His treasure in earthen vessels...

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

I believed and therefore I spoke...(2 Corinthians 4:13)

I believed so much in who you were to be that I spent time fashioning you with My heart & My hands. Like clay on a potter's wheel did I delicately spin you into existence and called you beautiful. With each purposeful spin did we ebb and flow. You easily molded into My hands trusting Me as you came to be. I knew you. I KNOW you better than you will ever know yourself no matter how long you search. You belonged to me before the world told you differently & I crafted you to bring Me glory. I created your strengths to be interweaved into your weaknesses so that at all times you would need Me. I never intended you to live without Me by your side. I purposed that we would always be as one. I love you so unconditionally that in your sin My love overwhelms you. You aren't unworthy. You are mine. Don't look away. Give me your gaze & I will win your heart. Nothing in the world can come close to the love I offer you freely. There is nothing you can do to stop this love because remember I held You first  & gave you my heart from the beginning. You aren't the one finding me my child because I've been pursuing you all along. Do you remember? What I sounded like? How my arms felt wrapped around you?  I want to remind you. I want to spend time alone with you so that you are never in doubt again in regards to who you are to Me. Separation & distraction are satan's tools of choice. Don't buy into them. Do not tear apart what I crafted. Let me love you & receive My forgiveness as you repent and turn to Me once more. You were meant for Me. You waste your time filling "My void" in your heart with meaningless things.Come Back! You've wondered so far off. You were made for intimacy with Me. To be loved, adored, and to give love back. You have not messed up too much to turn it all around. I light the pathway to follow Me. Come Home my child your Father longs for you. My heart aches as the time passes and you aren't close to me once more. You are the object of My affection. I'll pursue you until the end...the only thing separating us being you. Look this way...let Me catch your eye. I sent My son to redeem you back to this place. His blood spilled for you because the space between us to far. Step into His sacrifice and see the collision of death to yourself & becoming alive in Me once more.

Vision: I saw Abba delighting as He created His sons & daughters. How He smiled & giggled with each little detail. I saw each one spin into something magnificent & He was pleased. There is not a one He does not ache to be closer to. He wants to lavish us with His love...

He believed therefore I listen to what He speaks.

Child like dreamer...

I, in my natural state, am fueled by passion, much of which can be detrimental to my well being if I don't keep my eyes on God. That's just the truth. As I child I had an imagination & dreamed big dreams. Encountering pain in my teenage years in a myriad of ways started the slow death of my willingness to dream in hopes for good in my life. Over the last 7 years of being fully surrendered to Christ I have endured much. Sometimes so much that fear stamped me. Not in a I won't serve God anymore type of way but in a I'm cautious and I certainly don't let myself get my hopes up. Well this year I felt the Lord ask me to rest in His love for me. I felt Him whisper several times that I would not lack anything and I would not toil or work in my own power for the things I hoped for. This would be difficult for me but God is faithful to His kids.

This afternoon the Holy Spirit used my 6 year old Lincoln to let me "feel" how much He hungers & desires for me to trust Him for good in my life. How He actually aches to give me good things & is on the edge of His seat saying YES Katie! Dream! Have fun! Enjoy my Presence because I'm waiting in anticipation for you!

Lincoln has a small kiddy pool. One that keeps him from "jumping" deep & restricts his adventurous side. The neighbors across the street have a nice sized pool. He sat out on the front porch in 100 degree weather longing to "swim in a big pool". He even gathered the courage to walk across the street in his swimsuit (of course as long as I accompanied him) to ask if he could swim. The little girl who lived there wasn't home so back to the front porch he went dismayed. This deeply began to grieve me in a way that I didn't expect. So I called around & thankfully found a friend of my older son who said yes to letting Lincoln swim. Here was his conditions. "Mom, if you won't swim with me then I'm not going. I want you to jump off that board at the end of the pool too." He went on & on with a grin so big my heart melt even more. It would be just he and I, free reign over a big pool. To be honest I'm still quick to tear up typing this because my boy was pursuing time not just for himself but with me. That was hitting a deep place inside. We arrived to the pool & immediately he jumps in & invites me in too. He encouraged me to get my hair wet & to see who could hold their breath the longest. He was so impressed when I dove off the diving board and to be perfectly honest I was too. My middle son, who happened to be already visiting his friend stopped by for a brief moment and said "wow mom, you look like you've done that before. Good job." I'm telling you this story tonight because as I fully engaged my son tonight I felt Holy Spirit encouraging me to let myself fully feel again. To let myself experience life just like I was tonight with a little boy who had dreams of jumping in a big pool. As my heart ached to find a pool for Lincoln so too was Holy Spirit eager to dream with me again. He wanted to accompany me through more laughs, more adventures, and spend time with me feeling free from the weight of the world.

