The Power In Relationship

(2 Peter 1:3-4) His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

This morning I was feeling so down and my allergies were definitely not helping. But...the moment, the very moment, I said a prayer and opened up my Bible God's truth flooded my heart and renewed my thinking. King Solomon was right when he wrote that the end of a matter was better than it's beginning. You might start off pretty sucky or just plain terrible but how will you decide to end the matter? What the Holy Spirit spoke to me this morning was that He could care less about how I was feeling: He wanted to know what I planned to do about it. In order to mature in Christ's nature, that overcame this world, we are asked to believe God's promises that were born out of His glory that transforms us and His goodness that molds us. When His glory fills a room and encounters me I can never be the same, and likewise, when the simplicity of His goodness is revealed to me my heart has no where else to run except toward Him. The verses I'm sharing immediately shifted my focus and brought me into God's heart and way of thinking. According the the first portion of this verse, The more I pursue knowing Jesus and doing life with Him the more power I have to overcome the situation I'm facing. The truth of Jesus sets us free. There is power in relationship with Jesus and we need that. I don't know about you, but I want to turn those sucky days around and prove the enemy wrong. I want to be so much fuller of His truth each day that it overflows into every single nook and cranny of my life. 

(2 Peter 1:5-8) For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 To believe what God has spoken is faith. So God is saying, you believe what I say which is awesome but I want more from you. There's always more to learn about God and because there's always more to learn, there's always more to give. You believe? Now reflect His goodness that makes Him who He is. And now that truth has filled you go ahead and experience Him and learn what He desires. And because the truth of Jesus has set you free now go ahead and start diciplining yourself and striking blows to your flesh so you can walk in the spirit. And now don't give up and keep moving forward and maturing. Oh and at this point, your showing Jesus to the point that others are taking notice...learn to live in peace with those around you and above all now show the love that Jesus showed you. Action. Doing these things will keep our relationship with Jesus living and breathing. Relationship changes everything. Truly getting to know someone bonds us and true loyalty and love are born. And where there is love there is a force to be reckoned with. After all, it is Christ's love that covered multitudes of sins and that still does. Because he did it, we can do it too.

It Clicked...Consider Joy.

 (James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 

This is what the Lord has been teaching me for more than a week straight. You know that moment when suddenly everything just makes sense? When everything just clicks, the aha moment, light bulb turning on, revelation? You know what I'm talking about, right? I had my first one the day I laid by my bed and cried out for Jesus to show me that He was real and then He did...click. I was 15 then, and I've had my good share of click moments ever since. This one that happened to me a week an a-half-or-so ago is probably one of the most major though. It's changed me. God has changed my fear of the unknown, the frustration of what is out of my control, into joy. Not happiness that only lingers for a short time and comes and goes, but joy that penetrates the soul and no matter what doesn't want to go. It's one thing to talk about letting go and letting God, but when you have an encounter with the lord in this area (or any area) His grace makes what was impossible in our strength and ability possible in His strength and ability. Over these passed few days God has just seen fit to teach me this. I've prayed for answers and these days were a big part of His answer. It was simple really. He just told me to delight in Him, to enjoy His company and presence, while He took care of my future. Matthew 6:33 is complete truth: To seek His kingdom, will, and presence, will set our focus on Him while He takes care of all that has to do with us. I've known this before but being in a storm can cause you to freak out sometimes but thank God that His faithfulness is not dependent on ours. He is who He is because He simply is. We don't need to get it, we just need to love Him. That's the first step, to just love Him. When we love God...trust, joy, peace, and obedience follow. 

This is what's been going on in my life right now and if anyone needs this well here it goes: with all my love in Christ I pray that you just love God to the point where the unanswered questions fade away and the mysteries of life become a joy to you rather than a terrible burden. I pray God's joy over you today as you fall deeper and deeper in love with Him. Because the more we fall in love with God the easier it ease to be stoned or shipwrecked in life like Paul and still write something as poetic as 1 Corinthians 13. That came out of a man who had joy in the midst of the trials that every christian faces when following Jesus. I mean, hopefully you've never been stoned to death but it could happen and I've felt the hurt of words that hurt like stones like many of you have. Our lives are to bring God glory. I heard an amazing quote recently..."it's His glory that is at stake, not ours." Our lives are about Him. After all, is not Jesus' love, heart, blood, and life worth fighting for? In this pursuit of God's will for us and of Jesus we press forward and every step brings us closer to who God created us to be. The reason I love the whole aspect of the verse I shared above is because once we fall in love with Jesus to the point of knowing that turning back is not an option, we persevere and continue to run forward, and this pilgrimage refines us season by season with the intention of bringing forth maturity in Christ. Maturity in Christ looks like Christ, it looks exactly like Him: how He forgave, surrendered, endured, talked, believed, loved, and lived. Suffering is inevitable but consider God's supernatural joy. Consider joy.

