Frustrated, Stressed about something? Take inventory of whose plans you are following....
Boxes and Busyness are two of the enemy's best tactics. The enemy doesn't want you fruitful, so he does what he can to keep you busy. The enemy also doesn't want you to discover the calling God has on your life and the destiny that awaits you...hence the boxes. If he can keep you in a box, you will never know freedom and walking forward.
I'm determined to not just walk, but to run to that destiny. What's it gonna take? Well...that is the harder part....See the more I seem to think I've broken free of a few things, the more the enemy says...but oh have you really. It is so easy to get caught up in doing for others that it borders people pleasing. Take an inventory of why you do what you do...(God already has, so you may as well ask Him to show you). Are you so caught up in helping others walk out their calling that you are forgetting to walk out your own? Let that sink in......(It took awhile for me).
So many times we get so caught up in what others are doing that we lose sight of what He has called us to do. We measure ourselves against the standards of others, the opinions of others, and that shouldn't be. God says I've called you by name and I know you! Hello....He doesn't call you by what you can do, He has called you by name. If He had wanted you to operate in a box, He wouldn't have put the gifts He did inside of you. He loves you just the way you are because He designed you! Those things that make you tick, He planned for a purpose. That mouth that seems to get you in trouble at times, He gave you for a purpose. The heart you keep apologizing for being too big....oh child that's one of His favorites. The mirror He uses to see you is covered in grace.
At some point leave your plans in His hands and take a hold of the ones He made for you before you were born. The beauty of His is that they always work out for your good.
You know what God's called you to do. You know what He has told you. Don't assume that others do(because chances are He hasn't told them about you). Walk in His footsteps and you will lose sight of trying to walk in someone else's.
Mask off, Heart exposed moment: I'm tired of boxes. I'm tired of allowing well meaning people to put me in them because well just because. God was pretty plain this week that I'm the only one that can step out of it. Others only know their journey, not yours....don't fault them for that. On the other hand, don't allow them to dictate yours either. It's time to enjoy the journey, it's time to step out of the box and walk into the calling, the destiny God planned for you. This is a year I've told God I need some answers. I have asked for a neon sign (or two). This week I ask Him to make sure it was on as well. So many times we ask for the neon sign and don't realize we have turned it off and only we hold the cord.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
He gets me, mask off for a minute....
Alright let's face it....we all have strengths and weaknesses. We all have things we do well and things God does through us well. Someone once said a quote that if we didn't have cracks in our pots, the light couldn't shine through.
This journey has been a bumpy one the last couple of weeks. It seems the more we determine in our hearts to stay the course, the more the enemy tries to throw us off. Being busy this time of the year is unfortunately how things typically roll, it's hard not to be "busy". At the same time though that we find ourselves busy, we need to ask ourselves are we being fruitful at the same times? Are we planting seeds that will be reaped long after we have moved on from that season or are only taking care of what impacts the season now? Think about it....Personally it is still a struggle, but one I have at His feet.
Mask off for a minute....I'll be the first to admit this journey has been tough(then again freedom always has a cost). I'm getting closer to my sweet spot...the place where calling meets destiny. He's burning off, chipping away things that don't resemble Him. I've struggled with this people pleasing thing. I've tried to break free of it on my own, but let's face it, God is the only one that can truly break that chain. At some point when we finally reach the place where we have peace with ourselves, we can have peace with knowing everyone will never always be happy. The enemy will make sure that someone will always be in your path that will mess with that peace. The more I've walked with God, the more I have come to realize...the closer I get to Him, the more than enemy trembles. That though dear readers is a blog in itself. Worrying about what other people think and spending all of your time trying to make them happy, will only leave you stressed, discouraged, and disappointed (and the angels sang AMEN!). I'm horrible at this....and I asked God about it one day. He became clear with His answer, but it has taken me a long time to truly understand what He meant. I've struggled with insecurity my entire life. I've always weighed more than I should, never felt like I looked pretty enough, and was always second place to someone else's dream(hello too many days of being the last kid picked for the kickball team....). I now realize (and when I say now...I mean neon sign last 72 hours....), that insecurity that took root at a young age bloomed into the people pleasing adult. The insecurity from trying to be what other people needed(which we know will never be enough) is not where God wants us to reside. Security in Him, in who He made us to be is where we find true peace. As women I think we struggle with this more than men, but for some it takes more time to let it go and to truly leave it at His feet. Only when we find out where the root started, can we truly pull the weed up and leave it at His feet. So many times we leave the blooms at His feet without dealing with the root only to find it blooms again later.
