED US rises up with STRENGTH!

Friend, I encourage you.... take the time now steep and soak in the Word of God. Allow the WORD to get infused into your very being, so that when strength needs to rise up on the inside of you, that is exactly what will happen. You will be filled with inner strength and able to conquor anything!

NOT Walking in FEAR about your Children & Life!

Psalm 91:11 (NLV) - For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.

Psalm 118:6 (GNT) - The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid…

Job 3:25 (AMP) - For the thing which I greatly fear comes upon me, and that of which I am afraid befalls me.

As a believer, it is great to walk in and KNOW the promises that God has stored up for us. Often, before knowing some of these promises, I was living in fear, doubt and unbelief without even knowing it. Now as a parent, I can see where it is crucial to STAY in a spirit of FAITH and not fear. To PRAY prayers out of FAITH, based on the Promises in the Word and not pray prayers out of FEAR! Faith is from God. Fear is from Satan. John 10:10 reminds us that the enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy, but GOD has brought us LIFE and brought it abundantly! The enemy, Satan, wants me to live in, think about and meditate on fear based thoughts. BUT, when I am walking and living in fear, I am walking and living according how SATAN would have me live, NOT based upon how GOD wants me to live.

Let me give you a few examples… this morning, as I was journaling, I felt led to thank God. This was my prayer.

Bless Tyler today. Show him favor in all he puts his hands too. Thank you that he walks in divine health every day of his life AND I thank you for the angels that surround him wherever he goes!! EVERY DAY! 

I was praying a prayer based out of FAITH because the WORD has given me specific PROMISES that I can cling to and hold on to. As I was praying for Tyler, I envisioned literally an entourage of angels surrounding him as he goes out and about, as he drives in his car. The thing is, an entourage of angels lines exactly up with the WORD OF GOD! As it says in Psalm 91:11, "For He (God) will order, His angels to protect you wherever you go." In THANKING God, I am but putting HIS Word to work. I am putting Him in remembrance of His Word, a promise that has already been given to me as a believer. THAT PROMISE IS FOR ME! PROTECTION is a promise for ME and MY FAMILY!

Often, the life of Job causes many people to walk in a life of fear. They look at the story of Job, how his family, home, business and health was all stripped from him. Unfortunately, they miss the part about Job LIVING in FEAR. Job sacrificed offerings daily, out of FEAR for his family.

Today, AS A BELIEVER, someone who has the Word of God, the Bible, which we can go back to again and again to reference…. I CAN KNOW God's Promises and I can stand on them for my life and the life of my family! I can pray prayers based upon the WORD, out of FAITH because it is the WORD OF GOD. It is a PROMISE for me!

No fear for my children. I'm not immune to Satan wanting to PLANT seeds of fear in my head. I'm not immune to Satan trying to tell me something is wrong with Timothy while I lay in bed. Granted, don't get me wrong, it is good to check on your kids. But, as I lay there, I need to first check myself. Am I being led of God or led of Satan. Am I walking in faith or fear? My first response is to take every thought captive and under the obedience of Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 10:5). If the enemy is trying to get me into fear, my job as a believer is to STAY IN FAITH and stay OUT OF FEAR. I may even say out loud, "I refuse to fear. My kids are covered under the blood of Jesus. According to Ps 91:11, angels are protecting my children because that is a PROMISE God has given me. My kids are fine. I take every thought captive. Fear you must GO in Jesus Name! I refuse to walk in fear!" 

Once I have taken thoughts captive, then I determine whether I am going to check on my kids…. I may fall asleep peacefully, or I may go cover them up and make sure they are warm. Whatever it is, I'm taking faith-based actions, and not taking rushed and hurried actions because the enemy is planting fear in me about my children's safety. I heard my pastor say before, when the enemy tries to get him in fear, he'll often "cook an egg." If you think about it, fear almost always causes you to panic, rush and hurry. "Cooking an egg" tells the enemy, "NO! I WILL NOT FEAR and I WILL NOT RUSH. I'm going to just take my time! I'm not in a hurry. I choose to walk in faith. All is well."

I encourage you today, if there is something in your life that the enemy continues to try and use against you, whether it is safety for yourself, children, husband, maybe it is finances, health, whatever it is, FIND A PROMISE IN THE WORD on that issue! Find a Promise that you can USE against the enemy when he tries to get you in fear over the situation. The enemy is smart, and he WILL try and use fear against you. He is here to kill, steal and destroy. Do not let him steal your peace and joy by causing you be in fear. SHOOT BULLETS BACK at him of the WORD OF GOD! Those are sure to stop him in his tracks!


PS. Psalm 91:11 and Psalm 118:6 are BOTH two of the memory verses that Tyler Jr (age 4) and Trinity (age 2) know and can recite. If they say they are afraid, I want them to KNOW that we do not need to be afraid! FEAR has NO place in our home because THE LORD IS WITH US, WE WILL NOT BE AFRAID! And we have BIG ANGELS TO PROTECT US WHEREVER WE GO! There are not monsters in their closets, there are ANGELS in their room protecting them! 

Finding the WORD for YOUR Situation!

Jeremiah 30:2 - Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book.

Jeremiah 30:8b - ... I will burst your bonds....

Is there something that you desire to come to pass in your life? Maybe it is the desire of an accomplishment; owning a business, becoming financially independent, writing & publishing a book. Maybe it's an actual physical item, like a house or car. Or quite possibly it could be experiencing freedom in your life from something that is holding you back, some sort of bondage, something you feel is holding you captive. It could be experiencing freedom from a long term addiction to food, alcohol, drugs, sexual sin.

