Don't let it SHAKE your faith, let it SHAPE your faith!

I am documenting this so all can know that it is September 23, 2017.  I have been standing on faith and praying/believing that our sweet little Isaiah will bond with all of us instantly. It will be a miracle in itself. The plane ride will be smooth, the children will sleep well, our jet lag will bounce back quickly…Mark 9:23! I can’t wait to come back and share with you how faith prevailed and these prayers were answered!!! Thanks for praying with us!

The definition: 

Emotions - A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.

I know all to well, that moment where emotions rise and feelings begin to justify our erratic emotional behavior! Ugh! It’s not fun. It is like we know in our hearts what is real, but the feeling of the THORN in our side…takes over. The question is how do we figure out how to handle those emotions and exercise more faith? Circumstances, mood, or relationships (people) can create high emotions.

In Joyce Meyer’s book study, Battlefield of the Mind she teaches on the importance of learning to conquer emotions instead of letting emotions drive our thoughts and actions. Emotions can be dangerous grounds for trying to make logical decisions and even damaging to some important relationships in our lives. It is why the old saying…”take some time to cool off before you do anything” holds a lot of truth.

While emotions are a wonderful thing because they let us love, laugh and live life to the fullest…they also let us cry, feel anger and even depression of heart. So where does SHAKE/SHAPE OF FAITH come from in the title of this blog?  Recently, I had been praying and standing firm on God’s word that this trip to China, the bonding of Isaiah with our family, and the travel would have a miraculous hand of favor over it. Statistically if you looked at the norm, it is quite contrary to those things. During this time I have truly held tight to some of my favorite verses and have been believing without doubt! Then…….I got some advice….someone was trying to help of course with info for our upcoming trip to China, she was sincere but it was full of information that could have shaken my faith for all that I was believing and praying.  

So the question is, did I take my own advice?

So here is how it played out and I hope this encourages you:

• Tempted to be shaken: I heard the negativity, I almost accepted it. I actually thought…well this seems to be the norm and what most have shared with me are these facts . I started to question if I was being a little to “optimistic”!
• Negative thinking comes in all shapes and forms. Be aware. Sometimes it’s innocently delivered like how it was in my situation. Be sure to collect the facts. If you begin to sense your mind wandering and if you feel FEARFUL that’s most often a reason to slow down and think through things before you let your mind spiral. Emotions can dangerously have a ripple effect. 

• Reflecting: Then I heard those forever words on my heart: Don’t let others views SHAKE your faith, let it SHAPE your faith!
• Perspective is everything. Use the facts or knowledge to instead teach you how to pray wisely and even better. Prayer is intimacy and God loves to hear them and our needs. Our details let us see His hand of favor when those details come to pass in our lives! If we never prayed for specifics, how would we ever be able to identify His blessings of answered prayers?

• Action: So I immediately said, awesome, I will take what all have told me and now I am going to use it to teach me how to pray smarter and wiser before we go! My attitude went from discouragement to encouragement!
• This is the most critical piece. It’s where you build your foundation of faith. The thoughts are powerful but the action is required in order to make it a habit. Remember in the other blog, when I spoke of how my grandmother gave thanks before calling 911 when she found my grandfather? That was a result of her habitual routine to always give thanks even when she didn’t feel like it or when it didn’t make sense. Practice makes perfect. Action is important. And what comes out of our mouths is a result of what is in our heart, so speak these good things and speak them out loud to convince yourself ;-)

• End result: Yes, I could have accepted our fate and rolled on through it. But I believe God loves us and wants to pour His favor and blessings over us. So I claim what is inherently mine and I do think it is meant to be that way. Scripture validates that. I could have used the temptations to SHAKE my faith but instead I let His purpose for me go through me…and I MADE A CHOICE to let it SHAPE my faith (ultimately drawing me closer to Him)! Now I went from point A to point B with MORE FAITH!

