And then God spoke.

"I love you." That's what God said to me tonight. And as soon as He whispered it to my soul, a flood of His overwhelming love consumed every part of me. It was an awesome feeling.

Allow me to explain. Tonight at church, Joey asked us all to do something that was a little different. He encouraged everyone there to have a time of silence, no talking out, no music, just silence. He asked that the Holy Spirit would speak something to each individual heart. Let me tell you, it was powerful. The presence of the Lord was so strong. A Holy hush fell in the room. I heard nothing, not a peep. Until He spoke. God spoke. To me. Little old wretched me.

The Lord speaks to everyone in different ways. Some say they hear God clear as a bell. While others say they have an impression or a feeling come over them. While many share a different experience entirely. God's creative that way; He knows how best to communicate to His kids. But with me, it's always a gentle thought that pops in my Spirit; and it's always a thought that I know I could not have conjured up on my own.

That being said, I know God loves me. In fact, just today I was studying His everlasting love in the book of Jeremiah. I know He loves me. So yes, I suppose I could conjur up something like that on my own, that God loves me. But it wasn't me conjuring anything up at all tonight. I wasn't trying to make God say something to me. I simply heeded what Joey said and waited in silence before the Lord.

"I love you." It brings tears to my eyes even now. I know He loves me. I know that He has loved me from the moment He thought of me. I know that He has loved me through the darkest of valleys. I know that He has loved me through the highest of mountains. I know that He has loved me through every negative thing I've said. I know that He has loved me through every disobedient act. I know that He has loved me through every good work. I know that He has loved me just for me. But tonight, I felt it.

You see, the Christian life is a faith-filled life. We walk by faith. And much of the time, that's literally what we go by, our faith. We can't live by our feelings. We can't be moved by what we feel, or what we see, or what we hear. We have to be moved by our faith. And so I march through life knowing that God loves me, by faith. It takes great faith for me to believe that because I know my short comings. I know ME. And so because I know ME, it takes faith to believe that God "loves me with an everlasting love." I accept His love, by faith.

But tonight, I got to feel His love. It was overwhelming. And warm. And un-stoppable. What a great night it was! We stayed in that wonderful presence for a little while...you could hear emotions begin to rise in people as sniffles were heard. I wonder what God was speaking to them? There was a lot of people there tonight and yet God had something specific to say to each person in attendance. That's the creative God we serve.

So tonight, I share this quick thought with anyone that would read it - He loves you. No really - He really, really, really does. It's not cliche. It's not something we say to say it. He loves you. And He loves me. Because He told me so.

Tell it girl!

Do you ever talk to yourself? I do. A lot. Probably more than one should. But the good thing about talking to yourself, is that yourself will not tell yourself to stop talking. Yourself will not roll your eyes at yourself. Yourself will not cop attitude with yourself. Yourself will not give yourself an unwanted opinion. Yourself makes sense to yourself therefore you don't have to explain yourself. This all works great until people in Walmart wonder why you are talking to yourself and before you know it, you've made the "People of Walmart" website. I am almost positive you'd find me there. And if you don't, add me. It's about time.

Did you know it's actually Biblical to talk to yourself? Yes, yes it is. King David should also be on the "People of Walmart" website as he talked to himself a lot. Maybe even more than I do.

Psalm 103:1 says, "Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!"

King David is talking to himself here. He is telling his soul what to do. We need to do the same thing. We need to speak to ourself, and often times, we need to put our own selves in check.

This scripture shows us exactly what to do! Regardless of whatever I am facing, no matter the level of difficulty, I WILL BLESS THE LORD! I will command my soul to bless the Lord. Everything that is in me, everything that I can possibly have control over, which is my soul, IT WILL BLESS THE LORD. Regardless. Your soul is the one thing you can order around. Nobody can control your soul but you.

Nobody can control your soul but you.

Allow that to sink in. I'll give you a moment...I could use a snack anyhow.

Tell your soul what to do! King David did. I will bless the Lord, OH MY SOUL. He is saying, "Did you get that soul? You are going to bless God today. Sure there are people coming against me from every side. Sure I have made tremendous mistakes. Sure my family is nuts! Sure I have valid justification to be downcast today but hear it loud and clear oh soul of mine, YOU WILL BLESS THE LORD!"

We have got to talk to ourselves all through the day. We gotsta tell our soul what to do. Tell it girl! Did you wake up grumpy? Tell it! Is your marriage in turmoil? Tell it! Do you have promise from God that has not come to pass yet and your soul is falling prey to discouragement? Tell it! Are your finances in reversal, seemingly getting worse? Tell it! Do you have family drama that's cray cray enough to be it's own reality show? Tell it! Tell it! Tell it!