What a gift of refreshing in the natural & in the spirit did the Holy Spirit deliver to me tonight through my sweet Linkylove. I did not expect that my heart could feel so full. I could have cared less what I looked like in my bathing suite or what a mess I had made of my hair or the mascara that smeared across my face. I floated in the sun & for moments at a time I felt overwhelmingly like God was smiling face to face with me. I was for once in a long time...carefree.

Has life gotten so overwhelming that you can't remember the last time you let yourself be a kid. There's something to child like faith. There is something about those who chose to follow after God & believe that the limit is so much further than the sky. Holy Spirit wants to speak to us about the world around us. He wants to release the Father's heart of hope over our hearts. He wants to show us greatness right under our noses that the heaviness of life has distracted us from...

"The sunrise, of course, doesn't care if we watch it or not. It will keep being beautiful, even if no one bothers to look at it." ~Gene Amole

Cause He's a good good Father...it's who You are and I am loved by You...it's who I am.

Don't miss out on the adventure God has given us called LIFE!

How to grow through resistance...

Most of my life as of late is met with a certain level of resistance. To be honest I live in a perpetual state of resistance and have since the moment I surrendered my life to Christ. I am just now grasping this physical/emotional occurrence in my life.  It would be best described as a tug bent towards running after Christ while being faced with my flesh that resists. The resistance isn't voluntary. To be honest it's my involuntary desire to fulfill my humanness that desires comfort, ease, and the safe route. Every day we awake, by an act of our will, we must choose to follow Jesus. By doing so it's a path set apart from the world and many times met with resistance inside. What I've learned is, it's ok to feel resistance but not ok when it manifest itself as anxiety, fear, or complacency. I believe the Lord was showing me that I can trust Him in the unknown and in the moments when nothing makes sense. Resistance should lead us to is the deep places of God. The moment the feelings begin to manifest we should take the signal to press in to the Lord
I can look back at my life and can confidently tell you every bit of resistance I faced was always the precursor to new growth in the Lord. He is so awesome, always teaching us something valuable. He also knows us so well that He knows exactly what needs to transpire to position us to grow. To be real honest this is where many of us miss the mark. We say yes to Jesus but run for cover the moment we face the least bit resistance. There is no way out of facing resistance head on if we truly want to follow Jesus. In these moments we must cling to the Word of God & declare victory. We have already won in Christ Jesus. The enemy has no power over us. We have authority over the accompanying thoughts & feelings he may attempt to oppress us with.

Resistance looks like...

being presented with forgiveness after a betrayal

wanting to forgive but not knowing how

trusting God for your future in uncertain times

releasing anger & resentment

denying the flesh

hearing the Word but not doing what it says

obeying when you don't really want to

needing answers

We thrive through resistance when we...

choose to forgive no matter how painful

look to the scriptures & lean on the Holy Spirit for direction on how to forgive

choosing to believe God only has good planned for us

submit to the authority of Jesus Christ in our lives & emotions

consider it a honor to lay down our lives for HIS

hearing & doing well according to the Spirit's direction according to the WORD

Obeying always no matter what

Seeking His face for the answers we need

We will all be faced with resistance at some point in time. I felt lead to share this with you because I know the Lord wants us to know that resistance isn't permanent and that we can surrender through it all. In pressing in we learn endurance & we know that "he who endures til the end shall be saved."(Matthew 24:13)

"And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and the words of our testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die"(Revelation 12:11)

Let us not perceive resistance as a reason to quit or run but instead let us press on in Jesus name to lay hold of the prize. Let us see resistance as the white flag waving in the wind reminding us to seek out God in the matter & grow! Let us continue to grow through the hard stuff, the silly stuff, and blossom into the beautiful souls God destined us to be. Let us say like the Psalms "I run in the path of Your commands for You have set my heart free!" Let us bear witness of the Light of Jesus just like John did in all things. (See John 1:6-8)

photo from the web

From the depths of my heart,

Katie Joy

When faith requires depth...

