Lessons From The Dentist & Jesus

What started out as an ordinary dental check up turned into a spiritual and life lesson…

As the dentist was showing him how he should be brushing his teeth, the pressure to use the stroking motion, the man replied, “But, I don’t feel like I’m doing enough”.  “Precisely!” exclaimed the Dentist.  “You’ve been doing too much, and as a result, your gum line is receding terribly.  All you need to do is be consistent, gentle and thorough. “

Amen and Amen! What if that were it?

What if we stopped trying to do to succeed and accomplish, but risking ruining present goodness?

What if we remained consistent, gentle and thorough, and were doing more than enough?

It doesn’t matter that the rest of the world is in a wild “Rat Race”.  

My husband, the same man in that dentist chair that day, said tonight, “There is strength in numbers, yes, but there is no faith.  Don’t do what everyone else is doing, just for the sake of being apart, but do what God is calling you to do, and have peace in that”.

What if God is just calling us to not go all out, all the time, but just remain consistent, gentle and thorough in all areas of our lives? Couldn’t you just feel the joy arising in you in this moment to think it?

We will never arrive, so what are we striving so hard for?

Rest. Be. Go for a walk outdoors on your lunch break. Take your shoes off and walk in the grass barefoot.  Ride on a rollercoaster. Sit with a book. A steaming cup of coffee or tea. Let the dishes in the sink be, and just go and sit with your family, and enjoy the present of the present! See those faces, alive and well.  Dream together. Play together. Be together. Enjoy this life that Jesus died to give you, because, Hallelujah, you have it! That’s more than some can say in this moment.

No amount of striving, accomplishing and succeeding can prove what you already are…a beloved, and blessed child of the Most High God.  He adores you, even if you never did another thing, and His is the only opinion and blessing that matters, anyway! The rest is just icing!  Now go eat that cake! 

In His Love, 

Amy O

On Your Remarks, Reset...Go!

We finally got to the car, and on our way. My harsh tone and hurrying words still hung in the air. 

How is you can be minutes from an awakening to life and breath, new mercies and new day, (Lamentations 3:22-23) filled with God's limitless compassion, yet still choose to be and do so much of the "old you" that includes none of that/His wonder and beauty? 

Her beautiful, clear blue eyes looked out the window taking in the world and the glories of God in it. (Isaiah 6:3) His glory standing out before her, but in me, through me, through my words and actions, can she behold any of His glory?

It’s a simple question and my eyes well up.  It seems the only question that continually keeps coming up for me.  And in this, I know God is stretching me again. Stretching, growing, directing, loving me forward, because, He loves me too much to leave me the same.  When will that revelation ever stick?

I pray often, “God help me to be a blessing to You and Your Kingdom.” And, maybe in one of these opportune moments, I will stop and re-think my go-to emotions, reactions, words, and tone, and remind myself that the very platform to change the world I’ve been asking for all along, is not the one in my grand vision, but the very place He’s given unto me that I abide in day in and day out, right now. In my home. With my family.

Every moment He has given, and gives, is an opportunity to do just this…glorify Him. I have a choice to live more like Him, in every moment. Because that is where He is. In the moment.  Ever my refuge and strength. My very present help in time of need.  (Psalm 46:1) 

Every moment I need Him.

My weaknesses may be abundant. But this is actually hopeful. Because He says “My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

And there it is, the greatest truth…in needing Him, I am strong. 

And there in the car, before we got to our destination, before another moment passed, His still small voice whispering, “Let your gentleness be evident to all. I am near”. (Philippians 4:5), I claimed a victory for my Savior, whom I long to glorify so! 

For above all the appointments, feelings, places, problems, and fears, there is one thing that must ring clear above all of the worldly distraction. This is The Lord proclaiming, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:9)

And I stammered, but said, “Beloved.  God just showed me that I haven’t been nice. He’s asking me to be nicer. Please forgive me?”  Because what good is it to tell her to be nice and to be a blessing, if she doesn’t know that God with us, above me, doesn’t hold me accountable too? If He loves me to it, so I must also love her through it!

She looked at me in the rear view mirror. Between glances, I could feel the grace and love of God pierce through me, with those beautiful eyes. She looked into my spirit, and forgave. Fresh from Heaven and Grace Himself, she loves freely.  And I think sometimes those clear blue eyes can see eternity still.   

