Be a friend who loves

I love. I love hard and I love completely. I’m a momma bear at heart and have always felt the need to stand up for others whose voice isn’t quite there yet.

This doesn’t always turn out well for me, as you can imagine. But one thing it has done over the last few years is allowed me to get to know who I really am.

And I am someone who when I love you, it’s a fierce kind of love. I will always be in your corner, I will always speak Truth to you and OVER you. I will tell you when you’re wrong.

Let’s hold on that for just a moment.

I will tell you when you’re wrong.

This is something that “friends” ought to be able to do, in love.

If you’re most trusted friend can’t tell you when you’re in your flesh or being irrational, then I have to ask are they REALLY your friends?

A true friend wants you to EVOLVE into the best version of you possible. But if you’re never challenged to grow or reevaluate something that causes yourself or another person angst, then are we really loving each other?

Today I have a lot on my mind because I feel it’s important as a friend to always speak Truth, do so after praying for the right words, and do so after God prompts you to speak. But always be in your truth, but be willing to listen when someone speaks theirs.

And if someone ever offers correction, in LOVE, be a friend back and consider the source before the flesh reacts.

Today’s ramblings 😊

“If you start with the negative it’ll never work.”

Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to Him, and He will do it. Psalm 37:4,5

As of lately this verse is what comes to mind each night before I lay my head down. This morning I woke up and the message I heard within my Spirit: “If you start with the negative it’ll never work.” Then I heard the chorus from Lamb of God by Tenth Avenue North “You are Holy, You are Worthy, You are Holy, You’re the Lamb of God”

The message was pertaining to the Gospel, aka the Good News of Jesus Christ. If we tell everyone all the things that will happen to them by not choosing God it’ll never work. God is LOVE. Perfect LOVE casts out fear. So why do we believe that scaring people will cause them to seek out our God?

Have you ever seen the original kids movie Monsters Inc.? In this movie the monsters scare kids nightly to get power for their world. They have a power shortage until they realized “accidently” that laughter held more power than fear.

Think about this, a children’s movie truly holds the key to evangelism. LOVE is the GREATEST of all. If we LOVE people, tell them all the things that we LOVE about God, about being Gods children. And most importantly LOVE people exactly where they are, I can guarantee there will be a higher chance of them desiring what we have, God.

I love quoting Todd White from Father of Lights, “If they can’t see Christ in you, they don’t want what you have bro!”

Now I’m not saying that we should only tell them about the amazing Joy and unexplainable peace that we attain when we become One with Christ, we need to equip those whom we lead to the Cross. They are our sheep on loan from the Father. We need to be great Shepherds, but as the message says: “if you start out with the negative, it’ll never work.”

It’s time that we begin delighting ourselves in the LORD. We need to take great pleasure in Jesus, the Word, God, the Holy Spirit, and then we can begin to love those in the dark.

I want to end with this exhortation, how many of you can honestly say you are Free from Sin? How many of you can honestly say I no longer have Sin in me, nor will I ever because I am 100% forgiven, for Eternity? How many of you can honestly say you no longer suffer from depression because you have the desires of your heart fulfilled?

If you’re unable to say these things then you may need to acknowledge that you don’t believe that Jesus Christ completed the work at the Cross. His Blood paid our debt, if He truly lives IN you then you KNOW that you are completely forgiven, and this my friends brings TRUE FREEDOM!

Believe God: Delight yourselves in the LORD, and He WILL give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to Him, and He will do it. – True Story! I’m living proof!

~sometimes I just gotta write~

Penny for your thoughts!

How can I put into words what this weekend was like? This is what was joked about early in the morning as we stand around simmering coals while worshipping our Lord and Savior, surrounded by the heavenly Angels, moments after proclaiming the names of those that we are in agreement will be proclaiming that Jesus is Lord.

This weekend I finally came together and met face to face the family that God has created for me first in Spirit, and manifested via Facebook. Ultimately we are the family of the Great I AM….physically we are the family of I AM MBK (see www.MBKinternational.com).

We didn’t ask what denomination we were from, we simply asked is Jesus Christ Lord in your life and with a resounding YES our souls united and we were living out ACTS. Whatever the other needed we gladly gave, we broke bread, we sang praise, we prayed, we cried, we confessed, we laid hands, we welcomed the Holy Spirit, and felt the Heavenly Presence of the Angels around us. We celebrated Sabbath the way God intended and welcomed in over 20 souls in Jesus Name.

