Glory to God…we exclaim these words so frequently…but what do they really mean? Glory to God…is it some spectacular event that captures the attention for everyone to see? Well…absolutely…it certainly can be…Maybe…it’s a movement that point people to God…that most definitely is a possibility…However…I believe…it is more…the bowing of the hearts of God’s people that bring Him glory…it’s the individual personal moments spent with God…the personal encounters with Him…our face to face…up close and personal times that give us “glory glimpses”…that make our lives reflect who He is in all that we do…the glory lies in how we treat people…how we respond to “hard things”…how we represent the kingdom of God daily…it is those things that truly give God glory…it is our time spent with Him that overflows and drenches our days with peace, love, joy, wisdom, truth, and hope…we give HIM glory by acting like Him…by serving as trustworthy ambassadors of the kingdom of God…we are His “glory containers”…the beauty of God is straining to be released in each of us…His glory lies waiting to be activated by our pressing in to His Spirit…by our pursuit of Him…each time we chase Him…We run into His glory…and like the fireworks in July…there is an explosion of everything that He is being released in us…each glory encounter…makes us more like Him…glory to God…when we seek Him..when we find Him…then that is our finished product…we bring…glory to God…and that sisters…is the best thing…How did you bring glory to Him today?

“Even everyone that is called by my name; for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea I have made him.”

Isaiah 43:7

Have you ever had a moment of…”oh no, God…here we go again?” I had one of these moments recently…it was in the area of our finances…I had walked into the appointment with apprehension…because the situation was familiar…I had history with this “thing”…I whispered a prayer and faced my giant…as the appointment progressed…it became more and more obvious that this “thing, was going to end the way that last “thing” did…it was not going to be favorable…so we completed the appointment…I felt that sense of dread overpowering me…and then I had a revelation…the voice of God whispered to me…”we’ve fought this giant together before…why are you fearful?…you’re still standing…he didn’t defeat you then…and he will not defeat you now”…sisters..my peace returned…my joy was restored…and I cheerfully went about my day…several hours later…I received a call from the person we had the appointment with…he said…”I believe we have a solution for what we spoke about…and it’s in your favor…I consulted someone with more knowledge than I have of this…and if you’ll come back in…we can complete the document”…sisters…God turned my mourning into dancing…when I rested in Him and trusted His ability to fight for me…and decided that…whatever the outcome…I refuse to allow my circumstances to influence my day…or to cause me to worry…God seamlessly changed my outcome…He took what was going to be a true hardship for me and my husband and made it easy…what am I saying? Whatever you are facing that seems hard…refuse to carry it…force out worry with worship…do not allow your past experience to dictate what will happen to you today…give God praises when darkness creeps in…When He knows you have released it into His hands…then…He is free to work on your behalf…He certainly did for me…He will fight our battles…but…only…if we stop fighting them ourselves…lesson learned…blessing received!

“For the Lord your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.” Deuteronomy 20:4

In life there are so many things that can paralyze us…painful words that were said when we were children that scarred us…internal struggles…familial issues…unresolved conflicts…just to name a few…they were all meant to hinder the purpose and plans that God has for His children…it is no coincidence that one of the greatest issues women have is low self esteem…feelings of inadequacy…and worthlessness…a paralysis of the soul…it is like a noose that we tie around our own necks…in the book of John the 5th chapter there is an account of a man who had been sitting at the pool where people were being healed…and…he had sat there for many years…but was never able to get into the pool to experience healing…one day Jesus came along…HE found him…and asked a peculiar question…”Do you want to get well?”…What Jesus? How could you ask that? I’ve been sick for a long time…but Jesus wanted this man to push past his paralyzed mind…and to trust in His ability…His power to heal…but first he had to do something…what do you really want…to be healed or to continue to be identified as broken? Jesus is asking that same question to us today…no more excuses…He went on to heal that man…and then exclaimed…”Take up your bed and walk”…now that you are healed…you are strong enough to carry the thing that was once carrying you…the bed that you are holding is now the testimony of your healing….Sister…do you want to get well? Jesus needs us to stop making excuses…and receive what He is offering…and then what we have received…offer it to a sick…paralytic world…that needs to know the significance of the bed you are carrying…tell your story…the world needs to hear it😊

“Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up your bed, and walk.” John 5:8

