📖My littlest boy and I were enjoying reading out of Luke 7:9-10, about Jesus being amazed by the Faith of the Centurion.

❔We discussed how the man understood authority and I asked him if he understood what authority means?

🤷He asked, “To control?”

🤩I thought that was a great start!

👉🏻So we discussed who has authority over him, and if he feels controlled?

❤️‍🔥He replied, “I feel protected.”

🙌🏻So as a working definition for authority, we came to the conclusion that we could understand- Leadership that protects.

🤯I have to tell you, if I could have known even a decade ago, what RJ already realized at 8 years old, I could have enjoyed submitting to leadership and authority instead of being suspicious of it.

❤️‍🩹Maybe like me, you’ve had people in authority abuse their place, and through that- abused your heart, leaving you wounded.

🐑Our Good Shepherd, Jesus, He is a gentle, loving, kind, and protective leader. We can trust Him to lead us not into temptation, to deliver us from evil, and to lead us into all truth, which is the divine catalyst for our freedom.

🤲🏻Let’s invite Him today to heal our wounds from authority that’s been abused so we can enjoy the relief of submitting to His pure and wonderful leadership in our lives.

🙏🏻Lord Jesus, thank You for being a perfect leader who is gentle and kind and always looking out for my best. Help me to forgive and release every leader who has abused my heart and their position. Forgive them Lord. Heal and teach them. I invite You into those wounds in my heart and ask for You to heal them so I can grow in trusting You, so I can choose to follow You more and more. I want to. I want to be in Your will. I want to share Your love- but I need the relief of submission to come. I know that with You this is possible! I love You Jesus! It’s in Your Holy name I pray, Amen!

🔥My most absolute favorite place to enjoy a cup of coffee is by the warmth of a fire.

☕️As I sit here, slowly sip, and consider the Lord, I hear-

❤️‍🔥Daughter, seek Me, find me! Remain in Me, and I will remain in you! There’s nothing to fear! IAM with you. So be strong. Be courageous. Just keep your eyes on Me- and everything will turn to peace.

🙏🏻And in response- I give thanks.

❤️‍🔥Thank you Lord for loving me endlessly. Thank You that Your faithfulness is perfect. Thank You that You will never leave me- I can count on You. Thank You for being my truth, my freedom, and my peace. I choose to remain in You, today.

🙏🏻You see, prayer is a conversation, not a monologue. Prayer can begin with a question, “What would it please You to share with me today, Jesus?” Prayer involves more listening than talking.

❤️‍🔥If this is a new notion for you- how wonderful! Your entire life is about to be upgraded!

📖“Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭13‬ ‭AMP‬‬

📖“On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭20‬ ‭AMP‬‬

📖“Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭AMP‬‬

📖“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble in dread before them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not fail you or abandon you.” It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬, ‭8‬ ‭AMP‬‬

📖“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬ ‭AMP‬‬

👷🏼‍♀️I have found that so often the things that come easily to me, that feel natural, are generally the support for the call on my life, but are NOT what I’m actually called to.

🙏🏻The things I’ve been called into require me to lean upon the Lord. To stay close to His side, to look to Him for constant wisdom, constant leadership. Where I’m called, is where I need Him most.

👩‍👦‍👦For me, being a mother, is the hardest and most unnatural part of my life. Yet, I’m certain of the call because I was entrusted with these two precious individuals to love, lead, and launch.

❤️‍🔥This particular call on my life is THE a place I seek the Lord most. He loves to co-parent with us. He has the insider scoop into their spirit, heart, and purpose. It is wonderful to seek the Perfect Parent’s wisdom on how to learn and grow as I endeavor to serve them with the best of me.

🤔So, I’m wondering- what unnatural, difficult area of your life keeps you most dependent upon the Lord? Ask Him if this has a bigger purpose than to cause you to feel like a failure all of the time! Don’t be so quick to disqualify yourself.

💥By the way, failing and learning, look a lot alike. The only difference is what we do with the moment. Do we grow? Then we’re learning. Do we quit? Then we’re failing!

💪🏻Get back up! This is actually the place you’re called! And remember with God- all things are possible- and will be worked together for good!

❤️We need you! You are loved!

🤔Have you ever considered the different elements God created just to bring us Joy?

🌈Let’s focus in solely on color today!

💭As I was meditating on what colors bring me joy- here are a few thoughts I had.

🎨The teal of the ocean in Aruba.
🎨The red of a cardinal’s wings.
🎨The iridescent blue of a specific butterfly.
🎨The pastels of spring blossoms.
🎨The fiery hues of fall foliage.
🎨The pure white of fresh fallen snow.
🎨The quiet monotone of a winter forest.
🎨The sky as the sun ushers in a new day.
🎨 The sky as the sun invites us towards rest.
🎨The full moon reflecting the Sun’s light.
🎨The contrast of shadow and light.
🎨The radiant green of summer grass
🎨The yellow blanket of sunflower fields.
🎨The tow-headed blonde tones of youth.
🎨The twinkle of Christmas lights.

😱Isn’t that amazing to consider. How the colors He created stir up so much joy inside of us! He thought of everything!

🙌🏻What colors bring you joy?
👇🏻Please share them with us!
🙏🏻And spend time thanking God for being the extraordinary Creator He is! 🌎

Deep to Deep

I worship You, I love You,

I choose to put none above You,

You are the One, my soul’s made for,

Your presence is, the opened door.

So I come in closer, fall into Your grace,

Leaning upon You,

Taking in Your beautiful face.

I remember now, in Your glory,

The fullness of our story,

How You died and rose again,

To be the way for me.

Everything that came between,

You paved the way through,

Unlocking every door,

Drying every ocean floor,

Now nothing stands between,

You and me.

This all seems far too great,

To be true, but I’m here with You,

Your love encompasses my soul,

My experience confounds what I think I know,

We reach where I’ve stopped before, but You say, “Keep going, there’s more.”

A key unlocks a door I didn’t see,

And hidden treasure is found-

Wow! So much beauty!

I never knew what could be

When courage opens up the deep.

My deep cries,

My deep needs,

My deep knows,

My deep sees

Deep is a way to discover,

Deep is a way to recover,

Deep is a way to undo,

Deep is the way to the truest truth.

Your deep floods,

Your depths heal,

Your deep connects,

To my deepest real.

The dark depths were lonely,

Until You unlocked them for me,

My deep called to Yours,

Now everywhere there’s opened doors.

Doors that have never been unlocked,

Doors I was afraid to walk through,

But now as I journey beyond,

What I find is more of You!

In the depths, are the deeper

Connection and identity to the keeper,

Jesus Christ is in all of me,

And in all of Him, I’m invited to be.

To be loved in the whole,

To be known and to know,

There’s no place He won’t be,

Because I’m in Him and He’s in me.

So no part needs to stay locked,

No part needs to be managed,

Every part get to be set free,

I’m at an eternal advantage.

Because before time, I’ve been loved,

From the beginning, I’ve been seen,

Forever and ever, I’m fully known,

His perfection has always been in me!

So I’ll keep letting His hand,

Excavate the hidden treasure,

I’ll keep agreeing with,

The way He measures.

He measures by His righteousness,

He measures by His grace,

He measures by His love,

I choose to believe His word over me now by faith

Loved. Cherished. Wanted. Seen.

Righteous. Perfect. Forgiven. Free.

That’s who I am because,

I’m in Him and He’s in me,

From deep to deep.