😎🐫🎤 Journey or Destination. Multiple events and conversations with friends this past week have offered me the opportunity to reflect upon my journey.   Moments that were struggles in the midst of themselves, but at the same time filled with God’s grace and loving presence. In those moments we can choose to run and leave them behind (leave the past in the past) or learn, grow, and store those moments in a treasure box for God to bring forth in other’s moments of need. It’s been an eye-opening week as God told me, okay Shell, go get this out of the box. Now got get that other one. I don’t think anyone really wants to dig into their past failures. Seriously, who wants to relive those moments. But your journey, your story is how God calls you to be His presence in the world. Okay, it’s not just your story, but the story of how God was with you every step of the way, and even carried you when you were no longer able to take the next step on your own.  If we are too focused on our destination, we miss the journey.  If all the disciples were focused on was the resurrection, they would have missed the walks with Christ, the parables, the healing, the miracles, the meal.  These are all things that they experienced as they journeyed with Christ, that they wouldn’t have, if they were just focused on the destination. Instead, Christ gave them a treasure box filled with experiences that He knew they would share with others, so that others could also experience Christ.  Which is how we came to learn about and know Christ.  Your journey will be a path that will lead others to Christ. And that’s a journey worth getting excited about.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#GeorgeStrait – The Road Less Traveled

😎🐫🎤 When you willingly open yourself to God’s will, it’s like putting a big bullseye target on your chest. When you accept and move in God’s will, Satan will attack you from all direction. Physically, emotionally, words spoken from a friend. He will attack your car, your home, your work, your relationships. But this past weekend, the depths of my understanding, trust, and belief in prayer was taken to a new level.  For 72 hours, 21 pilgrims and 29 team members of the Women’s Walk to Emmaus were drenched in prayer. The lives that were changed, leaves me in awe of God’s mercy, grace, and love for me and you. Saying yes to God’s will is beyond measure compared to the wreckage Satan will throw at you.  Thank You Lord for opening my eyes a little wider to your will. You have blessed me beyond measure, so that I may also bless others in your name.  Amen!

#LincolnBrewster – God You Reign

😎🐫🎤 Last Friday as I was driving home from work, I watched two smaller birds chasing after and attacking a hawk. I love how God uses nature to reinforce the messages in scripture. As I watch the commotion in the sky it made me think about Matthew 18: 19-20.  “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you asked for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” And then my mind journeyed to Mark 6:7 “Calling the Twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.”  If the birds of the sky can join forces to defeat larger, seemingly more powerful creatures, so too can we. There is great strength and power, His strength and power, when we agree, pray, and work together for the glory of His Kingdom. We are not made to journey this life alone. We have been created to be in relationship with Him and each other.  So often when troubles hit, we tend to run off and isolate ourselves. And when we do Satan knows that he has us right where he wants us, when we are at our weakest.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#TenthAvenueNorth – No Man is an Island

😎🐫🎤 It starts out as “one of those days”, that turns into a week. So, you start to lean on Him a little hard. It may even come to the point at which He is completely carrying you.  Don’t feel obligated to stay and fight with Satan. Christ already claimed that victory, but Satan likes to keep us in the ring, going rounds with him. The more he tricks us into fighting a battle that’s already been won, the loner he keeps us down and apart from our Lord.  My advice and prayer for you is that you keep your eyes, ears, heart, and soul focused on our Lord and don’t give Satan the satisfaction of even one more moment of your life.  YOU’VE GOT TO RUN TO GOD.  Walking just won’t get you away from the devil’s schemes fast enough.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#RodneyAtkins – If You’re Going Through Hell

😎🐫🎤 Happy Independence Day!  What a great day to reflect upon and thank God for giving us such a great, free country that we can speak His name and witness to His actions, words, love, and grace.  It’s AMAZING what a simple spark will ignite when we step out in faith to share Him with others. As you see fireworks lighting up the night in celebration of our freedom, remember that YOU are fireworks for God, bringing His light and freedom into someone’s darkness.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#KatyPerry – Firework

😎🐫🎤 God has been throwing stepping stone out in front of me.  When my foot hits that next step, He allows me to pause, get balanced, and center myself in Him before He specifically places that next stone for me to step on. Sometimes that pause is longer or shorter, depending on how quickly I allow myself to be open to this change in step and once again balance and center my life in Him.  He is opening my eyes a little wider to confidently seek His will and purpose for “our” life together.  You know, I used to think it was my life, but it’s really our life. Him and me living, loving, and serving as one, together.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#SidewalkProphets – Help Me Find It

😎🐫🎤 I had a great experience with the Lord this week. On Friday night I previewed a talk for the women’s Emmaus Walk in July.  Talking in front of people is scary enough, but God was moving me even further out of my comfort zone. Yes, I typically have a song with my talks that we can all sing together, but God changed this one up.  A few weeks back He gave me the words to a song He wanted me to sing.  No one else had ever even heard these words, so they couldn’t sing it with me. It was just me singing, not even any music to accompany me.  As I was preparing, I didn’t know if I could do it. I was preplanning my excuses for chickening out.  But during our chapel time as we prepared for our team meeting, God spoke very specific words to me through another team member, but she had no idea what I was facing and experiencing. He let me know that this was what needed to be done and His peace overwhelmed me as I presented His talk and sang His song. It was as if I was watching it all in slow motion with such intricate detail, but yet 27 minutes was gone in the blink of an eye. We’ve all heard the words “In God’s time.”  I think that’s what He allowed me to experience.  What an incredible moment.  And one in which I knew at that moment that this was just a step closer to what He has planned for me in His service. 

Bless others and be blessed. 

#SidewalkProphets – Live Like That

😎🐫🎤 Its interesting when God allows you to experience a struggle in your life to come full circle. What I mean by that is how He allows us to experience the discomfort in our seasons of growth to share with us the joy of that growth. As I’ve been reflecting on some struggles from my youth, He’s opened my eyes to see where He showed up along those struggles and His angels He placed along the way to guide me and show me His love.  I’m overwhelmed by Him.  And it’s such a sweet place to be. Thank You Lord!  Bless others and be blessed.  

#CitizenWay – How Sweet the Sound

😎🐫🎤  On Monday night God and I were working on a project. Just me and Him in the living room. As we were talking and working, He had me cracking up to the point that I was laughing out loud. I walked up to bed that night with a big old smile on my face. I’m still smiling as I’m thinking about our time together.  When was the last time you laughed with our Lord?  I hope it wasn’t too long ago. To brighten your day, I thought I would share His smiling face with you.  Bless other and be blessed. 

😎🐫🎤 One of the hardest things to do is to wait on God’s timing. I know He hasn’t made the answer clear because we aren’t prepared yet. So how do we get to that point of being ready for His answer, no matter what it is…Yes…No…Not Now…Grow, then come back and ask Me again.  Lord help me keep my focus where You need me to focus, so my mind is free to be open and grow where You desire me to.  Bless others and be blessed. 

#JohnWaller – While I’m Waiting