One Spark Can Start A Fire

When someone is passionate, you can see the fire burning in their eyes. When we stand for something and truly love it, our entire being oozes out that adoration, commitment, and devotion to whatever it may be. I know that when my Daddy starts talking about God, his excitement becomes infectious. Passion is like a fire that you can’t help but catch!

But passion must be a wholehearted thing to be infectious like that. If I sat here and tried to tell you that Mary is a better name than Martha, there would be a lack of passion in those words because I lack confidence in my argument. How can I convince you of that if I myself am doubting what I want you to believe?

As Christians, we really need to be passionate. If our fire is just dim embers, how can we light other people’s fires? We can’t, it just doesn’t work that way. Do you believe in the love that your Father has for you? If you don’t know it beyond a shadow of a doubt, you’re going to really struggle in showing other people how awesome and amazing His love is.

And His love is just that. Awesome and amazing. I lose my breath when I think of how great He is and how much love He has for me. Extraordinary. Marvelous. Outstanding. Remarkable. Phenomenal. All the words in the world, in all the languages we have, could never even scratch the surface of His attributes.

We get to serve a God like that. So big and so omnipotent, yet so tender and so kind. The one and only. His heart breaks for the lost, leaps for the found, and loves without limits. Never doubt that He wants you.

We are the Impossibilities that get to serve such a God. We are the generation that gets to catch the fire and spread it. Let’s start a wild fire, completely and totally out of our control. Let’s bring down the walls of religion, the boundaries of the Law, and let’s let a Holy fire loose. Get passionate. Start a fire (not literally, please!). Spread that fire. Nothing can put it out, not if you keep it burning.

Have you ever noticed that after a fire has gone through somewhere, that place doesn’t look the same. That’s what we can do with our passion-birthed fire! We can totally transform our schools, our cities, our states, our countries, our WORLD!

So maybe I dream big. Maybe I long for this world to be overwhelmingly populated with passionate Impossibilities, thus causing a shift in modern day life. But maybe, if we could all understand what we believe, become passionate about it, and show that passion to others, maybe we could do just that.
I know it sounds impossible. But aren’t we supposed to be the Impossibilities, achieving exactly that through God? I believe so. I hope you do too.

Catch the fire. Start one with me. Let’s change the world.

Daddy’s Girl

Unstoppable

It was this huge wall. An enormous barrier. It kept me from getting to the other side. I tried to climb it. I tried to find a way around it. I tried to push it down. But nothing worked.

I was stuck behind it. Everything I did just made me weaker. I felt hopeless. But I had to be on the other side. It wasn't optional. Everywhere around me was dark. I knew from the light that filtered through a few holes in the wall that there was something beautiful on the other side.

You know when you know something in your heart, and you don't need proof for it to be real, because you know without a shadow of a doubt that it just is? That was how I felt in that moment. I knew that on the other side of that wall was a wonderous thing, and I had to get over there.

I refused to give up, even though I could barely stand. I kicked and I punched and I threw myself at the wall. Exhausted tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn't do it. I couldn't get through. "What's wrong with me!" I helplessly screamed at the wall.

Whatever was on the other side I knew I needed. I felt this strange connection with it. I wouldn't stop until I got over. The darkness pressed in closer and I began to panic. So I screamed. I hollered. And then I heard something.

Maybe it was my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard someone screaming on the other side. Beating the wall, just like me. I pressed my face up against the cold brick and tried my best to still my breathing.

At first I could only hear muffled words. But once my heart stopped pounding and my breath stopped coming in huffs and puffs, I heard much more clearer.

"You can't get through! Stop trying!" I heard.

"What?!?" I screamed in dismay. That was definitely not what I wanted to hear.

I pressed my whole body up against the wall, hoping with all my might I'd hear more."Step back from the wall!"

I was befuddled. Why in the world would I step back from the wall. Fear creeped in to my heart as I looked at the inky blackness surrounding me. I didn't want to step into that... But the light chased away the darkness enough for me to step a few feet back.

Careful to make sure I didn't enter the darkness, I stepped back. A rumble shook my entire frame. I stared at the wall, curious about what was about to unfold before me.

Suddenly, with a loud thunder, the wall came crumbling down. I gasped and watched in disbelief. The dust settled and on top of the rubble I saw a man.

He was huge! No wonder the wall came down so quickly, this guy could probably knock down a few others at the same time.

Then I noticed the light. I noticed the colors. In a split second, I saw what I had been fighting so hard to get to. I scrambled over the bricks, past the man, and drank in my surroundings. Breath taking....

The thing was, though, I didn't feel a connection with the surroundings. Instead, I felt pulled by some invisible force to the man who had destroyed my barrier. I spun around and he stood right there. He was close enough that if I moved I would swat him with my shoulder.

"Who are you?" I asked. You would have asked the same question if he was standing just inches from you. And not only had he invaded my personal space, he had somehow invaded my heart. Now I knew why in all the fairytales the princesses fell for the knights who saved them.

"I'm love," he said simply. I waited for more, but he didn't say anything else, so I made a face to express my frustration.

"Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing— it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out. Love can't be bought, love can't be sold."

So then I knew. It was kind of hard to miss. This man before me was my Savior. And this man before me was just as determined to break down the wall separating us as I was.

This man was Love. And this man would stop at absolutely nothing to have me.

Raptured in His love,
Daddy's Girl
Song of Solomon 8:6b-7


Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing— it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can't drown love, torrents of rain can't put it out. Love can't be bought, love can't be sold— it's not to be found in the marketplace.

To The Heart

There's a deep chasm between human-nature and holiness. That chasm was put there when Adam sinned, and that chasm remains there because from the moment we are born, our flesh rules in our lives.

But there's hope. That chasm, which can cause so much despair, was bridged by a loving God. Passionately in love with His creation, He formulated a plan to rescue all of humanity. He gave up His only Son to become perfection, to walk the tight rope that so many people had fallen off of. And when His Son made it to the other side, He was crucified. But the cross that so many thought would end the teachings of this man called Jesus ended up bridging the gap for us all. Now, if we choose to see that cross and what it signifies, we can bound across the chasm to the other side. We can become holy and righteous through the blood of our Savior.

But now what? In all honesty, do we deserve this place of right standing? Not at all, and we never will. But that's the stunning beauty of this whole adventure. We've now made it across the chasm, and we can run straight to our Father's heart.

Religion, though, sees the tight rope and says to all those who have already bounded wonderfully across the separating pit, "We have to walk that rope as well." But how could we?! We're only human! And why would we?? If we've made it across, of course we would want to avoid the chasm AND the other side all together!

So rejoice, because if you have given your life to Jesus, you are now on the other side of that desolate land, having travelled across the chasm into a place of splendor and love. As an Impossibility, don't look back at what human-nature has to offer you. Instead, run. Straight to the heart. Never let religion hold you back.

2 Thessalonians 3:5, "May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God's love and Christ's endurance."

The heart of our Creator is full of love, compassion, and forgiveness. He desires a deep, intimate relationship with all of us. Don't let rules, regulations, and legalism tie your hands behind your back and force you onto the tight rope!

This is true love, found at the core of our Heavenly Father. As we chase after Him, we will understand more and more about this Romance between Creator and creation. Let your heart be wooed by His glory.

Let your heart be wooed by His heart.

