Morning Manna

"Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." -- Joshua 1:9 AMP

Abba, You command us to Be Strong and Very Courageous because You see the end picture. You know that the pressure for Victory in this life is on You, not on me.

Sometimes the battle seems so strong and I want to give up. Sometimes the battle depletes me - emotionally and physically.

You are reminding me this morning that we pray from a position of victory, not for victory. You have invaded the kingdom of darkness on my behalf. You have depleted my enemy of any power. His only tool is deception. Satan IS a liar. My part is to focus on Your Truth that I may reign in this life!

This morning, I blog from fullness and not depletion. I pray with a thankful heart knowing that You have already won every battle that lies ahead.

I will not fear...You are with me.

Morning Manna

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer." -- Psalm 19:14 AMP

Abba, You want me to have a Jesus-consciousness vs. a sin-consciousness, for being conscious of my sins brings fear of punishment and condemnation.

Jesus bore the weight of my sin, received the wrath of my punishment, and voluntarily died in my place. He received what I deserved so that I could receive what He deserved...this is Amazing Grace.

Help me, strengthen me, to watch my words. Help me to be aware of what my brain is chewing on. You and I  know all to well that the battle for me is in my mind. Some days the arrows are many in number. I need You.

Oh that I would have a Philippians 4:8 mentality.

Beholding Jesus, I am changed.

Morning Manna

"Come and hear, all you who reverently and worshipfully fear God, and I will declare what He has done for me!" -- Psalm 66:16 AMP

Abba, You have ordained today. You have set the stage to highlight Your Son. May Jesus be glorified in my words, my heart, and my life this morning.

Thank You for allowing me to partner with You to bring HOPE. Your Story in me is one that I cannot withhold. Your Strength in me causes me to worship!

May You bring Healing, Grace, and Peace...gifts to be unwrapped in our conversation. May those You have chosen for this hour experience their freedom in You!

Storytelling is my favorite! The opportunity to comfort those with the comfort I have been given ignites a holy fire in my heart. Fan the flame, Jesus...fan the flame.

Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to Thee.

I am free.

Morning Manna

"He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love [for love waved as a protecting and comforting banner over my head when I was near him]." -- Song of Solomon 2:4 AMP

Abba, any time that I am with You, Love covers me. Your Love is the cloud by day and the fire by night on my journey. Your Love is the Holy Spirit in me. You are my Protection and Place of Refuge.

You are known for Your Love and I am known by the fruit of that Love growing in me. No matter what the world or anyone says, I am loved. I am wanted. I have a beauty to unveil that reflects the image of my Father.

Your banner is a standard...a warning to the enemy of my soul. You are my Defender, my Deliverer, and my Strong Tower.

I am the Beloved, bought with a great price, by the Lover of My Soul.

Abiding in You, near You, I am safe.

Morning Manna

"Pile your troubles on God's shoulders— He'll carry your load, He'll help you out." -- Psalm 55:22 MSG

Abba, our burdens can feel like boulders! They are weights that we were never meant to carry. Your shoulders are broad and strong.

You offer to carry the load, but I often resist. Most of the time, if I'm honest, I feel that if anything is going to happen, I'M going to have to make it happen on my own. The pressure is on me. This tendency comes from my wounds...it's an age-old pattern in my life.

Teach me, Jesus, that You came to set the captive free. From captive to Captivating is Your Desire for me. I am not a slave to sin, fear, or even death itself. I am an adopted daughter of the Most High God invited to live in union and partnership with her Loving Savior. 

Increase my faith to trust in You and find joy in this season...for this is my hope and strength.

Could I really be Captivating?

Over the summer, I felt the Lord nudging me to re-read Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge. I rarely re-read a book unless it's had a major impact on my heart (i.e., The Shack - I've read it four times!).

Because I am a learner, I purchased the "revised and expanded version" along with the DVDs. I figured that if the Lord has something to say to me, then I'm all ears. I'll buy the book, the movie, the Cliffsnotes, even the Spanish version if I have to! I'll learn the lesson, implement the changes, and move on with the rest of my summer.

However, as I began to read, I understood more and more that it wasn't about the itemized list of issues that I had conjured up. It wasn't about my stinky attitude, the length of my quiet time, or the the spring cleaning that has now gone into summer. Jesus was wooing me. He was pursuing something in me that has yet to be revealed. He wants me to be free.

Watching the DVDs has been especially wonderful. The Eldredge's have a deep understanding of the feminine heart. Stasi is strong, yet without offense and the ladies who partner with her are beautifully vulnerable. I have yet to sit through a DVD session with dry eyes!

The feminine heart is deeply, deeply, deeply connected to Jesus. He wants us to know that we ARE beautiful, that He has a grand adventure planned for each of us, and that He delights in us. The King IS enthralled by our beauty (Psalm 45:11).

But do I really believe that? Do you?

There's so much to my life story. There's so much yuckiness that blurs any beauty that I can see. The Good News is that His appreciation of my beauty is driven by His love for me. It's not dependent on me, but dependent on His holy perspective of His creation. I AM His Beloved whether I feel like it or not. That's the Truth about me and that makes me Captivating.

I am continuing on this journey. I'm not done and neither is He.

In the distance I can hear the freedom bells ringing...and they toll just for me.

Morning Manna

"But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired." -- Isaiah 40:31 AMP

Abba, weariness is a tool of the enemy, especially weariness from trials...at least that's the way I feel.

You whispered Isaiah 40:31 to my heart when I called upon You in desperation several weeks ago. I didn't understand why this Scripture at the time, but I do today. Thank You for the message shared at church yesterday. In light of Isaiah 40:31, James 1:2-4 took on a new meaning:

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

You are asking me to wait while You do the transforming. You will either transform my circumstances or transform me. One way or the other, I will be changed by Your Skillful Hand. You are the Potter and I am the Clay.

Oh how I fight pain and resist Your Perfect Work in my heart. Today I understand that You are producing patience and it'll take special care from the Vinedresser for this fruit to come forth.

You're not holding out on me, Jesus. You are Trustworthy and Faithful. You hear my cry. Have Your Way today.

Refining brings the Shining!