Friend, I encourage you to FIND THE WORD for your situation! God has laid out 66 BOOKS of answers, and within the text of His Word is YOUR answer! There is the rock, the foundation, the place which to plant your flag! Plant your faith. Do you have a desire? FIND THE WORD for your situation and STAND on that promise until it comes to pass! Let's just look at a few examples:

• Desire for a House:
Deuteronomy 6:10-11(KJV) - ..And the Lord thy God ... shall give thee houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not! - Do you desire a house? PLANT your faith on this verse! Plant your faith on THIS Word! Confess daily: "Thank you Lord for GIVING me HOUSES that are filled with good things! Thank you Father that you GIVE me the house I desire according to YOUR WORD in Deuteronomy 6:10-11! Thank you Lord! I receive your Word coming to pass in my life!"

• Desire to be free from bondage:
Jeremiah 30:8 - I will BURST your bonds! - You do not have to remain captive to bondage! CONFESS daily, "Thank you Lord, according to Jeremiah 30:8, you have BURST the bondage I have had to the sin of ______________. Thank you for bursting that bondage! Thank you for SETTING ME FREE that I no longer have to remain a captive to this sin. Thank you for FREEDOM!!!"

• Desire for Success as an Entrepreneur:
Proverbs 8:12 -  I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. - Witty Inventions? This could include concepts, ideas, actual inventions.... ideas that will help you be successful as a Child of God. Confess Daily: "Thank You Lord that you give me ideas, concepts, witty inventions that allow me to be financially independent. Ideas that You guide me to put into place that will allow me to financially bless and further my family and the Kingdom of God! Thank You that You give me more than enough in store for my family and to bless others!"

• Desire for Healing to your Body:
 Psalm 107:20 - He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. - God can HEAL YOUR BODY. Apply the Word to it! Confess Daily: "Thank You Lord that You have sent out YOUR WORD to Heal my body! Thank You that I walk in divine health! Thank You for healing me of any disease, germ or virus that touches my body, that it dies instantly in Jesus Name. Thank You that everything that has a name has to bow at the name of Jesus. In Jesus name I speak to the sickness of _____________ , and tell it you have NO PLACE IN MY BODY! I call my body healed and whole in JESUS NAME!" - I confess this on a regular basis and THE WORD of God healed my deformed pinky finger!!! I had broken or severely jammed my pinky finger when I was younger, for 10-20 years, I had just accepted it! One day I noticed, after I had been REGULARLY confessing this confession over my body, ONE day I looked at my finger and it was COMPLETELY NORMAL! The Word of God straightened and thinned out my finger until it looked JUST LIKE my other normal, pinky finger! 

The WORD WORKS! Apply the WORD to your life

Whatever it is for you, whatever the need, the dream, the desire, there IS A WORD for your situation! Search out the Word for your situation. There is a WORD for anything and everything, it is your job to find these hidden treasures that are HIDDEN FOR YOU TO FIND, and apply them to your life! Be diligent to confess the Word over YOUR SITUATION and watch the WORD come to pass in your life!

Be blessed today friend!

#226 - Wake Up Your Brain!

Proverbs 30:2-3 - Surely I am too brutish and stupid to be called a man, and I have not the understanding of a man [for all my secular learning is as nothing]. ³I have not learned skillful and godly Wisdom, that I should have the knowledge or burden of the Holy One.

Proverbs 31:10a - A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman--who is he who can find her?

Brainless. Have you ever went through your day and just felt like you had your brain turned off? Like you left your house without it? You left your brain & your cup of coffee on the counter as you headed out the door for work. Then... you went about your day just taking whatever came, accepting it and adjusting accordingly. Good & bad, you just accepted it.

This morning before I got into reading the Word, the Holy Spirit addressed this very issue with me. Here were some of His thoughts to me:

You have a lot more choices than you really are aware of. Choices to accept things & live with them, or simple choices NOT to accept certain things & live with them. Many believers go on with life never thinking, just accepting! If you & others would wake your BRAIN up, you would realize areas, little, simple areas of victory you COULD be walking in. These victories causing you to be more productive with less toil, happier & more fulfilled than you could have thought. 

Little, simple victories. I'm all about victories in my life! For me, part of what the Holy Spirit was referring to related specifically to energy, or lack there of.  Being 35 weeks pregnant, I have definitely had LOTS of times recently where I have been completely drained and in need of a nap. I've got to the end of my rope many days and had to sleep. The Holy Spirit addressed with me, speaking to my energy levels BEFORE getting tired. Speaking to my energy levels during a time I felt fresh. As it says in Romans, calling things that are not as though they were. Sure, we all have choices. I could leave my brain off, and when fatigue hit, just go with it and take a nap. Wrong, no, not necessarily. BUT what the Holy Spirit was wanting to reveal to me was this, I do not just HAVE TO accept what comes. I have choices! You have choices! So often, our brain is turned off to our rights as a believer, the promises that are ours. It takes a conscience effort to keep our brains turned on. To really evaluate, Is this right? Should I accept this or choose something different? Is there something better? What does the Word say?"


As it talks about in Proverbs 30:2 and Proverbs 31:10, we can live being stupid or being intelligent. Proverbs 30 talks about the stupid man living off merely his secular knowledge and this knowledge is as nothing. How awesome that as believers we CAN walk in skillful & godly wisdom. We have access to not just walking through life accepting what comes our way, but with our brains ON, and being tuned in to the Holy Spirit, we truly can live a better life! We can life a blessed life even in the simple areas. Even in the simple day to day activities like housework or grocery shopping or having energy! We can look to the Word for ANY situation we are going through and apply the Word, confess it & walk in it. Specifically for me & energy, I could choose to apply the Word this way:

Thank You Father that Your Word says in Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired." Father, since Your Word says it, I'm going to believe it! Therefore I CHOOSE to have ENERGY! I choose to be RENEWED! Thank you Father for giving me energy! Thank you for being true to Your Word and performing it! I praise you that I can have a day filled with energy, energy that YOU promised! Thank You FATHER for ENERGY TODAY!!! 

