Hope Victorious

  “Are you hungry according to your appetite or mine?”   I was praying and preparing for our Sunday worship service. My hopes were up, thinking of all that God may do in our time together. We were having a special speaker, and I was filled with anticipation of the wisdom and power that would be released. I had great faith for how God would touch me and each of those who came. At first, I felt the Holy Spirit stirring up my faith, increasing my expectation. I was declaring the desires of my heart for myself and those in the congregation. Believing that the revelation God would release through the worship and speaker that morning would bring freedom and transformation for each of us, I began to thank Him for the specific impact of this breakthrough. I had faith for words of encouragement, for invitations into freedom from depression, addiction and apathy. I felt that He would bring comfort and reassurance to individuals with long-standing unanswered prayers, and they would h...

  I bear no regret There is no shame Not sorrow or pain I hold no doubt towards you None   I don’t remember your mistakes or failings Your weaknesses are not weighty to me I am not at a loss for what to do How to respond I have lost no hope or joy in you I cannot be disappointed in you And never feel that I have wasted any ounce of investment in you   My plan is leading you I intercept your mistakes with my redemption Your places of weakness are my strategy for promotion I partner my strength with you I enjoy you!   I look at you through love that is greater than any love you’ve yet known You are learning. You are becoming My love is forming you and I am confident Leading you brings me great joy   You are never heavy or difficult for me to bear I am the one who created you, called you and paid a high price for you You are mine and I bear no regret in you   Again and again, I will call to you I call...

  It can be difficult to truly rest. There is more to resting than simply ceasing activity or doing less. Rest is more than being inactive, it is more than being quiet or doing nothing. Rest is not sleeping.   Rest is more than a physical state; true rest is found when you are in a place of peace, being refreshed and restored. I find rest to impact my mind and emotions in addition to my body. I want to share the key truths that I find best support and enable me to rest. When I focus on these truths I can rest amid hardship and stress. There will always be reasons to be anxious and to stay busy. I believe that rest is a choice, a discipline that is critical to our health and wholeness. When I focus on these truths, I can choose to rest: Rest is necessary and commanded by God. My effort is not the biggest factor in my success. My choice to rest instead of striving is a command of God. My relationship with God is advanced and deepened when I choose to rest and depend more on Hi...

  Home   Secure and Confident In who I am           No pretense           No need to strive, worry or be on guard Accepted   -   Approved of Loved Celebrated   Imagine being so sure of how you will be received That you are free           Completely Unashamed           Unafraid and Unintimidated           Encouraged           Guaranteed Praise This is freedom “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere”*   I knock and you answer I cry out and You hear me Open arms greet me   I am here At Home With You, my God       *Psalm 84:10             I Run to You   I am running to your protection You define my safety I trust You I take risks and I am stretched Within Your protection, I can grow   I run to your power...

  Were I a Tree   Were I a tree I would be A Willow tree      Soft and swaying      Thin and hanging      Atop my sturdy core Come a walk beneath my branches Feel the breeze through all my leaves   Were I a tree I would be A mighty Oak      Heavy Imposing      Aged and Wise      Leathery lobes on gnarled branches      Twisting - spreading Climb along sturdy limbs Lay beneath dense canopy Protected   Were I a tree I would be A towering Redwood      Higher than eyes can see      Roots reaching far and twisting      Needles and cones      Small but resilient      Bark protects, resists -  survives None more determined than me Stand in wonder Feel drops rain down   Autumn Tree Turning Leaves Painted Trees Golde...

  Recently I’ve been reflecting on light and the power of light to dispel darkness. I’ve been thinking of the power of natural light in the midst of darkness, but also of spiritual light. I’ve felt the radical impact of hope and truth being released into places where fear and hopelessness have created an oppressive darkness. The light of truth shines brightly and the atmosphere shifts. Spiritual light is as powerful, if not more so, than natural light. I think we often think of light in contrast to darkness. A light, however small, is powerful to eliminate darkness. But even in the light of day, you can turn on a light and see the impact of it. God has been speaking to me about the “quality” of light versus the “quantity” of light. Perhaps I have previously defined light by comparison to darkness. But light, as used in the scripture, is powerful. The truth and glory of God is not powerful because it is greater than the darkness of evil. God is not good in comparison to evil. He...