I’m sure you remember the story of the little boy with the five barley loaves and the two small fish…if you ever attended Sunday school…you definitely know this story…but have you ever thought about why the writer made sure you knew that it was a “little” boy…and that the loaves and the fish were “small”? Everything about God is intentional…every word that He speaks has significance…His words are weighty and rich…filled with light to illuminate our journey…I am convinced that He knows His people… and we often feel that what we have to conquer… whatever it is that we may be facing makes us feel insignificant…and “not enough”…that job…that ministry assignment…that relationship…that dream…that vision…often our cry is…”I don’t have what it takes…I never went to college…I don’t have a big enough bank account…I don’t know the bible the way that they do…I don’t come from a family that ever did anything like that…none of us ever lived in a neighborhood like that…I’ve never led anything”…I’m not sure what your “not enough” story is…I sure have mine…but beyond having my story…I have His truth…and He proves to us through this “little” boy…with his insignificant lunch…that all He needs is for us to offer it…to place it in His hands…to not decry it’s size but to declare His ability…you see…the miracle was not so much that the food was multiplied…but it was in the heart of the little boy who was not ashamed to give what he had…he did not hold back on the little that was his… He trusted that the One Who specializes in making nothing into something…could make his little much…sister what do you think is not enough…offer it to Him…now…wait for the miraculous❤

“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9

Silent trauma…the kind that has no voice…the one that rendered you speechless years ago…the thing that keeps you from God’s best…the quiet terror that cringes on the inside…that steals your strength…that rattles your cage…that stalks you in the daytime and attacks you at night…the univited guest that shows up when you’re celebrating your victories…and crashes your peace party…that one…that you’ve never publicized..the one that your bff doesn’t know about…that you haven’t shared with your husband…that thing that your mother doesn’t even know…yes…that one…that thief…that creeps in…and pokes the bear…that awakens the pain…and causes you to become your own protector…your own warrior…except the one that you are fighting is yourself…you fight your help…you know..the ones that God sends to help you put words to your pain…but that nemesis…that adversary will set them to flight..because his desire is that his friend…your silent trauma… will put his icy fingers over your mouth once again…and keep your pain imprisoned in your broken heart…but our God who is mighty and poised to save…and confident in every battle…desires to restore the voices of His daughters…He is coming after…the silent things…the things that cut so deeply it severed your vocal chords…even with no words…He has given you a way to communicate to Him…and it is in your groanings…without words…He hears…He translates…He will seamlessly reconnect that which was severed and with His healing you will be silent…no more…open your mouth and release the pain that paralyzes..and diminishes you…trust God long enough to allow His healing hand into your pain…I promise you…you will find your voice…I did😊

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

In the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke there is an account of a man with a withered hand…Jesus is in the synagogue..and is actually challenged about healing this man on the Sabbath…He addresses his critics and after the confrontation..He heals the man…He instructs the man to stretch forth the hand that was useless…this account made me stop and think how often God desires to heal us…but He first asks us to expose the infirmity…it is to me an act of humility…it’s as if He is saying…do you want to be healed badly enough to not care what other people think? What is more important to you? What people think about you….or being free of the infirmity? It’s as if He says before I can operate on that thing that is causing you the discomfort…you must first take off your clothes…you must remove the fig leaf..and allow me to see you naked and show me where you are wounded…How many times have we offered Jesus our good hand and hidden the withered one because we did not want others to know of our disability? And how many times have we forfeited healing because we allow our pride to overshadow our truth…God desires to heal us…He is commanding…”stretch out your hand”…will we like the man with the withered hand respond quickly and receive healing…or will we surrender to the opinions of people (who, by the way, have their own afflictions)…and miss the opportunity to change a useless thing into something of great strength and power…I don’t know what your “withered hand” is…but you know…He loves us so much that He will break the rules to heal us…My prayer is that when we hear the voice that heals…we will respond with obedience and exchange our brokeness for His wholeness…Stretch forth your hand…healing is waiting!

“Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And He stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.”

