Walking Amongst the Thorns

Walking Amongst the Thorns

Last night, I was just finishing-up my animal chores and came back inside, then remembered one last chore I had to do.

Heading back outside, I realized I had forgotten my shoes and stopped at the edge of the lawn—gazing at the thorny expanse between me and my destination.

A slight whisper said, “Walk through it, you will not get any thorns–for I will protect you.”

At this moment, I knew God was going to give me an analogy…but should I trust Him? Could He just tell me the punch line–without my actually crossing the foot-aching path? Because, last week, I legit tried walking across it barefoot and got 4-5 thorns in my feet (these are the thorns that seem to attack in groups–after a well thought out plan). 😬🥴 #shescoming #attack

I sighed, and with a combination of laziness of not getting my shoes and a dash of faith, I set my eyes on my destination and walked regularly across the thorny weeds, did my chore, and walked back across…and you know what? I didn’t get a single thorn in my foot. 👀

God then said, “When you are in thorny–troublesome surroundings…I will be with you. I will not forsake you. Even when you don’t feel prepared–I will make a way for you.”

You see, if I was properly prepared, I would’ve brought my sandals. I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS desire to be prepared. Especially with these last few years of absolute craziness, the stress of preparing for what may come–has, at times, been a burden…and there are moments when I am tired or may forget to “wear sandals” during a thorny path ahead.

End thought: It’s fine to prepare…but God’s got our back even if we aren’t. ♥️

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Breaking before the Storm

Breaking before the Storm

One of the biggest strategies of Satan is not that he brings a storm into our lives…but that he wears us down right before the torrent comes. 🌊

He does this by disrupting our focus on God and putting it on ourselves and everything around us. Little things in everyday life that seem to force our attention elsewhere.

Soon, we may be at a point where we forgot to read the Bible in the morning or talk to God or even pray about our day or situation. 🙏

We then act and react on our own judgement, understanding and anxiety/stress as we miss God’s bigger picture.

Stress makes us react faster and demands an answer or solution ASAP. Then our own judgement fails because we are relying upon what we see and our other earthly senses.

Does God not give us peace in the storm? Does He not give us foresight about the “behind the scenes” and everyone’s hearts?

We must remind ourselves that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy…and he tends to start with the smallest seemingly insignificant things that have a rippling effect that influences how we deal with bigger trials and tribulations.

I continually ask myself that if I’m having a tough day–did I start it with God? Did I pray that morning? Did I talk to Him?

By focusing on God in a day-to-day basis, we will be like the man who built his house upon the rock. The storm came but his was set upon a firm foundation–just like we are with God. (See Matthew 7:24-27) #OnChristthisSolidRockIStand #AllOtherGroundIsSinkingSand

Rebuking the Storm

Rebuking the Storm

With all that’s going on in our country and world and the depressing news media, I pray and keep receiving the same story imprinted on my heart about Jesus taking a nap in the storm.
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I don’t know about you, but there are nights where I haven’t been able to sleep due to worrying about the panic that is happening in seemingly high places. 😂💃 #IllCatchUpOnMySleepInHeaven
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But let’s imagine how the disciples feared for their lives about the storm and undulating lake. I bet some of them even heard stories of being sunk by such storms and I bet their “news media” of the day (aka gossip and word of mouth) told them all the possibilities of drowning and/or dying. Heck, they probably even had the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale–in the back their minds (there probably weren’t whales in the lake–but fear does funny things to our imagination). 😅 I’m not going to lie–I would’ve been a basket case. I may have even tried shaking Jesus awake. #SonofGodWakeUp #DoYouSeeThis #TheresAStormBro #BeamUsUpToHeaven
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And yet….Jesus slept through it. Man, I wouldn’t even doubt if he snored.
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Was Jesus trusting on his own knowledge of boats and sea? Was he listening to the people’s past stories that invoked fear?
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No, He knew the power of God. He knew God would make a way for Him. He just needed to take a stand and rebuke the wind and waves.
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“23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:23-27
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So, the beauty of this story is that storms will come…but God has a way for us. He has already given us the power through faith and through His Son’s holy name.
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God’s been telling me to work on my faith muscle instead of my worry one (which can probably bench press 500 lbs of news media). 😅🤣💪
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How do we build-up our faith?
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17
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Starting the day in the Word, listening to podcasts about the Word and ending the day with the Word.
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When that storm comes knocking, may we be filled so much with faith–that fear has no entry. 🧡💪💃 May we have the courage to rebuke the storm and have that smooth sailing of peace and calm.
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P.S. I like definitions so, I’m going to put this one here.
Rebuke: to reprimand : to reprove sharply or censure formally usually from a position of authority

