Jonah.

     Jonah. That's what the Lord said to me tonight. I kind of laughed to myself because everyone knows about Jonah. I was almost cocky in my "spirituality", like I was too good to read Jonah. Doesn't the Lord know how many times I've read Jonah!? But, when the Lord speaks- I've learned to obey. I opened up the Word not expecting to hear from the Lord.
     Total opposite. The Lord spoke some truths to me that definately have changed my perspective on the story of Jonah. The Lord also taught me to get off my "high-horse" and to stay a learner. (Always stay a novice! We can always learn something.) The wonderful thing about the word of the Lord is it is always relevant. It works like building blocks. You can always build foundational truths to your knowledge "wall'. It just keeps building on the previous truth.

     I thought I would share what the Lord taught me this evening. Here is a recap of the story in case you've forgotten. :) The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah thought he had better things to do.  Jonah bought a ticket and jumped on a ship. An awful storm came about when they were sailing. They casted lots to figure out who was causing it. It was Jonah. (His disobedience.) They casted him over. The sea quit. Jonah got eaten by a whale. Stayed in the whale for 3 days. He spit him up. The Lord told him to go to Nineveh again. He went. He did what he was supposed to do. Nineveh prayed and fasted. The Lord had compassion. Jonah went to the outskirts of the city to watch what would happen. The Lord gave him a shade vine for his comfort. The next day the Lord sent a worm and the vine shirveled. Jonah was angry because of the vine dying. (Sigh.... )

     There are many "Jonahs" walking around in our society. They recognize that Jesus is Lord over their life but are running away from their calling. Some are paying to run away from their calling like Jonah did when he bought the ticket for sea. We must wake up to our callings. We must obey what the Lord has spoken to us. He made and created each of us. Why do we question if He knows best!? I get so frustrated with myself when I question God. And I have to remind myself that I do not know best. He has known me longer than I have known me! He created me! Don't you think He knows what is best for my life!? I should trust him and obey!

     I laughed when I read that Jonah paid to flee from God. Why do we run so quickly from the things God calls us to!? Fear? Rejection? Pride?

     Even the fish obey God. The whale could have eaten Jonah. But the Lord spoke and told it to spit him out.... and the whale obeyed. Amazing.

     After Jonah was spit out God did not give him a new assignment. He gave him the first one. We question why we can't hear God tell us what to do in our lives... when He is waiting for us to obey what He has already spoken! Recover what the Lord has spoken and obey Him.

     The Lord provided Jonah a vine for his comfort. But the next day He sent a worm. When Jonah questioned God... The Lord replied and asked him if he had tended to it to make it flourish. Many times the Lord does not give us things we are praying for because our character can't withstand it. We have to be in a position to receive what we are praying for! If you can't handle the 20 dollars God gives you ever week then how can he trust you with 2,000 dollars a week!? Be faithful with what God gives you. Tend to it. Cultivate it! Make it flourish!

     This last truth is what really got me. I pray for so many amazing things to happen in my life. But I wonder if I'm ready for them!? I need to get to a place where I am prepared and ready for what He gives me so I can continue to hold on to it. I always want the Lord to be able to trust me with what He gives me! I am not saying that this is salvation by works.... No matter how much we do- we aren't saved by our good acts. We are saved through grace. But faith without actions is dead. So the two go hand in hand. I want to be faithful to a faithful God! He is faithful with me, so it should work like every other relationship. And I should return the faithfulness.


Lord, I ask that you speak to each of us! Show us your plan for our lives, give us the boldness to obey no matter what the circumstances are. I ask that if we have forgotten what you have spoken to us that you remind us. Give us the diligence and discipline to build a character that can handle what you want to give us. We are always Yours Lord! We love you. Amen. 

The Journey.

