Down with the DV and Up with the JC

Psalm 18:47-48
47 He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48 who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.

My best friend worked on a crisis hotline for domestic violence. She also herself has an amazing testimony of great courage and enormous faith in which she "survived" a domestic violence situation. Her ability to overcome such a difficult time in her life and quit smoking and start working out just gives me Holy Spirit goosebumps thinking about it. A year ago this March I almost lost the life of my best friend to domestic violence. I thank God for rescuing her from a violent man. I look forward to standing by her side as she continues to see God avenge her and exalt her above enemy.

If you or someone you love is dealing with a domestic violence situation let's pray and get the help that is needed. This doesn't have to be a road traveled alone because God is a great God who comforts and delivers. All things are possible through Him.

Colossians 3:19 AMP
19Husbands, love your wives [be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter or resentful toward them.

Burdened With Bricks?

Psalm 18:45-46
45 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
46 The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

Lately I have been feeling very heavy. The heaviness is keeping me from being used by God to my fullest. I've even said several times to several people that I feel like my spark is just not bright enough lately. Today I had much needed alone time with God and I gave God my heaviness, or so I thought. I basically said this... "God I feel like I have a load of bricks on me... I can't get out of bed and I am bruised". Now I realize the bricks for what they are, strongholds. I went on Google and looked up just what types of strongholds there are. I came across this chart:

I came across this chart: http://www.toddtyszka.com/strongholds.html

Heaviness, insecurity, control, jealously, rejection and fear are my strongholds in a nutshell. Why am I telling you this? The bible says to confess our sins one to another... I'm also letting you know I'm human. It is good for people in a ministry to recognize that their minister is not perfect.

Soooooooo what? So what am I going to do now that I recognize these strongholds in my life? Well for one I am denouncing them and giving them to God. I am going to be very careful not to let them sneak into my lifestyle. I am also going to get stronger in overcoming them. It's a process that will take time and serious dedication. I will have to read the word of God about specific strong holds and what the bible has to say about them. Look to the saints... we look at them who have gone through trials and storms in the bible there stories help us.

You can read about my relationship with the woman at the well in my first few blogs here. She knew what strongholds were and she helped me to recognize mine :) so I could have the same freedom.

It's a process and I am open to anyone about it. God doesn't want us to be shameful about our sin or our strongholds. God wants us to use them to help minister to others. God wants us to fight through them for His glory. As long as you're fighting you have nothing to feel shame about! Keep fighting and I will fight with you! :) If you ever need to talk I'm here. Let's lift each other up together and get past these strongholds.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),
17So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Innocent Until Proven

Psalm 18:43-44
3 You gave me victory over my accusers.
You appointed me ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they submit;
foreign nations cringe before me.

I'm sure everyone has at one time been accused of something awful. When we are accused what is the first thing we do? We get offended don't we? I remember one time I was in a relationship with someone a long while ago and a bunch of people accused me of being impure. I was outraged at the people because I strongly believe in purity. However, I didn't stay outraged for long because God gave me peace knowing I was blameless before Him. I soon watched as those people left leadership positions in the church and went on to strengthen their relationship with God. It is so easy sometimes for people to accuse and point fingers. I am still learning that people themselves have personal problems and no one is perfect. I am learning not to take it personally when someone falsely accuses me of something or makes prejudgments.

The important thing is to keep realizing that you are a new creation created in Christ Jesus for good works. Even if you have had a "past" it shouldn't matter because in God's sight you have been made pure. Your heart your mind your body and your soul all should be dedicated to the glory of God. As long as you do this there will be no need for conviction. It is not our job to judge or put down someone especially someone who is our brother or sister in Christ. I see this a lot in churches where people think they are better than other people so they start body slamming in the body of Christ. I do not like to see this. I especially do not like to see it around people I love and care about. We have a saying at my church that if you get offended by someone for whatever reason you go to that person first. If that doesn't work take someone in leadership with you to that person. Keep trying to break that offensive spirit off of you because it doesn't belong in the kingdom of God and will not enter in.