I will bless the Lord OH MY SOUL. No matter what. Period. End of discussion.

I love what follows: "Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."

King David goes on to remind his soul of the goodness of God. So not only does he command his own self to get his attitude in check, but he goes on to remind his own self of all the things God ALREADY has done. And if God ALREADY has done tremendous stuff, surely God can get us out of the situation that threatens to take us out right?

So today, no matter what you are facing, and I don't for a second dis-credit the hardship many are facing today...but for today, for this moment, you have control over your soul. You have control over what you tell your soul to do. So in the cray cray's of life, (my 9 year old says that word so I feel the need to as well) in the craziness of this vapor we have here on Earth, tell it girl. Tell your soul what to do. You will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in your mouth! TELL IT!

*Disclaimer* I don't know if there actually is a "People of Walmart" site, though I've heard there is. I don't condone making fun of people that go to Walmart because, well, I go there weekly. If you roll the security tape, you'll see me in anything from dress slacks to pajama's, probably eating something of which I intend to pay for but may perish with hunger if not eaten at that exact moment...and perhaps dancing and/or singing. *End of disclaimer*

Camp Condemnation

Awhile back I bought some trail mix that looked so good! I got in the car, hungry as can be, or probably not hungry at all but I just like to eat. So I opened up the bag and threw a handful in my mouth. And then I about gagged. The trail mix was chock full of Wasabi Peas. Now, you may like Wasabi peas, and if you do I shall pray deliverance over you. Those things are super gross! I can't even describe the taste. Just not good.

However, they quickly were put to use. The Wasabi peas became the consequence for our kids using a word that's not kind or a word that's not allowed or a word that contains potty humor. I have girls. You'd think potty humor would not humor them but oh my how it does...

We have only had to have the kids eat a Wasabi Pea a few times as it really does the trick in keeping their words clean! They've told me I needed Wasabi a time or two...but somehow I seem to bypass my consequence. I'm cool like that.

The other day, one of my girls was walking out of the bathroom with the grossest look on her face. I asked her what was wrong to which she replied, "I said a bad word so I ate a piece of Wasabi."

I didn't hear her say the word; I would have been none the wiser that she even said anything. But in her heart she knew it was wrong and so she gave herself a consequence for it. Bless her little heart!

I was reading today in 1 John 3 and the scripture just hit me upside the head, as powerful as the taste of a Wasabi Pea in fact. John 3:21 says, "Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

The NLT says it like this, "Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him."

My daughter felt guilty for the word that she used. In response, she gave herself the consequence that is due the action. And then it's done. That's how we try to operate in our home, once the consequence is given, that's the end of it. We try not to re-hash the issue or bring it up repeatedly, the lesson has been learned. Time to move on.

The same with the Lord. When we ask forgiveness, for whatever it is, however big it is, He forgives. There may be some consequences that are due the action, depending on the nature of the issue, but forgiveness is still there. Sometimes we make decisions that leave us with life-long consequences. That does not mean forgiveness is still not present. Forgiveness can be present in the midst of a consequence. Absolutely.

But based on this scripture, the real issue is condemnation. If our hearts condemn us over every sin we have committed, then, according to this scripture, we will not approach God with confidence. Therefore our prayers are going up to God without any weight behind them, there is no power in them if they are not going up to God in faith. And if we are always living in a constant state of guilt, then we are living a powerless and defeated life. And often times we don't even realize it.

Having grown up with such a tremendous root of shame in my life, condemnation comes very easy for me. I can camp in condemnation for a long time before I snap out of it. And sometimes I don't even realize that I'm camped there, because it's easy for it to become a normal way of life. Think about it, it's easy for us to go through our day to day unaware that we are allowing our "heart to condemn" us. Perhaps you have a nagging feeling in the back of your mind, always thinking that surely something is wrong. Maybe you allow your thoughts to dwell in a place they ought not dwell, steeped in negativity. Or you rehearse the past like it's happening in the present. And it's subtle. Because it's simply become part of who you are. Before you know it, you are living camped in condemnation, and you don't even know it.

Friends, when we camp in that place, we have no faith. And life without faith is, well, not life at all. Faith is the essence of everything we do as a believer. Faith is what takes us through the Prison, like Joseph. And Faith is what takes us to the Palace. The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. So that tells me that if I allow my heart to constantly condemn me, I'm not pleasing to God. Imagine that! The World tells us the complete opposite. Be punished repeatedly for your actions. Over and over. Rehash it, rehearse it, relive it. But God says, "I forgive you the moment you ask me to! Now let's move on together because THAT is what is pleasing. My child living a joy-filled and free life, that's what is pleasing."

