“Our strengths and abilities make us useful; it is our weaknesses that make us usable.”

http://f2fencounter.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/our-strengths-and-abilities-make-us-useful-it-is-our-weaknesses-that-make-us-usable/

Young Fire: Passion or Certified to be qualified?

Why does a degree and certificate make you qualify? Or is it your passion for what you have an interest in that makes you qualified? Is it your vision for what you would like to see happen? The impact you desire to make? What makes a person qualified to step out and try something new, do we always need “a credible source”? Or do we let our passion and determination be our way for people to listen and follow us?

Am I qualified? Will anyone want to hear what I have to say? Will they catch and follow what I am trying to say and do? Will anyone care? These are the top questions that always flow through my mind when I have something I want to do; when I have a desire or vision to do something.  I use to be degree oriented; I needed to get a degree for everything that I wanted to do. 

I’m frustrated. I feel inadequate. I feel like I am not qualified to do anything. I don’t feel qualified or adequate enough to write, to share my experiences, to share my story, to encourage and help people change for the better. I always feel like I need a paper that says I am qualified in order for people to hear what i have to say. I feel like I need one in order to write, to tutor math, to help people exercise and lose weight, to educate people about healthy lifestyle, to train and teach people martial arts. Obviously you have to have something to give people. That’s the thing; I don’t know if I have what is needed. I don’t think I have what they are looking for. But I have a desire, I have a passion, I have this vision of making an impact in people lives with these tools, but I don’t feel qualified or equipped to use them in this current stage of life. Then how do I use them? How do I get training? How do I get experience without paying an arm and a leg to get education? How do I get the training I need without spending four years to be able to be “ready” and “certified”?

I don’t have the money to get the training I think I need. I don’t have the time to wait four years before I can do anything. I think that is one of the things that drove me crazy about engineering. I had to wait to do engineering. I had to wait before I could make, build and create. I had to take all these other classes, which yes are foundational, but boring and dry; it stifled all creativity and passion. It made us into robots that eventually couldn’t stand engineering anymore, we just wanted out. We wanted to find other things and fields that would stir up passion and creativity in us again. We wanted to be alive as humans again, not lifeless as robots.

I won't give up, I won't be discouraged, i will press on and pursue my hearts desires; the desires that are God's plan and will for my life. I surrender it all to Him, because He qualifies the called. He will give me all I need to live out the plans and purposes for my life. He knows what I need to get me where He wants to take me. My confidence is in Him, my trust lies in Him.

This Unreached Generation

I am a young person that needs to express myself.

I need to move in the plans and purposes of my life

I need to be moving, I need to be building, I need to be growing, to be running, to be flying and blazing new trails.

I am not meant to be still, I am not meant to be stagnant. I can’t live in confined conditions.

I am not meant to be contained; I am meant to run fast, to run hard, to run towards the goals that are set on my heart. To run towards the prizes that has captured my eyes.

I am a passionate person that needs to express that passion. I need to fuel that passion, I need it to keep burning and to keep growing. It is the desires and dreams in my heart that has the fire burning in me.

The young adults are unreached because very few people are speaking our language, if at all. We are a different breathe of human beings. We have our whole lives ahead of us, full of mysteries, plans and purposes. There is change that we are meant to activate in our generation. The reason why we can’t sit still in a classroom or stay awake in lecture halls, is because, we are not hearing what our hearts are desiring. We can’t comprehend because we are on a deeper level of meaning and understanding. Speak to our hearts and passions and you will unlock the greatness that God has placed in us.

We aren’t rebellious and stubborn; we are hungry and thirsty for life. 

We are hungry for purpose and love. 

We are hungry for meaning and understanding. 

We are hungry for truth; We can’t sit and be hungry anymore. 

We are a starved generation because we are not being fed. We are being served stale and processed food. We need fresh fruits and vegetables that are filled with rich vitamins and minerals, we need food with substance that will sustain us and give us energy. We need meat, stop feeding us milk. I’ll take the meat of truth and the water of life.

There is still more to come

The last month and a half has been an amazing experience where I am still in awe of how God has brought the woman of my dreams into my life. I don’t even know where to begin. My heart is overjoyed with excitement on how everything came about and how amazing things have been. I will have to break things up into multiple entries. Right now this is an entry letting you know I am still here and looking forward to continuing this blog. It has been a busy couple of weeks; raising support for campus ministry, being in a relationship, getting engaged and preparing for a wedding.

 I am so excited about this beautiful woman, Crystal, that God has blessed me with. She is everything I have been praying and asking for. And of course God surpassed what I could have imagined. Crystal continues to amaze me each day with her joy, love, personality and just everything about her and how much love she continues to pour out into me.

