Caught in the Middle
19 May 2012 1 Comment
in Uncategorized, prayer, God, faith, Jesus, inspirational, art, Believe, Christian, Blessings, encourage, encouragement, trust Tags: encourge, encouragment, jesus, weary, pray, agony, faith hope, God, hope, hearing the voice of god, middle, new door, Casting Crown, Alabama, Pain, Heart, Lord, Religion and Spirituality
People call it a Process, in the Middle, a Journey.
Trying to be all that I can be in my life for Jesus. So I set my course not to be distracted by anything, right…..Unfortunately daily life keeps getting in my way.
My youngest daughter went back to Alabama this week. She was here for about a week, I loved every moment of it. Her leaving crushed my heart . As I was walking after she left I honestly thought….. is this ever going to end feeling so sad when she leaves? I know,…. not a great Faith statement, but a true and honest one. I was listing to iHeartRadio and at that moment the song from Casting Crown came on “Caught in the Middle”. I started to cry even more, because it dawned on me that is why it all seems so very hard, I’m caught in the middle of where I have been and where I am going.
When she left in August the last of my five to move on with their life, I was so sure that all I have heard, dreamed and had been given in prophecy was going to come knocking on my door. I figured the reason that year after year after year had passed with many things unfulfilled had to be I was waiting till my job as “mom” was over. But that is not what happened or so that is what I thought.
We hear the phrase when one door closes another one opens. Problem is we do not know the distance the hallway is! It hit me listening to that song, the moment I kissed and hugged my daughter and said goodbye in August…. I shut a door, I’m just still in the hallway. Somewhere in the middle. My journey started and all I saw, felt was pain. The song made me realize this is apart of the journey where I grow, I change, I become more of who he has already called me to be; To bring out my strength, endurance and to reconize his grace and mercy flowing in my life from him.
This past year has been one of the hardest years I have had. Without a question I can say, through all the tears and sadness God has always been by my side. In this year I have grown in the confidence that God needed me to see and know that it has always been there, I just needed to realize it. For this I am grateful and without all the pain and tears I would have never gotten to this depth of understanding.
I started thinking of all the people I have prayed for week after week during prayer time and how this is the same cry from their heart. The pain of being in the middle of a situation and all we want is out and the pain to go away. A couple of months ago I was battling this same situation and the Lord spoke so softly to me to embrace the pain. I thought “embrace the pain”! Almost like leaning into the wind and pushing through instead of fight it so. I then saw a vision of a pile of burning embers and I saw myself pick them up and bring them to my chest and hug them tight. Where in my mind I thought they are going to burn me up and leave a wound, instead I saw them disappear into my chest and heal my heart, to the place of relief. I then heard, count it all joy brings the healing to my heart. It may seem crazy to embrace and rejoice, as crazy as picking up embers and hugging them, but in the end the healing provides my heart peace only He can give! I have been doing my very best to do that very thing with each hurt, disappointment, but when my daughter left again, I could not find joy, peace or even understanding to why am I still in the same place physically and mentally.
Then it hit me… the reason I haven’t moved mentally is I will not let go to what I know (the past) or at least the memories of what I want. My heart screams this is not fair. Then in a flash I remembered the last day of preschool for my youngest daughter. I saw myself in the pick-up line about to pick her up and all I can think is, I’m about to loose it crying, knowing after many years with this one teacher with all my kids was now over. I was so scared and sad, overwhelmed with loss. The Lord stopped me in that van and reminded me “Katie, let go of the door and move on”. I guess yet again I have to be reminded “Katie, let go of the door”.
It is so easy to look back and be so sad and then to look forward and just not even understand. I am really, really trying to be here, be in my now, somewhere in the middle, in the journey holding my Father’s hand. Knowing that even if I cry and I know I will, it’s OK, cause He is holding my hand. There is nothing that can pull me from God and my victory as long as I never let go of Him.
