Watch What You Say

Recently I had the priveledge of reading a friends manuscript.  The manuscript was about her different experiences with God and is an amazing read that shows how good God is.  In one of her times with God, God said to her that He HATES it when people talk bad about her.  In fact she told me that God was very emphatic about this.

Out of all that I read in the manuscript this hit home to me more than anything.  I am guilty of saying and thinking wrong things about others but I am also quick to recognize it and ask for forgiveness.  But, I am not so quick to recognize when I say and think wrong things about myself.  In fact the wrong things I say and do tend to become a distorted truth to me that goes against how God sees me.

When I see myself as a goofup or a failure then I am not believing the truth of who God says that I am.  His word declares that He has good plans for me to give me a future and a hope.  His word also declares that I can do ALL things through Him, because He strengthens me.  One translation words it a bit differently and says I can do all things through Him because He empowers me.  So if God has good plans for us that cannot fail and His every thought towards us is good (see Psalm 139) then who am I to call what He created bad?

Your life may not look like you want it to but you are not a mistake and God does have a plan and a purpose for you!  He loves you and He loves spending time with you.  God has chosen and accepted you into the beloved.

I challenge you to watch the thoughts you have towards yourself and definately watch what you say about yourself.  Get into the Word and find what God's word says about you.  Begin speaking God's truth out of your mouth until His truth becomes a reality.  Begin to laugh at the lies you thik about yourself.

One ministry that I have found that helps me speak God's truth about myself and whatever situation I am facing is Igniting Hope Ministries out of Bethel.  Steve and Wendy Backlund have an amazing ministry to help others discover God's truth!  Check out their website:  www.ignitinghope.com for declarations you can begin declaring today.  Their facebook page is also another great place to obtain Godly truth about yourself.

It is hard at first when you speak the lie out of your mouth and then laugh at it.  When I began, I felt like crying more than laughing but I am keeping on until I have more of the joy of the Lord inside of me.

Last I challenge you to write down every lie you have ever thought, spoken, or believed.  Also write down every lie that has been spoken over you by another or that you have perceived others felt about you.

Sometimes I think the words spoken to us or how we perceive others feel towards us can become the open door to what we begin to see and say about ourselves.  All of my life I had felt unwanted and unchosen so a root of rejection began to grow within me.  If I am not careful the actions and words of others can make me feel rejected and unimportant if I allow it to.

After you have written down all the lies take another piece of paper and begin writing down every truth that God reveals to you on how He sees you.  Once you are done with both take the lies and rip them up as much as you can and throw the lies away!   The lies are not who God says you are!  Begin to mediate on the truth, speak the truth out of your mouth, speak what God's word says about who you are.

You have to replace the negative lies you have been thinking and speaking with the truth and the best way to do that is to replace every lie when it comes with the truth!!!!  Above I have provided resources to begin speaking the trut of who God says you are: The Word of God, Igniting Hope Ministries, the truths about yourself that God gives you.

Here are some confessions to begin with on who God says that you are:

• You are special and unique!  One of a kind!
• You are chosen!
• You are accepted!
• You are loved!
• You are healed!
• You are an overcomer!
• You are valuable!
• You are beautiful!

There are so many more truths you can begin decaring about yourself today! Go find the truth and begin declaring it over yourself today.  May you begin to walk in more freedom, peace, and joy and may you begin to experiece the abundant life that Jesus died to give you.

Blessings and peace.

Hold onto Hope

When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on the delay can be depressing, but when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.  Prov 13:12 TPT

The first part of this verse seems to have become my life for the past year. I continually ask God when will I experience a longing fulfilled or life's sweetness? At times I have not weathered the storm well. I have gotten to a place of worry and fear. I have lost hope and have just wanted to give up. I have even gotten mad at God and asked Him why and when. I know this last statement may shock some of you, I am not proud of the fact but God used this to show me another side of how good He is.

While I don't understand why this season continually stretches out before me I know God is using this season to grow my hope and trust in Him and to work out all the fears, worries, and insecurities still residing within me. At times I have wanted to go at this battle alone because after all I seem to be saying the same things over and over again and it gets old, well that and I get tired of it being all about me.

Recently as I began to loose hope again God began speaking to me through different songs and the picture that is shown below. When I first saw this painting I could not stop looking at it because it seemed God was speaking to me through this painting. I believe this painting represents a seedling of hope that is being grown and developed in the Master's hands. In this place the seedling is safe and secure and has been planted in such rich soil that will allow it to grow and develop into what it was designed and created to be.

No matter what you are facing don't lose hope! There is no failure in God, His promises are true, and He is more than able. His nature is one of love, hope, and joy. His every thought and plan He has for us is good. While I don't understand why people deal with lifetime illnesses without seeing healing, or have physical needs that don't seem to be met, or even why promises spoken don't seem to come to pass I know God is still able and He is more than enough.

If you too are struggling with holding onto hope; begin to meditate on His promises, begin to verbally speak out of your mouth His promises, and begin to praise and worship Him for the promises yet fulfilled. Find something in your situation to be thankful for and begin to declare your words of thanksgiving to God.

Lastly, don't go at it alone! I know when I hold it in and don't talk about all that is happening within me is when I face some of my toughest battles. It is not always easy to share but make sure you are planted in a good church and find at least one person you trust who you can share all of your struggles with.

I am beyond thankful for the community God has blessed me with. Even when I don't want to talk they ask just the right questions to open me up and allow the light of who God is to shine once again down inside of me. They are great to restore me to a place of hope, even when they don't know it. Eccl 4:10 & 12 has been proven true for me over and over again within this community.

It's better to have a partner than go it alone.  Share the work, share the wealth.  And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there's no one to help, tough!  By yourself you're uprooted.  With a friend you can face the worst.  Can you round up a third?  A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.  Ecc 4:10, 12 MSG

A special thanks to my community!  You all have been such a blessing to me.  More than even my words can say.  When I have wanted to give up in despair you have unknowingly restored me to a place of hope and trust.   I love each of you so much and am extremely thankful to be doing life with you.

Here are some songs that you can listen to and mediate on that will strengthen your hope:  Take Heart by Hillsong, God I look to You by Brian and Jenn Johnson,  and Nothing Wasted by Elevation Music.  I know there are so many others but these are a few that God has given to me personally. 

There is nothing to hard for our God!

Blessings.