Just blessed...

An hour ago, I was reading Acts & just wept before the LORD. It amazes me to see all that the disciples first went through. Every time that I see one of them flogged, beaten, or killed I just cry... and to think that one day that could be us! Not that I wish such pain on anyone... but it is what we understood when we first said that we would surrender our lives to Christ. If it happens, we will have the strength to consider it pure joy. To suffer for Christ is a joyful experience.

After reading, I prayed over a few friends/youth & went to the Intercessory Prayer room... It was there that God laid a sweet verse on my heart...

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you" Isaiah 26:3

While in the prayer room, I could not stop crying... All I wanted to do was ask for forgiveness.. The moment I asked, I felt freedom & release. He is the only way. I am fully convinced.

Meeting with Him alone in the quiet truly blessed me. I encourage you to make time to be with Him alone... to really appreciate His presence & then to acknowledge His presence in everything else that you do today. He is with you. He never leaves us.

BLESSED.

Just a normal day...

God is always at work. It is up to us whether or not to receive from Him.

My prayer is that God's people will remain teachable.

Bless you all :)

Oh & read Acts 5:38&39

Single & loved... what more could I ask for?

Today has been wonderful :) Absolutely wonderful..

Waking up early is my favorite.. just slowly tackling the mornings with prayer, the Word, a warm shower and plenty of time to get ready :) The joy of being alive brings on another level of excitement.

& last night, my host family and I had an awesome time. Around 6, my mom started cooking corn on the cob & my dad started grilling outside... and then suddenly a monsoon came out of no where! Rain was pouring down in every direction & every way possible :) The power went out and we all stood in the dark stunned. It was awesome! The power stayed out... and my parents kept cooking. One of my youth, Mariah, was over... and my dads friend Gilly came over. We all sat around the table and ate... it was a candlelit dinner :) HEHE! So cool. The night continued in the dark. Eventually after the guests left.. we all got in bed. I wrestled for sleep. It wasn't happening :) We ended up busting a few of my youth painting my car! If I knew it was them I would have stayed inside... but the way my mom talked, I thought someone had broken into my things :) HAHA! It was funny. After that little incident, I eventually fell asleep!! Waking up was a joy... and to add to the ac being on... God's mercy covered me and put a huge smile on my face!

I am learning a lot... and am writing more on my new page... check it out: http://my365dayjourneysingle.blogspot.com/

Thanks to all who are following :)

May God continue to be with you & draw you closer to His heart.

-Chynna Lee

Living to know Him.

Thursday June 9th, 2011

He is searching much deeper within… He is looking into my heart!

In this world, it is easy to become distracted and fall short of a lifestyle of worship. That’s just the way it is. Because this world is so dark, I must choose light.

Looking at my life, your first thoughts might not be “she is a great sinner”. But, I am. I am a sinner in need of my Savior, all day every day. He is the only way that I ever accomplish anything.

Think about this… really think about it! When you fix your eyes on Jesus Christ, everything else fades away.

Why is that? It is because He is perfect and NOTHING can compare to Him. This being truth, shouldn’t we always have our eyes fixed on Him? If our eyes are fixed on Him and on who He is, we do not fall. That sounds miraculous to me! Really, think about it. If we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and on what He did, we will not fall. It is because He is perfect and He is worthy of all of our attention. The moment we place worth and praise in something that is not Him, we fall. It is a simple truth; Jesus is what we are looking for. Sin only happens when we choose the world over God. Sin only happens when we choose disobedience to love over obedience to love.

My walk with the LORD started January 2010. From the moment that He called me in and washed my sins away, everything changed. He immediately became my focus and my desire. Around November, He spoke clearly to me about a subject we are all familiar with. I heard Him tell me not to consider a relationship until May. On my own strength, I tried to avoid feelings and desires. Due to a lack of exposure to light, I ended up breaking the one thing He asked me not to do. I disobeyed without even knowing it. Because I did not recognize my fall as disobedience at the time, I never openly admitted to it. It seemed as if God had put all of the pieces together and made a way… almost as if God had changed His mind. The truth is, God never changes His mind. We might, but He does not.

So I entered into a relationship, starting dating a very godly man and a few weeks later was engaged. I thought, this has to be the will of God. To my surprise, it was not. Having to end the relationship really caused doubt and confusion. Disobedience causes doubt and confusion.

It wasn’t until May 1st that I remembered what God had said. That day, I had a very pleasant conversation with a friend about being in a relationship. Everything that was said was beautiful to me. After that day, nothing came of it. But within my heart, I heard God tell me “I said May”. My disobedience was finally exposed. I was ashamed & knew that I had sinned against God. Thankfully, He forgave me. He is faithful to forgive us when we humble ourselves and come to Him. That is just His character.

For a little over a month, I have been an ongoing frustration to the friend that I talked with on May 1st. In my heart, I want to fix EVERYTHING. I want peace with all people. That is just who I am.

God woke me up this morning and said, “Starting today everything will be different”. Although I did not feel His presence, I knew He was right there with me. The first thing I did was got in the shower to get “clean” (this is a big deal, because I never do anything before praying in the morning). This morning was different. I felt like I had to be washed clean, physically and spiritually. As I was in the shower I started praying for a friend of mine, then it seemed like I needed to stop praying for her. That never happens. So, I stopped and realized that God wanted me to ask for forgiveness. I was broken.

After the shower, I got on my knees. I did not know where to begin, but I knew it wasn’t going to be praying for other folks. Suddenly, I started to remember Jesus and His great love for the Father. My mindset shifted and grace covered my thoughts. Jesus was being lifted higher and higher and before I knew it, nothing else mattered. As tears rolled down my cheeks, all I could do was thank God for His mercy on me.

All I could see was God. He is perfect. Creation is a mystery. God is a mystery.

I want to know Him. My hearts desire is to know everything that I can possibly know about God.

No one else is like God. There will never be anyone who is able to even compare to God. I want to know Him! I want to know more of Him!

Sitting on the floor, I felt impressed upon my heart to make a commitment to my God. So I did. I have committed a year to seeking God with a single, undistracted, mindset. From now until June 9th 2012, I dedicate my time and energy to the seeking of God, my Father. I want to know Him. He is the only one that will ever fully satisfy me.

Everything that I went through with relationships this past year has taken so much from me. My heart is in need of complete and total healing. Healings come in many forms, but this healing must come from obedience and seeking God. I know what He is calling me to do & I will not deny it. My heart is for God. It is my desire to see Him high & lifted up. I want Him to be glorified in all things. In my life, I want Him to be glorified.

Even though successful godly men are pursuing me, I cannot fall into a relationship without receiving healing. If I were to start dating now it would be unfair to him, God and I. God has laid it on my heart to live a life wholeheartedly for Him. To give my all for a year is the least I can do. Knowing that it will bring healing is just a plus.

PLEASE NOTE: My convictions are not your convictions. What I am called to do is not what you are called to do. In no way do I want someone to read this and say that all young women must take a year of being single in order to please God. God will deal with us individually because He is a personal God.

I encourage you all to take a look at your life. Look and see if anything has clouded your mind. Has anything taken your focus from God? Has anything replaced your love for Jesus? I pray that it has not. But, if it has… Ask God for forgiveness & repent. Turn in the complete opposite direction and run towards God as fast as you can. He is near and He wants all of you!

This is my life & I am sharing it to remind you that… I am a sinner. But, I have a Savior who is worthy of my life. My life is no longer mine, but it belongs to Him who died on a cross that I might have a way to the Father.

May nothing break your pure communion with God.

-God, give us undistracted devotion for only You-

Having a blessed day! :)

Wrote about what blessed me today on my Thomasville blog...

chynnalovesthomasville.blogspot.com

:) Here are some pictures... just for fun!!


Philippine & I (for Ashley)


Mariah & I love you

Spiritual Leaders & such...