Do you see how easy it would be turn on or off our brain? For me in this situation, to turn off my brain and accept fatigue without even a second thought. Or turn ON my brain, accept the WORD of God & His promises and receive energy! Unfortunately, many a days have went by where my brain has been turned off in this area, and I have just accepted fatigue.

What is it for you today? I challenge you today, don't just accept what comes your way today. Filter it! Do you REALLY want to receive it? Does it REALLY line up with the Word of God? Wake up your brain and walk in the promises that God has for you!

#191 - Keeping the WORD at the Forefront

Good morning! I pray you are having a blessed day so far as I am! Finished Day #2, back writing/editing first thing when I wake up.... it feels so productive! Praise God for counsel from others. :) OK... let's get going this morning....

Proverbs 7:1-3 - MY SON, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments [for use when needed] and treasure them. ²Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye. ³Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Deut. 6:5, 7 - ...love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.... teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Proverbs 31:14 - She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs; she brings her household's food from a far [country].

Keep my commandments & live. I am on a bit of a time schedule this morning, but the Holy Spirit assured me that He had a Word for today. I was impressed, as I often am, that the Holy Spirit did quickly pull together His Word from God's Word. Often in the Bible, like in Matthew 4, the Word of God is compared to food. In Matthew 4, Jesus is being tempted by Satan to turn rocks into loaves of bread to eat. Jesus uses the Word in His defense and tells Satan that the WORD of God IS His food. Proverbs 7 this morning begins with keeping and observing the Word, God's commandments, for doing this we will live. Further, if we flip back to Deut 6, we are told to even impress and continually teach our children the Word. To impress upon their minds, daily, consistently, upon waking and upon going to sleep, we are to remind our children AND in doing so, we remind ourselves that we, "Love the Lord with all our heart, soul & might." By saying it outloud, we remind our MIND, and as we continue in the Word, those words we tell our children begin to take ROOT in our hearts. As we do this, we are "raising up a child in the way they shall go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it." Verbalizing our love for the Lord, our commitment to love and be obedient to him, plants something powerful in our hearts, plants something powerful in the pliable hearts of our children. Pliable: easily bent, flexible, easily influenced, adaptable, adjusting readily to change. As our children grow older and older, the world will want more of a say in how they believe. As parents, we have a responsibility, like it talks about in Deuteronomy 6, to TEACH them early on, to raise them up in the Word of God, to instruct them of God's commandments, to abide & follow them. We are raising up a godly generation that this world so desperately needs!

I looked at Proverbs 31:14 in a new way this morning, thanks to the Holy Spirit. "She is like the merchant ships loaded with foodstuffs." The Bible often refers or likens "food" to the "Word of God," in this situation, I could see how it may be doing the very same thing! Our Proverbs 31 mother, is LOADED with the Word of God! "She brings her household FOOD from afar." Our Proverbs 31 woman acts with a purpose. She is purposeful. She is planting the WORD of God into her children and anyone who is in her household! She comes, DAILY, bearing the Word, just like it commands us to do in Deuteronomy 6. Upon rising and upon going to bed, planting the Word, setting reminders of the Word, remembering the Promises of the Word.

I'm reminded of how important is the REMEMBER the Word. In Proverbs 7, it talks about binding the Word on your fingers, placing them upon the tablets of your heart. Setting out reminders! Remembering the Word. Today.... what does that mean to us? For Tyler and I, it often means setting reminders on our cell phone. Our cell phone rings often throughout the day to remind us of one of God's promises, to remind us of a Word that we are standing on for our life. For you, it may mean, writing the Word on your bathroom mirror, putting a scripture on the door as you leave for work, putting a scripture on the dash of your car so you see it as you drive. Setting out those IMPORTANT reminders, keeping the Word at the forefront of our minds.

What is going to be YOUR reminder today of God's promises in YOUR life?? Hold on to them! They are hope! They are true yesterday, today & forever!

Have a blessed day! :)

#179 - Hold the THIEF Accountable!

Good morning! It's going to be a blessed day here in SC, what about where you are?? Let's jump right into the Word this morning!

Proverbs 6:30-31 - Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry; But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary--to meet his fine].

The thief! Another verse that immediately jumps to my mind when thinking about the "thief" is John 10:10,  "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)." Who is the thief? Most often known as Satan! He is the thief and out to steal whatever he can get his hands on, it it makes us unhappy, he is after it. If it takes our focus off of our calling on our life, he is after it. If it puts us in strife & anger, he is after it. Satan comes to steal, kill & destroy, and IF we let him, that is exactly what he will do. 


I remember several years ago, Tyler's car was broken into. The broke the window, tried to unsuccessfully steal his CD player from the dash, but they did get away with a set of golf clubs & his new iPod. He was obviously upset about it. He's not much of a golfer, so he wasn't too distraught over those, but he had just got his iPod and was really upset about that. Being the "techy" that he is, he had downloaded several books, Success CD's, songs, etc onto the iPod and was using it a lot. Though the iPod was a gift, it was adding a ton of knowledge to him as he was working out, driving, or just out and about. Tyler was constantly putting good stuff in him. 


Several days after the iPod was stolen, he was still really upset. The police hadn't found the thief yet, and we weren't totally holding our breath on that happening. Then... I had an idea. I said to Tyler, "Why don't you just sow the iPod and bless the person who took it." We know how sowing and reaping works, and when you sow you can expect 30, 60, 100 times back what you have sown. BUT, we also knew about Proverbs 6:31. He blessed the PERSON that stole it, but the spirit behind the person that stole it was Satan. Satan is the thief! And we were holding Satan accountable to what the Word said! Satan was going to have to repay 7-fold of what he had stolen because that's what it said in the Word! Satan had to repay SEVEN TIMES the cost of the iPod, as well as the cost of the knowledge Tyler was gaining from what he had downloaded!