Daddy's Girl

When the World Crumbles (Part 2)

Jane's eyes widened in wonder and awe. The man before her laughed, knowing that she had figured out who he was. "It's about time you recognized me. You'd think after spending your whole life with me in your heart, you'd know your own Savior."

Immobolized by the thought running through her head, Jane was rendered speechless. But quickly the bitter words and angry feelings came back to the surface, and she stepped back from the man.

"What do you want?" she asked, a caustic edge to her voice. "Haven't you taken enough from me?" Her accusations were meant to hurt him, but his face simply softened and searched her eyes- no, her heart. Slowly, he began to shake his head.

"You have no idea, do you? You really, truly, honestly, do not know who I AM." Jane was infuriated by these words.

"Oh, but I do! You're the man who died on the cross for me! The one who rose again from the dead! The one who stole my boyfriend, my friends, and now even my parents from me! Because you are the God who gives and takes away, right? You're the God who destroys lives just so that you, in your jealousness, can be the center of them!" Her anger rushed out in a torrent of words and tears. Her jaw tensed and her fists clenched. How dare he come here and try to woo her with his touch? How dare he invite her out here after taking away all that she loved?

Understanding filled his eyes. "Dear Jane... that wasn't me," he whispered. Jane was out of words, so she just stared at him. He reached for her hand and she let him grab it. What do I have to lose? she thought. He smiled, and she remembered he could read her thoughts.

He led her deeper into the forest, and Jane was shocked to see that the beauty continued to get better as she got closer to the core. Freshly fallen dew glistened in the light of the moon, trees were taller, and the distant sound of a creek filled the air. He stopped by a rock and turned to face her.

"It's much more prettier in here than it was at the outskirts of the woods, isn't it?" he asked.

Jane was slightly confused by the question, but she nodded. Why does the beauty in here matter? I just finished yelling at you and you're showing me how nice the forest behind my home is...

He smiled and winked at her, the laugh lines around his eyes deepening as he did so. Though Jane was still angry and befuddled with all that was going on, she let herself enjoy the moment she was in, hoping soon enough her companion would explain what was going on.

And he did just that. "Though the outskirts of the forest are pretty, the outter world can still reach you there. Outside predators can still see you and find you. But the deeper you get in, the more stunning the forest becomes, and the less the outsiders can find you."

Jane felt like he was talking in riddles, but she decided she would go along with it. He continued. "And the further you go in, the further you want to keep travelling, until you're suddenly at the heart. You get lost in the wonder of it all and no longer desire to be on the outside, because the pain can no longer reach you there. That's where you understand what the forest truly is. But if you stay on the outskirts of it, you'll never know, and you'll think that it's no different than living on the outside anyways."

Jaw dropping with what he was trying to get across, she finally knew what he was referring to. "But... religion never shows us how to go deeper."

"Religion isn't what I want, dearest. Religion is man's way of getting to me. Its like the vines at the edge of the forest, and so many people get caught in them. This makes them fair game for anyone on the outside." He made sure she was still following what he was saying, probably reading her thoughts. Then he spoke again. "Instead, I want you to run to the core, to the center, of me. I want a relationship. Seek me and you will find me, call on me and I will answer, draw near to me and I will draw near to you..."

Then he was gone. Jane looked around, frightened by his sudden disappearance. She heard a gentle whisper, "Chase me, and you will catch me."

So Jane ran, she wasn't sure where she was running but she ran. Using the sound of the creek as her guide, she went in the direction she thought would be the core. As she ran, she began to laugh. Then she came to a clearing, and there was the creek. "Jump in," the whisper said.

She jumped in, submerging herself in the crisp waters. When she came up for breath, she couldn't help the joy that flowed from her. At the edge of the creek, she saw her Savior standing. She got out quickly, wanting to hear more of what he had to say.

"Did you touch the bottom?" he asked.

Jane shook her head, "I couldn't find it."

He smiled. "That's because it's bottomless." She made a face, confused. "Like my love, it doesn't end. It just keeps going."

Jane remembered the thoughts she had during the day. A loving God... His teeth showed as he smiled once again at her. Then he took both her hands and began to dance. Jesus knows how to dance?? she quickly thought.

He threw his head back in laughter and she couldn't help but join in. This was wonderful, this was amazing, she never wanted to leave here. But she knew she would have to eventually. Obviously reading her thoughts again, he spoke up.

"You never have to leave, Jane. Keep this forest in your heart forever. Don't get caught in the vines, but instead run to the core. This is my Father's heart, flowing with joy and love and peace. The outsiders can't touch you here." Then he picked a flower from beside the creek and handed it to her. Jane remembered hearing that God was a romantic, but she never took the saying seriously. Now she knew that it was quite true.

Searching his eyes, she knew it was time to return home. Holding the flower close to her heart, she squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, she was in her bed and it was morning.

Frantic, Jane looked around her room. Was it just a dream? she wondered. Smiling at the memory of her Savior dancing with her, she sat up in bed. That's when she felt it in her hand.

The flower. "So it wasn't a dream after all," she whispered.

And that's when the vines of religion let go of Jane's heart. That's when she learned to run to the core of the forest no matter where she was. That's when she learned that the outside predators couldn't touch her.

That's when she found her relationship with God, and found life in it.

Daddy's Girl

Jeremiah 29:13, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

When the World Crumbles

The church pew was cold and hard, much like the preacher's face in front of his congregation. The people around her dozed as their 'shepherd' droned on about sin and hell. Jane found herself daydreaming as her gaze drifted around the sanctuary. The place was decorated with expensive chandeliers and stunning glass windows. So this is where our tithe and offering goes... she thought. Startling her, the preacher banged his fist on his podium, puncuating his point. What point that was, she had no idea.

This was routine to Jane. Go to church, pretend to care, sing "I love Jesus", go home, live her life in a way God would deem acceptable, and repeat the whole process next Sunday. Her soul was saved from eternal damnation, and that's all that mattered, right? She lived her life right, that way God wouldn't strike her with cancer or AIDS or something like that. But inwardly, Jane sighed. This life was colorless, bland, unattractive, boring. This life was religion.

Then one day Jane's world fell apart. Her Christian boyfriend dumped her, her friends stopped talking to her, her parents began looking at divorce, and she felt lonely. When Sunday rolled around, she went back to church and sat in a back pew.

If she had thought the idea of a loving God felt ludicrous before, she didn't recall it being this bad. Bitter words screamed in her head as the preacher went on about God being the God who, "gives and takes away." The old coot up front had no idea what Jane was going through, and his impersonal message of God's punishment made Jane want to scream. This is God's fault?! The reason I feel so alone is because HE saw it fit to tear apart everything I love?! What kind of God do I serve anyways?!? Her heart ached as the thought filled her mind.

Laying in her bed that night, Jane began to cry. Softly, she whispered her bedtime prayer and stared at the dark ceiling. Then a thought came to her mind- a crazy, insane, completely out of character thought. I should take a walk in the woods.

Quickly, she got out of bed and slipped on a jacket and sneakers. She grabbed a flashlight and tip-toed down the stairs and out the back door. Turning on her light, she scurried to the back woods, her heart quickening with every step she took. When she entered them, she looked around. The trees loomed overhead and the moon peaked through the branches. It seemed like something from a book, the moonlight casting shadows all around her. She glanced down and saw flowers with their petals closed. "I should probably be asleep too..." she said aloud.

