~The Bread~ By Rheannon

Powerful Woman of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith.

~The Bread~ By Rheannon

My pastor, my friend and I have been doing a book study called “The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi” By Kathie Lee Gifford, with Rabbi Jason Sobel. It’s been such an amazing adventure, really. In just 6 sessions, I have had so many “aha/OMg” moments I can hardly believe it.

One of these moments caught me two weeks ago while studying what Jesus had to say about “the bread.”

(Photo Credit Alyona’s Cooking)

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus taught the disciples to pray saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors…” (NIV)

Jesus connected ‘bread’ and ‘forgiveness’ here and at the last supper where He tells His disciples in Matthew 26:28, “Take, eat, this is my body,” and of the cup He says, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for the forgiveness of sins.”

Earlier in the gospel of John, Jesus told the multitude of people following Him, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Here’s where it hit me-

When we pray and ask God to give us our daily bread, we are literally praying that He will give us Jesus! WOAH! Jesus Himself IS the bread of life!!!

We need Christ daily in our lives. He is the only one through whom true forgiveness comes. His is the blood that is poured out for the forgiveness of the world! When we pray, “give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,” we are asking God to give us Christ, who is the bread of life and the only one through whom we attain forgiveness for ourselves and others!

Jesus being our bread of life and the one through whom forgiveness is received is key to all of our lives. He gives us life and forgiveness. And our response to that incredible love is to forgive as we are forgiven.

Forgiveness is not merely a formality of our faith, it is fundamental to it! It is how we display that we belong to Christ. We are to forgive wholeheartedly and completely. When we do, it is like we are unlocking the chains that bind us to the past, as well as to the situation. We set ourselves and others free when we forgive, like we have given bread to a starving soul.

Incredible!

Who is it that we need to forgive? What do we need to ask forgiveness for? Ask Jesus, the bread of life, the forgiver of sins to speak to your heart and reveal these things to you. Then, forgive, and share in the communion of Christ.

It’s the real deal.

~Rheannon

Get the book “The Rock, the Road and the Rabbi” By Kathie Lee Gifford with Rabbi Jason Sobel here if you’re ready to have your mind blown-

https://www.christianbook.com/rock-road-and-rabbi-study-guide/kathie-gifford/9780310095019/pd/0095019?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=bible-studies-and-curriculum-0-20%7C0095019&p=1179710&dv=t&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_4jgBRDhARIsADezXcimw3KJm53fnHk_rASxM2BZNYACaE9i6Wx_g-T4I2cW7H9g9IzcYqsaAgDVEALw_wcB

Happy Holidays??? By Mel

Powerful Woman of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith.

Happy Holidays???

by Mel Kennedy

Can you believe it’s November? Thanksgiving is this week and that means that Christmas, New Year’s and everything in between is right around the corner. That often means we can find ourselves stressed. We have so many things to take care of that giving thanks to God, preparing our hearts for the coming of the Lord, and rejoicing in the possibilities of the new year are nowhere on our schedule. We might find ourselves not truly living in the joy of the season or in joy at all.

“I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand,

so don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” – Isaiah 41:13

This time of year can hold a bit of melancholy for me. This past Saturday was the 11-year anniversary of the passing of my nephew, Jay. Next weekend would have been my mom’s 87th birthday. Maybe it is the darker, shorter days, but during these months, the struggles of everyday life can feel more difficult.

Have you ever felt this way? It could be you’re missing a family member, either through their passing or not being part of your life, and there is still a part of your heart that finds it difficult to celebrate without them. Maybe you are feeling anxiety about your financial situation. It could be you or your spouse lost a job or dream you had. Maybe you feel like you didn’t accomplish all that you should have over the past year.

We try to meet our own (and everyone else’s) expectations and we get stressed. We feel nostalgic or sad about the past and can neglect this season of joy. But no matter what the reason you might find yourself not anticipating the coming months, there is good news! It is possible to embrace peace and joy over the holidays!

“The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope.” – Psalm 34:18

I’m not talking about giddy outwardly happiness, “joy,” but rather that deep internal feeling inside our heart that allows us to know Christ’s love for us. It is that emotion that allows our soul to see and acknowledge the beauty of God’s creation within ourselves and within the world. It is the echo of God within us.

