Mighty Woman of Valor

             Dear reader I want to talk to you today of your potential. God has put inside you the heart of a warrior. You are a mighty man or woman of valor. God calls you as you are at the deepest point of your personality. He sees your future. Therefore, he calls you as you will be not as you are. He gives you the hope of you being greater than you already are. He wants to bring that warrior out of your heart so that you will guide lost souls to his kingdom. Now we have a great example of what God can do in people’s heart in the character of Gideon in the bible. I encourage you to read Judges 6-8. Because of Israel’s disobedience God had given them up to the Midianites. The Lord heard their cry of anguish and decided to deliver them. Now Gideon was hiding in the winepress threshing wheat because the Midianites were taking all the food from the Israelites. He is visited by an angel of the Lord look and see what the angel said:

Now the Angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Judges 6:11-12

Gideon’s response is:

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?” So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:13-15

Gideon tells God of his shortcomings. So often do we too tell him of why we aren’t qualified to do what God has called us to do. The angel declares him a mighty man of valor. The angel speaks to the future of Gideon’s potential. God pays no mind to Gideon being the least in his household. God speaks of who he is and that he will be with him. Gideon asks for a sign from God and tests him. He puts a fleece out and asks God to cover it with dew and leave the ground dry. God does this and Gideon asks him for a second test to cover the ground with dew and leave the fleece dry. God doesn’t mind the test. God even performs the second test so that Gideon is assured that God is with him and has given the Midianites into his hand. God did not send Gideon blindly. He gave Gideon a sign that Israel would be saved by his hand.

God tested Gideon’s devotion by telling him to tear down an idol’s altar and build an altar to the Lord and give him two sacrifices. God wanted to strengthen Gideon’s character before the battle he would face. God wanted to strengthen his devotion to the Lord so God tested him. So too does God want to strengthen your character dear reader.

What can you do this week to show your devotion to God?

God is doing this for me right now. He’s proving my devotion to him right now by putting it on my heart to spend more time in his word and with him. He’s strengthening my character. I am so close to my next blessing. I can feel it and I’m so excited about it. It’s ok to test God’s word to you when you’re not sure what he’s telling you to do. Sometimes you’ll be like Gideon and lay out a fleece just to be sure and God understands that. He will answer on his timing.

By strengthening Gideon’s character, he prepared him for the battle and put it on his heart to do as he commanded and not deviate from what God had said. God showed him that he could win the battle with just a few because God was with him. Again God didn’t speak to who Gideon was. He spoke to who Gideon would become. God didn’t reassure him that he could do it in his own effort, he reassured him that God would be with him.

What battle is God calling you to face?

Will you let him speak to your potential and walk out in faith in the calling that he’s placed on your life?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

There’s a Cross in Every Crown

            Dear readers my friend mentioned the title of this blog to me and it really intrigued me and got me thinking. What it means to me is every blessing comes with a price.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NLT

My biggest cross or trial was when I was suicidal and in a cult. I thought I was headed for hell and there was no consoling me. I wanted to die but God was not finished with me yet. He used my captors to set me free and I wound up in a psych ward for 5 days. The crown God gave me during this time was the choice to choose life instead of death. 7 years later he gave me another crown for this cross and that is my book Set Free Through Christ Who Strengthens Me is being published. God has shown me it will touch the lives of many and bring them to Christ. So the cross I bore is a blessing that will bring glory to God and bring many to his kingdom. This crown is bigger than I can fathom. It’s like when Joseph told his brothers:

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20

My situation is exactly like this. My roommates tried to destroy me, but God meant it for good to save many lives. There are many stories like mine out there, but not many people go public with it. This is a unique story that will touch the lives of many. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do! This crown is far reaching into eternity and I can’t wait to see the fruits of my cross when I get to heaven one day. I’ll see all the lives my testimony has touched. So the cross is a trial and the crown is the blessing at the end of that trial.

What cross are you bearing today?

Share it with me.

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

The Light of the World

            So I asked the question of my bible study group: What do you need to forget to move forward with Christ? It was inspired by this scripture:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Philippians 3:13

I need to forget the anxiety. Forget the shame. Forget the fear. Fear lives in the dark and Christ has shined his glorious light into my darkest places and revealed them as mere vapors. They hold no tangible weight all fear does is whisper lies. It holds no power when Christ’s light shines on it. It is shown to be a lie of the past collecting dust.

What is the light of Christ when it comes to darkness?

                        For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

The light brings knowledge to our hearts. A knowledge of who God is through Christ. Jesus brings us before the foot of the throne. Before our Father. His blood covers all our sins so that God can look upon us and welcome us into his kingdom.

Who is the light of the world?

                        Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

Jesus says we will not walk in darkness, therefore, walking in fear in the dark is contrary to my character and my walk with Christ.