The rest of the story? A few weeks had gone by, and we were still thanking God for a successful outcome. We were thanking God for the victory. Wouldn't you know it, Tyler received a phone call. The  company we work with had chosen Tyler among thousands of people to help pilot a program with cell phone applications. In being a part of this program he would receive a free iPhone and free service for 6 months. Now, this was when the iPhone was brand new and very expensive. It was most definitely the hottest thing on the market at the time and not many people had it. That along with the free service for 6 months added up to being a lot. We didn't add up the total value, but believe it was probably close to 7 times what had been stolen from him. 


The Word works when you WORK THE WORD! God's Word is true ALL the time, we just have to first KNOW the Word and then Work the Word through confession and continually meditating on the Word day and night. 


Has the enemy stolen from you? Hold him to repaying! Don't just let him ride off with a "free car" or "free TV" or "business partners" or whatever it is that he has stolen! Satan is accountable to the WORD OF GOD! Expect that YOU will receive a 7-fold return for what he has stolen from you! Stand strong, and watch your victory come! 

#159 - Give Your Battle a VOICE!

GOOD MORNING! It's a bit chilly out there today!! Is it where you live?? Yesterday was rainy and cold, definitely an indoor day. We enjoyed the weekend in Indiana doing business & visiting my family.... got home around 2:00 am yesterday after a 13 hour DRIVE! Yes, DRIVE! Even with a 1 year old! Wow! Quite amazing, I know! Tyler Jr was quite a trooper, such a good little traveler. Nonetheless, after getting home, bringing some stuff in, and finally getting to bed, we were rolling upon 3:00, so TJ & I slept in yesterday! He didn't wake up until 11:30!!

Well, let's get going and see what the Lord has to say today! :)

Psalm 29:2 - Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.

Psalm 29:3a, 4a, 5a, 7a, 8a, 9a - The voice of the Lord...  The voice of the Lord...  The voice of the Lord...  The voice of the Lord...  The voice of the Lord...  The voice of the Lord... 

Psalm 29:11 - The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace. 

As I began into my Quiet Time this morning, like usual, I first pulled out my journal and began to journal. I couldn't help but look back over the month and be thankful over all the things the Lord has done. The little things and the big things. How HE has completely just provided. I was reminded of how our Father provides by getting a package off the front porch this morning. It was a package for Tyler Junior! A pair of shoes & a summer outfit. He does not even know it, but he is completely provided for! All his needs are met ALL the time! And if he had any needs, he would have grandparents falling in line to meet them, to bless him, dress him, feed him, do whatever to provide for any and every need. As that was my "before" experience before my Quiet Time... I started out with just a grateful heart, thankful how the LORD provides! Through one means or another, He provides, He comes through. His grace, His mercy and when it doesn't make sense on paper, it's by His grand Provision! Like Psalm 29:2 says, Give the glory due HIS NAME! Give Him the glory that HE deserves! We all have things to be thankful for, health, finances, family, relationships, protection, clothes, a warm home, living in an area that HASN'T been hit by a Tsunami or earthquake. We have SO much to be thankful for. Give Him the glory due His Name! Give Him the glory! 

Thank you Father! Thank you Lord! We PRAISE YOU right now! We PRAISE YOU for all you have done! Thank you Father for providing! Thank you for protecting! Thank you for your hedge of protection! Thank you for being great and mighty! Thank you for allowing ME to be your child, for allowing me to be an heir. Thank you Lord for sending Jesus. Thank you that I, with the mistakes and all I have done, thank you the you have given ME a second chance. Thank you for forgiving me, redeeming me! Thank you Father for forgiveness! Father, I PRAISE YOU! You are SO worthy to be praised!! Thank you that you are Jehovah Rapha, God our Healer! Thank you that you are Jehovah Jirah, God our Provider! Thank you that you are Jehovah Nissi, God our Victory, our Banner! You are God our Peace, Jehovah Shalom! Thank you Father! We praise you! You are so worthy to be praised! 

As we read further in Psalm 29, out of the 11 verses, 6 of them begin with "The voice of the Lord." As I read these... they revealed something MIGHTY that the Voice of the Lord brought forth. ie: Makes the wilderness tremble, Splits and flashes forth forked lightning. The verses remind us how POWERFUL the Voice of the Lord is. As I was reading them, the immediate thing that popped up in my spirit was this, WE, YOU & I, are made in the very image of who these verses are talking about! We were made in the image of God. Where it says the VOICE of the LORD is powerful, we could also substitute this: THE VOICE OF AMY is powerful! The VOICE of Deb is powerful! The Voice of David is powerful! The Voice of Stephanie is powerful! Put your name in there! As children of God, WE were made in HIS image! When we committed our lives to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we were given a power that can only come from heaven. We were given power and authority to operate in strength on this earth! And, we can read verse after verse in Proverbs and throughout the Bible on how powerful our Words are, the strength that our Words hold. Even God did it to Abram in the old testament. Abram & Sarai, married, no children and past child baring years, what did God do? God SAID, I change your name to ABRAHAM, which means Father of many Nations! I change your name from Sarai (which means quarrelsome) to SARAH, which means Princess. In a time that they did not have ANY children, and were getting old into years.... old? Yes, even as old as 90 years old! Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 before they had their first child, Isaac! But, WORDS! Words are powerful! Putting VOICE to our situation is so powerful!