• TAKEAWAY FOR YOU? I hope that if someone or something comes your way and hurts your heart or attempts to SHAKE your faith…that you can:
•  stop, assess the situation, and assess your emotions. Then try to rationally think through what is not logical and remove those thoughts or think/pray on them and realize that you have the power and the ultimate authority as a believer, to entrust God with your need or worry.  
• ASK HIM TO USE THIS THORN TO SHAPE YOUR FAITH! You hear that PERSPECTIVE is everything…well it is. 
• You can choose PITY OR (Godly) PERSPECTIVE and they both have a lot of power. Which one you choose…will be the one that ultimately drives your fate and mood and faith!

I am sure a logical minded person would read this and think my optimism is cute but not realistic. Call it what you will. But in all actuality a heart full of faith without doubt pleases God. So I live for this. I am thankful for faith daily. Sure not ALL things may work out as I desire but I know in those times it’s always for greater purposes that He sees that I cannot see. It is those times that I have to withstand the test…and His goodness always prevails even when I struggle.

Verses to remind yourself…that FAITH pleases HIM and He can and will! 

• Mark 9:23 "What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."
• Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?
• Hebrews 11:6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
• Matthew 21:21 Then Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘ ay you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.
• Matthew 8:26 Jesus responded, "Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!" Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

God loves when we fully depend on Him! He loves when we have the eyes of a child and we adore how wonderful He is. We are made by Him and FOR HIM, so when we recognize who He is and look to Him as a heavenly Father with childlike faith...HE SMILES with a full heart over us! I believe that! I do. I adore HIM and I look to him for all things SO SMALL to SO LARGE. I include Him in every detail..and I have not a doubt in my mind, that is how He desires it to be. Believe He can and WILL handle whatever it is you are seeking from Him today AND EXERCISE FAITH THAT HE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU. 

Remember, peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God. So seek more of Him!

Today’s Challenge:

If you’re serious for relief or change…then do try this! Action: Commit 110%! Whatever you may think is impossible begin to exercise great faith for the next week to 2 weeks, by expressing with your mouth saying out loud–every time you worry or get upset over an issue….

Lord I trust you. I love you. I know you care for me. Help me to submit to you and not to my emotions. Help give me wisdom, in James 1:5 you say you WILL GIVE US WISDOM FREELY….so bless me with the wisdom to see what you see so I can resist my (circumstantial, complex, moody) emotions. Teach me to be disciplined in this area of my life and give me your peace.  

You may be saying this 20 times a day, but God will bless your faithful heart with the ability to possess discipline over emotions and increased faith as a result. 

Praying Blessings Into Your Children/Grandchildren IT WORKS!

A grandmother, a mentor, a best friend...a forever gift to me!

Today is my grandmother's 90th birthday. My sweet Meemaw means so much to me.  Her sweet spirit still in tact, but her mind robbed from Dementia. It stinks. But I will tell you she always said IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS! So I will! Especially today!

On this birthday...I want to share why she was so much to me:

She taught us valuable lessons from her walk of FAITH: She always said ‘more lessons are caught than taught’. And she made a point to teach by her actions. As grandchildren we had complete adoration for her as she hung the moon for us! And her examples and teachings are forever ingrained in my heart.

She led by actions and loved by serving: Despite her suffering from Dementia, today I see this as a celebration of 90 years of one of my life’s greatest gifts, Meemaw! She is so much more than just a grandmother. She truly is a role model to all of her children and her grandchildren. She defines Christianity by actions not words. She loves God with all her heart, soul, and mind and devoted her whole life to worshiping, serving, praying and loving others. She loved to cook and was good at it too! Serving and cooking = her DNA. 

She gave thanks: So back to "giving thanks". I grew up being frequently reminded to give thanks in all things (1 Thes 5:16-18) despite any hardship or grunting I was sharing with her at the time. She stood firm on this and she had this on her heart always. The day my grandfather had his stroke some may have called her crazy for this but she gave thanks to God before she called 911 (1 Thes 5:18)…I knew she wasn’t crazy  ;-) I called that moment the ultimate Proverbs 31 Woman.  By habit she praised HIM in ALL things as called to do! Her true test and she rejoiced, even thought it was one of her life’s greatest heartbreaks. Most all will tell you who know Meemaw, joy radiated through her wherever she went and it was often contagious.

