tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196043942024-03-05T02:03:00.841-08:00The Lady's RageA billet-doux ... a love letter ... an ongoing story of triumph ... a woman's life ... an anecdote ... a witty conversation ... a testimony ... a poem ... a revolution ... a movement ... your life and mine shared in this unique format!Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-25895337146157631812014-10-18T06:52:00.001-07:002014-10-18T09:11:15.889-07:00My Goodness<p dir="ltr">I am not infatuated with the past. I'm not eager to learn about the failures of our society.  World news doesn't hold my interest.  Much like my youngest daughter's indifference to time,  my attitude towards politics and government is laissez faire.  However, if I am, as CNN host, Anderson Cooper, proclaims, "Keeping *ME* honest, " I find myself more and more concerned with the future of our world and how TODAY impacts it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Last evening, we watched the "X-Men: Days of the Future Past" and the 80s classic, "Fatal Attraction." The themes of these movies seemed to resonate with this idea I've been having that we as a society have a God complex.  We want to be all knowing,  all powerful and all helpful to the ills of humanity.  We want an utopian world amidst poverty, racial and religious tensions, pandemic sickness and so on. We want to fix things and people and places. We want a guarantee on life, that outside of God's grace is promised to no one. We at times imagine ourselves as kinder, gentler, more merciful and loving than God. Certainly, more wise and capable than He, at solving the complex matters of our own hearts and minds. But, in reality, all we want is control. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The X-Men film forecast this idea of exceptional people being categorized as a threat because they could not be controlled.  And so, humans without the exceptional behavior or difference feared what they could not control. Fatal Attraction, a cult classic,  drew men and women into the bedroom with Dan (Micheal Douglas) and Alex (Glenn Close). Admist the passion of their adultery, pot flinging and rising steam, there was a theme that the director consistently marked out for us that screamed, "Pay Attention! You can't take fire into your bosom and not get burned.  Respect the fire because you can't control it." </p>
<p dir="ltr">This idea that we can control anything is a fable.  Preparedness doesn't keep disaster away. Education doesn't prevent cancer. Knowledge doesn't control evil. You cannot legislate morality. So what do we do? How do we change our behavior? How do we change the course of our society's inevitable doom? </p>
<p dir="ltr">There's a saying, "Confidence is silent. Insecurities are loud." For much of our society, our fears are like ornaments. We wear them with such pride. We adorn ourselves with fears we've adopted from our forefathers and ancestors. We parade them as marks of success, calling them high standards, preparedness and writs of passage.  I studied here.  I made my mark there. I prepared myself.  I can thus control yours and my own destinies. But the fear, is I am not prepared. I do not know anything.  I have no future. I will die and know nothing of all I accomplished in this place. I will leave this earth and nothing I have done in the here and now will have mattered. The fear of death and its irrevocable nothingness. That's the fear that must be addressed because without it we continue to mask away the truth. Death is inevitable. We are young and then we are old. Our attempts at prolonging life; or at least the appearance of prolonged life is evidenced in the increasingly successful cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets. Botox anyone? Viagra sir? Ah, the ever illusive fountain of youth. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Are we more kind than God? "Yes, He may want to destroy us all but we want to live," is how must people imagine Him. Truth is, we are not more kind than He. He cannot be outdone. His mercies are NEW every morning, while we hold on to past ( and imagined) offenses for years! We cannot help anyone without the help of Him. We cannot do greater deeds than He has done for us. We cannot see if He does not give us sight beyond where we are. Godly preparedness,  doesn't prepare for disaster. It readies itself for victory.  It sees the storm coming and sees it's end. It is unafraid.  It is  as Isaiah 30:15 declares, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, and in quietness and trust is your strength."</p>
<p dir="ltr">My goodness pales, like white doggie poo, in comparison to God's goodness.  He doesn't seek to control me, though He could. But He gives me the freedom and the liberty to walk on my own, to feel,  taste, touch and smell the world around me; and His only requirement is that I allow Him to be God to me. If I don't it doesn't change His God status or nature, He is still God. But if I accept, it changes my everything. My whole world becomes an endless chain of events that leads to eternal life. Wow.  Big wow! </p>
<p dir="ltr">I am fearless about my future not because I'm blind to it, on the contrary I see through it. This morning as I prayed, I was able to reflect on where I had been.  How deep my sorrow was and how great a divide my past is from my present.  I praised God for His mercy, Unfailing Love and grace towards me. And I thanked Him for my future. By God's grace, I am not bound by fear. I see beyond. My concern lies with those who are so full of fears that they cannot see past today. Worry grabs hold of them in the night, strangling them until the sun rises again. My commitment to God today, is to tell you how deeply loved you are. It doesnt matter what you did or who you are. You are loved with a perfect and unconditional love. You can live an abundantly full life that last eternally through the person of Jesus Christ. your relationship with the living God isn't about Him controlling you but you having control over YOU. We project so much of our desire to control on external matters but rarely have control over our own internal workings.  Few of us, have mastered control of our thoughts, actions and speech. As the Apostle Paul would agree, What we will to do we do not do; and what we will not to do, is what we do with regularity. It is God's desire to empower us by His grace to do those things that we desire to do that please Him, not because it will make Him love us more but because OUR lives will be all the better for it. I believe God wants us to have a little heaven on earth and to share that piece (and peace) of heaven that we enjoy everywhere that we go. My goodness isn't to point people to me. That's control.  My goodness is to point people to heaven. That's liberty! I pray your strength and divine healing.  Be at peace, knowing that God is good.  And He is a faithful rewarder of ALL who put their trust in Him. Amen. Fearless Nation!  Let's go!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmoEXvXxgYcgSSE6rlyRl9TUInUnDE9HPbkcb6g2afzQpotQP3OcdBfq33U74pl0rrw9WhyphenhyphenFmsMSHMX2MK5Qz5GErmT2jcdh3et1KvD7MaaAa0VMM2Vw0yrojQxbBkKFKLHns/s1600/b11cac15419f5420899d71793450f719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdmoEXvXxgYcgSSE6rlyRl9TUInUnDE9HPbkcb6g2afzQpotQP3OcdBfq33U74pl0rrw9WhyphenhyphenFmsMSHMX2MK5Qz5GErmT2jcdh3et1KvD7MaaAa0VMM2Vw0yrojQxbBkKFKLHns/s640/b11cac15419f5420899d71793450f719.jpg"> </a> </div>Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-80400885608656765182014-05-28T20:02:00.001-07:002014-05-29T08:18:05.160-07:00Life on Purpose<p dir="ltr">On this 36th anniversary of my birth, I find myself reflective not of my life but of the life of Christ in me. At the start of this year I was very conscience of God's grace and of the intentional love that He manifest in the life of His Son, Jesus Christ; and how greatly this love has changed my life. Not many years ago, I was deeply convinced that I would never see the age of 40, never marry and never have children.  But God, in His Intentional Love, saw through me. He guided me to Himself and gave me LIFE on purpose.  I am encouraged today not because I am celebrated but because I have Life. I have life in me and all around me. I am grateful to my husband and our four children. Their lives give me strength.  Each one of them reflects a facet of God that I only see when I look at them. I am grateful for the purpose that God has given me.  I am, both honored and humbled by His call. My only hope and wish on this day is to continue living the life God has given me with intentional love on purpose.  </p>
<p dir="ltr">I pray for you too. That you would receive the love of God that not only makes life fulfilling but makes it rich as well. Live life on purpose. Enjoy every second of it! God has a perfect plan for you. <br>
</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6YaB1kSHlxPtzyI-O2lgULulWr7y-WEGKoeoqK7Ao4lDCVvsfSxOUV5J2F8CRZPsJQ0xJzR9GMpDBIJML2wUVB6DwLnEgd0lD9OlZxWodLUbWrVD9QDYWP8Ta9lMdjlpDBB3/s1600/2ebb6afc8899efb2a08e45e617125668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6YaB1kSHlxPtzyI-O2lgULulWr7y-WEGKoeoqK7Ao4lDCVvsfSxOUV5J2F8CRZPsJQ0xJzR9GMpDBIJML2wUVB6DwLnEgd0lD9OlZxWodLUbWrVD9QDYWP8Ta9lMdjlpDBB3/s640/2ebb6afc8899efb2a08e45e617125668.jpg"> </a> </div>Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-92043706849386094732013-08-12T15:38:00.000-07:002013-08-12T18:33:11.958-07:00To Know Him is to Love HimI can’t put into words totally the way that I feel right now. But I will try. Simply put, I have this overwhelming sense of God’s grace. Like, truly, nothing I have done qualifies me for the grace that has been given to me. I didn’t work for it. I didn’t pray for it. I didn’t fast for it. I didn’t give for it. Yet, God showed me mercy. And when I think of that grace...its sufficiency and power, I am equally humbled and afraid. I am humbled by the greatness of His love; and afraid, not with torment but in reverence of His Majesty and of His Eternity. He is forever…He is always…He is never ending.<br><br>
Proverbs 9:10 says, <i>“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”</i> <br><br>
The fear that I have is the very thing that makes me fearless. It is the reverence for God that makes me unafraid. It is in the secret places of my heart that God has uncovered, in these troubling times, that grace has been applied, and I no longer see myself as undone; but finished, not according to perfection but according to grace. And I am in awe. I am in awe of His great wonder. I am in awe of His majesty.<br><br>
Reverence for God, sets The Eternal God above every temporary thing and is the starting place of wisdom (the ability to apply knowledge.) And what we find out about The Eternal God, when we receive of His grace, makes us sensitive to His light.To know Him truly is to love Him. <br><br>
It is in these fearful times, when we are met with our darkest and deepest fears…when we find it difficult to see …that God’s grace begins to shine so brightly. It is in that intimate place, behind closed doors where what God says manifest in us. He shows us a picture of who we are, and it becomes clearer than the day before. <br><br>
It is a new day and a new season; and I am truly grateful. I am grateful for the grace that has been poured out on all of us. I am grateful for the life that has been given to us and excited to see His Majesty manifesting before our very eyes.<br><br>Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-58218770770071701012013-07-29T12:12:00.001-07:002013-07-29T12:55:32.619-07:00ShamelessThe spirit of the anti Christ hates your faith and despises when you put action to your words; and will do anything to discourage you from believing God will do anything good for you. The last thing that the anti Christ spirit wants is for you to believe that God is Unfailing Love and that Jesus Christ died for your sins. The spirit of the anti Christ does not want you to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Period. <br><br>
The thing that messes up most people’s faith is the image that they have of Christ, whether it is His natural image or functional image, people will equate the reality of God with the image they have of him. What does Christ look like? Is he savior? Is he lord? Is he white? Is he black? Is he able? Can he heal? Can he provide? The spirit of the anti Christ wants you to believe his image of Christ. Powerless. And as long as the image of Christ is presented as powerless people will continue to equate faith in him as mere religion, mere words and mere nothingness. If the people of God, simply believe with no persuasive actions Christ continues to have this dull and powerless image. But when, the people of God, decide to believe Him and put their faith in to action despite the negative and false images of Christ, our emotional makeup and dire situations, then we will see Christ manifesting with power in us and around us.