Still a bit uneasy on accepting it? Fast forward down to Psalm 29:11... what does it say there? The LORD will give unyielding and impenetrable STRENGTH to HIS people! One way He gives us this strength, is through our ability to TALK! To give VOICE to a situation! "My God supplies all MY needs according to HIS riches in glory! I call my bills paid!" - "By Jesus stripes, I AM healed! I call this headache GONE in Jesus Name!" - "I have FAVOR in the sight of God & man, therefore, in this situation, in this meeting, I THANK YOU God for FAVOR! Unmerited Favor!"

The Lord gives STRENGTH to HIS people! Begin today with your Voice! Satan can't hear your thoughts. You can't fight your battles in your mind, with your thoughts, you MUST give WORDS to your battle! You must SPEAK! Give your battle a VOICE! In your voice is STRENGTH!

#140 - Stay Grounded!

Good morning. How are you doing today?!? Good here! My boy is 15 months old today! WOW! Pretty amazing. It seemed like just yesterday he wasn't mobile and just laying on a blanket or in a swing. Boy, how things have changed! And today is one of my previous students birthday's. :) Tori! :) Happy Birthday Tori!! She's a very special young lady. Also hard to believe I taught her as a 6th grader and she is now 20 years young!!! WOW! She's grown up to become a beautiful young lady. 


Well... let's get going. 

Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him, but at the end of it is the way of death.

I remember my husband sitting down with a young man a year or two ago. It was quite interesting... but my husband felt let to tell this young man that a time was coming for him when there would be 2 roads for him to choose. They would both appear right, but one would lead to destruction. It would be important when this young man entered into this time that he would be able to recognize the roads. Though the one appeared good, was not the road to travel. 


Fast forward some time, about a year or two. In hindsight, this young man came to Tyler and said he remembered the dinner we had and Tyler telling him this. It was from the Lord, and I remember the dinner clearly also. The young man proceeded to tell Tyler of the 2 roads. How the one road appeared to be a good one. What was down that road appeared good, but it was extremely misleading. That road led to lies and deception, and ultimately could have led to this man choosing a mate that was not for him. Both roads were there. Both roads were there to travel. One led to destruction, one led to promotion & blessings. 


As Christians, it is KEY that we stay GROUNDED in the Word and with Christian fellowship. The enemy will come to steal, kill & destroy (Jn 10:10). The enemy wants to deceive and draw us OFF the path of blessing that God has for our lives. As Christians, IN SEASON & OUT OF SEASON, it is key for us to keep our feet grounded in the Word. Praise God that this young man stayed grounded in the Word & in Christian fellowship during this time of his life. Because of that he was able to RECOGNIZE and avoid destruction. He was able to see what was truly the path that led to destruction, he was able to see it clearly. 


Where ever you are today. Make it a continual effort to grow in your relationship with the Lord. When you are growing, when you are deepening that relationship, the Bible says, the Voice of a stranger you WILL NOT FOLLOW. When you are establishing that relationship and strengthening your relationship with the Lord, you will recognize the paths clearly. You will recognize which one is laced with deception. 


So... young man, where ever you are out there today, I want you to know as your Sister in Christ, I am proud of you! I am proud of you for staying on the path that leads to life! Continue staying grounded! God has very great things in store for your life, including an amazing wife. 

#139 -Breathing LIFE!

Good morning! It was snowing here this morning. :) A bit odd for us here, but it's suppose to get up to 51 today, so I doubt we will be having a "winter wonderland." :) Hope you are good in your part of the world.  It amazing how much the Internet allows us to be connected. I remember wondering how the whole "WORLD" would see when Jesus came back... but now with all of technology & new things coming out all the time, I can see how it would be possible! And what a glorious day that will be!


Let's get started: 

Proverbs 10:21 - The lips of the [uncompromisingly] righteous feed and guide many, but fools die for want of understanding and heart.

As I read this verse, it just jumped out at me. Really, came alive. I've read it before, and thought it before, but maybe didn't realize the magnitude that it's words held. The LIPS of the uncompromisingly righteous feed & guide many. This verse is talking about YOU, child of God! YOU are the righteous, and YOU feed and guide many! 


I started realizing over the last several months the power in this! Equally the power in NOT doing what it says. The lips. How do your lips feed & guide many? Let's just take your words for example. Maybe you are a parent, you have the ability to breathe life and belief into your children. You have the ability to tell them they are capable of ANYTHING they could dream of doing. You have the ability with your words to empower them to grow up and DO great things and BE great! With your words of encouragement, you are FEEDING their spirit. You are guiding them to be WHO they were destined to be! 


Maybe you own a business. Maybe you have a team of people that are looking for just ONE person in their life to believe in them. YOU now have the opportunity to FEED those people. To breathe life & hope into them. WITH your LIPS, you have the ability to speak into their life and help them become maybe who they were scared to be. 


Are you a teacher? Maybe YOU are the only person that will ever speak encouragement into that one student. You know, the student that comes from a broken home. The student that comes to school often looking down at their feet, looking like they are a world away in their thoughts. Maybe for them to have a chance at life, YOU were put in their life to BREATHE hope and life into them. To feed & guide their spirit! I would imagine if you kept them after class, sat them down and just looked in their eyes and said, "I just want you to know I see really great things in you! I see you doing really great things in your life. I think you are very special. I don't see you as just average, but I really believe that you were DESTINED to do REALLY GREAT things! Do you know that? You have special gifts inside of you, and I believe God really wants to use them for great things! I just wanted to keep you back just to tell you that I see something VERY special in you!"


You know what.... whatever your profession, parent, business owner, teacher, I bet if you had that conversation with someone and just looked them straight in the eyes as you were talking to them, I bet you would see tears well up in their eyes. I bet you would see into their soul. You would see in their eyes hope. You would maybe see a question, or they may even ask, "Do you really see that? Do you really think I'm meant to do great things?" 


