If you have a chance to read the first half of Psalm 22, verses 1-18, you will find that it's basically David crying out to God saying... "God, you have left me. I'm being attacked. I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. I'm shriveling away. I have no strength. I have nothing. WHERE ARE YOU, GOD?!?!"⠀
⠀
There are times we may feel alone and abandoned by people and the reality is maybe, we are. There are times when we feel like our strength is gone and maybe, it is. There are times when we may be hungry, thirsty and walking the streets.... abused, attacked and left to die. ⠀
⠀
Pretending like these things aren't real means one has shut their eyes to the reality of pain that surrounds us and those in our community who are lost and hurting. This world can be brutal, this world can let us down. ⠀
⠀
Yet, in the midst of this, as David begins his cry for God to simply respond, David says this: "Yet, you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Psalms 22:3⠀
⠀
Life can suck, it really can, YET God is on the throne and worthy to be praised!

If you are in the thick of it, lost, alone, hurt and desperate, you, like David, in the midst of the pain can still cry out and say "Yet, You are Holy"

It's hard. I know, I have been there, but that soul stretching cry is the chorus that reaches straight to the ears of God who sees, hears, responds and loves.

Our Lord doesn't sit on a cold throne. He sits on a heavenly throne of praise that extends to the the depth of where we are right down to the very whisper of our heart. We are not alone.

"God I look to you, I won't be overwhelmed. Give me vision to see things like you do."-Bethel Worship

These words have been a constant cry of my heart as I remember over a decade ago crying out to God in a state of being overwhelmed with the vision He gave me. It was too much, the good, the glorious, the pain, the struggle... all of it. I was blinded by what He showed me.

It is a huge prayer to ask for eyes to see what He sees. Because once we see it, it can't be unseen and we have to make a choice. And in that choice, do we respond or do we turn a blind eye to others pain, to others joy or do we get in the trenches and dig our heals in and choose to walk or crawl alongside them in the muck and walk alongside them in their joy, even when we, ourselves, are still floundering in the mud?

"God I look to you, I won't be overwhelmed. Give me vision to see things like you do. God I look to You. You're where my help comes from. Give me wisdom, You know just what to do."-Bethel Worship

Lord, Give us vision. Be our strength. You know what to do. May we follow you through the hills, the valleys and even in the trenches. You reign!

Where in your life do you need to respond to what you have seen and dig your heels in the trenches because of it? Let's be comforted in knowing that our Lord knows what to do, He is just asking us to respond.

"God I Look To You" Bethel Worship
#52WeeksOfWorship

I spent a significant amount of time today taking care of things that should have been taken care of before.

About three weeks ago, I tried on a pair of my dream yoga pants. They felt like "butter" my friends..."BUTTER." It was like they were barely there...hence the name "Fast & Free-Barely There" leggings. 

The sales-girl was so helpful and attentive, finding the sizes, colors and features that I asked her to track down. After all that work, I could not leave the store without them. I had to take them home. They were calling my name and I would not abandon them. No one gets left behind on my shopping shift. No one!

After a day or two, I noticed that the pants were slipping down and I was constantly pulling them up, adjusting the crotch that kept wanting to creep down... it was such a nuisance! I felt a little aggravated. I knew what I spent on my dream pants and I knew, for that amount of money, I should not have to be dealing with them like this. But, what could I do?

So today, three weeks later, I went in to the store, met my sweet gal, Heidi, who helped me before and shared with her my predicament. She said, "That's what happens when you buy a size that is too big, try on a size 8!"

"An 8?" I thought. I'm a ten and not just a ten. I'm a size 10 that used to be a size 14. In my mind I am still that size, I buy for that size, I shop styles for that size, my mind is stuck. So even though an "8" is just a number, to me, It was something that I could not wrap my mind around, hence why I never told the gal the first time that I could possibly have shrunk to that size.