Many will scoff. Many will ignore these words. But some will hear. Some will eat and be nourished by this bread. Do not be ashamed and do not fear. Be shamelessly aware of the power of God at work within you and around you. Take courage for the Lord our God has overcome the world. Fearless Nation, arise!
<br><br>“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-1013214931138343352013-07-26T18:00:00.002-07:002013-07-26T18:23:06.375-07:00Fisherman's CatchI woke up this morning anxious to begin the day. I have “work” to do. A project came to me that I am both excited to begin and intimidated by; but nevertheless I am going to move forward in it. But yesterday was different. Yesterday, I was tripping and flipping out over the L word, Life, which is that wonderful and sometimes chaotic experience between birth and death. I am habitually a great starter. I get inspired. I have faith. I move and then I start looking at what I have and I immediately want to recant. <br><br>
Me:
“This is a stupid idea.”
“It will never work.”
“You can’t do that.”
"Who would want to pay you for that?” <br><br>
The Father:
“Ahh, Jesus. Here we go.” My Father must be having an SMH moment. “Let me talk to her.”<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtnnhPX0PDcaqnlzJd_HtsgMP12LKgHMF9BnCp9CqTbsaGxmozfGpxOEq4_9FgAjE-2-Js045xKB-VN3EMQAGY0MgJla79F1fe1WJCt5GrybqYpsVaELtvuxm_vGNNSI47tiR/s1600/Fisherman's+Catch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtnnhPX0PDcaqnlzJd_HtsgMP12LKgHMF9BnCp9CqTbsaGxmozfGpxOEq4_9FgAjE-2-Js045xKB-VN3EMQAGY0MgJla79F1fe1WJCt5GrybqYpsVaELtvuxm_vGNNSI47tiR/s320/Fisherman's+Catch.jpg" /></a></div>
Surely, I can’t be the only one who has schizo confidence and polarized faith. One moment, I’m like, “Yeah, I can do it. I can’t help but succeed. I am blessed and anointed for this.” And then I’m like, “I’m the suckiest, blood sucking sucky person that ever sucked!” But then, my Father says, things like, “It is not what you do, it is who you are.” And reminds me that, “You are a fisher.”<br><br>
When I get stuck thinking that I’m a writer. Or I’m a mom. Or I’m a wife. I feel all this pressure to perform. I feel like all eyes are on me and I’ve got to do a little dance, like when I was 5, so everyone could tell me how good I was. It wasn’t that I loved to dance, I loved the applause. My testimony isn’t that I was a horrible sinner (which I was) or that I hit rock bottom (which I did). My testimony is that Jesus died for my sins (little ones, big ones, seen ones, hidden ones) not because of I what I did, but because of who I am. When I look at my life, it is easy sometimes to see all the things (really just 1 or 2) that I wish I could change. But the truth is that I have so many things (innumerable) to be grateful about. <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIzu-4e8OlH_BN4vBZ5OQkFxTOudJJoDJfUebx3cnzPhwpSfeRka2nyKKRXSZCgurf5T058loqGIUb8NfJTMgYxe8Nt7zRQWxCyT6z4L4UMuvd3t0s14H4IuNR2RdKu-QDNJ0/s1600/homeless-man-sleeping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIzu-4e8OlH_BN4vBZ5OQkFxTOudJJoDJfUebx3cnzPhwpSfeRka2nyKKRXSZCgurf5T058loqGIUb8NfJTMgYxe8Nt7zRQWxCyT6z4L4UMuvd3t0s14H4IuNR2RdKu-QDNJ0/s320/homeless-man-sleeping.jpg" /></a></div>
Yesterday, my husband made a commentary on my “situation” and he made me laugh really hard. In his discourse he told me that he had once felt like a homeless man sleeping on the ground covered in leaves. He said, “I thought my situation was that bad, in reality, I was sleeping in a bed next to my wife who loves me. My kids are healthy. We eat well, good, healthy meals. We watch TV on a flat screen. We have a pool in the backyard, soap and facial scrub, cologne…I have Coconut oil for my skin…c’mon. Coconut Oil!” He was right. He told me, “If you are fisherman, it is never a waste of time to fish. Eventually, you are going to catch something.” Right again.<BR><BR>
My problem, lately, has been focusing on the future. I have been wrestling with whether or not every decision I seem to make is a waste of time. I have felt like if I don’t catch the metaphorical fish, then I can’t be a very good fisherman. But it isn’t what I do that makes me a fisherman, it is who I am that makes me a fisherman. Matthew 4: 18-20 paints a pretty nice picture, it says,<BR><BR>
<i>“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets.”</i> <BR><BR>
I see two things in this scripture. I see one group <b>casting their nets</b> and another group <b>mending their nets</b>. Both of whom, were called, not because of what they caught or did not catch but because of who they were, <i>fishermen</i>. Whether you find yourself casting your net (which is what you should do because that is who you are) or mending your net (because like me, you always try to fix things and make them perfect before you do what you know you wore born to do)…<b>YOU ARE STILL A FISHER OF MEN</b>! You are called by God to impact the world with the gifts that He has given you, and that gift is irrevocable. Whether you see value in it or not doesn’t change who you are. You will naturally, be drawn to do what you were born to do. And those, who are drawn to you, will be drawn to you not on the basis of your perfect mending or net casting; but by your graceful acceptance to be who you are…a fisher of men. A fishermen doesn’t predict what he will catch or when he will catch it, his only responsibility is to <b>be ready</b>. It is God who decides our lot, and he promises that it will be full and complete. <BR><BR>
I encourage with these words as I encourage myself,
<i>“For he who has begun a good work in you is faithful to complete it.”</i> Philippians 1:6<BR><BR>
<i>“Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”</i> 1 Corinthians 15:58 <BR><BR>
In His Love,
Natrietia Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-48701553767158702962013-07-06T19:04:00.000-07:002013-07-17T01:44:40.774-07:00You Shall Not Pass I admit I am sort of a film nerd, <b>N</b>o <b>E</b>tiquette <b>R</b>egarding <b>D</b>rama. My husband and I both, enjoy watching American and foreign films with subtitles so that we can absorb all of the beautiful language being said. We are guilty of pausing a movie just to discuss the use of language, lighting and or acting in a scene. We are guilty of using quotes from films we watched in our everyday conversations. In fact, we love to throw each other off with random quotes to see if the other picks up on the origin of the quote. One of our favorite films is <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy. They are quite long and filled with beautiful messages about friendship, faith, good and evil. One of the best quotes from the film is <i>“You shall not pass!”</i><br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eXUVEvHm-vbhSjAbatOsEPV8nO2etExUXro015oKFdk6ttkDF9xptwXBf-QhsYM60k5-uQ8gLvpXURtAet8bWEgJHiEmBmrJZp-yiue2n73qCOJQNAyXM3aZItDrzZRGLFJ4/s1600/you+shall+not+pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6eXUVEvHm-vbhSjAbatOsEPV8nO2etExUXro015oKFdk6ttkDF9xptwXBf-QhsYM60k5-uQ8gLvpXURtAet8bWEgJHiEmBmrJZp-yiue2n73qCOJQNAyXM3aZItDrzZRGLFJ4/s320/you+shall+not+pass.jpg" /></a></div>
<i>“You shall not pass!” </i>is infamous both historically and as a part of literature and film. In short, the French translation, “Ils ne passeront pas” meaning “They shall not pass” was used in the Battle of Verdun in World War I by a French General named Robert Nivelle. It was later used on propaganda posters and added to military badges in the same war. But,<i>“You shall not pass”</i> is more widely known by our present day culture, as the phrase Gandalf the Grey, makes in the 2001 film <i>“The Fellowship of the Ring”</i>, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> trilogy. Gandalf and his companions are being pursued by a Balrog (a demonic entity) and he makes the bold declaration that this enemy cannot pass beyond the place he stands. With his staff in hand, he breaks the narrow ground to allow his companions to escape. It is his boldness and courage that makes this scene so riveting to me. In the face of a big, scary demonic force, Gandalf does not cower and he doesn’t try to be brave. He is reacting based on his knowledge of things. He is conscience of his companions and of the mission they have set out to accomplish and makes a decision. He draws a line in the middle of the chaos and his fears with his words,<b> “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”</b> Eventually, his companions escape and he is swept into an abyss where he wars with and overcomes the Balrog. His companions fear him dead but he arrives at an opportune time glowing and effervescent, no longer Gandalf the Grey but Gandalf the White. <br><br>
I hope that wasn’t too grueling for you, and thank you for tolerating my nerdom. I was recently reminded of the phrase in conversation with my husband. He reminded and encouraged me, that if we (he and I, and any believer) ever intend to see the manifestation of God’s promises (no matter how extreme or farfetched the idea), we must draw a line somewhere. We must essentially say to any opposing views and even our so called common senses…<i>“You shall not pass!”</i>
<br><br>
Problem is we have a tendency to forget things especially in the heat of battle. I know. I’ve been there. I’ve been in the middle of the storm, asking myself, “What should I do? Which way should I go?” Some months ago, 8 to be exact I was laid off from my job. I have been on a number of interviews. Some good opportunities and others, let’s just say, I was OVER qualified for. I have at times felt confused about my future. What shall I do? What should I expect? Should I be looking for another job? Should I be focused on my writing? Should I go back to school? Last week, I had an interview that I knew I was over qualified for and I knew that I wasn’t going to get it because I knew that it wasn’t God’s will. And I said, to myself, “Self, what are you doing?”