I look forward to sharing with you guys the blessings of waiting in the Lord. Waiting isn’t something to be feared or dreaded, but to be looked forward to. Waiting is God’s invitation for you to come know him in ways your mind can’t comprehend but your spirit longs for, and to transform you with his glorious presence of love. In this waiting you will be ready for all he has for you, all that you are waiting for him to say and do. All strength, hope, boldness and confidence come from waiting in his presence. You get to focus on His beauty as he molds you into true beauty.

A Hurt Heart

         The importance of having my heart exposed is becoming more and more real each day. Keeping an open heart towards God and a soft tender heart towards people are essential, not only for other’s sake but mine. Within this past week I have been hearing how I am sensitive and that I have a tender heart. The blessing for this is that it allows me to love people; it puts me in a position where God can use me to demonstrate love, compassion and mercy towards orders. The not so good part is that my heart is exposed to getting hurt. By not blocking off my heart towards people it puts me in a vulnerable place where their words and actions can have some powerful effects. The danger that can result is bitterness, unforgiveness, discouragement and every kind of negative feelings and emotions.

If my heart goes untreated, the impacts that it will have on my life is detrimental to me and those surrounding me. So why go through this? Why have a heart exposed if people can be mean, cruel, nasty, hurtful and just horrible? Why, why should I put myself in a position like this where it can ruin me? I am an ambassador of Christ; I am a vessel of love. If I block off myself from one person is will be hindering all others. I need to be an open vessel of love. Love forgives, love bears all things, love endures all things, and love never fails.

It is vital that I immediately go to God with my hurt heart. Allowing him to heal me and restore me, allowing him to fill me with more of his love that removes the damages and brings me to a stronger more loving state. Allowing God’s love to wash over my heart and mind; just sitting before him and enjoying his presence; enjoying the fullness of joy and pleasures that are saturated in his presence; embracing the throne of grace; Gazing upon his eyes of compassion and mercy. Feeling his arms wrap around me and comforting me in my sorrow and pain.

Oh the joy of being comforted by the lover of my soul. The joy of knowing I am loved regardless of what people say, do, or think of me. Because the only thing that matters is what God, my heavenly Father think, says and do to me. I am before an audience of one. I can’t please everyone. But I can please the one who loves me with an everlasting love. It is by his strength, his might and his Spirit that I can please him. By looking to Jesus the author and perfector of my faith and believing and trusting in him. Oh the joy that Jesus gives when I look to him.

                Mind like flint and heart of flesh; a stable mind that will not embrace and meditate on the hurt and negative feelings. I will not give power to these thoughts. But I will allow my heart to be exposed and available to demonstrate love and compassion that is full of joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. 

I choose life

I am choosing to let perfect love cast out all fear.

I am choosing to love

I am choosing to stand on truth, to hold it close to my heart, to believe in truth

I am choosing not to stress, but to rest

I am choosing not to worry or be concerned, but to put my trust in the Lover of my soul

I am choosing to allow light to shine in my life

I refuse to be discouraged

I refuse to be judged and condemned

I refuse to be ashamed or feel guilty

I refuse to settle for less

I refuse to let a speed bump stop me from moving

I refuse to let an obstacle change my destination

I refuse to give into fear and intimidation

I refuse to shrink back and hide

I will stand in boldness

I will stand in courage

I will stand in strength

I will stand in love

I will stand in peace

I will stand in truth

I will stand in righteousness

I will stand in holiness

I will stand in purity

I will stand in faith

I will stand in Christ 

Feeding your heart

The influence of the heart;

What is the condition of your heart?

What you believe in your heart reflects on your life;

Do you believe you are a failure or destined for greatness?

Do you believe you are poor or wealthy?

The things that you feed into your heart will grow and spread;

Are you feeding your heart with bitterness or love?

Are you feeding your heart with lies or truth?

Are you feeding your heart with doubt or hope?

From the heart the mouth speaks;

When you speak what words come out, words of death or life?

Words of discouragement or encouragement?

Words of anger or words of love?

Words that hurt or words that comfort?

Feed and strengthen your heart with love, truth and grace

Reflections from "Go Passion?" message from Face to Face

Reflections from "Got Passion?" message from Face to Face

Freedom in surrendering all: Lordship

Lordship allows for God to release blessings in your life; not because of your efforts, but because your heart realizes that He is good and full of love and that your best interest is His priority. When we can surrender and allow God to rule and reign over our lives, we leave our hearts open and vulnerable for him to work in our lives. He removes the things that hurt us and puts in things that are good and make us more like Christ. Lordship is not something to be feared, but something to rejoice in. Our response to the gospel of His goodness results in our lives being transformed. A life transformed into his glorious Son, Jesus, the lover of our souls.

                No longer do I need to be worried when things don’t work out the way I intended, but I can be at peace because I know God is in control of my life and not me. I get the pleasure of resting in Him and watching Him amaze me with His goodness. I get to sit in his arms and watch in awe as he restores my life and demonstrates miracles after miracles, with each storm. I no longer have to allow fear to grip my heart, but allow his love to comfort and sooth me because I am protected. I am in a safe place.

