known by name

As I emailed the ladies from my Bible study, I included a few words of encouragement. This too may be for you as much as it was for me this morning. So grab a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate and read on. 

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In the Bible there are many women who are mentioned but have no names. They are either identified by their location, their status and/or their condition. For example: A SAMARITAN woman, The WIDOW of Zeraphath, The woman with the ISSUE OF BLOOD. There are many more nameless and faceless women in the Bible.

You fill in the blank about yourself: 

The woman with the issue of __________. 

The wife of __________.

The Woman from __________. (this label could be your workplace)

I know that there are times when we feel like a nameless women. We even label others by what we see of them or their circumstance. If we focus on the label, we will miss out on a greater truth. These nameless women were not nameless to God. He knew each one by name and was intimately acquainted with their need. Though they had no names, God counted them worthy of mentioning them in His Word, using them for His purpose. He knew the name of the Samaritan woman, and though to the world she had a need for physical love, God saw her real need and He met her there. An outcast among her own people, she then became a bold witness for Christ. He knew the name of the Widow of Zeraphath. To the word she was just a poor widow with nothing to offer. But to God, she was a rich widow for her faith and obedience would prove that with God all things are possible. The woman with the issue of blood was also known by God, He knew her name. To the watching world her need was for healing but God knew that her real need was salvation. God knows you by name. 

He knows your need, your real need. He knows what you cry about. He knows what you worry about. He knows it all. Knowing everything about you He yearns to  speak comfort to you through His word. He longs for your presence in prayer. And He anxiously yet patiently waits for you to stop and worship Him. Through these three you will find hope, security, and deliverance. You are not nameless to God. Be blessed, you are known by name and your identity is found in Him. 

Birthday Surprise. It's Denise!

Hello there. Today's guest blogger is none other than my cousin Denise. She's no stranger to the Birthday Surprise tradition, and you can read her post "Trials and Adoration" here. Denise is one of the few people that I can trust and say is a woman of her word. May her story inspire and encourage you to choose contentment over bitterness.
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Bitterness and Contentment

It was 3:30 am again. I had to be up for work in a couple of hours and my head was throbbing, I was wide awake and I was losing all hope of falling asleep again. Laying there, staring into the darkness of my bedroom, thoughts began to swim through my head, and then, the tears came, burning my tired eyes. This was starting to become a daily thing. I couldn't stand it anymore. My life had been turned upside down and it felt like it had all happened overnight. Was this really happening? Was I still dreaming? Please God, let me fall back to sleep so I can wake up and this nightmare can be over.

Except it wasn't a nightmare, it was very real. I had lost my mother, and my father was marrying a much younger woman, even younger than I. Too many things were happening around me that I could not control. And every time I thought one trial had finished, another one immediately took its place. Everything was spinning out of control and I couldn't make it stop. The truth was, I couldn't stop it, not any of it. This was my new life and I was going to have to live with it, or stay miserable, stressed out, broken and wounded. The good news is that there was a way out and I knew it. I realized that the one who saved me, the one who had been there for me through everything, was still there. My God, who loved me dearly, was waiting with His arms wide open. He would be my comfort, my strength, my sanity.

Everything happened so fast, I should have been grieving but instead I was dealing with things beyond my control. There were times when my emotions took hold of me and I could barely breathe. I realized that if I let my emotions continue to control me, I wouldn't be able to breathe again.

More than any other emotions, what took over me the most was bitterness and anger. I think what shocked me was how quickly it all had happened. I didn't understand why or how it was happening, I just wanted someone to make it stop. However, deep down, I knew that all of this would be used for God’s glory. 

I felt like I couldn't trust anyone else on this earth. My real father was my God. He loved me more than anything. Isaiah 43:1-4, became my passage during this time.