In light of that, check out these few simple reminders of how we can stay connected with our joy.

QUIET TIME

Isn’t it ironic that during a time when we should be preparing our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we get so busy we don’t have time for Him? Recommitting ourselves to spend quiet contemplative time with the Lord daily is vital during this busy and stressful time of year. It can help us return our thoughts and actions back to the true reason for this season instead of getting caught up in the madness. I have made sure this is on my daily schedule. Can you make the time (even just 15 minutes) for this too?

KISS

Keep it simple, silly. Creative and Life Coach (and fellow PWOG contributor), Sue Mohr, calls this KISS. Sometimes, when we are trying to do too much, we move away from God. The turkey, decorations and gift wrap don’t have to be perfect. (That being said, let’s make sure to cook the turkey all the way through, LOL!!) In Matthew 6:25, we hear the simple, beautiful words of Jesus: “I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing?” Jesus understood that simplicity was a spiritual practice and was a way to experience God in the everyday.

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,

and uphold me with Your generous Spirit.”

Psalm 51:12

GRATITUDE

Through the “everyday,” don’t be afraid to enjoy a moment. Even when things don’t go as planned or our expectations are not met, being thankful helps remind us that even in the struggles of life, God is with us. Often in those challenges, if we take just a moment to soften our soul, to see beyond the discomfort of the difficulty and offer gratitude to our Creator, that is where we can deepen our relationship with the Lord and come out with more blessings than we thought possible.

LAUGHTER

Finally, may I encourage you to take a moment everyday to laugh. God has told us that there is a time for everything, including laughter (Ecclesiastes 3:4). So here is a little something to get you started:

…and until we met again, may you keep safe in the gentle, loving arms of God.

Blessings, Mel

P.S. It’s okay to feel melancholy, my friends. But if you are experiencing something deeper then seasonal sorrow, anxiety, or frustration, please reach out for help. You can talk to your pastor, spiritual friend/director, or pastoral minister. Or, you can connect with a resource such as crisistextline.org or 800-662-HELP (4357).

~Move on Up!~By Mandy

~Move on Up!~Part One: Persevere

Two years ago was the release of my debut CD “Move on Up.” The actual process of it’s conceptualization, all the way to it’s release was healing, empowering, transformative and a catalyst for me to Move on Up in my own life.

 

I would like to share this parable with you:

 

One day a farmer’s donkey fell down into a well. The farmer decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway…it just wasn’t worth it to retrieve the donkey.

All of his neighbors came over and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried terribly. Then, to everyone’s amazement, he quieted down. The farmer looked down the well and saw that with every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey  would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off again and take another a step up.

Pretty soon everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 

I had fallen down a well of doubt, fear & unbelief.  Trapped, calling out, and wondering if I would ever be heard, I realized God had actually given me all the tools I needed to Move on Up. Every time I was told I was selfish for wanting to get out of the well, or that I would never make it out, I choose to not believe the lie. I told myself the opposite and took another step towards freedom.

Maybe you have been in or are in a well. Maybe you fell in or chose to be in this well. Maybe you were born into the well or someone has put you in it.  Maybe you have also heard the voices trying to bury you, wanting to keep you in the well and from entering into your fullest calling in Christ. Voices telling you you were are too old, too sick, that it was too late, you are not talented or strong enough, or will never make it out.

But we have a choice and we have the tools.  We have a choice to put the lies and dirt beneath our feet. It’s not easy.  It takes time. Never stop, never give up. God will always give us a way to Move on Up into His highest calling.  He is for us and not against us. He did not create us to live and die in a pit.

 

Romans 5:3 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance.

I believe in you! Move on Up!

Mandy 💕

Ps-you can get your “Move on Up” CD here!

http://Mandybrooks.com

(“Shake it off and step up” photo credit AliChiDesigns)

~Letting Go and Moving On~ By Sharon

Powerful Women of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith

~Letting Go and Moving On~ By Sharon

In our lives we have times of transition. Some of these transitions can cause upheaval and propel us to walk down a path we are not really wanting to walk down…

This has been the direction my life has been taking the past few years. A little over three years ago, my husband and I felt God directing us to sell our home. We spent a lot of time praying over this and let me tell you, it was an extremely difficult thing for me. I absolutely loved that house and location. It was my dream home. It was at the bottom of the mountain with an amazing view and I did not want to give up that home. I wept a lot of tears over giving up what I felt like was a dream come true for me. This was the second house my husband and I had bought in our over thirty years of marriage. We lived in our first home for twenty-three of those years and in my “dream home” which we bought for the next eleven years. My childhood and teen years we lived pretty close to poverty level and from the time I was 15 till I got married at 21, my mom moved us seven times. That evened out to once a year for six of those years and twice in the seventh.

