face to face

“Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” Exodus 33:11

The last few days, I’ve been craving some face time with God.  Sometimes I just need to get away and soak Him up.  Fall in love all over again by discovering new things, learning more, and spending some quality time while letting Him woo me all over with His words. (Can you tell I’m a words of affirmation girl with a mix of quality time and then throw in gifts after that?)

Between work and life, I thought I wasn’t going to get this time until later in the week, but God surprised me last night.  I went to a night of prayer and worship focused on healing (specifically for a family at church–which by the way–if you could join in prayer for them that would be awesome!).  I walked away being refreshed and so confident. Confident that God is who He says He is. That I am who He says I am. That to be holy…to be set apart…means not devaluing yourself or others. Because, you know what? We are children of God whose bodies are a temple for the Holy Spirit.  And in the depths of Your LOVE we find peace makes us whole. So, I’m running after His peace and letting go.

Have you spent some time face time with God lately? What’s He speaking to your heart?

My Ways or His Ways?

Sometimes I find that my perception of God needs a bit of alteration.  I find that I am not consistent in my thinking or that I bought into something that shouts that I’m stuck on my ways instead of seeing them as His ways.

Example One: I found a prayer in one of my journals that asked God to protect me from deception.  And at first, I was like, uh….what!? where were you God–why didn’t you step in and intervene and save the day? Except, the kicker here is that I wanted Him to intervene so that things would turn out how I wanted them.  He DID protect me by allowing others to step in and walk with me. Things just looked different.

Example Two: I keep wanting to put lists, rules, and lines in areas of my life.  But, then, I’m reminded…He wants me to fall in love with Him in such a way that life no longer feels like a list of do’s and don’ts but a crazy madly love that permeates all that I do to where each and every moment translates into an all relying on Him adventure both with Him and others!

Example Three: I found myself verbalizing frustration over waiting on God’s timing…yeah, sometimes I get frustrated.  But, see, I kept thinking of Him as almost teasing or just not wanting to give me want I want.  Though, really, no! That’s not it at all. He wants to wait to give me that amazing delicious tasting satisfying falafel instead of letting me settle for some not so tasty cheeseburger…

How about you? Do you need to adjust or alter some areas you translate your ways as God’s ways?

Saturday Fun

I love praying randomly like writing words and filling up the entire page, which is probably why I love this idea:

Praying in Color

(yeah…I know that picture doesn’t have color, but I LOVE the idea of focusing on the names of God so check out the website for other examples with actual color and then try it out! I know I’m going to try to use a bit more splash in my journal.)

Counting it All Joy From Mittens to Haiku

61. writing in my Bible

65. happy purses

66. bible study ladies

67. prayer: being able to ask for it, praying for others

78. Hope House name tag found in my Bible

79. carrying keys in my mittens

83. giving away homemade mugs

86. writing late at night

91. haiku poetry

95. personal bests at running

What about you? What gift did you find this week? What brought you joy? What did you find beautiful? Take a look around this week…and count it all joy with me!

 

Gratitude Community

Battlefield of the Mind

Quotes from the book Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer I’m currently reading:

“Any time we see what the Word says and refuse to do it, reasoning has somehow gotten involved and deceived us into believing something other than the truth”
and
“James 1:5-8—To me the man of two minds is a picture of confusion as he goes back and forth, back and forth, never deciding on anything. As soon as he thinks he has made a decision here comes wondering, doubt and confusion to get him operating once again in two minds. He is uncertain about everything. ”
and
“Wondering leaves a person in indecision, and indecision causes confusion. Wondering, indecision and confusion prevent an individual from receiving from God, by faith, the answer to his prayer or need.”

My response: “Whoa….this book is totally kicking me and asking me to face some tough love for some big time God transformation in my mind.”

Your response? Have you read the book? Do you see your mind as a battlefield? Anything up above resonate with you? I’d love to know…

Waking Up to Joy

Months ago at Hope House, we made a paper chain with all of our names.  I kept the paper chain and put it up in my room at Thrive.  I couldn’t bear to part with it so I brought it home.  I made it into a collage to add a reminder for my room in the States.  I love these kids that made Fridays full of joy, happiness and love.  They captured my heart and showed me a glimpse of God. I am committed to praying for them and the caretakers at Hope House daily and I’m going to love waking up to their names!