God is pleased when we leave Camp Condemnation. Nothing good comes from staying there. We get dirty. We get stinky. No amount of showering in the wilderness gets all the dirt out. It's not until you leave camp and get home and take a proper shower that you truly get clean.

So today, let's leave that filthy camp. It was never built for us anyway. Let's let go of the things we've done in the past, they don't determine our future. Let's do our best to please God with our lives. Let's do our best to live righteous. And when we don't, let's be quick to repent and leave Camp Condemnation. Let's be people that never let our faith be jeopardized. We need our faith; it's our access to the Almighty God. Faith packs a powerful punch. And for the record, so do Wasabi Peas.

That precious thing called the Church

2 Corinthians 13:5 starts off with simply this, "Examine yourselves as to wether you are in the faith. Test yourselves."

I love the Church. And I don't just mean our church, though I'm quite biased and think we have a pretty awesome church! But I love the Body of Christ as a whole. I love how different churches have different focal points. They have different passions that drive them; goals and visions that God has given to that particular church. I love that not all churches are the same. How boring would that be? I love the differences that make up the Body of Christ. There are so many wonderfully amazing, Bible believing Churches amongst the Body of Christ.

That being said, can I tell you my pet peeve? Or at least one of them...I'll save my list of annoyances for a later date as surely you all will tune me right out. But gum popping ranks pretty high on said list. And the sound of clipping nails. Lily likes to list my pet peeves. Sheesh, what a great example I'm setting.

My #1 pet peeve in all the world is this: Church bashing. Drives me up an ever lovin' wall. When good hearted, well meaning people, come against the church and all that the American Church is not doing, it seriously hurts my heart. Again, perhaps I'm biased, because I'm blessed to belong to a church that full well knows we are not doing everything, but by golly we are doing something. And so are many, many, mannnnnnnnny churches in this great nation of America. I absolutely love to see what other churches are doing for the Lord! I have a few different churches I like to watch on TV; I follow many churches on facebook & I watch different churches online. Why? Because there is so much to learn from the great body of Christ! God gave us all different gifts. And I love to see those gifts in action.

Forgive me if that sounded harsh, my main pet peeve. I guess I just love the church so much on a personal level, that when I hear any negativity towards God's great body, it crushes my heart. I love the church because I would not be here in this great life I live, if not for the church. It was because of a church youth group that I accepted Christ, as a pain filled teenager. It was because of the church that I learned life skills that some take for granted, as I did not learn them in the home as a kid. It was because of the church that I grew in my relationship with the Lord. And it's now because of the church, that I get to do something for the Lord that I never in a million years thought I would be fit to do. And quite honestly, I'm not!

That all being said, I fully realize the church is not perfect. Every church has it's issues, of course. It's made of people. But what an awesome institution that God ordained for His people, the local church. He set up a pattern for us to follow. Hebrews tells us: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

We have the privilege to come together to "stir up love and good works." Isn't that what the body of Christ is about? That we should come together, regardless of our doctrinal and theological differences, and "stir up love?" Oh my goodness that's powerful. Stir up love.

My favorite preacher, aka my husband, spoke Sunday on the topic of Offense. It's been popping up in random things I've been reading this week, all the way down to my morning devotional today. Clearly the Lord is talking to me! Offense comes to everyone. And yes, it comes to the church. Which is such a bummer. But it does.

Smith Wigglesworth says this: "There are thousands and thousands of different churches, but they are all one in the Spirit to the extent they receive the life of Christ. If there is any division, it is always outside of the Spirit. The Spiritual life in the believer never has known dissension, because where the Spirit has perfect liberty, there is total agreement, and there is no schism in the body."

If we simply would live every day according to the freedom that that Christ died to give us, there would be no room for an offense to settle. Because as soon as something offends us, we would have our Spiritual eyes on, and we would recognize it for what it is: the bait of Satan. If we have on the right eyes, in that moment, we will not choose to accept the bait, but rather, we will "stir up love." The moment we allow the offense to settle in our hearts, is the moment we take the bait. And when we take the bait, as my handsome bald man says, we become an agent of Satan. As we allow offense to build in us, we begin to operate out of a very scary place. We begin to say things that we normally would not say - we make choices that we otherwise would not make - we leave churches and relationships - we give up on dreams and begin to lose our passion for the thing we once held so dear. Because we took the bait.

