WHO ARE YOU???

I was watching the news this morning and a news clip came on that said “We tend to pick partners that make us feel better about ourselves and we disregard their negative traits”.

I began to think about this in the context of my past relationships. Each and every person I had dated did this. They made me feel better about me – however – I did not have the best experience with picking people. I think a big reason I did not pick more appropriately was because I did not know who I was. I saw myself as worthless, rejected, and not good enough. The people that I picked made me feel as if I was worth something. I excused and justified everything they did. I lowered standards that were in my heart little by little and over time I became calloused to who I really was inside. I placed my passion and calling down time and time again just for the opportunity to feel loved when all along I had no idea what love really looked like. It is easy to look at lower standards as permissible when your perception of who you are created to be is clouded by the lies of the enemy. Despite my efforts and unconditional love to people, in the end I was still broken. The love was never reciprocated the way I deserved. I was lied to. I was cheated on. After each relationship I still felt like I was “NOT GOOD ENOUGH”. If I do this, then maybe he will love me. If I act this way, he will eventually see that I am a good woman and be with just me. Every time I tried to justify, I would fall deeper and deeper into the pit of false identity.

Almost a year ago, I cut dating off completely. I knew that a major restoration needed to take place. I prayed that the Lord restore me to who He created me to be. I asked that He show me what He sees when He looks at me. Through this season of singleness, He has done exactly that. Soul ties were broken and I see myself as His daughter. I am loved, I was bought with a price, and I am redeemed. I have never known what it feels like to be a daughter of a father. I didn’t know that I had potential. I didn’t know that I had purpose. I had listened to the lies of the enemy for so long through the lips of people that unknowingly had the same identity issues as I did. Don’t get it twisted… every man I dated was not a lost cause. They were not horrible people by any means. They too, were lost to who God has created them to be and sought me out to make them feel better about themselves – and thus the cycle is repeated in them.

We are all seeking purpose. We all seek acceptance. It is only His acceptance that satisfies and it is only His acceptance that we need. His love truly heals our wounds.

                        He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]. (Psalm 147:3 Amplified)

That was the design from the enemy from the beginning – to destroy me. If he can get me to believe that I am less than I am, then I am no good to anyone else. This is why identity is so important! Do you know who you are? REALLY????

 

As I have started to discover who I am, I can see a difference in my associations. A guy cannot approach me anymore with his cheesy attempts at a pick up line. The “we can get to know each other” days are over! I want a man who is more in love with Jesus than I am. I want someone who knows my Father and wants to treat me like the daughter that I am. I want a man who will pull me to greatness with him as he follows God. I need someone with a sense of purpose so that when our destinies align we can impact this world for the Kingdom. At the end of the day, we are eternal beings and our purpose is His purpose.

In conclusion, if you find yourself in this cycle or if you find yourself in a place of brokenness… maybe try to step back and ask yourself “WHO AM I”? If anything other than “a daughter/son of the most high God… the head and not the tail… an overcomer… destined for greatness… more than a conqueror… beloved… REDEEMED… forgiven… or anything of that nature” comes to mind… you need to get alone with God and find yourself! He loves you, you are created in His image, you are royalty, and you deserve a life that is lined up with that promise. Use your season of singleness for a purpose.

 

The Process

There is a lesson in everything if you listen to God speak to you.

I was preparing lunch and a friend text me and asked what I was doing. I told them I was shedding carrots for a carrot raisin salad. They responded with "that sounds healthy". I then proceeded to tell them that I try to cook as clean as I can. I thought about how easily it would have been to purchase already shredded carrots but I won't because I enjoy the process of cooking and preparing the fresh food.

That's when the Holy Spirit showed me that there is a process to your calling and/or your next level. The process is where you are cleaned. The process is where you are prepared. The process is where you are hand crafted. If I chose to skip the process and buy "already processed foods", I am putting those toxins in my body. My heart would not be into the meal. Putting the toxins in my body may be satisfying for now but can lead to all kinds of trouble down the road.

