Waiting On A Promise....

Great reminder on @elevationnetwork.com today..

I got to hear the sermon that I remember hearing on 1/17/11 before God prophesied my husband into my life just a few weeks later. God reminded me in that sermon to make my waiting room my work room by digging a ditch because rain from Heaven was coming. One of his biggest promises to me was on the way. He reminded me to get busy even more so becoming THAT person for THE person that God was preparing me for.

I believe that this sermon is even applicable to my current season of Promise as my son is right now 2.5 weeks away. You see, it is so easy to get busy getting upset about our waiting periods when we are still waiting on that promotion, that great guy/gal, the pregnancy, the freedom from debt, the house, for the diagnosis, etc. I urge you, that while you wait, get busy, stay focused. It is going to take some work on your part, in some situations more than not. And, simply doing what needs to be done may not mean that you have to get up and go go go but pray pray pray, spend time in his word, visiting others, volunteering, attending the conference.

For me, in this moment I simply want to get my house packed, find a cheaper place to live, etc. BUT my body will only allow me to do so much so I am making the choice to get busy praying for my son, for my husband, reading, relaxing, enjoying this part of the season that I am in. Easier said than done but this is where God has me.

So dig, dig deep and allow God to fight in your future on your behalf.

"Ask the Lord for rain in the spring,
for he makes the storm clouds.
And he will send showers of rain
so every field becomes a lush pasture."
Zechariah 10:1 NLT

Where is my time Spent?

"I will seek to devote the best of myself, my time, and my talents to the primary roles the Lord has entrusted to me in this phase of my life."


I will be getting to the other resolutions that I missed shortly but wanted to share this one:

The next resolution in my courageous women's study (for women book) is about Godly priorities...such great timing! There is such peace in acknowledging that this is the season I am in, these are my roles, and although I may want to do this, see this person, go there, here, etc. "there is a time for every season" (Eccl.3:10). God's word brings such peace! No pressure, just walk in obedience and be who and what I have called you to in this time. When the time is right, you'll know.

As women, our roles change so much and so often. And not even our roles, as much as how much we are to dedicate to each of the many roles that we play. In this portion of the resolution book we were asked to color in some boxes, each a different color with the different roles that we have and fill them up (color wise) with the amount of time we dedicate in each of those particular roles/boxes. Pretty neat way of looking back and prayerfully examining which roles are primary and which are not.

Also, great for those like me who realize that although I may not be giving as much to friends/family but I am dedicating a lot of my time (as I am supposed to) to the Lord, my marriage, and my son. Funny thing was, I had forgotten to make myself a box as well. How easy that happens for us women.

With that said, I have decided to dedicate some more time for me. Not necessarily a whole lot of it but enough of it to where I am not left being a leaking, empty cup, but an overflowing vessel (a peaceful one at that).

Go ahead and try this exercise, see what you think, what you find out about yourself. It is pretty eye opening.I promise you, in the end, you will find such peace in embracing God's priorities for your life.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30

I've Accepted Jesus But.....

I think one key thing that many believers miss is the face that we come to know Christ believing in him and what he did but there is also the a piece where we fall to our knees and acknowledge that our plans will fail but his plans will not. Where we surrender to his plans, his ways, fully, open and ready to do what he calls us to do, who he calls us to be, where he calls us to go. Why does my life not seem to be changing, why do I not sense his presence in my life? Have you surrendered to his way? Have you decided that whatever it takes, whatever?! It wasn't until I reached that place of surrender on January 17, 2009 that things really started changing. It wasn't until then that the changes started. It has been a journey with some bumps in the road and some mistakes on my part But old sins that I struggled with I am now free of, things/people, sins that I never could seem to be delivered from and would continue to stuggle with-when I surrendered they began to melt away because it is much like Israel Houghton spoke about at church yesterday,

"The atmosphere of expectation is the breeding ground for miracles!" It wasn't until I surrendered to God and stood firm in the belief that, he was going to take me places far better than I could have ever gotten to on my own. Surrender, that is what it is. So, stop fighting for your will and your way and simply surrender to the God who came down to Earth, suffered, died and rose again to set you free. Surrender and walk FULLY in that freedom!