 

Meemaw at her 90th birthday celebration recently

Meemaw’s favorite verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

She radiated peace and joy of God in her heart: I never really REALLY understood her joy until recently. I always thought she just exercised great faith and as a result she was able to accept what happened with peace. While that holds true, recent revelation has forever changed me and inspired me to be more like her! Upon reading about the disciples for Jesus and their martyr deaths, I was shocked by how horrible their persecutions were. I couldn’t help but think, ‘ how could God let them die like this when He has the ultimate authority to change or do anything?' It was then He laid upon my heart as I continued to read…the disciples died (horrible deaths) and it was documented that in their joy/peace despite their circumstances and pain…many people THEN came to believe that Jesus was the true Messiah.…and then I knew….Meemaw was called to show joy in the midst of suffering. She did it with a full obedient heart. 

• On her hard days, she rejoiced
• On her sad days, she gave thanks
• Every drive to see my grandfather at the Veteran's home she praised all the way up there and then walked in smiling and greeting the staff with her homemade cheese biscuits
• She claimed His promises even when she didn’t understand (She always said God is to good to be unkind, to wise to make a mistake, and when you cannot trace His hand you can always trust His heart)
• She showed that having the peace of God in your heart would truly be enough

I didn’t see what God did at the time, but He was using His faithful servant to reach more people than I will ever know. There isn’t a doubt in my mind; so many seeds were being planted in the lives of those who surrounded her wherever she went! My gosh, I can only imagine the words our heavenly Father will say to her, ‘well done my good and faithful servant...' 

Why I adore her: So on this day. I look at this woman, 90 years young, who celebrated every day of her life loving God, traveling this world as a missionary to let others know how wonderful He had been to her, and praying without ceasing for her children and her family. She prayed diligently. She believed ALL THINGS WERE POSSIBLE because that’s the promise He gave us. Since I was a child she often reminded me how faithful God was to her when she prayed for each of her children (in her womb) and for their spouses, and I see the fruit of that through looking at my mom, Aunt Tonni and Uncle John. She was faithful to pray for her grandchildren always and I again see the fruits of that now in my own walk. They did not happen by accident. Seeds planted, seeds harvested. So I sit here so thankful in knowing how to pray for my own children, their spouses, their gifts, their walks with Him, and their hearts....

Happy birthday my sweet Meemaw! I love you so much!!!!

Mark 9:23

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked. "Anything is possible if a person believes."

A praying WIFE

I love this man!

A praying wife...mother...woman....friend....the list can go on! But the role I take more serious than any other is praying for my husband. Often. Praying for a husband (or soon to be husband) requires dedication that is often times hard because we have so many distractions on our plate.  Praying as a single woman for your husband also takes dedication and faith that God will prepare both your hearts in embracing the joys and woes of dating and then marriage that follows.

This morning I felt a burden on my heart to write on this topic. God is faithful in steering our hearts if we will let Him, so here I am writing on something that I am quite passionate about.

I don't think I state anything new when I share that divorce rates are readily increasing. The most recent statistic revelaed 50% of marriages will end in divorce. I would be lying if I said that when I got married, my faith was first and foremost at the center of me and Ryan's marriage. It wasn't. I probably had a very selfish nature and if you ask Ryan I bet he would agree. My faith was definitely a part of my life and I often was mentored by dear family friends on the importance of a Christ centered marriage. But to be honest, I kind of blew it off (as a selfish person would do). It didn't suit my lifestyle for I figured Ryan learning patience on how to deal with me was the better answer. ;-)

If you ask me now...a short 5 married years later...plain and simple....I see now when Christ is at the center for both couples, it doesn’t exempt the problems but it helps draw toward the ways we should love and live for each other, which in turn will create more honor, forgiveness, respect, adoration and fruitfulness as a couple throughout the decades of marriage that lay ahead. I get it now. My selfish nature in marriage began to slowly transform through our adoption journey. Perspective changed and my ability to see flaws I needed to change within...is what helped me redefine myself and our priorities in our marriage....and as we all know marriage is always a work in progress.

