Held

"The deliverance starts when we are no longer impressed by the size of our problem [because that is when we don't fear]." - Pastor Bill Johnson (words in brackets are mine)

God-inspired afterthought ...

"As we are not to be impressed with the problem or the size of it, it speaks to where we walk when we remain level headed after seeing that the enemy has fled. For, when we understand our divine authority, we are more aware of the fact that evil is SUPPOSED to be the intimidated ... not us." - Scripture reference Psalm 3 "And the Lord is saying, 'Let ME be who I AM for you.' "

I STILL AGREE

This is a Facebook post of mine from almost exactly two years ago. The thing I'm consistently able to say as I repost old posts is, "I STILL AGREE!" This never fails, and the reason why this is so impressive -- even relieving -- to me is that there can be many ups and downs in a day ... let alone within the span of a year. The way I feel right now may not be the way I feel an hour from now, and I'm able to say that I still agree with things I've posted years ago? This makes me smile, especially because these have been words of substance, and to be able to still stand in agreement with them is a mark of consistency.

This is certainly not a toot toot of my own horn but a reflective praise to God for keeping me as He's shown me the ropes of what being at the end of my rope means for Him and me ... greater trust in Him, which, for me, leads to higher spiritual heights/deeper spiritual depths, whichever way you want to put it.

PEOPLE AND PRAYER IN THE PROCESS

To think about where my head has been at some moments and on some days, I'm in amazement of God's keeping fortitude. I'm truly grateful that He's continuing to help me appreciate PROCESS ... and the messy kind, to boot! Yes, the highs are mixed in with the lows, but I think my bottom line here is that I want both my highs and lows to be overly familiar with my God and His reach to me through love and support of others. One of these "others" is my husband who's such an impressive sounding board for me. He's proven, since our before-marriage days, that I can share anything with him and he'll handle my words with a cool-ness that reassures he's not going anywhere just because things aren't stellar or going the way we may falsely think they should go.

I was chatting with some close girlfriends of mine, and we were talking about challenges we have. I shared with them that what's beautifully amazing in all that we as godly women go through is God's faithfulness throughout our experiences (the whole gambit). Additionally and wonderfully refreshing is that God doesn't require that we mask our struggle but that we acknowledge what it is and not feel spiritually lesser when we need to be aided or uplifted by community. I believe He's pleased when His people are candid and humble, for this is what He models for us through Jesus. We're better for the pain, the challenges, and the struggle if we're open to receiving help through them, that we might gain a testimony of navigation that'll pick somebody else up and encourage them on their path.

Also, in this season where prayer has taken a different face (in my mind/heart's eye) and has put on a cape in my life, I'm finding that this privilege afforded me is certainly more than a tic on a to-do list, something I can tell others I'll do for them, or a Christian past time to keep me off the hell-bound train. It's an access point that requires my way of life to relax its shoulders, fasten its grip around this metaphorical machete, and get tuh slicin' as it clears the air and stirs up trouble at the same time. So, my choice to pray reflects a heart willing to let God lead ... in all things.

NARROW MY FOCUS

Another thing that recent life is teaching me is to narrow my focus and do what I can to cut down on the crazy. The other day I was at the gym doing crunches and noticed, on the t.v. screen in front of me, that the gym afforded me the luxury of knowing what was showing on six channels all at the same time (all on one t.v.). NAW! UHN UHN! This was not a luxury for me because I had too many options ... too many things to try and keep up with at the same time ... sensory OVERLOAD was my short-lived experience with that t.v. before I decided to turn away from it. Give me one channel, please and thank you ... just one.

This need transfers over to this space in which God is doing something tremendous in me. As I was telling one of my close girlfriends recently, I don't know how this process in me is looking, but it sure feels messy sometimes. However, God started it -- and I know He's gonna' bring me to a tipping point where glorious benefits will run over my brim and bless the socks off of many (these socks-off blessings have already begun, actually).

As I've written in other posts, my perpetual prayer is, "Lord, keep me most aware of You at all times." In the midst of being a wife, a mom, a school teacher, and one beggar who shows other beggars where I've found bread, God needs to be my focal point. Away with busying myself to know what's showing on the other channels. I stay sane as I keep my heart attuned to and my eyes on the God channel, for on His channel are all of the reminders of how to gracefully navigate through my responsibilities.

GOD-KISSED LITTLE GIRL

I hit these increasing God-kissed moments when I look forward to casting my cares on Him ... remembering that I'm His little girl and that I've got a BIG DAD who wants me to ever know that His capability to save, keep, comfort, and handle the responsibility of being my DAD is unceasing and un-toppable. Nobody's better at it than He.

I love you, GOD.

(This song came to mind during the process of typing this post.)

#Held #Process #Help #IStillAgree #NarrowFocus