Seeking God & Journaling This Morning

I woke up around 7:00 AM this morning as I usually do to take my puppy Cody outside. I usually wake up even early so needless to say, great morning. I made my self some Nopalitos (cactus) and egg, prayed, and then went back upstairs to my room. I grabbed a hold of my Bible and as always, asked the Lord for what He wanted to share with me today. As I began to read I couldn't help myself...I had to go for my journal. After I did some writing and meditating I was so fired up that I knew I had to share my journal entry with y'all. So here it is, just as I wrote it. The Holy Spirit was just pouring out the Father's desires on my heart all morning. Freedom is a beautiful gift that comes with great responsibility.

God, through salvation in Jesus Christ, has given me [FREEDOM]: 

The state of no longer being imprisoned or enslaved to receive 

the power and right to act, speak, or think as I want without hindrance or restraint.

But God says: Let me show you what to do with my freedom that is now yours. 

I am completely paraphrasing what the Lord showed me this morning in 

(1 Corinthians 10:23-24).

Don't seek what's good for you, but instead, 

go after what's good for others. 

Even though I have given you the right to do anything, 

not everything is beneficial nor constructive. 

Not everything makes personal and social 

well-being possible to result in good. 

Not everything promotes improvement 

and development in order to build up.

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His Rain Falls When We Prepare Our Hearts

 I want to talk about those times when we lead or participate in a praise and worship service in which we feel that God's presence just didn't move. We compare one service to another or one season to another and find ourselves playing the blame game: Yup it was that out of tune guitar, those loud drums, the tired vocalists, and definitely those new songs. It's easy sometimes for us to concoct some crazy-wild explanation for something so simple. I've even found myself saying, "Lord, why? These people needed You to show up...I was dying for You to show up." I don't know if any of you can relate but this is a horrible feeling. You come home and think that you just wasted your time and even worse that you just wasted God's time and probably made Him tear up a bit from how awful that whole service turned out. I've been there and it's because I've been there that I've sought out my Lord's council. I love how he speaks into my heart so clearly. There are specific moments when I've just felt God laugh and I'm pretty sure when I've talked to Him about these things He's been just balling out, shaking His head, ready to just cradle me because the answer is so simple.

*~*~*

(Song of Solomon 1:6) 

Do not stare at me because I am dark,

    because I am darkened by the sun.

My mother’s sons were angry with me

    and made me take care of the vineyards;

    my own vineyard I had to neglect.

(Song of Solomon 2:10)

My beloved spoke and said to me,
    “Arise, my darling,
    my beautiful one, come with me.

*~*~*

What The Lord revealed to me was that we, His children, are the ones who carry His presence and He confirmed this with His Word that says that we are the Temple of The Holy Spirit, His church. We're suppose to be putting the "C', "H", "U", "R", "C", "H" in "church". The only way to do this is through our relationship with God. He is always able to move but we also have the calling to release what He has freely given us. His Spirit is waiting to be releases but if we don't feed our spirit's how can we accomplish this? It's about talking to our Father because His Holy Spirit is with us and longs to be upon all of us, it's about getting into His Word for a fresh and new revelation, and it's about intimate prayer and worship behind closed doors when no one is looking. God is tired of His unfaithful bride who is ravished by many lovers. In Jeremiah 3 The Lord tells His people that "the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen" because of their unfaithfulness. God uses the words prostitution and unfaithfulness to describe our desire to seek another's council and even our own;He refers to anything that occupies the first place in our hearts. 

