We have spent a few days talking about fear and originally I had planned on sharing some of my favorite Bible verses about fear, but then I had the privilege to walk beside a dear friend that was facing a wall of her own and the way she made a plan to face that wall, through prayer, was so inspiring that I had to share it with you today.

The day was looming. It had been almost a year since her husband had lost his job. The toll it had taken on him and her family had left a cloud of hopelessness  hanging over their home. In the 11 months prior we had prayed time and time again over possible job opportunities, only to see doors close.

It was frustrating and it didn’t make sense.

Not only that, sickness, over and over sickness, had plagued their family. For weeks they battled an illness only to be met with another days later. A little more than a week before the “anniversary” of the job loss she messaged a few close friends. Women who she knew would pray with her. She had a plan and she invited us to walk along side of her.

Various promptings had led her to several different passages that gave her hope that God would do some major restoration for their family on that anniversary date. But she wanted to walk forward in faith and obedience in the days leading up to that date.

She was drawn to Joshua and was committing to reading 2 chapters a day while walking and praying around her home. Claiming the victory that was to come. Believing that God would do more than they could hope or imagine in regards to her husband’s employment.

So we committed to praying for her every day that week.

The first morning I spent some time in prayer and then decided to listen to Joshua 1-2 myself. I was struck that in the first chapter God tells Joshua to be “strong and courageous” four times. Whenever I see something repeated more than once, it is obviously something we should take note of.

When we are standing strong and courageous in faith with God, fear has no place in the equation.

My friend could have been filled with fear and doubt.

Instead she decided to march around her own “wall” claiming the victory she believed God had planned for her family. As we will read later in Joshua…he was faced with his own wall. And God calls him to walk around that wall every day and on the 7th day to walk around it 7 times and shout and the wall would come falling down.

I encourage you to read through Joshua and see what happens next…it’s pretty incredible.

As for my friend?

Well, “Victory Day” came and went…those of us that had marched and prayed and believed with her felt discouraged. The answer had not come as we had hoped and believed. Some may ask “where was God in all of this?”

It is a question we have all asked at times, I am sure. But I felt so strongly that even though the prayers weren’t answered THAT day as we had hoped, they would be. And God’s presence was felt….the prayers were not wasted. It was a time of faith building for each of us! Her son said it best when he said he will just keep on marching if that’s what it takes!

Oh the sweet faith of a child!

I told her on the first day that not only could this be a growing experience for her family, but I also thought that her faith and approach to the entire situation was an example for me…for others.

When we are facing that wall of our own we can wallow or we can march. We can march around that wall claiming victory. We can have a plan to fast and to pray so that we are communing with God. We can push away fear and remain strong and courageous because we know the Lord will fight for us.

What’s your wall?

Whatever it is, take some time today to pray and make a plan. How can you fight the battle in prayer? And don’t go at it alone! Invite some of your faithful friends to walk alongside of you. It is always an honor to be asked to pray for someone else. Don’t face your wall alone!

Lord, we hear Your call to stand strong and courageous. I know that there are people reading today that are facing a wall of their own. Guide them Lord. Help them to make a plan, to march and pray. To claim victory. We thank You for Your provision Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.

We have spent a few days talking about fear and originally I had planned on sharing some of my favorite Bible verses about fear, but then I had the privilege to walk beside a dear friend that was facing a wall of her own and the way she made a plan to face that wall, through prayer, was so inspiring that I had to share it with you today.

The day was looming. It had been almost a year since her husband had lost his job. The toll it had taken on him and her family had left a cloud of hopelessness  hanging over their home. In the 11 months prior we had prayed time and time again over possible job opportunities, only to see doors close.

It was frustrating and it didn’t make sense.

Not only that, sickness, over and over sickness, had plagued their family. For weeks they battled an illness only to be met with another days later. A little more than a week before the “anniversary” of the job loss she messaged a few close friends. Women who she knew would pray with her. She had a plan and she invited us to walk along side of her.

Various promptings had led her to several different passages that gave her hope that God would do some major restoration for their family on that anniversary date. But she wanted to walk forward in faith and obedience in the days leading up to that date.

She was drawn to Joshua and was committing to reading 2 chapters a day while walking and praying around her home. Claiming the victory that was to come. Believing that God would do more than they could hope or imagine in regards to her husband’s employment.

