Jesus' Power and Love

Last week I visited Ohio, with my little brother Ethan. We we blessed to stay with my big brother and his family and visit with them while we were there to attend a really awesome conference which basically taught us to live, and minister like Jesus. Power and Love Ministries has some amazing teachers, but my favorites were Dan Mohler and Todd White of Neck Ministries. The messages of the two were so simple. I do not think I have ever heard the Gospel preached in such a simple, applicable way before.


The basic message is know God, and love him, and because of that love for him, love others by ministering to them just as Jesus did. It is essentially living out Luke 10:27 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” To do all this, you also have to know love. You cannot begin to understand God or yourself, let alone your neighbor if you do not love yourself. 


The best way to show Jesus to others is though his love and power. By first knowing our identity in Christ, understanding it and believing it, we then can go out and show others. I was surprised at how many lies I realized I had been believing though the duration of the 4 day conference. I had made agreements with these lies telling me things like, "God speaks through other people, just not you."  "You would have these desires of your heart satisfied, if only you could be more faithful." There were others too. But I realized that it was not God, but well intending men who put these thoughts into my head because they did not understand their own value in Christ. 


I went through a entire season where I thought that introspection was the way to know God and myself. But as it turned out, the more answers I found, the more questions I had, and the answers didn't always lead me closer to God. They often left me seeking and believing that God would come through if I preformed the right way. But godly wisdom and the wisdom of man is different. And the thing is that I know better! I wasn't taught this by my parents or my Sunday School teachers. No, I was taught about God's redemptive love. That when my parents told me throughout my childhood that there was nothing I could do to make them stop loving me, God felt the same way. I'm not sure where I went so wrong, but it doesn't really matter. Love doesn't keep score.


I so enjoyed learning from some great teachers, and being blessed by brothers and sisters in Christ, with names I might not have even known. That people can just look at me, and ask me if they can pray for me. I was blessed just to be asked! And the prayers and prophetic word that comes out as they go! Major blessings! I was so encouraged and dumped a bunch of baggage. After being prayed for and hugely blessed, at lunch with some friends I kept taking in huge breaths and letting them out in peaceful sighs. It was as though someone had been camped out on my chest, weighing me down and restricting my breathing for years, and now that they finally packed their bags and left, I realized the difference. A huge weight was lifted. I felt more free to be me. Not the me others think I should be, but the woman God created me to be. I feel so whole and it feels so good!


So many great things happened at the conference. People were healed, short legs grew, people were set free from bondage, blessed, validated and the Gospel was shared. My friend who was at the conference with me wrote more on this here. I was asked to pray over someone and as I was praying, God gave me a vision of how he sees her and I was able to give that word to her! I was so excited that God would use me like that!


I was so blessed that week! Since I have been home, I have been praying over everyone I find in need, and every time, pain leaves, and I am believing for complete healing. I was even able to pray away my own migraine before the pain began! I am so thankful that through the Holy Spirit, I have access to the power Christ left us. Jesus came to take away all sin, sickness and pain. We just have to pray it away with faith, believing God can do what he says he can do, in Jesus name!

Singleness, A Blessings

Change is on the way. I have been continually changing in the last few years, but I feel that what is coming will be more a sustained change. I welcome it!

God has taught me so much in the last few years, and taken me places with him, I never even knew I could go. It has been so amazing! I have also really tried to enjoy this single season of my life. I have spent most of my 20's a single person, and I only regret that I did not spend the first half loving my life and singleness as I have in the second half. But at least I have come to enjoy this single life as I am still living it.

I think one of the biggest blessings in singleness is that I have been able to have this amazing time where it has just been me and my Creator. I don't have to worry about taking care of a husband, and considering the needs of another. I am free to pick up and go at a moment's notice, (and I do). I have been able to press into my Jesus as life gets tough and have had this amazing relationship, that would have never happened if I had a man in my life to turn to.

My praying friends, who are mostly all married, tell me how lucky I am to be single and in ministry. They say how blessed I am that I can get these good habits established now before I have a family to care for. And I have begun to believe them. Plus is has been really fun praying for each other and praying for the desires of my friends hearts. I love these friendships we share. Through praying together and studying together, I have grown so much closer to God and to them. It has been great! The best part about praying together is that it is easier to spot prayers answered, with more people to remember what was prayed.

This time has also given me years to grow up and allowed me the opportunity to change what I would like in a husband. Had I married 7 years ago, as I wanted to, I would have missed out on so much blessing.

I do hope marriage is in my future, but I have more than enough to do in my singleness. But whatever happens, I know I will be blessed as long as I continue to walk with Jesus.