So the knowledge in our hearts and through the guidance of our Savior we will walk in the light. Therefore, the darkness has no power over us. God gives us a choice between death and life.

See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. Deuteronomy 30:15-16

This says to walk in his ways. You have a choice dear reader. Life and light or death and darkness. God does not force this choice upon us. For me I have a choice life and light or death and darkness and fear. I choose life and light. I made that choice 7 years ago when I was suicidal in a psychiatric ward. However, I hadn’t thought about the fear that was still attached to my heart, this unwanted hitchhiker. Fear is so often motivating my choices. I want to be motivated by God. I want to choose him in all that I do. My God I have the light of the world in my heart. Who am I to ignore Jesus? He’s called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Psalm 107:14

Jesus and the light wins. The darkness will not prevail against it. Therefore, I need to just look to Jesus to be that light in my life.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5 NLT

What do you need to do today dear reader to allow Christ’s light to shine in your heart? I know it all starts with seeing your need for a savior. It starts with giving your heart to Christ. If you haven’t already what are you waiting for? Christ will bring peace to your heart and will bring you salvation if you but turn to him. The next step is prayer. Talk it out with God. Let him hear your voice. I need to take my own advice to not allow fear to touch my heart. Fear is but a vapor and Christ is right there reaching out his hand if we would but take it and let him remove all the darkness from our hearts.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT

Let’s just turn to Jesus today and let him heal our hearts and remove all anxiety, fear and doubt. What can you do to have more of Jesus in your life today?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Stand Still in the Battle

               Dear readers, I had to do a lot of waiting today. I’m having minor surgery, no worries I won’t even be put under for it, but I’ve had to go through hoops because it’s being done at a hospital. So months ago I went for an EKG and a Chest X-ray. Well because it’s been so long ago I had to do them again and I just found out this morning that I had to do the Chest X-ray again so I was very frustrated about this. I had to wait an hour and a half for the X-ray. At first I was frustrated but then I started to kind of really like the fact that I was waiting and couldn’t do anything but wait. It got me thinking about God’s word that says, “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen. I will be exalted in the earth,” Psalm 46:10. This is ultimately telling us that God will be known even among the unbelievers. His glory will be revealed to everyone. So Psalm 46 is very meaty and I believe God is actually talking about being still in the battle. I would love to go through the whole Psalm because it’s so good. I encourage you to read it and think about the fact that God is fighting for you. So here’s some of the verses:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Psalm 46:1-2

So when there are wars or battles raging in our lives God is right there besides us and we can run to him and be sheltered by him. During this time there were battles and the psalmist is reminding himself and his readers that God is our refuge and strength. We need not fear because he is with us.

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, he burneth the chariot in the fire. Psalm 46:9

So here we see that God fights the battle for us. He protects us no matter what we are going through. After this I got to thinking about Moses and the people of Israel and one of the toughest things they had to go through, and that was when they fled the Egyptians by crossing the Red Sea. Look what God tells his people through Moses:

And Moses said unto the people, fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew you today: for the Egyptians you have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Exodus 14:13

The Lord shall fight for you and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14

It is after this that the Lord tells Moses to stretch his hand over the sea to divide it. So what battle are you facing today? In what way can you stand still and let the Lord fight for you?

I’m so used to thinking that I can fight my own battles. This is a challenge for me. To just stand still, do nothing and wait is unheard of for me. However, I fully believe the Lord has me in a waiting period and is teaching me how to be still. That’s what I had to be for most my morning and you know what it actually was a blessing to have to do these tests again because it ultimately led me to the thoughts for this blog which in turn led me to you dear reader.

One last thought:

Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Psalm 91:5-7

This is so a call to stand still. Nothing will harm you. Let the Lord fight for you.

So will you share your battles with me dear reader?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

Look Up

            I lift up my eyes to the mountains- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

Look up. Lift up your eyes to you creator. When you look up it takes your eyes and mind off of the world and puts it on Jesus. I’m reminded of Peter when he walked on water. When his eyes were on the Lord his faith in Christ allowed him to walk on water. He knew Jesus could perform miracles. When he put his eyes on the storm his faith waned. It caused him to sink. We can have the faith it takes to put our eyes on the Lord and no matter what surrounds us we can keep the faith that God will perform a miracle in our lives. He will help us walk on water.

Jesus walks on water and so does Peter. When Peter sinks Jesus asks why did you doubt me? Is that where you find yourself today dear reader? I don’t doubt God, I doubt myself. Am I capable? Can I do this? But then I guess it is like doubting God because he created me and he called me to spread the gospel just as he’s called each one of us. I fear rejection but the word says when they reject you they are rejecting the one who sent you. So how do we keep our eyes on Christ? By praying to him and asking him to help us when we sink. By worshipping him for when we worship him our eyes are fixed on him. Truly thank him when you worship him. Remember what he has done. Call it back to him and thank him for the ways he’s been there for you. Serve. By serving him it puts your mind on loving others and on showing your appreciation for his love by loving others. We keep our eyes on him through the word. I encourage you to spend time in his word daily. It will bless you. For the word is actively correcting us and showing us how Christ wants us to live our lives. It is the word that gives us strength to stand on the water and it is when we keep our eyes fixed on him that we walk on water.