“But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.” ~Isaiah 43:1-4

I have a God who loves me and I couldn’t be more content in that thought. He loves me dearly. He can get me through anything. He was more real to me than He ever had been. He did not want me to be bitter and resentful. By holding onto my emotions and feeling bitter towards those around me, I was only hurting myself. No one else was losing sleep over this except me. But most of all it was hurting my testimony. How could I show the love of Christ and be an example to others if all they saw in me was sadness and anger. This is not the way God wants me to feel. It wasn’t easy but by staying in the word of God and keeping an open relationship with Him, everything became better. He spoke to me and comforted me tremendously. I was His daughter, His princess.  I was able to sleep at night and my bitterness slowly melted away. I was able to face things I never thought I would be able to face before and I was able to come home at night and actually enjoy being there. My situation did not change but my attitude toward it did.

We need to be content in all our circumstances. They are there to mold us and make us stronger. I heard a pastor use this analogy this week, he mentioned that when he was a child, his mother would bake and she would have all the ingredients laid out on the counter. He proceeded to try each one, the sugar, the oil, the flour, etc. He said he remembers trying each ingredient one by one. Individually, they tasted horrible, they were not appetizing at all. But when his mother put the ingredients together and baked them, they were delicious. When we look at each of our circumstances individually, they seem horrible, they are not good, but when you look at your life as a whole, these are the things that have made you who you are today, they have made something good.

In the end, I learned that I need to praise God no matter what, whether I am up or down. He loves me and knows what is best for me, even if I don’t understand it. He suffered for me, more than anything I will ever go through on this earth. If there is a situation that you are in that you feel you can’t control, surrender it to God, let Him handle it. If there is a person that you need to forgive, pray for them. You will be surprised at how much your attitude and heart changes toward a person when you are asking for God to work in them. Most of all, never stop worshiping Jesus. He loves you.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” ~ Colossians 3:12-15

a life of gratitude

gratitude:  a feeling of thankfulness or appreciation, as for gifts or favors 

synonyms: thanks, thankfulness, appreciation, gratefulness

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Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. psalm 50:14
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Over ten years ago I sat in a church service that changed me forever. I don't remember the topic or the passage of scripture being read. The only thing I remember is this: "Gratitude is not a feeling, it is an act. We must chose to be grateful, by choosing to give thanks." When the Psalmist said, "make thankfulness your sacrifice" He was right on. It is work.
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How are we to do the work of thankfulness? The Pastor continued sharing practical ways of living a life of gratitude: "Give thanks to God for everything! When you wake up, thank God for being alive. When you shower, thank God for the water and soap. As you have breakfast, thank God for the coffee (Lord knows I do this one daily!). As you drive, thank God for your transportation. Thank God for the tree you pass every day. Thank God for..." You get the drift, give thanks to God for everything. If God is the giver of all things, and I am His follower, a life of gratitude is a logical act of worship.
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I took this nugget of wisdom with me and put it to practice the very next day. As I drove to work, I thanked God everything! From the very breath I had just taken, to the trees down the street. The more consistent I was in this new way of life, the more things I found to be thankful for. Oh my Word! This was easier than I thought. I was on a roll, till I was rolled over by a great and fiery trial. What was I to do? The words of Pastor Mandy came back to mind, gratitude is an act, not a feeling. I definitely didn't feel like dancing with shouts of thankfulness, but I made a choice to give thanks. I learned that day what an "offering of thanksgiving" meant. It wasn't easy at first, but it did become easier. Before I knew it, my heart and mind had found peace in the midst of a pressing situation.
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I challenge you today. As gratitude is an action, choose today to be thankful for everything. Begin by thanking God for being who He is, name His names and attributes. Thank Him for the small things you see in your surrounding. Trust me, nothing is too small or insignificant. As you walk, sit, or drive from one destination to another, thank God for the things and people you see. And when you can't fall asleep at night, and are "too tired" to pray, just lay there and thank God for whatever comes to mind. Take it a step further, keep a daily journal where you jot down things you are thankful for that day. When trying times come over you, go back and read all the many things you are thankful for. You will discover that through gratitude, you already have enough to fight the battle.
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God bless you dear friend!
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Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. Psalm 95:2
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Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalm 100:4
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Be thankful in all circumstances, 
for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6
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Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15
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Let your roots grow down into Christ, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Colossians 3:16
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 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Ephesians 5:3-5
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Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. Hebrews 12:28