I have neglected what I've been gifted to do for Christ. To write what I hear Him saying. So here I am having not written since February. That's 6 months. Half a year. In other words...way too long. I've been carrying heaviness much of the latter part of this week & tonight I laid it down & listened closely while my heart emptied itself at His feet. I just sat there with Him. Making sure I knew that He was as close as my heart beat. So tender & just is He. As I asked about the children being innocently murdered in Iraq...my question was WHY? He quickly answered "They are no less dear to my heart than the millions of children murdered every year in America." I could hear the hurt as He spoke & the absolute disgust about the topic. He cares for the children...All of His children. Not the ones we chose to keep but those who are thrown away like the weekly garbage. Those that are neglected so parents can fulfill their fleshly desires. He asks me "What about those children? Will you pray for them? Will you grieve for their souls too as you do those in Iraq?" I was humbled. I was ever so gently & lovingly rebuked. Wake up America. Wake up...what have we tolerated for so long that we no longer are grieved about? Why does it take a visual representation on the news to stir our hearts to pray for His purpose. Why are we not more eager to pray until breakthrough? Instead I have been guilty of watching the news & not handling the fear that started to sneak in. I am guilty of not immediately handing it back to Him & letting Him direct me how to pray sooner. This country needs the prayer warriors to stand up. We need the complacent to get really uncomfortable & to seek His face for their reason to be alive. As I opened my bible I turned by chance to 2 Samuel 22. Verse 5 jumped out at me "When the waves of death surround me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid." That's it. That's the ticket. I've allowed what's going on in the world to make me afraid but instead of addressing it. I somehow internalized it & that brings confusion. I remember as a little girl if I was afraid, wounded, or hurt tears were my natural response. Now I have to search for those tears. Work through the emotions I often think I'm feeling but indeed it's the deep desire to weep. To weep because I don't know & sometimes things plain old hurt.  I can't tell the future but I know in whom my future is secure. I'm learning to not hesitate so long. To release it even when it's childlike tears because I'm scared. I was comforted as I read on in 2 Samuel 22 to verse 7"In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry entered His ears." Yes...when we worship(which was done in the temple towards God) His ears are opened & He hears me. He hears you.  David was speaking of God's deliverance from Saul & his enemies through His prayers & as he prayed that "The earth shook & trembled; the foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry." Verse 9 "Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it." Verse 10 " He bowed the heavens also, and came down with darkness under His feet." Chapter 22 goes on to explain how God intervened for David, His beloved. Friends that is our God too! He hears as we pour out our hearts. Are you heavy laden? His burden is easy & His yoke is light...because He carries the burden of the load. He says "Give it to me! Give me what scares you & know that just like I did for David I will handle your enemies swiftly. You are my beloved. I hear your humble heart cry out for Me to intervene & I shall call you up to rest here with Me. Will you? Will you make it habit to spend this time with Me? Will you not hold on to thoughts so long?" You can trust Him. He gives peace that the world hasn't known. His will is to impart the Kingdom of Heaven through you, through me. I have procrastinated with the best of them, no longer. The world is wide open & in desperate need. We must continue to dig deeper. To sit before Him & let His love perfect us. You know doubting doesn't cease to exist until we believe Him. So like a child I will sit in expectation that what He said He will do. I don't have to be afraid, not ever. This is how faith establishes it's roots deep within the soil of our hearts. This is how we are taught how to love like Jesus. How to be obedient to His nudge. The world needs you. More than anything the world needs us to walk in His truth. Sons & Daughters of the Living God, all of heaven is waiting on You! Trust Him. He is a faithful Father...I call on His name and He hears me...boy does that bring this weary heart comfort tonight.

All my love,
Katie "Joy"

No one told me...

I asked for more of Jesus. To partake in His sufferings. To be given a heart to love like Him. To see with His eyes. To walk like Him & to take on His likeness. What I didn't expect. What they forget to tell you is that the rain will come, the wind will blow against your house, the hail will be so hard you think the roof might come down. No one told me the storm would rage all around me like it has. No one told me the affliction that would visit & make it's home with me. No one told me that the only way compassion is birthed is through the experience of loss. No one told me how lonely I would feel or how I would question my Savior the way I have I ashamedly admit. No one told me that the fire would get so hot that my only thoughts would be whirling around escape. No one told me that when I asked for more of Jesus that it came at such a high cost. No one mentioned the tangible pain that would visit so regularly for seasons on end. But can I be the one to tell you that it's all worth it. That no scheme of hell could intimidate this warrior. You see what I can tell you is only those who are willing to die truly live. What I can tell you is who you think you are is a shadow of who you are in Him. I can confidently tell you that you will not be utterly forsaken. What I will shout is His arm is not too short that it can not reach out to you. His ear not to deaf to hear your cry. I declare right now that you will move forward & walk out from that wilderness. I declare that the gift of His fire will leave you pure & spotless before the King. I speak the overflowing power of Yeshua course through your very blood supply & that your heartbeat be a reminder of His watch over your every move. I declare that fire fall & you endure until He has completed His work in you...

