Merry Christmas

The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide:

A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. Luke 2:9 -14

Relevant

I am reading a book by Chuck Pierce -- Interpreting the Times (FABULOUS book!)

Pierce writes about Matthew 11:12 -- And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. He goes on to explain that FORCE is a word that denotes power, strength, and straining. Here are ten strands that better explain the concept that Jesus was attempting to bring forth through the ages:

He will have a people filled with strength.
He will have a people who gain momentum
He will have a people of accurate moral reason and judgement.
He will have a people of violence.
He will have a people of virtue.
He will have a people who have the power to bind and loose.
He will have a people of destiny.
He will have a people who move like a raging storm in the earth
He will have a people, who like Jesus, fulfill the law without being confined to the law of the earth.
He will have a people filled with strength and power for war.

(This is all found on pages 135-137.)

I thought this was so relevant to us. I think we all represent different strands of the FORCE. We all have different giftings and God uses those all together. I remember a couple of years ago, a friend was venting about the "mundane parts" of life...which I never articulated myself BUT SO IDENTIFIED with this person...the wiping of snotty noses, the making of the peanut butter sandwiches day in and day out, etc....

I think the above revelation cracks that our life is mundane framework...nothing is for waste...whether we are pouring into our children or praying with a friend about global issues. WE ARE RELEVANT in the kingdom and we are part of that force! I don't think we have to be in Washington DC to be a part of the the Force! Please know y'all are powerful in the kingdom...world changers and you don't even have to leave the city limits!

Slavery

I recently took my daughter to see a movie...just relaxing ...hanging out with my daughter...standing in line for the tickets....when she turns to me and says, "Mom, if there were slaves today...would I be one?"

This is not the only painful and difficult questions she has asked me in the past few months about race. We were at Target a few months ago and I asked her if she wanted a pair of Converse shoes. She answered, "only white girls can wear those." I was horrified. I asked her where she got that idealogy (OK I did not use that word!). I explained to her that the color of her skin does not determine what you can and can not wear, can be, or where you go. I told her that as God's daughter she sets the standard -- she has the freedom.

Later after the movie (which had nothing to do with slavery by the way) she explains to me...if she had been a slave what she would have said to the white people, "I would have said look we are the same, look we have both have brains, two eyes and two ears and two hands and two feet -- the only difference is we have different color skin." I told she was exactly right....

Then she asks, " would they have whipped me because I said that... "

I do not like having to reveal the painful and shameful history to her and I never expected to be having this chat when she was seven. Kiera and I talk about American history but I always come back to her true identity...which is as God's daughter.

A few friends who had knew about this conversation gave the following prophetic words about Kiera:

She is going to be a world-changer...The revelation that God is giving Keira is right. He is helping her think through this foundational truth in a way that is personal to her. She has dark skin, so she can empathize with that. God is setting a Kingdom world view deep in her spirit. At some point she will realize that He is talking to her about her. His love story for Kiera. Her birth into slavery and the war He declared on her captors who enslaved her. The truth, that He fought for her to the death with everything He had, everything He was - holding nothing back because He loves her so much. When she gets this, it will cause her to fall deeply and madly in love with Him. Then she will pick up the sword and begin to fight - from her love, for her lover. She will declare war for the freedom of others. She will pick up the sword and fight to set others free. It is her calling, her destiny, and the song in her heart. I can see that warrior/overcoming spirit on Keira. It is her destiny, just like her mama’s. She is called to fight, but first God is causing her to love. He is revealing His broken heart for those who are not free so she can be a passionate fighter. You can’t be a passionate fighter without a heart that can feel and know love.

Once she gets that, she can be truly free no matter what external bondage holds her – just like Paul in prison. And, she can lead others to freedom.

Hollywood Bound

My daughter told me recently, that when she grows up and gets married....she is moving to Hollywood and becoming famous. I believe her. Something about her tone and it just seems so possible. We talk about what she will do in Hollywood, sing, dance, model, act, emulate God's light and love.....

One day as we talked, we stopped at a local mini mart to buy some drinks...we were so thirsty. I got the drinks as she browsed the store. As I was paying, she runs up to me with a horrified look on her face and hands me a pornographic magazine. I grabbed the magazine from her and threw it on the counter and demanded to know why this trash was out for a minor child to see. The clerk looked stunned. I reminded the clerk that I could call the police and have him ticketed for this violation. At this point, the clerk is mumbling some excuse...I did not listen but just headed out the front door. (Maybe I should have done more but I just wanted to get my child out of there and I could tell she was reeling.)