My God, He’s showing me how to live through her.  There is so much to learn from this beautiful child of God. To dance, to laugh, to sing, to shout, to run, to play, but mostly to love.  Her highest priorities are His. And so mine must be!

And to forgive myself and move forward in Him and With Him…Well, it must be done. Every moment is an opportunity to choose better, to exercise the fruit of the spirit to greater strength within me.  Love, Joy, Peace, Forbearance, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control (Galatians 5:22-23). 

He is these. He is in me. I have Christ in me. I can be more like Christ in me. 

And I leave you with God’s Word from 1 Thessalonians 5 to encourage you as you move forward and keep looking up, Ya’ll. Be blessed! You are His Beloved, In Whom He is well pleased!

Love in Him,
Amy O

^{For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awak or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing....but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else...Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.}

P.S. Later that same day....

Dream, Dream, Now Go!

So…I’ve been fearful (yes - seems to be a pattern). And yes, it’s caused me to be in distraction and procrastination – for a long time.

But then God has sent me pretty big messages yesterday, and He brought me back to these words, a number of times.  As I lay in bed last night and shared these words with my husband, tears began to flow down, as I realized how very much they applied….

The biggest thieves to the fulfillment of your dreams are the distractions that come your way. Your vision has to be compelling enough to cause you to run with it. It requires organizing every routine around the vision as your central focus. Failure to do so will cause the vision to die in the dream stage because activities that do not contribute to the achievement of your vision will keep you from your destination. ~ Dr Mark Chironna

"It’s very important to know where the line is between faith and presumption. Go and stand as close to that line as possible. Some of us are so scared of being presumptuous that the place where we’re occupying is really a place of unbelief. There’s territory in, around and in front of you that belongs to you but you’re not occupying it because you’re scared of making a mistake. God is not worried about your presumption. He’s concerned about your unbelief." ~Graham Cooke

Listening to music and an enlightening thought occurs to me: God does not see me the way I do. I can be such a mess. I am chaotic. I am restless. I am random. And wandering. But He sees order. He sees purpose. He sees perfection and pure love. And just like that, I am once again in awe of my Creator. ♥ Forgiven. Beloved. Hidden in Christ. Made in the image of the Giver of Life. Righteous and holy. Reborn and remade. Accepted and worthy, this is my new name. ♥ ~ Godstrong Women

Wow! These, such words of wisdom calling to me in my self-imposed rut. Providing a light in the darkness, which I’ve chosen to surround myself with.  It reminds me of the quote from Anais Nin “And the day came where the risk to remain tight in a bud became far greater than the risk it took to blossom.” That describes me on the precipice of this step forward in God. How about you?

As you can see, it’s been pretty quiet here on the blog and on the writing front lately. I lost confidence in my ability to write and bring God glory. It always seems someone has always “said it better”.  Despite those around me encouraging me to write, and affirming how much it blesses them, I still chose not to move forward in what God was calling me to. There will always be a reason or excuse not to.  Writing doesn’t come easily for me.  It seems almost painstaking to put together a post. But I realize if God is calling me to do it, than who am I to not.  Even the Olympic athlete spends years and life perfecting their skills and crafts.  Do we not realize that once God delivers us from our Egypts, there is a desert experience for a time, yes, but there IS a promised land.  We can all choose to remain, or just go move forward. Even if we circle the mountain a few times or a few years, the Promised Land is still there. Promised. Waiting for us. We just need to make the choice to step in (and yes up to the chest sometimes) But blessing will come! Because there is something for only you to be and do for Jesus in the life.  One of my favorite lines in the movie Lord of the Rings is when Galadriel says “This task has been appointed to you, if you do not find a way, no one will”.  And Gandalf echoes as well “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”.  Our God says in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].” He also says in Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

So here I go….

I’ve named my 2013 year.  “FOCUS”.  I will be focusing on writing. I will be focusing on growing more in Christ, and pursuing a revelation of His love for me, and living and breathing out of that love. 

He’s tasked me to be encouraging people through a ministry page on FaceBook.

Keep Looking Up – Encouragement for Everyone. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/KeepLookingUpEncouragementForEveryone

Additionally, I will be beginning a Praise & Coffee Night Bible Study for Women at my home in Danbury, CT this month. Please contact me if you are interested in attending. 

