Author: Russ

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Adventurously Expectant

AUTHOR: Michael-Janelle

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” – Romans‬ ‭8:15 MSG

If He is the King of Kings, Savior of your soul, the Creator of the universe and He lives within you, there is no excuse you should be boring or bored. If we live a mundane, half-hearted Christianity, who will be inspired by that? Living a royal life includes cultivating passionate adventures with God.

Start your day with “Good morning, God! What fun adventure do You have planned for me today?”

Move eagerly throughout your day with child-like faith and wonder, asking “what’s next, Papa?”

End your day with reviewing your “camera roll” of snapshots of your adventures with God. Share them with someone (here in this post, perhaps!).

Then do it all over again the next day.
❤️
Wake.
Adventure.
Sleep.
Repeat.

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What Makes You a Beautiful Person?

AUTHOR: Patrice London

Years ago, I was to write 5 things in my journal that I loved about myself. I could only think of 2. I was frustrated and baffled. I sat for a long while and just couldn’t think of anything to write.

Fast forward a good 16-17 years, I came across a post from a friend. She asked people to write 10 things that make them a beautiful person. I challenged myself to do it and am pleased to present my completed list! And guess what? I can think of more!!!! Whoo Hoo!! Now, I decided to go really simple and not go all ” woo woo, pretend spiritual” about it.

See, I think we can sometimes be a bit self-deprecating, in Jesus’ name, no less. We repeat things that are sometimes, actually in the Bible, but not necessarily God’s sentiment towards us. I want to encourage you to know that God created you, on purpose, idiosyncrasies and all, because He wanted YOU. He didn’t want a clone of His son Jesus. He didn’t say, “Man… That son of mine is so spectacular, I want more, exactly like him! I’ll give them all free will, but the moment they slip up and do something different, I’m chuckin’ ’em to hell!” I made God sound real country, right? (Not sure why…)

Anyway, He has Jesus. He wanted and wants you, dear heart. He wants you in all your entirety. All that you come with, all that you are, He sees as beautiful and loves you beyond measure. How do you see yourself? It’s very important. It will impact how you live your life and how you experience life.

Share your list below. What are 10 things that make you a beautiful person?

As I said, I thought of more, but here are my first 10:

  1. My personality.
  2. My love.
  3. My smile.
  4. My laughter/humor.
  5. My compassion.
  6. My boundaries.
  7. My generosity.
  8. My singing.
  9. My writing.
  10. My pain.

Sending you love today and always!

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Who is Your Lord?

AUTHOR: Tom Kissell

Almost all of us would answer the question: “Who is your Lord?” with “Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior!”

But what lord do you listen to during times of anxiety, sickness, major family issues, job loss, etc?

I know that I am guilty in many of those circumstances to still say “Jesus is my Lord, “ but I am listening to another “lord.” No, I don’t mean that we are out there listening to the devil, though sometimes we open up ourselves for those attacks from the enemy. But WHO am I listening to? The doctor? Is HE my lord? Anxiety? Is THAT my lord?

So lets talk about the blind man named Bartimaeus. There he was sitting on the side of the road begging as most blind people of the time had to do…they depended upon others generosity for survival. You could almost imagine him sitting by the side of the road, holding out a cup…asking, “Alms for a blind man? Alms for a poor beggar like me?” He would be wearing a cloak that would be drab and tattered. He would be dirty. I am sure he stunk pretty badly. He was shunned and I am sure lived in constant shame.

But – God. God sent Jesus to walk down that road that day.

As Jesus walked by, Bartimaeus shouted out, “Jesus, Son of David – have mercy on me!” That’s when the “crowd” turned on him. What was in their thoughts to shout at Bartimaeus, “Be QUIET!!!” and rebuked him.
Now many who live marginalized and in shame would simply fade into the nothingness when confronted by the people as he was…but the same spirit that told him that Jesus was the “Son of David” – meaning, he already knew Jesus was the promised Messiah – rose up inside of him to yell even LOUDER, “Son of David have mercy on me!”
He didn’t listen to the “lord” of society telling him to shut up. He made it past all of the shame and always being a bother, always be someone that was inconvenient…he pushed past all of that for his healing. The people didn’t matter and what they thought – only Jesus mattered.

Jesus heard him and called for him to come over. Oh, how the crowd then turned to welcome this blind, stinky beggar….”Come, Come!” they said. “He’s calling you!” (reminds be of some people on Facebook)
And then it happened. The moment where poor blind, stinky, dirty Bartimaeus stepped into the Royal Life.
He threw his cloak aside and walked toward Jesus. He basically shed that identity that defined his life. He cast it off and was showing the world who he really was. Not a beggar. Not dirty and shabby. Not an outcast. But one who believed that Jesus was the Son of God, promised through the prophets – and that he WOULD be healed!

