The other day my household of 10 was empty and I was alone. So instead of reading and studying in silence like I usually do, I turned my music up really loud and danced like a mad woman.
I would encourage you to not take yourself too seriously. Rejoice in the Lord and be a little goofy. It's okay. Take heart, Jesus has overcome and you can relax for a second. I know I need to do this more often.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Today's signs and wonders in my life...
God is moving. He is granting me much faith and speaking to me in all things. He is using me more than I could have ever imagined. He is giving me clear direction and answering prayers on a daily basis. He is writing His word on my heart and using it to change me and others around me. I am in awe of Him.
I am about to write a series of confirmations from the Lord that have happened in the last two months.
-Two months ago, I was offered a new position at work. I will be strictly counseling in my new position, both women who come in for pregnancy tests and families who have been through the process of adoption. (i.e. I just recently facilitated a reunion of a birth mother and adoptee after 25 years of life)
-Since I took that position, I really have felt the Lord leading me to seriously consider getting into a Biblical Counseling program soon. I began to pray about it.
-A few weeks later, co-workers and friends RANDOMLY came to me and told me the Lord was really working through me to speak to them and to clients. I encountered the question "Have you ever considered biblical counseling?" more than once. I considered this my first major affirmation that I was headed in the right direction.
-I did research on a few counseling programs, finding that one of the main ones was in San Diego...15 minutes from where I used to live. Not necessarily an affirmation, but nonetheless an interesting coincidence.
-Two weeks ago, I was asked to speak on a panel for our all staff meeting at work to speak with staff and volunteers on how to share the gospel with our clients. I considered this another affirmation.
-After the panel, the Lord used what I said to the staff to bring a client to Christ. One of my co-workers shared the gospel with a woman (using some of my suggestions) the day after the panel. Again, affirmation.
-The more affirmations I received, the more I felt I needed. I asked the Lord for more clarity three nights ago. The next day I came home and picked up the mail. I saw some brochure with my name on it and threw it aside, thinking it was trash. I felt the Lord saying pick it up. I went back to it and opened the pages. The first sentence I read was this: "If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, God may be calling you to the ministry of Biblical Counseling." I threw the paper down and started laughing. Then I looked more intently at it and tried to figure out how this organization got my information. I have not signed up for any biblical counseling information, nor is my name registered on anything that has to do with counseling...not even my job...since my title has yet to change. I then thought confirmation number four or five.
-That night I thanked the Lord for speaking clearly but with great faith asked for one more confirmation.
-Yesterday I received a phone call from a client asking who did her pregnancy test a month ago. I looked up her file and responded, "Well, actually, I did your test. What can I do for you?" She proceeded to tell me thank you for praying with her that day. Since then her life has been changed drastically and she has been reading the Bible every day and serving her community. She just wanted to call and thank me personally.
My jaw dropped and I said you're welcome and told her if she ever wanted more prayer she could stop by and I would be there to pray with her. Immediately I knew this was confirmation from the Lord. I NEVER have clients call back, especially if they had a negative test and have no need of our services anymore. This was of the Lord.
I don't need anymore confirmation from the Lord about pursuing Biblical Counseling. I will be going part time at my job next week and will be using my spare time to research (even more) counseling programs with the hope of starting as soon as possible. I am in awe of the way the Lord is using me and speaking to me.
Let me not forget to say that the most common way the Lord speaks is through His word...hence my desire to know the Bible even more. I want to point people to the truth. I don't want them to know my opinion or even give them some psychological diagnosis, but to point them to the only solution there is...Christ Himself. I want to be a living concordance of the word of God.
I am about to write a series of confirmations from the Lord that have happened in the last two months.
-Two months ago, I was offered a new position at work. I will be strictly counseling in my new position, both women who come in for pregnancy tests and families who have been through the process of adoption. (i.e. I just recently facilitated a reunion of a birth mother and adoptee after 25 years of life)
-Since I took that position, I really have felt the Lord leading me to seriously consider getting into a Biblical Counseling program soon. I began to pray about it.
-A few weeks later, co-workers and friends RANDOMLY came to me and told me the Lord was really working through me to speak to them and to clients. I encountered the question "Have you ever considered biblical counseling?" more than once. I considered this my first major affirmation that I was headed in the right direction.
-I did research on a few counseling programs, finding that one of the main ones was in San Diego...15 minutes from where I used to live. Not necessarily an affirmation, but nonetheless an interesting coincidence.
