~God and Horses

I'm just going to pretend that it hasn't been 4 months since I last posted! 😟
So I was thinking...
God is a gentleman. He never forces His will on anyone. The easiest way for me to understand and explain this is to liken it to me training my horse.
Now you the reader might not know a thing about horses, but you can probably figure this one out: how easy is it for me to train a horse that doesn't want to submit?
Not very easy, right?
Now I could make the horse submit by tying it up, or hobbling its legs. I could even use harsh equipment and make it yield because of pain. But would that make me a good trainer?
NO!
Because my relationship with that horse would be based on domination and intimidation, not trust and respect.
Why would it be any different with God?
He never forces us because He wants us to learn to love and trust Him. He does not want compliant slaves. He desires and longs for willing servants.
I love working with young horses that are eager to please. Even though in the beginning they mess up a lot and don't know what I want of them, they still show me by their attitude: I'm trying, I'm trying!
And that's beautiful.
Once they realize that with me there is safety and leadership, they seek it. And it just grows from there.
Just. Like. With God.
In the front of my Bible I have a little piece of paper. And on it I have written DONKEY.
Intrigued?!
I have it there as a reminder for myself that God's will, will be accomplished with or without me. He can use anything, even a donkey. (Balaam and the talking donkey)
I do NOT want to be replaced by a donkey!
Not only will God go find someone or something else to replace me, but He will also take the blessing that I would have received. And bestow it on another.
I want the blessing! Therefore, I choose to be willing.

~Prayer for an undivided heart

God I pray for an undivided heart. One that seeks you above all else. One that does not shrink at the thought of entering your presence, and one that stays there till you are done speaking.
Lord my heart gets so distracted and consumed by life and the things of the flesh. Give me the desire to push through and continue seeking you.
Bless me with burdens that drive me to my knees before your throne.
Let my heart see the frailty of life and look to what is eternally lasting. You. And you alone.
May my heart not grow weary in seeking you. But in the case that it does, help me to push on anyway.
Give me passion to pray when there's no hope; courage to run to you when life is uncertain; and endurance to wait when I don't hear your voice.
May my heart be always and ever, set on you, no matter what.
May you be the tower I run to, the wings I hide under, and the secret place where I abide.

A letter: To those who are labeling

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. You do not realize the power of your words. You don't notice how your condescending tone and attitude crush the ones you are speaking to. You don't see the label that you give someone has a huge impact on their life and their destiny. You think that they can take it; maybe even that its good for them every once in a while. You don't know that you are literally speaking death to their soul and I hate it! I don't hate you, but I hate the ignorance you are living in. I hate the lack of love you obviously have for them. I hate that you don't value them.

Stop pronouncing death on others and start pronouncing life! You say I live in your heart. You say you love. Prove it! Because I don't speak death, I am not even capable of it. I came to bring life, and life more abundantly!

Please child, examine your heart. But don't just go off and try harder. You need more of me. You simply cutting out negative comments and inserting positive ones very quickly becomes self motivation and self righteousness. We don't need any more Pharisees. People need me, Anything besides me is self righteousness and I will not accept it.

Repentance.

Brokenness.

Humility.

I accept these.

Please do not think that I don't accept you or love you, because I do! But your behavior and unloving ways, those I cannot accept.

I am the way the truth and the life...

Think LIFE

Live LIFE

Speak LIFE

~A letter

To: those who feel unworthy, unloved, and not good enough

This world has sold you a lie. Your life is valuable. It is precious. You were made just the way you were meant to be. You! Not some celebrity or super model. Your life has a purpose.

I hate watching your heart crumble at the rude comments of your peers.

I hate seeing you turn from one thing to another in search of fulfillment and peace.

I hate the names you call yourself when you once again can't measure up to someone else's expectations.

I hate watching you cry yourself to sleep every night.

I hate hearing your heart wrenching prayers to me, begging to know why I hate you, why I allow these things, why I don't stop them.