People are STARVED!!! You have the ability to FEED THEM! With your lips, as it says in Proverbs 10:21, you have the ability to FEED THEM! To feed their spirit! To breathe life into them! With your belief, to breathe hope in them! Who knows you may very well be speaking to the next Bill Gates. The next Donald Trump. The next multi-millionaire who JUST needed ONE PERSON to FEED THEM. They are on the brink of STARVATION. They just need YOU to feed their soul. To tell them that THEY CAN DO IT! They are special! THEY ARE MEANT TO DO GREAT THINGS!


And you know what I bet?? If you are in a school, even with the whole "don't talk about God" thing... I bet if you had that conversation with a student, they would NEVER go rat on you for saying "GOD things they are special." They will go about the rest of their day walking with a hop in their step. 


People are starving and they need YOU! Who will it be today that you can believe in? Who will you FEED & GUIDE with your words of encouragement. You may well see the next great success emerge because of your belief! Most definitely those words would not be in vain! 

#124 - Be Liberal with your Praise

Hello! I pray this finds you having a blessed day thus far! Columbia is still partially shut down due to the snow. Kids are still out playing, sledding & building snowmen. The sun has finally come back out and graced us with pretty blue skies. I would anticipate the snow is on it's way out. As for us...Tyler & I went OUT last night to dinner while "the boy" went to his normal babysitter. Yippee! The occasion? We were celebrating my finishing my first book. 


Anyways... let's get started. Let me put out a reminder of the reading schedule and let you know again how I do my reading. You are obviously welcome to do whatever works for you! I typically am reading with the expectation that the Lord will reveal something to me. I usually start with the Proverbs for the day (ie: today is January 12th, so I read Proverbs 12), then I either go to the daily Proverbs 31:10-31, and may continue with the Psalms schedule (ie: for today, Psalm 12, 42, 72, 102, 132 - basically starting with the day "12" and adding 30). Well... sometimes I don't get all the way through Psalms. Like today, I didn't even get to Psalms. I got to Proverbs 12 and 31, and that was all. The Holy Spirit revealed to me what I needed to hear today out of just reading that. So... I say all that to say this, don't feel pressured or condemned if you don't read "everything"! We do not walk or operate in a spirit of condemnation, and that includes when you read the word. Some days, you may only have time to read ONE verse.... that is OK too. You do what YOU need to do. God can use one verse to change a persons life. If you do only read one verse, choose to meditate on it throughout the day. While you drive, allow your brain to go over the verse. Think about it. Ask the Holy Spirit for insight into the verse. Allow it to churn. As you meditate on the Word, the Holy Spirit will give you insight. Will remind you of a story that may relate to the verse. Maybe make one word jump out to you, and you later look that word up in the dictionary to get a deeper meaning or clarification on the verse. Maybe you look up the verse in the Greek or Hebrew, to get it's original context. I'm just saying there are multiple ways to "skin a cat".... (yikes... hopefully none of us are really literally doing that!) .... there are multiple ways to get in the Word... and THIS way works for me. I read until the Holy Spirit flags a verse for me to meditate on. Then... that verse usually is the key verse in the devotion I write. So... without further ado, let's get in the Word.

Proverbs 12:25 - Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad.

Proverbs 31:12 -  She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her.

In the King James Version, Proverbs 12:25 substitutes the word anxiety for "heaviness." Having a heavy heart. Have you ever had a heavy heart? Well, last night as Tyler and I sat at one of our favorite restaurants, Carrabba's, talking about my book, and talking about our year. I have officially been out of Corporate America for a FULL year. Due to God, and the income we derive from our business we have had on the side of our jobs for the last 7-8 years, I was able to resign. Retire. Choose to do something else. Whatever you want to call it, I have now been home raising our son, and doing whatever I want EVERYDAY! Tyler pointed out something pretty neat. He said, "Amy, do you realize in the last year you have really only had 2-3 bad days?" He was absolutely right. Really, almost every day over the last 365 has been AWESOME! Blessed! Where I have just loved the day! Quite different than my experience in Corporate America.... where sometimes people I worked with, bankers would make me cry. On a few occasions clients made me cry. They would say things so mean or expect so much, that I just broke down. Some people were just mean. Or the constant flow of emails, voicemails, phone calls, appointments, price comparisons, rate reviews, servicing calls, DEMANDS, DEMANDS, DEMANDS. "Amy, I need this! Amy do that! Amy, get this done! Amy, I need this ASAP! Amy, I need equipment and I want you to GIVE it to me. Amy, I want this for free, I deserve it!" AHHHHHHHHHHH! People expecting something for nothing. Or MANY times people expecting me to make an emergency out of their poor preparation. Since they didn't plan well enough, their problem was now suppose to be my emergency where I DROP everything else I was doing to accommodate them and get them out of the BIND they put themselves in. One word. STRESS! 


Well.... I went from a constant state of frustration, to a world of bliss! I never knew that every day could really be awesome! Well... yesterday was ONE of the few days that was a kind of bad day. For no real major reasons... it was just a day that I felt I was in a "funk." Part of it was that I was re-reading a part of my book that was re-living some bad things. It's the part in any "Cinderella" story that had the baggage. It was hard for me to "go back there." Relive. Remember. And... it put me in a funk, my heart was most definitely heavy. I couldn't put my finger on it until we were at dinner. 


