I AM

 

 

I feel Your breath within the breeze

I know You're breathing life in me

A shattered heart

Placed in Your hands

Putting my trust

in the Great I AM

Your loving voice

Calls out to me

"You shall know the Truth

and it will set you free."

You reveal to me

All who You are

"I AM your All in All

The Bright Morning Star

I AM Agape Love

My anger is slow

I AM the God of Compassion

Lover of your soul

 

I AM the Whisperer

That gently speaks to You

I AM Alpha and Omega

I came to make things new

I AM Mercy and Grace

Forgiver of your sins

I AM the Most High

I will stand in your defense

 

I AM your Comfort

Your Provider, Your Friend

A Faithful Father

My love never ends

I AM Wisdom

Your Shepherd, your Guide

I AM the God who sees

Every tear you've cried

I AM your Hiding Place

Your Rest, your Calm

I AM your Safe Shelter

From every storm

I AM your Hope

I AM Faithful and True
The Author of your life

Who came to deliver you

I AM the Bread of Life

The filler of your heart

The God of new beginnings

Who gives you a fresh start

 

I AM the Light of the world

The One to be revealed

I AM the Prince of Peace

I AM the God who heals

I AM your Redeemer

The only One who saves

The perfect Lamb of God

For you, is why I came

I AM the Resurrection

I AM Absolute Truth

The Anointed and Chosen One

Who has chosen you

I AM the Vine

Living Water for your soul

Refreshing comes from Me

I AM the God who makes you whole"

Such depth to who You truly are

In awe – I humbly stand

My everything, my every need

Found in You, the great I AM!

True Beauty

"We have to STOP agreeing with what the world has said about us while it exploits us: We are only as good as we are sexually desirable." ~Beth Moore

From early on, young girls are subliminally trained to "use what you've got to get what or who you want" ... For those who don't feel they measure up to what society portrays as a woman, life can be an ongoing body image struggle resulting in eating disorders and depression.  Sadly, life's goal becomes minimalized to squeezing into a size 0. 

This is NOT what the Lord intends for His daughters.  It is an ugly lie from the enemy that is embedded in us as women.  It has infiltrated us to the point of "normal" - where we don't even recognize how non-stop we are bombarded with it.  It is a clever decoy to keep us focused on everything but who we are called as women to be in Christ. 

Feeling beautiful, the need to feel beautiful is okay, but Hollywood does not define true beauty. 

"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful." 1 Peter 3:4-5

Not only are we bombarded with "image based" worth, but men are seeing the very same thing and getting a warped sense of who a real woman really is, expecting us to live up to unattainable ideals.  Fact of the matter is, we ALL, men and women alike, are being deceived into a false reality all in order to keep us flesh conscious.  If the enemy can keep us there, we will not be walking in the spirit ~ where our true worth is found. 

"Perfect love casts out fear."  This whole issue is fear based.  Fear of not measuring up, fear of rejection, fear of being unwanted, fear of being second best...  I pray that we all can get to the point where we allow Christ's perfect love to penetrate every broken part so we can walk in wholeness ~ viewing ourselves the way He intended.

"But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7 MSG)

Veils

I scurried around the kitchen taking care of my children’s hunger while worshipping along with the music on my laptop.   Suddenly I had to come to a dead halt, not knowing that MY "hunger" would be met that afternoon.  Leaning onto my elbows on the counter, eyes shut ~ the One being worshipped reached down to touch me: depositing into me the only way to feed my longing to know Him more intimately.

“…the veil of the temple was torn in two.” (Luke 23:45)

Ultimately the veil has already been torn for our free access to God, where we can come BOLDLY to Him, but we hang our self constructed veils that keep us from confidently approaching Him.

I see Jesus, just the lower half of Him (in a white robe).   His hands outstretched beckoning one to come to Him…

A woman, behind a white veil – sheepishly, she pokes her head around to see Him.   She knew Him. He knew her.  That was evident.

As she made her way to Him, there were rows of veils to maneuver around.   Each veil had a name: Shame, hurt, bitterness, resentment, anger, guilt, abuse, abandonment: All in which were blocking her from coming to Him FULLY.  She longed to be with Him, but these veils…

She loves Him and is in relationship with Him.   She is a worshipper… but she only presents to Him the “pretty” parts ~ ashamed of those unhealed areas of her life.  

We think these veils protect us.  We shy away because of shame.   We even unconsciously doubt His acceptance because of false perceptions of our worth due to what we’ve been through or because of earthly relationships that have caused us deep pain.

The most intimate relationships are born out of being vulnerable to share your whole “story.”   This is why He is calling.  He longs for all of you and He knows the healing power His presence brings. Beloved, He is beckoning you…

Longing for a love exchange

Abandoned and free

I anticipate our togetherness

As you make your way to Me

 

Suddenly you cower

From Me, your eyes divert

Veils drape around you

Tailored by years of hurt

I see the shackles tighten

Binding up your heart

You hold from Me the broken

Only giving Me a part

 

A part of who you really are

A portion of your soul

I need to embrace it all

To mend and make you whole

 

Restoration only comes

To places you let Me touch

Press past your own resistance

I’m the One who you can trust

Anxiously I beckon you

As a husband to his bride

To make your way again

Confidently by My side

Recklessly abandoned

To My arms you quickly run

Cradled in My acceptance…

Veils dropping… one by one

Be Still

                               

 

 

Burdened by life's challenges.  Overwhelmed by surrounding pressures. Moments of anxiety convincing you that "down" is the only direction your life will spiral...  

