Devotional Video- God is Trustworthy

This is a short clip that I created during my Discipleship Training School in Australia. 
It talks about one characteristic of God. God is Trustworthy! 


Here is the link: Do You Trust Me?


-Abby

Just for Fun!

I just wanted to share a fun link that one of the staff members at the Townsville base has posted about a unique aspect of Australia. I hope you enjoy this quick, little post! I know I can relate to what she shares!


Thanks again, Adriel Booker for allowing me to share this! :)
Click, Clink, Five (Unedited) By: Adriel Booker

LOOK UP!

Today, I was inspired and reminded once again of a lesson that I've been learning quite some time. 

It would be safe to say that I have spent a good portion of my life worrying about things, and being consumed with problems and situations going on. I am guilty of being a worry wart, and someone who well....for lack of better words, has pity parties and dwells on the negative instead of the positive. Have you ever related to that? 

During the lecture phase of Discipleship Training School, one of my leaders, Selena Hotere from New Zealand, would share often about how we should not be dictated by our circumstances. Even though circumstances may be constantly changing (sometimes within our own control, and sometimes beyond our control), the fact of the matter remains that God's character never changes. God is who he says he is, and his promises are true. 

In retrospect, there are a lot of times when I have let circumstances overtake my perspective on who God is. I began to look back on all of the times where I simply didn't BELIEVE God to be who he says he is, and what the Bible tells of God's character. 

Through this, I realized that my negativity went beyond just being in a bad mood, having a bad attitude, or being down on myself. I realized that I was shortchanging God for who HE is! 

How many times do we go through life worrying, doubting, not trusting God? How many times have I been so caught in the problems of life, that I was missing out on a much bigger picture? 

During one week of lectures, we camped in the Aussie bush, in a place called Hidden Valley. (And no, sadly, there was no Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing). 

Big awning was for lectures and meals, campfire (front), toilets and showers (right), and our tents were further to the right than you can see in this picture.




Our speaker that week was Mark Parker, also from New Zealand, and he led us on the topic of Lordship. To sum up just one portion of that week, I began to realize how deeply I had rooted myself in focusing on problems, instead of God. He stood right next to me, and challenged me to look up as high as I could. He is an energetic man, and proclaimed, "Look up!" He proceeded to remind me that God sees me and knows me and is with me! I don't have to focus on my problems. I need only to focus on him...

Here is a little clip that reminds me of how I should live my life and perspective that I want to find and continue to have. (Click on this link... Never focus on the problem. Look at me! )

You see, when I began to focus on God, the point of view shifted from being self-focused, and more focused on a grander scheme of things...Ways that I can serve and love others around me. I began to see God for who he is, regardless of circumstance. It was another step into freedom that I never really knew until that day. I was no longer consumed with pity or self-sorrow, but I saw God in a new light, and I became excited about ways that I can bless and serve others. Not out of duty, but out of the joy and delight that I found in living for and believing in a God who IS who he says he is! 

Which brings me to the words of a hymn that I think explain it pretty clearly...

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace."

Those words continue to linger and bounce around in my mind..."LOOK UP! LOOK UP!! LOOK UP!!!!" 

 "Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you." (Proverbs 4:25) And also, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12: 1-3) 

I don't know where you stand in your belief or thoughts on God, but I know without a doubt, that there is a man who died a miserable death on the cross for me. I know that God is the one that I will always look to for hope, and that I have never felt more alive than when I look past my problems, and deeper into the face of  a God who created my very life. 

He is who he says he is. And he continues to beckon me..."Look up! Look up! Never focus on the problem! Look at me!" 

"And the things of earth shall grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace..."

Where is your gaze fixed today?

A song of encouragement: Turn Your Eyes

Shake it Out

It's been a few months now since I completed my Discipleship Training School with YWAM in Australia. 
Over the course of those 6 months, I experienced so many breakthroughs and opportunities for growth (whether as an individual, as a group, or seen in other individuals and groups), and I have found it hard to put into words for quite some time now! 


The next few postings that I put on my blog will be in reference to the things that I learned during that time. I am doing this for two reasons: 1) To help myself process and solidify the things that impacted me during that time, and 2) To help others learn and understand a bigger picture about the journey that I have been on in my own faith journey over the last few months. Thanks for coming along the journey with me. :)




------Shake it Out------


So many of us go through life carrying around the weight of all the junk of life, often times unaware of how much it truly is holding us back and weighing us down. We feel the burdens and bitterness of things from the past, ways that people have hurt us, bad choices that continue to haunt and hold on to us. Sometimes, we even get to the point when we don't know what it feels like any more to walk without the weight of those burdens upon us everyday. It becomes the norm. We become oblivious. We walk around from day to day with chains wrapped around our ankles...dragging them from place to place, and situation to situation. Life begins to feel mediocre...boring...sometimes, we even begin to feel useless and complacent...Or at least this is how I felt at one point in my life...