"But you weren't, so I invited you out here to visit me." Jane spinned around when she heard the other voice. She didn't see anyone, and fear quickly gripped her throat, constricting her breathing. "Don't be frightened, you know me." She was still afraid though. She didn't like strangers, especially not in the night. "I know you don't like strangers, but maybe if you weren't so busy reciting cliches to me and actually tried to get to know me, you would recognize my voice."

Jane's brow furrowed. Had she accidentally said that out loud? The other voice laughed. "No, baby doll, you did not say that out loud. But your thoughts are easy to understand, I'm the one who gave you the brain to have them in the first place." She suddenly gasped. Who was playing such a trick on her? This was absurd!

Then a figure formed before her eyes. He had deep brown eyes, and laugh lines around his eyes. He brought his hands up to her face and brushed away a few stray hairs. Jane was so captured in the man's eyes, she couldn't move away from his touch. But when his fingertips met her skin, an electric shock ran through her veins...

And that was when she knew.

To be continued...

It's Good For a Reason

She was anorexic. Blind to her natural beauty. Starving herself to appease her need to be in control of at least one thing in life.

He was depressed. Unable to feel any emotion beyond sadness. Cutting himself to divert the pain at least momentarily.

She was flirty. Rejected by her father. Running to any other male figure that might fill the void for just a while.

He was an alcoholic. Terrified of life's problems. Drowning out the world with a bottle of whiskey in the company of strangers.

She was obsessed with work. Needing to prove herself to the world. Wishing that she could just live up to the expectations of her parents.

He was a rebel. Pretended nothing bothered him. Never let anyone close enough to see his true feelings.

She was broken.

He was broken.

And God saw them. 

So God did what He saw fit. He sent the Prize of heaven, His only Son. He let His Son take it all on the cross.

And Jesus died. And then He rose again.

Eternity then became accessible for the broken. God then became available for the broken. Healing then became optional for the broken. 

And the broken came to Him.

And He was known as Love. 

Love appeased her need to be in control.

Love eased the pain and brought joy to him.

Love accepted her and filled the void.

Love made his fear virtually nonexistent.

Love proved to her she didn't need to prove herself.

Love showed him feelings were okay to have.

1 Corinthians 13:8a, "Love never fails." 
And so, Good Friday is called good for a reason.

Daddy's Girl

The Impossible Warriors (continued)

I must defeat the Defeat before the Defeat defeats me. For if I'm defeated, then who will slay the dragon? We all say someone else will do it. But if that's what we all say, then who is that someone going to be? If we all sit down, hoping one person may stand, who will stand?

We're captured in this terrible cycle of defeat, willing to lay down and take the beating because it is easier to be defeated than defeat the monster. Victory is already ours. We just have to walk it out. But we toss aside our victory for an easier journey, willing to be kicked in the gut once and give up.

So I will lead. I will defeat the Defeat through Jesus' strength. And I will walk out my victory, willing to receive an occasional bloodied lip. I will put on my armor, the armor that God graciously provided for all of us.

Defeat's shadow stretches so far, darkening the horizon. It appears so fierce. But through the Son, I have become a daughter of Light. And as I go into battle, I'll carry that Light with me. The Defeat really isn't that scary. Where there is Light there can be no darkness. Defeat's shadow will shrink and its true size will be revealed. Then, with the weapons I wield through Christ, I'll take it out.

My victory through the Blood of the Lamb will bring one reaction: praise, because my Shepherd has once again kept me safe.

By faith, I'll march on. I'll allow God to us me as an example. An example of the love that conquers all, including Defeat itself. What better prize than showing others exactly what it means to be an Impossibility. What better reward than following Christ out on the water, showing others what it's like to not only keep my head above water but walk on it!

"Here I am Lord!" I cry. "Use me!"

The Lover of my soul has not only saved me from eternal death. He has put me in a place of righteousness. He has given me tools for success.

No, I will not be defeated. Not when the Keeper of my heart has won the war for me already. I will not toss aside the gift given to me through grace.

Defeat may look like a mountain. But I can move mountains. Because nothing is impossible with God.

Defeating the defeat,
Daddy's Girl

The Impossible Warriors

Being an Impossibility is exhilarating. So exciting! I can't even describe what a blessing we have in being able to show the world that nothing is impossible for God. But sometimes it's hard to imagine ourselves Impossibilities. Sometimes we look in the mirror and say, "I'm no different. I see nothing to distinguish me from everyone else." And sometimes we just want to give up.


I'm here to tell you two things. 1) You're wrong, you are marked by the Almighty God to do what He has set before you to do. And 2) it's a war that takes faith to fight, a war that we cannot afford to give up.


Psalm 139:13, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." Yes, you read that right. The Creator of the universe made you. I don't believe He would knit someone together and leave them without purpose. 


Jeremiah 29:11, "'I know the plans I have for you,' says the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.'" I told you so.


Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see." So you can't see the difference between yourself and everyone else? Have faith.


 We are the generation waiting upon the Lord. We are the teenagers willing to stand up and say, "He is God." We are the ones who look different. Not because we dress differently than anyone else, but because we have faith


Hebrews 11:33-34, "by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign enemies to flight."


I believe that we are the warriors now. We are the Impossibilities, putting on our armor to "conquer kingdoms, perform acts of righteousness, obtain promises, shut the mouths of lions, quench the power of fire, escape the edge of the sword, be made strong in our weakness, become mighty in war, and put foreign enemies to flight."


Psalm 18:34, "He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bronze bow." Impossible, you may say. Don't forget that you are an Impossibility. Therefore you are being trained by God for war and to bend the bronze bow.


Ephesians 6:11-13, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. " Our battle isn't physical. We aren't warriors on the earthly battlegrounds. Instead, we take on more dangerous territory. But by faith we become mighty in war.


Romans 13:12, "The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." When I read this, I read a call. A call to all generations to set aside our worldly desires and put on the armor of light. Darkness may consume us now, but with the armor of light fastened securely to our bodies, with the Son of God inside of us, and with the hand of the Creator upon our every move, we can conquer.


We are the Impossible warriors. We have been called to a time such as this. We are being asked to have faith, to pick up our swords, and to follow the Savior into war. Satan may have won a few battles, but we've already won the war. Victorious, we stand, because Jesus Christ died for our sins and broke the chains of death. Victorious, we stand, because grace has put us in a place of righteousness. Victorious, we stand, because by faith we have conquered all. 


Victorious.


Daddy's Girl

A Survival Guide To True Love: Surviving Through His Love

To wrap up my survival guide to true love short series, I want to end with another visual picture.  I hope it shows you how we survive because of love....




Tears running down her face, she closed her eyes to block out the view of her torn-apart bedroom. She could audibly hear her heart breaking. At first, she had taken the pain out in fits of anger, resulting in the trashed room. But now, with nothing left to break, she could only cry. Sobs wracked her body as the pain took over. She got up and walked across the room. Everything was broken. Everything was meaningless. What else could she do but make this pain physical? Nothing she was doing was rational. But what was rational these days, she asked herself. She picked up the knife and stared at it.

Desperately, she whispered. "If You're there... please... save me..."

She sat back down on her bed, gripping the knife tightly. Another sob escaped her lips and she shut her eyes. When she opened them, she was not longer in her room.