LAST NIGHT!! :) HAHAHA
Last night was awesome! After VBS set-up & dinner with the youth at Sonic... Chloe, Mariah and I went to Ashley's house (that's Robs wife)... we had planned on watching a movie, but ended up talking instead. For some reason, I just started telling them random facts about myself... things that most people don't know... like I sleep with a teddy bear named Philippine... and I have six piercings... Well, you can imagine how one story turned into a bunch of stories... It was funny :) The whole time we laughed & I am pretty sure they were shocked at how much I enjoyed joking... for the most part, I keep to myself & seem quiet.. but the truth is, on the inside I am always telling a joke or two or three :) I love laughter & being silly. So, the night went on and they laughed and laughed... THEN, Chloe told us a story... one that you guys may or may not believe... It is actually going to take a lot out of me to write this in my blog... but it is a true story.. so why not... I almost cried... Ok, here goes... Chloe used to have a cat and she wanted kittens... well every time her cat would get pregnant and have kittens, her next door neighbors dog would come over and kill the kittens.. so one day, her cat had kittens and the neighbors dog came over and ate the cats head off... Chloe was upset & got out a gun and killed the dog. She put the dog in a bag & brought it next door to her neighbors & asked if they would like her to throw it in the woods for them... ---yeah that happened--- then Chloe got a dog.. (uhoh right?) and her dog went on a little adventure into her neighbors yard & decided to eat up their newspaper (i think) and her neighbor shot her dog... put it in a trash bag... brought it to her house in the bag and asked if she wanted them to throw it in the woods for her... that they had killed it. Can you believe this? I can't... this is a true story... This is the kind of stuff that goes down in Thomasville... my (new) home!!! Wow! Shocked. Are you? Sorry, this is a nasty story and I don't normally write anything like this... but it for real happened & I had to tell someone...

... on a more serious & appropriate note...


Monday

Today I was able to speak with a woman that the Lord placed in my life as a spiritual mother. In the beginning of my walk with God, I would talk with her once a day for advice and guidance in the normal day-to-day activities. As time went on, I stopped communicating with her as much. It was not an act of rebellion, just a desperate cry for truth. I only wanted to hear God, because I felt as though I could not trust people (don't worry, God changed my heart).

God was faithful and spoke to me. He taught me and led me in righteousness for a little under a year. Almost everyday, I would ask Him for spiritual authority. I knew the importance of submitting to someone older and wiser.

As a young adult, it is challenging living in this world... A young Christian adult without parental guidance is really challenging. But, thankfully God brought me through so many tough times and made me stronger in myself and in Him.

So, today I kept thinking about Ms Barbara. She is my spiritual mother. I called her and told her everything that had happened within the last four months. If you know me, you know a lot has happened.

The advice that she spoke over me was beautiful. She told me that my heart was in need of healing. If I kept running this race without taking time to myself to heal, I could be in danger of going through the same thing again. Ms Barbara said that even though I may not realize it, I need to be completely healed spiritually and emotionally. This will keep me far from feeling unworthy, unwanted, rejected and alone.

She also said that I need to get back to understanding who I am in Christ. My identity in Him is everything. This is truth. Who I am in Christ Jesus, is who I am... I am nothing without Him. It is in Him that I am identified. When living in this sinful world, it is crucial to remember that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

No matter who lies to us, comes against us, fails to understand us... there is ONE who is wiling to take us in and love us. ONE who always loves us... even when we fail to hear Him or see Him. God is with us. It is in Him alone that we are satisfied. He is our satisfaction. He is our everything.

Another thing that Ms Barbara told me to do today was to pray for this specific friend.. someone who has been on my heart for a while now.. she told me that I needed to pray that God would make a way for him to hear clearly His will; that He would have clarity and that he would walk in obedience. I tell you what, it is a real faith tester when you have to let go of your control & say I TRUST YOU to bring clarity to my friend... I trust you to create in him an obedient spirit... because I always try to fix things... I always want to make peace with all people, especially the one's I love the most... and when they are frustrated because of my actions, I just want to UNfrustrate them... (made that word up) and it doesn't happen... The only choice I have is to give it all to God... to let go completely & believe that God is going to speak to my friend & remind him of truth.

I mess up. Chynna Lee is not perfect. But, my Savior is.. and I believe that if I put my trust in Him, He will be my victory in the end! I am not afraid of not knowing the future... instead, I am EXCITED to see how God is going to work this out :) Because of my failures, the situation I am talking about is going to need a miracle to work out....
Good thing I believe in miracles :) :)



--Today was nice. Just talking with Ms Barbara & just getting advice from Rob before VBS... being with the students was awesome! I love Mariah, Chloe and Jacobs!! :) ... and VBS was fun.. being a roady was interesting... fun :) 2nd graders are hilarious! --

June 5th, 2010

Sunday June 5, 2011

“I have planted longing for perfection in every human heart.”
“Let me fulfill your yearning for perfection.”

Above are two quotes from my daily reading in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I am absolutely amazed. How awesome is our God?

For the last month, I have had a desire to be PROTECTED. I was able to experience a little bit of protection from a really strong and amazing man of God, and I wanted him to always be around to protect me. All women want protection; it must be apart of who we are. So, anyways… this morning when I woke up and spent some quality time with my King & Savior He impressed upon my heart to release myself from trying to be fulfilled in that area. Written in a sweet cursive hand above Proverbs 5 in my Bible were the words, “let go”. Even though it was clearly my hand-writing, I know that God had me write that intentionally for this moment. All I wanted to do was cry and thank Him for always directing me.

You’re probably wondering “what was the significance of those two quotes from Jesus Calling?”. Well, listen to how awesome God is. Instead of reading the word “perfection” I kept seeing “protection”. As Sarah Young wrote that we seek this perfection in other people, I was reading protection. Wow! It wasn’t until I went to write this blog that I noticed that the actual wording was perfection.

How cool? He allowed me to see the word protection so that I could learn the lesson that I needed to hear. He set me free! It was nothing the author or I did. It was all God. He spoke! You know, I really love His voice. He is always speaking & I never want to take His voice for granted.

Lately He has been showing me that if you spend a lot of time with people who take God’s voice for granted, or do not desire to hear Him continually, then you will be at risk of failing to hear Him. Because God is always speaking, He is making Himself known, and that is just His character. It is our choice whether or not to hear and obey His sweet, perfect, loving voice.

All I want is to hear Him. If that means letting go of someone else’s voice so that I can hear His, so be it!!! HIS VOICE, HIS WORD, IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. He is my Love and He has the best in mind for me.

If it is protection or perfection that you are looking for, look to God! He is your protection! He is your perfection! No one else will ever be able to fulfill that role in your life. Trust Him. He is worthy to be trusted!

Oh Praise Him!! ☺




Then... what else is on my heart...


Proverbs 31:10-12

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”

10. A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

-To be worth far more than rubies is the greatest compliment. Imagine if your husband saw you as a woman who was worth far more than rubies? What would it take to be considered at such a high esteem? In this verse we are told that a wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies.
-Distinguished by rank or title; pertaining to a persons so distinguished; admirable in dignity of conception, manner of expression, execution, or composition; of an admirably high quality. [These are all definitions of noble. In the Bible, it is clear that royalty and nobility went together. The one’s that were noble, were well known and admired by all. But, what set them apart? Was it really their social class? Was it their position of authority? Or was it their integrity? Their love for God set them apart and gave them the honorable title of NOBLE! When one decides to be consecrated, set apart, for the use and glory of God they are worthy of this title.]
-All throughout Proverbs 31, King Lemuel talks about the different characteristics of a wife of “noble” character. It is crucial as a wife, as a woman, to consider what he highlights as important qualities. His insight is beautiful and allows us, as woman, to see what it takes to be a woman who is highly desirable.
-It is only possible to be a wife of noble character if you are walking with the LORD and seeking His glory in all that you do.


11. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

-For a woman who is married, it is a joy to know that her husband has full confidence in her. This can be meaningful for a lot of things. For instance, don’t all women want their husbands to look at them and know that whatever they set their hearts to they can do? For them to look at you and believe that you are trustworthy? For them to look at you and know that he doesn’t have to watch your every move because he knows that you have heart for him and for him only?
-This is not only important for the wife; this is necessary for the husband. With confidence in his wife, a husband is a joy to be around. He knows that he can count on his wife. He knows that she took the vows seriously and that she is now one with him in all things. It is important that your husband has full confidence in you. If he does not, there are many problems to follow. Jealousy, cheating, fighting, lying, pride all creep in when one is not confident in his wife. As wives, we are to be strong and faithful to the one that God has given us. Our husbands will have confidence in us if we are walking with the LORD and seeking to please Him in all that we do.
-Do not flirt with other men.
-Never forsake complimenting him.
-Laugh at his jokes, he is funny after all.
-Your husband will only have complete confidence in you if you are walking with the LORD and seeking His glory in all that you do.


12. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

-What does it mean to bring your husband good all the days of your life? It means living a life of self-sacrifice. In order to avoid bringing your husband harm you have to die to your self.
-Submission is talked about all over the word. Women are called to be submissive in all things. Our husband is the head of the house; we are to respect his position of authority.
-This means, no talking about him with your girlfriends. It does matter how he acts, there is no need to humiliate him and fail to respect him by bringing up his faults in front of your friends. He is your husband. You would not want him to treat you this way.
-The golden rule applies in marriage… except now it’s extra golden. “Treat others the way you want to be treated”… “TREAT YOUR HUSBAND THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED AND EVEN GO BEYOND THAT!” Bless him in ways that he would not expect, because he is over you. He is the one that God has given you; He is a blessing.
-Always remember that your husband is a gift from God. Allow God to use you to bring good to him, always.
-For the women who are not married, this means learning to pray for your husband now. Ask God to reveal to you ways that you can be submissive to your husband before you say, “I do”. Remember, even though you are not married, you have a husband. He is out there. Now is the time to start bringing him good. Allow God to purify your thoughts towards other men. Remember, the thought is exposed before God (Hebrews 4: 13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from Gods sight; everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account). So, take a look into your life. Are you always looking for at men with “what if” eyes? Do you flirt with the men that are in your life now? Think of how much harm this would bring your husband. He would not have any confidence in his relationship with you if you were constantly admiring other men. Now is the time to start bringing your husband good. When it is time to know him, he will come chasing after you. His pursuit will be very similar to Jesus pursuing you. Do not be afraid that your time will not come, do not give in to chasing him. It is Biblical for the man to seek the woman and pursue her. Honor your husband, before you ever meet him, by letting go of the control and waiting patiently for him to come and find you. Practice nobility now. May your relationships with men be glorifying to the Father. Treat older men as fathers and younger men as brothers.
-It is only possible to bring your husband good, not harm, all the days of your life if you are walking with the LORD and seeking His glory in all you do.

*If women decided to read, study, and make Proverbs 31 their instructions for living, I believe they would walk in great confidence and truly please the LORD with their actions

.....

Being in Thomasville is really interesting. Everything is different. The day after I arrived here, I went straight into a Disciple Now kind of week with the youth. Around twenty girls came and I was their leader. The week was called “Refresh”. Basically, some of the youth get together and are taught under the authority of the church. The area of study this time was the New Testament. The first message was on the gospels; the second was on the early church (Acts); the third was on the Letters; the fourth was on repentance; the fifth was on Revelation. I was asked to speak for the third and fifth session; it was the first time that I ever spoke. Each lesson had two leaders that sort of tag-teamed the message. It was really neat.

Brett & I spoke on the Letters. Being able to work together was awesome. Just realizing that we needed each other was really beneficial. Having someone with me, who had different knowledge than I had, made everything a lot easier.

The second time I spoke was with Matthew. He is a great friend. I was glad to be able to partner with him. To be honest, he did not need me at all. He is studying to be a pastor, so he went all out in pastor mode. I was just there to read scripture and share my heart with the students.

Both of the lessons that I was supposed to speak on were given to me last minute. It was a little hard trying to pull together information and get things ready when I was also required to stay up with the twenty girls. A few of them wanted one-on-one time with me, and I knew that was more important than preparing for a lesson that Holy Spirit could speak through me, regardless of how much I studied.

Also, just getting back in the country made things a little difficult. I had only been in America two full days when I had arrived in Thomasville. So, my sleep was way off. On top of that, the girls wanted to stay up individually talking and praying with me. It was genuinely my pleasure to be with the girls and to help them as best as possible.

My desire in every relationship is to bless the one’s that surround me. So, I always want to give my all. I want to treat relationships with equality, loving everyone the same. It was hard when I was so exhausted and unable to fully communicate the love of God to the girls. The later it got, the less I had to give. All I wanted was God to speak through me and love them, because I was finding it so difficult to stay awake. I know that God did things through me that I am unaware of, and for that I am thankful.

Refresh ended early Friday morning. After Matthew & I spoke on Revelation, we all headed back to the church and packed up. Rob, the youth minister, had to go out of town. So, I was in charge of waiting for all of the students to leave (because an adult had to be with them). Around 12:30, they all left. I followed shortly after. Once I got back to my [host] home, I fell asleep. From a little after one until six o’clock, I was passed out. It was a nice nap.

After that. I talked to my little brother for a while (he was so sweet & texted me today). Then, we had dinner around eight. Brandi & Michael made yummy fajitas. After dinner, we started to watch “Tangled” as a family. Michael was really tired and fell asleep and Brandi went to get ready for bed. I decided to go to my room as well. It is around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and I am thinking sleep in is the schedule soon.

A big part of me misses being back on campus. That is the truth. I do not miss being there because I am not enjoying myself here. That is far from the truth. I really just miss my friends, or I miss having friends.

Being in Thomasville is nice, because I know that a lot of girls are able to draw from me. Being in Thomasville is also hard, because I feel like I have no one to draw from.

Sometimes, I just need someone to pray over me. Every now and then, I want to hear an encouraging word from a friend. A big part of me misses friendship. It is nice to have friends close who just want to love you. I keep praying that God will provide friends and remind me of the friendships that He wants me to keep. It seems like I would have to travel many hours to be with a best friend. This time that seems hard for me is really a great thing. God is showing me more of His character and revealing to me the truth that He is my best friend. I feel bad that He has to re-teach me all that He taught me last summer, but I am grateful that He is patient and faithful to me.

Worship is good. Just being able to always thank the Father is such a joy. I am drawing so much closer to God than I could have anticipated. He is peace and my security. He is my hope and my true love.

There is always something to learn. In every situation that you are in, God is willing to teach you something. Christians and non-Christians alike are used by God to teach God’s children. I am thankful that God is not in a box, and that He is willing to speak to us in all things. He is my encouragement.

If any of you think of me, please pray that I will recognize God’s hand in all that I do. Pray that His love will be my motivation in everything, that the friendships I used to have would be restored, that I would worship God in spirit and in truth, and that He would bring spiritual authority into my life. I desire to be taught under godly men & women. We all need spiritual authority.

I love you all & am thankful that you follow my blog.

It is my prayer that God will draw you all closer to His heart, that He will open doors for you to present the gospel, that you will follow Him closely and let go of all that hinders you in order to know Him better. May the peace of God be with you all.

Chynna


Friday, June 3rd

God, do you know how I long for You? Of course You do. You know my every thought. When my mind turns to You, its wonderings are before You. Nothing is hidden from Your sight. Father, I ask for boldness to spread Your word in all things. May my life be an offering that pleases You? For You have not withheld any blessings from me. Your love for me is amazing; it is strong and firm. There is nothing that can separate me from Your love. My own thoughts are not strong enough, for they constantly turn to You. This summer, I need You. Last summer was absolutely amazing- And so will this one be. It is You that I choose to cling to. While You are near to me, I will draw near to You. You are all I need. I love You.