Why do I tell you this? ...Have you changed, I mean really changed and been transformed, but sometimes forget how to move in your new God-sized heart with your God-sized hands? Have you grown in faith, but still walk like you have little faith. Have you forgotten that you are wearing a new outfit, that your rags are gone and you have been called out of the grave and are now dressed in the Holy garments of Jesus Christ?

Check this out:

 "Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch." 1 Samuel 17:38-40

David, when he went out to fight the giant, was fitted with "big boy" gear from his stylist, Saul, but he quickly found out he couldn't move, so he shed the outfit and walked in his "Big Boy" faith armed with a sling and a stone. And oh, what mighty things he did. Oh, what mighty things we do when we shed the baggy pants and walk in faith!
 
If you, like me have held on to the "bigger girl" mentality and it's causing your pants to fall down, stop; remember that you have been transformed and now you walk in "Big Girl/Boy" faith with Christ, because of what He has done.

So dare to step out, dare to be bold, dare to do things in the power of the Holy Spirit that you never thought you could before.

Thankfully, I was able to exchange my size 10's and get a new pair of 8's. How much more is the Lord willing and able to walk with us even when we forget that we have already exchanged the old self for the new. 

​Love you in the Lord, Mia

​I like to have a plan. I like rules, I like deadlines, I like knowing exactly what is expected of me. Yep, I am a rule follower (in most instances).

​I think my sway to that side came because I spent so much of my life breaking the rules, that now, I see the benefit in simply doing what I am told. Don't get me wrong, I can be stubborn and walk my own way when it suits me, but over all, rules and guidelines make me feel safe and productive. 

The other thing that I like is the Word of God, the freedom in brings, it's power over the law and it's pathway to freedom... totally opposite of the rule keeper that I am. It's Grace.

As I sit and take time reading and praying the Word of God over my life, I enjoy the regiment of daily reading as given to me through one of the many apps that I use. Sometimes, as it did today, it gave me 5 passages to read and I fully planed on reading them all, but I couldn't. I simply could not adhere to the plan. Not because of rebellion, but because of freedom.

I had planned to read the first 5 chapters of Job, but after the first chapter, I simply could not go on. I was frozen. Yes, frozen in a chapter that I have read before....many times. Yet, still, there I was frozen in the reality of what I just read and I could process no more. 

I found myself asking the question.."Is this guy for real?"..."did this really happen?" and already knowing the answer, hearing my spirit confirm what I already knew to be true. Yes, this is real, Yes, this happened and Yes, I want you to learn from it.

You see, in the first chapter of Job, Satan is allowed, by God, to stretch out his hand against the Lord's faithful servant, Job. And stretch it out, he does. Job in a moments time looses his oxen, donkeys, servants, sheep, camels and his children. Three different survivors from the three different incidents all arrived one after the other to break the news to Job. 

I have to imagine if that was me receiving this news, I would be in a state of shock and disbelief. But, what does Job do? He tore his robe, shaved his head and fell down and worshipped God!

WHAT? Where is the fist shaking, where is the "This is not fair, God!" Where is the yelling at God that He got it wrong? No, Job fell down and worshipped God and said "Naked, I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

And there I was frozen. Frozen as I tried to imagine what my response would be. I hear so many times people saying, "It's ok to be angry with God, He can handle it. You can yell at Him, He's God, He's tough." Yet, this example of a man who lost all of his possessions and his own children...Yes, his children, was to fall down and worship God and bless His name acknowledging that it was all given and ultimately all allowed to be taken away by the hand of God. And to that, Job then blesses His Holy name.

May I, as I walk through life, through trial and heart wrenching loss, through times when things do not go according to my plan or expectations, be prepared to fall down and worship. And as I fall, may I bless the name of the Lord, His holy name. 

I have always loved singing this song, but as I grow closer to the Lord, with each and every breath, the more powerful this song becomes to me. Will you sing along with me as we prepare for that time when we too may have to fall down and worship Him as His outstretched arm returns what He has so graciously given to us on loan unto Himself.

You can listen below or you can buy the whole album on my site.

Blessed Be The Name of The Lord!