Before her was a cross. Three actually. She was in the midst of a crowd, some jeering and others crying. Hanging from one of the crosses was a middle-aged man. He reminded her of the stained-glass windows she had seen in her mother's old Catholic church. He looks in pain, she thought. She tapped someone's shoulder next to her, "Where am I?"

The person glared at her and said something in another language. She crinkled her face and the person turned away. She returned her eyes to the scene unfolding before her. The middle-aged man was screaming something now. Even though she couldn't understand what he said, she got chills. A few people around her started crying.

She then noticed all the blood. He was bleeding from everywhere. The sight of the blood reminded her of what she was doing before she ended up here. Is that what I would've looked like when I finished what I was doing? she thought. She remembered the pain she had been feeling just moments before. She realized watching this scene that the pain had dissipated. How dare I think about myself right now? That man is dying up there! she reprimanded herself.

She covered her face as the man's head began to sag. She didn't even know who he was, but she was crying. Opening her eyes again, she looked around to find different surroundings. Looking down at herself, she saw she was beaten and bruised, scarred and bleeding. Her clothes were tattered. "So this is my emotions put into reality…" she said to herself.

"This is you without Me," said another voice. It startled her. She looked up and saw the same man who had been on the cross standing in front of her. Her jaw dropped. She was so sure he had been dead. Staring at the man, she stood speechless.

"You called, I answered." He said it so matter-of-factly. Did he think she knew what was going on? Not too long ago she had been in her room, ready to bleed herself to divert the pain. The pain was fresh now. At the cross scene before, the pain had dulled. But it felt now like she was being speared repeatedly, the pain so severe she began hugging herself and crying.

"Oh, it hurts. Please, oh please, it hurts so bad…" she whimpered. Then a small light of understanding flickered in her mind. The desperate prayer she had frantically uttered before came back to the forefront of her mind. "You… answered…." she said, shocked.

The man before her began crying then. She had never seen a grown man cry, besides her father when he was in a drunken stupor. But she didn't count him as a grown man. The man before her stepped forward and gently touched her cheek. At first she flinched, but the warmth that flowed from his hand kept her from pulling back.

In a small voice, she quoted a verse that her mother made her memorize when she was little. "For God so loved the world, He gave His one and only Son…"

He finished the verse for her, his voice thick with emotion. "…that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." He smiled. Her mind reeled. Life? She felt so dead. But he spoke again and she wanted to hear him, so she quieted her thoughts. "Not just life with me, dear. Not just fire-insurance. Life that exudes from every pore in your body even now." Then he stepped back and she looked down at herself.

She was completely whole. Not only that, she was clothed in a beautiful robe, and she was glowing. She looked like life. She felt like life. She glanced back up at the man before her. "Jesus."  Getting inches from her face, he breathed. In any other circumstance, she would have jumped back. But instead she let his breath wash over her. Thoughts overwhelmed her mind, thoughts that made her feel drunk with delight.

She closed her eyes, letting the relief wash over her. When she opened them, she was in the middle of an expansive field. She smiled to herself, taking in the beauty of her new surroundings. She heard birds in the distance. As wind whispered across her face and danced through her hair, she sat down amongst flowers. She directed her eyes to the blue sky above her. It was so peaceful. Her heartbeat within her began to quicken, and the hairs on her neck stood up. She was no longer alone.

Glancing up, she saw an older man. But he didn't look frail like most old men. He looked like a warrior. Silently, he walked towards her. He sat next to her. The chills she had felt back at the cross returned. Letting her mind drift just half an hour back, she remembered the pain she had felt in her bedroom. She was a new person now. The man next to her spoke.

"I will never leave you." His voice held an authoritative air, intermingled with a passion that could bring anyone to their knees. "You are my beloved. And I love you. What was done at the cross was for you, done out of my unending, unhindered love for you. The healing you experienced was my love healing you, because you are mine, and I have called you to me." She started to shake. Did he know? "Your history is history, and your future is me. I see you in your desperation, and again I will heal you. Your pain, your regret, your guilt, is no longer yours. I have cast it all away from you."

She wanted so desperately to say something. But she couldn't. So she stared at him, admiration filling her eyes.

"You survive because of my love."

Daddy's Girl
Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."





A Survival Guide To True Love: Who?

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)
1 Corinthians 13 talks about what love is. But who is love? and who should we love?

Another one of my favourite passages is 1 John 4:8. "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (NIV version, bold and italicized font mine)

That answers half our question. God is love. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:10). God's love is shown everywhere around us. The way He perfectly created the earth to suit our every needs. The way He sent His only Son for us just to have a relationship with Him. All things created shout His existence, and at the root of that existence is love. Because God is love.

Romans 13:9 answers the second half of our question, who we should love.
The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet,"and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
That's so true! It's all summed up right there, before our eyes. We need to love our neighbors as ourself! But who in the world are our neighbors?

The original Greek word meaning "neighbour" is "πλησίον plēsion". But that doesn't really help, does it? Actually it does. With the original Greek, we can understand the definition of "neighbour" in that verse. In Romans 13:9, it means 'near'. So anyone near you.

Whether you're at the grocery store, school, work, at home, the mall, or at the movies, we're called to love everyone around us. Parents, teachers, bullies, bosses, brothers, sisters, children, aunts, uncles, friends, and many, many more.

As 1 John 4:7 says, let us love one another. Because God is love, and as Impossibilities we're striving to be more and more like Him and less and less like the world around.

Learning to love,
Daddy's Girl

Survival Guide To True Love

I'm sure this blog's title threw you off a little. I hope it did, at least. Because this "survival guide" is going to be much different than your typical guide to love. I'm not here to talk about boyfriend/girlfriend love. I'm not here to talk about child/parent love. And I'm not here to talk about Mom/Dad love. No. I'm here to talk about true love. And how we can strive to walk in that with everyone, from strangers to close friends to family members to our enemies.

So here we shall start our journey, together, at what true love is. And to begin, we can look in 
1 Corinthians 13.


If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.  Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.  Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle,  Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always,  Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.


So that's easy enough, right?  The past week it has been on my heart to start a blog series on love, and that's just what I intend on doing. Love is all of the above and so much more. That's true love. And that's the love I'm going to explore with you over the next few days. Buckle your seat belts, because we're in for a ride. I'm so excited, because God's love, true love, is something we all need!


Excited! Inspired! Thrilled!
Daddy's Girl

Why Idleness Is Our Foe

Christianity can be so comfortably dangerous when we settle into a life of idleness and complacency. We feel like we're subject to a life of mediocrity, not allowing ourselves to dream beyond the self-inflicted boundaries we place in our lives. Where does the impossible come into this picture? It doesn't, unless you realize that idleness is our foe.

I am not saying that we should jump into action to attempt to earn our salvation, our Christianity, or our righteousness. But if we think that we're done after being saved by this miraculous grace, then we don't fully understand the grace that's been given to us. If we believe that this is the extent of what God has planned for us, then we haven't let grace work its full miracle in our lives. It is grace that empowers us to do the impossible.

Satan cringes when people who understand who they are in Christ wake up in the morning. He runs when he sees people who know the fullness of God's love and let it transform their lives. He screams in terror when we let grace empower us to do the impossible. So, he uses his greatest weapon to keep us from doing just that. He uses idleness.

How will I be strong if I'm always on the couch? How will I talk to people if I'm holed up in a home? It isn't possible to accomplish anything through idleness, and yet we believe that we're confined to that lifestyle! It's a lie! And Satan thrives in it. Ouch. I really would rather he doesn't thrive.