All so very exciting, even though my boots are a-shaking with nervousness on embarking on all of these new faith-propelled endeavors.  May God’s grace, peace and blessing be over all as we move forward confidently in the direction of our dreams, with Him and For Him! For we were all born for such a time as this!  

Father God,

Thank you for the blessed, Holy Spirit-led, anointed and hopeful dreams You’ve given unto each one of us. Father, Thank You for blessing us forward into these unknowns and unchartered territories, even desert looking places at times. We declare we move forward with our eyes on Jesus, committing ourselves unto Him, and glorifying Him and Him alone, and blessing Your Kingdom and Your people. Lord, more of You, less of us, always!  Father, go before us, making ways in the wildernesses and streams in the deserts. Sing over us songs of peace and love as we embark in these territories toward the Promised lands of our dreams that You’ve ordained before time and the world even began in You and Your Word! Thank You for great revelation, for every tool and blessing, for every trial that strengthens, for every wind that blows to strengthen our roots in the One True Vine, You, oh Lord! We declare that we will do mighty things for You and Your glory. We declare that we will make a difference, by being the difference and we are moving forward in faith and confidence in You, Sovereign, Able, Mighty, Gracious, Loving, Caring, Faithful God and Father.

In Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!

Be blessed, Beautiful Children of God,

In His Love ~

Amy O

WARNING: Your Past Has Been Passed

Absently listening as my 3 year old daughter sings along to the Barney and Friends album playing loudly through the car speakers, I entered the highway enroute to yet another destination.

As always my mind was amuck with every thought. I was far from God, trying to take "it all" on my own shoulders once again. Hesitant to stop playing Holy Ghost Junior, I had to stop for a moment to ensure our safety and check my blind spot to merge into oncoming traffic.  As I looked in my rear view mirror I noticed a beautiful sunset disappearing behind us.

I did a double take. This thing of beauty God created for all of us, right there. Stunning. Lovely. Just like Him and His uber-creativity. It must be all that Omnipotent-ness in Him that can do that!

I felt God smile, and then He gently spoke reflections of grace, showing me that many people, including myself, are coming out of a season of Harvest, of blessing.  It looks to them, as if they are now driving forward into barren land, because the fields are being rested and prepared for their next planting. They see a beautiful sunset, a beautiful time behind them and they have trouble continuing forward. After all who really prefers harsh Winters over promising and budding Springs? What we need, myself included is to find peace and rest in Him, knowing He is almighty God, and that there are better sunsets and times ahead that await us.

This walk of life is just that, a walk. One step forward at a time, in faith. Try not to take those "two steps back". Forge forward in faith. Remember, if we always pray so defensively... "God, please heal me. God, please help me. God, please deliver me. God, help these people. God, bless these people. God, please....", we lose sight and innate knowing of how Mighty, Able and Faithful He is.

What we need to do is remember upon all that He is, and praise Him. Praise Him for everything He's helped you through and delivered you from in the past.  Know that if He's done it for you before, done it for Job, done it for Mary, Lazarus and Martha, done it for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and so many others in The Bible, He'll do it for you, again and again and again. Remember, Who's beloved child you are today.  Not your earthly, limited parents, or caretakers, but God Almighty's.

When we walk in peace, hope, faith, and gratefulness for all He is, in this present moment, no matter what the circumstances dictate, He will bring us forward into a new dawning, a new harvest to be blessed with...that ceiling will become the floor! For us, beloved, the greatest part of our journey is in drawing nearer to God in relationship as we live out this one short, gift of life. It's not about what we see as we pass through.

One of my favorite songs is Moving Forward by Free Chapel/Isreal Houghton and New Breed...may it, and it's lyric, bless you today.... (copy and paste the link below into your browser)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvngI_8fpCQ

God, we stand before you tonight. We declare that we surrender our lives to You, and You alone Father.   We acknowledge are past is passed, it's over. We declare we are moving forward with You, Lord. Jesus, please be with my friends reading this prayer. You know every wound, every joy, every fear, every dream. Heal old wounds. Heal new wounds. Rejoice alongside. Alleviate every haunting fear. Fulfill our God-sized dreams in Your timing (and help us be patient in the waiting). Help us all to see the power of Your resurrection this month and year to come. Give us eyes to see where new life springs in our hearts and our fertile soils. Rejuvenate us when we’re weak. We are not looking back.  We declare You are making all things new, and we are following You forward. Let our new sunrise greet us as we move in step with You, in faith in You, forward. We need You Jesus.