"Be still and know that I am God."  Psalm 46:10

This Scripture, so simple and yet so difficult.  It's hard for us to wrap our minds around surrendering what appears insurmountable to someone else.  Our worry gives us a twisted sense of control and we can't fathom victory in our lives apart from our own efforts. I mean after all this is BIG stuff we're faced with, but all of the stress and loss of sleep isn't quite working for us, is it?

 

Be still.  Part of the literal translation is "to let drop, let go, release."  We need to drop our hands from fruitless, fleshly efforts, let go of the worry that torments our minds, and release it to Him.  KNOWING that He is God takes the pressure off of our shoulders to be in control and allows Him to take over supernaturally.   

Yes, the giants in our life are big, but God is bigger!  

Be still...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKb54tu4gG0&feature=related

Peace

Abuse endured by another?  Life is a roller coaster that never comes to a halt.  Cycle of confusion spins so fast that contentment can never take root.  It may not leave outward bruises and scars, but the inward “soul scarring” is a pain that doesn’t just go away with a Band-Aid and time.

 

Or is it a battle  all your own?  The war of inward struggles and pain from past choices.  The guilt and torment of regret and sadness never lets up... a daily chokehold.  You are surviving but you are far from living.  Your day becomes about holding it together for the sake of hiding it from those around you, but inside you are far from okay.

 

Only the One who made us can restore us back to wholeness. In the midst of your raging storm, I pray you look to Him ~ where your release and your peace is found.

Peace

Crashing waves

Bruise my shore

Howling winds

Blow in once more

Torrential rains

Pelt my skin

Lightning bolts

Come again

Turbulent waters

Staggered stance

Cycle repeated

In this dying dance

 

Trembling knees

Strike the ground

Eyes glance up

To where help is found

 

An instant hush

The storm to cease

All at once

A soul at peace…

Easter Story

Twelve men left all and followed Him

Miracles they had seen

They watched Him heal all who were sick

Those with unclean spirits were made clean

But one follower named Judas Iscariot

Betrayed Him with a kiss

Handed Him over to the chief priests

To be scourged and put to death

He was mocked by those that held Him

Asking Him, “So, are You the Christ?”

“You wouldn’t believe Me if I told you,” He said

For they accused Him of speaking lies

“Are you the Son of God?” they stammered

He responded, “Yes, I am He”

Accusations of blasphemy filled the land

An act deserving the death penalty

They all condemned Him to be put to death

As they struck Him and spit in His face

Even one of His disciples whom He loved very much

Denied ever seeing His face

Carrying Him away; they delivered Him to Pilate

“Are you the King of the Jews?” Pilate sneered

“You say rightly that I am a King,” Jesus said

“But My kingdom is not from here.”

Jesus, the Christ, and Barabbas, a murderer

Stood before the multitude

By custom one prisoner could be released

The one whom the people choose

“Away with this Man; release to us Barabbas,”

Insistently the people cried

“Then what shall I do with Jesus, the Christ?”

They shouted, “Let Him be crucified.”

A purple robe they placed on His body

A crown of thorns twisted on His head

“Hail, King of the Jews,” they mocked

As blood streamed from His head

His back took brutal beatings

His head they struck with a rod

Spitting into His face they scorned

“Save Yourself if You’re the Son of God!”

He didn’t fight back to prove who He was

For He knew His hour had arrived

To fulfill the very purpose for why He had come

For a lost people He would have to die

As they drove the cold nails in His hands and feet

His body exposed for all to view

Jesus cried, “Father, forgive them”

“For they know not what they do.”

Blasphemous words echoed throughout

Gross darkness encamped the land

And with His last breath He shouted aloud

“Father, I commit My spirit into Your hands.”

On the third day since His burial

An angel descended from Heaven

The earth quaked; the stone rolled away

The tomb was empty, for Jesus had risen

Two women mourned nearby the tomb

For they thought His body had been stole

The angel approached them and declared

“Rejoice, for He has arose!”

Quickly they fled to tell the disciples

Their hearts filled with great joy and fear

Some of them rejoiced while others doubted

And then in their midst Jesus appeared

They fell at His feet and worshipped

As He blessed them with His hands

“Go into all the world and tell them of Me,

I won’t be back ‘til it’s reached every land.”

“Remember you're not of this world

If you've received Me as your Lord

Be not like the world; keep from all evil

So that you may receive the final reward.”

“It’s time for Me to leave now,

You must carry out My ministry

I give you the authority to be My hands and feet

With My name you’ll set many free.”

“For it won’t be long before I return

For those who live for Me

They are who I will take as My bride

To Heaven for eternity.”

“Keep watch for the hour is so near

Be prepared to meet Me again

For in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye

As I am now, I will appear again.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY0mjjmx8Y

"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:8

Work In Progress

We are a work in progress.  The "cracks" in the sidewalk of our life can become a fertile place of growth if we turn our perspective around. The person we are, the circumstances we face, are all part of our journey.  It's human nature to get frustrated when our life appears to be producing more weeds than flowers.  We need to rejoice in the growth rather than get discouraged that we are not yet in full bloom.  :)
 

Father, You are the Master Gardener.  We give You ourselves. We submit to the pruning process so that we can bear the fruit that You desire to see in our lives... Amen.