*~*~*

(Jeremiah 2:13)

“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
    the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

*~*~*

Do we not do this today? We lean on our own past understanding and at some point stop overflowing because we've traded fountains. We think we can survive with what we know but those moments are when we need The Lord the most. Only He can see a heart naked as it is. When He says He wants a worshiper in spirit and in truth, this is what He's referring to. He longs for His worshiper to lay beside Him and hear His heartbeat and the only way for us to do this is to cultivate that relationship. Sometimes we reach moments where we hide our faces from The Lord and sink back. He's calling out. Talk to Him. He just wants to talk to us. He just wants to love us. Our wells can't hold water but His can. He doesn't want us to struggle or get frustrated anymore. When you prepare your heart's garden He will walk in and spend time with you. Because you know Him He will listen and because He knows You His Spirit will be upon you ready to be released.

*~*~*

(Psalm 132:7-8)

“Let us go to his dwelling place,
    let us worship at his footstool, saying,
 ‘Arise, Lord, and come to your resting place,
    you and the ark of your might.

//We are that resting place that 

The Holy Spirit longs to dwell in.//

*~*~*

 "Learn to steward God's presence in stillness, not just in corporate worship." 

                                                                                           

                                                                                            —Steffany Gretzinger

When we do this through intimate time with The Lord our services and corporate gatherings will be in continuous overflow. His signs and wonders will be there. The fullness of His Spirit is the key and that key can only be given to us through spirit taught knowledge that comes from the secret place. My secret place sometimes looks like a locked room with soft Bethel or Ihop music playing in the background, or a locked bathroom with me kneeling at the foot of the tub, a car ride, or gardening time outside. The one thing that all these locations have in common is that I am alone with God in order to seek Him. You don't need anything fancy just a place where you can cultivate that relationship with God behind closed doors so that when you do life in the open you will be walking in the fullness of His Spirit and that rain will fall no matter where you find yourself.

A Season Of Seeking Out The Hidden Things

When we find ourselves secluded theses are the seasons where one on one with The Holy Spirit we grow and mature. There is always a lesson to be taught and learned. I find myself in this season right now and The Lord is who He says He is. Faithful and true, holding my hand and walking me through. After some adjustments in my life The Lord revealed to my heart and placed this scenario before me: "There is a bus that is taking you and others to the next season and you got on early. Better to be the first one on than the last because the last ones to get on I had to push and force so they come hurt, scared, and confused. This is a season of seeking out the hidden things." I've been hearing this in my Spirit and then came God's word to confirm His spirit taught words to me:

*~*~*

(Isaiah 26:20) 

Go, my people, enter your rooms 

and shut the doors behind you; 

hide yourselves for a little while 

until his wrath has passed by.

(Isaiah 45:3) 

I will give you hidden treasures, 

riches stored in secret places, 

so that you may know that 

I am the Lord, the God of Israel, 

who summons you by name.

(Isaiah 48:6-7) 

You have heard these things; 

look at them all. Will you not admit them? 

“From now on I will tell you of new things, 

of hidden things unknown to you. 

They are created now, and not long ago; 

you have not heard of them 

before today. So you cannot say, 

‘Yes, I knew of them.’ 

*~*~*

I've been what feels like the last one on the bus and it is not pretty...it hurts. I thought my wounds were going to kill me but my Lord healed me and only the scars remain. I never understood the scripture that reads that God wounded us but now He would heal us until I encountered these seasons. God raises a banner and calls out to us but sometimes we hesitate for too long and enter a zone of false comfortability. And then He is forced to drag us because He loves us and can not sit there and watch us miss the prepared table that He has set before us. The confusion and pain won't last forever because our God is faithful and will bind our wounds and wipe our tears. There is rest in knowing who we are in Christ and what God wants us to really do. We will never be able to fit a man-made mold. That yoke is too heavy and only brings us neverending burdens. They are burdens disguised as servanthood obedience and kingdom obligations but God will not permit His loved ones to be fooled. 

*~*~*

(Psalm 127:1-2) 

Unless the Lord builds the house,

    the builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city,

    the guards stand watch in vain.

2 

In vain you rise early and stay up late,

toiling for food to eat—

    for he grants sleep to those he loves.