     The other night I was so blessed to watch a few couples be prayed and prophesied over. As I watched one particular couple hold hands, lean on each other, and receive the Lord's word over their life together- tears came to my eyes. Tears of happiness and rejoicing for the most part. But in that quiet part of my heart, I ached for that very scene in my own life. It's what I pray and dream of, it's what I write about, it's what I love. Love. Marriage. 2 individuals living life as one. Selflessness. A Holy Matrimony.
     In that moment, my mind raced back and I could see myself laying in bed on lonely nights and praying for my husband. I saw moments when [it seemed] everyone else had someone to love and I had no one. The moments where I had been overlooked for the superficial girl that wasn't even the real deal. And my heart ached... it ached for that bond I will one day have with my husband. I simply cried out to the Lord that I wanted that but only in His timing. In my little mind, the perfect time for me to meet my husband is in the next 5 minutes, (giving myself time to get myself together).
     But ultimately, The Lord knows the perfect timing. I may not understand it, I'm sure you all could come up with plenty of reasons for me to not get married. Probably the fact that I'm 20 being #1. But I know that He has it all under control. (And 20's a perfect age..... lots 'o babies or lots o' time before having babies!) He's writing a beautiful story for me. One that I will cherrish for years to come. And a story that is a reality. One day I will have a husband to "do life together". To have a family with and to serve Jesus together.
     The whole point of this blog post isn't to share with you my heart for the man God has for me but it is this: The time spent in waiting will only deepen the amount of gratitude I will one day have for what God has given me. Life is not about the end result. It's about everything in between. It's about the journey. And this journey that I am on of preparing myself for my man is beautiful. I'm not always perfect and I will ALWAYS be growing. And I am okay with that. The thing to remember is that waiting may not be fun, but it's worth it. Every moment of waiting is worth it if you're waiting for what God has for you.

     Be encouraged. Love your season of waiting. I don't love it yet.... but I'm at least beginning to like it. ;)

24 Hour Prayer Round 2!

      Ahh, once again Metro is having their 24 Hour Prayer Event. I began the morning at 6am. The presence of the Lord is so refreshing. I absolutely love the simplicity and pureness in this movement. I love hearing people's visions for a prayer movement. I love the excitement that it brings. It brings people to realize that prayer is exciting. Prayer is worth it. Prayer works. And that is the truth.
     Prayer moves things, what happens that instant is demonic forces are demolished. Prayer shifts things. We win everytime we pray. Every single time. Our prayers aren't always answered at that moment, or that day...... but maybe they were answered in some way that we can't see yet. Time will reveal. Wait it out, God has a great and mighty plan for You. He will see to it that everything is done in perfect timing. He's never late.






Prayer brings life.

Gotta Start Somewhere

       Tomorrow morning at 9am my church, Promiseland Metro Church, will begin it's very first full 24 hours in prayer. As I have been planning this "event" I continually get more and more excited; overwhelmed at times, but so excited. I believe with every ounce of my heart that this is the beginning of something that only God can do. I believe that our church is going to begin to grow rapidly. I believe that the Lord is going to move in such a big way. And, I am so excited to see what those precious 24 hours bring.
      I've been looking at big prayer movements, churches that have grown to thousands within 3 years, and rapid moves of God. It amazes and excites me. It makes me thirsty for a move of God so big that the only explanation is "God did it." And I believe it can and will happen. I declare it over Promiseland Ministries and over my own life. But the thing that I have to remind myself instead of getting overwhelmed, is it started somewhere.
      Everything... starts somewhere. Someone had to have had a vision. Walmart, Gap, and Texas Roadhouse all started from someone with a vision and a dream. They wanted it. They worked, sweated, prayed, and did everything that they could to get their "thing" started. It's the same thing with our dreams and visions that the Lord has given us. We have to work towards it... move forward with it.
      For example, one of my life goals is to write a book. I can't simply talk about it, I must begin to write it. (I have 3 pages done, by the way. :)) And I want Promiseland Ministries to grow, I have caught the vision that Pastor Jeff and Melissa have for their church- and I want to do everything that I can to help that vision that the Lord has given them come true. So we work at it. We walk into what God has called us to. We pray and seek God's guidance in moving forward. We plan according to what He has spoken to us. We prepare for the prophesies over our church and our own lives.
      I've had this skewed view of this concept before I fully realized what it meant... I thought, "Well, God told me He'd do it, so I'll sit back and watch." And, sometimes He does.... but other times, and most of the time, He wants you to pursue it. To go after the desires and dreams He's placed in our lives. To walk into our calling. Ephesians 2:10 instructs us to do so.

 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. 

     While I prepare for tomorrows 24 hour prayer service, continue writing my book, and helping with Promiseland, I urge you to walk into what God is calling you to. Step by step. It has to start somewhere. 

Love.