But what’s so beautiful is this morning God walked me through all of it in a sermon to my daughter. As we were walking through the camp site picking up the trash left behind she found a penny and we both repeated the old saying “See a penny pick it up and all day long you’ll have good luck.” She then began to say what the “world” has added to this rhyme. “Brighton (her brother) says if you see a penny on tales….” I immediately finished her statement  with a “yes honey I know, but can I tell you something…..” and then He began…. (btw she said she didn’t believe that anyway and always picked it up…that’s my girl)

They say if it’s on heads it’s good luck, and if it’s on tales it’s bad luck so don’t pick it up. Does the side of the penny take away the value of the penny? She answered No of course. So if I pick it up on heads I’ve gained a penny, if I pick it up on tales I’m still up a penny. But if the penny is on tales and I walk away I’m without a penny. How is it that I have gained any kind of luck if walking away from the money leaves me without? It seems to me that the LIE that was placed in this old saying has convinced us that since it’s just a penny, which we all know that’s not a lot of money, it’s not worth the chance of getting bad luck. However say there are 2 people and one lives by the original sayings and picks up all 50 pennies that she walks by, and then there is a boy that only picks the 25 that are heads up. Which of those two would have the higher value of money? Seems to me that this little white lie has caused us to walk away from something worth more than nothing, and by doing so the one without luck is in fact the one who thinks everything has to be a certain way before it will bring true value. If only we saw how this leaked into our lives and how many treasures we have walked away from because the package didn’t appear the way we wanted it. Sounds a lot like the way the Jews didn’t like the way the Messiah appeared and decided His treasure was worthless and chose to kill him instead.

How does this tie into this weekend? Well here is how….because of the different levels of Faith that were gathered there were some teachings that were being spoken about that some couldn’t understand. Does this mean that what was taught wasn’t true….well that all depends on how you receive truth….do you strictly gain knowledge only from Scripture? Or do you believe God when He says in Scripture that ALL of GODS CREATION proclaims Gods GLORY? Because I am Gods Creation and I am made in the image of God and if I am being given revelation by God through the trees that are surrounding me does that make what I am saying less valuable because this exact moment isn’t detailed in the Bible? Or would I gain something if I were to believe that GOD uses HIS CREATION to proclaim HIS Glory? Am I getting caught up in the way something is packaged or am I allowing GOD to use ALL of HIS CREATION to reflect and proclaim HIM? Am I allowing the Spirit of TRUTH to be MY detector….do I even BELIEVE that I CAN test the SPIRITS? DO I EVEN BELIEVE THE BIBLE FOR THAT MATTER?

This weekend I became a RICH woman. I opened my mind and Spirit up to God and allowed HIM to be MY sifter and what HE wanted me to receive He has placed within HIS SPIRIT within ME. At the end of the day JESUS CHRIST is MY LORD and SAVIOR and the SPIRIT OF GOD LIVES IN ME AND HE GIVES ME TRUTH AND I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. THIS WEEKEND I BECAME THE CHURCH WITH OTHERS OF THE CHURCH AND I PRAY THAT I NEVER EVER SHUT THE DOOR ON ANY OF GODS MESSENGERS. I love every moment of this weekend. Heads or Tales doesn’t matter because the VALUE is the SAME! Each way I gain more and more of Jesus Christ! I am a RICH RICH WOMAN.

What about you?

~sometimes I just gotta write~

New Commandment?

Do you KNOW that ALL of your sins have been paid for? Forgiven? No wrath will come upon those who believe in their hearts Jesus is Lord and GOD raised Him from death, confess with their mouth these beliefs? (Romans 10:9,10) when this true conversion comes then we begin to live with the power of God within us, as we OBEY the commands of Jesus. They are LOVE, and GIVE. Give LOVE in whatever form that is that they need. We place OTHERS ABOVE ourselves.

We FORGIVE everyone who hurt US and everyone who continues to hurt us. This is a forever thing. This is a NEW (yet old) Commandment given to us.

