Why I write

I've been thinking a lot about why I write.  It's mostly because THIS is my journal.  I can write much quicker on the computer than I can in my written journal.  Most of the stuff I write about is stuff God is doing in me, changing me.  My journals on the floor next to my bed are mostly geared toward what I want my kids to know.  I have a journal for each of them.  Their own little stories, things I love about them, etc.  This is my place to set free the things that God has been showing me, teaching me and correcting in me.  

I also write because I believe that is something God has placed in me to do.  I don't do nearly as much as I'd like to, and I've got some things to learn about how to do it right.  Although, there probably isn't really a "right and wrong" when it comes to sharing your heart.  

Finally, I write because the bible says to "write the vision" Habakkuk 2:2.  We know that "Where there is no vision, the people perish" Proverbs 29:18.  I write out of obedience, out of learning to process, and out of desire.  I pray that God gives me vision when I write, and that I will write it down.  I hope this encourages you to write more!

Friend

Once again, I'm joining in on the Five Minute Friday with Lisa Jo Baker and a whole community of bloggers.  She gives us word prompt and we write for 5 minutes flat.  Go.

"Thank you for being a friend"  

"Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold"

"Friends are friends forever if the Lord is Lord of them"

"That's what friends are for"

"You've got a friend in me"

"I get by with a little help from my friends"

"Now I've found a place in this circle of friends"

These are just some of the "friend" songs that popped into my head.  You are now probably stuck singing one of them over and over.  

I am so grateful that God has given me such wonderful friends throughout my life.  Some have stayed, and some were only part of one chapter of my storybook.  Although I don't really have a "bestie", I have some really wonderful women in my life, who I love dearly, and I believe love me in return.  

Chandra (l) & Sara (r) around 1999

One of my dearest and oldest friends is Sarah Hernandez.  We've been friends for nearly 25 years.  We don't live near each other, but try to get together about once a quarter to catch up on our lives, and to get a breath of fresh air.  The value of my friendship with Sarah is priceless.  We are made from the same thread.  We grew up under the same ministry, during our teen years, and into our early twenties.  When Sarah speaks to me, she speaks truth, but she is not loud and opinionated.  She speaks with meekness and consideration, and the Holy Spirit has used her on more than one occasion to convict me, encourage me, teach me, help me, and inspire me.  Sarah has seen me at my best and at my worst.  She has lifted me up in prayer, and has walked with me through some of my worst insecurities.  

I know not everyone has a "Sarah" in their life, but, oh, I pray that God would allow everyone that.  Oh, that God would grant each of us a Jonathan and David relationship throughout our lives.  1 Samuel 18:1 says "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul."  What a valuable treasure, to have a friend that your souls are knit together.  

I like this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson:  "The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship."

In other words, there is true inspiration that comes when you know that your friend believes in you and is willing to trust you with their heart.

Father, I pray over my friends today.  I lift them up and ask you to bless them and keep them.  Make your face to shine upon them.  Let their countenance shine with your glory.  Be the glory and the lifter of their head.  Father, in those areas where they are weak, I pray that you make them strong.  I thank you God, that you love them greatly, and I thank you that you are providing their needs in every area of their life.  I thank you that they feel calm, rested, relaxed in the knowledge that you, Creator of all things, love them with an everlasting love.  Let them know that, and be reminded of that today.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Slow Fade

I have heard the song "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns many times, but this morning when I heard it, the Holy Spirit gently nudged me.  We are all sinners, we all have sinned, and we will continue to sin until the day we meet Jesus.  However, with sin comes conviction if we will yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit.  That conviction starts out strong, but as you push it away, there comes a day that you don't "feel" any conviction in your sin, there is a separation between you and God, and you have a dry and empty well.  I know this because I went through this, and it led me to depression.  I was unable to cope with life, and it all started with a sin that I didn't want to be convicted over.  

Here are the lyrics that touch my heart:

It's a slow fade

When you give yourself away

It's a slow fade

When black and white are turned to gray

And thoughts invade, choices are made

A price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade

It's a slow fade

So, as the song says "be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little feet where you go..."