During the second week of lectures in my DTS, we had Ken Mulligan, the leader of our base, who came in to teach and lead discussions about what we called "Clear Conscience."


To try to summarize as simply and clearly as possible, this week came down to the focus of dealing with our past...past sins, regrets, things that we have shamefully hidden from others, even avoided to admit to God (even though God already knows what we have been through and done). We were encouraged to deal with and admit these things before other believers, and before God. The point of doing this was not to embarass us, or to make us feel bad about ourselves, but to allow God deeper into our hearts and to help us find more freedom and truth in who we were created to be...and to walk in that fullness.


When we carry around all of this junk from day to day, it can be crippling, and keep us from seeing greater needs around us. We can become very self-focused and lose track of our true identity. It not only holds us back, but will hold others back around us as well. And Jesus died on the cross so we can have freedom! Not just for eternity in Heaven, but from day to day and moment by moment on this earth too!


So for me, some of the things that I confessed and prayed about that week were about a few of my sins that I have struggled with...


I have been one to walk around with discontentment in my heart...always wanting more, never having enough, always wanting what others have, struggling to truly be happy for others...feeling sorry for myself, feeling worthless, feeling shame for poor choices I've made at points in my life, and the list goes on. 


I thought I would feel extremely embarassed after sharing, but the opposite happened! My heart felt lighter. I prayed to God about my ungratefulness and discontentment...I admitted that I felt sorry for myself, instead of seeing all that I have been blessed with in life. I prayed for a grateful heart, to find contentment in Him, and I prayed for God to pull out a deep root of bitterness that I have carried for far too long in my life. 


Here are a few lyrics in a song that maybe helps explain the way one feels when we carry around shame, guilt, ungratefulness, discontentment...any kind of sin, really...


"Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play
And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn


And I've been fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around
All of his questions, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn


Shake it out, shake it out
Shake it out, shake it out, oh whoa
Shake it out, shake it out
Shake it out, shake it out, oh whoa
And it's hard to dance with a devil on your back
So shake him off, oh whoa


And I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn"


I really do believe that God has plans for my life, but Satan has plans as well. Satan likes to steal kill, and destroy...divide and subtract. Jesus came so that we can have life and have it to the full! God wants to add and multiply in our lives. It's a wrestling match really. They both want us to follow their plans. And I choose God's plan for my life. I choose to have hope and freedom from all of the things that kept me trapped in a pit of despair, self-pity, ungratefulness. 


To explain the freedom I have begun to walk in from those areas of my life is pretty difficult to put into words. But I will tell you that now I feel lighter in my heart, able to receive and enjoy the blessings God has for me. I am able to see who God truly made me to be. I no longer have to believe lies that Satan has thrown at me, trying to make me feel inadequate. I am a daughter of the King, a child of God, one who chooses freedom!


So now, picture with me if you will, a person sitting in a prison cell. The chains are gone from around the person's ankle. Anything that previously restricted that person has now been lifted off. Yet, the person sits in the cell, unaware of what to do with this new freedom. 


This was Clear Conscience week for me. I began to trade in some of the junk for new freedom. I had open spaces that started to form in my heart...room for God to fill my heart even more. It was a challenge to let go of those things, because some of us can get quite comfortable in our "junk" of life. But I'll tell you what...if you want to really do some Spring cleaning, start with your heart. 


My challenge and encouragement to you is to take some time to ask God what it is that you might need to let go of in your heart. You might say that you are happy for someone, or say that you don't have anything undealt with. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to light anything that is holding you back from getting closer to God. 


It is one thing to say something, but it is another to truly live and believe what we say. Are the things you say and believe flowing out truthfully from your heart? If not, ask God to help you to truly mean what you say. 


The freedom that I feel is for everyone, but it's a choice for each individual. Are you tired of carrying around some of the junk? Are you tired of believing lies about who God created you to be? 


God is waiting...his love is constant and unchanging. He already knows every last thing about us...all you have to do is talk with him and listen to him about it. Ask him to renew your mind and heart. He loves you so much...and he wants each of us to truly be free! 


Are you ready to shake it out?
Are you ready to not only have the chains removed?Are you ready to walk out of that prison cell, and into a free and beautiful place that God has for you? 


His plans are there. They are good! He is good.
Are you ready for more?