When we stay in a place of worship we are walking in spirit and in truth. Viewing every opportunity as a chance to bring God praise is crucial for someone claiming to live as Jesus lived. He was always aware of His Fathers heart. This would only be possible if He was constantly focused on Him. Jesus’ heart was pure, so He saw God (blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God- Matthew 5). Just think if your number one priority was to thank God for all that He does for you, would your life look different? Yes, it would. Your mind would be on His grace instead of whatever other selfish desires fill your heart. You would see everything different. It would no longer be possible to become impatient if your mind was on God because you would be reminded of how patient He is with you; you would no longer be able to complain, because thanksgiving would overrule all other thoughts that come from your flesh.
Is it a challenge? Is God’s grace always remembered? Are you constantly thanking God for everything He has done? Jesus did it; He always gave praise to His Father. How much more should we, who are not perfect, thank our Father? Who can say that this constant communion and thanksgiving is unnecessary? Jesus is the only one that could have… but Jesus knew God. He knew that God, His Father, is worthy of ALL praise. So, while He was on earth, He continually blessed the name of the LORD. In Scripture we are told that those who claim to be believers ought to live as Jesus lived. Holy living is not the challenge, it is the standard. We are called to live as He lived.
Our lives are to be lived as a thank offering. Be thankful for all that God has done. Do not take His love for granted; do not take His voice for granted. Hear Him & respond humbly with thanksgiving.


Remember, He did not HAVE to do anything He did. He chose to make a way for you to Him because He LOVES you. He loves you.

Thomasville :)

HEY YOU'S!!
(Aussie lingo)

I arrived in Thomasville just yesterday! :) It is nice to be in a new town! The effects of jetlag are real. Don't let anyone tell you they are not. Today has been wonderful, things are finally coming back to normal!!

This summer I will be working at Thomasville Baptist Church as the youth intern. As I was running around taking care of things today, the LORD reminded me of what an honor it is to be working here. If any one is undeserving of such a position, it is me! But God's grace is more than sufficient... He has covered me with honor instead of shame!! :) I am thankful.

The youth here are amazing. They are all full of joy & being around them blesses me so much.

Something really neat happened a moment ago.... So, when I first got here... I saw this really neat journal & thought to myself, "wow, I want to find one of those" (you have to understand, I LOVE TO WRITE & always enjoy new journals)... well, God knew my thoughts... So today, as I was hanging out with the youth upstairs (just a few minutes ago) Rob, the youth minister that I am under, brought me a gift and said that it was something all of the interns get... GUESS WHAT IT WAS?? It was the journal that I wanted!!! How sweet is God? His love for me is overwhelming. Our God is concerned with the little things. He just is!

For all who are curious... This summer, I will be living with a young married couple... I am really glad to be living with the Scarboroughs. Brandi & Michael have made every effort to keep me in a place where I know that I am welcome. It is so nice! For me, family is something that I long for... It seems as though God is giving me a family (even if it is temporary, this is the moment that I am in... and in this moment, I have a family)... and a home! What a beautiful thing God is doing. There is so much to write... but, I need to get busy with other things..

Refresh starts tonight. It is a Disciple Now type event. The LORD will change lives & draw the students closer to His heart... I believe that.. Anyone who is able to partner in prayer... please do! God hears us. He is doing so much. He is in control. His will be done.

AHH! I LOVE YOU ALL! Enjoy your life :) Make the most of every opportunity.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

.... HAHAHA! Wow! When I was in Australia, I met a good friend named Sheldon! She is an amazing woman of God & I am so grateful to be able to call her my sister. We were messaging back & forth and she told me that she also blogs for the band that she is in, Endless Praise (Check them out on facebook)! I immediately went to read (I enjoy reading truth). The second post had these verses....

'Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes..... But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him, he will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit'

CURSED IS THE ONE WHO TRUSTS IN MAN... BUT BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO TRUSTS IN THE LORD!!! Haha! YES! How true? Well, it is the truth.

These verses bring so much encouragement. Just think, blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD. We are not asked to do a big thing or to perform some kind of miracle... or to walk perfectly.. or never fail... we are told that if we would only TRUST in the LORD then we will be blessed.... Putting any sort of hope in our own works will prove to be a failure (or as stated here, a curse)... Just being fair dinkum (honest)... If I ever put hope in my own strength, I fail miserably... and disappoint myself. But, the moment I put my hope in the LORD it is like I receive great blessings...

There is nothing that we can do, aside from Christ.

There is no real strength available, aside from Christ.

There is no one dependable, aside from Christ.

-I am not, in any way, saying that we should forget all relationships and become loners who refuse to establish relationships with other people because they are not dependable. I am saying, God is the only one that we can be dependent on. He is our only have-to-have. Everything and everyone else will fit in, they just cannot be first. God is asking that we place our trust in Him... and He is guaranteeing a blessing if we do!-

These verses even go as far as to say... that those who trust in the LORD will not fear when heat comes, leaves are always green, has no fear in a season of drought and never fails to bear good fruit :) WHAT?

Everyone who has been around me lately could say that I have been in a season of drought... but HALLELUJAH! This truth puts everything into perspective. I will not fear! I will place my trust in the LORD! I will not fail to bear good fruit... not because of who I am, but because of who He is! MY TRUST IS IN THE TRUSTWORTHY KING! Hallelujah.

So, think about it...

Trusting in your own strength will get you no where... (well, it will get you to a curse).... but trusting in the LORD will get you everywhere & you will receive a blessing! HAHAHA! God is so awesome. He just wants us to be with Him. He wants to commune with us! That is so sweet of Him.

When we do not trust in Him, it only brings a curse our way... (that is the wrath of God, I suppose)...

SO JOIN WITH ME IN TRUSTING THE DEPENDABLE GOD! Our Father is worth placing our trust in.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" -Proverbs 3:5&6

YAY :) :)

Let's be fair dinkum

I have been in Alabama for a little over thirty hours now... This is what's been going on...

We arrived in Orange Beach around one a.m. (We = Taylor & I.. she lives down here... so we spend a lot of time here) ... Upon arrival, Taylor was eager to tell stories. She had every reason to be. I, on the other hand, was ready to rest. To not talk or think for days... :) That might be a bit of an exaggeration. So, anyways we eventually got into the bed around two thirty. I could not sleep. Around three o'clock, I stepped into Taylor's bathroom. All I could do was cry. It was strange. I just sat on her bathroom floor & cried. Knowing that God was awake, I sat there and just talked to Him about all that I was thinking. He gave me great peace. Knowing that I could not sleep, I decided to go to the beach. At four a.m., I went down to the beach to walk. For an hour and a half, I walked alone. I called Damien & Lulu and talked with them about what was on my heart.. It was nice to hear their voices. Sometimes I feel like Lulu is the only friend that genuinely wants to hear my voice! I was grateful for her enthusiasm... even though it was five in the morning her time. She is a trooper #arealfriend.

After my long walk on the beach, I headed back to Taylor's. A little after five, I got in the bed... only to wake up eleven hours later (yeah, that's four p.m.) i woke up, ready for more sleep... I read in Thessalonians and was blessed. The day ended with chicken, green beans, corn on the cob and brownies! YUM! After dinner, I headed to bed. That was soon after ten p.m. I was awake for maybe six hours!

Falling asleep was easy... but then, I woke up around 1 a.m.! What? I have been awake for an hour now... Crying again... Crying to the LORD. He knows my heart & everything that I am thinking about... He knows how to comfort me.

Fair dinkum. I am having a hard time being in America. It seems as though friends are impossible to find. It would be easy to
a) decide that I do not need friends & go back to being a "loner" as someone described it
-or-
b) make friends with people that are no friends at all & end up following their ways

....

the truth is, I know that neither of these choices are good or Biblical. In Proverbs, I am told to choose my friends wisely. So, I will. What if the friends that I choose live all the way on the other side of the world? What if?

What if it is impossible to find wise friends?

I feel as though true Christians are hard to come by. There are so many people that sit around & waste their lives on themselves... and I myself have fallen into this category... but I know that it is wrong... I know that living for Jesus means living as He lived; it means laying down your life for others. Living for Jesus is loving for Jesus.

My heart is to love. I love loving people. I love knowing people. I love praying for people.

