The NOW and The AHEAD...

My heart carries these most beautiful and very precious smiles within it. Lately, God has graciously allowed me to see glimpses of the impact I make on His people and for His Kingdom. In my pursuit to live a life dedicated to the Lord, I have often found myself wondering if I was even making a dent of an impact at all. I live to please God and not man, at least I aim to. I am not perfect, but I am perfected through an Almighty God who sees me as a finished work standing before Him. I strive for excellence. I set my sights high. I have to. I cannot look downward or shift my focus on anything other than God and His Agenda. Anytime I have done other than that, I have had to work that much harder just to get back on track.

Have you ever peered out of one of those telescopes on a Harbor Peer? You pop in a quarter, or probably a dollars worth of quarters nowadays, and you can see closely certain landmarks or scenery you can't see up close with just your eyes. Maybe you always brought your own binoculars...lol! I didn't usually have any binoculars on me, but as a kid I remember it seemed to be the coolest thing to be able to look through these giant telescopes and see what those other people were able to see. I didn't want to miss anything! Once I was finally able to see through it though, I couldn't get it to focus on the area I was looking for. My view in the telescope was somehow skewed. "Is this thing broken", I thought. I would go back and forth looking in the telescope and then out with my eyes until they both fell upon the same destination. Wow! It was so exciting. It was just a building or a mountain, but I felt so cool being able to look through this thing that it became a Wow to me. When I would try and look at the next object of interest the telescope would seem to move too quickly and I would spend another chunk of time trying to align the image between my eyes in and out of the telescope. No easy task for an impatient and excited kid I tell ya. My coordination as an adult is definitely better, but it's still not an easy way to see things up close. Binoculars would be the better choice (more control), but the giant telescope cemented into the ground is still a cherished memory that I hold onto and will take every opportunity to experience whenever I get the chance. 

Strangely, I wonder what life would be like if that was our ONLY view...through the giant telescope that is. I cannot imagine the kinds of frustration that would evoke as you tried to go from one place to the next (Mental Images of People Walking Around With Binocular Eye Extension Eyeballs...lol). It would be almost neglecting, not almost it would be neglecting, to your up close surroundings. How do you move about The NOW and still keep in view The AHEAD? Hmmm...my methods of using the giant telescope may have proven useful after all. My back and forth perceptions using my eyes and using the scope allowed me to best navigate and remain aware. The pairing is what helped me find the destination I was seeking. Now I must admit, I needed help at first with the giant telescope and thus my own way of doing it was born...LOL! Classic finding the way! I have tried to pass my methods on to my kiddies, but alas they too must find the way that works best for them, as much as I think that my way is the best. :) 

God is like that with us too...although He DOES Know the best way. He just patiently waits for us to try ourselves until we ask for help and THEN we can from there figure out how it will work for us. Hmmm...HERE is the Way, but everyone will step their feet down differently and approach it at different times. JESUS is the Way, and everyone's feet come upon His path at different times and He has led us to Him in different ways, ways that meet us where WE are. Oh How He knows us!

I so appreciate how God reminds me though. Sometimes my "Up Close View" and my "Far Ahead View" make it hard to see clearly at first. Once it all aligns up, for a moment I bask in the excitement and achievement. I found it. I'm not looking for affirmation for all that I do for God's Kingdom, but affirmation feels nice when you have been working so hard, not always seeing surface results, but hoping God was able to successfully use you in someone's life. When I lead that song, did it touch someone? Did they see my heart and passion for Christ? Did it lead them into His presence? When I speak the word over someone, did they receive it? Did it help change their lives? Did it help guide them back to Jesus? I know it is not by my own power, or strength, or anything that God's Will would be done. It is by my obedience to his leading of me that makes the real impact. And when He takes a moment to share with me what is occurring I can't help but beam with happiness. Yes! It more so affirms my purpose and it is truly such a great reward, honor, and privilege to uphold.

What's in Your Scope?