I have always had a difficult time with change. Growing up, my life was extremely chaotic, stressful, and the complete opposite of a place of rest and peace. Because of that, when I felt I had settled into a place that brought me a measure of peace and contentment, any changes left me feeling uneasy and anxious.

This house at the bottom of the mountains, on a quiet, country road, was the first place where I felt safe, peaceful, and contented. In my entire life, this was the place where I had felt the most joy and happiness. What I came to realize and would learn through this process of selling our house would change my life.

Once we put the house on the market, I felt like I was on an expressway to a “destination unknown.” Within a week, our house was sold.  When we knew we were to sell the house, we began praying about where we were to live next. My husband made a comment one day about us buying a camper and living in it for a while. He was not really serious about that, but I felt this strong prompting inside that we were to do that. Now, I loved camping and we had done a lot of it over the years of our marriage. When we decided to sell our house, some deep-rooted fears and insecurities were awakened in me. The thought of actually living in a camper for more than just a week-long camping trip, really stirred up those fears to the point of panic.

For years I had dealt with some claustrophobia issues. If you read my previous blog, I talked about my fear of tunnels, mountains, and bridges. The thought of living in a camper, a place that was considerably smaller than any house I had ever lived in, caused me to have panic attacks. The house we were selling had a large open space for the living, kitchen, and dining areas. The entire house was very spacious. A camper was definitely not roomy.

Well, we purchased a 30-foot camper with two slide outs. For a camper, this was a fairly large size, but to me however, it was still pretty small! About two weeks before we were to move out of our home, when I would think about living in the camper, my heart rate would increase, I couldn’t breathe, and panic would well up inside of me. It was rough. After we moved into the camper it got worse. Some nights when I would lay in my bed, I felt the walls closing in on me like they would crush me, and I couldn’t breathe!

This whole experience was a time of growth for me. It revealed some things in me that I didn’t even realize were there. I always knew I had some claustrophobia issues, but never realized how much they kept me from doing certain things. I spent a lot of time praying, speaking specific scriptures over myself, worshipping through music to, and over myself, and crying out to God. And, He got me through it! He actually delivered me from it and I have been able to do things I couldn’t do before, like drive in mountains, cross large bridges, go into tunnels, all without fear. We lived in our camper for six months. It was truly a time of growth and transition.

As I walked down the road of letting go of my “dream-house”, I had some major revelations about how much I didn’t really trust God to keep me safe, to truly want to give me the best. I came to realize that to me having this “dream-house” meant that I had “arrived.” It made me feel safe and secure, as well as accepted, and very important. Growing up, I felt shame because of the many things that happened, where and how we lived was a chapter in that book of shame. I didn’t realize that shame was attached to my feelings of giving up my “dream-home.”

I realized that parts of my identity were connected to having this house. Having a nice, large house made me feel like people wouldn’t look down on me anymore or label me in a certain way. I came to realize that I had actually put that label on myself. I thought that to be someone important, to have people think highly of me, to not associate me with my childhood and how I grew up, I needed to have this nice looking, bigger house to feel like I belonged. With our culture and lifestyle here in America, I believe it is easy to get caught up in the trap of comparing ourselves, what all we have compared with what those around us have. We compare not only our homes and lifestyles, but how we look, what our children are doing and what we ourselves are doing to be considered a “success.” What this does is cause disappointment, discontentment, and unhappiness with the blessings Father God has already given us. It can also cause us to feel depression, insecurity, even resentment.

An important key I have found during this journey of letting go and moving on, is to know whose I am and who the great I AM is to me. I am a daughter of the King and my Father looks at me so differently than I often look at myself. Father God, the great I AM ALWAYS wants the best for me. He is always taking care of me. I can trust Him with where I live and what I have. I can trust Him with every part of my life. My identity is not in how nice of a house I live in, what kind of a car I drive, nor is it in how many possessions I have! My identity is in God the Father – in who He created me to be. It is about how much He accepts and loves me, unconditionally and is not based on what I have. I don’t need to have what others have to be loved, accepted or a success. I find I have all of that in Jesus Christ when I seek to find my identity in Him alone! That brings me peace and I don’t need to fear the future any longer.