We are called to put off strongholds. There are many strongholds that people need to let go of and one is feeling "accused". I have been through an issue lately where I felt the need to make everyone happy. I felt like people were accusing me of not being good enough. However, they were not. I was "feeling accused" and I was letting that false sense keep me from developing strong relationships with the people who I felt were accusing me. I realized it was time to let go and let God. So now I just pray more. Prayer helps, keep praying for people who persecute you whether they are in the world or they are in your own church family. They need it!

Proverbs 20:8-11

8 When a king sits in judgment, he weighs all the evidence,
distinguishing the bad from the good.

9 Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart;
I am pure and free from sin”?

10 False weights and unequal measures[a]—
the Lord detests double standards of every kind.

11 Even children are known by the way they act,
whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.

Don't Bite the Dust

Psalm 18:41-42
41 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
I trampled them[a] like mud in the streets.

Sometimes it's hard to realize we serve God. God does not serve us. God fills our requests within His will because He loves us. It's so easy to hear people in the world praying to God as if He owed them something. He already gave all His love and His Son to die on the cross for our sins and even that wasn't good enough for them. I can see where the enemy puts blindfolds over the eyes of those who chose to walk in the world. It's just sad to see these people down in the dirt.

God does not want us to be amongst the dirt and dust. He sent His Son so that beauty would form from ashes. He breathed His breath of life into the dust to create life. We do not have to live in that dust. We need to rise up away from the enemy and show Satan we will no longer live in the dirt and filth we have been living in. Time to exhume ourselves.

Our flesh is nothing but dust. When we shed our flesh or dead skin it goes back to being dust. When our spirits are not present in our bodies our bodies become dust. However, we are not to live by our flesh. We are to live by our spirits. Keep alive keep breathing and keep glorifying the one who is the Giver of Life.

Galatians 5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Enemy Lines: Where do You Stand?

Psalms 18:39-40
39 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
40 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

I was recently discussing about how difficult it really is being a Christian in a secular college. How many times I have openly stood up for my faith when Christianity (mainly the bible) was under attack. People don't want you to stick up for the word of God because the word of God is powerful anyone will do anything to push it off or make a big deal to ban it from their presence. People will avoid the truth at all costs even if it means removing friendship. Well, I have experienced that in the past. My dad said that sometimes people don't want to be around people who have Christ seated on their heart because Christ sits in a body that is decomposing flesh.

When we become born again Christians we die to our flesh. People don't want to be around us who are still living in the flesh because that flesh smell is convicting to them. We don't even have to necessarily tell them about our decision to follow Christ they will pick up on it. However, to some the smell of our dead flesh is pleasing. Our lives as a sacrifice to God is pleasing to Him. Others around us who are totally alive in Christ can also rejoice with us realizing we are now alive in Christ as His body as well.

Being a Christian is a sure way to win some and lose some. It is not easy losing my best friend since first grade. I still pray for her. I don't understand sometimes why people are so turned off from Christians who are totally on fire. It isn't something I would chose to stop either. I would never change myself for the whole world to accept me. I just need to press on serving Him and remember He is the one I owe my life and everything in it to. He is the one I chose to serve for eternity. If people have a problem with me I suppose that's a good thing if I am certain that I am serving Christ and I am not going against the word of God in any way.

However, we need to realize which side we are fighting on. We can't have one foot in the world and one foot in Christ. We are either all in or all out. God knows when we are truly dedicated to serving Him. He sees our hearts and our motives. So we need to be for Him not against Him because I don't know about you but ... I do not want to be on the side God fighting against.

Mark 8:36
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

Fight Like a Girl for God!

Psalm 18:37-38
37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38 I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

Have you ever watched an action packed movie during a fighting scene when the hero is battling the enemy in fast motion and it goes by so fast that it's almost as if they did it instinctively without thinking? Well, God wants us to be so well prepared for the enemies attacks to come at any time that we will just be called to immediate action to defeat the enemy. Really, we don't have much work because Jesus has already defeated the enemy eternally we just have to fight off the enemy on earth.