So now what?

Here's my encouragement to you. Let your inner-child come out. Your superhero wannabe-ness was placed there for a reason. Your great imagination is in your life to help you achieve the impossible.

There are vast lands of grace and love to explore. There are deep waters of forgiveness and redemption to be consumed by. There are enormous forests full of learning to get lost in. Many of us thrive on adventure, and now is our time to experience it in its fullest capacity. And even then, we'll have only scratched the surface. But with our eyes heavenward, we'll begin this exhilarating trek into unknown territory. Hopefully, we'll lead others as well.

Trust Him, He'll lead you. He knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you and never to harm you. Plans that will give you hope and a future. Plans that do not involve idleness. Join me in my adventure. Join me in believing Him. I dare you.

Daddy's Girl

Fear of Flying

Hopes high, dreams large, sights set and ready to go, we're ready to soar. We have dreams, visions, goals. Our hearts have desires, for bigger and better things. Whether we desire to go into a certain vocation or we desire for a better relationship with our Daddy, they're all dreams.

So often though, we let our fear of flying interfere with our dreams. We're afraid that God isn't on our side, that He'll shoot us out of the sky, that our dreams are foolish. But what if those desires were God-inspired? Our fears and our concerns would then get in the way of God's plan. How, then, do we deal with those insecurities?

Two years ago, I had a severe case of scoliosis. That's a fancy word for a strangely curved back. Basically, the part of my spine that was supposed to look straight was curved like an "S". I remember feeling so helpless as I heard about all the things the doctors were talking about doing to fix my back. Surgery, a brace, chiropractic help. The seeds of fear were sown into my life already. Because of my back problem, I suffered numerous headaches, and occasionally back pain. It was not fun. Sitting on my bed one night, my daddy went to pray for healing for my back, and I stopped him and said words I'll never forget nor repeat. "Daddy, what if God wants me to have scoliosis?"

I was terrified to believe God for healing and get let down. I was afraid that I'd be shot out of the sky, that God would laugh at my pathetic attempts to achieve the dream that I had at the time. That dream was healing. I had a fear of flying.

In October, 2009, I was healed of my scoliosis completely and totally. I decided that I wouldn't let my fear tie me down. God gave us dreams for a reason. He gave you the desire to speak to a multitude because He wants you to be a powerful public speaker. He gave you the dreams of starting orphanages in Nigeria because He wants you to impact lives in Nigeria. He planted the vision in your heart of whatever He may have called you to do for a reason. He wants you to shoot for the stars, don't be afraid to fly.

When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. His DNA becomes our DNA, His desires become our desires, His plans for our lives our put into motion in our lives. God wants to give us the desires of our hearts, and when our hearts look like His because of the time we've spent drawing near to Him, then the plans He has in place are acted out and our dreams, our God-breathed dreams, come to pass. He doesn't want to shoot us out of the sky. He wants us to soar high above the storm.

God wanted me healed. He desired for me to be whole. He didn't like seeing His daughter in pain, hurting not just physically but mentally. He planted the want to be complete and whole in my heart because that IS what He wanted for me. If I had been afraid to put that into action, if I hadn't spread my wings in faith and jumped off the proverbial cliff, I would have never come out with a wonderful testimony of God's healing powers.
With every dream comes a wonderful testimony in the end. Never let your fear stop you from pursuing that dream. Seek God, draw near to Him, let His heart become your heart, may your DNA be like His own, and let your dreams go. Don't let your fear of flying stand in the way. Take that fear captive.

Inside all of us is the potential to achieve amazing things, through Christ who strengthens us. Let's go for it. Let's fly. Let's pursue our dreams.

Choosing to fly,
Daddy's Girl

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall. Why Do You Always Cause Me to Fall?

Insecurity. It makes me cringe. Especially as a girl, I face insecurity every day. Its like a monster that appears at my door every morning and continues to knock. Insecurity does things to us that make no sense when looking back. It throws a sheet over our eyes and whispers terrible lies in our ears. It puts us in a place of desperation. The term "insecurity" says it all. It takes us out of our safe place and makes us vulnerable.

I know that insecurity isn't just about looks. A person can be insecure about their personality (been there, done that, got the t-shirt, it wasn't fun). Or their family, or their talents, or their lack of talents. It all hurts, no matter how big or how little the circumstance of insecurity is.

When I struggled with my appearance, it was hard for me to find a place of understanding that God created me the way I am, and He likes me this way. God doesn't make anything short of beauty, He's the type of guy who appreciates beauty to its fullest capacity. Just look at the stars at night, they were hand crafted by our awesome God. And so were you and I.

Hollywood, media, and society all have given us an image of what they believe to be real beauty. Too skinny, with lots of plastic surgery done, with perfect skin and great hair. All of it's wrong. God created beauty, He knows best.

So as we all struggle with insecurity, I challenge you to take your eyes off the mirror, and put them on God. If you think that you're too tall, too short, too skinny, too wide, or anything else, remember that God made you that way. Do you really think he would mess up? I don't.

The following video was done by Dove to show us how our view of beauty truly is distorted...



Finding security in His arms,
Daddy's Girl

Inscribed

Standing outside the gates of heaven, I saw God and made a mad dash for His throne room. Running as fast as my legs could take me, I came nearer to Him. But suddenly I was jerked to a stop, and I tripped and fell flat on my face. Feeling sharp pain around my ankle, I looked down to see a shackle binding me to a heavy weight. Not just any weight. This weight was made up of all my sins, all my wrong doings, everything. I picked myself up off the ground, hoping that a few good deeds could take me a little closer. But again as I ran to my Creator, I was rudely jerked to a halt and unable to go any further. This left me outside the gates, with no way to reach Him. "He doesn't want a sinner like me there anyways." Soon, I realized I was not alone. Behind me I saw a man. He picked up my weight, which surprised me. How could an average man pick up such heavy sins? Then I knew, this man was not ordinary.

He took my sins, released me from my shackles, and came to speak with me. "Your sins are forgiven. Go, run, He's waiting for you." The significance of what he said hit me full force. I could now enter the gates. I could find the embrace of my Creator. I began walking again, and turned back to the man who had taken my burden from me. "Do you do this for everyone?" I asked. 
"I offer to do this for everyone," he replied with sad eyes. 
"You just offer? Does not everyone take this awesome opportunity to be freed and come running Home?" And so he launched into an explanation that blew my mind...

"Not everyone accepts the liberty I have to give. Some people don't realize their burden at all, and others don't believe that my Father or I exist. Some go from day to day believing life is nothing more than an accident." He took a deep breath. "Others believe that their good deeds will pull stronger than the sins that hold them back. But their good deeds are no where close to perfection. That's where I step in. By removing the burden, by taking away the sin, you're free now to see my Father in all His glory, and you too are made righteous through me."

I absently wiped at the tears running down my face. Not only were my sins forgiven, but I was now qualified to sit in the presence of the Most High God. Quietly, I asked the question pressing on my heart and mind. "Why?" A soft smile spread across his face. I thought he found the question funny, and decided to reword it. "Why would such a powerful God want a rebel, a sinner, a broken person, like me? Why would He go through so much trouble?"

