trusting completely...

I've been jotting down for months various different truths that the Holy Spirit brings to my mind about the makings of a warrior. Here is an excerpt from a chapter I am currently working on for my book in regards to truly trusting God…


Once we believe we are righteous before God because of the blood of Jesus Christ, we will begin to behave righteously as a by-product. Apart from Christ no number of right actions will ever make us "right" with God.

God ever so precisely orders our footsteps. Despite our mistakes or our poor choices we are welcome at any point to return to the path He has laid before us. You see the road is narrow and wide is the gate that leads to destruction. Because of the narrowness of this road the journey gets bumpy and tight. To move forward on this pathway it is necessary to lighten our load. Meaning anything that would cause you to look back must be left behind so that you can continue. It will require laying down old habits & any ways that are not beneficial to your journey(Anger, control, gossip, bitterness, rage, doubt, unbelief). On this path it will require new thinking, a renewed mind, you will find it vital to be fueled directly by the scriptures which will quickly become your map.  You will be required to lean not on your own understanding but solely on God Himself. You will no longer look with your physical eyes but with eyes that see supernaturally. You discover this path is an adventure that not only challenges you but satisfies you in every way you ever thought possible. "You make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy at your right hand pleasures for evermore." This satisfaction in Christ alone frees you up to love others without condition & helps you see from God's perspective instead of your own. Your journey was predestined before time began. God knew exactly when you would surrender and heed the call on your life to follow Him. He delights that you have chosen what is good in following Him. Don't hesitate to proceed on this pathway. So much greatness will come through the struggles. Greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world. You my friend were created to not lay down without a fight. If you have chosen to read these words in this book then I believe they are for you. True freedom is here . Freedom to be all you have been created to be…a warrior

pure enjoyment...

This is the place I've longed for. The ability to live my life one day at a time & fully embrace it. To enjoy my husband's company & the many facets that come with being a hands on mom. To not feel like I was laboring in vein when washing dishes, sweeping, or cooking but finding delight in being a woman who takes care of her husband, children, and home just like it speaks of in Proverbs 31:13 "and works with her hands in delight(willingly)." I don't guess I realized that the very habits that kept me idle & docile also robbed me of being rewarded with a quiet, gentle spirit. It wasn't that God was holding back but that I was standing in His way. His path for me is God-led not Katie led. As hard as we may try our way is built & thought up by our own human minds. The bible is clear that God's ways are higher than ours yet we still think we know best. It's quite obvious to me now that I don't. Not without staying close to His side. I have been a Christian since a small child & a fully committed to seeking Him since 2008 yet 2013 has finally been the year of complete surrender to everything. The year I found what "rest" meant.  I've battled my mind for much of my life. Never enjoying the now because I was always contemplating the future or wishing something was different instead of letting it be the way it was & simply praying with faith that God would change what needed changing. I'm finally enjoying letting life flow & following God where He leads. I'm enjoying cherishing my life as simple & boring at times as it may seem...I reflect back on this day & smile because I felt the tangible experience of being found excellent in God's eyes & worth more than jewels and He did it through my husband & sons...

An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She looks for wool and flax
And works with her ^[a]hands ^[b]in delight.

Proverbs 31:10-13

obedience requires surrender...

Who knew that finally obeying that sweet little whisper to step away from my biggest distraction (facebook) would be so monumental to my level of peace. Who knew what faith & trust would begin to be built in the first few days after making the commitment to obey what He asks of me. I've put this off for months now.What I have immediately begun to notice & experience is His overwhelming peace. The thought comes "Why in the world did you wait so long?" This is exactly what I needed but didn't see. A time of resting, healing, and strengthening. The time to experience His peace that surpasses all understanding. Phil. 4:7 in the NASB uses the word comprehension in place of understanding. I believe that accurately sums up how I would explain what is occurring. A plethora of old hurts have started to  surface and faithfully He is healing each one. I'm certain there will be much more to come. Boy, distractions really divert us from seeing what lay beneath the surface of our hearts. What I'm understanding is that trusting God is outside of my human understanding. Alone I am unable to fully trust Him but when I obey in faith and do things outside of my comfort zone He is quick & faithful to reward that obedience with His peace. A peace so immeasurable that I can't even comprehend it's depths nor its abundant supply to me when I trust God completely. What stepping away from something I enjoyed yet spent entirely too much time occupied with has discovered is opened eyes & heart to hear Him speak. It's allowed my mind & heart to rest in Him and not be entangled in the affairs of others. In resting & quieting my spirit I'm finding strength. Strength in knowing that God is my All & All, my best friend, the lover of my soul. How had I not experienced this before you may ask. I did to a certain degree but then I felt a holding pattern begin to form. I had reached a plateau in my encounter with God because my failure to love something by spending more time occupied with it, than my Creator proved it. No matter what excuse I may have offered, my heart revealed the truth with my actions & my time commitment to something other than Him. It's not the same for all of us but we all have something that may be standing in the way of a deeper relationship with God. For me it was time to quit pretending that I hadn't heard Him ask me to step away. It was time to kill what had demanded my attention for far too long. It was time to remove any & all distractions in the way of what God had waiting for me. TRUST is key. I know by August I will have so much more to glean back on. We serve a faithful God who loves His children. So much so that He won't compete with anything or anyone. I just encourage you to ask of yourself...Is there anything & I mean anything holding you back? What needs to be put in it's proper place so that you can SOAR to new heights in Christ???

This scripture especially jumped out at me tonight & I felt so loved by my Daddy God. That's what I've notice too in these last few days...His tangible expression of love towards me through the scriptures...I stand amazed because tonight & in the days to come I'm entrusting my soul to a FAITHFUL Creator by doing what He has asked of me.

 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.~1 Peter 4:19