In Your Mighty, Able, Powerful, Precious Name We Pray....Amen.

Now Go....Follow Your Loving Daddy Forward into newer and better above all you can ask or think territory.  Don't look back. Just Go!

Isaiah 43:18-19 
“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.” (NIV)

Don’t be afraid to keep moving on,
For what was before, now has gone,
God wants to accomplish so much more,
But we need to move forward in the Lord.
© By M.S. Lowndes, Based on Isaiah 43:18-19

In His Love,

Amy O

Be a Mordecai Presence In An Esther Life

Earlier this year, the Lord spoke to my heart and encouraged me to become more conscious in eating better and exercising.  

Classic stress eater and food lover, I was just not doing anything God glorifying in the area of health, fitness and wellness.

In fact I had such a voracious love of food, I developed a mighty large “food baby”, as was evidenced by my having multiple people, in multiple places ask me when I was expecting. Audacious, you ask? Of course. Did they have reason or grounds to ask? Absolutely.  I was packing a mighty large tire belly!

I was feeling pretty bummed, to be honest. It seemed a lot of work ahead of me, and with no ideas in how to start, I turned to the only person I knew in my life at that time who exhibited any self control in this area at all.  A good friend whom God had led me to years earlier, Ms. J. (As a side note…there is something to be said for praying for God ordained friends and friendships. I literally prayed this woman into my life)

This is a picture of both of us taken 1/2009

There we are.  Short of my self-induced pounds, those smiles are for real. There was A LOT of praying, standing in agreement for things in one another’s lives, and blessings and God given miracles seen and witnessed up until that point. Little did we know we hadn’t and haven't seen anything yet!  

I was much the same weight back then as I was at the beginning of this year.

Ms. J became a Mordecai in my Esther life, the day God called her into it.  She’s never stopped speaking the promises and blessings of God over me, in any area. In fact, although she’s never said it, I imagine that she was praying long before God set it in my heart and mind for me to get healthy, for me to get healthy! No doubt God showed her what He needed her to be in agreement with Him for, over me, long before He ever called me on board with the plan!

In this new journey God was calling me to this year, He used Ms. J to keep reminding me of the great call He placed on my life.  That part of it was, that I am not my own....

I was bought with a price, and the highest price at that, when Jesus purchased all of me on that cross on Calvary some thousands of years ago. If I am to house His Holy Spirit, and achieve my God given destiny, which I am still working with Him to realize, I better give Him something to work with for awhile-a healthy body vehicle!

Ms. J has continually reminded me that I would need to strengthen His temple, my body, to achieve that high call. She gave me products, resources and advice. She encouraged me in what to eat. She never quit calling me to press in and press on. She knew what I was capable of, even if and when I didn’t.

And here are the results of a Mordecai speaking into and blessing your Esther life!...

Yes. That’s my sassy, 20 + pounds lighter, more fit, self. And guess what? Those fancy clothes I have on, were a gift from none other than my Mordecai, Ms. J! God is so great in and through her!

Ms J. has never quit, and something tells me, will never quit reminding me “you were called for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14)

My message today is simple….

Don’t limit yourself. Don’t limit God. Pray for what He wants for you. Pray for the results He desires for, in your life, in your calling, in your destiny that He has pre-ordained before the foundations of this world had even been laid!  Include Him, Your Loving Father, in everything by seeking His “plans” (Jer 29:11), purpose (Jer 1:5), Word (Isaiah 55:11) and face (Song of Solomon 2:14), always. You seek and will find, when you do it with all of your heart and all that’s within you (Jer 29:13). 

Pray for the people He wants in your life. Remember as Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron”. That goes both ways.  Get a mentor to speak into your weaknesses and be a mentor to someone else in the areas of your strength and gifting.

There is no limit to what God has in store for you. He never promised it would be easy, however He does promise it will be worth it, and He will never leave us or forsake us in it (Heb 13:5). 

Jesus is coming back for us, and we nor God can afford for us to let slip away our giftings and callings in His Kingdom.  For the sake of the souls to be saved, and encouraged. For the sake of seeing God glorified, and your children blessed, and the breaking of generational curses for eternity, seek His purpose and ordained destiny for your life, and stop at nothing to move forward in Him, with Him and for Him.