What can you do to look up to him and walk on water today?

What can you do to have a faith that walks on water?

Where does my help come from? The Lord the maker of the world. The almighty God. The one who created me knows my heart, my struggles, my successes, my fear and my worries. He is more than able to minister to me and provide help. Look up to him. He will help you.

Will you share the ways you look up to the Lord?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z.

 

 

Tug of War: Growth or Fear

             My life coach asked me a profound question today. Is my desire to grow greater than my fear of the unknown. I’d love for my answer to be yes. However, my answer is no. Right now my fear is winning out. I hate to admit it dear reader because I want to be strong and say when you follow Christ your struggles are over. That’s simply not true and frankly a detriment to our walk with Christ. We will always be a work in progress but we can take heart for he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion just as his word says:

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6 KJV

So I so want to be the strong version of myself the one who believes God will do great things with my life. Instead I am weak and I’m reaching out to God less and less succumbing to my old habit of staying in bed until the last possible second. I’m awake. I’m just lying there. I’m not even saying to myself Amy you should get out of bed I’m just lying there waiting for the alarm to go off. I can relate to the apostle Paul for he said:

 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. Romans 7:15 NLT

 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. ²² I love God’s law with all my heart. ²³ But there is another power^[b] within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. ²⁴ Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? ²⁵ Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:21-25 NLT

Through the struggle this scripture shows us who will rescue us, Jesus. In chapter 8 of Romans following the above scripture it says there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1) So don’t despair dear reader if you find yourself in this tug of war between sin and the spirit for Jesus wins out. You don’t have to be a slave to sin any more. You can walk by the spirit. So again I say don’t despair dear reader if we would be still before the Lord he will speak and show us what to do next. So where do you find yourself today? Are you struggling? Lean into Christ. Give him your burdens for his word says:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

Are you feeling joyful? Praise God so no matter what state you’re in praise God. Praise him in the storm and praise him in the sunshine.

I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:2

So I just encourage you today to find a friend who will encourage and strengthen you and shoulder your struggle. It is when we are at our weakest that we need Christ most and what better way to feel Christ in our lives than to be surrounded by the love of our friends? Believe me I have to stop trying to do this getting out of bed thing on my own and lean into Christ but also put plans into place that help me succeed my goal. I also encourage you to pray for God to help you. I haven’t even asked God to help me get out of bed. How foolish! The Holy Spirit lives in me and will help me even in something as simple as getting out of bed.

So where do you find yourself today dear reader?

Will you share it with me?

I’m here.

I’m listening.

Genuinely Yours,

Amy Z

A New Beginning Dawns

                My cousin sent me an image that had this saying, “faith is not an epidural that takes away the pain. It’s a midwife who stands next to us through the whole process and says push it’s supposed to hurt.” What a good word and so true when we are stretched past our comfort zones it is going to hurt but there’s a blessed new life at the end of it. A new beginning is headed my way. It is not a beginning that is going to come easy for my old life has to die and come to an end so that I can be like Lazarus who walks out of the tomb. I have the grave clothes on, the stench of death is at my nose, but Jesus is right there holding his arms open wide ready to embrace me with the new life that he offers. God’s word says we are a new creation in Christ.

                 Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

                  Therefore, I need to embrace the new life and let go of the things in my life that need to die. The things that need to die are pride, ego, doubt, worry, fear, anxiety, procrastination, laziness, fear of starting new things and running from my emotions and from God. I’m tired of holding onto my old comfort zone. God is trying to bring something new into my life. I want to embrace the pain of the new beginning like a mother embraces the pain of giving birth for at the other side of that pain is a blessed new life and a new beginning.  

                     Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 KJV

                     I have to admit dear readers that I’ve been floundering lately. I haven’t been reading my bible in the morning or praying before work. I’ve been staying in bed until the last possible moment and then getting up and going for a walk. I can’t seem to find the zeal or the resolve I once had to get out of bed and read God’s word. I find that several Christians I talked to are having the same problem. I know the enemy is always out to get us, so isn’t it just like him to get us to stay out of the word of God and become stagnant? A couple people have told me to pray before I get out of bed. I do need to try that. So wish me God’s best on getting out of bed early in the morning dear reader.

                     What would you like to see come to fruition in your life?

                      Are you waiting for a new beginning?

                      Will you share it with me?

                        I’m here.

                        I’m listening.

                        Genuinely Yours,

                         Amy Z