With all that said, the point is, Be Liberal with Praise! Be Liberal with Encouragement! Just when I needed it... when I needed a little help, a little boost getting back to my "happy place," I got a FaceBook message from a friend of mine who lives in Charleston. She didn't know I needed encouraged, but she just told me how much she has enjoyed reading this blog. She told me it was funny, witty & refreshing. Words that I really needed to hear, that really refreshed me. Thank you Carmen! :-)  


Liberal with Praise. Any time I have a good thought run through my mind about someone, I try to tell them immediately. The other day I was at Dick's Sporting Goods, I saw a woman who was very pretty. I didn't know her, had never seen her. I just opened my mouth and said, "You are so beautiful. You have such a pretty face, you could be a model." She smiled and blushed a little, and thanked me. I would bet those words made her day. Maybe she had gained a few pounds over the holidays and was feeling frumpy. Or maybe she had a frustrating conversation with her daughter. Maybe she was stressed out because she spent too much money on Christmas gifts and was now having to scrimp. Or maybe she was JUST FINE and happy. I have no idea! But, I do know that it is Biblical to encourage people. It may have been just the words she needed to pick herself back up and feel good about herself, to turn a corner and begin back on the path of being productive.


That's what Carmen's words did for me last night. They were encouraging and really helpful to me! I woke up this morning feeling great! No funk! Just great.


So today.... who can you be encourage? Who do you have kind words for? A stranger? A friend? Family? You may think they "have it all together." You may think, "Oh, they do not need encouragement, they already think they have it together. I don't want to make their head big." Well, you never know, but they may be the VERY person that needs some kind words. 


Food for thought. Who can you encourage today? If you think something kind, SAY IT! Be Liberal! 

#116 - GET VIOLENT!

Good afternoon! It's officially afternoon here! Living a blessed life, are you? Well, strap yourself in for this one, it's a good message that has been stirring inside me for awhile and church yesterday added fuel to the fire. The Holy Spirit is doing a good work and I'm excited to be EXCITED about life! Let's get into it!

Proverbs 13:2a - A good man eats good from the fruit of his mouth...

Proverbs 13:19a - Satisfied desire is sweet to a person... 

Psalm 103:20 - Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. 

The message? Get VIOLENT! "Get violent? What?" You may be thinking. And, YES! Get VIOLENT! Now is the time. I want you to think about some things. We are in the middle of this Christmas season, with New Year's quickly approaching. I would guess, in the midst of your Christmas shopping, planning of parties, baking chocolates and goodies, and looking for the perfect gift for your spouse and family... well, I would anticipate that somewhere in the back of your mind you also have some floating thoughts about New Year's resolutions?? Maybe thoughts like, "I want this year to be different. I want this next year to be better. I just want those positive changes that I've been thinking about, wishing and wanting to come to pass in my life." Well friend, NOW is the time to get VIOLENT with it. Now is the time to take these thoughts and bring them out in the spoken word. It is time to get VIOLENT with your words!


I want to share some things that my Pastor talked about yesterday. It was one of those messages that was SHOUTING material it was so good. He was on a roll! So... on behalf of Pastor Jenkins, THANK YOU for the WORD Pastor! Now... let me share it with you all! 


Our words are extremely powerful. In Proverbs 13:2, it talks about how you will eat GOOD, you will have good OUTCOME because of your mouth. Friend, if you are not speaking, NOW is the time to begin. If you are not putting LIFE to your situation, your dreams, your goals with your Words, you are missing out! Verse 19 tells us that a desire is sweet when it is SATISFIED! When the desire has come to MANIFESTATION! That is when the desire is truly it's sweetest! "Your deliverance is in your MOUTH!" Job 22:28 says, "You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God's favor] shall shine upon your ways." 


Decree. What is decree. Here's the definition in the dictionary: a formal and authoritative order, esp. one having the force of law: a presidential decree. In the Bible when a King would make a DECREE, he would be setting a LAW in place. Whatever HE said or DECREED became law. Became what the people would them follow. When the King would DECREE a law or an order, servants would go out on his behalf and see that it came to pass. Friend, as co-heirs with Jesus who is THE KING OF KINGS.... He is KING and Lord over US. He is King and Lord over us, Children of God, Co-Heirs with Christ, and Kings in this time and land. Friend, WE, believers, when we got saved now have AUTHORITY to DECREE things on our behalf. And ANGELS are waiting to go out and ESTABLISH the WORD, but they need to have instructions. The WORD has to go forth, therefore, YOU NEED TO SPEAK THE WORD TO EMPLOY ANGELS. Psalm 103:20 - "Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word." ANGELS OBEY the WORD of God. If you are NOT speaking the WORD, you are not giving them something to do. You are not giving them an assignment to accomplish. They obey the Word to bring it to pass. The King (Jesus) of Kings (believers), has given US authority to DECREE things ON EARTH that they may come to pass. 


OK... I know if this is the first time you have ever hear any of this, it may be a little bit deep. I hope you are following with me. 


Since you are a king, it is time to put your WORDS to WORK! It is time to begin DECREEING over your situation! It is time to get VIOLENT and AGGRESSIVE with your Words! It is time to DECREE! We, believers are not DECREEING ENOUGH! We are not SPEAKING enough! We are TOO QUIET! It's time to get loud! 


My pastor talked about Breaking down the enemy with your words. Think about it, kids do it all the time! Not saying that parents are the enemy... but check this out... how often have you heard something like this: 

• "Mom, can I have a cookie?" 
• "NO" 
• "Aww mom, please can I have a cookie?" 
• "No. Not now." 
• "But please mom, just one cookie. please?" 
• "I said no." 
• "But why mom?"  
• "Because I said NO."
• "But please, just one cookie. I've been good all day."  
• "OK fine, just one."

What happened here? With his words, this child got what he wanted. He just kept on and kept on and kept on, until his mom, for all intensive purposes was worn down and said yes. The same thing happened in Luke 18 with the persistent widow. She continues to persist with the judge, and because of her persistence, she is granted what she wanted. 