Walk with Me Again

Walk with Me Again

Walk with Me 2

Walk with Me Again
By: Nicole Renee Kent

God asked me to take a walk with Him
And as I took a step forward–He led my gaze within

He removed the blinders and opened my eyes to see
Of who I am–compared to who I was meant to be

Stripping the walls I’ve built around my heart
From past wounds–where I pushed others from me–far apart

God revealed errors of my past without condemnation
To help me better understand the meaning of salvation

As I looked at my heart, bare before my God, my friend
I asked Him what areas He desired to be–to touch and mend

He responded, “I want it all and every bit
And for you to use My Word–My heavenly first aid kit

For all has been given to you to walk in this world of woes
To see beyond the false pretention and to truly know

Grasp my hand, dear one, and continue to walk with Me
For I will always be with you and help you to see”

The Toddler and His Father

The Toddler and His Father

 A toddler walks barefoot with his father; holding onto his hands. The child sees a dark-new area ahead that catches his interest, so he asks his father to go explore it. The father replies with, “Dear one, if you want to go there, you must put your shoes on.” The toddler was stubborn and believed that he would not get hurt as long as his daddy was there, so he denied the shoes and continued to walk on still-tender feet. The father reluctantly consented after a few more tries of convincing his dear one, but knew his child would get hurt.
As the toddler walked upon the ruff terrain, he stepped on a thorn bush and began to bleed. He let go of his father and fell down to hold his wounded feet. Suddenly he realized that the darkness was around him like a thick blanket…”Daddy, where are you!?,” the child cried out…for he could not see his father because he let go of his steady hands in the darkness.
The Father was there; he was always there, and he had picked up the toddler and began kissing his tears away. The child finally reached up and embraced the One who was with him through it all. The father carried him for awhile (as he healed) and then told him to try walking again…but reminded him to put on his shoes, and he did so with his father’s help. The toddler grasped his father’s hands and together they continued their walk…

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What is the meaning behind this story? Well, there could be many interpretations of what is behind this short tale…but I will do my best at listening and typing to what God is saying to me. Haha Luckily, God is ever-patient with me. ;P If He can use the stuttering Moses to speak for Him, then I know He can make my clumsy fingers type something decent. 

 

Anyways…here we go.
 
I saw the darkness ahead and thought I could handle it because I had my Father (God) with me. Little did I know that “I was looking at the storm while standing on the seashore.” 
Sometimes, correction, MANY times I think I can handle what awaits for me ahead in life because I am holding onto my Father’s hands. Little-did-I-realize that God tells us what we need on our journeys (like applying the armor of God daily-Ephesians 6).
He is ready to give us the tools we need to walk among darkness and thorns, tools to climb the mountains ahead, and equipment to fight the battles that wait for us in the future…
Are you listening to His still but ever-present voice? I know I wasn’t. He was talking to a wall of stubbornness with me, and I got hurt by walking in the pride of my walk with God instead of humbly listening to His instruction before putting a step forward…I let go of His hands, felt alone, but he was there the whole time…wiping away my tears with loving kisses. I reached out for Him, He held me close.


My dad (earthly father) always reminds me to have a “walking and talking” relationship with God…not just walking or even talking but conversing (which involves listening).

 

What is God advising you to do this very moment as you continue to walk in your journey?