Most of the time when we are in a process we don't even realize it until after the fact.... With that being said... If you are waiting on a spouse, waiting on a promotion, waiting on your ministry position, waiting on anything.... Know that you are more than likely in a process. God wants you pure. He wants to clean you, he is hand crafting His masterpiece that is you! You have a purpose of being a benefit to the world. The toxins in you can't help a toxic world. Sit back and enjoy the process and know that the outcome is coming and it will be something clean, pure, healthy, and amazing! Only He knows when you are ready because He can see the big picture and the outcome!

My kids always ask me "when will the food be ready?". My response is "when I'm done". I know the whole recipe. I know what the presentation looks like. I know what needs to be done to pull the dinner together. If I feed them before everything is finished, it won't look right, taste right, or have the same nutritional value because something was left out. That's the same way with God. Trust Him and trust the process!

Climbing Mountains

Yesterday, my friend moved out. She is my best friend and has lived with me for the past six months. We have been through so much together as unbelievers and as Christians. God called her to a new season so I am so happy she is leaving because she is being obedient to God. However, I am left feeling empty and alone. I have an army of people surrounding me all the time but she is someone who really 'gets' me. The past 6 months have been wonderful! i prayed for this. I was able to connect with my best friend after spending many years apart, I got to walk with someone closely. There are several things I have learned through this season. 

1.  EMBRACING SINGLENESS - around the time she came, I had a spiritual breakthrough in my emotions. I reclaimed my identity and took back everything that the devil had stolen from me. In doing this, I cut everyone off that was not edifying to my spiritual wellbeing. Her presence in my house helped me to commit to being single. It did not feel so lonely. Let me clarify this... we are never lonely in the Kingdom.... with Jesus a part of our lives, we can live fully satisfied.... He is always there. In this time, however, she was with me and held me accountable to my commitment. This strengthened me. I was able to fully commit to filling that emptiness with Him. 

2.  STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY - There are so many lessons we learned by walking together!

      a. God is our source - how to take control of our finances

      b. breathe in God and breathe out His praises

      c. lessons in wisdom

      d. the power of words

      e. breaking free from sin

      f. being BRAVE <3 

3.  CHANGE - Seasons Change. There is just no way around it. It must                                                 happen. You cannot avoid change! Change is inevitable and we must   constantly flow with it. I hear a sermon by Jesse Duplantis the other day         that said

"THE ONLY THING THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE IS CHANGE. YOU CAN'T GROW IF YOU'RE NOT FLOWING WITH CHANGE"

So with all that being said - I can see the multiple changes about to happen in my life. I can already see the rotation of people into new places with me and new faces crossing my path. None of which replace the other... it is just that God designs us to always have someone we are feeding from, someone we are walking with, and someone we are pouring into. I can see the new areas that God is moving me towards. In the natural, it is TERRIFYING! I was just getting use to things. I was just realizing how to do things. I was just.... COMFORTABLE... but we all should know that growth is never comfortable. As uncomfortable as the impeding change may feel, I am confident in this: I AM NO LONGER A SLAVE TO FEAR! I AM A CHILD OF GOD! I AM A DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH! I AM FREE! #IAMBRAVE :)

OK...now that I have built the background story - I can tell you about my vision. Last night in MOTION the Holy Spirit took control of the service. He majored on freedom. God has another lever for me. God is moving me into another season. I must be brave, free, and willing to flow with change to walk in this. I must know who I am in Him to enter into it. 

"you have to be free from yourself in order to be free for them"

That is a quote from Pastor Luke that has stuck with me the past week. With this quote in mind during worship - I saw a mountain. It was high but there were other mountains around of various heights. About 3/4 of the way up there was a tiny trail going up the side of the mountain. The path was barely big enough to stand on. Rocks and pebbles would fall at the slightest move. When they fell they seemed to never reach the bottom. I knew I had to walk up this mountain. I could not go any other way than up. I could not turn around. I could not back down. I really couldn't even stop. The only direction was up or to fall to your death. It was such a scary situation to be in. What if I were to make the wrong step??? What if I couldn't do it? Then the image started to pan out... I saw me walking up the mountain but it was a kid version of me and I was hand in hand with Jesus. He was leading me on this narrow path. He was leading me up to the next level. He was guiding my steps so I wouldn't fall. He was going before me to prepare the way for my feet. 

How amazing?!?! There are three things I got from this that I hope anyone reading this will see too...

