Routines take practice. Things will not always go as planned, but you do need a plan. Don’t forget to take DEEP breaths often. Take each day as it comes and be the best that we can be. We must embrace our children, no matter how old they are, even when they are doing somersaults on our very LAST nerve, they are ours and we love them more than words can describe!
Many of you have taken the freshman college students to their campus and set up the dorm rooms. Did you make a list of all the stuff they will need? Did you check it twice?!?! If you have as many boxes that’s in the pic, you may have taken too much. I remember when my youngest was a freshman, she practically packed everything she owned. 😀 … We all live and learn!
I don’t know about you, but when things don’t go as I plan, I normally want to change the plan (which is a NATURAL thing to do??). However, when we’re in the midst of a SPIRITUAL Journey, the rules change! The Lord will ask us to do things that are a tad uncomfortable (like WAITING until He tells us to take the next step!). He takes us out of the realm of reasoning and into the spiritual realm of FAITH. Contrary to popular belief, when we operate in faith, it does not mean that there’s the absence of doubt. I’m now two months into this new journey and I’m struggling!
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, … II Corinthians 4:13 NKJV
So, I ENCOURAGED myself with this Facebook Inspiration post…
EVERY DAY….. Your journey will only get Better!!
… knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. II Corinthians 4:14 NKJV
Resurrection power come forth, as we speak to all the lifeless things in our lives!
Then, as the month draws to a close, this Facebook memory pops up!!!
My day started with a Facebook memory for March 21st, 2012…
The Holy Spirit reminded me that my true purpose is MINISTRY, which was birthed through Order Your Steps in September of 2011! I had to be mindful of the task at hand and allow the Lord to lead and guide me along the way.
A very dear friend and minister sends me the Spirit of Prophecy bulletin for my daily devotional. It never fails to hit me exactly where I am in that moment and today was no different…
SPIRIT OF PROPHECY
Revelation 19:10b “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns
March 21, 2018: Beloved, I want to help you see and hear spiritual truth. To do this you must look without fear, prejudice, or expectation. You cannot allow anything to color or distort what I show you, but rather take it at face value. When you see something do not add anything to it or take anything away from it. Look with eyes wide open, ears ready to hear, and a heart ready to receive, says the Lord.
John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
Coincidence? I think NOT!!
NEXT JOURNAL ENTRY: March 23rd of 2018
In late January of 2018, the Lord impressed upon me to host an Order Your Steps event. It started as a Fall season event with a “New Beginning” theme, but evolved into a Mother’s day weekend event, which may not have been the best time!?!? But interestingly enough, as I lined up the venue, vendors & even the speakers, everything seemed to fall into place. So I published the Save the Date and I was off and running!!
Shortly thereafter, as you recall from my previous blog posts, the Lord said “Plant the Seed”, so I searched the scriptures and the Holy Spirit took me to Zechariah 8:11-13.
But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former days, saith the Lord of hosts. For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.
In Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible, it states that “While in Babylonian captivity, the people had been subject to God’s discipline. Zechariah encouraged the people to focus on God’s chose of Jerusalem and that God had promised to come among His people and completely restore them. Because of their obedience with regard to rebuilding the temple, they could now anticipate His Blessing”.
Mind you this was NEVER about me, nor the event itself. God has a Purpose and a Plan for His people and we are called to be diligent in our efforts to serve Him. So the Lord gave me a task … But when things didn’t happen the way that I THOUGHT they should, I began to wonder “What did I do wrong?”
Did you really hear God?
Did you say something wrong?
Did you do something wrong?
DOUBT AND FEAR TRIES TO TAKE OVER!!! BUT GOD’S WORD WILL LITERALLY BOMBARD US!!!
In early January, I found a new zeal for God’s Word, even before the real journey began. So I decided to start a journal to truly see what the Holy Spirit was saying…
Here’s my first entry on February 25th, 2018:
“Peace comes after obedience. We may NOT experience God’s peace until AFTER we do what He tells us to do!” I’m not exactly sure who said it, but it was either Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church or Bishop TD Jakes. I’ve been listening to them A LOT.
Then God’s Word said ….
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV
So, whatever happens from this point forward,
I gotta see it through, BUT…
it’s NOT gonna be easy!
Now, a whole ‘nother month goes by and not ONE ticket sold. What do I do now?
NEXT JOURNAL ENTRY #1: MARCH, 2018
Stay Tuned….
As you may remember from my post on April 5th, I experienced several periods of doubt and uncertainty for months leading up to my Order Your Steps event in May. Many of you may be thinking, “It was just an event, why is she trying to make it a deep spiritual experience?” For me, it has been a True Walk of Faith and unfortunately, it’s been very difficult to explain. So, the fact that on May 12th, my Ordering Your Steps, A Mother’s Perspective finally took place, I realized that the outcome of the event was NOT the most relevant part of the process. The major learning and my spiritual growth took place all along the way. So when the event was over, I was still wondering if I’d done it “RIGHT” (by God’s Standard). However, this is The Conclusion of the Matter, For Now! … and if this pic is any indication, I think I did OK! 😀
In addition, here are a few comments from our survey: “What did you like best?”
Recommendations: “What did you like least?”
“WHO WOULDA THUNK IT?? 😀
Yes! … We are already planning next year’s event. Stay Tuned…
In the meantime, over the next few months, I will be sharing more details on my walk of faith, My Journey of Obedience – My Journal!