Another example, picture this... a drip of water. Doesn't seem strong, but over time... if that drip, day in and day out is dripping on the same place on a rock....day in, day out. Year after year. It drips and drips and drips and drips. What is going to happen? This small drip is going to wear down the rock. Your Words can act the same way, but with even a greater amount of power. YOUR words are like a PUNCH to the enemy. As you SPEAK the WORD, your goals, your desires, and you DECREE them, you back them up with the Word, it's like punching the enemy. Over and over. You speak them, you speak them, you speak them. You YELL them, you get LOUD with them! You shout them! You get AGGRESSIVE and PASSIONATE about them! The enemy takes each punch and you are making HIM weaker. You are defeating him! Until finally, your words come with SUCH FORCE that your WORDS BRING YOUR VICTORY!!!! YOUR DELIVERANCE IS IN YOUR MOUTH! You can change your finances. Grab some verses (Deut 28) - "You are the head and not the tail in your finances. You are above and not beneath. You walk in abundance. You lend to nations." Put some power behind your Words! Get the WORD behind your WORDS! And begin to speak them VIOLENTLY! 


Get AGGRESSIVE! Make THIS the year where the desires of your heart come to pass! You pay for your house, IN CASH! You get out of debt! You pay for a car, WITH CASH! You walk in complete HEALTH, no sickness or disease in your body! Your relationships are HEALED and WHOLE, better than ever! 


GET VIOLENT with your WORDS! Like you were on stage of a broadway show! Are your words convincing? Is your passion really there! LET IT SHOW! 

#90 - Some Truths Can Go Unsaid.

Good morning. It's raining here in Columbia. I'm still enjoying the morning though. Sometimes rain is nice. Out on my porch, it's rather comfortable. As I've been writing my book, it brings me to such different places.... the journey of going back in time and reliving some of the events. It is definitely not always fun. The heaviness of my heart this morning was then confirmed by the scriptures I read today. It's amazing how God does it. The importance of guarding our mouth, guarding our words.... that is what we are going to visit today. 

Proverbs 25:26 - Like a muddied fountain and a polluted spring is a righteous man who yields, falls down, and compromises his integrity before the wicked.

Psalm 25:7 - Remember not the sins (the lapses and frailties) of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your mercy and steadfast love remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord. 

Psalm 55:14 - We had sweet fellowship together and used to walk to the house of God in company. 

Proverbs 31:26 - She opens her mouth in skillful and godly Wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness [giving counsel and instruction].

Well, it is a definite "Praise the Lord" that HE forgets our sin. The moment we ask for forgiveness, our sin is washed away. Like we've talked about lately, as far as the east is from the west, our sin is forgotten. What a wonderful thing! Though that is great, in regards to our words, when sin is accompanied with our words, things we have said, to some, those words may never be forgotten. 

I'll take you back to early on in mine and Tyler's marriage. We were young, obviously still growing in our walk with the Lord, as we still are, and just excited about life. Living life to the fullest. Accomplishing goals. Accomplishing dreams. Chasing God's calling on our life. (Still things we do today!) But, in all that, the key is, we were "raw". We were un-finished, definitely un-polished, and at times our zealousness maybe came off the wrong way to people. 

My best friend while I was in college still lived back home. I was most definitely focused on specific things Tyler and I were pursuing. We had some specific goals, with a time-line and we were very focused. It had been close to two years that I had lived in the south. Living several hundred miles away from someone, being newly married and someone taking the #1 'earthly' spot in my life, and in a focused pursuit of some goals left my friend feeling very unimportant. As I have thought back on the season in my life when we were best friends, it truly was sweet fellowship. We would spend hours talking about the Lord, so green, just so excited to seek Him out and learn about Him. We would read our Bibles together, I'd go visit her and we'd stay up late into the night talking about God and the hopeful plans for our life. Most of our late night talks did revolve around the "boys" in our lives. For me, it was Tyler. I couldn't get my mind off him. I just knew that one day God would reveal to him that he was going to marry me. 


We did have a sweet friendship. But until one day, she confronted my "lack of putting enough effort" into our friendship. It seemed this was a constant guilt trip I had been feeling whenever we talked. I felt frustrated and I felt smothered. Things had definitely changed. In my "raw" way, I finally told her the things I was pursuing with Tyler, my marriage and our goals in our marriage were more important. Yikes. Our conversation quickly ended. I felt horrible, but what I said was true. I maybe didn't have the people skills to do it more tactfully, but what was done was done. 


And that was the end of that. Our friendship never recovered. She was hurt. I was hurt. What I said and the way I said it definitely did not reflect the "law of kindness" like the Proverbs 31 woman. They were things that were true, they were my feelings, but they were not said in kindness. My invitation to be a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding had soon been recanted, and our friendship left a dark pit in my heart. 


Sure... God forgave me. Many times over through the years that I talked to God about it. Asked for forgiveness, and even asked for my friends forgiveness, but what was done could not be undone. Forgiven, yes. Forgotten, no. 


Will anything ever come of the friendship I once shared? I'm not sure. She was a very dear friend during a very pivotal time in my life. A time when I needed a Christian friend, she was there. Sure, I felt a bit smothered at times.... but she was a great friend. 


I've learned from it. I'd like to say I'm more polished now, more studied in the Word, less raw. I know now, if we ask God's direction, seek His face, He always has an answer. Like the Proverbs 31 woman, it is an answer wrapped in kindness. And.... I have definitely learned that some truths can go unsaid.


Guard your tongue today. God will forget, but sometimes people have a hard time forgetting. If in doubt, don't say it, just be quiet. Some truths can go unsaid.