Come up higher...

Ponder with me for a moment…

If there is to be fruit in my life…I must completely die to self so that what is resurrected in the passing of my flesh (my way, my distorted thoughts, my strongholds) is truly BEAUTY for ashes.(Isaiah 61:3) For it is the Living Water provided in Jesus Christ that causes me to BLOOM in fullness & bear fruit, not for my glory but for the Father's alone. Pain often visits fruit bearers in the early days & unexpected times when we get complacent . Not to hurt us but to inflict enough disturbance that the hidden dark places of the heart are revealed & pruned away. I will tell you the way I have come to understand my Daddy God. When I am betrayed & have every reason to justifiably be hurt, He says my child forgive. I toss back & forth saying BUT what about me? He lovingly says I know baby, I saw it all, I've seen everything that's happened & I still ask you to come higher. The ways of the Kingdom are beyond the ways of the world. To be a fruit bearer you must absolutely die to the way your flesh desires to respond. God sees. He knows. He cares & for our good He still calls us to raise our standard to His. He doesn't change. He can't. He would be a liar if He justified our hurting & our tendency to hold onto hurts(that only hinder us in the end). No God in all circumstances sticks to His WORD no matter what has come to visit us in the wilderness & HE uses it to train us, if we will allow it. He prepares us for war against the enemy by using our trials for our good. You want to soar? You want to punch the devil in the face & makes sure he doesn't forget you? Then raise up, seek God for every move you make & by all means forgive, love, walk in peace, put to death your flesh.. Just like any lover, God(the lover of your soul) is jealous for ALL of you, your complete entirety, the deepest places you weren't aware of. The secret places you've worked tirelessly for years to cover up only to bear bad fruit such as anger, gossip, lying to keep up the dance that nothing is wrong. I'm here to encourage you to let His fiery love burn you in such a way that you are never the same, I encourage you to visit the most painful places & let the Living Water be poured into the dead, desolate places so that you are replacing all the lies of shame, guilt, worthlessness with TRUTH & you begin to BLOOM. He comes to declare you as His own, to place His seal over you heart. Don't be afraid of the wilderness…it's there you meet HIM up close & personal. He is the only one who WILL. EVER. TRULY. SATISFY. P.S...I'm beginning to see the most beautiful fruit come to life inside & I'm hell bent on teaching whoever will listen how God can do the same for you...

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame."~Song of Solomon 8:6

who i am in the Great I AM...

It took very little time to choose my word for 2014. Matter of fact all it took was stopping to think of what I desired to conquer in the coming year. The word that immediately came to mind & resonated deeply within was Authentic. I above all desire to be authentically happy, authentic in joy, and authentic when I love, authentic in worship, authentic in prayer. I want to conquer being distracted away from what truly matters. I have a mind that goes a hundred miles a minute. Constantly thinking. I want my mind to rest. To rest in simply being who God made me to be in all it's simplicity. I desire to be a powerhouse full of the Holy Spirit in 2014. I desire to be true to His will for my life. I refuse to focus on anything the world is selling & set my eyes alone on HIM. I want more revelation, visions, dreams, and intimacy with my Savior in 2014. This quote from Henry Ward Beecher really speaks to my heart right now& embodies much of how I'm feeling. I'm looking towards heaven & spreading JESUS to the world. May I be a sweet fragrance that lingers everywhere I've been. May my words be seasoned with love leaving a indelible mark. I want to focus on the glorious future of the Saints of God. I refuse to be melancholy, anxious, or impatient about what God has in store for me. I believe we are entering into the greatest time in history for the church! I am digging deeper in preparation and I can't wait.

"There are apartments in the soul which have a glorious outlook, from those windows you can see across the river of death into the shining city beyond. But how often are those neglected for the lower ones, which have earthward looking windows."Henry Ward Beecher

 "But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?" 2 Corinthians 2:14-16