-Two weeks ago, I was asked to speak on a panel for our all staff meeting at work to speak with staff and volunteers on how to share the gospel with our clients. I considered this another affirmation.
-After the panel, the Lord used what I said to the staff to bring a client to Christ. One of my co-workers shared the gospel with a woman (using some of my suggestions) the day after the panel. Again, affirmation.
-The more affirmations I received, the more I felt I needed. I asked the Lord for more clarity three nights ago. The next day I came home and picked up the mail. I saw some brochure with my name on it and threw it aside, thinking it was trash. I felt the Lord saying pick it up. I went back to it and opened the pages. The first sentence I read was this: "If you can answer yes to any of the following questions, God may be calling you to the ministry of Biblical Counseling." I threw the paper down and started laughing. Then I looked more intently at it and tried to figure out how this organization got my information. I have not signed up for any biblical counseling information, nor is my name registered on anything that has to do with counseling...not even my job...since my title has yet to change. I then thought confirmation number four or five.
-That night I thanked the Lord for speaking clearly but with great faith asked for one more confirmation.
-Yesterday I received a phone call from a client asking who did her pregnancy test a month ago. I looked up her file and responded, "Well, actually, I did your test. What can I do for you?" She proceeded to tell me thank you for praying with her that day. Since then her life has been changed drastically and she has been reading the Bible every day and serving her community. She just wanted to call and thank me personally.
My jaw dropped and I said you're welcome and told her if she ever wanted more prayer she could stop by and I would be there to pray with her. Immediately I knew this was confirmation from the Lord. I NEVER have clients call back, especially if they had a negative test and have no need of our services anymore. This was of the Lord.
I don't need anymore confirmation from the Lord about pursuing Biblical Counseling. I will be going part time at my job next week and will be using my spare time to research (even more) counseling programs with the hope of starting as soon as possible. I am in awe of the way the Lord is using me and speaking to me.
Let me not forget to say that the most common way the Lord speaks is through His word...hence my desire to know the Bible even more. I want to point people to the truth. I don't want them to know my opinion or even give them some psychological diagnosis, but to point them to the only solution there is...Christ Himself. I want to be a living concordance of the word of God.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Confess your sins to one another...
I'm humbled by the way God uses me. I am honored. I am in awe. I see His hand at work in so many people around me lately, and I am humbled that I get to witness the great work He is doing.
Since the conference (almost 2 weeks ago), the Lord has done a lot of heart work on me. There has been so much fruit already. As the Lord has granted repentance to me and many other women around me, I have seen a supernatural love come alive in my community and family. There is so much freedom in confession. James 5:16 says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed..." I have been witnessing this everywhere lately. While I was at the conference, a lot of us women confessed our sins to one another and prayed for one another. There was so much healing in just that...but even more healing came in continuing in the way of confession and repentance after the conference.
I came home and asked two friends for forgiveness because I had sinned against them before I had gone to the conference. There is something so crucial about confessing your sins aloud. It is as if your offense is made that more real when it comes out of your mouth...especially if it is being said to the one sinned against. My apology was graciously received by both friends, thankfully.
Today two co-workers come to me in tears (at different times), asking me for forgiveness because of the way their indwelling sin effected our work relationship one day. There's something really humbling and powerful about saying "I forgive you". When you just shrug your shoulders and say, "It's okay, don't worry about it," you are condoning sin. Sin is sin, and we love each other best when we call it that and call it out in each other's lives.
Tonight, the same thing happened in my small group of girls. There was confession, and with it came freedom. It is a glorious thing when all things are brought out into the light. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. Praise the Lord for light!
Since the conference (almost 2 weeks ago), the Lord has done a lot of heart work on me. There has been so much fruit already. As the Lord has granted repentance to me and many other women around me, I have seen a supernatural love come alive in my community and family. There is so much freedom in confession. James 5:16 says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed..." I have been witnessing this everywhere lately. While I was at the conference, a lot of us women confessed our sins to one another and prayed for one another. There was so much healing in just that...but even more healing came in continuing in the way of confession and repentance after the conference.
I came home and asked two friends for forgiveness because I had sinned against them before I had gone to the conference. There is something so crucial about confessing your sins aloud. It is as if your offense is made that more real when it comes out of your mouth...especially if it is being said to the one sinned against. My apology was graciously received by both friends, thankfully.