Our actions should be premeditated we should know our enemy and the way the enemy works. A good soldier goes into battle knowing their enemy and knowing what tactics to initiate against them in order to achieve victory. The problem is that the enemy is also familiar with us also. Satan will use what he knows about us to attack us. That is why we struggle against our flesh. Satan can't touch the Christ on the throne but he can mess with the flesh. We need to learn what weapons and ammunition we have to fight with. Prayer is a powerful ammunition, I say it's an ammunition because when the heavenly hosts fight against the demons our prayers give them strength. Therefore we must know how to pray effectively. When we pray we should use as much scripture as possible we also should not hesitate to pray in tongues if you have the gift of tongues. Just exclaiming the word of God over your life and your enemy is a powerful weapon. The word is a sword and is able to pierce through even bone! That's pretty sharp!

So keep well armed and prepared for battle, called to action, and well equipped. You will not hesitate in which direction to move nor will you hesitate on things behind you. Remember the victory is ours!

Romans 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

If the Shoe Fits...

Psalm 18:35-36

35 You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

When I read this scripture I thought of my clumsy self and how difficult it is for me sometimes to maintain my balance. I have sprained both my ankles in the past from losing my footing on things. I do agree that if the surface is less narrow I tend to be more balanced. However this is also the girl who just cuts people off in the grocery store with the shopping cart because I don't see them. It's a good thing God's hand is sustaining me because if not I would probably always fall down. I think it is the same for us spiritually. We need God's hand in our lives to direct our path to keep our feet from falling out from His foundation.

Another thing we need to remember is we need to wear the right shoes. I was talking to someone about a time that I went hiking up a steep mountain wearing sneakers. The hike up was not the problem it was more that my feet didn't grip on the loose soil on the way down and I almost slipped right to my death. The bible talks about having our feet shod. We need to have the right shoes for the right activity. If God says go out into the fields and harvest some souls we should have those harvesting shoes on we should know our word we should be prepared for this to happen.

There are shoes for every occasion typically if you are wearing a dress you don't wear hiking boots. If you are wearing a business suit you wouldn't wear slippers. If I am going to battle I need to have my army boots ready. I have to make sure I am prepared in all situations and it is the same spiritually. Our feet need to be planted on the right path so our ankles don't give way. We need to keep from stumbling we need to keep our feet grounded firmly as well as our heart spiritually grounded firmly in the word of God. We need to meditate on the word of God day and night so we wont unknowingly fall into temptation.

Also if we have laces... things that hang off our shoes make sure they are secure so people don't step on them and trip you. There is nothing worse then when someone is walking behind you and steps on your shoelaces you lunge forward. God gives you your spiritual shoes for a reason and we must take care of them. Keep them close to us and be prepared to have to stop every so often to make sure they are secure and use them. Have you ever walked through a puddle with your shoe laces undone? They get all soggy and muddy and when you go to tie them it's like ewww gross. Well, it's the same spiritually. We walk into sinful situations and if we aren't secure in our walk with Christ we are gonna pick up something that will make us feel dirty. Keep remembering to tie your shoes.

So let's take it one step at a time on the right path with the right shoes.

Ephesians 6:15
For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

Training Time!

Psalm 18:33-34
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

Today my Christian colleague was telling me how she spent her weekend working out. She wasn't trying to loose weight she was trying to build strength. She had worked out so much that her body was hurting because it was still healing to get stronger.

We need to remember also that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we should do anything we can to train ourselves to be stronger in the Holy Spirit. God helps us prepare for battle but ultimately it is up to us to go through that training process. Sometimes it may be hard to force feed that word of God into our systems and meditate on it. Sometimes it may be hard to remember to pray continuously. However, through perseverance we will become stronger and we will be able to be prepared for battle. We will be able to feel like our feet as light as a deers and be joyful and at peace.