My husband and I recently purchased another home. It is a much smaller house than the last one we owned, and it is different than what I was expecting we would get, or even what I thought I wanted. I’m feeling really blessed these days with our charming little ranch house, but I’m still learning and continue to grow in how to walk in my identity in Christ. It’s still a choice I have to make to let go of my doubts and fears and instead totally trust my Abba Father to take care of me and keep me safe.

I leave you with this verse that has become very precious and special to me. It is Psalms 23:1-2 and I love how the Passion Translation reads.

The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough.

He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love.

His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.

Sharon Hock

www.sharonhock.com

~Grace, grace~ By Faith

Powerful Women of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith.

~Grace, grace~

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Romans 7:15.

Have you ever said this to yourself? I have…more times than I can count.

It’s been so interesting being an entrepreneur. I have truly witnessed my business being a reflection of my inner self. Things like my self worth, my “deserve” level, organization, money management and time management are all reflected in the way I run things. Time after time I would set goals, see the value in achieving them and yet not exercise the self discipline to walk it out and see them realized. Thankfully, God has still provided me with so many blessings and achievements throughout these seasons even though I’ve always felt I could be doing so much more.

In the last few months I have learned a lot more about the topic of neuroplasticity and “limiting beliefs” and/or “self sabotage.”

Did you know that 90% of the thoughts we had yesterday, we automatically have again today? When we have a defining moment as young children and have a strong thought about it, chances are we had that thought again and again. 30 or 40 years later we are a product of how we had been thinking all those years. These thoughts drive our actions and subsequently our habits.

Additionally, 95% of “us” is run by our subconscious mind. When we decide that we are going to change, 5% of “us” is going up against 95%. My objective here is to point out that God knows this. He sees us and our habitual ways, and He’s giving us grace accordingly.

My journey learning about neuroplasticity and getting to the root of these habitual thoughts is ever-going. I am so grateful for God’s grace and that He sees my heart for wanting to change so much and that He also sees why I sometimes do what I hate.

I have more hope than ever to experience the opposite of that and instead enjoy the fruits of the spirit all the way down to my thoughts.

Check out these resources for more on neuroplasticity:

Dr. Caroline leaf – YouTube and books switch on your brain, or Think Learn Succeed.

Or Dr. Joe Dispenza – breaking the habit of being yourself

You can do all things through Christ – even change your thoughts and create a healthier “you!”

I’d encourage you to do just that!

Faith

~Depression Runs Deep~ By Sue

Powerful Women of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith

~Depression Runs Deep~ By Sue

Depression runs deep. It touches the very edges of the soul. Not too many years ago, I fell into it’s clutches. I have always been an upbeat person. Nothing truly ever got me down. But this was different. I felt stuck… in mire. Every time I tried to pull myself out, it seemed I just went deeper. I knew I was in trouble.

There is a commercial on television that says depression hurts. This is truth. It hurt physically. It hurt in my heart. It hurt in my mind. I was in pain. The kind of pain that doesn’t go away. It is there when you wake up and it is there when you go to sleep. It follows you all throughout the day.

Depression is real.

It is not understood by those that have not experienced it. Many will say, “can’t you just ‘get over it’? Pull yourself up by the bootstraps – It will go away.” Well, it didn’t go away by itself. I had to reach out and get help. I went on medicine, walked the path of healing with a therapist, told my family and surrounded myself with a few accountability partners. More than anything, I forced myself to be honest. I had isolated myself under the facade of happiness. I just didn’t have the energy to do it anymore. The mask fell off and disintegrated.

Depression aged me from the inside out. But it didn’t kill me. I realize now that was truly its intention. I can tell you that was its end game. It didn’t win though. I was one of the lucky ones. One of the blessed ones. I knew Jesus. I had faith. I just fell into the darkest of pits and couldn’t see the light for a long time.