My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one you were first given, and it is the message you heard. But it really is a new commandment, and you know its TRUE meaning, just as Christ does. You can see the darkness fading away and the TRUE Light already shining.

If we claim to be in the Light and hate someone, we are still in the dark. But if we love others, we are in the light, and we don’t cause problems for them. If we hate others, we are living and walking in the dark. We don’t know where we are going, because we can’t see in the dark. 1John 2:7-11 CEV

It IS possible and there are two men in the bible that have forgiven AS they were being murdered. Do you know their names?

Here’s the key, they BOTH were filled with the Holy Spirit of God. We need to ask for MORE of God’s power each day, everyday,  and every situation. Its only by being ONE with the Father that we can do anything.

 I am the Vine and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. John 15:5

Friends, there is too much at stake to carry around this bitterness within us. Jesus hung on the cross and asked the Father to forgive US for what we have done. Stephan asked that their sins not be counted against them, AS they were stoning him. And what did he see? Jesus STANDING in the Throne room. (see ACTS 7:54-8:1)

What do we do when someone comes up to speak at a conference that we have great honor for? That’s right we STAND. Jesus showed Stephan great honor by standing for him.

This is what we ALL should desire, for Jesus, Son of God to stand when He sees us because we have taken His Life literal and choose to become the ones who reflect HIS IMAGE in ALL areas of our life. There is too much unforgiveness and it is time that we call on the ONLY ONE who can empower us to forgive those who hurt us daily. We must ask that God pour out HIS Spirit and reveal to us the dark areas of our hearts.

Not because we fear our salvation. That is already ours. No because our LOVE and HONOR for Jesus is so GREAT nothing in this life is worth more. May we continue to die to ourselves and may His Holy Spirit continue to be poured into us. Each day may we rise asking God what we can do for HIS Kingdom. How can we be the change that He desires in our communities? And then we must realize that we NEED to ask Him every day, all day, for MORE, MORE, MORE, of HIM. ALWAYS SEEK MORE!

~sometimes I just gotta write~

Paul Gets Real!

Paul Gets Real!.

The Lord Weighs The Heart

The Lord Weighs The Heart.

Apologizing When You’ve Done Nothing Wrong

This has blessed me and my tattered heart. May her words heal you also.

Written by: Laura Polk

“Apologizing does not always mean that you’re wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.”—Positive Outlooks

It’s not about me. It’s not about me. It’s not about me.

I repeated the mantra in my head over and over again. I set it to a tune. I hummed it in my mind. But it still wasn’t sinking in. It felt like it was about me. In fact, it felt like I was under attack. Being falsely accused of something I didn’t do.

But, it didn’t matter.

It’s not about me. It’s not about me. It’s not about me.

It wasn’t about me. There was a larger story at play. The one of my family, especially my children, suffering the consequences of an argument that I didn’t start, and couldn’t seem to end. It had gone on for years, and my attempts to get anyone to even acknowledge my viewpoint, were futile.

David struggled with this as well. In Psalm 69, he calls out to God in the midst of his accusers:

“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.”

He was forced to restore what he did not steal. Accused of things he did not do.

Relationships are messy. And Jesus clearly understood. In fact, he specifically instructed us on what to do should we find ourselves in a disagreement with others. In Matthew 5:23-24, He said:

“This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.”

I love how this doesn’t specify who is at fault. To God, who is at fault is not the question. It is about making things right, regardless of who is at fault. It doesn’t mean that we are taking the blame, but instead, taking the initiative to live in peace with that person. I know—it seems impossible. But, as believers, we are called to a higher standard. Called to love others as we would like to be loved—not as we are loved. A much different thing.

The truth is, there is an art to disagreeing. And, like most art, it’s not always easy to understand at first glance. The meaning, and the methods used, may not be clear in the beginning.

