Be Present

God has allowed me to write posts concerning the Spirit of Honor and sharing the love of God with those around you, but this post turns the mirror inward.

There are times in our lives where we have to take moments to reflect and receive the love that others are pouring out for us.  We have to pause from the busyness of life and "just be".

We all have the same amount of time in a day . . . 24 hours . . . 1,440 minutes . . . . 86,400 seconds . . . but my question to you is . . . What are you doing with the time God has graced you with?

Are you so busy with the activities of life that the days of the week go by faster than you can remember? Do the birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays seem to come faster and faster each year? Do you find yourself putting off that one thing God keeps reminding you to do for Him, because you have just one too many things on your plate?

If so . . . . I want to recommend that you take an evaluation of your life and how you allocate your gift of time.  Time is one of those things that we cannot exchange, return, or save.  Time is a free gift from God, but we have to be good stewards over what God has given us.  We have to make an effort to set our priorities to reflect God's priorities for our lives, according to His will.


John 10:10 (AMP) tells us . . . . The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

The thief (a.k.a. the enemy/the devil) will try to get you to fill your 86,400 seconds every day with so many things that you will just be going through the motions of life.  This is how he steals, kills and destroys your time.  You will have life, but you won't be enjoying it.


Be determined . . . . Not to just EXIST… but LIVE! Enjoy life and be present in the moment. Soak in the goodness of God that He shares with you in the small things in life each day. 

God intended for you to experience and enjoy life to the point of it overflowing with His goodness, favor, joy, love, peace, and glory. 

The 86,400 seconds of today, only last for today. They will never be seen again, so make them the best moments of your life . . . TODAY!

The Spirit of Honor

When the Holy Spirit inspired the title for this blog post I thought that it would go in a different direction initially.  In the midst of thinking about what to write to address the Spirit of Honor, my family suffered the tragic loss of my Step-Father - Mr. John E. Walker.  In the days that followed this loss, the Spirit began to speak to my heart again in regards to the Spirit of Honor and what to include in this blog post.

The Word of God admonishes us to . . . "Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12 NLT)  

God reminded me of the above scripture and reminded me of the simple fact that the time that I took to shut everything down in my own life to be at my Mom's side, for as long as she needed me, didn't go unnoticed by Him.  I also watched intently as my Mom took the time to take care of every detail for the arrangements and desired to ensure that she was truly honoring her husband and his final wishes. 

This was not the first time that I had watched my Mom in this role of honoring my Step-Father, but it got me to thinking  . . . How many of us wait until the moment of laying our loved one to their final resting place to honor them? 

This post is not about grieving or death, but it is about life and living.  I want to encourage you to take the time to operate in the Spirit of Honor on a daily basis.  Don't take one day for granted.  The Spirit of Honor seeks to appreciate and invest time into those that God has set in our path. It causes us to think of the needs of others before ourselves.  When you make it a point to operate out of the Spirit of Honor, those that God has placed in your path will have no doubt about the love and care that you have for them.  Walking in the Spirit of Honor demonstrates openly to everyone around you that the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) are at work in your life. 

As children of the Most High God, we always seek to reflect His nature in all that we do; so we must allow God to integrate a Spirit of Honor into the core of who we are.  And I will challenge you again . . . seek to honor those outside of just your family or good friends.  Honor those who you labor with in ministry, those you work with, or even a stranger.  You don't know how your one act of kindness could change the trajectory of their lives.  Have your ears and heart open to the Holy Spirit and follow His instructions on who, what, when, and where.

Your act of honor can be as simple or as grand as your heart desires.  It could be as simple as a handwritten note or could be as grand as blessing someone with the trip of a lifetime.  Whatever you set your heart to do . . . do it TODAY!  Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.  Don't miss the opportunity afforded you today to honor those around you.

But . . . . They Hurt Me!

Psalm 34:18 NLT

If  you live long enough, you are assured to experience some sort of hurt in your lifetime. When we start to discuss hurt, most of us tend to turn our thoughts towards the hurt that we've experienced in a romantic relationship. But that's not the only hurt that we experience. . .

