Category Archives: Inspiration

October 6, 2018

Pillow and a Latte

By Christina

I absolutely love my quiet home time.

People must think I am really a nerd, maybe too quiet…. possibly boring?!?! Lol

I am not sure. But it is so me. I love this. I like hearing nothing but the crickets, birds or outside nature. It’s so peaceful.

So here is what I will share with you in this quiet moment. I hope you can find yours too.

I have been on a spiritual journey a little more deeper because… can I be honest?

There is something in me that I truly dislike that surfaces when I am less than connected to God. I find a whole lot of cruddy things. Such as anger, jealousy, frustration, temptation, emptiness, depression, confusion and so many other things stirring in my mind and in my flesh. Who wants that? We’ll definitely not a saved and sanctified believer.

Here’s what the bible says about that:

So get yourselves ready, prepare your minds to act, control yourselves, and look forward in hope as you focus on the grace that comes when Jesus the Anointed returns and is completely revealed to you. Be like obedient children as you put aside the desires you used to pursue when you didn’t know better. Since the One who called you is holy, be holy in all you do. For the Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (VOICE)

So now, my beloved, obey as you have always done, not only when I am with you, but even more so when I can’t be. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling, because God is energizing you so that you will desire and do what always pleases Him. Philippians 2:12-13 (VOICE)

I came back from a powerful weekend to find myself in a powerful pity party! That sucks! I can’t keep going with an internal war of battles that I know will never lead me to growth. This means so much. Many unspoken words now gone straight to a sovereign speaking God. That is beautiful! That’s best! Because many times we share things, try things and do things… even if it may be that you are trying to be helpful and it’s not.

It’s a job for God. I know one ☝🏽 thing. I need Him to intervene in my life in every way. I want to stay in communion with my King. I want to stay less out of the mess. I want to live where He wants me. I want to work where He plants me. I want to love who He has given me. I want to eat what He portions for me. I want to write what He shows me. I want to say what He gives me. I want to go where He leads me. I want to do things better. Even if one day is better than the rest, I know progress is chasing me because of this transition.

Three weeks later, I am in a better place. Really. With everything that needs to be here attached to my life. For every other negative thing that tries to attach itself to the womb of my spirit MUST BE ABORTED.

That’s what I found. That’s where I am. I will continue in my quiet time with my pillow and latte still making sure I do the genuine things that matter most. Listen. Learn. Love.

I never thought I had all the answers, so maybe in the silence I will keep learning who I really am and make peace with that. I come with a lot. I am a lot. But it’s only because I know there is a God pushing me to be better. It is all a wonderful lesson of love. A love that lasts longer than a latte. ☕️

I pray that you find yourself too. Encourage yourself to go there. You learn so much in the silence and stillness. These moments that you are alone —are never to cause you pain but to bring you to His presence. A purposeful place we must learn to embrace. A peaceful place of real REST!

Are you ready to please God more. I am ready for that change in me. How about you?

With love,

Christina

2 Comments | posted in Emerging, Encouragement, Healing, Health, Inspiration, Loved Letters, Peace, Rest, Transition, Trust

September 30, 2018

Unprecedented

By Christina

Unprecedented:  never done or known before.

Synonyms: unheard of, unknown, new, novel, groundbreaking, revolutionary, pioneering, epoch-making; unparalleled, unequaled, unmatched, unrivaled, without parallel, without equal, out of the ordinary, unusual, exceptional, singular, unique; and lastly I would like to say impossible situations made possible.

Things that take years to build –years to achieve now come unraveling right before you because God is showing up and showing off.

If I were to explain what is happening in this moment most would say “This is highly unusual!” “This is just not normal!” “Stuff like this just doesn’t happen!”

But God…

But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

It’s been nice, real nice to be in these days. In the sacrifice I can see God’s supernatural. I had been through such a series of downfall after downfall. In the professional area, in ministry, relationships, emotions, my health and any attempt at trying to progress.

I can see today why this occurred. It’s one thing to preach and another to live through that preaching. So many sleepless nights have passed, tears unseen and cries unheard. God kept His eyes on me the whole time.

God never sends the promise while we are strong. He sends them when we have been weakened like CRAZY! So that way when we come to see the impossible we have no doubt but to declare how He does things in unprecedented ways!

Eternal One: My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do. My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth. Isaiah 55:8-9 (VOICE)

He did it in unprecedented ways!

I didn’t realize when this moment would happen. I cannot say when I want the curtain to be moved and for me to finally be effective when many have surpassed me in one form or another. Especially the ones nearby…the ones close to home. The ones close to the heart.

I said to God–“What about me?”

Okay I can say I screamed so much– “BUT WHAT ABOUT ME!”

When all the doors are closed and you don’t ever see a way for it to happen. Things don’t happen when we want. When we kick and scream. On our timeline or schedule. They never happen how we expect but in ways we could have never known and at times we could never pinpoint.

Then God says NOW! Now I will do it.

When I was put down to nothing. Again. And again. And again and again. I tried everything I could and still –nothing happened.

What I learned is this:

When I became powerless! God has shown, He is all-powerful!

NOW He moved. He made a way. He called me. I responded. He answered me above and beyond what I could imagine. He blessed and blessed and blessed and blessed and blessed! When He saw it fit for me.

In every empty moment, He kept providing. In every gap, He filled it. In every thing that couldn’t move, He REMOVED it. And when I came down to none, He kept showing He was the ONE and only that could ever do it.

