Courage to believe that Jesus is the Hero of my story. He promises to set the captives free !

Thought of the day: fasting hopelessness 

Courage to believe that Jesus is the Hero of my story. He promises to set the captives free ! 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners

Isaiah 61:1

I must be willing to surrender my will, my plans to figure out my escape plan from my prison like circumstances. When I surrender to the one and only Hero, Jesus Christ, I get out of His way. This allows Him to work out His perfect plan. The new prospective I have on my prison like circumstances is now a place of resting in His fortress of protection.

"Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you" - God

Zechariah 9:12

His plans are always abundantly more hopeful than I could ever dream to hope for on my own:)

Be real with God concerning the condition of our broken hearts.

Thought of the day: fasting hopelessness 

Being positive is good but only after we are real with God concerning the condition of our broken hearts. If your heart hurts or feels hopeless, tell Jesus and let him work on it. 

We pray for hope when we know we are not in control-when we hope for the best outcome. 

I used to place hope in my performance as a mother-that was misplaced hope.. Now it's placed in... Gods hands who works all things for good. 

Prayer: I pray for hope today that is found in God's word in exchange for my worry. I hold on to that hope-hope that I do not see - while grace (Jesus) does the work of faith in me which will produce righteous fruit. In Jesus name amen

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

This is what faith looks like that is motivated by love :)

This hope allows me to say today- I accept my life, the past, present and future.

Disillusionment is my focus on truth.

Thought of the day; Fasting Hopelessness 

Disillusionment is my focus on truth. 

Look for the light at the end of the tunnel of disillusionment.

"Disillusionment births true hope in the same way that death is the context for resurrection. If our dreams don't die, the God-dreams won't be birthed. "- Dan Allender 

"May all your expectations be frustrated. May all your plans be thwarted. May all your desires be withered into nothingness. That you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance on the love of God the Father, the Son and the Spirit." - Blessing given to Henri Nouwen by his spiritual leader

Be Intentional about Hope

Thought of the day: Fasting Hopelessness

 Be "intentional" about where my hope is placed and resting. Not in who I am and what I can do, but in Him. Who He is, and what His word promises those who hope in Him.

 Hope does not disappoint us b/c God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who He has given us. Romans 5:4

"Being busy seems like the polar opposite of laziness, but a busy person is not so much active as lost. A lazy person does little to nothing while a busy person does almost everything, but the similarity is that both refuse to be intentional. Busyness is the moral equivalent of laziness."- Dan Allender

Focus On Hope

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Thought for the day, fasting hopelessness. Worry is my focus on the worst of results. Hope anchors me to Him that works all things for good... No matter what I see today. 

Fasting Hopelessness

This year for lent, I gave up Hopelessness!

I want my focus this season to be on the hope and plans that Jesus promises. 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Join me for 40 days of fasting Hopelessness. It will change your world! In prayer exchange your worries and fears for hope. This will open the door of grace to do the work of faith in your life! Each time you begin to worry remind yourself that you gave that worry to God in exchange for His hope.

I am so excited to see how our hearts will change after focusing our sight on the power of hope!

Making All Things New

4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Revelation 21:4-5

Trustworthy and true. Two words that keep coming to mind as I walk this new season out. 
 It is opening up before me as I hold on to hope. It is hard because it expects me to believe before I see. Yet I know that I can trust Jesus, because He is faithful even when I am not. 

"Our faith may fail, his never wanes— That's who he is, he cannot change"

- 2 Timothy 2:13 ISV

In small glimpses we are beginning to see the evidence of things hoped for , which gives us the assurance of faith. The journey is not what I expected. I thought it would of had a lot more to do with "my doing", no, just the opposite.  It's all about me doing nothing and doing everything at the same time..submitting, praying, dying, watching, and listening to Him. It is the process of Him giving me a new heart. I've learned that if I allow this process on the inside, He gets things done one the outside. It's a very humbling process. One that I am glad to be a part of as I sit on the front row watching as He makes all things new in my life. 

I am amazed by God's grace.  I can honestly say that the storms I have walked through have prepared a blank canvas where God Himself can paint a new masterpiece. One that has His fingerprints all over it! And one  that displays His characteristics  of who I am suppose to be. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be an example of Him making all things new.. because I really messed it up on my own. He reminds me of this every time I fall back into the mode of "What am I gonna do now or How can I fix this?" 

Currently, I am still in the middle of a mess. There are many details to be worked out and I only get a glimpse of the plan on a need to know basis. . I often find myself struggling with tomorrow and what will come of it. I try to work on the rubiks cube and hours later I find that when I lay it down, God picks it up. Nothing that I plan ever helps. I find that it only leads me to a place of futility. When I realize that I'm doing it again... I let go and pray. It feels very strange to rest in this place but I have seen Him be faithful without "me doing" anything. It's like, He lets me struggle and fall and as I'm laying face down on the floor, He provides. I believe He is showing me that it will be Him and not me that makes all things new in this season. 

He gave me a glimpse of something new last Sunday at church. We have not been to church with my oldest daughter in a long time. (I have not pushed her to do this because I believe that she will go when she feels pulled by love and not pushed guilt.)

Much to my surprise, I received a text from her last Saturday night asking me if she could go to church with us the next day. I was pretty excited, because it had nothing to do with me asking her. Again, it was God moving in her heart and pulling her with love to His heart. I have to say the experience was amazing. The whole service was about Victory and Deliverance. I felt as if God was saying, I have won the victory for Maddie's heart.. she is mine and I will not let her go. It was almost surreal as we walked to the front of the church to take communion. She followed me and Smith followed her. I felt fortified.. like God was saying , "I am leading your family, do not be afraid because I go before you and I stand behind. I will deliver you because I am faithful, trustworthy and true."

I am believing God. I am watching and waiting for all things new. :)

To be continued...