I am crying out for community, for family. It would be such a joy to wake up and be apart of a Christian family that encourages me to stand firm in the ways of the LORD. Even if I just had Christian friends to surround myself with.

What if we weren't so caught up on ourselves and we started to really look like the body? I saw the body in Sydney, Australia... I saw joy there... I saw love there... & I miss it.

What if we weren't so caught up on ourselves and we started to really look like the body? I saw the body in Mobile, Alabama... I saw joy there... I saw love there... & I miss it. Remember those 40 nights of prayer? Or was that just a dream? What ever happened to my friends?

I am so grateful that being in the Kingdom is not a temporary thing, but an eternal one... I am so grateful that one day I will be able to stand in the presence of my LORD and worship Him forever & ever. I am so grateful that eternity starts here.

Forgive me for not being the light that I was called to be. Being a daughter of the Most High God means living a lifestyle of worship & loving others the way that God loves me... It means loving God with all that I am... & reflecting Him in all things. Living for God alone means giving up my selfish desires and serving my brothers & sisters...

Being able to serve my brothers & sisters (you) is a privilege that will only last while I am here on earth... I want to be a friend to all. I want to bless every single person that surrounds me. I want to be the body, even when it seems like no one else is.

If any of you think of me... please pray that God would continue to encourage me in all things, that He would draw me closer to His heart, that He would restore the friendships that have been broken, that I would be a carrier of peace and that I would know God more and more.

My hearts cry is to know God.

I pray that you all receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you may know HIm better, that your knowledge of God continues to increase daily, that all the work you do in faith produces good fruit and that your lives are worship offerings to the LORD who is worthy. Grace & peace to you all in the name of Jesus.

Love your sister in the faith,
Chynna Lee

Keep strong. Hold firm to the LORD.

Sale... Mission Support!!

My Aunt Tara is really talented! She has a lot of fun making crafts... Most of what she does has awesome monogramming on it. If you want anything monogrammed, or have a desire to purchase anything from her... let me know! I can contact her... or just go straight through her :)

She is using all of the profit to support mission trips! Bless the LORD!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Bless you all.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Express-Yourself/201597036551355?sk=wall

That's the link! ENJOY! Thanks for the support.

Just resting...

"Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others." 1 Thessalonians 4:11 & 12

This morning, I asked the LORD to speak to me... I am always so eager to hear His voice... and this was the scripture that I found that really spoke to me. It seemed as though God was impressing upon my heart the importance of clinging to Him, to remember the importance of depending on God in all things.

I sent out a mass text encouraging my friends & family to read this passage because it is so powerful... one great friend & brother of mine sent back this "I will warn you to make sure you know the context of that scripture. Back then the Greeks only thought slaves should do manual labor. It was considered less than. The Thessalonians became lazy because they were expecting the return of Christ really soon. Paul was telling them to stop being lazy! And keep on with life. Paul is not telling you to be a loner and to not let people help you" Reading all of this blessed me so much. Hearing his knowledge of the Word created in me a desire to know the Word more and more. Obviously, my desire is to know the Word... I am studying theology. But, this desire is different. It is a passion to understand the circumstances of our people (from the past) and to know the struggles that they went through, simply so that we know how they overcame their struggles.

It is neat how God can remind me to be dependent on Him alone... for me to share a few verses with peeps and then to receive great wisdom and knowledge from the response of a friend.

I am so blessed to have friends that know God, that want to know Him, and that have a knowledge of the Word. It is my prayer that God continues to use the one's around me to draw me closer to His heart.

We all need to be dependent on God. We all need each other.

YES! So glad to be apart of God's family :)

Humility is key. You know?

Back to America...

Back to America where...

A smile is not always returned

A friend is hard to find

Everyone looks ten years older than they are

Couples hold hands

Dating is common & means less

Instead of being referred to as "LOVE" they call us YOU

Everything is cheaper

People say MOM

Instead of "no worries" it is LETS WORRY

Fair Dinkum is not in the vocab

Bins are everywhere

Napkins are plenty

We may have missed the point

... This is America!


-Everything is different here. It is nice to be back home (for now)! A big part of me really loves Australia & all of my friends there. But, I know that I am here for a reason! Instead of desiring for a change in the way things look, I am going to change the way that I look at things! Thank the LORD for allowing us to see everything as beautiful-

I REALLY MISS MY UM FRIENDS. THE CHAPEL NIGHTS ARE ALWAYS REMEMBERED. IT SEEMS LIKE A MIRACLE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER AND WORSHIP TOGETHER 40 NIGHTS IN A ROW. ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT, I AM EXCITED ABOUT THOMASVILLE. GOD IS GOING TO DO AMAZING THINGS IN ALL OF OUR HEARTS & I AM THANKFUL TO BE APART OF IT ALL. TO HIM BE THE GLORY, FOREVER AND EVER. HIS LOVE IS STRONG. IT JUST IS.

Still having a blast...

followmedownunder2011.blogspot.com

"An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips" Proverbs 24:26

-You cannot change circumstances or other people. If you dont like the way your life looks, try changing the way you look at life.

*I LOVE YOU ALL*

Pictures & more posts to come...

Remember, God is with you. He is all around. No matter what you have done, He is faithful to forgive you if only you would ask. Oh, bless the LORD today! You are alive & well.. HALLELUJAH!

Forgive others & you yourself will be forgiven :)

Australia is wonderful...

"Ears that hear and eyes that see- the LORD has made them both" Proverbs 20:12

God has given me ears to hear His voice & eyes to see Him in all that I do. He has been speaking to me today & reminding me of great truths that were previously taught to me. Fortunately, God does not leave us in our weakness. HIS LOVE IS STRONG. I want to treat all people the way that He treats me.

While I was getting ready this morning, God showed me how it is such a special thing that I have ears to hear His voice. He was allowing me to appreciate His voice & recognize His love as great, which it is.

Advice: Be careful not to surround yourself with a lack of appreciation. Never take for granted the voice or word of God. The knowledge of Him is the only thing that will last forever. Surround yourself with those who LOVE the truth and LOVE His voice. Listen closely, for He is speaking.

Wow you guys! I am such a sinner... but God has forgiven me for yesterday & now, I am living today. I am "livin in the now"... such a great place to be :) Thank you for your prayers.

I love you all & miss you so much.

Judgment Day?

So, tomorrow is the predicted judgment day!

WHAT?

Learned much today...

When I look back and read my blogs from the past, I am encouraged... I am reminded of the place that God has taken me & what all He has taught me this past year... I know that He will continue to minister to me and teach me to walk in the light of His presence.

A certain situation distracted me and altered my view on a lot of things. This was not good. But, God is better. I surrender. There is freedom in surrender.

There is freedom in surrender.

I am in Sydney, Australia & I choose to live in this moment... in this place, with these people...

God is here. God is near. I choose to draw near to Him... and no one else! HE IS MY LOVE!! HE IS MY LOVE!! :) GOD IS HERE!

Where there is a mistake, there is a greater victory! Victory in Christ! Woohoo.

JOY.

Sydney

I am here.

Check out my Australia blog :)

followmedownunder2011.blogspot.com

Guys, I need prayer!

Stay in touch.

Text me anytime.

God is doing so much.

I genuinely miss everyone.

LOVE YOU ALL.

Jeremiah 29:11 & some others :)

Ever since I was little girl (just reading the Word & learning about the scriptures) I ALWAYS loved Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"... It brought me great joy to know that God had plans for me! For some reason, it wasn't until years later that I took to heart verses 12 & 13, which are even more comforting and full of direction. They are as follows, "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".

God gives us clarity and real hope. That is, if we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him! He is not asking for a tiny piece, or for a certain day of the week, but instead He is asking for ALL! :) That is an honor. The King of Kings, the ruler of all, is asking you for all of your heart! He is the Lover that you have always needed. The Father who wants you to come to Him for all things, so that He may provide a way for you! I am so over-joyed at the thought of this. Every day, I try to seek Him... and when I seek Him, in anything, I find Him! He is all around, pursuing you & I.