Today two co-workers come to me in tears (at different times), asking me for forgiveness because of the way their indwelling sin effected our work relationship one day. There's something really humbling and powerful about saying "I forgive you". When you just shrug your shoulders and say, "It's okay, don't worry about it," you are condoning sin. Sin is sin, and we love each other best when we call it that and call it out in each other's lives.
Tonight, the same thing happened in my small group of girls. There was confession, and with it came freedom. It is a glorious thing when all things are brought out into the light. God is light, and in Him there is no darkness. Praise the Lord for light!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Too long
It has been too long. I feel like life has been especially crazy in the past couple months. I'm exhausted, but I'm anticipating a break starting today. Although I am still working "full-time", I now have every Wednesday off. Also, tomorrow I will be leaving for the True Women Conference in Ft. Worth, TX. The Lord's timing is always so perfect. Months ago I had the option to go to this conference with my small group in September, or go with my mom and sister and my mom's church in October. I really felt like I was supposed to go with my family in October. And now that it is here, it couldn't have come at a better time. I need to get away and to rest and to be surrounded by encouragement.
My soul has been weary the past month. I am excited to just leave my every day life. Traveling does wonders for me. It clears my head and helps me focus on the Lord. I will blog about all that I learned when I return. If you want to see what I'm up to while I'm there, check out the site:
My soul has been weary the past month. I am excited to just leave my every day life. Traveling does wonders for me. It clears my head and helps me focus on the Lord. I will blog about all that I learned when I return. If you want to see what I'm up to while I'm there, check out the site:
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Preach the Gospel to Yourself
Life has been so busy lately. I have had a hard past couple weeks. I was sick for a while and then classes began again and I've been busy with work and small group in between. I've been overwhelmed lately. I finally got to the point where I felt like I was doing a lot of nothing. I was running on empty and all my 'good' things added up to one big bad mess; I was just going through the motions. My relationship with the Lord the past couple weeks has really suffered.
CJ Mahaney visited our church last weekend and gave a sermon on what to do during these times. It was probably one of the most encouraging sermons I've heard in a while because it pierced my heart at the right time. Mahaney preached on Jude 1:20-25, but mainly v. 20-21:
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
I was encouraged to learn (once again) that there is no hidden secret to living the Christian life. All we must do is preach the gospel to ourselves, pray in the Holy Spirit, and wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus. We must overwhelm our busy days with the gospel. We must pray continually. We must be heavenly minded, waiting in expectation for God's mercy instead of His wrath. We must cling to Christ, our righteousness. And we must persevere.
Life can get overwhelming, but when our focus is upward rather than inward, we can experience His rest even in the midst of chaos. This week I am learning how to continually preach the gospel to myself. I encourage you to do the same.
May you be blessed knowing that the God of the universe came in flesh to conquer sin for your sake. How precious is the blood of Christ!
CJ Mahaney visited our church last weekend and gave a sermon on what to do during these times. It was probably one of the most encouraging sermons I've heard in a while because it pierced my heart at the right time. Mahaney preached on Jude 1:20-25, but mainly v. 20-21:
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
I was encouraged to learn (once again) that there is no hidden secret to living the Christian life. All we must do is preach the gospel to ourselves, pray in the Holy Spirit, and wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus. We must overwhelm our busy days with the gospel. We must pray continually. We must be heavenly minded, waiting in expectation for God's mercy instead of His wrath. We must cling to Christ, our righteousness. And we must persevere.
Life can get overwhelming, but when our focus is upward rather than inward, we can experience His rest even in the midst of chaos. This week I am learning how to continually preach the gospel to myself. I encourage you to do the same.
May you be blessed knowing that the God of the universe came in flesh to conquer sin for your sake. How precious is the blood of Christ!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
A Faithful God
God is so faithful.
Since my last blog post on discipleship, the Lord has done so much in our group. Not only have we seen fruit from the preaching that my brothers have been doing and have had the chance to disciple some new believers, but our small group has quickly become the family of Christ knit together in love that I have longed for for years.
One of the things we were trying to accomplish in this group was getting away from agendas and moving more towards living a Spirit-filled life together without a plan or a time limit.
We started doing dinners together on Thursday nights. One of the girls thought it would be a good idea to do communion while we were together, so...now, each week, we go from house to house breaking bread together.
