Treasures in Heaven

When once we may have thought that our sorrows
were simply rags and ashes, we have discovered
that we were actually storing up our treasures in heaven!  

I have come to realize that all of my woes are gaining
me my crown in heavenly places.   Yeshua said, "Blessed
are the poor in spirit, for their's is the Kingdom of God."

There is not one wasted trauma in my life, because God
is turning it into an encouraging Word for someone else!  
I have laid down my life for the sake of others.

I live to encourage others and help carry them to the Father.
He is the only reason to live, it is for His Kingdom and His Glory.
"All things are passing away, but His Word remains forever!"

We need to look at the big picture.  It's never an isolated incident.
God has His reasons for allowing us to suffer much in this life.
We are gaining our victory day by day and will receive our crown in heaven.

A laid down life is what the Father is looking for.  A life of humility and honor.
A life of substance and compassion.  Mercy and Grace. Long-suffering and Joys.
Yeshua said to His disciples, "Take up your cross, deny yourself and follow me."

What is all this disappointment teaching us?  
How is it bettering us as people?
What is being refined in us?
How are we better able to serve others?
What is being shaped and formed within us?
How can we better understand others?
How has long-suffered developed our character?
How has deep pain enabled us to be compassionate?
Have we learned forgiveness in all of this?
Have we yet learned to love ourselves?
Do we know how to love others?
Are we healed enough to receive love?
What is our main priority in this life?
What or whom do we live for?
How can we make life better for others?
How can we be more merciful towards others?
What does love look like?
Are we willing to lay down our lives for others?
Do we love unconditionally?
Is our heart motivated by purity or evil intent?
Are we willing to put others first?
How low can we bow before the Master of the Universe?
What is true humility?
Who do you love the most?
Have you died to the things of this world?

One-of-a-Kind

We all have our own way to walk.
So often the "world" tries to put
their perceptions and attitudes upon us;
we must reject it, for it is not ours to own.

God has not called me to blend in. 
On the contrary. He told me He has 
called me to "stand out" and shine my light.
Can we be courageous enough to "be who we are?"

It certainly is a struggle to come into our own,
but it is critical for us to do this; for who can 
we be but who we were meant to be by God.
We must fight and overcome our fears!

This journey can seem very long, but we must
continue in our process to be liberated if 
we truly want to fulfill our greatest potential
here on earth!    "God's Glory is man fully alive."

Ba Boom

How is it that I am feeling something after thirty years?
Where is this coming from?   This is a mystery.
I remember your "Quandary", and cannot help feel that way now.

What is God saying?   Where is He leading?  What is His heart here?
Why do I need to "try" to figure everything out with my head?
Somethings are only of the heart, and cannot be discerned with the mind.

I truly am perplexed over this happenstance.  I'm getting accustomed
to living with pain and carrying a long-suffering attitude, though I'd
like to see my dreams become a reality in this lifetime, sooner than later.

When our feelings hit us "between the eyes", we are truly dumbfounded.
My intellect comes up with nothing that is connected to my heart.
I cannot put God in a box, as He is always full of surprises for me!  Selah.  

Bottoms Up!

Sometimes we have to go through all the inner conflict;
angst, anxiety, indecision, and unsettledness, in order
to be lifted up out of it.  

Now you may say that in the Kingdom of God 
we should not entertain these realities, but it is exactly
in our humanness that we can also experience a great Joy! 

It is only after coming through this inner struggle, 
that we can appreciate the coming up out of!    
The relief as we thank God for bringing us through the eye of the storm.

I find the greatest struggle to be self-acceptance!    To extend
that much needed grace to myself when I fall short of achieving
that which I so badly want.  God is merciful!     

Revelation

If we could see the battle in the heavenlies for our souls
we would experience an empowerment in the Lord our God.
Seeing with spiritual eyes enables us to fight for our lives
and to apprehend every material and spiritual blessing from above!

We need to ask our God for a "bird's eye view" of any particular
situation/s that have tried to beat us down and steal from us.
When we receive revelation concerning this question, we can laugh
because we see once again, it is an assault from the pit of hell.