Father God,

I come before you today and ask You to bless those that are reading this.  Bless them in abundance, to the full to overflow with renewed courage, strength and faith to press on in what You are calling them to be and to do. Help them Lord, with the wisdom, discernment, and encouragement they need to move forward in what You are convicting them in. Father, thank You for entrusting us as stewards for those gifts and calls on our lives. We declare that we do not take these positions, work, and blessings for granted. We want to glorify, honor and bless You and Your Kingdom all of our days. We need You now more than ever Father. For we know as we are strengthened in our countenance to move forward into these ordained destinies and calls, that the enemy will stop at nothing to distract and prohibit us, but we know that even on his best day, he has nothing on us, because we have You! Your love, divine protection, covering and blessing. We thank You for giving unto us the people that would be our Mordecai’s in our lives, and we thank You for the privilege and opportunity to be Mordecai’s in other’s lives as well. We love You, Lord. Have all the power and authority in our lives, our hearts and minds. We choose to keep our eyes fixed on the prize and high call you have for us. We choose life in You, and for You! In Jesus Mighty and Blessed Name we pray ~ Amen!

Please keep moving forward and keep looking up, Beloved!

In His Love,

Amy O

P.S. Thank you to all of the other countless Mordecai's in my life that I had not mentioned in this post (I fear that I may have broken the internet had I tried to mention you all). You know who you are, and I'm all the more thankful to God every moment of every day for you all! 

Merry As We Go Round

Can’t believe I forgot to write about this!

Back in June, my sweet daughter and I decided on a mall trip to ride the carousel there.

After finishing our carousel ride, we witnessed a grandfather-aged gentlemen taking pictures. I smiled on the inside thinking how much he must be enjoying watching his grandchildren enjoy the carousel ride. When I followed the man’s gaze to see his beloved grandchildren, I was pleasantly surprised instead to see his beloved wife. She was carefully stepping down the stairs of the upper level of the carousel after her ride with a giant smile on her face. As she reached the exit gate she proudly and happily offered her hand to the attendant to receive a carousel horse stamp. The proud mark of a happy carousel rider. She boldly and excitedly announced to her husband “I’m going to get myself another ticket and ride again!” And she did! I’m grateful and proud to say – we joined her. Her enthusiasm and zest for enjoying life in that moment was contagious. Which leads me to the point of writing today.

Jesus said to boldly come to the throne of grace. That He came that we may have and enjoy the life that He died to give us. He calls us to be salt and light in the world.

This woman’s joy was contagious that day. I imagine she exhibits joy for life that day as much as she does any other. It was amazing to be apart of her journey in that moment, and truthfully it inspired me to enjoy life alongside her. I was so blessed that Jesus divinely orchestrated our paths to cross that day. He reminded me again through this beautiful woman to enjoy the life He died to give me, more. I can often get consumed with the seriousness of life.  I have an uncanny ability to, no matter what the circumstances, be them good or bad, to see what I’m not doing, who I am not, what I am not, and what I have to improve in, rather than enjoying the blessing of life given to me at all, and knowing that every moment, and every situation is an opportunity to glorify God through my weakness, and my humanness.  Everyday The Lord is making it more clear to me to look to Him, and all He is, rather than all I am and what I “feel” myself and my life currently are not. The devil sends distractions. This enemy of our souls would love for us to focus on the temporary tests, trials, and distractions, rather than just rest in knowing God is God and He is on our side, protecting us, caring for us and loving us, despite.  Our loving Father longs for us to embrace the fact that we must not hide our lamps under bushels. That we must continue to shine so that a very lost and very hurting world can have a tangible witness and experience of how great God is and what He can do in the life of a simple person, His child. 

This lovely woman that day, didn’t have the body of a child (it took her time and effort to get on and off those carousel horses), but she had the simple joy and attitude of a child. I asked if I could take her picture on her second ride, and she happily obliged. Here she is - in all her glory!