Heart Beat <3
03 May 2012 1 Comment
in art, Blessings, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, prayer, word Tags: art, bible, blessing, christian, desires, encouge, encourgement, faith, freedom, hard times, heart beat, hope, love, word
I am sure at one point you have heard “if you don’t have something nice to say then don’t say anything”. It is not like I cannot find something to praise God for or be very grateful, but since I last blogged I feel like I have been on a very long road trip. We love to talk about going somewhere and what we did while we were there, but not many comment about in the car, driving, driving; because soon it will turns to complaining. How much longer, this is taking forever, when will I get there!!! That is basically how I have felt and knowing how it is so easy for me to start letting sarcasm and frustration take over and very quickly say things later I am shaking my head at myself saying,…. really!
We cry out for freedom, it is what we all say we want, but the question is at what cost and which freedom am I talking about, my way or God’s way. I very quickly say,… Oh God’s! Then why do I kick and scream the moment it starts to get Real! What I mean by real is it starts costing me something. My will, My desire, My plans. Daily I must press into what the Word says and to be who I cry out to be. My mind tells me freedom is what I want to do, the real question is, is that true freedom?
The wise Word says that me running after my own wants without God will get me into trouble, because my desires are not always the best. I LOVE soft sugar cookies, I have the freedom to go to the store, buy and eat all 12 in the package; that would bust a goal of mine not to gain weight. This in the simplest of terms is how we get ourselves into trouble with our freedom without wisdom. Freedom without wisdom will do that to each of us over and over.
In March I found this little salt dough Faith art piece. I did it during Christmas. I had taken to the garage to spray the sealer on and apparently someone moved the box and I totally forgot about it. That day as we pulled into the garage it caught my eye. I started laughing and picked it up and took into my art room. It made me think… I took the time to make, paint and seal, but then the most important part I did not follow through with, putting the hook on and putting up for all to see. I realize I do the same thing with what I have been given in my walk loving and serving God. I have the gift to receive Him, Love Him, to fellowship and love those who know Christ and those we do not, but the reason He asks me to listen so closely to His heart beat is so I can be just like him, not caring what I want, But asking Daddy what do you want. Not forgetting the finishing part in myself – the displaying of myself for all to see the Christ in me.
It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows. For everything we know about God’s Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That’s an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out—in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then? Gal.5:13-15
With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. 1 Cor. 15:58
Because I BeliEvEd
27 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in art, Believe, Blessings, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, prayer, salvation, scripture, trust, Uncategorized, word Tags: agony, bible, cry out, encourge, faith, firm foundation, God, hope, i, jesus, just believe, kingdom of god, peace, prayer, prince of peace, timing, Trust, trusting, verse, when you believe, wisdom god, word, word time, you can do it
Many do not realize that pretty much every blog I write is birthed from a place of questioning or pain – fighting for my own understanding. Once understanding and reaching that calm, then I can dry my tears, calm that fear, etc… I write
I find I do the same thing with my art. The verse that I use to dig my way back to peace. God lifts me up with the truth of his Word and then I draw.
It’s like the verse God opens up to me speaks even louder, not because the Word is anymore truer, but the verse was the key that unlocked
the chains the enemy was trying to pull me down with. We each can get pulled into that place, you just have to use the Word as your rope or an anchor to hold you steady. The verses are not just mere words, they for me in a battle are my knight in shining armor, my rescuer, my one and only Prince of Peace.
I heard Bobbie Jean Merck, a wonderful woman of God say “There is a big difference between being a teacher of the Word and being a teacher of how the Word got you through that battle”. We each have pain and we all have hurts, God has given us a rope, an anchor written in the Bible. I personally know the Word works, not just because it says it or because I have read it once. I know because the verse that jumped off the page at me and I studied it, held on to it till I got to the other side of the situation.