In Proverbs it says, "Commit to the LORD all of your ways and He will establish your plans" (16:3). What a joy? He wants to establish our plans! The more diligent I am in committing my ways to the LORD, the more I see Him working all things together. He is in control, so I must let go of control. It is all about trusting Him with all things. It is all about trusting Him with ALL of our heart! :) Wow, He let's us trust Him! He lets us love Him!

I am so thankful that He allows us to seek Him.

It is my prayer that you all find Him today... Remember, in order to find... You've gotta seek :)

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Grace & peace to you sweet children of God.

READ PROVERBS 16!! It could renew your mind, if you let it!!!

SMILING for the fun of it :)

Oh! So, in less than twenty four hours I will be flying to Sydney, Australia :)

Oh! So, I am going to get to spend ten days with Taylor Troha :)

Oh! So, I have the best friends in the entire world :)

Oh! So, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him :)

Oh! So, my Father is going to use us to spread the love of Christ :)

Oh! So, living Saved is beautiful :)

Oh! So, how is it possible to have a bad day? :)

Oh! So, we are only human :)

Oh! So, completeness is coming :)

Oh! So, I am feeling smiley :)

Oh! So, SMILE FOR THE FUN OF IT! :) :) :)

Bless you all :)

HAHA! Laugh & smile :)

ps-OH! SO, ONE DAY WE WILL BE IN HEAVEN WITH YHWH :)


Smiling is such a gift :) I do not know why we try not to smile sometimes (by accepting anger or frustration in any form). I mean, the more I smile... the more I laugh & the more I laugh, the more I want to thank my Father in heaven! :) Although I am a little nervous about tomorrow (leaving the country for the first time... about 20 hrs in the air) I am so happy! And so thankful to be considered His!!! What a joy!

Do not let the enemy rob you of your joy! He does not even have the power to do that! For real! Enjoy God, because you can :) Get to know Him, because you can! Love Him, because you can! Live for Him, because you can! :) What an honor it is to serve the King of Kings!

Bless you all!!!! :)


HAHAHA! I just found this awesome article on the joy of the LORD! Read it. It could possibly renew your mind :)

http://bible.org/seriespage/joy-god

--> copy & paste that address or just click on the title of this blog.. it'll take you straight to it! enJOY!

Sunday, May 15th

"The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" Proverbs 15:3

I read Proverbs every morning. One a day, every day. God knew there would be days when my heart would be lowly & I would fail to seek wisdom in all that I do, so He placed in my heart a desire to read Proverbs (which continually reminds me that wisdom is calling my name, everywhere that I go). I am thankful for the precious book made up of "short pithy sayings". It is my all time favorite.

-For a while now, I have had a heart for this woman that I do not know. She is related to a friend of mine, and that is how I heard of her situation. The last few months, I have found myself constantly thinking of her and praying for her. God has allowed me to see her in visions and dreams. Two nights ago, I had a dream that I was in her shoes. I was married, pregnant and happily serving the LORD. Then suddenly, my husband left me. In the dream, I felt pain and sadness... but an overwhelming peace and understanding. It was only God that gave me this peace. When I woke up, my heart was even more so for her than anything else.. EVER! She is a beautiful woman of God, who is doing mighty things for the Kingdom. A part of me feels like God is allowing me to carry her burdens, to feel her pain, and pray her prayers. It is interesting to me, because I have NEVER met her. I do not even know what she looks like (besides the visions and dreams I have received). But what I do know is that GOD LOVES HER! His love is unconditional. He is willing to have His children pray for her, regardless of if they know her or not. I am grateful to be able to partner with the Father by interceding for her. It is a joy to be apart of her family and to love her (even if it is just in the spirit). Sometimes, I just want to hug her and tell her that she is loved!! So loved! I want her to know that God is so for her & cares so much about her that He is allowing strangers to lift her up daily. Even though I may never get to tell this woman the love that I have for her, I know God is pouring out an abundance of peace, joy and love over her! (He would not have me intercede if He was not caring for her)... God hears our prayers! His Spirit guides us in how to pray. Trust Him! When your heart is heavy for someone, pray! It doesn't matter if you know them or not, pray! God is listening. There is a reason why you are feeling so strongly about someone else. Pray the Father's will over them. Pray scripture over them! Pray wisdom & direction over them! Every single one of us needs each other. Believe it or not, we are the body! :) I need you. You need me! The only thing that will ever tell you differently is pride. Let not pride get in the way of what you are doing for God! He is with you. He is guiding you! Pray, serve and love! We need each other! [If you think about this woman, please pray for her! God hears] -

Today is my last day in America until the 28th! I am really excited about what is to come! Although I have been in a season of dryness, I know that God is going to refresh me. In Proverbs it tells us that "those who refresh others will be refreshed". This keeps me encouraged and reminds me to ALWAYS refresh others, no matter how dry I feel! We are here to serve each other. That is the truth. If it were not, I would be cuddled up at home (heaven). But, it is truth! It is exciting to think that God is allowing me to partner with Him all the way across the world. Just to love on folks, care for them, serve them, and remind them of the truth will be the biggest blessing! My heart is for missions. I mean, it is even my field of study here at UM. This will be the first opportunity to leave the country and tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ, which gets me uber stoked! If any of you think about me please pray that God would fill me with all wisdom and understanding, that everything I do in faith will bear good fruit, and that I will spread the gospel quickly and effectively. I do not desire to labor in vain, but instead in truth... led by the Spirit. Your prayers are greatly appreciated. Bless you all for following me!

Stay in the Word, keep praying and seek wisdom in all you do!

He is with you, always.

May this song remind you that His love remains! :D

My Love Remains- Jonny Lang

Put on that smile, it's time to face another day
Tell everybody everything's o.k.
How much longer can you play this game?
Tell me how much more can you take?
I see the broken heart you try so hard to hide
I see the tears you hold back in your eyes
I sing the song that you might realize
You're not alone and I'll be there

Like the sun that continues to shine
Just beyond all the clouds in the sky
And if ever I seem to be so far away
Remember my love remains

I see the fear and doubt that paralyzes you
Could live your dreams but you never follow through
Open the door, I'll come in if you want me to
Youre not alone, and I'll be there

Like the sun that continues to shine
Just beyond all the clouds in the sky
And if ever I seem to be so far away
Remember my love remains
Our love remains

Before there were mountains, seas or any stars above
You were loved
Know that when all of these cease to be
What will remain is you and me
Forever, ever and ever
You're not alone and I'll be there

Like the sun that continues to shine
Just beyond all the clouds in the sky
And if trouble comes into your life
And even your best friends leave your side
And you can't find the strength to fight
Well please keep this one thing in mind
And whenever it feels like I'm so far away
Remember my love remains
Never get by without your love
Whenever you need me, just call my name
My love remains

Thank you Jonny Lang for this encouraging song. Lately, it has felt like God is far away. But, He is not. His love remains. It remains!!!! He remains the same! Always. His mind about me has not changed. He did not lie when He told me He loved me; He still loves me! Our God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His love remains! WOOHOO! Bless the Lord today. Draw peace & joy from Him! :)

Video!

a little video before departure


... and this "viteo" is for you, Joanna :) aka Josephina! JoJo! Joseph!

Pictures

This year has been amazing! God has taught me so much & blessed me in His presence every day. Through new friendships, awesome opportunities, and resting I received one blessing after another. Walking with the King of Glory is wonderful :) Here are some pictures to give you guys an idea of the joyful people that I spend my time with! Thanks for following.


























"Out of the fullness of God's grace we have all received one blessing after another" John 1:16

Luke 12:48b

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."

Lately, I have been a mess. Honestly, just crying and hurting; everything seems to add to my pain. A brief description: had to end relationships in order to continue a lifestyle of obedience, entered relationships in faith, was rejected then accepted, lonely and desiring a family, got my first ticket & cried the entire time, distracted so much that i did poorly on two exams that i knew the information for, my oldest brother got hit a few times by a car & seriously injured, my mom & little brother packed up and headed to ohio to take care of him, unexpected bills came my way, mom took my car to ohio, without any support moving out, have no idea where i am going to move my stuff to, and just now realizing that i may need to cancel the job that i was taking in Thomasville in order to support my brother.