He did it in unprecedented ways–again and again.

I am thankful.

I am fully grateful.

My heart is filled because I allowed it to be emptied of everything I knew to make room for the things He has always known. As we approach a new month, I am entering in victoriously no matter what. God is working on my behalf in those unprecedented ways. ♥️ It’s lovely.

~Christina

Leave a comment | posted in Celebration, Emerging, Encouragement, Inspiration, Transition

September 18, 2018

Emerge

By Christina

There was a story about a pig that was thrown into a pit.

To top it off not only was he thrown in the pit but he was having dirt thrown at him as well to bury him.

As each shovel of dirt was thrown at him, the pig began to vigorously shake it off.

He kept doing that with each shovel of dirt.

Because he continued to shake it off by the time he came to realize he made it to the top.

He emerged.

If the pig did not shake it off, he would have been buried in all the dirt thrown at him.

So what was actually meant to bury the pig only lifted him up and OUT of the pit because he SHOOK IT OFF!

I am that pig. You are that pig. When life throws you in a pit just as Jeremiah was thrown in a cistern –eventually you will be lifted out when you have such purpose destined for you.

You see I can only speak for myself. I can only speak from a transparent place.

But the evangelist shared some things on Saturday morning that MOVED IN MY HEART!

Because dirt represents hurt. And we know that dirt is always going to be thrown at us in one form or another. It could be very painful. Especially when things happen repeatedly.

I am sure the pig felt the pain and felt the weight of the dirt–blow after blow.

But it strengthened him as he kept shaking it off. He emerged from a dark place and right into the light. That is how we have to be. We have to shake it off–repeatedly. By now we should be EXPERTS of this.

The bible says in Isaiah 40:29 that He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak!

And again in 2 Corinthians 12:10:
That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When dirt is thrown at us, it can weakens us in ways we can’t easily express but we have the power necessary to shake it off. When we are weak the bible says—not IF we are weak but WHEN we are weak He gives strength! He increases power! That is supernatural.

“What do we have now?” You may be considering.

We have GOD!

We have His word!

We have a voice –to pray and express to Him.

We have other positive people that we can connect with.

We have encouraging books, amazing worship music and the ability to create an environment that will help us to move AHEAD!

Evangelist Hector Ciares shared with us this verse:

So the officials took Jeremiah from his cell and lowered him by ropes into an empty cistern in the prison yard. It belonged to Malkijah, a member of the royal family. There was no water in the cistern, but there was a thick layer of mud at the bottom, and Jeremiah sank down into it. But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, an important court official, heard that Jeremiah was in the cistern. At that time the king was holding court at the Benjamin Gate, so Ebed-melech rushed from the palace to speak with him. “My lord the king,” he said, “these men have done a very evil thing in putting Jeremiah the prophet into the cistern. He will soon die of hunger, for almost all the bread in the city is gone.” So the king told Ebed-melech, “Take thirty of my men with you, and pull Jeremiah out of the cistern before he dies.” So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to a room in the palace beneath the treasury, where he found some old rags and discarded clothing. He carried these to the cistern and lowered them to Jeremiah on a rope. Ebed-melech called down to Jeremiah, “Put these rags under your armpits to protect you from the ropes.” Then when Jeremiah was ready, they pulled him out. So Jeremiah was returned to the courtyard of the guard—the palace prison—where he remained.
Jeremiah 38:6-13

What a powerful story! Because they lowered this man in the pit! And that is what it feels like with life’s disappointments, discouragements, rejections, conditions, complications, obligations and all the other challenges that come storming our way!  So many things that are beyond our control. It makes us feel lower and lower and lower! BUT GOD! He used this situation to lift him up and out! He even used rags to protect him from the things that lowered him in to begin with.

Here we are now. Trying to press through even after we have received. In the moments of pain, we know that God will emerge us. He will reveal things to us. He will bring us into the light of His love and in His truth.

The greatest pain that was meant to lower you –is the very thing that God will use to empower you. Shake it off! Believe and trust God. Just using this simple analogy –the pig never sank. He was only thrown in to be lifted right back up.  The Bible shows us that Jeremiah was thrown in the pit only to be lifted back up.

Stay strong! Make the world wonder why you are smiling. 

Stay positive! If you can stay positive in a negative situation you WIN!

Allow God to use the pains and disappointments of life to elevate you. These He will use to enlighten you and others. These He will use so that you can share your own story.

It is time to rise above the adversity!

It is time to — E M E R G E.

With Love,
Christina! ❤

2 Comments | posted in Celebration, Emerging, Encouragement, Inspiration, Rise

September 13, 2018

Dear Me

By Christina

Dear Me,
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

When worry kicks in – TELL YOURSELF the Word!
It is only in the moment where you are thinking, reviewing, analyzing and trying to measure things up naturally.

But you serve a supernatural and an all-powerful God.

That is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us! As it is written in Ephesians 3:20!

Therefore you shall not worry Christina…about ANYTHING!

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:25-34

That is why you cannot worry Christina! All things are in His hands. You are only THINKING about it and when you do it starts to penetrate your heart….and bring in the worry and fear. So THINK on His word.

Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9

So think on that. Do not worry Christina!

STOP IT! Worry is not going to do a thing. But God is going to do SOMETHING!

Something great! Be at peace. Rest. Keep calm inside. This is a job for God.

Selah…………

Leave a comment | posted in Inspiration