Sunday's Coming

As I ponder this morning, the day before Resurrection Sunday, my eyes are fixed on Jesus and the mighty thing that He has done. How He stood in our place and took the punishment for what we deserved...

He was beaten unrecognizable to men and crucified unjustly for us. He allowed US to do it without a word spoken, so that we could be reconciled to the Father, our eternal home...so that we would not have to pay the penalty for our own sin. 

Oh beloved, today, with a zealous heart, I compassionately call you, to lay down

the weapons of bitterness, jealousy and revenge...

the cloaks of regret, unworthiness and shame...

and the unwillingness to forgive.

In their stead, receive from Him the priceless free gift of forgiveness, freedom and everlasting life. Receive a beautiful robe of righteousness to cover even the darkest of deeds. Be bound no longer in chains of fear of punishment; for He said the Father sent Him

"to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners"

Isaiah 61:1

Choose Him this day Beloved. Choose love this day. Do not be discouraged or dismayed, because Sunday's Coming...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn94B3GHcjY

S.M. Lockridge's sermon combines with footage from The Passion Of The Christ for this powerful video.

Change Is Coming

Oh Beloved Ones...

 I haven't written in a long time, but I feel the stirring to pick back up and put my thoughts, encounters and life's lessons to page again. I hope you will glean from a daughter loved by her Father and King. 

So, as I sit here alone with my thoughts. The old familiar feeling of angst stirs up from a place in my heart that has not yet been settled. I seek the Lord, because I have learned, there is no other productive way to sort this out...

it is through Him alone that I gain peace, that I gain rest.  

As a little child I come to Him, confused, scared, anxious, with one simple question...what's going on Father? 

He answers so tenderly as always, "you're afraid."            

"Of what?" I reply with sincerity. 

"Of what's on the other side." 

At this point I don't quite understand what He's talking about, but somewhere deep inside, I know He's right. I know this because tears are streaming down my face, and once again...I am understood. 

He continues...

"You are coming out of a very hard season of your life, and you are afraid of the new. You are afraid of what's on the other side of the door. See, I have opened a door for you, and it is a different chapter on the other side. It's vast, not yet been occupied, and your job is to occupy it. Fill it with new memories; fill it with life. I have opened this door for you, and I will be with you. You are not alone Jane, never alone. I am bringing you new friends, new people in your life, prepare your heart to receive the new. Change is coming, it's time to change into new garments, the old will not work for you anymore. Change is in the air, do not be afraid." 

I feel the peace washing over me,  and I feel loved by my Father once again. I have encountered my Father's goodness, once again. I don't know what the future holds, but what I do know, is that I am not alone...and that whatever He does, is for me. 

I can rest in the care that He gives me. I can trust in His word, because He's told me that

            

 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the 

FATHER OF LIGHTS, 

who does not change like shifting shadows." 

James 1:17

I  have a new sense of hope again. An excitement welling up within me that the future is bright, the future holds promise, and the days ahead will be good. 

"There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor 
A DOOR OF HOPE. 

There she will respond as in the days of her youth, 

as in the day she came up out of Egypt." 

Hosea 2:15

sidewalk chalk

so, i was walking one day, as i often do, and came upon this message...

i thought, 'wow Lord, You are so good, to give me that message today,' as recently i had been asking for His help. and then i came upon this...

i thought 'clever. Lord, You see right through me, You see my doubt!' and then...

my next thought, 'okay, Lord You really do keep Your promises, i will try to believe You.' and then again...

so i did. i began asking Him for the things that i had been struggling to believe Him for. and then the encouragement came....

my faith increased, and i felt the message really was for me! i thought, 'Lord, You really are listening to me, You really are going to provide!' and then, the best message of all came...

I fell in love all over again. He led someone to encourage me, to encourage whom ever walked down that path, that day...He led someone to breathe life with chalk, on a sidewalk.

after the pearl event...

my long-time sweet sister and friend sibi

how can I even describe what the weekend of the event meant to me?!

first of all, the fact that my dear friend Sibi would invite me to speak at her event (sorry sibi, "God's event") something that she has held so near and dear to her heart?!

second of all, that I would have the honor to share the microphone (which by the way, most of us had a clear aversion to!) with seven other amazing women (and man!) of God Sarah, Paige, Edie, Brittany, Dave & Jenny, and of course Sibi?!

and third of all, that so many amazing women would come from all over the united states to attend?! glory!


it was a defining moment in my life. 


to be able to share the hope that I hold so dear to my heart was amazing. It felt like I had won a battle. everything that has tried to hold me back, to shut me up, lost that day.


victory. 


Jesus had the victory. you women had the victory. to share, to come...and sibi, to do what you did?! thank you for preparing the way and for giving so freely of your time, energy, resources and love. you truly amaze me. 


i can't thank you sibi and eric enough. 

i can't thank all of you amazing women who poured out your hearts and lives enough. i can't thank all you amazing women who came from  all over, even bearing beautiful and extravagant gifts enough. 

i can't thank You enough Jesus for making it all possible. 

i can't ever thank You enough.

run the race!

one of my very favorite things to do, is to watch my young men play their ball games! they work hard to prepare, and work hard with their teammates for the big day. as believers in Christ Jesus, we do the same.   'I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.'  Phil 3:14

we work out our 'salvation with fear and trembling', and on the big day we stand before our Beloved King, and wait to hear the words, 'well done, good and faithful servant'.

i encourage you, dear one, keep your eyes fixed on the prize...your Beloved Savior, Who laid down His life for you, that you would live. seek Him, and His Kingdom, for they are waiting for you with expectancy.   'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.'  Matt 6:21

as you are learning to hear His voice, you are training. as you are learning to receive His love, you are training. as you are learning to walk in His ways, you are training. as you are learning to lay down your life, you are training. 

run beloved! run to Him! run into His arms and rest! run into His arms and find peace for your souls! for it is in that day that you will find the one true love that you have always been searching for. stay the course, you have a great 'cloud of witnesses' cheering you on!

run beloved, run!   'Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.' 1 Cor 9:4

the pearl event II

i can't even begin to tell you how excited I am!!!!

i have the extreme privilege of coming together with these amazing women to swap stories of our lives and how good God has been in and through them! truly, what an honor...i am shaking in my boots!! i have been seeking the Lord about how to unfold the life He has given me in just 45 minutes! my hope is to communicate how good He has been even in the midst of a lot of sad and confusing circumstances. 


i look forward to meeting women from all over the country...glory hallelujah!!! i look forward also to hearing their hearts and being a part of expressing the extravagant love of the Father towards them. i know i will be doubly blessed by hearing from the other precious women and of course Brittany Nelson's amazing worship! 


counting down the days!!!.....

Firstborn Son...becoming a man

whitestonephotography.us
as my firstborn son is becoming a man, i can't help but think about the process of maturity, and how identity and unity are essential. the realization that we are completely and fully accepted into the family of God, by God is first and foremost. He stands with open arms, no matter where we've been or what we've done and receives us like lost little children who have been separated from their Mom. identity comes from knowing who we are, and Who's we are...

for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 

romans 8:14-17

when i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things. for now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. now i know in part, but then i shall know just as i also am known and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 
1 corinthians 13:11-13

how comforting! how amazing to know that we, as children of God, have a home with God! oh wandering children, the Father is beckoning you to come home. come home to rest. come home to be all that you were created and destined to be. come home and know where you belong. He has a place for you. He calls you His own...beloved one.