I love God because even when I talk to myself, he answers me. <br><br>
He said, <i>“Confusion occurs when you stop believing what you first believed. What did you believe about your circumstance when you first got laid off?”</i><br><br>
I answered, <i>“I believed that it was your will. I believed that I was being promoted.”</i> <br><br>
<i>“Then draw a line.”</i> The words that my husband had spoken reverberated in my soul.<br><br>
You see, everybody was born with a purpose. Everybody is good at something. Every day of your life according to Psalm 139, verse 16 was recorded, <br><br>
<i>“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”</i><br><br>
So I am drawing a line. I’m taking a stand. Why should I be looking for anything less than what God said would happen in my life? Why should I be settled on conformity when God has said that I am extraordinary? <i>"Why should I try and fit in when I was born to standout?"</i> (Dr. Suess) We all have been met with circumstances that threaten us and make us afraid. But we can either choose to cower in the face of adversity or stand up against it. <i>“You shall not pass!”</i> To the enemy of your life and mine, we must be violently aggressive concerning the defense of our companions, and our mission in life. We cannot settle for what is common and expect uncommon results. It is when we are in the fire, the extremes of life that we are cast from mediocrity to sensational hero. It is where we become more of who we really are.<br><br>
Gandalf the Grey was transformed when he took a stand on a very narrow bridge of hope; and confronted the evil that sought to overtake him and his companions. He contended with the enemy with these words, <i>“You shall not pass!”</i> For you and I our revelation of God and our expectation in him must be so elevated that we could never settle for anything less than His very best!<br><br>
In His Love,
Natrietia
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-55554441974177946102013-06-26T21:31:00.000-07:002013-06-26T21:31:03.434-07:00The Bread is Good
I love bread. Bread taste good. It doesn’t matter if it’s garlic bread or a pumpernickel loaf. There is just something good about bread. If I were hungry and someone offered me bread I would take it and eat it without question. In fact I would enjoy it. I would not question the motivation behind the gift because my hunger is being satisfied. In fact, I would probably thank them for their benevolence. If I discovered, somehow, that the person who gave me the bread was an adulterer or a pimp, or a drug dealer, or criminal it would not change my hunger nor would it change the nutritional value of the bread that was offered to and eaten by me. Even if I discovered, that the person who offered me the bread was only giving it to me to manipulate me or to gain favor with me. It still would not change the taste, value or content of the bread that I received and was nourished by.<br><br>
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I have wanted to write on this subject for some time now. But if you have been following the blog, you know that I have been drawn to the subject of <a href="http://www.theladysrage.blogspot.com/2013/04/forgive-everyone.html">forgiveness</a>; which is truly important and fundamental to a life of peace. But today, I felt like writing something a little different. Actually, it wasn't me. Most of my writing isn't premeditated. I have moments of spontaneous inspiration or revelation and I’m like, <br><br>
“Oh, wow, that’s good. Thank you, God for explaining that to me. Let me write it down.”<br><br>
Case in point, the bread is good. I wasn’t particularly concentrated on a specific aspect of my faith. I was just reading “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/BOTH-AND-Ministering-Leadership-ebook/dp/B009PTPA6Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372304699&sr=1-1&keywords=both%2Fand">Both/And:Ministering In Between Life's Extremes</a>” by Benny Perez and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ladys-Rage-ebook/dp/B00C547FGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1372304638&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lady%27s+rage">“The Lady’s Rage”</a> by yours truly, and I began to think about the<i> message</i>. The <i>word</i>. The <i>gospel</i>. And I considered a few people that I know who struggle to believe the <i>message</i>, the <i>word </i>and the <i>gospel</i>. And as I was considering them and myself, God painted a picture in my mind’s eye that made sense to me.<br><br>
“I am the <b>bread of life</b>.” John 6:48 <br><br>
Jesus says of himself, that He is the bread of life. The bread is good. If someone presents bread to us, whose hands are unclean or whose heart is impure, it doesn’t change the quality of the bread. I know, you might say it does but you only say that from the perspective of not being hungry. Do you think a person who is starving cares where his food comes from? Or whose hands prepared it? Or why it’s being given? A starved person isn’t in a position to make these judgments because they are hungry. And the only thing that satisfies hunger is food. Not theology. Not religion. Not education. Not even money. <Br><br>
When you are hungry do you reach in your refrigerator for gold, money or diamonds? Do you go to your library of books and search for something to eat? No, you reach for food! The same is true of the gospel. The gospel is very simple. Hungry? Eat. Condemned? Eat. Depressed? Eat. Food is for the hungry. Jesus is the bread of life. He is the bread that we <b>ALL</b> need to live. Much like a starving person, there is a level of humility every believer comes to with the realization that they are hungry. Not for <i>what</i> does not satisfy but for <i>Who</i> does. Our culture is starved for real food;satiated by candy bars and chips.We make gods of mere men and idols of material; and complain that they are flawed, imperfect.<br><br>
“Jesus declared, '<b>I am the bread of life</b>. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'” John 6:35<br><br>
The good news isn’t corrupt. It is not spoiled even by bad men. The bread is good. God is good. Leave the delegation of right and wrong to God. And if you are hungry, eat. Eat your fill of bread because there is more than enough of God to go around. As a person, who believes and has received the good news, I am obligated by passion to share what has been given to me. I have never been more satisfied or fulfilled by anything or anyone than I am in communion with God. Life's challenges. People's attitudes. The world's view. The cultures of men and women don't change the mere fact...that when I was hungry...God fed me. And the bread is good.
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-48880680296872078552013-06-21T12:05:00.000-07:002013-06-21T12:05:51.477-07:00L-O-V-E is the Movement<br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoGZOJ5swc3JBgvGPNzC26DgIJARh-E77r1QUykxydKGSbx_V8e6vLiL9xXkuLODtEtVz-dByqK91MHkZI7U2Om6HV5D5FJtUmpDMstq9iG9uts2WxVREdRXztsRqToNZPTeb/s1600/love+is.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoGZOJ5swc3JBgvGPNzC26DgIJARh-E77r1QUykxydKGSbx_V8e6vLiL9xXkuLODtEtVz-dByqK91MHkZI7U2Om6HV5D5FJtUmpDMstq9iG9uts2WxVREdRXztsRqToNZPTeb/s320/love+is.jpg" /></a></div><br><br>Gosh, I have wanted to write on other things: relationships, my book, “The Lady’s Rage” and some of the everyday challenges and triumphs I have had recently; but I keep being drawn back to the same theme of forgiveness. Let’s just say that I don’t see myself as one who harbors ill feelings. I don’t hold grudges. I can’t think of anyone that I am mad at. However, there are people that occasionally offend me. Offenses come. We are all in this world and we are all so very different; and at times people will say or do things that are inappropriate, demeaning and all together offensive to us. And that is not to say we are right and they are wrong; but that because of the vast differences between people it is easy sometimes to offend or to do or say something that rubs another person the wrong way. <br><br>
My greatest offenses come at the expense of my call…not to perfection but to righteousness. I am offended by things, conversations and actions that are clearly meant to create havoc. I like peace. I like peaceable situations. I like peaceable people. I am very comfortable in quiet environments where I can hear a bird chirp, the wind blowing, the trees rustling and the sound of my own thoughts; because it makes it easier for me to hear the voice of my Father. Chaos, ruckus and arguing are not things I enjoy. And on the occasions, that I am forced to be subject to chaos, argument and havoc I am innately bothered. I want to make peace. Unfortunately, not everyone is like me. Some people thrive off of drama. The more the merrier. And as much as I would like to make the world a happier and more peaceful place, it clearer is not.
The challenge is this when the offense strikes you at your very core. Can you forgive? Can you let it go? As I said, I am not a person who harbors things. I believe that people can change. What you did or said in a moment may not be where you are forever. I know there are things I have said, things I have done in a period of my life that are the complete opposite of who I am today. My past literally contradicts my present and my present will inevitably contradict my future. I am constantly changing, moving and growing. <br><br>
In fact, I had a conversation with my mom Sunday and I was talking to her about movement. I was marveling at the sound of my voice, as I was talking, and how it is that everything in my body is in constant movement. Even as I sat in the living room talking to her, blood was moving in my body. Cells and neutrons (I think), words and terminology for my biology are at movement even as I type these words. Nerves are reacting and ping ponging messages to my brain that are helping me formulate my thoughts. Movement. I was telling my mom, that God is constantly moving on our behalves. We may not see it, we may not know it but He is moving. Things are reacting and ping ponging off of the words that we speak. Whatever is abundantly present in us will emanate from us in the words that we speak. The words that we speak are the very elements that move us, change us, deliver us and grow us. <br><br>
I say that because we must always be moving in love. Love is the movement. For out of love grows forgiveness. Forgiveness, if you are a believer is a lifestyle. It should be an absolute. If not, we will be stuck and grow stale and bitter with time. If I am, as a child of God, offended at the world, its system of doing things, the ignorant and ill informed opinions of people who are without knowledge of the true and living God, than I too am perpetuating the same ill advised and demented behavior that is offensive to me. I must forgive everyone. EVERYONE. Jesus lamented, “Father forgive them they don’t know what they are doing.”
We all are like children. And the greatest evidence of my right standing, sonship, with the Father, My God, my creator is not in my perfection but in the acknowledgement, receipt and dispensation of His great and unfailing love. Forgiveness comes at a price. It cost your humility. It cost you saying, what you did to me, said about me is not going to stop me from loving you. Forgiveness prepares to give before the offense occurs and gives without reluctance.