When it’s time to apologize:

The relationship with the other person is one that has lifelong potential, such as a family member, spouse, or long-time friend, and you value the relationship in spite of the disagreement.
You have approached them in love, and been refused.
You have tried to find a common ground, willing to give in, and been refused.
When you approach the person who has offended you, there is a rehashing of what happened—as if it just happened—instead of a willingness to find resolution.
The matter is affecting other people who were not part of the original disagreement.
You avoid gatherings where the person might be.
You have prayed about the situation and don’t feel the need to create a permanent boundary (you should not compromise in situations that involve physical or mental abuse of any kind).
You feel certain that if you apologize, the matter will end.
How to get your mind around apologizing when you’ve done nothing wrong:

You can show regret for the feelings the other person has incurred as a result of the situation without taking blame for the situation itself. This assumes that you did not intend to hurt feelings, or that the original action was intended for good and had unforeseen consequences for which you were not responsible. When doing this, make sure that you apologize with no caveats. Instead of “I’m sorry if you were offended by something I said” (putting the reaction back on them), say something like “I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you” (putting the responsibility on you).
Decide what you are apologizing for, and state it plainly. An open-ended apology that makes you feel exposed to accepting something you did not do, will not end the disagreement. More than likely, it will cause bitterness that may escalate it. Instead, you can show grace to the person who offended you, and apologize for the part you played in the situation that followed the offense (such as: isolation from that person, bad feelings towards that person, etc.)
Don’t dwell on the truth. In many cases, the truth will lie between you, the offender, and God alone. In long standing disputes, the truth doesn’t matter as much as the separation it has caused.
Don’t make excuses for the person who caused the offense. Instead, offer mercy, knowing that you are freeing yourself as much as you are freeing them. They don’t have to answer to you for their actions, but you do have to answer to God.
Agree not to discuss it again. When both parties have been hurt, and an agreement of wrongdoing cannot be settled, it is best to let the situation go. In order to move forward, both parties need to agree that it is forgiven, and that it is best not to discuss it for the sake of the relationship.
In long standing disagreements, it’s not really about who is right or wrong, but who is willing to listen to the other person, and show understanding toward them. Most people don’t want conflict between themselves and others, but pride keeps them from admitting wrongdoing. Often, the person who suffered the mistreatment will be the one who is forced to end the argument with no apology from the other side. Showing grace and mercy to another who has offended you is not only an incredible gift to that person, but a living testimony of how your Savior would treat you. And, that alone, sisters, is enough to break the silence.

Article taken from LauraPolk.org

~sometimes I just gotta write~

My Prayer for {YOU}!

So I, Crystal bow in prayer before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name. I, Crystal ask the Father in his great glory to give {you} the power to be strong inwardly through {his/her} Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in {your} heart(s) by faith and that {your} life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I, Crystal pray that {you} and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I, Crystal pray that {you} will be able to know that love. Then {you} can be filled with the fullness of God. With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21NCV

~sometimes I just gotta write~

I’m Scared…

I’m Scared….

Unexpected blessing while reading these words of humility, revealing a side of my friend that she rarely shows. This makes me love her so much more. Her life has challenged me, spurred me on, stretched me, and made me jealous. But at this very moment God used her words to speaks directly to me. Being obedient no matter what is what I truly desire within my heart. But doubt fills my heart. It’s a beautiful thing being able to read the way God is working in the same areas within our hearts, in two totally different circumstances. Hope you take the time to read through her posts. You will be blessed.

A Friends love….

“How are you?”

“Eh…I’ve been better.”

“I can feel it….”

Her text messages contain 4 more texts worth of encouragement, but it was with those 4 words that my heart knew. My heart knew what I have in her is true. Pure love; from Love itself. Our friendship began before we ever even knew one another. The Holy Spirit began working in our lives months before the day came for us to latch on to one another. And I don’t use that word “latch” lightly.

A child latches to it’s mother for survival, and I believe that’s what our Spirits did when they were intertwined. Our friendship couldn’t be explained. There was an over abundance of LOVE, PURE GODLY LOVE. When she needed a Word there it was on my mind and same with me. We lifted one another up and spoke words that God knew we needed, and we had no apprehension in speaking them. We sounded like lovers. At times I would go back and read our messages and think, how is this happening. But I knew…I knew that God was involved. God had created us, and knew the love that He could pour out to each of us. He knew the love that we had in us needed to be given to someone, someone who needed it as much as we did.

Three years ago my life I thought was over….as did she. Today I woke to a friend that loves me purely. One that I will carry with me for a lifetime. Thank you my sweet sister in Christ, thank you for loving God so wholly, your love leaks into my holes. I am eternally grateful that He gave me you!

I pray you find a friend to love you in those moments when you can’t love yourself!

~sometimes I just gotta write~