Beauty in the Struggle

           We don’t change all at once it happens in increments. Step by step. I was thinking about the butterfly and the process it has to go through to go from being a caterpillar to spreading its wings and flying. We  are like that caterpillar when we come to Christ. We are in a season of growth and we will prevail. We will have the victory. We will come out a rare form of beauty that the world has never seen before.

Caterpillars go through a metamorphosis which is a transformation or change in shape. There are four phases of a butterfly’s life: Egg, larva, pupa and adult. Pupa is the transition stage. Caterpillars are in a cocoon or a chrysalis. Some pupa stages take two years. In the pupa stage cells grow rapidly, legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the butterfly grow. Butterfly’s can’t grow. In the adult stage a butterfly mates and lays eggs. It has a different purpose than the one it was initially created in. Butterfly’s may not even feed as adults. A caterpillar’s job is to eat and grow. Butterflies can’t grow they are already equipped with what they need to mate and lay eggs. They live for 1 to 2 weeks. The caterpillars end purpose is different from the purpose it was born with. It goes through a transformation so too do we go through a transformation. God will bring his purposes through us. I got this information from www.Ansp.org.

So like I said I believe we are all like that butterfly. Before we know Christ we are on a particular path and once we know Christ our path changes. We become a new creation in Christ. Christ gives us the wings we need to soar in our lives and to overcome the challenges and different stages. What stage do you find yourself in? Are you like the butterfly are you soaring with your wings spread wide? Are you like the caterpillar in the chrysalis? Are you waiting for your body to grow and mature into the soaring stage? Or are you like the larva where you’re just devouring God’s word and being prepared to grow even more? I think I’m in the chrysalis stage. I’m waiting to mature and grow in my walk with Christ. I do believe I’m a new creation. I have changed so much from who I used to be and growing in my walk with Christ. I so cherish the Lord and what he’s doing in my life. I used to be very shy and depressed. I didn’t know Christ at the time but he knew me and he helped me come to him in increments. My understanding of who he was  grew until I finally gave my heart to him.

                Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

So what stage are you in? I’m so in the growing stage of getting those eyes, legs, wings so that I will soar with God’s word and spread it to others. That’s the whole point is showing the love of Christ to others. No matter what stage you’re in eventually you will come out of this struggle and be a rare beauty and soar. You will fly, set free from everything that’s been weighing you down.

Will you share your stage with me?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Build an Ark

                Steven Furtick said, “You’ve gotta build an ark when you’ve never seen rain.” This was so profound to me. What does that mean? It means you’ve got to have the faith to do it even if it’s never been done before. You’ve got to have faith even if you’ve never done it before. You’ve got to believe that when God tells you to do something he will give you the strength to do it. You’ve got to believe that God has a purpose and a will for your life. Believe God. Build an ark.

                What is the ark in your life? What is God telling you to build? Is it a stronger marriage? Is it a better relationship with your kids? Is it communicating with your boss? He’s telling me to build a road to being a better leader. I cannot take my old mindset into my new blessings. I need to change the way I do things. All the things that led me to here were meant for that time but now it’s time to mature and grow in leadership. I have to do this for a time such as this because I will be leading thousands and if I can’t lead four people then I can’t lead a thousand people. God is giving me an opportunity to be a good steward of little so I can be a good steward of much. What is God calling you to be a good steward of?

                Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10 NIV

                I’ll leave you with this thought. Believe God is for you not against you. Believe he will equip you to do what he’s called you to do. Step out in faith even if you don’t know where that step will take you. Take one step at a time. He is faithful in all things.

                What’s your ark?

                What is God calling you to be a good steward of?

                I’m here.

                I’m listening.

                Genuinely Yours,

                Amy Z

What To Do When God Gives You Lemons

                Have you ever heard the saying when life gives you lemons make lemonade? Well what do you do when God gives you lemons? I believe God gives us lemons to test and strengthen our character. I believe he wants to see what’s left of him in us when we get to the end of us. What I mean is what will be left of our character when we have trials? Will Jesus shine through us? Will we walk in Jesus authority and show people how he’s working in our lives and who he is or will we succumb to the trail and give up?

                I personally don’t want to give up. I want to see if I’m going to let Jesus shine through me.

                God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

                I so need this verse right now because I’ve been so fearful lately. I’m afraid of the unknown. My pastor says to think of the unknown as above and beyond what God is going to do in my life. I know that the trials that I face, the lemons, are to refine me and equip me to be a better solider in Christ’s army.

                So what can we do when God gives us lemons? We can praise him. We can worship him. We can seek his guidance and will for our lives. We can appreciate what he’s done for us. A heart of gratitude goes a long way.

So are you in a season of your life where God is giving you lemons?

Will you share it with me?

I just encourage you to not give up. God’s word says,

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:9 NLT

                Do you see that? Right around the corner of your trial is a blessing. And not just one blessing it’s a harvest of blessing. I don’t know about you but I want to see that harvest of blessing come through in my own life. I know that God has big things headed my way. So too does he have big things headed your way. Don’t give up dear readers and just know there is a crowd of witnesses up in heaven watching our progress.

                Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1 NLT

                Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Endure the trials for there is such a huge blessing on the other side of your trial. Keep persevering. Keep praying. Keep serving. Keep on keeping on. You can do this. Keep turning to God.

                I’m here.

                I’m listening.

                Genuinely Yours,

                Amy Z