"You're no longer a sinner, you're no longer a rebel. And baby girl, you're no longer broken. Love conquers all. And God's love is greater than any force in the universe. Because of His grace, given through me, your sins are gone. Because of that forgiveness, your rebellion has been erased. And because of my sacrifice, your brokeness is now whole. His love helped me overcome death. His love breaks the bondages that keep you from Him. His love heals the deepest wounds that so many believe they need to carry."

The thought overwhelmed me, so I walked in silence until we came to the outside of God's throne room. "Can I go in there?" 
"Boldly," he replied. The joy on his face gave me the reassurance I needed.

When I entered into His courts, my heart was saturated with thanksgiving, and my soul was lost in praise. Though I knew I had messed up, I also knew that the burden was now gone. I belonged here. When I neared God, I picked up my pace. "Beloved," was all I heard as I got closer. The distance between us was soon gone and I was at the feet of my Lord. Comforting thoughts, full of love and compassion, continued to float through my mind. He loved me. He really truly loved me. Then I saw His palms, and my heart skipped a beat.

Inscribed on the palms of His hands were the names of all His children, all His created, from the beginning to the end of time. I couldn't read them all, some were in foreign writings, but I knew in my heart that these were the names of every person that had come into existence. When I found my name, my heart swelled with joy.

"I never forgot you. I always loved you. I planned your days before you were in your mother's womb. You are Mine." The words came as a surprise to me. The old feeling of guilt and shame crept in, but God knew this and addressed it. "You are fully forgiven, righteous in My sight. Never put the shackles back on. I want you, here with Me, free from your guilt. That's what I've given to you. Don't let go."

And here I understood, here I knew, that inscribed on the palms of His hands were people He loved undeniably. People He longed for. People He sent His son for. People He designed, created, called, ordained. People He forgave.

People like you and me.

Inscribed in the palm of His hand,
Daddy's Girl

Isaiah 49:16
 "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
      Your walls are continually before Me."
 

Lost In The Night

Some seasons in my life feel like prolonged darkness...or nighttime. Pain filled, tear filled, lonely, angry, the list could go on. I feel like I get lost in the night, and I don't know where to go. Basically, I can't find a way out because I'm too stubborn to let the Light in.

When seasons like that come my way, I don't know what to do. Like I said in my March 1st post, I had a bad week last week. It was definitely a week of "nighttime". I stumbled upon a verse that I'm determined to write on my heart to keep me from such long, cold nights again. Psalms 30:5, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning."

Sure, nights may come. Darkness may engulf. But I'm not going to get lost in the night anymore. I don't want to refuse the Light to bring morning. Being lost in the night is a terrible place to be. So often we become comfortable with the night's darkness and pain and suffering that we fear if we let the sun rise again we won't know what to do. But I'd rather endure the night as quickly as possible and know that soon the night will be over.

My night is over, my sun will rise again, my tears will dry away, my heart will stop weeping. God's joy will be my strength, even in my sorrow. And like Psalm 30:11 states ("You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness"), I'll dance with the sunrise.

Again, I'm challenging you to believe God, even in your darkness. Because the Son has risen, therefore the night is over! Trust Him, it's worth it.

Rejoicing in the morning,
Daddy's Girl

No, We Don't Stone People. We Just Verbally Assassinate Them Now.

Like a square trying to fit where only a triangle belongs, Christians choosing to walk the God-walk aren't meant to fit in the world's mold. Sometimes, that's really frustrating. Especially when we have friends who fit in the world's mold, even though they've given their hearts to Christ.

Of course we're going to have the occasional desire to give in. And we're working on that. But the thing that can be found most difficult for any of us is when our own friends ask us to set aside our standards and just "let our hair down". Our hair is down, thank you very much. We have fun all the time, without compromising. People don't toss stones at us anymore. No, instead they verbally assasinate us.

We have boundaries to protect. We have God to please. We have morals to preserve. It's not that we don't like saying no. It's that we all hate feeling rejected. Which is silly, because we're the ones "rejecting" them to a certain degree. See how illogically we begin to think when fear rules? Ahhnn.

It's always smart to surround ourselves with Godly friends, but we're going to have friends who aren't. And that's fine.

I've learned after two years of walking out the rejection side of things, it isn't that bad. Jesus warned us that we'd be persecuted too. Most of my friends know my boundaries, and they know better than to try to push them. But we all still need to work on our self-esteem. We're supposed to be impossibiltes, so we don't want to give in to what the world so desperately wants to see us do.

So people can stare all they want. They can mock us, tell us we're not preachers so stop preaching, make fun of us, ignore us, spit in our faces, whatever. If God is for us, who can be against us? Persecution is normal. At least we know now that if we're being persecuted, we're not fitting in with the ones we'd rather not stink like.

So as I dared you to believe God, I'm daring you now to believe specifically that "even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death (dealing with persecution, temptation, and rejection), you will fear no evil. For God is with you, His rod and His staff, they comfort you." Seriously. I dare you. For the rest of March, decide to take a stand. I will too. Collectively as a group we'll become impossibilities that make people do a double take. Join me?

Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will NOT hurt me. I'm a child of the King, and persecution is fine by me.
Daddy's Girl

Is He In A Different Time Zone?

God timing. Ahh it's crazy sometimes. I've shaken my fist at God before, asking Him why He hasn't showed up yet. And every time I've done so, a miracle tends to come along that was at the most perfect timing. My time zone is obviously much different than His, seeing as He doesn't actually have a time zone, He just has a plan for everything. So when He shows up "late" on my terms, I've learned that He's not late, I'm just being impatient. His timing is the best timing. So I figure I'll give you an example.

I don't remember what day it was, but my mom, my brother, and I were driving home from some event or outing. As we came closer to home, we saw a tow truck backing up to our little green Miata. My mom mumbled something under her breath and kept driving. I was slightly in the dark, but I knew a storm was brewing and I was curious as to what was actually going on. After circling the block, we pulled into the driveway, and we found out what had happened. Unknown to me, we had a loan on our small green convertible.
A private loan.
A loan we never even made a payment on.
Our financial situation at the time was in a bad state. The loaner nor the loanee (my father) never made contact. Thus resulting in a mess. A mess that took a car from us. A mess that made me livid. Not with my father, not with the loaner, not even with Satan.
With God.

Most of us are familiar with anger towards God at some point in our lives. No, its not right. Yes, it is common. Again, though, it is not right. Upon realizing why exactly we were down to one car, (and that one car in and of itself was a miracle) I went to my bedroom. I slammed my door, which is extremely uncommon for me, and I cried. Not self-pity tears, not sorrowful tears. Angry tears. I wasn't sure exactly who I was mad at until my mom came in and asked me if I was ok. I told her I was mad. "At who?" she asked. The thought didn't even enter my mind until the words exited my mouth! "God." I replied. My family handled everything alright, they all kept on trusting in God, but I was mad. Yet again, I let flesh rule, and Satan had his way, unfortunately.

When I'm truly angry, I purse my lips. I'm not certain where I caught that habit, but I do. I looked like I had just eaten a lemon, my lips were so pursed. I didn't say much about it the rest of the night, until I coincidentally (No, I don't believe in coincidences, I believe everything is God-ordained) landed upon a verse. Actually, a story. About Lazareth and his sisters. And how one of the sisters said Jesus showed up too late.

