1 John 3:20 God is greater than our hearts and He knows everything.

God knows everything. 

There is more relief in those three words than I have words for this morning. 

(So much relief that I am probably going to be a little late for school, or have to cut short in the hair curling today; but these words on my heart are too sweet not to share!)

Each day we are faced with decisions, circumstances, and storms that just leave us asking "where do I go from here?" And "what step do you want me to take, God?" 

This morning and really for the past month rather, I have been asking and praying and seeking and searching and praying and praying... And more praying. 

All this week, God has placed little things in my path to help me keep my eyes on HIM and not what I want. 

There are two things I have been praying about that I want to happen, neither of which I will say here (sorry!) and God knew I needed to refocus. I needed to seek HIM not the answer to my prayer requests. 

Reading through different things, this morning from "Made to Crave for Young Women" by Lysa Tereurst and Shaunti Feldhahn I came across this insightful message

"If He is God and we a really are His servants, our lives are truly not our own. We need to relinquish and give up what we so desperately want and tell our Heavenly Father that we are willing to give up every one of our desires to Him so He can fully use our lives for His purposes even if sometimes the path would be quite different than the one we would have chosen." (43)

But isn't God so good that he always pulls through? He always shows up big time. It may not be right at the moment we want, but it's always at the best times.

Love moments where things click and scriptures line up together, and I am attentive to what God is trying to say to me in the moment. 

I just keep thinking 

"O ye of little faith, why are you afraid? (Matt 8:26) Give me your heart and let your eyes observe and delight in my ways." (Prov 23:26)  

God knows everything, but we tend to doubt. We doubt because we search within to find how he will do what he says. They spring up from the depths of our own inferiority (Utmost). 

So at what point, ye of little faith, are you going to take that next step without seeing the net there to catch you? At what point are you going to literally tell God you want Him to truly be in control and actually allow Him to be? 

I know you have some decision to make, even if it's just what you're going to wear for the day, but even in something small, allow God to be in control. And don't let your view of Him be clouded by the way you view yourself and others. 

To use the on point words a sweet friend prayed over me, here are my words of prayer &guidance  for you and myself. 

Take whatever step in your situation that is the one you can take in full faith in God, not yourself. You want to follow His way. May you be faced with God's love in the situation and love Him and others more out of it. 

O ye of little faith, God knows everything. 

-B

2 Timothy 2:13 AMP "If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character)"

"but God is faithful [to His word and his compassionate nature] and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will always provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place) that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently."

1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP

The parts that stood out to me when I read this, I made bold. 

God is faithful.

He will always provide.

That you may be capable to bear up under it patiently. 

God is faithful. We know that, we believe that, we preach it, we teach it, and it's our anchor in the midst of life's storms. The part we miss in there is what God is faithful to. We put our own agenda and time stamp in things and if they don't work out like we imagined we think God isn't faithful. 

God had a lot of patience with us, but can we always say the same about us with God? 

His word tells us, one if the fruits of the spirit is patience (Gal 5:22) and it says in Hebrews that we need to have patience and endurance so that we may perform and fully accomplish the will of God.

I think often time we expect so much from God but we don't give in return. We expect Him to hear our prayers, be patient with us, and extend His unconditional steadfast love, but we don't always reciprocate. And in turn, we feel like He is not faithful because He has not done what we wanted. It's a result of knowing He is faithful but not knowing what He is faithful for or to because we have neglected our relationship with Him so therefore we don't know Him. 

To cultivate our relationship with God we have to spend time with Him. When we spend time with Him, we learn Him. When we know more about Him we are able to understand His character and nature better. Then ultimately we will know what He is faithful to and how He will always provide, and then we will be capable to bear temptations, storms, trials, and life patiently. 

-B 

Isaiah 64:8 (AMP) Yet, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, andYou our Potter, and we all are the work of Your hand.

Over these past few snow days, I have had lots of time to read think and plan. For my February FCA lesson, all of this extra time came in handy to study. After doing some planning, reading, studying, and writing, I wanted to share my "lesson." I feel like there are some ladies who may come across this, that won't be sitting in my classroom with me at 7:30 am hearing me share these words, and may need the encouraging words. 

The point I have tried to beat into my own head, as well as other sweet ladies that I come in contact with, is what is a woman. I have done studies before, and even written posts before about the topic. So as I prepare in prayer and studying for the next few days, here is the message God has placed on my heart to share. 

Who are we, as women? Are we what the world says, or what The Word says?  

"a force to be reckoned with, a soul on fire with the same life and gifts and passions as any man." 