As we sat in our car in the front of the store, Kiera says in the most concerned worried voice, "Mom, that lady's picture is on that magazine and her boob is showing and she doesn't know it."

This is one of those moments I hope will never happen but I know that my daughter will eventually learn the evilness that attempts to lurk in the world. So I gently tell her that the women knows her picture is on the front of the magazine and that her boob is showing. I said there are some people in the world that have such broken hearts -- that they make choices that hurt them. I can see her processing the incident and all this new information.

Suddenly she says, "you mean her boss ask her to take that picture?" In which I answered, "yes." Kiera in the most authoritative voice says, "well Mom if my boss ever asks me to take a picture like that...I will tell him that I will have to quit this job!"

That evening when Kiera went to bed, she asked again about the lady on the magazine. She said I just feel so sad for her. We decided to pray for her.

Running the Race

Even before my daughter was born, I felt God tell me to always emphasize to her she was His daughter...that this must be a foundational piece in her identity. My daughter is biracial. I am White and her father is African American or “brown” as she says.

I remember when my daughter was about three and her alerting her father that he had a different skin tone. We were at dinner and had just ordered dinner when she turned to her father and said, “you know daddy – you are black!” A few months later, I had gotten pulled over by the police for speeding. As the African American police officer walked up to the car, from the back seat you hear this little voice," Daddy is that your brother?" We laughed so hard we cried and it made it a bit easier to receive my consequence for speeding.

When she was four she told me that when she grew up she wanted to be white. This was not funny to me...I cried for a different reason. This made me really question what I was teaching her and modeling for her.

Part of what I believe was going on...was she just wanted to look like someone in her family...wanting to feel connected visually. She was trying to figure out her place in her family and community. I could relate to this because I was adopted and I felt like no one “really” looked like me in my family. Years later I saw a picture of my half sister and she looked just like me…this buzz carried me for days….someone looked just like me...amazing!

What is the point of all of this? I am not sure I really know...yet. I do feel this is part of our race and we will run together. Although looking at us we do not visually look alike...we are connected by blood but also through relationship and we have the same King - our Heavenly Father. Our relationship has deep roots because we both derive our identity from being God's daughter.

Belle of the Ball

I bought Kiera her "Christmas" dress yesterday. This morning she woke up and said, "Mom, my dress is really fancy, I think I should be wearing it to a ball." ......so if any of you are throwing a ball this Christmas season -- could you invite Kiera -- bc she has the perfect dress!

Love BIG

I think we receive revelation from the Lord. I love revelation from my Father...it always impacts my world. What is really great about revelation from God is that it goes deep and deeper. I know we have all heard sermons on the cross. I believe it is one of the most important points of reference in our lives. This week God reminded me of Jesus and the journey He took to get to the cross. Jesus remained so humble - never lashing out at those that wanted to destroy Him. He was attacked from all sides -- mentally, emotionally, and physically. He loved through that walk to the cross and even on the cross -- He emulated love.

I have felt this season God has really spoken to me about walking in love. I have realized that in order to walk in love I have to really humble my heart and mind. That is easy sometimes and sometimes that is difficult. In the difficult moments, I cry out to my Father to help me to humble my heart because I want to walk in love. That usually involves tears but God is so gracious and holds my hand as I allow my fleshly parts to burn up. I want to love other always...I want to love BIG -- just like Him.

Lord Jesus, Thank you for the wonderful experience of walking life out with you and holding your hand. Thank you for being my Father and allowing me to emulate your love for others. I ask for more Lord. I ask for your manifest presence to pour over my life. I ask to see others through your eyes. I humble myself before you and ask that you help me to love others always. I want to love BIG like you! I want others to know the safety and security that I feel having you as my Father. I love you Lord. Amen

If I had a Soap Box

If I had the opportunity to stand on a soap box and speak...I would talk about the importance of life giving language. What is life giving language? Life giving language is language that communicates both encouragement and truth being spoken into someones life.

I work with the homeless. A few years ago, I had a client who come to the shelter after he had been discharged from the hospital. He had drank too much alcohol and became very sick. He had no where to go and was still too sick to be out in the elements. He was in his late sixties, by his appearance you could tell he had lived a difficult life.