                Most of us love that Jesus is our Savior, but when it comes to Him being Lord of our lives, we run away from it. It was when I finally submitted and allowed God to have complete control of my life that I begun to see amazing things happen. This is where the growth began to take place. I had to make a choice of continuing to live life my way, that produced no fruit, or start living for God and trusting Him with everything. Taking this heart action was the beginning of a life journey of submitting, trusting, obeying, receiving, growing, and experiencing him. It is a continuous process. It is a beautiful process that bears much fruit.

Each Day...

Each day I get more excited about my life.

Each day I grow in understanding of who I am.

Each day I see myself as God see’s me.

Each day I see how God has created me uniquely for his plans and purpose.

Each day I appreciate all that God has done in transforming my life.

Each day I am rejoicing at the loved one's I am blessed with; family and friends.

Each day I look at my life and I am pleased with where I am and where I am going.

Each day I am glad that I can continue walking with God on this earth.

Each day I awake with excitement and curiosity about the adventure God has for me to experience.

Each day I embrace and receive a deeper understand of God's love for me.

Each day I am strengthened by grace and comforted by His Holy Spirit, The Comforter.

Each day I say to the Lord, "Here is my heart, here is my heart, and you can have it all".

Black Beauty

This is specifically for black women and little girls. You have nothing to be sorry about, nothing to hate yourself about. There is nothing that you have done wrong. Your beauty if mysterious, your passion is raw and explosive, your strength is from the Lord. You are misunderstood, misrepresented, unappreciated for the treasure that you are. God didn’t make a mistake; He made a masterpiece. He didn’t just make a woman; He made a Beautiful woman. He didn’t just make a girl; He made royalty.

There is no need to compare yourself to other masterpieces; recognize and celebrate the masterpiece that God has made you to be. Embrace your personality, because it is strong and bright. Embrace your hair, for it is your glory. Rejoice in your skin color, whether light or dark for it is the radiance of God’s face shining on you. Love and glorify God with your bodies, for it is His home and holy temple.

No more will the pressure of false beauty be placed on you. No more will the treasure of who you are be buried in lies and insecurities. As you take hold of the treasure God has made in you and walk out the way He see’s you, others will have no choice but to praise God for the Black Beauty that you are; the amazing treasure, joy and strength that you exemplify. 

The Power of Commitment

It amazes me how powerful our mind and will can be, when they work together for a common good. In accomplishing goals, we have to set our mind on the goal and commit to seeing it through. We can’t just start something without vision and determination, and expect for everything to fall into place and we receive what we want. We have to set our mind on the goal, and commit to seeing it to completion no matter what obstacles come our way. Without that whole hearted commitment, we will never finish anything we start. We will be fickle and unstable. We will be tossed to and fro like the wind, because we have not planted our foot and grounded ourselves to be like oak trees. We become easily frightened and discouraged when the first wind blows. We faint by the first heat wave beating on our backs. We try to go through the motion and hope we get to our goal; Nonsense. When has anybody ever accomplished anything without committing wholeheartedly to something?

What stops me from committing to things is fear of making a mistake. Fear of starting something and being stuck with it, then realizing that it wasn’t something I should have been doing or I even truly liked. Commitment takes time, effort, dedication, passion and sacrifice. Nothing comes easy. When you are committed to something, regardless of what will come your way, something powerful happens. All of heaven is behind you, because you have activated the currency of heaven; faith. You have begun to believe and hope in something you can’t and have not seen. You have decided to hold onto something that might not even workout. You have decided to believe for the impossible and fight through all madness to acquire that which you desire.

I am learning to not be afraid of committing, that even if I commit to something that I shouldn’t have, but had good intensions, that God is faithful and just to bring me through my mistakes. His grace is more than enough to restore and accelerate me to glory from the craziness of my decisions. I refuse to be stifled and frozen by fear. I choose to embrace and live in God’s love that casts out all fear.

My revelations of Jesus this week

 Jesus is Lord and King. It is amazing how God can continue to rock my world with revelations of himself and His son. Jesus is Lord, period. Jesus is Lord over everything. He has power and authority over everything in heaven and on earth. Everything is under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Right now some people and things may not realize and recognize his Lordship, but at the mention of His glorious name, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is not a suggestion, it is a command, and it is mandatory; there is no room for discussion or other options. There will come a point when everything and everyone will recognize Jesus Lordship. It will be two ways: one out of passionate love from his bride and moans and groans from those who have rejected him.

