Have you ever had a moment when the light bulb goes on and suddenly everything about a circumstance starts to piece together. The things which were so hard for me to digest suddenly Grace is flowing through me and it doesn't make sense.
I had a few Ah Ha moments this week where tests and challenges that I am walking seemed they were going to bury me alive but that moment when the Holy Spirit drops truth in your circumstance and the light shines on the dark places and takes authority.
James 1:2-4-Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
I can think of so many times when I am in a test or a challenge and think I have to get out of this as fast as I can. My nickname used to be the "runner" and I have to take that thing captive all the time in my life so that I don't miss out on what God is trying to show me. Often times those tests are what takes us to the next part of the book and if we don't read the entire chapter we miss something crucial. Eventually, you will have to go back over that chapter until you get what it was that you missed.
I am challenging myself to not run from the tests but to endure them with patience and to trust my Heavenly Father to hold me steady while all the cracks are repaired and my foundation is steady for the next part of the journey. I use to think tests were a sick punishment from God because I was never gonna pass them and I was stuck walking through the same pain over and over.
What I have learned and am still learning is tests are a must when it comes to spiritual growth in ones life. It's the pruning of our trees that is required for healthy fruit. Our flesh would love to say it hurts, its not fair, and run because it's too painful but the spirit of God calls us to patience, endurance and self-control. Not so that we can die in the process but so that we can live not deprived of anything and to His Glory and Purpose in our lives.
Lord you are the reason I can even stand and breathe everyday. Your Grace and Mercy in my life helps weed out the carnality of my flesh and replaces it with the Spirit of God flowing through me. I trust you to take me through each test and purify me so that I am not deficient in any way but full of you Spirit and walking in love.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
To Wait
I have been listening to this really great series on what it means to wait on God. I am sure much like the rest of you, waiting on God seems like a constant saying that comes flying out of our mouths. Much to my understanding until now, I felt waiting on God was just a task one must walk through. It seemed frustrating and tiresome.
What I have learned this last week, has changed my entire perspective on the "waiting room" so to speak.
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. IS 40:31
Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14
I have always found it interesting that the word wait and renew were in the same scripture. It never really seemed easy to wait on the Lord and often felt like a dead end rather than a renewing. I have realized that often times as Christians we can use the term "waiting on the Lord" as an excuse not to get out of the boat. Often we are waiting on the Lord, which also can be translated as trusting, hoping, believing for things yet to come and miss that it is already right in front of us.
Example... I am praying for the Lord to give me more joy. Here's the light bulb goes on moment. You can't pray for the Lord to give you more of what he has already given us. He has given us everything when he put His son on a cross for us. Through that single act, he gave us access to life abundantly. So rather than praying for more joy, I need to exercise my faith (believing & speaking) and increase this fruit in my life.
See I would be paralyzed if I just prayed and prayed and expected the Lord to change my emotions rather than me tapping into the power, He has already placed in us guiding us with the Holy Spirit. Praise is our passport to all things unleashed in our faith. When I am praising, how can I be joyless, depressed, focused on the earthly rather than the heavenly.
All hell breaks loose when we open our mouths and give thanks. We can do it with affirmation, encouragement, through music etc... Praise is the gateway to getting out of the cycle of waiting on God to change this. When we begin to give thanks and put faith into action our waiting becomes, renewing and we mount up and soar.
We need to change our waiting room into a work room. Getting busy doing what the Lord has called us to and while we are waiting, trusting, believing in the areas that we haven't see the fruit, the burden becomes light and our focus shifts to the eternal.
Life Changing for me this study has been and I encourage you to challenge your believing and speaking to match up to what the word has said and sealed in our lives.
Hugs
Trish
What I have learned this last week, has changed my entire perspective on the "waiting room" so to speak.
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. IS 40:31
Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalm 27:14
I have always found it interesting that the word wait and renew were in the same scripture. It never really seemed easy to wait on the Lord and often felt like a dead end rather than a renewing. I have realized that often times as Christians we can use the term "waiting on the Lord" as an excuse not to get out of the boat. Often we are waiting on the Lord, which also can be translated as trusting, hoping, believing for things yet to come and miss that it is already right in front of us.
Example... I am praying for the Lord to give me more joy. Here's the light bulb goes on moment. You can't pray for the Lord to give you more of what he has already given us. He has given us everything when he put His son on a cross for us. Through that single act, he gave us access to life abundantly. So rather than praying for more joy, I need to exercise my faith (believing & speaking) and increase this fruit in my life.
