Share this:

Advertisement

Empowered

God’s light shining into our dark places.

His Light and Truth infiltrating our thoughts and motives,

while disarming the power of darkness as we surrender to His ways.

Do you hear Him calling from the heavens, “Be strong and courageous!”

How I love the Word of God!

Only in surrender of self can we find our way in Christ as He lovingly and gently moves us into his ordained purposes! So we wait. We listen.

And He faithfully empowers and we are set free!  He calls us His own!

…The Father knows me and I know the Father. (John 10:14-18)

Will every day be perfect? No.  Will there be days we struggle? Yes.

But may we never forget, the more light we allow in

the less darkness there is to overcome.

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.  

Psalms 18: 28 & 29

Praying God’s presence will light up your world.

Love well, Lorna

Romance

Here is a funny share!

So, my friend Tara tells me I need to be more specific when I pray and I think she may be right.  However, no doubt God is listening and sharing His love & sense of humor with me!

(While in prayer I keep hearing, Don’t awaken love before the time is right Song of Solomen 2:7 NLT)

For about 1 year. Ok, maybe longer I’ve been talking to God about “Romance”.

Yes, I’ve a “list” but over time the list has become more like a post it note. Feeling as if I may need to “settle” but for a pet!  After all, I love animals and it has been a few years since I’ve lived with one!

My prayer went something like this:
Dear Lord, you know my desire to have something to cuddle 😉 but a dog may not be the best choice. However, whatever you feel is right for me at this season, I will be grateful.  If it’s “free” I will know it’s your gift to me!

Two weeks later I receive an email from a friend (He had no idea I was considering a pet). He called to let me know of a breeder of Persian cats and how he is getting two kitties. Oh, while there he thought of me…the breeder has a 4 year old female she is no longer able to breed and would like to give her away to a good home.

Oh, by the way her name is “Romance”.

Immediately I went to meet Romance and fell in love. After saying yes I went home and prepared for her arrival.  This meant getting the house ready, and purchasing her favorite food and treats!

One week later Romance moved in.

I must admit it’s been an adjustment, for both of us. She was more uncomfortable the first week than me.  She slept under the bed.  Then moved from under the bed to sitting at the end of the bed only to stare at me with her big yellow eyes.

Before long I was smitten with my new 4-year old kitten!

God’s love & faithfulness is so PURfect.

I hope this little story encourages you today if you find yourself waiting on God. One thing I’ve learned in the journey is to keep my heart and hands open.  You never know what God has for you but I guarantee it will be good!

Love Well,
Lorna

Every Day I Am Reminded

Every day I am reminded of God’s perfect love that overshadows my struggles to love well.

How I long for my life to be a testimony of this kind of love and to see others through the eyes of Jesus…all the time.  I know, it’s easy to love the lovable, but what about those that appear to be unlovable. Not so easy.  Imagine, with each experience we’d be that much closer to knowing and loving like our Creator. Wow, how world changing that would be!

In my earlier blog I spoke of Phileo love and shared how God sent sweet hints my way as reminders to not forget to love others well. This love encompasses love for fellow humans, care, respect, and compassion for people in need. It’s the love we share with our BFF’s and those in need.  A love the world can’t live without as it unites and contributes to the beauty of relationship.

God has provided plenty of examples throughout Scripture of how to love. Not to mention the life change it brings to those inside and outside the walls of our homes. Who knows whose heart may be changed forever because we loved them well with our compassion and resources.

LOVE

 

God has been speaking to me about LOVE.  How do I know?  Well, when God has something He wants me to pay attention to he will put it right in front of me…everywhere I go.

It began with a walk on the beach with a friend when I came across a rock shaped like a heart buried in the sand…a broken heart.

Hmm…shortly after my pastor asked us to volunteer for the Houston project helping families after the floods.  So many people in need of help to gut homes, rebuild and clean up neighborhoods.  Many were left with no home. My heart was broken as I struggled with going and facing the devastation of so many families.

