Drastic Change
"I am the LORD All-Powerful.
So don't depend on your own power or strength,
but on My Spirit."
Zechariah 4.6b CEV
where do i start?
this past week of not blogging has been the best stress-free time of my life. Have you ever had a season of "getting back to the basics"......saying "No" when it needs to be said, cutting out all things that clutter, and relearning why it is I love my Heavenly Father so much. That is what this week has been like.
It's just too much! I started this blog because I truly believed that God was asking me to do so. I am so not a Internet website kind of girl. Just not naturally my thing. But I knew that He was calling me to do this writing for Him. You must know that this is not just "for Fun" with me. I have spent many years with words that I needed to say or explain about what God was telling. When I would share it out loud sometimes.....people just couldn't understand. So, this blog was a perfect place to feel at home with just exposing all of me in this journey, in hopes that it would encourage others. I think God has continued to speak to me so that I can share it with you! I trust Him so. I know He wants me to continue to blog but things are going to have to change on my part.
this past week of not blogging has been the best stress-free time of my life. Have you ever had a season of "getting back to the basics"......saying "No" when it needs to be said, cutting out all things that clutter, and relearning why it is I love my Heavenly Father so much. That is what this week has been like.
It's just too much! I started this blog because I truly believed that God was asking me to do so. I am so not a Internet website kind of girl. Just not naturally my thing. But I knew that He was calling me to do this writing for Him. You must know that this is not just "for Fun" with me. I have spent many years with words that I needed to say or explain about what God was telling. When I would share it out loud sometimes.....people just couldn't understand. So, this blog was a perfect place to feel at home with just exposing all of me in this journey, in hopes that it would encourage others. I think God has continued to speak to me so that I can share it with you! I trust Him so. I know He wants me to continue to blog but things are going to have to change on my part.
"I am the vine, your are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
John 15.5
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
John 15.5
I love hearing from you all. I am always honored that you take the time to comment to me and share with me at times your prayer requests. Oh how it is so important for me to pray for you all! When I say that I love you....it's because I do. So many of you are very dear to me. The problem is.......if i am not careful.....if i don't keep my eyes of Father......the comments become somewhat consuming. I find myself wanting to receive the credit. That is TOTAL PRIDE AND TOTALLY STEALING GOD'S GLORY!!!!!! This isn't an issue that is out of control...yet...but I know myself well enough that I have absolutely NO BUSINESS thinking any of this is mine. It's all His....always has been and always will be.
For we [Christians] are the true circumcision,
who worship God in spirit and
who worship God in spirit and
by the Spirit of God and
exult and glory and pride ourselves
exult and glory and pride ourselves
in Jesus Christ,
and put no confidence or dependence
and put no confidence or dependence
[on what we are] in the flesh
and on outward privileges and
and on outward privileges and
physical advantages and external appearances--
Phil 3:3 AMP
Phil 3:3 AMP
All gifts of any kind are from God. My painting skills.......God is either working through me and producing beautiful things.....or I'm painting alone and have absolutely no skills. When I write, God is writing through me...even this very minute I am under His authority because He has something to say and something some one out there needs to hear!......but when I am writing alone.......I'm terrible, simply terrible. I have learned the hard way that these Gifts from God are either used for His GLORY or He takes them away! I don't want this writing thing to be taken away........honestly it's too much fun having conversations with God at the most random times or having to go through something so that I have experience to talk about a subject from a human stand point.
So what does all this mean..............well first let me tell you that our God deals in extremes.....extreme salvation, extreme redemption, extreme mercy, extreme discipline.......so I tell you this because my new list of blogging rules that Father has set up for me will seem EXTREME to many of you. I realize this. We all have different reasons for blogging and since mine seems to be turning to more ministering and encouraging....His rules for me will be different. I understand that even some of you, believer or non believer, will think this is crazy. Let me say this to you.........if i am not obedient to His word and His actions laid out before me..........then I am flat out disobeying the ONE AND ONLY GOD of the UNIVERSE that can fully loves me! Makes it hard to say no to Him!!!!!!!!!! HE IS THE "I AM"........So, as of today I will no long allow comments on my posts, unless God says to do it, so that I can have less distraction in my listening to God and my sharing of what He says! Many of you have me email address and it is also on my profile so should you need me or need prayer or need to share with me.....I am still able to talk to you that way! Total communication cut-off is not His goal....just more structure is.
He has also asked me to cut out some, if not a lot, of my blog reading and time on the computer. He has also said that all post from here on out will be written in JESUS NAME! No more of me writing on my own! All the commandments He has asked of me to follow..... hurt. But when He began talking "sacrifice talk" to me several nights ago......I was so afraid He was asking me to take down my blog all together. Praise Him that He is not. BUT>>>>>>>>>>>God has made it very clear that should I not follow these rules.....then the blog goes as well.
Friends, my only job on this earth is to follow Him. To Delight in Him. To be in His fullness. To share about Him. I am not ok with disobedience..........it would be the death of me. I don't want to ever be in a position that God has to force His hand on me to get me to humble myself. I am so easily wrapped up in this blog mess. Try to keep up with EVERYONE.....try to comment to EVERYONE....It is just too much. To overwhelming and honestly.....it becomes self consuming, do i even dare say it.......self serving. I want to follow the rules. I want to obey because it equals freedom for me. Freedom to write and read and honor God the entire time. I wish this blog thing was not a weakness of mine.....but it is. So I am choosing to follow Him through obedience.
I Publicly Praise God for showing me very clear guidelines. I Praise you Father that you love me enough to make me so uncomfortable in a current stage of life.....so that I turn to you, cling to you for help. You have not called me to be everything to everybody. You have not called me to have a million things on my plate. My busyness does not bring you Glory. Thank you for simplifying my blog world so that You have total control. This thing is yours Father. Every funny story you have written, every soul exposing post you've written..........IT HAS ALL BEEN FROM YOU!!!!!! The minute it is over...take me out of it! I can't see what is ahead. I am not totally clear on the outcome of this change, BUT I WOULD RATHER YOU WRITE THROUGH ME AND NO ONE EVER STOP BY TO READ IT, THEN I WRITE OUT OF MY ONE FLESH TO STEAL YOUR GLORY! You are worthy of all my praise! I love you. I do Father. You are all I have in the dark of night and you bring comfort to me the minute I call out. BRING INTO THIS FOLD MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO KNOW YOU! I long for them to really KNOW YOU! OPEN UP THE GATES FATHER!!!!! this blog is yours and I ask that you would bless it in Jesus Name!
So what does all this mean..............well first let me tell you that our God deals in extremes.....extreme salvation, extreme redemption, extreme mercy, extreme discipline.......so I tell you this because my new list of blogging rules that Father has set up for me will seem EXTREME to many of you. I realize this. We all have different reasons for blogging and since mine seems to be turning to more ministering and encouraging....His rules for me will be different. I understand that even some of you, believer or non believer, will think this is crazy. Let me say this to you.........if i am not obedient to His word and His actions laid out before me..........then I am flat out disobeying the ONE AND ONLY GOD of the UNIVERSE that can fully loves me! Makes it hard to say no to Him!!!!!!!!!! HE IS THE "I AM"........So, as of today I will no long allow comments on my posts, unless God says to do it, so that I can have less distraction in my listening to God and my sharing of what He says! Many of you have me email address and it is also on my profile so should you need me or need prayer or need to share with me.....I am still able to talk to you that way! Total communication cut-off is not His goal....just more structure is.
He has also asked me to cut out some, if not a lot, of my blog reading and time on the computer. He has also said that all post from here on out will be written in JESUS NAME! No more of me writing on my own! All the commandments He has asked of me to follow..... hurt. But when He began talking "sacrifice talk" to me several nights ago......I was so afraid He was asking me to take down my blog all together. Praise Him that He is not. BUT>>>>>>>>>>>God has made it very clear that should I not follow these rules.....then the blog goes as well.
Friends, my only job on this earth is to follow Him. To Delight in Him. To be in His fullness. To share about Him. I am not ok with disobedience..........it would be the death of me. I don't want to ever be in a position that God has to force His hand on me to get me to humble myself. I am so easily wrapped up in this blog mess. Try to keep up with EVERYONE.....try to comment to EVERYONE....It is just too much. To overwhelming and honestly.....it becomes self consuming, do i even dare say it.......self serving. I want to follow the rules. I want to obey because it equals freedom for me. Freedom to write and read and honor God the entire time. I wish this blog thing was not a weakness of mine.....but it is. So I am choosing to follow Him through obedience.
I Publicly Praise God for showing me very clear guidelines. I Praise you Father that you love me enough to make me so uncomfortable in a current stage of life.....so that I turn to you, cling to you for help. You have not called me to be everything to everybody. You have not called me to have a million things on my plate. My busyness does not bring you Glory. Thank you for simplifying my blog world so that You have total control. This thing is yours Father. Every funny story you have written, every soul exposing post you've written..........IT HAS ALL BEEN FROM YOU!!!!!! The minute it is over...take me out of it! I can't see what is ahead. I am not totally clear on the outcome of this change, BUT I WOULD RATHER YOU WRITE THROUGH ME AND NO ONE EVER STOP BY TO READ IT, THEN I WRITE OUT OF MY ONE FLESH TO STEAL YOUR GLORY! You are worthy of all my praise! I love you. I do Father. You are all I have in the dark of night and you bring comfort to me the minute I call out. BRING INTO THIS FOLD MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO KNOW YOU! I long for them to really KNOW YOU! OPEN UP THE GATES FATHER!!!!! this blog is yours and I ask that you would bless it in Jesus Name!