AWAKENING – HE’S WHAT’S MISSING

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“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”

Song by Jackie DeShannon

I’m a jokester in my head, so whenever I sing that song I’m like, “No, what the world needs now is Jesus, sweet Jesus.”

More of Him is what this world needs and I believe it to be true.

I was recently thinking back to a conversation I had about first love’s.

I could try to love but the love I had would not be sufficient and the reason why it wouldn’t be, is because the love I had wasn’t the love of God. I had “love” in my heart and I loved deeply. There were people you couldn’t tell me that I did not love. Before coming to Christ there was someone I would say that I loved more than anyone and anything on this earth. After coming to Christ, this changed. I then loved Christ more than anyone on this earth. Because of the love of God that consumed me, I was then able to be filled with that same love. That love is God’s love and it therefore enables us to love the way He does, and this is, true love.

You see we don’t always know it at the time but our own “love” is so jaded. I remember being so manipulative to those I claimed to love. I could also be a huge meany if I didn’t get my way and according to 1 Corinthians 13, that just isn’t the way love goes.

Anytime I’d ever try to love naturally it never went well and things never worked out. I do believe that there are special loves, like the love that a parent has for their child; and there is something especially special about a mother’s love. The love a mother has for her offspring is such a special love, I’ve heard of supernatural stories of mom’s who rescued their children from unheard of danger or harmful scenes. If you are a parent you may understand the deep love you have for your little but God’s love for them and us is greater.

Although anyone can definitely relate to how one could love so deep, the depth of your love could never relate to His. The deepest love before I knew the love of God that I could think about was “first love” love. It’s something that I recently thought about. Because you’ve never experienced love before, passionately being in love with someone of the opposite sex for the first time definitely tugs the heart strings in a different way. You think that you could never love the same way again or love as deeply as you do that first time around until you experience a deeper love than this. The heartbreak from your first love is one that you never think you’ll recover from because it’s the first you’ve ever experienced and until you experience heartbreak of another sort, it’s all you know.

This deep love is an experience but also incomparable to God’s love. Now, the lyrics to the song may not be bad, but if we were to say what the world needs now, it wouldn’t necessarily be love.

It would be Jesus, because He is love. Jesus is love. It would be God’s love displayed, manifested, literally swept over and flung throughout this earth; and that’s the love that is needed.

That’s the love that we all need, because that’s the love that changes things. As simple as that sounds, it’s true.

The way I love is not sufficient enough to change the world, but God’s love is sufficient to change and to change any situation. It’s sufficient and can change any circumstance, anything someone may face, anything someone may go through, any moment in time any heart from hardness to softness, and anything that was tough into what is tender. It’s the love of God that changes us.

There is a song song by Kari Jobe that says:

“It’s the love of God that changes us! we are never the same after we encounter the love of God.”

and these words are true. We really are never the same after we encounter the love of God, it really is the moment we are changed. There’s no other love like the love of God. I never knew that a love like that could be so great, because again, as humans we feel deeply, and because of deep feeling, we sometimes think that the depth of our love can compare to the depth of God’s love because our emotion and passion can convince us of this.

Our love alone, is not more powerful than what we could have with God. We can easily assume that the depth of the way that we can do something is greater or is the greatest or is at capacity, but it’s not at capacity until we experience the love of God.

And even then, we have to dig and we are digging for or to know the heart of God, or to continuously experience the love of God, and to continuously experience the comfort of God, or the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

There is a scripture in the Bible that teaches us, that we are comforted by the Holy Spirit, so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).

I believe that we are continuing to be comforted by the Holy Spirit through life’s happenings, through our personal encounters with Him, through our day-to-day actions, through our words, through our speech and through our study of the Word of God.

Through our intimate time with Him, whether it be prayer or just intimacy or relationship with God. Through these moments we are constantly being comforted, and through that constant comfort we are then able to comfort another person.

