A testimony in the making

The last post was about Sean and I starting a new season in our life.  It's safe to say that we have done just that!  So many things have changed for us in the last few months.  We have both had career changes where we have to rely on God.  Our faith has increased in Him to provide every need and He has done just that.  God wants us to be available for Him.  When Sean and I said "yes" to Him in being available for Him, God expedited us into the season we were expecting.  But, we did not expect this season to come so suddenly.  When I look back on the prophetic words of 2016 all I can remember is the word 'suddenly' and how to expect the suddenly's.  It's a great year to expect them and to know that they are from God.  He wants us to be ready to move for Him.  He wants us to be available at all times.  I'm realizing that the more available I am to do His work, the more I see how He excels me.  I'm experiencing it now.  He has done so much for me already this year.. and it's only March!

Sean and I are a 'testimony in the making' (as I like to say) in this new season.  We are still walking out this new journey in our lives and I have enjoyed every aspect of it.. whether it's been good or tough.  It makes us stronger.  It makes us one.

So, are you ready to be available?  Are you ready to be willing to do things for our Father?  If you are ready and take that step to do it all for Him then you will never regret that decision.  God is going to take you places that you will never imagine!  He's doing that right now for me!  You will be blessed beyond measure if you start to become available for Him.

And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19 NKJV

To God be the glory.

A New Season

It truly has been a long time since I posted on here.

I have been in a season where I have been silent.  A season where I was rediscovering myself.

The silence I have been enduring is definitely from the enemy.  He's been whispering in my ear saying I'm not qualified to do the things I want to do, amongst other lies he has been inputting into my mind.  It has been a roller coaster in my mind for a LONG time.  During this summer's revival meetings for our church, the Lord has been slowly reminding of how much He loves me.  He's been reminding me that He sees everything thing I do and telling me that He is proud of me.  A couple of months ago I was praying with some precious people in my life and the Lord set me free from past hurts and rejection that I have dealt with for years.  It was such a wonderful feeling.  The following day, I experienced more freedom when the Lord reminded me that I was still trying to please MAN.   (I had gotten upset about something so stupid and I was asking God why I was upset.  He said gently that I was trying pleasing man and not Him).

The mind is where the battle takes place behind the scenes.  We all know this... so many people deal with this issue.  It's absolutely ridiculous and we MUST TAKE CONTROL OVER THE LIES OF THE ENEMY.

I truly know that Sean and I are walking into a new season for our marriage.  This new season is part of our destiny.  One thing that I am going to share has been weighing on my heart to read again.  It's one of those things that you are so glad you highlighted in a book.  I love that God is doing something great in us because what I'm about to share just burns inside me so much.

What makes a bride a bride is that she knows that she stands utterly alone in the eyes of her beloved.  She knows that she is the unique one and the favorite of her husband.  This is why it is so crucial that each heart goes on a personal journey of bridal love.  We each have to stand alone within the fire of His gaze and allow His affections to be deeply personal.  We have to know and feel like the favorite of the Lord, standing utterly alone in His narrow gaze of desire.
   Deep Unto Deep by Dana Candler

I love this paragraph from this book.  It's one of my favorite books to read.  It reminds me of how much our God loves us.  I long to be His bride and I long to see His eyes.  I'm so excited for this new season for Sean and I to be more of one unit and be a bride for our Beloved.  God is so good.  It's time to not be silent.  It's time to be loud with our love and loud with our actions for Jesus.  It's a new season of making His name famous.

You are worth more.

I read a twitter status yesterday by Jenn Johnson:

You are not what you wrestle with.

Since then, I have not stopped thinking about this statement.  I am guilty of judging people by their actions & behaviors at the present time.  I know to look at the heart rather than the outside but we all know that is easier said than done.  I feel like it's even harder to not hold some judgement to those that are in the church.  Especially, if the people in the church were not raised in the church.  It's also a great reminder for myself that even though I have hard times, I know that I am worth more and my God sees much more in me.

Sean and I have recently servicing our youth at Light.  Our Equip classes (aka Sunday School but only lasts for 10 weeks) started February 9th and the youth drama team started on Valentine's day.  We have loved it too!  We have partnered up with another couple whose heart is for teens & I have enjoyed every second getting to know them more & working along side them.  Our kids are dealing with some heavy stuff & it's important to encourage them that God truly loves them.  These kids are smart & I can't wait to challenge them more on what they think on topics we discuss.

This past Sunday we introduced to them that is okay and important to learn to pray for each other.  God moved & I truly believe this is the start of some thing great.  I also believe that they will start to learn what it means to have a family of friends who they can count on.

The staff at Light did a three week fast of your choice.  Our pastors and majority of us did the Daniel Fast.  It was mine & Sean's first time to do it.  We really enjoyed the fast because we are trying to start living healthy and eliminating the foods we do not need.  My main struggle that I had with the food part was not eating chicken.  If you know me, you know how much I love chicken and how much I eat chicken on a regularly basis.  Sean also struggled not having meat towards the end.  Even though the fast is over, we plan on to continue to keep the foods we have been eating in our meal plan.  We have completely eliminated sodas from our choice of drinks.  I am still working on less coffee intake.  It's a work in progress :)

This fast has been helping us realize what we need to do spiritually.  For one, we both have forsaken our First Love and we starting to make Him the true center of our relationship.  This has been a little hard for us because we have had little time to devote to us and our devotion time.  We were so busy during our fast with things in our lives and it hasn't really slowed down.  So we are learning to balance this.  It is an adjustment that we must make but I am so excited to make this adjustment for us and our relationship with our Father.

One thing that has really stuck out to me towards the end of our fast is how I have become completely drunk and consumed in this world.  I have been consumed with others (which isn't bad) and I have been selfish.  It amazes me how I see things and let it consume me.  It may be because I am still trying to adjust to the life here.  I am not sure but I do know that it has taken me a while to get used to life down here.  I love it down here but it is hard when it is your first time to ever 'move' away from home.  Sean has been so great to me.. listening to me when I get home sick and when I reminisce.  He truly is an amazing husband.
 So with all that being said, I have started to really reading the Word daily again.  Right now it's been my daily devo's on my phone and I am thankful for them.  One thing God has really laid on my heart was becoming sober again,  here is a passage:

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:  that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;  the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—  that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,  to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
          Titus 2:1-5


I love this passage because it reminds me of part of my purpose here on earth.  We are here to stand out of the crowd by the way we live.  I have let myself forget my purpose but now that it is a new season for Sean & I, we are not letting this season go to waste.  We are so excited for God is doing in our lives right now.  We are excited to see the things come to pass that have been promised to us.  We are excited to be serving together as one for our King. 

wednesday wisdom

So my Wednesday wisdom has continued over to Thursday.  I started this yesterday but did not get to finish...
BUT
This quote is so true!  How can you live for today and the future if you cannot let go of the past?  I am guilty of this myself.  I remember how I did things in Alabama and I think to myself, "why can't I do this again now?" or "I wish I was still like I was back then." If I keep doing this, I will completely miss what I am supposed to do in Florida and I would not fulfill my duty as a wife to Sean.

So I challenge you to move forward with remembering the past, but not letting it decide your future.  This is a challenge for myself too!  Let's do this together!