2 Corinthians 6:3 says, "give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not blamed." We all have a ministry. You don't have to be a Pastor of a church, an evangelist or a head of a ministry to take this verse to heart. Anyone that confesses Jesus as Lord has a ministry! Your life becomes ministry the moment you accept Christ. We have a bigger picture.

Again from today's devotional: "God wants to show us that we must so live in the Spirit that the ministry is not blamed. If your ministry is not to be blamed, how can you help to prevent it from being blamed? You have to live in love. See to it that you never say or do anything that would interfere with the work of the Lord; rather, live in the place where you are helping everybody, and causing everybody to come into perfect harmony. Remember, there is always a blessing where there is harmony. 'One accord' is the keynote of the victory that is going to come to us all the time."

There it is again, "Stir up love."

Today, I'm choosing love. Tomorrow, I'm choosing love. And when offense comes, as it will, I'm going to "stir up love." I'll even love those that have created my biggest pet peeve, coming against the sweet and precious church of my Lord. Why? Because I refuse to be an agent of Satan. No bait for me today. I'm full :)

How about you?

Oh ya, that book...

I've mentioned before that I'm working on a book; a few of you have been so kind as to ask me about it's progress! The operative word here being "working." It's taking quite some time to actually be able say that I'm "working" on it at all. My hopes are that in the fall, when our regular routine starts up (actually I can't say it's a regular routine as it will be a new routine!) I plan to devote much more time to it. At any rate, I thought I'd share a chapter of it that I have done with you. It's totally a rough draft, so forgive my errors and if it flat does not make sense! But I would love your feedback. Thank you!

Chapter Three: I am enough

Madison Avenue was a very busy street; it was years ago when I lived there and it still is to this day. The street was lined with huge bushes, to provide a barrier to the noise, albeit unsuccessfully. I remember the flower they produced so vividly, as I walked Madison Avenue often.

One particular day my mom sent me to the gas station to pick up a loaf of bread. I was probably about 7 years old at the time, and the walk was pretty far for my little legs to take me, at least half a mile if not more. I did not mind the walk; it gave me something to do. And although I had to cross a busy intersection, again, no matter to me. The downside to this journey was that as you will recall, we were on State assistance for food therefore I went without cash, but with food stamps. I don’t know how my little mind knew that it was embarrassing to have to use food stamps. I don’t ever recall being teased about it or anyone even knowing for that matter, but for some reason, I just knew that it was not how the majority of my friends’ families functioned.

Perhaps it was because when I was able to sleep over at a friend’s house, I always was thrilled when it came time to eat! We always got to have something for dinner that was different than the beans and rice, or top ramen that I’d grown accustomed to. And when I slept over on a school night, look out world, Jen was taking a sack lunch to school! Complete with a Kudos bar! It was hog heaven for me.

Now don’t get me wrong, we never went without food. Sure we had food stamps, and yes I recall getting food from a church, but we never were without. And the reason for that is because my grandparents were always there. My dad’s parents, they took care of us in lieu of their son’s responsibility. At the start of every school year, they bought us clothes, and often, groceries. Very early on in life, we started spending weekends with them. I cherished those times. We went to pizza every Saturday night and breakfast every Sunday morning. Funny how I recall every food related detail. No, I don’t have food issues or anything! My Grandparents were an integral part of my childhood.

Back to my walk to the Gas station. I eventually made my way there, grabbed the loaf of bread and placed it on the counter. I gave the man my food stamps, more than enough to cover the cost. No big deal right? Well, you would think I’d committed treason the way the clerk treated me. He would not let me have the bread. He said my mother needed to be with me if I was going to use the food stamps. And so I left. Without my bread. And without any ounce of dignity I had left inside my 7 year old little heart.

It wasn’t the lack of bread that hurt me, even though I knew it was an inconvenience to go home empty handed to my mom who had enough on her extremely full yet somehow empty plate. It was the shame that filled me in that moment. I already was embarrassed to be on state assistance. I already was embarrassed to have to pull the food stamps out of my pocket and place it on the counter for someone to see it and know of my plight. I guess in my mind, seeing that food stamp told my story. In my mind, if someone saw that food stamp, well then surely they knew all the dark secrets that our little duplex on Madison Avenue held. Surely they knew of the addiction that resided there, surely they knew of the abuse that took place. In my mind, that food stamp represented all that I was. The shame, and the embarrassment that was me. And it was not enough. That’s what I left the gas station with that day, the reminder that I’m not enough.

