"Be Still And Know That I Am God"

OK, It's been a couple weeks. Sorry. I've had a birthday, a trip to the Caribbean, and a general onslaught of being busy trying to plan a wedding.

In the midst of all the BUSY NOISE the Lord told me to be still a moment. Of course, once I was I felt the Spirit that brings me a peace that truly does surpass all understanding. God is so good and faithful.

Now to switch gears I woke up with the devil at my back. Following me. Trying to invade my home. We prayed him out but why was he there in the first place? My prayers indicated that perhaps I'd opened a portal of entry via a Jackie Collins book I am reading. Sounds nuts I know but it's not. You must pray those doors closed and be willing to recognize when something so silly as a worldly book may be a powerful tool of entry in the realm of spiritual warfare. Ephesians 6..." We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities from the dark world." Food for thought.

More food for thought. We are often asked to be 'of service' in ways great and small. The great ways we notice but the small ways, which may be more significant sometimes, we must not overlook. I write. My church newsletter needs written content. This is a small way that I can be 'of service.' I help people with the encouragement of my testimony of faith and perseverance in the face of great challenge. I am being asked to contribute from my experience and I am aware that God is working with me to prepare my involvement in church in these ways. My testimony involves my son and I am prudent and prayerful in knowing that he must feel comfortable in ways that I am already comfortable sharing. We are all works in progress and I'd ask you to pray that my son sees that the good in my sharing outweighs any bad.

But for you my reader I ask you today to think about the 56 days that have passed since 2010 began. By the end of this week 60 days will have elapsed. Are you closer to God? Are you further along on your path to being a more spiritual girl? Are you seeking God's purpose for you and following that purpose? He has given you gifts and talents to use. Are you striving to use your gifts and talents for His glory? I ask because I overlook my areas of progress and often feel that I have so far to go. But, my fiance, reminded me that on a personal note, the past couple months have brought great growth in my son's life and this has been a direct result of my own spiritual work. I am producing more fruits of the Spirit and this is affecting my household greatly. We are often focused on the fruits of our hard work which we want evidenced in career success, however, the fruits of the Spirit are to be worked for first. After all, they are the most worthy and from them flow real and lasting successes.

Reminder then...the fruits of the Spirit are found in Galatians 5:22-23 "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control."

I PROMISE that if you live in the Spirit you will be MUCH more successful. Success will hunt you down, find you, and shower upon you. Winning situations are drawn to a person whose Spirit is this powerful. People, in general, want to be around people such as this. They want to experience the greatness they themselves feel in the presence of someone whose Spirit is this in sync with God, the Almighty. Even non-believers are drawn into submission to a person whose Spirit fruits are operating at full force. So where are you nearly 60 days in with this most worthy pursuit of the Hip Girls Guide To Spirituality? Getting stronger every day I hope!

As your resident hip girl it is often easy to feel like a really great bundle of potential with no real clue as to how to use it. On days like this...BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD. Get quiet. Go to the Source. He is the source of peace, answers, strength, clarity, insight, and faith.

Like Macy Grey sang...there is a conversation I need to have with me. It's just a moment to myself. Let's try something. Whoever is reading. Sit for 15 minutes in total silence looking up and being in God's presence. Ask Him and only Him to speak or lead or fill you with whatever He wants to fill you with. Acknowledge the voice, the leading, the Spirit. Then write me your comments. I really wanna know what God brings out of your moment of being still with Him.

Pastor said in church that the baby is inside of you. I have known this spiritual truth since I first got saved. Birthing the miracle in your life is like a human pregnancy. It takes a set period of time. In this case 9 months. There is nausea and discomfort involved. And, just at the moment of birth, the moment of victory, there is the greatest pain you've EVER experienced in those 9 months and probably in your life. At that very moment you must be very focused on one thing; PUSHING THAT BABY INTO EXISTENCE! Push, breathe, struggle, ache...but push that dream into the world and give birth to not only the fruits of a better Spirit but the fruits of a better life.

For now....I gotta go burn my Jackie Collins book. To many gratuitous curse words and glorified sexual situations that perfectly illustrate why real relationships between men and women are so screwed up today. The celebration of the worldly, and the dismissal of the spiritual, has turned our entertainment into a reflection of the decaying insides we are all struggling to overcome. At least those of us 'cool' enough to have decided to surrender to living and doing things God's way.

If that sounds elitist it should. I want us to start a new club of hip people; those who love Jesus and really live the way He instructs. If you wanna join the club then you'll have little time to judge others because you'll be so busy realizing that the books and movies and music and films and situations you watch and entertain daily are all working against the fruits of your Spirit, growing and defeating your life in a myriad of subtle ways.

Peace out.....