Once there we attended a church service at Ecclesia. As I sat down I looked across the row from me and there was a woman wearing a shoe with LOVE stamped across it. Clearly I had to snap a pic of it as it screamed L O V E.

  I thought to myself, “Who wears a shoe like that?”

Before the trip ended God brought me face-to-face with not only people in need of love, help and support but a few more reminders of how I was to “LOVE”.  That evening we shared dinner with some others who had flown into Houston to help those in need.  As some of the men piled into the chow hall 5 of them came in wearing red t-shirts that spelled out LOVE.  They were so kind, they even gave me one!

Ok, God I get it…You want me to love better!

Throughout my time in Houston God continued to put in front of me hints of love. Gently reminding me, not only do I want to be loved but I am called to love others.  Even when it’s uncomfortable and it takes hard work!  Especially in the times I feel helpless and incapable of loving well God promises to help me love better.

Before departing Houston I had an opportunity to walk some of the neighborhoods, as I passed through I saw homes that were unaffected by the flood. Beautiful homes all in tact.  As I looked at these homes and thought about the families living inside of them, God gently whispered, “Sometimes the devastation is on the inside and we don’t see it but make no mistake, My Love is for everyone”.

I Corinthians 13:1-13 reminds us of God’s perfect love and how we’re to put it on and share it with others:

vs.3 “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing…vs. 13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”.

Make It An Easter To Remember

As we prepare to celebrate this Easter season I’m taken back to the summer of 2014 after years of seeking after God and fighting for what I thought was best for my life.

In summer of 2014 I surrendered my will and packed up my belongings and moved to So Cal.  Throughout my journey I had experienced God in the ebbs and flows of life but nothing like I’ve since my move, until I fully surrendered all I loved and lived for.  It was at this time I began to experience the Truth behind Scripture that references seeking God with all of our heart, soul and mind.  Deuteronomy 4:29& 30

I see clearly the hand of God at work.  But I needed to do my part.  Now at this time in life I can see newness of life for me.  The things of old have clearly slipped away.  Now this doesn’t mean I won’t have pangs as memories surface, and many of those memories are sweet.  But for the trials in life that worked hard to take me out, well those have been replaced with new purpose.

His plans for this next journey in my life are beginning to surface as He stirs within my heart the urgency to reach women in every stage of life and challenge them to seek after God with all their heart, soul and mind.  When doing this we experience the power of God living inside of us! The power many of us miss out on because we’re too busy attempting to do things in our own strength.

There is nothing God cannot do when we’re surrendering and seeking after Him!  This action provides God full access to use us without “us” hindering His plans.  Read His Word and you too will see the many acts of love, kindness, sacrifice, and power He displayed so others would be courageous enough to step forward and begin their journey with Him.  The forces working against us are the very things God is working out for our good.

In an ever changing, callous and confused world we live in, is there any doubt we need more Kingdom Keepers?  Together we can walk out “on earth as it is in heaven” and bring the Kingdom of heaven to this earth one life at a time.  As we prepare for eternity should we not be preparing others so they too can experience the love of God that transforms lives.

I want to encourage you to reach out to the women in your life and share the hope of Jesus this Easter season.  Spread the good news that Jesus has risen!

Let’s fight for each other vs. against one another as we seek freedom to live life abundantly in an ever changing world. The sacrifice God made for us clearly represents the sacrifice of a loving Father who desires us to experience all He has purposed for us.  Now we just need to take that leap of faith!  The faith that drives out fear and provides strength and wisdom to walkout our journey in the power of a living God who loves us.

Who would not want to test that out!

I challenge you today as we approach Good Friday and Resurrection Day to surrender those things that have you tangled up.  The remaining life “things” that work hard to discourage you and bring you down.  Step out and trust God to raise you up and stir up the purposes He has for the rest of your life.  And then go share the power of Christ living in you and how that is being worked out so others can be set free too!

Play it forward, Pray it forward!

May the blessings of our loving Father be upon you and may you experience the newness of Christ living and working through you.