I hate that you are so hurting and deceived that you don't hear my reply.

I hate when you can't see my tear stained face pleading for you to just trust me.

I hate that you can't feel my loving kindness poured out on you. That you don't feel my embrace.

I hate that you don't know how I love you so absolutely and completely.

I hate that you don't realize that you are so valuable and your heart so dear to me that I willingly gave up my own life on the cross.

You see these people may label you, but they don't have the right to. I do! For you were made in my Father's image. Did you ever stop to ask what I call you? Well let me tell you. I call you: 

beloved, valued,

 accepted, sanctified, 

redeemed, forgiven, precious, 

and blessed!

Now whose label are you going to claim?

~Sheika Moments

Well I haven't put any of my videos of Sheika on here for a while so I thought I would. She is doing great! I know, I always say that...but its true. No she's not perfect, or finished but she tries and she keeps improving. So, she's doing great! Check out my you tube channel to see more of my horsie movies!

~We must

You know... sometimes I don't want to. I don't want to get up, I don't want to help, I don't want to be willing. But, that doesn't really matter.

Why am I here? Why is anyone here? Well let me tell you. The answer is throughout the Bible but I'm going to point out the verse in Revelation 4, where the 24 elders fell down before God, throwing their crowns at His feet. In verse 11 they said
"Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things and FOR THY PLEASURE they are and were created."

There we go. For His pleasure. So is this life about us? No. Is our pleasure and glory what is important? No. Only His pleasure and His glory.

Sometimes (well a lot of times for me) we get caught up in ourselves. What we want or don't want shouldn't be our priority. And really denying ourselves is what is required to be a follower of Jesus. He gave up everything for us to see and know the Father.

Something to think about: 
Can't and won't shouldn't even be in our spiritual vocabulary. God gives us the grace to do what we need to. The strength to accomplish. The power to overcome. When we say we can't we are questioning and limiting God's abilities to work on our behalf. When we say we won't we are just saying our will is superior to others' or God's.
Sometimes we need to stop and get a hold of ourselves. Who is running us? Actually that is a good question. We have to face it. You may have given your life to God but there is still a force out there working in opposition to Him and His will. That force is Satan. He tries to control our lives with these 3 things:

1. Worldly desires
2. Fleshly desires
3. Lies of Satan

And most times, one of theses will have more hold than the others. You need to identify it and remove its hold from your life so that God can have full control. Lets call sin, SIN!
I'm really tired of hearing people say "That is just the way I am." or "I can't help it."
Who do you serve?
Is your God so small that He has no power to help you overcome and be victorious?

The God of the Bible says
"Be of good cheer I have overcome the world, I will never leave you nor forsake you, I will make you MORE than conquerors, I will give you victory through Jesus, I will sanctify, justify, cleanse, forgive, heal, and protect. And oh yeah, when I am for you, who or what can be against you?!"   

The choice always falls back to us though. Will we accept all His promises and run with them or continue to live as we have in the fear, insecurities, guilt, selfishness, lust, and unbelief. (to name a few)
You choose. I choose. We must make a choice.
The fence is not an option. There is no middle ground.

~Prayer for an obedient heart

God give me the heart of obedience. One that says "Not my will, but thine be done!" and then lives it out. Help me to truely desire to do Your will, not simply out of compliance but from sincere submission. Take away any spirit of fear or inadiquicy and replace it with an immense confidence in You. Let me not shrink back at the uncomfortable tasks or the awkward assignments but let my answer and attitude be "anything for You, Lord!"
Father forgive me for the times I haven't been obedient. For the times it felt too awkward to speak the truth. Or the times I was embarresed to step forward and help.
Show me how to delight in Your service. To serve with joy and humility as only a true daughter of the King of Kings would.
The servant is not greater than her Lord. Your Son obediently gave everything, right down to His very life. Lord let me follow in His footsteps. Let me follow in obedience.