God Heals Hurts

Everyone at some point has to face hurts. I've faced quite a few. Recently I've been hurt quite a bit by my church. I've felt like I've been all alone aside from God. I kept seeking Him and praying and just trying to get through it...and it doesn't hurt so bad anymore. I don't feel so alone. I feel like my friends actually love me. I'm able to respond to them and accept how they feel about me instead of feeling like I'm alone even if I've just been taking to 5 different people about what I'm struggling with and having them encourage me and tell me how much they care about me. Things have changed. I feel different. I feel loved and cared about. I feel like I have a place and a purpose. It took time to get here, but I know that there were things that I had to learn before I got here...if only I knew what they were...

God Gives Direction

Sometimes when we are about to do something that we shouldn't do, God comes and corrects us and tells us not to do that. Even though it may seem good to us, it really is not. His plan is bigger than we can understand and greater than we can hope. He shows us what we should do and then lets us decide if we want to listen. When we listen we can count on His blessing to be there, even if we don't see it right away. He will guide us and teach us which way to go.

Don't Give Up

'Don't give up.' It's the one thing I very distinctly remember God telling me this morning. So don't give up. As tough as things get, as hard as it seems, don't give up. God has something planned with this. Don't give up.

I Am Glad

I am glad that what needs to be done is not accomplished by my power. I am glad that I do not live on my own strength. I am glad that I am saved by his power and not by my deeds.

The Best

Rom 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (English Standard Version)

Rom 8:28 That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. (Message)

God has the best for each and every one of us.

A Jared Update

So I woke up around 2 am. Wanted to just go back to sleep, but after a couple minutes I felt wide awake and I kept asking God whether or not He wanted me to go online. So I go online and Jared is online as usual, so I talk to Jared. We talk for a while and I keep telling him to pray through stuff and he's only able to pray it in his head. Like he very literally couldn't speak...kind of good we were on MSN. ;) So I start getting sort of freaked out and I message a friend of mine who sometimes sleeps with his AOL on. So I message my friend 3 times and then he tells me he just woke up. So I let him in on what's going on. After a while my friend mentions that he thinks something has been concealed. I agree and proceed to ask Jared if he's lied to me at all simply because I knew something was missing from the equation. So out comes the missing component and within minutes he was able to complete any of the prayers I had originally instructed him to pray out loud. Incredible! So basically my update is that we have made progress in conquering the demonic. Jared is on the road to freedom. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Continue to pray for Jared, that he may find friends in his local community that will encourage and support him and also that he will be connected with a ministry that will help him realize his full freedom in Christ. Also pray for his strength and wisdom so that he will be able to have victory during any future demonic attacks. Thank you to those who have alread started praying for him.

Hope

Proverbs 23:18 (New International Version)
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Special People

There are times in our lives when God sends us special people. Jamie Mahan is one of those people. She is an absolutely wonderful woman of God. She has been a huge encouragement to me and she has helped me through many difficult times. She's been an inspiration. And if there is anyone, ANYONE who can get me to do what is right without even trying it is her. She is amazing and she amazes me. She has a heart after God and she does her best. She's a good listener and she does her best to follow instructions. I can't wait to see what God is raising her up to be. Jamie, sis, I love you.

Ha!Ha! I embarassed you, didn't I? *hugs and kisses*

Provision

I notice constantly as time continues to drift on by that God blesses me and others continueally. I don't think it is so much a matter of whether or not God is blessing us, but really a matter of if we are noticing that blessing. Time and time again in the past few months I have been given, money, cd's, and clothing. It has been great because I have gotten some really cute pieces of clothes without having to spend any cash. Which for me is very great because I am trying to save for school. As time passes I am able to recognize and trust more in God's timing. It's wonderful.