Ryan and I are two very much in love but two very strong-willed people who couldn’t be more different in so many ways. Different is good but it is also very complex. Joyce Meyer once said of her marriage how different she and her husband were.  Once she and her husband were able to find their unity within their differences, she saw God's purpose and power in placing them together as "one". I strive for this goal daily. And it won’t happen by accident but it will happen with dedication and the commitment of being a praying wife. A healthy marriage can usually have a trickle down effect for generations.  Or could just go with happy wife happy life? ;-) jk jk....

The love of a family is one of life's greatest blessings

 How I strive to be a praying wife: 

1. Pray for a gentle and kind spirit for self – God always begins with you! I start with focusing on ways I can improve myself. One of life’s biggest deceptions is focusing on what others need to fix about themselves. It's a bait to complicating things. I use to be able list off all Ryan's problems before I realize I had a list of my own as well. Ask in your prayer time, ‘Lord how can I change me?’ Trust me, He will reveal. Just be open as it may be through a conversation with your husband, and if so don’t get defensive or offensive … just listen. It took me a long time to learn why God gave me two ears and one mouth. And a lot of times people are right and we just may not like hearing the truth! I had to change a LOT about me to show humility and God’s grace to my husband, and I still work on things daily. 
2. Pray for your husband to draw closer to God and to stir in him a passion for God and His word (Mark 12:30) - Our heavenly Father wants this even more way more than we do! He designed us to desire Him! So why not right? Well, God does give us free will, otherwise we would be robotic creatures and God’s loving nature to let us choose freely, would be taken. However, God is faithful and He loves marriage. He put us with our spouse and even when it seems murky, impossible, hopeless, and doomed…He can restore but it takes work and powerful prayers daily. While praying for yourself to change in #1 and we MUST ALWAYS BEGIN WITH US before we ask He work on them…then start to really pray daily for his heart’s desires. If your husband gravitates toward loving God more, most likely other things will begin to work into his heart. God is love, peace, joy, and so much more. So when He reigns in one’s heart…the fruit of the spirit begins to grow. Just have patience because nothing happens overnight. 
3. Create in my husband a constant desire for purity and to choose what is right.  Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me - Life is hard at times. Period. It can be full of distractions, complications, emotions, and so much more. It is valleys of life right? While praying diligently for #2, I also pray that the right people come into my husband's life, these are the very people who can guide with wisdom and good advice. Men understand men. So what better than to have some who can get them and help guide them. Matthew 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. 
4. Help my husband know how to balance the stresses of life, work, and family - Men are wired to be providers. It's in their DNA. When angry, be careful not to criticize even when you feel entitled to! Words are powerful and can make or break one’s spirit. It is ALWAYS better to walk away and not say anything than to say something you could regret. A husband desires to be a leader and a provider for you, regardless if he ever expresses that. So just know that and encourage and lift him up. My prayer is that God reminds him at times he tries to carry the weight of life, to cast his cares upon Him. 1 Peter 5:7 NLV Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 
5. Pray that God helps him to trust and submit so He can direct his paths - My Proverbs prayer: Proverbs 3:5–6 Help my husband to trust in you with all his heart, And not lean on his own understanding but in all his ways acknowledge YOU Father, And I believe with faith You will make his paths straight. Fill him with your wisdom in his job, his walk with You, his parenting, as a leader in our home – We should always pray our husbands will have wisdom, this is a guide daily for work, family, faith, parenting and so much more. Wisdom is confidence in daily decisions. James 1:5 NLV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. This verse is a promise that God offers to us when we ask/seek. 
6. Protection over our marriage – As we know, there are opportunities to divide that surround us. I pray with deep faith that God protects our marriage and strengthens our marriage daily by making known to us ways Ryan and I can improve for each other Romans 8:31 If You are for us, no one can be against us –  if we believe that God is for us, then we are expecting the favor that He desires to give us within His will.
7. Keep my husband humble in all things – Humility is a beautiful thing. If you can think of someone you have met in life who was inspiring and yet humble, many were probably drawn to them right? It’s a gift to see someone humble and not defined by success, money, fame, or the things of the world! I love to pray that despite where Ryan goes from today and through the future, that he always has a kind and humble heart that will be a great example to our children and others. James 4:10 HUMBLES YOURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP
8. Bless him – I pray that as Ryan honor's God in his faith and daily walk, that he is blessed and with the desires of his heart! Blessings are gifts! God is a God of abundance who desires to give us so much when we are good stewards! Ephesians 3:20 - Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 
9.  For him to honor me as his wife - As a wife who loves my husband and prays for him always, I pray for his constant desire to honor and love me too. We are all constantly at work in ways we can improve our marriage, but God will often put desires in our hearts too for the good of His plans and purpose. And if you read the stories in the Old Testament, God placed desires in hearts to help accomplish His fruitful plans. Ephesians 5:28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.