Once I got there, it’s like I have found a secret passage way to get to the other side and from that point all I want to do is jump up and down and say to others “Look!! Do this, let go, try this!” But,… because most have not had that experience, they look at me like I am crazy. All they see are words. When in reality it is your way out., your knight in shining amour, your Prince of Peace is ready to spring forth into action, run to your defense. You and God, no matter the circumstances together get to the other side. There you wipe the tears away, put the fear under your feet and look for the people around you that you can encourage with the same strength and peace you have been shown. Walking in His joy and His Peace and giving as freely as you received.
That is why we have got to read the Word, that is why we have got to be with other Christians, planted into the house of the Lord together. This way we can stand together, encourage each other, because we will continue to have good and bad days. God will be there for them both. We all honestly want a Utopia here on Earth, no problems, everything going our way. The Bible does not promise that. In fact the opposite is promised, but He also promises us He will never leave or forsake us, we will always find him and all we must do is cry out, seek or draw closer to him. He will be there.
When the pain is beyond our strength, the fear gripping and the torment is beyond real, He is there. This is a hard concept for us, yet He is Faithful. Our concept is God can only be with us, help us when we have our full attention on him, doing everything right. God is with us even when our attention has turned from him, even if you say you are mad at Him, don’t believe in him… Doesn’t matter…
He loves you, believes in you and is within all those Words in the bible.. Ready, Waiting, Wanting to be who you need Him to be. Not on your terms and conditions, but laid out on the Foundations of Love, Truth and Freedom in Christ.
As I said much of my work; blog, art,…comes from a place that seemed like ashes, but He comes to me and takes my ashes and turns them into beauty for me. Inspiring me to either write a blog or draw/paint a verse to encourage others,…all from the pain, frustration of my heart.
All because I Believed
Blessings
If you would like to see more about me and how to purchase my art go to:
www.artinspirations.com
The Times they are a Changing
22 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Believe, Blessings, born-again, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, prayer, salvation, trust, Uncategorized, word Tags: baby boomer, bible, bob dylan, direction, encourge, faith, jesus, kari jobe, kingdom of god, listening to god, new outlook, prayer, times are changing, Trust, trusting, youth
I was watching the video of Kari Jobe and as I watched her sing the Lord just impressed me to be so happy, to appreciate and love where I am at in my life. I am 48, soon to be 49 and the reason I choose to share that quiet moment was I want to share the revelation I received.
You know it would be easy for me to look at a young person and think to be 28 – 29 years old, with all that I have acquired, learned and experienced in my life now! But, it doesn’t work that way, 20 years from now all those 28 – 29 year old’s will be looking back and thinking the same thing.
We need to embrace where we are at. We each are born for the exact time we are in for a purpose. It is all in His timing and plan for each of us.
I say all that to get to this, over and over we are hearing the prophesies of the rising up/stepping up and new move of the youth. This needs to be embraced and not looked at with jealously or just sitting by thinking….OK, tag you’re it, it’s your turn. God is using a new thing to confound the wise, but we must be aware of and look for it. It is not for us to ignore because we are older or to try to “become” as a youth. It is for us to be flexible, pliable to the new move of God.
This is not to say that one of the largest groups of this generation here on earth, the Baby Boomer’s are no longer important. In their youth they changed and saw so many changes. Now hearing many prophesies saying it is time for the youth to rise may sting. Possibly making them feel they are being put out to pasture, but that is not true. This Baby Boomer generation changed so much and still does, but now it is time for all to be ready to listen to the new beat. Just because it has never been that way before, really doesn’t mean a thing. Now, be ready to changed and flow with the Youth in the Kingdom of God, as God opens doors and ways for the youth. Be ready to do things you have never done before. God has said through many prophetic leaders… “the times they are a changing”.
Bob Dylan sang that years ago during a turbulent time of changing. It was an unofficial anthem to a rising youth demanding change, now it’s God’s turn. Oh, the times they are a changing……
Be prepared for the blowing of the Wind, the shift. Sense within your heart what God is asking you to change, what you are to do different. Scary,… Maybe, but I promise not as scary as the truth…..if you are not wiling to move with the Wind of God, you will not see the fullness, the greatest God has prepared for you.