All of the pain and confusion that has come my way is just an obstacle that I am able to overcome, simply because my Savior is greater than all of the trials I face. The Lord, Jesus Christ, has faithfully interceded for me my entire life. He has gone to the Father and made a way for me to be free. As undeserving as I am, He allowed me to live a year and a half full of great peace and understanding. Through His Spirit, He filled me with wisdom and hope. Instead of leaving me alone, He made a way for me to always be with Him.

In the beginning of my walk with God, everything was beautiful. There was not a trial that came my way big enough to distract me. He allowed me to see that nothing could ever separate me from His love! He filled me in ways that I will never be able to explain. Much has been given to me.

It is not in my own strength or accomplishments that I can boast, for I did nothing on my own. All that I am has been handed to me as a gift. Acknowledging that Papa God has given me all that I am reminds me to place my trust completely in Him. He gave me joy, unlike anything I have ever seen before. Honestly, there would be times where I just laughed for hours straight. There was no reason for laughter, no one told a joke or did anything funny. It was just God and I. The purity of His presence released joy over me. There were times when peace ruled out everything that I was. It almost got to a point where people were concerned. Instead of sitting around questioning things, I sat in peace and rested fully in God. I remember faith like a child. It was great, it was real. Anything He asked me to do, I did it. Not because I had the strength to, but because He gave me the resources needed to do it.

People surrounding me did not understand. They did not get it. They thought that pride covered me and that I thought I was better than them. When I realized that they were feeling inadequate around me, I started working at pleasing them. This caused a problem within my own mind. Instead of living wholeheartedly for the Father, I was pleasing man and working hard to do so. I was in control. Even though I knew God was over all, I was trying to take over something that was not mine to take over. My life is not my own, but His. He is in control.

What He has given me, was never for myself. Yes, I benefit from the gifts... but they are not to be used for me. The gifts I have been given are to equip me to bring others to an understanding of the purity of God. To an understanding of the love of my Father.

I am not great. I am not perfect. I am a sinner. I am weak. BUT.. HE IS GREAT! HE IS PERFECT! HE IS SINLESS! HE IS STRONG!

He has given me so much. There are times when I am overwhelmed at the thought of His favor in my life. There are times when I all I can do is weep and thank Papa for always taking care of me.

The truth is, much has been taken from me... but the Greater truth is MUCH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME! He has given me great wisdom, understanding, knowledge, insight, peace, joy, faithfulness, kindness... and because He has given me so much, MUCH IS DEMANDED OF ME!

Instead of pleasing man, I am here to please my Father! I am here to bless my God! He has given me so much. What I have gained, I want to use. It would be pointless to sit around and dwell on what I do not have. What I do have is greater. I have a Savior, Father, Friend, Lover, Husband, Brother! I have a God who loves me! I have a God who has given me much! Now, I must do much with what I have been given!

Let us not look to what we do not have, but instead let our focus be on what we do have! We have Him! We have much! Much is required.

"Let us be lovers who work"

Resting in Love

We need not to force God to love us; He already loves us. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life" (John 3:16). His love is simple; many times it seems we try to complicate it. It is my prayer that the people of God (YOU) would receive His love in full and meditate on it, day and night.

I have tried to explain to some that God really loves me and that is why I love Him. Unfortunately, not all people understand this. Because of previous relationships that led them down a path of brokenness, they find it hard to believe that God would ever love them unconditionally (this used to be me; this is a sad thought). Thankfully, God is greater than this thought process. God's love is SO great, that nothing in the world can separate us from it.

My message is not "God loves you as you sin", my message is "God loves you, so REPENT".

Once, I was fatherless. Lacking a father caused many social problems and much rebellion. If I would have known that my case would go before the Father of the fatherless, then I would have asked to be adopted much earlier. All throughout my life, I thought "maybe someone will adopt me" or "maybe another family will take me in". Many times, I thought my sufferings were the worst (they were not good, but they were not the worst). I desired day after day to be adopted or to have a father come to me! When I was a senior in high school, I was required to write a paper on "the one thing you want". The subject of my paper was A Father. I wrote about the things we would do, the joy that it would bring the members of my family, and the comfort I would feel in knowing that someone of authority loved me.

Thankfully, I was heard! My cry, the deep thoughts of my heart, were heard! The Father of the fatherless, God ALMIGHTY, heard me!

After another year of rebellion, I called out for help. My faith was now in Him to rescue me.

I was adopted in January of 2010. My adoption story is intense & a clear picture of how much God really loves us. I feel like when God looks at an orphan, He does not care how much they have messed up or what they have done, but He sees a need for Love & Authority and knows that He is the only one that can fill that void, so He takes care of it by adopting them.

When I was adopted by Love Himself, my life flipped upside down. I was once looked down upon & suddenly, because I had His name, I was looked up to; I was once ashamed, but my shame turned into honor; I was once broken, but now I had been put together; I was once hungry, but now I AM FULL.

Having God as my Father has really changed everything about who I am. My confidence soars so high, simply because He is my Father. It is amazing. There is always this peace inside of me that reminds me that my Daddy has my back! :) It is as if, He is always right there taking care of my every need.

You know, He is better than ANY earthly Father could ever be. I have met some really awesome Dad's here, but none compare to God, my Father.

He is my Provider! Really! MY PROVIDER! It is beautiful. Many people receive financial support from their parents, but I do not. When I started walking with the LORD, I did not even have to make Him aware of my need for financial provision. He simply just started providing for me. He provides for me beyond what I could EVER ask. Not only does He make sure that all of my bills are paid, that I have food & drink, but He provides so much extra! Sometimes I feel like His favorite child. As I walk with Him, He just takes care of me. For instance, I will go out to eat & somehow or another my meal will get paid for (once again, the favor of His name). If I ever pay for myself, He will literally make sure that money gets right back in my pocket by the end of that week. It is so fun! I put all my trust in Him & am grateful that He provides all of my needs. So, financially, He is my provider! His favor is all over everything I do and always will be, simply because HE ADOPTED ME & HE IS A GOOD FATHER!

The truth is, financial provision is not even close to my favorite part about being adopted! My favorite part is being loved! Oh wow! My whole life I desired to feel loved & to know love. Now, I am so overwhelmed by His love that sometimes all I can do is lay before and thank Him. He has blessed me beyond what I could have ever asked for. His love is so undeserved. Looking at where I came from, you would understand that God needed not to love me. I was a sinner, a very awful sinner. But, He looked past that. He loved me, not because of who I am, but because of who He is. This grace, this mercy, is what overwhelms me! This love is what causes me to weep before the Throne! He alone deserves my love. He alone deserves my attention. When you experience love like this, you want to give Love Himself all that you are!

Every decision that I make, I bring to Him. Because I have seen Him, day after day, take my life and make it into something that brings Him glory! How much more rewarding could it get? He takes my dirty humanity & turns it in to something beautifully supernatural. He RECEIVES glory through me? That alone makes me want to give him everything I hold on to. I am confident that what I give Him, He will do with it what is best. Sometimes, this means I will never see it again. Other times, this means that He will purify it & give back to me only what is meant for my good. My Papa is A GOOD PAPA! He intends everything to work together for my good. He will not give me something that is going to harm me, especially if I am asking Him to take my life! He is a good Papa! We have to trust that He is who He says He is. If earthly fathers are good, how much better is He? I pray that He reveals to YOU (all) how great He is & what a wonderful Father He is! Trust Him! Oh trust Him!