Jesus is King of kings. He runs this place we living in called earth. He is King of every town. The government ain’t got nothing on him, the mafia and gangs aint’ got nothing on him, the rulers of this world aint’ got nothing on him. Jesus’ Kingdom is advancing and nothing can stop it from advancing. His Kingdom is a Kingdom that will never know what it is to be defeated. What Kingdom do you represent? I don’t know about you, but I’m claiming my citizenship in Jesus’ Kingdom. My King rules with perfect love, perfect peace, grace, mercy, righteousness and justice.

The gates of hell will not prevail against Jesus’ church. We are the bride of Christ. Let’s think about this for a second. What groom will let some random guy come up to his bride and slap her or insult her? NEVER, all of heaven would have to come and stop that groom from beating every ounce out of that guy. The random guy wouldn’t even get to come close enough to even lay a hand on her or say more than one insulting word before he experiences holy anger from a man passionately in love with his bride. Same way that Jesus will not let his bride be abused or insulted. No weapon formed against his bride shall prosper. We are protected saints; we are guarded by the lover of our souls; our groom is interceding for us, he is keeping the innocence of his bride. WOW what freedom, what excitement. WOW, doesn’t this strengthen your heart. Perfect love cast out all fear.

Outside pressure, inside peace

It is interesting how the world around us can pressure us to: make decisions quick, to not hesitate by thinking twice, to not wait, to not be patient, to be anxious, to always be on the move. If you don’t do any of what the world says to do, then the fear of what will happen comes and tortures us to make sure we do what they say.

           But there is an inner peace. A peace that says, don’t rush, be patient, stay calm, rest, there is no need to be anxious, and fear not because you are loved and are never alone. I’m tired of rushing, I am tired of the outside pressure. I am choosing to wait, I am choosing to be patient, I am choosing to rest in the arms of the one who says “fear not, because you are loved and will never be alone, for I have conqueror the world”.  I choose perfect peace. My God is faithful, He is faithful to the end, He is faithful to my heart, He has made a home in me.

My Trip to Ireland

Last week was my first time to Europe and I loved it. Walking through Amsterdam was amazing, seeing a mixture of God’s beautiful people from all over the world walking through the airport. Hearing the sounds of many mysterious languages gave me the chills as I thought about how big God is and how much he loves each one of these people. And nothing will stop him from pursuing each one of them regardless of language, culture, history and ethnicity. The love of God can touch and reach anybody, anytime, anywhere.

                Ireland is a beautiful place and I can definitely see myself visiting and continuing to do missions work there. The Irish people are wonderful and friendly. It amazed me how vibrant the grass was when the weather was a little chilly and no leaves on the tree. It didn’t make any sense. Usually when there are no leaves on the trees, the grass is dried up and brown. Their grass was thriving with bright green colors.

                I am excited for the plans and future that God has in store for Ireland and the team of people he is using to help reach the nation for Christ. Even though it can be easy to be discouraged when you think of only one campus ministry on a college campus there, I am hopeful in a God that won’t relent until he has those he love to come to know him.

                The full time ministry team in Ireland was wonderful and very fun to work with. They are a bundle of joy; it was a great honor and pleasure to assist them in their ground breaking adventure in advancing God’s Kingdom in Ireland.

                This was my first international mission trip and it broaden my view of ministry. People are people no matter where you go, at the core we are all the same. Everyone wants to be loved and accepted. Everyone wants to know that their life means something, that there is a plan and future for their life, that they play a part in the big picture. Everyone is searching for that true joy and everlasting peace. And when they find it, they will take hold of that treasure. When truth is presented and it pierces their hearts and resonates with their soul, they come alive and become people of passion and purpose ready to walk out the destiny set before them.

I also learned the importance of settling into a community when you are planting a church. It is essential to understand the language and culture of the people, their mind set and way of thinking. It is a process that takes time and patience. But once you start seeing people within the community coming out to your events and accepting you, it’s a wonderfully amazing experience. 

Thoughts from the New Narnia Movie

Towards the end of the movie: The rat was walking towards Aslan’s country, he threw his sword on the ground and said “I won’t need this anymore”, this was so profound. I was like wow that is awesome. The very thing he had cherished and was good at, he realized he didn’t need it in the new world he was about to enter. This rat knew how to handle himself with the sword; it was like his own right hand.

Can you imagine a world with only good, and no evil, a world where we don’t have to fight and struggle, a world where there is no tears or hurts? A world of perfect love, joy, peace and resting from all toil that causes fatigue. All the natural and spiritual gifts and talents we use in this world are for this world. I kept thinking about when Jesus talks about storing your treasures in heaven. Our relationship with God is what will last, our faith and growth will last, the good work God has been doing in us will endure, and the lives we have touched will endure.

Next, Aslan told Lucy that she was brought to Narnia for a short time so that she would know his name in her real world. Now, this really blew my mind, I was so excited. I almost scream on the airplane as I was watching this. I couldn’t believe it. That was another profound moment. Every knee will bow every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. There is no sweeter name than the name of Jesus. No other name holds so much power and significance.