I challenge you today, as I challenge myself, FORGIVE EVERYONE.<br><br>
In His Love,
Natrietia
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-1548351041993631772013-05-28T15:16:00.001-07:002013-06-18T23:53:01.910-07:00The Good Enough Complex
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXilD6DijAJeT5n6g2O9bGAg-OiyAO3p4LDp34ncQoRmrk5LKnja0OEG5qUTXril4ZKWvI2-udBkFIUNUE_790iLCH4n3EiW65EpsXnsXeBaGQMJzqe7xABdeV9z1QFDI7ZIhN/s1600/220.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXilD6DijAJeT5n6g2O9bGAg-OiyAO3p4LDp34ncQoRmrk5LKnja0OEG5qUTXril4ZKWvI2-udBkFIUNUE_790iLCH4n3EiW65EpsXnsXeBaGQMJzqe7xABdeV9z1QFDI7ZIhN/s320/220.jpg" /></a><br><br>Mother’s Day was a delight for me. My children’s school held their annual Mother’s Day Tea and as usual in between the reading of original poems, off-beat songs and clumsy dance routines more than a few tears were shed. I always get emotional when I hear kids talk about how much they love their moms; even if I am not the mom in question. Some kids celebrated the kindness of their moms, while others apologized for driving their moms crazy. All in all it was very sweet and I walked away thinking that my kids love and appreciate me for me, not because I am perfect or sane…but because I am their mom and to them I am the most perfect version of a mom, because I am theirs. <br><br>
Not a full 24 hours later, I was feeling down on myself. Feelings of failure crept into my little head. One worry compounded upon another. And I said to myself, “Nothing, I do is ever good enough.” It all began with a call from the school nurse. My youngest daughter suddenly had a sore throat and needed to be picked up from school. It would not have mattered if her school was 5 minutes away but her school is 20 minutes away (40 minutes round trip). Considering gas prices, we would have to drive 40 minutes to pick her up and another 40 minutes in 2 hours to pick her older brother and sister up later. Total driving for the day: 120 minutes. My husband suggested that we just pick them all up. I felt bad. Not only did I not have the Omni-mommy senses to know that my daughter wasn’t feeling 100% when I sent her to school but I couldn’t even go and pick her up because at almost 35 years old I never learned to drive. So off went my husband in 100 degree weather and I could be of no assistance. I was reminded then, of all the other things I wasn’t good enough at. <br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinz-kfTk-q5j2qnKhu5DvikCDwDFUtO2TNX5Tx2meX2o_MgwEJLY-iuO2zBDLveysWci5LZZmH9c53x-DT2NNUegPfOLCopEItJdI85q926ktsqseOhBgDpbS-l43-ru_YTdyl/s1600/goodenough.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinz-kfTk-q5j2qnKhu5DvikCDwDFUtO2TNX5Tx2meX2o_MgwEJLY-iuO2zBDLveysWci5LZZmH9c53x-DT2NNUegPfOLCopEItJdI85q926ktsqseOhBgDpbS-l43-ru_YTdyl/s320/goodenough.png" /></a><br><br>I wasn’t a good enough mother because I can’t drive. I wasn’t good enough to find a job in the six months I have been laid off from work. In fact, just a week prior, I had taken a written exam for a city job and I scored a 93%. Essentially an A, but that still had not been good enough to land the job. Mother’s Day came and went but I had nothing to honor my own mother with; choosing instead to tithe off of my 17% deducted unemployment check. Not good enough I thought. Not a good enough writer either to garner any real income off of my first book. Not good enough to get a retail job. Try and try as I might, even my best seemed to be not good enough. Slowly, I began to feel inferior in every way.<br><br>
You know how one thought leads to another and everything you hear in your mind is a negative? Well that’s where I was, in this mental gloom. Ah, yes, the most pathetic of parties. You know what is really fascinating to me? Pity parties. I mean they are the lamest, most non-social parties ever and yet so many people arrive at them with the expectation that by loathing around with other people in the dumps that somehow fun will be had? Are we there yet? Are we having fun? Bring balloons to a pity party and the host pops them. Bring gifts to the party and they are immediately shoved in a corner. Pity parties suck! And while I was feeling sorry for myself, I realized that I hated this anti-social party I was having. In reality, nobody is good enough. Everyone pretty much falls short of 100%. You can be a damn good 93% but honey somebody else is a 95%. And you could be that 95% but hey, you have a 5% margin of just not good enough. You might even be a 100% but somebody else is a 100% with better credit and a family pedigree. I realize that I am not good enough because good enough never is. I admit it, Natrietia is not good enough. I’m a little good, mostly good but not good enough. And every part of me that isn’t good enough, God says, “I’ll pick up the slack. Better yet, when your very best efforts meet up with me, it’s better than good. It’s perfect”<br><br> <br><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUBep_NxzzHmPs1uNyADa_Ykb8g0feF-TgJsmg1gCxVCsRMv0HkE3uNCe7WLUWn5TedqqWTgNxFlkOK8qbs8TpQ_CP7ptPyi4aRHkdrRoAFrXViZK1BLGLOV4lGQao-4sNuGK/s1600/good+enough+never+is..jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUBep_NxzzHmPs1uNyADa_Ykb8g0feF-TgJsmg1gCxVCsRMv0HkE3uNCe7WLUWn5TedqqWTgNxFlkOK8qbs8TpQ_CP7ptPyi4aRHkdrRoAFrXViZK1BLGLOV4lGQao-4sNuGK/s320/good+enough+never+is..jpg" /></a><br><br>
Hebrews 11: 1-2 says, <i>“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”</i><br><br>
When we look for perfection, let us look in the eyes of Jesus; so that in Him we see the reflection of ourselves. Our perfection is not found in our efforts, skills and abilities; but in the perfecter of our faith, Jesus. Too many times, I have expected perfection of myself and others. And to my utter dismay, I was a disappointment to myself, just as much as others were a disappointment to me. There simply is no such thing as perfect; outside of grace. Yeah, I know I scored a 93% on the city test. And yeah, my Omni-mommy senses didn’t kick in at the right time. And, yes, I should be more mature in the spirit than to let a few little hiccups in the road get me so hot under the collar. And no, I can’t drive, yet. But; God has shown me grace. He gave me more time than allowed. He picked me up when I fell. He made away for me. And though I’m not good enough, I’m still the mom who gets up and irons her kids’ clothes and does laundry multiple times a week. I pack their lunches and cut the crust off the bread just the way they like. I pray for them and their peers. I take the time to oil and braid my daughters’ hair at night. I give kisses and tell them that I love them. Hey, I finished the book even though its not a best seller yet, at least I finished. I pray for people who could care less about me, and I do it not because I want recognition or a ticket to heaven; but because whether they know it or not, their lives are valuable and I care about where we all spend eternity. I am not a good enough person, but I am good enough to receive God’s grace not because I am 100% perfect; but because He (God) is 100% righteous. I realize today, that I am not valuable because I am good … I am of value because I exist. My existence is my substance. I was given breath to live and that is the clearest evidence that I exist for a reason. My life is valuable. And as long as I am living my value appreciates. I’m only getting better and the closer I walk to God the closer I am to perfection. <br><br>
And you my friend, you are of tremendous value. You matter. And you matter the most to God. He loves you with an unchanging, unfailing and perfect love. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will never lead you where He is not. So if you find yourself in a valley or at the top of a hill, the Lord is there. One of my favorite Psalms is found in chapter 139, I encourage you to read it in its entirety but here are a few verses:<br><br>
“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.”Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-64722174634286995002013-04-23T18:43:00.001-07:002013-06-18T23:53:42.190-07:00Good News<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh5Gpy0FmkouQdX0Y-ury7cwPP3M4x77kuZj8tIFi4CBeZLV1vepMV7LSKRuTH2Th6jJfPT4kOJzHKu2T7S1J7nxF6f-KSSf49tgp5FCxafpMuQtgkLaA9VUpjnm64hGYAWCg/s1600/good+news.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh5Gpy0FmkouQdX0Y-ury7cwPP3M4x77kuZj8tIFi4CBeZLV1vepMV7LSKRuTH2Th6jJfPT4kOJzHKu2T7S1J7nxF6f-KSSf49tgp5FCxafpMuQtgkLaA9VUpjnm64hGYAWCg/s320/good+news.jpg" /></a><br><br>I felt like writing again on forgiveness today. Strangely, or rather apparently, there is a need for me to be writing on the subject again. Last week I blogged that forgiveness is for everyone. There is power in forgiveness and I wanted to write on it once more. Forgive Everyone. And I mean everyone, and the harder it is to mouth the words and to sum up the courage to do so, the more essential it is for you to release the burden of that hatred. Hatred is a prison. Forgiveness is freedom. Last week, when I wrote on the subject I was much more focused on the process of forgiveness that brings healing to the broken or to the offender. I wanted to segue just a little to the right and write for a moment on forgiving yourself. Some of us have a difficult time forgiving and loving ourselves. We find it so much easier to forgive and love “other” people but we are hard on ourselves. We hold on to past offenses and feelings of regret. We spout hateful words to ourselves, “You suck.” “You’ll never change.” “Once a loser always a loser.” But I want to remind you that in Christ you have received (been given) FORGIVENESS of all sins. Not on the basis of your own perfection or your own righteousness; but on the basis of His free gift. <br><br>
I was listening to a remarkable man of God, Joseph Prince today and he was preaching a message on grace and He said something very true and very pure. To surmise, he essentially said that there is no grace message. It is just the gospel. “The gospel is grace.” If we believe that the gospel is absent of grace, or that grace is a by-product of the gospel than we have entirely (I’ll repeat, entirely) misunderstood and misrepresented the gospel as Jesus Christ delivered it. If grace is something all together separate than we have not fully understood the good news. We have added something to it that God did not intend. My husband often preaches that the cross is not an addition sign. It is not The Cross plus what I do. It is very simply what Christ has done. Period. The good news (gospel) is that our sins have been FORGIVEN. Gone. Gone. Gone. <br><br>
Forgive everyone including yourself. Let God love you and be as good to you as He wants to. Not long ago, I had a thought. I was thinking about myself and I had a few gripes against Natrietia. And the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “What would you tell someone who was going through what you are going through? How would you encourage them?” I smiled of course. And it was then, that I learned something. I learned that I have to encourage myself, minister to myself just like I would a fellow brother or sister. I have to think of myself, as God does. I have to forgive myself, just as Christ forgives me. I have to receive the good news…. Daily. Some people subscribe to their local newspaper or world news chronicle to keep them informed. But there is news, that God has delivers to you daily that will keep you in a place of liberty and freedom...it is the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-72065419284434153862013-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:002013-04-19T11:10:31.358-07:00Forgive Everyone
Forgiveness is for everyone. I ran across a pin on Pinterest that simply stated, <i>“Forgive Everyone.”</i> The short statement composed of two words spoke so much to my heart and soul. It is a reminder to me, one, of the forgiveness that I have received in Christ and two of the lifestyle of forgiveness that I desire to live in. It has been said that “Forgiveness isn't for the other person; but for you.” And to a certain extinct I can agree with that sentiment. But there is a grand difference between me forgiving someone who has hurt or offended me for the purpose of me being freed; and the much more difficult exercise of forgiving a person who has hurt or offended me because I recognize that their woundedness caused them to wound me. No longer do I look through the eyes of judgment, but through the eyes of love. The unfailing love that has the bible says “covers a multitude of sins.” When we forgive everyone, father, mother, sister, brother, neighbor, friend or foe…we begin to see the pain in their eyes opposed to the offense in our hearts, and our motivation to forgive is not to free ourselves, but much rather to free them. <br><br>
I think of God. He didn’t forgive me of my sins to free himself. He wasn’t bound. I was. His forgiveness gave me liberty. His love covered my sins, my wrongs, my weakness, my sickness…It is so beautiful really. The depths of God’s love and the power that He has, as Master and Lord, to forgive everyone. <br><br>
Let’s pray,
<i>“Father, we thank you today for giving us a heart like you and helping us to see through the eyes of love. Help us to forgive those who have hurt us and bring with it the restoration of joy and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