There are layers to the expressed love of God. It is so deep! There is another scripture that says “ to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:18-19). There’s no defined depth to this love. There is no full measurement of God‘s love. Even outside of relationship or an encounter with God, we believe in love or that we are capable of love. I have seen special love expressed and displayed and know that we can love very deeply, but encountering the love of God is on a level of its own. As we grow in grace and the knowledge of God, we grow in understanding His love differently. This is why I would say that the world needs Jesus, because everyone needs to encounter His love. Everyone needs to encounter the love of God. It changes. It restores, it molds, it mends and it puts together what we could never do on our own.

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AWAKENING TO POWER

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Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.

Luke 10:19 NLT

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1 John 4:4 NLT

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NLT

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

John 14:12 NLT

I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

Mark 11:23 NLT

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Deuteronomy 30:19 NLT

I’ve listed approximately 6 scriptures. They are awe-filled, inspiring and would pump anyone up with reassurance and power. Most of them are spoken by Jesus Himself, to us; the believer, the reader, the follower of Christ, the disciple and His representatives throughout the earth.

Luke 10:19 starts off with the word “Look” which could imply that the person or people might of been looking else where. 1 John 4:4 starts with a “But”, is it possible that there was something, some way of thinking, some doubt, some way of living or being to refute with this “But”?

Matthew 19:26 describes a look Jesus had given “them”, quite possibly the same look He is giving you and I today. John 14:12 and Mark 11:23 both start off with telling us the truth, and this isn’t just any truth. Jesus, Himself is the Way, the Truth and the Life, so this is THE TRUTH, like ultimate TRUTH, first and final authority TRUTH. And how fitting is it that Deuteronomy 39:19 starts off with the word “Today”?

As in:

Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”

Hebrews 3:15 NLT

“…If only you would listen to his voice today!”

Psalm 95:7 NLT

OR

adverb

today

to· day tə-ˈdā

1

: on or for this day

2

: at the present time

today

adjective

: of or characteristic of today : NOW

Scripture is packed with so much power and is so full when we are open to its fullness. It completes the open ended parts of us and fills voids, gives us meaning and a sense of belonging all in one.

In Luke 19 Jesus is sending out His disciples. But not without giving them instruction and guidance. He speaks about the level of authority He has given His disciples and lets them know what and who they are over.

Leaving you with these brief nuggets at the end of this blog:

1. Your power to choose; releases and binds so much. It holds more weight than you are probably even aware of.

2. It can do more harm than good depending on the way we choose, but can be a force if we allow the Lord to rule over our choices and decision making.

3. Your choice, backs the enemy up by so many feet.

“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!

Luke 10:18 NLT

4. It gives you yardage beyond what you can imagine, and the enemy HATES that God has given you a choice. he wants you to believe that you have none so that he can rule and reign over your standards and authority.

5. But get with God, allow Him to tell you who you really are and the power packed within your choices and I’m certain you’ll NEVER be the same.

Get with God.

Let Him shape your choices.

Allow Him the access of showing you who you really are.

Let Him change you for the better.

You will never be the same.

Keep Reading…

The Word of God is packed with power and we have access to it. That same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, not from sleep, no, Jesus was actually put in a tomb (and dead for 3 days kinda dead), is accessible to you and I today.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Romans 8:11 NLT

AWAKENING THROUGH CONSECRATION

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Through

1a

(1)

—used as a function word to indicate movement into at one side or point and out at another and especially the opposite side of

(2)

: by way of

(3)

—used as a function word to indicate passage from one end or boundary to another

(4)

: without stopping for :

through can be used as a word to describe the way of passage

consecrate

1

: to induct (a person) into a permanent office with a religious rite

2a

: to make or declare sacred

especially : to devote irrevocably to the worship of God by a solemn ceremony

consecrate a church

b

: to effect the liturgical transubstantiation of (eucharistic bread and wine)

c

: to devote to a purpose with or as if with deep solemnity or dedication

3

: to make inviolable or venerable

principles consecrated by the weight of

Daniel and his friends decided not to eat specific foods as a form of consecration to the Lord and the Lord honored their choice.

See Daniel 1, Daniel 10:3

When we fast we are setting aside time through out our days, weeks and|or months to seek God. In replace of some of the physical food needed for nourishment we decide to seek God for spiritual food knowing that we don’t live on bread alone.