(Hahhaha woooo hoooo God is awesome. I am a Narnia fan after that last movie. I am actually planning on reading the book now. )

Wanting to be noticed and recognized

Where does this desire or want of recognition and praise from man come from? I find myself wanting people to notice me. I want people to recognize the gifts and talents that I have. I want people to see the beauty and amazing-ness that God has made me to be. How can God be glorified by my life if people are not recognizing me? How can they give glory to God for who I am and what I do if they are not praising me? If I go unnoticed than God can’t be glorified by my life; he is unnoticed too. This is what goes through my mind, but is this true? I find myself wanting to get credit for things I say and do. I want to make sure I get the credit I deserve for coming up with something or being the first to think or say or do something. There is a lot of pride and love for what comes from me that I share and do in the world. Is it wrong to want to be noticed? Is it wrong to want to be recognized? Is it wrong to want to be praised and given honor for my life and the things I say and do? Where does this come from? How can I hide it? Why is it so hard to fight it? I want to do great and mighty things. I don’t want to just go through life, I want to make an impact in this life I live. I want people to notice God in me working and doing amazing things in me and through me. Since I am a new creation in Christ, is this desire wrong? Is this an old part of me that needs to be renewed?  There is a desire to be excellent and great in everything that I do. But how does this look like? How do I respond to it?

Why is it so hard to not say anything when the opportunity comes to say ”I was the one that said this” and “I was the one that done that”? “It was me, hello can’t you see that it came from me, I said it way before anyone thought of it”. When I first brought it up it was dismissed; it was pushed aside. And now when it comes up again, someone else receives the credit or credit goes to no one. Why do we or shall I say, I, have a desire to want my name to be attached to accomplishments and good things?

I wonder if it is because I always in need of encouragement, especially when it comes to knowing my worth and value.  I struggle at times believing that I am important and that I am valuable in the world around me. My significance is always being attacked. Negative thoughts creeps into my mind that compares me to others and makes me feel worthless. But God continues to tell me: I am his masterpiece, I was created for his joy and fulfillment, I was created for a purpose and future, I was created perfectly for his enjoyment and he loves to hang-out with me. Why should I call myself worthless when God, the lover of my soul, calls me precious and useful?  

I don’t need the recognition and praise of man, because I have the lover of my soul, the creator of everything rejoicing at my life. I have the most important person in the world loving me and encouraging me. I don’t need to grab onto worldly accomplishments and things to find my worth. I don’t need the words of man to lift me up, even if it does give me a quick fix. But true everlasting words that plants life, comes from God through a chosen person around me, that see’s me the way God the Father see’s me. They sense the Father’s heart for me and are compelled to demonstrate that love towards me. I am loved and accepted, I am never alone, I am precious, I am a masterpiece, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you Heavenly Father for your love that continues to heal me and bring me towards your truth.

The Joy of Submitting

I love how God can put words together that is usually looked at as contradicting or viewed as opposites, and making it into something beautiful. God has this special thing he likes to do in transforming something old, which was misunderstood, into something new, where he reveals truth. How can there be joy in submitting? What is fun about submitting? Aren’t you putting yourself in bondage or slavery? Where is your “freedom”? Why do I need to submit? Who are they that I need to submit myself to them? These are the deceptions that the enemy tricks us in thinking submitting is evil and not freeing.  

                I am here to tell you that there is joy in submitting and it is actually freeing. Submitting to authority is not so dreadful but liberating. Submitting to authority is not about agreeing with the person and calling that submitting, it is while you are not in agreement you submit to their authority and leadership. When you are submitting you are honoring the call and anointing on that leader or authority figure’s life. Through this you can receive the blessing and benefits of this person or persons in your life.

                They are responsible for you. I am so grateful for the authority figures and leaders that God has placed in my life to watch over me and guide me. I am truly blessed to have the privilege of serving under the leadership of my local church. There is something powerful when the authority figures and leaders in your life give you the blessing to use your gifts and talents. There is something especially beautiful when God speaks to those people and lets them know how much He loves you and then they demonstrate that love and grace to you.

One of the most powerful and beautiful things I have heard said to me that I will forever cherish in my heart, is when my Dad said “ Now you are a man…” and he went on to encourage me and send me out into the world. Wow, the power, freedom, courage and boldness that filled my heart was overwhelming. The man that was the authority over my life, the man who raised me and guided me, saw that I was fit and ready for the real world. He blessed me and anointed me in being a man. It was official when my Dad had blessed me into manhood. Only now I can confidently call myself a man. Because the man in my life saw that I ready.

Who are the authority figures and leaders in your life? Who are you honoring? Who are you allowing God to use to love you, guide you and bless you? Don’t miss out on this blessing and joy of submitting to authority and leadership. Your pride is not worth it. Allow God to pour out his love and the many blessings from the people he is eager to place over your life.  