At the root of it all, we are human and we constantly interact with other humans who may disappoint us, reject us, offend us, not deliver on their promises, not stand up for us and defend us, not support our dreams, not comfort us in our darkest hours . . . . etc. This list could go on forever, but at the center of it all we just want to be LOVED!  And we want to be loved for who we are at our core, and not for who others think we should be or for what we have the potential to do.

So . . . . what happens when we are hurt? What happens when we are hurt by our family, friends, significant others, or even our brothers and sisters in Christ? For many of us we withdraw from those that hurt us and build walls to "protect" us from ever having to feel that level of hurt again. For others, we put on masks so that we can go out into the world and "function". We find ourselves hiding behind the masks of fake smiles and laughs while on the inside . . . . there is nothing but constant turmoil.

But what would happen if we stopped hiding?

I want to encourage you, and challenge you a little as well, to take off the masks and open up your spirit to allow God to heal your hurt and brokenness. Allow God to begin the process of tearing down those walls and putting the pieces of your heart back together again.

God has placed people in your path to assist Him in this process of healing.  These are people who God has hand picked and anointed to love you, support you, and encourage you in this journey of restoration.  God has given them the discernment to see past the mask and understand the hurt. The only thing that is required on your part is to be open to the love that they so desperately want to lavish upon you.

My prayer is that you will allow God's love in your life from this moment forward. I can testify that God will heal and restore everything that the enemy tried to steal from you, if you will just be open to receive all that He has to give. Remember God wants to rescue you . . . 

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed" 

Psalm 34:18 NLT

Breakthrough . . .

We all get to points in the journey of life that things seem just a little more difficult than others.  In those times I often reflect on the season which God has me in.  In those times of reflection, I realize that often the difficulties that I'm experiencing are associated with the pressure that is needed to breakthrough to the next level in the journey.

I think the pressure we experience is necessary in our lives to get us to face the reality (sometimes even the hard reality) that things have to and are about to change.  Just reflect for a moment . . . . if it had not been for the pressure you've experienced along the way would you have. . . .

• Changed Jobs or Career Paths
• Went Back to School to Pursue that Degree
• Ended that Relationship
• Decided to Follow Your Dream Instead of the Money
• Decided to Begin/Strengthen/Deepen Your Relationship with God

The pressure is necessary to get us to the next step, level, and dimension of the journey that God desires for us.  So when things seem to get tight, uncomfortable, and downright ridiculous, know that you are just on the verge of a breakthrough.  You are on the verge of a moment in your life that will redefine you, reestablish you, and propel you into your destiny.

A lot of things in life are about one's perspective.  Choose the positive perspective in the difficult times.  When you feel the pressure coming on, glorify and worship God for all He has already done and all He is about to break loose in your life. Focus on His ability and not your inability, for with Him you can withstand the pressure that you are experiencing.

God is AMAZING!!! And I'm thankful for the moments in my life where He allowed the outward pressures to push me to greater inner depths with Him.  But I know that in this season . . . . it's time for another BREAKTHROUGH . . . 

Waiting on God …

Just my thoughts on a Saturday morning … We sometimes get impatient in our waiting … wanting God to show us who our spouse is. And when God reveals it to us, we are overwhelmed with excitement and want to shout it from the mountaintops. 

However … I challenge you to turn your focus toward yourself and ask God to show you what is required of YOU to fulfill the role of "husband or wife" to that person God has revealed is your spouse. Ask God to whisper the secrets of that person's calling and passion to you, so that you can prepare to be the support and prayer-warrior that they need. 

If they are called to minister around the world, if they are called to run a multi-million dollar business, if they are called to long-term missionary work, if they are called to be in the public eye … are you ready?! Have you made the adjustments in your actions to put them before yourself, have you changed your ways to be considerate and loving instead of selfish, have you renewed your mind with the Word of God…in order to be ready to step into the role of "husband/wife" for The One?