Matthew 4:4

Colossians 4:2 teaches:

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

1 Kings 8:61 CSB

Be wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD our God to walk in his statutes and to keep his commands, as it is today.”

1 Corinthians 7:35 ESV

I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

Romans 12:12 NASB

rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

The Bible speaks of devotion and being devoted to the Lord as well as specifics within several scriptures.

The ultimate purpose of this devotion is to be brought closer to God and brought nearer to His ways and heartbeat towards all thing.

Throughout our lives we are supposed to continually be transformed into the ways, thinking, actions and being of Christ.

We are expected to look more like Him before His return, second coming.

Ephesians 5

This also means that our consecration should increase overtime. Our devotion should be tugged in the direction of holiness, hopefulness, thankfulness and prayer, especially overtime.

We are awaken to new revelation, new trust, new hope and newness of life as we journey on and upward to deeper consecration and deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Keep reading…

2 Corinthians 3:18

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

AWAKENING – TO WHO YOU REALLY ARE

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Before coming to Christ I was a spiritual mess and didn’t know it. I thought I was pretty much perfect with little to no flaws.

I had a huge attitude problem and temper, but thought that those were just normal things people struggled with.

I got to thinking a few days ago and said to myself: “Contrary to what I’ve heard from most people, messed up people don’t really know that they are messed up. People who don’t follow Christ, don’t all know that they don’t really follow Christ.” This may be due to them lacking in the knowledge of what it truly means to follow Christ along with other things.

I got to thinking and also came to realize that over my years of communication with believers and unbelievers alike, for the most part, those that actively serve satan were the ones I had come to understand, knew that they did not follow, worship or serve Christ.

Everyone else (as being an unbeliever went) was somewhere in between. People in the world, for the most part view themselves as “good people” unless they honestly and truly want to (and plan to) be bad. Unless they pride themselves in serving the dark world, they believe that they are “good”. I was one of them.

The thing is that no one is good and there are levels and depths to each of our dysfunction. There is only one true hope for and of the world and His name is Jesus Christ.

It is the indwelling of His Spirit in the life of each and every believer that causes this world to be a better place.

All of our righteousness is:

“but filthy rags…”

referencing Isaiah 64:6

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.

Unless we place them in the hands of a Holy God who makes them righteous.

Our goodness is not “good” unless He makes it good.

After coming to Christ, receiving Him as my Lord and personal Savior, actively choosing to follow Him and take on my new life and identity is actually when He showed me, who, I really was.

This is when He showed me a lot of my spiritual filth, that I was able to renounce and then “go by” and walk in my new name.

I had to be introduced to every part of me that wasn’t pleasing to Him in order to then be transformed and pleasing to Him.

Since then a lot has happened, new experiences and new revelation included.

I have also come to know and understand that there is more of who we really are to be revealed;

… more good and bad as we continue along our journey.

The bad can get really bad, too.

But I am learning and have learned to remind myself of these 3 things:

As simple as they are, they are complete and total game changers all by themselves.

1. God works all things together for your good

2. God sees you as good

3. God has good plans for your life

How simple? How elementary? But truths that have never been more powerful.

You see what I believe, has a lot to do with my response when more of the real me is revealed to me.

Repeat them to yourself if you need to:

(Here is the actual scriptural reference.)

Romans 8:28

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

“God causes everything to work together for my good. I love Him and I am called according to His purpose for me.”

Genesis 1:31

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

“God sees me as good!”

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

“God has good plans for my life, He wants to give me a future and hope.”

God in His goodness, grace and mercy knows how to do this in such a loving way, not ripping off the banaids style. He shows us ourself as well as Himself in the process of growing in Him.

He’s so gentle and kind in the way He reveals, allows us to feel really ugly feelings, experience really ugly realities and still covers us in the process.

He covers our reputation while we heal, protects us in only the way the Father could; while we recover and adjust to new knowledge, both good and bad about ourselves and become more knowledgeable about God in the process.

He adds verbiage to these situations, causing us to sit with ourselves while moving past it, into, a full recovery.