When people are so shocked at the suicide of yet another rising star, or a young person, and even a young pastor who seemingly had it all, I don’t share their shock. I get it. It seems like an option. I know that it is not because I found a way out. But I get it. I had to set up work flows, put boundaries in my life and ask God to heal me. I also needed to forgive myself. That was my final step.

Depression tries to worm its way back into my life from time to time. I am so familiar with its smell. Its loud, irritating voice – the cheap swagger in its walk. It demands a second thought. But I won’t allow it. I have control. I turn on the lights. I talk about it. I reveal its plans to my accountability partners. It not longer can take me down to the place of no return. I trust my Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 says that God has plans for me. My life is precious. Depression cannot have it.

Creatively His, sue:)

~Simpler than Sin…Cookies~ By Rheannon (Recipe Included)

Powerful Woman of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith

~Simpler than Sin…Cookies~ By Rheannon

I love to cook and bake. Fall is one of my favorite times of year for that reason! The air outside is crisp and cool, making warming up my home with a hot sweet smelling oven the best part of the season. If its not something sweet, it’s a stew or chili or pressure cooked meat and lots of mashed potatoes. I think its safe to say I also love to eat.

Two days ago I came across a great little peanut butter cookie recipe in my special recipe box. It’s in my grandmother’s handwriting, so right there I know its going to be good. This recipe is crazy easy. It’s so simple, she gave it a fitting name – “Simpler than Sin Peanut Chocolate Cookies.”

Delicious.

Now, I’ve been trying to watch my sugar intake lately, and make healthier snacking decisions, but these cookies just looked so dang good! They call for one cup of sugar…That’s like, a LOT of sugar. LOL.

I started thinking about what I could do to make a great cookie with less sugar, and BINGO! I came up with an idea. I like to use this stuff called “Swerve.” Its an Erythritol sugar substitute that you can use cup for cup like sugar. (I know advertisers love to say things can be used cup for cup as a replacement…I have yet to find one that really does, but this stuff is decent. Its not exactly like sugar, but it’s good.)

Off I went, mixing the ingredients and adding my “Swerve.” (The recipe calls for one cup, but I used more like 3/4 cup. Call me cheap. The stuff is expensive!). It came together well enough, and naturally, to make them even better, you have to put dark chocolate on there, because let’s face it – DARK CHOCOLATE.

They are GREAT! The little bit of chocolate gives them a delicious sweetness, and I loved them!

Its amazing what a decision to change a recipe can yield! I still get to eat a cookie, but I don’t get that gross feeling from sugar overload. WIN-WIN!

Remember the woman Jesus spoke to at the well in Samaria? She had a lot of baggage/junk in her life, and yet, Jesus loved her enough to reach out to her and give her a reason to change and start a new life, free of the sin she had before. And, she chose to do it! WIN-WIN!

Just like her, we can choose to follow Christ and leave behind the junk that has us down and out. Kinda like I changed my recipe, we can leave sin or bad decisions or negative thinking behind us and press forward to find something new and exciting in Christ!

Viva la difference!

Love,

Rheannon

Ps- here’s the recipe for you to enjoy!!! You can make this recipe just the way it is if you’d like, or take the sugar down by half, or substitute sugar. Have at em! XOXOXO

Simpler than Sin Peanut Chocolate Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 Cup Peanut butter of choice, crunchy or creamy

1 Cup Sugar, or Swerve (you can cut the amount of sugar if you want, or replace it with alternative like Swerve)

1 Egg, room temperature, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

Dark chocolate chips (you decide how many)

In a medium bowl or blender, combine the peanut butter, sugar, egg and vanilla and mix well.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls, place 2 inches apart on untreated cookie sheet. (I use parchment paper on the sheet.)

Bake for 12-15 minutes and check them. They may need slightly more time. (I keep the time a little lower so they stay softer.)

Cool 5 minutes and remove to wire rack.

Enjoy!

( LOVE the low carb, low sugar alternative, Swerve! Turned out great!)

Encountering Mountains, Tunnels and Bridges…~ By Sharon

Powerful Woman of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith

Encountering Mountains, Tunnels and Bridges…~By Sharon

When you think of going up into a mountain, going through a tunnel or seeing a big, beautiful bridge, what comes to mind?  Are you excited, enjoying it, or are you holding your breath, not because of excitement, but because you are full of fear?  For most of my life, when I came to a tunnel, bridge or went up or down a mountain, my thoughts were, “Oh, no, just stay calm Sharon, it will soon be over.” My breathing would get faster, my heart rate would go up, my palms would get sweaty and I couldn’t think or talk past my fear.  I couldn’t see the beauty of the mountains around me or the wonders of the ocean, rivers or valleys I could view from the bridge I was on.