In that moment, I understood two things. First, that I was angry because I thought God had shown up late. Second, I was being irrational because God never shows up late. Immediately after reading the verse, I told my mom. I'm sure she was relieved to hear that I was done giving God the cold shoulder. In that verse, even after Jesus was yelled at for not showing up on time, He prayed to God and gave Him the glory for it. Then, He raised Lazareth from the dead.

Three days after I shook my fist at God, we got some amazing news. A truck was being given to us. My daddy's always wanted a truck.
Maybe I'm bias, but that is a beautiful truck. It slightly embarasses me when I think of the events leading up to it, because I wasn't fair to God at all. He's amazing, and He's constantly working in the miracle business. My point in all of this is simple. God doesn't work on our watches. And He is never too late. True faith in God is believing that regardless of what circumstances are thrown at you, you know He is working on your behalf to make your circumstances line up with His promises for us. Because He's going to show up, He always will. Have faith in God. So as an impossible generation, I dare you to believe Him. Care to take the challenge?



Daddy's Girl

My Bitter Defeat, My Sweet Surrender, His Great Victory

I haven't posted a blog in a few weeks. While I have been busy, I probably could have easily typed something up last week. But if I had done that, delivered to you may have been some harsh words about life's unfairness and some anger towards the people around me. Last week, I met my bitter defeat.

I'm not a defeatist, I'm actually quite a stubborn girl, but somehow last week I let my flesh rule. It was a miserable experience for not only myself, but also the people around me. The ripple effect, as my mother would call it. I was a terrible big sister, tossing mean words at my brother. I was an unpleasant daughter, with emotions going all over the place. And I was the perfect example of how not to act as a Christian. Sure, we all have our off days, and that's exactly why I'm blogging about this, because I now know how to defeat the "defeat".

My sweet surrender came on Friday. I had my ups and downs all week (mostly downs, being that my flesh was ruling and I was an emotional wreck), but Friday I was doing all right. Friday afternoon I took a Francine Rivers' book that I'd been reading out to my backyard near the pond where I planned on reading it. I never opened the book. My "secret place" is definitely the backyard. Without a shadow of a doubt, that is where I run when I need my Saviour. Sitting in my chair, I looked at a fish flopping around in the water. It kept jumping out then diving back in. Like usual, my mind began to wonder. And then I was met with a beautful whisper. I know that sounds very fairytale like, but God is truly that "still, small voice." And when I calm down and stop rushing around with the world, I hear it just like you can. "Beloved." That's all I heard. "Beloved." I had been reading in Songs of Solomon a few days previous and my mom and I have also been reading a book talking about how we are God's beloved. But I never fully grasped that until Friday. I watched birds dance and fish jump and turtles swim and leaves blow and I knew that I had not been mistaken in hearing His voice. My mind shouted, "This is lunacy!!!" But my heart knew that it was time for me to surrender. And oh, what a sweet surrender.

My soul was fully alert at this small whisper. I wanted more. I was so hungry for more. When I walk in the flesh, my carnal desires feast on things of this world. Pride, anger, disrespect, bitterness, saracasm, the list could go on. But when I stepped out of my flesh, surrendered my selfish desires, and decided it was time to let God run the show again, the hunger for the things of Him shouted inside me. Gradually more whispers came, and verses with those. I was overwhelmed to the point of tears, but they were joyful tears. God once again was victorious in winning my heart back to Him.

The revelation I got as I sat there listening, talking, and crying was phenomenal. I'm sure it's one that's going to greatly change my life. I'm wanted, I'm cherished, I'm loved, I'm beautiful. I'm His beloved. There is a great difference between knowing something in your head, and knowing something in your heart. I now know in my heart that I belong to the wonderful Bridegroom.

I could dance, I could sing, I could shout, I could weep, but all I know to do right now is, "Be still and know I am God." Heart fully His again, I feel like a new person from who I was last week. The things He said, the understanding He gave me, the love I feel, it's absolutely wonderful.

So though I was bitterly defeated, I know that through my sweet surrender, I can defeat the "defeat", and God can come out victorious. Again.

Fully His, even when it seems impossible,
Daddy's Girl

Haiti

Yesterday was the one month anniversary of the terrible disaster that struck Haiti in mid January. The earthquake claimed the lives of over 200,000 people, and left roughly 1,000,000 homeless. Since then, missionaries, churches, humanitarian groups, and more of the like have flooded Haiti to help in disaster relief. What I find disheartening is the message that some of these religious organizations are delivering to these destitute people. I'll touch on that later on in this blog. First, some Haitian history...

Haiti was "governed" by the French for some time. They shipped in African slaves to labor for them. The slaves were forced into Catholicism, but they still believed in the spirits their ancestors raised them to worship. So, combining Catholicism with spirits, the slaves came up with Voodoo. Though the Haitians say their spirits are not evil, they do admit that they ask the spirits to do evil things. In the 1700s, a man in desperate attempt to liberate his fellow slaves sacrificed a boar in the wilderness. Some say he made a pact with the Devil. The slaves fought for their freedom, and soon enough they were indeed free. Many Haitians still practice Voodoo today, but the religion is one of much darkness. That brings me to what the religious people are telling the Haitians...

Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, Evangelical, and many many more people are preaching in the streets of "Haiti's judgment." They're telling the people that God's angry with them for what they've done, and if they refuse to repent, that they'll die. That hurts me.

Thousands of years ago, my Jesus Christ died on a cross for the sins of all of us. God poured out ALL His wrath on Jesus, so that now we serve a God full of love and kindness. In the old testament, God did things like wiping out entire cities or countries. But now, under the new law that's held together completely by His GRACE, He no longer destroys the people who turn from Him. Instead, He cries out, hoping somehow they'll be reached. Because He wants everyone in His family. "Where sin abounds, much more grace abounds." Sure, Haiti is full of darkness and demonic spirits and sin. But Christians should be taking this as an opportunity to help the Haitian people understand that they can find grace and redemption in Christ's arms!

I'm not saying everyone there is preaching this false message. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are sharing God's love with these hurt people. But what's hitting the news stands? Almost every article I read talks about God's wrath being poured out on Haiti, God's judgment has finally come for these Devil worshippers, God's not going to keep such sinful people on His planet, blah blah blah. We're ALL sinners! We ALL fall short of the glory of God!

The verse I'm standing on, the one that has me convinced that this disaster was not a work of God but totally Satan's doing, is this:
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

200,000 deaths sounds like killing to me. 1,000,000 people without a home sounds like destruction to me. The looters stealing from where ever they can sounds like stealing to me. So now's God's time to shine, to show His life that fulfills the deepest voids in the human spirit. Let His glory be shown in all of this.

Daddy's Girl

My Journey Begins....

Chapter one of my journey is coming to close, now that I understand to a certain degree what this journey is going to look like. Luckily for you, I'm not that far in. So I can share how it began and where I'm at now, without taking hours and hours of your time.

Yes, I was wishy washy. In late 2008/early 2009, I decided I wanted to live the "Pure Life". Not just in keeping myself for my future husband, but also in waiting for him. Kelly Copeland did a series on the Pure Life. Basically, its about not dating. At all. Until God brings your husband/wife into your life. Then you court them, and eventually get married. I thought that sounded great! At the time I wasn't dealing with the emotions of "crushing" on a boy. I had a lot of people standing behind me, encouraging me in my journey. But then came the wishy-washiness.