</i>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtSrIZifC8tABCGAIWWG91IjKDNkRN9WztqYVEovvZBTcbJvD3qwidyqMOrs7dy6OHEZQvzTQzb3UgQB0BAEcaQhvluI0eM5aPiqDYqBFJHhOOpUE-foVPahOGnczc-6OAvno/s1600/Forgive+Everyone.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtSrIZifC8tABCGAIWWG91IjKDNkRN9WztqYVEovvZBTcbJvD3qwidyqMOrs7dy6OHEZQvzTQzb3UgQB0BAEcaQhvluI0eM5aPiqDYqBFJHhOOpUE-foVPahOGnczc-6OAvno/s320/Forgive+Everyone.jpg" /></a>Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-60693266895177706342013-04-16T09:38:00.000-07:002013-04-16T09:39:33.350-07:00The Hurt of Relief (It Gets Ugly but it will End Pretty)
I had a conversation with my sister recently and we laughed that we never expected our faith walk to look anything like it has. We remarked that it, the walk, the life, the faith gets ugly. Sometimes there is pain we did not expect to come. Sometimes we cry tears that we did not count on crying as believers. We are faced with all manner of contradictions to the life that we were born to lead. The process of overcoming and believing isn’t very pretty, much like the birthing process we experienced as mothers. We were in our respective delivery rooms. There was no make-up (well, she had on a little---haha). There were no fancy garments; in fact, we had to get naked to give birth. We had to make ourselves vulnerable, expose our weakness and our pains to give birth to our children; and though that process was so very ugly…it got pretty in just a moment.<br><br>
As John 16:21 so eloquently explains,<i> “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”</i> <br><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpksGgWnFwtFGc5vM19Txwep8uWMFjEFU7mBO6csXEnQsElU73cSuC8ldkbWzIPzxLhf1nJt2AbF7zFZOUIQHN7ACOvrQnHbmhT6Z0R05fIAK9USUeTlu882y0bZIh0OzIaqc/s1600/me+and+roiyel.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpksGgWnFwtFGc5vM19Txwep8uWMFjEFU7mBO6csXEnQsElU73cSuC8ldkbWzIPzxLhf1nJt2AbF7zFZOUIQHN7ACOvrQnHbmhT6Z0R05fIAK9USUeTlu882y0bZIh0OzIaqc/s320/me+and+roiyel.jpg" /></a><br><br>
However long or short the labor, though it is painful and ugly, when what we had been carrying for 40 weeks or so finally pushes its way out, all of the ugliness fades away in the beauty and newness of this life. Relieved of the temporary pain, we marvel at the child, so small and innocent, pure and light. We reckon that there is nothing quite as beautiful and miraculous as this. And our joy feels complete. The reality and complexity of life has always been one of the most demonstrative evidences of God to me. Ecclesiastes 11:5 explains it in this way, <br><br>
<i>“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.”</i> <br><br>
We can explain and give names to things that God created but we, ourselves are incapable of creating anything that is original. If it is language where did sound come from? If it is music where did the material to create the instrument originate? If it is art who created the eye to see it? And if by chance, we were inclined to believe that life began by a spark or by a cell having no body, where then was its origin? Is it not God, the Creator all who has fashioned us all?<br><br>
I began to think on these things recently, having given birth to a child I carried for well over 15 years or more. At times, I was in pain, embarrassed that my labor had been so long and that I had not given birth. I wanted to be the mom, who goes in and spits the baby out in record time. I carried the baby, <b>The Lady’s Rage<i></i></b>, in the womb of my heart and soul for so long that when the labor came, I barely knew it. It was a painful process carrying it, but I wanted the relief of giving birth. I no longer wanted its life inside of me, but outside of me. And so, the day came, <b>The Lady’s Rage<i></i></b> was born on April 1, 2013. She was a healthy baby girl, born to deliver a generation, born with purpose and born of God’s spirit. I am reminded of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her name had meant sorrow but she birthed a deliverer. While others marveled at her son, the Bible recounts her at many stages of Jesus’ life as <i>“keeping all these things and pondering them in her heart.”</i> (Luke 2:19 & 51)<br><br> In my heart, there had been many sorrows but God had used them all to bring deliverance. So often we find ourselves pregnant at the wrong time, in the wrong place and if we fear we will abort the child that has been given to us. We will say, “This is not the right time. I can’t be pregnant right now.” But if we allow the Spirit of God to help us through the walk, we can make it even if we waddle, even if our feet get swollen…even if we get ugly in the process…The Lord promises that it will get pretty at the end. Our responsibility is to carry it. To keep it in mind and in our hearts until the day comes.<br><br>
I know that there are some people today who are feeling the hurt of relief, the pain of their labor; but I want to encourage you today to push through it until your baby comes forth. What God has given you to birth is for you and there is nothing that can stop the baby from coming forth except that you abort it through fear. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted in this moment. God is giving you the faith and the strength to push in your weakest moment and to press into the promises that He has for you. Don’t lose heart. Don’t give up now. Just keep pushing! Your relief is right before you, your joy will be full and you will remember the hurt no more! <br><br>
Let’s pray,
“Father, God, Thank you for your grace on us now. Give us the strength to persist and to push through the pain. Relieve us from our fears and make us willing and strong. Give us the faith to believe you at your word. Impossibilities do not limit your ability. Perform your word in us today according to your will. We believe you and we honor you with our faith today. You are the Lord and there is no other. Our confidence rest in you today and we are moved by your Spirit to declare your goodness and your mercy wherever we go. Let your light shine in our hearts today that others may witness your glorious nature. Thank you, Lord for your coming glory. Thank you, Lord for your favor. Thank you, Lord for restoration all around us. We give you the praise. For yours, is the kingdom and the glory and the honor forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen." Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-74225928686775683732013-04-03T09:11:00.000-07:002013-04-17T05:17:39.406-07:00The Lady's Rage is Now Available...<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ladys-Rage-ebook/dp/B00C547FGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365004883&sr=8-3&keywords=the+lady%27s+rage"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQaoPBxcrDFwB4-w6yMSu-76bg6LMD6knlEj4kFdexDtoKX6sj5ezNbfqDOnhREBS4o9U9BvWn5w_ODHX_H2Eg2auTjyN4YORA-Uql-0Vx_CYXrt6kPtvYwQA2OkPPdsPNTNx/s1600/the+ladys+rage+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQaoPBxcrDFwB4-w6yMSu-76bg6LMD6knlEj4kFdexDtoKX6sj5ezNbfqDOnhREBS4o9U9BvWn5w_ODHX_H2Eg2auTjyN4YORA-Uql-0Vx_CYXrt6kPtvYwQA2OkPPdsPNTNx/s320/the+ladys+rage+cover.jpg" /></a> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Lady's Rage</span></b> is now available at <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ladys-Rage-ebook/dp/B00C547FGQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366200394&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lady%27s+rage">Amazon.com</a></b><br />
Get your copy Today! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Ladys-Rage-ebook/dp/B00C547FGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365004883&sr=8-3&keywords=the+lady%27s+rage."></a>
The Lady’s Rage is a rare glimpse into the life of a believer that is often times hidden in the shadows of private turmoil. It is a vivid portrait of a woman’s redemptive walk of faith, intricately woven into biographical stories, breath taking poems and revelatory affirmations. The Lady’s Rage is noble without being pretentious; and a work of art grafted into pages that both inspires and provokes its reader to believe again. The Lady’s Rage is more than a book. It is a movement that began in the heart of God for a fearless generation to rise up out of sorrow into the righteous faith that we have been called to in the grace and power of the one, Jesus Christ, whose blood has redeemed us from the brokenness and tragedies of life.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-25531112808667113262012-11-24T13:04:00.000-08:002012-11-24T13:31:10.438-08:00Dream Again, Girls (Dress Rehearsal is Over!)I revisited a post from 2007 called “Can’t a Girl Dream” <a href="http://theladysrage.blogspot.com/2009/07/cant-girl-dream.html"></a>and it made me smile. The image resonated in my heart and in my soul of women of all nations, colors and sizes, occupations and gifting, all wrapped up in a blanket of love…such an awesome dream. In fact, just yesterday, my eldest daughter drew a picture of 6 girls (all different colors) holding hands in a field of flowers and butterflies. It struck me, again, what an amazing dream this was and I was immediately inspired, I heard the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit… “Dream Again, Girls.” <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dream again. Every little girl, no matter her race, economic situation, experiences…has had a dream… It’s in our DNA to imagine. The dream may not be the same for each of us, but the capacity to dream is always there. As a child, I probably dreamed more than most, from day to day, week to week, I could be anything, from a princess to a doctor, to an Australian to a unicorn. But, the older I got the more concise the dreams became. I surmised that I was irreproachably gifted to write and this would be my gift to the world. Life became more real than the dream, and I thrust myself willfully into the depths of responsibility claiming to have never dreamt of such childish things. Still, within my heart lingered this desire to write. It was an inescapable part of me. So, I challenged myself at times, to balance, life and family with this innate passion. I struggled to differentiate between my will and God’s will, and where the dream itself fit in. If I didn't write I felt like I was neglecting the gift. Or if I did spend time to write, I felt like I was focusing too much on it and neglecting my immediate responsibilities. Strangely, I was most inspired to write when my life was the most chaotic. I would write about things relevant to my current situation and or things that God spoke to my spirit. I started “The Lady’s Rage” blog spot as an answer to God’s call and my willingness to be unveiled in a culture of pretend and make believe.<br><br>
Still, my life was similar to a reoccurring dream that I had. In the dream, I was on stage doing a play I had already performed years ago; and I would never rehearse the lines until opening night. Frantically, I would search for the script, unsure if I still knew the lines. I would always feel this pressure of time. Like, man, maybe I don’t remember the lines. Maybe I should have prepared for this. And now, this is opening night and I have 45 minutes to remember this play. In reality, I was confronted with the same insecurities. Have I prepared enough for the real thing? Am I ready for the manifestation of God’s promises? Can handle being in the spotlight when I spent so much time in the shadows? Do I know what I am doing? Back in forth, I would go between complete surrender to God’s unveiling majesty and reticent reluctance to promotion. God said to me, a few weeks ago, “This has been the rehearsal. This time of waiting. This time of anticipation. This time of battle. It’s all been rehearsal.” <br><br>
Many of us have been in stages of life that have been tumultuous, and difficult. We have received promises from God that have seemingly been unanswered. And while waiting for the manifestation of those promises, we have been met with every opposite reality of victory, joy and peace. Still, our hope remains. I can say with a certainty that I never, ever would have imagined THIS but I have gained such an appreciation for God’s word and for HIS presence in the midst of all of the difficulty, because at the end of the day I have found rest that cannot be taken from me. I have found peace that doesn’t exist because of things I have but rather because of whose I am. I have more today in terms of LIFE Abundant than I have ever had materially. And, I can say that all of the preparations of God through the various situations that have arisen have made me more than able to perform any task, at any time in any situation. I know my lines. I know what to say. I know my marker. I know my timing. <br><br>
If you know anything about performing on stage, there are three things you must know. #1) Your lines. #2) Your mark. #3) Your timing. The rehearsal that we have been in has been about knowing the word, your righteousness through faith in God and the timing of God (prophetically). <br><br>
The dream itself, the vision that God has given you is the means through which he is going to put you on stage… but ultimately, it is what you have rehearsed, that will have the most impact on those who are watching you. It is what you have done, in secret that will be on display. I encourage, you child of God, to dream again. Don’t let the passion die in you because of the trials of life. But rather, seek the Father, so that those dreams can live again. In His presence, there is fullness of joy. In His presence, there is everything that you need. Wisdom, joy, inspiration, strength, peace… you name it… wherever He is present, there is an abundance of everything that you need and want. <br><br>
I pray that you will rediscover the dream that God has given you and that you will allow God to impact your life in such a way that it overflows to next generation. You are not without help, may God fill with his Holy Spirit and guide in His will.