Over the years as I have been healing from the childhood abuse of my past, I have been overcoming many fears. This particular fear, however, seemed to be one that was harder for me to overcome.  I continued to pray about it, about what was behind this fear, and how to have victory over it.

Psalm 34:4 – For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears.

I’ve come to realize over the years that fears in our lives don’t just happen – they are rooted in something we’ve experienced…I began asking Father God to show me the root of my fear of mountains, tunnels, and bridges.

A few years ago, I was driving to my son’s house and we had the choice of going on the turnpike, through three tunnels, or to go over the mountain.  It was “Over the mountain to my son’s house we will go!” Now, God was already working on my fear of mountains When we moved from a small town into the country, our house was at the bottom of a mountain, and every day I looked out at it…I couldn’t get away from it. God used that to replace my fear of the mountain with a love for it. So, by the time I made this trip to my son’s house, I had conquered a great deal of my fear of driving in the mountains.

On this particular highway, when you were getting ready to go up the mountain, you could choose two ways to go.  I always chose the one to the right. I never ever wanted to go on the road to the left, but didn’t know why.  On this trip however, the road to the right was closed and I had no choice but to take the road to the left.  As I went along this road, I became more and more tense. Finally, the road came to a place where you could see it lead to tunnels.  There was a road off to the right, with a bridge, that you could pull off to look at the tunnels that were under the mountain.  The most horrible feeling came over me and a long-suppressed memory came to mind.  I remembered that this was one of the places a family member had taken me when he was sexually abusing me.  It all clicked into place, why I was afraid of mountains, tunnels, and bridges. Something wonderful and miraculous happened from that day. I gained healing and another level of freedom. But to gain that healing and freedom, I had to find the root of the fear I was crippled by. Since that day, I have gone through tunnels, drove up and down mountains and been on bridges without fear.  I’ve been on a number of trips since then where I went on and through all of these three and have had no fear, but have actually experienced joy and excitement.

I’ve been thinking about how each of those places represents something in our lives.  We each have places on our journey of life that we have to either cross a bridge, go up or down a mountain, or tunnel through the mountain.  I like this definition of a bridge: something that is intended to reconcile or form a connection between two things. Jesus is our bridge between us and God. He connects us to the Father. We can’t get from one place to the other without the connection He makes for us to the Father. And of course, we all have bridges we have to build between us and people, so we can be connected.  There are all kinds of mountains, some bigger and taller than others. Sometimes the climb is going to be rough and it might feel like it’s taking all we have to get to the top. There are times when the mountain in your life is just too much of a barrier. You know you can’t get through and you are going to need God to make a tunnel through that mountain so you can get from one side to the other. Whatever mountains you are crossing today, whatever tunnels need to be dug, whatever bridges you are needing to build, remember that you are not alone. Your Father God is there to help you and you have no need to fear any of the mountains, tunnels, and bridges you face.  He promises to always be with us and never leave us. He is not going to make us do this on our own.

~Sharon

F. E. A. R. ~By Faith

Powerful Woman of God Blog

Encouraging, Empowering and Strengthening Women in Life, Love, Destiny and Faith.

F. E. A. R. ~By Faith

We have all experienced fear. In my career I have heard Fear described as representing these words- “false evidence appearing real.”

Nothing of fear comes from God. God is love. When the enemy deposits a fearful thought in our way we have a choice. I, many times have taken the thought and run with it, meditated on it and made it into a much bigger and scarier scenario. This is our choice.

The enemy is toothless! The only power a fearful thought has is the power we give to it – otherwise it is simply a thought.

Furthermore We are not our thoughts. Our identity is in Christ. When we know this we are able to pause, back up and “observe” our thoughts for what they really are. We can check them by asking questions like, “Is this rooted in fear or love?” “Is it true?” “Is it serving me to dwell on it?” “What actions do I take when I think this way?” “What happens when I take those actions?”

