Obedience - lol Again....

So, september of last year, I wrote a blog called "Simple Obedience" http://justbeloveashley.blogspot.com/2011/09/simple-obedience.html
I'm literally laughing right now as I type, because, as my pastor Ellis always says, we tend to have a "forgetting problem". I can't stand it, but it's so true! I feel like God was telling me then, the exact same thing that He's telling me now :) 

Simple compromises can no longer be apart of my vocabulary.. THERE IS TOO MUCH AT STAKE!


It's all about OBEDIENCE... Life as a believer, is about God getting the glory. When we are Obedient, He gets the glory, period! Our being obedient to God, because of Love, is a set up for others to experience His love through the fruit of your Obedience. (if that makes any sense.)

I am in a completely NEW season of life. I am now a wife, and I'm learning so much, each and everyday. So much more about God's grace. I'm learning about what my relationship with God looks like, ways it can become stronger, and i can feel more intimate with Him. My husband is such an amazing example of this, of worshipping God with your Life ( all of it!).  I must admit, I tend to compartementalize things , GOd's work, family, job, etc.., but I'm seeing how, WHOLISTIC, living Holy is.

Important things to remember before I move forward:

# 1 - There is Grace is all of this
# 2 - His grace is Sufficient
# 3 - We can be OBEDIENT in every area THROUGH CHRIST
# 4 - it's all connected
# 5 - He's put you in community (the Body of Christ) for a reason

One area that I have completely neglected in my life, has been taking care of myself physically. (Help Lawd) but I realized this is biblical, it's being a good stewart. Another area is "creating". the crazy thing is that when i'm creating, it "feels like worship" yet i neglect it (sigh).  I'm beginning to realize that ontop of having a "forgetting problem" I also have a trust issue.  I don't always believe, and trust that I can be a good steward of my body and do the things God has called me to do (not realizing, THAT is one of the things he's called me to do).  But it's part of "resting" in Him. He's also been reminding me that He speaks.. all throughout our days. We aren't doing all of this alone, He's the good sheppard, He's guiding, He's directing, He's leading.

I encourage all of you guys, who have been bloggin for some time now, go back, and re-read some thing's you posted in the past.. rejoice! Because I guarantee you will see some things that God has brought you through, some lesson's that's He's taught you , you will most likely be reminded of some Revelations that He's given you, and then , when you finish.. Continue to move forward, in Life, speaking well of Him and Worshipping Him with your life in it's entirety. 

  

 As I close, I wanted to tell you guys this new app I downloaded. it's called " my fitness pal" it's pretty cool, because a major piece that I have been missing is accountability, in this area.  As i "choose" to make better choices, it shows my progress to whomever I've added as a friend, and they can encourage me, as we go on this journey toward a physically healthy lifestyle together. I'ts good stuff! I beleive this concept, can be applied to other areas of our lives as well. I have found , having accountability partners to be sooo important.  It's one of the way we bare each other burdens. (Galatians 6:2-5) And sharing areas of weakness or desires with friends who will pray for you and keep you lifted, will really help, they can gently check up on you, and even rebuke you (if neccesary). But one of the way's God wants to love on us is through community.  (I feel like I've been all around the mulberry bush today...but it's all good... looking forward to writing more of this down.  I think I'm gonna go back and read some more :)

Simple compromises can no longer be apart of my vocabulary..

So Forgetful

Sometimes  I can get so frustrated , when people are not there for me when I need them to be.  It's the silliest thing, I was annoyed about and so angry, that my friend didn't fulfill the role that I desired for them to in that moment.  Then I heard this song,and was so convicted.

It's so funny, how forgetful we can be sometimes.

Just tonight in our women's group we talked about how, Man will FAIL us, but God NEVER fails..and He's literally the ONLY one who won't fail us.  He is our peace, He is our strength, He is our help in the time of need.  God chooses to Use man, in various ways. and one is to LOVE each other an I'm not taking anything away from that.  But He is the only reason we are able to ever receive love form another person. Because God is the Love ..God is the Good , that we were experiencing, God is our Peace.  I was so sad, bc it just shows even more how jacked up and selfish I can be.. How jacked my heart still is that I would get so angry and annoyed from a fellow brother. So Broken.

Here Comes the Neighborhood...

Talk about inspiring. What if we put God on display like this?
HCTN TRAILER from Here Comes the Neighborhood on Vimeo.