When we train ourselves using God's word He will guide our hands to help us point our arrows in the right direction. Sometimes it's easy to rush into battle especially with our tongues but the wisdom we receive from the word of God helps us to chose which battles to fight. If we fight every battle that comes our way we will have many enemies and little energy. Sometimes the best way to fight is with kindness and that's what the word of God teaches also.

Being a professional is not easy. Throughout my work day I have many occurrences that will try my patience and test my attitude. Sometimes I slip and let my attitude get control of my tongue. Today when I was complaining about something one of my coworkers suggested I approach the situation in love and change my attitude so that the other person involved would have their attitude shift as well. I couldn't believe that I didn't think of that after reading scriptures about how much it's better to give than receive and to bless people who persecute us. It also tells us in the bible that wise people accept criticism with a good attitude. The bible has a lot of useful scriptures that help equip us for battle and if I let God guide my arrows I will not shoot off fire balls when it isn't necessary.

So today let's pray together for God's wisdom and guidance so that we will be well equipped for the trials and tribulations we will face ahead.

Proverbs 9:8-9
8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Be Mine Valentine

Psalm 18:31-32
31 For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.

I was talking with my best friend as we were listening to the song Enough by Barlowgirl and she asked me if I could really say that God was more than enough for me. I had to think this one seriously over. I do not doubt that I have been so miserable when I've seen other couples around me and I was alone. I wanted God to be more than enough for me... but I always wanted to have someone else who I could share my love for Him with. My friend asked me if we are suppose to just be happy being alone with God and I told her that I don't think God expects it of us. Adam had Eve because God said it is not good for man to be alone. Jesus had the 12 disciples. I don't think God ever wants us to be completely alone with Him "all the time" but at the same time I believe we need to be able to have that "alone time" with God.

When I was in church today they sang a song about being secure in the arms of God and now I'm reading this scripture. I think immediately of the emotional abuse that I have experienced in the past and how every time I was hurt I always could cling to Him. God was my comforter and I "always" felt protected in His arms. I never felt condemned and I never felt like I couldn't just pour out my heart to Him. That is the one love we can not live without. We "need" God to be more than enough for every hurt and every need. We need Him to be our rock and our strong fortress.

So often I hear others say that Christians use Christ for a crutch and I even wrote a blog on that before. I am not ashamed to say that I lean wholeheartedly on Christ. I am not ashamed to say that He dries my tears and binds my wounds. He is my one true companion and always will be. He loves me without any conditions. I NEED HIM!

I am sure that being in a relationship is a good thing for anyone but honestly if God isn't your first love then ... it's not a healthy thing. Any relationship where you both don't respect and love God with "all" your heart first is bound for huge storms that you will barely get through. When you have God the storms are easier to survive because you have that rock to cling to. You need that faith that things will eventually come into a calming. So my advice to my best friend is; it is not easy being alone with God but you should rather be alone with God than alone with a man without God.

This Valentine's day my best friend has purposely announced that God is her Valentine. I hope that is true for all of us. Keep remembering that He is our first love the one who gave it all.

John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Advancing Against the Enemy

Psalm 18:29-30
29 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
The LORD’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.

When I was in high school I always avoided anything that had to do with conflict or having to fight against something. For the most part I kept my mouth shut even when people treated me horrible. However, there was a point where I just couldn't take it anymore and when this girl was mocking me in food service class I lost my temper and acted told her off. I can not believe the girl actually told the teacher also. I am so glad my teacher basically told her that I am a sweet girl and I would never do anything like that. There are just some battles we should not enter into ... some are not worth the stress. While sometimes we can not just stand their and be bombed by our enemies. However, we do need to use wisdom we can't just rush into things with anger. When I called one of the girls who was harassing me a swear word it did not make me look good. It did not make anyone like me more if anything it took away from my dignity and righteousness. We need to be slow to speak and quick to listen to God.