See I would be paralyzed if I just prayed and prayed and expected the Lord to change my emotions rather than me tapping into the power, He has already placed in us guiding us with the Holy Spirit. Praise is our passport to all things unleashed in our faith. When I am praising, how can I be joyless, depressed, focused on the earthly rather than the heavenly.
All hell breaks loose when we open our mouths and give thanks. We can do it with affirmation, encouragement, through music etc... Praise is the gateway to getting out of the cycle of waiting on God to change this. When we begin to give thanks and put faith into action our waiting becomes, renewing and we mount up and soar.
We need to change our waiting room into a work room. Getting busy doing what the Lord has called us to and while we are waiting, trusting, believing in the areas that we haven't see the fruit, the burden becomes light and our focus shifts to the eternal.
Life Changing for me this study has been and I encourage you to challenge your believing and speaking to match up to what the word has said and sealed in our lives.
Hugs
Trish
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The push before breakthrough
Have you ever noticed that right before a breakthrough in your life there is this big massive push that has to happen to get you there. I compare it much to labor. I think of all the Lord is calling us too and how much we desire to walk center of His will. At times there are things that arise that just seems like it's so much toil to get the fruit.
While I was praying ok more like complaining to God the other day, I found myself talking out loud to the Lord in my car. I said to Him, this is worse than LABOR! My whining even reminded me of myself in labor (not a pretty site) LOL. I can imagine the people who drive next to me while we are in traffic have themselves some really great laughs.
Most of us don't want to push through the stuff that seems unfair, out of our plan or not part of the deal. Trust me I find myself there as well. I however know that when it comes to giving birth to something it requires a lot of time, pain and yes pushing. Though it seems like when something in our lives requires this amount of work it might not be of God, can I challenge you to look deeply into His Word and your prayer life and often times what requires the most work, is the breaking of something that brings much fruit.
Often times in the midst of the push I don't understand nor see the other side but if I trust the Lord and His leading it always brings fruit. He promises never to leave us nor forsake us and to bring us thru the mountain not leave us at the bottom.
Press on, press on because the Lord is about to bring an awakening far beyond any of us have seen yet and he is going to need us mature, equipped and ready to reap the harvest!
Hugs
Trish
While I was praying ok more like complaining to God the other day, I found myself talking out loud to the Lord in my car. I said to Him, this is worse than LABOR! My whining even reminded me of myself in labor (not a pretty site) LOL. I can imagine the people who drive next to me while we are in traffic have themselves some really great laughs.
Most of us don't want to push through the stuff that seems unfair, out of our plan or not part of the deal. Trust me I find myself there as well. I however know that when it comes to giving birth to something it requires a lot of time, pain and yes pushing. Though it seems like when something in our lives requires this amount of work it might not be of God, can I challenge you to look deeply into His Word and your prayer life and often times what requires the most work, is the breaking of something that brings much fruit.
Often times in the midst of the push I don't understand nor see the other side but if I trust the Lord and His leading it always brings fruit. He promises never to leave us nor forsake us and to bring us thru the mountain not leave us at the bottom.
Press on, press on because the Lord is about to bring an awakening far beyond any of us have seen yet and he is going to need us mature, equipped and ready to reap the harvest!
Hugs
Trish
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Church In Action Sunday
Last Sunday we challenged our church to roll up their selves and do something out of the box for a church service.
For the month of February we had announced to our church, Freedom Church LB, that we would be collecting blankets for the homeless. We explained at the end of the month we would give them out. What we didn't tell them is that when they showed up to church that Sunday we would be doing service outside the building. The Saturday before we packed 60 sack lunches and rolled 30 blankets with some leadership in the church.
Sunday morning came (and of course we had like 5 new visitors) and we announced we were going to be a
"Church in Action" that day. We were greeted with an overwhelming response of excitement and eagerness to put their faith to action. We loaded up our cars and went to the largest area in Long Beach where homeless sleep under the FWY. Look below to see our experience.
As you can see we had a large response from our church of 70 and we went and blessed those who can't even meet their basic needs. My favorite part of the day was seeing the children run up to the front to hand out lunches and didn't even blink an eye at the fact that they were dirty, rough and what most would call cast aways. No they ran to meet them and show them the love of Christ.
Don't just pray for change BE the change you want to see in your city!