Matthew 12:13

I feel God everywhere…I see Him..I hear Him…every day…I look for Him….I quiet myself so that His voice can be heard over mine…I search for Him in people…in a warm greeting…or a gentle smile…sometimes I find Him in a conversation with a stranger…or a chance meeting of a friend…I feel Him in the quiet peace in my soul…I hear Him in the laughter of my grandchildren…In the soothing chords of a song…I sense His Spirit close to me…I talk with Him all day long…I thank Him for the big things and the small things…I seek His counsel…I tell Him how I feel…and listen for His feedback…some days there are tears…as He reminds me how far we’ve come together…sometimes I let Him know how much I appreciate His great creation…the beauty of it all…I tell Him how much I admire the architecture and the details of His design…then I stop long enough to remember the many things He has delivered me from…and the joy in my soul spills out on my face as a smile… and then we reminisce about my old life…and we rejoice about the newness of this life…all day…a livestream of organic worship…and fellowship…an amazing friendship with the God who cares for me…I talk to Him…because He is my Father…and I am His daughter… because it makes me feel safe…and secure…and loved…and that my sisters brings me joy unspeakable! When you talk to Him…what do you feel?

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3

Have you ever thought about the many times God protected you? The times when you were not aware of His Presence in your life? The times when you were silly and did not honor the life that He had so freely given to you? The times when you wasted life as though it had no value? The times when doing what you wanted to do outweighed doing the right thing? The times when you were surrounded by so much darkness that light had to struggle to shine? The times when your companions were dark counselors…the times when you not only ignored danger…you didn’t even recognize it? The times when you had no real plans for your life..but lived impulsively? I sat today thinking of those times in my life…the reckless years…the lost years…the years that my soul was aimless…I thought of the “near misses”…and the “almosts”….my soul began to worship God for His protection…for His grace over my life…for His extreme faithfulness…for His goodness…for His PROTECTION… do you know what causes me to stand in awe of Him? He did all of this before I even acknowledged Him as Savior…as Lord…as Master..He did all of this for me…He kept me…I love Him for that…He is still keeping me…He is still my great Protector! Sisters…do you remember when He protected you? Let’s praise Him together❤

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3

Have you ever had someone ask you something to which you did not have an answer? A thoughtful question that could affect their direction in life…perhaps whether or not they should relocate…or maybe there is a job offer and the pros and cons are about the same… maybe it’s choosing a church…or there is someone that they think might be “the one”…and they want your opinion…I believe it is a great honor that someone would trust my judgement…and that they believe I am wise enough to answer well…however…I also recognize my limitations…so when I am approached with these types of queries…I quickly direct that person to God…what is God saying to you about that? That’s not to say I will not have rich dialogue with them…and even counsel them…but I will always end with…”that’s a God question”…the One who knows all…sees all…and holds time in a vacuum…He’s the One to ask…because His answer is perfect…I can guess…and I can pray…and I can even give my experience…but ultimately…my great hope is that I direct the one searching for answers…to the One who knows everything…the One who is not flawed…the One who has a Divine filter…rather than a flesh filter…so the next time someone comes with a tough question…and you feel you need to give a quick response…I pray…you adopt my retort…”that’s a God question…have you asked Him”?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach and it will be given him.” James 1:5

Have you ever thought…we’re all in a fight…sometimes it’s a fight to maintain a relationship…or to manage finances…or perhaps to keep a job…or to get healthy…but the fight that is most important…is the good fight of faith…there is so much that attempts to pull us away from the one thing that keeps us grounded…our faith…we must contend with distractions that woo us away from the things that grow our faith…Have you ever noticed how many people need us when we finally settle down to read our bible?…or how our thoughts begin to drift when we pray?…how we must command our minds to focus when we are in a worship service? We have to push through the natural world to rest in the supernatural one…we have to teach our spirit to press in…we have to strain to hear the voice that whispers…”sit with Me and learn of Me“…we have to discipline our flesh to be quiet long enough to learn how to fight…God is poised to teach us the value of fighting for our faith…He will guide and lead by His Spirit…He will tell us what we are contending with…He will help us to discern the enemy…He will show us the weapons that are needed…He is our spiritual coach…He knows our weaknesses..and knows what needs strengthening…His desire is for us to win…As we fight for faith…it grows..as we press in to Him…we become more like Him…just as in the natural…the more we discipline our natural bodies to fight for strength…the stronger we become…so it is…as we fight for spiritual strength…the more we fight…the stronger we become…and then fighting gets easier…and becomes not just what we do…but becomes who we are…and then we go from just fighting…to warrior…we’re all in a fight…ARE YOU WINNING?

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession among many witnesses.”

1 Timothy 6:12