I saw girls around me dating, and they seemed happy and in love and everything was going for them. I wanted so badly to have something like that. So I figured dating wasn't that bad after all. How am I supposed to figure out what I like if I don't shop around, right? Wrong. I was wrong. And I totally admit that now. I talked to my parents, and to be perfectly honest, we all got caught up in the idea of "dating". Recently, I started praying. I've read many times before the story of Jacob and Rachel. Fourteen years he worked to get her! He WAITED. That's always backed me up in my "Pure Life" stance. I read that story again the other day, and told God, "You need to scream this in my face, because I'm slightly confused. I don't know which way to walk." I needed Him to guide me. Around the same time, my Mom was praying similarly. Thank you Jesus for a supportive mom...

Just the other day, God came with an answer. I don't think I can thank Him enough. My parents met some people who believe in the "Pure Life" idea, and they spoke into my parents' lives. Three success stories from their own children, two more on the way ;). That's amazing. Absolutely amazing.

So, I don't have everything figured out yet. My Chapter One is coming to a close, as I make the solid decision that this is what I want. And as the next chapters of my life unfold, I am overjoyed to see what God has in store for me. Sure, I don't have it all together. I have missed the mark. But haven't we all? I'm excited, slightly frightened, exhilarated, and so thankful. God's got something in store for me, and its going to be a beautiful masterpiece when it finishes. Thank you Chapter One for clarifying for me how much I must choose this. As the couple my parents met stated, "Dating is practicing divorce. You're with someone, then you don't like them, so you dump them." I have to admit...I have never seen anything in the Bible about dating... Courtship, possibly. But waiting for the one, then marrying them, because that was God-ordained relationship, I have seen at least once (with Jacob and Rachel in Genesis 29:18-28).

Here I go!
Daddy's Girl

Paralyzed

"She tried to run, but her feet wouldn't respond. She tried to scream, but her throat had closed. She tried to cry, but her emotions had frozen with everything else. She tried to close her eyes, but even her eyelids were affected by this fear induced paralysis."

Fear paralyzes. When I have nightmares, I always try to scream or run in my dreams, but I can never move. Sometimes at night, while I'm laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I'll hear a noise outside my window (which turns out to be a branch, nothing serious at all) and all my movement will stop because I'm totally afraid. When people speak on stage, they can occasionally get stage fright and lose everything they were going to say. Fear does that to people, it causes us to throw on the brakes and become unresponsive. Satan sure loves unresponsive, idle Christians.

It says right there in the Bible that God DOESN'T give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. Being a Christian, especially a Christian teen with our whole life in front of us, can be terrifying. With a future brighter than the sun, because of the choices we're making, God can use us in great and mighty ways. Satan can't stand that. So he uses his greatest (and oldest) weapon, fear, to stop us. To cause us to become unmoving.

When you look at the 'armour' God gave us, which we should be putting on every day, I've heard a few pastors say, "When you understand each piece of protection the Bible talks about, you'll notice that they only cover the front, because we are not supposed to run. Running exposes the unprotected flesh, and that's when you'll go down." That's so true. We're MORE THAN CONQUERORS, and we were not made to chicken out. When you've done all, the Bible says to STAND, not run in fear. Last night at a church service I went to, the preacher said, "When fear tells you to to turn and run, go forward instead. When fear says to not go through that door, kick the door down." Whatever fear tells us to do, do the opposite. Because God didn't give us that spirit, so why would we listen to it?

This generation is going to do great and mighty things for God. We're going to kick down more doors and go much further ahead if we don't let fear paralyze us. Courage is a huge part of that. Ronald Reagan put it best when he said,
"A hero may not be braver than anyone else. He's just braver five minutes
longer."
Sure, your knees may be knocking. But stand tall, keep standing, know that God's right there, and press on. I refuse to participate in stagnancy. I refuse to be dormant. I refuse to be paralyzed by fear. Because then I've given Satan the victory. We're the victors in the end, God called the end from the beginning, I know we win, so I'm choosing now to walk out that victory from day to day.


1 John 4:16-18, "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

Isaiah 5:4, "Say to those who are fearful-hearted, 'Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.'"

Fearless because of He who is in me,
Daddy's Girl

Back In The Daaaay

Haha I remember my first day of Kindergarten. I painted with my hands and I ate apple slices. It was so simple. I loved playing on the playground, and in the winter my favourite thing to do was use the sleds! Our teacher asked us to write about what we loved during the winter, and I seriously wrote "Playing on the sleds at school!" It feels like an eternity ago, because I moved from where I grew up, but I still love thinking about 'back in the day'.



I think my favourite memory is all the simplicity. I never worried about our bills or Mom and Dad's job, I never freaked out because we didn't have enough money to fill the refrigerator (though I did freak out when I didn't have my favourite FOOD haha.) Friendships were easy compared to how they can be now. I believed everything my parents said. I believed most of what my friends said...unfortunately... Let's just say, once upon a time, I was told that boogers were really bugs covered in snot... Yes I did believe that for about two years, until someone told me otherwise. But ANYWAYS!

Faith was meant to be simple. Jesus encouraged childlike faith. Forget about all the difficulties life presents to us, and choose to believe that God has it all under control. That's what makes being an impossibility so much easier.

Choosing to go back to when my faith was simple,
Daddy's Little Girl

Get Loud With It!

They say actions speak louder than words. Today, there are so many people claiming to be on-fire Christians! That's awesome, and if its true, then wonderful! But our actions speak louder than our words. When we say "Ya I'm totally a Christian, Jesus is my everything," then live just like everyone else, we're not standing out.

I wanna stand out, I wanna be the technicolor in a gray world! If my actions don't line up with my words, then how am I supposed to do that? Its time we get loud with it. Not just verbally. Its time our actions reflect our words. Its time people stop and stare because we're WAY different than everyone else.

Like a neon sign screaming "OPEN" or a black sheep in the midst of hundreds of white ones, we need to be different. Our actions need to scream "I AM SAVED." Only then, can we truly be impossibilities. Otherwise, we're no different than those taking the easy path.

Christianity has been given a bad name because of actions that contradict words. Its been scoffed at and looked down upon because some Christians are so fake they smell like plastic. We don't have it all together, and that's where grace comes in. But the miracle of grace is a heart change. And an attitude change. And an action change.

So let's get loud. Let's use our actions to scream from the mountain-tops that we are the impossible generation, and that with God, nothing is impossible.

Getting loud with my faith,
Daddy's Girl

The Unknown...

As teens, we're all looking at our futures now. Whether it be college-wise, or just looking in to moving out and getting a job. My future never scared me before. But now that I'm looking at it seriously, I honestly am getting a bit frightened. I know that fear isn't of God, and I know that I'm not supposed to worry about my tomorrows. The thing is, I'm not "worrying" about tomorrow, I'm trying to set out a crude plan of what its gonna look like, so that I can start aiming my education in that direction.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God knows the plans He has for us, and that they're good plans. That's really reassuring. But how do we put those plans of His in action? I don't know yet. And as I'm walking out my life as an impossibility, I'm still learning. So I'll keep the assurance that God has great plans for me, and I'll give my future to Him, fully reliant upon Him.

Here I go. I'm seriously getting ready to start this major journey. I'm gonna try not to fear the unknown, because it is known. By God. He's the best Author of my future. So here goes it. Future, here I come! Better get ready for this impossibility, because God has great plans for me that'll prosper me and not harm me, that'll give me hope in this trek!

Living it out,
Daddy's Girl