Mask off minute two: anxiety.....I get stressed very quickly. I let things bother me that shouldn't and I let the stress build up to where it affects me physically. This lead to a migraine last week because I didn't listen to my body, thanks to that lovely timehop app I discovered I had a migraine same time last year. Nothing more than stress...different situations, but the root was still the same. I wanted to be in control. So many times we let the enemy hang the need for control close to our reach and as we keep reaching to try and get a hold of it, we end up falling flat on our face...or exhausting ourselves. Our lives our not our own, they haven't been since we were born. God gave them to us as a gift, and He expects the gift to be used (and not overused or abused...again another blog). Control of that gift is His...yes we get to choose, but He knows exactly the perfect match and fit(if we'll ask). He knows how the day is going to go, so let Him lead. Again...I've laid this bloom down at His feet so many times, but never dealt with the root. When did I feel like I needed to start grasping for control, well pretty sure the root started with a knock on the door December 20th 16 years ago. It didn't get any better with the bus wreck, but that was because I hadn't dealt with the root. God knows what our tomorrows hold. It may not fit our plans, it may make us "feel" stressed, but He already knew that would be our reaction as well. So trust that He knows you and leave Him to your feelings. God knows I over-react. He knows I worry at times, become anxious, and frustrated at myself more than I should. Sometimes I think those things that I keep apologizing for bring Him smiles. If we keep trying to patch up our weak spots, make excuses for them, and try to hide them...how is His light going to shine through? Quit fighting His plan and just leave it in His hands.
I would love to tell you I've found the freedom God promised me on this journey, but I'm still in the process of locating roots and pulling them up. It's coming though....and this Baptist girl is gonna have her a shout.
I don't know where you are on your journey, but He does. Have you dealt with the roots of the weeds or do you keep leaving the blooms at His feet? Walking forward to the place where your calling meets your destiny requires leaving the roots of the weeds(anxiety, insecurity, discouragement, doubt, and fear), requires leaving your past at His feet and running the race He has called you to run. You can't run with endurance when until you cast off the weight, so leave it at His feet today.
Be Blessed Readers,
~Melissa
This journey has been a bumpy one the last couple of weeks. It seems the more we determine in our hearts to stay the course, the more the enemy tries to throw us off. Being busy this time of the year is unfortunately how things typically roll, it's hard not to be "busy". At the same time though that we find ourselves busy, we need to ask ourselves are we being fruitful at the same times? Are we planting seeds that will be reaped long after we have moved on from that season or are only taking care of what impacts the season now? Think about it....Personally it is still a struggle, but one I have at His feet.
Mask off for a minute....I'll be the first to admit this journey has been tough(then again freedom always has a cost). I'm getting closer to my sweet spot...the place where calling meets destiny. He's burning off, chipping away things that don't resemble Him. I've struggled with this people pleasing thing. I've tried to break free of it on my own, but let's face it, God is the only one that can truly break that chain. At some point when we finally reach the place where we have peace with ourselves, we can have peace with knowing everyone will never always be happy. The enemy will make sure that someone will always be in your path that will mess with that peace. The more I've walked with God, the more I have come to realize...the closer I get to Him, the more than enemy trembles. That though dear readers is a blog in itself. Worrying about what other people think and spending all of your time trying to make them happy, will only leave you stressed, discouraged, and disappointed (and the angels sang AMEN!). I'm horrible at this....and I asked God about it one day. He became clear with His answer, but it has taken me a long time to truly understand what He meant. I've struggled with insecurity my entire life. I've always weighed more than I should, never felt like I looked pretty enough, and was always second place to someone else's dream(hello too many days of being the last kid picked for the kickball team....). I now realize (and when I say now...I mean neon sign last 72 hours....), that insecurity that took root at a young age bloomed into the people pleasing adult. The insecurity from trying to be what other people needed(which we know will never be enough) is not where God wants us to reside. Security in Him, in who He made us to be is where we find true peace. As women I think we struggle with this more than men, but for some it takes more time to let it go and to truly leave it at His feet. Only when we find out where the root started, can we truly pull the weed up and leave it at His feet. So many times we leave the blooms at His feet without dealing with the root only to find it blooms again later.
