Girl On Fire - Alicia Keys

I have a passion that has been set on fire, a calling that is great, and a heart of expectancy! I dance in the midst of pain, and in the presence of joy. I smile not because of my circumstances but in-spite of my circumstances. This girl is on fire... even when I feel like my flame is going dim.

I give everything to You Lord

I Will Not Grow Weary

I finally feel like someone understands how much I manage to fit in my schedule!
  "Its not how much you do for God, it's about how much you don't do" {Christine Caine}

I watched this video and had to laugh! If you know me well, you'll know that my schedule is packed full with all sorts of things. Places to go and people to see! I usually have something planned every single day. I've gotten several different responds about everything I take on in life. Everything from, "I think you do to much," or, "I don't understand how to you do everything that you do," and even, "Maybe you shouldn't do so much." It is awesome to know that I have people in my life that are willing to look out for me and my health! I'm blessed to have friends to keep me in check!

It wasn't until I heard Christine Caine's short message that made me realize, it's not necessarily what I do, but rather, how much time I am spending time with God, making sure I'm getting, "filled back up!" The verse in Isaiah that Christine quotes is a perfect example of how I want to live.

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:30-31  

"Whatever I do, whether in word or deed, I will do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17

 

So, instead of lightening my load or altogether illuminating being busy, I am going to make sure I am working on focusing on Jesus, so that He will sustain me through life. I will do everything for the glory of God and not grow wearing because I will hope in Him.

I give everything over to You Lord

Trials Produce Steadfastness

I have noticed some people become shocked when they realize that being in a relationship with God doesn't mean life all of a sudden becomes effortless. I was reading this verse when I got to work and it really reminded me of the power in trials. There is ACTUALLY a purpose for trials?! Crazy, I know!

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

God is asking us to count it all as joy when we face various trials! I can only speak for myself, but that totally goes against the grain and natural reaction I have when a trail comes up in my life. It usually doesn't feel comfortable. It feels like a stretching of my faith, trust and reliance on God. I looked up the definition of steadfastness so that I could understand the verse more and found that steadfastness is: Loyalty in the face of trouble and difficulty. I truly believe that God wants my loyalty in the face of adversity. That way He knows and I know that no matter what comes up in my life, or how hard things get, my loyalty is to Him and I will forever put Him first and serve Him. 

I find that trials are a good way of refining my character and perfecting my faith. You know how people say, "This will show their true colors!" That is how I feel about trials. It is a good meter to gauge where your attitude is at, and if your reliance isn't on God it will most likely come to the surface. I notice that God really grabs a hold of my attention when I am facing something difficult or feeling like I am getting tossed around by the things of the world.

Although it doesn't make trials any easier, there is some comfort knowing that God wants my faith to be perfected so that I am lacking nothing in my life. The goal isn't to avoid trials, it's to stay faithful to God throughout trials!

 
If you feel like you are just going through it - rest assured, you are fighting a worthy fight, you are running the race marked out for you and you are called an overcomer and a conqueror. So live like it! Hold your head up! You are doing a great job!

I give everything over to You Lord

 

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

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

Dollar Signs

God has been teaching me {alot} about finances lately. Largely because I have been trying to seek understanding from Him so He has been making Himself known in the area of money. Let me first give you some background information of how this all came about! I was offered by my sister and brother-in-law to take over their lease sometime around October. After discussing it with a few people I trust, I felt at peace with moving forward and making the commitment to take on the lease when they are ready to move out. Although, I know I only make enough to live pay check to pay check. Which I concluded was fine, and it is a season I really want to walk out and an experience I feel like God is going to teach me a lot through.

Knowing full well that finances will be a key component of me moving out and how I will be living, I know that God MUST be intertwined in my decisions or else there really doesn't leave room to have faith. There are three main points that God has brought to my attention. These three point have literally impacted my whole perception of money and my thought processes. I pray that these points can add to your existing thoughts of money and how you handle your decisions about the topic.  

{Have Faith} 
{Put Forth Effort}
{Be a Steward}

I'm so excited to talk to you about what God has shown me about these three life changers!

HAVE FAITH

{ Luke 16:10 }

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much"

Faith is a really important component - With faith you can do above and beyond what you think. If you have faith when you have only a little or the bare minimum, you will most likely be able to build lasting faith when God blesses you. Faith allows God to intervene while on the other hand faithless living only positions yourself to get in the way of what God could be doing in your life. While faith is a huge factor in how I will be handling my finances for me it is partnered with effort.  Which leads me to the second aspect that God has been teaching me. 