The Character of Paul's Ministry

"We give no opportunity for stumbling to anyone, so that the ministry will not be blamed. But in everything, as God's ministers, we commend ourselves:

by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by pressures

by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger, 

by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,

by the message of truth, by the power of God; 

through weapons of righteousness on the right hand and the left,

through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report;

as deceivers yet true; as unknown yet recognized; as dying and look - we live;

as being chastened yet not killed; as grieving yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; 

as having nothing yet possessing everything." (2Corinthians 6:3-10)

As ministers of the gospel of Christ, as Christians involved in ministry, as leaders and people with authority, as pastors and shepherds, as people of GOD...We are guaranteed to face a number of challenges, periods of growth, a life full of discomforts against our fleshly desires, hardships, struggles, so many of these things Paul names here. This passage struck me tonight as I was reading in my word because I could place myself in many of these happenings. 

There is a cost when we become followers of Christ. 

To follow Christ Jesus it will only cost us our life. No biggie, right? Are you willing to give it up? I said YES to Him a long time ago and I find myself having to choose to say Yes everyday still. I am always left with the choice, however there are serious consequences for saying yes and then trying to change your mind. Once you have said Yes, you have said YES!


YET, Our gracious and loving Lord God has already paid the price for us. Through the blood of Jesus, through His Grace and Salvation, we can walk with Him freely! We give OUR life so He can give us life. It can be one of the most confusing concepts yet it is one of the most simplest. 


Do you choose the Blue Pill or the Red Pill Neo? (from the "Matrix" if you were confused, although I hope not because that is a staple movie with such relevance and truth we can use as an example in our Christian walk....tools in my bag!)






What does it mean to give up our life and choose life? What does God really expect or desire from us? 

Let Go and TRUST in Him.

We all have an idea in our minds of something pertaining to our life. Even if we are not sure of the direction, we still choose a direction to walk in while we figure it out, and hopefully it was going the same way that we will eventually need to go in to get to where we are supposed to go...once we find out where that is, of course....LOL!

God is asking us to TRUST in HIM to guide the way in the direction HE has already laid out for us. We tend to Crave Control. WE want to pick the Who, What, Where, When, and Why's of our direction and How WE get there. 

God is asking us to give THAT up! 

Yep...THAT! 

"But wait, then how will I know I am going the right way?" 
"But wait, this way has too many bumps and challenges...this can't be the right way!"
But wait, Wait, WAIT!" 
"I can't."
"I won't."
"I don't know how."
"It's too hard."
Blah, Blah Blah, Blah, Blah!

I've said it, you've said it, that girl over there said it, and that guy is saying it now...we can't escape not saying it...that is our flesh rising up and fighting for control. (A control we never actually had, it's all really an illusion anyways..hehe!) 

God is saying:
"Put your life into MY hands and allow ME to carry you from here to the end. 
You will still fight, but I have already won the battle...Cut OFF the enemy's head and decree My word! As David slew Goliath and Cut Off His Head...so shall you defeat your enemies and cut off their head.
Trust in MY Promises for they fail not. 
Believe My Word. Learn it. Eat it. Breathe it. Live it. Sing it. Dance it. BE IT!
Take MY hand and TRUST in ME."
Says the Lord!




We must take our eyes OFF of our life and put our eyes ON Him. 


Close your eyes, Let Go, and TRUST.

Paul spoke earlier:

"Therefore we do not give up; 

even though our outer person is being destroyed, 

our inner person is being renewed day by day. 

For our momentary light affliction 

is producing for us an absolutely incomparable 

eternal weight of glory. 

So we do not focus on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen; 

for what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal."

Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians: 

"For we are the sanctuary of the living God, 

as God said: 

I will dwell among them 

and walk among them, 

and I will be there God,

 and they will be My people. 

Pilgrimage...

Next Week at my kiddos school they are having a Wax Museum Event. All the students are dressing up as assigned characters, learning and memorizing facts about them, and standing like wax figurines while all the parents walk around and check them out. when approached the kids will share the facts with the people like a museum display. Very intruiging right? Well the first character down is my Princess Jaeana. She is to be a "Pilgrim Mom". We got the costume down, but still need to work on the facts. My baby stayed home today sick and of course that means play dress up....lol! She is very excited as am I. I'm even more excited because my creative bone went to work again and I made something out of household items. If my dad passed anything down to me it was an ability to make something of nothing....working in a pinch, making it happen folks! That's the way it's done! (Okay, it's not super awesome, but I'm quite pleased with it so far. It is only a Rough Draft...I have some sewing and finishing touches to make). My two boys have their characters too...not that far yet. I will assist in what they are already creatively doing. Here are some pics...ENJOY!