TRUST, do you trust Him?
When you are young you feel you have nothing to loose, but even a greater fact, when you are in Christ you have absolutely nothing to lose when you let go of the old and embrace the new in Christ Jesus.
What am I talking about, honestly I don’t have all the details, it’s just a sensing, a tug on my heart. To change doesn’t mean to act like you are younger, trying to be cool, hip ( lol, it doesn’t work). It means to be who God made you to be, whatever your age. Embrace the path you have walked, it made you who you are in Christ! For the youth,.. be there for them, to pray, guide and encourage. How much during your walk you would have loved to have a mentor, counselor, spiritual father/mother as you grew in the Lord. Embrace the changes with God and He will use all you have been through for you to be the best in all that God brings to you.
My desire,… no matter your age you will surrender your heart to Him, so that you can be used to the fullest level you have been designed to be for the Kingdom.
Blessings
Kabi Jobe video I was watching:
Kari Jobe – Find You on My Knees (Official Acoustic Video) from emimusic on GodTube.
Trusting and Knowing
11 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Believe, Christian, encourage, encouragement, God, inspirational, Jesus, prayer, scripture, trust Tags: faith hope, God, hearing the voice of god, hope, jesus, one of the archangels, personal angel, you can do it
Things have been interesting for me in the last few days and that’s not saying its been bad or hard, but I truly believe we are in the greatest moment in understanding and hearing the voice of God. I listen and read from many men and women of God and the same theme is being sung, but I am personally hearing this loud and clear in my own heart. There has clearly been a shift we feel it and know it, but we are not seeing it. It is a bit frustrating wanting it so bad yet, not seeing the promises we Know are there. I remind myself of the verse in Daniel.
Daniel 10:13
But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.
We must understand that the same is going on right now. All to steal our joy, frustrate us and to just plain start questioning God. We all need to press in and to remember God has gone before us and he is for us and because he is for us, What can anyone do to us. It about Knowing. Knowing he has called you, Knowing he loves you and Knowing all the promises God has given you, he will complete.
To walk in the Knowledge that is not just about Trusting and Doing (praying, asking for prayer….etc), it is about Trusting and Knowing (rest, resting in the truth of His word). Knowing you are called exactly where you are at and that you are on the path God has made for you, that God has gone before us and has already made the way and is wanting us to get to “that” place of….. God is with me. He has set His angels in charge of me and My personal angel is with me, all is in the hands of Jesus. God wanting us to connect the dots and to lean into His understanding, to have His peace to finish this race with the strength and authority He has already given us.
I have a friend that was in another country many year ago. He was preaching and the official government of that country was not please with his presences and the name of Jesus. It soon became apparent his life was in extreme danger as the official wanted him dead to prove they were not going to put up with this. The other preachers from that country concerned for his life put him in a taxi and sent him to the airport. He fortunately had his bible and passport with him, but everything else he had was left at his hotel. Concerned the soldiers would be waiting for him at the hotel, there was no wisdom in picking up his things. At the airport he got out of the taxi, one of the young preacher had followed behind the taxi. He grabbed my friend and told him I am going to get you on a plane and out of here. There were soldiers there at the airport, they were there to stop him from boarding a plane, but as they got in the airport a crowd of people started this huge brawl. The soldiers turned their attention to the fighting to stop the fighting and missed them walking in. The two walked into a concrete room with one wooden chair, as the young preacher walked out he said “do not leave this room and if anyone says I told them to come get you, do not go with them, wait for me”, the door closed. My friend said in that moment, sitting in that wooden chair there was nothing I could do, I just had to wait and I knew I was getting on a plane.
I picture my friend sitting there in that concrete room, sitting in a wooden chair…..waiting. It made me think,… that is where Knowing becomes a Reality. Yes, my friend was praying in the Holy Ghost, but at that very moment knowing God has already had the way home was the most important thought. My friend told me there was no fear, God had opened the way to be there, to preach, see miracles and see many lives changed and what God starts( asks you to do) God completes.