Hugs
Trish
For the month of February we had announced to our church, Freedom Church LB, that we would be collecting blankets for the homeless. We explained at the end of the month we would give them out. What we didn't tell them is that when they showed up to church that Sunday we would be doing service outside the building. The Saturday before we packed 60 sack lunches and rolled 30 blankets with some leadership in the church.
Sunday morning came (and of course we had like 5 new visitors) and we announced we were going to be a
"Church in Action" that day. We were greeted with an overwhelming response of excitement and eagerness to put their faith to action. We loaded up our cars and went to the largest area in Long Beach where homeless sleep under the FWY. Look below to see our experience.
Don't just pray for change BE the change you want to see in your city!
Hugs
Trish
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Be Part of The Answer
Recently my prayer life has taken a turn for deep understanding of God's love for people and this post might reflect a hard awakening for some trust me I was one of them, but I feel so moved by the spirit to share with you. (Excuse the run on sentences)
I don't know about you but for me it always rubs me the wrong way when someone says I'll pray for that need of yours but has the capacity to be part of the answer. Everyday I walk by people less fortunate than me countless times (it makes me sick to my stomach how many times) and I have the capacity to be part of the answer they have been praying for.
What do you think it means to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit? What do you think Jesus meant by Love others as you would love yourselves? The Holy Spirit has been speaking these things to me so much over the past six months. I couldn't help but think this last six months how much I have and how little others have. What if I was the person with no socks, shoes, food or warmth and a believer of God just walked right past me and murmured I'll pray for you, as they strut their new clothes, drive their new car and have a full stomach. How would I feel? How would Jesus feel?
Look I know that we live in a society that says more means success and only worry about yourself. I can't live like that! I refuse to lead a body of believers like that! I can't in good conscious think about what I don't have when there are so many who sleep in the rain, barefoot, cold and hungry. When I see a homeless family because the "American Dream" caused them to loose everything; because they worked so hard to obtain what everyone said they had to have and lost it all due to an unforeseen circumstance.
When are we as a body of Christ going to start living like Jesus called us to live. When we start looking for a way to be part of the answer to the prayers of the desperate, the widow, the broken, the middle class etc.. No one is exempt from this. We all have needs and God places resources in front of us all the time and often selfishness and fear keep us from giving, reaching and pouring into someone else's life. I no longer am interested in praying prayers that God has resourced me to answer. I can do what I can do after all it is the Lord who gave me the provision after all.
Seriously, this is as much for me as it is for you. I know that I can be the change I pray for. I know that I can do what God has resourced me to do and it's time for NO MORE EXCUSES....
What about you? What has the Lord been speaking to you this season....
Hugs
Trish
I don't know about you but for me it always rubs me the wrong way when someone says I'll pray for that need of yours but has the capacity to be part of the answer. Everyday I walk by people less fortunate than me countless times (it makes me sick to my stomach how many times) and I have the capacity to be part of the answer they have been praying for.
What do you think it means to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit? What do you think Jesus meant by Love others as you would love yourselves? The Holy Spirit has been speaking these things to me so much over the past six months. I couldn't help but think this last six months how much I have and how little others have. What if I was the person with no socks, shoes, food or warmth and a believer of God just walked right past me and murmured I'll pray for you, as they strut their new clothes, drive their new car and have a full stomach. How would I feel? How would Jesus feel?
Look I know that we live in a society that says more means success and only worry about yourself. I can't live like that! I refuse to lead a body of believers like that! I can't in good conscious think about what I don't have when there are so many who sleep in the rain, barefoot, cold and hungry. When I see a homeless family because the "American Dream" caused them to loose everything; because they worked so hard to obtain what everyone said they had to have and lost it all due to an unforeseen circumstance.
When are we as a body of Christ going to start living like Jesus called us to live. When we start looking for a way to be part of the answer to the prayers of the desperate, the widow, the broken, the middle class etc.. No one is exempt from this. We all have needs and God places resources in front of us all the time and often selfishness and fear keep us from giving, reaching and pouring into someone else's life. I no longer am interested in praying prayers that God has resourced me to answer. I can do what I can do after all it is the Lord who gave me the provision after all.
Seriously, this is as much for me as it is for you. I know that I can be the change I pray for. I know that I can do what God has resourced me to do and it's time for NO MORE EXCUSES....
What about you? What has the Lord been speaking to you this season....