The role of "husband/wife" is truly a ministry … requiring a total surrendering of yourself to God, so that He can assist you in walking victoriously in marriage.   Marriage works … if you work! Great, amazing, and mind boggling marriages don't just happen, they take the thoughtful consideration of two people who focus their attention towards showing God's love to the other person FIRST.  

I've heard it said that great marriages happen when two servants fall in love. 

So you may say … what about ME, what about MY needs?! Well … I'm sorry to inform you that in marriage "me and my" don't really exist anymore. You are joined together with your spouse to be ONE. And think about it … if your spouse's focus is to always be filling your love tank, considering you before themselves, praying for you, pushing you to the next level in your calling, and thinking of unbelievable ways to bless you … what are you worried about? In this type of marriage atmosphere, you can easily take the focus off yourself, because God, through your spouse, is making sure that the things that concern you are taken care of.

Put your focus on being the best "husband/wife" for your spouse, based on their needs and not yours. Now I will warn you … in most cases, changing your focus may take you outside your comfort zone or what you are accustomed to. But the good news is … God is working those adjustments for your good. It is an adjustment that you need, so that you can go to the next level in all God has called you to do and all that He desires to bless you with.

When you put God at the center of your thoughts and your marriage, it produces a beautiful relationship of honor, respect, and love. Strive to be the spouse that "out loves" the other and I promise you that the fruit of your labor will be sweet! 

The Journey

As we are now on the other side of our first Open House, I took a little time off to reflect on the journey of Rebirth, from the first leap a faith to the first Open House. God has done so much in a short amount of time and we are truly excited about what these "firsts" have put into motion.

Rebirth Arts was founded in 2011 and it's hard to believe that it has been three years since I stepped out on faith with God and trusted that He would bring to pass all the things He had been speaking to me and giving me visions about.  

I'm thankful for our very first client who pushed me out there with God and trusted me to birth choreography for them that allowed their dance ministry to launch into a new dimension that brought healing and restoration to their dancers. There are not enough words to express my thankfulness for them pulling out of me what God had destined to be expressed. 

As time progressed, I took another leap …… trusting God for students to teach in our studio classes. We started with one little Sweet Pea, who was just about 1.5 years old at the time.  By the end of our 2014 Summer Session … God increased us to 10 Sweet Peas and Minis (ages 3 to 5), as well as pre-teens, teenagers, and adults. 

Along with more students came staff members, an intern, and 7 dancers for the Rebirth Arts Dance Company. And as God increased the numbers, of course there came more assignments … speaking engagements, workshops, magazine interviews, photo shoots, and ministry engagements. 

I'm humbled and grateful for the journey to-date; however, I'm more excited about what God is going to do.  This is truly just the beginning and I'm expecting great, wondrous, overwhelming favor and miracles in the future for Rebirth Arts and all those who decide to Join The Movement with us!

So as I contemplate the next dive into the deep with God, I pray that you enjoy a few digital moments captured from our 2014 Summer Open House (all photo credits to David Warren).

A Life Well Spent

I want to live a life well spent . . . 

You may say . . . well that is a little bit of a depressing view of life, but I challenge your thinking today. Life is not a guarantee and every moment is extremely precious.  God gives us 86,400 seconds every day and not one of them can we relive again. 

Time is our currency on Earth. Once it is spent, it only returns to us as an investment of life experiences and memories.  Only you can determine what your return will be.  Will it be reflections of moments with those you love, of stress and worry, or of heart stirring impacts of ministry?

When I look back over my life . . . let's say in a year . . . I want to be able to report to God that I effectively used the 8,766 hours He gave me to accomplish all that He set out for me to do.  I don't want to look back and think that there was one minute that I wasted being fearful, bitter, stuck, or having a pity party. I don't want to have lived a life of sound bites, snapshots, and disjointed memories. I want to look back and see that I walked with God throughout each of those hours, that my eyes, ears and heart were open to His voice and His leading, and that even in the hard moments of life, I held on strong to my faith.

Life is to be cherished.  I want to encourage you today to "spend" your life seeking after God and striving to walk out the plans that He has for your life (Jeremiah 29:11).  I promise you that the    "mustard seed" amount of effort and faith that you put forward, chasing after God and His righteousness, will return to you a lifetime of experiences and memories that you could have never imagined.