Examples of this surrender in his word..
1-The Surrender of Simon Peter after denying Jesus-  "Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” John 21:18-19


2-"¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." 2 Chronicles 7:14-16

*Lord, I pray today that those of us who have not surrendered and don't understand why things are not seeming to be any different. They don't understand why they accepted you and years later cannot seem to break those old habits and cannot see the miracles that other believers speak of in their lives. I pray today that they get to a place on their faces, bent on their knees, to a place fully open to you and your plans realizing that it their plans are not going to work but that your plans are far greater and they trust you fully in those plans.  I pray that they surrender. In your precious name Jesus! Amen!*

Deep Ditches!

January, 2011 I wrote to a roommate on our fridge "Ask the Lord for rain in the Spring for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture..." Zechariah 10:1. "Dig deep, rain is coming."

I wrote this to her because I heard a sermon and story about Digging a ditch. I was in a season of singleness and a season where I was about to be responsible for paying on my college debts, a season where I had this calling placed on my life finally and I had yet to see how and where that was to transpire because I couldn't see it. The situation didn't call for it.

I felt like Noah when he was given this call to build the ark and he had never seen rain. But it was this day that I specifically remember God saying, "Angelina, dig a ditch. Not just any ditch, but a big ditch because rain is coming." I didn't know in what form it would come, I didn't know what package it would come in. I didn't even know when (at this point).

Then a day or two after my birthday, God told me that I would be married by January 23, 2012. I couldn't believe it, so I asked for a sign of sorts. Welp, after getting one sign, I needed more. So, about an hour and half later, a friend told me that she had a feeling that I would be married by this time next year (it was February 2011).

Welp, I am now married. I dug a big ditch. I spoke it into existence and let everyone know. I worked on getting to know God more and learning to fall in love with him. I even went to see my father, who I had not seen in over a decade and who I thought I had forgiven, I worked on getting healthier, spent time investing in others, and simply got busy digging ditches everywhere. We were married on September 23, 2011 and by July 2, 2012 we will be having our first child-Israel. Which is kind of cool because his name means "one who wrestles with God and man and wins." Israel was a man in the Old testament who fought for his blessings. He dug ditches-not always healthy ones, not until he became Israel.

I tell you all of this because, I am here again. In a different season about to dig some more ditches. And I can say with full confidence, that God will provide rain. He will give you beauty for ashes, He gives the weak power, He gives the faint the ability to walk, He renews our strength! He is a great big God! As you wait on him, dig your ditches! Spend time falling in love with him. I promise, you will mount up with wings as an eagle.

You'll become that parent
You'll have the baby
You'll get that job
You'll become that employee
You'll become that person made for them
You'll meet that person made for you

Just dig a ditch, rain is coming!

Calling, Purpose, and the Mundane

It was like God purposefully brought it all together for my good, for me to become my best. I love that I serve a God that refuses to allow me to be complacent, that wants me to be better, more content and even provides the tools that I need to get there AND ON TOP OF THAT- It is not I that changes me but Him! He does it, I need him to do it, I just follow along and love him, and seek him, and he does it!

Why am I so excited? Well, Resolution #1

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Since I began this journey, which actually began 2 weeks ago, I have read through the chapters for Resolution #1 and while doing so have not been alone. I have been sharing my thoughts with my husband, spending time seeking God for guidance, and trying to make the resolution everyday in the current season of my life. I have heard God say so many things but want to narrow down what he has taught me which can all be summed up by this exerpt- blog post by Amy Carrol….

“Every diaper changed, every knee kissed, every book read, every late night listening, every dying to self, every lesson plan made, every story crafted, every presentation made, every meeting attended, every spreadsheet created, EVERY THING...

It all counted.”   

The words spoke to me like never before and for the first time, I felt so understood, so set free, so content in saying that “this is where am I and I am only here to grow into that woman that God has called me to be, to step into that calling(s) that God has placed on my life. It could all be summed up-Contentment.