Mask off minute two: anxiety.....I get stressed very quickly. I let things bother me that shouldn't and I let the stress build up to where it affects me physically. This lead to a migraine last week because I didn't listen to my body, thanks to that lovely timehop app I discovered I had a migraine same time last year. Nothing more than stress...different situations, but the root was still the same. I wanted to be in control. So many times we let the enemy hang the need for control close to our reach and as we keep reaching to try and get a hold of it, we end up falling flat on our face...or exhausting ourselves. Our lives our not our own, they haven't been since we were born. God gave them to us as a gift, and He expects the gift to be used (and not overused or abused...again another blog). Control of that gift is His...yes we get to choose, but He knows exactly the perfect match and fit(if we'll ask). He knows how the day is going to go, so let Him lead. Again...I've laid this bloom down at His feet so many times, but never dealt with the root. When did I feel like I needed to start grasping for control, well pretty sure the root started with a knock on the door December 20th 16 years ago. It didn't get any better with the bus wreck, but that was because I hadn't dealt with the root. God knows what our tomorrows hold. It may not fit our plans, it may make us "feel" stressed, but He already knew that would be our reaction as well. So trust that He knows you and leave Him to your feelings. God knows I over-react. He knows I worry at times, become anxious, and frustrated at myself more than I should. Sometimes I think those things that I keep apologizing for bring Him smiles. If we keep trying to patch up our weak spots, make excuses for them, and try to hide them...how is His light going to shine through? Quit fighting His plan and just leave it in His hands.
I would love to tell you I've found the freedom God promised me on this journey, but I'm still in the process of locating roots and pulling them up. It's coming though....and this Baptist girl is gonna have her a shout.
I don't know where you are on your journey, but He does. Have you dealt with the roots of the weeds or do you keep leaving the blooms at His feet? Walking forward to the place where your calling meets your destiny requires leaving the roots of the weeds(anxiety, insecurity, discouragement, doubt, and fear), requires leaving your past at His feet and running the race He has called you to run. You can't run with endurance when until you cast off the weight, so leave it at His feet today.
Be Blessed Readers,
~Melissa
Sunday, May 3, 2015
April's messes bring May's message
I left a lot of mess in April. That mess is turning into the message of May. See I was reminded from a friend last night how much the enemy is after our destiny, how much the enemy wants nothing more than for us to not walk in the calling that God has for our lives. There is a shift in the atmosphere, a season change coming....
April was a time of learning what bridges need to be burned, and which ones were meant to be crossed. (Yep love that song...). April was the time where the choice was circle the mountain again or realize the strength to get up and over was mine for the taking. Done with circling the mountain, oh how I never expected the TimeHop app to bring conviction, but it did. Looking at posts from over the years and finding the same things for April for the last four years...time for change. This circling the mountain was only wearing me out and wearing me down(which was what the enemy wanted).
The enemy wants you to focus on the mess, but God wants you to see the message He is writing. I have seen God write a Romans 8:28 story just for me. It's a story I continue to reap from today because it brought into my life precious, precious friends who are like my family now. Friends that had they not come into my life, my life would have certainly not been the same. When God brings people into your life, some are for a reason, some for a season. I'm so thankful these friends are for life and for a reason! How is it a Romans 8:28 story? Well you see these friends came into my life because of one of the darkest days, losing my sister. God took something that I couldn't see how good was going to come of it, but He knew even then. I am forever thankful and grateful for my Romans 8:28 story and my friends that sow into my life daily. God gets the glory for turning messes into messages when we let Him. It's our choice if we keep the message to ourselves, or if we choose to share it as much as we can. Our mess becomes our message when we let God use it for His glory instead of stuffing it inside and letting the enemy win. Chains are broken when we let God change the mess into a message. The focus turns to what God is doing(or has done) instead of what the enemy is doing.
April was a season of refinement, a season of bring things up to the surface that I had stuffed or put a band-aid on. I'm not perfect and most days I tend to wear the less perfect me, the pitiful one for others to see instead of the powerful one that some get to see. Sometimes it is easier to let others see the stress and worry than the victory when it comes....that shouldn't be. We need to let others see the victory more or at least as much as the other side. In teaching, we call it productive struggle. God's been letting me struggle for some months now, because He knew it was productive. He knew that the end result would be broken chains and a mess left in the hands of the Maker. The process was needed in order to make me into more of who He made me to be. Thank you Lord for knowing what was best, even though I know I repeatedly asked for the mess to be removed. God doesn't always change the circumstances as much as He changes us. We may see it as a prayer unanswered, when all the while God is giving us the desires of our heart and answering prayers we didn't even know we needed to pray.