When we sat down to do his intake, he begins to tell me a tall tale...I stopped him mid sentence and gently said let's just be real here. We both know you came here via the hospital because you were so ill because you drank too much alcohol yesterday. Then, I said excitedly, but today is a new day and a great day! You are literally at a crossroad in your life - you can return to the street and hope you don't get sick again or you have the opportunity to make a radical change in your life and go somewhere to receive help for your addiction. I said -- society needs you -- you are such a valuable piece and we need you. Please get help today. As I was talking I could tell something had happened...he literally looked ten years younger and he seemed so at peace.

He looked down and quietly said OK. I left the room to make the phone calls to get things set up. When I returned to the room, I let him know he had an appointment at the local treatment center and to go and get his items packed. I then told him I was so happy that he was taking such good care of himself today. He looked at me and thanked me for helping him and then he said in the meekest voice..."thank you for telling me I was valuable."

Please seize every opportunity to speak life giving words...they can radically change the course of someones life.

The tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18:21

Chapter 7: Walking

Walking in forgiveness is such a process and journey! Initially, I did not do this! I thought if Eric would just…then my daughters and my life would be on track. What a lie!

Through a process of revelations I began to realize that I had to get my eyes back on Jesus and off Eric. God was the answer. God promises that He will take care of the orphan and widow. When I began to refocus on the truth, the walk became hopeful BUT still a journey. I began to focus on what I needed to do in my life to get my house in order.

By this time Eric had left the rehab center and been on the streets for over 10 months...I did not have any contact with him during this time. God asked me to do somethings for Eric, which seemed outlandish and weird. I had very limited financial resources at this time and He asked me to drive 30 miles away from my home and drive a route (that God showed me) through the neighborhood where my Eric hung out. I went and I prayed in tongues and drove the route once. The next day I drove and prayed in tongues twice…until the 7th day. On the seventh day, my daughter and I drove the route 7 times praising the Lord. This was an act of obedience on my part and very humbling for me. It was also a faith building exercise. I spent money on gas that I could have used other places but God so provided for our needs. Also I may not know until I get to heaven how our prayers and praises impacted that neighborhood but I stand in faith that we did some spiritual damage. I look back now and again just think what a privilege that God would use me.

Days after completing this assignment, God gave me another one. I was to pray for Eric daily for a month…..I was mad! "Lord, I have already prayed for him and I have driven the streets releasing your power and glory AND now you want me to commit to pray for him for another 30 days. OK my heart was still HARD and I heard these words, “This is not about you.”

This humbled and broke my heart tremendously. So many times in my head when difficult circumstances have risen – I have heard these words –"Its not about you." I know for a fact it is not about ME – we are to stand in the gap for these hurting individuals.

In walking in forgiveness, God allows you to see the individual the way He sees them. He will reveal to you how He sees that person without the cloak of their sin – often times it is a picture of a very wounded child. The sin in the person’s life is not who they are but this is a dark cloak that has come upon them...they are wounded and hurting individuals.

Chapter 6: Restoration

As I tell my journey, I could easily point to others in my life that have caused me pain but that would not be the WHOLE story. My sin in my life was very hidden and no one really knew about it. I had my own set of issues!

I desired freedom and continued to pursue God. I was at a Texas Ablaze conference. Keith Miller asked if anyone there had an addiction, and to please stand up. My world stopped and I knew this was a moment that I had to make a choice...continue to walk out death or decide to choose life. I stood up, petrified yet so desperate for freedom. As Keith came up to me, he asked me what my addiction was -- I told him I had an eating disorder. He called his wife Janet over and they both prayed for me. Instantly, the ridiculous thoughts that would twirl around in my head and drive the eating disorder were gone. I was completely healed at that moment.

Sadly, I continued for another 18 months practicing my eating disorder because I believed that my body would not work correctly. I believed a lie. I had abused it for so many years and I was gripped by fear. I came to a point that I realized that I was not choosing life...I was not believing I had a full healing. I became accountable to a friend and stopped practicing that hideous habit.

God is so gracious, all I had to do was step into the full healing. God's grace was waiting for me to make the complete leap.

He said to her, "Daughter your faith has healed you. Mark 5:34