Faith Can Move Mountains

How many times have you prayed to God to make something change in your life? Have you asked him to move an impossible mountain only to be disappointed when it wasn't.

Now I ask you did you believe that your circumstances could change or that the mountain could be moved? Or did you just give up? Did you look at that mountain and think it was going to take too long to climb, the process would be too vigorous, too difficult and full of despair?
When we look at what's in front of us, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the journey, we feel unprepared for the climb and can't see the reward of the destination on the other side.
But sometimes the mountain is not meant to be moved just yet and that obstacle is meant to protect us or teach us something as we climb it or wait for it be moved. We have to use Godly wisdom on when to act upon the authority God has given us to move those mountains and when to make the climb. We can get daily bombarded with reports of what the world says or we can hang our beliefs on what He says. If we believe the reports of the world we can be left with despair, fatigue, doubt and fear. But if we believe in the reports of our God, we can be left with hope, vigor, certainty, courage and strength. In His word you will see how faithful He is. And if you have the smallest amount of faith, nothing is impossible for you through Him. Faith is not a place of rainbows, hot fudge sundaes and unicorns either. Faith is noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort and being the light in the darkness. Letting God do His work, letting Him be in control and letting His will be done. "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

God is With You

In the moment we can be consumed by our emotions. Allowing sadness, anger, bitterness and/or resentment to take residence in our hearts. And sometimes instead of turning to God we turn away. We become consumed by whatever is failing us and are bound by it. God seems so far away and we are lost. Sinking into whatever state of mind we are in, sinking into despair.

In Psalm 73:26 it says, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." So even when you fail to pull it together, because Lord knows I am a hot mess Express and He has probably been rumbling the clouds and throwing a little lightening watching me trying to get my act together. My point is He is enought to pull it together! So pull it together sha!

Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go"

It doesn't say, when everything is good He is there and when it's not Peace Out!

Matthew 20:20 "Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Not sometimes, not when He feels like it or isn't busy - Always!

We might not always like His answers and may never understand His ways, but know He is working it out eventually for good. So before you start thinking He abandoned you or us or the world, remember what He has done for you and what He will do for you and hold on to that.
Know that He goes before you and behind you to protect you and stands beside you to go through it all with you. He is gonna meet you right where you are, stand with you and love you through it! So don't turn away - He is ready with arms wide open.

God is Greater than any Mountain

If God was trying to get your attention would you be able to hear Him through the noise pollution of this world? Could He break through the noise of your mind?

As our lives slow down a bit, distractions are less, are we listening to what the Lord is saying?

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book knowing the outcome already? Taking your guesses, sitting at the edge of your seat, saying , "no what are you thinking don't do that" "don't go in there" and "geez, seriously did you just do that." We watch or read as the characters of the movie or book get swept up in their circumstances and distractions, losing focus of where they are, what they are doing and what they need. Becoming attached to these characters, we cry with them, we laugh with them and we want to scream at them. Just wanting what is best for them, wanting them to get their happy ending. We know where they should be and what they should do as we watch or read from the comfort of our sofas. We have the information, wanting to share with them, but can't. So we watch or read, waiting and hoping they make the right choices.
I imagine God feels the same way. He watches as we allow our distractions to steer us from our path, sitting at the edge of His throne saying, "no what are you thinking don't do that " "don't go in there" and "geez, seriously did you just do that" (okay, maybe not in those exact words, but hey we all need a little tough love sometimes). He watches as we get swept up in our circumstances and distractions losing focus of where we should be, what we should do and what we really need. He is attached to us like we get with characters in a story. He wants us to get our happy ending too! He tries to share with us what He knows, but we don't hear him. He wants to break through the noise, but we block it.
Our story is written by Him, but instead of letting Him direct the story of our life, we are trying to direct it and star in it. That's when the story gets flipped, ratings plummet and your story is cancelled. Don't let the noise in, focus on Him and let Him direct your story, you just follow His script and soon you will get that Happy Ending!

God is Greater than any mountain

Come to Him

Amidst the chaos I find peace, where you ask? Right here ... in The Lord's word.

This is one I have shared with a few ladies but thought it was quite fitting for this time.
We all experience stress in different ways. Sometimes we can pin point exactly where our stress comes from. Other times it is not so obvious and it can be multilayered.

If you have ever seen the movie, Shrek you will know the line about the onion. In it Shrek tries to explain to Donkey that Ogres have layers like an onion. Of course, the silly donkey doesn't understand it, but it definitely had me thinking a little deeper. (DreamWorks gets deep y'all). They took an outcast, ugly, scary ogre and gave him depth in one scene. Ogres like onions have layers and so do we. I know bear with me ... I'm taking a cartoon and an onion and delivering a message from God.
An onion is a bulb pulled out of the dirt; its outer layer dirty and peeling. It is then brought in to be cleaned. When it is ready to be used layers will be peeled away and of course the tears begin to flow. The layers might be chopped, cooked and or fried. However, the onion is handled - underneath it all, in its core is what is called a "sweetheart". We come to God broken and dirty, He makes us clean and then begins to peel away the layers. The layers of heartbreak, of sin, of grief and of physical ailments and sickness and the tears begin to flow. But underneath all our layers of weariness and stress is God's heart.
As we work through those layers we can find rest and peace in Him, because His promise remains and His heart is always within us.
God is peeling back those layers for us, getting down to the "sweetheart" of it all - Him. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

What are your burdens today? What are you stressing about?

Go to Him and rest your burdens at his feet! Let all those layers peel away and let the shackles and chains fall to the floor. You are His daughter, You are His son! ❤

Hope Fueled

I know, some odd words to use at this time, but I am fueled up with Hope. I have my tank full and I won't run out and why is that you ask?

Well, that's because His word is never empty, it doesn't return void, it doesn't cost us a thing, you don't need cash, credit or debit - it is free. Just pick up His word and know that He has never broken a promise, you will learn throughout the bible that every promise is still there, it is our commitment that fails.

We run out in a panic with our own promises to fix what is going on, only to break those commitments we made to Him.

In the story of Moses, the Lord sends Him to free his enslaved people from the Pharaoh, "Let my people go" he says or the Lord would send plagues upon the Egyptians. And the Lord does, when Pharoah's heart hardens. Yet right after a few of the plagues, Pharaoh asks Moses to plead on their behalf and he would release them, but he doesn't. I am not saying that the Lord has sent this plague, please do not misinterpret that. All I am saying is maybe we need to take some time to not just spend with our families, but with the Lord. Let your prayers rise up like incense! He will hear our cries in the wilderness.

Be committed to fueling up your Hope tanks!

There will be life after this, it might not be the same, heck I believe it will be better! Better than we can ever imagine, but if we stay stuck, stuck in our old ways, never refueling, we are in danger of running out and causing damage to our minds, bodies and spirits.

So don't dwell on what the future will be, don't let the uncertainty syphon out your hope, live now, take in the moments one by one, breathe, pray and Be still - Let the Lord fight for you!

Be Hope Fueled!