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-33415479756530702772012-10-03T09:37:00.000-07:002012-10-03T09:42:38.669-07:00If I Perish, I Perish but I Will See GodMy God, sometimes it’s the little things. Nobody knows. Nobody sees. It’s the little things that make the BIGGEST impact. You’re waiting for that BIG break through. You’re waiting for that ONE moment that changes everything… but God likes details… He gets into the finite things…
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Look at the variation of fish. He didn't just make one fish he made all shapes, sizes and colors of them. He didn't make one shade of blue… or one shade of gray… He didn't just bless you one way, He blessed you in every way…He started off small… He spoke to your heart…then gradually you were transformed… maybe you were expecting to be in a different “PLACE” in life… but you are different today than you were before. I have felt weaker than ever… but I have felt His Presence strong… and all I have to say to those of you, who know what it is like to be crushed and brokenhearted, to feel abandoned and confused…there is something that God has done… in that secret hidden place, where no one knew that you were going through what you were going through, nobody but God saw your tears and heard you crying out for help…it was in that dark tunnel of fear, when you were so afraid and didn't know what to do… that God said, “Trust Me, I know what I am doing.” And you did.
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I cried out the other day to God, “If I perish, I perish.” I lay it all out before him, my life, my opinions, my strength, my weakness, my ambition, my family, my love…there is nothing more valuable to me than my relationship with him. And I cannot be bought, I cannot be bribed… I cannot be told that my GOD is not the Lord of Lords. I am convinced of His love for you and I and we will surely see the Glory of God in the land of the living. The tides are changing… the hearts of the people have grown weak… and God has transformed our weakness into strength. He has made want was unknown… known… He has made the little things, Big…and the big things, small. Hear the word of the Lord. A day is coming and now is, when the kingdom of heaven will be represented in the earth and out of the darkness will shine a great light. And every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, Jesus Christ as Lord. He is he who holds the key to life. He is, the Alpha and the Omega, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. You cannot pander the anointing. When God begins to unveil His majesty, it will be to a broken people, a people of little or no regard… Humble yourselves under God’s almighty hand and in due season he will exalt you. Let Him crush you and rebuild you. Thank you Lord for the little things you do, that no one sees… But I see you Lord. I see YOU. Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-36651670995749157002012-09-12T14:00:00.001-07:002012-09-13T08:29:32.749-07:00The Knowledge of ThingsWhy do you hate?
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Why do you blame men for your folly?
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Why do you boast of things too wonderful for you?
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Behave as a man.
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Conduct yourselves as wives and mothers of children.
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Do not trample the hope that was laid down for you.
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If you are just, will not justice prevail?
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If you judge, will you not also be judged with the same measure of fear?
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If you love, will you not overflow with the measure of kindness you have filled others with?
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Is it your belief in nothing that leaves you so empty?
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Do well and seek your Father’s face.
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In the morning His light will shine on you.
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Do you think men are evil?
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So are you.
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Do you think men are good?
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So are you.
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There are but two things in this life.
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Little things and big things.
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The little things are the big things.
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And the big things are the little things.
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And both are worth finding out.
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Our journey here on this earth is but for a mere moment in time
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Do not say what tomorrow holds…
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For tomorrow holds no promise
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Today very well may be your last
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Behave in such a way that if today your souls is called upon
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That nothing is left behind.
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Love when it is painful.
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Give when you have the least.
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And in the end you will have gained more than you gave.
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Reach for the truth like a blind man in darkness
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Take hold of it, though darkness surrounds you.
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Take hold of it and do not let it go.
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Why blame men for your folly?
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When, even, your good intentions turn out bad.
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Why blame the innocent for what you did not believe?
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Why judge the creature for doing what he was born to do?
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Why do you boast of things to wonderful for you?
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You do not have answers for the questions you ask
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And your speculations are full of lies.
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Why do you behave like an illegitimate child when your Father is the king?
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Why do you frolic in the mire and look for living things in the grave?
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You will find nothing in the heap you dug…but death.
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When you wake from your terrible slumber,
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Who will you find besides you there?
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“Nothing,” says the grave.
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“Nothing” lays there.
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“Nothing” says the soul crying from the deep.
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“Nothing” lays there.
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“Nothing” says the hope, cast away in the dirt.
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“Nothing” lays there.
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“Nothing and nowhere,” cries the soul separated from the truth.
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Nothing boast of things too wonderful for it.
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Nothing hears your lament for help.
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Nothing shows no mercy.
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Nothing is too wonderful for you.
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Yet, something
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In the quiet of your soul
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Begins to stir at the utterance of that Name,
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The One, who holds the key and the words of life,
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Beckons to you…
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Come…
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Come all of you, who know absolutely nothing.
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Come and I will show you mercy and
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Things too wonderful for you.
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Come and live again.
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-83991864201720144242012-09-10T10:13:00.000-07:002012-09-13T08:29:11.634-07:00We Are Transformers
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some months ago, I felt compelled of the spirit of God to begin writing on the subject matter of transformation. I had heard the Lord whisper the word “Transformer” to my spirit. I immediately, thought of the blockbuster movies and the 80’s cartoon that those movies were inspired by. So, I Googled some images with the hope of finding a visual for what I sensed in my spirit; that we, the body of Christ, are Transformers. Sadly, I couldn’t find one. I looked for a definition of transformer and I found this: <br> <br>
1. One that transforms.
2. A device used to transfer electric energy from one circuit to another, especially a pair of multiply wound, inductively coupled wire coils that effect such a transfer with a change in voltage, current, phase, or other electric characteristic<br>
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With this definition in mind, I immediately knew where God was taking me.
He said, “My people are transformers. I am the energy source. My people are the transformers.” He said, “And yes like the cartoon heroes that transformed from one function to another and one form to another; so it is with my people.” He said to me, “your perfection brings glory to you. But your transformation brings glory to me.”
The Lord reminded me of a previous conversation that I had with him in prayer. I said, “Lord, I wish that I had walked these 17 years flawlessly. I wish I had always believed and never lost hope.” And He reminded me in that moment, that His strength is revealed in my weakness. He said, “When you were young in faith. You were self righteous. You believed you were righteous because you saw yourself as “good.” You had a checklist of things that you did not do. You felt that because of your ability to refrain from those things that you were right with me. You thought because you didn’t do this and didn’t do that, that you were good in my sight. You boasted in your own image; but you did not boast of my ability. You did not make yourself vulnerable. However, in the secret places of your heart, Natrietia, you held onto insecurities, rage and jealousies. You were alienated from me because of your fears.” He continued, “It wasn’t until you became vulnerable, that the power of my word transformed you. And that is where my strength is perfected.”<br> <br>
This kind of vulnerability and resulting transformation was best exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ. There was a glory that appeared in Jesus when he was resurrected. His resurrected body was different from the body that hung on the cross and the body wrapped with the ceremonial burial clothing. With this image of Christ before me, I heard the Father say, “You are the body of Christ. There is a glory that I am ready to release. But that transformation is happening when my people return to me with vulnerability. When they no longer resist the cross; but carry it through the pain, through the resistance, through the embarrassment and simply say, ‘Not my will, but your will be done.’ When they cry out, ‘Father, forgive them.’ When my children call me, Father. When they have relationship with me. When they talk with me. When they worship me in spirit and in truth. <br. <br>
He said, “Call out to the people.” Write it and send it. <br> <br>
I heard him, this morning. I awoke with these words and they are true. “If you do not believe in something, you will die for nothing. Belief is a necessity of life. You wore born to believe.” <br> <br>
The Lord says, “I am willing. I am ready. I have accomplished victories for you. Will you believe? Will you trust me? Will you place no other above me?" <br> <br>
I don’t know if these words mean anything to anyone, but they mean a lot to me. I have personally been in a frustrated place. On the one hand, extraordinarily blessed, assured of God’s love, His ability and the gift of family. On the other hand, I have been confused by my literal circumstance and environment. I have been perplexed and wondered, why a specific area in my life, that is so very small, and doesn’t seem to fit with everything else that is so “right” in my life has overwhelmed me so much. The challenge really becomes whether or not I will trust the Lord in the midst of this death (of will, desire) so that I am transformed into something greater than my temporary want and or need. I mean, literally, whatever I fear in this life is only necessary for this life. And when we view things in this light, we see them for what they really are. Temporary. I am not living for this life. I’m not living to make my life here permanent. I’m living my life here temporarily, a mere visit on the planet Earth. It can be enjoyable, but my joy will not be dictated by things that are temporary because I believe in someone greater, who is Everlasting. <br> <br>
The Lord said to me “I see an army of men, women, old and young, spread wide and across lines…these men stand tall. These women stand tall. These children stand tall. This army transforms. They reach the heights of the enemy’s high walls. They leap over its gates. Their feet crush temples, strongholds and systems. The enemy’s darts are like toothpicks in their skin. Their skin is like armor. This army stands tall. Their feet are able to stand on the heights. This army of men, women, young and old is greater than the sea is wide.” <br> <br>
Confrontation is necessary for a life of victory; and because most of us spend our lives compromising we live lives of defeat. The Lord said, “You cannot begin to write about Transformation without laying a foundation of faith.” Your faith in the Word of God is the first confrontation that you will engage in and without it you will suffer endless defeats. <br> <br>
I want to gladly boast in the victories that I have won. The many accomplishments of the spirit and all the right decisions I have made. But they all would be empty without the knowledge of the source of my strength. If I had conquered in my own ability, what glory would it bring the Father? But through suffering, through the pain, the loss, the tears, the rage… The Lord transformed me. He made a saint out of a sinner. He made a prophet out of a liar. He made a wife out of a prostitute. He made a mother out of a barren woman. There is nothing impossible for God. Even my losses have been gains because I gained the knowledge of the Greatness. I gained the knowledge of His love and strength in the midst of my own weakness. The Lord has carried me and loved me and been the backbone of my life. Never before have I been so weak…yet, never before have I witnessed such strength. <br> <br>
This is a reminder to me and to all those who will be vulnerable before the Lord, that we were born to believe. Whatever this life has handed you, is but a temporary affliction, but the eternal things if God, faith, love, joy, peace, strength cannot be taken away. We are a fearless nation. We are transformers!
Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-38808360204867277392012-07-31T21:11:00.000-07:002012-07-31T22:08:02.504-07:00Into the Hands of God...The Brokenhearted will Fall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I cried. I wept. I snotted all over the place. I threw my hands up at God and said, “Whhhhhhyyyyyy?” for as long as I could without taking a breath. I murmured. I complained. I made suggestions. I countered. I made a case. I prayed. I gave thanks. I fasted. I suffered long. I obeyed. I tried. But near the end, right when I was about to give up, is when I knew. I knew deep down in my tired soul that I was born for this. Perhaps, if I hadn’t been so wounded and preoccupied with the pain, I would have KNOWN it sooner. After all, I had chosen the road less traveled. We, all, who see beyond, natural circumstances, have had to make the faith fall aka the trust test. God, stands behind you in a circle of friends. Your back is to Him, you don’t see him, but you know that He is there.<br> <br>
He beckons to you, “Trust Me.” <br> <br>
You say, “You mean, watch me fall?”<br><br>
He laughs, more like a giggle, actually more like a roar of thunder. The sound is hearty. You feel lightheaded but at ease. You take the dive. And, Walla, you’re there, in the hands of God.<br><br>
I wanted to remind you and me that we are in the hands of God. And with Him there is no failure. I know it’s been a difficult journey and the dream, we've been holding onto since childhood, has seemed to tarry longer than we ever expected. But I want you to know that your faith in God wasn’t in vain. Everything He said is 100% true. He didn’t lie to you. I woke up this morning with a strange song in my head, <i>“Would I lie to you?”</i> by the British duo, The Eurhythmics. The hook goes a little something like this, "Would I lie to you honey? Would I say something to you that wasn’t true?” The answer to this question, if God was posing it, is simply, “No.” He would not lie to you and He would not tell you something that was not true. You must love him and trust him. As he loves you and trust you with his word. <br><br>
A few months ago, the Lord spoke to me and he said, “I want you to be fearless.” This call to fearlessness is so necessary to the advancement of God’s kingdom in the earth. Fear is a liar. It is a <b>F</b>alse, <b>E</b>xpectation, <b>A</b>ppearing <b>R</b>eal. It presents the worst case scenario every single time. It never believes. I want to encourage you today, also, to be fearless. To look fear its dreadful eyes and say, “No more! I will not be afraid. I will put my trust in the Living God, whose love never fails, whose peace breaks every barrier. In him, will I trust.” <br><br>
I know you have felt abandoned, disappointed, neglected, overlooked; but child of God, it has not been in vain. You have occupied the place that the Lord has commanded you. In secret you have sought him and interceded for others. And though they may not have acknowledged or seemed to appreciate anything that you have done. Know that the Lord has seen it all. And even still, while their lips betray you, you still believe better things concerning them. You will not be made ashamed says the Lord but you will receive double. Do not think that The Lord will not be good to you. Do not think that you have misjudged God’s ability or expected too much. But the Lord says I reward those who seek me diligently. He says what you do in secret I will reward you openly for. Do not envy anyone. Do not compare yourself. Do not be ashamed. But believe my word. Trust in me and know that I am good. I am unfailing love. I am the God who answers. I am the Lord.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-15472571878029041792012-07-19T22:51:00.000-07:002012-07-19T23:00:49.665-07:00Finish WellIt took me all day to write this. Though it was on my mind and in my heart, to spend some time alone with the Lord and to write, I found it hard to do. Considering the multiplied concerns that I face, the subject matter, of writing, though dear to my heart, seemed a back burner priority. Nevertheless, I found myself thinking about a conversation I had recently. I was in tears and I said, “God loves them, but doesn’t he love me too?” And my ever faithful husband said, “I know sweetheart, but Jesus could have said the same thing. He could have said, ‘God you love them, but what about me? I’m on this cross but what about me?’” He concluded with, “I just want you to finish well.” The day before, he had encouraged me to love and pray for people that I felt I had done a good service to. And his words to me, greatly grieved me. “Give more?” I thought, “I have nothing left to give.” <br><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh, how dreadful those words sound to me now, “What about me?” Here “she” goes again, on her self-pity parade, singing that same old song, “Poor little me, just trying to do what’s right and everything in this terrible world is against me.” I was dreadfully afraid of being condemned in this prison of fear and failure once again. Had I done what I was supposed to? And if not, how much longer must I suffer? How much farther into this dark tunnel must I go? After all, I had been fool enough to say, “Lord, not my will but your will be done. Show me your glory. Reveal yourself through me. Lord, if I lose everything for your namesake and end up living in a car with my husband and my babies then it will be worth it just to know that I have done what you asked.” I had been that fool. And that wrapped up in God’s presence to believe that I really could just lie down and die to my own desires and personal ambitions… just to be that much closer to the love of my eternal soul, Jesus.<br><br> Oh, how soothing the promise is in my ears that God’s grace is sufficient. How beautiful the reminder that no matter how pitiful my faith that God remains faithful. I heard, a renowned evangelist, Joseph Prince, say this week, that “God is not anxious” about anything. He’s patient. He’ll take his time. He’ll wait for it, the it in you that he knows is there. Romans 5:5 says, “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” His great desire for us is that we would overflow with love. That even in our hardships, we would be so convinced of God’s love, that nothing could defer it. That we would be partakers of the hope that makes us so fearlessly flawless in matters of love. It is this love that never fails to believe. <br><br>
I was expecting a major breakthrough, a tangible change to occur in my immediate future that has taken longer than expected. I staked my peace on this milestone. And once again, the Lord reminded me that my faith is in Him, not in the resulting occurrences because of my relationship to him. I want to encourage myself and you with these words. There is nothing that you and I are experiencing, no battle we are in that has never been fought before. There is no fear that cannot be overcome by faith. There is no door that God has opened that anyone can shut. You and I were made for this victory. The unfailing love of God resides in us. Don’t pout. Stop crying. Quit complaining. Just finish well. Fearless Nation, Let’s Go!Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-68666285393726433342012-07-08T14:44:00.000-07:002012-07-08T14:44:07.767-07:00Wait For ItWaiting? Got patience? Staying power? Ability? Wait for it. Some weeks ago I was inspired to write on the subject of transformation and when I woke up unusually early yesterday morning, I was reminded that I never quite got around to blogging about it. As I considered this, I thought about my own transformation and the whimsical expression of God through those changes. Change is a natural progression of life. We live for it. We wait for what will be. We venture to anticipate the unknown, but often times find ourselves revisiting the past. For what can man predict? What can man really be sure of, other than what God reveals? We think, but we don’t really know anything. We read books and we consider them true on the basis of the opinion or research of the one who finds it. We say “this person is legitimized by their study and therefore their words must be true since I have no knowledge of it.” But education does not make for perfect men and women. Knowledge, according to the Bible, puffs up but love edifies. (See 1 Cor. 8:1) It makes a man or woman, who depends on knowledge, inevitably unkind to those who lack what they have. Knowledge, without love, demeans those who are absent of it. Whether it is creative, self, social, brain or religious knowledge… knowledge though it appears to make one better, only segregates those who have it from those who do not, if not tempered by love.<br><br>
If my knowledge does not have a vein of love in it, then it is only useful to me and no one else. It builds me up, in my self-awareness. It boasts of my successes and my reigning power; but it does not lend a hand to the needy. And this, failure to love, is the tragedy of men. For what do I have that wasn’t given to me? The breath of life, the bend of my hair, the framework hidden beneath my skin, the heart that beats so violently in my chest pumping blood throughout my body without end. The very ability to know, comprehend and understand was not measured to me on the basis of any knowledge I attained. Life was given to me and every day I have the choice to either live with the knowledge of that gift or to deny the very power at work within me.
It may seem an odd consideration but I could not begin to talk about transformation, without addressing the nature of man’s need to know. We seek knowledge under the guise of preparedness, readiness and responsibility. But if our knowledge does not end in love, it is fruitless behavior. The transforming power of God is limited in us, the realm of our influence and the fullness of our innate gifts is never reached.<br>
<br>Several months ago I faced tremendous fear. I could not see my way out of a situation and I was tormented by my disability. I wanted to KNOW what I had done, where I held failed and why I was not getting the results I had anticipated. I had been obedient, faithful, knowledgeable concerning God’s promise and seemingly unrewarded. I saw no worth in my testimony and I pitied myself. I thought, “What a shame? All of these promises from God and I will see none of them. Perhaps, they are for my children and not me. I do not have the strength to believe God concerning this anymore.” But God said to me, “If you have me, you have everything you need. Your value is in Me.” He said to me, “You are awesome. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing. You are awesome. You are the canvas of my heart.” He had taken notice of me and did not pity me. Rather, he esteemed me as awesome. I had misplaced my victorious destiny in the future, when I needed only see my worth in the here and now. In the dreaded place, between belief and transition, I was transformed. I saw a picture of God’s awesomeness, through his love for me. And if I had not waited, but allowed the knowledge of my circumstance to betray me, I would not have seen this transformation as I do now.<br>
<br>Awesomeness is contagious. The awesomeness of God is like a fragrance and a fire. (See 2 Cor. 2:14-15, Zec. 2:5)How awesome are you? Not sure? Wait for it. The promises of God will inevitably manifest in our lives. He does not and will not make a promise to you that he is unwilling to keep. The store of our faith, belief in his word and our prayers overflows generations. No prayer we have prayed will go unanswered. Though it linger. Wait for it. Though you face rejection. Wait for it. Though you suffer. Wait for it. Wait for his strength to be revealed. Wait for His love to be displayed. Wait for the courage to face your fears. Because his promise to you is this,<br>
<br>“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:3 <br>
<br>The certainty of transformation is realized when our knowledge of God’s promises are met with impossibility. To venture in the boat of faith, one must rely on God as captain, sail, wind and wave. Though we may be thrust and tossed about a sea of impossibilities, our hope remains. That is the staying power of the knowledge of God’s love expressed through his will to give, you and I, life abundant. The uncertainty of life is not in God’s nature but in our own. When we compare his nature to our human nature, we display fear, angst and distrust. Our knowledge of life and death compels us at every turn to self-preserve. When we are met with difficulty, our mind searches for answers; and it wants to know, why this is happening and how can I fix it? But true faith doesn’t consider why or how, because neither answer can foretell the ability of God. Instead, true faith, relies on the knowledge of God’s unfailing love expressed through His son, Jesus Christ, to make dead things live again, impossible situations to turn out good, awesomeness to come to ignoble people. Why? Because He can. Just wait for it.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-14009019105742569532012-07-08T13:33:00.002-07:002012-07-10T13:57:56.158-07:00Awesomeness is Contagious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Awesomeness is contagious. The awesomeness of God is like a fragrance and a fire. (See 2 Cor. 2:14-15, Zec. 2:5)How awesome are you? Not sure? Wait for it. The promises of God will inevitably manifest in our lives. He does not and will not make a promise to you that he is unwilling to keep. The store of our faith, belief in his word and our prayers overflows generations. No prayer we have prayed will go unanswered. Though it linger. Wait for it. Though you face rejection. Wait for it. Though you suffer. Wait for it. Wait for his strength to be revealed. Wait for His love to be displayed. Wait for the courage to face your fears. Because his promise to you is this,
“For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
Habakkuk 2:3Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-67927370948420193652012-06-26T12:09:00.002-07:002012-06-26T12:22:09.610-07:00Runaway SlaveSlavery brings up horrifying images of a dark and painful past. It grips at the heart and makes one wonder, how could this horrible trade have been a part of our American history? The murky shadows of hatred and the uneasy subject matter cannot veil the reality of this terrible page in history. Some might even agree, that, slavery’s legacy of prejudice and greed continues to influence the current culture. It is not something you go into the world everyday thinking about, at least I don’t. But I thought of it over the weekend and it seemed a witty comparison to my current state of mind.