Two extremes in one day

       I started this day extremely discouraged. Most of the day I was trying to fight through the discouragement, until I realized that all this fighting is creating more fatigue. Slowly I began to rest and just allow God to love on me, little by little His words would sink into my heart.

             I finally cave into a nap that lasted for an hour. It was a hard heavy nap. This was the type of nap that took strength from the Lord to get up from; a nap that was both a breakthrough and a struggle; it gave me the rest I needed to continue through the day and peace from thoughts of discouragement.

         Time and time again, God continues to show me how good and faithful he is, and how powerful His loving grace is.  On my worst day he poured out blessings in abundance. One of my worst days was transformed into one of my best days. How does this happen? How does God take something negative and bad and completely take hold of it and make blessings flow out of it. It puzzles me, it amazes me, I am in awe of God’s marvelous works.

          I don’t remember a time, where I went from extreme discouragement to abundantly being encouraged in the same day like I was today. Moment after moment God let me know that he cared and that I am loved and accepted. He let me know I wasn’t forgotten. He let me know that there is a purpose and He is doing wonderful things in my life. Each day I am keeping my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith and allowing His love to mold and strengthen me.

         Forgive me for being vague and not putting in much details. I would like to but sometimes certain things that God does you have to cherish it in your heart.

Learning to live every day of my life with an adventure with God

I am learning to live every day of my life as an adventure with God. To tell you the truth I am not sure how this works. How do we have an adventure with God? Is there something that we do? How do we live a life where we allow God to move in our day with greatness that causes us to marvel at him? I don’t want to go through life “just going through the motions” or “just enduring through the day” or “doing the day to day stuff”. I don’t want the mundane. I want excitement and adventure. I want joy and laughter; I want to be amazed every day. I don’t know how that looks like or what it is I am really looking for or expecting. But all I know is that I want to have a God encounter each and every day where my world is rocked by God.

 I want to be in awe of him and his wonders. I want to be filled with abundance of joy exploding from my life. I want to have extravagant praise and worship. I want to see God in everything I do, everywhere I go, and everything I experience. I am not sure how this all looks, sounds or feels like, but all I know is that I am hungry for it. I am craving for an adventure; to be in awe, struck by the glorious and loving wonder of God my Father. I am thirsty for a waterfall experience in and through my spirit. I want more, I don’t want to settle, I don’t want to be content with normality; I want supernatural experiences. I want God’s amazing love to blow my mind and melt my heart every day. I want to write adventurous stories of God and me.

I want to live not letting my feelings and emotions dictate my God experiences. I want to be rooted in truth. I want to be rooted in God’s goodness and love for me, rooted in Christ and in mercy. I want to be established in grace and thriving in the spirit. I want all of God’s promises and blessings to manifest and flow through my life. I want to live heaven on earth. I want to live like Christ is now in his glory, seated at the right hand of the Father. I want the fullness of God to consume all of me. Christ in me, I in Christ, Christ in the Father.

Why are we so quick to be discouraged?

        As soon as something doesn’t look like it is going to turn out good or right, we automatically give up and stop fighting and believing. Why, when we come across a wall we stop and just sit at the base of the wall and just cry with frustration and discouragement? Why do we stop and give up?

When an obstacle comes our way, why is our first response discouragement? What about being encouraged first? Why not look at the obstacle as a challenge; a challenge that requires you to be creative and persistent, a challenge that stretches your thinking and abilities. A challenge that gives you the opportunity to see what you are capable of, a challenge that provides the opportunity for you to unleash the stored up potential that has been locked away inside of you for years.

Challenge is greatness’s best friend. It is in obstacles that a person’s greatness is challenged to be woken up. The greatness within a person is shaken from its slumber. This challenge requires excellence that one has to put forward, which ultimately results in producing greatness. Your character is strengthened, your personality is refined, and your gifts are sharpened. You become alive.  The roaring lion sleeps no more and its eyes are fixed on the prize, it is ready for the challenge, it is ready to show its might and greatness. It is ready to conquer and to rule.

Process to Destination

It’s interesting how life operates. To get what I want I have to work for it. Life is all about process, not destination. It is the process that makes the destination worth it. When we are hungry we have to prepare the food and cook it, then we can enjoy the taste and substance of the food. We have to go through a waiting and preparation period to get what we want and desire. To take it even further with this example of food, in order to prepare the food we need money to purchase the food, which comes when we work 40 hour weeks doing tasks required of us to get the money.  The food I get to eat today is a process that took two weeks to develop, which is the time the income check gets processed from the last pay period.