Challenge:

Dedicate a couple days a week to focusing on praying specifically for your husband, soon to be husband, or significant other. Spend time really focusing on their needs, places of weaknesses they would love to be better, and even just praying where your heart leads for them. Then watch God go at work on your behalf! Patience, love, and dedication.....

A Daily Walk WITH FULL FAITH!

If you desire more (of Him)...you have to trust more!

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight

This is one of my favorite verses. It sums up how one should strive to view life walking with God. Easier said that done? In the flesh, sure....through the spirit, no! 

When I reflect back, some of the hardest times in life have required me to stand on faith when everything around me seemed fuzzy, foggy, and uncertain. It was almost as if I was walking blindfolded toward the finish line. But in hindsight, those moments were places of complete vulnerability where I was encouraged to depend solely on Him to help me....using 100% faith in believing that all would workout for the best. Faith-filled people know those moments are never by accident. Some situations were a result from decisions I made outside of God's will (which He always redeemed and used for good in my life) and some were safe places He allowed adversity to refine my faith. But all enabled me to grow spiritually in my walk with Him. 

One thing I have learned lately, is that if we want more depth in our relationship with Him, we must give him the biggest key to our heart...the trust of our WHOLE HEART.... that is faith of course. Faith pleases God. It is revealed through stories and parables throughout the bible. One that I often connect with deeply is when Peter was called out of the boat to walk toward Jesus during the storm. Peter's faith guided that walk on the water and he walked on the water as long as he kept His eyes fixed on Jesus (faith). But the minute he took his eyes off and began to notice the storm (doubt) he started to sink. Peter cried out for help and Jesus in His compassion/mercy lifted him from despair. Doubt made him lose sight of the supernatural ability of God. 

In life a storm will always come and a storm will always pass. However, our loving Father never lets us embrace a storm unless it can serve a divine purpose. All things are filtered through His hands. It is hard not to dread the storm's intended pain or damage; such as fear, hurt, problems, obstacles, and more. But what peace we have knowing if we focus on Jesus as Peter did, we know that ultimately the storm has no control over our lives as our faith will keep our feet planted despite the winds and rains. God is in control and will always meet our needs according to His will. Those needs are NOT always OUR definition of needs, but faith is believing God knows best. Luke 12:24 Look at the ravens. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds. If he designed us, the world, and all that is in it, in your faith, He will meet your needs as your heart is fully given to Him. Trust Him.

Hebrews 11:6 

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Summary:

When we learn to trust God, with unshakable faith. He will begin to broaden our horizons and will enlarge our territory to exciting ways to connect, reach, and teach. Trusting Him more and fully is the spiritual maturity He longs for us to have. Doubt is a fleshly desire that is normal among anyone who is human, but as a child of God we are given the gift of faith to resist that doubt. Faith is the infinite ingredient in one's walk that will be a fine reflection of what it means to have Christ inside one's heart. There are many in this world searching for who God is, and our response could be the first experience of what they witness as true Christianity....in a storm our faith is going to be the very tool used that they will take notice of. 

2 Timothy 1:7 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline

Challenge: 

Whatever you are praying for in your life right now I challenge you to fast control over it. Give it to God wholeheartedly. Fasting control means instead of fasting food, resist every urge for the way you have been handling that prayer request or need. If worry and anxiety are a result of your prayer request, then fast worry and begin to stop and pray and give it to God every time it takes place. This is nixing an old habit and replacing it with a new one (praying in place of worry). And remember to pray always to have eyes of discernment and wisdom (James 1:5) to identify the enemy's bait to pull you off the track of trust!

"Worship".....God's love language!

wor·ship

ˈwərSHəp

noun

1. 1.

   the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.