As if financial provision & love were not enough, He gave me a family!! A real family. A group of people, scattered around the world, that will ALWAYS be there for me. I have family members ALL OVER that I have never met, but I know they are my brothers & sisters! Here, in Mobile, He has given me the most precious family. My brothers & sisters are men & women of God who pray, read the Word, and serve their Father in Heaven! When you come from a place where you never know if family is going to leave you, it is such a blessing to have an ETERNAL FAMILY! I am thankful that I grew up the way I did, in inconsistency, because now, I am able to appreciate this permanent love. Family is so precious to me! Growing with my brothers & sisters in Christ (and my spiritual mothers & fathers) I am able to understand the value in staying together & always loving one another, regardless of circumstance. I know that one day, I will be apart of a family & I so look forward to introducing them to my Papa & His children :D

I am a child of God. He has adopted me into His family; I will always be His! No, I do not have an earthly Father. No, I do have parents to provide my every need. No, I do have a family that has held together. BUT I do have a Heavenly Father, a Provider, and a Family that is eternal!! I AM A CHILD OF YHWH! He is who He says He is; He is my DADDY!

-Just resting in His love today-

May you recognize God as Father today. May you all rest in His love today.

WE HAVE THE BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!!

Humility

Someone somewhere might tell you that you do not have to be needy or desperate for God, because He is with you. The first time that I heard this, I thought it to be true. After testing this thought and seeking the Scripture, I have found that those who NEED God to live are the one's who find Him. We have to remember that "humility is the fear of the LORD" ... humbling ourselves and recognizing God as holy & above us is key. We must think, talk and act from a position of humility. When we are humbled before Him, we see the need for Him.

Yes, we are Kings & Queens. Yes, we have all authority & power. Yes, we are victorious.

-This is only possible by His blood-

I have found in my personal walk that the lower I go, the more I gain. The more humbled I am, the more power I have. We are nothing. He must become greater in our lives, we must become less. Until He is GREATER than all things, I will be needy for Him... I will be desperate for Him. I am nothing without Him. I NEED HIM!

Humility is key.


"Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven" Matthew 5:3

Intimacy with God

It is important to spend time alone with the LORD. In case you were never informed, God wants to be with you. He wants you to meditate on His unfailing love with a heart of thanksgiving. The LORD wants to strengthen, teach, encourage and bless you in the time that you spend with Him in secret.

HE WANTS TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU!!

Strongholds?

"One who is wise can go against the city of the mighty and pull down the strongholds in which they trust" Proverbs 21:22


Yesterday morning, the Lord really impressed upon my heart the importance of pulling down strongholds. Many people trust many things that are not God Himself. This is not the way that it should be. God is trustworthy & faithful.

In the world that we live it, there are many things available to put your trust in. All of these things are false. Nothing that you trust in, aside from God, will save you. You need God. Anything you have heard contradicting that is a lie! Rebuke all lies. No longer believe them (Regardless of what you have heard, you have a choice whether to receive the lies or not... my advice: Do not receive them-come on, they are lies).

First off, let us examine our lives together. Are there any strongholds? We, as believers, must make sure that we trust the LORD and the LORD alone. There can not be a plan B. He is the only one that will remain faithful through it all.

Where a stronghold is present, in that area, there is a lack of communication with God. If anything is put before God, or elevated in any way above God, there is a lack of trust in who God is.

Before dealing with strongholds, I find it extremely important to look at who God is. God is faithful, Provider, all-powerful, all-knowing, He has insight, He is love, He is the first and the Last. He is who He says He is. The more God is seen for who He really is, the easier it is to understand the power in His name.

When God is present (always), nothing can stand above Him. Look into your life. Is there anything that has a hold on you? Anything separating you from truth? REMEMBER NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD! Rebuke all lies that the enemy has tried to put in your way!

The Word of God is what sets us free! Meditate on His law day & night! Place His truth in your heart. Set it higher than any thought! Remember who He is & thank Him always!

I have found, in my personal walk, that when something comes my way... A temptation, a previous struggle, or anything that tries to puff itself up above my God... His Word is more powerful than those attacks! He is strong, oh so strong! Nothing at all can separate us from His love. We must continue soaking in His Word, becoming familiar with all truth. If we are covered in truth, no lies can exist.

Strongholds are lies!! Rebuke all lies in the name of Jesus Christ (YES! Hallelu Yah! There is power in His name). Find scripture that speaks truth about whatever it is that you are dealing with & believe the truth... not the lies! Lies no longer have power over you! If you are indeed a son or daughter of the Most High God, YOU ARE FREE!!!

Bless you!

*Praise is a wonderful tool for breaking off strongholds... there is freedom when you praise God with all of your heart!*



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It is ALL ABOUT HIM...

When did it become about us? The more that I share the gospel of Christ, the more I recognize a need for Christ to truly be seen. "They have eyes, but they cannot see" would be the best way to explain what is concerning me. If you would, partner with me in prayer that God would open the eyes, ears and hearts of those who do not know Him and to those who have a knowledge of truth but deny its power.

Lately, my eyes have been opened to see the way salvation is viewed by many. It is as if, accepting Christ is a ticket to heaven. Really, that is the way that a lot Americans view Christianity & it hurts to see. You know at the end of a service when the pastor says "If you were to die today, do you know where you would go?" A friend of mine made a clear point. This question is driving people into a place of fear. They may accept Christ, simply because they fear hell. That is wrong. Accepting Christ can not be seen as a "ticket" to heaven. Believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He was raised from the dead is your assurance that you are now able to commune with YHWH! He hears you because of your faith in His only Son. Hallelu Yah.

Salvation starts here. Salvation is freedom from sin & the wages of sin and freedom to worship God with all that you are. Salvation is knowing God and being known by Him. Salvation is being led by the Spirit. Salvation is loving God and being loved by God. Salvation is freedom. Salvation is a constant growing, learning and seeking the will of God. Salvation is not heaven. Yes, we who believe will soon be with the Father in Heaven, but salvation starts here. We are now able to communicate with the LORD, through faith in His Son Jesus. He will speak to us, guide us, love us, protect us while we are here, and eventually bring us home to be with Him.

If Heaven is our focus, we are in trouble. God must be our focus. He loves us so much that HE SENT HIS ONLY SON TO COME TO EARTH & DIE ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS. God is love. He is the acceptance we will do anything for & He accepts us freely. He is the truth we would die for & He is willing to give it to us without cost. He is the life we seek & He has given up His for us. God is love. He so loves you. It is not about who you are or what you will receive. It is about GOD loving you.

God first loved. We did nothing to deserve His love. We rebelled against Him, intentionally and unintentionally. He gave us earth and all of the resources we need to live a long joyful life. The living God gave us everything we could ever need. He asked one thing of us... to worship Him with all that we are (to thank Him for giving us EVERYTHING)... and WE REBELLED against Love Himself. What we did deserves punishment. We deserve to be separated from His love, because we did not respect it from the beginning. BUT He loves us too much to send us away from His presence. He knew we could never make it up to Him. He knew that no matter how hard we tried, we would always fall without Him. So instead of leaving us here to die, He sent His Son to die for us. He paid the debt of our sin. HE MADE A WAY WHEN THERE WAS NO WAY!!!! Why? Because He loves us. He loves us so much. Do you see? He could have given up on you & I, but He did not. He had love for us. He has love for us.

Why would He want to send His Son? He sent His Son because He wanted to make sure that our sins were atoned for, so that He could communicate with us and love us endlessly. He made a way for us, so that while we are here on earth we can have a relationship with Him. He forgave us so that we could praise Him. Truly, He made it possible for us to worship Him again. He has allowed us to come back to a place of thanksgiving.

Salvation is not about us. It is not about hell. It is not about heaven. Salvation is about a loving God who created humans who fell. He had love for them so deep that He made a way for them to receive forgiveness. Once forgiven, He now can speak to them & know that they will hear Him. He made a way for all people to commune with Him. He made a way for all people to have an intimate relationship with Him.

It is ALL ABOUT HIM! It is all about the love He has for all people, including you. It is ALL ABOUT HIM!!!

Repent & return to a lifestyle of thanksgiving. He deserves to be praised. He has given us everything we need without cost & has made a way for us to worship Him. He is love. He is love. He is love.

PRAISE YHWH! It is ALL ABOUT HIM!