We can change our thoughts to ask productive things like, “What is a different thought that would empower me, and what action can I take to strengthen myself in Christ? How would my life look if I chose these thoughts and actions? How will I plan to choose these thoughts the next time I am overcome by fear?”

My dear friend sent me this quote from the book, Torrential Love:

When difficult circumstances arise in life, there are two ways to respond. We can either run away in fear, or kindle the strength from within and try to overcome them. If we choose the first option, all of our strength will be drained and we will be blown about like dry leaves in the wind. It is impossible to escape from some things. One who tries to run away will simply collapse due to exhaustion. Instead, we should gather mental strength, rise up and move to action, spreading the fragrance of selflessness and love. The shadow of fear will only disappear with the dawning of the light of love. Love is our strength. Love is our refuge.

May you be strengthened to defeat and correct fear thoughts, and empowered to new action in the love of Christ!

Faith

The Temple is You~By Jessa

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The Temple is You~ By Jessa

You know what really gets my attention in scripture?  When God poses a question-

“This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?” Isaiah 66:1

In all things God entrusts us with free will- we are not robots nor slaves to his tasks. He is not a task master. He is a loving father who trusts his children with what he has given us and the plan he has for us. In the words of Misty Edwards, “He knew what he was getting into when he called us, and still he calls us.”

He asks his friends and those who seek his heart the question posed in the verse above. He asks anyone that will hear the cry of his heart…

It is equally important to reciprocate giving and receiving in any relationship.  God gives us everything.  In return he receives our worship, our thankfulness, our hearts, love and whatever we set out to do in accordance with him.  We love him because he first loved us!

When we get into the word of God, life becomes full of purpose – we realize everything we do has an impact. Every decision we make can influence generations after us, because of who we know and trust, the author and perfecter of our faith.

He is looking throughout the earth for a heart that is his. Do you think perhaps he is also looking for a heart containing the desire to build with him?

Let me share a little about David. David is known as a man after God’s heart. He was a true worshipper of God. In my eyes, a friend of God, because he sought after the qualities in the heart of God and wrote about them with such raw authenticity and desire. David’s desire was to know God and for God to truly know him. He became vulnerable with God and the Lord showed his favor, victory, and support for David even as David struggled to persevere through unimaginable circumstances.

2 Samuel 7:1-3 “After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you.”

What was on David’s mind? What did he want to set out to do?

David desired to build a house for the Lord. He did not get to build the house with in the time frame of his days on earth, but his son Solomon, his successor, took the call to heart and from the legacy of his father’s prayers and desire, built the temple. Of David, God said,

12 “When your days are complete, and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever”. 2 Samual 7:12, 13

First, God had a plan to build a temple, then, a plan to tear it down…

Enter Jesus…One day upon visiting the temple that was built by Solomon, he saw people buying and selling animals and goods.  He angrily overturned their tables and sent the animals running out of their cages.  He told the people buying and selling, “It is written…my house will be called a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers.”   His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”  The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.

Why? He was doing a new thing.  He wasn’t only  going to open the door for us, he was going to rip it off it’s hinges. He essentially tore down the temple walls to represent no more separation between us and him. When Jesus died on the cross the power of God fulfilled this word.

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.” Mathew 27:51

When Jesus made the decision to open his arms on the cross, he tore down the walls that separated us from him and built an archway into our hearts. That archway to God comes when we open our hearts to him, and in that moment we see what Christ accomplished for us.

He calls us his own! God initially crafted the idea of building a temple – a place where he could dwell with his people as a temporary arrangement, physically speaking. He knew when he asked Solomon to build the temple that he was going to demonstrate his compassion and mercy to us and unravel his plan. It was only the beginning.  His ultimate purpose was to have a very personal relationship with us, through Christ!

“Who will build a house for me?”

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.” 1 Corinthians 6:19.

God is saying, “I chose you to be a place for me to abide, for me to reside.” Oh that our response would be awe and astonishment and the desire to partner with the Lord in what he is doing in our hearts, minds, and lives! How amazing!

If God is a faithful builder, then he who began a good work in us will complete it. He will not fail us, he cannot. It is not in his nature. Love never fails. (1 Corinth. 13) When we join our heart’s desire with God’s we will see the goodness of his handiwork in our lives.

Will you trust God to be the builder of “you”?

~Jessa