I'll write a detailed blog soon. God's been breaking chains, chains that until just a few weeks ago I thought they were already broken. When in fact, I had excused the chains...made a case for why they were there instead of trusting the One who could not only break them, but could take them away. As children of God, the chains are ours for the breaking. We are the ones that allow them to stay on by not realizing the power He has given us as sons and daughters of the Most High.
Ask Him for revelation today. Trust that He knows your heart, but more than that He knows the destiny He has planned for your life. He knows what you don't and sees what you cannot. Trust is sometimes a moment by moment choice. There will be moments when you let feelings take over, that's where grace steps in. Realize it, deal with it, and move forward. Feelings will always be an issue if you don't let truth speak first.
The moments where you stumble and fall are also the moments where you get to experience the hand outstretched of grace helping you back to your feet to keep moving forward on this journey we call life. He planned for you to live it abundantly and that means free! Deal with the chains of the past, the stumbles of the present, so you can walk confidently into the destiny He planned even before you took your first breath. That's how much He loves you!
Have a great week!
April was a time of learning what bridges need to be burned, and which ones were meant to be crossed. (Yep love that song...). April was the time where the choice was circle the mountain again or realize the strength to get up and over was mine for the taking. Done with circling the mountain, oh how I never expected the TimeHop app to bring conviction, but it did. Looking at posts from over the years and finding the same things for April for the last four years...time for change. This circling the mountain was only wearing me out and wearing me down(which was what the enemy wanted).
The enemy wants you to focus on the mess, but God wants you to see the message He is writing. I have seen God write a Romans 8:28 story just for me. It's a story I continue to reap from today because it brought into my life precious, precious friends who are like my family now. Friends that had they not come into my life, my life would have certainly not been the same. When God brings people into your life, some are for a reason, some for a season. I'm so thankful these friends are for life and for a reason! How is it a Romans 8:28 story? Well you see these friends came into my life because of one of the darkest days, losing my sister. God took something that I couldn't see how good was going to come of it, but He knew even then. I am forever thankful and grateful for my Romans 8:28 story and my friends that sow into my life daily. God gets the glory for turning messes into messages when we let Him. It's our choice if we keep the message to ourselves, or if we choose to share it as much as we can. Our mess becomes our message when we let God use it for His glory instead of stuffing it inside and letting the enemy win. Chains are broken when we let God change the mess into a message. The focus turns to what God is doing(or has done) instead of what the enemy is doing.
April was a season of refinement, a season of bring things up to the surface that I had stuffed or put a band-aid on. I'm not perfect and most days I tend to wear the less perfect me, the pitiful one for others to see instead of the powerful one that some get to see. Sometimes it is easier to let others see the stress and worry than the victory when it comes....that shouldn't be. We need to let others see the victory more or at least as much as the other side. In teaching, we call it productive struggle. God's been letting me struggle for some months now, because He knew it was productive. He knew that the end result would be broken chains and a mess left in the hands of the Maker. The process was needed in order to make me into more of who He made me to be. Thank you Lord for knowing what was best, even though I know I repeatedly asked for the mess to be removed. God doesn't always change the circumstances as much as He changes us. We may see it as a prayer unanswered, when all the while God is giving us the desires of our heart and answering prayers we didn't even know we needed to pray.
I'll write a detailed blog soon. God's been breaking chains, chains that until just a few weeks ago I thought they were already broken. When in fact, I had excused the chains...made a case for why they were there instead of trusting the One who could not only break them, but could take them away. As children of God, the chains are ours for the breaking. We are the ones that allow them to stay on by not realizing the power He has given us as sons and daughters of the Most High.
Ask Him for revelation today. Trust that He knows your heart, but more than that He knows the destiny He has planned for your life. He knows what you don't and sees what you cannot. Trust is sometimes a moment by moment choice. There will be moments when you let feelings take over, that's where grace steps in. Realize it, deal with it, and move forward. Feelings will always be an issue if you don't let truth speak first.
The moments where you stumble and fall are also the moments where you get to experience the hand outstretched of grace helping you back to your feet to keep moving forward on this journey we call life. He planned for you to live it abundantly and that means free! Deal with the chains of the past, the stumbles of the present, so you can walk confidently into the destiny He planned even before you took your first breath. That's how much He loves you!
Have a great week!
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