One Day Jesus Said…

Luke 8:22-25

“Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters, the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.  In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Have you found yourself drowning in the trials of life, and crying out for God to rescue you?

I know when I’ve gone through trials of any kind I become anxious for God’s intervention. I long for my day of reprieve!

But recently I’ve been pondering the question, “Can we become all we were created to be without experiencing the storms of life?”

So as I reflect I begin to cringe over what might have become of me had I not gone through uncomfortable seasons where loss and sorrow came crashing in.  What if I traveled this journey to never experience God’s hand of power over my life that refined me in the fire!  Or, to see God work his power in the healing of broken hearts, broken dreams, and failed health. These are seasons we try hard to escape but they’re also the seasons which bring us closer to God. It’s when these storms have settled down we find ourselves clothed in His image reflecting the glory of his love and power over our lives! What a beautiful plan for the pain that is inevitable in life.

And I can’t help but wonder if I would hurt for a broken world or just be happy I am not that broken had I not walked through some seasons that produced storms?

And what about the faith needed to overcome the evil schemes of the enemy God cautions about in his Word?  Would my compass reflect a woman of faith?

As much as I/we want our lives to be stress free we all know that is not “real” life.

Like the disciples that cried out and saw the power of God respond it’s my prayer we will continue our journey in confidence knowing we serve a powerful God.  Our God who desires to bring us to complete knowledge and understanding of His love for us through an unshakable faith.

May all your seasons leave you amazed by his love for you and yours!

My First Last Date

Great things are happening as I step into the New Year!  It begins with a new career, great friends, and new opportunities!

But I had one “dilemma” causing me confusion and of course, it was with a man.

In fall of 2015 while in Israel with our church I met a man who I thought would be great for one of my friends. However, I fell for him when he wooed me and captivated my heart!

Our first adventure was Christmas Eve at Disneyland which lead to more adventures. Hikes, sailing, talks and bike rides were only part of it. But after many dates there was one we never shared, dinner at a fancy restaurant.

I knew better than to date a man who’d never been married or in a longterm relationship. (Meaning longer than 5 years) However, ignoring the signs I invested my heart and learned another valuable lesson on dating – don’t settle.

Ladies know what you want so when they don’t you can get out of their way.

Within 6 months of dating he began distancing himself feeling pressured to have to make a decision to move into a more serious relationship or just date.  For me, if the relationship wasn’t going anywhere then we needed to be free to date others. Two months later we agreed to end the relationship.

Apparently we missed each other because we connected again last month and had 7 hours in a car where he shared what caused him issues in the relationship.  He then admitted he was pulling away in the end. He felt better. I did not.

Had I heard him correctly?  Was he asking to start over, slow. I thought that’s what we were doing and it didn’t work!  As much as I love a happily ever after story this appeared to be more of an all about him story.

It was two dates later we had our first last date. I got that nice dinner at A’s restaurant in Newport Beach.  It felt more like an obligation and not a date as he asked me why we never had dinners like this when we were dating. Really? I could not help but remind him of how he was watching his weight. Not to mention, he never asked.

Was I supposed to be feeling good about where this was going?  If so, I was not.

Sometimes we find ourselves waiting on the wrong man.  We allow them back in when we know they don’t want the same things out of a relationship. This time it didn’t take me 8 months to see the signs that this relationship was not going to go anywhere.

I appreciate his “slow” offer but I needed to be true to myself. The alarm went off as I realized if expressing my heart puts pressure on a man, then clearly I’m with the wrong man.

Yes, believe in love and don’t force it.

I promise you this, it won’t take you for a short ride, drop you off and park you somewhere. It will leave you secure when sharing your heart, dreams and goals for the future. Wait for it and don’t settle.

A Thankful Heart!

I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:1-2

It is with an over flowing heart of gratitude to God for all that he has done and continues to do as He showers us with love and makes himself known!

Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Love Is the Greatest

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal…

Love is patient and kind,

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.

It does not demand its own way.

It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…

Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-

and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13

God bless you and your day.