We have been empowered from on high to stand fast in the face 
of our enemies, take our ground, both physical and spiritual,
and hold fast to the King of the Universe, Yeshua of Nazareth. 
We shall see Him smite our enemies and fight for us!  Selah.

Secure

God knows all of our sorrow, our pain and suffering.
His spirit within us grieves as we walk with Him through the fire.
He knows the beginning from the end, and He see the luster of
our jewels we are acquiring in Heaven.  

Five years ago, my friend told me that God had brought me here 
to kill me.  Needless to say, I didn't have much appreciation for 
that comment.   However, it is true.   The maturity that I have 
come into here in my new life is simply beyond an earthly understanding.

How can we lift up others if we haven't experienced similar sorrows?
It is the way of the cross.   It is certainly a deadening to our selves.
Selfishness is a sickness, it pushes all others out, and it is cancerous.
Living for oneself is a dead end, but living for God is "newness of life!"

Assault

What the enemy is after is our hearts.
If he can devour that which God has placed within in us
we truly become useless in regard to depositing who we
are in this world that so desperately needs each of our input
for healing sake!   

It breaks my heart that so many are closed off, shut down, and
simply on automatic pilot moving through their "lives."
I was one of them.   But, when I met Yeshua (Jesus), it was the
beginning of healing and restoration for me!    I now realize
that my heart is of the greatest value to my Father in Heaven!

My greatest gift from Abba is the gift of encouragement.   
No wonder my adversary would try to beat me down with discouragement
so that I could not have encouragement to give to His Beloved bride, His
people!     I have overcome as I continue to hide myself under the shelter 
of His wings.    If we don't respond to the heart of God, we shall be dead!  

Beloved, He has not called you to "fit in", but to come out and shine your
light for all the world to see!   You are His Glory as you come into the fullness
of who you were made to be.   Throw off your shackles and declare the 
goodness of the Lord Almighty!    He is a faithful to the end!  Selah.   

Ongoing Challenge

To love in the face of rejection isn't easy.
We are commanded by the Son of God to
"love our enemies, pray for those who persecute
us, and bless those who curse us."

What I have discovered as a child of God
is that I can "reject" the rejection.  I do not
have to "accept" this or take it into my heart.
That is the plan of the evil one.   To break my heart.

As a women, nurturing is innate for me.   
Because that is a truth, it is also a truth that the 
adversary wants to crush my heart, harden it,
make it callous to people, so that I will stop loving.

"I was made for Love" is my truth for my life.
I am called to be a "leaky vessel" for the glory of God!
This world needs my love that comes from the throne of Grace.
Heavenly pure love that comes down from heaven is healing.

We are called to be glory carriers.   To rain down Papa God's
love on our neighbors, families, and ourselves.    We must 
learn self-respect.   We must be led only by the spirit of God
and not co-dependent behaviors we grew up.   We must be true to God!  

Anonymous

Some of our questions will never be answered here on this earth.
Life is so very difficult to accept sometimes.
Can we love imperfection?  What does it really mean to love?
It is so much easier to see the faults and weaknesses in others
instead of seeing our own short-comings.
Will the emptiness ever leave?  I still say, "It is better to have loved
than not to have have loved at all!"  

Lower Still

Today I'm reminded that I cannot empathize with another
if I am not walking a similar road.   We question why
God allows the heartache.   In order to have compassion
for His children, we have to be lowered still.  

It is so painful to be alive at times, to see the lost,
the suffering, the hardships, the amputated, the homeless.
To feel our own loneliness, and not know when it will end.
What is the Master of the Universe getting at?  

The drudgery of life, it's pressures, it's sorrows, and it's
devastation, one wonders how we can move past it all?
We mustn't ever forget there is a force at work that opposes
our happiness, our Joy, and our successes.    Selah.

War!

Understanding the strategy of our enemy is critical.
When we can see the stream of thoughts that bombard
our minds are surely from him, we can put him under our feet!  

We must know how to bind the evil schemes of the evil one 
and all of his cohorts.   We must rest in the shadow of the almighty!
We must hold on tight to the only One who can save us!  