The funny thing is, she realized after all her effort to board this horse that it wasn’t a horse that went up and down.  It just rocked. She gladly dismounted that horse and found one that gave her the full ride experience, going up and down.  She wasn’t going to waste her ticket, and neither should we! Make this life count, All! Enjoy and be blessed by it, and in it. It’s the only one you’ve got, and it’s a wisp of wind, a vapor that vanishes just as quick as it is formed. Determine today to have and enjoy it, but most of all, to bless God by embracing life and loving it and all that’s in it, good and bad, to the full!  Show everyone you know and everyone you meet, “Whom The Son sets free is free indeed!” J

Father God, Thank you for our precious lives. Thank You for Your Precious Son, who died to give us life in You, and save us from eternal pain and suffering. Instead we get to retire with You, in Heavenly places. Hallelujah! We are so grateful for You and Your Son and all that You are and all that You do to protect and bless us. Father, help us to live and enjoy our lives to the full. Help us to change our perspectives if they are negative, fault finding and gloomy. Help us to embrace the hope that is found in life and love in You. Help us to display it. Help us to glorify you, by enjoying these beautiful lives, no matter what the circumstances. Help us to be blessings because we are blessed. And as a result of all of this, help others to find you, and accept Your Son as their Lord and Savior also. Help us all to have a revelation of peace and our freedom found in and through You, today and every day.  Help us to keep our child-like joy, and faith, always, Father. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!

Many Blessings and In His Love,

Amy O

Casting Care, Moving Forward

About 4 weeks ago, in a moment of having fun with her Dad, my daughter got a button fracture on her growth plate in her knee. In order to prevent further or worse injury, the pediatrician encouraged us to have her casted in a full leg cast.

For these weeks since, she learned how to operate as near normal as possible with the cast on her straightened leg, as it healed. It was amazing to see her overcome and make use of what could have been an enormous obstacle. She could run, even jump, and play with the cast on, and it didn’t even phase her after awhile.

Then came the day, when the Dr said she was healed enough for us to remove the cast. She was sore physically, and she was sad emotionally. The ordeal to remove the cast was scary for her. There was a loud tool that caused vibration and concern for her, and then came the removal of the hard exterior cast. Then the Dr cut off the inner cast material and the feel of the trimming scissors against her skin was cold and foreign. The Dr encouraged us to not use any ace bandages or other assistance device to help her in the healing process.  He advised no physical therapy was necessary.

Despite having been healed, it’s been a number of days before our daughter has put weight on her leg, and now she is just beginning to walk, but limping, and walking similar to when she had the cast on, casting her leg out to the side. She is growing more and more sure as the days go on regarding walking and her strength, but most of all, I can see in this whole process, the adversity she’s shown, the confidence she’s gained in processes of healing and the patience these experiences have taught her. Most of all, I can see how God is using these circumstances to strengthen her resolve and resiliency for future challenges and tests. The cast was temporary as a precaution, but not forever.

Much the same way this story of physical growth has unfolded for our blessed daughter, I can “see” how God gives us similar circumstances spiritually speaking.

Just as our daughter unexpectedly and unwantingly got injured while enjoying time and life with her dad, we too have come across situations, circumstances and people whom we’ve cared about that have hurt us and wounded us. Just like with my sweet daughter, God has allowed us not to come into that situation not because He doesn’t care, but because He has the knowledge, the tools, the ultimate care and the love to help us heal, and most of the time, to even better than we were before.  After all we are His. He’s created us and formed us, even knew us before we were formed in our mother’s wombs (He reminds us in Jer 1:5)

Our tests will always lend themselves to being our testimonies. Our trials will always be what instill in us the spirit and strength for overcoming all the other nonsense that might come against us in life. Most of all the “casts” that sustain us in the healing processes, no longer serve us well after those healing processes are coming to an end. God removes that thing, and in turn He becomes our ultimate protection. After all, He is who we were are ultimately searching for and needing to begin with, He provides the rivers of living water that are the only quenchable source of wholeness for our souls and “dry bones”. Therefore, He is ever removing the defense mechanism, crutch, thing or person that holds place above or beside Him.  When that temporary comfort is removed it will feel foreign and scary, but without it removed, we will be handicapped ultimately, and never complete, walking in our utmost capacity. What’s become our safety precaution to prevent further injury, will never serve us well, and God, our ultimate physician will see to it, to help you continue on your road to healing without any “cast”.  Is God speaking to you through this today? Is there a “cast” that He’s removed from you that you’ve been fighting to have back? Have you been stagnant waiting for Him to put it back on, so you can move forward? Or will you trust that He is there to see you through to healing and in turn making the move forward with Him?