And when revelation brings up the sting that some of theses topics cause, we can continue to adjust our view, coping mechanisms and allow ourselves to be transformed through the application of and examples found in the Word of God.

It really is a beautiful and messy process if you ask me. Something that will never be done as in completed, but is still a thing that allows us to never fully “arrive” because of the honest work that we know He is doing on the inside of us.

I’ll share a quick excerpt from a recent journal entry of mine:

These are words that I gathered after alone time with God and the Word.

After reading the genealogy of Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:1-17

“God understands your “what about me moments?”. He understands how scripture, although unrelated can speak to your depravities, recognizable absences in your life, losses, longings, insecurities and strengths.

He understands how natural fatherlessness can cause certain feelings to arise, but then places a “take cheer” or “take heart” moment in the mist of those very real feelings.

Jesus needed both his earthly and heavenly Father. His earthly father for reasons and purposes and a Heavenly Father for holiness, wholeness and in order to fulfill His (God the Father’s) purposes.”

Word’s written for processing and coping:

“It is a blessing to have both, there are longings when you lack either; but only One can make up for the others shortcomings when needed and addressed appropriately in order to heal, produce more fruit and not to harm.”

When I look deeper into the story I learn that Jesus can relate to me more than I give Him credit for.”

(This wasn’t a long moment of aloneness, but still a time where I was able to gather and collect a few things.)

Keep reading…

2 Peter 3:18


Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

AWAKENING WHEN YOU DON’T WANNA

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Don’t you wish that you can un-know something’s?

Can I be honest?

…

Especially some of the things we come to know of through the Bible.

Let me be a little clearer about the subject;

when you learn something true (that is truth) you are now obligated to that new knowledge.

(ex. James 4:17)

Which isn’t a bad thing at all.

You see, the Bible tells us that:

My people suffer for a lack of knowledge…

Hosea 4:6 NLT

My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.

ESV

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

So, an increase in knowledge is a decrease in potential suffering.

But, a decrease in suffering doesn’t necessarily mean a decrease in sorrow.

The Bible also says that the more we learn or know the more sorrowful one becomes:

Ecclesiastes 1:8

The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.

Ya know the saying, “when you know better you do better” ?!

I was also taught another trusted saying that goes a little like this:

“A wise person learns from other people’s mistakes.”

I can think of a few places in scripture to draw as examples but I’ll choose these two:

There was a rich man who came to the knowledge of who Jesus was. The man asked Him what he had to do to be made perfect

So, Jesus told Him

You do “this, this and that” (I am paraphrasing here)

But for you to be made perfect you must sell all of your things, give them to the poor and follow Me…knowing that the man couldn’t do that:

See Matthew 19:16-22

The man gained awakening, well at least a sense of it, at that moment

but soon left sorrowful;

because he couldn’t come to terms with the requirements of the new knowledge he had obtained.

I would honestly liken this to some of us.

When we read a passage in the Bible

that points out an area of struggle

or lack of surrender in our own lives.

But we just aren’t ready to let that thing free into the hands of our Father or say “Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done” (Luke 22:42) in or to the situation.

Or we are still looking for loop holes (which we are famous for), in order not to obey that part in scripture that burns our soul in the moment of conviction.

We know we ought to, but the rebellious, stubbornness kicks in and we are determined to huff and put and say “but God?!!”

Until He let’s us have our way,

although He never will.

He gently keeps at that thing until we surrender.

He is committed to our holiness and perfecting even when we are not.

He is committed to our character and our transformation (Romans 12:2) even under our self sabotage.

He knows the benefits of His own becoming more like Him.

Even when our freshly nature desires to kick|push back.

He KNOWS us better than we know ourselves (Jeremiah 1:5).

We are His sheep and He is our shepherd;

willing to inflict a little momentary pain, if need be, so that we may take our rightful place in Him.

Isaiah 53:6-12

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

More knowledge adds to our sorrow

but also adds to our wisdom;

and should produce obedience to the Fathers will.

He is a loving Father:

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Hebrews 12:11

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Isaiah 54:1

“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the LORD.