The Realm of Impossible

Over the past several weeks I've been feeling this shift in my spirit into the realm of impossible. You may ask … "What are you talking about?" … well let me explain. 

The realm of impossible is that place where all that you've dreamed about accomplishing feels a little out of your reach, but you determine within yourself that you are just going to step out on faith with God, knowing that with God all things are possible. So stepping over into the realm of impossible takes faith, courage, determination, and a desire to become all that God has destined you to be, without backing down.

Don't get it twisted … opposition will come. There will be challenges and situations to deal with in stepping out to accomplish all that you are dreaming of, but in this place of the "impossible" your faith in God has to be unshakable so that you can continue to move forward in spite of any opposition that might come. You have to believe without a shadow of a doubt that God is the only one that can manifest impossible things and you trust Him to do that in your life.

As I continue to walk out this dream of Rebirth Arts, renewing my mind with the word of God is a key part of the process.  Over the last week or so the Holy Spirit has been directly me back constantly to the Amplified version of Philippians 4:13:  I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].  I know this is just God's way of saying . . . . Trust me, I've got your back!

My prayer is that by sharing this with you, that it encourages you to believe that God can do all that He has promised to you and given you a desire for in your heart.  I hope that it gives you the push in your spirit to just . . . . jump all the way in with God.

So . . . . when you see me . . . . know that I've stepped over into the realm of impossible and I'm going after all that God has in store for me and Rebirth Arts.

A Grateful Heart

As I sat catching up with one of my sisters-in-Christ about her recent missions trip to Africa, I could not help but to begin to think how truly blessed we are and also about how many things we often unknowingly take for granted.

I began to think on some of the things that she shared:

• What if I had to walk for miles without shoes …
  
• What if I couldn't go to school because I lived in an area where no one wanted to come and teach …
  
• What if my family was so poor that they couldn't afford any of the basic necessities to sustain life (housing, food, water, clothing, etc.) …
  
• What if the only life I knew was one where I grew up in an orphanage, never truly becoming familiar with the touch of another human …

As a sat there becoming overwhelmed with God's love and grace I could not help but to think that I need to take the time be more aware and more grateful for all that God has blessed me with in my life, even the little things. My reflection began to put a lot of things in perspective.  It confirmed for me that the situations and challenges that we might face in life, although they may be difficult, could be even more difficult, challenging, and even life threatening.

I don't want to take for grated that I have a safe and secure place to rest my head; that there is running water when I turn the handle on the faucet; that God provides the financial means for me to be able to sustain life . . . . this list could go on and on.

I just want to encourage you with this post to take a few moments of your busy day to reflect and express your thankfulness to God about the "little things".  As you reflect, think that your "little things" could be something very big to someone else who has to live with out it.

                             

Did I Go Left?

Many times in our walk with God we ask the question … Did I go left, when I should have gone right? At the heart of this question is the desire to know that we are operating in the will of God.

Rebirth Arts is one of the largest faith walks I've had the honor of taking with God to this point in my life. I find myself often in prayer seeking direction from God, by way of the Holy Spirit, to confirm that the decisions we make, the engagements we accept, the classes and workshops we offer, the staff we bring on board, etc. are in the will of God and what He desires for Rebirth Arts.  My hearts desire is to truly fulfill God's vision and do it with the very best of my ability, so that God can then do the supernatural. 

Even in my seeking, I've also found that there are just some steps that you have to take in faith, trusting God and knowing that He will meet you on the other side and won't let you fall. In those moments of truly stepping out on faith, I've experienced God's overwhelming presence as His way of confirming -- yes, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

So, be encouraged, at those times in your life when you begin to question, did I go left and I should have gone right .… wait on the presence of God and the peace of God to comfort you and you will know without a doubt that you are exactly where God wants you to be.  Strive to dwell in His peace and all else will fall into place.  God has great plans for your life.  Continue to seek Him and trust His directions.