What would it have taken that man to just to give me the loaf of bread, to spare me the humiliation? I wish the adult version of me could have came up behind me that day and done what I would do if I saw that situation play out now. If I saw a child attempting to purchase a measly loaf of bread I would happily buy that sweet kid the bread. And then some candy. And then maybe a toy! Anything to reverse the shame that was clearly overwhelming that child.

But the adult version of me did not come to my aid that day. Nor did anyone else for that matter. And so it became just another time where the reality of my world was evident; that I was not enough.

I wasn’t enough to cause my father to stop drinking. I wasn’t enough to keep my parents together, striving for a better life for my siblings and myself. I wasn’t enough. That was my reality then. But it’s not my reality now!

I am enough! I may have been “a statistic waiting to happen” as someone once labeled me but I can say now, with my head held high, that I AM ENOUGH! God thinks I’m pretty special. He says in His Word that “greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world.” So clearly He thinks I’m enough if He is willing to reside inside me. If God is willing to live in this heart of mine, this heart that has been broken more times than I care to count, this heart that has been stepped on by people, trampled on and rejected, if the Almighty Creator of this world still chooses to dwell in my heart then wow, I guess I am enough. And so are you.

No matter what life has labeled you, no matter what hand you have been dealt in this life, you are enough. You are enough! You have what it takes to make it. You can be anything you want to be. You can do anything you want to do. Greater is He that lives inside of you. God does not dwell in worthless habitats. It’s not in His character to do so. He is far to genius for that. He is much to royal to lower His standards to abide in a place of not enough.

Jesus says in John 15:4, “Abide in me and I in you.” Wait a minute, what? Abide in me and I in you? The same God that so delicately created the flower abides in me? The same God that so powerfully created the rushing wind and the mighty waves, He abides in me? Yes. Yes He does. The same God that created the strong and powerful Volcano to erupt is the same God that so tenderly hand crafted you in the womb.

The clerk at the gas station that day had no idea what he did when he turned away a little tow headed 7-year-old girl. But that’s ok. Because every time I buy a loaf of bread now, I’m going to take a moment to thank God, not only for the means to buy the bread, but to thank Him for the sweet reminder that He gives me, that I’m enough. Perhaps you will do the same.

I've always known that!

We've all heard the saying, "God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good," right? Sometimes my sister & I even say it in jest, just because it's such a phrase that's been used more times than my hairspray. And that's a lot.

Yesterday I was overwhelmed with an un-expected blessing and it brought me yet again to tears. I say, "yet again" because I'm often brought to tears! But it's cool, I've accepted that I'm emotional and it is what it is. I don't cry over just anything though, unless you count the ridiculous spectacle I put on when we found the bunnies a new home after a mere two months of having them...but that's another post for a different day. A boring day.

I cry over things that move me. Or over things that sadden me. Or over things that overwhelm me to the point of no words. Or over things that remind me of God's goodness indeed being all the time.

So yesterday. I was blessed. And as I was thinking about God's goodness I found myself saying it aloud to Lily. "Lily, God is so good to us." Lily responded to me in typical five year old fashion something to the effect of, "Of course He is mom. I've always known that. Ever since I was a baby!"

She has always known that. She has always known that. Lily can honestly coin the phrase, "God is good all the time," and mean it with every fiber of her cute little five year old being. If only we could keep that same assurance, the same faith that causes us to say, "I've always known that."

Lily has not yet had to go through any difficulty; she has not endured any storms in life that have caused her to wonder if God is ever going to calm the winds and the waves around her. She has not yet found herself in a hopeless situation that, barring a miracle of divine intervention, would remain hopeless. Lily has not yet waged war in this battle that we like to simply call "life." So of course she says, 'yes mom, of course God is good. Of course.'

But wait. While Lily may have just turned five years old, she still has faced things in life that by her standards are difficult. She still has daily fights with her sister, whom she looks up to and adores. She still has to be left at Pre-K, alone, unsure of what the day will hold for her. She goes through best friend drama again, like I go through hairspray. She has a fashion crisis on an hourly basis. Every.single.day.and.night. I mean, c'mon, it's a hard life!

But it's perspective. Those things are difficult for Lily, to which she has previously replied, "this is the worst day ever!" While the magnitude of the difficulty between her life and our lives obviously may differ, the root frustration is still there.