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AWAKENING THROUGH BEING

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So, I’d like to base today’s blog on a passage in scripture.

It’s Ephesians 5:14:

for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

What I feel lead to talk about regarding awakening, is awakening through being…

In this passages, a few verses ahead scripture describes something called “these things” and these things specifically are, actions.

I have been on a “do good” kick in the Bible, it’s importance and emphasis stressed on the topic since the last quarter of the year in 2022. Those words just kept jumping out at me from the pages in scripture.

Sometimes an individual can be overwhelmed by the amount of rules listed in scripture. I can definitely relate to a new believer when they feel or get flustered by what they see listed in scripture of what “doing good” can or should look like.

But ultimately it all comes down to “doing good”, all the rules and regulations in scripture leads to a life of doing good, living good and living set apart for God.

Like anything else you start for the first time you may feel overwhelmed but all of the paperwork, or the how time consuming the process of beginning that things is but after completing the process you 1. see why you had to and 2. realize that it was never that bad nor was it impossible

Your being those things you needed to be throughout the process worked to your advantage and you are glad for the training.

The Bible speaks about us being trained in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). So could it be that what seems like rigorous rules to one at the beginning could all work out for your good as you continue being?

Now back to the scripture and the connection I want to make with doing good. It says for the light makes everything visible, which is why one may feel bogged down (mourn) or be super repentant when first coming to Christ.

The light is just doing what it was made to.

It shows up and what couldn’t be seen before is now seen. What one was asleep to before they are now awoken to. There is no hiding when light is present. It will find, it will sift out, it will recognize and it will notice what darkness couldn’t.

Darkness doesn’t even exist in it. How could it? It is completely extinguished whenever light is shown.

Now back to the importance of “being”.

It is so important for us to “be”, not in the perfectionist sense but our being is now light and through that there is awakening for those around us and awakening within us:

Ephesians 5:8 CSB

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light —

Your very being is awakening for someone else as someone else’s being is awakening to|for you

2 Corinthians 3:18 AMP

And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Being:

noun

be· ing ˈbē(-i)ŋ

1a

: the quality or state of having existence

b

(1)

: something that is conceivable and hence capable of existing

(2)

: something that actually exists

(3)

: the totality of existing things

2

: the qualities that constitute an existent thing : ESSENCE

I knew it was true in the core of my being.

especially :

present participle of BE

We hear words like:

“Be present!”

“Show up!”

“Whatever you do, don’t quit!”

And it’s important that you know that your being as well as every other has purpose and meaning in the grand scheme of things and considering everything.

This blog is here to encourage you to live like it!

Luke 1:78-79

Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Romans 13:11

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

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AWAKENING SPEAKS TO THE PROCESS

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THE DEVELOPMENT

THE EVOLVING

THE GROWING

THE TRANSFORMATION TAKING PLACE

…

I think sometimes we give sleep a bad rep, but I believe that some of the work God wants to do in our lives only happens when we are asleep.

And this isn’t always a physical sleep

but it may just mean that we are not completely awake to the work that He is fully up to in our lives.

Like we get that He is at work but we never fully understand the depth of His work.

I also think that this is in part due to the huge contribution, we think of our own involvement and the role it plays in our lives.

Now, don’t get me wrong, what we do, think, act and feel concerning our lives matters tremendously.

But not more than God’s plans, thoughts, and work in and through us.

Let’s take Adam for example, one of His most important and meaningful life events happened while He was asleep.

Genesis 2:20

He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

Which indicates that Adam wasn’t lazy or up to nothing. He was active and involved in the task at hand, given to him by God.

Genesis 2:21-23

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”

Adam partook in naming Eve but he could not partake in fashioning her.

Could you imagine if he was awake during the process?

He’d probably have soo much to say.

He’d probably have such a great input in the plan of God concerning his help mate.

He’d probably would want to tell God exactly how to make or craft her, what should be and what shouldn’t be included in her makeup.

Thank God, he wasn’t!

There are just some things that we shouldn’t be awake for|to in our lives until God permits us to be.