[I was inspired with this story as part of Andrew Wommack’s ministry teachings on healing.]

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Same Plan, Slight Detour

AUTHOR: Jennifer Lescano

Hearing God Continued…

Ever have one of those days where what you planned didn’t turn out exactly how you thought it would and you felt the temptation to be disappointed or even throw in the towel or had a tantrum in the midst of it only to find out later it was all for your good?

Or ever get a “no” from God and wonder why he’s saying that?

Just yesterday I found an umbrella on the marketplace. We needed an extra patio umbrella and it seemed like every place I tried was sold out. So I found one on the marketplace on Facebook. As soon as I saw $20, I ran for it. Well. First I checked with Joe and then I ran for it. On my way there, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart about the umbrella. It was green and most of our decor is blue. And I started to tell him how I really wanted a blue one while I was on my way to pick up the green. LOL

And I started to feel like the umbrella wasn’t for me, but since I was so close I decided to go anyway. When I got there, I asked the man to open it up and he said, “Except for a few holes, it’s a good umbrella.”
I was so rushed to pick up the umbrella that I didn’t read the description.
I was still debating on getting it out of desperation and I called Joe even though I knew I was getting a confirming “no” in my heart.

At the end of the day, I asked if anyone knew where I could find an umbrella and I went to the right store and found a blue umbrella. New and for less than $40.

This post isn’t about umbrellas.
It’s about knowing God’s love for us and resting in knowing his wanting the best for us and wanting the best for ourselves.

A few years ago, I was about to serve myself ice cream when I heard in my heart, “No.” And I thought, “Why not? I really want the icecream.” I was sad that God was saying no to my ice cream craving. Can you believe it?
So. I had the ice cream. And that night, I suffered one of the worst episodes of acid reflux.
So here’s the question. Was God’s “no” because he felt like having his way? After all, he’s God, right?

NO!

God’s no was grounded in his love for me. He knew I’d be miserable so he gave me the heads up.
I was at Costco once and saw chairs for $20 each once. I had just started a workplace lunchtime ministry at the time. And the chairs we had in the place were stained, dirty, dingy. So bad that I had to bring my cloth napkins to place over them for people to sit in a room that could seat about 12-15 people.
And when I looked at the chairs, I felt the Lord say, “No.” I felt he wanted me to wait. So I waited.
What I didn’t know was his “no” was because he knew that a pastor down the hall was going to offer his church to me at no cost. And guess what. He had the EXACT chairs I saw Costco. And there were about 100-150 of them.
My point? This post isn’t about God’s “no’s,” but it is about his love. And when we live an abundant life in Christ, we get to know his “no’s” are just as safe as his “yes'” and it’s because he wants the best for us.
It is impossible to live an abundant life without being grounded in the knowledge of God’s love and without being able to hear and receive that love.

Paul was on a ship and had an “I told you so” moment in the following scriptures, but even with the mistakes, God kept them.
Acts 27:21-22
Since many of them had no desire to eat, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not put out to sea from Crete, thus avoiding this damage and loss.
But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed.
Learning God’s voice and following his leading is an adventure. It’s fun. It can be uncomfortable at times and we may have some tantrums on the way, but when we lean on our Heavenly Father and live this life in an assurance that he only wants the best for us, we will learn to hear and follow his lead and enjoy the gift of life he’s given us in every detail.

Father, fine tune our hearing. We surrender to you our will. And we thank you for teaching us and taking us deeper into the depths of your love for us. Where we can be so sure of your unending love.
____
Activation:
Write down an area you might be unsure about and ask God what he thinks about it and why. And give it to him. You may need to fold it up and put it in a jar as an act of surrender, but give it to him and follow his lead and trust his goodness for you.

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A Refined Life

AUTHOR: Jacqueline Carrero

A refined life is like making changes small or large to improve your quality of life.
Slowly surrendering a part of you that should not exist in The Royal Life , that has been given to you.
Burning away your old man and it’s impurities of the soul and bringing you into a marvelous shine of GOLD.
How He sees you.
This Royal Life is a refined life.
Accepting who you are in Him.
Acknowledgment of your Royal Priesthood that was given to you and not earned .
The process durable allowing God to refine you.
*Shaping and molding you to take your place in this Royal Life.*
It’s for everyone who joins Him.
Tap and listen:

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Where God Guides, God Will Provide

AUTHOR: Lisa Perna

You have everything you need as a child of God! As we begin to understand the that resources of God are limitless our trust in Him begins to grow. I have no doubt that when God gives you an assignment He will provide you with all you will need. Listen in as I share about “Where God Guides, God Will Provide!”