See, God often allows things to happen to us, where He asks us to cast our care. (Psalm 55:22 (AMP) Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved). He sustains us in growth and strength from and through Himself, while we heal. He gives us circumstances and situations, from which are safe places, and protective things for us to heal from hurts and pains. But when it comes time for Him to remove those things so that we can fly again, we must not fight the process of change and newness. After all, those things were only provided for us as an interim safe precaution as we grow in Him and through Him.  Remember in 2 Corinthians 5:17, it is promised, “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

The Lord will never allow anything to come upon us that’s more than we can bear. (1 Corinthians 10:13) He will never allow anything to happen to us that He can’t work for good because He loves us and our very life He’s given us is a gift, yes. But not for ourselves. He chose us! (John 15:16) We are put here on this earth to be the hands and feet of our awesome Father God. He’s not promised that life wouldn’t be hard or have its ups and downs, but He’s promised He will always be with us, giving us casts, blessings, help and hope in times of hurt and healing. He’s there, the great physician, the great helper, casting, caring, cutting away the unnecessary molds when we’ve healed enough to have them removed. He’s trusting you to put weight on that wound now. He’s trusting you to move forward, knowing that while you may not have seen it actually happen, the healing has occurred, and you can trust that now, moving forward, you’ll get to remake and remold those muscles, using gifts of spirit, hope, faith and patience, long suffering and gentleness, as you be gentle with yourself in the course hereafter of rebirth and remaking a strong leg in this spirit journey. You do have a leg to stand on. You do have muscles in this limb. They simply need to be tested again. Tried again. Believed in again, to be strengthened and honed for this race. A race to which He reminds us there is a prize of a crown that will last forever… to be in relationship and Kingdom come with His blessed, able, faithful and radiant Son. (1 Corinthians 9: 24-25)

There was this quote that hung, coincidentally, on my ex-therapists wall. I always admired it, but never really did I think about it until recently, how very true it was. From Anais Nin “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud, was far greater than the risk it took to blossom”. I propose today…what if those rough things happened so that you could blossom? What if God needed to allow those things happen with His protective covering over you, so that you can become all you are meant to be in Him? What if your sad story is actually your freedom song? What if we actually believed Him when He says, I am working all things for the good of those who love Me and who have been called according to My purpose. (Romans 8:28). Because really? What higher honor or blessing do we have than to be the son or daughter of The King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Our lives truly aren’t our own, and they are apart of a tapestry of Kingdom calling. Without the thread of your life in this tapestry, God’s greater plan would not take shape for His love of humanity and the world, which He so loves. Have you ever seen the back of a beautiful trapestry? (funny how I just typed tapestry accidentally, right? Because that’s what the devil would have us think! That it’s a trap where we can’t be ourselves or break free and this unfeeling, enormous, uncaring God just wants to use and abuse us-but that is a lie from the father of lies-Satan!) The back of a tapestry is a beautiful mess. It’s threads all over the place, but the front, what you cannot see from the back, is a gorgeous masterpiece. So what if your thread is manipulated and intertwined a thousand ways and times for the good of the whole. You are apart of it nevertheless, and in a big way!  Trust God and His plan for the threadwork of your beautiful life, your blessed life. That you woke up today, and have a heartbeat and pulse. That is a blessing. That means that He is not done with you, He’s just getting started. That’s hope. That’s blessing. That’s meaning and definition to it’s fullest. Keep moving forward in God. He’s healing the wounds and restoring them to even better than before. But you have to give Him something to work with!

Father God, I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ now Lord. I thank You for them. For your love in them. Your light. Most of all Lord I thank you that even before they were formed in their mother’s womb You knew them and set them apart and declared them prophets unto the nations. Thank You that You’ve always protected us Lord and you always will. That you never allow more than what we can bear to come upon us, but helping us to keep our eyes on what You have for us, and in turn for Your Kingdom! We want to bless You and Your Kingdom God. We want to bless your people, and we want to not just have but enjoy the lives that Your Precious Son died to give us. Jesus be the Lord of our lives. Have all the authority and power. Take Control. We give it to you. Make us more like ourselves in You. Show us Your way, Your truth and Your life. In Jesus Name. Thank you for always giving us what we need, not what we want. We trust You Lord. All our hope is in You, and You alone. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Many Blessings and In His Love,

Amy O