If we want to take it further, that’s kind of the way our whole lives are. We are awake to certain things God is up to in our life but completely asleep to all things or the entirety of what His promises truly entail.

Look at Abraham’s life for example. God completely went above and beyond according to His covenant with and promises made to Abraham.

I’ve been in these stories quite a bit since the top of the year and I am just fascinated at how God could create entire lineages through the life and promise of just one seed.

That Isaac, Esau and Jacob could come from one man’s seed. That the entire tribe of Israel could be made through one man’s seed. That nations not just any nations but great nations could come out of one humble man submitted to the will, plan and purposes of God. Not one perfect man, but one humble man; in whom God could make a promise to and not regret that He did.

This blog is a gentle reminder that often times we aren’t awake to what God is completely up to in our lives until the plan unfolds and we see it in the view of a full circle.

full circle

adverb

: through a series of developments that lead back to the original source, position, or situation or to a complete reversal of the original position —usually used in the phrase come full circle

I left publishing, tried teaching and writing, and now I’ve come full circle back to publishing.

Psalm 25:12

Who are those who fear the LORD? He will show them the path they should choose.

AWAKENING

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awake

a·wake

/əˈwāk/

adjective

1. not asleep

awaken

a·wak·en

/əˈwākən/

verb

1. rouse from sleep; cause to stop sleeping.

awakening

a·wak·en·ing

/əˈwākəniNG/

noun

1. FORMAL
an act of waking from sleep.

2. an act or moment of becoming suddenly aware of something.

The Bible speaks about not awakening love until the time is right:

Songs of Solomon 8:4

Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right. Young Women of Jerusalem

I am not referring to this scripture to say that love is what is being awoken in me this year, but what I am referring to it to say is, that an individual, (or group) can be asleep in one area or another in life.

That it is completely possible to be asleep or uninterrupted in an area; that is; until you aren’t…

Awakening is my word of the year. I typically don’t have them and this will be my first year with one, so it is kind of cool to actually have a “word of the year” now.

I’m using my word of the year as something to look forward to, as well as something that I’ll reference as a tool to steer some of my decision making in the year 2023, somewhat of a gage throughout the year. It will be a place of reference for me, a word to refer back to various times in the year.

It isn’t the word awake which is rather used to refer to not being asleep at all. It’s also not awaken which is more of a word used for in the moment or presently.

ex.

“the noise might keep you awake today.”

It’s more or a word that describes progressional movement. It says that I once was asleep in one area or another but I am being awaken to…

ex.

“Elyse was awakened by the telephone”

Awakening speaks to the process that takes place and leading up to actually being awake.

Awakening is a transformational word, which means that I am in process and will be transformed as I go.

Much like Jesus explaining to His disciples that He be with them always (Matthew 28:20). It’s a statement of fluidity, that implies their (His disciples) forward movement.

Back to the scripture that says not to awaken love until the right time.

I believe that there is much to be said about the timing of things or the right timing in a thing, but I won’t say it.

I’ll stop here, and acknowledge the truth.

We aren’t meant to be awaken to a thing or in one area or another of our lives until the right time. Sometimes we aren’t mature enough for some awakenings and God has to wait until we are, or for when He sees a readiness in us.

There are moments where we aren’t awaken to something because we have to work our way up to the knowingness of a thing.

ie.

2 Corinthians 12:2

God may also wait to awaken us in one area or another because we simply wouldn’t know what to do with all of that information or with the privilege of having been awoken.

Which leads me to a passage in scripture

Hebrews 5:12-6:3

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God…

And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

Keep Reading…

As I attempt to unpack this word in my life as well as use scriptural references as the year goes on to go deeper in faith and in the Word of God, through study. I hope to find you here again for the next blog!

Hebrews 6:9

Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation.

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do

Hebrews 6:11-15

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance. For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying: “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.” Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

Sincerely,

Arielle

Signed a girl, believing that God will grant you all that He has promised in the year of 2023 and beyond…

HOLIDAY POP – UP VBS – SAMPLE LESSON

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So the concepts the same! During the holidays we are super busy. We want to dot every “I” and cross ever “T” as far as holiday dinner, gifts, gift wrapping, finalizing any work obligations are concerned; and the like.