We are tested and tried, and nothing slips through the hands of
our Master Father, but He is calling us to hide our selves in Him.
He is faithful to the end, no matter how great the storm rages against us!  

Chance

Life is all about taking chances.
Without that, we are not moving forward.
We learn about life through making decisions.

Anxiety always sets in when we won't decide.
When we "fear" change, and dig in our heels.
We grow and mature through our "journey".

We step out on a limb, not knowing the outcome,
but stagnation can drive us there.  Tiring of 
the indecision.   We are thrust into motion, and breakthrough!  

Face Press

Pushed up against a wall,
stripped of all worldly things.
Through the fire and alive.

The maturing process comes
out of the furnace of gold.
Being refined in His image.

Time passes so quickly it seems
Yet the seasons have changed
in a super-natural way.   

Leaning on my Beloved
holding steady in God
determined to move forward.

Spinning wheel

Frustration mounted up to burst wide open.
Sorrow of an almost perfect scenario.
The almost caused the demise.   

Natural doubts tailgating my decision.
Need to repeat the truths over and over.
Standing in reality, and comforting myself.

Mourning once again the disappointment 
of a dream still hoped for.   Each time
asking what was better this time?

How much can one heart take?   Who 
wants to go through this again?
Lessons never tire here in this life.

I don't want to get more exercise in my heart.
I don't need added stress to my already intensified life.
Letting go is "key" always.    Allowing the Master to take over.  Selah.

Up Hill Climb

Sometimes I really wish life would run smoothly.
Where I live life is intense, so added stresses are 
not really welcome or should I say convenient?  

I'm at such a point where I want to really take my 
hands off of everything, and ask God to do it all!   
It's too stressful to try to take care of it all myself.

I live for Him, and He is my main concern.  
Making sure I am on His path, not getting derailed 
or side tracked.   The heart is such a tenuous thing.

I so wish I could have a non-messy life.  But Love
is messy.   Growth is messy and growing into maturity
is also messy.    Friends who are trust-worthy are needed.

Not walking alone is primary.  Learning to have 
good and healthy relationships are "key".   We cannot
grow inside a vacuum.   We need to live our lives out loud.

Laying it down

There comes a time when we need to relinquish every desire for our lives!  
We've exhausted all of our own ideas, strengths, and motivations!  
Trusting that the Almighty knows what He is doing, and moving on with life!  
The challenge is not to become disillusioned and discouraged, but laying it down
to the Only One who can make things happen in the way that He wants them to.
This requires so much faith in our Maker, Adonai, Elohim, and knowing He has a plan!
Each experience makes us wiser and more discerning for the choices in our lives.
If we don't learn from our past, we are indeed foolish.   We are to become more mature and more thoughtful about our steps!    He is faithful to speak through His 
spirit, if we would only listen, and not discard His voice, which is sometimes a quiet voice, but a voice to heed and discern.    We are not to forsake our selves and our
knowing within.    God wants us to hear Him and to make our decisions based upon His will and not our own.   He is guiding, leading, and directing.  We need to learn to navigate life and allow His voice to lead us on!   Selah.

Flight

We do have wings to soar,
but sometimes our hearts
are so heavy laden.

We wonder how long they
will remain that way?
It's like trudging through quick-sand.

What we want and what is reality
may be altogether different.
Are we prepared for that?

One day can hold a character of it's own.
There is no resemblance of yesterday
or tomorrow.  This I know.  

At what point do we acknowledge
a completely other scenario may unfold?
How long do we wait for our heart's desire?

What really matters above all is God's will.
If something is not His will, I really don't want it.
This is the "cross" roads we each face on our journey.

Temptation

"Patience is a virtue", hence I am working on becoming more virtuous.
I am greatful for acquired self-control.   It is not an easy thing to continually
lay down a desire, but life experience has taught me it's too dangerous otherwise.

I do stumble sometimes and pick up what I laid down, and thankfully those
whom I'm accountable to help me stay the course.   I choose to bring my 
insides out to my trusted friends whereby making me accountable for my choices.

I'd like to think I'm growing more into maturity with my self-control intact.
It's about time I've allowed my life experience to teach me to do things differently.
I've always lived on the edge, taking risks, always having been resilient.