*~*~*

Just two Sundays ago I had this vision during the service while the team and I were worshiping in song and what I saw was a beautiful treasure box. I felt my Lord's excitement. He wanted His people to open it. He desired for us to open it. I say "us" because He longs for all of His children to want more of Him. To be curious and child-like in our Daddy's spiritual matters. This makes Him happy. The treasures of our Father's heart are found through communion and relationship with prayer, worship, and reading scripture in spirit and in truth. 

There are things that I've had to step away from because God is dealing in His way with those things and desires to keep me on His track. Those "things" in the natural seem good and should have God's stamp of approval because they are ministry related and done in His name but God's ways are higher and so much sweeter. Can anybody say amen?! Some people won't agree but that's OK, the murmurs just have to roll off your back. In the secret place with The Lord and with the support of those around you who can truly perceive the move of God this period of time will bring a new revelation of who God says you are. In this season, unlike other past seasons, it was easy for me to let go and move with the Spirit of God because I know He's going to teach me something good. I've tasted this very fruit in the past and I've seen God's goodness and the joy that overflows from His dwelling place.

On another note, My Summer II Mexican American Lit class officially starts tomorrow and I couldn't be any more excited. My best friend is also teaching me to play piano, something a few seasons past I thought would be impossible. My excuse was that I'm not a good multi-tasker but God just laughs at my excuses and hugs me before sending me on my way. I've been reading through The Bible so much to the point where it's been a day long thing sometimes. I know I won't always have that kind of time so this season is so important to and for me. It's a step back in order to step in. A hungry heart The Lord cannot resist and that's my purpose in this time...to love on my God and to rest in the fact that my Beloved's desire is for me.

Venturing Through The Book of Psalms

(Psalm 23) 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul. 

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me 

in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely your goodness and love will follow me 

all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 

forever.

*~*~*

If there's one book of The Bible that I can't get enough of that's the book of Psalms. I find myself currently there, trying hard not to highlight every verse. Lately, as my best friend and I sing to and worship The Lord together (me on the mic and him on the guitar) I find myself flowing with psalms. My heart is storing up what I read and as I begin to release new songs in the spirit I notice that my own words have now meshed with God's word. It feels so right, so beautiful as The Word of God is being declared and released into the spiritual atmosphere. I can't quite say how long it'll take for me to finish this book but I'm definitely enjoying the journey. Yup, it's been quite a journey.

Today my day was filled with some early rising, prayer, and gardening. I went with my Mom to her prayer group "Genesis" and loved seeing The Holy Spirit show up. I'm telling y'all, amazing supernatural things happen when two or more people come into agreement. Though I was the youngest one there, there is no age in the spirit so I connected the minute I stepped foot through the front door. As my Mom preached what The Lord was putting in her spirit, some of the other members and myself prayed in tongues. There was a point when we started reading through a passage of the book of Revelations that I began to feel electric pulses gently moving up and down my arms. My eyes could not hold back my tears. His presence is so sweet. The Holy Spirit made Himself tangibly known. Toward the end of the meeting we all held hands and as I began to sing in tongues and as my Mom began to anoint with oil The Holy Spirit just completely wrecked us for His glory. Someone was about to fall over. When we are The Lord's vessels and we seek for more of Him He gives it to us. Yes there is a price to pay, but just like Bill Johnson said in his book, "More God. More! I must have more of You at any cost! If I lose respectability and get You in the exchange, I'll gladly make that trade. Just give me more of You." It's mind-boggling how God has been answering so many of my past and current questions as I read His Word and also Bill Johnson's book "When Heaven Invades Earth." This season of my life has been busy but full of revelation, restoration, and yes tribulation. But I rejoice! I've tasted and I've seen that The Lord is good so my peace is rooted in Christ and my anchor is He.

*~*~*

(Psalm 32:7-8)

You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs 

of deliverance.

I will instruct you and teach you

 in the way you should go;

I will counsel you 

with my loving eye on you.

*~*~*

It's official, my Mommy and I are starting a mini-nursery. 

I'm in love!