That quote from an article I read recently I think explains a woman in a unique but accurate way. 

We have a generation of strong women who have been forced to be strong due to the deck of cards we have been handed in life. The society that shaped us into strong women criticize us for the very thing they created us to be. The crazy thing is we allow it. We listen to music that degrades us, we watch movies that belittle us, and read magazines and books that create a fake women. And then we still try and fight the stereotypes. During any of it do we take the time to look to the true truth of what a woman is? When God created woman, it was because after days of creation. Days of making things from the dust, he realized something still wasn't right. Something still wasn't good. So then he made woman. 

He could have crafted her out if the dust also, but he didn't. The woman is the only thing God created in those 6 days that wasn't made from the dust. As a woman we are special. There is more to us than a bra size a pant size or a heel size. Each one of you is a fearfully and wonderfully made daughter of The King. In one final flourish creation came to and end with you. The one thing God did not create from the dust and instead of snapping His fingers, He took time and effort to hands craft and perfect. 

We get so wrapped up in trying to define ourselves that we forget The One who has already done all that for us.

We have been told we are fearfully and wonderfully made, but do we believe it? Do we understand what it truly means that God makes no mistakes? That I am exactly the way I am supposed to be? We keep trying to fight for that position of a godly woman, somebody He loves... But guess what. We don't have to keep fighting for that position, because we are already there! The beautiful thing is that He she'd sweat, tears, and blood so you could be called a daughter of the King. 

You have to come to a point where you stop trying to talk yourself into something, or doing things to make yourself believe and just believe. It doesn't matter what the world says. You are chosen. You are just as good as the rest. 

You are a gift, not a commodity. 

-B

Ephesians 3: 20-21 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think... to Him be the glory."

abundantly more.

On this gorgeous Sunday February afternoon, these words are quite... humbling.

After finishing out what seemed to be the longest month in the history of time (aka January) in one of the worst states I have been in in a long while, I was more happy to see February than words could explain. No, last week wasn't my week and it certainly wasn't anybody else's either, if you catch what I'm sayin!  

There is just something about a new month that can change an attitude and perspective.

Little did I know, until thinking through some things today that this new month symbolizes a whole lot of new for me. This new month and new season should have represented four truly amazing words... Middle School Girls' Softball (I'm sure you picked up on my sarcasm) but it doesn't. A couple months back I felt led to resign my coaching position. I wasn't quite sure where God was leading me, but I just knew I was going to be more plugged into the Church in some way. Little did I know, shortly after that doors were opened.

He. Is. Faithful.

Here I am now starting the first month of February a small group leader, of not just one but two; plugged into not just one ministry, but two. I feel beyond blessed. Some know and some don't, but for the longest time I have felt a little pull on my heart for Women's Ministry. Funny thing is I have a heart for both the students & girls my age and The Lord has opened doors for me to have experiences with both.


I am teaching an amazing group of 77 pre teen 6th graders, leading a small group of 30 pre teen 6th grade girls, and leading a small group of about 7-10 girls in their early to mid 20s. My heart is overflowing.

abundantly more.

I write this post, not to boast but to encourage and to shine some glory back on The King. I will tell you there is nothing that I have done that has put me in the position I am now. I definitely feel like God has placed the calling on my heart to take on these new challenges, and I am scared out of my mind. I will tell you what can truly add to that fear is letting the world have weight in any way. Speaking from experience, there is nothing more crippling than giving the world weight in your circumstances and life. When God has placed a call on your heart (which He has in some way because you were fearfully and wonderfully made for a purpose only you can fulfill) the biggest bully of our life, Satan, will do whatever he can to keep it from happening. Often, I know in my life, he uses those that are closest to me or those that have the most influence in my life to try and keep me away from the goal.

So if God has placed a calling on your heart, to break free from the fear and the crippling chains of others, follow hard after God and seek His face in all you do. There is nothing more freeing than making the decision that the world has zero weight in your decisions. That and deciding you will have faith and seek wisdom and discernment from Him who is able to do far more abundantly more than all we ask or think.

I have been turned away from working with students in the past. I have been told I just didn't have what it takes to lead a small group. I have been given "trial' runs and then been turned down // Had I given the world weight during those times there is a good chance the bully would have won but guess what, God won. I chose to cling to what is good and look to Him to fulfill whatever His will would be.

So whatever season you may be in now, don't let the bully win. Keep your eyes on God and follow hard after Him daily. Things may not happen over night, but have faith because they will.

God knew that each one of those circumstances would refine my character and define me more in Him, and here I am beginning a season of "new" in many different areas.

To Him be the glory.


- B