Worship

So the other night, I really was THIRSTY to just Worship my God.. Like unusually antsy and really itching to be in His presence. First i tried Dancing, to some music.. but then nearly passed out because my room can get really Hot.. I nearly passed out.. then I tried to play my guitar..which was fine, but i only know a few songs, and wasn't in the mood to sing them. I got up .put my hands in the air.. got on my knees.. tried to sing..and then my phone rang..it was my friend David asking me to come see his house.. I'm like.. okay. I'll stop by for a second, but i REALLY want to spend some time with my Daddy! I love David bc he was like, oh you can bring your dad too! I was like.. i meant God .. I want to spend some time with God.. anywho.. I put on my shoes, looking a hot mess, but it was all good, bc he's my brother. and i saw this awesome house that God has given him.. As he showed me each room, I was just OVERWHELMED with praise and thankfulness to God.. for than tangible provision and blessing he has given my brother.. it's crazy..like my heart was just so full! HE showed me the whole house, and Praise was just on my lips.


It was so cool, then I was about to leave to walk back home, and David said..hey let me walk you..so we head around the corner..and we here this baptist church on the corner, singing.. they were going IN!! David and I looked at each other and were like.. let 's go check it out. So we walk across the street and see this girl leaving the church , we ask her what's going on, she says " oh we're having revival this week" ..come on now!! I went inside and the worship leader was singing.. " wonderful , counselor , mighty God.. " Immediately i stood up..and just felt God's presence ,, even more, on top of the overwhelming feelings that i felt while thanking him for this house. it was just what I needed. finally I ended up going back into my room.. just me and my empty room and the Lord.


Then I prayed and talked to God. Lord I just want to worship you. And something dropped in my Spirit. Draw. I found a picture of this beautiful little girl, that i met at one of the orphanages in Haiti. And i just looked at it for a while. Then i began to draw.. this is actually the first picture that I've drawn in quite a while. Pencil to paper, and it felt so good. it felt like worship! My prayer is that I stop trying to put God in a box. I want my life to be poured out as an offering to him. So whatever I do, whether is be praying, singing, dancing, drawing, eating, running, talking, walking.. that I do it as unto the Lord and not to men, realizing.. that this is the worship He desires. Offering our bodies as living sacrifices. Whatever that means, and however it looks. Because it often looks different. Don't you just Love Him. thanks for the Golden Nuggets God. Amen..

Simple OBEDIENCE

This word has been ringing in my Spirit.. OBEDIENCE

Yesterday, my friend's Joel and Vanessa asked me a question.. " what am I looking forward to this year".. and my answer was slightly vague, but honest. I'm looking forward to the fruit of OBEDIENCE. Like, over and Over..God has showed me how His ways are higher than our, His thoughts and His plan. I'm tried of failing in this area.. and His word says that His grace is sufficient.. I NEED Him, and He is there when I call. in my 27th year, my AIM is OBEDIENCE.

No more excuses..

He's been using a grasshopper to help me.. He knows what we need!



I've actually been seeing, grasshoppers in the physical..sent to disturb my conscious from reasoning and talking myself out of being OBEDIENT> I love it! The natural is so subject to the spiritual, and God uses it all to speak to his children. He gives good gifts to his children.

Simple compromises can no longer be apart of my vocabulary..

UNPLUGGED

So apparently there is a book out..that talks about this..and perhaps..while I'm unplugged I will embark on the journey of reading it..but.. I think I'm going to try it..

1 day a week..
no phone
no computer
no tv
no ipod
no dot.com's

in case of emergency, ahhh.. I believe in grace that there be none on these days :) how u like them apples! lol


Genesis 2: 1-3

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.


There is something about the Sabbath man.. how do you keep it holy?

A Drink of Water

Last night, there was a bang on the metal screen door. Which is pretty normal, for our quaint tourquoise church house on wilkens ave. Every monday we have Prayer, and tonight.. things were moving pretty slow. We actually had decided to change locations, bc of the heat, then we prayed about it and the Lord told us to stay put. It had even cooled off, so it wasn't that bad at all.. But here were are.. and all of the sudden Steve knocks on the door. Asking for a drink of cold water.

So we invite him in, and invited him to join us for prayer..and he says, " i don't want to be disrespectful" I don't believe any of of this stuff... and in that moment, I heard God speak . This is his night. So we listened and shared and listened and shared ... We shared testimonies and encouraged each other.

Steve Accepted Christ last night...God Gave Him Living water

felt like something straight out of the scriptures..

JOhn 4:
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”