                If I don’t work, I don’t get paid, resulting in no money, leading to me starving. We see this process or sowing and reaping all throughout our lives. Each day we are sowing or planting something and waiting for it to grow so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor. This process of work is laborious, it is not easy, and it requires hard work, sweat, sometimes tears and blood. Earlier I said that Life is all about the process, the reason for this is, because in the process, our character is being developed. When we wait, work and prepare, it is a time when our character is being refined. We are being shaped into Men and Women. There is something special and powerful when we endure through hard times and struggles. Our hearts are enlarged, our minds become more stable, and our spirits become more alive and free. During this time we have no choice but to rely on something bigger than ourselves. We see that our strength and ability is not enough and we begin to look around us. But everyone else is just like you. Then you hear a voice in your spirit say “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

                For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. He had to go through a process of beatings and bloodshed for the destination that he was looking at and working towards. He wanted something passionately that required him to go through bloodshed and the cross. He wanted us to have life and life abundantly; he wanted us to know the Father and his love for us. He wanted a bride, a family of brothers and sisters inheriting His righteousness and Kingdom, sitting with Him in heavenly places. It was done for people to be free and victorious, for friends to be compelled by love. For royal priests to live by the Spirit in all holiness and purity from what He accomplished.

                He went to the cross for the joy set before Him. Keep your eyes on the joy that is set before you, so you can endure your process of life with Jesus guiding and strengthening you.

                

The Wait

It amazes me the beauty that is found in waiting. The treasure is only found deep in the wait. It takes perseverance and patience that can’t be made up or imagined. You have to find these things in the one who calls you to wait. Waiting isn’t endured by keeping yourself busy on random things, but it is endured by engaging with The Lover of your soul. When you fix your eyes into His flaming eyes of love, you enter into His presence and into a world of glorious beauty. No longer are you thinking about the wait, but you are engaged, you are fixated on the marvelous wonder of the Lover of your soul. Your mind is seeing and hearing into His mind, your heart is beating to the rhythm of His heart. You are now in a communion with the Lover of your soul, and now you can dance. You dance to heavenly harmonies and beats your soul has never heard before. Your heart continues to melt from the liquid love that He is pouring into it. Your body’s sensitivity is heightened, not physically but spiritually. For this moment your body gets a taste of what heaven feels like; a foreshadow of the new heavenly bodies that is promised to His bride. Minutes feels like days, hours like centuries, but the taste of His goodness feels like eternity.

                You sit and you soak, you dance and you sing, you laugh and you smile, you play and you cry with joy. A well is being built; it goes deeper with each encounter, deeper with each moment of a heavenly experience. A well so deep it has no end, filled with living water; water for you to drink and others to taste. But this well is a secret and sacred well. A well made from love, a well that only lovers can make and share. It was created from love and nurtured by love. The source of the water is from rivers of living water directly from the throne of grace, the place where sons and daughters go, the place where life is lived.

                When you follow this river and come face to face with the One sitting on the throne of grace- the precious mercy seat, you have found the treasure. You have found the very thing that draws you to wait. This person is the reason for the wait. Waiting becomes beautiful when you encounter the well and living waters, and come to the One sitting on the heavenly throne. Now the adventure begins, now the wait has meaning and produces fruit, now you can live.  

Times of Loneliness and Boredom

    Times of loneliness and boredom are times meant to be with God. These two feelings are indicators that we need to spent time hanging out with God. Our souls are lonely and it wants to be with someone great, it wants to interact with someone that will blow our minds and gives us a time of our lives. We are not satisfied with just anyone; we need more, we need someone that is supernatural, someone all powerful, someone that, when we are face to face with will bring us to our knees in worship.

Boredom lets us know that we can no longer be entertained by the things around us, we need something real and tangible, we need the one true real God, the living God that created us for His purpose. We are no longer interested in the things of the world. We are not happy with the material things. We are discontent, we are not happy with just keeping ourselves busy, because that doesn’t settle the boredom. Keeping oneself busy does not cure boredom. Fulfillment in being with God does.

Loneliness and boredom is God’s ways of calling us to be with Him. He is calling us to spend time with Him. He wants to talk with us, sing and dance with us, play, laugh and smile with us. He wants to go on dates with us. He wants to saturate our lives with Himself. He wants to show us marvelous secrets and mysteries. He wants to pour all of Himself in us. He wants to sit with us and hold us. The lover of our soul just wants to love and be with us. That is the heart of God. And we all hear His heart when we are lonely and bored. We don’t know that it is him calling, but eventually we will know and when we finally realize that it is Him calling, we will respond in excitement because at this moment, we are filled with purpose and companionship that our souls long for. Now, every time you feel lonely or bored, know that it is the God of heaven and earth calling you to be with Him; calling you to experience something great and authentic only He can provide. The God of love, the lover of your soul is drawing you to Himself.

Now, what you do when you are with Him is the surprise and pleasure. He reveals things like never before. We come back full of life and joy. We are excited about living and the things God has for our lives.