The Calm During The Storm

We all have a storm. That period of time that stresses us, or frustrates us, or worries us. A little or huge rain cloud above us. Yes I have them too. But I really want to share my take on my storm. I feel lots of things but to quote the lovely Mrs. Joyce Meyers, I don't have to do what I feel. God has so shown me this and has patiently worked with me on this. Along the way through many attempts I have stumbled but no longer fallen thanks to God's right hand sustaining me. Though the storm and the rain clouds of life come, it's a good feeling knowing that God loves me at my worst as He perfects me for the best. The homework is there believe me, my ministry alive and running, and the every day does not pause nor take a break. There are no cut-me-some-slack days. The only thing that changes is how we view life. So my take on my storm is this: God has given me the power according to His word in the Book of Timothy (regardless of my age) to stay cool and collected. To be happy. to love. The free will to crack a joke to ease the tension and the right to choose to hunger for more of His presence. How I exercise these rights and blessings is up to me. See living in the moment is great for those who settle but I just don't want to be there. I'm not a let's go to a concert to hear beautiful music kind of girl, I'm a let's go sing and worship God as we sob of joy kind of girl. I choose the calm. I love the calm. The storm is there but I choose to see God's glory cloud above me raining down His Spirit to quench my thirst instead. I love what Elisha said to His servant.

(2 Kings 5:26)  But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?

I love that. Is this the time? Is this the time to be moping around? Is this the time to be rebellious? Is this the time to be wasting time? I love it. I love that Elisha had God's vision. When we have God's vision we see like eagles. We see the fullness of His plans. We don't know exactly but we are confident in that His plans are good no matter what. And I'm saying this, remember yall, in the midst of a storm. His plans are so sweet for us and so flawless. Now is the time to enjoy His presence and be completely, completely, submerged in His Spirit.

*~*~*

I share some verses with you that really hit the spot today. I mean, God's Word is as sweet as honey and in our Spirit tastes like it too.

(Psalm 63:5) I will be fully satisfied as with 

the richest of foods; with singing lips my 

mouth will praise you.

(Psalm 119:2-3) Blessed are those who keep 

his statutes and seek him with all their 

heart—they do no wrong but follow 

his ways.

³ 

(Psalm 119:30) I have chosen the way of 

faithfulness; I have set my heart 

on your laws.

(Psalm 119:103) How sweet are your words 

to my taste, sweeter than honey to 

my mouth!

(Jeremiah 15:16) When your words came, I 

ate them;they were my joy and my heart’s 

delight, for I bear your name,

Lord God Almighty.

Let There Be Light

What? The book of Genesis? That's right kiddos! The Lord will always give his children new revelation of those things that most believe to be obvious or worn out. Friends and fellow readers, I am so excited to share with you what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me during my time of fasting and prayer. As you all know, I have begun to read the bible from book numero uno to the book of Revelations. No more skipping and skimming for this girl. Oh no, no, no, I'm in this 100% for the glory of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ! And for those of you, like I posted earlier, who wish to jump on the band wagon with me, I personally invite you to do so! And most importantly the Lord invites you to do so. Where to start, where to start? Well...a few days ago I began to have midnight to mid morning bible sessions with God. My boyfriend, who I love dearly, gave me an android phone for Christmas to which I added the Bible App to. I love, love, love this App! So as I was saying, at around 12:00AM-3:00AM I've been cuddled up in my bed reading the bible on my phone. I love it! Not that I don't love my tangible book bible but it's so much easier to have the lights off and read with my phone. Gracias Miamor, love you babe!

*~*~*

As I began to read Genesis 1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day," the Lord gave me this beautiful vision of the drawing that I made above. Clearly I could envision a craftsman with his tools, trying to design and sculpt his creations but could not do so comfortably until he turned on a lamp. Once he turned on the light everything became clear and now he began to draw inspiration. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that this was God. When he began to create the world, before anything, He needed to see his beautiful and marvelous creations so He created the light. Light cannot only be interpreted in the natural and obvious sense, but in the spiritual sense. The light signifies inspiration, creativity, and enlightenment. God did not create and form the animals, trees, and us until there was light in the world because darkness brings confusion. Why confusion? Because one cannot see in the dark and one cannot think while in confusion. This is why God has called us to be children of

light.

Tip: If you feel gloomy or just plain sad or confused surround yourself with not only literal light but with the greatest light that exists: Jesus. Find a nice area or corner and snuggle up with a blanket and read the word of God. There's a great comfort that comes from filling yourself with God's word. Try it! Turn on your favorite lamp and remember that you were called to be a child of light. When God Himself wanted to be creative while making you, He did so with the light illuminating His workspace. Keep looking up and God Bless!