God is preparing us for battle and if we act to soon we may just get into a difficult situation. However if we remember that God will protect us no matter what as long as we are humble and obedient than we should see God's best and rejoice in it's victory. Our greatest weapon is spiritual strength and the only way we will get spiritually strong is by reading the word of God (our sword). A weapon in anyone's hand though is not good unless they know how to use it with wisdom.

James 1:18
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Stay Bright!

Psalm 18:27-28

27 You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

Darkness normally refers to sin, depression, and evil things. People usually fear the dark. However, God wants us Christians to have "no" darkness. He instead wants to turn the darkness in our life to light. Not only does He want to take away that heavy guilt that weighs us down and makes us depressed but He wants to turn our darkness into light. He wants to take our sorrow and turn it to joy. He wants to take our despair and turn it to hope. God wants to shine so much in us that His light overtakes us so His goodness can shine through radiantly and no longer will there be a need for darkness. Just remember that even when others are dim around you don't get burnt out! Keep shining! Keep your lamp light and well fueled there is a LOT of darkness out there! Keep spreading the light!

John 8:12
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Chameleon Conformity

Psalm 18:25-26 AMP

25With the kind and merciful You will show Yourself kind and merciful, with an upright man You will show Yourself upright, 26 With the pure You will show Yourself pure, and with the perverse You will show Yourself contrary.

Have you ever known a chameleon? Chameleons are the people who always change with the situation they are facing. Sometimes people act like the people they hang out with or do things they wouldn't normally do just to fit into a specific crowd.

When I lived on campus I began acting like the people I was hanging out with. I got pretty wild back then. Thank God He redirected me a few semesters after I started. I didn't quite ever feel like I fit in after that and I no longer felt the desire to live in that kind of environment. It was bad enough I had to attend classes several times a week with people who were almost exactly the opposite of me spiritually. There was nothing in me that wanted to be like those people because everything in me wanted to be like Christ. It wanted to be more like Christ so much that foolishly I would skip classes... to attend Campus Crusade for Christ events because I thought by being around people who love Christ I would start acting like Christ. However, there was more to it than that.


In order to be like Christ I needed to get to know Christ a lot more. I needed to know how He would react if He was faced with situations I have been faced with. I wanted to know how He reacted to certain things. In order to get to really know someone well enough to be intimate with them it's a really good idea to study them and get to know them more. That is what I discovered I needed to do about Christ. I took all the worldly teachings, conformist, and ways and put them to the side. Instead I started looking at my identity through Christ. Now looking at a billboard with certain worldly things on it makes me disgusted... I no longer laugh and make jokes about it. Now I take my spiritual walk seriously.

How about you? What do you act like when you are in the crowd? What identity do you have? Do you get disgusted with what disgusts Christ?

Romans 12:2
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

The Goody- Goody Godly Girl

Psalm 18:22-23
23 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

Growing up godly wasn't easy. People always looked at me like I was suppose to have all the answers and have it all together because I was "Christian". People forget that Christians are human sometimes and make mistakes. We struggle with flesh we just make choices and hopefully those choices are influenced by the word of God. I knew my word and still I made some choices that were not Christ-like... it happens. That's why God forgave me and still people look at me like I'm the goody-goody girl who never gets herself into trouble.

Wow if I could only list all the trouble I have managed to get myself "out of" over the years. I still thank God because my life should have not been so sunshine, rainbows, and butterflies, as it is today because of some of the "unwise" choices I've made. However God helped me through it with His unfailing love and unending mercy. I would not be writing this blog today if I was not eternally grateful for His loving mercy and grace.