The young preacher opened the door, walked him through the employee area, on the tarmac to the next plane taking off, watched him get on that plane and off to England my friend went.
Do you feel like you are in that concrete room with a wooden chair and have no idea what is going to happen next? Then Trust in the Knowing, Knowing God has gone before you, made the way and you will make it through. You will receive the rest and peace, the promises God has been promising you.
Blessings
Click on the music below from Bethel Live music, this is God’s love song to you!
Bethel Music – Come To Me (Official Music Video) from emimusic on GodTube.com.
Turnaround
08 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, prayer, scripture, trust, Uncategorized, word Tags: firm foundation, knowledge knowledge, wisdom god, word time
The past couple of weeks I have this thought that just keeps rolling and rolling around in my mind. In the last few months of 2011 I was standing on and calling forth different prophesy that have been said over me in the past years. Charlie and I made it a point to specifically remind ourselves of these things. Many who are prophetic are calling for turnaround in this coming year, all that many of us have been waiting on to come to pass. I agree with this and have been reading many prophesies to help encourage myself and to build myself up to be even stronger in my Faith.
In the word it tell us to seek wisdom, God will give wisdom as we ask for it. In Proverbs 24:3-4 it states:
It takes wisdom to build a house, and understanding to set it on firm foundation: it takes knowledge to furnish its rooms with fine furniture and beautiful draperies.
God tells us that he will give wisdom to us, all we need to do is ask. But the understanding is from our part, our action. We must pursue the word, time alone Listening to what the Lord is wanting to tell us personally. He is wanting to direct our paths. In direction and that time of listening to His voice we get the Knowledge! Knowledge is the instruction in what to do. Not to worry, to complain, but sit listen and then act. Whether you read the word, sitting alone listening to Him, hear a message, receive a prophesy or sitting there watching a TV show and God drops something straight into your mind; take what you have been given and act on it! Activate! Step out or into what you feel in your heart you have received and hold on to it and Do Not let go, because the enemies next goal is to do everything to get you to do exactly that. Quit.
Look at Mark 4:4-8
As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.
Think about this simple parable. In verse 9 Jesus asks a very important question.
Are you listening to this? Really listening?
Jesus is making it plain to us, He gives us wisdom, it is our job to get understanding. To seek out each and every thing we see, hear and feel. Search out, in doing that He will expand what we see, what we hear and what we feel. When we draw close to him, he will draw close to us.
Starting this year we have been prophesied that we will see a Turnaround. Where did your seed fall for you in hearing that? In the word, story after story it is laid out for us. This is what the situation is, they did this and that is what happened. Every circumstance laid out for us to search out the understanding and to act upon it in our own situations. Do not be like Gehazi, Elisha servant who was under the strongest anointing of his time and walked away with nothing. He sat under it and around it and it never got in him as his own to produce his harvest.
I have been waiting for a long time on many promises….
I am not letting go. I am searching for all the understanding I can to move into the Knowledge, the instructions from my Father to move into that place. I take that foundation, the understanding has build through trust and faith and move into Knowledge so with Jesus, filling my rooms with everything God has promised me throughout the years!
I pray the same for you!
Blessings
Pray Together
10 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Believe, Blessings, born-again, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, prayer, trust, Uncategorized Tags: agony, bible, human body, pray, prayer, quality time, rest, rest in him, satan, shoulders, sturggle, Trust, weary
It is amazing to me how day after day we can seemingly be blindly stumbling our way through a situation or a season of our life and then someone prays for you…. BAM!! …. the lights come on and you see everything around you so clearly. I read the bible, pray and spends quality time with God, but we all no matter what, seem to get into those places. What I mean by those places is needing someone to step up and stand beside us and Pray for us.