The quiet, dull moments of life shouldn’t discourage us, it should excite us because God has set aside a time like today and everyday for us and him to be together; a time today for us to talk and enjoy Him. What a wonderful time to drink from the well of life when I am thirsty for life and get filled with life abundantly.

I am refreshed.

At the end of the day

At the end of the day Lord, it is just you and I. Sitting on my bed, ear phones on and plugged into my laptop, and songs of glory and beauty playing from the searches on youtube. After a long day of running around I can finally conclude the night with you. I can sit quietly and just enjoy your presence. I don’t have to say anything; I don’t have to do anything. I can just rest in your presence. Oh the joy of resting in the presence of the One who loves me with an everlasting love. The peace that surpasses all understanding quiets the thoughts of my heart. I am no longer restless, but rested. I am no longer fearful but confident. I am no longer worrying but abiding. I am no longer doubting but trusting. I am living freely; I am living like a royal prince sitting graciously with my heavenly Father. Humbly looking into the eyes of the God of mercy; captivated by the flames of passion in His eyes as he looks into the heart of my soul.

What wonderful gifts you have given me, to be a son of the Lord Most High, to be an heir with Christ in your heavenly Kingdom. Thank you Father for these gifts: of knowing you, of being in a relationship with you, of having unlimited access to you and walking continuously in your presence. At the end of the day it is you I long you spend it with. You are what my heart desires as the day comes to a close. Your presence calls out to me, “come my son and rest with me, come and embrace my love, come and lay everything aside and abide in Me.”, my heart can’t help but to respond to this call, “Yes Lord, I am coming, I am here, I am abiding.” 

My prayer of interaction

Lord I will give to other’s what you have given to me. I will not be stingy with the love you have poured into my heart. I will release your peace in my life, into the life of others. Whoever I am around I pray that your peace would surround them and comfort them. I pray that your presence would sooth their souls and uplift their spirits. I pray that as they interact with me, that you, oh Lord, would engage their spirit with your Spirit working in and through me. I ask that you would impart the love of Christ in their hearts and let the seed of your word to go deep into the soil of their hearts. I pray that you would keep the seed of faith and nurture it to full maturity. I pray that with each smile from me, they would be filled with over flowing joy. I pray that joy would bring healing to every part of their mind, emotions and body. I pray that they would know the true meaning and experience what it is like to have the joy of the Lord to be their strength.

After being with me, I pray that they would have a hunger for God. An unquenchable thirst would arise within their spirits and they would seek and pursue the heart of God. I pray that a passion for Christ would burn deep into the well of their hearts. I pray for that holy and righteous passion to consume their very being, and for them to be vessels of love and grace to their spheres of influence and throughout the world. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

I Can Make Decisions

Since the start of the New Year I have been faced with situations where I listen to other people’s judgment and opinions instead of using my wisdom and discernment and had to face the consequences of it. I’m not going to tell what they were, but what I will say is trust your own judgment and gut feelings. You have a mind to think and reason and you know yourself better than someone else may know you, especially when something will directly affect you, because at the end of the day you will be the one dealing with the situation. I am not saying don’t accept advice and counsel, we all need it and should seek it, but don’t throw away your judgment and feelings on things. Just because someone is telling you something, doesn’t mean they know what is always best.

                I am realizing more at the age of 25, I can make wise decisions and I can trust in the God in me to help guide me in my decision making process. I am grown enough to say “ You know what, I think I will do this instead of that”, “ I don’t feel comfortable doing this right now, something doesn’t seem right”, or the simple “No, I won’t”, or even more simpler the straight “No”. And the best thing is that I don’t have to give a reason. This might come as arrogance, but it’s not. It’s me being confident in making decisions and not just being thrown all over the place because I am not sure if I can trust myself. And it’s hard because you want to please everybody, but the truth is you can’t. It’s hard to grasp and walk this out at times, but I’m learning and growing.

                But the most amazing thing that I have learned through this whole experience of not trusting my wisdom and discernment and choosing others judgment over mine, is that God’s grace and mercy is abundant throughout the whole time. God gave me the strength, peace and as weird as it is, the joy to endure what resulted from those decisions. God was so merciful to me. He didn’t let me suffer or “pay the price”. It was wonderful to see God shower me with such love and mercy through my mess. The power of God’s grace is real. God loves to extend mercy; and he has done it abundantly to me and I love Him more for it. My heart is overwhelmed by such kindness and goodness to me. It just reassures me that I can live freely and not worry about making mistakes and having to suffer for my wrong decisions. Yes, there are results that occur from actions, but God will show His grace and mercy regardless if everyone else around me doesn’t. When the world and system condemns me and tries to make me “pay” God will whisper in my ears, “It has been paid in full. Now enter into my rest of the finish work of the cross”.