Hugs
Trish
Monday, January 16, 2012
Monday Morning Commentary
High Impact Church
Pastor Bobby taught an amazing message yesterday about being the kind of church that has an impact on our community. As he taught us about what this type of church looked like, he challenged us to become the kind of followers of Christ that have an active walk; One's that are dependent on the voice of the Lord rather than man or this world's point of view. This entire message spoke to me but there was one point that caused my spirit to soar.
Being committed to Kingdom advancement. This point brought such a fire in me that I couldn't help but put pen to paper on all the Lord was revealing to me throughout this message. What does Kingdom advancement look like? How do I play apart? What in me needs to be submitted unto my King of Kings so that I can reach the fullest commitment of Kingdom advancement?
When I think of Kingdom advancement, I see a church that doesn't just worry about how many people warm their chairs on a Sunday morning. I see a church that isn't concerned with perfection but rather a church that is concerned with the LOST! When did church become a place for the christian to get filled up never to be emptied out. I don't want to be the kind of leader that doesn't teach pouring out all God has given us to help harvest the LOST! As Eugene and I begin this journey leading a church all we can think about is getting out of the building and into the places the enemy hopes no church will go. I want to be the woman that stops when she sees a broken heart or a hungry person. I don't want to be so consumed with my OWN advancement that I can't possibly advance the Kingdom of God.
To me my perspective has changed on what I have to have or how I live. I will happily give up my life to be a part of this commission to see the LOST come to know the KING who gives hope when there is none. I will gladly trade in my career and AMERICAN DREAM to feed a family who has lost their home and sleeping under a bridge. I will show the LOVE of Jesus in all that I do and tell of His mighty Love for us.
I believe the body of Christ (the church) needs an awakening to things that really matter about a church. How we sow our seed in people's lives will determine our reaping. I want to sow seed of love, hope, restoration. I don't want to sow a seed that looks at perfection in a service or competition with the church next door.
Lord, help me to be the woman you have called out of darkness to bring a light so pure and full of hope to the people no one else wants to go near. I want my life to count towards your Kingdom advancement and help me to submit every area of my life so that it will flow through our leadership. Take this imperfect person and use me how you see fit.
How were you impacted this last Sunday?
Love
Trish
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Who Am I?
I am holy & blameless – Ephesians 1:4
Have you ever really taken the time to think about who you are? I know for me even as a young girl, I was told I was many things. Some which I tried to be just because someone said I was or really because I was. I have found as I have gotten older and had children of my own that who we are solely should be determined about what our God says we are. If I take my eyes off the heavenly version of me and look at my flesh. The overweight, sensitive, loud, bold person; I loose so much of my value just by doing that. See our flesh doesn't determine who we are! Thank God! I get to be who our DADDY King says I am. Yes he has fashioned me with traits different from others but the core, the foundation of who am I only exists on His image. An image that is whole and right and good.
I use to think the people that would walk around professing that they were something they obviously weren't was so hypocritical and lying to themselves. What I didn't realize is that those very people were solely dependent on the character of God to fashion them into what He desires us to be. Even if my fleshly eyes doesn't see the me quite as my God sees me doesn't change that He SEES ME THAT WAY!
I can boldly walk with my God trusting His word! When he says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I can do it. When he says I am made righteous, bought by the precious blood of Jesus, I can rest in the confidence that I am redeemed!
What the enemy would love to do is get us to stay focused on our fleshly eyes so that we miss the blessing; the favor or God in our lives. Sometimes we walk the same path over and over because we haven't lifted our eyes to the heavenly and rested in His word for our lives.
I thank God that I am not defined by my flesh but refined by His blood and set apart for Holy living. I can walk in the favor of God through obedience to my God and it's a great place to be!
What about you? Who do you say you are?
Redeemed!
Trish
Have you ever really taken the time to think about who you are? I know for me even as a young girl, I was told I was many things. Some which I tried to be just because someone said I was or really because I was. I have found as I have gotten older and had children of my own that who we are solely should be determined about what our God says we are. If I take my eyes off the heavenly version of me and look at my flesh. The overweight, sensitive, loud, bold person; I loose so much of my value just by doing that. See our flesh doesn't determine who we are! Thank God! I get to be who our DADDY King says I am. Yes he has fashioned me with traits different from others but the core, the foundation of who am I only exists on His image. An image that is whole and right and good.