If You're Single and You Know It Read This Blog....Clap Clap!

I came across this Blog Posting by Kim Walker-Smith...I think anyone who is single, especially the ladies will appreciate this one. Please Please enjoy it! I take no credit for this other than sharing it with you. 


Love and Blessings To You All,
Christina

All The Single Ladies...by Kim Walker-Smith

I had someone ask me a question about dating and marriage.  She basically asked for advice for the single ladies.  I thought that is a great subject for this blog!  So here it is……

Ladies, you are worthy of an incredible man who treats you like the treasure you are!  It does NOT matter what your past is or where you have been, God has nothing but the best for you!  And His timing is PERFECT!  The best piece of advice I ever received in regards to this, came from my spiritual Dad, Danny Silk.  This is what he told me….

Imagine that your heart is locked away behind lots and lots of gates.  When a guy comes along who is interested in you, only put a little, tiny piece of yourself out there.  In other words, you don’t just give away your whole heart and tell him every single thing about you and in you.  Just let him see a small glimpse of who you are and what you hold dear inside you.  If he handles that well;  if he honors it and treats it like the treasure it is, then maybe you open up the first gate and let him through.  With each time you put a piece of yourself out there, you see how he handles it.  Does he honor and respect it?  Is he kind?  Does he treat it as a treasure?  The moment he doesn’t treat you well or handle a piece of who you are well, he doesn’t get through the gate.  There is only ONE man who will get through all the gates and win your heart, and he is the man who will stand at the alter and vow to love you and protect you the rest of your life.  Does this make sense?  By doing this, you are protecting your heart, but also allowing someone to get to know you.  But not just anybody gets to know you deeply….be careful!  Let a man pursue you and see where he leads.  When Skyler first told me that he wanted to pursue a relationship with me, I told him that “the ball is in his court and we will see where he leads it”.  When he told me that he liked me and wanted to be with me, I told him to “prove it”.  haha  Really!  I let him be the one to initiate calling me, etc.  But all of this starts with realizing that you are worth the pursuit.

Something else that I feel is really important is that you need to have mothers and fathers/leaders in your life.  If you have nothing to hide, it is very easy to allow these very important people to be involved in your romantic relationships.  They have insight and wisdom to share.  Sometimes they will see something we don’t and its important to hear them out!  One of the first things I had Skyler do was talk with the spiritual leaders in my life.  I told him that if they approved, then I would approve!

I used to get so mad when married people would say to me (as a single woman) “you just know”.  What on earth does that mean?!  As a single person, how on earth can I comprehend what that means?  But when Skyler told me he loved me, I was overwhelmed with the feeling of…just knowing:)  It’s not something you can understand until you experience it for yourself.  I also HATED it when people would tell me things like “its when I finally stopped looking that he showed up” or “its when I finally did (whatever) that he pursued me”.  As if there is some sort of method to the madness!  I would want to scream at them and say “Give me a break!”  It was like telling me that who I am or the way I am doing it is not good enough and if I could just figure out the secret code and do things just a certain way, the heavens would open and I would get a man!  YA RIGHT.  Listen up people, there is NO METHOD.  There is ONLY God and HIS timing.  That’s it.  And if you wait for His timing, it will be the perfect guy and yes….you will live happily ever after.

When Skyler and I were just about to get married, people all the time told us how hard their first year of marriage was.  Talk about “Debbie Downers”!  Marriage is whatever you want it to be!!  When people told us things like that, we would say “We don’t receive that”.  And we decided that our marriage would be as wonderful or as bad as we made it to be.  Since, of course, we want a wonderful marriage, we work hard at it!  And our first year was AMAZING!!  At the end of our first year, we thought, “Well if it was true, then the rest of our married life will be bliss!”  Year 2 was even more amazing and now we are headed into year 3.  And its still amazing.