A Cautionary Tale:
I know someone who was a very hard work and he would constantly give more than his tithe to the poor. He didn't attend a church normally so he didn't have a place that he felt compelled to tithe to, which is why tithing to the less fortunate then himself came naturally to him. He was greatly blessed by God. After a relatively short period of being employed he recieved a part time job. After a short time of working there he received a pay raise and full-time work. And shortly after that he received another raise. Within 6 months of working there he had received full-time employment, 2 pay raises and multiple $5 coupons for books. And yet, because of his lack of stewardship he spent the money on things that he shouldn't and from time to time went hungry. He would constantly complain that he wasn't making enough and that he didn't have enough and that he wasn't receiving or blessed, but it was very clear to me that he was very blessed, he was simply spending his money in all the wrong places.

Jesus kisses my forehead

so, being single as i am God likes to do things every once and a while that are romantic. like all those pretty sunsets. so today as i was hanging out in my bed listening to my radio God kept kissing my forehead and my cheeks. it's nice to know that i don't have to wait till i'm with someone for romantic things to happen. God pursues me! and i love spending time with Him.

Protection

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Psalms 34:7

The Lord is our protector. We don't need to worry about where our help comes from because God will provide that help for us and give us the wisdom to use it properly.

Life

Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.

Aren't you glad we are made righteous through Christ?

BREAKTHROUGH!

PRAISE GOD! BREAKTHROUGH! BREAKTHROUGH! BREAKTHROUGH! So, I wasn't working tonight, but I decided I wanted to be at church anyways. Best decision I ever made! (Well, other than accepting Christ in the first place.) So I'm there sitting in the second row listening to him speak. And he starts talking about how there are certain spiritual laws that work everytime and that we can apply them to our lives. And he mentions something about demons and that he has chosen to believe that they are not able to attack him. And I was like...really? Is it that simple? I was even tempted to interupt him and ask. But I waited patiently as he spoke about how it was so frustrating for him to know how to hear God's voice because it took him 11 years! And I was like...well it's only been like 6 months for me, but I totally get what he's saying.
So after the service I went and I asked him about demons and whether or not it was really that simple to get rid of them. So we get into a bit of a discussion which results in me deciding to read his book. And I am also extatic because he said that if no one at my church would pray for me then I could come down to Buffalo and he would have someone do the ministry with me there! So this leaves me so extatic that I run to tell Beck and I'm shaking cuz I'm so happy. So after I talk to Beck I end up talking to Gill, which started out as a disappointing conversation, but when she asked me why I was so bothered I told her about how frustrated I've been with cell leaders and how there have been so many problems with them and how I was wondering why it couldn't be more simple. And I told her about the whole praying through deliverance thing and she said she'd meet with me next week to do it! BREAKTHROUGH! And all night I've been saying praise God and breakthrough! What a long waited answer to pray that was!

Shelter

God will remove all of our shelters so that He can shelter us.

Wow!

God has sent me on a mission.
I have some great news for you.
God has sent me to restore and release something.
And that something is you.
I am here to give you back your heart and set you free.
I am furious at the Enemy who did this to you, and I will fight against him.
Let me comfort you.
For, dear one, I will bestow beauty upon you
where you have known only devestation.
Joy, in the places of your deep sorrow.
And I will robe your heart in thankful praise
in exchange for your resignation and despair.
Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge p 95

Remember

But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

God's Perfect Timing

Again and again I have heard about God's timing and the fact that we must wait for God's timing. I have heard it, but I have not known how to live it. I have been facing this constant struggle trying to find some God-centred solution to my problems? And what has happened? I've grown. I've matured. But have I found a solution? No. FRUSTRATION! But through all this I have kept in mind God's timing. And recently I've become more and more relaxed and am striving less and less as this message sinks deeper and deeper. Now, what makes this message sink deeper has nothing to do with me. Oh no. It is God's timing. Yup, I am seeing over and over again how as I patiently (or not so patiently) wait that God is bit by bit putting the pieces together and making them fit. No work on my part. No effort. Now, this is probably because my problem is beyond my ability to solve, but it is nice that I can 'sit back' and let God take care of it. Let's face it, there are some things that I'm just not able to do. But with God all things are possible.