1. When things get scary we need to cling to Him and let Him guide us. 

2. Be child-like. Just like a child clings to a mother, we need to let go of our pride        and independence and cling to Him fully.

3. When we reach the top of our mountain or to the next plateau - we need to take    a moment and notice of the beauty of what He has bought us to. We also need to    turn around and look back to remember what we walked through and Who got us    there!

There are many times in the Bible that show us that God walked with people. He walked with Enoch (Genesis 5:24), Noah (Genesis 6:7), Abram (Genesis 17:1), and Joseph (Genesis 48:15). 

Go to scriptures for walking WITH Him

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

Micah 6:8 ~ He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 

Leviticus 26:12 ~ I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. 

2 Corinthians 6:16 ~ Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the  temple of the living God; just as God said, 'I WILL DWELL IN THEM  AND WALK AMONG THEM: AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD AND  THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE'.

*STAY IN LOVE* 

  

  

           

Unstoppable Love

Last night I had a conversation with someone about the defenses my emotions have built. I explained that I have had so many past hurts that I have emotionally built walls around myself to protect myself from the pain. Although God has restored me completely and I am free from this pain, I still see the walls from time to time.

Some have attempted to break down my walls. Some have even been successful in that they break down one only to find another one behind it. My natural mind says that no one will "tear down all my walls".. Not because I don't deserve it, but because "I don't believe it is worth the time it will take to do so or that they will have the patience to be there long enough to do it". Spiritually, I know that is not true and that God has a plan, I was just explaining myself from a raw emotion perspective.

Later in conversation I mentioned that anyone in my life will always be second place. Second to God, and the call HE has on my life. From the outside looking in, that may be a harsh sounding statement; however, today in worship, this was made very clear to me why this is necessary.

We sang a song by Kim Walker Smith called unstoppable love. Although I know the lyrics to this song, they were far from my heart last night in my conversation. During worship I realized that many of the lyrics in the song were a lot of the things I mentioned last night...

Try to stop Your love and You would wage a war
Try to take the very thing You gave Your life for
You would come running
Tear down every wall
All the while You’re shouting
“My Love, you’re worth it all”.

God you pursue me with power and glory
Unstoppable Love that never ends
You’re unrelenting with passion and mercy
Unstoppable Love that never ends

You broke into the silence and sang your song of hope
A melody resouning in the deep of my soul
You have come running
You tore down every wall
All the while you’re shouting,
“My Love you’re worth it all”

No sin, no shame,
No past, no pain
Can separate me from Your love
No height, no depth,
No fear, no debt
Can separate me from Your love

I didn't realize until I sang those lyrics how much I guard my heart and why Jesus will always have first place. HE HAS TORE DOWN EVERY WALL. HE STOPS AT NOTHING TO LOVE ME. HE GUARDS ME AND PROTECTS ME. HE is the ONLY person that can and will break through. If any man wants to get through them all, he is not going to be able to do so apart from Jesus' strength. A man will have to know my Father to know the way to my heart because only God has the keys.

I say all that to say to anyone reading this post... Seek Him. Seek Him before anything else. His pursuit of you is relentless. His love for you is unyeilding. His plans for you are great. Go to YouTube and check out this video. Listen to this song, let it speak to your heart. Recognize what you are to HIM. Put Him first and He will never steer you wrong.

https://youtu.be/wlQ2PgQeWmQ

Uncomfortable is what we were designed for

Serving with youth requires an unreal amount of energy. I remember one time talking to the youth pastor before hosting a game for the service... he said "the more energy you have the better. Over exaggerate if you have to, the more weird you feel, the better things probably look for the teens".

So my music this week has been Hillsong Young and Free. If anyone knows who they are, you know it is extremely high energy on a lot of songs. Well one of my fav tracks on the album is "End of Days". Every time it comes on I instantly go crazy bc it excites me so much. I'm always trying to get the kids to sing it with me! As I'm singing this morning, at the top of my lungs, Windows down in school traffic,  Trying to involve des... I start screaming the lyrics "I'm gonna sing until my voice won't let me, as thunders roll I'll shout your praise, you're the God of everlasting wonder, your love outlast the end of days". I became so filled with joy in that moment of praise and the revelation of who He is!