For the last year I have felt so weary. It was like I had gotten to a place when anything happened, I would just flinch regardless. I did everything I could think of to help myself; Prayed more, studied more, I also reach out more. I just could not get the relief I was seeking. When people would pray for me they would pray, let go and enter His rest and when people would speak a word of prophesy they spoke do not be afraid to rest in Him. I promise you I want to scream back….What do you mean!!! I am praying, I am studying, seeking the word, I am sitting before the Lord!!! But I would smile and walk away in my own little world of agony.
Then one morning I woke and I cried out, I am doing all I know to do and this is not working. I am asking Lord, what can I do, what do you want me to do. It turns out that night I had to stop by church, I wasn’t feeling well so few of the ladies prayed for me, this time it was different, I was ready to surrender, I was desperate. I cannot explain the weight lifted off my shoulders, my mind and my heart.
As painful as a season and situations are they have a purpose. I listened to someone explain that when the human body is making muscle, that it actually tears the muscle and in 48 hours it rebuilds it stronger. So in my body to make myself stronger it must tear down to then become stronger. Now I know God Does Not send bad things to us, All bad is from satan. Yet, God will use All. The rest that God has been so lovingly trying to get me to sit in, is that every detail is used to form who I am destine to be. I did know that, but I had not come to the place of trusting Him in that.
Today if you are having a hard time, you are weary, turn to Him and pray as I did. God will see your surrender and will lead your heart and spirit to the relief, the deliverance you need to be free.
That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
Romans 8:28
Blessings!
Goodbye 2011
31 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment
in Believe, Blessings, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, scripture, trust Tags: encouragment, encourge, jesus, learning curve, listening to god, seeking god, Trust
I guess I am going to jump in with everybody else and say goodbye to 2011.
Been reading twitter and facebook, half and half on how everybody feels about 2011, but it seems everyone agrees on this…… they are excited and embrace a new year.
For me I cannot say it was either good or bad, but what I can say…. it was a year of many changes. Looking at where I have come and seeking God for were am I going now. At times it seemed hard, but I praise God for His learning curve and His never ending mercies! So yes, I stand in unison with the masses and say 2011….. it’s been real and now I turn, look with Hope and Destiny for the coming year.
In August at a Leadership retreat, this verse above jumped into my heart. We had been assigned to spend specific quiet time listening to God. I had just gotten over a two week nasty cold still not 100%. I had also just sent off the last of my 5 children to college, 7 hours away And the way I had thought it was going to go, had not shown up all wrapped up and ready for me. I am sure everyone else was in a sweet beautiful place that morning, but there I was sitting under this huge tree crying, broken and a bit what up God?? I spoke out,… I just don’t know what to do. The first thing He told me, I was so afraid to be in pain. He asked me to embrace it, to let go and let it do it’s work in me. I had my bible open to Psalms and I noticed the wind had blown it to Ecclesiastes. Then my eye just caught the verse.
On a good day enjoy yourself, on a bad day examine your conscience. God arranges both kinds of days so that we won’t take anything for granted. Stay in touch with both sides. Ecclesiastes 7:14
I read it and started to cry even more. It is ok to have bad days, we grow. It is great to have good days, we smile. Each has a plan, a purpose in our life, they teach us to trust and to be grateful.
My prayer for us both is to embrace both kinds of days and as we enter into 2012, no matter the path and no matter the day we have, we will Trust and be Grateful. Always knowing He is with us guiding, loving and helping us all the way; and Praise God with the learning curve(grace and mercy) we each need!!!
Happy New Year
Blessings and Favor
Words
29 Dec 2011 4 Comments
in angels, Believe, Blessings, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, prayer, trust, Uncategorized, word Tags: new outlook, sticks and stones may break my bones
Words, we use them everyday.
Everyday they so easily flow from our mouths, but yet…. do we really hear what we are saying and are we thinking what those words are doing? We as children heard “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”. Apparently that was someone trying to make the best of what was happening to them, words do hurt, words do leave marks.
