My Testimony This Week

As you all know, this past week and a half has been extremely challenging for me. I have been the sickest I have ever been. It all started when I passed out at work. From there I have been in and out of urgent care twice and the ER once. After tons of tests done they were not able to find anything. So the only thing I knew to do was turn to the Lord. I woke up on Tuesday morning and could barely move, my body was so weak but I remembered these healing scriptures that I have in a picture frame that is hanging on my bathroom wall. At first, I didn't have the strength to read them out loud so I began reading them to myself. As I was reading them, I began to get some strength. I kept reading until I was able to say the scriptures out loud. I started proclaiming God's healing prayer and right after I was finished praying I was able to get out of bed and move around. It was seriously a miracle! Not long after that, I got my total strength back but was still struggling with ear pressure. I went back to the Dr. after doing some research on it and she told me that I have fluid behind my ear (which makes you feel off balance and dizzy) I am so glad to have found some answers to a few of my symptoms. I still do not know why I felt the way I did last week but I do know that prayer works! Thank you all so much for all your prayers and support this past week. Please continue to pray as now my mom is sick (stomach issues) and my grandpa is in the hospital. We are praying for no serious diseases in either of them! Thanks again! Happy Easter!

2011 Women of Faith - CONFERENCE

I want to go to this conference, anyone want to join me?

Francesca Battistelli- It's Your Life

Delay is not Denial

A delay is not a denial from God
by Rick Warren


These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)
"Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go."

The Bible is filled with examples of how God uses a long process to develop character, especially in leaders. He took eighty years to prepare Moses, including forty in the wilderness. For 14,600 days Moses kept waiting and wondering, "Is it time yet?" But God kept saying, "Not yet."

Contrary to popular book titles, there are no Easy Steps to Maturity or Secrets of Instant Sainthood. When God wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years, but when he want to make a mushroom, he does it overnight. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process. James advised, "Don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed." (James 1:4, Msg)

Don't get discouraged. When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn't think God was acting quickly enough, God had this to say: "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" (Habakkuk 2:3, LB)

Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. Years ago people wore a popular button with the letters PBPGINFWMY. It stood for "Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet." God isn't finished with you, either, so keep moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering!

In what area of your spiritual growth do you need to be more patient and persistent?

Wisdom

Today's devtional by Rick Warren is great. It is a great reminder that when we need guidance and clarity then all we have to do is ask for God's wisdom and he will give it to us.

Need wisdom? Just ask.
by Rick Warren


"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5 NIV)
Need wisdom? We all do. And the good news is that God wants to give it to you. He is eager to do so.

Just like it pleased God when Solomon asked for wisdom (1 Kings 3:7-14), it pleases God when we ask for wisdom. It's God's nature to give. He is a giving God.

The Bible says in James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (NIV)

This verse says three things about how God gives wisdom. He does so:

Continually. "Ask God who gives ..." In Greek this is in the continuous tense. He keeps on giving. He doesn't run out of energy. He never wears out.

Generously. God's resources are unlimited. He has enough resources for everyone. He's got plenty of wisdom to go around.

Cheerfully. James says God gives "without finding fault." God loves to give. It's in his nature to give! Don't get embarrassed to ask. He wants to give you wisdom!

Where do you need wisdom? Got a big decision coming with your career, your marriage, or your kids? God wants to help. He has wisdom to offer. But remember what James says. If you want wisdom from God, you've got to ask! If you ask, he'll give it.

That's a promise!

A God-Fashioned Life

I was reading my devotional this morning and it was so inspiring because I have been going through a season of waiting and resting on the Lord. It is very tempting in those moments to get frustrated and impatient and think that God is not listening or working behind the scenes. But the truth is, he is! We just have to realize that God is more interested in building and shaping our Character than he is in fulfilling our prayers. We just have to keep the right perspective and when we do then God is right there to bless us! Here is the devotional from today:

A God-Fashioned Life
by Rick Warren

Take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:22-24 (MSG)
"God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. "

Many religions and New Age philosophies promote the old lie that we are divine or can become gods. Let me be absolutely clear: you will never become God, or even a god.

That prideful lie is Satan's oldest temptation. Satan promised Adam and Eve that if they followed his advice, "you shall be as gods." (Genesis 3:5 KJV)

This desire to be a god shows up every time we try to control our circumstances, our future, and people around us. But as creatures, we will never be the Creator. God doesn't want you to become a god; he wants you to become godly, taking on his values, attitudes, and character. We are meant to "take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you." (Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG)

God's ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone.

God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn't want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality.

God wants you to develop the kind of character described in the Beatitudes of Jesus, the fruit of the Spirit, Paul's great chapter on love, and Peter's list of the characteristics of an effective and productive life. (Matthew 5:1-12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13; 2 Peter 1:5-8)

Every time you forget that character is one of God's purposes for your life, you will become frustrated by your circumstances. You'll wonder, "Why is this happening to me? Why am I having such a difficult time?" One answer is that life is supposed to be difficult! It's what enables us to grow. Remember, earth is not heaven!

Many Christians misinterpret Jesus' promise of the "abundant life" (John 10:10) to mean perfect health, a comfortable lifestyle, constant happiness, full realization of your dreams, and instant relief from problems through faith and prayer.

In a word, they expect the Christian life to be easy. They expect heaven on earth.

This self-absorbed perspective treats God as a genie who simply exists to serve you in your selfish pursuit of personal fulfillment. But God is not your servant, and if you fall for the idea that life is supposed to be easy, either you will become severely disillusioned or you will live in denial of reality.

Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God's purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on earth when he's planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.

Defining Moments

We often think of Defining Moments to be something good and exciting that has happened to us, like getting married or graduating from school. Unfortunately, most of the defining moments in my life how come out of what I thought were horrible disappointments. I have been reflecting on things in my life that at the time when I experienced them I thought they were awful. Here is one of those moments.

When I was 19 years old I was living in Nashville TN pursuing music. I kept facing one difficult challenge after another. I was becoming more and more sucked into the music scene and all that that lifestyle entails. It's fascinating how quickly you can fall for anything if you aren't standing for something. I decided I was going to apply for Belmont, the music school in Nashville. That would be a way for me to pursue music in a much better atmosphere. I told myself that was going to be my last straw. I had everything riding on getting into this school. I finally was told that I wasn't accepted. I don't think anyone truly knew how disappointing that was for me. I was so devastated and basically thought everything was over for me.

A few months after being rejected from the school I started praying again. Isn't it sad that we go to God more in our down times instead of happy times. After journaling for awhile and reflecting on what it was that God really wanted for me, that I started having a desire for Fashion. Within that month, I found FIDM in Los Angeles and got accepted into the school. It's amazing how God redirects your life. I would have never moved to LA if I would have got into Belmont. At the time, I couldn't see what the Lord was doing but now that I look back on it, it makes perfect sense. His plan is perfect! Since then, when I face disappointing circumstances in my life, I try to reflect on that moment and realize that God is bringing something bigger and better than I could ever imagine my way. Now today, I wouldn't have wanted to go to Belmont. I am exactly where I want to be.....The thing is I just didn't know it at the time but God did!