So we committed to praying for her every day that week.

The first morning I spent some time in prayer and then decided to listen to Joshua 1-2 myself. I was struck that in the first chapter God tells Joshua to be “strong and courageous” four times. Whenever I see something repeated more than once, it is obviously something we should take note of.

When we are standing strong and courageous in faith with God, fear has no place in the equation.

My friend could have been filled with fear and doubt.

Instead she decided to march around her own “wall” claiming the victory she believed God had planned for her family. As we will read later in Joshua…he was faced with his own wall. And God calls him to walk around that wall every day and on the 7th day to walk around it 7 times and shout and the wall would come falling down.

I encourage you to read through Joshua and see what happens next…it’s pretty incredible.

As for my friend?

Well, “Victory Day” came and went…those of us that had marched and prayed and believed with her felt discouraged. The answer had not come as we had hoped and believed. Some may ask “where was God in all of this?”

It is a question we have all asked at times, I am sure. But I felt so strongly that even though the prayers weren’t answered THAT day as we had hoped, they would be. And God’s presence was felt….the prayers were not wasted. It was a time of faith building for each of us! Her son said it best when he said he will just keep on marching if that’s what it takes!

Oh the sweet faith of a child!

I told her on the first day that not only could this be a growing experience for her family, but I also thought that her faith and approach to the entire situation was an example for me…for others.

When we are facing that wall of our own we can wallow or we can march. We can march around that wall claiming victory. We can have a plan to fast and to pray so that we are communing with God. We can push away fear and remain strong and courageous because we know the Lord will fight for us.

What’s your wall?

Whatever it is, take some time today to pray and make a plan. How can you fight the battle in prayer? And don’t go at it alone! Invite some of your faithful friends to walk alongside of you. It is always an honor to be asked to pray for someone else. Don’t face your wall alone!

Lord, we hear Your call to stand strong and courageous. I know that there are people reading today that are facing a wall of their own. Guide them Lord. Help them to make a plan, to march and pray. To claim victory. We thank You for Your provision Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Yesterday we talked about fear. As I said before the enemy knows this can be a weak point for us and so it should not be a surprise that we find ourselves attacked in this area time and time again.

Even throughout the Bible we can read stories about people who faced fear, trusted God and saw the unique ways that He was with them through it all.

In Fervent, Priscilla brings us to the story of Moses and the people of Israel. They have fled and now Pharaoh is mad. Exodus 14 details how Pharaoh takes 600 of his chosen chariots and all the rest of this chariots and army to pursue the people of Israel.

As you can imagine the people are terrified. Pharaoh’s army charging at them, their back to the Red Sea…no where to go. Surely they will die. They question Moses and ask why he would bring them there to perish and this is what he says. “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:13

Fear not, stand firm. The Lord will fight for you.

Pretty crazy words when it seems that death is charging at you full speed. But Moses trusted God. And stood ready to listen to His command. God spoke to Moses and told him to raise his staff and in doing so the waters of the Red Sea parted and the people were allowed to pass through on dry ground. A wall of water on their right and a wall of water on their left.

Can you even imagine what that must have felt like?!

And even more He again instructs Moses to pass his hand over the water and it swallows up the army that was chasing them. The Lord fought for them.

Priscilla says this that encapsulates everything so beautifully. “Notice that Moses wasn’t telling them not to feel fear. The prospect of looming death will just kind of do that. On its own. Fear is a natural human response to a lot of things, a Red Sea moment being one of them. So he knew they would feel fear, but he was telling them not to wallow in it. Not to choose it. Not to make friends with it. Not to entertain it, engage it. Because if they did, they risked not sticking around long enough to experience the stunning miracle their God was about to perform. And even more they risked not getting to the other side. To the Promised Land.” p110-111

The enemy knew that the Promised Land was just up ahead. If the people could be convinced that their plight was hopeless, they wouldn’t trust God and wait to see what He would do. The enemy always has and always will use fear as a means to get us off track.

Five years ago when my husband and I found ourselves both unemployed, in a new community, with a bigger mortgage…the fears of bankruptcy and loss, of having to move back with family, loomed heavy over us. In my Red Sea moment I was certain all was doomed. My husband though got on his knees and asked God to guide Him. He prayed that no matter what happened if we were still a family we would be ok.

