Radically.

Today is the last day is 2011 and I'm overwhelmed with a whirlwind of emotions, memories, thoughts, and more. 2011 has been a trying year yet overwhelming with power from the Lord. It's been a year of dependence. A year of good. A year of breakthrough. A year of growth. I am eternally thankful to have a Father who is omnipresent in my life. A Father who covers me in grace and finds me flawless in His perfect eyes. A Father who loves me in a way no one could ever. A Father who pours out grace and mercy. 2011 was a year of new birthing on the inside of me. I learned that I can fully depend on Him for anything and He will see me through everything.

I pray in a year I look back on 2012 and one would comes to mind, radical. I want to be radical this year. Radically chase after God. Radically seek Him and intimately desire His will for my life. I want to be radically obedient. Radically generous with love, grace, forgiveness, finances, time. I want to radically love the Lord. Radically read His word every day. I pray I radically live out His purposes on my life and radically fulfill His callings. I pray I radically yearn to be quiet and listen to His whispers. I want to radically transform my life to be full of praise and thanksgiving. I radically want to care for the lost, the broken, the orphans, the widows. I radically want to worship Him. Radically lay down my cares at His throne. Radically pray. Radically worship. Radically selfless. Radically open handed. Radically seek His will above my own. Radically get rid of selfishness and pride. Radically serve. Radically give. Radically adore my Creator. Radically seek a humble heart. Radically forgive others and seek forgiveness. Radically share my faith. Radical. I want to be radical.

I love my Father and I pray 2012 I show that love with my actions.

Fruit Bearing Obedience

The Lord has consistently been whispering to me "where would you be if Mary wasn't obedient"?

In Luke Chp 1 when the coming of Jesus was fore told to Mary by way of Angel she responded "I am the Lord's servant," "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38 NIV).

There is so much power in obedience. Look at Mary. I pray when the Lord reveals callings to me that I would respond just as His servant Mary did. If obedience bears fruit, then Jesus is the best dang fruit there is. Ahyah.

teach.

I.Refuse.To.Breathe.The.Breath.Of.The.Failure.

Change

She said "you know what I love most about Lindsey? I've never met someone who desired so deeply to be radically changed by God in every aspect of her life."

Words produced by actions. That's what I want my life to be. As beautiful as those words are and as much as they humble me, they encourage me that my prayers are not in vain. Prayer changes you. Prayer changes your heart. I do desire to be radically changed by God. I pray my heart mimics His and my actions show the same. I'm not there yet but with each new day that comes, I witness a new joy and revelation of God in me. He must become greater and I must become less if I truly desire the change I pray for.

{Psalm Fifty:One}

Truth

Jesus wins.

learning control

Something so seemingly natural to me is becoming my greatest struggle. Control. I like to control my schedule, my time, how things are done, even the way clothes are folded. Yes, I'm that girl. Recently I've learned controlling those things are far less important than controlling my attitude, my mouth, my feelings, and my moods. God once gave me a word "if you want to control something, control your mouth". Thinking on that it is the foundation of the other things I need to work on controlling, my attitude, my feelings, my moods. Yesterday at The Promise Land Church in Detroit the Pastor was teaching on something so simple yet so complex "be quiet". He illustrated how your tongue was constructed behind gates (your teeth) and how powerful those gates can be when you open them.

In working through restoration of myself I want to continue learning control, positive control. Keeping my mouth shut, losing the attitude, and dropping the roller coaster mood swings. I want my words and my actions to reflect the Godliness I know I was intended for.

"if we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control" - MLK

Clay in a bottle.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV)

He made HIS light shine in our hearts. We can see Gods glory because of Christ. Apart from Him we are dark. Praise God for His light that was freely given to us.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV)

All surpassing power. We have treasure from God. Light in our hearts the knowledge of the glory of Him, that's what He's given us.

So if you can imagine a jar full of clay and in the center is the knowledge and glory of God. It's like a present. A free gift. So what do we do with it? We either leave the clay in the jar or we take it. Empty it. Empty yourself. Work with the clay. At first when you start working with clay it's hard but the more you work it the softer it becomes and when you get to the center you find His treasure.

How often do we empty the jar and work the clay? He is light in dark hearts. He molds and softens our hearts the more we work with the clay, the more we work with Him.

Every day is an opportunity to love Him more. To work the clay a bit more. To put our hands on the heart of others and let Jesus work through our fingers and warm the clay of others.

Take the clay out of its bottle.

legacy

today a sister in the Lord and I were sharing with each other and the word 'legacy' was brought up. I pondered this and thought two questions. What would others say about me when I am reunited with my Savior and the second is what impression would I want to leave others with. 
I want to leave a footprint on this earth that leaves those who knew me a solid confidence that I loved the Lord. I want to live a cross shaped life that exemplifies Jesus Christ. I want to be a slave to the poor. Extreme poverty is my heart and if I could serve anyone on this earth I pray it would be the least of 'these'. 

beyond yourself.

Who am I giving life to right now? Who is it I can believe in? Even if it is exhausting and painful, who can I give life to? I think we are constantly given opportunities to give life. We see the grim situation, or a situation where someone needs hope, and we make a choice. Giving life isn't always easy. People are messy. People hurt us, reject us and do things that make us want to run away as fast as we can. But think of those that have given us life. What would have happened if they would have said no to us? Where would we be if it weren't for the people that decided to see through our messiness and believe in us? I am finding that as I give life to others, life is given to me. Isn't that what giving does? While we don't do it to get back, it just happens that way.