I want to pause here for a moment to look at words spoken carelessly. I can look at this from three different directions. Words that are spoken to me, words I personally say to other and words I speak out over all I do. They each have power and have a lasting effect.
I haven’t written a blog in a long time, in fact since March 29, so 9 month ago was my last post. It all started because of reading the words of another. Because of those words I choose to receive and believe, I stopped even considering to blog, but I heard something that made that shift.
So here I am blogging and honestly, with a whole new outlook and enthusiasm. So I thought it would be appropriate to blog on Words.
I read someone opinion months ago about the foolishness of people blogging, believing that they need to be heard. I thought, I don’t feel I need to be heard, but why do I blog?? Am I doing it for the right reasons or selfish reasons, and because of not having a definitive answer I just stopped altogether. Then I realized I was being robbed of a gift and a blessing. So what if no one reads my blog, I did it and do it as an expression and encouragement, even if it just encourages me. I must trust in the one who gives me all my gifts and to let Him guide my heart and weigh my intention and not listen to words or thought and opinions of other.
I believe it is very important to look how we let words come out of our mouth without even a thought. It makes me think of the time words were said to me that hurt and in turn I said words that hurt back. I let out my words in frustration, trying to defend my feeling of being attacked and also trying to defend myself. That was my defense in thinking I was allowed the freedom to snap back.
This someone said something that more than they knew hurt. Oh, I’m sure they knew I was upset, but not hurt and not as deep as it was. No different than me listening to that person say something about blogging to change my course and action, so to did I let this person do the same to my heart. Words are powerful.
The Word says life and death are in the tongue. What we speak we really believe whether we know it or not. What comes out of us is in us, in our hearts. We are our own preacher. We preach and preach to ourselves everyday. The question is what are we preaching Life or Death.
I encourage you today, don’t let words steal anything from you. Whether from someone else or from your own mouth. This is why Our Father in 
Heaven tells us to stay constantly in the Word, so we see what to say and what to think. To stay on track and not be wounded or wound others with our own careless words. Trust in God and let Him cover all your hurts and all your insecurities, God is there, He is always there for me and He always is there for you.
I’m excited to be back blogging, even if I am the only one reading it, Lol!! I know now I will pray and look for the leading of the Holy Ghost and not by what other have spoken and I will also look to Him to help me let go of each hurtful word spoken, smile knowing I have placed it all in the hands of Jesus. But…. to add to this I believe it is even more important to watch what comes out of my mouth, without even a thought or even worse, words that I speak knowingly.
It is easier for me to pick up when I am speaking word to others I should not, but what I also want to improve on this coming year is speaking the Word of God over my life. To cut out the frequently used, habit forming, common responses.
Like… I love them to death, I feel like I’m going to die, I can’t, This is never going to happen, This is never going to end, You’re killing me, We never have enough money, My car is a piece of Junk…… I can go on and on with things we just speak without even thinking how powerful words are and say then over and over and over and over.
God has angels waiting on us and that is what they want to do, they love to minister and work on our behalf. But, they only understand the 
language of Faith. If we are not speaking Life – Faith, they do not understand and they do not act, they cannot. Yet, we also must remember, just as there are angels around us to help us, there are also fallen angels to take the non-faith words to use against us. They go around looking where they can to kill, steal and destroy. If we are not speaking life, we are speaking death. The power of life and death are in the tongue… as the word says,… Choose Life. I want to choose life and speak the words of Faith, Hope and Love.
Blessings!
What Would Your Shadow Do?
29 Mar 2011 2 Comments
in art, Believe, Blessings, born-again, Christian, encourage, encouragement, faith, God, inspirational, Jesus, Miracle, prayer, salvation, scripture, shadow, trust
This month has felt to me really long! Maybe it the weather and the desire for warmer weather. After this long winter I think we all have cabin fever, so ready for Spring Fever! But with me I believe there is more than that..I believe not only am I looking for a climate / season change, but also a spiritual season change.