I use to think the people that would walk around professing that they were something they obviously weren't was so hypocritical and lying to themselves. What I didn't realize is that those very people were solely dependent on the character of God to fashion them into what He desires us to be. Even if my fleshly eyes doesn't see the me quite as my God sees me doesn't change that He SEES ME THAT WAY!
I can boldly walk with my God trusting His word! When he says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I can do it. When he says I am made righteous, bought by the precious blood of Jesus, I can rest in the confidence that I am redeemed!
What the enemy would love to do is get us to stay focused on our fleshly eyes so that we miss the blessing; the favor or God in our lives. Sometimes we walk the same path over and over because we haven't lifted our eyes to the heavenly and rested in His word for our lives.
I thank God that I am not defined by my flesh but refined by His blood and set apart for Holy living. I can walk in the favor of God through obedience to my God and it's a great place to be!
What about you? Who do you say you are?
Redeemed!
Trish
Monday, January 2, 2012
A New Season
2012 is here!!!
We have jumped in with both feet and are excited for this new season. The Lord has given us a vision that we can no longer contain. Most of you know that we are going to begin leading Freedom Church Long Beach on Jan 29th. While that was a HUGE surprise, it actually confirmed what the spirit had already been stirring in us.
Eugene and I have always been the kind of people who roll up our selves and get the job done. We often press the limits and take risks that lead us to solely depend on Jesus. Shoot for the past three years I feel like the only security I have is in Jesus. Lesson well learned. I look baçk now and what I thought would kill me really prepared me for this vision the Lord has given us.
A few weeks back our Senior Pastor came to us and told us that he was resigning from our current church (a pretty new church plant) and moving up North to pastor a church of a completely different culture than Freedom Church. We were asked to interim Senior Pastor the church and we of course so eagerly accepted. We don't know yet if this is the long term ministry assignment we have but we are excited to lead such an amazing group of people until that decision is made. As I watched Pastor Bobby share with the congregation yesterday about this journey and transition. I heard and saw unity strike the body of Freedom Church Long Beach. I saw them band together, trusting God has the heart in of Freedom Church in his hands and WE CAN TRUST IT! They were eager to know the vision of the next leadership. Many came to us asking what God spoke to us for Freedom Church. Hungry for the vision.
Though we can't execute a complete vision yet in this transition, I can promise that we will execute preaching God's word, teaching, loving and seeking the lost until the final decision has been made. As for the question many of you had; Can we trust our district head as far as what will happen to Freedom Church? We can not only trust Tim Clark but count on the fact that he will seek the Lord in this important decision. It will not be just a spot to fill but a God Ordained Appointment!
Get Excited Freedom Church, God is on the Move!!!
Humbly,
Trish
We have jumped in with both feet and are excited for this new season. The Lord has given us a vision that we can no longer contain. Most of you know that we are going to begin leading Freedom Church Long Beach on Jan 29th. While that was a HUGE surprise, it actually confirmed what the spirit had already been stirring in us.
Eugene and I have always been the kind of people who roll up our selves and get the job done. We often press the limits and take risks that lead us to solely depend on Jesus. Shoot for the past three years I feel like the only security I have is in Jesus. Lesson well learned. I look baçk now and what I thought would kill me really prepared me for this vision the Lord has given us.
A few weeks back our Senior Pastor came to us and told us that he was resigning from our current church (a pretty new church plant) and moving up North to pastor a church of a completely different culture than Freedom Church. We were asked to interim Senior Pastor the church and we of course so eagerly accepted. We don't know yet if this is the long term ministry assignment we have but we are excited to lead such an amazing group of people until that decision is made. As I watched Pastor Bobby share with the congregation yesterday about this journey and transition. I heard and saw unity strike the body of Freedom Church Long Beach. I saw them band together, trusting God has the heart in of Freedom Church in his hands and WE CAN TRUST IT! They were eager to know the vision of the next leadership. Many came to us asking what God spoke to us for Freedom Church. Hungry for the vision.
Though we can't execute a complete vision yet in this transition, I can promise that we will execute preaching God's word, teaching, loving and seeking the lost until the final decision has been made. As for the question many of you had; Can we trust our district head as far as what will happen to Freedom Church? We can not only trust Tim Clark but count on the fact that he will seek the Lord in this important decision. It will not be just a spot to fill but a God Ordained Appointment!
Get Excited Freedom Church, God is on the Move!!!
Humbly,
Trish
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