psalm Archives • Lens of Faith blog

ANNIVERSARY EDITION

October 25, 2017 · 1 Comment

This week marks my one year anniversary co-authoring, Lens of Faith. Hard to believe it’s been an entire year since the Holy Spirit appointed me to be his mouthpiece through this blog. He made it clear that he would speak through me and boy has he ever. I am so encouraged by your feedback every week. I hear often either in your comments or face to face, how timely a post is and that it being just what you needed. This fills me with joy and confirms what I know to be true.

God has had powerful things to say in writings like Identity Crisis where he teaches us to believe who he says we are, Reason for the Wait about God being the great gardner, Purpose Driven Friends showing us the purpose for relationships. He gave me a greater understanding on David in Purify my Heart, took me through the life changing process of Jesus + Nothing, challenges me to put him first with Mary in a Martha World. Then there’s Heal Our Land and Speak Life, a much needed revelation in a time of division.

I look back on this past year and I can’t help but express my gratitude for how he has entrusted me. There is no greater fulfillment then to walk out your destiny full of faith and wonder. Yes, there has been weeks where I felt as if I had nothing. I mean no topic or content and quite frankly, was not in the blogging mood. I would tell him, “Holy Spirit, speak through me cause I’m not feeling it today. I need you.” And you know what, he always came through. Whether I was traveling, on vacation or very busy, he always gave me the grace I needed to make this blog a priority and write an impactful message. Every week. What a testament to his faithfulness.

Thank you for your encouragement and for spurring me on! I continue to pray for you every week with my heart full of love. I look forward to more of what’s to come.

SPEAK LIFE

October 11, 2017 · 6 Comments

I know, I know, we are living in such a crazy day. If it’s not a terrorist attack, it’s a mass shooting. If it’s not a hurricane, it’s a flood. If it’s not a flood, it’s a devastating fire. We are being hit with one heartache after another and that’s not even mentioning the political division in America. Then you top it off, with personal challenges. It can all seem so overwhelming. Yet, I hear the Lord urging us to, “Stop complaining. Remove negativity from our mouths.”

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” -Proverbs 18:21

Venting on Facebook, Twitter, to your co workers, your friends will not change the outcome. If anything, your words will stir up greater division.

What immediate actions must we take? Pray. Praise. Speak of God’s goodness. Encourage each other. When you must speak the hard truth, make sure he leads you and only him. He has pure motives at all times.

I for one, know the struggle is real. I have always been one of many words. Careless with my opinions and reactions. Often quick to speak and slow to listen. I clearly remember the day that the Holy Spirit spoke such conviction to my heart, “I have created you to be my mouthpiece. You have the power to speak life or death. Give me complete control so I can use you.”

I could no longer use the excuse that I’m from a large family where everyone has the same patterns. Or that I’m just keeping it “honest and real”. Things needed to change. He requires us to surrender our weakness in order for him to transform it into our greatest strength.

We must carry the hope of Christ to a hurting generation. We must be the words that heal, not hurt. You see, part of being Christ like is speaking from a pure heart of genuine love for others. Any other motive is not of him.

Let’s pray:

“Lord, please forgive me for every time I spoke words of death and not life. I surrender my speech and my attitudes to you. Help me guard my mouth. Give me self control and the wisdom to speak only what comes from you. Amen.”

I challenge you to a negativity, complaining fast. Watch the shift in your life when you guard your thoughts and what comes out of your mouth. I know this is quite the challenge. Thankfully loved ones, He does not give up on us, but is committed to help us purify our hearts.

ALREADY WRITTEN

September 6, 2017 · 2 Comments

Much of our lives is spent planning. What we will do, where and when we will go. Sometimes we pray about our plans and desires, hoping God will jump on board and make it all happen. I was that person most of my life as a strong, independent woman. I have loved Jesus since I was very young, yet I wanted control of my life. I convinced myself I wanted God’s will but really if he asked me to do something I did not want to do, my hearing became very faint.

Now living a life of true surrender, I am doing exactly what he has told me to do. It is uncomfortable, it looks foolish, not everyone cheers me on but I have more peace in my life then ever before. I have learned that when you begin to trust him in obedience, you then start to fulfill your purpose on this earth. You see our whole beginning to end has already been written in his book. We do not need to strive, make it happen or live a stressful “keeping up with the Jones’s” life. He really does have it all in control. No one knows us like him. No one will ever love us like him. No one will be as intimate as him. So trusting him should be a no brainer. One of my favorite chapters in the bible depicts this so beautifully.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up, my entire life, everything I do; You understand my thoughts from afar. You are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, still unspoken, O Lord, You know it all. You have placed Your hand upon me. Such infinite knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high above me, I cannot reach it.