As I sat at home, Saturday after a morning of prayer, humming a melody from my new anthem, “Break Every Chain” by Jesus Culture, I thought of my enslavement. Not currently, physically bound to a brutal master who demanded me work in da fil pickin duh cutton. But, the enslavement of the mind, that traps one to a situation, a relationship, or a job that demands you to work for nothing and repays with abuse. I thought of the culture and how many of us are slaves to what the culture deems as important and necessary. The artificial way that we communicate with one other and the haphazard way we live. Are we all unappreciative, miserable little wretches desperately trying to make are unstable selves secure with faulty brand names and self gratifying philosophies? Surely not. I know some people that are legit. Ride or die. Down for whatever. But they come few and far between. So, I asked myself, are you a slave or a runaway slave? Am I bound to a situation, afraid to runaway or am I free? Am I chain breaker?
To compliment the fact that yes, I am an African American who came to these blessed lands by means of slavery, yet having a lineage of men and women who broke through the chains of their oppression. Not by means of physical power or executive power; but by way of their spiritual power. These people, however, socially, economically destitute believed that they “was kind, smart and important.” (Adapted from The Help, novel) I was also reminded, in this rehearsing of history, of this faithful scripture in 2 Corinthians “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (Chapter 4: 17-18 NIV)
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Something on the inside of them caused them to see beyond the present condition. It was this foresight and belief that obliterated their temporary state and catapulted them to a state of being that was not limited to time and space. Likewise, you and I have the same opportunity; and whatever our past enslavement or less than stellar areas of our lives are, we don’t have to be chained to it anymore. Christ has become the chain breaker. He has broken the chains of your past and set you free. Galatians 5:1 exhorts us in this way, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
How meaningful is that to you? Freedom. God spoke to me, and he said, “I want you to be free and I want you to be fearless. I want you to know that I love you and that I am with you. It doesn’t matter what is going on, if you have me you have everything.” I read a cool pin-up on Pinterest over the weekend, and it simply said “If you woke up today, with everything that you thanked God for yesterday would you be happy?” I am not willing to give up the eternal things of God for the temporal things of this life. And that to me is freedom.
I am a runaway slave.
I am free.
My freedom came at a cost.
Jesus paid it on the cross.
No matter the tragedy.
I count it all joy.
Every loss has become a gain.
The victory has been won.
Peace He gives
And does not take it away
I am happy because I am free.
Sing with me.
Run with me.
I am free.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-50309647959547843712012-05-01T10:51:00.003-07:002012-05-01T10:51:53.020-07:00Reality CheckAs I walked the tree laced streets of Valencia, CA yesterday afternoon, I took note of the various buildings and structures along the way. The carefully paved sidewalks. The tranquil breeze. The man smoking in the bushes flipping through his cell phone. The cars whisking by with drivers desperate to clock back in from their lunch hours. I thought of the calls that might be missed as I walked the tree laced streets. My headphones provided an escape from the monotony and I tuned into the voice of the spirit as He whispered to me. I nodded in agreement, “This is not my reality. This is not real. The heartache. The trials & tribulations. The arguments. The frustrations. The disease. The lack. The whatever is bothering me in this very moment. Is not real.” As I thought on this, I realized what is real. I said to the Lord, “My reality is your word. The things you have spoken to me in that secret place that is what is real. Your promises are real. The peace and joy that I have in your presence that is real. This other stuff is a lie. And whatever does not hold up to the truth of your word is not my reality.”
The Spirit of God has painted a picture of your reality with His own words. Can you see it? Do you hear Him? He says, “You are healed. You are set free. You have peace that surpasses all understanding. You have the strength of an eagle. You have wisdom greater than kings. You are more than a conqueror. Your paths drip with abundance. Goodness and mercy follow you. You awake to brand new mercies every day. You are fruitful and blessed. You have more than enough. You are a spring whose waters never fail. Your life is preserved. You are filled with joy in his presence. You are the fragrance of Christ. You have food to eat that money cannot buy. Your children are all blessed. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You have been given power to succeed. You are a partaker of God’s goodness and unfailing love. You are destined for victory. You are never alone. You are protected and shielded from all harm. You cannot fail. You have received grace, strength and mercy to do extraordinary things. You are wonderfully made. You are considered by God, the apple of his eye.”
Yes. This is your reality. Only believe.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-78978057270987383842012-04-25T09:35:00.001-07:002012-04-25T09:35:50.799-07:00Fearless NationFearless people cannot die, even in the grave their spirit lives…
I feel a tremendous burden to share with you something that the Lord spoke to my spirit yesterday.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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He said, “Child of God I want you to be fearless.” I want you to be unafraid and full of faith. Do not fear anything. He reminded me of the Valley of the Dry bones in the book of Ezekiel. In the text, he asked the prophet, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered, “Only you know Lord.” Then the Lord caused breath to enter into them and flesh formed on the once dry bones. And they stood up a great army. The Lord said to my spirit, “I have an army of people, lying down dead.” He said, “See now, I breathe fresh life into them. Will they stand up and live?” I said to the Lord, “Only if they are fearless.”
The bible says that faith must be living. Our faith must be alive… Our faith is made alive through belief in Christ. Our belief is made alive through corresponding action. To stand on the word of God, to believe the word of God and to boldly confess it without fear. It is our fear that causes us to disobey the Lord. Too many what ifs? And how can this be? Enter into our thought processes and we weaken ourselves by our own fear. We seek to self preserve and we end up losing more of the life giving spirit of Christ. We crucify him, the Christ, by denying his resurrection power, again and again through our disbelief and fear. Child of God, I am convinced of something very powerful concerning you. The Lord lives. And he has entrusted to you, the mysteries of the cross. He is manifesting Himself through you in this very hour. We have asked him, Lord, show yourself powerful. Reveal yourself to me. And the Lord’s reply is this, “I have shown myself powerful. I have revealed myself, but you did not expect that I would reveal myself THROUGH you. You have been looking for houses, and cars and money and things to dictate to you my pleasure with you; but these are easy things to do. See how I have clothed the fields? See how the sky is adorned? These all speak of my wonder. They display my beauty and my majesty. How much more, my sons and daughters should show my glory and goodness? But fear, has clouded your perception. You have not fully understood what has been given to you in Christ. You have not engaged your faith.”
You say, “I believe you Lord.” But when I ask you to do something you disobey. When you do obey you complain. You complain because you fear that my word is not true. Oh how I have longed to see you beautifully adorned, glistening and white without blemish and without scar. But you forbade me, with dark fear, the terrors in your soul. The mountains you fought to climb when I said to you, “speak to the mountain and it will be moved.’ You did not always listen to me, but I have not forgotten my promise. I will not turn away from you, as you did me. My love is unfailing and I will see you yet alive and full of faith. You are mine and I am yours. I restore to you this day, the love you once had for me, at the beginning. And you will surely stand up a great army. Yes, my people will stand and not perish. They will live and have dominion in the earth. They will manifest my goodness in the earth and showcase my glory for they will be fearless.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19604394.post-67170569499762856392012-02-14T12:39:00.001-08:002012-02-14T12:39:42.664-08:00Love Letter NO 1Her head hangs low, her eyes do not meet his
She appears weak, unstable, uncertain at first
And then he extends his hand, forms his words,
And says, “My Beloved, you are the apple of my eye. My one true love.”
She cries, she lifts her head
She says with a quiet whisper…
“I love you too.”
Truly there is no love like the love of God. If you are single, married and lonely, dating somebody but still longing, let me just tell you … that you are special and dear. Wonderful and beautifully formed… and most of all LOVED! Can you just hear Him, say it through the pages of this screen? I love you ... I love you ... I love you… Not for what you did… or what you do... who you are…or who you’re not… not because of the car you drive... or the bus you ride... not because of the expense of your shoes or the fineness of your hair…not because you got a “man” or lost a good one… not because you’re smart… or cute… but simply because HE LOVES YOU!!!!
I was struck with awe over the weekend. I began to just think about how great God’s love is. I began to cry. I said, “Lord, your LOVE means everything to me.” I remember when I first came to know Jesus. All that mattered to me was that He loved me. I would cry and cry because I couldn’t believe that someone so great and awesome could love me so completely. I had never experienced a love so tangible yet so super natural. I can’t help it. Sometimes I have to remind myself; and go to that place in my mind and suffer the pain of remembering what it was like to not know that I was loved by God, and by doing so I learn to appreciate His love all the more. Too often we are in hot pursuit of a happiness that looks the part but empty of the joy only the Lord can give. We seek out the fulfillment of promises and dreams yet forget the most important thing of all… The love of God... Not just my love for him, which becomes limited when my thinking is focused on what I think I can do for him. Truth is, I have done nothing for God that he didn’t first do for me. And so a trail of humility begins to flood the teary eye, and I with gladness I receive His LOVE for me. His love is deeper than a caress and sweeter than a kiss. His love touches you on the inside. His love fills you with life. His love fastens you. His love makes you bold. His love heals you. His love gives you strength. His love is the best thing that has ever happened to you and to me.
There is no love like his. So on this Valentine’s day, I want everybody to know somebody loves you… and His name is Jesus… Jesus… Jesus, there is something about that name…. Hallelujah.
In his Love.Natrietiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12255140739029146379noreply@blogger.com0