It makes it hard writing a blog, because I do not want to sound like I am whining and complaining blog after blog, but WOW,…I need more. Have you felt that way? I am trying so to enjoy each moment I am in, live and see all that God has in it for me, both good and bad. Recently a strong desire for more will not let me go. And….maybe that a nice way to say I am growing impatient, I do not know, but I do know I am crying out to my Father!
It just not good enough to just go to church, to give of my time and love to encourage and help. I want more. I want to stretch to a place that I have to be “I know that was God”. Feeling safe is almost annoying now. I want to step out and do more for the Kingdom,…I understand the things I am asking. Pleasantly serving “inside” Church is just not an option for me anymore.
I was at corporate prayer yesterday at church. As I was walking in the front of the sanctuary, back and forth praying, looking down and I saw my shadow. I heard in my spirit. What Would Your Shadow Do? I laughed because it made me think of the Bracelets WWJD. I then thought what does that mean? Was that to mean like Paul when his shadow would heal those it touched? That would certainly would be more and definitely out of the box, beyond exciting! Who would not want to walk in that kind of anointing? I sure would!
I felt very compelled to watch my shadow as I walked back and forth in the front. Because of the lighting and depending where I was in the lighting is how and where my shadow was determined in it’s placement. At one point it was behind me, then it was beside me, then in front of me. As I passed from one light focused in one position, to other focused in another, there at times were two shadows. I did this a few times and said again, “What Would My Shadow Do”? At that point I had no real thought or direction. Laughed it off and changed my thoughts to other prayers.
Felt so impressed by it that I knew my next blog title would be, What Would Your Shadow Do?, yet had no idea why.
I said before I am pressed and really even a bit eager to move to a new place. A new season. Yet the answer was right there in front of me and I did not even see it. Even at the start of this blog I did not see it, have the answer, but here it is; My shadow is telling me a story of the Lord. He is behind me, He is besides me and He is in front of me. Where I stand in His light determines how He uses me and at the times I feel I am alone, I never am, He is right there besides me. Even if I think it only me ( like in the second shadow of me) that he is the me, that is standing besides me. I am what he has created me to be. Seasons turn with no help from me, I just walk and live in the season. Same with spirituals seasons. I walk and live seeking to be all He wants me to be, trusting my footsteps to Him and Him alone.
My shadow is just a reflection of me, just as I hope and live to be a reflection of Jesus Christ. To stand in His light, where it is focus and let him reflect through me to those around me. There is not a wasted moment; boredom, delay, waiting…are not things we care for, but they are the wind, the rain, the sun just as in the natural. All will be apart of the seasons, all having an effect on the earth.
Being impatient is easy! Being patient is trust. I have no clue what the best is, I know what I want and yet again I say how do I know if that is even needed in my life. TRUST. Perfect peace, patience with no anxiety means I know that regardless it’s all under control. 
My shadow will never leave me as long as I am always standing in light. Because of that it is my goal to stay in the shining light of my Father, the focus of His light/His will so I can do the will of my Father. I ask myself now..What Would Your Shadow Do? I would ask my shadow to always remind me by always being there for me to stay in the Light of my Father’s Love. I may be in different places in the focus of His light, but my shadow is Never far away, it always begins at my feet. Just as I Always should begin at my Father’s feet. In doing that I will never be lost, I will never be left and I will always be in the right place at the right time.
I pray you and I stay at His feet and that the truth of prefect timing and all that He has for you and me is at His feet.
Happy Season change where ever you are, both in the natural and in your spiritual walk. March 31 is my 48 
Birthday, so one more change, one I gladly embrace. It like a marker for me, really a year of reward. Another year I have hopefully grown in wisdom, grace, mercy and love. I pray this next year to really watch the obedience of my shadow to the focused light and for me to become as obedient to my Father as my shadow is to that focused light!
Blessings,
Katie