When temptation comes, we know that is not from God, but we also know that God always provides a way out.  James 1:13-15 "Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Praise God that He always provides a way out when we are tempted.  My temptations come in the form of food.  I have unhealthy eating habits, and I've felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to change those habits.  I've put it aside, and put it aside until I went through a very dark season.  I believe most of that was due to sugar and hormone imbalances because of my food choices, food addictions, and obsessions.  I didn't want to feel deprived, and isn't that what is at the root of all sin?  Wanting what I want and having it when I want it.  Food in itself is not bad, but unhealthy obsessions with it is.  

I still struggle from time to time with making healthy choices, staying away from sugary foods and sodas.  But, I know that He always provides a way out.  I know where I once was and where I am now, and it's so much better to live in the now.  Each day I am getting better at making the right choice.  I have a long way to go, but I've come a long way already.  A friend of mine once said "there is power in talking about your struggles because it releases the power the struggle has over you."  She told me that almost 2 years ago and it has stuck with me ever since.

Father, thank you for setting me free.  Thank you for giving me strength and a way out when temptation is all around.  Help me to see that way out.  I ask you to reveal to me when my heart is not set on you, and sin is creeping in so that I can keep a pure heart before you.  Create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me, O Lord.  Any area of my heart that has turned to stone through bitterness or unforgiveness, I ask you to turn those areas to flesh and to help me release those feelings.  I repent for holding things in my heart instead of giving them over to you, and I thank you for your forgiveness.  Thanks be to God who always causes me to triumph!  I praise you today, and I thank you for your goodness and your unfailing love toward me.  In Jesus name, Amen!

Authority

The word Authority has been rolling around in me for over a month now.  It seems like God keeps bringing it up to me as if he wants me to know something.  I believe he wants all of us to know something about it because many Christians don't exercise or walk in the authority that God gave us at the cross through Jesus.

The other day I noticed a crossing guard for a very busy intersection not far from my house.  I have seen this crossing guard for many years, but this time I noticed her authority to stop 6 lanes of traffic with one blow of the whistle.  Then she directs the young children across the street with the wave of her hand.  She waited until the appropriate time and then she used her authority to stop SIX lanes of traffic.  Amazing to me.

On Thursday's I volunteer in a nearby town at a wonderful facility that has many services for people in need. Everything from Pregnancy and Parenting support to benevolence to food to much more.  Each Thursday, about 30 minutes before I'm supposed to be at the desk, I spend 30 minutes in prayer in that town.  I find a spot at the big park that serves that community and pray over the work at Lighthouse, the community, and that God would use me for his glory while I'm there.  During that prayer time 3 weeks ago, I believe God gave me a prophetic word.

"My people are not walking in the authority that I gave them at the cross.  They have fallen into the pit of people pleasing.  So not to offend anyone, they choose not to seek me with their WHOLE heart.  They think they do, but they still live on the fence in many things that I have convicted them.  They continue to live half-hearted for me.  They only give up what they can trust themselves for.  I tell you this, you will not lose in giving up what I have told you to do, to give up. Press in.  Press in.  Seek me with your whole heart for there you will find me, waiting.  Waiting to use you for my glory.  Waiting to show you great and mighty things through my word, in you."

It was a powerful time in prayer.  It's been years since I felt God speaking to me on a prophetic level, and this was conviction, especially for me.  I know God has gifted me in prophecy and intercession among other things; however, I've fallen away from working in those gifts because I was scared of being rejected by those who I thought wouldn't believe it came from God.  I'm not a "prophet" by any means, but that is still a spiritual gift that I walk in.  

The second part that convicted me was that Jesus said we would do greater works.  John 14:12-14 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."

I don't want to lose my trust in what Jesus said.  There are thousands of promises throughout the bible, and I don't want to lose sight of the One who made those promises.  I am reminding myself that Jesus said I would do greater works if I believe in Him and do the works that He did.  When did we stop daring to ask God to heal a sick person?  When did we stop daring to ask God for the impossible?  Many times Jesus said "Have faith in God".  When he said that, he was typically referring to some impossible miracle that just took place.  With God, impossibilities become possibilities.  Darkness becomes light.  Blindness becomes sight.  The only caveat?  Have faith in God.    

So, the whole point of this note and the word I received from the Lord is this:  walk in the authority that God has given you.  Don't be shy about it.  Listen to the still small voice of God, the leading of the Holy Spirit and meditate on the Word, and move in the gifts He has given you.  No matter what those gifts are.