Being a goody-goody girl was fun to an extent ... I got away with a lot because my teachers didn't think I was the type to misbehave. When children tattled on me when I was younger I played innocent and yes I eventually paid for it but not then. It wasn't until I was older and I really started becoming a goody-goody godly girl... when children started harassing me and teasing me and making fun of me. I didn't want anything to do with worldly things and I always thought it was sad how "sexual" teenagers had become. I was mocked because I wasn't like them I was even spit at and boys even stripped in front of me in middle school because I refused to give into the ideal "sexually immoral" junk they fantasized about. Thankfully God delivered me from those situations and put me into another middle school where I was surrounded by a wood shop teacher who was a born again Christian and brought his bible to school. From then on God placed Christians in my life so that I would have a support system. I would no longer be the only "goody-goody" around.

But I eventually learned that even when I am the only goody-goody it is okay because it's only God's opinion that matters. I have to remember to delight fully in Him. I am sure there are people who still look at me like a goody-goody but I don't I'm just human... I'm flesh ... and by God's grace I'm saved and set free... so that I can "try" to be Christ-like and godly. I can try to seek after righteousness.

So here it is for all the goody-goody godly girls out there... keep on keeping on and keep it real! God sees your heart and blessed are the persecuted. You may feel like you have no friends... but God will bless you for it someday. Keep strong and rock what you've got!

Galatians 6:9
So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.

Growing out of Guilt

Psalm 18:21-22
For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

Guilt is something that can really destroy you from the inside out. However, confidence can be found in Christ. I am no longer having so many guilt complexes about my past because I am realizing I am a new creation created in Christ Jesus and He is setting me on the right path. Life feels great on the right path. Although life obviously still has trials and tribulations to overcome ... the peace of being on the path of Christ is comforting and fills me with joy.

I am not going to lie, I am human I experience temptation... and wow, how do I? :) I used to deal with soooo much guilt every time I'd slide into it. I knew that wasn't who Christ wanted me to be. I quickly rebuked the temptation and repented for any ways I slipped... and you know something? NOW I am getting stronger! Now I am able to face temptation straight in the eye and say good bye old sinful past I'm done with you and you no longer hold me captive. I am able to hold my head high... why? I overcame temptation and I stuck with the path of righteousness. Feels really great!

I have some girlfriends who always talk about their past and things they've done and how it's negatively affected who they are today. I will tell you what I told them! You are no longer that person... sometimes we need to learn things or go through things to make us into the person we are now. That's not a bad thing the important thing is you learned! Now it's time to grow with that new understanding and soar with wings spread out. So say goodbye guilt and enjoy the path of godliness!

Psalm 51:10-12
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Dancing Above the Danger

Psalm 18:19-20
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed in a crowd? Sometimes when I am around a lot of people I need to get pulled out and just breathe. In the midst of a big church full of thousands of people one day I stood worshiping God. Suddenly the people around me disappeared and I was floating on the ceiling dancing with the Holy Spirit waltzing around this big open church. I didn't even think of the thousands below me all I could sense was the presence of a loving God dancing while He swept me off my feet. Then I opened my eyes and wham I was back standing in front of a pew.

When I am in a crowd it's so easy for me to get caught up in worldly thoughts. I start measuring myself according to the world's standards. However, when I remember that I am in the presence of the Holy Spirit my thoughts fade and His thoughts enter. I am no longer downing myself saying I'm not good enough and that no guy will ever love me. I am able to see myself the way He sees me as His! I am loved I am cherished and I'm standing before Him in beautiful white clothes and my face is just shinning with purity and a passion for Him. Suddenly nothing else matters.

So why must I always open my eyes to see what the world has... why can't I live forever in the spiritual realm? Well, a very sweet elder from the church told me once that I see the world and all it's ugliness not to compare it to myself but to pray about it. Well, someone needs to right? I sometimes see things people can't and sometimes instead of praying I snap straight into making a judgment. When I'm around God I can see clearly but when I'm back in my flesh sometimes things are not so clear. That's why it's important for me to watch out where I step... after all it's a world full of landmines. A pastor once said that Psalm 23 does say we are going to walk through the "valley of the shadow of death" but we don't have to fear evil. Just trust God to lead you through the minefield! Put on your godly vision and just stay in His presence. He will lift you up above the danger.

Psalm 15:18-19
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.