For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. How precious also are Your thoughts of me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I could count them, they would outnumber the sand.

Your eyes have seen my unformed body; and in Your book were written all the days that were appointed for me, When as yet there was not one of them even taking shape.” – Psalm 139

You see, he has your life already planned and already written. Your story is unlike any other. We don’t need to compete or compare. We were meant to have a unique life and to let go of worry, fear and any other worldly care. For he cares for you unlike any ever will and he custom designed the perfect plan for your life. Trust an obey loved ones.

NO MIDDLE MAN

January 31, 2017 · 5 Comments

Everyone that knows me, knows my love for Trader Joe’s. I’m always reppin’. Not only do they carry innovative, hard-to-find, great-tasting foods, but it’s all so cost friendly. Early on, I was amazed by how they were able to become so successful. I mean no matter where I go, coast to coast, the store is always packed with excited shoppers. I then discovered, what sets them apart, is the fact that they cut out the middle man. Where other stores, pay someone else to go to the farmers and distributors, TJ’s heads straight to the source. Cutting out the middle man. Genius!

It’s so funny how the holy spirit speaks directly to us, in ways unique to who we individually are. What a creative God we serve. One day while watching one of my absolute favs, Christine Caine, I felt his sweet tug. The holy spirit saying, “Sit with me. Cut out the middle man.”

Don’t get me wrong. I love that woman and so many other greats that are out there boldly making Jesus known. God speaks to us through so many ways. I love turning on that powerful worship song that lifts your spirit or diving into a great devotional. But God is after a direct connection with us. One that doesn’t need a conduit. We don’t need the perfect song, the perfect sermon or our favorite conference to tap into his presence. He calls us to press in, to cultivate a solid relationship with him that is not based on human anointing but his power alone. We can only obtain this by spending undistracted quiet time, pressing in and seeking his face. Sometimes we need to turn off the worship music, close the devotional, leave your phone in another room on silent, and sit at Jesus’ feet-just to hear him.

Trust me, I know the struggle is real. I have always been one that gets easily distracted. It’s the enemies ploy to keep us distracted. Do you ever notice that you can watch a 4 hour movie, completely captivated but after 10 minutes reading your word you feel sleepy. mhmm. You have to fight distraction off. You have to be intentional. I personally, turn my phone off and leave it in a different room. Whatever it takes. Your soul depends on it.

We don’t need the perfect song, the perfect sermon or our favorite conference to tap into his presence. He calls us to press in, to cultivate a solid relationship with him that is not based on human anointing but his power alone.

Let us pursue the lover of our souls, the only one that satisfies. Our Saviour, Our closest friend.

TRUST WITHOUT BORDERS

January 23, 2017 · 2 Comments

I can hear you humming now..the catchy tune of Oceans. What a great song! It is fun to sing “trust without borders” but actually living it out, seems impossible. Without his grace it is impossible.

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand – Hillsong United

As someone who is in the season of walking the unknown, trusting God when it makes no sense and living a life of daily surrender, I can encourage you from my heart. He has taken me on a long journey of stripping me of what was comfortable, transforming my heart and giving me his perspective. You always have hope when you have his perspective. You no longer see your life with natural vision but clearly you see every detail with supernatural glasses. Without those glasses you will prematurely give up, therefore giving up on God’s greater plan for you. A plan beyond our wildest imagination. When you know without a shadow of a doubt that God has your back, then you can willingly surrender your past, present and future in his loving care.

God is not hitting pause on the dvd player of your life. In the process he is teaching us to press in, to love others well and to reflect his likeness, so we can be Jesus in a lost and hurting world. Staying focused on the results will always cause disappointment. God is more concerned about the process then he is the results. The results will rarely transform you but it’s the process that bears lasting fruit. In our result driven generation, we must know that he cares about our heart above all. He is not in a rush. It will be the richest time of your life if you truly trust the one who knows our timeline and holds every detail in his hands.

Your process may look different then mine, still it will be uncomfortable, painful and lonely at times. Cutting always is. Don’t be afraid. He is a loving gardner. We must humble ourselves and allow him to change our character to reflect his. Let us live a life of purpose. I believe in you, take that brave first step!

ANNIVERSARY EDITION

SPEAK LIFE

ALREADY WRITTEN

NO MIDDLE MAN

TRUST WITHOUT BORDERS

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