Then came that day that I realized that I only had one heart, and I could not afford
to expose it to danger any longer.     I began to take a new position on dating.
It's to protect my one heart.  The one heart that God has so lovingly given to me.

It hit home the scripture, "Keep your heart with all caution, because from it is the 
outgoing of life."    My choices determine the consequences I will have to live with.
Amazing how God is so concerned about the heart choices we make.  

Our Maker knows the choices we make will determine the outcome of our lives.
We cannot change our past decisions, and many of us have been devastated
by our personal choices, and are still trying to pick up the pieces of our lives.

Self-control, resisting temptation is an exercise that will be with us always.
We must have accountability partners, or we may walk right into the lion's mouth.
We must walk with others to stay on the straight and narrow path.

Alone, we are bait for our enemy, and we cannot succeed in a Godly lifestyle.
We must carry one another's burdens, and be receptive and loving to our friends.
We must always keep the door open to them, so they never feel alone and isolated.

We must carry our cross with Jesus, and love as He did.   Of course, we will 
always have to aspire to this kind of love, but we need to be busy trying.
"We are a Royal Priesthood, Holy and set apart for the Master's use."

Waiting

Standing firm on what my vision projects.

Knowing seriously what this means.  

The inheritance of good gifts from above.

Wisdom discerns the time and the purpose

of a matter, as it is like a jewel around

one's neck.   She shall protect you.

I do not know what the outcome shall be,

but I seek God's perfect will for me.

I am holding out for His clear voice.

I shall give this vision a timeline.

I shall continue to wait on God

and be patient for the possibility of movement.

Refuge

Why do we think we need to exclude our real feelings

when we go forth in life?    As if they are not acceptable?

It is in fact our reality brought forth that makes for our

most beautiful expressions and shall bring healing to our hearts.   

I don't like to feel my pain, but I do realize that if I do not allow

my heart to acknowledge it, feel it, and give it to God, I'm not real.

Sometimes we have to fight for our privacy with God.   We have to

step out and tell others, "God is calling me alone today with Him."

If we are trying to fit in, and be accepted by man, we are surely

on the wrong track.     The only approval that matters for my life is His!  

Relief comes when we can bring forth our feelings, good, bad, and ugly,

and allow that to be designed into a beautiful masterpiece for the Master.

Talking out loud

When we want to reach out
but it's not in our best interest
we write and express our hearts.

Disciplining our need to fulfill
our deepest cravings, is certainly
a lifelong process.

They say it is "better to have loved
than to never have loved at all."
I suppose it may be true.

I love how denying oneself can be
molded and shaped into something
beautiful, a work of art.

The longing for human companionship
for intimacy in both the physical and
emotional is a day to day experience.

Our salvation is this regard is the 
creative gifts God has placed within us.
At least we have somewhere we can go with it all.

New Beginnings

Breathing in New Life,
exhaling the old.
Putting to bed the past
and not looking back.

What a great idea,
and I believe this 
is God's will, yet it
can be so incredibly challenging.

I am so thankful for the arts.
That I can express myself
and my sorrow in a creative way.
Beauty comes from great pain.

Disciplining my mind on what
it thinks on is key.   I have 
control over all of that.
It's work, but it's necessary.

"I press on to take hold off
that for which Messiah Yeshua
has taken hold of me."
I glory in His presence and BREATHE again!  

Expressions

We need a way of communicating our workings out of things.
A way to say what needs to be said, if only in a very abstract way.  

Sorrow and pain can make for beautiful works of art, and often
times something so horrific can be utterly beautiful in it's expression.

We need an avenue of venting, releasing, and surrendering our pain.
It is innate in us to mold this hurt into a form that can turned to the positive.

Pain is a great motivator for the most profound creations, as we feel
the coals go over us and make us into something new.    Tried and tested.

Warning

Our minds play tricks on us,
and we "forget" so easily
where we've been.

God is faithful to remind us 
of our journey, so we don't
fall prey to old patterns.

Temptation is strong,
wanting to devour us
and we must say, "No!"

The heart is so tender
and this is a blessing,
but we must truly guard it.