There You Are

There You Are
So often, when I am in a crowd of people, I feel alone. 

Once upon a time, I was loud, “the life of the party,” a stranger to no one.

Then, life...

Life can knock the wind out of us, break our hearts and bring us to our knees.

As I find my way back, I am learning so much about myself and others. 

A dear friend just put into words what I could not.

There are “here I am” people and “there you are” people.

“Here I am” people walk into a room and make it all about them.

“There you are” people walk into a room and notice others, care for them and long to enter into deep and heartfelt conversation.

Let’s be “there you are” people!

Let’s go deeper and find the richness of true relationship.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." Philippians 2:3-4

Stop Waiting for the Approval of Man

Stop Waiting for the Approval of Man
I wasted so many years of my life waiting for a man/woman, denomination, or institution to give me value or worth.
I remember feeling on the outside, looking in at the ones who appeared to be put together, educated, stable and (fill in the blank) enough.
I even said to one leader, “I could be a really good friend/support if you would let me in.”
Over a decade ago, I approached one pastor’s wife to ask how her father was recovering from surgery. 
I was told she was not allowed to share personal things with me, she was only allowed to “process up.”
Process up?
What the actual heck is “up” in God’s kingdom?
In His kingdom, there is only ONE who sits on the throne.
Only ONE who is ABOVE.
In God’s kingdom, there is JESUS...then, there are the rest of us.
Period.
I’ve been told I was too young, then too old, too emotional, too broken, too...
I would pray for people on Sunday mornings and then be told that I was out of line.
People needed to come to the alter, we were not supposed to move to them.
I would feel led to do something tangible to bless someone, bring it to leadership to get “permission” (unspoken rules said I needed that), and be told that I could not/should not do the thing I felt led to do.
A month later, the same leader was commissioning someone else to do that very thing.
I felt worthless and did not think I would EVER measure up.
Fast forward to last week.
I was driving down the road, praying aloud, as tears of JOY streamed down my face.
“Thank You, Father, for always being there. Thank You for covering me, protecting me, and shielding me. Thank You for anointing me to be Your hands, Your feet, Your heart to a world in need. Your permission is all I ever needed. Your anointing is all I ever needed. Your approval is all I ever needed. Forgive me for waiting for someone else to send me out, You are all I need.”
Dear friend, if you are waiting for a man/woman, church, denomination, institution or organization to commission you be His hands, feet and heart to a world in need...STOP!
Don’t wait another day! 
Do the thing He’s placed in your heart to do TODAY!
Your gifts and passions are needed in the world TODAY! 
Show up! 
Love big!
Let His love and light FLOW THROUGH YOU!  

Words Are Powerful

 Words Are Powerful
Words are powerful.

With our mouths, we can bless or curse.

I want my words to speak blessings over myself, my surroundings, and my circumstances.

I want my words to impact others for good.

I have been on a journey with mindset and words and there is a shift that is happening.

When facing a difficult or frustrating task, I have been challenged to say, "I choose to make this fun and easy."

One morning this week,  at 6:30 a.m., I called Comcast because my Wifi crashed and I have 1,000,000 things I want to accomplish this week.

I prayed, "Father, please grant me favor. Let this be fun and easy."

In less than a minute, I was speaking to a sweet young mama in the Philippines.

She patiently talked me through the steps and got me up and running.

As we waited for the modem and router to reboot, we talked about all kinds of things and I was able to encourage her to consider options for home schooling her gifted children.

WHO KNOWS (GOD!) what will come out of that conversation?

THERE IS POWER IN OUR PRAYERS AND IN OUR WORDS.

Messy Intercessor

Messy Intercessor
I cannot come into the presence of God without emotion.

He’s been so good to me.

Tears are gonna happen.

I was told, in the past, that I was too emotional when I led worship.

TOO EMOTIONAL?

Do you KNOW what He’s brought me through?

Do you KNOW how many times the enemy tried to take me out and MY GOD stepped in?

Sure, there were times I wept from the pain of life.

But, mostly, my tears during worship are from GRATITUDE!

I’m a messy intercessor!

This playlist has carried me the past six months!

And, here’s my 2020 collection of worship songs.

Check out my online coaching course, Rebuilding: Body, Mind & Spirit! 

Who Do You Listen To?

Who Do You Listen To?
Learning to tune out the voice of the enemy is not an easy thing to do, but it is absolutely vital if we are going to grow, heal, thrive, flourish and walk in true freedom.

There are so many voices screaming at us every day...inside our minds, our own thoughts can trip us up. Externally, we listen to the voices of so many others.

I am learning to weigh the voices against the following criteria:

Does this person love me?

Does this person love God and want His best for me?

Do his/her words line up with God’s Word?

Does this person display good fruit in his/her life—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control?

If someone does not love you, is unwilling to treat you with honor and respect, disregards God’s ways and His word and bears stinky, rotten fruit...then, you should not allow him/her to get in your head (and heart) space.

Easier said than done, but we can choose hope, life, freedom and release!


 
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