Psalm 52:1 says, "the goodness of God endures continually." There's our catch phrase. But really, meditate on that for a minute. His goodness endures continually. The word "continually" is defined as: "continuing indefinitely in time without interruption." So never, ever, ever, EVER can God's goodness towards us have an interruption. And forgive me for anyone that now has Taylor Swifts song stuck in their head. She's never getting back together. Ever. We get it.

That means that God's goodness continues through every season and every stage of life we face. All the way from little Lily upset that she does not have the same high heels as Samantha does to looking my estranged father in the face and sharing forgiveness with him as he lay dying.

In the dark times. In the confusing times. In the painful times. In the dry times. In the lonely times. God's goodness continues. In the joyful times. In the abundant times. In the exciting times. God's goodness continues.

We can't know this side of Heaven what God is protecting us from. Often times, as we walk through difficulty, it's easy to think that God's goodness has obviously paused for a season. But what if, just what if, that difficulty actually is protecting you from something far worse? What if. Just what if.

So today, I'm choosing to have the attitude that Lily had yesterday, because trust me friends, her attitude changes on a daily, ahem, hourly basis. As does mine. But today, I'm saying the over-used phrase with as much gusto as I can muster up! Yep, God is good, all the time friends. Of course He is. I've always known that.

Size 4 by morning, right?

Have you ever wanted something so badly, but didn't want to do the work necessary to obtain it? That great marriage, the close friendship, your dream job, the education, or of course, the perfect figure...

We can all think of things we would immediately ask for if given three magic wishes, can't we? I can't tell you how many times I've wished God would have made me the person that can eat whatever they want, not exercise a lick, and have the exact figure they want. I suppose you can guess what one of my wishes would be for then, can't ya! It's taken me years and years to grasp the whole "looks don't determine internal health" business.

Ephesians 3:20 is a great verse. It says, "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..."

We love to use that verse often when we pray, don't we? God, we know you can do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think! And then we list what we need God to supersede for us. Sometimes though, I think we ignore the next part of that verse, "according to the power that works in us."

That kind of puts the ball back in our court a little. Yes, God can go way above our expectations, He has done it in my life on numerous occasions. I have a husband I would not even ask God for because I felt to un-deserving. I have two beautiful girls that call me mom, something I was not sure I'd ever have. I get to be part of a church in a role I never would have thought myself fit to fill. I live in a home I would have never imagined being a reality for me. I drive a car that exceeds my wishes. My list can go on and on...God has definitely done exceedingly and abundantly above all that I could ask or think.

So yes, God can do that. And God DOES do that. But what about that next part? That "power working in us" business. That puts a portion of the potential for abundance back in my corner. You see, we can have as much or as little of God's power as we are willing to receive. I don't know for sure, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the way we live our life on a daily basis determines the fullness to which we receive. If we live our lives on the lowest level of power possible, then I don't imagine we can expect much room for abundance. But if we live our lives to the highest power level possible, that takes the limits off God, making room for Him to throw down the "exceedingly and abundantly."

So how do we live our life "according to the power that works in us?" I believe it's a life surrendered to God. It's a life that says, "come what may, I won't stop praising God." It's a thankful life. It's a serving life. It's a life that fully believes God's word; that His promises are "yes & amen." It's a life that strives to live in obedience to the Word of God, not caving to the ways of the world. It's a life that does not want to walk the fence line of the world & God but a life that is so clearly with Jesus that others can't help but want to know that life. It's a life that see's a need and fills it. It's a life that knows that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that works through that life! It's a life of faith.

A miracle has two parts; our part & God's part. Are there times when God just flat performs a miracle? Sure. Does God just like to blow our socks off on occasions and do stuff that we never imagined could happen to little old us? Of course! And then there are times when we have to just trust...and walk...and trust...and pray...and trust...and war...and trust...and seek...and trust...and do...and trust.

Power, power, wonder working power, in the blood of the lamb. That wonder working power resides in all those that believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. What we do with that power makes all the difference. Will it make me a size 4 by morning? Nope. Not unless I use the ability God has given me, doing my part in the miracle. But I do believe that as I do my part, allowing God to teach me what He needs to teach me in that area, craving God more than food, using the power that works in me, ya, someday that wish will come true. And it will be more than I could ask or imagine. And for anyone that's ever battled weight on the level that I have, you can understand what a miracle that would be.

So for today, I'm choosing to walk in power. I'm choosing to look at every obstacle through eyes of faith. I'm choosing trust over worry. I'm choosing faith over fear. I'm choosing power over weakness. And as I do that, I'll soon see more of the "exceedingly and abundantly." Cuz that's how He rolls.