If you are currently in a relationship and are thinking about marriage, I STRONGLY suggest that you check out www.definingtherelationship.com

Those are tidbits of info that I think are really important in regards to dating/marriage.  I really could say a lot more, but this is what I most wanted to write.  I don’t really want to give an opinion as to whether you should date or court or whatever else you want to call it.  That is between you, God, and your mother/fathers.  Trust God, seek Him first, and remember ladies……..you are worth the fight!

Turning Around Monday's FOR GOOD!!!

Oh how easily beset we are...

Today, Monday, the beginning of the week, the day most people dread, the day I am fighting for! I am fighting for this day because I know that after such an intense and powerful worship and prayer night the enemy is sniffing and drooling at my heels...he is awaiting the perfect moment to strike. He has tried to bite and naw at me....HELLO...I SEE YOU YA KNOW! I'm determined to stamp victorious on this day no matter what! I wonder if everyone had this same kind of attitude...one where we we wake up ready to fight for our day. I wonder what would happen to us, what would happen to the world around us. If God says that 1. We can do ALL things through Him who gives us strength, 2. That we are victorious with Him, 3. That through Him strongholds are broken, darkness flees, and His glory is seen....THEN WHY DON'T WE SEE MORE VICTORY AND LESS RUIN? Why do Mondays HAVE to be marked as the awful day...why do we look forward to Friday instead of look forward to the day we are in, knowing that if God is for us who can be against us? Why don't we stare Monday in the face and say NO, You Don't Win, I WIN!! In Jesus Name I have Victory! I have Joy! I have Peace! I have Strength! I have Courage! I have Power of Darkness! I am a Conqueror through Christ! I am the Head and not the Tail! I am Above and not Beneath! I am Royalty! I am Holy unto the Lord! I am Called according to His purposes! I am a Joint-Heir with Christ who sits on the Heavenly Throne, seated at the right hand of the Father! I Am because He IS the I AM!!!

In Jesus Mighty Name...Have a Happy Halleluia Monday!!!

Loves and Hugs,
Christina

Pheeeewwwwwwww!.....

Sunday Morning * 1:22am 
Journal Entry: For I say unto this mountain...

I was sitting here thinking back to some turning point moments in my life. I am not quite sure how my thoughts drifted there, but in the lateness of the hour and the mere fact that my mind is constantly darting from thought to thought, its all normal I guess. Anyhoo, I was remembering the emotion attached to each of those moments. I remember feeling at the time that, "this was it! This was surely a mountain I could not face!". I was desperate for a change and could not seem to control anything around me to create such a drastic change. Truth be told, "that" moment felt impossible to get over. Which moment you say? Well each moment at the time felt impossible. Each moment brought me to the end of something and yet here I am still, hardly at the end...

You see what I deemed as a MOUNTAIN at the time, proved to be a pivotal landmark, one that increased the level of elevation in multiple aspects of my life; marriage, ministry, parenting, self. Defining Moments! Self-Realization! An Awakening of sorts! Release, Freedom, Breakthrough, Higher and Newer Levels. Call it what you will, all of these terms are fitting. All of these beautiful words however, carried many tears and pain with them before they achieved themselves as these words....haha, does that even make sense? These words came to fruition only after being paved through with tears and pain. Honestly, at times I wanted to just die! Dying seemed to be the only escape route in view...realistically though, that was never an option, regardless of how many times it crossed my mind. 

Needless to say, it was not all that bad, after the fact. In fact, those MOUNTAINS were no more than small lumps in the road looking back. I in no way make light of these mountainous lumps or lumpy mountains, however you choose to visualize them. I can still remember what I felt and if I were to step back into those times, I'm sure I would feel the sting I had once felt...however no time machine exists for these memories, beyond what lay wait inside my head that is. Pheeewwwww! (hand wiping sweat from brow) LoL! 