So this year Eli had two full weeks off! Wow! Right?!

Summer VBS’s are a blast and I wondered if offering the same substance and quality event during the holiday season would be of help to any other parents out there!

Some families go away, some stay at home and create their own mini holiday itineraries. Some juggle the final days of work while preparing for whatever plans as well as care for their children in these oh so special weeks.

Either way and no matter the plans, making a holiday VBS available to a few families during that most joyful and light few weeks of winter recess has been a project on my heart.

Given the nature of life, I am not able to offer children’s events, activities and the like as frequently as I used to so to extend the offer of a week long summer VBS and, a week long winter one is definitely a treat for me as well. It’s something that I enjoy doing and I’m also great at setting the tone for children’s Biblical and Christ centered events.

The platform that the VBS lesson plan is on is a great one also!

Things it comes with:

programming guide

planning timeline

suggested schedule

shop prep list

volunteer roles

communication tools

style guides

social distance hacks

graphics

daily videos

a spotify playlist

and so much more

It’s so easy to organize because of how detailed the overall curriculum is.

I wanted to attach a sample Day 1 of the Holiday Lesson Plan for you to attempt at home:

Possibly to review with your little one on a snowy day indoors or a weekend|weeknight where you don’t have much planned.

I came up with the idea of hosting this VBS and here’s the “why” behind it:

We understand that there is a need.

Searching for child care leading up to back to school can be a doozy.

Most summer camps have ended, extracurricular programs closed for a week or two in order to regroup and return in the fall.

We understand that having a bunch of cousins together at the home of that one family member who just happens to be off isn’t the ideal situation

We also understand the need of a safe space for your child to just “be” and to be before school starts and the search not being worth the added stress

I plan on hosting one each year right before the start of school. You know, that time where most extracurricular activities, sports clubs and the like are closed to prepare for the fall season. Yes, that week! Hoping it would bring some support and serve as a stress reliever to the families preparing for the coming school year and the ones who need it.

Be sure to look out for more details closer to the 2023 back to school season!

Keep reading…

resources linked below:

Lesson1_MissionDeepSeaVBS_Elementary_Growkids.pdf – Grow Cloud

ColoringPage1_MissionDeepSeaVBS_Elementary_Growkids.pdf – Grow Cloud

CrossingTheSea_MissionDeepSeaVBS_Elementary_Growkids.pdf – Grow Cloud

SeaAgentBadge_MissionDeepSeaVBS_Elementary_Growkids.pdf – Grow Cloud

SmallGroup1_MissionDeepSeaVBS_Elementary_Growkids.pdf – Grow Cloud

THE RIGHT PURSUITS

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What are the right pursuits?

The Bible tells us to:

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:14 ESV

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:33

What is the kingdom of God?

What is it’s righteousness?

I think the definition of this changes from person to person, season to season, and moment by moment as we mature in our faith; and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ

Now, I believe that all of this is possible while still not affecting or tainting the all encompassing character, nature and sovereignty of God.

I also believe that this is somehow done through grace.

You see although He is an all knowing, God still gives us room to grow and blossom into the children|people He has called us to be.

Jesus, even being the son of God learned obedience through what He faced here on earth.

Not without heart ache, pain, persecution, perseverance, things sent to challenge His character, testing and the like, of course.

So although He somehow watches over every single one of us, knows our every need in the moment we need it and searches every one of our motives

He gives us room to make mistakes, be ourselves and learn Him in all new ways.

I’m glad that the grace of God reaches beyond our faults and sees our needs.

The grace of God is everything right when things are going wrong.

It is what deposits the 2nd and 3rd wind in us when we feel like things have gone too left and are unrepairable.

The grace of God is what we’ll need leading up to all eternity.

It’s the whisper of “Come on, my child!”, let me clean you up all over again so that We can start a new.

The grace of God is what keeps us, so unworthy and so unloveable at times, and still He dispatches greater grace.

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”

John 10:28-30

And many who were there believed in Jesus.

John 10:42

Keep Reading…