Lyrical Friday - Glorious

Happy Friday! 
For the past few weeks, the Lord has been working the discipline of worship in my heart. And by worship I mean worship by thanksgiving, worship by praise, over all, worship by words. Eventually all our works here on earth will be judged and if our works were good than we shall be rewarded. Worship is a good work and I don't want to fail God in this area. By no means am I encouraging anyone to do good works in order to earn a reward, for what greater reward than eternity with God!? But this is where God has me, He is molding me to be a worshiper in spirit, in truth and as a good worker. 
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For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:9-15
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I don't know about you, but I want my works of worship to endure all throughout Heaven and eternity. I have determined to worship God with excellence, focus and purpose. I encourage you to do the same as you meditate on the lyrics of this song. May your worship be a sweet-smelling aroma unto the Lord; a worship that pleases Him. 


Glorious, Bryan and Katie Torwalt 

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Hope fills my soul, and the love that youʼve shown
Brings refreshing like the rain
Peace floods my heart, Iʼve known nothing apart
Apart from Your goodness God

Chorus 
You are Glorious, 
You are Holy, Holy 
The heavenʼs shout, You are Worthy, Worthy
My soul cries out, You are Holy, Holy
The Nations will shout, You are Worthy, Worthy

Verse 2 
Your Love frees my soul, and fear has no hold 
For You have broken the chains 
Now Joy fills my life, Your Spirit Your Light
Iʼm undone by the Kindness of Christ

birthday surprise! It's Josie

Happy Wednesday! 

Today we approach our final birthday surprise with one of the most special women I know and am blessed to call my friend. One of my earliest memories of our friendship was her impeccable taste in clothes and my acknowledging it. Though she continues dressing lovely, it is her passionate love for Jesus and His joy alive in her that attracts people to her. She radiates His glory everywhere she goes, making Josie one of the most beautiful women I know. May you be blessed by her post today! 

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The Great Restorer

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I’m excited to be writing this and a bit nervous. You see, writing takes me out of my comfort zone and into an area where I am stretched and have to completely depend on God. I’ve prayed about what I would write about. I originally had my heart set on worship, as the Lord had placed in my heart, but then it took a turn last night.

My husband loves to watch the History Channel, among other channels that I would rather not watch (Discovery, National Geographic, etc) … boring! Anyway, these channels are not my first choice. I would rather watch HGTV, but at times I have learned to enjoy those shows with him and have learned a few things along the way. We were watching a show called ‘American Restoration’. This show consist of people bring old items (dirty items that were not being used and couldn’t work any longer) to a man, an expert, that could restore them to their original beauty. As I was watching this I was thinking, “Why would anybody keep that, its old and ugly and so worn out. What’s the use?” The Lord in that moment said to my heart, “That’s what I do.”

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He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. Isaiah 61:3

This verse is true in my own life and in yours. God is the only One who can turn around a life that seems to be in the worst of situations; a life so run down by problems, unmet expectations, mistakes, and failures. Anyone looking at such a life might ask, “What’s the use of it?” But God is the Great Restorer; He can give you a crown of beauty for ashes. God can make something out of nothing. He can and He does provide in ways that only He is capable of. He can give you an abundant life. He does the impossible. He is your Creator.

The end results in the show is great, to see this expert turn something so dreadful into something so beautiful, it made everyone smile including myself. This “thing” could be used again for its original purpose and with loveliness.

