Monday, August 27, 2012

TESTIMONY - Sheena Starks

The video below was filmed at an open mic night and it was the first time I had ever performed my spoken word entitled, "Testimony". I have been really humbled by the feedback and comments I have received from several different people. My desire has always been to give God glory and honor for being my daily hero and saving me from everything I found myself in and a part of. I am thankful beyond words can express, that God would use my mouth to speak His words. I am so passionate about other people finding freedom in their life and I am passionate about other people knowing and understand that they are loved just the way they are. They do not have to change or rearrange or work for the love of Jesus, He meets us right where we are. Now coming out of a lot of the stuff I struggled with {which you will hear in the spoken word} I have had so much more peace in my life. & THAT is a beautiful feeling. After you watch this video, please do not get the impression that I have arrived and have conquer all the areas that I touch on. But understand that I have to consistently turn to Jesus for strength to continue to be an over-comer. You are not alone if you feel like you just keep falling short and messing up - God is not surprised with where you are at and He loves you for who you are, regardless of your mistakes. Like I said previously - HUMBLING.

   

 I give everything to You Lord

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Finding Rest in Business


I have been going through a lot. Usually people take that as a downer phrase, but let me clarify that phrase so that you can really understand where I am at and what God is teaching me. Things have been crazy! The best way to explain it is... Change & growth! I have been learning several new things about myself, as well as revising some past thoughts or struggles. Throughout my life and especially more recently, I have noticed a common theme. The fight to find rest. Sound funny? Well, I have been struggling with trying to balance my, seemingly, always busy schedule and also finding time to get with God and to reconnect with Him daily.

I have figured this out: I am going into a new season which means I need to know God in a whole new way. Deeper and more personal. My relationship with God is now at a place where I find it URGENT to be in relationship with Him. Desperate to be fed by His Word. Greatly desiring to serve others and to be passionate about the work that God is calling me to.

There is a fire lit within me that is so sold out to my Fathers business, no one can shake that from me.

So as I have been wrestling with this idea of business. I have been keeping my heart open to what God is wanting to teach me. Finally, I was listening to a message by Mark Driscoll and I felt like I heard a little bit of my life in his message.


Here is what I took from it: 
The enemy might not try to get you to deliberately sin, instead, his goal might be to keep you busy enough so that you don't have time to put the first things first. The things that I know I need to put first consist of making a daily goal of getting into the Word a main priority in my life. It is also spending quality time in intentional prayer and then praying without doubt but with full belief in God's capabilities. I also need to work on how to be able to slow down and to stop long enough to hear God speak to me. Finding a church family to do life with and to have encouragement and accountability has also been a huge factor in me being fed as well as me pouring into other people.

I have heard messages in the past about having distractions and even about how the enemy can keep us busy to avoid spending time with God. I understood the concepts of those messages and they were really impactful, but it hasn't been until more recently where I have been trying to apply what I have learned. If no one has even told you, those two totally look and feel different. Hearing and doing!

I wish I could end this blog post with some great revelation and life changing encounter, but I am still in the works of all my thoughts and prayers. I will tell you that I am slowly getting great insight into what I feel God tugging on my heart about. Although, I suppose IT IS a great revelation that I have been hearing God so much lately. We are in constant communication with each other, and for me, I am very pleased with that!

The goal is to be fruitful not just busy. Do not exchange business for fruitfulness
Instead of doing 10 things poorly, how about trying to do 2 things really well. 

I'd like to dedicate this blog post to a continual learning process through my life. That I may have the desire to always learn and to always seek God first.

I give everything over to You Lord