Pray for them with me!

Here are some of their names: Teboho, Keke, Katleho, Thabo, Nelly, Zodwa, Teboho, Nthokozo, Mathola, Thando, Tseantanda, Lunga, Kwanele, Letta, Zandile, Samke, Lerato, Phumzile, Norah, Lucky, Gifty, Morgan, Carnation, Nkosi, Pume, Mahow, Nthforte, Beki, Umphilo, Thabang, Nomfundo, Teboho, Tumelo, Jamesy, Gugu

I Cried…

“So You Think You Can Dance” gripped my heart tonight.  My eyes fixated on the screen.  I crumpled inside.  I ached with each debilitating, overwhelming act that pushed her to the ground. I re-lived the echo: you’re everything I think I need, you touched me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone.  The chains came crushing down. Biting into my skin.  Reverberating lies instead of truth.  Yet, here I stand.  On the other side.  Set free. Not going back. I won’t back down. Throwing myself on my beloved.  Wrapping myself in Him.  Living here on my knees for Him.  He touches me for a little while, then I am strong.  He frees me from my chains.  And here I am, and I stand, so tall, just the way I’m supposed to be.  Standing with Him, falling into His gravity.

ht: watch this: Addicted

Battle

Isaiah 54: 17 No weapon that is formed against you will prosper.

“This is my prayer in the battle

When triumph is still on its way

I am a conqueror and coheir with Christ

So firm on His promise I will stand

and I will bring praise

I will bring praise

No weapon formed against me shall remain

I will rejoice

I will declare

God is my victory and He is here”

Spending time praying tonight.  What can I be praying for you about?

I missed you too…

I am bursting at the seams with love and am completely overwhelmed with the love God has for me.  This weekend was a tough one.  One of battle after battle.  Not listening or entertaining the lies and distractions that desperately want me to believe that I’m not enough, that they won’t want me to come back, that I need to lose weight, that he’s gone, and that their actions say they don’t care, etc. Rather, holding fast to His words of truth and promises by reading His Word and prayer while laying things at the cross.

Yet, God turned the tide and came like a rushing stream last night and this morning.  My fellow interns prayed for me as I let the tears fall down my face.  I sat vulnerable, broken, and honest about the hard weekend.  Afterward, strengthened by prayer, God provided a source of life, of passion.  The timing worked out that I stayed up late editing a curriculum for the Leadership Summit classes.  I devoured every word and came alive.  I could barely sleep. When I woke up to see the sunrise, I found myself drawn to Isaiah where verse after verse captured my heart.

Isaiah 58:8-9 “Then your light will break out like the dawn and your recovery will speedily spring forth and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.  Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry and He will say, ‘Here I am.'”

Isaiah 61: 10 For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.

Isaiah 62: 4 But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”

As I write, tears flood my eyes and stream down my face because I am so broken by His love. So broken to feel the love of God.  That even through everything, He keeps saying, “And I’m madly in love with you” and to show you that I’m going to give you an amazing gift today:

My heart broke in July when I had to say good-bye.  I cried so many tears and prayed so many prayers for him.  Each Friday still made my heart happy, but not like when he was there to give me a hug. Today, I got that hug I’ve been wanting for months. He played with my hair, I met his new family, I held him in my arms, I said I love you over and over, we sang Hakuna Matata, and he jumped up on my shoulders.  All the things that I loved and missed.  Yet, he stole my heart all over again and brought tears to my eyes when I heard the sweet words:

“I missed you too”

Pray!

Meet Gugu

Meet Nomfundo

I hold these two girls in my heart and in my arms.  They make my heart happy and I love getting to see them on Fridays at Hope House.  But, there’s a slight problem…they don’t like each other.  They’re in that lovely later elementary school girl age where they fight and seek attention.  Not to mention that Nomfundo recently came to Hope House a few weeks ago so she is still adjusting to the new environment.  My prayer is that the love of Christ would completely overwhelm them and transform their lives, which in turn dramatically changes their relationship.

Anything I can be praying for you about on this Friday night?