PUT FORTH EFFORT

Put Forth Effort! I have found that it is crucial to have faith that God WILL show up but to also partner with Him and work for the financial aspirations you have. I know that I have a big part in making my finances run smoothly. If I am being lazy, not being diligent at my job or just expecting money with no effort, that logic has flaws in it. So while I am believing & having faith that God will provide an adequate amount of money I have recently asked my boss for a few more hours at work as a sign that I am putting forth effort that will tag team my faith goals & how I know God WILL be showing up in my life.

BE A STEWARD

Lastly, and the concept of being a steward! This point is really what initiated this blog post. While listening to Dave Ramsey and trying to see if God would speak to me about anything, Dave brought up the topic of being a steward. A concept I am familiar with simply from reading scripture and listening to offering transitions in church. Have you ever experienced hearing something over and over but never really {hearing} it? Until there is a point in life were it is applicable to you and the season you are in. The impact it has and how it resonates is way more personal when you are experiencing and walking through a particular season. The part that really struck me was when I looked up the definition of {steward} and it stated:

Stew·ard

A  person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others

The instant I read that definition I was impacted. I am only stewarding Gods money that He has so GRACIOUSLY allowed me to manage for Him. If everything is His in the first place than money is not exempt from that. I will conduct my life in a way that demonstrates first hand that God is the overseer of my finances. I am only being an agent of what He's given me, blessed me with and asked me to take care of.

The combination of faith, effort & stewardship that God has been teaching me, has allowed me to comprehend and understand my place in handling the way I see money and what I do with my money. I want God involved in every area of my life - money is a big area and I'm desperate for Him to be in the fabric and make up of how I conduct myself. Finances included!    

I give EVERYTHING over to You Lord

Confront Healing

"You Can't Heal What You Refuse To Confront"

When you are walking through different life situations, such as, relationally, spiritually or personally, you are going to face "something," right? Whatever the "something" may be will depend on the situation faced and the person handling it. The "something" may be hurt, confusion, disappointment, neglect, anger or sadness. Whatever it ends up being, at one point in life you will face a memorable hardship that will take time and energy to shake it from your heart and mind with the goal of eventually finding complete healing from it. Although, confrontation with the goal of healing will allow you to withstand hardships and the pain you may go through in order to be restored.

"Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."

I have found that trying to run from the pain and hard issues in life never produce as much learning and growth as facing the problems and conflicts that arise. Ignoring the pain or living out of fear of being hurt will hinder your full potential of living. The same goes for bitterness and resentment, holding all of that inside will only hurt you, not the other person. I am really believing for this generation and generations to come to have the ability to stand up and face the issues in their life. To avoid the ease of being a society that try's to patch up and mask what's really going on in life and to simply deal with it. 
 

Forgiveness doesn't change the past, although it give a hope for the future.

I read a quote that said, "If you're lucky enough to get a second change, don't waste it." Although I understand what this quote is implying, I find that it takes away the true magnitude of Grace that God extends to us. If I could reword the quote, I'd say, "Every day you wake up is already a second chance, if you are living to God it will never be a waist."

"Do not let projections of the past or future affect the present." But, be willing to let go of the life you have planned for yourself and surrender it completely to the life that is awaiting you, according to Gods plan.
You have permission to feel angry, hurt, confused, upset, delighted, joyful or all of the above or none of the above. You have permission to feel however you feel. Your feelings are valid, understandable and they are important enough to process through them. So take the time to confront what you are experiencing so you can move on with a healed and whole perspective about life and about people. Often times people feel like that have to just hurry up and get over issues. I have found that to be a really damaging position to place yourself in. Because if you don't get down to the heart of what has happened to you or the situations your facing it is bound to surface again your life. "Confront the situations in your life, don't ignore them, so that you can remember what it has taught you and leave behind the hurt that it has caused you."


"It is better to be hurt by the truth than to be comforted by a lie." Because, while numbing the pain might feel good for awhile, it will only make it worse when you finally feel everything you have been avoiding. Remember that it is okay to change your mind about things you once thought you never would. Because if you are truly following God's plan for your life, He may have you go a different direction than you once thought you were headed.

If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough! So dream. Dream passionate, daring, outrageous, huge, inspiring, world changing dreams. If you believe in the dream you will actually be able to accomplish it.

I give everything over to You Lord