One characteristic of us as Christians should be our joy, the way we handle problems, we should just look different. I exaggerated my praise today and in the midst of doing so He filled me with joy! Now, going to work don't feel so bad afterall. Now the stress of the day is lifted. Now the cup left in the sink last night does not have control over me, but joy does! Now when people see me today, they will see something different. I had to do something uncomfortable in the flesh in order to break through and allow my spirit to reign! God is so good! Are you letting your life reflect that? If your happy and you know it, tell your face! #endofdays

Through the storms...

Through the storms:

9.29.2013; pastor Joel sims; word of life church

Scripture references: Isaiah 4:1; 1 kings 19:1-16

CONFESS DAILY: when my heart is overwhelmed I will turn to the Rock that is higher than I. 

A plane feels as if it is holding steady through most of a flight, but on a plane you will always have a dramatic incline and a dramatic decline. These dramatic inclines and declines get you to where you need to be. These moments define our lives. Not because of what happens to us but because of what happens in us. When u arrive after the incline, don't forget to turn around and give the people that helped you and God credit. If you don't, it sets you up for pride. Look at your life and thank the ppl who are helping you live it. 

God never said faith would make all things pleasant; however, He did say faith would make all things possible. 

STORMS:

--we cause (health, financial, relationship choices)

--we do not cause (lied to by others, negative doc reports despite good health habits, loss of loved ones)

--test of obedience (storms from God)

~obedience can feel like suffering

~you can't believe or confess this put of the way. The only way to get through this storm is to comply

In 1 kings 19:1-16 Elijah was in his lowest point. God gave him 3 instructions:

1. Get up and get refreshment 

-supernatural refreshment.. Stay prayed up... Stay in the word

2. Go back and get your vision (goals/plans)

3. Link up with someone and don't do it alone anymore

EVERY STORM RUNS OUT OF RAIN

God did not intend for you to live your life alone. <see palm tree reference below>

Everyone in the bible had an ally. You need them. You are there to nurture one another. 

Life is not about the storms that come - but when they come - what do you turn to?

Palm tree facts: 

There roots go deep in the ground to give them life. They survive the harshest conditions because they are connected to an invisible source. (Our invisible source is God). Also their roots grow sideways and twist around other palm roots. This is for stability against wind, rain, etc. (this is our relationships. 

Psalm 92 says we shall flourish like the palm... :)

The Company You Keep

At my church, the pastor will sometimes give mini sermons before the actual sermon if the Holy Spirit is leading him to touch on a subject or two. I attend Word of Life Church in Flowood, MS. The pastor there is Joel Simms.  You can find more out about my church HERE.

 

Last night was so awesome and I just wanted to share the notes I took with you. The church does download podcast and media of each service. You can listen to the message HERE. I tried to listen to it this morning and it was actually a guest speaker from last week. I am sure that error will be corrected soon. But if you are interested, keep checking that link and click on the 8.28.2013 message. It is well worth it! It blessed me and I am sure it will you too!

 

Anyway, my notes will be bullet style and will not have scripture references – but it is good stuff so please check it out!!!

·        You are a steward of the last instruction God gave you. You can progress or move forward until you complete the last task.

·        Stop making excuses and start making changes!

·        Watch your associations

o   The devil wants to stop you from reaching your destiny.

o   The easiest way to do that is to get someone close to you to distract you.

o   Who are your associations?

§  Are they promoting God’s direction for your life?

§  Are they turning you away from God?

§  Where are your standards held when you are around them?

·        Watch out for a critical and lying spirit.

o   BIND yourself in mercy and truth (Proverbs).

o   Speak UPLIFTING words! Words of love! Words of life!

o   If someone is consistently critical – get away from that person.

§  This is reflective of something deeply wrong spiritually.

§  Everyone is your ministry; everyone is NOT your friend.

o   How do you know if this is an association that you do not need to be around?

§  Your heart knows.

§  Make the necessary changes so you can grow.

o   Most of the time, the critical person enters your life on a positive aspect and with praise.

§  BE CAREFUL OF THIS: there is a difference in praise and flattery.

·        Praise gives

·        Flattery takes away from you

·        God knows your future better than you know your past and better than the devil knows your past.

I encourage you to listen to last night’s podcast and to read the points in these notes. It is so very important to your spiritual growth!

 

Stay in love,

Clare!!!