As the Lord began to grow this group and grow this vision, He happened to reveal something great to me. I was studying the book of Acts for a few weeks and right after this process began with our group, I read this:
"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47
For the first time it felt like I had a visual of what this is supposed to look like. Our group IS devoting itself to teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. Our group DOES have one mind. Our group IS taking our meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart. And the Lord IS adding to our number. Wow, what a beautiful thing! The body of Christ is amazing.
I feel so blessed to be a part of this move of God. I have been looking for this kind of fellowship for so long. God is faithful to provide. I am greatly encouraged by my brothers and sisters here.
Since my last blog post on discipleship, the Lord has done so much in our group. Not only have we seen fruit from the preaching that my brothers have been doing and have had the chance to disciple some new believers, but our small group has quickly become the family of Christ knit together in love that I have longed for for years.
One of the things we were trying to accomplish in this group was getting away from agendas and moving more towards living a Spirit-filled life together without a plan or a time limit.
We started doing dinners together on Thursday nights. One of the girls thought it would be a good idea to do communion while we were together, so...now, each week, we go from house to house breaking bread together.
As the Lord began to grow this group and grow this vision, He happened to reveal something great to me. I was studying the book of Acts for a few weeks and right after this process began with our group, I read this:
"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47
For the first time it felt like I had a visual of what this is supposed to look like. Our group IS devoting itself to teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. Our group DOES have one mind. Our group IS taking our meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart. And the Lord IS adding to our number. Wow, what a beautiful thing! The body of Christ is amazing.
I feel so blessed to be a part of this move of God. I have been looking for this kind of fellowship for so long. God is faithful to provide. I am greatly encouraged by my brothers and sisters here.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Discipleship, what's that?
Have you ever been discipled?
I know I haven't...and it's rare that I find someone who has.
This should be alarming since the last thing Christ said to us before he ascended was "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..."
We need to know what discipleship is if we call ourselves disciples of Christ.
My small group has been evangelizing lately. Some of the brothers in my group, I believe, are anointed preachers and God is using them mightily. A few men have been saved through the preaching of one of these brothers. Because of this, and the fact that our group feels led to evangelize more often, we were forced to talk about what might happen if the Lord brings people into the Kingdom through our small group.
So, as we talked about what it means to make disciples we came to some conclusions:
-We are called to make disciples, not tell someone about Jesus and toss them into the pond to learn to swim on their own. Therefore, if YOU bring someone to Christ, then YOU are responsible for "teaching them to observe ALL that Christ commanded"--not the church you suggest to them.
-Discipleship means sacrifice. Sacrifice of time, comfort, and ultimately, your life. If we are called to disciple people, we must do life with them...not just Bible study once a week.
-It means being selfless always. It means counting others better than ourselves. We should be doing this daily anyway.
-It means living godly lives for others to see. "Teaching them to observe all that I commanded..." Observe. That means they are watching our every move. We are to do what Christ has commanded. James 1: 22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
As another brother said last night, and I have often thought, although I do not know what it is like to be discipled, I will try my best to give them what I never had and follow the command of Christ in doing so.
I challenge you, learn to disciple...I plan to start learning right now.
I know I haven't...and it's rare that I find someone who has.
This should be alarming since the last thing Christ said to us before he ascended was "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you..."
We need to know what discipleship is if we call ourselves disciples of Christ.
My small group has been evangelizing lately. Some of the brothers in my group, I believe, are anointed preachers and God is using them mightily. A few men have been saved through the preaching of one of these brothers. Because of this, and the fact that our group feels led to evangelize more often, we were forced to talk about what might happen if the Lord brings people into the Kingdom through our small group.
So, as we talked about what it means to make disciples we came to some conclusions:
-We are called to make disciples, not tell someone about Jesus and toss them into the pond to learn to swim on their own. Therefore, if YOU bring someone to Christ, then YOU are responsible for "teaching them to observe ALL that Christ commanded"--not the church you suggest to them.
-Discipleship means sacrifice. Sacrifice of time, comfort, and ultimately, your life. If we are called to disciple people, we must do life with them...not just Bible study once a week.
-It means being selfless always. It means counting others better than ourselves. We should be doing this daily anyway.
-It means living godly lives for others to see. "Teaching them to observe all that I commanded..." Observe. That means they are watching our every move. We are to do what Christ has commanded. James 1: 22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
As another brother said last night, and I have often thought, although I do not know what it is like to be discipled, I will try my best to give them what I never had and follow the command of Christ in doing so.
I challenge you, learn to disciple...I plan to start learning right now.
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