Tag: people

Refocused

Good morning! How are you?! Enjoying your summer so far I hope. I have missed this.

Distraction. What does it take to become distracted? Is it always something wrong? I suppose if it takes your attention from the Lord, it is an idol in a way. What about discouragement; does discouragement distract you?

It’s distracted me. I’m not going through a process of identity confusion or backsliding. I know truth and I love our faithful Jesus. I’m just discouraged. I’ve let whispers of negativity tie my hands; then allowed busyness to distract me from fighting it. I just lost focus.

I was approached recently by a friend, and she asked me about my writing. She asked if I had written anything recently because she wasn’t getting her email notifications. That was so encouraging, knowing that she eagerly joins me in this journey. [It was also confirming what the Holy Spirit had been stirring in me. I knew I had not written, and I knew I was neglecting this ministry.] But, the part that really stood out to me was that she said she felt like she was experiencing the things that I was writing about and found it encouraging that someone else was too. I found just as much encouragement and comfort in knowing I was not alone in this stuff as she did. It was that same warm, fuzzy feeling I get when you leave comments on the posts, or share encouraging texts and conversations with me. God is good.

So for her- and for the rest of you in this online community God wove together, and for myself- I’m moving forward. Refocusing.

It is difficult. I have to tell you I’ve sat down several times determined to reach out and just couldn’t come up with the words. However, I realized last night I was searching myself for them and not seeking God’s. This makes me feel super vulnerable to admit, but I promised myself I would be authentic through this. So, here I am. Asking for your mercy as well as the Lord’s before I go any further. Hoping that even if you haven’t experienced this before, you can understand what I am describing.

Father, forgive me for being selfish with your gift. Thank you those that push me along in love. Forgive me for neglecting this time together.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14

Now let’s kick that dust off our heels and get to walking together and explore God’s word. I love you and I thank you. Talk to you soon!

Together

Good morning and happy Monday! I hope you had a fun filled, relaxing weekend. I traveled this weekend so I am still trying to get things in gear this morning, as I imagine most of us are on a Monday.

I want to start by saying thank you to all of you for taking this journey with me. I have been absolutely overwhelmed with the love and support I have received from so many people! I know God is faithful, and I know I should not be surprised when he follows through, but I admittedly am floored at the way he has blessed me through this blog.

That being said, I do apologize that it has been over a week since I last wrote. To be honest, the enemy has hit me hard this week. As exciting as this platform is for me, it also scares me. This post is going to sound a little more like a journal entry, but I feel prompted to share this so I am going to be obedient. I know this is a ministry platform, and I know that I am an unlikely person to have one of those.  After all, the biblical character that I most relate to when it comes to my relationship with the Father is Gomer (you can find her story in Hosea). However, our God loves using unlikely people. So, I hope the unlikeliness of me doing this is another piece of evidence of God’s faithfulness and limitless power.

When I sat down Wednesday night, determined to write, nothing came. I read and prayed, and nothing came. I believe it was the distraction of fear circling in my mind as it had been since last weekend. I gave up, came home (from my little spot in the coffee shop I usually write from), and began packing for my trip. Then, it hit me. An anxiety attack. I do not want to give the enemy foothold by explaining the details of what that involves, because that is not the climax of this story. But know, this one was more than just a mental challenge, it was spiritual warfare.

I tried calming down. I prayed and tried talking myself out of it. I couldn’t get ahold of myself. So, I finally decided to call my mother. I didn’t really want to because I knew she would worry and I was embarrassed that I was experiencing this after coming so far in my walk with Christ recently. However, I thought maybe just talking with her could distract me in order for me to come out of this arrest. She picked up and heard my voice shaking on the other end of the line. Then, she began to pray.

Y’all.. I am so thankful for a praying mama. I do not say that to boast, because I understand that it is a rare gift from the Lord that not everyone gets to experience, but I am so thankful that God has given her to me.

As she began to pray, the Holy Spirit communicated directly to me through her. Everything she said were things I was thinking and holding in the depth of my heart that I had not shared with anyone. But as she prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit fighting back in this battle over my mind. As she kept praying, I laid on the floor and the symptoms began to alleviate. A sweet peace rested on me and I experienced moments of what imagine it will feel like in heaven when we have no worry or pain. Thank you, Jesus.

Friends, we need each other. Genesis 2:18 says, “The Lord God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” I want you to know that God has used you to confirm that I am walking down the right path in this. He used my mother as a vessel for the Holy Spirit to speak in the way that commanded my attention. We are created for relationship. First for relationship with the Father, then with each other. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” Mark 12:30-31. We are not meant to walk through life alone. God wants us to lean on and learn from each other.

Please don’t misunderstand that I am encouraging you to seek counsel with man first. Always take things to the Father, first. But, allow God to bless you with other people to do life with. Community is so important.

“For where two or three gather in My name, there I am with them.” Matthew 18:20

My prayer for you today is that you have multiple relationships in your life that encourage spiritual health. If you are struggling thinking of one, pray that God brings someone into your life. I will stand in agreement with you, and in the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I love all of you and I am thankful for each of you.