   "the worship of God"

   synonyms:

   reverence, veneration, adoration, glorification, glory, exaltation; More

verb

1. 1.

   show reverence and adoration for (a deity); honor with religious rites.

2. synonyms:

   revere, reverence, venerate, pay homage to, honor, adore, praise, pray to, glorify,exalt, extol;

This is one of my favorite topics. To me, worship is a place where nothing else matters but that moment of being with Him. How grateful I am. It truly means something different things to every individual when you ask. Worship may have a base application but it is almost personalized to each person in their relationship with God.

Many ask what is worship? Here is what you may get...

1) A praise and worship service at church

2) Spending time honoring God with my mouth

3) Getting on my knees and honoring the almighty Heavenly Father

4) Singing or belting out worship songs in my home, car, church, or in any place

5) Going to the house of God on Sunday is worship

SO what does worship mean to me?

I share my perspective on worship and what God has laid on my heart because I boldly believe worship is HIS love language. As we desired to be loved a certain way, this is His true desire for how an earthly individual can effectively express their love to Him. He favors when honor is given to Him expressively. Worship is the adoration and recognition of who He is, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

1 Timothy 6:15 At just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

One may say, well how do you worship like that? So from my personal experience here is how I began to conform my own heart to yearn for daily worship:

•  I started in my own quiet time, a morning time each day where I made a commitment to dedicate at least 15-45 minutes. This can range but I strive for a dedicated time block always given to Him. I believe that the more time I spend, the more intimacy is developed. I see it no differently than the time invested in getting to know a friend. I aim for the morning, because it paves the way for my day. It generates perspective, wisdom, peace and spirit-filled opportunities when I start it with Him. As with any mom, this sometimes gets bumped by life’s demands with my children.
• My quiet time with Him is a daily time that I take my devotion, prayer, worship, study, and a quiet stillness in His presence. I open with prayer that He will reveal what He wishes to teach me for that day. Then I start off by finding/playing a song or two that is a worship song I really like. Music moves people emotionally so I challenge you to find a song you really like that opens your heart!
• God loves praise and worship, David, was a man after God’s heart who sang the Psalms with a full of heart of worship and praise.
• In and after my music I just adore who God is...God pours His Spirit over those who desire His presence. Begin with a song, let it lead to prayer, then follow by just honoring who God is: ”I honor you Lord, I love you Lord, I praise you and lift your name over my home and my family. You are the God and the creator of all heavens and earth how humbled I am to be able to know you personally..."

We all know prayer is powerful. Jesus displays throughout scripture the importance of this in His time with God. I do believe Jesus also sat in perfect stillness when receiving from God the Father. If we look closely, praying is speaking, seeking, and asking. If we pray without listening then How will we hear from God? I have to be willing to listen. It is the still small voice, the instinctual gut....the Holy Spirit who will lead and speak in this time. How often do I sit still? Well...I timed myself once and realized, 'wow I am rushed because 2 minutes felt like 10!' God is not a God of rush. He will not be rushed. He should not be rushed because of His place of Honor.

• Be still and listen for Him -- 1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
•  Just adore Him for all He is and does -- I love how beautiful it is in learning the secret of just worshipping and adoring Him each day. When my son tells me he loves me and that he thinks I am wonderful, my heart truly skips a beat. I can only imagine Our heavenly Father is no different. I bet He glows in adornment over hearts’ who honor Him, praise Him and just worship who He is. So I strive to express my heart to God daily.

Summary.....I truly believe that if all we did was worship Him daily, it would be more than enough for Him. Worshipping God is what we are designed to do.  The Old Testament shows time and time again, that God called the Israelites to repent, recognize Him, and honor Him. He designed us with a void that can only be filled by Him. He lovingly gave us free will to decide what we choose to fill that void with. If we will dedicate our hearts to worshipping (loving) Him daily: we will naturally gravitate to the other things such as service, loving your neighbor, honesty, giving, etc….…and our walks will begin (or continue) to produce the fruit of the spirit; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Challenge: Add something new to your quiet time that can help you go deeper. Begin each day with this new intimacy challenge and watch God go at work in your heart!