I have said it before, I have not arrived. Going from being that woman of discontentment and stepping into that woman of Contentment, meekness, joy in the midst of it all will take some time…BUT, I now have something to look forward to and as I am in the seasons that are not what I would have asked for myself, I can embrace that season expecting and anticpating that it all counts. That all of it is for my good and as I change and grow, I am becoming more of who he wants me to be, stepping that much closer to carrying out the callings that he has placed on my life! So exciting! Yet, so challenging. Yet so right!

1 Timothy 6:6 (NIV)- ^“But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

*Encourage you to check out this blog post and do the reflect and respond located at the end.

Exerpt from Amy Carrol’s  Blog-Unfolding . Full blog can be found at - http://www.proverbs31.org/devotions/unfolding-2012-04/

The Resolution-Let's Do This!

My husband and I have been so blessed lately to bless some other couples with some great marriage strengthening resources. Before getting one particular resource for the women, I wanted to check into it myself. I never want to pass on something that I have not first experienced. So, here I was with a book by Priscilla Shirer- The Resolution for Women. I had 2 weeks (in my mind) to read it and pass it along.

YEAH RIGHT! Within the first paragraph of chapter one, I put the book down and thought to myself. Awesome, she gets me. Then I share this thought with my husband who so eloquently challenges me with a question that had me wanting to toss the book at his forehead (yeah, the conviction was that strong). Then I hear God speak to me in a way he always does-"he's right my love." Urgh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I read on and Priscilla confirms a fear of mine that I hoped would pass me along unlike it had in my family...I have a problem with being content especially in my current season. I am always looking forward to the next season, the next job, the next financial breakthrough, the next car, the next year, the next the next the next. I needed to learn to be a woman of contentment and thus RESOLUTION #1...

"I DO SOLEMNLY RESOLVE to embrace my current season of life and will maximize my time in it.  I will resist the urge to hurry through or circumvent any portion of my journey but will live with a spirit of contentment."

Over the next few weeks (there goes my goal of finishing in 2 weeks) I plan to spend time reading through each of the book's short 2-3 page chapters (there are about 3-4 per resolution) and see where it takes me. In the end, I expect to have not already arrived to that place of being that Perfect wife, mom, daughter of a King-have to be realistic here BUT I do expect/anticipate a better me-a better wife, a better mom, a better Daughter of the Most High God!

It's time to be that Courageous Woman of God that I am called to be...

The Journey Begins....

Check out the book trailer....http://www.goingbeyond.com/store/books/resolution-women

It's Time!

In scriptures it talks about Christ and what he went through in the Garden before enduring the cross, how difficult it was for him. It was so difficult that scripture tells us that he sweated blood. I don't know about you but I have surely never sweated blood. I have had my share of panic attacks back in the day but sweating blood-never! I've seen my body react to stress in negative ways-yes but never wiped blood from my brow because of what was lying ahead of me.

Have you? Have you ever gotten to the point, waiting on God and enduring so much in the wait that you began to sweat blood? Or, did you give up before you even got to that point. Threw in the towel and said, "you know what? this is too much." If we are honest, at some point or another, we each have. Big or small, some of you have threw in the towel too early, stopped praying for the person in your life that needs a relationship with Christ, gave up on a dream because the cost was too high, stopped being obedient in an area of your life because you couldn't see the purpose in it any longer (why where you still here waiting, being obedient, giving it your all and not seeing what you wanted to see come out of it just yet).

I challenge you to examine those areas in your life, those dreams deferred, that person that you prayed for so diligently one week and then just stopped slowly over time. Did you give up too soon? Were you supposed to simply reexamine what God told you intially and meditate on that? It is so much easier to throw in the towel then to face the reality of ourselves, our situation, or fears. Pick up today where you left off and remember that there was one before you that knew what it meant to go through and he is there with you giving you everything you need to get through this time.

It's time!

Happy Easter Everyone!