You and I are precious in the eyes of Jesus, who paid it all for you and I ‐for love. He loves you and me so much that He will do what only He is best at and is able to do: turn our circumstance around, cleanse our heart from the guilt of the past, and start fresh. That is with one condition, that we submit our lives to Him, the “expert restorer”. Those things that were brought into the shop for restoration didn’t tell the expert what to do, that would have been laughable. So it is silly to tell God how He needs to change our lives. We are the ones making it worse. Each item brought into the shop required its own work. At times it took the renovator a little longer to restore one thing more than another. So it is with us. The “restoration” work of our lives is a personal one. Each of us is a unique, one of a kind, masterpiece that requires a specific chisel, drill, nail, buffer, cut, furnace, time, paint and gloss to be restored to our original God-given purpose. The end result will be a beautiful and glorious thing to see, and everyone will know that the Great Restorer has done a marvelous work in our life. It will bring a smile to those around us and most importantly to Jesus.

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If you feel like there is no hope or beauty in your life, I encourage you to come to Jesus. He is the only One who can restore your life to beauty and purpose that if told you, you would not believe it. He already knows the work He can do in you and through you.

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Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...  Ephesians 3:20

Submission to God begins by trusting that God can do the impossible in our lives. Trust Him for He loves you and is waiting for you to allow His hands to restore you. I can say this confidently because He has turned my ashes into beauty. All the glory goes to Him my Lord and King!

PS: I guess it’s still about worship.

We worship God because He is worthy to praised.

When you feel down and out, worship, worship, and worship! Thank God and sing to Him and you will have a beauty that is to be reckoned with :)

Lyrical Friday - Wrong Worship

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:21-24


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Happy Friday dear Friends! 
Once again, I had a different song in mind when the Lord brought to remembrance this video that my friend showed me earlier in the week. Though the video caused me laugh, it also compelled me to search my heart. I even said "ouch" because it revealed the ugliness of my heart. Let the confession booth open it's doors. 
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Sometimes when I worship, I don't really mean it. I am not saying that I do this intentionally but there are distractions, thoughts that pop into my head, even lack of faith that creeps into my heart as I worship God. It is so easy to sing along to a song that I know all the words to or even to bow my head in "prayer" when in all reality my mind is consumed with what I will eat after the service is over. I know I can get an"Amen" from someone out there who can admit to the same wrong. 
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I love that this video reveals what often is the condition of our heart as we worship God. I'm here to encourage you and challenge you to pray with me:

"Lord, humble me. Teach me to worship you in spirit and in truth. Teach me to worship you wholeheartedly, with no reserves, no distractions and none of me in the way. You are worthy of praise, glory, devotion, adoration and exaltation because You are Father, You are Son, You are Holy Spirit, You are the Almighty God, You are Healer, You are Provider, You are the Prince of Peace, You are the Great Shepherd, You are Savior, Messiah, Redeemer and Friend. Amen!!!" 

 Pray a prayer similar to this one before entering a time of worship, whether it be in your home or your church. A prayer like this the Lord will never deny. I know that He will magnify Himself in your worship! Don't steal the glory of worship by making it about you. Glorify God alone in your worship.
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Wrong Worship, First Orlando Church

 "Our worship here on earth may be the loneliest times in Heaven." -Arlene Hoffman

heaven on earth

Hi beloved friends.
Three years in a row I have celebrated my birthday by hosting a ladies worship and prayer night. I love love love getting together with God's girls. Michi, one of my best friends, lead us in a wonderful time of worship. We then spent a beautiful time in prayer for one another, everyone prayed for the person to their right. The communion table is my favorite part of the night. I have a motto when it comes to communion: Jesus doesn't want you to have a little bit of Him, He wants you to take A LOT of Him! So naturally, the Challah bread is served and everyone takes as much of "Jesus" as they want.

WhenI first celebrated my birthday like this I went out and bought imported Moroccan tea glasses and they are reserved only for communion. It's a special time. With the help of my cousin, I made bookmarks (which is another tradition). On each bookmark is a verse(s) that the Lord prompted in my heart to write. As communion takes place each one takes a bookmark and spends time alone with Jesus and reading what His Spirit has to say. It was an awesome time. There was enough time afterwards for ladies to share what God spoke through those scriptures. It was amazing!!!

These are the moments that make me yearn for Heaven. But till them, may we be a people who worship our Lord always, pray without ceasing for one another and come boldly to the throne of grace to hear from Him.

Be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1