In his Red Sea moment he chose to trust. He stepped out and did some crazy, scary things like file an LLC for a business he wasn’t sure would take off. He felt God’s leading and he followed it. People told him he couldn’t do it and it would fail…but standing on that water’s edge he knew he had no other option but to step forward.

God has been a part of every step. Doors have opened and connections have been made in ways that can only be accredited to God. He has blessed this business we work at together in a way neither of us could have hoped or imagined. We just pray that the work we do for families can be a blessing to them and we try not to take it all for granted.

I don’t know what you are facing today. It may be something small, a difficult decision to make. It may be a mountain of a problem and everything in you tells you that you will fail. But if God has called you to it, you better believe He will equip you and lead you to your Promised Land.

Get on your knees today and pray over it. Don’t let fear destroy the plans God has for you. Trust Him. He will fight for you.

Lord, thank you for giving us the Bible as a source of encouragement and hope. Reminders that we should not fear, and You will fight for us. Please remove fear from our hearts and replace it with Your peace. That in all things we may come to You and know that You will keep our paths straight. We love You Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen!

2 Timothy 1:7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Priscilla tells us in Strategy 6 that “The fact is this: fear is one of Satan’s primary schemes for crippling God’s people. I’m not talking about legitimate concern. I’m not talking about the protective warnings of wisdom and godly counsel. I’m talking about fear. Incessant worry. Up-all-night anxiety. Worst-case scenarios becoming the only probabilities you can think about….”p 109 

How many times have you found yourself in  a situation where you are dealing with this kind of fear? I think for me, the better question would be how often do I not feel this kind of fear?

I have a mind that JUMPS to the worst-case scenarios. It doesn’t matter what it is, I go there. I don’t pause and pray, I assume the worst and make myself sick over the details about what might happen. For the most part, the worst-case never comes to fruition….but the enemy knows it is a weakness in my life and it is a constant place of attack.

About 7 months after my miscarriage in 2008 I found myself pregnant again. While I was thrilled, I also now had a jaded view of what could happen. I had heard stories of loss before my own, but always thought it wouldn’t happen to me.

But then it did and everything changed. Healing through that loss opened my eyes and my naive heart to what did happen, to so many women. And while the knowledge created a sense of empathy I didn’t have before, it also started to fester as fear in my spirit.

For months I found myself unable to relax, to really enjoy the pregnancy. I lived moment by moment waiting for the other shoe to drop. Certain that because it happened once, it surely could happen again.

Fear – it is ugly. It masks the truth, it darkens hope and it makes me feel out of control.

During that time I did a search for bible versus related to fear and here are some that I found.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41: 10)

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalms 27:1)

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?” (Psalms 56:3-4)

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Promises – promises to us that no matter what we face, real or not, God is with us. He is my rock and my salvation, He is the strength of my life. Do not fear for He is with me.

What do I want to believe today? Promises or lies? Real truth or unrealized fear?

It is my choice really. I hold fast to the promises today and I will shield myself with His word and His truth – that the lies of one who seeks to destroy me will flee in terror of the almighty truth of a God who love me.

And the truth shall set me free….

I can’t say that I have defeated fear in my life. I still struggle with it. But today I am bringing more and more to God in prayer. Usually I know I am being irrational, but He listens. I pray for peace to fill my spirit instead of fear.

It is a part of our faith walk that can be difficult. Do we trust God? I once had a friend ask me if I could trust God even if the worst-case scenario came true. Would He still be the same to me as He is when things are fine and dandy? To be honest, in the moment, I wasn’t sure. I wrestled with that!

But God is faithful and patient. I have tested this truth time and time again!

So when I find myself stuck in the mire of fear, I bring it to Him. I pray over it, as many times as is needed…until I am filled with His peace. The situation doesn’t always give me the result that I hope for…but I do believe that God is with me through it all. He can handle my hurt and my fear and He gives me peace.

There is freedom in that. I am praying that if fear is an obstacle for you, you would read some of those verses above for yourself. Commit one to memory and bring all of your needs to God in fervent prayer.

Lord, we struggle with fear. It is a tool that the enemy has used as a weapon against us time and time again. Your word tells us that we should not fear because You are with us. We are holding to that promise today. Fill us with your peace Lord, strengthen our trust in You. Thank you that we don’t have to walk alone. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Yesterday I talked a little about my past and so often I think we question if God can actually transform our past.