Point of all this though...
Looking back at what felt like a tragic end, ended up being a milestone, a marker in the fabric of my life, a stamp, evidence of growth stages...these areas were my glorious defeat of something bigger, achieved solely by Christ working through me. These very areas with a double sided landmark read: DEATH and VICTORY. You see at each of those places a part of me died and a part of me came to life. The choice was there for the taking only I couldn't see it at the time. I could choose the road to death or the path to life. How could a choice that great possibly exist amidst any type of pain? Where there is a Will, there is a Way! There is God's Will and My Will, God's Path or My Road. I didn't even know I was choosing between these things. All I could see was the dark pit I felt trapped inside of. Could anyone hear my desperate screams for help? Would light ever shine again? Was there still a glimmer of hope left to hold onto? The darkness seemed so thick and dark! I didn't know if anything could reach in and rescue me or if I could ever find my way back out. BUT GOD!!!!! You see God always knows the Way....He IS The Way! He is the Ultimate Navigator even in the scariest of jungles. He IS the Hope I can hold onto! He IS the Light That casts away all darkness! He IS the joy that I now have as I stand triumphantly on the other side of each of these mountains. 

I have proof, evidence, of God's mighty hands working in my life, yet when I look up today at the mountain that stands before me, I don't feel that triumphant and victorious glow surrounding me. I feel the darkness slowly creeping in trying to choke the life away from me. I don't want to die, I just want to be rid of this mountain! The scriptures even say that I have the power to tell the mountain to "be thou removed" from me, yet why do I not feel the boldness as a lion to roar against what will end up proving to be a puny little lump? 

Here is my life...laid out and set before me like a scroll rolled out across my feet. God says, "LOOK! Look and see what I see! Look and see the Victories you have with me. Do you see them?" Yes Lord, I see them! "Am I not the the same God now that I was when I gave you the victories?" Yes Lord, You are! "Then why do you not believe me now? Why do you doubt my power? Why do you think that I won't show up even more now than before? Are you not walking even more closely with me?" yes Lord, I am. My desire is to know you more and more! Always! "Okay then trust in Me Now! Trust that I have heard your prayers and know your cries. Trust that I have Your best interest at heart every single time, and that if you allow it, My perfect Will, will take place in your life! You are here sitting with me in heavenly places! Fight, fight like I know you can, like I have made you to do. Walk with boldness, talk with boldness, be confident in Me, My child! For I am with thee withersoever thou goest!" 

So I speak to the mountain and I tell it...BE THOU REMOVED! You are nothing but a Little Lump and I step right on and over You! 

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith." (Mark 11:23 KJV)

In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Funky Writing and Uplifted Encouragements...

I am never fond of writing funk's...or funky writings...


I cannot stand when the words that are constantly flowing around inside my head suddenly become plugged up like a person in need of prune juice....I need some prune juice for the mind I tell you. It's not that I don't have anything to say, but I always want to be intentional with what and when I say anything at all. I guess I haven't wanted to write in a journal'd thoughts kind of style and ended up writing nothing. I have been in a place of HUGE observation of myself. Again, I experienced a time of squeezing and looking in the mirror. It seemed to be my turn in to the Dr.'s Office. This Doctor....Jesus mainly...specializes in Christina's...Me mainly....LOL! Yeah, He knows all about the way my body works, the way my brain thinks, the way my emotions run rampant or stuff down deep inside. HE KNOWS!!! So I go to Him quite often, even more than quite often at times. He helps me sort out the mess inside of me. My organs all seem to be okay. It is mostly in regards to the um other stuff...the indecisive hindrances that cloud me like a thick chocking fog. He helps clear that fog and finds me hiding somewhere inside of me. 


Did I mention how grateful I am that He does this for me? Well I am. I think, No I know, if I didn't have Him to help me I'd have lost it a long time ago. For awhile in my life I didn't even know He was there in this way, but as I got older and sharpened my hearing skills, His voice become so dominantly clear. 


I don't always get every answer laid out for me, but EVERY time I go to Him, I feel tons better...tons lighter too...nothing like a good unplugging to brighten the heaviness of your day into a shining, gleaming, refresh!


I have shared this scripture before, but it has been on my mind to share again...whenever I need an uplifting reminder, the book of Philippians is the place for me. It gave me strength in dark times and still continues to shine bright in my life now...


The Amplified Version says this:


Philippians 3:10-14
"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that i may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own. 13I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward."