How To: GROW

photo credit 

Happy Thursday! 

There's a theme that has been resonating in my heart. And that is the message of a better you, a better me. Last week I was reminded (as if we needed to be reminded) that the deeper we grow in the Word the more we are forced to change. And this change can be a natural byproduct of the Word, or it can come about through our refusal, our surrender, our obedience, our stand. What we can't lose sight of is that this change is not to make us better Christians. The goal has never been to be better Christians. The goal is to look more like Jesus, in word and deed. 

For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Spending time with God will cause us to grow. And with growth comes growing pains. It just ain't easy to grow. There is nothing we can do to help God, other than to daily surrender. OR you may stunt your growth, prolonging your growing pains. I don't intend on painting a picture that our walk with God is to be painful and gruesome. But reality is that sin is painful, it is gruesome, "ratched", evil, and so much a part of us that detaching from it will be (at times) literally a death to self. 

Maybe you don't need to be reminded of this, but I do. Because I forget that in daily surrender, daily pursuit, and daily encounters with my God I grow. I grow in the knowledge of His worthiness and how unholy I am. 

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Isaiah 6:1-5

Oh wretched woman that I am. After considering this portion of Isaiah, I sat in silence and asked myself about my sin. I don't blatantly sin or curse God. I don't fornicate or self harm in other ways. I don't partake in illegal activities. I could check off my card and walk away feeling self righteous, but I got a glimpse of God's holiness and my lack there of. What does my sin look like? Laziness, Pride, Self Righteousness, Procrastination:
Laziness to read God's Word.
I know what it says, I could go without reading today.
I'll just take a look a YouVersion. as if it were a catalog 
Tonight I'll do.
Tomorrow I'll do.

I'm keeping it real. If we aren't in God's Word daily, how will we grow? How will be effective Christians?
I encourage you, as I am being encouraged, to open your Bibles daily and grow. Position yourself. Set a time. And do. As we have daily encounters with God, we will be radically and beautifully transformed into the image of Christ. That's the goal! And what I believe the only real way to be a better you, a better me. 

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. John 15:5-8

Sentence Tuesday

If you uproot an idol in your life 

and fail to plant the love of Christ in its place, 

the idol will grow back.

-Tim Keller 

[photo credit]

plant. water. grow.

Hi Friends.
I am very excited to share with you what the Lord has been laying upon my heart these last two weeks. It has been hard to blog, every single day I have wanted to write, yet could not find the right words to share with you what God has to say to you, to me. But here we are and I am confident that it is the Spirit of God speaking.

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness. -2 Corinthians 9:10

This verse is of great comfort. The Lord has not only given us eternal salvation, a Helper (His Holy Spirit) but He has supplied us with seeds. Trust me, I do not have a green thumb nor do I know anything about agriculture but I do know one thing related to seeds: The Lord has planted a vineyard in my life. 

He has sown seeds of forgiveness, mercy, grace, truth, love, laughter and so on. What has the Lord done in your life? Those are seeds planted in you. He has sown recovery from an eating disorder, He has sown healing (countless of times), He has sown restoration, He has sown contentment, He has sown the amazing fruits of the Spirit in me. I can go on. But unless I water them with the Word of God there will be no increase, no growth. I must water, water, water. As I mentioned before, I know nothing about agriculture so I will consult someone who does know... the Helper! He will surely help me.


Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5
The challenge the Lord has given me, and now I pass on to you: PLANT. WATER. GROW. The challenge is however, to plant in other's lives. Has the Lord planted a seed in your heart? Go therefore and plant that in someone else's life, that is what discipleship is all about (Matthew 28:19).  [For example, it took two years for the Lord to heal my broken heart. He planted a seed of restoration and I watered it with the Word of God. Now, the Helper is leading me to dry vineyards aka ladies around me who are going through similar hearaches and I am able to plant the seed I received and repeat the cycle: plant, water and God will make it grow as I pray.]

I encourage you to take this challenge. I'll post "vineyard moments" as they happen, so share yours with me. Ask the Lord of the Harverst to lead you to dry vineyards. Once He reveals or possibly lead you to that person begin the cultivating process: plant, water, grow. As the Lord does the growing you pray without ceasing for that person. Women minister to the women and men minister to men. I bet if we all allow the Lord to discipline us in this area, we will have many Isaiah 17:8 people. 

May we never forget that it is by someone else's wounds that we have been healed. May our wounds, our past trials or even currents ones be used to help someone else. May our seasons of being filled be used to fill others. God bless YOU!


The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters WILL ALSO be watered himself.
-Proverbs 11:25

 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare WHAT HE HAS DONE for my soul.
-Psalm 66:16

 KNOWING that your FAITH is alive keeps us alive.
-1 Thessalonians 3:8 (The Message)

 Imitate ME, just as I also imitate Christ.
-1 Corinthians 11:1

 And by his wounds we are HEALED.
-Isaiah 53:5

Sow for yourselves RIGHTEOUSNESS;

Reap in mercy;

Break up the FALLOW GROUND of your HEART,

For it is time to seek the LORD,

Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.

-Hosea 10:12