I can tell you, based on my personal experience alone, that yes He can!

There are so many broken pieces to my story. At times I believed that I was just too broken to be put back together. Then years ago a blogger (now author) Angie Smith wrote about how she smashed this pitcher she had and through prayer, and patience, glued it back together.

I was so moved by this visual. I too found myself broken after a miscarriage, lost and angry at a God that would let something like that happen. I thought that we had finally gotten ourselves on the “right” path. I thought we deserved a pregnancy.

For months I questioned God but when I read Angie’s post, saw her own brokenness and how God was slowly working with her and through her to bring her to healing…and I believed it might just be possible for me too.

So I bought my own pitcher. And one evening I smashed it and then set to task to put it back together.

It sits on my shelves today, a reminder that while my broken pieces didn’t fit back together like new, and the scars are still evident…I am a new person. And the cracks in the pitcher allow light through in a way that a whole pitcher could not.

Some of the things I have gone through in the past 41 years have made me more compassionate towards others that are hurting. I have empathy in a way that might not be possible without my past. And having found the hope that I have in Christ…I want others to know about His redeeming power too!

The enemy would like to see me broken and helpless. But through God I am able to be a witness to His power and grace in my life. God has transformed me in so many ways. And he continues to transform those places in my heart that remain selfish and self-centered.

God doesn’t expect me to be perfect and have it all together.

And even better, He can still use me in spite of all my failings! So many of the prominent people in the Bible were people that were, seemingly, the least likely to be used by God. Jesus didn’t spend time with the “perfect” people. He surrounded Himself with the broken, the thieves,  the murderers and unfaithful. Tax collectors and people caught in adultery.

Paul, one of my favorites, spent years persecuting Christians only to be transformed and used in a mighty way throughout his time then and through his words today. But Paul recognized that he needed God more than anything.

Paul knew that we needed to remain in communication with God through prayer. Even after his conversion, he still struggled with sin. This is a man that walked with Jesus in the flesh, and still struggled. Oh can I tell you how much hope that gives me?!

God can and will transform your past.

Isaiah 43: 16-19 says this

“Thus says the Lord,
    who makes a way in the sea,
    a path in the mighty waters,
¹⁷ who brings forth chariot and horse,
    army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
    they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
¹⁸ “Remember not the former things,
    nor consider the things of old.
¹⁹ Behold, I am doing a new thing;
    now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
    and rivers in the desert.”

Behold, He is doing a new thing. For me…for you! Do you believe it friend?!

God loves us so much, He poured His grace over us through the blood of His Son so that if we chose to turn to Him we might spend eternity with Him. What a gift. Do you have that assurance for yourself?

I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to share the Gospel Truth here. The Bible tells us that ALL fall short of the glory of God. No one is blameless/sinless. None of us have the right to be in the presence of a Holy God. Knowing this, God chose to send His Son as a living sacrifice for our sins. Every dark part of my past, of yours, was nailed on that cross with Jesus. By the shedding of Holy blood, the penalty of our sins was covered. In John 5:24 it says “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” The debt has been paid and all we need to do is put our faith in the God that gave us His Son.

Will you still struggle? Yep, likely you will. I sin daily. But those sins were covered and I walk in the freedom of knowing that my faith in God has passed me from death to life. Talk about a transformation!

There is such hope in this message of Truth. God is so good and so loving. Are you certain of your salvation? If you have questions, would you please contact me? I don’t and won’t have all the answers…but I would love to pray for you and could connect you with my Pastor who might be able to answer questions you have better than I can! Understanding this fundamental truth is so important. If you aren’t certain, don’t wait to seek out answers. Pray that God would open your heart and eyes so that you might know Him more.

Lord, I don’t know who is reading today or the condition of their heart, but You do Lord. I have seen Your mighty redemptive work in my own life and I am so grateful. I was walking in such darkness and because of You Lord, I now stand in Your light. Thank you for Your sacrifice. Thank you for loving us so much. I pray for all who may not believe today Lord. For those who question Your existence, or haven’t yet heard Your Name. I know that You wish that none would perish Lord. Give me courage, strength and wisdom to continue to share Your Truth and the hope I have found in You. We praise Your MIGHTY Name Lord, Amen!